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Budget-related, transit bills finally start to move

Saturday, May 31, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

* The House has approved the appropriations bill…

Democratic Reps. Kifowit and Walsh voted against the budget. Rep. Ammons is excused. Rep. Crespo, who was ejected from the House Democratic caucus, voted for it.

In case you somehow missed it, our end of session “cheat sheet” is here.

* Senate narrowly passes revenue bill (without the digital ad tax)…

According to Brenden, Democratic Sens. Belt, Glowiak Hilton, Halpin, Joyce, Loughran Cappel and Turner voted against it, and Sens. Fine, Lightford (excused) and Ellman didn’t vote.

* Senate narrowly passes the BIMP…

* Senate approves appropriations bill on final passage…

* House approves revenue omnibus on final passage…

* Senate passes transit bill that is doomed in the House…

* House approves BIMP on final passage…

* Senate passes bond authorization bill…

* House approves bond authorization bill on final passage…



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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Even more session updates (Updated x5)

Saturday, May 31, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

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UPDATE: Digital ad tax deleted in proposed amendment - Digital ad tax revived in revenue omnibus (Updated x3)

Saturday, May 31, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

*** UPDATE *** I told this to subscribers a bit ago: The Senate has introduced amendment 3 to the revenue bill (HB2755). The amendment deletes Article 92, the digital ad tax, and then removes it from the effective date section. So, if they adopt amendments 2 and 3, there will be no digital ad tax.

Adding: Senate Assignments has moved amendments 2 and 3 to the floor. The tax appears dead.

Adding: The Senate narrowly approved the revenue bill without the ad tax. It now moves to the House.

[ *** End Of Update *** ]

* As of late yesterday, the Democrats were saying that they’d dropped the idea of taxing digital ads on big corporations. But a slightly broader Digital Advertisement Tax Act is included in today’s omnibus revenue bill…

A tax is imposed on each person’s annual gross revenues that are derived from digital advertising services in the State if the person’s annual gross revenues derived from digital advertising in the State exceeds $125,000,000 [original proposal was $150 million]. […]

The rate of tax under this Act is 10% of the person’s assessable base.

There’s other language requiring companies that have at least $25 million in sales to file tax returns, but it doesn’t look like they have to pay anything.

Anyway, Mark Zuckerberg et al ain’t gonna be happy.

…Adding… The revenue estimate on the original digital ad tax was $725 million. So, if they’re estimating a billion dollars in increased revenue (as Sen. Elgie Sims said yesterday), it seems unlikely that this money is included, perhaps because a raft of lawsuits are expected.

…Adding… Ah, OK. A group of progressive Senators working with some House members apparently pushed for this tax. I’d heard earlier today that they were trying to bolster health spending.

…Adding… OK, things are more clear now. If you scroll down to the very end of the revenue bill, you’ll see effective dates. The digital ad tax (Article 92) doesn’t take effect until January 1, 2027.

* Here are a few other items. The dollar estimates come from House Revenue Committee Chair Curtis Tarver during this evening’s hearing…

    * Tax amnesty program from October 1, 2025 through November 15, 2025. $195 million.

    * Delays final payment from sales tax on motor fuel to Road Fund. $171 million.

    * Sports wagering tax: The tax shall be $0.25 per wager for the first 20,000,000 annual combined Tier 1 and Tier 2 wagers. The tax shall be $0.50 per wager for each wager in excess of 20,000,000 annual combined Tier 1 and Tier 2 wagers. $36 million.

    * Removes hotel exemption for short-term rental hosting platforms. $15 million.

    * Adds nicotine analogs (click here) to the tax rolls, as well as “any form of the chemical nicotine,” except for smoking cessation products. Increase tobacco tax to 44 cents.

    * “Joyce v. Finnegan” change, which is explained here: $72 million.

  8 Comments      


The Utah weirdness deepens

Saturday, May 31, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

* As we discussed earlier this month, Salt Lake City’s Deseret News allegedly “confirmed” that Gov. JB Pritzker would speak at a Democratic Party event in Ogden, Utah on May 31, which is today.

That turned out to be false. Pritzker did not agree to appear, but was sending a video.

* Last night, Salt Lake City’s ABC4 reported this…

Illinois Governor JB Pritzker has cancelled his scheduled appearance and keynote address at the Utah Democrats’ organizing convention less than 24 hours before the start of Saturday’s event in Ogden, party leadership has confirmed.

Current party chair, Dianne Lewis told ABC4.com that Pritzker was forced to stay in Chicago due to the state’s general assembly (state legislature) being in session and budget negotiations that required him to stay. Their session was supposed to end Friday night at midnight.

Lewis had also hoped Pritzker would send a video message, but said that, too, won’t happen.

* OK, three things…

    1) Pritzker is in Springfield;
    2) The session is supposed to end tonight, not last night;
    3) Pritzker’s people said they sent a video a couple of weeks ago because it was clear he could not make it to the event, and that was communicated.

Click here for the video.

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Villivalam lays out transit plan to reporters (Updated x4)

Saturday, May 31, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Click here to read the new transit reform and funding proposal. The Senate sponsor, Ram Villivalam (D-Chicago) talked to reporters shortly before the language surfaced…


Summary of Villivalam’s remarks about funding…

    * $1.5 billion in revenues and efficiencies
    * $50 million fare increases
    * $113 million in efficiencies
    * Package/delivery tax, which they’re calling an “environmental impact fee” [groceries, medications will be exempt]
    * Rideshare tax

…Adding… Regarding the delivery tax…

IRMA would like to clarify a key point regarding Amendment 3 to HB3438:

The amendment does not fully exempt groceries or medicine from the $1.50 delivery tax.

Under the Amendment (page 17), retail delivery is defined as “sale at retail of tangible personal property by a retailer for delivery by a motor vehicle owned or operated by the retailer or any other person to the purchaser to a location in this State, which includes at least one item of tangible personal property that is subject to the tax imposed under the Retailers’ Occupation Tax Act.”

The key phrase is “at least one item of tangible personal property,” as the majority of online orders (70 percent) contain a mix of groceries and personal items, or a mix of medicine and personal items. For example, if a consumer places a delivery order for groceries and adds just one personal item, such as a cleaning product, the entire delivery would be subject to the $1.50 tax. The same would apply if someone orders medicine but adds a package of diapers – the $1.50 tax would apply.

There’s lots more in the bill than what he talked about.

* Transcript…

REPORTER: So how much revenue does this plan generate?

VILLIVALAM: As you know, in the northeastern Illinois region, there’s a fiscal cliff of about $771 million. The CMAP, the Clean Jobs Coalition, the United We Move organized labor coalition, the Civic Federation, the Civic Committee, of the Commercial Club of Chicago have all stated very clearly that if we want that world class system, a system that keeps people safe, makes to be different point A to point B. That number and one that’s for the next three decades, not just for next year. That number is a $1.5 billion investment.

We’re looking at a package that raises not just that number [for] the Northeast Illinois region, but really it raises a significant amount of funding for downstate community as well. And so it is a package that has been described [by] a business leader as a shared sacrifice. There’s efficiencies. There’s existing revenue streams, like the Road Fund interest that’s being used for transit. There is, as I mentioned, an environmental impact fee based off of the model that Colorado and Minnesota have done to fund public transit. [Package and delivery tax]

Obviously, there’s a rideshare fee. Our rideshare companies provide a service to our communities. And we believe, though, that public transit is important, and by the way, they’re complimentary as well. PACE is a perfect example where they contract with Rideshare companies for people with disabilities.

And so there’s other items in the package. But again, business groups, labor groups, environmental groups, all have agreed that we need that transformational investment to see the world class public transit system that we’ve set out to do as part of this three year mission.

REPORTER: Senator, did the operational issues get in, get resolved? You know, there was talk that a lot of the money in the previous amendment, so there wasn’t enough money that would cover operational costs, and that, like the majority was for non-operational costs. [Click here for background.] How did this amendment that’s coming up improve that at all?

VILLIVALAM: So with this amendment, we’re able to accomplish the transformational investment that I believe the northeastern Illinois region needs to have a system for the next three decades, and not just for next year. And so yes, it is as a shared sacrifice, the RTA put forward $113 million in efficiencies, $50 million of that was fare increases. I’ve been clear from the beginning with them and the public, fare increases are not in efficiency. We put together using the model that’s been employed in Colorado and Minnesota, the environmental impact fee as a funding mechanism. Obviously there’s a ride share fee as well. We’re trying to make sure that it is a shared sacrifice and that it gets us to the number right that we need to see to get that transformational investment. […]

REPORTER: There’s already talk on that environmental impact fee having come back to address some of the issues. Exemptions for small business, for pharmaceuticals, for groceries, is it responsible to pass something now?

VILLIVALAM: Well, first, let me be clear, the groceries and medication. Groceries are already exempted. Medications are exempted through the language [garbled, but sounds like it’s coming]. I believe that we have a robust package of reforms. Let’s take a moment to talk about that. We’re talking about a four decade plus system with four different agencies, 21 appointing authorities, 47 different appointments. And as has been said by others, that meant everyone is accountable and nobody’s accountable. That was not acceptable. We’ve said that from the beginning, no funding without reform. And we also said we need to fully fund public transport. So what we’ve done is ensured that there is a new board, eliminating the RTA creating NITA . And that board will have representation in every region in northeastern […]

VILLIVALAM: There will be overlapping members to ensure that there’s that integrated mindset. The reality of the situation is CTA not just serves the city of Chicago. They serve suburbs of Cook County. Metra has a third of their spaces in the city of Chicago, a third in suburban cook and a third in the [collars]. PACE does 100% of paratransit for the entire region. We are one region in one state and that is the reform that we need to ensure that we have a system that our residents, again, people that work, the 1.5 million people that rely on public transport to get to their job, their school, their doctor, they cannot afford a 40% cut to service. We have 17,000 workers that work in public transit. If we don’t act today, 3000 of them will receive laid off notices into the summer and over the fall. That’s not acceptable. Working class families know that this is a responsible package of reforms and funding, and I think that’s why there’s broadbased support. And I look forward to getting done today. […]

VILLIVALAM: I would say the funding that has been put into the amendment received significant input from downstate transit agencies will provide them with additional funding, more than they initially requested. We know that it’s important to have a fully functioning, fully funded public transit system across our state, and not just because there’s community to community transit. But I’ve been hearing over and over from my colleagues about the importance of connectivity to the Chicago metropolitan region, from the Quad Cities, from Peoria, from Champaign. That is why we were able to secure additional funding for downstate transit agencies. And we also need to specify how that would help with the connectivity across the state. Thank you.

Please pardon all transcription errors.

A top union official said this afternoon that organized labor is “full speed ahead” on the plan.

…Adding… More revenue…


…Adding… Two letters sent to legislators against the proposed delivery tax. Faith leaders, Latino leaders.

…Adding… We’ve talked about this before, but here is some of the real estate transfer tax language…

The Authority shall impose a real estate transfer tax at a rate of up to $1.50 for each $500 of value or fraction thereof, which may be on the buyer or seller of real estate, or jointly and severally on both the buyer and the seller of real estate, for the sole purpose of providing financial assistance to the Authority as set forth in this Section.

(b) The real estate transfer tax under subsection (a) shall apply to real estate transactions that occur in Cook County outside of the City of Chicago, and within the Counties of DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry and Will. […]

(e) The Authority shall allocate amounts received from Cook County under this Section as follows:

(1) 50% shall go to the Chicago Transit Authority to cover pension obligations, and any excess shall be used to fund transit operations; and
(2) 50% shall go to fund transit operations.

(f) The Authority shall allocate all amounts received from the Counties of DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry and Will under this Section to the fund transit operations.

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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - More session updates (Updated x3)

Saturday, May 31, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

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Isabel’s afternoon roundup

Saturday, May 31, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* As we wait for final language on transit reform, another transit mystery appears…



*** Statehouse News ***

* JG-TC | What could downstate Illinois’ public transit agencies get in new funding bill?: Currently, about 7.5% of state sales taxes collected within transit service areas are deposited into the Downstate Public Transportation Fund, which funds 65% of the operating costs of public transit districts. The remaining share comes from fares and local revenue sources. More than $300 million is expected to be deposited into the fund this fiscal year, according to budget documents. But under the proposed revamp, the share of state sales tax dedicated to downstate transit would increase to about 12.5% and the state cost share would increase to 75% for urban transit districts and 80% in rural districts.

* Sun-Times | For mentally ill people facing low-level charges, lawmakers take steps to get them care, not prosecution: The legislation would put a time limit on how long people facing a misdemeanor charge could be held in a hospital. Because they wouldn’t have spent more than a year in jail for a misdemeanor, they wouldn’t spend more than a year in treatment.

* Daily Herald | Three-point seat belts to be required on new school buses in Illinois: The belts will be required in every seat in newly purchased or leased school buses. Buses already in operation won’t need to be retrofitted with belts.

*** Chicago ***

* Tribune Chicago arts commissioner touts increased grants for artists, defends against criticism | Chicago arts commissioner touts increased grants for artists, defends against criticism: Hedspeth is proud of having secured the extra money, given Chicago’s thorny fiscal outlook. Johnson and the City Council budgeted $7 million for the grants, $1 million more than the year before, but less than the $10 million allocated in former Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s 2023 budget, when the city’s coffers were bolstered by a massive influx of federal COVID-19 funding.

* Crain’s | Ascension nears $3.9B deal for outpatient centers, including 3 around Chicago: Ascension’s own footprint in the Chicago market has recently shrunk, as it sold eight of its hospitals to Prime Healthcare in February and closed Ascension St. Elizabeth in Chicago. Ascension maintained ownership of Ascension Alexian Brothers and Ascension Alexian Brothers Rehabilitation hospitals in Elk Grove Village; Ascension Saint Alexius and Alexian Brothers Behavioral Health hospitals in Hoffman Estates; and Ascension Saint Joseph in Chicago, as well as several other assisted living communities. The deal would give Ascension, one of the biggest nonprofit health systems in the US, added scale amid a broader shift in which care is moving toward lower-cost settings outside of traditional hospitals.

* Block Club | Irving Park Food Pantry Awarded $1 Million City Grant To Build New Home: The $1 million grant will go toward the development of a multi-use building the food pantry and other nonprofits and community groups will use, city officials said. It’s estimated the project will cost about $2.1 million to complete, and it should not need a zoning change to move forward, Psiharis said.

* WBEZ | What happened to Chicago’s Japanese neighborhood?: The reason Chicago’s Japanese neighborhood disappeared is directly tied to a Chicago immigrant experience like no other. Japanese-Americans didn’t end up in Chicago of their own accord: The U.S. government forcibly resettled 20,000 of them to the city from World War II incarceration camps. And, as part of that effort, the government pressured them to shed their Japanese identities and assimilate into white society.

* WTTW | The Bank of America Chicago 13.1 Half Marathon Is Sunday. Here Are the Expected Street Closures, Race Schedule: The fourth annual Bank of America Chicago 13.1 half marathon on Sunday is expected to bring 10,000 runners through the West Side. The course starts and ends at Garfield Park and also takes runners through Douglass Park and Humboldt Park. The race begins at 7 a.m. Sunday. Race-related events, including a wellness walk and race day festival, will also be held throughout the weekend.

* Sun-Times | 23 students at Whitney Young Magnet High School get perfect ACT scores: That was a first in the school’s 50-year history, Harris said. Students in past years had received perfect scores, but it was a first to have that many students get perfect scores in the same year. The ACT tests students’ knowledge and skills in English, mathematics, reading, writing and science reasoning. Less than 1% of students who take the ACT nationally get a perfect score of 36.

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* WTTW | ‘Egregious Delays’ and No Attorney Assistance: How Those Incarcerated Fight Their Convictions: Every year, hundreds of people in Cook County file these petitions, compiling alleged evidence of police misconduct, violations of constitutional rights or claims of actual innocence. It’s a vital tool for those alleging injustice to get a new trial or be resentenced — Chicago has some of the highest numbers of wrongful convictions in the nation. Incarcerated people typically file on their own, as they don’t have the right to an attorney provided by the state for these petitions.

* Daily Herald | Neighbors oppose marijuana dispensary proposed near Bartlett day care center: But officials at the DuPage County Health Department clarified Friday that under current regulations it can’t issue a food permit to any retail operation offering products that contain hemp.

* Daily Herald | West Dundee begins exterior demolition of shuttered Spring Hill Mall: Earlier this month, Carpentersville officials approved purchasing the recently closed Kohl’s store — the last remaining portion of the mall that was up for sale — for $2 million. West Dundee officials have said buying the mall was critical to reimagining the property into a mixed-use development featuring residential, retail and entertainment. A recent study indicated that the 70 acres of mall property inside the ring road and another 32 acres adjacent to it could support up to 1,500 residential units and 325,000 square feet of commercial use. The mall offered 1 million square feet of commercial space.

*** Downstate ***

* SJ-R | That’s a wrap: Annual charity music festival not returning to Springfield: On May 23, the Legacy of Giving (LoG) Music Festival announced the end of the chapter for the annual festival. Citing reflection on the end of the event, organizers posted to Facebook the difficult decision to not stage a festival in 2025, and thanking past volunteers and sponsors of the event. “While we’re unable to continue the festival in its current form, we are incredibly proud of the impact it has had, raising both awareness and funds for charity,” the Facebook post said. “The memories we’ve created, the talents we’ve celebrated, and the causes we’ve supported will remain a testament to the power of coming together as a community.”

* WCIA | Former Clark Co. student arrested in Indiana after bomb threat of former school: A former Marshall High School graduate was arrested in Indiana after planning to deploy destructive devices at her former school. In a joint statement from the Marshall Police Department and Marshall Community School District, they announced that on Friday, they were informed of the arrest of a past graduate of Marshall High School in Evansville, Indiana, where the female subject currently lives.

*** National ***

* Bloomberg | Trump’s attorney general steps up fight with American Bar Association: The Trump administration will not provide the American Bar Association with access to its judicial nominees, escalating a fight with the group that traditionally rates the candidates ahead of Senate confirmation hearings. […] The Justice Department will no longer tell judicial nominees to provide waivers to the ABA to access non-public information, according to the letter. The nominees also will not sit for interviews with the ABA or respond to questionnaires from the group.

* WIRED | The US Is Storing Migrant Children’s DNA in a Criminal Database: The Department of Justice has argued that extensive DNA collection activity at the border provides “an assessment of the danger” a migrant potentially “poses to the public” and will essentially help solve crimes that may be committed in the future. Experts say that the children’s raw genetic material will be stored indefinitely and worry that, without proper guardrails, the DNA dragnet could eventually be used for more extensive profiling.

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Timeline cleansers

Saturday, May 31, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

* From my old pal Toby Trimmer at IDNR…

Rich -

As the Capitol Fax faithful take their breaks from sifting through BIMP and Budget items, thought they’d get a “kick” from learning about a handful of IDNR contractors who are helping us tackle invasive plant species.

As you know, IDNR coordinates with small businesses and contractors in our diverse portfolio of Mines & Minerals, Oil & Gas, Forestry, Wildlife, Fisheries, Water management, Historic Sites, our parks and the vast capital infrastructure we manage. But I’m of the opinion that these are indeed the cutest helpers we have.

Best to you!

