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Trial judge’s ruling that FOID is unconstitutional struck down by state’s top court, but not on the merits

Thursday, May 21, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Illinois Supreme Court opinion in Malik Cedrick Bright v. Jeffrey Yenchko in his official
capacity as chief of the Firearms Services Bureau of the Illinois State Police…

At issue in this appeal is section 8(n) of the Firearm Owners Identification Card Act (FOID Card Act) (430 ILCS 65/8(n) (West 2022)), which is part of a statutory scheme authorizing the Illinois State Police to suspend the FOID card of an individual who is charged with a felony offense. The plaintiff in this case was charged with a felony offense, and as a result, his FOID card was suspended.

After the felony charge was dismissed, the plaintiff filed a lawsuit in the circuit court of Randolph County seeking the reinstatement of his FOID card.

In ruling on the parties’ cross-motions for summary judgment, the trial court declared that section 8(n) of the FOID Card Act was facially unconstitutional “to the extent it allows [the Illinois State Police] to revoke, suspend or otherwise impair the ability of an Illinois citizen to possess firearms while under indictment (or information) for a felony offense.”

Because the trial court’s judgment invalidated a state statute, an appeal was taken directly to this court. For the following reasons, we find that this case is moot and no mootness exception allows us to consider the appeal. We therefore vacate the trial court’s judgment and remand the case to the trial court with directions to dismiss the action.

* The trial judge overreached and the Supremes made that clear…

Furthermore, it was improper for the trial court to consider a claim that was not pled in the complaint and to grant relief that was not requested in the complaint. […]

In this case, the trial court not only went beyond the bounds of the complaint to grant relief to nonparties, but it did so for the purpose of invalidating the entire statute for all Illinois citizens charged with felonies. In doing so, the court ignored its obligation to avoid reaching constitutional issues unless necessary to decide a case. […]

Viewing the complaint as it was framed, raising only an as-applied challenge as related to Bright, the trial court should have dismissed the complaint as moot because this case does not fall within an established mootness exception. “An appeal is moot if no controversy exists or if events have occurred which foreclose the reviewing court from granting effectual relief to the complaining party.” […]

On May 31, 2023, approximately two weeks after filing his complaint, Bright’s FOID card was reinstated by the Illinois State Police pursuant to his administrative appeal. As a result, the trial court was unable to grant Bright effective relief, and the case became moot. Although Bright’s complaint requested additional relief in the form of enjoining Yenchko from suspending his FOID card in the future, that relief is too speculative to save the cause of action from being dismissed as moot.

Nevertheless, the trial court found that the issue presented by Bright’s claim fell within the public interest exception to the mootness doctrine. We disagree. “[W]hether a case falls within an established exception to the mootness doctrine is a case-by-case determination.” Alfred H.H., 233 Ill. 2d at 355. “These exceptions are to be construed narrowly and require a clear showing of each criterion to bring the case within the terms” of the exception. In re J.T., 221 Ill. 2d 338, 350 (2006). The party challenging a finding of mootness bears the burden of proving that an exception applies.[…]

In entering this disposition, we express no opinion on the merits of the parties’ other arguments. The cause is remanded to the trial court with directions to dismiss the complaint. See In re Marriage of Donald B., 2014 IL 115463, ¶¶ 35, 38 (where an appeal is moot and no mootness exception applies, we vacate the lower court’s judgment and dismiss the action).

The “no opinion on the merits” and mootness issue should prevent this from being overturned by the US Supreme Court.

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Intoxicating hemp regulation emerges

Thursday, May 21, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Subscribers know more. Press release…

House and Senate negotiators are preparing to move forward on major cannabis and hemp legislation focused on equity, smart industry reforms, and addressing major shifts in federal policy.

The federal government has recently made dramatic policy changes in the cannabis space, including eliminating the category of “intoxicating hemp” and moving medical cannabis from a Schedule I to a Schedule III narcotic. Additionally, Illinois’s regulated cannabis law contained many stringent provisions that were needed when the law passed in 2019 but no longer suit the current environment.

To respond to these issues, the House and Senate today jointly introduced omnibus cannabis and hemp regulatory reforms in SB 20 SA1
(Lightford) and HB 5784 (Guzzardi - Slaughter - Morgan - Olickal - L. Davis).

The bills contain six major areas of reform:

- Removing Regulatory Barriers to Help Social Equity Operators Thrive;
Criminal Justice Reforms;
- On-Ramps to Legal Status for Hemp Operators;
- Changes to Medical Cannabis Law for Social Equity Licensees and Patients;
- Reforms for Social Equity Transporters; and
-Regulatory and Technical Changes

Without legislative action, social equity cannabis businesses will operate at an even greater disadvantage compared to large, multi-state operators. This bill will offer a vital lifeline by removing unnecessary regulatory burdens from small businesses and providing on-ramps to participate in the regulated cannabis industry.

“From protecting a grandmother buying CBD oil for arthritis, to making sure a social equity transporter can build a real business, to guarding underage youth from harmful products — this bill is simply about people,” said Senate Majority Leader Kimberly Lightford (D-Maywood). “Effective regulation is about safeguarding public health and fostering a sustainable, trustworthy market. I appreciate the passionate conversations I have had with advocates, stakeholders and my colleagues in the House that have led us to file a nation-leading, equitable hemp and cannabis measure.”

“Rumors of the demise of House-Senate collaboration have been greatly exaggerated,” said House Assistant Majority Leader Will Guzzardi (D-Chicago). “I’m proud of the partnership that’s gone into drafting this bill, and I’m proud of the end product — legislation that will help keep our cannabis industry among the most vibrant and diverse in the nation.”

The bills will be heard in committees in their respective chambers in the coming days.

