* Chalkbeat…

Illinois may soon have to create a statewide literacy plan aimed at helping students learn how to read.

Several bills regarding literacy — backed by a coalition of education advocates, teachers, and parents — are currently moving through the state legislature. The bills would require the state board of education to create a literacy plan for school districts, create a rubric for districts to judge reading curriculum, and provide professional development for educators. […]

Members of the Illinois coalition have spoken at the State Board of Education’s monthly meetings and worked with legislators to create and push bills in Springfield this session. With just a month left of the legislative session, two of the six bills the coalition helped write are moving closer to passage.

The first bill, which has similar versions in the Senate and House, would require the State Board of Education to adopt a literacy plan for school districts by Jan. 31, 2024. The second bill, called the Literacy and Justice For All Act, would require the state board to create a rubric for districts to evaluate literacy curriculum and create professional development for educators.

* WAND…

There is an ongoing debate in Springfield about how Illinois should move forward with carbon capture and storage technology. […]

Sierra Club Illinois is also concerned about the future for farmers who don’t want pipelines built through their land. Advocates said House Bill 3119 could protect property rights, land, water, and livelihoods.

“Simply put, this debate is about whether Illinois will grant authority to large corporation to force land owners to have industrial waste transported near their homes and store it under their property and then leave the taxpayers of Illinois holding the bag for any disastrous consequences which may occur in the years to come,” said Christian County farmer Karen Brocklesby.

Meanwhile, Archer-Daniels-Midland has been at the forefront of carbon capture innovation since 2011. ADM operates two CCS projects at the corn processing plant in Decatur through a collaboration with the University of Illinois and the U.S. Department of Energy.

“These projects have successfully demonstrated the safety and effectiveness of CCS technology at a commercial scale and have collectively stored more than 3.8 million metric tons of carbon dioxide in a deep ceiling reservoir,” said David Rice, ADM Director of Innovation and Technology.

* Center Square…

Illinois Senate Republicans discussed six measures focused on reducing fentanyl deaths, protecting victims of domestic abuse, driving under the influence, and childcare center threats. […]

State Sen. Sue Rezin, R-Morris, said Senate Bill 1086 would help victims’ families cope with their family member’s death by attempting to remove the stigma fentanyl victims face. […]

“That is why Senate Bill 1976 seeks to create a new offense of domestic assault, to cover situations where someone engaged in conduct that places any family or household member in reasonable apprehension of great bodily harm, permanent disability, or disfigurement,” Bryant said.

Senate Bill 1405 creates a new sentencing provision for aggravated driving under the influence where a victim is killed or severely injured. State Sen. Steve McClure, R-Springfield, said the measure is named after a woman who a drunk driver killed.

* Scott Holland…

As encouraging as it’s been to read headlines such as a recent Crain’s Chicago Business piece titled “Bears’ stadium-subsidy plans going nowhere in Springfield,” around the corner is something like Thursday’s Capitol Fax post: “New Bears bill drops, would reimburse Chicago $150 million, set up infrastructure fund.”

That proposal, House Bill 4040, already has 13 cosponsors and, according to an analysis posted online “maintains the foundation of the mega project/PILOT (payment in lieu of taxes) concept that was proposed in HB 3565.”

The new idea does seem to improve on the original by erecting more safeguards and oversight, and what appears to be a focus on channeling any public money toward the public aspects of redeveloping 326 acres: highways, railroad infrastructure, environmental impact and long-term property tax implications.

Yet the big picture questions remain: One, absent a stadium intended to further enrich the private owners of an NFL team worth $5 billion, what of these public projects would be necessary? Two, what is the statewide opportunity cost of focusing development efforts on such a narrow geographic area?

* Daily Herald…

Beyond their popularity, e-bikes offer environmentally favorable, low carbon alternatives to motorized vehicles. Like EVs, e-bike purchases are also gaining traction regarding tax credits and rebates.

President Biden’s original “Build Back Better” legislation contained a 30% tax credit for e-bike purchases, now resurrected in the E-BIKE Act legislation (H.R. 1685) introduced by Congressman Jimmy Panetta (D-California) and Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) in March (S. 881). […]

States have also entertained similar legislation, including Illinois with four e-bike bills introduced in March. State Rep. Abdelnasser Rashid’s (D-21) bill (HB3089) offers a tax credit equal to 50% of the cost of qualified e-bikes, up to $1,000. HB3447, introduced by assistant Majority Leader Rep. Kam Buckner (D-26), provides a schedule of rebates based on individual income, with point-of-sale rebates for bike shops in low-income neighborhoods.

State Sen. Ram Villivalam (D-8) introduced SB1700 to award rebates up to $750, while State Sen. Mike Simmons (D-7) filed SB2015 to provide rebates based on eligibility requirements.

* WCMY…

Illinois St. Rep. Jed Davis says pregnancy centers around the state will close because of a bill making its way through the Illinois General Assembly. A pregnancy center isn’t like an abortion clinic. It’s a place for women to get services to help them through their pregnancy. But Democrats who wrote Senate Bill 1909 say the centers are fraudulent, deceptive, and misleading. Davis says the bill would allow the Illinois Attorney General’s Office to fine a pregnancy center for advertising, soliciting, or offering pregnancy-related services. He says it’s grossly wrong for Democrats to criticize them for not offering abortion services when abortion is going to remain legal in the state.

The bill’s supporters say the non-abortion clinics don’t offer comprehensive health services. Davis says it’s not fair, especially when a person goes for services at a doctor’s office that doesn’t offer a CT scan or surgery. He says he doesn’t understand why such a pregnancy center can’t advertise pregnancy services when it’s in the name.

The bill was assigned to the Healthcare Availability and Accessibility Committee and could be heard this week.

* HB1527 hasn’t left the House. Illinois Radio Network…

Another attempt to outlaw vehicle kill switches in Illinois failed to get enough support. […]

House Bill 1527 would do away with the devices. The bill’s sponsor, state Rep. Theresa Mah, D-Chicago, said the switches are an invasion of privacy. [..]

But state Rep. CD Davidsmeyer, R-Jacksonville, said poor Illinoisans are the ones who will suffer if the bill becomes law.

“If we get rid of this as an option, the only other option is a repossession of a vehicle, which will be on this individual’s credit for years and years,” said Davidsmeyer.

* HB1578 is on First Reading in the House and has been re-referred to the Rules Committee. Illinois Radio Network…

The Illinois House Revenue and Finance Committee is evaluating a proposed measure giving $25 million in tax credits for research and development projects.

House Bill 1578 offers a credit on qualifying quantum information science expenditures related to research and development that takes place in Illinois.

Brad Tietz of the Chicago Chamber of Commerce told the committee there are three main points to the measure.

“House Bill 1578 does three things, extends the Illinois research and development tax credit from January 1, 2027, to January 1, 2037. It doubles from 6.5% to 13% the amount of the RND credit specifically for expenditures and investments made in quantum and information science,” Tietz said. “Lastly, modeled off of recent changes to the edge tax credit program, the bill makes the RND credit applicable against a startup company that is withholding taxes.”