Question of the day
Monday, May 24, 2021 - Posted by Rich Miller
* And away we go…
* The Question: Your one-word description of the Democrats’ new remap proposal? One real word only, please.
[Tweet has been corrected]
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It’s just a bill
Monday, May 24, 2021 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Local electric company doesn’t like the proposed Clean Energy Jobs Act or the governor’s Consumers and Climate First Act…
* Charles Selle wants a crackdown…
Most states have laws penalizing catalytic-converter robbers even as legitimate metals’ buyers already abide by the rules. But with the amount of money involved, even with the tiny bits of precious metals inside the devices, many junkyards ignore the laws, turning them into black-market buyers.
There is a measure winding its way through the Illinois legislature, House Bill 0106, which would require licensed scrap dealers, parts recyclers and processors, among others, to keep records related to the acquisition or disposal of catalytic converters, including dates of sales, names and addresses of sellers.
Illinois legislators need to get behind that proposed law to make thefts of catalytic converters more punitive and increase penalties on scrap dealers who willingly accept stolen devices. Until then, motorists who are lawmakers’ constituents may become unwilling victims of the converter crooks among us cruising for easy scores.
* Related…
* After COVID-19 cut into last year’s session, state legislators face backlog of big issues as May 31 adjournment approaches
* Dispensary license lottery fix goes to House floor
* Push continues for equal representation in Chicago elected school board
* Illinois still not on board when it comes to betting on local college sports teams
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* Press release…
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) today reported 933 new confirmed and probable cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Illinois, including 10 additional deaths. In addition, 65% of Illinois adults have received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose and 48% of Illinois adults are fully vaccinated, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
- Cook County: 1 female 20s, 1 female 30s, 1 female 50s, 1 female 60s, 2 males 60s, 1 female 70s, 1 male 70s
- Fulton County: 1 female 60s
- Peoria County: 1 male 60
Currently, IDPH is reporting a total of 1,376,411 cases, including 22,633 deaths, in 102 counties in Illinois. The age of cases ranges from younger than one to older than 100 years. Within the past 24 hours, laboratories have reported 33,010 specimens for a total of 24,266,277. As of last night, 1,393 individuals in Illinois were reported to be in the hospital with COVID-19. Of those, 334 patients were in the ICU and 180 patients with COVID-19 were on ventilators.
The preliminary seven-day statewide positivity for cases as a percent of total test from May 17-23, 2021 is 2.2%. The preliminary seven-day statewide test positivity from May 17-23, 2021 is 2.7%.
A total of 10,940,769 vaccines have been administered in Illinois as of last midnight. The seven-day rolling average of vaccines administered daily is 76,133 doses. Yesterday, 36,358 doses were reported administered in Illinois. Doses administered at CVS pharmacies over the weekend have not yet been reported and will be added in the coming days.
*All data are provisional and will change. In order to rapidly report COVID-19 information to the public, data are being reported in-time. Information is constantly being entered into an electronic system and the number of cases and deaths can change as additional information is gathered. For health questions about COVID-19, call the hotline at 1-800-889-3931 or email dph.sick@illinois.gov.
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* Getting a bit heated out there…
ICYMI: Speaker Welch stabs 2016 Rep. Welch in the back
Last Friday at 7:30 PM, Illinois Democrats unveiled the Microsoft Paint version of their proposed remake of our state legislative maps. Late Sunday, they released a Google Map version with more detail. Still missing is any shred of data that could help the public understand why the maps look as ridiculous as they do.
The idea of an independent map commission determining new redistricting lines - a proposal previously championed by dozens of Democrat legislators - has been abandoned. Instead, this wholly partisan process conducted behind locked doors in the Stratton Building has been led by a former independent map commission supporter, new Speaker Chris Welch.
Specifically, Welch wrote an op-ed in support of such a commission and stated the following:
1. An independent map commission would “protect minority representation.” And that it would “ensure that Illinois meets federal requirements under the Voting Rights Act to protect minority representation.”
2. “[T]his measure will make the redistricting process more transparent and take the process out of the hands of elected officials, which many of my constituents and residents across Illinois strongly support.”
At any point since becoming Speaker of the House, Chris Welch could have followed through on what is clear were hollow words of politician-speak.
ILGOP Spokesman Joe Hackler responded, saying, “When given the opportunity to protect minority representation and take the mapmaking process out of the hands of partisan politicians, Speaker Welch crumbled. His word meant nothing in 2016 and it certainly means nothing now. The only Democrat left who has the opportunity to live up to their promises, is Governor JB Pritzker. The people of Illinois demand that the Governor follow through on his pledge to veto any new map drawn by politicians.”
I asked Speaker Welch’s campaign spokesperson for comment.
*** UPDATE *** Alexandra Sims…
We don’t need to take advice from a party that knows nothing about diversity. Let’s compare the Speaker’s leadership team versus Leader Durkin’s leadership team and Candace Owens doesn’t count.
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Matt Jones needs our help
Monday, May 24, 2021 - Posted by Rich Miller
* You’d think that since both Matt and his wife Sandy have good jobs with good insurance, they wouldn’t need anything but our friendship at a time like this. But paid family and medical leave is temporary, and insurance doesn’t always cover things, so their need is all too real. Please, help them out…
* A message from Matt…
Click here, please.
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Could Illinois be headed for an upgrade?
Monday, May 24, 2021 - Posted by Rich Miller
* My weekly syndicated newspaper column…
If I had told you during the brief legislative session last May, while the state was still under a stay at home order and everything appeared to be collapsing, that Illinois would have an extra $2 billion laying around to pay off the remainder of a $3.2 billion federal loan, you might have thought I was insane.
