Isabel’s afternoon roundup
Wednesday, Mar 13, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller
* Alice Yin…
* Tribune…
Mayor Brandon Johnson said Wednesday the city will move ahead with evicting an unknown amount of migrants from city shelters for the first time, rejecting the latest outcry from a group of aldermen opposed to the policy.
Johnson told reporters at an unrelated West Side event an unspecified number of the thousands of migrant shelter residents who were issued 60-day notices to vacate by Saturday will receive “exemptions.” However, others without those privileges will be forced to leave and restart the process for temporary shelter. […]
It was unclear how many migrants previously required to exit will qualify for city-issued exemptions allowing them to instead stay. Johnson’s administration previously estimated as many as 5,600 could be removed, but exceptions will be made for those in the process of securing housing or out-migrating, as well as people with extenuating health circumstances, including pregnancy, he added. […]
Ald. Andre Vasquez, 40th, began circulating a letter among aldermen calling on the mayor to replace the “60 Day Eviction Policy” with a policy that addresses shelter stays on a case-by-case basis. The majority of shelter residents are not allowed to work because of their asylum seeker immigration status or cannot access rental assistance, he wrote in the letter.
* Riverfront Times…
Jeffrey Ricker and his partner Michael Wallerstein lived happily in the City of St. Louis for 18 years. […]
In February of 2022, Ricker and Wallerstein moved from their home in Botanical Heights across the river to Collinsville, Illinois. […]
Some of the reasons for the move were mundane, Ricker says: Houses are more affordable on the other side of the river and they wanted to escape the hustle and bustle of the city as they grew older. But the tipping point was the Missouri legislature and its regressive actions. […]
Ricker and Wallerstein represent just one example among many couples, families and activists who are making the decision to leave red states in pursuit of a place where they have more political safety. Nearly half (47 percent) of respondents to a 2022 survey by the National Center for Transgender Equality considered or were considering leaving their state because of laws targeting the transgender community. […]
The good news is that, unlike many other residents of deep blue cities stranded in red states, for St. Louisans, fleeing is relatively simple: You can leave the state without even leaving the metro area. And Illinois could not offer a greater contrast to Missouri.
* Loyola Chicago Center for Criminal Justice…
Statewide, pretrial jail bookings fell 17.5% between summer 2023 (i.e., pre-PFA) and fall 2023 (i.e., post-PFA); based on historical patterns, we would have expected them to fall roughly 11.5% during this period. Thus, pretrial jail bookings fell 6 percentage points more after the PFA than we would have expected, which translates to roughly 3,000 fewer people admitted to jails statewide in the three months from October to December 2023.
These decreases were evident across different types of counties: the decrease in Cook County was 3 percentage points larger than would have been expected; other urban jails experienced a decrease that was 6 percentage points larger than expected; Illinois’ rural jails collectively saw a decrease that was 8 percentage points larger than expected.
A more substantial decrease potentially attributable to the PFA was evident when changes in the pretrial jail ADPs were examined. Statewide, pretrial jail ADPs in Illinois fell 14% from summer 2023 (i.e., pre-PFA) to fall 2023 (i.e., post-PFA); historically, we would have expected them to only fall an average of 3% during this period. Thus, pretrial jail populations fell 11 percentage points more after the PFA than we would have expected . Based on these patterns, it is estimated that the pretrial jail ADP across all counties in Illinois combined decreased by roughly 1,500 individuals due to the PFA. In other words, it is estimated that the statewide pretrial jail ADP in Illinois was roughly 12,200 in the fall of 2023 but would have been roughly 13,700 without the PFA.
* Here’s the rest…
* Tri States Public Radio | West Prairie policy change raises ‘scary thought’ about possible book bans: But board member Honey Zimmerman suggested several changes, which included striking a line about complying with rules set by the Illinois State Board of Education. Zimmerman said she’s concerned about an outside agency such as ISBE telling the district what to do.
* Press release | Illinois Farm Bureau ACTIVATOR endorses State Representative Adam Niemerg: Illinois Farm Bureau ACTIVATOR issued the following statement of support for Representative Adam Niemerg. “State Representative Adam Niemerg elevates local voices from the 102nd district in Springfield. As the grandson of a farmer, he understands the needs of Illinois’ agriculture community. Choose Niemerg on March 19th.”
