JUF’s Successful Spring in Springfield

Between January and May, JUF’s State Government Affairs team routinely travels three-and-a-half hours to Springfield to advocate for JUF and our agency partners that provide vital services to thousands every day.

This session, JUF led three advocacy trips–Early Childhood Advocacy Day, the JUF Springfield Mission, and Disability Advocacy Day-engaging professionals and volunteer leaders to advance crucial bills and budget priorities. These efforts yielded positive results that will benefit vulnerable communities across Illinois.

Working closely with the JUF Education team, we led two bills that passed unanimously: SB2675 and HB4491.

Sponsored by Sen. Ram Villivalam and Rep. Margaret Croke, SB2675 ensures that nonprofit childcare centers that rent or lease from other nonprofits can access the critical Early Childhood Construction Grant Program, which provides construction funds for childcare centers to ensure that young learners are in safe, developmentally appropriate facilities. Previously, eligible childcare providers had to own their buildings.

In partnership with the Illinois Directors/Owners of Childcare Centers and Start Early, JUF negotiated HB4491, sponsored by Rep. Laura Faver Dias and Sen. Adriane Johnson. The bill allows qualified educators to open and close centers, providing much-needed flexibility to childcare directors, who must be onsite during operational hours for programs to remain open for young children and families.

JUF leads the diverse 62-member Safeguard Illinois Communities Coalition and prioritized fully funding the Illinois Nonprofit Security Grant Program. Only $3 million in FY25 funding was proposed for the program, which would have left it underfunded despite rampant antisemitism and all-time highs for hate crimes. With the leadership of the Legislative Jewish Caucus and champions Sen. Ram Villivalam and Rep. Bob Morgan, the final budget saw the allocation increased to $8 million, so $19.2 million (including unallocated funds from FY24) will be available for the next grant cycle.

For over two years, JUF and our Encompass Program partners that operate Community Integrated Living Arrangement (CILA) group homes for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (JCFS Chicago, Libenu, and Keshet) have pushed the state to address the major financial impact caused by the implementation of the new “Occupancy Factor” policy. This policy has had a major impact on Encompass partners and approximately 23 percent of CILA providers statewide, because providers do not receive reimbursement for any day that a resident is absent. JUF successfully advocated with Rep. Suzanne Ness and Majority Leader Robyn Gabel for the inclusion of up to 20 paid medical absence days each year for CILA residents.

JUF also led a consumer protection bill that stemmed from a case sent by CJE SeniorLife’s free legal clinic where an 81-year-old client on supplemental security income learned that she needed extensive dental treatment during a routine check-up. She was presented with a tablet at the office and thought she was signing up for a standard direct payment plan, however, it was actually a third-party deferred interest credit card with a 26 percent APR. The patient was eventually sued by the financing company despite not receiving care.

JUF’s State Government Affairs team, worked alongside Rep. Croke and Sen. Sara Feigenholtz to consult consumer advocates and negotiate with opposition stakeholders. They passed a model consumer protection bill that establishes best practices to ensure transparency and patient agency regarding third-party financing decisions. The bill prevents dental offices from directly signing patients up for third-party financing, completing any portion of an application for patients, and providing patients with tablets to sign-up for third-party financing. It also requires a disclosure notice be provided whenever third-party financing is discussed, among other protections.

These legislative successes illustrate the importance of agency-to-JUF communication and partnership to craft solutions to barriers impacting our network of providers, communities served, and beyond.

Amy Zimmerman is JUF’s Assistant Vice President of State Government Affairs, Jared Hoffman is JUF’s Legislative Associate of State Government Affairs , and Ilana Dvorin Friedman is Senior Policy Analyst of JUF Education.