Representative Gabel is using this opportunity to update constituents on her recent actions in Springfield, any changes to laws that will be impacting us all, and how the state is planning to address the pressing issues of the moment (budget deficit, Medicaid, overdue bills, pensions). Attendees are encouraged to participate with any questions or comments they may have.

Further inquiries can be directed to her district office at 847-424-9898.

Health Care Reform
Health care reform is on the table in Illinois. Each state can establish a health care exchange or marketplace where individuals and small businesses can purchase health insurance that includes their current doctor and has basic benefits that cover doctor visits, hospitalizations, preventive care and prescriptions.

The exchange will be a place people can go if they lose their employer insurance and will be offered to people on a voluntary basis. Furthermore, under the current plan for reform insurance plans will not be able to deny coverage to people because of pre-existing or chronic conditions like cancer or diabetes. It will be a place people can go if they lose their employer insurance. It is offered to people on a voluntary basis. At this time, I am working with others to come to agreement on some of the details and pass a bill that will then give the state access to millions of federal dollars for implementation.

Budget Issues
This year, the Illinois House of Representatives set a budget spending cap of $33.7 billion based on a conservative revenue projection for the Fiscal Year 2013. This spending cap was devised in a bi-partisan manner with help from the Senate and demonstrates progress in establishing a realistic budget. The revenue estimate increased $500 million from last year, but this growth is overshadowed by a large increase in pension costs and a looming Medicaid crisis in the billions.

Last week, we passed a bill that sets the budget amounts for education, human services, general services and public safety that is contingent on containing Medicaid spending. As vice-chair of Appropriations for Human Services, I will be working to distribute those funds in a way that protects the most vulnerable and provides efficiency and effectiveness. We are still in the beginning stages of the process and I am always looking for your good ideas on budgeting for outcomes.

Medicaid
In his annual budget address, Governor Quinn called on lawmakers to cut $2.7 billion from the state’s Medicaid budget. This is a very difficult task considering that the total Medicaid budget is approximately $14 billion. As a member of the Legislative Medicaid Advisory Committee, a 12 person bipartisan, bicameral body, we will be identifying ways to create efficiencies and eliminate fraud but I am afraid that won’t be enough. In order to prevent the collapse of the Medicaid program, we will be presenting suggestions to the Governor on ways to carefully reduce eligibility, optional services and rates. I am particularly attentive to not reducing a low cost service that will then drive consumers to higher cost treatments.

Pensions
Years of under-funding or borrowing to pay the annual pension obligation have led to significant funding pressures on the state budget. A $1.2 billion increase in pension payments from last year to this year will necessitate a payment of $5.1 billion to the state pension system this year. A working group is tasked with examining benefits, stabilizing funding and balancing contributions to find a solution that restructures our pension system while defending retirement benefits that working families have earned.

Overdue Bills
Companies that do business with the state are waiting 3-6 months for payments. The state has about $8 billion in unpaid bills at this time. Parameters have been set to pay a percentage of those bills next year and any revenues beyond the $33.7 billion budgeted will be used to pay down that debt.

My Legislation
Below is some of the legislation I am sponsoring or supporting this year. You can click here to see a list of all the legislation for which I am the primary sponsor. If you have any questions, please contact me.

Reducing Cancer Rates among Young People
According to the American Cancer Society, melanoma is one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers among teenagers. Young people who use tanning beds face a significant increase their lifetime risk of melanoma. These are high stakes, and young people should not be taking this chance with their lives. House Bill 1666, bans anyone under age 18 from tanning in a UV tanning bed. Tanning facilities may be concerned their businesses will be hurt by this legislation, but Colorado has a similar law and tanning facilities actually saw an increase in revenue, likely because spray tans, which are allowed under this bill, cost more than UV beds. House Bill 1666 awaits House consideration.

Increasing Transparency in Schools
House Bill 5013 requires schools to make immunization data available online to increase transparency and ensure parents are aware of immunization rates at their child’s school. It not only gives parents the opportunity to encourage other parents to immunize their children, but allows them to more effectively protect their children’s health, an issue of utmost importance. HB 5013 passed the House on March 27 and now moves to the Senate for consideration

Rehabilitation of Juvenile Offenders
I collaborated with the Juvenile Justice Commission to craft House Bill 5492 to better enable authorities to focus their efforts on the rehabilitation of juvenile offenders. Currently, convicted juveniles are sentenced to parole until he or she reaches age 21. This bill limits the parole sentence for a juvenile convict to 6-12 months, allowing extensions only in specific circumstances. House Bill 5492 awaits House consideration.

Teaching Healthy Habits to New Mothers
Hospitals are where many mothers first learn how to care for their babies. This is an important starting point where hospitals can set a powerful example and help new mothers adopt healthy habits early. For this reason, I am sponsoring legislation requiring hospitals to establish an infant feeding policy that promotes breastfeeding, beginning a dialogue in obstetric and neonatal hospital wings to inspire practices good for both mom and baby. HB 4968 passed the House on March 21 and awaits Senate consideration.

