Occupational Licensing Reform
Occupational licenses are often necessary to protect the safety, health, and welfare of the public. However, when these licenses are revisited by legislators, it is important they have accurate and unbiased information before determining whether and how to maintain such a license.
Regulatory Sunset Review - HB5576
This legislation amends the Regulatory Sunset Act to require the existing sunset report process collects and provides comprehensive and specific information about the need for licensure, the licensing process, and the equity concerns arising from personal qualifications, such as the cost of training and continuing education and whether such requirements are suitably addressing public safety. The bill provides guidance for the report’s recommendations of modifications to licensing rules that will lower barriers for applicants but still address genuine public safety concerns, including a list of regulatory tools other than licensure, like registration or certification, disclosures, or insurance requirements. The bill does not usurp legislators' ability to make the final determination regarding a license.
License Information Task Force - HB5575
This legislation creates a task force that includes representatives from low- and middle-income licensed occupations along with a mix of academics, advocates, administrators, and legislators. The goal of the task force is to collect, centralize, and analyze data from IDFPR about low- and middle-income licensed occupations and evaluate licenses using an equity and access lens. The legislation provides that a final report will be published and provided to the General Assembly with recommendations about increasing equity and economic opportunity. With this comprehensive information, legislators can target reform efforts to preserve public safety while removing unnecessary requirements.
REVITALIZATION IN THE NEWS: West Garfield/Chatham Pop!
“The activation of underutilized West and South side properties is a key strategy to revitalize neighborhood commercial corridors with active, people-oriented activities,” Commissioner Cox said. The City of Chicago announced on Thursday, the creation of two new public plazas located in West Garfield Park and Chatham. These projects are a part of the Department of…
You’re Invited to The Rebound!
The SBAC and A Safe Haven are thrilled to invite you for a LIVE and IN-PERSON evening you won’t forget! It will be our first big live event of the year, and with the mask mandate now lifted, we hope to see many of you face-to-face once again. Join us to celebrate the culmination…
Back to Business Grants Action Call
Illinois Policymakers Should Support Small Businesses The pandemic and COVID-19 mitigations began inflicting immense damage to small businesses in March 2020. Thousands of small businesses initially applied for Illinois Business Interruption Grants. While these grants helped some small businesses, approximately 80% of applicants were not awarded a grant. Illinois then received over $8 billion in…