Harris passes a process for residency appeals

• Opportunities
• Youth

SPRINGFIELD- Sen. Napoleon Harris (D-Harvey) passed legislation that would remove the costly burden parents may face when proving their students residency in appeals court, which the governor signed into law Thursday, July 29.

When a school board determines a student is not a resident of a district, parents seeking to appeal the board’s decision are oftentimes faced with financial liability, making it difficult for parents to afford the process.

Under the Harris-backed plan, parents could soon have an affordable avenue for appealing student residency issues. House Bill 4606 provides a process for appealing the decision of a school board to the regional superintendent of schools for decisions of student residency.

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Harris: Our veterans deserve access to services available to them

• Veterans

SPRINGFIELD- State Senator Napoleon Harris (D-Harvey) supported legislation signed by the governor this morning that ensures veterans who are eligible for the status of veterans for Illinois identification cards have access to them.

The Secretary of State began issuing ID cards with a veteran designation in 2015. Senate Bill 2173 expands the program to include National Guard members who have not been called to active duty. Furthermore, it clarifies that the Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs will certify and verify the status of veterans for the ID cards.

Harris released the following statement regarding the new law:

“These identifications give veterans an easy way to prove their status and be able to receive all of the services they have earned and are rightfully eligible for. We need to continue providing our veterans with tools that make their lives easier as a gesture of gratitude for their service.”

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15th District July Town Halls

• events

Harris plan implementing health facility board recommendations signed into law

SPRINGFIELD - The Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board will soon see some helpful changes thanks to legislation led by State Senator Napoleon Harris III (D-Harvey) that was signed into law on Friday.

House Bill 4517 allows the IHFSRB to work with other government agencies to improve efficiencies and ensure they have the resources they have to continue working on containing health care costs and promoting the accessibility to health facilities.

“This legislation takes recommendations from the Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board and implements them to provide more efficiency and better service,” Harris said. “Providing them with the proper resources creates a better health system for Illinois residents.”

Furthermore, the plan removes Certificates of Recognition from the Illinois Health Facilities Planning Act, updates references to the Specialized Mental Health Rehabilitation Act and eliminated all language pertaining to the Center for Comprehensive Health Planning.

The Center for Comprehensive Health Planning was created in 2009, which would have cost IDPH millions of dollars, but was never implemented due to lack of funding.

The law goes into effect January 1.

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