Today’s quotable
Wednesday, May 17, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller
* I’m posting this press release because I do not ever recall a Republican legislator saying “Illinois is a great place to do business”…
Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) today announced the launch of the Blue Collar Jobs Act (BCJA) Tax Credit application for eligible companies. BCJA is a bipartisan legislative package designed to promote economic expansion and growth in Illinois by incentivizing construction projects. The legislation makes $20 million in tax credits available per year for eligible companies. […]
The BCJA amended legislation for Illinois’ premier incentive programs to provide tax credits attributable to the wages paid to construction workers on eligible projects. Eligible companies include those who are located in an Enterprise Zone (EZ) or a River Edge Redevelopment Zone (RERZ), companies designated a High Impact Business (HIB), or companies with an agreement under the Economic Development for a Growing Economy (EDGE) Program. Companies that completed construction projects in 2021 (the effective date of the legislation) or later are eligible to apply for credits. […]
Eligible companies can receive tax credits equal to 75 percent of the income tax attributable to construction workers on eligible projects located in an underserved area, or 50 percent for projects located in other areas. The BCJA is designed to further incentivize major capital investments in communities across Illinois and create good-paying construction jobs. […]
“Illinois is a great place to do business, and the tax credits provided by the Blue Collar Jobs Act will encourage capital investments across Illinois,” said Representative Joe Sosnowski (R-Rockford). “Incentivizing major construction projects while supporting manufacturers will have a long lasting, positive economic impact on Illinois communities.”
…Adding… On-topic update…
Senate Republican Leader John Curran (R-Downers Grove) released the following statement on DCEO’s announcement that the Blue Collar Jobs Act will be coming back online.
“We have consistently requested that the governor implement the long-stalled Blue Collar Jobs Act that was a part of the 2019 Rebuild Illinois bipartisan agreement. Manufacturers and businesses throughout the state can now begin applying for these jobs and development tax credits. This is a step in the right direction for rebuilding our economy and providing more job opportunities to Illinois workers.”
* Senate President Don Harmon…
“This is the result of a bipartisan effort to foster economic development in Illinois. These tax incentives are an excellent way to create good-paying jobs and continue our growth as a business leader in the Midwest.”
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Afternoon roundup
Wednesday, May 17, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller
* This proposal from the Action Center on Race & The Economy and the People’s Unity Platform is not serious…
The first is a move to impose a city income tax of 3.5% on any household with income above $100,000 a year. This tax would apply to both Chicago residents and money made by suburbanites employed in the city, and would yield an estimated $2.1 billion a year. […]
[Report co-author Saqib Bhatti, who serves on a 45-member Johnson transition subcommittee] said many of the bigger ideas contained in the proposal would require approval from Springfield.
They claim that this wouldn’t be a graduated tax, but I cannot see how this gets around the state constitutional prohibition: “A tax on or measured by income shall be at a non-graduated rate.” The state has a low income exemption to avoid triggering that provision. So, “approval from Springfield” would likely only be one step. Illinois voters would then have to adopt a constitutional amendment, and that didn’t go too well last time. Even if you buy into their constitutional argument, this is just more typical hocus pocus so the far-left can avoid talking about devising real-life solutions and blame others when it doesn’t happen.
* Define “lacking”…
But in Chicago, the new [asylum-seeking] arrivals are finding an increasingly fraying safety net as the city is expected to run out of funds for migrant assistance by the end of June, while assistance from state and federal governments has been lacking. […]
Pritzker’s administration has said the state has spent $260 million on shelter and care for asylum-seekers.
* The same publication might want to define “bloated”…
* Comptroller Mendoza…
Comptroller Susana A. Mendoza announced a $150 million transfer to the Rainy Day Fund on Wednesday, bringing the fund’s balance to a record-high level of $1.73 billion.
This week’s transfer into the Rainy Day Fund is part of an $850 million supplemental appropriation the legislature and Gov. Pritzker adopted in January.
* ATRA…
This week, Illinois General Assembly Assistant Majority Leader Jay Hoffman filed a last-minute amendment to Illinois House Bill 219, which aims to allow recovery of punitive damages in wrongful death cases.
“This amendment is a clear attempt by the trial bar to line their pockets at the expense of Illinois families,” American Tort Reform Association President Tiger Joyce said. “This ill-conceived amendment not only threatens to escalate costs but will further exacerbate Illinois’s reputation as a Judicial Hellhole®. We urge Illinois’s government leaders to reject this measure and protect the state’s economic vitality.”
H.B. 219, initially titled the Uniform Interstate Depositions and Discovery Act, is essentially a shell bill that has become a vehicle for the proposed amendments. Amendment 1 would allow punitive damages to be recovered in wrongful death cases, except in cases against the state or a state employee acting in the person’s official capacity. Amendment 2 would further carve out healing art malpractice or legal malpractice.
“This amendment is arbitrary and imbalanced,” Joyce said. “It exempts state government, local government, and medical malpractice cases. If this amendment was truly about punishing defendants for certain behavior and protecting victims, then why would they create exemptions? The answer is simple: this amendment is nothing more than a power grab by the trial bar.”
Just two years ago, the trial bar snuck a pre-judgment interest rate amendment through the back door in the middle of the night during a lame duck session. This amendment, filed at the eleventh hour, echoes the trial bar’s past efforts to push through unfavorable legislation.
“This is, unfortunately, the exact sort of tactic we’ve come to expect from the Illinois trial bar and is a page straight from the trial lawyers’ playbook,” Joyce said.
The bill is moving quickly through the legislative process and, in a matter of days, has passed the House and now is awaiting committee assignments in the Senate. Leader Hoffman has said the bill is a top priority of the trial lawyers.
Cook County’s status as a perennial Judicial Hellhole®, currently ranked fifth-worst in the nation by the American Tort Reform Foundation, underscores the urgent need for fair and balanced legislation.
“Rather than burdening Illinois businesses with punitive damages, lawmakers should focus on creating an environment that promotes growth and prosperity,” Joyce said. “This amendment threatens to exacerbate the challenges faced by businesses and further dampen Illinois’ competitiveness.”
* Self-appointed morality police call the real police about a book option…
Sarah Bonner has been an Illinois middle school teacher for 20 years, and she has always tried to offer her students a diverse collection of books.
This year, a parent called the police over her book choice.
It started on Monday, March 13, 2023, when [the Heyworth Community Unit School District 4 teacher] held what she calls a “book tasting” for students.
“I wanted to give them a smattering of fiction and nonfiction to choose from on a day that we call ‘Reading Monday,” Bonner, 42, tells TODAY.com. “We just read and celebrate books.”
One of those books was Juno Dawson’s “This Book is Gay.” It’s a bestselling nonfiction book that’s billed by its publisher as an entertaining and informative “instruction manual” for anyone coming out as lesbian, gay, bisexual or trans.
“By Wednesday, I received notice that parents had gotten a hold of pictures from that book that their child had taken in class,” Bonner says. “By Friday, I was told that parents had filed a police report against me for child endangerment.” […]
The day after Bonner learned about the police report, she received a letter from her school district — she had been placed on paid administrative leave. […]
The following Thursday, the school district held a special board meeting and voted unanimously to accept Bonner’s resignation.
* Well-earned…
On Wednesday, House Assistant Minority Leader Jackie Haas (R-Kankakee) was awarded the Vince Demuzio Legislator of the Year Award from the Illinois Association of Community Action Agencies for 2023. The president of IACAA, Arturo Puckerin, visited Leader Haas’ Springfield office to present the award to her.
“Poverty affects too many communities in the 79th District and across Illinois, and it is imperative we work hard to combat it and help our low income neighbors,” said Leader Haas. “I’m honored to receive this award and am committed to improving the lives of low income Illinoisans so every Illinoisan has the opportunity to succeed and live happy, fulfilling lives. As a social worker for over 30 years, I understand the issues people affected by poverty face. I will continue supporting legislation to also assist these individuals and help them overcome challenges presented by poverty.”
The Illinois Association of Community Action Agencies is a membership organization and serves as the backbone for training, technical assistance, and advocacy efforts. It was founded in 1971 in Springfield and former State Senate Majority Leader Vince Demuzio served as the first executive director of IACAA prior to his first Senate term in 1975.
Leader Haas has fought for low income residents of the 79th District since she began her service in the House of Representatives in 2021. One of her most significant accomplishments was backing bipartisan legislation to bring natural gas to Pembroke Township, an area in the 79th District that has been historically underserved. Residents in Pembroke had been forced to heat their homes and cook with wood, propane gas, or electricity, causing a significant financial burden for many. Leader Haas also leads the House Republican Supporting Women & Families working group, which tackles issues such as the cost of living, child care, and retaining Illinois teachers and medical professionals.
Community Action Agencies were first established in Title II of the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 to provide stimulation and incentives for rural and urban communities to mobilize their resources in order to combat poverty. The concept then evolved into the board structure of Community Action Agencies for equal representation by people with low income, public interests, and private entities.
* Harmon press release…
Today, Democratic Oak Park Township Committeeman Don Harmon announced details of the process to be used by a committee of the Cook County Democratic Party to fill the vacancy in the 1st District of the Cook County Board of Commissioners created by the resignation of Mayor Brandon Johnson. Mayor Johnson announced his resignation from the Cook County Board on May 13th, 2023 thus creating a vacancy to be filled by the elected Committee members of the Cook County Townships and Chicago Wards that comprise the 1st District. As the Committeeman with the highest number of “weighted votes,” Harmon will serve as the Chair of the proceedings.
“We welcome all applicants from the 1st District to serve the people of Cook County,” said Chair Don Harmon. “Anyone interested in applying to our committee for the appointment should submit a resume and a short cover letter signifying their interest and qualifications,” he concluded.
As described by Illinois statute and Cook County Ordinance, the election committee is comprised of elected party officials in the district who share the same political party as the last member to hold the district’s County Board seat. Weighted votes in each ward and township that make up the 1st County Board District, for the purpose of this appointment, are calculated by the number of votes Mayor Johnson received in the November 2022 election. Committee members elected to represent Chicago wards are based on the ward maps drawn previous to this redistricting cycle as those members have not faced an election under the newly drawn ward maps.
The members of the 1st District’s election committee include Alderperson Daniel LaSpata (1st Ward), Tim Egan (2nd Ward), Angie Gonzalez-Rodriguez (26th Ward), Alderperson Walter Burnett (27th Ward), Alderperson Jason Ervin (28th Ward), Alderperson Chris Taliaferro (29th Ward), Alderperson Scott Waguespack (32nd Ward), Alderperson Emma Mitts (37th), Illinois Senate President Don Harmon (Oak Park Township), and Cook County Clerk Karen Yarbrough (Proviso Township).
All registered voters residing in the district are eligible to submit an application via email at firstdistrictvacancy@gmail.com. Applications may be submitted until May 31st, 2023.
Once the application period is closed on May 31st, 2023, the election committee may narrow the field of applicants and set a date and time for in-person interviews. Upon completion of interviews and deliberation, the committee will vote on the appointment of the new commissioner. A vote of the majority of the weighted votes will determine the appointee.
Additional details of the committee’s meeting will be announced once the committee has chosen the time and place to meet.
* I’ve never heard of this outfit, but it just ranked Illinois as the second happiest state in the nation…
Scholaroo has identified the Happiest States in the US by comparing all 50 states across 54 relevant metrics distributed in 7 key categories (Personal Finance, Leisure Activities, Mental Health, Physical Health, Employment, Personal Relationships, and Social Policies).
* Isabel’s roundup…
* Chicago Reader | ’Inmates are extremely manipulative‘: Hundreds of lawsuits against Wexford Health Sources, a for-profit medical corporation operating inside Illinois prisons, allege substandard care. An employee handbook describes how clinicians were trained to be skeptical of incarcerated patients.
* WBEZ | Cook County has been giving felony records to people who should not have them: The error in Malcolm’s record was not an anomaly. Cook County has been wrongly putting felonies on the records of people in some diversion programs for at least three years. With the erroneous felony on his record, Malcolm’s life quickly unraveled. Without work he could not afford housing and began sleeping on the street, tucked into the doorways of buildings. He’d built his identity around being a provider for his family, and now he was having trouble even feeding himself. He slipped into a deep depression. “I wouldn’t wish that on nobody,” he said.
* Crain’s | U of C to share in $150 million for quantum computing research: The University of Chicago, along with the University of Tokyo, are getting $150 million from IBM and Google for quantum computing research in an effort to keep the U.S. and Japan in front of China, The Wall Street Journal reported.
* Sun-Times | Ex-Washington Federal bank employee cuts deal with feds, expected to testify: The failure of Washington Federal Bank for Savings has led to criminal charges against 16 people. Among them: former Ald. Patrick Daley Thompson, who was convicted last year of lying to regulators and filing false income-tax returns.
* Sun-Times | Couple from Quincy gets two years probation in U.S. Capitol riot: In a Facebook message, Jason Gerding confirmed for someone that “lots” of tear gas had been deployed during the riot, federal prosecutors say. He also allegedly sent someone a message at 5:14 p.m. on Jan. 6, 2021 that read, “this is f—ing epic.”
* Tribune | Man, 28, fatally shot outside Roseland outreach center founded by Arne Duncan: An outreach center is located at the 95th Street address and Duncan is the founder of Chicago CRED. Duncan was CEO of Chicago Public Schools from 2001 to 2008 and U.S. secretary of education from 2009 to 2015.
* Tribune | Mayor Brandon Johnson offers empathy but no immediate solutions as he visits migrant shelters: “It’s wicked. It’s unconscionable. But as you all know, the city of Chicago is coming together to make sure that people who wish to find real comfort here in the city of Chicago, that we provide that,” Johnson said. “Now I’m here today because I needed to see it firsthand.”
* Sun-Times | Colleagues of slain Chicago Police Officer Aréanah Preston rise to their feet during funeral to ‘show her how much we loved her.’: Preston’s mother, Dionne Mhoon, told those gathered that her daughter was a “kid full of life, dreams, big goals and wanted to make major changes.” “In this tragic situation, my family and I feel triumph,” she said. “We feel grace. We feel the love. We feel the hugs. And most importantly, we feel God’s presence over us. There is a presence of Aréanah’s presence saying, keep going, momma. You always wanted to be like me.”
* NYT | Heat Will Likely Soar to Record Levels in Next 5 Years, New Analysis Says: The record for Earth’s hottest year was set in 2016. There is a 98 percent chance that at least one of the next five years will exceed that, the forecasters said, while the average from 2023 to ’27 will almost certainly be the warmest for a five-year period ever recorded.
* Sun-Times | Suburbs in Chicago and elsewhere are aspiring to out-city the city: It’s a fascinating moment when suburbs are staking claim to the ‘‘new urbanism’ in development. But new suburban communities must be intentional about bringing together people of different backgrounds and income levels, a DePaul University sociologist writes.
* LA Times | How TikTok changed the way people migrate to the U.S.: Another TikTok video, which has been viewed 17 million times, falsely claimed in big, bold letters that, starting May 11, migrants “cannot be deported.” Soon, thousands of people began to leave poignant comments.
* Courier-News | No clear reason why vandals are damaging books in the Big Red Little Library, Elgin couple says: “We haven’t had any trouble until the last couple of months. Twice now there have been multiple books removed, ripped apart and the pages thrown on the ground for a span of about two blocks,” she said.
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*** UPDATED x1 *** It’s almost a law
Wednesday, May 17, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller
*** UPDATE *** Heading to the governor…
[ *** End Of Update *** ]
* Brenden Moore…
* Chicago Tribune…
A measure aimed at keeping anti-abortion pregnancy centers from employing deceptive practices in an effort to dissuade women from seeking the procedure has been sent by Illinois legislators to Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker, who already has indicated his support.
Sometimes referred to as “limited practice facilities,” the nonprofit clinics operate nationwide and often open near or even adjacent to clinics where abortions are performed. The bill, passed by the House last week after earlier clearing the Senate, empowers the Illinois attorney general to investigate claims that a limited practice facility engaged in fraud, deception or false pretense. Violations could lead to fines of up to $50,000.
“This is literally giving and clarifying the authority of the attorney general in order to prosecute these cases where people are using misleading and deceptive practices in order to take women away from being able to actually get the abortion care that they are looking for,” Democratic state Sen. Celina Villanueva of Chicago said in an interview.
Opponents say the bill violates the First Amendment, discriminates against certain organizations and gives too much leeway to the attorney general’s office to decide what facilities should be penalized.
* Sen. Loughran Cappel…
In an effort to recognize and honor Illinois veterans, State Senator Loughran Cappel led a measure that would allow the Secretary of State to issue United States Submarine Veterans special license plates
“After hearing from a number of constituents, I saw the reason this was important to submarine veterans,” said Loughran Cappel (D-Shorewood). “We have to honor the sacrifices all our veterans have made and this is one way we can show our support.”
House Bill 1581 would allow the Secretary of State to issue United States Submarine Veteran license plates to Illinois residents who served in the United States Navy as a submariner. New York and Connecticut offer similar submarine service license plates.
The Illinois Secretary of State’s Office offers a number of different specialty license plates. Requests for these license plates can be accepted at Driver Services Facilities.
“Our armed forces uproot their lives, leave their families and head off to fight for our country and we can’t thank them enough for that,” Loughran Cappel said.
* Ben Szalinski…
* WAND…
Illinois could be the first state in the country to ensure children featured in social media videos with their families are compensated for their work. […]
The bill states children under 16 could be entitled to a share of the revenue from videos if they are featured in at least 30% of a vlogger’s content within a 30-day period. Minors would receive access to the money once they turn 18 or become legally independent from their parents or guardians. […]
Senate Bill 1782 passed out of the House Tuesday on a 98-17 vote. Some House Republicans opposed the plan as they feel government should not impede on family relationships.
The legislation now heads back to the Senate on concurrence. This measure previously gained unanimous support in the Senate on March 29.
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* Senate President Don Harmon’s Senate Amendment 1 to HB3062…
Sec. 2-101.5. Venue in actions asserting constitutional claims against the State.
(a) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Code, if an action is brought against the State on or after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 103rd General Assembly asserting a cause of action for a violation of the Constitution of the State of Illinois, venue in that action is proper only in the County of Sangamon and the County of Cook.
(b) The doctrine of forum non conveniens does not apply to actions subject to this Section.
