Afternoon roundup
Wednesday, May 10, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Press release…
Governor JB Pritzker was joined today by Lieutenant Governor Julianna Stratton, Illinois State Comptroller Susana A. Mendoza, elected officials, and first responders to sign the Act-of-Duty Bill into law. HB 3162 retroactively provides Chicago police officers and firefighters disability benefits for the time they were unable to serve due to contracting COVID-19 between March 9, 2020, and June 30, 2021.
“Since the darkest days of the pandemic, our first responders — police officers, firefighters, and EMS workers alike — have been on the ground, putting their own health and safety at risk to protect others,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “When our first responders are disabled on the job, they deserve comprehensive benefits. HB 3162, a bipartisan Act-of-Duty Bill, ensures they get the benefits they are entitled to.”
“Our first responders serve and protect, heal and care, comfort and support, Illinois residents in their time of greatest need,” said Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton. “During the pandemic they continued to answer the call, many at great cost to themselves and their families. This law will provide them with full disability benefits they deserve for the selfless sacrifice they have made on behalf of the people of Illinois.”
As the COVID-19 pandemic gripped our nation in the early months of 2020, first responders jumped into action assisting the sick, dispersing testing kits, transporting infected patients to the hospital, and more. When officers contracted the virus themselves, even after taking precautions and wearing PPE, they often needed to be hospitalized and many were left without the salary and healthcare coverage they needed. For the past three years, COVID-19 was the leading cause of law enforcement deaths - far surpassing firearm and traffic-related deaths.
“Chicago police and firefighters should not have to die to qualify for full COVID disability benefits. And that was the unfortunate message the city’s pension disability board was sending with its rulings against my brother and Officer Diana Cordova-Nestad – and the other first responders disabled by COVID in the days before vaccines were available who are waiting to go before the board,” Comptroller Susana A. Mendoza said. “That’s unforgivable. I can’t thank everyone enough - my sponsors, Representative Hoffman and Senator Cunningham, legislators, and Governor Pritzker, for fixing this injustice for my brother and all our first responders.”
“Our first responders put their lives on the line to ensure we could rely on emergency services in the darkest days of the pandemic,” Assistant Majority Leader Jay Hoffman (D-Belleville). “The least we can do is make sure they receive the benefits they are rightly owed. I am appreciative of the strong advocacy on this topic from Comptroller Mendoza, first responders and lawmakers on both sides of the aisle.”
“Today, we have taken a significant step towards recognizing the sacrifices of Chicago police and firefighters who have suffered from the long-term effects of COVID-19,” said State Senator Bill Cunningham (D-Chicago). “This action puts Chicago police and fire in parity with the rest of the state by giving them access to the full disability benefits they deserve.”
The Illinois Works Jobs Program Act has already been revised to ensure that families of the COVID-19’s fallen first responders receive their benefits. The Act-of-Duty Bill furthers this initiative, giving those who were disabled due to the virus the benefits that they deserve.
Since the onset of the pandemic, more than 100 million Americans have been infected with COVID-19 and more than one million of those were left with long-term COVID-related disabilities.
“I am proud to stand with Comptroller Mendoza in support of our police officers and firefighters across the state. This legislation provides Chicago police officers and firefighters with the same COVID-19 disability benefits as our officers and firefighters in downstate Illinois,” said Deputy Republican Leader Norine Hammond (R-Macomb). “These brave officers and firefighters who fell ill and were injured in the line of duty deserve our utmost support and with today’s action, they will finally receive the financial support they’ve earned. We cannot thank them enough for their service to the people of Illinois.”
“In the darkest days of the COVID-19 pandemic, our first responders put their lives on the line to ensure the health and safety of our communities. Now when they need us, we need to be there for them,” said Assistant Majority Leader Natalie Manley. “By including the rebuttable presumption for first responders who have become disabled as a result of COVID-19, we are correcting a great injustice and ensuring that our first responders have the resources they need to live fulfilling lives.”
“While most of us were at home during COVID trying to protect ourselves, our police and firemen were in the midst of the virus, serving on the frontlines to serve and protect our communities,” said Senator Dale Fowler (R-Harrisburg). “It’s incredibly important we support them through this legislation, because they are the everyday heroes of our communities, and they shouldn’t have to stress about compensation in an event of a COVID exposure leading to a disability.”
“As a strong advocate for our law enforcement officials, I’m proud to continue supporting them by ensuring they receive the benefits they deserve,” said State Senator Meg Loughran Cappel (D-Shorewood). “We have to continue prioritizing the men and women who protect our communities.”
* This bill has passed both chambers…
To increase the baseline financial penalty for civil rights violations, State Senator Robert Peters championed a measure to create the Civil Rights Remedies Restoration Act.
“Business enterprises receiving federal funds should not be immune to the consequences of discriminating against people,” said Peters (D-Chicago). “Protecting businesses from punishment when they knowingly commit discriminatory acts goes against Illinois values.”
House Bill 2248 was created in response to the 2022 U.S. Supreme Court decision in Cummings v. Premier Rehab Keller, P.L.L.C. that ruled emotional distress damages are not recoverable in a private action under the anti-discrimination provisions of either the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 or the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
The bill would allow state claims for violations of federal civil rights laws to be heard in any court with jurisdiction. It further provides that Illinois courts may award no less than $4,000 in damages or other relief for violations.
“Illinois has maintained the status of being a welcoming state for everyone,” Peters said. “The Civil Rights Remedies Restoration Act will serve as a source of relief for those seeking assistance for emotional distress due to discrimination. Considering previous court rulings that have prevented Illinois courts from intervening, this measure eliminates the red tape and allows victims to pursue financial justice.”
* Press release…
“The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) supports legislation passed today by the Senate that will prohibit the use of e-cigarettes everywhere that smoking is prohibited under the state’s smoke-free law. ACS CAN supports everyone’s right to breathe clean smoke-free air.
“E-cigarettes pose a potential risk to people who do not use them through secondhand exposure to toxicants in the aerosol. Prohibiting the use of e-cigarettes in workplaces, including restaurants, bars and gaming facilities, can protect the public’s health by preventing nonusers from being exposed to nicotine and other potentially harmful chemicals in the aerosol emitted by these products. No one should have to choose between their health and their job.
“ACS CAN commends the General Assembly for passing this important legislation and looks forward to seeing Gov. Pritzker sign it into law.”
* Pitch…
Hello,
Writing to you about an international finance industry-backed bill (HB73) that would do away with portions of consumer protection laws that were recently put in place.
Last year, former Senator Collins, the legal funding industry, and advocacy groups negotiated a bill that gave a regulatory framework with consumer protections to ensure loans cannot be larger than $100k — the Consumer Legal Funding Act (CLFA) was signed into law.
But HB73 wants to do away with portions of that law:
• The bill would add a carveout to the Consumer Legal Funding Act (CLFA) for legal funding greater than $500k
• Under HB 73, the sky’s the limit on the principal amount, finance charges, and fees which could be harmful to consumers
• There is only one known proponent–the International Legal Finance Association. According to a WSJ article, foreign-funded shell companies underwrite many patent-infringement lawsuits against U.S. firms in industries critical to national security.
I wanted to offer you an interview with a rep from Woodstock Institute, an organization that works to advance economic justice and racial equity within financial systems.
* Press release…
The CHANGE Illinois team has successfully pushed legislation through the Illinois General Assembly! Our bill, HB 1496, is designed to fairly and effectively implement the ban on prison gerrymandering to ensure fairer representation for all Illinoisans.
We asked our supporters to take action and send an email to their representatives to call HB 1496 for a Senate floor vote. With your help, we were able to successfully shepherd it through both the Illinois House and Senate and get it one step closer to being signed into law by Gov. JB Pritzker.
* Equality Illinois…
A statement from Myles Brady Davis, Communications Director of Equality Illinois, the state’s civil rights organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) Illinoisans:
“We are extremely excited by Clare Killman’s historic inauguration to the Carbondale City Council. Killman is the first Trans person to serve on a city council in Illinois and she is one of only five Trans people now elected to office in Illinois. Killman’s inauguration is impactful for Carbondale, which has become a significant community of safety and refuge in Southern Illinois for folks seeking access to reproductive healthcare and gender-affirming healthcare that is otherwise limited, prohibited, or criminalized in their home states.
“Killman will be a powerful voice for change and will inspire more Trans people to run for office in their communities. We know Trans people remain severely underrepresented in all levels of government. At this time when more than 700 anti-LGBTQ+ bills have been introduced in state capitols across the country in 2023, when the opponents of equality are working hard to take healthcare away from Trans people, when anti-Trans forces have tried to silence an elected Trans state legislator in Montana, we need many more Trans voices in rooms of power. Now more than ever.”
* Isabel’s afternoon roundup…
* Sun-Times | Pritzker signs bill guaranteeing disability pay to first responders who contracted COVID-19: Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza’s Chicago cop brother was denied duty disability benefits despite contracting COVID-19 on the job in 2020. Mendoza, who attended Wednesday’s ceremony, wiped away tears as she thanked the governor and others who helped get the bill passed.
* Capitol News Illinois | As the COVID disaster declaration sunsets, Pritzker looks back on how Illinois came through the pandemic: “There are no restrictions,” Pritzker said. “Why was there a disaster declaration? Because in order for us to receive the federal benefits that were being offered to SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) recipients, who are the poorest people in our state, people who needed Medicaid, who are the poorest people in our state, you needed to match up your disaster declaration and executive orders with the federal government’s executive orders and disaster declaration. So we did that.”
* Patch | No Evidence Pritzker Planned Hinsdale Central Visit: “The District has reviewed its files and has not located any records responsive to your request,” the district’s records officer, Deb Kedrowski, said in a reply.
* Daily Herald | Don’t call her inexperienced: 32-year-old who was on city council sworn in as suburb’s youngest mayor: She was the city’s Ward 7 alderman for the past four years, after she first started showing up to meetings at city hall to get answers about flooding in her west-side neighborhood. She manages a team of financial investigators at CME Group that ensures integrity in the markets. And she just got married and bought a house not too far from where she grew up.
