FEMA announced today that residents of 35 Illinois counties affected by severe storms and flooding back in April and early May have an additional 15 days to apply for federal disaster assistance. The new application deadline is August 8.

Counties designated for individual assistance for this disaster declaration are: Brown, Bureau, Calhoun, Clark, Cook, Crawford, DeKalb, Douglas, DuPage, Fulton, Grundy, Henderson, Henry, Kane, Kendall, Knox, Lake, LaSalle, Livingston, Marshall, Mason, McDonough, McHenry, Peoria, Pike, Putnam, Rock Island, Schuyler, Stark, Tazewell, Warren, Whiteside, Will, Winnebago, and Woodford.

To apply, visit www.disasterassistance.gov, or call 1-800-621-FEMA.

Budget
Human Services appropriation bill signed into law.  HB 213, which had been approved by the Illinois House by a vote of 69-47-0, became law on Friday, June 21 as P.A. 98-27.  The measure contained numerous line items for State health and human services programs, especially in the fields of medical assistance, senior living and care, veterans’ living and care, and the care of persons with mental health and developmental challenges.  The $9 billion budget was criticized by many budget experts for avoiding the hard choices that Gov. Quinn and the General Assembly majority party had earlier said they were prepared to make.  Unexpected one-time income tax receipts enjoyed by the State in April 2013 allowed the State’s “budgeteers” to allocate nearly full funding to a wide variety of social need programs.  HB 213 was one of six State budget bills that are required to be signed prior to the start of FY14 business on July 1, 2013.  Other bills, which awaited action included appropriations measures for public safety and the general operations of the State.

Budget/pensions
General Assembly prepares for special session.  The meetup, called by Governor Pat Quinn on Thursday, June 6, and scheduled for Wednesday, June 19, is being urged to deal with outstanding Illinois State budget and pension issues.  Illinois continues to labor under the burden of unpaid bills currently totaling $5.8 billion, although this is significantly lower than the $8.5 billion of past-due bills in State files in April.  Actions by House Republicans, when the FY13 budget was passed in spring 2012, were influential in ensuring that almost one-third of this past-due bill load would be paid down before the end of the fiscal year.

With the unfunded liabilities of the State’s managed systems continuing to grow at an estimated rate of $17 million/day, pension issues will be at the center of the special session; but the House and Senate are not constitutionally bound to any single subject and could deal with other questions as well.  In particular, if Gov. Pat Quinn issues any vetoes prior to the special session, the General Assembly could take action to override these vetoes in one or both houses.  Either or both chambers could also discuss and debate various issues, such as gaming expansion, that were not resolved when they adjourned in May.

Tap Dance to Block Pension Reform

Colleges and universities
House Republican college affordability plan released; would provide additional middle-class tax credits and deductions to students’ families.   HB 3640 (Cross) and HB 3641 (Brown) were introduced on Wednesday, June 12.  The Cross measure, lead-sponsored by House Republican leader Tom Cross (R-Kendall Co.) creates a new income tax credit of up to $1,000 per year for most families, if the family is the principal means of support for a full-time or part-time student in an accredited Illinois institution of post-secondary education (i.e. a college or a university).  A middle-class tax credit, this benefit would only be available for households declaring adjusted gross income of less than $150,000 per year.

FEMA today approved another 15 Illinois counties for federal Public Assistance (PA) disaster aid to reimburse local governments in those counties for expenses incurred from the spring flooding.

The newly-declared counties are Calhoun, Carroll, Cass, Greene, Hancock, Lawrence, McDonough, Monroe, Morgan, Peoria, Schuyler, Scott, Shelby, Tazewell and Will.

Local governments and certain private non-profits in those counties may now apply to FEMA for reimbursement of up to 75% of their costs related to this spring's flooding. Persons affected by the flooding who live in declared counties may apply by visiting www.disasterassistance.gov, by calling 1-800-621-FEMA or by visiting a FEMA Disaster Recovery Center.

FEMA reports that so far it has disbursed more than $70 million in aid to local governments in the 24 counties already included in the disaster area. More than $92 million in federal assistance has been approved for 34,800 individuals and households which suffered damage from the flood.

Over the weekend, 24 Illinois counties were approved for federal Public Assistance (PA), or reimbusements to local governments for costs relating to the spring flooding which struck throughout the state. A total of 33 counties have now been approved for Individual Assistance (IA), or aid to residents who had suffered losses from the flooding.

Five Federal Emergency Management Agency Disaster Relief Centers are now open in Illinois for those affected by last month's severe flooding. Persons in the declared disaster areas can visit one of these centers to meet in person with staff from FEMA and other relief agencies in order to sign up for recovery assistance and get their questions answered.

Residents of the declared counties can also sign up for assistance at www.disasterassistance.gov or by calling 1-800-621-FEMA.

Disaster assistance requested for 16 additional counties - 2 p.m. 5/17

Governor Quinn today requested that the federal disaster declaration for April flooding in Illinois be expanded to include an additional 16 counties.

Today's request asks President Obama to add Bureau, Crawford, Henderson, Knox, Livingston, Marshall, Mason, McDonough, Peoria, Putnam, Rock Island, Schuyler, Stark, Tazewell, Warren and Woodford counties.

President Obama will make a determination, and, if approved, individuals in the approved counties will be able to apply for federal assistance.