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Legislation granting victims of digital forgeries, commonly known as deepfakes, to take legal action against perpetrators who create and share inauthentic media is now one step closer to becoming law.

House Bill 2123 from Sen. Mary Edly-Allen, D-Libertyville, passed in the Senate unanimously on Thursday. The bill, previously led by Rep. Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz, D-Glenview, will return to the House for a concurrence vote where it is expected to pass.

The growing presence of artificial intelligence and it is abilities have made it more challenging to depict fiction from reality, Edly-Allen said. When the technology is used to make deepfakes, often used to make pornographic material, there is not a legal avenue for victims to seek compensation.

* HB1 is on First Reading in the House. Chicago Tribune…

Evanston Councilmember Devon Reid’s hope to decriminalize psilocybin and other entheogenic plants, commonly known as “magic mushrooms,” was shot down when the Human Services Committee instructed city staff not to move forward with his referral earlier this month. […]

Reid’s push for looser psilocybin restrictions may still be granted with a proposal in the Illinois General Assembly brought forth by Rep. La Shawn Ford (D-Chicago).

Ford’s legislation, the Compassionate Use and Research of Entheogens (CURE) Act, aims to “establish a new, compassionate, and effective approach to entheogens.” This would create a two-year program development period to adopt rules to eventually implement a regulatory program allowing adults to receive psilocybin services, create the Illinois Psilocybin Advisory Board within the Department of Public Health and examine scientific research on treating mental health conditions with psilocybin, according to the bill.

The CURE Act is currently in the Rules Committee after being taken up by the Executive Committee.

* State Journal Register…

The Illinois House passed a bill Friday that would bar anyone convicted of a felony, bribery, perjury or misuse of public funds while serving as a public official from ever being elected to a state or local office again.

That measure was introduced as an amendment to House Bill 351 on Thursday and moved quickly through the House Ethics and Elections Committee Friday morning with bipartisan support. It then went to the House floor where it passed 106-0.

Current law bars anyone convicted of a felony from holding a state office until they’ve completed their sentence. And a provision of the Illinois Municipal Code bars anyone who has ever been convicted of a felony from holding an elected municipal office.

But those people are free to run for the General Assembly, governor or any other constitutional office once they’ve completed their sentence.

* Press release…

The Network: Advocating Against Domestic Violence and our partners across the gender-based violence (GBV) services community commend the Illinois House of Representatives and the House Firearms Working Group and lead sponsor Representative Hirschauer, on the passage of HB676 on Friday, May 12, 2023. This common-sense firearms package includes important provisions to ensure the timely removal of firearms from respondents in emergency orders of protection.

“The data shows that 70 women are killed by an intimate partner every month in this county. Ensuring removal of firearms is happening in a timely fashion and that the weapons are kept with our trusted law enforcement is commonsense policy that will make a huge impact in ensuring survivor safety” Amanda Pyron, Executive Director of The Network, stated in the wake of its passage.

This bill was drafted in partnership with Legal Action Chicago, an attorney-led organization with expertise in orders of protection. Focusing on justice and equity through policy, advocacy and litigation, they know the risks associated with leaving and filing an order of protection.

“This bill recognizes the often-terrifying risk that survivors of domestic violence must face when seeking safety and takes a real step forward in addressing those risks” John Bouman, Executive Director of Legal Action Chicago.

The Illinois Coalition Against Domestic Violence, a membership driven organization representing direct service providers in the domestic violence community across the state has been a strong proponent of this legislation.

With the legislative session ending this week, The Network, including more than forty direct service providers across the state, urges the Senate to pass HB676 promptly to send to the Governor’s desk for signature. Survivors experiencing gun-involved domestic violence have a 500% greater likelihood of being murdered. Survivor safety during the highest time of lethality cannot wait.

* WAND…

Illinois House Democrats approved a sweeping gun control bill Friday morning despite concerns from Republicans, the Illinois State Rifle Association, and law enforcement.

The plan could allow judges to order law enforcement to seize guns while issuing emergency orders of protection. Although, Republicans and gun advocates are worried police will take expensive guns from families.

House Democrats say the firearms should go directly to trusted law enforcement to keep domestic violence survivors and their families safe.

“We are adding penalty enhancements to the law which as disfavored by the majority party unless it suits them,” said Rep. Patrick Windhorst (R-Metropolis). “And we are putting additional burdens on law enforcement when they have not requested those burdens.” […]

The legislation passed out of the House on a 70-36 vote. This plan now heads to the Senate for further consideration next week. The General Assembly is scheduled to adjourn on May 19.

* SB2261 is on First Reading in the Senate. Block Club Chicago…

Youth advocates are pushing for more investment in jobs programs following a new study by the University of Illinois at Chicago that shows a dramatic increase in unemployment among Black youth in Chicago — and especially young Black women — during the pandemic. […]

The Alternative Schools Network commissioned the study as part of a push for a bill currently moving through the state Legislature that would provide $300 million in funding for a statewide youth jobs program. […]

Howell was a part of a group of students who testified before the state’s appropriations committee and the Illinois Senate in support of the bill that would provide $300 million in funding for 80,000 jobs for youth across the state.

The bill is sponsored by state Sen. Robert Peters and Rep. Kam Buckner, both Chicago Democrats. If passed, students could work five to 15 hours a week, earning $15 an hour during the school year. The bill also provides for an eight-week summer program in which students could work 25 hours a week.

* AP…

Holed up at home during the pandemic lockdown three years ago, 13-year-old Shreya Nallamothu was scrolling through social media when she noticed a pattern: Children even younger than her were the stars — dancing, cracking one-liners and being generally adorable. […]

But as she watched more and more posts of kids pushing products or their mishaps going viral, she started to wonder: Who is looking out for them? […]

Illinois lawmakers aim to change that by making their state what they say will be the first in the country to create protections for child social media influencers. Nallamothu, now 15, raised her concerns to Illinois state Sen. David Koehler of Peoria, who then set the legislation in motion. […]

The bill passed the state Senate unanimously in March, and is scheduled to be considered by the House this week. If it wins approval, the bill will go back to the Senate for a final vote before it makes its way to Gov. J.B. Pritzker, who said he intends to sign it in the coming months.

posted by Isabel Miller
Monday, May 15, 23 @ 11:57 am

Comments

It may be important to note that psilocybin is a tool…not a toy.

Comment by Dotnonymous Monday, May 15, 23 @ 2:00 pm