It’s just a bill
Wednesday, Mar 13, 2019 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Four Senate Republicans voted in favor…
Illinois lawmakers have resurrected and are moving ahead with legislation that would make creating local right-to-work zones at the municipal level a criminal offense.
While reporters in the Capitol building were peppering Gov. J.B. Pritzker with questions about his newly-unveiled progressive tax rates, state Senators voted to send a measure to the House that would make it illegal for local governments to create right-to-work zones in their jurisdictions. Such zones allow employees to refuse union membership and still be employed.
Sponsor Ram Villivalam, D-Chicago, said the bill will support economic development, protect the quality of essential services and confirm a commitment to a highly-trained workforce. […]
The bill, which is similar to one Gov. Bruce Rauner vetoed in 2017, says any local official who supports a [private employer] right-to-work zone will be charged with a Class A misdemeanor. That carries a sentence of up to a year in jail and a fine of up to $5,000.
The roll call is here.
* Interesting roll call here…
…Adding… As you might imagine, the Illinois Family Institute isn’t happy…
This afternoon, the Illinois House of Representatives voted 60-42 to pass HB 246, which would mandate that all students in K-12 public schools be taught about the “roles and contributions” of homosexuals and opposite-sex impersonators and that textbooks purchased include discussions of the roles and contributions of homosexuals and opposite-sex impersonators.
Oy.
* Fracking is back in the news…
Republican state lawmakers from southern Illinois pushed back Tuesday against a bill that would require more public disclosure from oil and gas drilling companies whenever they use hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking” in their operations in the state. […]
Rep. Chris Miller, a Republican from Oakland, in eastern Illinois, argued that the bill, like its earlier predecessor, was intended only to turn public opinion against the oil and gas industry.
“It was bad then. This is bad now,” Miller said. “I personally have signed an oil lease and I know a lot of the things you said were just fear-mongering, trying to create fear and animosity.”
Rau and Gabel, however, said the bill would not impose new requirements on oil and gas producers. They said producers would continue providing state regulators with the same information they provide now. The only difference would be that the information would be made publicly available.
* Other stuff…
* Memo to self: Next time, pick up the phone: While scrolling through my Twitter feed, I saw the column had indeed been read outside the NewsTribune circulation area: “Meanwhile, a columnist who apparently can’t pick up a phone and doesn’t come to Springfield says he somehow has a ‘sense’ for why the legalization bill hasn’t yet been introduced…” Uh-oh.
* Should Young Adults Be Sent To Juvenile Courts?: State Sen. Laura Fine, a Democrat from Glenview, is sponsoring the legislation. She said more than a third of emerging adults in Cook County Jail were charged with misdemeanors. “Many of them get stuck in the jail because they’re either homeless or don’t have a job and they can’t pay their bail,” Fine said. “They’re at an age where, if they did have those proper services, they could be put on another direction in their lives.”
* Deadly suburban kennel fire prompts legislators to call for new safety regulations, but some kennel owners are wary: Following a devastating suburban kennel fire earlier this year that claimed the lives of 31 dogs, two state legislators have introduced bills aimed at making such facilities safer. One bill would require kennel operators to install fire alarms that automatically notify emergency responders; the other would require kennels to install sprinklers or some other fire suppression system.
* LGBTQ advocates ‘deeply disturbed’ by bill that would punish doctors for certain procedures: Asked whether it was necessary to make the medical procedures illegal, rather than promoting outreach efforts and ensuring accurate information available, [Rep. Tom Morrison, R-Palatine] said, “I need to give that more thought.”
* Unpacking Pritzker’s Tax Proposals: Bag Tax
- Wildcat Wayne - Wednesday, Mar 13, 19 @ 1:34 pm:
Larry Walsh didn’t vote on the LGBT bill? Terrible.
- Unpopular - Wednesday, Mar 13, 19 @ 1:34 pm:
Why wouldn’t the members of the black caucus be willing to vote on such legislation?
- Da Big Bad Wolf - Wednesday, Mar 13, 19 @ 1:39 pm:
Tom Collins took criticism graciously.
- Iggy - Wednesday, Mar 13, 19 @ 1:43 pm:
=Why wouldn’t the members of the black caucus be willing to vote on such legislation?=
is this serious or sarcasm? you can’t seriously be asking this right.
- curtis - Wednesday, Mar 13, 19 @ 1:43 pm:
Disappointing roll call for LGBT history.
Makes me think a bit more about Preckwinkle’s dog whistle comment and the effect it may have…
- Da Big Bad Wolf - Wednesday, Mar 13, 19 @ 1:47 pm:
So what Rep Chris Miller is saying is the more the public knows about fracking, (through transparency) the more they will be against it. Hmm.
- Blue Dog Dem - Wednesday, Mar 13, 19 @ 2:12 pm:
The kennel thing really caught my attention.
