A House committee signed off Wednesday on a plan backed by the Illinois State Dental Society to address workforce issues and expand who can perform certain services.
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via Health News Illinois
February 17, 2022 at 06:37PM
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WGEM) – The Illinois House could soon act on a proposal to improve reading literacy.
Rep. Rita Mayfield (D-Waukegan) says children are not reading well enough to be successful. Data from the 2019 Illinois Assessment of Readiness found two-thirds of third-graders struggle to read.
The proposal requires teacher candidates to show their knowledge of foundational reading skills by passing a new exam. Mayfield’s bill asks the State Board of Education to support districts by creating curriculum guidance lists for schools.
Louise Dechovitz, Vice President of Avoca Elementary District 27, testified in support of the bill Wednesday morning. Dechovitz said there is a reading crisis in Illinois.
“Our children deserve evidence-based literacy instruction,” Dechovitz said. “And all teachers deserve the knowledge and skills to be able to provide it. Our literacy challenge will not go away without bold action.”
Advocates also said school districts should not be expected to find the time and money to figure out a solution on their own. House Bill 5032 calls for grant opportunities for districts who agree to transition their curriculum and training.
The State Board of Education is also working with advocates to make the exam for teaching candidates cost-effective.
Meanwhile, the Illinois Association of College Teacher Education Programs is opposed to the bill. Lori Reimers said the organization is against the proposed assessment for teacher candidates. Reimers also said the association would meet with advocates Wednesday to discuss a good way to move forward.
The plan passed unanimously out of the House Elementary & Secondary Education: School Curriculum & Policies Committee. The bill will return to the committee at a later date with an amendment.
Copyright 2022 WGEM. All rights reserved.
February 17, 2022 at 09:11AM
SPRINGFIELD (WGEM) – A proposal moving to the House floor aims to add education requirements to investigator training and to move faster through the investigation process when nursing homes are accused of misconduct.
Introduced by Rep. Maurice West II (D – Rockford), the bill would tighten up the amount of days allotted for investigations to happen. current legislation allows an investigation period of 30 days, the proposal would give investigators one week to complete their review.
Additionally, the bills halves the amount of time the department of human and Family services has to notify the facility of their investigation’s findings. From that point, the nursing facility has a set amount of time to devise a plan for correcting the “deficiencies” found in the investigation.
From there, HFS has to revisit the facility to see if the correction has taken place. Under the new bill, if they don’t visit within seven days, the department must assume facilities are under compliance.
However, those against the bill worry this would tie the hands of those investigating complaints against nursing homes. The cite several “problematic” items in the bill, like giving facilities prior notice before conducting an investigation, and the assumption of compliance if the agency isn’t able to revisit the facility.
The Illinois Public Health Department, who investigates the claims, said that the current statutes are federally mandated and changing them would affect funding and federal compliance.
“With this language, we would not be able to open a new complaint until a another complaint is closed for that facility,” IDPH Division Chief of Governmental Affairs Allison Nickrent said. “That would really be problematic for residents. You know, if we get a complaint that a resident is in danger but there’s still another complaint under investigation, according to this language we would not be able to investigate.”
Advocates of the bill, including Healthcare Council of Illinois which represents a number of nursing facilities across the state, said the current investigation process is lengthy and leaves multiple cases open at once.
“There’s currently no time requirement on when the department must come back out to verify that the corrective actions were taken and close the complaint,” HCCI Representative Matt Harris said. he went on to say some extreme examples of this instance created issues in receiving payment.
The proposal passed unanimously out of the House Human Services Committee with the promise of an amendment from sponsor West. It will head to the floor in the coming weeks.
Copyright 2022 WGEM. All rights reserved.
February 17, 2022 at 08:49AM
As a part of her efforts to provide relief for families during the pandemic, state Rep. Dagmara “Dee” Avelar, D-Bolingbrook, is sponsoring a bill that would lower taxes on certain food, drugs, and medical appliances.
“The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic continues to provide economic challenges,” said Avelar. “By exempting certain everyday products from a tax, this bill will put money back into the pockets of families across Illinois.”
House Bill 4819 exempts many medical materials, such as prescription and nonprescription drugs, medical devices used for cancer treatment, insulin, and blood sugar testing materials from a 1 percent tax. Most food that is not prepared for immediate consumption will also be included under the exemption. The bill is modeled after a provision of the FY 2023 budget proposal by Gov. JB Pritzker.
