Entry Deadline is July 15 for the Awards that Honor Volunteer Efforts to Improve Illinois Communities

SPRINGFIELD – Governor Pat Quinn today marked National Volunteer Week by encouraging communities to submit entries for the 31st Annual Governor’s Hometown Awards, a program that recognizes volunteer efforts to improve Illinois communities. The awards are part of Governor Quinn’s commitment to honor volunteer service and community improvement across the state. The application deadline is July 15, and communities of any size may submit nominations.

“Local volunteers and organizations are improving communities across Illinois and enhancing the quality of life for everyday people,” Governor Quinn said. “The Hometown Awards recognize people who are helping us build a better Illinois for current and future generations.”

Applications for Hometown Awards may be submitted by local governments, schools, youth groups, community organizations, chambers of commerce, community action agencies, job training organizations, or other local entities. Awards are given based on population in six project categories: Services and mentorship, beautification and sustainability, parks and recreation, memorials and monuments, history and historic preservation, and general projects.

The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) oversees the award program.  Details and application forms are available at www.ildceo.net/HometownAwards. All Governor's Hometown Awards winners will be recognized at a reception at the Governor's Mansion this fall.

“Previous award winners have included an urban farm and apiary on a hospital parking lot rooftop, a memorial honoring women in military service, completion of a public skate park using private funds, and a reading mentorship program, just to name a few,” DCEO Acting Director Adam Pollet said. “We encourage communities to submit Hometown Awards applications to help us recognize the people who are making Illinois a better place to live and work.”

A team of impartial volunteer judges will evaluate the applications. The judges will select the category winners and also nominate one project from each population division to receive the coveted Governor's Cup, a traveling silver trophy which signifies the project deemed most representative of the spirit of Illinois volunteerism. The 2012 Governor’s Cup recipient was East St. Louis for transforming an abandoned and overgrown parking lot into a community teaching garden that provides fresh produce to low-income citizens.

(DES MOINES) – Gov. Terry Branstad today took action on 11 bills.

Branstad signed the following bills into law:

House File 351: an Act providing that children who are enrolled in the statewide preschool program are of compulsory attendance age.

House File 533: an act providing for entrepreneurial education funds for student organizations and clubs and including effective date and applicability provisions.

House File 538: an Act authorizing alternate members of the Board of Parole.

Senate File 146: an Act extending a provision relating to the use of certain increases in watercraft registration fees by the Natural Resource Commission.

Senate File 186: an Act relating to funds transfers under the uniform commercial code, and including effective date provisions.

Senate File 317:  an Act prohibiting the disbursement of a certain plant, including its seeds, commonly classified as garlic mustard, oriental bittersweet, Japanese knotweed, and Japanese hop within this state, and making penalties applicable.

Senate File 389: an Act relating to hunter safety and ethics education course requirements.

Senate File 419: an Act providing for vision screening for school children.

Senate File 427: an Act relating to the licensing of plumbing, mechanical, hvac-refrigeration, sheet metal, or hydronic professionals, include transition provisions, including effective date provisions, and making penalties applicable.

Branstad vetoed the following bills:

House File 569: an Act relating to licensure of professionals practicing substance and addictive disorder counseling or providing substance and addictive disorder prevention services, making penalties applicable, and including transition, implementation, and effective date provisions.

Note: View the transmittal letter here.

Senate File 204: an Act concerning persons voluntarily excluded from gambling facilities.

Note: View the transmittal letter here.

(DES MOINES) – Gov. Terry Branstad today signed the following bills into law:

House File 112: an Act relating to the forfeiture of bail in a criminal case.

House File 197: an Act relating to certification of adult day services programs and including effective date and retroactive applicability provisions.

House File 210: an Act relating to the practices and procedures of the State Public Defender.

House File 212: an Act relating to conducting condemnation proceedings.

House File 223: an Act concerning issuance of a license or users permit for specified activities regarding explosives.

House File 311: an Act relating to water quality.

House File 312: an Act providing for certification requirements by persons involved in the management of manure, and including provisions for contingent implementation.

House File 361: an Act providing for the issuance of special hunting licenses to certain nonresident disabled veterans and disabled members of the armed forces serving on active federal service.

House File 394: an Act establishing a lifetime fur harvester license for residents who are sixty-five years of age or older.

House File 395: an Act relating to the alteration of the community of a motor vehicle franchisee.

House File 457: an Act providing for the leasing of agricultural land by the Department of Natural Resources to beginning farmers.

House File 472: an Act relating to school district funding by establishing a supplementary weighting program for shared operational functions of school districts and area education agencies.

House File 484: an Act relating to boiler inspections and including effective date provisions.

