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EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. – A public event planned this weekend for one Metro East lawmakers has been postponed due to violent threats and misinformation.

State Rep. Katie Stuart (D-Edwardsville) was planning to hold a constituent coffee event Saturday in Collinsville. A spokesperson for Stuart’s office tells FOX 2 that special interest groups made threats and spreaded "malicious false misinformation" about bathroom privacy and safety legislation.

Stuart says critics are spreading misinformation about Illinois House Bill 1286, which would allow Illinois businesses to have multi-stall, gender-neutral bathrooms. Stuart and her office have learned of several violent threats in recent days.

“We’ve seen how hateful misinformation just like what is now flooding into our community can result in real violence, and I will not put my staff and my constituents in harm’s way,” Stuart said. “I want to be very clear: Out-of-touch special interests are manufacturing controversy where none should be. These actions are inciting violence, and now preventing people from peacefully participating in our democracy. I will reschedule this event when it is safe to do so, and will continue to confront misinformation with truth.” 

The postponement comes as Illinois police warn of an increase in “domestic violent extremist messaging.” Some around Illinois interpret this Saturday as “National Day of Hate,” and police are reminding people to stay vigilant this weekend.

Stuart’s bill does not require gender-neutral bathrooms, but it would provide protections for building developers that opt for such bathrooms. Those who plan on gender-neutral bathrooms would be required to meet appropriate standards for toilet and urinal privacy.

“This bill is about ensuring all bathrooms are private, hygienic, and functional facilities – and if using a bathroom in peace and privacy doesn’t sound like it should be controversial, that’s because the only controversy is one fabricated by the same out-of-touch extremists who have tried time and time again to mislead people for their own political gain,” Stuart said. “The fact is, some developers are choosing to offer bathrooms without a designated gender. It’s also a fact that if they choose to do that, they’ll need to consider privacy, safety, and functionality of these facilities. It’s time for people spreading misinformation and fear to deal in facts instead of lies.”

Stuart’s office did not disclose if or when the event might be rescheduled.

Region: Metro East,News,City: St. Louis, MO

via St. Louis News https://fox2now.com

February 24, 2023 at 10:45AM

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St. Rep. Lance Yednock of Ottawa says the governor’s State of the State Address is the first step to negotiate the state’s spending plan.

St. Rep Lance Yednock of Ottawa says the governor’s State of the State Address is the first step in the long p…

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February 17, 2023 at 06:51AM

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We’re back with Illinois State Rep. Gregg Johnson.

A proposal would expand Illinois’ ban on smoking in public places. House Bill 1540 would expand the ban to include vaping devices like e-cigarettes and vape pens.

They would not be allowed in spots like bars, restaurants, work places and more where tobacco has been banned for years.

Johnson discusses this, and also speaks to the idea of rail service between Chicago and Moline. "I absolutely think that it is critical that we get this Amtrak station done," he said.

Hear what else he has to say when you click on the video.

Local 4 News, your local election headquarters, is proud to present 4 The Record, a weekly news and public affairs program focused on the issues important to you.  It’s a program unlike any other here in the Quad Cities. Tune in each Sunday at 10:30 a.m. as Jim Niedelman brings you up to speed on what’s happening in the political arena, from Springfield, Des Moines, Washington, D.C. and right here at home.

City: Quad Cities,Feeds,News,QC,Northern,Region: QC

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February 12, 2023 at 11:05AM

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Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker has some big ideas for his second term.

He highlighted them in his inaugural address without indicating how to pay for them. That should come next week when he submits his budget.

One of them is universal preschool. At the moment it’s available to about 20 percent of all thee- and four-year-olds Illinois. The group Illinois actions for children estimates it would cost another $175 million to make it available to all young kids … in Chicago alone.

Pritzker’s priority of universal preschool is followed by free college tuition for working families.

Democrats acting on their own introduced some other bills like a statewide child income tax credit and banning vaping in public places, similar to the ban on tobacco smoke.

It’s an ambitious agenda being pushed by Pritzker for Illinois state lawmakers.

We’ll get into that with Illinois State Rep. Gregg Johnson.

"Early childhood learning is extremely important," Johnson said. "I think anything that invests in a better future for our kids is something that we obviously have to always get behind."

To hear what else Johnson has to say, click on the video.

Local 4 News, your local election headquarters, is proud to present 4 The Record, a weekly news and public affairs program focused on the issues important to you.  It’s a program unlike any other here in the Quad Cities. Tune in each Sunday at 10:30 a.m. as Jim Niedelman brings you up to speed on what’s happening in the political arena, from Springfield, Des Moines, Washington, D.C. and right here at home.

City: Quad Cities,Feeds,News,QC,Northern,Region: QC

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February 12, 2023 at 11:05AM

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February 7, 2023 at 04:58PM

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January 31, 2023 at 10:59PM

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An Illinois warehouse task force will soon begin work to recommend how to make the facilities safer following the Amazon warehouse collapse in December 2021.

“The fact that we had such a tragic result makes me wonder if we don’t need to look at those building codes and see that maybe Illinois needs to go above and beyond what’s already expected,” said state Rep. Katie Stuart, D-Edwardsville, who will serve on the 16-member Warehouse Safety Standards Task Force.

The group will meet publicly to take testimony from experts from across the country. The end goal will be a final report due Jan. 1, 2025, to recommend legislation for state lawmakers to consider. Between then and now, the committee will meet and provide reports quarterly.

Leadership in both the House and Senate will appoint lawmakers to the task force. In addition to a representative from the Illinois Department of Labor, Gov. JB Pritzker will name members from labor, business and local government backgrounds.

Stuart said she expects the group to meet within the next two months.

