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New laws

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A year-long CBS 2 investigation into children traumatized by Chicago police wrongly raiding their homes has led to a new law just signed by Governor JB Pritzker.

Peter Mendez was nine years old when he became the first child to speak out about officers bursting into his family home, pointing guns at him and leaving him traumatized.

CBS 2 Investigator Dave Savini spent a year exposing similar cases involving 23 other children.

As a result of this investigation, State Sen. Jacqueline Collins introduced the Peter Mendez Act, signed into law Friday, requiring police officer training to understand the trauma children experience during police action and de-escalation training too.

More background is here.

* KFVS…

A bill signed by Gov. JB Pritzker on Friday, August 9 ensures that contributions of LGBTQ people will be taught in Illinois public schools.

HB 246 goes into effect on July 1, 2020.

The bill states that textbooks purchased with grant funds must be non-discriminatory.

Books will “include a study of the roles and contributions of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people in the history of this country and this State”

* Illinois Public Radio…

Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Friday signed a sweeping anti-sexual harassment law. But one woman who accused a lawmaker of harassment is disappointed with an aspect of the new rules.

Denise Rotheimer says she objects to part of the new law that levies a fine of $5,000 on accusers for leaking information from an ethics commission report before its official release. […]

The bill’s sponsor, Sen. Melinda Bush, a Grayslake Democrat, previously said the purpose of the fine is to prevent redacted information from becoming public.

“This is not to fine victim; this is to protect everyone’s confidentiality and still allow the accuser to see the report before it becomes public,” Bush said.

* Daily Herald…

Gov. J.B. Pritzker is using McHenry County as a test case for the consolidation of local government.

The governor signed into law Friday a bill that will hand taxpayers the power to dissolve by petition any McHenry County township.

Under House Bill 348, which goes into effect immediately, the dissolved township would transfer its assets and obligations to the county.

The proceeds from the sale of the township’s assets, however, must be used exclusively within the geographic boundaries of the township.

* More…

* Governor signs Holmes’ animal welfare, cosmetics testing laws

* Governor Signs Sandoval’s DUI Prevention Measure

* Illinois Governor Pritzker Signs New Law Protecting Survivors of Domestic Violence

* Gov. Pritzker Signs Medicaid Overhaul to Expand Health Care Access, Eliminate Application Backlog and Increase Transparency

* Gov. J.B. Pritzker approves dozens of bills, including criminal-justice reform; vetoes teacher competency measure

posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Aug 12, 19 @ 11:35 am

Comments

Sounds and looks like a lot of governing is happening.

A big takeaway from this, for me, is the contrast between the “Magnificent 7” dreams of folks wanting a different Illinois than Illinois is prepared to embrace, and these bills, like them or not, agree with them or not, highlight diversity of thought, and they attempt to be responsive to the electorate or safety.

What do the “Magnificent 7” stand for besides a monolithic view of race, a feeling to have a need of division, that those not like them don’t deserve the same rights as they do…

This session is the strong rebuke of folks who look at the “Magnificent 7” as leaders… because in the harsh realty, those 7 make this state weaker, and trying for a 51st state makes unifying Illinois all the more harder.

They are not heroes, they wear black hats, as all obvious villains do.

New laws.

Illinois needs to keep moving forward, not look back for cowboy metaphors and costumes masquerading as answers to questions no one is asking.

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Aug 12, 19 @ 12:24 pm
I don’t know if the LGBT history legislation includes intersex. But recent research indicates that Casimir Pulaski was intersex. For the 1% to 2% of the population who are intersex this creates a valuable role model. For people who are not, it raises awareness that gender and sexual orientation is not just male/female.

Comment by City Guy Monday, Aug 12, 19 @ 12:30 pm
Why should someones sexual preference have any bearing on anything and why the heck do kids need to study it? It is likely to put the notion in kids heads that if you are LGBT then your accomplishments will get recognized. WHO CARES WHAT YOUR SEX PRACTICES ARE?

Comment by Just Saying Monday, Aug 12, 19 @ 12:47 pm
Animal testing out…LGBTQ and intersex included…are examples of a competent forward looking Governor…how very refreshing.

Comment by Dotnonymous Monday, Aug 12, 19 @ 12:55 pm
Reducing the units of local government in Illinois;
“The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.” Lao Tzu

Comment by Anyone Remember Monday, Aug 12, 19 @ 12:59 pm
Just Saying - Because a person’s sexuality has often been used as a means of not recognizing the achievements of LGBTQ people. Maybe look up Alan Turing (who helped break the enigma code during WW II and in the creation of the modern computer) or at least watch the movie The Imitation Game, since social intolerance of his sexuality cut his life short

Comment by Ike Monday, Aug 12, 19 @ 1:15 pm