BUDGET Moody’s adds “positive” outlook to State of Illinois credit rating of A3. This moves Illinois further away from “junk bond” territory. However, Illinois debts continue to have a lower credit rating than the debts issued by most U.S. states. Illinois taxpayers continue to be required to pay higher interest rates than most other states on the debts sold to rebuild public roads, bridges, and infrastructure. This is an increasing concern in a time of rising worldwide interest rates. Moody’s now has a “positive” outlook on Illinois general obligation (GO) debt, but the debt continues to be ..read more

State Representative Amy Elik won unanimous support in the House of Representatives for her bipartisan legislation to protect students from abuse.  House Bill 4241 amends the Sex Offenses Article of the Criminal Code and ensures that school employees who commit acts of sexual conduct or sexual penetration with a student, regardless of the student’s age, are held responsible. The legislation protects students who are between 18 and 23 years of age against acts of sexual conduct or sexual abuse by an educator or school staff member. Abuse by an educator or authority figure involvin ..read more

On April 15, protesters cut–off vehicle access to O’Hare Airport causing major traffic delays, forcing people to exit their vehicles and walk along the expressway, luggage in tow, trying to make their flights on time. Other travelers missed their flights altogether. The safety issues that resulted from the protesters’ decision to shut down a ramp to O’Hare caused Rep. Dan Ugaste to consider the public safety implications of their actions. Not only did the protesters prevent people from getting to the airport and create a major traffic nightmare, but, their actions could have also delayed fi ..read more

GENERAL ASSEMBLY Rep. Patrick Sheehan wastes no time getting to work in Springfield. With just over a month left in the legislative schedule, newly minted State Representative Patrick Sheehan wasted no time getting to work on behalf of his constituents. In a statement to the press after being sworn into office, Sheehan said he couldn’t wait to hit the ground running for suburban families. And, hit the ground running is exactly what he did. Sheehan was sworn into office on Friday, April 12, to fill the vacancy left by the retiring Representative Tim Ozinga and by Monday he was in the State C ..read more

Legislation carried by State Representative Jeff Keicher (R-Sycamore) to help child victims of human trafficking heal and move on with their lives following their trauma passed unanimously through the Illinois House of Representatives last week. When the legislation, House Bill 5465, passed through committee recently, Keicher said, “Victims of human trafficking and sexual exploitation, especially children, represent our most vulnerable, and we need to do everything we can to help them through their recovery process. That’s why I’m proud to be carrying House Bill 5465. The legislation builds ..read more

Earlier this Spring, State Representative Amy Grant (R-Wheaton) introduced HB 1879 in response to an incident involving a stolen prescription for a Schedule II controlled substance at a Chicagoland pharmacy. The proposed bill aims to close a loophole reported on by CBS Chicago where a Chicago area woman’s opioid prescription was stolen. The incident involved Doris Jones, whose oxycodone prescription was wrongfully dispensed to an unidentified individual that somehow knew her personal details. “I’m committed to finding real and meaningful solutions to the opioid crisis that has taken our ..read more

Since 1938, the United States Department of Labor has provided opportunities through Section 14(c) certificates to provide every American with a chance to work. These certificates allow employers to hire intellectually and developmentally disabled individuals at wages below the federal minimum and set up “workshops” to provide support for these workers. Despite the incredible strides our nation has made to promote inclusivity and dignity in the workplace for Americans with disabilities, new legislation in Illinois threatens to eliminate these programs entirely. As a result, many concerned leg ..read more

Illinois House Democrats have introduced new legislation that would eliminate single-family zoning areas in Illinois’ largest cities. House Bill 4795, introduced to the General Assembly by Representative Kam Buckner (D -Chicago), would establish the Single-Family Zoning Ban Act. The proposed legislation would require all townships, municipalities, and counties with populations greater than 100,000 residents to make several amendments to their zoning ordinances and zoning maps. Such amendments would require all zoning areas currently zoned for single-family homes to allow the use of “middle h ..read more

With only six weeks left in the legislative schedule, newly minted State Representative Patrick Sheehan wasted no time getting to work on behalf of his constituents. In his statement to the press last week, Sheehan said he couldn't wait to hit the ground running for suburban families. And, hit the ground running is exactly what he did. Sheehan was sworn into office on Friday to fill the vacancy left by the retiring Representative Tim Ozinga and by Monday he was in the State Capital voting his District's interests on the raucous floor of the Illinois House of Representatives. The whirlwind d ..read more

Today, most of the 120 acres that make up Northerly Island, just south of Chicago’s Loop, are underutilized and under-appreciated. However, despite its lack of use today, Northerly Island used to be home to one of the world’s most unique and beloved airports: Merrill C. Meigs Field. In 1925, Northly Island was constructed, as first suggested by architect Daniel Burnham in his “Plan Of Chicago”. The plan outlined several proposals to bring more beauty to the city, including a man-made island connected by a land bridge that would be used as a space for a large park. However, as the aviation in ..read more