But here we are.
A couple of weeks ago, the federal government declared that states could not use any of the billions of dollars they’re receiving from the American Rescue Plan to pay off loans. That caused severe consternation in Illinois, which had planned to use part of its $8 billion federal aid package to eliminate what was left of the loans it received from the Federal Reserve’s Municipal Liquidity Facility.
However, the General Assembly’s Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability revised its revenue estimate for the current fiscal year the same week. The new forecast moved COGFA’s March projections upward by about $2 billion. The Governor’s Office of Management and Budget revised its own forecast upward by about $1.5 billion the same day.
And then last week, the governor, the Democratic legislative leaders and the comptroller announced the state will use its own revenues to pay back the federal government instead of relying on American Rescue Plan money.
The loan repayment will save the state about $100 million in interest, but it also frees up $1 billion in Fiscal Year 2023 that otherwise would’ve had to go to the federal government if the state had remained on the original repayment timeline. “This sets us up for the future,” a legislative budgeteer explained.
The repayment move was also deemed prudent by some because the newly “found” money was prompting a horde of spending requests from members, even though COGFA and the Governor’s Office of Management and Budget both stressed that most of this revenue spike was one-time and would not recur in Fiscal Year 2022, which begins July 1.
Using the increased revenue to repay the federal loan, therefore, has the effect of short-circuiting that flood of new spending demands. It’s a fiscally smart move, which is not something that one can usually say about Illinois.
But it’s not a done deal yet because quite a few Democratic legislators will be upset that they can’t tap into the new revenues to fund what they consider to be crucial programs.
Some are worried that immediate spending pressures will win out in the end and cause Democratic leadership to cave. House Higher Education Appropriations Committee Chair La Shawn Ford, D-Chicago, was pretty firm last week, however, when asked his opinion about using state revenues to pay off federal debt.
Ford warned about both the state’s projected $1.3 billion deficit in the coming fiscal year and the absolute requirement to pay off the federal debt. He said both of those need to be addressed while also finding a way to “protect human services, public safety, education, and general services,” adding, “There is a path to fulfill all our obligations before the end of session.”
As far as next fiscal year goes, the House’s top budget negotiator, Majority Leader Greg Harris, declared last week that new revenues were needed to prevent “severe” cuts to pretty much everything. Nothing, he said, will be left unscathed unless that projected $1.3 billion deficit is closed.
The governor has proposed closing almost a billion dollars in “corporate loopholes” to prevent severe cost reductions, and there is supreme reluctance to using one-time federal aid to patch holes in recurring state spending. Doing that would simply kick the can down the road and not allow the state to finally get its fiscal house on a path to a semblance of stability.
The chair of the Senate’s lone appropriations committee, Elgie Sims, D-Chicago, has been telling me for several days that he hopes the budget produced this spring will result in an actual credit upgrade for the state.
Illinois has hovered just a tiny click or two above junk bond status for a very long time, so an upgrade would be a highly unusual and much-welcomed occurrence.
Comptroller Susana Mendoza has already argued for such an upgrade, but you gotta figure the New York raters will wait to see how the final week of session plays out before venturing into that territory.
…Adding… Tribune editorial board does its thing…
The motto on the Illinois state flag is “State Sovereignty, National Union.” But these days, a more relevant one might be in order: “Fiscal Wreckage, State and Local.”
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Dems pack tons of Republicans together
Monday, May 24, 2021 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Lots of scrambling ahead…
* But not all Republicans were on the losing end. Politico…
Stephens gains ground: Republican Rep. Brad Stephens (20th) was an exception among GOP House lawmakers. His seat gained ground in Chicago (from the 41st and 38th Wards) and Rosemont, where he is mayor.
Relief for McConchie: The redraw of Senate Minority Leader Dan McConchie puts primary competitor Casey Urlacher in a different district.
…Adding… More on the packing…
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* Change Illinois fundraising email excerpt…
Illinois politicians introduced the set of maps that they have been working on behind closed doors for weeks. These maps use 5-year sampling data that we know undercounts Illinoisans by 41,877 people.
We know this undercount likely has a great effect on people of color. It’s beyond alarming and disappointing. For too long, Black communities have historically been underrepresented, under-resourced, and targeted by large-scale misinformation campaigns designed to further disenfranchise them.
These maps are just another example of this disenfranchisement.
I asked if they could show specifically how people of color would be disenfranchised by the new maps, but I wasn’t given any specific examples.
* Press release…
Good government groups and community advocates strongly reject the attempt by Illinois lawmakers to introduce and pass maps that are built on an undercount of Illinoisans across the state. The proposed maps use American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year sampling data as the foundation, which undercounts Illinoisans by 41,877 people.
To exclude those people would be equivalent to excluding cities the size of Oak Park, Buffalo Grove, Quincy, or Rock Island.
The undercount is likely to have a greater effect on people of color. Black communities have historically been underrepresented, under-resourced, and targeted by large-scale misinformation campaigns designed to further disenfranchise them. The ACS data collection did not have the benefit of the historic, people-powered effort and state funding that the census did to ensure communities were counted, particularly Black communities. The ACS sampling process lacks the trusted community partnerships that are needed for an accurate count in historically disenfranchised communities.
Our state’s fastest growing populations, Asian American and Latinx communities, as well as the fastest growing counties of Kendall, Kane, Champaign, and Monroe, also are highly likely to be undercounted in the ACS sampling.
