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* ICYMI: Pritzker signs health insurance reform measures. Capitol News Illinois…
Gov. JB Pritzker signed legislation Wednesday that puts new controls on the state’s health insurance industry, including bans on certain practices companies have used to reduce costs by controlling the amount of health care services a patient receives.
The Health Care Protection Act, House Bill 5395, was among Pritzker’s top legislative priorities during the just-completed legislative session.
Pritzker also signed House Bill 2499, which bans the sale of short-term, limited-duration insurance plans in Illinois – policies Pritzker and other critics refer to as “junk insurance” because they are not required to meet the minimum standards under the federal Affordable Care Act. […]
Among other things, the Health Care Protection Act bars the use of a restriction known as “step therapy,” also known as a “fail first” provision, that requires a patient to try and fail on one or more treatments preferred by the insurance company before they can access a treatment recommended by their doctor.
* Related stories…
* Sun-Times political reporter Tina Sfondeles…
Gov. Pritzker caught on hot mic at Chicago event saying, "I don't like where we are…" about the presidential race. "I mean, we're just going to keep fighting. I don't know what to say. You know, got to do what we have to do." https://t.co/aaDYk8C4K0
— Tina Sfondeles (@TinaSfon) July 10, 2024
* CBS Chicago…
“I mean, we’re just going to keep fighting. I don’t know what to say. You know, got to do what we have to do,” Pritzker was heard saying to a man at the event. “I don’t like where we are, but…”
Jordan Abudayyeh, deputy chief of communications for Gov. Pritzker’s office, said it “sounds like [Pritzker] was talking about the state of the presidential race.”
At 11, Governor Pritzker will attend the opening of new St. Clair County Public Safety Center. At 2:15 he will attend SWIC Manufacturing Training Academy ribbon cutting at Southwestern Illinois College in Belleville. Click here to watch.
…Adding… Pritzker was asked about the hot mic comments today…
All I was referring to is, I don’t like the polls, right? Joe Biden is behind by a couple of points nationally. I think we should be doing a lot better. I’ve certainly said that President Biden should get out there more talk to the American public, make sure that he’s communicating about the issues that are important to them and that the Democratic Party stands up for. And so I don’t like the fact that we’re behind, and I think we can do much better. And I’m going to go campaign for him and watch him win in November.
* Sun-Times | Ahead of DNC, city officials to close, cordon off one of Chicago’s largest, most visible homeless camps: The “tent city” sandwiched for years between the Dan Ryan expressway and the 1100 block of South Desplaines Street will be cleared out on Wednesday and permanently cordoned off, Brandie Knazze, commissioner of the city’s Department of Family and Support Services, told the Chicago Sun-Times. Nearly all of the 22 residents living there recently in a few dozen blue and orange tents have agreed to move to a city-operated shelter of 60 beds at 100 E. Chestnut St., in the former Tremont Hotel. This year’s inaugural summer-shelter arrangement has been funded through Aug. 31, Knazze said, a little more than a week after the end of the convention expected to draw tens of thousands of Democratic leaders and supporters, as well as protesters.
* CBS | $100 million from State of Illinois to go to anti-violence programs in Chicago: Lori Crowder, the executive director of the Alliance of Local Service Organizations, said a coalition of seven community organizations will be able to use $5 million in new funding for outreach, case management, victim services, employment and education, and mental health and behavioral health services. “What we know to be true is this: when jobs go up, violence goes down,” Crowder said. “When education goes up, violence goes down.”
* Tribune | Illinois legislators and CUB urge rejection of water rate hikes requested by Aqua Illinois, Illinois American: Later in 2013, a state law was passed that allows Illinois American and Aqua Illinois to buy up depreciated water and wastewater systems, and charge consumers for the acquisition costs, according to CUB. […] State Rep. Nabeela Syed, a Democrat from Palatine, argued against granting water utilities a rate increase, citing poor service experiences reported by her municipality and others.
* Forbes | Illinois Marijuana Sales Hit $1 Billion So Far This Year: Governor JB Pritzker announced on Wednesday that Illinois hit $1 billion in marijuana retail sales on July 1, 2024. This figure includes over $850 million in adult-use marijuana sales and nearly $150 million in medical marijuana sales. […] Additionally, total marijuana sales for the Fiscal Year (from July 1 through June 30) in 2024 exceeded $2 billion, up from $1.9 billion in FY 2023 to $1.8 billion in FY 2022.
* Tribune | Chicago Public Schools’ $9.9 billion proposed budget purports to close $500 million deficit, for now: The total proposed budget’s $500 million increase over last year’s $9.4 billion reflects facility investments that are “vital to keeping facilities operating safely and smoothly,” according to CPS. Representing the lion’s share of CPS spending, school budgets will cumulatively increase by $149 million compared with the start of last year — a margin that the district attributed to the cost of required services for special education students, state-mandated charter school funding increases and expanded bilingual services. Staff salaries and student benefits make up nearly 70% of the total budget, which will fund more than 800 additional full-time employees this year, CPS announced.
