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* The executive order is here. Press release…
Joined by legislators, stakeholders, and community leaders, Governor JB Pritzker today declared gun violence a public health crisis and announced support for a $250 million state investment over the next three years to implement the Reimagine Public Safety plan, a data-driven and community-based violence prevention initiative.
Stakeholders have been a driving force behind the plan to coordinate and maximize hundreds of millions of dollars in future funding. The state will begin issuing Notices of Funding Opportunities for qualified organizations before the end of 2021 with a goal of enabling work to be well underway before the summer of 2022. […]
“Government’s first duty is to center public safety by and for the people,” said State Senator Robert Peters (D-Chicago). “We must abandon the status quo because it continues to let us down and invest into the collective samaritan such as our Illinois communities and neighborhoods; and this plan will do just that. With this, we’re on a path away from decades of policies that have led us to this point, and towards providing vital, trauma informed services so no child, no parent, and no neighbor are left alone and isolated. This will be the beginning of creating and maintaining public safety for all and not a few.”
The new resources draw from federal and State funding, including $50 million from the fiscal year 2022 state budget. The administration will work with members of the General Assembly on additional $100 million appropriations in the budgets for fiscal years 2023 and 2024, building on the state’s existing anti-violence investments. The governor has more than doubled violence prevention funding since taking office, with the state now appropriating $507 million for violence prevention, diversion, and youth employment programs in FY22, including $125 million in funds made available from the American Rescue Plan Act. […]
The Reimagine Public Safety Act (RPSA), sponsored by Senator Robert Peters and Representative Justin Slaughter, establishes the Office of Firearm Violence Prevention (OFPV) to focus on reducing firearm violence in communities with the highest rates of gun violence.
“Law enforcement alone can never be the sole answer to reducing violence in our communities,” said Chicago Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot. “Violence reduction and intervention are critical components to the modern public safety landscape as well as our holistic approach to combating crime. I commend our State partners for making this investment, which will help residents both in Chicago and across Illinois feel that much safer in the communities they call home.” […]
“This violence prevention plan is so much more than just the $250 million in community-based grants,” said House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch (D-Westchester). “It is an evidence-based model that relies on collaboration between state agencies, academic organizations and our local violence prevention groups who know their communities
best to achieve meaningful and lasting change the people of our state deserve.” […]
Additionally, the Governor issued Executive Order 2021-29, declaring gun violence a public health crisis and launching a comprehensive, statewide approach to reducing gun violence and establishing the Reimagine program. The Executive Order requires relevant state agencies to work with the new Office of Firearm Violence Prevention (OFVP) to address the systemic causes of firearm violence and to develop trauma-informed and equity-based strategies.
The overall violence prevention approach includes four key elements:
• High-risk youth intervention programs that have been proven to reduce involvement in the criminal or juvenile justice system, referrals of teens into therapeutic programs that address trauma recovery and other mental health services.
• Violence prevention services, including street-based violence interruption work, emotional or trauma related therapy, housing, employment, job training/placement, family engagement, and wrap-around support services.
• Youth development programs, including after school and summer programming to increase school attendance and school performance, reduce criminal justice system involvement, and build social-emotional persistence and intelligence.
• Trauma recovery services for young people, funded by Medicaid, designed and implemented by the Department of Healthcare and Family Services, to address trauma recovery from chronic exposure to firearm violence. A team-based model of care will include case management and school support services, group and individual therapy, and evidence-based family systems interventions.
$250 Million in Community-Based Grants
In the coming weeks, the OFVP will announce competitive funding opportunities for grants focused on technical assistance for violence prevention and youth development and intervention. Fifty million dollars in funding has been budgeted for the remainder of the state’s fiscal year 22, and $100 million for each of the subsequent two fiscal years will be requested.
ICJIA and IDHS have launched technical assistance and training opportunities for community organizations across the state to apply for funding that will help address factors that contribute to gun violence.
For information on available technical assistance and upcoming funding opportunities, visit the IDHS website at https://www.dhs.state.il.us/page.aspx.
Office of Firearm Violence Prevention
Anti-violence funding will support the enactment of RPSA, which establishes the OFVP within the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) to focus on reducing firearm deaths and injuries in communities with the most gun violence. […]
To develop sound recommendations on reducing incidents of gun violence, the OFVP is required to identify and work with violence prevention conveners in Chicago neighborhoods with the highest rates of violence. In areas outside of Chicago, the OFVP will form community advisory groups designed to lower firearm injuries and deaths.
Community-Based Violence Prevention and Intervention Action Plans
The Reimagine Plan aligns with the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority’s (ICJIA) recently published violence prevention plan, a statewide effort structured on evidence-based strategies and practices and focused on measuring incidents of gun violence across the state and analyzing indicators that can predict acts of violence.
ICJIA’s researchers laid out five areas of focus to guide future prevention efforts:
1. Stop the violence, promote safety;
2. Support children, youth, and families;
3. Advance equity;
4. Support health; and,
5. Promote collaboration across state, municipal, and community-based agencies.
The ICJIA violence prevention plan, the Reimagine Plan, and today’s Executive Order build on existing state and federally funded youth jobs programs, career-training efforts, and the first of its kind Restore, Reinvest, and Renew (R3) initiative. Through R3, ICJIA has devoted tens of millions of dollars of revenue from adult-use cannabis sales into equity and community-based programs across Illinois.
“ICJIA released the Statewide Violence Prevention Plan in September which supports the administration’s goals of breaking the cycles of violence caused by years of failed criminal justice policies and economic disinvestment in Black and Brown communities,” said Acting ICJIA Executive Director Delrice Adams.“Developed in collaboration with over 130 community violence prevention stakeholders and seven state agencies, the plan aligns with the Reimagine Public Safety Act by providing a coordinated strategy to reduce gun violence across the state.”
