It’s just a bill
Wednesday, Jan 29, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller
* The State Journal-Register…
Illinois Senate Republicans Tuesday announced they would again try to repeal a law that limits state and local law enforcement’s participation in federal immigration enforcement.
Sponsors seek to reverse aspects of the 2017 law that prohibits law enforcement from participating, supporting or assisting the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Illinois law enforcement can currently only work with ICE if presented with a federal criminal warrant or otherwise required by federal law.
Senate Bill 1313 would rather require state law enforcement agencies to cooperate with ICE, “ensuring undocumented immigrants charged with or convicted of a felony are identified, reported, and deported,” according to a news release.
The bill is sponsored by State Sen. Neil Anderson (R-Andalusia) and was filed Tuesday morning. Additional legislation, sponsored by State Senators Terri Bryant (R-Murphysboro) and Andrew Chesney (R-Freeport), seeks to repeal the Illinois TRUST Act in its entirety.
* Sen. Lakesia Collins’ filed SB1224…
Creates the Fantasy Sports Consumer Protection Act. Provides that the Illinois Gaming Board may regulate the conduct of fantasy contest operators under the Act. Allows the Board to levy and collect fees, surcharges, civil penalties, and, on adjusted gross fantasy contest receipts imposed under the Act, monthly taxes, and identifies other powers and duties of the Board. Includes restrictions, including requiring licensing, of fantasy contest operators. Includes license requirements and requirements for allowable fantasy contests. Contains provisions relating to denial of a license, independent audits, reporting and investigation of prohibited conduct, taxes, compulsive gambling and voluntary self-exclusion, and supplier diversity goals for fantasy contest operators. Amends the Sports Wagering Act. Excludes fantasy contests from the definition of “sports wagering”. Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Provides that participants in fantasy contest wagering shall not be convicted of the offense of gambling when conducted in accordance with the Fantasy Sports Consumer Protection Act. Excludes any real estate, vehicle, boat, or any other property whatsoever used for the purposes of gambling under the Fantasy Sports Consumer Protection Act from the definition of “gambling place” under the offense of keeping a gambling place. Amends the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act. Grants the Illinois Gaming Board emergency rulemaking authority to implement the Fantasy Sports Consumer Protection Act. Effective immediately.
* Rep. Curtis Tarver filed HB1839 yesterday…
Creates the Safe Autonomous Vehicle Act. Provides definitions. Provides that upon notification to the Secretary of State, a Motor Vehicle Manufacturer may commence a safe autonomous vehicle project with a vehicle installed with an Automated Driving System after providing notification to the Secretary of State and after self-certification under certain conditions. Provides that the Manufacturer shall determine the geographical boundaries of the project and shall maintain incident records and provide periodic summaries to the Secretary of State and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Provides that the Participating Fleet in the program shall be insured by the Manufacturer who shall assume liability for incidents where the automated driving system technology is at fault for that incident. Provides that any person operates a vehicle with automated driving system technology without first satisfying the eligibility requirements in the Act shall be fined $10,000 for a first violation and a second or subsequent violation is a Class A misdemeanor. Preempts home rule powers. Effective immediately.
* Sen. Michael Hastings in the Tribune…
Illinois homeowners and drivers are increasingly blindsided with unwelcome news from their insurance companies that their homeowner and auto premiums are going up — in some cases, by double-digit percentages. […]
The General Assembly must prioritize two solutions this spring. The first is the Insurance Rate Fairness and Consumer Protection Act, which would limit excessive rate hikes and protect consumers from arbitrary pricing practices.
This bill that I have sponsored would require insurers to seek approval from the Illinois Department of Insurance before raising premiums. If the department does not approve the increase within 60 days, the insurer cannot implement the hike. Additionally, rate increases will be capped at 15% per year, unless the insurer can provide exceptional justification — such as increased claims from natural disasters or changes in the regulatory landscape. […]
Another bill, the Insurance Rate Transparency Act, would ensure consumers are fully informed about the cost of their insurance policies before they are forced to renew to address the many people who are caught unaware until their renewal notices arrive with dramatic premium increases.
