* Fundraising has definitely slowed to a crawl. This always happens, but I’m still going to remind you at least once every weekday. So, click here if you haven’t yet contributed to our effort to buy Christmas presents for foster kids or if you think you can give just a little bit more. We’ve now gathered enough money to buy presents for 2,053 foster children. But Lutheran Social Services of Illinois serves 2,530 kids. Thanks!
* Tomorrow is the one-year anniversary of Sen. Scott Bennett’s unexpected death. Treasurer Michael Frerichs was a longtime friend and he posted his thoughts about the anniversary on Facebook. Excerpt…
It’s been a year, and I still can’t believe Scott is gone. He was one of my closest friends, and he’s so greatly missed.
Scott was such a good husband to Stacy and father to their young twins, Sam and Emma. I recently became a father of twins myself, and I wish that Scott could have met Theo and Max. I admire Stacy’s strength during the past year and know the cherished memories she and Scott made as a family have helped sustain her. […]
In the State Treasurer’s Office, we honor part of Scott’s legacy by promoting and continuing to grow the IL ABLE program that he sponsored to allow people with disabilities and their family to save money without losing federal benefits. That program now bears his name, as does a portion of Interstate 74 that he frequently traveled in East Central Illinois.
In the year I’ve had to mourn Scott’s unexpected passing, I’ve only become more thankful that I’m able to call Scott my friend.
Denny Laine had a career that most musicians would envy. He was a co-founder of two of the most prominent bands in rock and roll history—Wings and The Moody Blues—earning him a spot in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as part of The Moody Blues. Though the lineup changed several times, McCartney and Laine remained steadfast throughout Wings’ decade-long history.
While McCartney’s wife Linda was his main songwriting collaborator in Wings, Laine also frequently wrote with McCartney, the two producing some of Wings’ most famous songs. Laine passed away in December 2023 at the age of 79, leaving behind a legacy of timeless music. […]
Arguably the most famous song McCartney and Laine wrote together for Wings is “Mull of Kintyre.” … Though not technically a Christmas song, it was deemed the No. 1 Christmas song in the U.K. in 1977 when it reached the top of the Singles chart the week of Christmas Day.
It’s December, and that means we end each week with a holiday song. This one is close enough…
Far have I traveled and much have I seen
Dark distant mountains with valleys of green
Past painted deserts, the sunset’s on fire
As he carries me home to the Mull of Kintyre
* The governor signed 17 bills into law today. Click here for the list. Let’s take a look at some press releases. Sen. Glowiak Hilton…
Professionals seeking licensure through the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation will soon see improvements to the process thanks to a newly signed law championed by State Senator Suzy Glowiak Hilton.
“We have plenty of folks in Illinois who are ready to work but are left waiting due to the burdensome licensure process,” said Glowiak Hilton (D-Western Springs). “We have taken a positive step to modernize, streamline and expedite the licensure process.”
IDFPR administers licenses for over 100 different professions including nurses, barbers, roofers, social workers, dentists and others. In Illinois, over one million people need a professional license or registration to work.
House Bill 2394 addresses the backlog of licenses and registrations by creating an expedited and competitive bid procurement process for software to modernize the way IDFPR processes licensing.
The measure also requires the department to extend the expiration date or renewal period for any profession licensed by them if the agency secretary finds that there is a significant operational need to do so or it is necessary to avoid undue hardship on a profession’s licensees.
“This new law will move us one step closer to streamlining the state’s licensure process to help connect residents with good jobs and alleviate workforce shortages across our communities,” said Glowiak Hilton. “Providing IDFPR with this support will move us further down the path toward an effective and efficient licensure process for all Illinoisans.”
House Bill 2394 was signed by the governor Friday and takes immediate effect.
* Sen. Rezin…
The state of Illinois has officially taken the next step necessary to pave the way for the development of new nuclear reactors, as the Governor signed Illinois Senate Deputy Minority Leader Sue Rezin’s (R-Morris) legislation, House Bill 2473, to lift the nuclear moratorium on small modular reactors (SMRs) this afternoon.
“Illinois has a long, successful, and safe history of nuclear energy generation,” said Sen. Rezin. “The signing of House bill 2473 will ensure that our state can remain a leader in the energy sector by offering us the ability to utilize the amazing advancements in new nuclear energy technology.”
House Bill 2473 lifts the ban on next generation nuclear reactors less than 300 MW beginning January 1, 2026. Additionally, the Illinois Emergency Management Agency Office of Homeland Security will be directed to establish rules for reactor decommissioning, environmental monitoring, and emergency preparedness by January 1, 2026. The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency will also provide consultation.
“Today’s bill signing moves us one step closer towards our goal of energy independence by allowing clean, reliable energy production in Illinois,” said State Representative Lance Yednock (D-Ottawa). “By leading on this issue, Illinois is signaling to the rest of the country that we are open for business and ready for much needed economic development.”
Furthermore, House Bill 2473 authorizes the Governor to commission a new study to research the State’s role in guiding the development of new nuclear technology and makes conforming statutory changes, including updating references to IEMA-OHS in preexisting Illinois law.
“Lifting our state’s archaic moratorium on new nuclear energy construction will allow for companies that have been developing new advanced nuclear energy technology the opportunity to invest in Illinois,” continued Sen. Rezin.
House Bill 2473 passed out of the General Assembly during its November veto session along a large bipartisan roll call in both the Senate and the House of Representatives.
* Sen. Belt…
A new law spearheaded by State Senator Christopher Belt was signed into law Friday that will allow the City of Venice to acquire property to develop new essential health care and recreation facilities for residents.
“The transfer of this property shows the collaborative efforts between both state and local authorities working together to address the needs of our community,” said Belt (D-Swansea). “Not only does this jumpstart community revitalization in the area, but Venice and surrounding communities have long deserved new facilities that will be useful for the everyday life of residents.”
