For the last three years, we have been working very hard and intentionally to right a wrong from 2020 and get the 3% COLA passed and have parity with the fire department for the bare minimum compared to other pensions in this state. That was Senate Bill 1956. It passed the Senate. It was waiting to be called in the House.
Reality is, here’s where we’re at right now. Last week, the city reached out to us and made a request for the bill to be carried over into the veto session in the fall. The request was based on the fact that there was not a chief financial officer in place and they needed to wrap their head around the numbers, the commitments and everything else to present it properly in the fall budget.
We wanted to press forward. We worked very hard to get to where we’re at. The city realized that we had overwhelming support in both chambers, from both parties, actually, which was pretty unique, and that the bill was pretty much going to pass if it was called.
So that triggered some talks, and those talks developed into something even I think a little better in the long term here.
Not only do we have a pledge that Senate Bill 1956 is alive and well being will be called in the veto session. in week one for the 3 percent COLA.
There’ll be a second bill out of the House, 4098. That will include language for fixes for tier two, a DROP program and some other things encompassing a much broader repair to the pension issues that we’re facing here.
So we’re not going to keep piece-mealing these bills together, Assembly after Assembly. We’re going to try and get it all done in the veto session and have some at least pension clarity for the future, not only for our sake, but for the new administration.
So that’s where we’re at. The Speaker has pledged to call the bill. The supporters on both sides of the aisle have assurances that the bill will be called the first week in the veto session. And that that House bill, there will be a committee put together with police and fire to address the issues, and kind of work them all out together in one big piece of legislation and have that one also pass in the veto session.
Am I happy? I’m not gonna lie. No. We worked really hard to get where we’re at. But bigger picture is we have the ability to affect much broader potential legislation with much longer reaching consequences in the fall veto session.
If something happens between now and then, and those promises aren’t kept, well, we’re going to be having a very different conversation come November, I can assure you of that. Because we certainly expect people to hold their obligations.
The DROP (Deferred Retirement Option Plan) program is explained here.
Nobody’s ever completely happy with compromises. But, if you’d told most people right before the election that FOP Lodge 7, the Johnson administration and both legislative chambers could all calmly pledge to work together to come up with some pension ideas, they might’ve thought you were nuts.
…Adding… Mayor Brandon Johnson…
Mayor Brandon Johnson today announced the formation of a working group to address Chicago’s municipal pension systems.
“As Mayor of Chicago, I am committed to protecting both the retirement security of working people, as well as the financial stability of our government so we can achieve our goal of investing in people and strengthening communities in every corner of the city,” said Mayor Johnson. “Together, with our state legislative partners in Springfield, I am establishing a working group to collaborate on finding a sustainable path forward to addressing existing gaps in the city’s four municipal pension systems (Firefighters, Police, Municipal, and Laborers). The working group’s mission is to find workable solutions with sustainable funding sources to ensure retirement security and taxpayer relief in the long term in time for the fall veto session.”
The working group will include state legislators, the city’s Budget Director, the city’s Chief Financial Officer, and representatives from the city’s various labor unions, including both the police and fire unions.
Planned Parenthood Illinois Action (PPIA) applauds the Illinois General Assembly for passing several key pieces of legislation related to abortion, gender-affirming care, and preventive health care. Thus far in 2023, the General Assembly passed seven significant measures aimed at protecting reproductive and sexual healthcare in Illinois.
“Because Illinois is a haven state in the Midwest for abortion and gender-affirming care, it’s critical the General Assembly continue its commitment to protecting and expanding access to reproductive and sexual health care.” said Jennifer Welch, President and CEO of PPIA. “Thanks to the pro-choice champions in Springfield, the passage of these crucial bills solidifies our state’s ability to welcome and protect health care refugees forced to flee their home state for services as well as expand access for all Illinois residents. We look forward to Governor Pritzker signing these bills this summer.”
Spring session legislative milestones include:
• SB 1909 – (Senator Celina Villanueva, Rep. Terra Costa Howard D-Glen Ellyn) amends the Consumer Protection and Deceptive Practices Act to prohibit limited services pregnancy centers (more commonly known as crisis pregnancy centers) from engaging in deceptive or fraudulent practices.
• HB 3326 – (Rep. Ann Williams, D-Chicago, Senator Sara Feigenholtz, D-Chicago) provides that law enforcement shall not sell or share automatic license plate reader data to any state for the purpose of investigating or enforcing a law that denies or interferes with a person’s right to choose or obtain reproductive health care services or any lawful health care services, or for an investigation of a person based on the person’s immigration status.
• SB 1907 – (Senator Celina Villanueva, Rep. Barbara Hernandez, D-Aurora) requires public colleges and universities, including community colleges, to make emergency contraception available on campus via a wellness kiosk or vending machine.
• HB 2450 - (Senator Ram Villivalam D-Chicago, Rep. Dagmara Avelar D-Romeoville) requires cultural competency continuing education for health care providers in order to provide them with the tools and information they need to effectively and affirmingly serve communities of color, people with disabilities, people of diverse faiths, undocumented individuals, LGBTQ+ people, people living with HIV, intersex people, and other communities that have been marginalized in the health care system.
• HB 4664 – (Senator Celina Villanueva, D-Chicago, Rep. Kelly Cassidy, D-Chicago) provides legal protections for providers of and patients seeking reproductive and sexual health care, including abortion and gender-affirming care. It requires state-regulated health plans to cover abortion medications, PEP, and PrEP with no copay or deductible spend down, and creates a program for training health professionals in providing abortion care.
• SB 1344 – (Senator Celina Villanueva, Rep. Kelly Cassidy) is a trailer to HB 4664 that makes corrections and clarifies that state-regulated health insurance must cover medications used off-label for abortion.
• SB 1561 – (Rep. Kelly Cassidy, Senator Celina Villanueva) requires state-regulated health insurance to cover certain preventive health care services without a copay or deductible spend down including immunizations, mammograms, and other services listed in the current recommendations of the United States Preventive Services Task Force. In addition, it clarifies that any preventive service designated for “men” or “women” company shall not deny or limit the coverage required or a claim based solely on the individual’s recorded sex or actual or perceived gender identity, or for the reason that the individual is gender nonconforming, intersex, transgender, or a has undergone or is in the process of undergoing gender transition.
* Rolling Stone | Illinois Is the Midwest’s Abortion Refuge. Clinics Are Being Terrorized: When officers arrived at the scene they found the car lodged halfway into the building’s entrance, its driver still inside. The arson attempt, according to the FBI affidavit, quickly devolved into a comedy of errors: “After the Passat got stuck, Buyno was trapped inside and could not get out. Buyno stated that he threw the red gas can out of the window so the gas would spill and he could light the gas on fire, but the can landed in an upright position. Buyno told us that he intended to burn his own car, along with the building, but he never got the chance because he got stuck inside the Passat and then the police arrived.” In an interview the following day, Buyno was unrepentant. “If I could sneak in with a gas can and a match, I’d go in there again,” he said.
* WBEZ | Waukegan cops who extracted a teen’s false confession to a shooting will face no discipline: The city of Waukegan has agreed to pay $200,000 to the family of a 15-year-old boy who falsely confessed to shooting a dollar store clerk last year. Officials of that north suburb are also confirming for the first time that no cops were disciplined for extracting the confession — not even the lead detective, accused of deceptive tactics banned by an Illinois law that protects children under interrogation.
* Bloomberg | Walgreens is laying off 10% of its corporate workers: The cuts account for 10% of the corporate workforce, and none of them will be based at stores, microfulfillment centers or call centers, according to Fraser Engerman, a spokesman for the Deerfield, Illinois-based company.
* Tribune | Mapping a threat: Climate change’s deadly summer heat may deepen disparities in Chicago: To intervene where aid is most needed, local officials and organizations in dozens of cities have participated in a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration program launched in 2017 to map heat disparities and raise public awareness. But Chicago didn’t apply to take part until late last year, and a map is still months away.
* Tribune | Chicago Bears get OK to begin teardowns inside Arlington racetrack structures in preparation for new stadium: Arlington Heights spokesperson Avis Meade confirmed that the village had approved plans for the first phase of demolition at the old racetrack, marking another move toward a $5 billion NFL stadium and accompanying mixed-use residential, commercial and entertainment district the team has proposed to build on the 326-acre racetrack in Arlington Heights.
* Tribune | From Kristine Anigwe to Courtney Williams: Meet the new-look Chicago Sky before the home opener: After an unsuccessful title defense and the departures of most of the 2021 championship core, the offseason held a bit of uncertainty, but the retooled Sky are off to a 2-0 start with road wins against the Minnesota Lynx and Phoenix Mercury on the WNBA’s opening weekend. At the team’s media day, coach James Wade said “we’re going to cause some chaos” with the season’s expectations.
* The governor has rarely used his veto pen, but we might possibly see that happen if this bill reaches his desk. This language proposal was included as a late Senate amendment on HB3445, the energy omnibus yesterday. It’s now awaiting House concurrence…
Illinois is only the latest in a string of states to consider “right of first refusal” bills pushed by incumbent utilities. The effort comes as investment in new transmission wires grows. Federal cash from the Inflation Reduction Act and actions by regional power-grid managers are leading to more spending on infrastructure to connect renewable power sources like wind farms in remote areas to population centers like Chicago.
Utilities, monopoly owners of local power grids, want to exert monopoly control, too, over the portions of interstate power lines within their service territories.
Advocates for competition say these laws will inflate costs of the projects, which could benefit from competitive bidding. Ultimately, ratepayers will cover those costs in their electric bills. Likewise, clean-energy advocates are concerned, worried that inflated costs of needed high-voltage connections will hold back renewable power development as rate shock leads to consumer pushback. […]
The sudden momentum didn’t emerge because of some newfound Ameren clout. Instead, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers moved yesterday to make passage of the Ameren bill a high priority in Illinois, sources say, with the international president based in Washington, D.C., making calls to Illinois lawmakers.
But, last August, the United States Justice Department and the Federal Trade Commission called on the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission not to allow this to happen…
The FERC is considering reinstating the right of first refusal, or ROFR – which was eliminated in certain instances in 2011 – as long as incumbent transmission owners agree to a joint ownership structure with one or more unaffiliated, non-incumbent partners. FERC issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on April 21, 2022. This could mean that the design and construction of certain transmission facilities is less competitive, resulting in higher prices or lower quality.
“We commend FERC for undertaking this rulemaking, which is aimed at encouraging needed regional transmission planning and construction,” said Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “The rulemaking comes at a critical time, when the nation is undertaking major grid modernization efforts, and competition can make transmission design and construction less costly, more resilient, and more innovative for the American consumer. Thus, we urge FERC not to abandon competition, through the reinstatement of a federal right of first refusal, but to first evaluate the effects of its other proposals, which are consistent with competition, on achieving its goals.”
The U.S. is on the cusp of a transmission boom, a high-voltage rewiring to enable the switch away from electricity generated with fossil fuel to a grid dominated by renewable energy and batteries. And the Midwest and Great Plains regions are poised for huge investments, said Sharon Segner, senior vice president of LS Power, a competitive energy developer.
Just in the Midwest, MISO approved $10.3 billion of new regional transmission last year to enable renewables and batteries to plug into the grid and boost reliability (Energywire, July 26, 2022). Another set of Midwest projects worth an estimated $24 billion could be approved next year. Ultimately, $100 billion of new high-voltage power lines could be approved across the grid operator’s 14-state territory this decade.
Since organized labor is backing the bill and organized labor gets just about whatever it wants at the Illinois Statehouse, and since it zoomed out of the Senate 41-9, you wouldn’t be wrong to expect that it will also fly out of the House. But 8 of the 9 “No” votes in the Senate were Democrats and several other SDems took a walk. Rank and file House Democrats are working to find the votes to stop it.
And the bill’s opponents have a major ally.
* From Gov. Pritzker’s office…
We oppose a measure that puts corporate profits over consumers.
They added that the bill would all but lock in rate increases for Ameren.
…Adding… From the AG’s office…
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.
Chicago Cardinal Blase Cupich urged the Illinois attorney general on Thursday to provide information about newly uncovered cases of clergy sexual abuse that were included in a statewide investigative report, saying he would gladly add the names on his list of credibly accused priests if the claims were substantiated.
In his first interview since the report was released Tuesday, Cupich expressed surprise that the 125 new cases involved some priests he had never heard of. He voiced dismay that the attorney general’s office hadn’t forwarded the new claims to the Archdiocese of Chicago to look into, as it had done during the five-year investigation.
“We thought we had that kind of relationship with the attorney general and so are disappointed that we’re hearing these for the first time,” Cupich said. […]
Cupich said he would gladly add the names onto his list but needed information on how Raoul’s investigators substantiated the claims. Asked why it wasn’t sufficient for the church to accept cases that the attorney general’s office had substantiated, Cupich said the archdiocese just needed to understand the process.
* AG Raoul…
Attorney General Kwame Raoul today released the following statement expressing surprise and dismay at comments made by Cardinal Blase Cupich. In comments to the media, Cardinal Cupich claims to be have been unaware of names included in the Attorney General’s Report on Catholic Clergy Child Sex Abuse in Illinois, which was released May 23.
“I am surprised and dismayed by the cardinal’s claim in the media that he and the Archdiocese of Chicago ‘had never heard of’ the priests and religious brothers listed in the group of 125 substantiated child sex abusers named in the report my office issued this week. The cardinal’s statements, including that he needs information on how our investigators substantiated the claims, are particularly perplexing because many of those 125 names – 62 in fact – came directly from an archdiocese spreadsheet entitled, ‘Religious Order Clerics With a Substantiated Allegation of Sexual Abuse of Minors Who Served within the Archdiocese of Chicago.’
“As my office explained previously, all 451 listed clerics and brothers included in our report have been substantiated by a Catholic source, either by an Illinois diocese, a non-Illinois diocese or a religious order. And as our report explains, many of those allegations were substantiated after my office’s investigators presented evidence to church representatives one file at a time. In his comments to the media, Cardinal Cupich said that if the cases are substantiated, the names will be added to the archdiocese’s website. The archdiocese itself confirmed to my investigators that 62 of the 125 priests and religious brothers in question were substantiated child sex abusers who ministered in the Archdiocese of Chicago. I am calling on the archdiocese to immediately add at least those 62 names to its online list of substantiated child sex abusers.
“At best, the cardinal’s claims of being blindsided are misleading. At worst, they are more of the same, a continuation of the church’s decades-long pattern of turning a blind eye and covering up allegations of child sex abuse to the detriment of survivors. We released this report to give a voice to survivors and to shine light on the church officials who covered up child sex abuse in the church, allowing child sex predators to continue to abuse children who trusted them.
“Once he returns from his trip abroad, we look forward to continuing our dialogue with the cardinal regarding the remaining names on the list of 125 substantiated child sex abusers, which we previously addressed with archdiocese representatives.”
The Healthy Illinois Campaign believes that healthcare is a human right and will continue to work with our elected leaders until everyone is covered, regardless of age and regardless of immigration status.
We thank the Illinois General Assembly for defending and continuing coverage for all low-income state residents ages 42+. More than 50,000 Illinois immigrants will continue to receive life-changing and life-saving care. Safety-net healthcare providers will continue to be compensated for the care they provide. Our families and communities will be safer and healthier and our healthcare system will be stronger and more stable because Illinois continues to cover low-income residents.
Healthy Illinois will continue to advocate for the over 100,000 Illinoisans ages 19-41 who are still left without a pathway to health coverage. They are our neighbors and family members. They are essential workers, young parents, and people in need of reproductive healthcare.
Illinois made history in 2020 and set national precedent when we became the first state to expand coverage to low-income seniors regardless of immigration status. Next year, in 2024, we must pass coverage for all. Healthcare is a right, not a privilege. Healthy Illinois invites the General Assembly and Governor Pritzker to work with immigrant communities, advocates, and healthcare providers to continue to protect and expand coverage for all.
