* Certain folks in April: Gov. Pritzker must stop applying the same COVID-19 mitigations to the entire state.
Certain folks in January: My House district has three IDPH regions, and my constituents aren’t following the rules, so obviously the program is a disaster and it’s all the governor’s fault…
Just south of Springfield, state Rep. Blaine Wilhour, R-Beecher City, said his district spans over three of the governor’s regions and they each have different mitigation put on them by the governor.
As of Tuesday afternoon per the governor’s plan, one region in Wilhour’s district, Region 4, indoor dining is prohibited. Another, Region 6, there can be 25 percent capacity. And another, Region 5, can have 50 percent capacity.
“But I’ll be honest with you, the folks in my district by and large, they stopped listening to the governor months ago,” Wilhour said. “He’s moved the goalposts so many times. It’s so confusing. He has no credibility.”
“They’ve been doing it safely and responsibly and I think that ultimately we’re going to be in a better situation because of that,” Wilhour said of businesses open in defiance of indoor prohibition. “We’ve had less restaurants shutdown and close their doors and things of that nature. Where it really hits us hard is with our schools.”
The governor hasn’t closed any schools. That’s a local decision.
State Representative Andrew Chesney (R-Freeport) had harsh words for Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s plan to move up prisoner vaccination ahead of vaccinating adults with high-risk medical conditions.
“I support offering vaccinations to prison and jail staff as early as possible due to their high-risk of exposure and risk of community spread, but to put prisoners before medically vulnerable adults who do not live within congregate living facilities is a slap in the face to the public,” said Chesney. “Governor Pritzker has a strange fascination with putting prisoners before the public.” […]
“For all the talk we just heard from Democrats about prioritizing the needs of pre-trial detainees because they are not yet convicted of a crime, we now see the bald truth put to the lie. Clearly, Pritzker prioritizes prisoners above the medically vulnerable public. This is shameful,” chided Chesney.
“It’s in line with CDC guidance,” said Jordan Abudayyeh, a spokeswoman for Gov. J.B. Pritzker. “The federal government already began vaccinating prisoners in federal facilities back in December. Illinois has included all (federal) recommendations for congregate facilities as part of (phase) 1b.”
Kane County Sheriff Ron Hain said his office plans to make the jail’s vaccination plan available as soon as possible and the priority for staff is corrections officers because of the close quarters in which they work. He is hopeful the vaccine supply will be enough to inoculate staff and detainees simultaneously.
Sgt. Chris Covelli, a spokesman for Lake County Sheriff John Idleburg, said about 50 inmates have expressed interest in receiving the vaccination, which represents about 10% of the jail’s population. However there are concerns about providing one dose of the two-dose regimen to an inmate who might be released before he is due to receive the second dose. […]
The McHenry County jail also houses federal detainees for the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement office. They are working with federal authorities regarding vaccination plans for those detainees as well, officials said.
After days of mixed messages about how restaurants in Macon County can operate when it comes to indoor dining, the state came through Monday with news everyone wanted to hear. […]
The news came just days after the Macon County Board amended its food sanitation ordinance to allow for limited indoor dining, a move that went against state restrictions and limited the county health department’s ability to enforce the state rules. The Decatur City Council discussed similar action last week.
* An Illinoisan was President of the United States for 8 years and Sen. Richard Durbin was in leadership during that period of history as well. The state didn’t really get anything particularly special then, and I’m not holding my breath now, either…
Dick Durbin’s position as an experienced leader in the party that is about to take control of what issues will be considered by the U.S. Senate can’t help but benefit Illinois, and his respectful demeanor could bring more civility to Washington, D.C., political observers say. […]
What’s easier to predict, Shaw said, is that Durbin’s stature means Illinois’ needs will receive a high level of attention in Congress. […]
Durbin said he doesn’t want to overstate his role in leadership, but it will definitely benefit Illinois.
“When important decisions are made, Illinois is going to be at the table,” he said. “Sen. Duckworth and I will both make sure of that.”
State Sen. Heather Steans, a veteran North Side Democrat who was one of the driving forces behind legalizing recreational marijuana in Illinois last year, is resigning her seat as of Jan. 31.
Steans was appointed to the Senate in 2008 and elected to a new two-year term in November. Her resignation announcement coming five days after she was sworn in for another term.
Steans said one factor in her decision was increasing family obligations, including helping care for her mother, who has Alzheimer’s disease, she said. But Steans said she has no immediate career plans. […]
Steans and her fellow budget negotiator, former Sen. Andy Manar of Bunker Hill, both publicly backed Majority Leader Kimberly Lightford of Maywood in last year’s contest for Senate president, a role that ultimately went to Sen. Don Harmon of Oak Park. Manar resigned last week and as of Tuesday is a senior adviser to Gov. J.B. Pritzker.
A legislative source tells Playbook that Steans could follow former Sen. Andy Manar to work in Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s administration. The source says Senate Majority Leader Kimberly Lightford might want to jump ship, too.
The governor’s office told me yesterday that Steans was not heading their direction. And Leader Lightford just told me that after shepherding the Black Caucus’ “historic” legislative agenda through the lame duck session, she sees no reason to leave now. “After 22 years of heartbreak and being labeled as the angry Black woman, I’m going to see these life changing pillars through the implementation process.”
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) today reported 4,822 new confirmed and probable cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Illinois, including 107 additional deaths.
- Adams County: 1 female 80s, 1 male 80s
- Champaign County: 1 female 80s, 1 female 90s
- Christian County: 1 male 60s
- Clinton County: 1 male 70s
- Coles County: 1 female 90s
- Cook County: 1 male 40s, 1 female 50s, 3 males 50s, 1 female 60s, 1 male 60s, 5 males 70s, 4 females 80s, 5 males 80s, 2 females 90s, 1 male 90s
- DuPage County: 1 male 50s, 1 female 60s, 2 males 60s, 1 male 80s, 1 male 100+
- Ford County: 1 female 90s
- Franklin County: 1 male 80s
- Iroquois County: 1 female 90s
- Jackson County: 1 female 90s
- Jersey County: 1 male 70s, 1 female 80s
- Kane County: 2 females 60s, 2 males 60s, 1 female 80s, 1 male 80s, 1 male 90s
- Kankakee County: 1 female 80s
- Kendall County: 1 male 70s
- Knox County: 1 male 80s
- Lake County: 4 females 80s, 1 male 80s, 2 females 90s, 1 male 90s
- Lee County: 1 female 90s
- Logan County: 1 female 80s
- Macon County: 1 female 50s, 1 male 60s, 1 male 70s
- Madison County: 1 male 60s, 2 males 70s, 1 female 80s
- Mason County: 1 female 50s
- McHenry County: 1 male 80s
- McLean County: 1 female 80s, 2 males 80s
- Mercer County: 1 male 70s
- Monroe County: 1 male 80s
- Montgomery County: 1 female 80s, 1 female 100+
- Morgan County: 1 female 50s, 1female 90s
- Peoria County: 1 female 30s, 1 female 50s, 2 males 50s, 1 female 60s
- Richland County: 1 female 50s
- Rock Island County: 1 male 60s
- St. Clair County: 1 female 90s, 1 male 90s
- Stephenson County: 1 male 70s, 2 females 90s
- Tazewell County: 1 male 70s, 1 female 90s
- Vermilion County: 1 male 70s, 1 male 80s
- Whiteside County: 1 male 70s
- Will County: 2 males 60s, 1 female 70s, 1 female 80s, 1 male 80s
- Winnebago County: 3 females 80s, 1 male 80s
Currently, IDPH is reporting a total of 1,081,354 cases, including 18,398 deaths, in 102 counties in Illinois. The age of cases ranges from younger than one to older than 100 years. Within the past 24 hours, laboratories have reported 86,121 specimens for a total 14,984,649. As of last night, 3,284 in Illinois were reported to be in the hospital with COVID-19. Of those, 722 patients were in the ICU and 379 patients with COVID-19 were on ventilators.
