General Assembly should swiftly move cleanup

 

SPRINGFIELD – A compromise negotiated this week has paved the way for more Illinois schools to participate in the Invest in Kids scholarship tax-credit program, Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner announced yesterday.  The move leaves the General Assembly clear to act swiftly to fully implement the requested cleanups to the state’s historic funding law.

“We have worked with schools, advocates, legislators from both parties, the Illinois Department of Revenue and the Illinois State Board of Education to ensure that more schools will be able to participate in the Invest in Kids Program,” Rauner said.

The compromise announced today allows ISBE to notify IDOR in real time as new schools become recognized, eliminating the lag time that prevented schools from participating in this program.

Earlier this month, the governor used his amendatory veto power to address an issue that prevented a number of schools from participating in invest in kids; they had not achieved “recognition” status by the Illinois State Board of Education in time.

“We encourage swift passage in the General Assembly of legislative language necessary to correct the other unintended consequences so the historic school funding law can be fully implemented,” Rauner said.

Invest in Kids is a scholarship tax-credit program that gives low- to middle-income students the opportunity to attend nonpublic schools that best meet their needs.

“I applaud Governor Rauner for taking action, and working with us in a bipartisan way, to ensure that even more schools, students and families in Illinois have the opportunity to participate in Invest in Kids,” said State Rep. La Shawn K. Ford, D-Chicago. “I look forward to continuing to work with the governor to support schools across Illinois.”

Going forward, ISBE has committed to accepting applications for initial nonpublic school recognition on a rolling basis throughout this school year. An updated list of schools that are recognized has been posted on the ISBE website. That list will continue to be updated as new schools reach this status.

Advocates including Robert Gilligan, executive director of the Catholic Conference of Illinois, Rabbi Shlomo Soroka, director of Government Affairs for Agudath Israel of Illinois, Nakisha Hobbs, principal and co-founder of the Village Leadership Academy, and Myles Mendoza, executive director of Empower Illinois, lauded the bipartisan, collaborative compromise that gives Illinois families more choices when it comes to educating their children.

“Once again, bipartisan leadership worked together to benefit the education of all Illinois children,” said Gilligan. “The Catholic Conference of Illinois, on behalf of the state’s Catholic schools, is grateful for this latest effort by the governor and legislators, along with the Illinois State Board of Education, to find a solution that allows more families to apply for a tax-credit scholarship so their children can attend a recognized school of their choice.”

“Following discussions with stakeholders, a solution ensuring the participation of all schools that become recognized was achieved,” said Rabbi Soroka. “Agudath Israel of Illinois thanks the Rauner Administration, the bipartisan group of legislators, the Illinois State Board of Education, the Illinois Department of Revenue and advocates who worked together to provide quality educational options to more students.”

“Over the past few weeks I’ve worked closely with State Rep. La Shawn K. Ford, the Governor’s Office, African-American school leaders and other education advocates from across the state to ensure that all high-quality schools had a path to participation in the inaugural year of the Invest in Kids Tax Credit Scholarship Program,” said Hobbs. “I am grateful to Governor Rauner’s administration for its demonstrated commitment to inclusion, and to Representative Ford for his unwavering and effective leadership.”

Empower Illinois also praised the collaboration. “This was a bipartisan effort by lawmakers, schools and advocates to expand quality education options for students across Illinois,” said Mendoza. “There is clear unity on the value of this program, as the demand for scholarships by families continues to grow. Today is a victory for Illinois kids.”

“Thanks to this collaborative, bipartisan effort,” Rauner said, “families in Illinois will have more choices when it comes to the education of their children.”

CHICAGO – Tackle football would be banned for children younger than 12 under a proposed state law that will be unveiled Thursday in Chicago.

Citing growing worries about the long-term impact on the brain of repeated blows to the head on the field, a group that includes former NFL players and physicians is expected to formally announce the Dave Duerson Act at a news conference

Please click on the following link below from the Chicago Tribune.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-met-football-tackle-ban-proposal-illinois-20180124-story.html

 

BLOOMINGTON – The Illinois High School Association (IHSA) Chess State Series will forge new ground on Saturday, January 27, when the Association conducts its first-ever Sectionals in the activity.

The eight Sectionals will be hosted at Belleville (East), Chicago (De La Salle), Hinsdale (Central), Mahomet (M.-Seymour), Orland Park (Sandburg), Palatine (H.S.), Plainfield (South) and Rockford (Guilford). 159 teams will play in the sectional round.

“Almost a quarter of IHSA member schools now have chess programs, and the number continues to grow,” said IHSA Assistant Executive Director Scott Johnson. “All the credit goes to the coaches who give up their evenings and Saturdays to shape their players into a team. Eight of those coaches have taken on the added responsibility of hosting a sectional meet this weekend, and deserve a big round of applause.”

The Sectionals will serve as a qualifying round for the IHSA Chess State Finals, which will be held in the Peoria Civic Center ballroom on Friday and Saturday, February 9-10. The Civic Center has hosted the state finals since 2001.