* Tribune | Group of four alleged teen robbers held without bond in slaying of off-duty Officer Aréanah Preston, killed while still in uniform during weekend confrontation: The four appeared for a hearing at the Leighton Criminal Court Building midday Wednesday. Judge David Kelly held the group without bond in front of a packed courtroom with police officers filling the benches and lining the walls.
* WTTW | Former Interim Top Cop Charlie Beck: CPD Needs to Embrace Consent Decree, Brown’s Leadership Came Up Short: “I was under a consent decree in Los Angeles,” said Beck in an interview with WTTW News. “I completed the consent decree while I was chief. And when people asked me what I would change after it was over, I said ‘nothing’ because it’s a road map to excellence. Yes, it’s a heavy lift, but when you’re completed with it, when you’ve done more than check the boxes but actually made the change that it demands, you have a much, much better police agency.”
* Tribune | 53 candidates apply to become next CPD superintendent: Anthony Driver Jr., president of the Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability, told reporters Wednesday that 53 candidates submitted their materials for consideration before the May 7 deadline. Of those, 32 applicants have current or former ties to the CPD, Driver said.
* WAND | Bill requiring water bottle filling stations heads to Pritzker’s desk: The change would apply to any new public buildings with an occupancy of over 100 people and properties that are 5,000 square feet or larger. State law requires water fountains in public buildings, but Democratic lawmakers say their plan would encourage more people to use their own bottles instead of having more plastic in landfills.
* Crain’s | CME shareholders vote no in droves on executive pay — and nearly oust a director: Holders of less than a third of CME shares, or 91.5 million, voted in favor of the pay practices and package for CEO Terry Duffy and other executives, according to a Securities & Exchange Commission filing today. Charles Carey, chairman of the compensation committee and a member of the Chicago Board of Trade since 1978, got just 54% of the vote to keep him on the board.
* WMAY | Springfield Ald. Shawn Gregory discusses his frustration with moves by the new City Council: Springfield Alderman Shawn Gregory discusses his frustration with the new City Council and some early votes it’s taken against measures important to him and his ward, and why it’s prompted him to suggest the city’s Voting Rights Lawsuit consent decree, ensuring minority representation, may need to be revisited.
* Tribune | Migrating birds set to risk their lives flying over Chicago, most dangerous city for migratory birds in North America: Thousands of birds carpeted the sky last night, according to Annette Prince, director and president of Chicago Bird Collision Monitors, a nonprofit dedicated to the respite and protection of migratory birds through daily rescue efforts, when on Thursday Chicago experienced a drastic shift in wind patterns moving up from the south, prompting waves of birds to pass through downtown looking for green space to settle.
* News-Gazette | Surprise! Champaign teacher honored with state award: Tate “inspires her students through her positivity, belief that any student can learn and her dedication to creating a classroom with a culture of learning,” the Golden Apple Foundation said in Tuesday’s announcement.
* Nerd Wallet | 4 things to know about the latest inflation report: April marked the 10th month in a row of overall inflation decreases. The consumer price index for all items rose 4.9% for the past 12 months throughout April, down from 5% in March. It’s a small decline, but it makes April the lowest annual increase since April 2021. That includes the peak for overall CPI at 9.1% in June 2022.
* Fresh Air | Millions of people have long COVID brain fog — and there’s a shortage of answers: Neuropsychologist James C. Jackson says people with long COVID can suffer from symptoms like exhaustion, shortness of breath and disturbed sleep. Some of the most troubling symptoms are neurological: struggling to remember things, to focus, even to perform basic daily tasks and solve problems.
* WSJ | The Home Buyer’s Quandary: Nobody’s Selling: Many Americans who want to move are trapped in their homes—locked in by low interest rates they can’t afford to give up. These “golden handcuffs” are keeping the supply of homes for sale unusually low and making the market more competitive and pricey than some forecasters expected.
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Meanwhile, in Opposite Land…
Wednesday, May 10, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller
* Idaho…
A federal judge denied Idaho Attorney General Raúl Labrador’s request to reconsider the order barring the state from prosecuting emergency room physicians for providing abortion care to stabilize a patient.
U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill made his initial decision to block part of Idaho’s ban on abortions in August, just before the ban went into effect, following a lawsuit filed by the U.S. Department of Justice against the state.
Idaho’s ban on abortion applies to all stages of pregnancy and makes exceptions only for documented cases of rape and incest or to save the pregnant person’s life.
The Justice Department argued that the ban conflicts with the federal Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act, which requires hospitals that accept Medicare to provide stabilizing medical care for all those who come to the hospital with an emergency. Winmill ruled that the two laws were in conflict and the federal law superseded the state law.
* Indiana…
For generations, the Kinsey Institute has shined a light on diverse aspects of sex and sexuality, in pursuit of answers that bring us closer to understanding fundamental questions of human existence. In a time of divisive politics and disinformation, it is more imperative than ever to preserve and defend the right of such academic institutions to illuminate the unfolding frontiers of science — even, and especially, research that might challenge us as it advances our understanding of ourselves.
Thus it is tremendously disappointing that Indiana lawmakers voted late last month to approve a budget that specifically blocks Indiana University from using state funding to support the Kinsey Institute, and that last week Gov. Eric Holcomb signed it into state law. This is an unprecedented action that takes aim at the very foundation of academic freedom.
The Kinsey Institute, where I serve as the executive director and a senior scientist, is the leading sex research institute in the world. We publish dozens of scientific and academic articles each year, across multiple disciplines. Our faculty are internationally renowned biologists, psychologists, anthropologists, health scientists and demographers. We house the world’s largest library and research collection of sexuality-related materials, and scholars from across the globe visit us to study these materials and to train in our research theories and methods. […]
As Kinsey wrote in 1956: “It is incomprehensible that we should know so little about such an important subject as sex, unless you realize the multiplicity of forces which have operated to dissuade the scientist, to intimidate the scientist, and to force him to cease research in these areas.”
* Kentucky…
A Powell County woman is being faced with an impossible decision: give birth to a child who will likely be born stillborn or travel hours away across state lines for an abortion. […]
“I see my baby that has no brain, that has no life and it hurts,” Maberry said. […]
She tells us she has to leave the state to seek abortion care because, at this point in her pregnancy, terminating isn’t an option in the State of Kentucky. […]
“We’ve been called hypocrites. We’ve been told that they hope we have to carry this baby to term and be made to,” Maberry said. “Those people that say that; they don’t know our story, they don’t know our pain and I hope to God, they never have to.”
* Florida…
Construction workers say many employees have not showed up to work because they fear deportation.
Critics say Florida Senate Bill 1718 is to blame.
If signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis, businesses could face a $10,000 fine for every undocumented employee and the state could revoke their business license.
Because of this, many construction workers who spoke to CBS News Miami say they are fearful of the future.
“Many workers are leaving, thinking they’re going to be deported, so they’re going to other states,” says Jose, an employee. “Everyone is really uneasy…we just want to work to help our families.”
* More from Florida…
Governor Ron DeSantis of Florida signed a series of bills Monday that bans Chinese citizens from buying land in the state. […]
One bill restricts Chinese nationals from buying land in Florida unless they are also American citizens or permanent residents.
Chinese citizens with non-tourist visas, meanwhile, would be limited to buying fewer than two acres of land that is at least five miles away from any military institutions, the Tampa Bay television news outlet WTVT reported.
* Even more from the Sunshine State…
Florida has rejected dozens of social studies textbooks and worked with publishers to edit dozens more, the state’s education department announced on Tuesday, in the latest effort under Gov. Ron DeSantis to scrub textbooks of contested topics, especially surrounding contemporary issues of race and social justice.
State officials originally rejected 82 out of 101 submitted textbooks because of what they considered “inaccurate material, errors and other information that was not aligned with Florida law,” the Department of Education said in a news release.
But as part of an extensive effort to revise the materials, Florida worked with publishers to make changes, ultimately approving 66 of the 101 textbooks. Still, 35 were rejected even after that process. […]
The revisions outlined by the state included:
- An elementary school textbook no longer includes “home support” guidance on how to talk about the national anthem, which had included advice that parents could “use this as an opportunity to talk about why some citizens are choosing to ‘Take a Knee’ to protest police brutality and racism.’” Florida officials said that content was not age-appropriate.
- A text on different types of economies was edited to take out a description of socialism as keeping things “nice and even” and potentially promoting greater equality. The description was flagged as inaccurate, and mention of the term “socialism” was removed entirely.
- A middle school textbook no longer includes a passage on the Black Lives Matter movement, the murder of George Floyd and its impact on society. The removed passage described protests, noting that “many Americans sympathized with the Black Lives Matter movement,” while other people were critical of looting and violence and viewed the movement as anti-police. The state said the passage contained “unsolicited topics.”
* Missouri…
A school board member in central Missouri resigned Tuesday, blaming a slate of bills introduced by state lawmakers that would negatively affect her transgender daughter.
Katherine Sasser, who served for two years on the Columbia School Board, said at a school board meeting Monday that her family will also move before the start of the next school year because the state “is no longer a safe place” for them, according to KOMU-TV, a local NBC affiliate. […]
While holding back tears at the board meeting, Sasser called on other school board members to “use our agency and privilege, wherever we find it, to stand in on behalf of those who continue to be attacked and minoritized,” KOMU-TV reported.
“Especially in these challenging times, believe people when they say who they are and what they need,” she said. “Lean in to community and care with one another. Choose compassionate action. Take care of yourselves and take care of each other.”
* Those bills now go to the desk of Missouri Gov. Mike Parson…
In the waning days of their legislative session, Missouri lawmakers passed a bill on Wednesday that would ban transition care for transgender youth.
The legislation, which had stalled for weeks in the Republican-controlled General Assembly because of disagreement over whether to include exceptions, is the latest in a national push by conservatives to limit access to medical care for transgender children, including puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones and surgeries.
