Broadcast and cable networks made up less than half of all TV use in July — the first time linear TV viewing has fallen below 50 percent in Nielsen’s two-plus years of tracking viewing time by platform.
While overall TV use in July edged up from the previous month, the growth came in streaming — which hit an all-time high of 38.7 percent of all TV usage — and the “other use” category, which includes video games played on a TV screen and physical media playback, among other things. That made up 11.6 percent of usage.
Streaming was up from 37.7 percent of TV viewing in June, marking its third consecutive month of an increased share of viewers’ time. July was also the third straight month that streaming’s share of TV use hit a high.
…Adding… Access the full project list and more from the press release by clicking here…
Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (Illinois EPA) Director John J. Kim is announcing the issuance of more than $571 million in water infrastructure loans to local governments and water districts for the fourth quarter of Fiscal Year 2023 (April – June 2023). The Illinois EPA State Revolving Fund (SRF) Program provides low-interest loans which fund wastewater, stormwater, and drinking water projects. More than $53 million in loan forgiveness was also provided to those recipients meeting the loan rules for either the Small Community Rate or Hardship Rate. In total for fiscal year 2023, Illinois EPA issued over $803 million in low-interest loans for water infrastructure. In addition to the SRF loans, Illinois provided nearly $54 million in funding for lead service line replacement over the last 12 months.
…Adding… I missed this one earlier…
Samantha McClain has been hired as chief of staff for the Illinois AFL-CIO, working to advance the organization’s strategic vision to support working families across Illinois.
“We are excited to have Samantha join our team at the Illinois AFL-CIO,” remarked President Tim Drea. “Samantha is one of the most talented strategists that I have worked with, demonstrating her expertise when she managed the Workers’ Rights Amendment campaign. Samantha understands the diverse needs of working families fighting for equitable wages, safety conditions and the ability to bargain and will bring a unique perspective to the table to advance the needs of working people in our state.”
McClain is a political veteran and most recently served as State Director to successfully pass the Workers’ Rights Amendment in Illinois. The ballot measure added the right to collectively bargain to the state constitution and was the first of its kind in the nation. Prior to that campaign, Samantha served as Research Director at the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) in the 2020 election cycle, helping Democrats hold the House majority. Samantha was also Deputy Research Director in the historic 2018 cycle, and Southern Regional Research Director in 2014.
Samantha’s previous experience also includes Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign and the campaigns of Senators Gary Peters and Debbie Stabenow of Michigan. She is a native Michigander and graduated from the University of Michigan with a bachelor’s in economics and communications.
* The fellows are getting together…
The Edgar Fellows Program is having its second annual fundraiser dinner at the Sheraton Grand in downtown Chicago on August 31. Gov. Jim Edgar started the program in 2012 to foster relationships and understanding between people involved in public policy from all corners of the state, ethnicities and political backgrounds. It promotes bi-partisanship and compromise over political expediency.
The keynote speaker for the 2023 event is David Axelrod, founder of the Institute of Politics at the University of Chicago. This event is not just for Fellows; all are welcome. For more information and to reserve your place at this special event, go to https://givebutter.com/EFChicago23. The RSVP deadline is August 24.
* The State Board of Education has been leaning on CPS to clean up its act on physical restraint. From a press release…
Chicago Public Schools (CPS) announced today that all District-run schools have met the first-day-of-school benchmark for training staff on physical restraint and time out (PRTO), as agreed upon with the Illinois State Board of Education. Over the past several months, CPS prioritized PRTO training to ensure personnel at every school were properly trained by August 21, 2023, a deadline that was set in collaboration with ISBE. This marks the first milestone in the District’s efforts to reduce incidents of physical restraint or time-out procedures, and build a sustainable plan for training and support.
“I appreciate the partnership on the part of CEO Martinez and his team at Chicago Public Schools since April to meet the goal of training staff at every school in the safe and appropriate use of restraint and time out. Having appropriately trained staff is critical in the rare situations when a student’s behavior puts them or others in imminent danger,” said State Superintendent of Education Dr. Tony Sanders. “The Illinois State Board of Education will continue to work with CPS to provide additional support and to maintain this level of training on an annual basis.”
As of today, all 517 District-run schools are in full compliance with having at least two staff members trained to de-escalate and manage student safety.
Two doesn’t seem like a lot.
…Adding… NASW IL…
In fact when this bill was moving through Springfield CPS stated that it didn't apply to them as they didn't do this. That turned out to be not true.
— Rep. Eric Sorensen is getting support from high-profile Democratic donor Fred Eychaner in his reelection bid. Eychaner, a huge donor to Hillary Clinton’s presidential bid, is headlining a fundraiser for Sorensen on Tuesday. Details here.
— Rep. Lauren Underwood headlines a fundraiser tonight for her reelection bid. Details here
— Chicago Ald. Jessie Fuentes is running for committeeperson in the 26th Ward. She’s holding a fundraiser Wednesday.
* PCC…
The Partnership for College Completion (PCC) applauds Governor Pritzker for signing HB2898 into law. We are grateful for the Governor’s and the legislature’s leadership for this step toward holding for-profit colleges accountable for practices that harm students. The bill requires for-profit colleges with a final judgment or determination against them for operating with unfair or deceptive practices to reimburse the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) for the Monetary Award Program (MAP) funding they received during the period of their deceptive practices.
“We were proud to work alongside Representative Maurice West and Senator Celina Villanueva this past legislative session to get this bill passed,” Government Affairs Manager Danielle Stanley said. “Now that Governor Pritzker has signed it into law, for-profit colleges will finally be held accountable for their deceptive practices, but our work won’t stop there. We look forward to continuing to work with the legislature and the Governor to create and pass legislation that will protect Illinois students and make higher education more accessible for all who seek it.”
In the last 15 years, Illinois has given more than $255 million of MAP funding from taxpayers to these institutions. Four of the ten for-profit institutions that received MAP in 2017 have since closed, leaving many former students with unmanageable debt and limited options to complete their college degrees.
* Speaking of higher ed…
Today, Governor JB Pritzker visited the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) to welcome students back for a new school year. He was joined by state officials, Chancellor Robert Jones, students, and faculty to celebrate the back-to-school season and wish students, teachers, and families across Illinois a successful year ahead.
“It’s been my mission as governor to make higher education more affordable for every Illinoisan, no matter their background. And I couldn’t be prouder to say we’re doing exactly that,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “By restoring public funding directly to our universities, we’re eliminating the need for major tuition hikes, so students know what to expect semester after semester.”
During the event, Gov. Pritzker shared his administration’s recent FY24 budget investments to improve college affordability. This includes increasing funding for the Monetary Award Program (MAP) to an all-time high, ensuring awards for all eligible applicants. With these new investments, every student at or below median income will be able to attend community college for free in Illinois. The budget also included an additional $115 million to in-state scholarship funding, bringing the total amount to a record-breaking $750 million.
Gov. Pritzker also highlighted notable investments that will directly impact students attending institutions within the University of Illinois system, including a total state investment of $632 million ($41 million more than FY23). Other public universities across Illinois will also see funding increases, as the investments for higher education institutions grew by 7%, the largest increase in more than 20 years.
The Pritzker Administration is also investing in higher education infrastructure through the historic Rebuild Illinois Capital Plan. Campuses across Illinois will see nearly $2.8 billion dedicated to public universities and community colleges. The U of I system specifically will receive $504 million of those allocated funds.
Upcoming renovation projects in progress at UIUC include:
• New science and data analysis research facilities to support the Department of Mathematics and Statistics
• Repairs to lab infrastructure, including masonry and chimneys at Wohler Hall, Madigan Laboratory, and Noyes Laboratory
• Replacement of approximately 11,000 square feet of roofing on the Armory building
As affirmative action in higher education takes a national spotlight following June’s Supreme Court decision, Governor Pritzker ensured students of his intentions to support diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts in Illinois.
