New:
@GovPritzker
signed 265 bills today. A sampling:
- SB 2764 requires companies offering a free trial of 15+ days with an automatic renewal to notify the consumer at least 3 days before the cancelation deadline.
- SB 3203 caps the monthly co-pay for an asthma inhaler at $25.
Richard Porter, the Republican National Committeeman from Illinois: "Shut up, Gaetz... you don't have to be an a**hole."
Gaetz: "I don't know who you are."
Porter: "It doesn't f***ing matter who I am, don't be an a**hole."
EXCLUSIVE: Congressman Matt Gaetz interrupts Former Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s interview on the floor of the RNC. Gaetz had to be physically held back by security and said “You’d get boo’ed off the stage if you were to speak”
.
@GovPritzker
, responding to
@JeremyGorner
’s question about the Bears’ plans to ask for about $2.3B in public financing for a new lakefront stadium: “I remain skeptical about this proposal… I'm not sure that this is among the highest priorities for taxpayers.”
#twill
Gov. Pritzker will be in Rockford tomorrow to announce a new "Metra intercity rail project," per his schedule. $275 million was set aside in the Rebuild Illinois capital program to reestablish passenger rail between the city and Chicago. Sounds like Metra will be named operator.
Breaking:
@GovPritzker
has signed HB5471, making Illinois the ninth state in the nation to enact an assault weapons ban. It takes effect immediately.
#twill
.
@GovPritzker
, responding to
@TinaSfon
’s question about public subsides for a new White Sox stadium: “I start out really reluctant. And unless a case is made that the investment yields a long-term return for the taxpayers that we can justify in some way, I haven’t seen that yet.”
.
@GovPritzker
: "Donald Trump thinks we should trust him on the economy because he claims to be very rich. Take it from an actual billionaire, Trump is rich in only one thing: stupidity."
Quite a line there.
#twill
Breaking: The Illinois House votes 98-8 to lift the state's moratorium on the construction of new nuclear power plants. This will allow for the development of small modular reactors. It heads to Gov. J.B. Pritzker's desk.
#twill
Pritzker, asked what it would take to get the Bears over the finish line: “…one lesson that can be learned just from the last few years is… taxpayers putting money forward for stadium deals: not particularly popular around the country,” cites referendum results in Kansas City.
- HB 4911 allows gym membership contracts to be canceled over the phone, online or via email.
- HB 5097 requires DCFS to include a haircare plan during case review outlining the necessary training and resources needed to ensure each child receives culturally competent haircare.
About 100 protesters begin their “million unmasked march” to the Illinois State Board of Education Building to the tune of “Fight Song,” which is perhaps best known in the political realm as Hillary Clinton’s 2016 campaign theme song.
- HB 4875 allow artists and music labels to file lawsuits in state court against those who artificially reproduce their voices, images or likenesses without their consent.
- HB 4895 requires public schools teach about the impacts of climate change and solutions to address it.
Sen. Bernie Sanders: “Billionaires in both parties should not be able to buy elections.”
The next speaker is Illinois Gov.
@JBPritzker
, a billionaire who has spent more than $350 million of his personal fortune on his two gubernatorial campaigns.
#twill
- HB 2385 requires insurers to cover all medically-necessary colonoscopies starting Jan 1, 2026.
- HB 4206 allows tenants to pay landlords w/cash or a check vs. an online rent portal w/transaction fees.
- HB 4592 allows
@ILSecOfState
to issue digital IDs and driver's licenses.
- SB 3285 creates resentencing rules for survivors of domestic abuse and gender-based violence who previously took a plea deal during their original sentencing.
- SB 3353 would allow
@IDPH
to create a program to distribute free fentanyl test strips.
Since 1983, nearly every Illinois license plate has been manufactured by a Decatur social service agency that employs people with disabilities. Illinois is one of just two states not making plates in a prison.
@ILSecOfState
visited today. My story:
Activists from
@MomsDemand
here for the House Judiciary-Criminal Committee, which is expected to hear gun dealer licensing legislation and a “red flag” bill
#twill
@RepChrisWelch
BREAKING: The Illinois House votes 83-33 to pass a sweeping clean energy bill providing subsidies to keep the state’s nuclear fleet afloat while phasing out dirty power sources — like coal and natural gas — with the aim of achieving 100% clean power generation by 2050.
