Over the last week, Governor Pritzker released multiple executive orders in order to address the threat of the COVID-19 Delta variant.
Statewide Mask Mandate
Beginning Monday, August 30 all Illinois residents ages 2 and older will be required to wear face masks in public indoor spaces. This includes planes, buses, trains, and other forms of public transportation as well as in airports, train stations, and bus stations. Face masks are also recommended in crowded outdoor spaces and and in areas where you may come in contact with unvaccinated individuals. Masks may be temporarily removed while eating or drinking in restaurants and bars. Masks may also be removed by employees in workplaces where they can consistently maintain six feet of social distance, such as private offices or cubicles.
Vaccination Requirements
All Health Care Workers are required to have at least their first dose of the COVID vaccine by September 5 and be fully vaccinated within 30 days following their first dose (if receiving a two-dose vaccine). Those who are not fully vaccinated will be tested consistently.
All School Personnel and Higher Education Personnel of public and non-public Pre-K to 12 schools as well as institutions of higher education will also be required to get the vaccine with the same requirements as Health Care Workers.
All State employees at State-owned or operated congregate facilities- such as the Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs, IDHS, Illinois Department of Corrections, and the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice-must also have had both doses of the COVID vaccine by October 4.
Eviction Moratorium Extension
Governor Pritzker has also extended the eviction moratorium until September 18, 2021. The Governor’s staff noted that he intends to follow the federal moratorium if that gets extended. The Supreme Court dealt a blow to the federal extension this week, so it remains to be seen what action states can take. We will continue to update this as we learn more.
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Back to School Vaccinations
With the beginning of the new school year coming up, the Chicago Public Schools have compiled a resource page with information on where to get your child vaccinated. If your child is 12 years of age or older, you should get them vaccinated to help keep them safe as schools reopen this fall.
At Home Vaccinations and Prizes
The Chicago Department of Public Health has expanded the capacity of their Protect Chicago At Home vaccination program. As of August 2, anyone vaccinated at home through this program can receive either a $50 Grubhub gift card or a $25 Visa gift card. Anyone age 12 and up is eligible to receive a vaccine and you may choose between Pfizer or Johnson & Johnson. Call (312) 746-4835 to make an appointment or register here.
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This week, Governor Pritzker signed several of the bills I sponsored this session, bringing my final total of new laws enacted in this session to nine. Bills signed this week are below: |
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HB2784, The Community Emergency Safety and Supports Act (CESSA), also known as the Stephon Edward Watts Act will create a new requirement that 911 calls for mental health emergencies will be responded to with a mental health response as opposed to a law enforcement one. Stephon Watts was a young man with autism who was shot by police in Calumet City when his parents called 911 for help when he was in crisis. The bill will have an extended implementation to allow the multiple 911 systems in the state to make the necessary changes to comply with the law while also aligning with the newly designated federal mandate to create a specialized mental health line assigned to 988. The implementation process promises to be complex. We’ll share more details in upcoming newsletters. In the pictures above, Governor Pritzker, Senator Peters, and I stand with the Watts family immediately after the signing and afterward, we joined with advocates from Access Living who were waiting for us when we came out of the building to celebrate their amazing work.
SB626 Criminal Code and Traffic Assessment Credit was an initiative of a Cook County Traffic Court judge who was appalled to learn that when indigent defendants are granted community service in lieu of fees and fines, their time was credited at $4/hour. SB626 will raise that amount to track with the minimum wage and will additionally allow indigent defendants in traffic court to get court cost waivers using the same formula.
SB2339 & SB2340 were an initiative of Cook County Clerk of the Circuit Court Iris Martinez that closes a loophole that she discovered upon taking office that violated the privacy of child and adult survivors of sex crimes. Each bill creates a process to allow Clerk Martinez to protect identifying information of survivors.
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In response to the withdrawal from Afghanistan our partners at Refugee One are preparing to help with the anticipated arrival of refugees coming into Chicago. They've set up a website to show how you can support those that are coming to the United States. They expect upwards of 500 people who will need support once they arrive to Chicago. In addition to offering their core services they are also deploying resettlement staff to the military bases where Afghans are being processed prior to resettlement. Like all refugees who come through their doors, they'll stock their first apartment with everything they need before we even greet them at the airport. Once they get settled in, the staff—who speak 35 languages and come from many cultural backgrounds—will work together to help each member of the family thrive. They offer everything from English classes and youth programming to employment assistance and comprehensive mental health care. To learn more about how you can help click here.
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Illinois Unclaimed Property |
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The State Treasurer's unclaimed property program, also known as I-Cash, safeguards more than 15 million properties valued roughly at $3.5 billion, working to reunite each with its rightful owner. The State Treasurer currently holds more than 3.5 billion dollars in unclaimed funds for Illinoisans. The State holds these lost funds until they are claimed by either the original owner or their heirs. Property is returned at no cost with the proper identification.
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Parkway Picture Contest - Extended Deadline! |
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Entries for the Parkway Picture Contest may now be submitted up to Thursday, September 9. Shine a light on all the hard work you or your neighbors have put into the parkways that make our community beautiful.
