Illinois

Illinois lawmakers greenlight enhanced abortion protections

Published

1 year ago

January 11, 2023

Illinois lawmakers greenlight enhanced abortion protections

By CLAIRE SAVAGE – Related Press/Report for America

CHICAGO (AP) — Illinois lawmakers on Tuesday permitted a measure defending Illinois’ entry to abortion from out-of-state meddling, making the state the most recent to pursue such protections because the U.S. Supreme Court docket overturned Roe v. Wade final June.

The invoice, prepared for motion by Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker, who helps it, would defend reproductive and gender-affirming well being care sufferers and suppliers from authorized motion originating throughout state strains in a post-Roe world the place some states are transferring swiftly to limit such procedures.

Within the phrases of Rep. Kelly Cassidy, the Chicago Democrat who sponsored the plan within the Home, Democrats have confronted down “grave threats to the rights to privateness, reproductive care, and bodily autonomy.”

“We’re guaranteeing that Illinois will proceed to serve the 1000’s of individuals touring to our state each month to obtain abortions and different reproductive and gender-affirming well being care, which they’ll now not entry of their house states,” Cassidy stated in a press release.

Abortion is authorized in Illinois till the fetus can survive outdoors of the womb, which often happens round six months of being pregnant.

Different states have additionally moved to guard abortion rights. The Democratic governors of Colorado, North Carolina and Hawaii issued government orders to guard abortion suppliers and sufferers from extradition to states which have banned the process. And in November, voters in battleground Michigan enshrined abortion rights of their state’s structure — becoming a member of Democratic California and Vermont in taking that step.

Deliberate Parenthood of Illinois stated that since Roe was overturned, it has seen extra out-of-state sufferers than ever. Earlier than the excessive court docket’s choice that changed Roe and left abortion as much as states, Deliberate Parenthood noticed sufferers from 10 to fifteen different states apart from Illinois. Since then, its clinics have handled sufferers from 33 states.

The laws would additionally shield the Illinois licenses of well being care suppliers licensed in a number of states who present remedy authorized in Illinois however which could price them their license in a state the place it’s not. And it might stop insurers from charging extra for out-of-network care when in-network suppliers object to remedy on ethical grounds.

Senate Democrats, led by sponsoring Sen. Celina Villanueva of Chicago, permitted the proposal 41-16, however made modifications to the preliminary proposal the Home despatched over. After ironing out variations, the Home endorsed it 70-39. Proponents scrambled to win endorsement on the final day of its lame-duck session. A brand new Common Meeting is sworn in Wednesday and the legislative course of begins anew.

Mary Kate Zander, who heads the anti-abortion group Illinois Proper to Life, referred to as on lawmakers to be extra open of their debate. The Senate tacked its language onto an current piece of laws, so it didn’t want the vetting required of a brand new invoice, equivalent to a public committee listening to.

“They know that the folks in our state are usually not supportive of the sort of laws, as a result of in the event that they had been, they might cross this laws in a traditional manner,” Zander stated.

Republican state Sen. Darren Bailey, who misplaced the governor’s race to Democratic incumbent Pritzker in November however took nice pains to guarantee voters he wouldn’t attempt to reverse Illinois’ authorized abortions, referred to as the measure “pure evil.”

“That is improper. God assist us,” he stated.

Ameri Klafeta, director of the Girls’s and Reproductive Rights Mission for the American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois, stated the invoice would assist reinforce abortion protections in Illinois at a time when reproductive rights are beneath assault elsewhere within the nation.

“We aren’t letting states like Texas, the place there are assaults on abortion care and assaults on gender-affirming care, inform us in Illinois what care folks can get within the state,” she stated.

Pritzker, who was sworn in Monday for a second time period as governor, used his inaugural tackle to suggest a constitutional modification guaranteeing abortion entry. ___

Savage is a corps member for the Related Press/Report for America Statehouse Information Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit nationwide service program that locations journalists in native newsrooms to report on undercovered points.

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Illinois

Line of thunderstorms to bring damaging winds, downpours across northern Illinois

Published

4 hours ago

June 22, 2024

Press Room

Line of thunderstorms to bring damaging winds, downpours across northern Illinois

A line of thunderstorms will sweep through northern Illinois this evening, with weather officials warning that it will bring damaging winds, heavy downpours and possibly localized flash floods.

The squall line will move in a southeasterly direction and is expected to begin impacting northern Illinois at 5 p.m. this evening, according to the National Weather Service (NWS).

The storms will continue moving southeast at approximately 35 mph and are expected to hit Lake and McHenry counties at around 8 p.m.

