What’s Happening in the 49th District!

Updates from Representative Hirschauer

Notes from Maura

Hello friends!

April is National Volunteer Month and I would like to give a special shout-out to all you amazing volunteers out there! Whether you help out at your local food bank, hang with the animals at a nearby shelter, or volunteer at your kiddo’s school, you make our community a better place by sharing your time and your talents with others. We all rise when we help others. Thank you for making our community great!

Are you looking for volunteer opportunities? Join our office on Fridays and Saturdays as we help with weekly food distribution at St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church in West Chicago. Many families in our community are feeling the effects of inflation and unsure of where to find their next meal. Pastor Josh’s weekly food distribution provides resources for those who need it the most. Volunteers are needed to help pack and distribute food boxes. Call or email our office for details.
 

Legislative Update

The first week of April was a busy one in Springfield as my colleagues and I worked hard to meet the end of session deadline of April 9. Our number one priority was passing a fiscally and socially responsible budget. I am proud that we came together to create a budget that gives financial relief to the people and families that need it most, while also taking steps to restore the fiscal responsibility of the state. This budget also funds key initiatives around health care equity, community development, and business attraction. 

To combat inflation, our budget includes a one time infusion of more than $1.8 billion dollars in aid for people and families. Here are some key elements: 

• We are suspending the grocery tax for a year, saving consumers $400 million
• We are freezing the gas tax for 6 months-saving consumers $70 million
• We are doubling the property tax rebate to save up to $300 per household
• We are increasing and expanding the Earned Income Tax Credit to cover more people, including immigrants. 
• To assist working-class parents as they manage the pressures of inflation, we are giving EIC tax filers additional one-time direct checks for $50 per adult filer and $100 for each of their children.
• We are doubling the teacher tax credit for purchasing classroom materials and creating a back-to-school tax holiday for all consumers.

• $9.6B will go to fully funding our pension obligations for fiscal year 2023. Countless Illinoisans worked for years to earn their pensions, and we must honor the commitment we made to them. 
• We are paying down $4B in unpaid bills which includes:
  • All COVID-19-related borrowing
  • $900M in delayed health insurance bills
  • $500M in pension stabilization
  • Late payment interest
• We’re infusing $1B into the once-depleted Rainy Day Fund

• HB4383 Senate Amendment 2 – Ghost Gun Ban (Hirschauer Chief-Cosponsor) – with the passage of this bill Illinois became the 12th state to ban unserialized firearms, including those that can be 3D printed or made from kits. As an advocate of common sense gun violence prevention, I am very proud of this bill. The rise in ghost guns is the fastest growing gun safety problem facing our state. Requiring serial numbers for ghost guns will help law enforcement solve crimes. Furthermore, prohibiting the purchase, sale, and manufacturing of ghost guns is a critical component to common-sense gun safety legislation.
• Other public safety initiatives in this budget total nearly half a billion, with new dollars going toward youth intervention programs, witness protection, and police recruitment. More than $70 million has been allocated for domestic violence prevention, as well as $2 million for expanding trauma recovery centers.

Maura

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