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* The cheesehead makes a valid point…
It's early March in an odd-numbered year, so it's wacky proposed legislation season in many states.
Journalists will breathlessly report on these outrages.
Remember that most bills don't pass & aren't meant to pass. The wacky bills are signaling exercises–outrage is the point.
— Manny Teodoro (@MPTeodoro) March 2, 2023
* HB3412 was referred to Rules Committee on February 17th and is still there. ProPublica…
A new bill in the Illinois House aims to stop schools from working with police to issue students tickets for minor misbehavior, a harmful and sometimes costly practice that many districts have continued despite pleas to stop from the state’s top education officials.
An investigation by ProPublica and the Chicago Tribune revealed last year that school-based ticketing was rampant across Illinois, with police writing citations that can result in a fine of up to $750 for conduct once handled by the principal’s office. […]
The new legislation, introduced last month, would amend the state’s school code to make it illegal for school personnel to involve police to issue students citations for incidents that can be addressed through a school’s disciplinary process. […]
Ford’s legislation deals only with school tickets, which are issued for civil violations of local laws and often are adjudicated in administrative hearings. The bill is not intended to stop police from arresting students for crimes. It would also not prevent schools from seeking restitution from students for lost, stolen or damaged property.
* The proposal was referred to Senate Assignments on February 28. From WICS…
The Illinois Constitution could be seeing some changes.
A proposed amendment would see all gender-specific language change to gender-neutral terms.
This Senate Joint Resolution Constitutional Amendment (SJRCA) would allow the State to be more inclusive.
Phrases such as “governments are instituted among men” have been included since as early as 1970.
* SB2211 was referred to Senate Assignments on Feb. 10. Here’s Fox Illinois…
Senate Bill 2211 would restrict grocery stores from providing or selling plastic or paper bags to customers. […]
Senator Mary Edley-Allen sponsors the bill and said that they have been working on this for quite some time.
“I don’t know, I just think, wouldn’t it be a lovely sight to not see these bags hanging from tree limbs after there’s a big storm and a big wind? It seems like they’re just everywhere after the fact,” said Senator Edler-Allen.
She also said that a big reason why it has not passed yet is because of the inclusion of paper bags.
Though paper bags are more of a rarity, citizens have told lawmakers that they want to keep at least one of the two.
* SB2193 was assigned to Senate Executive on Feb. 28. From WIFR…
Illinois brew pubs may soon have a new way to increase their business after a bill that would allow them to ship their suds to remote customers was filed Thursday.
Senate Bill 2193 creates the “Brewer Shipper’s License” that mirrors the permit that lets winemakers ship their products to customers in other states using third-party delivery services like DHL, FedEx, and UPS.
Reed Sjostrom, co-founder of Prairie Street Brewing Co. in Rockford, says says if the bill becomes law, it will mean more sales and an opportunity to promote the Forest City.
“I think it will be huge to be able to represent Rockford and our brewery outside of our area,” Sjostrom said. “And if we can ship beer to all the states that can legally accept alcohol shipping, we can start sending beer to so many more people. And so many more people will know about our brand and our wonderful city.”
State Rep. Will Guzzardi, D-Chicago, has introduced a bill that would prohibit auto insurers in the state from considering consumer credit information in setting rates. After a Feb. 28 hearing, the bill was sent to a subcommittee, a signal that it may not be considered by the full House this term.
If the measure were to pass, Illinois would join five other states that ban or limit insurance companies’ use of credit scores in determining policy rates. Outside of those states the practice is common; Fair Isaac Corp. (FICO), which created the concept of credit-based insurance scoring, estimates that 95% of auto insurers use credit-based insurance scores as a factor in setting premiums.
* HB29 was assigned to the House Judiciary Criminal Committee Tuesday. Here’s KHQA…
Illinois State Rep. La Shawn Ford, a Chicago Democrat, filed a bill that would create the offense of parental bullying.
Under House Bill 0029, a parent or legal guardian of a minor commits parental bullying “when he or she knowingly and with the intent to discipline, embarrass, or alter the behavior of the minor, transmits any verbal or visual message that the parent or legal guardian reasonably believes would coerce, intimidate, harass, or cause substantial emotional distress to the minor.”
The bill states parental bullying would be classified as a petty offense.
If convicted, a fine would be imposed and a portion of the fine would be placed in escrow for the purchase of a certificate of deposit for use by the victim when he or she attains 18.
* Rep. Flowers bill is now on 2nd reading. WJBD…
Efforts are underway to help improve literacy and add classes to Illinois public schools.
