SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – During her first term in the General Assembly, State Rep. Theresa Mah, D-Chicago, worked to create protections for immigrant families, pass progressive revenue reforms, ensure that all residents of Illinois have access to quality healthcare, and to pass a balanced budget that protects critical services.

“When I decided to run for state representative two years ago, residents told me that they were tired of the “business-as-usual” politics that were holding the state back from the progressive reforms that we so badly need,” Mah said. “While we did not solve every issue facing the state, we made significant progress to protect immigrant families from Donald Trump’s unprecedented attacks, to increase access to affordable and quality healthcare, and to adopt progressive revenues reforms that require the ultra-wealthy to pay their fair share.”

Mah supported the Anti-Registry Program Act, Senate Bill 3488, which bans state agents and agencies from keeping or requiring any forms of registration on immigrants and their families. As well as the Immigration Safe Zones Act, Senate Bill 35, which would ban public institutions like schools and libraries from being compelled to cooperate with the federal government in an effort to deport immigrants.

Additionally, Rep. Mah spearheaded efforts passing legislation to protect immigrant families from the unprecedented attacks and racist rhetoric coming from the Trump administration. Mah was the chief-sponsor of the Immigrant Tenant Protection Act, Senate Bill 3103, which implemented guidelines that prohibit landlords from discriminating against a tenant based on their immigration status.

“Immigrant communities are under attack like they have never been before,” Mah said. “Residents of my district are living in fear because of the xenophobic and racist policies of Donald Trump. They need to know that they have allies who will stand with them and fight tooth-and-nail against the divisive, racist policies of the Trump administration. While these measures that we passed we a good first step. We must remain vigilant in our resistance against the Trump administration.”

Mah also supported multiple measures that created statewide protections to ensure that Illinois residents continue to have access to quality healthcare, regardless of what Donald Trump and his allies in Washington do. Mah cosponsored and helped help pass House Bill 2959 which creates state-level protections to prohibit insurance companies from denying care to people with pre-existing conditions, as well as House Bill 2624, which blocks health insurance companies from making double-digit premium increases. Additionally, Mah joined efforts to pass House Bill 4900, which creates tough new penalties for big pharmaceutical companies that make lifesaving medications unaffordable and gouge families and seniors.

“Access to quality healthcare should not be reserved for the most affluent, it should be treated as a basic human right,” Mah said. “Due to the uncertainty surrounding the healthcare system being caused by the Trump administration, it’s vital that we create state-level protections that ensure all Illinois residents will have access to quality healthcare and that they won’t be forced into bankruptcy due to rising healthcare costs.”

Fighting to provide tax fairness for the middle class, Mah supported legislation that would offer relief to working families that would see their tax-burden raise drastically due to Donald Trump’s tax plan, that amounts to a handout for the ultra-wealthy. Trump’s plan created a cap on the popular deduction known as the State and Local Tax Deduction (SALT).  The Mah-backed House Bill 4237 would have created an educational tax credit for taxpayers to help deduct their SALT while donating to public education. Additionally, Mah cosponsored and supported House Resolution 1025 which urges for the adoption of a “FAIR tax” or graduated income tax, requiring the ultra-wealthy to pay at a higher rate than middle-class families.

“We need to adopt progressive revenue reforms that will make the ultra-wealthy pay their fair share while providing tax relief for middle-class families,” Mah said. “Passing House Bill 4237 was a vital step in stemming Trump’s regressive tax-handout for the wealthy and I will continue to work tirelessly toward adopting a Fair Tax in Illinois that would finally require billionaires like Donald Trump and Bruce Rauner to pay their fair share.

This week, Mah helped pass a bipartisan, balanced budget that protects vital services like the Childcare Assistance Program and the Community Care Program. Additionally, the budget includes pay raises for healthcare providers who care for the elderly and children with developmental disabilities, increases funding for local schools by $350 million, and puts the state on stronger fiscal ground by continuing to pay down the state’s backlog of bills.