Submit your photo using this form. Voting will take place Friday, September 10 - Sunday, September 19 on a separate form that will be launched in our newsletter that Friday and on our social media platforms. There will be two categories for prize winners: residential homes and condos/businesses. The winner of each category will be announced Monday, September 20.
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Back to School Supplies Still Needed |
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The Back to School Celebration at Senn High School was a huge success! It was wonderful to have such a great turnout and see the families in our community gathering safely once again. The need for school supplies is still great and our office is continuing to collect supplies for our annual Back to School Supply Drive to provide supplies to local social service agencies. You can drop off school supplies now until September 3 at our office 5533 N. Broadway from Monday-Friday, 9am - 5pm or at a variety of local businesses around the district. See the attached flyer for more drop-off locations and hours.
For more information, view our flyer below or contact our office.
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Child Care Restoration Grants
Illinois has been awarded $331 million in financial aid to support child care through the latest federal relief package. These funds will flow directly through the Illinois Department of Human Services, unlike the 2020 grants. The continuation of the Child Care Restoration Grants (CCRG) is designed to help sustain child care as the economy continues to reopen.
Round three of the CCRG is open for new applications and renewal opt-ins. Applications will close on September 15th.
For more information on how to apply and eligibility, click here.
Back to Business Grants
The $250 million Back to Business (B2B) aims to deploy small businesses recovery grants for those hit hardest by the COVID-19 pandemic. The B2B grant program builds on the success of last year's Business Interruption Grant (BIG) program – an equity focused business relief program, which directed $290 million to 9,000 businesses in 98 communities across Illinois. B2B is a key component of the Governor’s $1.5 billion economic recovery plan, aimed toward equitable deployment of American Recovery Plan Act (ARPA) funds that have been designated for Illinois to assist in recovery from the COVID pandemic.
To apply and check for eligibility, click here.
Tourism Attractions and Festivals Grant Program
The Tourism Attraction and Festivals Grant program is meant to help develop new or enhance existing tourism attractions located across the state – including but not limited to museums, businesses, events, performances, and festivals. The funds may be utilized for capital projects, equipment, training, transportation, housing, receptions, entertainment, photography, temporary housing, and interpretive programs. The goal of the program is to attract additional visitors and overnight stays that will bring foot traffic back in communities across Illinois.
Potential Applicants: Units of local government, municipalities, counties, not-for-profit and for-profit organizations, or local promotions groups.
How Much: $10 million total: minimum grant size of $10,000 and maximum grant being $1 million. Match required.
Deadline: Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until funds are depleted with awards made quarterly. DCEO will have the ability to fund applications most closely aligned to eligibility criteria approved for immediate funding.
For more information and to apply, please click here.
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The IDHS Rental Assistance Program aims to help keep families stably housed and ensure that tenants and Housing Providers/Landlords are financially secure to prevent COVID-related evictions. Renters may be eligible for up to 15 months of rental payments to cover back-rent owed from June 2020 through August 2021.
For more information, click here.
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If you received a PPP Loan of $150,000 or less, the PPP Direct Forgiveness Portal is now open to apply for forgiveness directly through the U.S. Small Business Administration.
You can visit the portal here or you can call (877) 552-2692 for assistance or questions.
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49th Ward Tax Appeal Workshop |
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I am excited to be co-sponsoring an event with the Cook County Board of Review. Come join us for a workshop about how to appeal your property tax assessment. The workshop will take place September 1 at 6pm at Chicago Math and Science Academy. Face masks will be required when indoors. For more information, please see the flyer below. |
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Glenwood Avenue Arts Fest |
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We had an amazing time at the Glenwood Avenue Arts Fest with Sen Simmons Office! It was so great seeing constituents! |
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Upcoming Events in the District |
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Edgewater Arts Festival
I am also excited to again sponsor the annual Edgewater Arts Festival where we can celebrate local artists and businesses. Come chat with us on Saturday, August 28 or Sunday, August 29, we will be near the Sheridan Stage.
To learn more about the festival visit their website here.
Edgewater Annual Yard and Sidewalk Sale
You can now register for the Annual Yard and Sidewalk Sale. This event will take place September 25th from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. For participating residents, there is a $10 registration fee that covers all promotions of sale and contribution to your block club.
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Pitch in for the Parks - Rogers Park Clean Up Event |
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The Chicago Parks Foundation is hosting a Pitch in for the Parks event at Prinz Beach and Loyola Beach. Community volunteers will be provided with supplies and support to safely pick up litter and clean the park’s green spaces. The event is free to participate in and family friendly.
Meeting Location: End of Pratt Blvd & Prinz Beach – by the big stone sculpture - roughly 1062 Pratt Blvd.
How it works:
1. Register to volunteer on the dates and times of your choice and complete the volunteer waiver in your registration.
2. Follow safety protocols such as:
- wearing a face mask (supplies are limited, please bring your own)
- sticking to a group of fifty (50) people or less and consciously practicing social distancing
- wearing protective gloves (provided) and avoiding hazardous materials like glass, needles and germs
Dates are available in September and October. For more information, visit here.
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Illinois Department of Transportation is Hiring |
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Sincerely,
Kelly Cassidy
State Representative, 14th District
Office of State Representative Kelly Cassidy
5533 N Broadway
Chicago IL 60640
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773-784-2002(phone)
773-784-2060(fax)
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