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* Some interesting data…
I was going to wait and update this to see if any other rumored forthcoming retirements would happen but enough people have asked so here ya go. Tenure at the start of the 103rd GA, current 102nd, and start of the 102nd and 101st. https://t.co/2neOlLk27E pic.twitter.com/rLEaJ9W4jf
— John Amdor (@JohnAmdor) December 5, 2022
* Here’s the roundup…
* Capitol News Illinois | State elections board certifies 2022 results: The Illinois State Board of Elections certified its election results Monday, putting the final stamp on another Democratic sweep of statewide offices. The board reported that 4,142,642 out of 8,115,751 registered voters cast ballots in the election, a turnout of roughly 51 percent. That’s down from a turnout of more than 57 percent in 2018, but up from a 49 percent turnout in 2014, according to ISBE.
* Center Square | Hearing on challenge to ending cash bail in Illinois delayed after amendments: Sources tell The Center Square the lawsuit dozens of state’s attorneys and sheriffs from both political parties have filed against the measure’s implementation continues. It’s now expected to be heard Dec. 20 in Kankakee County, instead of Wednesday as was previously scheduled. Amended briefs are due at the end of the week. A ruling is expected Dec. 28, just three days before no cash bail goes into effect.
* WGN | Rep. Bob Morgan addresses the assault weapon problem: Illinois State Rep. (58th) Bob Morgan joins Lisa Dent to comment on the new bill that aims to address ease of access to assault weapons, the urgency to ban them and raise the buying age of all weapons to 21.
* CBS Chicago | Illinois Supreme Court swears in new justice: Elizabeth Rochford was sworn in Monday morning to represent the second district. Rochford will serve the court for 10 years, representing DeKalb, Kendall, Kane, Lake and McHenry counties.
* WILL100 | Rep.-Elect Nabeela Syed talks identity, generational change, and more: In the 2022 midterms, not only did 18-to-29-year-olds turn out at a rate only outpaced by 2018’s midterms, many members of Gen Z also won seats in political offices across the country. 23-year-old Nabeela Syed is among them. She joined The 21st to discuss the intersection of politics and her identities as a member of Gen Z and an Indian-American, plus what it was like to win her seat and flip her district in the Illinois House of Representatives.
* Axios | Worst flu outbreak in more than a decade spikes hospitalizations: The worst flu outbreak in more than a decade has left nearly every state with high or very high levels of flu activity, underscoring how pandemic precautions may have left us more vulnerable to seasonal respiratory diseases.
* Tribune | 5 candidates for Chicago mayor — but not Lightfoot — face challenges that could knock them off the February ballot: Sawyer released a statement in response, saying in part: “Willie Wilson talks about being denied access to voting in his life, but now that he’s a wealthy man, he’s doing the exact same thing — denying people their choice of candidate by means of his wealth. That’s the height of hypocrisy.” Sawyer called it a “real insult” to the thousands who signed his petitions and to his volunteers.
* Sun-Times | Petition challenges could narrow field of Black candidates for Chicago mayor: Millionaire businessman Willie Wilson is trying to knock retiring Ald. Roderick Sawyer off the ballot. Community activist Ja’Mal Green is challenging Wilson. And former state Sen. Rickey Hendon, a top Wilson adviser, is challenging Green.
* WTTW | CTA Overtime Spikes as Agency Hit By Departures; Dozens of Bus and Train Operators Paid for Average Weeks of 80 Hours or More: A WTTW News analysis of CTA bus and train operator work records from 2015 to 2021 shows a growing number of employees paid for long average workweeks, which experts say raises questions about worker and passenger safety and the agency’s bottom line
* Crain’s | Warning of a looming ‘fiscal cliff,’ the RTA seeks more tax aid: A draft of the five-year regional strategic plan includes all sorts of things, from a call to its operating agencies—Metra, CTA and Pace—to work together to boost rider security, proposals to improve communication with passengers and to begin a pilot program of free or expanded reduced fares for low-income commuters. The RTA distributes tax subsidies to those operating agencies.
* Daily Southtown | Amtrak resumes full service on line that includes Homewood stop: Amtrak said Monday it has restored all services at its Homewood station, including on-site ticketing and the resumption of two daily round-trip trains on the Illini and Saluki line.
* Block Club Chicago | Howard Brown Health Workers, Protesters Blast Planned Layoffs: ‘I’m Fighting For My Job Because I Love This Work’: The health care center’s leaders say they must cut jobs to help reduce costs, but union members say they want proof layoffs are financially necessary.
* Daily Herald | Conroy sworn in, securing her place in DuPage County history and presiding over diverse board: Deb Conroy was sworn in as county board chair, a feat accomplished by no other woman before her. Conroy acknowledged the milestone in her inauguration speech but pledged to make history on multiple fronts, not just because she happens “to be the first woman elected to lead the county board.”
* WGLT | Inspector General slams Pontiac prison workplace culture: A scathing report from the State Executive Inspector General show a climate of hazing and sexual discrimination created a hostile work environment at the state prison in Pontiac, including stating there is reason for disciplinary action against 10 employees for discriminating against a guard who was perceived to be gay.
* Tribune | Sexual harassment allegations led to leadership shake-up at Pontiac prison, inspector general report shows: After the employee, who no longer works for the department, reported the incident to Corrections Department officials, he continued to be harassed based on his “perceived sexual orientation,” and higher-ups at the prison, including the warden, two assistant wardens and the department’s Office of Affirmative Action, failed to responded adequately, according to the inspector general’s report.
* WMBD | Bloomington Sen. Barickman announces retirement: Barickman won reelection in the Nov. 8 general election. Now, the next person to fill the seat will be appointed by the McLean County GOP.
