Capitol Fax.com - Your Illinois News Radar

Monday, May 20, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

At Logan Correctional Center, some problems can be seen clearly from either side of the bars.

There is consensus among employees and inmates on the need to rebuild the deteriorating Central Illinois facility, described in a state report last year as “inefficient, ineffective, and unsuitable for any population.”

But the Illinois Department of Corrections faces fierce local pushback against its proposed solution, which involves moving the women’s prison from Lincoln to the grounds of Stateville Correctional Center in suburban Chicago.

Dozens of people, mostly prison employees and Lincoln residents, wrote this month to a state legislative commission tasked with making a recommendation about the plan. In written testimony to the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability, they said the move would disrupt the lives and families of more than 450 workers while upending the larger social fabric and economic fate of the community, population roughly 13,000.

“Its closure would not only result in the loss of jobs but also the loss of a sense of belonging and identity for many members of our community,” said Blake Utterback, a food service supervisor at the prison. “The social bonds that have been forged within its walls would be severed, leaving a void that cannot easily be filled.”

* Planned Parenthood of Illinois…

Today, Planned Parenthood of Illinois (PPIL) welcomes patients to the newly renovated Peoria Health Center, 2709 N. Knoxville Ave. In early 2023, the health center suffered $1 million in smoke and fire damage from a firebombing and took over a year to rebuild. The 4,289-square-foot Peoria Health Center’s layout has been repurposed to optimize patient care.

“I am proud to announce that we are back and stronger than ever,” said President and CEO of PPIL, Jennifer Welch. “The firebombing destroyed our health center and robbed the community from accessing needed health care such as family planning, STI testing and treatment, gender-affirming care and cancer screenings, but it didn’t break our spirit. The Peoria Health Center plays a vital role in the Central Illinois community and surrounding states. Thanks to the ongoing support from Peoria leaders, residents, and donors we have the pleasure to be part of this amazing community once again.”

The Peoria Health Center attack is part of an ongoing trend of violence and arson against abortion providers since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. According to the National Abortion Federation, arson attacks have increased by 100%. In January, 2023, Tyler Massengill was arrested and pleaded guilty to the attack. He was sentenced to up to 10 years in prison and ordered to pay a fine of $1,450,000 for malicious use of fire and an explosive to damage, and attempt to damage the Peoria Health Center.

The Peoria Health Center features new state-of-the-art equipment, 1 education room, 3 exam rooms, 3 ultrasound rooms, as well as administrative spaces. The Peoria Health Center offers gender-affirming care, STI testing and treatment, cancer screenings, HIV testing, birth control, and medication abortion care.

* Jake Sheridan…

* Politico…

State Rep. La Shawn Ford has filed a resolution that calls for city and state officials to work to reach an agreement with the Bears and Chicago White Sox, which are also looking to build a new stadium, to work together so all the teams stay in the city. And that includes women’s teams, too, according to Ford’s resolution.

What it says: Ford’s resolution “urges the Illinois Sports Facilities Authority to report on how much of the outstanding debt could be paid off by selling its existing assets to a private developer.” Read the resolution here

“I think this can reset the conversation,” Ford told Playbook. “We want to keep our teams in Chicago but the goal is to look at government property and its highest and best use.”

Ford’s pitch: Consolidate the teams onto one giant sports complex. “We could combine space and redevelop areas where the ballparks are and find a landlord that’s possibly not the government so we can get them on the tax rolls,” Ford suggested.

* First it’s two batches of mosquitoes testing positive for West Nile virus, now IDPH reports two cases of rabid bats…

th the weather warming up, the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) is warning the public to beware of wild animals that may carry rabies, especially bats, as they become more active this time of year. The warning follows the discovery since May 10 of the first two rabid bats of 2024 in the state in Cook and Will counties, IDPH said. The bats were recovered inside two homes in those counties and subsequently tested positive for rabies.

“Rabies is a fatal but preventable disease,” said IDPH Director Dr. Sameer Vohra. “It is important that Illinois residents know how to prevent rabies exposure to protect themselves and their loved ones. Bats are the most common carriers of the rabies virus in Illinois but not the only carrier. Illinois residents should stay away from bats and any wild, unfamiliar, or stray animal, as well as any animal that appears to be sick. Groups of bats can move into people’s homes and that underscores the importance of knowing the ways of keeping bats out of your home.”

Public health officials stress that if a bat is found inside a home, it is important to try and cover it with a container and contact animal control so it can be tested for rabies. (See below for tips on how to capture a bat.)

IDPH is also reminding the public to make sure that rabies vaccinations are up to date for pets and any valuable livestock and horses for which a rabies vaccine is available. If a pet is exposed to a high-risk wild animal - such as a bat, skunk, raccoons, fox or coyote - pet owners should immediately contact a veterinarian for advice.

*** Statewide ***

* IPM | Coal ash is polluting Illinois rivers. Environmentalists want the state to move faster to stop it: Dynegy’s coal ash ponds have been leaking into the river and groundwater. Environmentalists fear the three million cubic yards of coal ash will flood into the Middle Fork if the banks erode. […] Andrew Rehn, climate policy director at Prairie Rivers Network, said one way to prevent groundwater contamination is to relocate the coal ash waste into a pond that’s properly lined to seal it off. But most of the coal ash ponds are not lined this way.

* LA Times | Editorial: California blew it on bail reform. Now Illinois is showing it works: Bail reform opponents predicted mayhem. Too many criminals would be caught, ticketed and turned loose to commit more crimes, they said. They were wrong. Nearly a year later, data show Illinois’ no-money-bail program is working out quite well. Arrests for new crimes by people released pending trial are coming in so far at about 4% in Cook County, which includes Chicago and much of the state’s crime. That’s about on par with or slightly better than the pre-reform rearrest rate over the last several years. Defendants who promise to show up for their hearings do, for the most part. Warrants are issued for the approximately 10% who don’t — again, about the same as the proportion previously released before trial with or without having posted bail.

*** Chicago ***

* WTTW | ShotSpotter Showdown Set Amid Fierce Debate Over Value of Gunshot Detection System: Ald. David Moore (17th Ward) told WTTW News Friday he will force a vote on an order that accuses Mayor Brandon Johnson of having “usurped the will of the City Council and their ability to represent constituents” by canceling the city’s contract with SoundThinking, which operates the ShotSpotter gunshot detection system. During the 2023 campaign for mayor, Johnson vowed to terminate the city’s use of the system, saying there was “clear evidence (ShotSpotter) is unreliable and overly susceptible to human error.” He blamed the system for the death of 13-year-old Adam Toledo, who was shot and killed by a Chicago police officer responding to an alert from the system in March 2021.

* Chalkbeat | Chicago Public Schools Pitches Safety Plan Calling For Restorative Justice, No Police In Schools: The proposed plan, which is on the agenda for next week’s board meeting, comes three months after the Chicago Board of Education passed a resolution to remove school resource officers, or SROs, by the start of next school year. At the time, the board directed CPS CEO Pedro Martinez to create a new safety plan by June 27 that focuses on restorative practices. Thirty-nine high schools still have on-campus police officers staffed by the Chicago Police Department. At 57 other schools, Local School Councils, or LSCs, voted to remove SROs.

* Crain’s | Facing budget deficit, Howard Brown Health to close two clinics: Howard Brown, which serves nearly 40,000 patients a year, said the closures are intended to help address an ongoing financial shortfall as well as the departure of doctors from each location. Commercial lease agreements are also ending for each clinic. “These closures mark a business decision that will ensure our ability to serve patients with quality care for the next 50 years,” Robin Gay, who was named Howard Brown’s interim president and CEO in February, said in a statement. “As we continue to work to achieve fiscal sustainability, we remain steadfast in our commitment to provide core health care services to all individuals in our community, regardless of their ability to pay.”

* Block Club | Meet The 2 Chicago Musicians Behind The Score Of ‘The Bear’: Johnny Iguana and Jeffrey “JQ” Qaiyum have worked on countless musical projects together since they became friends almost 25 years ago. They’ve produced records and singles, played in a band called Them vs. Them and are at work remixing tracks from Iguana’s 2020 blues album for legendary Chicago label Delmark Records.

* PJ Star | Motorsports race in Illinois named one of the best in the country by USA TODAY poll: A recent USA Today Readers’ Choice poll determined the top races by asking a panel of experts for nominations. Readers then voted on the nominees. Chicago’s Grant Park 165 was named the ninth best race in the country. “First run in 2023, the Grant Park 165 pits NASCAR drivers against one another over 75 laps as they speed down Columbus Drive, Michigan Avenue, and DuSable Lake Shore Drive,” USA TODAY wrote in the winning entry. “The 2.2-mile route travels along Lake Michigan and around Grant Park, providing scenic views for spectators.”

* Sun-Times | Garlic in your nostrils? Potatoes in your socks? Health misinformation is rampant on TikTok, Chicago researchers find: In January, Dr. Christopher Roxbury and rising fourth-year medical student Rose Dimitroyannis analyzed 221 videos posted on sinusitis, or sinus infections, on the app over a 24-hour period. They concluded nearly 60% of the videos they looked at from nonmedical influencers, or TikTok users who didn’t identify themselves as medical professionals, contained inaccurate or misleading information. That compares to nonfactual information in 15% of videos from medical professionals. Compounding the problem: Videos from nonmedical influencers were far more popular and visible on the app, according to the study.

*** Sports ***

* Sun-Times | Cubs’ Shota Imanaga is crushing it on the mound, but life as a Chicagoan is coming along more slowly: Imanaga has ordered Japanese takeout a number of times but has not yet sat down for a proper meal in a restaurant. He keeps meaning to sample a Chicago hot dog but has yet to belly up to a counter and order one. He has gone all-in on a couple of pizzas and marveled at the portion sizes, the thought occurring to him that pizza could help him keep his weight up throughout the long grind of a season. “I’ve definitely noticed the fact that I’m a lot shorter than a lot of players here, but [at least] if I do gain weight, they’re not going to notice much,” he cracked.

* WBEZ | How Angel Reese has juggled her first month as a professional athlete: Since being drafted by the Sky with the No. 7 pick a month ago, Reese attended her first Met Gala, appeared in a Good American ad campaign that’s featured on billboards in downtown Chicago and made her WNBA debut. She had 12 points and eight rebounds in the Sky’s 87-79 loss to the host Wings on Wednesday night. On Saturday, she’ll graduate from LSU — she majored in interdisciplinary studies and minored in communications, leadership and psychology — in the morning. That night, Reese will play in her second game, a rematch with the Wings.

* Forbes | White Sox Should Try To Hang Onto Their New Ace, Not Trade Him: Erick Fedde is a commodity the White Sox must consider trading. But rather than feel pressure to strike quickly, rookie general manager Chris Getz should take his time as he talks to teams interested in the 31-year-old ace. Fedde has returned from one season in Korea as the best starting pitcher in the American League. He’ll take a 4-0 record and a 2.60 ERA into a Monday start in Toronto — not bad on a team that is 14-33 with a 5.10 rotation ERA, better only than Oakland in the AL.

*** National ***

* Tribune | Cyberattacks on Ascension, Lurie are the latest in a string of health care breaches: Lurie and Ascension are hardly alone when it comes to battling increasingly sophisticated cybercriminals going after health care organizations. Last year, a record 725 large health care security breaches were reported to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights, according to the HIPAA Journal, which covers news related to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. The number of large, reported health care breaches increased by 93% between 2018 and 2022, according to the health and human services department.

* Politico | Tesla loses top public policy staffers amid challenging times for the carmaker: Hasan Nazar — who led federal U.S. policy for Tesla — is departing, along with other policy staffers including Patrick Bean and Brooke Kintz, according to two people familiar with the situation granted anonymity to discuss sensitive personnel issues. Bean oversaw global charging and energy policy, and Kintz led state-level policy in the U.S. and oversaw work in North America.

3 Comments

Question of the day

Monday, May 20, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Tribune…

Deputy Gov. Andy Manar, Pritzker’s budget point person, earlier this month issued a memo to state agency heads advising them to identify possible budget cuts, writing “opposition” to the governor’s revenue proposals was “significant enough.” The memo implied that if the legislature doesn’t pull together support for Pritzker’s revenue plans, state program spending could be on the chopping block.

“The Governor will not sign an unbalanced budget. Therefore, we must prepare to implement a potential balanced budget scenario with $800 million less in available revenue,” Manar wrote. “While we do not know which specific programs would be impacted should the General Assembly choose to not pass the revenue package, we think it is prudent to prepare for the possibility.” […]

State Rep. Will Guzzardi, who is a part of a House Democrats’ working group on budgetary matters, downplayed the level of opposition against the governor’s proposal cited in Manar’s memo.

“I think ‘opposition’ is too strong a word from what I’ve been hearing from my colleagues. Some of these ideas are new to some of my colleagues,” said Guzzardi, of Chicago. “There’s some education that folks need to do.”

* Andy Manar was on Jak Tichenor’s program late last week…

We were just simply putting agencies on notice that, while the governor proposed what we think was a solid budget back in February, there may be some changes that are coming from the legislature, and those things take time to implement. So I have no doubt this will come together in the coming week or two and we will again pass, now, our sixth balanced budget in a row.

* Charlie Wheeler brought up something that I pointed out to subscribers when Manar’s letter first went out. Agencies were advised to focus on cutting things like grants…

I think that was a message directed, as I said last week, not so much at the department heads as it was directed at the lawmakers. Because some of the programs, some of the most costly programs the state has, for example, the school funding formula that’s not going to be cut. … But grants are other things that are smaller sums individually. … Like a grant to a local park district to improve a playground, or a grant to local school to maybe buy some new equipment … Those are the kinds of things that lawmakers particularly enjoy, because when the ribbon is cut, ‘I’m the legislator, I’ll be there to cheer for the ribbon being cut. Now look you got this beautiful new facility. And of course, I helped get it for you.’

* The Question: How do you see this session playing out?

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Your moment of zen

Monday, May 20, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Isabel is fully back at work today. Oscar was so happy to see her yesterday…

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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Fundraiser list

Monday, May 20, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller

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There’s no real mystery here

Monday, May 20, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Daily Herald…

Illinois has only been collecting an income tax for 55 of the state’s 206-year history, but it could soon account for more than 60% of the state’s general fund revenue.

That’s according to a new report from the Illinois General Assembly’s Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability that estimates the state will receive nearly $31.4 billion in state income tax revenue in the next fiscal year that begins in July.

The state’s reliance on income tax to bolster the general fund — the state’s chief operational revenue account — has nearly doubled since 2004, state records show. That year, income taxes only accounted for 30.3% of general fund revenues.

The trend is worrisome to some lawmakers and government finance watchdog groups.

“To be at 60% for income tax is an extraordinary number because generally it is a more volatile mode of taxing than some other taxes like sales tax,” said Joe Ferguson, president of the nonpartisan government finance research organization the Civic Federation. “It’s a general concern because it involves the evolution of a tax structure which was already, and throughout history, been known to not be well aligned with the economy.”

Sales taxes are less volatile than income taxes?

* OK, here’s a brief explanation from COGFA: “(T)he composition of income tax receipts has primarily been influenced by changes in income tax rates, stagnant or declining revenues from other sources, and favorable economic conditions driving income tax growth.”

It basically boils down to the fact that the income tax rate has been increased, wages have risen and other taxes haven’t kept up with the income tax’s growth, partly because those tax rates haven’t been increased.

I’m a fan of broadening the tax base. We artificially narrow too many taxes. Services aren’t taxed (to be more aligned with the economy), retirement income isn’t taxed, food and medicine aren’t taxed, etc., etc., etc. Politically, though, some of these are very difficult to touch. Retirement income is like the “third rail” of Illinois politics, as the 2018 Democratic gubernatorial primary clearly showed. It polls horribly here. And it ain’t much better for the service tax.

* Anyway, click the COGFA chart for a larger image…

Income tax receipts as a percentage of the General Funds budget fell during the big crash, rose after tax rates were increased, fell when the tax hike expired, rose after the tax hike was restored and dipped during the first year of the pandemic.

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One problem, mayor: You can’t do this tax without the legislature and the governor

Monday, May 20, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Crain’s…

City Chief Financial Officer Jill Jaworski said recent policy changes to shore up the city’s beleaguered pension plans will continue through Mayor Brandon Johnson’s first term and Chicago’s diverse economy will fuel the growth necessary to buffer the city’s tax base.

