* Filling Greg Harris’ shoes will not be easy, but Gabel is a very talented legislator and JG-B has clearly shown that she has the legislative chops to handle her tough assignment. Rep. Lisa Hernandez being moved up to deputy is also noteworthy since she is also state party chair. Leader Gabel, by the way, was a member of the “19” who refused to reelect Speaker Madigan. It’s a new day…
Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch announced the members of his House Democratic leadership team Thursday, which includes Majority Leader Robyn Gabel, Speaker Pro Tempore and Chief Budgeteer Jehan Gordon-Booth, Deputy Majority Leader Lisa Hernandez, Assistant Majority Leader Jay Hoffman, and Assistant Majority Leader Kam Buckner.
“As I reflect on my first two years as Speaker of the House, I’m awestruck by what we were able to accomplish for the state we are all proud to call home,” said Speaker Welch. “It didn’t come easy or without challenges, and I wouldn’t have been able to achieve that success without the support of a strong leadership team that values our core Democratic principles and has a deep desire to put Illinois back on the side of working families. This new team I have assembled to help lead the largest Democratic majority in modern times is diverse, courageous, fiercely passionate, and driven by a strong moral compass that will continue to provide clear direction for our caucus and our House. We have much work to do for the people of this state and I am proud to stand alongside these dynamic leaders, as well as the rest of this duly elected chamber, to continue down the path of progress and purpose for all of Illinois.”
The following can be attributed to Majority Leader Robyn Gabel, D-Evanston.
“I’m honored to receive the great responsibility of being chosen as majority leader and I look forward to helping our entire Democratic Caucus succeed,” said Gabel. “In this new role I will continue to prioritize values that are most important to me – collaboration, inclusivity, and assisting my colleagues deliver results for their communities. I want to thank Speaker Welch for entrusting me to be our caucus’ leader, as well as Leader Harris for his dedication to our state. I look forward to the great things we’ll accomplish together in this upcoming legislative session.”
The following can be attributed to Speaker Pro Tempore and Chief Budgeteer Jehan Gordon-Booth, D-Peoria.
“Over the past two years, we have proven what we can accomplish with a leadership group that values and understands collaboration,” said Gordon-Booth. “As we look ahead, I am more optimistic than ever that we can work together on effective solutions to address the challenges facing working families across our state. In replacing Leader Greg Harris as the new chief budget negotiator, I’ll continue to prioritize our fiscal health and responsibly utilize our resources for the betterment of Illinois. I’m thankful for the trust of my colleagues and Speaker Welch, and I look forward to serving alongside this remarkable group of leaders.”
The following can be attributed to Deputy Majority Leader Elizabeth Hernandez, D-Chicago.
“Speaker Welch remains committed to unifying not just the Democratic Caucus, but all of Illinois. This leadership team reflects his commitment to diversity and inclusivity, and his desire for continued collaboration among our growing caucus. As we look ahead to these next two years, we are all united in our shared responsibility to do what’s right for Illinoisans, and to make our state a more welcoming place to call home.”
The following can be attributed to Assistant Majority Leader Jay Hoffman, D-Swansea.
“We have important work ahead of us in this next General Assembly. We must continue to prioritize our fiscal health and respond to the needs of families working through inflationary pressures. We must find opportunities to make government more effective and efficient. And we must stand united as Democrats, alongside Speaker Welch, to build a better, stronger Illinois for all.”
The following can be attributed to Assistant Majority Leader Kam Buckner, D-Chicago.
“I want to thank Speaker Welch and the rest of my colleagues in the Democratic Caucus for entrusting me with the privilege of serving on this leadership team. Two years ago, Speaker Welch’s election as the first Black Speaker of the House in our state’s history ushered in a new era for Illinois. Since that time, we’ve seen unprecedented fiscal stability, the passage of landmark criminal justice reform, and an equity-centered clean energy jobs package. As a member of this leadership team and on behalf of the people of Illinois, I will work diligently to build upon that legislative progress.”