The preliminary seven-day statewide positivity for cases as a percent of total test from January 13–19, 2021 is 5.5%. The preliminary seven-day statewide test positivity from January 13–19, 2021 is 6.8%.
As of last night, 864,150 doses of vaccine have been delivered to providers in Illinois, including Chicago. In addition, approximately 524,050 doses have been allocated to the federal government’s Pharmacy Partnership Program for long-term care facilities. This brings the total Illinois doses to 1,388,200. IDPH is currently reporting a total of 537,740 vaccines administered, including 86,180 for long-term care facilities. Yesterday, a total of 29,008 doses were administered. The 7-day rolling average of vaccines administered daily is 21,869 doses.
If all the mitigation metrics continue to improve, Region 6 will move into Phase 4 of the Restore Illinois Plan on Thursday, January 21, 2020, and Region 7 is on target to move into Tier 1.
*All data are provisional and will change. In order to rapidly report COVID-19 information to the public, data are being reported in real-time. Information is constantly being entered into an electronic system and the number of cases and deaths can change as additional information is gathered. For health questions about COVID-19, call the hotline at 1-800-889-3931 or email dph.sick@illinois.gov
Amid a slew of late-night actions in his final hours at the White House, President Donald Trump pardoned Casey Urlacher, a suburban mayor and the brother of Bears Hall of Fame linebacker Brian Urlacher.
Casey Urlacher, 41, faced federal charges alleging he acted as a recruiter and bagman for a sports gambling ring that raked in millions of dollars from hundreds of Chicago-area bettors. Urlacher, who is the mayor of the tiny Lake County suburb of Mettawa, pleaded not guilty to the charges last March.
A little more than a week after his brother was in a packed federal courtroom entering his not guilty plea, his famous brother paid a visit to Trump at the White House.
“This was a once in a lifetime experience!” Brian Urlacher posted on Instagram along with a photo of his Bears jersey laid out on the Resolute Desk in front of a smiling Trump. “Got to hang in the Oval Office with President Trump and my family. He could not have been any nicer or accommodating to all of us.”
* Urlacher finished second in a three-way Republican primary for state Senate behind Dan McConchie, who is now the Senate Republican Leader. I asked McConchie’s spokesperson for a comment on his constituent and former rival…
“I frankly don’t understand why President Trump would pardon someone who has yet to be convicted of a crime, except when it’s in the national interest,” said Illinois Senate Republican Leader Dan McConchie. “Pardons should be done on the merits of the case, not based on a relationship with the President. This sort of practice undermines the public’s faith in our system. We’re supposed to be a nation of laws, not one based on people getting benefits just because of who they know.”
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot emerged from the Illinois General Assembly’s abbreviated session bruised by new legislation that will worsen the city’s financial woes and weaken her hand with public-sector unions.
One bill passed in the session sweetens Chicago firefighter pensions, adding hundreds of millions of dollars to the city’s pension tab. Another gives the Chicago Teachers Union, already one of the sharpest thorns in the mayor’s side, bargaining powers it lost in 1995. And leaders in the Illinois Senate are committed to taking away her power to appoint school board members even though the effort is delayed for now. […]
Still, the defeats highlight Lightfoot’s lack of the deep political relationships and leverage that helped her predecessors get their way in Springfield. For example, Rahm Emanuel staved off the broader CTU negotiating power and elected school board bills for years because his friend, then-Senate President John Cullerton, didn’t call them for votes. Some observers say Lightfoot might not have suffered such quick defeats on the firefighter pension and CTU bargaining bills if she had more legislators watching out for Chicago’s interests.
In order to have more legislators watching out for her priorities, she needs more allies.
Lightfoot’s spokesperson points out that she supported the Section 4.5 repeal and an elected school board during her mayoral campaign. However, the mayor’s team fought hard against the bills in the recently ended session.
A Chicago Police lieutenant sued the city Tuesday, alleging he blew the whistle on “illegal policing” and was re-assigned after refusing to comply with arrest and traffic stop quotas forced on the newly created Community Safety Team (CST).
Franklin Paz, Jr., 48, was assigned to supervise dozens of officers and sergeants, referred to in at least one email as a “platoon,” on the special team formed by Supt. David Brown.
Brown created the CST in the summer of 2020 to specifically focus on reducing violent crimes and improving relationships in the community.
But in Paz’s whistleblower lawsuit, he said the team is doing the opposite with a practice of quota-based policing during investigatory stops of civilians.
“[The head of the unit, Deputy CPD Chief Michael Barz] demanded certain numbers relating to police activity, regardless of the criminal or traffic activity justifying police intervention,” the complaint states. “In other words, regardless of the criminal activity occurring that day, his officers were required to make the same number of stops.”
Specifically, Barz wanted to see more “blue cards,” according to the complaint, which are documents created by officers who detain a person but don’t formally arrest them or issue them a traffic citation.
Paz alleged that Barz soon began requiring officers to hit daily quotas, and started criticizing him and his officers over their low number of blue cards. In one conversation detailed in the complaint, Barz allegedly singled out a sergeant who reported to Paz and said that person was going to be removed from their assignment if they didn’t begin “producing” more police activity.
“When Paz tried to defend the sergeant by explaining that in the past, they had focused on community policing efforts and quality of life issues in their areas, which do not result in the data that Barz wanted, Barz’s response was to say ‘f—k community policing, I need activity,’” the complaint states.
