State Representative La Shawn K. Ford
Legislative and Community Accomplishments

Expanding Opportunities for Jobs

·         Introduced and passed the State Employment Application Act (HB 1332 – 95^th GA) through House and Senate stipulating that an application for state employment may not ask if the applicant had been convicted of a non-violent criminal offense.  Vetoed by the governor, no veto override

·         Introduced legislation that was signed into law creating the African American Employment Plan Act to: (1) improve the delivery of State services to Illinois' African Americans; (2) increase the number of African Americans who are employed throughout State government and who are promoted; (3) assist State agencies in meeting goals established by the African American Employment Plan; and (4) establish an African American Employment Plan Advisory Council (Public Act 096-1341)

·         Sponsors yearly Career Fairs linking thousands of job seekers with potential employers – In 2010 partnered with State of Illinois Central Management Services, Chicago Urban League, Malcolm X College and others to host thousands of job seekers and more than 80 employers/vendors

·         Sponsored a Parent Resource Day and Career Fair to offer resources for families looking for work and interested in helping their children in school

·         Hosted a Town Hall meeting to discuss the Eisenhower Expressway expansion and job opportunities through the Illinois Department of Transportation

·         Holds workshops to teach how to write successful grant applications

·         Partnered with Bethel New Life to host workshop on How to Effectively Manage an Office

·         Teams with YWCA to hold Workshops in Economic Empowerment, especially for women

·         Established the Small Business Empowerment and Workforce Development Committee

·         Sends daily Workforce Development emails with at least 20 pages of job leads to thousands of subscribers in the Chicago area and throughout Illinois

 Improving Health

·         Introduced landmark legislation that became law which makes it easier and less intrusive for patients to be routinely tested for HIV in health care settings while preserving the rights of those being tested (Public Act 095-0007)

·         Introduced and passed House Resolution 0065 (96^th GA) urging the Department of Public Health to establish a comprehensive plan to slow the spread of HIV/AIDS by the year 2010

·         Discussed public policy issues with experts at 2008 International AIDS Conference, Mexico City

·         Introduced legislation that became law establishing the Farmers’ Market Technology Improvement Program Act, which helps people use their LINK cards (Food Stamps) at Farmers’ Markets (Public Act 096-1088)

·         Chief House Sponsor for successful legislation that amends the Local Food, Farms and Jobs Act to establish an electronic database to facilitate the purchase of fresh produce and food products by schools (Public Act 096-1095)

·         Chief House Sponsor for legislation that became law requiring the State Board of Education to develop and maintain a nutrition and physical activity best practices database (Public Act 096-1223)

·         Chief House Sponsor for legislation that became law requiring the Department of Healthcare and Family Services to establish the Long Term Acute Care Hospital Quality Improvement Transfer Program, to improve quality in hospitals (Public Act 096-1130)

·         Introduced legislation that became law establishing the Lupus Education and Awareness Program within the Illinois Department of Public Health (Public Act 096-1108)

·         Leader in the successful fight to continue state funding to support University of Illinois-Chicago Sickle Cell Anemia Clinic

·         Early in the debate about national health care reform, introduced and passed House Resolution 0565 (96^th GA) urging the President and Congress to enact comprehensive health care reform

·         Went to Washington, D.C. in July 2009 to lobby Illinois’ congressional delegation to advance health care reform efforts

·         Since 2008, on the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday, has sponsored the Family Health Challenge honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., for elementary and junior high students in efforts to combat childhood obesity – more than 400 students participate.  Has been held in Chicago, Berwyn and Oak Park.

·         Sponsors community health fairs in conjunction with Circle Family HealthCare Network, Concerned Organization Who Cares, and local aldermen

·         Sponsored “What’s Killing Us?” Community Health Fair during Black History Month in association with American Heart Association, Circle Family Health Care Network, Loretto Hospital, TACTS, Black Nurses Association, American Cancer Society, ChildServ, Chicago Department of Health, and IDPH

·         Promoted Healthy Eating as part of Black History Month at a local grocery store, Leamington Foods

·         Sponsors blood drives in Chicago, Oak Park and Berwyn, partnering with LifeSource, St. Martin de Porres Church, the Southeast Oak Park Community Organization, and the Combined Veterans of Berwyn

·         Sponsors Austin Holiday Food Drive, collecting 10,000 items for local food pantries in 2010

·         Member of Community Action Team for Healthier Kids (CATH-K), a coalition of 20 organizations working to decrease childhood obesity in Oak Park, River Forest, and Forest Park

·         Continues the fight to prohibit trans fats in school cafeterias

Improving Education

·         Introduced idea in May 2006 to locate a new comprehensive High School for the Austin community in Chicago at former Brach’s candy company site

·         Initiated efforts to place a referendum on the ballot urging the construction of a new comprehensive Austin High School

·         Introduced and passed House Resolution 0056 (96^th GA) urging the State Board of Education to establish a comprehensive plan to close the student achievement gap by the 2010-2011 school year

·         Chief House Sponsor of legislation that became law authorizing school districts school districts to purchase electronic textbooks, instructional materials, and the technological equipment necessary to support the use of electronic textbooks from publishers and manufacturers (Public Act 096-1403)

·         Hosted Town Hall meeting on Early Childhood Education in Berwyn

·         Held Hearings of State of Illinois House of Representatives Sub-committee on Education in the Eighth District to improve education in the Eighth District – Chicago and Oak Park