* Tribune | School board candidates present platforms during forum: ‘This is a really big deal’: More than half of the candidates running for one of 10 elected seats on the new, hybrid Chicago Board of Education gathered at a virtual forum Wednesday evening to introduce themselves and their platforms. Funding neighborhood schools, improving disability services and literacy rates, and balancing the district’s budget were among the issues discussed at the event, which was hosted via Zoom by the education nonprofit Raise Your Hand for Illinois Public Education.
* WTTW | Illinois Reparations Commission to Host Public Hearings, Starting in Chicago: The state’s reparations commission is kicking off public hearings across Illinois — with the first taking place in Chicago on Saturday. The commission is tasked with researching and reporting on possible reparatory actions for Black residents who are descendants of slavery. Leaders said the public’s input will be used in developing proposals for policymakers.
* Sun-Times | Fact check: Viral tweet wrongly claims Brandon Johnson blamed Richard Nixon for Chicago violence: But Johnson didn’t blame Nixon for violence in Chicago. The mayor’s only mention of Nixon came after reflecting on President Lyndon B. Johnson’s war on poverty. “Black death has been unfortunately accepted in this country for a very long time,” the mayor said. “We had a chance 60 years ago to get at the root causes and people mocked President Johnson, and we ended up with Richard Nixon.”
* Sun-Times | Newly hatched piping plover chick presumed dead at Montrose Beach. ‘Much loved and will be missed’: The chick went missing after 6 p.m. Tuesday and was presumed dead, “as it cannot survive away from its parents,” said Tamima Itani, lead volunteer coordinator with Chicago Piping Plovers. The other three chicks “are doing fine,” she added.
* Lake County News-Sun | Lake County Forest Preserves District to expand lakefront footprint: The Lake County Forest Preserves District Board of Commissioners unanimously approved the purchase of 18.2 acres of the former Ft. Sheridan adjacent to the Openlands preserve Tuesday in Waukegan, creating a larger footprint along Lake Michigan. With a little more of the Lake Michigan shoreline now in the public domain, Lake County Board Chair Sandy Hart, D-Lake Bluff, said planning should be more long-term than the usual strategic planning.
* Daily Herald | Fire ‘buddies’ helping build pool deck for Schaumburg girl with cerebral palsy: Schaumburg firefighters are continuing their friendship with a 7-year-old girl with cerebral palsy and epilepsy by helping build a deck for the beloved swimming pool she recently received through Make-A-Wish. Kelly Boscardin said her daughter Savanah, though nonverbal, has been delighted by the firefighters since even before she was selected for the Project Fire Buddies chapter served by the local union.
* Forbes | Discover The Midwest’s AI Powerhouse: The University Of Illinois: It was no coincidence that Arthur C. Clarke chose Urbana, Illinois, as the birthplace of HAL, the infamous fictional AI from 2001: A Space Odyssey. Back then, the University of Illinois (U of I) was becoming a powerhouse in the fields of technology HAL represents. Today, the U of I’s Grainger College of Engineering and its brand-new Siebel School of Computing and Data Science constitute a world-leading hub of AI innovation beyond anything Clarke could have imagined. Since 2019, the university has conducted over $270 million of AI-related research projects, spurring advancements in agriculture, biotechnology, education, and other fields while equipping the next generation of inclusive experts with hands-on experience.
* NBC Chicago | Rep. Mike Bost, Darren Bailey among Illinois delegates to 2024 RNC in Milwaukee: According to the list released Wednesday, Reps. Mary Miller and Mike Bost will both be among the delegates headed to Milwaukee to nominate former President Donald Trump for the third consecutive election cycle. […] Each of Illinois’ 17 Congressional districts will send three delegates apiece to the convention, according to the Republican Party’s press release. In addition, 13 at-large delegates will also cast ballots during the event, which kicks off Monday at Milwaukee’s Fiserv Forum.
* Sun-Times | Downstate man who wore Revolutionary War costume and gas mask at Jan. 6 riot gets 2.5 months in jail: Derek Nelson, 31, of Danville pleaded guilty in March to a misdemeanor charge of entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds. Prosecutors told U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols in Washington, D.C., that an “indelible” image of Nelson and a companion appearing as “willing foot soldiers of chaos” crystallized the harm caused “to the perceived stability of our republic.”