“Here in the Land of Lincoln, our institutions will continue to be inclusive of all students, including those who have been historically left out of or locked out of postsecondary education,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “To every single student: you are among the best of the best. And as your Governor, I’ll continue to have your back. I can’t wait to see all that you will accomplish.”
* LG Stratton…
Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton celebrates the newly signed Senate Bill 646 that creates the Healing Centered Task Force, signed by Governor JB Pritzker. The Lieutenant Governor will chair the Task Force as a driver of transformative change and help create a more equitable Illinois.
“The new Healing Centered Task Force will ensure Illinoisians who have experienced trauma can get the support that they need,” said Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton. “Overseeing the Justice, Opportunity, and Equity Initiative housed in my office, I am committed to the collaborative work to foster healing mechanisms for communities to thrive. Senate Bill 646 is a testament to our mission of joining forces to repair intergenerational harm, and I thank Governor Pritzker and the General Assembly for their support to create this Task Force that will benefit all residents.”
The Healing Centered Task Force in Illinois created by SB 646 will develop recommendations to bring more cohesion, coordination, and consistency to this important and transformative work. The Task Force will be a driver of diversity and equity within Illinois, composed of expert trauma informed stakeholders and people who have experienced trauma. This Task Force is a result of the collaborative work of Governor JB Pritzker, the General Assembly, and advocacy groups such as the Illinois ACEs Response Collaborative, Health and Medicine Policy Research Group, Illinois Childhood Trauma Coalition, and the Center for Childhood Resilience, among others.
The goal of the Task Force will be to design a state-level comprehensive and equitable strategy for addressing and supporting communities who have experienced trauma. This will be a significant step forward, with a trauma-informed and healing-centered lens that will support Illinoisians across our state.
Earlier this year, the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute released its 2023 County Health Rankings and Roadmaps report, which is meant to raise awareness about factors that can impact health outcomes and disparities nationwide. […]
In Illinois, just 15% of adults reported excessive drinking, which is smaller than the U.S. average of 19%. However, a handful of Illinois counties reported 19% of adults excessively drinking. Those include Calhoun, Clark, Clinton, DuPage, Greene, Grundy, Henry, Jersey, Jo Daviess, Menard, Mercer, Monroe, Moultrie, Putnam, Tazewell, Washington, and Woodford Counties.
The University of Wisconsin also reviewed the number of alcohol-impaired driving deaths per state and county.
Even though Illinois reported a below-average rate of adults drinking excessively (15%), the state still reported almost 30% of motor vehicle crash deaths involved alcohol between 2016 and 2020.
* Bond Buyer | Pritzker strikes P3 authority for local Illinois governments: Non-home rule local governments in Illinois will not be able to pursue public-private partnerships after Gov. JB Pritzker struck the provision from a larger P3 bill that lawmakers passed in the spring. House Bill 2827 is an omnibus procurement bill that made various changes to the state’s existing Transportation Public-Private Partnerships Act, including allowing tolls on highway P3s, a move that paves the way for a high-profile Interstate-55 managed lanes proposal.
* Chalkbeat | More early childhood workers are attending colleges and university, report says: The Illinois Early Childhood Access Consortium for Equity’s first annual report, released on Wednesday, found that since 2020 about 500 additional students who already work in early childhood education have enrolled in bachelor’s degree and applied associate programs, an increase of about 18%. The report also found an increase in the number of Latino and African American child care professionals who enrolled in college since 2020.
* Crain’s | The Week Ahead: An old transit reorganization idea might be revived for the RTA: A new report scheduled to go to the board of the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning on Sept. 6 is expected to seek to revive the idea. But what’s different now is that the concept has some backing from the heads of the six counties that comprise the RTA region, including Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle.
* WBEZ | How Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson has prioritized his first 100 days: Johnson’s first 100 days have been peppered with meetings, some perhaps more superfluous than others: a meeting with rapper Lil Durk four days after taking office, lunch at a luxury hotel with former NBA star Dwyane Wade, but also recurring meetings with the Chicago Police Department, one with the Fraternal Order of Police soon after his election, two with the NFL Bears organization and a meeting, lunch or ward visit with at least 46 of the city’s 50 council members, according to his daily calendar as of last Wednesday.
* Block Club | Irving Park Alderwoman OKs Plan For Affordable Apartments For Native Americans: Affordable housing developer Full Circle Communities is partnering with Native American-led nonprofit Visionary Ventures for a seven-story building with 45 apartments at 2907 W. Irving Park Road tailored to Indigenous people. The site is an empty lot that was downzoned by former Ald. Deb Mell in 2018, so the developer needs a zoning change from the alderwoman to move forward.
* Tribune | As CPS reopens this week with extreme heat forecast, will schools be cool enough for learning?: With temperatures forecast to hit the 90s during the first week of school, Pedraza said she’s grateful the district committed to providing portable air conditioners in classrooms without functioning AC by Monday, the first day of the new CPS school year. But she said there’s no timetable for repairs to permanent units — and the ongoing problems are symptomatic of why the East Side community has been advocating for a new, green school.
* Crain’s | Illinois Center owner braces for departure of largest tenant: The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services confirmed it will vacate its roughly 170,000-square-foot office at 233 N. Michigan Ave. when its lease expires in November. The department said in a statement that it will move its downtown employees into available space in federally owned buildings at 230 S. Dearborn St. and 77 W. Jackson Blvd. […] It’s unclear what is prompting the federal government to leave behind its Illinois Center regional office, which it has occupied since 1999. An email from the department said the move is “in accordance” with policies of the General Services Administration, which manages real estate for the federal government.
* WICS | Seasonal workers: The ‘backbone’ of the Illinois State Fair: Patti Walbaum works the main gate. She’s one of the the first faces fairgoers see when they get in. She’s doing this to help non-profit Pleasant Plains Community. The money she makes greeting fairgoers will be used in part to fund food banks and scholarships that her organization provides.
* Springfield Business Journal | Mark Mahoney joins ALPLM as chief of staff: Mahoney most recently worked for the Illinois Department of Central Management Services, serving as the chief administrative officer from 2019-2021 and then assistant director. Prior to that, he was the director of the Office of Public Works for the city of Springfield for eight years. Mahoney also served on the Springfield City Council from 2003-2011 as the Ward 6 alderman.
The Indiana Supreme Court has denied the rehearing request by abortion advocates after the Supreme Court ruled in June that the pending abortion ban is constitutional. […]
With this move, Indiana is likely days away from the abortion restrictions passed in August 2022 from taking effect. The ban will take effect as soon as their June 30 ruling is certified by the Appellate Clerk. […]
Under the new law, there are four abortion exceptions — rape, incest, life and physical health of the mother, and lethal fetal anomalies.
Rape or incest exemptions will need to be performed 10 weeks before post-fertilization. In the case of the life of a mother or lethal fetal anomalies, women will have up to 20 weeks post-fertilization for an abortion.
When Karen Lauritzen was named the 2023 Idaho Teacher of the Year last September, she was hoping it would be her best school year yet. Instead, she said, it turned out to be one of the worst in her two decades teaching — and, she decided by the summer, her last.
Despite her selection by a Republican administration after a rigorous application process, her nomination was met with attacks on her character from conservative outlets in the state, accusing her of “promoting transgenderism” and being a “left-wing activist,” smears that carried into her fourth-grade classroom in the form of sudden suspicions about her from parents in her school.
Lauritzen, 44, is still the reigning teacher of the year, but she is no longer teaching elementary school or even living in Idaho. Instead she is taking her talents to a university in Illinois, a long-considered career move hastened by the experience. […]
The day after she was announced as Idaho Teacher of the Year, Lauritzen was accused by conservative outlets in her state of being a “left-wing activist” because she had expressed support for the LGBTQ+ community and Black Lives Matter on her personal social media accounts. Though the outlets offered no evidence linking her personal views to her classroom instruction, parents in her rural western Idaho community began emailing and confronting her with questions. Some accused her of teaching fourth-graders inappropriate content, even though no discussion of sexuality was in her curriculum and was already prohibited by her school district. Her own global interests often inspired her teaching, but Lauritzen said she faced complaints from parents about a lesson on some worldwide cultures who eat insects, and even objections to students learning about the United Nations.
