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Friday, Sep 10, 2021 - Posted by Rich Miller

The sky was falling
And streaked with blood
I heard you calling me
Then you disappeared into the dust

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Friday, Sep 10, 2021 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Should Gov. Pritzker follow President Biden’s lead and mandate vaccinations without a testing opt-out for all state employees? (With the usual exemption for bona fide health and religious reasons.) Take the poll and then explain your answer in comments, please…

find bike trails

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*** UPDATED x1 *** COVID-19 roundup

Friday, Sep 10, 2021 - Posted by Rich Miller

* John A. Logan College President Dr. Kirk Overstreet gets it…

I don’t see the governor closing us down. As a matter of fact, the whole purpose behind this order is to keep us open, to keep us from having to go remote, to keep us from having to close our restaurants, our entertainment centers, and to not have to stop doing the things that we want to be able to do, albeit with a mask on.

* Shawnee Community College President Tim Taylor does not…

During his public forum, Shawnee’s [Taylor] reminded students that the protocols being put in place are because of the governor’s mandate.

“This is not coming from Shawnee Community College; this is not coming from the board of Shawnee Community College; this is not coming from Tim Taylor, the president of Shawnee Community College, or any Shawnee employee. This is coming from the state of Illinois, from the governor, through an executive order that has the full force of law. We have to exclude you from campus if you are not vaccinated or you are not participating in the testing requirements that are outlined in the executive order,” he said. “It’s not us, it’s coming from the state.”

[Fixed the name. The paper made a mistake and I didn’t catch it, but I should’ve because it looked odd. Sorry.]

* Meanwhile, this is a fascinating, but probably predictable turn…

Teachers, staff and students will wear masks in Abingdon-Avon schools, the board decided Wednesday.

The board voted 6-1, during a special meeting Wednesday, to follow Gov. JB Pritzker’s mask mandate, with all students, staff and visitors required to wear masks in school buildings beginning Friday, Sept. 10.

The decision came after around 90 minutes of public comments, with the majority of speakers encouraging the board to follow the mandate not only for the health and safety of students and staff, but to avoid repercussions including decertification and loss of funding. […]

Prior to Wednesday’s special meeting, the district was among a couple dozen in the state on probation with the Illinois State Board of Education for not following the executive order. They were at risk of repercussions such as not being able to award diplomas and sports teams not being eligible for postseason play.

Members of the district’s teacher and employee unions had filed complaints with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration alleging unsafe working conditions and asked for the special meeting.

Parents and kids legitimately worried about their futures if the state brings the hammer down and employees standing up for their rights to work in a safe environment combined to turn the board around.

* Effingham County…

Teutopolis initially voted to only recommend masks on Aug. 16. That spurred the Illinois State Board of Education to place the district on probation on Aug. 19 for 60 days. At a special meeting Aug. 31, the board deadlocked 2-2, with Troy Ozenkoski absent from the meeting. Had the mandate not been approved by the board after 60 days, the district would have lost all accreditation from ISBE — meaning a loss of state and federal funding, along with ineligibility for state athletic and extracurricular competitions. […]

The potential for ineligibility for athletes and the Teutopolis program in general was a motivating factor for some who spoke for the mandate, in contrast to the Aug. 31 meeting where nearly all of the public comments opposed it.

Brian Hardiek, a parent in Teutopolis, said he never thought that he would have to stand in front of the school board and ask them to do something he personally opposed. But the fact that his daughter, a basketball player, couldn’t compete in state competitions overrode his personal beliefs. […]

“What do we have to gain by continuing to go against this mandate?” [parent Rich Probst] said. “This is going to be won or lost in a courtroom. It’s not going to be won or lost because one school district decides to be bull-headed. If we vote to go against this mask mandate, opportunities are going to be taken away from these young kids.”

Parents of student athletes tend to dominate school decisions, and it’s now hitting home for them, regardless of their politics.

