Update from Springfield . . .

May 10, 2004. SPRINGFIELD. The Illinois General Assembly has until the end of the week to meet both the Senate and House deadline for bills. After May 14, the General Assembly will be focused on passing the budget. Here is the status of the legislation that Protestants for the Common Good is tracking:

Amendment to Criminal Expungement Act (SB 3007) – The bill, having been approved by the Senate and the House Judiciary Committee, is expected to be called for a vote on Wednesday or Thursday.

SB3007 will aid those ex-offenders who are trying to become productive citizens by overcoming barriers to employment in many fields where a criminal record is a life-time exclusion. The bill adds language to Public Act 93-0211 (HB788-Howard) to provide expungement of certain criminal records after three to four years so that non-violent ex-offenders, who have demonstrated good behavior, may gain access to certain licensed professions that prohibit a criminal record. Protestants for the Common Good is working with a number of organizations to pass this legislation.

Amendment to the Affordable Housing Planning and Appeal Act (SB 2724) – The bill passed the Senate and was approved by the House Committee on Housing and Urban Development on May 5. A number of changes, including eliminating the 5-year time frame for the 3% rule, were necessary to gain support. We expect the bill to be called for a vote this week.

SB2724 ensures that the Affordable Housing Planning and Appeal Act, passed into law last year, can be implemented efficiently and effectively. The Affordable Housing Planning and Appeal Act requires communities with under 10% affordable housing to create affordable housing plans, and creates a state appeals board that can overturn local decisions that discriminate against affordable housing developments. The amendment clarifies some definitions, allows municipalities more time to complete their affordable housing plans, and places a five-year time frame for compliance under the 3% rule, thus ensuring that those communities continue to work toward the 10% affordable housing goal. Protestants for the Common Good is working with Business and Professional People for the Public Interest to advance this amendment.

Source of Income Protection from Housing Voucher Tenants (HB 4439) – The bill was held at second reading by sponsors who were five votes short of passage at the April 2 deadline. Speaker Madigan agreed to extend the deadline for the bill; it will not be brought to a vote until the fall veto session.

HB4439 will amend the Illinois Human Rights Act by including Section 8 housing vouchers in the definition of protected sources of income. With this amendment, landlords would not be able to discriminate against prospective tenants based upon their use of Section 8 housing vouchers. The bill contains amendments that address a number of concerns by exempting areas with heavy concentrations of voucher holders or areas with planned mixed-income developments. The bill also clarifies legitimate criteria for tenant selection, such as credit history and references. Protestants for the Common Good is supporting this bill whose lead advocates are Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law and Lawyer’s Committee for Better Housing.

Federally Assisted Housing Preservation Act (SB 2329) – This bill, having passed the Senate on March 25, was approved by the House on April 27, and is being sent to the Governor for his signature. The Governor has sixty days to either sign the bill, veto it, or let it become law without a signature.

SB2329 amends the Federally Subsidized Housing Act. Assisted housing is rental housing that is subsidized by either HUD or low-income housing tax credits. The bill requires the owner of an assisted housing development to give 12 (instead of 6) months notice of the owner's intent to sell or otherwise dispose of the assisted housing; also requires notice of the owner's intent to complete prepayment or complete termination of the development's participation in a federal subsidy program or termination of the development's affordability restrictions. The bill provides for representation of a tenant association by a not-for-profit corporation or private purchaser. It requires that the owner offer the property for sale to a tenant association within 60 days after the association has complied with the requirements of the Act concerning notice to the owner, and requires that a tenant association notify the owner of its intent to purchase the property within 90 (instead of 30) days after receiving the owner's offer of sale. Chicago Rehab Network has been the lead agency advancing the bill.

The Rental Housing Support Program Act (HB 4100) – Despite having 32 (out of 118) representatives listed as co-sponsors--including 14 Republicans--and the support of the Cook County Board of Commissioners and Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley, Speaker Michael Madigan has kept HB4100 from being assigned to a committee.

HB4100 creates a state-funded rental assistance program that provides rental subsidies directly to qualifying landlords who, in turn, would set affordable rents for low-income tenants earning less than 30% of the area median income. A $10 state fee for the recording of any real estate-related document filed with the local county recorder of deeds would provide a dedicated funding stream that could generate up to $30 million annually. Protestants for the Common Good is working with Chicago Coalition for the Homeless and others to advance this bill.

Human Rights Amendment for Sexual Orientation (SB 2597) – SB2597 is the new vehicle for the proposed act, replacing SB101. The bill has not been allowed to move out of Senate Rules, which prevents it from being heard by a committee. Equality Illinois and Protestants for the Common Good sponsored a clergy lobby day on May 5 to build support for the bill. (See Al Sharp's opening column.)

SB2597 would amend the Illinois Human Rights Act and provide that discrimination against a person because of his or her sexual orientation constitutes unlawful discrimination. It specifically addresses discrimination in employment and housing. Also allows employers to enforce gender-appropriate dress codes. The bill is being promoted by Equality Illinois with the support of Protestants for the Common Good.

To find out about a bill go to www.legis.state.il.us and search by the bill’s number. That will tell you who is sponsoring the bill, its status, the chamber it is currently before (i.e. House or Senate), and the actual language in the bill. You should contact your state representative or senator to express your position on the bill. You can also use the General Assembly website to get contact information (address, telephone, email) for your legislator.