Vaccine supply will be the biggest bottleneck in the short term. States are expected to run out of doses of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccine within days. States have had to cancel thousands of vaccine appointments. Adding to the crunch is that hospitals have a limited supply of syringes that can extract the most doses from a single vial — up to seven doses are in one Pfizer vial and 11 doses in a Moderna vial.
Biden invoked the Defense Production Act today to boost available vaccine doses and syringes, but pharma executives say they won’t be able to immediately dramatically increase capacity. In a few months additional vaccine candidates, especially one from Johnson & Johnson that requires only one dose, will also help boost vaccine supply.
Within weeks: This will be the largest mass adult vaccination campaign in U.S. history. And it requires two doses. There is no process to make sure that everyone who got their first dose can and will come back for their second doses. There is no central database tracking who got the vaccine and which one they got. Ideally, Hotez said, there would be one federal registry that would track that information, but right now providers largely have to depend on those who got a first dose to remember to get a second shot.
Many patients are struggling to even get a first appointment and there’s no guarantee that they will be able to come back a second time. “Anytime you have a two-dose regimen, some people aren’t going to come back,” said Amesh Adalja, senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security.
Finding people to administer doses, especially in rural or remote locations without health care providers, is also shaping up to be a major obstacle. About 20 states, including West Virginia and North Dakota which have led the country in distributing vaccines, have activated the National Guard to help with vaccine distribution. But in order to meet the pace of 2 to 3 million doses a day, states would need a plan to bring back retired health care workers or train others to administer the vaccine. Some are doing this, even bringing on vets and dentists, but more workers are needed.
[Had to delete an identical post because I discovered emojis can’t be put into my headlines. Oops.]
JOINT ANNOUNCEMENT
Senate President Don Harmon & Minority Leader Dan McConchie
January 21, 2021
To the Members of the Illinois Senate:
Legislating in the midst of a global pandemic has presented unprecedented challenges, and we are diligently working together to overcome each one. Our goal is to conduct a Spring Session that is as normal as possible while ensuring the safety of legislators, staff, and the public.
As we continue to develop policies and implement best practices that will allow us to safely conduct legislative business, it is in our best interest to announce that legislative session scheduled for the week of January 26th is canceled. It is our intent to have the proper procedures in place for a safe return to Springfield in February, hopefully by our next scheduled date, Tuesday, February 9 , 2021.
Between now and our return, we plan to begin conducting Senate business by way of remote committee hearings. If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to contact our respective Chiefs of Staff, Jake Butcher or Dale Righter.
Sincerely,
Don Harmon Senate President
Dan McConchie Minority Leader
This new virus variant has public health officials totally spooked, with expectations of a massive third wave heading our way because of the absolutely unconscionable fiddling by Washington, DC since the vaccine was approved.
A sharply divided Naperville City Council rejected a resolution calling on Governor Pritzker to veto the criminal justice reform bill recently passed by the General Assembly.
The criminal justice reform bill passed by state lawmakers would end cash bail and eventually require every police officer in the state to be equipped with a body camera. It is now heading to Governor Pritzker’s desk. […]
House Republican leader Jim Durkin spoke at the virtual city council meeting.
“It’s an insult to people who really truly believe in police reform, but also, it is an insult to the men and women - the 99.9 percent I mentioned earlier, who wear the badge and do it with honor,” he said.
“It is a monstrosity consisting of 764 pages. A hodgepodge of changes between a police certification proposal and a massive police reform bill.”
Some opponents also accused the original bill of defunding the police as well as the communities they serve, due to a provision that would cut state funds to areas where law enforcement agencies didn’t follow mandatory body cameras laws.
On the third day of the lame duck session, the Black Caucus held a news conference regarding their agenda. Sims, one of the criminal justice bill’s chief architects alongside Rep. Justin Slaughter, D-Chicago, noted their openness to compromise. Specifically, he cited the cash bail provision: While the bill’s original language would end the practice immediately, Sims said they were planning on pushing back the date two years at the behest of Illinois courts to make the transition to a new system easier.
