* This would be hilarious if true…
In a striking bit of political theater, Gov. J.B. Pritzker today invited Rahm Emanuel to the ribbon cutting for a Black-owned industrial facility the former mayor helped get started in the North Lawndale neighborhood.
The new mayor, Lori Lightfoot, wasn’t there, even though she earlier in the day announced her own economic development project in the same North Lawndale neighborhood, without Pritzker in attendance.
I checked with the governor’s office earlier about Emanuel and was told, “The business owners invited him,” because the former mayor, “was an early supporter of the project.”
* But, yeah, MAA is right…
Although, I’m not sure I would call a mayor a top state elected official.
* Something to do, I suppose…
The ongoing energy bill talks and the June 28th primary are combining to mess with my brain. I can’t schedule a summer vacation, people are buying blog ads and campaigning hasn’t really begun for much of anything.
* Anyway, what were we talking about? Oh, yeah…
The Will Group, which will operate the facility, known as the K-Town Business Development Centre, received a $500,000 state grant under a program that helps minority-owned startup businesses access capital. The 60,000-square-foot manufacturing and warehousing center at 4647 W. Polk will specialize in making and distributing LED fixtures used on city street lights.
When further phases are completed, the project will involve a total $20 million investment and create about 100 jobs in a neighborhood that certainly can use them, said Stephen David, founder and chairman of the Will Group. “We look forward to increasing opportunities for small businesses and workers alike and setting into motion a well-deserved investment for this community.”
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Question of the day
Monday, Jun 28, 2021 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Fox 32…
Secretary of State candidate and 17th Ward Ald. David Moore is calling on Illinois to adopt digital license plates to replace the current metal ones to help solve the carjacking epidemic.
Moore said the digital license plate platform is capable of sending alerts about stolen vehicles to notify the police and the public. It can also provide the vehicle’s owner with the location of their stolen vehicle.
“While law enforcement struggles to stop carjackings, DLPs will help Illinois drivers close the gap between the time a carjacking happens and police respond by alerting everyone within eyeshot,” Moore said in a statement.
Moore said digital license plates can also notify the public about Amber or Silver alerts.
* Press release…
Deputy House Minority Leader Rep. Tom Demmer (R-Dixon) filed new legislation in the Illinois House of Representatives today that would prohibit the state from enacting digital license plates on vehicles registered in the State of Illinois. Digital license plates use the satellite-based Global Positioning System (GPS) as a means of tracking the daily movements of Illinois residents.
Demmer’s legislation addresses specific concerns against a recent proposal to move toward replacing traditional metal license plates with digital GPS tracking as a response to a spike in carjackings.
“Installing GPS trackers on every car in Illinois would raise serious privacy concerns, not to mention the potential for hacking and likelihood of technical problems in what would be an unprecedented intrusion by state government in the day-to-day lives of Illinois residents,” Rep. Demmer said. “The risks associated with digital license plates clearly outweigh any potential benefit. The solution to carjackings is not to track and monitor every resident of the state.”
Demmer’s legislation is House Bill 4105.
* The Question: Your thoughts on this digital license plate idea?
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* IDPH…
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) is now reporting 85 teens and adult staff at a summer youth camp held in mid-June in central Illinois tested positive for COVID-19. One unvaccinated, young adult was hospitalized. Although all campers and staff were eligible for vaccination, IDPH is aware of only a handful of campers and staff receiving the vaccine. The camp was not checking vaccination status and masking was not required while indoors. IDPH is reminding people about the importance of vaccination, including youth, as the Delta variant and other variants continue to spread.
“The majority of the 85 COVID-19 cases associated with the youth camp are among teens,” said IDPH Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike. “The perceived risk to children may seem small, but even a mild case of COVID-19 can cause long-term health issues. Additionally, infected youth who may not experience severe illness can still spread the virus to others, including those who are too young to be vaccinated or those who don’t build the strong expected immune response to the vaccine.”
A couple individuals who were at the camp also attended a nearby conference, which resulted in 11 additional cases. At least 70% of those cases were unvaccinated. The vaccines currently authorized in the U.S. have been shown to be effective among individuals who are fully vaccinated, even against the more transmissible and serious variants. Schuyler and Adams counties, where the outbreaks occurred, are seeing approximately 40% of their population fully vaccinated.
IDPH continues to assist local health departments involved in the youth camp and conference outbreaks and is working with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Specimens are being sought for genomic sequencing to determine if any of the cases were caused by variants.
