The Change For Social Justice

Although stunned to find when I applied for unemployment compensation after being laid off (practical thing to do, right?) I found through the application process, if I received or would receive social security, the unemployment amount I was eligible to receive would be reduced by over half because I also qualified for social security benefits.

Why would such a connection need to be justified and made Law? Are the citizens of Illinois aware!

This is clearly age discrimination. This is going to be a serious burden on the elderly; or is this about the "Baby Boomers" lay off/retirement during this period in time. My outrage as being working class is not only for myself, I have faired well over the years, but for the many working poor and middle class who have worked all their lives at or above minimum wage and are faced with unexpected lay offs in the middle of an economy where they are trying to hold on to their real estate. Unemployment compensation can be the bridge to help many workers from going under.

Contact your Illinois Senators and Representatives and let's get the word out!!

And What All This Means To Us

If the General Assembly followed the rules, yes this chart describes the official process as required by state statute for how a bill becomes a law. This chart describes how a bill becomes a law in it the most basic form. Unless a bill is not the least bit controversial, there is always a lot more to the process that the general public doesn’t know about and that is not written in statute or rule. People only see these other things if they are in the Capitol actually trying to get a bill passed.

The agreed bill process is one of those that is not part of the official process and does not belong on this chart. If it would go anywhere, it would be placed right after the “Read 1st time” bubble.

Yes, I think it would be perfectly fine to put a link to this chart on the blog.

Yes, I believe I explained in my last email how the agreed bill process works. The Governor, Speaker and Senate President all follow the process and ensure unemployment and worker’s comp bills go to the agreed bill process before they allow them to move forward in their respective chambers.

Yes, we need to get as many co-sponsors as we can to keep the pressure up on leadership and on business and labor groups to make this bill pass. Even the Governor, Speaker and Senate President cannot ignore such things as bi-partisan groups of 40% of members in each chamber signed on in support of a bill. The pressure is meant to get the bills on the agreed bill list. I don’t like or feel comfortable guiding it that way, but that’s the way things are for us if we want the bill to pass. Yes, when I say “leadership”, I am referring to Cullerton and Madigan.

Ryan Gruenenfelder AARP Illinois Associate State Director - Advocacy & Outreach

4 comments:

Elizabeth SalleyApril 19, 2011 at 12:25 PM
Contact your Illinois Senators and Representatives and let's get the word out!!
AnonymousApril 24, 2011 at 12:59 PM
I can help people find their state legislators. They can e-mail me their mailing address, including ZIP Codes, and I'll send them back the contact information they need -- and if they are sponsors of HB96 or SB144 or not. nancy.solomon@att.net or nancysolomonwrites@gmail.com
AnonymousApril 24, 2011 at 1:05 PM
I'm so glad you're working on repeal, too. I have TONS of information about how it all started, why it hasn't gotten out of the Rules Committee for TEN YEARS, and how other seniors are doing. Here are the sponsors this session.
In the State Senate, SB144. Sen. Heather A. Steans - David Koehler - M. Maggie Crotty - Jacqueline Y. Collins - Ira I. Silverstein, Antonio Muñoz, Kimberly A. Lightford, Emil Jones, III, Michael Noland, John M. Sullivan, Iris Y. Martinez, Toi W. Hutchinson, Mattie Hunter, William Delgado, Suzi Schmidt, John J. Millner and James F. Clayborne, Jr.
In the State House of Representatives, HB96. Rep. Karen May - Sara Feigenholtz - Lou Lang - Kay Hatcher - Sidney H. Mathias, Thomas Holbrook, Lisa M. Dugan, Patrick J. Verschoore, Daniel Biss, Monique D. Davis, Michael P. McAuliffe, Camille Y Lilly, Marlow H. Colvin, Esther Golar, Annazette Collins, Angelo Saviano, Daniel V. Beiser, Naomi D. Jakobsson, Dan Reitz, Karen A. Yarbrough, Robyn Gabel, Eddie Lee Jackson, Sr., Deborah Mell, Patricia R. Bellock, Thaddeus Jones, Kelly Burke, Constance A. Howard, Greg Harris, Brandon W. Phelps, Michael W. Tryon, Randy Ramey, Jr., John D'Amico, Charles E. Jefferson, Jack D. Franks, Linda Chapa LaVia, Jehan A. Gordon, Carol A. Sente, Bill Mitchell, Adam Brown, JoAnn D. Osmond, Harry Osterman and Keith Farnham
Charlie WAugust 19, 2011 at 3:59 AM
Illinois residents don't know about this injustice. They have to be made aware. Keep up the good work.

The Change For Social Justice

Bob Gallo, senior state director, AARP Illinois

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...And Justice For All!!

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