From the Lake in the Hills Police:
Reply
From a Crystal Lake Friend of McHenry County Blog:
From the McHenry County Health Department:
McHenry County Department of Health’s Animal Control Division to Host Spring Low-Cost Rabies Vaccination Clinics
MCHENRY COUNTY, IL – The McHenry County Department of Health’s Animal Control Division (MCAC) is excited to host three low-cost rabies vaccination clinics this spring – April 16th, May 14th, and May 21st – at the McHenry County Animal Control and Adoption Center, located at 100 N. Virginia Street in Crystal Lake.
The MCAC’s low-cost rabies vaccination clinics are by appointment only, and registration is available online at bit.ly/MCAC-clinics. Residents with questions can call (815) 459-6222.
Cash is the only form of payment accepted at the clinics.
Clinics are available for both cats and dogs, and will be offered on the following days and hours:
- Tuesday, April 16 | 1pm – 4pm (dogs only)
- Tuesday, May 14 | 1pm – 4pm (cats only)
- Tuesday, May 21 | 1pm – 4pm (dogs only)
Special package pricing is being offered for fixed (spayed or neutered) animals.
All animals attending one of the clinics will be microchipped unless a previous microchip is registered or scanned during the event.
Special package pricing for fixed (spayed or neutered) animals:
- Dogs: Microchip, 1 year vaccination and registration: $20
- Dogs: Microchip, 3 year vaccination and registration: $50
- Cats: Microchip, 1 year vaccination and registration: $15
- Cats: Microchip, 3 year vaccination and registration: $40
Intact animals (not spayed or neutered) can still attend the clinics, with the costs being $15 for a 1 year vaccination and $30 for a 3 year vaccination.
Registration is a separate fee. Intact animals receiving a vaccination will also receive a free microchip unless previously microchipped.
All dogs must be leashed, and all cats must be in a carrier when arriving for their appointments.
Please do not bring animals that are in heat. Information about bite history for dogs that are easily stressed will be requested when making an appointment. Owners are responsible for putting a muzzle on any dog that needs one prior to their appointment.
Rabies is a virus that attacks the central nervous system of animals and humans and is fatal once symptoms appear. A change in an animal’s behavior is often the first sign of rabies in a pet. A rabid animal may become either abnormally aggressive or unusually tame, and it may lose fear of people and become docile or become excited and irritable.
We strongly urge adults to educate children about avoiding contact with unfamiliar animals and to immediately inform an adult if they are bitten or scratched by an animal. Any animal bites or encounters with animals suspected of having rabies should be reported to the MCAC at (815) 459-6222.
From State Rep. Jeff Keicher:
Rep. Keicher Joins Capitol Crimes Podcast to Discuss Tackling Human Trafficking
No matter where you live, whether it’s in a big city, a suburban neighborhood or a small rural town — our communities are impacted by human trafficking.
I recently joined the Capitol Crimes: Crimes Behind the Legislation podcast to discuss how we are fighting human trafficking in Illinois and striving to help victims get their lives back on track.
It is happening in our communities. Often in our own backyards. Modern day slavery, also know as human trafficking, is occurring right under our noses.
Human Trafficking is a crime of exploitation. Traffickers profit at the expense of their victims by forcing them to commit illegal acts, perform free labor, and/or engage in commercial sex. Victims can be of any age, race, ethnicity, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, nationality, immigration status, cultural background, religion, socio-economic class, and education attainment level.
The most vulnerable are often targeted by traffickers:
- Children in the child welfare and juvenile justice systems, including foster care; runaway and homeless youth;
- individuals with substance use issues;
- migrant laborers, including undocumented workers and participants in visa programs for temporary workers;
- persons with limited English proficiency;
- persons with disabilities; and
- victims of intimate partner violence or other forms of domestic violence.
Human Trafficking takes an unimaginable toll on the lives of it victims.
Survivors who not only struggle to overcome the physical and emotional impact of their enslavement must also deal with the legal ramifications of their actions from when they were trafficked.
Several Illinois lawmakers talk to Capitol Crimes’, Dean Abbott, about their efforts to combat human traffickers and make it easier for survivors of trafficking to get their lives back on track.