* Daily Herald | Two seek Democratic nomination for DuPage County coroner: “It’s a totality of issues with the current coroner,” said Jeffrey Jacobson of Downers Grove. He is running against Judith Lukas of Winfield. […] Jacobson and Lukas both spoke about using information to try to prevent death, particularly suicides and drug overdoses. Preventing death is not listed as one of the duties of a coroner in state law.
* WGLT | County Board to vote on contentious grant for Bloomington rape crisis center: A Bloomington-based rape crisis center’s request for shared sales tax dollars reserved for mental health will go to the McLean County Board for a vote Thursday. This, despite questions surrounding the request for $100,000 in stopgap funds and whether it should have been brought to the county in the first place.
* WGLT | McLean County behavioral health council meetings suspended indefinitely for not fulfilling their ‘mission’: The BHCC is the advisory board created in 2016 in conjunction with the Mental Health Action Plan (MHAP). Members — including Bloomington-Normal area social service and health stakeholders — meet quarterly to discuss how to spend shared sales tax dollars dedicated to mental health and public safety. At the meeting, County Administrator Cassy Taylor said reserves in the fund total around $3 million. [Chair Catherine Metsker] said at the meeting that the purpose of the BHCC is to “improve the behavioral health of McLean County residents and create systemic change through innovative programming and strategies.” Currently, she added, it’s failing.
* WCIA | Former Springfield charity treasurer pleads guilty to defrauding own organization: Federal prosecutors said LeAnn Shirley, 57, pleaded guilty to wire fraud relating to funds from the Illinois State Police Heritage Foundation. The Heritage Foundation is a 501(c) charity committed to preserving the history of the Illinois State Police and Shirley was its Treasurer when the fraud occurred in 2019.
* Crain’s | CPD eyes DNC security funds to purchase new helicopter, but there’s a catch: Though CPD says it can get an expedited order in, it remains unclear if a new helicopter could even arrive before the convention this August. If the helicopter doesn’t arrive in time, CPD wouldn’t be able to access those federal funds, according to the Department of Justice.
* Chalkbeat Chicago | Chicago Public Schools wants ideas for how to improve outcomes for Black students: The public meetings are part of the district’s new Black Student Success Working Group, which CPS created in the fall to provide district leaders with recommendations for its upcoming “Black Student Success Plan.” That blueprint will then be folded into the district’s overall five-year strategic plan, which is expected to be finalized this summer.
* Tribune | Visa program allows Mexican grandparents to visit Lake County-area relatives: ‘I couldn’t believe she was in my arms’: Alvarez and Aguirre were two of 16 grandparents participating in an Abuelitas family reunification celebration Sunday at Cristo Rey St. Martin College Prep in Waukegan, where they met the two men primarily responsible for the short-term visa program. Originally started in 2005 by former U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk, R-Highland Park, when he represented the 10th Congressional District, Abuelitas — the Spanish word for “grandmothers” — was restarted this year by U.S. Rep Brad Schneider, D-Highland Park, with the help of Kirk and officials on both sides of the border.
* Crain’s | City files response to building owners’ appeal on ‘Bring Chicago Home’: In a March 12 response to that appeal, the city’s deputy corporation counsel urged the Illinois Supreme Court to deny BOMA’s emergency motion for expedited consideration of its petition for leave to appeal. “There is no emergency,” Myriam Zreczny Kasper wrote in the response. “In the only paragraph of their motion that purports to explain why expedited consideration is necessary, plaintiffs assert that their challenge to a referendum concerns issues ‘that apply to the process itself and must be considered before the March 19 election.’ That is not a valid reason.”
* Sun-Times | Civic Federation questions volatility, structure, fairness of ‘Bring Chicago Home’ referendum: The 25-page analysis doesn’t comment on the legality of the binding referendum on Tuesday’s ballot — though the question of whether those votes will be counted is now before the Illinois Supreme Court. But the Civic Federation is raising questions similar to the ad campaign real estate interests are waging to defeat the referendum, which asks voters to support a graduated tax on property sales.
* WTTW | Chicago Architect John Ronan Selected to Design First National Memorial in D.C. Dedicated to Fallen Journalists: The local design firm John Ronan Architects, led by architect John Ronan, will be working to establish a final design proposal to be presented to various agencies over the coming months, according to a Wednesday news release from the Fallen Journalists Memorial Foundation, tasked with establishing the memorial. “It deals with what I think is a global issue, freedom of the press, not just an American issue,” Ronan told WTTW News. “The role of the journalist has never been more important, and the ideals of a free press never more consequential than it is today.”
