In the basement of a Centralia funeral home in a dark hallway off the embalming room, tucked inside a nook behind two steel plates and a door, a visitor found three disembodied, neatly wrapped human legs, two of them marked with names and dated to the 1960s.
The discovery stunned property owner Cindy Hansen, who had been cleaning up at the site of the former Moran Queen-Boggs funeral home for weeks. After all, she’d seen her last tenant evicted, his funeral director license suspended for the home’s filthy conditions – which included a dead rat in a stairwell.
But as the shock dissipated on what first appeared to be a grisly find, a more mundane explanation materialized – the legs were likely the result of amputations, stored away decades ago until their owners died and they could be reunited and interred together, said Jay Boulanger, who has operated a funeral home in Highland for decades. […]
The discovery was made at the former funeral home operated by Hugh Moran in recent years, but he surrendered his license in March after state regulators found his facility in deplorable condition. But the hidden nature of the room and the fact that two of the legs were dated decades before Moran operated the facility indicate he was not involved in placing them there. […]
The conditions at Moran’s funeral home became public within months of a discovery that a Carlinville funeral home provided the wrong ashes to at least 80 families, spawning lawsuits and legislation.
* ACLU…
By passing House Bill 4781 (the KIND Act), the Illinois House is making sure that our state’s family regulation system prioritizes the interests of youth in that system. For too long, Illinois policy has failed to recognize the valuable role played by relatives who step in to care for youth when DCFS removes these children from their parents. The KIND Act recognizes the positive role these relatives play in the lives of children – whose lives have been disrupted – and provides the same resources to care for the child made available to foster parents who may well be strangers.
Research shows that placing youth in the family regulation system with relatives, rather than strangers acting as foster parents, is good policy. Staying with a family member lessens trauma of family separation, reduces the number of times a child is moved, enhances permanency options if youth cannot be reunified, results in higher placement satisfaction for youth in care, and delivers better social, behavioral, mental health, and educational outcomes for youth than when they are placed in non-kin foster care.
We thank Representative Marcus Evans for his leadership in securing passage of the KIND Act in the House. We look forward to continuing this momentum in the Senate in the remaining weeks of the session.
*** Statehouse ***
* Guy A. Medaglia | Gov J.B. Pritzker goes after insurance companies. What about the state itself?: Our hospital in 2020 sued the state of Illinois. It wasn’t an easy decision. No one wants to bite the hand that feeds them. But the managed care system is breaking us. The state is fighting our lawsuit at every turn. Fortunately, the courts have stepped in to protect us. A federal appeals court recently ruled that our lawsuit has a right to proceed. The hospital “depends on full, timely Medicaid payments to keep its doors open and provide care to patients,” the ruling judges wrote.
*** Statewide ***
* WBEZ | Planned Parenthood offers abortion pills via app to expand access in Illinois: Patients who are up to 10 weeks pregnant can fill out screening questions on the Planned Parenthood Direct app any time of the day and provide an Illinois address where their medication abortion pills mifepristone and misoprostol would be mailed if they qualify. That could be a house, or a hotel. Some Planned Parenthood affiliates already mail pills to patients, but require at least a virtual visit with a medical provider first.
* ProPublica | Even when a cop is killed with an illegally purchased weapon, the gun store’s name is kept secret: ProPublica has viewed federal filings in both the Northern District of Illinois and the Northern District of Indiana where retailers were named in conjunction with cases against individuals who lied to make gun purchases or later resold the guns illegally in so-called straw sales. One such gun was bought from an Indiana retailer and days later used in a shooting that left two Wisconsin police officers severely injured, ProPublica reported in March. The retailer involved was never charged yet still was named in court records.
* Tribune | State seeks to salvage high-profile conviction in Hadiya Pendleton slaying in arguments before Illinois Supreme Court: More than a decade after the killing of 15-year-old Hadiya Pendleton put a national spotlight on Chicago’s entrenched problem with gun violence, Illinois prosecutors worked to salvage a conviction against the alleged shooter before the state’s highest court in Springfield. […] Though Micheail Ward, 30, was convicted of first-degree murder and two counts of aggravated battery following a lengthy jury trial in 2018, an Illinois appeals court last year overturned his convictions and ordered a new trial, finding that Chicago police detectives violated his rights by continuing to question him after he invoked his right to remain silent.
*** Chicago ***
* Crain’s | Advocates tell mayor: Fund transit, not stadiums: In a letter signed by eight Chicago transit groups including the Metropolitan Planning Council, Active Transportation Alliance and Commuters Take Action, the organizations blasted the proposal to use public money to help build a new domed stadium at a time when local transit agencies are facing a $730 million fiscal cliff. A response from the Bears was not returned by press time.
* Block Club | Will Bears Stadium Be ‘For Our Children’? Some Community Leaders Are Skeptical: Educator Andre Russell doubts the new stadium will be built. If it is, he’d like to see the professional sports team offer more programs to kids in the city, prioritizing students from the Near South Side and Bronzeville, he said. The CPS high school teacher said whoever assumes the community liaison role once the stadium is built will have to know the lay of the land to better create programs for the city’s young people.
* Chalkbeat | Organizers of Democratic National Convention in Chicago launch student art competition: Students and graduating seniors from public and private high schools across the Chicago area have until June 10 at 5 p.m. to submit their designs. Original artwork can include drawings, paintings, photography or other two-dimensional media, but must be created by hand and without the help of artificial intelligence.
* Block Club | What’s Inside The Bean? Photos Show Construction Of ‘Cloud Gate’: The stainless steel skin hides an internal skeleton with flexible connectors that allow it to expand and contract in Chicago’s extreme weather. Thirty-three feet high, 42 feet wide and 66 feet long, its cost was a reported $23 million.
*** Cook County and Suburbs ***
* NBC Chicago | Local activist, Dolton trustee Andrew Holmes terminated by Chicago Survivors over assault allegations: Chicago Survivors issued the following statement to NBC Chicago: “Our mission is to provide crime victim services to family members of homicide victims, so our relationships with those families and our community is paramount. Without compromise, there needs to be strong mutual trust and an assumed high level of safety for the adults and children we serve. For those reasons, we terminated his employment in April upon learning of the serious allegations.”
* Naperville Sun | DuPage County state’s attorney’s office to sue county clerk over unpaid bills: The DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office plans to file a civil lawsuit against DuPage County Clerk Jean Kaczmarek and her office over $224,000 in invoices submitted for purchases not properly approved or made without going through a bidding process. Kaczmarek threatened similar action in a May 7 memo to DuPage County Board Chair Deborah Conroy in which she said she’d instruct the state’s attorney to file legal action against the county if invoices submitted by her office were not paid by the county treasurer.
* KFVS | How SIUC researchers transformed waste plastic into food: A team of researchers at Southern Illinois University Carbondale have been working on new food technologies, including processing waste biomass and plastic to create a specialized yeast that can then be converted into proteins. Called µBites, which means “microbites,” the proteins can be 3D-printed into cookies or other foods.
* SJ-R | Mail delivery changes in Springfield halted until 2025: Postmaster General Louis DeJoy in a letter to Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Chairman Gary Peters on May 9 confirmed that mail processing facility reviews and planned implemented changes will halt until next year, following a slew of senators sending letters to DeJoy. Until the changes are made however, DeJoy said the investments into current branches will be halted, as well.
* WGLT | ISU trustees to hold special meeting for vote on increasing student fees, housing and dining: At the time, then-interim president Aondover Tarhulesaid the need to increase fees came from rising costs for the university across the board that were outpacing revenue. He added that student financial aid is one of ISU’s fastest-growing expenses, increasing from $25 million a year to about $47 million for the current academic year. That figure had risen, he said then, “with no increase in enrollment or credit hour generation.”
*** National ***
* AP | Survey finds 8,000 women a month got abortion pills despite their states’ bans or restrictions : “People … are using the various mechanisms to get pills that are out there,” Drexel University law professor David Cohen said. This “is not surprising based on what we know throughout human history and across the world: People will find a way to terminate pregnancies they don’t want.” A Pew Research Center poll conducted in April found that Americans are substantially more likely to say that medication abortion should be legal, rather than illegal, in their state.
* NYT | 17% of Voters Blame Biden for the End of Roe: Many voters who held Mr. Biden responsible said they simply didn’t pay close attention to politics or government affairs. For some, the confusion came from the fact that the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision happened while Mr. Biden was president. DeLana Marsh, 30, of Holly Springs, Ga., supports abortion rights and opposes a new Georgia law that bans abortions after six weeks of pregnancy: “I don’t think a group of men should be able to decide that for us.”
* HB4848 passed the House 103-0 and cleared the Senate Transportation Committee 13-1. [Adding: The Senate just approved it.] Synopsis…
Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that no person shall operate or cause to be operated, on a highway, a commercial motor vehicle, with the exception of a highway maintenance vehicle, transporting garbage or refuse unless the tailgate on the vehicle is in good working repair, good operating condition, and closes securely, with a cover or tarpaulin of sufficient size attached so as to prevent any load, residue, or other material from escaping. Provides that a violation of the provisions shall be a petty offense punishable by a fine not to exceed $150 (rather than $250). Provides that a person, firm, or corporation convicted of 4 or more violations within a 12-month period shall be fined an additional amount of $150 for the fourth and each subsequent conviction within the 12-month period. Amends the Criminal and Traffic Assessment Act. In provisions concerning conditional assessments, provides for distribution of a conditional assessment for a violation of the provisions.
An example of what this bill is trying to prevent…
* The Question: Have you had experience with garbage trucks spewing garbage as they are driven on a road? Explain.
