Creates Secure Choice Savings Program for Private Sector Employees  

CHICAGO - Governor Pat Quinn today signed legislation to create the Illinois Secure Choice Savings Program. The program establishes the option of an individual retirement plan for more than two million Illinois private sector employees who currently do not have access to any retirement plan at work. Today's action is part of Governor Quinn's agenda to ensure all Illinois workers are protected and treated fairly.  

"For many people across Illinois, retirement planning is often a matter of too little, too late," Governor Quinn said. "Without an adequate retirement savings plan, many people are forced to spend their later years scraping to get by with just Social Security. This legislation protects millions of private sector employees in Illinois who work hard but do not have the option of a retirement plan through their employer."

Senate Bill 2758, sponsored by State Senator Daniel Biss (D-Skokie) and House Majority Leader Barbara Flynn Currie (D-Chicago), establishes the Illinois Secure Choice Savings Program. The program creates a simple individual retirement savings option through a 3 percent payroll deduction for private sector employees whose employer does not offer a retirement plan besides Social Security. Employers that have been in business for at least two years and employ 25 or more employees are required participate. Employees can opt-out of the program, or contribute more or less than the default 3 percent. 

"The opportunity to save using a Secure Choice account will prevent many seniors from facing appalling choices ? whether to buy food or medication, for example, or whether to live in poverty or continue working despite declining health," Senator Biss said. "Neither employers nor the state will incur any financial risk for these portable accounts, and small business groups welcome Secure Choice because it will boost their ability to compete with larger companies for the best new hires."

"Several million Illinois workers don't have a retirement savings plan at work. While Social Security was never intended to be the only source of income for retirees, for far too many, it's all they have," Leader Currie said. "The Secure Choice Savings Program encourages workers to save, which will provide them greater financially stability in retirement."

The funds will be overseen by a seven member Illinois Secure Choice Savings Board, which will select a private firm to manage the money. The state will not have access to the funds as the investments are pooled as private property of the workers outside of the state treasury.  

The Sargent Shriver Center on Poverty Law, the Illinois Asset Building Group and the Woodstock Institute report that 2.5 million people in Illinois currently lack access to a retirement plan. Without proper retirement savings, retirees are often forced to rely on Social Security when they can no longer work. The savings from Social Security are often not adequate to sustain families, often forcing retirees into a dependent lifestyle.

The program will provide workers an opportunity to secure a safe retirement and give more businesses the opportunity to offer a retirement savings program at no cost to the company. The program will be self-sustaining at no additional cost to the state with the exception of start-up administrative costs.

The new law is effective June 1, 2015 and implementation must be complete within two years.

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Eighty Percent of Illinois Enrollees are Eligible for Financial Assistance

CHICAGO - Governor Pat Quinn today announced that more than 121,000 people have enrolled or re-enrolled in a healthcare plan in the first month of enrollment for the second year of Get Covered Illinois (GCI). The strong start for year two means that approximately 800,000 people in Illinois have obtained coverage under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) either through the private plans offered through the Illinois Health Insurance Marketplace or the expanded Medicaid program. Today's announcement is part of Governor Quinn's agenda to ensure that all people have access to quality healthcare and improve the health and wellbeing of the people of Illinois.

"In the past 14 months, we have been able to help 800,000 people enroll in health coverage through Get Covered Illinois," Governor Quinn said. "Expanding health coverage to more families has strengthened Illinois' comeback. For all of those who have taken advantage of this historic opportunity, it means better health and financial stability, which are instrumental to a healthy family and a healthy state."

According to a report released today by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), 121,243 people in Illinois selected plans through the Illinois Health Insurance Marketplace leading up to the December 15 deadline for coverage beginning Jan. 1, 2015.

About 80 percent of Illinois residents who selected health insurance plans in the first month of open enrollment were determined eligible for financial assistance to lower their monthly premiums, compared to 73 percent who selected plans over a similar period last year. Of the 121,243 Illinoisans who selected a plan, 46 percent re-enrolled in a Marketplace plan in 2015 and 54 percent signed up for the first time.

"We're pleased that in Illinois 121,243 people signed up for Marketplace coverage during the first month of open enrollment. The vast majority were able to lower their costs even further by getting tax credits, making a difference in the bottom lines of so many families," HHS Secretary Sylvia M. Burwell said. "Interest in the Marketplace has been strong during the first month of open enrollment. We still have a ways to go and a lot of work to do before February 15, but this is an encouraging start."

In year one of the Marketplace, 217,000 people enrolled in a private healthcare plan. In addition, to date, more than 536,000 have enrolled in the expanded Medicaid program under the ACA.