While the delay from the U.S. Census Bureau was unprecedented, the current predicament is manufactured by lawmakers for partisan advantage. Using ACS data was not lawmakers’ only option. The U.S. Census Bureau made the delays known more than a year ago when operations were severely hampered due to pandemic lockdowns, civil unrest and natural disasters in the West. In response, California and Oregon sought and were granted relief from constitutional redistricting deadlines by their state supreme courts. In Illinois, despite being given advice and options to do the same by National Conference of State Legislatures’ experts, lawmakers rejected the recommendation and even attempted to drum up fears of an undercount to discredit arguments to wait for census data.
Instead, due to the extraordinary investment by the state and efforts of hundreds of organizations, Illinois’ 2020 census count — and actual population — was much higher than the projected population from the ACS. Illinois was a leader in the nation, investing $47.5 million dollars for an accurate count and engaged more than 400 organizations to ensure residents were counted and represented.
The decisions by our current lawmakers will disenfranchise tens of thousands of voices for a decade by creating representative maps that do not include them. How is this equity for Illinois? We owe it to the people of this state and the community organizations that overcame incredible challenges to ensure an accurate Census count to wait for the census results. We owe it to vulnerable people who were hesitant to fill out the census and did so, despite concerns for their personal safety, to make sure they are counted. We owe it to the taxpayers who made a $47.5 million investment to secure an accurate count and accurate representation. Lawmakers should not settle for using the very undercount they railed against months earlier.
Everyone should count. Everyone deserves representation. Illinois deserves equitable redistricting.
We urge Illinois lawmakers to seek relief from the courts and halt current attempts to pass maps that erase thousands of Illinoisans. We urge Gov. J.B. Pritzker to fulfill his repeated pledges to veto any partisan map, but especially one built from an undercount of Illinoisans. It’s time to live up to your pledge to veto a partisan map, Governor. As repeated scientific surveys have shown, Illinoisans want independent mapping and fair representation. Illinoisans deserve better than to be erased by politicians who refuse to keep their campaign promises.
Asian Americans Advancing Justice | Chicago
Better Government Association
Blackroots Alliance
CHANGE Illinois
Coalition for a Better Chinese American Community
Common Cause Illinois
Cook County Black Chamber of Commerce
Garfield Park Chamber of Commerce
Illinois Black Chamber of Commerce
Illinois Chamber of Commerce
Illinois Muslim Civic Coalition
IVI-IPO
Latino Policy Forum
League of Women Voters Illinois
League of Women Voters Chicago
NAACP South Side Branch
NWSOFA-Indivisible
One Health Englewood
Reform for Illinois
RepresentUs - Illinois
The Decalogue Society of Lawyers
The National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW) North Shore
United Nations Association of Greater Chicago
Workers Center for Racial Justice
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[The following is a paid advertisement.]
Telehealth use has increased among children to seniors, with every demographic quickly growing accustomed to virtual care as a result of COVID-19. Over one in four Medicare beneficiaries had a telehealth visit between the summer and fall of 2020. Similarly, one in five children had a telehealth visit during the pandemic.
The Coalition to Protect Telehealth advocates for patient-centered virtual care that’s high-quality, accessible and safe. The Coalition urges Illinois senators to vote “YES” on House Bill 3498 to preserve access to telehealth.
Coverage of telehealth services by traditional Medicare expanded during the pandemic, with 64% (33.6 million) of beneficiaries saying their providers offered telehealth during the pandemic vs. 18% pre-pandemic. Medicare beneficiaries more likely to utilize telehealth were:
• Those under age 65 with long-term disabilities;
• Black and Hispanic beneficiaries;
• Those enrolled in both Medicare and Medicaid; and
• Beneficiaries with multiple chronic conditions.
Among children’s virtual visits, one in three parents chose telehealth primarily for its convenience. Parents said they preferred telehealth for minor illnesses and mental health, and 90% who used telehealth for the first time were satisfied with the visit.
Passing HB 3498 will ensure Illinoisans continue to have access to innovative telehealth services after the pandemic. Learn more at https://protectillinoistelehealth.org/.
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Open thread
Monday, May 24, 2021 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Amen…
What are you thinking about today?
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*** UPDATED x1 *** New maps released
Friday, May 21, 2021 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Click here for the new Illinois House maps.
…Adding… Click here to see the slightly more detailed Senate maps.
If you want to compare them to the existing maps, click here.
Hopefully, we’ll get some more detailed maps soon because these ain’t great.
*** UPDATE *** Clickit…
…Adding… House GOP…
Below are statements from Republican members of Illinois House Redistricting Committee on the Democrats’ continued effort to gerrymander legislative redistricting maps:
“Tonight’s drop of partisan maps is yet another attempt to mislead voters in an effort to block fair elections,” said State Representative Tim Butler (R-Springfield), “after so many promises made by Democrats to have an open and transparent process involving the public. We continue our call upon Governor Pritzker to live up to his pledge to the people of Illinois and veto a map that was drawn by politicians like what we see here today.”
“Releasing new partisan maps late on a Friday night proves that the Mike Madigan playbook continues in the Illinois House,” said State Representative Ryan Spain (R-Peoria). “In a further attempt to skirt any transparency, Democrats dropped partisan maps drawn in a locked room by politicians who hand selected their voters.”
“The Democrats did not listen to the dozens of advocacy groups who have demanded transparency, accurate data, and an open process that takes politicians out of the map making,” said State Representative Avery Bourne (R-Morrisonville). “This should not be a partisan process. We have long advocated for an independent commission, but the Democrats have turned their back on that idea.”
“I am, to say the least, dubious of the process and product of the legislative maps presented after 7 p.m. on a Friday night by the supermajority Democratic party,” said State Representative Dave Severin (R-Benton). “When Speaker Welch assumed his perch after 50 years of Madigan’s reign, he promised a “New Day” in Illinois. Unfortunately, we’re stuck in Groundhog’s Day with a partisan map, drawn by partisan politicians to protect their partisan advantage. Governor Pritzker has to keep his pledge to VETO this partisan map. This is step one in dealing with inherent, generational corruption that plagues our state, and will continue to unless JB Pritzker keeps his promise to VETO a map drawn by politicians FOR politicians.”