·         Chair of Subcommittee Hearing of the House Appropriations-Elementary and Secondary Education Committee at Bethel New Life

·         Sponsor of Education Summits in Austin and Oak Park to discuss education improvement

·         Hosted public hearing on Renaissance 2010 at previous Austin High School

·         Principal for a Day at Spencer Math and Science Academy and George Rogers Clark Elementary School

·         Commencement Speaker, Michele Clark Academic Prep. High School

·         Commencement Speaker, Paul Simon Job Corps Center

Promoting Small Businesses

·         Introduced legislation that became law establishing a micro-loan program for qualified ex-offenders who are establishing their own businesses (Public Act 096-0656)

·         Introduced and passed House Resolution 1652 (96^th GA) urging Congress to establish a small business recession rescue task force

·         Introduced House Resolution 0576 (96^th GA) calling on Congress to support community banks that were greatly affected by the economic downturn but had not yet received any rescue funds

·         Established the Small Business Empowerment and Workforce Development Committee

·         Formed State Representative La Shawn K. Ford’s Business Growth and Creation Committee, with the mission of promoting economic vitality, by providing advice, training, resources, and research to entrepreneurs and existing businesses, with the vision of increasing the number of strong small businesses and creating more job opportunities

Securing Housing and Preventing Foreclosures

·         Introduced legislation that became law providing that a defaulting homeowner be notified by mail that they have the right to remain in their home for 30 days after the entry of the order of possession (Public Act 095-0826)

·         Introduced legislation that became law requiring the name and contact information of the holder of foreclosed property be recorded and available to the public (Public Act 096-0110)

·         Introduced legislation that became law making it illegal for condo associations to disapprove a sale of a condo unit if the buyer uses financing guaranteed by the FHA (Public Act 096-0228)

·         Introduced legislation that became law increasing the penalties for anyone falsely posing as a landlord and obtaining rent or security deposits (Public Act 096-0496)

·         In November 2008, introduced and passed House Resolution 1276 (96^th GA) urging Congress to enact a 2-year moratorium on interest rate reset increases under sub-prime adjustable rate mortgage home loans

·         Sponsored Foreclosure Town Hall Meeting by being the Chair of Congressman Danny K. Davis’ Advisory Committee on Foreclosures

·         Moderator of Summit on the Foreclosure Crisis at Congressman Danny K Davis’ State of the District Meeting

·         Sponsor of Homeowner Outreach Days, Malcolm X College

·         Is a leader in advocating for funding for affordable housing in Illinois

Supporting our Troops and Veterans

·         Introduced and passed House Resolution 0622 (95^th GA) urging the U.S. Congress to pass legislation to allow free mailing of letters and packages to combat troops

·         Joined to support the Combined Veterans of Berwyn and spoke at Flag Day celebration, Proska Park, Berwyn

Safeguarding our Environment

·         Sponsored legislation (HB6342 – 95^th GA) providing tax credits for those who use mass transit and

·         Sponsored legislation (Public Act 95-0104) that increases energy conservation in State of Illinois buildings

·         Teamed with Bethel New Life to host a CEDA Energy Fair to spread information about energy conservation and reducing heating bills

·         Leader in the fight to declare those areas affected by the July 2010 floods as disaster areas, and assisted residents to apply for aid by teaming with schools to open their computer labs to the public

Addressing the Budget Deficit

·         Introduced House Joint Resolution 0083 (96^th GA) establishing the State Financial Crisis Task Force within the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to address means of cutting costs and obtaining more revenue

Increasing Public Safety and Decreasing Violence in our Communities

·         Introduced legislation that became law prohibiting tinted front windshields and front side windows on cars (Public Act 096-0530)

·         Proposed using the Illinois National Guard to work with other law enforcement agencies to combat violence in Chicago

·         Proposed increased funding for police in high violence areas (HR1208- 96^th GA)

·         Hosted Summit on Violence Prevention at John Hay Community Academy in Chicago

·         Organized and hosted First Day of Summer Day of Mourning to honor children who had died in the community, and works with community groups to reduce gun violence

Improving the Quality of Community Life

·         Sponsored legislation that became law that established the Council on Responsible Fatherhood, which aims to support fathers and help them to become more responsible (Public Act 095-0960)

·         Chief House Sponsor of legislation that became law amending the Illinois Parentage Act so paternity testing is done using the most modern DNA testing methods (Public Act 096-1074)

·         Supporter for the completion of Maze Library, Oak Park

Advancing Citizenship and Social Justice

·         Introduced successful legislation stating the State of Illinois ratifies the agreement among the states to elect the President by National Popular Vote, to ensure that the candidate with the most votes is elected President of the United States (Public Act 095-0714)

·         Introduced and passed House Resolution HR 0909 (95^th GA) which urges Congress to amend the Voting Rights Act of 1965 to make all its provisions permanent

·         Introduced successful legislation designating each March 25 as the Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade (Public Act 096-0930)

·         Authored and passed a House Resolution 0468 (96^th GA) with bipartisan sponsorship urging that social justice be the guiding principle in decision making in the House of Representatives

·         Speaker at Berwyn Flag Day Celebration

·         Parade Marshal and Speaker at 4^th of July Parade, North Riverside