THE ILLINOIZE: Thursday Free for All...Why Welch isn't planning to extend Invest in Kids...Senate approves lifting nuclear moratorium...Biden in Illinois today
November 9, 2023
Good morning, Illinois.
Enjoyed jumping on with my old pals at WDWS in Champaign for an hour yesterday. You can listen here. I join around the 43:00 mark.
It’s the final day of veto session in Springfield and it’s shaping up to be a doozy.
I’ll have an update on the brewing battle over the elected Chicago School Board and the latest developments on the nuclear moratorium bill for paid subscribers in a couple of hours.
Because I love you, here’s a discount for a year’s subscription you can cash in today only:
The House and Senate are in at 10. Governor Pritzker won’t be in Springfield, as he’ll be in Rockford and Belvidere with President Biden. Pritzker meets the President on the tarmac at the Rockford airport at 11:25. Pritzker will be on hand as Biden speaks on the UAW/Stellantis deal in Belvidere at 12:45. Biden will also be raising cash in the evening.
Let’s get to it.
YOUR THURSDAY FREE FOR ALL
(note: we’re not responsible for paywalls and restrictions from other news outlets, because good journalism isn’t free)
Source: Welch wants 71 Democratic votes before extending Invest in Kids (The Illinoize)
A top House Democratic source says House Speaker Chris Welch is holding to an internal rule that would require 71 Democratic votes to extend the controversial Invest in Kids scholarship program, and it appears Democrats are nowhere near having that level of support for the plan.
Invest in Kids is a scholarship program where low-income kids are sent to private schools using tax-deductible donations to a charity. About 9,500 kids are taking part in the program this year.
House Republican Leader Tony McCombie (R-Savana) told a southern Illinois radio station Wednesday morning there were only 17 Democratic votes to extend the Invest in Kids scholarship program.
Her office said that whip count came from supporters, but supporters tell The Illinoize they believe there are “far more” than 17 votes in the House Democratic caucus.
Add all 40 House Republicans to that 17 and you're still 14 votes shy of the 71 votes needed for passage.
If Welch were continue to hold to his internal rule requiring enough Democratic votes to pass a bill on its own, 71 of 78 House Democrats would need to be on board and, at this point, that looks like a near impossibility.
“There’s no way,” one House Democrat said Wednesday. “Just no way it happens.”
Related: 'It's the last opportunity to save this program': Invest in Kids hours away from expiring (Daily Herald) [note: it isn’t actually “hours away” from expiring, it expires at the end of the year. The legislature just isn’t scheduled to be back again this year after Thursday.]
What to know about the ‘school choice’ scholarship program now up for renewal in Springfield (WBEZ)
Illinois lawmakers scrutinize private school scholarships without test-result data (Associated Press)
Illinois Senate approves plan to allow new nuclear reactors (Associated Press)
The Illinois Senate approved lifting a 36-year-old moratorium on new nuclear power installments on Wednesday in a plan proponents say will ensure the state can meet its carbon-free power production promise by 2045.
The Senate’s 44-7 endorsement opens the door for cutting-edge nuclear technology in so-called small modular reactors, designed to sit on sites for which they produce power, such as large factories.
Environmentalists have criticized the plan, noting that small modular reactors are a decade or more from viability. Sponsoring Sen. Sue Rezin, a Republican from Morris, said that’s the reason, coupled with a federal permitting process of as much as eight years, her legislation is timely.
“If we want to take advantage of the amazing advancements in new nuclear technology that have occurred over the past couple of decades and not fall behind the rest of the states, we need to act now,” Rezin said.
Paid subscribers will have more in a couple of hours on status in the House and why supporters say it’s still a win.
Related: Illinois Senate OKs bill lifting ban on constructing new nukes (Crain’s Chicago Business)
President Biden to tout UAW big contract win in Belvidere Thursday (Chicago Sun-Times)
President Joe Biden will throw a spotlight on his support for organized labor Thursday when he comes to Belvidere, where United Auto Workers scored a big win with their new contract.
Afterward, he will head to Chicago for a fundraiser with mega-donors.
The Belvidere event will, the White House said, underscore the big victory the UAW negotiated with automaker Stellantis after a six-week strike. The deal is expected to include the reopening of the plant, which has been closed since February. Before the shutdown, the plant made the Jeep Cherokee and employed 1,350 workers, the company said.
During the strike, Biden sided with the union and became the first sitting president to walk a picket line.
Organized labor is a major part of the Democratic Party family, and the Biden-Harris ticket will need a substantial union turnout — especially in swing states like Michigan, the auto making state.
The sprawling facility in Belvidere has been an economic engine for northern Illinois since opening in 1965. It originally was a Chrysler Corp. plant and now is run by the company’s successor, Stellantis, maker of such brands as Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram and Fiat.
“Biden will deliver remarks and meet with UAW autoworkers, UAW President Shawn Fain, and Governor J.B. Pritzker in Belvidere, Illinois to highlight his commitment to delivering for working families and creating good-paying union jobs, as well as the UAW’s historic agreement that includes bringing thousands of UAW jobs back to Belvidere and reopening a plant,” the White House said in a statement.
Related: President Joe Biden coming to Belvidere, saying UAW agreement validates economic strategy (Chicago Tribune)
SO FAR THIS WEEK ON THEILLINOIZE.COM
Senate Passes Bill Lifting Moratorium on Nuclear Construction
Constitutional Questions Raised About Elected Chicago Public School Board
POLITICAL POTPOURRI
MUST READ: Inside Illinois’ youth lockups, children go without basic services and face “excessive” punishments (Capitol News Illinois)
Advocates angered by delay in passing ‘Karina’s Bill,’ aimed at taking guns from those accused of domestic violence (Chicago Sun-Times)
State police still drafting assault weapons registration rules as deadline nears (Capitol News Illinois)
President Biden, Illinois and Chicago officials launching a one-stop work permit program for migrants (Chicago Tribune)
State gets 9th recent credit upgrade as administration faces scrutiny for pandemic unemployment handling (Capitol News Illinois)
Mayor Brandon Johnson’s tax increase for homeless services will head to voters (Chicago Tribune)
Bally’s temporary Chicago casino sees average daily revenue drop in first full month (Chicago Sun-Times)
Illinois community colleges launch statewide brand campaign (Bloomington Pantagraph)
Rebates for electric vehicles again available for Illinois motorists (State Journal-Register)
Public corruption display at federal courthouse covered at request of Ed Burke’s lawyer as jury selection drags on (Chicago Sun-Times)
Yorkville’s Dallas Ingemunson, longtime GOP stalwart, dies (Chicago Tribune)
Editorial: Local pols give us a laugh — and a lesson — in their clownish ticketing of a reporter (Chicago Tribune)
Durbin: Illinois innovators help improve lives of those in need abroad (Chicago Sun-Times)
Opinion: Where are the responsible people when our politics needs them the most? (Chicago Tribune)
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