“This truly bipartisan proposal protects critical services that working families depend on and gives local schools the resources they need, while also paying down our backlog of bills that grew exponentially during Governor Rauner’s impasse,” Mah said. “This budget continues to get our state back on the right path, and highlights what can be accomplished by Democrats and Republicans in the legislature when Bruce Rauner and his extreme demands are sidelined.”

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – State Rep. Theresa Mah, D-Chicago, recently passed a law that ensures telephone companies provide notifications about proposed cancellation of landlines in Spanish and English.

“A language barrier shouldn’t prohibit consumers from understanding the changes to their phone service,” Mah said. “This proposal will protect Spanish speaking residents from losing their home landline without receiving prior notification and it will give them instructions to appeal the cancellation of their landline.”

Under a new law passed last year, if a large phone company proposes to discontinue landline service, the company must provide a written notice to any consumer affected by the discontinuation of their landline.  Additionally, the written notice must list information that will allow consumers to appeal the process. The notice will list a phone number to contact a customer service representative, a phone number to contact the Illinois Commerce Commission, and instructions describing how to request that the landline service not be cut off.

Rep. Mah’s Senate Bill 2908 will protect Spanish speaking communities by expanding on previous legislation and requiring all notifications be sent in both English and Spanish.

“The law that we passed last year overlooked the potential hardship that could be placed on the many residents in Illinois who have Spanish as their primary language,” Mah said. “I strongly urge Governor Rauner to stand with our state’s Spanish speakers and sign this bipartisan legislation.”

Mah’s legislation passed the House and the Senate with bipartisan support and is currently awaiting signature by the Governor.

Springfield, Ill. – To create protections for immigrant families that rent homes, state Rep. Theresa Mah, D-Chicago, advanced legislation implementing guidelines that prohibit landlords from discriminating against a tenant based on their immigration status.

“Children shouldn’t fear having to leave their homes because of their family’s immigration status,” Mah said. “Due to the hateful rhetoric and policies being pushed by Donald Trump, many immigrant families in my community are living in fear of being evicted.”

Mah’s legislation, Senate Bill 3103, creates the Immigrant Tenant Protection Act.  The proposal prohibits landlords from disclosing a tenants’ immigration status, as well as intimidating, harassing, or evicting a tenant because of their immigration status.

Additionally, the measure creates legal remedies that tenants may take against problem landlords that violate the terms of the act.

“We must stand with immigrant families and let them know that they are not alone in the fight against Donald Trump’s scapegoating,” Mah said. “Our community’s greatest strength is its diversity. I look forward to continuing my efforts to stand up for immigrant families and getting this measure signed into law.”

Senate Bill 3103 passed the House Judiciary Civil committee this week and awaits further action in the House. For more information, please contact Mah’s constituent service office at (872) 281-5775.

Springfield, Ill. – State Rep. Theresa Mah, D-Chicago, has signed onto a resolution that supports the repeal of Illinois’ unfair flat tax and encourages the implementation of a progressive income tax that reduces the burden on middle class and struggling families by making the extremely wealthy pay their fair share.

“Our current, regressive tax system burdens working families and gives a free pass to the ultra-wealthy,” Mah said. “Billionaires like Bruce Rauner and Donald Trump have not been paying their fair share, and the middle class has had to pick up tab.”

Mah is supporting House Resolution 1025, which advocates for the adoption of a graduated income tax in Illinois. The resolution notes that a more fair tax system would stimulate economic growth by increasing spending power for residents across the state and by lowering the tax burden on small business owners. Of the 41 states that have an income tax, 33 have progressive income tax structures, including the neighboring states of Iowa, Kentucky, Missouri and Wisconsin.

The Institute of Taxation and Economic Policy notes that Illinois’ current regressive income tax structure allows for the top one percent of residents to only pay approximately seven percent of their income in taxes, compared to 13 percent by the bottom 20 percent of households.