* Illinois Policy Institute…
The Illinois Senate passed a $50 billion budget that includes nearly $5,000 a year in raises for lawmakers, $50 million for new offices for themselves but nothing for the low-income students depending on Illinois’ only school choice program.
State senators approved the fiscal year 2024 budget package (Senate Bill 250 and House Bill 3817) late Thursday night, with the Illinois House of Representatives poised to approve it by early Saturday morning. It heads to Gov. J.B. Pritzker for his signature afterwards.
Among the line items leaders are set to approve is a lawmaker pay hike to $89,675 a year salary from $85,000, and $50 million toward demolition and redesign of the Stratton Office Building. Notably absent in the package is any sort of extension of the Invest in Kids Tax Credit Scholarship Act, which is set expire Dec. 31, 2023.
Matt Paprocki, president and CEO at the Illinois Policy Institute, offered the following statement:
“This budget is a travesty for thousands of working families who wanted better opportunities for their children. More than 9,000 kids rely on the Invest in Kids program to attend a school that best fits their needs and thousands more are still on a waiting list.
“With this budget, state leaders missed a huge opportunity to give relief and certainty to a vitally important, yet modest scholarship program supported by most Illinois voters.
“Harmon, Pritzker and Welch all sent their kids to private schools. But they left low-income Illinoisans on the chopping block because they care more about the political support of radical teachers union leadership than Illinois’ working families.
“We should be talking about extending this program and making it permanent in the fall.”
* Leader Curran…
Illinois Senate Republican Leader John Curran (R-Downers Grove) responds to passage of FY 24 Budget
“This budget isn’t just a spending plan, it’s a list of choices. The Democratic Majority chose to spend $600 million on free healthcare for non-citizen adults and asylum seekers in Chicago over fully-funding services for developmentally disabled Illinoisans and saving K-12 scholarships for low-income families.”
* Sen. DeWitte…
On Thursday night, the Senate approved a Fiscal Year 2024 budget that spends over $50 billion. After receiving bipartisan opposition, State Senator Don DeWitte, who voted against the budget, issued the following statement:
“Republicans brought some very important priorities to the negotiation table this year. We wanted to support our manufacturers, our corporations, and the small businesses that provide jobs to millions of Illinoisans. Through our priorities we wanted to grow jobs in this state so people could earn a good wage, have benefits, and put good food on their tables. Unfortunately, our policy initiatives, like the elimination of the estate tax, which would help generational farming families, didn’t make the budget. Our Research & Development tax credits, which would provide opportunities for existing businesses to invest in new product development, so they could create more jobs with good wages and benefits, also wasn’t included. A thriving economy depends on a robust business community, and this budget misses the mark.
“There is not one legislator in the General Assembly who didn’t hear from mayors and other community leaders in their home districts asking for restoration of the Local Government Distributed Fund funds owed to them. This is tax revenue generated locally and sent to the state, and per a long-standing agreement, 10% of those funds are supposed to be returned to local units of government to help fund their budgets. While we made some progress, we didn’t go nearly far enough. The majority party continues to sweep nearly half of these funds for other state-level uses. Our municipalities deserved much better from this body.”
* Sen. Lewis…
On Thursday night, the Senate approved a Fiscal Year 2024 budget that spends over $50 billion. After the 34 to 22 vote, State Senator Seth Lewis, who voted against the budget, issued the following statement:
“We live in a wonderful state with great potential, and we had an opportunity this year to collaborate on a Fiscal Year 2024 budget that reflects the priorities of the people and families that call Illinois home. Unfortunately, I could not support the budget because I felt it came up short in addressing issues my constituents have said are important to them. They just want safe streets, good schools, opportunities to be successful, and to know that our state’s most vulnerable citizens have the services they need.
“I saw glimpses of bipartisanship in this year’s budget process and that gives me hope for future budget discussions. The reinstatement of the Blue Collar Jobs Act was an important priority for Republicans, and I was pleased to see bipartisan support for bringing that important job-creating program back. But there is much more we could have done to unleash the entrepreneurial spirit and help our job creators build, grow and thrive in this state. Those conversations will continue.”
* Sen. Villa…
The Illinois Senate approved a Fiscal Year 2024 budget, which included key wins for education, health care and a home modification program. In response, State Senator Karina Villa (D-West Chicago) released the following statement:
“It is vital that we support the youth in our state in both their educational and mental development. Educational advancements would mean nothing if we weren’t also supporting our students as they grow, struggle and learn who they are. That is why I am pleased to see this budget not only increases funding to education but to mental and behavioral health services as well.
“There are many educational wins in this budget. Of this, I am glad to see $45 million going towards the first year of a three-year pilot program to fill teacher vacancies. There has been a massive strain on the educational workforce in our state, and this funding will help both teachers and students.
“As a former social worker, I know how important it is to pair education with mental health services. I am proud this budget will give over $22 million to begin implementing the new Children’s Behavioral Health Transformation Initiative. In addition to mental health care funding, I am excited to see this budget is also increasing funding to the Illinois Association of Free and Charitable Clinics, who provide medical services to those who are uninsured or underinsured.
“Finally, I am eager to announce that $7.5 million dollars has been awarded to the Home Modification Program that I introduced to the Senate with Senate Bill 120. The program will offer financial assistance so people with disabilities may pay for home modifications to improve their living situations to assist them in day to day life, such as a stair lifts. This program will benefit seniors, veterans and people with disabilities. I would like to thank my friend and colleague, Representative Maurice West, for introducing this program.
“My colleagues and I have worked diligently to provide our state with a budget that will provide something for everyone, and I was proud to see it pass today.”
* Sen. Chesney…
On Thursday night the Senate approved a Fiscal Year 2024 budget that spends over $50 billion. After the 34 to 22 vote, State Senator Andrew Chesney, who voted against the budget, issued the following statement:
“This is yet another out-of-touch budget filled with misplaced priorities that cater to the extremes of the Democratic base at the expense of vulnerable Illinois citizens. This irresponsible spending plan does plenty for illegal immigrants, not enough for Illinois citizens, and sets the taxpayers of Illinois up for a tax hike in the not-too-distant future. Democrats did make sure, however; that legislators will receive another pay increase next year.
“Illinois is fast becoming known as the state that can’t take care of its own citizens, but bends over backward to take care of people who are in this country illegally. From millions toward welcoming centers for illegal immigrants to likely over a billion in free healthcare for non-citizens, the majority party is certainly letting Illinois citizens know where their priorities lie.
“I am extremely disappointed that there was no line item in the budget or its supporting implementation document that removes the 2023 sunset of the Invest in Kids Tax Credit Scholarship Program. To date, over 30,000 scholarships have been handed out to children in failing schools, allowing them to improve their chances of academic success by going to a private or charter school. It’s an incredibly successful program that should continue. I am also disappointed to see the state is continuing with spending initiatives that cement Illinois’ position as the ‘abortion capitol of the United States.’”
* Sen. Simmons…
State Senator Mike Simmons (D-Chicago) issued the following statement after the Illinois Senate approved a Fiscal Year 2024 budget on Thursday:
“This budget provides first in a generation rate increases for hospitals, federally qualified health centers, community clinics, as well as provides rate increases for crisis response and critical support services. These across the board increases will be felt in our communities as our constituents broadly access health care. Our 7th District safety net hospitals will also receive significant funding boosts to support the delivery of quality health care while supporting our health care workers. I am also thrilled to have secured two new line items in the budget for a total of $2.5 million for HIV/AIDS reduction efforts targeted to helping communities access life-saving PREP medications as well as STI screening.
“And by passing $85 million in increased funding to support homelessness prevention, permanent supportive housing, and outreach to those in need, we also are making progress in getting our unhoused neighbors housed. This is huge — having worked to pass legislation to shore up protections for affordable housing residents in our state, I am happy to see this timely new funding. Additional funding to help with teacher vacancies, higher education access, and additional EBF funding for our public schools is also a win for our communities.
“More locally, our 7th District neighborhoods will see increased funding on a hyper-local level supporting street-level violence prevention and community safety, investments in early childcare facilities, culturally competent mental health care for LGBTQ+ communities, services for refugee communities, and new funding for enrichment and mentorship programs for 7th District youth. And we also secured additional capital dollars that we are investing directly in aging school buildings, cultural institutions, food pantries, and more right here in the 7th District.
“I am thrilled with the passage of today’s budget. It supports our communities while putting our state on a path to long-term fiscal health and stability. ”
* Majority Leader Lightford…
Senate Majority Leader Kimberly A. Lightford (D-Maywood) declared the state’s Fiscal Year 2024 budget a positive investment for our state’s children – prioritizing education, youth employment and mental health.
“A person’s educational success begins the day they are born. The quickest way to fail a generation is by failing to prioritize their education,” said Lightford (D-Maywood). “In Illinois, I am proud to say we took a positive step toward ensuring our students aren’t failed by an unjust system.”
The budget – backed by Lightford – includes a $250 million investment into early childhood education. The funding will be used to expand preschool, stabilize the child care workforce, and provide more early intervention and home visiting programs.
Further, the budget includes additional MAP grant funding, ensuring everyone at or below the median income can go to community college free. This builds upon Lightford’s commitment to prioritize education from birth to college.
“As a General Assembly, we did what was right by the people of Illinois and fought for equitable funding and access to education,” said Lightford. “I was proud to vote for a budget that provides our youth with greater opportunities for success – from investing in early childhood education to ensuring higher education is more affordable and accessible.”
The budget also included investments into workforce development – particularly for teens and young adults. It passed the Senate Thursday.
* Senate President Harmon…
Senate President Don Harmon (D-Oak Park) issued the following statement after the Senate voted to pass a balanced budget:
“This budget continues the work Democrats have done to restore economic prosperity to our state. It encompasses our shared goals of responsible budgeting and paying down debt while investing in key priorities like education, violence prevention and affordable housing.
“This was a collaborative effort. I am proud of the work we did, and I look forward to the House sending this balanced budget to the governor so he can sign it into law.”
* Leader Sims…
Majority Caucus Appropriations Leader Senator Elgie R. Sims, Jr. (D-Chicago) released the following statement after the Senate passage of the Fiscal Year 2024 budget:
“In keeping with our commitment to the people of Illinois, we have approved a budget that is balanced, responsible and invests in people in all corners of our state.
“As Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I set a goal that our budget would work to solve the pressing economic issues facing low- and middle-income families. Because of our responsible fiscal approach, particularly the last few years, our state continues to have fiscal stability while caring for the people of our state.
“I am particularly proud of our investments in education, business attraction and development, public safety and in efforts to address the social determinants of health. This budget provides our frontline workers and institutions with the resources they need to best serve our communities, while at the same time supporting public safety measures to keep our communities safe. This budget invests in mental health and trauma informed services while also strengthening investments in violence prevention programs.
“It also further continues to set our state on a path of fiscal responsibility and invests in education from preschool to college.
“This budget sets us up for short- and long-term success and I remain committed to economically advancing the state of Illinois.”
* Illinois Municipal League…
“The Local Government Distributive Fund is an important tool to help Illinois cities, villages and towns pay for services like mandated pension benefits, critical infrastructure repairs, public safety and other important programs. We are pleased that the General Assembly recognizes the importance of LGDF to Illinois communities, and has chosen to increase the LGDF rate from 6.16% to 6.47%. We appreciate the increase and we are hopeful that LGDF will be put on a more rapid path to full restoration of 10% of the state’s total income tax revenue. The Illinois Municipal League will continue to advocate on this issue until LGDF is fully restored,” said IML Executive Director Brad Cole.
* IMA…
“A skilled, educated workforce is critical to the future of the manufacturing industry in Illinois, which is the largest contributor of any sector to the state’s Gross Domestic Product. We are encouraged by the additional investments in education, which will help to better prepare students for the high-tech, advanced manufacturing jobs that will grow our economy and move our state and nation forward,” said Mark Denzler, President & CEO of the Illinois Manufacturers’ Association. “We proudly partnered with the Governor’s office and legislative leaders in securing $400 million to close major economic development deals and attract businesses to the Land of Lincoln, as well as expand programs to strengthen our state’s electric vehicle and clean energy ecosystem. These initiatives, along with the reinstatement of the Blue Collar Jobs Act and continued elimination of the franchise tax, will further aid economic development across the state, and we look forward to building on these efforts in the coming years.”
* Gov. Pritzker…
Following the Senate passage of the FY24 budget agreement, Governor JB Pritzker released the following statement:
“My thanks to President Harmon, Leader Elgie Sims, and all the members of the Senate who voted today to advance our fifth balanced budget. This budget makes transformative investments in the children and families of Illinois while building on our record of fiscal responsibility. I look forward to the House taking up this budget that will make childcare and education more accessible, healthcare more affordable, and our state’s business and economic position even stronger.”
* Sen. Holmes…
Illinois has seen four straight years of balanced budgets, paid down debt and received eight upgrades from credit rating agencies. Today, the Senate passed the Fiscal Year 2024 budget that prioritizes education, public safety, job creation and business development, and health and human services. Assistant Majority Leader Linda Holmes (D-Aurora) released the following statement in response to today’s action:
“This budget is balanced and responsible. We’re making the annual full pension payment, with an additional $200 million — the first time since the plan was enacted in 1994 that the state will provide contributions above what is required.
“The focus on fiscal strength continues: this budget would pay off COVID-related debt, pay off over $4 million of the Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund advance and put over $1.9 billion into the Rainy Day Fund.
“The Local Government Distributive Fund will see an increase, and Monetary Award Program (MAP) Grant funding is increased by $100 million for prospective college students. $20 million will go to the Fast-Track Workforce program to provide employee screening, recruitment and job training development to employers.
“I’m particularly pleased to see us make significant funding increases for public safety and law enforcement activities, as well as domestic violence programs. Making Illinois a safer place to live and work is fundamental so that our improved economy is a comfortable place to enjoy life with fewer security concerns.”
* And from Wednesday…
Few details are available about the budget agreement Governor JB Pritzker and the Democratic leaders have proposed without any Republican input but there is no question Illinois is again setting another spending record, according to the Illinois Freedom Caucus.
“Repeating the words ‘balanced budget’ over and over again does little to assure us the budget is indeed balanced. Furthermore, ‘balanced’ is not a synonym for responsible. The final budget that is likely going to pass will set yet another spending record in Illinois. Creating new programs and new line items in the budget does nothing to address the long-term budgetary issues facing our state. We are not addressing pension reform. There won’t be any meaningful property tax reforms and there won’t be any accountability measures in this budget to ensure taxpayers’ dollars are being spent wisely.
The budget process took place in a shroud of secrecy with no Republican involvement whatsoever. The process and the end product will be nothing more than the usual bloated budget that puts the needs of political insiders ahead of the best interests of the people. It is taxpayer money we are spending. The budget process should be a transparent and open process. Even rank and file Democrats had little say in this process. The people of Illinois deserve better than the corruption and lack of transparency in the budget process.”
* The House adjourned at about 1 o’clock this morning. The Senate finished its business and went home at about 1:30. That’s two late session nights in a row and the House won’t be back in session until 5 o’clock this afternoon, so prepare for another late one.
I’ve given Isabel the morning off. I’ll probably take some time off today, too, but I need to get another subscriber post up first and I may do some other stuff for everyone.
* Capitol News Illinois | Senate Democrats send budget to House, teeing it up for early Saturday morning vote: The discussion in a Senate committee earlier Thursday was at times laudatory as Republicans thanked Democrats for their inclusion in the budget process. Praise was especially strong for Sen. Elgie Sims, D-Chicago, who sponsored the budget and had nearly lost his voice by the time it came for a vote due to the long hours of negotiating.
* Tribune | Illinois legislature sends bill reforming property tax sale system to Gov. J.B. Pritzker: “Over the past two generations, the tax sale system has evolved — whether intentionally or not — into a vehicle to strip wealth and drive inequality in some of our most vulnerable communities,” state Rep. Kam Buckner, a Chicago Democrat and one of the bill’s sponsors, said in a statement. “This bill seeks to rebalance the tax sale system in the interest of local governments, residents and community developers who actually want to reinvest in their neighborhoods from the ground up.”