Very cute indeed…

* Meanwhile, speaking of cute, Oscar got his summer haircut the other day…

[Photo credit: Isabel Miller]

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Live coverage

Saturday, May 31, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

* We’ll see if this works…

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*** 2025 end of session cheat sheet ***

Saturday, May 31, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

Substantive:

* Election omnibus - HB 1832 | SA2

* House transit bill - SB 2111 | HA1

* Energy omnibus - SB 0040 | HA5 | HA6 | HA7

* Tier 2 Pensions - SB1937 | HA1 | HA 2

* Classroom mobile phone ban - SB 2427 (Second Reading)

*** On concurrence ***

* Senate transit bill - HB3438 | SA2 | SA3 | SA4 | SA5

* Statewide Innovation Development and Economy Act - SB2008

* 340B program expansion: HB 2371

* Medical Aid in Dying - SB 1950 | HA2

* Clean Slate Act - SB1784 | HA1

* Procurement omnibus - SB26 | HA2

*** Passed both chambers ***

* Trial lawyer’s bill (click here for background)- SB328

* Bond Authorization Act - HB 3374 | SA2

* BIMP - HB 1075 | SA4

* Revenue omnibus - Now HB 2755 | SA2 | SA3

* FY26 Appropriations bill SB2510 | HA1 | HA2 [technical cleanup] | HA3

* Medicaid omnibus - SB2437 | HA1 | HA2

* Police and fire omnibus - HB 3657 | SFA

* Prescription Drug Affordability Act - HB 1697 | SA2 | SA3 | SA4 | SA5

* Safe Gun Storage Act - SB8

* FAIR Act - HB 3363

[If you know of anything that should be added, or isn’t properly updated, please let us know in comments ASAP. Thanks!]

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All hands on deck! (Updated x2)

Saturday, May 31, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Isabel and I both received this earlier today. Did you?…

* Regarding the delivery tax…

A coalition of business groups including the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce, Illinois Chamber of Commerce, Illinois Fuel & Retail Association, Illinois Manufacturers’ Association, Illinois Restaurant Association, Illinois Retail Merchants Association, NFIB Illinois and TechNet, released the following statement urging lawmakers to reject a new $1.50 tax on retail and food deliveries:

“Amid persistent inflation, Illinois lawmakers are now considering a new delivery tax that would make it more expensive for consumers to have food, medicine and other goods delivered to their homes or businesses. This new, regressive tax will undermine consumer savings from the recent elimination of the grocery tax and would disproportionately impact communities that rely on delivery services to receive vital items. That includes residents who live in food deserts, people with mobility challenges and disabilities that make shopping trips challenging, or those without access to transportation. It also threatens income and opportunity for thousands of delivery drivers who may see demand for their services drop as consumers cut back to avoid this tax. We urge lawmakers to stand with working families and reject this tax.”

* Let’s move to a completely different topic…

Hi Rich, please find below a statement from Deb Robertson, a terminally ill Illinoisan for whom Senate Bill 1950, the End-of-Life-Options Act (also known as “Deb’s Law”) is named:

“As the Illinois General Assembly begins work on this final day of the 2025 Spring session, it is my fervent hope that the Illinois Senate will debate and take a final vote on Senate Bill 1950, the End-of-Life-Options Act (also known as “Deb’s Law”) before the adjournment later today. For me, for my family and for countless others across Illinois, this measure offers mercy and comfort in the wake of a terminal diagnosis. Although it is now unlikely that the law will be implemented for me to utilize, I urge state senators to reject the fear and overheated rhetoric of opponents of this measure and simply give mentally competent adults the ability to take a prescription to end their suffering and die peacefully.

“Eleven states and the District of Columbia debated and adopted medical aid in dying. Those debates were accompanied by the same claims and dire predictions we have heard from opponents of Deb’s Law. None of the list of horribles shouted by those in opposition in Springfield have come to pass.

“The advocates on the ground in Springfield tell me that there is a path to passage in the Senate. And, I understand that Governor Pritzker is prepared to sign the measure into law. My prayer today is that Senators will spare a moment today to think about those suffering today with a terminal diagnosis and approve Senate Bill 1950.”

Deb has been an outspoken advocate and has testified before legislators multiple times.

This post will likely be updated.

…Adding… Transit…


…Adding… On the Digital wager tax, which would tax a fraction of online sports betting…



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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Session updates (Updated x3)

Saturday, May 31, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

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It’s just a bill

Saturday, May 31, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Capitol News Illinois…

Criminal justice reform advocates say legislation to seal criminal records for certain nonviolent crimes, which passed Friday in the House, would unlock economic opportunity for thousands of Illinoisans.

The so-called Clean Slate Act has failed twice before, but activists see renewed fiscal messaging as the key to reinvigorating the campaign. This time, the bill’s sponsor points to a “diverse coalition of stakeholders” and backing from business groups as signs Illinois could become the 13th state to enact similar legislation. […]

Like earlier proposals, Senate Bill 1784 would require law enforcement agencies to automatically seal records for nonviolent criminal convictions twice a year — Jan. 1 and July 1. The records would no longer be public, although law enforcement and state’s attorneys would retain access. […]

Within two days, it passed the House mostly along partisan lines, and is headed for debate on the Senate floor.

The session ends at midnight Saturday, although the bill could still pass after that deadline. […]

The bill would automate the process for individuals with nonviolent convictions to have their records sealed, once they have served their sentences, completed probation, and remained crime-free.

Many eligible individuals are deterred by steep fines, complex paperwork and long waiting periods, Gordon-Booth said. The “burdensome” process has contributed to massive court backlogs, according to Clean Slate Illinois.

* NBC Chicago…

As the final hours of the legislative sessions tick away, Illinois lawmakers are expected to vote on a measure that would limit how far away hospitals can transfer rape victims, an issue NBC 5 Investigates first reported on last fall.

Illinois’ current law, advocates say, creates a chilling effect for survivors because hospitals can opt to transfer sexual assault victims for treatment to another hospital, which an NBC 5 Investigates’ analysis found can be 40 to 80 miles away.

Under the current version of the Sexual Assault Survivors Treatment Act – SASETA – Illinois hospitals are required to provide adequate care to victims of sexual assault, including offering them access to a variety of services, such as collecting a forensic rape kit if they so choose, collecting forensic photographs, contacting law enforcement, offering them a rape crisis counselor and access to a shower, sexually transmitted disease testing and other services. […]

A months-long investigation by NBC 5 Investigates last year found of the 85 hospitals with transfer agreements, nearly half required sexual assault victims to travel 40 to 80 miles away.

* National Association of Social Workers, Illinois…

The National Association of Social Workers, Illinois Chapter (NASW-IL) is sounding the alarm: If lawmakers fail to pass House Bill 1085 sponsored by Sen. Karina Villa, the mental health workforce crisis in Illinois will deepen—and access to care will become a privilege reserved for the wealthy.

Across the state, clinical social workers and other mental health professionals are leaving insurance networks in record numbers. Why? Because they are burned out by insurance red tape, denied payments, clawbacks, and ultimately they are forced to accept rates that don’t cover the cost of care. Increasingly, providers are opting out of commercial insurance altogether and shifting to private pay models—leaving behind those who can’t afford out-of-pocket treatment.

“We are rapidly moving toward a two-tiered mental health system,” said Kyle Hillman, Director of Legislative Affairs for NASW-IL. “If you’re wealthy, you’ll have your choice of providers. If you rely on insurance, your choices will become highly limited. We are moving toward a system where you will be stuck on a waitlist—if you can find someone taking your plan at all.”

While the insurance industry and state agencies push back on HB1085, citing complexity, NASW-Illinois insists the real cost is already being paid—by every Illinoisan who can’t find care when they need it most.

“If the state fails to act, we are cementing a system where only the affluent get access to timely, consistent mental health care,” Hillman said. “We cannot afford to wait. The window to fix this is now and it starts and ends with rates.”

About NASW-Illinois

The National Association of Social Workers, Illinois Chapter represents more than 30,000 professional social workers across the state. NASW-IL champions mental health access, professional equity, and policy reforms that strengthen the social work profession and protect vulnerable communities.

* WAND…

A state Democratic bill to add AI as a part of cyberbullying school code passed the Illinois Senate Friday.

The proposal would put into state law that no kid can bully another by using AI. Students cannot spread explicit AI images of another person and also cannot create a digital replica of the person they’re bullying.

State Sen. Meg Loughran Cappel (D-Crest Hill) said this is just one of the first steps when it comes to how Springfield will regulate AI. […]

The plan passed out of the Senate unanimously. It now heads to the House floor on a concurrence vote.

* WAND…

The proposal to lower drug prices by cracking down on pharmacy benefit managers is heading to Illinois House floor.

Gov. JB Pritzker has argued the state needs to limit how pharmacy middlemen negotiate prices for drugs, as PBMs continue to drive up the cost of healthcare.

This legislation could stop PBMs from spread pricing, where they charge Medicaid more money than was paid for the drugs and receive a cut of the profit. […]

House Bill 1697 passed out of the House Executive Committee unanimously Friday. The proposal received a 56-1 vote in the Senate Thursday night.

* Tribune…

In the final days of the spring legislative session, Illinois lawmakers this week advanced a bill to the Senate that would prohibit public schools from denying a student access to free education based on that child’s immigration status or that of their parents — a move aimed at reinforcing long-standing constitutional federal protections amid renewed scrutiny of immigrant rights at the state level.

The bill, sponsored in the House by Chicago Democratic Rep. Lilian Jiménez, would prohibit a child within Illinois from being deprived of free public education through high school “based on the child’s perceived or actual immigration status or the child’s parent’s or guardian’s perceived or actual citizenship or immigration status.” The legislation also says a school must not exclude a child “from participation in or deny a child the benefits of any program or activity” for those same reasons. […]

The Illinois measure, which seeks to create clear statutory language protecting immigrant school-age children or children of undocumented immigrants, passed Wednesday night by a 70-40 vote through the Democrat-led House. Two Democrats sided with Republicans in voting against it: Diane Blair-Sherlock of Villa Park and Michael Kelly of Chicago. The bill is now in the Senate for its consideration. […]

The bill would require a school to develop procedures for reviewing and authorizing requests from law enforcement agents trying to enter a school by July 1, 2026. It would also allow anyone aggrieved by a violation of the measure to file a civil lawsuit up to two years after the alleged infraction occurred.

* Crain’s…

A bill banning the use of artificial intelligence as a replacement for a real, live therapist is headed to Gov. JB Pritzker’s desk following unanimous support in the Illinois House and Senate.

House Bill 1806, called the Wellness & Oversight for Psychological Resources Act, was sponsored by state Rep. Bob Morgan, D-Highwood, and championed by the National Association of Social Workers’ Illinois chapter, or NASW-Illinois.

The act would require all therapy services be conducted by a licensed professional, prohibiting AI from providing direct patient care.

Licensed professionals may use AI if they maintain full responsibility for its interactions, and therapists cannot rely solely on AI to make patient decisions or treatment plans, Morgan said in a press release. He said the act would safeguard consumers from mental health care delivered by either AI chatbots or unlicensed individuals.

* Center Square…

A group that advocates against lawsuit abuse is warning that last-minute changes made to an unrelated bill working its way through the Illinois legislature in its final hours of legislative session would open businesses up to lawsuits from around the country.

Senate Bill 26, a bill originally intended to amend the Illinois Parentage Act of 2015, was gutted and replaced Thursday with new language that would change Illinois from a “specific jurisdiction” state to a “general jurisdiction” state, expanding Illinois courts’ reach over out-of-state businesses. […]

“With this last-minute amendment, S.B. 26 is now one of the single worst pieces of legislation, nationwide, that we have seen this year,” Tiger Joyce, president of the American Tort Reform Association, said in a statement. “This would open the floodgates to lawsuits from around the country, making every business registered in Illinois a target. For lawmakers to sneak this in at the final hour is incredibly telling of just how detrimental this legislation would be for hardworking Illinois families.” […]

Illinois House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch, D-Hillside, signed on as a sponsor shortly before the amendment was filed. Welch, ATRA noted, received $80,000 from the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association’s political action committee, more than any other state legislator, during a recent reporting period. Welch’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

* WAND…

The Illinois House unanimously passed a bill Friday night to give landowners and farmers more flexibility to hunt deer on their property.

Farmers across the state have told Democrats and Republicans that deer have caused expensive and costly damage to their crops and farmland.

This legislation would allow the state to issue antlerless-only deer removal permits based on the percentage of permits redeemed in the previous season. It could also expand youth hunting tags from one to two. […]

Senate Bill 710 previously passed unanimously out of the Senate. The proposal now heads to Gov. JB Pritzker’s desk.

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The state budget has grown even less than I thought

Saturday, May 31, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Yesterday, we discussed an Illinois Policy Institute story about the increase in state government spending since Gov. JB Pritzker took office. Using the IPI’s numbers, I told you that spending had actually grown 10.5 percent in inflation-adjusted dollars since the beginning of FY20, the governor’s first budget. But a numbers wonk Democratic legislator I know put together numbers from the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability and the Governor’s Office of Management and Budget to show that the inflation-adjusted spending increase, including the governor’s proposed FY26 budget, is actually 8.6 percent since FY19, the last Bruce Rauner budget…

* More importantly, though, the legislator then factored in the evidence-based school funding formula and state pension contributions and discovered that the increase for everything else has been only 1.92 percent in inflation-adjusted dollars…

And these numbers do not include the money the state has put into its Rainy Day Fund.

(For FY25 and FY26, inflation is measured from Jan 2019 through Jan 2025, instead of July to July, “due to data limitations,” so the overall increase is undoubtedly lower.)

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Open thread

Saturday, May 31, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Every year about this time I find myself singing “Been waitin’ for the BIMP all day” to myself…

Ol’ BIMP be packed up tight

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Isabel’s morning briefing

Saturday, May 31, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* ICYMI: Lawmakers unveil $55B spending plan with just 1 day left to pass it. Capitol News Illinois…

Illinois Democrats introduced what a leading budgeteer described as a $55 billion budget Friday evening ahead of a Saturday deadline to pass the fiscal year 2026 spending plan.

The 3,363-page spending proposal was unveiled after 6 p.m. At the time the Senate’s lead budget negotiator, Sen. Elgie Sims, D-Chicago, briefed reporters on the plan; an exact proposal for raising about $1 billion in revenue to pay for it had not been made publicly available.

But Sims said lawmakers are not using broad tax hikes to balance the budget, although the plan does call for specific tax increases in certain areas. Sims said the proposal includes new taxes on gambling as well as tobacco and vape products. He also hinted that some businesses will pay more under the plan – though Illinois’ constitution mandates that the state corporate income tax remain a flat rate. […]

Later, in a House hearing on the spending plan, Democratic Rep. Robyn Gabel, D-Evanston, said it relies upon $55.4 billion in revenue with $55.2 billion in spending. But at several points the chamber’s budget leaders declined to talk about revenue, noting that proposal will come before the committee later, likely on Saturday.

* Related stories…

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

* Governor Pritzker has no scheduled press conferences.

*** Isabel’s Top Picks ***

* WCIA | IDPH issues health warning on wildfire smoke: “Breathing wildfire smoke can have immediate health impacts, including respiratory and cardiovascular effects,” IDPH officials said on the agency’s website. “Particle pollution may also affect the body’s ability to remove inhaled foreign materials, such as viruses and bacteria, from the lungs.” Children, older adults, people with chronic respiratory or cardiovascular disease and people with low socioeconomic status are described as being the most at-risk from wildfire smoke.

* Tribune | Here’s who wrote a letter of support for former House Speaker Michael Madigan: Former Gov. James R. Thompson, who penned the letter prior to his death in 2020, wrote that he could always “count on Mike to give it to me straight, tell me the truth and stick to his word.” Thompson, a Republican who served as governor of Illinois from 1977 to 1991, wrote that “there were times when I didn’t much care for him” but “I always respected him, and I have never questioned his integrity.”

*** Statewide ***

* WBEZ | What it’s like to graduate from college while inside an Illinois prison: The Augustana Prison Education Program, or APEP, began full-time in the fall of 2021 and gained accreditation the following spring. It now has about 30 people enrolled. Students take college courses on everything from physics to poetry — but without access to the Internet and sometimes writing assignments by hand. “It’s the same Augustana degree requirements, same professors, same rigor — in a prison,” said Sharon Varallo, the program’s executive director.

* Rockford Register Star | Illinois counties, cities listed as sanctuary jurisdictions by Trump administration: The Trump administration has added more than 100 Illinois counties and cities to a national list of jurisdictions that could be targeted if they do not comply with federal immigration laws.

*** Statehouse News ***

* Daily Herald | ‘A political time bomb’? RTA predicts service cuts as local leaders say state transit plan is ‘pickpocketing’ the suburbs: “We are grateful for the Senate focusing on the fiscal cliff, however, as proposed, the new revenue included in (Thursday’s) Senate bill fails to address the region’s $771 million transit operating budget gap and would result in significant service cuts in 2026,” RTA Chairman Kirk Dillard said. The critique came as Kane County leaders lambasted the plan at a news conference for “pickpocketing” the suburbs. Senate Transportation Committee Chairman Ram Villivalam, however, stressed that the whole region has to share the burden.

* Hm…


* Illinois Lawmakers | Spring Session Countdown…

* WCIA | Illinois AG joins lawsuit to stop federal cuts to science, research programs: In the lawsuit he and the coalition filed, Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul is seeking a court order to block the implementation of the NSF’s new directives to eliminate programs addressing diversity in STEM. In addition, the changes would eliminate funding and programs that Raoul said, “help maintain the United States’ position as a global leader in STEM.”

*** Chicago ***

* South Side Weekly | For Senior Homeowners, Solutions to Expensive Home Repairs Can Be a Lifeline… or Leave Their Families with an Inheritance of Debt: Home repair is at the root of the ability of senior Chicagoans to stay in their homes as they age. Local organizations are trying to provide relief without depriving seniors of the ability to pass their homes down to the next generation.

* Crain’s | Buyers and sellers are hitting snags under Chicago’s new anti-gentrification ordinance: The first problem is a potentially large obstacle to buyers — whether they are the existing renters or outside buyers — securing a mortgage. The second is in obtaining title insurance, a buyer’s protection against legal threats to the property’s ownership, or clear title. City Hall’s Law Department is “working to identify a solution to the issue” of title insurance, a Department of Housing spokesperson told Crain’s in an emailed statement. In a later statement, the city said “the Department of Housing is unaware of any statements that Fannie Mae will not lend to buildings that have a right of first refusal. However, we are actively looking at the ordinance to address the issues” that Crain’s asked about.

* Fox Chicago | Major update to Kennedy Expressway project lets express lane drivers head to O’Hare: The Illinois Department of Transportation announced Thursday that the north end of the Kennedy Expressway work zone is shifting as of Saturday night. Starting Sunday morning, drivers leaving downtown will be able to exit the express lanes north of Irving Park Road to continue on Interstate 90 and reach O’Hare International Airport.

* South Side Weekly | Jobs. Block Clubs. Investment: How Chicagoans Are Interrupting Violence at its Roots: The causes and solutions to gun violence are difficult to quantify—or control. One thing is clear: gun violence is highest in Chicago’s poorest neighborhoods. Organizers in the hardest-hit communities like Garfield Park say tackling poverty is the only way to create lasting change.