…Adding… House and Senate Democrats…
The Senate and House Redistricting Committees have released a proposed map of new legislative boundaries designed to comply with federal and state law and ensure the broad racial and geographic diversity of Illinois is reflected in the General Assembly.
The proposed map incorporates suggestions gathered during more than 45 public hearings held across the state as legislators sought input on how to best ensure communities across Illinois receive fair and equal representation. The proposal can be viewed at www.ilsenateredistricting.com and www.ilhousedems.com/redistricting. The public is encouraged to provide feedback during additional hearings that will take place next week before a map is voted on by the General Assembly.
“Redistricting is about making sure all voices are heard, and that’s exactly what this map accomplishes. This is a fair map that reflects the great diversity of our state and ensures every person receives equal representation in the General Assembly,” said Sen. Omar Aquino, D-Chicago, Chair of the Senate Redistricting Committee. “I’m grateful to all of the community groups and organizations who engaged in this process in a meaningful way and look forward to continuing those conversations in the coming days.”
“This proposed map amplifies the diverse voices of the people of Illinois, allows communities to be represented by people of their choice and ensures that every person in our state has a say in their government,” said Rep. Elizabeth Hernandez, D-Cicero, Chairperson of the House Redistricting Committee. “This fair map reflects input from grassroots individuals and community organizations across our state and I’m thankful for every person who took the time to make their voices heard. I look forward to continued engagement as Illinoisans provide feedback to this proposal in additional public hearings.”
Next week, there will be four hearings on the proposed map:
· Tuesday, May 25 at 4:00 PM – Joint House and Senate Hearing
· Tuesday, May 25 at 6:00 PM – House Hearing
· Wednesday, May 26 at 4:00 PM – Joint House and Senate Hearing
· Wednesday, May 26 at 6:00 PM – Senate Hearing
These will be hybrid hearings with the opportunity for in-person and virtual testimony. Details can be found online at www.ilga.gov.
Redistricting occurs every ten years as each state is required to draw new boundaries for legislative districts in response to shifts in population. While the Illinois Constitution does not require the use of U.S. Census data to draft a map, the Constitution does contain a June 30 deadline for the General Assembly to craft a map.
To fulfill this constitutional obligation and prevent the redistricting process from being turned over to a committee of partisan, political appointees, the proposed map was drafted using population information from the American Community Survey’s (ACS) 5-year estimate for 2019, in addition to robust public input. The ACS estimate varies by just 0.3 percent from the state’s official population count released by the U.S. Census Bureau in April.
Top of mind for the Redistricting Committee is conforming to several constitutional and statutory standards, including the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The Voting Rights Act prohibits the drawing of redistricting plans that results in the denial or abridgment of the right to vote based on race, color, or membership in a language minority. Building on that federal law, Illinois Democrats spearheaded the passage and implementation of the Illinois Voting Rights Act in 2011, which also ensures redistricting plans are crafted in a way that preserves clusters of minority voters if they are of size or cohesion to exert collective electoral power.
In Illinois, legislative redistricting maps must also meet three requirements: districts must be substantially equal in population, compact and contiguous.
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Path To 100 Act Saves Consumers $1.2 Billion
Friday, May 21, 2021 - Posted by Advertising Department
[The following is a paid advertisement.]
Study Finds Expanding Illinois’ Renewable Energy Program Will
Lower Energy Costs for All Illinois Consumers
• A study by former Illinois Power Agency (IPA) director shows that passing Path to 100 (HB 2640 / SB 1601) will lower energy costs for all ratepayers
• Consumers save more than $1.2 Billion over ten years by fully funding Illinois’ renewable energy program to 40% by 2031
• Path to 100 would create 53,000 new construction jobs
Why more renewables = lower costs:
1. Wind and solar generators have zero fuel costs, so they win wholesale energy auctions and displace more expensive power plants. These savings are passed on to all consumers.
2. Rooftop and community solar reduce peak demand, which reduces the amount of capacity that grid operators need to buy. These savings are passed on to all consumers.
3. Rooftop and community solar customers receive direct savings on their bills.
Read the study and take action at www.Pathto100.net
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Question of the day
Friday, May 21, 2021 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Crain’s…
After months of almost cinematic twists and turns, an overture from a Swiss billionaire and campaigns from journalists for local ownership, shareholders have decided the fate of Tribune Publishing: Hedge fund Alden Global Capital will buy the Chicago Tribune parent for $17.25 per share.
Shareholders voted for the deal this morning in a meeting open only to those who hold stock. The meeting lasted less than 15 minutes. Alden, already the company’s largest shareholder, will pay $454 million for the roughly two-thirds of Tribune Publishing it doesn’t already own. Alden’s per-share price values the company at about $630 million.
The acquisition will put Tribune Publishing fully under the control of Alden, which has a reputation for deep cost-cutting, including newsroom layoffs, at roughly 200 newspapers it has acquired in a buyout spree across the troubled industry.
In a statement on the deal, Alden President Heath Freeman said: “The purchase of Tribune reaffirms our commitment to the newspaper industry and our focus on getting publications to a place where they can operate sustainably over the long term.”
* The Question: Your thoughts on this sale?
