I am thankful for the responses to the legislative survey you recently received in the mail. Below are the results, with the percentage of respondents answering indicated in parentheses after each option.

I read your responses and comments with great interest. They are extremely helpful to me in considering how I can best represent you. Thank you again.

What kind of school board would be most effective for Chicago Public Schools?
a.    All members elected. (45%)
b.    All members appointed by the Mayor. (6%)
c.    A combination of elected and appointed members. (49%)

What is the best way to address the lack of affordable housing in Chicago?
a.    Repeal the law that disallows rent control in Illinois. (27%)
b.    Incentivize or require developers to provide more affordable housing. (27%)
c.    Increase state funding for affordable housing, even if it means an additional tax. (9%)
d.    I think there is sufficient affordable housing in my area. (17%)
e.    Other__________ (19%) Please see the constituent comments below.

Do you think Illinois should switch to nonpartisan primaries wherein the two candidates with the most votes would run against each other in the general election, regardless of political party, or should the state continue to use a partisan primary system?
a.    Yes, I think the state should switch to nonpartisan primaries. (45%)
b.    No, I think the state should continue to use the partisan primary system. (47%)
c.    Other__________ (8%) Please see the constituent comments below.

Should Illinois move to a ranked-choice voting system, in which voters rank candidates in their order of preference and the winner is determined by the majority of voters?
a.    Yes, I support ranked-choice voting. (34%)
b.    No, winners should be determined by getting the most votes in a race, regardless of majority support. (21%)
c.    I’m not sure, but I’d like to learn more about the options. (45%)

What do you believe is the most effective and fair way to draw legislative districts?
a.    An independent commission draws the maps. (95%)
b.    The majority party of the legislature draws the maps. (2%)
c.    A commission of appointed politicians draws the maps. (2%)

Comments and Suggestions:

Below is a compilation of the comments and suggestions I received. I also indicate how many people shared similar thoughts.

Economy

Lower taxes/tax reform (4)
Living wages (1)
Reduce cost of doing business/attract new jobs (1)

State spending

Reduce wasteful spending (4)
Reduce pension costs/pension reform (8)
Invest in infrastructure (1)
Require a budget to be passed on time (1)
Equal school funding (1)

Housing

Remove zoning restrictions or relax zoning laws for affordable housing (1)
Increase requirements for developers to develop affordable housing (1)
Don't allow aldermen in Chicago to refuse affordable housing (1)
Rent control (1)
More affordable housing for people with disabilities (1)
Improved access to housing case managers (1)

Health care

Create rules from Illinois Department of Public Health for Registered Nurses to open practices (1)
Rate increase for direct care professionals (1)
Improved access to mental health clinics (1)

Government reform

Create an instant runoff voting system (2)
Keep primaries partisan for federal offices but nonpartisan for state offices (1)
Eliminate corruption (1)
Term limits/change in leadership (4)
Change the way legislative districts are drawn (2)

Criminal justice reform

Place fewer non-violent offenders in prison (1)
Reform registration requirements for sexual offenders (1)
Help ex-offenders get jobs (1)
Test all rape kits within 30 days of collection (1)

Other

Student loan assistance/forgiveness (1)
Address climate issues/mitigate damage from climate change (1)
Create transparent laws regarding online gambling (1)
Legalize adult-use cannabis (2)

CHICAGO – Workers and employers will soon see claims resolved by the Human Rights Commission more quickly under a new law sponsored by State Senator Heather Steans (D-Chicago).

“Due to the current structure of the Human Rights Commission, a detrimental backlog of discrimination and harassment complaints has developed over time,” Steans said. “This lengthy and cumbersome process hurts both businesses and workers. I led negotiations with the business community and organizations that protect workers’ rights to craft a plan that is fair to all to restructure the commission.”

Senate Bill 20 creates a temporary three-person panel to address the backlog of cases. It restructures the Human Rights Commission from 13 part-time commissioners to seven full-time, dedicated commissioners. To prevent a future accumulation of cases, it streamlines the administrative process and removes duplicative steps within the commission.

“This legislation aligns state law with federal law by extending the amount of time an individual can file a claim from 180 days to 300 days,” Steans said. “I look forward to seeing the commission resolve these cases in a timelier manner.”
This legislation, which was signed into law Friday, takes effect immediately.

CHICAGO – Medicaid enrollees will no longer be forced to find a new doctor if their managed care organization cancels its contract with their primary care physician under a new law sponsored by State Senator Heather Steans (D-Chicago).

“I am glad that Medicaid patients who are thriving with their doctor will now be able to continue to see that physician even if their health insurance plan cancels its contract,” Steans said. “I hope this new measure will lead to better health outcomes for Medicaid patients and greater continuity of care.”

Previously, if a contract between a doctor and a managed care organization was terminated, the Medicaid patient’s care remained with the managed care organization. This would force patients to find new doctors. House Bill 4383 allows patients in this situation to re-enroll in a new managed care organization in order to stay with their primary care doctor.

This legislation, which was signed into law this week, takes effect immediately.

CHICAGO – Underserved communities across the state may soon see more mental health professionals thanks to a new law sponsored by State Senator Heather Steans.

“Both rural and urban areas across the state are not adequately staffed with mental health professionals. This law will incentivize mental health professionals to work in those shortage areas,” Steans (D-Chicago) said.  

The law creates a loan repayment assistance program for mental health professionals practicing in underserved or designated mental health professional shortage areas. To be eligible for the program, an applicant must work at least 12 consecutive months in the designated area and have an outstanding educational loan balance. The amount of the grant would vary based on the applicant’s degree.

“I hope this legislation will encourage more mental health professionals to work in understaffed areas across the state,” Steans said. “Many communities are struggling with the opioid crisis and addiction issues and need additional support.”

Under this program grants would not exceed the following amounts:

•    up to $35,000 per year for a psychiatrist;
•    up to $15,000 per year for an advanced practice registered nurse or physician’s assistant;
•    up to $12,000 per year for a psychologist who holds a doctoral degree;
•    up to $6,500 per year for a licensed clinical social worker or a licensed clinical professional counselor; and
•    up to $2,500 per year for a substance-use professional.

House Bill 5109 takes effect July 1, 2019.