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State lawmakers are pushing bills that would give city officials permission to create a “safe consumption site” where people can use drugs more safely and get recovery help when they’re ready.
Sen. Sara Feigenholtz and Rep. La Shawn Ford are pushing forward partner bills that would legalize a pilot site in a Chicago neighborhood hit hard by the opioid crisis.
The site’s staff would be trained to recognize overdoses and use drug-reversing medication like Narcan. People would be able to bring and use illegal drugs — without punishment — and get access to testing strips and clean syringes.
A local nonprofit would operate the site and hire community members and people in recovery. The staff would be encouraged to build relationships with clients and offer HIV and Hepatitis C testing, housing, medical services, employment opportunities, drug treatment programs and other social services that can put people on a path for recovery.
* The Center Square takes us into the mind of Sen. Chapin Rose…
Earlier this month, state Sen. Chapin Rose, R-Mahomet, introduced Senate Bill 1867, a measure he called “political sarcasm.”
The “If This Is Such A Good Idea, Let’s Start With You Act” reads that by June 30, 2024, the city of Chicago must convert Millennium Park into a solar energy park by building solar energy facilities on all open spaces and by mounting solar energy facilities on structures. The measure also includes language requiring equipping a wind turbine on the sculpture “Cloud Gate.” […]
“It is designed to illustrate in a humorous way this hypocrisy out of the progressive left and Cook County,” Rose said. “Last session, they brought us a bill to overrule the ability of local county boards to site windmills in downstate Illinois.” […]
The Republican said he did not expect his bill to pass, but he hoped to foster more cooperation between Chicago and downstate counties on the issue of where to put alternative energy projects.
* HB2465 sponsored by Rep. Rita Mayfield…
Amends the Liquor Control Act of 1934. Provides that the Illinois Liquor Control Commission or local liquor commissioner may not refuse to issue a retail license based on an applicant’s noncitizen status if the applicant otherwise meets the qualifications for licensure and the applicant has a valid Illinois driver’s license or Illinois identification card; the applicant undergoes a criminal history records check and has no record of an offense that would disqualify him or her from licensure; the applicant resides in the jurisdiction in which the license will be issued; the applicant is in good standing with the community in which the license will be issued; and the applicant is in good standing with the Internal Revenue Service, the Department of Revenue, his or her creditors, applicable credit bureaus, and any other similar financial agencies. Preempts home rule powers.
* WIFR…
State Senator Andrew Chesney (R-Freeport) and State Representative John Cabello (R-Machesney Park) have filed similar legislation in the Illinois Senate and House of Representatives, claiming federal background checks and waiting periods are adequate in weeding out those who should not be able to own a gun.
“Illinoisans have a constitutional right to possess firearms, yet the Legislature continually throws up roadblocks that interfere with that right,” said Chesney. “The legislators who bring forward and pass these kinds of bills claim they are protecting public safety, but they are ignoring the very real fact that those who purchase firearms lawfully are not the ones responsible for the violent crime epidemic in this state. The criminals ravaging the streets of Chicago are not lawful people. Illinois’ FOID card system is not preventing these criminals from getting their hands on guns.”
The FOID Card Act has been in effect in Illinois since 1968 and has been amended on multiple occasions. Additional laws place other restrictions on gun ownership, gun use, and the licensed dealers who sell firearms and ammunition.
“As a State Representative and Law Enforcement Officer, I understand the importance of upholding our constitutional right to gun ownership while also ensuring that public safety is protected. Unfortunately, Illinois’ current FOID Card system does not provide adequate protection and fails to keep guns out of the hands of violent offenders and criminals. The current FOID card system fails to stop violent criminals from committing gun crimes while making purchasing a firearm a cumbersome process for those that follow the law. As State Rep, I want to make sure that law-abiding citizens are able to exercise their right to bear arms without unnecessary burdens therefore I am proud to sponsor this proposal that voids Illinois’s FOID card system.”
* What a happy day…
Happy Introduction Of First Substantive Bill For An Act Concerning Fish In The 103rd Illinois General Assembly Day to all who celebrate. pic.twitter.com/4GOELbwxjM
— John Amdor (@JohnAmdor) February 14, 2023
* WTVO…
Legislation being considered by the Illinois General Assembly would require all new homes to be equipped with electric vehicle (EV) charging capabilities.
House Bill 2206 and Senate Bill 40 would require any new home construction to include at least one dedicated parking stall for EV charging.
Charging stations are made by manufacturers such as ChargePoint, Blink, and Shell, and can cost upwards of $400.
