* Many thanks to my dad for showing me that working for someone else was way overrated. The rest of the stuff in this song, which was like my own personal anthem for years, I “learned” on my own…
Always took candy from strangers
Didn’t wanna get me no trade
Never want to be like papa
Working for the boss ev’ry night and day
With less than three weeks until in-person classes resume, Chicago Public Schools has announced it will require all teachers and staff to get a COVID-19 vaccine by the fall.
CPS on Friday announced the vaccine mandate will affect all employees, from school-based teachers and staff to central office workers, vendors and all other Board of Education employees.
“The science is clear: higher populations of vaccinated people means better health outcomes in communities, safer places of work and public spaces,” interim CPS CEO Jose Torres said in a statement. “This is the right move for the greater good of our school communities and will help ensure we have a successful and healthy school year starting on Monday, August 30.”
Under the new policy, all CPS employees must submit proof of full vaccination by Oct. 15, except those who qualify for a medical or religious exemption. Staffers who are without an approved exemption and aren’t fully vaccinated by Oct. 15 will be ineligible to work and won’t be paid until they are fully vaccinated and provide confirmation to the district.
Per CPS, 67% of the district’s 38,000 employees are fully vaccinated as of June, the most recent data available, while 78% of all employees are either fully vaccinated, partially vaccinated or had a vaccination scheduled.
The Chicago Teachers Union supported the mandate but said the city “must do much more.” CTU leaders have called on the district to adjust the metrics that would call for a return to remote learning, and to expand school-based vaccination programs.
“We urge the mayor’s CPS team to build on this safety standard by concretely addressing critical outstanding safety issues, and investing CPS’ and the City’s $4 billion in federal relief funds in what our students and families need to return to schools safely this fall, and for schools to remain open,” the union said in a statement.
Kids as young as 12 are eligible to be vaccinated. Students are not required to be vaccinated for the upcoming school year.
Between 80% and 90% of Chicago Teachers Union members are fully vaccinated, CTU Deputy General Counsel Thad Goodchild told reporters in a virtual news conference Friday.
“Vaccines are the best tool we have to provide safety during the pandemic, to end the pandemic,” Goodchild said. “They protect not only vaccinated individuals, but all the people that vaccinated individuals come into contact with, including students under 12 years old who are not yet eligible for vaccines. So we’ve been fighting to get CPS and the city to do more in using the school system to expand vaccination program efforts.”
He continued: “It’s not our members that the city is having the most trouble getting vaccinated. It’s members of school communities and neighborhoods across the city who have good reasons not to trust local government, but they do trust the teachers in their schools. And CPS and the city need to accept our help, our members’ help in getting more Chicagoans vaccinated.”
* Pollsters always ask questions the exact same way so they can track responses over time and distance. They know that if they change the questions that the results will usually change, so comparisons become somewhat apples to oranges.
Keep that in mind when you read this from the US Census Bureau about their new questions, with emphasis added by me…
The 2020 Census used the required two separate questions (one for Hispanic or Latino origin and one for race) to collect the races and ethnicities of the U.S. population — following the standards set by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) in 1997.
Building upon our research over the past decade, we improved the two separate questions design and updated our data processing and coding procedures for the 2020 Census.
This work began in 2015 with our research and testing centered on findings from our 2015 National Content Test and the designs were implemented in the 2018 Census Test.
The improvements and changes enabled a more thorough and accurate depiction of how people self-identify, yielding a more accurate portrait of how people report their Hispanic origin and race within the context of a two-question format.
These changes reveal that the U.S. population is much more multiracial and more diverse than what we measured in the past.
We are confident that differences in the overall racial distributions are largely due to improvements in the design of the two separate questions for race data collection and processing as well as some demographic changes over the past 10 years.
We are also confident, as shown in our research over the past decade, that using a single combined question for race and ethnicity in the decennial census would ultimately yield an even more accurate portrait of how the U.S. population self-identifies, especially for people who self-identify as multiracial or multiethnic. […]
It is important to note that these data comparisons between the 2020 Census and 2010 Census race data should be made with caution, taking into account the improvements we have made to the Hispanic origin and race questions and the ways we code what people tell us.
“Caution.”
* With that clear warning in mind, here’s the Tribune…
Overall, in the five collar counties, the white population declined by 183,869 over the past decade with the most significant drops in DuPage, down 54,689, and Lake, down 50,352. DuPage’s population has gone from 70.5% white to 63.4%, while Lake’s population has moved from 65.2% white to 57.2%.