* Ronald S. Safer: I prosecuted Larry Hoover. Here is why he should not have his sentences commuted.: Through extraordinary investigation, too lengthy and intricate to detail here but well documented in a monthslong trial, federal agents obtained recorded conversations of Hoover in state prison giving orders to his top lieutenants. While publicly claiming to be a changed man, privately, Hoover described how the GDs needed to enforce drug street taxes: “But this is our land. We fought battles on this land so everybody got to pay taxes,” he said. The GDs collected these taxes through the threat of drive-by shootings, beatings and torture, not audits. In one poignant conversation, Hoover described how the GDs needed to corrupt our youth. He urged a gang leader to share some of his opulent wealth with younger gang members.

* Crain’s | Restaurant group delivers boutique steaks straight to your kitchen: Lettuce Entertain You’s new Prime Meats by Lettuce, set to launch June 2, will be a delivery-only butcher shop offering more than a dozen cuts used at restaurants from RPM Steak to Joe’s Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab. The group says it has long-standing relationships with farmers, ranchers and purveyors across the world, and it’s tapping into that network to bring recreational chefs cuts of meat they might not otherwise be able to access.

* Sun-Times | Kool & the Gang’s Michael ‘Chicago Mike’ Sumler dies at 71: Michael “Chicago Mike” Sumler, who grew up on the Side Side and worked and traveled with the band Kool & the Gang, died May 25 following a car accident in suburban Atlanta. Kool & the Gang posted of his passing on Facebook: “We’re deeply saddened to hear about the passing of our longtime wardrobe valet, Mike Sumler. Mike worked alongside Kool & the Gang from 2000-2015, making sure the guys looked their best on stage every night. He also hyped the crowd with his energy and dance moves at the top of the show.”

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* South Side Weekly | Cook County Medical Debt Help Comes Too Late: Cook County became the first local government to buy medical debts in bulk. But data shows the majority of debt was relieved for people who likely should have qualified for free care—a sign that hospitals are failing to screen for some of the region’s poorest patients.

* Shaw Local | Ticketing begins right away as Yorkville bans heavy trucks from Kylyns Ridge, Cannonball Estates: “You had some people barreling through the subdivisions and semi-trucks too,” Mayor John Purcell said during the May 27 city council meeting. “We’re going to get out there and start ticketing them right away.” The heavier trucks would be denied usage of the residential streets including Blackberry Shore Lane, from the intersection of Northland Lane to the westerly dead end. They will also be denied usage of Northland Lane, High Ridge Lane, and Norton Lane.

* Lake and McHenry County Scanner | Disgraced former McHenry County detective pleads guilty to charges of official misconduct : A disgraced former McHenry County sheriff’s detective has pleaded guilty to charges that he used county property to arrange drug and prostitution deals and allowed a woman to drive his squad car while he was intoxicated. Christopher Marvel, 41, of Poplar Grove, was sentenced to two years of probation and about $1,700 in fines after pleading guilty to two counts of official misconduct, court records show.

* Naperville Sun Naperville fire and police combat recruiting crisis with creative tactics to attract candidates: “People in this day and age … want mobility,” he said. “They want to be able to go and live wherever they want.” Another challenge is a lack of paramedics, Puknaitis said. A 2022 study by the American Ambulance Association and Newton 360 found the turnover among paramedics and emergency medical technicians across the country ranges from 20% to 30% annually.

* Daily Southtown | Mobile help for opioid overdoses rolls into south suburbs with aid of Cook County $1M grant: The program was announced Friday during a news conference outside the Posen Fire Department’s headquarters, with the new van and another already in use by Family Guidance Centers parked outside. Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle said while opioid overdose fatalities are “trending in the right direction,” the problem is still of major concern.

* Daily Herald | Expect hazy skies from Canadian wildfires that could last throughout weekend: Smoke is expected to move into the suburbs around noon and will affect air quality, potentially affecting those with respiratory issues. Thunderstorms are expected in the area this evening, but the severe weather isn’t anticipated to be enough to clear the air.

*** Downstate ***

* WCIA | Champaign School Board president responds after tense meeting outing superintendent: A contentious Champaign School Board meeting is still making waves almost 24 hours later. The meeting saw an approval to move on from Superintendent Dr. Sheila Boozer — a fiery public comment period — and even a near fight. “We conducted some tough business last night,” said Champaign School Board President Tony Bruno.

* WCIA | Danville alderman banned after aggressive argument: Alderman Thomas Hightower was seen cursing out the mayor and the Danville Police Chief. It happened at city hall during a new alderman orientation. Now, Hightower is left facing some repercussions because of his actions. “What made me mad with the mayor was the time when I was talking to the chief, when I was fussing at the chief, the mayor was recording me without my knowledge,” Hightower said.

* WTVO | Judge halts Rockford’s efforts to limit video gaming terminals: 17th Judicial Circuit Court Judge Fabiano issued the ruling in response to a lawsuit brought by Kelly Quinby, the proprietor of Spinning Slots, at 1625 Sandy Hollow Road, after the city refused to license a 6th video gaming terminal (VGT) at the location, despite allowances by the Illinois Gaming Board to do so.

* WGLT | Mural celebrating anniversary of Abraham Lincoln’s Lost Speech unveiled in downtown Bloomington: The “Lost Speech” resulted in the formation of the Illinois Republican Party and is thought by historians to have been an intense condemnation of slavery. The mural depicts Lincoln giving the address at the 1856 Bloomington Convention, also known as the Anti-Nebraska Convention, at Major’s Hall that was located at the corner of East and Front streets from 1852 until 1958.

*** National ***

* WIRED | DOGE Is Busier Than Ever—and Trump Says Elon Musk Is ‘Really Not Leaving’ : “I expect to continue to provide advice,” Musk, wearing a black hat with DOGE written on it and a black shirt reading “DOGEFATHER,” said during Friday’s press conference, while noting that his legal limit for service as a special government employee was coming to an end. “I expect to remain a friend and an advisor.”

* Status | The Business Insider Bloodletting: To be fair to management, Business Insider is very much reckoning with forces far outside its control, namely a structural collapse in the very distribution model it was built upon: SEO. For years, the outlet drew large volumes of traffic from Google search. Its e-commerce operation, in particular, was engineered for such traffic, surfacing affiliate-driven shopping guides and “best of” lists that was algorithmically served up to the masses. But that golden pipeline is now drying up. Google has recently rolled out major changes to its search engine—including the AI Overviews feature—that deprioritize traditional news links in favor of machine-generated summaries.

* Post-Tribune | Steel industry experts react to Nippon Steel, U.S. Steel deal: The United Steelworkers Union still remains concerned about what Nippon’s involvement in U.S. Steel means, saying much is still up in the air. “Our core concerns about Nippon Steel — a foreign-owned corporation with a documented history of violating U.S. trade laws — remain as strong and valid today as ever,” said a May 28 union statement, “and that is so whether U.S. Steel and Nippon adhere to the same deal that they have pursued since December 2023 or whether they tweak the terms to satisfy concerns in Washington.”

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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)

Saturday, May 31, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

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Selected press releases (Live updates)

Saturday, May 31, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

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Live coverage

Saturday, May 31, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Click here and/or here to follow breaking news. Hopefully, enough reporters and news outlets migrate to BlueSky so we can hopefully resume live-posting.

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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - More session updates (Updated x4)

Friday, May 30, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

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Prosecutors want 12.5 year sentence for former Speaker Michael Madigan (Updated x2)

Friday, May 30, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Click here for the full document…


…Adding… Jon Seidel…


…Adding… More…

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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Session updates (Updated x6)

Friday, May 30, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

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Powering Illinois’ Energy And Economic Future

Friday, May 30, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department

[The following is a paid advertisement.]

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With SOO Green all ratepayers will enjoy a more reliable grid, protection from rising energy costs, and a stronger economy for Illinois.

Learn more at www.soogreen.com.

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Isabel’s afternoon roundup

Friday, May 30, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* The waiting game is in full swing…

* Axios…

The U.S. Supreme Court paved the way Friday for the Trump administration to rescind a Biden-era order that granted temporary protections for more than 500,000 immigrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela.

Why it matters: The court decision will affect thousands of migrants who were bused to Chicago before July 2023 and comes after a different ruling earlier this month allowed the administration to revoke protection for 350,000 Venezuelan nationals. […]

Without Temporary Protected Status, if somebody never applied for asylum, they are in fact eligible for deportation, and they’re at risk for deportation,” the Resurrection Project’s Erendira Rendon told CBS Chicago.

The court’s Friday ruling was unsigned, which usually happens when justices rule on emergency cases. It also means legal challenges to the reversal can continue in lower courts and possibly end up in front of the Supreme Court again.

*** Statewide ***

* Block Club Chicago | Got A Text From The DMV? It’s Probably A Scam: Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias has a warning for Illinois residents: Beware of texts claiming to be from the “Illinois State Department of Motor Vehicles.” Recent texts to vehicle owners about outstanding traffic tickets that must be paid immediately are phishing scams, according to a video released by Giannoulias’ office. The Secretary of State’s Office does not send text messages about vehicle registrations or driver’s licenses.

*** Statehouse News ***

* Tribune | Illinois Senate to weigh measure prohibiting public schools from denying students based on immigration status: In the final days of the spring legislative session, Illinois lawmakers this week advanced a bill to the Senate that would prohibit public schools from denying a student access to free education based on that child’s immigration status or that of their parents — a move aimed at reinforcing long-standing constitutional federal protections amid renewed scrutiny of immigrant rights at the state level. The bill, sponsored in the House by Chicago Democratic Rep. Lilian Jiménez, would prohibit a child within Illinois from being deprived of free public education through high school “based on the child’s perceived or actual immigration status or the child’s parent’s or guardian’s perceived or actual citizenship or immigration status.” The legislation also says a school must not exclude a child “from participation in or deny a child the benefits of any program or activity” for those same reasons.

* Tribune | Illinois House passes bill allowing terminally ill people to end their lives with physician’s help: It marks the first time a medical aid in dying bill has passed through one legislative chamber in Illinois since advocates unsuccessfully pushed for the practice to be legalized in the state last year. The bill passed late Thursday by a 63-42 vote, just three votes more than the minimum number required for bills to pass the House by a simple majority, with a handful of Democrats joining Republicans in voting against it.

* Capitol News Illinois | Illinois bill aims to lower cost of prescriptions, rein in pharmacy benefit managers: A bill that seeks to control the rising cost of prescription drugs while also offering financial help for many small, independent pharmacies in Illinois cleared the state Senate on Thursday and awaits action in the House. The bill, known as the Prescription Drug Affordability Act, contained in House Bill 1697, would put new regulations and impose new fees on a large but little understood segment of the prescription drug industry — pharmacy benefit managers, or PBMs.

*** Chicago ***

* Sun-Times | Because Johnson balks at compromise ‘granny flats’ measure, affordable housing lags, ex-zoning chair says: That’s the hard reality of the stalled “Accessory Dwelling Unit” ordinance, according to Ald. Bennett Lawson (44th) who spent more than a year trying to forge a compromise while serving as acting chair of the City Council’s Zoning Committee. Lawson was tasked with holding down the fort after allegations of bullying and intimidation of colleagues forced the resignation of Johnson’s former Zoning Chair, Carlos Ramirez-Rosa (35th), who has since been appointed Chicago Park District superintendent.

* Sun-Times | Is Chicago’s interim U.S. attorney here to stay? Judges could play an unusual role in picking top prosecutor: Andrew Boutros’ appointment by Attorney General Pam Bondi gives him only four months to serve. President Donald Trump could try to appoint someone else. Or federal judges could end up making the call.

* WTTW | CPS Renews Urban Prep Charter Schools Contract After District Previously Sought to Take Over Schools: A previous iteration of the board voted in October 2022 to revoke Urban Prep’s charters with CPS set to take over management of those schools amid allegations of financial mismanagement and sexual misconduct by Urban Prep leadership. Urban Prep’s founder Tim King resigned his position that year following an investigation into allegations he sexually touched and groomed a minor student. King has denied those allegations, though they were substantiated in a report from the CPS Office of Inspector General.

* WTTW | ‘The Experience of a Lifetime’: CPS CEO Pedro Martinez Reflects on Tenure as He’s Set to Leave School District: Martinez on Thursday reflected on his time as Chicago’s schools chief during what will be his final monthly meeting of the board before he exits the city to take over as Massachusetts’ next school board commissioner. “This district welcomed me with open arms when I came to the United States from Mexico at the age of 5,” an emotional Martinez said. “I was at Walsh Elementary, where I learned how to speak English, where teachers began to see the potential in me that I did not see in myself.”

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* CBS Chicago | Former Dolton mayor Tiffany Henyard could be jailed if she doesn’t show up to court Friday: Henyard is due in court for failing to produce records in a lawsuit against her and the village over documents she hasn’t handed over as part of a Freedom of Information Act request. A judge previously said Henyard could be fined $1,000 a day if she doesn’t give the documents to the plaintiff’s lawyer. If Henyard doesn’t show up to court Friday, she could be thrown in jail.

* Daily Herald | ‘I was in fear for my life’: Reports, video tell story of Rolling Meadows sergeant’s road rage arrest in Elgin: Minutes after the road-rage altercation that left him behind bars and on unpaid leave, Rolling Meadows police Sgt. Carlos Saez told investigating officers he was defending himself from a “gang member” trying to disarm him. “He was overpowering me, and I was in fear for my life,” Saez said. Some eyewitness reports and surveillance video that captured the brawl in the middle of a busy Elgin road paint a different picture, one of two men engaging in a fistfight … until one used a gun. […] He’s accused of pistol-whipping the other man during the confrontation, leaving him bloodied from a cut to the temple, and firing a gunshot near his head.

* Daily Herald | Aurora fills alderman vacancy: The Aurora City Council has named Will F. White to fill the vacant alderman-at-large post. Council members approved White’s appointment this week after interviewing four applicants in a closed-door session. Mayor John Laesch said that at least 130 people applied for the position. He interviewed 14 residents and narrowed the choices to four.

* Daily Herald | DuPage forest preserve plans major transformation of Wood Dale golf course: The DuPage County forest preserve board is set to vote next week on a contract with Wadsworth Golf Construction to move forward with a planned renovation of the district-owned course. The contract on Tuesday’s board agenda is expected to cost up to nearly $14.9 million. Wadsworth also completed the overhaul of Oak Meadows, transforming a property with a history of flooding into a prime 18-hole course officially renamed The Preserve at Oak Meadows. In recognizing the project with one its 2017 “Force of Nature” awards, the Chicago Wilderness Alliance highlighted how previously manicured fairways and turf became acres of upland prairie and oak savanna.

* Daily Southtown | Frankfort receives $1.6 million grant to expand bike and pedestrian trail system: The village applied for the Illinois Transportation Enhancement Program in 2022, but was unsuccessful. Ogle said they applied again last year but budgeted for the $2.2 million project to ensure construction was set for next spring. The 10-feet-wide, 1.5 mile long trail is expected to open to pedestrians and bicyclists next summer, Ogle said.

* Naperville Sun | Naperville City Council: New pay structure for nonunion employees approved, energy procurement workshop discussed: The council unanimously approved new pay ranges for nonunion employees. The altered structure is the result of a compensation study completed in April by consultant McGrath Human Resources Group. By analyzing city salaries against compensation data from comparable organizations — such as the Naperville Park District and DuPage County, among others — McGrath found that Naperville’s nonunion pay structure wasn’t in line with the average market rate, according to a city staff report.

* Naperville Sun | Donna Vickroy: At 78, suburban ‘Butterfly Man’ still releasing thousands of monarchs and swallowtails: Since he emerged as a butterfly rescuer in 2007, Bob Erlich has released more than 36,000 monarchs and swallowtails into Chicago’s suburban landscape. “It never gets old,” the 78-year-old Evergreen Park resident said. “From that first release to today, it’s still wonderful to watch them take flight.” After reading a newspaper story 18 years ago about the endangered monarch, the former jewelry salesman decided to pivot a job layoff into a retirement cause.

*** Downstate ***

* WQAD | Rock Island-Milan School District deputy superintendent placed on leave amid investigation: Jeff Dase, deputy superintendent of the Rock Island-Milan School District, was placed on administrative leave earlier this month amid an internal investigation. […] Dase was previously the subject of a separate complaint in late 2024. That investigation reviewed concerns about his conduct during a meeting but found no violations of board policy or professional conduct standards. No disciplinary action was taken at the time.

* Illinois Times | Two Springfield attorneys have law licenses suspended: The report states that work schedules subpoenaed from the Sangamon County Public Defender and Illinois Attorney General’s offices show her working for both entities during the same hours. Further, the report contends court dockets show both Jason and Salena Young appeared as lawyers in court in private parental rights cases at a time when they were supposed to be working for the taxpayers. Jason Young was suspended from practicing law for 90 days, beginning Dec. 10, following an investigation into these allegations.

* WGLT | New health care provider for Rivian employees coming to Normal outlet mall: Phase one will allow Florida-based Pentus Health to serve the majority of Rivian’s employees and contractors. That phase should be completed by the end of June. Ultimately, the 35,000-square-foot space will be open to others in the Bloomington-Normal area. The estimated cost for when the project is complete, including medical equipment, is around $10 million.

* IPM News | School board votes out Champaign Unit 4 Superintendent Shelia Boozer: The majority of the school board voted Thursday to approve a separation agreement with Superintendent Shelia Boozer. The move received vocal disapproval from a largely Black audience of parents and civil rights leaders. “Your leadership as superintendent of Champaign Unit 4 schools has been transformative. You didn’t just lead. You made us feel like we belong,” parent and Booker T. Washington STEM Academy Principal Cessily Thomas told Boozer.

*** National ***

* AP | Trump’s list of ‘sanctuary jurisdictions’ includes some that support his immigration policies: Officials who back President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown questioned how their jurisdictions wound up on a list of more than 500 that the Department of Homeland Security says are obstructing enforcement. Several communities were misspelled, including Cincinnati, which was spelled Cincinnatti.

* WaPo | Contradicting RFK Jr., CDC keeps recommending covid vaccine for kids: The CDC did not remove the coronavirus vaccines from the childhood schedule, as Kennedy said it would, when it updated its website late Thursday. Instead, the agency recommends the shots based on “shared clinical decision-making,” meaning children can get vaccinated if their parents and doctors agree.

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Fun with numbers

Friday, May 30, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Illinois Policy Institute…

Not only did Pritzker increase spending from $38.5 billion to $53.2 billion through six state budgets – growing more than any of the four prior state governors in terms of dollars – but he also outspent inflation.

That looks really bad.

But using their numbers means that almost $10 billion of the $14.7 billion increase was inflation. So, in real inflation-adjusted dollars, state spending has increased by about $5 billion through six budgets, or about $833 million a fiscal year. That’s a 10.5 percent actual increase since July of 2019, when Pritzker’s first budget was enacted.

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See What Real Shoppers Have To Say About The IFPA

Friday, May 30, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department

[The following is a paid advertisement.]

The IFPA would create chaos for local businesses and shoppers – potentially requiring Illinoisans to pay CASH for sales tax. What do real shoppers think about this untested mandate from Springfield? We found out.

