* WQAD…

In February, a bill was introduced to the Illinois General Assembly that would allow Illinois breweries to be able to directly ship their products to their customers.

“The idea behind that bill is that maybe we can hit a person in another state or downstate where we don’t currently have distribution,” said Nick Bowes, general manager at Bent River Brewing Company. “It’s just a way that we can add maybe a little bit more to our sales as breweries and get our product to people who otherwise don’t really have an easy way to access it,” […]

“This can help us increase our sales,” Bowes said. “We want to be able to deliver a quality product while keeping our lights on. A move like this would definitely be a step into the right direction.”
The bill currently stands in the Senate with the liquor subcommittee. Illinois Legislation Session ends this week.

* Insurance Business Mag…

An Illinois bill that would allow for punitive damages in wrongful death cases has raised concerns among industry groups, including the American Property Casualty Insurance Association (APCIA) and the Illinois Insurance Association (IIA).

A joint statement from the two associations warned of the detrimental impact that the bill could have on the state’s public policy and various stakeholders.

Introduced by Representative La Shawn Ford, House Bill 219 seeks to reverse the current prohibition on insurers paying punitive damages.

This would make Illinois an outlier state in terms of the damages allowed in wrongful death cases, according to the APCIA-IIA statement. While some states that permit punitive damages also place caps or limitations on both punitive and non-economic damages, Illinois does not.

* WAND…

Police chiefs at universities across Illinois are asking state lawmakers to pass a plan to help them recruit officers from out of state.

House Republicans filed a bill earlier this spring to allow higher education institutions to hire law enforcement without a residency requirement during the application process. Their proposal could exclude university police applicants from the civil service testing and residency requirements.

“Western Illinois University has applicants from Iowa and possibly Missouri who apply for positions with the campus police and under current statutes they’re not authorized to apply for those jobs as out-of-state residents,” said Rep. Dan Swanson (R-Alpha). “This would give them an opportunity to apply for these positions also.” […]

House Bill 1767 passed unanimously out of the House Higher Education Committee Tuesday morning and now moves to the House floor. The measure gained unanimous support in the Senate last week.

* Cook County Public Defender’s Office…

Today, SB1886: Fair Probation Drug Testing passed the Illinois House! Since there were amendments, the bill now returns to the Senate for concurrence.

Huge thanks to our House sponsor @Lilian4StateRep for her hard work & leadership! #twill pic.twitter.com/OSyl74rFK2

— Cook County Public Defender’s Office (@CookCoDefender) May 16, 2023

* WAND…

Illinois could make a popular merit-based grant pilot program permanent to help more students go to state public universities.

The AIM HIGH grant pilot program was launched in 2019 after state leaders saw several years of declining enrollment at Illinois public colleges.

Lawmakers and advocates felt the state’s higher education institutions were out-recruited by colleges in other states offering merit-based scholarships. Families frequently told lawmakers that their students could receive scholarships and grants for $10,00-$20,000 if they had high ACT or SAT scores. […]

House Bill 301 passed unanimously out of the House Higher Education Committee Tuesday morning. The plan now heads to the House floor for further consideration. Sponsors hope the proposal can pass out of both chambers before session is scheduled to end on Friday.

* Scott Holland…

On Monday, state Reps. Dagmara Avelar, D-Barrington, and Ryan Spain, R-Peoria, published a guest column titled “State tax credit a bipartisan approach to easing Illinois’ affordable housing deficit.” The lawmakers advocated for passage of the Build Illinois Homes Tax Credit. When I first wrote about that proposal in April 2021, the bipartisan backers were state Reps. Delia Ramirez, D-Chicago, who now sits in Congress, and Tom Demmer, R-Dixon, out of the General Assembly after a failed bid to become treasurer.

No matter the advocates, the hearts seem in the right place. The federal Low-Income Housing Tax credit has indeed been a successful means of encouraging private development of lower-cost housing options and House Bill 2044 would add a state credit, following nearly half of other states trying to solve similar problems.

“The Build Illinois Homes State Tax Credit calls for creating an estimated 3,500 homes or apartments each year, generating nearly $1 billion in economic activity and $300 million in state and local taxes paid over the next decade, and more than 17,000 jobs supported during that time,” Avelar and Spain wrote. “Each annual round of tax credits will cost the state $350 million spread over 10 years, but the economic returns generated from the program will more than offset the cost.” […]

The numbers aren’t spin, but they require context and an understanding the housing shortage demands multiple solutions. Avelar and Spain are pushing one direction, which should help, but much heavy lifting remains.