Jaworski and Johnson also hinted the city is seriously exploring extending its sales tax to professional services, an idea that has been met with resistance in the past but is popular with politicians because it could broaden the city’s sales tax base and bring in more revenue, while potentially lowering the overall tax rate. […]

[Johnson] and Jaworski pointed to potentially extending the sales tax to professional services — an idea City Hall sources have told Crain’s is the likeliest to move forward — and a City Council subcommittee on revenue that Johnson hopes will provide other options.

Johnson said extending sales taxes to services, which could hit law firms, consultants and other professional work, could allow the city to lower the overall sales tax rate because the tax would be broadened.

Um, no.

* From Article VII of the Illinois Constitution…

A home rule unit shall have only the power that the General Assembly may provide by law (1) to punish by imprisonment for more than six months or (2) to license for revenue or impose taxes upon or measured by income or earnings or upon occupations.

“Upon occupations” means a service tax.

* The City of Chicago imposed a one percent service tax in 1981. By the end of the year, the Illinois Supreme Court had knocked it down, saying that “the intent of this section of the Constitution is that the legislature exercise ‘maximum supervisory power’ in these enumerated areas”…

The service-tax ordinance is challenged, inter alia, on the ground that it is a tax “upon occupations” enacted without legislative authorization in contravention of the 1970 Constitution. Since the adoption of the 1970 Constitution, this court has had several occasions to rule on similar challenges to various taxing ordinances enacted by home rule units. In those cases, which will be discussed later, it was noted that section 6(m) of article VII of the Constitution requires that the powers and functions of home rule units shall be liberally construed. In those cases, in upholding taxing ordinances, this court “liberally construed” the powers of home rule units to enact taxing ordinances under the 1970 Constitution. We are urged to do so once again and to uphold the Chicago service-tax ordinance. We cannot uphold the ordinance without violating the clear limitation of article VII, section 6(e), of the Constitution, which requires authorization by the General Assembly before a home rule unit can impose a tax upon occupations. […]

The reasons given in the majority report of the Committee on Local Government of the constitutional convention for restricting a home rule unit’s authority to impose a tax upon occupations are just as applicable to the Chicago service tax. The mere recitation in the ordinance that the tax is upon purchasers of services does not eliminate the evils the delegates to the convention sought to prevent.

Obviously, the city of Chicago was aware of the “legal incidence” language previously used by this court and attempted to tailor its ordinance to incorporate a sufficient amount of such language “magic words” to transform an occupation tax into a tax upon the purchaser.

Emphasis added.

* It’s also in state law. From the Home Rule Municipal Service Occupation Tax Act…

Limitations: Nothing in this section shall be construed to authorize the Municipality to impose a tax upon the privilege of engaging in any business which under the Constitution of the United States may not be made the subject of taxation by the State of Illinois.

* Also, even if the General Assembly gives its approval, future service taxes can be tricky here if they aren’t uniformly applied. From the Illinois State Bar Association…

In 1981, the ISBA, the Chicago Bar Association, and other plaintiffs sued Chicago, challenging the constitutionality of an ordinance that imposed a 1 percent tax on all purchased services. The ordinance exempted the commodities and securities businesses as well as all transactions on a futures or securities exchange for 10 years.

The Illinois Supreme Court held that the city’s tax was unconstitutional because it represented a tax on occupations. Commercial National Bank of Chicago v. City of Chicago, 89 Ill.2d 45, 70 (1982). The Illinois Constitution prohibits home rule units like Chicago from imposing an occupation tax without the authorization of the General Assembly.

The ISBA and the CBA also argued that the ordinance violated section 2 of Article 9 of the Illinois Constitution because it was not uniformly applied. The exemptions provided for the securities and exchange industry unfairly taxed attorneys, who provide services substantially similar to those provided by securities and exchange businesses. The Illinois Supreme Court agreed, holding that the distinction between attorneys and securities and exchange businesses was “wholly arbitrary and cannot be upheld.”

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Support House Bill 4781

Monday, May 20, 2024 - Posted by Advertising Department

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It’s just a bill

Monday, May 20, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Capitol News Illinois…

Lawmakers passed more than 200 bills this week ahead of their scheduled May 24 adjournment.

Many of the measures will soon head to Gov. JB Pritzker, including a bill that changes how damages accrue under Illinois’ first-in-the-nation biometric data privacy law.

The Illinois House on Thursday approved Senate Bill 2979 with several Republicans joining supermajority Democrats in its passage. The Senate last month also OK’d the measure on a bipartisan vote.

The measure is a response to an Illinois Supreme Court ruling last year that “respectfully suggest(ed)” lawmakers clarify the state’s Biometric Information Privacy Act. That ruling found fast food chain White Castle violated BIPA each time its employees used their fingerprints in the course of performing their jobs, as the company never obtained permission under the law. […]

The legislation would change BIPA’s violation accrual so that each initial collection of a fingerprint or other biometric data would amount to one violation, rather than a violation occurring for each individual scan. Employees might scan their fingerprints dozens of times per shift if they’re unlocking doors or cabinets with those scans.

* SJ-R…

With unanimous support, two bill protecting artists from having their content stolen through the means of artificial intelligence passed in the Illinois Senate.

Sen. Mary Edly-Allen, D-Libertyville, led both bills — House Bill 4762 and House Bill 4875. Since they were amended in the Senate, both pieces of legislation will return to the House on a concurrence vote.

The former would order an artist to be represented by legal counsel or labor union when negotiating terms, thus avoiding the potential for a contractor to replace them with AI-generated content in the artist’s likeness. […]

HB 4875, on the other hand, would grant artists the right to seek legal action if their content is replicated without their consent.

* Covers…

Illinois lawmakers are giving serious thought to ensuring any skeeball betting stays nice and friendly, not part of someone’s business plan.

The gaming committee of the Illinois House of Representatives met Thursday and advanced legislation that will prohibit establishments like Dave & Buster’s from “facilitating wagering” on their games at their place of business.

The legislation would also ban a “family amusement establishment” from promoting gambling on its games, namely those that require inserting a coin or token to activate. […]

Didech claimed he had yet to hear any opposition to his legislation, which he suggested will still be tweaked before it goes for a full vote in the House. He mentioned Golden Tee and pool tournaments at bars as examples of what he does not want to see banned. […]

The gaming committee voted unanimously to adopt an amendment to House Bill 394 by a 15-0 margin. It was then reported to the House floor for further action.

* WICS…

A new bill is moving throughout the General Assembly that would protect forensic pathologists from being liable for civil lawsuits after government jobs.

Forensic pathologists help local governments determine what caused a person’s death. Some say they are liable for lawsuits for their opinion if there’s a mistrial or a conviction is overturned.

Currently, if a forensic pathologist gets sued over a government job, they are financially liable. This bill would require local governments to cover their legal fees. […]

If this bill passes, forensic pathologists would receive the same financial backing from local governments like coroners and police do during lawsuits. […]

The bill passed a Senate Committee with no opposition. It will now go to a vote on the senate floor.

* WTAX…

A lengthy, heated debate in the Illinois Senate Friday was about a bill requiring Illinois foster parents to have a “hair care plan” to assist in allowing the foster child’s hair to be worn in a way reflecting the child’s culture. State Sen. Dave Syverson (R-Cherry Valley) spoke against it.

“I think if we really want to help these children, we should give these same dollars – potential millions of dollars this is going to cost – to helping foster parents with extra help for tutoring or for counseling,” Syverson said, “so they learn what’s important, so they actually learn to read and write and do math. […]

State Sen. Dave Koehler (D-Peoria) recalled his childhood in South Dakota, where Native American children were taken away.

“The first thing that was done is they cut their hair,” said Koehler. “Think about that. Think about the culture of the Native Americans and what their hair meant to them. This is a racial discussion, and I choose not to be racist. and I’m going to vote for this bill.” […]

HB 5097 has passed the Senate, 49-9, and goes to the House.

* Tribune…

Illinois lawmakers are considering several measures aimed at addressing the opioid overdose crisis and putting a greater emphasis on harm reduction, though some of the more controversial proposals with that approach have stalled.

With one week left in the legislature’s scheduled spring session, at least three bills addressing the crisis have passed through one chamber of the General Assembly.

One measure has the potential to broaden access to fentanyl test strips, expanding on legislation from last year that allowed the drug testing supplies to be sold over-the-counter and distributed by health departments. […]

The bipartisan bill, a product of work by an intern in the office of Democratic sponsor Sen. Laura Ellman, passed without any no votes in the Senate and in a House committee, and now awaits consideration by the full House.

* Shaw Local…

A proposed state law could mean that parents of babies born opioid-positive are not immediately reported to county state’s attorney’s offices. Instead, the decision to alert law enforcement would be discretionary and based on investigations by the Department of Children and Family Services.

Senate Bill 3136 has passed through the state Senate and awaits a final vote in the House before next week’s deadline of the General Assembly’s spring session. It would take effect Jan. 1.

Proponents have said the new law would help keep moms struggling with substance use disorder alive and keep families together. […]

The proposed change would mean that, should a baby be born opioid-positive, rather than reporting the mother to the state’s attorney’s office, DCFS would first conduct a full investigation and then make that determination, said Charles Golbert, the Cook County public guardian.

* WAND…

A plan heading to Gov. JB Pritzker’s desk would improve access to Alzheimer’s treatment in Illinois.

The bill requires the State Employees Group Insurance Program to cover medically necessary FDA-approved treatments or medications to slow progression of the disease.

Senate Bill 3318 would also require coverage for diagnostic testing from doctors to determine the best treatment or medication. […]

The proposal passed unanimously out of the House Friday afternoon. It previously gained unanimous support in the Senate.

* WMBD…

Illinois doctors will soon no longer have to worry about prior authorizations when treating patients with blood clotting disorders.

Right now, doctors have to seek prior authorization to administer certain drugs or procedure to a patient. Prior authorization is a form of approval used by insurance companies to determine coverage of medications and procedures

House Bill 4055 would end prior authorization for FDA-approved medications for hereditary bleeding conditions for up to six months. The bipartisan bill passed the House and Senate unanimously.

“It’s part of the governor’s overall program to try to eliminate pre-existing conditions where they just don’t make any sense,” said State Sen. Dave Koehler (D-Peoria)

* WAND…

The Illinois Senate unanimously passed a plan Thursday to enhance the quality of public drinking water.

This proposal calls on the Illinois Department of Public Health to work with the Pollution Control Board to update drinking water standards to establish new limits on maximum levels of forever chemicals.

Senate Bill 727 would also require the Illinois EPA to bring together a group of environmental stakeholders within a year to identify any other contaminants or chemicals that should be regulated by the state. […]

The plan could also codify new rules issued by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency that set the maximum contaminant levels on six forever chemicals.

* WGEM…

Daycare centers in Illinois may soon be able to operate 24 hours per day. The state House of Representatives unanimously passed a bill Friday allowing daycares to operate 24 hours and provide care for children up to 12 hours at a time if their parent has a job requiring regularly scheduled shifts.

After 12 hours, there must be a 10-hour waiting period before the kid can return to the daycare center.

The bill’s sponsors, state Rep. Randy Frese, R-Quincy, and state Sen. Jil Tracy, R-Quincy, said the goal is to provide flexibility to shift workers. […]

The state Senate passed the bill unanimously on April 12. It now heads to Gov. JB Pritzker’s desk.

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Musical interlude

Monday, May 20, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller

* My brother Devin used an AI music app called Udio to create a song. His only inputs were “write a honky tonk song about Rich Miller of Capitol Fax.” Here’s what it came up with…

rich-miller · Springfield%20Chronicles%20ext%20v2

Hilarious and spooky at the same time.

20 Comments

Get it together, man

Monday, May 20, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller

* My weekly syndicated newspaper column…

Back in April, the executive director of the American Nurses Association Illinois, Susan Swart, told my associate Isabel Miller that advanced practice registered nurses are losing their jobs because of ongoing and severe state licensing delays.

Swart said some of those nurses are waiting “a year to 18 months” to get their licenses from the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation.

“The nurses apply for [jobs] because they’re accepting this position, and [licensing] is taking so long, they’re losing positions,” Swart said.

And it’s not just nurses having problems getting state licenses.

Licensed social workers are not required to take an exam to obtain their state licenses. They self-report background issues, so they aren’t required to undergo state background checks. Their only real licensing requirement is to show they’ve obtained a master’s degree in social work.

And yet, the Illinois Department of Financial & Professional Regulation still takes three to four months to process license applications for LSWs, according to Kyle Hillman with the Illinois chapter of the National Association of Social Workers. The applications are “the easiest thing to review,” Hillman said. It’s basically a rubber-stamp operation.

Needless to say, these delays are completely unacceptable. The General Assembly passed legislation last year to give the IDFPR some breathing room on licensing renewals so it could focus its efforts on first-time licenses. And yet, here we (still) are.

In response to Hillman, an IDFPR spokesperson revealed the agency has only eight workers processing license applications for 80 health-related professions.

That’s an astoundingly low number of employees for the immense task they’re charged with tackling.

Eight?

For 80 health-related professions?

What the heck?

There are thousands upon untold thousands of people in licensed health-related professions here. No wonder people have to wait months on end for their license approvals.

Up until that response, IDFPR would only say the agency was “under-staffed” when groups like the National Association of Social Workers tried to find out how many employees it had assigned to process applications. Now those groups know, and they’re not happy.

The IDFPR also previously refused to tell the NASW if it was separately processing the no-brainer licensed social worker applications to speed things along. But the agency’s statement admitted the social worker apps were in the big pile, along with all the other health-related professions.

That makes no sense. Take a few days and get the easy stuff out of the way, for crying out loud.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker has talked a good game about workforce development. But it does no good to help train and attract nurses, social workers and a host of other much-needed professionals if his licensing agency can’t even figure out how to deal with fruit that is literally sitting on the ground, let alone the low-hanging variety.

The IDFPR spokesperson claimed the licensed social worker processing time is down 60% from eight months ago. But it’s still a ridiculously long wait.

Pritzker’s proposed state budget includes money “for the procurement of a new licensing system” for IDFPR, but that project is way behind schedule.

Last year, the legislature gave IDFPR three months to build a new computer software system and have that system up and running in three months. Well, the department is now at its deadline to have the system running, but it hasn’t yet even finished the procurement process to buy the software.

And the governor’s proposed budget would only increase IDFPR’s headcount by a mere 28 people across the department’s four divisions (after significant hiring this fiscal year).

Meanwhile, a February report by the Illinois Economic Policy Institute’s “The Illinois Update” revealed that more than half of Illinois registered nurses are over the age of 55, and one-third say they plan to leave the profession within 12 months. As a result, the report said Illinois “is projected to see an RN shortage of 15,000 by 2025.”

Last week, the General Assembly passed legislation (HB5047) that would extend the time period that license-pending practical nurses and license-pending registered nurses could work to six months, up from three, before their employment is terminated. But even that may not be enough time for IDFPR.

According to the governor’s proposed budget, the number of licensed professionals outside of cannabis is expected to be 1.35 million people by the end of next fiscal year. But that relies on the state getting its act together.

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Passing HB5395 Will Put Critical Healthcare Decisions In Hands Of Patients And Their Doctors, Not Insurance Companies

Monday, May 20, 2024 - Posted by Advertising Department

[The following is a paid advertisement.]

With this bill, we’re putting power back in the hands of doctors and patients. Gov. Pritzker’s Healthcare Protection Act (HB5395) will curb predatory insurance practices and help Illinoisans access reliable, timely health care by dismantling profit-focused barriers to care. Insurance companies want to deny claims and cut corners to keep their costs down at the expense of patients. Passing this bill is a critical step to removing barriers to mental health and substance use disorder care in Illinois. The HPA would ban prior authorizations for inpatient mental health care to ensure children and adults experiencing crises can undergo safe, effective, and timely treatment. Illinois healthcare providers are aligned that “HB5395 will help us more effectively address behavioral health needs in the right setting at the right time.”

Illinoisans deserve reliable and safe mental health care without jumping over insurance company hurdles. Join Inseparable in supporting the Healthcare Protection Act. Vote Yes on HB5395!

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Open thread

Monday, May 20, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* What’s going on in your part of Illinois?…

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Isabel’s morning briefing

Monday, May 20, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* ICYMI: ‘Only so much to go around’: Spending demands mount as Illinois lawmakers craft budget. SJ-R…

* Related stories…

∙ State Week: An Illinois budget showdown looms as session adjournment nears
∙ Tribune: Lawmakers set to wrangle over tax hikes, insurance reforms in final days of session

Governor Pritzker will give remarks at the Illinois Law Enforcement Medal of Honor Ceremony at 1 pm. Click here to watch.

