* Pantagraph…

Rep. Kam Buckner’s, D-Chicago, latest bill, House Bill 4592, would allow the Secretary of State to issue a mobile ID or mobile driver’s license (mDL) to Illinois residents. Buckner introduced the bill Jan. 31, but it remains in the gatekeeping House Rules Committee.

While Buckner has been seeking to implement a version of the measure since 2019, this is the first time it also includes both digital IDs and driver’s licenses. […]

And, crucially, it is the first time the the Secretary of State’s office has backed the initiative. This is important because one of the office’s primary responsibilities is issuing licenses to Illinois drivers. […]

Giannoulias said his office wouldn’t be pursuing this if it weren’t about the security and efficiency factors. For him, the move to issue mobile licenses represents a growing trend across the country that allows and uses more fraud-resistant technology in everyday life.

* Better Government Association Director of Policy Bryan Zarou…

* SB2640 was assigned to a Senate subcommittee earlier this month…

Amends the Freedom of Information Act. Provides that administrative or technical information associated with automated data operations shall be exempt from inspection and copying, but only to the extent that disclosure would jeopardize the security of the system or its data or the security of materials exempt under the Act.

* Southland Journal…

Illinois AFL-CIO and Chicago Federation of Labor Leaders Support Medical-Aid-in-Dying State Legislation (Chicago, IL) — A bill introduced in the Illinois Senate last week that would allow medical aid in dying for those suffering from terminal illnesses is supported by the principal officers of both the Chicago Federation of Labor and the Illinois chapter of the AFL-CIO.

The legislation—SB3499, the End of Life Options for Terminally Ill Patients Act, initially sponsored by Senate Assistant Majority Leader Linda Holmes and State Sen. Laura Fine, would make Illinois the 11th state to give terminally ill individuals the option to experience a peaceful death by requesting and self-administering medication. […]

“When a worker chooses to join a union, they exercise a fundamental right to engage in collective action to even the field with their employers,” said CFL President Bob Reiter. “And when faced with a terminal diagnosis, people should also have a choice when planning their end-of-life care with their medical providers.”

“Terminally ill patients deserve autonomy and compassion as they weigh end-of-life care options with their medical provider. Dying people should have the power to choose what brings comfort and peace of mind for themselves and their families,” said Tim Drea, president of the Illinois AFL-CIO. “Just as we fight for the rights of workers to choose to join a union, we must also fight for individuals to have control over their own medical care, especially when faced with a devastating prognosis.”

* Forbes…

Amid the ongoing consideration of federal legislation to regulate the cryptocurrency markets, states seemingly are crafting local policies in an attempt to fill in the void. It appears states such as California, New Jersey, and now Illinois, may be rushing through legislation for the crypto markets as a response to fallout from FTX where in 2022 the third largest exchange failed and its CEO Sam Bankman-Fried was found guilty of fraud. A new bill in Illinois introduced two weeks ago called the Digital Assets Regulation Act (DARA) could be an example of this. […]

The introduction of the DARA bill two weeks ago by State Senator Laura Ellman (D-IL) seems to highlight the concern that Brachter stated as to how states may feel obligated to take action in light of the void left by federal lawmakers and the pressures to create legislation based on the FTX failure. I spoke with a new organization called the Illinois Blockchain Association regarding DARA. According to their analysis so far, the new bill includes broad definitions that may impact more than just centralized exchanges, such as DeFi and base layer blockchain networks.

“While well-intentioned, DARA goes too far. It seeks to regulate not only those entities, but almost anyone working in blockchain in Illinois,” said Nelson Rosario, Executive Director, Illinois Blockchain Association. Rosario went on to state, “No one disagrees that certain types of companies - namely centralized businesses that take custody of customer funds should be subject to a comprehensive regulatory scheme. Many people are working on that precise thing in Washington today.”

Olta Andoni, General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer of Enclave Markets, shared some of her specific concerns about DARA. Andoni stated, “I think it definitely has a broader outreach than the BitLicense because of the broad definition of the ‘digital asset business activity’.” According to Andoni, this definition, “…will be applicable to all structures just by operating and touching digital assets without even taking custody of them.” Andoni did point out she liked an exclusion of software developers from the definition of digital asset business activities, but believes there is room to a lot more misinterpretation on what the dissemination of the software will include.

* Farm Week…

Proposed state legislation adopting California emission standards in Illinois could render thousands of farm vehicles “illegal and worthless,” according to Illinois Farm Bureau’s director of state legislation.

IFB is strongly opposed to House Bill 1634, sponsored by Democratic state Reps. Edgar Gonzalez Jr. of Chicago, Janet Yang Rohr of Naperville, and Bob Morgan of Highwood.

The legislation calls for the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency to implement the motor vehicle emission standards set by a California Air Resources Board, including the zero-emission vehicle program, low-emission vehicle program, advanced clean trucks program and heavy-duty low NOx omnibus program. The current standard, as of Jan. 1, prohibits diesel-fueled vehicles model years 2010 and older, with a gross vehicle weight rating of 14,000 pounds or greater from traveling on California roadways, unless they upgrade the engine. […]

After learning at midday Feb. 19 that the legislation was going to be considered, Illinois Farm Bureau joined a broad coalition of industry groups opposing the legislation. Ultimately, the bill’s sponsor decided to hold the bill from consideration, said IFB’s Chris Davis.

* Streetsblog Chicago co-founder Steven Vance…

State Rep. Kam Buckner of Chicago has introduced another land use bill that Illinoisans should support. The bill provides that municipalities with a population of 100,000 or more should allow property owners to have more than one home on a lot. This forward-thinking legislation represents a significant step toward addressing the pressing housing challenges facing our communities and would foster more inclusive and sustainable urban development.

The shortage of affordable housing in Illinois for middle-class families, particularly in the Chicago area, has reached a critical point. New housing in places with access to jobs, opportunities and amenities has not kept up with demand.

Buckner’s bill acknowledges the need for innovative solutions to tackle this issue head-on. By lifting the ban on multifamily housing options in residential zones, the legislation promotes diversity in housing types, catering to the needs of our population.

I believe cities that don’t allow enough housing should not be able to push people to remote areas that have cheaper housing and less access to the things that make our cities great. This sprawl has devastating effects on our agricultural land and natural open space, ultimately increasing the tax burden on municipalities by extending and maintaining utilities to far-flung, lower-density areas.