This week was a lot quieter in Springfield, at least in our chamber. Today was the 3rd reading deadline for the Senate, and the last legislative day for either chamber until April 18th. This break gives members time to catch up on in-district work in addition to getting to celebrate Passover and Easter with our families.

When we return, we will begin the process of working through the bills that have come over from the Senate. We have an opportunity to pre-file for bills we intend to sponsor before they’re passed over to our chamber, so I already have a few bills to work on.

I’ll be carrying SB1344, a technical clean-up bill to the Patient And Provider Protection Act which was sponsored in the Senate by Celina Villanueva.

SB2013, sponsored by Sen. Mike Simmons, will require that future senior housing developments have adequate heating and cooling systems in place to maintain safe temperatures year-round. This bill is in response to the tragedy last year at the James Sneider Apartments where three women died when their apartments overheated even after the building management was warned about the dangerous temperatures inside.

Finally, SB2260, which is a repeat of a bill I passed to the Senate last year but wasn’t taken up, will clarify eligibility for criminalized survivors of gender-based violence to seek resentencing when their status as a victim of violence wasn’t considered in their original trial. We know that the vast majority of incarcerated women have experienced some form of gender-based violence, but far too many of the women that we are currently holding in custody were sentenced without a judge having the information they need to contemplate the totality of the circumstances of a case.

Today is Transgender Day of Visibility (see below for more information) and my thoughts today are of friends near and far who wake up every day facing the ugly attacks that seem to have no limit as well as those we have lost. My heart breaks for the kid who can’t live openly without fear, for the teachers in other states who must choose between caring for their students’ needs or keeping their job, for the gender-affirming care providers who are under constant attack, and for the families in hostile states trying to figure out what their next step should be. I am resolved to remain at the forefront of this existential battle, putting myself between that kid and the haters.

Don’t forget that every day between now and Tuesday is Election Day! Early voting sites are open Saturday from 9-5, Sunday from 10-4, Monday from 9-6, and Election Day on Tuesday from 6am-7pm. The 40th Ward Early Voting Site is at Budlong Woods Library at 5630 N Lincoln, the 48th Ward location is at the Broadway Armory at 5917 N Broadway, the 49th ward is at Willye B. White Park at 1610 W. Howard, and the 50th is at Northtown Library at 6800 N. Western Avenue. The Chicago Board of Elections website has other locations as well as information on what language services are available at each site. All sites are ADA-compliant.

Trans Day of Visibility

Trans Day of Visibility takes place on March 31st each year to celebrate trans and non-binary people. It's essential to raise awareness as we continue to see attacks against trans people in our country. The Human Rights Campaign has tracked over 340 anti-LGBTQ+ bills being introduced in state legislatures nationwide. 150 of those would specifically restrict the rights of transgender people. Across the country, we have seen nearly 500 anti-trans bills introduced in state legislatures. Even if none of them were to become law, the damage caused by the hateful rhetoric is real. For young people, it’s particularly dangerous and feeds alarmingly high rates of suicide among our most vulnerable community members. According to the Trevor Project, 1 in 4 Black transgender or nonbinary youths attempted suicide in the past year.

Please support the amazing advocacy group Brave Space Alliance, by clicking here.

This year was especially tough for our district as we lost important fighters like Elise Malary. Elise would have turned 32 this week. Elise was an activist for transgender rights whose body was found in Lake Michigan last spring. Malary was born and raised in Andersonville and performed very influential work with the Chicago Therapy Collective, a group that addresses social factors impacting mental health in the trans community.

Please support the Elise Malary Andersonville Mural Fund by clicking here.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Need Chicago Shoreline Feedback For Report

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers feasibility study will evaluate the risk of flooding, erosion and damage from coastal storms along the coast of Lake Michigan within areas of the City of Chicago. The study will investigate coastal storm risk, formulate and evaluate potential alternative plans to manage risk and potentially recommend projects for implementation. An initial scoping period has to be undertaken. The scoping period for the National Environmental Policy Act report will be extended through April 30th.