“No one should have to go without the food, medicine and medical equipment they need,” said Avelar. “This bill is one part of my ongoing fight to provide relief for families and lower the cost of healthcare materials. I’m proud to stand with the governor to build a stronger Illinois.”
via The Times Weekly
February 16, 2022 at 11:15PM
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (NEXSTAR) — A panel of House lawmakers reviewed building code protocols and heard testimony from emergency management experts at a warehouse standards hearing on Monday in an effort to improve workplace safety during natural disasters.
The House Labor and Commerce Committee held the hearing in response to the EF-3 tornado that tore the roof from the Edwardsville Amazon fulfillment center last December. The building collapsed, killing six workers inside and seriously injuring another.
Rep. Jay Hoffman (D-Swansea) and Rep. Katie Stuart (D-Edwardsville) both represent districts ravaged by the tornado.
“Our obligation as elected officials to look at whether or not there were things that could have been done with regard to the building code, with regard to the safety of workers,” Hoffman said.
"We can’t stop tornadoes," Stuart said, "but hopefully we can do what we can to stop loss of life and protect people."
The National Institute of Standards and Technology says more tornado deaths happen indoors than outside, and often that’s because people don’t take the proper precautions.
“Tornadoes cause more fatalities in the US than hurricanes and earthquakes combined, and most tornado fatalities occur inside buildings,” Marc Levitan, research wind engineer at NIST, testified. “Tornado fatalities are a buildings’ problem.”
John Felton, senior vice president at Amazon, said in a December press conference that the warehouse did have a storm shelter. Most of the workers inside the center evacuated there. Felton said the shelter was “mostly undamaged.”
In 2014, Illinois updated its school building code to include a storm shelter for all newly built schools.
Labor experts pointed out even with safer buildings, employees still need to be trained by their employers how to respond to natural disasters while on the clock.
“You can have the safest, best safety chambers in the country,” Tim Drea, president of the Illinois AFL-CIO, said. “But if workers don’t know to go there, they won’t do any good.”
Lawmakers also heard from first responders who explained challenges in clear communication during chaotic events. In written testimony, Edwardsville’s fire chief James Whiteford said local emergency crews needed to reach out for resources to rescue trapped workers and asked for more money for disaster training.
“[Emergency services] need built-in redundancy in order to ensure response capabilities are there when they are needed,” Whiteford wrote. “Whether it is from the next tornado, earthquake, ice storm or terrorist attack, adequate funding is essential to ensure this capability.”
State legislators have not yet filed legislation in response to the tragedy.
OSHA is currently investigating if Amazon followed workplace safety rules during the tornado. The agency must conclude their investigation by April.
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via News | WCIA.com https://www.wcia.com
February 14, 2022 at 08:16PM
Springfield, IL – Illinois unions and supporters applauded Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s annual budget address last ,week, saying it will help balance the budget, create jobs and fund both education and public safety.
State Rep. Jay Hoffman (D-Belleville) said he is looking forward to economic growth and stability.
“As we begin the conversation regarding the budget, my top priority as state representative is to put Illinois, especially the Metro-East, on a path toward long-term economic growth and stability,” said Hoffman, a long-time Labor supporter who is now an assistant majority leader of the House.
“The Metro-East, like all of Illinois, has suffered throughout this pandemic, and I’m committed to supporting infrastructure to improve the economic welfare of the region. The governor’s proposal is an introductory guideline as we look to create a balanced budget, create jobs and fund education and public safety.
“The budget address is only the beginning,” he added. “I look forward to further evaluating the governor’s proposal and getting in contact with my colleagues and community as the budget process progresses.”
One of the state’s largest unions, the Illinois Federation of Teachers, will be watching the budget process carefully, said its president, Dan Montgomery.
“The budget Gov. Pritzker proposed today prioritizes the needs of students and educators and the delivery of public services to our most vulnerable Illinoisans,” Montgomery said. “His proposed $350 million increase is a step toward adequately funding K-12 schools, especially in our neediest communities. But pre-K-12 funding is still billions of dollars short of the Evidence-Based Model funding target, which would provide the resources to educate every Illinois child well, no matter their zip code. We urge Gov. Pritzker and the General Assembly to work toward fully funding the Evidence-Based Model.”
HIGHER EDUCATION TOO
It’s time to better support higher education, too, Montgomery said.