The Missouri bill allows young people already receiving hormone treatments and puberty blockers to continue doing so, and the portion of the bill restricting hormone treatment and puberty blockers would expire in 2027. The measure would also ban transition surgeries for adult prisoners.
Missouri lawmakers also passed on Wednesday a bill that would ban transgender women and girls from competing on sports teams that align with their gender identity.
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* Gov. JB Pritzker was asked by reporters today if he had a response to former Gov. Pat Quinn’s call for a special session to take up a set of ethics reforms…
I saw the letter and I know there were enumerated some ideas at the end of the letter and I think those are, you know, ideas, some of them worthy of consideration. […]
Well, he’s asking for a special session. We’re still in session. So there’s an opportunity while in session and, of course, all along there are opportunities for the General Assembly to take up these ideas. […]
Well, again, I mean, the General Assembly has, you know, committees and hearings and has addressed ethics concerns over time. I don’t think that there’s anything that’s been specifically brought up by the recent doings in court that isn’t already illegal in law. They have been found guilty. And I think we need to look always at upgrading and improving our ethics laws in the state and so I want to continue to do that.
* Pritzker was then asked about downward revenue projections for the current fiscal year and if that means he’d be taking any of his budget proposals off the table, or what other impacts it could have…
Well as you know, we also projected downward number in the budget that I proposed in February, because we understand that the broader economy is slowing down a bit. And we also understood that the benefit to the economy of some of the stimulus that was put into it in prior years will also wane. So this is actually a lower revenue estimate that was put into my budget than we actually thought. We wanted to make sure that we were being conservative and you’ve seen I think everybody’s come down very close to where we are on the revenue estimate. So my budget actually takes all of it into account and if we pass the budget as it is, that budget would be balanced and indeed we would have a surplus.
* Has he figured out what to do about the exploding Medicaid program costs for non-citizens?…
Well, the General Assembly is considering all the options. The budgeteers as well as the various caucuses. So, it’s something that I hope they’ll come forward with their ideas about among the options that we presented, that they might want to use in order to make sure that the program fits within the budget. But my priority to be clear is balancing the budget. I’ve done that every year with the leaders. We need to make sure we do that again. We’re on a great trajectory from a fiscal perspective, we want to stay on that trajectory.
* He was also asked about Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s emergency declaration in the wake of an influx of asylum-seeking migrants…
What I can say is that we’re gonna do everything we can to take care of those who are sent here by Governor Abbott, that are sent here by mayors of cities in Texas. And it’s a humanitarian crisis. There’s no doubt about it. Thousands of people that are here legally, I might add. Asylum seekers here legally, who are being sent from the place that they arrived to someplace that they did not necessarily choose to go to. But it is our obligation as Americans to help take care of them. And it’s obligation of the federal government to step up and help us deal with that challenge. But we will do everything that we can. And I think if the mayor felt that an emergency needed to be declared, remember that just gives her more procurement capability than anything else. That is what she felt was necessary and I think that we’ve got to do what is necessary to take care of these folks. […]
There was an $800 million appropriation at FEMA that is meant to support states that are challenged with this. We’ve not received enough of that yet. And there will be I think more grants given in the next month, I am told, but we’re gonna fight hard for it and we deserve it. We’re doing everything that we should do to provide food, clothing and shelter for people who need it.
More on this presser later. I’m still waiting on some answers to a different question.
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It’s just a bill
Wednesday, May 10, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller
* HB218 is on Third reading in the House…
Gunmakers would be held responsible for dangerous marketing that contributes to gun violence under new legislation introduced by state Rep. Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz, D-Glenview.
“In 2020, guns surpassed traffic fatalities as the leading cause of death for children in the U.S. In 2023 alone, there were 58 unintentional shootings by children,” said Gong-Gershowitz. “Gun manufacturers enjoy a special immunity under federal law: they can legally market an insurrection to white supremacist groups like the Proud Boys and pink assault weapons to children too young to own one. HB218 is designed to hold gun manufacturers accountable and ensure families devastated by gun violence have a path to justice in Illinois civil court.”
Marketing campaigns sponsored by gun manufacturers often depict wanton violence, a weapon’s ability to cause egregious bodily harm and glorification of extreme paramilitary behaviors, effectively promoting violent criminal activity. Recently, an Illinois gunmaker began marketing a “JR-15,” a smaller version of the notorious AR-15 rifle but designed for children.
In the wake of the Sandy Hook Elementary mass shooting, courts found that parents have a reasonable claim against a gun manufacturer that engages in deceptive marketing campaigns promoting “illegal offensive use of the rifle.”
House Bill 218 would empower victims of gun violence to bring civil legal action against gun manufacturers in cases when firearm advertising contributes to illegal shootings. This legislation is the result of months of work by the House Firearms Safety and Reform Working Group in concert with stakeholders and representatives of the Senate and the Illinois Attorney General’s office.
* HB676 is on Third Reading…
* Capitol News Illinois…
Senate Bill 850 would direct the state’s Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, or DCEO, to establish the “Grocery Initiative,” a program that would study “food deserts” in Illinois and provide grants to new or existing grocery stores in these areas. The grants would be available to grocery stores that are organized as independently owned for-profits, co-ops and nonprofit organizations as well as grocery stores owned by units of local government.
“It’s incredibly expensive to run a grocery store,” bill sponsor Rep. Mary Beth Canty, D-Arlington Heights, said in an interview. “It takes a lot of product and your margins are very thin.”
The initiative was first introduced in Gov. JB Pritzker’s proposed budget for the upcoming fiscal year, which called for $20 million to fund the program. Canty, who is sponsoring the proposal in the House, said she will continue to work on it in the next two weeks as lawmakers craft next year’s budget.
The initiative was first introduced in Gov. JB Pritzker’s proposed budget for the upcoming fiscal year, which called for $20 million to fund the program. Canty, who is sponsoring the proposal in the House, said she will continue to work on it in the next two weeks as lawmakers craft next year’s budget.
* WGN…
A bill in the state capitol would remove the exemption of drivers of rideshare apps like Uber and Lyft, and lump them in with carriers such as bus drivers, train conductors, airline pilots, and taxi drivers, who have “vicarious liability”: if a bus rider for an unsafe ride sues the driver, the bus company can also be found liable for employing an unsafe driver under Illinois law.
Lyft officials are strongly opposed to the bill. They argue with the current laws in place, only 0.0002% of their rides have a registered safety incident. Representatives of the company also say the new rule would increase the cost for riders.
Uber is also against the bill. They argue if the bill becomes law, it may cause them to end services in some parts of the state and impact service for users in the state. […]
The Senate passed an amendment to the House’s bill. It now returns to the House. If approved, the bill heads to Gov. JB Pritzker to be signed into law.
* Uber now appeals to Mayor-elect Johnson…
* Tribune…
Advocates called Tuesday for changes to help medical cannabis patients and to broaden opportunities in the marijuana industry.
The Alliance for Cannabis Equity, a collective of social justice advocates, medical caretakers and trade associations, is seeking the changes to be combined in state law under an omnibus bill.
For medical patients, the group called for making curbside or drive-thru pickup permanent and for buying cannabis tax-free at any dispensary. For motorists, police would be prohibited from using cannabis as probable cause to make a stop. People with prior criminal convictions would be allowed to work in the industry; craft growers would get more space to cultivate their crop; and a single agency would replace the myriad agencies that regulate the industry.
“No substantive social equity law has been passed for two years, and action is desperately needed to address many issues,” said Douglas Kelly of Cannabis Equity Illinois Coalition. […]
Rep. LaShawn Ford, a Chicago Democrat, has led a cannabis working group that’s met to address some of these issues. He hopes to have a single bill to encompass many of these problems before the General Assembly adjourns its session, as scheduled for May 19.
* Scott Holland…
Policies don’t inherently prevent problems, they primarily provide recourse. But that truth doesn’t mean such efforts are wasted.
Consider two pieces of legislation moving through the General Assembly. House Bill 3425, which has already cleared both chambers, is the “anti-bullying bill” requiring schools to give parental notice of alleged bullying incidents within 24 hours. Senate Bill 90, which the Education Committee advanced to the full Senate, stipulates “each school district, charter school or nonpublic, nonsectarian elementary or secondary school must create, implement and maintain a policy on discrimination and harassment based on race, color, or national origin and retaliation.”
Many schools have well established programs for reducing bullying or being proactive about inclusion and tolerance. It’s hard to quantify when such efforts make a difference in the hearts and minds of individual kids, although at the district and region level there surely have been countless meetings and reports about what “works.”
Still, and I try not to come off as a crank when I say this, if some kid wants to call another kid fat or ugly or weak or just shake them down for lunch money, well, it’s probably going to happen and all the language in the school handbook mostly establishes the roadmap for what happens next.
* HB2044 is on First Reading in its originating chamber. Reps. Dagmara Avelar and Ryan Spain…
All around Illinois, the signs of change are apparent. The COVID-19 pandemic changed our economy, how we live and work, and how working-class and lower-income families struggle day to day.
We come together to argue for a solution to one of our State’s most pressing needs to address this change head on: Affordable housing. This is not a regional problem, or one of partisan politics. We all know someone who needs help finding a home to call their own, without bankrupting them. […]
As envisioned under House Bill 2044, Illinois can take a major step toward addressing its affordable housing shortage by mirroring that successful federal tax credit program with a State credit that more than 20 other states already have adopted.
The Build Illinois Homes State Tax Credit calls for creating an estimated 3,500 homes or apartments each year, generating nearly $1 billion in economic activity and $300 million in State and local taxes paid over the next decade, and more than 17,000 jobs supported during that time. Each annual round of tax credits will cost the state $350 million spread over 10 years, but the economic returns generated from the program will more than offset the cost.
* Chief Medical Officer at Planned Parenthood of Illinois Amy Whitaker…
A recent patient came in with concerns about her pregnancy. She had been somewhere else and was told she was carrying twins, but that one might not be developing as well as the other.
She showed us the ultrasound pictures on her phone. However, the images did not resemble typical medical ultrasound images. We quickly realized that the patient had been misinformed and had not actually received anything close to the standard of care for pregnancy diagnosis and assessment.