Chess debuted as an IHSA activity during the 1974-75 school year, thanks in large part to the efforts of Mike Zacate, and has grown into what is believed to be the largest team chess tournament in the country, if not the world. A chess team consists of eight players and up to four alternates. In a team competition, the Board 1 players square off in one game, the Board 2 players in another, and so on. A varying number of points are awarded for each individual match to determine the team result.

Previously, any school that entered into the tournament competed at the state finals, which was the lone round of competition. Steady growth spurred the decision to expand to Sectional qualifying rounds, as a state-record 149 teams participated in last year’s tournament. 96 teams participated in the 2001 finals in Peoria. The 128 mark, which is considered optimum for the tournament, was surpassed in 2010.

“As much as we like to see students get the opportunity to play at state, we felt we could not keep expanding the state finals,” Johnson said. “We were running out of room. Our advisory committee came up with a plan, which gave coaches two years to prepare for the change. I think folks are going to like the competitive atmosphere at the sectionals, with a trip to state on the line in every match.”

Approximately 1,550 competitors and 300 coaches attended last year’s state tournament. The number will be scaled back slightly with the qualifying rounds. Teams that win two (or more) matches in the four rounds of sectional competition will advance to state, and about a dozen at-large teams will also be chosen to round of the field of 128.

LINCOLN — Gov. Bruce Rauner is building on his efforts to improve outcomes for individuals who are incarcerated in Illinois.

He toured Logan Correctional Center, the female inmate facility in Lincoln, just before signing House Bill 1479 and solidifying the creation of a new women’s division within the Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC).

House Bill 1479 comes on the heels of passage of House Bill 3904, the Women’s Correctional Services Act. These historic pieces of legislation require the IDOC to appoint a chief administrator for the women’s division, incorporate gender-responsive programming, and address the specific challenges that female offenders face.

“Men and women respond to incarceration differently. It’s time we adjust our strategies and find solutions that set women up for success when they leave prison,” Rauner said. “Many of these women are mothers. If we don’t take steps to help put them on a better path, we will see their sons and daughters cycle through the prison system. We can’t have that.”

The department jump-started its efforts to restructure its operations for female offenders in 2015, after the Commission on Criminal Justice and Sentencing Reform suggested it implement gender-responsive and trauma-informed treatment programs.

Now, incarcerated women are participating in courses tailored to help them overcome any physical, sexual or emotional abuse they may have experienced and get on a path to healing.

These pieces of legislation ensure IDOC staff is trained to work collaboratively with women to address their unique needs and improve safety and wellness throughout all women’s correctional facilities.

“We recognize that making real change also means investing in our staff, giving them tools that help keep them safe on the job,” said IDOC Director John Baldwin. “We’re teaching them how to use their authority effectively, how to understand the needs of female offenders, and how to help the women restructure their thinking about challenging situations. Our staff had never received these types of training before 2015.”

“As chief sponsor of this national model legislation, I was proud to work with the Illinois Department of Corrections and The Women’s Justice Initiative on such an unprecedented effort to improve safety and outcomes for justice-involved women in prisons and our communities,” said state Rep. Julianna Stratton, D-Chicago. “I commend my colleagues and the administration for coming together in such a bipartisan manner on behalf of this long overlooked population, which disproportionately impacts communities of color, and hope they will continue to be supportive throughout the implementation process.”

“Incarcerated women face a unique set of challenges, including higher rates of mental illness, histories of abuse, generational poverty and discrimination,” said state Sen. Toi Hutchinson, D-Chicago Heights, who was the chief sponsor of the bill in the Senate. “Putting an increased focus on these challenges eliminates antiquated policy that for too long has failed to ensure women receive the rehabilitation needed to become successful members of our society.”

“The creation of a women’s division within the Department of Corrections is a major step forward for our state,” said Rep. Tim Butler, R-Springfield. “This division will focus resources to address the specific needs of women who are incarcerated and will make Illinois a leader on trauma-informed services specific to the female population in our correctional system. I applaud my colleagues who championed this legislation and Gov. Rauner for his commitment to reforming our criminal justice system.”

Criminal Justice Reform has been a staple of the Rauner administration. Rauner has worked with the General Assembly to remove barriers that prevented people convicted of crimes from receiving their professional licenses in healthcare industries and cosmetology. And, men and women who leave prison now have access to their birth certificates and state identification, making it easier to secure housing, find employment and open a bank account.

Within weeks of taking office, Rauner announced his goal of reducing the prison population by 25 percent by the year 2025. When Rauner was inaugurated in January 2015, the IDOC population stood at 48,214. As of mid-January of this year, the number is 41,050, a 14.8 percent drop.

Plan to address Legionnaires’ disease includes new plumbing, faster test results, new water sources

QUINCY  — Gov. Bruce Rauner today laid out his plan for minimizing Legionella bacteria risks at the Illinois Veterans Home at Quincy, where he spent a week in residence to assess for himself the levels of service and care being provided at the facility.

The governor spent seven days and nights at the Quincy campus, site of a deadly Legionnaire’s outbreak in 2015. He showered in and drank the water; dined, mingled and played games with residents; personally thanked the residents for their service to our country; and spent much of his time studying medical, water treatment and patient care protocols at the home.

