Yesterday, Governor Bruce Rauner signed SB 2042 into law to become Public Act 99-0409. This bill appropriates federal funds to state run programs, allowing those programs to continue to function. The bill contained $55 million in Ryan White funds that is estimated to allow the AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP) to continue to function, likely through February. These dollars were essentially sitting dormant in the state funds, but they required an appropriation bill in order for the state to have the legal authority to spend those dollars.
While the state continues to operate on this bill, the K-12 budget, and various litigation and consent decrees, 90% of the state budget is operating at present. The sector facing the impact of this shutdown now are nonprofit human service providers, including HIV/AIDS service and provider organizations. Capacity is already being diminished, and many organizations estimate that their reserves will be wiped out in the very near future. While there appears to be no end to the stalemate around funding these operations, there are very real consequences around the corner for many Illinoisans who depend on the services these agencies provide.
Contact your legislators and the governor today to urge them to enact a full budget that funds vital services for Illinoisans. Tell them we cannot and will not accept a budget that does not fully fund the critical services that Illinois relies on.