After she was given an ultrasound at Planned Parenthood, it was determined that the patient actually had a molar pregnancy (a rare complication) which is not viable and, if left untreated, can cause cancer. It is an outrage that the patient had been led to believe that she had received legitimate health care for her pregnancy, when really she was given the wrong information that could have caused severe health issues.
Senate Bill 1909, the Deceptive Practices of Limited Services Pregnancy Centers Act, protects patients and allows everyone the freedom to receive medically-accurate and unbiased information. It is not intended to close down any organization; rather, it holds accountable those that systematically employ deception, fraud, and false pretense in order to sway a patient’s health care decisions.
Rep. Bill Hauter opposes access to abortion. He introduced HB 4028, which singles out abortion for special regulations which are not applied to any other similar medical procedure. Clearly, Hauter believes that abortion should be marginalized from other health care and targeted for extra regulation.
* Illinois Answers…
State Sen. Robert Martwick (D-Chicago) is proposing legislation he says would “fix” a 2010 law that aimed to stem Illinois’ pension crisis by cutting back retirement benefits for future public employees. Researchers have since warned that the measure likely went too far, potentially depriving workers of benefits they’re entitled to under federal law.
Chicago leaders and other local governments are blasting the bills for their promise to burden taxpayers with hundreds of millions more dollars in pension obligations. And at least one fiscal watchdog says the proposals risk repeating the previous law’s sin of taking action before studying the consequences. […]
Other critics, like leaders of the nonpartisan budget watchdog The Civic Federation, say Martwick and his allies risk repeating their predecessors’ mistakes by plowing forward with a “fix” without taking time to study how the new benefit formula would hold up over time. […]
Martwick responded that it can be “quite expensive” to run actuarial studies of every proposal. But he said he trusts the formula JB Pritzker’s administration reached to rejigger police and fire pensions in 2019, as well as the analysis by Preckwinkle’s finance team of an appropriate formula for county pensioners.
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* WBEZ…
Parents, teachers and community groups on Tuesday asked Illinois Democrats to go back to the drawing board and create a new map for Chicago’s upcoming first school board elections. They want a map based on the city’s student demographics rather than its overall population.
About a dozen people spoke out at a virtual hearing Tuesday evening. This comes days after lawmakers from the House and Senate released a first draft map. Lawmakers have until July 1 to draw the voting boundaries.
As first noted by Chalkbeat Chicago, the draft map proposes seven majority white districts, seven majority Black districts and six majority Latino districts — closely resembling the city’s population, which is 33% white, 29% Black, and 29% Latino, according to the U.S. Census.
But the CPS student population is 11% white, 36% Black and 47% Latino.
* Here’s a visual…
* Chalkbeat…
“Our students need representation who understand their communities and the challenges that they face in their daily life,” said Vanessa Espinoza, a parent with Kids First Chicago. “We know that board members who have shared experiences with the communities they serve can better understand the needs of the students.”
Espinoza called the draft map “unconscionable” because she said it underrepresents Latino families in Chicago. Kids First Chicago has published a map that will create eight Latino districts and seven Black districts, she told lawmakers. […]
It is unusual for lawmakers to use school district enrollment rather than city population numbers to create districts for an elected school board, but advocates say it is the only way to ensure that Black and Latino families are equitably represented. […]
It remains unclear how many maps will be drawn during the general assembly’s map-making process. State lawmakers have published a draft map for 20 districts, and have received nine map proposals from the public, Sen. Kimberly Lightford, who represents that city’s West side and west suburbs, said Tuesday.
* The Chicago Tribune…
State Rep. Ann Williams, who leads the House Democrats’ Chicago Public School’s Districting, stressed the current map is only a starting point.
“We will be seeing another map; it will look different,” Williams, who represents Lakeview, said at the end of Saturday’s hearing. “We are hearing what you are saying and taking your input into perspective and into account.” […]
For decades, Chicago’s Board of Education members have been appointed by the mayor, unlike most school systems, whose governing boards are chosen by voters. But under a change in state law, the Chicago school board will expand from seven appointed to 21 elected members by 2026. The transition will begin with the November 2024 election, when 10 members will be elected and 10 members, plus the board president, will be appointed. […]
Jamie Groth Searle with the Southwest Collective, a nonprofit that advocates for Southwest Side residents, called out the borders of one district in particular to make the point that the map fails to keep communities intact.
“Can you explain why you drew a district that is 79 blocks long?” Searle asked. The panel responded by reminding the audience that this was a preliminary map.
* Press release…
As legislators work through remapping the Chicago School Board districts, Cor Strategies’ data experts developed a map that provides more representation to Chicago’s Hispanic and Asian communities.
Cor’s data experts built a model, pulling data which included registered voting data, along with data from the Chicago Public Schools and Census Bureau, that more fairly and accurately took the city’s demographics into account.
Click to view the proposed map here.
In the proposed map, the district breakdown includes:
16 Majority Minority Districts
7 Hispanic Districts
7 Black Districts
1 Asian Plurality District
5 White Districts
“The stark contrast between the school district map we developed and what has been proposed already is we accurately include the Asian community and we don’t underrepresent Hispanics,” said Cor’s Chicago Political Expert Chris Jackowiak. “If you just look at voting data, you don’t get the full scope of Chicago demographics and that’s how Hispanics and Asians can end up being so misrepresented in maps that have been politically drawn.”
Springfield Democrats claim their new maps would bring them closer to community-led education, yet certain minority groups would actually have less representation if these maps were passed.
Cor Strategies Founder Collin Corbett said, “We’re not map-makers but we are data experts, and our data team was able to identify maps that would lead to even more Hispanic and Asian representation on the school boards than what the Democrats in the House and Senate proposed, so clearly their maps could be improved to better reflect the city.”
Cor Strategies is a GOP firm.
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Wednesday, May 10, 2023 - Posted by Advertising Department
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Question of the day
Wednesday, May 10, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller
* WICS TV…
The Multi-Purpose Arena (MPA) will be up and running for the 2023 Illinois State Fair.
The MPA underwent an $8.6 million overhaul in 2022, repairing sidewalks, walls, steps, expansion joints, and electrical systems, readjusting the tension structure, installing a new canopy, and rebuilding the retaining walls around the facility. The funding was made possible by the Governor’s historic Rebuild Illinois capital program, which modernizes infrastructure throughout the state.
* I’ve always thought the Multi-Purpose Arena was cool looking, so I’m glad it’s back…
The name is just so boring, though. It’s a cool-looking place, so it ought to have a cool name.
* The Question: Your name change suggestions for the Multi-Purpose Arena? Snarky fun is not prohibited, but it is somewhat discouraged. Thanks.
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[The following is a paid advertisement.]
In 2022, electric vehicle drivers on the Uber platform have avoided using over 12.5M gallons of gas, globally.
Read our commitments here.
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* This piece covers only a tiny part of the real story…
Rep. Mary Flowers removed from leadership after saying staff member resembled Hitler
A longtime Democratic state representative has been removed from Illinois House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch’s legislative leadership team.
State Rep. Mary Flowers of Chicago believes it’s because she told a House staff member he resembled Adolf Hitler. She said his appearance that day made her feel uncomfortable and disrespected.
“This is my workplace. I was stunned when I walked in and saw this young man looking like Hitler,” Flowers said of the staffer, whom she did not name. She said she also asked him about the look directly, to which he laughed. […]
“This is so petty it’s ridiculous,” Flowers told WBEZ, accusing Welch of not following established protocol. “There’s a process. There’s an [Office of Executive Inspector General] process, and whoever my accuser is, is supposed to go fill out a form.”
While OEIG oversees complaints for agencies that fall under the governor’s purview, someone making a complaint against a state representative would likely go through the Legislative Inspector General, or LIG.
Deputy Majority Leaders aren’t banned from party caucus meetings and stripped of their positions for an isolated remark. There’s so much more to this story.
* Here’s House Speaker Chris Welch’s full letter to Rep. Flowers, which I shared with subscribers after it was sent yesterday…
Dear Leader Flowers:
On Monday, May 8, I called you to request a meeting in my office in Room 300. The intent of this meeting was to discuss your repeated unwillingness to meet the expectations enumerated in the Leadership Agreements that all members of the House Democratic Leadership team agreed to, and the actions I would be taking as a result.
While I believe we owed it to one another to have this conversation in person, you refused to meet unless told the purpose of the meeting. I informed you that as a result of your behavior in caucus meetings, in leadership meetings, and toward staff you would no longer be invited to participate in meetings of the House Democratic Caucus and meetings of our Democratic leadership team during the 103rd General Assembly. You stated that you would not meet in-person without your attorney present.
As you know, in February, the members of the House Democratic leadership team wrote and adopted Leadership Agreements stating how we will communicate with fellow members and staff. Included in this document, drafted by you and your leadership colleagues, are pledges to:
- Start with respect
- Find the commonality
- Pick our battles
- Check our intentions
- Don’t start with blame or accusations
- Show others grace
Since signing the Leadership Agreements, you have consistently shown an unwillingness to meet these expectations.
Specifically, in a Caucus meeting on Tuesday, May 2, you used language widely recognized as a slur intended to divide people - including members of our own Caucus - based on their national origin. In this same meeting, you compared the appearance of a staff member to Adolf Hitler. You declined to offer the caucus a sincere apology for either comment when asked. This was not the first time you made derogatory comments toward colleagues and staff.
At a Caucus meeting earlier this year, when several members expressed that they felt bullied or insulted by you, you dismissed their concerns and attempted to further belittle them in front of colleagues and staff.
In individual meetings with you, I have informed you of how I expect members treat colleagues and staff, and I have requested specifically that you refrain from abusive behavior. This conduct has continued unabated.
These are a few of many examples of pervasive behavior that fails to start with respect, divides rather than builds commonality, weaponizes blame against colleagues, and refuses to show others grace. You have made no effort to correct your behavior despite being asked and despite being informed your actions violate the Leadership Agreements, and potentially the spirit of the Illinois Governmental Ethics Act and the Illinois Human Rights Act. I cannot, and will not, tolerate this behavior toward members and staff.