* WCIA | Education experts ‘thrilled’ over Illinois 2024 fiscal year budget: “You can put a lot of work into K-12, and higher ed, but if you’re not building the foundations in early childhood, you’re missing the boat,” Mark Klaisner, the president of the Illinois Association of Regional Superintendent of Schools, said. “You already start with some problems that have developed prior to coming in.”
* WTAX | Unexpected $ cut for ICASA: Illinois Coalition against Sexual Assault CEO Carrie Ward (pictured) made her case to the Illinois Senate Appropriations Committee, asking for another $12 million in state dollars to bring the state participation to $20 million. She says the shortfall would mean layoffs, closure of satellite and outreach offices, and longer waits for services for victims of sexual assault.
* WBEZ | Cook County employees might get 12 weeks of paid parental leave: Existing parental leave policy offers county workers a wide range of time off, depending on whether the birth is surgical, whether they are the birthing parent, or whether they are adopting. Employees can then use paid sick and vacation time to extend their leaves.
* Politico | House Dems in No Labels-allied caucus are livid with No Labels: On Tuesday, No Labels texted people who live in the district of Rep. Brad Schneider (D-Ill.), criticizing the congressman for scoffing at their idea for a unity presidential ticket and claiming it could result in Donald Trump’s return to the presidency. In its message, No Labels said it was “alarmed to learn that your U.S. Rep. Brad Schneider recently attacked the notion that you should have more choices in the 2024 presidential election.” They called Schneider “out of step” with his voters.
* Sun-Times | 2 million Illinoisans expected to travel Memorial Day weekend: Over 2 million Illinois residents are expected to travel at least 50 miles by car, plane or other means of transportation this weekend, a number just shy of 2019’s all-time record for Memorial Day Weekend travel, the release stated.
Education experts said they are excited to see more money being set aside for education from pre-K to college to fund investments they argue are critical. […]
One of the headlines from Governor J.B. Pritzker’s February budget address was Smart Start Illinois. The program aims to provide early childhood programs for all young Illinoisans. The budget would allocate $250 million for the first year of the plan. […]
For K-12 public schools, the evidence-based funding model would get a major boost of $350 million. The funding model uses certain metrics to determine how much money schools need to give students a proper education. […]
Students’ college education would also get a boost in funding, with the budget providing an additional $100 million for MAP grants. With those grants, students can receive more need-based financial aid making sure getting a degree remains affordable.
* Some are not…
The budget released by the Illinois General Assembly failed to increase funds for statewide sexual assault services. Throughout the legislative session, the Illinois Coalition Against Sexual Assault (ICASA) called upon legislators to invest an additional $12 million in state General Revenue Funding to the 31 rape crisis centers in Illinois. These funds are desperately needed to offset a drastic $9.5 million federal funding cut and the ongoing impact rising inflation has had on the workforce. Unfortunately, the agreed budget released today by Illinois legislators failed to increase the designated line item beyond Governor Pritzker’s introduced $7.69 million. Without the increase, numerous Illinois communities will be forced to severely reduce rape crisis services across the state. The gap in funding will result in longer waiting lists, staff layoffs, and satellite/outreach office closures, reversing years of progress toward comprehensive statewide access to services.
In House Exec now-ish: SB 1298 deals w Medicaid reimbursement rates; also gives @GovPritzker's administration emergency rulemaking power to manage fast-growing costs in IL's health care program for noncitizens, which @NowickiPress has written lots about: https://t.co/yrN88pquLCpic.twitter.com/YbjSWz2xtc
A bill has bubbled up suddenly in the final days of the Legislature’s spring session that could give downstate utility Ameren Illinois a highly lucrative gift and leave Commonwealth Edison in the cold. […]
There’s sudden momentum in the state Senate for legislation that would give Ameren the right to box out competition in its service territory to build any new high-voltage lines. […]
Advocates for competition say these laws will inflate costs of the projects, which could benefit from competitive bidding. Ultimately, ratepayers will cover those costs in their electric bills. Likewise, clean-energy advocates are concerned, worried that inflated costs of needed high-voltage connections will hold back renewable power development as rate shock leads to consumer pushback.
The Illinois House voted 106-0 to concur with the Senate on a sweeping ethics measure targeting red-light camera companies, sending the measure to Pritzker’s desk. It comes after several elected officials were charged in connection with the feds’ probe of politically connected red-light camera company SafeSpeed deals.
The legislation prohibits contractors who provide equipment and services for red-light camera companies from making campaign contributions.
It would also allow the Illinois Department of Transportation to remove specific red-light cameras that have been connected to a bribery or corruption scandal. It also creates a two-year revolving door provision — which would prohibit members of the General Assembly and officers of municipalities and counties from accepting employment from a contractor that provided automated enforcement equipment.
* As subscribers know, there are some very real problems with the existing state law. A punt was inevitable…
Lawmakers also look ready to punt on another outstanding issue, with the House voting 69-36 vote Thursday to send the Senate a measure that would extend the deadline for approving map for Chicago’s new elected school board districts to April 1 from July 1. This move comes after two draft maps were criticized in public forums for not being representative of the diverse student population of Chicago Public Schools.
“The extension gives us more time to ensure that these last minute submissions are given the thought and the analysis they deserve,” said Democratic Sen. Robert Martwick, vice-chair of the committee charged with crafting the map and a sponsor of the legislation creating an elected school board in Chicago.
Separately, the House voted 69-35 to send Pritzker a measure that would require lawsuits challenging laws under the state constitution to be filed in either Cook County or Sangamon County, home to Springfield.
Democrats who supported the measure said it was necessary to prevent people who sue the state from trying to get their cases heard before judges who they believe will rule in the favor, while also conserving resources for the attorney general’s office, which represents the state in court.
* The second BIMP amendment didn’t change much, but, man, this was just not cricket…
UPDATE: A few minutes after filing an 899-page amendment to the BIMP, the Senate sends the budget implementation bill to the House for concurrence https://t.co/NeKXKBq3JZhttps://t.co/Wk2fi5×5AR
A lawmaker flagged this for me. On page 1,344 of the budget: $50 million appropriated from @illinoiscdb "for costs associated with planning and design of a new legislative building and related planning and design costs for demolition of the Stratton Office Building." 👀 https://t.co/kjA11BietSpic.twitter.com/SYhNqeYpKj
Following the Senate passage of the FY24 budget agreement, Governor JB Pritzker released the following statement:
“My thanks to President Harmon, Leader Elgie Sims, and all the members of the Senate who voted today to advance our fifth balanced budget. This budget makes transformative investments in the children and families of Illinois while building on our record of fiscal responsibility. I look forward to the House taking up this budget that will make childcare and education more accessible, healthcare more affordable, and our state’s business and economic position even stronger.”
* IMA…
The Illinois Manufacturers’ Association (IMA) released the following statement regarding the Fiscal Year 2024 State Budget:
“A skilled, educated workforce is critical to the future of the manufacturing industry in Illinois, which is the largest contributor of any sector to the state’s Gross Domestic Product. We are encouraged by the additional investments in education, which will help to better prepare students for the high-tech, advanced manufacturing jobs that will grow our economy and move our state and nation forward,” said Mark Denzler, President & CEO of the Illinois Manufacturers’ Association. “We proudly partnered with the Governor’s office and legislative leaders in securing $400 million to close major economic development deals and attract businesses to the Land of Lincoln, as well as expand programs to strengthen our state’s electric vehicle and clean energy ecosystem. These initiatives, along with the reinstatement of the Blue Collar Jobs Act and continued elimination of the franchise tax, will further aid economic development across the state, and we look forward to building on these efforts in the coming years.”
* Illinois Municipal League…
The Illinois Municipal League (IML) issued the following statement in response to the State Fiscal Year (SFY) 2024 state budget which includes an increase to the Local Government Distributive Fund (LGDF), which is estimated to provide an additional $112 million annually to cities, villages and towns:
“The Local Government Distributive Fund is an important tool to help Illinois cities, villages and towns pay for services like mandated pension benefits, critical infrastructure repairs, public safety and other important programs. We are pleased that the General Assembly recognizes the importance of LGDF to Illinois communities, and has chosen to increase the LGDF rate from 6.16% to 6.47%. We appreciate the increase and we are hopeful that LGDF will be put on a more rapid path to full restoration of 10% of the state’s total income tax revenue. The Illinois Municipal League will continue to advocate on this issue until LGDF is fully restored,” said IML Executive Director Brad Cole.
* Senate President Harmon…
Senate President Don Harmon (D-Oak Park) issued the following statement after the Senate voted to pass a balanced budget:
“This budget continues the work Democrats have done to restore economic prosperity to our state. It encompasses our shared goals of responsible budgeting and paying down debt while investing in key priorities like education, violence prevention and affordable housing.
“This was a collaborative effort. I am proud of the work we did, and I look forward to the House sending this balanced budget to the governor so he can sign it into law.”
* Leader Lightford…
Senate Majority Leader Kimberly A. Lightford (D-Maywood) declared the state’s Fiscal Year 2024 budget a positive investment for our state’s children – prioritizing education, youth employment and mental health.
“A person’s educational success begins the day they are born. The quickest way to fail a generation is by failing to prioritize their education,” said Lightford (D-Maywood). “In Illinois, I am proud to say we took a positive step toward ensuring our students aren’t failed by an unjust system.”
The budget – backed by Lightford – includes a $250 million investment into early childhood education. The funding will be used to expand preschool, stabilize the child care workforce, and provide more early intervention and home visiting programs.
Further, the budget includes additional MAP grant funding, ensuring everyone at or below the median income can go to community college free. This builds upon Lightford’s commitment to prioritize education from birth to college.
“As a General Assembly, we did what was right by the people of Illinois and fought for equitable funding and access to education,” said Lightford. “I was proud to vote for a budget that provides our youth with greater opportunities for success – from investing in early childhood education to ensuring higher education is more affordable and accessible.”
The budget also included investments into workforce development – particularly for teens and young adults. It passed the Senate Thursday.
Lawmakers also wobbled some on a measure designed to nullify former Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s last-second appointment of top aide Samir Mayekar to the board of the agency that runs McCormick Place, initially rejecting one version, floating a compromise and now talking about both versions. […]
On Lightfoot ex-aide Samir Mayekar, a motion to undo her appointment of him to the Metropolitan Pier & Exposition Authority board was abruptly pulled off the House floor Wednesday evening after advocates headed by the Chicago Federation of Labor concluded it lacked the votes to pass.
A compromise of sorts then was offered, one that would allow anyone appointed by a mayor at the end of their term to serve, but only for six months, after which the new mayor would get to fill the slot.
All sides were declining comment while talks and vote-counting continued.
* IDES…
The unemployment rate increased in six metropolitan areas, decreased in five, and was unchanged in three for the year ending April 2023, according to data released today by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and the Illinois Department of Employment Security (DES). Over-the-year, total nonfarm jobs increased in thirteen metropolitan areas and was unchanged in one. […]
The metro areas which had the largest over-the-year percentage increases in total nonfarm jobs were the Champaign-Urbana MSA (+2.7%, +3,200), the Peoria MSA (+2.4%, +4,100), and the Elgin Metro (+2.4%, +6,200). Total nonfarm jobs in the Chicago Metro Division were up +1.6% or +59,800. The Carbondale-Marion MSA saw no change in total nonfarm jobs. Industries that saw job growth in a majority of metro areas included: Education and Health Services (thirteen areas); Leisure and Hospitality, Other Services and Government (twelve areas each); Manufacturing, Wholesale Trade and Transportation, Warehousing and Utilities (nine areas each); and Mining and Construction (eight areas).
The metro areas with the largest unemployment rate increases were the Lake-Kenosha County IL-WI Metro (+0.3 point to 4.3%), followed by the Davenport-Moline-Rock Island IA-IL MSA (+0.2 point to 3.5%), the Kankakee MSA (+0.2 point to 5.4%) and the Rockford MSA (+0.2 point to 6.2%). The metro areas with the largest unemployment rate decreases were the Chicago Metro Division (-1.1 percentage points to 3.2%), a record low unemployment rate for the month of April, followed by the Springfield MSA (-0.4 point to 3.7%) and the Carbondale-Marion MSA (-0.2 point to 3.9%). The unemployment rate was unchanged in the Bloomington MSA (3.4%), the Champaign-Urbana MSA (3.6%) and the Peoria MSA (4.5%).
* Chicago mayor…
Mayor Brandon Johnson on Thursday announced a comprehensive public safety and engagement plan for the upcoming Memorial Day weekend, including a $2.5 million investment from the Partnership for Safe and Peaceful Communities’ 8th annual Chicago Fund. The public-private partnership investment will support violence prevention and youth outreach efforts across the city by funding the work of 253 grassroots organizations working across 24 communities on the South and West sides, beginning with engaging young people in activities during Memorial Day weekend and during the gap between the end of the school year and the beginning of Chicago Park District programming. The funding will also support youth programming efforts during the summer and fall.
With many festivals, concerts, athletic events, the opening of beaches and simultaneous events throughout the city and along the lakefront this Memorial Day weekend, the City of Chicago is advising residents and visitors to be aware of street closures, additional crowds, increased traffic and to plan accordingly. The Office of Emergency Management and Communications (OEMC) is reminding residents and visitors of security measures in place and stresses the importance of always being aware of your surroundings and to report suspicious activity to on-site event security or by calling 9-1-1.
The City of Chicago will have citywide deployments for Memorial Day Weekend to ensure the safety and security of the public. The OEMC will monitor weekend events and weather conditions citywide from the Operations Center and coordinate public safety resources with critical stakeholders.
Earlier this month, OEMC and the Chicago Police Department activated the Summer Operations Center. The OEMC will also be activating its Emergency Operations Center for the weekend to allow for enhanced citywide coordination amongst the Chicago Police Department; Chicago Fire Department; and City of Chicago infrastructure departments, city agencies, and private partners.
To supplement resources already within police districts, CPD will increase its presence across the city and on the lakefront this summer to maintain public safety in areas of large-scale events, gatherings, and car caravans. In addition to these precision deployments, the Bureau of Patrol has also held numerous tabletop exercises and drills to ensure appropriate police response to active situations. CPD is also working closely with community organizations and leaders to provide safe spaces for youth and families to enjoy the city.
Join the Champaign County Republican Party for our Annual Lincoln Day Dinner!
Join us for a fun evening of cocktails, dinner, conversation with fellow Republicans, and hear remarks from party and elected officials as well as our keynote speaker, Brandon Straka of the #WalkAway Campaign.
Brandon Straka, a self-described “former liberal” who founded the #WalkAway campaign to encourage people to leave the Democratic Party, admitted to recording himself telling the mob to “go go go” as they reached the Capitol and telling rioters who were wrestling a shield away from a US Capitol Police officer to “take it, take it.”
He pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct on Capitol in October. Straka will have to pay a $5,000 fine, the maximum fine allowed, and an additional $500 for the damage done to the Capitol building by the mob.
Come celebrate Abraham Lincoln’s legacy and meet an insurrectionist!
* Isabel’s roundup…
* Sun-Times | Judge says he won’t toss portions of perjury indictment against Madigan’s ex-chief of staff: Mapes has pleaded not guilty. And last spring, his attorneys argued that portions of his perjury indictment should be tossed because the questions he fielded in front of the grand jury were ambiguous. They also said some of his allegedly false answers were “literally true.” During a brief hearing in the case Wednesday, U.S. District Judge John Kness told lawyers he intended to deny that request. The judge also said he planned to release a written ruling later Wednesday or Thursday.
* Illinois Newsroom | Statewide task force aims to decrease barriers for immigrants in Illinois: These are a few of the recommendations in a new report by the Illinois Immigrant Impact Task Force, a group created by the General Assembly in 2021 to help immigrant communities. Ruth Lopez McCarthy is a senior immigration fellow at the Illinois Department of Human Services and is working with the task force.