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A possible primary path for Rodney Davis
Friday, May 21, 2021 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Republican gubernatorial candidate state Sen. Darren Bailey…
We’ve recently seen now Rodney Davis seems to have joined Adam Kinzinger in some of his antics on going back to January 6 for whatever that’s all about. As bad as everything is in this country we seem to, we can’t get over things and we can’t move on. We’ve got a lot of things to deal with and it’s time to get rid of, put some of this nonsense behind us and let the law take care of that and let our elected officials move on.
* Republican gubernatorial candidate Gary Rabine…
Guess what? People that have had this vaccine aren’t guaranteed they’re not gonna get Covid. Actually there’s good odds that they’ll get it again. So this is craziness. The FDA has not even approved this vaccine, ok, over 4,000 people have died and normally if it’s FDA approved if 5 people die a black label goes on this. I just learned this recently, black label about death goes on this, right. If 50 people die they stop it. Ok, 4,000 people, over 4,000 people so far have been reported to die from this.
Man, that’s just nuts.
* Excerpt from Republican gubernatorial candidate Paul Schimpf’s press release…
Members of Schimpf’s Law Enforcement Advisory Council include:
Jefferson County Sheriff Jeff Bullard
Monroe County Sheriff Neal Rohlfing
Randolph County Sheriff Shannon Wolff
Retired Illinois State Trooper Jay Wittenborn
Illinois Fraternal Order of Police Correction Lodge 263 President Scott Ward
Grundy County States Attorney Jason Helland
Correctional Case Work Supervisor Richard Graves
That’s quite a lineup.
* Jefferson County Sheriff Jeff Bullard…
Sheriff Bullard: Governor’s new rules eliminate due process and he will not enforce
* Monroe County Sheriff Neal Rohlfing…
It has been very frustrating to watch this public health issue cause the many problems that we face today. I know many of our residents are struggling with the restrictions we are facing from the state. I will always side with our residents Constitutional Rights regardless to what consequences I may have.
* Randolph County Sheriff Shannon Wolff…
About 40% of the inmates in the Randolph County jail in southern Illinois have tested positive for the coronavirus, the sheriff said Monday.
* Grundy County States Attorney Jason Helland…
‘Million Unmasked March’ protest scheduled at Illinois capitol […]
Organizers say they will have several guest speakers including Grundy County States Attorney Jason Helland, Illinois State Representative and State Senate candidate Darren Bailey, Constitutional Lawyer Thomas Devore
Also…
Million Unmasked March comes up about 999,850 marchers short
* Illinois Fraternal Order of Police Correction Lodge 263 President Scott Ward…
These folks could wind up splitting the Covid-denier/anti-mask/anti-vax vote and let Rodney Davis walk in.
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* Headline…
Powerful State Senator Got Caribbean Trips, Campaign Donations And Cash Through Loretto Hospital
* Trips…
Loretto’s tax reports do not state who paid for Lightford’s trips.
Carroll said wholly owned insurance companies are not uncommon in the health care industry, and Loretto was forced to create its own firm several years ago “because there was not a single provider in the United States that would provide the insurance required for it to operate.”
“Members of boards who create captives also often serve on those boards, and this is no different in the case of Loretto,” Carroll said. “Board members of captives are required by Cayman Islands’ law to travel at least once a year to the island to attend one of their two annual board meetings. […]
In 2008 and 2012, Lightford used her campaign fund to reimburse Westside for bills totaling $1,833 related to Westside board meetings or other functions in the Cayman Islands, where Westside is registered.
So, at least in those two years, the hospital didn’t pay for her trips.
* Campaign contributions…
Loretto’s former hospital management firm and top contractor, Renaissance Hospital Management Inc., gave $38,350 to Lightford’s political fund between 2002 and 2014, records show.
Lightford reported raising $1.1 million during that timeframe, so that was about 3.5 percent of her total haul.
* “Cash”…
But she has been paid through the hospital’s wholly owned insurance company, Westside Insurance Co. Lightford’s state ethics disclosures list her connection to Westside but do not divulge what she was paid or even her title with the firm.
Illinois lawmakers are required to disclose the name of organizations they received more than $1,200 from in a year but do not have to detail how much money they made or what work they did.
We need a better disclosure law.
*** UPDATE *** Leader Lightford…
Rich, the insinuation that I am somehow “financially benefiting” from the hospital’s captive insurance company is beyond ridiculous. I receive less than the $5,000 a year that’s required to be reported. I report it anyway in an effort to be transparent only to turnaround and now have it used against me. I have followed what are standard business practices, and I am proud of the work I have done for this vital health care resource in a tragically underserved community.
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* Press release…
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) today reported 1,573 new confirmed and probable cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Illinois, including 21 additional deaths. In addition, 64% of Illinois adults have received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose and 47% of Illinois adults are fully vaccinated, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Cook County: 1 female 50s, 2 males 50s, 1 female 90s
DuPage County: 1 male 90s
Kane County: 1 female 60s, 1 male 60s
Kendall County: 1 female 60s
Macoupin County: 1 male 90s
Madison County: 1 male 50s, 1 female 70s
Ogle County: 1 male 40s
Peoria County; 1 male 70s
Sangamon County: 1 female 30s
St. Clair County: 1 male 40s
Tazewell County: 1 male 80s
Will County: 1 male 30s, 1 female 70s, 1 female 80s
Winnebago County: 2 females 80s
Currently, IDPH is reporting a total of 1,373,457 cases, including 22,556 deaths, in 102 counties in Illinois. The age of cases ranges from younger than one to older than 100 years. Within the past 24 hours, laboratories have reported 73,099 specimens for a total of 24,124,753. As of last night, 1,426 individuals in Illinois were reported to be in the hospital with COVID-19. Of those, 360 patients were in the ICU and 206 patients with COVID-19 were on ventilators.
