It has been a busy couple of weeks in Springfield, with next week likely to be the most eventful so far in the 103rd General Assembly.
This week’s edition of The Jacobs Journal takes a quick look back and a look ahead at all the news and notes from your state capitol in Springfield.
I am honored to serve you and want you to know that my office stands ready to serve the needs of the people of the 118th district.
If I may ever be of service to you, please contact me at any time!
Rep. Jacobs Calls for Hearings into Abuses at Choate Mental Health Center
Last week in Springfield, I joined colleagues from the House and Senate Republican Caucuses to demand hearings of the House and Senate’s Human Services and Mental Health Committees to address disturbing news reports into abuses of residents living at Choate Mental Health and Developmental Center.
My colleagues and I sent a letter to the Chairpersons of the impacted committees earlier in the week.
A portion of the letter sent by all members of the House and Senate Republican Caucuses reads:
It is our sincere hope that as the chairpersons of the House and Senate Committees charged with the duty of overseeing the operations of and funding for the State of Illinois’ various mental health facilities, you would act with urgency in cooperation with us to get to the bottom of, and eventually solve, the many problems at Choate Mental Health and Developmental Center.
It is vital that we address these issues immediately so that this critical facility can continue to serve the 270 residents who depend on it. This is their home. We cannot displace these vulnerable individuals because for many of them this is their last resort. The state of Illinois has a duty to them. They deserve better, their families deserve better, and the staff that serves them deserve better.
Governor Pritzker has only recently made threats to close down Choate. I want the Governor to know that I share his frustration and stand ready to work collaboratively to fix these issues and keep Choate open. We can and will not accept a policy that gives up, a policy that throws our hands in the air in disgust and says nothing can be done. And I will fight every attempt to close down a facility that means so much to the residents of Choate and their families.
We’ve got an opportunity to implement a plan to help the residents and employees at Choate to once again make it a safe, healthy and respectable facility. But we must start by bringing in officials from Choate and from the Department of Human Services and gathering members of the relevant House and Senate Committees so we can have our questions answered about past abuses and ongoing problems at the center. It is the proper role of the legislature to investigate and offer oversight and solutions into matters that are this important.
You can watch my remarks at the press conference by clicking here!
March is Women’s History Month!
March is Women’s History Month — a celebration of the great women who have led our nation forward throughout history. Join us in recognizing the amazing achievements of women from Illinois and across the U.S. this month. Happy Women’s History Month!
Committee Deadline Week!
Next week marks Committee Deadline week in the Illinois House. Friday, March 10th, 2023 is the deadline for all members of the House to advance their major pieces of legislation out of key committees. I’ll keep you up to date and provide my reactions to the good (and bad) bills that move forward next week.
Read the House Republican Week in Review!
Want to dig deeper into the issues impacting the State of Illinois?
Check out this week’s edition of the House Republican Week in Review by clicking here!
Stay up to date with the latest news – Like my Facebook page!
Want to stay up to date on all the news and notes from Springfield and beyond? Click the LIKE button below and go give my page Rep. Paul Jacobs a like and a follow!
Stay Connected!
As the new 118th district boundaries have taken effect, I have opened an office in Marion and Carbondale to serve the needs of the residents of my new district. It is my honor to serve you. My staff is available at the following locations to assist you with any state-government related needs! You can email me at Jacobs@ILHouseGOP.org or visit my website at RepPaulJacobs.com to stay up to date.
District Office – Marion
600 Halfway Rd. Suite 103
Marion, IL 62959
(618) 559-7018
District Office – Carbondale
206 W. College, Suite 2
Carbondale, IL 62901
618-534-9880
Springfield Office
234-N Stratton Building
Springfield, IL 62706
217-782-0387
###