- The Cook County Democratic Party will host a virtual Secretary of State candidate forum at 10 a.m. Saturday. The forum was organized by 40th Ward committeeperson Maggie O’Keefe and 16th Ward Committeeperson Ald. Stephanie Coleman (16) and will be moderated by party chair and Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle. All 80 committeepeople will be allowed to ask questions after 20-minute introduction period for all five candidates. Online registration is required.
Springfield Announcements June 02, 2021
Ald. George Cardenas (12) tweeted, "No longer will be called Alderman. I’m ok with that. First name or Last name works. I hope the Bible is not next though."
Ald. Raymond Lopez (15) tweeted, "A pleasure to join @chicagosmayor & @aldnapolitano41 to welcome the newest class of firefighters & EMTS!"
Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez (25) tweeted about the ongoing discussions about an elected school board for Chicago Public Schools. “@chicagosmayor again with platitudes. TODAY @ILSenDems will be voting on the ERSB. Mayor Lightfoot & her rich funders want to continue looting our children’s resources & oppose it. @DonHarmonIL listen to the people, an ERSB will bring democracy & investment to address violence,” he wrote.
Ald. Michele Smith (43) touted the city’s new restrictions on short-term rentals, which went into full effect on Tuesday.
Ald. James Cappleman (46) tweeted about the General Assembly's passage of legislation changing the title "alderman" to "alderperson:" "We stopped saying mailman, policeman, and fireman a long time ago, so it's about time for "alderman" to change," he wrote. "I would have preferred the term council member, but I'll take this."
Ald. Maria Hadden (49) tweeted in recognition of the beginning of Pride Month: "It’s June 1st, which means LGBTQ Pride month has begun. Pride month to me is about being able to show up as your full self. It’s about being able to be with who I love and be out and proud about that."
Comm. Kevin Morrison (D-14) tweeted, "I'm proud to announce that for the first time, @cookcountygov will raise a Pride Flag the entire month of June. Today, at 10 a.m., you're invited to join me, @TheDonnaMiller, and other officials to celebrate the beginning of #PrideMonth."
Ward Reports June 02, 2021
Chicago is “on track to join the State of Illinois in moving to Phase Five” on reopening on June 11, Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s office announced Thursday. More than 50 percent of Chicagoans are at least partially vaccinated, according to the mayor’s office, and Phase Five is set to include a “lifting of all COVID regulations at businesses.” Still, masks will be required on public transportation and in school and health care settings. Additional guidance on Phase Five is expected next week, according to Lightfoot’s office.
Chicago Treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin is set to give a virtual “State of the Treasurer’s Office” address at 11 a.m. Monday. The address will broadcast live on her Facebook page.
Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi’s office is scheduled on June 17 to host a webinar titled “Understanding Cook County Property Tax Appeals.” The webinar is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. and representatives from the assessor’s office will answer questions on topics including “how to file an appeal, when to file an appeal, what it means to be reassessed, how to apply for a Certificate of Error, an explanation of exemptions, and more,” according to the event invitation. Registration is available online.
Chicago Announcements June 04, 2021
- The Public Building Commission issued a notice of intent to issue a Request for Proposals for “design-build services” for the planned Chicago Police Department and Chicago Fire Department training academy at 4433 W. Chicago Ave. The RFP will be issued after June 14, according to the announcement.
Chicago Announcements June 01, 2021
Rep. Keith Wheeler (R-Oswego) posted to Facebook about a bill reducing fees for trailer licenses: "I voted for a bill we passed through the House yesterday that will reduce trailer fees from $118 to $36. This legislation now moves to the Senate for final consideration today before it goes to the Governor for his signature."
Rep. Tom Demmer (R-Dixon) posted to Facebook about ongoing energy talks, writing "as we enter the final day, there has not yet been a deal reached to save the Byron and Dresden nuclear plants. This is my top priority this session, and I continue to work with fellow legislators at all hours of the day and night to find a compromise and keep the plants open."
Rep. Kam Buckner (D-Chicago) tweeted about weekend gun violence in Chicago, writing "not all of our fault, but definitely all of our responsibility. Fault emanates from choices already made. Responsibility emanates from choices in the present and the future. We have a choice to do what we need to in order to fix what’s broken."
Sen. Sara Feigenholtz (D-Chicago) tweeted about House Bill 3308, which expands opportunities for patients to receive care through telehealth. "Make no mistake," she wrote. "This is a big win for Illinois patients.