The bills would not require the installation of a charging station but would ensure that the home’s electrical panel is able to handle the high voltage load, as well as the installation 220-volt power supply to the garage.
* HB2355, Rep. Daniel Didech…
Amends the Firearm Owners Identification Card Act. Requires a person to have a currently valid Firearm Owner’s Identification Card issued in his or her own name by the Illinois State Police in order to acquire or possess a flamethrower. Exempts certain military, law enforcement, and other specified persons. Defines flamethrower. Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Provides that it is a Class 4 felony to deliver a flamethrower to a person, incidental to a sale, without withholding delivery of the flamethrower for at least 72 hours after application for its purchase has been made.
* HB2587 by Rep. Jed Davis…
Provides that the Act may be referred to as the Defend the Guard Act. Amends the Military Code of Illinois. Provides that, notwithstanding any other provision of the Code, the Illinois National Guard and any member thereof shall not be released from the State into active duty combat unless the United States Congress has passed an official declaration of war or has taken an official action in accordance with the United States Constitution to explicitly call forth the Illinois National Guard and any member thereof for the enumerated purposes to expressly execute the laws of the union, repel an invasion, or suppress an insurrection. Requires the Governor to take all actions necessary to comply with the requirements of the amendatory Act.
* If this would be the second to last week of session, what would you dedicate the last week of session to?…
I rise in support of @SenatorFine's resolution to declare the second to last week of the General Assembly's 2023 spring session "Compost Awareness Week".
That's kind of how I always feel about the end of session too. https://t.co/aZDkX3A932
— Chicago Bars (@chicagobars) February 14, 2023
posted by Isabel Miller
Thursday, Feb 16, 23 @ 10:32 am
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Safe sites absolutely save lives and reduce healthcare costs. There’s honestly no reason other than pigheaded ones to oppose them.
Comment by TJ Thursday, Feb 16, 23 @ 10:41 am
My version of the “If This Is Such A Good Idea, Let’s Start With You Act” is to take one of Senator Rose’s proposals for mandatory drug testing of public aid recipients and make it a pilot project in which every public aid recipient in his district is notified that they must report to Rose’s local office for a urine screening.
I mean if this is such a good idea …
Comment by Michelle Flaherty Thursday, Feb 16, 23 @ 10:44 am
A legislative requirement that all new homes be equipped for EV charging is nuts.
What about Habitat for Humanity homes that don’t even have a garage?
What about people who don’t want/can’t afford a car and just plan to take public transportation?
Let the market figure this one out, Illinois General Assembly.
Unless you can prove this has to do with fire hazards and is not some giveaway to a special interest, leave this alone.
Comment by hisgirlfriday Thursday, Feb 16, 23 @ 10:44 am
Thank heavens for state Sen. Chapin Rose — if there’s anything that the good citizens of Illinois need from their lawmakers, it’s more “political sarcasm.”
– MrJM
Comment by MisterJayEm Thursday, Feb 16, 23 @ 10:47 am
You can have a substantive legislative career… or you can have a career (by design) to try to own the libs every chance you can.
You can’t have both.
Choices.
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Feb 16, 23 @ 10:51 am
That Didech bill is eye opening — was there a flamethrower problem?
Comment by Torco Sign Thursday, Feb 16, 23 @ 10:54 am
This was reported widely in east central Illinois yesterday. Even though this turbine is out in the middle of a farm field, under the new law, one could legally be placed within 1.1 times its height to a property line and only 2.1 times from the outer wall of a home. Even though this may be a rare event, it is happening. Just ask yourself, how safe would you feel if it this were happening next to your home at the distances the state now feels are safe? And if the hazardous fluids in the turbines cannot be safely removed before it is stabilized or falls, there will be a HazMat cleanup that will have to be done. These projects must register as Tier II sites with IEMA.
https://public.iema.state.il.us/FOIAHazmatSearch/T2Search.aspx
https://www.fordcountychronicle.com/articles/featured/400-foot-tall-wind-turbine-discovered-leaning-east-of-paxton/
Video from WCIA- https://www.wcia.com/video/leaning-wind-turbine-near-paxton/8394950/
Comment by Anon221 Thursday, Feb 16, 23 @ 10:59 am
I didn’t even want a flamethrower until Didech told me I couldn’t have one…
Comment by Team America Thursday, Feb 16, 23 @ 11:00 am
“was there a flamethrower problem?”
Probably not — but maybe Rep. Didech would rather not wait until there is?
– MrJM
Comment by MisterJayEm Thursday, Feb 16, 23 @ 11:02 am
== in order to acquire or possess a flamethrower. ==
Never thought about getting one. But it might be useful to melt the snow and ice off the driveway. /s?
