Lake County Gazette

Rita Mayfield introduced HB1771 in the Illinois House on Jan. 27, 2025, during the general assembly session 104, according to the Illinois General Assembly.

According to the Illinois General Assembly site, the legislature summarized the bill's official text as follows: "Amends the Housing Authorities Act. Requires a Housing Authority that administers a housing voucher program to reimburse a rental property owner for any damage to its rental unit that is caused by a tenant who participates in the housing voucher program. Provides that reimbursement shall be for property damage not covered under a policy of property insurance that is beyond normal wear and tear and that is the result of the tenant's negligence and abuse. Provides that any reimbursement amount paid to a rental property owner shall be repayable by the tenant to the Housing Authority. Permits the Housing Authority to offer and enter into an affordable repayment plan with the tenant. Provides that nothing in the amendatory Act shall be construed to permit a Housing Authority to deny a tenant housing assistance or terminate a tenant's housing voucher based on the tenant having payment obligations under a repayment plan or on a tenant's demonstrated inability to make payments under such a repayment plan."

The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.

In essence, this bill amends the Housing Authorities Act to require Housing Authorities that manage housing voucher programs to reimburse rental property owners for damage caused by tenants participating in these programs. The reimbursement covers damages that exceed normal wear and tear and result from tenant negligence or abuse, provided such damages are not covered by the property owner's insurance. The tenant is responsible for repaying the reimbursement amount to the Housing Authority, which may offer an affordable repayment plan. The bill ensures that a tenant's housing assistance or voucher cannot be denied or terminated based on these payment obligations or the tenant's inability to pay under the repayment plan.

Rita Mayfield has proposed another 14 bills since the beginning of the 104th session.

Mayfield graduated from Columbia College in 2002 with a BS.

Rita Mayfield is currently serving in the Illinois State House, representing the state's 60th House District. She replaced previous state representative Eddie Washington in 2010.

Bills in Illinois follow a multi-step legislative process, beginning with introduction in either the House or Senate, followed by committee review, floor debates, and votes in both chambers before reaching the governor for approval or veto. The General Assembly operates on a biennial schedule, and while typically thousands of bills are introduced each session, only a fraction successfully pass through the process to become law.

You can read more about bills and other measures here.