* M3 Strategies does some Republican work, but its final Chicago mayoral first round poll was extremely close to the result, and an earlier poll showed Brandon Johnson’s surge. Crain’s…
As he flips the calendar on his first year in office today, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson faces an array of challenges, not the least of which is the need to dig out from a net approval rating of -29%.
That’s the top-line finding of a new poll for Crain’s Chicago Business by M3 Strategies, a Chicago political consultancy, which polled 415 likely general election voters in Chicago from April 29 to 30.
Only a combined 28% of likely voters polled said they approve of Johnson’s performance in office, while a majority (57%) disapprove and 41% strongly disapprove.
Wednesday, May 15, 2024 - Posted by Advertising Department
[The following is a paid advertisement.]
Surgo Ventures partnered with Uber Health and local health centers to provide transportation assistance to expectant mothers facing transportation challenges to their prenatal appointments. Across one city, the initiative covered over 30,000 miles, ensuring over 450 participants reached their prenatal appointments without hassle. One participant shared, ‘There were days when I didn’t want to get up from bed. Knowing that someone was going to pick me up… made me feel safer.’ With programs like Rides for Moms, transportation is no longer a barrier for new mothers to access essential medical care. Learn more
* Governor JB Pritzker’s office sent this letter to legislators on Monday…
Dear Members of the Illinois General Assembly:
My office is thrilled to join the diverse group of stakeholders working in support of the Dignity in Pay Act (HB793). This bill, sponsored by House Leader Theresa Mah and Senate Leader Cristina Castro, represents a significant step forward in expanding opportunities and ensuring fair and equal pay for Illinois workers with disabilities.
House Amendment three to the Dignity in Pay Act is a carefully negotiated compromise supported by an array of organizations. The newest supporters include groups like Special Olympics Illinois, the Illinois Association of Rehabilitation Facilities (IARF), the National Down Syndrome Society, the Illinois Spina Bifida Association, the Institute on Public Policy for People with Disabilities, and dozens of other groups who provide direct service and support to Illinoisans with disabilities.
These groups are joining the fight for fairness alongside long-time backers, including Access Living of Metropolitan Chicago, the Illinois Network of Centers for Independent Living, the National Federation of the Blind of Illinois, and the Shriver Center on Poverty Law.
For too long, a provision in the 1938 Fair Labor Standards Act has allowed for Subminimum Wage payment to individuals with disabilities by entities with special authorization, generally referred to as 14(c) certificates. Since the Americans with Disabilities Act passed in 1990, the US Supreme Court ruling in Olmstead in 1999, and numerous other strides made by civil rights leaders, we’ve made extraordinary progress in understanding the unlimited potential contributions, and the many injustices too often experienced, by people with disabilities in our country – especially when it comes to finding a job.
To date, 18 states (and the City of Chicago) have acted to phase out 14(c) and expand programs that increase inclusion and access to competitive integrated employment. A range of employers across Illinois have successfully shifted their focus to Supported Employment and meaningful day program opportunities – including Misericordia, the Arc, MarcFirst, Ray Graham, the Lighthouse for the Blind, Thresholds, and Macon Resources, Inc., among many others.
The Dignity in Pay Act requires the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS), the Illinois Council on Developmental Disabilities, and the Illinois Department of Labor to lead a responsible and gradual 5-year process to increase employment options for people with disabilities and phase out 14(c) subminimum wage authorizations.
The amended bill’s key changes include:
1. Extending the phase-out period to five years (July 1, 2029), allowing for a longer, smoother change ramp for employers and employees.
2. Creating a Transition Program Grant to assist employers and employees with the necessary resources to navigate the phase-out.
3. Requiring an increase to Supported Employment Rates to ensure providers have the resources to effectively support community employment programs.
4. Adding the Illinois Council on Developmental Disabilities (ICCDD) and an academic partner to bolster research and development efforts for a smart, well supported change in state policy.
The Dignity in Pay Act is one step we can take together to build a more equitable and inclusive Illinois. This legislation fosters a future where all individuals, regardless of ability, can contribute their talents and skills to our workforce and earn a fair wage.
With broad stakeholder compromise and support, I urge the Illinois House and Senate to pass the Dignity in Pay Act so that I can sign it into law.
Here’s where similar legislation has been passed or is pending. From the governor’s office…
Eliminated
1.Alaska
2.Colorado
3.Delaware
4.District of Columbia
5.Hawaii
6.Maine
7.Maryland
8.New Hampshire
9.Oregon
10.Rhode Island
11.Tennessee
12.Vermont
13.Washington
14. West Virginia
Implementing Phase Out
1.California
2.Kansas
3.South Carolina
4.Virginia
Legislation Pending
1.Connecticut
2.Georgia
3.Illinois
4.Minnesota
5.Nevada
6.New York
Rep. Charlie Meier has been dead set against the bill. Here’s an Op-Ed from Meier…
Throughout my time in Springfield serving southern Illinois and portions of the Metro-East, I have worked hard to represent the best interests of the citizens in our state that live in the care of the state, live in Community Integrated Living Arrangements, and for those developmentally disabled individuals that perform light tasks at “14c Workshops” throughout the state.
A well-intentioned, but badly flawed, bill pending in Springfield is threatening to permanently place individuals working in 14c workshops out of a job. The legislation would raise the minimum wage for these jobs to $15 per hour. The concept sounds good. The businesses that are partnering with these 14c’s are more than likely to cut off their financial support. A look at the numbers reveals that the costs associated with participating in these programs would explode to unaffordable levels.
Currently, companies that pay individuals for 10 hours of work per week pay a little over $7.5 million. If HB 793 is passed and signed into law, when the wage paid to 14c employees reaches $15 per hour, the cost explodes to more than $27 million. For companies paying individuals the current rate for 25 hours of work per week, the cost is a little under $19 million. If HB 793 is passed and signed into law, when the wage reaches $15 per hour, those companies will pay a combined whopping total of more than $68.5 million. In addition to higher costs to companies, clients will be forced to pay much higher taxes on their income.
During last year’s Session, I worked to educate my fellow legislators as to the very real pitfalls in increasing the minimum wage at 14c workshops. I was successful, and I believe the programs have continued because the effort failed.
Fast-paced crowded workplaces and strange new people and new places have the tendency to scare and overwhelm certain individuals with profound disabilities.
14c clients and their families know that when they are performing their duties at the workshop that they are safe and cared for and that all of their medical and mental needs are being met. The 14cs provide the best of all worlds for clients, their families, companies, and nonprofits.
This year, advocates for the change have beefed up their messaging efforts and are once again on the cusp of passing HB 793. I’m working once again to stop the bill from passing.
The majority of the workshops I’ve talked to are either neutral or opposed to HB 793. However, they are afraid of negative consequences to their facilities and clients if they speak out.
For the sake of my friends in the developmental disability community, their families, and the dignity that comes with the work and the paycheck they receive at 14c workshops, I would ask my colleagues in the legislature to stop moving HB 793 and work with me and community partners to ensure that 14c workshop opportunities will continue to be able to operate these vital and valuable programs. Save the jobs of my friends in the DD community.
Please vote no on HB 793.
HB793 is currently in the House Rules Committee with a May 31 Third Reading deadline.
A bill in Springfield would end the requirement that prosecutors be notified when a baby is born with controlled substances in his or her system and would no longer necessarily consider that evidence of child abuse.
The hope is that by taking away the threat of losing custody of a baby, mothers would be more likely to seek treatment.
The initiative was prompted by a finding that the leading cause of death in Illinois among expectant or new mothers is drug use. Almost one-third of the 263 such mothers who died in 2018 to 2020 died of substance use, the state Department of Public Health reported.
The proposed change in the law would create a task force to develop a plan for helping infants and mothers exposed to illicit drugs during pregnancy. These family recovery plans would include medical care, recovery support and referrals to community services for the child and caregiver.
During 2018-2020, 5.4% of live births had a maternal substance use disorder recorded by the delivery hospital. Maternal
substance use disorders were recorded by the delivery hospital most often for women who were American Indian (13.1%), younger than 25 years (7.9%), had a high school education or less (10.5%), lived in urban counties outside the Chicago area (10.1%) or rural counties (12.2%), and who had Medicaid insurance (9.9%).
The percentage of live births with a maternal substance use disorder recorded by the delivery hospital varied across counties. During 2018-2020, maternal substance use disorders recorded by the delivery hospital were lowest in DuPage County (1.4%) and highest in Edgar County (24.3%). Twenty-three counties had a maternal substance use disorder recorded for 16% or more of their live births (Alexander, Christian, Clark, Coles, Edgar, Fayette, Fulton, Gallatin, Greene, Hardin, Lawrence, Logan, Mason, Massac, Montgomery, Pike, Pope, Richland, Saline, Scott, Vermilion, Wabash, and White). […]
Crystal’s Story
Crystal was a Black woman in her 30s with a history of substance use disorder, anxiety, and bipolar disorder. She had been raised in foster care due to her parents being incarcerated. Throughout prenatal care there was no documentation of referrals or treatment for her mental health. The medical record notes from providers included undertones of blaming language surrounding her “unwillingness” to quit her substance use and classifying her as a “known drug user.” Around her sixth month of pregnancy, Crystal went to the emergency department with abdominal pain. A hospital social worker told her that DCFS would be contacted due to her positive urine drug test. Crystal became upset and started to cry due to the fear of losing her children and asked to be discharged. She then left the hospital against medical advice. The social worker reported her to DCFS after the hospital stay. In her prenatal care visits after this emergency department visit, there was no documented follow-up for Crystal’s substance use disorder or other mental health conditions. She later gave birth to a full-term healthy baby. From the hospital records available, it seems the infant was not taken into DCFS care after birth. After delivery, there is no record of Crystal receiving a postpartum visit or any other care. She died two months postpartum of a drug overdose from a combination of fentanyl and cocaine.