*** Isabel’s Top Picks ***

* Tribune | 3 women allege grooming, sexual misconduct by former high school teacher and coach: A Tribune review of Till’s case as revealed through public documents and interviews shows multiple missed opportunities by school administrators and teachers to investigate signs of alleged misconduct by the teacher and coach, beginning with Crawford’s complaint in 2002. State law requires school staff to report immediately when “they have reasonable cause to believe that a child known to them in their professional or official capacities” may have been abused.

* WCIA | IDFPR misses deadline to procure new professional licensing system: In the past, the agency has cited their outdated licensing system for delays. To address that, Governor Pritzker signed legislation in December giving the agency ninety days to enter a contract with a vendor to obtain a new one. But that deadline has come and gone. “I obviously am disappointed that we have not yet had a contract inked with regards to getting this processing system up and running so that we can start to dramatically reduce these wait times,” State Rep. Bob Morgan, (D-Deerfield), who sponsored the legislation allowing the agency to procure a new system, said.

* Tribune | Attorney general probing Cook County Health Foundation spending: The request from the AG’s Charitable Trust Bureau earlier this month follows Tribune reporting last month about a potential conflict of interest and spending issues at the nonprofit foundation while it was pursuing an expanded partnership with the county’s public health system. In the process, foundation leaders spent nearly $80,000, entered into contracts and hired attorneys with ties to one of the board’s leaders, at times without the rest of the board’s approval, according to a memo prepared for the board by the law firm Riley Safer Holmes & Cancila.

*** Statewide ***

* Tribune | Law enforcement leaders eye therapy dogs as potential boost to officer mental health: The Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board, which manages professional development and quality control for police departments across the state, recently acquired its first therapy dog. Board Chair Sean Smoot said he’d witnessed how animal therapy helped officers in other big-city departments such as Baltimore after they’d responded to traumatic incidents and hopes the board’s program will have a similar impact.

* Tribune | Landfill study shows flawed detection methods, higher methane emissions in Illinois, other states: Released Thursday by the environmental nonprofit Industrious Labs, the study is the most recent of several reports that show landfill operators are likely understating their annual emissions to the federal government as major methane leaks go unnoticed. A Harvard study using satellite data released earlier this month found emissions at landfills across the country in 2019 were 51% higher than EPA estimates for that year. A study published in March in the journal Science used airborne surveys and found emissions between 2016 and 2022 to be even higher.

*** Chicago ***

* Tribune | Miscommunication in migrant shelters leads to confusion and worry : When city officials announced the looming eviction day, it set off a wave of worry and panic among people living in the shelters. Many come with little means, can’t work legally, don’t have family in Chicago and don’t know where to go. Dozens of migrants interviewed by the Tribune at four migrant shelters around the city say they are unclear about where they will live and what will happen to them on the day of the deadline.

* NYT | Protesters Stormed an Ex-Senator’s Office and Demanded She Leave. She Refused: Ms. Heitkamp, the director of the institute and the only staff member left in the building, refused to go, slowing what had apparently been an effort to take over the building, the latest tactic in demonstrations over the Israel-Hamas war that have taken place on the University of Chicago campus and across the country. “They desperately wanted me out,” Ms. Heitkamp recalled. “I told them, ‘I’m not going to leave. This is our building.’ And I planted my feet.” She added, “I’m a stubborn old woman.”Ms. Heitkamp, who represented North Dakota as a Democrat in the Senate, said she tried to engage in a dialogue with the protesters about their goals and why they had targeted the institute, even as she heard others smashing furniture in other rooms. “I was trying to find common ground,” she said. “They kept saying, ‘Aren’t you worried about your safety?’” The confrontation ended, she said, when campus police officers suddenly arrived and some protesters, who had brought a supply of bagels and water to last for an extended period, fled out of windows.

* Sun-Times | Bears season-ticket holders feel blitzed by steep price increases: Bears fan Mike P. from Downers Grove loves his season tickets in section 320 at Soldier Field, but this season, the cost to attend a game has jumped by nearly 50% for him to watch from the same spot he has sat in for years. “I gotta be honest with you, I wasn’t happy,” said Mike.

* Block Club | Maxwell Street Market Moving To ‘Original Home’ After 15 Years In South Loop: City officials are moving the famed Maxwell Street Market back to where it began near the University of Illinois Chicago and away from a Downtown landing zone for migrants arriving in the city. The open-air market at Desplaines and Polk streets will relocate to Maxwell Street between Halsted Street and Union Avenue near UIC; vendors will also be located on Union Avenue between Rochford and Liberty streets. The city’s Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events announced the news Thursday.

* Tribune | Tribune press operators say goodbye to an era as Freedom Center makes its final run: On Saturday, the Freedom Center printed its final edition of the Chicago Tribune before facing a demolition deadline and planned redevelopment into a casino. Tribune Publishing is shifting printing operations to the northwest suburban Daily Herald plant, which it purchased in May 2023. For dozens of production workers, some of whom spent decades tending to 10 massive Goss Metroliner offset presses churning out upward of a million copies of the Tribune and other newspapers each day, their Freedom Center career was filled with sacrifice, camaraderie and by its nature, countless sleepless nights.

* NBC Chicago | Museum of Science and Industry debuts new name in honor of Ken Griffin’s donation: Chicago’s Museum of Science and Industry officially changed its name to the Kenneth C. Griffin Museum of Science and Industry in acknowledgment of a record donation by the billionaire Illinois businessman. Signs on the museum’s grounds in Hyde Park reflected the new name, as did its website and account on X, the social media platform previously known as Twitter. To celebrate, visitors were granted free admission on Sunday.

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Shaw Local | Joliet attorney raises constitutional challenge to Illinois civil forfeiture: A Joliet attorney seeks to have an Illinois civil forfeiture law declared unconstitutional under claims that Will County prosecutors are profiting from seized property belonging to people who’ve committed no crimes. The case that led attorney Frank Andreano to request a judge to declare civil asset state forfeiture law unconstitutional involves Almeda Cain, 84, of Richton Park, who owns a 2014 Mazda SUV. […] “They’re taking property away from people who’ve committed no crime,” said Andreano, who said he plans to take Cain’s case to the U.S. Supreme Court if necessary.

* Milwaukee Journal Sentinel | Sade Robinson’s mom wants Waukegan alderman “reprimanded” for social media post: Family members grieving the murder of Sade Robinson were disgusted to see a social media post from a Waukegan alderman that included a photograph of a human arm found on the Illinois shoreline, Robinson’s mother Sheena Scarbrough told the Journal Sentinel. “I respectfully want him held accountable,” Scarbrough said in reference to Waukegan Alderman Keith Turner. “I want him reprimanded.” She voiced frustration that a “professional person” would post something like that.

* Aurora Beacon-News | After estimates say city lost population, Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin says he is ‘thoroughly disgusted’ with U.S. Census Bureau: Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin said Friday he is “thoroughly disgusted and ultimately dismayed with the U.S. Census Bureau” and its population estimates through the past three years. “The gravity of this situation” cannot be overstated, he said. “I am calling on the U.S. Census Bureau to be a more responsible and professional partner in this process.”

* WTTW | ‘We Were Not Dropping Acid’: The Story Behind the Making of DuPage Forest Preserve’s Viral Cicada Video: The brainchild of staff at the DuPage County forest preserves, this video has nabbed hundreds of thousands of views, tens of thousands of shares and comments, and caught the attention of a certain late-night TV talk show host (more on that in a minute). If you haven’t seen it yet, we’re jealous you get to experience this wonderful weirdness for the first time. Click play, and then read on as Jonathan Mullen, the fellow behind the camera, shares the backstory of this quirky creation.

*** Downstate ***

* SJ-R | Nearly 8,500 Springfield kids eligible for new food assistance program. What to know: A new federally-funded program granting food assistance to families with school children will have major local ramifications, District 186 School Superintendent Jennifer Gill says. State and federal officials announced the approval of the state’s Summer EBT program by the United States Department of Agriculture on May 15, now providing a one-time issuance of $120 per child benefit during the summer months. The program is described as the “first of its kind” in more than 50 years.

* WLOS | Bigfoot legend alive and well at Marion’s 5th WNC Bigfoot Festival: “The best part of the festival is always going to be the food. The vendors here are great, right?” said David Martin, content creator, Squatch Watchers. “The barbeque right behind me is to die for. The food brings me out here but the best part is the interactions with the fans.” “People these days? They talk about it. They are shows on TV that are talking about it. ‘Finding Bigfoot’ did a lot for that, ‘Expedition Bigfoot’ did a lot for that… people come forward to talk about it,” said Rick Reles, vendor.

* News-Gazette | Paxton showing how to revitalize a downtown: Donna Pepper, executive director of Paxton Main Street, perhaps put it best: “For Paxton, it has just fallen together perfectly.” The cooks in this creation are Paxton city government led by Mayor Bill Ingold; investors/developers John and Jeff Grove, as well as Alan Meyer, Casey Blakey and Scott Harden; and numerous business owners who take pride in their properties. Building improvements totaling $3.4 million have been made, according to Pepper, with more than 80 jobs created/retained.

* Rouley & Ruey | Morel Mushroom Hunt: Once a year, for just three to six weeks, morel mushrooms appear, flourish and then quickly disappear in wooded and not-so-wooded areas from southern to northern Illinois. These delectable and rare edible fungi have an earthy, nutty flavor and are highly valued by chefs and everyday cooks nationwide. But finding these delicate mushrooms is the real fun for morel hunters from the east coast to the Midwest, where they’re most plentiful. Passionate morel hunters get out, mesh bags in hand, at the first sign of mushrooms in their area. They keep their favorite spots a secret, compare successes, use pronouns to refer to mushrooms and exchange recipes and hunting stories as the season hits its peak. Call it a short frenzy of morel madness.

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Get The Facts On The Illinois Prescription Drug Board

Monday, May 20, 2024 - Posted by Advertising Department

[The following is a paid advertisement.]

The price-setting board proposed in HB4472 is not the solution for Illinois. It would give bureaucrats the power to arbitrarily set medicine prices, deciding what medicines and treatments are “worth” paying for. We can’t leave Illinoisans’ health care up to political whims. Let’s make it easier, not harder for patients to access their medicines. Click here to learn more.

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

Monday, May 20, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller

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Live coverage

Monday, May 20, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller

* You can click here or here to follow breaking news. It’s the best we can do unless or until Twitter gets its act together.

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Reader comments closed for the weekend

Friday, May 17, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Turn it up…

We all get this way sometimes

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Republicans denied TRO in bid to be appointed to ballot

Friday, May 17, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller

* More background is here if you need it, but this is a Daily Herald story from Monday…

Four would-be state legislative candidates, including one from Northbrook, are suing state officials over a new law forbidding political parties from slating candidates after primary elections.

The plaintiffs — all Republicans — also are seeking an emergency temporary restraining order to prevent enforcement of the law so they can appear on Nov. 5 ballots. The lawsuit names the Illinois State Board of Elections and state Attorney General Kwame Raoul as defendants.

From the attorney general’s office…

The court denied the TRO, finding that the plaintiffs did not demonstrate irreparable harm.

This post will likely be updated.

10 Comments

Isabel’s afternoon roundup

Friday, May 17, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Capitol News Illinois…

While the governor’s office instructed its agency directors to prepare for $800 million in potential budget cuts last week, all facets of his plan to raise $1.1 billion in revenue to avoid those cuts remain under consideration.

Deputy Gov. Andy Manar relayed that point on the latest episode of “Illinois Lawmakers” this week, adding that the administration is also open to ideas from lawmakers. The program has been recently acquired by Capitol News Illinois and filmed this week on Thursday.

“The governor has said that if the legislature doesn’t support one or multiple of those individual pieces of his proposal, whether that’s revenue or spending, that all ideas should be welcomed,” Manar told host Jak Tichenor.

There’s a week left before the General Assembly is scheduled to adjourn on May 24 – and two weeks left before more votes are needed to pass an immediately effective budget – but the last-minute budgeting process is nothing new. Budget negotiations in recent years have resulted in late nights and the occasional overtime session but have ultimately ended in agreement among most Democrats, who control the legislature.

* Brenden Moore…

*** Statewide ***

* Kate Maher | A new program helps Illinois farmers and hungry families — but only if we fund it: At a time when the demand for food assistance throughout Cook County has increased 26% over first-quarter 2023, Farm to Food Bank is a critical program that gets quality produce, meats, dairy and other products into the hands of families struggling to put food on the table. But Farm to Food Bank is more than an anti-hunger program. It also provides new economic opportunities for Illinois growers, producers, processors and distributors. All of these benefits hinge on a General Assembly vote next week to dedicate funds to the Farm to Food Bank Program in the state budget. Funding this program isn’t just common sense, it’s essential.

* CBS | Illinois Department of Public Health reports first 2 mosquito batches of 2024 to test positive for West Nile Virus: Two batches of mosquitoes in Illinois have tested positive for West Nile Virus for the first time this year, the Illinois Department of Health announced on Friday. The Northwest Mosquito Abatement District collected the first batch of mosquitoes in Hoffman Estates, Cook County, on Tuesday. A second batch was found in Jacksonville, Morgan County, on Thursday. The department said the batches follow a mild winter and spring, with the findings coming two weeks earlier than last year.

* Chalkbeat | Illinois high school juniors must take the ACT to fulfill graduation requirements starting next spring: The Illinois State Board of Education was updated on the switch during its monthly meeting on Wednesday. A spokesperson for the school board says the ACT was awarded a $53 million contract over the course of six years. The state requires students to take a college entrance exam in order to graduate. “At the end of the day, it came down to price,” said Stephen Isoye, chairman of the State Board of Education, noting that state law requires assessment vendors to go through a competitive procurement process.

* ABC Chicago | How Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi became a major player on Capitol Hill: Since taking his seat in the House of Representative, he has taken part in President Donald Trump’s impeachment trials in 2019 and 2020 as a member of the Oversight and Intelligence Committee. And he was in the Capitol on January 6, 2021, when insurgents stormed the building. He says there’s not quite as much rancor on Capitol Hill as people see. “A little bit less. I think that when people are off camera, I think they’re much more candid,” he said.

* NBC Chicago | Organization calls for emerging cicadas to be ‘celebrated, not vilified’: The two emerging broods are Brood XIII and Brood XIX, which haven’t emerged simultaneously in 221 years. While the cicadas will cause plenty of noise and leave behind plenty of shells, they can actually be beneficial in more ways than one. According to American Humane, the cicadas are “essential” to habitats, and provide benefits to ecosystems across the Midwest. Those benefits can include natural aeration of soil, with cicadas tunneling and burrowing opening up channels for air, water and nutrients to reach the roots of plants.

*** Chicago ***

* South Side Weekly | CPD Stats on ShotSpotter Full of Holes, Experts Say: The CPD report also includes data on the number of gunshots that CPD reported were missed by ShotSpotter sensors. The company’s contract requires ShotSpotter to detect at least 90 percent of unsuppressed outdoor gunfire in the twelve police districts that make up its coverage area. The police department is also required to report verified gunfire incidents for which there was no ShotSpotter alert to the company, via an online portal and email. According to the CPD report, the department reported 205 misses to ShotSpotter in 2023, a year that had 43,503 ShotSpotter alerts.

* Tribune | Morgan Park man continues search for daughter who’s been missing for over a month: Morgan Farley, 25, has been missing since April 3, according to Chicago police, and her dad says he’s relying on friends and prayer to hopefully bring her home, a situation that’s all too familiar for families of Black and brown women and girls in the city. […] However, Farley struggled to get attention from police on the case, as first reported in Capital B News. He said it took more than a week to get ahold of the assigned detective after filling out a missing persons report on April 3. The Police Department posted a flyer on April 16. Although Farley said he knows police have a lot of people to worry about, the process seemed “very slow and drawn out.”

* Block Club | Former Loretto Hospital Exec Charged With Embezzling $500K During COVID Crisis: Heather Bergdahl, 37, has been charged with embezzlement, according to a criminal complaint released Monday. The charges come amid an FBI investigation into Loretto after Block Club Chicago and the Better Government Association revealed questionable practices at the hospital — including funneling vaccine doses meant for the city’s poorest people to places where Chicago’s wealthiest lived and played.

