The 2025 legislative session is underway, and CCH policy and organizing staff, along with our grassroots leaders and partners, are currently leading advocacy efforts to pass several bills to better support people experiencing homelessness, including:
HB1429: Stop the Increasing Criminalization of Homelessness in Illinois
In response to the U.S. Supreme Court’s Grants Pass v. Johnson decision allowing local governments to criminalize homelessness, CCH is partnering with Housing Action Illinois and other advocates on legislation to prohibit municipalities from passing unjust and counterproductive ordinances directing local law enforcement to arrest or ticket individuals who are experiencing homelessness.
Illinois ranks second in the nation after California in the number of municipalities adopting these ordinances, in some cases before homelessness has even become an issue in their community. These ordinances do not provide a solution to homelessness and only cause further harm to people experiencing homelessness and the providers who serve them. Imposing fines and arrests can have devastating consequences for individuals’ future access to employment and housing. Local governments should be a partner in constructive solutions to ending homelessness, rather than exacerbating the challenges that poverty and homelessness already create.
HB2682: Survivor Pathways to Independence
CCH is partnering with The Network Advocating Against Domestic Violence on legislation to support survivors of domestic violence who receive Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF). Illinois, like other states, has a ‘Family Violence Exclusion’ that allows survivors to opt out of some of TANF’s stringent requirements—such as the 30 hour-per-week work, training, or education mandate and child support enforcement—that may make it more difficult for survivors to escape an abusive situation or put them and their children at risk. However, only 4% of TANF recipients who are survivors have been granted this waiver.
Currently, survivors must provide outside documentation—such as a police report, medical record, or a statement from a community member—and go through multiple interviews to qualify. This legislation, modeled after Pennsylvania’s process, would streamline access by sharing waiver information with survivors, allowing them to self-attest to their experience, and improve access to domestic violence support services. Simplifying the waiver process will increase safety and financial security for survivors ready to escape their abusers.
HB3377: Ensuring Homeless Students Get the Support They Need
School districts receive federal Title I funds to support at-risk students—including homeless students—to ensure all children have access to a fair, equitable, and high-quality education. Unfortunately, some school districts allocate as little as $3.53 per student to address the needs of students experiencing homelessness.
This legislation would make Title 1 funding data publicly available, helping advocates better understand the scope of the need and availability of funds. This increased transparency would also allow districts to make more informed decisions to more effectively allocate resources to support homeless students.
State Budget Advocacy
The Governor’s budget proposal included $290 million to support homeless services. This will be a tough budget year, but we will continue to advocate for each housing-related line item to ensure adequate funding, including $5 million to support students experiencing homelessness and a $5 million increase to the Homelessness Prevention Program. We are working alongside members of the Responsible Budget Coalition to convince the General Assembly and the Governor’s Office to avoid cuts and identify progressive revenue options.
How to Support this Legislation
CCH shares periodic updates about how you can support our legislative agenda by submitting witness slips, contacting your elected officials, and more! If you would like to stay informed and raise your voice in support of these efforts, sign up for our action alerts below:
For more information on CCH’s 2025 legislative agenda, contact Niya K. Kelly, Director of State Legislative Policy, Equity and Transformation.