“When it’s, ‘My kid can’t do this because it’s propaganda,’ and ‘My kid can’t do that because we don’t believe in United Nations,’ it’s like, what? It’s not Santa Claus, what do you mean you don’t believe in it?” Lauritzen said. “Even if I have certain beliefs myself, that does not mean that I teach kids. It’s not my job to ‘indoctrinate’ or make kids little versions of myself. It’s to make kids into the best versions of themselves.”
The six Arkansas schools that planned to offer an Advanced Placement (AP) course on African American studies say they will continue to do so despite state officials saying the class will not count toward a student’s graduation credit.
The North Little Rock and Jacksonville North Pulaski school districts and eStem charter schools said on Thursday they would offer the course as a “local elective” despite the Arkansas education department saying it is not considered a state-approved course. They join two other school districts that have said they will continue offering the class. […]
The state, however, has said that schools can still offer the course and it can count toward a student’s grade-point average. […]
The Little Rock school district on Wednesday said it planned to continue teaching the course at Central high, site of the historic 1957 racial desegregation crisis. Central is one of six schools in the state that had been slated to offer the course this year. The Jonesboro school district told the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette it also planned to continue offering the course.
The Missouri Supreme Court upheld a state law requiring school attendance after two Lebanon, Missouri, parents were sentenced to jail following excessive absences by their children.
Court documents indicated that during the 2021-2022 academic year, a first-grade student missed nine days of school, while a kindergartner missed seven days without any explanation. […]
The two mothers, Caitlyn Williams and Tamarae Larue, took their case to the Supreme Court, arguing that the state law mandating “regular” attendance lacks clarity. […]
Williams received a one-week jail sentence for her first grader’s attendance, while Tamarae Larue was sentenced to 15 days in jail for her kindergartner’s attendance. Larue later agreed to serve on a two-year probation. […]
“I don’t know that jailing parents — and these were both single moms, I want to point out — taking them out of their households and away from their children, when the issue is the children attending school,” [Family law attorney Susan Guthrie] said. “I think the ends are not justified by the needs.”
The Justice Department scoffed Thursday at Texas’ assertion it’s free to install anti-migrant buoys in the Rio Grande, regardless of treaties and federal law, because “Texas purportedly is being ‘invaded’” by migrants.
“Whether and when an `invasion’ occurs is a matter of foreign policy and national defense, which the Constitution specifically commits to the federal government,” the Justice Department argued.
A federal judge in Austin will hear arguments Tuesday as the Biden administration tries to force Gov. Greg Abbott to remove the $850,000 floating barrier deployed near Eagle Pass last month. […]
The evidence includes a survey showing that Texas put most of the buoys on the wrong side of the border, and excerpts from the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, signed in 1848, where Mexico gave up its claims to Texas three years after statehood.
Transgender youth in North Carolina lost access Wednesday to gender-affirming medical treatments after the Republican-led General Assembly overrode the governor’s vetoes of that legislation and other bills touching on gender in sports and LGBTQ+ instruction in the classroom.
GOP supermajorities in the House and Senate enacted — over Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper’s opposition — a bill barring medical professionals from providing hormone therapy, puberty-blocking drugs and surgical gender-transition procedures to anyone under 18, with limited exceptions.
The law takes effect immediately. But minors who had begun treatment before Aug. 1 may continue receiving that care if their doctors deem it medically necessary and their parents consent.
North Carolina becomes the 22nd state to enact legislation restricting or banning gender-affirming medical care for transgender minors. But most face legal challenges, and local LGBTQ+ rights advocates vow to take the ban to court. The Senate voted 27-18 to complete the veto override after the House voted 74-45 earlier. Two House Democrats joined all present Republicans in supporting the override bid.
This year, Florida lawmakers made national headlines for approving anti-LGBTQ+ measures. And as those laws went into effect, they have pushed a majority of transgender Floridians to consider leaving the state, according to results of a survey released Thursday morning.
The survey, co-sponsored and released by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation, found that four of five transgender people wanted — or were planning — to leave Florida for another state or country because of gender-affirming care bans. More than 93% stated that they feel less safe now than they did before the laws. […]
Almost 80% of trans people — and 45% of other LGBTQ+ adults — reported that bans on gender-affirming care affect their or their loved ones’ physical or mental health.
More than 80% of trans people — and more than 76% of other LGBTQ+ adults — felt that bans on gender-affirming care worsen stereotypes, discrimination, hate and stigma.
After two failed efforts in the state legislature to define a woman and a man based on their sex assigned at birth, Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt signed an executive order limiting those definitions, the latest blow to transgender rights in the state.
The order, which along with government agencies applies to schools and state institutions, stipulates definitions for certain terms, like “man,” “boy,” “woman,” “girl,” “father,” and “mother.” The narrow definitions in the so-called “Women’s Bill of Rights” exclude trans and nonbinary people or anyone whose gender does not fit into the binary categories of woman or man. The order’s language does not make room for those with chromosomal variations, like intersex people. […]
Nicole McAfee, executive director of Freedom Oklahoma, an LGBTQ+ advocacy organization, said the directive is “neither about rights, nor is it about protecting women.”
It “instead opens the door for further civil rights violations that open all women to being harassed and targeted as they have their femininity assessed and judged by a public who feels increased permission to police gender,” they said.
Voters in the South will elect dozens of local prosecutors this November. But the proceedings are overshadowed by Southern state governments’ escalating maneuvers to undercut the will of voters in prosecutor races—fueled in part by Republican anger against some prosecutors’ policies of not enforcing low-level charges and new abortion bans.
Mississippi this year removed predominantly white sections of Hinds County, the majority-Black county that’s home to Jackson, from the control of its Black district attorney. Georgia reacted similarly to recent wins by DAs of color: It cut off a white county from a circuit that had elected a Black prosecutor, and also set up a new state agency with the power to fire DAs. Last week, Florida Republican Governor Ron DeSantis suspended Orlando’s elected Democratic prosecutor, citing disagreements with her office’s approach to prosecution, one year after he similarly replaced Tampa’s Democratic prosecutor with a member of the Federalist Society. […]
Still, the electoral cycle churns on. There will be 123 local prosecutor races across Kentucky, Mississippi, and Virginia—the only three Southern states voting on this office in 2023.
The lion’s share is in Virginia, a state that may soon experience its own version of this dynamic. Republican officials have wanted to crack down on reform prosecutors but have not been able to push their proposals through so far; they may try again in 2024 if they gain the legislature. In the meantime, these policy debates are playing out in a more usual place—the electoral arena. […]
Mississippi also features challenges to three Democratic prosecutors who have, to varying degrees, implemented some priorities of criminal justice reformers, such as expanding alternatives to incarceration or vowing to not prosecute abortion cases. Their opponents have indicated that they wish to reel back some of these efforts.
A Georgia school board voted along party lines Thursday to fire a teacher after officials said she improperly read a book on gender fluidity to her fifth grade class.
The Cobb County School Board in suburban Atlanta voted 4-3 to fire Katie Rinderle, overriding the recommendation of a panel of three retired educators. The panel found after a two-day hearing that Rinderle had violated district policies, but said she should not be fired.
She had been a teacher for 10 years when she got into trouble in March for reading the picture book “My Shadow Is Purple” by Scott Stuart at Due West Elementary School, after which some parents complained. […]
Cobb County adopted a rule barring teaching on controversial issues in 2022, after Georgia lawmakers earlier that year enacted laws barring the teaching of “divisive concepts” and creating a parents’ bill of rights. The divisive concepts law, although it addresses teaching on race, bars teachers from “espousing personal political beliefs.” The bill of rights guarantees that parents have “the right to direct the upbringing and the moral or religious training of his or her minor child.”
