S4 Updates: News and Politics

National
After several divisive and highly publicized debates over cultural and civil rights issues brought about by amendments to spending bills, House Speaker Paul Ryan is changing the process. Cristina Marcos explains in The Hill, “House Republican leaders have been blindsided multiple times by Democrats offering politically volatile amendments to appropriations bills. Starting as soon as next month, Ryan is expected to make it harder for the minority party to attempt to embarrass the majority.” Plans include requiring amendments to be submitted and made public ahead of time, allowing all members- and the public- time to strategize before debating and voting. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi derided the the proposal and accused the Speaker of abandoning “regular order in the name of furthering LGBT discrimination,” which has been the subject of several recent amendments. Read more.

 

 

The State Department inspector general finally released its report on Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server while she was Secretary of State. The report concludes that Clinton did not comply with the department’s policies by using her personal server, which was not approved by agency officials. The report contradicts Clinton’s claims that she did not violate any rules and had permission to use the private server. The report also discloses that several Secretaries of State had various email issues, and that the policies evolved over time, often lagging behind the changing risks and legal requirements. Nevertheless, Donald Trump’s campaign will certainly use this against his opponent over the next several months. Read more in Politico.

 

 

The House passed a bill to allow VA doctors to discuss medical marijuana with patients and to help them sign up for state medical marijuana programs. Although the bill would not permit the VA to supply medical marijuana, it shows a new willingness among legislators to give the drug a chance, especially as the dangers of opioid prescriptions become ever more apparent. A companion bill in the Senate passed a committee but has yet to be voted on by the full Senate.Read more from the Associated Press.

 

 

Republican Rep. Dana Rohrabacher made headlines this week when he disclosed that he recently used medical marijuana to treat his arthritis pain. Rep. Rohrabacher is a leading Republican voice in favor of reforming marijuana laws, but his admission is still noteworthy because he is the first sitting congressman in decades to admit using marijuana while in office. Read more in the Washington Post.

 

 

After much deliberation and lobbying on all sides, the House passed a bill to regulate thousands of toxic chemicals for the first time. The bill, which increases safety standards and regulations, passed with overwhelming support and is expected to pass the Senate and be signed by President Obama. Sen. Rand Paul, however, blocked its passage before the long weekend because he wants more time to read the bill. Read more.

 

 

11 states have already sued the Obama administration over its recent directive requiring public schools to allow students to use whichever bathrooms match their gender identities. Plaintiffs in the suit argued against the “havoc” the directive would wreak on schools, bemoaning the “seismic shift” it would force on schools and students. The Justice Department said this week, “While the department will review the complaint, the federal government has strong legal foundations to uphold the civil rights of transgender Americans.” Read more in the Washington Post.

 

 

As you may have noticed if you traveled by plane recently, airport security lines have been growing, and complaints against the Transportation Security Agency (TSA) even more so. In response to growing backlash, the agency replaced its top security official and added a new team of administrators at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport, one of the centers of the discontent. Critics say the move is too little too late, and that it will have no meaningful impact on TSA operations. All the rest of us can do is wait and see. Read more in the New York Times.

 

 

Some Democratic legislators want to replace Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz as chair of the Democratic National Committee. Rep. Wasserman Schultz has been incredibly critical of Sen. Bernie Sanders, which many worry makes her too divisive a figure to lead the convention in July. She has no plans to step down, and many in the party still support her leadership, making this another wait and see situation.Read more on The Hill.

 

Illinois
Reporter Natasha Korecki summed up the current status of the budget process as such: “While rank and file lawmakers seem willing to find some common ground, the governor and leaders are at odds over familiar issues.” And from Rich Miller: “The truth is, if something drastic doesn’t happen very soon, this state is heading for a full-blown, all-out political war come June 1st.”

 

Speaker Madigan and House Democrats passed a budget proposal that the governor’s budget office declared the “phoniest phony budget in recent Illinois history.” There was some confusion and discontent around how the vote was conducted, but the bill passed nonetheless. According to the budget office, the budget is up to $7 billion out of balance. Comptroller Leslie Munger said the proposed budget would raise the state’s unpaid bills to more than $15 billion and delay payments by “an unprecedented 8-9 months.” Paying for the $39 billion budget would require an income tax rate of 5.5%, according to the budget office.