* The Marijuana Herald…

Among the most consequential provisions, HB 5784 would create the CBD Consumer Products Act, establishing new rules for hemp-derived cannabinoid products intended for human or animal consumption. Under the bill, CBD products could only be sold by registered CBD product registrants, with physical and online sellers required to register with the Department of Revenue.

To qualify as a CBD product, an item would need to contain naturally occurring cannabinoids derived from hemp, be intended only for oral ingestion or topical absorption, and contain no more than 0.3% total THC on a dry weight basis. It also could contain no more than 0.4 milligrams of total THC per container. Products exceeding those limits would be regulated as marijuana under the Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act, regardless of whether they were derived from hemp, industrial hemp, natural sources or synthetic sources.

The bill would also impose packaging, labeling, testing and advertising requirements for CBD products, including required warnings and a ban on marketing that appeals to those under 21. Unregistered retailers selling products that meet the CBD definition would face a $500-per-day fine, while registrants could face additional penalties for violations. […]

The legislation would also create a clearer line between low-THC CBD products and intoxicating hemp-derived products. Any product above the bill’s THC limits would be treated as cannabis under state law, regardless of whether it was made from hemp, industrial hemp, natural sources or synthetic sources. The measure would also allow the Department of Agriculture to update its list of cannabinoids it considers THC twice each year, on or before January 1 and July 1. […]

The proposal includes a series of regulatory changes for licensed operators. It would allow dispensaries to offer pickup or drive-through service, increase allowable craft grower canopy from 5,000 square feet to 14,000 square feet, establish transfer site storage endorsements for certain transporters, and make changes related to business development, social equity loans, fee waivers, licensing, relocation, investigations, security and testing.

* Co-founder of Cubbington’s Cabinet Jeremy Dedic…

In response to yesterday’s introduction of HB5784, Jeremy Dedic, Co-Founder of Cubbington’s Cabinet, a specialty hemp and plant-based wellness retailer in Chicago stated, “We are passionate advocates of smart hemp regulation. Unfortunately, that is not what HB5784 is. Contrary to how the bill is described, its language will ban consumer access to the vast majority of non-intoxicating CBD products popular among Illinoisians. Even topical CBD creams and many common pet products will be criminalized. If HB5784 passes as written, our business will be forced to close after six years of serving our community. The city and state will lose tax revenue from responsible businesses like ours, employees will be laid off, storefront vacancies will increase, and — most importantly — Illinoisians will lose access to popular hemp wellness products.”

Thoughts?

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Illinois Positioned To Become A National Leader On AI Safety

Thursday, May 21, 2026 - Posted by Advertising Department

[The following is a paid advertisement.]

California and New York have already moved forward with frontier AI safety and transparency laws. Illinois legislators are building on these “blue-state” models by establishing some of the strongest protections in the country to safeguard residents from the risks posed by the most powerful AI systems.

As artificial intelligence continues to evolve, the need for clear standards around safety, transparency, incident reporting, and accountability becomes increasingly important. While a comprehensive federal framework for frontier AI oversight would be preferable, states have a critical role to play. Illinois, alongside California and New York, is helping shape an emerging national model for responsible AI governance.

When major states align on policy, companies often adopt those standards nationwide. Illinois residents deserve confidence that advanced AI technologies are being developed responsibly. Illinois legislators are helping ensure the companies developing these systems operate with transparency, accountability, and meaningful oversight. We appreciate the Senate’s partnership on these issues during the final weeks of session.

Paid for by Build American AI

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It’s almost a law

Thursday, May 21, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Capitol News Illinois…

Three years after the bill was initially introduced, the Senate passed a measure to ban “junk fees,” which are charges added to the total cost of ticketed events, hotels, tech and other goods and services.

House Bill 228 would make it unlawful for any business to advertise, display or offer a price for a good or service that does not include all mandatory fees or surcharges before taxes. […]

It passed 46-12 with both Democratic and Republican support after passing the House in April 77-18. It still faces opposition from various retail and business groups, but Aquino said he incorporated some of their concerns.

“We did make changes to this bill a significant number of times to balance out the making sure that we have practices in this state that are fair, that are transparent, so that people — when they’re making this really important decision of how to spend their money — that it is done in a way where it is informed, they know what they’re paying for and there’s not any surprise charges coming after,” [Sen. Omar Aquino (D-Chicago) said.]

Violations of the law would be subject to civil penalties laid out in the existing Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act.

In a statement, Gov. JB Pritzker said he will sign HB228…

“Illinois consumers have been nickel-and-dimed out of thousands of dollars per year by unnecessary and deceptive junk fees. I am proud that the Illinois General Assembly has passed the Junk Fee Ban Act to put money back in the pockets of families and establish fair, honest pricing — from concert tickets to online shopping. I’m grateful for Rep. Bob Morgan, Sen. Omar Aquino, and Attorney General Kwame Raoul for their leadership in crafting and passing this bill to ensure Illinois keeps standing up for affordability, accountability, and transparency. I look forward to signing this into law and banning hidden junk fees.”

Economic Security Illinois Action…

Today, HB 228, legislation to make pricing more transparent and curb hidden junk fees in Illinois, passed the Illinois Senate by a vote of 46-12. It will now head to Governor Pritzker’s desk. Economic Security Illinois Action worked for years to ban junk fees in Illinois.

The legislation targets mandatory fees tacked onto purchases that provide little to no value and are not disclosed to consumers upfront. These deceptive practices, often labeled “convenience” or “processing fees,” impact Illinoisans across a range of purchases, including booking a hotel or buying tickets to a live event. These charges lead to inflated costs for working families and prevent Illinoisans from fairly participating in our economy.

“This bill’s passage is a major win for affordability and a check on corporate greed,” said ESILA Policy and Research Director Erion Malasi. “By getting rid of hidden junk fees, we are taking a step forward in restoring fairness and transparency to our marketplace. The premise of the law is simple: the price you see advertised is the price you pay. We applaud Leader Aquino and members of the General Assembly for stepping up for working families and look forward to seeing the governor sign this bill into law.”

