THE ILLINOIZE: Thursday Free for All...Pritzker signs major labor law...Who is paying for the DNC?...Improving Black infant mortality rates
August 1, 2024
Rabbit, rabbit.
Governor Jim Edgar joins me on WMAY this morning at 8:19. I hope you’ll listen, too.
Our visit with Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski (D-Springfield) can be seen here.
I’ll be in Springfield today to speak with the Association of Illinois Electric Cooperatives Annual Meeting. (Shout out Eastern Illini Electric Cooperative in Iroquois County.)
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There’s nothing on Governor Pritzker’s public schedule today.
Let’s get to it.
YOUR THURSDAY FREE FOR ALL
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Employees can opt out of meetings on labor, political and religious issues under new law (Chicago Tribune)
Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Wednesday signed into law a measure that prohibits employers from holding mandatory meetings for workers with anti-union messages.
In addition to addressing “captive audience” meetings that supporters say have hurt union campaigns, the new law covers meetings on political and religious issues. While it doesn’t ban those meetings, it prohibits retaliation against workers choosing not to be in attendance.
“In Illinois, we respect the rights and dignity of workers,” Pritzker said in a statement. “We will never stop fighting for an Illinois where every worker is given the dignity and respect they deserve.”
Tim Drea, president of the Illinois AFL-CIO, called it “a new chapter” for workers in the state to feel safe at work and “choose to walk away from unwanted political, religious or anti-union rhetoric.”
“People go to work to work, not to be indoctrinated. Now, workers will not have to choose between their livelihood and personal values when employers use mandatory meetings to advance their political and religious interests,” said Drea.
Seven states, among them New York, Connecticut and Minnesota, have recently passed similar laws protecting workers’ speech, the Illinois AFL-CIO said.
The head of the Illinois Chamber of Commerce earlier voiced opposition to the measure, saying it represents and overreach of government into business and is “setting the table” for union organizing efforts.
The changes come as President Joe Biden’s administration and some states in recent years have moved to strengthen enforcement of child labor laws while other states — including neighboring Iowa — have sought to weaken their laws.
Pritzker said in a statement Tuesday that Illinois is “modernizing” its “regulatory framework to further protect minors from unscrupulous employers. Minors should be able to experience safe, age-appropriate work in an educational setting.”
Related: Under new law, Illinois employers can’t force workers to sit through anti-union meetings (Capitol News Illinois)
Who’s paying for Chicago’s DNC? Voters won’t have the full picture till it’s long over (Chicago Sun-Times)
Once subsidized by taxpayers, major-party national conventions are now almost fully funded by uber-wealthy donors, massive corporations, labor unions and other influential big-money groups.
But exactly who is chipping in to cover the potentially record-breaking bill for Chicago’s Democratic National Convention next month? Voters won’t get a full accounting until two months after the balloons are cleaned up at the United Center.
A handful of major party backers confirmed to the Sun-Times that they’ve ponied up for the Democrats’ presidential election-year extravaganza, the four-day affair kicking off Aug. 19 that’s mostly funded through unlimited contributions to a nonprofit host committee.
Leaders say they’re well on their way to raising up to $100 million for the DNC through that host committee, Development Now For Chicago, which, under federal law, isn’t constrained by donation limits or quarterly disclosure requirements that apply to typical political committees.
The nonprofit is chaired by Michael Sacks, CEO of financial services firm GCM Grosvenor, a close ally of former Mayor Rahm Emanuel and a prolific Democratic fundraiser.
Several confirmed donors declined to say how much they’ve given. Host committee officials declined to say how much they’ve received, and none of those figures will be made public until mid-October, a few weeks before the election.
It’s a loophole in political financing law that party leaders have leaped through for decades at the expense of transparency, according to experts on money in politics.
“Disclosure rules help keep voters informed and keep corruption at bay,” said Alisa Kaplan, executive director of the nonpartisan research and advocacy group Reform for Illinois. “At least here we’ll eventually learn who donated and how much, but it will likely be too late for voters to really process it before Election Day. That’s why donors and parties want to keep this information secret for as long as possible.”
A Democratic National Convention spokesperson noted the Democratic National Convention Committee “regularly files financial disclosure reports pursuant to FEC regulations and will continue to do so accordingly.”
Related: Chicago's Democratic National Convention retooled to capture jolt Kamala Harris has injected into presidential race (Chicago Sun-Times)
How abortion providers are preparing for the DNC in Chicago (WBEZ)
Opinion: Chicago Streets and Sanitation is ready for the DNC (Chicago Tribune)
Pritzker signs birth equity initiative into law, celebrates Medicaid expansion (Capitol News Illinois)
Gov. JB Pritzker signed a law Monday that expands insurance coverage during and after pregnancy with the goal of lowering infant and maternal mortality rates, especially for Black Illinoisans.
The law requires insurers that provide state-regulated health care plans to cover pregnancy and postpartum services for covered individuals, including midwife services, doula visits, and lactation consultants for up to 12 months after the end of a pregnancy. Licensed or certified midwives will need to be covered by insurance providers starting 2025, while all other outlined services must be covered by January 2026.
Pritzker, who was joined by advocates and sponsors of the bill, Rep. Robyn Gabel, D-Evanston, and Sen. Lakesia Collins, D-Chicago, said the state still has more work to do.
“The broad issue of maternal health, it's not been done adequately even in some of the best hospitals, when we talk about women of color, in particular,” Pritzker said. “We've got to change the way this system operates.”
Collins said this is not a localized problem but a pervasive one.
“We understand that lives are on the line,” she said, “from Chicago to rural southern Illinois, women across every community, every zip code: they face unexpected complications during pregnancy and without the coverage of insurance, are faced with life-threatening complications that are preventable.”
Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton said the birth equity initiative is an extension of reproductive care.
“It bolsters our administration's belief that no government should decide when or if a family grows and ensures that when families do expand, both mom and baby have access to the care they need,” Stratton said.
Stratton noted the bill signing happened the same day Iowa’s six-week abortion ban took effect.
“I have to acknowledge how darkly ironic it is that we celebrate Illinois’ work to empower women, as our neighbors to the west woke up this morning with even fewer rights than they had last night,” Stratton said.
Gabel, who introduced the legislation in February, said the United States as a whole needs to try to make pregnancy safer.
“It is shocking that the wealthiest nation that has ever existed in this world has this problem,” she said of the country’s drastically high maternal mortality rate. “It must and will be addressed.”
Related: Pritzker signs measure to expand abortion coverage, combat Black maternal deaths (Chicago Sun-Times)
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Stateville inmates request transfer or release in court motion citing prison’s decrepit conditions (Chicago Tribune)
Pritzker: Bears stadium deal this fall is ‘near impossible’ (Daily Herald)
Pritzker touts another win as United Airlines buys green fuel for O'Hare (Crain’s Chicago Business)
Former Congressman Rodney Davis to head government affairs for U.S. Chamber (Bloomington Pantagraph)
Lawmaker suggests “bad faith diversion” by township leaders on mental health funding (Daily Herald)
Illinois State Fairgrounds looks 'better than it's looked in decades', official says (State Journal-Register)
Krishnamoorthi receives reelection endorsement by 13 mayors in the 8th District (Daily Herald)
17th District challenger Joe McGraw named 'Young Gun' by national GOP (Bloomington Pantagraph)
Opinion: What a Harris Presidency Means for a Pritzker White House Run (Chicago Magazine)
Opinion: Dems likely unconcerned with hypocrisy claims over importance of primaries (Shaw Media)
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