* The Crossing Camp in Rushville has rules for what boys and girls can wear, but did not demand that they bring face masks. From the girls regulations…
• Modest shirts that cover the shoulders (no tight-fitting, low, spaghetti-strap, or midriff-showing shirts or shirts with writing or pictures that are contrary to biblical principles)
• Knee-length shorts (loose-fitting walking or athletic style that come to the top of the knee when sitting and standing)
• Knee-length shirts, dresses, and shorts are appropriate for evening services
• Wind/athletic pants
• Swimsuits are to be modest
• T-shirt to wear over swimsuit
Because freedom, apparently.
* Tribune the other day…
[The summer camp outbreak] is the second instance this month of possible community exposure to COVID-19 linked to the church affiliated with the camp, The Crossing, a “multi-campus, nondenominational church,” with locations in Illinois, Missouri and Iowa.
The downstate Adams County Health Department recently warned of possible community exposure to COVID-19 at a conference held June 18 and 19 at a church’s Quincy location, according to media reports; the health department required those in attendance to quarantine for 10 days after their last exposure.
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Give with one hand, take with the other
Monday, Jun 28, 2021 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Oy…
* But it’s not all bad news. From Silvia Puente…
So while there are big challenges, there is also now big momentum. To that end, I’d like to thank our legislators for their investment in our community—most notably, nearly $150 million that will be available from the Illinois Department of Human Services to help immigrant communities adversely impacted by COVID. $30 million of that will be used for direct cash assistance and will be distributed through community-based organizations.
* Even so, here’s Dan Vock at the Center for Illinois Politics…
The new maps that Illinois Democrats drew for state House and Senate seats face at least two lawsuits about their validity. The first, predictably, came from Republicans. But the second came from more traditional Democratic allies: Latino rights advocates.
The challenge from the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF) is especially noteworthy, because top Democrats in state government repeatedly touted the ways the new maps would promote ethnic and racial diversity in the legislature. Instead, MALDEF is asking a federal court to force the legislature to redraw its maps.
The civil rights group argues in its lawsuit that Democratic legislators used unreliable population data to draw districts that reflected population shifts over the last 10 years. The Democrats say they used the American Community Survey and other sources to inform their decisions, because data from the once-a-decade Census headcount wasn’t available in time for deadlines set in the Illinois Constitution.
MALDEF says that was a mistake, and one that could ultimately hurt Latino voters.
“Those maps are going to have to be redrawn using decennial Census numbers,” Thomas Saenz, MALDEF’s president and general counsel, said in an interview. “We want to make sure, when those new maps are drawn, the interests of our clients and of the Latino community more broadly are respected and reflected in the new maps.”
MALDEF’s lawsuit is relatively narrow, but it reflects broader frustrations among Illinois Latino rights advocates that the new maps shortchanged Latino voters.
The Latino Policy Forum, for example, asked lawmakers to craft 14 House districts and five Senate districts where Latino voters had a majority. The map Democratic legislators produced eventually did include those thresholds. But the number of Latino voters in 10 of the 14 House districts and three of the five Senate districts is lower than what the Forum recommended.
“We feel the districts that were drawn essentially were diluted, and they weren’t drawn as strong as they could be,” said Roberto Valdez, Jr., an associate director of the Latino Policy Forum. “That ultimately hinders the Latino community’s ability to elect legislators of their choice.”
Valdez said the low numbers of Latino voters in those districts is especially frustrating, because Latinos are already underrepresented in the Illinois legislature. Latinos make up about 17 percent of Illinois’ population. If they had that share of legislative seats, there would be 20 state representatives and 10 state senators elected by Latinos. But that’s unrealistic, given how dispersed the Latino population is throughout the state.
“Our map [produced by the Latino Policy Center] can at least reflect Latino population centers and allow them to fairly elect the representatives of their choice,” he said. “We don’t feel like that was done with the [enacted] maps.”
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* Press release…
Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White announced that expiration dates for driver’s licenses and ID cards have been extended an additional five months — from Aug. 1, 2021, to Jan. 1, 2022. The new Jan. 1, 2022 extension also includes expiration dates that will occur between July and December of this year. As a result, expired driver’s licenses and ID cards will remain valid until Jan. 1, 2022 so customers do not need to rush into Driver Services facilities, especially during hot weather. This extension does not apply to commercial driver’s licenses (CDL) and CDL learner’s permits.
