SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – State Rep. John Connor, D-Lockport, is combatting con artists in the guise of trusted legal counsel with his new law imposing greater penalties on criminals pretending to be notaries.

“Criminals are ripping off huge fees from confused working families by pretending to be able to do things as public notaries that they can’t do, and it’s time for them to face justice for their wrongdoing,” Connor said. “Building a stronger, safer Illinois is my priority as a legislator. This law fights back against con artists who try to exploit our communities for personal gain.”

Building on his record of protecting the vulnerable from predators, Connor backed House Bill 2176, which requires notaries who are not licensed attorneys to clearly inform clients that they cannot accept fees for legal work, both verbally and on openly-displayed notices. Notaries who do not follow these procedures can be fined up to $1,500 and lose their licenses. The bill received strong bipartisan support and is now law.

“Confused families are giving money to these predators that could be used for their children’s future.  The type of criminals willing to do this to innocent people just to line their wallets will only respond to tough consequences,” Connor said. “They don’t care about who they hurt, they care about money; so we have to send a strong message: trying to con people out of their hard-earned money is going to cost you.”

CHICAGO – State Rep. Jaime Andrade, D-Chicago, is applauding efforts by Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Comptroller Susana Mendoza to protect consumers through the creation of the “Bank On” initiative. The program, signed into law last week, aims to expand the number of certified financial products available to consumers new to banking.

“Working families across Illinois rely on payday lenders or pawn shops to cash checks, and that exposes them to plenty of bad actors who want to take advantage of them,” said Andrade. “The ‘Bank On’ program will help consumers who are new to banking find financial services that are certified fair and treat them with respect.”

Andrade is a sponsor of Senate Bill 1332, which allows the Comptroller’s office to certify financial services for consumers who are new to banking in partnership with local banks and community leaders. Included are checking and savings accounts without high maintenance fees, as well as secured personal loans to help consumers build credit. Andrade hopes that “Bank On” will offer consumers stuck in a cycle of predatory lending a second chance.

“Consumers who don’t have banking options available to them are often trapped with high interest rates that limit their options even further. The people hurt by predatory lending are usually the most vulnerable,” said Andrade. “Expanding access to banking services is a big step in the fight against inequality, and I’m glad I could help pass such an important law.”

 CHICAGO – Underserved communities, which tend to be low-income and immigrant, will have expanded access to banking services under a new law backed by state Rep. Aaron Ortiz, D-Chicago. 

“It’s unacceptable that working-class communities often lack the choice of basic banking services which forces them to rely on predatory entities like payday lenders,” Ortiz said. “This legislation will ensure working families are not locked into a perpetual of debt as they lose their hard-earned money paying off outrageous fees and high interest rates.”

Ortiz voted to pass Senate Bill 1332, which creates the Bank On Illinois program, enabling the Illinois Comptroller’s office to partner with banks, credit unions, consumer advocates and community organizations to certify financial products that benefit consumers and communities that lack traditional banking services. Under the Ortiz-backed law, underserved communities will have access to fair financial service options like no maintenance fees and low or no overdraft fees. Bank On programs will also provide secured personal loans that allow consumers with low credits scores to begin rebuilding their credit. The bill received bipartisan support, and was recently signed into law.  

According to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), more than one-fifth of Illinois households do their financial business outside of the traditional banking system. Lack of access to traditional banking services forces people to rely on entities like payday lenders, cash checkers and other predatory lenders that charge outlandish fees for basic services and high interest rates on lending. The Brookings Institute found that on average, someone who has to rely on these predatory services pays roughly $40,000 in fees over a lifetime.

“In order to build a stronger Illinois, we must invest in all of our neighborhoods, ensuring working families are able to access credit and build wealth,” Ortiz added. “I’m grateful for the governor’s commitment to reinvesting in communities that have long been forgotten or ignored by self-serving politicians.”

 CHICAGO – In response to recent reports of fraudulent phone calls to residents from individuals impersonating the Social Security Administration, state Rep. Justin Slaughter, D-Chicago, is partnering with the Illinois Attorney General’s office to host a free seminar that will inform seniors of the many steps they can take to identify scams and avoid becoming a victim of fraud or identify theft.

