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Illinois Municipal League Executive Director Brad Cole and other mayors are scheduled to unveil their legislative agenda on Tuesday in Springfield.

The “Moving Cities Forward” package includes the state automatically paying out motor fuel tax, 911, use tax and gaming revenues —an outgrowth of the state’s historic budget impasse.

In addition, the group also is seeking changes in workers’ compensation and prevailing wage laws, an expansion of home rule eligibility for smaller municipalities and a consolidation of municipal public safety pension funds.

The IML’s full agenda is here.

* Some interesting developments here, particularly the industrial hemp bill…

A group of bi-partisan state legislators have come together to announce a slate of bills that seeks to remove barriers to local food production in Illinois. The bill package, unveiled at a press conference hosted by the Illinois Stewardship Alliance this past week, also shows support of small businesses and Illinois farmers.

State Representative Peter Breen (R-Lombard) participated in the press conference and discussed his HB 2466, which would broaden Illinoisans’ access to raw milk. “Consumers are demanding more food choices today,” said Breen. “They are looking for organic and locally-grown options, and a growing number of people are looking for unpasteurized milk. My House Bill 2466 will remove costly and unnecessary restrictions, to allow for the expansion of the safe production and distribution of raw milk beyond dairy farms and to local farmers’ markets across the state.” State Senator Dave Koehler (D-Peoria) has filed an identical bill in the Senate.

SB1469/HB2820, sponsored by Koehler and State Representative Steven Andersson (R-Geneva), would add additional allowable foods for production by Cottage Food Operations (homemade foods) and streamline certain farmers market food sanitation rules across counties. An additional bill, sponsored by State Representative Will Guzzardi (D-Chicago), would expand the cottage food market even more. Guzzardi’s HB3063 would allow food producers to sell any harvested or homemade food to an informed end consumer for personal home use, without inspection or certification (excluding non-poultry meats). State Representative Carol Ammons (D–Champaign) is also advancing HB 2592, which would create a statewide permitting system for farmers’ markets.

State Senator Toi Hutchinson (D-Chicago Heights) has introduced the Industrial Hemp bill (SB1294) which would create an opportunity for Illinois farmers to apply for permits from the Illinois Department of Agriculture in order to grow industrial hemp, reviving a once thriving market for Illinois farmers and processors. Neighboring Kentucky has a similar law in place and has already enrolled over 135 farmers, 4,500+ acres, and 40 processors in hemp projects.

Raw milk is treated like a biohazard right now. Growing up in Iroquois County, I had a school friend who lived on a dairy farm. It’s the only time I ever drank raw milk. I remember it tasting better than any milk I’d ever had, but I was a kid.

…Adding… From Brittan Bolin…

Hi Rich:

I represent the Illinois Public Health Association and wanted to comment on your raw milk post. The IPHA (as well as the CDC) opposes relaxing restrictions on the sale of raw milk because the safety of raw milk and its products cannot be ensured. Pasteurization eliminates pathogens that can be contained in milk, including salmonella, listeria and E coli, to name a few. While you may hear many people say they have consumed raw milk without any problems, the fact is that drinking unpasteurized milk can make you very ill. This is particularly true for the elderly, children, or people with compromised immunity. This is why pasteurization became the norm, because it can prevent serious illnesses, miscarriage and even death. Your “biohazard” comment could be inferred as the public health organizations are overreacting. This is not the case, IPHA is simply continuing to take a scientifically-based position that consumption of raw milk is not safe, and therefore not recommended.

Here is a link to a story about a child became ill and suffered hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) after being given raw milk by his mother for two weeks. http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2012/04/is-the-foundation-of-good-health-found-in-a-bottle-of-raw-milk/#.WKyFTjt7b4N
He was hospitalized for two months.

Thanks -

Brittan

* Tribune…

Safe sex could get about 5-cents-a-pop cheaper, if state Sen. Toi Hutchinson gets her way.

The south suburban Democrat wants to slash the tax on condoms to 1 percent from 6.25 percent as a way to “nudge” frisky Illinoisans toward safer choices.

“Healthy sexuality is not a luxury,” Hutchinson told Chicago Inc. She said she hopes a bill she is sponsoring in the Senate will spur conversations about safe sex, reduce “unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases,” and “save people who make smart choices money.”