Comment by RNUG Thursday, Feb 16, 23 @ 11:05 am
I hear Soldier Field May be free and could possibly be used for said Safe House.
Comment by Blue Dog Thursday, Feb 16, 23 @ 11:07 am
==“It is designed to illustrate in a humorous way this hypocrisy out of the progressive left and Cook County,” ==
Swing and a miss, Chappy. No one is forcing local county boards to site renewable energy projects on popular public parks. Well, except you, I guess.
“Illustrating hypocrisy” is dumb, anyway, but it’d be a little better if you could actually mirror the behavior you’re complaining about.
Comment by Arsenal Thursday, Feb 16, 23 @ 11:10 am
At this point, I don’t favor the requirement to require new homes to have the electrical wattage needed to charge a car. One reason is these types of mandates increase the cost of housing in a time when we need more affordable housing. A second reason is the current framework of people owning cars that they park in their garage may dramatically change in the next decade. As autonomous self-driving vehicles become a reality, people may opt to using a car service rather than owning their own vehicle. A third reason is the EV charging systems are changing. It may be cheaper and faster to charge up at a grocery store, filling station, etc.
It makes more sense to give it a few years and then determine if the need warrants the requirement.
Comment by City Guy Thursday, Feb 16, 23 @ 11:13 am
===Never thought about getting one===
Darren Bailey has one https://capitolfax.com/2022/05/19/flamethrowers-are-now-apparently-a-thing/
Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Feb 16, 23 @ 11:14 am
How are those “safe consumption” sites working in Portland and San Francisco?
Safely injecting opioids and other drugs is an oxymoron
Comment by Lucky Pierre Thursday, Feb 16, 23 @ 11:14 am
===How are those “safe consumption” sites working in Portland and San Francisco?===
There are none, so you just proved the point.
===Safely injecting opioids and other drugs is an oxymoron ===
Millions of insulin users would disagree.
Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Feb 16, 23 @ 11:33 am
With all due respect to Cabello & Chesney, they’re wrong.
https://www.fbi.gov/news/press-releases/statement-by-fbi-director-james-comey-regarding-dylann-roof-gun-purchase
Comment by Anyone Remember Thursday, Feb 16, 23 @ 11:36 am
RNUG, they are also good for weed control
Comment by very old soil Thursday, Feb 16, 23 @ 11:40 am
I love Mahomet. I have relatives who are Rose’s neighbors. But let’s be honest: Millenium Park produces more revenue than pretty much all of Mahomet. Maybe Rose should focus on important stuff, like his Republican magic budget beans.
Comment by Springfieldish Thursday, Feb 16, 23 @ 11:40 am
Re: WIFR story quoting Chesney.
I am growing tired of people and legislstors suggesting the FOID Card program is ineffective. That is not true.
Albeit anecdote, I personally know of a few people with prior convictions who were quickly denied FOID cards, and thereby, denied the ability to legally purchase weapons.
Suggesting the FOID Card system doesn’t prevent crime is disingenuous. It is politicking for the right to allow more people to purchase weapons without background checks. It establishes conditions for increasing crime in Illinois.
Comment by H-W Thursday, Feb 16, 23 @ 11:43 am
“how safe would you feel if it this[a windmill] were happening next to your home”
If people are actually afraid of windmills, nothing will address their concerns other than some mental health care.
This is something people in more metro areas deal with all the time. Generally, if you want to fully control what happens on a piece of property with allowed zoning, you buy it.
A windmill 2.1x its height from my outer wall or 1.1x its height from my property line would be of absolutely no concern to me at all. Much less something that causes fear. I’ve said it before, but I’ve placed a vertical axis wind turbine on my own property.
Comment by TheInvisibleMan Thursday, Feb 16, 23 @ 11:46 am
=Safely injecting opioids and other drugs is an oxymoron=
So now it is Dr. LP? Oxymoron is partly right.
Comment by JS Mill Thursday, Feb 16, 23 @ 11:49 am
Flamethrower bill is one of many ideas I introduce at the request of constituents that are worthy of consideration. Several of my constituent bills have actually been signed into law.
Comment by Rep. Didech Thursday, Feb 16, 23 @ 11:51 am
HW. Apparently you have some statistics you can share. I have been sending email requests to ISP for years wanting to know how many gun crimes have been committed by FOID card holders. I have yet to get a response but sounds like you have gotten through.
Comment by Blue Dog Thursday, Feb 16, 23 @ 11:54 am
==Just ask yourself, how safe would you feel if it this were happening next to your home at the distances the state now feels are safe?==
Sage enough. I do not expect to be protected from every single “rare event” that could potentially harm me or my property.