Remember how the attorney general’s office was forced to rush from county to county last December to respond to identical SAFE-T Act lawsuits? Remember how a certain lawyer would venue shop his COVID and gun law constitutional challenges to get in front of friendly county judges? The Supreme Court eventually stepped in and consolidated the cases. But it was a chaotic mess.
Well, those days would be over if this bill passes (and the courts uphold its constitutionality).
The Senate Executive Committee will take up the amendment today, so I’ll likely update this post.
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* Chicago Transit Authority President Dorval Carter Jr. has been repeatedly criticized for refusing to show up for city council meetings and to an Illinois Senate hearing in March. But he took the time for a brief Politico interview now that his future is uncertain. Notably absent from the questions was this topic…
Keep in mind that the CTA has reduced services and it still can’t keep up with that schedule.
* Also not addressed in the interview was cleanliness…
* Nor was this topic broached…
Embattled CTA President Dorval Carter has repeatedly vowed to fix a transit system Chicagoans have called unsafe, unsanitary and unreliable as ridership has fallen.
But Carter hardly used his work card for the system in 2021 and 2022, CTA records show. And the agency wouldn’t say exactly how often its leader takes public transit.
* He was, however, asked about crime…
Q: There’s a lot of talk about crime on CTA, though Chicago Police data shows it’s down.
Carter: “When you’re in the news every day, or almost every day, for some criminal activity that happens on CTA, it creates a perception that it’s not safe. But the vast majority of customers who ride CTA every day experience a ride that is relatively drama free. … What makes you feel safe is seeing more security, seeing more police, seeing the type of activities that let you know that there are people who are watching out for you and they’re trying to keep you safe.”
There is definitely an overwhelming perception that the CTA is not safe. And performative security measures have some impact. But the private security guards don’t necessarily make people feel safe…
* From 2018…
If there is one issue which shows genuine friction between the motormen and CTA management, it’s the decision in the late nineties to eliminate conductors from the trains. The agency argued at the time, that in addition to cost savings, safety was actually increased, because the motormen became more engaged with full operation of the trains.
But the men and women who drive the trains note the elimination of the conductors led to an inescapable truth: on a train which can be longer than a football field, they are usually the only authority figure on board-one CTA employee for a thousand passengers.
The security issue has been a long time coming. And the CTA has flat-out refused to entertain the notion of trying to replicate the success of “transit ambassadors” in San Francisco and other cities.
* Back to the interview…
Q: How is CTA doing financially? When will it reach a fiscal cliff?
Carter: “We’re not struggling financially because we have Covid relief money to fill our deficit every month as we calculate the gap between our expenses and our revenues. We believe that we will probably run out of money around 2026. But we still have a little bit of time, and that’s one reason why we’ve started our conversations with Springfield around funding and changes to the funding system for transit in the region.”
More reliable, cleaner and safer service is gonna have to happen before they can convince legislators to shell out more money.
Also, the General Assembly has put the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning in charge of a “Plan of Action for Regional Transit (PART) with recommendations that can help the region invest in a stronger and more financially secure transit system.” The CTA only reluctantly accepted the idea and is expected to try and water down the final report, which is due in January.
* From a legislator involved with transit issues…
They are going to be asking the state to help with their deficit to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars in 2026.
That conversation won’t go well if they don’t eliminate transit barriers, go to zero emissions, create safer transit, invest their capital projects equitably, etc.
More to come.
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* New York Times…
The Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to block two Illinois laws prohibiting the sale of high-powered guns and high-capacity magazines while challenges to them move forward.
The court’s brief order gave no reasons, which is typical when the court acts on requests for emergency relief. There were no noted dissents.
Several other states, including California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York and Washington, along with many municipalities, have enacted similar laws in the wake of mass shootings around the nation. Recent shootings, including one at a Texas mall that left eight people dead, have prompted calls for further efforts to address gun violence.
The case that reached the Supreme Court was a challenge to a city ordinance in Naperville, Ill., enacted in August and a state law enacted in January. The ordinance prohibited “the commercial sale of assault rifles,” listing 26 categories of weapons, including AK-47 and AR-15 rifles. The state law covered similar weapons along with high-capacity magazines.
The order is here.
…Adding… Annie Thompson at the attorney general’s office…
We are pleased the Supreme Court has denied the emergency application for injunction pending appeal, and that communities in Illinois will continue to benefit from this important public safety measure. The Attorney General’s office remains committed to defending the Protect Illinois Communities Act’s constitutionality.
* Rep. Morgan…
State Rep. Bob Morgan, D-Deerfield, is commenting publicly following news that the U.S. Supreme Court declined to halt enforcement of the statewide assault weapons ban while cases against it are decided. Those cases are currently before the U.S. 7th Circuit Court of Appeals.
“Justice Coney Barrett’s decision reinforces what we already knew–that the Protect Illinois Communities Act is, by design, constitutional, and that it comports with legal precedent,” Morgan said. “That this ruling comes from a member of the Court’s conservative majority without noted dissents is the clearest indication yet of the strength of this lifesaving law.”
“The Protect Illinois Communities Act has already prevented the sale of thousands of assault weapons and high capacity magazines in our state. This ruling is a victory in the fight to keep these weapons of war from creating more carnage in communities like mine and countless others across this state.”
* Sen. Morrison…
State Senator Julie Morrison (D-Lake Forest) released the following statement after the nation’s top court refused to block two Illinois laws prohibiting the sale of high-powered guns and high-capacity magazines:
“The decision by the U.S. Supreme Court is a positive step toward further ensuring military-style weapons – designed for war and not for sport – do not decimate our communities.
“I remain hopeful that this is a positive sign for the Protect Illinois Communities Act and trust in Attorney General Kwame Raoul to work diligently to defend its constitutionality.”
* G-PAC…
Today, the Gun Violence Prevention PAC (G-PAC) released the following statement from John Schmidt, a former U.S. Associate Attorney General and member of the Executive Board of G-PAC, in support of the denial from the United States Supreme Court to halt the state’s ban on assault weapons and large-capacity magazines.
“The Supreme Court today rejected the last-ditch effort by a Naperville gun dealer to stop continued enforcement of the Illinois ban on assault weapons and high capacity magazines passed in January.
The Court issued a one word order: Denied.
As a strong supporter of the new law, we welcome the Court’s action. The dealer had previously lost in the United States District Court and the United States Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit. He now has nowhere left to go.
The Illinois law will now remain fully in effect while the dealer appeals to the Court of Appeals from District Judge Virginia Kendall’s decision to deny a preliminary injunction because, she said, the statute is “constitutionally sound”. The Court of Appeals will hear oral argument in the case on June 29. It will also hear arguments in a second case in which District Judge Lindsay Jenkins denied relief against the statute in an action brought by a Chicago gun owner, and in a third case in which Judge Steven McGlynn in East St. Louis issued an injunction against the statute that was immediately stated by the Court of Appeals.
We applaud the Illinois Attorney General and the superb lawyers in his office for their effective representation of the public interest in these cases. Stopping enforcement of the law would allow resumption of a continuing flow of new assault weapons and large capacity magazines into our communities. Sale of those dangerous weapons has now stopped and it should never be resumed.”
* IFC…
The IL Freedom Caucus is issuing the following statement on the US Supreme Court decision to allow enforcement of Illinois’ weapons ban law to continue.
“The US Supreme Court is being consistent with a similar decision in January to allow a New York gun ban to remain in effect while the legal challenges move forward. It is our belief the United States Supreme Court will ultimately decide the constitutionality of the New York law, the Illinois state law as well as the Naperville, IL gun ban. We don’t believe unconstitutional laws should ever be allowed to be enforced, but we remain confident the High Court will rule to uphold the 2nd Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens and prevent state and local governments from enforcing laws that blatantly violate our constitutional rights.”
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Work your bills, people
Wednesday, May 17, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Freshman Rep. Dennis Tipsword (R-Metamora) spent much of his interview with the Pontiac Daily Leader complaining about how woke ideology has infected the legislature, Chicago’s dominance, and even mentioned the counties topic…
“But it’s just frustrating that we, as the Republican Party with only our 40 members, have constituents in every one of our 102 counties. We, as Republicans, touch every county in this state. Democrats can’t say that.”
* Anyway…
Tipsword’s frustrations include his bills not getting a chance to be read. One such bill involved monitoring those with Alzheimer’s or with other dementia or brain-injury issues. This is bill was based on something employed by Woodford County. […]
He pointed out that this program in Woodford County began three years ago. It involves a monitoring bracelet to allow for easier location of the individual when such a situation arises. Tipsword said that there have already been 12 successful finds. […]
He said he wanted to do a test through a few counties but could not get it off the ground. Tipsword found this to be very frustrating and couldn’t understand why there was no momentum.
It got sent to sub-committee, which is an abyss, a place where bills go to die, he said.
The statewide pilot project seems like a decent enough bill. It would even be privately funded.
But Rep. Tipsword only convinced a single member to co-sponsor his bill, and that wasn’t until more than two weeks after the committee passage deadline had passed, and that co-sponsor was a Republican. Only one person filed a witness slip in support.
* Contrast that with fellow Downstate Republican freshman Rep. Bradley Fritts, who passed a bill removing the testing requirement for motorcycle operators who are under the age of 18. Fritts worked that bill hard with ABATE, and they signed up lots of Democratic and Republican co-sponsors (including Speaker Welch) and more than 100 witness slips in support. It passed with a unanimous vote. Rep. Fritts also passed a bill allowing one of his local park districts to buy solar panels and signed up Majority Leader Robyn Gabel as his chief co-sponsor. It cleared the chamber 112-1.
Freshman Republican Rep. William Hauter passed a medical licensure bill with bipartisan support and medical institutional backing.
Republican freshman Rep. Jennifer Sanalitro passed a bill that expanded the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act to include some mortgage marketing materials and a bill mandating insurance companies cover medically necessary home saliva cancer screening every 24 months. Both had bipartisan support.
* Do the House and Senate Republicans get the shaft? Heck yes, they do. And some of it, probably more than some, is not of their own making.
But don’t put in minimal visible effort and then complain you can’t get anything done.
…Adding… Even this guy got a bill to the governor’s desk…
The Illinois Senate has given final approval to a measure State Rep. Adam Niemerg (R-Dietrich) sponsored to enable abuse victims under 13 years of age to avoid appearing in open court when providing their testimony.
House Bill 2607 passed both the House and the Senate without any opposition. The measure establishes a presumption that the testimony of a victim who is a child under 13 years of age shall testify outside the courtroom, and the child’s testimony shall be shown in the courtroom using a closed-circuit television. The presumption could only be removed if the defendant proves the child will not suffer emotional distress by providing testimony in the courtroom.
“This bipartisan legislation is a common-sense solution to prevent kids in abuse cases from facing their abuser in open court,” Niemerg said. “It sets the practice of closed-circuit TV testimony as the norm. Nothing is more important than protecting our kids, and that’s exactly what this legislation does. I hope the Governor will sign this bipartisan legislation into law.”
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It’s just a bill
Wednesday, May 17, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller
* WQAD…
In February, a bill was introduced to the Illinois General Assembly that would allow Illinois breweries to be able to directly ship their products to their customers.
“The idea behind that bill is that maybe we can hit a person in another state or downstate where we don’t currently have distribution,” said Nick Bowes, general manager at Bent River Brewing Company. “It’s just a way that we can add maybe a little bit more to our sales as breweries and get our product to people who otherwise don’t really have an easy way to access it,” […]
“This can help us increase our sales,” Bowes said. “We want to be able to deliver a quality product while keeping our lights on. A move like this would definitely be a step into the right direction.”
The bill currently stands in the Senate with the liquor subcommittee. Illinois Legislation Session ends this week.
* Insurance Business Mag…
An Illinois bill that would allow for punitive damages in wrongful death cases has raised concerns among industry groups, including the American Property Casualty Insurance Association (APCIA) and the Illinois Insurance Association (IIA).
A joint statement from the two associations warned of the detrimental impact that the bill could have on the state’s public policy and various stakeholders.
Introduced by Representative La Shawn Ford, House Bill 219 seeks to reverse the current prohibition on insurers paying punitive damages.
This would make Illinois an outlier state in terms of the damages allowed in wrongful death cases, according to the APCIA-IIA statement. While some states that permit punitive damages also place caps or limitations on both punitive and non-economic damages, Illinois does not.
* WAND…
Police chiefs at universities across Illinois are asking state lawmakers to pass a plan to help them recruit officers from out of state.
House Republicans filed a bill earlier this spring to allow higher education institutions to hire law enforcement without a residency requirement during the application process. Their proposal could exclude university police applicants from the civil service testing and residency requirements.
“Western Illinois University has applicants from Iowa and possibly Missouri who apply for positions with the campus police and under current statutes they’re not authorized to apply for those jobs as out-of-state residents,” said Rep. Dan Swanson (R-Alpha). “This would give them an opportunity to apply for these positions also.” […]
House Bill 1767 passed unanimously out of the House Higher Education Committee Tuesday morning and now moves to the House floor. The measure gained unanimous support in the Senate last week.
* Cook County Public Defender’s Office…
* WAND…
Illinois could make a popular merit-based grant pilot program permanent to help more students go to state public universities.
The AIM HIGH grant pilot program was launched in 2019 after state leaders saw several years of declining enrollment at Illinois public colleges.
Lawmakers and advocates felt the state’s higher education institutions were out-recruited by colleges in other states offering merit-based scholarships. Families frequently told lawmakers that their students could receive scholarships and grants for $10,00-$20,000 if they had high ACT or SAT scores. […]
House Bill 301 passed unanimously out of the House Higher Education Committee Tuesday morning. The plan now heads to the House floor for further consideration. Sponsors hope the proposal can pass out of both chambers before session is scheduled to end on Friday.
* Scott Holland…
On Monday, state Reps. Dagmara Avelar, D-Barrington, and Ryan Spain, R-Peoria, published a guest column titled “State tax credit a bipartisan approach to easing Illinois’ affordable housing deficit.” The lawmakers advocated for passage of the Build Illinois Homes Tax Credit. When I first wrote about that proposal in April 2021, the bipartisan backers were state Reps. Delia Ramirez, D-Chicago, who now sits in Congress, and Tom Demmer, R-Dixon, out of the General Assembly after a failed bid to become treasurer.
No matter the advocates, the hearts seem in the right place. The federal Low-Income Housing Tax credit has indeed been a successful means of encouraging private development of lower-cost housing options and House Bill 2044 would add a state credit, following nearly half of other states trying to solve similar problems.
“The Build Illinois Homes State Tax Credit calls for creating an estimated 3,500 homes or apartments each year, generating nearly $1 billion in economic activity and $300 million in state and local taxes paid over the next decade, and more than 17,000 jobs supported during that time,” Avelar and Spain wrote. “Each annual round of tax credits will cost the state $350 million spread over 10 years, but the economic returns generated from the program will more than offset the cost.” […]
The numbers aren’t spin, but they require context and an understanding the housing shortage demands multiple solutions. Avelar and Spain are pushing one direction, which should help, but much heavy lifting remains.
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Open thread
Wednesday, May 17, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller
* What’s going on? Keep it Illinois-centric please…
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Isabel’s morning briefing
Wednesday, May 17, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller
* Here you go…
* Tribune | Advocates push for bill to expand state-funded health insurance to adults 19 and over, regardless of immigration status: John Bouman, director of Legal Action Chicago, who is leading the policy work for Healthy Illinois, said that the new programs are no different than the expansion to All Kids or The Affordable Care Act. Those two programs “drastically expanded Medicaid eligibility” and are now running fully implemented, he said.
* WTTW | Despite Uber’s Campaign Against Tougher Safety Standards, ‘Common Carrier’ Bill Moves Ahead in Springfield: Lyft previously opposed the bill but has since moved to a neutral position. That shift reportedly came after an amendment that delayed when the rule would take effect and would let rideshare companies operate for at least an additional five years in Illinois.
* Crain’s | Bills bolstering firefighter, Cook County pension benefits gain traction: Each of the funds is billions of dollars short of the assets needed to pay promised benefits. Despite that, as well as opposition from former Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s financial team and expressions of concern from the Civic Federation, one of the firemen’s bills cleared the House yesterday by a wide 88-24 vote.
* Capitol News Illinois | State Supreme Court weighs assault weapons ban: Plaintiffs’ attorney Jerry Stocks argued that because the law allows some people to continue owning the banned weapons – law enforcement officers, certain security guards, active-duty military personnel, and people who already owned those weapons before the law took effect, among others – it violates the state constitution’s equal protection clause. He also argued it violates a ban on “special legislation,” or legislation written for the benefit of one person or group of people.
* Chalkbeat | Will Illinois tax credit scholarship end? Four things you should know about Invest In Kids: Over 9,000 Illinois students received the tax credit scholarship during the 2021-22 school year, according to a report from the state’s Department of Revenue obtained by Chalkbeat Chicago. In prior school years, enrollment numbers remained around 7,000 students.
* Sun-Times Editorial Board | Keep Illinois law strong on protecting personal biometric information: The point of the law is not to crush companies with burdensome penalties. But the answer should not be to toss out the law or weaken the penalties to the point that companies can safely ignore BIPA.
* Cheri Bustos and Reid Ribble | To protect our children and democracy, we need a commonsense approach to social media reform: A recent poll undertaken by the nonpartisan democracy-focused group Citizen Data found strong bipartisan evidence of this sentiment. Regardless of political party, the vast majority of Americans believe social media are toxic to our children and our democracy. A scant 7 in 100 respondents believe that social media’s benefits outweigh its harms.
* Block Club | On Visits To Migrant Shelters, Mayor Brandon Johnson Vows To Support New Arrivals — And Existing Residents: Johnson said he has been briefed regularly during the transition and recently spoke with federal leaders about how every level of government needs to help. In one of her final acts in office, Mayor Lori Lightfoot declared a state of emergency to make it easier for city agencies to respond.
* Tribune | Southeast Side activists celebrate city’s environmental justice agreement: ‘We get a victory — but the war is still on’: The city of Chicago reached the historic agreement with HUD Friday after Southeast Side activists initiated a yearslong federal civil rights investigation into local laws that allowed polluters to be concentrated in certain communities, many of which are on the Southeast Side.
* CNA | Chicago’s Bishop Joseph N. Perry to lead U.S. bishops’ anti-racism committee: Longtime Black Catholic leader Bishop Joseph N. Perry, an auxiliary bishop of Chicago, is the new chairman of the Ad Hoc Committee Against Racism for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).
