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Two measures, Senate Bill 3311 and House Bill 569, would create the Climate and Landowner Protection Act. During a news conference Wednesday in Springfield, the group claimed that this will help Illinois reach its clean energy goals. However, scientist Sallie Greenberg confirmed that the separation of other chemicals from the emitted carbon actually uses energy.
“Depending on where you are separating your carbon from dictates whether or not you need additional energy resources to do that,” said Greenburg, who conducted a study for the General Assembly.
Mark Denzler, the president and CEO of the Illinois Manufacturers’ Association, is in support of the legislation. He acknowledged that carbon emissions may be emitted during the carbon “separation process,” but ultimately there’s going to be a significant reduction in carbon. […]
House Bill 4835, currently in the House Energy and Environment Committee, seeks a temporary statewide moratorium on construction of carbon dioxide pipelines until the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration has adopted revised federal safety standards and the state has finalized a study regarding the safety setbacks required in the event of pipeline rupture or leak.
* Sen. Cunningham…
State Senator Bill Cunningham advanced a measure that would add medical devices to the list of items that can be recovered from a towed vehicle and seeks to address over-the-top towing fees on stolen vehicles.
“I was shocked to find out that car owners are currently not allowed to recover medical devices, like hearing aids, from their vehicles – even if their vehicle is stolen and later towed,” said Cunningham, a Democrat who represents portions of Chicago and the Southwest Suburbs. “This is a commonsense fix. I think we can all agree that private towing companies shouldn’t be able to hold medical devices hostage in a towed vehicle.”
The legislation was brought to Cunningham from a constituent of the 18th District. The constituent’s vehicle was stolen from outside their residence in Chicago and was eventually located by law enforcement and towed in Alsip. The constituent did not find out where their vehicle was located until a week after it was recovered, receiving a letter in the mail from a suburban towing company that was holding the vehicle. When the constituent went to recover the vehicle, they were told they would have to pay a fee of $1,500, and were not allowed to recover a hearing aid from the vehicle until the fee was paid.
Cunningham’s measure would not only add medical devices to the list of personal property items that can be recovered from a towed vehicle, it also seeks to address exorbitant fees levied by towing companies for individuals who have their vehicle stolen. The legislation would waive the car owner’s liability for any storage fee imposed on their vehicle that resulted from the vehicle being stolen or hijacked.
Under current law, the full list of items that can be recovered from a towed vehicle includes child restraint systems, eyeglasses, food, medicine, perishable property, licenses, cash, credit cards, checks or checkbooks, wallets, purses or other identifying documents.
“If a private towing company can hold a medical device hostage, then there is a serious problem with the way towing laws are written in Illinois,” said Cunningham. “It’s time to clean this up for good.”
Senate Bill 2654 passed the Senate Transportation Committee on Tuesday
* David Lloyd, Chief Policy Officer of Inseparable, on HB5395…
“More than two million Illinoisans have a diagnosed mental health condition, and it’s incumbent on our leaders to do everything in their power to ensure residents can get the care they need. That’s why Inseparable is grateful to Governor JB Pritzker for his leadership on Amendment 1 of HB 5395, which is a critical step to removing barriers to mental health and substance use disorder care in Illinois. This legislation includes important measures to make care more accessible and affordable, including banning Short-Term Limited Duration Junk Plans and step therapy and requiring coverage for an ongoing course of treatment. Inseparable is proud to have the opportunity to testify in support of HB 5395 and its swift passage in the General Assembly.”
* Sen. Michael Hastings…
A new law may soon be on the books to help ensure insurance coverage for certain infertility treatments, thanks to State Senator Michael E. Hastings.
“My daughter was born via in vitro fertilization, so this is near and dear to my heart,” said Hastings (D-Frankfort). “It is truly unfortunate that individuals or families that are already facing heartbreak due to infertility complications are being forced to fight their insurance companies in order to start or expand their family. Not only that, but it is problematic when a doctor recommends a course of treatment that’s beneficial to the family, that an insurance company has the ability to trump that doctor.”