* Sun-Times | Trucks kept backing into NW Side man’s house. Now, City Hall is after him to repair the damage.: Robert Christie wants City Hall to do more to protect his home from errant trucks that find they can’t fit through a nearby underpass. But City Hall went after him recently, citing him for failing to fix the damage the trucks had left. Now, he’s considering selling.

* Block Club | After Coach Suspended For Leaving Student With Relative During Canada Trip, West Siders Rally Around CPS Chess Team: One of Ocol’s students, originally from Peru, did not have the proper identification documents to cross the border. Ocol tried to reason with Canadian border officials, but they weren’t hearing it. […] So the coach said he called the student’s father, who told them he could leave his child overnight with an aunt in nearby Detroit — while the rest of the team journeyed on to the tournament. The school’s principal approved the move, Ocol said. The student’s travel status had not been flagged ahead of time by the school or CPS central offices when Ocol filed his sponsored trip paperwork, he said.

* Crain’s | Major construction at O’Hare won’t start till next year: The Department of Aviation says it will be working this summer to award contracts for excavation and foundation work for the first satellite concourse, but major construction won’t start until the middle of next year. The city expects to sell bonds in the third quarter of this year to fund the next phase of construction, but the amount has not been finalized. A venture involving AECOM Hunt, Clayco and Bowa Construction was designated as the construction manager for the Satellite 1 concourse earlier this year.

* Crain’s | Why a U of I tech founder came home from Silicon Valley to build a company in Fulton Market: Bedrock Materials set up shop in Fulton Market about a month ago. The startup will take its place alongside Nanograf, a Northwestern University battery spinout that’s making lithium-ion cells on the Near West Side. They’re also part of a growing collection of companies related to electric vehicles, including automakers Rivian and Stellantis, bus manufacturer Lion Electric and battery producer Gotion.

* Crain’s | 60 years on, Weigel Broadcasting sticks to the plan: The Chicago-based broadcaster has been a pioneer in the live TV space with expansions and partnerships, while filling a niche that persists even in an era when on-demand media is king. Earlier this month, the company announced its own Channel 26 “The U” as an independent station after Nexstar revealed it would move CW programming to the networks it owns such as WGN-TV. Weigel will also expand its portfolio this summer with the launch of the national network MeTV Toons. The channel is a spinoff of its popular retro Memorable Entertainment TV (MeTV) network that will feature classic cartoons 24/7.

*** The Bears ***

* WBEZ | Bears stadium debate should shift south to Michael Reese site, Civic Federation president says: Bears President Kevin Warren has said the 48.6-acre Michael Reese site — acquired by the city for an Olympic Village that was never built — was one of “10 to 12” Chicago stadium sites the team considered before settling on the lakefront. Warren said the Bears rejected it as “too narrow,” saying it “doesn’t work from an NFL standpoint” because the stadium would have to be built “over an active train line.” The marshaling yards for trucks serving McCormick Place also would have to be relocated, he said. None of those impediments bother Ferguson, the city’s former inspector general.

* Sun-Times | New hope? Why the Bears believe they will succeed where George Lucas failed: That’s not to say the team is ignoring the fight over the Lucas Museum, which effectively ended with a preliminary — but far from final — victory for the advocacy group known as Friends of the Parks. Rather, sources familiar with the proposal say, the team has evaluated three developments that have sparked the most notable lakefront legal battles since 2000, which they think bolster their case for a Museum Campus dome.

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Sun-Times | The shepherd and the flock: ‘Passionate’ Cook County sheriff’s official brings back wayward drug users: Cook County Sheriff’s Deputy Director Jason Hughes has picked up and brought back 71 drug court participants, working with drug court Judge Charles Burns. “We’re determined to get them back,” Hughes says, because otherwise “it’s just a matter of time before they will get on fentanyl and die.”

* Patch | Board Has ‘Many Concerns’ About Golf Property: Northbrook Village Prez: At its latest meeting Tuesday, Village President Kathryn Ciesla read a statement regarding the move, saying the Village Board wasn’t aware of the purchase before it happened. “Had the Village known about this land purchase before its closing, the Village Board would have made the Water Commission aware of its many concerns,” Ciesla said. “Of course, Northbrook’s local government does not have the authority to review, approve, or deny the private sale of property.”

* WSPY | Yorkville City Council okays cost sharing agreement for Lake Michigan water project: The Yorkville City Council on Tuesday approved an agreement with Oswego and Montgomery which lays out what percentage of the Lake Michigan water project each community will finance. Under the agreement, Yorkville will pay a little over 44 percent, Oswego will pay about 32 percent, and Montgomery will pay around 22 percent. Yorkville is paying the most as it is the furthest community from the source.

*** National ***

* VOX | ChatGPT can talk, but OpenAI employees sure can’t: On Monday, OpenAI announced exciting new product news: ChatGPT can now talk like a human. […] But the product release of ChatGPT 4o was quickly overshadowed by much bigger news out of OpenAI: the resignation of the company’s co-founder and chief scientist, Ilya Sutskever, who also led its superalignment team, as well as that of his co-team leader Jan Leike. [..] [Leike’s] resignation message was simply: “I resigned.” After several days of fervent speculation, he expanded on this on Friday morning, explaining that he was worried OpenAI had shifted away from a safety-focused culture.

* AP | Bike shops boomed early in the pandemic. It’s been a bumpy ride for most ever since: The boom didn’t last. Hobbled by pandemic-related supply chain issues, the shops sold all their bikes and had trouble restocking. Now, inventory has caught up, but fewer people need new bikes. So, bicycle makers have been slashing prices to clear out the excess. It all adds up to a tough environment for retailers, although there are a few bright spots like gravel and e-bikes.

4 Comments

It’s almost a law

Friday, May 17, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Sen. Mike Porfirio and Rep. Angie Guerrero-Cuellar…

Sen. Mike Porfirio and Rep. Angie Guerrero-Cuellar today passed legislation in the General Assembly to acquire a new police district facility representing their districts on the Southwest Side of Chicago. The bill passed both chambers with veto-proof margins. The legislation now heads to Gov. Pritzker’s desk for his signature.

House Bill 478 would transfer the Midway Flight Facility located at 5400 W. 63rd St. to the City of Chicago for the express purpose of a police district for $1. The payment would be made to the Department of Military Affairs, which currently owns the property.

“Our residents have spoken and want this facility to be used for public good,” Porfirio said. “We hope Governor Pritzker and Mayor Johnson will support our efforts to provide better police support on the Southwest Side.”

The current 8th Chicago Police District is the busiest and largest by population, ranking first for all crimes committed across the city. Southwest Side residents voted overwhelmingly - at nearly 87% - for a new police district in the March 19 primary. A group of 15 elected officials representing the community sent Gov. Pritzker a letter in March requesting the state sell them a vacant building to be used as a new police district facility.

“I am honored to have carried and passed this important legislation for our residents who deserve safe neighborhoods like everyone else,” Guerrero-Cuellar said. “I’m hopeful Gov. Pritzker will sign our legislation and Mayor Johnson will see the value in developing an additional police district on the Southwest Side.”

The 8th District has the worst data points in the city on key police staffing metrics, which has led to slow police response times and resident frustration. At its current size, which hasn’t changed since the late 1960s, the 8th District is the busiest and third-largest police district in the city (at 23 square miles) and serves the highest population with over 250,000 residents. That equates to 10 officers for every 10,000 residents, which is the lowest officer to resident ratio in the city.

In January, a broad coalition of elected officials, community groups and local residents added their voices to the call to create an additional Chicago police district and new police beats on the city’s Southwest Side. The group urged Mayor Johnson, the Chicago Police Department and the Chicago Department of Planning and Development to join the effort and help identify land for a new police district building in the community.

* Sen. Dave Koehler…

In an effort to expand access to medication for hereditary bleeding disorders, State Senator Dave Koehler advanced a measure to cut red-tape practices used by insurance companies.

“Prior authorization processes can delay vital medical care, putting patients’ lives at risk,” said Koehler (D-Peoria). “We need to ensure Illinoisans can access the medications they need without delays.”

House Bill 4055 would prohibit prior authorization for FDA-approved medication for the treatment of hereditary bleeding disorders for up to six months. Prior authorization is a form of approval by insurance companies utilized before agreeing to cover medications and procedures. These checks can be for age, medical necessity, the availability of a medical alternative or drug interactions.

“This bill addresses the pre-authorization abuse that we see too often,” said State Representative Bill Hauter (R-Morton). “Those with bleeding disorders are oftentimes required to go to the emergency department, which delays care, is crowded or unable to handle their condition and then they have to be transferred to another ED for definitive care and factor. This can all be avoided if these patients can just simply go to their specialty physician and pharmacy. This bill removes the ED visit for pre-authorization and will help patients get the acute care they need in a timely fashion.”

According to the American Society of Hematology, mortality rates and hospitalization rates for bleeding complications from hemophilia — an inherited bleeding disorder in which the blood does not clot properly — were 40% lower among people who received care in hemophilia treatment centers than those who did not receive this care. Koehler worked closely with the Bleeding and Clotting Disorders Institute and Representative Hauter to bring this legislation to the Senate. By eliminating prior authorization, Koehler’s bill aims to streamline the processes for patients to receive necessary treatment.

“Many patients do not have time to jump through unnecessary hurdles,” said Koehler. “This measure puts patients first, protecting those whose lives are at stake.”

House Bill 4055 passed the Senate Wednesday.

* Sen. Steve Stadelman…

To protect residents from losing access to their electric or gas services, State Senator Steve Stadelman led legislation through the Senate to prevent the disconnection of services for customers actively seeking energy payment assistance.

“This is a significant step in ensuring that all Illinois residents have access to the energy they need, especially during difficult times,” said Stadelman (D-Rockford). “No family should have to choose between keeping the lights on and putting food on the table.”

The legislation would require utility companies with more than 500,000 customers to enact procedures to prevent the disconnection of services for customers who are actively seeking energy payment assistance. Customers who apply for assistance through the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program or the Percentage of Income Payment Plan would be protected from disconnection for 30 days after the utility receives notice of the customer’s application. If assistance is received, the customer is protected for an additional 45 days.

“This measure is not just about preventing disconnections – it’s about maintaining the dignity and well-being of our residents,” said Stadelman. “Access to utilities is a fundamental need, and this bill ensures that need is met for everyone, regardless of their financial situation.”

House Bill 4118 passed the Senate on Thursday.

* Sen. Karina Villa…

A measure championed by State Senator Karina Villa that would secure reasonable accommodations during licensing exams for individuals whose primary language is not English passed the Senate on Thursday.

“More than ever, our communities are in need of behavioral health professionals who can communicate with clients in different languages,” said Villa (D-West Chicago). “Empowering more bilingual individuals to pursue these professions will help improve the quality of care provided across the state.”

House Bill 5457 would codify accommodations that the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation is required to provide under the Americans with Disabilities Act for individuals whose primary language is not English. The measure would apply to licensure exams for social workers, marriage and family therapists, and professional counselors.

According to the Behavioral Health and Economics Network, over 4.8 million Illinois residents live in a Mental Health Professional Shortage Area with only 13.8 behavioral health care professionals per every 10,000 residents.

“The need for more behavioral health professionals is clear,” said Villa. “By removing language barriers for licensure, we are ensuring that more qualified individuals are able to provide services to individuals in need.”

House Bill 5457 passed the Senate on Thursday.

* Rep. Dagmara Avelar…

Working to help disabled veterans modify their homes to better accommodate their needs, state Rep. Dagmara “Dee” Avelar, D-Bolingbrook, voted to waive local building permit fees under a plan supported unanimously in the House Wednesday.

“By waiving local permit fees for disabled veterans, we’re opening doors for those who fought for our country by recognizing their sacrifices and promoting their independence — most importantly, without the financial barriers that come with these beneficial renovations,” said Avelar. “This key piece of legislation serves such an important purpose, which is ensuring that these adults can adapt to their homes and improve their quality of life after serving our country.”

The Avelar-backed Senate Bill 2751 would provide a building permit fee waiver for veterans and their caregivers if the home improvements are required to accommodate a disability of the veteran. Qualified veterans or their caregivers would need proof of their veteran status, as well as the improvements needed due to the veteran’s disability.

The bipartisan proposal has passed both chambers and awaits the governor’s action.

* Sen. Suzy Glowiak Hilton…

In an effort to recruit more nurses to work at Illinois medical facilities, State Senator Suzy Glowiak Hilton passed a measure to extend the time nurses can practice while waiting for the review of their license application.

“Nurses should not lose out on work due to application waiting periods,” said Glowiak Hilton (D-Western Springs). “This initiative helps address the state’s nursing shortage, provides our nurses more experience with patients and ensures application delays do not affect their ability to work.”

House Bill 5047 would allow advanced practice registered nurses with pending applications to practice under supervision for six months while waiting for the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation’s review of their application. Under current law, this status is revoked after three months. These nurses would need to have completed at least 250 hours of continuing education in their area of certification and have at least 4,000 hours of clinical experience to be applicable for this opportunity.

According to The Illinois Update, over half of registered nurses in Illinois are over the age of 55, with the state being projected to see a nursing shortage of 15,000 by 2025. Glowiak Hilton’s initiative would help combat this shortage and bring more nurses to hospitals within the state.

“We cannot afford to turn away accredited health care professionals,” said Glowiak Hilton. “There needs to be proactive steps taken to ensure these highly skilled nurses can contribute to patient care and medical facilities are not left understaffed.”

House Bill 5047 passed the Senate Thursday.

* Sen. Mike Simmons…

In direct response to growing concerns surrounding climate change and its impact on extreme weather events, State Senator Mike Simmons is sponsoring legislation that mandates weather radio installations in manufactured homes to prevent insufficient severe-weather alerts in Illinois.

“Those who are most vulnerable to severe weather must have alert systems in place that give them the best chance at remaining safe during a tornado, storm, or any other severe situation,” said Simmons (D-Chicago). “With climate change having more adverse effects on our planet, manufactured homes need to be equipped with weather radios and prompt regular maintenance of safety equipment.”

House Bill 5238 would require that every newly installed manufactured home in Illinois be equipped with a weather radio, provided by the installer. This measure aims to make certain that residents have access to vital information during severe weather events, facilitating prompt action and potentially saving lives.

Under Simmons’ legislation, the weather radio must meet stringent requirements, including a tone alarm for prompt alerts, specific messaging for accurate information and public alert standard certification for reliability. The measure also encourages operators of manufactured home communities to provide written reminders to tenants reminding them to replace batteries in weather radios and smoke detectors each year during National Fire Prevention Week.

“This is a common-sense piece of legislation. When in the path of severe weather, every resident of Illinois should know they have alerts in place to give them enough time to seek safety and shelter,” said Simmons. “These proactive steps can enhance emergency preparedness, and in turn, save lives.”

House Bill 5238 passed the Senate on Thursday.

* Sen. Karina Villa…

A measure sponsored by State Senator Karina Villa, allowing a higher volume of native plant species to be grown, passed the Senate on Thursday.

“Illinois is home to hundreds of native plant species that are crucial to the health of our state’s biodiversity,” said Villa. “By cultivating more native plants, we are protecting wildlife and embracing the one-of-a-kind landscape our state has to offer.”

House Bill 5296 would allow residents living in a community with a homeowners’ association to grow native plant species in their yards as long as the area is maintained. Homeowners’ associations would be prohibited from imposing height restrictions or impairing proper maintenance of native landscapes.

About 30% of homes in Illinois belong to a homeowners’ association. This measure would allow native landscapes to be planted in an additional 1.5 million homes across the state.

“Native plants support pollinators, birds and soil which are critical to our state’s agriculture,” said Villa. “This initiative is essential to maintain the health of our communities.”

House Bill 5296 passed the Senate on Thursday.

* Sen. Julie Morrison…

Finding out your vehicle is totaled can be a difficult situation and the last thing you want to do is research the cost of each part of your car. State Senator Julie Morrison passed a measure to require vehicle insurance companies to do that work for you.

“I am committed to increasing transparency between insurance companies and consumers,” said Morrison (D-Lake Forest). “This measure will save people time and energy during an already trying experience.”

House Bill 5559 would require auto insurers to provide a description of how the total loss of vehicle determination was made, as well as include any available repair estimates, estimated vehicle salvage value, assessed market value of the pre-damaged vehicle and any other costs or calculations.

Even when a vehicle is determined to be totaled, there still may be repairs that could return the car to safe and street legal status. This initiative would ensure insurance companies offer these repair options when it’s feasible to do so.