Sen. Ann Gillespie (D-Arlington Heights) tweeted about two bills that passed the legislature Sunday: "SBs 661 & 662 address the student debt crisis & our shortage of professional, culturally competent social workers. As students return to in-person learning after remote classes, the need for social workers is more critical than ever.
District Dispatches June 01, 2021
- Speaker Chris Welch has appointed Representative LaToya Greenwood (D - East St. Louis) as Majority Conference Chairperson.
Springfield Announcements June 01, 2021
Ald. Raymond Lopez (15) tweeted, "Thank you Fr. Miguel, Larry Kulik & @boyscouts Troop 465 for keeping the @CatholicWarVets Post 500 tradition alive in our Brighton Park community at @ConceptionHoly!"
Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez (25) tweeted that Senate President Don Harmon (D-Oak Park)"can expect massive mobilizations at his office if he denies Black & brown communities our right to an [elected Chicago school board]. This racist decision will not stand, enough experiments & disinvestment in our schools."
Ald. Roberto Maldonado (26) tweeted about Memorial Day, writing "Thank you to the families who lost a loved one in combat. They gave their lives for the liberty that we celebrate today. This Memorial Day, We Pause, We Honor, We Remember."
Ald. Carlos Ramirez-Rosa (35) tweeted, It's Memorial Day and I'm with friends, so I will accept "Alderperson" as a compromise. But the struggle for a gender neutral, age neutral, and non-ageist title, like "Council Member," continues.
Ald. Andre Vasquez (40) tweeted, “so glad to see this!! It isn’t “Alder” but it’s close enough!! Glad to have raised this up at the city level!” regarding a proposal in Springfield to change the title of renaming City Council members to “alderperson” instead of “alderman.”
Ald. Anthony Napolitano (41) tweeted, "Today we honor the fallen veterans who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our country. God bless those who served and continue to serve this great nation."
Ward Reports: June 01, 2021
Ald. Raymond Lopez (15) tweeted about the one-year anniversary of protests following George Floyd's murder in 2020, writing "It was the longest, saddest and most harrowing day of my elected life. And I will never forgive the arrogance of Lori Lightfoot that made it possible."
Ald. Rossana Rodriguez (33) tweeted, "it happened. We will have crisis response without police mandated by the State. #TreatmentNotTrauma is the approach we need to take" following the passage of a law that will bring Mental Health First Responders to Illinois.
Ald. Gilbert Villegas (36) tweeted, "@chicagosmayor we @ChiLatinoCaucus are against the lowering of the threshold for approving ward redistricting from 41 to a simple majority (26). More voices approving items is better than less especially when changes have a lasting impact on our citizens. #voicesmatter #sneaky"
Ald. Andre Vasquez (40) tweeted, "Take note of how someone who presents themselves as being for good government is actively moving counter to it behind the scenes. This is the same Mayor who wants to impose a liquor curfew citywide" regarding Mayor Lori Lightfoot's move to lower the approval threshold for ward redistricting.
Ald. Brendan Reilly (42) tweeted, "Ok. Now do reproductive rights" alongside a clip of Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) discussing health care freedoms and vaccine passports.
Ald. James Cappleman (46) thanked Sen. Sara Feigenholtz (D-Chicago) in a tweet for her work on a new package of affordable housing reforms, which offers tax incentives to landlords who reduce the rent of their properties.
Ward Reports 05-31-21
Rep. Kelly Cassidy (D-Chicago) tweeted “when there’s one session day left, three committee multitasking requires a little extra fuel.”
Rep. Katie Stuart (D-Edwardsville) tweeted “this evening we passed a bill that will roll back the fee on small trailer registrations from $188 to $36.”
Sen. Ann Gillespie (D-Arlington Heights) tweeted “following the pandemic, an estimated 344,000 Illinoisans are behind on rent. It’s time for Illinois to make a change: House Bill 2621 will expand affordable rental housing options in neighorhoods across the state to help families get back on their feet.”
Sen. Sue Rezin (R-Morris) tweeted a video of her attending a recent rally, adding “I am proud to represent three carbon-free nuclear plants. The General Assembly still has time to find a way to save our nuclear plants and thousands of jobs they provide our communities.”
District Dispatches May 31, 2021
House Speaker Chris Welch (D-Hillside) announced on Saturday he had appointed Rep. LaToya Greenwood (D-East St. Louis) as the House Democrats’ majority conference chair. Greenwood takes over for Rep. Carol Ammons (D-Urbana) who resigned from the post on Saturday.