At the same time, the five suburban counties showed an increase of 102,725 Latino residents. Will County’s loss of 37,159 white residents was offset by an increase in 31,975 Latino residents. DuPage’s loss of whites was countered by an increase of 22,785 Latino residents as well as an increase of 27,189 Asian residents.
Cook County’s population, including Chicago, also has grown more diverse and, like the collar county suburbs, has seen a significant drop in the number of white residents.
Over the decade, the county’s white population declined by 143,115 and now represents 40.5% of its residents. The county’s Black population also declined, by 80,177, and now makes up 22.5% of the population. In contrast, the Latino population increased by 138,016 and they now make up the county’s second largest racial or ethnic group, increasing to 26.2% of the population.
The number of people listed as white alone, 7.8 million people, represented 64% of the population, but that category dropped 14.3% during the 10-year period. The number saying they were white and at least another race rose by 334%, or 820,879.
Those listing their race in the Census as Black alone, 1.8 million people, dropped 3.1% between 2010 and 2020, but the number saying they were Black and at least one other race increased by 76,243, or almost 89%.
The data released Thursday reflected overall growth trends and demographic shifts for the Chicago region that have been reflected in census estimates the past few years — stagnant growth overall with little or no growth for white and Black residents, while the numbers of Latinos and Asians increase at much faster rates.
The data show that white residents are Chicago’s largest group, but their numbers grew by just 1% over the past decade from roughly 855,000 in 2010 to about 864,000 in 2020. While annual census estimates the past few years had established that white residents surpassed Black residents as the city’s largest group, this is the first decennial census count to reflect that since 1980.
Latinos and Asians were the fastest growing groups in those areas with their numbers increasing across the board at levels ranging from 7% to 39%. Conversely, the number of white residents declined in each of those areas at levels ranging from 7% to nearly 11%.
“These changes reveal that the U.S. population is much more multiracial and more racially and ethnically diverse than what we measured in the past,” said Nicholas Jones, from the U.S. Census Bureau. “We are confident that the differences in overall racial distributions are largely due to improvements in the designs of the two separate questions for race data, collection and processing, as well as some demographic changes over the past 10 years.”
* Meanwhile, this Capitol News Illinois story is interesting…
The Census Bureau also developed what it calls a “diversity index,” which attempts to measure how racially diverse a given population is. It is based on the probability that any two people chosen at random from the population would be from different races.
Illinois’ diversity index was listed as 60.3 percent, which is just below the national average but still in the second-highest quintile of states. Hawaii was ranked as the most diverse, with an index value of 76 percent, while Maine was the least diverse, at 18.5 percent.
* Background is here if you need it. From Dan Kovats, Executive Director, Illinois Democratic County Chairs’ Association…
Dear IDCCA Supporter,
We look forward to seeing you at the 2021 Illinois Democratic County Chairs’ Brunch.
We have received a strong response from Democrats all over the state. Our friends, colleagues and allies are eager to welcome our special guest, US Senator Jon Ossoff of Georgia, hear from our outstanding Democratic leaders and also share in the pride as we honor John Penn and the late Barb Brown.
BRUNCH WILL BE HELD OUTSIDE AT THE CROWNE PLAZA - SPRINGFIELD
The 2021 IDCCA Annual Brunch will be held outdoors under a tent with open sides to further mitigate any concerns from attendees about the coronavirus. Plan to spend the morning outside under the tent. Pay attention to the weather forecast, we can expect heat and humidity, and dress accordingly. The schedule remains the same, but here are some new details.
IDCCA Annual Brunch Wednesday, August 18th
7:15am – Shuttle Bus from parking lot starts
7:30am – On-Site Registration Opens
9:00am – Program Begins Crowne Plaza- Springfield, 3000 S. Dirksen Parkway, Springfield
Covid Guidelines
1. We recommend that everyone in attendance wear a mask.
2. Seating capacity is limited with special precautions given to wide rows of seats and space between seats for social distancing.
3. All meals will be in boxes that you will be given when you arrive. Items in the boxes will be wrapped. Packaged hot sandwiches will be provided.
4. We have modified our ticket pick up and have a virtual option to participate.
5. Crowne Plaza staff will be taking all proper precautions.
6. We will have access to the Crown Plaza for restrooms and cooling off. Inside the Crowne Plaza you will be required to wear a mask.
Ticket Pick-Up Tickets will be held under the name of each guest.
On Tuesday, August 17th, tickets will be available for pick up from 12:00pm to 8:00pm at the Illinois Democratic County Chairs’ Association Office – 318 E Monroe St, Springfield.