Hastings filed Senate Bill 2639 in response to a constituent in his district whose physician had recommended that they seek in vitro fertilization treatment. However, when the constituent tried to access IVF care, they were told by their insurance provider that they had to complete other procedures before it would be covered by their insurance company, even with the recommendation of their licensed physician.
This measure will ensure that insurance companies will provide coverage for infertility treatments that are recommended by a physician without requiring them to complete treatments that were deemed ineffective by their doctor.
Senate Bill 2639 would also allow a licensed physician to immediately approve any of these procedures based on the covered patient’s medical, sexual, and reproductive history, age, physical findings, or diagnostic testing.
According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, approximately 10% of couples receive medical help to become pregnant.
“Medical decisions should be made between a medical professional and patient – not by insurance companies,” said Hastings. “This legislation moves us one step closer toward ensuring insurance companies do not have the ability to deny infertility treatments prescribed by medical professionals.”
Senate Bill 2639 passed the Senate’s Insurance Committee on Tuesday and moves to the full Senate for consideration.
* KFVS…
A major initiative of Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker is one step closer to becoming a reality. The state Senate Executive Committee unanimously passed legislation creating a new Department of Early Childhood Wednesday.
It would streamline the administration of early childhood education and bring services currently spread across several state agencies under one roof. Right now, many of those services administered by either the state Department of Human Services, Department of Children and Family Services or the Illinois State Board of Education. […]
“The whole point of us being here today is to create an early childhood care department that would make it more simple, fairer and better for all families involved,” said state Senate Majority Leader Kimberly Lightford, D-Maywood.
“This is policy that both parties can get behind. It’s incredibly important and statistics and data show that it’s incredibly important to be investing in early childhood,” said state Sen. Sue Rezin, R-Morris.
Legislators including Sen. Laura Ellman, D-Naperville, are working to increase research and monitoring of Illinois’ water resources, including the lake. […]
Ellman sponsored Senate Bill 2743, which would require the State Water Plan Task Force to meet every three months and publish a new State Water Plan including critical issues and recommendations every 10 years. Senate Bill 3716, filed by Sen. Adriane Johnson, D-Buffalo Grove, would require the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency to regularly monitor the water quality of Lake Michigan and to publish an executive summary every two years. Both measures await a vote from the full Senate.
Sen. Mike Simmons, D-Chicago, and Laura Fine, D-Glenview, focus on contaminants in drinking water. Simmons’ Senate Bill 3450 would establish maximum levels of certain contaminants in drinking water, creating a state standard like the levels set by the U.S. EPA.
Senate Bill 2705, filed by Fine, would ban the sale and distribution of certain products that contain intentionally added PFAS, otherwise known as “forever chemicals,” starting in 2025. All other products containing PFAS would be banned by 2032 unless the product cannot be made without the chemicals. Senate Bills 3450 and 2705 both await a committee assignment.
* Press release…
In case you missed it, House Minority Leader Tony McCombie held a press conference yesterday to discuss the ongoing issues at the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. McCombie stood alongside State Representatives Dave Severin and Bill Hauter to talk about the frustration IDFPR has caused residents, and discuss their legislative package to provide solutions.
The package includes McCombie’s License Convenience Act (House Bill 4855), which would require the department to accept electronic payments for licenses and fees.
“IDFPR is too often the barrier to people working,” said McCombie. “Significant delays, breakdowns in communications, lost applications, and just overall dysfunction has too often resulted in bipartisan frustration with this agency. We have written letters, reached out to the Director, and many of us have seen first-hand the pain this agency causes our constituents who want to work throughout the state. It is imperative this agency comes to terms with its own mismanagement and implements solutions. Not years from now, but now…. Where is the sense of urgency?”
Here is the video of the press conference: House Republicans Discuss Legislative Package to Address Failures at IDFPR (youtube.com).
* Sen. Robert Peters…
In an effort to safeguard the rights and well-being of the state’s youngest citizens, State Senator Robert Peters passed legislation out of the Senate Labor Committee on Wednesday. […]
Senate Bill 3646 provides more protection for children in the workforce by addressing various aspects of child labor, including working conditions, age requirements and sectors prone to exploitation.
Peters’ bill extends protections to minors who are not enrolled in traditional public or private schools with standard school hours to define when a student is permitted to work. Further, regulations add to the list of prohibited jobs for minors and jobs requiring adult supervision, and imposes increased penalties for violations.