From State’s Attorney Patrick Kenneally:
MORE SAFE-T ACT FAILURES: RETAIL THEFT
Since the beginning of 2024, 34 people have been indicted for felony retail theft, a theft in excess of $300.00, in McHenry County.
Of these, only six are actually residents of McHenry County.
The remainder were from outside the county, mostly hailing from Cook County, no doubt emboldened by Cook County’s non-enforcement of the felony retail theft statute as written.
Moreover, it is worth noting that none of the non-local defendants were allegedly stealing food or water for sustenance.
Rather, most of what was allegedly stolen were
- luxury items,
- alcohol, or
- electronics.
Under the SAFE-T Act, a person cannot be held pre-trial for felony retail theft even if a judge is convinced by
- his or her criminal record and
- past failures to appear at court proceedings
that they will likely reoffend or not faithfully show up to court.
Of those non-local defendants released,
more than half failed to appear at their court date
after arrest and the prosecutions are currently stalled. [Emphasis added.]
In other words, justice and restitution for local businesses under the SAFE-T Act is dependent on the criminal defendant, who had no problem making it out to McHenry County to allegedly commit a theft, being willing to voluntarily return without any meaningful collateral to ensure that they actually will.
Justice will continue to be delayed until law enforcement, somewhere, makes contact with these defendants (which could take weeks, months, or years), arrests them, and then taxpayers bear the expense of transporting them back to McHenry County where they will likely then be held, which judges should have had the discretion to do in the first place.
From The Center Square:
Congress focuses on work requirements for federal benefits with Illinois hearing
(The Center Square) – A Congressional hearing held in Chicago Tuesday explored ways to lift people out of poverty with employment being the main theme.
The U.S. House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Work and Welfare held a field hearing Tuesday in Chicago to examine ways to help people get out of poverty through employment. The hearing was called the “Dignity of Work: Lifting Americans Out of Poverty.”
“No amount of handouts or government assistance, no matter how well intentioned, can substitute for the intangible benefits and dignity that work brings to individuals and their families,” said Illinois U.S. Rep. Darin LaHood, R-Peoria, the chairman of the committee.
Matt Paprocki, president of the Illinois Policy Institute, discussed strategies for reducing poverty that Congress could implement to uplift impoverished individuals, including instituting work requirements with welfare benefits.
“Institute work requirements similar to the successful bipartisan reform that was passed in 1996 which lifted millions of people out of poverty,” said Paprocki.
Paprocki said the federal government should end the benefits cliff because the system leaves people with impossible choices like providing for their family at a job or reducing work hours and receiving greater benefits from government assistance.
Paprocki also said tax credits for apprenticeship programs should be expanded because the average income for a person completing an apprenticeship is $77,000.
According to the Illinois Policy Institute’s Center for Poverty Solutions, just over 2% of Chicagoans with full-time employment experience poverty. However, too many barriers and government assistance programs prevent individuals from entering the workforce full-time.
“When individuals become separated from meaningful work and are no longer earning their own incomes, their dignity takes a hit and American society suffers,” said Paprocki. “Lawmakers can make meaningful strides for reducing poverty nationwide by eliminating barriers to work.”
From the Sheriff’s Department:
Aggressive Dogs near McHenry
Three people, including one deputy, were injured after a series of dog attacks near McHenry Thursday evening.
The public is advised to be on the lookout for one dog that remains on the loose.
On April 11, at about 5:50 p.m., McHenry County Sheriff’s police and McHenry Township Fire Protection District were dispatched to reports of an aggressive dog fight at W Huemann Drive and Stilling Blvd near McHenry.
The owner reported that she was unable to separate her dogs who were engaged in a fight, and she had sustained bite wounds.
A neighbor, who attempted to help the owner, also sustained bite wounds.
Upon arrival, deputies found three dogs loosely enclosed on a front porch, and two dogs corralled in a car.
While speaking with the owners, the three dogs broke through the porch gate and aggressively ran towards responding deputies and fire personnel.
Less-lethal attempts to control the dogs were made by use of tasers and a fire extinguisher.
Subsequently, one dog was shot during the incident.
One deputy also sustained a dog bite and was treated at a nearby hospital.
McHenry County Animal Control took possession of three dogs while one dog remains on the loose.
Deputies have continually looked for the remaining dog through the night and into the morning with no success.
The Sheriff’s Office understands the bond between an owner and their pet and only resorts to using lethal force when it comes to protecting the safety and well-being of citizens and deputies.
