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1
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, Freedom from poverty is a basic human right; and
 
3     WHEREAS, Full participation in civic life cannot be
4 achieved without the things that protect and preserve human
5 dignity and make for a healthy life, including adequate
6 nutrition and housing, meaningful work, safe communities,
7 health care, and education; and
 
8     WHEREAS, The Preamble to the Constitution of the State of
9 Illinois provides that the elimination of poverty is one of the
10 fundamental goals of our State Government; and
 
11     WHEREAS, The Illinois Human Rights Act provides that the
12 public policy of the State of Illinois is "to promote the
13 public health, welfare and safety by protecting the interest of
14 all people in Illinois in maintaining personal dignity, in
15 realizing their full productive capacities, and in furthering
16 their interests, rights and privileges as citizens of this
17 State"; and
 
18     WHEREAS, Persons living in extreme poverty have incomes of
19 50% or less of the federal poverty level, which is $10,310 or
20 less for a family of 4; and
 

 

 

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1     WHEREAS, In 2006 over 681,000 individuals residing in
2 Illinois were living in extreme poverty; and
 
3     WHEREAS, Extreme poverty exists in every county in
4 Illinois; and
 
5     WHEREAS, Illinois is one of the wealthiest states in the
6 United States, yet has one of the highest rates of extreme
7 poverty in the midwest; and
 
8     WHEREAS, Illinois has no comprehensive plan for the
9 elimination of extreme poverty; and
 
10     WHEREAS, The Office of the Lieutenant Governor has agreed
11 to facilitate a series of 10 public hearings in defined
12 geographic areas throughout the State beginning in June, 2007,
13 aimed at documenting both the experiences of those living in
14 extreme poverty and their ideas for eradicating extreme poverty
15 in Illinois with the objective of creating a poverty
16 eradication strategy that initially will halve the number of
17 people living in extreme poverty in Illinois by the year 2015
18 and reduce overall poverty in Illinois; therefore, be it
 
19     RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
20 NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE
21 SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that the General Assembly applauds

 

 

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1 the Office of the Lieutenant Governor for agreeing to
2 facilitate public hearings on the critical issue of extreme
3 poverty in Illinois; and be it further
 
4     RESOLVED, That members of the General Assembly are urged to
5 attend and participate in the public hearings covering their
6 respective legislative or representative districts; and be it
7 further
 
8     RESOLVED, That local stakeholders, including governmental
9 officials, are encouraged to attend the hearings; and be it
10 further
 
11     RESOLVED, That the Office of the Lieutenant Governor shall
12 prepare and deliver a report of findings and recommendations
13 based on information collected at the public hearings to the
14 General Assembly and to the Governor no later than January 15,
15 2008; and be it further
 
16     RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
17 transmitted to the Office of the Lieutenant Governor.