Action Alert # 8 -- URGENT--H.B. 3738 (PA Wage Increase) (State)


History:

This is an extremely important time for those of us fighting for a wage increase for personal assistants (PAs). Representative Lee Daniels served as the chief sponsor of H.B. 3738. It has passed the House but is hanging in limbo in the Senate.

On Thursday, May 22, the bill was, effectively, dead. Rep. Daniels testified before a joint session of both Senate Appropriation Committees that day, attempting to explain its profound importance. Finally, by the next day, H.B. 3738 was alive again. It will be heard before Senate Appropriations Committee I on Thursday, May 29, at 9:00 a.m. in Capitol Hearing Room 212.

H.B. 3738 is the bill that has a 2% cost of living allowance (COLA) for developmental disability and mental illness providers, a $1 per hour wage increase for PAs, increased funding for CILA placements, supported employment, and special recreation districts.

The bill DOES NOT include a COLA for centers for independent living (CILs). However, language to include the same 2% increase for CILs is being drafted. We are hopeful this language will be included in the final version of the bill. It would only cost $225,000 and is as equally as important as the COLA proposed for other service providers.

The main problem the Senate seems to have with the bill is the cost of the PA wage increase, which is estimated to be, approximately, $30-$35 million. This is the most expensive aspect of the bill. Yet, as the legislators debate Illinois' fiscal crisis, which should not be diminished in any sense, both the policymakers and advocates are overlooking two key points: The need for this increase is great; and the money to fund it is available.

Just as H.B. 3738 seeks additional funding for service providers and CILs, which is extremely valuable, the critical nature of the funding sought for a PA wage increase must not be dismissed as being too expensive. It has been three years since CILs received a COLA increased. The same length of time has passed since there was a PA wage increase. Still, in this time of budget uncertainty, the funding is there to make it a reality.

The federal government just authorized $20 billion in state aid. Illinois will receive, at least, $600 million in the next two fiscal years, $300 million of which is designated for Medicaid programs. The Service Employees International Union (SEIU), the union which represents PAs, has already asked to receive $20 million of that money to help pay for the $1 per hour wage increase for PAs. This money will not cost other departments or state projects any of the funding they are requesting.

Moreover, there is other funding available. A prime example of money that could be used for a purpose other than which it was intended is the proposed $10 million meant to reopen the Lincoln Developmental Center (LDC). That money is pegged to go toward an institution that warehouses people with disabilities, eliminating their independence. PAs add independence to the live of those people for whom they work. The dichotomy and irony of this situation are clear.

Even with the new attempts to end wasteful spending in state government (see the aforementioned LDC), it still, unfortunately, occurs. Many state agencies and departments are receiving more funding than was requested in their original budgets. All lawmakers need to do is examine these newly increased budgets and find money that could be better spent in other ways.

The answer reverts to simple prioritizing the state's spending patterns. Though personal assistant services have not been high on the spending priority list in the past, the time has come to change that outdated mindset. If service providers—and that includes CILs—need and should get a COLA increase, the same should be true for PAs, who provide some of the most important services to Illinoisans with disabilities. The cost associated with the increase is high because there are, at least, 20,000 PAs in the state, which shows, in dramatic fashion, how important their services are to the disability community.

Finally, it is worth noting that this expenditure could eventually generate revenue for the state. If enough people with disabilities, who want to work, find employment because they are successful in hiring and retaining a PA, those individuals, suddenly, become taxpaying citizens. The state has invested millions of dollars in workforce programs, encouraging employment through One-Stop Career Centers and other incentives aimed at reducing the need for state assistance. While these are mostly very valid programs, the obvious dilemma for persons with disabilities is, again, overlooked.

If someone is unable to get out of bed, dressed, and arrive at a job, how is that person going to keep that job? This is one of the primary functions of a PA, though many people would rather not discuss it. Yet, that is reality for many persons with disabilities. It is time we, as a state and society, open our eyes to the truths regarding the lives of people with disabilities. It may not be the easiest thing for the non-disabled community to do, but it has been stated by many different and brilliant minds of the past that change is not easy. However, change is inevitable, and it will happen whether we welcome it or not. I would hope we welcome it.