The dog at large is described as a petite dark brown pit bull with a white stripe on its face.
If spotted, please do not approach.
All sightings should be reported to the Sheriff’s Office or Animal Control at (815) 459-6222.
Aggressive dog update
McHenry County Sheriff’s Office responded to reports of an aggressive dog fight at W Huemann Drive and Stilling Blvd in McHenry.
Several people were injured, including a deputy who was bit.
One dog has been shot by a deputy.
One aggressive dog remains on the loose.
The public is asked to remain in their homes and report any sightings of the dogs to the Sheriff’s Office at (815) 338-2144.
Politico on Personal PAC’s target list…
In Illinois, Personal PAC is targeting at least four state legislative races, where it’s endorsing Democrats:
52nd House District: Maria Peterson, a Democrat, v. incumbent state Rep. Martin McLaughlin.
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Marty McLaughlin is not a new target, nor are his predecessors.
Remember when Personal PAC and Mike Madigan poured in about a half a million dollars to elect the recently-deceased Mark Beaubian’s “Independent” wife Dee over Republican nominee David McSweeney?
From the U.S. Attorney:
Firearms Trafficker Sentenced to Nearly Six Years in Federal Prison for Unlawfully Dealing Firearms and “Switch” Devices in Chicago Area
CHICAGO — A federal judge has sentenced a Chicago-area firearms trafficker to nearly six years in prison for unlawfully dealing handguns, rifles, and “switch” devices capable of converting semi-automatic firearms into machine guns.
Over a three-month period last year, ROGELIO CASTANEDA sold nine firearms and 28 “switch” devices, also known as “Glock switches,” to undercover law enforcement agents.
The sales occurred in Chicago, Stickney, Ill., and Hammond, Ind.
Three of the guns sold by Castaneda were unlicensed, privately made firearms.
At the time of his illegal sales, Castaneda was on pre-trial release for a firearms charge in the Circuit Court of Cook County.
Castaneda, 30, of Chicago, pleaded guilty in December 2023 to one count of unlawfully possessing a machine gun.
U.S. District Judge Robert W. Gettleman imposed a 70-month prison sentence during a hearing Tuesday in federal court in Chicago.
The sentence was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Christopher Amon, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and Larry Snelling, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department. Valuable assistance was provided by the Cook County Sheriff’s Office and U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
“The city of Chicago continues to face a gun violence epidemic,” Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary McDonnell argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum.
“Glock switches and converted Glocks are a grave threat to public safety and serve no purpose other than to inflict maximum damage on enemies and innocent bystanders.”
Disrupting illegal firearms trafficking is the focus of the Department of Justice’s Firearms Trafficking Strike Force.
As part of the strike force, the U.S. Attorney’s Office collaborates with ATF, CPD, and other federal, state, and local law enforcement partners in the Northern District of Illinois and across the country to help stem the supply of illegally trafficked firearms and identify patterns, leads, and potential suspects in violent gun crimes.
Holding firearm offenders accountable through federal prosecution is also a centerpiece of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a nationwide initiative that brings together law enforcement officials, prosecutors, community leaders, and other stakeholders to develop comprehensive solutions to the most pressing violent crime problems in a community. In the Northern District of Illinois, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has deployed the PSN program to attack a broad range of violent crime issues facing the district, particularly firearm offenses.
From the mother of a pupil at Landmark School:
I am a mother of a kindergarten student who attends Landmark Elementary School.
Yesterday, all parents of Landmark students were notified that D15 is looking at the possibility of closing the school.
All of the parents are devastated as Landmark is a one-of-a-kind choice school within D15 that offers a different experience for its students and families with a year-round school year and looping teachers even winning an exemplary award this year for academic excellence.
I found out a few weeks ago that the building at 1111 N. Green Street is looking to be developed by a developer who wants to put residential apartments or condos.
I was already concerned about all of this construction that may be going on, literally right behind the swing set of the school.
Now we have received notice of the intent to close the school due to financial reasons after a series of 3 public hearings, the first of which is set or April 22nd, at 6 pm at McHenry Middle School.
After hearing this new via email from D15 on 04/10, I watched the board of education meeting from 04/09.
It seems to be that D15 develops a strategic plan without the thought of Landmark students in mind.