* Attorney General Kwame Raoul…

Attorney General Kwame Raoul applauded the Illinois Senate’s passage of his legislation to support his office’s efforts to combat workplace rights violations.

House Bill 4725, sponsored by Sen. Omar Aquino, was approved with bipartisan support and will now go to the governor for approval. […]

Attorney General Raoul’s Workplace Rights Bureau protects and advances the employment rights of all Illinois residents, particularly the state’s most vulnerable residents and immigrant populations. The bureau investigates and litigates cases involving serious or persistent wage law violations or other significant employment practices. Over the last year, the Attorney General’s office has recovered more than $15 million for Illinois workers.

However, some bad actors exploit procedural gaps to evade accountability, stall investigations, and force the bureau into lengthy and expensive court battles to access basic records. Currently, the bureau lacks standard investigative tools, common to other agencies, that would assist in resolving investigations. Raoul’s proposed measure will help ensure that the Workplace Rights Bureau has the necessary tools to defend workers’ rights and a level playing field for law-abiding businesses.

The legislation will:

- Clarify the jurisdiction of the Workplace Rights Bureau.
- Streamline the subpoena process to prevent stalling practices and expensive court battles.
- Grant the Workplace Rights Bureau the same investigative tools as the Illinois Department of Labor and the Wage and Hour Division of the U.S. Department of Labor, including the ability to conduct confidential interviews conducted at worksites.
- Create penalties for employers who intentionally destroy evidence or refuse to comply with the law.

* Equality Illinois, Planned Parenthood Great Rivers Action and Planned Parenthood Illinois…

Today, the Illinois General Assembly passed HB 4834, legislation that prevents the tracking of sensitive patient data about testosterone and medication abortion prescriptions. HB 4834 is the initiative of Equality Illinois, Planned Parenthood Great Rivers Action, and Planned Parenthood Illinois Action.

Sponsored by State Rep. Kelly Cassidy and State Sen. Adriane Johnson, HB 4834 would protect patients and providers from having testosterone prescriptions surveilled through the state’s prescription monitoring program (PMP). As a controlled substance, testosterone prescriptions are currently reported to and surveilled through the state’s PMP. Yet, the PMP was created to curb opioid misuse and diversion, not to surveil routine prescription hormone therapy.

Additionally, HB 4834 would preemptively ensure that mifepristone and misoprostol are never surveilled through the PMP. These two drugs, which are used for medication abortion, are not presently reported to Illinois’ PMP but are under fierce political attack across the country. […]

Testosterone and medication abortion prescription records are being weaponized against patients and providers in other states and by the federal administration. In 2024, Louisiana designated mifepristone and misoprostol as controlled substances and required that prescriptions for these drugs be surveilled through that state’s PMP. Furthermore, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has aggressively targeted gender-affirming care providers, including through burdensome investigations, subpoenas for sensitive patient records, and multi-agency enforcement coordination. In summer 2025, the DOJ issued more than 20 subpoenas to gender-affirming care providers, including providers located in states that protect access to care. […]

HB 4834 passed the Illinois House of Representatives in April and the Illinois Senate on Wednesday. The bill now goes to Gov. Pritzker to be signed into law this summer.

* Sen. Laura Ellman…

Digital coupons have become more common; however, not all consumers can easily access them. State Senator Laura Ellman is combatting this with House Bill 45 to ensure eligible consumers receive the benefits of digital promotions when they meet the stated terms. […]

According to the Pew Research Center, nearly one in 4 adults over 65 say they need help using digital technology, highlighting ongoing barriers to app-based only promotions. As retail continues to evolve, Ellman’s measure aims to make everyday transactions more accessible.

House Bill 45 would require retailers offering digital promotions to provide a way for eligible consumers to redeem them, including options like automatic discounts, point-of-sale assistance, QR codes or receipt submission. Additionally, the proposed measure would preserve flexibility for businesses and would not require paper coupons or changes to loyalty programs. […]

House Bill 45 passed the Senate on Wednesday and heads to the governor’s desk for further consideration.

* The Illinois Coalition of Immigrant and Refugee Rights…

The Illinois Coalition of Immigrant and Refugee Rights and its members statewide celebrate the passage of HB 5390 in the Illinois General Assembly. At a time when Congress is restricting access to healthcare coverage and Illinois is cutting back on healthcare programs for those without insurance, the General Assembly has taken a positive step to protect uninsured patients with low to moderate incomes from unaffordable medical bills.

The bill now heads to Governor Pritzker’s desk. If signed into law, HB 5390 will:

- Create one standard financial assistance application for hospitals across Illinois
- Allow approved patients to keep financial assistance coverage for 1 year at the same hospital
- Reduce administrative barriers for low-income and uninsured Illinoisians
- Help more uninsured, low-income Illinoisans access the care they need

* Sen. Rachel Ventura…

Continuing her work to protect consumers, State Senator Rachel Ventura led a measure that would prevent retailers from requiring consumers to accept store credit instead of a refund through the Senate Wednesday. […]

House Bill 4044 would prohibit retail establishments from limiting refunds on returns of unopened or unused consumer products to store credit. Instead, retailers would be required to offer another form of refund, such as cash or reimbursement to the original payment method. Under the measure, consumers returning eligible unused products would have the right to receive a refund through the original payment method or another non-store-credit option.

The bill would not require retailers to accept a return they suspect of fraud, nor would it apply to products that have been opened or used. The measure would not apply to food, beverages, medicine or medical equipment. House Bill 4044 is part of Ventura’s ongoing efforts to strengthen consumer protections and increase transparency for Illinois residents. […]

House Bill 4044 passed the Senate Wednesday and now heads to the governor’s desk.