Bill Number	Date Introduced	Short Description
HB1771	01/27/2025	Amends the Housing Authorities Act. Requires a Housing Authority that administers a housing voucher program to reimburse a rental property owner for any damage to its rental unit that is caused by a tenant who participates in the housing voucher program. Provides that reimbursement shall be for property damage not covered under a policy of property insurance that is beyond normal wear and tear and that is the result of the tenant's negligence and abuse. Provides that any reimbursement amount paid to a rental property owner shall be repayable by the tenant to the Housing Authority. Permits the Housing Authority to offer and enter into an affordable repayment plan with the tenant. Provides that nothing in the amendatory Act shall be construed to permit a Housing Authority to deny a tenant housing assistance or terminate a tenant's housing voucher based on the tenant having payment obligations under a repayment plan or on a tenant's demonstrated inability to make payments under such a repayment plan.
HB1602	01/22/2025	Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Provides that the research and development credit applies on a permanent basis. Effective immediately.
HB1437	01/17/2025	Amends the State Treasurer Act. Provides that the State Treasurer may establish and administer a non-profit investment pool and an electronic payment processing program to supplement and enhance investment opportunities and secure electronic payment options otherwise available to not-for-profit corporations in the State. Provides that the Treasurer may receive funds paid into the pool for the purpose of holding and investing those funds. Provides for surety bonds payable to not-for-profit corporations who participate in the pool. Provides that the Treasurer shall adopt rules for the efficient administration of the pool.
HB1234	01/10/2025	Amends the Commission on Discrimination and Hate Crimes Act. Provides that the Commission on Discrimination and Hate Crimes shall research and identify any discriminatory practices used by insurance companies in the ratemaking process for home insurance and automobile insurance, including, but not limited to, the use of zip codes, credit scores, and age in a manner that results in inequitable rates being assessed to certain populations. Provides that, beginning with the report that is due by March 30, 2026, the Commission shall include any findings and recommendations it makes concerning discriminatory practices used by insurance companies in its report to the Governor and the General Assembly. Effective immediately.
HB0044	01/09/2025	Creates the Community-Based Corrections Act. Provides that the Department of Corrections shall establish a program that funds community-based nonprofit providers to serve emerging adults as an alternative to traditional incarceration. Provides that community-based providers shall offer housing, workforce training, mental health counseling, and restorative justice programming in alignment with State guidelines. Provides that the program shall be subject to judicial discretion, allowing sentencing judges to assign eligible individuals to community-based settings instead of Department of Corrections facilities. Provides that all community-based providers must have a written agreement with a restorative justice court for all emerging adults within their care to participate in the restorative justice court programs. Provides that community-based providers shall be compensated at a rate equivalent to the monthly per-inmate cost of incarceration as determined by the Department in its Fiscal Impact Statement. Community-based providers shall be paid on a monthly basis for the number of individuals within their care. Provides that the Department of Corrections shall allocate existing budget authority for contractual services to fund the program created by the Act. Provides that the Department of Human Services shall establish operational standards, including housing conditions, workforce training quality, and mental health support services, to ensure program efficacy. Provides that the Department of Human Services shall monitor and evaluate providers to maintain compliance with State and judicial requirements. Provides that community-based providers shall submit annual reports to the Department of Corrections and the Department of Human Services detailing participant outcomes, including recidivism rates, employment statistics, and community reintegration success. Provides that the Department of Corrections shall report program performance to the General Assembly annually, including cost savings from reduced incarceration based on emerging adults participating with community-based providers for fewer years than they would serve in a Department of Corrections facility. Effective immediately.
HB1170	01/09/2025	Amends the Public Community College Act. Provides that the Illinois Community College Board shall develop and maintain a program to provide free tuition at one community college in each R3 Area (designated as such under the Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act) using money appropriated from the Cannabis Regulation Fund. Authorizes the Board to adopt any rules necessary. Amends the State Finance Act to make related changes.
HB1171	01/09/2025	Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Provides that a group or individual policy of accident and health insurance amended, delivered, issued, or renewed on or after January 1, 2026 that provides coverage for prescription drugs shall require that a covered individual's defined cost sharing for each prescription drug shall be calculated at the point of sale based on a price that is reduced by an amount equal to at least 100% of all rebates received in connection with the dispensation or administration of the prescription drug. Provides that an insurer shall apply any rebate amount in excess of the defined cost sharing amount to the health plan to reduce premiums. Provides that the provisions shall not preclude an insurer from decreasing a covered individual's defined cost sharing by an amount greater than the stated amount at the point of sale. Provides that the Department of Insurance may adopt rules to implement the provisions.