Get Covered Illinois has a made an aggressive push to start to the second enrollment season with more than 500 enrollment events and extended enrollment hours across the state.

"Year two of Open Enrollment is off to a successful start. These first month's results show that Get Covered Illinois' outreach and education efforts are making an impact," GCI Executive Director Jennifer Koehler said. "In fact, we enrolled more people in the first 30 days of this round of open enrollment than we did in the first 90 days last year. As pleased as we are with our progress, we know there are still tens of thousands of uninsured residents in Illinois, and our goal is to reach and enroll as many of them as possible in the remaining 47 days of the Open Enrollment Period."

There are more than 400 plans offered through the Marketplace in 2015, all of which are quality, private insurance plans available from the top insurance companies in the state to fit consumer needs. All plans cover essential health benefits including doctor visits, emergency care, preventive services and more.

Residents can seek free, in-person help enrolling in coverage from a trained professional near them. To learn more about GCI and how to find free in-person help:

·         Visit our website at GetCoveredIllinois.gov (which includes a Spanish-language version) for more information and to make an appointment for free- in-person help with a trained professional near you.

·         Call the GCI Help Desk at (866) 311-1119. Help desk representatives are available each day from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

·         Meet in person with a specially trained Navigator, agent or broker who can help you understand your options and help you enroll. There are hundreds of certified professionals ready to help you that can be located on the GCI website or through the GCI Help Desk.

Twitter: @CoveredIllinois

Legislation Follows "Sign and Drive" Law Signed this Summer

CHICAGO - Governor Pat Quinn today signed a new law that allows persons charged with certain minor traffic offenses to pay their fines or penalties without appearing in court. The legislation follows the "Sign and Drive" law recently signed by Governor Quinn that ends the practice of requiring individuals to give up their driver's license as security for traffic violations. Both laws are part of Governor Quinn's agenda to make Illinois government more accountable, transparent and effective.

"Motorists can now stay out of court when all they need to do is pay a fine for a minor traffic offense," Governor Quinn said. "This new law helps reduce the burden on drivers and our court system by cutting the number of unnecessary minor cases."

Senate Bill 3509, sponsored by State Senator Michael Noland (D-Elgin) and State Representative John D'Amico (D-Chicago), allows motorists ticketed with certain petty traffic violations to plead guilty and pay their fines without a court appearance. This is companion legislation to a previously approved law that eliminated the requirement that a valid driver's license be posted as bail for certain traffic offenses. Both laws are effective January 1, 2015.

Governor Quinn has signed a number of new laws to make travel on Illinois roadways safer and more convenient. Last year he signed legislation to prohibit the use of all hand-held mobile phones while driving on Illinois roads and to increase the penalties where any use of an electronic device while driving is the cause of an accident. This summer, Governor Quinn signed legislation to prohibit municipalities from requiring police officers to meet ticket quotas and to prevent quotas from being used to evaluate an officer's performance.

Names Expert Robert Bloom as Advisor to Committee

CHICAGO - Governor Pat Quinn today directed the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) to take further action in light of recent reports of disturbing issues within residential care centers for troubled youth. The Governor today directed the Children and Family Services Advisory Council to convene immediately to assess the situation and develop necessary steps to resolve these issues. In addition, the Governor named a top expert as an advisor to the committee, which will meet Thursday. The Governor issued the below statement:

"The recent revelations regarding some residential youth centers in Illinois are alarming and unacceptable. They must be addressed immediately.

"Today I am directing the Children and Family Services Advisory Council to meet promptly to respond to the issues at these residential youth centers and develop a comprehensive action plan to address them.

"Every necessary corrective action will be implemented and monitored by the Department and its advisory committee. Our most vulnerable are of highest priority and must get the care and protection they deserve.

"The Department must take every step necessary to prevent these harmful incidents to youth from ever happening again."

The Governor directed the Children and Family Services Advisory Council to meet this Thursday, Dec. 11 to immediately address the issues at some of the state's residential care centers. In addition, the Governor today also named Dr. Robert R. Bloom as advisor to the Children and Family Services Advisory Council. Dr. Bloom, former longtime Executive Director of the Jewish Children's Bureau, previously served on the Child Welfare Advisory Board and is a widely respected expert on the topics of residential treatment and institutional child abuse.

Additionally, as announced previously, the DCFS is bringing in an independent expert to conduct a full investigation of the residential treatment centers with which the Department works. The results and recommendations from that review will be made public.

The DCFS is also conducting a comprehensive review of data from residential facilities to determine whether performance has improved since the timeframe examined by the Chicago Tribune and whether further sanctions or consequences are warranted.

Lawrence Hall Youth Services and ERIC Family Services have both been placed on intake hold effective Dec. 4, 2014.