Latest Post | Last 10 Posts | Archives
Previous Post: *** UPDATED x3 *** Pritzker: 19 cases now, including two outside Cook
Next Post: Get it together, man
Posted in:
* Hannah Meisel at the Daily Line…
Companies who do business with the state risk having their $50,000 or larger contracts automatically voided and be barred from bidding on state projects if a firm makes three or more campaign contributions to Illinois’ executive officers within a 36-month period.
But the specific language of Illinois’ procurement code does not prevent a company from getting around the statute — either by donating money from a company official’s personal account or having their spouse make the contribution rather than the business itself, Illinois’ Chief Procurement Officer for General Services Ellen Daley told members of the Joint Commission on Ethics and Lobbying Reform.
The commission has three weeks to deliver a report containing suggested changes to Illinois’ laws in response to the newest crisis of confidence in Illinois politics.
Daley told the commission that her effort to cancel a state contract because of what she determined were improper campaign contributions was thwarted. Daley said she relied on a clause of the Illinois’ procurement code to make the decision.
“Last year I relied on this clause and attempted to bar a vendor from having a state contract since affiliated persons and affiliated entities of the company had made prohibited political contributions,” Daley said. “However, the enforcement clause is specifically worded so that a business’ entity contracts are voidable only when the business entity violates the prohibition on making contributions.”
A bill that would give a state tax credit of up to $1,000 a year to foster families has bipartisan support in Illinois, but the cost of such a credit isn’t yet known.
State Rep. Darren Bailey, R-Xenia, filed House Bill 5119 and members of both parties signed up in support.
State Rep. Mark Batinick, R-Plainview, signed on to the bill and said such an incentive could help encourage more people to become foster parents.
“When you look at all the issues going on at the state level, we’ve heard about the deaths of people that are in state care, we need more good people doing this and so we need to incentivize good practice, good behavior,” Batinick said.
* Press release…
State Senator Robert Peters (D-Chicago) advanced a bill that would help youth in foster care apply for college financial aid.
“The state needs to be proactive at helping foster kids build a strong future during their final years of care,” Peters said. “We need to do all we can to ensure that they have access to education or job training before they have to live on their own.”
Senator Peters’ measure requires the Department of Child and Family Services to assist all youth in their care with completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) during their final year of high school. The legislation is an initiative of the National Association of Social Workers.
In addition, Senator Peters pledges to support legislation that would make college more accessible to Illinois students.
“Education should lead people to prosperity, not inescapable debt to student loan sharks,” Peters said. “We should not be punishing people with fines and fees for wanting to expand their education and contribute more to society.”
Senate Bill 3718 awaits consideration before the Senate Human Services Committee.
…Adding… Another from Hannah…
As the number of local law enforcement agencies joining forces with video doorbell company Ring grows, two Illinois Democrats urged lawmakers to act to prevent what they called “warrantless searches.”
State Rep. Ann Williams (D-Chicago) and State Sen. Cristina Castro (D-Elgin) on Monday touted SB 3414 as a way to keep companies like Ring, which is owned by tech giant Amazon, and other smart device manufacturers in check and to preserve civil liberties. The legislation, mirrored in HB 5495, is also supported by the American Civil Liberties Union Illinois chapter.
The bill, dubbed the Protecting Household Privacy Act, would ensure law enforcement agencies don’t skirt the existing requirement that they get a search warrant signed by a judge in order to access audio or video recordings without the permission of the device’s owner. In addition, the measure would order any data obtained by law enforcement to be destroyed within 30 days, unless it was being used for an ongoing investigation or pending criminal trial.
Manufacturers of devices like the Ring Doorbell would have to disclose the law enforcement agencies with whom they have entered into agreements. The city of Chicago, for example, entered into an agreement with Ring in September. The best available data pegs the number of municipalities in Illinois that have entered into agreements with Ring in the dozens, according to an independent data project tallying such agreements.
posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 3:33 pm
Sorry, comments are closed at this time.
Previous Post: *** UPDATED x3 *** Pritzker: 19 cases now, including two outside Cook
Next Post: Get it together, man
WordPress Mobile Edition available at alexking.org.
powered by WordPress.
What happens if the GA can’t meet to pass these laws, and the budget, due to covid19?
I’m for sooner-than-later social distancing at all levels.
Comment by thinking ahead Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 3:51 pm
===State Rep. Mark Batinick, R-Plainview===
Is this how Batinick is trying to stop the association of his name with plainfield, by changing the name of the entire town?
Bold strategy cotton. Lets see if it pays off for him.
Comment by TheInvisibleMan Tuesday, Mar 10, 20 @ 4:24 pm