Springfield Announcements May 31, 2021
City officials will host a webinar at 1 p.m. on June 16 to provide information on Adopt-A-Landmark fund applications. Online registration is required.
chicago-announcements-05-31-21
Sen. Laura Ellman (D-Naperville) passed HB 741, which would let students use 529 college savings for other uses, out of the Senate Friday. In a statement, Ellman said “expanding how students can use this savings program provides them with more options for the future.”
Sen. Terri Bryant (R-Murphysboro) blasted proposed legislation pertaining to the redistricting process in a tweet: “There is a hearing taking place on HB2777,” she wrote. “It is the bill that will put the new maps in statute. It was posted around 1:00am. The hearing was scheduled an hour before the hearing began. DID ANY OF YOU KNOW ABOUT IT?? Sneaky non transparent BS.”
Sen. Dave Koehler (D-Peoria) has passed the Vegetable Garden Protection Act out of the Senate. According to a press release, HB 633 “establishes the right to grow a vegetable garden on private property, and prevents municipalities from prohibiting the cultivation of vegetable gardens absent any other concerns.”
Sen. Laura Fine (D-Glenview) passed HB 714 out of the Senate Friday, permitting Illinoisans filing claims for disability benefits to not pay for copies of medical records while filing.
Fine also passed HB 3025, which mandates that the Department of Healthcare and Family Services cover telehealth for epilepsy care providers, and HB 3079, which expands infertility treatment to single women and women unable to conceive with partners.
Sen. Mattie Hunter’s (D-Chicago) bill requiring schools to have pregnancy-related absence and missed work policies passed out of the General Assembly. “Girls should not be punished for being pregnant. School administrators can help accommodate pregnant students’ learning needs to ensure their pregnancy does not set them back in life,” Hunter said in a statement.
Sen. Scott Bennett (D-Champaign) passed the Know Before You Owe Private Education Loan Act out of the Senate (HB 2746). The law requires private lenders to work more closely with schools to confirm that parts of tuition are not covered by financial aid and requires colleges and universities to inform students about potential federal loans.
Sen. Karina Villa (D-West Chicago) passed HB 3438, which would require public higher education institutions in Illinois to have an Undocumented Student Resource Liaison, out of the Senate Friday. In a statement, Villa said “targeted resources will have a profound impact on marginalized communities on campus.”
Sen. Sara Feigenholtz (D-Chicago) passed legislation requiring Illinois county clerks to issue new marriage certificates reflecting name changes out of the Senate Friday (HB 2590).
District Dispatches May 29, 2021
Rep. Jonathan Carroll (D-Northbrook) retweeted the Asthma and Allergy Foundation’s celebratory tweet about the passage of Elijah’s Law (HB 102), which mandates preschools and daycares to implement anaphylactic policies.
Sen. Christopher Belt’s (D-Swansea) bill HB 3914 cleared both chambers of the Illinois Legislature. The measure requires the Illinois Department of Central Management Services to review hiring policies with the goal of achieving a more diverse hiring pool.
Sen. Cristina Castro (D-Elgin) tweeted about the passage of SB 967, which makes a number of changes to state laws for pregnant and recently pregnant women. “So proud to have worked on this measure, and I am happy to see it passed out of the House today. On to the Governor's desk!” she wrote.
Sen. Dave Koehler (D-Peoria) passed HB 2748 out of the Senate Thursday. If it becomes law, the bill will allow special education students who turned 22 during the COVID-19 pandemic to finish their school year.
Sen. Julie Morrison’s (D-Lake Forest) measure requiring oral drugs to have labels about their gluten content passed both chambers of the legislature. “The measure will make it easier and safer for people with Celiac disease or gluten sensitivity to make informed purchases of necessary medications,” Morrison said in a statement.
Sen. Meg Loughran Cappel (D-Shorewood) passed HB 122, which ends early termination fees for utilities of dead customers, out of the Senate Thursday.
Cappel and Rep. Mark Batinick (R-Plainfield) passed HB 343 to expand the time window for school zone speed limits by half an hour, to 6:30 a.m. instead of 7 a.m.
Sen. Tom Cullerton (D- Villa Park) passed a measure (HB 3147) requiring long-term care facilities to connect residents to family and friends on a daily basis during disaster periods.
Sen. Suzy Glowiak Hilton (D-Western Springs) advanced HB 2454, which creates an option for local governments to forgo licensing or permitting fees for businesses and services. In a statement, Glowiak Hilton said “this proposal allows governments to offer relief to any local business that demonstrates financial loss.”
