Capitol Fax.com - Your Illinois News Radar

It’s just a bill

Posted in:

Illinois

* AP…

The Illinois Senate’s leader is promoting legislation he says will protect immigrants from Trump administration actions.

Several immigrant and anti-crime groups and labor unions joined Democratic Senate President John Cullerton of Chicago on Monday to unveil legislation he calls the TRUST act. It would bar law enforcement agencies in Illinois from helping in immigration actions unless federal authorities present a warrant from a judge.

It also would bar federal agents from state-funded schools or health institutions unless they have a court-issued warrant.

* From the Illinois Policy Institute’s news service…

Telecom giant AT&T is asking for Illinois’ permission to scrap requirements that the company maintain land-based phone lines.

According to the National Center for Health Statistics, only four percent of Illinoisans still rely solely on landlines. AT&T has to get permission from a number of state legislatures before they can formally ask the Federal Communications Council to be allowed to scuttle the thousands of miles of land-based phone lines, with Illinois being one of those states. The bill is currently awaiting a Senate floor vote.

* Tribune…

A proposal to give the Chicago Teachers Union expanded authority to go on strike advanced out of an Illinois House committee Wednesday over opposition from Chicago Public Schools and its allies.

The legislation would dramatically transform the rules of contract negotiations between the union and the district when a deal reached just before a strike deadline in October expires in 2019. […]

The amended bill, sponsored by Democratic Rep. Silvana Tabares of Chicago, would do away with a provision that prevents the CTU from striking over issues including class sizes, outsourcing, staffing, layoffs and the length of the school day.

Under current law, contract talks can cover those subjects, but CPS has broad authority to implement its own policies on those matters without fear of a teacher walkout.

posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Apr 3, 17 @ 2:20 pm

Comments

There’s AT&T is trying to cut costs by eliminating land lines. They may not be used in every house but they are used. Now is not the time to cut services used by many businesses & seniors.

Comment by AT&T - bad idea Monday, Apr 3, 17 @ 2:33 pm
Off topic, but the Great Chicago Blues Legend Lonnie Brooks passed away over the weekend at the age of 83. Another blues legend gone.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=270TFFKa2oQ

Comment by Saluki Monday, Apr 3, 17 @ 2:37 pm
Just a thought - there are many in this state who are being monitored ( neither 24/7 or periodically as needed ) with various medical devices. These results can only be transmitted to hospitals or specialists with wired landlines.

Comment by illini Monday, Apr 3, 17 @ 2:45 pm
Why not a cut a deal with AT&T? They can gut landlines but in their place, run first-rate fiber optic cables to every household instead

Comment by Precinct Captain Monday, Apr 3, 17 @ 3:09 pm
Democrats love the supremacy clause, except when they don’t. Republicans hate the supremacy clause, except when they don’t.

Phone lines are useful redundancy in disasters. And internet-based phones power backups usually can’t last more than a day, if that. At least force AT&T to pay for the transition.

CTU to Democrats: Jump boys and girls! Jump!

Comment by lake county democrat Monday, Apr 3, 17 @ 3:09 pm
It’s not really the right to strike. It’s really a right to negotiate about more than money. If anything, I would expect it would lead to less strikes as it gives the two sides the permission to bargain about other topics that effect the work day.

Comment by Carhartt Representative Monday, Apr 3, 17 @ 3:19 pm
Maybe the state should give the Chicago police union the authority to strike.

Comment by 51st ward Monday, Apr 3, 17 @ 3:25 pm
More empty grandstanding by John Cullerton. Seriously, dude, where did you go to law school? Do you like attaching your name to laws that are stricken as unconstitutional? This type of legislation has to go through Congress and not Springfield.

This grandstanding reminds of me of Cullerton’s goofy failed bid for Congress when he wanted to outlaw bullets.

Comment by Wake Up Call Monday, Apr 3, 17 @ 3:42 pm
These results can only be transmitted to hospitals or specialists with wired landlines.”

They work with cell phones also. I set one up for my neighbor.

Comment by CapnCrunch Monday, Apr 3, 17 @ 4:14 pm
Check out this article on how AT&T is moving technology forward in other states: https://digitalinclusion.org/blog/2017/03/10/atts-digital-redlining-of-cleveland/

Comment by justsayin Monday, Apr 3, 17 @ 4:16 pm
===According to the National Center for Health Statistics, only four percent of Illinoisans still rely solely on landlines.===

I don’t know if I buy this stat. What percentage of Illinois *households*? Besides, just because I have a mobile for when I’m away from home doesn’t mean my mobile service is reliable enough to replace my landline.

Comment by Ken_in_Aurora Monday, Apr 3, 17 @ 4:22 pm
AT&T doesn’t need Illinois to do anything before they go to the FCC for other states. Lets wait and see how those states do a transition before we set our residents up for heartache and possible wallet gouging. How about AT&T conducting some studies in Illinois first? Let’s see how rural or low income communities might be affected before we pull the rug out from under them.

Comment by Fact checker Monday, Apr 3, 17 @ 4:25 pm
===According to the National Center for Health Statistics, only four percent of Illinoisans still rely solely on landlines.===

Um,so what? There are very good reasons throughout much of our very large wide open spaces to have the redundancy of a landline.

These utilities are relentless in providing minimal service for maximum cost.

Comment by wordslinger Monday, Apr 3, 17 @ 4:31 pm
@Wake Up Call: if your Cullerton comment was regarding the IL TRUST Act (SB31), then you’re seriously mistaken in thinking it’s unconstitutional. States absolutely have the right to forbid law enforcement from being deputized to enforce federal civil immigration law. In fact, jurisdictions that embrace SB31-like policies report lower crime rates than ones that don’t. See https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/immigration/reports/2017/01/26/297366/the-effects-of-sanctuary-policies-on-crime-and-the-economy/

Comment by Veil of Ignorance Monday, Apr 3, 17 @ 4:36 pm
Cullerton’s TRUST Act bill is completely constitutional. FYI he went to Loyola for law school and has some pretty smart folks working for him. And I went to Northwestern for law school just in case you’re wondering. Not sure why that’s relevant, but thought I’d play along.

Comment by Veil of Ignorance Monday, Apr 3, 17 @ 4:40 pm
Hats off to both Sens Cullerton and Biss for supporting the TA (?). I am sure they are both sincere and compassionate men. My question to you both is,” where were you when President Obama was deporting 40,000 immigrants/mo?

Comment by Blue dog dem Monday, Apr 3, 17 @ 4:53 pm