* Crain’s | WBEZ eyes younger, more diverse audience in shift toward digital programming: WBEZ rolled out a new lineup of midday programs on March 4, days after announcing it would cut its two-hour local news talk show, “Reset with Sasha-Ann Simons,” to one hour. The change would allow the National Public Radio affiliate to focus on its digital audience, it said. But the new lineup does not have the local focus that “Reset” brings. It includes two one-hour nationally syndicated NPR programs: news magazine “Here & Now” and “Fresh Air,” co-hosted by Terry Gross and Tonya Mosley. In trimming “Reset,” the station seems less focused on local programming, but Tracy Brown, chief content officer for Chicago Public Media, says that’s not the case.
* Tribune | Illinois will soon be cicada central when 2 broods converge on state in historic emergence: In the United States, there are 15 broods of periodical cicadas, each of which dig their way out from underground on different 13-year or 17-year cycles. Other broods have emerged at the same time in the past decade but not in the same place. Experts consider this year unusual because two broods are co-emerging in neighboring areas in Illinois for the first time in more than two centuries. “This contact area will see all seven species at once,” said Martha Weiss, a professor of biology at Georgetown University who researches cicadas with Lill. “So evolutionary biologists are going to be very interested to be at this zone of contact because that happens very rarely.”
* Crain’s | Illinois craft breweries venture into murky waters of THC: “Consumption of beer has been declining. . . .(We) have to continue to find different channels of revenue or innovation,” said Mike Condon, co-owner of Noon Whistle Brewing. “We’re all looking at it as untapped potential — a new beverage space, if you will.” The potential reward comes with risks. The often-effervescent drinks are not part of the state’s recreational marijuana economy because the THC added into them does not come from weed. It is extracted from hemp, which is less regulated in Illinois than its more potent cousin.
* Crain’s | Bike trail connecting Chicago to Michigan gets another green light: Construction on the Marquette Greenway Trail’s Michigan strip, which will span 4 miles from the northern Indiana border to downtown New Buffalo, Mich., is slated to begin early next month. A groundbreaking celebration is set for April 3 at the eastern terminus of the trail.
* NBC | Nearly 30% of Gen Z women identify as LGBTQ, Gallup survey finds: Parsing each generation, the gender story gets more interesting. In the three younger generations surveyed — Generation Z, millennials and Generation X — women are more likely than men to identify as LGBTQ. However, in the two oldest generations — baby boomers and the Silent Generation — it is reversed. (The gender breakdown does not account for nonbinary respondents, who represented about 1% of those surveyed.)
* Sun-Times | 2024 Pitchfork Music Festival lineup features Alanis Morissette, Carly Rae Jepsen: Black Pumas, Jai Paul and 100 Gecs lead the schedule for Friday, which also includes artists such as Jeff Rosenstock, Yaeji and Sudan Archives. […] The festival will wrap up Sunday with a headlining set from Morissette, the Canadian-American songwriter best known for her 1995 hit album “Jagged Little Pill.”
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* Breaking news…
From Crain’s yesterday…
In a March 12 response to that appeal, the city’s deputy corporation counsel urged the Illinois Supreme Court to deny BOMA’s emergency motion for expedited consideration of its petition for leave to appeal.
“There is no emergency,” Myriam Zreczny Kasper wrote in the response. “In the only paragraph of their motion that purports to explain why expedited consideration is necessary, plaintiffs assert that their challenge to a referendum concerns issues ‘that apply to the process itself and must be considered before the March 19 election.’ That is not a valid reason.”
Kasper argued that the referendum itself would not change the law since the City Council must enact the tax if the referendum passes.
…Adding… WBEZ…
“As the Illinois Supreme Court refused to hear this appeal, it is confirmed: all votes cast for the citywide referendum question will be counted and reported by the Chicago Board of Elections on Election Night, March 19th,” Chicago Board of Elections spokesman Max Bever said.
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* Press release…
Ranking Member Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) and Chairman Mike Gallagher (R-WI) of the House Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party issued the below statement following the overwhelming passage of the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act.
