McHenry, IL. – In the wake of a recent Federal Supreme Court ruling, Senate Republicans are renewing their call to pass a state Constitutional Amendment to allow voters to decide who gets to draw legislative maps. Illinois citizens affected by spring and summer flooding are being asked to report any damage to local officials to help the state qualify for Federal aid.
In other action, new laws will provide protections for sexual assault victims, and help an Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) recreational site in in southern Illinois continue to operate successfully. And it’s been one year since the newly refurbished Illinois Governor’s Mansion reopened.
Let the voters decide
Senate Republicans are renewing their push to passing a state Constitutional Amendment allowing voters to decide who gets to draw legislative maps.
The recent ruling by the United States Supreme Court leaving redistricting to state legislatures shows that now is the time for the Illinois General Assembly to vote on Senate Joint Resolution-Constitutional Amendment 4 (SJRCA 4).
This bipartisan measure, which has 37 Senate sponsors (enough to pass the measure), would give the people of Illinois the opportunity to amend our Illinois Constitution and create a new, non-partisan system for drawing maps.
SJRCA 4 would place the question of fair maps on the ballot for the next statewide election and if approved would establish an independent redistricting commission, increase transparency in the process and provide for public hearings to allow for input from residents, without overdue influence from politicians.
Governor asks citizens to report flood damage
On July 15, Gov. J.B. Pritzker asked Illinois residents to assess local flooding damage and report it to their county’s emergency management agencies. The information will be used to assess whether the state receives Federal Recovery Assistance.
A formal request for Federal assistance must be submitted by Aug. 3, which is 30-days after the last impacted river fell below major flood stage. To help counties with the necessary reporting requirement, the Illinois Emergency Management Agency has made available teams to assist with the damage assessment process.
The State of Illinois established a website (https://www2.illinois.gov/sites/2019Floods/Pages/default.aspx) or click on the Flood Damage image (above left) that allows residents and business owners to submit an initial damage report online. Once reported via the state’s flood recovery website, the submission is forwarded to the appropriate county emergency management agency for follow-up reporting.
More protections for sexual assault victims
A new law will give sexual assault victims more protections when reporting the crimes to police or receiving treatment at a hospital.
Under previous law, when victims of sexual assault came into contact with police, such as when going to the hospital for treatment, the victims faced the possibility of being arrested if they had outstanding warrants, even in cases of minor non-violent offenses or unpaid fines.
House Bill 92 requires police officers to request a waiver of the required execution of arrest warrants, as long as they aren’t for a violent offense or parole violation.
Exemption for World Shooting and Recreation Complex
A new law will provide specific exemptions for businesses and firearms sales at the World Shooting and Recreation Complex events that would have been severely affected, limited, or outright banned by the Gun Dealer Licensing Act.
Without the exemptions, the Gun Dealer Licensing Act would have increased costs and administrative burdens for many of the vendors that typically set up during events at the IDNR site in Sparta. These new regulations could have led to national shooting events choosing a different venue.
While the new law is welcomed, it also highlights the antagonism some lawmakers have for Second Amendment rights. Those same increased costs and administrative burdens have been dumped on the state’s small mom and pop gun shops. These gun dealers are already licensed and investigated by the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms before they can obtain a Federal firearm license to sell guns, ammo and firearm accessories. The extra licensing will only serve to put small gun shops out of business.
One year since Governor’s Mansion reopened
A year ago, the Illinois Governor’s Mansion reopened to the public after a privately-funded three-year renovation spearheaded by former Gov. Bruce Rauner and first lady Diana Rauner.
The renovation focused not just on structural repairs and construction updates, but also on improving the visitor experience with dedicated art spaces, expanded programming, full accessibility for visitors, and a focus on Illinois’ rich history.
The Governor’s Mansion is open to the public for tours daily from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. More information is available at https://www2.illinois.gov/sites/governorsmansion.
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