Rinderle is believed to be the first public school teacher in Georgia to be fired because of the laws. None of the board members discussed the decision, but school district lawyer Sherry Culves said at the hearing that discussing gender identity and gender fluidity was inappropriate.
Joshua Livingston has been indicted on — but pleaded not guilty to — three counts of first-degree murder and one count of homicidal death related to [Melissa] Ostrom’s disappearance […]
A domestic battery complaint filed March 22 against Livingston points to the volatile relationship he had with his girlfriend. The 42-year-old was accused of grabbing and throwing his 39-year-old partner to the ground 10 days earlier, on March 12. Livingston was released March 27 after posting $200, the required 10% of his $2,000 bond.
* The reason I’m posting this story is that McLean County State’s Attorney Erika Reynolds insists she would’ve had to release Livingston if the SAFE-T Act had been in place…
Reynolds said she’s concerned about how interpretations of the new law will impact domestic violence situations.
“We may be in a scenario in which there will be no way to hold a misdemeanor defendant, which is typically your domestic violence cases – unless there’s some type of other circumstances that would make it a felony,” Reynolds said.
The way that the court system determines whether a person should be released from jail still includes a person’s potential flight risk and their risk to the safety of the victim and community.
Supporters of the Pretrial Fairness Act stressed those points Friday as they pushed back on Reynolds’ comments. They say domestic violence is, in fact, one of several misdemeanors eligible for detention – and that the new law could ultimately provide more latitude to hold defendants deemed to be a threat, not less. They also note support for the bill came, in part, from organizations like the Illinois Coalition Against Domestic Violence.
Reynolds on Friday doubled down on her interpretation of the law, saying in a statement that her comments are part of “my job to inform the public about what may or may not happen when the SAFE-T Act takes effect.” Reynolds said her opinion stems from arguments made in favor of the SAFE-T Act before the Illinois Supreme Court by the bill’s proponents.
“The proponents of the bill publicly made other suggestions but argued during the litigation that holding a defendant in pretrial detention on misdemeanor offenses, including domestic battery offenses, would violate a defendant’s rights,” the statement read. “Consistent with that theory, as I have stated before, we may find ourselves in a situation in which we will be unable to hold anyone charged with a misdemeanor pretrial, including domestic battery defendants.”
In determining which conditions of pretrial release, if any, will reasonably ensure the appearance of a defendant as required or the safety of any other person or the community and the likelihood of compliance by the defendant with all the conditions of pretrial release, the court shall, on the basis of available information, take into account such matters as […]
(6) when a person is charged with a violation of a protective order, domestic battery, aggravated domestic battery, kidnapping, aggravated kidnaping, unlawful restraint, aggravated unlawful restraint, cyberstalking, harassment by telephone, harassment through electronic communications, or an attempt to commit first degree murder committed against a spouse or a current or former partner in a cohabitation or dating relationship, regardless of whether an order of protection has been issued against the person, the court may consider the following additional factors:
(A) whether the alleged incident involved harassment or abuse, as defined in the Illinois Domestic Violence Act of 1986;
(B) whether the person has a history of domestic violence, as defined in the Illinois Domestic Violence Act of 1986, or a history of other criminal acts;
(C) the mental health of the person;
(D) whether the person has a history of violating the orders of any court or governmental entity;
(E) whether the person has been, or is, potentially a threat to any other person;
(F) whether the person has access to deadly weapons or a history of using deadly weapons;
(G) whether the person has a history of abusing alcohol or any controlled substance;
(H) the severity of the alleged incident that is the basis of the alleged offense, including, but not limited to, the duration of the current incident, and whether the alleged incident involved the use of a weapon, physical injury, sexual assault, strangulation, abuse during the alleged victim’s pregnancy, abuse of pets, or forcible entry to gain access to the alleged victim;
(I) whether a separation of the person from the victim of abuse or a termination of the relationship between the person and the victim of abuse has recently occurred or is pending;
(J) whether the person has exhibited obsessive or controlling behaviors toward the victim of abuse, including, but not limited to, stalking, surveillance, or isolation of the victim of abuse or the victim’s family member or members;
(K) whether the person has expressed suicidal or homicidal ideations; and
(L) any other factors deemed by the court to have a reasonable bearing upon the defendant’s propensity or reputation for violent, abusive, or assaultive behavior, or lack of that behavior.
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I don’t think I’ll ever fully understand why Tim Mapes allowed himself to be put into this situation.
Not one of the lies former Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan’s former chief of staff is accused of telling a grand jury while under a grant of immunity was about illegal activity. During his two hours on the stand and through 650 questions, he was never once asked if he’d witnessed any sort of crime or suspected wrongdoing by others. And now he’s standing trial on federal charges of perjury and obstruction of justice.
His alleged lies were in response to fairly benign queries, like, for instance: “Did [Madigan’s top lieutenant Mike McClain], after he retired, kind of give you any insight into what his interactions with [Madigan] were that you weren’t privy to personally?”
Mapes’ response: “No, that wouldn’t — that wouldn’t happen.”
But it did happen. And the feds recorded quite a few instances of it happening.
That’s another thing about those questions: The feds didn’t ask Mapes anything they didn’t already know in advance.
And Mapes knew all too well that the government was likely listening in. Mapes testified to the grand jury in February 2021. The Chicago Tribune reported as far back as November 2019 that investigators had tapped McClain’s mobile phone. McClain has since been convicted based in part on those very recordings.
The feds basically set a trap for Mapes with the grand jury. Mapes knew the trap was likely there, but then he jumped right in anyway.
Maybe he was just being a tough guy like in a gangster movie.
But this is real life, not a movie, and the man has a real-life family. And he wasn’t being asked to say anything particularly incriminating of either Madigan or McClain.
The federal government doesn’t usually ask a judge to involuntarily impose immunity on a witness to compel grand jury testimony under oath if that witness has been cooperative during an investigation. I’ve assumed all along Mapes really ticked off government investigators during the interview process.
There are those who say Mapes was so arrogant after decades of amassing power that he couldn’t shake the habit while on the stand. And his strict Madigan gate-keeper status (a sign on his office wall read: “Nobody gets in to see the Wizard”) may have naturally compelled him to mum up under questioning.
His non-answers to simple questions about whether Madigan had “any sort of esteem or regard” for the late Mayor Richard J. Daley or if Madigan ever talked about Daley points to that. Madigan loved to talk about old man Daley, who Madigan used as a model for his entire political and patronage structure.
That Madigan wouldn’t have ever spoken to his highest level employee about his political idol and personal mentor is truly difficult to believe.
Mapes, in the end, just seemed like he wouldn’t cop to anything.
And now he’s looking at up to 20 years in prison for an obstruction of justice charge and another 5 years for perjury.
None of the federal government’s released recordings of Mapes’ conversations show that anyone he spoke with talked about actually committing a crime. The government apparently didn’t have Mapes on anything. I suppose Mapes might have been trying to protect himself about something else, but he probably would’ve received a far better deal if he’d just fessed up then.
Aside from opening statements and cross-examination, we have as of this writing yet to hear Mapes’ full defense. His lawyers have claimed in previous filings that the feds have twisted Mapes’ deliberately careful and cautious answers into lies.
That’s also difficult to believe in its entirety.
“I have no knowledge or recall of that,” Mapes said during his grand jury appearance when asked if McClain had been in contact with a House member whom McClain wanted to push out of the legislature after a very public scandal that was never actually proved to be true.
“But according to the wiretapped calls, [the legislator in question] was a frequent topic of conversation between Mapes and McClain,” Hannah Meisel reported for Capitol News Illinois last week. She then gave her readers some examples.