* SB1342 from Sen. Don DeWitte…
Amends the Video Gaming Act. Provides that a municipality with a population that is greater than or equal to 1,000,000 may not pass an ordinance prohibiting video gaming within the corporate limits of the municipality. Provides that, in such a municipality, video gaming may be prohibited only by referendum. Preempts home rule powers. Provides that a tax of 34% is imposed on net terminal income in such a municipality and shall be collected by the Illinois Gaming Board, of which 83% shall be distributed to the Regional Transportation Authority and 17% shall be distributed to the municipality in which the terminal is located. Makes conforming changes.
* HB1844 filed by Rep. John Cabello…
Creates the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve Act. Creates the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve Fund as a special fund in the State treasury for the purpose of holding bitcoin as a financial asset. Provides that the State Treasurer may accept gifts, grants, and donations of bitcoin from Illinois residents and governmental entities for deposit into the Fund. Provides that the State Treasurer shall hold all bitcoin deposited into the Fund for a duration of at least 5 years from the date that the bitcoin enters the State’s custody. Allows the State Treasurer, after this period, to transfer, sell, appropriate, or convert to another cryptocurrency any bitcoin in the Fund. Adds provisions concerning the management and security of the Fund; reporting requirements; and voluntary donations of bitcoin by Illinois residents. Provides that the State Treasurer may adopt rules necessary to administer the Act. Effective immediately.
- Retired School Board Member - Wednesday, Jan 29, 25 @ 9:13 am:
Let’s see how the chair of the Insurance Committee receives Senator Hastings bill…
- H-W - Wednesday, Jan 29, 25 @ 9:15 am:
Re: Sen. Michael Hastings
I support this legislation in principle. However, allowing for the possibility of annual increases above 9% is in fact allowing for the possibility of double digit increases. I would prefer the annual cap be less than 15% - say, 5%. If insurers need more income to compensate for excessive outlays, then they should be expected to manage it over longer time spans, rather than annually.
- RNUG - Wednesday, Jan 29, 25 @ 9:28 am:
== rate increases will be capped at 15% per year … ==
I’d love a 15% cap. My increases the past 2 years were right around 33%.
- Anyone Remember - Wednesday, Jan 29, 25 @ 9:36 am:
So, Sen. Anderson, while the IRS can’t use “administrative warrants” against immigrants, you support letting ICE use “administrative warrants” against US citizens?
- Aaron B - Wednesday, Jan 29, 25 @ 9:36 am:
15% a year is still a lot but better than the 30% increase I saw last year and 20% increase the year before. Hopefully “exceptional justification” is well defined in the bill so they can’t just do a Michael Scott and yell ‘I declare exceptional justification’ and raise things 30% again. The bill probably won’t go anywhere anyway.
- H-W - Wednesday, Jan 29, 25 @ 9:37 am:
@ RNUG
I am in the same situation, and agree with you in principle. However, I think the annual cap should be much lower, say 5%. I say this because as a hegemonic industry with a captive clientele, insurance companies simply must be better stewards of their resources. They should plan long term, and not be “caught off guard” by rising prices. They should anticipate inflation, rather than react toward it. And because they play an oversized role in funding the construction industry and the producers of supplies for that industry, they need to play an actual role in managing costs on the supply side. Whereas insurers in American manage more money that nearly all other industries, and manage that money for profit first, regulating the burden of the prices they pass on to consumers is an essential role of government.
- Friendly Bob Adams - Wednesday, Jan 29, 25 @ 9:45 am:
A bitcoin account is just what the State of Illinois needs to attain financial security. The fund will also accept donations of magic beans…
- Mike Gascoigne - Wednesday, Jan 29, 25 @ 9:52 am:
Bitcoin is fake news.