Executive Order 2021-29
Governor Pritzker issued Executive Order 2021-29 to support IDHS in its implementation of the RPSA, a critical component of the violence prevention plan. The newly formed OFVP, established by the act, will coordinate with the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH), ICJIA, the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS), and other relevant state agencies to establish a public health approach to reducing gun violence.
“Because gun violence is one of the leading causes of premature death in Illinois and the United States, it is a critical public health issue,” said IDPH Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike. “Last year, approximately 1 of every 3 deaths in Illinois among those aged 15-24 years involved a gun. While gun violence affects people of all ages and races, it has a disproportionate impact on young adults, males, and racial/ethnic minorities. We must all work together to identify the roots of gun violence and what role each of us play in ending it. Gun violence is not inevitable; it is preventable.”
“Firearm violence is devastating to communities and individuals long after acts of violence occur,” Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services Director Theresa Eagleson said. “Offering trauma recovery services with individual case management and therapy to young people who have been continuously exposed to violence is an essential step in the healing process and is in line with the Department’s efforts to address the social determinants of health.”
RPSA requires HFS to submit a State Plan Amendment to Illinois’ Medicaid program that could result in federal matching reimbursement for some of these services.
Further advancing the Pritzker administration’s work to reduce violence across the state, last month the Illinois State Police (ISP) announced a significant increase in its gun license revocation efforts as part of its larger work to rebuild the Firearms Services Bureau with a focus on public safety.
Since 2019, ISP’s Division of Criminal Investigation has conducted more than 450 firearms enforcement details, with over 1,300 prohibited persons brought into compliance and over 10,000 firearms dispositions accounted for.
…Adding… Democratic State Rep…
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* Daily Herald op-ed by Sheldon H. Jacobson, Ph.D., “a professor of computer science at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. His research group on computational redistricting is committed to bringing transparency to the redistricting process using optimization algorithms and artificial intelligence”…
To illustrate how poorly the new [congressional district] map serves the people of Illinois, District 2 now mixes several South Side Chicago communities in the north with Danville and other East Central rural downstate communities. How can a representative of such a district, now classified as majority-minority, serve such a diverse set of constituents?
What the new map does is ignore and dismiss the interests of the citizens of Illinois, breaking up communities of interest throughout the state.
OK, first of all, this is US Rep. Robin Kelly’s district, which currently runs south of Kankakee to Chebanse. Under the new map, the district’s southern boundary has been extended about 70 miles south to include Danville. It’s basically just a larger version of her current district, and all districts had to get bigger this year because the state lost a seat during reapportionment. And to preserve three districts drawn to comply with the Voting Rights Act, the 2nd, like the other two, had to take in more white precincts. Also, c’mon, it’s also obviously about politics. And politics, like it or not, is an allowable factor in redistricting.
* And since Professor Jacobson brought up Danville, as of 10 years ago, Danville was 24 percent Black and about 5 percent Latino. Also…
For only the second time in 32 years, the City of Danville has elected a new mayor and elected its first African-American mayor.
If Jacobson had his way, Danville residents would continue to be represented by someone like Mary Miller, a white, upper-income farmer who lives more than 50 miles south of Danville and whose district office in Danville was closed at last check.
So, I asked Jacobson some questions via email. He didn’t really provide much of a response to my questions and I still haven’t heard back on this last one…
Again, why did you choose to center the interests of white people over people of color? Why is it seemingly preferable to have a white congressperson representing Black people?
If he gets back to me, I’ll be sure to post whatever he says.
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* Sarah Zhang has an excellent piece in The Atlantic, so you should definitely read the whole thing…
To prevent hospitals from being overwhelmed, the key group we need to vaccinate is really the elderly. The risk of hospitalization for an unvaccinated person over 80 is 25 times that for an unvaccinated person under 18. A Financial Times analysis of data from the U.K. found vaccinating 25,000 children had the same effect on hospitalizations as vaccinating just 800 adults over age 60. Unvaccinated elderly adults are just that much more likely to become severely ill with COVID-19. You can’t compensate for a low vaccination rate among older adults by vaccinating more people in younger groups, says Müge Çevik, a virologist at the University of St. Andrews.
The U.S. still has too many unvaccinated elderly people—or rather, parts of the U.S. do. States such as Vermont and Hawaii have done well, given almost 100 percent of people over 65 immunized at least one dose. But in Idaho, Arkansas, and Mississippi, the percentage is languishing in the 80s. Even small differences in this percentage can have an outsize impact on hospitalization outcomes. For example, two communities with 90 versus 99 percent of the elderly vaccinated actually have a tenfold difference in the number of people at risk for hospitalization. “You don’t need a lot of infections in the unvaccinated over 65 to give you a problem,” Hanage says. During the summer wave in the U.S., the community vaccination rate in people over 65 correlated with hospitalization trends. The trend, he says, is “extremely clear.”
Illinois is also languishing. Our vax rate for those 65+ is just 83.58 percent. Not great to be lumped in with states like Idaho, Arkansas and Mississippi.
* Um, no…
* According to the ISBE, only one district was still on probation…
ISBE issued emergency rules, effective October 28, that make changes to the processes and procedures regarding recognition status changes of districts and schools. As a result, ISBE reinstated the recognition status of the one public school district still not in compliance with the universal indoor masking requirement in order to proceed with the oversight process as outlined in the new administrative rules for recognition. ISBE will continue to take swift action to ensure compliance with the public health requirements that are in place to protect the health and safety of students and educators and to ensure students can continue to learn safely in-person. Please find the process described in the communication attached.
The attachment is here.
* From the governor’s event today…
Stay classy.
* Um, no. They could always be fired. Some folks were using a novel interpretation of a state law that was designed to protect certain rights of healthcare providers by giving them the ability to sue their employers and recover treble damages, including for pain and suffering…
Employees refusing to be vaccinated or tested for COVID-19 on religious or moral grounds could be fired under a change in Illinois’ Health Care Right of Conscience Act approved Friday by the General Assembly.
Also, those employees have certain federal religious rights that won’t go away when this law takes effect.
