Capitol Fax.com - Your Illinois News Radar

Thursday, Feb 27, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

As the Governor’s Office of Management and Budget Director Alexis Sturm warned a House committee that uncertainty about President Donald Trump’s economic and administrative policies could affect Illinois revenue, the president announced new tariffs will take effect Tuesday on imports from some of Illinois’ top trading partners.

After initially pausing implementing 25% tariffs on products from Canada and Mexico, Trump announced in a social media post Thursday morning that tariffs will begin on March 4. In addition, he said the U.S. will add another 10% tariff on Chinese goods. […]

Meanwhile in the Illinois Statehouse, Sturm told the House Revenue and Finance Committee that revenue projections in Gov. JB Pritzker’s introduced budget account for the possibility of tariffs affecting the economy.

“There’s a lot of uncertainty in our outlook based on what’s going on at the national level regarding tariffs, tax policy, what the Federal Reserve is going to do,” Sturm said. […]

Asked whether there are any spending cut plans for downturns in revenue projections, Sturm the governor’s office doesn’t have a backup plan.

“At this point, no,” Sturm said. “I think the important thing to watch is what happens in April.”

Sturm hinted there could be some good news for state finances when income tax revenue is reported at the end of April. She said state officials are expecting a “pretty significant April tax payment,” which could cause state officials to reevaluate their revenue projections for the current fiscal year.

*** Statehouse News ***

* WCIA | ‘Drugs don’t work if you cannot afford them’: Rally held in Illinois Capitol to regulate prescription costs: Many people across Illinois are struggling to pay for their prescriptions, and around 250 people came together in the Capitol with an idea to curb the prices. Advocates are fighting for the Illinois lawmakers to pass a bill to create a Prescription Drug Affordability Board. That five-person board will cap the prices of certain drugs across the state to ensure residents can afford them.

*** Chicago ***

* Crain’s | Chicago sees dealmaking slump as early Trump moves drive uncertainty: Dealmaking has remained stuck in neutral in 2025 as uncertainty about the impact of President Donald Trump’s early actions has kept mergers and acquisitions activity light, belying forecasts for a long-awaited market surge this year. “It certainly has not materialized,” said Brad Haller, senior partner for mergers and acquisitions at business and technology consulting firm West Monroe. “In terms of new inbound activity, the first two months of this year, it has not met our expectations.”

* Fox 32 | Why is Brandon Johnson testifying before Congress?: In January, the House Committee on Oversight and Reform sent a formal letter to City Hall, requesting Johnson’s participation in a public hearing on Capitol Hill. The letter cited concerns about the impact of sanctuary policies in Chicago and three other cities—New York, Boston, and Denver. It claimed such policies fail to comply with federal law and suggested, “Citizens of all four cities have suffered due to sanctuary policies.” House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) confirmed all four mayors will testify at the full committee hearing on March 5.

* Bloomberg | Walgreens rises on report that Sycamore would split company: Sycamore, which has been reportedly exploring a purchase of Walgreens for months, is planning on splitting up the company’s US and UK pharmacy businesses, as well as its specialty pharmacy unit, the Financial Times reported Thursday. Walgreens shares rose as much as 7.3% when US markets opened. They had gained 18% this year through Wednesday’s close. Representatives for Walgreens and Sycamore declined to comment. The stock was up 4% at about $11.50 as of 11:50 a.m. on Thursday.

* Sun-Times | Bears have 4th-most salary-cap space as NFL announces record-high $279.2 million cap: Regardless of where the final number fell, the Bears were set to have the fourth-most salary-cap space when the new league year begins March 12. After recent cuts of tight end Gerald Everett and defensive end DeMarcus Walker, they’re on track to have $79.5 million in space when they start negotiating with free agents March 10. That trails only the Patriots at $127.8 million, the Raiders at $96.5 million and the Commanders at $81.9 million. NFC North rivals the Vikings ($63 million) and Lions ($51.5 million) also are in the top 10, and the Packers have $48.8 million to spend.

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Monica Gordon | Lives are lost in south suburban Cook County because it’s a trauma center desert: In the heart of the Southland, a critical health care gap has been widening, one that endangers lives every day. The absence of a trauma center in this region is more than an inconvenience; it is a public health crisis that demands immediate attention and collective action. As someone who has lived and worked in the south suburbs throughout my career and served as an elected official, I have seen firsthand the devastating impact of this health care void. Trauma centers are not just hospitals; they are lifelines. These centers significantly improve survival rates and patient outcomes for traumatic brain injuries, gunshot wounds, injuries sustained in motor vehicle crashes and so much more.

* Naperville | Naperville craft brewers worried about potential impact of Trump’s aluminum tariffs: For Naperville’s Go Brewing, aluminum cans play a substantial role in manufacturing. Ask president and founder Joe Chura, and he’d say about 99.99% of the nonalcoholic craft brewery’s offerings are doled out in aluminum cans. So with President Donald Trump’s 25% tariffs on all imported aluminum set to go into effect on March 12, the potential local impact “is really on our mind,” Chura says.

