* WBEZ…

Leaders of Ravinia, Joffrey Ballet, Lyric Opera and other prominent Chicago arts groups joined together Monday to voice support for state legislation that would bar deceptive ticketing practices that they warn are on the rise.

Speculative ticketing, or ghost ticketing, is when a third-party seller lists tickets that they do not have. Audience members may think they have bought a legitimate ticket, only to arrive at the show with a fake. The problem has been rampant in the stadium concert industry, but the group Monday underscored that the fraudulent ticket problem now is impacting their local venues, not just national headliners like Taylor Swift. […]

The legislation passed the Illinois House unanimously on April 15 and now awaits action in the Senate. It would ban resellers from posting tickets they do not possess at the time of the listing. It would also strengthen consumer recourse by adding the ability to file complaints and prompt investigations by the attorney general’s office. […]

In addition to listings on third-party sites like StubHub, speculative tickets are often found on believable look-alike sites with convincing names that use real company logos and artist photos. They often advertise that tickets are nearly sold out — creating artificial scarcity and inflating prices for shows, sometimes before real tickets have even gone on sale.

* Sen. Sue Rezin and Sen. Erica Harriss…

Advisory: Protecting Kids in the Digital Age

WHO: State Senator Sue Rezin (R-Morris), State Senator Erica Harriss (R-Glen Carbon)

WHAT: Senators Rezin and Harriss will discuss legislation designed to protect children online.

WHEN: Tuesday, April 28 at 11:30 a.m.

WHERE: Capitol Blueroom in Springfield

* Press release…

As billionaires and giant corporations dodge $7 billion per year in Illinois taxes and starve community hospitals of the funding they need, Illinois hospital workers with SEIU Healthcare Illinois (HCII), Teamsters, State Senator Lakesia Collins, and State Senator Christopher Belt will rally at the State Capitol Wednesday to demand legislators fund healthcare in the state budget and pass legislation to save community hospitals and protect Illinois hospital patients.

Ralliers will demand lawmakers prioritize funding healthcare in the state budget by making billionaires and corporations pay what they owe in Illinois taxes and back two bills that support essential healthcare workers across the state: The Hospital Worker Staffing and Safety Bill (SB 0021/HB 3512) and the Hospital Health Equity and Access Leadership (HEAL) Bill (SB 3318/HB 5188). These measures will strengthen staffing standards in community hospitals, improve workplace safety, and stabilize funding for community hospitals that serve vulnerable Illinoisans, particularly in low-income communities and communities of color.

“Patients and families shouldn’t be left without access to care in their community while the wealthiest individuals and most profitable corporations aren’t paying what they owe,” said Tamara Phillips-Cathey, a hospital worker and HCII member. “I’ve seen patients delay care because they can’t afford it, or do not have access to care in their community, only to end up in crisis—working people shouldn’t have to decide between getting that MRI they need or paying rent while billionaires get richer. This is about priorities: do we protect corporate profits, or do we protect people’s lives?”

None of the bills mentioned in the above press release have received a committee vote.

* The Real Deal…

Illinois lawmakers are testing a statewide anti-gentrification proposal mirroring Chicago policies that are drawing the ire of the city’s commercial real estate professionals.

Two bills, SB 3674 and SB 3762, currently proposed in the state Senate lay out a process for tenants to gain the right of first refusal when a landlord decides to sell their apartment building. […]

Members of an Illinois legislative subcommittee last week held a hearing on those and other housing proposals and heard opposition from industry insiders. […]

If passed, SB 3674 would require landlords to give tenants about 60 days to match the terms of a third-party offer when selling a multi-unit building. If the landlord accepts a third party offer that is more than 20 percent lower than their original asking price, tenants receive an additional 10 days to match the offer. […]

All of the bills discussed last week are in early stages of development and will need additional review before passage.

* Journal Courier…

A bill that would change the Illinois School Code law and institute new rules when it comes to expelling students between kindergarten and second grade is awaiting its fate in the state House — even though the bill has passed both chambers.

Illinois House Bill 3772 aims to make it harder for schools to kick very young kids out of class or out of school. Childhood programs that get state money would have to restrict suspensions and expulsions to the superintendent, program director or another designated top school official for approval.

Additionally, the Democratic-backed bill would allow suspensions only for the time needed to develop a behavior or safety plan, among other stipulations. One amendment says a student in kindergarten through second grade could be expelled only under the federal Gun-Free Schools Act.

* Daily Herald…

The black and gold bumblebee may soon find its place on a list of Illinois state symbols that includes the violet, sweet corn and pumpkin pie, thanks to a group of eighth graders from Naperville.

After hearing some buzz in the community that Illinois should have a state bee, Barb Bell, an eighth-grade science teacher at Lincoln Junior High School in Naperville, contacted state Rep. Janet Yang Rohr about the idea.

From there, Bell and her fellow science teacher Emily Barlog put their 280 students to work. The students were separated into groups of three to study one of the 10 native bees in Illinois. […]

A bill tnaming the black and gold bumblebee as the state bee passed the House earlier this month and is awaiting Senate approval before advancing to Gov. JB Pritzker for his signature.

* More…

* ABC Chicago | Illinois leaders discuss bill to ban listing tickets for sale before they’re publicly released: Snoop Dog is coming to Ravinia Festival this summer. Before his scheduled September appearance was announced, tickets were already seen sold for thousands of dollars. “We hadn’t even built anything into our system, you know. There wasn’t even a way to buy a ticket from Ravinia at that point, but they’re already selling front row tickets to a concert that hasn’t even been announced,” said Duncan Moss, Ravinia Festival director of ticket operations.

* WAND | BUILD plan: IL lawmakers could pass housing development bills before session ends: “Senate Bill 4064 puts people over parking lots,” said Sen. Javier Cervantes (D-Chicago). “It puts homes over empty spaces and fundamentally lets the market decide how many parking spots are needed and where.” A massive portion of the plan could allow homeowners to boost their income and help others by adding accessory dwelling units to their property. This could include granny flats, above garage apartments and basement units.

* Press release | Jones Passes Bill Strengthening Auto Theft Protections for Drivers: Jones’ House Bill 3755 tightens the rules auto insurers must follow when they deny a theft claim based on suspicion of fraud. Jones’ bill stipulates that a lack of broken glass or other signs of forced entry, an unopened door, or the presence of a key fob cannot be used as evidence of fraud or grounds for claim denial. The bill will ensure that more drivers are fairly compensated when their vehicle is stolen.

* Press release | Mason Passes Big Wins for Property Tax Relief and Reform, Economic Growth, Voting Rights: House Bill 910, backed by Mason, delivers property tax relief to more communities by allowing local governments to negotiate Payments in Lieu of Taxation (PILOT) agreements for economic developments exceeding $100 million. In exchange for an agreed-upon assessment freeze, large developers would pay into the Illinois Property Tax Relief Fund, in which 60-percent of payments aid local homeowners, with the remaining 40-percent earmarked for homeowners statewide. Data centers are ineligible for these incentives. Mason also backed House Bill 799, which fixes a broken element in the property tax system by aligning the state with the U.S. Supreme Court Tyler v. Hennepin County ruling, barring “home equity theft,” and ensuring no Illinois resident loses the equity in their home due to old taxes. This measure guarantees that any excess profits generated from a home sale for delinquent taxes—beyond the original tax debt—will rightfully be returned to the previous, indebted owner.