Sen. Laura Ellman, D-Naperville, tweeted after the lame duck session about this period of negotiation. According to Ellman, she and other moderate Democrats opposed the more controversial provisions and withheld crucial votes that halted the advance of the legislation while these measures remained. […]
On Jan. 13, the last day of the lame duck session, the final version of the legislation was introduced well after midnight. Much of the bill’s language remained consistent with earlier drafts, but provisions affecting collective bargaining and ending qualified immunity for officers were removed in the final draft, muting the opposition from some of the key players, including the AFL/CIO.
* The cash bail provision was also altered. From Sen. Ellman…
cash bail discussion – that incorporated crucial language suggested from Illinois states attorneys; and the courts will have until 2023 to implement the changes. There were positive changes for everyone in the state that didn’t hit the headlines that I think you should know about
, too: •The legislation strengthens supports for survivors of crimes; •It expands the use of diversion to drug and mental health courts; and •It sets standards for police across Illinois that have already been championed by our local police departments in the 21st district.
Congressman Adam Kinzinger of IL’s 16th CD congratulated Joe Biden on his inauguration Wednesday, just days after calling for Donald Trump’s impeachment. Voters within Illinois’ 16th CD are not happy with Kinzinger’s comments and positions - so much so, a movement is simmering to censure the congressman.
Following the lead of Republicans in Congresswoman Liz Cheney’s Wyoming district who unanimously agreed to condemn their US representative to Congress, Republican Precinct Committeeman Austin Davies called for Kinzinger to be censured.
WHEREAS, said article of impeachment charges, inter alia, that President Donald J. Trump “repeatedly issued false statements asserting that the Presidential election results were the product of widespread fraud and should not be accepted by the American people or certified by State or Federal officials”; and
WHEREAS, said article of impeachment charges, inter alia, that President Donald J. Trump “willfully made statements that, in context, encouraged—and foreseeably resulted in—lawless action at the Capitol, such as: ‘if you don’t fight like hell you’re not going to have a country anymore’”; and
WHEREAS, said article of impeachment charges, inter alia, that President Donald J. Trump “gravely endangered the security of the United States and its institutions of Government. He threatened the integrity of the democratic system, interfered with the peaceful transition of power, and imperiled a coequal branch of Government. He thereby betrayed his trust as President, to the manifest injury of the people of the United States”; and
WHEREAS, without evidence that President Donald J. Trump committed any High Crimes or Misdemeanors, Representative Adam Kinzinger voted in favor of these articles to impeach President Donald J. Trump;
“We’ll consider the proposal that was made and let the facts drive the choice. We don’t want to be reactionary,” Winnebago GOP Vice Chairman John Guevara told Playbook.
WHEREAS, throughout the 2020 presidential election there had been widespread and credible accounts of voter fraud, some which have resulted in prosecution; and
WHEREAS, during the January 6, 2021 protest at the United States Capitol, Representative Adam Kinzinger made baseless, public claims that “This is a coup attempt,” that President Donald J. Trump is “not protecting the country,” and that “You are done and your legacy will be a disaster”; and
WHEREAS, video and photographic evidence suggests that Black Lives Matter or similar terroristic groups like Antifa instigated the violence at and incursion into the United States Capitol on January 6, 2021, the FBI has admitted it has evidence that the incursion was planned weeks in advance of the President’s rally and speech that took place on January 6, 2021, and on January 14, 2021, the day after the House approved the article of impeachment, Black Lives Matter organizer John Earle Sullivan, who can be seen disguised in photos on January 6, 2021 at the Capitol wearing a Trump hat, was arrested for his involvement in the violent acts that day; and
The fraud claim is such totally ridiculous nonsense. People who believe insane lies are responsible for their own actions. And those actions cannot be excused.
