Advocacy Continues After Bills Become Law
11/1/23
October was a strong reminder that work of the League is never done.
You may be aware that LWV of Illinois and our coalition partners successfully lobbied for passage of the evidence-based school funding (EBF) model that strives to create financial equity across schools. Unfortunately, despite passage of the EBF bill, as of 2023 funding is hundreds of millions of dollars below what the legislature is obligated by statute to provide. That’s why the League testified in front of the Illinois State Board of Education this past month asking them to recommend adequate funding for the program and to consider additional funding to make up the growing funding gap.
Likewise, the SAFE-T Act, which became law about two years ago, contained several little-known provisions for improving the fairness of our justice system. To ensure timely implementation of some of these provisions, in October, LWV of Illinois endorsed a funding request to support pre-trial diversion programs such as day care or transportation needed to allow people to show up for court appointments, mental health and substance abuse support, and general assistance navigating both the courts and support systems. Diversion programs are designed to create safety nets and opportunities for accused individuals to balance the realities of their life situations with their obligations to the courts. Funding and implementation are key to realizing the benefits of the legislation we worked to get passed.
LWV of Illinois appropriately places emphasis on new laws that it believes promote democratic processes, equity, and civil rights. But monitoring the implementation of bills and conducting ongoing education to the public about progress is an equally important part of holding our lawmakers accountable for the commitments they make.