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The Jay giveth and the Jay taketh away

Friday, May 30, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

* SB2008 is sponsored by Rep. Jay Hoffman (D-Swansea)…

The Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce released the following statement following House committee passage of SB2008, which includes key initiatives to enhance the Illinois Film Tax Credit and bolster Illinois’ economy through investments in new and existing businesses:

“Amid ongoing economic uncertainty, it’s more important than ever that Illinois adopt and expand proactive policies to attract and grow businesses. We thank Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity for their leadership in developing this comprehensive package, which contains numerous initiatives the Chicagoland Chamber has long advocated for to help drive our economy forward,” said Jack Lavin, President and CEO of Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce. “This includes expanding the wildly successful Illinois Film Tax Credit, which will further cement our state as a key player in the film and television industry, as well as a new tax credit for innovative manufacturers that will provide support for companies making large capital investments. Additional provisions will help established Illinois companies maintain and create new jobs, strengthen electric and hybrid vehicle supply chains, expand apprenticeship programs to build a skilled workforce, and help innovators develop and bring new products to the market. These initiatives showcase the depth and breadth of Illinois’ economy and will help us maintain the competitive edge needed to attract high-growth industries of the future, helping to secure our state and region’s economic success for years to come.”

More on SB2008 from the Illinois Manufacturers’ Association…

“We’re proud to have worked in collaboration with Gov. JB Pritzker’s office and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity on several key provisions of this proposal, including incentives to help small and medium-sized manufacturers build and upgrade their facilities and equipment, as well as extending and increasing apprenticeship programs that are crucial to building a skilled workforce for the future. We have championed efforts to support existing Illinois companies that are retaining jobs and making significant capital investments and are encouraged by initiatives to repurpose state properties into business-ready sites ready to welcome new large-scale development. While there is more work to be done, these are the kind of policies that help Illinois remain competitive and encourage continued growth.”

Lots more in the bill.

* SB26 is also sponsored by Rep. Jay Hoffman. The following press release is from a large number of business groups, including the two mentioned above, the Chicagoland Chamber and the IMA…

Leading Business Groups Oppose Sweeping Legal Overreach

Proposed Bill Would Expand Jurisdiction, Invite More Lawsuits Against Out-of-State Companies

SPRINGFIELD – Illinois’ business community is united in opposition to proposed legislation that would drastically expand Illinois’ jurisdictional reach. House Amendment #2 to SB 26 would expose out-of-state companies to lawsuits in Illinois courts—even when the underlying claims and parties have no connection to the state.

    “This last-minute request of trial lawyers represents a significant and concerning expansion of liability for out-of-state businesses operating in Illinois. The amendment would change Illinois from a ‘specific jurisdiction’ to a ‘general jurisdiction’ state, making any company simply registered to do business here subject to lawsuits that have no connection to Illinois—filed by plaintiffs who may have no ties to our state, on matters that occurred elsewhere. This proposal is rooted in the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision Mallory v. Norfolk Southern Railway Co., which opened the door for states to adopt so-called ‘consent-by-registration’ laws. While the Court found such laws do not violate due process, the decision left it to individual states to determine their own approach. Illinois should be cautious about taking a path that could make our courts a national magnet for toxic tort litigation. When similar legislation passed in New York last year, it was ultimately vetoed by Governor Kathy Hochul, who recognized the risks of such a sweeping policy. We urge lawmakers to reject this amendment and instead support policies that promote fairness, protect due process, and encourage businesses to invest and grow in Illinois.”

An excerpt of New York Governor Kathy Hochul’s (D) veto message (Veto #147) is below:

    “I vetoed substantially similar legislation in 2021 due to concerns that the proposal would represent a massive expansion of New Yorks’s laws governing general jurisdiction, likely deterring out-of-state companies from doing business in New York because it would require them to be subject to lawsuits in the State regardless of any connection to New York. The bill would cause uncertainty for those businesses and burden the judicial system.”

The trial lawyers’ bill cleared the House yesterday 75-37 and goes back to the Senate for concurrence.

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It’s just a bill

Friday, May 30, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* WAND…

A bill led by Gov. JB Pritzker’s office to drop drug prices through PBM reformed passed the Illinois Senate Thursday.

Pharmacy Benefit Managers, or PBM’s for short are known as the middlemen of the drug industry, negotiating a price between insurance companies, drug makers and pharmacies. […]

The bill championed by state Sen. Dave Koehler (D-Peoria) would ban the practice of spread pricing. He said on the Senate floor that from this change alone $50 million would be saved. […]

The legislation passed the Senate floor on a bipartisan 56-1 vote. The bill will now head to the House, where lawmakers could talk about it before session ends May 31.

* The Illinois Manufacturers’ Association…

The Illinois Manufacturers’ Association (IMA) released the following statement in support of SB2008, which contains numerous provisions to attract and grow businesses throughout the state:

“This legislation builds on the economic development gains Illinois has made in recent years by ensuring our state has the proper tools to attract new businesses and increase existing investments,” said Mark Denzler, President and CEO of the Illinois Manufacturers’ Association. “We’re proud to have worked in collaboration with Gov. JB Pritzker’s office and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity on several key provisions of this proposal, including incentives to help small and medium-sized manufacturers build and upgrade their facilities and equipment, as well as extending and increasing apprenticeship programs that are crucial to building a skilled workforce for the future. We have championed efforts to support existing Illinois companies that are retaining jobs and making significant capital investments and are encouraged by initiatives to repurpose state properties into business-ready sites ready to welcome new large-scale development. While there is more work to be done, these are the kind of policies that help Illinois remain competitive and encourage continued growth.”

If signed into law, SB2008 would also expand STAR bonds statewide, giving municipalities new financing tools to invest in capital projects that attract visitors and boost local revenues.

* Capitol News Illinois…

In the backstretch of the legislative session, horse racing advocates are pushing to revitalize the industry in Illinois and its accompanying horse betting, both long in decline.

City officials from Decatur and Illinois horse racing advocates joined an effort this week by Sen. Patrick Joyce, D-Essex, to push lawmakers to approve legislation intended to revive a long-stalled south suburban “racino” and open a path for a new racetrack and gaming facility in Decatur.

Joyce’s bill, Senate Bill 1473, would undo part of a 2019 law that gave Hawthorne Race Course, a gambling course in Stickney, authority to veto other racecourse developments within 35 miles surrounding their suburban Chicago location. At the same time, it would make way to build a new racecourse in Decatur. The proposed development would include grandstands, a sports complex, hotels, restaurants, a gaming facility and a training center. […]

Joyce’s bill has received blowback from small businesses in Decatur, who fear a “racino” of this scale might oversaturate the town’s already thriving gambling market.

Rep. Brad Stephens, R-Rosemont, said he’s concerned the projected growth associated with allowing gambling terminals at horse tracks might come at the expense of Illinois’ growing video gambling industry. […]

Senate President Don Harmon, D-Oak Park, indicated frustration at Wednesday’s hearing that Hawthorne Race Course has for too long failed to attract investment in its racecourse/casino development plans.

“How long do we give you? 10, 20, 30 years?” Harmon asked a Hawthorne representative at the hearing before voting for the bill’s passage in committee.

* Subscribers know more. WAND…

The Illinois House passed a plan Thursday night to allow anyone dying of a terminal illness within six months to have the option of medically-assisted death. […]

Experts say medical aid in dying is approved in ten states. They also stress that there have been no substantial cases of abuse or coercion since Oregon became the first state with the police in 1997.

“Qualified individuals must be able to self administer or self ingest the medicine,” said House Majority Leader Robyn Gabel (D-Evanston). “Physicians must inform the requesting individual about all of their end of life options, including comfort care, hospice, palliative care, and pain control.” [..]

Senate Bill 1950 passed out of the House on a 63-42 vote with two members voting present. The measure now moves to the Senate for further consideration. Although, it is unknown if the chamber has enough people willing to support the plan.

* House Minority Leader Tony McCombie…

Illinois House Minority Leader Tony McCombie recently passed a measure to expand the eligibility of Fire Chief license plates to include Mutual Aid Box Alarm Systems (MABAS) chiefs and allow trained and authorized MABAS chiefs to use red or white lights, sirens, and warning devices when responding to emergencies.

Senate Bill 1159 makes a change that will allow MABAS chiefs to safely respond to emergencies.

“As the wife of a fire Captain, I see firsthand the dedication and sacrifice our first responders make every single day,” said Leader McCombie. “This bill is about safety—giving emergency leaders the tools they need when every moment counts. Supporting those who protect us isn’t just smart policy—it’s the right thing to do.”

The piece of legislation earned unanimous support in both chambers—and after passing in the Illinois House this week, it will now advance to the Governor for his signature.

* WAND…

A state Democratic plan would protect the right to collectively bargain further by expanded current law.

The Public Labor Relations act in 1984 gave Illinoisan protections when bargaining with their employee. Now the protections would be expanded allowing the Public Labor Relations Board to investigate when employers do not collectively bargain in good faith. […]

“Under this bill, workers would be even more protected should their employer attempt to withdraw from the negotiation out of bad faith, so that their needs and interests are heard and their employer is brought to justice for their actions,” [state Sen. Graciela Guzmán (D-Chicago) said”].

Senate Bill 453 passed out of the Illinois Senate on a partisan 39-16 vote. It will now head to the House for further debate.

SB453 passed out of the House Labor & Commerce Committee (15-8) this morning.

* WIFR…

State Representative Joe Sosnowski rolls the dice on a bill meant to strengthen the Illinois gaming industry and sustain its long-term success in the Prairie State. […]

Sosnowski doubles down on House Bill 4070, which allows the three most under-performing casinos to relocate to a new community with the ability to support the jobs and economic activity that comes with this industry.

“It doesn’t mandate it, but it allows for those casino operators to put in a request and then bid out for a new location,” explained Sosnowski.

According to the American Gaming Association, the Illinois gaming industry supports nearly 30,000 jobs across the state.

“If we have 100 jobs in an underperforming casino location and we can shift those to an overperforming location, you know, we could triple the number of jobs and people that are employed,” Sosnowski said.

Rep. Sosnowski introduced HB4070 yesterday, it is highly unlikely it will see any movement before June 1.

* Sen. Rob Martwick…

Thanks to legislation led by State Senator Robert Martwick, several Illinois pension systems may soon see reforms to better protect retirement security for all public workers. [..]

House Bill 3193 is a comprehensive proposal that would address issues in current pension administration. Among the initiatives, the legislation includes changes to the Chicago Teachers’ Pension Fund to allow retired teachers who return to work to keep their pension benefits on a prorated basis rather than have them revoked entirely. This provision supports efforts to address the state’s teacher shortage while retaining the hard-earned benefits of retirees who are willing to re-enter the workforce.

In recognition of the risks firefighters face, House Bill 3193 would add breast cancer to the list of occupational diseases covered by disability provisions. It would also update policies within the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District to clarify the definition of salary for employees on disability benefits and require annual medical examinations for workers to continue to receive these benefits.

To provide financial stability for retiring state troopers, the measure would require the State Employees’ Retirement System to issue an estimated annuity payment when they retire. This provision would address the delays experienced by state troopers whose pensions are calculated using an alternative formula, ensuring they have time to financially plan as they move into the next stage of their lives.

The measure also opens up opportunities for service credit transfers between various systems, including between downstate fire and police funds, military service into the Cook County system, CTE teacher service into the Teachers’ Retirement System, and downstate police to the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund. These changes will help resolve issues faced by public workers who move between roles or agencies. […]

House Bill 3193 passed the Senate on Thursday.

* WAND…

State representatives passed legislation Thursday night to collect and publicize data on contraband found in Illinois prisons.

The plan could require the Illinois Department of Corrections to document the contraband, where it was found, and any method of entrance to the facility. That includes employee and visitor entrances, vendor entrances, mail delivery or attorney visits. […]

Senate Bill 2201 passed out of the House on a 109-1 vote. It now moves back to the Senate due to an amendment.

“As public servants, we have a responsibility to improve transparency between state-run agencies and Illinoisans,” said Sen. Graciela Guzmán. “Without transparency, there is no way for the public to trust that any plans to stop the spread of contraband are founded in evidence, and may instead be harmful to people who are incarcerated. This initiative will ensure any plans are rooted in facts, and ensure people who are incarcerated are not mistreated in the process of changing these policies.”

* Sen. Julie Morrison…

To protect Illinois residents from the long-term health risks posed by PFAS, or “forever chemicals,” State Senator Julie Morrison advanced legislation that would eliminate their use within common household products sold in the state. […]

PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are a type of synthetic chemicals designed for oil- and water-resistant purposes. Once released into the environment or absorbed by our body, PFAS do not break down easily and can accumulate over time. Studies have linked PFAS exposure to serious health issues including cancer, hormone disruption, immune system damage and developmental problems in children.

To reduce Illinoisans’ exposure to these chemicals, House Bill 2516 would ban intentionally added PFAS from seven categories of products sold and distributed in the state, including cookware, cosmetics, dental floss, children’s items, menstrual products, intimate apparel and food packaging. Morrison’s bill prioritizes products where PFAS exposure is likely to be frequent or prolonged, especially for vulnerable populations like children, and sets a 2032 implementation date to give manufacturers time to phase out their use. […]

House Bill 2516 passed the Senate on Thursday.

…Adding… The Cannabis Business Association of Illinois…

The Cannabis Business Association of Illinois released the following statement following House committee approval of SB90, which was amended to make key reforms to the state’s cannabis regulations:

“Five years after adult-use cannabis launched in Illinois, the state’s legal cannabis industry is at an inflection point. While we thank Rep. La Shawn Ford for his leadership on this legislation, which contains important reforms we have long advocated for – including expanded access for medical patients, added support for social equity license holders and flexibility for transporters – additional action is needed to prevent further erosion of the legal cannabis market,” said Tiffany Chappell Ingram, Executive Director of the Cannabis Business Association of Illinois. “We again call on policymakers to implement meaningful regulations to rein in the parallel intoxicating hemp market, which is undercutting licensed operators, evading health and safety regulations, and generating de minimis revenue for state programs because these products are not taxed at the high rate levied on licensed cannabis products. Today’s action is a step forward, but the work cannot stop here.”

  14 Comments      


See What Real Shoppers Have To Say About The IFPA

Friday, May 30, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department

[The following is a paid advertisement.]

The IFPA would create chaos for local businesses and shoppers – potentially requiring Illinoisans to pay CASH for sales tax. What do real shoppers think about this untested mandate from Springfield? We found out.

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Roundup: Collar counties, labor push back hard on transit funding proposal (Updated)

Friday, May 30, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Subscribers know more. Sun-Times…

State lawmakers are on track toward overhauling the governance of mass transit across the Chicago area, but a lengthy list of proposed new taxes could derail efforts to stave off the fiscal cliff facing the CTA, Metra and Pace.

Democratic legislators on Thursday were mostly on board with the proposal to replace the Regional Transportation Authority with a strengthened new body known as the Northern Illinois Transit Authority, overseeing bus and rail service In Chicago, Cook County and the collar counties. […]

State Sen. Ram Villivalam, D-Chicago, offered up a list of revenue options that he said reflected the “shared sacrifice” needed to maintain and improve service at the agencies collectively facing a $770 million shortfall next year.

That includes a 50-cent tollway surcharge, a redirection of a portion of suburban sales taxes to the new transit authority, an electric vehicle charging fee, a real estate transfer tax and a 10% tax on rideshares in the region. Interest earnings from the state road fund would also go toward transit projects.

* Daily Herald…

Several Collar County leaders called the revenue suggestions — to fix a $770 million budget hole Metra, Pace and the CTA are facing in 2026 — punitive. […]

DuPage County Chair Deb Conroy, however, told the Daily Herald she felt “blindsided.” […]

Another revenue item would allow NITA to claw back a portion of the RTA sales tax, which is dispensed to DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry and Will counties for transportation and public safety.

RTA sales tax money helps pay for services including transportation and the sheriff’s office in DuPage, Conroy said. “They would take that money away and we would never see it again — $72 million (for DuPage). We would have massive layoffs.”

* Capitol News Illinois…

Suburban residents would see several new taxes to fund transit that Chicago residents already pay, among other proposals to raise revenue:

    - A tax on real estate transfers in the city would be extended to the rest of Cook County and the collar counties, costing buyers and sellers of real estate $3 in taxes for every $1,000 of the transaction. Funds generated from the tax in the collar counties would go toward transit supportive developments while half the funds from suburban Cook County would go toward the CTA pensions.
    - The suburbs also would be subjected to a 10% tax on rideshares.
    - Counties would no longer get to keep a portion of the transit sales tax for their own infrastructure projects. Instead, it would be redirected to NITA.
    - Anyone traveling on Illinois tollways, which are mostly located in the suburbs, would also have to pay an additional 50 cents per toll, with the money going toward funding public transportation.
    - Electric vehicle drivers would also have to pay a tax to charge their vehicles. Drivers would be charged 6 cents per kilowatt hour at public charging stations in 2026, with the tax increasing based on inflation each year after that.

* Crain’s…

Labor joined suburban politicians in opposing the tollway surcharge.

“This proposal is inequitable, as suburban drivers would effectively subsidize urban transit systems such as the CTA, in addition to tolls they already pay,” Marc Poulos, political director for the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 150, testified.

* Tribune…

Tim Drea, president of the Illinois AFL-CIO, said in a statement that the two legislative proposals “(kick) the can down the road and (set) our state up for a future fiscal crisis.” The Amalgamated Transit Union Local 241, which represents CTA bus operators, opposes the Senate bill.[…]

Funding for the proposed CTA Red Line extension south of 95th Street was one point of discussion in a hearing on the House version of the bill Thursday. […]

After Thursday’s House hearing, state Rep. Marty Moylan, a Des Plaines Democrat who heads one of the two House transportation committees, said the removal of the CTA’s bonding authority from the bill was an oversight and should be addressed with another amendment.

“This is a major program that’s going to redo the whole face of transit and you’ve got to look at the greater good, which is we’re going to have an operating transit system, which is going to have reforms and operating more efficiently and safe so that people can actually ride the system,” Moylan said of the transit reforms as a whole.

* WTTW…

The public charging station provision drew a mild rebuke from the Illinois Environmental Council, with the group’s legislative relations director, Dany Robles, calling it “hugely regressive” since those stations are most likely used by people in multi-unit buildings and could discourage low-income people from buying electric vehicles. But despite that caveat, Robles heaped praise on the governance changes and funding proposals.

But transit advocates and many legislators broadly praised the transit proposals at Thursday’s hearing, saying they represented meaningful reform and much-needed funding arrived at through a deliberative and collaborative process. And they lauded Villivalam, the committee’s chair, for shepherding hours upon hours of hearings from a wide array of stakeholders and everyday riders.

The presidents of the Civic Committee of the Commercial Club of Chicago and the Civic Federation largely praised the measure in a statement.

“This legislation creates a governance framework that prioritizes safety, service, consolidation, modernization, accountability, and effective governance. If applied with rigor, it could lead to the desired future of an integrated, accountable regional system that fosters economic growth and opportunity in a manner expected of our world-class urban region,” they said. “This is not to say that the work is done—improvements to oversight and efficiencies among others, are still needed—but the legislation maintains a fair regional balance and avoids the gridlock caused by overly burdensome voting thresholds that have historically impeded fiscally responsible decisions.”

