RAC-IL 2024 Legislative Kick-off

You are invited to be part of the Beth Emet delegation to the RAC-IL 2024 Legislative Kick-off on March 26 at 7:00 pm.  Register now.

In 2023 RAC-IL conducted a  Listening Campaign. Perhaps you were one of the 43 Beth Emet members who shared their concerns. Through our listening campaign, we found there were two issues that ranked highest among Reform Jews in Illinois.  These issues were shared widely and felt deeply throughout the Reform Jewish community of Illinois. They were Gun Violence Prevention and Barriers to Affordable Housing.

Our next step, with the help of our allies, was to turn these shared priorities into a campaign that could make real change and have tangible impact. We met with many partners working on gun violence prevention and barriers to affordable housing and found legislation for each issue that fit our selection criteria. The two bills are:

Gun Violence Prevention. – Karina’s Bill. SB 2633

• Requires firearm removal to occur during service of an emergency order of protection when granted by a judge
• https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/BillStatus.asp?DocNum=2633&GAID=17&DocTypeID=SB&LegId=150875&SessionID=112

Barriers to Affordable Housing –Build Illinois Homes Tax Credit SB3233

• Creates an additional funding source to build more affordable housing in Illinois. The state would offer an income tax credit to businesses or individuals who build affordable housing. Like the federal Low Income Housing Tax Credit, the Build Illinois Homes State Tax Credit is a model public-private partnership built on a “pay-for-success” model. The state tax credit is only issued to an investor after construction is complete and qualified tenants move into affordable housing.
• https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/BillStatus.asp?DocNum=3233&GAID=17&DocTypeID=SB&SessionID=112&GA=103

We will be advocating for passage of both these bills during the 2024 legislative session. We want you — Beth Emet members reading this – to now act as advocates for these two pieces of legislation.  RAC-IL’s advocacy will include meetings with legislators, phone calls to legislators, email drives, and in-person advocacy days in Springfield. RAC-IL will be providing a tool kit and direct support to help you mobilize your congregation for action.  I hope you are committed to acting to make sure these two pieces of legislation become laws in Illinois.

Here is the first thing you can do —  be there (virtually, since the kick off is on Zoom) on March 26^th for the RAC-IL 2024 Campaign kickoff.  I am hoping that we can have a  strong showing from Beth Emet members as we begin the work of creating a more just Illinois for all.  With your help, and participation, we can.

Register now.