Health Co-ops
House Bill 3976 allows health care cooperatives in Illinois, seeking to make health care costs more manageable for individuals and small business owners. A health care co-op (Consumer Operated and Oriented Plan) is comprised of individuals and small businesses who join together to function as a health insurer. The Affordable Care Act appropriates $3.8 billion in grants and loans to encourage creation of co-ops, allowing members greater control over health care costs and options. House Bill 3976 awaits consideration by the House.

Again, please contact me or my office at (847) 424-9898; staterepgabel@robyngabel.com if you have any issues or concerns.

Improving the economy

The high cost of workers compensation and its affect on job creation was a major concern of businesses in our community and throughout the State. It took a coalition approach to address this issue, and I believe the bill we passed to reform the workers compensation system will make a significant impact, saving Illinois businesses as much as $700 million each year. In addition, we are working in complementary paths to ensure we have an educated workforce and a good transportation system (roads, trains and airports) that are critical components job creation and business development in our region.

I am also spearheading an exciting new initiative that is designed to leverage our state’s strong intellectual capital to accelerate new science- and technology-based start-up companies. As the co-chair of the new Legislative Research and Development Caucus, we have been working to help new start- up companies connect new research with companies interested in bringing the research to market.

Education Reform

When we send our children to school, we expect nothing but the best for them. Excellence in schools is something our community values highly. This Spring, we passed landmark bipartisan reforms to our public education system. By bringing to the table teachers unions, reform advocates, and legislators, we were able to design a reform package that will help us in the near term to get our public education system back on track. Unlike Wisconsin, where unreasonable reforms were imposed on the system unilaterally, teachers were vilified, and a new battle has emerged that will be fought for decades, Illinois will have high performing teachers with improved student learning right away.

The reforms focus on identifying and retaining talented teachers by giving more weight to teacher performance. Seniority would no longer be the deciding factor in determining layoffs, hiring and certification, and the rules for tenure are changed to account for teacher performance.

Additionally, teacher performance evaluations will be implemented with additional standards that highlight the difference between teachers who continue to need improvement and professional development, and teachers who are proficient in their classroom instruction. The goal of the measure is to ensure that proficient teachers are in classrooms, and teachers who are not meeting standards are able to work to address and improve their performance.

Health Care

This Spring, the General Assembly established a committee to review the design of an Illinois Healthcare Exchange as a key element of implementing national healthcare reform. I expect to be a key member of the committee that will begin working this summer. The Exchange will be a transparent comparison model for individuals and businesses to purchase insurance on the market.

Additionally, I supported the passage of three important health-related bills this year. The Mental Health Parity Act requires insurance companies in Illinois to treat mental health services the same way physical health services are paid. Also, the Patients Right to Know Act re-establishes a data base of physicians with information about any professional or legal trouble, so patients can make informed choices. Furthermore, in response to abuses in state funded community integrated living arrangements, we passed a law that protects residents by responding more quickly to reported incidences and increasing penalties.

Highlights of Legislative Successes

To protect Illinois residents and increase public safety, I passed House Bill 1338, requiring the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) to develop an immunization data registry to collect, store, analyze, release and report immunization data. The data in the registry will be used to avoid over-immunization, evaluate coverage rates, establish underserved areas and document that required immunizations have been properly provided for school or child care admission. As part of the legislation, confidential information can only be released to another state’s immunization data registry; health care providers or designees; local health departments; elementary or secondary schools, licensed child care centers, or colleges or universities that are attended by the individual; and licensed child placing agencies. Any person who knowingly, intentionally, or recklessly discloses confidential information contained in the registry will be committing a class A misdemeanor.

I am also proud to have passed House Bill 1706 that allows a student to receive home or hospital tutoring if he or she will be absent from school due to a medical condition. As part of this measure, home or hospital tutoring must start within five days of the school district receiving a doctor’s note requesting the instruction. Currently, for a student to qualify for home or hospital tutoring, a student must be unable to attend school for at least two weeks in a row or on an ongoing intermittent basis. A student needs a doctor’s note stating the medical condition, impact on the student’s education and anticipated time away from school.

In response to Evanston’s interest in looking at offshore wind energy that will help the environment while potentially creating more jobs, I passed House Bill 1558, creating the Lake Michigan Offshore Wind Energy Advisory Council Act. The new advisory council will be a separate entity within the Department of Natural Resources charged with examining certain topics related to offshore wind energy facilities on Lake Michigan. The council will report its findings and recommendations to the Governor and General Assembly by next year.

Following me on Facebook is the best way to know where I will be. If you are not able to come out in person, please take a few moments to fill out the attached survey and mail or fax it back to my office.

