CHICAGO – State Rep. Yehiel “Mark” Kalish, D-Chicago, continued his efforts to pass lifesaving, commonsense gun reforms at the first meeting of the newly created bipartisan Firearm Public Awareness Task Force. 

“There are real, tangible, commonsense steps that we can take to protect our and families from gun violence that has impacted so many communities in Illinois and across the nation,” Kalish said. “This task force will help us put everything on the table and build consensus for lifesaving reforms that will keep firearms out of the hands of dangerous individuals.”

Kalish was appointed last month to the bipartisan Firearm Public Awareness Task Force comprised of 10 members of the House Democratic Caucus and 10 members of the House Republican Caucus. The task force will review gun violence data throughout the state and submit a report with gun safety recommendations to the General Assembly. Experts from various non-profits, government agencies, academia and families affected by gun violence provided testimony to legislators during the meeting.

Over the coming months, the task force will continue to meet to outline reforms aimed at protecting communities in Illinois from senseless gun violence.

CHICAGO – State Rep. Yehiel “Mark” Kalish, D-Chicago, issued the following statement:

“As a strong advocate for education, I stand in solidarity with our hardworking teachers and staff, as they fight for better schools and educational opportunities for Chicago students.

“The status quo is not acceptable, children in Chicago deserve better. They deserve a nurse and counselor in each and every school; they deserve libraries and librarians in every school; they deserve smaller class sizes; they deserve more special education teachers; and they deserve more bilingual teachers and classrooms.

“Our teachers and staff deserve a fair contract, with guarantees to improve our neighborhood schools clearly written out. We owe it to the children of this city to come together and reach a solution that creates better educational opportunities for each and every student at CPS.”

CHICAGO – State Rep. Yehiel “Mark” Kalish, D-Chicago, is working to bring property tax relief to local residents by hosting two property tax seminars this month in Skokie.

“When I go door-to-door, residents frequently mention the burden that rising property tax bills place on their budgets, Kalish said. “Any relief we can provide can go a long way. I encourage homeowners who would like to reduce their property taxes to stop by one of these two seminars, learn a bit more about the appeals process and hopefully receive some savings on their tax bill.”

Kalish’s seminars will feature a presentation by the Cook County Assessor’s Office explaining how residents can make an appeal and how appeals are granted. Attendees should bring a copy of their property tax bill or make sure to have their property index number (PIN) available to be able to start the appeals process.

The first seminar will take place on Sunday, Sept. 15 at 1:30 p.m. at the Skokie Campus of Oakton Community College located at 7701 Lincoln Ave. in Skokie. The second seminar will be held on Tuesday, Sept. 17 at 6:30 p.m. at the Skokie Library located at 5215 Oakton St.

During the legislative session, Kalish backed two new laws that aim to provide property tax relief to homeowners. Kalish worked to pass Senate Bill 39, which establishes the Illinois Property Tax Relief Fund to provide annual property tax rebates on homeowners’ bills, and Senate Bill 1932, which creates the Property Tax Relief Task Force to review the best methods, both long-term and short-term, to provide property tax relief to families.

“While we continue to work toward long-term property tax relief for homeowners in Springfield, it’s important to me that my office is helping connect residents to services, like these property tax seminars, that can provide immediate savings,” Kalish said. “I look forward to continuing to work with all stakeholders to deliver real, long-term property tax relief for middle-class families.”

CHICAGO – A new law backed by state Rep. Yehiel “Mark” Kalish, D-Chicago, will prevent big insurance companies from denying coverage for lifesaving breast cancer screenings that can detect breast cancer during early stages.

“The health of women in our community needs to come first, not the profit of huge insurance companies,” Kalish said. “Left unchecked, big insurance will skirt their way out of covering lifesaving procedures, all to increase their profits. It’s unconscionable that these companies are putting the lives of women at risk by refusing coverage on these lifesaving screenings.”

Kalish voted to pass Senate Bill 162, which expands coverage for lifesaving mammograms. Kalish’s proposal requires insurance companies to cover diagnostic mammograms, which are typically done to follow up and collect more information after a preventative screening indicated signs of breast cancer. Currently, regularly-scheduled preventative mammograms must be covered, but physician-requested diagnostic mammograms are not, and patients are forced to share the cost of the procedure. Kalish’s legislation received strong bipartisan support and was recently signed into law.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 12% of mammograms require a diagnostic mammogram—which is currently not covered by many health insurance providers. Estimates indicate that doctors regularly requesting a second mammogram has lowered cancer mortality by about 40%.

“It’s morally reprehensible that insurance companies are not covering follow-up screenings for women that have shown even greater risk of having breast cancer,” Kalish said. “Early detection is key in the fight against breast cancer. By making sure women are able to receive these screenings, we will save lives.”

CHICAGO – Local schools will get a boost in recruiting and retaining the best teachers under a new law backed by state Rep. Yehiel “Mark” Kalish, D-Chicago, which increases the minimum starting salary for Illinois teachers.

“The foundation of every great school is built with great teachers,” Kalish said. “Illinois has gone over 40 years without raising the minimum wage for our teachers. The women and men who dedicate their lives to the future of our children deserve a raise.”

Kalish sponsored House Bill 2078, which gradually increases the state’s minimum starting salary for teachers to $40,000 beginning in the 2023-24 school year. Future increases would be automatically tied to the Consumer Price Index. The last Illinois law guiding universal teacher pay was passed in 1980.

According to a 2018 study by the Illinois State Board of Education, in over 500 of Illinois’ 898 school districts, new teachers with a bachelor’s degree received starting salaries less than $40,000. Low, uncompetitive salaries for teachers has led to rapid turnover, decreasing the quality of education, increasing class-sizes and creating the teacher shortage Illinois now faces.