Speaker Welch’s full leadership team will consist of:
· State Rep. Robyn Gabel – Majority Leader
· State Rep. Jehan Gordon-Booth – Speaker Pro Tempore / Chief Budgeteer
· State Rep. Mary E. Flowers – Deputy Majority Leader / Dean of the Caucus
· State Rep. Elizabeth Hernandez – Deputy Majority Leader
· State Rep. Jay Hoffman – Assistant Majority Leader
· State Rep. Natalie Manley – Assistant Majority Leader
· State Rep. Kam Buckner – Assistant Majority Leader
· State Rep. Aaron Ortiz – Assistant Majority Leader
· State Rep. Barbara Hernandez – Assistant Majority Leader
· State Rep. Marcus Evans – Assistant Majority Leader
· State Rep. Robert “Bob” Rita – Assistant Majority Leader
· State Rep. Kelly Burke – Assistant Majority Leader
· State Rep. Theresa Mah – Majority Conference Chair
· State Rep. Nick Smith – Majority Officer / Sergeant at Arms
In addition to these leadership posts, Speaker Welch has called on members within the House Democrats to serve as caucus whips, which has been utilized as an emerging leaders program. These members will be charged with rallying various caucuses and members around legislation and priorities for the entire Democratic Caucus. This team will include:
· State Rep. Lakesia Collins – Black Caucus Whip
· State Rep. Edgar Gonzalez – Latinx Caucus Whip
· State Rep. Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz – Asian American Caucus Whip
· State Rep. Frances Ann Hurley – Mod Caucus Whip
· State Rep. Lawrence Walsh Jr. – Downstate Caucus Whip
· State Rep. Will Guzzardi – Progressive Caucus Whip
· State Rep. Anne Stava-Murray – Women’s Caucus Whip
· State Rep. Nabeela Syed – Freshman Caucus Whip
· State Rep. Maurice West – Assistant Floor Whip
· State Rep. Ann Williams – Assistant Floor Whip
· State Rep. Katie Stuart – Assistant Floor Whip
· State Rep. Bob Morgan – Assistant Floor Whip
Speaker Welch is incredibly proud of the team he’s assembled – one of the most diverse in our state’s history. It includes experienced members, whose institutional knowledge will be instrumental, while also harnessing the passion and enthusiasm of the Gen-Z generation. For the first time in the history of the Illinois House of Representatives, Speaker Welch will convene the leadership team for a leadership retreat in January to discuss emerging priorities for the House Democratic Caucus.
*** UPDATE *** House Republican Leader Tony McCombie has released her own leadership list…
Deputy Minority Leader: Norine Hammond
Deputy Minority Leader: Ryan Spain
Conference Chair: Jeff Keicher
Assistant Minority Leaders:
John Cabello
CD Davidsmeyer
Charlie Meier
Brad Stephens
Mike Marron
Jackie Haas
Floor Leader: Patrick Windhorst
That’s a pretty darned good list. Also, I gotta say, Rep. Windhorst is really growing on me.
…Adding… From Leader Stephens…
State Representative Brad Stephens (R-20) has been appointed Assistant House Minority Leader by newly elected House Republican Leader Tony McCombie as the 103rd General Assembly was sworn in on Wednesday. Stephens was elected to his second full term this past November after being appointed to the seat in 2019 succeeding former State Representative Mike McAuliffe.
• When McCombie chose Stephens, she cited his strong background and experience on economic development issues as a key component of the House Republicans’ legislative agenda moving forward
• Stephens’ knowledge of the issues facing law enforcement and first responders because his district represents both City of Chicago and suburban Cook County which continues to face a litany of crime issues.
• In fact, Stephens is the only member of the House Republican Caucus who represents the City of Chicago and one of two members in the caucus representing Cook County (the only other seat is the Durkin seat)
“I’m thrilled to be joining this momentous leadership team of Leader Tony McCombie and help achieve the goals of the caucus through pragmatic, bipartisan, and effective legislation,” said Rep. Stephens. “As the only Republican House member representing parts of Chicago, I’m looking forward to bringing the perspectives of my constituents from Chicago and suburban Cook County to these important conversations. I also look forward to building bridges between the urban areas of Illinois with our fantastic rural communities so we can pass legislation to make our state better for everyone.”
“Rep. Stephens works tirelessly for his communities and brings extensive knowledge to this position from his work at the state and local level,” said Leader McCombie. “He prioritizes the needs of his constituents and is a confident advocate for legislation that helps Illinoisans. He will also bring an invaluable perspective from the 20th District, including from the City of Chicago, first responders, and people who live in close proximity to transportation hubs around our state.”
Solid choice.