“Unfortunately, there are a lot of people out there looking to prey on our seniors and take advantage of them,” said Slaughter. “Our elders are up against remorseless predators who have no qualms about targeting the most vulnerable for their own benefit. We need to protect them and teach them how to protect themselves, and the Illinois Attorney General’s office offers a great deal of information on how to do so.”

Slaughter’s Senior Fraud Prevention Seminar will be held Friday, Aug. 2 at Woodson Regional Library, located at 9525 S. Halsted in Chicago, from 1 to 3 p.m. Attendees can expect to learn how to identify common tactics of scammers and how to avoid them. Experts from the Illinois Attorney General’s office will also be able to answer questions about fraud and identity theft. For additional information on recent Social Security Administration scam calls, residents can visit https://oig.ssa.gov/scams-involving-impersonation-ssa-employee.

“It is critical for seniors to be able to recognize the signs of scams and be able to protect themselves,” said Slaughter. “Every person who is made aware of their tactics and strategies is one less potential victim for scammers. I encourage all senior residents to attend to help protect themselves from scams affecting our community.”

For more information or to RSVP, please contact Slaughter’s constituent service office at 773-445-9700.

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – To prevent exposure to a harmful chemical found in many everyday plastics and other items, state Rep. Karina Villa, D-West Chicago, recently passed legislation to ban the use of bisphenol A (BPA) in receipts and business records.

“Bisphenol A has the potential to be dangerous when it enters the bloodstream. As families are taking strides to avoid this chemical in bottles and food storage containers, it is commonsense to remove it from other items we come into contact with every day,” said Villa. “My legislation will require paper manufacturers to replace BPA with an alternative chemical, which will cut down on our exposure.”

Villa’s House Bill 2076 will amend the Illinois Environmental Protection Act to prohibit the manufacture, distribution and use of thermal paper with BPA-based coating beginning January 1, 2020. The measure passed the Illinois House and Senate with strong bipartisan support, and has been sent to the governor for consideration. Villa’s measure has been backed by Sierra Club Illinois, the Illinois Environmental Council, the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 881 and the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency.

“Exposure to BPA is a public health risk, considering the damaging impact it can have on the body’s endocrine system, especially in pregnant women and their babies and small children,” continued Villa. “I urge the governor to sign this legislation when it reaches his desk to protect Illinois workers and families from contact with BPA.”

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Following the end of legislative session this weekend, state Rep. Kam Buckner, D-Chicago, released the following statement:

“One month after I had the honor of becoming state Representative, the House voted to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour. This was just one of the major steps forward that the General Assembly took this year to make Illinois a state where everyone has the opportunity to succeed.

“Over the past few months, I’ve introduced legislation to expand access to quality early childhood education, crack down on predatory lenders seeking to take advantage of vulnerable people and to make our streets safer by investing in communities that have been left behind for far too long. Bills I sponsored to remove barriers to housing and job opportunities faced by individuals who’ve committed nonviolent crimes, and to protect victims of violent crime and sexual assault, now await the Governor’s signature.

“After years of hard work by advocates that have been devastated by the impact of the War on Drugs on black neighborhoods, the General Assembly voted to legalize marijuana and expunge the records of people who have languished in prison simply for possessing cannabis. While provisions of the bill that increase investment in our neighborhoods and ensure minority-owned businesses are included in the new cannabis industry and are a good start, I will continue advocating to expand opportunities for individuals who’ve been impacted most by the criminalization of drugs and heal our community.

“Voters will have a historic opportunity next year to amend our constitution and implement a Fair Tax system that will allow 97% of people statewide to pay less than or equal to what they owe now, while raising critical funds for investment in our schools, infrastructure and social services.

“I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished, but my true focus is on the work left to be done. We have got to make investments in our roads, bridges and public transportation a priority. While the capital bill that will be signed into law is a good start, it will take years of effort to make our infrastructure safe and conducive to a growing economy. Opportunities for minority-owned businesses must be expanded to create jobs in the communities that need them most. To give the children of our city the quality education they deserve, we must continue fighting for an elected school board that is truly accountable to the people, not politicians or wealthy donors.

“I’m looking forward to discussing my priorities and gaining new ideas through conversations with residents of the 26th District this summer.”

