With lawmakers back in Springfield this week, bipartisan working groups have begun discussions on how lawmakers plan to appropriate taxpayer dollars.
Lawmakers have a May 31 deadline to pass an approximately $42 billion spending plan. That’s just the state’s side of the spending. There’s also the nearly $53 billion in federal funds the state is expected to appropriate this year. The total spending plan, including state and federal sources, is $95.5 billion, up 2.2 percent from the previous fiscal year, according to the National Association of State Budget Officers.
Then there’s the $7.5 billion the state is getting in federal COVID-19 stimulus funding.
State Rep. Mike Zalewski, D-Riverside, said there has been an ongoing discussion among Democrats about the state’s budget, but this week they brought in Republicans. […]
Several measures at the statehouse would drop that [trailer license registration fee] from $118 to where it was before the 2019 change to $18, but those measures have not advanced despite having bipartisan support.
Zalewski declined to comment on the fee. But, lawmakers are expected to adopt the overall revenue estimate.
“In a year when federal stimulus is a concern of ours, to not interfere with it with tax credits or tax deductions or tax cuts, I think it makes sense to wait for the federal government to offer guidance on that,” Zalewski said.
A proposal moving through the Illinois General Assembly would require video game developers to warn players of the financial and psychological risks of a particular in-game microtransaction — “loot boxes”.
“Loot boxes” are randomized digital items that either improve a player’s gameplay, like unlocking weapons, or alter a player’s aesthetics.
However, State Rep. Barabara Hernandez (D-Aurora) believes many younger players may not realize the virtual currency they use to purchase additional content like loot boxes are tied to real money, and as a result kids can run up substantial bills.
Senator Elgie Sims, Jr. (D-Chicago) passed legislation out of a Senate committee today to give community college boards of trustees and local housing authorities permission to develop affordable housing for community college students.
“This is about bettering the college experience for every student in this state,” said Sims. “Research shows that students who live on campus have higher GPAs. When students live on campus they are more plugged-in to the campus community and have more opportunities to join clubs, attend events and meet new people.”
A Chicago state senator wants to withhold funding from schools that apply dress codes to hairstyles. School associations and the Illinois State Board of Education are worried the bill’s punishment mechanism goes too far.
In the Senate Education Committee, Sen. Mike Simmons, D-Chicago, said policies that ban certain hairstyles in schools are outdated. He said he thinks schools will want to be on the right side of history if the amendment to SB817 becomes law. […]
Under the bill, districts out of compliance would have their names listed on the state board’s website, in addition to having their state funding kept at the previous school year’s level. Districts would receive the additional funding once they comply with the bill.
Amanda Elliott, the director of legislative affairs for the state board of education, said there are a variety of already-existing enforcement mechanisms that can be used when schools don’t comply with legislation, including a process to revoke recognition from a district. Elliott said in almost a decade with the board, she hasn’t seen a district have their recognition, and thus their funding, revoked.
“We have threatened it several times, which results in pretty quick compliance,” said Elliott. “Districts generally don’t want that to happen and come into compliance with the mandate.”
…Adding… Sen. Simmons is amending his bill.
* Press release…
A bill that would allow some public benefit recipients to purchase feminine hygiene products with their respective benefits introduced by state Rep. Barbara Hernandez, D-Aurora, recently passed unanimously out of the Illinois House of Representatives and is awaiting consideration in the Senate.
“Feminine hygiene products are not optional luxuries that most women can neglect to use, but unfortunately many low income women find themselves in situations where they cannot afford these products, which could result in very serious health concerns,” said Hernandez. “I am working to ensure that all women have access to feminine hygiene and menstrual products, no matter their income.”
Hernandez introduced House Bill 155, which would allow recipients of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the Women, Infant, and Children program (WIC) and the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program (TANF) to use their benefits to purchase feminine hygiene products, including tampons, sanitary napkins and feminine wipes.