* Not a single court ever ruled pre-COVID that this state law applied to anyone but medical providers…
For more than four decades, the Illinois Health Care Right of Conscience Act has protected people from having to provide or receive medical treatments that conflict with their religious or moral beliefs.
The amount of misinformation in the mainstream media on this legislation boggles the mind. The bill slightly narrows a narrowly and perhaps erroneously perceived right to sue. And almost all of this rigamarole has to do with people who are refusing to take regular COVID tests after opting out of the vaccine mandate.
Sheesh.
* Friday at the federal level…
Late Friday, a federal judge shot down an emergency request by Chicago firefighters, paramedics and other city workers to halt city and state vaccine mandates. That ruling came down hours after the City Council voted down a proposal from a group of aldermen to repeal the mandate and remove the power over such measures from the mayor. […]
[U.S. District Judge John Lee] said the plaintiffs failed to show that the government orders were irrational or outrageous or violated any of the employees’ constitutional or religious rights.
* Monday at the county level…
A Cook County judge ruled Monday that the city’s vaccination mandate can remain in place for now, but unionized Chicago Police Department employees can’t face consequences for not getting vaccinated until the policy goes through arbitration.
The written decision by Judge Raymond Mitchell to grant a partial temporary restraining order centers on the Chicago Fraternal Order of Police’s lawsuit against the city following a directive for all employees to report their vaccination status by Oct. 15, which thousands of first-responders did not do.
…Adding… Forgot about this…
* Other stuff…
* AG Raoul asks IL Supreme Court to move DeVore’s student mask lawsuits to Cook or Sangamon counties
* COVID-19’s global death toll tops 5 million in under 2 years
* Nursing homes in 3 states face profit limits as Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey move to improve care
* Moderna: FDA Delaying Decision on Its Shot for Adolescents
* COVID Vaccines for Kids Under 12: What Still Needs to Happen Before Shots Can Begin
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* Institute of Government and Public Affairs…
The University of Illinois Flash Index in October fell to 105.4 from its 106.0 level last month. This decline in Illinois followed the broader national pattern of a slowing recovery from the short, but sharp COVID-19 recession of 2020.
The small recovery the index made in September was wiped out, but the reading remains above the 100-level dividing line between economic growth and decline. See the full Flash Index archive.
“This drop is likely the result of the return of some restrictions because of the emergence of the Delta variant, along with supply chain bottlenecks that have slowed the economy,” said University of Illinois economist J. Fred Giertz, who compiles the monthly index for the Institute of Government and Public Affairs. “While the short-term outlook remains clouded, there is still optimism for 2022. This is based on the apparent receding of the Delta variant surge and the strong pent-up demand from consumers whose spending has been limited during the COVID-19 crisis.”
Giertz said that supply chain problems are also expected to ease, although more slowly than anticipated. Growth rate expectations, while still positive, have been tempered somewhat by these recent developments.
The Illinois unemployment rate dropped to 6.8% from last month’s 7.0% level. However, it remains a full two percentage points above the national rate. Inflation-adjusted corporate and sales tax receipts were up from the same month last year, while individual income tax receipts were down. As noted below, these results are impacted by changing payment patterns as well as basic state economic activity.
The Flash Index is a weighted average of Illinois growth rates in corporate earnings, consumer spending and personal income as estimated from receipts for corporate income, individual income, and retail sales taxes. These are adjusted for inflation before growth rates are calculated. The growth rate for each component is then calculated for the 12-month period using data through October 31, 2021.
Even though more than a year has passed since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, ad hoc adjustments will still be needed for some time because of the timing of the tax receipts resulting from state and Federal changes in payment dates both this year and last year.
* History…
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SoS finally changes its goofy website name
Monday, Nov 1, 2021 - Posted by Rich Miller
* There was a time when people out to make a buck convinced newbie website owners that their sites should have their own new identities apart from the ones that the organizations/companies had worked for decades or even longer to establish. So, for example, the St. Louis Post Dispatch’s online name became “St. Louis Today.” Lots of Downstate TV stations got into the act as well. I always thought it was a stupid idea and, before the age of easy Googling, even harmful. And the same goes for the Illinois SoS website name. CyberDriveIllinois.com? What?
But it turns out there’s an even better reason to change that silly name. Press release…
Secretary of State Jesse White announced that the Illinois Secretary of State’s office has changed its official web address from “cyberdriveillinois.com” to “ILSOS.gov.” The change is designed to help combat fraud. A “.gov” website address designates it as an official government website, which is exclusively provided to federal, state and local government entities.
“Changing the website address to ILSOS.gov will help combat fraud at a time when scams designed to defraud Illinoisans have been proliferating,” said White. “Because the new address uses a .gov suffix, you can rest assured it belongs to a federal, state or local government agency – in this case the Illinois Secretary of State’s office – which adds to your peace of mind when transacting business online with my office.”
White noted that Illinoisans who type cyberdriveIllinois.com into the browser will be directed to ILSOS.gov.
In addition to the website address change, White’s office unveiled a redesigned website that is designed to make it easier for the public to locate services quickly. The website prioritizes the most frequently used services, such as driver license, ID card and license plate renewals. It also breaks down online services into a specific section to help customers who wish to conduct business online.
Popular features, such as Safe Driver Renewal, DL/State ID Card Renewal, Facility Finder, Pick-a-Plate, License Plates Renewal and Business Services filings remain prominently featured.
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* Tribune…
Decision day dawned early Friday for members of Congress from Illinois confronted with a new district map drawn by Democrats in an effort to maximize power in Washington, avoid legal challenges and create an opportunity for adding a second Latino to the state’s delegation.
The fallout from the new map came quickly. First it was six-term Republican U.S. Rep. Adam Kinzinger of Channahon, an outcast in his own party over his opposition to former President Donald Trump, taking himself out of a primary matchup against the four-term U.S. Rep. Darin LaHood of Peoria, a staunch Trump supporter. […]
Still to be heard from is controversial freshman Republican U.S. Rep. Mary Miller of Oakland who was mapped into a district with four-term U.S. Rep. Mike Bost of Murphysboro [who announced for reelection last week]. Miller could choose to challenge five-term U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis, whose neighboring district includes some of her current district.