What can we learn from Crystal’s death?
Women who have substance use disorder can experience stigma and bias related to their substance use, especially during pregnancy. This can result in some women avoiding medical care during or after pregnancy due to the fear of DCFS reporting and the potential to lose custody of their child(ren). Health care providers should seek out training to further understand the impact stigma related to substance use affects care to improve respectful care practices for all patients. While it is currently Illinois law to report positive urine drug screens to DCFS after an infant is born, there is no mandated reporting for drug screenings during pregnancy prior to the baby’s birth. Crystal’s health care providers did not assess her readiness for substance use disorder treatment.
State lawmakers could pass a plan in the final weeks of session to improve procedures for student discipline. This comes as many teachers and administrators across the state have asked for help to address school safety.
The Illinois State Board of Education could be required to draft and publish guidance for development of reciprocal reporting systems between schools and law enforcement.
This measure calls on ISBE to publish guidance for re-engagement of students suspended, expelled or returning from an alternative school setting. […]
Senate Bill 1400 passed unanimously out of the Senate Education Committee Tuesday afternoon. The plan now moves to the Senate floor for further consideration.
House Bill 3908, sponsored by state Rep. Katie Stuart, D-Edwardsville, would allow firefighters to take time off to care for a family member with a serious health condition, or for the birth of a child and caring for the newborn.
They would also be able to use the time to care for a newly-adopted child under 18, a newly-placed foster child under 18, or for a newly-adopted or placed foster child older than 18 if they are unable to care for themselves due to a mental or physical disability.
Firefighters would also have the option to voluntarily waive their right to paid family leave. […]
If the bill passes, Stuart said details of how this would work on a local level will be done through negotiations and collective bargaining agreements between municipalities and the firefighter unions.
The Illinois Municipal League, a lobbying group that advocates on behalf of the state’s cities and towns, opposes the bill, deeming it an unfunded mandate on municipalities and preemption of local government decision-making.
A coalition of environmental and agricultural groups are encouraging state lawmakers to expand the Illinois Fall Covers for Spring Savings Program (FCSS). […]
Farmers who are accepted into the program receive a $5-an-acre subsidy on their next year’s crop insurance for every acre of cover crops they plant. [Eliot Clay, land use programs director with the Illinois Environmental Council] says the groups want to see 3-million dollars allocated to cover 500-thousand acres in the next state budget. […]
This year the program received 660-thousand dollars and covered 100-thousand acres.
* Rep. Margaret Croke…
Yesterday, State Representative Margaret Croke’s legislation to increase insurance coverage of In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) treatments passed the Illinois House with bipartisan support, and is headed to Governor JB Pritzker’s desk to be signed into law. The bill removes the current limitation, which requires insurance to only cover four rounds of IVF treatments, and also includes coverage for an annual menopause health visit.
“As reproductive health has been under attack across the country, I’m so proud that Illinois is continuing to prioritize access to care like IVF. I’m thrilled to see this legislation heading to Governor Pritzker’s desk after receiving bipartisan support in both the House and Senate. The previous insurance cap was not based in science, and unfortunately has created financial barriers for individuals hoping to start or grow families,” said State Representative Margaret Croke. “Being a mom has been the most rewarding and incredible experience of my life, and it’s something everyone who wants to should have the opportunity to do. I’m grateful that we’re taking steps to increase access to this care here in Illinois.”
Currently, insurance companies in Illinois are only required to cover four rounds of IVF, but for many families it can take at least six rounds of IVF to result in a successful pregnancy and birth. Once signed, this legislation will ensure that families receive coverage for the fertility treatments they need to start or grow a family. A single round of IVF can cost between $15,000 and $30,000 out of pocket, putting the dream of welcoming a child financially out of reach for many.
Since taking office in 2021, Rep. Croke has been a champion in increasing access to reproductive and fertility care. Her first year in office, Rep. Croke passed HB3709, legislation that expanded insurance coverage of fertility treatments to same-sex couples, women over 35, single women, women who cannot get pregnant naturally due to a medical issue, and others, ensuring that all Illinoisans have equal access to the insurance coverage needed to start a family.
* Rep. Jaime Andrade…
Continuing his efforts to support motorists, state Rep. Jaime Andrade, D-Chicago, passed legislation on Tuesday that allows motorists the chance to recover valuable personal items like medical devices and identification cards from their vehicles.
“Common sense tells you that if someone is unfortunate enough to have their car towed, these companies should allow motorists to get their important IDs, lifesaving medical devices and school textbooks out of their vehicle, free of charge, but that’s not always the case,” Andrade said. “Unfortunately, some tow companies have strong armed motorists, resulting in even more out-of-pocket costs in overdue textbook fees, new prescriptions and renewed documents. This legislation was needed, because too many of Illinois’ families have faced hundreds of dollars in fines and costs because of a glaring loophole. I look forward to seeing the Governor’s signature on this legislation and more discussion on how we can best support motorists in the future.”
Andrade championed Senate Bill 2654 which allows someone to recover personal medical devices, ID cards, college textbooks, and study material from a vehicle that is being held by a towing company without facing penalties or fees.
Andrade’s legislation continues his long support of motorists and safer streets. He recently passed House Bill 4451 which would dedicate funds from speed enforcement cameras to safety improvements at nearby parks and schools.
Senate Bill 2654 passed unanimously out of the House on Tuesday, May 14 and awaits the Governor’s signature.
* Sen. Javier Cervantes…
To make canceling physical fitness services easier for customers, State Senator Javier Cervantes is moving legislation to require these services have easy and simple ways to cancel a contract.
“This is a simple matter of updating business practices to fit with modern times,” said Cervantes (D-Chicago). “Giving consumers simple and efficient methods to cancel their subscription or contract is one way we can ensure residents are not falling victim to automatically renewing payments for services they no longer use.”
Under the new legislation, businesses offering physical fitness services like gym memberships would need to allow customers to cancel their contract either online or by email, instead of only by mail.
The measure would also require contracts for physical fitness services that automatically renew to comply with the Automatic Contract Renewal Act, which ensures businesses give full disclosure of their automatic terms and cancellation policies and do not charge customers without proper consent.
“We have given consumers in Illinois the tools to make canceling their subscriptions with other services easier, and we want to expand those provisions,” said Cervantes. “Residents may go months or even years without knowing if their old gym membership is renewing and charging them, and with these changes we are making the process easier for everyone.”
House Bill 4911 passed the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday and is one step closer to becoming law.
* Rep. Abdelnasser Rashid…..
Renters will be better protected from flooding under new legislation passed by state Rep. Abdelnasser Rashid, D-Bridgeview, requiring landlords to provide important information about flooding risk and history.
“Even one flooding event can be financially catastrophic to a family,” said Rashid. “With climate change making floods much more common and extreme, this is one important step we can take to protect working families.”
Rashid’s Senate Bill 2601 will ensure that prospective renters know whether the unit they are considering renting has a history of flooding or lies in a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Special Flood Hazard Area. This information will help them make informed decisions about whether to purchase flood insurance. Many renters may not know that flooding protection is not typically included in renter’s insurance.
Under the bill, property owners must inform prospective tenants if their property lies within a high-risk flooding area. Additionally, landlords renting out units on lower levels, including garden, basement, and first floor units, must disclose whether any of these units have experienced flooding within the past decade.
After passing out of the Senate and House, Senate Bill 2601 awaits approval by Gov. JB Pritzker.
“This bill is a crucial step toward ensuring the safety and wellbeing of tenants across the state,” said Senator Mike Porfirio, who introduced the legislation in the Senate. “By requiring landlords to disclose flood hazards, we are arming renters with the knowledge they need to protect themselves and their families from potential harm.”
* The Boat Drink Caucus band performed at the Dave Caucus party last night at Boone’s. The crowd was huge, the music was actually pretty darned good and the beer was cold. Band guitarist Senate President Don Harmon posed for a pic during a break with House Republican Leader Tony McCombie. The pic was taken by one of the party hosts. Note the “Doom Grifter” shirt that was all the rage shortly after Gov. Pritzker coined the phrase during his 2024 State of the State/Budget address. Heh…
* ICYMI: Why has Mayor Brandon Johnson resisted demands to fire CTA President Dorval Carter Jr.? Sun-Times…
- Carter has delivered on the promise then-Mayor Rahm Emanuel made in 2015 — that Carter would win federal funding for major projects. But he has failed at day-to-day operations and customer service, mass transit experts say.
- Nearly half the City Council wants the embattled CTA president to resign his $376,000-a-year job or be fired by Mayor Brandon Johnson.
- “The money for the Red Line is probably one of the leading factors.” Johnson has stuck with Carter said veteran political consultant Delmarie Cobb.
* Capitol News Illinois | House OKs program for student teacher stipends – but not the funding for it: House Bill 4652, by Rep. Barbara Hernandez, D-Aurora, authorizes the Illinois Board of Higher Education to disburse stipends of $10,000 per semester to student teachers working in public schools. That’s the rough equivalent of $15 an hour, based on a standard 40-hour work week. It also authorizes stipends of $2,000 per semester to the teachers who supervise them. But the authority to disburse those funds would be subject to appropriations. And with an estimated annual cost of $68 million to fully fund the program, Hernandez conceded it is unlikely such funding will be included in the budget for the upcoming fiscal year that lawmakers are currently negotiating.
* Capitol News Illinois | Illinois Supreme Court considers expectation of privacy in hospitals: While Cortez Turner was in a hospital room being treated for a gunshot wound to his leg in 2016, police took his clothes. Now, the Illinois Supreme Court is weighing whether that action violated Turner’s expectation of privacy under the Fourth Amendment. The arguments in the case were among several heard by the high court Tuesday, including a case that could change how police handle certain firearms possession violations.
