HJ0116 101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HJ0116 LRB101 16817 MST 66215 r

HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The Illinois ABLE program is a transformative tool for Illinoisians with disabilities and their families who want to save for additional expenses that come with living with a disability; and

WHEREAS, Before ABLE, people with disabilities lived with chronic financial insecurity, and only those with means had a real pathway to financial independence and to achieve the promise of the Americans with Disabilities Act to assure equality of opportunity, full participation, independent living, and economic self-sufficiency; and

WHEREAS, In 2014, a great bi-partisan victory was achieved when members of Congress joined together to pass the Stephen Beck Jr. Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act, making it possible for people with disabilities to save for disability expenses without losing federal means-tested benefits, and more than 42 states plus the District of Columbia have launched ABLE programs since then; and

WHEREAS, The Illinois General Assembly passed ABLE legislation in 2015, and Illinois now leads a 17-state National ABLE Alliance, representing approximately one-quarter of the ABLE eligible population nationwide; and

WHEREAS, Illinois ABLE was launched by the State Treasurer's Office in January 2017, and three years later, as of January 1, 2020, more than 1,200 Illinois ABLE accounts have been opened; approximately $10 million has been contributed to save for a wide range of qualified disability expenses, such as therapy, adaptive equipment, training, transportation, job coaching, housing, and more; and

WHEREAS, Illinois ABLE has created a pathway to greater financial independence for Illinoisians with disabilities and their families, incentivizes employment of people with disabilities, and increases economic self-reliance and person-centered independence for many individuals with disabilities; and

WHEREAS, The State Treasurer offers his thanks and heartfelt appreciation for the path that Illinois lawmakers blazed four years ago and acknowledges that we must build upon our progress to keep Illinois ABLE on the path to advancement through cooperation and collaboration with Illinois human services agencies and departments to accomplish the long term goals of the ABLE ACT; and

WHEREAS, Illinois human services agencies and departments, including the Illinois Department of Human Services, the Division of Family and Community Services, the Division of Rehabilitation Services, the Division of Mental Health, the Division of Developmental Disabilities, the Division of Substance Use Prevention and Recovery, the Department of Children and Family Services, the Department of Healthcare and Family Services, the Department on Aging, and the Illinois State Board of Education can aid in the identification of ABLE-eligible persons and direct the dissemination of information about ABLE through a direct connection to approximately 300,000 people in the State of Illinois who are ABLE-eligible; and

WHEREAS, The State Treasurer recognizes these state agencies and departments for their excellent service to people with disabilities across the state and looks to achieve support from these agencies and departments in helping Illinoisians with disabilities achieve a better life experience through ABLE savings plans as they are essential to the continued success of Illinois ABLE; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that we encourage these state agencies and departments to continue their efforts to train staff and share information about Illinois ABLE to the beneficiaries they serve; and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be delivered to the Illinois Department of Human Services, the Division of Family and Community Services, the Division of Rehabilitation Services, the Division of Mental Health, the Division of Developmental Disabilities, the Division of Substance Use Prevention and Recovery, the Department of Children and Family Services, the Department of Healthcare and Family Services, the Department on Aging, the Illinois State Board of Education, and the Treasurer's Office.