The new law authorizes the state to deliver a property, previously owned by the Illinois Department of Transportation, to the city of Venice. The acquired property will be used for community revitalization in the area, which aims to establish essential facilities, such as a comprehensive health care center, a community recreation facility and a new mortuary with a chapel.
“By providing this property to Venice, we are unlocking opportunities for growth, development and improved quality of life for our residents,” said Belt. “I will always be committed to investing in communities all over the Metro East.”
Senate Bill 385 was signed Friday and takes effect immediately.
* Sen. Castro…
Cook County taxpayers can rely on a standard, 30-business-day period to file property assessment appeals in the coming tax years, thanks to a new law led by State Senator Cristina Castro.
“A uniform filing period ensures clarity and reliability for homeowners in different townships when it comes to the appeals deadline,” said Castro (D-Elgin). “With suburban taxpayers seeing across-the-board increases to the value of their property, it’s an important moment to make sure they have the ability to file, argue and support their appeal to the assessor.”
The Cook County Assessor’s filing deadlines for taxpayer complaints can change from year to year and from one township to another. While the assessor’s office established a deadline of 30 calendar days for filing complaints this year, the available business days for filing varied from 19 to 22 days, depending on the township. Castro’s measure establishes a uniform filing period to ensure all Cook County homeowners have adequate time to address their complaints to the assessor.
The new law requires the Cook County Assessor to accept assessment appeals from taxpayers for at least 30 business days after an increased property assessment is mailed to the homeowner or published on the assessor’s website — whichever is later.
“Appealing the assessed value of your home shouldn’t be a complex and grueling process that people have to scramble to complete quickly,” Castro said. “Local governments need to have clear, simple and reasonable rules and filing periods so everyone in the community has the ability to voice their concerns.”
Senate Bill 1988 was signed into law Friday.
…Adding… Illinois State Medical Society…
The doctors of Illinois thank Gov. Pritzker for signing HB 2394 to address the professional licensing processing delays at the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR). This measure, backed by the Illinois State Medical Society (ISMS), allows IDFPR to update its antiquated systems, which we hope will result in avoiding the snafus doctors and other healthcare professionals experienced when applying for or renewing a professional license. We look forward to an improved, expedited and more transparent process for physicians seeking new Illinois medical licenses and those renewing in the years to come.
In addition to the Governor, ISMS thanks IDFPR Secretary Treto and the bill sponsors, Representatives Morgan, Hauter, Mah and Senators Glowiak and McClure for championing this cause on behalf of the citizens of Illinois. Because it is the citizens – our patients – who are most affected by these delays when it impacts whether they have access to the healthcare professionals they need and deserve.
* Sen. Villivalam…
A new law led by State Senator Ram Villivalam will introduce more water safety instructions into school curriculum for youth in preschool through sixth-grade following a recent tragedy that occurred in the 8th District.
“With water safety instruction, more of our youth and families will be equipped with the tools to protect themselves and others,” said Villivalam (D-Chicago). “This legislation is an important step toward saving lives and ensuring better water safety education across the state.”
Drowning is the second leading cause of unintentional injury death for children age 5-14 after car accidents, and at age 15, drowning rates triple. For every fatal child drowning, another eight children receive emergency care for non-fatal drowning injuries.
“Today marks a turning point in our children’s safety,” said State Representative Eva-Dina Delgado (D-Chicago). “We promised to provide comprehensive water safety education, and we delivered. I’m thankful to Governor Pritzker for joining us in this effort by signing this legislation into law earlier today.”
Villivalam’s measure seeks to prevent as many of these deaths as possible by beginning water safety instruction in preschool.
“Drowning is the number one reason a child will die before kindergarten and the number two killer for all of childhood,” said Halle Quezada, a teacher and mother who lives in the district Villivalam represents. “When my four-year-old had fire safety in school, she was eager to make sure our whole family knew how to survive a fire. With this bill, we hope Illinois families will have water safety plans too and we can finally reverse these terrifying statistics.”
House Bill 2104 requires school boards supported wholly or partially by the state to provide water safety instruction that incorporates evidence-based water safety materials and resources from preschool through sixth-grade.
“Water safety education in schools is the fastest approach to reach the largest audience and make a significant impact in the shortest amount of time,” said Dave Benjamin of the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project. “We teach kids how to navigate those threats in school and we are proud of Illinois for following the research and taking a step to change the horrifying statistics around drowning.”
* Sen. Ventura…
Illinois is now leading the way toward a cleaner, greener future thanks to a new law championed by State Senator Rachel Ventura that will require state-owned vehicles to be zero emission.
“To tackle the ongoing climate crisis, Illinois needs to be a frontrunner in clean energy investments,” said Ventura (D-Joliet). “One such way to help is by investing in zero emission vehicles to deliver big gains for both our environment and our economy.”
Senate Bill 1769 will require passenger vehicles purchased or leased by the state to either be a manufactured zero-emission vehicle or converted into a zero-emission vehicle by 2030. Exceptions will be made for law enforcement and IDOT vehicles.
Highway vehicles release about 1.4 billion tons of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere each year — mostly in the form of carbon dioxide — which contribute to the global climate crisis. The continuous adoption of zero-emission vehicles has the ability to move the nation close to an 80% decrease in transportation greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
Ventura’s measure will play a major part in reducing emissions at the state level – ensuring Illinois keeps its promise to build a healthier, more equitable and energy efficient state following the passage of the historic Climate and Equitable Jobs Act in 2021.
“I’m proud to see the state implementing tangible solutions to meet clean air standards as transportation is the leading source of air pollution,” said Ventura. “I will continue to work with my colleagues to ensure our state is taking bold and substantial steps toward 100% clean energy reliance.”
