Question of the day: “The TExAS Act”
Tuesday, Sep 14, 2021 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Press release…
Today, State Rep. Kelly Cassidy, D-Chicago, filed HB 4146, the TExAS Act (The Expanding Abortion Services Act). The TExAS Act seeks to affirm the steps Illinois has taken to ensure that our state remains a place where the full range of reproductive health services are available and accessible to all people, including those forced to travel out of state from jurisdictions seeking to restrict access to abortion and other reproductive health care.
Then bill creates a civil right of action enabling any person to bring a civil action against a person who commits an act of domestic violence or sexual assault, as well as anyone who causes an unintended pregnancy or any person who enables those acts. It establishes a minimum $10,000 civil award to the person bringing the action with $5,000 of that fine going into a newly created state fund to ensure that people who are forced to flee their home states to seek reproductive health care have the ability to pay for that care here in Illinois.
“When the Texas legislature, aided by the United States Supreme Court, declared open season on people seeking reproductive health care, it was very clear to me that our state is in a unique position to reach out our hands and offer people from Texas and other states who seek to restrict reproductive rights a safe haven,” said Rep. Kelly Cassidy, who was chief sponsor of the Reproductive Health Act establishing the fundamental right to reproductive health care in Illinois in 2019.
If enacted, the fund would be managed by the Department of Healthcare and Family Services and would be used to provide financial aid to women who may come to Illinois to seek reproductive health care in a safe and accessible way. The person found responsible for causing an unintended pregnancy, or a person committing an act of domestic violence or sexual assault, or someone who enabled those actions would be responsible for paying the damages.
“The measure in Texas is just one piece of the radical attempt to dismantle reproductive rights and access to reproductive health care across the nation. I’m proud to come from a state that will uphold the fundamental right for a woman to make the best decision for her own health,” said Cassidy. “When the legislature codified into the law the Reproductive Healthcare Act, we have ensured that the right to choose will remain in Illinois, no matter what may happen with Roe v. Wade, or what other states may do in creating irresponsible and dangerous policies like Texas.”
* The Question: Do you support the state creating a “civil right of action enabling any person to bring a civil action against a person who commits an act of domestic violence or sexual assault, as well as anyone who causes an unintended pregnancy or any person who enables those acts”? Take the poll and then explain your answer in comments, please…
polls
…Adding… Hannah Meisel…
House Speaker Chris Welch (D-Hillside) spokeswoman Jaclyn Driscoll said it’s up to Cassidy to request a hearing on the bill, but “the speaker certainly wouldn’t stand in the way of one.” Welch has also pushed for reproductive rights in his time in office.
At an event in Aurora Tuesday morning, Planned Parenthood of Illinois President and CEO appeared with Gov. JB Pritzker and three Democratic members of Congress to promote legislation seeking to enshrine abortion rights in federal law. Welch said Planned Parenthood facilities in Illinois have already seen an uptick in people traveling across state lines to get abortions in Illinois.
“It only took two days after [the Texas law] was enacted for us to see Texas patients here in Illinois, despite those long distances they had to travel,” Welch said. “We expect those numbers to significantly increase when these dangerous laws continue.”
Cassidy said she’s heard the same anecdotally from abortion providers, and recalled doubt from colleagues and others when she sponsored the Reproductive Health Act in 2019, saying she was told it was hyperbolic to predict Roe v. Wade would be overturned.
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* Center Square…
A body of state lawmakers says the Illinois State Board of Education may be overstepping its authority by revoking recognition of schools, public and private, because of masking policies.
“There is a concern that policy outside of rule may exist and [Joint Committee on Administrative Rules] encourages ISBE to place all guidance and policy in rule,” the clerk for JCAR read during Tuesday hearing.
Ten of the 12 members of JCAR, a bipartisan panel of state legislators, approved the resolution.
The motion also requests ISBE clarify the process of revoking school recognition.
The vote came after ISBE took questions from members of JCAR in Chicago.
Kristen Kennedy, a deputy legal officer with ISBE, said they didn’t intend to file any rules and said they believe state law and administrative rules that exist now gives them the authority to punish schools, public and private, for not following the governor’s health guidance.
JCAR Co-chairman state Rep. Keith Wheeler, R-Oswego, said there’s oversight of rules from JCAR.
JCAR can’t force ISBE to issue the rules, but they get a headline.
Also, of course, the members of JCAR are all legislators, so they could get together and introduce an actual bill.
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* Detroit News in July…
The leader of the conservative Michigan Freedom Fund filed on Wednesday a campaign finance complaint against Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s reelection committee, contending it committed “the largest money grab ever seen in Michigan to ignore contribution limits.” […]
Supporters of the governor said she could do it because she was facing recall campaigns. Decisions in the 1980s from then-Secretary of State Richard Austin allowed an officeholder fighting a recall to raise unlimited amounts from donors.
In response to the new complaint, Mark Fisk, Whitmer’s campaign spokesman, labeled the claims “bogus” and “without merit.”
“There have been nearly 30 recall petitions filed against Gov. Whitmer, and governors under threat of recall are exempt from campaign finance limits to defend themselves,” Fisk said.
In 1983, Austin ruled that a Michigan officeholder can accept contributions that exceed normal limits if the officeholder’s recall is “actively being sought.” To allow committees aiming to recall officeholders to raise unlimited amounts while not allowing the officeholders to do so would be “absurd and unfair,” Austin said.
There’s more to this, so go read it all if it interests you. Among other things, the Whitmer campaign claimed that since some of the recall attempts were still tied up in court the contribution caps didn’t apply.
Why do we care?
* Today…
Designating 10 major donors to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer the “$100,000 Club,” the Michigan Freedom Fund on Tuesday filed a formal campaign finance complaint. […]
MFF took the dollar amounts and donor names from Whitmer’s July Campaign Finance Statement filed with the Office of the Secretary of State. According to state law, political officeholders facing recall efforts are allowed to collect unlimited donations – but no recall efforts are currently underway for Whitmer. Absent that exception, the state campaign contribution limit is $7,150.
Among those donors named in the MFF complaint are attorney Mark Bernstein and Illinois Gov. J.D. Pritzker. […]
Pritzker, meanwhile, donated $250,000 to the governor on July 8.
Sachs asks the secretary of state to force the governor to relinquish any amounts from a single donor exceeding $7,150, as well as pay a fine equal to the illegal amount.
I’ve asked the governor’s campaign for comment.
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COVID-19 roundup
Tuesday, Sep 14, 2021 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Get your shots and wear your masks, people…
Update…
The ICU bed availability data is constantly in motion. According to the Region Five Hospital Coordinating Center, three ICU beds opened up at Carle Richland Memorial Hospital on Tuesday.
Hopefully, it wasn’t because anybody died. But local leaders have got to start taking this thing a whole lot more seriously. Their people are getting sick and clogging up the healthcare system, and some are dying, yet they either stand by silently or encourage “resistance.”
* Remember personal responsibility? Yeah, it’s still a thing…
[SIU Chancellor Austin A. Lane] stressed the need for everyone to exercise personal safety.
“It is incumbent upon everyone, especially our adults — and I’m calling our students adults at 18 — it is your responsibility to act responsibly. Be well informed and get the information you need to know to keep yourself safe, and don’t be reckless, because that could have consequences that now that we know can lead to death. I’m putting that responsibility on all of the adults to take care of yourselves and each other. It is your responsibility to help us in beating this pandemic, because we’re definitely fighting it right now,” he said.
The adults out there acting like spoiled-rotten brats just make my blood boil.
* And the unvaccinated are costing us all big money. From a Kaiser Family Foundation analysis, which it admits is “conservative”…
Our analysis of HHS and CDC data indicates there were 32,000 preventable COVID-19 hospitalizations in June, 68,000 preventable COVID-19 hospitalizations in July, and another 187,000 preventable COVID-19 hospitalizations among unvaccinated adults in the U.S. in August, for a total of 287,000 across the three months. We explain more on how we arrived at these numbers below.
If each of these preventable hospitalizations cost roughly $20,000, on average, that would mean these largely avoidable hospitalizations have already cost billions of dollars since the beginning of June.
From June through August 2021, preventable COVID-19 hospitalizations among unvaccinated adults cost over $5 Billion
The actual number is $5.7 billion, but who’s counting?
* Just pathetic…
The percent of the Kankakee County population with COVID-19 vaccinations crossed 40 percent last week after more than eight months of vaccine distribution efforts.
Currently, 40.53 percent of Kankakee County’s population is fully vaccinated, or 44,588 people, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health.
After inching along in July, the county’s daily vaccination rate increased slightly during August and early September. The seven-day average for daily doses administered is 183.
Kankakee County Health Department administrator John Bevis is hoping the county can continue to increase its vaccination rate.
* More…
* COVID-19 update: 2,263 hospitalized, 40 more deaths, 4,660 new cases
* The Lives Lost to Undervaccination, in Charts
* Covid-19 Hospitalizations Map: The Pandemic’s Impact on I.C.U.s
* Millions lifted out of poverty due to COVID-19 relief funds, census data show
* ‘More frustrating than anything else’: McConchie describes his breakthrough COVID-19 case: Overall, “I’ll say it was relatively mild and my doctor says because having been vaccinated, it probably assisted in keeping that mild, and having no expertise I took him at his word.