Comment by Arsenal Thursday, Feb 16, 23 @ 11:57 am
==I have been sending email requests to ISP for years wanting to know how many gun crimes have been committed by FOID card holders. I have yet to get a response but sounds like you have gotten through.==
If you’ve never gotten a response to your FOIAs, why don’t you file a claim with the AG’s office? I think the PAC would find that very interesting.
Comment by Arsenal Thursday, Feb 16, 23 @ 11:59 am
No fan of injection narcotics but a safe consumption site with a non-profit manager trained in offering supportive services on site would be far better than the underpasses and the CTA red and blue line trains currently being used as consumption sites.
Comment by ChicagoBars Thursday, Feb 16, 23 @ 12:09 pm
TheInvisibleMan-
First, it isn’t a “windmill”, it is an industrial wind turbine, most of which will now be over 600-700 foot tall with the newer models being put up. Hard to tell how much taller and broader in sweep these will get in the years to come.
For you, and other posts I have seen recently in other media, to go directly to “it’s just a mental health issue”, is insulting. Taking precautions to be able to have enough of a buffer from a turbine to deal with a field fire, ice throw, blade throw, tower collapse are legitimate safety concerns. Rare events they may be, but they happen.
People in metro areas do not deal with 600-700 foot turbines. Comparing a wind turbine to a 60-70 story smokestack or building is what I assume you are referring to? To my knowledge, those don’t spin and rotate, sometimes rotating the equivalent of a couple of football field lengths or more with the blade sweeps.
“Generally, if you want to fully control what happens on a piece of property with allowed zoning, you buy it.” The state has changed the zoning laws around me with the signing of HB 4412. I’ve lived on my farm for over 30 years. Not planning to move.
A vertical axis turbine, especially a residential model is not the same as an industrial onshore 2-6 MW wind turbine. Do you agree? Frankly, installing vertical axis industrial turbines would be less intrusive and most likely safer anyway, but that is not the current “industry standard” that rural areas are having to deal with.
Comment by Anon221 Thursday, Feb 16, 23 @ 12:14 pm
I agree with Didech and others about flamethrowers. Thanks, Rich, for that Bailey tidbit. I figured it actually was part of the gun debate (i.e. which weapons could be regulated). On its own, it still makes sense in my opinion.
Comment by Torco Sign Thursday, Feb 16, 23 @ 12:22 pm
@ Blue Dog
The Illinois FOID Card was established in the 1960s. From 1970 to 1990, the violent crime rate was more-or-less stable. From 1990 on, it has decline substantially and significantly. Indeed, the latest increase is dramatically below the rates in the 1970-1990 era.
https://www.disastercenter.com/crime/ilcrime.htm
Comment by H-W Thursday, Feb 16, 23 @ 12:34 pm
Rose is being disingenuous with his silly bill. On one hand we are talking about private property owners wanting to do something with their property and the government not letting them, and I always thought Republicans were the party of property rights.
On the other hand his bill forces a publicly owned space to be turned into something for the use of a utility company.
It’s just like Republicans to just distract instead of dealing with the real issues. Maybe that’s why they’re the loser party.
Comment by Just Me 2 Thursday, Feb 16, 23 @ 12:36 pm
“Look, your grace,” responded Sancho, “what you see over there aren’t giants, they’re windmills; and what seems to be arms are the sails that rotate the millstone when they’re turned by the wind.”
Comment by 47th Ward Thursday, Feb 16, 23 @ 12:43 pm
HW. I believe those statistics are comparable to nationwide statistics. Illinois does not appear to be bucking the trend and last time I saw some stats the 4 states having FOID type system were not out performing. But maybe your research is better than mine.
Comment by Blue Dog Thursday, Feb 16, 23 @ 12:53 pm
–“it’s just a mental health issue”, is insulting.–
Tell your therapist. Your ego is for you to deal with.
I’m done with the facade of putting irrational fears and ideas on the same level as rational policy discussion.
–The state has changed the zoning laws around me–
No, the state did not. Your county is completely free to create zoning rules to address everything you’ve stated as a concern. What the state did is prohibit counties from denying a windfarm just because it is a windfarm even if all other local zoning requirements are met.
Comment by TheInvisibleMan Thursday, Feb 16, 23 @ 12:59 pm
@Anon221
=“Generally, if you want to fully control what happens on a piece of property with allowed zoning, you buy it.” The state has changed the zoning laws around me with the signing of HB 4412. I’ve lived on my farm for over 30 years. Not planning to move.=
The ag community has been fully behind the power of the LMFA for years to site and place hog barns and confinement facilities. Locals don’t get a say - even if they live across the road from a barn. Those new smells and sights are non-negotiable, Live next to a field that is used to spread or inject manure into/onto? Close the windows for a few days.