*** Statewide ***
* SJ-R | Illinois voters’ information partially removed by right-wing outlet following judge order: Included on its 20 websites statewide, Local Government Information Services, Inc., has published a series of stories detailing voters’ names, date of birth, home address and whether or not they voted in the 2020 Presidential Election. The articles are still online but with several changes, now showing birth year instead of birthdate and street name instead of home address.
* WGN | Illinois is the ‘most normal’ state in the U.S., new study shows: Recently, the Washington Post used U.S. Census data to determine which U.S. state best represents “normal” America as a whole. […] Illinois most resembled America as a whole based on its population’s racial makeup, broken down into percentages of white, Hispanic, Black, Asian, and Native American residents. The state of Connecticut ranked second behind Illinois, with a racial makeup index score of 98.7 based on Census data.
*** Chicago ***
* Block Club | A Better, Stronger, Safer Chicago? Mayor Brandon Johnson’s First Year: In the lead-up to the anniversary, Block Club reviewed Johnson’s major campaign promises and compared them to his legislative record and management of the city to see if he has served as the mayor he told Chicagoans he’d be. Where is the police department in promoting 200 new detectives, a frequent campaign pledge that Johnson said would begin on day one of his term? Has service and safety improved on the CTA like he promised? Have affordable housing projects and key neighborhood developments broken ground and expanded? Are Chicago children receiving a better education than they were a year ago?
* WBEZ | Chicagoans give CPS a ‘C,’ say students are not learning enough: Despite years of trying to convince Chicagoans that public school students here are making remarkable academic progress, most residents give the schools a grade of C and say students are not learning enough. That’s according to a poll released Tuesday by Public Agenda, a nonpartisan research organization. WBEZ and the Sun-Times collaborated with Public Agenda and the Joyce Foundation, which funded the project.
* Crain’s | Cutting teen unemployment key to lowering Chicago crime rate, study suggests: Young minority Chicagoans were particularly clobbered economically by COVID-19, and their recovery since has been mixed at best, a reality that all of the city is dealing with. So says a new report published today that uses U.S. Census Bureau data to conclude Latino and especially Black Chicago teens and young adults had stunningly high unemployment rates during and after the pandemic — worsening a historic economic gap between the North Side and the South and West sides — and then posits a possible connection between that and soaring COVID-era crime rates.
* WBEZ | Chicago Ethics Board wants fines and suspensions for lobbyists who give money to mayoral candidates: The board unanimously recommended Monday that the City Council update the ethics ordinance to give enforcement teeth to former Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s 2011 executive order that bars lobbyists from donating to a mayor’s political committees. The proposed changes would allow the board to issue a fine three times the amount of a lobbyist’s improper contribution — regardless of whether it was returned — on the first violation. That could escalate to a 90-day suspension of a lobbyist’s registration for any additional violations. The enhanced penalties would extend to entities that a lobbyist has more than 1% ownership in, such as an LLC, and apply to donations made to mayoral candidates — not just the mayor.
* WBEZ | A Chicago woman who helps migrants fights for a chance to stay in the United States: Most mornings, Luisette Kraal directs volunteers via walkie talkie. She makes sure newly arrived migrants line up and wait their turn to receive pants and jackets from the free clothing store she co-founded with her husband in Chicago’s Uptown neighborhood. Other times, Kraal is on her phone arranging furniture deliveries or helping migrants communicate with their landlords. Or she is teaching families how to use public transportation in their new city or inviting them to church dinners.
* Crain’s | NASCAR is no Lollapalooza — but it sort of wants to be: The Black Keys are no stranger to performing in Grant Park. Lollapalooza long made a habit out of booking the American rock duo. They played at the debut Chicago festival in 2005; performed again in 2007, 2008 and 2010; and headlined their most recent year in 2012. After a 12-year hiatus, the “Lonely Boy” stars are returning to Chicago’s front yard this summer — but instead of performing at Lollapalooza in August, they will be one of four headliners taking the main stage at the NASCAR Chicago Street Race this Fourth of July weekend.
*** Cook County and Suburbs ***
* Daily Southtown | Dolton trustees approve temporary mayor position, act on garbage pickup payments: Dolton trustees have named a fill-in replacement for Mayor Tiffany Henyard as a “precautionary measure” in the event she is absent from a meeting or otherwise unable to fill her duties, according to Trustee Jason House. The appointment of House to serve as mayor pro tem came at a special Village Board meeting held Monday at a village park district building. Henyard did not attend the meeting.
* Daily Herald | ‘So much time and work and imagination’: Improvements at Lake County’s largest forest preserve taking shape: “I don’t think most people have any idea what goes into transforming this forest preserve,” Commissioner Marah Altenberg said after one of the updates. “It is so much time and work and imagination.” Lakewood improvements involve three separate but related aspects: net-zero maintenance facility; new and rebuilt interior roads, parking lots and toilets for circulation and accessibility; and a nature play area offering varied experiences.
* News-Sun | Waukegan casino’s owner reports record earnings: ‘We look forward to continued growth at American Place’: Producing a 39.6% earnings increase over the first quarter of last year, Full House President and CEO Daniel R. Lee said in a press release the effort was “led by American Place.” It included a best-ever February, topping it in March after opening Feb. 17, 2023. Full House increased its earnings from $50.1 million for the first quarter of 2023 to $69.9 million in the first three months of this year, according to the release. American Place brought in $25.8 million of the total.
* KWQC | Illinois AG intervenes into Rock Island-Milan school district FOIA requests: A private resident and TV6 Investigates both filed requests to see emails regarding a controversial new deputy superintendent job. […] “Rock Island - Milan School District received a letter from the AG Office’s Public Access Bureau on May 3 requesting more information on our FOIA response process, to be provided within 7 business days. The district is currently working with its attorneys to meet that request in a timely manner.
* WSIL | Ferrell Hospital CEO says it could take up to six weeks before Hospital re-opens: Ferrell Hospital in Eldorado remains closed days after heavy rains caused the drainage system to overflow and flood major parts of the hospital. “After we had the water recede and we could take a look at things, we brought in a restoration company that specializes in this type of cleanup and this type of work,” said Ferrell Hospital CEO Tony Keene.
*** National ***
* NYT | Few Chinese Electric Cars Are Sold in U.S., but Industry Fears a Flood: The Biden administration’s new tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles won’t have a huge immediate impact on American consumers or the car market because very few such cars are sold in the United States. But the decision reflects deep concern within the American automotive industry, which has grown increasingly worried about China’s ability to churn out cheap electric vehicles. American automakers welcomed the decision by the Biden administration on Tuesday to impose a 100 percent tariff on electric vehicles from China, saying those vehicles would undercut billions of dollars of investment in electric vehicle and battery factories in the United States.
Isabel- Still a bit under the weather but feeling much better today!
Wednesday, May 15, 2024 - Posted by Advertising Department
[The following is a paid advertisement.]
Every day, Illinois hospitals provide lifesaving care. To provide that care, hospitals must overcome obstacles from Medicaid managed care organizations (MCOs), whose inappropriate denials of prior authorization requests harm patients. There are countless examples of MCOs overriding a physician’s medical determination and of the hurdles hospitals face in providing needed care. Here are a few:
• A rural southern Illinois Critical Access Hospital requested authorization for a patient to have an echocardiogram, a common test to detect heart conditions. The hospital’s credentialing specialist followed up 10 times and finally received approval 20 days later.
• A young child on dialysis was denied authorization for a kidney transplant listing and transplant, which unnecessarily delayed the child’s transplant listing for several weeks, with considerable time spent by the clinical team to appeal.
• Tests showed a patient with back pain had metastatic lesions throughout her body and an unusual appearance to one ovary. Her MCO wouldn’t approve imaging or an oncologist visit. Fearing for the patient’s health, the hospital’s oncology team committed to seeing the patient that week.
The Illinois Health and Hospital Association urges lawmakers to pass legislation addressing harmful prior authorization practices and eliminate barriers to healthcare for Illinois’ most vulnerable populations. Support IHA’s MCO prior authorization reforms.
* Fran Spielman’s story on Mayor Brandon Johnson’s resistance to firing Dorval Carter at the CTA contained this state-related segment…
[Rep. Kam Buckner, D-Chicago] is one of the prime movers behind a proposal to consolidate the four Chicago-area mass transit agencies — the RTA, CTA, Metra and Pace — into one super-agency with beefed-up powers.
“There either needs to be a leadership change or a change in leadership philosophy at CTA,” Buckner said Tuesday.
“The CTA doesn’t have a whole lot more time to get things right. … When you hear the state legislature say what you’re doing isn’t working and you hear the CTA respond by saying, ‘Just give us more money,’ that’s problematic. When you hear the City Council say, ‘What you’re doing is not working’ and you hear CTA respond by saying, ‘It is working. You don’t know what you’re talking about,’ there’s no accountability. The folks who are suffering are the people of Chicago.”
With federal stimulus funds drying up and a combined $730 million fiscal cliff looming, Buckner said: “There will be no new revenue without reform.”
…Adding… Soft landing?…
I'm very selfishly rooting against Melinda Bush, because I think she'd make a great Metra board chair once Chairwoman Brown's term ends later this year. (Also, Romayne Brown would make a terrific CTA president…)
— Star:Line Chicago (@StarLineChicago) May 14, 2024
* Isabel wrote a story for subscribers last month about Rep. Fred Crespo regularly pointing out bills that are subject to appropriations during floor debates. Rep. Crespo did it again yesterday. Capitol News Illinois…
The Illinois House approved a bill Tuesday to allow student teachers to receive stipends while earning their education degree, even though the money needed to fund those stipends is unlikely to be included in next year’s budget.