* Center Square | Illinois pork producers brace for impact from U.S. Supreme Court ruling: Pork producers in Illinois and across the U.S. are scrambling after the U.S. Supreme Court narrowly ruled against them. In a 5-4 decision announced earlier this month, the Supreme Court majority voted to dismiss the pork producers’ challenge to Proposition 12, a California law that requires pork producers to give gestating sows 24 feet of space, rather than confining them in crates for their protection. Chad Leman, a third generation hog farmer and president of the Illinois Pork Producers, said his members are “deeply disappointed” in the ruling. “We know what is best for the animals. We certainly know more than the activists or the politicians do,” Leman told The Center Square.
* Michael Sneed | Michael Pfleger wants houses of worship to provide youth programs or lose tax exemption: “Although Mayor [Brandon] Johnson’s public safety team is still in the discussion phase, I plan to propose the removal of the tax exemption status given to thousands of churches, synagogues and mosques citywide if they don’t provide a full load of activities for young people, especially on weekends,” he said … noting some blocks on the south and west sides have many churches.
* The Telegraph | Freightway announces transportation priorities: The list included recently-completed projects — such as the $222 million reconstruction of the Merchant’s Bridge and replacement of the Union Pacific’s Lenox Tower in Mitchell — as well as ongoing projects that include $1.3 billion in improvements slated for Interstate 270 from Illinois 143 to I-70 in Missouri. New projects include improvements to the MacArthur Bridge, the other major rail bridge spanning the Mississippi in St. Louis, and a major expansion of railyard operations in the Metro East.
* Tribune | Cook County judge dismisses city’s lawsuit against Gary gun shop: The city filed the lawsuit against Westforth Sports, located in Gary, Ind., in April 2021, alleging the shop repeatedly violated federal gun laws, often resulting in criminal charges against straw purchasers. The city further alleged that the shop’s owner, Earl Westforth, ignored warnings from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives about suspicious purchases at the store.
* Crain’s | Amazon drops plans to open warehouses in Bridgeport, Addison: But Amazon went too far, adding more space than it needed. Over the past year the company has been cutting jobs, closing existing warehouses and postponing plans to open new ones. In 2022, Amazon closed small distribution centers in Elgin and Mundelein and scrapped plans for new facilities in Hoffman Estates and Crystal Lake. Earlier this year, Amazon postponed the opening of a new warehouse in West Humboldt Park that would have employed as many as 500 people.
* Daily Herald | Struggle for control leads to past due bills: DuPage County Clerk Jean Kaczmarek has come under fire for unpaid bills totaling $180,520. … County board members expressed concern over the precedent Kaczmarek could set for other countywide elected officials and what the clerk’s actions could mean for the county’s financial ratings. Others suggested action against the clerk, such as official misconduct charges or misdemeanor charges for exceeding line item limitations, could be filed against Kaczmarek or others in her office.
* WAND | Multi-million dollar renovations happening at Illinois State Fairgrounds: Construction is underway to restore and renovate the Multi-Purpose Arena (MPA). The $8.6 million project will repair sidewalks, walls, steps, and expansion joints, while also repairing electrical systems, readjusting the tension structure, installing a new canopy, and rebuilding the retaining walls around the facility.
* Crain’s | Judge orders Chinese investor to surrender Loop office tower: In a ruling meant to help resolve an unpaid $185 million judgment against HNA International as the China-based firm works through bankruptcy, Judge John Koeltl ordered HNA to turn over its interest in the Chicago property to a venture led by New York-based SL Green, according to Southern District of New York court records.
* KCTV | Carbondale man arrested in Nevada; accused of stealing backhoe, driving to airport to catch flight : According to the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office, Timothy J. Baggott, of Carbondale, was arrested in Elko County, Nevada on May 21 for charges related to the possession of a stolen vehicle. He was later released. The sheriff’s office said Baggott was arrested again on May 22 in Wells, Nevada for charges related to the possession of an additional stolen vehicle.
Legislators have sent a spate of pro-LGBTQ and specifically trans-inclusive legislation to Gov. JB Pritzker’s desk this month, sharpening Illinois’ contrast against its neighbors as surrounding state legislatures move to add restrictions on healthcare, bathroom access and school sports for transgender and nonbinary residents.
Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb last month signed a law that bans minors from receiving hormone therapy or other forms of gender-affirming care. Missouri’s Republican attorney general imposed an order clapping tight restrictions on gender-affirming care for youth and adults before the rules were blocked by a local judge earlier this month. And Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds signed laws earlier this year banning hormone therapies for trans minors and requiring transgender students to use bathrooms corresponding to their sex assigned at birth.
“With this slate of bills passing … in other states, it is incumbent on us not just to say that Illinois has great laws on the books now that protect equality, diversity and dignity of LGBTQ-plus folks,” said Michael Ziri, director of public policy for the advocacy group Equality Illinois.
“We’ve got to keep moving forward as a state … so we can continue to be a beacon in the Midwest and across the country,” Ziri said.
Illinois’ property tax sale system is slated for reform now that a Senate bill amendment backed by the Cook County treasurer’s office and the Chicago Community Trust has cleared the legislature and is headed to Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s desk, where he is expected to sign it into law. […]
The amendment to Senate Bill 1675 — originally Amendment 1 but now House Amendment 2 due to minor changes in the bill’s language — would reform the state’s system for selling delinquent property taxes. Under the current system, property owners who don’t pay their bills can see their taxes put up for auction. When sold, a lien is put against the home or business until the owner can pay the taxes back to the buyer, plus interest. Delinquent sales allow taxing bodies to collect revenues they’re owed while giving property owners extra time to pay their bills without losing their homes. Investors also can make a profit at a low risk. Most homeowners do eventually pay back their taxes with interest.
But a study from the treasurer’s office published last fall found a small number of private investors were exploiting the system using a “sale in error” loophole to undo the transaction and recoup their investment, plus interest.
Legislation proposed by state Rep. Amy Elik, R-Alton, aimed at retaining hundreds of Metro East manufacturing jobs is now awaiting action by Gov. J.B. Pritzker.
“My proposal is another tool for Illinois to help incentivize large employers from leaving our state due to other states’ tax breaks,” she said. “This update to the Reimagining Electric Vehicles (REV) Act could help retain jobs at large employers throughout Illinois.”
Language in Elik’s original House Bill 4064 has been included in the revenue omnibus bill (Senate Bill 1963) approved by the legislature. The proposal offers tax incentives to businesses currently operating in the state if the business plans to convert or expand as an electric vehicle manufacturer, an electric vehicle component parts manufacturer, or a renewable energy manufacturer.
* Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton…
To build safer communities and reduce recidivism, it’s critical that we make state ID’s more accessible to justice-impacted people upon release. I commend the Illinois General Assembly for its passage of House Bill 3345 which amends the Illinois Identification Card Act and ensures those leaving the Department of Corrections and Department of Juvenile Justice can better access needed services and resources by obtaining a state-issued identification card from the Secretary of State.
This legislation will help eliminate a critical barrier to housing, healthcare, employment, transportation and more—all of which require a state ID to gain access. I’m proud that it stemmed from the State ID Pilot program, a collaborative effort with my office’s Justice, Equity and Opportunity Initiative, the office of First Lady MK Pritzker, the Secretary of State, and the Departments of Corrections and Juvenile Justice. The pilot program launched in April 2021 and to date more than 1500 people have been released from IDOC with a state ID.
As a state, we must continue to remove barriers to reentry for those exiting incarceration and ensure that those returning to their communities can successfully reintegrate and lead productive lives. Congratulations to Rep. Cyril Nichols, Sen.Willie Preston, Speaker Welch, Senate President Harmon, and all who worked on behalf of this bill. Our only way forward is together, and Illinois is providing the means for all to take the next step to thrive.
…Adding… Press release…
The Illinois Healthcare Cultural Competency Coalition applauds passage by the Illinois General Assembly of legislation that will ensure cultural competency is part of continuing medical education for a range of healthcare providers in Illinois.
“We are a coalition of civil rights, community healthcare, and labor organizations. Thanks to the leadership of State Senator Ram Villivalam and State Representative Dagmara Avelar, HB 2450 will ensure that healthcare providers are equipped with critical information and tools to deliver culturally competent care for the diverse communities they serve. We appreciate the leadership of Sen. Villivalam and Rep. Avelar and thank the Illinois General Assembly for passing this important legislation with overwhelming bipartisan support. We urge Governor JB Pritzker to approve the bill when it reaches his desk.”
The required healthcare cultural competency will support healthcare providers, such as physicians, nurses, and dentists, with the tools and information they need to effectively and affirmingly serve communities of color, people with disabilities, people of diverse faiths, undocumented individuals, LGBTQ+ people, people living with HIV, intersex people, and other communities that have been marginalized in the healthcare system. HB 2450 also provides healthcare professionals with the flexibility they need to fulfill their continuing medical education requirements. The bill does not eliminate or repeal any currently mandated topic.
HB 2450 passed the Illinois House on Thursday with a bipartisan 103-01 vote and the Illinois Senate on May 19 with a bipartisan 52-04 vote. The legislation would take effect on January 1, 2025.
* Press release…
The Illinois General Assembly passed the Racism Free Schools Act (SB 90) sponsored in the House by State Rep. Maurice West (D-Rockford). The legislation requires school districts to create a policy on discrimination and harassment based on race, color, or national origin, as well as track incidents of discrimination within their districts.
“Here in Illinois, we will not tolerate racism or discrimination within schools – period.” said Chief Sponsor Rep. Maurice West. “But as we continue to see a rise in incidents of hateful conduct across our country, it is clear that our actions need to match our words. That’s why the Racism-Free Schools Act is so important, because it will not only require districts to create and implement a policy on discrimination and harassment, but also help the state track incidents of racism so we can better address concerning conduct across our state. I want to thank Sen. Murphy for her partnership as well as the advocates who made their voices heard.”
“With hate and race-based crimes on the rise in schools, the Racism-Free Schools Act addresses a pressing need to keep students and teachers safe by making it easier for victims, student victims especially, to come forward and stop harassment,” said Bill Curtin, Teach Plus Illinois Policy Manager. “I’m grateful to Senator Murphy and Representative West for listening to teachers in our state who know schools are not yet doing enough to address acts of hate and calling for action to change that.”
“When it comes to racial harassment, words are not enough. A concrete and meaningful policy response is needed to change behavior in our schools,” said Madeline Wood, Teach Plus Illinois Senior Policy Fellow who teaches music at United Junior High and United High School in Monmouth.
“As a student, I faced racial harassment every year. I became a mute - I stopped speaking because I didn’t think my voice mattered. Now, as a teacher, I’ve found my voice again to speak up for my students, who are still experiencing the same racial incidents that I did,” said Breana Calloway, Teach Plus Illinois Policy Fellow and 3rd Grade math and science teacher at Deneen School of Excellence in Chicago.
The legislation requires each school district, charter school, or nonpublic, nonsectarian elementary or secondary school to create and implement a policy on discrimination and harassment based on race, color, or national origin. The legislation also requires the Illinois State Board of Education to create a data collection system to report on allegations of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation against students.
The bill, sponsored by Sen. Laura Murphy in the State Senate, passed the Illinois House of Representatives by a vote of 87 to 18 and the Illinois Senate by a vote of 53 to 0. The legislation now goes to Gov. JB Pritzker for his signature before being enacted into law.
* Press release…
The Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS) applauded the Illinois House and Senate which approved a bill (SB 89) that includes language extending cocktails to-go and delivery until August 1, 2028. The measure now goes to Governor J.B. Pritzker for his signature.
“A five-year extension of cocktails to-go gives local businesses and their customers the ability to continue to enjoy what has become an integral part of take-out dining,” said Andy Deloney, senior vice president & head of state public policy at DISCUS. “Cocktails to-go provide much-needed revenue to hospitality businesses facing supply chain issues, staffing shortages and inflation. They also give adult consumers the added convenience they have come to expect when ordering from their favorite restaurants. We urge Governor Pritzker to sign this bill and continue cocktails to-go in support of Illinois businesses and consumers.”
Illinois’s current cocktails to-go law is set to expire June 1, 2024.
* Press release…
The Park District of Tinley Park today lauded the passage of House Bill 3743 by the Illinois General Assembly that would turn over the site of the former Tinley Park Mental Health Center and Howe Development Center to the Park District to begin redevelopment of the long-vacant land.
House lawmakers voted today in favor of the legislation after the measure was passed by Senators last week. The bill, which would sell the land to the Park District for $1, now goes to the Gov. Pritzker for his consideration. Importantly, the legislation prohibits any form of gaming at the site, supporting feedback of local residents, and saves Tinley Park taxpayers the estimated $4.5 million price tag to purchase the site.
“We are very grateful to members of the General Assembly for supporting our vision for the Mental Health Center to create new recreational opportunities and green space to benefit the entire Southland region,” said Park District Board President Marie Ryan. “The Park Board of Commissioners is hopeful Gov. Pritzker will sign the legislation into law, and we can partner with the state to begin needed environmental cleanup at the site.”
Last November, the Park District formally bid on the property located at 7400-7600 W. 183rd St. and laid out its vision to meet the needs of the Tinley Park residents and expand opportunities for neighboring communities. The plan includes a hub of athletic fields, track and field facilities, a domed sports complex and open recreational space. Since the plan was released to the public, it has gained widespread community support and private developer interest.
Phase 1 of property development includes a playground and sports facilities fully accessible for people living with special needs, multipurpose athletic fields, a domed sports complex with a full-size soccer field, a stadium with a track, a splash pad, concession stands, spectator stands, lighting, ample parking, as well as a pond, picnic areas and open green space.
An audit of the $585 million Business Interruption Grant, the Illinois program using federal tax dollars to give to businesses for relief during COVID-19, reports checks on the spending “failed to work as advertised” with insufficient oversight.
The BIG program was operated by Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s administration and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity and other state agencies. A new, similar program is currently underway called Back 2 Business for a total of $175 million split between restaurants, hotels and creative arts venues.
Illinois Auditor General Frank Mautino’s office released the BIG audit Wednesday with more than a dozen findings and 15 recommendations for DCEO.
• DCEO could not provide documentation to show how or why it selected organizations to administer Round 1 of the BIG program. One of the grant administrators, as well as a DCEO official, appears to have not complied with conflict of interest policies at DCEO. The BIG grant administrators were to distribute $580 million in funds. An additional $5 million was to be administered by DOA.
• DCEO initiated the small business component of the BIG program without having emergency administrative rules in place for the administration of the program. Rules had not been implemented before the completion of Round 1 of the small business component of BIG. Additionally, even after the lack of timeliness for Round 1, DCEO was unable to amend the rules for Round 2 of the small business component of BIG timely. DCEO filed amended rules 12 days after the Round 2 application process had started, a process that utilized a preference for certain types of businesses to receive preferential treatment in the selection process.
• DCEO allowed, without verification, BIG small business grant applicants to self-certify that they complied with all laws as well as reporting other pandemic funding. We found that not all applicants’ certifications were
accurate. Nonetheless, DCEO and its grant administrators awarded funding to these applicants.
• The BIG program was designated by the General Assembly to provide assistance for businesses that had losses due to COVID-19. DCEO utilized an eligibility category for the small business component of BIG that was not specified in the Public Act passed by the General Assembly. DCEO paid over $11 million to 630 applicants that applied under this eligibility designation.
• DCEO awarded small business applicants in Round 1 of the BIG program funding when the businesses were not eligible based on information submitted in the application. Our analysis found 196 ineligible applicants received $3.42 million. Additionally, the application system developed by a DCEO grant administrator that was supposed to not allow ineligible applicants to submit finalized applications failed to work as advertised.
• DCEO oversight of the award selection process for the small business component of BIG was insufficient. Our testing of the selection process found significant deficiencies in both rounds.