Actions Needed:

You need to contact your Illinois State Senators as well as your Representatives and the Governor's Office. Inform them—especially the senators, as they must be the first to act on the bill—that H.B. 3738 is one of the most, if not the most, important bills affecting the disability community in Illinois this session. Let them know that using already promised federal money and eliminating the wasteful spending of other state departments and agencies can ease the cost of the PA wage increase. (Use the LDC example of $10 million that can be used in ways that are much more productive than the institutionalization of people with disabilities.) A sample letter/email is below this text.

We also need people to testify Thursday, May 29, at the Capitol. Senate Appropriations Committee I will hear the bill. Senator Donne E. Trotter is the chairperson. The members meet in Capitol Hearing Room 212. The more people who are visible, the better are our chances of making this increase a reality. We have not been able to accomplish this goal for several years. It is time we mobilized and spoke with one, resounding voice of unity.

To find out who represents you in the General Assembly, you can use the Illinois State Board of Elections web site www.elections.state.il.us. Click on "Find Districts/Officials." You may also contact your local public library for assistance.

Contact information for the Governor's Office:

Governor Rod R. Blagojevich Office of the Governor 207 State House Springfield, IL 62706 Telephone: 217-782-0244 Email: governor@state.il.us

SAMPLE LETTER/EMAIL:

DATE

Senator/ Representative XXXX XXXX
State Capitol Address
Springfield, IL 62706


Dear Senator/ Representative XXXX:

I am writing you regarding H.B. 3738 that the Senate Appropriations Committee I will hear on Thursday, May 29. I strongly urge you to support this piece of legislation. This is an exceedingly important bill for the disability community in Illinois. There are many different provisions of the bill on which I could focus. However, I would like to discuss the $1 per hour wage increase for personal assistants that is addressed in the bill.

The cost of the PA wage increase, which is estimated to be, approximately, $30-$35 million, has been this bill’s biggest stumbling block within the General Assembly. Admittedly, this is the most expensive aspect of the bill. Yet, as the legislators debate Illinois' fiscal crisis, which should not be diminished in any sense, both the policymakers and advocates are overlooking two key points: The need for this increase is great; and the money to fund it is available.

The federal government just authorized $20 billion in state aid. Illinois will receive, at least, $600 million in the next two fiscal years, $300 million of which is designated for Medicaid programs. The Service Employees International Union (SEIU), the union which represents PAs, has already asked to receive $20 million of that money to help pay for the $1 per hour wage increase for PAs. This money will not cost other departments or state projects any of the funding they are requesting.

Moreover, there is other funding available. A prime example of money that could be used for a purpose other than which it was intended is the proposed $10 million meant to reopen the Lincoln Developmental Center (LDC). That money is pegged to go toward an institution that warehouses people with disabilities, eliminating their independence. PAs add independence to the live of those people for whom they work. The dichotomy and irony of this situation are clear.

Even with the new attempts to end wasteful spending in state government (see the aforementioned LDC), it still, unfortunately, occurs. Many state agencies and departments are receiving more funding than was requested in their original budgets. All lawmakers need to do is examine these newly increased budgets and find money that could be better spent in other ways.

The answer reverts to simple prioritizing the state's spending patterns. Though personal assistant services have not been high on the spending priority list in the past, the time has come to change that outdated mindset. If service providers—and that includes CILs—need and should get a COLA increase, the same should be true for PAs, who provide some of the most important services to Illinoisans with disabilities. The cost associated with the increase is high because there are, at least, 20,000 PAs in the state, which shows, in dramatic fashion, how important their services are to the disability community.

Finally, this bill and its requested funding are, ultimately, about independence. PAs are a major link in the chain that allows people with disabilities to work, pay taxes, vote, and be an integral part of society. H.B. 2716, as amended, a very similar bill, did pass both chambers of the General Assembly on May 23. However, the PA wage increase and many other components, such as, increased funding for CILA placements, supported employment, and special recreation districts, were not included in this bill’s final version. Thus, it lacked many pieces of the puzzle—contained in H.B. 3738—that would make independence for Illinoisans with disabilities more of a reality.

That is why it so very crucial that you support H.B. 3738. It allows all people with disabilities the opportunity for increased independence and self-sufficiency. It may seem like a small change, but this change will affect the lives of thousands of people. The disability community will remember the change you make to support H.B. 3738.

Respectfully,
YOUR NAME
ADDRESS

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