Your refusal to even meet to discuss this situation shows a further lack of respect for your colleagues and the agreements we all signed. I am again requesting we meet before the end of the spring session, along with any counsel you deem necessary.
As discussed in our call, participation in the House Democratic Caucus meetings and leadership team meetings are a privilege. Your actions have precluded your further participation in these meetings.
I am further informing you that as a result of your refusal to meet and discuss this matter respectfully, I am removing you as a member of my leadership team effective at the end of the day on May 31, 2023.
Sincerely,
Emanuel “Chris” Welch
State Representative, 7th District
Speaker of the Illinois House
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Isabel’s morning briefing
Wednesday, May 10, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller
* Here you go…
* Tribune | Trial date for alleged Highland Park parade shooter could be announced in September: Crimo, who is charged with seven counts of first-degree murder among 100 felony charges stemming from the July 4, 2022, mass shooting, appeared Tuesday at a case management hearing that lasted less than five minutes.
* Sun-Times | Half of Chicagoans witness a shooting by age 40, study found: Over half of Black and Latino survey respondents, and a quarter of white respondents, had seen a shooting by age 40, according to the study published Tuesday in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
* WBEZ | Former Illinois State Senator Tom Cullerton convicted in corruption scheme gets a new job — state lobbyist: Lissa Druss, Strategia’s founder and chief executive, said, “People make mistakes. Tom is taking this opportunity to pay back his restitution, but more importantly, our firm is getting involved in a [prisoner] reentry program, and Tom will be volunteering some of his time to help returning citizens.”
* Crain’s | Springfield progressives push to impose a wealth tax: Unhappy with the direction state budget talks are going, a group of Springfield’s leading progressive lawmakers today announced a new drive to move two much-discussed ideas that repeatedly have been shot down in the General Assembly: imposing a wealth tax and slashing the fee retailers get for collecting state sales taxes. In a Springfield press conference, officials including Sen. Robert Peters and Rep. Will Guzzardi, both Chicago Democrats, said their ideas would generate a combined nearly $700 million a year for school, housing and related programs at a time when state revenues have begun to decline and potential spending cuts may be on the way.
* Tribune | Medical debt initiative on track to erase $80 million in unpaid doctor bills for nearly 73,000 Cook County residents: The first round of debt-buying has spent down just $800,000 of the county’s allotted $12 million for the federal funded program. Officials hope to erase $1 billion in debt before its expiration.
* WAND | Critics of the draft voting map for Chicago’s elected school board want a do-over: “Springfield is proposing a map that sets the table for a majority white board that governs the outcomes of BIPOC students and families,” said Daniel Anello, CEO of the nonprofit Kids First Chicago, in a statement. In releasing the draft map, lawmakers said the 20 districts “keep communities of interest as whole as possible” and reflect the “diversity of Chicago,” according to a news release.
* Tribune | Family and colleagues honor fallen CPD Officer Aréanah Preston in evening vigil; 5 in custody in connection with shooting: “She was a lion,” said 5th District Cmdr. Tyrone Pendarvis. “She was a delight of a person — and that’s the type of officer we need.”
* Crain’s | Court denies Chicago Sun-Times’ motion to dismiss defamation lawsuit: The Appellate Court of Illinois denied motions by the Chicago Sun-Times to dismiss a lawsuit by a former state official accusing the newspaper of misrepresenting his role in the 2011 property tax assessment of the Trump International Hotel & Tower. Mauro Glorioso, a former executive director for the Illinois Property Tax Appeal Board, filed a defamation lawsuit against Sun-Times Media Holdings and its investigative reporter Tim Novak in January 2021, alleging that two articles released in February and October 2020 about the Trump Tower property tax appeal “falsely depicted him as a corrupt political official, lacking integrity in his profession,” according to a May 8 filing by the appellate court.
* Tribune | Mayor Lori Lightfoot declares state of emergency over migrants arriving in Chicago: ‘We’ve reached a breaking point’: The executive order marked the outgoing administration’s grimmest prognosis yet on how Chicago’s most vulnerable new arrivals will fare as the city braces for the imminent end of its runway on financial assistance. It came nine months after Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican, began shepherding recent refugees from Central and South America onto one-way bus rides to Chicago, arguing that liberal “sanctuary cities” should readily take on more of the burden stemming from the border crisis.
* Tribune | City treasurer moves to bolster community lending in Albany Park, other Northwest Side neighborhoods: The Chicago treasurer’s office deposited $10 million of its cash holdings into Albany Bank & Trust Co., a community bank on the Northwest Side, in a move aimed at bolstering affordable housing construction and small business creation in neighborhoods such as Albany Park, according to City Treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin.
* Sun-Times | Florida Gov. DeSantis to hit Peoria this week — and how he’ll play depends entirely on which party you ask: Organizers of the downstate Lincoln Day Dinner say DeSantis will “speak on his successful Florida Blueprint,” as Republicans “fight the radical Progressive Left’s Marxist agenda here in Illinois.” But Gov. J.B. Pritzker said, “DeSantis’ views are not what we call freedom in Illinois.”
* AP | What is Title 42 and how has US used it to curb migration?: Title 42 has been used more than 2.8 million times to expel migrants since its implementation. However, children traveling alone were exempt. Also, it has been unevenly enforced by nationality, partly because it’s harder to expel people to some countries, including Venezuela and Cuba.
* USA Today | Climate change is bad for everyone. But this is where it’s expected to be worst in the US.: San Francisco faces above-average risk across these categories and more, and it is the nation’s most exposed large city, Kamins said. It’s one of those urban areas where residents aren’t used to temperature extremes and many homes don’t have air conditioning, he said. In a world where temperatures rise 5 to 10 degrees, San Francisco residents are ill-equipped for dealing with heat, and that could be economically damaging.
* Tribune | Illinois environmentalists point to crucial role of wetlands in Supreme Court case that pits ecology against property rights: In the coming days, the U.S. Supreme Court will determine whether the federal government has jurisdiction over wetlands similar to Marian Byrnes. A case that pits property rights against ecology, Sackett v. EPA challenges whether isolated wetlands — those that do not abut a flowing body of water — fall under the purview of the Clean Water Act. The federal law regulates the discharge of pollutants into navigable waters such as lakes and rivers.
* Tribune | How did the Chicago White Sox home run jacket come to be? Elvis Andrus on the inspiration behind the fashion.: “Elvis came up with it. I love the idea,” infielder Jake Burger said recently. “It’s a little Chicago mobster-type outfit and my wife says I look good. That’s the positive.
* Sun-Times | Grace Barry, who headed up the Economic Club of Chicago and was best friends with Maggie Daley, dies at 82: Her close relationship with the Daleys helped her land the job as the first female head of the Economic Club in 1986. She held the post for more than 25 years, according to former Cook County Assessor Jim Houlihan, a friend of Barry’s since their days growing up in the Beverly neighborhood on the South Side.
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Live coverage
Wednesday, May 10, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller
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Join Climate Jobs Illinois’ Carbon Free Healthy Schools campaign: www.climatejobsillinois.org/schools
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Afternoon roundup
Tuesday, May 9, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller
* From WBEZ’s story on people whose SNAP benefits were stolen…
This tension has fueled a proposed law that would require the Illinois Department of Human Services, or DHS, which administers SNAP benefits around the state, to not only replace stolen benefits with state dollars from January to September 2022, but also to track skimming going forward.
State Rep. Sonya Harper, D-Chicago, a former SNAP recipient, led the proposal’s passage in the House — which included the reimbursement portion. She and legal advocates say the state claims it would cost at least $20 million, but they’re not clear what those estimates are based on.
“They refuse to budge,” Harper said of leaders at DHS who don’t want to include the reimbursement portion.
But her proposal was recently gutted.
State Sen. Mattie Hunter, D-Chicago, introduced an amendment that would strip the reimbursement portion from the bill. There’s a public hearing slated for this week.
The hostile amendment was approved today.
* Nothing to see here. Move along…
Illinois leads the nation in the number of tornadoes so far this year with 86. There were 22 confirmed tornadoes alone across the state during a March 31 outbreak that killed several people.
State climatologist Trent Ford said 2023 this far has been highly unusual.
“Our peak is between April and June climatologically, so to get that many tornadoes, basically a year’s worth of tornadoes just in January, February and March is really incredible,” Ford said.
Ford said the traditional so-called “tornado alley” could possibly be shifting slightly east to include Illinois.
“This area here in Illinois and especially further south as you get into parts of Tennessee, Mississippi and down to the Gulf Coast has seen an increase in at least a frequency of those tornado days,” Ford said.
* The House passed HJR35 today to appoint Legislative Inspector General Michael McCuskey to a full five-year term that ends June 30, 2028. Judge McCuskey has a very long and respected history on both the state and federal judicial benches. The joint resolution passed 112-1. Rep. Wilhour was the lone “No” vote, probably because he couldn’t get answers to his questions about what sponsoring Rep. Maurice West planned to do about the powers of the LIG. West is putting together an omnibus bill on ethics and elections.
* Mayor Lightfoot declares emergency…
Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot issued an emergency declaration in response to the surge of new arrivals since last month, with large numbers of people, mostly families, arriving to Chicago and following the arrival today of 48 individuals and families inhumanely bussed to Chicago by Texas Governor Greg Abbott. Since August 2022, the City has coordinated a multi-departmental, city-wide strategy in partnership with the State and Cook County for receiving and providing emergency care for over 8,000 new arrivals.
This humanitarian crisis has required collective and swift action, which is why the City has partnered with a variety of City departments, Aldermen, community-based organizations, and community leaders to identify sites to serve as temporary respite centers and temporary shelters to address this recent surge in new arrivals.