* I asked Kinzinger’s campaign office for comment…
The Congressman, along with his team, has enjoyed a long relationship with the Winnebago County GOP. Congressman Kinzinger looks forward to building on that solid foundation as they work together to navigate these next four years under a Democrat majority and through the course of this pandemic, keeping the focus on serving the community and the shared interests of the party
Adam is a friend of mine but in this case he made a mistake. People are very angry with him. They believe he overreacted before doing his homework. Instead of calling out those who broke the law, some who have now been proven not to be Trump supporters he joined Pelosi in a political impeachment not a legal one.
Politically it becomes a problem. Locally Democrats are saying he supported Trump’s initiatives all these years and he did this just to try to get cover going into remapping. And Republicans also think the motive was political.
He has a difficult road ahead.
No, Senator. Your party has a difficult road ahead.
The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum will begin welcoming visitors again on Monday, Jan. 25, with clear, simple safety protocols to protect all guests.
Visitors will need to schedule their appointments in advance so the number of people in the building at any one time can be held to safe levels. Visitors will also have to wear masks that cover the mouth and nose, answer basic health questions and have their temperatures taken before they can enter.
The facility has been meticulously cleaned and disinfected, and protective barriers have been installed in key places to ensure guest and employee safety. Visitors will be also be encouraged to stay one “Lincoln” apart – 6 feet, 4 inches, the equivalent of President Lincoln’s height.
“New public health guidelines allow us to open the museum doors again. It will be wonderful to see visitors exploring Lincoln’s life and taking inspiration from his accomplishments,” said Acting Executive Director Melissa Coultas. “We will continue to be mindful of the threat of Covid-19, and we ask our visitors to do the same.”
The library portion of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum will not immediately be open to visitors. Its reopening date has not been set yet. In the meantime, researchers can access a wealth of information by visitingwww.PresidentLincoln.Illinois.gov or emailing alplm.reference@illinois.gov.
Measures to maximize public safety include:
• Requiring tickets be purchased in advance, either online or by telephone
• Requiring face masks at all times
• Installing signs with outlines of Lincoln’s feet to help visitors maintain proper physical distance
• Reducing the number of theater performances and maintaining safe guest distancing throughout the shows (theaters will be cleaned and disinfected after each performance)
• The temporary closure of the “Mrs. Lincoln’s Attic” play area
• Establishing a strict cleaning and sanitation regimen for the museum and library.
The museum will maintain its usual schedule of being open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., seven days a week. Visitors can buy tickets up to two weeks in advance atwww.PresidentLincoln.Illinois.gov.
The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum uses a combination of rigorous scholarship and high-tech showmanship to immerse visitors in Lincoln’s life and times. The library holds an unparalleled collection of Lincoln books, documents, photographs, artifacts and art, as well as some 12 million items pertaining to all aspects of Illinois history.
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) today reported 4,979 new confirmed and probable cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Illinois, including 123 additional deaths.
- Adams County: 1 female 80s, 1 male 90s
- Bond County: 1 male 80s
- Boone County: 1 male 80s
- Christian County: 1 male 60s
- Coles County: 1 female 20s
- Cook County: 1 male 50s, 2 females 60s, 8 males 60s, 3 females 70s, 9 males 70s, 9 females 80s, 4 males 80s, 5 females 90s, 4 males 90s 1 female 100+
- Douglas County: 1 male 80s
- DuPage County: 1 female 70s, 1 male 70s, 1 female 80s, 1 female 90s
- Effingham County: 1 male 80s
- Henry County: 1 male 80s
- Iroquois County: 1 male 70s
- Jackson County: 1 male 80s
- Jersey County: 1 female 70s
- Kane County: 1 male 40s, 1 female 60s, 1 male 60s, 2 females 70s, 2 males 70s, 3 females 80s
- Kankakee County: 1 female 60s, 1 male 60s, 1 female 70s, 1 male 70s, 1 male 80s
- Knox County: 1 male 70s, 1 male 90s
- Lake County: 1 female 70s, 1 male 70s, 1 female 80s, 2 males 80s