* Sen. Dave Koehler…

State Senator Dave Koehler has advanced legislation that will help strengthen press protections for public media produced at state-supported colleges and universities in Illinois.

“Journalism is what keeps our local and state officials in check,” said Koehler (D-Peoria). “To deny editorial independence for our budding college journalist would be doing a disservice to our communities.”

House Bill 4420 would modify the College Campus Press Act to define public media produced at a state-supported institution of higher learning. The measure states that public media at these institutions would not be subject to prior review by the institution’s public officials, and expression by employees or agents producing the media would not be considered speech attributable to the institution itself.

The bill would also allow an employee or agent of an entity that creates or distributes public media at a state-supported institution of higher learning to bring a civil action for injunctive or declaratory relief if the act is violated. […]

House Bill 4420 passed the Senate Wednesday and now moves to the governor’s desk.

* Sen. Linda Holmes…

State Senator Linda Holmes maintains her ongoing commitment to lead legislation that would restrict owners of traveling animal acts from using wild animals in their shows through a measure she passed Wednesday to add specific breeds to the banned species list.

House Bill 4255 would add specific breeds to the offense of unlawful use of animals in traveling acts to include cougars, jaguars, leopards, lions, tigers, non-human primates, bears, and all elephants, not just endangered species. It also would add any hybrids of these animals.

According to Humane World for Animals – formerly known as the Humane Society – big cats, non-human primates, bears, and other wild animals used in roadside exhibitions are in restrictive cages almost constantly. However, operators charge premiums to let visitors feed, pet, hold, play with or ride the animals.

Animals used for public handling are typically pulled from their mothers shortly after birth to be hand-raised, a practice that denies newborns critical maternal care. Baby animals with weak immune systems are subjected to stress, neglect, and mistreatment associated with public handling. […]

House Bill 4255 passed the full Senate Wednesday. It now heads to the governor’s desk for final approval.

* Rep. Margaret DeLaRosa…

Working to protect homeowners from medical debt, state Rep. Margaret DeLaRosa, D-Lombard, is advancing a bill to the governor’s desk for consideration that ensures patients’ primary residence and property cannot be used in legal action by hospitals seeking to recover unpaid medical debt. […]

Medical debt remains one of the leading causes of bankruptcy nationwide, according to the National Library of Medicine, with nearly half of U.S. adults finding it difficult to afford healthcare. DeLaRosa co-sponsored House Bill 4461, taking an important step to protect patient homes and property by changing the law to disqualify any Illinois hospital from pursuing liens on a patient’s primary residence during legal action should a patient have accrued medical debt.

The initiative is driven by local resident reports of aggressive collection actions, including liens being placed on homes for medical debts as low as $2,000. […]

House Bill 4461 passed out of both chambers and awaits the governor’s signature.

For more press releases on legislation and other matters, click here.

* More…

* WAND | IL Senate passes bill expanding LIHEAP eligibility, sends plan to Pritzker: House Bill 4456 passed out of the Senate on a 42-17 vote. It previously received a 74-37 vote in the House. “Utility companies already go to ratepayers to recover their costs,” said Rep. Laura Faver Dias (D-Grayslake). “There is an argument to be made that if people are having their utilities shut off, the utility companies are already going to the ICC for those ratepayer increases to help cover those costs. This makes it a stable, predictable amount for everyday people on their bill.”

* Press release | Villivalam advances measure expanding transparency on utility rates: To expand transparency, House Bill 4514 would require the ICC to hold a public hearing when any gas, electric, water or sewer utility requests that the commission increase their rates. Further, the ICC would be required to notify ratepayers when a public utility requests a rate increase within 14 days of the public hearing – ensuring residents have ample notification to attend a hearing.

* Press release | Loughran Cappel measure to provide consistent pay for injured or sick first responders: In 2023, there were 10.1 firefighter injuries in Illinois per 1,000 fires, and there were 48,000 Illinois police officers injuries or illnesses in 2023. Aware that many of these workers depend on their salary and do not always have enough money saved to help them through their non-working time, Loughran Cappel is leading House Bill 4491 to ensure these local heroes receive the recognition they are due. The legislation would require public employers to maintain first responders’ base salary if they suffer an injury or illness while in the line of duty that renders them unable to do their jobs. This would include taxes, union dues, pension contributions and insurance premiums. However, the first responder would still have to pay taxes on the money if it is part of their adjusted gross income.

* Press release | Castro advances measure to expand postpartum home visiting programs: Castro’s measure would build on current state support by authorizing the Illinois Department of Human Services to develop and oversee a statewide, voluntary, no-cost newborn home visiting program that would aid with existing and future short-term universal newborn home visiting services, from lactation support to health screenings. Through House Bill 4606, the department would be empowered to establish evidence-based service models, coordinate funding and data efforts, and collaborate with stakeholders to expand services for newborns and their families.

* Press release | Ortíz-backed Bill Addressing Issues with Digital Coupons Passes Senate Vote: A bill, backed by state Rep. Aarón Ortíz, D-Chicago, requiring all grocery chains that offer e-coupons in Illinois to provide, and honor, a physical coupon alternative passed out of the Senate on Wednesday, and now heads to the governor for final approval. “Going to the grocery store is stressful already, with rising costs putting people’s hard-earned money at risk,” Ortíz said. “This measure will provide immediate relief and help people access lower costs out there, but is unavailable to them.” In order to reduce these barriers to savings, Ortíz supported House Bill 45, which requires retailers to honor all advertised savings, even if customers cannot access their app or operate their digital coupons.

* Press release | Ellman bill to update CPR training, improve emergency response outcomes: House Bill 4788 would require secondary schools to provide CPR training using both breasted and non-breasted manikins, including through the use of chest covers, ensuring students have the opportunity to practice on both. The requirement would begin in the 2029–2030 school year.