Then there’s Davis, himself, who was left alone by Democratic mapmakers in a heavily Republican central Illinois district. Always active in state GOP politics, Davis has said his political future depended on how Democrats treated him in drawing a new district. Davis has been considering a possible bid for the Republican nomination for governor.
* Politico…
While a run for U.S. Senate seems logical, an insider who has seen polling numbers says it would be a suicide mission for Kinzinger to run against Democratic Sen. Tammy Duckworth. He’d also have to get out of a primary first, which would be a challenge for Kinzinger in any race while Trumpism remains potent within the party.
Other possible scenarios: Kinzinger takes a talking-head job at CNN or MSNBC, writes a book about battling former President Donald Trump, earns millions of dollars to secure his family’s future while also raising funds for his super PACs — and then makes a run for president in 2024. Wouldn’t a Trump v. Kinzinger race be something?
Still another GOP insider wouldn’t be surprised if Kinzinger were to take a military-type appointment under a Biden administration. Conservatives like to dream. […]
Miller, meanwhile, may decide to run in Davis’ seat instead of the 12th District, where she’s been placed to face-off against Rep. Mike Bost.
Why that’s interesting: Miller, a Trump devotee, might be a better fit for the more conservative 12th District, but it would be difficult to challenge GOP veteran Bost, who has his own Trump credentials. The former president even campaigned for Bost in 2020. Miller might see a bigger opening by challenging Davis, who supported establishing a commission to investigate Trump’s actions on Jan. 6.
Candidates don’t have to live in the district they’re seeking to represent. It wouldn’t be unusual for Miller to run in the 15th since it encompasses a chunk of her current district and because her family farm is just over a mile from the district.
…Adding… Oops, forgot to post this…
* Fact-check: Rep. Mary Miller’s claim of caravan the size of Minneapolis off by factor of 100
…Adding… For what it’s worth, I agree with Lynn Sweet…
If Kinzinger and his team thinks it would have been an “all-consuming race” just to run for a House seat, imagine the time and money it would take to mount a statewide bid.
Running for governor, with its state-focused issues, does not seem to animate Kinzinger, so let’s rule that out for now.
The Senate is a better match.
Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., 53, running for a second term in 2022, had $5.77 million cash-on-hand as of Sept. 30.
She will have no significant Democratic primary, so she can save for the general election. Kinzinger as of Sept. 30 had $3.35 million in his congressional war chest and would have to budget for an expensive primary.
Kinzinger, 43, will have other shots at the Senate.
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DPI hires Jake Lewis, Maralea Negron
Monday, Nov 1, 2021 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Press release…
Today, the Democratic Party of Illinois announced two new staff hires: Jake Lewis will serve as Deputy Director overseeing all communications and Maralea Negron will serve as Operations Director.
“We’re thrilled for Jake and Maralea to join the DPI team,” said Congresswoman Robin Kelly, DPI Chair. “Both Jake and Maralea bring unique skills and experiences to the DPI that will support our work in making the party more active, inclusive, and transparent. Jake has been a leading voice in some of our most recent progressive political and legislative fights and he will be critical in helping us connect with voters about Democratic successes while holding Republicans accountable. Maralea’s experience working with Springfield legislators and advocating for the most vulnerable individuals throughout our state will serve the DPI well as we continue to grow our capacity and build our party.”
Jake Lewis will serve as Deputy Director and will oversee all communications. Previously, he worked as the Director of Communications for the Chicago Federation of Labor where he was responsible for internal and external communications. Jake also worked as the Campaign Director for Illinois Working Together, a labor coalition fighting for working families during the Rauner Administration, as a strategist for the political consultancy 270 Strategies and as field director for now Sen. Tammy Duckworth in her 2012 run for Congress.
“I am thrilled to join the DPI team and work to support Democrats up and down the ballot,” said Lewis. “Illinois Democrats have led the charge at the local, state, and federal levels to grow jobs, end the pandemic, protect our environment, and build a stronger economy that works for everyone. I look forward to helping the DPI communicate with voters, party leaders, and activists about the Democrats’ vision for the future as we head into a major election year.”
Maralea Negron will serve as Operations Director, working hand-in-hand with DPI leadership to ensure the party grows in size and scale to work with all Democrats this cycle. Previously, she worked as Chief of Staff to Rep. Kelly Cassidy, developing policy by engaging grassroots advocates and stakeholders on issues, tracking legislation, and serving as a liaison to the community and constituents. She also serves on the Guardianship and Advocacy Commission of the Illinois Department of Human Rights.
“I couldn’t be more excited to join the DPI team,” said Negron. “Now more than ever, our communities need Democratic leaders who will stand up for what is right and take on the toughest challenges we all face. I am eager to be a part of the DPI team as it continues to grow to meet Chair Kelly’s vision of an inclusive, effective state party.”
Jake won a Golden Horseshoe Award for his work at Illinois Working Together.
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* My weekly syndicated newspaper column…
The current topsy-turvy political landscape was on full display in the Illinois House and the Senate last week as the chamber debated and passed a bill to slightly narrow the scope of the Illinois Health Care Right of Conscience Act.
A bedrock Republican Party principle over the years has been to help shield employers from frivolous lawsuits. But every single Republican voted against a bill in the two chambers that would effectively prevent anyone who is fired or punished after refusing to take regular COVID-19 tests from suing their employer and recovering triple damages, including pain and suffering.
Public school teachers, for example, must now either be vaccinated or submit to regular virus testing, yet several unvaccinated teachers are suing because they do not want to take any tests. A court loss by those districts could be very costly, but some judges are siding with plaintiffs and concluding that a law designed to protect doctors who refuse to perform abortions also applies to people who don’t want to be vaccinated or get tested.