• In Round 1, we were only able to concur with 8 percent of the BIG awards from our sample. We determined that 16 percent of the BIG awards, totaling $430,000, in our sample were ineligible for reasons such as revenues outside the criteria or restaurants providing outdoor dining. We also questioned 76 percent of the BIG awards, totaling $1,980,000, in our sample due to lack of required documentation being submitted by the applicant.
• In Round 2, we were only able to concur with 41 percent of the BIG awards from our sample. We determined that 29 percent of the BIG awards in our sample had one or more questioned elements. Additionally, we determined that 30 percent of the awards made by DCEO in our Round 2 sampling were ineligible. Finally, questionable expenses from our selection-testing sample totaled $1,335,708 – 28 percent of all funds awarded from the Round 2 sample.
• DCEO utilized an award determination process which failed to follow the directive of State statute relative to funding for COVID-19 losses. By rounding loss amounts up to the next $5,000, DCEO reduced the funding levels while some applicants went without funding. In our selection testing work, we found 47 percent of the awards overpaid the documented losses by a total of $171,000. Our sample of 150 award winner cases was just over 2 percent of the total awards in Round 2 of the small business component of BIG.
• DCEO and its grant administrators for the small business component of BIG awarded funding in excess of program policy. Eleven business owners received funding for businesses in excess of the three for which each owner was eligible. Total overpayment of funds totaled $220,000. DCEO is responsible for overseeing grant programs, including ones in which program administrators are utilized.
• DCEO failed to execute grant agreements with grant administrators for the small business component of the BIG program prior to the grant administrators working on the BIG program. Further, DCEO required funding applicants to submit multiple pieces of confidential information to these grant administrators that were operating without an executed grant with the State of Illinois. Finally, DCEO was unaware of the actual individuals that would view this confidential information, even though some of these individuals were temporary staff hired by the grant administrators.
• DCEO failed to maintain notifications to applicants of the BIG program. Additionally, DCEO paid an outside vendor for a mass mailing system that did not maintain a retrieval function instead of utilizing a State system at the Department of Innovation and Technology, which could have been less costly and had the ability to retrieve the notifications.
• DCEO failed to monitor that the payment of small business component funding was provided within program guidelines. During our testing we found that in 49 percent (67 of 136) of the cases, the grant administrator failed to provide funding within 14 days of DCEO approval.
• DCEO had monitoring weaknesses relative to the uses of funding provided as part of the small business component of the BIG program. DCEO failed to conduct routine monitoring of the funds provided under BIG and at times did not have documentation to conduct monitoring. The lack of documentation made it impossible for DCEO to know if the same claimed losses were utilized by an applicant to obtain funding under different programs.
• DCEO and its grant administrators failed to follow BIG program requirements relative to deducting previous awards from future BIG funding for the small business component of the program. This inaction resulted in the overpayment of $4.29 million in BIG funds.
• DCEO failed to monitor all terms of the grant agreements with grant administrators. The lack of monitoring resulted in one grant administrator not providing tax information on $4.4 million in BIG funds to 305 sub-recipients.
• DCEO did not claw back funds for noncompliance. DCEO became aware of instances of violations but did not initially have a system in place to manage businesses found to be in violation of law, regulations, and executive orders. DCEO relied on the attestations of the recipient that they would comply or were already complying with the mitigation efforts.
• Testing for the child care component and the livestock management component did not find any significant or pervasive issues. We concurred with all of the grant awards and grant denials in our sample.
Additionally, the audit found “DCEO became aware of notices of BIG Program violations from news stories, forwarded complaints, and internal agency reviews. Businesses most often having documented violations were restaurants failing to follow local mitigations and executive orders. We found that DCEO was not prepared to handle such notices of violation, did not have complete information on all violators, and did not always enforce a return of funds when such violations were confirmed.”
Keep in mind they were building a plane that was already in the air and experiencing unprecedented turbulence. Even so.
…Adding… DCEO…
“In mid-2020 during the height of the pandemic, DCEO delivered grants to thousands of businesses in dire need of support – to offset the impact of closures, and to help them survive the global economic upheaval occurring at the time. With many small businesses on the brink of financial collapse, DCEO’s highest priority was to support Illinois’ businesses as efficiently as possible. A traditional grant program can take more than a year from conception to grants going out the door. BIG was launched 3 weeks after legislation became law and thousands of small businesses and jobs were saved as a result. After developing a first-of-its kind program during an unprecedented global economic crisis, the agency learned valuable insights and has since vastly improved processes through additional large-scale funding programs for Illinois businesses through its B2B program.”
If the wealthy are leaving Chicago, or even contemplating it, it’s news to the country’s largest bank.
Over the next five years, JPMorgan Chase is planning to triple the number of advisers in its Chicago private bank catering to wealthy families and individuals. […]
“We’re really bullish on Chicago,” [Chase co-head Maggie O’Brien] said in an interview. […]
“We don’t see anything to make us believe that trajectory is going to slow,” O’Brien said.
Chase’s actions belie the narrative some are telling about the Chicago area — that people with money are leaving for lower-tax states or because of perceptions that crime is out of control. That debate has taken on new life since the election of Brandon Johnson as Chicago mayor. Johnson has proposed millions in controversial new taxes, while allies are urging $12 billion in financial moves, including enacting city income and wealth taxes, meant to affect the wealthy rather than the middle class.
Some people can apparently see through the news media’s narratives, particularly the great freakout after two far-left groups proposed a laughably unrealistic fiscal plan.
The Illinois Association of Rehabilitation Facilities, which frontline staff who work with developmentally disabled individuals, came out against the budget. Workers have been advocating for a $4-an-hour wage increase, but said the proposed budget gives them half that, a boost that IARF said will not do enough to bring more people into the profession, therefore prolonging a workforce shortage.
From today’s Senate Appropriations Committee hearing…
Sen. Sims presenting the budget, notes providers for individuals with disabilities will see a $2.50 rate increase in yet-to-come amendment to the budget, SB 250
The main move came when Democratic lawmakers agreed to give the governor what he described as seven management “tools” to slash health spending for immigrants. The final budget figure for that item now will be $550 million, not the advertised $1.1 billion.
Among those tools, according to Pritzker spokeswoman Jordan Abudayyeh, the General Assembly agreed to reduce and manage the program’s costs by limiting future enrollment, maximizing federal funds designated for immigrant health care and utilizing managed care models, which prioritize quality of care over quantity in a manner that often lowers costs.
But the Senate Democrats are trying to gingerly sidestep the issue…
Back to health care for noncitizens: What's the total budgeted amount? Sims: At this point we dont know what expenditures will be in FY24 because "cost containment measures" are yet to be passed by administrative rule
Sims on FY23 final numbers: Revenue will end at $50.7 billion and spending at $50.4 billion. Sims is also proposing $50.7 billion of revenue in FY24 #twill
Now Sen. DeWitte on the local government distributive fund. Sims: LGDF percentage to locals will grow 6.47% Locals wanted 10% over period of years. I believe that's an increase from roughly 6.16 percent. Sims says = $112 million
* I’m probably excerpting way too much from Patrick Smith’s WBEZ story, so I apologize in advance. However, it’s really interesting…
Two years after the creation of a specialized carjacking task force, numbers from the Cook County sheriff’s office show law enforcement agencies in and around Chicago are recovering nearly 9 out of every 10 carjacked vehicles. That is a huge increase from 2020 and sheriff Tom Dart says authorities are learning more about who is doing the carjacking and why.
Meanwhile, data from the sheriff also show the number of carjacking incidents is trending downward. […]
The regional carjacking task force was formed in March 2021 in response to a dramatic increase in hijackings during the pandemic. Data from the city of Chicago show the number of vehicular hijacking victimizations leapt up from 736 in 2019 to 1,684 in 2020. The number got even higher in 2021 before starting to recede last year. […]
Roe Conn, a former radio host and a sheriff’s employee, leads the team from an upscale office with high ceilings and floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking Chicago’s iconic Holy Name Cathedral. There, Conn’s unit analyzes carjacking data to “try to put together living models for how, when, where and, in some cases, why these crimes are being committed.” […]
The result, according to numbers provided by the sheriff, has been an increase in recovered vehicles, up from about 40% of carjacked cars recovered in 2020 to close to 90% in 2022. The length of time between when cars are stolen and when they are recovered has also been dropping, going from eight days recovery time in 2020 to a little more than four days recovery time last year. […]
In March 2021, shortly after the task force was formed, then-Chicago Police Superintendent David Brown told reporters that most of the hijackings were being done by kids seeking quick, cheap thrills. […]
Then, last year, University of Chicago professor Robert Vargas published a study looking at car recoveries by Chicago police between 2017 and 2021, and found the data indicated it was not capricious kids robbing people of their cars for fun, but rather sophisticated criminals with a profit motive. Vargas hypothesized the cars were most likely being sold on the black market, either whole or in parts.
Dart said the increase in vehicles recovered and the information sharing through the task force has helped them learn more about the people behind the carjackings … and Dart believes it’s proven both Brown and Vargas wrong.
If the cars were being resold then authorities wouldn’t be recovering so many after just a few days, and so close to where they were originally stolen.
And Dart said many of the people being arrested for carjacking are juveniles, but they’re not out stealing cars so they can “joyride” as Brown said.
Could the 2022 massacre during Highland Park’s July Fourth parade have been prevented with a small change to state law?
It’s never been publicly reported before, but several local sources confirmed this week that Highland Park Police Chief Louis Jogmen wanted to send a city-owned drone above the parade last year. That camera-equipped drone could’ve spotted Robert Eugene Crimo III on a building rooftop overlooking the parade before he allegedly fired 83 shots that killed seven people and wounded 48 more. But the chief couldn’t launch that drone because of state law.
Jogmen’s police department has for years wanted to launch the camera drone, which the city uses for search-and-rescue and other emergencies, to fly over major public events. But state law prohibits law enforcement agencies from using the drones for things like event surveillance.
In other words, state law allows police to use drones in the aftermath of horrific and deadly mass shootings, but not to safeguard the public before they happen. […]
Highland Park City Manager Ghida Neukirch pointed to a bill introduced last year that would’ve allowed police to use the drones for proactive law enforcement. “Had we had the opportunity to use it last July Fourth, it would have provided our employees with an aerial view of the entire parade grounds and rooftops and the entire area,” she said of the drone.
State Sen. Julie Morrison, D-Lake Forest, went further, suggesting that Highland Park’s drone could have prevented the mass killing. […]
The General Assembly passed sweeping legislation to ban assault weapons after the Highland Park shooting. But, so far, those are just words on paper as court challenges to the law work their way through the system.
People should have the right to attend public events without nervously scanning unprotected rooftops, or worse. Nobody is talking about giving the police unregulated and unfettered access to drones. Nobody is talking about blocking Chicago’s drone program. It is time to come to an agreement.
* Press release today…
Less than a year after State Senator Julie Morrison and her family ran for their lives as a man opened fire from a rooftop in Highland Park, she passed a measure to enhance public safety through the use of drones.
“Drones provide an invaluable resource that can be used to monitor large crowds for suspicious activity,” said Morrison (D-Lake Forest). “This technology exists – there’s no reason we shouldn’t put it in the hands of law enforcement.”
The Morrison-led measure allows law enforcement to use drones to monitor special events, like parades and festivals, to detect breaches and identify public safety issues.
It comes in response to the Fourth of July mass shooting that killed seven and wounded dozens more in Highland Park. The shooter fired a rifle on parade crowd from the rooftop of a downtown building.
“The devastating July day in Highland Park underscored the need for increased public safety initiatives for large events,” said Morrison. “I can’t help but wonder what the outcome of that July day would’ve been had this law been in place.”
“The City of Highland Park appreciates the work of Senators Morrison and Holmes leading on legislation that will broaden the use of drones by public safety in certain situations, specifically for preventative use against public safety threats towards public gatherings,” said Highland Park Mayor Nancy Rotering. “Allowing our public safety personnel the use of drones to monitor large scale public events will increase their ability to secure an area, and save time while improving the delivery of life-saving services.”
House Bill 3902 passed the Senate Wednesday.
The ACLU of Illinois opposed the bill last year, but the group negotiated some changes this year and is now neutral.
Thursday, May 25, 2023 - Posted by Advertising Department
[The following is a paid advertisement.]
Illinois hospitals have been working for years to close racial and ethnic gaps in access to care and improve outcomes. They have established programs to identify and address risk factors—social, economic and environmental conditions that impact health outcomes—and expanded services targeting health disparities within their communities, such as transportation, housing and access to healthy food. These significant investments in health equity are now being threatened by dramatically higher operating costs.
Consider these three powerful facts:
• Research shows that underfunding of the Medicaid program stands in the way of addressing health disparities and removing barriers to care in already hard hit communities
• A 2019 study presented evidence that reimbursement rates play a critical role in Medicaid recipients’ ability to secure access to care, their utilization of healthcare services and their health status.
• The National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) says that closing the gap in payments between Medicaid and private insurers would reduce more than two-thirds of disparities in access among adults and would eliminate access disparities entirely among children. NBER goes on to emphasize that improving access contributes to “more office visits, better self-reported health, and reduced school absenteeism.”
Because Medicaid rate increases are vital to both preserving and expanding access to care, all Illinois hospitals urge you to enact the first state-funded Medicaid increase in 28 years. Discover the facts to learn more.
* Crain’s | How Illinois’ $50 billion budget deal got done: The main move came when Democratic lawmakers agreed to give the governor what he described as seven management “tools” to slash health spending for immigrants. Details weren’t immediately available about what those tools encompass, but the final budget figure for that item now will be $550 million, not the advertised $1.1 billion.
* Shaw Local | Staggering new abuse report should spur learning, action: All this crime falling under the umbrella of “the Catholic Church” or sorted amongst Illinois’ six dioceses certainly sets it apart from one-off abusers, both in terms of the sheer scale of numbers and the context of the size of the establishment and specific, administrative choices that continued rather than curtailed. But this one institution, and even its individual operations, are far from the only environments where abuse is possible and plausible without safeguards.
* Agri Pulse | Illinois dust storm underscores the urgency for a new approach to farming: Soil is a finite resource — the foundation of our food supply and habitat for about a quarter of the world’s biodiversity. Soil is one of the earth’s greatest carbon-capturing systems. When it blows away with the wind, it’s always a tragic loss — even when it doesn’t cause fatal car crashes.
* Tribune | Mayor Brandon Johnson’s first City Council meeting: Early victory on installing allies, a dig at Fox News and a delay on migrant spending vote: “This City Council meeting is being recorded live from Naperville,” Johnson joked, a jab at a “Fox & Friends” segment in which two men were interviewed at a diner in the western suburb about crime in Chicago and their purported lack of faith in Johnson. The clip that aired the day of Johnson’s inauguration last week was panned for taking place about 30 miles away from the city, and the two Black Chicagoans featured told The TRiiBE their appearance was arranged in advance and they were misled about the purpose of the interview, which they thought was about gun violence only.
* Sun-Times | 2 Chicago-area brothers plead guilty to assaulting officers in Jan. 6 Capitol breach: Daniel and Joseph Leyden, of Chicago and La Grange, respectively, attended the “Stop the Steal” rally in Washington, D.C., pushing to stop Congress from certifying the 2020 presidential election results fueled by remarks from former President Donald Trump. The brothers joined other rioters in marching toward the Capitol and pushing past barricades, according to court documents.
* WBEZ | Authorities are recovering more carjacked vehicles in Chicago, providing crucial data: The regional carjacking task force was formed in March 2021 in response to a dramatic increase in hijackings during the pandemic. Data from the city of Chicago show the number of vehicular hijacking victimizations leapt up from 736 in 2019 to 1,684 in 2020. The number got even higher in 2021 before starting to recede last year.