HB1172	01/09/2025	Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Provides that a person commits aggravated battery when, in committing a battery, other than by discharge of a firearm, he or she knows the individual battered to be a person employed as a delivery driver or courier while in performance of the person's employment.
HB1173	01/09/2025	Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Provides that the maximum amount of the credit for instructional materials and supplies is $1,000 for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2025 (currently, $500). Effective immediately.
HB1174	01/09/2025	Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. Provides that the rules promulgated by the supervising authority concerning electronic monitoring and home detention shall provide that travel to and from approved employment shall not be denied based solely on the transient or mobile nature of the employment, provided that the participant gives the supervising authority sufficient notice and the employer confirms the exact routes or locations, or both, of employment at least 24 hours in advance. Provides that travel to and from approved employment shall not be denied solely for failure to provide the supervising authority with timely notice, provided that the participant gives the supervising authority sufficient notice at least 24 hours in advance of travel.
HB1175	01/09/2025	Amends the Environmental Protection Act. Provides that owners and operators of CCR surface impoundments at electric generating plants that are bordering Lake Michigan shall close the CCR surface impoundment by removal by off-site disposal, pursuant to specified provisions and requirements. In additional provisions, requires an owner or operator to remove from his or her site, for off-site disposal, all CCR generated by a facility that is not disposed of, treated, stored, or abandoned in a CCR surface impoundment, and remediate all soil and groundwater impacted by that CCR, in accordance with specified requirements. Requires owners or operators to submit specified plans and reports to the Environmental Protection Agency. Provides that an owner or operator shall post with the Agency a performance bond or other security for the purpose of ensuring removal and remediation in accordance with the provisions. Provides that the Agency may enter into such contracts and agreements as it deems necessary to carry out the purposes of the provisions. Provides that neither the State, nor the Director of the Agency, nor any State employee shall be liable for any damages or injuries arising out of or resulting from any action taken under the provisions. Contains other provisions. Contains a severability provision. Effective immediately.
HB1176	01/09/2025	Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that there shall be printed on each tax bill, or on a separate slip mailed with each tax bill, a list of each redevelopment project that (i) is associated with a TIF district in which the property is located and (ii) has been completed during or before the taxable year for which the bill is prepared or is in the process of being completed during that taxable year.
HB1177	01/09/2025	Amends the Use Tax Act, the Service Use Tax Act, the Service Occupation Tax Act, and the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act. Imposes a 3.75% surcharge on firearms and firearm component parts. Sets forth provisions concerning the distribution of the proceeds. Effective immediately.
HB1178	01/09/2025	Amends the Juvenile Court Act of 1987. Provides that a minor found to be guilty may be committed to the Department of Juvenile Justice if the minor is at least 14 (rather than 13) years and under 20 years of age, provided that the commitment to the Department of Juvenile Justice shall be made only if the minor was found guilty of a felony offense or first degree murder. Provides that when a minor of the age of at least 14 (rather than 13) years is adjudged delinquent for the offense of first degree murder, the court shall declare the minor a ward of the court and order the minor committed to the Department of Juvenile Justice until the minor's 21st birthday, without the possibility of aftercare release, furlough, or nonemergency authorized absence for a period of 5 years from the date the minor was committed to the Department of Juvenile Justice. Amends the Juvenile Court Act of 1987. Provides that on or after July 1, 2026 and before July 1, 2027, any minor 12 years of age or older arrested pursuant to the Act if there is probable cause to believe that the minor is a delinquent minor and that secure custody is a matter of immediate and urgent necessity, in light of a serious threat to the physical safety of a person or persons in the community or in order to secure the presence of the minor at the next hearing, as evidenced by a demonstrable record of willful failure to appear at a scheduled court hearing within the past 12 months, may be kept or detained in an authorized detention facility. Provides that on or after July 1, 2027, minors age 12 years of age and under 13 years of age and charged with first degree murder, aggravated criminal sexual assault, aggravated battery in which a firearm was used in the offense, or aggravated vehicular hijacking, may be kept or detained in an authorized detention facility. Provides that no minor under 13 (rather than under 12) years of age shall be detained in a county jail or a municipal lockup for more than 6 hours. Provides that instead of detention, minors under the age of 13 who are in conflict with the law may be held accountable through a petition under the Minors Requiring Authoritative Intervention Article of the Act, or may be held accountable through a community mediation program.
HB1199	01/09/2025	Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that, notwithstanding any other provision of law, beginning in taxable year 2026, no county clerk may extend against any property an annual property tax that exceeds the amount generated by multiplying the property tax liability for the property in the immediately preceding taxable year by one plus the percentage increase, if any, in the Consumer Price Index for the 12-month period ending in September of the immediately preceding taxable year, unless the increase in the property tax liability is the result of improvements to the property or the result of the removal of one or more exemptions that were granted with respect to the property for the immediately preceding taxable year. Effective immediately.