* Press release | Villivalam-backed measure would ensure mental health support for educational staff: To provide mental health support to education staff, House Bill 4862 would require each school board to develop a staff mental health support procedure. The procedure would be required to include a commitment to supporting employee mental health in the workplace, opportunities to provide feedback on employee mental health, annual communication with information on resources and support available to staff, and opportunities for the school board to receive information regarding employee mental health initiatives and programs.

* Press release | Hernandez-backed Measure Expanding Barber and Cosmetology Licensure Opportunities Passes Senate Vote: The Hernandez-backed House Bill 3460 establishes an apprenticeship program for professionals in cosmetology, barbering, esthetics and nail technology and sets training hours and licensing requirements to make entering these fields easier. Currently, students pay between $15,000 and $20,000 on average to complete a cosmetology program, including the costs of tuition, tools, licensing costs and materials.

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Swipe Fee Law Shifts Costs To Consumers

Thursday, May 21, 2026 - Posted by Advertising Department

[The following is a paid advertisement.]

Illinois’ proposed swipe-fee law promises relief at the register - but delivers something else entirely. By cutting interchange fees, it redirects billions from consumers to large retailers, without any requirement that savings be passed on as lower prices.

Interchange fees fund essential parts of today’s payments system, including fraud protection, rewards programs, and access to low-cost banking. Eliminating those resources doesn’t remove costs, it shifts them. Consumers are likely to see fewer benefits, weaker safeguards, and higher fees in other areas, while major retailers pocket the difference.

Evidence from similar policies shows that price reductions rarely materialize. Instead, the biggest financial gains accrue to large national chains, not Illinois families.

The law also risks creating a fragmented, state-by-state payments landscape that increases complexity, undermines security, and adds friction at checkout. Those challenges ultimately fall on consumers through higher costs, reduced choice, and a less reliable system.

This proposal isn’t about lowering prices - it’s about redistributing value. And if enacted, consumers will bear the cost in lost protection and diminished benefits, while large retailers come out ahead.

For more information, visit https://www.icul.com/advocacy/ifpa/.

Paid for by Illinois Credit Union League.

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Bad news Bears

Thursday, May 21, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller

* NBC 5…

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson has continued pushing for the Bears to build a new stadium in the city, but the team may have strengthened his resolve.

In an interview with NBC Chicago’s Mary Ann Ahern, Illinois State Sen. Bill Cunningham, a cosponsor of the “PILOT” bill aimed at keeping the Bears in Illinois, said the team reached out to the city in recent weeks concerning what he believed was a hypothetical reunion on a stadium project if their Arlington Heights site doesn’t work out.

Cunningham said the outreach from the Bears has strengthened the opposition of Chicago lawmakers to the bill that would relocate the team to Arlington Heights.

“One of the problems that we’ve run into is that some of the outreach the Bears have done to the city of Chicago as late as four weeks ago has breathed new life into the mayor’s opposition to the bill,” he said. “We learned that there was contact between the Bears and the city sometime in late April when they talked hypothetically about looking back at the lakefront if the Arlington Heights site did not work out. And that has given the mayor the opportunity to point to that as a hope that a lakefront stadium is still possible. And that increased opposition among Chicago members.”

On Wednesday night, a source close to the negotiations told NBC Chicago’s Mary Ann Ahern that the talks between the Bears and city were focused on the parameters of the team’s lease at Soldier Field, not a reengagement on stadium conversation.

In other words, the city’s general counsel disclosed a confidential “hypothetical” conversation with the Bears’ GC. Not a smart move by the team to even hold that meeting, and now I doubt they’ll ever do that again.

The GC reached out to the mayors office to solve a problem with the current lease, and the Johnson administration used that to their advantage. It was the Johnson administration, I’m told, which broached the subject of what would happen if the megaprojects bill didn’t pass. So, I seriously doubt there will be any more such meetings.

* Tribune…

“The team has been clear with the city of Chicago and state leaders there are only two viable stadium locations under consideration, Arlington Heights and Hammond, and a decision is expected between the two later this spring or early summer,” the team said in the statement. […]

Still, Cunningham said talk of resurrecting a Chicago stadium has created a roadblock in ongoing discussions among lawmakers trying to meet a May 31 deadline to hammer out a deal before the end of the spring legislative session that could compel the Bears to move to Arlington Heights. Cunningham said the Chicago stadium idea has become a catalyst for lawmakers — many from Chicago — who have expressed “substantial opposition” to the current negotiations over helping the team move to a suburb.

This sticking point in negotiations comes a few weeks after Johnson and others in the city administration visited Springfield and discussed with lawmakers the mayor’s desire to keep the Bears in Chicago.

“But by virtue of the fact that the Bears did outreach to the city as (of) late April, that has given credence to the mayor’s claim that a lakefront site is still viable,” Cunningham said. “That has helped him to convince Chicago legislators to move slowly, to give the city a chance to better develop a new lakefront plan and to not support the Arlington Heights site.”

* Cunningham’s text to me…

Was told by a representative of the Bears that while the attorneys were having a discussion about the existing lease, they had a “hypothetical” conversation about reconsidering a lakefront site if Arlington Heights doesn’t work out. Not surprisingly, the mayor and his people have seized on that discussion and have used it to their advantage — telling Chicago members that the city is still a viable alternative and that Hammond is a bluff. I don’t personally believe the Bears are serious about the city. I think they are primarily focused on Arlington Heights first and Hammond second. But either they were intentionally laying ground work for a backup plan with the city or their GC went places she probably shouldn’t have in a conversation with the city. Either way, it’s provided the mayor with a talking point as he lobbies Chicago legislators.