In September, Paz allegedly sent an email to Barz explaining that he “can not in good faith and will not mandate Officers to bring in ‘x’ amount of numbers and activity,” stating that these types of actions are “the exact reason” why the CPD remains under a federal consent decree.
This is not the first time Barz has faced accusations in a whistleblower lawsuit by a fellow officer. He was once accused in a deposition by former Chicago police Officer Shannon Spalding of detaining her during his time as a sergeant in the Bureau of Internal Affairs, in exchange for her dropping a lawsuit against police department officials.
In that suit, Spalding — without naming Barz as a defendant — accused her police bosses of retaliating against her for working with the FBI in its investigation into Sgt. Ronald Watts, a former public housing officer who went to prison for shaking down drug dealers for protection money and pinning false cases on those who wouldn’t pay. City officials settled that whistleblower suit for about $2 million in 2016, a settlement that was reached with the city shortly before then-Mayor Rahm Emanuel would have been forced to take the witness stand in the case.
According to Paz’s lawsuit, , the lieutenant said Barz instructed him and other supervisors to generate specific amounts of police activity during their shifts.
“When a unit engaged in a high number of stops, Barz congratulated the supervisors of the unit by telling them that their (teams) were ‘crushing the numbers,’” the lawsuit alleges. “By the ‘numbers,’ Barz meant traffic stops, arrests, citations, and other documented contacts with people on the street.”
* ACLU Illinois legal director Nusrat Choudhury…
Data about traffic stops in other cities that have experienced dramatic increases similar to the one we are witnessing in Chicago suggests that the rise in traffic stops is fueled by stops that are unjustified or, at best, are based only on suspicion of minor violations, like vehicle equipment regulations and low-level traffic violations. But blanketing entire neighborhoods with traffic stops that are entirely unjustified or justified only by minor infractions make people feel harassed for engaging in normal, everyday conduct and alienates the communities that police are supposed to protect and serve. This overpolicing of communities of color for low-level infractions alienates Black and Brown communities and is a serious problem in Chicago.
The criminal justice reform bill, by the way, increases protections for police whistleblowers.
More than 16 years after authorities say a Chicago police officer took part in one of the biggest scandals in department history, city officials have quietly moved to fire him.
Officer Thomas Sherry faces dismissal for alleged misdeeds he carried out as a member of the disgraced Special Operations Section, a specialized unit that was disbanded when some of its officers committed home invasions and robberies in the 2000s.
Sherry was taken off the street and placed on paid desk duty when he was charged criminally in the scandal, only for those charges to be dropped a few years later.
But Chicago police officials kept him in that role for more than a decade anyway, prompting him in 2018 to file a federal lawsuit against the city, alleging that CPD violated his due process rights by refusing to hold a disciplinary hearing in his case before the Chicago Police Board.
“No, it’s not the end of the party,” said Pat Brady, former Illinois Republican Party chairman and political consultant. “The party is strong, but we need to get back to the issues people care about and become less of a party focused on the personality of one man.” […]
“In Illinois we focus on the suburban voters, particularly suburban women who are open to a message of law and order. A lot of people worry about crime,” he said.
While Brady said the Republican Party needs to move away from Trumpism, former Cook County GOP chair Aaron Del Mar said the party must include Trump supporters to survive.
“People like Adam Kinzinger who thinks a path forward in Illinois are going to be greatly surprised when he can’t get through a Republican primary because of some of his rhetoric with the president,” Del Mar said. […]
“To win in Illinois, you are going to need all Republicans, and a good chunk of Independents, and soft Democrats to be successful,” said Del Mar.
* Meanwhile, a certain Eastern Bloc member has taken to demanding that the ILGOP step in and do something about Kinzinger…
The state’s COVID-19 seven-day average case positivity rate dropped to 5.7 percent Tuesday, the lowest it has been since Oct. 23.
The positivity rate peaked at 13.2 percent on a rolling average as of Nov. 13, and the entire state entered strict Tier 3 mitigations on Nov. 20. Since then the positivity rate has been on a continual downward trend except for the two weeks following Christmas day when it rose from just under 7 percent to over 8.5 percent before beginning to fall again.
Hospitalizations for the disease continued on a gradual downward arc as well, decreasing for the eighth week in a row as of Sunday night after peaking the week ending Nov. 22.
There were 3,335 people reported hospitalized for COVID-19 in Illinois as of Monday night, while there were 3,473 people hospitalized on average each night for the seven days prior. That marked a 7 percent decrease from the week prior and a 43 percent drop from its peak the week ending Nov. 22.
Intensive care unit beds have followed similar trends with 713 of them in use by COVID-19 patients Monday night and 728 in use on average each night for the seven days prior. That marked a 5.9 percent decrease from the week prior and a 40 percent decrease from the week ending Nov. 29, when there were 1,209 in use on average.
While hospitalizations have declined here by 43 percent since November 22nd, they’ve increased nationally since that same date by 48 percent. Also, every Great Lakes state has a higher test positivity rate than Illinois. Ohio’s is the highest at 13.1. Michigan is the lowest at 6.4.
A hate crime investigation is underway after two nooses were found at the York Community High School football field in west suburban Elmhurst.
The nooses - made of rope - were found hanging from metal bleachers at the field between noon and 2:30 p.m. Sunday by a group of adults who had gathered to play an informal game of soccer, police said.
The group took the nooses down and contacted authorities Monday, police said. Investigators found messages on the tape used to attach the nooses to the bleachers.
One message read “Let them play!” and the other read “Hear us now! Please!” police said.
In a letter to parents, the superintendent of Elmhurst Community School District 205 wrote in part, “Regardless of intent, this act decries the principles, values and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., whose holiday we paused to celebrate today… We further pledge to be courageous leaders, who will ensure that symbols of hatred, oppression and violence have no place in our school district and in the city of Elmhurst.”
Ain’t nobody gonna listen to your argument on anything if that’s how you behave.
Hopefully, the folks advocating for restarting high school sports will universally condemn this despicable nonsense. The rhetoric is getting way out of hand as it is.
Illinois marijuana sales brought in over a billion dollars last year.
The sales tax from cannabis can help cities like Springfield, but because of a state law, the capital city can’t currently use any of the sales tax revenue.
“It’s a conundrum for us because here we are getting this money, we want to spend it and allocate it, but we can’t because our hands are tied due to state law,” City of Springfield Budget Director Bill McCarty said.
The reason being that Springfield only has two dispensaries selling recreational products — both owned by the same company, Ascend Wellness.
If McCarty were to disclose the revenue the city’s received from the tax, he would in effect be disclosing their sales, which is a violation of state law.
The only people with access to the confidential information are McCarty, Mayor Jim Langfelder, deputy mayor Bonnie Drew and city attorney Jim Zerkle.