* Capitol News Illinois | Chicago utility pushes back against state oversight, asks for further rate increase: In November, the Illinois Commerce Commission forced a yearlong pause on the company’s controversial pipeline replacement program while it investigates whether the program adequately prioritizes replacing high-risk natural gas pipes throughout Chicago, where the utility serves about 875,000 customers. The company alleged in a filing with the ICC last week that a “misunderstanding” in last month’s ruling will prevent the company from conducting emergency repairs and other “critical” work.
* Sun-Times | Chicago police Sgt. John Poulos, whose fatal shootings of 2 men led to about $2 million in City Hall payouts, now running for judge: Sgt. John Poulos — whose career as a Chicago cop has been marked by two controversial fatal shootings and a push by the police superintendent to fire him in a misconduct case — is now running for judge in Cook County with the help of a Democratic Party insider and $500,000 in loans from his wife. … Poulos’ campaign committee is chaired by Tim Egan, the chief executive officer of Roseland Community Hospital, who ran two unsuccessful campaigns for the Chicago City Council from the 43rd Ward and now is the 2nd Ward Democratic committeeperson.
* Shaw Local | McHenry County sheriff addresses deaths of 4 jail inmates this year: In acknowledging the inmate deaths, the statement said the office “has been fully transparent in providing information in conjunction with McHenry County Sheriff’s Office General Orders, policy and procedures, state laws and the consideration of affected families.” […] Despite its assertions of transparency, the office, led by Sheriff Robb Tadelman, did not proactively release any information about Sabo’s death or his identity at the time it occurred and confirmed it months later only after multiple inquiries by the Northwest Herald. It also remains unclear which agency is heading up that investigation. The McHenry County Major Investigation Assistance Team, or MIAT, is the agency the sheriff’s office cited in its Thursday release as handling the probes into the recent inmate deaths.
The Illinois Department of Human Services’ (IDHS) State-Operated Developmental Centers (SODCs) are amplifying COVID-19 testing and infection-prevention policies as a response to increased cases among residents and staff.
SODCs provide residential programs to people with intellectual/developmental disabilities who have severe medical and/or behavioral needs. IDHS operates seven developmental centers in the state.
Across the state, COVID-19 laboratory confirmed cases and COVID-19 related hospitalizations have increased by nearly 50% since early November, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
As of December 6, there were 58 residents, out of approximately 1,650 total, and 35 staff, out of approximately 3,500 total, who have tested positive for COVID-19 since November 20, with nearly all presenting mild symptoms.
SODC staff have provided positive residents and patients with treatment, including antiviral medication as appropriate. Only one resident is hospitalized, and they are in stable condition.
According to the release, 30 residents and 10 staff were infected at Waukegan’s Kiley Developmental Center. Another 15 residents and 10 staff were infected at Park Forest’s Ludeman Developmental Center. And 12 residents and 12 staff were infect at Kankakee’s Shapiro Developmental Center. More at the link.
* Meanwhile…
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) announced that with the holidays approaching, data indicate that the impact of respiratory viruses is being felt across the state with 44 counties now at an elevated level for COVID-19 hospitalizations, according to the CDC’s national COVID Data Tracker, as of the week ending November 25. COVID-19 hospitalization data indicate that 39 counties are at medium level and five are at high level, while statewide, there were 1,039 new hospitalizations reported, an increase of 20% over the previous week.
Data also show that broad acute respiratory hospitalizations are increasing across Illinois including COVID-19, flu and RSV. IDPH officials are especially concerned about pediatric ICU (PICU) capacity which is limited in many areas of the state. [Emphasis added.]
What’s going on in the Windy City?
City Council shared its new seating policy for public meetings which include neededing an ID and a reservation to sit in the main chamber. WBEZ reporter Mariah Woelfel has the story.
The city is adding impoundment to the list of penalties on bus companies bringing in asylum seekers. Crain’s reports that this applies to bus operators that don’t obey rules on where and when to drop off migrants they’re bringing to Chicago.
* Press release | Illinois Collaboration on Youth Partners with Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s All Children-All Families Initiative: With 1 in every 3 youth in foster and adoption care identifying as LGBTQ+, it has never been more dire for all foster care and adoption agencies to tend to the specific needs of LGBTQ+ youth. Apart from working closely with ICOY, our ACAF program works with over 135 agencies across the country to help them better implement LGBTQ+ inclusive practices and policies. Collectively, these agencies serve more than 1 million clients annually in 36 states and employ more than 26,000 employees.
* WGEM | Quincy housing problems described as ‘not good’: The Great Plains Action Society’s itinerary concluded Thursday by attending Quincy’s Human Rights Commission meeting. That’s where they heard about the status of affordable housing in Quincy. Commissioners received updates from both the YWCA and Safe and Livable Housing committee. Representatives from both organizations described the status of affordable, livable and available housing as “not good.”
* Sun-Times | Why youth homelessness is a big problem in Cook County: Young Black men are disproportionately affected by housing instability, and youth in foster care or who have experienced the death of a parent or caregiver are also at high risk, a recent Chapin Hall study found.
* Chalkbeat | New data shows hundreds of Chicago Public Schools bus routes with fewer than 10 students: However, the data does not include students who have 504 plans — another type of legal document for students with disabilities — or homeless students, who are also entitled to transportation. District officials said the routes may include those students. One week before the data was captured, the district said it had routed a total of 8,105 students. […] Chalkbeat’s analysis of the route data for 7,350 students with IEPs found: There are an average 6.9 students with IEPs per route. 785 of the more than 1,000 routes have. 10 or fewer children with IEPs. 59 routes — or 5.4% — transport one child with an IEP.
