LaPointe Legislation to Divest in Russia, Support Ukrainian Refugees Heads to Governor

CHICAGO – As part of efforts to respond to Russia’s reckless and unwarranted invasion of Ukraine, state Rep. Lindsey LaPointe, D-Chicago, passed comprehensive legislation Wednesday that prohibits state investment in Russia, strengthens support for Ukrainian refugees, targets Russian oligarchs and creates an elections-focused task force to defend Illinois from foreign interference.

“Over the past year, thousands of innocent Ukrainians have been murdered, while millions more have had to fear for their safety each and every day,” LaPointe said. “This war deserves a strong response from all of us around the globe, and this legislation is one way Illinois is stepping up to do its part.”

LaPointe’s House Bill 1293 targets Russia and its war ally Belarus by:

• Expressly prohibiting state entities – including the treasurer and retirement systems – from investing in Russia or Belarus.
• Creating a Money Laundering in Real Estate Task Force focused on identifying and closing loopholes in state law and practice exploited by Russian oligarchs for money laundering purposes.
• Developing the Illinois Elections and Infrastructure Integrity Task Force to prepare for and prevent cyberattacks and other election interference efforts in advance of the 2024 elections and beyond.

Additionally, the legislation aims to help Ukrainian refugees resettle in Illinois by further enabling the Department of Human Services with emergency rulemaking powers.

“There has been an outpouring of love and support in our community to help those in Ukraine, which is wonderful to see,” LaPointe said. “As long as this war continues to unfold, we can not sit back. We must continue to use every tool in our toolbox to target Russia and help the people of Ukraine.”

House Bill 1293 passed without opposition and now heads to the governor for final approval. For more information, please contact Info@RepLaPointe.com.