Per guidance received from the Illinois Department of Revenue, McCarty said the city would need at least five recreational dispensaries before it could disclose cannabis revenue as the law is currently constructed.
“Therefore, we’re simply sitting on the money,” McCarty said. “I know how much has come in, but it’s all mixed in with our regular sales tax. So it’s not reported individually out there anywhere, and I’m not reporting it. We’re also not putting it in the budget, and we’re also not spending it.”
* So, I checked with the governor’s office…
The administration remains committed to ensuring the new adult-use cannabis industry benefits communities across the state which is why the Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act does not prevent municipalities from spending revenue received from taxes imposed on the sale of cannabis. Though Springfield is currently home to only one dispensary, they are legally allowed to spend tax dollars received from the dispensary if they do not identify the source of the funding in their budget.
Background…
Springfield is one of 44 municipalities with only one dispensary. The IL Dept. of Revenue includes cannabis dollars in lump sum payments to municipalities, which include general sales tax and the motor fuel tax, which publicly protects the source of any cannabis tax dollars.
As President Donald Trump prepares to leave office with his party in disarray, Republican leaders including Sen. Mitch McConnell are maneuvering to thwart his grip on the GOP in future elections, while forces aligned with Trump are looking to punish Republican lawmakers and governors who have broken with him. […]
Republicans on both sides of the conflict are acknowledging openly that they are headed for a showdown.
“Hell yes, we are,” said Rep. Adam Kinzinger of Illinois, one of the 10 House Republicans who voted to impeach Trump.
Kinzinger was equally blunt when asked how he and other anti-Trump Republicans could dilute the president’s clout in primaries.
“We beat him,” he said.
* Meanwhile, in Illinois, here’s Democratic US Rep. Sean Casten…
ince the results of the elections in November were certified, multiple members of the Illinois Republican Party have continued to question the outcomes without valid justification. Local Republican officials have been demanding a full recount of votes in DuPage County, mobilizing rallies and using incendiary rhetoric that directly echoes language used by the Proud Boys and other domestic terror groups who attacked the United States Capitol last week.
In one of several mass communications calling for a recount on the basis of factually inaccurate claims, the DuPage County Republican Party Chairman falsely claimed the DuPage County Clerk is breaking the law and that she needs to be held “accountable.” While these individuals are now attempting to distance themselves from the violence on January 6th, we cannot ignore their contributions to the disinformation campaign that led to it. The language being used by those seeking to overturn a free and fair election in DuPage County is virtually identical to the language being used by those groups who are planning those attacks—from the “stop the steal” battle cry that’s since been removed from Facebook for its threat to public safety to suggesting that supporters “fight” election results extrajudicially. Any political party who fails to curtail this language must, if only out of an abundance of caution, be assumed to be supporting these insurrectionists.
Words matter, and the events of the last week have made it abundantly clear what these particular words can incite. U.S. intelligence agencies have informed us that there are multiple terror groups seeking to mobilize attacks on the U.S. Government and all fifty state capitals in or around January 20th; Our entire national security, intelligence and civil protection apparatus, including federal, state, and local agencies are focused on identifying and stopping these actors.
To that end, I call on the leadership of the Illinois Republican party, and upon public officials at all levels of state and local government, to immediately and publicly disavow and condemn these actions, affirm the certified results of the November election, and use their position of leadership to make it abundantly clear that while the terrorists who attacked the Capitol last week may have had a political agenda, they do not have the support of the party of Lincoln.
I asked for a comment from the ILGOP last week and heard nothing back. The state Republican Party regularly demands reporters ask questions of Gov. Pritzker, so turnabout, etc.
Trump will no longer be a handicap to Republicans in the Chicago suburbs and in places like Champaign County, where he could manage no more than 37 percent of the vote and where the once-dominant GOP lost six countywide offices since Trump became president. Democrats also have gained a pair of seats in both the Illinois House and Senate since 2016.
Trump’s loss, combined with the demise of Michael J. Madigan, the longtime Speaker of the House who has bedeviled Republicans in the Legislature for 50 years, makes January 2021 one of the best months for the Illinois GOP in years.
The political pendulum may finally be moving in favor of Republicans in the Land of Lincoln.
The worst of it may be over for the party for now, but the suburbs have been trending more Democratic since the 1990s just as Downstate has been trending more Republican. Neither trend is likely to stop.
What I’m saying is that Illinois Republicans have opportunity, even now. Democrats are quite capable of soiling their own nest. But to reach millions of voters in the middle, the GOP somehow has to cleanse a brand that now is horridly tarnished. Please, give me real choice on Election Day.
Easier said than done. Party leaders can only do so much. If the GOP base doesn’t settle down, those primaries are gonna be something to behold.
State Senator Heather Steans (D-Chicago) today announced her resignation after 12 years of service, declaring “it’s time for fresh faces and new energy” in Springfield.
“It’s been the privilege of a lifetime to represent the most diverse Senate district in the State of Illinois,” Steans said. “I’ve benefited tremendously from the many perspectives of the people a I’ve represented. We’ve made great progress together, and now it’s time to pass the baton.”
During her tenure, Steans has been a leader on issues affecting women and the LGBTQ community, introducing and passing the historic bill that legalized gay marriage in Illinois, the first state to address this vital civil rights issue through the legislative process. She sponsored and passed the landmark House Bill 40, which will ensure that abortion remains legal in Illinois if the Roe v. Wade decision is ever overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court. And Steans was the Senate sponsor of the Equal Rights Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which was finally ratified by the Illinois legislature in 2018.
“For every significant piece of legislation expanding women’s or LGBTQ rights in the past 12 years, Heather has been a leading voice,” said Terry Cosgrove, President and CEO of Personal PAC. “Her fingerprints are all over the tremendous gains we’ve made in Illinois in ensuring that our fundamental rights are protected.”
Steans played the key legislative role in expanding access to healthcare to hundreds of thousands of Illinoisans under the Affordable Care Act, commonly known as Obamacare. She was a strong supporter of social equity legislation, including sponsoring the legalization of cannabis in Illinois that contained the largest criminal drug records expungement and social equity considerations in the country.
The cannabis legalization law, which Steans wrote and passed through the Senate, contains strong social equity requirements that have yet to be realized in the law’s implementation. It was the first legal cannabis law in the nation to be created through legislation rather than by referendum and has brought tens of millions of dollars of revenue to state and local coffers during the economic downturn caused by the coronavirus.
“Heather has been a valiant partner in forcing state government to address the historic racism and discrimination that has left too many of our families behind,” said former-state senator Toi Hutchinson, now serving as the Illinois Cannabis Regulation Oversight Officer. “Heather’s voice and leadership in that ongoing battle will be missed.”
Steans said that one of her greatest joys as State Senator was working with the many not-for-profit organizations throughout her district, which includes the Rogers Park, Edgewater, Andersonville and Ravenswood neighborhoods of Chicago.