 

One of the tactics used in this budget proposal is the elimination of expenses that are currently covered by consent decrees- like Medicaid payments. The idea is that since these payments will still be required even if appropriations are not made in a legislative budget, legislators can avoid including the expenses and/or making cuts to programs. The proposal also includes K-12 school funding instead of separating education from the rest of the budget, like legislators did last year. It is possible that schools will not open this fall if the budget is not enacted, but some say the bipartisan budget working groups are making progress. Read more about what Rich Miller calls “a very odd budget plan.”

 

 

Senate Democrats are not thrilled with the budget proposal, and Gov. Rauner would likely veto it anyway if passed as is. Legislators have only days to come up with a compromise before passing a budget becomes even more difficult.

 

Hoping to prevent another “Good Friday Massacre” (what critics called Gov. Rauner’s decision to cancel social service contracts to save money on Good Friday last year), House Democrats passed a bill requiring 30 days’ notice to providers before contracts can be canceled. Gov. Rauner restored the funding soon after cutting it, but providers are still concerned about losing their contracts without warning. Read more in the Chicago Tribune.

 

 

82 social service organizations, up from 64 earlier this month, are suing the governor and several state agency heads for emergency financial relief. The plaintiffs are seeking immediate payment from the state on contracts that are more than two months in arrears. Mrs. Rauner’s organization, Ounce of Protection, is one of the new plaintiffs in the suit.Read more on Capitol Fax.

 

 

With Chicago Public Schools (CPS) preparing to cut $700 million from school budgets, many charter schools face uncertain futures. Those that are not part of larger networks may not be able to open in the fall, and some charter networks may indefinitely postpone plans to open new campuses. “Closing charter schools would cause upheaval on several fronts: for families who would have to find new schools for their children, for district-run schools that would potentially have to take in thousands of students, and for larger charter networks that might also take in students because they are better positioned to absorb the cuts.” Read more.

 

 

A federal judge is insisting that Mayor Emanuel testify in a whistleblower case over the Chicago Police Department’s (CPD) “code of silence” to protect fellow officers accused of inappropriate behavior. Attorneys for the city have offered to admit in court that a code of silence exists in order to prevent Mayor Emanuel from needing to testify, but the judge still wants to hear from the Mayor. Read more.

 

 

Rep. Lou Lang’s HB 5594, which prohibits courts from denying defendants access to medication-assisted substance abuse treatment programs, passed both houses.

 

 

Rumors have been circulating about US Rep. Richard Durbin’s possible gubernatorial ambitions, but Rep. Durbin insists he is not looking for any other positions and “would beg the people who are doing all the speculation to cool it.”

 

New York
New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer announced the city will face a considerably larger budget gap than Mayor de Blasio’s administration has predicted, largely due to increased aid for public hospitals, homeless shelters, and overtime pay. Stringer also pointed out that the mayor’s savings plan is mostly “dependent on savings that would have occurred regardless,” not from any new actions. Read more.

 

 

In an effort to keep his ethics reform agenda alive, Gov. Cuomo presented several bills targeting the LLC loophole this week. The loophole allows individuals to donate large amounts of money to political candidates without disclosing their identities by doing it through limited liability companies. Gov. Cuomo’s proposal would limit contributions from LLCs to $5,000, which could dramatically change thepolitical donation landscape in New York. Assembly Democrats have tried to change the LLC loophole in the past, but it usually stops with Senate Republicans. Read more in the NY Times.

 

 

Sen. Catharine Young’s S 4722, related to assisted outpatient treatment orders, passed the Senate and was sent to the Assembly. The bill would require that “prior to the expiration of assisted outpatient treatment orders, the clinical needs of assisted outpatients are adequately reviewed in determining the need to petition” for continued treatment, and other provisions. If the court did not review a petition for continuation before the expiration of an order, the expired order would remain in effect until a decision was made.

 

 

A 6932, the Abandoned Property Neighborhood Relief Act,passed the Assembly. The bill would require a statewide electronic registry of vacant and abandoned property to be set up by the Attorney General, among other provisions. The bill would also establish the Abandoned Property Neighborhood Relief Fund, which would be funded by civil penalties collected for violations of foreclosure and abandoned property codes. The fund would be used for “providing abandoned property enforcement assistance grants” to localities.

 

 

Rep. Richard Gottfried’s A 9510, which would allow physician assistants and nurse practitioners to prescribe medical marijuana, passed the Assembly and was referred to the Senate Health Committee.

