* Center Square…
A measure that seeks to ban wildlife hunting contests and penalize hunters participating in them with misdemeanors passed the Illinois House Wednesday.
Wildlife contests generally involve a day- or weekend-long contest promoting coyote, racoon or squirrel population management. The winner with the most killed racoons typically gets a prize. The Squirrel Bowl, a yearly squirrel hunt for all ages, raises funds for various charities. […]
Opponents of the measure said wildlife contests are necessary to control animal populations. Taxpayers already pay $20 million per year in the form of wildlife damage abatement payments to ranchers, farmers and pet owners who have lost livestock or pets to predators like coyotes. The USDA kills over 80,000 coyotes annually.
Moeller said wildlife contests in Illinois are not managed by the Department of Natural Resources and are not recognized as an official means of managing wildlife populations. There’s no scientific basis in these contests having any positive impact on the populations of wildlife, she said.
HB2900 passed the House 62-45.
* President of the political action committee Gun Violence Prevention Kathleen Sances…
As soon as next month, the U.S. Supreme Court is poised to deliver a setback in the work to protect survivors of domestic violence if it rules to allow abusers access to guns. But in Illinois, where state officials, advocates and other committed stakeholders have acted on myriad issues where the court has failed, we have another chance to lead.
This week presents such an opportunity. In the last days of the General Assembly’s spring session, state lawmakers can pass Karina’s Bill and put Illinois at the forefront of protecting the rights of survivors. […]
[S]urvivor advocates reported last week that Illinois is experiencing a dramatic escalation in calls for help to the state’s Domestic Violence Hotline. According to a report by The Network, a gender-based violence awareness advocacy group, the hotline saw a 27% increase in outreach in 2023 over the year before. Last year’s needs represented a stunning 90% increase when compared with pre-pandemic levels.
The surge included a 45% increase in requests for shelter over those in 2022, leading to a critical shortage of shelter options for survivors in Illinois, with the city of Chicago having no beds available for a third of the year in 2023, as reported by the Tribune.
We know the danger these survivors face is exponentially greater when their abusers are armed. The Network has found that the risk of intimate-partner homicide that survivors face increases 500% when an abuser has access to a gun.
* WAND…
Private insurance companies in Illinois can currently limit patients to four rounds of IVF treatment. Although, a bill heading to Gov. JB Pritzker’s desk could expand private insurance coverage for all forms of fertility treatment.
State lawmakers removed the cap on infertility coverage for state employees last year. However, this plan could ensure all insurance companies are allowing patients to have more cycles covered. […]
Senate Bill 773 passed out of the House on a 90-17 vote. The measure previously passed out of the Senate on a 50-1 vote. […]
If approved by Pritzker, the legislation would take effect on January 1, 2026.
* Sen. Javier Cervantes…
State Senator Javier Cervantes is moving legislation to limit the discriminatory use of artificial intelligence in decisions related to employment.
“Companies that are using AI to make employment decisions may be using data points that are discriminatory and having adverse effects on our communities,” said Cervantes (D-Chicago). “Creating a model to predict data patterns is fine, but when it’s used to single out and target workers from lower-income communities, Black and Brown communities, and many of the other underserved communities in Illinois, we cannot sit back and allow it to happen.”
Under House Bill 3773, employers would not be allowed to use artificial intelligence to consider demographic information such as race or ZIP code in employment decisions related to recruitment, hiring, promotion, renewal of employment, selection for training or apprenticeship, discharge, discipline, tenure or terms, privileges, or conditions of employment.
Any employer who uses artificial intelligence in a prohibited manner or fails to notify an employee of the employer’s use of artificial intelligence would be in violation of the Illinois Human Rights Act.
“Employment status should not be determined by the click of a button on a machine, and residents are worried that their livelihood and income could be taken away with no human interaction,” said Cervantes. “This legislation is important to support workers and ensure their rights are not violated on the job.”
House Bill 3773 passed the Senate on Wednesday and is one step closer to becoming law.