#twill
- HB 1168 ensure that a person's DNA is not entered into a DNA database if it's collected as part of an investigation in which they are the victim of a crime.
- SB 462 prohibits public universities from considering legacy status or donor relation in admissions.
*Flagging* this for anyone interested, but... the Illinois House just voted 71-40 to pass
@VoteforDoris
' bill that would form a commission to explore the creation of a new state flag. It heads to Gov. Pritzker's desk.
#twill
- SB 2960 bans small and single-use plastic bottles in hotels with 50+ rooms starting July 1, 2025; and all other hotels starting January 1, 2026.
- SB 3098 bans those <21 from buying vaping products online.
- HB 4623 clarifies that child porn laws apply to AI-created images.
.
@GovPritzker
, speaking in Maywood now, reiterates the point he made this morning: "Well, I'm highly skeptical of proposal that's been made and I believe strongly that this is not a high priority for legislators and certainly not for me..."
#twill
.
@GovPritzker
, responding to
@JeremyGorner
’s question about the Bears’ plans to ask for about $2.3B in public financing for a new lakefront stadium: “I remain skeptical about this proposal… I'm not sure that this is among the highest priorities for taxpayers.”
#twill
- SB 3406 requires
@ILSecOfState
's Rules of the Road publication to include information about transporting hazardous materials.
- SB 3455 directs
@ILDeptofRevenue
to conduct a study of the Illinois property tax system
Fun fact: Mattoon is home to the “original” Burger King. The owners registered the name as a state trademark in 1959. So when “corporate” BK started opening stores in IL, they sued… and won! As a result, the fast food chain can’t operate within a 20-mile radius of Mattoon.
- SB 2662 prohibits the advertising, marketing or promoting of an e-cigarette in a way that's likely to cause an someone to mistake it for an object that isn't a tobacco product.
- HB 5408 would prohibit parking or stopping on the shoulder within a half-mile of O'Hare Airport.
.
@MomsDemand
activists in the Illinois Capitol today advocating for an assault weapons ban. Legislation is being negotiated behind the scenes and proponents hope for a vote before the end of lame duck session next week.
#twill
- SB 2643 requires funeral homes and crematories to maintain a chain of custody records that are uniquely identified to the deceased. It was in response to a scandal at a Carlinville funeral home where more than 80 remains were mishandled.
.
@GovPritzker
was at the grand opening of innovation center
@mHUBChicago
's West Loop location today. He does a lot of ribbon cuttings. But I think this is the first one that involved a plasma torch.
#twill
@HastingsforIL
@DonHarmonIL
BREAKING: The Illinois Senate passes clean energy legislation that would provide subsidies that would keep the state's nuclear fleet afloat and put the state on the path to 100% clean electric generation by 2050. Vote was 39-16. Two voted present.
#twill
.
@GovPritzker
calls for Sangamon County Sheriff Jack Campbell's resignation over Sonya Massey's killing. "He has failed to explain how he ended up hiring this deputy sheriff who has been fired from other departments. He failed to put forward reforms that clearly need to be made."
Senate President Don Harmon told state business leaders earlier this morning said that he "made it clear" to White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf during their February meeting "that there's next to no appetite" in the state Capitol "to fund a new stadium with taxpayer dollars."
#twill
Sen.
@DarrenBaileyIL
, who leaves office in less than two days, on the assault weapons ban: "Friends, you got to know that the action that you're taking right now is tyrannous ... You also must know that I and millions of other gun owners in this state will not comply."
#twill
New:
@GovPritzker
will propose permanently ending the state's 1% grocery tax in the FY25 budget proposal he will introduce today. It comes a couple years after the governor proposed and lawmakers eventually approved a one-year holiday on the tax. My story:
Gov.
