skip to main content
skip to newscasts

Thursday, September 19, 2024

Public News Service Logo
facebook instagram linkedin reddit youtube twitter
view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

U.S. gender wage gap grows for first time in a decade; Trump has embraced NC's Mark Robinson, calling him 'Martin Luther King on steroids'; Volunteers sought as early voting kicks off in MN; Women's political contributions in congressional races fall short of men's.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Rising threats of political violence, a Federal Reserve rate cut, crypto industry campaign contributions and reproductive rights are shaping today's political landscape.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

A USDA report shows a widening gap in rural versus urban health, a North Carolina county remains divided over a LGBTQ library display, and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz' policies are spotlighted after his elevation to the Democratic presidential ticket.

Budget Debacle: Funding for Vulnerable Illinois Kids in Limbo

play audio
Play

Tuesday, July 7, 2015   

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – The Illinois budget debacle is not only putting state workers' pay in limbo, it is also threatening funding that helps some of the state's most vulnerable children.

The ACLU of Illinois is asking a U.S. District Court to enforce a consent decree to ensure continued payment of state workers responsible for protecting children in the care of the Department of Child and Family Services.

According to Benjamin Wolf, associate legal director with the ACLU of Illinois, State Comptroller Leslie Munger has indicated she isn't authorized to pay workers without a state budget.

"Kids have rights," he says. "Kids have constitutional rights and whatever the chaos in the state legislature and in the governor's office and the issues of their relationship, it can't be used as an excuse to violate the constitutional rights of the children."

In a statement released by her office, Munger said she's confused by the motion and will be in court Tuesday to request an order to allow state employees to receive pay as scheduled. Illinois has been operating without a budget since July 1. House lawmakers return to Springfield on Wednesday, and the Senate resumes its session July 14.

In 2009, the ACLU won a similar court order during a budget impasse, and Wolfe says it was believed that order was sufficient to ensure continued funding. He adds the state must meet its obligation to protect these children.

"Many of them are in foster homes, where the foster parents depend on funding from the state to provide the food and shelter they need," he says. "Children that are alleged to be abused and neglected also need prompt investigations to see if they're unsafe."

A U.S. District Court judge in Chicago is expected to hear the motion today.


get more stories like this via email

more stories
Recipients of the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Grant can now access funding to drive financing for thousands of climate-focused and clean energy initiatives. (bilanol/Adobe Stock)

Environment

play sound

Michigan's most vulnerable communities are receiving federal funding to fight the devastating effects of climate change. It's part of the $27 billion …


Health and Wellness

play sound

September is Health Literacy Month, and a Denver-based group is working to help health professionals break a persistent pattern of discrimination …

Environment

play sound

A new report contends fossil fuel funding has biased Columbia University's climate research. The report, by two Columbia students, shows the …


Alabama releases roughly 220,279 men and 78,247 women from its prisons and jails each year. (Chad Robertson/Adobe Stock)

Social Issues

play sound

An Alabama woman is on a mission to help people who've been incarcerated for decades successfully transition back into society. The mission to …

Health and Wellness

play sound

In North Carolina, the gap between Medicaid reimbursement rates and the actual cost of dental care has reached a crisis point, impacting both …

So far in 2024, community health centers in North Dakota have screened 11,580 patients for food insecurity. Through those screenings, more than three thousand box meals have been distributed. (Adobe Stock)

Social Issues

play sound

September is Hunger Action Month. In North Dakota, it isn't just food banks trying to help underserved populations get nutritious items. Health …

Environment

play sound

Marine biologists conducting deep dives near five California islands are collecting data they hope will strengthen the case for ending gillnet fishing…

Environment

play sound

Researchers at Iowa State University are taking aim at the huge amount of energy used by data centers, now and in the future. They have developed a …

 

Phone: 303.448.9105 Toll Free: 888.891.9416 Fax: 208.247.1830 Your trusted member- and audience-supported news source since 1996 Copyright © 2021