…Adding… RTA Chairman Kirk Dillard…

We are grateful the Senate is focused on the fiscal cliff, however, as proposed, the new revenue included in yesterday’s Senate bill fails to address the region’s $771M operating budget gap and would result in significant service cuts in 2026.

Multiple revenue streams in the bill are deposited into a new transit-supportive development incentive fund and others are dedicated to capital needs, leaving less than half of the new funding available for operations.

While the bill also requires the regional entity to take on additional costs for new initiatives like a police force without dedicated funding, which could further limit available funding, our focus today is closing the budget gap to avoid service cuts in 2026.

[The] following is analysis based on best available revenue estimates:


* More…

    * AP | Chicago risks severe cuts to transit. Its poorest suburbs could be hit even harder: Technically, the money doesn’t run out until the end of the year, and there will likely be a veto session that could provide another shot at an 11th-hour rescue. But transportation officials say they’ll have to start laying out the specific cuts next week if the funding doesn’t come through by then. “It’s not a light switch we can just turn on or off,” said Leanne Redden, executive director of the Regional Transportation Authority, which oversees planning and funding for the area’s transit agencies. “Even if we find funding at a future point, it’s a slow process to kind of unwind the unwinding.”

    * Center Square | Mass transit reform legislation revealed but funding stream finds pushback: State Sen. Seth Lewis, R-Bartlett, a member of the Senate Transportation Committee, said a recently filed amendment to mass transit legislation appears to confirm Republicans’ fears that it is a Chicago-Cook County takeover of regional transit funding. “Senate Republicans have engaged in good faith negotiations for over a year now with our Democratic counterparts on the Senate Transportation Committee. But what House Democrats have put forward is essentially a bailout for Chicago, giving the city a bigger share of future revenues while cutting the suburbs out of key decisions. We are continuing to work with our Senate colleagues with hopes that the ultimate solution is fair and equitable for the entire region, including the suburban riders we represent,” he said in a statement.

    * NBC Chicago | Chicago transit plan that would raise rideshare taxes, tolls blasted by critics: Under the terms of the proposed plan, the Regional Transportation Authority would be replaced by a new entity called the Northern Illinois Transit Authority, which would oversee the CTA, Metra and Pace. Governing that new organization would be a 20-member board, which would have five members appointed by the governor, five by Chicago’s mayor, five by the Cook County Board President, and five members appointed by county board chairs representing each of the five “collar” counties serviced by public transit lines.

  45 Comments      


Repeal The Interchange Fee Prohibition Act Now

Friday, May 30, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department

[The following is a paid advertisement.]

Mike Valentine, President & CEO of BCU:
IFPA Will Harm our Members and our Communities.
“Credit cards are the backbone of [our credit union]…IFPA is not a Visa or Mastercard issue; this is a financial institution issue. This really goes after the small guy.”
Stop the Chaos for Our Hard-Working Credit Union Members!

Paid for by Illinois Credit Union League.

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Open thread

Friday, May 30, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Meanwhile, in Opposite Land…


Dan Patrick defending a THC ban: "its antithetical to Texas culture."

Meanwhile, Texas culture:

[image or embed]

— Lyndon Baines Johnson (@lyndonbajohnson.bsky.social) May 27, 2025 at 4:24 PM

Like sunlight dancing on your skin

Man, that was so good. Just amazing. Full song is here.

What’s up?

  12 Comments      


Isabel’s morning briefing

Friday, May 30, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* ICYMI: Toll hike, rideshare fees, other new taxes threatening mass transit overhaul. Sun-Times…

    - State Sen. Ram Villivalam, D-Chicago, offered up a list of revenue options that he said reflected the “shared sacrifice” needed to maintain and improve mass transit service at the agencies collectively facing a $770 million shortfall next year.
    - Labor leaders and suburban officials slammed many of the revenue proposals.
    - State Sen. Don DeWitte, R-St. Charles, derided it as a bailout for Chicago and Mayor Brandon Johnson.

Keep an eye out for a transit roundup this morning.

***************** Advertisement *****************


Sponsored by the Illinois Health and Hospital Association

What’s at Stake with 340B: Hospitals and FQHCs Want to Provide More Services, Big Pharma Wants to Benefit Shareholders

Why do hospitals and FQHCs want to protect the 340B drug discount program? Because it helps them care for patients. The 1992 program, created by Congress, has allowed hospitals and FQHCs serving many uninsured and low-income patients to “stretch scarce federal resources as far as possible, reaching more eligible patients and providing more comprehensive services.”

Pharmaceutical manufacturers agreed with expanding 340B to include more hospitals in 2010, but in 2020 began imposing restrictions on 340B providers to protect their bottom line and hundreds of billions in annual revenue. Big Pharma has a significant financial interest in preventing legislation—SB 2385 and HB 3350—that would ensure the 340B program fully benefits patients and providers.

Big Pharma is looking out for their shareholders. Illinois hospitals and FQHCs are looking out for their patients.

Big Pharma claims patients aren’t benefiting from 340B. Here’s the truth:

    • Hospitals and FQHCs put 340B savings toward addressing critical community health needs.
    • Those savings provide access to low-cost medications and financial assistance to low-income patients.
    • Hospitals and FQHCs can also offer essential services, such as obstetrics, oncology and inpatient psychiatric care.

The Illinois Patient Access to 340B Pharmacy Protection Act (SB 2385/HB 3350) is modeled after legislation passed in 14 states. It reinforces 340B through the State’s authority to regulate the distribution of drugs and protect access to healthcare.

Vote YES on SB 2385/HB 3350 to restore 340B and help the most vulnerable communities. Get the TRUTH about 340B and learn why it matters to patients.

*************************************************

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

* Governor Pritzker has no scheduled events today.

*** Isabel’s Top Picks ***

* Sun-Times | At Illinois public universities, campus cops pull over Black drivers at higher rates: Black drivers were more likely than white drivers to get traffic tickets, while white drivers were more likely than Black drivers to drive away with warnings. Nearly 1 in every 3 Black drivers got a ticket rather than a spoken or written warning, compared to almost 1 in every 5 white drivers, according to an analysis of the most recent five years of data available.

* IPM News | Uncertain future for Chinese students cause concern at the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign: Many scholars at the University of Illinois are anxious after hearing the US State Department will begin revoking the visas of some Chinese students. International students who need to renew their expired F-1 or J-1 entry visa may not be able to return to the U.S. if unable to schedule a renewal appointment… according to an email sent by the International Student and Scholar Services.

* Sun-Times | Special section with fake book list plagued with additional errors, Sun-Times review finds: A recent syndicated special section in the Chicago Sun-Times included an article about cooking “delicious meals that don’t require turning on the oven.” The article’s author quoted acclaimed chef Alice Waters on oven-free cooking “as the ideal way to showcase peak-season ingredients,” citing her interview with Food & Wine magazine. Waters was indeed interviewed by Food & Wine in 2023, as cited in the section titled “Heat Index: Your Guide to the Best of Summer” — but she didn’t say anything in that interview like what the special section quoted her as having said. Waters’ executive assistant said the chef didn’t provide that quote and wasn’t interviewed for the section.

*** Statewide ***

* The Chicago Reporter | Tactical teams in Illinois prisons are reportedly using abusive practices a decade after “Orange Crush” case: Kool-Aid, syrup and peanut butter dumped on clothing and bedding. Wires ripped from electronic razors. Threats and instructions shouted by baton-wielding officers whose identities are concealed by masks and face-coverings. Descriptions of the April 28 tactical team shakedown in East Moline Correctional Facility in northwestern Illinois more closely resemble a fraternity initiation rite than a methodical search for contraband like drugs and weapons.

* Crain’s | Two local toy companies land at center of legal fight over Trump tariffs: Two Vernon Hills-based educational toy companies are now at the center of the legal battle over President Donald Trump’s tariffs after winning a preliminary injunction today that blocks the tariff policy as it applies to them. It was the second court in two days to block Trump’s tariffs. The U.S. Court of International Trade issued a more sweeping decision yesterday blocking most of the tariffs, though a federal appeals court today delayed the effect of that ruling.

*** Statehouse News ***

* Capitol City Now | IL lawmakers tussle over Trump’s Medicaid plan: Republicans saw irony in the resolution. “‘President Donald Trump brazenly lied to the American people, stating he would not cut Medicaid while actually lobbying behind closed doors to pass the bill,’” said State Rep Patrick Windhorst (D-Metropolis), reading from the resolution. “Behind closed doors? Where’s this budget being negotiated right now? Behind closed doors!”

* Sun-Times | Illinois lawmakers eye remedy for soaring electric bills:  The measure in Springfield would give Constellation an option to build a plant if a private data center operator is willing to foot the bill, according to Cunningham. He said no electric customer would be expected to fund the multibillion dollar project.  In a statement to the Sun-Times, Constellation said that it has no current plans to add new nuclear plants in Illinois. 

* The Pantagraph | Former Gov. Jim Edgar, nicknamed ‘The Reader,’ gets fitting tribute in Springfield: “I think it’s one of the most beautiful buildings of government in the state of Illinois,” Edgar said during the ceremony. “Make use of this beautiful building.” A Charleston native and Eastern Illinois University graduate, Edgar served two terms as a Republican representative in the Illinois House before becoming secretary of state in 1981. Among his achievements in that office was overseeing construction of the Illinois State Library building that was dedicated in June 1990.

* Center Square | Illinois lawmakers move ‘no content’ budget legislation: The Illinois Senate advanced a shell bill late Thursday evening without disclosing what the budget will include. State Senate President Don Harmon, D-Oak Park, said his chamber received a House bill with an appropriations title on Thursday. “We are reciprocating today by sending an appropriations title back to the House, and we’ll negotiate with the House on passage of a final budget,” Harmon said.

* Governor Pritzker’s chief of staff weighed in on the Tribune’s story about the Bears yesterday.…


* Crain’s | Chances of Bears victory in Springfield dwindling by the hour: The team’s army of lobbyists have been seeking to advance so-called megaproject legislation during the last week of the General Assembly’s spring session that would allow the Bears to negotiate a lucrative property tax break at their planned Arlington Heights stadium development while potentially enabling a sales tax break on construction materials used to build such a project. The stakes are high, but the odds of victory are low. The chances of any bill passing by May 31 are made worse if the team insists on assurances that public infrastructure dollars would follow the megaproject bill.

*** Chicago ***

* Chalkbeat Chicago | Chicago Board of Education renews 21 charter schools after months of delay: Historically, the school board votes to renew charters in January. But this year, the vote was pushed back several times, leaving families and staff with uncertainty as the end of the school year approached. The board also approved a resolution, first proposed last month, that seeks to impose new requirements and oversight on charter school operators. The resolution was approved with 15 members voting in favor, none against, and five abstaining. There was a brief but unsuccessful attempt by six members to remove a section that says state lawmakers should make changes to the law governing the privately run public schools, including barring operators from closing schools during the term of their agreement with the local school district.

* NBC Chicago | Community, elected leaders on South Side call on Pritzker to offer clemency for Larry Hoover: The former kingpin is now waiting to be transferred back to Illinois to continue to serve up to 200 years for the 1973 murder of William Young. “My response is very sensitive to any victim of any act of crime, but I have to go back to 50 years of penal system, which was designed for rehabilitation and at one point do we give a second chance,” asked Alderman Stephanie Coleman of Chicago’s 16th Ward.

* Tribune | Here’s when tickets go on sale for the celebration of Pope Leo XIV at Rate Field: Chicagoans can buy tickets to a celebration of Pope Leo XIV’s election beginning Friday, the Archdiocese of Chicago announced. The celebration, set for June 14 at the White Sox’s Rate Field in Bridgeport, is open to all comers. Leo himself, a native of the Chicago area and the first American to lead the world’s Catholics in the church’s history, will not be at the event but will address “the young people of the world” in a video message, according to the archdiocese’s invitation.

* Tribune | Chonkosauraus, famed massive snapping turtle, rises again from Chicago River: The famed snapping turtle, dubbed “Chonkosaurus” by internet commentators when pictures of her basking on a Chicago River pylon first went viral in summer 2023, reappeared earlier this week. The celebrity turtle and at least two companions spent the winter in brumation, a period of low activity akin to hibernation.

* Block Club | Hazy Skies Likely Friday As Canadian Wildfire Smoke Moves Into Chicago: Smoke is expected to reach the city by early Friday afternoon, with peak concentrations forecasted Friday evening, according to AirNow, which monitors air quality nationally. The smoke will likely shift east overnight, though lower levels of smoke may linger through Saturday and Sunday. Wildfires have spread rapidly this week in the Canadian province of Manitoba, the CBC reports. A state of emergency has been declared and more than 17,000 people have been forced to evacuate the area due to the fires.

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Sun-Times | Woman attacked at Carpentersville McDonald’s ‘fought really hard’ for hate crime charge: Grass said the weeks since the attack have been difficult but felt relieved that those responsible were caught and charged. “I fought really hard for that hate crime charge,” said Grass. “I don’t know what the outcome is going to be, but I want them to face consequences for what they did.” Grass was punched, kicked and knocked unconscious during the attack, she said. She suffered serious injuries to her face, including a broken nose.

* Daily Southtown | Field grows for successors to Robin Kelly, 5 either running or exploring options: The field of potential successors to Robin Kelly as 2nd Congressional District representative is growing, with five people either announcing their candidacy or exploring a possible run. This week, Cook County Commissioner Donna Miller said she’s formed an exploratory committee comprised of south suburban mayors to study her options. Yumeka Brown, a commissioner with the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District and Matteson village clerk, said Tuesday she is a candidate after initially forming a group to explore a run. She is also president of the Rich Township Democrats.

* Daily Herald | After some dissent, Villa Park makes police chief its new manager: Villa Park’s police chief is now the village’s manager, but not every trustee agreed with the move. The village board voted at a special meeting Wednesday to make Michael Rivas the new manager, replacing Matthew Harline. Harline had served as the village manager since June 2022. His contract expired May 12, the day new Village President Kevin Patrick was sworn in. The board voted to not renew Harline’s contract.

* Shaw Local | Batavia reconsiders restricting Kratom, synthetic hemp sales in the city: Originally proposed as an all-out ban, the city is now considering less invasive regulations aimed at keeping the products out of the hands of children without hindering local retailers. […] The original amendment was negatively received by Council members who tabled the item at their Jan. 28 Committee of the Whole meeting after concerns were raised during the committee’s discussion as well as over an hour of public comments from residents and local retailers.

* CBS Chicago | Reach Rescue resale shop in Chicago suburbs helps fund medical needs of dogs and cats: At Reach Rescue’s resale shop in northwest suburban Mundelein, your next bargain could help save a pet’s life. The shop sells upscale items at bargain prices; including furniture, antiques, and even rare collectibles.”All of the funds that come into the resale shop by the purchases are what fund the medical for our dogs, the upkeep of our dogs, and everything that you see in here has been donated to us by amazing people,” said Reach Rescue vice president and director Amanda Dziekanski.

* Daily Herald | Buffalo Grove, other suburbs gear up for annual Pride festivities: Buffalo Grove’s seventh annual family-friendly Pride Parade kicks off Sunday ushering in a season of Pride Month festivities across the suburbs. The Buffalo Grove parade at 11 a.m., with the theme “Pride is Natural,” will feature a special tribute to the late Tommy DeLorenzo, the beloved balloon magician whose creations have been a staple of the celebration. Organized by The Pinta Pride Project, the parade will feature more than 100 entries, making it the largest to date. It steps off near Buffalo Grove Road and Lasalle Lane and ends at the Buffalo Grove Fitness Center on Deerfield Parkway.

*** Downstate ***

* WIFR | Illinois US Senate hopeful campaigns against ‘devastating’ tariffs in Rockford: Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-8) guides a blade along a plank of wood inside Milescraft’s warehouse. The Democrat wears a neon yellow vest with clear, protective goggles. The scene is the latest from the Congressman’s “Trump Tariff Tour.” As a candidate to replace the retiring Senator Dick Durbin, Krishnamoorthi highlights what he calls the “devastating” impact of President Donald Trump’s economic agenda.

* WGLT | Heartland Community College president is critical of proposed federal education aid cuts: The head of Heartland Community College says federal proposals to reduce the amount of and eligibility for Pell Grants and other changes to higher education are “out of touch” with the world and students of today. Republican backed legislation would reduce the program by about 30%. HCC president Keith Cornille said school officials are still sorting through unclear proposals, but the consequences would be pronounced, affecting 1,600 currently enrolled Heartland students. Requiring heavier course loads to be grant eligible also could hurt their ability to earn a degree. Other education leaders in Bloomington Normal have also spoken out on the proposals.

* WGLT | Advocates for older adults hold day of action in Normal to protect threatened programs: Jewel Johnson is another regular at ARC. She was concerned her meals could one day be go away. “The meals would be cut, which would impact my income,” Johnson said. “We’re all on fixed income, and congregate meals help me budget my grocery bill and and it’s economical.”

* WCIA | Champaign Superintendent out and tempers flare at the latest school board meeting: Thursday was the third special meeting for the new Champaign school board — and perhaps the most consequential. Once again, it started with fiery public comment, with many in the crowd showing support at the podium for Sheila Boozer keeping her job as superintendent. […] After about an hour of public comment, the board got to new business — approving an amended employment agreement with Boozer, which will see her depart from the district.

*** National ***

* WaPo | Earth is likely to cross a key climate threshold in two years: Seven years ago, the U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change predicted that the world wouldn’t warm 1.5 degrees Celsius above preindustrial levels until 2040. Then two years ago, the group predicted the world would pass that threshold between 2030 and 2035. Now, new data from the World Meteorological Organization released Wednesday indicates that Earth will cross this point in just two years.

* CBS | Last living grandson of 10th U.S. President John Tyler, a link to a bygone era, dies at 96: Harrison Ruffin Tyler died on Sunday evening, May 25, his family said in a statement to CBS News. His grandfather, who was born in 1790, left the Oval Office more than 179 years ago, after serving from 1841 to 1845, well before the Civil War. President Tyler’s immediate descendants lived into the modern age because of two generations of late second marriages to much younger wives.

* CNN | Appeals court pauses ruling that blocked Trump’s tariffs: The United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit’s ruling restores Trump’s ability to levy tariffs using the emergency powers he declared earlier this year. The appeals court also ordered that both sides provide written arguments on the question of the blocking of Trump’s tariffs, to be filed by early next month.

* AP | White House acknowledges problems in RFK Jr.’s ‘Make America Healthy Again’ report: Asked about the report’s problems, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the report will be updated. […] Kennedy has repeatedly said he would bring “radical transparency” and “gold-standard” science to the public health agencies. But the secretary refused to release details about who authored the 72-page report, which calls for increased scrutiny of the childhood vaccine schedule and describes the nation’s children as overmedicated and undernourished.

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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)

Friday, May 30, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

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Selected press releases (Live updates)

Friday, May 30, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

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Live coverage

Friday, May 30, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Click here and/or here to follow breaking news. Hopefully, enough reporters and news outlets migrate to BlueSky so we can hopefully resume live-posting.