* WAND…
A plan heading to Gov. JB Pritzker’s desk would require school vendors and learning partners to comply with the state’s new comprehensive literacy plan.
Lawmakers and advocates say vendors responsible for English language arts improvement plans should abide by the Literacy and Justice for All Act.
The Illinois State Board of Education introduced framework for the literacy plan in January. However, this plan would ensure schools are not limited by their vendors. […]
House Bill 4902 passed out of the Senate on a 54-1 vote Wednesday. State representatives previously voted 91-19 to approve the plan on April 16.
* WGEM…
The Illinois state Senate unanimously passed a bill Wednesday requiring insurance companies cover all colonoscopies deemed medically necessary.
Insurers are currently only required to cover the procedure if it’s part of a follow-up exam recommended by a primary care physician. The bill would require coverage if a patient displays signs or symptoms of colon cancer or has an existing colon condition regardless of age.
“What should not be a barrier is us having access to insurance that will cover it because we know if we catch this disease early, we can save lives, so I encourage the chamber to support this very important measure. It’s common sense. We can save lives,” said state Sen. Willie Preston, D-Chicago, the bill’s Senate sponsor. […]
The Senate did slightly change the bill, adding an amendment to change the effective date to from Jan. 1, 2025 to Jan. 1, 2026. This means the bill has to head back to the House.
* Sen. Kimberly Lightford…
Senate Majority Leader Kimberly A. Lightford championed a measure to require high school students to learn financial literacy.
“When young people leave high school, they are given the freedom to spend and manage their money how they see fit with little or no guidance beyond what they’ve witnessed at home,” said Lightford (D-Maywood). “By requiring financial literacy instruction, we are equipping our young people with the ability to do things like manage a household budget, save for a home or be aware of financial fraud schemes. These are important life skills that every person can utilize.”
Under Lightford’s measure, high school students would be required to learn about financial literacy. The instruction would focus on basic economics, the principles of supply and demand, how to budget income responsibly, loan repayment, and the cost of high-interest short-term “payday” loans.
According to a 2022 Citizens Bank survey, more than half of teenagers said they were worried and felt unprepared for their financial futures. The research highlighted the need for additional resources to assist them in making financial decisions that impact them over the long term – including proper education on how to set themselves up for success.
“Teens should leave high school with the confidence that they know how to handle the financial decisions of their future,” said Lightford. “Education goes far beyond a textbook – it’s also about learning long-lasting life skills.”
House Bill 1375 passed the Senate Wednesday with bipartisan support.
* Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias…
* Sen. Rachel Ventura…
State Senator Rachel Ventura announced that Senate Bill 3695 has been assigned to the Senate Executive Committee and has bipartisan support.
Senate Bill 3695, also known as the CURE Act – or the Compassionate Use and Research of Entheogens Act – aims to tackle treatment-resistant conditions such as anxiety, depression, PTSD, substance abuse, eating disorders, and other mental health conditions. Additionally, it would facilitate research into the safety and efficacy of psilocybin through medical, psychological, and scientific studies. New Chief Co-Sponsor Senator Craig has researched and considered filing a similar psilocybin bill focused on mental health and medicinal use for more than two years.
“After much discussion with my colleagues, I am proud to see the bipartisanship collaboration on this historic piece of legislation that would aid veterans and those suffering with mental illnesses, PTSD, substance abuse and more,” said Ventura (D-Joliet). “Psilocybin would open new pathways in the brain to help pinpoint things that need to be worked on. Integrated therapy-based sessions following its exposure would create real change in an individual’s life who have exhausted other methods previously.” […]
The bill would also establish the Illinois Psilocybin Advisory Board under the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation which would create a training program, ethical standards, and licensing requirements. Additionally, psychedelic therapies would be administered in controlled, supervised settings to ensure safety and treatment effectiveness. Retail sales of these medicines would be prohibited and could only be used under supervision at designated service centers. […]
The bill has been assigned to the Senate Executive Committee where Senator hopes it will be heard in the following days.