…Adding… Rep. JG-G…
State Rep. Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz, D-Glenview, issued this statement following her appointment as whip of the House Asian American Caucus:
“I’m grateful for the privilege of leading the House Asian American Caucus. With each General Assembly, Asian Americans are breaking barriers in Illinois and seeing their representation in the State Legislature grow. Asian American voices are getting louder through recent victories, such as the passage of the TEAACH Act, my measure to ensure an accurate curriculum of Asian American history in Illinois schools. I hope to lead our growing caucus to continued legislative achievements.”
A simple eyeballing of this chart really tells the story of inflation in 2022. It was a first half of the year story, not a back half of the year story. pic.twitter.com/5aoFOdUb2s
Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) Education Career Pathway Grants are preparing 10,805 future teachers in high schools across the state. The grants expose students of all backgrounds to the experience of teaching and also aim to increase the diversity of the state’s teacher workforce: 45% of students in the pathway program identify as Black or Hispanic, compared to just 14% of current teachers.
Thanks to initiatives like the Education Career Pathways Grants, Illinois has increased student enrollment in education preparation programs by 41% - from 8,534 in 2017 to 12,069 in 2021. However, Illinois schools still reported 2,139 unfilled teaching positions in October 2021, and those unfilled positions are concentrated in under-resourced communities and in bilingual and special education. […]
ISBE has released $18 million in total Education Career Pathways Grants through three rounds of grant funding. A total of 171 high schools now offer Education Career Pathways.
* This is a bit silly. Mailed ballot application signatures are matched with voter registration signatures. The Democrats say the law already allowed election judges to compare signatures on the subsequently mailed ballots to the already pre-checked ballot application signatures, but a county judge disagreed, so they made the statute more explicit. ILGOP…
After rewarding themselves with massive pay raises, Illinois Democrats are once again drunk on power, and have moved to weaken signature requirements on absentee ballots.
During the 2022 election, the DuPage County Clerk chose to flout the letter of the law by not requiring that signatures on returned vote-by-mail ballots be matched to the official signatures on file for those voters. A DuPage County judge rebuked the Clerk for this practice. “Use of the Vote by Mail ballot application to qualify signatures on the Vote by Mail ballot itself would be an obvious way to commit ballot fraud.” Now, instead of abiding by the law – or strengthening it with common sense measures like voter ID – Democrats have decided to do away with the requirement altogether.
“When the rules don’t go the Democrats’ way in Illinois, they use their massive supermajorities to change them in their favor. First they voted to give themselves massive pay raises, next they voted to weaken signature verification requirements on absentee ballots.”
Sixteen hours after Gov. JB Pritzker signed the measure into law, the Rev. Jerry Doss of Springfield’s Abundant Faith Christian Center recognized it before his invocation over the House swearing-in ceremony.
“I want to also personally thank you – the leaders and the decision-makers – for passing the bill last night on banning assault weapons,” Doss said. “We appreciate you. Thank you.”
Doss’ comment was met with rousing cheers from Democratic supporters – and silence from Republicans.
Today, Governor JB Pritzker joined local, state, and community leaders to celebrate the final structural beam being placed at the Quincy Veterans’ Home. The “Topping Out” ceremony marks a significant milestone in the nearly $300 million renovation and rehabilitation project that will provide a 260,000 square foot residential long-term care facility and 80,000 square foot independent living facility to Illinois veterans.
“With these renovations, our veterans and their families will be able to enjoy state-of-the-art facilities that support them in living their fullest life – exercising their right to excellent care in quality surroundings,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “We owe our veteran heroes nothing less – and it’s exactly what I sought to do when I dedicated nearly $300 million in state funding to this renovation in our Rebuild Illinois infrastructure plan.”
The scope of work for the Quincy Veterans’ Home includes a campus rehabilitation to buildings, infrastructure, utilities, and landscaping to support the new facilities. The project provides for the demolition of six existing buildings, and renovation of the Neilson Dining Facility to include a multi-purpose space, administrative offices, and stores.
The long-term care facility is projected to house 210 skilled-care beds with full amenities for its residents. The independent living building, referred to as a domiciliary, will host 80 independent living units, with accommodations large enough for resident spouses and children.