- Lee County: 1 male 80s
- Livingston County: 1 male 70s, 1 female 90s
- Macoupin County: 1 female 80s, 1 female 90s
- Madison County: 1 male 50s, 1 female 90s
- Marion County: 1 male 60s
- Massac County: 1 female 80s
- McHenry County: 1 male 90s
- McLean County: 2 females 80s
- Montgomery County: 1 male 70s, 1 female 80s, 1 male 80s
- Peoria County: 1 female 60s, 1 male 70s, 1 female 80s
- Pike County: 2 females 80s
- Pope County: 1 male 90s
- Randolph County: 2 females 80s
- Saline County: 1 male 70s
- St. Clair County: 1 male 50s, 1 female 60s, 1 female 80s, 1 male 80s
- Tazewell County: 1 female 80s
- Will County: 1 male 60s, 1 female 70s, 1 male 80s, 1 female 90s, 1 male 90s
- Winnebago County: 1 female 70s, 1 male 80s, 1 female 90s, 1 male 90s
- Woodford County: 1 male 70s
Currently, IDPH is reporting a total of 1,086,333 cases, including 18,520 deaths, in 102 counties in Illinois. The age of cases ranges from younger than one to older than 100 years. Within the past 24 hours, laboratories have reported 99,036 specimens for a total 15,083,685. As of last night, 3,281 in Illinois were reported to be in the hospital with COVID-19. Of those, 662 patients were in the ICU and 358 patients with COVID-19 were on ventilators.
The preliminary seven-day statewide positivity for cases as a percent of total test from January 14–20, 2021 is 5.4%. The preliminary seven-day statewide test positivity from January 14–20, 2021 is 6.5%.
As of last night, 901,025 doses of vaccine have been delivered to providers in Illinois, including Chicago. In addition, approximately 524,050 doses have been allocated to the federal government’s Pharmacy Partnership Program for long-term care facilities. This brings the total Illinois doses to 1,425,075. IDPH is currently reporting a total of 572,389 vaccines administered, including 90,752 for long-term care facilities. Yesterday, a total of 34,649 doses were administered. The 7-day rolling average of vaccines administered daily is 22,585 doses.
If all the mitigation metrics continue to improve, Region 4 will move into Tier 2 on Friday, January 22, 2021.
*All data are provisional and will change. In order to rapidly report COVID-19 information to the public, data are being reported in real-time. Information is constantly being entered into an electronic system and the number of cases and deaths can change as additional information is gathered. Information for deaths previously reported has changed, therefore, today’s numbers have been adjusted. For health questions about COVID-19, call the hotline at 1-800-889-3931 or email dph.sick@illinois.gov.
* Meanwhile…
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) today announced Region 6 (Champaign, Clark, Clay, Coles, Crawford, Cumberland, De Witt, Douglas, Edgar, Effingham, Fayette, Ford, Iroquois, Jasper, Lawrence, Macon, Moultrie, Piatt, Richland, Shelby, Vermillion) is returning to Phase 4 of the Restore Plan and Region 7 (Kankakee and Will) is advancing to Tier 1. Information about which tier and phase regions are in can be found at the top of the IDPH website homepage.
“I am excited that 10 out of our 11 regions have moved out of Tier 3 mitigations,” said IDPH Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike. “However, this does not mean we can let our guard down. We must continue to practice actions to protect ourselves from the virus – wear our masks, avoid large gatherings, and get the vaccine when it is our turn. This is particularly critical as new variants circulate, which early studies show spread much more rapidly. We are headed in the right direction once again, so let’s stay the course.”
IDPH will continue to closely monitor test positivity, ICU bed availability, and the number of people in the hospital with COVID-19. Should data show regions trending in the wrong direction, based on the established mitigation metrics, regions could once again find themselves in a higher tier with increase measures.
The Republicans could easily - and I emphasize that - could easily be a majority party in the House and the Senate if we were dealing with fair maps like they do in places like Iowa. But unfortunately, you know, we’ve been gerrymandered to a degree where we’re in the minority in both chambers. But, if you look at election results for Illinois, I don’t think the representation of the General Assembly is a good reflection of the state as a whole politically.
Um, I would really like to see that data.
There’s no doubt the GOP could be somewhat more competitive, but the party got blown out at almost every level in the suburbs over the past four years.
FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: Former Illinois state Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias has ramped up fundraising in his 2022 campaign for Illinois Secretary of State, a position long held by Jesse White, who’s retiring after this term.
Giannoulias has secured hundreds of thousands of dollars in financial support for the open seat, including $400,000 raised in a single week, according to filings with the state Board of Elections.
Big-name donors include clean-energy innovator Michael Polsky, Black Opal CEO Desiree Rogers, and top Democratic Party contributors Michael Sacks and Bob Clifford, who each donated $6,000 (their wives each donated $6,000, too). Starting in January, the limits for individual contributions rose from $5,800 to $6,000 and corporate donors can now donate $12,000, up from $11,600.
Giannoulias’ team says he also has the support of Ariel Investments Co-CEO John Rogers Jr., former U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan, and Vistria Group Co-CEO Marty Nesbitt, as well as organized labor. Rogers, Duncan and Nesbitt got to know Giannoulias on the campaign trail for former President Barack Obama’s first presidential run when they were known to play pick-up basketball games.
The former state treasurer, a position he held 10 years ago, filed paperwork for his candidacy on Jan. 11 and was putting out feelers weeks before that. He most recently conducted six virtual town halls focused on communities around the state. He ran a statewide race for U.S. Senate against Republican Mark Kirk.
Money was never going to be the issue with Giannoulias. His ability to put together a campaign that can guide him through what could be a crowded primary is and will remain the question.
Some members of the Illinois State Board of Education are voicing concerns that the state will soon adopt high school graduation requirements too burdensome for schools to enforce.
ISBE members made their comments during an ISBE board meeting Wednesday, one week after the General Assembly passed an omnibus education bill pushed for by the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus, which included the new requirements.
The bill, one of a slate of equity-focused legislation passed by lawmakers during Lame Duck session last week, includes requirements for three new courses: computer science, laboratory science, and foreign language.
Both laboratory science and foreign language will be required for high school graduation. Schools will have until the 2024-2025 school year to offer laboratory science content, and until the 2028-2029 school year to implement foreign language instruction.
However, certain state education board members believe the legislature may have adopted such requirements without truly considering individual school districts’ capability or effective educational science.
“What’s the best time to teach a foreign language? It is not high school,” Board member Christine Benson said Wednesday. “What’s the second worst time to teach a foreign language? It’s junior high. [Lawmakers] did no research on this, they just added it on.”
More than 80 percent of the Chicago Teachers Union House of Delegates — the Union’s 600-member governing body — voted to pass a resolution tonight authorizing all CTU members at CPS district schools to conduct remote work only, starting on January 25, 2021, or on whatever date Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s handpicked Chicago Board of Education requires educators teaching kindergarten through eighth grade to appear in person.
The resolution will now go to full rank-and-file membership for an electronic ballot vote on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
“This is about a pandemic that has killed 400,000 Americans, and an overwhelming majority of our delegates are resolved to putting safety first and continuing to teach remotely,” CTU President Jesse Sharkey said. “In the absence of an actual commitment on safety from CPS leadership, the best assurance we have for the safety of our students and school staff right now is to continue remote learning.”
“Our members are resolved to continue working, teaching their students and doing so safely,” President Sharkey added. “Only the mayor can force a strike, and if it comes to that, that’s her choice. We choose safety.”
COVID has now surfaced in over 50 schools since CPS began forcing pre-kindergarten teachers and special education cluster teachers back into school buildings on Jan. 4. Despite that, the mayor and CPS have refused to commit to basic safety measures such as providing clear procedures for closing a building if there is a school based outbreak, testing procedures or a meaningful health metric to determine when to move between in-person and remote learning.
CPS plans to force an additional 10,000 educators back into buildings on January 25 — the same day those workers become eligible to begin receiving a COVID vaccine as members of the 1B class of essential workers.
