ILLINOIS (WIFR) – Six months away from November, Illinois lawmakers change election laws that prevent candidates from being slated in.

The bill, originally presented as a child welfare bill, declares only candidates who run in the primary election can be on the general election ballot. Illinois State Board of Elections public information office Matt Dietrich says the burden will now be on each political party to make sure someone runs in each state-wide primary race.

“They would not have a chance then to slate a candidate after the primary to fill that vacancy and nomination,” Dietrich clarifies.

Tensions along party lines rose after Governor J.B. Pritzker signed the bill into law. 35th District State Senator Dave Syverson sees this bill as an abuse of power by the Democrats. He says the bill was signed at historic speed without any public input. He believes it is wrong to pass a bill that would change election laws this close to the general election.

“For the ruling party just to take choice away from the public is wrong … it shouldn’t be about Chicago style political muscle, it should be about an open process,” Syverson says.

On the other side of the argument, State Representative Dave Vella hopes the bill will return power to voters and independent candidates. He says for too long, many slated candidates ran without connecting with their constituents.

“I think I’m hoping that this will force the candidates to go out and talk to the voters,” Vella says. “And forces the candidates who don’t want to go through that process, to do it and you want that right, you want people to put the work in if they are going to represent you.”

The bill also places three advisory questions onto the November ballot for citizens to consider pertaining to the security of election workers, invitro fertilization and tax increases on incomes of more than $1,000,000. For certain offices, including state constitutional officers and judges, it pushes back the filing period by four weeks.

Copyright 2024 WIFR. All rights reserved.

SPRINGFIELD (WGEM) – Illinois lawmakers are renewing their focus on curbing domestic violence in the state.

The renewed focus comes after what police are calling a murder-suicide last week in Villa Park involving a man on pretrial release after a domestic violence arrest.

Police found Winston Elguezabal and his wife Julie dead on April 26 following an apparent murder-suicide. Winston Elguezabal was on pretrial release after a recent domestic violence arrest.

Under the Pretrial Fairness Act portion of the SAFE-T Act, people accused of domestic violence are presumed to be released while awaiting trial. They can be held but the prosecution is required to file a motion and prove they’re too dangerous to be on the streets.

State Senate Minority Leader John Curran, R-Downers Grove, wants to change that.

“We want to get serious about domestic violence, domestic abusers, those who are causing bodily harm to women and children, the victims of domestic violence, we need to flip that presumption,” he said. “My legislation is very simple in nature, the presumption will be flipped.”

He will introduce a bill requiring the accused to file a petition and prove they are not too dangerous to be released.

Democrats are pushing for another bill called “Karina’s Bill.” They believe it’s too easy for people accused of domestic violence to access firearms.

“I would ask my colleagues who want us to work on all of these items to think about the victims of domestic violence and readily availability of firearms to the perpetrator, and the protections are not there yet. We need to give law enforcement the tools to seize those weapons,” said state Rep. Diane Blair-Sherlock, D-Villa Park.

“Karina’s Bill” would require police seize someone’s weapons within 96 hours when they’re giving a court order to surrender their Firearm Owners Identification (FOID) card. Right now, they can turn their guns over to another FOID card holder including someone in the same house.

Curran said he supports the underlying idea of getting guns out of the hands of accused domestic abusers. He cautions though that ongoing negotiations between lawmakers, advocates and law enforcement have to get the policy details right since executing search warrants can be very dangerous.

Copyright 2024 WGEM. All rights reserved.

CHICAGO (CBS) — A fifth-grade teacher in Aurora has been named Illinois Teacher of the Year for 2024.

Illinois State Board of Education Chair Dr. Steven Isoye, Indian Prairie Community Unit School District 204 Superintendent Dr. Adrian Talley, and Georgetown Elementary School Principal Jill Keller surprised Dr. Rachael Mahmood with the award on Thursday.

Illinois State Superintendent of Education Dr. Tony Sanders chose Mahmood from 13 finalists from across the state.

Mahmood has been a teacher since 2005, spending the last nine years at Georgetown Elementary School in Aurora.

“Amidst an incredibly talented pool of educators across our state, Dr. Mahmood rose to the forefront,” Sanders said in a statement. “Despite never feeling like she belonged in school as a student, she became a teacher and found her calling. 

“Her journey fuels her passion for making each of her students understand that they belong. She has a passion for the craft of teaching and embodies the qualities of an exceptional educator and inspiring leader.”

Mahmood is known for creating relationships with her students and their families that leave a lasting impact.

“Our role as educators is to adopt an asset-based mindset, leveraging the strengths, funds of knowledge, and social/cultural capital that each student brings to the classroom,” Mahmood said in her nomination materials for the award. 

“By harnessing our students’ natural gifts, we inspire them to see that their ability to be successful, both inside and outside of the classroom, already lies within them. As we move with the natural gifts of our students, don’t forget they ride on the coattails of the strength and richness of their families and communities. We must not only partner with our communities but also learn from them.” 

Mahmood will take a state-funded sabbatical from teaching for the 2024-25 school year to represent Illinois in the National Teacher of the Year program, serving as an ambassador for the teaching profession.