“There are hundreds of people across our community who are working and fighting every day to protect our most vulnerable and give everyone a shot at a better life,” Steans said. “It’s been my privilege to work closely with those citizen-activists over the past 12 years and I will continue to support their efforts after leaving the Senate.”
Steans’ resignation is effective January 31, 2021. Her successor will be chosen by a weighted vote of the Democratic committeemen and committeewomen from the wards that make up the Seventh Senate District. Whoever is appointed will serve out the final two years of Steans’ term and must run to retain the seat in the 2022 election, when all Illinois House and Senate seats will be on the ballot.
Her two House members are Reps. Greg Harris and Kelly Cassidy.
*** UPDATE 1 *** From Rep. Cassidy…
I intend to seek the appointment to the Senate.
…Adding… Press release…
Illinois Senate President Don Harmon issued the following statement regarding Senator Heather Steans’ decision to leave the Illinois Senate.
“Heather Steans forever changed this state for the better. People across Illinois had their rights recognized and protected thanks to her leadership.
She is a forceful advocate for progress and problem solving, who fearlessly tackled many of the biggest issues in our society and was always looking for her next challenge.
“I wish her the best in her next adventures and thank her for all she has done for the Senate and the great state of Illinois.”
…Adding… Numbers…
If @RepKellyCassidy becomes Sen. Cassidy and is replaced in the House by someone with no prior GA service (and likewise for former Sens. Manar and Brady) here's how the ol' chart will look.
“For as long as I’ve known and worked with Senator Heather Steans, she has been a clear eyed and hardworking champion for services and supports for persons with disabilities and mental illnesses. In the nearly 50 years IARF has advocated on behalf of our social safety net, few legislators have as consistently and effectively taken up the mantle of ensuring Illinois government met its obligation to adequately support our service array as Senator Steans. From leading the charge to increase wages for direct support professionals to constantly working to improve the Medicaid program for enrollees and social service providers, Heather gave a strong voice in the General Assembly to those who so often felt they never had one. We wish Senator Steans all the best in her future endeavors..she will be missed.”
*** UPDATE 2 *** This looks like a done dealio…
Illinois House Majority Leader Greg Harris has indicated he's not pursuing the soon-to-be vacant state Senate seat now held by Sen. Heather Steans. State Rep. Kelly Cassidy is interested in moving to the Senate. She's the clear frontrunner for the seat.
I deleted an earlier tweet that incorrectly said Cassidy would have total power to pick her House replacement. Neither she nor Osterman quite has enough votes on their own to break the 50%-plus-one threshold.
…Adding… Colleen Connell, Executive Director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois…
“We join those across Illinois in recognizing the incredible accomplishments of Heather Steans during her tenure in the Illinois Senate. Over the past 12 years, the ACLU of Illinois has been proud to stand by her side in advancing marriage equality, advancing access to reproductive health care for all women in Illinois, protecting children under the care of DCFS, implementing critical protections from discrimination in health care based on religion and the effort to legalize cannabis. Senator Steans has been a leader for progress in Illinois and her voice in the Senate will be missed.”
…Adding… IWIL Training Academy President Barbara Flynn Currie…
“Few women in Illinois have done more to press for equality in public life and promote women in public office than Senator Heather Steans. IWIL Training Academy is enormously proud of her service in the General Assembly and to the numerous graduates of our academy who call her a mentor and friend. We salute her accomplishments in the Senate and look forward to her next chapter.”
Senator Heather Steans serves as Vice-President of IWIL Training Academy and is a long time member of the board of directors.
Illinois Women’s Institute for Leadership (IWIL) Training Academy prepares and trains Democratic women to run for elected office, seek public appointments, and govern effectively at all levels in Illinois. Each year, IWIL Training Academy accepts a diverse class of twelve women from around the state into an intensive year-long training program. The organization provides participants with the expertise and support needed to put together successful campaigns and lead in their communities. IWIL Training Academy is one of only a handful of groups around the country dedicated to ensuring that when women seek political office, they are prepared.
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) today reported 4,318 new confirmed and probable cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Illinois, including 33 additional deaths.
- Champaign County: 2 females 60s, 1 male 60s
- Clay County: 1 male 70s
- Cook County: 1 male 60s, 3 females 70s, 5 males 70s, 3 females 80s, 3 males 80s, 2 females 90s, 2 male 90s
- DuPage County: 2 females 80s
- Effingham County: 1 female 80s
- Marion County: 1 male 60s
- Montgomery County: 1 female 90s
- Peoria County: 2 females 90s
- Rock Island County: 1 male 70s
- Sangamon County: 1 female 70s
- Vermilion County: 1 male 60s
Currently, IDPH is reporting a total of 1,076,532 cases, including 18,291 deaths, in 102 counties in Illinois. The age of cases ranges from younger than one to older than 100 years. Within the past 24 hours, laboratories have reported 71,533 specimens for a total 14,898,528. As of last night, 3,335 in Illinois were reported to be in the hospital with COVID-19. Of those, 713 patients were in the ICU and 395 patients with COVID-19 were on ventilators.
The preliminary seven-day statewide positivity for cases as a percent of total test from January 12–18, 2021 is 5.7%. The preliminary seven-day statewide test positivity from January 12–18, 2021 is 6.9%.
As of last night, 781,350 doses of vaccine were delivered to providers in Illinois, including Chicago. In addition, approximately 304,600 doses have been allocated to the federal government’s Pharmacy Partnership Program for long-term care facilities. This brings the total Illinois doses to 1,085,950. IDPH is currently reporting a total of 508,732 vaccines administered, including 69,976 for long-term care facilities. Yesterday, a total of 13,169 doses were administered. The 7-day rolling average of vaccines administered daily is 22,134 doses.
*All data are provisional and will change. In order to rapidly report COVID-19 information to the public, data are being reported in real-time. Information is constantly being entered into an electronic system and the number of cases and deaths can change as additional information is gathered. For health questions about COVID-19, call the hotline at 1-800-889-3931 or email dph.sick@illinois.gov.
With the state of Illinois launching multiple health care staffing contracts to increase hospital staffing, the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) is adjusting its mitigation metrics to reflect the additional staff. With the change, Regions 8, 9, 10, and 11 will move from the most restrictive Tier 3 to Tier 2. In addition, Region 1 and 6 have met the metrics to move to Tier 1, and Regions 3 and 5 have met the metrics to return to Phase 4 of the Restore Illinois Plan.