Democrats are usually all-in on the right of employees to sue, but definitely not in this instance. Like I said, topsy-turvy.
Also, for a year and a half now, Republicans have been demanding that the super-majority legislative Democrats vote on bills related to the pandemic rather than sit idly by while Gov. J.B. Pritzker issues executive orders.
But, when the Democrats finally took up the Health Care Right of Conscience Act legislation last week, folks like Rep. Dan Caulkins (R-Decatur) argued that the General Assembly ought to drop this issue and instead allow the courts to decide whether the HCRCA applies to the current controversy over vaccines and testing.
That makes no sense considering the endless GOP demands that the General Assembly “do something.” But, in reality, that demand for legislative action has mainly been a rhetorical device to allow the Republicans to avoid commenting directly on a range of pandemic topics. Last week’s vote, however, smoked them out.
Pretty much all polling shows that the majority of Republican voters oppose things like COVID-19 vaccine and mask mandates. So, it’s no surprise that Republican legislators would also be opposed to this change, particularly in a redistricting year when legislators will have new turf to defend and primary opponents can always pop up out of the blue.
What is a tiny bit surprising, though, is that the Republican Party has become so completely monolithic.
The party has for decades in this state included several legislators who were willing to break ranks on things like taxation, labor unions and abortion. But those members have left office, lost primaries to more conservative Republicans, lost general elections to more liberal Democrats or, in the case of folks like Sen. Terri Bryant (R-Murphysboro) who voted for the 2017 tax hike, lurched to the far right. It’s also easier to be unified in the super-minority party, mainly because there is so little pressure or enticement to participate in actual governance. The age of Donald Trump has forced the entire party into a niche, whether party members like it or not.
Unlike the Republicans, House Democrats were not totally unified on the HCRCA legislation last week. It probably didn’t help that tens of thousands of electronic witness slips were filed in opposition to the bill.
Seven House Democrats wound up voting against the measure: Carol Ammons of Urbana, Kelly Burke of Evergreen Park, Anthony Deluca of Chicago Heights, Stephanie Kifowit of Oswego and John D’Amico, Mary Flowers and Fran Hurley of Chicago. Two voted “Present”: Angie Guerrero-Cuellar of Chicago and Rita Mayfield of Waukegan.
In the Senate, six Democrats sided with the opposition: Rachelle Aud Crowe of Glen Carbon, Suzy Glowiak Hilton of Western Springs, Mike Hastings of Frankfort, Patrick Joyce of Essex, Meg Loughran Cappel of Shorewood and Doris Turner of Springfield. Four Democrats didn’t vote: Tom Cullerton of Villa Park, Napoleon Harris of Harvey, and Rob Martwick and Tony Muñoz of Chicago.
That Democratic opposition was enough to bring the final tallies below the threshold needed for an immediate effective date on the legislation, so it won’t take effect until June 1 of next year. But it’s likely the two chambers will vote on it again in January, when it can take effect immediately. In the meantime, the governor’s and attorney general’s offices believe the action was probably enough to stave off the lawsuits.
All because some folks who won’t get vaccinated say they have some mysterious conscientious objection to being tested for a disease and would sue any employer who claims otherwise.
Ridiculous.
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Open thread
Monday, Nov 1, 2021 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Let’s hope this doesn’t become, um, viral…
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* Background is here if you need it. From the attorney general’s filing…
Pursuant to Illinois Supreme Court Rule 384, the Attorney General of the State of Illinois, Kwame Raoul, on behalf of Governor Jay Robert Pritzker, in his official capacity, the Illinois Department of Public Health, the Illinois State Board of Education, Dr. Carmen I. Ayala, in her official capacity as the director of the Illinois State Board of Education, and Dr. Ngozi Ezike, in her official capacity as Director of the Illinois Department of Public Health (“State Defendants”), hereby move this Court to: (1) transfer the above-captioned cases that are currently pending in the Circuit Courts of Kendall (No. 2021-MR-255), Macoupin (No. 2021-MR-91), Montgomery (No. 2021-MR-112), Sangamon (Nos. 2021-MR-1259 & 2021-CH-79), and Vermilion Counties (No. 2021-MR-432), to the Circuit Court of Cook County; and (2) consolidate those cases with the case currently pending in the Circuit Court of Cook County (No. 2021 CH 4914). In the alternative, the State Defendants respectfully request that the Court: (1) transfer the above-captioned cases that are currently pending in the Circuit Courts of Cook, Kendall, Macoupin, Montgomery, and Vermilion Counties to the Circuit Court of Sangamon County, and (2) consolidate those cases with the cases currently pending in the Circuit Court of Sangamon County (Nos. 2021-MR-1259 & 2021-CH-79).
Such relief is appropriate because these cases all challenge the executive orders and emergency rule issued by the State Defendants requiring students to wear face coverings while in school and/or requiring schools to exclude students from in-person learning if they come into close contact with someone who has COVID-19. These cases all seek similar declaratory or injunctive relief to nullify these requirements for students and school districts. Accordingly, transfer and consolidation would conserve resources, allow for a more efficient resolution of the cases, and avoid public confusion over the validity of the State Defendants’ actions to address the COVID-19 pandemic. Transfer to the Circuit Court of Cook County is warranted because the vast majority of the students who would be the subject of the sought relief are located in Cook County. Alternatively, Sangamon County is an appropriate forum as the venue of the first-filed case, and where counsel for the majority of the plaintiffs is already engaged in similar litigation against some of the State Defendants. In support of this motion, the State Defendants submit a supporting record and state the following.
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COVID-19 roundup
Friday, Oct 29, 2021 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Daily Herald…
Preliminary state data released today confirms what many educators and parents predicted about the pandemic-impacted 2020-21 school year, but is not without hopeful signs.
Statewide, chronic absenteeism worsened, fewer students met grade-level expectations in English language arts and mathematics and the effects of remote learning were hardest on minority students and English language learners, according to preliminary and partial 2021 Illinois Report Card data released Friday morning. […]
Preliminary spring testing data from most schools statewide show steep declines in students attaining proficiency in math and English language arts across grade levels — 17.8% and 16.6%, respectively.