* Sun-Times | Graduate saddled with $138K debt for ‘worthless’ degree sues loan servicer Navient for fraud: An Aurora woman who attended a “predatory for-profit” college in the Loop filed a proposed class action lawsuit Wednesday on behalf of student loan borrowers who were shut out of getting their loans discharged, following a 2022 settlement against loan servicer Navient Corp. Amanda Luciano, 38, racked up more than $138,000 in debt and has paid off about $52,000. The lawsuit says Navient should have erased her loans because she attended a “predatory for-profit” school. Instead, the company refused and wouldn’t explain why. Luciano filed the lawsuit against Navient and its subsidiary, Navient Solutions, in Cook County Circuit Court, saying the servicer fraudulently and unfairly denied her request to have her loans discharged. Her complaint seeks class action status for other Illinois borrowers who also received “boilerplate” denials from Navient.

* Tribune | Ex-sailor pleads guilty to terrorist plot to attack Naval Station Great Lakes in 2022: A former sailor at the Naval Station Great Lakes has pleaded guilty to a 2022 terrorist plot to attack the base in Chicago’s northern suburbs on behalf of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, purportedly to avenge the death of an Iranian general killed by U.S. forces. Xuanyu Harry Pang, 38, of North Chicago, pleaded guilty to conspiring to and attempting to willfully injure and destroy national defense premises with the intent to obstruct the national defense of the U.S., court records show.

*** Downstate ***

* WJBD | Demolition work underway for new operating and emergency room at Salem Township Hospital: Demolition work is now underway in the future area that will house the Salem Township Hospital emergency and operating room areas. Hospital CEO James Timpe says no surprises have been found. “Demolition has been underway for about three weeks, and we’re seeing the area downstairs that used to be the rural health center is being cleared out,” Timpe said. “It’s looking good, and we should have a plan from our architect in a couple of weeks. They’ll send that out for bids, and we’ll see if we can come in under budget.”

* Shaw Local | Keast ousts Schore in Bourbonnais mayoral primary: The village of Bourbonnais will have a new mayor after the April 1 consolidated general election. Trustee Jeff Keast soundly defeated four-term incumbent Mayor Paul Schore in Tuesday’s Bourbonnais Citizens Party primary race. Keast has been a trustee for 10 years. According to unofficial results, Keast finished with 1,061 votes (60.7%) to Schore’s 686 votes (39.3%).

* WJBD | Marion County Board hires new county highway engineer: The Marion County Board has hired Alex Kreke as its new county highway engineer, pending IDOT approval. Kreke is currently an engineer with the city of Wentzville, Missouri. Road and Bridge Committee Co-Chair Adam Smith says Kreke is originally from Dietrich and wanted to return to the Southern Illinois area. “He seems to be really motivated to be back in the area, and he seems like he’s very much interested in learning about the county highway business,” Smith said. “He’s got a lot of experience with city streets, sewers and infrastructure, so he ought to be a great fit for our county.”

* Illinois Times | The Taste of Black Springfield: Celebrate Black History Month and experience the best of local Black-owned food, music and fun at the same time. This event’s menu ranges from barbecue to soul food to sweet treats. Entry is free but event attendees are urged to donate to vendors at the event. Fifteen Black-owned businesses are set to provide their specialties for this event.

*** National ***

* Bloomberg | From egg prices to housing, US inflation is heating up again: “Our outlook is very much for inflation to be coming back. We’ve been saying second half of this year, but it seems like the pressures are already starting to build,” said Lauren Saidel-Baker, economist at ITR Economics. And between the administration’s policies on tariffs and immigration, there’s more to come, she said. “I want to be absolutely clear: there are upside risks to our inflation outlook.”

* NYT | Organ Transplant System ‘in Chaos’ as Waiting Lists Are Ignored: For decades, fairness has been the guiding principle of the American organ transplant system. Its bedrock, a national registry, operates under strict federal rules meant to ensure that donated organs are offered to the patients who need them most, in careful order of priority. But today, officials regularly ignore the rankings, leapfrogging over hundreds or even thousands of people when they give out kidneys, livers, lungs and hearts. These organs often go to recipients who are not as sick, have not been waiting nearly as long and, in some cases, are not on the list at all, a New York Times investigation found.

* The Atlantic | Inside the Collapse at the NIH: The lights at the NIH are on; staff are at their desks. But since late January, the agency has issued only a fraction of its usual awards—many in haphazard spurts, as officials rushed grants through the pipeline in whatever limited windows they could manage. As of this week, some of the agency’s 27 institutes and centers are still issuing no new grants at all, one NIH official told me. Grant-management officers, who sign their name to awards, are too afraid, the official said, that violating the president’s wishes will mean losing their livelihood. (Most of the officials I spoke with requested anonymity, out of fear for their job at the agency, or—for those who have left—further professional consequences.)