@JBPritzker
told Illinois delegates that a third term may be in his future — at least if he's given the OK by First Lady MK Pritzker. My dispatch from this morning's delegation breakfast:
#IL17
Dem nominee Eric Sorensen says Republican Esther Joy King has called to concede the race. He’s headed to Congress.
And with that, Democrats will get that 14-3 congressional delegation they envisioned when they drew the map last year.
#twill
Chicago historian
@6figga_dilla
at the podium now. Mentions that candidates nominated in Chicago have “like an 85% chance” of winning. He’ll be leading delegates on tours of the city.
Trump: “(
@DarrenBaileyIL
) will crack down on the violent crime that is devouring our Democrat-run cities and restore the state of Illinois to greatness. Darren has my complete and total endorsement.” There it is.
#twill
So this exchange happened.
@GovPritzker
, in no uncertain terms, comes out in favor of
#TeamMustard
.
Me: "Ketchup or mustard, Governor?"
Gov: "Mustard... who would put ketchup on a hot dog?"
Me: "Your chief of staff (
@anacaprana
)."
Gov: "We overlooked that in hiring."
State Rep. Darren Bailey, talking with attendees. Bailey has been involved in serveral legal battles against the Pritzker Administration over stay-at-home order, mask requirements.
Gov. Pritzker on migrants: "Children, pregnant women, and the elderly have been sent here in the dead of night... in freezing temperatures, wearing flip flops and T-shirts. Think about that the next time a politician from Texas wants to lecture you about being a good Christian."
Emma Shafer was a dear friend of mine. She was also the most remarkable person I've ever met. Her loss is devastating. But my hope is that the example she set about what it means to be a good person and a good community member will live on. My column:
Protesters lie in middle of Second Street. Included is Springfield Ward 2 Ald. Shawn Gregory (in the Cubs hat). What he told me afterwards: “If you’re not understanding this and why this is so serious, then you’re lost.”
#SpringfieldILProtest
Update:
@GovPritzker
will meet with President Biden in person at the White House tomorrow. He previously planned to participate virtually from Illinois.
#twill
Just scanning some state legislative races, it appears state Rep. Lindsey LaPointe and state Sen. Rob Martwick, who faced FOP-backed challenges in their cop-heavy Chicago districts over their "yes" votes for the SAFE-T Act, will each win relatively easily.
#twill
The Illinois House votes to pass
@sharonchungIL
’s legislation designating the black walnut as the official state nut of Illinois. It’s her first bill.
“This is nuts,”
@BenSzalinski
, sitting next to me in the press box, says.
#twill
.
@GovPritzker
doesn't mince words, describing "a virulent strain of nationalism plaguing our nation, led by demagogues who are pushing censorship, with a particular attack right now on school board members and library trustees." His full remarks on the topic:
#twill
Gov.
@JBPritzker
: "Donald Trump once called Chicago 'embarrassing.' To quote a great Chicagoan who won six world championships on these very grounds: "We take that personally." The reference is to the Michael Jordan's phrase in "The Last Dance."
#twill
With 81% of precincts reporting in
#IL17
, Dem Eric Sorensen LEADS Republican Esther Joy King.
Sorensen 98,417 (51%)
King 95,066 (49%)
This would be a major hold for Democrats. This district has long been viewed as the most likely to flip Republican in Illinois.
#twill
Here’s a map of the counties part of the SAFE-T Act lawsuit (🔴) and those that are not (🔵).
🔵= 69% of the population.
🔴= 31%
As of now, the abolition of cash bail won’t go into effect in the red counties on Jan. 1. There’s some confusion as to what happens everywhere else.
@Chris_Bos
@RepKellyCassidy
Breaking: The Illinois House has voted to repeal the Parental Notification of Abortion Act, one of the last-remaining pro-life measures on the books in the state. The vote was 62-51-3. It heads to Gov. Pritzker's desk.
#twill
.
@GovPritzker
: “Donald Trump is a racist, a homophobe, a grifter, and a threat to this country. He can now add one more title to his list - a felon.” Full statement:
It's late, but there's still a few
@MomsDemand
activists watching the debate in the House gallery. There were about 100 activists in the Capitol earlier Thursday. The only visible gun rights folks here were the lobbyists who spoke against the bill earlier in committee.