We should all understand that this crisis will likely deepen before we see it get better, so as we move forward, the City of Chicago will have to bring additional locations online to prepare for the arrival of more individuals and families and to relieve Chicago Police Department districts. The City of Chicago is in the midst of a national humanitarian crisis, and through a unified effort in accordance with its values as a welcoming city, Chicago is doing everything it can to respond to the urgency of this matter. The City has continued to call on federal and state governments to support the new arrival mission with much-needed additional funding and resources for emergency shelter and resettlement, as there are not enough resources currently to meet the need.
* From the ISP…
The Illinois State Police (ISP) Division of Internal Investigation (DII) continues to investigate an officer involved shooting that occurred on Interstate 64 near Mount Vernon, IL in which an ISP officer was shot.
On Tuesday, May 9, 2023 at approximately 3:00 a.m. on Interstate 64 eastbound at mile post 72, an ISP Trooper stopped to assist a stranded motorist on the right shoulder. Upon arrival, the Trooper encountered 23-year-old Brandon L. Griffin of Albuquerque, NM and a female passenger in the vehicle. A second ISP Officer arrived for routine assistance a short time later. While on scene, an altercation occurred during which gunfire was exchanged between Griffin and a responding officer.
A 16-year ISP officer suffered serious, although non-life threatening, injuries after being shot during the altercation and is being treated at a regional hospital. Griffin was pronounced deceased on scene by Jefferson County Coroner’s Office personnel. The other involved Trooper and female passenger were uninjured. Initially, all lanes of Interstate 64 eastbound were closed, but were reopened at approximately 6:25 a.m. Eastbound lanes were temporarily shut down again at 7:48 a.m. as part of the investigation, but reopened at 8:53 a.m.
In accordance with the Police and Community Relations Improvement Act (50 ILCS 727) and the Illinois State Police Law (20 ILCS 2605), Special Agents of the Illinois State Police Division of Internal Investigation are investigating these events.
This investigation is open and ongoing. ISP is currently processing evidence and conducting interviews. Upon completion of the investigation, all evidence and facts will be submitted for review to the Jefferson County State’s Attorney’s Office. No additional information is available at this time.
* Rep. Haas…
Following the Illinois Fallen Firefighter Memorial Ceremony, Firefighter/Paramedic Kyle Haemker of the Bradley Fire Department received the prestigious Medal of Honor. 79th District State Representative Jackie Haas (R-Kankakee), who represents Bradley in the House of Representatives, echoed praises for Firefighter/Paramedic Haemker for this well-deserved award.
On December 14th, 2022, FF/PM Haemker was heading home when he noticed an accident. Stopping to assist, there was a vehicle fully submerged in water. Bystanders informed Haemker that the driver was still inside the vehicle, and he dove into the frigid water to remove the driver from the vehicle, saving this person’s life.
“It’s common to hear that heroes walk among us, but to hear of such courage and strength for one’s neighbor truly demonstrates the heroism of Firefighter Haemker,” said Rep. Haas. “He went out of his way and put himself at risk to save someone else. Selflessness, bravery, and compassion is what drove him and what drives firefighters from Kankakee to Carbondale. The 79th District is so proud of Firefighter Haemker receiving this deserved honor and to have him serve our district.”
The Medal of Honor is the highest award given by the State of Illinois to a firefighter for an act of bravery or heroism, by which the firefighter has demonstrated in great degree the characteristics of selflessness and personal courage above and beyond the call of duty, under adverse conditions, with the possibility of extreme personal risk. It is presented following the Illinois Firefighter Memorial Ceremony at the Illinois State Capitol, a bronze work of art to honor those who have made the supreme sacrifice.
* Jim O’Donnell at the Daily Herald…
Two days after his Two Phil’s took a lead in the stretch of the Kentucky Derby before finishing a game second, trainer Larry Rivelli said Monday that the colt will not start in the Preakness.
“Too soon,” Rivelli — a resident of North Barrington — told The Daily Herald. “‘Phil’ came out of the Derby great. We shipped back to Chicago Sunday but the Preakness is just twelve days away. That’s just too soon.”
Sent off as the 9-1 fourth choice in a field of 18, Two Phil’s followed fast fractions before surging into the lead of the $3M, mile-and-one-quarter classic on an inside path turning for home.
Under notably sharp handling by jockey Jareth Loveberry, the 3-year-old chestnut opened up only to be passed by the late-closing champ Mage ($32 to win) in the final 170 yards.
* ILGOP…
Last week, the “ComEd Four'’ were found guilty on all charges related to a conspiracy to bribe Former Democratic House Speaker Michael Madigan, and while this guilty verdict is a reflection on every House Democrat who enabled Former Speaker Madigan and the pervasive culture of corruption in Springfield over the past few decades, more questions remain.
At present, one very large question is why – in December 2020 – now House Speaker Chris Welch, Democratic Party of Illinois Chairwoman Lisa Hernandez, and State Rep. Natalie Manley voted along party lines to shut down the Special Investigating Committee tasked with looking into alleged misconduct by then House Speaker Michael Madigan. This was a clear abdication of their responsibility and duty to taxpayers, and they should have to explain this to their constituents.
“Speaker Chris Welch, Democratic Party of Illinois Chairwoman Lisa Hernandez, and other Democrats on the Special Investigating Committee failed the people of Illinois, and it is no surprise they continue to cover up the truth. Why did Welch and Hernandez refer to the special investigation committee on Madigan a ‘political show’ and ‘sham investigation’? They had the opportunity to uphold their oaths of office and end the culture of corruption but chose not to,” said Illinois Republican Party Chairman Don Tracy. “This guilty verdict only proved what we already knew – that Illinois Democrat corruption is not a Republican talking point but something that is unfortunately real, pervasive, and a serious threat to honest government,” added Illinois Republican Party Chairman Don Tracy.
Instead of promoting accountability, and ending the pervasive corruption that has plagued our state, Speaker Welch, Chairwoman Hernandez, and other House Democrats chose to protect the politicians and political insiders by covering for Mike Madigan, and they were rewarded handsomely for their loyalty with major leadership positions in the Democratic Party. In light of last week’s guilty verdict, Welch and Herandez should have to explain this decision to their constituents and all Illinois voters.
* Rep. Mayfield…
State Rep. Rita Mayfield, D-Waukegan, recently passed a bill that protects dog owners from housing discrimination based on the breed of dog they own. Breed-based discrimination by can lead to higher prices and even to difficulty in finding affordable housing based on outdated and biased beliefs about what breeds are “dangerous.”
“Nobody should have to choose between being able to afford shelter and having to give up a treasured family pet,” Mayfield said. “The idea that certain breeds are inherently dangerous has been debunked for some time and it is time for both public policy and the practices of insurance companies to conform to reality.”
Mayfield’s House Bill 1049—which passed both House and Senate with bipartisan majorities and now goes to the Governor’s desk for signature—prohibits insurance companies from denying coverage or charging exorbitant rates because of the breed of a tenant or homeowner’s dog.
It would remain permissible for insurers to deny or alter coverage based on whether there is evidence that a specific dog poses a provable risk.
“Our dogs are members of our family, not mere possessions to be disposed of because a bean counter doesn’t like them,” Mayfield said. “Making housing more expensive and harder to find for superficial reasons not only doesn’t help anyone, it makes a lot of people worse off. It’s time for a change.”
* This is one weird lede…
As states look to generate more revenue in an inflationary economy, along with the risk of a recession, progressive governors like J.B. Pritzker who advocate for progressive income taxes also support one of the most regressive taxes: lotteries.
Governors of almost every ideology back lotteries. And, unlike taxes, lotteries aren’t mandatory.
* Isabel’s roundup…
* Center Square | Illinois State Police: ‘Assault weapons’ bought during week of injunction are illegal: Illinois State Police say any purchase of firearms or attachments the state deems as “assault weapons” from during the six-day injunction against Illinois’ gun ban will be illegal after Jan. 1, 2024.
* The Hill | Illinois among the best US states for broadband access: After the pandemic knocked millions of Americans back home to continue work and school, the importance of broadband access in the U.S. has come under a microscope. While the transition had sweeping effects on our mental health, the struggle was compounded in states and areas with poor broadband access. Federal and state authorities have directed billions toward closing the broadband divide, but many Americans may still have a long wait for high-speed internet in their homes.
* Daily Herald | ‘Absolutely disheartening’: FAA rejects nighttime O’Hare runway rotation to spread out jet noise: The FAA “is not able to approve the air traffic feasibility of the proposal,” Acting Regional Manager Joseph Miniace wrote the Chicago Department of Aviation on May 3.
* Crain’s | Illinois marijuana sales stalled in April: The number of marijuana products sold in the state during April was up 9% from a year earlier, roughly in line with the growth rate in March.
* Block Club | Ald. Jim Gardiner Delayed Six Corners Senior Living Complex After Receiving A $5,000 Bribe, Court Documents Allege: Embattled Ald. Jim Gardiner (45th), who was recently reelected to a second term, accepted cash payments from a disgruntled developer in 2019 as a bribe to stall The Point at Six Corners, now known as The Clarendale, according to allegations in court records made public last week as part of an FBI investigation into the alderman.
* SJ-R | Bill that would raise penalties for assault on DCFS workers faces uphill climb: But bills that would give DCFS case workers like Knight the same protected status as police officers and firefighters harmed while performing official duties have stalled in a House committee. And though a similar Senate bill has shown new signs of life, it, too, faces a difficult climb to passage.
* Illinois Times | New solar farms proposed for Sangamon County: Homeowners who are opposing the 5-megawatt, $10 million River Maple Solar II project, as well as some homeowners adjacent to a similar-sized proposed solar farm in a more secluded site a half-mile away at Gaule and Jostes roads, say the solar farms will be ugly, scare away birds, deer and foxes, reduce property values and generally interrupt the pastoral landscape many moved to rural America to enjoy.
* Crain’s | Bally’s plans to offer some city residents stakes in Chicago casino: The Rhode Island-based gambling giant had previously disclosed on its website plans to allow “minority investors” to “own 25% of the project,” which is slated to be developed on the 30-acre riverfront site now home to the Chicago Tribune’s Freedom Center printing plant. Bally’s framed that as a centerpiece of its community benefit commitment to the city.
