LEGISLATIVE UPDATE FROM EQUIP FOR EQUALITY
April 1, 2022
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NOTE: Both Houses of the Illinois General Assembly are scheduled to adjourn on April 8, 2022.
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The following are disability-related bills and/or issues pending in the Illinois General Assembly that are scheduled to be heard in committee during the week of April 4, 2022:
House Elementary & Secondary Education-School Curriculum & Policies Committee
April 4, 2022, 11:00 a.m.
Virtual Room 2 www.ilga.gov
Room 114, Capitol Building
Springfield, IL
SB 4028, HFA 1, HFA 2, Representative Denyse Wang Stoneback
Amends the Critical Health Problems and Comprehensive Health Education Act. Adds provisions regarding requiring instruction on how and where to find mental health resources and specialized treatment in the State. Creates the Student Mental Health Council to evaluate: mental health; how mental health resources are being used; and the effect of COVID-19 on students’ mental health, substance use disorders, and other mental health conditions. Provides that the Council shall meet at least once per quarter. Provides that the Council shall advise and make recommendations to the General Assembly and the Governor regarding: (i) the dissemination of information to schools, including agency websites, informational materials, and outreach personnel; (ii) available services to students and any service gaps; and (iii) how to improve State policy concerning student mental health. Provides guidelines for appointing members. Provides that the State Board of Education shall provide administrative support. Provides that no member of the Council, including the chairperson, shall receive any compensation for services on the Council but shall be reimbursed for ordinary and necessary expenses incurred in attending meetings of the Council. Provides that the Council shall deliver annual reports to the General Assembly and the Governor’s Office. Provides that the Council is dissolved, and the Section creating the Council is repealed, on January 1, 2026. Amends the Children’s Mental Health Act of 2003. Provides that the Children’s Mental Health Partnership shall also include an adjunct council. Defines membership and qualifications of the adjunct council. Provides that the adjunct council will make recommendations to the Partnership regarding youth mental health, including, but not limited to, identifying barriers to youth feeling supported by and empowered by the system of mental health and treatment providers, barriers perceived by youth in accessing mental health services, gaps in the mental health system, available resources in schools, including youth’s perceptions and experiences with outreach personnel, agency websites, and informational materials, methods to destigmatize mental health services, and how to improve State policy concerning student mental health. Provides that the council shall meet at least 4 times annually.
- To read the full text of SB 4028: Click
- To read the text of SB 4028, HFA 1: Click
- To read the text of SB 4028, HFA 2: Click
- To file an electronic witness slip on HB 4028: Click
Joint Hearing of House Appropriations-Higher Education Committee and House Mental Health & Addiction Committee
April 5, 2022, 9:00 a.m.
Virtual Room 1 www.ilga.gov
Springfield, IL
SUBJECT MATTER: Mental Health and Private Universities.
- To file an electronic witness slip for the subject matter hearing: Click
Senate Executive Committee
April 5, 2022, 2:00 p.m.
Room 212, Capitol Building
Springfield, IL
HB 1587, Senator Don Harmon
Creates the Home Modification Program Act. Provides that the purpose of the Act is to establish a home modification funding system that is streamlined, effective, and administered by experts within the disability community. Requires the Department of Human Services to establish a Home Modification Program to provide financial assistance to persons with disabilities for home modification projects. Requires the Department to designate a statewide association that represents centers for independent living to serve as the lead agency to administer the Program. Requires the Department to provide funding for the Program subject to the availability of appropriations in an amount sufficient to implement and administer the Program. Requires the lead agency to distribute any moneys it receives from the Department to the State’s 22 centers for independent living, covering all 102 counties. Provides that the lead agency shall ensure that each center for independent living has access to at least $105,000 to use for home modification projects, with the excess funds subject to reallocation during the 4th fiscal quarter of each year. Contains provisions concerning eligibility requirements for applicants under the Program; standards and qualifications for home modification projects; the lead agency’s establishment of a Home Modification Subcommittee to provide additional oversight of the home modification projects; and an administrative fee to the lead agency.
Senate State Government Committee
April 5, 2022, 2:00 p.m.
Room 409, Capitol Building
Springfield, IL
HB 4682, Senator Craig Wilcox
Amends the Illinois Lottery Law. Provides that the Illinois Veterans Assistance Fund shall make grants, fund additional services, or conduct additional research projects relating to veterans’ behavioral health services (rather than veterans’ post traumatic stress disorder) and veterans’ emergency financial assistance, including, but not limited to, past due utilities, housing, and transportation costs.
NOTE: If you wish to take any action regarding any of these bills/issues, you may wish to file an electronic witness slip and/or or submit oral or written testimony to the committee holding the hearing and/or contact the members of the committee conducting the hearing and/or the legislators in your home district. The names, addresses, and telephone numbers of all legislators, both Representatives and Senators, can be found on the Illinois General Assembly website at: www.ilga.gov. You may check this website to find out if any of the committee hearing dates or times have been changed, which may happen upon very short notice.
SPECIAL NOTE: Most committee hearings in the IL House of Representatives are being held remotely via the Internet.
- To view instructions regarding the remote hearing process and how to
- submit oral or written testimony in the HOUSE: Click
Committee hearings in the IL Senate are being held in person at the Capitol Building.
For additional information, please contact:
Cheryl R. Jansen
Public Policy Director
Equip for Equality
cherylj2@equipforequality.org
217-303-8543
