SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WBBM NEWSRADIO) – The Illinois House of Representatives passed major, time-sensitive bills Thursday to protect underserved communities struggling through the pandemic and set Illinois on a path toward improved health equity.
“Yesterday was a phenomenal day for the Illinois House. When we adopted rules for remote legislating, we promised to get to work quickly and diligently—and that’s exactly what we did yesterday. I thank all of my Reps. Lilly, Ramirez and Stuart for getting these critical pieces of legislation across the finish line. This is just the beginning of our work to deliver for Illinois residents and I look forward to collaborating with our counterparts in the Senate,” said Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch.
The COVID-19 Federal Emergency Rental Assistance Program Act (HB 2877), led by Rep. Delia Ramirez, offers a holistic approach to address the unprecedented economic instability for renters, homeowners, and landlords caused by the pandemic.
Provisions of the bill include:
• Codifying measures of the federally funded emergency rental assistance program that will roll out this year;
• Temporarily halting foreclosure proceedings for homeowners and small landlords, alleviating pressure for them and their tenants;
• Protecting tenants from the long-term consequences of eviction records; and
• Prohibiting rental tenant screening companies from sharing sealed eviction court records.
Meanwhile, the Illinois Health Care and Human Service Reform Act (HB 158), led by Rep. Camille Y. Lilly, will address disparities in medical care and other services in Black communities.
As one of the pillars of the Black Caucus’s ‘Black Agenda’, it will:
• Implement a hospital closure moratorium to address Illinois' long-standing health inequities;
• Create an Anti-Racism Commission that will identify and propose statewide policies to eliminate systemic racism and advance equitable solutions;
• Require implicit bias training for medical professionals;
• Create a Community Health Worker Certification to improve relations between medical professionals and the specific community they serve; and
• Allow Medicaid reimbursement for doulas – non-medical professionals who reduce racial bias in health care by providing individually tailored and client-centered care and advocacy for pregnant and postpartum women.
The House also passed HB 1871, led by Rep. Katie Stuart, to sustain curbside and mail-in voting. The bill calls for allocating federal funds from the Help America Vote Act to establish ballot drop boxes around the state. It expands curbside voting as well and reduces postage barriers for mail-in voting.
“Voter suppression has become too prevalent in our national politics, but in Illinois, we believe in making it easier to vote—not harder. I am proud to announce that HB1871 passed the Illinois House yesterday. Now, we can utilize federal funds to establish ballot drop boxes across the state and implement curbside voting, making voting even more accessible. I want to thank Rep. Stuart for all of her hard work on this bill. Everyone deserves the chance to make their voice heard, and yesterday we solidified this sacred right," Speaker Welch said.