May 28, 2025
This spring, a dedicated team of volunteers and staff from the CBF and The Chicago Bar Association (CBA) traveled to Springfield to advocate for key access to justice initiatives. The team met with legislators to spotlight the CBF’s current advocacy priorities – including funding for vital legal aid and court programs, as well as two legislative priorities aimed at improving fairness and efficiency in the courts.
The first priority issue for the CBA and CBF is support for legislation that would implement recommendations from the 2023 Illinois Supreme Court Statutory Court Fee Task Force. These recommendations build on landmark 2018 reforms that streamlined how court fees and fines are imposed throughout the state. These proposed changes further improve transparency, promote fairness for people of all incomes, and strengthen the overall administration of justice.
Another priority issue this year is SB1955, which provides important clarity around access to restricted court records and facilitates the efficient administration of justice. SB1955 builds off a previous CBF-led initiative, 2023’s Court Record and Document Accessibility Act. While SB1955 the bill passed unanimously out of the Senate Judiciary Committee, additional action is deferred for now as the CBF continues to work closely with the bill’s sponsor, Senator Elgie Sims and other key stakeholders.
In addition to these two pieces of legislation, the CBA and CBF team also continues to advocate for funding for court-based eviction help programs and for the Illinois Equal Justice Foundation, which supports a wide range of civil legal aid and access to justice initiatives throughout the state.
Of course, no trip to Springfield would be complete without enjoying some of the Capitol’s critical institutions. In between meetings, the team enjoyed tours of the Illinois Supreme Court and the Governor’s Mansion. And in a fitting end to a productive day, CBF Board President, Sang-yul Lee, sampled Springfield’s famous culinary contribution: the Horseshoe.
For more information, or if you are interested in getting more involved in the CBF’s advocacy efforts, contact Roya Samarghandi, CBF Chief Advocacy and Innovation Officer, at rsamarghandi@chicagobarfoundation.org.