Shell game in Springfield
Presented by
TGIF, Illinois. And we hope folks at the Capitol got some sleep.
TOP TALKER
SPRINGFIELD, Illinois — State lawmakers Thursday took the baby step toward passing a budget by sending shell bills to their respective chambers.
Shell bills are placeholders for incoming legislation — in this case, a budget that will determine how the state will dole out $55.2 billion in funding over the next fiscal year. Given that each bill's title must be introduced three times over three days, lawmakers had to get the ball rolling Thursday.
Actual budget language could drop today, and votes will be taken late Saturday, the ultimate deadline to pass a budget.
There are plenty of other pieces of legislation still being negotiated.
Hitting the brakes: The transit bill we mentioned Thursday now has a funding mechanism that's already facing opposition. The proposal calls for moving millions of tax revenue from DuPage and Kane counties to fund transportation. The bill also calls for adding 50 cents to all Illinois highway tolls, incorporating a real estate transfer tax, which is a charge levied whenever properties are sold, and adding a tax to ride-share services.
Another sticking point is that new organizational changes to the transit system would give more power to Cook County, where most public transportation sits, rather than to the collar counties. 'Any reorganization that diminishes our voice or diverts our resources without a clear, equitable benefit to our residents cannot be supported,' said Kane County Legislative Co-Chair Michelle Gumz in her letter to lawmakers. DuPage County Board Chair Deborah Conroy wrote a similar letter.
Watch and wait: Watch for amendments to address the objections. Otherwise, passage by Saturday looks dim. Lawmakers could also wait and tackle the weighty transit issue in a special summer session or in October — after they finish gathering petition signatures for their upcoming elections.
Skinny energy bill: Lawmakers nailed down an energy bill late Thursday. The measure, leaner than initially planned, calls for creating battery technology that stores energy from wind and solar. Supporters say it will create union jobs and help lower energy bills. Not included in the bill is a proposal to regulate data centers. The bill also ends a moratorium on new nuclear plants and promotes energy efficiency, by the Sun-Times' Brett Chase and George Wiebe.
After emotional testimony, the House passed a bill that would allow terminally ill adults to end their lives with medical assistance. House Majority Leader Robyn Gabel sponsored the legislation. The bill now heads to the Senate.
In knots over hair-braiding bill: A bill that was sailing through the General Assembly with Senate and House support (but for an amendment) now faces some opposition. State Rep. Carol Ammons' HB3356 would repeal the requirement that people who engage in hair-braiding have a state license. The bill is part of the General Assembly's Comprehensive Licensing Information to Minimize Barriers Task Force.
Ammons' task force determined a license isn't necessary for hair-braiding and called for eliminating it. On Thursday, licensed hair stylists were on hand criticizing the bill, saying eliminating licensing poses a health concern. Not mentioned: Schools that charge thousands to train in hair-braiding might also want to keep the licensing policy in place.
Junk fees: A bill to curb the use of junk fees, those extra surcharges that appear when you buy concert tickets or online products, is still in limbo. The Senate passed its version of the bill sponsored by state Sen. Omar Aquino. But the House has yet to call state Rep. Bob Morgan's version — even though there are 60-plus sponsors. The hold-up: The state Attorney General's Office has questions. The bill calls for that office to go after companies that charge consumers junk fees.
Hold your horses: A bill to revive plans for a 'racino' — a racetrack and gaming casino — in Decatur is stalled. The bill, which could jumpstart Illinois' horse racing industry, passed unanimously out of the Senate Executive Committee on Wednesday, but it hasn't gotten out of the chamber yet. We hear the holdup is Hawthorne Racecourse in Stickney, which has had veto power on harness racing.
Opponents to the bill invoked the name of Hawthorne ally and former state Rep. Robert Molaro — even though he died five years ago. They called for a delay on the vote out of respect for Molaro. On Thursday, a lawmaker told Playbook, 'Hawthorne is a family owned business that's been around a hundred years. We shouldn't pull the rug out' without finding a way to help them, too.
