South Cook News

Debbie Meyers-Martin introduced HB1753 in the Illinois House on Jan. 24, 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 Financially Distressed City Law of the Illinois Municipal Code. Provides that, if a financially distressed city or the city's Financial Advisory Authority is awarded a State grant, any moneys the financially distressed city or Authority would be required to match under the grant are waived unless the moneys under the grant come from federal moneys that require the match. Provides that a municipality's status as a financially distressed city may not negatively impact a decision of whether or not to award a State grant to the municipality or negatively impact the amount of moneys received by the municipality from a State grant. Provides that, in addition to a request by the corporate authorities of a municipality to be certified and designated as a financially distressed city, the State Comptroller may conduct a preliminary review of the municipality's finances and establish a review team to make recommendations to the Governor for a municipality to be certified and designated as a financially distressed city. In the provisions concerning review by the State Comptroller, review team, and Governor, expands the categories allowing a municipality to become a financially distressed city. Includes provisions allowing the municipality's Financial Advisory Authority to commence an action in circuit court to enforce the Law if the corporate authorities or employees of the municipality materially violate the provisions of the Law. Makes conforming and other changes."

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

In essence, this bill amends the Financially Distressed City Law within the Illinois Municipal Code, focusing on providing additional support to municipalities identified as financially distressed. It permits the waiver of matching funds for state grants unless federal funds necessitate a match and ensures that being labeled as financially distressed does not negatively affect a city's eligibility or funding amounts from state grants. It authorizes the State Comptroller to assess a municipality's financial status and form a review team to recommend distressed designation. Financially distressed cities are subjected to expanded review criteria, with new mechanisms for their Financial Advisory Authority to enforce compliance via court action if municipal authorities or employees materially breach provisions. The changes aim to secure the fiscal stability and operational continuity of financially distressed cities while emphasizing sound financial practices and oversight.

Debbie Meyers-Martin has proposed another four 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
HB1753	01/24/2025	Amends the Financially Distressed City Law of the Illinois Municipal Code. Provides that, if a financially distressed city or the city's Financial Advisory Authority is awarded a State grant, any moneys the financially distressed city or Authority would be required to match under the grant are waived unless the moneys under the grant come from federal moneys that require the match. Provides that a municipality's status as a financially distressed city may not negatively impact a decision of whether or not to award a State grant to the municipality or negatively impact the amount of moneys received by the municipality from a State grant. Provides that, in addition to a request by the corporate authorities of a municipality to be certified and designated as a financially distressed city, the State Comptroller may conduct a preliminary review of the municipality's finances and establish a review team to make recommendations to the Governor for a municipality to be certified and designated as a financially distressed city. In the provisions concerning review by the State Comptroller, review team, and Governor, expands the categories allowing a municipality to become a financially distressed city. Includes provisions allowing the municipality's Financial Advisory Authority to commence an action in circuit court to enforce the Law if the corporate authorities or employees of the municipality materially violate the provisions of the Law. Makes conforming and other changes.
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.