Legislative Update
For the past two months, I’ve been splitting my time between Springfield and 51st District. Last week was especially long but exciting! We had a deadline to get the bills we proposed voted on the House floor. Here are updates on the bills I've been working on...
🏛️ Springfield 🏛️
An addition to Individualized Education Programs (IEPs): HB3643
This bill says that when an Individualized Education Program is created for a student with a disability who is 17 years old or older, voter registration should be considered as an appropriate goal.
As my very first bill to pass on the House Floor and head over to the Senate, this bill is important for Illinois because it tells students with disabilities that their voice matters, and their vote matters.
Cleaning up some court language: HB2624
This piece of legislation will allow more people to defend themselves in our court system by getting access to their own court documents and records.
Here's an example of why this bill is necessary: Back in 2020, the Governor ordered all eviction cases to be sealed to help support tenants who were more likely to face evictions due to financial hardships facilitated by the pandemic. This was a great initiative but because of unclear definitions, clerks ended up being unable to give tenants access to their own eviction cases. The order created an additional barrier for people navigating the legal system when the intent of the law was just the opposite. Clarifying the intent of “sealed” was the solution to this problem, and now we are doing the same thing, but on a wider scale.
Senior Property Tax Freeze Exemption income increase: HB2629
Property taxes are rising, and in District 51, our population is aging. After paying into the tax system for years, I want to help make sure that seniors on fixed incomes stay in their homes, and age where they see fit. It's for this reason that I introduced a bill this year, HB2629, that would increase the minimum freeze income level from 65k a year to 85k a year. This will help more folks qualify, and increase the chance that seniors will be able to afford to stay in their homes.
Protecting patients from price gouging: HB3957
HB3957 is a bill that would prevent manufacturers who are setting prices in a market that does not naturally keep prices reasonable for off-patent and generic prescription drugs. In addition to increased property taxes and inflation, the gouged prices of prescription drugs add to the burdensome cost of living. It's for this reason that I want to give the state of Illinois power to moderate prices in scenarios of clear exploitation. I am excited to continue to advocate for the necessity and importance of bills like this one.
Providing paid leave for organ donors: HB3516
Organ donation is near and dear to my heart. As an organ donor, I have first-hand experience of how brutal the recovery process can be, but also how beautiful it is to know that you were able to save a life. More people should be given the option to give because that means more people get the option to live. This bill gives organ donors 10 days paid leave and bone marrow donors 5 days paid leave, making organ donation more feasible for more folks. HB3516 has passed on the House Floor and has moved onto the Senate!
How else do I support important legislation?
When my colleagues are carrying bills that I believe are important, I can also hop on as a "co-sponsor" to show my support and advocate for the bill to get it across the finish line. Here are some good pieces of legislation that thrilled me so much that I decided to co-sponsor...
Don't hesitate to reach out with any questions or concerns. Our office number is (773) 916-6553 and our email is info@repsyed.com.
With Gratitude,
Nabeela