* Pioneer Press | In portions of meetings, Skokie officials violated Open Meetings Act, Illinois Attorney General finds: Skokie lawmakers violated the Open Meetings Act for a four-minute portion of a Jan. 3 meeting and a larger portion of a Jan. 17 meeting while discussing the appointment process for village attorneys, per a ruling from the Illinois Attorney General’s Public Access Counselor, who suggested the non-confidential portion be made public.
* WGEM | QPS changes policies for grooming, sexual abuse law: Proposed policy changes will help Quincy Public Schools comply with a new state law tied to grooming of students and child sexual abuse. According to our newsgathering partners at the Herald-Whig, Faith’s Law, set to go into effect July 1, requires an employment history review before hiring someone who has direct contact with students.
* Business Insider | RIP Metaverse: The Metaverse, the once-buzzy technology that promised to allow users to hang out awkwardly in a disorientating video-game-like world, has died after being abandoned by the business world. It was three years old. … Companies’ rush to get into the game led Wall Street investors, consultants, and analysts to try to one up each other’s projections for the Metaverse’s growth. The consulting firm Gartner claimed that 25% of people would spend at least one hour a day in the Metaverse by 2026. The Wall Street Journal said the Metaverse would change the way we work forever. The global consulting firm McKinsey predicted that the Metaverse could generate up to “$5 trillion in value,” adding that around 95% of business leaders expected the Metaverse to “positively impact their industry” within five to 10 years. Not to be outdone, Citi put out a massive report that declared the Metaverse would be a $13 trillion opportunity.
* NYT | In Norway, the Electric Vehicle Future Has Already Arrived: About 80 percent of new cars sold in Norway are battery-powered. As a result, the air is cleaner, the streets are quieter and the grid hasn’t collapsed. But problems with unreliable chargers persist.
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Question of the day
Tuesday, May 9, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Former Gov. Pat Quinn had his own ethical issues with the Neighborhood Recovery Initiative and hiring at IDOT and crafting a new job for Madigan crony Patrick Ward and being accused by Dick Durbin of having been a ghost payroller under Dan Walker. But those days are long-forgotten and he held a press conference today to demand that Gov. JB Pritzker call an immediate special session on ethics. His proposals…
(1) Amending Article XIV, Section 3 of the Illinois Constitution to allow voters to enact stricter ethics laws directly by initiative petition and binding referendum;
(2) Enacting a mandatory conflict of interest law to prevent legislators from voting or taking official action on matters involving personal, family, or financial interests;
(3) Prohibiting taxpayer-paid pensions for legislators and former legislators convicted of public integrity felonies;
(4) Strengthening the office and powers of the Legislative Inspector General including subpoena powers to help perform thorough investigations and root out misconduct;
(5) Prohibiting legislators from doubledipping by being on two public payrolls while in office;
(6) Restrictions on the campaign contributions and charitable donations of regulated utilities and monopolies;
(7) Stronger revolving door prohibitions on legislators leaving the General Assembly and joining the payroll of an entity with a lobbying interest; and
(8) Robust income tax disclosure requirements for statewide constitutional offices and legislative leaders.
We did this with the House GOP proposals, so let’s try it again.
* The Question: Which, if any, of these ideas do you support the most and which, if any, do you oppose? Make sure to explain your answers, please. Thanks.
…Adding… From Senate President Don Harmon’s spokesperson John Patterson…
We appreciate Mr. Quinn’s input and look forward to reviewing his letter.
At the end of the day, the people in the ComEd Four trial were convicted because what they did was already, and always has been, illegal.
Senate President Harmon will continue to be a champion of ethics. The point he has been trying to drive home is that what we need in public service are good people focused on the state’s welfare rather than their own self-interests.
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* Here’s some background if you need it. Block Club Chicago…
In her farewell speech Monday, outgoing Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot touted her accomplishments during a term marred by a pandemic, civil unrest and a skyrocketing homicide rate.
But she failed to address the escalating crisis the city faces now that has left migrants without beds and showers living on floors of police stations and respite centers as officials scramble to serve the thousands of new people arriving in Chicago.
Alderpeople and those working on the front lines with migrants say Lightfoot’s team was “woefully unprepared” to tackle the crisis. And Mayor-elect Brandon Johnson, who takes office next week, hasn’t offered up a specific plan, either.
* More Block Club…
Other alderpeople Monday criticized the city and state response to the unfolding crisis. Ald. Brian Hopkins (2nd) suggested that National Guard armories around the city could be good sites to temporarily house migrants.
“There really isn’t a single element of this response that’s adequate,” Hopkins said.
* FOP President John Catanzara lodged a complaint about the city housing migrants at police stations in April. But now the Police Sergeants’ Association is speaking up. WGN…
Another police union is calling out the City of Chicago for sending newly arrived migrants and asylum seekers to police stations for extended periods of time.
James Calvino, president of the Chicago Police Sergeants’ Association, penned an open letter to the City where he claims, “families are remaining in stations for days and, sometimes weeks at a time.” […]
One mother told WGN she and her two daughters had been shipped back and forth between the 8th and 14th district police stations while waiting for placement at a shelter. […]
“If a Police Officer was to walk into a home with the same conditions that exists in the stations,” reads Calvino’s letter, in part. “They would be forced to call DCFS and remove any/all children, due to the poor conditions.”
Click here for the full letter from Calvino
* ABC Chicago…
The New Life Center in Little Village is packed as more migrants arrive in Chicago every day, and with the pandemic-era Title 42 police ending Thursday, an even larger flood of new arrivals is expected.
All who are sent to Chicago are in need of food, shelter and resources.
“We are anticipating that it will continue to grow. What’s already happening will just continue to grow,” said Chris Ophus, assistant director of New Life Centers. […]
“The biggest thing is probably there is a need to open more shelters. There is going to be a need to open more shelters,” Ophus said.
In April, the Tribune reported that 12 migrant shelters had been closed, leaving just eight.
* WSJ…
Chicago leaders say they are working on plans to accommodate the expected influx, but haven’t released many details.
“We’ve been thinking about a potential surge since the beginning of the year, knowing that May 11 was coming,” said Nubia Willman, the city’s chief engagement officer for communities.
The city last week started using parks buildings to temporarily house some migrants. The city has also proposed using the former South Shore High School building for what it is calling a respite center where migrants could wait for shelter beds, taking pressure off police stations. Community leaders near the high school have complained that they didn’t have input into the decision, echoing a controversy at another shuttered school, Wadsworth Elementary, which is being used as a shelter for about 500 migrants.
Chicago’s mayor-elect, Brandon Johnson, said he would work toward a coordinated response at the city, state and federal level, adding: “I’m going to work collaboratively with the people of Chicago and alderpersons who represent areas where we can be supportive for asylum seekers to make sure every community, and every person in it, is protected.”
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It’s just a bill
Tuesday, May 9, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller
* A productive Monday from the House…
* SB2253 is on First Reading in the Senate. WAND…
Volunteer firefighters could receive a $500 tax credit starting next year. The plan is gaining strong support following the deadly dust storm pileup on I-55 last week.
Democrats and Republicans are coming together to back the proposed tax break. The Illinois Firefighters Association said Monday this could be a new incentive to address the critical shortage of volunteer firefighters. Sponsors said it will also be a thank you for dedication and hard work. […]
The plan would apply to volunteer firefighters who serve at least nine months and make less than $10,000 each year. Lawmakers also spent time Monday honoring the Central Illinois heroes who responded to the deadly pileup accident during the dust storm on May 1.
“I accept this on behalf of the responders that were out there in unimaginable conditions in a scene that looked more like a Hollywood movie than it did a section of I-55,” said MABAS Division 56 President Kevin Schott.
* Journal Courier…
State Rep. C.D. Davidsmeyer says a Senate bill he presented in the House would close legal loopholes and ensure the parents of developmentally disabled children can have access to health records without a court order.
The Jacksonville Republican said Senate Bill 188, which he presented in the Adoption & Child Welfare Committee, resulted from a case in which a parent could not obtain lab results for her 14-year-old son although he has Down syndrome and cannot make his own medical decisions. She had to hire an attorney to file a petition requesting access.
“If a child is under the age of 12, parents have access to these records. If they are over 18, they can be declared a disabled adult. Between those ages, [parents] need the child’s permission; even when the parent is required to sign a consent for the child,” Davidsmeyer said. […]
The bill was returned May 2 to the Adoption & Child Welfare Committee for discussion of a House floor amendment, according to the Legislative Information System. The amendment stipulates records could be made available for services “for which the parent is treated as the child’s personal representative” rather than “related to the health care service the parent consented to.”
* AP…
Illinois bills that would update existing laws to be more gender inclusive and add protections for LGBTQ marriages are ready for action by Gov. J.B. Pritzker, who said he will sign them. […]
One bill would replace certain pronouns with the nouns to which the pronouns refer, such as “minor” instead of “he or she,” and “person who gives birth” in place of “mother” in some existing laws concerning children in the state’s care.
Before her “no” vote, Republican Caucus Whip Sen. Jil Tracy said: “I gave birth to two boys that weighed over 10 pounds (4.5 kilograms). I think I deserve more dignity that just ‘a person who gave birth.’ I’m a mother.” […]
Another bill would require state agencies to track employees who identify as non-binary or gender non-conforming to help achieve workforce diversity, and a third bill would make it easier for LGBTQ couples who resided in other states to marry in Illinois.
* Northern Star…
A bipartisan vote of 50-2 Thursday passed a bill that would build on Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s previous executive order to combat homelessness in Illinois.
Bill “HB2831” was passed in both Houses and was a win for the Supportive Housing Providers Association, a non-profit group that provides supportive and affordable housing services to individuals who have been homeless and/or have special needs.
“HB 2831 will expand upon Pritzker’s Executive Order creating the Interagency Task Force on Homelessness and reflect the legislature’s commitment in addressing the big picture issues of homelessness, institutionalization, and housing instability in Illinois,” said David Esposito, executive director of the SHPA.