Among English learners, the decline in meeting standards was stark, 51.5% in English language arts and 54% in math. Similarly, low-income students saw a 31% drop in English and 38.7% dip in math, while special needs students saw declines of 30.4% in English and 23.5% in math.
The data show larger decreases in proficiency among younger students who likely struggled more to engage in remote learning than their older peers, officials said
Click here to see the data.
* IDPH…
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) today reported 14,616 new confirmed and probable cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Illinois, including 183 additional deaths since reporting last Friday, October 22, 2021. Of Illinois’ total population, 69% has received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose and 54% of Illinois’ total population is fully vaccinated.
Currently, IDPH is reporting a total of 1,695,524 cases, including 25,771 deaths, in 102 counties in Illinois. The age of cases ranges from younger than one to older than 100 years. Since reporting on Friday, October 22, 2021, laboratories have reported 796,018 specimens for a total of 35,288,616. As of last night, 1,256 individuals in Illinois were reported to be in the hospital with COVID-19. Of those, 281 patients were in the ICU and 133 patients with COVID-19 were on ventilators.
The preliminary seven-day statewide positivity for cases as a percent of total test from October 22-28, 2021 is 1.8%. The preliminary seven-day statewide test positivity from October 22-28, 2021 is 2.2%.
A total of 15,542,790 vaccines have been administered in Illinois as of last midnight. The seven-day rolling average of vaccines administered daily is 49,742 doses. Since reporting on Friday, October 22, 2021, 348,196 doses were reported administered in Illinois.
*All data are provisional and will change. Additional information and COVID-19 data can be found at http://www.dph.illinois.gov/covid19.
Vaccination is the key to ending this pandemic. To find a COVID-19 vaccination location near you, go to www.vaccines.gov.
* NBC 5…
A suburban community has announced that it will no longer abide by the terms of a mask mandate issued by the Illinois Department of Public Health and Gov. J.B. Pritzker, saying that masks will now be optional in businesses.
Elk Grove Village Mayor Craig Johnson made the announcement this week. He says that the village has been following science, and is now acting to make masks optional as the number of COVID patients in the community, and in the state, continue to decline.
“People are doing well, and I think a bigger reason than that is that people are getting vaccinated,” he said. “As I’ve been saying since January, ‘vaccinate, vaccinate, vaccinate,’ and it’s working.”
According to the latest data from IDPH, 67.33% of Elk Grove Village residents who are eligible for the vaccine are fully vaccinated, with just over 70% of residents having received at least one dose.
* IDPH…
As we head into the holiday season, the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) is issuing updated guidance to help people celebrate more safely as we continue to battle the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Last year, many people held off getting together with family and friends during the holiday season due to the pandemic,” said IDPH Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike. “This year, we have a safe and effective vaccine to help protect against severe illness due to COVID-19 that will allow friends and families to more safely celebrate together. Getting vaccinated is the best way to protect yourself, your friends and family, and your community, but there are other actions you can take to celebrate more safely.”
Travel safety considerations:
• Delay travel until you are fully vaccinated, or wait until you get a booster shot if eligible
• If you’re not fully vaccinated, test 1-3 days before and 3-5 days after traveling
• Travel during off-peak times to avoid crowds
• Drive a private vehicle to reduce exposure to COVID-19
• If using public transportation, try to travel during non-peak times. Masks are required on/in all areas of mass transit
Guests and gatherings:
• Keep indoor gatherings small
• Arrange seating and other areas to allow for physical distance
• Increase air flow by opening windows and/or doors
• Avoid having people congregate, such as in the kitchen or at the buffet
• Clean and sanitize the kitchen, bathrooms, and other areas used by guests
People who are sick with fever, cough, or other symptoms of COVID-19, or have been exposed to someone with COVID-19, should not travel or gather for holiday events during that time.
More information on COVID-19 Holiday Season Safety can be found on the IDPH website at https://dph.illinois.gov/covid19/community-guidance/holiday-season-safety.html.
* The governor has threatened to veto this bill…
The Illinois General Assembly is advancing a proposal that would allow educators to be able to isolate for COVID-19 without having to use their sick days. Two amendments to the state school code will require all school districts, community colleges, and public universities to allow their employees ample paid leave to abide by “public health guidance, mandates and requirements issued by the Department of Public Health.” The amendments would also apply if an educator has a child who must isolate after virus exposure. The measure is headed to Governor J.B. Pritzker’s desk, where he will decide whether or not to sign it.
* Related…
* Is Moderna Really Better Than Pfizer—Or Is It Just a Higher Dose? It’s possible that a good deal of the difference in the shots’ performance can be summed up with a simple phrase: More is better.
* Cook County prepares to roll out COVID vaccine for kids 5 to 11 pending federal approval
* Chicago aldermen pass Lightfoot’s $16 billion budget, buoyed by federal COVID-19 relief funds
* Upcoming plays work COVID-type scenarios into the plot
* Trick-or-Treating, Masks and More: Here’s the Halloween Guidance for Illinois
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* I checked with the Lightfoot people and here is how the poll question was asked…
Do you support or oppose a coronavirus vaccine mandate for city workers, including first responders?
* Results…
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* Brenden Moore looks at the new congressional districts…
12th — This rural district covers Southern Illinois, including almost everything south of Interstate 70. It also includes some outlying portions of Metro East. This heavily Republican seat includes the homes of Rep. Mike Bost, R-Murphysboro, and Rep. Mary Miller, R-Oakland.
* Here’s the district map. The purple district above it now belongs to US Rep. Rodney Davis. The red dot in the upper right corner is the location of Rep. Miller’s house…
* Ally Mutnick…
The new southern district is a combination of Bost’s and Miller’s current seats and a small rectangular arm just out of the northern border to grab Miller’s hometown of Oakland.
