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* SB2388 has been re-referred to Assignments. Chalkbeat…
A pandemic-era rise in youth joblessness and disconnection hit young Black women in Chicago especially hard, almost doubling their unemployment rate, according to a new report from the University of Illinois Chicago.
According to the study, about 45,800 16- to 24-year-olds were not in school, college, or the workforce in Chicago. Across the state, 177,000 were out of work and out of school in 2021. […]
The report was commissioned by the nonprofit Alternative Schools Network to help make the case for a bill to launch a $300 million statewide youth jobs program introduced in the Illinois Legislature this year. The bill, sponsored by state Rep. Kam Buckner and state Sen. Robert Peters, both Chicago Democrats, would enlist community-based organizations across the state to help coordinate jobs for as many as 80,000 teens and young adults. […]
The issue of youth who are not in school, college, or the workforce has long bedeviled Chicago and other cities, despite research tying the problem to persistent poverty and violence rates. City leaders have argued that finding solutions is key to combating a rise in gun violence, and Mayor-elect Brandon Johnson has set a goal of doubling the number of youth summer jobs.
* WCIA…
A proposal to allow victims of doxing the right to a civil private right of action for damages to help deter bad actors on the Internet is making its way through the Illinois legislature. The bill passed the Senate Wednesday, and now heads to the governor’s desk. […]
Legislators say the state’s laws have lagged behind online technology. […]
“It is absolutely critical for our laws to evolve with the changing nature of the cyber world,” Sen. Julie Morrison (D-Lake Forest) said. “This legislation provides a necessary solution to the dangerous practice of doxing, by both helping victims and deterring future bad actors.” […]
The bill has received unanimous support in both chambers.
* Politico…
A bill that would prevent information from automated license plate readers from being used to track individuals seeking abortion care or criminalizing a person’s immigration status. It now goes to the Senate. […]
All for one: A House bill that would require vehicle manufacturers to establish a 24/7 hotline where police can contact the manufacturer in the event of a carjacking or kidnapping to get the real-time vehicle location data passed the Senate with all 59 senators — D’s and R’s — signing on as co-sponsors. The bill was carried by state Rep. Marty Moylan and state Sen. Michael Hastings.
* HB218 now moves to the Senate. WAND…
Illinois House Democrats hope to pass a plan in the final two weeks of session to hold gun manufacturers and others in the firearm industry accountable for gun violence.
Rep. Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz (D-Glenview) told the House Judiciary-Civil Committee Wednesday morning that gun manufacturers enjoy a special immunity under federal law as they can legally market firearms to anyone. Gong-Gershowitz and co-sponsors said every family devastated by gun violence should have an opportunity for justice through civil action.
The proposal could make it unlawful to knowingly create, maintain, or contribute to a condition in Illinois that endangers the safety or health of the public by failing to establish reasonable safeguards. […]
Still, the Illinois State Rifle Association and Illinois Federation of Outdoor Resources stressed the bill language is too vague and could lead to unintended consequences.
“There are trap shooting teams in downstate Illinois. There are out-of-state companies that engage in partnerships with them to provide discounted ammunition,” said lobbyist Josh Witkowski. “We are worried that these partnerships will dissolve because these companies are going to be worried about the language contained in this act.” […]
House Bill 218 passed out of the House Judiciary-Civil Committee on a partisan 8-4 vote. The legislation later passed out of the House hours later on a 71-40 vote with Rep. Mary Flowers (D-Chicago) voting present.
* HB1277 is still in the House Rules Committee. Illinois Radio Network…
House Bill 1277 aims to suspend a retired lawmaker’s pension if felony charges relate to their duties as a lawmaker.
The measure’s sponsor state Rep. Amy Elik, R-Fosterburg, said the effort is in response to former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, D-Chicago, being charged with 22 counts of corruption, including racketeering, bribery, and extortion.
According to previous reporting, Madigan receives $7,100 a month in pension payments from his decades as an Illinois legislator. Madigan was in the Illinois Legislature for 50 years. Most of that time he served as House Speaker.
State law allows for a retired legislator’s pension to be revoked if they are found guilty of a crime stemming from their work as an elected official.
* WAND…
The Illinois Senate approved a bill Wednesday to require Native American history for elementary and high school students.
This plan requires school districts to include Native American history curriculum in their social studies classes starting with the 2024-2025 school year.
House Bill 1633 requires students to learn about Native American contributions to the economic, cultural, social and political development of the United States. […]
House Bill 1633 passed out of the Senate on a 44-8 vote. The legislation now heads back to the House on concurrence. Representatives previously approved the plan on a 75-32-1 vote on March 23. If passed on concurrence, it will move to Gov. JB Pritzker’s desk for his signature of approval.
* WICS…
EpiPens will soon cost a maximum of $60 for twin pack in Illinois.
House Bill 3639 passed the Senate on Wednesday and heads to Gov. JB Pritzker who’s expected to sign the new legislation.