In Chicago — where Black and Brown communities continue to shoulder a disproportionate burden of disease and death from COVID — positivity rates remain in double digits, with roughly one in eight residents in many communities testing positive for COVID. While CPS has stalled on releasing student attendance numbers since pre-K and cluster students began returning on January 11, educators are reporting near-empty or totally empty classrooms even as CPS continues to insist that members teach from unsafe classrooms instead of the safety of their home workspaces.
Public opposition to Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s dangerous reopening plan continues to grow. Forty-two out of 50 aldermen have now signed onto a letter urging Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot to hold off on reopening schools until CPS and the CTU have bargained to agreement on a safe plan to return to school buildings. At the same time, a growing number community organizations and local school councils also have formally urged the mayor to hold off on reopening unsafe school buildings.
The Union will continue to bargain with the Board this week.
* CPS email to teachers today threatening to classify collective no-shows as an “illegal strike”…
Typically, 75% of the CTU’s rank-and-file members would need to vote in favor of a walkout for a strike to be authorized. In this case, only a simple majority approval would be required, a CTU spokeswoman said, because members would be walking out over an alleged unfair labor practice — CPS’ supposed refusal to negotiate.
As of Friday, CPS had labeled 87 employees as absent without leave after they refused to show up to their schools. The district said those employees would be locked out of their Google education accounts and would not be paid until they report to their buildings in person.
CPS CEO Janice Jackson has repeatedly stated she believes a deal with the union can be struck — but she said the two sides need to focus on how to reopen safely, not whether schools should reopen.
CPS has said it spent more than $100 million to ensure school buildings are safe for students and staff, and has put in place safety protocols to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. But teachers say that’s not enough, and some who have reported to schools said there are still issues.
“I know people are infatuated with this word ‘strike,’” CTU Vice President Stacy Davis Gates said during a press conference Wednesday morning ahead of the delegate vote, “but I am saying very clearly that our activity has been and continues to be specifically about allowing space for safety and making sure that our members, our teachers, our (paraprofessionals), our clinicians are able to continue to operate instruction remotely.”
Both CPS and CTU officials, along with their respective supporters, have expressed frustration over the monthslong back-and-forth over reopening.
In her statement, Bolton also said: “In each of the more than 60 sessions that we have had with CTU leadership concerning safely re-opening our schools, the district has come to the table in good faith, and we remain committed to reaching a mutually-acceptable agreement. We have agreed to the CTU’s safety demands every step of this process and we are ready to come to a resolution that provides our families the smooth transition to in-person learning they deserve.”
She added: “CTU leadership wants to close schools that are already safely open to students, and cancel in-person learning for the tens of thousands of students who are relying on their dedicated educators to provide in-person learning in the coming weeks.”
Hats off to members of the Black caucus in the Illinois General Assembly.
They introduced four major bills — criminal justice, education, health care and economic equity — on Jan. 8 and passed three of them through the House and Senate in six days. The health care bill was approved in just one of the two legislative bodies.
Their political play using last-minute action by a lame-duck legislature could not have been handled with more sophistication and raw power. The legislation now goes for signature by Gov. J.B. Pritzker.
It will be amazing if he, in deference to the politics of the moment, doesn’t swallow them whole.
But while political calculations may have been splendid, the policy questions remain wide open.
And if you read on, there’s not a single actual policy argument made in the editorial. It’s all about process.
The bills all passed in a lawful manner. Individual legislators were free to vote however they wished. Some huge compromises were made with opponents, some fixes were promised down the road. Also, human beings tend to push things off to the deadline, which is why so many people file their taxes on April 15th.
Process can certainly be an issue. The horrific schedule of the lame duck session is most definitely worth criticism. But I can’t help but wonder if a lot (not all) of the criticism of this “process” is more about the legislators who were pushing the bills and the people who were opposed rather than the substance. And some of it is just wrong…
Defenders of this process argue that the Black caucus held a series of online hearings to listen to interested parties discuss general concepts related to these extremely complicated policy proposals.
But those discussions did not result in substantive legislation until Jan. 8, when the measures were introduced by Senate Majority Leader Kimberly Lightford. She later explained she did not show her hand until the last minute to avoid having to submit them to public scrutiny and debate.