“Critically, the state’s higher education system is suffering from decades of disinvestment,” he said. “We are encouraged by the supplemental FY22 increase in funding for community colleges and universities that carries over to FY23. We urge the legislature to include this vital increase in higher education funding in the final budget.
PAYING THE BILLS
“We also welcome the long-overdue recognition that the state must pay its bills – including the unfunded pension liability,” Montgomery added. “The governor has proposed $500 million in pension funding over and above the required payment. This saves the state money in the long term, and it’s the right thing to do.”
PUBLIC SAFETY
Finally, Montgomery said his union appreciates how Pritzker has worked to keep Illinois residents safe.
“From the start of the pandemic, Gov. Pritzker has steadfastly followed the science to protect our communities and move our state forward,” he said. “We thank him for establishing mask and vaccine mandates that are helping keep our schools open and students and staff safe.
HELPING FAMILIES
State Rep. Katie Stuart (D-Edwardsville), said she was pleased the budget emphasizes helping families.
“Today, the governor proposed a budget with half a billion dollars in surplus to provide financial relief to working-class families. With the proposed surplus, we will meet our full pension liabilities and avoid interest, allowing for huge savings down the line,” she said. “Whether it’s through the proposed freeze on state grocery and gas taxes, the proposed property tax rebate or other measures, this budget proposal is just the beginning of our work to pass real financial relief for those who need it most.”
via The Labor Tribune
February 14, 2022 at 07:07PM
Plainfield Village Trustee Harry Benton announced he will again run for a seat in the Illinois House of Representatives.
Benton, a union ironworker, will run for the Democratic nomination for the 97th District, which includes parts of western Will County, according to a news release. He ran unsuccessfully in 2020 for the same seat against incumbent state Rep. Mark Batinick, R-Plainfield.
“For too long, politicians in Springfield have failed our families and failed to accomplish what people need in their day-to-day lives,” Benton said in a statement. “I am proud to announce my campaign to provide real leadership and representation to what working and middle-class families in our communities deserve.”
Benton cited his work on the Plainfield Village Board as an advocate for small businesses, improving public safety, against higher taxes and improving local infrastructure. Benton was first elected to the Plainfield Village Board in 2019.
This election cycle will feature an open seat in the 97th District since Batinick announced he would not run for reelection.
Two candidates, Tom McCullagh of Shorewood and Michelle Smith, the Plainfield Township clerk, are running for the Republican nomination to the seat.
The 97th District, starting in the 2022 cycle, will include parts of Joliet, Plainfield and Shorewood.
via Shaw Local
February 14, 2022 at 07:04PM
EDWARDSVILLE – Responding to safety concerns raised by the Dec. 10 tornado that killed six people when part of an Amazon warehouse collapsed, state Rep. Katie Stuart (D-Edwardsville) and others are seeking ways to avoid a repeat of the tragedy.
On Monday, Stuart and Chairman and Rep. Marcus Evans (D-Chicago), met with various experts during a virtual hearing to discuss warehouse safety standards.
“The death of six workers in the Amazon warehouse collapse calls into question the safety standards of warehouses and the need for tornado shelters or safe rooms in such buildings,” Stuart said. “Many other buildings in our area are built with the same method as the Amazon warehouse and we should be proactive to prevent further tragedies.”
Stuart read a statement by Edwardsville Police Chief Whiteford, who noted that the collapse of the warehouse brought to light concerns about safety and warehouse construction.
“As fire service representatives, we hold the responsibility to enforce minimum standards and advocate for best practices in terms of fire and life safety,” Whiteford said.
“Best practices come from general knowledge, specific training and practical experience, along with combined decades of fire and emergency services. The reality is that most fire codes are based upon tragedies or near-misses. There is a constant balance that needs to be struck between risk versus cost.”
Whiteford noted that the International Code Council (ICC) produces a set of internationally recognized minimum-code standards for construction and that Illinois and most other states follow those standards.
“This tornado highlights the need to review and likely change building requirements for large warehouses,” Whiteford said. “Short of making those changes, the best thing that fire service can do is to improve preparedness.
“Yet equipment is aging, trained personnel are becoming difficult to find and financial resources are spread thin. Response equipment relied on by the state of Illinois, like the mutual box alarm service and the terrorism task force portable shelters, which have been employed across the state for the COVID response, are wearing out. Hazardous materials response vehicles are two decades old and becoming unreliable and costly to maintain.”