A twin pack cost anywhere from $500-700 on average, and a single injector costs anywhere from $300-400. This has placed a significant financial burden on families who need to keep multiple EpiPens on hand for emergencies.
* Sierra Club and Illinois Environmental Council…
Environmental justice organizations and advocates from across the state will be joined by Sen. Celina Villanueva (D-11) and Rep. Sonya Harper (D-6) for a press conference calling on the Illinois General Assembly to prioritize environmental justice in Illinois by passing the Environmental Justice Act (HB2520) during this session.
The Environmental Justice Act (HB2520/SB1823) would help end the accumulation of pollution in vulnerable communities and reform the state’s industrial permitting processes to allow more community participation and transparency. The bill would also ensure the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency takes the amount of area pollution and health impacts into account as part of permit decision-making. The legislation comes in response to decades of environmental disasters and the legacy of toxic industry in Illinois’ communities of color. Chicago Southeast Side advocates point to state permitting laws that have allowed almost 200 industrial sites to accumulate in their communities and for permitting new polluters to set up operations across the state – often next to homes, schools and parks – with little scrutiny.
Thursday evening, over 100 activists will also participate in a “Free the Frontlines: Environmental Justice Power Hour” to demonstrate the grassroots support behind this legislation and to urge lawmakers to pass the Environmental Justice Act. To join the Power Hour, please register via bit.ly/ejpowerhour.
Thursday, May 11, 2023, at 10:00 a.m. Central Time
Where: via zoom: us02web.zoom.us/j/81796442485
posted by Isabel Miller
Thursday, May 11, 23 @ 9:37 am
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I don’t know if SB2388 will actually work, but it is nice to see someone actually trying to go after root causes of our problems, rather than just demonizing the kids and trying to arrest our way out of things.
Mass incarceration is the American pasttime, and it doesn’t work as a long term solution to the underlying issues. It never has. But so many people only want to double down on it again and again.
Nice to see people trying something different. Buckner was my first choice for mayor, glad to see he is hard at work still.
Comment by Homebody Thursday, May 11, 23 @ 9:52 am
House Bill 1277 aims to suspend a retired lawmaker’s pension if felony charges relate to their duties as a lawmaker.
So are we doing ‘guilty until proven innocent now?’.
Comment by Aaron B Thursday, May 11, 23 @ 10:46 am
“This legislation provides a necessary solution to the dangerous practice of doxing, by both helping victims and deterring future bad actors.” The intent of this type of law may be good, but other than funneling money to their lawyer cronies, I question whether someone’s home address can be protected information. Everyone on the planet including telemarketers seems to know where I live.
I also question the paranoia exhibited by Morrison and her suburban cohorts in the legislature. What exactly are they afraid of? It must be tough living in Lake Forest I guess.
Comment by Payback Thursday, May 11, 23 @ 11:08 am
=== I question whether someone’s home address can be protected information. ===
If you own a home, your address is publicly available information at your local recorder’s office unless your home was put into a land trust at the time you purchased the home.
Comment by Hannibal Lecter Thursday, May 11, 23 @ 11:25 am
I absolutely agree with Aaron B, the bill goes against the fundamental law of innocent until proven guilty.
Comment by Just a Citizen Thursday, May 11, 23 @ 11:30 am
===So are we doing ‘guilty until proven innocent now?’===
Nope. That’s why it’s still in Rules and why the only time you heard of it was because the Center Square folks needed goofy GOP filler.
Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, May 11, 23 @ 11:33 am
===the only time you heard of it was because the Center Square folks needed goofy GOP filler. ===
Hehehe. That’s rich.
Comment by H-W Thursday, May 11, 23 @ 12:12 pm
So if someone like TizzyEnt doxes a person harrassing someone who is in a minority or wearing a facemask or the other things he’s doxed people, and they suffer “mental anguish” or lose their job, they can sue? That’s how I read this: https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/BillStatus.asp?DocTypeID=HB&DocNum=2954&GAID=17&SessionID=112&LegID=148100
Comment by lake county democrat Thursday, May 11, 23 @ 2:39 pm
I work in data privacy, and I’m reading a 400-page book right now discussing traditionally-public information (such as home addresses) and how the internet has changed how that data is used. When it took work to compile, and you had to walk down to the recorder’s office and look it up, and it was available in limited locations, that’s a very different kind of “public” data than me being able to go online and download a database of every address in Illinois at a single click, and reshare that with 8 billion people.
It’s allowed much more dangerous and targeted harassment — including SWATting. People have literally died because they were doxxed and it enabled a stalker or an abusive ex to find them or a troll to have them SWATted. The laws are way, way behind the technology.
If you’re not thinking about how the internet has changed the threat and risk models around traditionally-public information, you’re not thinking seriously about it, and you’re not engaging with the new and serious problems that already exist, let alone the ones that are emerging.
Comment by Suburban Mom Thursday, May 11, 23 @ 2:50 pm
free my comment from comment jail [banned punctuation]
Comment by Suburban Mom Thursday, May 11, 23 @ 3:09 pm