* You don’t see bills like this one every day. Rep. Elaine Nekritz and Sen. Michael Hastings want to provide a path back to driving privileges for those who have been convicted four times for DUI. From the synopsis…

Provides that certain persons ineligible to re-apply for a license may instead apply for a restricted driving permit after the expiration of 5 years from the effective date of the most recent revocation, provided the person proves by clear and convincing evidence a minimum 3 years of uninterrupted sobriety from alcohol and other drugs and the successful completion of all rehabilitative activity recommended by a properly licensed service provider. Provides that the Secretary of State shall cancel a restricted driving permit issued under the conditions if the holder fails to comply with ignition interlock device requirements and that the person shall be ineligible to re-apply for restricted driving privileges.

* Sun-Times coverage…

Michael Geever, one of the 5,000 people Nekritz estimates her bill affects, testified in favor of her legislation.

Geever, now a deacon at Lamplighter Bible Church in Roselle, said he’s been a changed man ever since his spiritual awakening lifted his obsession to drink and do drugs. Nevertheless, Geever must adjust to a life without driving privileges. […]

Lt. Donnie Pridemore, of the Fulton Police Department, testified in support of the bill, saying he’s seen people—including his own alcoholic brother—turn their lives around. […]

Rita Kreslin, executive director of the Alliance Against Intoxicated Motorists, said she supported the legislation in light of the permit eligibility requirements listed in the bill.

Interesting as well that AAIM is for it.

* Speaking of Sen. Hastings, his “revenge porn” bill has been getting a lot of publicity. From the Tribune…

The idea is to curb the major embarrassment people suffer when their scorned ex-boyfriends or girlfriends post raunchy photos and videos of their former partners as a way to get back at them.

A new proposal filed at the Capitol would make it illegal for people to take to the Internet with such content without consent. Sponsoring Sen. Michael Hastings likened the posting of such pictures after bad breakups to “harassment and the worst type of cyberbullying.”

The legislation is needed because Illinois statutes fail to protect people who posed for racy pictures and videos while in a private relationship, only to have their “trust broken,” said Hastings, D-Orland Hills.

Under the measure, it would become a felony to post nude and sexually explicit pictures of another person without his or her permission. The bill also would make it a crime to require a fee to get pictures removed from a website. The maximum penalty would be up to three years in prison and a $25,000 fine, though judges would have discretion to impose lesser punishments.

* But…

Mary Dixon, from the American Civil Liberties Union in Illinois, said the wording of the bill might not stand up to the protection of free speech guaranteed in the First Amendment.

Dixon said laws could regulate free speech, but they must be “carefully and narrowly tailored,” something she said Hastings’ bill could work on by including language on malicious intent and emotional harm.

Despite the concerns voiced by the ACLU, Hastings disagreed and defended the wording of the bill, saying it’s hard to prove malicious intent.

“I happen to agree with the senator that it is difficult to prove intent,” said John Carroll, from the state’s attorney’s office. “I do think that there is a drastic need for this bill.”

OK, this is a real problem that needs to be addressed, but why call it “revenge porn” if intent has nothing to do with it? Isn’t revenge a clear intent?

* Sen. Don Harmon has a bill that would provide a permanent funding stream for the state’s chronically underfunded Poison Control Center…

Harmon’s plan would tap into a fund filled by fees that cell phone companies charge users to pay for 911 services. At first, the cell companies used the money to build out 911 technology so that it patched cell phones into the closest emergency dispatch centers, but most of that work has been done and money has been piling up in the fund. Harmon would use 2 cents per user (the total fee is 6 to 8 cents) to pay for the Poison Control Center.

Of course, Harmon isn’t the only one who has noticed that money quietly amassing. Some of it already has been used to help pay administrative expenses of the Illinois Commerce Commission. Now, 911 centers would like some of that money to make their own improvements.

But for panicked parents making that 2 a.m. call, the Poison Control Center is probably the place that would get their votes.

Those parents would probably call 911 first, so shouldn’t we make sure those call centers are adequately funded with all that money piling up as well?

* And finally…

Legislation sponsored by State Senator Jason Barickman of Bloomington that makes it clear sex offenders must report to law enforcement when they lose a job, cleared the Illinois Senate Criminal Law Committee Wednesday.

Barickman says Pontiac Police and the McLean County State’s Attorney’s office brought a quirk in the current law to Barickman’s attention.

Currently although state law requires sex offenders to report a “change” in employment, there was a recent appellate court ruling that said losing a job is not the same as a change in employment. This bill aims to clarify an ambiguity in the existing law.

We really do have a bizarre appellate bench in this state.