 

New Jersey
Finally- an Atlantic City rescue package that will actually be enacted! The state legislature passed two bills that would allow Atlantic City’s leaders 150 days to balance their budget and create a five-year plan, instead of imposing an immediate state takeover. Gov. Christie seems likely to sign the bills. The state will help keep the government running during those 150 days with a bridge loan and several grants.Read more in Politico New Jersey.

 

 

Gov. Christie conditionally vetoed the Democratic plan for Port Authority reform again, calling for the legislature to pass the same language already passed in New York. Proponents of the New Jersey Democrats’ language in both states argue that it would add necessary oversight to the Port Authority, while Gov. Christie and fellow Republicans say it would add unnecessary costs. It now seems that legislators may be amenable to passing the bill as Gov. Christie wants it.Read more in Politico New Jersey.

 

 

A state appeals court ruled yesterday that the Christie administration cannot give grants to religious schools, regardless of what the grant funds are intended for. Beth Medrash Govoha in Lakewood and Princeton Theological Seminary were to receive a total of $11 million for construction and renovation projects, but the ACLU challenged the award on the grounds that taxpayer funds were not to be used to “subsidize institutions that… exist to teach their particular religious doctrines.” Read more.

 

Ohio
HB 523, regarding medical marijuana, passed both houses. The bill would authorize the use of medical marijuana and create a Medical Marijuana Control Program in the Department of Health. The Medical Marijuana Control Commission would determine the application and licensing procedures and just about every aspect of the program. This article answers the question, what next?

 

 

Attorney General Mike DeWine confirmed he will run for governor in 2018. He will most likely face Lt. Gov. Mary Taylor and Secretary of State Jon Husted in the Republican primary.Read more.

 

 

US Sen. Rob Portman is the subject of new attack ads from two national labor groups: the American Federation of Teachers and the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME). Sen. Portman’s campaign spokesperson said, “These latest misleading ads from out-of-state liberal special interest groups are nothing more than desperate attempts to distract from Ted Strickland’s awful record.” So far, Sen. Portman and former Gov. Ted Strickland are polling very close. Read more.

 

Indiana
John Gregg, who is running for governor on the Democratic ticket, announced state Rep. Christina Hale as his running mate. Gov. Pence welcomed her to the race and said he looks forward to debating the two Democrats with his Lt. Gov. Eric Holcomb. Read more.

 

Minnesota
This Minnesota Public Radio article covers the major legislation that passed before Sunday’s deadline and the legislation that did not. Gov. Dayton may call for a special session to wrap up the unfinished issues, but in the meantime, funding for transportation projects and decisions on several non-budgetary issues remain undecided. Legislation that passed includes a package of tax cuts, funding for broadband Internet internet and preschool, regulations for police body cameras, and reduced drug crime sentencing. Gov Dayton also signed a bill to scrap the state’s presidential caucus system and change to a primary system.Read more.

Skokie Through the Lens 2016 – Skokie Inspirations

The Skokie Fine Arts Commission is excited to announce Skokie Through the Lens 2016. The theme for this year’s exhibit is Skokie Inspirations. Images should reflect what inspires you in Skokie during 2016… let your creative energy flow!

Submission Guidelines
This exhibition is for amateur photographers of all ages who live, work or play in Skokie. Phoneography/Instagram images are welcomed. Each individual may submit up to three images of approximately one to eight megabytes each. Label digital files a such: firstname_lastname_01, 02 or 03 and email them to info@skokie.org with the subject line “Skokie through the Lens Entry.” In the email please include your name and phone number. Please also include the location in Skokie and a brief description of each photo.

The deadline to submit photos is Friday, September 9, 2016 however, submissions are welcome anytime until then. The exhibit will be displayed at various community locations in fall 2016. For more information, please contact Nick Wyatt, Assistant to the Village Manager, at 847/933-8283.

The panel will select approximately 30 to 50 images to be exhibited in print format at various Skokie locations in fall 2016.

Please click here for a video of all the photos selected for the Skokie Through the Lens 2015 exhibit.

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Update from S4: News and Politics from Illinois and around the USA

National

 

The House passed a bill to exempt certain startup activities from SEC requirements, aiming to facilitate greater access to capital. The Helping Angels Lead Our Startups (HALOS) Act would allow startups to hold “demo days” to showcase their products and meet potential investors without needing to verify the investors’ net worth or accreditation. Proponents of the bill say that it will remove unnecessary restrictions and enable startups greater access to investors. Critics say it will remove a crucial protection for investors and encourage startups to promote high-risk investments. Despite wide bipartisan support in the House, the bill’s future in the Senate is uncertain. Read more on The Hill.

