It’s just a bill
Friday, Mar 7, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller
* Rep. Kevin Olickal and Niles Township Supervisor Bonnie Ognisanti…
Imagine a domestic violence survivor sleeping in their car because it’s the safest option. Or a person working multiple low-wage jobs, saving for rent while sleeping in a forest preserve. These are real people in our communities. Ticketing and arresting them does not help them escape homelessness; it only worsens their situation by adding fines they cannot afford and creating a criminal record, which further blocks their path to stable housing and employment. […]
Now, at least 25 Illinois municipalities have enacted “camping bans,” with more likely to follow. The penalties are severe: While these ordinances vary, the most common starts with a fine of $75, which can escalate to $2,500 in as little as seven days. If a person receives six citations within two years, they can face up to six months in jail. […]
We believe most local governments are trying to do the best they can based on unjustly limited resources. Many work with faith-based organizations, volunteers, nonprofits, law enforcement, hospitals and other community partners to help people find shelter. Consider what Houston has achieved. It has reduced homelessness by 63% since 2012 through a housing-first approach that includes permanent supportive housing and rental assistance. These solutions provide stability and connect people with essential services to alleviate homelessness without criminalization.
That’s why we are working to pass House Bill 1429, which would ensure that homelessness is not treated as a crime in Illinois. This bill would not prevent local governments from managing public spaces or addressing legitimate safety concerns. Authorities had the power to do so long before the Grants Pass decision, and HB1429 does not take that away. It prohibits municipalities from imposing fines and criminal penalties on people with nowhere else to go.
* WAND…
GOP State Senators are looking to expand criminalization for fentanyl related crimes with a set of bills filed in Springfield.
The effort is spearheaded by Republican lawmakers to answer what they’ve called a “fentanyl crisis.”
“Today we’re not backing down-because our communities need action,” State Sen. Sally Turner (R-Lincoln) said.
Turner, alongside State Sen. Sue Rezin (Morris), proposed four different bills. The first plan would increase criminal penalties for distributing and selling the drug. The second would increase the mandatory prison sentence. The third would require defendants to prove they’re not a public threat when granted pretrial release and the fourth would re-classify fentanyl overdose deaths to fentanyl poisoning, as the lawmakers say many victims don’t knowingly consume fentanyl.
* Rep. Patrick Sheehan…
State Representative Patrick Sheehan (R-Homer Glen) proudly announces that his f bill, HB1938, has successfully passed the committee stage of the legislative process.
“I am thrilled that HB1938 has moved forward in the legislative process, especially as my first bill out of committee,” said Rep. Sheehan. “This legislation is important for improving the efficiency and accountability of our local governments. I am grateful for the committee’s bipartisan support and look forward to continuing to advocate for this bill.”
HB1938 amends the Decennial Committees on Local Government Efficiency Act to make it more precise and applicable. The bill specifically changes the definition of “governmental unit” within the Act to make sure that fire protection districts, which are established under the Fire Protection District Act, are not included in this definition. By doing so, the bill ensures that the rules and guidelines set out in the Act are applied accurately to the appropriate government entities, promoting better management and efficient use of taxpayer resources.
Rep. Sheehan remains committed to working with his colleagues to advance the bill through the legislative process and ultimately to the Governor’s desk for signature.
* WJBD…
State Representative Charlie Meier has introduced the ‘Second Amendment Heritage’ bill package which aims to fortify the 2nd Amendment rights of Illinois citizens. […]
Meier says one of the bills would allow States Attorneys and judges to conceal carry into the courtrooms.
“Our judges, our states attorneys, they have to go into these courthouses, and people know where they live. They’re doing these trials, and they don’t feel safe. They want to be able to have a concealed carry on them as they’re going in and coming out. If we think they have the qualifications to be a judge or state’s attorney, I think they should be qualified to have a concealed carry permit.”
Another bill would lower the age to obtain a FOID card to 18. A third proposal would lower the price to obtain a replacement Conceal and Carry License from $75 to $5 to match the cost of replacing a drivers license.
* Yesterday HB2409 passed out of the Police & Fire Committee unanimously…
* WAND…
A bill heading to the Illinois House floor could require all 9-1-1 dispatchers to be trained on telecommunicator CPR.
Rep. Lisa Davis (D-Chicago) said Thursday that instructions and guidance from dispatchers could mean the difference between life and death for someone experiencing a medical emergency. […]
“When CPR begins prior to arrival of emergency medical service, the person in cardiac arrest has a two to three fold higher likelihood of survival,” Davis said. “For every minute intervention is delayed, the chance of survival decreases by 10%.”