Now the state comes in and sets standards so a land owner can place solar panel on their property with the same ability as a pork producer can site a building. Seems like farmers should be supportive of all private property rights. Windmills, solar panels or the smells of pigs becoming pork chop sandwiches and bacon.
Comment by Cool Papa Bell Thursday, Feb 16, 23 @ 1:15 pm
setback distances in the LMFA are much greater than the 150 feet for solar. As I recall, a half mile for new, large facilities.
Comment by very old soil Thursday, Feb 16, 23 @ 2:07 pm
Cool Papa Bell- “Seems like farmers should be supportive of all private property rights.”
Seems like industrial/utility scale wind developers should do that same. However, if these developments are not well planned, there will be little recourse for the folks living in the “footprint” of the project. These companies know that they will be able to, in most cases, say “sue me” and get away with a trespass. Computer modeling for measurables such as shadow flicker and noise may not reflect the real situation after the project is up and running. Who will hold the project owner responsible if the noise exceeds IPBC nighttime limits over and over and over again, for instance? Would it, should that happen, then be reasonable to just tell folks who may be affected to live with it? Isn’t that taking their property rights away?
This is a nascent industry with turbines that have gotten bigger faster than research and laws have been able to keep up. What might have been true 10 years ago is not the “standard” today, and probably won’t be tomorrow. Even the LMFA and laws governing CAFOs changed over time… sometimes only after some very serious violations. The “industry” does not and rarely is concerned about others’ property rights if those folks be farmers or not.
Comment by Anon221 Thursday, Feb 16, 23 @ 2:32 pm
Big difference in setback distances–150 feet for solar, 1/2 mile for new large livestock facilities
Comment by very old soil Thursday, Feb 16, 23 @ 2:42 pm
–if the noise exceeds IPBC nighttime limits over and over and over again–
Well, it’s not like it’s a grain elevator at the center of a small town. Or a train horn blowing its horn all night long at the same crossing. But you are probably used to that noise, which can carry for *miles* during harvest season. It’s just regular background noise and you are accustomed to, to the point you don’t even notice it. And those things in rural areas are anything but quiet in the middle of the night.
shadow flicker. background noise. So many of these arguments are simply fear of change, and that’s it. The opposition to solar is even more absurd. The complaints are just emotion attached to whatever is unique to the individual generation methods.
There was a story a few months back about the newly updated high tension transmission line towers in my area. People are so accustomed to the industrial looking metal frame towers, that they were actually complaining the new towers without the metal grid framing and more smooth curves were too different and therefore ugly. These concerns are no different.
Comment by TheInvisibleMan Thursday, Feb 16, 23 @ 5:17 pm
=- very old soil - Thursday, Feb 16, 23 @ 2:42 pm:
Big difference in setback distances–150 feet for solar, 1/2 mile for new large livestock facilities=
For NEW facilities its a 1/4 mile for anything up to 6,999 animals. Can you smell 6,999 solar panels?
Comment by Cool Papa Bell Thursday, Feb 16, 23 @ 5:27 pm
TheInvisibleMan- “It’s just regular background noise and you are accustomed to, to the point you don’t even notice it.”
And if someone does? What should be done? Ignore it because, hey, it’s only one or two or four folks who are affected by something that should have been mitigated to begin with.
This isn’t fear, so please stop going down that tired road.
I don’t fear the nearby substation that can wreck my sleep night after night sometimes since an upgrade was done at a nearby generating plant… and no amount of white noise will mitigate it.
I didn’t fear the oil rig that went in a quarter mile (perfectly legal under Illinois law) from my home one winter to do exploratory drilling for 10 days straight (you want to talk about sleep deprivation… try living like that for 10 days 24/7, not to mention the diesel exhaust that permeated my home one night because of an atmospheric inversion).
What I “fear” is the total lack of consideration when someone else decides that I or anyone else should have to “live with it”.
Silencing folks will not silence the events. It may only amplify them later when more and more folks may have the experience of an intrusion that some one else felt was OK for them to “live” with now.
Comment by Anon221 Thursday, Feb 16, 23 @ 6:02 pm
I used to live about a mile from the edge of a very large wind farm. Hunted within the farm, fished there too. The “noise” was minimal.
@TheInvisibleMan is correct. Fear of change and hate for whatever is “green”.
Comment by JS Mill Thursday, Feb 16, 23 @ 7:15 pm