CHICAGO – The Illinois Homeowner Assistance Fund application recently opened, and State Senator Mattie Hunter (D-Chicago) is encouraging homeowners who have been impacted by COVID-19 pandemic to apply.

“A lot of people have fallen behind on their mortgage payments due to COVID-19 and could benefit greatly from this program,” Hunter said. “This program ensures homeowners much-needed relief and can help them avoid debt and even foreclosure.”

The ILHAF provides up to $30,000 for homeowners who have outstanding housing payments due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This free assistance fund will provide $309 million in total to cover a multitude of housing costs including past-due mortgage payments, property taxes, property insurance, and delinquent homeowner or condo association fees.

CHICAGO – State Senator Mattie Hunter (D-Chicago) stood alongside Governor JB Pritzker and others Monday to announce a $3 million investment in HIRE360’s new training and development center in Chicago’s South Loop neighborhood.

It previously received $550,000 in funding through the Illinois Works Pre-Apprenticeship Program.

“Earlier this year, I was happy to see HIRE360 receive half a million dollars in much-needed investments to supplement their pre-apprenticeship program needs. Today, I am ecstatic for the $3 million in additional funding toward a brand new training and development center,” Hunter said. “This amazing investment not only supports our organizations and workers, but our local economy as well.”

SPRINGFIELD – A measure led by State Senator Mattie Hunter (D-Chicago) to end hair discrimination in the workplace passed the General Assembly Friday.

“No one should have to miss out on a job opportunity or miss a school graduation because of the hair that grows naturally out of their head,” Hunter said. “It’s 2022. As a nation, we should be past this petty discrimination.”

Senate Bill 3616 – also known as the Create a Respectful and Open Workplace for Natural Hair (CROWN) Act – amends the Illinois Human Rights Act to provide that the term “race” includes traits historically associated with race, including, but not limited to, hair texture and protective hairstyles such as braids, locks and twists.

SPRINGFIELD – Legislation sponsored by State Senator Mattie Hunter (D-Chicago) to create the Real Estate Valuation Task Force to combat discrimination in the housing industry passed the Senate Thursday.

“Discrimination in the housing industry goes back decades, and it has yet to be rectified today,” Hunter said. “Black and Brown people won’t have a fair chance at renting and owning a home until discrimination is addressed on a systemic level.”

The Real Estate Valuation Task Force is a response to an unresolved history of federal housing agencies, including the Federal Home Owners' Loan Corporation and the Federal Housing Administration, discriminating against Black and Brown people when underwriting real estate loans.

SPRINGFIELD – A measure led by State Senator Mattie Hunter (D-Chicago) to protect access to low cost prescription drugs passed the Senate Wednesday.

“Prescription drugs are a health need for a lot of people, and therefore, they should be more affordable and easier to access,” Hunter said. “We must ensure that people don’t go broke trying to keep themselves healthy.”

House Bill 4595 protects access to low cost "340B" prescription drugs for uninsured and low-income patients by prohibiting pharmacy benefit managers and third party payers from using certain contractual provisions in contracts they enter into with safety-net healthcare providers.

The federal 340B Drug Pricing Program allows entities to stretch scarce federal resources as far as possible, reaching more eligible patients and providing more comprehensive services.

“People living with different diseases and disorders need access to medication, and we have to make it easy for them to get it,” Hunter said. “The Drug Pricing Program was created to lower medication costs, and this measure stays true to that.”

Similar laws have been passed in 16 other states.

House Bill 4595 passed the Senate Wednesday and goes to the House for concurrence.

SPRINGFIELD – Legislation sponsored by State Senator Mattie Hunter (D-Chicago) to create the Real Estate Valuation Task Force to combat discrimination in the housing industry passed an important hurdle Wednesday.

“Discrimination in the housing industry goes back decades, and it has yet to be rectified today,” Hunter said. “Black and Brown people won’t have a fair chance at renting and home ownership until discrimination is addressed on a systemic level.”

The Real Estate Valuation Task Force is a response to an unresolved history of federal housing agencies, including the Federal Home Owners' Loan Corporation and the Federal Housing Administration discriminating against Black and Brown people when underwriting real estate loans.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Mattie Hunter (D-Chicago) supported legislation that would direct state money to cover several outstanding debts in order to improve the Illinois’s credit.

“The state has been on a trajectory toward better credit ratings, and I believe this initiative will only continue that trajectory,” Hunter said. “This initiative lessens the state’s debt and upholds our commitment to families and state employees.”

In total, Senate Bill 2803 allocates $2.7 billion to the Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund, with $898 million to pay off old group health insurance bills, $230 million to pay off the College Illinois program, and $300 million in extra pension payments.

SPRINGFIELD – Legislation sponsored by State Senator Mattie Hunter (D-Chicago) to create the Real Estate Valuation Task Force to combat discrimination in the housing industry passed an important hurdle Wednesday.

“Discrimination in the housing industry goes back decades, and it has yet to be rectified today,” Hunter said. “Black and Brown people won’t have a fair chance at renting and home ownership until discrimination is addressed on a systemic level.”