I think the GC went places she shouldn’t have because, I’m also told, the Bears informed the governor and the two Democratic legislative leaders that this whole thing is concocted.

* Either way, the spin is working. And some progressive legislators have taken a stand against any more corporate aid…

Sen. Lakesia Collins, D-Chicago, is proposing a plan that would eliminate several economic development tax credit programs, such as programs that incentivize construction jobs, to free up $700 million in revenue annually, according to proponents. Many of the targeted programs, however, have support from the governor and members of both parties.

“Isn’t it time that we take a stand showing exactly what our values are here in Illinois, instead of allowing the state’s wealthiest corporations to double dip, racking in both federal and state tax breaks?” Collins said

Another cluster.

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UChicago Medicine: ‘Weakening 340B Would Hurt The Communities That Need Care Most’

Thursday, May 21, 2026 - Posted by Advertising Department

[The following is a paid advertisement.]

The federal 340B program “is not a financial windfall for hospitals,” wrote UChicago Medicine leaders in a recent Crain’s op-ed, noting that discounted drug prices allow hospitals serving many low-income patients to “redirect resources that otherwise would be spent on expensive medications toward services and programs communities depend on every day.”

The University of Chicago Medical Center is one of Illinois’ largest providers of care to Medicaid patients. 340B savings help UChicago Medicine sustain critical services, including Level 1 trauma care, neonatal intensive care, the South Side’s only burn center, and Chicago’s only hospital-based emergency helicopter transport program.

“Many of these services are financially challenging to sustain, yet they are indispensable to the health and safety of our communities,” said UChicago Medicine President Thomas Jackiewicz and Executive Vice President for Medical Affairs Mark E. Anderson.

Hospitals are facing rising costs, persistent workforce shortages and increasing challenges in in maintaining essential healthcare services. House Bill 2371 SA 2 restores the 340B program in Illinois after more than five years of drugmakers unlawfully limiting 340B discounts. As the op-ed pointed out, Health Resources and Services Administration data prove that 340B discounts are a small share of drugmaker revenue. Ensuring the 340B program operates the way Congress intended has a small impact on the bottom lines of drugmakers, but it makes a profound difference in preserving patient access to care.

Pass HB 2371 SA 2 to support Illinois’ most vulnerable patients and the providers serving them. Learn more.

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Isabel’s morning briefing

Thursday, May 21, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* ICYMI: ‘Junk fee’ ban heads to Pritzker as Senate OKs bill allowing minors to consent to birth control. Capitol News Illinois…

***************** Advertisement *****************

Sponsored by American Innovators Network

*************************************************

* Gov. JB Pritzker has no public events scheduled today.

* BlueRoomStream.com’s coverage of today’s press conferences and committee hearings can be found here.

*** Isabel’s Top Picks ***

* Daily Herald | ComEd rates are going up again this summer, and rising demand is largely to blame: As demand for electricity from data centers and other customers continues rising, suburbanites should expect higher ComEd bills starting in June. The rate at which ComEd customers are charged for energy usage is increasing. Additionally, a temporary credit to Illinois customers is disappearing. When combined, those two changes likely will drive the average monthly residential bill from its current $107 to more than $120, ComEd spokesperson Tom Dominguez said. That’s an increase of about 12%.

* Crain’s | City Council OKs $55 million tax break for United Center’s 1901 revamp: Mayor Brandon Johnson agreed and has pushed the City Council to approve the tax break so the development could begin construction. There has not been pushback on the City Council to grant the $55 million tax break, with aldermen instead focusing on negotiations with the union and holding the developers to commitments on hiring minority- and women-owned construction companies.

*** Statewide ***

* NPR Illinois | New report shows how questions about past school discipline affect Illinois college admissions process: There’s been a nationwide effort to get colleges and universities to stop asking about criminal records on applications. But many Illinois schools also ask if students have been found responsible for a school discipline violation like a suspension. A new report from the University of Illinois System’s Institute of Government and Public Affairs shows how that can have a chilling effect on some students.

* Illinois Business Journal | MISO selects consortium to deliver major grid-bolstering projects in Illinois: The Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) has selected a consortium of Ameren Transmission Company of Illinois (ATXI), a subsidiary of Ameren Corporation (NYSE: AEE); GridLiance Heartland LLC, a subsidiary of NextEra Energy Transmission LLC; Dairyland Power Cooperative; and the Illinois Municipal Electric Agency (IMEA) to develop, build, operate and maintain two major transmission projects. ATXI and GridLiance will lead the development of these projects, while Dairyland and IMEA will own a portion of both projects when they are placed in service.

*** Statehouse News ***

* Center Square | Pritzker knocks state progressives’ ability to pass new tax measures: Pritzker told members of the press Wednesday he’s not sure what new tax measures the legislature will pass, and he sees the current priority as delegating how to best spend the revenue the state will have. “It’s just a matter of can the legislature get something on the ballot or move something forward and that’s apparently something they couldn’t do this last session or this session that we’re in,” Pritzker said. “[Progressives] have been working very hard on getting something done. It doesn’t appear that they’re able to get something done through the house or the Senate right now.”

* WAND | Illinois advocates push for after-school funding as programs face closures: While federal dollars remain uncertain, Stanton said the state must step in to protect programs families rely on. “After-school programs are essential. Parents can’t work without them. Kids won’t be safe without them. And we know these programs save money in the long run. Illinois has a brighter future when families have access to these opportunities,” Stanton said.

* WGN | Bailey surprises City Council, apologies to Chicago: When he was asked about the remarks, Bailey said, “Well, I want everybody to like me. I want to make sure that people understand that as governor of Illinois there will be no outside sources dictating anything. “ Bailey was also asked if he thinks Trump should stop denigrating Chicago. “The president does what the president does,” he said.