* Crain’s | Emanuel welcomes Chicago tech firm for Tokyo office opening: Rahm Emanuel welcomed a couple of familiar faces to Tokyo today for the opening of a new office of Chicago-based software company Keeper Security. Emanuel is the U.S. ambassador to Japan. On hand for Keeper’s Tokyo opening were CEO Darren Guccione and board members Howard Tullman and Harper Reed, two tech founders who were familiar faces during Emanuel’s tenure as Chicago mayor.
* Sun-Times | No honeymoon for Brandon Johnson — at least not with Fulton Market Association: Besides demanding 5,000 more surveillance cameras to stop violent crime, the leaders said they would oppose any new or increased taxes until existing tax increment finance funds are raided and the TIF system is reformed.
* Sun-Times | Bulls are without a draft pick after losing first-rounder to Magic in lottery: Karnisovas’ focus now should be on looking to make a deal to get back into the draft or, more likely, start preparing for free agency.
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Live coverage
Wednesday, May 17, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller
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Afternoon roundup
Tuesday, May 16, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller
* All branches of government have revolving door issues, including the US Attorney’s office…
John Lausch, who stepped down as the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois in March, is headed to Kirkland & Ellis, the law firm announced today.
Lausch began his legal career at Kirkland in 1997 as an associate and will return to the firm as a partner in the government, regulatory and internal investigations practice group.
* Civic Federation…
SB1629 would change the calculation of final average salary [for Chicago firefighters] from the highest 8 consecutive years within the last 10 years of service to the highest 4 consecutive years during the last 10 years of service. SB1630 would change the limitation on pensionable salary to one that increases based on inflation from one that changes by the lesser of 3% or [deleted because of an amendment] the inflation rate. The legislative sponsors and supporters of these proposals argue that the benefit enhancements are needed to preemptively solve the concerns about Tier 2 benefits failing to meet Safe Harbor rules. But there has been no comprehensive, statewide evaluation done to determine if or when Tier 2 benefits will violate Safe Harbor rules.
SB1629 passed the Senate 55-0, but hasn’t yet received a House floor vote. SB1630 also passed the Senate 55-0, and cleared the House today 88-24-2. The Tribune editorial board has railed against both bills, to no avail. Mayor Lori Lightfoot was opposed to the bills, but Sen. Cristina Pacione-Zayas, Mayor Brandon Johnson’s new deputy chief of staff, is a co-sponsor of both bills.
* A last-minute move to add punitive damages to the Wrongful Death Act is criticized…
A coalition of business groups has issued the following statement in opposition to HB219, which will add punitive damages to select court cases and stifle job creation and growth in Illinois:
“Two years ago, in the waning hours of the lame duck session, Democrats in the General Assembly imposed pre-judgement interest on lawsuits adding immense pressure to defendants to settle cases regardless of the merits of the case. And now, with only days remaining in the spring legislative session, it’s déjà vu with a last-minute amendment adding punitive damages to certain, select court cases. Lawmakers should not upend decades of legal precedent in order to tilt the playing field even more in favor of wealthy trial attorneys. This will further solidify Illinois’ reputation as a poor place to do business and make job creators take a second look at expanding or investing in Illinois.”
The measure is scheduled to be heard this morning in the House Judiciary-Civil Committee. The groups opposing the measure include:
Illinois Manufacturers’ Association
Illinois Retail Merchants Association
Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce
Illinois Chamber of Commerce
National Federation of Independent Business Illinois
Illinois Railroad Association
Illinois Life & Health Insurance Council
Mid-West Truckers Association
American Property Casualty Insurance Association
Illinois Trucking Association
Illinois Movers and Warehousemen’s Association
Chemical Industry Council of Illinois
National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies
Rockford Mutual Insurance Company
Allstate
Zurich North America
* Rep. Ammons will run for reelection instead of vying for the Senate…
Discretion is the better part of valor. Look before you leap.
Those thoughts, among others, must have been running through state Rep. Carol Ammons’ mind as she contemplated following through with her January announcement that she would challenge appointed state Sen. Paul Faraci for the Democratic nomination for the Illinois Senate’s 52nd District seat.
After weighing the pros and cons, Ammons filed papers Monday with the Illinois State Board of Elections amending a previous filing declaring her Senate run. The new filing by the Friends of Carol Ammons stated her intent to seek “re-election to the 103rd Illinois House seat that comprises Champaign-Urbana.” […]
Faraci accepted the news with equanimity.
“I really do look forward to working with Representative Ammons,” he said. “This (decision) allows us to focus on that, and I think it’s great.”
Her new D-1 is here.
…Adding… From what I was told, Tracy won a super-majority…
Attendees of the Illinois Republican Party took a vote Saturday on whether they had confidence in GOP Leader Don Tracy.
It happened at a regular meeting of the Illinois Republican Party State Central Committee in Edwardsville.
At Issue: Republican state Sen. Jason Plummer, who represents the 55th District, and a few others called for new leadership. There are concerns about where the party is headed, that the party isn’t raising more money and that the Illinois GOP isn’t doing more to expand its reach.
Tracy ultimately received a majority of support, according to two people in the room. But divisions within the party remain.
It has always been thus within that state party. Always.
* Press release excerpt…
Today, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle announced that, thanks to a partnership with Cook County Health (CCH), the Housing Authority of Cook County (HACC) has added behavioral health care coordinators to 18 HACC public housing communities. Thanks to federal funding provided by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), HACC behavioral health care coordinators will play a proactive role in ensuring that Housing Authority residents receive resources that foster mental health, physical health, and will also provide referrals to other healthcare resources when necessary. This includes case management, therapy/counseling, housing stability support and workforce development.
* SoS…
Fulfilling a campaign promise, Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias has established the first-ever Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Officer position in the Secretary of State’s office.
Dr. Margaret “Margie” Lawler, who joins the office today, will fill this important inaugural role, Giannoulias announced.
Dr. Lawler brings significant experience, most recently serving as Blackburn College’s inaugural DEI Officer. She has been engaged in diversity, equity and inclusion efforts for over 12 years at institutions of higher learning, including key roles at Illinois Central College and the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana. She also brings private sector experience from her years with Caterpillar, Inc. in Peoria. […]
In addition to serving as DEI Officer, Dr. Lawler will serve as deputy director for training in the Secretary of State Springfield Personnel Office. In this capacity, she will revive and refresh the office training for all employees, especially managers.
* Crain’s…
Co-working company Industrious owes its former West Loop landlord more than $2.3 million for walking out on its lease in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, a Cook County judge ruled last week.
In what will likely be seen as a win for all landlords that have leased space to major shared-office providers in recent years, the court found New York-based Industrious committed fraud and violated its contract with Stockbridge Capital Group, the San Francisco-based investor that used to own the building at 600 W. Jackson Blvd. where Industrious closed a location in 2020, court records show. Stockbridge alleged in a 2020 lawsuit that Industrious stopped paying rent in April 2020 and was abandoning the $4 million in remaining rent payments on a lease that runs until 2030.
* Yesterday…
Tomorrow, lawmakers will sport their suits and sneakers to show their support for those touched by cancer in the state, those lost to cancer and cancer control policies in Illinois. This year, 74,580 individuals are estimated to be diagnosed with cancer in Illinois and an estimated 23,730 will die from the disease.
Illinois has made great strides over the years to reduce the cancer burden through policies to prevent cancer and access to care legislation, including being the first state in the nation to pass legislation to improve access to biomarker testing.
The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) thanks Rep. Marcus Evans for his continued dedication to being a champion for those affected by cancer and leading this suit and sneakers effort. ACS CAN also thanks Rep. Camille Lilly for championing tobacco control measures, including adding e-cigarettes to the Smoke-Free Illinois Act this year, as well as Rep. LaShawn Ford, Rep. Joyce Mason, Rep. Laura Faver Dias and all the other dedicated legislators who have joined us in our fight against cancer.
Today…
* Isabel’s roundup…
* Jim Dey | On second thought, Ammons files for re-election in House: It’s quite a flip-flop, but one that makes political sense both for her and her party. “I think Carol is doing the right thing by herself, by the party and by the electorate,” said Champaign County Auditor George Danos, a fellow Democrat. “By avoiding a risky state senate primary, she maintains experienced representation for us in Springfield as well as her own tenure in the House.”
* Sun-Times | Electrical grid power play: Utilities take control of coming boom in transmission lines: In the world of energy regulation, the shorthand for what utilities want is ROFR — the right of first refusal. The companies have persuaded legislatures in 12 states— Illinois isn’t one of them, but Indiana, Michigan and Iowa are — to pass laws that codify this as a right regarding new transmission lines.
* WCMY | House bill considers making corn starch ethanol an advanced biofuel: The Fuels Parity Act introduced by Representatives Nikki Budzinski and Eric Sorensen of Illinois, Mariannette Miller-Meeks of Iowa, Stephanie Bice of Oklahoma and Wesley Hunt of Texas would allow ethanol from corn starch to be classified as an advanced biofuel.
* Sun-Times | No ‘slam-dunk’ in potential precedent-setting case against Highland Park shooting suspect’s father, experts say: The success or failure of the case against Robert Crimo Jr. will tell other prosecutors about the court’s appetite for holding parents responsible for the acts of their children.
* Lake County News-Sun | Reaction mixed to Highland Park’s guide to compassionately communicating about parade shooting: But its circulation has also prompted some discussion among residents, some who say they don’t appreciate being told how to speak about what happened. Others do not agree with the city’s prompting of people to move away from using certain terms such as “mass shooting” to refer to the tragedy, and the phrase “Highland Park Strong” and “Fuerza Highland Park,” which were printed on numerous shirts, stickers and other items as the community rallied last summer.
* Arlington Heights Post | Arlington Heights considering Bears’ demolition request because town ‘does not have any authority’ not to, mayor says: “The village does not have any authority to withhold approval of demolition for any reason if the application is complete and the property owners’ demolition plans comply with the village code,” Hayes said at the meeting. He and other Village Board members said the village is “100% committed” to transparency as the village and team navigate the early stages of what could be a behemoth project at the old racetrack.
* SJ-R | Moredock named city’s corporation counsel; mayor selects other directors: Moredock has been with the IML since November. Prior to that, he was in private law practice. […] James Sullivan was named director of the city’s information systems division and had been manager of technical support and has been with the city since 2004.
* Labor Tribune | Illinois AFL-CIO salutes legislators for their support of Organized Labor: Margaret Blackshere, a Metro East legislative and Labor leader, fought during most of her adult life for women’s rights and better working conditions for women. Blackshere, who died almost four years ago at age 78, would have been proud of an Illinois state representative who recently was awarded an Illinois AFL-CIO Labor Salutes award that was named after Blackshere, speakers at the ceremony in Springfield said.
* WBEZ | Scabby the Rat gives bite to union protests, but is he at the tail end of his relevancy?: “It’s kind of unfortunate, changing times, older members of the public know exactly what the rat is for,” said James Smith, union activity administrator for the NYC District Council of Carpenters. “The newer generation sometimes doesn’t — one person thought that we were protesting a building that needed an exterminator.”
* 217 Today | U of I professor argues college debt is making jobs and care less accessible: Kevin Leicht, a sociology professor at UI, published a book about the declining respect for professional jobs. Titled “Crisis in the Professions: The New Dark Age,” the book discussed how college debt forces professionals to pursue higher-paying jobs.
* WCIA | Former Champaign deputy chief expected to take over U of I police academy: The University of Illinois Board of Trustees will vote with Thursday on whether to appoint Joe Gallo as the director of the U of I Police Training Institute. Gallo has been serving as interim director if the institute since May 1.
* NBC Chicago | ‘Pneumonia Front’ to Drop Temps More Than 20 Degrees in Matter of Minutes Tuesday: Temperatures are expected to reach into the low-80s across much of the area, but as the front passes through, temperatures will drop into the mid-50s in areas east of Interstate 355, with many locations seeing temps plunge more than 20 degrees within a matter of minutes, according to officials.
* NBC Chicago | Tim McGraw Added as Headliner in 2023 Illinois State Fair Grandstand Lineup: The country music star and three-time Grammy winner is slated to perform with Landon Parker at the fair on Aug. 17, with tickets going on sale Friday.
* Sun-Times | Foo Fighters, The Cure among Riot Fest 2023 lineup at Douglass Park festival: Foo Fighters, The Cure, The Postal Service, Death Cab for Cutie and Queens of the Stone Age will headline the 2023 edition of Riot Fest, it was announced Tuesday, along with the full lineup of bands set for the event this fall.
* Far Out | Hacked, looted and burned to the ground: the worst festival of all time: Where did this spiritual successor to Woodstock take place? On Bull Island, near Griffin, Indiana. It’s a strange chunk of land technically in Illinois, but on the Indiana side of the Wabash River, something that would play a role in how this disaster panned out.
* NYT | Why Some Companies Are Saying ‘Diversity and Belonging’ Instead of ‘Diversity and Inclusion’: Ms. Foster said companies must address racism, sexism, homophobia and antisemitism in the workplace. But she believes that an overemphasis on identity groups and a tendency to reduce people to “victim or villain” can strip agency from and alienate everyone — including employees of color. She says her approach allows everyone “to make mistakes, say the wrong thing sometimes and be able to correct it.”
* Dame Magazine | Men Are Killing Thousands of Women a Year for Saying No: For every mass shooting on the national news, there are countless smaller gun-related murders the media overlooks perpetrated by angry men who can’t bear rejection.
* Tribune | ‘It’s hard to open up … you don’t know how people are going to react.’ Chicago White Sox speak out about mental health awareness.: Burger and teammates Lucas Giolito and Michael Kopech discussed the importance of mental health awareness in a video the Sox released Monday. “It’s great seeing a professional sports team relay this message and bring awareness to how important it is,” Giolito told the Tribune. “Some things require help and I’m glad that we’re sending that message.
* The Athletic | The base-stealing technique that has Yankees looking ‘like Usain Bolt,’ and others following: The numbers jumped out at him. Aaron Judge is known far more for hitting home runs than stealing bases. But when he noticed the high stolen-base totals of several Yankees minor leaguers in 2021, it piqued his curiosity and sparked his competitive fire. “Guys I’m faster than had more stolen bases than me,” the Yankees’ 6-foot-7, 282-pound slugger said. “I wanted to know why.”
* Donna Vickroy | No need to seek out distant places when there’s so much to see in Illinois, author of new travel book says : Wine trails, a national forest, a treehouse resort and — not one, but two — state fairs are just a few of the highlights in “100 Things To Do in Illinois Before You Die,” a newly released entry in the Reedy Press nationwide line of travel books.
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* No surprise…
The sponsor of the latest proposal to subsidize the Chicago Bears’ move to a new stadium in Arlington Heights says he’s punting the issue until at least the Legislature’s fall session, giving him more time to refine a measure that has begun to attract some backing but probably not enough to pass.
In a phone interview, Rep. Marty Moylan, D-Des Plaines, said he still intends to call for a hearing tomorrow on his bill to freeze property taxes on the former horse racing track the Bears are eyeing for a stadium. The measure also proposes sharing sales tax and other proceeds with surrounding towns and imposing a $3 surcharge on Bears’ tickets to help recompense Chicago for the loss of revenue from the team no longer playing at Soldier Field. […]
“Those things,” Moylan said, could include shunting more money for infrastructure improvements to Palatine and other towns that would be affected by traffic from the stadium and a related entertainment complex the team hopes to build on the site of the former Arlington International Racecourse. And more might be done for Chicago, where newly installed Mayor Brandon Johnson’s team has been briefed on the proposed legislation.
Moylan said the Bears “have not said no.” An email to Crain’s from Bears’ Senior Vice President Scott Hagel seemed to confirm that. Hagel said the team is aware of tomorrow’s House Executive Committee hearing, but declined to take a position on the bill.
It’s probably gonna need a significant increase in money for Chicago.
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It’s almost a law
Tuesday, May 16, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller
* WCIA…
A bill to lower the cost of a lifesaving medication is headed to the governor’s desk.
The proposal, which passed the General Assembly, would cap the cost of a twin pack of EpiPens at $60.
Families who need them say it would make a huge difference.
“You shouldn’t have to go, ‘Am I going to pay a bill or am I going to make sure that my child has this medication,’” Tiffany Mathis, the CEO and executive director of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Illinois, said.
* Shaw Local…
The community solar farm in Meadows Park will be moving forward following legislation by state Rep. Brad Fritts, R-Dixon.
House Bill 2963 amends the contract the Dixon Park District entered into with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources in 1992. The contract restricts development on land given by the department in Meadows Park, where the district partnered with a company to build a solar farm. […]
Other recently passed Fritts’ legislation, HB 2582, removes a duplicate test in place for motorcycle license applicants younger than 18. Both tests are identical and incur a fee.
“Both of these bills are local initiatives brought to me by my constituents,” Fritts said in a news release. “I am in Springfield to be a voice for the people of my district and to advocate for legislation that will have a positive impact on their lives. I am proud to say that both of these bills accomplish that, and I am thankful that I was able to make a difference in my own community.”
* Vermilion County First…
State Representative Mike Marron (R-Fithian) has seen his legislation dealing with county auditors approved in the Illinois Senate. HB1153, amends the Officers and Employees Article of the Counties Code. The bill decreases the minimum number of inhabitants that must reside in a county for the county to be required to create the office of county auditor from 75,000 inhabitants to 70,000 inhabitants.
The measure was an initiative of the County Auditors Association and Vermilion County as Vermilion County’s population has dropped below 75,000, as determined by census, and they wanted to maintain an Auditor.
Marron said it was important to get the bill passed and keep an independent watch-dog for the taxpayers of Vermilion County.
The measure was approved in the Senate on a 56-0 vote after being unanimously approved in the House. The legislation now heads to the governor’s desk.
* Capitol News Illinois…
[A] bipartisan bill designed to make transferring to a public university in Illinois from a community college an easier and more cost-effective path will soon be sent to Gov. JB Pritzker for his signature.
Democrats in the Illinois Senate last week approved a measure that would require employers to list a pay scale and expected benefits for any position listed on a job posting. It would also create a regulatory structure for the Department of Labor to investigate violations of the proposed law. […]
Pacione-Zayas said the bill would prompt employers to interrogate potential “unjustified disparities” between employees’ pay based on things like race, ethnicity, gender or language.
House Bill 3129 passed with a 35-19 vote. Because it was amended in the Senate, it now goes back to the House for consideration.