House Bill 4652, by Rep. Barbara Hernandez, D-Aurora, authorizes the Illinois Board of Higher Education to disburse stipends of $10,000 per semester to student teachers working in public schools. That’s the rough equivalent of $15 an hour, based on a standard 40-hour work week. It also authorizes stipends of $2,000 per semester to the teachers who supervise them.
But the authority to disburse those funds would be subject to appropriations. And with an estimated annual cost of $68 million to fully fund the program, Hernandez conceded it is unlikely such funding will be included in the budget for the upcoming fiscal year that lawmakers are currently negotiating. […]
“Here we go again, folks. We’re passing bills that are subject to appropriations,” said Rep. Fred Crespo, D-Hoffman Estates. “I get the sense that we think it’s like Monopoly money. But you’re creating a line item and you’re putting pressure on the budget. It’s an empty promise that gives people a false sense of hope.”
* Isabel is still under the weather, so I wouldn’t expect a morning briefing today. I’ll start the conversation by pointing to this story by my old pal Sean Crawford…
If you’ve spent much time outside recently, you may have been fighting off swarms of flying insects. Buffalo gnats, also known as black flies, often show up this time of year and can stick around for several weeks. They’ve been very active this spring.
According to the Illinois Department of Agriculture, females bite because they feed on blood to produce their eggs. The bites can produce itching, bleeding and swelling as well as allergic reactions that can be life-threatening.
The flies are attracted to the carbon dioxide exhaled by people and animals, and also to perspiration, fragrances and dark, moving objects. They are most active just after sunrise and before sunset on calm days.
There isn’t a lot you can do to avoid them.
They’re everywhere.
According to IDPH not much repels the creatures and DEET may actually attract them.
Total eclipse, spectacular geomagnetic storms, a double cicada brood event and now ‘very active’ buffalo gnats. Great.
Tuesday, May 14, 2024 - Posted by Advertising Department
[The following is a paid advertisement.]
A growing chorus of labor unions, government officials, business and industry voices, and the academic community are speaking up about the critical role that carbon capture and storage (CCS) can play in helping Illinois reach its clean energy goals. The Capture Jobs Now Coalition is supporting legislation (SB3311/HB569) to advance CCS projects in our state while prioritizing jobs and economic development in local communities.
Pat Devaney, Secretary-Treasurer of the AFL-CIO, and Mark Denzler, President and CEO of the Illinois Manufacturers’ Association:
“CCS also presents an incredible opportunity for Illinois’ economy and its highly skilled work force. A recent state-commissioned report by the University of Illinois estimates CCS development has a potential statewide demand of 14,440 jobs. And that’s on top of the thousands more jobs CCS can protect by helping decarbonize important Illinois industries as our state, country and world increasingly embrace a net zero carbon future.” (April 2023)
After rejecting a plan to turn the shuttered Green Acres Country Club into a residential subdivision and watching a senior living development proposal fall apart last year, the village of Northbrook is now facing the prospect of a massive water treatment facility being built on what its leaders have dubbed the “emerald” of the north suburban community.
The DuPage Water Commission this week paid $80 million for the 127-acre former country club and golf course between Dundee Road and the Interstate 94 Edens Spur, according to people familiar with the deal. The sale netted a massive profit for the seller, a venture led by former Colliers Chicago chief executive David Kahnweiler, which bought the property in 2018 for nearly $9.8 million, according to Cook County property records.
DuPage is trying to go around Chicago for its water, which it’ll pay $122 million this year alone.
* DPI…
[Yesterday], the Democratic Party of Illinois held an election of Democratic State Central Committee (DSCC) members for membership to the Democratic National Committee (DNC) for the 2024-2028 term. Membership had long been decided behind closed doors, but today’s election marks the first open contest for deciding Illinois’ membership to the DNC. Chair Lisa Hernandez, who spearheaded this new structure to promote decision-making power within the DSCC and encourage committee members to run for spots on the DNC for the next term, released the following statement:
“Today, we achieved exactly what we had envisioned–a fair and open process to ensure Illinois is represented well on the Democratic National Committee for the next four years. Not only did we accomplish this and empower our Democratic State Central Committee, we set a precedent for transparency in our Party,” said Chair Hernandez.
During this evening’s meeting, the DSCC appointed Speaker of the House Emmanuel “Chris” Welch and Senate President Don Harmon as base members of the Democratic National Committee for the 2024-2028 term, as well as selected the following five base members to represent Illinois on the Democratic National Committee for the 2024-2028 term:
1. Committeewoman Robin Kelly
2. Committeewoman Delia Ramirez
3. Committeeman John Cullerton
4. Committeewoman Kristina Zahorik
5. Committeeman Dan Hynes
DPI was deliberate in ensuring newly-selected DNC members also represented gender diversity. After Speaker Welch and Senate President Harmon were selected, the two women with the highest number of votes were selected. The remaining three seats were filled by the two men and one woman who received the highest number of votes, underscoring our commitment to gender parity and inclusivity.
Woodford County’s Public Safety Committee unanimously passed a resolution that would declare the county a non-sanctuary county, which now requires final approval from the County Board.
Non-sanctuary status means a county will not provide taxpayer funded services for migrants if they were to enter the county. About 12 counties across Illinois have declared that status.
The main point of emphasis of the meeting was the emergency action plan, a proactive plan of action if an influx of migrants were to come to Woodford County. Potential options such as using a Peoria Charter bus and driving the migrants to Chicago were discussed.
Yes, I’m sure that’ll happen. Right after the BLM protesters arrive to create havoc.
* Press release…
The Du Quoin State Fair is pleased to announce four Grandstand acts in addition to harness racing and ARCA and USAC auto races. Tickets go on sale at a 100 Days Out celebration on Saturday, May 18, and you’re invited to join us!
Tickets to all announced Du Quoin State Fair Grandstand shows can be purchased starting Saturday, May 18 at the Du Quoin Grandstand box office for in-person sales only from 9 a.m. until 12 p.m. Ticketmaster sales open at 12 p.m.
In addition to box office ticket sales, the 100 Days Out celebration will include concessions, a plant sale and a book sale from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. The public is invited to attend this free event.
Du Quoin State Fair Grandstand Lineup:
Saturday, August 24 features #1 hitmaker Mitchell Tenpenny is a multi-faceted entertainer: singer, songwriter, producer and performer. Since the release of his debut 3X platinum-certified #1 hit single, “Drunk Me,” Mitchell made recent chart history with the shortest span between #1 songs at three weeks apart with “Truth About You” and “At The End Of A Bar.” Catch him on tour this year with Jordan Davis and Luke Combs.
The Marshall Tucker Band headlines the Grandstand Sunday, August 25 with no shortage of southern rock songs from 20 studio albums. “Can’t You See” is perhaps their most iconic and immediately recognizable hit, but this six-man band has influenced countless artists throughout their legendary journey that began in 1972.
On Thursday, August 29, the Du Quoin State Fair welcomes KANSAS. With a career spanning five decades, sixteen studio albums and five live albums, KANSAS has firmly established itself as one of America’s iconic classic rock bands. “Carry On Wayward Son” continues to be one of the top five most played songs on classic rock radio, and ‘Dust In the Wind’ has been played on the radio more than three million times.
Ashley McBryde takes the stage on Friday, August 30. Ashley McBryde takes the stage on Friday, August 30. McBryde has earned some of the industry’s biggest accolades, including a Grammy and CMA and ACM awards in addition to being a member of the Grand Ole Opry. The Arkansas native’s latest critically acclaimed album The Devil I Know is available now.
The Du Quoin State Fair has two headline acts yet to be announced for the 2024 Grandstand. Watch for those announcements in the coming weeks. The Du Quoin State Fair runs from August 23 - September 2. Admission to the fair is free. Parking is free on Friday, August 23 only. Parking is $15 for Gate 1, and $10 for all other gates. Seasonal parking passes are available for $30, good for duration of the fair. To learn more, visit https://dsf.illinois.gov/
* Rockford graduates are getting major help paying for college: The group of 182 graduates will receive full-tuition scholarships to either Rockford University, Rock Valley College, or Northern Illinois University. Awards and special recognition will also be given to individuals, partners, and community sponsors who have impacted the organization.
* Rockford Unveils $25,000 Forgivable Loan Program to Boost Business Growth: To qualify for the program, applicants must be for-profit businesses established on or before May 1, 2024, and situated within Commercial or Industrial zoned areas within the City of Rockford municipal boundaries, specifically in eligible census tracts. Eligible projects encompass enhancements to business operations, such as the acquisition of new equipment.
* 27 Future Teachers Graduate Debt-Free in Rockford’s Innovative Program: In a groundbreaking initiative, 27 individuals are embarking on their journey to becoming full-time teachers, with a unique twist—they’re doing it tuition-free. Spearheaded by Rockford Public Schools (RPS), Northern Illinois University (NIU), and Grow Your Own, this program aims to cultivate exceptional educators for the Rockford community.
* More…
* Civic Federation: State of Illinois FY2025 Recommended Operating and Capital Budgets: Analysis and Recommendations: The Civic Federation today released its analysis of the State of Illinois FY2025 proposed budget, finding the State remains in an improved financial shape due to strong revenue performance and effective management. However, the Federation recommends the State exercise caution in spending in FY2025 as its revenue growth is slowing and advises the State to look toward developing a plan for a modernized, sustainable tax structure to meet its long-term needs.
