Policy Advocacy and Legislative Impact

Social Change advances policy reforms that dismantle systemic barriers in the criminal justice system, housing access, education, and public accountability. Our advocacy has contributed to meaningful legislative reforms across multiple states.

Criminal Legal Reform

PA 101-0652
Abolished cash bail in Illinois, ending a system that kept people incarcerated pretrial simply because they could not afford bond.

PA 100-1004
Ended the practice of jailing individuals for unpaid parking tickets.

PA 101-0382 “Free Meek Mill Act”
Reformed parole policies to prevent individuals from being reincarcerated for minor technical violations.

PA 101-0154 and PA 101-0388
Expanded access to housing, employment, and economic opportunity for individuals with past records, allowing more people to secure rental housing, subsidized housing, start businesses, and obtain stable employment.

AB 2147, California
Changed the law so individuals who fought wildfires while incarcerated are eligible to pursue firefighting careers after release.

Education and Equity

PA 101-0021
Expanded access to educational grants and increased opportunity for transgender and undocumented individuals to pursue higher education.

Government Accountability and Whistleblower Protection

Board Bill No. 220, Missouri
Established whistleblower protections to curtail corruption and misconduct within police departments and governmental entities.

Police Reform

Alternatives to Deadly Force
Clarified standards for what constitutes a justifiable threat and prioritized preservation of life in police interactions.

LaQuan McDonald Bill
Strengthened accountability measures for officers who misrepresent facts in official reports.

Duty of Care for Body Cameras
Required officers to regularly inspect body cameras and immediately report malfunctions, with accountability for noncompliance.

Detainee Rights
Guaranteed prompt access to a phone call within one hour and access to counsel within twelve hours.

Access to Police Conduct Files
Expanded and expedited public access to police misconduct records.

Our Ongoing Work

Policy change is not abstract. It determines who goes to jail, who keeps their housing, who gets a job, and who survives encounters with government systems.

Social Change continues to advocate for reforms that advance public safety, economic mobility, and government accountability. We work alongside impacted individuals, community leaders, and lawmakers to ensure policies reflect lived experience and produce measurable change.

Current Legislative Priorities

Social Change continues to advocate for policies that address the root causes of health inequity, economic exclusion, and structural discrimination. Our current legislative priorities include:

HB 4991 – Farmer-Direct Maternal Nutrition Program
Would create the Farmer-Direct Maternal Nutrition Program within the Illinois Department of Agriculture to provide grants or contracts to farmers to grow and distribute healthy food to eligible expectant mothers within 75 miles of the farm.

Eligibility would be based on income, participation in SNAP or WIC, or referral by a health care or social service provider. The bill authorizes partnerships with community organizations and requires annual reporting beginning in 2028.

Status: Filed February 4, 2026. Referred to the House Rules Committee.

HB 4923 – Distressed Farmers
Would create the Distressed Farmers Act and require the Illinois Department of Agriculture to fund programs supporting distressed farmers.

Beginning in 2026, eligible farmers would receive a tax credit equal to 100 percent of qualified farming expenses, up to $50,000 annually. Covered expenses would include equipment repairs, greenhouse construction, tractor purchases, and food production for underserved communities.

Status: Filed February 3, 2026. Referred to the House Rules Committee.

HB 2928 – Credit Reports and Sealed Records
Amends the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act to make it unlawful for consumer reporting agencies to include expunged or sealed records in credit reports. This protects individuals who have legally cleared their records from ongoing financial harm and barriers to housing, employment, and loans.

Status: Assigned to the House Judiciary – Civil Committee as of February 11, 2026.

HB 4277 – Notary Public Reform
Would amend the Illinois Notary Public Act to allow individuals with felony convictions older than 10 years to apply for appointment and commission as a notary public. Current law requires applicants to state they have never been convicted of a felony.

This reform would expand access to professional opportunities and reduce long-term economic barriers for individuals with past convictions.

Status: Filed January 5, 2026. Assigned to the House Judiciary – Civil Committee as of February 11, 2026.