Addressing menstrual inequalities has been a top priority of Hernandez’s throughout her time in office. In addition to passing House Bill 155 with bipartisan support, Hernandez also brought forward legislation that would require schools to provide menstrual products in bathrooms for students. She has also hosted a handful of local events about this issue including menstrual equality town hall events and feminine hygiene product donation drives to help support local women’s shelters.
“Feminine hygiene products are necessities that many low income women lack, and they should not have to choose between buying food or other goods and affording these products,” said Hernandez. “Denying access to feminine hygiene products to anyone who needs them is denying a basic human right, and we must continue to work on this issue to ensure all women have access to feminine products.”
…Adding… Another one…
State Senator Robert Peters (D-Chicago) is continuing an effort to decriminalize the transmission of human immunodeficiency virus.
“Having HIV is a health care concern, not a crime,” Peters said. “People living with HIV don’t need to worry about facing criminal charges for simply living.”
A portion of the Criminal Code – referred to as the Criminal Transmission of HIV – provides that individuals living with HIV can be criminally prosecuted, charged with a Class 2 Felony, and jailed for having consensual sex, sharing needles, or donating organs or bodily tissues or fluids. Despite the reference “transmission” in the criminal code, actual transmission is not required. Peters’ proposal repeals this portion of the criminal code.
Currently, HIV is the only communicable disease in Illinois that is criminalized.
“Those living with HIV deserve to be able to receive treatment for their condition, and not risk arrest or incarceration,” Peters said. “It’s time we end the stigma surrounding sexually transmitted diseases and start treating them like the medical conditions that they are.”
House Bill 1063 had passed the House of Representatives with bipartisan support in April. On Wednesday, the Senate Executive Committee approved it, also with bipartisan support, and it will now be sent to the full Senate for further consideration.
The Donald E. Stephens Convention and Conference Center in Rosemont announced today that they will resume hosting trade shows and public events in July of this year. The announcement follows news that the Auto Show will return to Chicago this summer.
“The Stephens Convention Center is a major economic engine not only for our community but for the State of Illinois,” said Rosemont Mayor Brad Stephens. “This one facility is responsible for $800 million in annual economic impact through everything from hotel stays and restaurant receipts to retail and even gasoline sales.”
The Donald E. Stephens Convention and Conference Center is among the largest such facilities in the United States. Staff and management are prepared to reopen with the health and safety of attendees at the top of mind. The Convention Center will be accredited by the Global Biorisk Advisory Council (GBAC) by the time shows resume. Considered the gold standard in the industry, GBAC accreditation is given to facilities that have established certain cleaning and disinfecting protocols that are carried out by highly trained professionals.
“The health and safety of our attendees is our highest priority,” said Convention Center Executive Director Chris Stephens. “We closely track and follow all best practices and guidance from the CDC and the Illinois Department of Public Health.”
Approximately 30 trade shows and public events are tentatively scheduled between July and the end of the year. With close to 1 million square feet available for shows and events, there is ample space for a limited return to events.
Before the pandemic, the Donald E. Stephens Convention and Conference Center hosted around 70 trade shows and 250 meetings and social events per year. Those shows historically bring as many as 1.5 million people to the region.
“We’re excited to take another step towards normal,” said Mayor Brad Stephens. “It’s good for Rosemont and it’s good for Illinois.”
*** UPDATE *** Another one…
Ken Griffin’s Citadel expects to have most of its U.S. employees back in its offices in Chicago, New York and Greenwich, Connecticut, by June 1, according to a person familiar with the matter. https://t.co/qyzMrxJdA7
— Crain's Chicago Business (@CrainsChicago) May 4, 2021
Some Republicans in the General Assembly, including House Minority Leader Jim Durkin, are calling for a criminal investigation into the coronavirus-related deaths at the state-run LaSalle Veterans’ Home.