* John A. Logan offering $200 to fully vaccinated students
* ‘Fiddle while the city burns’: Inside Peoria’s tense council meeting on COVID relief money
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* Press release…
The American Conservative Union Foundation (ACUF) launched a new platform to hold lawmakers accountable to conservative principles for the 50th Anniversary of ACU’s Ratings Program. The ACUF, host of the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) will deploy the platform to its activist base, where tools such as the lawmaker comparison function highlights to voters which conservative champions to rally behind.
View the Scorecard of Illinois State Lawmakers Here
Sen. Craig Wilcox (94%) will be presented with ACUF’s Award for Conservative Excellence for earning a score above 90%.
The following lawmakers will be presented with ACUF’s Award for Conservative Achievement for earning scores 80% and above [for 2020]: Sen. Sue Rezin (85%), Sen. Steve McClure (83%), Sen. Jason Plummer (83%), Sen. Jason Brickman (81%), Rep. Thomas Morrison (81%), Sen. Dan McConchie (81%), Sen. Jil Tracy (80%), Sen. Dale Flower (80%) and Rep. Jeff Keicher (80%).
“Our new ACU Ratings website offers an accessible and dynamic way for voters across the country to discover whether their lawmakers use their power to advance conservative principles,” said ACU Chairman Matt Schlapp. “Over our 50-year history, we’ve compiled 15,000 lawmakers in our database and scored them across 186 different policy areas. For the first time, voters have access to a huge breadth of information that offers a distinct impression of the way lawmakers view the role of government in a person’s life.”
ACUF’s Ratings of Congress and Ratings of the States are initiatives of ACUF’s Center for Legislative Accountability (CLA). These ratings are designed to reflect how over 8,000 elected officials across the nation view the role of government while illustrating the differences between chambers of the legislature and revealing lawmakers’ positions across 186 policy areas that directly affect citizens.
ACU Foundation reviewed each piece of legislation voted on in both chambers of the legislature to produce average scores of each chamber as well as individual scores for each sitting member.
* Sen. Darren Bailey isn’t on the list because his 2020 score was 74 percent, although his 2019 rating was 88 percent. He was in the House in 2020 and 2019, and here is how he voted against the ACUF’s agenda (with explanations in brackets)…
* SB54: “Deregulating the Alcoholic Beverage Industry by Permitting the Delivery of Alcoholic Drinks.” [Repealed a ‘blue law’ so the Eastern Bloc voted against it.]
* HB1559: “Empowering the Chicago Teachers Union to Dictate the Length of the School Day and Year.” [Matched Chicago collective bargaining rights to everywhere else and only 3 House GOPs voted against it]
* SB1864: “Proliferating Government Dependency by Weakening Medicaid Integrity Provisions.” [Passed House unanimously]
* HB2455: “Raising Employer Costs by Abusing Worker’s Compensation.” [Only 2 HGOPs voted no]
* HB3902: “Expanding Cronyism through a Sales Tax Exemption for Aircraft Equipment.” [Near unanimous override of Pritzker veto]
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* United States District Judge Robert M. Dow, Jr...
Plaintiff Simon Solomon challenges a state law and a forest preserve ordinance that prevent concealed carry license holders from carrying concealed weapons in the Forest Preserve District of Cook County. He alleges that the statute and the ordinance violate the Second Amendment of the United States Constitution, as well as the Due Process and Equal Protection Clauses of the Fourteenth Amendment. He sued various Cook County entities and officials, who, along with Intervenor-Defendant the State of Illinois, vigorously defend the statute and the ordinance on the grounds that the entire Forest Preserve District is a “sensitive place” on which firearms regulations are presumptively lawful, and that the regulations pass intermediate scrutiny because they are substantially related to public safety. […]
To sum up, under the Seventh Circuit’s framework for analyzing firearms regulations, Defendants bear the burden of showing that Section 65(a)(14) and Ordinance 3-3-6 prohibit activity that was understood in 1791 to be outside the scope of the Second Amendment. If the activity was within the scope of the Second Amendment at that time, or if the historical evidence is inconclusive, Defendants must then offer evidence showing that the regulations’ burden on Second Amendment rights is justified by the ends the government achieves through the regulation. In analyzing that evidence, the Court considers the strength the governmental interest that the regulation serves and the “fit” between that end and the chosen means, including whose rights the regulation affects and how severely the regulation burdens rights within or close to the core of the Second Amendment. The more law-abiding people it affects or the heavier the burden on a right close to the core, the closer the scrutiny the regulation receives.
At the first step, Defendants bear the burden of demonstrating that the regulated activity is categorically outside the scope of the Second Amendment as it was understood in 1791. Moore, 702 F.3d at 935; Ezell I, 651 F.3d at 702-03. Defendants articulate this position in two ways: first, by citing a pair of 18th century statutes to argue that carrying weapons in wooded areas was forbidden in 1791, and second, by asserting that all of the Forest Preserve District is a “sensitive area,” the regulation of which they say is beyond the bounds of the Second Amendment. Neither argument is convincing. […]
Nonetheless, in support of its argument that the regulated activity is outside the scope of the Second Amendment, the State of Illinois points to two colonial laws that prohibited carrying firearms in wooded areas, [103 at 6], one from Pennsylvania9 and one from New Jersey,10 but neither takes Defendants’ argument very far. First, both statutes exempt anyone carrying a firearm or hunting if that person has a license, but there is no licensing or permitting scheme that allows concealed carry on FPDCC property (and the Court expresses no opinion on whether any hypothetical permitting scheme would allow the law to pass constitutional muster). Second, both statutes primarily regulated hunting, not carrying for self-defense, and applied to private property—regulating a person’s action on “the improved or inclosed lands of any plantation other than his own”—not public spaces. […]
Even if these statutes had addressed carrying firearms for self-defense in public recreational areas, they would likely not be enough to carry the day. The Seventh Circuit has previously found that offering two historical statutes “falls far short of establishing that [a regulated activity] is wholly outside the Second Amendment as it was understood” in 1791. […]
In sum, the Seventh Circuit has recognized a right to carry firearms outside the home for self-defense purposes, and the record contains little evidence about the history of that right on publicly owned land, whether developed into a public recreational space or undeveloped and left as wilderness. The historical and textual evidence does not persuade the Court that licensed concealed carry of firearms for self-defense in public recreational areas was categorically outside the scope of the Second Amendment as it was understood in 1791. […]
In determining how closely to examine the fit between a regulation and its purported goal—the government’s chosen means and the ends it pursues—courts should consider whose rights the regulation affects and how severely the regulation burdens rights within or close to the core of the Second Amendment. The more law-abiding people it affects or the heavier the burden on a right close to the core, the stricter the scrutiny the regulation receives. […]
While Heller and its progeny primarily recognized a right to possess handguns for purposes of self-defense in the home, those cases and subsequent Seventh Circuit precedent strongly suggest a closely related right to carry handguns for self-defense outside of the home. Heller itself observed that the right to “bear arms” historically referred to a right to “wear, bear, or carry upon the person or in the clothing or in a pocket, for the purpose of being armed and ready for offensive or defensive action in a case of conflict with another person.” […]
Barring concealed carry by CCL holders across all FPDCC properties is not, under the evidence submitted by the parties, substantially related to the government’s interest in protecting Forest Preserve District visitors. […]
Almost none of the data in the record concerns CCL holders, or if it does, the parties have not disaggregated CCL holders from non-CCL holders. Defendants rely heavily on crime statistics from Cook County and the City of Chicago, but amidst all the violent crimes that the record lists and that Defendants argue show a threat to public safety, no one identifies any violent crimes committed by CCL holders. Turning to the FPDCC in particular, of all the crimes committed in the Forest Preserve between 2014 and 2019, only 4 were committed by CCL holders, [94 at ¶ 63], and those were all violations of Section 65(a)(14)—the crimes committed by CCL holders were only unlawful concealed carry, not murder, assault, armed robbery, or other violent crimes. … The record does not contain evidence that CCL holders committed other crimes in or out of the FPDCC, which makes the link between regulating their conduct and public safety tenuous. Nor does the record contain evidence that prohibiting CCL holders from carrying firearms in the FPDCC will otherwise reduce crime, prevent injury, or save lives. […]
This is not to say that the government necessarily must justify such a restriction on a site- by-site basis. See Kanter, 919 F.3d at 450 (rejecting plaintiff’s suggestion that ban on felons possessing firearms should be based on “highly-individualized” determinations rather than categories of convictions because it raised “serious institutional and administrative concerns”). It may be able to do so for categories of sites or activities, such as—hypothetically—nature centers or athletic facilities. Nor are Defendants persuasive in their argument that it would be impossible or unworkable for them to identify places within the Forest Preserve where children are present, perhaps even in a way that would qualify as a “sensitive place” under Heller. Contrary to their response briefs, nothing in the caselaw suggests that they would have to write regulations that vary by time of day or that apply only when children are present; school zone laws without such variance have been upheld despite children not being physically on school grounds twenty-four hours per day, seven days per week, three hundred and sixty-five days per year. In fact, the Illinois General Assembly has already made these kinds of distinctions. […]
Accepting that Section 65(a)(14) is unconstitutional as written does not resolve all questions about whether or how to regulate concealed carry of firearms in different places in the FPDCC going forward, and, even if the Court had the authority to answer those questions, it could not do so with the information currently before it. More fundamentally, those are judgments best left to the legislature, and the legislature ought to have an opportunity to make those judgments. Therefore, the Court temporarily stays enforcement of its ruling for a period of six months—i.e., until March 15, 2022—to provide the General Assembly an opportunity to act on this matter if it chooses to do so. […]
Plaintiff also asserts claims under the Due Process and the Equal Protection Clauses of the Fourteenth Amendment. Defendants argue that both claims must fail, and they are correct.