* Rep. Nabeela Syed…
State Rep. Nabeela Syed, D-Palatine, working with a constituent of the 51st District, recently passed groundbreaking legislation to fill gaps in breast cancer screening coverage and ensure that all people who need medically recommended screening can afford it.
“I feel lucky that I live in a community of people so interested in taking part in the lawmaking process and helping build a stronger future for their neighbors. Leslie Yerger, founder and CEO of local nonprofit My Density Matters, came to me as a constituent with lived experience of not receiving the breast cancer screening she needed, resulting in missed breast cancer for nearly a decade,” Syed said. “It’s vital to the health of nearly half of women who have dense breast tissue, that this screening is covered by insurance at no cost-sharing.”
Leslie Ferris Yerger said, “Thank you, Representative Syed, for leading the charge to more accessible breast cancer screening so more women in Illinois will have their breast cancer found early, while still curable. With the passage of HB4180, Illinois may have the most comprehensive supplemental breast cancer screening insurance coverage in the nation.”
Syed filed House Bill 4180 to ensure that more extensive breast cancer screenings for those that need them are covered by all medical insurance. It was backed by Equality Illinois, Illinois National Organization for Women, Rush University Medical Center and Cook County Health. House Bill 4180 passed the House and Senate with strong bipartisan support, and now will go to the governor for signature.
- Downstate - Thursday, May 16, 24 @ 10:50 am:
Financial literacy for high school students should be an absolute priority.
It’s ironic that individuals under 20 years of age can’t rent a car, but they are capable of securing six figure student loans.
- Excitable Boy - Thursday, May 16, 24 @ 10:52 am:
- There’s no scientific basis in these contests having any positive impact on the populations of wildlife, she said. -
Is there any scientific basis that they have a negative impact? This is the kind of silly stuff that further alienates Democrats from rural voters for absolutely no reason.
- Donnie Elgin - Thursday, May 16, 24 @ 11:26 am:
HB2900 Filed with the Clerk by Rep. Anna Moeller
Living near her district - I can say Elgin has plenty of big problems - worrying about Coyoye kills that happen in counties over 50 miles away may not be the highest priority. Secondly, the Coyote population issue is very nuanced - lots of varmints run wild near me and neighbors have lost dogs. The Max McGraw Wildlife Foundation funds the Urban Coyote research project - very interesting data
https://urbancoyoteresearch.com/coyote-info/coyote-management-strategies
- Lagartha's Shield - Thursday, May 16, 24 @ 11:30 am:
Financial literacy bills seem to get introduced every session, and I’m sure they are all well intentioned. However, consumer education has been required in IL high schools since the last century. Unfortunately, sometimes those lessons seem completely irrelevant to the students sitting through them since most of them are still being supported by their parents. I mean, I learned about different types of life insurance in my consumer ed. class in high school, but it meant absolutely nothing to me in real terms at that time, and so I quickly forgot about it after the test. And you can’t force people to make good financial choices, even when they have the knowledge they need to do so.
- Rich Miller - Thursday, May 16, 24 @ 11:30 am:
===may not be the highest priority===
Moeller has numerous bills https://ilga.gov/house/RepBills.asp?MemberID=3085&Primary=True
- Da big bad wolf - Thursday, May 16, 24 @ 11:38 am:
=== Is there any scientific basis that they have a negative impact? This is the kind of silly stuff that further alienates Democrats from rural voters for absolutely no reason.===
Math. Have 100 raccoons and kill 30 of them you now have 70 raccoons. 70
- Benjamin - Thursday, May 16, 24 @ 11:51 am:
@Downstate: I have heard (anecdotally; take this with a grain of salt) that financial literacy classes aren’t making much of a dent in actual adult financial literacy. When kids are 17, the amount of money needed to pay for college/a house/retirement is so mind-bogglingly big compared to the amount of money they have now that it seems unreal, and the lessons don’t sink in. Then, when they need that knowledge a decade later, they can’t recall it.