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Stop Credit Card Chaos In Illinois

Thursday, Feb 27, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department

[The following is a paid advertisement.]

A last-minute provision called the Interchange Fee Prohibition Act (IFPA) was snuck into the budget process last May and will create chaos for small businesses and consumers across Illinois if it takes effect on July 1, 2025.

The IFPA gives corporate mega-stores like Walmart and Home Depot — who pushed for this backroom deal — millions more in profits, while small business owners get new expenses and accounting headaches. What’s more, consumers could be forced to pay for parts of their transactions in cash if this law moves forward.

A recent court ruling in the litigation challenging the law suggests IFPA is likely pre-empted by federal law for national banks and will only apply to credit unions and local Illinois banks, putting local banks at a disadvantage against their national competitors.

Illinois lawmakers should repeal the IFPA and focus on protecting small businesses and consumers across the state — not lining the pockets of corporate mega-stores.

Stop the countdown to chaos by supporting a repeal of this misguided and flawed policy. Learn more at https://guardyourcard.com/illinois/

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DuPage County sheriff says he’s running for governor (Updated)

Thursday, Feb 27, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

* DuPage County Sheriff James Mendrick’s Facebook page…

Sheriff Mendrick is running for Governor of Illinois!!!

Today I’m announcing that I will not be running for a third term as DuPage County Sheriff in the election cycle of 2026. This was a very hard decision to make. The legislation changes that have been imposed on Illinois from the governors office are state laws that directly conflict with existing federal laws. The safety act stops us from rehabilitating people in our jails and the sanctuary city laws force federal authorities into our neighborhoods because these state laws deny them access to these criminals while they are in custody within a correctional facility. This is not right. My family and I have decided that we want our State back. We don’t like being fearful of crime that is randomly occurring now in our streets, homes and our retail stores due to soft on crime legislation. We don’t want to move out of Illinois like so much of our population. We really don’t. We love this state. That’s why I’ve decided to run for the Office of Governor of Illinois. I will bring safety, security and fairness to the city of Chicago and the rest of our State. I will bring more than 30 years of law enforcement and correctional facility experience in the second largest county in the State of Illinois to a city that desperately needs it. I will bring State laws back into alignment with law enforcement principles that make rational sense and will once again create an environment in our homes that will make all of us feel safe. An environment where citizens will once again apply to be police officers. Our culture is being eliminated by senseless laws created by our current government that persecutes cops and empowers criminals. I’m here to stop the bleed. To do this we must have strong leaders with actual law enforcement experience. That’s why my current Undersheriff, Eddie Moore, has my full support and endorsement to be the next DuPage County Sheriff. Undersheriff Moore has been with me from the beginning and has helped me create what the DuPage County Sheriff’s Office is today. I feel secure in my home County where I can run for Governor and still have a Sheriff that will keep us safe and secure. Eddie Moore is that person. He has no equal in a race for Dupage County Sheriff. I’ve asked a question to thousands of people over the last 6 years and have only received one response, without question; “do you think that DuPage County should be more like Chicago and mimic their attributes or should Chicago be more like DuPage County and assimilate our attributes?”Take a guess at what every single answer was? DuPage!!!We are DuPage strong. Let’s be Illinois strong! What we have done can be done Statewide. Don’t let them put you to sleep with “it’s always been this way” talk. We need a secure future for our State and we will make Chicago and Illinois safe again.

* Sheriff Mendrick went on Ray Stevens’ WLS program today. Core message…

We have two, I’d say, major problems in this state, and it’s going to be the sanctuary city status, and it’s going to be the SAFE-T Act.

I mean, starting with sanctuary city, you know, you have a safety issue there too. But what, I guess I don’t understand, because, you know, we have a very large budget too, and the sheriff’s office is the biggest, second biggest county in the state. But I get audited all the time. I mean, I get audited probably three, four times a year by all kinds of different entities. I don’t see how you could go so over-budget. And whether you agree with the sanctuary state or don’t, I don’t understand the concept of having a policy that enables something that’s going to blow your budget out of the water. I don’t know how you can say, ‘Hey, I’m going to have a policy. I know it’s going to cost a billion dollars more than the budget that I’m given, but I’m going to keep this policy, and I’m going to still cost money.’ And what a billion dollars was last year will probably be more like $3 billion this year.

Please pardon any transcription errors.

* Regarding Gov. Pritzker’s rhetoric about President Donald Trump and whether that has had an impact on DuPage County…

Well, there have been some things that were staged shortly, nothing that was disruptive, though. I think what they’re trying to do is just to make sure there’s a heartbeat behind the budget request. I mean, when you’re that far again over budget and, you know.