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Meanwhile, in Opposite Land…
Tuesday, May 16, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller
* Tennessee…
Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee has signed off on additional protections for gun and ammunition dealers, manufacturers and sellers against lawsuits within a bill that lawmakers passed after a deadly school shooting in March.
The Republican governor quietly signed the legislation Thursday. Its provisions kick in on July 1.
The state Senate gave final passage to the bill in mid-April, just weeks after the March 27 shooting at The Covenant School in Nashville that killed six people, including three 9-year-olds. The House had passed it before the shooting.
Lee’s choice to sign the bill comes as he keeps pushing for the same Republican lawmakers, who hold supermajorities in the House and Senate, to pass a proposal that aims to keep guns away from people who could harm themselves or others. Lee plans to call lawmakers back into an August special session that aims “to strengthen public safety and preserve constitutional rights” after they adjourned last month without taking up his “temporary mental health order of protection” proposal. His office hasn’t released the parameters of what version of that proposal, or others, will be considered in the session yet.
The expansion of civil immunity for gun companies was hardly in doubt after lawmakers passed it. Lee has never issued a veto, which lawmakers would have the numbers to override. However, he occasionally has allowed bills to take effect without his signature to signal his concerns or disapproval of a policy.
* Florida…
A Florida teacher under a state investigation for showing a Disney movie featuring a gay character said she wasn’t aware the state’s controversial law banning instruction about certain LGBTQ topics had been recently expanded to apply to her grade level.
The legislation was first passed in March 2022 and initially applied to kindergarten through third grade. Last month, Florida’s state education board voted to expand the law’s scope to include all grades through high school. Teachers who violate the state policy can be suspended or have their teaching licenses revoked.
“I just found out today that they increased it to my level,” the fifth-grade teacher, Jenna Barbee told CNN’s Alisyn Camerota Monday night. “I had no idea whatsoever that this was such a big deal.”
Barbee says she played the 2022 animated Disney movie “Strange World” to a classroom of fifth graders while their peers were finishing some standardized testing.
* Florida…
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill into law Monday banning the state’s public colleges and universities from spending money on diversity, equity and inclusion programs.
“If you look at the way this has actually been implemented across the country, DEI is better viewed as standing for discrimination, exclusion and indoctrination,” DeSantis said during a news conference at New College of Florida in Sarasota. “And that has no place in our public institutions.”
Many institutions across the U.S. have DEI offices aimed at diversifying staff and to promote inclusivity for faculty and students.
The location of the bill signing is notable as DeSantis has targeted New College of Florida to put it in a more conservative direction. Earlier this year, he appointed six new members to the school’s board of trustees, putting conservative allies in control of the board. He accused the school’s leadership of overemphasizing DEI, critical race theory and gender ideology, which he characterized as not “what a liberal arts education should be.”
* DeSantis…
* Texas…
Texas has taken a major step toward banning transgender minors from getting puberty blockers and hormone therapy — care that medical groups say is vital to their mental health — after the state House approved Senate Bill 14 on Monday.
Trans Texans and LGBTQ advocates consider the bill one of the most consequential pieces of legislation in this year’s legislative session. It would ban trans people younger than 18 from getting certain transition-related care. Kids already accessing treatments would have to be “weaned off” in a “medically appropriate” manner, the bill says. It also would ban transition-related surgeries, though those are rarely performed on kids.
The House formally approved the bill in a 87-56 vote Monday largely on party lines, though some Democrats once again defected to vote in favor of the bill. They include state Reps. Harold Dutton of Houston, Tracy King of Batesville, Shawn Thierry of Houston and Abel Herrero of Robstown. The bill will now return to the Senate, which has already passed a version of the legislation that mandates an abrupt cutoff in treatments instead of a tapering-off process. The Senate can now ask for a conference committee to iron out the difference — or accept the House’s changes and send the bill to Gov. Greg Abbott.
As SB 14 advances, Texas — home to one of the largest trans communities in the country — is moving ever closer to joining over a dozen states in restricting transition-related care for minors. The American Civil Liberties Union and Lambda Legal have already raised legal challenges against several of them.
* Nebraska…
Nebraska lawmakers are set to take up debate late Tuesday on a plan that would tack on a proposed 12-week abortion ban to a bill that would ban gender-affirming care for transgender minors.
The combination of the two highly contentious measures sets up what could be one of the most volatile debates of the session.
Technically, lawmakers are slated to take up the final round of debate on the trans health bill, which has already advanced from the first two of three rounds it must survive to pass and go to Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen’s desk. But because legislative rules don’t allow amendments to be attached to bills in the final round, lawmakers will debate whether to send the bill back for a second round of debate in order to add the abortion amendment to it.
Opponents of the move plan to filibuster for the entire two hours of debate allowed in the final reading of a bill. Conservatives in the unique single-chamber, officially nonpartisan legislature will need 33 of the body’s 49 senators to vote to end debate before the plan to merge the two issues can move forward. If they fail, both the abortion and trans health measures will be shelved for the year.
* Nebraska…
The trans health bill has been the most contentious this session, prompting Omaha Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh to follow through on a promise to filibuster every single bill before the body — even ones she supports — unless conservative supporters pull it. Her efforts greatly slowed the work of the Legislature this year, forcing lawmakers to package bills together and endure grueling 12-hour and sometimes 15-hour days to pass legislation.
Omaha Sen. Megan Hunt joined Cavanaugh’s effort when the bill advanced from the first round of debate in March, revealing during the debate that her 12-year-old son is transgender.
The proposed abortion restrictions have drawn fierce pushback from those who argue that the state already limits abortion to 20 weeks of pregnancy and that restricting access further violates women’s rights to have autonomy over their own bodies.
The six-week ban was derailed last month when Riepe withheld his vote to end a filibuster over it. Riepe was an original cosigner of the bill, but later worried that six weeks wouldn’t give women enough time to even know they’re pregnant. Since then, he has been praised by abortion rights proponents, but he’s also endured calls from fellow Republicans for his resignation and censure.
Sen. Cavanaugh is related to Statehouse lobbyist John Amdor.
* Kansas…
Kansas’ Democratic governor vetoed state funding on Monday for a project long advocated by a Democratic lawmaker who broke ranks to override the governor’s vetoes and give Republicans crucial support for laws restricting abortion and rolling back transgender rights.
Apparently, Rep. Marvin Robinson’s decision had consequences.
Gov. Laura Kelly axed $250,000 in the next state budget for drafting a state plan to develop the Quindaro Ruins in Kansas City, Kansas, which Robinson represents. Quindaro was a short-lived town and a station on the Underground Railroad that helped enslaved people escape to Canada. A proposal to build a landfill there in the 1980s led to an investigation of the site and the discovery of multiple buildings’ foundations.
Robinson, who is Black, advocated for the site’s restoration and development as a national historic landmark for several decades before he won an open House seat last year. Democratic leaders called on him to resign after he voted to override Kelly’s veto of a measure banning transgender female athletes from girls’ and women’s sports, giving Republicans the supermajoirty they needed.
* Virginia…
The Virginia Department of Elections maintains a Twitter account that primarily shares updates on upcoming elections and info on how to vote — but for at least a few hours on Thursday, May 4, it was following an election-denying conspiracy theorist.
The official account — with a little over 12,000 followers — normally doesn’t follow anyone, but on May 4, it followed Ivan Raiklin, bringing the number of accounts it followed to one.
Raiklin is a conservative best known for promoting the conspiracy theory that Mike Pence could overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election.
Raiklin, who ran in the Republican primary for Tim Kaine’s senate seat in 2018, wrote a memo in December 2020 — retweeted and apparently endorsed by Donald Trump — claiming that Vice President Mike Pence could block certification of the 2020 election results on January 6, 2021.
* North Carolina…
The president of the North Carolina Bar Association faced immense backlash from the group’s committee for LGBTQ+ equality this week, after he canceled a planned drag trivia night and suggested that the committee “present both sides” of the debate about drag culture instead.
That way, NCBA president Clayton Morgan said, the committee wouldn’t be “perceived as trying to advance just your agenda on the world,” according to a recording of his remarks shared with The Daily Beast on the condition of anonymity.
The trivia night was in the works for many months, but the political stakes for progressives in North Carolina have recently escalated. In April, a Democratic state representative switched parties, thereby giving Republicans a veto-proof majority in both the state House and Senate. Later that month, Republican legislators proposed a new bill that would criminalize hosting drag shows on public property.
The bar association’s committee on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity had scheduled their drag trivia night for June 8, but on May 5, the group’s members received an email from Morgan telling them that the event was off.
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Nice work if you can get it
Tuesday, May 16, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller
* From 2019…
Anne Pramaggiore, the longtime Exelon executive who suddenly retired amid a federal probe of Illinois political corruption that has embroiled the politically connected company, will receive $7.7 million in benefits she’s entitled to, a company spokesman confirmed.
Pramaggiore, 61, is in line for an $885,000 cash payout and $6.8 million in previously unvested stock awards that accelerate upon retirement, according to a Securities & Exchange Commission filing.
The retirement payout substantially exceeds the $3.7 million she was entitled to receive when she was CEO of Exelon-owned Commonwealth Edison, according to a separate SEC filing. But her promotion last year to senior executive vice president and CEO of all of Exelon’s utilities—including companies in Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington, D.C., as well as ComEd—more than doubled the value of her retirement package.
* WBEZ today…
Exelon has been paying the legal fees for two now-convicted former Commonwealth Edison executives who were part of a conspiracy to bribe former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, WBEZ has learned.
The move has created an unusual dynamic where, on one hand, the company’s subsidiary, ComEd, is cooperating with federal investigators under a deferred prosecution agreement and paid a $200 million fine for attempting to “influence and reward” Madigan in a long-running bribery scheme.
But on the other, the Exelon-financed legal teams for former ComEd CEO Anne Pramaggiore and former ComEd executive vice president John Hooker spent close to two months telling a federal judge and jury that their clients — and the power company — had done nothing illegal.
Past criminal defendants in Chicago’s federal courthouse have faced multimillion-dollar legal tabs for their defense lawyers. The pro-bono costs associated with former Illinois Gov. George Ryan’s legal defense, for example, have been estimated as high as $20 million.
Pramaggiore and Hooker, at least for the moment, are being spared that burden under an indemnity guarantee spelled out in Exelon’s bylaws, a ComEd spokeswoman told WBEZ.
The company wouldn’t divulge how much it has paid to Pramaggiore and Hooker’s legal teams, which comprised at least five attorneys apiece based on federal court filings. ComEd maintains that no ratepayer dollars are being used for the expense. […]
Though the company statement alluded to the possibility of seeking repayment from Pramaggiore and Hooker, [ComEd spokesperson Shannon Breymaier] declined to answer whether the company, in fact, would pursue reimbursement from the pair.
* Recent Sun-Times OpEd by ComEd CEO Gil Quiniones…
After headline-making trial of former CEO, ComEd is focused on the future
We have seen the headlines about the federal criminal trial of a former ComEd CEO and others. The conduct at the center of the trial is not a proud chapter in our company’s history, but it is one that we own. We’ve enacted strong new ethics policies, enhanced oversight and implemented more rigorous employee training aimed at preventing the prior conduct from happening again.
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* Here you go…
* Crain’s | Read the full text of Brandon Johnson’s inauguration speech
* Tribune | Brandon Johnson sworn in as Chicago mayor: ‘Our best and brighter days are ahead of us’: Johnson began his sweeping remarks by shouting out the greatness of Chicago: the “beauty” of Lake Michigan, its “boundary-breaking” arts and cultural scene and even the signature Italian beef. And, ever eager to reference his former profession as a social studies teacher, he shouted out the unique history of Black Chicago, starting from its founder, the Haitian voyager Jean Baptiste Point DuSable, before broadening to the city’s tapestry of immigrants who hail from all corners of the earth.
* Sun-Times | ‘Soul’ searching: Johnson takes office, says ‘a brand new Chicago is in front of us’: By drawing on the “soul of Chicago,” a phrase he used more than a dozen times during the 40-minute speech, we can “write the story of our children’s and grandchildren’s futures,” he said. “And what will that story say? That Chicago with its sturdy shoulders and its diverse economy and the legacy of all of our generosity was too afraid to stand up? … No. That won’t be our story. Not on my watch,” Johnson said.
* Block Club | Brandon Johnson Pledges To Reopen Mental Health Clinics, Push Progressive Change At Inaugural Address: On Monday, he committed to reopening Chicago’s shuttered mental health clinics, which were closed in 2012 by Mayor Rahm Emanuel and have since become a rallying cry for progressives in recent years. “I want to make sure that no one ever has to suffer because they do not have access to mental health services,” Johnson said in his speech.
* Tribune | Mayor Brandon Johnson to new City Council: Congrats, now let’s collaborate: The people of Chicago “are counting on us to work together to collaborate to make their lives better every day,” Johnson said at the University of Illinois at Chicago’s Credit Union 1 Arena. “Now, we won’t always agree. But I won’t ever question your motives or your commitment. And I’ll always do my part to find common ground.”
* WBEZ | History, humility, hope — and a few hugs — mark swearing in of younger, more diverse City Council: Unlike four years ago, when Mayor Lori Lightfoot shamed Council members into standing and applauding for reform in their ranks, Johnson turned to face the alderpersons, telling them: “You deserve recognition,” leading the crowd in applause. “This is your day, too. … The people of Chicago are counting on us to work together.”
* AP | New Chicago mayor pledges commitment to progressive strategy, asks for unity: “Let’s show the world, Chicago, where our heart is,” Johnson said in his inaugural address before a cheering crowd. “Let’s build a Chicago that is the economic marvel of our the state, the Midwest and this nation. Let’s build a Chicago that means our economy gets to grow by rerouting the rivers of prosperity to the base of disinvestment. So that no one goes thirsty.”
* Greg Hinz | In inaugural speech, Johnson reaches for heaven, but hard realities await: Chicago now will find out if Johnson is the person to reconcile those views. On a warm and sunny day, I want to say he can. But in Chicago, nice weather never lasts long. In his favor, Johnson already in this transition period has shown himself to be something predecessor Lori Lightfoot never was: a politician. That’s good. Whatever else a mayor of Chicago is, he or she must be a politician who can work with other politicians to get the resources and backing that they don’t command on their own.
* WTTW | Brandon Johnson Sworn in As Chicago’s 57th Mayor: ‘There Is Something Special About This City’: Johnson said he would work to bridge the divisions separating Chicagoans, adding that he would highlight what those who love Chicago have in common, while working to make Chicago a safer place for everyone. “Many people who love our city deeply have radically different ideas about how to confront the shared challenges we face,” Johnson said, adding that was “marveling” at how much Chicagoans nevertheless have in common.
* The Hill | Chicago City Council now leads US in LGBTQ members: Lesbian, gay and bisexual alderpeople now account for close to a fifth of the 50-member city council, a historic high, according to the LGBTQ Victory Fund, an organization committed to increasing the number of openly LGBTQ people elected to public office. No openly transgender or nonbinary people have yet been elected to Chicago’s city council.
* The Triibe | After inauguration, Chicagoans give advice to Mayor Brandon Johnson: Nadia Dawson’s first piece of advice to Johnson is to stick to the morals that got him in office: listening to the people who are doing the work on the ground, to help find solutions to some of the city’s most challenging problems. “Don’t allow outside people to corrupt you,” said Dawson, a coordinator with Access Living, a disability services and advocacy nonprofit. “I don’t need somebody who is going to feed me things I want to hear. I would prefer to understand what’s going on, and why solutions aren’t working, [and] who’s stopping those solutions from working, and how we can get back on track.”
* Sun-Times | Meet the mayor: Hundreds line up to shake hands with Johnson, who vows ‘the fifth floor belongs to the people’: Some wanted to congratulate him. Others to get a look at him. And still others just to wish him well — whether they voted for him or not. “I want to see what he can do differently for Chicago’s youth,” said Eric Bynum, 21, a West Side resident who said he had high hopes for Mayor Brandon Johnson even though he didn’t vote for him.
* WTTW | From Accessible Gathering Spaces to Educational Opportunities, Young Chicagoans Share Their Hopes for Brandon Johnson’s Administration: Chase Ervin, 20, is a prevention specialist with BUILD Chicago and an Austin resident. He said the people in his community are looking forward to something new from this administration, and seeing Johnson following through on his campaign promises. “I grew up in Chicago all my life, all I’ve been hearing is that we want to see change,” Ervin said. “We would love to see the commitment that you really want to honor these people’s words and create change.”
* Crain’s | Hours after being sworn in as mayor, Johnson signs his own batch of executive orders: Just two hours after taking the oath of office, Mayor Brandon Johnson signed four executive orders inside his new fifth floor office. With supporters and the organizers that crafted the orders surrounding him at City Hall, Johnson’s first acts as mayor created three new deputy mayor positions and ordered the administration to scrape the city’s budget in an effort to find funding to pay for a youth hiring and enrichment program.
* NBC Chicago | Brandon Johnson Signs Executive Orders on First Day in Office. Here’s a Breakdown: The first of four orders seeks to boost youth employment by instructing the city’s Office of Budget and Management to analyze resources in the fiscal year 2023 budget that are available to fund youth empoyment and enrichment programs. The order also instructs the Mayor’s Office to coordinate youth employment and enrichment activities among city sister agencies and city departments for summer internships and community service opportunities, according to the news release.
* ABC Chicago | Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson to spend 1st full day in office Tuesday: The second order, EO 2023-16, establishes a Deputy Mayor for Immigrant, Migrant and Refugee Rights, who will coordinate and communicate between city departments and officials to support newly arrived migrants, refugees and immigrants. This includes immediate needs and long-standing policy and goals.
* WTTW | As Brandon Johnson Takes Control of Chicago City Hall, Massive Challenges Await: Johnson had just 41 days to put together his administration and lay the foundation for an ambitious agenda — the shortest mayoral transition in Chicago history. To complicate matters, that six-week period was studded with difficult moments: unrest on spring’s first warm weekend, the resignation of the city’s interim top cop and fraught negotiations with members of the Chicago City Council. “It would have been better to have more time,” Johnson told WTTW News Friday. “But we’ll be ready.” Because of the short transition period, Johnson’s administration will be staffed with holdovers picked by Mayor Lori Lightfoot for at least the first few months, including Chicago Department of Public Health Commissioner Allison Arwady, whom Johnson vowed to fire during the campaign.
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[The following is a paid advertisement.]
