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* Tribune…
Illinois lawmakers advanced a measure that would eliminate mandatory road testing for drivers under 87 and allow people to report close relatives they believe are no longer capable of driving safely.
The bill, championed by Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias, sailed through the Senate on Thursday by a 57-0 vote after passing 114-0 in the House last month. The bill now heads to Gov. JB Pritzker’s desk. […]
Currently, drivers 79 and up are required to take vision and behind-the-wheel tests when renewing their licenses. Motorists 81 through 86 must renew their licenses every two years, instead of every four years as required for younger motorists, and drivers 87 and above must renew annually.
Under the bill now before Pritzker, vision and road testing for 87-and-up drivers would continue to be required annually. Those aged 79 through 86 would not have to take road tests, while the renewal cycles would remain the same. However, all drivers 79 and over still would have to show up in person at a driver’s services facility and take a vision exam to renew their licenses.
Backlash to Uber overcharging customers a city congestion fee has revived local and state efforts to regulate the rideshare industry.
A state bill requiring companies to provide an itemized list of fees before a purchase — or include it in the total advertised price — sailed through the House of Representatives and a key Senate committee Tuesday. And on Wednesday, a City Council member pledged to hold a hearing into Uber’s overcharging of the city’s Downtown congestion fee — while rideshare drivers rallied for more workplace protections.
The Junk Fee Ban Act takes aim at food delivery, rideshare, ticketing, lodging and other gig service companies concealing fees until customers reach checkout or get their receipt.
The state bill stalled previously as lawsuits with food delivery apps were settled over hidden fees. But Block Club’s reporting on Uber wrongfully charging the city’s $1.50 per ride Downtown “congestion” surcharge outside of permitted hours has convinced more lawmakers to support the bill this time around, said Rep. Bob Morgan, its chief sponsor in the House. It is now heading to Gov. JB Pritzker’s office for final approval.
A bill creating an interdisciplinary commission to study the interplay between animals, the environment and infectious disease within the Illinois Department of Public Health passed the House unanimously Wednesday.
Senate Bill 291 aims to establish the One Health Commission to aid in communication and collaboration between the state’s physicians, veterinarians, scientific professionals and state agencies on the topics of public health and safety, particularly when it comes to diseases that originate or mutate in animals.
“I think it gives us an advantage so that we have a little bit to be prepared, hopefully there will never be another COVID or another avian flu, but it does give us kind of a leg up in how to plan and how to prepare for that,” bill sponsor Sen. Julie Morrison, D-Lake Forest, told Capitol News Illinois after the bill passed.
The bill’s passage comes after federal action in 2021 and 2023 instructed the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to create One Health framework in collaboration with other federal agencies. In February, the CDC launched the National One Health Framework in an effort to protect the people, animals and environment across America from zoonotic diseases, which are viruses or bacteria passed from animals to humans.
* Sen. Rachel Ventura…
To address workforce gaps in the behavioral health care workforce across the state, State Senator Rachel Ventura worked alongside State Representative Nabeela Syed to lead House Bill 3487 through the Senate.
“Our state’s rural areas continue to suffer due to a lack of mental health professionals,” said Ventura (D-Joliet). “Accurate and recent data can greatly assist in addressing the behavioral health care workforce needs we have in this state. When we know the totality of the situation, we can come up with better solutions, such as grants or improved training programs to help this essential field.”
House Bill 3487 requires the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation to request voluntary demographic and employment data — including primary language, anticipated retirement year and ZIP code — when individuals apply for or renew behavioral health licenses. The goal is to generate more accurate data to better understand and address service gaps across Illinois. […]
House Bill 3487 passed the Senate on Thursday.
* WAND…
A bill improving how Illinois identifies and supports victims of human trafficking is heading to the governor’s desk.
The National Human Trafficking Hotline has identified more than 5,600 trafficking victims in Illinois since 2007, but authorities estimate the number of victims is much higher.
This plan could establish a victim-centered and trauma-informed approach for services helping human trafficking victims. It also requires training for the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, Department of Human Services, Department of Juvenile Justice and Department of Corrections to identify and help victims. The measure could improve screening procedures for at-risk populations within the justice system as well. […]
This bill also removes a 25 year time limit for victims to file lawsuits against their abuser. Sponsors and advocates note this can allow people trafficked as minors to seek justice sooner.
Senate Bill 2323 passed unanimously out of the House and Senate.
* WQAD…
Legislators in Illinois look to create new guidelines on missing person searches throughout the state.
