JRLC'S RESULTS in 2023
A successful year of advocacy
In July 0f 2023 JRLC passed the one-year mark since restructuring and we are pleased with the progress we have made, and direction we are heading as an organization. We are excited to share our legislative victories from 2023 below!
Sacred Settlements
We finally passed the Sacred Settlements bill we have sponsored for the last few years with broad bipartisan support. The bill provides faith congregations with a way to provide permanent housing and a support system to people transitioning out of chronic homelessness. It also defines building standards for congregations and inspection criteria for city governments.
Status: Success- Passed
Gambling Expansion Harm Mitigation
We effectively advocated for the inclusion of safeguards and addiction recovery supports in the proposed online sports betting expansion bill. While we opposed the sweeping online sports gambling expansion bill, our primary focus was on mitigating harm through recovery resources for those who are addicted, supports for families impacted by addiction and safeguards on how gambling takes place.
Status: Success- Did not pass, JRLC safeguard provisions included in case of passage
Emergency Shelter
We pulled out all the stops for a last-minute push to persuade the Governor and Senate to adopt the House proposal of $150 million in emergency shelter funding, and we are thrilled to say that $137.53 million in emergency shelter funding was included in the Capital Investment bill.
Status: Success, funding allocated.
Additional JRLC Successes with Our Partners:
- Early Childhood Development scholarships and resources. PASSED
- Increased Childcare Assistance Program (CCAP) reimbursement rate. PASSED
- Voting rights restoration for people convicted of a felony upon their release. PASSED
- Driver’s Licenses provisions for undocumented people. PASSED
- Payday Lending interest rate cap of 36%. PASSED
Our Impact:
Several proposals JRLC has dedicated years of advocacy to have finally passed due to the committed advocacy and financial support of JRLC’s members. We connected as a community at our hybrid Day on the Hill and Faith Leaders’ Summit in March and joined forces to talk to legislators about JRLC’s Sacred Settlement bill. After three years, this bill passed with strong bipartisan support, in addition to most of our priorities for 2023, due to JRLC's steadfast bi-partisan, faith-based advocacy.
People experiencing chronic homelessness will transition into permanent housing, low-income families will be able to access childcare and early learning resources, individuals will find emergency shelter, and people struggling with gambling addictions will not face a sweeping gambling expansion because of JRLC's commitment to interfaith advocacy. We celebrate these accomplishments as a coalition and look forward to continuing our work together next session.