On Tuesday, stakeholders and workers from across the corrections industry told a panel of Illinois lawmakers that lingering impacts from state’s budget impasse have contributed to an increase in assaults on corrections workers and the neglect of mentally ill inmates. State representatives gathered members of the Illinois Department of Corrections (DOC) and the American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Council 31, among other groups, to testify on possible solutions during a subject matter hearing of the House Appropriations-Public Safety Committee.

Committee Chair Rep. Kelly Cassidy (D-Chicago) said she called the hearing after receiving an increased number of communications about violence in DOC and Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) facilities.

“These communications are coming from staff alleging increased abuse from inmates or residents, and from advocates on behalf of inmates and residents alleging increased violence on the part of staff. In both cases, complaints about the agencies’ level of response and level of acknowledgement of a prob, and seeming desire to correct it,” she said.

“The agencies’ responses to that have been that they are doing everything in their power, and then some. And, you know, rarely in this work do you find yourself in a situation where there is zero match between anybody’s stories. There’s usually some common ground that you can find, and these stories all diverge so much that it's almost impossible to get to the bottom of them.”

AFSCME representatives said violence has increased significantly in the last two years in the state’s medium security prisons, where a combination of new policies and a lack of funding create a need for multiple solutions at once from the state. In the meantime, they said ensuring workers’ safety requires timely action.

“No one in this room believes that it’s acceptable that anyone’s job would include being routinely spit on, groped, splashed with urine or feces. Or, for that matter, punched or stabbed, or otherwise assaulted,” said Anne Irving, director of public policy for AFSCME Council 31. “So if we can agree, then the significant increase in assaults that we’ve seen over roughly the last two years in DOC and DJJ facilities needs to be addressed.”

Irving said AFSCME representatives visited facilities and learned that assaults are contributing to extreme turnover. Prior to two years ago, state corrections policy enforced a greater degree of inmate segregation. Unless an inmate was in transit between rooms, they were largely in their cell. Reduced inmate segregation can make managing a facility’s general population unpredictable but AFSCME called for key improvements that could make the job safer.

The group wants the DOC to stop housing maximum security inmates in medium security facilities, provide adequate medical staff for facilities where mentally ill inmates are integrated into the general population, and to provide facilities with basic equipment such as functional walkie-talkies and replacement prisoner transport vehicles. Another recurring theme was the call for necessary staff training updates to address the new policy toward integrated inmate populations.

Rep. André Thapedi (D-Chicago) was adamant that neither staff, nor inmates, should endure the assaults currently reported.

“Absolutely not. That should not be happening,” he said. “The inmates have some rights as well, too. And when they’ve made a mistake--those that have truly made a mistake--and they’re incarcerated and they’re there to do their time, I think they’re they’re to do their time; not to be beat up on by other inmates or guards, not to be raped by other inmates, not to be mistreated, et cetera.”

DOC Director John Baldwin told the committee Illinois’ own assault rate increases are consistent with rates seen nationally, but that untangling the exact causes is a complex process that is currently being undertaken across multiple states.

One potential cause is that Illinois’ definition of assault has been widened in recent years, which he says makes it more expansive that most other member states of the Association of State Corrections Administrators.

“You’ll notice there is a spike when we change the definitions. That was to be expected and that is what has happened,” he said. Baldwin said he agrees with the definition in place currently, however.

Baldwin told lawmakers assaults in maximum security prisons, which hold 25% of the state’s prison population but account for 60% of all assaults on corrections workers, are down over the last two years. Baldwin said medium security prisons, which are home to 33% of total assaults are down over several years and currently at 2008 rates. He said minimum security facilities, which account for 25% of the prison population, accounted for only 6% of corrections assaults, a rate that’s been falling since 2014.

Another factor Baldwin said could impact the data is the location of the assaults.

“Almost all of our staff assault increases have occurred at Pontiac, Logan, and Dixon. Those are our three largest drivers. If you take those out of the equation, the number of staff assaults in the Illinois Department of Corrections is stagnant or dropping,” he said.

“Why those three institutions? All of those three are where we house a large percentage of our seriously mentally ill. Nationally, the percentage of staff assaults by someone who is designated SMI hovers between 70 and 80 percent of all staff assaults.”

The three locations are each scheduled for mental health unit development.

Baldwin was quick to stress that there are mentally ill people who interact with staff and do not assault or have integration problems, but said: “We owe it to our staff and population to do a much better job of dealing with the mentally ill in our operation.”

Cassidy told witnesses and committee members the panel would reconvene again at a later date to continue reform discussions aimed at stemming prison violence. No date has yet been confirmed.