#twill
The Illinois Senate votes 39-19 to approve a bill prohibiting libraries from banning books due to political pressure. It heads to
@GovPritzker
's desk.
#twill
Happy Wednesday! It's been a light legislative week so far, but that could change today. A floor vote is expected in the Senate on legislation championed by
@ILSecOfState
that would prevent libraries from banning books. If it passes, it'll head to Gov. Pritzker's desk.
#twill
Good morning from Savoy.
@SecretaryPete
is here for the first of three events with
@SenatorDurbin
and
@RepNikkiB
across central and southern Illinois today. First up is highlighting a $22.6 million grant towards a grade separation project on Curtis Road near U.S. 45
#twill
.
@SpeakerWelchIL
, repeating what he said to Bears Prez Kevin Warren privately last week on possible stadium bill: "If we were to put this issue on the board for a vote right now, it would fail and it would fail miserably. There's no environment for something like this thing."
.
@GovPritzker
, speaking in Maywood now, reiterates the point he made this morning: "Well, I'm highly skeptical of proposal that's been made and I believe strongly that this is not a high priority for legislators and certainly not for me..."
#twill
"It was far from guaranteed that there would ever be a new employer to play the role that Mitsubishi had. But the Rivian story and the Bloomington-Normal story is one that a lot of communities would envy." My story on
@SecretaryPete
's visit to Illinois:
.
@RepNikkiB
gets a close-up look at the 2024
@ILStateFair
Butter Cow. First time I’ve ever seen them open the door for someone. But, the fairgrounds are in her congressional district, after all. The smell of the butter, which is reused every year, was interesting.
#twill
🧈🐮
Gov. Pritzker, asked whether the state would give financial help to the White Sox for a possible move to the South Loop, says that an ask hasn’t been made but reiterates that he’s generally against public subsidies for pro sports teams.
#twill
The IL Flag Commission is holding its first meeting today, per
@TimButlerIL
(he gave me permission to share a screenshot of this tweet from his private account). The commission will have until January to select 10 finalists for a new state flag and April to issue a final report:
The Illinois Senate votes 48-7 to approve House Bill 1871. The legislation would make ballot drop boxes and curbside voting, which were utilized during the pandemic, permanent. Heads to the governor's desk.
#twill
Pritzker, cont'd: "If the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs can't get the people of their area to authorize the building of a new stadium... I don't really think that the people of Chicago or across Illinois feel any different than that."
#twill
The Illinois Senate votes 39-16 to pass
@VoteforDoris
' legislation forming a commission to explore the creation of a new state flag. It heads to the House now. Not sure who's going to carry it over there now that
@TimButlerIL
is gone!
#twill
In the closely-watched
#IL48
State Senate race with 100% of precincts reporting:
Democrat Doris Turner 38,947 (51%)
Republican Sandy Hamilton 37,654 (49%)
Appears like
@VoteforDoris
will stay in the Illinois Senate. More than $6 million was spent on that race.
#twill
.
@GovPritzker
will sign legislation in Chicago tomorrow banning step therapy and reining in prior authorization, per his schedule. These utilization management practices are used by health insurance companies to control costs. He’ll also sign a bill banning junk insurance.
#twill
@LeighGiangreco
The Fifth Province inside the Irish American Heritage Center is my hideaway when I’m in town. Great craic, solid food and drinks and live music almost every weekend. It’s a fairly well-known spot to Chicago’s Irish diaspora, but still a secret to most. Part of the charm.
Some personal news — I'm excited to announce that I'll be joining The State Journal-Register as a full-time reporter next month. I'm thankful for the opportunity and looking forward to keeping the capital city informed!
#twill
#journalism
@SJRbreaking
Rockford hasn't been served by passenger rail since Amtrak halted service there in 1981. If this goes through, service would be restored with additional stops in Belvidere and Huntley. More details from
@rrstar
's
@JeffKolkey
:
The merits of having a NASCAR race on the streets of Chicago can be debated. But the visuals with the skyline in the background are undoubtedly stunning.