The push for a criminal probe comes after a state investigative report was released Friday that found there were widespread failures at the LaSalle facility and the Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs that contributed to 36 resident deaths there since November. […]
“I wouldn’t say we’re at the level of probable cause, but it certainly does warrant further investigation on whether or not criminal negligence did take place because not only were (veterans) injured and became ill, but we did have deaths at that facility,” Durkin, of Western Springs, said at a news conference Friday.
* Excerpt from a Sen. Sue Rezin press release…
In March 2019, the Illinois Auditor General released a performance audit following the deadly Legionnaires’ Disease outbreak at the Quincy Veterans’ Home. While some of the audit’s recommendations explicitly dealt with Legionnaires’ Disease, others dealt with responding to any type of outbreak. Those recommendations were:
Recommendation 3 (Report page 100): Monitoring by IDPH
• “The Illinois Department of Public Health should revisit its policies and determine what response timeframe is adequate to conduct on-site monitoring visits in response to a confirmed outbreak…”
• “The Illinois Department of Public Health should increase communication with the facility’s staff during future outbreaks to ensure that IDPH is aware of the severity of the outbreak.”
Recommendation 4 (Report on page 100): Recommendations by the CDC
• “The Illinois Department of Public Health and the Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs should ensure the state facilities, such as the Quincy Veterans’ Home, implement all recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control following confirmed outbreaks…”
The Pritzker Administration ignored every one of these recommendations. According to legislative testimony by IDPH’s chief of staff, the agency had no policy for conducting on-site monitoring visits in response to a confirmed outbreak. The Pritzker Administration did not implement new communication protocols to ensure IDPH was fully aware of the severity of the outbreak since agency personnel failed to arrive on-site for nearly two weeks. Despite the Auditor General’s recommendation, there were no mechanisms to ensure CDC recommendations were being followed at the LaSalle home or any other state-run facility.
“A LaSalle Veterans’ Home nurse summarized the outbreak response by saying, ‘nobody seemed to know what to do,” said Sen Rezin. “Nobody indeed knew what to do at the Veterans’ Home, and nobody cared to do anything about it at the Governor’s Office.”
She makes some good points.
*** UPDATE *** Press release…
Law firm Levin & Perconti is representing more than a dozen families whose loved ones died from COVID-19 following a massive outbreak at the LaSalle Veterans’ Home in November.
A recently released Illinois Dept. of Human Services Office of Inspector General’s (OIG) report documents extensive failures by the facility’s management and executive leadership at the Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs, including a lack of proper staff training and an absence of pandemic-specific policies and procedures, as well as the failure to create a specific plan of action in case of an outbreak, even as COVID positivity rates spiked in the surrounding community.
Levin & Perconti, nationally renowned for its work representing victims in nursing home abuse and neglect cases, is pursuing cases on behalf of COVID victims in multiple private nursing homes across the state and recently filed suit on behalf of the family of 90-year-old Richard Cieski, Sr., a Korean War veteran who died as a result of the LaSalle Veterans’ Home outbreak.
“What has been revealed by the OIG report is very much consistent with what we’ve seen at other facilities where these massive outbreaks happened,” said Levin & Perconti partner Michael Bonamarte. “There are well-documented ways to protect nursing home residents from infection, clearly outlined in federal guidelines, but when leaders fail to put those protocols into practice with adequate policies, procedures and training, we see the devastating consequences of those failures. These are predictable and preventable tragedies.”
Bonamarte and the firm are already representing multiple LaSalle Veterans’ families and urge others to come forward to share their loved ones’ stories as well.
“These Illinois veterans and their loved ones deserved better,” Bonamarte said. “We are seeking to hold the responsible IDVA leaders and managers accountable for their failure to protect the elderly veterans in their care. The veterans’ loved ones want to make sure their voices are heard, their loved ones’ legacies of service are honored, and other veterans receive the quality care they deserve.”
