title
PROPOSED RESOLUTION
IN SUPPORT OF HB 3418, THE SAFER COMMUNITIES ACT
WHEREAS, In March 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic arrived in the United States, bringing illness and death, along with widespread economic disruption, resulting in closing of businesses and surging of unemployment to levels not seen since the Great Depression; and
WHEREAS, according to the U.S Small Business Administration’s Office of Advocacy, while economic damage was widespread, the severity varied substantially across locations, industries, and demographic categories. Locations with larger declines included metropolitan and coastal areas, affecting mostly Asian, Black and Hispanic business owners; and
WHEREAS, the World Economic Forum reported a loss of 38% of Small Businesses in the Chicago Metropolitan Area as of April of 2021, impacting the leisure and hospitality sector in higher numbers, and
WHEREAS, the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic are ongoing. While some businesses have largely recovered from the initial decline, others continue to lag, and some recovered only to experience subsequent declines; and
WHEREAS, according to the U.S Census Bureau’s Small Business Pulse Survey, which reports data collected as of April of 2022, 45% of small businesses expected recovery to take at least 6 more months and 15% expected never to fully recover, and
WHEREAS, a remarkably robust number of Small Businesses are in Cook County, helping drive the County’s economy; and
WHEREAS, Cook County’s businesses’ operations and recovery continue to be negatively affected by the struggle to hire qualified employees; and
WHEREAS, the unemployment rate among formerly incarcerated individuals is seven times higher than for those without a criminal record, which undermines public safety and contributes to high recidivism rates; and
WHEREAS, individuals returning from incarceration who become stably employed are 62% less likely to reoffend; and
WHEREAS, sponsored by Chairman Justin Slaughter, IL Representative; and Assistant Majority Leader Laura Murphy, IL Senator; HB 3418 creates the Securing All Futures through Equitable Reinvestment (SAFER) Communities Act, a program to award wage reimbursements for employers that employ qualified formerly incarcerated individuals and provide them with on-the-job training, facilitating the entry of returning citizens back into the workforce; and
WHEREAS, on March 23, 2023, HB 3418 The SAFER Communities ACT, was approved by the IL House of Representatives and referred to Assignments in the Senate; and
WHEREAS, HB 3418 will support small businesses and formerly incarcerated individuals while reducing tax expenditures in reincarceration costs, improve public safety, and increase revenue through income and sales taxes paid by employed returning individuals; and
WHEREAS, currently drafted as a pilot program for 500 returning individuals, HB 3418 includes a mechanism for collection of data for analysis and possible growth of this program.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the members of the Cook County Board of Commissioners do hereby express their full support for small businesses and formerly incarcerated individuals searching for employment in Cook County, and request that the Illinois Senate approve and the Governor sign HB 3418 The SAFER Communities ACT, effectuating its implementation as soon as possible; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the members of the Cook County Board of Commissioners hereby direct the Cook County Clerk to transmit a copy of this resolution to IL Representative Justin Slaughter, Chairman of the Judiciary Criminal Committee; IL Senator Laura Murphy, Assistant Majority Leader; IL Representative Emanuel Welch, Speaker of the House; IL Senator Don Harmon, President of the Senate and IL Governor JB Pritzker; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that this text be spread upon the official proceedings of this Honorable Body.
end