Veto Session Starts Next Tuesday
The first week of our two-week veto session will begin on Tuesday, October 24. Lawmakers will consider not only Governor Pritzker’s vetoes of bills enacted in the spring session, but also new legislative business. As completely new legislation must be approved by a supermajority vote during veto session, minority Republicans could have a voice in any new legislation that moves forward.
The Illinois House has posted its veto session calendar online. After taking a break for Halloween, the General Assembly will wrap up its veto session work on Thursday, November 9, the day before Veterans’ Day.
The Governor only issued six vetoes of bills passed by legislators this spring, three total vetoes and three amendatory vetoes. One of the vetoed bills that may be brought up is SB 76 that effectively lifts the ban on nuclear power plant development in our state. House Republicans will also be pushing for the General Assembly to renew the Invest in Kids scholarship program that, without action, will expire at the end of the year, ending education choice for thousands of middle and lower income families. I will keep you updated.
Early Media Reports Show Prosecutors Have Ongoing Concerns About Elimination of Cash Bail
McHenry County’s top prosecutor used the words ‘absurd’ and ‘incoherent’ to describe what he witnessed in court on the day the no-cash-bail law took effect.
Criminal justice systems across the state have been adjusting to the new law. Under the Pretrial Fairness Act portion of the SAFE-T Act, judges must decide within 48 hours if someone charged with a crime should be held in jail. Non-violent offenders are given a notice to appear at their court date and released. To prepare for the new law, law enforcement agencies had to familiarize themselves with the changes.
Resources are being stretched thin all across the state with the elimination of cash bail. An assistant state’s attorney in McLean County spent at least 1,000 hours studying and teaching a prosecutor’s team about the Pretrial Fairness Act. More than half of Illinois’ 102 counties do not have a full-time public defender. Large counties like Cook County are set up to run court all day and every day, but that’s simply not the case everywhere in Illinois. Court reporters are in short supply, and state’s attorney’s offices in some counties are one-person operations. There are judges who travel from courthouse to courthouse in some rural counties. Additional staff will need to be hired in many areas and budgets will be very, very strained.
Public Hearings Coming on New Firearms Registration Rules
The Illinois State Police have agreed to hold additional public hearings about the registration process under Democrats’ firearms ban and may refine the rules before they become permanent next year.
Around the District
Thank You to Fire Chief Craig Neal and his crew at Eureka-Goodfield Fire Protection District for hosting us in Celebration of our 2023 Summer Reading Program. These kids are Amazing! We had Fire Trucks, Ambulances, Squad Car, Motorcycle and even a Tow Truck show up to support their reading accomplishments…and of course, there was ice cream.
It’s harvest time! I had great visits this week in McLean County with County Farm Bureau members David Mool, Enid Schlipf and George Gramm; and at the Martin Farm in LaSalle County with Illinois Soybean Association members Jim Martin and Mark Read.
Please drive carefully and watch for farm equipment on local roadways!
There was great food and great company this week at Capponi’s for the Toluca-Rutland Fire Protection District’s Annual Spaghetti Supper. Thank you for all you do!