“Illinois continues to ensure veterans and their families thrive in our state. By building this new Veterans’ Home on the hallowed grounds of Quincy, our treasured heroes will live in a brand-new, state-of-the-art facility on a truly historic campus,” said IDVA Director Terry Prince. “The continued investment in the five Veterans’ Homes across Illinois represents the State’s commitment to Veterans and their families. We are grateful for the Governor’s support, the work of the Capital Development Board and finally, our incredible partners on the construction team for addressing the unique needs of Veterans and the Home.”
Quincy Veterans’ Home is currently 45% complete, with an anticipated substantial completion for the domiciliary set for September 2023 and the long-term care facility scheduled for February 2024. The Illinois Capital Development Board (CDB) is overseeing the project’s design and construction in accordance with the protocol for state-appropriated projects.
During the event, the last structural beam was raised to the top of the long-term care facility and attendees had the opportunity to sign the beam before it was placed on the third floor of the structure.
“The Capital Development Board is proud to work collectively with Quincy Veterans’ Home staff and the dedicated construction teams to bring this project to life,” said Capital Development Board Executive Director, Jim Underwood. “More than 150 construction workers have remained committed to advancing this project and because of their hard work, the project has remained on track, despite ongoing challenges in the construction industry.”
Mild winter temperatures have allowed the project to progress without delay. In the domiciliary, air and vapor barrier installation and brick masonry work is nearing completion. The long-term care facility has completed all grade beams, with structural steel in place for all resident wings anticipated this week.
Governor Pritzker’s bipartisan Rebuild Illinois capital plan provides essential funding to support the revitalization and improvement of Illinois roadways, state facilities, universities, bridges, and railways over a six-year period. The plan addresses critical infrastructure and economic opportunities.
Today, after being elected by his peers to serve as the Illinois Senate Republican Leader, Sen. John Curran (R-Downers Grove) announced his leadership team for the 103rd General Assembly as follows:
Senator Sue Rezin, Deputy Leader
Senator Neil Anderson, Caucus Chair
Senator Terri Bryant, Assistant Republican Leader
Senator Dale Fowler, Assistant Republican Leader
Senator Steve McClure, Assistant Republican Leader
Senator Jason Plummer, Assistant Republican Leader
Senator Sally Turner, Republican Caucus Whip
Senator Jil Tracy, Republican Caucus Whip
“This team from throughout Illinois will bring diverse perspectives, experiences, expertise and policy solutions to our caucus leadership,” Curran said. “I trust each of these members to be champions for their districts and their ideals as we work together to create a bold but doable agenda for the Senate Republicans.”
Chicago Public Schools Inspector General Will Fletcher is opening an investigation after Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s reelection campaign sent an email to Chicago Public Schools teachers asking them to encourage their students to volunteer for her campaign in exchange for class credit.
“CPS OIG has opened an investigation into this matter and we are currently gathering information to determine which, if any, policies have been violated,” Fletcher’s office said in a statement.
Chicago Inspector General Deborah Witzburg’s office confirmed they’re “gathering information” as well.
“The Office of Inspector General is aware of the public reporting on this matter. We are gathering information and we’re in contact with the Inspector General for Chicago Public Schools,” spokeswoman Deanna Shoss said in an email.
The Chicago Board of Ethics also plans to discuss the matter at its next meeting on Jan. 23, according to executive director Steve Berlin.
“This should not have happened,” Lightfoot said Thursday afternoon at a news conference. She called the emails a mistake by a staff member and said she didn’t know about the emails until Wednesday, at which point she “put an immediate stop to it.”
* The Illinois Senate said goodbye to retired Sen. Tony Muñoz today. Sen. Napoleon Harris’ speech captured Muñoz’s personality well…
* Isabel’s roundup…
* Sun-Times | Gun sellers, after sales spike ahead of state assault weapons ban, say law won’t survive: Handgun sales doubled, and rifle sales were 10 times what they were over the last year, according to owner Dan Eldridge. “There’s been quite a rush of people trying to get in under the wire,” Eldridge said. “Obviously, the law-abiding gun owners are concerned. And they’re voting with their wallets.”
* WCIA | Weather Service says radar data impacted by wind farm during Maroa tornado: “The Taylorville event, there was a bit more of a obscuration, a bit more contamination of the half degree slice,” said Shimon. That’s the lowest angle that the radar beam samples, providing information about a storm in a section that is closest to the ground. “But, even in that case, the slices above that were at least able to give us some picture of what was happening.”