“When finding out your car is totaled, it can be difficult to know what the next best step is,” said Morrison. “Having all the pertinent information will give people peace of mind about their decision.”

House Bill 5559 unanimously passed the Senate Thursday.

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Credit Unions: A Smart Financial Choice for Illinois Consumers

Friday, May 17, 2024 - Posted by Advertising Department

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Was the CTU lobby day over-hyped?

Friday, May 17, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller

* WBEZ…

[CPS CEO Pedro Martinez] said he was happy to see so many teachers in Springfield meeting with lawmakers. CPS allowed for a paid day off for one staffer at every school district-wide — around 600 teachers and staff from Mayor Brandon Johnson’s former union. Around 250 went to the state capital.

That’s… not a huge lobby day.

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‘Re-renters’ tax in the budget mix?

Friday, May 17, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Capitol News Illinois…

Thus far, the [Statehouse budget] negotiations between the governor’s office and Democratic leaders have spawned at least one likely addition to the revenue mix that could raise another $30-$50 million beyond what Pritzker had planned.

Sen. Cristina Castro, a high-ranking Democrat from Elgin, told Tichenor she’s pushing a “re-renters” tax on third-party entities that resell large blocks of hotel rooms. Castro said those groups don’t pay the standard hotel operator’s room occupation tax, but they’d be required to do so under her plan, which she expects to be included in the final revenue package.

The bill is here. There’s another version in the House.

Thoughts?

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It’s just a bill

Friday, May 17, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Tribune…

The Illinois House passed legislation aimed at reining in the potential for runaway damages under the state’s biometric privacy law Thursday, more than a year after the Illinois Supreme Court suggested the legislature revisit the law.

Illinois’ biometric privacy law, which the state legislature passed in 2008, requires companies to gain consent before they collect and store biometric information such as fingerprints or retina scans. It’s considered the strictest such law in the country, in part because it allows individuals to sue over alleged violations. Companies that have been caught in the law’s crosshairs include Facebook, which paid out a $650 million settlement over its facial tagging feature, and Google, which settled a case over its facial grouping tool on Google Photos for $100 million.

Nine Republicans joined Democrats in the House supermajority to pass the measure in an 81-30 vote. After passing through the Senate last month in a 46-13 vote, the bill’s next stop is to Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s desk for his consideration.

“Once it reaches his desk, Governor Pritzker will give the final legislation careful review,” said Alex Gough, a spokesperson for the governor, in a statement.

* Sen. Suzy Glowiak Hilton…

In an effort to recruit more nurses to work at Illinois medical facilities, State Senator Suzy Glowiak Hilton passed a measure to extend the time nurses can practice while waiting for the review of their license application. […]

House Bill 5047 would allow advanced practice registered nurses with pending applications to practice under supervision for six months while waiting for the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation’s review of their application. Under current law, this status is revoked after three months. These nurses would need to have completed at least 250 hours of continuing education in their area of certification and have at least 4,000 hours of clinical experience to be applicable for this opportunity.

According to The Illinois Update, over half of registered nurses in Illinois are over the age of 55, with the state being projected to see a nursing shortage of 15,000 by 2025. Glowiak Hilton’s initiative would help combat this shortage and bring more nurses to hospitals within the state. […]

House Bill 5047 passed the Senate Thursday.

* WAND…

The Illinois Senate passed a proposal Thursday to require school districts to develop cardiac emergency response plans.

This comes as the state saw 109 cardiac events involving students under 18 during 2022 alone.

The legislation could require school districts to work with local paramedics to create an evidence-based plan to use AEDs in case of a cardiac event. Sponsors believe the response plan should be available on every school website and in paper from throughout school property. […]

House Bill 5394 passed unanimously out of the Senate and now moves back to the House on concurrence due to a technical amendment. The measure previously gained unanimous support in the House.

“With the passage of House Bill 5394, more than 20% of our state population that walks through the doors of thousands of schools each day - including students, teachers, administrators and support staff - will be equipped to act in a cardiac emergency,” said Lauren Peters from the American Heart Association.

* Center Square…

The Illinois General Assembly has advanced a measure that allows students to get the opportunity to take part in relaxation activities, including yoga, 20 minutes a week. Some warn it could lead to lawsuits.

Relaxation activities may include, but are not limited to, mindful-based movements, yoga, stretching, meditation, breathing exercises, guided relaxation techniques, quiet time, walking, in-person conversation and other activities. Senate Bill 2872 would allow a school district to partner with a local community-based organization to provide the activities. […]

After a rousing debate, the House passed the bill by a 71-40 vote. It now heads to the governor for his signature.

* WAND…

State lawmakers could pass a plan in the final week of session to address the rise of deepfake images and AI-generated nude photos of students.

Democrats and Republicans believe the Illinois school code should be amended to include sexually explicit digital depictions of students under the definition of cyberbullying.

Rep. Janet Yang Rohr (D-Naperville) told the House Education School Curriculum & Policy Committee Thursday that teachers and administrators across the state are concerned about the amount of AI photos being created to humiliate young people in school. […]

House Bill 299 passed unanimously out of the House Education School Curriculum and Policy Committee. The proposal now heads to the House floor for further consideration.

* NBC Chicago…

Illinois lawmakers have passed new legislation that would issue citations to drivers who park on the shoulders of highways near O’Hare International Airport, and could utilize safety cameras to enforce the measure.

According to Senate President Don Harmon, the bill passed both chambers with bipartisan support, and is now headed toward the desk of Gov. J.B. Pritzker. […]

According to the text of HB 5408, the bill prohibits drivers from stopping or standing their vehicles on shoulders of highways within a one-half mile radius of the eastern entrance to the airport. It also applies to the intersection of Interstates 90 and 294, according to the bill.

Anyone in violation of the law would be subject to a citation and a fine of $100, according to lawmakers. The bill also will permit the installation of cameras by the Illinois Tollway Authority for the purposes of enforcement, citing a need to properly allocate law enforcement manpower around the airport.

* WGEM…

A bill in the Illinois state Senate would shield physicians from lawsuits related to autopsies they contact for a county coroner’s office.

Sangamon County Coroner Jim Allmon said there are currently only about 800 board certified forensic pathologists in the U.S. Only three of them are in Central and Southern Illinois. Coroner’s offices typically contract with them to perform autopsies. Only 80 doctors nationwide went into forensic pathology in the past two years.

The bill’s primary sponsor, state Sen. Doris Turner, D-Springfield, said many of the 800 board certified forensic pathologists currently serving are on the verge of retirement or already partially retired, which makes the issue even more pressing. […]

The bill would still allow someone to bring a lawsuit against a physician if they use “willful or wanton misconduct” when performing the autopsy and death investigation.

SB2779 heads to the Senate floor.

* Spectrum News…

It’s about to get more expensive for truck drivers in Illinois if debris from the rigs ends up littering roads and highways.

A bill heading to Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s desk would raise the fine to as much as $150. Four or more violations for the same driver in a single year would lead to a $150 fine for the trucking company.

The bill was sponsored by Metro East State Sen. Erica Harris, a Republican from Glen Carbon.

The money would end up back in the hands of local governments to pay the costs of cleaning up the roads.

* WIFR…

Senator Steve Stadelman’s legislation to lower the age of consent for blood typing services unanimously passes the Illinois Senate after previously having passed the House.

House Bill 4271 would amend the Blood Donation Act, lowering the age someone can have their blood typed to 17 years old as long as the donation is voluntary.

The change would make medical processes more efficient and improve the speed of healthcare services for young adults.

The Rock River Valley Blood Center was the first to take action. It uses blood typing to pique the interest of high school students to donate and educate them about the positive impact of donating.

The bill now goes to Gov. JB Pritzker to be signed into law.

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Open thread

Friday, May 17, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* What’s going on in your part of Illinois?…

10 Comments

Isabel’s morning briefing

Friday, May 17, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* ICYMI: Illinois School Districts Sent Kids to a For-Profit Out-of-State Facility That Isn’t Vetted or Monitored. Propublica…

Two years ago, Illinois lawmakers tried to help students with extreme needs who had a limited number of schools available to them.

They changed state law to allow public money to fund students’ tuition at special education boarding schools, including those out of state, that Illinois had not vetted and would not monitor. School districts, not the Illinois State Board of Education, would be responsible for oversight.

In solving one problem, however, Illinois created another: Districts now can send students to residential schools that get no oversight from the states in which they are located.

The facility that has benefited the most has been a for-profit private school in New York that’s now under scrutiny by disability rights groups. A ProPublica investigation uncovered reports of abuse, neglect and staffing shortages at Shrub Oak International School as it tries to serve a population of students with autism and other complex behavioral and medical issues. Shrub Oak has never sought or obtained approval from New York to operate a school for students with disabilities, which means it gets no oversight from the state.

The ProPublica investigation further found that some districts in Illinois have abdicated their own responsibility to monitor students’ education and welfare. Unlike some other states, Illinois law doesn’t require districts to visit the out-of-state facilities that students from Illinois attend, and some districts have never visited Shrub Oak. Records and interviews also show that districts in Illinois and other states have not always held Shrub Oak accountable for notifying them when students are injured or physically restrained, even though a provision in some contracts requires that the school let districts know.

Gov. Pritzker will be at Chicago Cut Steakhouse at 5 pm to appear in conversation with City Club of Chicago. Click here to watch.

*** Isabel’s Top Picks ***

* Tribune | More Illinois health care facilities would have to report patient abuse under new bill: Under current law hospitals must promptly report allegations of patient abuse, including sexual abuse by a health care worker, to the Illinois Department of Public Health, triggering an investigation into the hospital’s handling of the matter. But allegations of patient abuse that occur at doctors’ offices or clinics outside of hospital walls, even those connected with hospitals, are not currently required to be reported to the state’s health department. “This is just a simple commonsense fix to make clear that hospitals have responsibility for providers at any of their facilities,” said Illinois Rep. Kelly Cassidy, D-Chicago, who is behind the legislation. “It kind of falls into that category, do we really need to tell somebody out loud that that’s what we expect of them? Apparently we do, so we are.”

* NBC | Fight over the role of library in small Illinois town: A culture war is playing out in the small town of Metropolis, Ill., where the public library and a church are battling over the library’s role. The issues include prayer in the library and the removal of thousands of books. NBC News’ Antonia Hylton reports.

*** Statehouse News ***

* WGIL | Frerichs: Optimism about state budget passage, and the state still has money: Frerichs, a former lawmaker himself, says he’s optimistic lawmakers will pass a budget before the self-imposed end of May deadline, but like many, isn’t completely sure. In response to a question about the recent memo the Governor’s budget office put out urging lawmakers to make cuts if proposed tax hikes increase don’t pass, Frerichs says the administration of then-Governor Bruce Rauner piled on debt, instead of trying to balance the budget. Most of the time Rauner was Governor, however, Democrats were still in control of the Illinois House and Senate. Frerichs does support a balanced budget. But, is the state broke? Frerichs says no. But, there is a caveat.

* NBC Chicago | Pritzker praises Justice Department move to reclassify marijuana: President Joe Biden discussed the decision in a social media post Thursday, criticizing the “failed approach” to regulations of the drug. Pritzker, who signed Illinois’ legalization of marijuana during his first term in office, had a succinct reaction to the news. “At last,” he said.

*** Statewide ***

* Crain’s | Here’s a global biz that Illinois still dominates: The days have largely gone by in which Illinois could boast of being No. 1 at anything. Printing and steel and skyscraper construction are all in eclipse. But there is one facet of the economy in which the state still stands virtually supreme: It is the nation’s top producer of soybeans, which have emerged as the bulwark of the regional farm economy. Illinois farmers typically trailed farmers in neighboring Iowa in the production of both corn and soybeans until about a decade ago, when the state surged ahead in soy (it sill lags behind in corn). As a nation, Brazil has risen in recent years to be the top-ranked soybean producer, but its transportation network is so outmoded that export opportunities are comparatively limited. The world’s biggest importers of soy — places like China and the European Union and Japan — now regularly send their trade delegations through O’Hare International Airport and then on downstate to visit farms, soy processors and farm equipment makers.

*** Chicago ***

* Crain’s | Chicago won’t give up nearly $50 million it’s owed under Bears proposal: But an overlooked provision in the state legislation authorizing the 2% hotel tax that funds the Illinois Sports Facilities Authority ensures that, while those looming payments would mean short-term pain for the city’s annual budget, all of the money will eventually be repaid, beginning as early as 2033. If a deal for the Bears materializes in Springfield, the tax structure would remain in place, city officials confirmed to Crain’s. That would ensure the city receives what it’s owed, but could push out the repayment beyond 2033.

* WBEZ | Chicago sees spike in Black teens out of school and work, study shows: “It seems that many teens are not successfully transitioning from high school to going out and getting a job, going to college, entering a trade or receiving any sort of education,” said Matthew Wilson, study author and an associate director at the Great Cities Institute. “Those pathways were disrupted by the pandemic.” […] Black 16-to-19–year-olds saw their rates of employment and school-going decline between 2021 and 2022, widening a gap that existed before the pandemic. Some 17.5% of Black teens were out of school and not working in 2022, up from 9.4% in 2021.

* Sun-Times | Kim Foxx wouldn’t prosecute gun cases tied to some minor traffic stops under new plan: The draft policy aims to undercut a dramatic rise in stops that disproportionately target people of color and rarely lead to arrests. “It felt like it was time to do something about it,” said Foxx, who is stepping down as Cook County state’s attorney this year.

* CBS Chicago | Spike in opioid overdoses in Chicago has officials concerned, preparing for summer: Chicago public health officials have sounded the alarm after a rise in drug overdoses this past weekend. […] This comes as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports an overall decrease in opioid overdose deaths across the country for the first time since 2019.

* Fox Chicago | Chicago alderman criticizes decision to only partially close Clark St. for outdoor dining: Downtown Chicago Alderman Brendan Reilly is strongly criticizing the decision to close off a section of Clark St. in River North for outdoor dining while still allowing vehicle traffic. […] The 42nd Ward Alderman is urging the mayor’s office to reconsider the plan, which involves shutting down curb lanes for outdoor dining while leaving middle lanes open to vehicles. Reilly argues that a majority of his constituents are in favor of a complete closure of Clark Street between Grand and Kinzie to create a plaza for restaurants to offer outdoor dining.

* Sun-Times | Chicago Tribune journalists file discrimination suit against paper: Seven Chicago Tribune journalists filed a class-action lawsuit Thursday against the newspaper and its owner, alleging violations of equal pay based on sexual and racial discrimination. The lawsuit claims systematic pay disparities between female and male employees, as well as between Black and white employees under its current ownership of Alden Global Capital and dating back to its previous owner, the Tribune Publishing Co.

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Sun-Times | PPP fraud investigation sees former Cook County correctional officer charged: Jareli Reyes, 32, is accused of fraudulently obtaining $41,666 in loans in 2021 through the federal Paycheck Protection Program that was established to provide relief to businesses hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. Reyes, who resigned last year, is charged with theft, income-tax fraud and wire fraud.

* Daily Herald | DuPage County auditor on delayed reports: the buck stops with me: Outdated software and an ongoing controversy surrounding bills from the DuPage County clerk’s office have delayed quarterly audit reports for nearly four years. The last quarterly auditor’s report covered the third fiscal quarter of 2020, DuPage County Auditor Bill White, who took office in late 2020, told county board members on Tuesday.

* Daily Herald | ‘It won’t sit fallow’: Rolling Meadows forges ahead with zoning review near Arlington Park: Despite the uncertainty over the future of the Chicago Bears at Arlington Park, officials in nearby Rolling Meadows are still proceeding with planning and zoning studies on two key areas near the shuttered racetrack. Results of the first study — on the Kirchoff Road corridor — are due back from a consultant in October, Mayor Lara Sanoica said during the annual State of the City address Thursday morning. The so-called subarea plan will be followed in 2025 by a review of the city’s northwest industrial district, which is the area directly west of the old horse racing facility.

* Sun-Times | Benedictine monk at Marmion Academy pleads guilty to battery, still lands on monastery’s sex abuser list: Brother Joseph Charron, who taught theology for years at the Catholic high school in Aurora, initially was charged with numerous sex crimes involving a now-former student. He recently pleaded guilty to aggravated battery, and the sex crime charges were dropped. Still, his Benedictine abbey has now placed him on its list of credibly accused child sex abusers.

