South Cook News

Debbie Meyers-Martin introduced HB1436 in the Illinois House on Jan. 17, 2025, during the general assembly session 104, according to the Illinois General Assembly.

According to the Illinois General Assembly site, the legislature summarized the bill's official text as follows: "Amends the Illinois Housing Development Act. Requires the Illinois Housing Development Authority to establish and administer a Housing Hardship Program to provide up to 3 months of emergency rental or mortgage assistance or up to $1,600 per month for 3 months, whichever is less, to eligible applicants who demonstrate a hardship or other extenuating circumstances that place them at risk of eviction or foreclosure. Lists certain financial hardships that qualify for assistance under the program. Provides that applicants may apply for assistance once every 2 years regardless of household income. Requires applicants to submit a financial affidavit supported by banking statements and other documentary evidence as prescribed by the Authority. Requires the Authority to provide assistance to eligible applicants based upon the following factors in order of priority: (1) Whether the applicant has never previously received housing or public assistance from any other State or federal program. (2) If the applicant has previously received housing or public assistance, the number of times the applicant received such assistance. (3) The severity of the applicant's declared hardship or circumstances. Amends the State Finance Act. Creates the Housing Hardship Program Fund."

The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.

In essence, this bill mandates the Illinois Housing Development Authority to create a Housing Hardship Program offering up to three months of emergency rental or mortgage assistance or $1,600 per month for three months, whichever is less, to eligible applicants facing eviction or foreclosure risks. Qualifying hardships include recent divorce, job loss, income reduction, unexpected funeral expenses, short-term disability, unpaid medical leave, and significant medical debt. Applicants can seek aid every two years and must submit a financial affidavit with supporting documents. Priority will be given based on previous assistance received and hardship severity. The bill also establishes a Housing Hardship Program Fund to finance the assistance, effective upon appropriation.

Debbie Meyers-Martin has proposed another three bills since the beginning of the 104th session.

Meyers-Martin graduated from the University of Illinois at Chicago with a BA.

Debbie Meyers-Martin is currently serving in the Illinois State House, representing the state's 38th House District. She replaced previous state representative Al Riley in 2019.

Bills in Illinois follow a multi-step legislative process, beginning with introduction in either the House or Senate, followed by committee review, floor debates, and votes in both chambers before reaching the governor for approval or veto. The General Assembly operates on a biennial schedule, and while typically thousands of bills are introduced each session, only a fraction successfully pass through the process to become law.

You can read more about bills and other measures here.

Bill Number	Date Introduced	Short Description
HB1436	01/17/2025	Amends the Illinois Housing Development Act. Requires the Illinois Housing Development Authority to establish and administer a Housing Hardship Program to provide up to 3 months of emergency rental or mortgage assistance or up to $1,600 per month for 3 months, whichever is less, to eligible applicants who demonstrate a hardship or other extenuating circumstances that place them at risk of eviction or foreclosure. Lists certain financial hardships that qualify for assistance under the program. Provides that applicants may apply for assistance once every 2 years regardless of household income. Requires applicants to submit a financial affidavit supported by banking statements and other documentary evidence as prescribed by the Authority. Requires the Authority to provide assistance to eligible applicants based upon the following factors in order of priority: (1) Whether the applicant has never previously received housing or public assistance from any other State or federal program. (2) If the applicant has previously received housing or public assistance, the number of times the applicant received such assistance. (3) The severity of the applicant's declared hardship or circumstances. Amends the State Finance Act. Creates the Housing Hardship Program Fund.
HB1388	01/15/2025	Amends the Illinois Gambling Act. Provides the Illinois Gaming Board shall: allow sworn law enforcement personnel employed by the Board who retire in good standing to keep their previously issued Board identification cards; or issue photographic identification cards to sworn law enforcement personnel employed by the Board who retire in good standing that indicate their separation from service and identify the person as having been employed by the Board as sworn law enforcement personnel. Provides that if a Board-issued identification card is lost or stolen, the Board shall immediately reissue a replacement identification card upon written request by the retired sworn law enforcement personnel. Effective immediately.
HB1332	01/14/2025	Amends the Hospital Licensing Act. Provides that a hospital licensed under the Act must, at the time a patient is being checked in, give the patient an opportunity to designate an emergency contact to be notified if the patient dies or experiences a significant change in condition. If an emergency contact is designated, hospital staff must communicate with the emergency contact and ask whether the emergency contact would prefer to be notified by telephone call, by hospital staff when the emergency contact reaches the hospital, or by some other method.
HB1361	01/14/2025	Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Creates a credit for certain small businesses in an amount equal to the lesser of (i) 10% of the property taxes paid by the qualified small business during the taxable year for eligible real property or (ii) $1,500. Effective immediately.