- Excitable Boy - Thursday, May 16, 24 @ 11:54 am:
- Have 100 raccoons and kill 30 of them you now have 70 raccoons. -
Such a brilliant response. There are no bag limits on raccoons or coyotes, and they’re nuisance animals.
If there is evidence these contests are having a detrimental effect on our wildlife populations, set a bag limit.
- Donnie Elgin - Thursday, May 16, 24 @ 12:00 pm:
= that financial literacy classes aren’t making much of a dent in actual adult financial literacy=
Parents are the best educators of financial literacy. kids learn this around the kitchen table or sitting in the car when parents discuss budgets, bills, taxes, and savings.
- JS Mill - Thursday, May 16, 24 @ 12:01 pm:
=Moeller said wildlife contests in Illinois are not managed by the Department of Natural Resources and are not recognized as an official means of managing wildlife populations. There’s no scientific basis in these contests having any positive impact on the populations of wildlife, she said.=
I don’t participate in these events personally, I don’t like hunting when it is a free for all, but that is me. This is still a ridiculous place for the ILGA to weigh in.
=Math. Have 100 raccoons and kill 30 of them you now have 70 raccoons. 70=
Sometimes less is a good thing. See chronic wasting disease and how overpopulation can contribute.
=Financial literacy for high school students should be an absolute priority.=
I agree. But Lightford says “required to learn”. DOes that mean no graduation until they can demonstrate mastery? We teach this as part of consumer education, other districts have a class called resource management. STudying vs. required to learn are different.
I will say, I am not necessarily opposed to making mastery of financial literacy and a number of other subjects like the constitution and civics a requirement for graduation. Student retention seems to be at a low water mark due to the multitude of distractions these days. Their phones being at the top of the list..
- Payback - Thursday, May 16, 24 @ 12:06 pm:
“Have 100 raccoons and kill 30 of them you now have 70 raccoons.” Haha awesome. My take:
Raccoons are destructive and carry rabies big time. Opposums are dirty and carry rabies. Coyotes are not native to Illinois. They have wiped out game bird populations like pheasants and quail, because they hunt in packs and at night. Native foxes hunt alone and only in the day. Getting rid of these three is a public benefit. ILGA should give these nuisance animal hunters a plaque instead.
- Techie - Thursday, May 16, 24 @ 12:18 pm:
“Parents are the best educators of financial literacy.”
That’s probably true, and also what makes the topic tricky. The students who most need help are often those whose parents are not as good at managing money, so they would benefit from outside help.
- Notorious JMB - Thursday, May 16, 24 @ 12:39 pm:
Raccoons and coyotes aren’t typically hunted for food and have historically been more hunted for their pelts. The price of hides has dropped precipitously in the last 40 years, as a result they are not hunted at the level they were four decades ago. They are now overpopulated and in addition to being destructive, are throwing the local ecology out of balance. Raccoons are well known for eating the eggs of chickens and turkeys (and the chickens themselves for that matter), coyotes will kill small deer, calves and pets. Several years ago our neighbors found their German Shepherd dead in a field by their house, killed by coyotes; that winter local hunters killed over 70 in the neighborhood. These contests provide an incentive to hunt these overpopulated animals and manage the population.
As for financial education of high school students. Great move that should’ve been done years ago. The amount of people who don’t understand something as basic as how interest rates work and how loans are paid down is astounding.
- Stan - Thursday, May 16, 24 @ 12:42 pm:
Nearly one-fifth of Americans have maxed out their credit cards. Let’s stop believing the “sitting around the kitchen table and budgeting” lie that’s been told way too many times in politics.
To those upset they can’t kill animals for cash, go pound sand.
- Anon - Thursday, May 16, 24 @ 1:14 pm:
Long time reader, first time commenter. I have the upmost respect Rep. Moeller and believe she deserves recognition for all her efforts to make IL a better place. However, I have to agree with fellow commenters here that HB2900 is a mistake.
