The state of Illinois passed a law last week that will help cover funeral expenses for the parents or guardians who lose a child to gun violence.
Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed the "Murdered Children Funeral and Burial Assistance Act" into law Tuesday, which could provide up to $10,000 for bereaved Illinois families.
The bill cites the "painful process of bereavement for families, who also must bear the responsibilities of planning and paying for a funeral."
Among those eligible for financial assistance: low-income families that suffered the loss of a child under the age of 17 by a firearm as a result of first-degree murder, second-degree murder, and voluntary and involuntary manslaughter.
The eligible families must also have a household income of less than 150 percent of the federal poverty level.
"This debt is particularly burdensome for low-income families, who struggle to repay the debt while continuing to provide for the family's basic needs. Many families rely on in-kind donations to support their basic needs while they work to pay off funeral and burial expenses," citing one passage of the Funeral and Burial Assistance Act.
"It is the intent of this Act to assist the families of children murdered in Illinois with funeral and burial expenses by having the State issue direct payments to funeral establishments and cemetery authorities instead of having the victim's family struggle to pay the cost and wait for reimbursement. Direct payments will enable families to secure burial rights and funeral and burial services and merchandise without enduring significant financial hardship and debt."
In previous years, according to The Hill, bereaved families had to pay for funeral-related expenses upfront and then apply for reimbursement.
However, under the new law — which takes effect on July 1, 2023 — funeral establishments will be empowered to work directly with state agencies, minus the obligation for a third party.
"Losing a young child to gun violence is among the most horrific tragedies a family could experience. Nobody plans to bury their murdered child — it's among the worst unplanned expenses for anyone," said Dave Nayak, president and co-founder of the Strength To Love Foundation, in a joint statement with the governor's office.
"Today, the average cost of a funeral is $9,500 and many families are forced to rely on crowdsourcing or donations to pay for these costs."
Chicago reported 797 homicides in 2021, the highest of any American city since 1996.
In 2020, gun violence accounted for America's largest cause of death among children and adolescents. In all, more than 4,300 children from ages 1-19 died from a range of firearm-related deaths.
On Saturday, a 16-year-old boy was shot and killed in Chicago's Millennium Park. The alleged shooter, a 17-year-old boy, has been charged as an adult with second-degree murder.
On Sunday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said that passing gun legislation remains a priority, "but the fact is the 60-vote majority in the Senate is an obstacle to doing any, many good things, unfortunately; and again we are not going away until the job is done."
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