Hospital leaders and local health departments have communicated to IDPH that their primary capacity challenge is the need for additional staffing and stressed that state-facilitated staffing contracts will be critical in addressing this challenge. With this surge staffing program, IDPH and hospital leaders feel confident that metrics can safely move away from utilizing medical/surgical bed limits to move across mitigation tiers, allowing more regions to advance. The adjustment also recognizes the substantial progress the state has made since November 20, 2020 when Tier 3 mitigations were put in place.
“Hospital leaders have made clear the importance of staffing in their continued response to this pandemic and conveyed that staffing contracts will be extraordinarily valuable in their ability to meet the needs of their communities,” said IDPH Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike. “We are pleased to see most of our regions move out of Tier 3 mitigations with this change, and it is critical that we maintain this progress. With new variants of COVID-19 spreading, it is more important than ever to follow the public health guidance that keeps people safe – wear your mask and watch your distance.”
To address capacity issues reported by Illinois hospitals, IDPH, in partnership with the Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) and the Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS), has launched a surge staffing program. The program leverages the state’s larger contracting power to engage multiple staffing vendors and create access to a talent pool at greater scale than any individual hospital could achieve. Hospitals with rooms available to increase capacity but lacking the personnel to staff their beds may partner with the state to procure the staff they need. Hospitals that create orders will enter into a contract with the state to access this new staffing pool.
Hospital leaders have conveyed that due to the progress the state has made as well as the volatility in medical/surgical capacity this time of year, the state’s remaining metrics will appropriately monitor capacity and spread. While IDPH is working to allow regions greater flexibility in lifting the most stringent mitigations, public health officials will continue to carefully monitor hospital needs and test positivity in order to maintain the state’s progress.
This is particularly critical as new variants circulate. Early studies for the SARS-CoV-2 variant B.1.1.7, which was first identified in the United Kingdom, have shown the variant may spread more rapidly and easily than what we have seen previously. Experts are predicting another possible surge due to this new variant in the next several months. Because of this, it is vital for people to remain vigilant and continue to wear their masks, keep 6-feet of distance, avoid large gatherings, and get vaccinated when they are eligible.
Four cases of COVID-19 were confirmed Thursday in the Capitol Complex and Bank of Springfield Center shortly before or after the Illinois House and Senate concluded their sessions for the week.
It’s unclear whether the outbreaks will play a role in when lawmakers will return to Springfield.
One case was confirmed in the Capitol Complex — which includes the Capitol building where the Senate met from Friday through Wednesday.
Three cases were confirmed through rapid testing at the BOS Center, where the House met from Friday through Thursday to accommodate social-distancing recommendations during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Steve Brown, an aide to House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch, D-Hillside.
Earlier this month, Sangamon County put out the call to health care responders – the group of people known for vaccination purposes as “Phase 1A” – to fill up available weekend slots for receive the dose at the Department of Public Health. But that weekend, I began to notice social media postings from people who weren’t health care workers who had gotten their appointment to get a shot. Curious, I tried it, too. The online form asked if I was a health care worker. I accurately answered “no”… and it then proceeded to take me through the rest of the process and schedule my appointment.
I called the health department, which acknowledged a “glitch” in the online system that allowed the general public the ability to schedule appointments. While the glitch is now fixed, the department decided to honor the appointments that had been made. I asked if I should proceed with my appointment, and was told that I should, for a couple of reasons:
* The county is going to considerable expense to schedule staff on weekends to keep up a fast pace of vaccinations. They want to make sure every slot is filled, and not a single dose goes to waste. So when appointments are made, they want to make sure they are carried out.
* County health officials are hoping that media members like myself can help spread the word about the importance of the vaccine and clear up misconceptions about it and the vaccination process. In reality, members of the media are also part of Phase 1 because of the role we play in communicating important health and safety information to the public. You may question whether we are “essential” workers; in fact, you may vehemently disagree with that characterization. And you may have a point. But that is the system that’s been set up.
* As we all know, members of Congress have been offered vaccinations under an Obama-era executive order about continuity of governance. But members of the Illinois General Assembly have to wait their turn. Growing numbers are not happy…
If it’s essential for us to gather with 200 people almost every week, then we are essential enough to get a vaccine. We had an outbreak at session this week. Do we need to pass de-coupling, cannabis, etc bills or no? Vaccinate legislators and staff so we can work. @GovPritzker
* I asked Gov. Pritzker on Friday whether legislators should be vaccinated. As I told subscribers that afternoon, Pritzker said elected officials will receive the vaccination when they are eligible with the rest of the population. So, for example, if they’re over 65, they can qualify when those folks are vaccinated. Pritzker pointed out that he hasn’t yet been vaccinated and that legislators would, like himself, not be eligible for “special dispensation.”
* The Question: Should legislators receive the COVID-19 vaccination ahead of the spring session? Take the poll and then explain your answer in comments, please…
* Senate Majority Leader Kimberly Lightford wrote an op-ed in response to a misleading (surprise!) Tribune editorial…
I’ve seen misguided criticism that we are eliminating cash bail too fast. It’s a two-year phase-in. Two years. How much bureaucratic foot-dragging did they want?
Others complain about new training requirements that are designed to familiarize police with uncomfortable situations and hopefully reduce violent encounters. It’s exactly what community voices have been calling on for decades. They argue that trust won’t be restored between the police and the public until training, supervision and accountability reforms ensure everyone is protected without bias. […]
Before the Senate adjourned in May, we changed our rules so Senate committees could meet via Zoom during this pandemic. Over the summer and fall, the Senate hosted 32 legislative hearings covering well over 100 hours of testimony regarding the Legislative Black Caucus agenda.
These were public hearings. We invited Illinois House members. Law enforcement groups testified. Media outlets covered the hearings. As we had discussions, we also negotiated legislation.
Nothing should have been a surprise to anyone paying attention.
Lobbyists for law enforcement groups were invited to be part of the process. In fact, police groups won key concessions. It’s hard to claim you were shut out when your lobbyists were getting things changed.
As a result of that lobbying, the elimination of qualified immunity was removed from the bill as were restrictions on collective bargaining rights.
* But the misinformation is overwhelming. Here’s a Sun-Times op-ed by Jason Johnson, the president of a group called the Law Enforcement Legal Defense Fund…
And the public — especially communities hard-hit by violence and crime — want more police, not less. Residents of impoverished and often dangerous urban areas overwhelmingly want more (53%) or the same (41%) police presence in their communities according to a poll conducted this summer by Gallup for the Center for Advancing Opportunity after the George Floyd incident. A similar Gallup poll found a staggering 68% of residents in Chicago’s South Side wanted the police to spend more time in their neighborhood — only 5% wanted the police around less.
Um, there’s nothing in the bill that would reduce police presence in those communities.
* Notice the sheriff doesn’t say how this bill would be so devastating to law enforcement…
I’m very sorry to announce the dismantling of public safety as we know it. The elected officials that snuck and voted in…
What we’re seeing here is a group of people accustomed to always getting their way being told they can’t have veto power.