“Today, a bipartisan group of members came together to address the grave national security risk posed by TikTok. We speak with one voice and carry the same message as the Directors of the DIA, FBI, CIA, NSA, and the head of U.S. Cyber Command — TikTok cannot continue to operate in the United States under its current ownership structure. We look forward to working with our colleagues in the Senate to pass this critical, bipartisan legislation and deliver it to the President’s desk.”
* From Krishnamoorthi’s floor remarks…
First, this bill is not a ban, and it’s not about TikTok. It’s about ByteDance. Let me tell you about ByteDance. ByteDance is a 100 percent owner of TikTok. ByteDance is controlled by the Chinese Communist Party. In fact, the editor in chief of ByteDance is the Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party cell embedded at the very highest ranks of the company. And he has been charged with making sure that TikTok and all products of ByteDance adhere to quote, correct political direction. This particular bill ensures that ByteDance divests itself of the vast majority of the ownership of TikTok. Our intention is for TikTok to continue to operate, but not under the control of the Chinese Communist Party.
Secondly, this divestment requirement is not new. It’s not without precedent. When the app Grindr, a popular LGBTQ app, was acquired by a Chinese company, and the United States government determined that sensitive data of LGBTQ members of the military and US government officials got into the hands of the Chinese Communist Party, they required divestment. This happened quickly. Why? Because Grindr was a very valuable social media company. The same is true with regard to TikTok, and there will be no disruption to users just as there was with Grindr.
Third point. Unfortunately, when Tiktok has appeared before Congress, whether it’s before the House Energy and Commerce Committee or otherwise, it has not been candid, my friends, it has not been candid. First, TikTok said its data is not accessible to China-based ByteDance employees. False. China-based employees routinely access this data, even unbeknownst to employees of TikTok USA. In addition, TikTok said its data will not be weaponized and has not been weaponized against American citizens. Again, false. Published reports have shown that TikTok data geolocation data has been used to surveil American journalists who reported on problems with Chinese-based employees having access to American user data.
Finally. Last week, under the leadership leadership of the Chairwoman and the ranking member, they brought up for consideration our bill before the House Energy and Commerce Committee. On the morning of that vote TikTok delivered a push notification and a pop-up to thousands of users across the country. They used geolocation data targeting minor children to then force them to call congressional offices in order to continue using the app. And in doing so, these children called and they asked the question, ‘What is Congress and what is a congressman?’ This influence campaign illustrates the need for this bill.
Please pardon any transcription errors.
* US Rep. Chuy García…
Congressman Jesús “Chuy” García (IL-04) released the following statement after voting NO on H.R. 7521, the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act:
“I voted NO on H.R. 7521, the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act for three main reasons.
“First, I believe the process was incredibly rushed. It’s very rare for legislation to only take four days to get from committee to the House Floor for a vote, and that shortened timeline meant important stakeholders were sidelined as this legislation took shape.
“Second, I have serious First Amendment concerns about this legislation. This bill would functionally ban the distribution of TikTok in the United States, stripping millions of people in this country—and many young people in my district— of a venue for free expression, information, and community. This legislation also grants the President broad new powers to ban other social media platforms, which invites abuse by future administrations.
“Third, I believe this politicized, piecemeal approach inadequately addresses the numerous national security and data privacy concerns about many different social media companies. I’m an enthusiastic supporter of data privacy legislation that comprehensively addresses those concerns, and I will continue to advocate for legislation that adequately responds to them.”
Thoughts?
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* From Gov. Pritzker’s press conference today…
Q: Your reaction to seeing the Chicago Bears planning to put in $2 billion to what would be a publicly owned stadium. Are you at all leaving the door open to any public funding should the Bears make such an investment that would potentially fund the majority of the project?
Pritzker: You know, saying that you’re going to put private money, I think we all assumed that they were going to put private money. If they weren’t, then there’s no chance. And so that’s a good first step. But I haven’t heard a proposal that goes along with that $2 billion private investment that says that the state should be involved in anything. I want to say it one more time: We’re prioritizing the use of dollars here for people who need it, those dollars. Wealthy owners of sports teams - I respect that they run private businesses, they want them to be profitable, and they want constantly to provide better facilities for their customers - but I don’t think that should be the highest priority for the state of Illinois. And instead, I’m willing to listen to whatever it is that they’re proposing. But my number one concern is prioritizing the dollars and making sure that the taxpayers are getting a return on their investment.
Thoughts?
