I hope you had a wonderful Fourth of July! Thank you for making our communities what they are. I’m proud to represent you and work toward a better District 82 for us all.
I’ve been keeping busy these past couple of weeks, and I’d first like to share with you a post from The Caucus Blog of the Illinois House Republicans that highlights some of the places I’ve visited recently.
In District with Rep. Nicole La Ha
Some might think that lawmakers are finished with their work once the legislative session ends in May. However, nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, the work of legislators kick into high gear when they are back in their districts.
When State Representative Nicole La Ha is not in the state capital fighting for her constituents, she is in the 82nd District meeting with residents, business owners, civic leaders and those who support our most vulnerable. She is focused on learning about their efforts and needs so she can best represent them and all her constituents when she returns to Springfield.
Just last month, La Ha visited the Center for Independence through Conductive Education an organization dedicated to helping children and young adults with disabilities achieve their highest level of independence in the home, school, community and workforce.
She met with leaders at the Ray Graham Association to learn about their programs to provide a loving and stable community for people with disabilities.
La Ha dropped off donations from a diaper drive she held for Crisis Center for South Suburbia. A community organization that provides emergency shelter and other essential services for individuals and families victimized by domestic violence.
She toured the Lemont Emergency Management Agency where she heard about about their role in coordinating efforts to prepare for, mitigate, respond to, and recover from disasters.
She spoke at an event sponsored by Chicago Bar Association program about human trafficking and the legislation she sponsored to support and protect survivors of this heinous crime.
La Ha also visited Timothy Christian Schools in Elmhurst a fully accredited PS-12th grade non-denominational school in Elmhurst that is a nationally recognized Blue-Ribbon School of Excellence.
And she joined Senator Curran in hosting a Children’s Safety Expo for the families in the District.
Representative La Ha’s calendar promises to be full for the remainder of the year as she meets with constituents throughout the district before heading back to Springfield for Veto session in November.
Meals on Wheels
Seniors and those in need in Illinois scored a big win with the passage of Senate Bill 3476 last month. This legislation creates a sales tax exemption for home-delivered meals, such as Meals on Wheels providers, when payment is made by an intermediary as part of a Medicare or Medicaid program.
This legislation will make a significant difference in the lives of so many individuals who rely on programs like Meals on Wheels for nutritious meals. By providing this sales tax exemption, we are ensuring that these crucial services remain affordable and accessible to those who need them most.
The bill helps providers such as Meals on Wheels offer nutritious meals to seniors and those in need at lower costs. Senate Bill 3476 passed both chambers with unanimous support.
The Illinois State Bar Association, Illinois Department of Revenue, and Illinois Chamber of Commerce were proponents of this legislation. These meals were already supposed to be tax-exempt, however, due to federal contracting with third-party intermediaries to administer portions of the Medicare and Medicaid programs, providers of home-delivered meals to these recipients have been incurring sales tax liabilities.
Seniors and other people in need have relied on programs such as Meals on Wheels for decades. Last year alone, with the help of more than 500 volunteers, Meals on Wheels of Northeastern Illinois delivered more than 100,000 meals. Meals on Wheels Chicago has helped seniors and those with disabilities for more than 35 years, serving just under five million meals per year. Its Home Meal Delivery program serves more than 13,000 individuals and runs in partnership with Open Kitchens and the City of Chicago.
Meals on Wheels serves over 2 million seniors annually in communities all across the country. Their network includes over 5,000 independently run programs. Volunteers are always needed, and to find your nearest provider or information on how to volunteer, visit Meals on Wheels America.
Recycle Event in Darien
My next event with Sen. Leader Curran is coming up at the end of the month! It is a FREE Recycle Event. Check out Recycle Event – Nicole La Ha (replaha.com) for more information including all acceptable items for recycling!
Saturday, July 27th
Hinsdale South High School Parking Lot
7401 Clarendon Hills Road
Darien
8:30am – 11:30am