* Press release…

At a press conference Tuesday, members of the Illinois Senate Democratic Caucus will outline their package of statewide solutions to unlock tools to help meet the demand for homes and apartments and make housing more affordable for working families across the state.

WHO: State Senators Laura Ellman, Sara Feigenholtz, Graciela Guzmán, Mattie Hunter, Mike Simmons, Steve Stadelman, Rachel Ventura and Ram Villivalam

WHAT: Press conference on housing affordability

WHEN: Tuesday, May 26 at noon

WHERE: Blue Room, Illinois State Capitol and live on BlueRoomStream.com

* Crain’s…

The Senate is likely to take up Senate Bill 3496, which would create a pilot Prescription Drug Affordability Board to oversee price-setting limits on certain high-cost drugs in the state. The Illinois House passed the bill May 21.

The measure, like those in several other states, is hotly contested, with pharmaceutical companies and Illinois pharmacists calling pricing boards state overreach and consumer advocates saying skyrocketing drug costs need to be reined in.

Equally contentious is House Bill 2371, the Illinois Patient Access to 340B Pharmacy Protection Act, which would ensure access to deeply discounted pharmaceuticals for hospitals, federally qualified health clinics and pharmacies. The protections, providers say, are needed as drugmakers have sought to pull back on providing discounted drugs.

Drugmakers and employers groups, on the other hand, say lawmakers should not try to enshrine 340B protections on the state level as they work to rein in a discount program they say has ballooned in scope since it was set up in the 1990s.

* CBS Chicago…

Gun violence advocates and survivors from across Illinois are heading to Springfield on Tuesday to push for the first-of-its-kind Responsibility in Firearm Legislation (RIFL) Act. A number of groups, including March For Our Lives and the RIFL Act Coalition, will be at the Illinois State Capitol.

Organizers said the RIFL Act would make Illinois the first state to hold gun manufacturers financially responsible for violence incurred by their weapons. This also includes resources for survivors and community violence intervention. […]

The legislation would require firearm manufacturers to be licensed in Illinois. Money collected from licensing fees would go into a victim fund for related expenses.

Funds would then be available for people hurt by guns and their families, covering medical bills, lost wages, funeral costs, and more.

Advocates estimate firearm injuries cost Illinois taxpayers and survivors almost $20 billion a year in law enforcement response and recovery expenses.

Opponents, including the National Rifle Association, have characterized the RIFL Act as unconstitutional, suggesting it is tantamount to the industry being asked to “pre-confess” to crimes.

* Rep. Nicole Grasse…

A new bill supported by state Rep. Nicolle Grasse, D-Arlington Heights, seeks to prohibit online retailers from discreetly using “surveillance pricing”—a predatory practice that sets online prices to the highest amount the merchant believes a given consumer will pay, based on an algorithm or artificial intelligence (AI).

This legislation passed the House on Friday and will soon go to the Senate for consideration. […]

Many apps and online stores are using your personal data, browsing history, and your financial and demographic profile, to set the highest price you’re willing to pay—and that’s driving the affordability crisis.

Grasse supported House Bill 4248, which bans apps and online retailers from using a shopper’s personal data or demographic profile to raise prices. Traditional, non-AI pricing models like voluntary rewards programs, manufacturing cost adjustments, and special discounts may continue.

* WAND…

The Illinois House could pass a package of bills to regulate artificial intelligence before the spring session ends Sunday. These plans could create guardrails in a variety of areas, including privacy, education and prices. […]

Large AI developers like ChatGPT and Claude could soon be required to give the state an independent annual report documenting the mechanisms they use to address catastrophic risks. Lawmakers are demanding AI companies report critical safety issues within 72 hours of learning about them or 24 hours if the incident poses imminent risk of death or physical harm.

“This bill helps us be proactive instead of reactive, and it sends a clear message that protecting kids in today’s digital age still matters,” said Sen. Erica Harriss (R-Glen Carbon).

A separate plan could require any person or company using an AI chat system during trade or commerce to disclose consumers are talking with a bot instead of a human.

* Center Square…

Some Democrats and electoral rights groups want progress on legislation in Springfield that would give people in prison across the state the ability to vote just weeks after being convicted of a felony or lesser crime.

Some in favor of the bill cite the Illinois Constitution, which says an incarcerated person must have their right to vote restored by the completion of their sentence, leaving room for the legislature to decide when before release that is.

House Bill 5414 would allow felons and other people in prison to have their voting rights restored just 21 days after conviction. […]

Though the bill has not moved in the legislature aside from an informative hearing, proponents said they are requesting the legislature to consider placing the text within a larger omnibus package – which means the bill could pass without being put through the regular legislative process.

* Sen. Sara Feigenholtz…

In response to community concerns about a proposed electrical substation at the southwest corner of Diversey Parkway and Seminary Avenue, State Senator Sara Feigenholtz is working to bring Lakeview and Lincoln Park residents’ concerns to the forefront with new legislation that would bring community members to the table. […]

The measure comes after Feigenholtz and State Representative Ann Williams sent a letter in April expressing concerns about the proposal and urging the company, as a community partner, to engage in productive dialogue with residents, alderpersons and legislators regarding this project.

Feigenholtz’s legislation also follows a formal request for the site’s zoning specifications from Aldermen Timmy Knudsen, Bennett Lawson and Scott Waguespack to the city’s zoning administrator. The City Council members asked the city to clarify whether the proposed electrical substation truly qualifies as a “minor utility” as is currently classified.

Because of the proposal’s “minor utility” categorization, there is no requirement for a public hearing or opportunity for local residents to provide input. Feigenholtz introduced Senate Bill 4209 on Friday, which would create a mechanism for Cook County to appeal the classification from “minor” to “major” utility and set its own standards for utility classification going forward.

The location of the proposed substation, near schools, daycare centers and the ADA-accessible Diversey CTA station, makes the property prime for transit-oriented development – not just commercial use. Instead of taking a large, developable site off the table from residential or mixed use, Feigenholtz stressed that the goal is to put residents at the table and bring meaningful discussions about the future of the site to the forefront.

“ComEd is an important community partner,” said Feigenholtz. “The goal of this legislation is to encourage them to come to the table and be an involved partner as we navigate this process.”
Senate Bill 4209 awaits assignment to a Senate committee.