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* As we discussed yesterday, 20th Senate District Senate candidate Graciela Guzman was endorsed by Bernie Sanders. Sen. Natalie Toro has appeared to counter that with this blast text…
* Isabel asked Gov. Pritzker about the photo at a press conference today…
Pritzker: You know, I take pictures virtually every day at events, something like this, where there are elected officials in attendance. And I’m always happy to do that with people who are there. Sometimes I take it with people I don’t know who come up and ask to take pictures. But it’s not an indication necessarily of support or lack thereof. It’s just something that happens at these events.
Q: Do you plan to endorse?
Pritzker: I am not endorsing, haven’t been engaged in an endorsement in that race. And I’ve seen other people using my picture here and there. I’m flattered that people think that might help them in their reelection, but, no, I’m not engaged in that.
…Adding… Guzmán campaign…
Yesterday, photos circulated of a blast text message to voters that falsely implied Gov. JB Pritzker is supporting Natalie Toro’s campaign in the Illinois 20th District State Senate primary race. Today, the governor confirmed he has not endorsed any candidate in the contest.
Caitlin Brady, campaign manager for 20th District State Senate candidate Graciela Guzmán, released the following statement:
“Misleading voters is wrong, period. Natalie Toro should apologize for her latest attempt to deceive voters and retract this dishonest text message. Our campaign is proud to be endorsed by progressive champions including Senator Bernie Sanders, Congresswoman Delia Ramirez, State Rep. Will Guzzardi, and many other local leaders. In the final days of this campaign, we encourage all candidates in this race to stick to the facts and reject this kind of desperate tactic.”
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Today’s quotable
Wednesday, Mar 13, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Center Square…
Illinois Republican state legislators continue to push for policy changes to address what they see as a poor business climate.
The credit rating assigned to Illinois by Fitch Ratings, A- in November 2023, is far below the ratings given to most of the 50 states. As of early 2024, most states have AA or AAA credit ratings, and can borrow money at much lower expense to taxpayers than can Illinois.
In a news conference Tuesday at the state capitol in Springfield, state Rep. Dan Ugaste, R-Geneva, said Democrats are promoting a narrative that “all is well.” He wants a property tax relief plan. […]
Ugaste said he’s glad Illinois has had the credit increases.
“I am glad those budgets brought those about but if you look at why Illinois’ economy is doing so much better and our revenue has increased so much, it is in large part due to inflation,” Ugaste said. “Our costs stayed what they were but inflation ticked everything up. So while we benefited from it, our people aren’t benefiting because their wages haven’t kept up.”
wut
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It’s just a bill
Wednesday, Mar 13, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller
* WAND…
Sen. Doris Turner (D-Springfield) hopes to expand the Illinois grocery initiative by allowing the state to provide grants for farmer-owned grocery stores and markets. […]
Sen. Dave Koehler (D-Peoria) is also sponsoring a measure to require the Illinois Department of Agriculture to enhance local food processing, collection and distribution through a new grant program. The local food infrastructure grants could be used for production, packaging equipment, refrigerated trucks and processing equipment among other needs. Koehler believes his plan would only cost the state $2 million. […]
A separate bill could require the state to provide free breakfast and lunch to all students attending public and private K-12 schools. Lawmakers passed a bipartisan plan to provide free school meals last year, but they did not appropriate funding for the plan in the Fiscal Year 2024 budget. Sen. Laura Ellman (D-Naperville) said she’s committed to getting $209 million approved for the program this year. […]
Another plan would establish a grant program to provide $7,500 per school to provide breakfast options after the school day has started. Sen. Christopher Belt (D-Swansea) noted that research has proven that children who eat breakfast have significantly higher scores in math, spelling and reading.
* WTVO…
A new bill circulating through the Illinois General Assembly would make it illegal for employers to require their workers to implant microchips in their bodies.
Senate Bill 3105 looks to head off implications present in the field of biotechnology. […]
In Sweden, thousands of people have had microchips inserted into their hands, according to NPR. The devices are designed to speed up users’ daily routines by swiping their hands against digital readers. […]
The Illinois law, if passed, would protect employees from being forced to implant a device beneath the skin. However, it does allow for employees to voluntarily undergo an implant.
* WAND…
Many Illinois doctors, nurses and other healthcare providers are concerned about losing their jobs due to continued delays from the state agency responsible for approving and renewing their licenses.