“Extending expiration dates until January 1, 2022, means people with an expired driver’s license or ID card do not need to rush into a Driver Services facility immediately,” said White. “During hot weather, I would suggest residents consider delaying visits to Driver Services facilities. But if you must visit a facility, please come prepared to wait outside due to continued social distancing efforts, which limits the number of people inside a facility at one time. We are allowing more people in the facilities at one time due to relaxed protocols.”
White noted that Senate Bill 2232, which Governor Pritzker signed into law Friday and had passed the House and Senate by overwhelming margins, authorizes the Secretary of State’s office to extend driver’s license and ID card expiration dates to Jan. 1, 2022. Senate Bill 2232 was sponsored by state Sen. Laura Murphy (D-Des Plaines) and state Rep. Michelle Mussman (D-Schaumburg).
White continues to urge the public to consider using online services when possible instead of visiting a facility due to heavy customer volume. White has greatly expanded online services and encourages the public to visit his office’s website at www.cyberdriveillinois.com. Many transactions can be conducted online, including the purchase of license plate stickers, obtaining a duplicate driver’s license or ID card, and renewing driver’s licenses and ID cards, including Real IDs, for those who are eligible.
As a reminder, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has extended the federal REAL ID deadline to May 3, 2023.
White’s office continues to review ways to further expand online renewals for expired driver’s licenses and ID cards to reduce the volume.
* Meanwhile…
Secretary of State candidate Pat Dowell announced her plan to set a supplier diversity goal for the Secretary of State’s office that is double the current goal for State of Illinois agencies.
“Increasing contracting opportunities for women, veterans, and Black and Brown entrepreneurs can be done,” Ald. Dowell said. “I know, because I’ve done it in my ward and throughout the City of Chicago.”
Currently, under the State’s Business Enterprise Program, all state agencies have a goal to do 20% of their business with businesses owned and operated by women, minorities, and persons with disabilities. In January 2022, the BEP goal for state agencies is set to increase to 30%. If elected, Dowell would increase the goal for the Secretary of State’s office to 40%.
“I’d like the Secretary of State’s office to lead on this for the State of Illinois,” Dowell said. “While the Secretary of State is an independent office and not a state agency, Secretary White has worked hard to increase supplier diversity. I want to continue that work and push it even further.”
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* Sun-Times…
Across Chicago and its surrounding counties, more than 1,000 inmates are packed in jails as they await transfer to state prisons due to an ongoing fight over COVID-19 safety protocols between state and local law enforcement agencies.
The backlog has far-reaching consequences, according to a review of internal meeting minutes, inmate logs and interviews with local and state officials by the Brown Institute for Media Innovation’s Documenting COVID-19 project. Those include:
• Inmates, including many awaiting transfers for nearly a year, spending a half-million days in Chicago-area jails when they were supposed to be in state prisons;
• Dangerous overcrowding and fights in those jails;
• Strained budgets, including tens of millions in costs to continue housing the inmates in Cook County and elsewhere.
The inmate backlog has also been exacerbated by the comparatively low vaccination rates among prison staff, which has made it harder to safely house inmates at the state’s penitentiaries due to strict COVID protocols that are still in place, officials say.
Just 41 percent of IDOC staff is vaccinated, compared to 69 percent of prisoners.
Sheesh.
* Jim Dey…
Because of a variety of early-release programs — some due to the pandemic, some not — the department’s population stood at 27,413 Wednesday, down from 28,529 in December 2019.
Indeed, the department’s steady population decline marks a sea change from past policies. In 2012, its inmate population hovered around 49,000, mostly men.
Former Gov. Bruce Rauner, who took office in 2015, embraced policies and legislation to reduce inmate population. Since then, Gov. J.B. Pritzker has advanced that cause.
As a result, Illinois’ inmate population is roughly half what it was 10 years ago, even as county jails continue to house inmates sentenced to state prison.
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* Sen. Darren Bailey’s Facebook video has 10,000 views…
When you talk to your typical establishment politician, they’re going to tell you the same old, same old. They’re going to tell you that ‘Well, I think we have to have a moderate Republican to have any chance of winning the governor’s seat.’ Friends, I want to tell you, there shouldn’t be any such thing as a moderate Republican because a moderate Republican votes for things that are completely against the Republican platform. So I don’t know, maybe there needs to be a third party develop, or maybe some of these moderate Republicans probably need to slide over and run on the Democrat ticket. […]
Just a few days ago, many, many students were calling this coming week and next week to begin enrolling and taking their children to colleges here in the state of Illinois. Just a few days ago, many of these parents began receiving a letter stating that ‘Oh yes if you’re not vaccinated you can’t come on campus.’ So here’s what’s happening and here’s why all this has happened. Governor Pritzker, the governor hand picks the trustees of these colleges. The governor hand picks the people that serve on the Illinois State Board of Education [sic]. They’re not going to do what they want to do, they’re doing what the governor wants to do. So that’s what happens when we have a rogue and tyrannical leader at the helm that wants things his way. That’s why all this is coming.