I want to talk really quick about the ICE raids too, you know, I get a kick out of this where we’re hearing all these complaints about ICE raids, ICE raids. But then I want to go back to policy. We have a sanctuary state policy that says we cannot speak to the federal government that’s in charge of a nationwide push for illegal immigrants, and they’re saying that they want to get rid of their rapists and murderers. But part of that is you have no access, ICE has no access to our jail system. So you got to feel bad for the federal government in a way, because they’re charged with the job, the only way they can do it now, they’re being forced to not go to a jail, which is a safe environment where you’re going to get your rapist or murder. I don’t have anybody in my jail, neither does Cook County, that is there just for immigration. They’re there for whatever any other citizen would be arrested for. So they’re in this environment, and they don’t allow access to a jail. So then ICE is forced to go into neighborhoods, find them where they are, and then, yeah, there’s collateral damage now, too, because if say there’s two criminal illegal aliens, and then there’s two people who are just here illegally, if they let those people go, they’re technically committing a crime on ICE laws. I mean, these are federal laws. I mean, so you have a policy that defies federal laws, and it’s also causing your budget to blossom billions over what it’s supposed to be.

* SAFE-T Act…

I gotta go back to the SAFE-T Act, and why it bothers me so bad is it actually promulgates long term incarceration. So you take, before the SAFE-T Act, you take a burglar, you come in. We used to classify like a burglar. We call them low hanging fruit. It’s usually a substance driven crime. We do full detoxification stabilization of your personnel through psychiatric services. We have 200 classes, courses taught by 80 counselors and educators per week. And then we start vocational training. We have welding, tiling, dry walling, horticulture, indoor and outdoor, small engine repair, the tattoo removal, suits for success, they get suits. And then we have a re-entry program, so we bring our recidivism rates down from a 75 percentile level down to more closer to 20%, so that is because we’re stabilizing a personality and getting them a job. And what the SAFE-T Act does is they let them go. They believe they’re just getting a ticket, but that still qualifies as an arrest. So when you get three more of them and finally wind up in front of a judge, you’re a multiple offender, and you can do 15 years in IDOC, so the SAFE-T Act actually pumps them out temporarily, until they go to court, then they’re getting the big charges. So the SAFE-T Act fails. And we have so many people on warrants, we haven’t reduced our population. Nothing in the SAFE-T Act worked, other than demoralizing the police being soft on crime and, you know, taking away, I would say, just the protections from the police and giving those protections to criminals.

* Asked whether he has campaign donors…

So you know, I’ve been an elected official for six years, and we actually ran pretty hard. We ran for preparatory about two, three years prior to that to first get elected. So through the course of my political career, I’ve have thousands of donors. So I do have donors en masse, and I have been starting getting calls just yesterday without announcing, people are hearing rumblings. And these are from some of the bigger guys that are saying that first they want to make sure that a) that I’m Republican. I think a lot of these people don’t want another, and I mean no offense to Democrats, it’s just that the Democrat policies that have led to what I think, the dismantling destruction of Illinois, aren’t popular anymore. I think they want to see conservative values. And when I say I’m a Republican, that means, yes, I am conservative. It doesn’t mean that I’m hardcore and, you know, extremist, no, not at all. In fact, you know, I understand the value of the real business.

In ten years, he’s raised $854K. As of the end of the last quarter, he had $87K in the bank. He had one race, in 2018, which he won. He was unopposed in 2022.

* You’ll likely hear this question a lot from him…

Obviously, I want to protect the police. I want to see police empowered again. I want to see us be tough on crime again. You know, I always ask this question every forum I go. Thousands of people, I’ve never had an adverse reaction to this question other than one answer. Now you’ll see clearly what question this is? So, I would say, so do you think that DuPage County, second biggest county in the state, right next to Chicago, do you think that they would do better by absorbing the attributes and being more like Chicago? Or do you think Chicago could benefit from absorbing the attributes of DuPage County and being more like us?

…Adding… From DuPage County Board Chair Deb Conroy…

MAGA Jim Mendrick’s brand does not match the majority of voters in DuPage County. This is a great day for JB Pritzker, Illinois and DuPage Democrats.

* Related…

* Capitol News Illinois | Audit finds Illinois’ noncitizen health care programs far outstripped original cost estimates: The audit, which lawmakers requested in late 2023, comes one week after Pritzker delivered his annual budget proposal to the General Assembly. The governor’s plan would defund the newer of the two programs, which is aimed at noncitizens aged 44 to 64, while leaving in place the smaller program for noncitizen seniors aged 65 and older.

* Tribune | Audit finds many were improperly enrolled in state health care program for noncitizens, while costs were vastly underestimated: The cost overruns were particularly pronounced in the program meant for recipients ages 42 to 64, with the actual expenditure of $485 million through the three years ending June 30, 2023, the period covered by the audit, coming in at nearly four times the initially estimated cost of $126 million, according to the report. During the same period, the actual cost of the program for those 65 and older was $412 million, nearly double the original projection of $224 million.