There were hearings during the lame duck session. I wrote about some of them and watched many of them. And they all resulted in changes to the legislation, sometimes even drastic changes. The health care bill didn’t pass partly because of those hearings.
* Also, if editorialists were truly concerned about process, you’d think we would see something written about the new Senate rule that allows the Assignments Committee to send the same bills to multiple committees, which is likely going to be a huge boon to Statehouse contract lobbyists who spend most of their time killing legislation.
At a September news conference announcing the agenda, Black Caucus Chair Kimberly Lightford, a state senator from Maywood, acknowledged the national scrutiny and building momentum as a chance to address longstanding grievances and reforms sought by Black lawmakers and activists.
“This moment in time is presenting us with an unlimited opportunity to at long last address systemic racism and oppression that has plagued our communities for generations,” she said.
That same day, the Black Caucus held its first subject matter hearing, both for the agenda and for its criminal justice policy pillar. The topic was use-of-force laws and police transparency, and witnesses included representatives from the American Civil Liberties Union and the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police who clashed in their testimonies.
This scene would be repeated more than four months later on the House floor, where many of the use-of-force provisions discussed in that hearing were included in the Black Caucus criminal justice bill. The ACLU and IACP would again disagree on use-of-force provisions as witnesses in a House Criminal Judiciary Committee hearing during the lame duck session.
Following that first subject matter hearing in September, Senate committees held eight more hearings through November. Police certification, mandatory minimum sentences, drug laws, collective bargaining and transparency issues were all debated with input from relevant stakeholders months before the bill was introduced.
Fewer Americans applied for unemployment benefits last week, lowering claims to 900,000, still a historically high level that points to further job cuts in a raging pandemic.
The Labor Department’s report Thursday underscored that President Joe Biden has inherited an economy that faltered this winter as virus cases spiked, cold weather restricted dining and federal rescue aid expired. The government said that 5.1 million Americans are continuing to receive state jobless benefits, down from 5.2 million in the previous week. That signals that fewer people who are out of work are finding jobs.
New viral infections have begun to slow after months of relentless increases, though they remain high and are averaging about 200,000 a day. The number of deaths in the United States from the pandemic that erupted 10 months ago has surpassed 400,000.
Economists say one factor that likely increased jobless claims in the past two weeks is a government financial aid package that was signed into law in late December. Among other things, it provided a $300-a-week federal unemployment benefit on top of regular state jobless aid. The new benefit, which runs through mid-March, may be encouraging more Americans to apply for jobless benefits.
The U.S. Department of Labor estimates 108,892 new unemployment claims were filed during the week of Jan 11 in Illinois, according to the DOL’s weekly claims report released Thursday. […]
There were 94,944 new unemployment claims filed during the week of Jan. 4 in Illinois.
There were 45,387 new unemployment claims were filed during the week of Dec. 27 in Illinois.
There were 110,486 claims filed in Illinois the week of Dec. 20.
There were 145,054 new unemployment claims filed across the state, the week of Dec. 13.
Illinois reported 138,359 unemployment claims during the week of Dec. 6.
Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch announced the members of his House Democratic leadership team Thursday, including state Reps. Jehan Gordon-Booth, Robyn Gabel, Jaime M. Andrade, Jr., and Jay Hoffman.
Welch released the following statement:
“As we begin a new day in the House, I’m committed to assembling a Democratic leadership team that values those things that have made our caucus so successful while also pursuing needed changes to strengthen our caucus, our House and our state. Throughout their careers, Reps. Gordon-Booth, Gabel, Andrade and Hoffman have all brought leadership, integrity and unique perspectives to our chamber. They have spoke passionately for their communities and also extended their hands to their colleagues in compromise. I look forward to working closely with them, and with all members of this chamber, to meet the challenges and seize the opportunities of this moment.”