Mapes was widely considered to have a very detailed memory when he was Madigan’s chief of staff, but maybe he did somehow forget. Even so, he most certainly had “knowledge” of the calls because he was on them.
Other Madigan “made men” have testified for the prosecution in Mapes’ trial, so perhaps Mapes believes he did the honorable thing by not fully cooperating. But those other folks are going home to their families. Mapes may not.
* NBC Chicago | Illinois to eliminate cash bail next month. Here’s what to expect: As part of the court’s decision, the Supreme Court’s hold on the elimination of cash bail in Illinois ends 60 days following the ruling. That puts the date at Sept. 18. At that time, circuit courts in the state are expected to begin operating in accordance with the SAFE-T Act provisions.
* SLPR | New program to address ‘unintended consequences’ of Illinois’ disabled veteran exemption: St. Clair County and its various taxing districts will be some of the biggest recipients of a new state reimbursement pilot program that aims to replace property tax revenue, according to an Illinois Department of Revenue report. In 2015, Illinois quit collecting property taxes from disabled veterans. To make up for lost revenue, taxing districts compensated by raising rates on other taxpayers, to the dismay of many. In some cases, local taxing districts — like cities, schools, libraries and fire departments — lose out on property tax dollars because they reach a state limit, according to the Department of Revenue.
* SJ-R | Thousands of jobs, pennies on the dollar: How Illinois uses prison labor: According to data provided by IDOC, there are 27,400 incarcerated laborers working in the state. The work and pay vary by the individual. Some lay bricks, cook, or even tend to plants at the Illinois State Fair. The work can lead to reduced sentences. IDOC issued a 10% raise last year retroactive to fiscal year 2022 which cost the department $6.4 million in fiscal year 2023. The current fiscal year appropriation for labor expenses is $6.5 million, which is less than 2% of IDOC’s $337.3 million fiscal year 2024 budget.
* Tribune | Lincoln Yards and The 78 are developments that are years off, but nearly $140 million in TIF funds are flowing: The public dollars are set to pay for constructing and improving roads and bridges within and around both developments. While use of the often-overlooked but controversial tax increment financing dollars was always expected to be part of both projects, the city’s maneuvers mean certain infrastructure work stands to be funded by tax dollars from neighboring TIF districts and not the TIF districts the city established in recent years to support the Lincoln Yards and The 78 projects.
* Tribune | State seeks to combat food deserts with $20 million program to seed independent grocers: The bulk of the program’s funding will go toward financial assistance in the form of grants or loans for purposes such as feasibility studies, marketing, salaries and benefits for workers, down-payment or rent assistance, capital improvements, or for buying and establishing a new grocery store. Grant recipients also will qualify for other incentives such as tax exemptions on utilities and building materials.
* Daily Herald | ‘I had to say thank you’: How an Elgin restaurant owner became an inflation warrior: “But I didn’t know what the (heck) to do. The prices kept going up. I couldn’t give them a discount, I couldn’t do this or I couldn’t do that. Then, as god always does, He slapped me on the back of my head and said wake up, this is what you’re going to do. You’re going to become a tenacious individual, and you’re going to talk to your vendors and you’re going to let them know, enough is enough.”
* Sun-Times | CPS juggles funding, bilingual staff to welcome thousands of new migrant students: About 5,300 new English-learning students registered at CPS throughout the last school year. Not all those children came from asylum-seeking families — some may have had a more stable immigration or were not recent immigrants at all. But schools felt a surge compared to the typical year, when around 3,000 new English learners enroll.
* Daily Herald | Monument to innovation: Can preservationists save 121-year-old railroad depot in West Chicago?: Built around the turn of the 20th century, the structure served as a passenger depot and power substation for the electrically operated Chicago, Aurora & Elgin Railway. Where some now see boarded-up windows and patches of grass, Brian Ostberg sees innovation and workmanship. “The only viable alternative right now, as far as we can see, is moving it,” Ostberg said.
* ScribbleLive is still down. Twitter has stopped allowing people to embed list feeds on websites. So, click here or here to follow breaking news. You can click here to follow the Tim Mapes trial.
We are excited to announce that, earlier today, the nonprofit Franklin News Foundation acquired Advanced Digital Media, Inc, strengthening our ability to deliver reliable news coverage. This opportunity will allow Lisa and I, to not only continue providing the unbiased video journalism you have come to expect, but increase the time we dedicate to covering government issues.
With six days of veto session planned for the Illinois General Assembly this fall, legislators will have their hands full dealing with the state’s energy policies.
Gov. J.B. Pritkzer vetoed a measure that would have lifted the moratorium on new nuclear power facilities that has been in place for decades. He said the proposal changed at the last minute before it cleared the General Assembly last spring.
“There was nothing to line-item, essentially amend without vetoing the entire bill in order to separate the question of whether you’re going to have large scale reactors developed in Illinois or whether you’re talking about [small modular reactors],” Pritzker said. […]
State Rep. Jay Hoffman, the House assistant majority leader, pushed for lifting the moratorium for nuclear and for supporting changes to other bills the governor made.
“I personally believe that we should move forward with assuring that small nuclear moves forward,” Hoffman told The Center Square.
A spokesperson for co-sponsor Rep. Larry Walsh (D-Elwood) sent me this statement last week about the veto, but has not yet responded to follow-up questions about which business and special interest groups had “hijacked this issue and the process for their own personal gain, financial and political”…
I wanted to pass along Rep. Walsh’s statement on the veto of Senate Bill 76.
“I am disappointed in Governor Pritzker’s decision to veto Senate Bill 76. As we maneuver ourselves towards cleaner energy production, nuclear technology must be an option. Senate Bill 76 was an opportunity to allow new, safe, and efficient reactors to be a tool in our energy toolbox. For over two years, hearings on this issue have been held in a bipartisan manner and Senate Bill 76 was the culmination of those efforts. Unfortunately, there are business interests and special interest groups within the renewable energy community that have hijacked this issue and the process for their own personal gain, financial and political.
Despite this setback, we will continue to work to expand clean energy generation in Illinois so that our grid is able to meet the shortfalls that RTOs have forecasted in the coming years. Unfortunately with this veto, that work has become harder.”
If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me at your convenience.
* Humane Society…
Hi Rich,
The Humane Society of the U.S. released it’s 2023 scorecard showcasing how State Representatives and Senators voted on animal welfare legislation. We passed several important bills into law this year and a few passed one chamber but got held up in the other. We’re thrilled to see so many 100’s but still have work to do for those that got F’s. Feel free to share!
F’s included Republican Reps. Martin McLaughlin, Jeff Keicher, Jed Davis, CD Davidsmeyer, Chris Miller, Adam Niemerg, Brad Halbrook, Democratic Sen. Patricia Van Pelt (who was gone all spring) and Republican Sen. Don DeWitte.
* SoS union agreement…
This morning I joined the leadership of @SEIU73 to announce that our office has reached a unanimous tentative agreement on a 4-year contract - the earliest an agreement has been reached in the history of the SOS office!! Proud to call these amazing folks my teammates. #ILSOSpic.twitter.com/ODKHJVtN3Z
— Secretary Alexi Giannoulias (@ILSecOfState) August 18, 2023
* Speaking of labor negotiations, here’s the Tribune…
In his weekly message to members, union President John Catanzara said the union and city engaged in two bargaining sessions last week, both of which, he said, were “extremely productive.”
“The city realizes (that) negotiating in good faith for a change is the best path forward as the arbitration process continues,” Catanzara said.
* RIP…
My husband was a remarkable man. He will be sorely missed by all who knew him and loved him. pic.twitter.com/6BG0uSlnM7
* Sun-Times | Pritzker signs bill combating food deserts across Illinois: There were 3.3 million Illinois residents living in a food desert, according to a 2021 Illinois Department of Public Health report. The new measure will support existing grocers and help encourage new grocers by allowing stores receiving grants to be able to receive tax credits and other incentives.