Pritzker issued an executive order in Sept. 2021, to combat homelessness during the COVID-19 pandemic when a study by the University of Illinois, called the COVID-19 Eviction Crisis Study, estimated 60,000 evictions were expected to occur in 2021.
* Sun-Times…
Illinois should move carefully before repealing its three-decade-old moratorium on new nuclear power plants.
On Tuesday, the House Senate Energy and Public Utilities Committee will discuss an amended version of a bill passed by the state Senate to lift the moratorium and allow “advanced nuclear reactors.” Advocates of ending the moratorium have said they want to make it possible to build small power nuclear power plants in the state, which would take advantage of new federal spending, although the technology to make that possible is years in the future. And it’s not clear how the “advanced nuclear reactors” in the bill would differ from small modular ones.
Meanwhile, Illinois still faces the problem that led to the moratorium in the first place: There is no long-term storage facility to store nuclear waste, which can go on emitting hazardous radiation for tens of thousands of years.
As envisioned, small modular nuclear power plants would have about a third of the generating capacity of traditional nuclear reactors. Their modular design would allow them to be factory assembled, saving money and allowing them to be constructed on sites too small for traditional reactors. U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry has said small modular reactors can be a tool to fight against climate change.
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[The following is a paid advertisement.]
Expanding access to care was a core component to the Affordable Care Act and is a big part of recent efforts to advance health equity, with significant progress made to break down barriers to care. From rural to urban Illinois, though, access to care is being threatened as hospitals face daunting financial challenges.
Recent spikes in labor, supply and drug costs—along with below-cost reimbursement from Illinois’ Medicaid program—have left hospitals with the difficult choice to reduce services to survive. Earlier this year, St. Margaret’s Health – Peru closed because “factors beyond our control have brought about many unforeseen fiscal hardships.”
Medicaid—the state’s largest insurer—only reimburses hospitals less than 80% of the cost of care. That financial loss makes it harder for hospitals to remain viable. Importantly, when a hospital closes or reduces services, it impacts everyone in the community, not only persons covered by Medicaid.
SB 1763 would provide the first General Revenue Fund Medicaid hospital rate increase in 28 years, bringing a much-needed 20% across-the-board increase to hospital Medicaid base rates.
The bill would narrow the gap between the cost of care and Medicaid reimbursement. Illinois hospitals need your help now: Pass SB 1763 to help preserve access to care for everyone by improving Medicaid hospital rates. Discover the facts to learn more.
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bp Is Investing In Illinois
Tuesday, May 9, 2023 - Posted by Advertising Department
[The following is a paid advertisement.]
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Open thread
Tuesday, May 9, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller
* What’s going on today? Keep it Illinois-centric please…
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Isabel’s morning briefing
Tuesday, May 9, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller
* Here you go…
* Sun-Times | New research finds small, mid-size Illinois cities have higher per-capita gun homicide rates than Chicago: Cities such as Champaign, Rockford and Peoria have seen homicide rates per 100,000 residents surge in recent years, close to or surpassing Chicago’s levels.
* Tribune | Cannabis operators big and small argue over who should oversee the industry in Illinois: At issue is the desire for a single regulatory body to oversee the complex fledgling industry. Currently, at least seven agencies regulate various aspects, giving rise to sometimes contradictory guidelines. The state’s licensing system has come under heavy criticism and litigation for delays, inconsistent scoring of applications, and non-responsiveness to applicants with questions about the process.
* Axios | Illinois may harbor second worst lead problem in U.S.: Last month an Environmental Protection Agency report suggested that Florida’s inventory of lead lines (an estimated 1.16 million) exceeds our 1.04 million lines. Illinois Environmental Council’s Iyana Simba and others find that ranking dubious. Simba tells Axios there are hundreds of thousands of lines categorized as “unknown,” many of which are probably made of lead
* AP | Illinois moves toward gender inclusivity as other states move away: Just a few hours away, Indiana’s governor signed a bill that will require schools to notify a parent if a student requests a name or pronoun change at school, one of several bills this legislative session targeting LGBTQ people in the state. Illinois’ neighbors to the west, Missouri and Iowa, have gone in a similar direction by restricting gender-affirming care and the bathrooms transgender students can use.
* Daily Herald | Suburban Mosaic: Leaders say Muslim Americans are gaining political clout: Dozens of newly elected Muslim American candidates gathered Saturday at Reza’s Restaurant in Oak Brook to mark their historic wins to a variety of local-, county- and state-level offices. Community leaders say it’s a sign of Muslim Americans’ growing political clout, how far the community has come and decades of hard work by first- and second-generation immigrants.
* Center Square | Legislator says Illinoisans must be prioritized in budget as revenue shortfall reported: The Illinois Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability said April receipts fell $1.8 billion compared to the same month the year prior. The COGFA report said while a substantial decline in revenues was anticipated, the extent of the decline is much steeper than the commission had projected. The news comes as lawmakers are putting together an annual spending plan as the spring legislative session winds down.
* Scott Holland | Ride-share companies set to lose liability carve-out: This legislation is clearly aimed at protecting the average patron by giving them more recourse in civil court, and that inarguably puts a larger burden on the company. Increased liability means increased costs for insurance, screening and training, not to mention the exponential expense if those safeguards prove insufficient.
* Sun-Times | Illinois has a law to release seriously ill and disabled prisoners. It’s time to use it.: Releasing the terminally ill and seriously disabled, under a 2022 law, would help ease the burden on the state’s disastrous prison health care system. The state needs to provide funding so attorneys can transition prisoners back home, writes Jennifer Soble of the Illinois Prison Project.
* ISP Press Release: LOCATION: Interstate 64 eastbound milepost 72, near Mt. Vernon, Jefferson County DATE and TIME: May 9, 2023 at approximately 3:00 a.m. BRIEF SYNOPSIS: Preliminary information indicates the following occurred: ISP Troop 10 units responded to a motorists assist at the above location and time. During the incident, an altercation occurred and the male suspect displayed a firearm. Gunfire was exchanged between the suspect and Troopers. A Trooper was injured during the incident and is being treated at a regional hospital. The suspect is deceased. ISP Division of Internal Investigation is leading an active and on-going investigation and no further information is available.
* Sun-Times | Why did it take Chicago cops more than 30 minutes to find a fatally wounded officer?: ShotSpotter, the city’s gunshot detection system, quickly picked up a barrage of gunfire that left Chicago Police Officer Aréanah Preston fatally wounded during a shootout with robbers on her way home from work early Saturday. However, an officer wasn’t dispatched to her block in Avalon Park until her Apple Watch reported a car crash around 2:02 a.m., roughly 20 minutes after the initial ShotSpotter alert. A traffic cop ultimately responded at 2:15 a.m. and reported Preston had been shot.
* Tribune | Arrests made in slaying of off-duty Chicago police Officer Aréanah Preston: Five “persons of interest,” including two females, were taken into custody after an hourslong standoff with police in the Auburn Gresham neighborhood, one source familiar with the situation said.
* Tribune | In farewell address, Lori Lightfoot rejects ‘mean’ mayor narrative and focuses on an optimistic future for Chicago: Despite overseeing the city during a time in which “the sheer number of challenges mounted on top of each other brought me to my knees,” Lightfoot said she hoped to be remembered as a leader who made long-overdue strides toward equity in a deeply segregated city.
* Sun-Times | Lightfoot bids tearful farewell to fifth floor of City Hall, but not people of Chicago: ‘My work is not done’: She urged her hand-picked audience of roughly 300 city department heads, agency chiefs, City Council allies and invited guests to continue the marathon she started, “break through the noise” and “ignore the people who count us out every day.”
* Tribune | Mayor-elect Brandon Johnson pushes his own plan to reshape City Council: Johnson’s move to switch up council committee leadership that 33 aldermen pushed through in late March is an early key test of the new mayor’s strength and savvy. Mayor Lori Lightfoot picked a fight with aldermen by proclaiming on her Inauguration Day in 2019 that she was going to clean up the council, then spent the next four years feuding with many members, which critics said needlessly hamstrung her broader agenda.
* Sun-Times | Will Ramirez-Rosa’s new Council leadership roles be ‘big step forward’ for progressives — or kick in the pants to developers?: If the new zoning chair and Council floor leader is more pragmatic than some of his critics expect, it could be a positive step for progressive politics in Chicago and developers.
* Tribune | My worst moment: Gary Cole remembers Chicago theater and the worst review of his career: Cole’s career began on stage in Chicago, where he was a theater actor for many years. When asked about a worst moment, it was a theater review he received early on that came to mind. “I could not recite to you any of my good reviews, or even mildly tolerable reviews. But I committed this to memory almost immediately. It remains — and there’s a little pun for you, which will become clear — the worst review of my career.”
* Sun-Times | Superdawg at 75 — the iconic Chicago eatery remains a labor of love and a hot dog fan favorite: Today, Scott Berman co-owns the drive-in with his sister, Lisa Drucker, and her husband, Don Drucker, a trio you’re bound to see on site, taking orders from the always buzzing, circa 1954 switchboard or assembling Superdawgs. (Maurie Berman died in 2015. Florence Berman died in 2018.)
* Tribune | Chicago Blackhawks winning the NHL draft lottery — and the right to pick Connor Bedard at No. 1 — ‘can change a franchise’: This year the clear-cut prize is 17-year-old forward Connor Bedard, who had a whopping 143 points (71 goals and 72 assists) in 57 games last season for the Regina Pats of the Western Hockey League.
* Pioneer Press | Cow involved in senior prank in Niles gets ‘perfect’ name from 90 submissions while students face charges: It was a prescient description, it turned out: The Hooved Animal Humane Society accepted suggestions for a name on its Facebook page and drew the name Blossom — “perfect for her,” in Glensgard’s words — on Monday from a pool of about 90 submissions. […] Several of the high schoolers involved in the prank were charged with a slew of violations to village code. Six of the students who were under 18 were charged with breaking curfew, according to police bulletins.
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Live coverage
Tuesday, May 9, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller
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