The preliminary seven-day statewide positivity for cases as a percent of total test from May 14-20, 2021 is 2.2%. The preliminary seven-day statewide test positivity from May 14-20, 2021 is 2.8%.
A total of 10,767,013 vaccines have been administered in Illinois as of last midnight. The seven-day rolling average of vaccines administered daily is 76,812 doses. Yesterday, 126,023 doses were reported administered in Illinois.
*All data are provisional and will change. In order to rapidly report COVID-19 information to the public, data are being reported in-time. Information is constantly being entered into an electronic system and the number of cases and deaths can change as additional information is gathered. For health questions about COVID-19, call the hotline at 1-800-889-3931 or email dph.sick@illinois.gov.
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COVID-19 roundup
Friday, May 21, 2021 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Trib…
A Tribune analysis of federal vaccination data shows that in Glencoe’s predominant ZIP code, roughly 1 in every 6 residents was given their first dose from Chicago’s vaccine supply during the rollout’s earliest phases.
Residents of other affluent suburbs also had luck finding shots in the city between December 2020 and mid-April, a period when eligibility rules were still in play, people were desperate to find appointments and city officials were promising to steer doses to the hardest-hit neighborhoods. At least 1 in 8 of all residents in ZIP codes covering Oak Park, Kenilworth, Wilmette, Winnetka and River Forest received their first dose in Chicago, the data shows. When looking only at those residents who got vaccinated, the numbers are even more stark: At least 1 in 4 found shots in the city.
In fact, more Northbrook residents received first doses from the city’s supply than people living in Englewood’s primary ZIP code.
* WGLT…
Pekin-based Reditus labs has discovered the Indian double mutant variant of the coronavirus in Bloomington-Normal. The lab tests nasal samples throughout the country.
Reditus said the latest batch of 371 randomly selected positive samples showed a single instance of the so-called B.1.617 Indian double mutant variant. Preliminary evidence indicates the Indian variant is potentially more dangerous than previous strains of the virus, Reditus said. […]
The dominant strains of variants in the batch tested by Reditus were the UK and Brazilian variants. Those two strains accounted for 65% of the samples. 85% of the total batch was collected in Illinois. The South African and Santa Clara variants also had a presence.
* Flubs gonna flub…
Chicago Cubs President Jed Hoyer didn’t mince words Thursday, calling his team’s failure to get 85% of Tier 1 employees fully vaccinated “disappointing,” and agreeing the team would be at a competitive disadvantage if they don’t reach the goal.
“It’s disappointing to not be at 85% as a team,” Hoyer said on a teleconference before the game against the Washington Nationals. “We’ve worked hard to get as many people vaccinated as possible. It’s hard to try and convince or educate the people who have been reluctant. […]
About half of the league’s 32 teams — including the White Sox — are already past the 85% mark and have had protocols relaxed. Hoyer pointed to the “conveniences” of having those relaxed protocols, including managers and coaches being able to shed masks in the dugout, players dining out together and eliminating the contract-tracing element.
Hoyer called it “a real competitive advantage we’re going to miss.”
* AP…
William Stratford, 29, won’t be fully vaccinated until next month, but shoppers and co-workers at the home improvement store where he works had been coming in without a mask even before the CDC put out its latest guidance.
He has complained to management and eats lunch in his car to avoid mask-less people in the breakroom. He gets stares from shoppers and co-workers.
“I know for a fact people have a negative opinion of me,” said Stratford of Valley Center, California, who asked that the store where he works not be named out of fear of reprisal. “It’s become a divisive issue in the workplace.” […]
Marc Perrone, president of the United Food and Commercial International Union, said about 40% of workers who participated in a recent union survey said they were vaccinated. He acknowledged that some many never get the shots, but he said the CDC and companies should have waited a few months to give people more time before shifting the guidance for indoor settings.
* Related…
* How Illinois would administer COVID-19 booster shots
* Return visits to hospital for additional care were common for many early COVID-19 patients as the disease’s impact lingered, new study finds
* Chicago bringing COVID-19 vaccines straight to older residents’ doors to boost uptake: ‘It’s a concierge service’
* Workers back in the offices? Experts expect permanent change to suburban cubicle culture
* Old records shed new light on smallpox outbreaks in 1700s
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Go read the whole thing
Friday, May 21, 2021 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Sun-Times…
Five years ago, Illinois lawmakers passed a law that boldly aimed to build a solar power industry from scratch while also saving thousands of jobs at two struggling Exelon nuclear plants.
Besides bailing out the nuclear plants, the Future Energy Jobs Act promised to create tens of thousands of solar power jobs and get the state moving away from fossil fuels to a point where, by 2025, Illinois would be getting a quarter of its power from “clean energy” sources.
Things haven’t worked out as planned. The 2025 target is now far out of reach, the jobs expectations went unmet, and the solar industry is laying off workers as the funding that was promised has dried up, an investigation by Inside Climate News and the Chicago Sun-Times found.
The plans the law promised sputtered from the start.
Now, state legislative leaders are racing to meet a May 31 deadline to fix its biggest problems — including the impending loss of more than $300 million in funding for renewable energy programs.
Click here.
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It’s just a bill
Friday, May 21, 2021 - Posted by Rich Miller
* SJ-R…
An Illinois House committee Thursday unanimously approved a bill designed to create more racial, ethnic and gender diversity in the ownership of marijuana dispensaries.
“There is an entire ecosystem that needs to start to grow,” Toi Hutchinson, senior adviser to Gov. JB Pritzker on cannabis policy, said before the House Executive Committee voted 15-0 to send House Bill 1443 to the full House for a vote as soon as Friday.