State Representative Amy Elik of Alton says one way to help kids learn how to read is to go old school and teach phonics. She is supporting legislation that requires phonics to be taught to kids.
“In education when you look back over a number of decades, there are things that work and suddenly they change. And I think there is always these new methods of instruction out there and are worth trying, it’s also important to recognize what works and to go back to it if need be.”
There’s also a proposal requiring high school juniors and seniors to take a course on personal finance. Another bill mandates a course on recognizing the signs of anxiety, depression and other mental illnesses.
* Check out the politically diverse House sponsorship of HB3203…
Rep. Tony M. McCombie - Wayne A Rosenthal - La Shawn K. Ford, Will Guzzardi and Michael J. Coffey, Jr.
Amends the Overdose Prevention and Harm Reduction Act. Provides that a pharmacist may sell fentanyl test strips over-the-counter to the public to test for the presence of fentanyl, a fentanyl analogue, or a drug adulterant within a controlled substance. Provides that a county health department may distribute fentanyl test strips at the county health department facility for no fee. Amends the Drug Paraphernalia Control Act. Provides that “drug paraphernalia” does not include equipment, products, or materials to analyze or test for the presence of fentanyl, a fentanyl analogue, or a drug adulterant within a controlled substance.
* Meanwhile, in Opposite Land…
Florida Sen. Jason Brodeur (R-Lake Mary) wants bloggers who write about Gov. Ron DeSantis, Attorney General Ashley Moody, and other members of the Florida executive cabinet or legislature to register with the state or face fines.
Brodeur’s proposal, Senate Bill 1316: Information Dissemination, would require any blogger writing about government officials to register with the Florida Office of Legislative Services or the Commission on Ethics.
In the bill, Brodeur wrote that those who write “an article, a story, or a series of stories,” about “the Governor, the Lieutenant Governor, a Cabinet officer, or any member of the Legislature,” and receives or will receive payment for doing so, must register with state offices within five days after the publication of an article that mentions an elected state official. […]
Failure to file these disclosures or register with state officials, if the bill passes, would lead to daily fines for the bloggers, with a maximum amount per report, not per writer, of $2,500. The per-day fine is $25 per report for each day it’s late.
posted by Isabel Miller
Friday, Mar 3, 23 @ 10:37 am
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=wants bloggers who write about Gov. Ron DeSantis, Attorney General Ashley Moody, and other members of the Florida executive cabinet or legislature to register with the state or face fines.==
That’s the kind of law that a despot would support. Why am I not surprised such a thing would come out of the State of Florida. They aren’t much for freedom down there.
Comment by Demoralized Friday, Mar 3, 23 @ 10:42 am
There must be something in Florida’s water. They’re going off the deep end down there (pun intended).
Technically I believe the bill qualifies as “cancel culture,” but I guess that only applies to stuff Democrats propose.
Comment by Sir Reel Friday, Mar 3, 23 @ 10:45 am
Bags:
You have to provide your own bag or get an empty box when shopping at Aldi’s.
When shopping elsewhere, try to get paper bags whenever possible.
Bullying:
The parental bullying penalty should be much higher than a petty offense.
Comment by Huh? Friday, Mar 3, 23 @ 10:48 am
Re: Opposite Land. It is way past time to call what is happening in FL and the other states of Opposite Land what it is…fascism. If they get a “divorce” per MTG maybe Hungary can take custody.
Comment by SouthSideGT Friday, Mar 3, 23 @ 10:51 am
I need plastic bags for cleaning out the cats’ litter boxes.
That “parental bullying” bill is ridiculously vague. As phrased, taking away a kid’s electronics because he hasn’t done his chores would fall under that rubric.
Comment by JoanP Friday, Mar 3, 23 @ 10:54 am
I am just looking forward to watching Trump and DeSantis, between the two of them, burn down the Republican Party.
Comment by Nick Name Friday, Mar 3, 23 @ 10:58 am
so many bills….and ordinances in other bodies…are there to record a vote to be used later. watch what happens in the Chicago City Council as an increasing number of far lefties come into Alder office.
Comment by Amalia Friday, Mar 3, 23 @ 11:00 am
That LaShawn Ford bill seems all sorts of complicated - That’s why it’s just a bill.
Comment by Chicagonk Friday, Mar 3, 23 @ 11:04 am
== Though paper bags are more of a rarity … ==
Not really that rare. Several stores where I shop default to plastic bags, but they have paper ones there also.