- zer0number - Wednesday, Jan 29, 25 @ 10:12 am:
I don’t get the immigration law. If an undocumented person is convicted of a crime, wouldn’t they be in jail or prison? If they are charged with a crime, would you want to deport them before they could be tried? Also, it seems like it would be trivial for ICE to get judicial warrants for people who are actual criminals.
I get that they are showboating. But I fear that they are going to get people to believe that Illinois law enforcement won’t help catch actual criminals, rather than not helping round up people just minding their own business, which I think is the intent of the existing law.
- @misterjayem - Wednesday, Jan 29, 25 @ 10:13 am:
“Provides that the State Treasurer shall hold all bitcoin deposited into the Fund for a duration of at least 5 years from the date that the bitcoin enters the State’s custody.”
The goal of these bills is to force the states to hold Bitcoin when the very people touting Bitcoin dump their holdings.
When the bubble bursts, the hucksters will sell off and the states will be left holding the empty bag.
This bill isn’t an expression of confidence in the future value of Bitcoin — it’s the exact opposite.
– MrJM
- Donnie Elgin - Wednesday, Jan 29, 25 @ 10:17 am:
== rate increases will be capped at 15% per year … =
Price fixing by governments leads to less competition as insurance companies will only offer coverage if they know they can be profitable after the actuarial estimate of losses. Carriers will leave and IL does not have a high-risk insurance pool of last resort, which will likely be the next step the Dems want - I guess they have not been keeping up with the situation in California.
- Occasionally Moderated - Wednesday, Jan 29, 25 @ 10:23 am:
In 35 years of law enforcement I do not recall a single incidence of being requested or assigned to support an immigration enforcement operation.
In all that time I also don’t remember arresting anyone on an ice detainer. I know it occasionally happened but it was really rare even prior to the current state legislation.
I worked in the field the entirety of my career and had a lot of contact with the public. I’m certain I encountered many people with citizenship issues and sometimes I was aware of it and sometimes I wasn’t. Immigration law was never our job.
Thought this might be relevant information today.
- Homebody - Wednesday, Jan 29, 25 @ 10:47 am:
Regardless of your position on gambling or immigration, the constant truth is Republicans love home rule and local control until a state or city does something they don’t like.
- Steve Polite - Wednesday, Jan 29, 25 @ 10:49 am:
“Bitcoin is fake news.”
I think of digital currency as an unregulated commodity and highly volatile with high risk.
- Mason County - Wednesday, Jan 29, 25 @ 12:03 pm:
Best to let the FEDS deal with immigration unless a crime is being committed. Leave state and local government out of it.
However, that said, state and local governments should in no way be interfering with the FEDS on this matter.
- Two Left Feet - Wednesday, Jan 29, 25 @ 12:04 pm:
If the premium can’t be adjusted, then the coverage will be: higher deductibles, lower limits, shrink in scope, etc. Instead of focusing on the premium, focus on the actuarial things that increase premiums: the number of uninsured/underinsured, safe driving courses, traffic law enforcement, flood control, etc. How do we avoid having to use insurance? Let’s do that
- Mason County - Wednesday, Jan 29, 25 @ 12:07 pm:
=Additionally, rate increases will be capped at 15% per year,=
A real bargain - NOT! At that rate it would double every 6 years.
This is out of hand. Between insurance rates and property tax increases everyone is getting squeezed to the point that anger will eventually surface.
- yinn - Wednesday, Jan 29, 25 @ 3:27 pm:
What’s to keep an insurance company from dodging a rate cap by reducing coverage? Mine raised the premium and lowered coverage last year.
But they did send a letter about it in advance, at least.
- don the legend - Wednesday, Jan 29, 25 @ 3:54 pm:
Mason County: Rule of 72 shows the premium would double every 4.8 years.
- Aaron B - Wednesday, Jan 29, 25 @ 4:28 pm:
==Mine raised the premium and lowered coverage last year.==
So shrinkflation is a thing now in insurance? I didn’t have that on my 2024 bingo card.