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* From HB192’s synopsis…

Creates the Firearm Violence Prevention and Reduction Study Act. Requires the Department of Public Health to conduct a study on methods to prevent and reduce firearm violence in Illinois.

Rep. Deanne Mazzochi (R-Elmhurst) speaking in opposition to the proposal in committee today…

I’m always very concerned about having mission creep within agencies.

Rep. Mazzochi’s HB3378…

Amends the Humane Care for Animals Act. Requires the Department of Agriculture to establish an animal sourcing database for the purpose of compiling information regarding the origin of animals that have been forfeited to animal shelters in this State. Provides that the database shall keep record of specified information concerning each animal.

* WEEK…

The Energy and Environment Committee approved a bill today that could stop people from endangering animals with plastic from balloons.

House bill 418 could make it illegal to knowingly release a large amount of balloons outside. That would include organized releases for celebrations, funerals or other gatherings. If caught, you could be charged a $500 fine.

Some committee members had concerns about how strict the rules would be. One lawmaker asked if people could be held responsible for accidentally letting go of balloons outside.

“If you’re walking, lets say in your scenario, and you have 20 balloons and the wind catches it and they take them out of your hand, that’s not a knowing release, that’s an accidental release,” said Representative Sam Yingling (D-Grayslake).

Rep. Yingling also said he doesn’t intend to hold children responsible for accidentally letting go of a balloon. He said he plans to add an amendment to clarify the difference between a knowing release and an accidental one.

* Capitol News Illinois…

A House transportation committee on Monday advanced two bills, one lowering toll rates for small trailers and another creating a forum on future railway infrastructure.

House Bill 394 and House Bill 399 were both sponsored by Rep. Martin Moylan, D-Des Plaines. Both received a unanimous 13-0 vote to move to the House floor.

HB 394 states that the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority shall not charge a toll for a vehicle pulling a single axle trailer at a rate higher than twice the regular car rate. For example, if a toll is $1.40, then the small trailer should only be charged an additional $1.40 for the extra axle, Moylan said this would be more reasonable.

“If you’re driving your car on the tollway and you’re pulling a small motorcycle, a small trailer with a four wheeler or a jet ski, or even if you’re going to cut your grandmother’s lawn, and you’re hauling a lawn mower, you are paying between $6.80 and $9.25 per toll, sometimes as high as $18,” Moylan said.

* Related…

* Chalkbeat: Five bills that we will be watching during the March legislative session

posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Mar 9, 21 @ 11:06 am

Comments

I have never liked the large scale balloon launches.

Comment by Cool Papa Bell Tuesday, Mar 9, 21 @ 11:20 am
HB 418 is a good idea. Balloon launches create litter and problems for wildlife. It’s time they ended, and it will take education to help everyone understand.

Comment by Don't Bloc Me In Tuesday, Mar 9, 21 @ 11:44 am
I agree with Rep. Mazzochi’s “mission creep” comments. While gun violence is a public health issue, mandating another understaffed agency to focus on something they’re not familiar with will distract from other issues and just result in regurgitated information that already exists from organizations that actively study gun violence.

I wish House and Senate Democrats would actually focus on helping these agencies accomplish their existing missions before continuing to dump more stuff on their plates.

Comment by NIU Grad Tuesday, Mar 9, 21 @ 11:55 am
In Representative Moylan’s example : a Cars tolled at $1.40 has two axles and a GVW up to 8,000lbs. The trailer that Representative Moylan is talking about has one axle and a GVW up to 3,000lbs - yet it’s tolled at a much higher rate than the car.

It’s beyond time that the Toll Authority stopped extorting recreation enthusiasts trying to enjoy Northeastern IL.

Comment by SKI Tuesday, Mar 9, 21 @ 12:06 pm
SKI -
“When the Tollway changed to open road tolling in the early 2000s, … .”

Sometimes “extorting” is just bad governance.

Comment by Anyone Remember Tuesday, Mar 9, 21 @ 12:27 pm
===I wish House and Senate Democrats would actually focus on helping these agencies accomplish their existing missions before continuing to dump more stuff on their plates.===

Yeah, like that Democratic bill mentioned above requiring the state to individually track shelter animals. Oh. Wait.

Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Mar 9, 21 @ 12:28 pm
Touché.

Comment by NIU Grad Tuesday, Mar 9, 21 @ 1:08 pm
The toll for a small single axle trailer should be no more than one-half the toll of the car.

Comment by DuPage Tuesday, Mar 9, 21 @ 1:48 pm
The Humane Care for Animals Act is already within the ambit of the Department of Agriculture. They are tasked with regulating animal shelter issues because of the threat of disease to livestock that comes from importing out of state animals. It’s actually not a bad idea to have the database for animal shelter transfers in one searchable location with Dept of Ag for oversight purposes.

Comment by John Tuesday, Mar 9, 21 @ 2:20 pm
=== While gun violence is a public health issue, mandating another understaffed agency to focus on something they’re not familiar with ===

What year did you graduate NIU?

https://wrex.com/2020/02/14/niu-to-hold-memorial-service-12-years-after-deadly-campus-shooting/

You may not agree with IDPH, but studying major causes of death is a big part of what they do:

https://www.dph.illinois.gov/data-statistics/vital-statistics/death-statistics

It’s important to remember that the National Institute of Health used to study gun deaths, until the GOP took over.

Finally, a reminder that Republicans were eager to expand IDPH’s mission to include semi-annual data trends on opioid deaths, which disproportionately impact white, middle age, middle class men.

https://www.dph.illinois.gov/sites/default/files/publications/semiannual-opioid-overdose-report9292020final.pdf

Comment by Thomas Paine Tuesday, Mar 9, 21 @ 2:22 pm
HB399, investing bus lines to connect Chicago & St Louis to Peoria, Moline, Decatur, & Rockford could be useful. I’m less sure about rail. Intercity rail uses works best when it’s a 3-6 hour drive, too far to drive, too short to fly. Plus I don’t know if the numbers are there for rail. That said Google Maps doesn’t even have a bus line going Decatur to Springfield or Decatur to Bloomington. Maybe a bus line connecting Rockford to the existing Metra Northwest line in Harvard could be useful.

Comment by Blake Tuesday, Mar 9, 21 @ 2:34 pm
I have a trailer that I pull with my motorcycle.

Guess what I pay to go through the booth?

The same as my neighbor with a pickup with dualies and a two axle enclosed car trailer.

Oh, and the plate for my little trailer? more than twice the plate for the bike.

Comment by We've never had one before Tuesday, Mar 9, 21 @ 6:25 pm