A facilities architectural study was completed on Landmark and presented at this meeting which stated that Landmark was requiring an estimated 13.5 million dollars in funds to bring it up to compliance with D15’s strategic plan.
After reviewing the study in the presentation, I see they have broken the finance estimates down into three categories;
- safety and maintenance,
- expansion and accessibility, and
- amenities.
After reviewing the video, I see many wants and not a lot of needs outlined in this summary. D15 also mentioned in this board meeting that they have 70 million dollars in investments which they say is a benefit as they do not need to put large financial decisions to referendum.
They also approved a large amount of money to other schools within D15.
From the meeting video, it appears that they usual give most schools around 3 million dollars for summer projects.
The estimated amount of funds to complete the safely portion of the study range from 3,314,000 to 4,093,800 and is estimated to take place over a 5 year period.
There was very little discussion in my opinion on different options to keep the school open via the board members.
During the course of the study presentation, they mentioned that the tuck-pointing and roofing would take 3 months each and cannot be done at the same time.
Landmark only has a 6 week summer break so they stated this was something that couldn’t reasonably be done without moving the kids to a different school during the work.
They said that if the work was broken up into phases it would be more expensive but this was not an avenue that was seriously discussed.
During this video they also discussed creating a new building to house all of the equipment for D15.
This is after they already spent 1.6 million dollars on their new administration office.
Yet, they cannot seem to allocate funds to keep our school open.
I have attached the link to the D15 Board of Education meeting. Around 30 minutes in they start discussing the strategic plan and shortly after present the survey for Landmark.
I hope you can watch this issue and help bring public attention to what is occurring at our school. I also hope you can attend our public hearing at McHenry Middle School on April 22nd, 2024 at 6pm.
Here is the meeting link: https://m.youtube.com/live/MqkaOWNERZ4?feature=share
At the organization meeting of the Algonquin Township Central Commitee meeting Thursday night Bruce Johnson was elected Chairman without opposition.
Johnson had served as Vice Chairman for the last two years, along with heading up We the People, McHenry County, which holds meetings each Monday evening in Cary at Galati’s.
Similarl without opposition, Edwardo Aviles was elected Vice Chairman and John Pletz Treasurer.
There was opposition for the post of Secretary.
Tiffany Wendt and Brittany Colatorti were nominated.
Wendt spoke of the need for unity.
Colatorti complained of the lack of transparency and leadership of the outgoing officers.
A weighted vote was taken with Wendt receiving about 1500 votes and Colatorti about 900.
The exact vote:
- Tiffany 1558
- Brittany 996
From Gov. JB pritzker:
IDPH Awards $2 Million in Training Grants to 3 Groups to Improve Reproductive Health Services
CHICAGO – The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) announced it has awarded $2 million to three different organizations to provide training that will increase access to safe, high-quality abortions across the state.
The Abortion Provider Capacity Building Grant Program awarded grants to the Midwest Access Project (MAP), Planned Parenthood of Illinois (PPIL), and the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) College of Nursing.
The first-of-its-kind in Illinois, state-funded training effort follows the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2022 decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization that eliminated the constitutional right to abortion in the United States and allowed states to restrict access to abortion.
While Illinois guarantees the right to an abortion under state law, many surrounding states have imposed restrictions on access to abortion.
Although the number of abortions provided for Illinois women declined slightly in 2022, the number provided in Illinois for out-of-state residents increased 49%, according to IDPH data.
“When I said Illinois would be an oasis for women seeking reproductive care, I meant it,” said Governor JB Pritzker.
“Thanks to the Abortion Provider Capacity Building Grant Program, we will offer health care providers—who are meeting the moment with compassion and service—access to the training and mentorship they need to deliver the care women deserve.”
“Illinois is continuing our track record of protecting and expanding access to reproductive care, not just for patients but for the providers administering that care,” said Lt. Governor Stratton. “In Illinois, we trust women and the healthcare professionals protecting their freedoms.”
“IDPH is proud to partner with these three outstanding organizations to support training that will improve access and quality to a full range of reproductive healthcare services, including safe abortions,” said IDPH Director Dr. Sameer Vohra.