State lawmakers passed a bipartisan plan last fall to create a faster and more competitive bid process for software to process the licenses. Although, House Republicans argue that the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation is still failing these workers as many people have waited nearly a year without answers.
House GOP Leader Tony McCombie (R-Savanna) said most health care providers are forced to write a check to pay for their license and send it in the mail or take it directly to an IDFPR office in Springfield or Chicago. […]
[Rep. Bill Hauter (R-Morton)] has filed House Bill 1572 to allow the Secretary of Financial and Professional Regulation to issue licenses and temporary licenses to healthcare professionals on an expedited basis. Gov. JB Pritzker allowed IDFPR to issue expedited licenses throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. However, Hauter noted that the process ended and providers now wait months for approval or renewal.
* Press release…
A coalition of business groups has issued the following statement regarding SB 2979, which contains changes to the state’s Biometric Information Privacy Act:
“We thank Senate President Pro Tempore Bill Cunningham for his tireless and patient leadership in attempting to negotiate needed changes to the state’s ambiguous and outdated Biometric Information Privacy Act. Our goal throughout this process was to provide compliance clarity for entities operating in Illinois and allow for the regulated use of modern security technologies while maintaining strong privacy protections for individuals.
Though SB 2979 will place some limits on financial exposure for companies that have yet to be targeted for business-ending judgements under the existing law, it is not retroactive and therefore fails to help the thousands of businesses still fighting against massive judgements even though there is no proof that harm ever occurred. Meanwhile, businesses will still be denied the ability to deploy proven and reliable technology for security and protection purposes, such as managing access to controlled substances, limiting entry to sensitive facilities, preventing violent crime and ensuring roadway safety. For these reasons, we are unable to support this legislation in its current form.”
The coalition includes the following organizations: the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce, Illinois Chamber of Commerce, Illinois Hotel & Lodging Association, Illinois Manufacturers’ Association, Illinois Railroad Association, Illinois Retail Merchants Association, Illinois Trucking Association, and the National Federation of Independent Business Illinois.
* WBEZ…
It’s been nearly a year since Ventura hired the first incarcerated intern, Lynn Green. At the time, Green was an undergraduate student at Northwestern University and serving a 50-year sentence. Green has since earned his bachelor’s. Much of Green’s internship was spent figuring out the logistics of running such a program behind bars. Ventura, for instance, learned that using paper clips could prevent documents from getting to the interns for weeks because of security concerns. […]
Green’s work primarily focused on juvenile justice reform. Last year, Ventura filed a bill that would have shut down county juvenile detention facilities and transferred their authority to the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice. The bill was an attempt to provide oversight to county detention centers, including one that was shut down by the courts at the end of 2023 for failure to meet state standards for care of youth in custody.
Ventura wanted to take a different approach in a new juvenile justice bill, so she had Green scour through inspection reports of county youth detention facilities to catalog the most egregious breaches of state standards and identify solutions such as alternative sentencing and wraparound services. Green did his work in a parking space sized cell with the constant din of feet plodding up stairs to the upper tiers of his cell block. He often felt isolated. He kept going because, above all, he didn’t want to let the senator down. […]
Ventura also recently filed a bill Dole wrote last year that would remove a provision in the Illinois corrections code that increases sentences as a way to “deter others from committing the same crime.” Currently, that provision can be used to increase how long someone has to serve, but the way those sentences are calculated is extremely complicated and opaque, Ventura said.
* WAND…
A proposal moving in Springfield could require Illinois to establish data collection standards to save lives, promote equitable health outcomes and ensure quality healthcare for all.
Sen. Mike Simmons (D-Chicago) wants to create a new state board to review and report data on illnesses, treatments and causes of death in Illinois.
Simmons told the Senate Public Health Committee Tuesday it is important for Illinois to see health outcomes broken down by race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity and language.[…]
Senate Bill 3751 passed out of the Senate Public Health Committee on a 6-2 vote. The plan now heads to the Senate floor for further consideration.
* ABC Chicago…
Brian Beals is still getting used to walking freely on public sidewalks.
He is celebrating 90 days since being released from prison after being exonerated for a 1988 shooting that killed a 6-year-old boy and injured his mother in Englewood. […]
He walked out of the Robinson Correctional Center in December, greeted by family, carrying a box with all his worldly possessions. He could be eligible for compensation from the state, but limited to a maximum of $200,000.