 

In the absence of the late Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia and with no replacement coming anytime soon, the Supreme Court has slowed down its acceptance of new controversial cases. Only six cases have been accepted since Scalia died in February, and none of them are highly contentious. The evenly-split Court is likely trying to avoid cases that the justices are not confident they can decide without another member. Read more in the Washington Post.

 

Even as conservatives have begun asking to confirm Merrick Garland to the Supreme Court, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is standing strong in his refusal to consider President Obama’s nominee. The dramatic change of heart in many Republican legislators comes directly from Donald Trump’s new position as the Republican presidential nominee, barring any changes at the national convention. There is widespread concern that with Trump as the nominee, Hillary Clinton will win the White House and have the opportunity to appoint a much more liberal justice. Some conservatives want to cut their losses now and appoint Garland, who is respected by both parties. Read more.

 

The FDA finalized a rule on e-cigarettes and some tobacco products that had been in limbo for several years. The new rule includes e-cigarettes and liquid nicotine in tobacco regulations, barring their sale to people under 18 and regulating the industry at the federal level for the first time. The rule also requires cigar and e-cigarette producers to register with the FDA, which will have a huge effect on small vape shops that mix their own liquids. The industry group American Vaping Association called the regulations effectively “a prohibition” because of the costs accompanying the application process. Read more in the New York Times.

 

Illinois
Illinois has passed over 300 days without a budget, and the consequences are becoming harder to undo, no matter when funding shows up. Aside from the fact that if no budget is passed before the end of May, the General Assembly will need a supermajority to pass one, many organizations are already beyond the point of full recovery even if they were paid today. As of January 2016, 84% of the state’s human service agencies reported cutting programs, and countless organizations have cut staff and seen their waitlists for services grow. “The whole social services safety net is starting to wear away,” said one social services executive. “Once it goes, it’s virtually impossible to rebuild.” Read more in Bloomberg.

 

A coalition of 64 social service organizations sued the Rauner administration for over $100 million the state has failed to pay them since last July. Although Gov. Rauner’s office dismissed the suit, chalking it up to frustration, coalition chair Andrea Durbin says it is “strictly a business case” centered on unfulfilled contracts. “We’ve been held accountable to the contracts. We’ve been asked to deliver services, to report our data, to participate in program oversight,” she said. “You can’t with one hand ask people to do work and with the other hand deny them the ability to be paid.” Read more in the Chicago Tribune.

 

Despite the stopgap funding bill for higher education passed last week, Chicago State University still needed to lay off over 300 employees last Friday. The university received $20 million from the legislation, but administrators were counting on $37 million from the state this year. Read more from ABC7.

 

Yesterday the Senate passed a bill to send an additional $454 million to struggling colleges, and the House is expected to take it up next week. Read more in the State Journal-Register.

 

Rep. Christian Mitchell’s bill for a constitutional amendment to change Illinois’s income tax system to a graduated tax died in the House. Rep. Lou Lang sponsored a companion bill that would have set the rates for the graduated tax, and he blames Gov. Rauner for pulling several Republican supporters away from the initiative. According to Rep. Lang, the plan would cut taxes for 99% of Illinois taxpayers and still raise an additional $1.9 billion for the state. The governor’s spokesperson, on the other hand, said that a graduated tax would “result in driving thousands of jobs out of Illinois.”Read more in the State Journal-Register.

 

There are two legislative working groups trying to put together a budget: the Ad-Hoc committee that has been meeting for the past year, and the new Budgeteers committee.  Both bipartisan groups are working on passable budget compromises, but the clock is ticking. Read more in Politico Illinois.

 

Members of the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) are concerned about the likely financial consequences of a strike, and the union seems to be backing away from a strike this month. CTU Vice President Jesse Sharkey said, “If CPS provokes us, and unilaterally effects change, all bets are off. In the absence of that, I get a sense that our members would not be looking at a strike in May.” A strike could start as early as May 16th if the union gives 10 days’ prior notice, but hopefully attempts a compromise will be successful. Read more in the Sun-Times.