“When we put more dollars in to the pockets of working families it will improve our local economies, support small businesses, and create jobs in our communities,” Mah said. “The fair tax is a win-win for our state, it will help provide tax relief for the middle class and help spur the state’s economy.”

In order for Illinois to implement a progressive income tax system, a constitutional amendment would first need to be approved by the General Assembly and by voters via referendum.

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – In an effort to ensure individuals have access to affordable healthcare and medication, state Rep. Theresa Mah, D-Chicago, helped advance legislation to prevent insurance companies from making unfair price increases on prescription drugs.

“When insurance companies hike prescription costs, it creates a financial burden that can leave families unable to afford continued coverage,” Mah said. “This proposal ensures patients receive the same price for their prescriptions that they were promised when they chose their policy.”

Mah’s legislation, House Bill 4146, bars insurers from making mid-year price increases on prescription drugs that a patient is prescribed when they initially chose their coverage plan. Currently, nothing prohibits commercial health insurers in Illinois from making prescription coverage changes mid-year, even while consumers and families are essentially locked into their health plans. Mah’s proposal would level the playing field by making insurance companies honor the prescription prices that they promise.

“The status quo is set up to benefit insurance companies at the expense of patients, it’s fundamentally unfair,” Mah said. “Our focus should be on increasing access to affordable, quality healthcare—not increasing the bottom-line for ‘big-insurance.’ I look forward to continuing the efforts of the bipartisan coalition of legislators that supported this bill to get the measure signed into law.”

House Bill 4146 passed the House last week with bipartisan support and is awaiting further action in the Senate.

CHICAGO – State Rep. Theresa Mah, D-Chicago, joined Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs, elected officials and community leaders to recognize May as Asian Pacific American Heritage Month.

“As the daughter of immigrants from China, I was proud to give the keynote address, congratulate those who won awards, and paint a picture of the positive impact that immigrant communities bring to this country,” Mah said. “On Monday, Attorney General Sessions doubled down on the xenophobic policies of the Trump administration, pledging to separate immigrant families. This policy is wrong, unjust and hateful. Right now, it’s essential that we stand in solidarity with immigrant communities and let them know that they have allies that are fighting for their rights.”

During the event at the James R. Thompson Center on Monday, Treasurer Frerichs and Representative Mah recognized the history, traditions and culture of Asian and Pacific Islander Americans in Illinois and presented awards to leaders in the Asian community.

CHICAGO, Ill. – In an effort to protect consumers, state Rep. Theresa Mah, D-Chicago, passed legislation prohibiting businesses from issuing rebate cards with hidden charges that could potentially leave the rebate worthless.

“Consumers should receive the full value they are promised when they receive a rebate from a business,” Mah said. “These predatory business practices are unfair, and the hidden fees—in the fine print—especially hurt communities that do not speak English as their primary language.”

Mah’s proposal, House Bill 4922, prohibits hidden fees on rebate cards and helps ensure that any unused rebate is eventually returned to the consumer via the Illinois Treasurer’s office. The legislation is a joint effort with the office of Illinois Treasurer Michael Frerichs.

Currently, inactivity fees on gift cards are already prohibited, however there is no similar restriction on cards issued as rebates. Mah’s proposal is an effort to close this loophole and eliminate a practice that allows banks to profit on the backs of unsuspecting consumers.

Additionally, the proposal works to ensure that unclaimed funds from rebates cards are returned to consumers. Under current state law, if a rebate check is not cashed within 3 years, companies are required to turn over the amount of the check to the Treasurer’s office as unclaimed property, to allow the Treasurer’s office to connect the individual with the money that is rightfully theirs.

“This legislation will expand on the Treasurer’s office ability to make sure consumers are receiving the funds that they were promised,” Mah said. “I look forward to continuing to advocate for consumers and getting this bipartisan legislation signed into law.”

The proposal passed the House this week with bipartisan support and awaits further action in the Senate.