* Gov. Pritzker, Fire Marshal Rivera remember fallen Illinois firefighters and honor firefighters for heroism: Fallen Chicago Fire Department Firefighter/EMT Jermaine Pelt, Chicago Fire Department Firefighter/EMT Andrew “Drew” Price, Chicago Fire Department Lieutenant Jan Tchoryk, Chicago Fire Department Lieutenant Kevin Ward, and Maroa Countryside Fire Protection District Chief Larry Peasley were honored during the fallen firefighter memorial.
* Chicago City Treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin Fined $10K for Firing Whistleblowers: In all, the Board of Ethics has fined Conyears-Ervin a total of $70,000 in the past month. In April, the board found Conyears-Ervin committed 12 total violations of Chicago’s Governmental Ethics Ordinance for violating her fiduciary duty to the city, for the unauthorized use of city property and prohibited political activity by using city resources to host a prayer service.
* Civil rights group says Chicago mayor, top cop should take tougher action against officers linked to extremist Oath Keepers: The letter notes that many of the cops admitted joining between 2009 and 2013 “when the Oath Keepers were one of the most active and combative antigovernment extremist groups operating in the U.S.” At the time, the Oath Keepers feared the U.S. government “was moving the world toward a one-world government,” or new world order, an extremist conspiracy theory with “antisemitic overtones,” the letter states. “In response to this fear, the Oath Keepers encouraged their members to disobey laws that do not adhere to their false interpretation of the U.S. Constitution and Second Amendment,” according to the letter.
* Unlikely allies? Suburban mayor, GOP legislator backs Bears’ lakefront plan: The Rosemont mayor, who doubles as assistant House minority leader, publicly endorsed the plan Monday. Stephens — the sole Republican legislator whose district includes Chicago — also spoke of forging a relationship with an unlikely ally: Democratic Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson. “I’m bullish on the Sox and Bears. I believe in investing in those types of deals,” Stephens said after the monthly Rosemont village board meeting Monday morning. “They’re good for Chicago and Illinois.”
* With name change, it’s the Griffin Museum of Science and Industry: Get ready to visit “the Griffin.” The Museum of Science and Industry on Sunday is officially becoming the Kenneth C. Griffin Museum of Science and Industry, a name change in recognition of a $125 million donation in 2019 from the founder and CEO of the Citadel hedge fund.
* New Rules to Overhaul Electric Grids Could Boost Wind and Solar Power: Federal regulators on Monday approved sweeping changes to how America’s electric grids are planned and funded, in a move that supporters hope could spur thousands of miles of new high-voltage power lines and make it easier to add more wind and solar energy. The new rule by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, which oversees interstate electricity transmission, is the most significant attempt in years to upgrade and expand the country’s creaking electricity network. Experts have warned that there aren’t nearly enough high-voltage power lines being built today, putting the country at greater risk of blackouts from extreme weather while making it harder to shift to renewable sources of energy and cope with rising electricity demand. …. The commission approved the rule by a 2-1 vote, with the two Democratic commissioners in favor and the lone Republican, Mark Christie, opposed. Mr. Christie said the rule would allow states that want more renewable energy to unfairly pass on the costs of the necessary grid upgrades to their neighbors.
* Medical residents are starting to avoid states with abortion bans, data shows: The AAMC analysis found that the number of applicants to OB-GYN residency programs in abortion-ban states dropped by 6.7%, compared with a 0.4% increase in states where abortion remains legal. For internal medicine, the drop observed in abortion-ban states was over five times as much as in states where abortion is legal.
On May 13, 2024, at approximately 7:53 p.m., Illinois State Police (ISP) officials investigated a traffic crash in Will County involving an ISP trooper’s squad car hit by a motorist who failed to move over.
On the above date and time, an ISP squad car was parked on the right shoulder on Interstate 55 northbound near milepost 252, north of IL59, with emergency lights activated, handling a traffic crash. The trooper was sitting inside of the squad car with his seatbelt fastened when his squad car was struck by a gray Toyota Corolla. The trooper was transported to an area hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The driver of the Corolla, 31-year-old Asante Williams of Bolingbrook, IL., reported no injuries on scene. Williams was cited for the Move Over Law – Failure to Yield to Stationary Emergency Vehicle, Failure to Reduce Speed to Avoid an Accident and Improper Lane Usage.
Already in 2024, ISP has suffered 15 Move Over Law-related crashes with seven troopers injured. In 2023, ISP had 21 Move Over Law-related crashes with seven troopers injured and suffered 25 crashes in 2022, leaving 13 troopers injured. ISP reminds the public that the Move Over Law, also known as “Scott’s Law,” requires all drivers to move over when approaching an emergency vehicle, or any vehicle with its emergency or hazard lights activated.
A person who violates the Move Over Law faces a fine of no less than $250 and no more than $10,000 for a first offense. If the violation results in injury to another person, the violator’s driver’s license will be suspended for a mandatory period of anywhere between six months and two years. Additional information can be found at the following link: https://isp.maps.arcgis.com/apps/dashboards/340d57cd956c453da2de25af804c268d.
Tuesday, May 14, 2024 - Posted by Advertising Department
[The following is a paid advertisement.]
Retail provides one out of every five Illinois jobs, generates the second largest amount of tax revenue for the state, and is the largest source of revenue for local governments. But retail is also so much more, with retailers serving as the trusted contributors to life’s moments, big and small.
Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Provides that the amendatory Act may be referred to as the William P. “Bill” Wozniak Memorial Act. Amends the Secretary of State Act. Provides that the Secretary of State, in collaboration with the Office of the Architect of the Capitol, shall install and maintain: (1) automated license plate readers in positions around the State Capitol Complex that offer the most strategic advantage for security monitoring and incident response; and (2) hardened security posts in the State Capitol Complex where law enforcement personnel of the Secretary of State Police Department and other security personnel are stationed while on duty. Provides that the Secretary of State shall replace, install, and maintain: (1) enhanced security screening devices at entrances of secured areas in the State Capitol Complex; and (2) identification card verification checkpoints at entrances of secured areas in the State Capitol Complex. Provides that the Secretary of State shall identify acceptable forms of identification that may be used to gain access to secured areas in the State Capitol Complex. Provides that the Secretary of State shall adopt rules to: (1) establish a chain of command based in Springfield for police and other security personnel responding to an incident at the State Capitol Complex; (2) authorize administrative personnel based in Springfield to issue emergency orders in response to an incident at the State Capitol Complex; (3) provide mitigation and response training to law enforcement personnel of the Secretary of State Police Department and other security personnel who are stationed at the State Capitol Complex; (4) create a volunteer training program to allow security personnel employed by the Secretary of State to successfully complete firearm training and qualify to carry firearms only while on duty at the State Capitol Complex and provide incentive compensation to all trained and qualified individuals; and (5) adopt and enforce security procedures for legislators, staff, lobbyists, and visitors entering the State Capitol Complex, including procedures to allow law enforcement personnel of the Secretary of State Police Department and other security personnel to perform additional screening on any individual seeking to enter a secured area at the discretion of the law enforcement personnel or security personnel.
In his more than two decades as a law enforcement officer, Naperville Police Chief Jason Arres has witnessed plenty of reckless behavior and dangerous driving on suburban roads.
But nothing compares to what he’s seen over the past few years of what officials are calling an “epidemic” of drivers fleeing from police, often at high speeds that put everyone on the roads in peril.
“The drastic increase in fleeings we’ve seen in recent years is a level of lawlessness I haven’t seen in my 23 years in this profession,” Arres said at a press conference last week promoting legislation aimed at deterring such behavior and punishing those who commit it.
Senate Bill 1807, introduced by Senate Minority Leader John Curran of Downers Grove and co-sponsored by several fellow suburban lawmakers, would make fleeing by car from the police a Class 4 felony, instead of the misdemeanor it is today.
Without question, there is some point of judgment for police between simply allowing criminal suspects to speed away with no fear of a chase and pursuing them at high speeds through busy suburban roadways, with circumstances varying from the traffic and road conditions to the level of crime under suspicion. But the judgment of the offenders also needs some influences of its own, and the potential of adding another felony and more prison time to whatever penalties drivers already face surely can give them cause to consider restraint.
From Benjamin Ruddell at the ACLU of Illinois…
The linked article cites data showing an increase in reported fleeing incidents in Naperville/DuPage County—not statewide. But even if there was evidence of a statewide trend, what is lacking here is any evidence whatsoever that the proposed solution—a penalty enhancement—would provide any “greater deterrence” as suggested by the quoted police chief. In general, research shows that increasing penalties does little to nothing to deter crime. Why would we think this is any different?
There is no data cited about how many of the individuals in these reported Naperville/DuPage incidents were charged with fleeing and eluding, or the disposition of those charges. That would be important information in evaluating the claim that the upward trend in incidents has anything at all to do with the criminal penalties. There is also no data cited about the frequency of fleeing incidents in jurisdictions that classify this offense as a felony, as compared to Illinois.
As in other contexts, identifying something as a problem doesn’t mean that enacting harsher penalties would be any kind of solution to that problem. At this point, the burden of proof should fall squarely on the proponents of these measures to demonstrate that their proposed solutions can actually be expected to work. They haven’t done that here.
Discuss.
* Leader McCombie…
During a subject matter hearing held at the Capitol last week to address ongoing delays within the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR), the agency announced a revised deadline for implementing necessary updates.
Persistent delays, breakdowns in communication, lost applications, and general dysfunction have sparked bipartisan frustration with IDFPR, issues that were initially brought to light during a subject-matter hearing last summer. Since then, deadlines for improvement have come and gone, and the new date of June 8th was revealed last Wednesday.
At the same time IDFPR is facing significant delays impacting countless Illinois residents, including essential workers, a different state agency continues to improve efficiency. The Secretary of State is offering “do it online” renewals for drivers licenses, marking a stark contrast to the troubles of IDFPR, which offers online renewals for only some licenses.