* Crain’s | Chicago Teachers’ Pension Fund says no to Lincoln Yards: The pension fund today said in a statement that it has “declined to take further action” on a proposition from Sterling Bay to become the primary financial backer of the sprawling 53-acre project. Sterling Bay pitched the $12.1 billion fund’s investment committee in May on its vision for the development along the North Branch of the Chicago River between Lincoln Park and Bucktown, hoping to win what could be as much as a $300 million investment to jump-start it.
* NYT | Blue-Light Glasses Are Unlikely to Help Eye Strain. Here’s What Does.: Researchers have long been skeptical that blue-light glasses can curb eye strain, said Mark Rosenfield, a professor at the State University of New York College of Optometry. Previous studies have also typically been small, but several have found that the lenses did not prevent people’s eyes from tiring or getting irritated, and did not appear to improve vision.
* NYT | How States Are Threading the Needle on Flag Design: So is it worth it to attempt a redesign? Elizabeth Goodspeed, a graphic designer and design critic, thinks so. The flag, she said, is “like a physical, visual manifestation of a state’s values in the same way that a logo in a brand system represents what a company cares about.” From that perspective, she explained, “rebranding is a very powerful tool.”
* Sun-Times | As Friday Morning Swim Club grows, so do safety concerns: Zacharias wasn’t planning on making a TikTok, but when her fiance found himself treading water among a sea of colorful floats, Zacharias had to capture it. “I just want everybody to be safe; I don’t want this to turn into a horror story,” she said of making the July 14 video, which has raked in 1.1 million views and 120,000 likes.
When asked before the grand jury on March 31, 2021, whether McClain had “any contact” with Lang “for any purpose” between 2017 and 2019, Mapes said under oath, “I don’t know of any.”
It’s just one of many ways prosecutors have now used a monthslong wiretap of McClain’s phone to make their case that Mapes lied in 2021 and tried to block the feds’ aggressive yearslong investigation of Madigan and McClain.
They piled on further Thursday, despite an early setback in which a key call was stricken from the trial by U.S. District Judge John Kness. […]
Lang testified in McClain’s earlier trial about the Nov. 8, 2018, call in which McClain told him it was time to resign.
McClain called himself “an agent, somebody that cares deeply about ya, who thinks that you really oughta move on.”Lang had faced a separate allegation earlier that year.
The obstruction of justice charge, which comes with a maximum of 20 years in prison, alleges Mapes gave false testimony about more than a dozen topics, including whether he knew McClain communicated with Lang in 2018, with some of those communications at Madigan’s direction.
“I have no knowledge or recall of that,” Mapes told the grand jury when prosecutors asked if he knew whether McClain was in contact with Lang.
But according to the wiretapped calls, Lang was a frequent topic of conversation between Mapes and McClain in 2018, especially that fall.
“My assignment is to tell Lou Lang he has no life in the House anymore,” McClain told Mapes in an Oct. 26, 2018 call.
Three days later, Mapes asked McClain for an update about the Lang situation.
“Hey, how’s your buddy Lou Lang doing?” Mapes asked, chuckling. “Have you delivered the bad news yet?”
In one call from Oct. 26, 2018, McClain told Mapes, “My assignment is to tell Lou Lang that he has no life in the House anymore.”
“You’ve had one discussion with him. Did you have more?” Mapes asked.
“I’m doing it in tiers,” McClain responded.
In a recorded telephone call from Oct. 31, 2018, McClain said he would wait until fundraising checks that they had directed Lang to disperse to other Democratic candidates cleared, “Then I gotta tell (Lang) he’s gotta move on, he has no future in the House.”
Lang said on the call he needed to think things over before making a decision, but thanked McClain for “leveling” with him, stating he would never do anything to “damage my speaker or my caucus.”
Following his testimony, jurors heard more recorded phone calls and viewed email exchanges between McClain and Mapes in which they discussed the Lang situation. […]
In another call from Oct. 31, McClain reiterated that he had to tell Lang “he’s gotta move on, he’s got no more future in the House.”
Weeks later in a call on Nov. 15, McClain informed Mapes that Lang intended to “resign before the end of the calendar year.” Mapes then replied that he’d heard Lang was already informing other legislators of that decision.
* Off-topic, but McClain made some ugly sexist remarks when talking to Mapes, which could have an impact on the jury…
McClain tells Mapes that his replacement as chief of staff is in over her head. “This is between you and me. I never thought that she was the sharpest knife in the drawer and her head has been swimming a lot.”
A federal appeals court on Thursday dismissed a lawsuit challenging a New Jersey law that creates a pathway for the state to sue the gun industry.
A three-judge panel on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit ruled the lawsuit brought by the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), a firearm industry trade association, was filed too early. The group challenged the law before enforcement began. […]
The law, which was passed last year, enables New Jersey’s attorney general to sue entities that manufacture, distribute, sell or market gun-related products if they contribute to a public nuisance.
The trade association filed the lawsuit in November before New Jersey’s law went into effect, and a federal district judge blocked the legislation in a preliminary decision.
Federal courts are not forecasters. The Constitution limits our jurisdiction to disputes that have ripened fully. We may not prejudge hypothetical cases or offer legal advice. Instead, par- ties must first be injured before coming to us for redress. Only then do we react. When constitutional rights are at stake, we accelerate that timeline—but only slightly. We may hear a case before a person’s rights are violated only if the threat is imminent.
The National Shooting Sports Foundation challenges a new state gun law as violating its members’ constitutional rights. But we see little evidence that enforcement is looming. Be- cause the Foundation has jumped the gun, its challenge must be dismissed. […]
The first theory goes not to standing, but to the merits. Even if federal law gives gun sellers a statutory immunity that New Jersey would violate just by filing a complaint, a statutory violation is not enough to show standing. The Foundation must also show how violating their purported statutory immunity “has a close relationship to a harm traditionally recognized as providing a basis for a lawsuit in American courts.” It has not done so. Nor has it explained why this potential statutory (rather than constitutional) violation would justify pre-enforcement review. We will not try to connect the dots for it.
The Foundation’s second theory is not much better. It rests on “generalized allegations.” The Foundation says little about what it plans to do. It has pleaded that it is an association of gun makers and sellers, and it has offered declarations that the Law chills its members’ manufacturing, marketing, and sales. From that evidence, we can infer that its members plan to make, market, and sell guns. But that is all.
Yet “an allegation that certain conduct has (or will have) a chilling effect on one’s speech must claim a … threat of specific future harm.” Id. at 269–70 (internal quotation marks omitted). The same goes for one’s Second Amendment rights. But the Foundation makes no such specific claim. It repeatedly conjures the specter of “sweeping liability” that will force its members to shutter their businesses. Yet its bold assertion is backed by no evidence. A plaintiff must do more than assert “subjective chill.”
NSSF General Counsel Lawrence Keane said in a statement the group will file another complaint against New Jersey should the “public nuisance” law be enforced against the gun industry.
“While we respectfully disagree with the court’s decision on our pre-enforcement challenge, it is important to note the court did not say New Jersey’s law does not violate the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act; it clearly does,” Keane said.
But it’s probably also worth noting that the US Supreme Court did pretty much the opposite recently when it struck down a Colorado law that hadn’t yet harmed the plaintiff.
Illinois State Senator Willie Preston came to the rescue of a driver whose truck had flipped onto its side in Chicago last week.
Sen. Preston, who represents Illinois’ 16th District, was driving near 79th and Kedzie last Friday when he saw people recording something on their phones.
He said he then saw a semi that had flipped onto its side. It was smoking, and the driver was trapped inside.
Sen. Preston had a tool in his car, which he used to break the windshield and then helped the driver out of the cab.
