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AIDS Foundation of Chicago (AFC)
advocacy efforts and support from lawmakers successfully influenced the
Illinois House of Representatives to restore most of the HIV service cuts
proposed by Gov. Pat Quinn in his fiscal year (FY) 2014 budget. Quinn had recommended
reducing state HIV funding from $26.23 million in FY13 to $21.75 million in
FY14, but the Illinois House instead restored $3.25 million of the recommended
cuts and allocated $25 million to HIV services for next year.
On May 27, the House also passed
SB26, which enables Illinois to provide Medicaid to 342,000 uninsured
low-income Illinois citizens via the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Sponsored by
State Rep. Sara Feigenholtz (D-Chicago) and Sen. Heather Steans (D-Chicago),
SB26 also will cover HIV-infected Illinois citizens who rely on the AIDS Drug
Assistance Program for medications.
The restoration of HIV funding in
the FY14 budget will help prevent an interruption in HIV services if
implementation of ACA takes longer than expected. Lawmakers who provided
leadership included Steans and State Reps. Greg Harris (D-Chicago), Lisa
Hernandez (D-Cicero), Thaddeus Jones (D-Calumet City), Camille Lilly
(D-Chicago), and Rita Mayfield (D-Waukegan). AFC’s Policy Coordinator Lucy Baglin
also credited more than 150 advocates who went to Springfield for “Lobby Days”
to share stories of living with HIV.
Since House and Senate Democrats
collaborated on the final budget, the Senate is “widely expected” to pass the
budget by May 31. Gov. Quinn must sign the budget into law before it can take
effect.
More information about the budget is
available at http://www.aidschicago.org/illinois-news/673-illinois-budget-2013.
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is
dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and
empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV
virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!
