Heather Steans Springfield Update

Heather Steans
State Senator
Springfield Update

February 26, 2010

Dear Neighbor,

Below are updates on some of the most significant issues being addressed in Springfield this week. If there is a topic of interest to you that I have not covered, please let me know and I will get back to you on it.

Budget.
The Senate convened a joint appropriations committee hearing on the budget deficit. We received budget projections from the Governor's Office of Management and Budget and the bi-partisan Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability. Four different policy groups also provided an overview of the budget crisis and proposed solutions - The Center for Tax and Budget Accountability, the Civic Committee, the Civic Federation and the Illinois Policy Institute. All stressed that Illinois is on a precipice of financial disaster with a $13 billion projected budget deficit for the next fiscal year. Additionally, our unfunded liabilities are growing rapidly and threaten further downgrades of our bond ratings. The Civic Federation recently issued a plan to rehabilitate the State's budget that calls for a comprehensive package of budget cuts, pension reforms and revenue enhancements. You can read this plan here.

The Center for tax and Budget Accountability also has proposals to address the budget deficit to ensure essential state services are funded and tax burden falls fairly on Illinois residents. Their research can be seen here.

The Governor's Office for the first time in Illinois is providing the public with an interactive website on the budget. You can visit www.budget.illinois.gov

to find information on budget basics and answers to frequently asked questions. You can also provide recommendations on how to address the budget deficit.

Nursing Home Reform.

The Governor's Nursing Home Safety Task Force recently issued their final report with recommendations to improve the safety and quality of care in nursing homes. Available here. They have 3 overarching recommendations:

Enhancing the assessment and referral process to assure that hospital patients are referred to the residential setting most appropriate to their needs;
Adopting and enforcing higher standards of care; and
Expanding home and community-based residential and service options.

I am chairing a new subcommittee of the Public Health Committee on Nursing Home Care which will consider legislation needed to implement recommended changes to improve the safety and quality of care in nursing homes. View the Tribune article regarding ongoing efforts to improve our nursing homes here.

Locally, work is ongoing to identify new placements for residents at the Somerset nursing home, an Institute for Mental Disease with all of its residents having a primary diagnosis of a mental illness that recently lost its federal funding after federal professionals surveyed the facility. There have been reviews by qualified professionals - many from local nonprofit organizations that serve individuals with mental illnesses - of all of the residents. Residents are being provided information on available options, both in other institutions as well as community alternatives.

Moving the Primary Election Date.

In advance of the Presidential primary election that had Barack Obama on the ballot, Illinois moved the primary date from the third Tuesday in March to the first Tuesday in February. The recent primary election had very low turnout, and the Senate passed a bill this week that will move the primary date back to the third Tuesday in March. The bill, which passed the Senate unanimously, will now move to the House for consideration. Read more here.

Legislative Scholarships.

State Representatives and Senators are able to award a limited number of scholarships for free tuition to any state university to their constituents. The Senate passed a bill this week to address abuses of the legislative scholarships. The bill would ban legislators from awarding scholarships to a relative of a campaign contributor, only allow legislators to award scholarships to individuals who have already been admitted (to prevent influencing the admissions process), and would enable any legislator to forfeit awarding the scholarships if he/she desires (currently the scholarships accumulate if unused). This bill passed the Senate unanimously. Read more about the bill here.

If there is a bill that you want passed or that concerns you, please let me know - I very much appreciate hearing from constituents who would be impacted by a piece of legislation to better understand the implications of it.

Best,

Heather Steans

Community Information and
Upcoming Events

General Assembly Scholarship

State Senator Heather Steans will be selecting college-bound students to receive General Assembly Scholarships, which cover all tuition costs for one year at the following state institutions in Illinois: Chicago State University, Eastern Illinois University, Governors State University, Illinois State University, Northeastern Illinois University, Northern Illinois University, Southern Illinois University - Edwardsville, Southern Illinois University - Carbondale, University of Illinois - Chicago, University of Illinois - Springfield, University of Illinois - Urbana-Champaign, Western Illinois University

Apply online here.

Illinois Legislative Staff Intern Program (ILSIP)

The ILSIP is an exciting legislative internship opportunity for students in Illinois. These paid internships are full-time, lasting from August until June. Participants also earn eight graduate credits in political science from the University of Illinois Springfield for which all tuition, fees, and books are paid. The program is limited to those who have completed an undergraduate degree with a minimum 3.0 grade point average. If you are interested in this scholarship, reply to this e-mail and my office will forward you additional information.

Conference of Women Legislators Scholarship

The Conference of Women Legislators is a non-for-profit organization offering scholarships for women in Illinois. The privately funded scholarships of $2500 each are available to women aged 25 and over who are furthering ther education in order to contribute to the government, their families, or the community. Applicants are considered on the basis of academic achievement and community service, especially benefiting women in transition. If you are interested in this scholarship, reply to this e-mail and my office will forward you additional information.

Free New Resource in Rogers Park... Clear Your Juvenile Criminal Records

Project NIA has launched a local juvenile expungement help desk here in Rogers Park at our community peace room.

Appointments are available on Thursdays from 5:30 to 8 p.m. or Saturdays from 10 to 1 p.m. Call 773-556-8279 for more information about the Rogers Park Help Desk and to find out if you are eligible to have your record expunged.

The Juvenile Expungement Help Desk:

Provides information about the expungement, or erasing, of all arrests and findings of delinquency or convictions that occurred before you or your child's 17th birthday from law enforcement and court records.
Helps eligible people to complete expungement paperwork and fee waiver petitions for FREE!

Independent Police Review Authority North Side Community Meeting

When: March 2, 2010 from 6 - 8 PM

Where: Uptown Branch Library (Community Room), 929 W. Buena Ave

Why: To inform the public on IPRA's role and process and address issues raised by the public. More information is available here.

Please contact Curtis Tarver II to RSVP at 312.745.3609 or Curtis.tarver@iprachicago.org

Peirce Open House

Friends of Peirce & The Local School Council and the SIPAAA Committee cordially invite you to an Open House for business and community leaders to learn about opportunities to support excellence in learning

Helen C. Peirce Elementary

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

6 p.m. - 8 p.m.

1423 West Bryn Mawr

RSVP at http://www.friendsofpeirce.org/kickoff

Senn Campus Auditorium Opening

Where: 5900 N. Glenwood
When: Friday, March 5, 2010 at 7:00 PM

Join us as we raise the curtain for the first time at the new Senn Auditorium. The 1,100 seat theater has been restored to its former glory and now features state-of-the-art sound, lighting, and audio-visual systems.
Featuring Rickover Naval Academy Band, Senn High School Gospel Chorus, Joel Hall Dancers, and a Premiere of "Hall of Jubilance"

Energy Bill Workshop