 

Sen. Andy Manar’s bill to change the school funding formula to direct more money to poorer districts stalled this week when the Rauner administration released calculations claiming that the bill would cut funding from downstate districts to send millions of dollars more to Chicago. In reality, the bill has a ‘hold harmless’ provision that would prevent any districts from seeing funding cuts for the first year, but “Rauner’s numbers drop provided all the politicalcover Republicans needed to renew claims that the Democratic legislation was designed to prop up cash-strapped CPS at the expense of other districts,” writes Monique Garcia in the Chicago Tribune. Gov. Rauner wants to see school funding approved before reforming the system, which Sen. Manar says would simply make the disparities between school districts even larger. Legislators have received several different sets of numbers, and Sen. Manar is postponing a vote until they have had adequate time to consider them.Read more here and here.

 

Rep. Lou Lang’s bill to prohibit courts from denying defendants access to medication-assisted substance abuse treatment programs passed the Criminal Law Committee.

 

Mayor Emanuel hired Andrea Zopp, who lost the Democratic US Senate primary to US Rep. Tammy Duckworth, as Deputy Mayor. Zopp will be charge of major city projects.

 

New York

Sen. George Amedore introduced S 7446, which would allow the Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services to provide funding to for-profit agencies for substance use disorder and gambling programs.

 

Sen. Diane Savino introduced S 7467, a companion to Rep. Richard Gottfried’s Assembly bill to authorize five additional medical marijuana organizations. Each organization would be authorized to manufacture medical marijuana products and operate up to eight dispensaries.

 

Retiring US Rep. Chris Gibson announced he will take a job as a visiting lecturer at Williams College and will not run for governor in 2018. He will close the exploratory committee he opened to look into the possibility, and he will return all contributions. Read more in Morning Consult.

 

New Jersey
Assembly Speaker Vincent Prieto’s bill to work on Atlantic City’s finances without an immediate state takeover fizzled out yesterday. Speaker Prieto had planned to call the measure for a vote, but he canceled it when four members did not show up, effectively dooming the bill. It is not clear whether the bill would have passed, or whether Senate President Steve Sweeney’s takeover bill could pass the Assembly. Speaker Prieto now plans to work on a compromise bill, though Senate President Sweeney so far is refusing to work with him, despite announcements to the contrary. Read more in Politico New Jersey.

 

After much uncertainty, Atlantic City managed to make a $1.8 million bond payment this week, averting default. The payment only covers interest, but the city prevented what would have been the first municipal default in the state since 1938.

 

Two NJ Transit rail unions, representing close to 40% of the workforce, rejected the tentative agreement that prevented a strike earlier this year. Unions representing railway conductors and engineers did not ratify the new contract accepted by 14 other NJ Transit unions and will likely return to negotiations. So far, there is no threat of a strike. Read more.

 

Lakewood’s housing boom shows no signs of stopping, and the township is quickly running out of room- at least horizontally. The Township Committee appointed members to study ways to incorporate the dramatic growth, including raising the five-story limit on buildings. Read more.

 

Sen. M. Teresa Ruiz introduced S 2139 to add dysmenorrhea, severely painful menstrual cramps, to the list of conditions that can be treated with medical marijuana. Rep. Tim Eustace introduced the Assembly version last month.

 

Ohio
Rep. Kirk Schuring’s bill to legalize medical marijuana passed committee this week. Although many legislators are not in favor of legalizing marijuana, they are more concerned with what voters might pass as a constitutional amendment in November and want to get ahead of them with legislation. Rep. Schuring’s bill does not allow people to grow their own marijuana, and it excludes some medical conditions that are part of proposed ballot initiatives. Read more.

 

Indiana

 

US Rep. Todd Young beat US Rep. Marlin Stutzman in the Republican primary to replace retiring US Sen. Dan Coats. Rep. Stutzman is a member of the conservative House Freedom Caucus and is a Tea Party favorite, while Rep. Young is favored by more moderate Republicans. Rep. Young will face Democrat Baron Hill, a former state representative, in November.

 

Both representative’s districts were up for grabs because of their decision to run for Senate, and both are considered safely Republican. Jim Banks, who is supported by the House Freedom Caucus, won the primary in Rep. Stutzman’s district, and Trey Hollingsworth, a wealthy transplant to the state, won in Rep. Young’s district. Read more in Morning Consult.

 

Wisconsin
State Supreme Court Justice David T. Prosser is retiring at the end of July, though his term does not end until 2021. This means Gov. Walker can appoint a successor to serve until 2020, at which point an election will be held for the seat.