“They didn’t do that on purpose,” Bost joked, referring to the Democrats. “They didn’t draw that little area like that.”
Still, he said he plans to run no matter what, even if it meant challenging a colleague.
Miller, meanwhile, began to scurry away when POLITICO asked whether she is planning to run for reelection. A freshman who has faced repeated controversies, Miller perhaps leans more right than the other Republicans in the delegation. She has attended press conferences with the House Freedom Caucus, including one calling for the removal of two GOP colleagues from their committees: Kinzinger and Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.).
Still, when asked whether she was weighing running against one of her GOP colleagues over another, she suggested she wouldn’t be intimidated by the new maps.
“I have no idea,” she said, “but I can say I laughed when I read that they think they’re terrorizing me. Because I am not scared.”
Bost had $647K cash on hand, compared to Miller’s $432K.
*** UPDATE *** Bost…
U.S. Representative Mike Bost (IL-12) today announced that he is running for re-election in Illinois’ 12th Congressional District:
“With Joe Biden and Nancy Pelosi running roughshod in Washington, D.C., Southern Illinoisans need a battle-tested conservative fighting for them now more than ever. Today, I’m proud to announce my candidacy for re-election in the 12th Congressional District. I have never wavered in defense of our constitutional conservative values; and I will always stand up for the hardworking families, veterans, farmers, and job creators of Southern Illinois who feel abandoned by the liberals in Washington.”
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* Press release…
Today, Illinois Congresswoman Marie Newman announced she intends to run for re-election to Congress in the newly drawn 6th District, where her current constituents make up more than 40% of the population, representing a plurality of voters.
“As someone born and raised on Chicago’s Southwest Side and a lifelong resident of its surrounding suburbs, fighting for workers, small businesses, and the middle-class in these communities is in my DNA, and that fight is not going to stop now,” said Representative Marie Newman. “Last year, we made history by bringing together a coalition of neighbors, working families, volunteers, and voters from every corner of our communities to stand up against decades-old Machine politics, billionaires, and deep-pocketed special interests — and, we are doing it again. I am proud to announce that I am once again running to represent the residents of Chicago’s Southwest Side and our neighbors in the surrounding west and southwest suburbs. The lion’s share of this new district is made up of the communities and residents I represent today and I look forward to continuing to serve them in Congress.”
“From our grassroots organizers to our door-knockers on the ground, our coalition is ready to deliver for the workers, working families, and communities of this new district. From Elmhurst to Orland Park, I’m looking forward to working with everyone to build a stronger, more equitable future for our residents of the new IL-06.”
Under the new congressional map passed by the Illinois General Assembly after midnight on Thursday, Illinois will have 17 members, just six of whom are women currently serving in Congress.
Thoughts?
…Adding… Politico…
As of the end of last month, Casten had $1 million banked, compared to Newman’s $440,000. Both are progressive, but Newman would likely try to run to Casten’s left.
Some Casten allies have wondered if AIPAC or Democratic Majority for Israel, two pro-Israel groups, might get involved in a matchup because Newman was one of only a handful of Democrats who opposed funding the Iron Dome defense project earlier this year.
…Adding… Casten…
U.S. Congressman Sean Casten has released the following statement regarding the 2022 elections:
“Since the beginning of the redistricting process, I have never wanted to see friends run against friends. I believe the shared goal of every House Member is to maintain and expand our House majority and work on behalf of all constituents and community members who fought tirelessly to elect us. As I said last night, I look forward to continuing to serve the people of the 6th district as we work to make historic investments in climate action, and for families and workers.”
…Adding… Sun-Times has a brief blurb about yesterday afternoon’s problems passing a map…
Sources told the Chicago Sun-Times that the initial lack of votes on the third congressional map proposal is partly due to Casten putting pressure on some state legislators in his congressional district to improve the map in his favor — or oppose the third draft map, released Wednesday night, because it heavily favored Newman.
…Adding… From Frank…
She’s got the home field advantage, for sure.
…Adding… Those may be her precincts, but she didn’t do so great in the ones that were moved to the new 6th…
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* That escalated quickly…
* From the video…
I cannot focus on both a reelection to Congress and a broader fight nationwide.
…Adding… And…
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* Brenden Moore…
Illinois lawmakers approved gaming legislation Thursday that would allow for some betting on in-state college sports teams while putting a lid on local governments imposing “amusement push taxes” on video gaming terminals. […]
In the new bill, bets will be permitted on the final outcome of games but not individual performance. There is a July 1, 2023 sunset on the provision, meaning lawmakers will have to address it again in a few years if they wish to continue allowing the wagering activity. Bets must be made in-person.
Meanwhile, the proposal would prevent additional municipalities from enacting a “push tax,” which is placed on each bet made at video gaming terminals. Lawmakers have sought to put a lid on the practice, which they said would eat into revenue coming into the state. […]
However, the handful of cities, including Decatur, that have already enacted the tax will be grandfathered in, allowing them to continue collecting the tax, which has been subject to several lawsuits.
* Mitchell Armentrout…
Under the bill, which passed the state Senate 44-12 and the House 100-11, wagers on local college teams would have to be placed in person at a casino, limited to bets on the outcomes of games, not individual performances. The in-state ban would be reinstated in two years unless lawmakers pass another bill allowing it. […]
While the legislation will allow fans of DePaul and Northern Illinois to get in on the action, it won’t provide the betting boon it would if it allowed wagers outside brick-and-mortar casinos. The vast majority of legal bets in Illinois are placed online, accounting for upwards of 97% of the statewide handle, or the amount of money wagered. […]
Wintrust Arena would be allowed to open a sportsbook. While the 2019 gambling expansion allowed sports venues with capacities of 17,000 or more to open books, the South Loop home of the WNBA champion Chicago Sky only holds about 10,000.
Illinois residents would be able to sign up for sports betting accounts from their phones or computers beginning March 5, instead of doing so in person at a casino as required under the 2019 law. That so-called “penalty box” requirement, which was created to give casinos a head start on the industry over large online sports betting companies, originally had not been scheduled to expire until late 2022.