* Tribune | Illinois fines health insurance company $500,000 for violations: Quartz sells health insurance plans on the Affordable Care Act exchange at healthcare.gov, and off the exchange, in parts of northwestern Illinois. The Illinois Department of Insurance announced Wednesday that it had fined the insurance company for violations of federal and state laws that require insurers to offer the same level of coverage for mental health and substance use disorder care as they do for traditional medical and surgical care.
* SJ-R | Unity marches in Springfield, Jacksonville highlight MLK Day: Martin Luther King Jr. Day events in the Springfield area feature the annual Springfield Frontiers International Memorial Breakfast and unity marches in the capital city and Jacksonville. Westminster Presbyterian Church hosts an MLK community gathering Saturday. Blackburn College’s annual MLK Convocation returns to the Carlinville campus Tuesday.
* Tribune | A pioneering Chicago architect is retiring after working on more than 100 green buildings: ‘She’s a 1st on many levels’: In the late 1990s, she led the team that designed the technical and environmental aspects of the Bachelor Enlisted Quarters at the Great Lakes Naval Training Center in North Chicago, the fourth building in the world to achieve the U.S. Green Building Council’s coveted LEED certification for sustainable design and construction. Vitt Sale also led the team overseeing the sustainable aspects of the first verified net-zero energy building in Illinois certified by the International Living Future Institute, the Adlai E. Stevenson High School East Building addition in Lincolnshire.
* Popular Info | How Walgreens manufactured a media frenzy about shoplifting: For several years, Walgreens and other major retailers have been sounding the alarm about an alleged spike in shoplifting, describing it as an existential threat to their business. These dramatic claims generated a nationwide media frenzy. Now, Walgreens is quietly backtracking.
* Sun-Times | Chicago leads nation in 2022 traffic congestion, report says: Drivers in Chicago lost an average of 155 hours to traffic, more than motorists in Boston at 134, New York at 117 and Los Angeles at 94, the report said. When compared with the rest of the world, Chicago was the second most congested globally, coming up just an hour behind London.
* Axios | Chicago’s best music venue tournament: The championship: These versatile clubs host top touring bands, up-and-coming local acts, comedians and more. Metro (and its building) have hosted local gatherings since 1927. With about a 1,100-person capacity, it has served as a home club for great local bands like The Smashing Pumpkins and Alkaline Trio. The 1892 Pilsen building that houses Thalia Hall is a designated Chicago landmark. The club can seat close to 1,000 and has hosted huge shows, including Dave Chapelle and Superchunk.
* Illinois Times | Emergency workers face murder charges: Family members of a 35-year-old Springfield man who died in December say they were glad two emergency medical service workers were charged with his murder after the pair allegedly put the man face-down on a stretcher and applied straps so tightly that he suffocated.
* WGN | Bears hire Kevin Warren as new team president, CEO: The team officially hired Big Ten Commissioner Kevin Warren as their new team president and CEO on Thursday morning. He will replace Ted Phillips, who announced he would step down from the position at the end of the 2022 season.
* Illinois Newsroom | Amid a national egg shortage, local farmers continue to deliver: But not all egg producers have suffered the same losses due to the avian flu. Penny Gioja operates Joy of Illinois Farm in Champaign. She said her birds have so far been spared, and that’s thanks in part to the farm’s location. “We’re out on this small farm west of Champaign and there are no (other) chickens that I know of within several miles of us. So the chances of our chickens getting sick is pretty low,” Gioja said.
* The Southern | Carbondale restauranteur ‘Tippy’ Cook dies : “He was as iconic as Carbondale,” said Carbondale Chamber of Commerce Executive Director William Lo, also a restaurateur in the community. “He was an institution in his restaurant and several others, always dropping sage words of wisdom.”
///BREAKING/// John Lausch, Chicago's top federal prosecutor since 2017, will be stepping down in "early 2023" Attorney General Merrick Garland announced. A Trump nominee, Lausch stayed on the job after Biden's election because of an unusual push from Illinois' two senators.
* Sun-Times | Chicago U.S. Attorney John Lausch to leave office by early March: Lausch has been Chicago’s U.S. Attorney since late 2017 and has overseen major public corruption investigations. They culminated with the indictment of former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan — and ultimately re-shaped Chicago politics.
