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1
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION

  
 
2    WHEREAS, The Illinois ABLE program is a transformative tool 
3for Illinoisians with disabilities and their families who want 
4to save for additional expenses that come with living with a 
5disability; and
  
 
6    WHEREAS, Before ABLE, people with disabilities lived with 
7chronic financial insecurity, and only those with means had a 
8real pathway to financial independence and to achieve the 
9promise of the Americans with Disabilities Act to assure 
10equality of opportunity, full participation, independent 
11living, and economic self-sufficiency; and
  
 
12    WHEREAS, In 2014, a great bi-partisan victory was achieved 
13when members of Congress joined together to pass the Stephen 
14Beck Jr. Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act, making 
15it possible for people with disabilities to save for disability 
16expenses without losing federal means-tested benefits, and 
17more than 42 states plus the District of Columbia have launched 
18ABLE programs since then; and
  
 
19    WHEREAS, The Illinois General Assembly passed ABLE 
20legislation in 2015, and Illinois now leads a 17-state National 
21ABLE Alliance, representing approximately one-quarter of the 
22ABLE eligible population nationwide; and
  
 
 
 
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1    WHEREAS, Illinois ABLE was launched by the State 
2Treasurer's Office in January 2017, and three years later, as 
3of January 1, 2020, more than 1,200 Illinois ABLE accounts have 
4been opened; approximately $10 million  has been contributed to 
5save for a wide range of qualified disability expenses, such as 
6therapy, adaptive equipment, training, transportation, job 
7coaching, housing, and more; and
  
 
8    WHEREAS, Illinois ABLE has created a pathway to greater 
9financial independence for Illinoisians with disabilities and 
10their families, incentivizes employment of people with 
11disabilities, and increases economic self-reliance and 
12person-centered independence for many individuals with 
13disabilities; and
  
 
14    WHEREAS, The State Treasurer offers his thanks and 
15heartfelt appreciation for the path that Illinois lawmakers 
16blazed four years ago and acknowledges that we must build upon 
17our progress to keep Illinois ABLE on the path to advancement 
18through cooperation and collaboration with Illinois human 
19services agencies and departments to accomplish the long term 
20goals of the ABLE ACT; and
 
21    WHEREAS, Illinois human services agencies and departments, 
22including the Illinois Department of Human Services, the 
 
 
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1Division of Family and Community Services, the Division of 
2Rehabilitation Services, the Division of Mental Health, the 
3Division of Developmental Disabilities, the Division of 
4Substance Use Prevention and Recovery, the Department of 
5Children and Family Services, the Department of Healthcare and 
6Family Services, the Department on Aging, and the Illinois 
7State Board of Education can aid in the identification of 
8ABLE-eligible persons and direct the dissemination of 
9information about ABLE through a direct connection to 
10approximately 300,000 people in the State of Illinois who are 
11ABLE-eligible; and
 
12    WHEREAS, The State Treasurer recognizes these state 
13agencies and departments for their excellent service to people 
14with disabilities across the state and looks to achieve support 
15from these agencies and departments in helping Illinoisians 
16with disabilities achieve a better life experience through ABLE 
17savings plans as they are essential to the continued success of 
18Illinois ABLE; therefore, be it
 
19    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE 
20HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE 
21SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that we encourage these state 
22agencies and departments to continue their efforts to train 
23staff and share information about Illinois ABLE to the 
24beneficiaries they serve; and be it further
  
 
 
 
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1    RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be 
2delivered to the Illinois Department of Human Services, the 
3Division of Family and Community Services, the Division of 
4Rehabilitation Services, the Division of Mental Health, the 
5Division of Developmental Disabilities, the Division of 
6Substance Use Prevention and Recovery, the Department of 
7Children and Family Services, the Department of Healthcare and 
8Family Services, the Department on Aging, the Illinois State 
9Board of Education, and the Treasurer's Office.