* And the usual process argument…
Thank you to the over 650 of you who signed the petition urging Gov. Pritzker to veto HB3653. I transmitted our letter to Gov. Pritzker today. We could have gotten many more signatures, but I wanted the Governor to receive our letter before he takes action on this legislation. pic.twitter.com/4JONcpsqfZ
Like he’d have been a “Yes” if they had more hearings. Right.
* A trailer bill will likely be needed and laws can always be altered in the future if things go awry…
Legislators have taken a giant step toward reforming the criminal justice system in Illinois by approving a bill that would do away with cash bail, but the experiences of other states that tried similar reforms show it’s not a sure thing.
If Gov. J.B. Pritzker signs the measure into law, Illinois will become one of a handful of states that have enacted major changes regarding cash bail.
California and New York passed similar laws in recent years, but they were dropped because of public opposition. New Jersey, which was one of the first states to eliminate cash bail, under a reform passed in 2014, has weathered challenges and is seen as a success.
“Other jurisdictions who have implemented similar reforms offer important lessons that we would be wise to pay attention to — both in terms of what to do and what not to do,” said Roseanna Ander, director of the University of Chicago Crime Lab.
People just need to take a breath and stop believing all the outlandish rhetoric. We saw where that got us with the recent election.
* Not even remotely as severe, and Leader McConchie has really stepped up about the insanity in DC, but still a starkly mixed message tweeted in sequence…
Today we celebrate the birth and extraordinary life of an American hero. We must also remember his death at the hands of those who sought to tear this country down rather than build it up. Thank you #MLK and all those who fight for justice throughout America. https://t.co/2CNlFrJEAr
…Adding… I forgot I had this prisoner inoculation response in my in-box. From Jordan Abudayyeh…
The facts are clear: despite taking all precautions, prisons across the nation and in Illinois have had major outbreaks with hundreds of staff going in and out every day. As a result, the risk of infection for incarcerated individuals and staff working in the facilities has been very high. The federal government’s guidance is clear that because of the high risk of infection, incarcerated individuals should be vaccinated in Phase 1B, along with personnel. Indeed, the federal Bureau of Prisons has already been vaccinating federal inmates.
If Donald Trump had invoked the Defense Production Act to produce more vaccine or encouraged people to wear masks to prevent infections, we wouldn’t find ourselves with such scarcity and rapid spread.
“Increased rates of transmission have been observed in congregate living settings. Based on local, state, or territorial epidemiology and implementation considerations, jurisdictions may choose to vaccinate persons who reside at congregate living facilities (e.g., correctional or detention facilities, homeless shelters, group homes, or employer provided shared housing units) at the same time as the frontline staff, because of their shared increased risk of disease. CDC, 12/20)”
Deaths from COVID per 10,000:
DOC staff – 1
DOC inmates – 24
IL Adults – 18
The state’s only departure from ACIP and CDC guidance has been to lower the age from 75 to 65 for those in Phase 1B, a policy change that days later the federal government decided to adopt as well.
The goal is to get as many high risk individuals vaccinated as quickly as possible and the state is committed to following the best practices from the experts to accomplish that goal.
…Adding… Leader McConchie response…
“All human life is precious and prisoners deserve to be vaccinated along with the general population,” said Illinois Senate Republican Leader Dan McConchie. “Additionally, I believe inmates with pre-existing conditions that put them at greater danger of death from COVID-19 should be vaccinated along with those with pre-existing conditions in the general public. The point is that people with pre-existing conditions who are at the highest risk, whether they be incarcerated or in the general public, deserve the opportunity to be vaccinated next. Right now, it’s not even an option for those under 65 with high risk medical conditions to get the vaccine, even if a doctor insists it is needed to help protect their life or health.”
Days after being deposed as Illinois House speaker, Michael Madigan has vacated his Springfield apartment, fueling speculation that he will resign the Illinois House seat he has held since 1971.
Madigan’s decision to vacate his apartment at Lincoln Tower, about a block from the Illinois State Capitol, was first reported by Mark Maxwell, a television reporter in Springfield.
The pic…
Looking more and more like someone other than Michael Madigan will represent his district in Springfield for the first time in 50 years. Spotted staffers clearing out his apartment furniture today. No official resignation yet. pic.twitter.com/LK0AxA9dOM
There’s widespread speculation that after losing the powerful speaker’s chair, Madigan isn’t long for the legislature.
“I don’t have any intel on this but my instinct is I just can’t see a situation where he would stick around as a rank and file member. I just don’t,” said Rep. Buckner.
However, Madigan is still chairman of the Illinois Democratic Party and controls millions in campaign funds. Rep. Zalewski doesn’t see him holding on to that role, either, or the role of chief architect of the 2021 remap.
“I think as the year progresses you’ll see the speaker address his future in a number of ways. The chairmanship of the party will be part of that, the leadership of the party’s political arm will be part of that. This isn’t going to be hard to figure out. He’s going to transition out. I think you’ll see him retire to a private life and I wish him the best on that. And I think Chris will be the quarterback on the remap,” said Zalewski.
* Mitchell Armentrout writes a perspective. Here’s the beginning, but you should read the whole thing…
When Mike Madigan first took office in Illinois, same-sex marriage was unheard of, gambling was limited to racetracks and computers were confined to laboratories.
Fast-forward through nearly a quarter of Illinois’ 202-year existence, and the Southwest Side powerhouse has finally given up most of his grip on a state that has undergone tectonic shifts both culturally and politically.
Lots more will be written about this topic. But just imagine the 1970 Madigan being told about the 2021 MJM. The power may not have surprised him, but the dramatic shift in his ideology likely would.
Go to the 2:06 mark and you’ll see Madigan denying he ever recommended anyone for work at ComEd or Exelon or had ever referred anyone. “No,” Madigan said while shaking his head.
* State Week: The End of an Era: This week, Illinois lawmakers wrapped up the work of the 101st General Assembly. And there is a new House Speaker - Chris Welch - after Michael Madigan lost the support of his caucus after nearly four decades in power. Rich Miller of Capitol Fax joins the panel.
* Mark Brown has an excellent column about Speaker Chris Welch’s rise to power. He reminds us that Welch stood up to be the lead plaintiff in a lawsuit against then-Comptroller Leslie Munger over her blatantly unconstitutional refusal to pay legislator salaries…
By taking the heat for them, Welch earned the appreciation of his fellow legislators, Democrats and Republicans.
As Michael J. Madigan proved over a nearly four-decade career as House speaker, the speakership doesn’t depend on popularity with the public but on the speaker’s standing among his members.
Welch’s ascendance was years in the making — the result of thoughtful efforts to build relationships with other lawmakers while enhancing his profile as a leader.