“One great teacher can have a huge impact on a student’s future success,” Kalish said. “That’s why it’s so important that Illinois is paying competitive wages and attracting the best and brightest educators to our local schools.”

CHICAGO – Immigrant families will have additional tenant rights and protections from discriminatory landlords under a new law backed by state Rep. Yehiel “Mark” Kalish, D-Chicago, prohibiting landlords from threatening or discriminating against individuals because of their immigration status.

“Every resident of our community deserves to feel safe at their home regardless of their immigration status,” Kalish said. “While Donald Trump continues his attacks on immigrant communities, it’s vital that Illinois embraces inclusivity and diversity by creating statewide protections for immigrant families.”

Kalish supported Senate Bill 1290, the Immigrant Tenant Protection Act, to restrict the ability of a landlord to threaten, evict or punish a tenant based solely on their actual or perceived immigration or citizenship status. Additionally, the measure prohibits landlords from disclosing a tenant’s immigrant status to law enforcement agencies. Kalish’s bill was recently signed into law.

“President Trump’s unprecedented attacks on immigrant communities has emboldened xenophobic individuals across the nation,” Kalish said. “This new law protects immigrant families from intimidation and scare tactics made by bad-actor landlords who feel emboldened by the president’s disgraceful rhetoric.”

CHICAGO – Legislation backed by state Rep. Yehiel “Mark” Kalish, D-Chicago, which would make it easier for Cook County seniors to receive cost-saving exemptions awaits Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s signature.

“Rising property taxes cause a serious burden on families throughout the district, especially on seniors who may be living on a fixed income,” Kalish said. “This proposal streamlines the exemption process and will help ensure that seniors in Cook County are receiving the savings on their property tax bill that they deserve.”

Kalish backed House Bill 833, which creates a five-year pilot program from 2020 to 2024 for qualifying seniors to continue receiving their Senior Citizen Homestead Exemption without having to reapply each year. Cook County is currently the only county in Illinois where older homeowners are forced to annually go through the burdensome application process in order to receive their senior property tax exemption.

According to the Cook County Treasurer’s office, as many as 26,000 local seniors in Cook County didn’t reapply for annual property tax exemptions and discounts, potentially paying an estimated $45 million more than they should. Kalish’s measure would simplify the complicated exemption process, ensuring that qualifying seniors do not miss out on necessary property tax relief.

“Seniors are missing out on critical savings because of an unfair and bureaucratic process, this legislation fixes that,” Kalish said. “I’m hopeful that the governor will sign this proposal and help bring much-needed relief to seniors on their property taxes.”

Local seniors are encouraged to contact the Cook County Treasurer’s office, at 312-443-5100, to ensure they are receiving their property tax exemptions.

CHICAGO – A proposal sponsored by state Rep. Yehiel “Mark” Kalish, D-Chicago, that fights wage discrimination by prohibiting employers from using unfair practices to force women and people of color into a lifetime of lower pay is now law.

“My daughter and women across the state deserve to have the same salary and career opportunities as their male peers,” Kalish said. “The fight for greater equality for women is ongoing, and it requires us to crack down on the discriminatory practices companies are using to perpetuate inequality. This new law does just that.”

Kalish sponsored and helped pass House Bill 834, which prohibits employers from requiring job candidates to submit their current wage or salary history. Given historic wage discrimination based on gender and race, banning this unfair practice will prevent a history of unfair pay from following women and minorities from job to job. Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed the bill into law yesterday.

“While this new law achieves meaningful progress, the fight for equal pay for women continues,” Kalish said. “I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues and stand with women for greater equality and fairness.”

CHICAGO – As part of his fight to lift up middle-class families, state Rep. Yehiel “Mark” Kalish, D-Chicago, is highlighting his support for a measure to create a new program to offer a property tax relief fund for homeowners in Illinois.

“When I talk to residents at their doors, they often bring up the crushing burden that rising property taxes place on their budget,” Kalish said. “Offering real property tax relief for middle-class homeowners must be part of the conversation as we work toward creating a fairer tax system in Illinois.”

Kalish supported legislation, Senate Bill 39, which establishes the Illinois Property Tax Relief Fund to provide annual property tax rebates on homeowners’ bills. The rebates will be funded by the state, in part through a proposed Fair Tax backed by Kalish, which cuts incomes taxes on local residents while making millionaires and billionaires pay their fair share.

Kalish also backed Senate Bill 1932, which creates the Property Tax Relief Task Force. The goal of the task force is to review the best methods, both long-term and short-term, to provide property tax relief to families.

“Middle class property tax relief is a significant aspect of my efforts to build a stronger Illinois that lifts up working families” Kalish said. “These proposals will help offer immediate relief to homeowners while also creating a new path forward to offer long term property tax relief for middle-class families.”

CHICAGO – State Rep. Yehiel “Mark” Kalish, D-Chicago, helped pass a bill to crack down on human trafficking in Illinois and provide new training to police to help detect and prevent exploitation of women and children.

“We owe it to the survivors of human trafficking to make sure the perpetrators of such a heinous crime are brought to justice,” Kalish said. “This proposal gives law enforcement and prosecutors more tools to identify and convict individuals responsible for these abhorrent acts.”

Kalish backed Senate Bill 1890, a measure to strengthen the penalties for human trafficking. Under the bill, businesses that profit from human trafficking, involuntary servitude and sexual exploitation could faces fines of up to $100,000. Law enforcement officers would receive new human trafficking recognition and prevention training under the measure. Additionally, the bill gives police and survivors more time to bring traffickers to justice, extending the criminal and civil statutes of limitations to 25 years.

“To root out human trafficking in our communities we need to make sure that every bad actor that turns a blind eye is held accountable,” Kalish said. “If businesses are profiting from and not reporting these heinous acts, they must face strict repercussions for their actions.”