Steve Reick Reports

From State Rep. Steve Reick:

Illinois coronavirus cases continue at high level; vaccine distribution plans take shape

The case positivity rate, as a percentage of total tests administered, fell back below 10% this week, signaling continued progress as Illinois fights this deadly illness. 

McHenry County Covid-19 infection rate through 12-18-20 is higher than the state average.

However, many Illinoisans continue to be admitted to hospitals. 

Hospital bed availability as of 12-21-20.

Hospitalization patterns and the Illinois death count partly reflect the infection rates that took place during the period from one to three weeks ago.

McHenry County Covid-19 deaths though 12-15-20.

More than 800,000 Illinois residents, almost 7% of the overall population of the state, have now tested positive for the viral sickness.  Over 17,000 cases have occurred in McHenry County.

Positive Covid-19 tests through 12-15-20.

Clinical trials indicate that newly developed vaccines will be effective at slowing and stopping the spread of the contagious virus.   As an initial supply of COVID-19 coronavirus vaccines nears distribution, Illinoisans are being warned that startup supplies will have to be reserved for high-priority recipients.  The very first supply of Illinois vaccines could start becoming available shortly before Christmas, but this initial supply will contain only 109,000 doses.

Illinois finances are blowing in the wind.

The list of high-priority recipients starts with front-line health care workers, but members of many other groups such as police first responders, long-term care workers, long-term care residents, and prison guards will be among the first to receive the vaccine.

[See “McHenry County Not in Line for Early Coronavirus Vaccine Distribution Because of Low Death Rate.”]

Illinois Budget Updates.

Lawmakers became aware of Governor Pritzker’s plan to borrow an additional $2 billion from the Federal Reserve at Tuesday’s Restore Illinois Collaborative Commission meeting, where members of the Commission received an update on Federal COVID-19 funding.

As of today, the State of Illinois has only paid back $200 million of the $1.2 billion borrowed from the Federal Reserve.

The current bill backlog is approximately $9 billion as of December 17.

This number does not include the nearly $1 billion owed to the federal government nor another $2.3 billion in short-term borrowing.

Speaker Madigan Promises Income Tax Increase. 

Last month voters resoundingly rejected Governor JB Pritzker’s referendum to allow Illinois to move from a flat to a graduated income tax.

McHenry County Democrat’s tax hike election results.

Just a month later, Mike Madigan ignored the will of the voters by promising House Democrats that he would support an income tax increase in exchange for their votes to retain him as Speaker for his 20th term. Illinois had record income tax increases in both 2010 and 2017 raising the income tax from 3.00% in 2010 to 4.95% today.

You can sign the petition to tell Mike Madigan Illinois cannot afford more taxes by clicking this link.

FOID and CCL Delays Continue at the Illinois State Police. 

House Republican legislators held a Zoom press conference on December 9th to address delays in FOID card and Concealed Carry Licenses (CCLs) processing and discussed their shared 2nd Amendment focused legislative agenda.

Illinois is one of only four states in the Union that require citizens to obtain a FOID card. During these unprecedented times, the number of people applying for FOID Cards and CCLs has been record-breaking. This has caused extensive delays in a system that was already broken before the pandemic. The legislature should immediately pass reforms to ensure Illinoisans can exercise their Second Amendment rights without unnecessary delays in the FOID and concealed carry card process. 

LaSalle Veterans Home COVID-19 death count spurs action by House Veterans’ Affairs Committee

The long-term care facility, operated by the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs (IDVA), is meant to provide safe residential care for U.S. military veterans and their spouses.  Persons eligible for State veterans’ home care include veterans and their spouses who possess challenging health conditions requiring continuous care from a variety of specialized care providers. 

For reasons that are still under investigation, the COVID-19 virus got inside the facility and most of the residents were infected.  As of this week, 32 residents – approximately one-quarter of the total residential headcount – had passed away from COVID-19.

Worldwide protocols have guided the behavior of residential-care facilities and their staffs over the past nine months.  These protocols have repeatedly called upon long-term care leaders and workers to take every step possible to keep the virus out of care-based residential spaces.  In keeping with this strict guidance, even close family members of these patients were told they could not come inside a facility to see or visit their loved ones.  However, the virus still got into LaSalle.  Positive cases started to be reported on November 1.  This week, the Department of Veterans Affairs stated that they had dismissed the head of the LaSalle Veterans Home.  The director of nursing at the same home was placed on administrative leave.  

The House Veterans’ Affairs Committee met on Wednesday, December 16, under coronavirus precaution conditions in Chicago. They learned during the hearing that several safety protocols and CDC recommendations were not followed, and the Covid-19 outbreak at the LaSalle Veterans Home could have been prevented.

There were issues with staff not being equipped with the right PPE as well as the home using non-CDC recommended hand sanitizer. It was deeply concerning how asymptomatic workers who tested positive were encouraged to continue working their shift after they learned of their positive test result. The testimony from the Department of Veterans Affairs has brought up many more questions than it answered.

My heart goes out to the nearly three dozen families that lost their loved one due to this preventable outbreak.

At this moment, we don’t need finger-pointing.

We need answers.

The legislature should hold those at fault in the Department accountable, but more importantly, should ensure no other home has an outbreak and that our veterans continue to remain safe.

Reick Holds Food Drive to Help Local Food Pantries.

The pandemic and the economic shutdowns have created great need this holiday season. I’m glad to be working with our local food pantries to assist local families in need throughout the 63rd District in McHenry County. Our food pantries and community organizations provide a critical service for the residents of McHenry County year-round, but the need is especially great during the holidays.

Residents really stepped up and donated an abundance of food for our neighbors in need. I continue to be proud to have the honor of representing the 63rd District, because our community continues to step up to help those in need.


Comments

Steve Reick Reports — 5 Comments

  1. Is this the best he can up with?

    What about voter fraud pea brained Reick?

    Has Reick ever written a bill?

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