Emphasis added. The date “1791″ appears ten times in the opinion.
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* Route Fifty…
At least four states paid back money in the last week they borrowed from the federal government to cover unemployment benefits—narrowly avoiding additional interest on the loans.
Hawaii, Nevada, Ohio and West Virginia announced the loan repayments within the last week. A remaining 10 states have a combined outstanding balance of more than $45 billion that they will now begin to accrue interest on, according to the Treasury Department.
When states exhaust their unemployment trust funds, they are allowed to borrow money from the federal government to ensure benefits continue to be paid. Twenty-two states took out what are referred to as Title XII advances during 2020. The loans were initially interest free, but starting Monday, states with outstanding loans began to accrue 2.3% interest on the borrowed sums. […]
Unemployment benefits are paid for through taxes that states levy on businesses. When unemployment trust funds are depleted, state and federal laws trigger higher business tax rates on employers to replenish the funds. The 10 states that have outstanding loan balances California, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Texas—could be poised to see significant tax hikes on employers next year if they do not pay the money back before increases are triggered.
Illinois has $5 billion in leftover federal stimulus money. A large chunk of that will likely be used to pay down its $4.2 billion debt unless the federal government somehow intervenes.
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* Capitol News Illinois…
The Illinois Senate put the final legislative stamp on an energy regulation overhaul bill Monday, sending it to Gov. JB Pritzker, who says he will sign it.
It’s the culmination of years of negotiation, and it marks a policy win on one of Pritzker’s biggest outstanding first-term campaign promises as the 2022 campaign heats up. The measure passed by a 37-17 vote, with Republicans Sue Rezin, of Morris, and John Curran, of Downers Grove, joining Democrats in support. […]
While the subsidies and investment programs are staggered in their implementation dates, the Citizens Utility Board estimates that it will cause an increase to ratepayer bills of about $3 to $4 a month over the next five years.
In terms of percentages, bill sponsor Sen. Michael Hastings, D-Frankfort, said residential electric bills would increase by about 3-4 percent, commercial bills by about 5-6 percent, and industrial bills by about 7-8 percent.
The industrial bill increase is what has the IMA and others upset. But this is a good point in Hannah Meisel’s WUIS story…
Democrats acknowledge the total cost of the legislation will mean more for ratepayers’ bills, though the exact sum is not settled and estimates vary widely. But State Sen. Celina Villanueva (D-Chicago) defended the monetary cost by comparing it with the environmental costs and poorer health outcomes for people in her district, which includes Little Village, where a developer last spring demolished a long-decommissioned coal plant smokestack sending dust for blocks.
“I have a lot of folks that are wanting and really asking for renewable sources of energy — the same community that also pushed very very hard to decommission this power plant,” Villanueva said.
* Even so…
Illinois Chamber of Commerce CEO Todd Maisch told WMAY before the vote the measure will remove Illinois’ ability to remain affordable for businesses.
“Be ready for cost increases and that means hiring decisions, investment decisions, anything that’s financial is going to be impacted, there’s no doubt about it,” Maisch said.
Democrats said without the measure, energy costs would have increased on job creators.
* More from WUIS…
Senate President Don Harmon (D-Oak Park), who had been at loggerheads all summer with Gov. JB Pritzker and environmental groups over the best way to deal with fossil fuel shutdowns, said Monday that he was irritated with pundits framing the issue as any sort of zero sum sport.
“This isn’t a game. What we do here affects people’s lives and livelihood,” Harmon said in closing debate on the bill. “The people in Byron don’t think this is a game. Their schools, their tax base, their economic existence hinges on what we do here. My 17-year-old daughter Maggie doesn’t think that this is a game. She’s been wondering for far too long if the grown-ups are going to do anything to leave her a habitable world.”
Deflection much?
* More deflection…
Despite serving as chief sponsor of the 2016 bill that bailed out two Exelon plants and set up a renewable energy subsidy program, State Sen. Chapin Rose railed against the legislation passed by the Senate Monday. Rose asserted Democrats’ motivation in passing an energy and climate plan he considers half-baked lay in “issu[ing] press releases that you’re getting rid of carbon.”
FEJA’s green provisions were downright modest in comparison to this bill.
* Sen. Turner voted “Present,” which I found quite odd…
Senator Doris Turner (D-Springfield) was one of three Senate Democrats who did not vote in support of the proposal.
“I was concerned about the rate increases,” she said. With so many various cost estimates, and the question about grid reliability in Springfield if the city-operated City, Water, Light, and Power coal plant goes offline, she figured it was “better to err on the side of caution.”
* Classic example of ideology getting in the way of helping your district in the Tribune…
For Republican Sen. Sue Rezin of Morris, with Sen. John Curran of Downers Grove one of the two GOP senators to support the plan, it came down to preserving jobs at the nuclear power plants, along with the carbon-free power they produce.
“Without this bill, any hope of bringing a carbon-free energy future to Illinois by 2050 will all but be impossible,” said Rezin, whose district is home to Exelon’s Dresden, Braidwood and LaSalle nuclear plants.
In the community of Byron in northwestern Illinois, Monday’s vote brought “utter relief,” said Christine Lynde, the local school board president. Byron Community School District 226 gets about three-quarters of its property tax revenue — about $19 million annually — from the nuclear plant. The district now will be able to better plan for its future, she said.
Lynde, whose husband works at the Byron plant, also expressed “huge disappointment” that the area’s two state senators — Republicans Brian Stewart of Freeport and Dave Syverson of Rockford — voted against the proposal that will keep the plant open.
* Center Square…
Senate President Don Harmon, D-Oak Park, said this won’t be the last word on the issue.
“Now, don’t get me wrong, there will be more votes,” Harmon said. “There will inevitably be changes. Innovations that we can’t even imagine today will happen tomorrow and we or some future group of legislators will act accordingly.”
Supporters of the measure said in anticipation of closing for-profit coal plants by 2030, there will be electric grid reliability studies by regulators in 2025.
* Sun-Times…
Others, including state Sen. Chapin Rose, R-Mahomet, took issue with the inclusion of eminent domain for an energy transmission line in the legislation that would allow “private, for-profit companies … the right to put up new power lines across my constituents’ homes.”
Hastings said the legislation will allow the Illinois Commerce Commission to delegate eminent domain authority for a transmission line — which he said will decrease energy costs. Landowners must be given “just compensation” and there must be three public meetings, with sufficient notice, to inform landowners ahead of any filings for that line, Hastings said.
…Adding… If Downstate legislators want their constituents to access this rebate, perhaps they should run a bill to add the fee to their constituents’ utility bills…
[Sen. Chapin Rose, R-Mahomet] said it’s unfair that downstate residents wouldn’t be eligible for the bill’s $4,000 rebates for the purchase of electric cars.
Hastings said residents of several Chicago-area counties are eligible for those funds because current state law created a fund with money from electric bills paid by residents of those counties.
He said he would be open to developing future legislation to expand the fund so downstate ratepayers could contribute to the fund and then be eligible for the electric car rebates.
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* Tribune…
Federal investigators have launched an inquiry into Ald. Jim Gardiner’s conduct in office, including whether he retaliated against constituents for political purposes, sources told the Tribune.
FBI agents recently spoke to a variety of individuals with knowledge of Gardiner’s conduct, and approached Gardiner himself last week, sources said.
The probe is just the latest controversy facing the first-term alderman, who has been under scrutiny in recent weeks after text messages he apparently sent were made public by an anonymous Northwest Side group, The People’s Fabric, showing he referred to one City Council colleague as “a bitch” and the top aide of another council member as “his bitch,” and also used the term to describe a political communications consultant.
Block Club Chicago also published a story containing allegations that Gardiner sought to withhold services to constituents of his 45th Ward who have been critical of him and similarly used derogatory language to refer to constituents in texts that were later leaked. […]
Gardiner is facing two federal lawsuits, including one filed by a man who claimed the alderman had him wrongfully arrested in 2019 after he picked up a cellphone that Gardiner’s ward superintendent had inadvertently left at a 7-Eleven in Jefferson Park.
* Block Club Chicago…
A Monday evening rally, organized by independent political organization United Northwest Side, brought residents to Gardiner’s office at 5425 W. Lawrence Ave. They decried the alderman’s vengeful tactics used against his critics shown through leaked texts, allegations that he refused city services to residents, and his sexist and misogynistic language toward constituents and City Hall staffers that residents say make him unfit to serve in public office.