Senate Bill 3646 heads to the full Senate for further consideration.
* Illinois PIRG 2024 legislative agenda…
Consumer Protection
We work to get dangerous products off store shelves, end exploitative practices and ensure a level playing field in the marketplace.
- Stop unfair and excessive car insurance rates, HB4767, SB3214 (Guzzardi, Cervantes): Illinois is one of only two states whose regulators have no power to reject or modify excessive car insurance rate hikes. Insurers regularly use credit scores and other non-driving factors to set rates. It is time to establish rate review for car insurance and end the unfair use of non-driving factors to set rates.
- Ban junk fees HB4629, SB3331 (Morgan, Aquino): The Federal Trade Commission estimates junk fees cost consumers tens of billions of dollars each year. Transparency and upfront pricing help not only consumers, but also honest businesses.
- Don’t Sell My Data HB3385 (Rashid): Almost every company we interact with collects data on us – like what we buy and when. Some even collect data on what we do online, like our browsing habits and search history. Companies often sell this data to other parties, increasing the risk that our personal information will be a part of a data breach, fall into the hands of scammers, or used for invasive targeted advertising. It’s time to stop companies from collecting and using our data for purposes other than delivering the service we’re expecting to get.
- Stop Credit Repair Scams, HB4507 (Meyers-Martin): Consumers trying to improve their credit score, often turn to credit repair organizations, but too often, these businesses drain resources from consumers without actually improving their credit. This legislation would require sustained, documented improvements in credit scores before charging customers for credit repair services. […]
Healthy Living
All families and communities should have access to clean air, safe drinking water, and healthy and sustainably produced food.
- Stop the Overuse of Antibiotics, SB1891 (Koehler) HB3567 (N Hernandez): Livestock producers routinely give antibiotics to animals to make them grow faster or help them survive crowded, stressful and unsanitary conditions. Overusing these drugs—in humans or animals—breeds bacteria resistant to antibiotics, threatening the future effectiveness of these medicines, and putting our health at risk.
- Ban harmful food ingredients, SB2367 (Preston): We should be able to trust that the food we buy is safe, but unfortunately, some food additives contain harmful chemicals linked to health harms, including a higher risk of cancer, behavioral problems, harm to the nervous system, and even DNA damage.
posted by Isabel Miller
Thursday, Mar 14, 24 @ 9:07 am
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==The legislation was brought to Cunningham from a constituent of the 18th District. The constituent’s vehicle was stolen from outside their residence in Chicago and was eventually located by law enforcement and towed in Alsip. The constituent did not find out where their vehicle was located until a week after it was recovered, receiving a letter in the mail from a suburban towing company that was holding the vehicle. When the constituent went to recover the vehicle, they were told they would have to pay a fee of $1,500, and were not allowed to recover a hearing aid from the vehicle until the fee was paid.==
Nothing wrong with passing a bill about medical devices, but please notice that police are still allowed to avoid notifying crime victims that their property has been located and that even after the bill is passed, this person would be deprived of a week of hearing aid use, a week of vehicle use, and $1500 because of the way municipalities are allowed to (mis)handle stolen vehicles (which may be sold if the crime victim is unable to pay exorbitant storage fees).
Comment by Stephanie Kollmann Thursday, Mar 14, 24 @ 9:46 am
Well, I wish I could delete my comment. Apologies. Always read the actual language.
After the bill is passed, the crime victim must pay for the tow, but, if the theft is reported to police, does not have to pay storage fees.
Comment by Stephanie Kollmann Thursday, Mar 14, 24 @ 9:52 am
==the crime victim must pay for the tow==
Why should they even have to do that? I would make the law so that the crime victim doesn’t have to pay anything. I think it’s outrageous that a crime victim would have to pay to get their car back.
Comment by Demoralized Thursday, Mar 14, 24 @ 10:24 am
Glad to hear medical devices should be made available to owners of towed vehicles. Long overdue. Maybe I it, but Alsip P.D. and/or the towing company may have attempted to contact the registered owner. Alsip may have notified Chicago P.D. of the recovery. They may have tried too. Demoralized, who should pay the tow?
