Illinois lawmakers are working on legislation intended to help youth programs struggling under the state budget impasse. Youth services do things like help kids avoid time in jail; one helps school kids after a classmate is murdered.
Right now they’re excluded from a law that lets other groups collect interest when the state fails to pay its bills on time.
Nora Collins-Mandeville works for the Illinois Collaboration on Youth. She says an even bigger problem is not getting paid in the first place, since the budget fight means state government still cannot spend money.
“This isn’t going to fix that. It could extend them a little bit longer though.”
Even if the change puts providers in line for interest payments, they still couldn’t collect without a budget. But the change could make it easier to access loans to keep them afloat while the budget battle drags on.