He took a leading role in 2019 in getting Black and Latino legislators to work together to create the state’s Access to Justice Program, funding legal services for immigrants and for people who need help getting their criminal records expunged.
That paid off in the speaker contest when Welch, after gaining the support of the 22-member Black Caucus, persuaded the House’s nine Latino members to back him — putting him more than half way to 60.
* And Derrick Blakley talked to actual House Democrats about Welch’s rise…
“Chris’ history of serving as chair of the Executive Committee, the heaviest committee in Springfield where all the huge legislation come through, and his experience with the special (Madigan) investigatory committee he chaired this year,” said Rep. Buckner. “And it was important to me that we find somebody who could get to 60 votes by putting together a coalition of downstate moderates, suburban women, and the Black and Latino caucuses.” […]
After decades under Madigan’s tight-fisted rule, lawmakers are looking for more freedom under Welch.
“I think that his personality is collaborative and being new, he knows that we all have to work together,” said Rep. Kifowit. “He’s promised a 10 year term limit on leadership. He’s very accessible. He’s always been open and ready to listen to new ideas. We can contact him. By email. By cellphone!” […]
Legislators also chafed at Madigan’s tight control on legislative matters. Until recently, lawmakers had to choose three bills to prioritize and no more. On the political side, candidates in swing districts were counseled to shy away from progressive stances.
“They’ve been told in the past under Madigan, being in a district that can flip-flop, they can’t or shouldn’t vote on certain things. There were a lot of folks who took umbrage with that. I think Chris wants to give people a little more independence, a little more autonomy, “said Rep. Buckner. […]
“Speaker Madigan just presented the rules and we’d vote on them without discussion from anybody,” said Rep. Harper. “But Speaker Welch said in a spirit of collaboration, he would wait until he gets input from members of both parties on the rules before we vote on them. It’s a new day when it comes to having a little bit more input on matters that used to be only decided by leadership or a small group of people.”
* Related…
* New state House Speaker Emanuel ‘Chris’ Welch made commitments for reform to force out Madigan. Can he keep them?: “With diversity, you’re going to have a lot of thought. And with a lot of thought you’re going to get a lot of opinions. When you get a lot of opinions, you’re going to get a lot of disagreements. Well, we’re going to learn from each other because we’re all going to be around that table,” he said. “That was an overwhelming theme that I heard from my colleagues and they’re going to be in the room.”
* Commentary: Reflections give insight into new Illinois House Speaker Chris Welch: The Institute recently asked 25 prominent Illinoisans to recommend five books about the state to provide students a nuanced, well-rounded understanding of our state. We received recommendations from U.S. Sen. Richard Durbin, former Gov. Jim Edgar, former U.S. Congressman and Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, Rep. Welch, and others. Mr. Welch’s intriguing recommendations were “Boss: Richard J. Daley of Chicago” by Mike Royko, “Mayor Harold Washington: Champion of Race and Reform” by Roger Biles, “Dreams from My Father” by Barack Obama, “Our Culture of Pandering” by Paul Simon, and “American Pharaoh,” the book I had given him.
“The legislature is going to be a check on the executive branch,” newly elected House Speaker Chris Welch flatly declared to me in an interview the other day.
Welch was responding to a question I posed to him about his Jan. 13 inaugural address, when he asked not-so-rhetorically, “Why is it difficult to ensure that families’ unemployment checks continue unabated and arrive on time so struggling families can feed their children? Why is that hard to grasp?”
Welch’s predecessor as House speaker, Michael J. Madigan, stayed completely mum about Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s handling of the COVID-19 crisis and resulting mass unemployment, though the governor occasionally took verbal shots at Madigan and called on him to resign if he refused to answer questions about the ComEd investigation.
Not a single House committee hearing has been held about the backlog of unemployment checks at the Illinois Department of Employment Security or, for that matter, all the other migraine headaches legislators have been dealing with as desperate constituents turn to them for assistance when they can’t get through to a state agency. That could very well change.
Rep. Fred Crespo, D-Hoffman Estates, warned the governor last week via the publication Center Square that the House could “hold up some of these funds, even federal dollars” to IDES if members don’t start getting answers to their questions. Crespo was instrumental in corralling votes for Welch and has been the chair of the House General Services Appropriations Committee.
“It’s not a threat, I think it’s more, I think it’s an education,” Crespo told Center Square. “They’re new, and make sure they understand the process.”
“I’m going to have an open and ongoing relationship with the governor to express what I’m hearing from our members,” Welch told me.
Welch didn’t come right out and say it, but what he is hearing from his members about the governor ain’t all that great these days, as Rep. Crespo could attest.
In the just-concluded lame-duck session of the Legislature, in which both of Pritzker’s top priorities failed to pass, the governor’s administration appears to have gotten a taste of what may come later this year.
A bill to decouple the state from federal business tax breaks (depending on whom you talk to) worth $400 million to $1 billion to the state coffers received just 50 votes in the wee hours of last Wednesday morning. Nine Black Caucus members did not vote for the bill. Most voted either “present” or took a walk, but Rep. Debbie Meyers-Martin, D-Olympia Fields, voted “No.”
Black Caucus members are usually reliable votes for revenue increases. Not that day.
Welch didn’t vote on the decoupling bill, either. He explained early on Wednesday morning that he was “distracted” (though the roll call was held open for quite a long while) and would vote for the bill again when the time came, but that time never came.
The Senate played games with the governor’s must-have cannabis cleanup bill, waiting until almost 2 a.m. on Wednesday to pass it pretty much as the governor wanted. But by then it was too late for the House to act.
The Senate seemed to many to be deliberately slow-walking important bills for the governor and for others during the last couple days of session. “I’m pretty sure this bill that we’re debating right now was sent to us about six hours ago from the House,” grumbled one senator at 5:37 a.m. on Wednesday.
The House Democrats were heavily distracted by their election of a new speaker, and some white north suburban Democrats were prepared to go “on strike” if the cannabis bill was passed without allowing their dispensaries to move to better locations, which was a deal-killer for the Black Caucus.
In the end, the lame-duck session was a significant failure for the Pritzker administration. Yes, there were tons of extenuating circumstances. But the administration knew ever since the veto session was canceled in November that a lame-duck session was a distinct probability. They had two months to prepare and now have precious little to show for it except for the Black Caucus agenda that they weren’t in charge of.
Pritzker’s huge legislative success in 2019 was an aberration. It was a legislative expression of joy and relief at having a governor who wanted to work with them to get big things done after 12 years of gubernatorial ineptitude and outright hostility toward the General Assembly. But if they don’t address whatever issues there are with Senate President Don Harmon, woo the new House speaker and start tending to member egos, they’re in for a very rough spring.