“House Republicans want to get people to work, so let’s fix the simple things, address the growing procurement issues and eliminate red tape,” said House Minority Leader Tony McCombie.
McCombie has been vocal about the issues at IDFPR and filed legislation to solve problems at the agency. The Leader introduced the License Convenience Act (House Bill 4855), to mandate the department to accept electronic payments for licenses and fees–but the bill was prevented from moving forward in the Illinois House, despite bipartisan support.
“This is about fixing things in our state that aren’t working, this agency is not adequately serving residents and we must invoke change,” continued McCombie.
Some legislators tell me that they spend more time helping constituents deal with IDFPR than anything else. It’s just ridiculous. People shouldn’t have to go through this.
* Rep. Rashid and Sen. Porfirio…
Today, State Representative Abdelnasser Rashid (D-Bridgeview) passed legislation out of the Illinois House that protects renters by requiring landlords to provide important information about flooding risk and history. SB 2601, sponsored by State Senator Mike Porfirio (D-Lyons Township), passed the Senate on April 10th with bipartisan support.
“This bill is a crucial step toward ensuring the safety and wellbeing of tenants across the state,” said Sen. Porfirio. “By requiring landlords to disclose flood hazards, we are arming renters with the knowledge they need to protect themselves and their families from potential harm.”
“Even one flooding event can be financially catastrophic to a family,” said Rep. Rashid. “With climate change making floods much more common and extreme, this is one important step we can take to protect working families.”
Prospective renters should know whether the unit they are considering renting has a history of flooding or lies in a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Special Flood Hazard Area. This information will help them make informed decisions about whether to purchase flood insurance. Many renters may not know that flooding protection is not typically included in renter’s insurance.
Through this bill, property owners must inform prospective tenants if their property lies within a high-risk flooding area. Additionally, landlords renting out units on lower levels, including garden, basement, and first floor units, must disclose whether any of these units have experienced flooding within the past decade.
SB 2601 is now on its way to Governor Pritzker’s desk.
* More…
* Illinois legislators try again on statewide public defender legislation: Harmon pulled his bill and supporters went back to the drawing board, coming up with a 42-page bill that was filed Monday. The measure lays out in much greater detail how a statewide public defender would be selected and how the office would assist county public defenders throughout Illinois, although a source of funding still has not been identified.
* Lawmakers weigh Illinois child tax credit as they negotiate budget: Though lawmakers filed a bill proposing the tax credit, lawmakers would pass it through the state budget. “It’s a $300 credit that’s going to go to half the children in the State of Illinois. We get there by offering the credit to families that are making about the median income of the State of Illinois,” said Erion Malasi with Economic Security for Illinois, an organization supporting the credit.
* Prosecutor opposes bill to help moms whose babies are born with drugs in system: The hope is that by taking away the threat of losing custody of a baby, mothers would be more likely to seek treatment. The initiative was prompted by a finding that the leading cause of death in Illinois among expectant or new mothers is drug use. Almost one-third of the 263 such mothers who died in 2018 to 2020 died of substance use, the state Department of Public Health reported. The proposed change in the law would create a task force to develop a plan for helping infants and mothers exposed to illicit drugs during pregnancy. These family recovery plans would include medical care, recovery support and referrals to community services for the child and caregiver.
Tuesday, May 14, 2024 - Posted by Advertising Department
[The following is a paid advertisement.]
Protect Illinois Hospitality is a coalition of tipped workers, chambers of commerce, service operators, and local small businesses who strongly support keeping the tip credit available for Illinois businesses.
Despite years of trying to convince Chicagoans that public school students here are making remarkable academic progress, most residents give the schools a grade of C and say students are not learning enough.
That’s according to a poll released Tuesday by Public Agenda, a nonpartisan research organization. WBEZ and the Sun-Times collaborated with Public Agenda and the Joyce Foundation, which funded the project.
“People are not giving city schools high marks,” said David Schleifer, vice president and director of research at Public Agenda, which focuses on researching challenges facing democracy and uncovering solutions. “Also, there’s definitely this awareness that white students in the city have access to better public schools than students of color.”
Schleifer notes that parents and others don’t blame teachers but rather see the lack of learning as an effect of poverty and other challenges affecting students. Some 71% of Chicago Public Schools students come from low-income families. Still, poll respondents say leaders are more caught up in petty political battles than on what is best for children. They are not confident money is being spent effectively.
* Background is here if you need it. Personal PAC’s Sarah Garza Resnick…
It is an unacceptable decision on the part of the Senate to remove coverage of abortion services from HB5142, the Governor’s Birth Equity Bill. This bill, as passed by the House of Representatives, would end cost-sharing and extend coverage for all services for pregnancy, postpartum, and newborn care. Abortion services are inseparable from this category of care. Eight other states, including California and New York, have already passed similar legislation. Illinois trusts women and there is no reason why we should not join these other states in removing another barrier to accessing abortion care.
Resnick promised a “war” over this when I called her.
I have calls and messages out to the Senate sponsor, Lakesia Collins, and the Senate President’s office. The House sponsor, Majority Leader Robyn Gabel, referred me to Senate President Don Harmon.
* From the governor’s office…
Conversations regarding the Governor’s Birth Equity Initiative in the Senate are ongoing, but we’re proud of the broad support the bill received in the House. The Governor has been clear that Illinois trusts women to make decisions about their healthcare and abortion is a vital part of their healthcare options. He will not sign a bill that treats abortion differently than other birth equity provisions.
Recent research from Global Strategy Group has found that the Healthcare Protection Act and the Birth Equity Initiative are deeply popular among the Illinois electorate, especially provisions that ban junk health plans and require prior approval for rate increases. What’s more, they stand to boost support for Democratic state legislature candidates who support them.
I’ve asked for toplines.
…Adding… From Rep. Kelly Cassidy, who chairs the Dobbs working group…
I am grateful to Governor Pritzker for being true to our promise to ensure access to the full spectrum of reproductive health care to everyone in our state. Copays are a barrier to access, especially for low income people. We should not be emulating the states around us making it harder for people to access care.
…Adding… The Senate sponsor, Sen. Lakesia Collins (D-Chicago), told me she will not move the bill if it’s amended to strip out abortion coverage.
Sen. Collins had sponsored an identical Senate bill, but couldn’t get more than a subject matter hearing in the Insurance Committee. Now, though, the insurance industry is neutral after negotiations she participated in, and she said she told Senate President Harmon that they’d reached a point where the bill needed to be called.
Collins said Harmon told her that he “cares about the issue a lot,” but that there were still some issues with the bill. Asked what those were, Harmon told Collins it was the abortion coverage issue and he’d work on it.
“And then I find out today that they stripped the whole piece around abortion out,” Collins said, adding that no members from her side of the aisle had ever approached her about the topic being a problem. “I don’t know where the pushback is coming from.”
Collins said since the House was unlikely to pass an amended version and the governor won’t sign it, there’s no purpose in moving the bill forward. “You’re basically killing the bill,” she said.
“This has been a long time coming,” she said of her bill. “There have been advocates fighting around this for a very long time who are looking forward to this bill passing. And it’s like, here we are fighting about something to me that’s just fundamental.”
…Adding… Senate President Don Harmon…
I wish the governor would have reached out to me. We are working through this important issue with the caucus to inform and educate people about what it does so we can build consensus.
FULLY FUNDING THE EVIDENCE-BASED FORMULA: FY 2025 PROPOSED GENERAL FUND BUDGET, the newest report released today from the Center for Tax and Budget Accountability (CTBA, finds that at the current rate of state funding - $300 million per year – Illinois’ Evidence-Based Funding for Student Success Act (EBF) will not be fully funded until FY 2034. That is 17 years after the EBF was first implemented - or seven years past what is required in statute. CTBA notes in the report that if the state could increase the Minimum Target Level from $300 million to $500 million annually, the EBF could be fully funded by FY 2030 - three years after the date established for full funding under the statute. “Taking such action would benefit districts across Illinois, saving students from four years of attending underfunded schools,” according to the report.
The new report follows CTBA’s recently-released Educating Illinois: A Look at the Evidence-Based Funding Formula, Volume II, which finds that Illinois’ funding formula for K-12 Education has worked towards its promise of closing the drastic funding gaps between school in property-rich and property-poor districts, as well as between schools in predominantly white communities and schools that serve predominantly Black and Latinx students. The EBF puts the funding responsibility on the state to ensure equity for districts with less local resources by distributing new K-12 funding to those districts that are furthest away from having adequate resources, and furthest away from hitting their respective “Adequacy Targets” –which is the amount the research indicates is required to provide the level of education the students they serve need to succeed academically.
Funding of the EBF is making a positive difference in the fiscal capacity of school districts statewide, CTBA finds. In FY 2018, 657, or 77 percent, of all districts in Illinois were underfunded. Seven years into the implementation of the EBF things have improved, with the number of underfunded districts declining to 525, or 62 percent, of all districts. Overall, from FY 2018 through FY 2024, the state increased formula funding for K-12 under the EBF by $1.8 billion. Tier 1 and Tier 2 districts – those with the biggest funding gaps - collectively received 99 percent—or $1.78 billion—of that new Tier funding. Now, seven years later, the EBF has drastically changed public education funding allocation and has worked to close Adequacy Funding Gaps for students across all regions of the state and from all demographics by continuing to increase the state level investment each year.
Emphasis added.
This is what Mayor Brandon Johnson, CPS and the CTU have been talking about with their mantra of how the state “owes” city schools $1.1 billion.
