LaPointe Prioritizes Public Health, Economic Relief, Housing Assistance During COVID Crisis

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Upon adjournment of this special legislative session, state Rep. Lindsey LaPointe, D-Chicago, issued the following statement:

“This unprecedented pandemic has uprooted the lives of everyone in our state, forcing countless small businesses to close, putting numerous Illinois residents out of work, and forcing teachers and families adapt to remote learning. To address the scope and complexity of this crisis, it was essential to pass an on-time state budget of the same scale to both protect families and support our cities and towns. We have ensured health and human services will continue uninterrupted, and that healthcare, housing and economic needs of our communities are being met.

“Despite the challenges of a condensed session, we developed and passed several legislative packages to expand access to affordable healthcare, invest in job opportunities and training resources to help individuals recover from employment lose, allow counties to delay late payment fees bringing property tax relief to struggling homeowners, and expand vote-by-mail access so that everyone has the opportunity to safely participate in our November election.

“I was proud to work with Senator Feigenholtz to pass a measure known as “cocktails to-go” allowing establishments to sell mixed cocktails for pickup and delivery in tamper-evident sealed containers. A lifeline to our bars and restaurants in this uncertain time is the ability to retain jobs in an industry suffering from an 80% downturn in normal operations and a severe job loss statewide. We passed legislation allowing for a Chicago casino, a critical economic resource that will create jobs, fund capital projects, and secure retirement for the first responders of the Chicago Police and Fire Departments.

“Although we were unable to pass comprehensive housing reform, I fought to support an additional $96 million in funding to the Illinois Housing Development Authority provided through the CARES Act for housing relief to renters, homeowners and landlords.

“This budget and these legislative measures are a critical step in the right direction, but I recognize more work remains to be done to provide our state with the resources they need to fully recover from this outbreak. No matter the circumstances, I am committed to building a stronger and more equitable Illinois that works for everyone.”