An editorial in the Daily Herald on Saturday made the case for passing Senate Bill 1763, which would help financially struggling hospitals “called on to serve” individuals of Illinois’ Medicaid program, which covered one in 10 Illinoisans in 1995 and covers one in three today.
The editorial notes that SB 1763 would deliver “the state’s first increase in Medicaid reimbursement rates to hospitals from the General Revenue Fund since 1995” and highlights the “true bi-partisan coalition” of over 27 bill co-sponsors.
Sponsored by Arlington Heights Democrat Ann Gillespie and Rockford Republican Dave Syverson, SB 1763 would raise hospital Medicaid base rates by 20%, addressing the gap between cost and reimbursement, currently less than 80 cents per $1.
The editorial—“Hospitals make a valid case for first Medicaid rate increase in 28 years”—says failing to pass SB 1763 would result in “generally unpleasant” alternatives for hospitals: “reduce or eliminate some important specialized services or, in dire cases that are already occurring in underserved and low-population areas, shut down altogether.”
“Key to the foundation of this care are the hospitals and medical professionals who provide it. It is only reasonable that keeping that foundation strong remain among the priorities of state funding,” the editorial concludes. Discover the facts to learn more.
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Question of the day
Tuesday, May 16, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Center Square…
Whether Illinois legislators save the Invest in Kids Tax Credit Scholarship Program that is set to expire at the end of this year is still unknown.
Under a five-year trial period, the Invest in Kids Tax program has provided tuition money for working class and low-income families who want to send their children to Illinois private schools. The initiative is set to expire at the end of 2023, unless the state legislature acts to extend it. Lawmakers are in session through May 19.
Anthony Holter is president of Empower Illinois, a research and advocacy organization that promotes the program and raises scholarship funds. Holter said 9,700 students received scholarships for the 2022-2023 school year. Twenty-two thousand students were wait-listed for scholarships when the $75 million in donated funds was used up. The program is capped at $100 million in donations.
“We love pilot programs, because we know unequivocally that this program works,” Holter told The Center Square. “Over $330 million has been raised in the past five years and almost 41,000 scholarships have been issued.” […]
Two-thirds of scholarship recipients have an average family household income of $45,046, or 170% of the federal poverty level. Seventy percent of scholarship recipients meet federal guidelines to be eligible for the free and reduced lunch program. The upper income limit cutoff for the program is $90,000 a year for a family of four.
Taxpayers who donate to a Children Benefit from Education Scholarship Organization can apply online at Tax.Illinois.gov to receive the 75% tax credit in return for their donation. For a $1,000 donation, the taxpayer receives a $750 tax credit.
That $330 million raised through the program cost the state $247.5 million in revenue via the tax credits. Using the figures supplied in the article, the average scholarship is about $800.
* From an Illinois Families for Public Schools one-pager…
Voucher programs like Illinois’ tax credit scholarship program divert resources from our under-funded public schools and don’t improve academic outcomes for voucher recipients. ILGA passed the Invest in Kids Act in 2017 with the intent for it to sunset after five years.
Why is this important?
• Vouchers reduce funding for public schools: The Invest in Kids program diverts up to $75M/year in tax revenue funding vouchers. Meanwhile, 80% of Illinois public schools are not adequately funded. Every dollar diverted to private schools via the Invest in Kids Act is one that could be used to increase state funding of the Evidence-Based Funding Formula, which is still short ~$4B. At the current rate of increasing funding, the state won’t reach full funding until 2051.
• Vouchers allow the use of taxpayer public funds for religious schools: The vast majority of voucher recipients (~94%) in Illinois are attending religiously-affiliated schools. Using tax credits to pay for religious schools is a violation of one of the fundamental principles the US was founded on—separation of church and state.
• Vouchers do not improve academic outcomes: Advocates argue that vouchers provide access to high quality private education for poor children. In fact, decades of studies of voucher programs across the country have not found evidence that voucher students outperform their demographically-matched public school counterparts. More recent long-term studies of programs, including those in DC, IN, LA and OH, have found that students who participate in voucher programs fare substantially worse academically (e.g. based on graduation rates and test scores) than students educated in public schools.
• Vouchers decrease equity: The ~900,000 low-income students in IL public schools will not be helped by diverting funds to a privatized system that could be used instead to provide funding needed for smaller class sizes, enriched curriculum, better professional development and wraparound services and supports. Vouchers instead concentrate the highest need children in public schools while decreasing resources for those same schools.
• Vouchers decrease accountability and transparency: Private schools are not held to the same standards of accountability as public schools. They are not required to disclose how much money they spend on faculty, resources, or materials. Private schools don’t have to make their academic standards public or reveal what their curriculum is. To date, there is no public information about the performance of Illinois’ voucher students.
• Vouchers put students at risk of discrimination: Private schools receiving vouchers in Illinois must follow state and federal anti-discrimination laws, but there is little oversight, and there are no mechanisms for enforcement or compliance. Discrimination on the basis of religion, disability status and sexual orientation in admissions and other school policies is a significant issue in the schools receiving Invest in Kids’ vouchers.
• Vouchers don’t have to provide a broad education: Schools receiving vouchers don’t have to comply with the full Illinois School Code, including curriculum requirements designed to educate well-rounded citizens of a multicultural, multiracial democracy.
* The Question: End it or extend it? Take the poll and then explain your answer in comments, please.
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It’s just a bill
Tuesday, May 16, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller
* ABC Chicago…
There’s a public hearing set for Tuesday over the Chicago Bears’ plan to relocate to Arlington Heights.
A House committee will hear revised legislation in support of the team’s move. It includes a $3 admission tax to help pay off debt from renovating Soldier Field two decades ago.
Even though racing season is well underway, the race track at Arlington Park remained quiet this spring, awaiting a new sport from the new owners. The Bears are apparently still working on the details with community leaders and lawmakers.
“As the Bears work out details, one of the chief concerns for all sides is how the property will be taxed so that the communities will be able build infrastructure needed to support an NFL team,” said Jon Ridler with the Arlington Heights Chamber of Commerce. “The latest proposal, lawmakers will unveil in a hearing in Springfield tomorrow, would freeze the current property tax assessment on the property. It would establish a $3 admission tax on tickets, which would be used to pay off the city’s debt for renovations to Soldier Field 20 years ago. It would also determine how the communities would divide revenue from sales, hotel, liquor taxes.”
* NRDC…
Illinois should invest in a transportation system that is equitable and increases access to vital services, cleaner air, public transit, and lower-cost transportation options than car ownership—not in widening roads or highways.
Unfortunately, the Illinois Legislature is considering a proposal that would add multiple managed toll lanes to Interstate 55 (I-55) leading into Chicago, a project that threatens to exacerbate existing air quality issues and environmental injustices.
Our transportation system has major implications for climate, health, and equity. As the threat to our climate and our health from fossil fuel burning power plants has decreased, transportation has emerged as the top source of greenhouse gas emissions in Illinois.
Vehicles also emit dangerous air pollutants like particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide linked to increased illness and death. Pollution from diesel engines alone is projected to cause 400 early deaths, nearly 200 heart attacks and thousands of respiratory illnesses this year in Illinois.
* CBS Chicago…
More than 800 moms from across Illinois are getting ready for a fight at the state Capitol.
The moms are part of a coalition that is setting its sights on gun safety legislation. They are on buses from Union Station to rally on Tuesday in Springfield for gun safety legislation. […]
“We want to talk to our reps and senators about things like safe gun storage,” Harper said. “We want to make sure that there’s a priority around the gun industry to be sued.”
Another bill that the group will be backing would prohibit convicted domestic abusers from owning a firearm.
* WICS…
The most dangerous time for a survivor of a domestic violence relationship is when they leave their abuser, according to The Network: Advocating Against Domestic Violence. Survivors of domestic violence that involved a gun have a 500% higher likelihood of being murdered by their abuser.
Currently a domestic violence survivor has to file for an emergency order of protection and for their abuser’s firearms to be taken away separately. And if their abuser’s firearms are seized, there are loopholes where the abuser could still have access to their guns even after they have been confiscated. Illinois House Bill 676 is looking to change that. […]
If passed, this loophole would be closed and firearms would have to be given directly to law enforcement. It would also allow law enforcement to take the guns when they serve the order of protection. […]
The bill has passed the House and is waiting in the Senate for a vote. The Network: Advocating Against Domestic Violence and other supporters of the bill are hoping the Senate takes up the bill this year to hopefully decrease the number of domestic violence homicides.
* Effingham Radio…
With unanimous support, the Illinois Legislature has passed a measure that will make it safer for students to get on and off school buses across the state. SB2340 allows Illinois school districts to install a well-lit additional extended stop arm that further obstructs the roadway from passing traffic when a school bus is stopped to pick up or drop off students.
“There is no greater priority we as leaders can have than safety for our children. That includes giving school districts the ability to make the commute to and from school safer and I believe this legislation does that,” said Senator Doris Turner (D-Springfield), one of four senate chief co-sponsors.
While the bill does not require districts to do so, the legislation gives Illinois school buses the option to be fitted with up to two additional safety arms.
“More than 17 million incidents of vehicles driving around stopped school buses are reported each year in the US. These extended arms provide a more visible and physical warning to motorists to stop before a tragedy happens,” said State Rep. Janet Yang Rohr (D-Naperville), a chief-co sponsor of the bill in the house.
* Journal Courier…
House Bill 2 would establish the creation of “overdose prevention sites” in Illinois. If the bill passed, these places, also known as safe injection sites or supervised consumption sites, would provide a hygienic location in which those struggling with addiction could take pre-obtained substances such as opiates or heroin.
The bill also mandates these sites would have certain features, like an on-hand supply of the overdose-reversal drug naloxone, safe hypodermic needle and syringe disposal, and staff trained to administer first aid. […]
The bill was filed in December by Rep. La Shawn Ford, D-Chicago, and has picked up 17 co-sponsors — all Democrats from the Chicagoland area and collar counties — through two readings.
Under federal law, overdose prevention sites are prohibited, though one already has opened in the U.S. and other states are considering them. The federal government also has sounded more favorable toward the sites. The Justice Department hinted last year that it would be open to them and, more recently, the government pledged $5 million toward a study looking into their effectiveness.
* Sen. Sue Rezin…
Illinois is one step closer to officially recognizing the Honor and Remember Flag after legislation sponsored by Illinois Deputy Minority Leader Sue Rezin (R-Morris) passed out of the Senate on Thursday, May 11.
“The Honor and Remember Flag is a powerful symbol of the sacrifices made by our men and women of our armed forces,” said Sen. Rezin. “So often, gold star family members want assurance that their loved one’s sacrifice wasn’t in vain and that our nation will never forget that sacrifice. By officially recognizing this flag and what it means, we can help ensure that no gold star family member has to ever wonder about that.”
Senate Bill 1072 designates the Honor and Remember Flag as the official State symbol of concern for and commitment to honoring and remembering the lives of all members of the United States armed forces who have lost their lives while serving or as a result of service and their families.
“The Honor and Remember Flag began its story after Cpl. George ‘Tony’ Lutz II was killed in action while on patrol in Fallujah, Iraq. While coping with this traumatic loss, Tony’s father sought to create a symbol that specifically acknowledged American service men and women who lost their life while in the line of duty that could be easily displayed and recognized by anyone, at any time or at any place,” continued Sen. Rezin. “In that effort, the Honor and Remember Flag was born. This flag was quickly adopted by the gold star family community and has become the unofficial symbol for our nation’s fallen heroes.”
Senate Bill 1072 received unanimous support in the Illinois Senate, and now heads to the Illinois House of Representatives for further consideration.
* Rep. Jackie Haas…
On Monday, a resolution introduced by State Representative Jackie Haas (R-Kankakee) to declare September as River Clean Up Month in Illinois was adopted in the House of Representatives. House Resolution 169 is a bipartisan resolution to encourage chambers of commerce, visitors bureaus, and other area groups to coordinate local cleanup activities along portions of rivers and waterways in their area.
“Illinois rivers are intrinsic to our ecosystems and our state culture,” said Rep. Haas. “However, when trash is disposed of in our beautiful waterways it damages the visual aesthetic and biological qualities of these critical bodies of water. I am proud to have bipartisan support on this resolution to promote citizen participation in keeping our communities and natural habitats clean and healthy.”
HR 169 declares September as River Clean Up Month because water levels are usually low, temperatures are warm, and schools are in session. This presents an educational opportunity to involve area youth and highlight the importance of clean rivers and waterways.
“Whether you’re in a church group, community organization, or leading Scout troops, everyone can chip in to safely organize river clean ups in their communities,” Rep. Haas continued. “Knowing how important the Kankakee River is to the 79th District, we can extend this across Illinois and connect as a state in preserving our phenomenal natural resources.”
* Press release…
To restore dignity and honor to families by carrying out their last wishes, State Senator Adriane Johnson led a measure to allow people with previous felony convictions to serve as an executor of someone else’s estate if expressly named.
Johnson will be joined by a number of advocates at a press conference Tuesday to further discuss the bill.
WHO:
· State Senator Adriane Johnson
· State Representative Lakesia Collins
· Marlon Chamberlain, Fully Free Campaign Manager
· Harry Pena, Fully Free Coalition Manager
· Greg Chambers, Policy and Organizer for Live Free
· Avalon Betts Gaston, Project Manager for the Alliance for Reentry and Justice
WHAT: Press conference on measure to allow formerly incarcerated individuals to serve as executors of someone else’s estate
WHEN: Tuesday, May 16 at 10:30 a.m.
WHERE: Blue Room, Illinois State Capitol and live on BlueRoomStream.com
* Bus Gates press release…
Springfield, IL (May 15, 2023) With unanimous support, the Illinois Legislature has passed a measure that will make it safer for students to get on and off school buses across the state. SB2340 allows Illinois school districts to install a well-lit additional extended stop arm that further obstructs the roadway from passing traffic when a school bus is stopped to pick up or drop off students.
“There is no greater priority we as leaders can have than safety for our children. That includes giving school districts the ability to make the commute to and from school safer and I believe this legislation does that,” said Senator Doris Turner (D-Springfield), one of four senate chief co-sponsors.
While the bill does not require districts to do so, the legislation gives Illinois school buses the option to be fitted with up to two additional safety arms.
“More than 17 million incidents of vehicles driving around stopped school buses are reported each year in the US. These extended arms provide a more visible and physical warning to motorists to stop before a tragedy happens,” said State Rep. Janet Yang Rohr (D-Naperville), a chief-co sponsor of the bill in the house.
A 2019 study conducted by the National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation (NASDPTS) found that in a single day, more than 95,000 motorists had illegally passed stopped school buses displaying flashing red lights and traditional stop arms.
Across the U.S. an estimated 17 million drivers will illegally pass school buses while their current stop arms are deployed this year a statistic making extended stop arms an increasingly popular option for school districts to install these.
“With driver distraction levels at all-time highs the current warning systems, which haven’t changed in 30 years, simply aren’t enough. We felt compelled to design a simple and cost-effective way to increase the visibility of buses, reduce the liability of motorists, and decrease these tragedies and close calls,” said Illinois-based Bus Gates co-founder Jeff Stauffer.
Under the bill, the front side extension to the required stop arm must extend no more than 78 inches from the side of the bus with the rear side arm not extending more than 32 inches.
Illinois joins a growing list of progressive states to modernize warning systems on school buses. States allowing Bus Gates and other stop-arm extensions including Texas, Montana, Virginia and West Virginia. Bus Gates is federally approved.
“Since installing Bus Gates stop arm extensions, we’ve seen a 95% drop in stop arm passing violations,” said Alvarado, Texas Public Schools Transportation Manager, Terry Woods.
* Capitol News Illinois…
Victims of “deepfake porn” and “doxing” would have a legal pathway to sue their perpetrators in Illinois under a pair of digital privacy measures that have so far received unanimous support in the General Assembly.
House Bill 2954, which would allow victims of “doxing” to pursue civil litigation, needs only a signature from the governor to become law after clearing both chambers of the General Assembly unanimously.
Doxing, as defined by HB 2954, occurs when an individual intentionally publishes another person’s personal information without their consent. For an offense to qualify as doxing, the person publishing the information must have acted with intent to “harm or harass” the victim with “knowledge or reckless disregard” that it could lead to “death, bodily injury, or stalking.”
Additionally, the published information must have caused the victim harm in some way, including economic injury or emotional distress. A person found by a court to have suffered from doxing would be eligible to recover damages and other relief such as attorney’s fees.
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Do better
Tuesday, May 16, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller
* One year ago in the Sun-Times…
The Chicago police closed exactly 400 murder cases in 2021, well above the average solved during each of the last several years. That’s nearly 50 more cases closed than in 2020 and well above the average of 250 in each of the five previous years.
Based on the department’s official total of 797 murders in 2021, that amounted to a “clearance rate” of better than 50% last year.
But that doesn’t mean many more people are being brought to justice, a Chicago Sun-Times analysis finds.
Half of those cases — 199 — were closed “exceptionally,” meaning no one was charged. Under departmental policy, detectives are allowed to clear a case when the suspect is dead, prosecutors refuse to make a charge or police believe they know who did it but don’t make an arrest.
What’s more, one of every seven cases taken off CPD’s books last year was actually committed more than 10 years ago, including one that happened a half-century ago, which CPD attributed to providing extra resources to the department’s Cold Case team. Since those cases were officially cleared in 2021, they are counted against the 797 murder total, further improving last year’s clearance rate even though they happened years before.
* Last fall on WGN…
CPD records obtained and reviewed by WGN Investigates show that, between 2013 and 2021, CPD detectives cleared 2,068 murder cases. Of those, nearly 10% — 202 cases — were cleared via “death of offender.” In that span of time, Chicago recorded more than 5,400 murders.
What’s more: almost a quarter of all “death of offender” clearances in that time period — 49 — were recorded in 2021. Thirty-seven of those 49 “death of offender” clearances were in murder cases that originated before 2021, WGN Investigates found. Between 2013 and 2019, CPD detectives recorded no more than 25 “death of offender” clearances in a given year.