* Capitol City Now | Official state sandwich? No beef about this one: hicago actor Corey Hendrix (pictured, center) – “Sweeps” on FX’s The Bear – said Wednesday it is an honor to be part of the campaign for the sandwich to join the roster of official state symbols. “I’m a Chicagoan,” he said. “I love Italian beef. It’s a really, really big deal.” “I grew up in Oak Lawn,” said State Rep. Rick Ryan (pictured, left) (D-Evergreen Park) of his interest. “My grandmother – I remember sitting in her kitchen every Saturday afternoon playing pinochle while she would make Italian beef and let it simmer all day and we’d smell it all day with the garlic and the herbs and everything and – my mouth is watering just picturing my grandmother making it right now as I’m speaking.”

*** Chicago ***

* Block Club | Tipped Minimum Wage Hike Paused 2 Years In Blow To Mayor Via Near-Unanimous City Council Vote: The City Council on Wednesday decisively moved to delay a planned phaseout of the subminimum base wage for tipped workers by two years, stymying one of Mayor Brandon Johnson’s most significant legislative wins during his first term in office. Alderpeople voted almost unanimously in support of a measure to pause the upcoming increase to the city’s tipped minimum wage until 2028 for larger businesses and 2030 for smaller ones. Only West Side Ald. Jason Ervin (28th) voted against the legislation, which freezes the wage at the current rate of $12.62 an hour.

* Tribune | City Council measure bans Chicago police with ties to Proud Boys, other extremist groups: The City Council voted 28-21 to approve the ordinance that requires the Police Department to fire officers with ties to groups like the Three Percenters or Proud Boys. It also prohibits the department from hiring people with ties to such groups, and creates new investigative powers to vet police employees and applicants. Critics of the measure argued it unfairly targets police and should instead be applied to all city workers during a contentious debate, but chief proponent Ald. Matt Martin, 47th, urged aldermen to finally move ahead on the ban after aldermen mulled a response to reports of extremism within police ranks for years.

* Sun-Times | Thousands of Zillow listings in Chicago have vanished. Here’s why: MRED announced in April that it was expanding its long-time private listing network nationwide, and New York-based brokerage Compass would feed its listings to MRED, including private listings. MRED said in a news release at the time that it would “protect and safeguard agents” using its private listing network from being banned or penalized by feed recipients like Zillow. The move pushed Zillow to sue MRED and Compass last week, accusing the two of violating federal antitrust law by conspiring to hide home listings from potential buyers. The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, also said the deal creates a monopoly where buyers and sellers will only want to work with Compass agents.

* ProPublica | This Gun Shop Stayed Open Despite Repeated Violations. Then a Cop Was Killed With One of Its Guns: Take the recent killing of Chicago police officer John Bartholomew, who was fatally shot on April 25. The suspect who used a 10-millimeter Glock 29 to shoot Bartholomew was not the original owner of the gun. It was first purchased in 2024, according to investigators, in an illegal transaction at a Range USA store in the northwest Indiana town of Merrillville, a short drive from Chicago. […] That gun was allegedly purchased two years prior at the Merrillville Range USA by Olivia Burgos, who now faces criminal charges for making false statements in order to facilitate the sale. According to federal investigators, Burgos told store employees that she was purchasing the gun for herself. In actuality, investigators allege, she bought the gun on behalf of her boyfriend, a felon prevented from legally purchasing one.

* CBS Chicago | CPD Supt. Larry Snelling says parents should play bigger role in stopping “teen takeovers”: “You know, it’s not parent-shaming to say that you should know where your children are at 10, 11, 12 o’clock at night, when you have a 12-year-old or a 13-year-old,” he said. “They’re vulnerable, you know, when they go into these environments; they can be harmed, and they can be killed, and that has happened.”

* BGA | David Glockner Confirmed as Chicago’s Next Inspector General: The BGA Policy team applauds the Chicago City Council’s approval of Mayor Brandon Johnson’s appointment of David Glockner as the next Inspector General for the City of Chicago. The Office of Inspector General plays a vital role in promoting accountability, transparency, and public trust across city government, and this appointment marks an important moment for the city.

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Tribune | Prison sentences for retail theft doubled in 2025, according to report studying policies of State’s Attorney Eileen O’Neill Burke:
According to the report, 36% of retail theft cases were charged as felonies in 2025 compared with 18% in prior years. Though retail theft cases that result in prison sentences make up a small portion of overall cases, the study also found that prison sentences for retail theft rose to 7% in 2025 from 3% the year before, which marked Foxx’s last year as top prosecutor; 2024, though, saw a decrease from the prior year of 2023 when 6% of retail theft convictions resulted in a prison term.

* Tribune | With rare trial looming, Oak Park trustee shares story as 1 of 4 remaining ‘Broadview Six’ defendants: Nearly seven months after Straw was elected a village trustee, the migrant crisis hit Oak Park. For more than a year, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott had been sending busloads of migrants to Chicago and other immigration-friendly U.S. interior cities. It was Halloween 2023, Straw remembered, when the new arrivals streamed into his suburb. That night, the weather was cold and blustery as more than 100 migrants, who’d been living outside a police station in the nearby Austin neighborhood had come to Oak Park for warmth and shelter. “They came to the village seeking refuge,” Straw said. He paused for a long time. “Sorry,” he said, choking back a sob.

* Daily Herald | How Rolling Meadows hopes to breathe new life into parts of Algonquin Road corridor: Rolling Meadows officials hope two new tax increment financing districts will help revive portions of the Algonquin Road commercial corridor that’s been subject to more and more retail and office vacancies. The larger of the two TIFs recently approved by the city council covers a 59-acre area near the prominent Interstate 90/Route 53 interchange, and includes a long-standing gold office building and shuttered 1960s-era Holiday Inn and attached 1970s-era Holidome.