* Crain’s | Illinois’ immigrant health plans cost taxpayers much more than projected, audit finds: Auditors found 6,098 enrollees designated as “undocumented” who had Social Security numbers. When that information was presented to the Illinois Department of Healthcare & Family Services, or HFS, the agency provided responses for a sample of 94 enrollees. Auditors determined that 19 of those 94 should have been designated as lawfully present or as being a legal permanent resident — an important distinction because legal permanent residents become eligible for Medicaid after five years in the U.S.

* Sun-Times | Pritzker team vastly underestimated health care costs for adults who lack legal status, state audit finds: At a news briefing in Chicago Wednesday, Pritzker bypassed some of the errors spotlighted in the audit and focused on the fleeting nature of immigration status. He also spoke of his support for universal health care. “I think the thing that is missing from the reporting, and what I would point out to you, is that number one, people’s immigration status changes during the course of a year. You’ve got people who were eligible for the program, who became ineligible for the program,” Pritzker said.

* WTVO | Audit finds Illinois vastly underestimated cost of noncitizen heathcare on taxpayers: Republicans have been critical of the program since its inception. “We’re the only state that puts this burden on Illinois tax on their own state taxpayers taking this on and to not run it properly and to have these large cost overruns, that’s how you end up with a budget deficit,” Senate Minority Leader John Curran (R-Downers Grove) said Wednesday. “That’s what’s crowding out spending on education. That’s what’s crowding out spending on other components of the state budget. That’s why we need an audit.”

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It’s just a bill

Thursday, Feb 27, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* HB1710 from Rep. Kam Buckner was discussed in a subject matter hearing of the House Gun Violence Prevention Committee yesterday. WAND…

State Rep. Kam Buckner (D-Chicago) has been working on a law enforcement transparency bill for several years. The plan would require law enforcement to create quarterly reports on all homicide and violent crime in their communities.

In the report would be the crime, the date it happened and the status of the case. This would let people keep themselves updated on police progress on crimes that impacted their families. […]

“Nobody wants to get rid of gun violence more than legal gun owners,” State Rep. C.D. Davidsmeyer (R-Jacksonville) said. “I want to reiterate the need for proper prosecution and not just for penalizing the individual but for closure for the victims and the victims family. I appreciate what you’re trying to do.”

Illinois State Police are currently against the bill, but are in conversation with Buckner to change some language of the bill. […]

The bill is still in committee where lawmakers could vote on it later in session.

* Sun-Times…

Decades of predatory towing practices in Illinois have led to pulled licenses, a name change, at least one folk song and many a frustrated driver.

Now state legislators have proposed a bill to curb towing companies’ ability to take advantage of car owners whose vehicles crash or break down.

The bill would give the Illinois Commerce Commission the authority to crack down on businesses that use loopholes under current laws and hold towing firms accountable, said state Sen. Celina Villanueva, D-Chicago.

The commission has fined repeat offenders hundreds of thousands of dollars, but many of these fines go unpaid, while some bad actors continue operating by renaming their businesses.

More from ABC Chicago…

“The problem is these fines go unpaid, and the bad actors continue to be just that,” said Ruben Ramirez Jr., Chief of Police at Illinois Commerce Commission Police. “They ignored the citations we write and continue illegal operations, and because of the way the current towing safety towing law is written, they can register with a new towing license just by using a new company name.”

“Our bill, Senate Bill 2040, takes aim at these bad actors and their shady business practices,” State Senator Celina Villanueva said. “Their predatory practices will no longer be tolerated. One critical provision in the Bill would ban towing companies from holding on to personal property.”

The proposed bill would not be regulating pricing, which is done by federal law. ABC7 will provide updates as to when the new bill moves forward for a vote it’s in the beginning stages.

* WAND…

The Illinois Pharmacists Association and Illinois Council of Health System Pharmacists are backing Gov. JB Pritzker’s plan to lower drug prices and increase access to community pharmacies. […]

“It is through the tireless efforts of these elected officials that we hope to see the end of PBM-driven practices that have long terrorized patients and pharmacies here in Illinois,” said IPhA President and Petersburg Pharmacist David Bagot. “Together, we can ensure PBMs no longer control the system at the expense of the patients and the pharmacies.” […]

The governor’s legislation could set new transparency requirements and penalize PBMs when they fail to comply. Sponsors told WAND News that they plan to have the bill language filed next week. […]

Still, the Pharmaceutical Care Management Association told WAND News last week that Pritzker missed the mark on the value of pharmacy benefit managers. Their organization argued that the core mission of PBMs is to lower prescription drug prices and increase access.

“PBMs are working on behalf of Illinois employers, unions, and patients in the fight against high drug costs and are the only stakeholder in the prescription drug supply chain dedicated to lowering drug costs,” PCMA leaders stated. “In fact, PBMs save patients and employers $1,040 per person per year in the state and will save Illinois patients and health plans $39.9 billion over ten years.”

* Sen. Robert Peters…

Illinois workers are on track to receive more options and better security when it comes to saving for retirement thanks to a new measure sponsored by State Senator Robert Peters, which advanced out of the Senate State Government Committee Wednesday.