House Bill 1697 passed unanimously out of the House Police & Fire Committee Thursday morning. The legislation currently has 34 co-sponsors, including Democrats and Republicans.
* Rep. Kevin Schmidt…
State Representative Kevin Schmidt (R-Millstadt) filed legislation to expand recognition to Illinois veterans. House Bill 1421 creates the Veterans Day Paid Leave Act and requires employers to provide each employee who is a veteran with a paid day off on Veterans Day. Rep. Schmidt respects the men and women who have served our country and says his bill is one small way we can tell our veterans thank you.
“We owe our veterans a debt of gratitude for the sacrifices they made to protect the freedoms we all enjoy today,” Rep. Schmidt stated. “My bill is pretty straight forward and would award employees, who provide documents verifying they are a veteran, a paid day off work to celebrate Veterans Day, plus this bill creates an income tax credit to employers who provide a paid day off to their veteran employees.”
Representative Schmidt filed HB1421 to further acknowledge our veterans’ commitment
* WAND…
Democrats and advocates support a bill that expands IDROP, (Illinois Prescription Drug Repository) which is a law that allows citizens to donate expensive prescription drugs so patients without insurance could have free access to them.
Currently, any citizen for any reason can donate unexpired and unopened prescription drugs to pharmacies. This can range from cancer drugs to insulin. These drugs can then be donated to uninsured patients, who cannot afford the thousands of dollars these drugs usually cost.
The expansion includes the Illinois Department of Public Health to oversee the IDROP program by educating more pharmacists of IDROP’s existence and adding a website that shows all pharmacies a part of the program. […]
The plan passed unanimously out of the public health committee, where it will stay on the House floor for the time being as lawmakers contact IDPH about the proposal.
- Homebody - Friday, Mar 7, 25 @ 9:38 am:
So ignoring for now the general stupidity of the American love affair with punitive incarceration despite the fact that literally all studies show longer prison sentences don’t deter crime, and ignoring that this infatuation with punishment seems increased in one particular direction…
== The third would require defendants to prove they’re not a public threat when granted pretrial release ==
This has to be unconstitutional right? To put the burden on the defendant to prove a negative to avoid pretrial detention?
- Candy Dogood - Friday, Mar 7, 25 @ 9:51 am:
===to help people find shelter.===
I think this is a good bill coming from a good place, but we should be clear that the camping bans and criminalization of homelessness that this bill is required to address is not because the municipalities that are criminalizing homelessness are trying to help people find shelter.
I understand the value of appealing to our better angels, but some of our elected officials have nothing but lesser demons on their shoulders and do not care for the suffering they willfully impose with their lawmaking.
- @misterjayem - Friday, Mar 7, 25 @ 10:13 am:
“They’re doing these trials, and they don’t feel safe.”
Maybe take a pause from “fortifying” the Second Amendment and consider how the proliferation of firearms is the very reason why they don’t feel safe.
– MrJM
- charles in charge - Friday, Mar 7, 25 @ 10:17 am:
==Turner, alongside State Sen. Sue Rezin (Morris), proposed four different bills. The first plan would increase criminal penalties for distributing and selling the drug. The second would increase the mandatory prison sentence. The third would require defendants to prove they’re not a public threat when granted pretrial release and the fourth would re-classify fentanyl overdose deaths to fentanyl poisoning, as the lawmakers say many victims don’t knowingly consume fentanyl.==
These legislators should be ashamed that the best ideas they have to offer to address a public health crisis that has been going on for decades are completely unserious reheated War on Drugs policies that will only cost more lives.
- H-W - Friday, Mar 7, 25 @ 10:44 am:
Re: Story on GOP Fentanyl Bill
=== require defendants to prove they’re not a public threat when granted pretrial release ===
This is an affront to the SAFE-T Act, which requires prosecutors to prove people accused of crimes are a threat when granted pretrial release. In a civil, humane society, people are innocent until they are proven guilty. That bedrock principle goes back to the Laws of Moses, which requires proof of guilt by multiple witnesses, before punishment.
I am not opposed to most of the bill, such as enhancing penalties for selling and distributing such drugs. However, I think the Republicans could make a better case if they argued for detaining and detox and rehabilitation, rather than arguing the accused must prove their innocence.
