Lawmakers hold public hearing on proposed IYC Kewanee closure

Rauner’s FY 2017 budget plan would close down the Illinois Youth Center at Kewanee, a Department of Juvenile Justice facility that houses maximum-security and special-treatment offenders— in less than 4 months. The Administration has not put forward any viable plan to relocate this group of troubled youth, which no other facility now has the capacity to serve or securely house.

The closure of IYC Kewanee and layoff of more than 200 employees would also harm the regional economy. The closure plan will be reviewed by the General Assembly's bipartisan Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability (COGFA).

Lawmakers are coming to Kewanee to hear about how a closure would impact DJJ operations and the local community. All AFSCME members in the area are encouraged to attend the public hearing:

COGFA Public hearing on IYC Kewanee Closure
Wednesday, March 30 – 5:00 p.m.
Kewanee High School Gym
1211 E. 3rd Street, Kewanee