* WAND…

Illinois lawmakers are advancing a proposal to phase out certain foods like pre-packaged snacks and heavily processed lunch options. This would apply to food served in cafeterias, not what parents pack for their child’s lunch.

“I think we have a responsibility to give our children a better start, especially when they don’t yet have the power to choose differently because they’re children,” said Rep. Sonya Harper.

Harper said the goal is not to add stress to schools, but to regulate what food manufacturers are sending through lunch lines.

“A lot of people bring up cost — ‘how much will it cost schools to get different foods?’ But I would ask, ‘what is the cost to our public health?’” Harper said.

Rep. Harper’s HB5507 did not receive a floor vote by last Friday, which was the Third Reading deadline. The bill has been re-referred to the House Rules Committee and its deadline has not yet been extended.

* Sen. Sara Feigenholtz…

We’re barreling into the month of May, the month when the General Assembly works around the clock to finalize the state budget and pass remaining legislation. The buzz in Springfield surrounds affordability, specifically affordable housing, and I am carrying two housing bills that help address the housing crisis.

SB 4061 is a bill in Governor Pritzker’s BUILD initiative, which updates building codes to allow new developments to have one staircase instead of the currently mandated two staircases. Single-stairway buildings are affordable to construct, offer floorplan flexibility, and increase the number of 2-3 bedroom homes. Learn more about SB 4061 here.

The other bill is SB 3187, which would allow multi-family housing to be built on the property of faith-based organizations. Places of worship across the state have unused property that can be developed into housing - this bill would let the state partner with these organizations to make supportive communities of new housing. […]

We asked for a hearing on these bills, and we got one. On Thursday, April 23rd at 1:30 p.m., the Senate Executive Committee is having a virtual hearing to discuss the Governor’s housing bills - including both SB 4061 and SB 3187. You can watch the hearing at this link. Select “Senate Virtual Room 1.”

* WCIA…

A bill aimed at making sure manufacturers don’t dump PFAS or “forever chemicals” in wastewater passed nearly unanimously in the Illinois Senate.

Jen Walling, the CEO of the Illinois Environmental Council, said PFAS — short for perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances — can be found in clothing, food packaging and cookware. She said they’ve been linked to multiple types of cancer. They’re coined “forever chemicals” because once they enter the human body, they can take years to break down due to the presence of fluorinated carbon atoms.

Senate Bill 3917 proposes that all wastewater treatment facilities will have to periodically sample biosolids, the water coming in and water going out of their plants for PFAS. Industrial plants will also test the water leaving their facilities if passed. […]

“This is an incredibly important bill to keep PFAS out of the water and biosolids which can be used to land applied to agricultural fields. They can accumulate over time. Farmers in Maine have had fields destroyed by PFAS, so this is something that can ensure those levels are meeting standards,” said Walling.

* WAND…

A plan moving to the Illinois House could help improve the state’s recent digital driver’s license law.

It also bans law enforcement from physically taking someone’s phone to verify their mobile ID.

“Most of this language is based on an agreement between the Secretary of State’s office and JCAR related to the rulemaking they adopted to implement the original law,” said Sen. Bill Cunningham (D-Chicago). “I’m aware of no opposition.”

Senate Bill 3449 passed out of the Senate on a 46-11 vote Thursday. The proposal has been assigned to the House Rules Committee and Rep. Ryan Spain (R-Peoria) will be the chief sponsor in that chamber.

* Shaw Local…

State Sen. Li Arellano Jr., R-Dixon, advanced Senate Bill 1573 out of the Senate, legislation that would lower the fee to become certified as an electronic notary in Illinois and thus encourage more notaries to operate within the state.

“We should be making it easier, not harder, to do business in Illinois, and this legislation does exactly that,” Arellano said in a news release. “It cuts fees, reduces barriers and supports businesses that rely on electronically notarized documents to operate.”

Under current law, individuals who become a notary must pay an additional $25 fee to become an electronic notary public in Illinois. Arellano worked with the Illinois Secretary of State to create Senate Bill 1573, which would waive that extra fee for two years. This reduces upfront costs and makes it easier for more Illinoisans to become certified, while giving the Secretary of State’s office time to work on a permanent fix, according to the release. […]

Senate Bill 1573 has passed the Senate and now heads to the House, where it will be sponsored by state Rep. Ryan Spain, R-Peoria. The idea was born from a discussion with the Peoria business community about challenges they were facing in interstate competitiveness.

* WAND…

The Illinois House passed a plan last week to improve the indoor air quality for schools.

This plan states school districts should ensure all active classrooms are equipped with air quality monitors. Advocates expect the state to spend roughly $10 million to buy monitors for classrooms statewide.

House Bill 4739 would also require the Illinois State Board of Education to work with the Illinois Department of Public Health to create a document explaining the values of good indoor air quality for districts. […]

This proposal passed out of the House on a 65-32 vote Friday. It now heads to the Senate for further consideration.

* WAND…

State lawmakers hope to send a bill to the governor’s desk next month to help schools best respond to emergencies.

The House passed a plan last week to require public and private schools to have silent panic alarms linked to law enforcement.

Sponsors said the Illinois State Police will work with the State Board of Education and Emergency Management Agency to develop rules for the mobile panic alert system. […]

House Bill 5107 passed unanimously out of the House Thursday. The proposal arrived in the Senate Tuesday and could be assigned to a committee next week.

* Politico…

Illinois House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch is pushing a constitutional amendment that would ensure minority representation is considered in redistricting, as the U.S. Supreme Court weighs a case that could reshape federal protections.

The Illinois House passed the measure on partisan lines and with the 71 votes required for a constitutional amendment, and it now heads to the Senate.

The proposal, House Joint Resolution Constitutional Amendment 28, would embed key principles of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 into the Illinois Constitution, ensuring those standards remain in place regardless of how the high court rules in a closely watched redistricting dispute.

At issue nationally is Louisiana v. Callais, a case centered on whether Louisiana must draw one or two majority-Black congressional districts under the federal law. While the litigation has been ongoing for several years, courtwatchers anticipate a ruling imminently that could result in redrawn lines, particularly in the South, that could change the balance of power in the House. […]

If approved by the legislature and signed by the governor, the measure would go before voters in November, giving Illinoisans the final say on whether to add Voting Rights Act-style protections to the state constitution.

Governors do not sign constitutional amendment joint resolutions.