* WAND | 240 volunteers needed urgently for Sangamon County Toys for Tots program: Over 200 volunteers are urgently needed for Sangamon County Toys for Tots program. The Toys for Tots warehouse at White Oaks Mall is set up as a store for one day (Dec 15). There are ten tables, five for boys and five for girls, ages 0-2, 3-5, 6-7, 8-10, 11-18. Families who apply and are approved show up at an assigned time slot and get to pick out what toys they want for their children.
* Crain’s | Wrigleyville’s oldest dive bar to Malört: Quit stealing our mixology ideas: Nisei’s Malört infusions date back to 2016 when a few employees stumbled upon an old box of candy canes behind the bar and decided it best not to let them go to waste. As any bartender would do, they dropped the peppermints into their favorite bottles of liquor — and so candy cane Malört was born. “It became a bar sensation for us,” Capone said.
* Tribune | University of Chicago buys Hyde Park mansion once owned by late Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia for $3.4M: Built around 1900, the 5,112-square-foot brick house, at 5725 S. Woodlawn Ave., was designed by the Rapp & Rapp architectural firm, which was widely known for designing movie palaces. The mansion was built for Cora Howland, who was the daughter of onetime Chicago Mayor John A. Roche, and her husband, lawyer and professor George C. Howland, who was part of U. of C.’s original teaching staff and who also wrote editorials for a time for the Tribune, according to Susan O’Connor Davis’ book “Chicago’s Historic Hyde Park.”
* NYT | Amazon Is Cracking Down on Union Organizing, Workers Say: In disciplining the employees, Amazon has raised questions about the extent to which they are free to approach co-workers to persuade them to join a union, a federally protected right. The general counsel of the National Labor Relations Board has said Amazon is breaking the law through a policy governing the access that off-duty workers have to its facilities, which Amazon invoked in the recent firing. The board is seeking to overturn the policy at an upcoming trial.
* NYT | How Much Can Forests Fight Climate Change? A Sensor in Space Has Answers: Now, high in orbit, a new way of seeing forests is making it clear that, even when under assault, protected areas can still be a crucial buffer against climate change. Scientists are using laser technology to gauge the biomass of forests all around the world, which lets them calculate how much planet-warming carbon the trees are keeping out of Earth’s atmosphere.
* AP | FDA approves 2 gene editing therapies that may cure sickle cell disease: In the U.S., an estimated 100,000 people have the disease and about a fifth of them have the severe form. Sickle cell is most common among Black people and 1 in 365 Black babies are born with the disease nationally. Scientists believe being a carrier of the sickle cell trait helps protect against severe malaria, so the disease occurs more often in mosquito-prone regions such as Africa or in people whose ancestors lived in those places.
* Paxton Media Group released this after acquiring the Southern Illinoisian in September…
PMG Group Publisher Bill Evans will add The Southern to his stable of media properties located in southern Illinois and western Kentucky. No stranger to southern Illinois, Evans has led the PMG-owned NBC television affiliate for the region, WPSD-TV in Paducah, KY, for the last 23 years. He is also publisher of Paxton’s flagship newspaper The Paducah Sun, and weekly newspapers in Mayfield, KY; Benton, KY; Eddyville, KY; Princeton, KY; and Metropolis, IL.
“The SI naturally fits our footprint for community-based journalism. The team of journalists I have the opportunity to lead from our Paducah and southern Illinois newsrooms has covered many of the important stories impacting our hometowns in southern Illinois. I look forward to expanding our coverage. We have the resources to allocate to covering southern Illinois,” said Evans.
* Today is the last day for all reporters and photographers at the paper after Paxton announced they would let all union-represented journalists go. From the News Guild in November …
The Unions of Lee Enterprises is denouncing plans by Lee Enterprises to sell The Southern Illinoisan newspaper to Paxton Media Group under terms that will result in the elimination of all the local journalists who currently work for it.
Despite pronouncements by Paxton Media on Oct. 27 that it will foster “community-based journalism” and “expand” coverage through the purchase of The Southern Illinoisan, the entire union-represented newsroom has been told they should clear out their desks by Nov. 24.
This ill-advised sale transaction ignores not only the needs of the Carbondale community and the paper’s current employees, but the rights of investors who are being denied the opportunity to benefit from a better offer, from a local benefactor who would actually save jobs.
Paxton Media representatives have been telling major Southern Illinoisan advertisers and community leaders they are “saving” the local paper by acquiring it. These statements are both deceitful and disgusting.
* This week, reporters looked back at their time at the paper and give hints at what’s next for them. From the Southern Illinoisan Editor-in-Chief Jackson Brandhorst…
And that’s just it. The end of an era.
Gratitude. That’s all I can express.
To the incredible staff here who, despite consistently facing tumultuous times, persevered through every sticky situation, every vapid comment and every schedule changing setback, thank you. […]
Despite the overwhelming amount of grief I feel toward leaving this area, these people and the status of the happenings in the place that I grew up, it’s impossible for someone with as much confidence as I have in myself not to be optimistic about my future.
I am not entirely sure about what is next for The Southern, I wish it the best for the sake of the community. But I am sure about its past and that I won’t be a part of its future.
When I first moved to Carbondale almost nine years ago I didn’t know how long I would stay. I had lived in Colorado for nearly 30 years after moving there from Iowa, where I had grown up and gone to school. I even kept my Colorado phone number in case things here didn’t work out and I decided to move back. When people would ask me where I had lived before moving to Carbondale and I would tell them Colorado, the response was always the same, “why in the world did you move here?”
But here we are, just short of nine years of working as a photographer at The Southern Illinoisan. In that time I have come to call Carbondale and Southern Illinois home. Now, due to unexpected, yet not totally unforeseen, circumstances, my time, at least at The Southern is ending.