So, you know, again, stand up to these colleges. Tell them of your disgust on this. And then you’re gonna have to make a hard decision. And that’s simply, probably, pulling your student out of that college and enrolling them in a college that is not going to require vaccinations. That’s what this is all about about. This is a sacrifice, this is the hard part of living in a free Constitutional Republic.
Please pardon any transcription errors.
* PolitiFact Illinois…
As Republican operatives were dropping U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis’s name as the next potential rival to run against Gov. J.B. Pritzker, the GOP congressman was in southern Illinois visiting a coal plant that could get shut down if the governor gets his way.
Davis used the visit to criticize the governor’s support for a sweeping energy plan that could shutter every coal-fired power plant in Illinois by 2035, an idea many opponents lambast as one that will kill jobs and hike rates.
Davis called on Pritzker, a Democrat, to spare the Prairie State Energy Campus in Marissa, located south of East St. Louis. The plant provides power to municipalities in eight states, including a swath of Davis’ 13th Congressional District.
“The municipally owned Prairie State power plant is the cleanest coal-fired power plant in the nation,” he said during his June 18 visit. “The company is actively pursuing and adopting additional carbon sequestration and storage and emissions-reducing technologies, and they should receive support from state and federal agencies for their efforts.” […]
His office did not respond to our inquiry asking for evidence to back that up.
Experts told us there are multiple metrics by which to assess how “clean” a coal plant is, but federal data shows Prairie State does not come out at or near the top on any of them.
We rate Davis’ claim Pants on Fire!
* On to the IDCCA…
The Illinois Democratic County Chairs’ Association (IDCCA) is proud to announce United States Senator Jon Ossoff (GA) as the guest speaker at the annual County Chairs’ Brunch.
The County Chairs’ Brunch has a history of attracting some of the highest national officials and is a premier event for Illinois Democrats. In previous years, the County Chairs’ Brunch has had the pleasure of hosting Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (CA), US Senator Amy Klobuchar (MN), and Mayor Pete Buttigieg (South Bend, IN) in the great state of Illinois.
Sen. Ossoff won his seat in the 2020 Georgia run-off, which gave Democrats the crucial 50-seat threshold in the United States Senate. This allows Vice President Kamala Harris to be the tie-breaking vote.
IDCCA President Kristina Zahorik released the following statement.
“I remember just this past January when we all had Georgia on our mind — we waited anxiously to see if Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock would help tilt the balance of the Senate in favor of the Democrats. They did, and we are seeing the fruits of our labor as Democrats in Washington pass legislation like the American Rescue Plan to help our country build back better. Jon Ossoff was the right candidate for the job, and we’re honored to have him join us in Illinois to inspire us to keep our Democratic majority in 2022.”
This year’s Brunch to kick off Democrat Day (now Governor’s Day) at the Illinois State Fair will take place on Wednesday, August 18th at 9:00 am CT at the Crowne Plaza Springfield. More information is available at www.ildccabrunch.org.
That annual brunch has been hugely successful for the IDCCA, but the Democrats haven’t been able to build on that for their concurrent Governor’s Day event. People got tired of listening to the same speeches delivered twice in a few hours, but instead of trying to find another way to interest attendees, the Democrats have basically given up and just hold a reception.
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* Crain’s Chicago Business on February 15, 2019…
Just two weeks after acquiring three former Tenet Healthcare hospitals, Pipeline Health has plans to shutter one of them.
The impending closure of Westlake Hospital was announced late Feb. 15 by the village of Melrose Park. Dr. Eric Whitaker, vice chair and principal of Los Angeles-based Pipeline, called Democratic state Rep. Emanuel Chris Welch of Westchester, a member of the hospital’s board of trustees, late in the day to share the news.
Whitaker is best known as the founder of Chicago-based health care investment firm TWG Partners, which was previously involved in the purchase with Pipeline, and as a friend of former President Barack Obama. He confirmed in a Feb. 16 interview that Pipeline intends to file an application with the state to discontinue service at the 230-bed community hospital.