Constituents who say they have been harassed or targeted by Gardiner also spoke at the rally. […]
Last week, Lightfoot called for the city’s Office of the Inspector General to investigate Gardiner.
“No one should ever be denied access to city services because of their political opinion, whom they may have supported in an election. That’s just not how we do things,” Lightfoot said at an unrelated news conference. “We’re never gonna support any effort to deny people access to city services. It’s fundamental.”
* More…
* ‘Do Not Help Her’: After Texts Show Ald. Jim Gardiner Called Constituent A ‘C-nt,’ Council Members Want Him Punished
* Ald. Jim Gardiner Used His Power To Seek Revenge Against His Critics, New Texts Show
* A to-do list for Ald. Jim Gardiner - The alderman’s apologies for his stunningly hateful and misogynistic streak are not enough.
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* August 20…
Effingham County board members this week tabled a resolution that would have embraced the idea of “My Body, My Choice.”
County Board President Jim Niemann said during a meeting that the name sounds like the board would be on the side of pro-choice in the abortion debate.
It’s not, said Board Vice-President David Campbell, who penned the resolution.
“Basically, it’s just a catch phrase to let people know, ‘My body, My choice’” said Campbell. “If I don’t want to take the vaccine, I don’t have to take the vaccine. If I don’t want to wear a mask, I don’t have to wear a mask. We’re not going to enforce it here in Effingham County.” […]
“We have to respect our authorities and rule of law,” [Board Member Norbert Soldwedel] said. “We can’t condone a society where every individual establishes what they get to do and not do.”
“This is why I support local control. I say let these school boards and other locally elected bodies establish the polices within their jurisdictions,” he said.
“You mean you would let a school board come to you telling you have to inject something into your body,” Board Member John Perry asked Soltwedel.
“The school board can come to me and tell me anything that is constitutionally permitted, which is for the betterment of that school,” Soltwedel said.
* Effingham Daily News Editorial on September 2nd…
Board Vice President David Campbell penned the resolution. He described its intent this way:
“If I don’t want to take the vaccine, I don’t have to take the vaccine. If I don’t want to wear a mask, I don’t have to wear a mask. We’re not going to enforce it here in Effingham County.”
This from a board that regularly listens to increasingly dire reports from its own health department about the rapid spread here of the delta variant of COVID-19. That department on Aug. 27 reported two more COVID-related deaths, bringing Effingham County’s total to 77 since the pandemic began. […]
The county board’s proposed resolution is dangerous. Not because it would have any teeth. It wouldn’t.
It’s dangerous because it reinforces the idea that there really isn’t anything to worry about from this virus that has killed nearly 640,000 Americans – nearly 24,000 of them in Illinois. It’s dangerous because your “medical freedom” to not wear a mask or get vaccinated affects others just as surely as your “freedom” to drink and drive affects everyone else on the road.
* Yesterday…
Effingham County Board Chairman Jim Niemann withdrew the proposed “Medical Freedom Resolution” on Monday during a meeting of the Legislative Committee of the Whole.
The resolution was introduced by Board Vice Chairman David Campbell as the “My Body, My Choice” resolution and amended by Niemann because he was not happy with the wording of Campbell’s resolution.
“The feedback to me has been overwhelmingly negative,” Niemann said. “I am withdrawing this. I won’t be sponsoring this. I’m not going to divide us any further.”
“If we work against each other there is absolutely nothing that will get done except fighting,” he said. “And if we work together, there is absolutely nothing we can’t do.” […]
Board Member Heather Mumma said she sent 250 text messages to her personal constituents in District C with a survey of three questions and only received 11 responses.
“Five of which said, ‘Please stop texting me,’” Mumma said.
She said she also received 11 emails that were against the resolution.
* But while some folks in Effingham are coming to their senses, a few goofs in Glen Ellyn are losing their minds. Politico…
An anti-mask culture war is escalating in Glen Ellyn, where protesters opposed to the state’s mask mandates have been confronting parents and children each day as they walk into the District 41 elementary school.
The protesters carry signs and encourage drivers to honk in opposition to mask mandates, which has distracted drivers just as children are crossing the street to get to school, according to parents who spoke at last night’s Village of Glen Ellyn Board of Trustees meeting.
The anti-mask group is organized in part by former Republican Rep. Jeanne Ives, who has encouraged the protests in her Breakthrough Ideas newsletter. She calls it the “Glen Ellyn Rally for Parental Choice,” echoing Republican governors around the country who oppose mask requirements. […]
Concerned residents, meanwhile, spoke one after another about protesters hurling “inappropriate,” “hostile,” “crude,” and “vulgar” taunts presumably aimed at parents walking their young children to school. The CDC has consistently said mask-wearing significantly cut down on the transmission of Covid-19.
Parents and community members have organized volunteers to stand as a buffer between the demonstrators and the kids.
Glen Ellyn resident Karin Daly told trustees she’s worried about students’ mental health and their safety. She shared an anecdote of a driver who ran a red light while responding to protesters.
Bob Bruno, a former Glen Ellyn School Board president, said, “A child’s walk to school should not be subject to threat, intimidation, and menace. It should be the second-most joyous part of the child’s day.”
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Question of the day
Monday, Sep 13, 2021 - Posted by Rich Miller
* After the climate/energy bill passed today, Senate President Don Harmon and others involved with the legislation held a press conference. There were a couple of off-topic questions, including this one…
Q: President Harmon, another beautiful thing of the General Assembly is to provide a check to the governor’s authority. When are you guys gonna take up the various mandates, going on 19 months of executive orders?
A: Well I think that, in particular, right now, we are so focused on getting kids back into school safely and keeping them there. The governor seems to have been following the science and it seems to be working. And I’m going to keep my fingers crossed that my daughter is going to stay through her high school year without interruption, and that kids across the state are going to be able to say the same thing.
Q: Isn’t that the job of the General Assembly to have some skin in this game, to have the local elected representatives actually sound off on these things and cast those votes?
A: Again, I don’t think there’s been any shortage of debate at the local level or at the state level. I think that we are all comfortable following the science and everything does seem to be working so [knocks on the podium] knock wood we’re gonna keep going in the right direction.
* The Question: How satisfied are you with the Illinois General Assembly’s response to the pandemic? Make sure to explain your answers, please.
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Legislators respond to somewhat odd hit piece
Monday, Sep 13, 2021 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Chicago Magazine…
Here is a list of some of Chicago’s least-known residents: Eva Dina Delgado. Lakesia Collins. Frances Ann Hurley. Lindsey LaPointe. Lamont J. Robinson Jr. Cristina H. Pacione-Zayas.
You’ve probably never heard of these people because they don’t work in Chicago; they work in Springfield as members of the Illinois General Assembly.
In Chicago politics, there is no lower form of life than a state legislator. If you’re looking to lie low or hide out from your enemies, run for the legislature. No one will bother to hunt you down in the state capital — an exceedingly dull three-hour drive down Interstate 55.
I dunno, maybe the magazine should be writing more about Illinois government so its readers wouldn’t have to be given such a ludicrous premise?
* Response…
What has Chicago Magazine substantively done over the years to invite readers into the world of state government and politics?
Thank you Chicago Magazine for introducing us to your base in case they have not been in touch with the impactful contributions - both before and during a public health and economic crisis - of the General Assembly members you highlighted in Opinion: There’s No More Invisible Politician than an Illinois State Legislator. Any search on ilga.gov will produce a solid list of successful legislative measures that reflect our deep work on the ground on behalf of the approximately 108,000-216,000 people we each represent. The named group of individuals are legislating with significant impact. Here are some recent examples:
● Lead service line replacement,
● First responder mental health,
● Streamlining Business Enterprise Program Certification for small businesses,
● State designated cultural districts to spur economic recovery,
● Protection of first amendment for youth in care,
● Increased access to higher education pathways,
● Affordable and accessible child care, and
● Increased support and real opportunities for youth and adults with disabilities.
Singling out legislators who are predominantly people of color, women, and openly gay (coincidentally all members of minoritized* groups in the General Assembly) compels us to ask, is it a coincidence or by design that it is difficult to find any statement of solidarity with the national uprising and accelerated civic engagement that many news outlets and socio-political influencers adopted, amplified and implemented in the wake of George Floyd’s murder? This is especially perplexing because these same legislators championed and executed the charge to address the root causes of failed policy for communities that have been historically marginalized in past sessions.
Furthermore, each of us represent communities that may not have broad readership of your magazine which can safely perpetuate the racism, sexism, and homophobia in this opinion piece without any accountability from constituents and supporters who are more than familiar with our track record. Performing a simple Google search, perusing our social media channels, or speaking to our constituents will reveal significant evidence of outreach, engagement, activism, and collaboration within our districts and across Illinois.