Not only is my time, as well as that of my colleagues, here at The Southern coming to an end, but I have come to realize that this will likely be the end of my career as a photojournalist. The nature of the journalism world has changed dramatically over the 40 years since I decided to make a career out of it — how that came about is a story for another day, so maybe this is a good time to move on anyhow. […]
And finally to our readers. It has been an honor being able to share my images of Southern Illinois news, sports and life with you. Some of you have been kind enough to reach out over the years and let me know how much you have appreciated my work — that means a lot, more than you probably realize.
Unfortunately for me, and my fellow coworkers at The Southern, this is the end of the line as far as our work here is concerned. I plan on staying in the area, at least for the time being. We’ll see what this next chapter has in store for me.
Click here to see Hetzler’s favorite photos from his time at the Southern.
* I spent about three years sitting on the sidelines of SIUC games with Southern photogs while I was at the Daily Egyptian. It’s a bleak thought that their coverage will no longer continue…
* Press release from the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University…
From late 2021 to summer 2023, we conducted nearly 200 interviews with political leaders and practitioners like you in five states (Georgia, Illinois, Nevada, Oklahoma, and Pennsylvania). Those interviews are the heart of our new report, Rethinking Women’s Political Power, which is now available as a microsite at rethinkingpower.rutgers.edu.
This report examines specific political ecosystems in our selected states to illustrate that increasing women’s political power is a multi-site, multiracial, and bipartisan endeavor. It provides a deeper, more thorough understanding of the factors that shape women’s access to political power both within and across states, and specifically interrogates differences in experiences, as well as obstacles and opportunities for women’s expanded political power, by race/ethnicity, party, and position. It is also the first of multiple publications reliant on this interview data. Next up are more state-specific analyses that we plan to share in briefing and book format.
* Chapter two really goes into Illinois, especially the rise of Democratic women representation…
The number of Democratic women serving in Illinois’ state legislature increased by 58% from 2010 to 2021, the year that long-time Speaker Michael Madigan (D) resigned from leadership of both the state House and the Illinois Democratic Party. Women were key to growing the Democratic majority in the legislature, representing over half of all newly-elected or appointed Democratic legislators in this period and increasing their proportion of the Democratic caucus from 36% in 2010 to more than 50% by 2021. In the same period, the number of Republican women state legislators in Illinois dropped. And this decline was not simply a function of Republican losses; women dropped from 23% to 19% of their party’s state legislators and were just 23% of Republican legislators elected for the first time from 2010 to 2020. As of November 2023, women are 41.8% of Illinois state legislators, including 53% of Democratic and 19% of Republican legislators. […]
Without a value-based motive for increasing women’s political representation, Madigan’s political program benefitted only some women, particularly those deemed by Madigan and his team as most electable in swing districts. For the most part, that translated into recruitment of white, moderate women in suburban districts, leaving other women – racially/ethnically diverse and more progressive – to fend for themselves. Commissioner Josina Morita (D) made this distinction, saying that Democratic leaders were looking for “a party player [who] would toe the party line and they tended to be white women who were socially progressive and fiscally moderate, and just kind of ran on the party line,” adding, “They weren’t real progressive types.” State Representative Kelly Cassidy (D) clarified that while Madigan hoped to recruit women he could control, “[He] accidentally brought some good strong women onboard, but definitely accidentally.”
Democratic political consultant Alex Sims included Madigan’s approach as part of a broader Democratic strategy at the time. She said, “It was very frustrating in 2015. It was the Wendy Davis time. It was the time when a lot of Democrats thought white women in the suburbs were what’s going to win the Democratic Party everything. …And so the Democratic Party would invest a lot of money in those efforts.” She added, “But that’s not to say that the white female vote in the suburbs isn’t an important vote…[but] it’s also a little bit about investment and who’s been with you for so long.” Black women were and continue to be the most reliable Democratic voters but were not primary beneficiaries of Madigan’s efforts. As U.S. Representative Robin Kelly (D) pointed out, “It was about [Madigan] at the end. …Because I’ll give you an example. I was the Democratic nominee for [state] treasurer, right? The Democratic Party of Illinois didn’t help me one bit. I’m Black and I’m a woman [and they] did not help me one bit and I lost because of lack of money, so, yeah.”
* Republican women lawmakers voiced how their party is falling behind…
I find that in the Republican Party they are trying harder to get a mix because…we lost a lot of Republican women. They were turned off by our party so the idea is now to make a push for getting more women to run for office because of that and because we need to get to those people that are undecided or turned off by the party. So I feel that there’s a big push here now. But we are certainly more open and willing to bring in more women now because we need to bring back these women that were so turned off [by] our party.”
- Evelyn Sanguinetti (R-IL) Former Lieutenant Governor
I know the House Republicans, [we] were always involved in looking for candidates and we love to have women. The problem is…a lot of times [women] don’t want to do it or they don’t pass the litmus tests that are now being imposed.”
- Christine Radogno (R-IL) Former State Senate Minority Leader
* Here are some comments from women members of the Democratic Party…
I’m seeing over time though…we’ve had representatives of our party attend our meetings [of Lake County Democratic Women] which is great but again it felt like they really didn’t want us to exist. They felt there was some kind of competition there instead of seeing that this is a benefit to them. …When I talk to party leadership [about our organization’s work] they will say, ‘But we already do this, right, within the party.’ Not with intentionality. ….The competition really lifts everybody because you have to do better if they are doing better. So we’ve actually seen…our local party working much harder than they did [to support women].”