Sponsored by state Rep. La Shawn Ford, D-Chicago, the bill would make the first major changes to the state’s recreational marijuana industry since Illinois lawmakers first allowed the cultivation, sale and use of cannabis to people 21 and older in Illinois in January 2020.
* Sun-Times…
Two of the state Senate’s newest members — the chamber’s first LGTBQ senator and a Republican farmer from southern Illinois — clashed Thursday over legislation meant to standardize sex education curriculums in the state.
State Sen. Darren Bailey, a downstate Republican running for governor, accused the bill’s Democratic sponsors of “pushing perversion in our schools.”
North Side state Sen. Mike Simmons, who is gay, called Bailey’s remark “deeply offensive” and asked that it be stricken from the record. […]
The Senate bill on sex education seeks to standardize the curriculum in Illinois schools, ensuring each grade “has the opportunity to be safe and … have access to age- and developmentally appropriate and medically accurate information,” according to the bill’s sponsor, state Sen. Ram Villivalam, D-Chicago.
* People get all upset at the littlest things…
A bill that would require schools to provide free menstrual hygiene products in all bathrooms for grades 4 through 12 passed the Illinois House and will now be up for consideration in the Senate. […]
Rep. Andrew Chesney, R-Freeport, said he was mostly concerned about the language requiring the products to be available in all bathrooms, which would include male bathrooms.
“There have been male and female bathrooms a hundred years plus in this country and nobody has had a problem taking care of the sensitive nature of being a certain gender,” Chesney said.
“But to perhaps put female products in male bathrooms is not only confusing to a sixth grader, but completely inapplicable. I would really appreciate it if the sponsor would stay the hell out of my bathrooms,” he added.
Hernandez said this is necessary so that male friends can help out their classmates in emergency situations. Rep. Kathleen Willis, D-Addison, added that this is also a more inclusive approach to protect transgender youth.
* I’ve been telling subscribers about this development for several days…
Measures in the Illinois House and Senate cued up for possible passage before the end of the month could ask voters to enshrine union protections in the state constitution.
State Sen. Ram Villivalam, D-Chicago, has Senate Joint Resolution Constitutional Amendment 11 making its way through the Senate.
“It proposes to amend the Illinois Constitution to provide that no law passes on or after the amendment’s enactment may prohibit the ability of workers to collectively bargain over wages, hours, terms and conditions,” Villivalam said during committee Wednesday.
The measure advanced out of committee without any debate.
If passed by the Senate, it would need to pass the House. A similar bill has been filed in the house. Voters would have the ultimate say in the 2022 statewide election.
…Adding… Overwhelming majority…
…Adding… “No” votes were Bailey, Barickman, Leader McConchie, Plummer, Stewart, Tracy and Sally Turner.
* Effingham Daily News editorial…
We’re all for a a bill that passed out of an Illinois Senate committee this week that would require high schools to offer instruction about understanding and evaluating news and social media as part of their computer literacy courses.
Sen. Terri Bryant, R-Murphysboro, questioned how objective schools could be in teaching students how to evaluate news stories by separating factual news from “fake news.”
She was told that teachers would be trained in how to instruct students in media usage and that the difference between fake news and real news is the same as the difference between fiction and nonfiction.
“So the teachers themselves would be deciding what’s fake news, by their own opinion,” Bryant said, according to Capitol News Illinois.
It sounds to us like Bryant could use that course herself.
Teaching critical thinking should always be central to the mission of our schools. That doesn’t mean the teacher decides whether a particular news story or social media post is factual. The teacher would help students learn for themselves how to separate facts from fiction and separate opinions from facts.
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* As you may be aware, Rep. Joe Sosnowski (R-Rockford) has been pushing to open up IDES offices. SJ-R…
In a statement to The State Journal-Register on Thursday, IDES spokeswoman Rebecca Cisco said physical safety at unemployment and department offices was a serious concern.
“A local office was vandalized and had a large piece of equipment thrown through the office window while another local office experienced a bomb threat; police reports were filed in both incidents. While there have been other physical incidents of this nature, staff routinely experience verbal threats from individuals via the phone and through email. Collectively, this remains a concern, and is being considered as the Department looks for a way to move forward with a phased reopening,” Cisco said.
Cisco said the department remains closed because of both the pandemic and threats to safety.
“Really that’s a bunch of nonsense. They’ve not shared any additional information other than a case of some graffiti at a Springfield office,” Sosnowski said.
* I asked the administration if Rep. Sosnowski had asked for a security briefing…
He did not. He sent a letter saying open the offices. But has not asked for a meeting or to be briefed on security threats
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*** UPDATED x1 *** Remap roundup
Friday, May 21, 2021 - Posted by Rich Miller
* As I told subscribers earlier this week, releasing the new maps on a Friday and holding redistricting hearings over the subsequent weekend while most members of both chambers are back in their districts makes sense and is a tried and true tactic. So, we’ll see…
* More Maxwell…
While Republicans have called for an independent process, spending records and vouchers filed with the Illinois Comptroller’s office show they are also actively working on a backup plan.
The House and Senate combined to spend more than $1.4 million so far to re-draw the maps. In the Senate, Democrats reported spending $557,594.80 so far, dwarfing the $173.731.44 in Senate Republican map-making expenses. Meanwhile, House Republicans reported spending $427,165.77 compared to $260,627.05 for House Democrats. […]
Expense reports show House Republicans are hiring attorneys, redistricting experts, data consultants, and purchasing software and IT equipment — all the tools they would need to draw the maps themselves.
Eleni Demertzis, a spokesperson for House Minority Leader Jim Durkin (R-Western Springs), said, “the majority of the fees are for attorneys/counsel which are necessary to explore all different avenues during the redistricting process.”
