DEERFIELD — Thanks to efforts from State Senator Julie Morrison (D-Lake Forest), people interested in voting from home this November are now able to apply for a ballot online.

“Making it easier for people to vote from the comfort of their homes allows them to exercise their rights while keeping them safe from COVID-19,” Morrison said. “Many people look forward to voting, and they can now apply for vote-by-mail ballots as soon as they’d like.”

As a part of Morrison’s vote by mail expansion measure — found in Senate Bill 1863, which was signed by the governor last week — people who are registered to vote and want to request a vote-by-mail ballot may now do so by visiting their individual election authority’s website. 

For Lake County, people should visit lakecountyil.gov/4321/Voting-by-Mail. 

For Cook County, people should visit mailvoting.cookcountyclerkil.gov/. 

Those who are not yet registered to vote may do so by visiting the Illinois State Board of Elections website here, and they will be able to request a vote-by-mail ballot while applying.

While people are now able to apply for a ballot on their own, any person who has voted in the past two years —in the 2018 General Election, 2019 Consolidated Election or 2020 Primary Election — will automatically receive an application for a vote-by-mail ballot in their mailbox for the 2020 General Election under Morrison’s measure. 

People who registered to vote after the 2020 Primary Election will also receive an application.

Election authorities are expected to mail out applications no later than Aug. 1, so people can expect their applications in early August. They can also expect to receive periodic reminders from the secretary of state’s office to submit their application.

“I encourage people to take advantage of the state’s comprehensive vote-by-mail program,” Morrison said. “This is a great way to be able to take time to fill out your ballot while keeping yourself and others safe and healthy.” 

DEERFIELD — In an effort to ensure families have a safe place for their kids to return to as parents return to work, State Senator Julie Morrison (D-Lake Forest) is urging child care providers to apply for the Child Care Restoration grant program, which she supported as part of the Fiscal Year 2021 state budget.

“Without safe and reliable child care, many families won’t be able to return to work at a time when they need steady income more than ever to get back on their feet,” Morrison said. “Child care programs want to be able to serve families, but they are strapped for cash due to lack of money coming in during the pandemic. These grants will allow these facilities to be able to keep their doors open.”

The Child Care Restoration grant program will dedicate at least $270 million of the state’s Coronavirus Urgent Remediation Emergency Fund to support the economic health of child care providers as the state’s economy continues to reopen in the coming weeks and months. 

The Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, in partnership with the Illinois Department of Human Services, is charged with developing the grant program for licensed child care providers. The Child Care Restoration Grants will be administered by the Illinois Network of Child Care Resource & Referral Agencies.

The “Intent to Apply” survey launched Wednesday and is available online here. The information gathered will help grant writers create the grants, to be released in July. Eligible providers will receive their first installments later this summer. The opportunity to respond to the survey will close on June 19 at 5 p.m.

More information will be added to https://www.ilgateways.com/financial-opportunities/restoration-grants. People are encouraged to continue to check back frequently for information and resources.

DEERFIELD — In an effort to provide financial relief to Illinoisans as they work to get back on their feet during the COVID-19 pandemic, State Senator Julie Morrison (D-Lake Forest) supported the legislature’s comprehensive property tax relief measure.

“People across the state are struggling financially, and implementing property tax relief will take some financial burden away from families who are having a hard time,” Morrison said. “Illinoisans need to know we have their backs during this unprecedented crisis. This measure is a small but substantial step toward providing them with help and economic relief.”

Under this legislation, local businesses and residents would see property tax relief in the form of:

• Empowering county governments to approve 2020 homestead exemptions for those with disabilities, veterans with disabilities and senior citizens, as long as the property had been granted this exemption for 2019.
• Allowing counties with less than 3 million residents to waive interest penalties and fees for late property tax payments due in 2020.
• Deferring property tax sales.

County assessment officers can still conduct audits of taxpayers claiming an exemption in order to verify the applicant is eligible to receive the senior citizen’s assessment freeze through the homestead exemption.

The measure — found in Senate Bill 685 — also defers tax sales and gives Lake County the authority to waive property tax interest penalties.

The measure was signed by Gov. JB Pritzker Friday and took immediate effect.

DEERFIELD — After hearing concerns from child care providers about the financial impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had on them, Senator Julie Morrison (D-Lake Forest) supported funding to allow them to continue the vital services they provide for families. 

“Child care providers across the state have faced financial challenges after the public health crisis led them to shut their doors,” Morrison said. “Families rely on the care and education these facilities provide, so supplying them with funding was a priority of mine and a priority of the General Assembly.”

Lawmakers recently approved this year’s budget, which provides funds for the Coronavirus Business Interruption Grant Program for child care and day care providers who have had to close their businesses or reduce their capacity during the current pandemic.

Child care centers are one of the many types of businesses that were widely affected by the closures required during the COVID-19 outbreak. Until the start of Phase 3 of the reopening plan, child care providers could only operate at a limited capacity to care for children of essential workers. 

The grants will be distributed through the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity once the program is established and funds are made available. The first step is Governor JB Pritzker signing the budget into law.