- Melinda Bush (D-IL) Former State Senator and Founder of Lake County Democratic Women
The toxicity of our politics [gives me pause for concern]. It’s definitely a disincentive for…everyone, but I think it’s particularly a disincentive for women because the vitriol that we get is much worse. I lost count of how many people over the last two years during the pandemic got their first death threat and called me first, [telling me] ‘You were the first person I thought of to ask what I should do about this,’ because I’ve been getting them forever as a lesbian, as a woman, as a big target – they’ve been coming for me for a long time. So that was a really interesting moment. The first time somebody called me…[I thought] ‘Oh God, I didn’t realize that’s who I was, you know.’”
- Kelly Cassidy (D-IL) State Representative
I would say there’s a support infrastructure to some degree [for women in Illinois politics]. And it’s in silos. …There is some support system [for women in politics in Illinois] but it’s not centralized. There’s no real centralized support system. That’s my view.”
- Heather Wier Vaught (D-IL) Democratic Lobbyist and Consultant and Former Chief Counsel to Speaker Michael Madigan
Chicago-area public transit faces a crisis when federal COVID-19 dollars run out in two years, forcing transit agencies struggling with reduced ridership to make major service cuts.
With this fiscal cliff looming, regional leaders tasked with saving public transit sent a set of policy recommendations to state lawmakers Thursday.
Lawmakers now face politically tough choices to raise $1.5 billion in new funding and implement sweeping organizational reforms recommended by the report, called the Plan of Action for Regional Transit.
They must consider new taxes, consolidating the four regional transit agencies under one board and changing fee structures, according to the 130-page report prepared by the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning at the behest of the General Assembly.
PART recommends transit funding solutions that put these priorities into action for 2026 and beyond. The revenue options explored include savings and system-generated revenues, as well as a set of baseline revenues that include:
• Full state funding for paratransit.
• Full state funding for existing reduced fare mandates.
• A modernized state sales tax base that includes services, delivering needed revenues for the transit system, state, counties, and local communities.
The regional transportation system would also benefit from additional revenues, including flexing federal funds for transit and new road revenues (e.g., tolling, parking taxes, and vehicle registration surcharges). […]
The package further relies on durable sources that should be implemented to make the system’s funding more fiscally sustainable, progressive, and climate-friendly: expanding the sales tax base to include a broad range of services, increasing commercial parking taxes in downtown Chicago, and imposing a regional surcharge on vehicle registrations. If the region and state are unable to reach consensus on these revenues, other durable revenues outlined below could replace them, such as a higher parking tax, a higher vehicle registration surcharge, or a payroll tax.
To meet immediate funding needs, some diminishing sources will be needed to achieve transformational investment. Raising the RTA sales tax rate in combination with a sales tax base expansion would provide funds that are critically needed to avoid the transit system’s financial collapse. However, as more appropriate sources are identified and implemented, this temporary RTA sales tax increase can sunset. Similarly, increasing tolls for passenger cars on existing toll highways and dedicating that increment to transit provides the funds needed in the near-term, while other solutions that provide greater ties with road usage, congestion management, and climate outcomes — such as road usage charges and congestion pricing — should be explored over time.
The report came from the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning, which was tasked by the legislature with drafting recommendations as the region’s public transit agencies face a combined $730 million budget hole once federal COVID-19 relief funding starts running out in 2025. Transit agencies have warned that failure to plug the hole could lead to catastrophic service cuts and fare increases. […]
The recommendations also address service, including improvements to the bus system, adding “transit ambassadors” to boost safety and the perception of safety, and moving to one fare system across all types of public transit, instead of maintaining largely separate fares for the CTA, Metra and Pace. […]
The recommendations could include simply strengthening the RTA and keeping the separate agencies, or folding the three transit agencies into one entity, an idea that has been floated before but never gained traction. Whether the concept would gain enough traction this time around remains to be seen.
The state and other stakeholders will resolve a looming $730 million annual shortfall facing Metra, Pace and the CTA in 2026, Gov. J.B. Pritzker said Monday.
The funding gap emerged after COVID-19 decimated ridership. It’s an issue transit agencies across the U.S. are facing, Pritzker said at a Crain’s event.
“We need subways and trains and buses and it’s vital to our economy. We’re going to do whatever is necessary,” said Pritzker, who also mentioned fares but without specifics.
“The General Assembly and I and the federal government, we all have to address it,” he noted.
“We know that the cost of inaction is greater than the cost of action,” said CMAP Executive Director Erin Aleman. “We are at a decisive and pivotal juncture with an opportunity to make a transformative change.”
“The longstanding underfunding of transit operations coupled with the unprecedented challenges spurred by the pandemic have brought us to a critical inflection point in transit’s history,” said city of Chicago COO John Roberson. “We cannot shy away from the scale of the funding needs our transit system faces. It is significant, but the value transit provides for the city and for our region is immeasurable.”
In addition to more funding, the plan CMAP came up with proposes unprecedented changes to the way transit is run. One option would give more power to the regional authority overseeing CTA, Metra and Pace.
The other, far bolder option would create a single regional transit agency, essentially combining the current hodgepodge of transit agencies into one.
* Nationally…
* Governing | Navigating the Fiscal Crisis in Public Transit: The biggest crisis facing U.S. transit agencies since the COVID-19 pandemic began is the so-called fiscal cliff — the steep drop in fare revenue that resulted from ridership losses and the looming expiration of federal relief funds that were provided to temporarily fill the gap. In separate events on Wednesday, two of the biggest transportation-focused nonprofits in the country convened discussions on how agencies can navigate their financial challenges, with perspectives from transit advocates, researchers and industry leaders. The Eno Center for Transportation, a Washington, D.C.-based think tank, held an event called “Climbing Down From The Fiscal Cliff: Lessons From Transit Advocates.” TransitCenter, a New York-based advocacy group, hosted a webinar called “Transit’s Last Fiscal Crisis: Identifying Sustainable Funding Solutions for Agencies.”