* WBEZ | Chicago promised students would do better after closing 50 schools. That didn’t happen.: Ten years ago, Chicago officials closed 50 schools in large part because they said Chicago Public Schools had too many seats for too few students. At the same time, federal education policy promoted closing struggling schools or firing their entire staff and handing their management to private companies — and other cities closed schools, too, in the name of school reform.
* Block Club | The Weekend Blue Line Is Finally Back: Crews have successfully replaced the old Belmont crossover along the O’Hare branch. Normal service between the Addison and Western stations will resume this weekend, officials said.
We are approaching the hour of 11 pm. The Senate did file a budget earlier this evening. Our agreement with the House and the governor was to not act on that proposed budget until we had agreement with both the House and the governor.
The House is in caucus now as I understand it. We are eagerly awaiting their final input into the budget.
I think it is a mechanical impossibility for us to pass a budget tonight in time for the House to read it in on this calendar day, so I think the wisest course of action is to wrap up our business today, give more time for review of the introduced budget and consideration of proposed amendments.
We will ask our appropriation committee to meet at 9am tomorrow morning to take public testimony on the budget and to answer any questions that folks might have. We would plan to come in session shortly thereafter. I know the caucuses may want to meet, so we will leave ample time for that as well.
I appreciate everybody’s good humor today as we try to pass a responsible balanced budget. I appreciate the bipartisan way in which we addressed this issue and we’ll continue those bipartisan conversations through the day tomorrow. So, go home, get a little bit of rest, come back at 9am tomorrow for a committee hearing on the appropriation bill and related titles. And we’ll wrap up our business on the floor tomorrow. Thank you very much.
ADDED: Capitol News Illinois | Top Democrats announce budget ‘deal,’ but details are scant as last-minute negotiations continue: The trio was especially short on details when pressed on how the state would manage the biggest unforeseen cost facing lawmakers: a still-growing program that grants Medicaid-type health care coverage to noncitizens ages 42 and over. The governor’s office recently estimated the program would cost $1.1 billion in the upcoming fiscal year, or five times more than he had initially budgeted. “The Senate and the House have agreed to give us the tools to manage the program properly so that it doesn’t reach a ($1.1 billion) proportion … and instead allows us to provide health care for the people who are on the program now and make sure that we’re continuing the program going forward, but in a budget friendly way so that everybody gets the health care that they deserve,” Pritzker said. His office said those options include limiting future enrollment in the program, requiring copays, maximizing federal reimbursement and a possible move to managed care.
* Tribune | Gov. J.B. Pritzker, Democratic legislative leaders reach deal on $50 billion budget: The cost of the Medicaid-style program that covers immigrants 42 and older who are in the country without legal permission or who have green cards but haven’t completed a five-year waiting period and therefore don’t qualify for the traditional insurance program for the poor will continue to put pressure on the state budget. […] The deal allocates about $550 million for the program, according to the governor’s office, and gives the administration “tools” to control the costs.
* WCIA | Pritzker announces agreed FY2024 Illinois budget: “I vowed to work with the General Assembly to bring fiscal sanity to Illinois while restoring a compassionate state government that invests in the things that build a stronger economy and future,” Pritzker said. “I’m pleased to say that’s exactly what this balanced budget does, for the fifth time in a row.”
* AP | Gov Pritzker, Illinois legislative leaders announce agreement on state budget: “Today’s agreement” Welch said, “proves once again that Democrats can produce a state budget that is both fiscally responsible and compassionate at the same time. We will pass a budget that is balanced, it’ll make smart investments in the services people need, and it will be a reflection of the values we share as Illinoisans.” Harmon called it “a responsible balanced budget that recognizes our shared goals and commitment to making progress on key issues for the people of Illinois.”
* Crain’s | Pritzker announces deal reached on state budget: Boasting about the state’s improved financial picture, Pritzker added that the budget achieves his goal of “restoring a compassionate state government that works to meet the needs of Illinois residents and invest in the things that build a stronger economy and a stronger future.”
* NBC Chicago | Pritzker, Democrats in General Assembly Reach FY 2024 Budget Deal: Illinois Republicans criticized the budget as a one-sided agreement that focuses too much on taxation. “Governor Pritzker and Illinois Democrats can twist words with the best of them, but the truth is that this budget constitutes a partisan wishlist, not a negotiation,” GOP Chairman Don Tracy said. “With complete control of government, Illinois Democrats continue to tax and spend, with Illinois ranking at the top of every metric of tax burden on residents and driving away families year over year.”
Debt Free Justice Illinois, a statewide network of bipartisan organizations, and youth and racial justice advocates, today celebrates the passage of legislation through the Illinois General Assembly aimed at eliminating the unjust assessment of juvenile court fees and fines against Illinois youth and their families.
Today’s Senate passage is the final legislative action for the bill and a momentous step in the direction of economic justice for the state. Senate Bill 1463, sponsored by Senator Robert Peters and Representative Justin Slaughter, is aimed at abolishing juvenile court fees and fines in delinquency proceedings. Twenty other states, both majority Democratic and Republican, have eliminated or reduced these fees and fines in recent years.
“Today’s vote in the Illinois Senate is further proof that Illinois intends to continue moving in the direction of economic justice for Illinois youth and their families,” said Sen. Peters. “The status quo of unjust fees and fines do not work for our state’s young people and families and do not keep our communities safe. We must work toward accountability and rehabilitation for Illinois’ young people in the juvenile court system, not punishing them with monetary fees and fines.”
“I’m proud to stand with the advocates across our state for economic justice and working families,” said Rep. Slaughter. “Our vision of a fairer and more just juvenile court system is one that many other states have embraced. I encourage Governor Pritzker to sign this bill into law as quickly as possible and continue our work of building up youth and families to dismantle system inequalities and protect Illinois’ most vulnerable communities.”
Juvenile court fees and fines can range from $25 to over $800 and can quickly add up to thousands of dollars for a single family, depending on where they live. This unjust disparity creates a patchwork of injustice across the state, landing hardest on youth and families of color living in underserved communities. […]
SB1463 would prohibit courts, state agencies, and local government entities from assessing fees and fines in juvenile court in delinquency proceedings and requires the automatic discharge of all outstanding debt. Enacting the bill is important in furthering the goals of strengthening Illinois’ vulnerable families, improving the way we approach youth rehabilitation, and increasing the credibility and effectiveness of our public systems.
* Rep. Harper…
A bill by state Rep. Sonya Harper, D-Chicago, aimed at addressing the theft of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, is headed to the governor’s desk after unanimously passing both houses of the General Assembly.
“That protecting the most vulnerable people and families in our state is critically important should go without saying,” Harper said. “Sadly, theft of SNAP benefits that can deprive needy families, including children, of their access to proper nutrition have been a persistent and increasing problem. It’s past time that something was done.”
SNAP benefits are also sometimes referred to as “food stamps”. In recent years, food stamps have been issued to recipients using a debit-card system where benefits are loaded onto the recipient’s card. Thieves have targeted food stamp recipients by using devices (called “skimmers”) that are covertly inserted into payment machines at food retailers to steal card information, or devices that can need only be held near a victim’s wallet in order to remotely copy the information necessary to make a “clone” of the victim’s benefit card which the thief can then use. This type of benefits theft has been on the rise, and authorities have struggled to address it.
Victims of SNAP theft generally do not have their benefits replaced, meaning that recipients whose benefits are stolen often end up struggling to buy food until their next installment.
Harper’s House Bill 2214 would require the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) to track and collect data as to the scope and frequency of SNAP benefits fraud, especially when it occurs by means of skimming or cloning. Beginning in 2024, IDHS would be required to report its findings to the General Assembly quarterly.
Harper’s original bill included a requirement that IDHS replace victims’ stolen benefits, but this measure was removed by a Senate amendment.
“This legislation represents a solid first step in addressing this pressing issue. Going forward, it will be necessary to do more to make victims of SNAP benefits theft whole again,” Harper said. “Nevertheless, IDHS as well as my fellow lawmakers and I can now look forward to having much more robust information about this problem and how and where it is occurring, which is sure to help us craft smart policies to address it.”
* Press release…
The Illinois Secure Communities Coalition and REFORM Alliance applaud the General Assembly for passing smart and sensible supervision reforms that will increase public safety, save taxpayer dollars, and promote stronger, more stable communities.
More than 100,000 people in Illinois are currently serving time on probation, parole, or mandatory supervised release. Instead of holding people accountable, contributing to public safety, and increasing stability in communities, Illinois’ supervision system too often operates as a revolving door back to prison. A Department of Corrections (DOC) report revealed that more than 1 in 4 - or 25% - of people released from prison in Illinois end up back behind bars for a non-criminal technical violation, (like missing a meeting with their probation officer) within three years of their release. This needless incarceration places a heavy burden on taxpayers, crime survivors, and Illinois’ communities.
With unanimous support in the House and Senate, the General Assembly passed Senate Bill 423, evidence-based legislation to create a more effective and transparent supervision system. Along with decreasing taxpayer costs and reducing the likelihood of recidivism, these reforms also significantly contribute to public safety by creating an incentive for people to pursue recidivism-reducing activities like education. These improvements would also safely reduce supervision officers’ caseloads, allowing officers to spend more time on those individuals with the greatest risks and needs.
SB423 was sponsored by Speaker Pro Tempore Jehan Gordon-Booth, Rep. Patrick Windhorst and Senate President Pro-Tempore Bill Cunningham. It now awaits Governor Pritzker’s signature. There are four evidence-based provisions that are expected to become law:
1. Education credits. People on mandatory supervised release will be eligible to earn 90 days off their supervision terms by completing a secondary education diploma or career/technical certificate. These activities help individuals form a positive self-image and gain marketable skills, increasing their ability to transform their lives and provide for their families.
2. Virtual check-ins. SB423 creates a statewide, permanent framework to enable people on probation, parole, and mandatory supervised release to report to their probation officers remotely. This mitigates one of the most common sources of technical violations while providing greater flexibility for officers to manage their caseloads and connect with people on supervision in a manner that better supports their rehabilitative goals. Many counties in Illinois embraced the greater use of technology for remote reporting during the pandemic, and successfully maintained accountability and protected community stability and safety.
3. Sensible supervision conditions and drug testing. The newly passed legislation requires that courts impose individualized supervision requirements on each defendant, ensuring that one-size-fits-all conditions do not unduly serve as barriers to success. This also includes ensuring that drug testing is utilized only when there is a reasonable suspicion of illicit drug use, which will conserve state resources and limit interruptions to employers.
4. Prisoner Review Board transparency. People on mandatory supervised release or parole have the opportunity to go in front of the Prisoner Review Board (PRB) to file for early discharge. But to date, the process lacked transparency. SB423 standardizes the case review process for early termination of supervision and creates clear guidelines and timelines. Those who are denied early discharge by the Department of Corrections (DOC) or PRB will have clear guidance on how they need to improve to be a good candidate in the future. This ensures that people are aware of the hurdles they must clear to be considered in the future and reduces the current frustration and confusion that comes from the lack of information and guidance accompanying present decisions.
…Adding… Maria Pappas…
Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas spearheaded the passage of groundbreaking property tax reform legislation to help struggling homeowners.
The Illinois General Assembly passed the legislation today, Wednesday, May 24. It is expected to be signed into law by Governor JB Pritzker soon.
One of the key provisions of the legislation is that it will drop the interest rate homeowners and businesses in Cook County are charged for late property tax payments from 18% to 9% a year.
The interest rate reduction will save property owners between $25 million and $35 million a year with most of those savings benefiting Black and Latino communities.
It will also close loopholes that tax investors have exploited at the expense of local governments and allow the county to move away from the Scavenger Sale.
A news release is attached and also available here.
* Personal PAC…
Personal PAC, one of Illinois’ most prominent reproductive rights advocacy organizations, and Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias, celebrated the passage of HB3326 by the full Illinois General Assembly on Wednesday. The bill ensures that Automatic License Plate Readers (ALPRs) cannot be used for tracking individuals seeking reproductive healthcare or individuals assisting them, and that restricts data sharing with other governments or law enforcement agencies related to healthcare needs or immigration status.
“Anyone seeking abortion care in Illinois should not be harassed in any fashion, and this first-in-the-nation legislation will prevent Automatic License Plate Readers from being used as a tool for tracking, harassing or criminalizing lawful behavior,” said Secretary Giannoulias. “I am committed to allowing individuals to pursue and obtain the lawful healthcare they need without government intrusion. This legislation sets common-sense standards and protocols to ensure that Automatic License Plate Reader data is used properly.”
“We are thrilled the passage of HB3326 and thank chief sponsors Rep. Ann Williams, Sen. Sara Feigenholtz, and Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias for their championing of this crucial civil liberties issue that will help ensure that Illinois remains an oasis for safe access to abortions and other reproductive healthcare. HB3326 ensures that those seeking healthcare in Illinois can trust that their license plate data will be secure and protected, and that Illinois law enforcement agencies and municipalities will never turn their information over to states seeking to persecute them. This legislation is a model for the nation, and we are proud to have been part of the coalition that led to its passage.”
* Chicago Community Trust…
A coalition of community developers, affordable housing advocates and tax policy experts led by The Chicago Community Trust today applauded the Illinois Senate for passing legislation to reform Illinois’ delinquent property tax sale system that will increase investment in historically disinvested communities across the state. The bill now goes to the Governor’s desk.
Senate Bill 1675 Amendment 1 reforms the Illinois Property Tax Sale system by closing loopholes that prevent blighted properties from redevelopment and allows local governments to intervene to save abandoned properties after only one failed delinquent tax sale rather than watching them to cycle through the tax sale system for years while the property deteriorates, requiring taxpayer-funded maintenance and eventually demolition. The measure, which was crafted in partnership with the Cook County Treasurer, is supported by cities with high concentrations of vacant properties across Illinois, including Chicago, Peoria, Rockford, Decatur and Kankakee.
These common-sense reforms would empower local governments to work with community developers and residents to restore vacant properties to return them to viable use. In Cook County alone, an estimated 50,000 vacant or abandoned properties are concentrated in its Black and Latinx neighborhoods on Chicago’s South and West sides and in the south suburbs.
The legislation is the result of three years of community engagement convened by the Trust and grounded in findings from intensive academic research, including a landmark 2021 study by the Center for Municipal Finance at the University of Chicago analyzing the Cook County Scavenger Sale. The bill aims to increase homeownership, build community wealth and make the tax sale system work for communities instead of private tax buyers and institutional investors.
“Introducing this legislation is a big step forward for the Trust to advocate for systemic solutions in some of our most vulnerable and disinvested communities,” said Andrea Sáenz, President & CEO of The Chicago Community Trust. “We’re hopeful that putting the Trust’s name and century-old reputation behind this measure will send a clear message that we fully believe in the transformative power of this bill. Reforming Illinois’ property tax code can create a ripple effect, spurring investment in neighborhoods with high rates of vacant property, which, in turn, will stabilize neighboring property values, preserve homeownership, and strengthen the county tax base. This legislation is the spark we need to revitalize communities that have borne the brunt of the discriminatory policies of the past.”
* This post will be updated as language is introduced and bill statuses change. I’ll also carry the content over from day to day. If you see a mistake, or believe something should be added, please speak up in comments or just text me. Thanks.
* Still waiting on language/numbers for the big ones…
HB 3817 - BIMP (Formerly the Official State Bean bill)
Wednesday, May 24, 2023 - Posted by Advertising Department
[The following is a paid advertisement.]
The Illinois Association of Rehabilitation Facilities, representing community providers of services for those with intellectual and developmental disabilities, today issued the following statement after a new state budget proposal emerged in the Legislature:
“We regretfully must oppose this and any other state budget proposal that includes a proposed wage structure for our frontline workers that will not meet their needs and leave our workforce crisis intact.
We have advocated all spring for a $4 an hour increase in wages for Direct Support Professionals (DSPs), the brave frontline staff who meet the basic needs for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. These are very difficult but rewarding jobs, and we need to pay them more to draw more people into these careers.