* AP | EU accepts Apple pledge to let rivals access ‘tap to pay’ iPhone tech to resolve antitrust case: The deal promises more choice for Europeans. iPhone users will be able to set a default wallet of their choice while mobile wallet developers will be able to use important iPhone verification functions like Face ID, Vestager said. […] The changes that Apple is making are to remain in force for a decade, will apply throughout the bloc’s 27 countries plus Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein, and will be monitored by a trustee.
posted by Isabel Miller
Thursday, Jul 11, 24 @ 7:51 am
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So how bad does it have to get before Illinois is within the margin of error like Minnesota currently is?
Comment by QC Cat Thursday, Jul 11, 24 @ 8:39 am
=== So how bad does it have to get before Illinois is within the margin of error like Minnesota currently is? ===
Won’t happen.
Comment by Hannibal Lecter Thursday, Jul 11, 24 @ 8:46 am
“sounds like [Pritzker] was talking about the state of the presidential race.”
Not a great spin one month out from hosting the DNC convention
Comment by Donnie Elgin Thursday, Jul 11, 24 @ 9:05 am
“I don’t like where we are…”. I thought he was “all in” for Biden who “of course” has the cognitive capability to be President. Why would he lie in public, then express his real thoughts when he thought he was off mic? It tells you what you need to know about his character and trustworthiness.
Comment by Captain Obvious Thursday, Jul 11, 24 @ 9:40 am
Pritzker hasn’t worked this hard for a appointment since OBamas seat was available
Comment by Long Time Independent Thursday, Jul 11, 24 @ 9:54 am
No one “likes” where the race is, I’m sure BIDEN doesn’t like where the race is, that doesn’t mean anything about Pritzker’s support for Biden.
Comment by Perrid Thursday, Jul 11, 24 @ 10:21 am
Captain Obvious - your name doesn’t match your analysis. It is pretty obvious that any dem, whether they are all in for Biden or want him to step aside, isn’t happy with where they are right now. This isn’t some bombshell revelation.
Comment by Montrose Thursday, Jul 11, 24 @ 10:23 am
I suppose that I honestly thought Pritzker’s “hot mic” moment was incredibly tame. You can both publicly support Biden and also not like where the race is–it’s not even contradictory. (I personally believe Biden should step down, but it’s obvious that the Governor has little to gain from publicly calling for it.)
Comment by Garfield Ridge Guy Thursday, Jul 11, 24 @ 10:28 am
Pritzker comment is rather normal. What else is he supposed to say? The presidential race isn’t going well so far. He didn’t make the Democratic party look bad with the comment. It is what it is.
Comment by Steve Thursday, Jul 11, 24 @ 10:42 am
Captain Obvious - Thursday, Jul 11, 24 @ 9:40 am:
“I don’t like where we are…
No Dem or Biden supporter likes where we are with this mess. That doesn’t translate into a lie. Dems and Biden are in a bad place irrespective of Biden’s debate performance. When will we see our Savior sweep into the picture? No one has appeared in the last few years or months. Hillary Clinton is polling above almost everyone - this week. Potential candidates understand that stepping in now is political suicide. They will be savaged by conservatives. The NYT and WaPo will amplify the drumbeat. Whomever steps in would be demonized in exactly the same way as Biden is now and Clinton was during the final weeks of her campaign. How many times will conservatives succeed with this game plan before Democrats understand what is going on? Biden is our candidate until/unless he pulls out. On his worst day, at his most impaired, Biden is an exponentially better candidate and human being than convected felon, DJT. DJT is mentally impaired based on his current speeches. He was a hideous president and did irreparable damage to America. We have two choices here, Biden or Trump.
Comment by froganon Thursday, Jul 11, 24 @ 10:48 am
“It tells you what you need to know about his character and trustworthiness”
He is a politician. Don’t pretend to be so naive.
Comment by Ducky LaMoore Thursday, Jul 11, 24 @ 10:54 am
Captain Oblivios strikes again
Comment by Demoralized Thursday, Jul 11, 24 @ 11:00 am
== Why would he lie in public, then express his real thoughts when he thought he was off mic? It tells you what you need to know about his character and trustworthiness.==
Sorry Captain, but are you referring to the vast majority of GOP leaders who privately admit how unfit for office Trump is, yet “lie in public” when they say the exact opposite?
Comment by Henry Francis Thursday, Jul 11, 24 @ 11:32 am
=No Dem or Biden supporter likes where we are with this mess.+
You don’t even have to be in one of those categories to not like what is happening.
“It tells you what you need to know about his character and trustworthiness”=
We would have to go back to Jim Edgar to have a governor that I thought was as honest as JB.
Comment by JS Mill Thursday, Jul 11, 24 @ 12:39 pm
What Governor Pritzker said reminds me of when Chris Getz said “I don’t like our team” about the White Sox.
Comment by Three Dimensional Checkers Thursday, Jul 11, 24 @ 12:48 pm
Will Bost and Bailey room together in Milwaukee? /s
Comment by Highland, IL Thursday, Jul 11, 24 @ 1:22 pm