* Bloomberg | Commuters Ditched Public Transit for Work From Home. Now There’s a Crisis: As pandemic aid dwindles, the nation’s biggest transit systems face a roughly $6.6 billion shortfall through fiscal year 2026, according to a Bloomberg tally of the top eight US transportation agencies based on passenger trips. Rising labor costs and inflation are hitting as farebox revenue stagnates after ridership collapsed. Those eight agencies serve regions that combined contribute about $6 trillion annually to the national economy. Local officials are pressing for help. Last month, the California Transit Association asked the state for $5.15 billion over the next five fiscal years. Without more money, transit officials across the country warn that the public can expect steep ticket price increases and drastic cuts to train and bus schedules, while long-planned expansion projects are on the chopping block. That pleading worked for New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority when state lawmakers recently approved a massive bailout.
* GovTech | How Important Is Surveillance Tech on Public Transit?: A poll conducted to determine why riders haven’t returned to the service revealed public safety and cleanliness concerns. More than half of 1,000 survey respondents had witnessed or been a victim of a crime on BART. Meanwhile, 85 percent of BART riders who have reduced or eliminated their usage said they would ride the system more often if it was significantly cleaner and safer. In early 2023, BART announced new public safety initiatives, most visibly, doubling the amount of officers on trains.
The NCAA is still forcing some athletes sit out a year following multiple transfers — and Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul won’t stand for it.
Raoul and attorneys general in six other states filed a federal antitrust lawsuit on Thursday, challenging the NCAA’s transfer rules as “an illegal restraint on college athletes’ ability to market their labor and control their education.” […]
Six weeks ago, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost sent a letter to the NCAA expressing concerns over the eligibility of second-time transfer Aziz Bandaogo, a 7-foot center for the University of Cincinnati basketball team whose appeal for a waiver was denied on Nov. 10.
Yost wrote that the decision was not only wrong “as a matter of common sense and decency, it is likely illegal” and raises antitrust concerns as an illegal restraint of trade.
* Thursday press release…
Attorney General Kwame Raoul today filed a federal antitrust lawsuit challenging the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s (NCAA) transfer eligibility rule as an illegal restraint on college athletes’ ability to market their labor and control their education.
The NCAA rule requires college athletes who transfer among Division I schools to wait one year before competing in games, unless the NCAA waives the rule for a particular athlete. The NCAA began automatically exempting first-time transfers from the regulation in 2021 but has continued to enforce the rule for subsequent transfers and deny waivers for no legitimate reason.
Raoul and a bipartisan coalition of six attorneys general filed their lawsuit today in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of West Virginia seeking a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction to keep the NCAA from enforcing the rule.
“The Transfer Eligibility Rule unfairly restricts collegiate athletes and is not implemented in a consistent and straightforward way that is easy for athletes and their families to understand,” Raoul said. “I filed this lawsuit to bring fairness to this flawed system and ensure the needs of collegiate athletes and their families are prioritized and respected.”
Since its founding in 1906, the NCAA has expanded its rulebook beyond field contests to regulate off-the-field competition among its member institutions and manage the burgeoning business of collegiate sports. Some regulations are essential for the administration of college sports, the coalition’s lawsuit acknowledges. However, Raoul and the attorneys general argue, certain rules lacking a clear procompetitive benefit may run afoul of the nation’s antitrust laws, which are rooted in the belief that market forces yield the best outcomes.
In justifying the one-year waiting period for second-time transfers, the NCAA cites the promotion of academic well-being and the preservation of athletic amateurism. Raoul and the coalition call the connection between the rule and these goals “pretextual”; note that these purported goals can be accomplished through less-restrictive means; and argue that the harm it does to athletes, universities, and fans far exceeds any supposed benefits.
According to Raoul and the coalition, the one-year waiting period constitutes 20% of the total time allotted by NCAA regulations for the completion of a college athlete’s full eligibility – and, as such, could prove devastating for athletes seeking to optimize their career and welfare by transferring to schools that better suit them.
The NCAA often describes the college athlete experience as transformative, with competition playing a key role. By preventing students from competing, however, it hinders the full realization of this experience. Students deprived of the opportunity to compete in their chosen sports are denied the benefits that competition offers in preparing them for life, as acknowledged by the NCAA, and often suffer financial harm.
* The 2023 Golden Horseshoe Award for Best Democratic State House Staff Member is a tie. Kendra Piercy…
It’s an understatement to say that it’s rare to see the Speaker of the House present a bill in committee, but we saw it this year and who was sitting right next to him? Kendra Piercy, Deputy Counsel to the Speaker. She was the legal leader of the House Dobbs / Reproductive Rights Working Group. She was the reason there was a last minute lame duck Cannabis transporter bill. And probably most importantly in the business we are in (and also for an award like this), she is a genuinely kind individual who is beloved by those that get to work with her.
It’s hard to find a more dedicated or loyal staff member than Kylie. As this Caucus rebuilds itself, Kylie is the woman behind the curtain. Respected on both sides of the aisle by members and staff alike, she manages Caucus members successfully and remains extremely humble.
* The 2023 Golden Horseshoe Award for Best Republican State House Staff Member goes to Jen Passwater…
First of all, how does she find the time to still staff the Judiciary-Criminal Committee? In addition to being Deputy Counsel, she now also serves as a Senior Advisor to Leader McCombie, so on basically every important or sensitive issue, Jen is there. And despite working on the most divisive and controversial subjects, from the freedom caucus to the Black Caucus, she is liked and respected by everyone. And she does all of this while still staffing 2-hour Jud-Crim hearings!! I don’t get it. Seriously can we do something about this??
* ICYMI: WCIA’s breakdown of what laws will go into effect in 2024…
- Gov. Pritzker signed more than 150 laws that go into effect next year, many on January 1st, 2024.
- Youthful offenders under 21 can no longer be given a life sentence without the possibility of parole.