* Daily Herald | How did we do? Aurora police surveying citizens in first-of-its-kind initiative: The Aurora Police Department is now doing the same of its clients — citizens who call for assistance — through a survey sent to people who’ve had contact with its personnel. And in an initiative believed to be the first of its kind in the nation, the department is posting daily updated results on a public online dashboard.

*** Downstate ***

* SJ-R | Springfield’s PrideFest organizer hopes festivalgoers ‘enjoy the journey’: PrideFest, the one-day event in downtown Springfield is hosted yearly by the Phoenix Center, an LGBTQ center offering public health service, social education and various group activities to the greater central Illinois community. Typically, Pride parades are held in June during Pride month, but the capitol city does it a little bit differently. This year’s theme is “Enjoy the Journey”, which Williams says since Pridefest’s inception in 2010, the festival has grown to meet the bustling crowds.

* WCIA | ‘One of a kind’ dispensary opens in Danville: Seven Point just opened down the road from the Golden Nugget Casino in Danville. It’s casting a wide net of possible clientele. The store also sells vinyl records and art. They see possible advantages in how this new business can help the economy. They also say it might just be a solution to currently underfunded programs in town.

* WSIL | More Than $110,000 Donated to Fully Fund Next Honor Flight in Southern Illinois: The Allan and Wanda McCabe Family Foundation donated $112,000 to the Veterans Honor Flight of Southern Illinois. The Veterans Honor Flight recently completed their twelfth mission last week where 88 veterans were honored and welcomed home at Veterans Airport of Southern Illinois.

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Get The Facts On The Illinois Prescription Drug Board

Friday, May 17, 2024 - Posted by Advertising Department

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

Friday, May 17, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller

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Live coverage

Friday, May 17, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller

* You can click here or here to follow breaking news. It’s the best we can do unless or until Twitter gets its act together.

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Rides For Moms Provides Transportation To Prenatal Care

Thursday, May 16, 2024 - Posted by Advertising Department

[The following is a paid advertisement.]

Surgo Ventures partnered with Uber Health and local health centers to provide transportation assistance to expectant mothers facing transportation challenges to their prenatal appointments. Across one city, the initiative covered over 30,000 miles, ensuring over 450 participants reached their prenatal appointments without hassle. One participant shared, ‘There were days when I didn’t want to get up from bed. Knowing that someone was going to pick me up… made me feel safer.’ With programs like Rides for Moms, transportation is no longer a barrier for new mothers to access essential medical care. Learn more

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Isabel’s afternoon roundup

Thursday, May 16, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Illinois Department of Employment Security…

The Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES) announced today that the unemployment rate was unchanged at 4.8 percent, while nonfarm payrolls increased +7,300 in April, based on preliminary data provided by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), and released by IDES. The March revised unemployment rate was 4.8 percent, unchanged from the preliminary March unemployment rate. The March monthly change in payrolls was revised from the preliminary report, from +12,700 to +10,000 jobs. The April unemployment rate and payroll jobs estimate reflect activity for the week including the 12th.

In April, the industry sectors with the largest over-the-month job gains included: Professional and Business Services (+4,900), Private Education and Health Services (+3,400), and Leisure and Hospitality (+1,900). The industry sectors with the largest monthly payroll job declines included Financial Activities (-1,300), Government (-1,100), and Manufacturing
(-800).

“Expanded payroll jobs and a stable unemployment rate are both further indications that the Illinois labor market and economy remain strong,” said Deputy Governor Andy Manar. “IDES is committed to continuing to provide jobseekers and employers the resources they need to take advantage of new and expanding workforce opportunities.”

“As payroll jobs steadily increase, DCEO continues to provide resources to support Illinois’ job seekers, workers and employers,” said DCEO Director Kristin Richards. “Illinois’ economy is strong, and the State of Illinois remains committed to investing in its growing world-class workforce.”

The state’s unemployment rate was +0.9 percentage point higher than the national unemployment rate reported for April. The national unemployment rate was 3.9 percent in April, up +0.1 percentage point from the previous month. The Illinois unemployment rate was up +0.6 percentage point from a year ago when it was 4.2 percent.

Compared to a year ago, total nonfarm payroll jobs increased by +37,400 jobs. However, there were losses across most major industries. The industry groups with the largest jobs decreases included: Professional and Business Services (-33,100), Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (-6,900), and Financial Activities (-6,800). The industry groups with the largest jobs increases included: Private Education and Health Services (+29,200), Government (+27,700), and Leisure and Hospitality (+19,600). In April, total nonfarm payrolls were up +0.6 percent over-the-year in Illinois and up +1.8 percent in the nation.

The number of unemployed workers was 313,200, up +0.3 percent from the prior month, and up +17.1 percent over the same month one year ago. The labor force was up +0.1 percent over-the-month and up +1.3 percent over-the-year. The unemployment rate identifies those individuals who are out of work and seeking employment. An individual who exhausts or is ineligible for benefits is still reflected in the unemployment rate if they actively seek work.

IDES helps connect jobseekers to employers who are hiring in a number of ways, including hosting and co-hosting job fairs and hiring events with statewide workforce partners, and through maintaining Illinois JobLink (IJL), the state’s largest job search engine. IJL is a tool used by jobseekers to look for work, and by employers who can post open and available positions for hire and browse resumes. Recently, IJL showed 57,462 posted resumes with 89,988 jobs available.

* Sen. Terri Bryant and Rep. Amy Elik…

At a press conference today in Springfield, Rep. Amy Elik (R-Alton) and Sen. Terri Bryant (R-Murphysboro) urged the Senate to act on House Bill 4241, which unanimously passed the House last month. The bill, which protects high school students age 18 and older from sexual abuse by an educator, currently sits in Assignments in the Senate. Sen. Erica Harriss (R-Glen Carbon) also attended the press conference and is a chief co-sponsor of the bill.

“We carefully crafted this legislation to anticipate any possible concerns by both the House and Senate,” said Rep. Elik. “This bipartisan bill has no vocal opposition and must move forward this session so students have the necessary protections they deserve. Today it is in the Senate’s hands to push this across the finish line and deliver that promise.”

House Bill 4241 protects students age 18 and older by creating the offense of abuse of power by an educator or authority figure. Any sexual contact by an educator or staff member with a student, even if they are 18 or older, is an abuse of authority. Criminal charges must be levied so that offenders cannot just leave a job and move on to other opportunities where they could prey on children.

HB 4241 states that abuse by an educator or authority figure involving sexual conduct is a Class A misdemeanor for the first offense and a Class 4 felony for a subsequent offense or if there is more than one victim. For acts of sexual penetration, Class 3 and 4 felony charges are applicable.

“Our kids can’t afford to wait any longer for this issue to be addressed,” said Sen. Bryant. “With the passage of House Bill 4241, we can tell every individual within our state that suffered this abuse that their lawmakers heard their cries for help and acted.”

Rep. Elik also called for the passage of a bill she filed last spring, HB 1275. This bill states that no contributory fault may be attributed to a child sexual abuse victim. Rep. Elik will continue to work with fellow lawmakers to get this bill through the General Assembly.

* Bloomberg…

The Justice Department formally started the procedure of classifying marijuana as a less dangerous substance, moving toward a major change in US drug policy.

The agency submitted a rulemaking notice on Thursday to shift marijuana’s legal status to Schedule III from Schedule I, the first step in what could be a lengthy process. A 60-day public comment period will begin, after which the Drug Enforcement Administration and Justice Department will make a final decision whether to remove marijuana from the list of the most-dangerous drugs.

The long-awaited move will mean $70 million to $100 million to the bottom line of Chicago’s cannabis companies, potentially starting this year, which will further boost their value. It represents relief for an industry battered by falling prices, increased competition and steep taxes, as well as inefficiency that comes from a business that operates under a patchwork of rules that vary from state to state. Chicago-based cannabis stocks jumped because of the news, led by Cresco Labs, which rose 12.4% to $2.35 per share. Verano Holdings’ shares rose 9% to $5.89 apiece, and Green Thumb Industries stock climbed 7% to $13.95 per share.

Cresco expects to save $70 million to $80 million a year. Verano is likely to save about $80 million. GTI could save $100 million.

Cannabis Business Association of Illinois…

The Cannabis Business Association of Illinois released the following statement after President Joe Biden announced his administration took a key step forward to reclassify marijuana from a Schedule I to a Schedule III drug:

“We applaud the Biden administration’s decision to reclassify marijuana under the Controlled Substances Act as it affirms what our group advocates for – safe, legal, and community-building uses of cannabis. We look forward to evaluating the proposed rules, which would reclassify marijuana from a Schedule I drug on par with heroin to a less dangerous Schedule III drug,” said Tiffany Chappell Ingram, Executive Director of the Cannabis Business Association of Illinois. “In the decades since marijuana was erroneously categorized, Black and Brown communities have experienced countless repercussions stemming from the war on drugs. While this decision cannot reverse that damage, it does recognize the medical benefits of cannabis and enhances the viability of marijuana companies, including allowing for the same expense deductions enjoyed by other businesses. This is an important step in the right direction for the cannabis industry and our society at large, and we hope this continues to pave the path towards federal legalization.”

*** Statewide ***

* Illinois Answers | This Coastal State’s Approach to Flooding May Be a Model for Illinois Communities: For decades, local, state and federal governments have worked with residents to buy their properties, tear down structures and turn the land into open space in order to mitigate flooding. Buyouts are a common practice in New Jersey, which faces coastal flooding in addition to riverine and urban flooding. It’s also happening in Illinois, where flooding is the state’s most prominent natural disaster, according to state experts.

* WTTW | The Illinois Governor Who Headed a Landmark Commission on America – and Had a Tragic Fall from Grace: “Our nation is moving toward two societies, one black, one white – separate and unequal.” That was the stark assessment of a landmark National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorders appointed by President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1967 to investigate the root causes of violent unrest that had swept the Black communities of American cities that summer and in previous years. The group’s report – which was published and became a New York Times bestseller – is known as the Kerner Report, for the Illinois governor Otto Kerner, Jr. who led the commission. It made him a household name for a time, and is the subject of a new American Experience, The Riot Report. Kerner was on a boat on the Mississippi River near the Quad Cities when Johnson called him to ask him to lead the commission. “We are being asked, in a broad sense, to probe into the soul of America,” Kerner said upon accepting. In announcing the commission, he was dwarfed on either side by the towering Johnson and vice-chairman John Lindsay, mayor of New York City. But he was up to the task.

* WGLT | Government, economic leaders push back on state plan to move Logan Correctional Center: The initial announcement did not immediately indicate what would become of LCC, stating only that Stateville would be rebuilt where it was and that plans for LCC were still being determined. “We learned of that announcement 24 hours before it was released — and that’s not okay,” Republican State Sen. Sally Turner said in a virtual town hall Wednesday evening. “…The temporary closure and demolition of [LCC] — we need to know about that immediately and we did not. Our contact with them was minimal.”

* WSJ | Colorado and Illinois Set Their Sights on Becoming the Nation’s Quantum Hub: Colorado and Illinois are both pouring millions of dollars into quantum computing in an effort to position themselves as national leaders in the area and secure coveted federal funding from the $53 billion Chips Act. Calling itself the “Mountain West” hub, Colorado along with New Mexico and Wyoming is seeking $70 million in federal funding under the act to support quantum companies, hardware manufacturing and a talent pipeline.

*** Chicago ***

* The Hill | Chicago mayor ‘confident’ DNC will be safe: The convention this summer will serve as a test for Johnson and Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker (D), as protesters of the Biden administration’s handling of Israel’s war with Hamas already have set their eyes on the event. The Chicago DNC has the potential to draw comparisons to the chaos of the 1968 one, when police in the city battled those protesting the Vietnam War right outside the convention hall.

* NBC Chicago | FBI, Department of Homeland Security issue terror alert regarding Pride Month celebrations: With less than three weeks until the start of Pride Month in Chicago, there is a new warning from the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security that celebrations could be targets of terrorist activity. In a public service announcement released late last week, the agencies warned that “foreign terrorist organizations or supporters may seek to exploit increased gatherings associated with the upcoming June 2024 Pride Month.”

* Fox Chicago | Former CPD Supt. Eddie Johnson fights for ShotSpotter to stay: ‘Can’t put a price on public safety’: Former Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson appeared in a video this week supporting ShotSpotter, a technology designed to identify the location of gunfire incidents. The video was posted on the website saveshotspotter.com, where Johnson emphasized the system’s role in preventing crime in Chicago neighborhoods.

* Tribune | Six months after Yellow Line crash injured more than a dozen, investigation continues: ‘This never should have happened’: Six months after the Nov. 16 crash, which left more than a dozen people injured and closed the Yellow Line for seven weeks, few answers have emerged about what went wrong and how the crash could have been prevented. The National Transportation Safety Board is still investigating and has yet to officially determine the cause, though the agency has said it is gathering information about the signal and braking systems, reviewing CTA practices and examining “organic material” on the tracks. The NTSB also has not issued any urgent safety recommendations to the CTA, which the agency can do during an investigation.

* Sun-Times | Protesters demand alderman withdraw support for Ozinga mining operation on Southeast Side: Protest organizers said they were reacting to what they describe as Chico’s support for the Ozinga family’s plan for the Invert, an underground development that would extend several hundred feet below the surface of a former steel mill site. The Ozingas, who operate the family’s namesake concrete and materials company, have tried to sell the community on the merits of the project over the last three years. The idea seemed to be dead after a city official ruled last year that construction would require mining to dig the space and remove underground stone, a practice that is banned in Chicago.

* Illinois Answers Project | Chatham Flooding Mitigation Program Flounders, But Oak Park Sees Success : RainReady is the brainchild of a local environmental nonprofit group the Center for Neighborhood Technology. The program has had several iterations in Chatham since its development more than 10 years ago by CNT and a group of residents. RainReady works, according to homeowners — including residents in west suburban Oak Park who benefited from the low-cost flood prevention fixes including rain gardens, backflow valves and cisterns. It is so successful that there is a waiting list, officials said.

* Block Club | Chicagoans Doubled Bike Trips In Past 5 Years. The South Side Saw Some Of The Biggest Increases: Bicyclists made 119 percent more weekday trips in spring 2023 than in fall 2019, according to a recent study from analytics company Replica, the Chicago Department of Transportation and transportation firm Sam Schwartz. Analysts reached the estimate through simulations that drew on about three months of anonymized, “very rich” transportation department data in each season, said Steven Turell, Replica’s chief of staff.

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Daily Southtown | Orland Park settles lawsuit filed by former manager against Mayor Keith Pekau: Orland Park’s former village manager will pay $30,000 in settling a lawsuit filed in the wake of an investigation he launched into possible bid rigging by Mayor Keith Pekau. Pekau and a company he owned were ultimately cleared of any wrongdoing, and trustees approved the settlement at a special Village Board meeting Wednesday.

* Daily Herald | Eight new volunteers join CASA Lake County to advocate for the best interest of children in foster care: Eight new volunteers completed their training to become Court Appointed Special Advocates and help advocate for the best interest of children in foster care. Volunteers and their families and friends attended the swearing-in ceremony on April 4, hosted by the Lake County Jenile Court. The new Court Appointed Special Advocates include Charles Ex of Gurnee, Debora Jensen of Lake Forest, Adam Jones of Volo, Jollene Jones of Libertyville, Diane Koester of Barrington, Andrea Mazzetta of Deerfield, Tryna Wade of Waukegan and Maureen Zeller of Northbrook. Nineteenth Judicial Circuit Judge Marni M. Slavin presided over the induction ceremony.

*** Downstate ***

* Madison-St. Clair Record | Fifth District reverses pretrial release for man who fled police in stolen vehicle, drove towards on-coming traffic: Madison County State’s Attorney Tom Haine said the appellate court’s ruling provides clarification on the application of the SAFE-T Act, or the Safety, Accountability, Fairness and Equity-Today Act. “As with any new law, the Courts have been tasked with interpreting the SAFE-T Act and making rulings on its application. Prosecutors from across the state have appealed various court decisions regarding the SAFE-T Act’s application, with a goal of making the SAFE-T Act less harmful to law-abiding citizens,” Haine said. “We’re grateful for the State’s Attorneys Appellate Prosecutor’s Office, which has assisted local prosecutors in these appeals. This Appellate Court Opinion, which clarifies one of the many ambiguities in this new law, is an important win for the safety of police officers, motorists, highway workers and pedestrians across Illinois.”

