THE ILLINOIZE: Time for Illinois colleges to pay athletes?...Shimkus joins lobbying firm...Showdown in Central Illinois?...Bills and bills and bills and bills

June 22, 2021

Good morning. It’s 9 days until the new state budget goes into effect, 371 days to the 2022 primary, and it’s been 571 days since the Governor’s office last responded to a request from The Illinoize.

For our Chicago-area readers, we’re hoping you and yours are ok following Sunday night’s frightening storms that passed through the region. We were under a tornado warning for a while at our house, which is always a scary situation, even if there hasn’t been a tornado spotted with that cell. We’re thankful the tornado that hit Naperville, Willowbrook, and Darien hasn’t claimed any lives. Reports are showing some of the winds were over 111 mph.

Of course, everyone wants to make everything political. An Illinois environmental lobbyist tweeted tornadoes and climate change are related. Though, according to the Illinois State Water Survey at the U of I, there were years of 10 tornadoes or more 11 times between 1875 and 1916. This isn’t a denial of climate change, by any means, it’s just a reminder that tornadoes have always existed here.

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Plenty of news this morning. Let’s get to it.

PAYING COLLEGE ATHLETES

When State Rep. Kam Buckner (D-Chicago) played football at the University of Illinois in the mid-2000’s, there wasn’t YouTube or TikTok to make money on. Heck, there wasn’t even a Facebook until 2005.

But, had Buckner been allowed to or offered an endorsement deal to use his social media channels or to appear in advertisements for his favorite local cookie shop, he would have jumped at the chance.

Instead, had he made any money from an outside source for his name, image, and likeness (NIL), he would have lost his NCAA eligibility and his scholarship. After a U.S. Supreme Court decision yesterday and a new bill sponsored by Buckner that will likely be signed into law, the game is about to change for college athletes.

Buckner says the stars of college sports, like University of Illinois basketball player Ayo Dosunmu (above) or new Bears quarterback Justin Fields, who played at Ohio State, would make money, so would many other athletes.

“I could name a handful of guys who I played with who weren’t necessarily the marquee players, but they had a campus following,” Buckner said. “People were attracted to their personalities, and these people could have made some money during their college years, whether it’s an endorsement with a local car dealership or the local pizza shop or the local sandwich shop.”

Buckner says it would also allow players in all sports, like tennis, golf, or swimming and diving, to offer paid lessons, camps, and appearances during the offseason, which they currently aren’t allowed to do.

The legislature passed a bill to allow student athletes to make money on NIL deals, and Gov. JB Pritzker is expected to sign it.

Read more here.

SHIMKUS JOINS LOBBYING FIRM, WON’T LOBBY YET

A St. Louis-based lobbying firm announced yesterday that former Republican Congressman John Shimkus would be joining the group. KBS, which was known for many years as Kit Bond Strategies and was founded by, you guessed it, former Missouri Senator Kit Bond. It is currently run by former Missouri Congressman Kenny Hulshof.

Shimkus served more than two decades in Congress, retiring after the 2020 election. He has been teaching classes at Southern Illinois University in Edwardsville since leaving the House.

Shimkus told me yesterday he’s not planning to register as a lobbyist.

“I’m dipping my toe in the water,” he texted me yesterday. “I want to stay active and connected without the 24/7/365 schedule.”

According to the website OpenSecrets, KBS has represented Ameren Corporation, Southwest Airlines, the St. Louis Economic Development Partnership and St. Louis Zoo.

Not sure how long Shimkus will be able to go without registering to lobby. The federal definition of a lobbyist is: “Lobbying contacts and any efforts in support of such contacts, including preparation or planning activities, research and other background work that is intended, at the time of its preparation, for use in contacts and coordination with the lobbying activities of others.”

POTENTIAL SHOWDOWN IN NEW 91stDISTRICT

I tweeted Friday that former Bloomington Mayor Tari Renner, who left office earlier this year, is considering running in the new 91st House District if new Democratic maps hold up. Renner, a Democrat, served two terms in the non-partisan mayoral office.

The 91st is the light yellow district above that runs from south of Peoria to Normal and the southern edge of Bloomington.

The district includes Bartonville, East Peoria, and some of Washington, sneaking east to Normal, which has the Illinois State University campus and central Bloomington, leaving off the more Republican leaning southern and eastern tips of the city.

Republicans say the district has the slightest lean Democrat, but think it will be competitive. Republican Tazewell County Clerk John Ackerman tells me he is “watching and listening” what happens with the map before he makes a decision whether or not to seek the seat next year.

Keep your eyes on the new 91st. If these maps hold up, this district will be one of the top battlegrounds downstate next year.

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS

Happy birthday this week to…

Today: former Senator Chuck Weaver

Wednesday: Secretary of State Jesse White (87!)

Thursday: Sen. Omar Aquino (34), former State Rep. Joe Lyons turns 60

Friday: former Senator Mike Jacobs

Sunday: Rep. David Welter, former Senator and U.S. Ambassador to Kenya Kyle McCarter

ONE LAST THING

Jerry Nowicki of Capitol News Illinois reported Friday 664 bills have been sent to the Governor’s desk. That’s a lot of paper, and while there are plenty of arguments to be made out there about politicians doing too much, you can’t use the old trope that politicians don’t do anything.

Also, remember, the large majority of bills pass the legislature are agreed or unanimously approved. They’re either little changes to wording or a pretty common sense addition to the law.

It’s the complicated stuff that usually gets all the attention.

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Have a great week.