IDOT, AAA partner to educate motorists on common #8carseatmistakes

Press Release From The Illinois Department of Transportation

SPRINGFIELD, IL – Recognizing that common car-seat mistakes can have deadly consequences, the Illinois Department of Transportation is partnering with AAA and child safety advocates this week during National Child Passenger Safety Week to educate motorists on what to do—and what to avoid—to keep young passengers safe. At the heart of the effort is “National Seat Check Saturday” on Sept. 23, with nearly 100 free car-seat safety checks planned throughout the state and listed at BuckleUpIllinois.org.

“Children are our most precious cargo, and their parents and other caregivers deserve the peace of mind that comes with knowing their little ones are secured in the right car seat, in the right position and with the right safety features in place,” said Illinois Transportation Secretary Randy Blankenhorn. “We encourage everyone to consider getting their car seats checked and talk with a certified child passenger safety technician about the common mistakes to avoid.”

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in most cases, a child’s car seat is installed incorrectly 59 percent of the time. Additionally, about 26 percent of children 4 to 7 are moved to seat belts too soon, when they should have been riding in booster seats. In Illinois, children are required to be in a car seat or booster seat until at least age 8, and all children younger than 13 should ride in the back seat.

As part of National Child Passenger Safety Week, IDOT and AAA are highlighting eight common car-seat mistakes (#8carseatmistakes) that occur under age 8:

1. Turning the child forward facing too soon.
2. Not adjusting the harness snugly against the child.
3. Not securing the car seat in the vehicle properly.
4. Forgetting to register the car seat for recall notifications.
5. Having toys or other items unsecured in the vehicle.
6. Not using the lower anchors/LATCH system as approved.
7. Not using the top tether on a forward-facing car seat.
8. Moving to the next car seat or booster seat too soon.

“Illinois has made great strides in keeping its children safe on the roadways. Nearly 250 children younger than 5 were saved by a car seat in 2015,” said Beth Mosher, director of public affairs for AAA. “But there are still some parents and caregivers who need assistance to ensure their children are safely buckled up. We encourage all parents to take advantage of the free seat check events this week.”

NHTSA recommends keeping children rear-facing as long as possible up to the top height or weight allowed by their particular seats. Once a child outgrows the rear-facing car seat, he or she is ready to travel in a forward-facing car seat with a harness and top tether. After outgrowing his or her car seat, the child should be placed in a booster seat.

While Illinois law states a child must be in an appropriate car seat or booster seat until their 8th birthday, most 8-year-old children are not tall enough for the seat belt to fit them correctly. These children need to stay in a booster seat until they are at least 4-feet, 9 inches tall.

For more information about the proper use of car seats and booster seats, visit BuckleUpIllinois.org/8carseatmistakes.

Makes important changes to protect Illinois residents from unjust property forfeiture

Press Release from Governor Bruce Rauner

CHICAGO – Gov. Bruce Rauner today signed HB303, bipartisan legislation aimed at reforming Illinois’ asset forfeiture system. The reforms will increase transparency and shift burdens of proof to protect innocent citizens while maintaining the proper use of asset forfeiture as a tool for law enforcement. Gov. Rauner was joined by Illinois State Police (ISP) officials, ACLU members, legislators, and advocate organizations.

“Illinois residents should be protected from the unfair seizure of their private property,” Gov. Rauner said. “This legislation will enact needed reforms to prevent abuse of the civil asset forfeiture process, while maintaining its importance as a critical tool for law enforcement to make our communities safer.”

When properly applied, asset forfeiture strikes at the economic foundation of criminal activity. The seizure of monetary assets has been utilized as an effective method to disrupt the business activities of drug trafficking organizations and bring down high-level drug distributors.

However, if asset forfeiture is misused, it can have major economic ramifications on Illinoisans who may be innocent of any wrongdoing. The forfeiture of cash, a vehicle, or even a home can also affect their family members and exacerbate financial insecurity.

This important piece of legislation will provide for greater public transparency in Asset Forfeiture proceedings through the collection and publicly accessible reporting of forfeiture data, as well as additional sanction authority for abuse and violations of forfeiture rules by the ISP.

HB 303 also shifts the burden of proving guilt to the government, and increases the burden of proof to mirror that of the federal government in forfeiture cases from probable cause to a preponderance of the evidence, a fair and equitable standard. It also makes a number of other changes such as eliminating restrictive bonding requirements and adjusting the threshold amounts of money subject to forfeiture as well as the levels of cannabis and controlled substance possession that can lead to forfeiture proceedings as a way to thoughtfully limit the use of this system to its intended purposes.

Funds received through the Asset Forfeiture Program support the costs of law enforcement overtime and wire intercepts for major investigations, training, intelligence centers, prevention programs and investigative equipment.

“I am glad Illinois has taken this dramatic step forward, especially while the federal government seems poised to go backwards on this issue,” said state Sen. Don Harmon (D-Oak Park).  “It’s a simple concept – the government should have to prove that it has a right to take your property, not the other way around.”

“Asset forfeiture laws target the heart of much criminal activity – the financial gain. However, as with any law, we need to make sure it does not unduly burden those who may be innocent,” said state Sen. Tim Bivins (R-Dixon), a cosponsor of the law who served more than 32 years in law enforcement, 20 years as Lee County Sheriff. “House Bill 303 makes sure that the spirit of civil asset forfeiture is not abused.”

“We must strike the proper balance between targeting criminal enterprises and safeguarding the rights of innocent property owners,” said state Sen. Michael Connelly (R-Naperville). “The Institute for Justice gave Illinois a D- for our current civil forfeiture laws. The law signed today seeks to improve the current system by providing increased protections for property owners and requiring greater accountability from law enforcement.”