 

During a Monday subject matter hearing by the House Mental Health Committee, four panels of witnesses testified that the Illinois Department of Insurance is failing to comply with federal mental health parity laws by neglecting to enforce Medicaid managed care organizations private insurance regulations. Medical professionals and industry experts said too-frequent denial of coverage has become hazardous to patient mental health and opioid addiction treatment in the state.

Statehouse workers were evacuated yesterday when a bomb threat was called into the Capitol around 2:40 p.m. Springfield police converged on the site along with bomb-sniffing dogs from Secretary of State Police. No bomb was found and the building was cleared for reentry at 5:19 p.m., according to Secretary of State spokesperson Dave Druker. The threat follows on the heels of 10 bomb threats made against area schools in recent months, although no connection has been established between the events.

5:00 pm. Monday marked the petition filing deadline at the State Board of Elections for candidates running for election in 2018.

Near-holiday meeting cancellations have begun to appear among the state’s agencies and boards. The Workers Compensation Commission and its Advisory Board both cancelled meetings this week, along with the Illinois Treasurer’s Secure Choice Board. More cancellations are anticipated as Christmas nears. Currently, few meetings this month are scheduled beyond Dec. 21.

A bloc of eight anti-abortion lawmakers joined with 11 organizations to file suit against the state yesterday, in an effort to stop the Illinois from implementing the recently-passed HB40, which provides reproductive and abortion care for Medicaid recipients. The new law’s effective date is currently Jan. 1.

Legislators filing the suit are all Republicans: Reps. Barbara Wheeler, Mark Batinick, Steve Reick, and Keith Wheeler. Senators, also Republican, include: Dale Fowler, Kyle McCarter, Dan McConchie, and Paul Schimpf. They are represented in court by Republican Rep. Peter Breen.

Anti-abortion organizations in the suit include: Pro-Life Action League, Springfield Right to Life, Clinton County Citizens For Life, Henry County Right to Life, Knox County Right to Life, NFP, Lake County Right to Life Committee, Morgan County Right to Life, Pro-Life Action League, Illinois Right to Life Action, and Illinois Federation for Right to Life.

In a Thursday release, the group said: “The State of Illinois is unique in having a tradition of allowing taxpayer lawsuits, which are brought by private individuals to protect the public treasury. Illinois law requires such a suit to be brought by a petition for leave to file a complaint… state government spending on abortions could range anywhere from $15 million to $30 million.”

State Sen. Heather Steans (D-Chicago) shot back with a release in response: “This lawsuit is a blatant attempt to prevent poor women and state employees from exercising their legal right to choose. I firmly believe that all women should have the opportunity to make their own reproductive decisions regardless of their income level or employer.”

The plaintiffs say the petition in this case has been set for hearing before Associate Judge Brian T. Otwell, on Thursday, December 7, at 10:30 a.m., at the Sangamon County Courthouse.

 

 

• 10:00 a.m. - Gov. Bruce Rauner joins the Brandt Group of Companies for the unveiling of plans to create new jobs in Bloomington-Normal area today. The event will take place at 19500 N. 1425 East Road, in Hudson. Rauner toured a Kane County manufacturing plant and a forge in DeKalb County yesterday, en route to providing the keynote speech at the DeKalb County Economic Development Corp.’s 30th anniversary dinner, according to a release from his office. “DeKalb is a microcosm of our state’s economy,” Rauner said. “It features strong manufacturing and distribution employers like The Suter Company and 3M that coexist in the same geography with some of the most bountiful harvest land in the world. Manufacturing and agriculture: These are the foundational businesses of Illinois.”


• Indivisible Chicago’s Jennifer O'Brien joined legislators yesterday to introduce legislation aiming to remove Illinois from the highly controversial Interstate Voter Registration Crosscheck Program, whose gaping security holes were recently exposed in a joint House and Senate hearing. The bill, SB2273, has not formally been filed in the legislature. A video of the press conference is available online.


• In case you missed it, the first brief of the Janus v. AFSCME case was filed this week, beginning proceedings in the free-rider case before the high court. In a release, National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation President Mark Mix reiterated the company’s aim of overturning the controlling precedent of the 1977 Abood v. Detroit ruling. “Now that the Janus case is being briefed for argument at the High Court, we are hopeful that in the coming months the Supreme Court will correct this anomaly in First Amendment jurisprudence by striking down all mandatory union payments for public workers,” Mix wrote.


• On the radar: What’s going on with the unusually high number of bomb threats at schools in the capital city? The State Journal-Register counts ten such incidents so far this year.