Derik Holtmann

/

Belleville News-Democrat

Top of mind for Stuart is determining if state law needs to make regional additions to International Building Codes. Those codes, which are set by a federal body and used across the country, do not require a storm shelter in a warehouse.

“If the building codes set a standard level, there’s nothing that stops an individual corporation or company or builder from building above that standard if they want to be concerned about worker safety,” Stuart said.

The building codes are set to be updated in 2025, Stuart said. The task force’s deadline comes at a time when lawmakers hope to make recommendations for not only Illinois but also the International Code Council to consider — and possibly adopt nationwide.

Amazon said the company followed all regulations. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration also found Amazon did not violate any federal rules.

“We want to go above and beyond in the areas that we have the most control over and the most confidence that they would make a difference,” Amazon spokeswoman Kelly Nantel told St. Louis Public Radio last December. “And so, while that building is not being built with a storm shelter, that doesn’t mean that conversations aren’t being had.”

Amazon declined to comment on the task force’s creation.

None of the nearly 30 warehouses in the area called Logistics Valley has storm shelters, according to officials from Edwardsville and Pontoon Beach.

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January 31, 2023 at 06:34AM

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A state lawmaker criticized St. Margaret’s Health on Friday and questioned how officials handled the 11th-hour notice of plans to close the Peru hospital followed the law.

State Rep. Lance Yednock, D-Ottawa, also speculated whether the hospital could face fines for its actions.

“From researching (the) statute it appears SMH did not follow the law,” Yednock said in a Friday statement, “and if they close this week, then there could be fines to follow.”

When asked to elaborate, Yednock said he had spoken to a legislative liaison for the IDPH who rattled off a list of notification and review requirements, including a public hearing, St. Margaret’s was supposed to have met.

A hospital statement in response to Yednock asserted that officials had acted “in full compliance with state law.”

The Illinois Department of Public Health did not immediately reply to Yednock’s allegation.

Hospital officials announced late last Friday their plans to suspend operations at St. Margaret’s Health-Peru on Saturday. Lawmakers and state agencies both said they were not notified of the closure, with the IDPH saying it was not informed until Monday afternoon.

Hospital officials initially said they were unsure whether the hospital would reopen, but have since said they believe eventually it will.

Nevertheless, hospital officials apologized to employees and the community for how it handled announcing the closure.

On Monday, Yednock said, nothing had been filed with IDPH. By Wednesday, filings seeking to suspend the Peru hospital (a process distinct from permanent closure) were on file. Nevertheless, a liaison told Yednock that St. Margaret’s should have filed the papers much sooner, the lawmaker said.

Yednock said he’s come to the conclusion that St. Margaret’s had hoped shutting down the Peru facility would force the state to grant them rural emergency hospital designation “in record speed.”

“However, I don’t think this was well thought out,” Yednock said. “Announcing a closure, then asking for help is a terrible strategy especially since legislators do not control the Executive branch.”

“We are very disappointed we weren’t informed about this situation months ago so we could try and seek state aid or other help. This was a poor strategy at best, negligent at worst.”

Meanwhile, Yendock’s counterpart in the Illinois Senate said she was “extremely disappointed” both with St. Margaret’s Health’s decision and its handling of the temporary closure for the Peru Hospital.

“It was our understanding that Senate Bill 1435, which would have designated St. Margaret’s Health-Peru as the first Rural Emergency Hospital in the nation, was everything that the SMH management needed from the state to ensure that the Peru Hospital would remain operational,” state Sen. Sue Rezin, R-Morris, said.

“The lack of communication by SMH management and the speed in which they acted has been shocking to not only myself, but the entire Illinois Valley community. The fact that I have been recently informed that SMH did not formally apply for this closure until Jan. 25 speaks volumes about the lack of comprehensive planning.”

Rezin concluded by calling on IDPH to determine whether they have the ability to require that the Peru Hospital remain open for the time being.

In a statement, St. Margaret’s said there is “a serious misunderstanding,” but also acknowledged hospital officials “should have shared more details of the financial situation which was driving our transition to a rural emergency hospital.”

While St. Margaret’s did not specifically address Yednock’s individual allegations, the statement indicated hospital officials acted “in full compliance with state law,” advising both the Illinois Health Facilities Services Review Board and the Illinois Department of Public Health of the decision to temporarily suspend operations at the Peru campus “due to unanticipated and unforeseen circumstances.”

“The Hospital has been working closely with the Illinois Department of Public Health in this process,” the statement read. “It is doing so in accordance with state law, as both the Department of Public Health and the hospital are trying to ensure continued availability of health care services to the community.”

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January 27, 2023 at 03:39PM

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PERU – Illinois State Representative Lance Yednock is among many of the area legislators looking into the announced temporary closure of St. Margaret’s hospital in Peru, but he thinks they may have not followed the law. Tim Muntz, President & CEO has said they hope to qualify for a Rural Emergency Healthcare designation to keep some operations going at the facility, formerly known as IVCH. In a statement given to Studstill Media, Representative Yednock said that in his opinion from researching the statute, it appears SMH did not follow the law, potentially leading to fines from the IDPH if they close this week. He is looking to find support from the IDPH, the Governor, and even state wide associations like the Illinois Hospital Association to keep the hospital open for the community. Yednock stressed his disappointment that they weren’t informed about this situation months ago.

Yednock speculated that by shutting down the Peru facility, SMP Health would have forced the state to grant them a Rural Emergency Health designation. He said they only formally applied for the closure on January 25th.

Region: Northern,Feeds,News,Region: La Salle

via WBZG https://www.wbzg.net

January 27, 2023 at 06:18AM