* On to Jake Griffin…

With President Joe Biden announcing new vaccine requirements for many federal employees without allowing people to test out, Gov. J.B. Pritzker said Thursday he’s not ready to take that same step yet.

“At the moment I don’t have a plan for us to do that, but I do think everyone should get vaccinated,” Pritzker said at an event in Chicago.

* The governor was asked about the Biden move again today with regards to negotiations with AFSCME and other unions…

I’m hopeful, and… good discussions. But you know, there’s some people who are resistant, can’t help that. That’s why you have negotiations, so you can come to some reasonable agreement. But look, the very important thing to me is that we’ve got to keep our most vulnerable, and that includes our young children and includes our elderly, as safe as we can. And so obviously our strategy is about vaccines and masks.

* And here’s another reason to wear a mask and get your shots: Hospitals are admitting a lot of non-COVID patients, too. Don’t add to an already really bad situation…

While COVID-19 for central Illinois children is a concern, health officials are seeing more hospitalizations from a different respiratory virus.

There is a an unseasonably high surge of Respiratory Syncytial Virus, commonly known as RSV, right now in central Illinois and Sangamon county.

Health officials say it’s a topic of conversation for doctors and it’s causing a lot of concern.

The Head of pediatrics at HSHS St. John’s, Dr. Carlson, calls it an unusual resurgence of RSV, because it’s not normally seen in the summer months.

*** UPDATE *** IDPH press release…

Public Health Officials Announce 26,062 New Cases of Coronavirus Disease Over the Past Week

More than 79% of Illinois adults have received at least one vaccine dose and more than 62% are fully vaccinated

SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) today reported 26,062 new confirmed and probable cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Illinois, including 197 additional deaths since reporting last Friday, September 3, 2021. More than 79% of Illinois adults have received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose and more than 62% of Illinois adults are fully vaccinated, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Of Illinois’ total population, more than 66% has received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose and more than 51% of Illinois’ total population is fully vaccinated.

Currently, IDPH is reporting a total of 1,564,386 cases, including 24,261 deaths, in 102 counties in Illinois. The age of cases ranges from younger than one to older than 100 years. Since reporting on Friday, September 3, 2021, laboratories have reported 578,943 specimens for a total of 29,756,833. As of last night, 2,346 individuals in Illinois were reported to be in the hospital with COVID-19. Of those, 549 patients were in the ICU and 311 patients with COVID-19 were on ventilators.

The preliminary seven-day statewide positivity for cases as a percent of total test from September 3-9, 2021 is 4.5%. The preliminary seven-day statewide test positivity from September 3-9, 2021 is 5.1%.

A total of 14,149,453 vaccines have been administered in Illinois as of last midnight. The seven-day rolling average of vaccines administered daily is 20,514 doses. Since reporting on Friday, September 3, 2021, 143,596 doses were reported administered in Illinois.

*All data are provisional and will change. Additional information and COVID-19 data can be found at http://www.dph.illinois.gov/covid19.

Vaccination is the key to ending this pandemic. To find a COVID-19 vaccination location near you, go to www.vaccines.gov.

Instead of always trumpeting the adult vax rate good news, IDPH ought to focus more on the vax rate of kids 12-17. We need a whole lot more urgency and public awareness here.

* More…

* Biden challenges Republican governors who threaten to sue over vaccine mandates: “Have at it,” President Biden said Friday to Republican governors threatening legal challenges to his vaccine mandates.

* For Kids Needing Home Care, a Vaccinated Nurse Is Hard to Find

* CPS says local school councils can continue meeting online, backtracking on in-person requirement

* City should require vaccine proof for patrons of restaurants, bars, theaters, gyms, music venues, aldermen say

* After 26-Year-Old Man Dies From Virus, Girlfriend Advocates For COVID Vaccine

* Study Data on COVID Vaccine for Children Under 12 Could be Released Next Month, Doctors Say

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Climate/energy bill coverage roundup

Friday, Sep 10, 2021 - Posted by Rich Miller

* NPR Illinois…

After a summer of stalemate on major energy and climate legislation that seeks to put Illinois on the path to 100% renewable energy by 2050, the Illinois House on Thursday night finally pushed through a compromise set to get approval from both the Senate and Gov. JB Pritzker.