The following can be attributed to state Rep. Jehan Gordon-Booth, D-Peoria, who will serve as deputy majority leader and speaker pro-tempore:
“As Speaker Welch begins a historic speakership, I’m proud to be a part of a leadership team that recognizes that the diversity of our caucus is our strength. Last week, Democrats stood together to move forward on landmark legislation advancing justice for all – something that required each of us to think beyond our own experience and listen to one another. While there is a lot of work ahead, we will continue to work together in this way to build a stronger Illinois.”
The following can be attributed to state Rep. Robyn Gabel, D-Evanston, who will serve as assistant majority leader:
“Speaker Welch has called on every member of this House to work together to meet the challenges of this moment. We come to the table prepared to advocate for the critical services families and small businesses need to emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic, smart budget solutions that invest in our future, the health of our families, our environmental resources, strong schools and a strong economy.”
The following can be attributed to state Rep. Jaime M. Andrade, Jr., D-Chicago, who will serve as assistant majority leader:
“This leadership team reflects the diversity and geography of our state, and we share a commitment to doing what is right for every part of Illinois. The challenges ahead of us are clear, but Speaker Welch has made it clear this is no time to hide from these challenges – it’s time to confront them head on and work together to strengthen our state.”
The following can be attributed to state Rep. Jay Hoffman, D-Swansea, who will serve as assistant majority leader:
“The work ahead of our state is so critical. We are tasked with bringing Illinois through an unprecedented pandemic, repairing the budgetary damage that crisis has created, and building a stronger, more just state. Democrats stand united with Speaker Welch in this effort. We’re enthused by this new moment and remain committed to continuing our work for a stronger middle class, an economy that works for everyone, and a better Illinois for all.”
Welch’s full leadership team will consist of:
• State Rep. Greg Harris - Majority Leader
• State Rep. Jehan Gordon-Booth - Deputy Majority Leader / Speaker Pro-Tempore
• State Rep. Mary E. Flowers - Deputy Majority Leader and Dean of the Caucus
• State Rep. Jaime M. Andrade, Jr. - Assistant Majority Leader
• State Rep. Robyn Gabel - Assistant Majority Leader
• State Rep. Elizabeth Hernandez - Assistant Majority Leader
• State Rep. Jay Hoffman - Assistant Majority Leader
• State Rep. Natalie Manley - Assistant Majority Leader
• State Rep. Marcus C. Evans, Jr. - Assistant Majority Leader
• State Rep. Delia Ramirez - Assistant Majority Leader
• State Rep. Carol Ammons - Democratic Conference Chair
In addition to these leadership posts, Welch has tapped leaders within each caucus of the House Democratic delegation to serve as a caucus whips. These members will be empowered to rally the various caucuses around legislation and issues of importance to the entire Democratic Caucus. This team will be:
• State Rep. Will Guzzardi - Progressive Caucus Whip
• State Rep. Kam Buckner - Black Caucus Whip
• State Rep. Theresa Mah - Asian Caucus Whip
• State Rep. Larry Walsh, Jr. - Downstate Caucus Whip
• State Rep. Deb Conroy - Women’s Caucus Whip
• State Rep. Aaron Ortiz - Latinx Caucus Whip
Welch and his full leadership team are preparing new changes to the House rules, based on input from both sides of the aisle.
Democratic state representatives moving up to the role of assistant majority leader are North Siders Jaime Andrade and Delia Ramirez, South Sider Marcus Evans Jr. and Robyn Gabel of Evanston.
State Rep. Carol Ammons of Urbana moves up to chair of the Democratic Caucus. That position was previously held by state Rep. Kathleen Willis of Addison, who also ran for speaker but dropped out to support a candidate other than Welch.
Democratic Reps. Natalie Manley, of Joliet, Elizabeth Hernandez of Cicero and Jay Hoffman of Swansea will remain as assistant majority leaders in Welch’s ranks. Hoffman was also an unsuccessful candidate for speaker.
Gone from leadership posts are Reps. Fred Crespo of Hoffman Estates and Will Davis of Homewood, who both served as assistant majority leaders.
Members of the Latinx and Black caucuses held elections for their leaders and submitted names to Welch for inclusion in the team, the new speaker said.