* Also from WGN…
There are three categories by which a murder case can be cleared:
• A suspect is charged in the killing. The murder will remain “cleared” regardless of how the suspect’s criminal case is adjudicated
• Police present evidence to prosecutors who then decline to bring charges, a “bar to prosecute” clearance
• Police determine that the suspect in a killing has died, a clearance known as “death of offender”
* And, as far as I can tell, nobody has yet answered this question posed by the Sun-Times editorial board last year…
Some of the difference can be laid at the door of Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx’s office, which, as Grimm found, has refused to bring charges in what is likely a record number of murder cases brought to the office by police. […]
A spokesperson for Foxx cites state laws that raised the bar for evidence in murder cases as the reason why prosecutors last year turned down the most cases ever in Foxx’s six-year tenure. Which begs the question: Is the same happening in other state’s attorney’s offices across Illinois?
* OK, let’s move along to this recent Tribune report…
Of the 2,956 homicides that were cleared between 2012 and 2022, about two-thirds — 1,854 — resulted in criminal charges being filed. In a quarter of those clearances, prosecutors declined to bring charges after reviewing evidence from detectives. The rest of the clearances — 372 killings — were blamed on suspects who were dead, police data show.
Also from that Tribune story…
Via the Freedom of Information Act, the Tribune has obtained a list of every homicide case that was “cleared” by CPD detectives between Jan. 1, 2012, and Dec. 31, 2022. Over those 11 years — a period that spans two mayors, two state’s attorneys and three police superintendents — Chicago recorded 6,718 homicides, according to the city’s public data portal. In that same time, CPD detectives cleared 2,956 killings.
CPD’s clearance rate in that time frame, the number of cases solved divided by the number of cases initiated, was 44%.
Police in New York City say their homicide clearance rate was 78% last year, when 433 killings were recorded in the country’s largest city, according to The New York Times.
Meanwhile, 382 homicides occurred in Los Angeles in 2022, when the LAPD reported a clearance rate of 76%.
“When looking at the city’s 22 police districts, the data show that detectives solved homicide cases in white neighborhoods at a far greater rate than Black neighborhoods in 2022″…
Click the pic and scroll down for an interactive map.
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Open thread
Tuesday, May 16, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller
* What’s going on in your part of Illinois?…
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Isabel’s morning briefing
Tuesday, May 16, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller
* Here you go…
* Bloomberg | CME Group CEO Duffy says exchange is prepared to leave Chicago ‘if we had to’: CME Group is prepared to leave Chicago if the city and state take steps that are perceived as “ill-conceived,” Chief Executive Officer Terry Duffy said in an interview. Duffy’s remarks, made in an episode of the Odd Lots podcast, come as Mayor Brandon Johnson is being sworn into office after proposing additional taxes, including one on financial transactions, to help boost the city’s revenue. That plan was fiercely opposed by Chicago’s exchanges and investment firms. A higher levy would also require state approval to pass.
* WBEZ | Exelon is paying the legal tab for two former executives convicted in ComEd bribery scheme: But on the other, the Exelon-financed legal teams for former ComEd CEO Anne Pramaggiore and former ComEd executive vice president John Hooker spent close to two months telling a federal judge and jury that their clients — and the power company — had done nothing illegal.
* WAND | Springfield senators share priorities going into final scheduled week of session: “When we had a lot of federal money coming in, there were lots of programs that were going to be continuous programs that were new programs that the governor decided to fund,” said Sen. Steve McClure (R-Springfield). “Well, what happens when the federal money dries out? These big bills are still there, but unfortunately we don’t have the money to pay for them.”
* AP | State revenue drops nearly $2B in April, but budget-makers at the Capitol aren’t panicking: “It’s actually a lower revenue estimate that was put into my budget than we actually thought. We wanted to make sure that we were being conservative,” Pritzker said. “If we pass the budget as it is, that budget would be balanced and we would have a surplus.”
* Sun-Times | Not a game when business owner with old mob ties gets a gambling license: Szaflarski “routinely collected money from the machines” he gave Bertucci and “divvied up the proceeds,” the Sun-Times reported at the time. Bertucci, who testified that he illegally paid out winnings from the gaming machines and split his take with the Szaflarski, also acknowledged in open court that he got some machines from a company owned by Outfit boss James Marcello.
* Hyde Park Herald | Neely Du Buclet appointed state representative for 5th District: Kimberly Neely Du Buclet, a commissioner of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD), was selected to replace Lamont Robinson as representative of the Illinois General Assembly’s 5th District. A former state house appointee for the 26th District, Neely Du Buclet was again appointed to the legislature by local democratic committeepeople last Saturday.
* Center Square | Future uncertain for Illinois’ tax credit scholarship program for private school tuition: Under a five-year trial period, the Invest in Kids Tax program has provided tuition money for working class and low-income families who want to send their children to Illinois private schools. The initiative is set to expire at the end of 2023, unless the state legislature acts to extend it. Lawmakers are in session through May 19.
* Tribune Editorial | The book ban movement grows. Illinois is right to fight back.: “Fahrenheit 451″ is fiction, but America’s dangerous dalliance with censorship reminiscent of Ray Bradbury’s novel is becoming increasingly precarious.
* Tribune | State Treasurer Mike Frerichs buys $1.4M Lakeview home: “I got remarried last year, and my wife has a job in Chicago and we have a growing family,” Frerichs told Elite Street in a phone interview. “So we were looking for a new house and we really liked the (Lakeview) neighborhood. I’ve been commuting (to Chicago) for the last few years, and we got engaged, and my wife had a nice place in West Town, but it was not big enough for the growing family. It had an awful lot of stairs, which gave us a great view of the city, but which are not conducive to having a growing family.”
* NBC Chicago | Brandon Johnson Signs Executive Orders on First Day in Office. Here’s a Breakdown: The first of four orders seeks to boost youth employment by instructing the city’s Office of Budget and Management to analyze resources in the fiscal year 2023 budget that are available to fund youth empoyment and enrichment programs. The order also instructs the Mayor’s Office to coordinate youth employment and enrichment activities among city sister agencies and city departments for summer internships and community service opportunities, according to the news release.
* Sun-Times | History, humility, hope — and a few hugs — mark swearing in of younger, more diverse City Council: ‘We need a fresh start’: New members said they were moved by Mayor Brandon Johnson’s inaugural address and caught up in the excitement of taking the oath of office. “It’s a new day in the city of Chicago,” said freshman Ald. Lamont Robinson (4th).
* Chalkbeat | Chicago’s principals association plans to file for union recognition: A group representing Chicago’s school leaders said it plans to file a petition today to form a union, several months after state lawmakers changed the law to allow that.
* Sun-Times | Program is ‘one stop shop’ for navigating life after prison: The Supportive Reentry Network Collaborative connects returning citizens to whatever they need, from completing parole mandates to finding health care and a job. Leaders say they’ve had a successful first year, but need to grow.
* SJ-R | Lincoln Library director fired: While Beck-Griffith confirmed her firing to The State Journal-Register, she did not offer further comment.
* Illinois Times | Springfield in the spotlight: Public television viewers across the country will soon learn what Springfield has to offer, thanks to a television feature hosted by actor Dennis Quaid.
* Tribune | Museum of Broadcast Communications exits River North home: Museum officials aren’t saying yet where the museum, which is home to the nation’s only Radio Hall of Fame, is headed. However, the museum’s exhibits have been removed, and its doors are closed in its longtime 62,000-square-foot building at Kinzie and State streets.
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Live coverage
Tuesday, May 16, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller
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Afternoon roundup
Monday, May 15, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Herald & Review…
Twelve inmates in the Sangamon County Jail have been declared unfit for trial and ordered to be taken from the jail’s custody and committed to a state approved treatment facility.
But all 12 of them are still in jail, having waited multiple weeks or months to access critical inpatient psychiatric care from the state. […]
Lee Enterprises reporters spoke to seven Central Illinois sheriffs, state’s attorneys and jail administrators about the inmates declared mentally unfit for trial left in their custody pending transfer to Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) approved facilities.
A spokesperson for the department discussed this story in a phone call with a reporter, who provided a detailed list of questions by email at the spokesperson’s request. However, IDHS did not respond to the questions, or to any subsequent attempts to follow up by email and phone.
Some county officials reported inmate wait times of well over 100 days. In Macon County, for example, three inmates are awaiting care. One of them has been waiting for over 140 days. McLean County Sheriff Matt Lane said one inmate has waited since Nov. 3 of last year.
The state simply has to put a bigger effort into building up its psychiatric services. And not just for inmates. The governor has announced a plan, but dollars need to be put into hiring ASAP.
* Crain’s…
A little over a year ago, Gov. J.B. Pritzker extolled the beneficial effect his Climate & Equitable Jobs Act would have on ComEd customer bills thanks to a credit they would get from the owner of Illinois’ nuclear power plants.
“I’m proud that our commitment to hit carbon-free power by 2045 is already bringing consumers savings just months after becoming law,” he said in a press release at the time.
That credit of 3.087 cents per kilowatt-hour, though, quickly turned out to be overly generous — so much so that ComEd customers now owe the utility $1.1 billion for credits it provided them but couldn’t collect from nuclear plant owner Constellation Energy Group when wholesale power prices dropped unexpectedly beginning last year.
* Also Crain’s…
Illinois pharmacists are now allowed to dispense certain types of birth control to patients without a prescription from a doctor thanks to a new order from the state that looks to expand access to contraception.
The order, signed May 10 by the head of the Illinois Department of Public Health, proclaims that with additional training, pharmacists can dispense self-administered hormonal contraceptives, which includes birth control pills, vaginal rings and injections. […]
More than 20 other states, including California and South Carolina, have enacted similar policies that allow residents to receive birth control from pharmacists.
* A couple of Brandon Johnson inauguration excerpts…
It’s true, y’all know we need revenue. We have a structural deficit. And we have to invest in people. And we have to do that without breaking the backs of working people with fines, fees and property taxes.
You can’t make people feel bad because they have a payment plan. [applause]
You can’t stop someone with a payment plan from becoming mayor of the city of Chicago. [massive applause]
And…
We cannot afford to get it wrong, Chicago. We don’t want a Chicago that has been so overwhelmed by the traumatization of violence and despair that our residents felt no hope or no choice but to leave, shrinking our economy and make it difficult for this city to remain a world class city.
* This is just nuts and it’s becoming all too common…
…Adding… Mayor Johnson has signed four new executive orders…
EO 2023-15 — Boost Youth Employment
Mayor Johnson’s youth employment executive order instructs the Office of Budget and Management to prepare an analysis of all resources in the City’s FY2023 budget that are available to fund youth employment and enrichment programs, including any state, county, or federal funds. In addition, the executive order instructs the Deputy Mayor of Education and Health and Human Services to lead all city departments and agencies in identifying additional entry-level jobs that would be suitable for young people. The order instructs the Mayor’s Office staff to coordinate year-round youth employment and enrichment activities among City sister agencies and City Departments, including collaboration with companies and non-profit organizations, for summer internships and community service credit opportunities with Chicago Public Schools and college credit opportunities with City Colleges of Chicago.
EO 2023-16 — Establish a Deputy Mayor for Immigrant, Migrant, and Refugee Rights
Mayor Johnson’s executive order to establish a Deputy Mayor for Immigrant, Migrant, and Refugee Rights makes the new role responsible for the coordination and communication between all applicable City departments and officials related to the City’s efforts to support newly arrived and established immigrants, refugees, and migrants. In addition, the order instructs all City department heads to take direction from the Deputy Mayor for Immigrant, Migrant, and Refugee Rights to assist with efforts to address immediate needs and long-standing policy and programmatic goals to ensure the efficacy of Chicago’s status as a welcoming and sanctuary city.
EO 2023-17 — Establish a Deputy Mayor for Community Safety
Mayor Johnson’s executive order to establish a Deputy Mayor for Community Safety calls on the new office to focus on eradicating the root causes of crime and violence and advance a comprehensive, healing-centered approach to community safety. In addition, the order instructs all City departments to work with the Deputy Mayor for Community Safety to achieve this goal.
EO 2023-18 — Establish a Deputy Mayor for Labor Relations
Mayor Johnson’s executive order to establish a Deputy Mayor for Labor Relations will allow coordination to foster, promote, and develop the welfare of the wage earners, job seekers, and retirees of Chicago, in addition to improving working conditions, advancing new job opportunities for employment, and protecting workers’ rights.
* Isabel’s roundup…
* WAND | Illinois House Democrats pass firearm omnibus bill helping domestic violence survivors: The plan could allow judges to order law enforcement to seize guns while issuing emergency orders of protection. Although, Republicans and gun advocates are worried police will take expensive guns from families.
* Sun-Times | Federal prosecutors urge judge to block defense efforts to contact ComEd jurors, call it a ‘fishing expedition’: Federal prosecutors argued the appropriate response is “not to authorize the defendants to hound this jury — a move that no doubt will send a public message that jury service is something to be avoided.”
* Tribune | Brandon Johnson sworn in as Chicago mayor: ‘Our best and brighter days are ahead of us’: Johnson began his sweeping remarks by shouting out the greatness of Chicago: the “beauty” of Lake Michigan, its “boundary-breaking” arts and cultural scene and even the signature Italian beef. And, ever eager to reference his former profession as a social studies teacher, he shouted out the unique history of Black Chicago, starting from its founder, the Haitian voyager Jean Baptiste Point du Sable, before broadening to the city’s tapestry of immigrants who hail from all corners of the earth.
* Sun-Times | ‘Soul’ searching: Johnson takes office, vows ‘to tell a different story’ for ‘Chicago with its sturdy shoulders’: The inauguration started with the introduction of the newly-elected City Council, which includes 16 fresh faces; a record 14 Hispanics; 18 women, matching a previous all-time high; and nine members who identify as LGBTQ. The average age is 47. That’s nearly four years younger than the average age of the old Council.
* ABC Chicago | Brandon Johnson sworn in as Chicago mayor at inauguration ceremony: Later Monday night, Johnson will celebrate at an invitation-only gala at what’s being called the “people’s ball” at 7 p.m. at the UIC Forum.
* Crain’s | In inaugural address, Johnson promises to bring ‘the soul of Chicago’ to City Hall: Delivering his speech with local, state and federal elected officials, labor allies, campaign aides and their guests seated behind him, Johnson said the “soul of Chicago is alive in each and every one of us” and only by working collaboratively would the city fix its “shared challenges.”
* Fox Chicago | Brandon Johnson sworn in as Chicago’s 57th mayor: Andrea Sáenz, president and CEO of the Chicago Community Trust foundation, said she’s hopeful that Johnson can bring philanthropies, businesses, police and activists together to create a wide-ranging strategy to prevent violence now and chip away at the conditions that let it flourish. “It feels like this is a moment — the moment — to have those conversations, for a mayor to bring everybody to the table,” Sáenz said.
* Joe Cahill | Chicago’s $20 million club shrinks: Belts tightened across corporate America in 2022, and Chicago’s $20 million club was no exception. Membership in the exclusive club for CEOs paid $20 million or more shrank to eight from 10 amid a broader slowdown in CEO pay growth last year.
* Sun-Times | Funeral arrangements set for Chicago police Officer Aréanah Preston: Visitation will be held from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday at Blake-Lamb Funeral Home in Oak Lawn, police said. Her funeral will take place at 10 a.m. Wednesday at Trinity United Church of Christ on the South Side.
* Tribune | Urban Prep’s looming closure concerning for students, parents as CPS takes over: ‘The school was a safe haven for these boys’: Looking ahead to his senior year of high school, Myles Brown isn’t sure what to expect. He’s conflicted, hopeful, sad. “I really thought this would be the school I graduate from,” the Urban Prep Academies junior said last week. “But just the turn of events has been very turbulent, to say the least.”
* Rev. Charles Straight and Rev. Michael P. Russell | Illinois is ready to redefine community safety : During Chicago’s 2023 mayoral race, conservative democrats and the right-wingers supporting Paul Vallas repeatedly claimed that Brandon Johnson wanted to defund the Chicago Police Department (CPD). Millions of dollars were spent trying to convince voters that Johnson would make Chicago less safe because of his association with community organizations leading the charge to redirect money from policing to resources like mental health care, substance use treatment, and violence prevention programs. Vallas’ supporters failed to leverage fear to convince marginalized communities that crime would worsen if Chicago adopted a more holistic approach to public safety — one centered on preventing crime before it happens instead of simply responding afterwards.
* Crain’s | Pharma services giant expands in Fulton Market: Charles River Laboratories, a Wilmington, Mass., pharma services giant, is further expanding its footprint in Chicago as it takes up more space in one of the two buildings that make up Fulton Labs.
* Block Club | Northeastern Illinois University Faculty Avoid Strike As Contract Agreement Reached: The ratified contract adds 3 percent yearly pay raises and bonuses to faculty salaries, better balances workload and brings back awarded merit pay, the union president said.
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A tale of two state budgets
Monday, May 15, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Associated Press…
April’s plummeting general funds receipts — a drop of $1.84 billion from the previous year — is stunning in anyone’s estimation. But budget-makers at the state Capitol aren’t panicking.
Compared with 2022, revenue fell a whopping 23% last month, driven by a drop of $1.76 billion in personal income tax, according to the legislative Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability.
On its face, that would seemingly cause jitters and with one week left in the spring legislative session, it might historically be a call for the May money magic from days of yore that led to mountains of debt in the last two decades. […]
Gov. J.B. Pritzker pointed out that the budget he proposed last winter for the fiscal year that begins July 1 relies on estimated revenue of $49.94 billion. His Office of Management and Budget currently estimates next year’s revenue increase at $532 million, about 1%, more.
* Now, on to California Public Radio…
California’s expected budget deficit has grown to $31.5 billion, standing in stark contrast to $100 billion surpluses of the past two years. It’s driven largely by lagging tax revenue from high-income earners.
Governor Gavin Newsom is currently presenting his $306.5 billion spending plan. It includes plans for filling the deficit, which has grown from the $22.5 billion shortfall predicted in January.
The deficit is “well within our expectation and well within our capacity to address,” Newsom said. […]
Despite a shortfall, the governor is proposing a 5% increase to higher education budgets and an 8.2% cost of living adjustment for K-12 and community college staff. […]
His revised budget would spend $3.7 billion on homelessness, up from the $3.4 billion he proposed in January.
Jerry Brown brought some much-needed sound management to state government and Newsom has been able to build on that. In Illinois, balanced budgets have not been a normal thing for decades.
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Question of the day
Monday, May 15, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Associated Press…
Just in time for the summer dining season, the U.S. government has given its blessing to restaurants that want to allow pet dogs in their outdoor spaces.
But even though nearly half of states already allow canine dining outdoors, the issue is far from settled, with many diners and restaurants pushing back against the increasing presence of pooches.