Paper got a bad rap, especially the bleached white ones due to the chemicals used. And people were upset about cutting trees down to make bags because they didn’t understand that the lumber companies were actually growing and harvesting fast growing trees specifically for the purpose of making paper. Renewal and biodegradable paper bags are better than nonrenewable oil based plastic bags. (Yes, I realize you can make plastic bags from renewable resources like soybeans, but it’s more expensive and not that eco-friendly.)
So I have no problem with banning plastic bags.
Comment by RNUG Friday, Mar 3, 23 @ 11:05 am
So now the DeSantis brand of cancel culture in Florida includes canceling the First Amendment?
Comment by Dance Band on the Titanic Friday, Mar 3, 23 @ 11:18 am
==You have to provide your own bag or get an empty box when shopping at Aldi’s.
When shopping elsewhere, try to get paper bags whenever possible.==
SB 2211 looks like it will turn every store statewide into Aldi. And restaurant too.
Comment by Stuck in Celliniland Friday, Mar 3, 23 @ 11:22 am
I like making sure test strips are available. Those can be lifesaving given what we know about tainted drugs on the illegal market.
Comment by cermak_rd Friday, Mar 3, 23 @ 11:24 am
Florida bill is extremely scary. I’ll grant you that some bloggers are in a hazy zone of who are they, but we can’t find Matt Drudge much so what the what??? screaming at my house, First Amendment.
Comment by Amalia Friday, Mar 3, 23 @ 11:35 am
But wait, isn’t Florida the champion of freedom and against cancel culture? Pure gaslighting. This is a state spelunkers want us to emulate. They are out of their minds.
Comment by Grandson of Man Friday, Mar 3, 23 @ 11:45 am
“I need plastic bags for cleaning out the cats’ litter boxes.”
There are other types of containers available.
Comment by Techie Friday, Mar 3, 23 @ 11:46 am
===They are out of their minds===
It’s just a bill, sponsored by one person.
Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Mar 3, 23 @ 11:47 am
= There are other types of containers available. =
Nothing else is practical, though.
Comment by JoanP Friday, Mar 3, 23 @ 11:49 am
Enough with the bags. I get why plastic bags are a problem. Most people recycle them (I do). Fine, so charge people. It’s annoying but it’s still an option. But forbidding both paper and plastic? Cmon. Sorry, I don’t walk down the streets carrying reusable bags and I don’t have them in my office. So please do more to discourage spending my money downtown.
Comment by New Day Friday, Mar 3, 23 @ 11:55 am
Instead of banning bags, assign a nominal fee like five or 10 cents. This is shown to lead to dramatic reduction of these single use bags. Based on research we have done it would also bring in a significant amount of money for the state.
Comment by Central Ill Friday, Mar 3, 23 @ 12:15 pm
Frustrating that SB 2211 (the bag bill) is considered “wacky.” Stores will save money, there are alternative solutions, and it benefits the planet. It’s too bad you may be inconvenienced by the slight lifestyle change but it’s 2023 and simple and definitive steps like this are overdue.
==I don’t walk down the streets carrying reusable bags==
No one does. A possible solution could be a reusable bag that can be returned to a collection of stores after use. No, this might not be THE solution but there IS one out there we just need to put our heads together to solve it.
Comment by Gen Z Friday, Mar 3, 23 @ 12:24 pm
I was recently on vacation in a state that required reusable bags. We got charged 20 cents every time we bought something at a store. Any store, including convenience stores. It wasn’t something we were used to giving any thought to. So we didn’t think ahead every time we went in the store. It was annoying since we were without a vehicle and were walking from various hotels to the stores. So the bags weren’t optional due to the amount of stuff we were purchasing.
I normally request paper bags when I order groceries online for pickup later. I use them to hold recycles in until trash day. However I also find the smaller plastic bags useful for certain after market one time uses too.
Any bag, plastic, paper or reusable, can be mishandled. All three could be up in any tree on windy days
Comment by thoughts matter Friday, Mar 3, 23 @ 1:24 pm
==police writing citations that can result in a fine of up to $750 for conduct once handled by the principal’s office.==
Our school district doesn’t allow ticketing at school anymore since the state board made it against policy. So now they’re telling us the school resource officer makes an appointment with the family to meet at the PD and issue the ticket.
Depending on the violation, the city doesn’t collect much more than 5% of the fines and fees. The offenders, majority of them low-income, rack up penalties of $600-$850 on these ordinance violations and then the city slaps on 35% and if they can’t pay in 30 days sends them to collections owing $1,000 or more.
The state should not only outright forbid the ticketing of children for school infractions, it should set lower maximum fines and get rid of the usurious 35%.
Comment by yinn Friday, Mar 3, 23 @ 1:32 pm