Sen. John Connor (D-Lockport) passed HB 3004 out of the Senate Thursday. The bill would prevent board members of a “pension fund, investment board or retirement system from being employed by the pension fund for 12 months after serving on the board.”
Sen. Cristina Pacione-Zayas (D-Chicago) passed a bill that would require the state's Regional Offices of Education to adopt internet accessibility provisions for schoolchildren. HB 26, meant to assist children with special needs, now heads to Gov. JB Pritzker for signature.
Sen. Karina Villa (D-West Chicago) passed SB 400 out of the Senate Thursday in a move to eliminate graphic imagery from school shooting drills.
District Dispatches May 28, 2021
Ald. Sophia King (4) tweeted about the deferred ordinance to rename Lake Shore Drive, writing “no addresses would need to be changed. That was Ald. Hopkins excuse for his political maneuvering. SMH.”
Ald. Roberto Maldonado (26) tweeted, “It has been an honor to serve the Latino Caucus as the Chair and look forward to the leadership of @gilbert36ward!”
Ald. Carlos Ramirez (35) kept up his criticism of Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s proposal for civilian oversight of Chicago police, tweeting, “the mayor doesn't need to pass an ordinance in order for her to appoint an advisory body that makes recommendations. She has the power to do that right now. The mayor's ordinance isn't civilian oversight — it's window dressing, a farce.”
Ald. Tom Tunney (44) invited residents to participate in meetings about infrastructure changes and creating the city’s master plan for the next decade in his weekly newsletter.
Ald. James Cappleman (46) shared his concern about Lightfoot’s measure to put a curfew on liquor sales in his weekly newsletter, writing “I believe they should remain open until midnight because a number of small businesses, that have taken a huge hit during this pandemic, heavily depend on liquor sales.”
Ward Reports May 28, 2021
- The Rebuild Illinois capital plan will finance about $850 million worth of new infrastructure projects starting in the second half of 2021 and 2022. In a statement, Gov. JB Pritzker said, “Rebuild Illinois is not only about investing in infrastructure but about investing in people and communities as well. In the coming months, [the Illinois Department of Transportation] will undertake projects that will ultimately create safer roads and bridges and provide jobs in Chicago and across the entire state.”
Springfield Announcements May 28, 2021
- The Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce will host a panel titled “Developing Downtown: Reimagining the LaSalle Street Corridor” on June 3 at 11 a.m. Panelists will include president of the Chicago Federation of Labor Bob Reiter and director of the Illinois Department of Central Management Services Janel L. Forde. The panel will focus on the potential sale of the James R. Thompson Center and the economic opportunities associated with it. Register here.
- Rail~Volution, SPARCC and Elevated ChicagoeTOD will co-hosts a webinar on June 9 dicsussing the city’s recent Equitable Transit-Oriented Development Policy Plan with speakers from City Hall, the Center for Neighborhood Technology and the community development organization the Endeleo Institute. The webinar will discuss funding for the project, who will benefit from it and look back at the history of the effort that led to the equitable transit plan. Panelists include Juan Sebastian Arias, Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s deputy director of policy. Register here.
- Darlene Dugo has been promoted from senior acquisition manager to deputy director of the Cook County Land Bank Authority. Dugo has overseen property acquisitions for the land bank authority since 2016.
Chicago Announcements May 28, 2021
Sen. Elgie Sims (D-Chicago) passed HB 374, which would facilitate the development of housing ing for community college students, out of the Senate and onto the governor's desk. In a statement, Sims touted the benefits of on-campus living. “Studies show that students who live on campus complete more credit hours and have higher grade point averages,” he said.
Sen. Cristina Castro’s (D-Elgin) bill (HB 449) to provide housing support to Illinoisans with serious mental health or substance abuse problems is headed to the governor for signature. In a statement, Castro said, “This legislation will provide those struggling with a way to get back on their feet without institutionalization.”
Sen. Sara Feighenholtz’s (D-Chicago) bill to add flexibility to paid sick leave for new parents (HB 816) passed the Senate Wednesday. According to a press release, the legislation would allow school employees outside Chicago “to use 30 working days of paid sick leave after the birth, adoption, or fostering of a child at any time within the year after the child joins the family.”
Sen. John Curran (R-Lemont) is hosting a seminar about student loans alongside the Illinois Student Assistance Commission on June 10. Curran said the session would “provide information about the types of loans available to students and parents, and additional information highlighting options for loan repayment."