While we understand the purpose of an opinion piece, we are left searching for an application of journalistic standards. It’s disheartening that you allowed something this off-base and unconstructive to be included in your publication given that it promotes itself as “the most highly honored city magazines in the nation.” Instead of leaving readers with inflammatory words strung together by a writer rudderless toward a solution to the disengagement he laments, here’s what we propose your readers consider:
● Becoming acquainted with state lawmakers is a shared responsibility between constituents, the media, and elected officials. The work is bidirectional and the law professor who admitted to not knowing, or caring to know, his state senator is more of a poor reflection on him given his area of expertise.
● Confirm if the media source has correspondents covering the subject criticized in opinion pieces (i.e. Does Chicago Magazine have a Springfield correspondent?). Critical consumption of media is a central skill in the 21st century, especially with information overload.
● Verify opinion pieces like these with BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color), Latinx, LGBTQ, and women-led sources that offer nuance and uncover complexities that center the world perspectives that are often ignored and diminished by mainstream media and glossy publications.
Chicago Magazine, we disagree with both your tagline, “We (Chicago Magazine) are Chicago,” and the bottom line from this opinion piece that the cited General Assembly members are hiding behind a conflated title of “state legislator” and living a “cush” life with no accountability. Many of us have endured sacrifices to operationalize the role of “public servant.” It is a dishonor to our ancestors, descendants, and co-conspirators in this work who inform our strategy to upend
systemic -isms and transform government to be for, by, and with the people. You can and should do better.
State Representative Lakesia Collins
State Representative Eva-Dina Delgado
State Representative Frances Ann Hurley
State Representative Lindsey LaPointe
State Senator Cristina Pacione-Zayas
State Representative Lamont Robinson
Kinda on the professorial side, but whatevs. Your thoughts?
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Governor JB Pritzker and Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) Secretary Grace Hou today announced a series of nation-leading investments to strengthen access to childcare for parents seeking to reenter the workforce while simultaneously bolstering childcare providers and their employees. As families across Illinois continue to get back on their feet amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, IDHS is expanding Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) eligibility to include three months of free coverage for unemployed parents who meet the CCAP eligibility requirements to help residents get back to work.
The Pritzker administration is also providing bonuses of up to $1,000 for eligible childcare workers. These bonuses will be followed by two more rounds of childcare restoration grants, plus an additional phase of grants in 2022, with $300 million to be made available to providers across the state.
Today’s announcement builds on the administration’s ongoing commitment to providing affordable, accessible childcare for all Illinois families. Earlier this year, the Governor announced CCAP co-pays would decrease for 80% of families who participate in the program. Families who meet certain income eligibility requirements, with income below 100% of the Federal Poverty Level have seen their monthly co-pays reduced to $1.
Since the pandemic began, the State has invested more than $700 million in COVID-19 relief funding in the state’s childcare industry. Through the first round of Child Care Restoration Grants, over 5,000 providers have received monetary support, representing 85% of eligible childcare centers and 40% of licensed family childcare homes. On average, childcare centers have received over $270,000 each and childcare homes have received an average of $13,000.
“Childcare is an essential part of a strong and equitable economy, and I’m proud that Illinois is leading the nation in supporting families and providers,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “Without safe and affordable childcare, too many caregivers – especially women – can’t return to the workforce. We’re taking a major step to address this problem in Illinois, and rebuild our childcare ecosystem – and rebuild it better.”
Beginning October 1, 2021, parents who are unemployed and actively seeking employment will be eligible for three months of Child Care Assistance, provided they meet the standard CCAP eligibility requirements. If parents become employed or enroll in an education program before the end of the three-month period and meet all other CCAP eligibility requirements, their eligibility will continue for 12 months in total.
Families interested in applying for support through the Child Care Assistance Program, can contact their local Child Care Resource & Referral Agency (CCR&R) which can be found online at https://www.inccrra.org/about/sdasearch or by calling 1-877-202-4453 toll-free.
In addition, DHS will launch the Child Care Workforce Bonus program next month. Through the program, all staff at licensed and license-exempt childcare centers and homes will be eligible to receive up to a $1000 bonus, provided they meet all licensing and health and safety requirements. Childcare workers will receive the payment through their employer between October 2021 and March 2022.
Application information about the program will be available for employers via the Illinois Network of Child Care Resource & Referral Agencies (INCCRRA) in the coming weeks. Employers are required to pay staff 100% of the bonus amount awarded by the state.
“Thanks to the unwavering leadership of Governor Pritzker, our administration is mobilizing federal recovery dollars to provide grants that will help Illinois businesses continue with reopening, bring back their staff, and rebuild stronger,” said IDHS Secretary, Grace B. Hou. “At IDHS, we have taken necessary steps to support front line workers who are the fabric of communities across the state. The childcare network is essential to rebuilding our economy.”
The administration will also launch a final round of 2021 Child Care Restoration Grants and later this year will open applications for 2022 Stabilization Grants. The Child Care Restoration Grants administered through IDHS continue to offer childcare providers access to funds that can help counterbalance losses due to COVID-19 and take advanced steps to rebuild from the impacts of the pandemic. The program has been in place since 2020, when it provided $290 million to small businesses and childcare providers across the state. $270 million in additional funds have been invested in providers, to date, in 2021.
“Access to early childhood has the power to change the future of our city and state. on behalf of children and families, I’m incredibly grateful to have a governor whose COVID-19 response and recovery plan includes a significant investment in early childhood. Our children’s learning needs to start early, and parents need to be back at work. The plans the Governor outlined today will make sure that’s possible,” said Libby Shortenhaus, Chief Executive Officer, Christopher House.
The administration’s comprehensive support programming has prevented the mass closure of childcare facilities across the state and provided parents with safe places to care for their children as they reenter the workforce. Of the licensed childcare centers who received a state grant in 2020, 98% are still open and serving children. Approximately 30% fewer childcare centers closed over the last year than closed on average each year from 2016 to 2018.
Gov. Pritzker said the “vast majority” of the dollars announced today are federal dollars.
…Adding… Not sure why, but the governor was asked today whether this program was campaign-related. He denied it.
…Adding… Just a few years ago, you may recall, childcare eligibility was cut to 50 percent of the federal poverty level via an emergency rule.
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* New York Times…
As it prepares to deliver its first electric pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles this year, Rivian has spent around $1.5 billion renovating and expanding a factory once owned by Mitsubishi. On a typical day the 3.3-million-square-foot plant hosts several hundred construction workers alongside more than 2,500 workers employed by the company, which expects to eventually double its local head count.
The effects are hard to miss in Normal and nearby Bloomington, a metropolitan area of about 170,000. Hotels are frequently booked up, pandemic or not; hundreds of housing lots are being developed; and many employers looking to hire a full-time plumber are basically out of luck. […]
The ramp-up has made labor, already in short supply during the pandemic, even more scarce. A branch of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, which has helped contractors like Mr. Mosier staff up, says it has fully booked the roughly 280 licensed union electricians in the area.
To meet the demand, the union brought in a few hundred electricians from elsewhere in the country this year.
A nearby community college started a program this fall to train electric vehicle technicians, and Illinois State University, which abuts Uptown, is building an engineering school partly in response to Rivian.
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COVID-19 roundup
Monday, Sep 13, 2021 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Tribune…
For much of the pandemic, the rate of new COVID-19 infections among people younger than 20 trailed the rates for other age groups. But that’s changed. In the most recent week’s worth of data, those under 20 experienced the highest rate of new infections.
For the week ending Sept. 4, Illinoisans under 20 saw more than 300 new cases per 100,000 people in that group. That’s 22% higher than the state average, which is near 245 per 100,000 residents. […]
The state’s southern region topped 1,320 weekly new cases per 100,000 kids [12-17] — or six times the rate of that age group in Lake and McHenry counties. The good news, for the southern region, is its latest figures were slightly lower than the prior week, stopping what had been a steep climb since mid-August. […]
The average number of kids admitted [to hospitals] each day in Illinois with confirmed cases of COVID-19 has risen from less than one a day in July to about six now. When adding in suspected cases upon admission, the number increases to nearly 44 kids a day, on average, which is about as bad as the spring 2021 surge and close to levels of last fall’s surge.
* Also from the Tribune…
President Joe Biden’s newly issued mandate that companies with 100 or more employees must require vaccinations or weekly COVID-19 testing among their workforce may be just what the doctor ordered for a number of Chicago-area companies, including WeatherTech, the southwest suburban car floor mat manufacturer.
The company, which has 1,700 employees on its sprawling Bolingbrook campus making everything from dog bowls to cellphone holders, has no vaccine or testing mandates in place, despite having “several very sick employees” and one death from COVID-19, according to WeatherTech founder and CEO David MacNeil.
MacNeil, a strong proponent of COVID-19 vaccinations for his employees, said the legal landscape for imposing a company mandate was unknown — at least before Biden announced his proposed mandate Thursday.
“I welcome government help in getting the job done,” MacNeil said Friday.
Keeping employees and their families healthy is good for business. Period.
* And Chicago is attempting to use the fight against COVID as one angle in its business recruitment program…
Chicago is taking aim at Texas’ new social policies with a full-page ad in Sunday’s Dallas Morning News, urging companies uncomfortable with the state’s recently enacted abortion and voting laws to head to the windy city.