* Jerry Nowicki…
The bill also adds fire protection districts to the list of entities that can receive a charitable raffle license […]
The bill caps an annual fee that non-home rule municipalities can charge on video gaming terminals at $250, up from $25. […]
The bill also allows fraternal organizations, such as VFW posts and American Legions, to apply for gambling machine licenses, even if the municipality in which they reside has a local ban on them. Those provisions would not apply, however, to such facilities in Chicago and Cook County.
The bill also makes changes to the horse racing industry, loosening the requirements for the “Illinois Conceived and Foaled” racing program, such as allowing stallions owned by non-Illinois breeders to bring their horses to Illinois to breed with Illinois mares.
It also provides that semen from an Illinois stallion may be transported outside of the state.
I do believe that is the first time the phrase “semen from an Illinois stallion” has ever been posted on this-here website. Even so, let’s try to keep it clean in comments. Thank you kindly.
…Adding… Churchill Downs Inc. CEO Bill Carstanjen blamed the state for his company’s decision to sell Arlington International Racecourse to the Bears…
Carstanjen called the decision to sell Arlington “a comment on the archaic racing laws that really haven’t been changed in a material way in [Illinois] in 30-plus years, and no longer worked.”
In fact, those laws changed drastically in 2019 with the passage of a massive gambling expansion that allows horse racing tracks to become “racinos” with slot machines and table games as a means of supplementing dwindling purses for the state’s struggling horse racing industry. Churchill Downs had lobbied for that privilege for decades alongside other gambling interests, only to pass on the opportunity, blaming high taxes.
Carstanjen dismissed that legislation, saying “it wasn’t really passed in a form that was enough to make up for the racing paradigm in the state.”
So instead of investing in the 93-year-old track, the Lousiville-based corporation is opting to sell it to the Bears, who outbid a group led by former Arlington International Racecourse president Roy Arnold that wanted to keep the ponies running.
That is such hooey on Carstanjen’s part. The company didn’t want competition to Rivers Casino from a large and nearby racino.
*** UPDATE 1 *** Algonquin is one of several municipalities now looking to implement a local video gaming “push tax” before the Nov. 1 deadline. Click here.
*** UPDATE 2 *** The video gaming industry is now tracking 15 communities which may attempt to beat the Nov. 1 push tax deadline.
* Also…
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2021 veto session cheat sheet
Friday, Oct 29, 2021 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Passed both chambers…
* SB 1169 - Narrowing of lawsuit opportunities with treble damages under Health Care Right of Conscience Act
* HB 370 - Parental Notification of Abortion repeal
* HB1769 - Reimagining Electric Vehicles in Illinois Act
* HB3136 - Gaming bill [Story here]
* HB3401 - Midwife legalization
* SB0536 - Election omnibus
* HB1291 - Congressional redistricting
* SB1784 - Chicago elected school board clean up
* HB3666 - Energy trailer - prevailing wage on EV rebates
* HB307 - Revisory
* HB2778 - Education employee paid COVID-19 leave
* Passed Senate, pending in the House…
* HB3512 - Criminal justice reform update
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* As subscribers know, Speaker Welch overcame one heck of a lot of objections today…
Democrat voting No: Guerrero-Cuellar.
Democrat not voting: Cassidy.
*** UPDATE *** I’ll post react as it comes in. Casten…
U.S. Congressman Sean Casten released the following statement regarding the congressional maps approved by the Illinois General Assembly:
“Each decade, our state assembly has an important constitutional obligation to ensure Illinoisans have congressional representation that reflects the vast geography and diversity of our state,” said Rep. Sean Casten. “I remain focused on fighting for my constituents as we work to make historic investments in climate action, families, and workers for the sixth district of Illinois.”
* Wasserman may not be wrong, but…
* Speaker Chris Welch…
I want to congratulate everyone who had a hand in this incredibly successful and historical veto session. We were able to ensure our state has effective tools to fight this pandemic. We repealed the final anti-abortion law on the books in Illinois. We provided incentives for electric vehicle manufacturers to ensure Illinois remains at the forefront of a clean energy future. And, we approved a historic map that offers a new coalition district for minority representation. This is the type of work the people of our state deserve. I want to thank my colleagues in the House and Senate, as well as the numerous advocacy groups and grassroots organizations who helped us achieve these momentous victories
* Sen. Barickman…
State Senator Jason Barickman (R-Bloomington) released the following statement following the Illinois Senate’s vote to approve a new Congressional map:
“One things that’s become clear throughout the legislative process, is that Governor Pritzker and his allies have no interest in doing what is best for the people of Illinois. Governor Pritzker already broke his clear promise to voters when he signed two state legislative maps into law. Now as we’ve moved into the Congressional map process, Pritzker is not only going along with the gerrymandering process, he has been confirmed to be an active participant, through secret, closed-door meetings and backroom deals. The product of this broken process will take away choices from voters, further entrench politicians with extreme viewpoints, and disenfranchise people from one end of the state to the other.”
* Rep. Kelly Cassidy…
The evolution of this map resulted in two women I strongly admire getting short shrift. I am strongly supportive of the creation of a second Latino district and know that hard choices had to be made to accomplish that, but I couldn’t bring myself to support a process that left two strong women leaders’ voices out. As we work to ensure the map reflects the diversity of our state, it does a lot to accomplish that goal but falls short in terms of recognizing the need for more women in leadership roles as we watch the steady march towards the reversal of Roe v Wade.
* Illinois House Latino Caucus…
After a long, public process led by one of our own, Leader Lisa Hernandez, the Illinois House Latino Caucus applauds the historic congressional map passed by both chambers tonight. A product of notable collaboration, we are pleased this map will include a second district of significant Latino representation. This would be the first time in Illinois’ history that the Latino community can influence two congressional districts. If signed into law, this map will only add to Illinois’ reputation as being a model for the nation when it comes to minority representation.
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