By: Timothy S.  Jackson, AFC’s Director of Government Relations 

Entering the 2023 Spring session of the 103rd Illinois General Assembly, AIDS Foundation Chicago (AFC) introduced an ambitious policy agenda that addresses racial health inequities faced by Black, Latino/a/e/x, and LGBTQ+ communities impacted by HIV and homelessness and advances the priorities and goals of the Getting to Zero Illinois (GTZ-IL) plan to end the HIV epidemic in Illinois by 2030.  

After a delay in budget negotiations, which extended session past the original end date of Friday, May 19th, Illinois lawmakers passed a record $50.6 billion state spending plan in the early morning hours of Saturday, May 27th before adjourning until the Fall Veto Session. The state’s Fiscal Year 2024 budget (SB250) includes a number of significant investments for the Smart Start Illinois early childhood education program ($250 million), an $85 million increase to support homelessness prevention and affordable housing, and a $20 million investment in a new Illinois Grocery initiative to expand grocery access to underserved communities across the state. 

AFC is proud to work with various coalitions and workgroups to advance legislation that helps the people and communities we serve. Working in tandem with our community partners, we were able to secure several legislative victories this session including consumer protections from excessive health insurance rate hikes, mandated healthcare provider cultural competency training, gender-inclusive multi-occupancy restrooms, and $5.28 million in additional state funding for HIV and sexually transmitted infections (STI) education, prevention, testing, and treatment. 

Along with many of you, AFC is proud to have advocated for the following measures during the 2023 Spring legislative session:   

HB1349/SB209, STRENGTHENING AND PROTECTING ILLINOIS’ HIV FUNDING INFRASTRUCTURE 

This legislation is an $8 million increase in state funding for HIV & sexually transmitted infections (STI) education, prevention, testing, and treatment and the PrEP4Illinois program in the FY24 State Budget. This legislation also includes the protection of funding for the Getting to Zero Illinois (GTZ-IL) initiative and the African American HIV/AIDS Response Fund  (AAHARF). 

Status at the End of Session: Although these bills did not advance out of committee, state legislators included $5.28 million in new state funding for HIV and sexually transmitted infections (STI) education, prevention, testing, and treatment in the state’s Fiscal Year 2024 budget (SB250). Here’s a breakdown of the HIV-specific line items in the state’s FY24 budget: 

  • $2.78 million NEW FUNDING for HIV services meant to address the disproportionate impact of HIV/AIDS on African Americans and other communities of color.  
  • This line item was budgeted at $1.218 million in the FY23 budget; With this new funding, this line items totals $4 million. 
  • $2 million in NEW FUNDING for grants and administrative expenses for the distribution of PrEP medication access. 
  • $500,000 in NEW FUNDING for grants and administrative expenses for STI screenings. 
  • Level funding for HIV treatment and prevention services (HIV Lump Sum) at $25.5 million.  
  • $4.5 million decrease in funding for the GTZ Illinois Omnibus line item (funded at $5.5 million for FY24) 
  • Level funding for the Quality of Life Endowment Fund for grants related to HIV/AIDS prevention and education at $1 million 
  • Level funding for the African American HIV/AIDS Response Act (AAHARA) that funds grants to Black-led community-based organizations remains unchanged at $15 million. 

In addition, state lawmakers included $3.75 million in direct grants to Black-led community-based organizations in the state budget. AFC is beyond grateful for State Senator Mike Simmons (D-Chicago), State Representative Lakesia Collins (D-Chicago), State Representative Carol Ammons (D-Urbana), State Representative Rita Mayfield (D-Waukegan), State Representative Hoan Huynh (D-Chicago) and the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus for their steadfast work in the General Assembly to ensure these additional investments were made. The state’s FY24 budget passed the Illinois General Assembly on May 27, 2023, and now awaits Governor Pritzker’s signature. 

