LEGISLATIVE UPDATE FROM EQUIP FOR EQUALITY
May 1, 2023
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 May 1, 2023. NOTE: May 12, 2023 is the 3rd Reading deadline for substantive House bills in the Senate and substantive Senate bills in the House. The Illinois General Assembly is scheduled to adjourn on May 19, 2023.
House Adoption & Child Welfare Committee
May 2, 2023, 2:00 p.m.
Room 122B, Capitol Building
Springfield, IL
HR 196, Representative Jay Hoffman
Recognizes the benefits that equine therapy can have on the lives of children, especially those that have experienced trauma, abuse, and neglect. Urges the Department of Children and Family Services to consider implementing an equine therapy pilot program in order to help children process trauma and address their behavioral and emotional needs.
House Restorative Justice Committee
May 4, 2023, 9:00 a.m.
Room 115, Capitol Building
Springfield, IL
SUBJECT MATTER: Justice, Equity, Opportunity Initiative
- To file an electronic witness slip for the subject matter hearing: Click
House Mental Health & Addiction Committee
May 5, 2023, 9:00 a.m.
Virtual Room 1, www.ilga.gov
Springfield, IL
SUBJECT MATTER: Mental Health Early Action on Campus Act
- To file an electronic witness slip for the subject matter hearing: Click
Senate Health and Human Services Committee
May 2, 2023, 4:00 p.m.
Room 400, Capitol Building
Springfield, IL
HB 439, Senator Adriane Johnson
Creates the Illinois Youth in Care Timely Provision of Essential Care Act. Requires the
Department of Children and Family Services to develop a written, strategic plan that comprehensively addresses improving timely access to quality in-state residential treatment, evidence-based alternatives to residential treatment, and specialized foster care for youth in the care of the Department who have significant emotional, behavioral, and medical needs. Provides that the planning process must be transparent and allow for stakeholder input. Requires the strategic plan to be finalized and made public no later than one year after the effective date of the Act. Requires the strategic plan to be revised within 6 months after the rate study required under the Children and Family Services Act is complete and available for review. Requires the Department to incorporate the rate study’s recommendations into the strategic plan. Requires the strategic plan to include: (i) benchmarks and a timeline for implementing each provision of the strategic plan; (ii) strategy for obtaining resources needed to implement each provision of the strategic plan; and (iii) ongoing stakeholder engagement during the implementation of the strategic plan.
Senate Appropriations-Health & Human Services Committee
May 3, 2023, 4:00 p.m.
Room 400, Capitol Building
Springfield, IL
SUBJECT MATTER: SB 2493
SB 2493, Senator Elgie R. Sims, Jr.
Makes appropriations for the ordinary and contingent expenses of the Department of Healthcare and Family Services for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2023, as follows: General Funds $9,069,962,700; Other State Funds $27,913,084,300; Federal Funds $205,000,000; Total $37,188,047,000.
- To file an electronic witness slip for the subject matter hearing: Click
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.
For additional information, please contact:
Cheryl R. Jansen
Public Policy Director
Equip for Equality
cherylj2@equipforequality.org
217-303-8543