“Illinois has seen a sharp increase in demand for abortion services in the wake of the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision. Under Governor JB Pritzker’s leadership, the State of Illinois is committed to providing resources to improve training and mentorship so our health care providers can deliver Illinoisians and those who come to our state with a full range of reproductive health services.”
The grants were awarded by IDPH’s Office of Women’s Health & Family Services. Following are details from the proposals submitted by the three grant recipients:
- Midwest Access Project: MAP will expand their long-standing work providing sexual and reproductive healthcare clinicians with training in procedural and medication abortion. Their innovative training model fills gaps nationwide in medical education, advanced practice nursing, midwifery education, and clinical training.
- Planned Parenthood of Illinois: PPIL plans to expand upon an already robust training effort by offering more procedural abortion training for physician trainees and advance practice nurses, and medication abortion training for eligible providers.
- UIC – College of Nursing: UIC will establish a training program to expose new advanced practice nurses to abortion care through the Reproductive Advocacy and Diversity in Advanced Nursing Training (RADIANT) Fellowship.
“MAP is thrilled at the opportunity afforded by the IDPH Abortion Provider Training Grant to expand our initiatives to fill gaps in comprehensive reproductive health care training,” said Melissa Banerjee, Deputy Director of MAP. “This funding will enable us to provide individualized, hands-on clinical training, interdisciplinary education, and implementation support to passionate clinicians who otherwise lack access to training to provide abortion care as a part of their community practices. With this support, MAP will build on the partnerships we’ve developed over 17 years of operation with clinical sites, clinicians and advocates to expand access to comprehensive reproductive health care for Illinois’ diverse communities, and all those seeking care in Illinois.”
“Planned Parenthood of Illinois is proud of its abortion provider training program and the work we are doing to prepare the next generation of medical providers,” said PPIL President and CEO Jennifer Welch.
“Whether we are training students or established providers, our goal is to increase the number of providers in Illinois who are able to provide trauma-informed, gender affirming, and language inclusive abortion care. Training more providers allows PPIL to expand overall abortion service availability in Illinois, benefitting populations historically denied access to high quality, affordable health care. We are thrilled to receive this IDPH grant because as a
haven state, it is crucial we have practitioners ready to provide the safe and high-quality abortion care our patients need and deserve.”
“The UIC College of Nursing will establish the RADIANT Fellowship to train and mentor nurse practitioners from across the state to offer trauma-informed and gender affirming abortion services in their practices,” said Kylea Laina Liese, an Assistant Professor in the UIC Department of Human Development Nursing Science. “RADIANT Fellows will also serve as preceptors to advance practice nursing students from UIC, who will receive the classroom training needed to expand and protect access to essential reproductive healthcare.”
Governor Pritzker announced last year that the state of Illinois was taking a number of steps to improve access to abortion and other reproductive care in Illinois.
This included the creation of the CARLA (Complex Abortion Regional Line for Access) hotline, a partnership involving state agencies, hospitals, and the Chicago Abortion Fund.
The hotline is designed to help patients with complex medical needs who need hospital-based services to navigate the universe of abortion providers and receive the appropriate level of care.
IDPH is also working to launch a Reproductive Health Public Navigation Hotline that will aid patients, regardless of complexity, including those travelling from out of state, in finding and navigating care. The Public Navigation Hotline will route medically complex patients into the CARLA system and lower risk patients into the non-hospital network of care.
The IDPH effort aligns with the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists’ support for the expansion of abortion education and an increase in the number and types of trained abortion providers to ensure access to safe abortions.
I read with interest the commentary of senior NPR Business Editor Uri Berliner critiquing the fairness of National Public Radio stories.
This is the station to which my wife starts saying, “Blah, b-blah, b-blah,” to every time I turn on an NPR station.
Longtime NPR Senior Business Editor Exposes How DEI and Trump Derangement Ruined The Organization
“During a meeting with colleagues, I listened as one of NPR’s best and most fair-minded journalists said it was good we weren’t following the [Hunter Biden] laptop story because it could help Trump.”
The crtique is devastating with statistice showing the decrease in non-liberal listerners since Obama was elected.
So, it seems to me significant that someone from Gunowners of America was interviewed on a gun story today.
First time I have heard that group being quoted on NPR.
Gunowners of America was founded by the former Republican California State Senator who wrote “What Makes You Think We Read the Bills?” as a gunowners’ rights bill that would be more conservative than the National Rifle Association.