* WGLT | ‘Timing is right’: Barickman leaving Illinois Senate in January: “Your kids develop so quickly. One year is quite different than another. I have really struggled with this for the better part of a couple of years, thinking when the timing is right,” said Barickman. He said his other work obligations have increased. He is a practicing attorney and a partner in a real estate development and management firm.
* ABC7 | ‘My time had come’: IL Secretary of State Jesse White hopes to help young people during retirement: “I felt as though my time had come. So, I’m going to devote the rest of my life to helping young people,” White said. The name on his door is going to change very soon, but White plans to meet with incoming Secretary Alexi Giannoulias next week to help with his transition into the office.
* Tribune | Uber to pay millions to Chicago restaurants in settlement agreement with city: Uber must pay millions in cash and provide free services to Chicago restaurants as part of a $10 million settlement with the city resolving claims the ride-share company listed restaurants on its UberEats and Postmates platforms without their consent and charged excess commission fees.
* Sun-Times | The Field’s Sue lends a hand to paleontologists studying why T. Rex arms are so short: Sue’s right arm was removed Monday so it can be CT scanned at the University of Chicago and used to create computer models that will give scientists a better understanding of Sue’s muscles and joints.
posted by Isabel Miller
Tuesday, Dec 6, 22 @ 8:01 am
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The Jim Nowlan “5-2” court was seated yesterday.
Boy, they showed everyone.
This will be interesting going forward as to how the Jim Nowlan types view this Court, how they’d like to see/spin this new thing, brought on without any real political acumen to… redistricting within “winning” opportunities.
There’s a lesson here…
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Dec 6, 22 @ 8:19 am
From the Center Square story: “All persons shall be bailable by sufficient sureties …,”
Did it ever occur to republican legislators that the Illinois Constitution may have meant that every one accused of a crime should have the right to be released from jail prior to trial?
“Bailable by sufficient sureties” would almost certainly include, “on their own recognizance,” since this practice has existed from the beginning. “Their word is their bond,” has been the practice for nearly all people of means.
In this context, there is nothing about eliminating the routinization of cash as a surety that contradicts the Constitutional provision of “sufficient sureties.”
Comment by H-W Tuesday, Dec 6, 22 @ 8:46 am
With regard to the average years of service tables, it would be worth knowing what sort of retirement system exists for state legislators. Is it related to years of service, or does it work similar to the federal system in which a person receives a fixed retirement income regardless of years of service, upon leaving the legislature.
Comment by H-W Tuesday, Dec 6, 22 @ 8:52 am
I really love the scope of the Morning briefings. Everything from the statehouse, to the courts, to Sue (the dinosaur, not the commentor). Thank you, Isabel.
Comment by cermak_rd Tuesday, Dec 6, 22 @ 8:57 am
OW: And it will be 5-2 for a while with Rochford and O’Brien secure for at least 10 years.
Be careful what you wish for Nowlan in getting Kilbride off the bench…
Comment by Steve Rogers Tuesday, Dec 6, 22 @ 9:28 am
Raising the age to 21 for hunting type firearms is the slippery slope gun owners have rallied around since the start of the debate.
Comment by Blue Dog Tuesday, Dec 6, 22 @ 9:33 am
=is the slippery slope=
What? It sure is not a “slippery slope”. It is an attempt to tighten up gun ownership.
Gun ownership at 21 is just fine.
Comment by JS Mill Tuesday, Dec 6, 22 @ 9:47 am
JSMill. I guess you oppose my idea of gun safety classes in high school then.
Comment by Blue Dog Tuesday, Dec 6, 22 @ 9:52 am
=== I guess you oppose my idea of gun safety classes in high school then. ===
I guess grooming is ok, if it comes from the far right.
Comment by PublicServant Tuesday, Dec 6, 22 @ 10:37 am
Hopefully the debate about the merits of the SAFE-T Act will help the public understand that money does nothing to protect the people. For instance, in that awful killing of a child allegedly by a FedEx driver in Texas, the defendant confessed and his bond was set at 1.5 million. Why on earth should someone be able to bond out on facts like that? Would it be safer for the public if the guy is out after posting that money? its just such a red herring. if you are a danger or if you might flee, you stay in. End of story.
Comment by Paddyrollingstone Tuesday, Dec 6, 22 @ 10:47 am
public servant. sounds like you oppose hunter%gun safety classes.
Comment by Blue Dog Tuesday, Dec 6, 22 @ 12:47 pm
“public servant. sounds like you oppose hunter%gun safety classes.”
The user-interface of a keyboard may be more complicated than that of a gun, but I still wouldn’t trust a deadly firearm in the hands of someone who types like that.
– MrJM
Comment by MisterJayEm Tuesday, Dec 6, 22 @ 1:14 pm
Blue Dog
I would oppose those classes as part of some high school curriculum. That would be totally unnecessary. Those classes are available privately for anyone who wants to go. Why in the world you would think you need it in high school is beyond me. Unless you plan to utilize a firearm they are unnecessary.
Comment by Demoralized Tuesday, Dec 6, 22 @ 2:23 pm
demoralized. tha ks for a civil response. the reason I want education on gun safety is because nothing else seems to be working. teach the kids what the ramifications are if guns are used improperly. just like Drugs. it can’t hurt.
Comment by Blue Dog Tuesday, Dec 6, 22 @ 2:35 pm
“just like Drugs. it can’t hurt.”
No high school in Illinois has a program that purports to teach its students how to drink booze or take drugs safely.
They all advise students to abstain from drinking or doing recreational drugs until they are 21-year old adults.
– MrJM
Comment by MisterJayEm Tuesday, Dec 6, 22 @ 5:03 pm