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Rep. Buckner talks about the budget, says legislature on track for timely adjournment

Thursday, May 29, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* House Speaker Pro-Tempore and Co-Budgeteer Kam Buckner spoke with reporters after caucus today…

Reporter: Can you can you talk about the budget as much as you can without getting yelled at?
Buckner: We’re close, we’re having good conversations. We are parsing out some of the finer details. […]

Reporter: The governor’s comments on revenue, yesterday. He said he would veto any proposal that had broad based revenue, service taxes and things of that nature.

Buckner: Broad based is a bit of a subjective term. We’ve always said the governor has said Speaker said this, the president has said that. Whatever we do to the balance the budget can’t be on the backs of working people. […]

Reporter: Is there a plan if this doesn’t get done by May 31?

Buckner: I don’t think that we’re at risk, obviously, we have a constitutional mandate that we have to adhere to. But more than that. Once again, the instability in Washington, the people in Chicago and Cairo and Carbondale need to know what’s going on, what they’re gonna look like if we’re gonna try to get them that.

Reporter: Are you confident that you can get at least 60 votes to pass the budget? This is a time of year, there’s often infighting between progressive and moderate Democrats, but what does it look like this year? Like do you are you confident that with whatever you’re gonna put out there, could you get at least 60 votes?

Buckner: One of the pressures you have with a big tent like ours, is that you have a lot of bureaucratic ideologies and political stances. We got a strong progressive caucus. We got a strong New Democrat Caucus, formerly known as moderates, folks who care about fiscal discipline. Also folks who care about making sure that our vision our values are applied as well. So I’m not worried about it, I know that we have to have more conversations about how we get to the requisite number of votes that we need to pass a budget. But when we get to the finish line, we have the final project, there will be, I think, that nothing is covered from a discipline standpoint of resources,

Reporter: Is there aything you can say, as far as teasers, like, will there be revenue enhancements? If so, what do they look like? We faced a billion, about a $1 billion deficit just a few weeks ago, it was projected by many. I mean, can you give any idea how that’s being closed to pass a balanced budget?

Buckner: To maintain the integrity of caucus conversations and budget negotiations, I won’t go into any specificity to that. I’ll just say we are running every single scenario to make sure that we land in a place that palatable to all of us.

Reporter: Has there been any agreement on any new revenue?

Buckner: Going back, I’m not gonna make news on that right now. We’re having conversations.

Reporter: Has online gambling become more attractive?

Buckner: Okay, there are a number of things people are floating out there I am not somebody who really understood the online gambling space. […] We’ve been talking to folks about it. We’ve heard from the advocates in the industry. And we’ve looked at states across the country, seeing what they’re doing right and what they’re going on. These conversations are bringing all those things into the table, and we’ll land on the right side.

Reporter: Asked about HBIA:

Buckner: So good question. I think what was passed last Thursday or Wednesday, whenever it was in Congress, does make things difficult for that program, for sure. Lawyers much smarter than me, I’m a lawyer, but not a good one, so lawyers much smarter than me are parsing through it to see what it means. As we finish up the many conversations, it’s really just about fine tuning everything to make sure that we have done all we can to serve as many people as we can. […]

Reporter: Have you talked about hemp regulation as a means of generating revenue?

Buckner: That has been a part of the conversation. Folks have talked about what that will look like in this budget. I don’t know that it’s something that’s gonna be able to happen in the next 48 hours.

As always, please pardon any transcription errors.

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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - More session stuff (Updated x3)

Thursday, May 29, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

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Isabel’s afternoon roundup

Thursday, May 29, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* The Triibe…

Criminal justice advocates, however, are hoping that the Illinois legislature also will pass five proposed bills they’ve long advocated for on the behalf of imprisoned and formerly incarcerated people. They are encouraging Illinois residents to call their state representative or senator to vote ‘yes’ on these measures that would do things such as restore voting rights to the currently incarcerated and create a fund to help people with housing and employment after release from prison. […]

The Reintegration and Civic Empowerment (RACE) Act, also known as SB1733, would give all people who are incarcerated in Illinois prisons the right to vote in local and federal elections. It would also require Illinois prisons to provide civic education courses to people serving time in prison. […]

The Clean Slate Illinois Coalition (CSIC), which is leading the effort, aims to streamline expungement and record sealing statewide.

For many impacted by the criminal justice system, the stigma of a conviction doesn’t end once their sentence is complete. A criminal record creates barriers to housing, jobs, and more.

* Illinois Manufacturers’ Association, Illinois Retail Merchants Association, Illinois Chamber, Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce and others…

Illinois’ business community is united in opposition to proposed legislation that would drastically expand Illinois’ jurisdictional reach. House Amendment #2 to SB 26 would expose out-of-state companies to lawsuits in Illinois courts—even when the underlying claims and parties have no connection to the state.

“This last-minute request of trial lawyers represents a significant and concerning expansion of liability for out-of-state businesses operating in Illinois. The amendment would change Illinois from a ‘specific jurisdiction’ to a ‘general jurisdiction’ state, making any company simply registered to do business here subject to lawsuits that have no connection to Illinois—filed by plaintiffs who may have no ties to our state, on matters that occurred elsewhere. This proposal is rooted in the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision Mallory v. Norfolk Southern Railway Co., which opened the door for states to adopt so-called ‘consent-by-registration’ laws. While the Court found such laws do not violate due process, the decision left it to individual states to determine their own approach. Illinois should be cautious about taking a path that could make our courts a national magnet for toxic tort litigation. When similar legislation passed in New York last year, it was ultimately vetoed by Governor Kathy Hochul, who recognized the risks of such a sweeping policy. We urge lawmakers to reject this amendment and instead support policies that promote fairness, protect due process, and encourage businesses to invest and grow in Illinois.”

*** Statehouse News ***

* Illinois Answers | ‘Granny flats’ are illegal to build in most of Chicago —and political gridlock is keeping it that way.: As Chicago leaders sit on their hands, proposals to permit ADU construction across Illinois are gaining support in Springfield, where lawmakers are pushing their own measures. Adding to the momentum is Gov. JB Pritzker, who recently endorsed ADUs as a tool to increase the state’s stock of affordable housing. “Think about carriage houses,” Pritzker said in an April 30 episode of the Volts podcast after an interviewer asked the governor about his housing agenda. “We’ve got neighborhoods where people are not allowed to have those as separate dwellings — or just the idea that we can, if we make a few tweaks here and there, we can significantly increase the amount of housing with the existing housing stock.”

* Tribune | Chicago Bears and Gov. JB Pritzker have quietly hired outside consultants for stadium talks: The state’s yearlong contract, set to expire in mid-June, was signed with Argeris’ previous employer, international law firm Hogan Lovells. […] Argeris’ role has involved meeting with Bears representatives, analyzing the team’s proposals and breaking down how they would affect Illinois taxpayers, according to the Pritzker administration. He also has advised the governor’s office on how the state could potentially generate revenue from a stadium project.

* NPR Illinois | Senator tries last-ditch push to boost horse-racing industry in Illinois: In the backstretch of the legislative session, horse racing advocates are pushing to revitalize the industry in Illinois and its accompanying horse betting, both long in decline. City officials from Decatur and Illinois horse racing advocates joined an effort this week by Sen. Patrick Joyce, D-Essex, to push lawmakers to approve legislation intended to revive a long-stalled south suburban “racino” and open a path for a new racetrack and gaming facility in Decatur.

*** Chicago ***

* Block Club Chicago | Chicago Museums And Libraries Feel Sting Of Trump Funding Cuts: As Chicago Public Library Commissioner Chris Brown wrote in a statement shared with Block Club, efforts to eliminate the Institute of Museum and Library Services are not just cutting a budget, but “dismantling the future of public libraries.” Patrick Molloy, director of government and public affairs for the Chicago Public Library system, said IMLS funding has been crucial in launching programs like the YOUmedia teen digital learning spaces, the public Maker Labs at Harold Washington Library, 400 S. State St., and other branches and the Summer Learning Challenge.

* ABC Chicago | Canadian wildfire smoke headed toward Chicago: Warmer temperatures are forecasted to settle in on Friday and through the weekend. Martinez said smoke and hazy skies are expected to roll in to the Chicago area late morning into the early afternoon. So far, no air quality alerts have been issued. ABC7 meteorologists will track the smoke and keep viewers updated.

* NBC Chicago | Ticket information released for Pope Leo XIV celebration at Rate Field: According to the Archdiocese of Chicago, those tickets will go on sale Friday morning through Ticketmaster, though ticket prices were not released. The seating map appears to have tickets available in all sections of the ballpark, in addition to floor-level seating on the field. According to the Archdiocese of Chicago, Pope Leo XIV will address the crowd via a video message during the event. The message will be aimed at “the young people of the world,” and will make its broadcast debut during the event, officials said.

* NYT | Chicago Museum Director to Return to Work After Airplane Incident: The board leadership “is confident in James Rondeau’s leadership and ability to continue as the president and director,” the museum said in a statement. […] “I deeply regret this incident and the impact it has had on the museum and on my colleagues,” Rondeau said in a statement. “I have dedicated the past 27 years of my professional career to the Art Institute and I am grateful to have the opportunity to continue furthering its mission.”

* Sun-Times | New opera honors the Black women of the Civil Rights Movement: In Montgomery, Alabama, a statue of Rosa Parks stands just blocks from the State Capitol. At her feet, granite markers memorialize four other women, but the monument offers little else about them. These women have largely been forgotten, until now. The lesser-known figures who powered the Civil Rights Movement are the subject of a brand-new opera, set to make its world premiere next week in Chicago.

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Daily Herald | Fermilab closing Batavia entrance for construction: Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory is closing its Batavia-side public entrance on Monday because of a construction project. The Pine Street entrance is being closed as the lab builds a Welcome and Access Center, which is expected to open later this year. Visitors can enter on the east side of the lab via Batavia Road in Warrenville. The entrance is open daily from 5:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. However, public visitors are only allowed on the grounds from sunrise to sunset.

* NBC Chicago | Lutheran school in west suburbs to close after 159 years: The school announced in January it was closing after 159 years, citing lack of enrollment and financial support. It first opened its doors on the east side of Aurora before moving to its current location 16 years ago at 85 S. Constitution Dr. “We’ve been struggling the last couple of years, and I think it was just a different time for our school to happen,” teacher and interim principal Mikala Perino said.

* USA Today | Second federal court blocks Trump tariffs, this time for Illinois toy importers: A federal judge blocked the Trump administration from collecting tariffs from a pair of Illinois toy importers, the second court in two days to nullify President Donald Trump’s top strategy for trade deals. U.S. District Judge Rudolph Contreras ordered the administration May 29 not to collect tariffs from Learning Resources and hand2mind based in Vernon Hills, Illinois, while the case is litigated. He paused the impact of his ruling to give the government two weeks to appeal his decision.

* Daily Southtown | Big Catch group’s first female Angler of the Year ‘blessed with talent I didn’t know I had’: Paula Stovall, 62, of Country Club Hills, became the first female to win Angler of the Year in the Big Catch Angler Association, a south-suburban organization which was established in 2004. Her “Pops” would be proud. Stovall was presented with the award in front of friends and family on her birthday, April 13, at a BCAA meeting in Chicago Heights.

*** Downstate ***

* WCIA | As Champaign Co. prepares to discuss a solar proposal, residents voice concerns: Thursday night, the Champaign County Zoning Board of Appeals will discuss a solar project and could give a recommendation of support or denial for the proposal to eventually continue onto the Champaign County Environment and Land Use Committee. For the neighbors by Bryarfield Court, they vote a big “no” on the project, and they’ve been very vocal about that stance.

* WSIL | Marion honors tornado victims with Tower Square bell ceremony: The tornado began just outside of Cambria and carved a destructive path through Route 13 directly into Marion. It left a lasting impact on the community by ravaging shopping centers, businesses, homes, and apartments. On that tragic day, 10 individuals lost their lives and 136 were injured. Many residents faced the challenge of rebuilding after losing their homes and businesses.

* WSIL | Carbondale’s SIH Memorial Hospital earns top maternity care honor again: “We’re proud to be named a Best Hospital for Maternity Care by U.S. News & World Report,” said SIH Chief Nursing Officer Jennifer Harre. “It’s a powerful reflection of the skill and dedication of our entire Birthing Center team-especially our nurses, laborists, neonatologists and support staff who provide expert, compassionate care every day.” SIH Memorial Hospital excelled in key quality measures related to uncomplicated pregnancy care, such as C-section rates and unexpected newborn complications.

* Journal Courier | State fair box office opening up next week: Those who arrive on the first day of in-person sales will receive one free adult admission ticket to the fair for every concert or event ticket purchased. The first 50 in-person customers will receive free State Fair Foodie Passes, which contain gift certificates for food items throughout the fair. Discounted Mega Passes will be available at the Emmerson Building or online and give fairgoers unlimited access to rides in the Carnival Midway and Adventure Village.

*** National ***

* Gallup | Record Party Divide 10 Years After Same-Sex Marriage Ruling: Democrats’ support has risen to 88%, the record high for this group by one percentage point. Independents’ backing for same-sex marriage has been relatively stable in recent years and currently stands at 76%, one point shy of the record high. At the same time, Republicans’ support, which peaked at 55% in 2021 and 2022, has gradually edged down to 41%, the lowest point since 2016 after the Obergefell decision. The current 47-point gap between Republicans and Democrats is the largest since Gallup first began tracking this measure 29 years ago.

* Thrifty Traveler | Exclusive: US Airlines Are Quietly Hitting Solo & Biz Travelers with Higher Fares: Since we published that story, we’ve searched through hundreds of fares and found plenty of examples that prove it: All three of the country’s largest carriers (American Airlines, United Airlines, and Delta) are penalizing solo travelers with higher ticket prices than you can book when traveling with a group – sometimes, significantly higher. It’s not exactly widespread – you won’t see it on each and every route – but it’s undeniable. And while it’s unclear how long this pricing tactic has been utilized, it doesn’t really matter: Whether it’s been just days, months, or even years, it’s something that few everyday travelers may realize is happening … or how much it might be costing them.

* NOTUS | The MAHA Report Cites Studies That Don’t Exist: Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. says his “Make America Healthy Again” Commission report harnesses “gold-standard” science, citing more than 500 studies and other sources to back up its claims. Those citations, though, are rife with errors, from broken links to misstated conclusions. Seven of the cited sources don’t appear to exist at all.

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Will the US Senate Democrats use the nuclear option? Sen. Duckworth says it may not work

Thursday, May 29, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Last week…

The Senate voted on Thursday to block California’s first-in-the nation rule banning the sale of new gas-powered cars by 2035, moving to kill the country’s most aggressive effort to transition toward electric vehicles as President Donald Trump’s administration has doubled down on fossil fuels.

The measure overturning the rule now goes to the White House, where Trump is expected to sign it, along with two other resolutions that would block California rules curbing tailpipe emissions in certain vehicles and smog-forming nitrogen oxide pollution from trucks. All three measures were approved by the Senate on Thursday and by the House earlier this month.

* Wonky bit…

At the heart of the controversy is whether the air pollution waiver that the EPA granted to California last year qualifies as a “rule” under the [1996 Congressional Review Act]. Both the Government Accountability Office, a nonpartisan oversight agency, and the Senate parliamentarian, a nonpartisan appointee tasked with interpreting congressional rules and procedures, issued advisory opinions earlier this year saying that it doesn’t. Republican Senator Mike Lee of Utah appeared to agree with this interpretation: A one-pager on a bill he proposed to repeal California’s waiver said that the exemptions “cannot be reviewed under the Congressional Review Act because the waiver granted by EPA is not a rule as that term is defined in the CRA.”

The Senate essentially overruled its parliamentarian.

* What the wonky bit means…

California has already announced that it will sue to maintain its waiver, charging that the Senate had no authority to overturn it. But the Senate operates largely on precedent, and now that the parliamentarian has been disregarded on this point, virtually any action the executive branch takes could be construed as a rule, and therefore subject to fast-track congressional review.

For this reason, Democrats could subject the Senate to time-consuming resolution votes repeatedly, to such a degree that the Senate would not have time to do anything else for the rest of this session of Congress. In other words, Democrats could respond to the waiver vote by paralyzing the Senate, and stopping the giant Trump tax bill from ever reaching the floor.

* I sent that story to Sen. Tammy Duckworth’s office and asked for a comment…

Senator Duckworth has made clear she is ready and eager to use all possible levers in the Senate to prevent Trump and Republicans from enacting their agenda that will devastate middle-class Americans.

That said, what Republicans showed with bypassing the Parliamentarian is that they are willing to change the rules whenever, and however, it best suits them.

So while this option could be effective, the Senator is under no illusions that so long as Senate Republicans remain unified in their willingness to be little more than a spineless conference of rubberstamps for Donald Trump, Republicans will not hesitate to simply change the rules again.

We’ll see if she does something.

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Senate unveils transit funding proposal, but DuPage County’s Conroy is a hard ‘no’ on much of it (Updated: Labor opposes funding proposals)

Thursday, May 29, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Subscribers were briefed this morning on Sen. Ram Villivalam’s transit bill, which, unlike the House bill, included revenue sources. Crain’s Chicago Business…

Villivalam’s bill includes a 10% tax on rideshare trips originating from or ending in Chicago, Cook County and the five collar counties that make up the transit corridor. The city’s rideshare tax already hits all single-rider trips with a $1.13 fee and shared rides at a 53-cent clip, with additional surcharges based on the time and location of the trip.

A surcharge of up to 50 cents would be added to the rate motorists pay on the Illinois Tollway system within the metropolitan region in Villivalam’s version.

The bill would also extend an existing $1.50 per $500 surcharge on property sales in Chicago dedicated to the CTA in Cook County and the collar counties.

Despite early opposition from trade unions, the proposal would dedicate the interest earned on monies in the state’s so-called Road Fund to transit capital spending. The fund captures transportation-related taxes in a lock box and currently allocates 80% of its spending to highway and road projects and 20% to transit.

* WTTW…

The measure, filed late Wednesday night, features a new menu of revenue sources to help keep buses and trains running that include an electric vehicle charging station fee, a tollway surcharge and extending money rideshare fees and real estate transfer tax to the Cook County suburbs and collar counties.

It also calls for some of the interest earned on the state’s road fund to go toward transit capital projects, and bars Metra from its past practice of redirecting operating revenue toward capital efforts. The revenue plan also anticipates cost savings from overhauling transit governance, as outlined in the measure released Wednesday morning.

The measure also changes the current formulas used to distribute money among CTA, Metra and Pace. For the first three years, transit agencies will get a baseline amount of money equal to the public funding and COVID-19 relief funding in the 2025 budget, with additional cash based on passenger- and mileage-related metrics. After that, the baseline will continue and additional money will be based on new service standards.

* Subscribers were also told this morning about this harsh press release from DuPage County Board Chair Deb Conroy, a Democrat and former state legislator…

This plan plays Robin Hood…taxes DuPage and gives to unelected bureaucrats at the transit agencies.

The Senate “solution” is no solution at all. The Senate plan steals $72 million dollars in DuPage tax revenue, imposes a local real estate transfer tax with no oversight from the county, and taxes suburban commuters. If passed as written, DuPage County will be forced into massive layoffs, crippling our ability to provide safe streets and neighborhoods for our nearly 1 million residents. The Senate plan decimates our Sheriff’s patrols, State’s Attorneys, Public Defenders and Probation Officers. DuPage will have less ability to feed the hungry, provide services to families facing domestic violence and homelessness. Programs for our seniors and disabled residents would end.