The $2 an hour increase proposed in this state budget is only slightly above the $1.50 proposed earlier this year in the Governor’s budget plan, and half of what we believe is needed for real progress in three areas:
• To make these jobs competitive with the minimum wage increases seen at restaurants, retailers, etc.
• To bring our state closer to compliance with a long-running Consent Decree mandating that persons with disabilities have opportunities to live in their communities. We have been out of compliance for six years in a row.
• To help reduce a waitlist of nearly 15,000 people seeking care today, including those in state developmental centers such as Choate where the Administration has plans to move residents into community settings
We are grateful for the dollars invested in recent state budgets to help our workers support those they serve. But we must speak up now and urge the Governor and Legislature to reconsider the wage increase in the latest budget proposal and move closer to the $4 an hour increase we and our legislator champions have advocated.”
* The Trace | Illinois Legislators Want to Expand Prison Alternatives for Gun Possession: The program’s goal was to show that rehabilitation is more effective than incarceration in reducing gun violence. While data on its success rate is limited — the program isn’t required to collect data, and Illinois courts are not subject to Freedom of Information Act requests — sentencing trends in Cook County show that a significant number of judges have used the program since its inception, lowering the rate of 18- to 20-year-olds being incarcerated by about two thirds. Last year, legislators extended the program by one year, moving its expiration date to January 2024. Now, Democratic legislators and advocates are pushing to make the diversion program permanent and include people of all ages.
* Tribune | DCFS day care manager charged with stealing millions meant for child care, blowing it at casino: The investigation showed some of the locations that Pridgeon had claimed were providing day care for foster children were either vacant buildings or other businesses. In other instances, Pridgeon overcharged DCFS for child care from legitimate providers who were supposed to be paid at a lower rate, the complaint alleged.
* Sun-Times | Johnson wins first test of City Council muscle: Presiding over his first City Council meeting, Johnson easily won passage of the compromise he forged, shrinking the number of committees from 28 to 20 and replacing Finance Committee Chairman Scott Waguespack (32nd) with Ald. Pat Dowell (3rd), whose decision to abandon Mayor Lori Lightfoot and endorse Johnson was a turning point in Johnson’s winning campaign.
* Sun-Times | Here’s some steps Mayor Brandon Johnson can take to fix public transit: And private security, with its high cost and a lack of oversight, and more police won’t solve the the root causes of violence or make for healthy, comfortable rider conditions. Both also create their own risk of violence. Instead, better reliability and reduced wait times encourage ridership, which can improve a collective sense of safety. And the Johnson administration could create a transit ambassador or social worker program to support those in need, while also enhancing the rider experience.
* Sun-Times | Migrant funding hits roadblock in City Council: The delay will require the Council to return to session sooner than late June, as originally planned. Chicago is literally out of money, space and time to solve the migrant crisis and the influx of over 8,000 migrants. refugees and asylum-seekers.
* NPR | Illinois Republican leader shares her concerns about the state budget: With the most recent legislative map redistricting, her constituency now includes part of DeKalb County, including the City of DeKalb. “Welcome to creative drawing,” said Rezin about her 38th District senate seat. “And just so you know, both parties are guilty of it.”
* Sources have been saying for a while now that the governor and the Democratic leaders wanted to have a press conference to announce a budget deal. Well…
What: Governor Pritzker to join Speaker Welch and Senate President Harmon to brief media on FY24 budget negotiations.
Where: Governor’s Ceremonial Office, Illinois State Capitol, Springfield.
When: 2:30 pm
Watch: www.illinois.gov/livevideo
This post will be updated.
…Adding… They have two of these signs, one on each side of the lectern…
I’m standing alongside Senate President Don Harmon and House Speaker Chris Welch to announce that we have an agreement on a balanced budget for the coming year.
…Adding… Senate President Harmon thanked all the staff for their hard work and said…
The Senate hopes, we hope to take action tonight to be able to deliver the legislation to the House so that the House can act as soon as Friday, and then send it straight to the governor. I applaud the trust and cooperation we’ve developed. I’m not sure either chamber in the past would have trusted the other chamber to adopt the budget without an amendment. I appreciate Speaker Welch’s commitment.
Please pardon all transcription errors.
…Adding… Speaker Welch…
For the second year in a row, we are increasing funding for the Local Government Distributive Fund to help communities across the state fund essential services and programs like public health, safety, and basic infrastructures. […]
We are looking forward to continuing to cross the t’s and dot the i’s here in the next couple of hours so that we can get this agreed budget on the board and over to the House.
…Adding… Pritzker on the exploding costs of the healthcare program for undocumented immigrants…
The Senate and the House have agreed to give us the tools to manage the program properly so that it doesn’t reach a proportion that you named and instead allows us to provide health care for the people who are on the program now and make sure that we’re continuing the program going forward, but in a budget friendly way so that everybody gets the healthcare that they need. […]
We had seven options that we presented that are ways in which the program could be managed. We did not have the tools in law for us to actually be able to do that. And so we asked for those tools, we’ve been given them and we’ll be using any number of those seven.
…Adding… Asked about Invest In Kids, the tax credit program for private school scholarships, Pritzker said…
This is not something that’s been covered by the budget agreement. It’s something that still has time, potentially, but it’s not something that’s in the budget agreement.
…Adding… Senate President Harmon was asked about any Republican support…
I’m very hopeful and my next stop is to chat with the Republican Leader.
*** UPDATE 2 *** The one-pager…
Fiscal Year 2024 Budget
The FY 24 budget is a balanced plan with conservative revenue estimates that builds on our fiscal progress while making transformative investments in early childhood and higher education, workforce development, and efforts to fight violence and poverty
• This budget builds on four years of historic fiscal progress with balanced budgets, eight credit rating upgrades, a Rainy Day Fund set to surpass $2 billion, the elimination of the bill backlog, and $1 trillion in GDP
• $200 million additional pension payment beyond what’s required, bringing total pension stabilization investments to $700 million
• $450 million to pay off rail-splitter bond debt – saving the state $60 million in interest and virtually eliminating all short and medium-term debt
Education
• Early Childhood
o Smart Start IL — $250 million to fund the first year of the Governor’s early childhood plan with funding increases to eliminate preschool deserts, stabilize the childcare workforce, expand the Early Intervention Program and Home Visiting programs, plus funding to begin the overhaul of the childcare payment management system
o $50 million for early childhood capital improvements
• K-12
o $350 million for K-12 evidence-based funding formula
o $45 million for the first year of a three-year pilot to fill teacher vacancies
o $3 million to expand access to computer science coursework
o $1.6 million to launch Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library statewide
• Higher Education
o $100 million in additional MAP grant funding, ensuring everyone at or below the median income can go to community college for free
o $100 million increase for public universities ($80.5 million) and community colleges ($19.4 million) – the highest increases in more than two decades
Fighting Poverty
• HOME ILLINOIS — $85 million increase, bringing state funding to over $350 million, to support homelessness prevention, affordable housing, outreach, and other programs
• $20 million investment in a new Illinois Grocery Initiative to expand grocery access to underserved rural towns and urban neighborhoods
Health and Human Services
• Nearly $75 million increase for DCFS to hire 192 staff, expand training and protection, increase scholarships for youth in care, and improve facilities
• $22.8 million in funding to begin implementing the new Children’s Behavioral Health Transformation Initiative
• $18 million increase to support reproductive health initiatives
• $24 million for a rate increase for home workers who assist the elderly, increased outreach to the elderly, and an increase for Adult Day Service
• Continued funding for the $250 million Reimagine Public Safety Act to prevent gun violence and expanded funding for youth employment programs
• $53.5 million to overhaul IDPH disease monitoring IT and prepare for future public health emergencies
• Over $200 million increase to better serve Illinoisans with developmental disabilities
Economic Development
• $400 million to close major economic development deals and attract businesses and jobs to the state
• Expanded workforce development programs to build a pipeline in the industries of the future, like data center, EV, and clean energy
• Taking another step towards phasing out of the franchise tax
• $20 million to Rebuild Illinois Downtowns and Main Streets Capital Program
• $40 million for forgivable loans to launch more social equity cannabis businesses
• $10 million to fund a “one-stop business portal” to foster entrepreneurship
…Adding… ILGOP…
“Governor Pritzker and Illinois Democrats can twist words with the best of them, but the truth is that this budget constitutes a partisan wishlist, not a negotiation. With complete control of government, Illinois Democrats continue to tax and spend, with Illinois ranking at the top of every metric of tax burden on residents and driving away families year over year.
It’s time for Governor Pritzker to govern responsibly and stop dreaming about the White House” said Illinois Republican Party Chairman Don Tracy.
…Adding… Leader McCombie…
In response to Democratic leaders announcing a budget agreement, House Minority Leader Tony McCombie released the following statement:
“I have repeatedly said it, but will say it once more:
Republicans and Democrats have shared priorities and past promises that need to be kept. Extension of the Invest in Kids Scholarship & the R&D tax credit, fully phasing out the franchise tax, and making essential changes to the estate tax code - SHARED priorities that should be included in budget discussions. Today we learned from Governor Pritzker and Democratic leaders that our shared priorities are not included. I am incredibly disappointed for Illinois families.”
* Sun-Times | Catholic church in Illinois vastly underreported clergy sex abuse, Kwame Raoul finds: In August 2018, shortly after then-Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan announced an investigation into whether the Catholic church in Illinois had fully disclosed the scope of child sex abuse by priests and other clergy members, Cardinal Blase Cupich said the church had nothing to hide. “Our record’s clean,” the top Catholic cleric in Chicago told a closed-door gathering of about 200 men studying at the Mundelein Seminary to be priests, according to sources who were there. “I’m confident that, when the attorney general looks in our files … that she will, in fact, find that we’re doing our job.”
* Tribune | Scope of clerical sex abuse against children in Illinois widens with release of new report: The investigation determined that Catholic leaders in Illinois have vastly underreported clergy sex abuse against children, finding that “decades of Catholic leadership decisions and policies have allowed known child sex abusers to hide, often in plain sight,” according to the report. The 700-page document revealed the names and detailed information of 451 Catholic clerics and religious brothers who abused at least 1,997 children across all six dioceses in Illinois, between 1950 and 2019.
* Time | 4 Major Takeaways from Illinois’ Investigation Into Child Sex Abuse in the Catholic Church: The report includes detailed narrative accounts from survivors from all six dioceses and shows a pattern of the church failing to support survivors, covering up reports of abuse, and re-victimizing survivors who came forward to report being abused. The dioceses also publicly undercounted the number of child sex abusers in the clergy on their websites. […] The report detailed the long-term impacts the abuse had on survivors, reporting that nearly every survivor interviewed noted struggling with their mental health in the years and even decades after the abuse. Survivors struggled with challenges including insomnia, anxiety, suicidal ideation, addiction, depression, and PTSD.
* AP | Catholic clergy sexually abused Illinois kids far more often than church acknowledged, state finds: The lengthy report describes Illinois church leaders as woefully slow to acknowledge the extent of the abuse. It also accuses them of frequently dragging their feet to confront accused clergy and of failing to warn parishioners about possible abusers in their midst, sometimes even decades after allegations emerged. […] In a statement released Tuesday, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests called the report “stunning” but emphasized that the numbers of victims and abusers cited by Raoul are likely undercounted. The group also called on state and local officials to conduct similar reviews.
* NYT | Sex Abuse in Catholic Church: Over 1,900 Minors Abused in Illinois, State Says: Most of the abuse documented in the report happened decades ago. The report acknowledges that criminal prosecutions and civil lawsuits will be impossible for many victims, because of statutes of limitations and the fact that the majority of the perpetrators have died. Some states, including California and New York, have enacted a “look-back window” allowing victims of child sex abuse to bring civil claims that would otherwise be barred by statutes of limitations, but Illinois is not among them.
* USA Today | Nearly 2,000 children abused by more than 450 Catholic leaders in Illinois: The Archdiocese of Chicago, and the dioceses of Belleville, Joliet, Peoria, Rockford and Springfield issued a joint statement regarding the findings. […] “At this time, working with the Office of the Attorney General of Illinois, the leaders of all six Illinois dioceses endeavored to make clear and update our approach, mindful of our lived experience and best practices in this field. Our common goals in doing so are to ensure we offer pastoral support to those affected by this tragedy and to work diligently to prevent it from occurring again.”
* WCIA | State report shows Catholic Diocese underreported number of abusive Illinois clergy, advocacy group responds: The Attorney General noted that the Springfield diocese does not include nine of the abusive clergy members and eight listed for the Peoria diocese. “The Diocese of Springfield refuses to include [Father John] Beatty on its list of substantiated abusers, because “Beatty did not hold a parochial ministry in this diocese,” referring to a parish ministry, the report reads. “But Beatty taught for years in a Catholic high school in Springfield, with day-to-day access to children.”
* WAND | Raoul releases report naming 451 Illinois Catholic leaders who sexually abused nearly 2,000 children since 1950: In a statement Tuesday, Bishop Thomas Paprocki said he cannot undo damages of the past. However, the Springfield Diocese leaders stressed that he has been and will continue to be fully committed to ensuring the diocese does everything it can to prevent abuse from happening again. Paprocki also said he is not aware of a single incident of sexual abuse of a minor by clergy in the Springfield Diocese in nearly 20 years. Paprocki said the Diocese credits the Attorney General’s office for bringing about greater transparency and keeping the spotlight on this issue to guard against any future threat of abuse.
* ABC Chicago | Survivors of sex abuse by Catholic priests in Joliet diocese react to Illinois AG’s report: The Illinois attorney general’s scathing 700-page report on Catholic Church abuse was particularly critical of the Joliet diocese, especially under Bishop Imesch’s leadership. The report said, “The diocese covered up abuse committed by Joliet priests by shifting them off to new parishes without relaying their history of abuse.” […] The Joliet diocese’s new Bishop Ronald Hicks was not available for an interview, but did release a lengthy written statement expressing profound remorse over any failure to respond to an allegation of abuse with prompt and compassionate attention.
* Daily Herald | Far more Catholic clergy sexually abused Illinois kids than dioceses acknowledged:According to the report, former Joliet Bishop Joseph Leopold Imesch failed to protect children from even convicted sex abusers on several occasions “by giving these abusers the green light to minister in the diocese.” Imesch — who served as the diocese’s bishop from 1979 to 2006 — covered up for abusers by sending them to new parishes without relaying their history, the report states. When that practice came to light, “Imesch caused further harm by casting blame on others and mistreating abuse survivors,” according to the report.
Commonwealth Edison today is filing with state regulators to hike its delivery rates by $1.5 billion over four years, beginning in 2024.
The multiyear rate plan, authorized under the landmark Climate & Equitable Jobs Act, would boost ComEd’s distribution revenue by nearly 50% over that period if approved as submitted, according to a Securities & Exchange Commission filing this morning by ComEd parent Exelon. […]
Much of the eye-popping increase can be explained by a spike in the return on equity ComEd is requesting—essentially its profit level. ComEd’s requested ROE for 2024 is 10.5%. Its returns on the most recent rate hike—nearly $200 million, the last such increase under the old formula law—were less than 8%.
Consumer advocates and staff of the Illinois Commerce Commission today urged the regulator to dramatically reduce Commonwealth Edison’s $1.5 billion rate hike over the next four years.
The Citizens Utility Board in testimony filed with the ICC recommended cutting that amount by 60% to $585 million.
Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul’s office recommended a more modest reduction, to $1.1 billion. But CUB Executive Director David Kolata in a statement said he expected his group and the AG to combine forces to push to reduce that $1.5 billion request by more than $1 billion in coming months.
In addition, ICC staff — in the past typically less critical of utility rate recommendations than CUB or the AG — urged that commissioners sharply reduce ComEd’s equity return embedded in its rate proposal to 8.91% from a utility-proposed rate starting at 10.5% in 2024 and climbing 0.05% each year to end at 10.65% in 2027. […]
A host of other business and municipal parties filed testimony on ComEd’s proposal, showing how much is at stake for the region. They included the Chicago Transit Authority, Metra, the city of Chicago, the Building Owners & Managers Association of Chicago and Walmart.