Beals visited Springfield to lobby for a bill that would increase that maximum to $2 million. […]
The bill that would increase compensation already passed the House unanimously and is now in a Senate committee. Beals’ attorneys said they are waiting to see what happens with the bill before filing for his certificate of innocence.
* Sen. Robert Peters…
State Senator Robert Peters passed legislation through the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday to help more survivors of domestic and sexual violence know their rights and options for safe housing.
“This legislation will help more survivors understand their housing rights in Illinois,” said Peters (D-Chicago). “By ensuring tenants are aware of their rights, we are empowering them to access the support they need.”
Senate Bill 3652 requires the Illinois Department of Human Rights to create a summary outlining the rights and courses of action for tenants and their household members who are survivors of domestic or sexual violence. This includes their rights to end a lease early, change locks for safety reasons and to access relevant housing protections.
This summary of rights would be given to every tenant when they sign a lease, ensuring all survivors and their families have easily accessible and timely notification of their rights. Landlords who fail to provide the summary face fines up to $2,000. […]
Senate Bill 3652 now heads to the full Senate for further consideration.
* WAND…
Lawmakers approved legislation last year to require Medicaid coverage for holistic services before, during and one year after birth. Now, Sen. Lakesia Collins (D-Chicago) and Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton are advocating for a bill to require private insurance companies to cover services provided by midwives, doulas and lactation consultants. […]
Stratton told the Senate Insurance Committee Tuesday night that the governor’s birth equity initiative is a promise to women that Illinois will honor their bodies and value their lives as much as the ones they birth. […]
The Illinois Health and Life Insurance Council currently opposes the plan. Although, Laura Minzer noted that the bill is well-intended.
“Our opposition is not to the merits of the bill,” Minzer said. “It never is. When we look at holistically around eliminating the cost share for certain services, it creates cost pressures elsewhere.” […]
A House Committee approved the proposal Tuesday night, but the Senate Insurance Committee only held a subject matter on the plan.
* Sen. Mary Edly-Allen…
State Senator Mary Edly-Allen introduced new legislation that would protect artists and music labels from situations where a third-party creates music using AI and replicates their voice without permission.
“Deepfakes can falsely and convincingly portray anyone saying anything, creating confusion and eroding public trust. This raises serious implications in a world already struggling with rampant misinformation and social media manipulation,” said Edly-Allen (D-Libertyville). “We need strong regulations and protections in place to protect artists from the ever-changing world of AI that intends to steal their work and pass it off as their own.”
Last year, a song, “Heart on My Sleeve,” purportedly by Drake and The Weeknd landed on TikTok and Spotify and quickly spread across the internet. The song was created using AI by a TikTok user, who had trained AI on Drake and The Weeknd’s works and generated the new song, which perfectly mimicked the artists’ voices, lyrics, and musical styles. Within days, his video, which had gained over 9 million views, was removed from TikTok, Spotify, and other platforms in response to claims by the artists’ record label, UMG.
Under Senate Bill 3225, music studios and labels like UMG in this situation could bring a lawsuit in state court on behalf of an Illinois artist since they own the rights of their own voice, and the likeness of their voice was used for commercial purposes without permission. […]
Senate Bill 3325 passed the Senate Judiciary Committee Tuesday and now heads to the full Senate for further consideration.
* Illinois Hotel and Lodging Association…
The Illinois Hotel & Lodging Association (IHLA) today announced a legislative proposal that could raise much-needed revenue for the state by closing a loophole used by third-party booking websites that allows them to pay lower taxes when travelers book rooms online.
When hotels have a surplus room inventory, they sell rooms to third-party booking websites known as Online Travel Agencies (OTA) at a discounted rate. These third-party agencies then sell those surplus rooms to guests at a marked-up rate. However, the tax collected for that room is only on the original discounted rates, which can be significantly lower than the rates at which OTAs sell the room for. This loophole allows tens of millions of potential hotel tax dollars to go unrealized by the state.
SB 3496/HB 5144, led by the IHLA and sponsored by Sen. Cristina Castro and Rep. Marcus Evans, will close this loophole, allowing the state to collect tens of millions of dollars in additional revenue.