* CBS Chicago | U.S. Attorney John Lausch stepping down as Chicago’s top federal prosecutor early this year: Lausch, who recently was tapped to review documents marked classified that were found at President Biden’s former office at a Washington think tank, told Garland he could conduct an initial review, but could not commit to a longer-term assignment, because he is planning to step down for a job in the private sector in early 2023.
The Constitutional Sheriffs and Peace Officers Association (CSPOA) is a political organization of local police officials in the United States who contend that federal and state government authorities are subordinate to the local authority of county sheriffs. Self-described constitutional sheriffs assert that they are the supreme legal authority with the power and duty to defy or disregard laws they regard as unconstitutional.
As your Sheriff, I wanted to give citizens of Kankakee County an update on the recent passage of HB 5471, also known as the Protect Illinois Communities Act.
As your duly elected Sheriff my job and my office are sworn, in fact, to protect the citizens of Kankakee County. This is a job and responsibility that I take with the utmost seriousness.
Part of my duties that I accepted upon being sworn into office was to protect the rights provided to all of us, in the Constitution. One of those enumerated rights is the right of the people to keep and bear arms provided under the 2nd amendment.
The right to keep and bear arms for defense of life, liberty and property is regarded as an inalienable right by the people.
I, among many others, believe that HB 5471 is a clear violation of the 2nd Amendment to the US Constitution.
Therefore, as the custodian of the jail and chief law enforcement official for Kankakee County, that neither myself nor my office will be checking to ensure that lawful gun owners register their weapons with the State, nor will we be arresting or housing law abiding individuals that have been charged solely with non-compliance of this Act.
-Sheriff Mike Downey
That looks like they’re gonna allow illegal gun sales to happen unabated.
Sheriffs from Jo Daviess County, Logan County, Wabash County, Edwards County and Ogle County have all posted nearly identical statements so far.
* Mark Maxwell makes a valid point…
The sheriff’s press release needs an edit. He incorrectly uses the term “law abiding individuals” to describe defiant scofflaws. Critics may ultimately convince a court that registering guns with the state is unconstitutional, but until that day comes, the requirement is law. https://t.co/uez32×6ad7
* Politico got a response from the governor’s office on a similar statement from the Greene County Sheriff…
Sheriffs have a constitutional duty to uphold the laws of the state, not pick and choose which laws they support and when. We’re confident that this law will hold up to any future legal challenges, but again, it is the current law of our state. Anyone who advocates for law, order, and public safety and then refuses to follow the law is in violation of their oath of office.
The State shall furnish 66 2/3% of the total annual salary to be paid to a sheriff. Said amounts furnished by the State shall be payable monthly by the Department of Revenue out of the Personal Property Tax Replacement Fund or the General Revenue Fund to the county in which the sheriff is elected or appointed. The county shall furnish 33 1/3% of the total annual salary.
(a) The General Assembly shall provide by law for the formation, consolidation, merger, division, and dissolution of counties, and for the transfer of territory between counties.
Just sayin.
*** UPDATE *** From comments…
(A) ban on assault weapons is clearly constitutional under the Second Amendment. The federal Courts have made a ruling on this literal controversy, and in Illinois. They have done it more than once; see Friedman v. City of Highland Park (2015) and Wilson v. Cook County (2019).
Friedman is here and Wilson is here. The Supreme Court refused to hear both.
…Adding… The governor was asked about this sheriffs topic today…
Well, the first thing I’d say is they took an oath of office to uphold the law. As law enforcement, that’s their job. And I expect them to do that job. You know, you can have all the resolutions and declarations that you want. The reality is that the laws that are on the books, you don’t get to choose which ones people are going to follow. You know, if you don’t like it, go petition for a change in the legislation or in Springfield. But as it is you don’t get to decide I’m going to drive 150 miles an hour on the highway and there should be no consequences. And the same thing is true about carrying out the assault weapons ban and a ban on high capacity magazines and also switches that are changing regular guns into essentially machine guns or automatic weapons. So I think we did the right thing. It was a consensus. There even was a Republican vote for it. And an overwhelming support across the state of Illinois, including in Downstate Illinois for this kind of a ban. Remember, nobody’s guns are getting taken away from them. There are plenty of other weapons that aren’t covered at all by this ban. And this ban is really focused on the same kinds of weapons that were banned by the federal government for 10 years and we saw a significant downdraft in the number of people who were shot and killed as a result of the passage of that assault weapons ban. We expect the same thing to happen here in Illinois.