IL Sen. Mike Halpin (D-Rock Island) wants to amend Illinois’ Missing Persons Identification Act, making law enforcement agencies more collaborative in their search.
“The current rules are not necessarily standardized throughout the state,” Halpin said. “You may have some departments that search a particular set of databases to try to identify someone and you got other departments that’ll go through a slightly different process. This was an initiative to try to standardize that across the state.”The bill, SB0024, prevents departments from closing cases until the missing person has been confirmed returned or identified. Departments also have to collect DNA from family members within 30 days of a filed report.
SB24 was unanimously voted out of the Senate yesterday and is now back in the House for concurrence.
* Sen. Graciela Guzman…
As their community faces exponentially rising costs of living and gentrification, State Senator Graciela Guzmán and State Representative Will Guzzardi have developed legislation to collect data on the lack of more affordable housing options, inspiring agencies and organizations to invest in developing more affordable housing. […]
Illinois has passed legislation addressing housing insecurity by prioritizing the needs of the state’s most vulnerable to experiencing homelessness. The Office to Prevent and End Homelessness has implemented a multi-year strategy, Home Illinois, to reach towards functional zero homelessness statewide. Additionally, the Illinois Housing Development Authority finances and encourages the growth and preservation of affordable housing for renters at 80% of the area median income and below. These measures have worked to prevent some of the most vulnerable Illinoisans from experiencing homelessness.
However, folks earning between 80% and 140% of the area median income are often overlooked. Still facing a lack of reasonably priced housing, middle-income earners are pushed into the affordable housing market, making affordable housing less accessible for them and those earning less.
House Bill 3616 aims to illuminate the demand for affordable housing, and the lack of housing inventory that middle-income earners are facing. It would require IHDA to collect data on the available inventory of affordable housing in each local government in Illinois available for sale or for rent affordable to extremely low income and middle income households. Every five years, IHDA would be required to publish the data collected, make the data available to the public, and report the data to the General Assembly. From there, it may be used to influence policy to invest in more development of affordable housing options. […]
House Bill 3616 passed the Senate on Thursday. It now goes to the governor’s desk.
* Rep Sharon Chung…
State Rep. Sharon Chung, D-Bloomington, is advocating for a measure that requires insurance providers to cover the use of medications that slow the progression of Alzheimer’s and related dementias in individuals.
“Alzheimer’s disease, along with other dementia related illnesses, is a difficult disease to manage for both the individual and their family, and their experience should not be burdened by high costs and red tape from insurance companies,” said Chung. “In recent years, researchers and doctors have made great progress in the fight against Alzheimer’s and everyone should have access to the medications and treatments that have come from this great progress.”
Chung-backed Senate Bill 126 requires health insurance providers to cover the cost of medication that slows the progression of Alzheimer’s and related dementias along with all medically necessary diagnostic testing. This bill also prohibits insurance providers from requiring insured persons to go through step therapy, the process of trying a different, less costly alternative treatment and to fail treatment before what was prescribed is covered. […]
Senate Bill 126 received unanimous support in the House and Senate and now goes to Gov. Pritzker for signature.
* More…
* WAND | House passes bill requiring CPR training for Illinois emergency dispatchers, sends plan to Pritzker: Experts have told lawmakers the barriers to entry for effective T-CPR is incredibly low and the training requires minimal investment compared to long-term healthcare savings and life saves. “When CPR begins prior to arrival of emergency medical service, the person in cardiac arrest has a two to three fold higher likelihood of survival,” said Rep. Lisa Davis (D-Chicago). “For every minute intervention is delayed, the chance of survival decreases by 10%.”
* WAND | IL bills to help students with FAFSA applications passed out of the Senate unanimously: One bill would require one person in the school, whether staff or a teacher, to become a FAFSA assistant. Their role would be to help students with any problems when filling out their applications. The other bill would require schools to allow some time out of the school day to allow students to complete their FAFSA applications.
* KFVS | Deer hunting legislation heads to Gov. Pritzker’s desk: House Bill 2339 requires the Illinois Department of Natural Resources to end its sharpshooting program used to manage chronic wasting disease if no cases have been found in the previous three calendar years. House Bill 2340 makes landowner deer permits more accessible in counties where chronic wasting disease has been found.