* Lake County News-Sun | Plan outlines goals to reduce Lake County gun violence; ‘Prevention work fulfills our moral duty to help others’: The first of its kind for the county, the Violence Prevention Plan (VPP) consists of goals with outcomes to measure achievement, includes feedback from community stakeholders and offers data on where gun violence is occurring in the county, along with some contributing factors. “Prevention work fulfills our moral duty to help others – whether it is survivors in need of trauma-related services, domestic violence survivors in need of red flag laws, or youth in need of mentoring services,” State’s Attorney Eric Rinehart said as part of the plan.

* Rockford Register Star | Rockford Mayor’s Hunger Campaign returns with new partnership: The foundation will collect and process donations for the fundraising campaign that launched Wednesday, May 15. Donations to the Mayor’s Hunger Campaign are equally distributed among nine local pantries that make up the Greater Rockford Pantry Coalition: Rock River Valley Pantry; Christian Unity Pantry; Unity in the Community/Lighthouse Pantry; St. Elizabeth Pantry; Cornucopia Pantry; Salvation Army Pantry; Emmanuel Lutheran Pantry; God’s Glory Pantry; and Soul Harbor Pantry.

*** National ***

* Boston Globe | ‘We need answers.’ Markey, Warren say controversial gunshot detection tech could violate civil rights: Massachusetts’ US senators are calling for a federal probe of ShotSpotter amid new scrutiny of the gunshot detection tool, used by police in cities across the state and country with the aim of speeding response times to shootings. In a letter to the Department of Homeland Security Monday night, Senator Edward J. Markey cited a report based on leaked data that found sensors for the system were placed primarily in Black and Latino sections of cities that use them. He called for an investigation into the use of federal grants that pay for ShotSpotter, and whether its use in minority neighborhoods violates civil rights law. Senators Elizabeth Warren and Ron Wyden, of Oregon, and Massachusetts Representative Ayanna Pressley have signed onto the letter, sent to DHS Inspector General Joseph Cuffari.

* Crain’s | McDonald’s leans into ‘Grandmacore’ with new McFlurry: McDonald’s newest campaign is about celebrating grandmothers and reaching multicultural audiences with a new Grandma McFlurry. McDonald’s has yet to disclose the flavor, only saying that it features a smoothie syrup and chopped crunchy candy pieces blended into vanilla soft serve. The treat is inspired by the pieces of candy grandmothers might carry in their purses. According to speculation on Reddit, a key ingredient could be butterscotch. The new flavor will be available on May 21.

* AP | 70 years ago, school integration was a dream many believed could actually happen. It hasn’t: Seventy years ago this week, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled separating children in schools by race was unconstitutional. On paper, that decision — the fabled Brown v. Board of Education, taught in most every American classroom — still stands. But for decades, American schools have been re-segregating. The country is more diverse than it ever has been, with students more exposed to classmates from different backgrounds. Still, around 4 out of 10 Black and Hispanic students attend schools where almost every one of their classmates is another student of color.

* NYT | Supreme Court Rejects Challenge to Consumer Watchdog’s Funding: The Supreme Court rejected a challenge on Thursday to the way the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is funded, one that could have hobbled the bureau and advanced a central goal of the conservative legal movement: limiting the power of independent agencies. The vote was 7 to 2, with Justice Clarence Thomas writing the majority opinion.

10 Comments

Question of the day

Thursday, May 16, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Capitol News Illinois…

A new measure being debated in the Illinois General Assembly would create a tax credit for certain news publishers based on the number of reporters they employ.

The proposal from Sen. Steve Stadelman, D-Rockford, is part of a package of policies that he has been working to pass since early this year – although some worry about potential conflicts that could arise from creating new financial relationships between the government and journalists who cover it.

Under Stadelman’s proposal, contained in Senate Bill 3953, the state would offer a tax credit of up to $25,000 for each journalist on a media company’s payroll and up to $30,000 for journalists hired into newly created roles. The credit would only be available to “independently owned” media outlets – making subsidiaries of larger or publicly traded companies ineligible for the credit.

Advocates say it’s a way to prop up an industry that faces existential financial and logistical challenges. In 2022, the General Assembly created a task force to research the state of journalism in Illinois. Their report included research from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism that showed one-third of local outlets have closed since 2005, creating an 86 percent decline in newspaper jobs over that span.

* The Question: Do you support this tax credit concept? Explain.

10 Comments

Broad Support For Carbon Capture And Storage Across Illinois, “Vital” For The Environment and Downstate Growth

Thursday, May 16, 2024 - Posted by Advertising Department

[The following is a paid advertisement.]

A growing chorus of labor unions, government officials, business and industry voices, and the academic community are speaking up about the critical role that carbon capture and storage (CCS) can play in helping Illinois reach its clean energy goals. The Capture Jobs Now Coalition is supporting legislation (SB3311/HB569) to advance CCS projects in our state while prioritizing jobs and economic development in local communities.

Pat Devaney, Secretary-Treasurer of the AFL-CIO, and Mark Denzler, President and CEO of the Illinois Manufacturers’ Association:

April 2023

For more information on Capture Jobs Now, please click here

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Here we go again

Thursday, May 16, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Extensive background is here if you need it. I totally agree with Illinois Answers Project reporter Casey Toner…

It’s like if a source has given you bad information over and over and over again for years, but somehow you still manage to make yourself believe that this time they must be right.

* Illinois Policy Institute…

Illinois’ population loss hit more than 75% of its cities, towns and villages in 2023. The biggest loser was Chicago, shedding over 8,200 residents.

Population decline in Illinois struck more than 75% of communities throughout the state last year, hitting communities of all sizes. In total, 980 of Illinois’ 1,294 incorporated places lost population from July 2022-July 2023, according to data released May 16 by the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Tribune also covered the new numbers. I’m sure more stories are on the way.

* The governor was asked about this today…

There is, as you know, every ten years a census that gets done. That’s where people’s doors get knocked on, people are filling out forms, right. And every ten years, we literally count every single person in the state and then in every year between those 10-year periods, 2010, 2020, 2030.

Between those years, there’s something that’s relatively new in the census world called the American Community Survey. And it’s more like a poll. It’s more sophisticated than a poll, but it’s a poll that tries to determine what the changes are year to year in population. That poll has been inaccurate for the state of Illinois for more than 10 years. How do I know this? Because they’ve been doing this poll during the 2010s, from 2010 to 2020. And I saw the poll data, that information every year, and when I was running even I said, oh my goodness, you know, we’re really losing that kind of population. It’s an emergency. It’s something we need to get on, jump on. What populations are we losing? How do we keep them in the state of Illinois? How do we attract others and so on?

It turns out when we actually counted people in 2020, we weren’t losing hundreds of thousands of people. That was false. We counted every person, so you know that the accuracy is there.

Now the question is, okay, well, if the ACS data is wrong every year, and the actual count is right, and that is true, then and by the way, in addition to the number that we originally counted, it turns out, they do something called a post enumeration survey, which basically checks the work. And the post enumeration survey determined, actually Illinois got under-counted. Even though we try to count every single person some people are homeless and don’t get counted. Some people are just hidden and hard to get to and they didn’t get counted.

So what did they determine from that? Illinois gained population. We have more than 13 million people in the state of Illinois.

Well, then 2021 came in, here came another ACS survey, and it showed another year of population loss, reported the survey that had been inaccurate for the 10 years earlier. That survey hasn’t changed. So we’ve gone to the Census Bureau and told them how inaccurate this clearly is. And they believed us and they went around and looked at the cities in the state that applied. We had a group of cities who kind of went to the Census Bureau and said, This is wrong. We’re seeing more people than you are. And what did they do? They upped the numbers, the population numbers for each of those cities that were part of that application.

So it’s clear there’s something wrong with the ACS data. And I know you guys keep reporting that we’re losing population based upon that inaccurate data… When we count people, it turns out we’re gaining population.

* Set aside what the governor says if you want. Fine by me either way. But I’ve documented this nonsense for years. It’s a proven historical fact that the annual surveys have been a joke. A sample from a 2022 column…

By December 2020, those annual Census estimates showed Illinois had lost about 240,000 people, or 2% of its population.

“Illinois is a deepening population sinkhole flanked by states that are adding people, businesses, jobs,” the Chicago Tribune editorial board opined. “The estimated Illinois population is 12,587,530, down more than 240,000 since the 2010 census. That’s more than Waukegan and Naperville, combined.” […]

When the official 2020 Census count showed those previous estimates were wildly wrong and Illinois’ net population loss was “only” 18,000 people, those same folks either changed the subject or harrumphed that, whatever the case, Illinois was still a net loser and had fallen to the rank of sixth-largest state behind Pennsylvania. […]

As you probably know by now, the Census Bureau admitted last week that it had screwed up Illinois’ decennial headcount, and the state actually grew by about 250,000 people – that’s almost a 500,000-person swing from the December 2020 estimate.

15 Comments

Protect Illinois Hospitality - Vote No On House Bill 5345

Thursday, May 16, 2024 - Posted by Advertising Department

[The following is a paid advertisement.]

“Let’s focus on facts, not optics. This legislation will result in less wages for servers not more. The hospitality industry is already under immense inflationary pressure and this bill will just drive consumer prices up further.”
Brent Schwoerer, Owner / Founder / Brewmaster
Engrained Brewing Company, Springfield

Tell your state legislators to VOTE NO on House Bill 5345 and Protect Illinois Hospitality

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Rep. Tarver says CPS general counsel needs to be forced out over rape case (Updated)

Thursday, May 16, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Background is here if you need it. Rep. Curtis Tarver (D-Chicago) rose to make a point of personal privilege during yesterday’s House session…

This is my first point of personal privilege since my daughter was here five years ago, but I feel compelled to speak.

Yesterday, you may have read in Capitol Fax, and was in the news otherwise, that the Chicago Public Schools paid an expert $40,000 to testify in her deposition… to testify that not all sexual assault is traumatic.

That was taxpayer money. That was approved by the General Counsel CPS. The mayor appoints the board. The mayor ahas the ability to have a conversation with CPS top brass. CPS General Counsel, Ruchi Verma needs to go. Not only did she sign off on this expert, but they filed a motion - I have the motion in limine copy right here - to force this woman to use her real name.

This has been going on for a couple years. It just got to trial. Motion in limine. Now all of a sudden, they want her use her real name instead of Jane Doe. Why do you think that is? Maybe it’s because they had a mediation last week. They put $50,000 on the table and she didn’t take it. So to penalize her, to punish her, to shame her, they want her to use her own name.

So that 37 year old woman now will be known as a person who had sex with a high school damn teacher. It’s shameful! it’s shameful!

Walter Glascoff is a rapist. He’s a rapist. He lied to CPS initially, but ultimately in his deposition he testified he did not have sex with her, he only had oral sex until she was 17. Sex is in the very definition what he said. He then started having sex with her when she was 18 as well. We can’t do anything about that.

But he groomed her. He groomed her and what happened? CPS confronted him, he lied about it. They allowed him to resign. So who do you think pays his pension? We do.

I want to read to you a little bit from what I FOIA’d, so this is public information, so the judge doesn’t get upset.

‘For relevant time periods when you were a teacher at Hubbard high school during the 2001 to 2004 school year, you were involved in a sexual relationship with Jane Doe, a student at the same school, date of birth, between January 31 2002 and January 2003, you engaged in sexual intercourse with Jane Doe during the spring of 2004, sexual intercourse with Jane Doe.’ Took her to Navy Pier, took her to his home, drove her to her home and met her parents. You know what happened between 2012 and 2016? He was transporting other students. All under CPS’ watch.

I don’t have a dog in the race. This ain’t my case. It’s not my daughter. But we should all care. And there’s no way on God’s green earth that a duly licensed attorney who takes the same exact oath we take when we’re sworn in, the same exact oath, should ever put defending a case over what’s right.

Now the mayor came down here and everybody saying Chicago is owed a billion dollars. CPS does need more money, so does the rest of the state. I’m all for public education. That’s not the question.

The question is, what is Jane Doe owed? And I don’t mean financially. We can’t even talk about justice without basic respect. Forcing a woman or male or whoever to use their name in a lawsuit to pressure them, to shame them is unconscionable and is worth - I know the mayor doesn’t discuss personnel issues in the public he says - but this is something that needs to be addressed. And I’ll be wrapping up in just a moment.

Representative EliK had a bill I believe a year or so ago, House Bill 1275. One of the things that it says is that you cannot use comparative fault or contributory negligence with a minor. I don’t know what happened to the bill, it never moved. But I would hope as a chamber on a bipartisan basis we would look at that. Whether it needs an extension or otherwise.

How do you have a defense to suggest that a child, a child is comparatively at fault for their own being raped?

I had a bill. I’m not biased, but I had a bill that said at least in these situations, we should have a process, an administrative process to strip the pension of individuals. You can’t say well, if you rape the kid on Hubbard’s campus, we can take your pension, but if you take her to Navy Pier or to your house, we can’t because it’s off school grounds. So I appreciate you all indulging me I am beyond frustrated.

Rep. Tarver’s voice began to crack and he sat down.

Please pardon all transcription errors.

…Adding… MrJM in comments…

Intentionally or not, in fighting Jane Doe’s lawsuit, CPS is telling its students and parents that if you try to hold them to account for endangering or harming a student in their care, CPS will pay tens of thousands of taxpayer dollars to drag you and your reputation through the mud.

Utterly despicable.

13 Comments

Showcasing The Retailers Who Make Illinois Work

Thursday, May 16, 2024 - Posted by Advertising Department

[The following is a paid advertisement.]

Retail provides one out of every five Illinois jobs, generates the second largest amount of tax revenue for the state, and is the largest source of revenue for local governments. But retail is also so much more, with retailers serving as the trusted contributors to life’s moments, big and small.

We Are Retail and IRMA are dedicated to sharing the stories of retailers like Chris, who serve their communities with dedication and pride.

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It’s just a bill

Thursday, May 16, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Center Square…

A measure that seeks to ban wildlife hunting contests and penalize hunters participating in them with misdemeanors passed the Illinois House Wednesday.

Wildlife contests generally involve a day- or weekend-long contest promoting coyote, racoon or squirrel population management. The winner with the most killed racoons typically gets a prize. The Squirrel Bowl, a yearly squirrel hunt for all ages, raises funds for various charities. […]

Opponents of the measure said wildlife contests are necessary to control animal populations. Taxpayers already pay $20 million per year in the form of wildlife damage abatement payments to ranchers, farmers and pet owners who have lost livestock or pets to predators like coyotes. The USDA kills over 80,000 coyotes annually.

Moeller said wildlife contests in Illinois are not managed by the Department of Natural Resources and are not recognized as an official means of managing wildlife populations. There’s no scientific basis in these contests having any positive impact on the populations of wildlife, she said.

HB2900 passed the House 62-45.

* President of the political action committee Gun Violence Prevention Kathleen Sances…

As soon as next month, the U.S. Supreme Court is poised to deliver a setback in the work to protect survivors of domestic violence if it rules to allow abusers access to guns. But in Illinois, where state officials, advocates and other committed stakeholders have acted on myriad issues where the court has failed, we have another chance to lead.

This week presents such an opportunity. In the last days of the General Assembly’s spring session, state lawmakers can pass Karina’s Bill and put Illinois at the forefront of protecting the rights of survivors. […]

[S]urvivor advocates reported last week that Illinois is experiencing a dramatic escalation in calls for help to the state’s Domestic Violence Hotline. According to a report by The Network, a gender-based violence awareness advocacy group, the hotline saw a 27% increase in outreach in 2023 over the year before. Last year’s needs represented a stunning 90% increase when compared with pre-pandemic levels.

The surge included a 45% increase in requests for shelter over those in 2022, leading to a critical shortage of shelter options for survivors in Illinois, with the city of Chicago having no beds available for a third of the year in 2023, as reported by the Tribune.

We know the danger these survivors face is exponentially greater when their abusers are armed. The Network has found that the risk of intimate-partner homicide that survivors face increases 500% when an abuser has access to a gun.

* WAND…

Private insurance companies in Illinois can currently limit patients to four rounds of IVF treatment. Although, a bill heading to Gov. JB Pritzker’s desk could expand private insurance coverage for all forms of fertility treatment.

State lawmakers removed the cap on infertility coverage for state employees last year. However, this plan could ensure all insurance companies are allowing patients to have more cycles covered. […]

Senate Bill 773 passed out of the House on a 90-17 vote. The measure previously passed out of the Senate on a 50-1 vote. […]

If approved by Pritzker, the legislation would take effect on January 1, 2026.