I can’t say anything regarding population control and local ecology that hasn’t been spelled out here already. I will add that outlawing these competitions will take decade long traditions and organizations away from downstate communities. I know the impact sportsman’s clubs had on me growing up, and I’m no doubt a better person for it. Furthermore, can you argue that taking away an avenue to host sanctioned events takes away some degree of oversight, and could exacerbate the very problem Rep. Moeller is addressing to fix. People are going to continuing killing these animals regardless.
If the problem is here is lack of involvement from DNR, create a board or commission to look into the matter and offer guidance to the GA. Would be willing to bet there wouldn’t be much push for legislation then.
- Red and Black Huskie - Thursday, May 16, 24 @ 1:49 pm:
I taught consumer ed back in the 70’s. We spent most of the time talking about buying a car. At that time mortgages and other loans had little meaning to 17-18 year olds. I don’t know if it worked ,but at least when I talked about buying a car, I had their attention. In my opinion, high school students are not ready to really understand adult finances. We are wasting our time trying to “Make” kids learn what they are not ready to learn.
- Fav Human - Thursday, May 16, 24 @ 2:20 pm:
I had Consumer Fin in 1977. We were very much told about loans, and had to fill out a loan application, as well as an app for credit for furniture or an appliance.
The implications of credit as well as tax impact on your paycheck were covered.
I also think we had to “play” trade stocks, covering broker’s fee to buy and sell, and short term capital gains. Of which I had none
- Stephanie Kollmann - Thursday, May 16, 24 @ 2:47 pm:
“Coyotes are not native to Illinois.”
Says who?
Also, we border on having too many deer and are not reintroducing wolves, so whether coyotes are native or longstanding permanent residents, I’m all for them
- Downstate - Thursday, May 16, 24 @ 2:51 pm:
“I taught consumer ed back in the 70’s. ”
15 years ago, my children’s high school class incorporated Dave Ramsey into the consumer education. While we talked about finance around the kitchen table, Ramsey’s approach and presentation were most impactful.
- Fav Human - Thursday, May 16, 24 @ 3:10 pm:
“Coyotes are not native to Illinois.”
They are native to the prairie parts of it. Wolves do not allow coyotes in their territory.
So, in forested areas the wolves were there, not coyotes.
In the early 1800s coyotes were called “prairie wolves” for that reason.
- Donnie Elgin - Thursday, May 16, 24 @ 3:18 pm:
=Dave Ramsey=
Ramsey’s advice is generally ok - he does have a reputation as a bully - and many of his ideas are repackaged tools that have been around forever - his much-hyped “Debt snow-ball” has been around forever and much longer than he has been promoting it.
- Demoralized - Thursday, May 16, 24 @ 3:41 pm:
==incorporated Dave Ramsey ==
I would be vehemently opposed to having my kids learn anything by Dave Ramsey.
- Suburban Mom - Thursday, May 16, 24 @ 3:50 pm:
Another consumer’s ed survivor, none of it stuck (except for some reason balloon mortgages, probably because it was a vivid mental picture). I pretty much learned by calling my parents for help when starting out on my own and not understanding my lease or whatever.
My company’s corporate slack has a channel dedicated to personal finances, and we see a lot of new-to-the-workforce 20-somethings appealing for help understanding their medical insurance, or what PMI is, or whether X bank’s fees on checking accounts is too high. There’s any number of people in their 40s and 50s happy to hop in, ask clarifying questions, and help the kids think it through. It’s certainly one of the most useful forums for financial education I’ve ever seen — instant access to hundreds of middle-aged people in the area who’ve navigated the same questions.
- thechampaignlife - Thursday, May 16, 24 @ 4:24 pm:
Re: House Bill 1375
Is this not already covered by 105 ILCS 5/27-12.1?
https://ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/fulltext.asp?DocName=010500050K27-12.1
- Stephanie Kollmann - Thursday, May 16, 24 @ 4:29 pm:
Interesting! Thanks, Fav Human