Avoid traffic heading west down 79th Street as a major accident has occurred on 79th Kedzie. As a community, when we see someone in distress I encourage us to help, not just record. #unityandprogress
*** UPDATE *** I should’ve mentioned this as well. From a press release…
State Senator Willie Preston gave local south side high school baseball players a surprise of a lifetime with a trip to one of the most famous baseball fields last weekend.
“I am pleased I was able to bring such an amazing opportunity to the players and coaches from the 16th District,” said Preston (D-Chicago). “I want our next generation of kids to know that there is life beyond our neighborhood and that we believe in them and will support them by investing in their dreams and futures.”
At 6 a.m. on Sunday, Aug. 13, teammates from Leo, Oaklawn, Simeon, Perspective’s, and Lindblom high schools packed on to a bus to play in State Senator Willie Preston’s Field of Dreams All Star Game at the legendary Field of Dreams from the 1989 film. The baseball players were also able to meet and train with professional baseball players and coaches.
Preston has developed a strong relationship with the schools and the administration in his district. As a newly elected official, he has supported back to school drives, food giveaways, and other community events.
“I am so proud of these young, talented men and their dedication both on and off the field,” said Preston. “Being able to show them they matter and so do their futures is exactly why we brought them to the Field of Dreams.”
Wow! Today was an incredible day!!! God has truly put me in a position to do some incredible things for his people. I’m not waisting a second. #senatorprestonfieldofdreamsallstargame #UnityAndProgress
Amends the Public Utilities Act. Provides that no electric or gas public utility shall disconnect service for nonpayment of a bill or deposit to any residential customer or master metered apartment building if gas or electricity is used as the primary source of space heating or is used to control or operate the primary source of space heating equipment at the premises and the customer has provided documentation that he or she is applying for grants or financial resources to pay the utility bill until 75 days after the customer provides documented proof of the grant or financial resource application. Provides that during the grace period the electric or gas public utility shall waive any late fees. Provides that an electric or gas public utility is not required to provide a grace period for a 12-month period after the conclusion of the preceding grace period.
Amends the Election Code. Prohibits a political committee from making certain expenditures to provide a defense in any criminal case or a defense in a civil case against any claims that a person has committed misconduct in his or her capacity as a public official, any claims of sexual harassment, or any claims of discrimination. Requires that a person found to have used campaign contributions in violation of the Code shall return contributions to the contributor or pay to the State if the contributor cannot be identified or reimbursed. Requires the political committee to include information on the contributions returned to the contributor or paid to the State in the committee’s quarterly report to the State Board of Elections.
Amends the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Requires the Department of Children and Family Services to pay for all inpatient stays at a hospital beginning on the 3rd day a child is in the hospital beyond medical necessity, and the parent or caregiver has denied the child access to the home and has refused or failed to make provisions for another living arrangement for the child or the child’s discharge is being delayed due to a pending inquiry or investigation by the Department of Children and Family Services. In a provision requiring the Department of Children and Family Services to pay the DCFS per diem rate for inpatient psychiatric stays at a free-standing psychiatric hospital or a hospital with a pediatric or adolescent inpatient psychiatric unit, requires the Department to pay the DCFS per diem rate effective the 3rd day (rather than the 11th day) when a child is in the hospital beyond medical necessity.
Amends the Food Handling Regulation Enforcement Act. Provides that if a cottage food operation is located in another state, it must register with the local health department for the unit of local government where it will sell products. Provides that a cottage food product shall not be shipped out of State unless it is compliant with the laws of the state to which it is being shipped. Provides that a local health department may establish policies to allow for the indirect sale by retailers of food and drink produced by a cottage food operation within its jurisdiction. Makes conforming changes.
Creates the Whipped Cream Charger Sales Restriction Act. Provides that no person, corporation, partnership, limited liability company, firm, or any other business entity doing business in the State shall sell or offer for sale a whipped cream charger to any person under the age of 21. Provides that any person, corporation, partnership, limited liability company, firm, or other business entity doing business in the State selling, offering for sale, or distributing whipped cream chargers shall require proof of legal age prior to allowing an individual to purchase or receive a shipment of whipped cream chargers. Provides that identification is not required of any individual who reasonably appears to be at least 25 years of age. Provides that an individual’s appearance shall not constitute a defense in any proceeding alleging the sale or distribution of whipped cream chargers to an individual under 21 years of age. Provides that the Attorney General may impose a civil penalty after notice to the person, corporation, partnership, limited liability company, firm, or any other business accused of violating the Act and an opportunity for that person to be heard in the matter. Provides that the Attorney General may file a civil action in the circuit court to recover any penalty imposed under the Act. Provides that any person, corporation, partnership, limited liability company, firm, or any other business entity that violates the Act shall be subject to a civil penalty of not more than $250 for an initial offense and not more than $500 for the second and each subsequent offense.
Recognizes the music genre of hip-hop in commemoration of its 50th anniversary and its continued cultural and social impact on the City of Chicago and the State of Illinois.
The Citizens Utility Board (CUB) on Wednesday thanked Gov. J.B. Pritzker for protecting Illinois consumers and issuing an amendatory veto on Ameren’s controversial “Right of First Refusal” legislation that the watchdog said would have needlessly raised costs for electric customers.
An amendment to House Bill 3445 would have given Ameren Illinois a monopoly over transmission projects. Having the “Right of First Refusal” means Ameren would have gotten first dibs on these big wire projects, thus eliminating the competitive bidding process for transmission projects in the utility’s territory.
Customers pay for these transmission projects through their electric bills, so Ameren’s proposal would have exposed customers to higher costs, at a time when they already face a record $1.3 billion rate-hike request on another part of their power bills. Ameren customers also face the utility’s proposed $148.9 million gas hike.
“CUB thanks Governor J.B. Pritzker for protecting consumers and issuing an amendatory veto on a provision of House Bill 3445 that would have given Ameren a monopoly over transmission projects,” CUB Executive Director Sarah Moskowitz said. “Not having a competitive bidding process for transmission projects risks higher costs for electric customers.”
Interestingly, the bill applies only to Ameren Illinois, which serves downstate Illinois, and not Commonwealth Edison. Ordinarily, the IBEW, which represents thousands of workers at both utilities, would have pushed to favor both companies.
But ComEd’s admission of an elaborate bribery scheme aimed at currying favor with former House Speaker Michael Madigan, and the recent convictions of the so-called “ComEd Four,” including former ComEd CEO Anne Pramaggiore, on conspiracy and bribery charges, led backers to focus only on Ameren.
Senate President Don Harmon told me he viewed the bill as pro-union (IBEW), not pro-Ameren, but, man, this just didn’t smell good.
* The Ameren/union amendment popped up out of nowhere on May 25th. It was sent to the non-substantive Senate Assignments Committee that same day and immediately advanced to the Senate floor, where it passed 41-9 with one abstention. The House concurred the very next day on a 63-32-2 vote, far less than a veto-proof majority, likely because some House members were a bit more informed about the bill by that time, and/or upset with the way it was being muscled through.
While we have not yet reviewed the language in detail, we echo comments issued by the Department of Justice and FTC, which state that the 2011 federal elimination of “Right of First Refusal” resulted in new benefits for consumers: lower rates, improved service and increased innovation. We are concerned about the impact that of a right of first refusal will have on consumers, as a right of first refusal generally increases transmission costs. Research has demonstrated that competitively-bid projects are typically more affordable, costing 40% less than projects that are not competitively bid. We are concerned that right of first refusal stifles competition and discourages new entry to the market.
* The IBEW sent out a press release today with some decent counter-arguments, including these…
* The bottom line is that this is a huge issue involving a large and powerful utility company passed in the literal wake of the biggest utility-related corruption trial in Illinois history. This wasn’t one of those bills (like the assault weapons ban) that had been percolating and negotiated and various elements heard in committee for months or even years and then passed when the votes were finally rounded up.