Comment by The Magnificent Purple Walnut Thursday, Mar 14, 24 @ 10:44 am
=== I think it’s outrageous that a crime victim would have to pay to get their car back. ===
Then who pays the tow company? The municipality?
Comment by Hannibal Lecter Thursday, Mar 14, 24 @ 10:45 am
tow should be paid by the insurance companies, not the victim
Comment by Rabid Thursday, Mar 14, 24 @ 10:51 am
==Alsip may have notified Chicago P.D. of the recovery.==
Yeah. I’m sure they’re all over it ::eyeroll:: This reminds me of having called CPD about my stolen cellphone, giving them the exact address based on GPS coordinates. Their indifference was palpable.
Comment by Jocko Thursday, Mar 14, 24 @ 10:59 am
== the crime victim must pay for the tow ==
Oh boy, this will be fun …
Ideally, the person who is convicted of the crime should pay for the tow, any storage fees, and any damages. Guess you could always try to take them to Small Claims (?) Court.
If the vehicle was stolen off private property, such as a parking lot, the property owner should pay because of lax security.
If the vehicle was stolen from public property, the law enforcement unit responsible for that area should pay for failure to prevent the crime due to insufficient patrol / staffing.
If the theft was a result of a carjacking, while maybe not what was intended, then it might be covered by the Illinois Crime Victim Compensation Fund. But in that case, you will likely have to pay the tow, file, and wait for the Court of Claims to maybe / eventually reimburse you.
Or maybe the Victims Fund should be expanded to cover all loses?
What do all this suggestions have in common? It lays the cost back on the party responsible for preventing the crime (banned punctuation). If the compensation costs get too high, maybe some more money would be spent on prevention.
Or we could always require your car insurance company to pay for the tow. After all, insurance companies already pay for a tow after an accident. What is theft of a car but a different kind of accident?
Finally, one or more of the above would create a full employment opportunity for lawyers. They could spend lots of time arguing percentage of liability for the theft between the car owner and the property owner.
Comment by RNUG Thursday, Mar 14, 24 @ 11:13 am
It’s not my job to fix things anymore, but what if:
Instead of:
The Alsip Police locate a stolen vehicle, call a towing company, who sends a letter to crime victim, who has to go to Alsip, pick up car and pay towing fees
We did this:
The Alsip police locate a stolen vehicle, call owner, and ask him if he wants to come to Alsip today to pick up vehicle at location where it was found, or have vehicle towed to his residence that day for $100.
Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Thursday, Mar 14, 24 @ 11:27 am
Kudos to Koehler, Hernandez, and Preston for introducing bills for our health, environment, and food for sustainability and safety.
Comment by Mister Ed Thursday, Mar 14, 24 @ 11:28 am
=====the crime victim must pay for the tow==
===Why should they even have to do that?===
In Chicago, the person reporting a motor vehicle theft has the option of requesting that it be towed or requesting that they be notified if it is found. And it isn’t by mail–a contact phone number is recorded so the officer or OEMC can call the owner and find out what they want to do. Not sure if smaller municipalities do this. They might default to the option that generates fines and fees. But only sending a letter in the mail telling a victim their vehicle was found is outrageous unless the victim didn’t provide a phone number.
Comment by Leslie K Thursday, Mar 14, 24 @ 12:31 pm
The Don’t Sell My Data act (hb3385)is a pretty good first stab at a major problem, but giving an exemption for ‘value added services’ without defining what value added and to whom the value is added is a bad idea. The tech industry people always describe this kind of intrusive spying as value added.
Also, if at all legally possible, it should have something in there about companies can’t get out of being sued for breach of the act by forcing arbitration on consumers. I
Comment by Benniefly2 Thursday, Mar 14, 24 @ 12:45 pm
Good to see Cunningham doing some pro bono work
Comment by emoney Thursday, Mar 14, 24 @ 2:59 pm
DFPR got special legislation to conduct a special bidding opportunity to replace its licensing system and had 90 days to get bids done….the 90 days has come and gone.
Thank you Secretary Treto, not.
Comment by Thinking Thursday, Mar 14, 24 @ 4:58 pm