* Meanwhile…
Today, advocates from the Fund Our Futures Coalition gathered outside the Capitol to urge support for a budget that generates revenue and consistent funding for essential programs to support Illinois’ low- and moderate income families, including a Child Tax Credit. This action follows a memo issued last week by Governor J.B. Pritzker’s office indicating that cuts to grant programs and discretionary spending would be required if the Illinois General Assembly does not pass new revenue sources in Illinois’ FY25 budget. In light of these developments, Erion Malasi, Director of Policy and Advocacy at Economic Security Illinois responded with the following statement on behalf of the Illinois Cost of Living Refund Coalition:
“With the cost of living on the rise and growing demand for a state Child Tax Credit from families, advocates, union leaders, and even our own Governor, we call for a compassionate budget for Illinois. Our lawmakers must show courage and creativity by exploring progressive revenue options to ensure this year we can create and implement a robust Child Tax Credit that makes it easier for Illinois families to afford life’s essentials, like rent, groceries, or clothing. We will proudly stand behind long-term progressive revenue solutions proposed by the Governor’s Office, and any additional sources from the General Assembly if they can ensure the enactment and maintenance of critical policies that will help families flourish and reinvigorate our local economy.”
Advocates in the Illinois Cost-of-Living Coalition have been pushing for a Child Tax Credit for the past three years, in conjunction with allies in the House and Senate. Bills SB 3329 / HB 4917 introduced by State Senator Omar Aquino and State Representative Marcus C. Evans, Jr., respectively, would offer $300 for Illinois families who earn less than the median income. Such a credit would benefit 1.4 million kids and generate over $1 billion in local economic stimulus. In February, Governor Pritzker delivered a promising budget address which called for the creation of a statewide Child Tax Credit that would return $12 million to taxpayers with children under age 3.
The Illinois Cost-Of-Living Refund Coalition, which successfully led the fight for the Earned Income Credit expansion, is leading the advocacy effort for the Child Tax Credit. The coalition includes more than 50 nonprofit, labor, consumer advocates, immigrant rights, and grassroots, community-based organizations across the state. (See list of member organizations below).
A critical resource for Chicago families is now at risk, as tens of thousands of Illinois students could lose their after-school care.
About 300 programs could close when federal grants distributed by the Illinois State Board of Education expire next month. That includes after-school programs such as the ones Stephanie Garcia oversees at James Shields Elementary School in the Brighton Park neighborhood and seven other schools. […]
Susan Stanton is an advocate for after-school programs. She is the executive director of ACT Now Illinois – a coalition for ensuring access to after-school and youth development programs - and she is calling on state lawmakers for $50 million.
“We can’t just think of these as programs that are great to have if there’s funding available,” Stanton said, “but they absolutely are essential.”
Stanton estimates about 40,000 kids statewide will be impacted in predominantly underserved communities. […]
In a statement, the Illinois State Board of Education said they requested $26 million in state funds for after-school programs – which is a $1 million increase from the 2024 fiscal year.
Tuesday, May 14, 2024 - Posted by Advertising Department
[The following is a paid advertisement.]
The price-setting board proposed in HB4472 is not the solution for Illinois. It would give bureaucrats the power to arbitrarily set medicine prices, deciding what medicines and treatments are “worth” paying for. We can’t leave Illinoisans’ health care up to political whims. Let’s make it easier, not harder for patients to access their medicines. Click here to learn more.
Chicago Public Schools expert witness says in deposition that sexual assault is not always traumatic
Jane Doe is 38 years old now, but the pain she says she suffered at the hands of a Chicago Public Schools (CPS) high school English teacher more than 20 years ago remains fresh.
“I have nightmares almost every night,” she said in her first on-camera interview about her experience. “It’s still really hard to talk about it.”
Jane was referring to inappropriate contact she said she had with a teacher at Gordon S. Hubbard High School in Chicago’s West Lawn Neighborhood. […]
In fighting Jane Doe’s lawsuit, CPS is paying an expert witness, Chicago psychiatrist Dr. Prudence Gourguechon, to testify about her views on childhood sexual abuse, student-teacher sexual relationships, and the impact of trauma after sexual abuse. […]
For example, when asked if under any circumstance is a teacher having sex with a student in high school is not sexual abuse, Dr. Gourgeuchon said, “I don’t know if every circumstance would qualify as sexual abuse.”
When asked if sexual assault is traumatic for the person experiencing it, she said: “It depends. It depends on the detail and how they’re defining who’s claiming what and what actually happened. I can’t make an across-the-board statement.” […]
When asked about Jane Doe’s case CPS provided CBS 2 the following statement:
The District believes that students who are harmed as a result of a legally-recognized failure on the District’s part should be compensated in a reasonable manner that will remedy injuries to the student. In doing that, the District also has a responsibility to the taxpayers who fund the District to ensure that it resolves these cases in a manner that is not just legally justified, but also financially responsible. Unfortunately, disagreements often arise about legal responsibility and what is reasonable compensation in any given case. The purpose of litigation is to resolve those disagreements. The District attempts to come to mutually acceptable resolutions in all cases of this type, and continues to do so here.
Beyond this, the District will not comment while the litigation is pending.
Q: Have you vetted or looked at potential replacements for CTA President Dorval Carter?
A: Well, as you know, discussing personnel issues, I actually find that to be irresponsible, and I’ve said that repeatedly. And so, what I’m committed to doing right now is making sure that our ridership continues to go up, which it has. We have hired more people, which we’ve done that, I’ve made a commitment to doing that. Our better streets for buses, it’s the first initiative of its kind to build a better street signal, sidewalk infrastructure. These are all investments that I have put forward in order to build a CTA that we can be proud of. And again, as far as personnel matters, I don’t discuss those publicly.
Q: Why?
A: Because it’s not responsible. Should your employer discuss individuals’ employment status out loud about who they’re going to fire and keep?
Q: In fairness though, these are also employees, not just of yours, but of the city, right? The CTA president also serves Chicagoans and they have a lot of questions about him and all of the appointments that you make.
A: Having questions about how we build a transportation system that ultimately meets the needs and demands of the people of Chicago, those questions are welcome. Determining who I get to fire and hire, I find that to be irresponsible and I won’t discuss personnel matters publicly.
That interview undoubted set off the city council.
With federal stimulus funds drying up and a combined $730 million fiscal cliff looming, the Illinois General Assembly is considering a proposal to consolidate the Chicago area’s four mass transit agencies — the RTA, CTA, Metra and Pace — into a single super-agency with beefed-up powers.
“It’s a bit of an inflection point where we need to figure out what we’re going to do,” Vasquez said.
“When you’re asking for funds from the state or federal government, folks there to issue the funds are going to wonder what the leadership looks like to have the confidence to invest that money. If we’re not bouncing back the way other cities are, it might be harder to get those funds.”
Alderpeople will introduce a resolution next week demanding the resignation or firing of CTA President Dorval Carter, adding to the mounting challenges facing the veteran transit leader.
The largely symbolic measure highlights more than a dozen reasons why the CTA is in need of change and follows Gov. JB Pritzker’s comments that the agency was due for an “evolution” of leadership.
Ald. Andre Vasquez (40th), chief sponsor of the resolution, said it is effectively a “vote of no confidence” and is urging Mayor Brandon Johnson to fire Carter if he doesn’t resign. […]
Alderpeople who have signed on in support of the resolution include Alds. Daniel La Spata (1st), Peter Chico (10th), Marty Quinn (13th), Raymond Lopez (15th), Derrick Curtis (18th), Byron Sigcho-Lopez (25th), Jessie Fuentes (26th), Ruth Cruz (30th), Felix Cardona (31st), Scott Waguespack (32nd), Rossana Rodriguez-Sanchez (33), Bill Conway (34), Carlos Ramirez-Rosa (35th), Andre Vasquez (40th), Brendan Reilly (42nd), James Gardiner (45th), Matt Martin (47th), Leni Manaa-Hoppenworth (48th) and Maria Hadden (49th).
Whew.
* Ald. Brian Hopkins does make a good point, however…
“The agency is in a tailspin. He doesn’t seem to recognize it right now. … If he shows up tomorrow with an acknowledgement sweeping changes are needed, a real plan to do it, let’s get to work,” Hopkins said. “But this is not a problem solved by just firing Carter. We have to be careful as elected officials to scapegoat, just to say we did something.”
Rebuilding the CTA is more than about just one person, even the top person. And finding someone who is qualified to do that job isn’t just a snap of the fingers kinda thing. If this was so easy, the system would already be fixed.
But, yeah, Carter has come to symbolize all that’s wrong with the CTA. And he doesn’t appear to even know it.
Tuesday, May 14, 2024 - Posted by Advertising Department
[The following is a paid advertisement.]
Getting needed care for any health issue is best done sooner than later. For patients insured through Medicaid managed care organizations (MCOs), preauthorization denials are all too common. These inappropriate denials delay care, leading to poorer health outcomes while reducing MCO costs and increasing shareholder profits.
The prior authorization processes of MCOs are inconsistent and complex. One Illinois MCO had a 41% denial rate while another denied 15% of prior authorization requests, the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (OIG) found.
What’s more, MCO’s self-report scattered outcomes from the appeals process, which requires countless hours of physicians and hospital staff. One Illinois MCO reported overturning 57% of denied prior authorization requests. Another said it overturns 63% of denied prior authorization requests on appeal.
What would prior authorization reform mean for patients? It would mean living fuller, healthier lives without unnecessary time away from work, school or family responsibilities. It would mean less stress, better health outcomes and a more productive future.
The Illinois hospital community urges legislators to pass commonsense legislation to streamline access to care and improve health outcomes by eliminating inappropriate prior authorization practices and embracing care coordination. Support IHA’s MCO prior authorization reforms.