This has been a week of meetings for those involved with Algonquin Township.
Tuesday was the 175th Annual Town Meeting.
In times before about 1970, ordinary citizrns had a lot of power.
Called “electors,” they could determine line items in the budget.
I remember the insertion of $500 in the Algonquin Township budget for legal expenses to sue the County Supervisor of Assessments for assessing Algonquin Townshp property owners higher than those in other townships.
The Township Attorney spent the money without carrying out the intent of the budget.
About the same time, Nunda Township electors passed the Highway Department’s budget with one dollar in each line item.
The meeting had been packed with residents of a non-dedicated road who were angry because the Road Commissioner would not repaid the road. (On the road Mayor Daley’s State Representative Johnny Vitek had a summer home.)
What the residents apparently did not know was that the Highway Commissioner’s salary came from the Town Fund, so he would contnue being paid.
Immediately after, the State legislature passed legislation taking budgetary power away from ordinary citizens and giving to the township boards.
So much for township government being close to the people.
Last night was the monthly meeting of the Algonquin Township Board. (Maybe someone who attended will provide some details.) There was also a budget meeting an hour before.
Tonight the elected Precinct Committeepersons will elect officers.
Vice Chairman Bruce Johnson, who founded and headed We the People, McHenry County, and turned it into a weekly meeting organization doing many things that a township party might, is running to succeed Road Commissioner Danijela Sandberg as head of the Algonquin Township Republican Central Commmittee/
There are rumors he has an opponent,
Reports are that he has an opponent, Kevin Byrnes, who was one of Sheriff candidate Colatorti’s strongest supporters.
From Stephen Moore’s Unleash Prosperty Hotline #994:
Trump’s THREAT of Tariffs Helped Control the Border
we at the Hotline are, of course, in favor of free trade.
That being said, Trump’s threats of tariffs often had success in forcing other countries to do what is in American interests.
One example of this tactic was when Trump threatened tariffs on European countries if they didn’t meet their NATO obligations. They paid up.
Another is when Mexico was not helping control the U.S.-Mexico border.
Trump threatened Mexico City with “severe tariffs” and, sure enough, Mexico started cooperating.
The chart below shows the policy — since abandoned by “open-borders” Joe — immediately paid off with large reductions in illegal crossings.
From The Center Square:
Illinois taxpayer costs for state workers’ ‘Cadillac’ health plans increase 16%
(The Center Square) – Illinois taxpayers will be paying significantly more so state employees can have “Cadillac” health insurance coverage.
The Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability met Tuesday in Springfield to review the fiscal year 2025 state employees’ group insurance program.
According to the 2025 budget plan, the State Employee Group Health and Life Insurance program is proposed to receive more than $6.9 billion, a 21% overall increase from last year, when the program received $5.7 billion.
The state’s taxpayers and workers share in the cost of the program.
Raven DeVaughn, director of the Illinois Department of Central Management Services, said the reason for the increased cost to fund the insurance program was because of inflation.
State Sen. State Sen. Dave Syverson, R-Cherry Hills, continued to press DeVaughn and pointed out other states aren’t seeing this large of an increase.
DeVaughn admitted that the reason Illinois’ increases are larger than that of neighboring states is because the plans are “Cadillac” plans.
“There’s no secret we have what we call a ‘Cadillac’ plan,” said DeVaughn.
“Over the last three years, we saw traditional increases of between 5-9%.
“This year, between mandates from the General Assembly and our carriers, coming in at nearly 40% increases. [Emphasis added.]
“Those are unheard of numbers. It has been consistent across our carriers. An extremely large increase across the board when it comes to state of Illinois coverage.”
Illinois taxpayers are paying for a 16.5% increase.
Syverson said that state-enacted mandates have consequences.
“When we continue to push these mandates, there’s a cost to that,” said Syverson.
“If we’re seeing a half a billion dollar increase,
16%, compared to all of the surrounding states that aren’t any different than we are, that saw single digit increases [due to inflation], clearly it’s an indicator of what the actions of this legislature has done with the mandates.”
Syverson also pointed out the financial consequences of growing the government.
In the past two years, the state employees’ group insurance program has grown by 6,000 individuals and dependents.
This means more active members have been added to an insurance program the taxpayers partially pay for.