Stand for Children Illinois has launched a widescale multi-media campaign urging Springfield lawmakers to negotiate a compromise solution for an elected Chicago school board structure that puts students first and on which all sides agree.
The campaign includes a six-figure television buy in the Chicago and Springfield markets, as well as integrated digital, mail, and telephone programs. The campaign urges constituents to reach out to their state senators and representatives and tell them that, when it comes to reforming the Chicago School Board, putting our students first must be their first priority.
It’s time for Springfield to reform the Chicago School Board and politicians and interest groups are facing off with ideas that serve their interests.
Political appointments versus costly elections? A large board or a small board?
Here’s a suggestion: Find a compromise. Choose the best ideas from each side and create a system with diversity, a voice for parents and teachers, and accountability to taxpayers.
Call your legislator. Tell them to support a compromise and put kids over politics.
Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot and Governor J.B. Pritzker today joined elected officials, tourism backers and labor leaders to announce the return of the annual Chicago Auto Show, a marquee event that draws tourists from around the world. While the Auto Show marks the first large convention to take place since the COVID-19 pandemic began, officials expect to welcome other conventions and tourist events this summer with safety precautions.
The Chicago Auto Show will be held at McCormick Place from July 15 to 19 and will incorporate several innovative safety features – including being held indoors and outdoors for the first time since it was held in Chicago in 1901. It is the nation’s largest and longest-running auto show.
“Around this time last year, McCormick Place was turned an alternate care facility that significantly aided our city during the first wave of COVID-19—making today’s announcement all the more special,” said Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot. “In the same spirit of collaboration between government, healthcare, community, and corporate partners, we are now able to bring conventions back to our beloved convention center in a way that is safe and reflective of our progress in slowing and stopping the spread of this virus. I look forward to seeing the McCormick Place reopen its doors for the Chicago Auto Show this July and further enhance our city’s ongoing Open Chicago initiative.”
“With strong public health protocols in place, the Chicago Auto Show will be the first large convention to take place in Illinois since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, setting the stage for the safe return of big events in the months to come,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “The lifesaving power of vaccinations and the hard work by the people of our city and state has led us here. In recent weeks, we have seen our statewide COVID case rates and hospitalizations flatten and begin to fall, demonstrating a surge far short of the one we saw over the fall and winter. To be clear, our fight against the virus isn’t over yet – but things are getting better.”
McCormick Place and the Chicago Auto Show have worked closely with health and tourism officials to detail mitigation strategies to ensure the safety of every attendee, starting with a lower overall capacity for attendees. Among the safety measures in place:
• a move to Hall F in West Building with 470,000 sq ft of indoor space and 100,000 sq ft of outdoor space;
• timed entrance windows and staggered entry to prevent congestion on the show floor and at arrival;
• requirement to wear face masks at all times;
• sanitization stations throughout the event;
• contactless delivery for tickets;
• temperatures will be scanned and a medical questionnaire must be filled out before entry is allowed into the event.
As the State of Illinois prepares to move into the less restrictive “Bridge Phase,” this announcement is also part of the broader “Open Chicago” initiative to safely and fully reopen the city.
Given the continuous downward trend of the COVID-19 numbers, the state of Illinois and City of Chicago have aligned on guidance for conventions returning later this summer. This news follows last week’s announcement of Expanded Phase 4 regulations and the City’s Bridge to Phase 5 of reopening. Chicago has made significant progress in reversing the rise in COVID-19 metrics that started in March and caused the City to pause the reopening plan. Since last week’s announcement, COVID-19 test positivity rate has continued to drop and is now under 5%.
“We have seen steady progress in recent weeks with a downward trend in our leading COVID metrics and more and more people stepping up to get vaccinated, which is so important in getting us out of this pandemic,” said CDPH Commissioner Allison Arwady M.D. “That has made this exciting day possible.”