We are asking everyone to pick up their tickets on Tuesday afternoon. This will help reduce the long lines on the morning of the Brunch. If you are unable to make it to our office on Tuesday afternoon, your ticket will also be available for pick up the morning of the Brunch starting at 7:30am outside of the Crowne Plaza.
Please note, tickets will be required for entry.
If you have not already done so, please submit the individual names for your tickets to xxxxx@ildccabrunch.org ASAP!
Parking
You will not be able to park at the Crowne Plaza, unless you have a handicapped permit. We have provided free parking at the Capitol City Shopping Center just south of the Crowne Plaza, with a shuttle starting at 7:15am running continuously until 11:00 am. Note: You will be required to wear a mask while on the shuttle. Special Accommodation We are providing ASL interpreters and accessible seating for those with need. For more information or to request special accommodations please contact xxxxx@ildccabrunch.org
Again, thank you for your support of the Illinois Democratic County Chairs’ Association and this year’s County Chairs’ Brunch.
Questions? Please contact our staff at xxxxx.
I’ll be asking for a response from the Pritzker campaign in a moment.
*** UPDATE *** From Pritzker’s campaign spokesperson…
After deciding not to attend the IDCCA brunch the Governor made plans with his family back in Chicago. He will be sending a video message about the importance of electing Democrats up and down the ballot and will still be hosting a scaled-back outdoor event on the Director’s Lawn in honor of Governor’s Day.
A governor who can afford a private jet can make plans like this, I suppose. Still.
(To address potential comments, yes, he’s coming back to his State Fair event that afternoon.)
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) today reported 21,334 new confirmed and probable cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Illinois, including 92 additional deaths since reporting last Friday, August 6, 2021. Currently, 76% of Illinois adults have received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose and more than 59% of Illinois adults are fully vaccinated, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Currently, IDPH is reporting a total of 1,457,687 cases, including 23,594 deaths, in 102 counties in Illinois. The age of cases ranges from younger than one to older than 100 years. Since reporting on Friday, August 6, 2021, laboratories have reported 421,009 specimens for a total of 27,609,781. As of last night, 1,652 individuals in Illinois were reported to be in the hospital with COVID-19. Of those, 345 patients were in the ICU and 162 patients with COVID-19 were on ventilators.
The preliminary seven-day statewide positivity for cases as a percent of total test from August 6-12, 2021 is 5.1%. The preliminary seven-day statewide test positivity from August 6-12, 2021 is 5.9%.
A total of 13,510,873 vaccines have been administered in Illinois as of last midnight. The seven-day rolling average of vaccines administered daily is 30,737 doses. Since reporting on Friday, August 6, 2021, 215,157 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.
U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin said Thursday that Normal is a finalist for a new Samsung battery manufacturing plant that could add thousands of jobs adjacent to Rivian’s facility and cement central Illinois as a Midwestern electric vehicle hub.
Rumors about a potential massive economic development project have swirled in Bloomington-Normal for the past week. Economic Development Council chief Patrick Hoban teased the project Aug. 5 during an event at Illinois Wesleyan, as WGLT first reported. He didn’t specify which industry or company was involved, but said a potential “billion-dollar deal” was possible, and that Bloomington-Normal was one of three finalists for the project. […]
“We’re competing for a major Samsung battery facility,” Durbin said. “The delegation came from (South) Korea this week. I spoke to them, and others did as well. This Samsung facility, we hope, would be located next door to Rivian. That decision has not been made. Having that battery facility will also create thousands of jobs.”
State Rep. Dan Brady, a Bloomington Republican, told WGLT on Thursday that he’s heard the Samsung plant will employ up to 3,200 people.
Sen. Durbin might’ve been better off keeping his mouth shut, but whatever. Too late now.
* DCEO’s Lauren Huffman had a purposefully vague response to my query, likely to not upset the company…
The Pritzker administration is bullish about building a clean energy future for Illinois – and part of that is making a concerted effort to boost electric vehicle and supplier manufacturing here in Illinois. We remain in regular conversation with a number of companies in this space but it is against our policy to comment on any specifics.
Last month, Reuters reported that Samsung SDI, an affiliate of Samsung Electronics Co Ltd (005930.KS), may build a battery cell plant in the United States. Reuters also reported that Samsung SDI has been in talks to supply batteries manufactured at a potential U.S. factory with electric vehicle makers including Stellantis (STLA.MI) and Rivian, which is backed by Amazon (AMZN.O) and Ford Motor Co (F.N). read more
The South Korean battery maker is considering investing at least 3 trillion won ($2.62 billion) to manufacture batteries for Stellantis and a minimum of 1 trillion won for batteries to Rivian, according to the source.