The Senate, which passed its own version of legislation to the House last week in an attempt to break three months of gridlock, is set to return to Springfield on Monday — the same day nuclear giant Exelon set as a strict deadline for state action to prevent the closure of its power plant in Byron, near Rockford.

* WBEZ…

The long-stalled green-energy measure, which earlier had pitted labor unions against environmentalists, now moves to the state Senate with backing from Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker and, according to sponsors, could mean an increase in residential electricity bills of roughly $4.50 per month for an average residential customer.

If the legislation reaches Pritzker’s desk as anticipated, it arguably would represent the single biggest legislative accomplishment for the first-term governor who in 2018 campaigned on a green-energy platform and is ramping up his 2022 re-election bid. […]

Thursday’s vote represented the first big legislative test for new Democratic House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch, D-Hillside, who assumed power in January after his predecessor, Democrat Michael Madigan, was driven from office by fallout from the Commonwealth Edison lobbying scandal.

“What we have done here today is monumental, and it should be celebrated, not castigated. It’s historic, and it will positively impact people in each and every one of our districts,” Welch said during a fiery floor speech in support of the bill.

“Our climate cannot wait. Climate change is going to cost us more if we don’t act now. Climate change is costing homeowners right now because of the spike in insurance after every flood and every tornado in each of our districts,” Welch said. “I’ve had the ‘100-year flood’ in my district every three years. Insurance is through the roof because the climate is changing.”

It’s a start, yes. But it will take regional, national and global action to make a real dent.

* Capitol News Illinois…

“This is what legislating is supposed to look like,” House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch, D-Hillside, said in closing floor debate. “It’s about good faith negotiating. It’s about advocating for the interests in our districts back home. And it’s about compromise in order to arrive at a product that benefits people in your districts, and ours.”

Environmental groups extolled the decarbonization language, which aims to take coal, gas and other carbon-emitting power plants off the grid between 2030 and 2045, depending on the energy source and ownership structure.

Union groups praised the bill’s language requiring that all major renewable construction projects must have project labor agreements in place to hire union labor, while non-residential projects, with few exceptions, would be required to pay a prevailing wage.

Republicans, meanwhile, warned of losses of downstate jobs, substantial consumer bill increases and potential grid reliability issues as fossil fuel plants are forced offline, although it passed on a bipartisan roll call.

I would remind you that Prairie State went neutral on the final language.

* Sun-Times…

State Rep. Tony McCombie, R-Savanna, said “this is a bad bill.”

“It’s not about clean energy,” McCombie said. “It’s about renewable energy. This is not pro union, this is not pro family. This is not pro clean energy. This is extortion.”

Rep. McCombie then voted for the bill.

* More Sun-Times…

The bill ends the controversial formula rate system and transitions to a “performance-based” system that will be overseen by the Illinois Commerce Commission for utilities that serve more than 500,000 customers.

It also requires the commerce commission to investigate how ratepayer funds were used in line with with actions by ComEd that were detailed in a deferred prosecution agreement involving the utility. That investigation could result in refunds to residential ratepayers.

The bill also requires utilities to establish the position of a chief ethics and compliance officer who must submit annual reports to the ICC.

* Reuters…

The United States has 93 nuclear reactors, more than any other country, but that’s down from 104 in 2012 as aging plants struggle to compete with power generated by solar and wind farms and plants that burn natural gas.

Gina McCarthy, President Joe Biden’s climate adviser, has said maintaining some of the existing nuclear plants is “absolutely essential” to hit U.S. goals to decarbonize the electric grid by 2035 and the administration has supported federal incentives for the nuclear industry.

