* Center Square…

With six days of veto session planned for the Illinois General Assembly this fall, legislators will have their hands full dealing with the state’s energy policies.

Gov. J.B. Pritkzer vetoed a measure that would have lifted the moratorium on new nuclear power facilities that has been in place for decades. He said the proposal changed at the last minute before it cleared the General Assembly last spring.

“There was nothing to line-item, essentially amend without vetoing the entire bill in order to separate the question of whether you’re going to have large scale reactors developed in Illinois or whether you’re talking about [small modular reactors],” Pritzker said. […]

State Rep. Jay Hoffman, the House assistant majority leader, pushed for lifting the moratorium for nuclear and for supporting changes to other bills the governor made.

“I personally believe that we should move forward with assuring that small nuclear moves forward,” Hoffman told The Center Square.

A spokesperson for co-sponsor Rep. Larry Walsh (D-Elwood) sent me this statement last week about the veto, but has not yet responded to follow-up questions about which business and special interest groups had “hijacked this issue and the process for their own personal gain, financial and political”…

I wanted to pass along Rep. Walsh’s statement on the veto of Senate Bill 76.

“I am disappointed in Governor Pritzker’s decision to veto Senate Bill 76. As we maneuver ourselves towards cleaner energy production, nuclear technology must be an option. Senate Bill 76 was an opportunity to allow new, safe, and efficient reactors to be a tool in our energy toolbox. For over two years, hearings on this issue have been held in a bipartisan manner and Senate Bill 76 was the culmination of those efforts. Unfortunately, there are business interests and special interest groups within the renewable energy community that have hijacked this issue and the process for their own personal gain, financial and political.

Despite this setback, we will continue to work to expand clean energy generation in Illinois so that our grid is able to meet the shortfalls that RTOs have forecasted in the coming years. Unfortunately with this veto, that work has become harder.”

If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me at your convenience.

* Humane Society…

Hi Rich,

The Humane Society of the U.S. released it’s 2023 scorecard showcasing how State Representatives and Senators voted on animal welfare legislation. We passed several important bills into law this year and a few passed one chamber but got held up in the other. We’re thrilled to see so many 100’s but still have work to do for those that got F’s. Feel free to share!

https://hslf.org/media/146

F’s included Republican Reps. Martin McLaughlin, Jeff Keicher, Jed Davis, CD Davidsmeyer, Chris Miller, Adam Niemerg, Brad Halbrook, Democratic Sen. Patricia Van Pelt (who was gone all spring) and Republican Sen. Don DeWitte.

* SoS union agreement…

This morning I joined the leadership of @SEIU73 to announce that our office has reached a unanimous tentative agreement on a 4-year contract - the earliest an agreement has been reached in the history of the SOS office!! Proud to call these amazing folks my teammates. #ILSOS pic.twitter.com/ODKHJVtN3Z

— Secretary Alexi Giannoulias (@ILSecOfState) August 18, 2023

* Speaking of labor negotiations, here’s the Tribune…

In his weekly message to members, union President John Catanzara said the union and city engaged in two bargaining sessions last week, both of which, he said, were “extremely productive.”

“The city realizes (that) negotiating in good faith for a change is the best path forward as the arbitration process continues,” Catanzara said.

* RIP…

My husband was a remarkable man. He will be sorely missed by all who knew him and loved him. pic.twitter.com/6BG0uSlnM7

— Robin Kelly (@RepRobinKelly) August 18, 2023

* Isabel’s roundup…

* Sun-Times | Pritzker signs bill combating food deserts across Illinois: There were 3.3 million Illinois residents living in a food desert, according to a 2021 Illinois Department of Public Health report. The new measure will support existing grocers and help encourage new grocers by allowing stores receiving grants to be able to receive tax credits and other incentives.

* CBS Chicago | Illinois attorney general now involved with complaints against monument company: CBS 2 has been following the drama surrounding Gast Monuments for weeks. More than 40 families paid Gast thousands of dollars for memorials, but never got them. The owner of Gast blamed the delays on the Chicago Archdiocese, which controls Catholic Cemeteries.

* Daily Herald | Man charged with threatening candidate for Wheaton Warrenville Unit District 200 school board: A Winfield man has been charged with threatening a public official over her stance on how the Wheaton Warrenville Unit District 200 school board should handle controversial books. Christopher M. Strong, 55, of the 26W0-99 block of Houghton Lane in Winfield, faces two felony counts.

* Crain’s | Chicago Teachers’ Pension Fund says no to Lincoln Yards: The pension fund today said in a statement that it has “declined to take further action” on a proposition from Sterling Bay to become the primary financial backer of the sprawling 53-acre project. Sterling Bay pitched the $12.1 billion fund’s investment committee in May on its vision for the development along the North Branch of the Chicago River between Lincoln Park and Bucktown, hoping to win what could be as much as a $300 million investment to jump-start it.

* Sun-Times | Mayoral allies nearing compromise on plan to raise tax on higher-end home sales, but office building owners still not buying in: The compromise that Chicago voters will be asked to approve in a binding referendum in March is the one that now former Housing Commissioner Marisa Novara floated last month. The changes are expected to reduce the annual revenue by $20 million — from $160 million to $140 million.

* Sun-Times | Chicago cop gets year’s suspension for role in 2020 shooting of unarmed man on Red Line platform: Former Supt. David Brown had recommended Officers Bernard Butler and Melvina Bogard be fired. Bogard resigned from the Chicago Police Department before a disciplinary hearing was held.

* NYT | Blue-Light Glasses Are Unlikely to Help Eye Strain. Here’s What Does.: Researchers have long been skeptical that blue-light glasses can curb eye strain, said Mark Rosenfield, a professor at the State University of New York College of Optometry. Previous studies have also typically been small, but several have found that the lenses did not prevent people’s eyes from tiring or getting irritated, and did not appear to improve vision.

* NYT | How States Are Threading the Needle on Flag Design: So is it worth it to attempt a redesign? Elizabeth Goodspeed, a graphic designer and design critic, thinks so. The flag, she said, is “like a physical, visual manifestation of a state’s values in the same way that a logo in a brand system represents what a company cares about.” From that perspective, she explained, “rebranding is a very powerful tool.”

* Sun-Times | As Friday Morning Swim Club grows, so do safety concerns: Zacharias wasn’t planning on making a TikTok, but when her fiance found himself treading water among a sea of colorful floats, Zacharias had to capture it. “I just want everybody to be safe; I don’t want this to turn into a horror story,” she said of making the July 14 video, which has raked in 1.1 million views and 120,000 likes.

* Block Club | PHOTOS: See The Air Force Thunderbirds Refuel Midair Ahead Of Chicago Air And Water Show: This year’s headliners include the Thunderbirds and U.S. Army Parachute Team Golden Knights. The Thunderbirds are returning to Chicago for the first time since 2018 with solo flying and aerobatic formations in their F-16C Fighting Falcons.