29 July 2002
From: Executive Director, Malcolm Rich
To: Members/Friends of the Chicago Council of Lawyers
     & the Chicago Appleseed Fund For Justice
In this e-Newsletter:

Current Status of Child Support Legislation

In the May 29, 2002 edition of the e-Newsletter, I asked each of you to call the office of Speaker Madigan and urge the passage of HB 5140 as important legislation that will result in a vastly improved child support system in Illinois.  
 
In several e-Newsletters I have discussed the child support program of the Chicago Council of Lawyers and the Chicago Appleseed Fund For Justice.  The Council assembled a panel of distinguished experts facilitated by retired Illinois Supreme Court Justice Seymour Simon, and Chicago Appleseed has provided extensive research and individual advocacy services.  The result is a model of child support collection and enforcement.  This model has been incorporated into proposed Illinois legislation, HB 5140, sponsored in the House by Rep. Julie Hamos and Rep. Eileen Lyons.  This legislation provides that each state's attorney's office in Illinois may accept the responsibility of overseeing most child support services in their particular county.  In Cook County, the Cook County State's Attorney's Office would provide these services.  However, each state's attorney's office must in advance submit a plan to the Illinois Department of Public Aid spelling out how they will provide these services.  Included within this plan must be the critical components of the Council/Appleseed model of child support collection and enforcement.
 
This legislation had been approved by the Illinois House and the Illinois Senate.  It needed a concurrence vote in the Illinois House before it could become law.  Speaker of the House Mike Madigan then attempted to keep the legislation from reaching a vote, prompting my e-newsletter report to the Council membership.  Many of you responded, and I thank you on behalf of the Council and Appleseed. 
 
The substantive portion of the bill was amended onto another piece of legislation, SB 1966.  This bill passed second and third readings in the Illinois House and then went to the Senate for a concurrence vote on the last day of the regular legislative session.  Unfortunately, the bill has langished on the Concurrence Calendar of the Illinois Senate.  Again, the legislative leadership is not allowing a vote to be taken. 
 
The Illinois legislature next meets in November, 2002.  We will keep you informed about the status of the bill as well as our other child support project efforts, including the impending release of a massive report on the strengths and weaknesses of the child support system.
 
Thanks for your help.

Volunteer Opportunities

  • State Judicial Evaluation:  Investigators Needed To Help Evaluate Judges Seeking Retention
    The Council thanks our judicial evaluation investigators and judicial evaluation committee members from the associate judicial candidate evaluation process.  The Council recently completed evaluations of 235 candidates and is now in the appellate process.  We are now looking for investigators to work with us and the Alliance of Bar Associations in evaluating judges seeking retention on the November 2002 ballot.  To volunteer or to receive more information, please contact:  Malcolm Rich at 312-427-0713 or http://us.f402.mail.yahoo.com/ym/Compose?To=malcolmrich@chicagocouncil.org.

  • Task Force on Judicial Campaign Finance Reform Strategies
    The Chicago Appleseed Fund For Justice is completing a research program aimed at identifying the factors that most contribute to the successful election of judicial candidates and in what ways these factors operate.  The Council is assembling a task force to consider the policy implications of this research.  If you are interested in participating in this task force, or to receive more information, please contact:  Malcolm Rich at 312-427-0713 or http://us.f402.mail.yahoo.com/ym/Compose?To=malcolmrich@chicagocouncil.org.

  • Task Force on Child Support Reform Strategies
    Chicago Appleseed and the Council released to the public in 1998 a model system of child support collection and enforcement.  In 2002, we are about to release a new report based on a comprehensive research program, including the individual representation of parents having problems with the system.  As part of our effort to reform the child support system, we are assembling a task force on child support reform strategies geared at considering and implementing strategies aimed at implementing the nearly 90 recommendations developed within our work.  If you are interested in participating in this task force, or to receive more information, please contact:  Malcolm Rich at 312-427-0713 or http://us.f402.mail.yahoo.com/ym/Compose?To=malcolmrich@chicagocouncil.org.

Seeking New Members of the Board of Governors of the Council

The Chicago Council of Lawyers is seeking applicants to fill positions on the Board of Governors for the 2002/2004 term.  Each Board term is two years beginning at the Annual Meeting to be held in October 2002.

The Council Board of Governors meets at least once per month.  Council Board members are expected to serve on at least one committee or project task force in addition to attending Board meetings. 

If you are interested in serving on the Council's Board of Governors, please send a letter expressing your interest along with a resume to the attention of: Malcolm Rich, Executive Director (mail: 220 S. State Street, Suite 800, Chicago, IL 60604; by fax: 312-427-0181; by e-mail: malcolmrich@chicagocouncil.org). Please respond by August 26, 2002.  My phone number is 312-427-0713.  Please contact me if you have questions.