As part of the NEPA scoping process, the Chicago District would appreciate any

comments or concerns you might have about potential impacts from the potential

implementation of these types of measures in the study area. This could include impacts to various habitats, threatened and endangered species, or cultural, historic, and social resources.

The Corps of Engineers has developed a crowdsourcing tool that the public can use to help identify potential problem areas relating to coastal erosion and flooding. The tool can be accessed by clicking here.

To leave a comment and for more information please click here. People can also email ChicagoShoreline@usace.army.mil

Medicaid Renewal Period

Family-Owned Edgewater Apothecary Reopening Months After Massive Flood

Cook CountyProperty Taxes Due April 3

Amy Nico Productions: Laugh Dance At Whiskey Girl

Reserve your free tickets to Laugh Dance at Whiskey Girl before they go! This is an amazing line-up of stand-up comedians and music from the super talented: Ash Wednesday.

For free tickets please click here.

Nodd Pottery Expands

Sarah Ortlieb welcomes all to the new and improved Nodd Pottery Art School at 7063 N Glenwood Ave! They expanded their space next door and have added more programming and practices to their weekly schedule.

For more details visit their site by clicking here.

Parkway for Pollinators

EEC's Parkways for Pollinators program seeks to transform public spaces into pollinator forage and habitat, working to remediate the soil and capture carbon.

With seeds sourced from the community and the Field Museum, growing resources provided by Loyola's Urban Agriculture Program, and distribution through the Edgewater Environmental Coalition, we are pleased to offer native plant seedlings for our registered Parkways for Pollinators sites.

EEC provides resources including education, designs, planting supplies and materials, and native plant seedlings to registered sites.

Additional support provided from the Chicago Conservation Corps.

Our spring native plant distribution is scheduled for Saturday, April 29th, from 2-4 pm at 6018 N Kenmore Ave.

Kindred Open Studios

Kindred Open Studio is inspired by art therapist and author, Pat Allen’s Open Art Studio methods- where participants as well as the leader create art together as a community. Artists in residence will facilitate classes, community art workshops, spoken word/open mic, sip and paint, discussions and open art studio time with and for the community.

Mondays 11am - 3pm: Mindful Movements with Monimia “Mimi” Macbeth, LCPC, R-DMT

Wednesdays 6 - 9pm: Filipino Martial Arts with Crystle Dino, Chi-Pinayist, Tender Warrior, Folk Art Therapist

Fridays 11am - 3pm: Healing Justice Poetry Circle with Dorian A. Ortega, LCPC

Saturdays 3:30 - 6:30pm: Liberatory Art Studio with Jessica Juarez, M.Ed, LPC, NCC 

Earth-A-Palooza

IHDA Emergency Mortgage Assistance

Chicago Resiliency Fund 2.0

The application for the Chicago Resiliency Fund 2.0 is now open. Domestic workers and residents who have undocumented immigration status could be eligible to receive a one-time $500 payment from Chicago as part of the city’s coronavirus pandemic relief efforts.

The city’s Department of Family and Support Services is accepting applications for the Chicago Resiliency Fund 2.0, which will provide an estimated 17,000 residents who identify as domestic workers and undocumented immigrants with the one-time $500 payment, according to a news release. The payments are part of the federal funds the city received from the American Rescue Plan Act aimed at helping residents during the coronavirus pandemic.

To be eligible, residents must be 18 years or older, live in Chicago and have a total household income at or below 300% of the federal poverty level. For a single person, that means having an income of up to $43,740. A family of three must have an income of no more than $74,580.

Applications in Spanish and English can be filled out at www.chicash.org. Residents will be asked to submit documents related to verifying identity, proof of current Chicago residency and household income, according to the city’s website.

Youth & Teen

Loyola Soccer Youth Camps

The Loyola Youth Soccer Camp program offers half-day and full-day options designed for youth who would like to improve their individual skills. Camp will be on-campus in Rogers Park at the new turf field located at 1045 W. Loyola Ave.

For more details please click here.

Job Resources

Ropa Cabana is Hiring

April 14th Job Fair

Sincerely,

Kelly Cassidy

State Representative, 14th District



Office of State Representative Kelly Cassidy

1507 W. Morse Ave

Chicago IL 60626