Syverson said the program is seeing such a large increase in cost partially due to legislative mandates.
“Those mandates are not just increasing the cost to the Illinois taxpayer for this plan, but it means every small employer in Illinois is being hit with those same mandates and are feeling those same pains we’re feeling right now,” said Syverson.
Syverson asked about the slew of mandates coming down the line for this legislative session.
Kari Wolfe, Central Management Services’ director for the Bureau of Benefits, said her office does a financial analysis on bills when they’re sent.
“There are some [bills] we have provided information on that are quite costly,” said Wolfe.
The proposed Healthcare Protection Act would target utilization management and ban step therapy. Gov. J.B. Pritzker has touted this proposed law.
Used in the state employee group insurance program, utilization management is when providers use evidence-based criteria to determine the appropriateness of issuing benefits.
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When I headed the state health insurance program, we cut a million dollars from the largest Springfield hospital’s costs cujtting out non-acuite day care using utilizatrion review. The hospital’s treasurer did not notice until I pointed it out to him.
From the Lake in the Hills Police:
It’s true that Democrats have more than a 2-1 majority in both houses of the Illinois General Assembly.
Some semblance of fairness might result in one-third of the bills to be considered on the House floor be GOP-sponsored.
That’s not what State Rep. Jeff Kercher, who represents McHenry County up to the Grafton Township line in southern Crystal Lake, reports.
Legislation Update
Last Friday was the deadline in the Illinois House of Representatives for bills originating in the House to advance through the committee process for consideration by the whole House.
Unfortunately, Friday’s session was abruptly canceled by the majority party, meaning more than a thousand bills filed this year were not given an opportunity to be heard or voted on in committee.
This has effectively killed these bills that were not heard in committee.
Most of the committees of the House held lengthy meetings last week to look at the 810 bills that had been “posted for hearings.”
Only about one-quarter of these bills (213 of the 810 bills posted) received votes and were reported to the House floor for further action.
Of the 213 bills reported to the floor, only 32 (15% of the total) were filed by Republican members of the House. [Emphasis added.]
Of the total of 507 House bills that did get out of committee and sent to the floor this spring, 73 bills (14% of the overall total) were filed by Republican members of the House.
It’s quite disheartening that the legislation allowed to advance was done so insuch a blatantly partisan way.
Unfortunately, this is an all-too-common experience in Springfield.
Fortunately, three pieces of legislation I filed were given hearings and advanced to the House floor last week.
This includes
- legislation to improve recovery support for children who have been victims of human trafficking,
- legislation dealing with roadside trash problems, and
- legislation ending an onerous requirement on senior citizen drivers.
Below is more information about legislation that did advance and other 70th District news.
Human Trafficking, Child Rape Trafficking
In March, I joined with several colleagues to introduce a package of legislation to combat human trafficking and support victims.
This often-overlooked form of modern-day slavery affects people of all ages and races, regardless of gender, and despite some recent progress, our state is failing when it comes to preventing these horrific crimes and helping victims heal. Read More Here.
Victims of human trafficking and sexual [rape[ 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 on a law we passed last year by creating an easier process for child victims of trafficking to have their juvenile records expunged or sealed as a result of any criminal acts they were forced to take part in while being abused. Read More Here.
Trash on Highways
For years, I’ve been frustrated with the trash that’s been windblown from waste haulers going from transfer stations to landfills through our communities.
Besides the litter problem, trash blowing off waste trucks is a safety hazard, and it is damaging local farmers’ fields and equipment.
House Bill 4848 will help us curb the problem by strengthening the current requirement for how waste hauling trucks must cover their loads, as well as holding the companies accountable through an updated violation and fine process. Read More Here.
Ending Onerous Test for Senior Drivers
In an 8-1 decision last week, Illinois House Transportation: Vehicles and Safety Committee members approved my legislation that would stop requiring people aged 79 and up to take driving tests when renewing their licenses, even if they have a clean driving record.
The goal here is to end this age discrimination practice and move toward a process that evaluates all drivers based on their driving record, rather than simply their age.
Data shows, contrary to popular belief, that older drivers are the least likely to be involved in crashes. Read More Here.
Might be other action, but what shows up on the agenda for “New Business” can be seen below:
It could have been a momentous affair.
But it wasn’t.
Look at the number attending.