“The trends are encouraging, but we must be cautious as we move forward,” said IDPH Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike. “As more venues reopen, it is critical that we increase the number of people who are vaccinated. Immunity is how we stop transmission of this virus, but we need greater community immunity and that requires as many of us as possible getting vaccinated as soon as possible.”
Statewide, 55 percent of individuals 16 and over and 79 percent of individual 65 and over have been vaccinated, helping bring down increases in new COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations. As these metrics continue to stabilize and decline, the state could soon move into the “Bridge Phase” of the Restore Illinois Reopening Plan. For conventions, this will mean events with the lesser of 1,000 people or 60 percent capacity. Following a 28-day period of continued stability or decline in key COVID-19 metrics, the state would then move into Phase 5, with all capacity limits lifted. The State is on track to be in Phase 5 in July.
“From day one, our priority has been to ensure the health of our guests and our employees, and as we re-open we will continue to be relentless in this area,” said Larita Clark, CEO of the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority (MPEA), owner of McCormick Place. “Importantly, these health measures will not take away from the experience. We know that our guests, whether it is a family wanting to check out the new Jeep Bronco or a doctor seeking the latest clinical trial data, come here for a reason. We are glad that we are able to continue to provide the outstanding experience our customers expect without compromising on health and safety.”
Throughout the COVID-19 crisis, McCormick Place has been worked closely with public health officials and followed all guidance regarding meetings and events. In 2020, the entire McCormick Place campus was awarded GBAC STAR accreditation, the gold standard for health and safety in the industry. In January 2021, Choose Chicago and McCormick Place launched Healthy Meetings Chicago, a virtual experience illustrating the new convention experience.
“Prior to COVID, McCormick Place operations generated more than $1.9 billion in economic impact to the city and state,” said Glenn Eden, Chair of the Choose Chicago Board of Directors. “As we take this step forward and move toward reopening, not only is this a positive development for the health of our city, but also for the health of our economy.”
“We stand committed to providing a safe environment for all involved and will carefully adhere to the health and safety protocols and guidelines set forth by city and state officials,” said Dave Sloan, Chicago Auto Show general manager. “McCormick Place is an important economic engine for our city and state, and we take very seriously the responsibility that comes with helping to get it running again.”
Based on the trajectory of public health metrics, officials are confident that the Auto Show and other conventions can be safely held this summer in line with best practices. However, if conditions change significantly in an unforeseen way, these plans will need to be adjusted, including the announced guidelines.
If CDPH or IDPH determines that case rates or hospitalization rates are too high to allow for the events outlined above, the guidelines will be modified.
…Adding… CFL…
The Chicago Federation of Labor released the following statement regarding the return of the Chicago Auto Show this summer:
“The Chicago labor movement is thrilled to welcome the Chicago Auto Show back to McCormick Place this summer,” said CFL President Bob Reiter. “Not only will the Chicago Auto Show put thousands of convention, tourism, and hospitality workers back on the job after an extremely difficult year, but this move demonstrates to the world that Chicago’s economy can and will bounce back from this crisis stronger than ever. I want to thank Mayor Lightfoot, Governor Pritzker, MPEA CEO Larita Clark, Choose Chicago CEO David Whitaker, Chicago Automobile Trade Association President Dave Sloan, and Illinois Hotel and Lodging Association President/CEO Michael Jacobson for their partnership and commitment to bringing the Chicago Auto Show back this summer! This move would not be possible without millions of people across Chicago and Illinois getting vaccinated, so let’s all continue to follow the guidance of public health officials and move forward with reopening our city.”
“The return of the Chicago Auto Show is welcome news to the workers of McCormick Place, countless auto show fans, and the entire city of Chicago,” said CFL Secretary-Treasurer and MPEA Vice Chair Don Villar. “The Auto Show is a beloved tradition that brings fun, excitement, and economic activity to Chicago. While we all need to continue to follow public health guidelines and keep ourselves safe, this move marks a huge step forward in reopening Chicago and will put countless people back to work.”