[Whitaker] added: “We didn’t come into the purchase with the idea of, ‘Let’s buy two hospitals and let’s close one.’ We wanted to build a community hospital system in the Chicagoland area to make these one-off hospitals, that are highly vulnerable, viable again.”
* Crain’s last week…
Westlake closed nearly seven months after Pipeline Health acquired the 230-bed hospital in 2019. Despite public statements to the contrary, the firm never intended to keep the hospital open, according to court filings in the bankruptcy proceeding of the entity that Pipeline formed to acquire Westlake.
“Pursuant to the party’s acquisition agreement, the Westlake Hospital was required to be shut down by June 5th of that same year,” bankruptcy trustee representative Allen Guon said during a hearing last November, according to a court transcript.
The provision requiring the closure of Westlake, which hasn’t been reported before, directly contradicts many statements made by Pipeline and its representatives during the acquisition process and transition.
Emphasis added.
* Related…
* After major shakeup, West Sub pulled from the brink — for now
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* Today…
Several Black elected officials – including state legislators, mayors and committeepersons – announced their support today for Democrat Alexi Giannoulias in the race for Illinois Secretary of State.
The elected officials from Chicago’s South Side and south suburbs that endorsed Giannoulias include: Hazel Crest Mayor and Bremen Township Democratic Committeeperson Vernard Alsberry; Alderperson Anthony Beale (9th Ward); Matteson Mayor Sheila Chalmers-Currin; State Rep. Will Davis (D-30); State Sen. Emil Jones III (D-14); Calumet City Mayor and State Rep. Thaddeus Jones (D-29); Rich Township Supervisor and Committeeperson Calvin Jordan; State Rep. Debbie Meyers-Martin (D-38); State Rep. Rita Mayfield (D-60); State Rep. Curtis Tarver II (D-25); and Bloom Township Committeeperson Lori Wilcox.
“As we continue to address issues of equity, increase economic opportunity and achieve social justice, it is essential that we have leaders – like Alexi – who are not afraid to speak out and challenge unfairness and discrimination,” said Rich Township Supervisor and Committeeperson Calvin Jordan. “Alexi has supported our values throughout the years and is dedicated to protecting the rights that we all hold dear.”
“We are proud to endorse Alexi because we know he’s committed to enfranchising more voters and making sure the right to vote is protected to ensure everyone’s voices are heard,” said Bloom Township Committeeperson Lori Wilcox. “His leadership, his experience and his understanding of how to get things done along with his desire to fight for those left behind is needed now more than ever.”
“Alexi’s policies for Secretary of State mean increasing opportunity for diverse businesses to secure state contracts, equipping our libraries with more resources to offer more learning for our children, and strengthening the office’s Securities Division to crack down on those who prey on vulnerable citizens for financial gain,” said Hazel Crest Mayor and Bremen Township Democratic Committeeperson Vernard Alsberry. “We’re proud to support Alexi who will build on Jesse White’s remarkable legacy.”
“I’m honored to have earned the support of these strong leaders who are fighting for more opportunity in Illinois,” Giannoulias said. “They represent progressive voices who are committed to fighting on behalf of the working families and improving the lives of Illinoisians. We are working hard on this campaign to ensure that people come before politics in Springfield, and I am grateful that these leaders are standing behind our campaign and supporting our vision for a better Illinois.”
Giannoulias served as State Treasurer from 2007 to 2011. During that time, the State Treasurer’s Office achieved full “parity,” for the first time that meant the staff fully reflected the population of the state. He also appointed now Congresswoman and Democratic Party of Illinois Chair Robin Kelly as his chief of staff – the first African American to hold that position in a constitutional office.
In addition, Giannoulias also: implemented policies requiring that state banks sign community reinvestment pledges before receiving state deposits; removed barriers for disadvantaged families to open bank accounts in Illinois; increased community and economic development in minority communities through state “linked deposits” at below market rates; launched the nation’s first-ever female- and minority-owned investment option offered through a state-sponsored college savings plan; and instituted the Finally Home program enabled homeowners to refinance their mortgages before they miss a payment, preventing foreclosures.
* Friday in the Tribune…
Former state Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias on Friday received the backing of Teamsters Joint Council 25, a significant show of support as he continues to try to consolidate union support more than a year ahead of the Democratic primary contest for secretary of state.
