Greetings! I hope you and your family have a healthy and peaceful Holiday Season.
I am pleased to provide a brief overview of what my office has been up to over the past few months and a summary of Veto Session, resources available to residents and upcoming events.
We kicked off the fall season at the Carpentersville Fall Fest and by hosting another successful Shred Event with Senator Castro and KCT Credit Union at the Dundee Township Rakow Center.
This October, we held a pet adoption event at Wing Park. We were pleased to partner with Anderson Humane and the Comptroller’s Office to provide residents an opportunity to meet and adopt young rescue animals. Nearly a dozen abandoned dogs and puppies found a new family at the event. October was also Hispanic Heritage month where we honored Hispanic leaders in our
community. My office and I attended several events hosted by Elgin Community College and the Gail Borden library to to celebrate the diversity that makes our communities a wonderful place to live and reflect on the impact the Hispanic community and Hispanic culture have had on Illinois.
I also toured the Proven Partners Group facility here in Elgin with Senator Cristina Castro and the Illinois Manufacturing Association. We presented Proven Partners Group with the Employer Training Investment Program grant, a grant designed to help local manufacturers train employees and develop skilled labor while employing members of our community.
In late October, I participated in the Women on the Brink, Elgin Children in Poverty: Focus on Education program at the Gail Borden Library where we had a conversation about the current challenges facing low income families and children in our community and the strategies available for improving their lives. I was glad to be part of discussion and provide an update on what we are
doing at the state level to increase investments in childcare, mental health and economic security for families.
With November came our annual Holiday Toy Drive. Our office partnered with Aunt Martha’s in Carpentersville to collect toys for children in foster care in our community. We collected two van-fulls of toys this year thanks to everyone who contributed. Thank you to everyone who participated in helping make children’s holiday dreams a reality this holiday season!
At the end of November, the Illinois General Assembly met for Veto Session. In this newsletter, you will find an update from the Veto Session last month, including the changes made to the SAFE_T Act.
On January 4, 2023, we head back to session for “Lame Duck Session.” I anticipate that the Illinois General Assembly will consider many pieces of legislation, including legislation on gun safety and on strengthening reproductive rights. The 103rd General Assembly and I will be inaugurated in the second week of January and will begin our Spring Session on January 12, 2023. Over the next several months, I will provide regular updates on issues that come before me and the General Assembly. We also have many events planned in the district in the coming weeks, so stayed tuned for more information.
If you ever have any questions, concerns or requests for assistance please do not hesitate to contact my office at staterepmoeller@gmail.com or 847-841-7130. It is an honor to represent you in Springfield and my staff and I look forward to serving you.
Warmest Regards,
Anna
Veto Session Recap
SAFE-T Act Updates
During the Fall Veto Session we passed House Bill 1095, which incorporates hundreds of hours of negotiation and feedback from law enforcement, prosecutors, public safety advocates, survivors, and other relevant stakeholders. It addresses good-faith critiques of the SAFE-T Act and corrects misconceptions to ensure a safe and successful implementation.
As initially intended in the underlying SAFE-T Act, House Bill 1095 further clarifies that a person who poses a risk to public safety can be detained. This includes crimes such as arson, kidnapping, robbery and other serious offenses that have been incorrectly suggested as no longer being detainable. House Bill 1095 underscores that non-probationable felonies, forcible felonies, hate crimes and other serious crimes – such as aggravated DUI causing great bodily harm – are detainable by a judge.
To address incorrect concerns that violent offenders will be released Jan. 1, 2023, House Bill 1095 lays out a clear transition process for courts and law enforcement to avoid misinterpretation of the law:
● Anyone charged on or after Jan. 1 will be entered into the new system;
● Anyone charged before Jan. 1 stays in the current system, but the state or defendant have the option to move the case to the new system;
● The motion schedule will prioritize low level non-violent offenders;
● Those defendants who are charged with low level non-violent crimes must receive their offense hearings within seven days;
● Those who are requesting to be entered into the new system but could be considered a flight risk will have an offense hearing within 60 days and those who are considered a threat to public safety will have a hearing within 90 days. A judge will have discretion on whether these individuals will be released pre-trial.
House Bill 1095 further clarifies and makes consistent all language pertaining to what prosecutors must show to detain an individual, which is that the person poses a real and present threat to any person or the community, based on specific articulable facts of the case. Of note, House Bill 1095 also addresses concerns about the enforcement of trespassing to ensure that a trespasser can be cited – and then arrested – if they refuse to leave.
Language was also updated to clarify what is considered as “willful flight.” It defines “willful flight” as intentionally avoiding prosecution and notes that patterns of nonappearance or a lack of steps to address nonappearance can be considered as factors in determining willful flight. Updated language clarifies court authority in setting conditions for electronic monitoring, and removes language that would have made escape chargeable only after 48 hours.
Additionally, the measure creates a state grant program for increasing the number of public defenders to handle an expected increase in caseloads, further clarifies remote hearing rules, further explains bench warrant processes and allows for good reason delays to be excluded from a speedy trial clock. It also allows for the state and defendant to appeal all court decisions related to pretrial release and clarifies that the public defender handling the detention hearing also handles the appeal.
Resources for Residents
Mortgage Assistance
The Illinois Emergency Homeowner Assistance Fund (ILHAF) provides up to $60,000 in mortgage assistance to eligible homeowners — paid directly to the servicer, taxing body, or other approved entity. If you need immediate assistance with housing expenses due to a pending foreclosure, or assistance with
completing an application, please contact a legal aid organization or a HUD-approved housing counseling agency (see map) right away.
The program is free, and funds do not need to be repaid. Application, program information, and updates can be found at illinoishousinghelp.org. Applications will be accepted until 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday, January 31, 2023.
Potential applicants must demonstrate they have either communicated with their mortgage provider about their inability to pay or sought counseling with a HUD-approved counseling organization. Interested homeowners are strongly encouraged to attend an information session hosted by IHDA or one of our housing partners. The session schedule is posted on the website. For those without access to a computer or the internet, please contact the ILHAF hotline at 1-866-IL-HELP (866-454-3571).
The Illinois Tollway’s I-PASS Assist program is now helping income-eligible individuals and families realize the benefits of I-PASS. To be eligible for enrollment in I-PASS Assist, household income must not exceed 250% of Federal Poverty Guidelines as verified by the Illinois
Department of Revenue. Click the learn more and see if you are eligible to apply for assistance at the link below:
Assistance in Paying Gas and Electric Bills
Financial assistance is available for families struggling to pay home heating bills. The annual enrollment period for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) starts September 1, 2022, and runs through May 31, 2023, or until funding is exhausted. For more information about income eligibility
and how to apply, visit the Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity website below:
If you’re in crisis and need support, please call or text 988 or visit 988lifeline.org/chat. 988 will connect you with a professional who can help you or a family member get resources during a mental health crisis. The call is free, confidential and available 24/7. For more information click here.
Real ID
For Illinois residents who fly domestically, the federal government has extended the deadline to May 7, 2025 that will require you to use a valid U.S. Passport or obtain a REAL ID from the Illinois Secretary of State’s Office. For information on other types of identification accepted by TSA, please visit their website.
To see what documents you need to apply for a REAL ID, visit the REAL ID Interactive Checklist. Come prepared and be patient when visiting a Driver Services Facility.
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