* A motion to reconsider was filed, but, c’mon, it’s not going to slow down anything. It was meant to preempt opponents from trying to take it hostage…

a motion was filed that could slow down the bill’s journey to the governor’s desk.

* CWLP was also neutral…

But by saving thousands of northern Illinois jobs in nuclear plants, the bill would result in the loss of more than 1,000 jobs by the premature closure of coal-fired plants operated by City Water, Light and Power in Springfield and at the Prairie State Energy Campus in southern Illinois, opponents said.

* Tribune…

The proposal also faces opposition from business groups, including the Illinois Chamber of Commerce and the Illinois Manufacturers’ Association, largely over the potential cost for commercial and industrial power customers.

“Passing this legislation in its (current) form is going to eliminate one of Illinois’ biggest advantages,” Mark Denzler, president and CEO of the Illinois Manufacturers’ Association, said at Thursday’s hearing.

The current low cost of power in Illinois helps attract and retain businesses, Denzler said.

* Crain’s…

But consumer advocacy groups said the bill was still too generous to Exelon, the parent company of ComEd. The bill gives ComEd and Ameren “a new formula ratemaking scheme that is likely more profitable to them - and costly to consumers - than current formula rates,” Illinois PIRG Executive Director Abe Scarr told legislators at the executive committee hearing today. “ComEd’s guaranteed profits will grow to over $1 billion annually when new rates go into effect in 2024,” up from a projected $800 million next year.

Republicans shared a range of concerns: that changes would not adequately replace coal-burning power and only force Illinois to turn to other states for consistent energy needs, that the bill was a giveaway to Exelon, and that more jobs would be lost than gained in the wind and solar industries.

Not picking on Crain’s at all, but it’s always fascinating when reporters ignore the odd and even goofy arguments made by key players during debates.

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Today’s quotable: “What’s keeping us from doing more?”

Friday, Sep 10, 2021 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Rep. Wilhour’s question about the omnibus ethics bill wasn’t really answered during debate except for the obvious reply that it was a motion on a the bill in front of them. But I think it was a pretty good question overall…

The bill originally came about in response to several high-profile scandals in recent years, including the indictment of Rep. Luis Arroyo, D-Chicago, who has since resigned. He also had a lobbying business that lobbied the city of Chicago and he was charged with attempting to bribe a state senator to support legislation that would have benefitted his client.

One of the provisions of SB 539 prohibits elected officials, including lawmakers, from engaging in “compensated lobbying” of other units of government, with the exception of Chicago municipal government. That was a carve-out specifically requested by Chicago city officials who argued that the city’s own lobbying regulations were already stronger than those in the bill.

But Rep. Blaine Wilhour, R-Beecher City, urged rejecting the governor’s amendment and returning to negotiations over a stronger ethics bill.

“There’s a lot of talk from your (Democratic) side of the aisle about how this is just a start and we need to do more and, you know, yada, yada, yada, everything else,” he said to Burke on the House floor. “I don’t think anybody has ever really answered, what’s keeping us from doing more right now? … Do we not know what needs to be done? I mean, what’s keeping us from giving the legislative inspector general the power that the last three say that they need to be to be the proper watchdogs over this body?”

…,Adding… I’ve commented about this twice, but people keep bringing it up so I’m just gonna front-page it. Rep. Wilhour sponsored and/or co-sponsored 9 ethics bills this year. Click here to see them.

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Open thread

Friday, Sep 10, 2021 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Have at it.

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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Supplement to today’s edition

Friday, Sep 10, 2021 - Posted by Rich Miller

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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)

Friday, Sep 10, 2021 - Posted by Rich Miller

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*** LIVE COVERAGE ***

Friday, Sep 10, 2021 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Today’s post is sponsored by Advocates for Reliable Energy. Follow along with ScribbleLive…

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