* ABC 7 Chicago…

Last month, [Rep.] Hernandez introduced legislation that would allow DACA recipients to be considered for law enforcement positions statewide. […]

With a vote of 9 to 4 Thursday, the bill moves out of committee to the full House floor. […]

Representative John Cabello is a police officer who voted against the bill for several reasons, chiefly the concern for officers’ safety as a DACA officer could not legally have firearm when not on duty.

[From Rich: The Chicago FOP slipped in favor of this bill, believe it or not. The Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police slipped in opposition. Blue Island’s police recently hired a DACA recipient.]

* Capitol News Illinois…

A proposal at the Illinois Statehouse would legalize and regulate “natural organic reduction,” a process in which human remains are rapidly decomposed into compost. The process is also known as human composting or terramation.

That process turns human remains into dirt over the course of several weeks. Companies that offer this service place a person’s remains in a vessel with wood chips, straw and other organic material and heat it to accelerate the growth of microbes that break down the body. This is distinct from “natural burial,” in which a body is buried with no casket or in a biodegradable container.

The measure, House Bill 3158, passed in the House Energy and Environment Committee on Tuesday on a 16-10 vote. It now goes to the House for consideration, although its sponsor, Rep. Kelly Cassidy, D-Chicago, said an amendment to the bill is likely. […]

“Turning the mortal remains of a human person into compost for the purpose of fertilization, as one would with vegetable trimmings or eggshells, degrades the human person and dishonors the life that was lived by that person,” [Daniel Welter, the recently retired chancellor of the Archdiocese of Chicago] said during the committee hearing.

* WAND…

A bipartisan group of state lawmakers is trying to help more Illinoisans get access to fentanyl testing strips.

The Illinois Department of Public Health reported more than 3,717 drug overdoses involving fentanyl during 2021. IDPH explained that is equivalent to losing 10 Illinoisans each day.

House Republican Leader Tony McCombie (R-Savanna) told the House Public Health Committee Thursday that her bill could allow pharmacists and retail stores to sell fentanyl test strips over the counter. County health departments could also distribute the test strips to the public for free. […]

House Bill 3203 passed unanimously out of the House Public Health Committee. All committee members signed on as co-sponsors with McCombie.

* Mike Miletich…

Rep. Curtis Tarver II (D-Chicago) said Wednesday that the state should separate soda from liquor that looks like soda. His proposal could prohibit retailers from displaying alcopop drinks next to soft drinks, juice, bottled water, or snacks catered to young customers.

Rep. Natalie Manley (D-Joliet) said this could also be helpful for adults who don’t realize what they’re buying or drinking because they think it is carbonated water. […]

The Illinois Retail Merchants Association is working with Tarver to ensure the plan can be properly implemented at stores of all sizes. Members of the House Executive Committee unanimously approved the plan and it now heads to the House floor for second reading.

* Change IL…

In an effort to strengthen Illinois’ ethics laws and take on corruption, Rep. Abdelnasser Rashid and the CHANGE Illinois Action Fund call on Illinoisans to support and lawmakers to advance legislation that would fully empower the Legislative Inspector General who investigates allegations of wrongdoing in the state’s legislative branch.

HB 2892, introduced by Rashid, would build on previous ethics successes by the Illinois General Assembly that allowed the Legislative Inspector General to start investigations without approval by strengthening the tools available to the Office of Legislative Inspector General to fully investigate claims of corruption, harassment and other wrongdoing in the legislative branch, making it as empowered and independent as other inspectors general in government. […]

The office of the Legislative Inspector General should be given the full, independent authority it needs to conduct investigations and to publish all results of founded investigations without roadblocks. The following, specific changes in HB2892 would bring the Legislative Inspector General’s authority more in line with the authorities of other investigative offices, such as the Offices of the Executive Inspectors General.

[Note from Rich: The bill was assigned to the House Ethics & Elections Committee, which isn’t meeting again until after today’s committee passage deadline.]

* Chicago Tribune…

A measure that would make it easier for Chicago’s first responders to acquire full disability benefits if they were sickened by COVID-19 gained traction Thursday when it passed through a state legislative committee.

State Rep. Jay Hoffman, the chief House sponsor of the bill, said under the measure it would automatically be assumed that working conditions for Chicago police officers and firefighters directly led to them contracting COVID-19 that led to a disability. […]

The bill was inspired by the brother of Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza, whose brother, Chicago police Sgt. Joaquin Mendoza, was infected with COVID-19 and fell badly ill, but was denied full disability benefits by the Policemen’s Annuity & Benefit Fund of Chicago.

* CBS Chicago…

For months, we have been exposing how in Illinois, a dangerous criminal record may not stop people from becoming licensed massage therapists. […]

Two bills have been introduced in the Illinois state House of Representatives. The possible changes to state law are now being discussed by lawmakers – following our months of reporting, exposing issues with how massage therapy licenses, and more, are handled in Illinois. […]

One bill, HB3584, would ensure the state’s licensing office has all records of felony convictions, and make sure a crime victim knows they have a right to file a formal complaint with the state against someone licensed by them.

The other, HB3583, would require a worker such as a state licensed massage therapist to undergo the same checks and reviews as other health care workers - like a certified nursing assistant.

Both bills were advanced out of committee.