“Some have said they want this home to close,” Rauner said at his post-stay press conference. “I came here because I wanted a first-hand experience with the home and its staff.

“Let me be crystal clear. I do not support closing this facility,” he said.

“We have challenges. These facilities are old. We need to make investments in them,” he said, “and now that we have support from U.S. Senator Durbin and bipartisan members of the Illinois General Assembly, it is time to take action.”

The governor outlined a plan for addressing the home’s needs. It included a commitment from Blessing Hospital in Quincy to deliver Legionella test results within hours (rather than days) of receiving specimens. The Illinois Department of Public Health is launching a similar lab service for all health facilities in the state.

The plan also includes upgrading the plumbing systems using the latest materials and technologies, a phased installation of point-of-use faucet filters, and working with the city of Quincy to find a new water source for the home.

Additionally, Rauner is appointing a Veterans’ Capital Needs team to develop a forward-looking investment strategy. The team will be made up of health experts, veterans’ advocates, state legislators, federal officials and administration staff.

“We want to eliminate every possible risk and take every possible step to continuously improve the delivery of health care services to this group of American heroes,” he said.

Rauner said infrastructure improvements will begin within weeks.

Additionally, officials will continually review water-treatment processes already under way as recommended by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and the Illinois Department of Public Health.

Legionella is waterborne bacteria that can cause a severe form of pneumonia. The elderly and those with underlying health issues are particularly vulnerable.

 

State agencies team up to help residents facing housing crisis

 

CAIRO  — The “Get Connected” job and resource fair was held today from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Mighty Rivers Worship Center, 1000 Poplar Street, Cairo.

Gov. Bruce Rauner announced the state’s participation in the fair in December and it was put together to assist those who are being displaced from a federal housing project in Cairo. The Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) local agency, Alexander County Housing Authority (ACHA), hosted the fair that was attended by Illinois state agencies and Lt. Gov. Evelyn Sanguinetti.

“This was a wonderful event organized through a collaboration of local, state, federal and private entities to help the residents of Cairo and the region find jobs,” said Lt. Gov. Evelyn Sanguinetti. “As Chairman of the Governor’s Rural Affair Council, I’m focused on ways we can help rural Illinois grow. I personally believe that all people – no matter their color or their class – deserve to live the American dream. And I’m hopeful the resources and knowledge gained from today’s fair in Cairo will help guide our residents on the path to prosperity.”

The job and resource fair was a collaborative, multi-agency event that included close to 30 health and social service agencies, area job centers and local and regional employers that were on site to help residents any way they could. They were accompanied by the workforce development team from the state Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, and representatives of the Illinois Department of Human Services, Department of Aging, Department of Employment Security, and the Shawnee Development Council.

The federal housing authority’s decision to close the HUD facility has affected 185 households including about 400 residents and it is scheduled to be closed by the summer. Since the decision was made, a 10-unit low-income housing option called Little Egypt Estates has opened. Some residents of the HUD-operated Elmwood and McBride housing developments have moved into these new units.

“Today’s resource fair is another important opportunity to help connect these residents in need with the wide range of our services. We had IDHS representatives from our divisions of Family and Community Services, Mental Health, Vocational Rehabilitation Services and Homeless Services on site,” said Secretary James Dimas of the Department of Human Services. “At IDHS we’re committed to strengthening Illinois by building up lives and communities and we intend to continue to support the people of Cairo through resources and events like this.”

“ACHA had never hosted an event that brings area workers and companies together in one place,” said Towanda Macon, ACHA’s Executive Director. “We were very excited that our partners identified multiple employers with open positions to come to Cairo for this employment and resource fair. In the weeks leading up to the job fair, we hosted a series of workshops designed to help residents prepare for the opportunities at the fair.  We offered seminars on finding a career field that fits their personality and experience, resume writing, interviewing skills and dressing for success.”

The fair was open to all residents of Southern Illinois, Western Kentucky and Eastern Missouri.

 

All applications must be postmarked by Feb. 28, 2018

SPRINGFIELD – The Office of the State Fire Marshal (OSFM) today announced the application is live for the Small Equipment Grant Program. All interested departments should send an application to OSFM no later than Feb. 28, 2018. The OSFM will award $2.2 million to eligible fire departments and ambulance services during this application period.

The program was established to provide grants of up to $26,000 for the purchase of small firefighting and ambulance equipment to fire departments and not-for-profit ambulance services across Illinois.

Most Illinois fire departments, fire protection districts and township fire departments are eligible to apply. In addition, stand-alone, not-for-profit ambulance service providers are eligible to apply.

Fire department, fire protection districts and township fire department applicants are required to have participated in the National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS) for a minimum of two years prior to applying.

Additional information including the application can be found here: https://www2.illinois.gov/sites/sfm/Iam/FireDepartment/Grants-and-Loans/Pages/default.aspx.

Completed applications should be submitted to:

Office of the State Fire Marshal
Small Equipment Grant Program
1035 Stevenson Drive
Springfield, IL 62703

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