World Business Chicago, the city’s public-private economic development arm, purchased the print ad, which opens with “Dear Texas” before jumping into reasons companies should consider moving north. It cites the Midwest city’s startup ecosystem, attraction of tech and engineering graduates and a top-ranked logistics and transportation sector as strengths.
Then it hones in on what it perceives as Texas’ new weakness.
“In Chicago, we believe in every person’s right to vote, protecting reproductive rights and science to fight COVID-19,″ the ad states.
* On that same topic, here’s the New York Times…
Like other Republican governors around the country, Tate Reeves of Mississippi reacted angrily to the coronavirus vaccine mandates President Biden imposed on private businesses. Declaring the move “terrifying,” he wrote on Twitter: “This is still America, and we still believe in freedom from tyrants.”
There is a deep inconsistency in that argument. Mississippi has some of the strictest vaccine mandates in the nation, which have not drawn opposition from most of its elected officials. Not only does it require children to be vaccinated against measles, mumps and seven other diseases to attend school, but it goes a step further than most states by barring parents from claiming “religious, philosophical or conscientious” exemptions.
Resistance to vaccine mandates was once a fringe position in both parties, more the realm of misinformed celebrities than mainstream political thought. But the fury over Mr. Biden’s mandates shows how a once-extreme stance has moved to the center of the Republican Party. The governors’ opposition reflects the anger and fear about the vaccine among constituents now central to their base, while ignoring longstanding policy and legal precedent in favor of similar vaccination requirements.
…Adding… A truly dumb take…
With a majority of colleges in Illinois requiring students to be vaccinated for COVID-19 before attending classes, one organization is pushing back.
Young Americans for Liberty is coordinating with student leaders at 23 public campuses around the country, including at the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana, to speak out against the forced mandates.
Spokesman Eric Brakey says the organization is not anti-vaccine, but rather anti-vaccine mandate at taxpayer-funded academic institutions.
“That is not what America is supposed to be,” Brakey said. “Those are the kind of policies we saw in the Soviet Union that we used to make fun of a generation ago.”
* Related…
* A Second Major Seasonal Virus Won’t Leave Us Any Choice: Businesses and schools must adapt, because the dual threat from COVID and the flu will be too severe.
* Galesburg doctor says new COVID-19 cases are more severe, ICU patients younger: Carpenter said all six ICU beds at OSF St. Mary Medical Center were filled during his shift Tuesday. All six were COVID-19 patients and all six were on ventilators. “We are seeing a higher number of patients requiring ventilator care than with the previous round,” Carpenter said. Likewise, this spike is having more serious effects on a younger demographic.
* Springfield family of fully vaccinated COVID-19 victim sends a message to doubters in her obituary: “Vaccinated individuals with other health conditions … may not have developed as strong of an antibody response with the vaccine as others and may not be able to fight off their illness and COVID as well,” said Gail O’Neill, director of the Sangamon County Department of Public Health. That apparently was the case with Candace Ayres, who had dealt with debilitating rheumatoid arthritis the past 10 years, her son said.
* Chicago Public Schools parents plan to protest at Mayor Lightfoot’s home in call for remote learning
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* Folks who refuse to trust a vaccine in wide usage that’s been approved by the FDA and instead demand an alleged treatment that the FDA has not approved and that its manufacturer and every legit medical association has warned against using never cease to amaze me. This death is heartbreaking, but there’s no getting around the fact that she celebrated her opposition to the vaccine and now the grifter crazies and their gullible followers are all predictably furious…
A hospitalized COVID-19 denier whose attempts to be treated with deworming drug ivermectin inspired a far-right harassment campaign against her hospital died early Monday, sparking cries among QAnon conspiracy theorists that she had been the victim of “medical murder.” Before her COVID-19 diagnosis, Veronica Wolski was a prominent Illinois booster of the QAnon conspiracy theory who recorded herself hanging pro-QAnon banners over bridges and flouting mask laws in stores, once declaring, “I have never once worn a mask.”
After she was hospitalized in Chicago two weeks ago with COVID-19, Wolski’s supporters in QAnon and other far-right groups besieged the medical center with hundreds of phone calls and even some death threats, demanding that she receive ivermectin, whose effectiveness as a COVID-19 treatment is unproven. Top QAnon leaders like former Trump national security adviser Michael Flynn embraced her cause, with pro-Trump lawyer Lin Wood calling the hospital and demanding she receive ivermectin shortly before Wolski’s death. On Monday morning, Wood announced in a post on social networking app Telegram that Wolski had died shortly after midnight and called her death a “medical murder,” urging his followers to “go to war.”
* More…
“I have just learned that Veronica Wolski saw the face of God this morning at 12:44 a.m.,” Wood said.
“It is our responsibility to ensure that these medical murders stop NOW and the perpetrators be brought to justice.
“Veronica will be on her bridge in Heaven looking down on us. We must do our best to make sure Veronica did not leave this Earth in vain.”
Just hours before reporting her death, Wood posted a video online where he called hospital staff and demanded that she be released from hospital, claiming the person on the call would be guilty of murder if she did not.
* More…
In the Telegram channel Wolski once ran, her supporters posted hundreds of messages of sympathy but also urged others to spam the social media account of Amita Health with messages about her “murder.”
Across other QAnon channels where Wolski is being hailed as a martyr, a patriot, and a hero, a common refrain is that she was “kidnapped and murdered” by the hospital and that this “medical tyranny” must end now.
“RIP one of the biggest Patriots of current times. I called that extermination camp Amita many times last night, and police district 16 to report attempted murder,” one typical commenter wrote.
* Related…
* Illinois anti-government militia leader to be sentenced in Minnesota mosque bombing
* Freedom Rally met with counter-protestors: A couple hundred people attended a Freedom Rally Sunday in a parking lot on Mulligan Drive in Bradley. The group has been organizing protests in Kankakee County against forced vaccinations and Gov. JB Pritzker’s mandated COVID-19 mitigations including required face masks. Counter-protesters gathered near the rally.
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Sullivan insists he’s not a San Francisco guy
Monday, Sep 13, 2021 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Dave Dahl…
Illinois’ newest candidate for governor is trying to explain who he isn’t.
Jesse Sullivan, the fourth person to declare for the 2022 Republican primary, is a venture capitalist from Petersburg – near Springfield and the home of Lincoln’s New Salem – who says he moved back to his hometown to raise his family.
His opponents, as well as the Democratic Party, have tagged him as a “San Francisco venture capitalist,”
“I am through and through a Midwesterner from central Illinois, a small town of 2,000 people,” Sullivan told WTAX News. Responding to a question about how he will escape his rivals’ labeling of him, “I’m a central Illinois guy who shares central Illinois values, and so anybody who tries to paint me in a different way – it’s all politics.”
While Sullivan and his campaign are disavowing the labeling, his company’s web site does not. He is the founder of Alter Global, whose site is alter.vc. A check of that site, including Sullivan’s own page on the site, reveals no mention of Lincoln, nor the small-town, Midwestern roots on which Sullivan is campaigning.
The company has apparently since updated its site…
And Sullivan no longer has a page on the site as of 10:19 this morning.
But the company’s Twitter and LinkedIn and Facebook pages still list San Francisco or the Silicon Valley as its headquarters.
* I mean, it seems so trivial, but the campaign has reportedly been pushing back hard against media outlets which have labeled him a San Francisco businessperson. They’ve also released a new video on the topic whacking the media…
Um, I’m pretty sure he’s telling us he’s from the Midwest by loudly insisting he’s from the Midwest.
* Perhaps this not so subtle dog whistle is why Sullivan is so insistent about separating himself from San Francisco…
State senator Darren Bailey, who recently pointed to a jar full of corn kernels to declare himself as the Republican frontrunner, cast Sullivan as a different kind of outsider because of where he has lived
“We have witnessed San Francisco’s values on full display in our great state—it’s not good,” Bailey said. “We need a Governor who understands the Heartland, made a life here and shares our values. Our so-called ‘elites’ and their big checkbooks have had their run of things for too long. We think it’s time the regular folks in this state have their say.”
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* Two pretty good pieces today about what’s in the climate/energy bill that the Senate is scheduled to take up later on final passage. You should read all of both stories. Here’s the Tribune…
The proposal sets a goal of moving the state to 100% “clean” energy by 2050, with interim goals of 40% of the state’s power coming from renewable sources by 2030 and 50% by 2040.
To get there, subsidies for wind and solar projects would roughly double, to about $500 million per year. The plan also would allow the state’s large electric utilities to spend about $317 million in previously collected funds on renewable energy projects rather than refunding it to customers. Under existing law, the money was supposed to pay for projects that came online by May 31 of this year, but many were delayed by the coronavirus pandemic. […]
Opponents have raised concerns about the cost to municipalities that invested in Prairie State and to the city of Springfield, and they’ve also questioned whether closing coal and natural gas plants would hurt reliability of the energy grid.
But the plan would allow specific units to remain open if regulators determine they’re essential for reliability and stability of the grid.