HB2481/SB2241: COMMIT TO FUNDING AND ENDING HOMELESSNESS IN ILLINOIS 

Without question, housing is healthcare, especially to people living with or vulnerable to HIV. AFC and it’s Center for Housing and Health (CHH) are proud to work alongside community partners to advocate for $85 million in new General Revenue Fund investments to the housing funding infrastructure in the state’s FY24 budget. 

Status at the End of Session: Although these bills did not advance out of committee, state legislators included $200 million in new state funding to implement Governor Pritzker’s Home Illinois Program, an initiative to prevent and end homelessness in Illinois, including, but not limited to homelessness prevention, emergency and transitional housing, rapid rehousing, outreach, and related services and supports for individuals at risk or experiencing homelessness. Here’s a breakdown of the traditional housing-specific line items in the state’s FY24 budget: 

  • Emergency and Transitional Housing ($51,083,700) 
  • Homeless Prevention ($21,800,000) 
  • Homeless Youth ($11,403,100) 
  • Supportive MI Housing-Division of Mental Health ($23,188,800) 
  • Supportive Housing Services-Bureau of Homeless Services ($25,897,600) 

AFC and CHH are proud to have worked in partnership with Housing Action Illinois, Chicago Coalition for the Homeless and the Supportive Housing Providers Association (SHPA), in addition to Representative Michelle Mussman (D-Schaumburg), Senator Adriane Johnson (D-Waukegan) and other legislative champions, to have these critical investments included in the state’s FY24 budget. The state’s FY24 budget passed the Illinois General Assembly on May 27, 2023, and now awaits Governor Pritzker’s signature. 

HB1570/SB122: HEALTHY ILLINOIS FOR ALL  

This legislation would extend Medicaid-like eligibility to all low-income Illinois residents ages 19 through 41 with household incomes of up to 138% Federal Poverty Level ($17,236/year for an individual) regardless of their immigration status. In addition, this legislation would appropriate additional funding to cover Long Term Services and Supports (both facility-based care and Home and Community-Based Services) in the Health Benefits for Immigrant Adults (HBIA) and Health Benefits for Immigrant Seniors (HBIS) programs.  

Status at the End of Session: State legislators included $550 million for the HBIA/HBIS programs for ages 42 and older in the state’s FY24 budget (SB250). Unfortunately, the Healthy Illinois campaign was unable to secure additional funding for expansion of the HBIA program for ages 19 through 41 or additional funding to cover Home and Community-Based Services. Additionally, the Medicaid Omnibus (SB1298) included language that gives the Governor more emergency rule-making power over the program for two years in an attempt to control the costs of the HBIA/HBIS programs. 

As a steering committee member of the Healthy Illinois campaign, AFC will continue to work alongside Healthy Illinois and its partner organizations, Senator Omar Aquino (D-Chicago), Representative Elizabeth “Lisa” Hernandez (D-Cicero) and the Illinois Legislative Latino Caucus to ensure that all Illinoisans are able to access quality, affordable health care coverage. 

HB2296: HEALTH INSURANCE RATE REVIEW & AFFORDABILITY  

This legislation seeks to make health insurance premiums more affordable by allowing the Illinois Department of Insurance to disqualify health insurance rates that are excessive, inadequate, or unfairly discriminatory, which is standard practice in 41 states and Washington, D.C.

Status at the End of Session: HB2296, a bill heavily negotiated with the Illinois Department of Insurance (DOI), will protect consumers and small businesses from excessive health insurance premium increases by: 

  • Giving DOI the authority to approve, modify or deny premium rate increases for individuals and small businesses.
  • Requiring DOI to post proposed rates and rate filing summaries on its website and provide a 30-day comment period. 
  • Requiring DOI to publish an annual Coverage, Affordability and Cost Transparency Report to examine the trends and cost drivers of health care in the state. 
  • Requiring DOI to review large group policy forms within 120 days of submission or deemed approved.  