Slashing RTA Sales Tax

    • FY 2025 General Fund is $257.1
    • RTA sales tax is $72 million
    • If we raised the DuPage County property tax to the legal cap in 2024/collected in 2025, we would raise only an additional $3.5 million.
    • We cannot raise taxes enough to replace this lost DuPage revenue. This is a cash grab from the suburbs, plain and simple.

RETT

    • Increases the tax on selling a home 6 fold in DuPage
    • Would take an estimated $25.8 Million in revenue in DuPage County and give it to unelected bureaucrats at the transit agencies. (based on FY24 home sales)

Tollway

    • Would add $0.50 cents on all tolls.
    • Shortchanges Infrastructure spending and puts people at risk.
    • Takes money from suburban commuters to pay for a system they are not using.

*** UPDATE *** Frances Orenic of the Illinois AFL-CIO told the Senate Transportation Committee today that unions have “major concerns with the revenue proposals that are in there.” Mary Tyler, the Transportation Director for the Illinois Economic Policy Institute, also voiced concerns.

Marc Poulos with Operating Engineers Local 150 then put the proposal on blast. Excerpt…

We strongly oppose any transit governance reform legislation that lacks a dedicated and sustainable revenue source. Restructuring oversight without addressing funding issues is both irresponsible and counterproductive.

There is significant concern regarding proposals to impose a surcharge on Illinois toll roads to subsidize public transit. Tollway revenues are legally designed for Tollway related projects. Reallocating these funds would violate bond covenance, jeopardizing investor confidence and inviting legal challenges. This proposal is inequitable, as suburban drivers would effectively subsidize urban transit systems such as the CTA, in addition to tolls they already pay. It is unreasonable to expect public support for future toll increases, diverting current revenue for unrelated purposes. We advocate for comprehensive statewide transportation strategies focused on genuine investment, rather than mere governance rearrangement. This critique of utilizing Tollway funds for transit can be summarized as robbing Peter to pay Paul. These are concerns that a Tollway surcharge could deter drivers, ultimately diminishing funding for both roads and transit infrastructure. The surcharge would jeopardize public support for long term infrastructure initiatives, such as a 10 year Move Illinois capital program. We endorse increased investment of public transit to mitigate the impending fiscal cliff. Additionally, we oppose proposals that threaten the integrity of the toll system without offering a permanent solution.

I’ll just take a moment to just touch on a couple of the other potential revenue sources in here, and we are in opposition to those as well.

I’ll start with the first one, which is the sales tax diversion. So you have to understand at least a little bit of the history behind this. So roughly 17 years ago, we had a proposal here in Springfield to raise the sales tax that extended to the collar counties. That was, in fact, done. However, as part of that negotiation, there was not full hamstringing of that to be used just for transit. It was also able to be used for roads as well as public safety. There are a number of the collar counties that use it for just that and legally use it for that. Unfortunately, this, on day one, pulls the rug out from underneath them and undercuts their particular budget, which is a major concern of the five collar counties.

I’ll end with two other ones, the real estate transfer tax. We saw this as being a problematic proposition in the City of Chicago just last summer. We’re now offering that as a solution as well, but I will tell you that is not being offered as a solution for operations, which is our concern, that is being offered as a solution to transit oriented development.

I’ll go back to the Tollway. If you read the language in the bill, that is also dedicated for transit related development, not for operations, which is the impending fiscal cliff.

And I will close with the fact that we are also looking at a rideshare to pay for this as well. Albeit we don’t really have a particular position on whether or not that is good or not. But I think bringing the folks from rideshare into a room to figure out how that would work, whether there would be a preemption of current things at the local level or not, I think is probably a good idea.

We also appreciate the time spent by many over the last 18 months trying to solve this problem. But I just don’t think we’re there yet.

  46 Comments      


Stop Credit Card Chaos In Illinois

Thursday, May 29, 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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Protected: *** UPDATED x3 *** SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Session stuff: Energy; Transit

Thursday, May 29, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

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It’s just a bill

Thursday, May 29, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Sun-Times…

Despite facing legislative hurdles, Democrats on an Illinois House committee voted to push forward a bill that would let terminally ill patients request life-ending medication.

The legislation, which needs approval from the state House, Senate and governor’s office, would legalize the prescription of life-ending drugs.[…]

In Illinois, however, legislation approving medical aid in dying has struggled to gain support within the General Assembly’s Democratic supermajority.

“This is an incredibly difficult issue for me and my district,” state Rep. Curtis Tarver, D-Chicago, said before the committee’s vote. “ I will be a yes [on the bill] now, I cannot commit to being a yes on the floor [of the House of Representatives].”

* G-PAC…

The Gun Violence Prevention PAC of Illinois (G-PAC), the state’s leading gun safety organization, joined with lawmakers today to applaud the General Assembly’s passage of Safe At Home to protect more children and at-risk and prohibited people from accessing guns in Illinois.

House members voted 69-40 late Wednesday to pass Safe At Home (Senate Bill8) led by House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch and sponsoring Representatives Maura Hirschauer and Kevin Olickal. Safe At Home now heads to Gov. JB Pritzker’s desk for consideration. […]

SB 8 would better promote responsible gun ownership in Illinois by enhancing what it means to safely store weapons and strengthening reporting requirements for lost and stolen guns. Working together, these safety measures will protect more children, at-risk and prohibited people from accessing deadly weapons, targeting an increasing number of instances of accidental shootings, suicide, mass shootings, and crime and violence in Illinois communities. […]

Provisions of Safe At Home include:

    - Outlines improved safe storage requirements in homes where a minor, at-risk person, or someone prohibited from using firearms could gain access to them.
    - Changes definition of “minor” to a person under 18 years of age (military and national guard excluded).
    - Adds civil penalties associated with the failure to safely secure firearms; at first violation, courts may impose community service or restitution.
    - Strengthens requirement for reporting a lost or stolen firearm from 72 to 48 hours after the owner first discovers the loss or theft.
    - Requires education for gun owners of the obligation to report a lost or stolen firearm at the time of firearm purchase and FOID/CCL application and renewal process.
    - Requires ISP to create a portal for law enforcement to report individuals who have failed to report the loss or theft of a firearm.
    - Imposes penalty of revocation of FOID card on second violation for failure to report lost and stolen firearms.

* The Pantagraph…

Legislation that would authorize a race track and casino in Decatur has cleared the starting gate, but continued opposition from a key player in the gaming industry could keep it from reaching the finish line before lawmakers wrap up their spring legislative session later this week.

Senate Bill 1473, sponsored by state Sen. Patrick Joyce, D-Essex, passed unanimously out of the Senate Executive Committee on Wednesday. However, some members would not commit to supporting the legislation on the floor amid a dispute between the bill’s proponents and Hawthorne Race Course in suburban Chicago.

The friction could effectively punt the issue to later this year, a delay that could push back a privately funded $150 million project in Decatur that proponents say is “shovel-ready.”

And it could further imperil the state’s horse racing industry, which has taken a beating in recent years due to factors that included competition from neighboring states and closure of marquee racetracks like Arlington Park.

* Capitol News Illinois…

Legislation that would require Illinois public libraries to have life-saving medications on hand for people experiencing opioid overdoses and provide staff training has unanimously passed the Illinois Senate and is now on Gov. JB Pritzker’s desk.

The legislation, House Bill 1910, was proposed by a high school student in Elgin. It would require all Illinois public libraries to maintain a supply of opioid antagonists like naloxone — a nasal spray that can rapidly reverse an opioid overdose with virtually no side effects — and have at least one staff member working at all operating hours who is trained in administering the medication.

Illinois Math and Science Academy senior Jordan Henry brought the idea for the bill to Rep. Anna Moeller, D-Elgin, after volunteering with harm reduction organizations and researching effective responses to opioid substance abuse.

“It’s a good example of how anyone can change public policy if they work at it and are dedicated and have a passion,” Moeller said. Moeller first met Henry while door-knocking one summer, and after discussing Henry’s idea for the bill, worked together with her to draft and introduce it in the spring legislative session.

* WAND…

In 2024, carbon sequestration was legalized in Illinois with multiple concerns raised by farmers and GOP members. On Wednesday, state Democrats passed a plan in hopes to quell some of those concerns.

The proposal would give compensation to land owners if their property has been disturbed by the construction of a carbon capture pipe. Property owners could receive compensation if their crops, trees, fences, shrubs, livestock or other objects were damaged during construction.

“This bill further clarifies just compensation for land owners and gives further protection for surface owners in case their land is hurt or destroyed n the process of laying down a pipeline,” state Sen Laura Fine (D-Glenview) said on the Senate floor.

When called for a vote, the plan passed unanimously out of the Illinois Senate. The legislation will now head to the House floor for further debate.

* ProPublica…

Illinois legislators on Wednesday passed a law to explicitly prevent police from ticketing and fining students for minor misbehavior at school, ending a practice that harmed students across the state.

The new law would apply to all public schools, including charters. It will require school districts, beginning in the 2027-28 school year, to report to the state how often they involve police in student matters each year and to separate the data by race, gender and disability. The state will be required to make the data public.

The legislation comes three years after a ProPublica and Chicago Tribune investigation, “The Price Kids Pay,” revealed that even though Illinois law bans school officials from fining students directly, districts skirted the law by calling on police to issue citations for violating local ordinances. […]

The legislation passed the House 69-44. It passed in the Senate last month 37-17 and now heads to Gov. JB Pritzker, who previously has spoken out against ticketing students at school. A spokesperson said Wednesday night that he “was supportive of this initiative” and plans to review the bill.

* WAND…

A proposal to ban some rental junk fees passed the Illinois Senate Executive committee on Wednesday.

Junk fees that would be banned include fees that are put alongside an application fee, a lease renewal fee, eviction notice or eviction fee, routine or after hours maintenance fee, contacting a landlord fee, a maintenance hotline fee, a fee to inspect a unit and a fee to setup an online utility account.

Advocates say they’ve listed these specific junk fees because they’ve heard some Illinoisans have experienced at least one of these fees.

Originally the bill would ban move-in fees, but changed after behind the scenes negotiations. Now the proposal would not allow a landlord to charge a security deposit and move-in fee. However, when a landlord chooses the latter, the move in fee must not be more than 20% of the first full month of rent. […]

The bill passed out of the Illinois Senate Executive committee on a partisan 9-4 vote. Now this plan will head to the Senate floor where lawmakers could talk about it before the end of session.

  7 Comments      


Transit governance reform bill roundup (Updated x2)

Thursday, May 29, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Subscribers were briefed on the Senate transit revenue plan this morning. The House’s transit bill fact sheet…

NORTHERN ILLINOIS TRANSIT AUTHORITY (NITA) TO REPLACE THE RTA

• The strengthened regional agency is tasked with coordinating service, planning, and funding across the region.

• The Service Boards remain independent agencies, primarily tasked with operating and managing the public transportation service for the region. This will include:

    o Overseeing all existing employees under a collective bargaining agreement and hiring any new employees.
    o Participating in planning and coordination of certain functions overseen by the Authority.
    o Capital maintenance projects.

NITA WILL BE A STRENGTHENED REGIONAL AGENCY COMPARED TO THE RTA

    • Fares and Coordinated Fare Collection: NITA shall have the sole authority to set and coordinate fares; however, all fare revenue will go back to the Service Board that provided the service.

    • Budget and Financial Plan: NITA is charged with developing an annual budget, in which the Service Boards shall review and provide input for the Authority’s consideration prior to final adoption.

    • Capital planning & programming: NITA shall have the authority to develop the 5-year capital program, using a defined prioritization process; the Service Boards will submit projects for consideration in the program. NITA will manage large-scale, infrastructure expansion, and multiple-service board infrastructure projects, while Service Boards will be assigned infrastructure renewal, routine maintenance, vehicle overhaul projects, and others as deemed necessary by the Authority.

    • Service Planning and Service Standards: using defined Service Standards to be developed in the coming years, NITA will develop a regionally coordinated service plan that describes all service to be provided in the coming year or years, with Service Boards submitting proposed service plans; NITA will ultimately evaluate service based on performance standards.

BOARD CHANGES

• New board structure: more than half of the boards of the Service Boards are made up of NITA board members, to guarantee improved coordination and a regional vision across all boards.

• Changes related to RTA board and all Service Board member requirements:

    o All boards will have 5-year terms.
    o New boards will be appointed and take affect February 1, 2026 – with existing board members eligible to be reappointed.

• Board member qualifications: new language added that requires board members for NITA and all service boards to have relevant experience, including having backgrounds in urban and regional planning, management of large capital projects, labor and workforce development, business management, public administration, transportation, and community organizations.

• NITA Board training: Required to complete annual training on financial management and procurement laws, policies, and procedures.

ACCOUNTABILITY

    • Require Performance Audits: the Auditor General shall conduct an independent performance audit of the Authority and Service Boards every 5 years.

    • Create Chief internal Auditor: created within NITA to lead internal audits to proactively assess compliance with statutory mandates across the regional authority and service boards.

    • Oversight of Service Board Executive Directors: Service board ED must be approved by the NITA board, must report to the NITA Board for annual performance reviews, and the NITA board has the authority to vote to remove a service board ED for just cause or failure to comply with plans implemented by the Authority.

    • Farebox Recovery Ratio: reduced to 25% for first 3 years and if the Authority fails to reach this, funds will be withheld. Beginning January 1, 2029, the farebox recovery ratio reduces to 20% and becomes a performance measure; if the ratio falls below 20% for 2 consecutive years, the Authority must report to the General Assembly and consider strategies to achieve this ratio.

SAFETY

    • NITA Law Enforcement Task Force: The Cook County Sheriff’s Office shall establish a multi-jurisdictional task force comprised of officers from the Cook County Sheriff’s Office, Chicago PD, Metra Police, IL State Police, and other local law enforcement departments. The Task Force shall be dedicated to crime mitigation and NITA public transportation systems.

    • Sworn Officer Crime Prevention Program: taking into account recommendations from the Task Force, NITA shall vote to implement a sworn law enforcement crime prevention program and crime prevention plan within 1 year of the effective date of the bill.

    • Office of Transit Safety and Experience: NITA shall establish a new safety office, which will coordinate with the Authority, law enforcement agencies, workers, and riders to implement safety strategies. The Director of the Office shall be a full-time Chief Transit Safety Officer, who must formerly have been a sworn law-enforcement officer.

    • Coordinated Safety Response Council: crated under the Office of Transit Safety and Experience, this Council shall be made up of representatives from Service Boards, labor, law enforcement officers, social service providers, and others. The council shall be ongoing and charged with overseeing safety policies and programs.

    • Bus Shields: shall be installed by January 1, 2028 and future procurements of new fixed-route buses shall consider security barriers and safety.

    • Transit Ambassadors: transit ambassador program will be implemented to increase safety for passengers and personnel, provide passenger education and assistance, and aid in navigation
    of the system.

FUNDING DISTRIBUTION CHANGES

    • Formula Changes: existing formulas will no longer be used and funding will be distributed under a new process, described below.

    • New funding process for first 3 years: for the first 3 years, all service boards will receive a baseline level of funding equal to all public funding plus federal relief funding as used in the RTA’s 2025 budget; any funding above will be distributed based on vehicle revenue miles, passenger miles traveled, and unlinked passenger trips.

    • Service standards begin 2029: all service boards will continue to receive a baseline level of funding equal to all public funding plus federal relief funding as used in the RTA’s 2025 budget, and beyond that any funding above will be distributed based on service standards.

OTHER CHANGES AND IMPROVEMENTS

    • Fast track capital projects: NITA will be given the Authority to use a fast-track process for certain capital projects that are over $250 million, pending certain approvals. This process will increase the speed of coordination with local governments and utilities.

    • IDOT Transit Coordination: a Transit Integration Policy Development Committee and Transit Coordination Oversight Officer will be created within IDOT to better integrate transit policy, planning, and design into IDOT decisions, planning, and design.

    • Pedestrian access to transit: new language that would require local governments to include the addition of sidewalks/concrete boarding pads when a project is constructed or reconstructed within 500 feet of bus service or a transit stop; local government would be eligible to submit the cost of these improvements to NITA for reimbursement, with certain exceptions.

    • Enforcement of bus lanes/stops: NITA to work with local governments and law enforcement agencies to improve enforcement of transit facilities and accept evidence from cameras and other sensors on buses and facilities ad evidence of violation of law; NITA can implement its own enforcement policy and process if needed.

    • Regional Dial-a-Ride Program: NITA is instructed to hire a third party to evaluate existing dial-a-ride services across the region and offer recommendations for coordinated service across the region.

    • Responsible Bidder Requirements: NITA shall implement responsible bidder measures to ensure the safest, most qualified contractor is hired to perform the work on behalf of the taxpayers.

TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT AND RELATED CHANGES

    • Transit Oriented Development: NITA will have the authority to acquire, construct, own, and/or operate residential and commercial properties within ½ a mile of public transportation station or 1/8 mile of bus stops. They can also enter into contracts and agreements related to these properties. This opens the potential to generate new revenue from nearby developments and ensure transit-friendly development.

    • Property Inventory: NITA shall create an inventory of all property owned by the Authority or Service Boards to identify lands that could allow for development under the above TOD provision.

    • Transit-Supportive Development Incentive Program: NITA may create a new program and authorize funding to support investment in transit-supportive residential and commercial development, grants to local government for laws intended to encourage transit supportive development, and increased transit services.

    • Parking restrictions near transit lines: new language prohibits local governments from imposing a parking minimum within ½ mile of a public transportation hub (multiple transit stops); a developer of a project can voluntarily provide as many parking spots as they would like, but a local government can’t require a minimum.

* An outline of the new transit governance in the House’s bill…



…Adding… The Illinois Clean Jobs Coalition…

Representative Eva-Dina Delgado has introduced SB2111 (House Amendment 001) and Senator Ram Villivalam has introduced HB3438 (Senate Amendment 002)–monumental legislation that would implement significant reforms to Northeast Illinois’ broken transit system to make it safer, cleaner, and more reliable. The Illinois Clean Jobs Coalition released the following statement, urging the Illinois General Assembly to fix and fund mass transit by the end of the spring legislative session:

“The reforms in SB2111 and HB3438 take long-overdue steps to ensure transit agencies deliver a coordinated, cost-efficient regional transit service so that Illinoisans have access to safe, reliable, and affordable transit for generations to come. Along with these critical reforms, it is imperative the General Assembly takes action simultaneously to generate $1.5 billion in new funding for expanded transit service.

“We support the funding proposals in HB3438 that responsibly and equitably generate resources for transit. Those resources, along with the reforms in SB2111 and HB3438, will improve safety and rider experience, better integrate service across Metra, Pace, and the CTA, including moving to one fare to ride the entire system, and increase the frequency and speed of service across the region. These reforms will connect Illinoisans to job opportunities, doctor’s appointments, and educational resources, and take significant steps toward building the world-class transit system Illinoisans deserve.