Under existing law, condoms are taxed by the state at the same rate as luxury goods. Hutchinson’s bill would have them taxed at the same rate as necessities like prescription and over-the-counter drugs.

Except, isn’t the Senate also debating whether to tax food and medicine? So, classifying these items as medicine wouldn’t do much good if they pass that tax base expansion proposal.

* Other bills…

* Lawmaker wants increase in interstate speed limits again: Sen. Jim Oberweis, R-Sugar Grove, is chief sponsor of Senate Bill 2036 that seeks to increase the speed limit from 70 to 75 mph on most interstates outside of Chicago. Oberweis said that making the interstates 5 mph faster would help with the flow of traffic and improve public safety. He argues that 75 mph is the safest speed because 85 percent of traffic travels at that pace anyway.

* Editorial: Bring back legislative scholarships? You’re kidding

* Does Illinois’ official seal get the state’s birthday wrong?

posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Feb 21, 17 @ 10:12 am

Comments

Be careful, IML. Prevailing wage has become third rail stuff with Dems, thanks to Rauner’s anti-labor zealotry. You might jeopardize your bi-partisan credibility.

Comment by Telly Tuesday, Feb 21, 17 @ 10:19 am
It doesn’t appear that IML is proposing to let local officials decide if prevailing wage applies. Just looking to carve out a few exemptions. Seems to be a compromise position, if anything.

Comment by illannoyed Tuesday, Feb 21, 17 @ 10:33 am
Slashing condom taxes. Yikes

Comment by Michelle Flaherty Tuesday, Feb 21, 17 @ 10:35 am
At the point when people are deciding whether to use a condom or not I’m somewhat skeptical that the amount of tax involved is a key component in the decision making process.

Comment by The Captain Tuesday, Feb 21, 17 @ 10:36 am
I believe interstate highways in Illinois have been designed to a 70 mph speed. You can post less than 70, but increasing to 75 could pose liability issues.

Comment by Bogey Golfer Tuesday, Feb 21, 17 @ 10:37 am
Why have a speed limit at all? Germany doesn’t. Of course neither does Germany have potholes the size of craters that can blow your tire and send you careening into a bus of school children.

Comment by A Jack Tuesday, Feb 21, 17 @ 10:41 am
No to 75MPH speed limits. Why? Because a big safety danger on interstates is -disparity- between speeds of cars, and 75MPH is uncomfortably fast for a lot of people who still will want to stay in the left lane to avoid the “slow pokes” doing 65 or less. (PS - show me stats that 17/20 cars on I90 are going over 75MPH. I’m beyond dubious). More zig-zaging at high speeds.

Comment by lake county democrat Tuesday, Feb 21, 17 @ 10:41 am
=== Bring back legislative scholarships? You’re kidding===

I’m not against those scholarships in principle, but I am certainly against them in practice. While not everyone abused the program, certainly enough folks did.

However — my big sticking point isn’t who or how they give the “scholarships” — it’s that they’re a tuition waiver. The state does not appropriate any extra funding to the university for the students that are “scholarship” recipients. Meaning, that the tuition cost for these “scholarships” is paid for by students that pay tuition, not tax dollars.

Same goes for how the Illinois National Guard Grant works — it’s great, but is the state paying for the tuition or passing the tuition costs onto the school to make up from other revenues?

It’s like the elected legislature just doesn’t believe in paying for benefits — and just tries to find a way to trick others into paying for the services they think are appropriate.

Comment by Anon Tuesday, Feb 21, 17 @ 10:47 am
Putting a dollar figure on when municipal projects must adhere to prevailing wage is a common sense piece of legislation. something as simple as hiring a locksmith can be a huge hassle due to PW regulatory issues such as obtaining certified payroll.

Comment by T Sowell Tuesday, Feb 21, 17 @ 10:53 am
Industrial hemp and cutting condom taxes. It’s cool to work for Senator Toi.

Comment by Archiesmom Tuesday, Feb 21, 17 @ 10:54 am
A Jack
Only about half of the German autobahns have no speed limit. And all trucks are banned from the autobahns on Sunday, making the lack of speed limit much more feasible. Can you see banning trucks from the Interstate Freeways every Sunday?