 

Gutierrez’ impact -- In Illinois’ 4th Congressional District, Cook County Comm. Chuy Garcia picked up a Bernie Sanders endorsement for his run after being tapped as the successor to Democratic U.S. Rep Luis Gutierrez in what became a two-day media cyclone, upending the Chicago district’s political pecking order. Meanwhile, the only woman in the race, Sole Flores, picked up an endorsement from Ameya Pewar. Over in Illinois House District 3, Gutierrez is backing Lourdes Ramos against incumbent state Rep. Luis Arroyo (D-Chicago). Gutierrez’ abrupt decision to step down from his post may lighten the impact of an otherwise significant endorsement, but Capitol Fax’ Rich Miller is warning it could get heated in the early stages.

Proft pop-ups -- Another Dan Proft candidate emerged this week. In the solidly-red Illinois House District 108, state Rep. Charles Meier (R-Highland) hasn’t seen a primary challenger since 2012 when he narrowly nabbed a win against two opponents. Even in 2012, Meier grabbed 66% of the vote in the general. Now he’ll face Donald Moore (R-Troy), the Madison County Board member who’s been stumping since October against Meier’s aye-vote on Rauner’s vetoed tax hike.

Silverstein’s seat -- It’s getting crowded in Illinois Senate District 8, as incumbent Sen. Ira Silverstein (D-Chicago) faces an investigation into sexual harassment and ethics violations. Even so, Silverstein filed this week. A standout among his primary challengers is U.S. Rep. Brad Schneider’s (D-10) former political director, Ram Villivalam. As Mary Ann Hern writes, “Also endorsing Villivalam is State Rep. Theresa Mah and Water Reclamation District Commissioner Josina Morita. Mah and Morita, like Villivalam, have Asian-American roots. Mah is the first Asian-American member of the Illinois House and Morita is the first Asian-American elected to a Cook County-wide board. Should Villivalam win, he would be the first Asian-American elected to the Illinois State Senate.”

Hundreds of hopeful candidates lined the sidewalk and street in front of the Illinois State Board of Elections Monday morning in Springfield, angling for the chance to be listed first in their contested races on 2018 ballots. Those who missed their shot today will have until Dec. 4 to file their petitions.

From the 18th Congressional District, Brian Deters (D-Morton) filed to challenge incumbent U.S. Rep. Darin LaHood (R-Peoria) and his long-shot primary opponent Ray Rients (R-Benson). From the 13th Congressional District Betsy Dirksen Londrigan (D-Springfield) stood in line for a shot at Republican U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis’ safe seat.

Candidates filing petitions for Attorney General yesterday included Chicago Democrat state Sen. Kwame Raoul (pictured left), former federal prosecutor Renato Mariotti (D-Chicago), state Rep. Scott Drury (D-Highwood), Highland Park Mayor Nancy Rotering, and former Gov. Pat Quinn. Sharon Fairley was absent, however. The only GOP candidate to file was Erika Harold (R-Urbana), who has received the endorsements from her party and Gov. Bruce Rauner.

Remarking on the biennial tradition, Raoul said “In other states, they have the option to either pay to get on the ballot or circulate petitions. I think the circulation of petitions is better because it actually forces you to speak to the voters. When I got here I had my folks at the front of the line, however I started at the back of the line talking to different first-timers who are filing because I think it’s an important experience for them and it’s an important reflection of what our democracy is and should be."

Mariotti, however, was eager to get moving.

"I think it’s fine but I wish, instead of spending so much energy here in line, we could spend that energy doing some good for people," he said. Mariotti was eager to see movement in the Attorney General's office as well, advocating for a stronger advocacy role in the office. "I don't want us to be limping into these things. I want us to be on the leadership and forefront of these things and I want us to be more aggressive taking on the Trump administration and the Rauner administration."

Campaign staffers for Gov. Bruce Rauner and Lt. Gov. Evelyn Sanguinetti filed on behalf of the absent duo, but primary challenger and state Rep. Jeanne Ives (R-Wheaton) held off, announcing she would be filing more than 13,000 petitions later this week.

Democratic gubernatorial candidates were spotted in line including Chicago Democrat J.B. Pritzker (pictured right), state Sens. Daniel Biss (D-Skokie) and Latesa Wallace (D-Rockford), and Democrat Ra Joy, running mate of the absent Chris Kennedy.

“We weren’t interested in camping out overnight but we wanted to make sure we were here by 8:00 a.m.," said Biss, "to make sure we were filing our petitions at 8:00 a.m. to make sure we had the lottery shot to be at the top of the ballot. But also to respect the hundred of volunteers across the state who worked in the rain and the cold and the sleet to get these signatures.”