CHICAGO – To help ensure access to quality, affordable healthcare, state Rep. Justin Slaughter, D-Chicago, recently supported legislation to prevent insurance companies from enacting unreasonable rate increases.

“Allowing insurance companies to increase rates without any accountability or regulation puts many members of our community at risk of not being able to afford coverage,” Slaughter said. “I firmly believe that access to health care is a fundamental right that every person in Illinois should have, and charging unaffordable premiums for health insurance is unacceptable.”

The Slaughter-backed House Bill 471 would help prevent health insurance premiums from significantly increasing by requiring existing plans and any proposed rate hikes to be reviewed and approved by the Department of Insurance. Under this legislation, the Department of Insurance would have the authority to prohibit rate increases that are deemed excessive or unreasonable.

“No one should be at a loss for health insurance due to an unforeseen increase in their insurance premiums,” Slaughter said. “Citizens should have equal access to health care, and this legislation helps ensure that everyone in our community can afford the coverage they need.”

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Continuing her advocacy for quality, affordable health care, state Rep. Michelle Mussman, D-Schaumburg, recently supported legislation that would prevent unreasonable increases to health insurance rates.

“Ensuring access to affordable health insurance is critical, and we cannot allow insurance providers to charge excessive amounts for something as essential as health care,” Mussman said. “We must work to create policies that protect citizens from being at risk of losing health care due to rising costs.”

The Mussman-backed House Bill 471 would requires current insurance plans and any proposed rate increases to be reviewed and approved by the Department of Insurance. Under this legislation, the Department would have the authority to prohibit rates and increases that are unreasonable or excessive.

“Every Illinois resident deserves quality health care, regardless of their income,” Mussman said. “This legislation will help make sure the people in our community are not subject to excessive insurance rates and can afford the vital care they need.”

For more information, please contact Mussman’s constituent service office at 847-923-9104 or StateRepMussman@gmail.com.

SPRINGFIELD, Ill.  – State Rep. Camille Lilly, D-Chicago, is working to protect consumers from excessive and unfair health insurance rate increases, passing legislation that will stop unwarranted rate hikes on consumers.

“If you don’t have your health, you don’t have much else, but you can’t have your health if you are unable to afford health insurance and medical care,” Lilly said. “We need to make sure that big insurance companies are spending more on providing high-quality healthcare for consumers.”

Lilly supported House Bill 471, which gives the Illinois Department of Insurance the power to reject health insurance rate increases that are discriminatory, excessive, or unjustified as defined by federal law for individual and small group plans. Currently, the state does not have the ability to alter or reject health insurance rates no matter how excessive or unjustified. According to the Chicago Tribune, states with laws similar to House Bill 471 have lower health insurance prices than states without them.

“The purpose of health insurance to help someone maintain access to preventative and emergency health care in order to maintain a healthy life,” said Lilly. “This measure is necessary to crack down on out of control health insurance rate hikes and ensure insurance companies are spending their resources on health care, not excessive corporate profits and pay raises.”

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Wanting to ensure that residents are not taken advantage of by unnecessary health insurance rate hikes, state Rep. Maurice West II, D-Rockford, recently backed legislation to require the Illinois Department of Insurance to review all rate changes and stop rate hikes found unreasonable.

“For some residents, health insurance costs continue to rise at an unaffordable rate,” West said. “Instead of prioritizing big insurance profits, we need to make sure that individuals receive the coverage and care they need to keep themselves and their families in good health.”

House Bill 471 would require rate and rate changes for individual and small group accident and health policies written in compliance with the Affordable Care Act to be approved by the Department of Insurance. If the Department of Insurance finds a rate increase unreasonable, the proposed rates would be prohibited from going into effect. House Bill 471 would strengthen current practice, which allows the Department of Insurance to review plans that have rate increases greater than 10%. Under current law, the Department of Insurance may find a rate hike unreasonable, but their findings are not legally binding and insurance companies are still able to proceed with the rate increase.

“It makes sense to empower the Department of Insurance to protect consumers and allow them to stop unnecessary rate hikes that will hurt people,” West said. “Nobody should be bankrupted due to corporate greed.”