“Civil asset forfeiture in Illinois and across this country is out of control—Americans lose more of their property each year to forfeiture than to burglary,” state Rep. Will Guzzardi (D-Chicago) said. “This landmark bill gives Illinoisans some of the strongest protections against unjust forfeitures in the country, and it’s a crucial step in restoring faith between civilians and law enforcement.”

“Civil asset forfeiture reform is an important step to ensure the Constitutional rights of Illinoisans are being protected,” said state Rep. Tom Demmer (R-Rochelle). “This law protects property rights, reduces the chance for abuses of power, and defends the rights of the individual. I’m proud to support this bipartisan initiative.”

Attached photo may be used for publication. Video of the event will be posted here.

SPRINGFIELD, IL  – The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) has confirmed the first human West Nile virus-related death in Illinois for 2017.  A Kankakee County resident who tested positive for West Nile virus died earlier this month.

“Although we will soon start seeing cooler weather, West Nile virus is still a concern,” said IDPH Director Nirav D. Shah, M.D., J.D.  “It’s important for everyone to continue taking precautions like using insect repellent, wearing long sleeve shirts and pants, and staying indoors between dusk and dawn.”

IDPH reported the first human case of West Nile virus in Illinois this year on July 20, 2017 and IDPH is currently reporting 37 human cases.  Last year there were 155 human cases, including six deaths.

West Nile virus is transmitted through the bite of a mosquito.  Common symptoms include fever, nausea, headache and muscle aches.  Symptoms may last from a few days to a few weeks.  However, four out of five people infected with West Nile virus will not show any symptoms.  In rare cases, severe illness including meningitis or encephalitis, or even death, can occur.  People older than 50 and immunocompromised individuals are at higher risk for severe illness.

Remember to take some simple precautions to reduce the number of mosquitoes around your home and protect yourself from being bitten.

• Minimize being outdoors when mosquitoes transmitting West Nile virus are most active, especially between dusk and dawn.

• When outdoors, wear shoes and socks, long pants and a long-sleeved shirt, and apply insect repellent that contains DEET, picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus or IR 3535, according to label instructions.  Consult a physician before using repellents on infants.

• Eliminate all sources of standing water where mosquitoes can breed, such as old tires, buckets and other receptacles, or refresh the water in bird baths, flowerpots and wading pools every couple days.

Additional information about West Nile virus can be found on the IDPH website.

Drop, Cover and Hold On’ Drill Set for October 19

SPRINGFIELD, IL – On Oct. 19 at 10:19 a.m., millions of people in the U.S. and around the globe will take a few minutes to practice three simple actions that could save their lives during a major earthquake. The Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) and municipal and county emergency management agencies are encouraging Illinois residents to drop, cover and hold on during The Great ShakeOut earthquake drill.

“Earthquakes occur without warning, so it’s important to know what to do as soon as you feel the earth shake,” said IEMA Director James K. Joseph. “With two seismic zones in southern Illinois and residents who travel throughout the world, it’s important that everyone knows how to stay safe during an earthquake. The drill takes only a few minutes, but the lessons learned could save your life.”

The Great ShakeOut drill centers around the drop, cover and hold on actions: drop down to the ground, take cover under a table or other piece of heavy furniture, and then hold on until the shaking stops.

In October 2016, nearly 500,000 Illinoisans took part in the ShakeOut drill. To date, more than 300,000 people in Illinois are registered for this year’s event.

Some of the most powerful earthquakes to ever occur in the U.S. happened in the winter of 1811-12 in the New Madrid Seismic Zone, which reaches into southwestern Illinois. That series of earthquakes lasted for several months and shaking was felt as far away as the East Coast. A similar earthquake today could cause catastrophic damage in a region that is much more developed and populated than in the early 1800s.

Schools, businesses, government agencies, families and others can register to participate in the drill at www.shakeout.org/centralus. Registered participants will receive additional information about the drill and earthquake preparedness. While the international drill will take place on Oct. 19, individual drills can be conducted anytime within two weeks of that date.

Additional information about the earthquake risk in Illinois and steps to take before, during and after an earthquake is available at www.Ready.Illinois.gov.

Gov. Rauner believes great opportunities for Illinois-China relationship based on a win-win partnership

Press Release from the office of Governor Bruce Rauner

Hangzhou, China – Governor Bruce Rauner visited Zhejiang University, a globally ranked university and one of China’s oldest, most selective and most prestigious higher education institutions. He met with the University Party Secretary, Zou Xiaodong, and senior officials, toured the state-of-the-art campus and addressed the university’s international joint institution students. These students are enrolled in a program a that is collaboration between Zhejiang University and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

“There are great opportunities on the horizon for the Illinois-China relationship,” said Gov. Rauner. “One that is based on a mutual win-win partnership. An example is our recent partnership between Zhejiang University and the University of Illinois Chicago campus where we will begin to offer Engineering Curriculum based degrees in Civil, Mechanical, Electrical and Computer Engineering here in China.”

The governor discussed his excitement for the program, and possibly expanding the partnership with more collaboration in regards to research and development. He finished by offering advice on starting a company.

“Be willing to take a risk, that’s the key to a better life,” Gov. Rauner said. “Persistence is key. You’ll have many setbacks, obstacles and barriers. Never give up.”
The governor thanked the University and added that he will continue to work with them to help find ways to connect the institutions to lay the foundation for world-class partnerships that bring together government, business and academia.