“We look forward to continuing to work with the House, Senate, Governor Pritzker, and other stakeholders to finalize the reforms in SB2111 and HB3438 and pair them with a $1.5 billion investment right now. Offering safe, reliable, high-functioning transit options to all Illinoisans is essential if we are to reduce emissions from our transportation system, now Illinois’ largest source of carbon emissions.”

…Adding… Presidents of Civic Committee of Commercial Club of Chicago and Civic Federation…

“We are strongly encouraged by the public transit reform legislation introduced today and advancing through the Illinois General Assembly. Transit is essential to the Chicago region’s economy, businesses, livability, and future growth.

This legislation creates a governance framework that prioritizes safety, service, consolidation, modernization, accountability, and effective governance. If applied with rigor, it could lead to the desired future of an integrated, accountable regional system that fosters economic growth and opportunity in a manner expected of our world-class urban region. This is not to say that the work is done—improvements to oversight and efficiencies among others, are still needed—but the legislation maintains a fair regional balance and avoids the gridlock caused by overly burdensome voting thresholds that have historically impeded fiscally responsible decisions.

The proposed funding avoids service cuts and supports system improvements by relying on existing revenues and other transportation-related funding that have a close nexus to transit. As the package moves toward final passage, it’s critical that the strong policy reforms and transportation-focused revenue provisions remain intact.

We commend Senator Villivalam, Representatives Delgado and Buckner, Speaker Welch, President Harmon, Governor Pritzker, and their staffs for their leadership. Given transit’s essential role in our regional economy and daily life, we’re hopeful this balanced reform and revenue package crosses the finish line this week.”

…Adding… Sen. Don DeWitte…

Good morning Rich, I appreciated your including my quote regarding the Cook County City of Chicago takeover of the RTA in today’s ewsletter. However, after reading through Senator Villavalum’s amendment in the Senate, I must modify my previous statement. This is not just a Cook County City of Chicago takeover, this is now a Cook County City of Chicago, governor’s office take over. Please see Paige 194 line 9 in Senator Villivalam’s amendment. It’s specifies one of the governors appointments to the new board will be the chairman.

* More…

    * Crain’s | New bill would overhaul RTA and curb mayor’s control of CTA: Legislation filed in the Illinois House of Representatives would overhaul the Regional Transportation Authority, giving the organization a new name and more control over the Chicago Transit Authority, Metra and Pace, which provide rail and bus service across the city and suburbs. The bill, introduced by state Rep. Eva-Dina Delgado, D-Chicago, is a modified version of legislation backed by labor groups that would leverage and reshape the existing RTA, rather than creating a new transit agency from scratch.

    * Tribune | Lawmakers file transit reform bill, but don’t yet address fiscal cliff: But the bill, filed just days before the scheduled adjournment of the spring legislative session, does not include a proposal for how those reforms will be funded as Chicago-area transit agencies face an impending $771 million fiscal cliff at the end of this year. Transit agencies have warned that they would have to dramatically slash service if legislators don’t find funding to plug the budget gap, which comes as COVID-19 relief funding runs out. The agencies have said they will need to start planning for those cuts soon, though lawmakers could punt the issue to later in the year.

    * Sun-Times | Illinois lawmakers offer bill to address security, governance of mass transit around Chicago: “While we are making significant progress, conversations among colleagues, advocates, our workers and everyday riders are ongoing as we work to ensure that we provide viable, long-term solutions that will serve our region for decades — not just meet next year’s needs or temporarily fill a budget gap,” said state Sen. Ram Villivalam, D-Chicago, who has been a key negotiator on the issue.

    * Daily Herald | Goodbye, RTA. Hello, NITA? Suburban lawmakers divided over new transit bill: “I think we really got a winner with this bill,” Democratic state Rep. Marty Moylan of Des Plaines said. “We’re going to have a governing board that’s actually going to be in charge and make important changes.” Some suburban Republicans, however, raised alarms about the latest plan to fix transit. The legislation “appears to confirm our initial fears that this is a Chicago-Cook County takeover of regional transit funding and operations because the voting thresholds appear to be heavily skewed toward Cook County and the city of Chicago,” Republican state Sen. Don DeWitte of St. Charles said.

  10 Comments      


RETAIL: Strengthening Communities Across Illinois

Thursday, May 29, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department

[The following is a paid advertisement.]

Retail generates $7.3 billion in income and sales tax revenue each year in Illinois. These funds support public safety, infrastructure, education, and other important programs we all rely on every day. In fact, retail is the second largest revenue generator for the State of Illinois and the largest revenue generator for local governments.

Retailers like Jon enrich our economy and strengthen our communities. We Are Retail and IRMA showcase the retailers who make Illinois work.

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After Trump commutation, Larry Hoover must clear major state hurdle (Updated)

Thursday, May 29, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Sun-Times…

Larry Hoover took a big step toward freedom Wednesday.

But he’s not a free man.

That’s even after President Donald Trump commuted the life prison sentence of the 74-year-old co-founder of the Gangster Disciples, who’s been held for decades in the so-called supermax prison in Colorado.

Hoover still has a state-court murder sentence to serve. It’s not even clear if Hoover will leave federal prison. But Trump ordered him to be released “immediately.”

Only eight months ago, a judge seemingly dashed a mercy bid by asking Hoover’s attorneys “how many murders is he responsible for?” Now Hoover’s supporters are celebrating, and his attorneys are pressing for Gov. JB Pritzker to follow Trump’s lead and commute Hoover’s life sentence for murder in Illinois.

“The federal government has done its part,” Hoover attorney Justin Moore told the Chicago Sun-Times in a text message. “Now it’s time for the State of Illinois to finish the job.”

* ABC7…

Hoover still faces the remainder of a 200-year state sentence for a 1973 Chicago murder. While in prison for that murder, federal prosecutors said Hoover, one of the founders of the Chicago Gangster Disciples, continued to oversee that gang.

Prosecutors said he was an organizational genius and ordered murders, beatings and drug deals while behind bars.

He was convicted in 1997 and sentenced to six life sentences in connection with those federal charges.

* I checked in with the governor’s office. They sent me some background…

—Hoover has a sentence from Illinois he needs to continue serving.

—If he wants to pursue parole or clemency, he would have to petition the Prisoner Review Board (PRB).

—PRB makes parole decisions. PRB makes clemency recommendations to the Governor.

—Unlike Donald Trump, Illinois follows the law. That includes our state justice system.

…Adding… House speaker pro-tempore Kam Buckner…

The story of Larry Hoover reflects the duality that defines so many of our communities; pain and possibility, harm and hope, esp. in the crucible of poverty, systemic neglect, and desperation.

The commutation of Mr. Hoover’s federal sentence is not a dismissal of past harm. It is a recognition that even in a deeply flawed system, we must make room for redemption, resurrection, and renewal.

Over the years, I’ve spoken w/his son, Larry Jr., and his wife, Winndye. Their unwavering commitment to healing their family and helping to restore our communities is a powerful reminder: we are not only the sum of our worst decisions …we are also our ability to grow, to evolve, and to lead others; not to erase the past, but to build a better future on top of it.

We must also name this truth plainly: the mercy shown to Larry Hoover by President Trump does not erase the policies Trump continues to champion…policies that reinforce the very conditions Hoover came out of. The same administration that offered one man a second chance also is doubling down on criminalization, disinvestment, & division that makes redemption harder for millions more. Mercy without justice is not a sustainable model.

And we have to talk honestly about our city. Chicago has a long and uncomfortable relationship with violence. In the affluent parts of my district, people pay hundreds of dollars to cosplay as gangsters and tour the places Al Capone shot up. H.H. Holmes is treated like a twisted folk hero. We commercialize bloodshed when it feels distant…when it’s old enough, clean enough, or romanticized enough. But when the pain is current and difficult, we categorize it differently. None of it should be normalized. Not the glorification. Not the erasure. Not the selective outrage.

This is bigger than one man. It’s about second chances; for Larry Hoover, yes, but also for the thousands like him still seeking a path forward and the communities that deserve healing.

Let’s approach this moment with the honesty, compassion, and courage it demands.

  34 Comments      


As Budget Is Finalized–Remember That Senior Care Can’t Wait

Thursday, May 29, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department

[The following is a paid advertisement.]

The push to prioritize home care for seniors has overwhelming and growing support in the IL GA, with 30 Senators and 61 Representatives signed on, and counting!

The voices of seniors and workers are breaking through, as in this new radio ad that started hitting Chicago stations on Saturday and is now up in Springfield, and in this video making the case that lawmakers need to put seniors before big corporations and the ultra-wealthy.

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Open thread

Thursday, May 29, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* What’s going on? Keep it Illinois-centric please…

  4 Comments      


Isabel’s morning briefing

Thursday, May 29, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* ICYMI: Pritzker threatens to veto any budget containing ‘broad-based’ tax increase. Capitol News Illinois…

    - Gov. JB Pritzker said Wednesday he will not sign a budget that includes broad tax hikes to fund new spending as lawmakers are in the final hours of budget negotiations.
    - Pritzker said he would specifically veto any budget that includes tax increases on individuals, corporations or the sales tax – the three largest sources of revenue in the state budget. Pritzker also ruled out a sales tax on services to provide new funding to the state.
    - While Pritzker ruled out “broad-based” tax increases, it’s not clear whether he’d approve more targeted tax increases, particularly those that may not directly be paid by “working families.”

* Related stories…

***************** Advertisement *****************


Sponsored by the Illinois Pharmaceutical Reform Alliance

*************************************************

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

* Governor Pritzker will honor Illinois law enforcement officers at the Illinois Law Enforcement Medal of Honor Ceremony in Springfield at 1:00 am. Later, at 6:00 pm in Chicago, he will moderate a fireside chat with Senator Ron Wyden about the Senator’s new book. Click here to watch.

*** Isabel’s Top Picks ***

* WAND | Former Gov. Jim Edgar honored at Illinois State Library: “It’s a privilege to honor the legacy of Governor Jim Edgar – an incredible statesman, advocate and friend – for his career of service to our state and its citizens,” Giannoulias said. “The Jim Edgar Reading Room enshrines the former Governor and Secretary of State’s legacy and indelible contributions to our state’s library, which continue to have a profound impact throughout our state.”

* Crain’s | AMA urged to move medical board exams out of states that target abortion, gender care: In testimony submitted to the Chicago-based AMA, the attorneys general, including Illinois’ Kwame Raoul, argued that mandating in-person board certification testing in states that have aggressively criminalized or penalized reproductive and gender-affirming health care “endangers providers and threatens access to essential care nationwide.”

*** Statewide ***

* Sun-Times | Illinois doctors sound alarm on dropping COVID-19 vaccine recommendation for kids, pregnant women: Dr. Corinne Kohler, a family practice physician and president-elect of the Illinois Academy of Family Physicians, noted that the vaccine is not only intended to prevent severe illness but also to stop spread of the virus. “One of the other impacts in not immunizing, especially children, is that they are such a vector for viral diseases,” Kohler said. “When they’re not immunized, and even if they have mild or asymptomatic illness, they are still spreading it, especially to our vulnerable populations.

*** Statehouse News ***

* WGN | Lawmakers, groups rally against Medicaid cuts as state budget deadline looms: Elsewhere at the Capitol, Black interest groups and business owners, still reeling from the lack of diversity in the state’s legal cannabis industry, want Pritzker and the Democratic majority to make good on their economic access promises. “Political leaders who are vying for national offices need to demonstrate effective and equitable leadership here in Illinois,” said Creola Hampton with the Black Leadership Advocacy Coalition for Healthcare Equity.

* Business groups concerned about a possible Digital Ads Tax sent a letter to State Senators. Click here to read it.

*** Chicago ***

* Sun-Times | Long-stalled Navy Pier marina opens: After more than a decade of political waves that nearly sunk a $16 million marina project, boaters will finally be able to dock at Navy Pier for as short as one hour or as long as two weeks. The privately funded marina with space for 150 vessels opened Wednesday thanks to the persistence of its founder and developer, Randy Podolsky. “For those of you who may not recognize me, it’s because I’ve aged quite a bit since this project started. … I had hair, and it was black in 2015 when this started,” Podolsky joked during Wednesday’s ceremony.

* Crain’s | Southwest Side health centers CEO resigns after 17 years: Esperanza, a Federally Qualified Health Center group, made the announcement today, saying Fulwiler served during “a transformative era for one of Chicago’s leading community health organizations.” Ryan Gadia, Esperanza’s chief financial officer since 2018, has been appointed interim CEO during the search process. The Esperanza board of directors has launched a national search for a permanent president and CEO, the organization said in a press release.

* WGN | Kinzinger talks Trump and his own future in Chicago speech: Kinzinger spoke with WGN ahead of a speech Wednesday evening in Chicago. Since leaving office, he has traveled the nation for his “Country First” political action committee, telling the story of being one of only two republicans to serve on the Jan. 6 Committee. Despite having a conservative voting record, Trump supporters branded him a “RINO,” which stands for “Republican In Name Only.”

* Sun-Times | Andy Austin, whose sketches brought Chicago’s biggest trials to the world outside the courtroom, has died at 89: Before Andy Austin became a top courtroom sketch artist in Chicago, she had to overcome an artistic crisis. She’d grown weary of fruit. Apples and oranges, to be exact. Ms. Austin was a stay-at-home mom who’d studied art before moving from Boston to Chicago for her husband’s job, and she was looking for more exciting subjects to sketch than the produce that sat on her dining-room table.

* WBEZ | ‘Matrix’ filmmaker Lilly Wachowski on making movies about trans identity and liberation: Bound will screen this weekend at Chicago’s Music Box Theatre’s Sapphopalooza film festival. Lilly Wachowski will attend the screening and participate in a postshow talkback. WBEZ spoke with Wachowski about why Bound still resonates with audiences 30 years later, what really inspired The Matrix and what it’s like for LGBTQ+ artists making films today amid an era of contraction in Hollywood.

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Shaw Local | Mayor D’Arcy: Joliet having ‘renaissance’ as city rebrands itself as ‘a destination’: Before D’Arcy’s speech, Penn Entertaintment on Wednesday announced an Aug. 11 opening date for its new Hollywood Casino Joliet at Rock Run Collection, providing material that D’Arcy was able to use in describing the city’s advancement as a destination center. Downtown redevelopment includes the new city square that is expected to be completed by the end of this year. D’Arcy said the city also was focusing attention on the Louis Joliet Mall area, the city’s primary retail and restaurant district that could be supplanted by the Rock Run Collection project.

* Aurora Beacon-News | Will White appointed to vacant Aurora City Council alderman at-large seat: One of the two alderman at-large seats on the Aurora City Council was left vacant when John Laesch, who used to hold the position, was elected to be the city’s next mayor earlier this year. White, who is a 6th Ward resident, was appointed to the vacant seat by Laesch and approved by the City Council at its meeting Tuesday. “I’m very humble and blessed,” White told The Beacon-News on Wednesday. “I look to learn from those who are already alderpeople, and I’d like to see how I can best lend my services to the cause of moving Aurora forward.”

* Daily Herald | Schaumburg prohibits drones within 100 feet of village-owned property: The village’s decision follows a similar rule imposed by the Schaumburg Park District, Schaumburg Police Chief Bill Wolf said. The new regulations won’t prevent overhead photography, officials said. “It’s a safety thing, more than anything else,” Wolf explained.

* Naperville Sun | Police make firearm-related arrest No. 11 at Naperville Topgolf lot since early February: Officers were conducting a proactive patrol outside the 3211 Odyssey Court business when the odor of cannabis drew their attention to a specific area of the facility’s lot, Naperville police Cmdr. Rick Krakow said. Looking inside a parked, unoccupied vehicle, they observed several open alcohol containers and a handgun in plain view beneath the driver’s seat, Krakow said.

*** Downstate ***

* WCIA | ‘They have to go somewhere’; Danville officials trying to regulate public camping, mitigate homelessness: Yates said the ordinance is meant to tackle a complex issue of balancing property owner’s rights and the struggles homeless people face. On the other hand, Dwelling Place Day Center — that provides weekly services to the homeless — said the ordinance isn’t a comprehensive plan since it doesn’t offer an alternative of where people can go if they’re not allowed to camp out in parks or public spaces.

* SJ-R | ‘I did it for my mom.’ Sonya Massey’s son reflects on relationship with his mom before graduation: After Sonya Massey’s killing, Sontae Massey pulled his cousin aside. “I said, ‘It’s not fair that you have to become a man right now, but you’ve got to,’” he told Hill-Massey. “He looked at me, and he said, ‘I understand.’

* WGLT | ‘Realizing rights can be taken away’: Women organize first NOW chapter in Bloomington-Normal: Lindsey Delahunt is the president of Normal NOW, which officially launched this month with the group’s first member meeting. “NOW is a grassroots feminist group dedicated to advocacy, education and building a strong local network,” Delahunt said. “We hold monthly meetings, we’re going to participate in community events, and we organize around issues that matter — from reproductive justice to equal pay and LGBTQ rights.”

* WGLT | ‘An assault upon the promise of America’: NEA cancels literary grants affecting Normal-based Obsidian: A form letter obtained by WGLT said the NEA is “updating its grant making policy priorities to focus funding on projects that reflect the nation’s rich artistic heritage and creativity as prioritized by the President.” Obsidian received support from the NEA for the past six consecutive years. Harris said they were counting on $25,000 awarded by the NEA earlier this year to pay contributors and editors for their upcoming edition, and cover production costs for the digital and print journal. A second $40,000 grant applied to Obsidian’s 50th anniversary journal, was nearly complete when it, too, was canceled.

*** National ***

* CBS | Court strikes down most of Trump’s tariffs, ruling them illegal: The ruling — issued by a panel of judges on the U.S. Court of International Trade — halted the sweeping 10% tariffs Mr. Trump assessed on virtually every U.S. trading partner on “Liberation Day” last month, with higher tariffs threatened for dozens of countries. The court also blocked a separate set of tariffs imposed on China, Mexico and Canada by the Trump administration, which has cited drug trafficking and illegal immigration as its reasoning for the hikes.

* Barron’s | Federal Reserve Staff See Increased Recession Risk in Wake of Tariffs, Minutes Show: Federal Reserve staff now view a recession as “almost as likely” as their baseline forecast, according to minutes from the central bank’s May meeting, released Wednesday, highlighting the challenges current trade policy poses for the bank.

* WaPo | HHS cancels funding for Moderna to develop vaccines to combat bird flu: Under President Joe Biden, HHS had announced its intent last summer to award $176 million and then a subsequent $590 million in January to Moderna amid an outbreak of bird flu in dairy cattle. The virus has infected 70 people since last year, and federal health officials had previously described the effort as critical to strengthening the country’s pandemic preparedness. […] On Wednesday, Moderna announced that it had received positive interim data about immune response and safety from an early-stage clinical trial of roughly 300 healthy adults ages 18 and older. The move by HHS throws the future of the effort into uncertainty, and the company said it will explore alternatives for late-stage development and manufacturing of the vaccine.

* Mother Jones | Utah Study on Trans Youth Care Extremely Inconvenient for Politicians Who Ordered It: The consensus of the evidence supports that the treatments are effective in terms of mental health, psychosocial outcomes, and the induction of body changes consistent with the affirmed gender in pediatric [gender dysphoria] patients. The evidence also supports that the treatments are safe in terms of changes to bone density, cardiovascular risk factors, metabolic changes, and cancer…

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