Biss said this Illinois political tradition carries significance for him during his first filing at the new Springfield location. “This is about all of us standing together in one place at one time. It’s not a Facebook message, it’s not a virtual town hall. It’s actual people standing together and exercising a civic right.”

Candidates for the state Senate filing Monday also included incumbent Sen. Andy Manar (D-Bunker Hill) and his Christian County GOP Chair opponent Seth McMillan (R-Taylorville). In the 50th Senate District, incumbent Sen. Sam McCann (R-Plainview) was notably absent but his primary challenger Steve McClure (R-Springfield) filed.

Illinois House candidates filled the lines also, shoving boxes of paper petitions along the pavement. House GOP Leader Jim Durkin filed petitions today, although his opponent did not. Several candidates for the House’s 25th District crowded the sidewalk, along with Republicans from Springfield, former restaurateur Mike Murphy in the House’s 99th District seat and incumbent Rep. Tim Butler in the Hosue’s 87th. Incumbent Rep. C.D. Davidsmeyer (R-Jacksonville) also filed petitions to keep his seat in the 100th District.

Follow The Daily Line Springfield for continued coverage and updates on candidate filings through the week.

 

• 10:00 a.m. - Five House and Senate committees will hold a joint subject matter hearing on SB316 and HB2353, the twin bills containing the Cannabis Regulation and Taxation Act. Senate committees to appear include Appropriations I, and Commerce and Economic Development. The three House committees slated to appear: Appropriations-Public Safety Committee, Economic Opportunity Committee, and the Committee on Tourism, Hospitality & Craft Industries. The body will convene in room C-600 of the Bilandic Building in Chicago. SB316 is currently in the Senate Assignments Committee, while HB2553 remains in House Rules. Lawmakers are not expected to vote on either bill at this time.


• A report from The Daily Beast revealed the largest PAC-funder for accused sexual assailant and Senate candidate Roy Moore (R-Alabama) is Illinois businessman Richard Uihlein, a prominent funder of the Illinois Policy Institute and of Illinois GOP candidates. The “mogul and his wife donated a combined $26.4 million to federal campaigns, party organs, super PACs, and interest groups during the 2016 election cycle, according to FEC data.”  


• 11:30 a.m. - Gov. Bruce Rauner and Lt. Gov Evelyn Sanguinetti will be in Chicago this morning for a campaign stop, but to cover it members of the press will be required to present credentials which may include a driver’s license. The pair will join State Police Director Schmitz, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to discuss enhanced international mail screening procedures to combat the opioid epidemic at the Chicago International Service Center, 11600 W. Irving Park Road. A note included in the governor’s press release says “Media must check-in before 11 a.m. Credentialed media only. To expedite identification process, email [email protected] with names and a copy of driver’s license.”


• A new attempt at the Equal Pay Act has started picking up co-sponsors in the House. HB4163, from Rep. Anna Moeller (D-Elgin) “prohibits an employer from: (i) screening job applicants based on their wage or salary history, (ii) requiring that an applicant's prior wages satisfy minimum or maximum criteria, and (iii) requesting or requiring as a condition of being interviewed or as a condition of continuing to be considered for an offer of employment that an applicant disclose prior wages or salary. Prohibits an employer from seeking the salary, including benefits or other compensation or salary history, of a job applicant from any current or former employer, with some exceptions. Limits defenses. Provides for penalties and injunctive relief.”
  
  


• SB867, from Sen. Thomas Cullerton (D-Villa Park) was finally sent to the governor’s desk yesterday. The bill reduces filing fees for LLCs “to match the fees for similar documents in the fee schedule for corporations.” The measure becomes effective on the governor’s signature.


• Rep. Art Turner (D-Chicago) filed HB4173 which “provides that a committed person who is at least 50 years of age and who has served at least 25 consecutive years of imprisonment in a Department of Corrections institution or facility may petition the Department for participation in the Pathway to Community Program.” Participants would have to complete a Department of Corrections “restorative justice program” before being considered for the Pathway to Community Program, which it authorizes the DoC to administer with some discretion. 


• In a press release from her office yesterday, Attorney General Lisa Madigan “condemned Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Ajit Pai’s plan to roll back existing net neutrality rules that prohibit internet service providers (ISPs) from discriminating among consumers and content providers. Madigan argues the rollback will result in consumers losing internet freedom to visit and obtain content from any site of their choice without interference...In July, Madigan led a coalition of 14 attorneys general in submitting comments to the FCC in opposition to the proposed rollback of critical net neutrality protections.”