McLean County Times

Today marks the beginning of the 2024 spring session for the Illinois House of Representatives. The primary focus of the House this week will be to review newly introduced bills and assign them to House committees. House members have been working diligently to draft and introduce their bills before the February 9 deadline. One notable bill that has been introduced is a gun ban repeal bill, which aims to overturn the Democrats' gun ban included in the Protect Illinois Communities Act (PICA) passed last January.

"The House bill introduction deadline is Friday, February 9. Bills introduced by the deadline date can be assigned to standing committees. This spring, I am chief co-sponsor of a new bill that would effectively repeal the Democrats’ gun ban included in their Protect Illinois Communities Act (PICA) passed in a lame duck session last January. You can read the text of the gun ban repeal bill here." - Unnamed House member

Governor Pritzker is expected to present his FY25 budget and deliver a State of the State address to the Illinois General Assembly on February 21. Meanwhile, compliance with PICA's new gun registration requirements has remained low, with only about 29,000 Illinois residents submitting registration forms by the December 31, 2023 deadline. The constitutionality of the gun ban and registration requirements is still under appeal, with the U.S. Supreme Court yet to make a decision.

"The new gun ban and registration requirements remain under legal appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court as an unconstitutional violation of the Second Amendment rights of Illinois residents and citizens. It is not known how many PICA-defined firearms are in Illinois hands, but the categories of firearms described in the law cover many types of firearms that are popular throughout the U.S. Based on gun club and social activities among firearm owners, there may be hundreds of thousands of these firearms in Illinois. However, only about 29,000 Illinois residents had submitted PICA registration forms to the Illinois State Police by the December 31, 2023 deadline." - Unnamed source

In other news, a migrant crisis is spreading throughout northern Illinois, with at least 12 municipalities receiving busloads of migrants. Chicago, a self-proclaimed sanctuary city, has attempted to control the influx of migrants by adopting a home-rule ordinance against one-way passenger bus trips into the city. However, buses have found a loophole by unloading a large number of passengers at a Metra commuter train station that offers service into Chicago. Other municipalities, such as University Park, are also implementing ordinances to control or prevent one-way passenger bus entries and dead-end drop-offs. Since December 1, an estimated 150 passenger buses have unloaded migrants at various locations in northeastern Illinois.

"Chicago, a self-proclaimed sanctuary city, has now tried to stem the flow of migrants by adopting a home-rule ordinance against buses that make one-way passenger trips into the city, but the buses have found a loophole. In a typical migrant dropoff, a large number of passengers are unloaded at a Metra commuter train station that offers passenger service into Chicago. Other municipalities, such as University Park in South Cook County, are adopting ordinances that seek to control or prevent one-way passenger bus entries and dead-end drop-offs. Since December 1, an estimated 150 passenger buses have unloaded migrants at locations throughout northeastern Illinois." - Unnamed source

On a more concerning note, Illinois has dropped six spots to 36th on the U.S. News "Best States" list. The ranking takes into account various factors, including quality of life, crime, economy, education, fiscal stability, healthcare, infrastructure, natural environment, and opportunity. Illinois received its poorest grades in the areas of opportunity, natural environment, economy, and fiscal stability.

"The U.S. News website compiles a rank-ordered list of all 50 U.S. states. The states are ranked by quality of life, with particular attention to crime, the economy, education, fiscal stability, health care, infrastructure, natural environment, and opportunity. In the 2023 year-end list, Illinois dropped six spots to 36th. The Prairie State had been ranked 30th among the 50 states in 2021. The four areas where Illinois was given its poorest grades were in its opportunity (35th), its natural environment (38th), its economy (39th), and its fiscal stability (50th)." - Unnamed source

As the spring session begins, there is much work to be done in Illinois. In the district, there are various events taking place, including a job applicants screening for those interested in a career in corrections and a donation drive for Cuddles With Kindness, which aims to provide stuffed animals to children during their hospital stays.