The source added that Samsung SDI has not yet decided whether to launch the U.S. plant as a joint venture with carmakers, or as an independent manufacturing site.
Samsung SDI officials have been making business trips to Detroit recently to discuss battery supply issues with Stellantis, a person with knowledge of the matter told Reuters.
* Again, we’ll get to demographics in a bit. Brenden Moore…
All but 14 of Illinois’ 102 counties experienced population decline this past decade, but the distribution was uneven, with eight counties in populous northeastern Illinois (Cook County, the five suburban “collar” counties and exurban Grundy and Kendall counties) combining for nearly 149,000 in population growth. […]
With state legislative Democrats controlling the [remap] process, it is likely conservative downstate will lose representation as the party seeks to maximize its political advantage, which lately has been the Chicago suburbs.
“That’s the area that has become the political battleground,” Redfield said. “If the Democrats are gaining ground in the suburbs and losing ground downstate or the Republicans are gaining ground downstate and losing ground in the suburbs, then those demographic trends obviously favor the Democrats.”
“Some of the narratives we have of decline haven’t really been that accurate,” Paral said. “The suburban portion grew too — barely — but it held its own.” […]
Perhaps a partial reflection of the slowing suburban trend lines, Chicago’s growth came during a decade when the city poached dozens of corporate headquarters from nearby suburbs and saw an influx of young professionals and baby boomers snapping up condos and apartments in and near downtown. […]
Since 1950, the Chicago suburbs in many cases have experienced rapid, double-digit growth, decade over decade. Prior to the 2020 census, 8% marked the smallest population increase for suburban Cook combined with the five surrounding collar counties of DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry and Will.
Over the last decade, those suburbs grew collectively by just 1.4%.
Paral, however, noted that while the growth was smaller, all of the counties in the region did increase their individual populations — including suburban Cook County, which he said is beset with some struggling suburbs that make it more prone to population loss.
Suburban areas grew at roughly the same pace as Chicago. Suburban Cook County and the five collar counties — DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry and Will counties — each witnessed growth of less than 3%. […]
Aurora remains the second-largest city in Illinois, but it saw a steep drop in population, falling from about 198,000 in 2010 to about 181,000 in 2020, according to the data released Thursday. With more than 150,000 residents, Joliet has overtaken Rockford as the state’s third-largest city. Naperville ranks fourth, and Rockford slides to fifth.
Naperville grew by 5% over the past decade, bringing its population to 149,540, according to 2020 U.S. Census Bureau statistics released Thursday. […]
Newly released census data also shows the populations in DuPage and Will counties rose 2% and 3% respectively over the 10 years. Both counties encompass a portion of Naperville.
DuPage remains the second largest county in the state with 932,877 residents, up from 916,924 in 2010. That gives it a population density of 2,845.9 people per square mile.
Will County is the fourth largest in Illinois. With 696,355 residents counted in 2020, compared to 677,560 in 2010, it has a population density of 833.1 people per square mile.
Aurora kept its standing as the second-largest city in Illinois, but its population decreased by around 17,000 residents over the past decade, according to U.S. Census Bureau statistics released Thursday. […]
Aurora officials are concerned about a possible serious undercount of residents during the census, and are doing a deeper dive into the numbers.
Aurora had a number of outreach efforts designed to get people to take part in the census, including a census day in late September 2020 where city officials and volunteers hit the streets in some of the city’s harder-to-count areas in hopes of getting as many people counted as possible before the Sept. 30, 2020, census deadline.
City officials have pointed out in the past that each person that goes uncounted costs the city about $1,800 in lost gas, sales and income tax from the state, as well as in federal funding. That adds up to $18,000 a person when figured over the next 10 years.
Chicago remains the 3rd largest city in the U.S., according to data released Thursday by the U.S. Census Bureau. The city’s population grew by nearly 51,000 from 2010 to 2020.
Chicago rebounded from a hefty population loss in the first decade of the 2000s to add about 50,000 residents over the last 10 years, but once-robust growth in the surrounding suburbs has slowed to a crawl, according to new 2020 census data released Thursday. […]
The decennial population count put Chicago’s total at 2,746,388 residents — a 1.9% increase over the 2010 census. The six-county region grew to 8,445,866 people — a 1.6% increase over a decade ago. […]
Chicago’s overall population gain is in striking contrast to the previous decade, when the city lost 200,000 residents, a 6.9% decrease. […]
Rob Paral, a researcher with the Great Cities Institute at the University of Illinois Chicago, called the results showing Chicago’s population gain a “good census” for the city, noting that it bucked expectations from previous surveys that predicted population losses.
