Lightford: Resident dumping is a betrayal of trust

SPRINGFIELD – Senate Majority Leader Kimberly A. Lightford led the charge to put an end to “resident dumping” – an inhumane practice in which a nursing facility discharges a resident and refuses to readmit them after a hospital stay.

"Resident dumping is a betrayal of trust at life's most vulnerable moment,” said Lightford (D-Maywood). “Seniors have made these places their sanctuaries, their communities and their final homes. To deny them return is to strip away their belonging, security and dignity when they need it most.”

To strengthen resident rights in nursing homes and assisted living facilities, Lightford’s measure would enhance the involuntary discharge process within these communities. If a resident leaves the facility for a medical reason – and would not create imminent danger to themselves or others – the facility would be required to let them come back home under House Bill 1597. 

“Resident dumping” affects thousands of nursing facility residents who are uninsured or underinsured, have a mental health condition, or have had to spend time in a hospital or rehab facility and find they’re not allowed back into their nursing facility.

“The true mark of a compassionate society is not how we care for the healthy, but how we protect those who depend on us most,” said Lightford.

House Bill 1597 passed the Senate Thursday and heads to the governor’s desk for final approval.

Lightford leads measure to prohibit collection agencies from collecting debt incurred through coercion

SPRINGFIELD – Recognizing that financial abuse is a common tactic used by abusers to maintain control over victims, Senate Majority Leader Kimberly A. Lightford led a measure through the Senate to prohibit collection agencies from collecting debt incurred through coercion.

"Survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault and human trafficking should not be haunted by debts that were forced upon them during their trauma," said Lightford (D-Maywood). "We must prevent predatory collection practices that can re-traumatize survivors and hinder their path to recovery and independence."

Survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault and human trafficking often face economic abuse in the form of a non-consensual credit transaction. This is a common tactic used to control a survivor’s financial freedom and self-sufficiency. Down the road – even if survivors are no longer surrounded by their abuser – they can face further financial trauma when a collection agency gets involved.

To prohibit collection agencies from collecting debt incurred through coercion, Lightford spearheaded House Bill 3352. Under the measure, a victim of coerced debt would not be liable for the debt – but would rather submit a form to a collection agency outlining the debt came from coercion.

“Financial security is essential to breaking cycles of abuse and ensures that survivors aren't pursued for debts they never freely chose to incur,” said Lightford. “This is a positive step toward removing that significant barrier and allowing people to remove themselves from the effects of economic coercion.”

House Bill 3352 passed the Senate Thursday and heads to the governor’s desk for final approval.

Lightford: Financial security is essential to breaking cycles of abuse

SPRINGFIELD – Recognizing that financial abuse is a common tactic used by abusers to maintain control over victims, Senate Majority Leader Kimberly A. Lightford is leading a measure to prohibit collection agencies from collecting debt incurred through coercion.

"Survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault and human trafficking should not be haunted by debts that were forced upon them during their trauma," said Lightford (D-Maywood). "We must prevent predatory collection practices that can re-traumatize survivors and hinder their path to recovery and independence."

Survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault and human trafficking often face economic abuse in the form of a non-consensual credit transaction. This is a common tactic used to control a survivor’s financial freedom and self-sufficiency. Down the road – even if survivors are no longer surrounded by their abuser – they can face further financial trauma when a collection agency gets involved.

To prohibit collection agencies from collecting debt incurred through coercion, Lightford is leading House Bill 3352. Under the measure, a victim of coerced debt would not be liable for the debt – but would rather submit a form to a collection agency outlining the debt came from coercion.

“Financial security is essential to breaking cycles of abuse and ensures that survivors aren't pursued for debts they never freely chose to incur,” said Lightford. “We are taking a positive step toward removing that significant barrier and allowing people to remove themselves from the effects of economic coercion.”

House Bill 3352 passed the Senate Financial Institutions Committee Wednesday.

Lightford fights to remove expulsion, suspension for preschool through second graders

SPRINGFIELD – All too often, students of color feel the brunt of being expelled or suspended from school, rather than being provided restorative approaches to help with their emotional and mental health – a phenomenon Senate Majority Leader Kimberly A. Lightford is fighting to change.

“Our education system has failed many children by simply denying them the opportunity to sit in a classroom,” said Lightford (D-Maywood). “We’re continuing to move toward a disciplinary system that prioritizes educating students by keeping them in school.”

Expulsion of students in kindergarten through second grade would not be permitted unless the child brought a firearm, knife or other object that could be used to harm another student to school.

Research from the University of Chicago using data from Chicago Public Schools shows that restorative practices are effective in reducing not only suspension and expulsion but also student arrests. As reported by Chalkbeat in 2019, early exclusion from school can trigger “a domino effect of negative interactions between schools and families,” increasing the risk of future exclusions and setting a child on the path of the so-called school-to-prison pipeline.

The measure builds upon Lightford’s previous work – Senate Bill 100 from the 99th General Assembly – which addressed the frequency and racial disparity of suspensions and expulsions by limiting their use, creating policies that re-engage students and avoiding interrupting a student’s learning as much as possible.

“I am tired of seeing our children set up for failure at a young age. Kicking them out of school doesn’t give them what they need to succeed – but our education system can be what changes their course,” Lightford said. “This measure becoming law would be a victory for our entire state and for every child in search of a bright future and an excellent education.”

House Bill 3772 passed the Senate Education Committee Tuesday.