“I’d like to be able to enjoy my meal without having to worry about fleas, pet hair, barking and entitled dogs and their owners,” said Tracy Chiu Parisi, a food blogger in New York, who was once startled by a dog that stuck its head in her lap while she was reading a menu.
Restaurants have been required to allow service dogs for decades. But it wasn’t until the mid-2000’s that a handful of states — including Florida and Illinois — began passing laws allowing dogs in outdoor dining spaces, according to the Animal Legal and Historical Center at Michigan State University. Twenty-three states now have such laws or regulations.
* I’m sure I have a photo of Oscar at a restaurant somewhere, but here’s one from the weekend in a park…
* The Question: Your thoughts on dogs in outdoor areas of restaurants?
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It’s just a bill
Monday, May 15, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller
* State Journal-Register…
Legislation granting victims of digital forgeries, commonly known as deepfakes, to take legal action against perpetrators who create and share inauthentic media is now one step closer to becoming law.
House Bill 2123 from Sen. Mary Edly-Allen, D-Libertyville, passed in the Senate unanimously on Thursday. The bill, previously led by Rep. Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz, D-Glenview, will return to the House for a concurrence vote where it is expected to pass.
The growing presence of artificial intelligence and it is abilities have made it more challenging to depict fiction from reality, Edly-Allen said. When the technology is used to make deepfakes, often used to make pornographic material, there is not a legal avenue for victims to seek compensation.
* HB1 is on First Reading in the House. Chicago Tribune…
Evanston Councilmember Devon Reid’s hope to decriminalize psilocybin and other entheogenic plants, commonly known as “magic mushrooms,” was shot down when the Human Services Committee instructed city staff not to move forward with his referral earlier this month. […]
Reid’s push for looser psilocybin restrictions may still be granted with a proposal in the Illinois General Assembly brought forth by Rep. La Shawn Ford (D-Chicago).
Ford’s legislation, the Compassionate Use and Research of Entheogens (CURE) Act, aims to “establish a new, compassionate, and effective approach to entheogens.” This would create a two-year program development period to adopt rules to eventually implement a regulatory program allowing adults to receive psilocybin services, create the Illinois Psilocybin Advisory Board within the Department of Public Health and examine scientific research on treating mental health conditions with psilocybin, according to the bill.
The CURE Act is currently in the Rules Committee after being taken up by the Executive Committee.
* State Journal Register…
The Illinois House passed a bill Friday that would bar anyone convicted of a felony, bribery, perjury or misuse of public funds while serving as a public official from ever being elected to a state or local office again.
That measure was introduced as an amendment to House Bill 351 on Thursday and moved quickly through the House Ethics and Elections Committee Friday morning with bipartisan support. It then went to the House floor where it passed 106-0.
Current law bars anyone convicted of a felony from holding a state office until they’ve completed their sentence. And a provision of the Illinois Municipal Code bars anyone who has ever been convicted of a felony from holding an elected municipal office.
But those people are free to run for the General Assembly, governor or any other constitutional office once they’ve completed their sentence.
* Press release…
The Network: Advocating Against Domestic Violence and our partners across the gender-based violence (GBV) services community commend the Illinois House of Representatives and the House Firearms Working Group and lead sponsor Representative Hirschauer, on the passage of HB676 on Friday, May 12, 2023. This common-sense firearms package includes important provisions to ensure the timely removal of firearms from respondents in emergency orders of protection.
“The data shows that 70 women are killed by an intimate partner every month in this county. Ensuring removal of firearms is happening in a timely fashion and that the weapons are kept with our trusted law enforcement is commonsense policy that will make a huge impact in ensuring survivor safety” Amanda Pyron, Executive Director of The Network, stated in the wake of its passage.
This bill was drafted in partnership with Legal Action Chicago, an attorney-led organization with expertise in orders of protection. Focusing on justice and equity through policy, advocacy and litigation, they know the risks associated with leaving and filing an order of protection.
“This bill recognizes the often-terrifying risk that survivors of domestic violence must face when seeking safety and takes a real step forward in addressing those risks” John Bouman, Executive Director of Legal Action Chicago.
The Illinois Coalition Against Domestic Violence, a membership driven organization representing direct service providers in the domestic violence community across the state has been a strong proponent of this legislation.
With the legislative session ending this week, The Network, including more than forty direct service providers across the state, urges the Senate to pass HB676 promptly to send to the Governor’s desk for signature. Survivors experiencing gun-involved domestic violence have a 500% greater likelihood of being murdered. Survivor safety during the highest time of lethality cannot wait.
* WAND…
Illinois House Democrats approved a sweeping gun control bill Friday morning despite concerns from Republicans, the Illinois State Rifle Association, and law enforcement.
The plan could allow judges to order law enforcement to seize guns while issuing emergency orders of protection. Although, Republicans and gun advocates are worried police will take expensive guns from families.
House Democrats say the firearms should go directly to trusted law enforcement to keep domestic violence survivors and their families safe.
“We are adding penalty enhancements to the law which as disfavored by the majority party unless it suits them,” said Rep. Patrick Windhorst (R-Metropolis). “And we are putting additional burdens on law enforcement when they have not requested those burdens.” […]
The legislation passed out of the House on a 70-36 vote. This plan now heads to the Senate for further consideration next week. The General Assembly is scheduled to adjourn on May 19.
* SB2261 is on First Reading in the Senate. Block Club Chicago…
Youth advocates are pushing for more investment in jobs programs following a new study by the University of Illinois at Chicago that shows a dramatic increase in unemployment among Black youth in Chicago — and especially young Black women — during the pandemic. […]
The Alternative Schools Network commissioned the study as part of a push for a bill currently moving through the state Legislature that would provide $300 million in funding for a statewide youth jobs program. […]
Howell was a part of a group of students who testified before the state’s appropriations committee and the Illinois Senate in support of the bill that would provide $300 million in funding for 80,000 jobs for youth across the state.
The bill is sponsored by state Sen. Robert Peters and Rep. Kam Buckner, both Chicago Democrats. If passed, students could work five to 15 hours a week, earning $15 an hour during the school year. The bill also provides for an eight-week summer program in which students could work 25 hours a week.
* AP…
Holed up at home during the pandemic lockdown three years ago, 13-year-old Shreya Nallamothu was scrolling through social media when she noticed a pattern: Children even younger than her were the stars — dancing, cracking one-liners and being generally adorable. […]
But as she watched more and more posts of kids pushing products or their mishaps going viral, she started to wonder: Who is looking out for them? […]
Illinois lawmakers aim to change that by making their state what they say will be the first in the country to create protections for child social media influencers. Nallamothu, now 15, raised her concerns to Illinois state Sen. David Koehler of Peoria, who then set the legislation in motion. […]
The bill passed the state Senate unanimously in March, and is scheduled to be considered by the House this week. If it wins approval, the bill will go back to the Senate for a final vote before it makes its way to Gov. J.B. Pritzker, who said he intends to sign it in the coming months.
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It’s almost a law
Monday, May 15, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller
* Crain’s…
Among the moves by the General Assembly last week, Gov. J.B. Pritzker hailed the Illinois House’s passage of House Bill 579, which would allow Illinois to set up its own insurance marketplace similar to Obamacare.
“Through the adoption of a state-based insurance marketplace, we can expand health care access by effectively identifying traditionally underinsured communities, conducting effective outreach to them and assisting in the enrollment process,” Pritzker said in a statement, adding that he looks forward to following the bill’s progress in the Illinois Senate.
A bill that’s already heading to Pritzker’s desk for a signature would require health insurers to cover preventative liver screenings and other diagnostics. The bill, championed by state Rep. Hoan Huynh, D-Chicago, will expand access to tests that may detect forms of cancer and cirrhosis of the liver.
“People shouldn’t have to choose between buying their next meal or their medication,” Huynh said in a statement. “Rising costs of health care and general inflation are suffocating our working families and seniors. I remain committed to working to find ways to implement real relief for those who need it most.”
* The Intelligencer…
A bill by state Sen. Erica Harriss, R-Glen Carbon, to help alleviate the teacher shortage across the state by providing flexibility and incentives for established educators now awaits Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s signature.
House Bill 1297 would extend the current statute in the pension code to allow teachers the ability to buy up to two years of service credit at a private or parochial school from the Teachers Retirement System. It passed in the Senate on May 4; it was approved in the House on March 23.
“Our teachers are incredibly important and with the teacher shortage still a persistent and serious issue across our state, we must look at collaborative ways to address the issue,” said Harriss. “This bill is a good step in allowing teachers the flexibility to move from the private sector into public schools and buy back their time in the retirement system.
“With the current law set to expire June 30th, this legislation is merely an extension of a sunset now set for 2028 if signed into law.”
* WAND…
State lawmakers have passed a plan to improve drug overdose education standards in K-12 schools to help students understand substance use and overdose trends.
The bill will require education on the history of drugs and health policy in Illinois and the United States, the impact of zero tolerance, and restorative justice practices.
House and Senate Democrats filed the bill in memory of Louie Miceli who died from an overdose in 2012. Louie’s mother and other advocates say young people haven’t properly learned about healthy coping mechanisms, the truth about drugs, or potential risks they could face. […]
Senate Bill 2223 passed unanimously out of the House Friday. It previously received unanimous approve in the Senate on March 30.
Louie’s Law now moves to Gov. JB Pritzker’s desk for his signature of approval.
* Chicago Tribune…
All state-funded affordable housing would be required to have air conditioning under a bill sent to Gov. J.B. Pritzker by legislators spurred to action by the heat exposure deaths last year of three seniors in their apartments on Chicago’s Far North Side.
The bill on Pritzker’s desk will require housing financed under the Illinois Affordable Housing Program to have cooling and dehumidification systems capable of operating independently from heating systems. There is also a requirement that newly constructed buildings that fall under the state program include permanent cooling.
* Capitol News Illinois…
Illinois would become one of the first states to make so-called crisis pregnancy centers subject to the same consumer fraud standards as car dealerships, retailers and service-based businesses under a bill that will soon head to Gov. JB Pritzker.
Upon the measure becoming law, crisis pregnancy centers could be sued under the Illinois Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act if they engage in “unfair methods of competition” or “deceptive acts or practices.”
Crisis pregnancy centers are facilities affiliated with anti-abortion, often religious, organizations designed to deter newly pregnant women from seeking an abortion.
Democrats working to expand Illinois’ role as a “haven” for abortion-seekers in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision last summer overturning Roe v. Wade say CPCs often intentionally deceive those who are trying to end their pregnancies.
* WMBD…
The Illinois Senate passed House Bill 3224 on Thursday, highlighting future opportunities for children with disabilities.
Championed by Senator Dave Koehler (D – Peoria), House Bill 3224 will grant students with individualized education plans (IEP) and their parents would be provided information on the school district’s career and technical education and dual credit opportunities.
“This measure helps families and children with disabilities see the career options that are available to them,” said Koehler (D – Peoria). “Every child deserves additional opportunities outside the classroom.”
* WICS…
A new bill is now headed to Governor Pritzker’s desk that would require judges to consider a different set of circumstances when determining criminal sentences for juveniles.
HB3414 would amend the Juvenile Court Act of 1987 by requiring judges to consider factors such as home environment and childhood trauma when sentencing juveniles.
“Many people don’t want to see our children locked up and basically put into solitary confinement when some of our resources in our jails and our juvenile system are not there to protect children in a way that they absolutely need it,” Sen. Rachel Ventura, (D) Joliet, said.
If signed, judges would be required to consider additional factors when determining a sentence for a person under the age of 18, including home environment, childhood trauma, peer pressure, and the results of a comprehensive mental evaluation.
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Civic Federation: Look before you leap
Monday, May 15, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Alex Nitkin has a solid piece on the future of Tier 2…
An influential state legislator is digging up what he calls a fiscal time bomb his predecessors buried more than a decade ago, arguing the General Assembly can’t wait any longer to defuse it. But experts and city officials are warning of collateral damage if he doesn’t slow down.
State Sen. Robert Martwick (D-Chicago) is proposing legislation he says would “fix” a 2010 law that aimed to stem Illinois’ pension crisis by cutting back retirement benefits for future public employees. Researchers have since warned that the measure likely went too far, potentially depriving workers of benefits they’re entitled to under federal law. […]
The 2010 [Tier 2] law dramatically narrowed retirement benefits for public workers who would come on the job after Jan. 1, 2011. Instead of reaping compounded interest on their pension payouts every year from retirement until death, as older workers had, pensioners in the new “tier” would only see nominal annual bumps. It also placed a cap on how high benefits could reach and lowered the standard for how annual payouts are calculated.
The result was a significantly smaller cost outlay for governments once “Tier 2” pensioners start to fully vest their pensions and retire. That hope is why many actuarial projections show Chicago and Illinois starting to make real progress toward shoring up their pension funds starting about 2030.
Even as they crafted the pension rollback legislation in 2010, lawmakers heard warnings that the Tier 2 calculus could someday invite costly legal challenges. If pension payments are too small, public workers could sue their employers on the back of a federal rule that pension payments must exceed the income that workers would otherwise earn from Social Security payments.
The story then goes on to talk about a bump to Downstate first responder pensions when the pension funds were consolidated, and efforts to pass similar legislation for Chicago first responders (who were promised the change years ago when the casino bill was passed) and for Cook County workers.
* Conclusion…
Legislators will seek out further analysis as they explore “fixes” for other Tier 2 pensioners, like teachers and department staffers, all across the state, Martwick said.
“I would posit that they all need to get done,” he said.
* But it’s difficult to argue with this warning from the Civic Federation…
Benefit enhancements are likely necessary to meet Safe Harbor requirements, but the solution should be thoroughly vetted, actuarially sound and the most cost effective of all possible options. The Civic Federation urges legislators and the Governor to demonstrate the need for the specific Tier 2 enhancements before taking any binding legislative action. The State cannot afford to take a step backward by unnecessarily increasing Tier 2 pension benefits. The Illinois General Assembly must ensure that the financial impact of any proposed Tier 2 changes is fully evaluated by pension actuaries and publicly disclosed before any action is taken. Until a complete analysis is done, there should be no urgency to pass these supposed Safe Harbor “fixes.”
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* The Peoria Journal-Star covered Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ trip to the area…
DeSantis brought a crowd of roughly 1,150 Republicans to the event at the Peoria Civic Center, plus protesters and the New York Times. While he did not announce an anticipated run for president while in Peoria, he did use a roughly 42-minute speech to take shots at Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker and levy a barrage of verbal jabs at Democrats, while also lauding his accomplishments as governor of Florida.
“I’m a little disappointed your governor said I wasn’t welcome in Illinois,” DeSantis said in response to remarks made by Pritzker ahead of his arrival. “Because I seem to remember when he was locking down this state, he sent his family to live in my state and live in our freedom.”
We talked about this months ago…
Um, they were in Florida before the stay at home order was issued and then sheltered in place (his kid goes to college there). Did they know what was coming? Probably. Not saying it was the case with them, but I had friends down there who were miserable during the spring. The beaches and pools were closed. The restaurants and taverns were shuttered. And then summer hit and COVID zoomed as people retreated indoors to avoid the Florida heat and humidity. I put off visiting the Sunshine State to the fall, when cases were rising in Springfield as people went back inside and Florida’s dropped because people could enjoy the outdoors again.
Natalie Edelstein from the Pritzker campaign…
The governor and his family live in Illinois. As you know, they have one daughter who attends the University of Miami. If this pathetic, repeated lie about someone’s child is the best thing the GOP can come up with to campaign on, then it tells you everything you need to know about their ideas for the future.
* Back to the PJ-Star…
Peoria Congressman Darin LaHood cracked a similar joke at Pritzker’s expense saying, “you know it’s a sign we’re having a good Lincoln Day when J.B. Pritzker is tweeting and crying that Ron DeSantis is not welcome in Illinois.” […]
During his speech, DeSantis frequently criticized Illinois laws and policies, including the state’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, Illinois tax rates, and criminal justice reform. DeSantis specifically mentioned Florida’s lack of an income tax and said “you should try it sometime.”
“We have to reject the weaponization of the criminal justice system, this is being driven by woke ideology,” DeSantis said. “We reject the idea that you defund law enforcement, we reject the idea that you tolerate rioting and looting and disorder. We reject soft on crime policies like abolishing cash bail and releasing prisoners from jail early.”
Back to Edelstein…
“Inviting a failed governor who is at war with Donald Trump to keynote one of your largest events is emblematic of today’s Illinois GOP,” said JB For Governor spokesperson Natalie Edelstein.
“Republicans are too busy fighting each other to get out of their own way and solve the issues facing working families. While they celebrate banning books and picking on LGBTQ+ kids, Illinois Democrats will continue to win elections and build a state where everyone is free to be who they are.”
* Dave Dahl…
State Sen. Sue Rezin (R-Morris) was part of a private pre-event with DeSantis.
“He set his agenda out when he first ran for office, and he has accomplished everything,” Rezin said. “So now he is on his second set of accomplishments. He works to govern. I think that is what’s missing in politics today: leaders who really appreciate and work on governing for their state.”
* Meanwhile, the Florida legislature passed a bill to allow DeSantis to run for president…
In addition, the bill would amend Florida’s resign-to-run law to resolve legal ambiguity surrounding DeSantis’ expected presidential run. Currently, Florida law requires public officials running for another office that overlaps with their current term to submit a resignation from their current office before running. This resignation is irrevocable, meaning even if a candidate were to run and lose, they would still have to resign their office. The bill would instead explicitly exempt candidates running for president from this requirement, a change that would allow Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) to run against former President Donald Trump for the Republican nomination for president in 2024 without resigning his governorship.
The bill passed and was enrolled on April 28, but hasn’t yet been sent to the governor’s desk for whatever reason.
* More…
* Tribune | Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis tells Peoria crowd that Biden’s reelection would leave U.S. ‘unrecognizable’: More than 1,100 tickets were sold for the event at various levels, starting at $85, and an estimated $240,000 was raised by the two county organizations, organizers said. The ticket sales eclipsed last year’s event, when 700 people attended a speech by another potential 2024 presidential contender, former Vice President Mike Pence.
* Politico | DeSantis takes anti-woke show to Illinois: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Friday doubled down on his attacks against “woke” policies in big business, saying he will soon sign legislation to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion language “from all our public institutions.” … A large portion of his speech zeroed in on business policies: Along with attacking DEI language, he criticized the investment strategy that addresses environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG), calling it an effort to “weaponize corporate power.” And he poked at Walt Disney Co., which opposed the so-called “Don’t Say Gay” law last year. “They don’t run the state of Florida. We run the state of Florida.”
