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HB 3491

Relating to the family and medical leave insurance program.

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Dacia Grayber

Creates SAFER Communities Program; DCEO funds wage reimbursements via Navigators to help formerly incarcerated Illinois residents gain jobs with employers.

In committee upon adjournment.
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WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · HB 3491

Summary — HB 3491 (SAFER Communities Act)

Status: Introduced Feb 27, 2025; In committee upon adjournment (6/28/2025)
Primary sponsor: Rep. Justin Slaughter (with multiple cosponsors)
Companion bill: SB 505

Purpose / Intent

The Securing All Futures through Equitable Reinvestment (SAFER) Communities Act aims to reduce unemployment among formerly incarcerated individuals and promote economic recovery for Illinois small businesses by creating financial incentives for employers to hire and retain these job seekers. The program emphasizes workforce re‑entry supports and employer wage reimbursement mediated through certified local organizations called “Navigators.”

Key provisions

  • Creates the SAFER Communities Program within the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO).
  • Establishes a Wage Reimbursement Pilot: DCEO will award funds to certified “Navigators,” who in turn contract with employers to provide wage reimbursements to offset employer costs for hiring eligible formerly incarcerated participants.
  • Defines “Navigator” broadly to include entities experienced in workforce development (e.g., WIOA providers, community action agencies, nonprofits, educational institutions) that are certified by DCEO.
  • Sets participant eligibility: Illinois residents who are unemployed or underemployed immediately before hire, who served a state or federal prison sentence that ended within the prior 10 years (or is expected to end within 12 months of Navigator acceptance), and who are accepted into the program by a Navigator.
  • Defines “full‑time” as at least 30 hours per week in a union‑covered job or a position paying at or above the occupation’s average wage.
  • Authorizes DCEO to adopt necessary administrative rules and to use emergency rulemaking to implement the Act.
  • Allows DCEO to enter MOUs with federal, state, local, nonprofit, or private partners and to collect and share information from Navigators as needed.
  • References “barrier reduction funding” and other administrative mechanisms (details in DCEO guidance).

Who is affected

  • Formerly incarcerated Illinois residents who meet the participant criteria can gain access to Navigator services and employer placements.
  • Illinois employers (Illinois taxpayers) that enter agreements with Navigators and hire eligible participants may receive wage reimbursements.
  • DCEO and certified Navigators will administer and oversee program activities and funding.

Administrative & procedural notes

  • DCEO is given broad authority to design application forms, award procedures, certification criteria for Navigators, and monitoring mechanisms.
  • The bill authorizes emergency rules and is effective immediately if enacted.
  • The provided bill text is truncated in places; specific program details such as total funding amounts, reimbursement rates, duration of reimbursements, and reporting requirements were not included in the excerpt.

Potential impacts

  • Expected to lower hiring barriers and increase employment for people with recent incarceration histories.
  • May provide financial relief to small businesses that hire program participants.
  • Fiscal implications depend on appropriation levels and the reimbursement formula (not specified in the provided text); implementation will require DCEO administrative capacity and Navigator certification processes.

Legislative status & actions (selected)

  • Introduced: 2/18/2025 (first reading 2/18/2025; filed 2/27/2025)
  • Referred to several committees (Rules; Labor & Workplace Standards; Appropriations‑Public Safety and Infrastructure)
  • Public hearing held 3/24/2025
  • In committee upon adjournment: 6/28/2025

Note: For final program parameters (funding levels, reimbursement amounts, reporting requirements), consult subsequent bill revisions, legislative analyses, or DCEO rulemaking if enacted.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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