Championed by Senator Laura Fine (D-Glenview), Representative Bob Morgan (D-Deerfield), and Representative Robyn Gabel (D-Evanston), HB2296 passed the Illinois Senate on May 24, 2023, and the Illinois House on May 26, 2023. AFC is proud to work alongside the Shriver Center on Poverty Law, Protect Our Care Illinois (POCIL), Citizen Action Illinois, Small Business Majority, and many others to advance this critical legislation. HB2296 now awaits Governor Pritzker’s signature.  

HB2450: HEALTHCARE PROVIDER CULTURAL COMPETENCY  

Cultural humility and competency centers on being open to differences and prioritizes space for celebrating that which is most important to the other person. HB2450 is legislation that requires health care professionals with continuing education requirements to undergo cultural competency training relating to providing affirming care to people in the person’s preferred language, people with disabilities, people living with HIV, and people of diverse sexual orientations and gender identities.  

Status at the End of Session: HB2450, a bill heavily negotiated with the Illinois State Medical Society and other medical professional organizations, mandates that “healthcare professionals who have continuing education requirements must complete at least a one-hour course in training on cultural competency.” Championed by Senator Ram Villivalam (D-Chicago) and Representative Dagmara “Dee” Avelar (D-Bolingbrook), HB2450 passed out of the Illinois General Assembly on May 25, 2023, and now awaits Governor Pritzker’s signature. AFC and Pride Action Tank are proud to partner with Equality Illinois, Planned Parenthood Illinois, Access Living, Howard Brown Health, ALMA Chicago, and other community stakeholders on this important legislation. 

HB2: OVERDOSE PREVENTION SITES PILOT  

This legislation would create a harm reduction services license for overdose prevention site (OPS) pilots and connect individuals to community support or other existing medical care, treatment, recovery programs and harm reduction services.  

Status at the End of Session: On May 4, 2023, HB2 passed out of the House Appropriations Health and Human Services Committee on a vote of 15-8. Unfortunately, this legislation did not advance any further in the state legislative process this session. As a member of the Illinois Harm Reduction and Recovery Coalition (IHRRC), AFC will continue to work alongside harm reduction advocates, people with lived experience, and our legislative champions Representative LaShawn Ford (D-Chicago) and Senator Sara Feigenholtz (D-Chicago) to advance this critical legislation in subsequent sessions of the Illinois General Assembly. 

HB1286: GENDER-INCLUSIVE MULTIPLE-OCCUPANCY RESTROOMS  

This legislation would allow, but not require, public and private entities to install gender-inclusive multiple-occupancy restrooms in their buildings if they choose to do so.  

Status at the End of Session: Championed by Representative Katie Stuart (D-Edwardsville) and Senator Celina Villanueva (D-Chicago), HB1286 passed the Illinois General Assembly on May 19, 2023 and now heads to Governor Pritzker’s desk for his signature. AFC and Pride Action Tank are proud to work in coalition with Chicago Restroom Access Project (CRAP), Equality Illinois and many others to advance this important legislation.  

As we conclude the 2023 Spring Session of the Illinois General Assembly, we are reminded that honoring the Denver Principles and the meaningful involvement of people living with HIV/AIDS (MIPA)meaningful involvement of people living with HIV/AIDS (MIPA) is always critical to our collective advocacy. AIDS Foundation Chicago is honored to center the marginalized communities impacted by the intersectional crises of HIV, systemic racism, housing instability, lack of access to healthcare, the carceral system and other social determinants of health in our policy work and advocacy. However, we are always mindful that there’s “nothing about us without us” and the stories and voices of advocates like you make the difference. For that and much more, we are eternally grateful. THANK YOU. 

Although this legislative session has ended, I encourage you to stay engaged in our advocacy work over the summer and fall by signing up for AFC’s Mobile Action Network. If you would like to join a community of HIV advocates interested in policy work, I encourage you to sign up for Illinois Alliance for Sound AIDS Policy (IL ASAP) here. With your help, we can continue moving forward in our efforts to end the HIV epidemic in Illinois by 2030.