“We know retirement savings can be a challenge for Illinoisans, especially those without access to a 401(k) or similar employer plan,” said Peters (D-Chicago). “This bill gives workers more flexibility to choose the best retirement savings options for their situation.”

In 2015, the state created the Illinois Secure Choice Savings Program to address the growing gap in retirement savings for Illinois workers. Nearly 40% of private sector workers in Illinois do not have access to an employer-sponsored retirement plan, leaving many with no way to save for the future. Since its inception, the program has helped over 150,000 participants save more than $200 million for retirement, with more than 25,000 employers offering the program to their workers.

Peters’ measure is designed to expand these efforts, giving workers more options for retirement savings. By allowing workers to hold both a traditional IRA and a Roth IRA, the bill offers more flexibility and personalized savings strategies. The initiative would also make the program more portable, meaning workers can continue contributing to their retirement savings even if they change jobs, without losing track of their funds.

“We’re not just creating savings accounts, we’re creating a system that supports our workers throughout their careers,” said Peters. “This measure ensures workers can manage their savings no matter where they work, while also holding employers accountable for properly enrolling their employees and submitting contributions. It’s a win for our state’s workforce and their financial futures.”

Senate Bill 1441 awaits further consideration from the full Senate.

* WCIA…

A proposal to exempt the Mahomet Aquifer from carbon sequestration projects is picking up steam in the Capitol. […]

“What we’re looking for right now is more co-sponsors and seeing if we can get this moved along quickly,” [Annette McMichael, a Hopedale resident and boardmember for Illinois’ People’s Action,] said. “It’s really more of an amendment to the current bill to make sure that we protect our only water source in central Illinois.” […]

There are currently several iterations of the same bill, but they all seek to accomplish the same goal. Representative Carol Ammons recently added over 20 cosponsors to her version — HB 3614.

“Our risk level is zero on this bill, and that’s why we are working on this session to make sure we can be clear about that and protect the aquifer,”

As of this morning, HB3614 has 24 Democratic co-sponsors.

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Open thread

Thursday, Feb 27, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* What’s going on in your part of Illinois?…

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Isabel’s morning briefing

Thursday, Feb 27, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* ICYMI: Pritzker announces round 3 of medical debt relief program at University of Chicago. WGN…

* Related stories…

∙ NBC Chicago: Illinois has erased nearly $350 million in medical debt, Pritzker says
∙ Fox Chicago: Illinois slashes $220M in medical debt for 170K residents, more relief on the way

* BlueRoomStream.com’s coverage of today’s press conferences and committee hearings can be found here.

*** Isabel’s Top Picks ***

* Tribune | State representative blasts Metra for failing to release internal investigation results: State Rep. Kambium “Kam” Buckner called on Metra to release the findings of an internal investigation, expressing his “deep disappointment” in the rail agency’s decision to withhold the results of the work of an outside law firm. “At a time when fiscal constraints require us to scrutinize (transit) governance, operations and agency structures, this lack of transparency raises serious concerns,” he wrote in a letter to Metra’s board. “Simply put, you cannot ask taxpayers to pay for an investigation and then tell them they have no right to know the results.”

* Capitol News Illinois | Audit finds Illinois’ noncitizen health care programs far outstripped original cost estimates: A pair of health care programs that benefit noncitizens – one of which is already on Gov. JB Pritzker’s budgetary chopping block – far outstripped its original estimated price tag and cost the state of Illinois $1.6 billion through last summer, according to a new audit of the programs published Wednesday. The report also found more than 6,000 people enrolled in the state-funded programs were classified as “undocumented” despite actually having social security numbers. Some of those people were green card holders who would have instead qualified for health coverage like Medicaid or traditional insurance.

* ABC Chicago | Couple shocked by $26K water bill from city of Chicago, others come forward: ‘We’re on edge’: Elizabeth Finan and her husband have owned a North Side apartment complex for decades. She said every other month, they get a water bill for about $3,000, but her January bill made her jaw drop: $26,369.94. […] Finan said they called an engineer the next day to inspect the building for leaks, but nothing was detected. So, she called the city’s Department of Water Management. “She said the last actual reading was in 2017, and these are all estimated and when they came out and read the meter, this was the bill,” Finan said.

*** Statehouse News ***

* Press Release | Doug Scott confirmed to five-year term as ICC Chairman: Scott was reappointed to a five-year term by Governor JB Pritzker in January 2024 after serving out the remainder of former Chairman Carrie Zalewski’s term. […] “States are at the forefront of keeping the country’s clean energy ambitions apace. Three years ago, the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA) charted Illinois’ path to a 100 percent clean energy economy, and in the years to come, the ICC will continue to play a critical role in steering Illinois toward its decarbonization goals,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “As a regulator, Doug Scott understands the importance of balancing reliability, safety, and affordability alongside these goals. Illinois is fortunate to have Chairman Scott at the helm of the ICC.”