* WCBU | Progressive groups protest Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ Peoria visit: As of 4 p.m. Friday, the protest saw between 60 and 70 people spread between both locations. No counter-protesters appeared throughout the day.
* Press Release | ACLU of Florida Statement on 2023 Legislative Session: These bills included banning abortions after six weeks, creating an unaccountable private police force for the governor, reintroducing unconstitutional non-unanimous juries for death penalty recommendations, censoring and intimidating students and faculty for engaging in speech with which lawmakers personally disagree, further prohibiting conversations related to LGBTQ+ people and their lives in schools, limiting immigrants’ ability to live safely in Florida, suppressing free speech, and allowing medical professionals to deny medical services due to personal beliefs. … “All Floridians and all Americans should be outraged by how easily the legislature stripped people of their rights, focusing their efforts on censoring our classrooms, controlling people’s bodies, limiting our right to vote, and creating the Governor’s own personal army by diverting over $100 million in taxpayer dollars to build, equip, and train a Florida State Guard of 1,500 people to serve at the sole discretion and direction of the governor, including an armed specialized unit with the authority to apprehend and make arrests.”
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* Daily Herald, Thursday, May 11…
The Chicago Bears and three Arlington Heights-area school districts are millions apart on what they think the team’s new Arlington Park property is worth and how much the team should pay in taxes, according to documents obtained by the Daily Herald.
During the parties’ closed-door negotiations after Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi’s reassessment of the 326-acre site, the schools suggested a $95 million value for the land, for which the Bears would be responsible for paying $7.9 million in annual property taxes for the next two years.
But new Bears President and CEO Kevin Warren called that proposed settlement a “nonstarter” and not “viable,” especially considering where negotiations began in January, according to a May 4 letter he sent to the superintendents of Palatine Township Elementary District 15, Northwest Suburban High School District 214 and Palatine-Schaumburg High School District 211. […]
The Bears countered with a land value of $52.5 million and annual tax payments of $4.3 million.
Kaegi’s reassessment would hike the property value from $33.5 million to $197 million, which is just below the $197.2 million the Bears paid Churchill Downs Inc. for the old racetrack.
* Daily Herald, Friday, May 12…
After new Chicago Bears President and CEO Kevin Warren called the property tax and assessment settlement proposed by three school districts a “nonstarter,” the superintendents fired back with a letter of their own Friday that doubles down on their offer. […]
But given a “substantial gulf” between the two sides, the school district superintendents told Warren Friday they don’t see the need to make a counteroffer. […]
The school districts said they now intend to proceed with resolution of the 2022 assessment year on its own, which will help inform both the schools and the Bears on an “appropriate” assessment for tax years 2023 and 2024, when the Bears will have full responsibility for the taxes.
* Tribune…
With one week remaining in the Illinois legislature’s spring session, a revised version of proposed legislation to aid the Chicago Bears’ move to Arlington Heights has surfaced in Springfield.
Like the previous proposal, the new bill would freeze the property tax assessment on the former Arlington International Racecourse, where the Bears have proposed a new stadium as part of a $5 billion mixed-use development, and create a $3 admission tax to help pay off debt incurred to fund renovations of Soldier Field two decades ago. […]
Democratic state Rep. Marty Moylan of Des Plaines said the new bill, filed Wednesday, reflects negotiations that have taken place since he filed a measure last month. That proposal caught some local officials and fellow lawmakers off guard. […]
Joining Moylan as a co-sponsor on the measure is freshman state Rep. Mary Beth Canty, a fellow Democrat who just completed a term as an Arlington Heights village trustee.
Rep. Canty’s full statement…
Throughout negotiation on a new Chicago Bears stadium in Arlington Heights, my focus has been on the impact on our communities – the Village of Arlington Heights itself as well as neighboring communities that would be affected just as much. Every affected community needs a seat at the table. The latest proposal is a step forward, but by no means final. My sponsorship of this legislation reflects my support for continued discussions with all stakeholders engaged. I hope to continue these conversations in the months ahead.
Subscribers know more.
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* Isabel wrote this week’s syndicated newspaper column…
My associate Isabel Miller recently interviewed Sen. Robert Peters (D-Chicago) about the national controversy he found himself in after posting a statement on Twitter. I thought I’d share it with you this week. Here’s Isabel…
A few weeks ago, Sen. Robert Peters posted a tweet that he knew would generate backlash. What he didn’t know was that it would go national.
The tweet was in response to teens converging on downtown Chicago. The Chicago Tribune reported three teenagers were wounded in two shootings and 16 were arrested during the violence: “I would look at the behavior of young people as a political act and statement. It’s a mass protest against poverty and segregation.”
Now-former Fox News host Tucker Carlson jumped in, telling his millions of viewers: “So, what happens if you encourage this kind of behavior, if you cheer the mob rather than restraining the mob? Well, ugly and totally inevitable things will happen. Productive people will flee, innocents will die and ultimately you will get from this mob racial attacks. All of that is happening in Chicago right now. All of it.”
Peters said he was paraphrasing a 1966 quote from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. “A riot is the language of the unheard.”
“If I actually said what Dr. King said, I think… [people] could’ve responded even more harshly,” Peters said. “I don’t want anybody to ever get hurt. I have a district where there’s a lot of violence, particularly in a lot of working class areas. And I think everybody deserves to have their fair share of safety and comfort and I think we seem to be caught up responding to the same questions in relatively the same way. And I think a lot of people are sick and tired of it.
“And we have to look at it from both the historical context and the present context about what are we going to do to change things. If a kid has had their school closed, or healthcare institution closed, or they’ve had their housing foreclosed or they’ve been evicted, or they’re living cooped up in housing too small, mismanaged, then we have to do whatever we can to change that. And it’s clear that we need to push back on what has been a terrible, terrible status quo for people.”
Despite receiving hate and threats for his comments, Peters said he remains committed to his stance. “I do not believe in violence, that needs to be clear. I just want a good-faith discussion about what it means to have safety in every zip code. Instead, I was met with a person [Carlson] who defended terrible people and far-right extremism and thought it would be good to come after me.”
Peters said he struggles with whether speaking out is worth the threats. “I don’t want to have to worry about not only my well-being, but the well-being of the people I care and love.”
“Everyone’s ‘tough on crime’ until they want to send dangerously violent, anonymous emails,” Peters said. “There was a massive contradiction and hypocrisy by some people, and it just goes to show some people authentically want to bring safety to every community and make sure that every kid and every parent and every person, whether they’re struggling with housing and health care, there are people who really want to do that. I think I belong to those people.”
Peters is known for carrying a heavy workload in Springfield, and he also served on Chicago Mayor-elect Brandon Johnson’s transition team. Asked how he balances all of his tasks, Peters said, “Well, I mean, I have the unfortunate thing of having been born with ADHD. And, you know, it has its ups and downs. But it’s almost sometimes this work is kinetic; you know what I mean? It’s moving quickly. And you have to make quick assessments and you need to power map what you can and cannot do, and you need to know… what is an immediate thing you can make happen and what is something that might be longer term.”
“When I was younger, I was told I would amount to very little. After my dad passed away, I struggled with what the meaning of the world was and sort of figured that out and you combine all the sort of kinetic sort of ADHD energy with a drive that the meaning of my existence is to show that nobody has to go through the things that myself or my family, or the people I love around me had to go through.”
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Pre-inauguration coverage roundup
Monday, May 15, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller
* The Chicago mayoral inauguration ceremony begins at 10:30 this morning. Click here for more info and to watch it live…
* Tribune | Brandon Johnson: His rise from union organizer to Chicago’s new progressive mayor, and the challenges he inherits: To get here, Johnson took an unconventional route compared with previous mayors. Having cut his teeth politically as a top Chicago Teachers Union organizer a decade ago, Johnson brings with him a labor-friendly resume that has galvanized the city’s political left. That coalition of progressive unions and grassroots organizations propelled Johnson to victory after their chosen candidates suffered mayoral runoff losses in 2015 and 2019.
* Tribune | Facing CPD remake, Mayor-elect Brandon Johnson promises new approach, including adding police detectives: When Johnson is sworn in as the city’s 57th mayor Monday, he inherits a Chicago Police Department in a swirl of transition. Along with his promise to add detectives, Johnson needs to choose a permanent CPD superintendent, and he has promised to eliminate controversial recent additions to the city’s police landscape, including the ShotSpotter system.
* WGN | A decade before his election, Brandon Johnson foreshadowed his own rise to power: Johnson spoke about how Emanuel’s decision to close 50 Chicago Public Schools a year after the strike became a personal issue for him – as a teacher, CPS parent, and a union member. Then CTU-president Karen Lewis viewed the school closures as proof the CTU would have to have its own candidates run for government offices.
* Sun-Times | Migrant crisis ‘one of the most challenging’ problems facing Chicago’s new mayor, chief of staff says: Rich Guidice spent nearly 20 years running the Office of Emergency Management and Communications. Emergency response is his forte. But Guidice said he has never seen an emergency quite like the more than 8,000 asylum-seekers who have poured into Chicago since September, with scores more on the way.
* Crain’s | It’s inauguration day for Chicago’s next mayor. Here’s what you need to know.: A full guest roster hasn’t yet been announced, but we already know it’ll be pretty crowded onstage. Gov. J.B. Pritzker; Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton; both Illinois U.S. senators, Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth; and a long list of other local and state elected officials are listed as inauguration co-chairs, so there’s a good chance they’ll be in attendance.
* Sun-Times | Brandon Johnson fleshes out senior staff, shows continued influence of Toni Preckwinkle, Chicago Teachers Union: Annette Guzman, Preckwinkle’s county budget director, will be Johnson’s city budget director. Jennifer Johnson, chief of staff for the CTU, where Brandon Johnson has been a paid organizer, will be deputy mayor for education.
* Daily Herald | When it comes to transportation, there’s a lot riding on Chicago’s new mayor: Inexplicably to those of us obsessed with things that move, the O’Hare 21 expansion, which involves building a new Global Terminal plus two concourses costing $7 billion, was a nonfactor in the mayoral election. But aviation expert Joseph Schwieterman expects Johnson will support the plan. “The need for a better O’Hare is pretty obvious,” he said. “The new mayor will need to champion O’Hare 21 to keep the mega-project moving at maximum speed. Delays will both hamper the airport’s revenue potential and hurt our image as a premier convention town.”
* The New Yorker | Chicago’s Unlikeliest Mayor, Brandon Johnson: The attention from powerful Democrats indicates the importance of the race not just to those who live in the city of Chicago but to national politics. In the aftermath of the 2020 uprisings and Presidential contest, the Republican Party went all in on two issues: opposing crime and what they describe as “woke intolerance.” In doing so, they conflated the rise of crime rates during the height of the pandemic with the political outcry throughout that summer. Within this recriminating narrative, Chicago loomed large. For years now, Chicago has been described by Republicans as the quintessential example of big-city chaos. As former President Donald Trump once said, “All over the world they’re talking about Chicago. Afghanistan is a safe place by comparison.”
* Fox Chicago | Former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel shares message for incoming Mayor Brandon Johnson: Former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel shared a message on Sunday for incoming Mayor Brandon Johnson: “I’m rooting hard for your success.” Emanuel shared the message via Twitter from Japan, where he serves as the U.S. Ambassador. Emanuel was Chicago’s mayor from 2011 to 2019.
* Block Club | Brandon Johnson And All 50 Alderpeople Will Be Inaugurated Monday.: Clerk Anna Valencia will be the first official sworn in, followed by all 50 alderpeople and Treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin, according to the meeting agenda. Johnson will take his oath of office last and then deliver an inaugural address.
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Open thread
Monday, May 15, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller
* I hope you all had a relaxing weekend! I’m not gonna jinx it by counting down the days. What’s going on in your part of Illinois?…
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Isabel’s morning briefing
Monday, May 15, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller
* Here you go…
* Tribune | Budget, Bears, Chicago school board and ethics: Illinois legislators face busy agenda in spring session’s final week: The Illinois General Assembly heads into the final scheduled week of its spring session facing unresolved issues from the budget to a proposal to help the Chicago Bears move to the suburbs, while also coming under pressure to toughen government ethics laws in the wake of the “ComEd Four” corruption case convictions. Also on the table is the possibility of additional funding to help Chicago address its growing influx of migrants and asylum-seekers, and the need to finalize a map for the city’s new elected school board.
* Capitol News Illinois | Illinois Supreme Court considers whether a fetus can be a ‘victim’ of murder: In 2007, Reginald Lane shot and killed Jwonda Thurston, his pregnant girlfriend. For the murder, he was sentenced to life in prison, following state statute for someone who is found guilty of killing “more than one victim.”
* Daily Herald | ‘My kids will have to live with the decisions that I make’: How parenthood affects moms in office: When Kara Lambert first ran for Mundelein trustee in 2019, a man cornered her in a local Walgreens and asked how she effectively could serve while also being a mom to her then-2-year-old son, Theo. It’s not the kind of question a father running for office likely would face.
* Sun-Times | Former red-light camera exec who helped feds gets his bribery case dismissed: During a telephone hearing that lasted around a minute, federal prosecutors dismissed the single count of conspiracy to bribe a public official that had hung over businessman Omar Maani’s head since he was charged in 2020.
* Tribune | Brandon Johnson: His rise from union organizer to Chicago’s new progressive mayor, and the challenges he inherits: The mayor-elect, 47, will enter his inauguration ceremony on a mission to uplift the working class after campaigning on an anti-establishment platform that denounced what he called “the tale of two cities.” A former Cook County commissioner and teachers union organizer, Johnson will succeed Lori Lightfoot after her tumultuous term, which saw widespread discontent following the pandemic and civil unrest.
* Sun-Times | Migrant crisis ‘one of the most challenging’ problems facing Chicago’s new mayor, chief of staff says: Rich Guidice, who spent nearly 20 years running the Office of Emergency Management and Communications, said he has never seen an emergency quite like the thousands of asylum-seekers who have poured into Chicago since September, with scores more on the way.
* WTTW | Brandon Johnson Commits to Reopening Chicago’s Public Mental Health Clinics Closed 11 Years Ago: “We are going to reopen the mental health clinics,” Johnson said, putting it first in a list of his top priorities, which he said included fully funding Chicago’s schools, making sure Chicago’s public transportation system is clean, safe and efficient and Chicagoans have access to clean water and fresh food.
* WBEZ | Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart to Illinois lawmakers: Fund gun enforcement: Dart, who has an annual budget of more than $500 million, set up a task force to go after guns in 2013. However, he said with the other demands on his office he couldn’t devote enough officers to go after the thousands of licenses revoked in Cook County every year.
* Sun-Times | Chicago man accused of selling fake Cubs hats while on probation for selling fake White Sox tickets: Bruce Lee was arrested Wednesday after undercover officers purchased the counterfeit Cubs bucket hats from Lee on two separate occasions in Wrigleyville, Cook County Sheriff Thomas J. Dart said in a news release.
* Crain’s | Groupon terminating HQ lease early: Groupon is ending its lease for its River North headquarters two years early as it risks running out of cash, creating a big leasing challenge for Chicago developer Sterling Bay much sooner than expected. The struggling online-deal company recently executed an option to terminate its lease at 600 W. Chicago Ave. as of Jan. 31, 2024, according to a regulatory disclosure filed earlier this month. Groupon’s lease for nearly 300,000 square feet was due to expire in January 2026, but the company paid a termination fee of $9.6 million to end its commitment early. The imminent exit is not surprising, given the company’s warning to investors this week that there is substantial doubt it can remain a “going concern.”
* Daily Herald | Campton Hills trustee-elect Timothy Morgan vows to be seated despite 2002 Michigan DUI conviction: Morgan previously deferred taking his oath of office at the May 2 Campton Hills Village Board meeting because Kane County State’s Attorney Jamie Mosser had warned him that a 2002 felony DUI conviction in Michigan made him ineligible.
* NBC | Migrants say rumors encouraged crossing before Title 42 ended: In total, Border Patrol apprehended just over 6,200 undocumented migrants crossing the border on Friday, the first day after Title 42 was lifted, two Homeland Security officials told NBC News on Saturday. That figure was lower than the 11,000 apprehended each day on Tuesday and Wednesday, as well as the 10,000 apprehended on Thursday.
* CNN | Border crossings down 50% after Title 42: Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas tells CNN’s Dana Bash that only 4,200 migrants were encountered at the border on Saturday, down from more than 10,000 per day earlier in the week.
* Tribune | These mothers sell flowers on the streets of Chicago for Mother’s Day: Every Mother’s Day, Minerva Garcia is surrounded by hundreds of bouquets of roses. The red ones are her favorites. They remind her of love, she said as she softly touched a petal. There are also dozens of white and pink roses, but none of them are for her.
* Sun-Times | Giant snapping turtle ‘Chonkosaurus’ evidence of a much cleaner Chicago River: Everything about the video screams Chicago, from the previously polluted stream of water to Santore’s recognizable accent as he marvels at the turtle’s size. “That’s a Chicago river snapper,” Santore’s friend comments from the background. “Are you kidding me?”
* Daily Beast | There Are 2 AI Booms Happening. We’re Caught in the Middle.: In December, the Princeton student used his holiday break to create GPTZero, a tool for educators to help them determine whether student essays were written with OpenAI’s ChatGPT. Buoyed by growing concerns about the emerging technology and the nascent AI boom, Tian’s tool went viral—garnering more than 6 million users in just a few months.
* AP | ‘Robo umps’ reach Triple-A, but MLB rollout is uncertain: ‘You’re losing some of the human emotion of the game’: “Nobody complains about anything anymore with the strike zone because there’s nothing to complain about,” Saints manager Toby Gardenhire said after his first series with the so-called “robo-ump.” “You take that as good and bad. It’s kind of entertaining to watch a guy argue.”
* Sun-Times | White Sox drop another series, lose 4-3 to Astros: Lucas Giolito was strong after the first inning. Luis Robert Jr. continued his torrid May by hitting a home run in his third consecutive game. And Jake Burger returned from the injured list with a two-run homer of his own. But those are just details for a White Sox team that has a major hole to escape, one that got deeper with their 4-3 loss Sunday to the Astros.
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Live coverage
Monday, May 15, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller
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