“Some of the narratives we have of decline haven’t really been that accurate,” Paral said. “The suburban portion grew too — barely — but it held its own.”
Even though the city added more than 50,000 Chicagoans since 2010, it still has almost 150,000 fewer people than 20 years ago, a total decrease of about 5.1 %. […]
Overall, the city’s population grew nearly 2% from 2010 to 2020 — from 2.6 million residents to 2.7 million, according to data released from the 2020 census. That’s a change from the population decline the city had experienced from 2000 to 2010, when the city lost nearly 7% of its population. […]
Chicago did not grow as much as other large American cities. Houston, the fourth-largest city in the U.S., grew by nearly 10% in its population from 2010 to 2020, according to the census. Houston now has a population of 2.3 million people. […]
The growth in Chicago follows a national trend of more Americans living in metropolitan areas, said Marc Perry, a senior demographer with the bureau. In 2000, 84% of the country’s population lived in metropolitan areas, but that number grew to 86% by 2020.
Among the nation’s 10 largest cities, Chicago’s growth was the smallest at 1.9 percent. New York added more than 600,000 people, Los Angeles a little more than 100,000 and Houston about 200,000.
Phoenix grew 11.2 percent to a little more than 1.6 million, displacing Philadelphia as the nation’s fifth-largest city.
Not sure if you’ve heard, but they say everything is bigger in Texas. Everything except the state’s largest city, apparently.
While Houston couldn’t pass Chicago this time around, in our hearts we know it deserves the top spot in every single category.
I admit I’ve never even been to Illinois, so I asked new Chronicle reporter and Chicago transplant Sam González Kelly to tell me about the place he calls home.
Houston, listen to this nonsense — you’ll be madder at Chicago than that time it stole Whataburger from us.
* We’re going to take yesterday’s Census news in chunks today. We’ll start with Downstate…
“We see a strong relationship to population size with small counties tending to lose population and more populous counties tending to gain people,” [Marc Perry, senior demographer in the US Census Bureau’s Population Division] said.
In general, across the country, Perry said people are moving to larger cities.
“Counties with 1,000 to 5,000 people, 5,000 to 10,000 people and 10,000 to 50,000 people also lost people this decade on average,” Perry said. “Only two categories of counties showed growth. Counties with between 50,000 and 100,000 people grew by 4.1% while counties with 100,000 or more people grew by 9.1%.”
Downstate Illinois is continuing to hollow out, with U.S. Census data, released Thursday afternoon, confirming the region’s losses as the main driver of the state’s population loss over the past 10 years.
All but 14 of Illinois’ 102 counties experienced population decline this past decade, but the distribution was uneven, with eight counties in populous northeastern Illinois (Cook County, the five suburban “collar” counties and exurban Grundy and Kendall counties) combining for nearly 149,000 in population growth.
But, the rest of the state combined to lose nearly 167,000 people, creating a net loss of more than 18,000 residents and making Illinois just one of three states to lose population this decade. […]
There were some pockets of downstate growth, with Champaign’s population increasing 8.2% to 88,302, making it one of the state’s 10 largest cities. Bloomington also registered a 2.6% jump to 78,680.
Other areas of growth included Carroll, Effingham, Johnson, Monroe and Williamson counties.
The Danville, Illinois, area was among 72 metro areas that lost population between the 2010 and 2020 census. The area just west of the Illinois/Indiana border saw the third-largest percentage decline of those 72, losing 12.5% of its population, according to the Census Bureau.
Kendall County, located about 50 miles southwest of Chicago and home to communities including Oswego and Yorkville, was Illinois’ fastest-growing county, growing nearly 15%.
Downstate, Carroll, McLean, Champaign, Effingham, Monroe, Williamson and Johnson counties showed slight growth.
But several downstate counties suffered significant population losses of at least 10%, including some in western and southern Illinois. Alexander County at the southwestern tip of the state had the biggest loss, shedding 36% of its residents over the decade, shrinking from 8,238 people to 5,240.
* And while some college towns increased population, others did not…
Coles County’s population dropped nearly 13% in the past decade, from 53,873 in 2010 to 46,863 in 2020, according to new U.S. Census numbers.
