* Sierra Club Illinois…

Environmental justice organizations and allies will speak at a press conference calling on the Illinois General Assembly to oppose House Bill 2878 and House Joint Resolution 23 (HJR23). At the tail end of a legislative session marked by the failure to act on environmental injustice, advocates are urging lawmakers to reject last-ditch efforts to prop up polluting industries and instead protect communities from diesel emissions, air pollution, and environmental injustice.

In the eleventh hour of the spring legislative session, the legislature introduced HJR23, which would allow the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) to enact a public-private partnership to fund a construction project expanding I-55. Expanding this highway would worsen climate change, increase pollution, and put already overburdened environmental justice communities at risk. Then, the Senate amended HB2878, an omnibus state procurement bill, to include new pathways to highway expansions like the I-55 widening project in HJR23, through a broad expansion of public-private funding for large transportation projects. Both HJR23 and HB2878 hurt environmental justice communities and should be opposed by lawmakers.

WHAT: Press conference calling on the Illinois General Assembly to prioritize environmental justice ahead of key votes during the final week of the spring legislative session.

SPEAKERS:
State Rep. Theresa Mah
Jen Walling, Illinois Environmental Council
José Miguel Acosta-Córdova, Little Village Environmental Justice Organization
Brian Urbaszewski, Respiratory Health Association
Additional speakers to be announced, and legislators will be present.

WHEN: Tuesday, May 23, 2023 at 2:15pm CT

WHERE: Virtual via Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84815172312

* WAND…

An Illinois House Democrat has been trying to phase out the sub-minimum wages for workers with developmental and intellectual disabilities since 2019. State representatives had the opportunity to pass a bill tackling this issue Friday, but the Dignity in Pay Act failed to gain enough support after an intense debate.

Disabled workers have been paid much less than the state’s minimum wage for many years, and some lawmakers stress it is past time to eliminate the sub-minimum wage. […]

The plan failed to pass on a 59-32 vote with 11 representatives voting present.

Mah asked for the bill to be put on postponed consideration. That means the House could vote on her plan when lawmakers return this week.

* Effingham Radio…

If your dentist closes permanently, how do you find out? What do you need to do to get your records so you can start with a new dentist? Thanks to legislation sponsored by State Senator Steve McClure (R-Springfield) dental patients will have advanced warning of closures as well as information on obtaining copies of their records. […]

House Bill 2077 requires that dental facilities are required to inform patients of a planned closure at least 30 days in advance. As part of that requirement, the facilities must inform their patients about how they obtain copies of their dental records.

The legislation also contains several updates to dental rules and cleans up errors in existing law.

House Bill 2077 passed the Illinois Senate on May 19th and awaits a concurrence vote in the House.

* Patch…

After months of contention between two Tinley Park public entities, the much-coveted Tinley Park Mental Health Center campus and Howe Developmental Center could soon be in the hands of the Tinley Park-Park District—at a price of just $1—following the advancement of a piece of legislation Friday. […]

Tinley Park-Park District’s officials are invigorated by the legislation.

“We are excited to hear about legislation supporting the Park District’s vision for the vacant land and hope for the General Assembly’s support of our plan to finally move forward with the vacant property, clean it up, and redevelop the site,” the board of commissioners said in a prepared statement. “After years of inaction, we are thrilled with the prospect of turning the site into a recreational and athletic hub for the entire southland region to enjoy.”

Tinley Park Mayor Michael Glotz and Village Manager Pat Carr called the move “disappointing” in light of the Village’s more than decade-long quest to acquire the property. […]

The amended legislation will need to go back before the House, ultimately also requiring Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s signature.

* Center Square…

State Rep. Maurice West, D-Rockford, filed Senate Bill 90. The measure, as amended by the House, requires Illinois school districts, excluding private religious schools, to create and maintain at least one written policy prohibiting discrimination and harassment against students based on race, color or national origin. […]

State Rep. Blaine Wilhour, R-Beecher City, said if you read between the lines, there is another motive involved.

“In the analysis it says that this is for teachers to grow in their skills for culturally responsive instruction, so if you’re against some of the culturally responsive teacher standards, you may want to take a look at this,” Wilhour said.

The House passed an amendment to the bill by an 87 to 18 vote, and it now heads back to the Senate for concurrence. Legislators return Wednesday.