* Daily Herald | How Buffalo Grove police use their aerial fleet: The village is adding two drones to its fleet, using a $15,000 grant from the state’s Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. The police department currently operates one drone. Buffalo Grove Police Chief Brian Budds said the drone has been a tremendous asset to the village. It deploys its existing drone for special events — including the Buffalo Grove Pride parade and Buffalo Grove Days Parade — as well as critical incidents. The department’s 2025 annual report showed the drone accumulated 70 hours of flight time, broken down into 15 community events, 8 calls for service and 11 training sessions.

* Daily Herald | St. Charles police look to keep social worker program going strong: Likens requested that the city approve a one-year, $85,000 contract to continue the partnership. Under the agreement, the police provide an office space for the social worker. Last year, the program was approved for $80,000. To help fund the costs, the police are requesting a grant from the city’s Mental Health 708 Board. Last year, the police requested an $80,000 grant and received $73,714 from the board. The current amount is pending.

* ABC Chicago | Fired DuPage County jail officer charged with possessing images of child sex abuse, officials say: Steven Simmons of Lisle faces five felony counts of possessing child sex abuse images involving children ages 13 or younger. According to a detention petition, his arrest followed tips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. The DuPage County Sheriff says Simmons has been fired from working at the jail.

* Elgin Courier-News | Elgin native who voices Barney the Dinosaur returns for hometown visit: Dean Wendt, an Elgin native, has made a career as the voice of the lovable purple dinosaur, a role he landed in 2002 and has continued over the years as part of the TV show and videos, including four television episodes produced in 2025, according to online data base IMBd. He returned to his hometown as the surprise guest speaker at School District U-46’s Beacon Academy Awards, held at The Hemmens Cultural Center in Elgin.

* NBC Chicago | Former Dolton Mayor Tiffany Henyard wins primary election in Georgia: Henyard, who was elected Dolton mayor and Thornton Township supervisor as a Democrat, ran unopposed in the Republican primary for [the heavily Democratic] Fulton County Commissioner in Georgia and netted just over 1,100 votes in Tuesday’s election. In a four-way race in the Democratic primary, Helen Zenobia Willis beat out Sojourner Grimmett by just over 3,000 votes.

*** Downstate ***

* BND | City officials disagree on whether to ‘give back’ state grant for Belleville market: Officials said they couldn’t find a suitable replacement for the original location, a city-owned building next to City Hall, which is no longer considered feasible because of parking problems and high renovation costs. […] The city asked the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity whether it could use the grant money for an outdoor farmers market in a proposed park at West Main and South Sixth Street, Schauster said. But the state agency deemed that plan too different from the primarily indoor concept outlined in the application. The response from the Belleville City Council to the idea of declining the grant was essentially “not so fast.”

* WCIA | Boys and Girls Club of Decatur not offering summer camps due to ‘financial’ issues: In a statement provided to WCIA, Boys and Girls Club officials “regretfully confirm” that the organization will conclude afterschool programming effective Friday and will not be offering the 2026 Summer Camp Program. “Despite diligent community fundraising efforts, persistent financial challenges have led to the difficult decision,” officials said. Despite this, families were provided with a list of alternative organizations offering summer camp programs in the Decatur and Macon County area, which was to ensure continued support for local youth.

* BND | Belleville alderman stepping down, union leader tapped to replace him: At the meeting, Mayor Jenny Gain Meyer recommended appointing union leader and community volunteer Jeff Collier to fill Dintelman’s unexpired term. The City Council approved the appointment 15-0, with Ward 3 Alderman Scott Ferguson absent. Collier, 43, said he looks forward to serving Belleville residents.

*** National ***

* WIRED | SpaceX Is Spending $2.8 Billion to Buy Gas Turbines for Its AI Data Centers: In March, SpaceX agreed to buy $805 million worth of turbines from an unnamed company through 2029, according to the IPO filing. Then, in late April, Musk’s company struck a deal for $2 billion worth of mobile gas turbines and related items from an unnamed vendor. That deal is still pending. Last week, WIRED reported that 19 new portable turbines had been added to Colossus 2 over the past two months, for a total of 46 units. Portable turbines can be operated without a clean air permit for a year, a rule that SpaceX has used in its favor. Some of the turbines were added after the NAACP and other advocacy groups sued xAI, alleging that the company had been operating 27 gas turbines without appropriate permits, posing a risk to public health and the climate.

* Reuters | ‘I’m not greedy’: January 6 rioters and Trump allies eye $1.8 billion ‘weaponization’ fund: Enrique Tarrio, the Proud Boys leader sentenced ‌to 22 years for seditious conspiracy over the January 6, 2021 riot, said he planned to apply to the fund, assuming he could get between $2 and $5 million. […] Trump pardoned more than 1,500 January 6 defendants last year. Some have now begun to calculate the cost of their prosecution, jail time and businesses lost in the hope of compensation for what they regard as abuses by the Justice Department under former President Joe Biden. Peter Ticktin, an attorney representing more than 400 January 6 defendants, said the fund may not be enough.

* The Atlantic | For-profit companies are buying up the rituals of American childhood and selling them back to parents.: But for the owners of the Atlantic Hockey Federation—the youth-hockey association that pulls together elite teams from Connecticut and many other states, as far west as Arizona—kids’ sports is a cutthroat business, a way to make a handful of people very rich. Black Bear Sports Group owns the AHF, several other youth hockey leagues, and many of the rinks where the teams practice and play. Methodically and quietly, Black Bear—backed by the private-equity firm Blackstreet Capital Holdings—is tightening its stranglehold over the youth-hockey infrastructure along the Eastern Seaboard. Whereas Rider sees hockey as character-building fun, Black Bear’s objective is far simpler: to make a grotesque amount of money.

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Good morning!

Thursday, May 21, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Once again, Molly Tuttle…