Bill
SB 1470
Creates a single statewide toll-free Domestic Violence Hotline under DHS, with a lead entity to coordinate 24/7 multilingual referrals and safety support for survivors.
Status & Sponsors
- Introduced in the Illinois Senate by Sen. Karina Villa (filed Jan. 31, 2025). Co-sponsors added include Sen. Mary Edly-Allen, Sen. Rachel Ventura, and Sen. Graciela Guzmán (added Apr. 9, 2025).
- Bill amends the Domestic Violence Shelters Act to establish a Statewide Domestic Violence Hotline under the Department of Human Services (DHS).
Purpose
- Create a single, easy-to-use, statewide access point (toll‑free telephone number) for information and referrals to domestic violence services, improving access and coordination of services for victims (and callers acting on their behalf), perpetrators, and first responders.
Key Provisions
- DHS Responsibility: DHS is made responsible for providing the single statewide telephone number for domestic violence information and referral services.
- Lead Entity Contracting: DHS may identify and contract with a “lead entity” to design, implement, operate, and coordinate the statewide Domestic Violence Hotline system and provide governance/oversight of the system.
- Lead Entity Qualifications: The bill requires the lead entity to meet specified criteria, including that it:
- Be an Illinois 501(c)(3) nonprofit.
- Provide statewide, toll‑free, confidential referral services 24/7 in multiple languages.
- Have at least 2 years’ documented experience providing victim‑centered domestic violence referral services prior to the bill’s effective date.
- Provide up‑to‑date technology to serve deaf and hard‑of‑hearing callers.
- Provide at least 40 hours of domestic violence training for all direct staff and volunteers (using an Illinois Certified Domestic Violence Professionals–approved site for those trained after July 1, 2004).
- Offer 24‑hour telephone accessibility without requiring callers to make a second call or wait for callbacks.
- Provide three‑way phone linkage to DHS‑funded domestic violence providers.
- Demonstrate planning expertise for a statewide referral system and capacity to perform an independent audit at application.
- Services & Functions: The lead entity must offer confidential referrals, safety planning and options (including non‑traditional services), and support callers in remote areas and in multiple languages.
- Data & Reporting: The lead entity must collect information about demand and service delivery statewide and provide periodic programmatic and fiscal reports to DHS.
- Contracting Safeguard: DHS must ensure, before awarding the contract, that the lead entity has organizational capacity to perform contract terms.
Who Is Affected
- Survivors/victims of domestic violence and their families (improved access to referrals and resources).
- First responders and community members seeking information on behalf of victims.
- Domestic violence service providers (increased coordination and potential call referrals via the Hotline).
- DHS (oversight, contracting, and monitoring responsibilities).
- Nonprofit agencies that may seek to serve as the lead entity (must meet qualifications).
Implementation & Fiscal Notes
- The bill authorizes DHS to contract for the Hotline; it does not specify funding or an appropriation in the text provided. The lead entity is required to submit periodic fiscal reports; DHS must confirm organizational capacity before contracting.
- Potential impacts include administrative costs to DHS and the contracted lead entity and changes in referral volume to local domestic violence providers. No specific appropriation or fiscal estimate is contained in the bill text presented.
Effect/Goal
- Centralize access to domestic violence information and referrals, standardize referral practices statewide, improve accessibility (including for non‑English speakers and deaf/hard‑of‑hearing individuals), and provide DHS with statewide data to inform planning and resource allocation.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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