This came as a disappointment for Mattoon City Administrator Kyle Gill.
“I figured we might see a drop in numbers, but I didn’t expect it to be that much,” said Gill. “Especially for the whole county.”
Mattoon dropped from 18,555 people in 2010 to 16,870 in 2020. Charleston also shrank in population from 21,838 to 17,286. […]
Jackson County, home of Southern Illinois University Carbondale, was down 12%. McDonough County, home of Western Illinois University, had a 16.5% decline.
In Sangamon County, 2010’s population of 197,465 dropped 0.57%, or 1,122 people, to 196,343. The city of Springfield’s population dropped 1.5%, from 116,250 in 2010 to 114,394 in 2020. […]
Molly Berns, executive director of the Springfield-Sangamon County Regional Planning Commission, said the drop in Springfield and Sangamon County’s population wasn’t as large as predicted based on 2019 population estimates from the Census Bureau.
“You never want to be pleased with a population decline,” she said. “I was kind of bracing myself. We knew there was going to be some sort of drop in the population.”
Berns said Springfield and Sangamon County, like communities across Illinois and the Midwest, are experiencing the effects of an aging population, couples having fewer children, a reduction in manufacturing and other good-paying jobs, and the allure of major metropolitan areas for young adults and warmer climates for older people.
— Congresswoman Mary Miller (@RepMaryMiller) August 3, 2021
But, here’s the thing. Miller lives in Coles County, which lost 13 percent of its population in ten years. The Danville area is also in her district and lost 12.5 percent of its population.
So, maybe try a little less Chicago-bashing and a whole lot more focusing on solving the very real problems in her own neighborhoods?
The wife of a state trooper issued an impassioned plea to distracted drivers as Governor JB Pritzker signed a law to toughen enforcement of Scott’s Law.
Scott’s Law requires drivers to slow down and move over for first responders to protect them as they do their job.
“I got the phone call that every spouse of a first responder dreads and all they said is it’s bad, but he’s breathing,” said Lauren Frank, Illinois state trooper’s wife.
That phone call came on a snowy day in February. Illinois State Trooper Brian Frank made one final stop at the end of his shift to help a motorist. A driver doing 80 miles per hour on I-55 slammed into the back of Frank’s squad car, leaving him with traumatic brain injuries.
“Today Brian remains in a minimally conscious state. The roller coaster that we’ve been on for six months has been excruciating. And it was all preventable,” Frank said.
Preventable if the driver had slowed down and moved over as Scott’s Law requires.
Seventeen crashes involving Illinois state troopers or their vehicles have occurred in 2021 as a result of violations to the state’s traffic law known as “Scott’s Law.”
Gov. JB Pritzker signed a new law Thursday, Senate Bill 1913, allowing judges to issue community service among other penalties to those violating the law, which requires drivers to slow down and change lanes when there is a first responder present with flashing lights stopped on the roadway. The measure was sponsored by Sen. Julie Morrison, D-Lake Forest, and Rep. Janet Yang Rohr, D-Naperville, and will take effect in January. […]
[Illinois State Police Director Brendan Kelly] said one of the laws signed by Pritzker, House Bill 3656, makes it easier to prosecute drivers violating the law.
That language says, “Drivers of vehicles approaching a stationary emergency vehicle in any lane shall heed the warning of the signal, reduce the speed of the vehicle, proceed with due caution, maintain a safe speed for road conditions, be prepared to stop, and leave a safe distance until safely passed the stationary emergency vehicle.”
That law, sponsored by Chicago Democrats Rep. Fran Hurley and Sen. Antonio Muñoz, also creates a “Move Over Early Warning Task Force” made up of members appointed by state agencies and law enforcement entities to study ways to better enforce road safety and alert drivers to hazards.
In addition to strengthening Scott’s Law, the state is making mental health services easier to access for paramedics, police and firefighters.
“Our first responders face intense physical and mental health challenges every single day on the job. We want our first responders and their loved ones to know the signs to know what they need and most importantly, to how to get help,” Pritzker said. […]
Emergency professionals experience higher rates of PTSD and depression than the general population.
Friday, Aug 13, 2021 - Posted by Advertising Department
[The following is a paid advertisement.]
Illinois’ clean energy future—and the thousands of union jobs in line to build it—is in jeopardy if Springfield doesn’t act by Aug. 31.
Tell your state legislator to pass a clean energy bill that creates new union jobs, expands apprenticeships for Black and Latinx communities, safeguards the state’s clean-energy nuclear plants and increases energy efficiency for public schools.