- Norseman - Wednesday, Mar 13, 19 @ 2:15 pm:
I want kids to be taught about the contributions of bald people. As they say, no grass grows on a busy street so kids should be told.
Seriously, I’m tired of everybody wanting to add something to the education curriculum. I can’t believe that there is any real retention if we have teachers going through a massive checklist.
- Ron Burgundy - Wednesday, Mar 13, 19 @ 2:28 pm:
Normally I would be inclined to be against this “checklist” thinking and putting mandates on teachers, but in this case I am for it due to the fact that LGBTQ kids have higher rates of depression and suicide. Maybe being taught about people who are like them and did great things will help them feel included and positive about themselves. It might also teach their classmates something.
- Seats - Wednesday, Mar 13, 19 @ 2:32 pm:
Yednock is also a democratic “no” on the LGBTQ vote.
- Tweed Jacket - Wednesday, Mar 13, 19 @ 2:32 pm:
@ Norseman, uffda, it’s not like LGBTQAI folks didn’t go through decades upon decades of hate, bigotry, discrimination, death, and violence. Stone wall wasn’t important, Harvy Milk wasn’t important, Dont ask Dont tell (and repeal) wasn’t important. LGBTQAI folks have contributed immensely to our history as a state and nation and we should highlight those contributions, and their struggles.
- Stuntman Bob's Brother - Wednesday, Mar 13, 19 @ 2:53 pm:
If non-degradable plastic bags are so bad for the environment, why not just ban their purchase and use in the state? Because there’s no money in doing so?
- A guy - Wednesday, Mar 13, 19 @ 3:07 pm:
=LGBTQAI=
If this series of letters gets any longer, and we still consider acknowledging an H every so often, we’re going to have to add a year to middle school and high school. /s
- Christopher - Wednesday, Mar 13, 19 @ 3:17 pm:
Everybody wants, and should, belong. The LGBT portion has been around for a while, but the others letters QAI were added to be even more inclusive and understanding. My understanding of them are, respectively, Questioning, Asexual (or some say Ally), and Intersex.
- LoyalVirus - Wednesday, Mar 13, 19 @ 3:25 pm:
Some of y’all- straight privilege much? Tweed Jacket makes an important point - visibility & representation matter. Imagine reading textbooks and watching filmstrips (heh) and not having yourself reflected back on you. One feels isolated, invisible, unimportant, “less than”… Education isn’t a pie- this isn’t lifting up queer people over non-queer people - it creates space where educators can purposefully acknowledge the contributions of LGBTQ people in history, as well as documenting on-going civil rights struggles. I have not read the bill & unaware of how it would all be implemented, but the concept itself is sound.
- lakeside - Wednesday, Mar 13, 19 @ 3:28 pm:
IFI’s statements always read like they’ve been run through a malfunctioning version of Google translate about four or five times.
@Aguy - what a hilarious and original joke at some folks’ expense. Thanks for taking the time to type it out. /s
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Mar 13, 19 @ 3:53 pm:
Opposite-sex impersonators? IFI sound like Christian impersonators.
- Sox Fan - Wednesday, Mar 13, 19 @ 4:13 pm:
==If non-degradable plastic bags are so bad for the environment, why not just ban their purchase and use in the state? Because there’s no money in doing so?==
How hard is it to get a couple reusable bags? The fact that Pritzker is considering exempting chicago, should show that this is about more than just raising revenue. Chicago has proven that the bag tax has been effective in lowering usage
- regnaD kciN - Wednesday, Mar 13, 19 @ 4:34 pm:
Nice job Rich on calling out Collins. I happened to read his original column while doing research on another topic and was baffled as to why he wasn’t clued in on what was going on with the legalization legislation.
- Anon225 - Wednesday, Mar 13, 19 @ 4:35 pm:
Could it be possible the Black Caucus is trying to send a message regarding the Rep. Mary Flowers incident regarding her appointment or am I being naive?
- Bourbon Street - Wednesday, Mar 13, 19 @ 4:38 pm:
If Senator Fine thinks that the cost to house 18-21 year-olds is large, wait until she gets the bills to send them through juvenile court. Juvenile court services are much more extensive (and expensive) because the probation officers work with the entire family to help the minor get on the right track. This is not a cost-saving measure and it should not be promoted as such.
- Stuntman Bob's Brother - Wednesday, Mar 13, 19 @ 4:45 pm:
==How hard is it to get a couple reusable bags? The fact that Pritzker is considering exempting chicago, should show that this is about more than just raising revenue.==
Thanks for supporting my position - we don’t need non-biodegradable plastic bags, and their use should simply be banned. No bags, no pollution, no need for additional taxation, the environment is saved.
- Enemy of the State - Wednesday, Mar 13, 19 @ 4:57 pm:
Finally, our Nation can heal the wounds and divisions brought on by the Civil War by exposing today’s students to the sexual orientation of the leaders and troops on both sides.