Comment by Anyone Remember Tuesday, Feb 21, 17 @ 10:56 am
I90 is still 65 west of Elgin, maybe somebody needs to let the Illinois Tollway know about this?
Finished for years wide open roads, corn fields and slow speed limits.

Comment by Rebel13 Tuesday, Feb 21, 17 @ 11:13 am
Go to any Uni campus and they have condoms in gallon-size jars free for the taking here and there. Those users are not thinkin’ about the sales tax,lemme tell ya.

Comment by Arthur Andersen Tuesday, Feb 21, 17 @ 11:14 am
“I don’t use condoms because they’re taxed too heavily” - No one, ever.

Comment by Biscuit Head Tuesday, Feb 21, 17 @ 11:22 am
State Seal: The editorial title is misleading. August 26 was never meant to convey the state’s birthday. While August 26 is not statehood day, it is still a significant date in Illinois history. The Constitution was ratified meaning that the State had the framework to operate appropriately. The First General Assembly met BEFORE statehood in October 1818 to organize the government prior to Illinois joining the Union. The GA could not have done this without the Constitution being in place. I see it as a teachable civics moment. Is August 26 more important than December 3? No, but it’s still a date that has an important meaning. Leave the seal as it is.

Comment by Steve Rogers Tuesday, Feb 21, 17 @ 11:22 am
On prevailing wage: The problem with prevailing wage applying to all work, regardless of dollar amount, is that it makes it operationally difficult for municipalities to get minor repairs done. A simple AC tune-up can turn into a full blown construction project in terms of wage compliance. A “projects under X” exemption seems to be a reasonable compromise. I believe they floated 25 or 50k back in the day.

Arbitration reform on public safety negotiations is probably the most impact. Municipal leaders see the public safety negotiation system as a “one-way ratchet.” Not matter what muncipal revenues are, public safety ALWAYS gets an increase. If the city won’t do it, an arbitrator will. That’s why municipal folks were horrified when the AFSCME arbitration bill was making it’s way through the state. This is particularly hard to do because public safety has made big donations to both sides of the aisle. They’ve basically locked up support for not changing anything.

Comment by BK Bro Tuesday, Feb 21, 17 @ 11:23 am
You need to be careful about posts that have the words “pop” and “condom” in close proximity.

Comment by Archiesmom Tuesday, Feb 21, 17 @ 11:28 am
IML trashes tax freeze so BigBrain might be in trouble

Comment by Annonin' Tuesday, Feb 21, 17 @ 11:51 am
Legislative scholarships? Yes, bring them back. Eliminating them was mostly theatrics, and for many it was the only assistance they got. Recipients still had to cough up room and board, fees of all kinds, books, etc..

Comment by DuPage Tuesday, Feb 21, 17 @ 12:45 pm
How about no speed limit? Seriously, no one pays attention to the speed limit anyway. When I’m going 70-75mph, the vehicles on I-55 go around me like I’m not even moving. Even inside of the Springfield city limits, no one pays any attention to the speed limits. Its nuts!

Comment by Mama Tuesday, Feb 21, 17 @ 1:50 pm
i drink unpastuerized orange juice every chance i get, that stuff is great. It comes with a warning label just like the ones on sushi and at restaurants about consuming under cooked beef (who ruins a ribeye by ordering it well done anyways?!?) or under cooked eggs. Raw milk should be treated just like these other products, a warning label so the consumer is aware of the risks but let the consumer make the choice.

Comment by frisbee Tuesday, Feb 21, 17 @ 3:02 pm
“Does Illinois’ official seal get the state’s birthday wrong”

No.
Why? A state without the rules and regulations that the State Constitution provides as a framework is not an official operating state.

Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Feb 21, 17 @ 3:23 pm
“Bring back legislative scholarships?”

Why? Many legislators abused it. No MAP Grants no Legislative Scholarships.

Comment by Mama Tuesday, Feb 21, 17 @ 3:25 pm
Did I miss the part where IML is all in for a permanent property tax freeze? /s

Comment by walker Tuesday, Feb 21, 17 @ 4:35 pm
If the govenor can freeze property tax can the assessor freeze my state income tax?

Comment by Rabid Tuesday, Feb 21, 17 @ 11:51 pm