THE ILLINOIZE: Monday Free for All...More criminal justice legislation...SOS appointment details...Bob Rita's Tinley Park drama
July 31, 2023
Good morning, Illinois.
A personal aside this morning. Happy 40th Birthday to my better half, Katie. Many of our readers know her from her time at WICS many moons ago. I’m a lucky man.
The House and Senate are out until October. The State Fair opens August 10. Governor’s Day is the 16th, Republican Day is the 17th. I’ll be avoiding them like the plague (as usual).
Governor Pritzker discusses abortion at UIC at 11:30.
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Let’s get to it.
YOUR MONDAY FREE FOR ALL
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New law loosening post-prison conditions is latest criminal justice change under Gov. J.B. Pritzker (Chicago Tribune)
In his latest effort to change the way the criminal justice system operates in Illinois, Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Friday signed into law a measure that loosens restrictions on people who remain under state supervision after being released from prison.
The new law modifies the conditions required to complete the final steps of a sentence, also known as parole and mandatory supervised release, which have historically ranged from mandatory drug testing to the need for permission to leave the state.
The measure is part of a larger pattern of reforms championed by Pritzker and his progressive allies in the Illinois General Assembly that are meant to combat mass incarceration and make the justice process more fair. One of the most controversial of those changes, the elimination of cash bail, was upheld by the Illinois Supreme Court earlier this month.
Unlike many of those measures, however, the legislation Pritzker signed Friday garnered bipartisan support as it breezed through both chambers of the Democratic-controlled General Assembly this spring.
On Friday, Pritzker led a signing ceremony in Chicago’s North Lawndale community alongside the main House sponsor of the legislation, Peoria Democrat and Speaker Pro Tempore Jehan Gordon-Booth, and a number of others, including rapper and criminal justice reform activist Meek Mill.
“Our current supervision system too often operates unfairly with rules that make it simply a revolving door back to jail,” Pritzker said, adding that many people have ended up back behind bars due to a “noncriminal, technical violation.”
“That’s not a system designed to improve public safety. That’s not a system that’s promoting rehabilitation. It’s a system that values reincarceration,” he said.
Under the new law, which goes into effect in January, people on parole and mandatory supervised release would no longer be required to take a drug test as part of their conditions for release unless reasonable suspicion of illegal drug use can be documented.
Related: Pritzker signs bill overhauling mandatory supervised release (Capitol News Illinois)
E-cigarette use banned inside public spaces under measure signed into law by Gov. J.B. Pritzker (Chicago Tribune)
Giannoulias reveals program to cut down DMW wait times (State Journal-Register)
Addressing the long wait times in DMV lines was a major push of then Illinois Secretary of State candidate Alexi Giannoulias in the lead up to last year's election. Now more than 200 days in office, he looks to make good on that promise.
Giannoulias announced the "Skip-the-Line" program on Thursday, which will require customers to set-up appointments for driver services whether that be renewing a license or taking a driver's test. Starting in September, the program will go into effect in 44 facilities in high traffic regions across the state.
Giannoulias told reporters that no expense of the program will be passed onto the taxpayers. Any existing costs for implementation or extra office hours would be covered by the existing state budget, he said.
After Sept. 1, citizens are told to visit ilsos.gov or call (844) 817-4649 to schedule an appointment.
By the way, we reported all of those details early last week.
Related: State driver services facilities to require appointments in more than 40 locations (Capitol News Illinois)
Opinion: Appointments for driver’s license services an overdue update (Shaw Media)
State Rep. Bob Rita sues Tinley Park, Orland Township, says he’s blocked from community events (Chicago Tribune)
State Rep. Bob Rita, D-Blue Island, is suing Tinley Park and Orland Township as well as village and township officials in federal court, alleging his constitutional rights have been denied because he’s been blocked from taking part in or holding community events.
The lawsuit was filed Friday and cites a “consistent and systematic campaign” to prevent Rita from taking part in events such as the National Night Out Against Crime, scheduled for Tuesday in Tinley Park.
Rita alleged his right of free speech as well as his right to due process under the constitution were violated and had sought an emergency order from a federal judge asking that he be allowed to take part in the National Night Out event, which a judge Friday denied.
U.S. District Court Judge Manish Shah said while Rita had sought to have a table, identifying himself at the National Night Out event, he was not barred from taking part in a public event whatever his capacity.
Rita is “allowed to attend the event, speak to his constituents there, and express his views,” Shah wrote in the brief decision, noting a temporary restraining was not warranted.
Simmering in the background is Rita’s involvement in recent legislation, awaiting the governor’s signature, that would transfer the former Tinley Park Mental Health Center to the Tinley Park-Park District, a site the village has also long coveted for redevelopment.
Tinley Park officials had been in talks with the state about gaining ownership of the 285-acre property, northwest of Harlem Avenue and 183rd Street.
Related: Lawmaker files lawsuit saying he’s been barred from events, including Night Out Against Crime, Pet Palooza, Boo Bash (Chicago Sun-Times)
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POLITICAL POTPOURRI
Groups seeking to prevent abortions subject to penalty if they employ deception under measure signed into law by Gov. J.B. Pritzker (Chicago Tribune)
‘Crisis pregnancy centers’ could face lawsuits under Illinois’ expanded consumer fraud act (Capitol News Illinois)
Appeals court upholds long sentence for former state Rep. Luis Arroyo, saying it was a ‘reasonable’ way to deter corruption (Chicago Sun-Times)
State announces 3rd manufacturing expansion spurred by new tax credit (Capitol News Illinois)
In Alsip red-light camera investigation, feds have done new interviews, issued subpoenas (Chicago Sun-Times)
Hard Rock Casino Rockford will soon offer a new way to place bets on sports (Rockford Register Star)
Retired Illinois National Guard member charged with assaulting police in Jan. 6 Capitol riot (Chicago Sun-Times)
Federal judge rejects GOP lawsuit seeking to block mail-in ballots received after Election Day (Chicago Tribune)
Editorial: Chicago’s migrant crisis was years in the making — from Washington (Chicago Sun-Times)
Editorial: Are legislators really serious about examining pension issues? (Champaign News-Gazette)
Editorial: Pipe nightmare? Put safety in place before transporting carbon dioxide to Illinois (Chicago Sun-Times)
Raoul: To stop abortions, 19 GOP attorneys general want access to women’s medical information. They won’t get it from Illinois. (Chicago Sun-Times)
Opinion: Publicists taking Bennett praise a little far (Champaign News-Gazette)
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