HR0433 101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0433 LRB101 12714 MST 61445 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, In the State of Illinois, two thirds of gun violence is related to suicide, and one third is related to homicide, claiming approximately 12,000 lives a year; and

WHEREAS, Violence has plagued communities, predominantly poor and distressed communities in urban settings, which have always treated violence as a criminal justice issue, instead of a public health issue; and

WHEREAS, On February 21, 2018, Pastor Anthony Williams was informed that his son, Nehemiah William, had been shot to death; and

WHEREAS, Due to this disheartening event, Pastor Anthony Williams reached out to state Rep. Elizabeth "Lisa" Hernandez, urging that the issue of violence be treated as a disease; and

WHEREAS, In 2018, elected officials from all levels of government started a coalition to address violence as a disease, with the assistance of faith-based organizations, advocates, and community members and held a statewide listening tour from August 2018 to April 2019; and

WHEREAS, The listening tour consisted of stops on the South Side and West Side of Chicago, in Maywood, Springfield, and East St. Louis, with a future scheduled visit in Danville; and

WHEREAS, During the statewide listening sessions, community members actively discussed neighborhood safety, defining violence and how and why violence occurs in their communities; and

WHEREAS, The listening sessions provided different solutions to address violence, however, all sessions confirmed a disconnect from the priorities of government and the needs of these communities; and

WHEREAS, The State of Illinois should create a process to identify high violence communities, also known as R3 areas, and prioritize state dollars to go to these communities to fund programs as well as community and economic development projects that would address the underlying causes of crime and violence; and

WHEREAS, Due to a variety of reasons, including in particular the State's budget impasse, funds were unavailable to establish such comprehensive policy; and

WHEREAS, Policies like R3 (Restore, Reinvest, and Renew) are needed in order to provide communities that have historically suffered from divestment, poverty, and incarceration with smart solutions that can solve the plague of violence; and

WHEREAS, It is clear that violence is a public health problem that needs to treated as such, a disease; and

WHEREAS, Research has shown that when violence is treated in such a way, then its effects can be slowed or even halted; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we stand together with the victims of violence and their loved ones who are being plagued by this disease in communities across Illinois, and that we urge that violence be labeled and treated as a public health crisis in order to effectively address it; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be delivered to Pastor Anthony W. Williams of the First Congregational Church of Berwyn.