Constituent Survey

 The double dose of the great recession – lower tax revenues and higher expenses – and a scheduled multi-billion dollar pension payment ramp-up (set in law in 1995) have created an insurmountable hole in the state’s budget.  Despite $3 billion in budget cuts (10%) this past year, the State’s deficit is projected to exceed $6 billion, with more than $8 billion in past-due bills. 

 To address this crisis, the General Assembly is taking measures to reduce expenditures, increase fiscal accountability, and increase revenues.  As your Representative, I have made solving this state’s fiscal crisis one of my top priorities.  With the changes we passed last week, I believe we will be able to pay all past-due bills, end deficit spending, restore our good credit rating, and end the games of chicken over “doomsdays” and shutdowns.  Following are the recent changes that the General Assembly has made to get the State back on solid ground:

 Budget Cuts

· Illinois has reduced state spending by 10.5% (almost $3 billion annually) in the past 2 years. These cuts will stand.

· Illinois has reduced the number of state employees to the lowest level in the country, 36% lower than the national average.

· The General Assembly passed Medicaid reforms that will reduce spending by $744 million over 5 years.

· To address years of underfunding the pension system and a spiraling liability, the General Assembly last Spring passed Pension system reforms that will save $75 billion over the next 35 years.

· Illinois Representatives and Senators cut their own pay and per diem allowances last year.

Fiscal Accountability

· The General Assembly passed a first-of-its kind law that holds government accountable for performance and increases public participation in the budget process.

· That law stops automatic renewal of multi-million dollar insider contracts without competitive bidding.

· We created the first spending caps in State history, limiting any spending increase to 2% each year.  Because of automatic debt payment increases and statutory ramp-ups for the pension system, this will require $800 million in new cuts this year

· If the state exceeds the spending caps, the temporary tax increase is halted and the rate automatically reverts to 3%.

New Revenues

· The financial rescue package will help balance the budget through the economic downturn, cut and limit spending, and allow the state to pay its enormous backlog of unpaid bills.  The package includes the following:

· A temporary individual income tax increase from 3% to 5%. In 5 years, the rate will automatically reduce to 3.75%. The rate becomes a permanent 3.25% after 14 years.

· A temporary corporate tax rate increase from 4.8% to 7%.  In 5 years, the rate will automatically reduce to 6.4%. The rate becomes a permanent 4.9% after 14 years.  

 This was one of the toughest decisions I have ever made. Yet, after spending the past 8 months meeting with budget and economic experts and members of our community, I feel the measure was necessary to protect our priorities – our teachers and students, caring for our seniors and people with disabilities, safety of our families and neighbors, and a speedy economic recovery. It is easy to engage in platitudes and make false promises about solving our fiscal crisis without finding new revenue – in fact, that is exactly what got us into this mess.  But it is only easy in the short term – until we have to face the reality of past mistakes.   

This is the beginning of a long process toward fiscal recovery. I am working hard to create new economic development opportunities, particularly in innovative science and “green energy” fields that will use our community’s strong intellectual capital to lead a new innovation economy in the region.

 During the spring, the General Assembly will be looking at additional cuts as we continue to work to balance the budget. I hope we can work together on these and other areas to ensure that we do what is necessary to right the ship, while protecting our priorities and values. I will continue to keep you informed on our progress.

“I am thrilled to know that 336 of our students have been selected as State Scholars,” Gabel said.  “I am proud of their hard work, dedication and academic achievements. I have no doubt they will continue to serve as outstanding examples to their communities as they continue to pursue their academic goals.”

According to ISAC, winners chosen as Illinois State Scholars must be a resident of Illinois, be in the top one-half of their high school class at the end of the third semester prior to graduation, and/or score in the 95th percentile on the ACT, SAT or Prairie State Achievement Exam. Students will receive congratulatory letters from ISAC and certificates of achievement.

“These students personify excellence and should be proud of this outstanding honor,” said Gabel.  “Illinois State Scholars are among the best and the brightest in our state’s high schools.  I applaud them along with their families and teachers, for this stellar achievement. I encourage everyone to visit ISAC’s website, www.collegezone.com, to view the list of 336 students who have received this award.”

 ISAC was created by the General Assembly in 1957 and has been at the forefront for providing scholarship information, student loans and the administration of state and federal educational grants for the state’s community colleges and universities. Gabel also directed high school students and their parents to visit, www.collegezone.com, for more information about available college financial assistance programs. 

Gabel represents the 18th District which includes all or parts of Evanston, Glencoe, Kenilworth, Rogers Park, Wilmette and Winnetka.

Although the weather on the first Saturday of October may have been less than ideal, Robyn was honored to give the welcoming remarks to the first annual Harvest Fest at Willye B White Park. The family friendly event was hosted by the Rogers Park Business Alliance and the Chicago Park District featuring activities for children, apple cider, and hay rides on the streets of Chicago.