* Press Release | State Representative Margaret Croke’s Legislation to Prevent Restaurant Reservation Piracy and Protect Local Restaurants Passes Senate, Heads to Governor Pritzker for Signature: Yesterday, State Representative Margaret Croke’s legislation preventing restaurant reservation piracy passed out of the Illinois Senate unanimously. The Restaurant Reservation Anti-Piracy Act prevents third-party services from listing, advertising, promoting or selling reservations for restaurants without written agreement. The bill, which now heads to Governor Pritzker’s desk to be signed into law, protects restaurants from costly no-shows and prevents consumers from experiencing reservation fraud.
posted by Isabel Miller
Friday, May 23, 25 @ 9:31 am
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I assume the first sentence should read “…over 87″
Comment by Six Degrees of Separation Friday, May 23, 25 @ 9:43 am
@ Six Degrees of Separation: The online Trib headline actually reads “Illinois lawmakers OK bill eliminating mandatory road testing for drivers under 87″, and it’s repeated in the article. Not the most egregious typo from a Chicago newspaper lately, but another example of what happens when you don’t have copy editors.
Comment by JoanP Friday, May 23, 25 @ 9:54 am
== should read “…over 87″ ==
No typo, the bill raises the age for mandatory road tests from 79 to 87.
Comment by Isabel Miller Friday, May 23, 25 @ 10:11 am
=House Bill 3616 aims to illuminate the demand for affordable housing, and the lack of housing inventory
“From there, it may be used to influence policy to invest in more development of affordable housing options.”
Read that as imposing limits on locally approved zoning rules for Illinois cities/villages.
Comment by Donnie Elgin Friday, May 23, 25 @ 10:17 am
I feel like IL and Chicago might be posed for a Mini Migration in the years to come, as knowledge workers and skilled and unskilled professionals of all types want to live and work in a state where, among other things, it’s not a crime to love the person you choose, abortion is legal, and you don’t have to worry as much about your kids regularly mixing with unvaccinated peers. But, none of that works if there’s no affordable housing to be had.
Comment by ZC Friday, May 23, 25 @ 10:17 am
@ZC
Where in the nation is housing currently affordable that also makes good-faith attempts at maintaining civilization?
Comment by Irreverent Friday, May 23, 25 @ 10:25 am
=But, none of that works if there’s no affordable housing to be had=
Exactly. And while I don’t know what the solution is, the flipping of starter home stock is a huge problem. Small 3 bedroom 1 bath homes are hitting prices that are insane. It’s driving up housing prices to the point where empty nesters are not interested in selling their houses once they see just how NOT far their dollar goes on the next purchase. I don’t know the policy well enough to offer a solution, but its a problem we need to solve before the problem solves itself with a crash.
Comment by Retired School Board Member Friday, May 23, 25 @ 10:28 am
Thanks for the clarification, Isabel!
Comment by Six Degrees of Separation Friday, May 23, 25 @ 10:30 am
@ZC
I believe it’s already happening. While anecdotal, I meet many people who’ve come here from other states - Kentucky, Tennessee, Missouri, etc. for protection.
Woodstock is a popular destination because of its progressive values, somewhat affordable housing, and relative proximity to the Chicago area.
Comment by Proud Papa Bear Friday, May 23, 25 @ 10:47 am
=== But Block Club’s reporting on Uber wrongfully charging the city’s $1.50 per ride Downtown “congestion” surcharge outside of permitted hours has convinced more lawmakers to support the bill this time around ==-=
Not every problem in the world requires legislation. Uber messed up, they were threatened with legal action, and they fixed the problem. If people really don’t like Uber they don’t have to use the service.
Comment by Just Me 2 Friday, May 23, 25 @ 12:27 pm
I see zero reason to think rural healthcare won’t continue to be a massive problem so long as we don’t have national healthcare. As long as health care is profit driven, there is no good reason to set up shop in poor, less population dense areas.
It also raises the thornier question of how much should states be spending to prop up areas that are, at the end of the day, economic sinkholes.
I’m a bit more socialist than most when it comes to provision of government services, but I acknowledge there also needs to be a line drawn somewhere when establishing those services. But we can’t figure any of this out until we start being collectively honest with ourselves about the scope and seriousness of the issue as rural areas continue to decline in economic and population terms.
Comment by Homebody Friday, May 23, 25 @ 12:33 pm
=== to collect data on the lack of more affordable housing options, inspiring agencies and organizations to invest in developing more affordable housing ===
Typically pols wasting time studying a problem with the solution is obvious to anyone with half a brain: solution to not enough housing is to incentivize the creation of more of it.
Instead pols go out of their way to create more rules, more regulations, more fees, and more time to do the very thing they claim they desperately want more of.
Comment by Just Me 2 Friday, May 23, 25 @ 12:36 pm