McLean County Times

This week marked Homeschool Lobby Day at the State Capitol, where homeschool families and advocates gathered to protect their rights. Representative Tipsword hosted families from El Paso, Washington, and Varna in District 105. Concerns were raised over proposed legislation (HB 2827) by Democrats that could impose additional requirements on homeschooling families. "We believe that parents know what’s best for their children and we stand against these intrusive mandates," stated Rep. Tipsword.

In other district activities, Rep. Tipsword attended the Livingston County Farm Bureau Legislative Breakfast, expressing gratitude to Precision Planting for hosting and FFA students for providing meals.

Rep. Tipsword also reminded constituents about Scott's Law: "SLOW DOWN and MOVE OVER when passing any vehicle with hazard or emergency lights activated." This reminder follows an incident involving an Illinois State Police trooper injured on I-57 due to a driver failing to move over.

On immigration matters, an audit revealed that the Pritzker Administration underestimated costs associated with immigrant healthcare programs. The Illinois Auditor General's report indicated that spending on Health Benefits for Immigrant Seniors (HBIS) and Adults (HBIA) programs exceeded initial estimates significantly across fiscal years 2021 to 2023. Governor Pritzker has suggested ending the HBIA program for undocumented immigrants aged 42-64 in his Fiscal Year 2026 budget proposal while maintaining HBIS benefits for those aged 65+.

Healthcare news includes Health Alliance's decision to exit the insurance market by the end of 2025, affecting around 280,000 residents primarily in Central Illinois. The company plans to withdraw from non-Medicare markets starting January 1, 2026.

For those interested in legislative processes, Rep. Tipsword encouraged constituents to file witness slips on proposed legislation via the Illinois General Assembly website.

In hunting news, Illinois hunters set a record with a harvest of 1,045 wild turkeys during the fall archery turkey season as reported by Muddy River Sports.