* Capitol News Illinois | Pritzker says federal funds still being withheld; warns of further spending cuts: Meanwhile, Pritzker also warned this week that as many as 770,000 Illinoisans stand to lose Medicaid health care coverage under a Republican-backed budget resolution that cleared the U.S. House Tuesday night. That resolution, which would amend the current federal fiscal year’s budget, calls for deep cuts in federal funding for Medicaid, a health insurance program for low-income and disabled individuals that is jointly funded with state and federal money.

* WAND | Senator Rose responds to Health Alliance’s decision to end majority of coverage by 2026: State Sen. Chapin Rose (R-Mahomet) is also looking for answers. “I wish I had answers, I don’t, but we’re trying to get them. And I’ve already talked to CMS, the meeting is set for Tuesday of next week to to try and figure out where they’re going to go in open enrollment,” said Rose. Nearly 200,000 people are losing their health insurance. And 600 people are potentially losing their jobs.

*** Statewide ***

* Tribune | In anticipation of rush, DMV facilities to open on Saturdays for Real ID applicants: The extended hours begin this Saturday and will run through May 10. Twelve of the facilities will be open to walk-in customers on Saturdays for the first time, starting at 7:30 a.m. In addition to the Chicago DMV at 7301 W. Lexington Ave., the facilities in Addison, Aurora, Des Plaines, Elgin, Joliet, Lake Zurich, Melrose Park, Plano, St. Charles, Waukegan and Woodstock will have Saturday hours.

*** Chicago ***

* Tribune | To balance Mayor Brandon Johnson’s 2025 budget, Chicago installing 50 new speed cameras to ticket drivers: Chicago will add 50 speed cameras as part of Mayor Brandon Johnson’s plan to balance this year’s budget, increasing the stock of the devices used to ticket drivers by 30% citywide. The city’s Department of Transportation confirmed this week that it is “actively working” to install the 50 cameras this year but declined to share the locations, saying they have yet to be finalized.

* Tribune | City Council passes Mayor Brandon Johnson’s $830 million infrastructure bond plan after pushback: Aldermen approved the plan in a 26-23 vote a day after Johnson’s administration proposed a version with clearer spending guardrails. While opponents decried the debt package as financially irresponsible, allies of the mayor defended it as a typical and crucial way to fund basic infrastructure work. “We are not mortgaging the future of our children. We are building the roads that they are going to use,” Ald. Pat Dowell, 3rd, said.

* Sun-Times | After OKing plan to save 7 Acero charter schools, CPS may decide to close several of them after all: The about-face would suddenly leave three campuses shuttered at the end of this school year and the other four facing uncertain futures. But it’s not a done deal — some board members are pushing to keep at least five schools open next year.

* Tribune | Trauma on trauma: Immigration agents detain Acero charter schools parent on eve of school board vote to shutter some locations: In a letter Wednesday, Acero officials said “Community Wellness Protocols” were immediately implemented at two schools, Victoria Soto High School and Jovita Idar Elementary, which share a campus, to “maintain the safety and security” of the schools’ community. Chicago Public Schools’ Office of Safety and Security was also engaged, according to the letter signed by the schools’ principals, Elizabeth Obrzut and Nicolle Macias. ICE agents did not attempt to enter either school, according to the letter. ICE did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

* Crain’s | Tech incubator 1871 is leaving the Merchandise Mart: “As you all know, 1871 has not been immune to the post-COVID challenges that many organizations — especially nonprofits — have faced,” CEO Betsy Ziegler told members and partners in a letter today. “While our impact across Chicago and beyond has grown significantly, like many other businesses, we were not able to adapt our real estate model quickly enough to the evolving economic landscape.

* Sun-Times | Federal lawsuit says Chicago police officers framed man in 2011 slaying of fellow cop: One of the men who was initially charged in the 2011 slaying of Chicago Police Officer Clifton Lewis has filed a federal lawsuit alleging fellow officers “perpetuated a wide-ranging scheme” to manufacture evidence to secure convictions in the case. Alexander Villa’s conviction was vacated and charges were dropped in October after the Cook County state’s attorney’s office learned that the defense had not been provided with some potentially exculpatory evidence — evidence that could have been favorable to their client.

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Tribune | Suburban Chicago elections: Two high-profile politicians ousted, Larry Dominick keeps control of Cicero: Closer to Chicago in west suburban Cicero, town President Larry Dominick appeared to hang onto his seat, with 57% of the vote against challenger Esteban Rodriguez. Dominick started working for the town’s public works before becoming a police officer and then mayor in 2005. He said his major achievements include reducing local gang killings and improving town services.

* Shaw Local | Nguyen likely secures ballot bid for DeKalb mayor race in April election: If unofficial results hold, Nguyen’s name will appear with three other challengers to be DeKalb’s next mayor: incumbent Cohen Barnes, 7th Ward Alderman John Walker and Kouame Sanan, who works in NIU’s IT department.

