COFI and POWER-PAC IL parent leaders were up bright and early on Feb. 7 to travel to Springfield, Illinois, to call on elected officials to create a state Child Tax Credit (CTC) for Illinois families.

They joined the Economic Security Project, State Representative Marcus C. Evans, Jr. (33rd District), State Senator Omar Aquino (2nd District), Rep. Mary Beth Canty (54th District), Rep. Theresa Mah (24th District), Senator Michael Halpin (36th District), and other organizers in the State Capitol to introduce legislation (Senate Bill 3329 / House Bill 4917) for a statewide CTC that would benefit 1.4M children.

Liliana Olayo, Aurora POWER-PAC IL member and Co-Chair of the Health, Food, and Recess Campaign, spoke at a press conference and explained how a state Child Tax Credit would help her and her family.

“This extra bit of relief from a Child Tax Credit might not sound like a lot, but it would make a huge difference for my family,” she said. “And unlike the current federal bill, as ITIN filers, my family, and so many immigrant families across the state, would be able to qualify for help under this bill. I hope that the legislature and the Governor understand how impactful and important this would be; it would be a true blessing.”

SB 3329 / HB 4917 proposes giving lower-income parents and families a much-needed extra $300 per child in tax credits. With rising costs and inflation, a Child Tax Credit would provide parents and caregivers immediate relief to cover groceries, rent, utility bills, and more.

Read more about why Illinois families deserve a Child Tax Credit from the Economic Security Project.

A few weeks after the press conference, Governor JB Pritzker included a message of support for a state Child Tax Credit in his budget address on Feb. 21.

Governor Pritzker said, “My budget also proposes investing $12 million to create a Child Tax Credit for families raising our youngest children. By targeting this investment at low and middle-income families with children under 3, we can put money back in the pockets of our newest parents who need it most and make those early years just a little bit easier.”

We applaud the Governor’s proposal as a first step and will continue to work with legislators and our advocacy partners to shape the state’s child tax credit proposal. It is one of COFI’s and POWER-PAC IL’s top legislative priorities this year. We urge Illinois parents, caregivers, and our allies to contact your Illinois legislators and voice your support for an inclusive and accessible statewide Child Tax Credit and to support SB 3329 / HB 4917.