The Teamsters represent 100,000 Illinois workers across many industries and Terrence J. Hancock, the joint council’s president, said Giannoulias “has a long history of standing with unions and workers on the job site.” […]
Giannoulias previously received the endorsement of the politically active Service Employees International Union State Council, the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union Local 881 and Local 1546, 14 locals in the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees union, Painters District Local Council 30, Plasterers and Cement Mason’s Local 502 and the Illinois Pipe Trades Association.
Valencia has the backing of another politically potent union, UNITE HERE Local 1, as well as Painters District Councils 14 and 58.
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Leader spokespersons rate the COVID protocols
Monday, Jun 28, 2021 - Posted by Rich Miller
* My weekly syndicated newspaper column…
Last week, I asked the spokespersons for all four state legislative caucus leaders if they considered the spring session’s COVID protocols in their respective chambers to be a success. I didn’t think I’d get much in the way of a newsworthy response, but I actually did.
Jaclyn Driscoll was a Missouri Statehouse reporter before she was hired as House Speaker Chris Welch’s spokesperson this spring. Driscoll also covered the Illinois Statehouse before moving to Missouri.
Driscoll said there was no mask mandate in the Republican-controlled Missouri legislature during the pandemic and she was infected.
“Not only did I contract COVID, but a lawmaker ended up on a ventilator,” Driscoll said. “Some lawmakers even actively and publicly shamed others for wearing masks.”
By contrast, Driscoll said, “it was nice to be surrounded by people who led with science and common sense,” in Illinois. “We did see some people contract the virus, but I think with testing protocols we were able to catch it early and stop any substantial spread. Long story short, I was just grateful to feel safe while doing my job again.”
The goal with the House’s protocols, which relied on a mask mandate, remote hearings, some limited access and strong encouragement to get vaccinated, “was to keep everyone safe while we got important work done for the state,” she said. “We were also able to give journalists access while keeping them safe also, which is crucial to hold our elected officials accountable.”
No outbreaks, but limited public information
The Senate was a different story. The chamber had a strictly enforced saliva testing requirement on top of its mask mandate, it allowed remote floor and committee voting and it shut off access to a large part of the Statehouse to anyone who didn’t have an appointment. Senate Majority Leader Kimberly Lightford knew immediately that she had COVID because of the tests, which were conducted in the Stratton Office Building near the Statehouse. No exceptions were made, no matter who you were.
Senate President Don Harmon’s spokesperson John Patterson labeled the session “a resounding success.” He noted that they started the session in January with an inauguration ceremony “in essentially an empty chamber,” and spent the first few weeks cancelling session days.
“That we were able to return to some semblance of normal shows how successful the protocols were,” Patterson said. The University of Illinois’ Shield saliva test, which produced results in hours, detected the virus before it could be spread. “We had no outbreaks or cancellations thanks to the protocols.” And that, he said, created a work environment where people could be assured that everyone around them had tested negative. “It allowed people to get back to normal and focus on the work.”
Patterson is known for his snark, so the rest of his response was no surprise. He said there is a “potentially lingering side effect” to the session. “There’s anecdotal evidence that the sight of the Stratton Building continues to cause increased saliva production. I’m hoping it will fade with time.”
The Republicans weren’t quite as charitable with their reviews. Here’s House Republican Leader Jim Durkin’s spokesperson Eleni Demertzis: “Prior to Phase 5, health and safety protocols were probably helpful in keeping everyone under the dome safe from COVID-19. Without knowing whether the House Chamber had any active cases or spread, the assessment of the success rate for these safety measures is currently under review.”
Indeed, the public was never given any regular updates on who or how many people might have been infected during the session, although we were told when Speaker Welch’s Chief of Staff Jessica Basham tested positive. But there’s no evidence yet to suggest that anyone became severely ill from working at the Statehouse or that any widespread outbreaks occurred in the House.
Senate Republican Leader Dan McConchie’s spokesperson Whitney Barnes: “We are thankful that there were no outbreaks during spring session. However, we firmly believe that the people of Illinois could have been given a more open and transparent legislative process had we simply followed CDC guidelines — especially in the final month of session.”
It’s a good point. For whatever reason, neither chamber made any attempt to allow more freedom or access for people who did the responsible thing by being fully vaccinated. The universalized restrictions were a constant source of irritation during the last seven weeks of session for those of us who had gotten our shots.
But, what’s done is done, I suppose. Hopefully, we’ll never have to do this ever again.
Your thoughts?
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