In this issue:
- Illinois vastly underestimated costs of undocumented immigrant health benefits
- REAL ID deadline is just two months away
- This is Severe Weather Preparedness Week
- Speaking to Prairieland CEO class
Illinois vastly underestimated costs of undocumented immigrant health benefits
The state of Illinois has spent over $1.6 billion in taxpayer money on health benefits for undocumented immigrants over the past five years, according to an audit of the programs conducted by the Illinois Auditor General.
The Pritzker administration created the Health Benefits for Immigrant Seniors (HBIS) and Health Benefits for Immigrant Adults (HBIA) programs to provide taxpayer-funded health benefits to undocumented immigrants, then gradually expanded the programs through last-minute additions to budget bills which were then rushed through the legislature in the closing hours of session. The Auditor General’s report revealed that the Governor’s office vastly underestimated the costs of the programs.
The HBIS program, for persons over age 65, actually cost 84% more than expected.
The HBIA program for those between age 55 and 64 ended up costing 282% more than initially projected.
The cost of the HBIA program for those between the ages of 42 and 54 was 286% higher.
Altogether, these programs cost Illinois taxpayers $1.6 billion between fiscal years 2021 and 2024. The cost for The current fiscal year (which was not included in the audit) is estimated to be $629 million, but the cost overruns of the last four years cast some doubt on the accuracy of that figure. If it were accurate, it would extend the cost of the programs to $2.2 billion.
In his budget address a couple of weeks ago the Governor proposed ending the HBIA program, while continuing the HBIS program for seniors.
I am a co-sponsor of House Bill 1456, which would end taxpayer funded health benefits for undocumented immigrants.
REAL ID deadline is just two months away
On May 7 the much-delayed REAL ID will go into effect in Illinois. This is the requirement for a specialized identification card for such purposes as boarding airliners or accessing certain federal government buildings. The REAL ID has been in the works for over 20 years.
REAL IDs look much like a regular Illinois driver’s license, except they have a gold star in the upper right corner which signals that the card is REAL ID compliant. Older driver’s licenses have the phrase “Federal Limits Apply” on them.
There is still time to obtain a REAL ID before the deadline. Go to your local Secretary of State’s facility, with proof of identity such as a birth certificate, proof of your social security number, two residency documents and proof of a signature.
Find out more from the Secretary of State’s office here.
This is Severe Weather Preparedness Week
With the start of spring just a few weeks away, the National Weather Service and the Illinois Emergency Management Agency have designated this week as Severe Weather Preparedness Week in Illinois.
The week has been focused on a broad array of topics important to keeping yourself and your loved ones safe from the kinds of severe weather we see in Illinois this time of year. It is important to know how to receive severe weather warnings so that you may take action in time. Once you receive a warning of a tornado in your area, immediately move to a storm shelter or a basement. If such a room is not available, get to an interior room without windows.
But severe weather preparedness isn’t just about tornadoes. Lightning can also pose a serious hazard, whether you are indoors, outdoors or on a boat. The weather service has tips for what to do if you are caught outdoors in a lightning storm, as well as safety measures to take if you are indoors or in a vehicle. It is also not uncommon this time of year to see floods. Never drive around barricades and never drive into floodwaters, no matter how shallow the water may look. Just 12 inches of fast-moving water can sweep a car off a road, and six inches of water can knock down an adult pedestrian.
Remember: preparedness saves lives!
Speaking to Prairieland CEO class
I was very honored to be asked to speak to the Prairieland CEO class on Monday
Prairieland CEO was established in the fall of 2019, with the support of local business community partners and area schools to create experiential learning opportunities for students. More than a business course, CEO allows students to learn from local business leaders and develop workforce skills of problem solving, teamwork, self-motivation, responsibility, communication and professionalism which are the heart of a student’s development throughout the experience.
Thank you to Sarah Mussman for allowing me the opportunity!
Our current bill backlog
When a vendor provides the state with goods and services, they submit the bill to the Illinois Comptroller for payment. The Comptroller processes the paperwork and pays the bill when funds are available in the state’s checking account. Currently the total amount of unpaid bills is $2,328,077,983. This figure changes daily. Last year at this time the state had $1.7 billion in bills awaiting payment. This only includes bills submitted to the Comptroller for payment, not unfunded debts like the state’s pension liability, which is well over $100 billion.
Illinois headlines
Illinois State Police trooper injured in I-57 crash near Chebanse after driver fails to move over
Sign the petition to protect homeschool freedom
Legislative revenue estimate more than $700M lower than Pritzker’s proposed budget
House Republicans announce bills to give relief for working families
DNR encourages residents to buy fishing license, invest in conservation
Paxton-Buckley-Loda teacher among five ‘Golden Owl’ award winners