House Bill 3445 deserved far more debate and scrutiny than it got. But if the legislature is gonna continue doing this sort of stuff, then maybe it does need to be reined in by the Supreme Court. /rant
At the official rally on the Director’s Lawn, Illinois House Republican Leader Tony McCombie, R-Savanna, addressed Pritzker’s remarks a day earlier accusing Republicans of persuading GOP voters to “believe their lies.”
“The problem is that here in Illinois, we have a low tolerance for bull—-,” Pritzker said on Wednesday.
“Democrats’ tolerance for bull—— might be low, but their tolerance for corruption is apparently sky high,” McCombie said Thursday to cheers from fellow Republicans. “They’re huddled up right now on yet another trial brought on by bribery, lying and self-interest.” […]
Illinois Senate Minority Leader John Curran, R-Downers Grove, said most voters “don’t want the extreme, expensive, unsafe policies being shoved down their throats by the Democratic majorities in this state.”
Illinois’ National GOP Committeewoman Demetra DeMonte, meanwhile, strategized on how to deal with the issue of abortion.
“Abortion is a topic that kind of sounds tough to talk about,” she said. “And that’s pretty much what our candidates did in 2022.”
While the U.S. Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade put the decision on abortion rights back to the states, DeMonte said, Republicans should push back against claims that it did more than that. And they should pressure Democrats to define the acceptable limits for abortion, she said.
“The Democrats won by spewing lies in 2022,” she said. “Make no mistake, abortion will be their number one on their playbook in ‘24. Why change a winning strategy? We are the ones that must change – we Republicans must put Democrats on the defensive on abortion.”
Party leaders also acknowledged that abortion rights, which motivated Democratic voters — particularly women in the once GOP-rich suburbs — and led to election successes last year, will remain a critical 2024 election-year issue that they will have to try to counter.
“Why change a winning strategy?” Demetra DeMonte, the state’s Republican national committeewoman, said of Democrats during a breakfast meeting of GOP leaders. “We are the ones that must change. We Republicans must put Democrats on the defensive on abortion.”
Noting an “unending drumbeat” of Democratic ads on abortion rights last year, DeMonte and other Republicans said the GOP must work to label Democrats as extreme on the issue.
Republicans held their annual breakfast meeting Thursday, where navigating the abortion issue was another touchy topic.
“In Illinois, we’re not talking about life or choice. We’re talking about extremes,” McCombie said. “We’re talking about late term abortions. We’re talking about repealing parental notification. We’re talking about taxpayer funding. We’re not talking about choice or life in Illinois.
*** UPDATE *** Personal PAC CEO Sarah Garza Resnick responds to Leader McCombie…
At Personal PAC, we’ve been crystal clear: abortion rights. No exceptions. Leader McCombie’s rhetoric crosses a dangerous line, indeed calling reproductive choice back into question. This moment calls for the principled expansion of abortion access and improvement of equity across the state. As a non-partisan advocacy organization, we would welcome the partnership and support of any General Assembly member or candidate in this fight.
Still, even if Illinois Republican leaders wanted to redirect the conversation away from the former president and his legal troubles, there were signs of his continued hold over his party, including Trump campaign signs.
It is a reminder of the conundrum facing state Republicans as the former president is politically toxic, with moderate suburban voters needed to win general elections, but remains a favorite of the party’s downstate base.
This was clear in the Republican primary race for the 12th Congressional District, which features incumbent Rep. Mike Bost, R-Murphysboro, and former GOP gubernatorial nominee Darren Bailey. Both have endorsed Trump.
“It’s bogus, it’s a complete witch hunt,” Bailey told reporters at the fairgrounds on Thursday. “What’s going on should be illegal. We need more attorney generals across the United States actually filing indictments against Joe Biden and many of the other people in office.”
Bailey concluded his term in the state Senate in January after a failed gubernatorial attempt in 2022. He never ruled out a return to politics in the months following and announced his run for the Illinois 12th Congressional District in July.
There, he will face off against U.S. Rep. Mike Bost, R-Murphysboro, a five-term congressman representing 34 counties in southern Illinois. Bost was not in attendance for GOP Day, but was joined by House Speaker Kevin McCarthy for an O’Fallon campaign event that afternoon.
Bailey characterized the Bost-McCarthy event as a “sign of desperation,” from his primary opponent and attempted to link him as a Washington insider.
“Mike Bost has been very loyal to DC and I expect DC to be very loyal to Mike Bost,” Bailey contended. “When I get elected, my loyalty is going to go to the people in the 12th congressional district.”
* More…
* WAND | Illinois Republicans bash Pritzker, push for conservative family values in state politics: House Republican Leader Tony McCombie (R-Savanna) said she’s optimistic for a productive session when she was sworn in for the 103rd General Assembly in January. While McCombie’s team consistently asked for meetings with Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch, she said Welch was not honest or transparent with the House Republican Caucus. McCombie said the spring session was chaos and Welch showed he is the “master of mismanagement.”
* WGN | ‘Let’s talk about Illinois’: GOP leaders turn focus away from Trump at State Fair: There was visible support for the former president at a picnic on Thursday despite the allegations that he orchestrated a conspiracy to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election. “I believe an indictment does not prove that you’re guilty,” Republican voter Paul Hofmann said. “I would like to see a change in venue. All of this is politics and politics can be a very brutal sport.”
* Sun-Times | Copi dokey? Illinoisans getting hooked on renamed invasive carp delicacies at State Fair: “We have been very busy,” said Darla Drainer, co-owner of the Grafton-based shack, which was contracted by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources to serve up copi. “People have been seeing the signs all over the place. People just absolutely have loved it. Every time I ask: ‘Thumbs up. Very good.’”
* Daily Herald | Glendale Heights board asks village president to resign in wake of criminal charges: The Glendale Heights Village Board on Thursday night asked its embattled president, Chodri Ma Khokhar, to resign because he is facing criminal charges accusing him of filing false police reports. “Considering the mayor’s conduct … the best interest of the community would be served by his immediate resignation,” Trustee Chester Pojack said, reading from a statement he said was signed by all trustees.
* Tribune | City ‘will suffer’ if officer disciplinary hearings are held out of public view, Police Board president says: Addressing a recent effort by the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 7 to remove 22 misconduct cases from the board’s docket, Ghian Foreman, the board’s president, said: “Police accountability and, ultimately, the people of Chicago will suffer if the most serious police disciplinary cases are removed from the police board’s jurisdiction, which is what will happen if this decision is allowed to stand.”
* Crain’s | Northwestern floats modifications to stadium project: In a message Thursday night, school President Michael Schill said the university is willing to dial back the number of summer concerts at the new Ryan Field to six from 10, a move apparently aimed at addressing concerns raised by nearby residents in Evanston and neighboring Wilmette.
* Apartment Therapy | A Frank Lloyd Wright Home in Chicago Is Listed for Just $75K: Now, if you’re thinking that’s just too good to be true, it’s worth noting that this dream home does come with some pretty major caveats. The property, located in Wright’s Waller Apartments at 2846 W Walnut Street, is being sold as-is, but it’s definitely not move-in ready. In fact, the interior of the two-story home has been gutted down to the studs, and the back porch needs to be replaced. But even if you’ve got the budget for a complete reno, you’ll need to work with a developer that has city development experience, and the exterior will need to remain in compliance with its Chicago Landmark status, which means only minor repairs to the outside will be allowed.
* The Big Lead | Dick Bigger Jr. Gets His Ball Signed at Illinois State Fair: While most people are paying very close attention to the Iowa State Fair, there’s another Midwestern gathering going on at the neighboring Illinois State Fair. While Ron DeSantis and other Republican presidential hopefuls are in Iowa, Illinois has to settle for Governor J.B. Pritzker who was nice enough to stop and sign a baseball for Dick Bigger Jr., of Biggsville, Illinois.