Whiteford added that Madison County has more than 30 million square feet of warehouses that are important to the local economy, as well as to national commerce. But providing emergency services to those buildings and other facilities is becoming more of a challenge.
“Six fire departments in western Madison County have self-contained breathing apparatus set to expire next year,” Whiteford said. “Radio communication systems in Madison County are not standardized. In some cases, police and fire in the same town cannot communicate with each other over the radio. This problem expands to communication between counties and becomes even more complicated as it crosses state lines.”
Whiteford also noted that staffing challenges exist within both the career and volunteer side of fire service, and training is another concern. As many firefighters retire and leave the fire service, new hires need expensive technical training.
“Emergency services cannot be seen as operating in the same way that businesses do,” Whiteford said. “Businesses operate on an efficiency model, to do the most you can with the least possible cost. If a business fails, there is an economic cost to the community; if emergency services fail, there are costs in terms of lives, injuries and social and community impacts, as well as the economic impacts.
“Emergency services cannot fail. They are simply too important to the welfare of the community. Emergency services must operate on a resiliency model, and they need built-in redundancy in order to ensure that the response capabilities are there when they are needed.”
Speakers at the hearing included Jim Bell, Director of Operations for the National Storm Shelter Association.
“We suggest that building owners get an architect or engineer who is knowledgeable with tornado codes to do surveys of buildings to see where you would put (storm shelters) within the building, as well as well as the occupancy (standards) for the shelter, as well as the ability of the shelter to hold up,” Bell said.
“Impact debris is what damages a lot of shelters, but with the warehouse in Edwardsville, it looked a lot more like wind damage was working on the roof system and the walls caved in. We’ve learned over the years how tornadoes work, and we try to apply that knowledge and technology to the improvements that we make.”
Marc Levitan, meanwhile, is a research wind engineer for the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).
Levitan noted that most tornado fatalities occur inside buildings, and that the tornado that hit the Amazon warehouse was an EF3 tornado, with 150-mile-per-hour winds.
“The design speeds that we use in the new (building code) standards are 130 miles per hour and that ranges from approximately EF0 to EF2 tornado intensity, and 97 percent of tornadoes are in the EF0 to EF2 range,” Levitan said.
“The design tornado criteria for a particular building depends on its risk category, its geographic location and the building plan, size and shape. The latter is important because the larger the size of the facility, the larger its footprint will be when a tornado strikes. The tornado criteria are not designed to protect against the most intense tornados; they’re designed to protect against the most common tornadoes.”
Other speakers were Randy Harris, director of the Midwest Region for Laborers-Employers Cooperation and Education Trust (LECET); Tim Drea, president of the Illinois AFLCIO; Gavin Stoddard from the International Warehouse Logistics Association and Alex Laird from the Illinois Retail Merchants Association.
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February 14, 2022 at 05:58PM
State Rep. Mike Halpin (D-Rock Island) is encouraging constituents who want to get involved with child welfare advocacy to consider joining a program in the district he represents.
Halpin referenced the program in a recent post on social media.
"EveryChild (formerly known as the Child Abuse Council) is looking for community volunteers to join their Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) program in Rock Island County," Halpin wrote in a Feb. 2 Facebook post.
Halpin described the CASA program and how it’s beneficial for child victims.
"CASA is a national network that recruits, trains, and supports community volunteers to advocate for the best interests of children who have been abused and neglected, leading to shorter stays in foster care and more positive outcomes for families," he said.
Halpin provided information on how to get involved in the CASA program so those who think it might be something they’d like to do know where to start.
"If you’re interested in becoming a CASA (advocate) and serving children in foster care within our community, you can learn more and apply by visiting foreverychild.org/casa or by contacting danielw@foreverychild.org," Halpin wrote in the post.
According to the EveryChild website, the organization aims to prevent child abuse through both community and family-focused education and support. It also provides the necessary resources to help heal trauma.
The CASA program can be found across the country and works with children in the courts. The website noted that advocates work with children to learn about their everyday life, including how they’re doing in school, at a foster home, or with their parents and then file a report for the judge to consider during court proceedings.
280 children were in foster care in Rock Island County as of the end of last year, according to Our Quad Cities.
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February 13, 2022 at 10:05AM
Working for Illinois Caucus 