* SJ-R…
Opponents say by saving thousands of northern Illinois jobs in nuclear plants, the bill would mean the loss of more than 1,000 jobs by the premature closure of coal-fired plants operated by CWLP and at Prairie State. Opponents also say downstate communities could be forced to rely on energy produced in other states burning fossil fuels.
The legislation gives CWLP and Prairie State until June 30, 2038, instead of Jan. 1, 2035, to reduce their carbon-dioxide emissions by 45%. If that level of reduction couldn’t be reached, one or more generating units would have to close,
Prairie State has two generating units, which would allow at least one of the two to continue operating until coal-fired generation would be banned in 2045. CWLP officials said it appears the bill would allow the Dallman Power Station to keep operating until 2045.
The bill would count the December 2020 closure of coal-fired units Dallman 31 and 32, along with the planned 2023 closure of Dallman 33, toward the 45% carbon-emission reduction requirement in the bill.
*** UPDATE 1 *** The climate/energy bill passed Senate 37-17-3. They had remote voting issues, among other things. But that’s two votes less than the last time they passed the bill.
*** UPDATE 2 *** Gov. Pritzker…
Governor JB Pritzker released the following statement on the Senate passage of the comprehensive energy package, Senate Bill 2408, that puts consumers and the climate first:
“Today, with the Senate passage of SB 2408, the State of Illinois is making history by setting aggressive standards for a 100 percent clean energy future. After years of debate and discussion, science has prevailed, and we are charting a new future that works to mitigate the impacts of climate change here in Illinois.
“SB 2408 puts the state on a path toward 100% clean energy and invests in training a diverse workforce for the jobs of the future. Illinois will become the best state in the nation to manufacture and drive an electric vehicle, and equity will be prioritized in every new program created. SB2408 puts consumers and climate at the forefront, prioritizing meaningful ethics and transparency reforms, and institutes key ratepayer and residential customer protections.
“I’d like to thank Leaders Cunningham and Hastings and Sen. Villanueva for the many hours spent in working group meetings and negotiating sessions. I am proud of the collaborative work between stakeholders, Senate President Don Harmon and Speaker Welch that resulted in a package that makes meaningful progress in protecting our climate and consumers.
“I look forward to signing this historic measure into law as soon as possible, because our planet and the people of Illinois ought not wait any longer.”
* CJI Executive Director Joe Duffy…
We commend our partners in the Senate for their steadfast leadership and their commitment to getting this bill over the finish line. What this legislation proves is that we don’t have to choose between jobs and a cleaner, fairer future. We can do both.
With this landmark legislation, we will build the clean energy economy of the future—powered by union jobs—to reverse generations of carbon emissions and build a pathway to the middle class for new generations of highly trained workers from historically disinvested communities. We will justly transition from fossil fuels and raise the bar on transparency and accountability for utilities and energy developers in the greater interest of ratepayers and consumers.
This bill is the most pro-worker, pro-climate legislation in the country and will establish Illinois as a leader in fighting the climate crisis. The urgent need for bold climate action cannot wait any longer, and we can’t wait to get to work building a cleaner, fairer future for Illinois. We urge Gov. Pritzker to immediately sign this legislation.”
SB 2408 sets the strongest clean energy labor standards in the country and promises to raise the bar for other states seeking to enact new labor and employment policies for building and maintaining clean energy developments.
The bill will create thousands of new clean energy union jobs, expand union apprenticeships for Black and Latinx communities, increase energy efficiency for public schools and safeguard thousands of union workers at the state’s nuclear plants that currently generate the bulk of Illinois’ zero-emissions energy.
* Sierra Club Illinois Director Jack Darin…
“Today is a historic day, not just for Illinois, but for the entire nation. Today, legislators listened to the voices of all Illinoisans in passing the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act, and Illinois will act on climate change with a plan for a 100% clean energy future that centers equity and racial justice.
“This bill came about through a coalition-led community engagement process that centered people’s needs today and their hopes for the future, and not utilities or special interests.
“We applaud the work of legislators and stakeholders that helped reach this agreement, and particularly the bold leadership of Governor Pritzker in delivering this historic win for Illinois communities and our planet.”
* ICJC…
“The Illinois Clean Jobs Coalition applauds the Senate on today’s passage of the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act. We are on the verge of history in Illinois, poised to take significant steps to address our climate crisis, create equitable, good-paying jobs across the state particularly in Black and Brown communities, and enact tough utility accountability measures.
“We would like to thank Governor Pritzker, House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch, Senate President Don Harmon, and legislative champions in addition to thousands of diverse advocates who have been organizing for a clean energy future for more than three years.”
* Speaker Welch…
“With the Senate’s passage of this comprehensive energy proposal, the Illinois legislature has positioned our state as a national leader for clean energy policies,” said House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch. “I was elected to lead the House chamber eight months ago today, and I’m so proud to see all of the hard work we’ve put into this bill finally come to fruition. I look forward to seeing Governor JB Pritzker sign it into law so we can put Illinois on the path to a greener future, while also prioritizing jobs, a diversified energy sector and much-needed utility ethics reforms.”
* Senate President Don Harmon…
The threat to our planet is real.
Our goal all along was to enact reliable, renewable and affordable energy policies that position Illinois to lead the nation in combatting climate change and growing a green energy economy.
That is exactly what we are doing here today.
From the beginning, this has been a shared goal and I want to thank the Senate, House and governor’s team for all their work in putting this together.
* Paul Schimpf…
Democrats have once again chosen special interest groups over the people of Illinois by passing SB 2408. Their environmental virtue signaling will not impact global climate change, but will result in the largest rate increase in Illinois history, raising utility prices for working families and making our energy supply less reliable. Illinois families and businesses can’t afford to pay more for Springfield’s wreckless spending and dealmaking. JB Pritzker should stand up for the people of Illinois, not the special interest groups, and veto this bill.
* IEC…
Illinois Environmental Council (IEC) Executive Director Jen Walling on today’s historic Senate vote on SB2408, the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act:
“This is a story about the power of people and the environmental movement in Illinois standing up to big fossil fuel and utility companies–and winning. The passage of this bill is proof that years of education, advocacy and movement building have secured a strong climate action majority in the Illinois General Assembly.
“Gov. JB Pritzker and environmental champions in the House and Senate sided with their constituents over polluting fossil fuel industries who, until today, dictated energy policy in our state. IEC extends our sincere thanks for their dedication to passing a true climate bill with nation-leading equity standards, which will create thousands of good-paying jobs and put Illinois on a path to a 100% clean energy future. These legislators have provided a just transition for workers and communities historically dependent on dirty fossil fuels. They have enacted some of the toughest utility accountability measures in the nation. And, through this legislation, they will create jobs and wealth in Illinois’ Black and Brown communities, who have too often been the first to suffer the negative consequences of pollution, but the last to reap the health and economic benefits of a clean energy future.
“The legacy of fossil fuels in the power sector poisoning our communities and driving the climate crisis will officially come to an end in 2045. There is still more work to do, but today we celebrate this leap forward in creating a more equitable and thriving environment for generations to come.”
* Path to 100…
Today, Illinois passed major clean energy legislation that commits the state to reaching 40% renewable energy by 2030 and 50% renewables by 2040. The Climate and Equitable Jobs Act puts Illinois at the forefront of the fight against climate change all while creating tens of thousands of jobs, expanding diversity in the renewable energy industry, and providing more than $1 billion in electricity bill savings for consumers.
The 40% renewable energy standard was first introduced in the Path to 100 Act by Representative Will Davis and Senator Bill Cunningham in 2019. The renewable energy impacts of the legislation include:
· The 40% renewable energy goal will spur the construction of over 4,000 MW of new wind, 4,000 MW of new utility-scale solar, and 5,800 MW of new rooftop and community solar.
· The Illinois Power Agency will procure approximately 2.5 million new renewable energy credits (RECs) by June 2022 and 3.8 million new RECs per year from 2022-2030.
· The RECs will support wind energy (45%) utility-scale solar (25.85%) brownfield solar (1.65%) and community, rooftop and residential solar through an adjustable block program (27.5%).
· Credits in the adjustable block program are divided among community solar (30%), large distributed generation (20%), small distributed generation (20%), schools (15%), equity eligible projects (10%) and Community driven community solar (5%).
“As a result of this landmark legislation, Illinois is now ready to embark on its clean energy future,” said Abigail Ross Hopper, president and CEO of the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA). “Opening the Illinois market is critical to the growth of energy sources that will clean the air, create jobs and jumpstart the state’s economy. Illinois is now a national leader in crafting renewable energy solutions and we want to thank Governor Pritzker, Senate President Harmon, Speaker Welch, Senator Cunningham and Representative Davis for their leadership on this important bill.”
“Illinois kept its promise to the solar workers who have dedicated their careers to building our renewable energy future,” said Lesley McCain, executive director of the Illinois Solar Energy Association. “After years of advocacy, we now have a path to reverse job losses and deliver clean electricity for families across Illinois.”
In addition to growing clean, renewable energy, the bill includes important requirements for diversity, equity and inclusion in the renewable energy industry that were supported by community advocates and wind and solar businesses. Key equity provisions include supplier diversity requirements for companies that participate in the state’s renewable energy program, a dedicated block of renewable energy incentives for businesses from underserved communities and requirements for utility-scale renewable energy projects to complete project labor agreements that directly address the hiring of minority employees.