The proposed rate hike is also projected to increase the profit rate for ComEd shareholders to 10.5% in 2024, growing to 10.65% in 2027. In its filing, CUB argued for “a more reasonable” 9.4% return on investment, which would reduce the rate hike by $570.4 million.
In addition, CUB challenged ComEd’s forecast for residential usage as “unrealistically low,” with the utility overstating its revenue requirements in the proposed rate increase by an additional $194.7 million.
“We’re still analyzing CUB’s testimony, but based on an early review, we disagree with CUB’s assessment of our multiyear plans,” ComEd spokesperson Paul Elsberg said in an email. “Our proposed investments provide meaningful benefits to our customers and communities and support the goals of the state’s Climate and Equitable Jobs Act, and we look forward to working with the Commission and all participants in the proceeding to prove that out.” […]
CUB also cited the bribery lobbying scandal that resulted in the conviction of the “ComEd Four” earlier this month as leading to $1 billion in rate hikes over the last decade.
* In 2019, USA Today revealed that the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office did not keep a “Brady list” in accordance with a US Supreme Court ruling that prosecutors must tell anyone accused of a crime about all evidence that may help their defense. Instead, higher-ups merely advised Assistant State’s Attorneys whenever a police officer shouldn’t be allowed to testify…
Reporters for USA TODAY and its partners, including the Chicago-based Invisible Institute, spent more than a year gathering Brady lists from police and prosecutors in thousands of counties to measure compliance with the landmark 1963 ruling in Brady v. Maryland. […]
In Chicago, the Cook County State’s Attorney, the second biggest prosecutor’s office in the country, said it does not keep a Brady list.
Instead, the office sends individual memos to its prosecutors when it learns a police officer was convicted of a crime or was found by a judge to have lied under oath, telling them to avoid using the cops if possible or to notify defense attorneys. The system leaves individual prosecutors in the sprawling jurisdiction with America’s second-largest police force on their own to track officers with credibility issues.
The result: A USA TODAY analysis found that dozens of officers flagged by judges or convicted of crimes were summoned to testify at trial in recent years, with no assurance the defense was notified.
* In March, WGN reported the Cook County State’s Attorney’s do-not-call list was mostly former police officers…
A WGN Investigates review found that the vast majority of those on the list are, in fact, no longer cops. Of the 66 names on the list, only 18 remain certified by the state to be law enforcement officers. Of those, 13 work for the Chicago Police Department. Three of those officers are detectives, according to the CPD.
Hundreds of current and former Chicago police officers can never be called to testify by the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office (SAO) because they have histories of misconduct or untruthfulness that would undermine their credibility on the stand, according to documents obtained by The TRiiBE.
The SAO’s so-called Brady and Do Not Call lists, which include names of officers who can’t be relied on in court, are far more extensive than has been previously reported, and include officers who were not included in previous releases by the SAO. One such officer who was not on previously released lists, but is now, is January 6 Capitol rioter Karol Chwiesiuk, who was fired by the Chicago Police Department (CPD) in 2021 and has been charged with five misdemeanors for his part in the attack. Another is Nicholas Jovanovich, who was fired last year for knocking out an activist’s teeth during a 2020 protest in Grant Park.
John Catanzara, the current president of the Fraternal Order of Police, is also listed. Catanzara resigned from CPD in 2021 while facing termination for nearly a dozen rule violations, but was reelected president of the city‘s largest police union earlier this year.
Officers who are still active members of CPD are also on the lists. Marc Jarocki, a 43-year-old officer who is in his 21st year on the force and currently works in the 7th District, is one. He has cost the city more than $200,000 in civil lawsuits and racked up at least 31 civilian complaints, including allegations of excessive force, illegal searches, and false arrests, according to the Invisible Institute’s Civilian Police Data Project. […]
Via Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests, The TRiiBE obtained the SAO’s most up-to-date Brady and “Do Not Call” lists in April. The lists include 275 names of officers, 200 of whom are or were CPD members. Sixty-four are still employed, meaning they may still be policing out in communities or overseeing active investigations, with annual salaries totaling nearly $7.5 million.
Wednesday, May 24, 2023 - Posted by Advertising Department
[The following is a paid advertisement.]
On average, the U.S. spends about $7,100 per individual covered by Medicaid with full benefits. Illinois, though, spends about $5,000 and is among the lowest-paying states—ranking 48th out of the 50 states and Washington D.C.—ahead of only Georgia, South Carolina and Nevada.
Illinois hospitals are asking state lawmakers to invest in Medicaid, which provides health coverage to one in three Illinoisans today compared with one in 10 in 1995. As hospitals are squeezed by rising labor, drug and supply costs, they are facing tough decisions to reduce costs while still serving patients with the highest quality care.
Increasing the General Revenue Fund (GRF) portion of Medicaid hospital rates can help preserve patient access to care. Consider the following:
• GRF funds less than 18% of hospital Medicaid spending.
• Hospitals fund over 22% of hospital Medicaid spending through an almost $2 billion assessment tax they pay.
Increasing the GRF Medicaid hospital rate—for the first time in 28 years—is urgently needed as hospital costs have increased 85% since 1995 and have jumped significantly due to inflation, supply chain disruptions and staffing shortages.
Illinois hospitals are urging legislators to move on a much-needed 10% across-the-board increase to hospital Medicaid base rates. Discover the facts to learn more.
The legislation faces potential legal hurdles. Kent Redfield, an emeritus professor of political science at the University of Illinois at Springfield and an expert on state campaign finance law, questioned whether the proposed restrictions on campaign contributions would be effective — or constitutional.
“The broad constitutional framework is that contributing or spending money to influence politics is protected political speech under the First Amendment, and so, if you’re going to restrict it, then it has to be narrow,” Redfield said.
Although there’s a record of political corruption in the industry, it is by no means unique, he said, raising the issue of why red-light camera companies would be subjected to restrictions that don’t apply to other state-regulated industries.
* The Question: Do you support the idea of banning certain industries/entities from contributing to campaigns? If so, which would those be? Make sure to explain. Thanks.
Gov. J.B. Pritkzer in February proposed a nearly $50 billion plan, up from around $37 billion in fiscal year 2014.
After factoring in inflation, the FY24 budget will wind up being about 6 percent higher than it was in FY14.
* Today’s Tribune editorial features a cartoon from 2011 about the state’s pension horrors. Since then, the Tier 2 program has kicked in and annual state payments have stabilized. The General Assembly and the current governor have also boosted pension fund contributions above the minimum required by law. But the editorial skips over all that…
The state’s long-standing pension crisis poses an ever-present threat to Illinois’ long-term financial stability, bottoming out the state’s credit ratings and discouraging prospective employers from bringing jobs to this state. Who would want to invest heavily in a state with such an abysmal financial outlook?
Um, the state’s credit ratings have steadily improved since that paper’s endorsed (through thick and thin) governor was overwhelmingly voted out of office in 2018. And as far as outlooks go, two rating agencies say Illinois has a “stable” outlook, and one (Fitch) has given the state a “positive” outlook. The outlook of an editorial board perpetually stuck in the past doesn’t really mean much.
ANDRADE WATCH: You can’t be a senator if there’s still a senator. Cristina Pacione-Zayas was appointed to Martinez’s 20th District seat in 2020, elected in 2022 and was named Johnson’s first deputy chief-of-staff in mid-April, a policy-making job which pays over $150,000. According to Jaime Andrade Jr. (D-40), whose state rep district covers half of the 20th, Pacione-Zayas is still collecting her state pay, has not resigned, shows up for work since May 15 at City Hall but is NOT collecting her city paycheck.
“Can you imagine if I did that?” asked Andrade. “The media would be all over me.” Andrade is “interested” in the senate appointment, which will be made by the weighted-vote of the 20th’s ward committeepersons (D), who must meet within 30 days.
“I’m waiting for a vacancy” to decide, he said. Already in the mix is wealthy area pharmacist and sometime farmer Dave Nayak.
It’s OK for state Rep. Brad Stephens (R-20) to be the $265,000 mayor of Rosemont, but it’s dubious that 20th District voters want a senator who is MIA.
Sen. CPZ was in Springfield voting last week and will be here this week. Plenty of people have outside jobs, including Rep. Andrade. CPZ may be the first, however, to refuse the entire salary of a non-legislative job while still managing to stay on top of her legislative gig.
Also, if you click here and then click “Inquiry Reports,” load the CSV file into Excel and create a Pivot Table, you’ll see that Rep. Stephens has been recorded as either “Excused” or “Not Voting” on 18 percent of roll call votes this year (157 of 863), while Sen. Pacione-Zayas has been recorded as not voting on 6 percent (52 of 848).
Illinois lawmakers were supposed to be off for a summer break, instead they’re set to return to the capitol this week to take care of unfinished business.
Passing a budget is arguably the single must-happen task for lawmakers and it was supposed to have been done by Friday, but that self-imposed deadline came and went without any budget action. […]
They’re scheduled to be in the capitol for a few days starting Wednesday, but they could stretch things out through May 31.
Come June, it gets tougher to pass because it requires a supermajority versus a simple majority to pass, which needs to happen as the fiscal year ends in July.
Introduced at the tail end of the Illinois legislative session, a pair of measures that promote private funding of road projects are moving through quickly as state lawmakers try to wrap up their session this week. One is a resolution that would allow state transportation officials to find private funding for the Stevenson expansion, which runs through Little Village and other communities, and it is in the Senate after moving quickly through the House Chamber. The other is an even more expansive rewriting of rules to encourage private dollars for state transportation projects, which was added as an amendment to a large spending bill on Friday.
“Expanding highway capacity will incentivize more driving and more harmful emissions in an area already burdened by high asthma rates and other chronic health problems,” said José Miguel Acosta Córdova of the Little Village Environmental Justice Organization.
Community, environmental and health organizations oppose the 11th-hour moves to bring private highway funding to Illinois, proposals supported by labor and business groups. […]
Marc Poulos, executive director of the labor management group for Local 150 International Union of Operating Engineers, said private money is needed to make sure road projects get funded. Some labor and business advocates have wanted to see the state enter into its first private transportation partnership for a number of years, and the proposed changes are a “modernizing of the statute” that allows such projects.
The widening of the Stevenson has been envisioned since the expressway was built in the 1960s, he said.
As the General Assembly prepares to wrap up its spring legislative session this week, Democratic lawmakers are advancing bills that would mandate job postings to include a salary range and grant further protections to temporary workers in moves they say would promote equity within the workplace. […]
House Bill 3129 passed with a 35-19 vote. It went back to the House, which passed it 75-39 on Wednesday.
The bill would require expected pay disclosures from employers with 15 or more employees in the state and would apply to things such as job board listings, newspaper ads and postings made by a third-party on behalf of an employer. […]
Labor advocates had another victory with the passage of the Temp Worker Fairness and Safety Act on Friday, a bill requiring temporary workers be paid the equivalent rate of pay received by a permanent worker after 90 consecutive days of employment.
Facing pressure to bolster state ethics laws following the recent federal bribery convictions of former top Commonwealth Edison executives and lobbyists, Illinois lawmakers have turned their attention to another branch of a sprawling corruption investigation: the red-light camera industry.
A measure introduced and approved in the Illinois Senate late Friday seeks to place new ethical guardrails around an industry that has been at the center of multiple federal probes that have ensnared a host of state, county and local officials, including two state senators. […]
Members of the General Assembly as well as county and local officials would be prohibited from going to work for or receiving compensation from red-light camera companies for two years after leaving office, under the legislation. That’s much stronger than a six-month prohibition on state lawmakers becoming lobbyists that just took effect this year.
The Illinois Department of Transportation would be able to revoke a county’s or municipality’s authorization for red-light cameras if a local official or employee is charged with bribery, official misconduct or similar crimes related to the placement of the cameras, and municipalities would no longer be allowed to outsource the issuance of citations to their camera system vendors.
* WTTW | Illinois Lawmakers Set to Return Wednesday In Push to Pass a Budget: They’re scheduled to be in the capitol for a few days starting Wednesday, but they could stretch things out through May 31. Come June, it gets tougher to pass because it requires a supermajority versus a simple majority to pass, which needs to happen as the fiscal year ends in July.
* Center Square | Illinois legislators return Wednesday to reveal, pass state budget: Gov. J.B. Pritkzer in February proposed a nearly $50 billion plan, up from around $37 billion in fiscal year 2014. Since the governor’s budget address earlier this year, revenues have come in below expectations. The Illinois Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability projected revenues for April 2023 were $1.8 billion less than the same month the year before.
* Tribune | State deploying 30 ‘peacekeepers’ in Chicago over Memorial Day weekend in effort to prevent violence through de-escalation: The workers are with the Illinois Department of Human Services’ Citywide Crisis Prevention & Response Unit, whose goal is to address street conflicts through mediation and de-escalation. According to the governor’s office, the unit will send out over 30 workers — whom the state is calling “peacekeepers” — to various neighborhoods. The unit will work with community groups and various city and state agencies on the violence prevention efforts.
* WSJ | Will Illinois Still ‘Invest in Kids’?: Started in 2017 under then-Gov. Bruce Rauner, the Invest in Kids program provides privately funded scholarships for low-income children so they can escape failing public schools. The program so far has funded more than 40,000 scholarships, with all recipients qualifying based on financial need. But the current program expires at the end of this year and needs to be renewed. The futures of some 9,000 children hang in the balance. The scholarships are in high demand every year with about five applicants for each place offered, according to Empower Illinois, the largest scholarship organization.
* Tribune | ComEd’s proposed $1.47 billion rate hike challenged by watchdog group: The filing Monday with the Illinois Commerce Commission seeks to reduce ComEd’s proposal by at least $914.5 million, with additional testimony by other watchdog groups and the Illinois attorney general’s office expected to bring the cumulative recommended cuts to over $1 billion.
* WBEZ | Cook County Health is bracing for a financial storm to pay for migrants’ health care: There’s the cost of running the clinic for migrants and the possibility more health services will be needed as this population continues to swell. The state stopped contributing money to the clinic in February. Add to that, Cook County Health is bracing for a deluge of low-income patients losing their public Medicaid health insurance and becoming uninsured, yet still needing treatment but with perhaps no way to pay. That’s because after a three-year pause during the pandemic, the state is back to requiring that people prove they qualify for Medicaid.
* WBEZ | A plan to spend $51 million to aid migrants rekindles a heated debate in a new Chicago City Council: Having received only a small fraction of the hundreds of millions of dollars in federal and state funding requests since last year, the City Council is expected to vote Wednesday on using $51 million set aside for “unanticipated emergencies.” If approved, the funding would go toward staffing for seven city shelters, three so-called “respite centers,” meals, legal services and transportation for migrants.
* Tribune | Plan to house migrants at Far Northwest Side college met with boos, support as total new arrivals reach 10,000: Before the meeting kicked off, the crowd’s polarization was already reflected in the presence of pro-law enforcement Blue Lives Matter flags as well as rainbow posters reading: “A better Chicago starts with US!” City officials then began their briefing on the temporary shelter but were often drowned out by alternating waves of boos and applause. Lastly, a question-and-answer portion saw residents verbally clash over purported safety and public health concerns and whether Chicago is living up to its ideal as a sanctuary city.
* Sun-Times | Lightfoot’s security detail dramatically reduced: Law enforcement sources acknowledged Lightfoot’s detail has been slashed. But a police spokesperson refused to reveal specifics, fearing it could invite more threats to a former mayor who has already had her share.
* SJ-R | ‘The best in the world’: Vose Korndogs has a new stand in a familiar place: Ken Vose said the building, in its familiar placement on Grandstand Avenue, had long been planned and replaces a stand from around the mid-1970s. Vose bought the shells of both buildings and had been working on it “day and night” at his house since October.
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