* Fox Chicago | Chicago suburb approves ban on Delta-8 and Delta-9 THC edibles: The Elgin City Council has officially approved a ban on certain THC products, a move that will remove Delta-8 and Delta-9 THC edibles from store shelves. […] Unlike cannabis products sold at licensed dispensaries, these edibles are largely unregulated and have reportedly been linked to a surge in poison control calls.

* Tribune | State police: Crete man sent threatening email to Gov. JB Pritzker : The email containing “a message of a threatening nature” was sent to Pritzker’s Office of Constituent Affairs from an email associated with Michael Dascenzo, 49, on Jan. 9, state police said in a news release. Authorities didn’t say exactly what the email stated but did say the email sparked an investigation that led to them obtaining an arrest warrant on Tuesday.

*** Downstate ***

* Herald Whig | One day after primary, Moore kicks campaign into high gear: Independent mayoral candidate Linda Moore kicked her campaign into high gear on Wednesday ahead of the April 1 consolidated election when she will face Mayor Mike Troup. “(It’s the) first day of the consolidated election cycle,” Moore told those gathered for her press event Wednesday afternoon. “I am so excited to be able to share with you my plan for how we’re going to fix and grow our city.”

* WGEM | Prairie Farms announces Quincy expansion: At a Planning Committee meeting on Wednesday, Mayor Mike Troup announced plans for Prairie Farms to expand. Troup said the company bought two lots next to their property at 24th and Broadway. According to Troup, the expansion will add 10-15 jobs.

* 25News Now | Bloomington non-profit suggests cabin village for housing city’s homeless: “The shelter village would really be able to cater to those individuals who really just need their own space to connect with others when they choose and to be alone when they want to be as well,” said Audrey Cail, Home Sweet Home’s Director of Client Services. It will cost about $2.5 million to build the village. HSHM plans to fundraise and apply for a grant through McLean County to pay for it. They need a lot of money to make this happen, but the Home Sweet Home staff, believe in what they’re doing.

* Rockford Register Star | Rockford Public Schools: Girl’s tragic death is a ‘wake-up call’: An 11-year-old student in Rockford, Illinois, died by suicide on February 21st. The student’s family alleges that bullying at Eisenhower Middle School contributed to her death, but the school district says they have not found evidence of this. [Superintendent Ehren Jarrett] emphasized the importance of communication and encouraged students to report any concerns they have, assuring them that resources are available.

* KWQC | Rock Island cancels meetings after protesters gather outside of city hall: The protesters are angry at the city after an officer fatally shot a driver on Jan. 5. After an investigation, the officer returned to duty and the county attorney’s office released body camera footage of the shooting. At one point Monday, Davenport police blocked access to the Centennial Bridge.

*** National ***

* Florida Politics | Who will run for Byron Donalds’ seat in Congress?: Former Illinois state Sen. Jim Oberweis could also jump in. The investment manager and frequent CNBC guest now lives in Southwest Florida and could bring an opportunity to self-fund. Catalina Lauf, another former Illinois congressional candidate who worked in the Commerce Department under Trump, has also moved to Florida and been suggested as a possible candidate.

* WaPo | Finally, something is puncturing conspiracy theories: A new paper in the journal Science by Thomas Costello of MIT’s Sloan School of Management, Gordon Pennycook of Cornell University and David Rand, also of Sloan, is so exciting. It finds hope in new technology: a conversation partner powered by artificial intelligence. In a pair of studies involving more than 2000 participants, the researchers found a 20 percent reduction in belief in conspiracy theories after participants interacted with a powerful, flexible, personalized GPT-4 Turbo conversation partner. The researchers trained the AI to try to persuade the participants to reduce their belief in conspiracies by refuting the specific evidence the participants provided to support their favored conspiracy theory.

* NBC | FDA cancels meeting to select flu strains for next season’s shots: The email, Offit said, offered no explanation for the scrapped meeting. A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees the FDA, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The cancellation comes as the United States is in the midst of a particularly severe flu season. So far, 86 children and 19,000 adults have died this season, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

* NYT | The Covid Alarmists Were Closer to the Truth Than Anyone Else: Five years later, though the world has been scarred by all that death and illness, it is considered hysterical to narrate the history of the pandemic by focusing on it. Covid minimizers and vaccine skeptics now run the country’s health agencies, but the backlash isn’t just on the right. Many states have tied the hands of public health authorities in dealing with future pandemic threats, and mask bans have been implemented in states as blue as New York. Everyone has a gripe with how the pandemic was handled, and many of them are legitimate. But our memories are so warped by denial, suppression and sublimation that Covid revisionism no longer even qualifies as news. When I come across an exchange like this one from last weekend, in which Woody Harrelson called Fauci evil on Joe Rogan’s show, or this one from last year, in which Rogan and Tony Hinchcliffe casually attribute a rise in excess and all-cause mortality to the aftereffects of vaccination, I don’t even really flinch.

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