House File 522: an Act relating to the prevention and control of aquatic invasive species in the state and providing penalties.

House File 530: an Act relating to the Governor’s Office of Drug Control Policy and certain advisory councils.

House File 541: an Act relating to dam reconstruction standards.

NOTE: View the transmittal letter sent by Gov. Branstad regarding HF541, an acting allowing assistance with reconstruction of the dam at Lake Delhi.

House File 575: an Act relating to the technical administration of state financial and regulatory matters, including administration of income taxes, sales and use taxes, currency exchange licenses, and the wireless surcharge for enhanced 911 emergency telephone systems, and including effective date and retroactive applicability provisions.

Senate File 114: an Act relating to the filing of a certificate of deposit by the owner of a motor vehicle as proof of financial responsibility.

Senate File 142: an Act providing that certain activities relating to business opportunity promotions are unlawful practices punishable as consumer fraud and making a penalty applicable.

Senate File 182: an Act relating to credit for reinsurance, including transition, applicability, and effective date provisions.

Senate File 189: an Act relating to a risk management framework for insurers and insurance groups and including penalty and applicability provisions.

Senate File 282: an Act relating to procedural requirements in in rem forfeiture proceedings.

Senate File 288: an Act relating to the placement of a juvenile on youthful offender status and the prosecution of a juvenile in juvenile or district court, and access to child abuse records by a juvenile court intake officer.

Senate File 298: an Act relating to the definition of the term “sex act” in the criminal code, lascivious acts with a child, and providing penalties.

Senate File 316: an Act relating to farm tenancies of less than forty acres by providing procedures for termination.

Senate File 318: an Act relating to the administration of the judicial branch including provisions pertaining to shorthand reporters and the practice of law, and making appropriations.

Senate File 332: an Act related to the administration of the National Guard Educational Assistance Program.

Senate File 340: an Act relating to the length of on-duty periods and required rest periods for drivers of rail crew transport vehicles, and providing penalties.

Senate File 343: an Act authorizing tribal governments to establish a force of reserve peace officers.

Senate File 355: an Act relating to the regulation of vehicles of excessive size and weight, establishing fees, and providing penalties.

Senate File 362: an Act relating to the use of the term relative in child in need of assistance and termination of parental rights proceedings.

Senate File 380: an Act authorizing charitable auctions for alcoholic spirits.

Senate File 384: an Act relating to removing or attempting to remove a communication or control device from the possession of a peace officer or correctional officer, interference with official acts, and providing penalties.

Senate File 388: an Act relating to sponsor projects under the water resource restoration sponsor program.

Statewide partnerships address affordable housing challenges

Des Moines – Governor Branstad and Lt. Governor Reynolds today proclaimed April 21-27, 2013 as Affordable Housing Week in Iowa. Iowa joins organizations throughout the country in celebrating Affordable Housing Month, with this week declared specifically to bring awareness to the importance of affordable housing in Iowa.

“We’ve taken great strides to provide affordable housing opportunities for Iowans,” said Governor Branstad. “We are committed to making even more progress to ensure an adequate supply of affordable housing is available to fit the needs of Iowa’s diverse workforce, young professionals and seniors well into the future.”

“The Iowa Finance Authority and the hundreds of local housing organizations, lenders, Realtors, service agencies and affordable housing advocates share the mission of advancing affordable housing opportunities for Iowans,” said Lt. Governor Reynolds. “This shared dedication is impacting the lives of Iowans across the state every day, in turn making our neighborhoods, communities and state an even better place to call home.”

The Iowa Finance Authority recently commissioned a statewide housing study that found many positive aspects of Iowa’s housing market including a high homeownership rate, low rate of foreclosures and high affordability of housing. The study also detailed the most critical housing priorities over the next five years as workforce housing, affordable senior housing, accommodating preferences of elderly to age in place and the preservation of affordable multifamily units. The full study, including regional data is available at IowaFinanceAuthority.gov.

“The Iowa Finance Authority fulfills its mission through the partnership of thousands of local housing professionals,” said Iowa Finance Authority Executive Director Dave Jamison. “Affordable Housing Week is an ideal time to say thank you for the tireless efforts of our partners and we look forward to working together to ensure Iowans have an affordable place to call home for generations to come.”

The Iowa Legislature created The Iowa Finance Authority, the state’s housing finance agency, in 1975 to undertake programs to assist in the attainment of affordable housing for Iowans. Since then, the Iowa Finance Authority’s role has grown to include nearly 40 affordable housing, water quality and community development programs. The Iowa Finance Authority is a self-supporting public agency whose mission is to finance, administer, advance and preserve affordable housing and to promote community and economic development for Iowans.