There’s no guarantee, though, that the Democrats have actually submitted all their vouchers for payment. So, the numbers may not mean that much.
*** UPDATE *** Daily Southtown…
Tinley Park officials gathered in the center of town Thursday afternoon to give updates and express concern regarding the former Tinley Park Mental Health Center property, where it was recently discovered that 2.1 million gallons of water spilled out of the property’s buildings and into Tinley Park’s storm sewers due to a water main break. […]
“The Village has been pleading with the state to do something about this for years,” [Tinley Park Mayor Michael Glotz] said. “I cannot for the life of me understand why those with the power in State Government to effectuate a transfer of this property to the Village continue to stonewall Tinley Park.” […]
Glotz said he has sent over 13 emails to Sen. Michael Hastings, who represents the 19th District. Hastings never directly responded to Glotz, but the mayor alleged that in an indirect response, Hastings “threatened” to “cut Tinley Park into five different districts, so Tinley Park never gets anything done.” The mayor added that Hastings said “a couple of other despicable comments” that he didn’t want to repeat.
Hastings told the Southtown that the allegations were “baseless.”
* Related…
* Illinois’ Supreme Court elections could lead to a decade of GOP minority rule unless Democrats act
* Civil Justice League raises concerns about Illinois Supreme Court redistricting
* How the Remap Could Impact Chicago’s Three Black Congressional Districts
* Metro East Could Lose Congressional Seat After Census Redistricting
* User’s guide to the 2020 census: What’s done, what’s next and what it means to you
* Debate Over Champaign County Board Redistricting Falls Along Party Lines
* Metro East county board rejects plan to decrease the number of seats on the board
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No crypto campaign finance laws in Illinois
Friday, May 21, 2021 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Daily Beast…
For better or worse, despite the popularity of Bitcoin and alternative coins, crypto isn’t likely to disrupt the campaign finance world any time soon. While a number of young candidates made media splashes in the 2020 cycle by announcing that their campaigns would accept Bitcoin contributions, the current federal rules restrict those donations to a degree that reduces such announcements to little more than PR stunt.
Despite the explosive growth of cryptocurrencies in the last year, however, those rules aren’t formalized. They stem from a 2014 Federal Election Commission advisory opinion specific to Bitcoin, but which allows room for materially similar transactions that would extend to alternative denominations as well. Candidates looking to appeal to new donors through cryptocurrency also bristle at other restrictions, such as the $100 cap on individual contributions—roughly three percent of the $2,900 limit for donations made with cards or checks.
But the FEC argues these policies aren’t simply one more instance of a stodgy federal government unwilling or unable to adapt to a transformative new technology. From the agency’s perspective, the features most responsible for crypto’s appeal—privacy and institutional independence—pose threats to the very foundation of campaign finance law.
* So I asked Matt Dietrich at the Illinois State Board of Elections about cryptocurrency regulations here…
Cryptocurrency isn’t mentioned anywhere in statute. In theory, it’s not restricted but it must be accurately reported. We haven’t had cryptocurrency contributions reported, but when we’ve had questions about it we advised candidates to report it as an investment.
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[The following is a paid advertisement.]
Strong evidence supports the role of telehealth in patient-centered care. That’s according to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), part of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services.
Reflecting on telehealth during the pandemic, AHRQ researchers identified important benefits of virtual care:
• Increasing access to healthcare services, particularly in rural areas;
• Promoting continuity of care;
• Decreasing healthcare costs; and
• Improving patient self-management and patient outcomes.
“With a robust telehealth infrastructure in place, patients may receive more timely diagnoses and treatment recommendations, more appropriate follow-up care, and a reduced likelihood of experiencing an adverse event as a result of delayed assessment and treatment,” the authors said.
During the pandemic, healthcare professionals throughout Illinois have made sure patients could continue needed healthcare services using telehealth. Passing House Bill 3498 in the Illinois Senate will ensure Illinoisans continue to have access to innovative telehealth services after the pandemic.
The pandemic presented a “unique opportunity to implement innovative and creative approaches to patient care [that] will have long-lasting impacts for the future of telehealth,” the AHRQ article notes. As part of delivering safe, high-quality healthcare “telehealth will become a part of standard practice.”
The Coalition to Protect Telehealth urges the senators to vote “YES” on HB3498. Learn more at https://protectillinoistelehealth.org/.
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* Jon Seidel…
Former City Club President Jay Doherty asked a judge Thursday to toss parts of a bombshell indictment filed last fall charging him and members of former House Speaker Michael Madigan’s inner circle with bribery, calling the federal prosecution “shaky at best.”
The indictment alleged that Doherty, Madigan confidant Michael McClain, ex-ComEd CEO Anne Pramaggiore and onetime ComEd lobbyist John Hooker arranged for Madigan’s associates and allies to get jobs, contracts and money in order to influence Madigan. […]
Attorney Gabrielle Sansonetti wrote that one of the federal laws Doherty is accused of violating “prohibits any prosecution where the object of the bribe is a bona fide job in the usual course of business” and added that, “the indictment fails to evidence the grand jury’s consideration of this essential element.”
Without requiring such evidence, the attorney wrote, prosecutors are “free to indict any legislator who recommends any person for a job to any entity that will benefit or may have previously benefited from that legislator’s official action.”
Prosecutors “can easily secure evidence regarding the legitimacy of the job at issue,” Sansonetti wrote. Meanwhile, she added that Doherty “must wait until a jury trial to prove the legitimacy of the jobs.”
Thoughts?
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Open thread
Friday, May 21, 2021 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Facebook…
But by the looks of this pic taken late yesterday morning, that event might have already happened at the Statehouse…
* What’s on your mind today?
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