CHICAGO – State Rep. Lindsey LaPointe, D-Chicago, stopped by Lurie Children’s Hospital recently to meet with Rebecca Levin, Executive Director of Strengthening Chicago’s Youth and Katie Danko, Policy Manager and Government Relations for the hospital to discuss strategies for building safer and stronger communities.

 “It’s important to hear from experts in violence prevention when developing policy solutions around access to mental health services, adopting common sense approaches to gun violence prevention and improving the justice system,” said LaPointe. “Illinois should waste no more time passing the Fix the FOID Act, Senate Bill 1966, to empower law enforcement to keep weapons out of unsafe hands.

LaPointe represents the 19th District, which covers portions of Chicago’s Big Oaks, Dunning, Gladstone Park, Jefferson Park, Portage Park, Union Ridge and West Portage Park neighborhoods, and River Grove, Elmwood Park, Norridge and Harwood Heights.

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Recent legislation sponsored by state Rep. Sonya Harper, D-Chicago, that creates a statewide task force to develop employment opportunities for young people recently passed, and a measure aimed at funding violence prevention programs recently moved to the House floor for a vote.

“This is a great victory for our underemployed youth across Illinois,” said Harper. “This taskforce will be equipped to tackle unemployment issues and try to line up opportunities for young adults who are wanting to work hard. Now the fight is to ensure that anti-violence programs have the funds necessary to combat crime on the streets, saving people and their families from senseless crimes.”

Harper is the chief sponsor of Senate Joint Resolution 10, which was recently adopted by both legislative chambers. The Task Force on Developing Opportunities for Youth and Young Adults will study available opportunities for unemployed youth, and explore ways to do the much needed street level outreach to youth and young adults who are unemployed.

Another measure sponsored by Harper passed out of the House Appropriations-Public Safety Committee, and will be considered on the House floor. House Bill 4008 would provide $2 million in funding to community based organizations that handle violence prevention, job training, youth sports, library workshops and more. Harper believes that these policies will help young adults find employment while also enhancing existing public safety programs and motivate young people to turn away from a life of crime.

“When kids have opportunities to become invested in their communities, violence decreases,” Harper said. “Violence does not go away all by itself, and there needs to be stable programs in place that actively combat a life of crime at every corner. Our kids deserve the best possible opportunities, and so I urge my colleagues to vote on this and send it to the governor.”

CHICAGO – State Rep. Arthur Turner, D-Chicago, recently introduced legislation to provide much needed funding for violence prevention programs in Chicago and across the state.

“There are many factors that cause violence to increase,” Turner said. “However, we cannot overlook the fact that when we don’t invest in after-school, violence prevention and job programs it helps reduce violence by getting young people involved in the community. At a time when violence is increasing, Gov. Rauner has blocked attempts to fund these important programs.”

Turner recently introduced legislation with 27 of his colleagues to provide funding to community based organizations in their districts that have programs that can help reduce violence. House Bill 4008 would provide additional dollars to the 9^th district to fund programs including violence preventing programs, job training programs, youth sports, library workshops and more.

“I am calling on Gov. Rauner and all of my colleagues to set aside political differences and do what is in the best interest of the people we serve,” Turner. “These political games are hurting our communities and they deserve better. I am committed to crafting a budget that invests in our schools, universities, infrastructure and more. We need a budget that will lift up our communities and state.”

For more information for this or other pieces of legislation Turner is working on, please contact his constituent service office at 312-277-4700 or arthurt@ilga.gov.

PEORIA, Ill. – State Rep. Jehan Gordon-Booth, D-Peoria, recently introduced legislation that would help fund programs in the Peoria community aimed at reducing violence.

“When young people have jobs or are involved in community organizations, they become invested in our community and this in turn helps reduce crime and violence,” Gordon-Booth said. “If we want to address some of the root causes of crime, we have to invest in our youth and community.”

Gordon-Booth recently introduced legislation with her colleagues to provide funding to community based organizations in their districts that have programs that can help reduce violence. House Bill 4008 would provide $2 million to the 92nd District to fund programs including violence prevention programs, job training programs, youth sports, library workshops and more. Most of these programs have not received any funding since the budget impasse.

“While some people may not see the necessity of this spending, if they ask anyone who has been impacted by violence, they will understand how providing opportunities to learn and discover more about the world is vital to our communities,” Gordon-Booth said. “In order to make our state and cities stronger and more prosperous, we have to address the needs of all of our residents.”

For more information, Gordon-Booth’s constituent services office at 309-681-1992 or e-mail her at repjgordon@gmail.com.