Closing this loophole will not only level the playing field between hotels and third-party websites, but it would also increase Illinois’ competitiveness. In the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, states across the country have doubled down on their efforts to increase travel and tourism to their states. By closing this loophole, Illinois can generate more revenue for tourism promotion, which will help attract more business to the state, further bolstering Illinois’ economy and tax revenue.
“Until we close this online travel agency loophole, the state will continue to lose tens of millions of dollars each year that could be used to fund important state programs,” said Michael Jacobson, President and CEO of the Illinois Hotel & Lodging Association. “That includes tourism promotion, which is more important than ever as we seek to return Illinois tourism to pre-pandemic levels to grow our state’s economy.”
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What the heck?
Wednesday, Mar 13, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Michael Loria at the Sun-Times…
While Mayor Brandon Johnson’s administration scoured the city for sites to house newly arrived migrants over the past year, offers for rent-free space from one of the city’s largest private property owners went unheeded.
The Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago has space in more than 60 shuttered churches, schools and other buildings listed for sale or for lease. The church also has other unused spaces from waves of closures in recent years.
Church officials offered up more than dozen of these locations to the city, emails reviewed by the Sun-Times show. […]
City Hall, on the other hand, has yet to agree on any such offers from the archdiocese, instead renting private shelter spaces at high costs. […]
As charges for privately owned shelters mount, the closest the city came to accepting the archdiocese’s free-rent offer was at St. Bartholomew’s, a Northwest Side parish that Wollan offered to the city in October.
A shelter was supposed to open there in January, but the deal never happened.
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Isabel’s morning briefing
Wednesday, Mar 13, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller
* ICYMI: Paying millions to house migrants, Chicago failed to take Catholic archdiocese up on offers of free rent. Sun-Times…
- The Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago has space in more than 60 shuttered churches, schools and other buildings listed for sale or for lease.
- Church officials offered up more than dozen of these locations to the city, emails reviewed by the Sun-Times show.
- In the emails city officials appear largely unresponsive to the offers, aside from one partially redacted email from Cristina Pacione-Zayas, who visited one site, but didn’t find it large enough.
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Governor Pritzker will be at the Governor’s Ceremonial Office in the State Capitol at 10:30 standing with sponsors to outline proposed health insurance reform initiatives. Click here to watch.
* Jason Misener…
* Here’s the rest…
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The initiative would automatically seal or redact details about someone’s reproductive health in court documents, Cook County Circuit Court Clerk Iris Martinez announced Tuesday. “In these uncertain times, we must ensure reproductive health remains a private matter and the details discussed in courtrooms around Cook County may never be held against any woman criminally or civilly,” Martinez told reporters at her Daley Center office.
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* NY Mag | Can Democrats Make 2024 the Abortion Election?: That summer, Ohioans were organizing ballot measures to protect abortion rights, and he sent them $750,000. By October, sensing momentum, he scaled up, both founding and funding a group called Think Big America that promptly sent the organizers another $250,000. He duplicated that donation in Virginia, earmarking the cash for the state Democratic party and legislative candidates who sought to prevent Republicans from passing a 15-week abortion ban. Democrats took back the state house, and Ohioans voted to protect abortion access by a large margin.
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* CBS News | Former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, Cook Co. Clerk Iris Martinez unveil Women’s Right to Privacy initiative: On Tuesday, former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot joined Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County Iris Martinez to announce a new initiative to safeguard women’s reproductive health and fertility treatment information. The Women’s Right to Privacy initiative is meant to protect the information in court case files, which are currently public records.
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* WTTW | Illinois DCFS, Other State Agencies to Hold Job Fair Thursday at UIC: DCFS is hiring for positions including child protection specialists, child welfare specialists, daycare licensing representatives, office associates, paralegal assistants, reimbursement officers and public service administrators, according to a news release.
* Sun-Times | Thomas ‘TNT’ Todd, trailblazing attorney, civil rights activist and co-founder of Operation PUSH, dies at 85: He co-founded Operation PUSH in 1971. He was one of the city’s first Black federal prosecutors. And he was the first full-time Black professor hired at Northwestern University’s law school. Mr. Todd, known as “Tom,” came up with the name PUSH — People United to Serve Humanity — and served as its first vice president under the Rev. Jesse Jackson and as acting president from 1983-1984 when Jackson ran for president.
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Live coverage
Wednesday, Mar 13, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller
* You can click here or here to follow breaking news. It’s the best we can do unless or until Twitter gets its act together.
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