- An update to the state’s parole system, which incentivizes people on parole to obtain a degree, recommending early termination with a good post-release track record, and expanding remote check-ins with a parole officer.
- October will be designated Italian-American Heritage Month.
* Capitol News Illinois | State health plan declares racism a public health crisis: A new state health report pinpoints racism as a public health crisis while also noting Illinois needs to improve in the areas of maternal and infant health, mental health and substance use disorders. The broad goals are laid out in a draft of the State Health Improvement Plan, which will be finalized and presented to the Illinois General Assembly next year. The SHIP is part of Healthy Illinois 2028, a five-year plan outlining the major public health crises the state hopes to address.
* Tribune | Recommended changes to transit head to state lawmakers, who could debate expanded sales tax and consolidating agencies: The report, drafted by regional planners after meetings with community organizations, lays out recommendations to address public transit funding, governance and the experience of riding buses and trains, as the region’s three public transit agencies face a looming financial cliff and languishing ridership numbers. Among the options included are additional taxes, such as expanding the sales tax base, and two options to revamp oversight of the region’s separate transit agencies.
* Crain’s | Illinois in multistate lawsuit over NCAA transfer rule: Raoul and attorneys general in six other states filed a federal antitrust lawsuit on Thursday, challenging the NCAA’s transfer rules as “an illegal restraint on college athletes’ ability to market their labor and control their education.”
* Two SIU athletes are mentioned in the complaint…
Here are the student-athletes the seven states mentioned in the complaint vs. the NCAA:
* WTTW | One Agency to Rule Them All? As Fiscal Cliff Looms, CMAP Pitches Bold Plan to Overhaul Chicagoland Public Transit: With CTA, Metra and Pace expected to have a combined $730 million budget deficit starting in 2026, state lawmakers passed a measure charging the regional planning agency CMAP to think big and come up with a plan to improve service, make buses and trains more accessible and make sure all the different bus and train lines effectively link up with one another. The funding gap, which is expected to worsen every year without major action, is largely due to ridership that’s still far below pre-pandemic levels. Federal stimulus money that’s been making up for lost revenue is running out — and advocates say that in any case, transit has been underfunded for years.
* WCIA | Illinois Department of Labor explains proposed rules to new paid time off law: The AFL-CIO hosted a webinar Wednesday afternoon with the Illinois Department of Labor explaining their proposed rules of the new policy. “This bill is for the millions of workers in and out of unions, who until now were faced with the impossible choice of either taking time off or keeping their job,” Francis Orenic, the legislative director for the Illinois AFL-CIO, said.
* Lake County News-Sun | State pot-shop sales continue flight to record highs: The fourth anniversary of the opening of the first legal marijuana dispensaries in Illinois will be marked Jan. 1, as sales continue at a high rate across the state. With growth continuing, another grassroots pot shop opened this week in Waukegan.
* Sun-Times | Defense: ‘Computer mistake,’ not pressure from Ed Burke, caused delays in Burger King work: But Thursday, attorneys for Burke and Andrews grilled the Palatine architect who handled the project — and who apparently benefitted from a City Hall computer glitch that helped him land a building permit without the necessary driveway permit. “If you would have addressed the driveway permit, then none of this would have happened, correct?” Joseph Duffy, one of Burke’s defense attorneys, asked architect Warren Johnson.
* Tribune | City Council committee rejects discipline provision in Chicago police contract but OKs pay hikes: The mayor pledged on the campaign trail to not raise CPD’s budget, then pivoted to propose a spending plan that allocated a record $2 billion to the department, including the $60 million in planned bonuses and raises in the new police contract. While the department’s bottom line rose, Johnson reshuffled positions to reduce the number of beat cops and boost civilian positions and those dedicated to fulfilling the department’s consent decree requirements.
* Chicago Reader | Johnson administration’s early days marked by lapses in transparency: Since taking office, Johnson moved largely outside public view to erect a now-scrapped tent encampment for newly arriving migrants on contaminated land, he and his Rules Committee chair walled off parts of council chambers—and entire floors of City Hall—from the public, and he has often evaded key questions on the future of surveillance technology he unabashedly rebuked on the campaign trail.
* USA Today | Judge allows emergency abortion in Texas in first case of its kind since before Roe v. Wade: On Thursday morning, two days after Cox’s case was filed, Travis County state District Judge Maya Guerra Gamble signed a temporary restraining order, preventing the state, Attorney General Ken Paxton and the Texas Medical Board from enforcing the state’s abortion ban should Cox terminate her pregnancy. The order also protects Cox’s husband, Justin, and her OB/GYN, Dr. Damla Karsan, from prosecution or fines related to any abortion care.
* SJ-R | Sangamon County to consider tourism district in first step to expanded convention center: The Dec. 19 meeting also could include a vote that would establish the new district, which would allow local hotels to levy a fee on every night spent in a hotel room throughout the county. The Springfield Metropolitan Exposition and Auditorium Authority, the agency tasked with running the convention center, would use the fee to help with future bond issues funding the new construction.
* Slate | “Imagine a Child Gets Stabbed 26 Times”: They gave him bits of information piece by piece. By that night, it was becoming national news out of Chicago that his son had been killed, and the child’s mother, his ex-wife, was hospitalized. “I cried nonstop until that evening,” Odai said. “He left this world and he took our hearts with him.”
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* Live coverage is back, sorta. This will be different than the old Scribble Live feed because Twitter broke itself and almost everything else it touched. These new feeds do not update instantly. There’s a bit of posting lagtime, but it’s much better than nothing. We are also limited to just 20 Twitter sources. The service may also not last long. We just can’t give you any guarantees about this. You can still click here or here to follow breaking news the way we’ve done since Twitter stopped Scribble Live from working…