“Expanding access to low-cost renewable energy through community solar is vital for Illinois to make the transition to clean energy in a manner that is equitable and just,” said Laurel Passera, policy director for the Coalition for Community Solar Access (CCSA). “We applaud the legislature for passing a bill that will provide the needed pathway to improve Illinois’ energy infrastructure, create good-paying jobs, and provide access to many thousands of residents, businesses and community organizations who do not currently have the opportunities to participate in the clean energy economy.”
The bill also includes the strongest labor provisions in the nation and guarantees that renewable energy growth will create tens of thousands of good union jobs in Illinois. All workers building commercial and community-scale renewable energy projects will be paid prevailing wages and utility-scale projects will complete project labor agreements with organized labor.
“SB2408 is landmark legislation that shows what is possible when industry and labor work together,” said Joe Duffy, executive director of Climate Jobs Illinois. “This law will make Illinois a national leader in building the clean energy economy of the future, and it will open up new opportunities for historically disadvantaged communities, creating thousands of union jobs and expanding apprenticeship opportunities that will pave the way to the middle class for a new generation of homegrown, highly trained workers. We hope Gov. Pritzker will sign this legislation right away so we can get our members and new trainees to work in the fight against climate change.”
Illinois’ renewable energy workforce will be on the job immediately building the projects the state needs to reach its aggressive clean energy goals. The renewable energy industry will continue to collaborate with policymakers and other stakeholders to create Illinois’ clean energy future.
…Adding… DPI Chair Robin Kelly…
“Illinois Democrats have once again shown we lead the nation in addressing our most pressing issues. This was an unprecedented effort by Democrats at all levels to craft legislation that puts Illinois on a path to a clean energy future, creates sustainable jobs and climate equity throughout our state’s many diverse communities. I applaud our Democratic leaders, including Gov. Pritzker, Speaker Welch and President Harmon, for ensuring critical stakeholders were at the table, including community leaders, climate and environmental justice advocates, faith leaders, Black and brown business leaders, labor leaders and engaged citizens. Our state’s future is brighter because of this process.”
* Sen. Michael Hastings…
“Today’s historic agreement is the culmination of a difficult, but worthwhile negotiation process where we refused to accept anything less than the best for Illinois’ clean energy future,” Hastings said. “Our work product is one that is renewable, reliable, and affordable for all Illinoisans.”
Under Senate Bill 2408, the largest investment in renewable energy in state history, Illinois will embark on an aggressive path to complete clean energy generation by 2050.
Additionally, this plan preserves nearly 28,000 direct and indirect jobs and $149 million in local economic impact.
“Job preservation and economic viability for often forgotten communities remained a focal point for me throughout this process,” Hastings said. “Not only were we able to preserve these jobs, but we also created the opportunity to train for thousands of new, good-paying jobs in the clean energy sector.”
* Sen. Sue Rezin…
“For over two years, we have spent countless hours fighting to preserve our state’s entire nuclear fleet. On the day that the Byron Generating Station was scheduled for decommission, we finally passed a bill that makes that a reality.
“While I don’t agree with everything that is included in Senate Bill 2408, it does keep our nuclear plants online, saves thousands of Illinois jobs, and puts our state on a realistic path to 100 percent clean, carbon-free energy.
“Without this bill, any hope of bringing a carbon-free energy future to Illinois by 2050 will be all but impossible and thousands of good-paying jobs would be lost throughout our state.”
* More resources…
* State Week: Energy Package Powers Through
* Podcast: What does the energy bill do?
* Illinois to become first Midwest state to adopt carbon-free electric grid
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* From an Eric Krol story for the Center for Illinois Politics…
Republicans have been fighting internally in Illinois for decades. But the central issues that sometimes divided the party have gone from gun control, gay rights and abortion to mask wearing, vaccines and Trump loyalty. Opposing mask wearing, voicing vaccine skepticism and falsely claiming Trump won the election could play well with a decent-sized chunk of GOP primary voters. Those positions also could scare off some suburban voters come November 2022.
[House Republican Leader Durkin] said he would like House Republican candidates to focus on crime, taxing and spending, President Joe Biden’s handling of the departure from Afghanistan, and inflation fears. Durkin accused top Democrats of having “all turned their back on law enforcement” by making the criminal justice system “softer and kinder on hardened criminals,” pointing to a law that will end cash bail.
“I would say (we’re looking for candidates) that fall more into the center. And they are out there,” he said.
Asked about opposition to vaccines and masks, Durkin said: “That will not be part of the equation. We are laser focused on Springfield.”
Jeanne Ives, who nearly upset Rauner in the 2018 governor primary by appealing to conservative GOP voters, suggested a different direction.
“In Illinois, you are really going to make a decision whether or not you want the government to impose its will on you in every aspect of your life, or whether you think that there are still decisions that you as an American should be responsible for making,” said Ives, a former House lawmaker who now runs a conservative policy nonprofit. “Do you still think as an American the government can only go so far in making decisions about you, your kids, your business?”
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A new day and a new way
Monday, Sep 13, 2021 - Posted by Rich Miller
* My weekly syndicated newspaper column…
“This is what decentralized, collective leadership looks like,” declared House Speaker Chris Welch’s spokesperson Jaclyn Driscoll not long after the chamber approved the climate/energy bill on an unexpectedly lopsided 83-33 roll call on September 9.
The vote was without a doubt a spectacular victory, especially considering the Senate was not able to put together its own package that could pass both chambers and be signed into law.
Not only did all but one House Democrat vote for the bill after starting the day miles from that point, but eleven House Republicans ended up on board even though House Republican leadership had said the day before that there was “nearly zero” support for it and only two Senate Republicans had voted for their chamber’s version.
The House Black Caucus has for years specialized in blowing up important bills in order to pry concessions loose for their constituency. So, Speaker Welch put Assistant Majority Leader Marcus Evans, an African-American South Sider, into the lead negotiator’s role after the Senate punted the issue to his chamber. And when the Black Caucus expectedly demanded more concessions, Leader Evans was able to make some changes and then convincingly explain to the caucus how Black folks were getting a decent deal.
Speaker Welch probably could’ve tried to strong-arm the climate/energy bill through the House with the absolute bare minimum of 71 votes (a three-fifths majority), and he might have been successful. Instead, Welch told Gov. JB Pritzker that he had to finally come to terms with Assistant House Majority Leader Jay Hoffman, who had been relentlessly advocating for an approach that would bring the state’s two municipally owned coal-fired electricity plants to a neutral bargaining position. Hoffman was one of Pritzker’s earliest supporters in the 2018 campaign, but the Metro East Democrat’s strong advocacy for coal-related jobs had put him on the outs.
Hoffman had made his pitch to Welch, but his cause was aided by House Republican Leader Jim Durkin. Welch needed votes and he asked Durkin for help but was turned down because Durkin opposed the bill. The Republican did, however, say that coal was a big issue for his caucus. At Welch’s behest, Pritzker immediately dispatched his point-person, Deputy Gov. Christian Mitchell, to Rep. Hoffman’s office. The Senate Democrats claimed for months that Mitchell was the main obstacle to closing a deal, but Mitchell and Hoffman were able to fairly quickly work out an arrangement.
Assistant House Majority Leader Robyn Gabel, Welch’s third point-person on the climate/energy bill and the most liberal of the bunch, listened closely to the enviros and effectively communicated their wants and had the political savvy to turn those wants into a doable reality. Her strong credibility also ensured that the enviros stayed in line when a deal was cut that was not close to everything the greens wanted. Leader Gabel’s role cannot be understated. This simply doesn’t happen without her.
So, yeah, Driscoll was right. This was a collective win. But Welch still deserves an enormous amount of credit for masterminding this thing across the finish line. And, frankly, for all the moaning about how Mike Madigan would’ve sealed the deal earlier, I don’t think there’s any way the former House Speaker could’ve ever gotten that many votes on a bill like this. It’s a new day and a new way.
The governor, too, played his cards right in the end. As we all know, Pritzker and Senate President Don Harmon still have, um, issues, so the two men apparently couldn’t bring themselves to make a deal with one another when the bill was in the Senate. Harmon finally accepted that reality and agreed to kick the ball to the House, where Pritzker was obviously more comfortable and willing to do whatever it took to work with Welch, including taking a deal that he might possibly have rejected if it had been made by the Senate (some insist the House bill wasn’t as strong as Harmon’s best effort last month).
Also, in retrospect, it was probably a good thing for the governor that talks with the Senate broke down at the end of May. If the bill had passed back then, the entire focus would’ve been on the huge bailout for Exelon’s nuke plants. Instead, the public conversation shifted to coal and climate change, which is a far more politically advantageous spot for Pritzker.
Whatever. It’s over now. Harmon graciously accepted the terms, and we won’t have to deal with this issue again until the inevitable “cleanup” bills surface.
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Open thread
Monday, Sep 13, 2021 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Anyone want to talk about the Bears or would you rather talk about Illinois politics and government?
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