- JS Mill - Friday, Mar 7, 25 @ 10:50 am:
=Maybe take a pause from “fortifying” the Second Amendment and consider how the proliferation of firearms is the very reason why they don’t feel safe.
– MrJM=
Spot. On.
I had to laugh at their self own give. Their inability to see the irony of legislation allowing guns because people have guns because of the law is just supreme.
- Observer From Afar - Friday, Mar 7, 25 @ 10:57 am:
Shoutout to WAND - the most consistent capitol coverage I’ve seen.
- SWIL_Voter - Friday, Mar 7, 25 @ 11:12 am:
Went round and round with our community’s camping ban. Police chief and states attorney insisted it was necessary to provide care to the homeless. I asked why they couldn’t provide that care now, and they simply had no answer. I asked how fining somebody $75-$2500 or putting them in jail would help homelessness. They insisted they wouldn’t issue the fine in any except the worst situations. I asked that they amend it to specify that. I asked that they amend it to only fine them if no shelter services were available. They refused. They even explained that all a person would have to do to avoid the fine is move. Move where? Another location. And if that’s also public property, they’ll just start the whole process again. It was abundantly clear that the only purpose of this ordinance is to harass homeless people. Shameful
- JS Mill - Friday, Mar 7, 25 @ 11:13 am:
…given their…
Whoops.
- H-W - Friday, Mar 7, 25 @ 11:31 am:
Regarding the “more guns in courtrooms” bill, it certainly begs the question how many lawyers and judges have been shot in Illinois courtrooms? Fear is understandable in a minority of cases, but pulling a gun and shooting a defendant for fear of being punched is a little like excessive force, especially with an armed deputy sheriff already in the courtroom.
- Henry Francis - Friday, Mar 7, 25 @ 11:48 am:
If Rep. Meir is truly concerned for the safety of lawyers and judges, maybe he should read the letter sent out by the President of the American Bar Association earlier this week where he warned of increased threats among members of the bar:
Since that time, government actions evidence a clear and disconcerting pattern. If a court issues a decision this administration does not agree with, the judge is targeted. If a lawyer represents parties in a dispute with the administration, or if a lawyer represents parties the administration does not like, lawyers are targeted.
- BE - Friday, Mar 7, 25 @ 11:56 am:
Why aren’t public defenders allowed to concealed carry under that bill, Rep Meier?
- Demoralized - Friday, Mar 7, 25 @ 12:30 pm:
I don’t understand the need for lawyers and judges to carry firearms in the courtroom when they are protected by armed officers.
The solution to gun violence isn’t more guns.
- charles in charge - Friday, Mar 7, 25 @ 12:52 pm:
==I am not opposed to most of the bill, such as enhancing penalties for selling and distributing such drugs.==
Why not? What research or past experiences with that type of policy approach (which has really been the ONLY approach for the past 50 years) would make you think that approach would have any chance of success at all?
- H-W - Friday, Mar 7, 25 @ 1:12 pm:
@ Charles in Charge
Touche.
- thechampaignlife - Friday, Mar 7, 25 @ 2:07 pm:
===I don’t understand the need for lawyers and judges to carry firearms in the courtroom when they are protected by armed officers.===
Exactly. The only gun in a courtroom now is the one carried by the trained officer. Adding 2 or more guns introduces risks of accidental discharge, excessive force, and mental break, and it provides a disgruntled defendant, associate, or family member with a nearby weapon to wrestle away in an otherwise secure location.
===requires employers to provide each employee who is a veteran with a paid day off on Veterans Day…plus this bill creates an income tax credit===
What happened to small government and fiscal responsibility? What are you cutting to pay for this? Why should employers be forced to participate? Let the market forces reward the employers who offer this benefit out of their own generosity through higher employee satisfaction and customer loyalty.
- Suburban Mom - Friday, Mar 7, 25 @ 3:51 pm:
The homeless people who camp in my area are not bothering anybody. They’re just trying to stay warm and dry and out of everybody’s way and be noticed as little as possible. I understand the police intervening if you’ve got someone with a substance abuse problem or severe mental illness who’s harassing kids on their way to school or whatever, but homeless people who are just quietly not bothering anyone and trying to exist in a world that marginalizes them? Social workers should check in with them and make sure they know what local services are available and how to access them, but I don’t see what harassing the quiet older guy in town who is clearly sleeping in parks accomplishes. He bothers nobody, he picks up trash to dispose of it, and he goes and reads newspapers at the library.