Rep. Tom Demmer (R-Dixon) retweeted a clip of himself responding to news that a top aide of former Speaker Mike Madigan had been indicted: "In Illinois this keeps happening again, and again, and again, and again...This is more than a few bad apples,” Demmer said.
Sen. Terri Bryant (R-Murphysboro) commented on the passage of HB 3665, under which the Prison Review Board would be empowered to release medically incapacitated or terminally ill patients ahead of schedule. “While I can understand the intent behind this legislation, given the current issues getting appointees for the PRB to come before members of the General Assembly for review and the insensitivity this legislation takes toward victims of crimes, I cannot and did not support this measure,” she wrote.
District Dispatches May 26, 2021
- The state on Wednesday announced a public-private partnership with Amtrak, Walmart, TravelCenters of American, Wally’s and Hyvee to host COVID-19 vaccination clinics at travel centers throughout the state. The clinics, which will be available starting Friday, will be located at Union Station in Chicago and travel centers in Mt. Vernon, Troy, Effingham, Bloomington and Pontiac.
Springfield Announcements May 27, 2021
Ald. Brian Hopkins (2) tweeted, “a ceremonial act designed to confer honor to an historic figure (such as renaming an iconic roadway that belongs to all Chicagoans) should not be forced upon us in an atmosphere of acrimony, anger, threats, recrimination, and revenge.”
Ald. Michael Rodriguez (22) tweeted, “I’m looking forward to the work ahead as the new Chair of the Chicago Latino Caucus Foundation! Congrats to Vice Chair @ByronSigcho, Secretary @DanielLaSpata and Treasurer @aldcardenas.”
Ald. Rossana Rodriguez (33) tweeted about the City Council dust-up over renaming Lake Shore Drive: “Wow. The Mayor just totally ignored that @aldsophiaking motioned for roll call first and allowed Hopkins to D&P the Ordinance to change the name of Lake Shore Drive to honor Jean Baptist Point DuSable. So sad. It’s disgraceful,” she wrote.
Ald. Carlos Ramirez-Rosa (35) tweeted “it’s a no from me” regarding a proposed ordinance to retain the 10 p.m. curfew on alcohol sales in Chicago.
Ald. Gilbert Villegas (36) tweeted about the passage of the rogue towing ordinance in City Council, writing “We still have a lot of work to do to address this public safety nightmare. Thank you to my colleagues for supporting this first step in reigning in these rogue towers.”
Ald. Anthony Napolitano (41) shared a petition against a new set of housing developments in his ward. “This development is unwanted by the local residents in Chicago and Park Ridge. Changing the zoning will set a precedent for the remaining stretch of Higgins,” he wrote on Facebook.
Ald. Michele Smith (43) tweeted about accountability regarding Chicago and Illinois’ pension problem: “Glad that pensioners are doing something to watch their own pension boards,” she wrote. “The IL Supreme Court says Chicago is a guarantor of pension benefits. So taxpayers have to pay no matter how irresponsible the investment decisions of pension boards.”
Ald. Harry Osterman (48) tweeted about Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s proposal for civilian oversight of police, writing "Chicagoans want a ground-up approach where the impact of policy and direction of CPD is guided by what Chicagoans want, not what elected officials want." That's why I'm a lead sponsor of the ECPS ordinance.”
Ward Reports May 27, 2021
- The Chicago City Council Latino Caucus elected Ald. Gilbert Villegas (36) chair of its 2021-23 Executive Committee in a unanimous vote, replacing Ald. Roberto Maldonado (26). Ald. Silvana Tabares (23) will be vice chair, Ald. Andre Vasquez (40) will be treasurer and Ald. Carlos Ramirez-Rosa (35) will be secretary. Additionally, Ald. Michael Rodriguez (22) will serve as the next chair of the Chicago City Council Latino Caucus Foundation. In a statement, Villegas thanked Maldonado for his leadership and said the caucus would continue “developing avenues to empower the Latino community throughout Chicago.” Villegas also chaired the Latino Caucus between 2017 and 2019.
- The Chicago Park District will reopen 22 beaches on Friday, city officials announced Wednesday. "As the weather warms up and our city begins to safely return to a sense of normalcy, reopening our beloved lakefront beaches is the perfect way to turn the page on spring and get back to our favorite outdoor activities," Mayor Lori Lightfoot wrote in a statement. The beaches have been closed since September 2019.