* Sen. Javier Cervantes…

State Senator Javier Cervantes is moving legislation to limit the discriminatory use of artificial intelligence in decisions related to employment.

“Companies that are using AI to make employment decisions may be using data points that are discriminatory and having adverse effects on our communities,” said Cervantes (D-Chicago). “Creating a model to predict data patterns is fine, but when it’s used to single out and target workers from lower-income communities, Black and Brown communities, and many of the other underserved communities in Illinois, we cannot sit back and allow it to happen.”

Under House Bill 3773, employers would not be allowed to use artificial intelligence to consider demographic information such as race or ZIP code in employment decisions related to recruitment, hiring, promotion, renewal of employment, selection for training or apprenticeship, discharge, discipline, tenure or terms, privileges, or conditions of employment.

Any employer who uses artificial intelligence in a prohibited manner or fails to notify an employee of the employer’s use of artificial intelligence would be in violation of the Illinois Human Rights Act.

“Employment status should not be determined by the click of a button on a machine, and residents are worried that their livelihood and income could be taken away with no human interaction,” said Cervantes. “This legislation is important to support workers and ensure their rights are not violated on the job.”

House Bill 3773 passed the Senate on Wednesday and is one step closer to becoming law.

* WAND…

A plan heading to Gov. JB Pritzker’s desk would require school vendors and learning partners to comply with the state’s new comprehensive literacy plan.

Lawmakers and advocates say vendors responsible for English language arts improvement plans should abide by the Literacy and Justice for All Act.

The Illinois State Board of Education introduced framework for the literacy plan in January. However, this plan would ensure schools are not limited by their vendors. […]

House Bill 4902 passed out of the Senate on a 54-1 vote Wednesday. State representatives previously voted 91-19 to approve the plan on April 16.

* WGEM…

The Illinois state Senate unanimously passed a bill Wednesday requiring insurance companies cover all colonoscopies deemed medically necessary.

Insurers are currently only required to cover the procedure if it’s part of a follow-up exam recommended by a primary care physician. The bill would require coverage if a patient displays signs or symptoms of colon cancer or has an existing colon condition regardless of age.

“What should not be a barrier is us having access to insurance that will cover it because we know if we catch this disease early, we can save lives, so I encourage the chamber to support this very important measure. It’s common sense. We can save lives,” said state Sen. Willie Preston, D-Chicago, the bill’s Senate sponsor. […]

The Senate did slightly change the bill, adding an amendment to change the effective date to from Jan. 1, 2025 to Jan. 1, 2026. This means the bill has to head back to the House.

* Sen. Kimberly Lightford…

Senate Majority Leader Kimberly A. Lightford championed a measure to require high school students to learn financial literacy.

“When young people leave high school, they are given the freedom to spend and manage their money how they see fit with little or no guidance beyond what they’ve witnessed at home,” said Lightford (D-Maywood). “By requiring financial literacy instruction, we are equipping our young people with the ability to do things like manage a household budget, save for a home or be aware of financial fraud schemes. These are important life skills that every person can utilize.”

Under Lightford’s measure, high school students would be required to learn about financial literacy. The instruction would focus on basic economics, the principles of supply and demand, how to budget income responsibly, loan repayment, and the cost of high-interest short-term “payday” loans.

According to a 2022 Citizens Bank survey, more than half of teenagers said they were worried and felt unprepared for their financial futures. The research highlighted the need for additional resources to assist them in making financial decisions that impact them over the long term – including proper education on how to set themselves up for success.

“Teens should leave high school with the confidence that they know how to handle the financial decisions of their future,” said Lightford. “Education goes far beyond a textbook – it’s also about learning long-lasting life skills.”

House Bill 1375 passed the Senate Wednesday with bipartisan support.

* Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias…

* Sen. Rachel Ventura…

State Senator Rachel Ventura announced that Senate Bill 3695 has been assigned to the Senate Executive Committee and has bipartisan support.

Senate Bill 3695, also known as the CURE Act – or the Compassionate Use and Research of Entheogens Act – aims to tackle treatment-resistant conditions such as anxiety, depression, PTSD, substance abuse, eating disorders, and other mental health conditions. Additionally, it would facilitate research into the safety and efficacy of psilocybin through medical, psychological, and scientific studies. New Chief Co-Sponsor Senator Craig has researched and considered filing a similar psilocybin bill focused on mental health and medicinal use for more than two years.

“After much discussion with my colleagues, I am proud to see the bipartisanship collaboration on this historic piece of legislation that would aid veterans and those suffering with mental illnesses, PTSD, substance abuse and more,” said Ventura (D-Joliet). “Psilocybin would open new pathways in the brain to help pinpoint things that need to be worked on. Integrated therapy-based sessions following its exposure would create real change in an individual’s life who have exhausted other methods previously.” […]

The bill would also establish the Illinois Psilocybin Advisory Board under the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation which would create a training program, ethical standards, and licensing requirements. Additionally, psychedelic therapies would be administered in controlled, supervised settings to ensure safety and treatment effectiveness. Retail sales of these medicines would be prohibited and could only be used under supervision at designated service centers. […]

The bill has been assigned to the Senate Executive Committee where Senator hopes it will be heard in the following days.

* Rep. Nabeela Syed…

State Rep. Nabeela Syed, D-Palatine, working with a constituent of the 51st District, recently passed groundbreaking legislation to fill gaps in breast cancer screening coverage and ensure that all people who need medically recommended screening can afford it.

“I feel lucky that I live in a community of people so interested in taking part in the lawmaking process and helping build a stronger future for their neighbors. Leslie Yerger, founder and CEO of local nonprofit My Density Matters, came to me as a constituent with lived experience of not receiving the breast cancer screening she needed, resulting in missed breast cancer for nearly a decade,” Syed said. “It’s vital to the health of nearly half of women who have dense breast tissue, that this screening is covered by insurance at no cost-sharing.”

Leslie Ferris Yerger said, “Thank you, Representative Syed, for leading the charge to more accessible breast cancer screening so more women in Illinois will have their breast cancer found early, while still curable. With the passage of HB4180, Illinois may have the most comprehensive supplemental breast cancer screening insurance coverage in the nation.”

Syed filed House Bill 4180 to ensure that more extensive breast cancer screenings for those that need them are covered by all medical insurance. It was backed by Equality Illinois, Illinois National Organization for Women, Rush University Medical Center and Cook County Health. House Bill 4180 passed the House and Senate with strong bipartisan support, and now will go to the governor for signature.

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Isabel’s morning briefing

Thursday, May 16, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* ICYMI: CPS meeting with Pritzker marked by tension over migrant funding. Crain’s…

* Related stories…

∙ Tribune: CTU rallies in Springfield to demand greater funding for city’s schools
∙ Sun-Times: CPS, CTU converge on Springfield to ask lawmakers about more money for schools

Governor Pritzker will be at Enos Elementary School in Springfield at 10:30 to announce new programs to combat child hunger. Click here to watch.

*** Isabel’s top picks ***

* Streetsblog | Silver lining playbook: Could a new transit gig be a graceful way out for apparently doomed CTA chief Dorval Carter Jr.?: We can’t read the mayor’s mind on that subject. But one thing seems clear. Johnson would much prefer if Carter, whose achievements including helping to line up the Red Line Extension, doesn’t leave the job in disgrace, but instead gets a soft landing. Yesterday morning there was hope that such a scenario might materialize, as President Joe Biden was reportedly considering tapping Carter as the next federal Surface Transportation Board chair. A Chicagoland transit advocate spoke positively of that possibility.

* Tribune | More than 112,000 Illinois residents have lost the right to own guns. The state doesn’t know if 84,000 still have them, sheriff says: And despite several deaths at the hands of gunmen with revoked FOID cards, the number of unchecked revokees continues to grow. Between October 2023 and March 2024, the state’s total number of noncompliant revoked gun licenses grew by more than 1,000, according to the study. Felony indictments are the most common reason for a resident’s card to be revoked, followed by mental health concerns and domestic violence-related infractions.

*** Statehouse News ***

* WAND | Illinois bill could allow liquor inside Treasurer’s downtown Springfield office for receptions: Illinois Treasurer Michael Frerichs has asked lawmakers to pass a plan this spring to allow his downtown office to have liquor delivered, sold or dispensed. Rep. Lisa Hernandez (D-Cicero) said Wednesday the building is an optimal space for hosting receptions due to the large first floor atrium and historic significance as Abraham Lincoln’s bank.

*** Chicago ***

* ABC Chicago | New policy would overhaul long-criticized Chicago Police Dept. traffic stop-and-search tactic: Critics have long labeled the CPD tactic as underhanded and unconstitutional. But the use of routine traffic stops as a way to search vehicles could become history under a new plan now being pushed by outgoing Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx. According to a draft policy document obtained by the I-Team, the Cook County State’s Attorney’s office would “decline to prosecute” cases that are “solely the product of a non-public-safety traffic stop.”

* AP | Indigenous consultant accuses Chicago Blackhawks of fraud, sexual harassment: Nina Sanders filed the civil action late Tuesday in Cook County Circuit Court. She alleges in the lawsuit that the Blackhawks were facing intense public pressure to change their name and logo in 2020. The team’s CEO, Dan Wirtz, hired her that year to serve as a tribal liaison. Wirtz promised that he would create positions for American Indians, buy land to give to the Sac and Fox Nation and change the team’s logo if she decided to accept the job, according to the lawsuit. She took the job based on those promises, but Wirtz never followed through on any of it, the lawsuit alleges.

* ABC Chicago | Field Museum explains loud noise of cicada calls amid Illinois emergence: “Only the males sing, and the females, they recognize the specific song of their own species, so they know how to find the males of their own species,” said Dr. Maureen Turcatel, Field Museum Insects Collection Manager. Blame the noise on the men. Dr. Turcatel says to be ready, because billions, or even trillions, of bugs are coming our way, emerging from their longtime lodgings underground this week. The 17-year and 13-year cicada broods are overlapping in some areas downstate.

* Sun-Times | Thompson Center artwork — Where did it all go?: A couple places, it turns out. Per state spokesperson Jayette Bolinski, Hunt’s “Illinois River Landscape” ended up in the Springfield headquarters of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR), which administers all art owned by the state, including the pieces in the Thompson Center. Henry’s “Bridgeport” is on joint loan to three Rockford institutions: its Art Museum, Convention & Visitors Bureau and the city itself. Still others are now in the collections of the Illinois State Museum and “successor facilities” to the Thompson Center at 555 W. Monroe and 115 S. LaSalle streets. But the future of “Monument with Standing Beast” is, for now, about as ambiguous as the tangled sculpture itself. Disassembly began several weeks ago and is scheduled to wrap by the end of the month. After that, the work will be transported to a state warehouse, where it will be stored until the state finds “a suitable and prominent home” for the statue, Bolinski said.

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Crain’s | Northbrook leaders have ‘many concerns’ about DuPage Water Commission purchase:
Speaking at the village’s first board of trustees meeting since the water commission paid $80 million on May 6 for the 127-acre former country club and golf course — a step toward the potential redevelopment of the site with a water treatment facility — Northbrook Village President Kathryn Ciesla said local elected officials were blindsided by the property sale and remain worried about its implications.

* CBS | New Cicero, Illinois ordinance bans alcohol sales after midnight: The new measure applies across the board – not only to liquor stores and retailers, as has been in the case in the city of Chicago for the past few years – but also to restaurants and bars. The Town of Cicero said liquor licenses allow for the sale of alcohol until 1 or 2 a.m. at bars and restaurants, but the new ordinance will require them all to stop sales at midnight.

*** Downstate ***

* Shaw Local | Ex-Savanna woman gets 3 years in prison for harassing witness in race-based case: The duo’s alleged harassment is detailed in the state’s first civil hate-crime lawsuit, filed in 2022 by Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul’s office, that accuses the Hamptons of lynching an effigy of the neighbor in plain view of his home in order to intimidate him. In addition to accusations that the yard was damaged, the suit also alleged that the pair hung an effigy of their neighbor, bound in chains, in a tree a few feet from his property, hung a Confederate flag, displayed a racial slur in a window facing his home, and painted swastikas on their garage, which also faced his property.

* 25 News Now | Peoria’s Black Business Alliance receives part of $2.5M state grant: Peoria’s Black Business Alliance is among 10 groups awarded a share of $2.5 million from the State of Illinois, part of Gov. JB Pritzker’s goal of helping minority-owned businesses. The local organization is receiving $250,000 in public money, according to a governor’s office release. This initiative aims to provide essential training and resources to entrepreneurs from historically disinvested communities.

* Illinois Times | City launches program to rehab east-side homes: The city of Springfield is launching a pilot program geared toward helping first-time homebuyers by rehabilitating dilapidated properties on the city’s east side. “On the east side of Springfield, we own properties as a city, and we’re not doing enough to revitalize the neighborhoods,” said Ethan Posey, Springfield’s director of community relations. “We own a lot of property, and we’re not selling it and we’re not demolishing it quick enough. So, we came up with the My First Home initiative.”

*** National ***

* Bloomberg | Google’s New Search Engine Is Bad News for the Web Economy: Rolling out in the US this week, and in much of the world by the end of the year, AI Overviews is a troubling development for the wider web economy. Think of Wikipedia as a canary: When Google started sourcing its information directly in search results, traffic plummeted because of what analytics firm SimilarWeb called the “zero click” effect — users obtaining the information they were seeking without needing to click through to the source. Every “zero click” is a blow to web publishers. Already suffering huge drop in traffic from social media companies less interested in carrying current affairs, publishers will be similarly deprioritized by Google as it strives to compete head-on with know-it-all AI tools like ChatGPT and Perplexity.ai. The outlook is bleak: Gartner predicts a 25% drop in search engine traffic by 2026, an estimate that seems conservative. An SEO expert told the Washington Post that publishers are expecting to be “bludgeoned.”

* Crain’s | Blue Cross Illinois parent expands corporate presence in Texas: Health Care Service Corp., the Chicago-based parent company of five Blue Cross & Blue Shield plans, is expanding its corporate presence in Texas with a new office building in southwest Houston. The 132,000-square-foot office will open as soon as January 2025, according to a statement announcing the expansion. HCSC already has a corporate office in Richardson, Texas.

8 Comments

Open thread

Thursday, May 16, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller

* This is how I’ll always remember my four brothers. My dad had a side gig delivering Phillips 66 gas to farmers and we posed in front of his truck. The photo was taken in, I think, 1975, when we were preparing to leave Iroquois County because my mom had been hired by the Department of Defense and was being trained at the Savanna Army Depot in northwest Illinois. We eventually ended up living in Utah and Germany. Isabel’s dad, Devin, was a baby then. My dad, Isabel’s grandfather, is holding him in the pic. I’m standing next to Dad wearing my Shaw-Waw-Nas-See 4-H Camp t-shirt…

Thanks to my brother Darian (front row left) for posting the pic. We called him “Toothless” back then.

Anyway, what’s up by you?

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Adopt Legislative Fixes For Prior Authorization Denials Impacting Medicaid MCO Patients

Thursday, May 16, 2024 - Posted by Advertising Department

[The following is a paid advertisement.]

When a patient with suicidal thoughts sought care in an Illinois emergency department (ED), the hospital’s medical staff admitted the patient based on nationally recognized clinical guidelines. Yet, the patient’s Medicaid managed care organization (MCO) would only cover one of the patient’s five days in the hospital, despite the patient remaining suicidal two days after admission.

Prior authorization denials and delays are one of the top challenges to providing healthcare to Medicaid patients, whose access to needed care is unnecessarily bogged down by burdensome MCO administrative processes.

The Illinois Health and Hospital Association (IHA) urges lawmakers to support MCO prior authorization reforms, including permitting ED physicians to admit a patient in need of inpatient care without seeking MCO authorization, providing inpatient coverage for up to 72 hours.

Legislative reforms also address the time clinicians must put toward appeals, the majority of which are later overturned, pulling them away from patient care. IHA’s reforms would exempt physicians and hospitals with historically high prior authorization approvals from the prior authorization process for one year, like several states have adopted.

Vote YES on legislation that fixes harmful prior authorization practices and eliminates barriers to healthcare for Illinois’ most vulnerable populations. Support IHA’s MCO prior authorization reforms.

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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Supplement to today’s edition

Thursday, May 16, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller

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

Thursday, May 16, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller

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Live coverage

Thursday, May 16, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller

* You can click here or here to follow breaking news. It’s the best we can do unless or until Twitter gets its act together.

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