* WAND…

A group of Illinois Democratic lawmakers want to establish strict licensing, taxing and testing regulations for hemp products such as Delta-8 and CBD.

The proposal would ensure hemp businesses can only sell products to customers 21 and older. It could also prohibit the sale of hemp products that look like candy, chips and other common snacks.

Sponsors and advocates argue that hemp is a popular and diverse multi-billion dollar marketplace that Illinois should not ban. […]

This legislation has not been assigned to a House or Senate committee. However, sponsors hope they can move it in the final weeks of the spring session.

* AFSCME Council 31…

Urging legislators not to retreat from progress made toward sustainable wages for direct-support professionals (DSPs) who care for individuals with developmental disabilities, union-represented DSPs will converge on the Capitol TODAY (Wednesday) for a statewide lobby day and news conference.

Some 100 DSPs employed by approximately 30 agencies will participate, coming from Chicago and its suburbs, Dixon, Galesburg, Metro East, Quad Cities, the greater Rockford and Springfield areas and elsewhere.

After years of neglect, Illinois has made important investments in disability services over the past eight years. But the starting wage at many agencies is barely above the minimum, and no increase for DSP wages was included in the governor’s proposed FY25 budget.

DSPs urge a two-part solution:

1: Fund a $3/hour wage increase to bring DSP base wage rates to 150% of minimum wage, and
2: Include strong, clear language in the Budget Implementation bill and DHS guidance to ensure that dollars earmarked for wages are passed to all workers as an across-the board wage increase.

WHAT: News conference on need for DSP wage increase
WHO: Sen. Ram Villivalam, Rep. Maurice West, DSPs represented by AFSCME and SEIU
WHEN: TODAY (Wednesday, May at 11:45 a.m.
WHERE: State Capitol blue room

Without continued investment and strong accountability provisions to ensure funds are passed on to frontline worker wages, DSP positions will go unfilled, dedicated and experienced caregivers will be forced out of the industry, and waiting lists for services will continue to grow.

DSPs are represented by AFSCME Council 31, SEIU Local 73 and SEIU Health Care Illinois, Indiana, Missouri and Kansas.

* WGIL…

House Bill 5396 aims to ensure the Illinois Prisoner Review Board is complying with a law that was passed by the 102nd General Assembly creating a hearing procedure for the incarcerated to petition for medical release.

State Rep. Will Guzzardi, D-Chicago, is a sponsor of the bill that passed the Illinois House earlier this spring.

“This law passed this chamber in a bipartisan fashion in 2021. That act created a hearing procedure for incarcerated people, who are terminally ill or medically disabled, to petition for early release. This law has been in effect for a couple of years and there’s been a few implementation challenges,” said Guzzardi. “The PRB has implemented some of the language in a way that was different from our original intent. This bill is just clarifying that original bill to make sure the PRB complies with the spirit of the original law.” […]

The measure is now in the Senate and awaits further action.

* Capitol News Illinois…

Advocates for community-based after-school programs say as many as 40,000 youths statewide could lose access to tutoring services, recreation and other extracurricular activities this summer unless Illinois lawmakers approve an infusion of funds to keep them going. […]

The problem facing many programs whose grant cycles are expiring is that in 2023, ISBE miscalculated how much money was available and made commitments to award more grants than the state could fund. As a result, many programs whose grant cycles are expiring cannot get them renewed because there is not enough funding available. Advocates are seeking $50 million in state funding to make up for the anticipated shortfall.

Stanton said programs serving about 6,000 students were forced to close at the end of the previous fiscal year, and without an injection of state funds, another 40,000 students will lose access to services after June 30 this year.

State Sen. Ram Villivalam, D-Chicago, has proposed legislation that would commit $50 million a year in state funds for the 21st Century Community Learning Centers.

* WGEM…

After passing a law requiring the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) to adopt Comprehensive Literacy Plan in 2023, state lawmakers are now looking to expand its requirements to ensure partners supporting teachers and students also follow the plan.

The state Senate Education Committee passed a bill Tuesday requiring any vendor or learning partner approved to work with a school in English/language arts to follow the literacy plan.

Adopted by ISBE in January, the plan uses evidence-based literacy instruction materials to teach students foundational reading skills. It also supports teachers by making sure they’re prepared to teach those foundational literacy skills. […]

The bill now heads to the Senate floor. The state House of Representatives passed the legislation on April 16.

* Sen. Rachel Ventura…

To protect renters from additional rental payment transaction fees, State Senator Rachel Ventura advanced legislation that would require landlords to be more flexible with payment options.

“As rent costs have skyrocketed across the country, residents are struggling to make ends meet and these transaction fees imposed on them by their landlord can add up quickly,” said Ventura (D-Joliet). “Some leases require 2-3% of rent to cover processing fees which adds a lot to an already high rent. By requiring landlords to also accept cash or check we help save Illinoisans from this unnecessary cost.”

House Bill 4206 would require landlords to allow tenants to make rental payments by delivering a paper check or cash to the landlord or their business office if the landlord uses a third-party payment portal to collect rent and has a transactional fee or other charge imposed through the portal on the rental payments.

Transactional fees on rent payments can vary depending on the total rent payment and the service a landlord uses. For example, if a tenant is paying $1,000 a month on rent and is required by the landlord to use a credit or debit card, the processing fee could be around 2-3%, making it an additional $20-30 per month. […]

House Bill 4206 passed the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday and heads to the full Senate for further consideration.

* WAND…

Students in Illinois public schools could be required to learn about climate change starting with the 2026 school year.

A plan moving in Springfield calls for instruction on identifying environmental and ecological impacts of climate change on people and communities. The proposal would also require education on solutions to address and mitigate the impacts of climate change. […]

The Illinois State Board of Education could prepare multi-disciplinary instructional resources and professional learning opportunities for educators that may be used to meet the requirements. However, that provision of the bill is subject to state appropriations.

The legislation passed out of the Senate Education Committee on a 9-4 vote. House Bill 4895 now moves to the Senate floor for further consideration.

* Sen. Julie Morrison…

State Senator Julie Morrison is leading a measure to bring more diversity in participants of clinical trials.

“Better representation in clinical trials will improve progress and innovation in cancer care and mitigate some inequities that currently exist in health care,” said Morrison (D-Lake Forest).

House Bill 5405 would require the Illinois Department of Public Health to work with the University of Illinois and other relevant organizations to conduct a study examining what demographics are currently underrepresented in clinical trials, identify barriers to participation and pinpoint ways to improve upon outreach to these communities. IDPH would report the findings of this study to the General Assembly by July 1, 2026.

“Prioritizing accessibility and equity in cancer research is vital as cancer disproportionately impacts marginalized communities,” said Morrison. “This bill will ensure participation from historically underrepresented communities.”

House Bill 5405 passed the Senate Public Health Committee Tuesday and moves to the full Senate for further consideration.