They will then move into northwest Indiana late at night and into early Sunday morning.

“Strong damaging wind gusts and heavy downpours will accompany these storms through the evening,” NWS said.

“The heavy rainfall could cause some instances of localized flash flooding,” NWS added.

Weather officials say you should move indoors if you hear thunder and use caution when driving in heavy rain.

“Stay weather aware!” officials said. “Ensure you have multiple ways to get warnings!”

After the storms pass, temperatures will cool for Sunday but slowly increase again into Tuesday. | Photo: National Weather Service (NWS) Chicago

After the storms pass, temperatures will start to cool for Sunday.

“However, temperatures will slowly increase into Tuesday once again as heat index values rise,” NWS said.

“There is also the potential for another storm system that may move in Tuesday afternoon/evening,” NWS added.

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Illinois

Illinois AD Looking for $22 Million for Revenue Sharing

Published

11 hours ago

June 22, 2024

Press Room

Illinois AD Looking for $22 Million for Revenue Sharing

Illinois athletic director Josh Whitman told media in a roundtable conversation that he agrees with the decision to settle the House vs. NCAA case.

Now, the next step? Find the money for the anticipated revenue-sharing to come.

Whitman’s comments were reported by wcia.com, among other outlets.

Whitman, the former Illinois product and NFL player who has served as the school’s athletic director since 2016, said the school expects to share with its student-athletes the full amount allowed under the settlement, which is expected to be $22 million, or a figured capped at 22% of the average major conference school’s primary revenues.

The settlement must still be approved by a federal judge but the contours are agreed upon.

Whitman said that for Illinois to be able to compete at the highest level that it had to make that investment in revenue-sharing. There’s just one problem at the moment.

“We don’t have $22 million so we’re unturning every stone to make that happen,” Whitman said.

Other Big Ten schools are in the process of figuring this out.

Nebraska athletic director Troy Dannen has already told boosters that the department has set aside $20 million for revenue sharing, which would start with the 2025-26 athletic year.

Minnesota athletic director Mark Coyle is working with his staff to start that budgeting process.

New Ohio State athletic director Ross Bjork recently said the Buckeyes will share the max and they’re working on their budget

Whitman said the money will primarily come from television revenue, sponsorship money and ticket sales.

In that respect the Illini are at an advantage. The Big Ten TV deals will pay the league $8 billion over the next seven years. Illinois football attendance was up 15% last season. Whitman also said that their intention is to share revenue whether they have the support of the university or not.

Plus, he anticipates that Illinois will have to surrender $1.2 million in back damage money as part of the House settlement. He also sees football and men’s basketball as the primary beneficiaries of revenue sharing, though Title IX restrictions may influence that.

He also cautioned that what’s happening now may not be anywhere close to where major college athletics ends up.

“We’re living in one the most intense periods of change in college athletics. Everything that has happened (NIL, portal, sports gambling, etc.) to date will be a footnote to where this thing will ultimately go,” Whitman said.

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Illinois

When do cicadas leave Illinois?

Published

18 hours ago

June 22, 2024

Press Room

With reports of live cicadas winding down and sightings of the dead insects on the increase, many people wonder what’s coming next. Here’s what to expect.

When do the cicadas go away?

The remaining periodical cicadas out now should be gone by late June. Periodical cicadas are among the longest-lived insects on the planet, but most of their 13- or 17-year lifespan is spent underground. After emerging, singing and reproducing, the adults don’t live long. After about a month, the cicadas begin to die.

Their departure can be memorable. In 1990, there were reports of people in Chicago using snow shovels to clear sidewalks of dead cicadas, which have a noticeable odor.

More: Is your dog eating cicadas? Here’s why you should be worried about it

Do cicadas come out every year?

Some cicadas do show up every year. Annual — or dog-day — cicadas emerge during the heat of summer, usually around July, said Kacie Athey, a specialty crops entomologist with the University of Illinois Extension.

The periodical cicadas that are dying off now were part of a historic dual emergence of two particular broods, an event that hadn’t occurred since 1803 and made Illinois the center of attention for cicada watchers. In some years, no periodical cicadas emerge. After 2024, Brood XIII and Brood XIX cicadas won’t sync up their emergences again until the year 2245.

More: What animals eat cicadas?

Do cicadas have a purpose?

Cicada nymphs aerate the soil. The emergent adults prune mature trees and provide an abundant source of food for wildlife — and some humans. After they die, cicadas’ bodies provide a source of nitrogen for growing trees. CicadaMania.com breaks down the bugs’ many benefits.

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