* Rep. Mary Gill and Carisa Parker…

In recent weeks, three shootings have taken the lives of Chicago Public Schools students, each occurring near the schools the students attended. It’s hard to imagine how, at a time when families and communities are mourning these horrific losses, the Chicago Board of Education could remove police, also called school resource officers, from schools over the objections of the elected local school council. By every measure, Chicago is facing a violent crime crisis, and our collective efforts to keep our communities and students safe are falling short.

That is why we have worked together on state legislation that would require CPS to maintain the school resource officer program for any schools that opt to participate. The bill also necessitates that the decision to participate be made at the local school council level, and that the program continue to be offered at no cost to schools. Now is not the time to remove public safety tools from our campuses.

One of us is a state representative and former school council member at a school that chose not to participate in the school resource officer program. One of us is an elected Police District Council member and current local school council chair at a school that chose to participate in the school resource officer program. Despite our different roles, we are both deeply troubled by any action to usurp the ability of local school councils to make decisions on school safety.

Local school councils were created to give residents a strong voice in their school communities, and are made up of elected individuals who are trusted to act in the best interests of each school’s student body. In our experience, members are thoughtful, dedicated individuals who are thorough and transparent in their decision-making. They are also vocal advocates for students’ learning and safety.

* Center Square…

Part of the Illinois Municipal League’s 2024 legislative agenda includes re-amortizing local pension debt beyond the aim of 90% funded by 2040. IML CEO Brad Cole equated that to refinancing a home loan. […]

Municipal leaders say without some relief, they may have to increase taxes on local residents to continue making payments and providing services. […]

State Rep. Tim Ozinga, R-Mokena, filed House Bill 4866 to give local school districts more state taxpayer funds through an Education Property Tax Relief Fund. He said that could lower property taxes. […]

Gov. J.B. Pritzker recently said increasing state funding for local K-12 education would also help lower property taxes. The state’s school funding formula allocates an additional $350 million extra a year for public K-12 education.

* Rep. Abdelnasser Rashid…

State Representative Abdelnasser Rashid (D-Bridgeview) is proud to announce a bill package aimed at tackling new challenges posed by artificial intelligence (AI). Dedicated to steering Illinois toward a more safe, effective, and responsible use of AI technologies, the representative’s legislative package underscores his commitment to both optimizing AI innovation and implementing essential guardrails. […]

Rep. Rashid’s package includes the following legislation:

HB 4644, or the Illinois Protect Elections from Deceptive AI Act, addresses emerging deepfake threats head-on by requiring political messages to include clear disclosures of AI use. Tackling unlabeled campaign media that deceptively uses generative AI to imitate a candidate’s likeness, the legislation would help bring an end to the current free-for-all use of deepfakes in the state.

HB 5399 recognizes the powerful potential AI holds to better society by working to bolster Illinois’ AI workforce. Through initiatives aimed at directing funds into educational institutions for AI programs, this bill positions Illinois to become a long-lasting AI innovation hub.

HB 4837 criminalizes the creation and sharing of AI-generated content of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), working to combat the growing number of CSAM content currently spreading across the internet.

HB 5649 establishes regulatory norms for AI-powered mental health services like AI therapists and AI diagnosis platforms.

HB5321, a consumer protection bill, requires labeling for use of AI systems–setting forth a necessary, baseline standard for AI transparency within the private sector.

HB5322 implements a new requirement that developers and deployers of AI systems complete and document algorithmic impact assessments (AIAs)–a method of evaluating systems’ efficacy, safety, and risks.

HB 4836, HB 5228, and HB 4705 address state agency AI applications, state-funded research, and state contractor use of AI. They require transparency, equity, and safety standards for AI use.

* KFVS…

A bill in the Illinois state Senate would allow mental health workers to treat veterans and first responders regardless of any prior non-compete clause.

The bill’s sponsor, state Sen. Paul Faraci, D-Champaign, comes after a therapist in his district was sued for violating a non-compete clause for helping Champaign firefighters.

Faraci said as first responders and veterans deal with job and service-related trauma, it should be easier for them to get the help they need. […]

The bill passed through the Senate Labor Committee on Feb. 7. It now heads to the Senate.

* Coalition for Fantasy Sports…

Today, the Coalition for Fantasy Sports announced its support for Illinois House Bill 5648, the Fantasy Sports Consumer Protection Act, aimed at providing a robust regulatory framework for daily fantasy sports (DFS) within the state. While Illinois legalized sports betting in 2019, the state lacked comprehensive legislation to protect the thousands of fans and the games of skill they enjoy. This proposed framework would close an essential chapter in the effort to safeguard fantasy sports fans throughout Illinois.

The proposed legislation aims to not only protect the hundreds of thousands of fantasy sports fans across Illinois but also the integrity of the games they enjoy. The framework would ensure legal clarity, responsible play, and consumer protection while promoting innovation and removing barriers to growth that threaten the fantasy sports industry.

“With the popularity of daily fantasy sports soaring, now is the time to codify the industry’s legal status into state law and ensure Illinois players are best protected,” said Chief Senate Bill Sponsor Lakesia Collins. “That is why I’m incredibly excited to take the lead on legislation that would not only allow sports fans to continue playing the daily fantasy contests they love, but do so in a way that protects their best interests, puts up guardrails to keep bad actors out of the market, and generates potentially tens of millions in new tax revenue for Illinois.”

House Bill Sponsor, Representative Eva-Dina Delgado, echoed these sentiments, emphasizing the importance of regulatory clarity, “Our goal is to provide a secure environment for fantasy sports fans across the state of Illinois. This legislation is a positive step toward ensuring that fantasy sports enthusiasts can continue participating in these contests with confidence.”