RELATED
Decatur racino bill clears starting gate, but may not reach this week's finish line, by Lee Enterprises' Brenden Moore
Latest transit proposal would hike tolls, tax ride-shares to avoid $771M fiscal cliff, by the Tribune's Talia Soglin, Olivia Olander and Jeremy Gorner
Legislators miles apart on how to fund the CTA, Metra and Pace to avert a $770M fiscal cliff, by the Sun-Times' Mitchell Armentrout and George Wiebe
THE BUZZ
Blue states taunt Trump after tariffs loss: 'It's raining tacos': Mike Frerichs, the Democratic Illinois state treasurer, said the rulings could stave off the most severe economic effects of Trump's tariffs on vulnerable industries, including corn and soybean farmers. Moreover, Frerichs said whiplash with Trump's trade policies has already undermined his supposed goal to bring manufacturing jobs back to the middle of the country.
'No company is going to make a long-term commitment when there is no belief that they will stay in place,' Frerichs said. 'Wall Street has been talking about TACO this week… So why would you shut down a factory in China and move it to the U.S. if, two weeks from now, the tariffs are going to disappear?'
Court rulings jolt Trump trade talks, via POLITICO
White House insists court ruling won't derail Trump's tariff agenda, by POLITICO's Doug Palmer and Giselle Ruhiyyih Ewing
If you are Carol Ammons, Playbook would like to hear from you! Email: skapos@politico.com
WHERE'S JB
No official public events
WHERE's BRANDON
No official public events
Where's Toni
At the Posen Fire Department at 9:30 a.m. to announce the launch of a new mobile treatment program aimed at expanding access to opioid use disorder care in the south suburbs
Have a tip, suggestion, birthday, new job or a complaint? Email skapos@politico.com
BUSINESS OF POLITICS
— Endorsement: State Sen. Robert Peters has been endorsed by the College Democrats of America in his bid for the 2nd Congressional District seat.
— On the trail: Krishnamoorthi campaigns against 'devastating' tariffs in Rockford, by WIFR's Nathaniel Langley
CHICAGO
— Chicago Board of Education renews 21 charter schools after months of delay, by Chalkbeat's Becky Vevea
— Construction progress continues for Home Court athletic facility at the Obama Presidential Center, by Chicago YIMBY's Daniel Schell
— Kennedy express lanes to O'Hare to open Sunday, a month ahead of schedule, via the Sun-Times
— North Lawndale Arts Center expands programs after $50,000 donation from Jussie Smollett, by Block Club's Michael Liptrot
TAKING NAMES
— Tony Karman, the EXPO Chicago founder, is stepping down from director's role, by the Sun-Times' Ambar Colón
MEDIA MATTERS
— Special section with fake book list plagued with additional errors, Sun-Times review finds, by WBEZ's Dan Mihalopoulos and Kade Heather
— Lessons (and an apology) from the Sun-Times CEO Melissa Bell on that AI-generated book list, via Sun-Times (Read to the end for her real — smart — book list.).
— Richard Roeper, the former Sun-Times film and television critic, has joined RogerEbert.com as a regular contributor.
Reader Digest
We asked who you think is the most fascinating world leader.
Kristopher Anderson: 'Vladimir Putin, the master of throwing a rock and hiding your hand, and sometimes he makes you question if there was even a rock.'
Jason Baumann: 'Mexico President Claudia Pardo because she doesn't take any s%{t! She fights back against Trump. Last year, she seized an insane amount of cartel money. She's entertaining to watch.'
Doug Crew: 'French President Emmanuel Macron, a young leader who took on major pension reform, prevailed and survived. (Would invite him to dinner only if he'd bring his wife).'
Peter Creticos: 'Former Bogota, Colombia, Mayor Antanas Mockus. He was a mathematician and philosopher whose innovative and unorthodox methods employed humor and social action to address social and environmental challenges.'
Barbara Currie: 'French President Emmanuel Macron. Can't get over his staying power.'
Bill Henkel: 'Colombia President Gustavo Petro.'
Jack Franks: 'Pope Leo XIV.'
Charles Keller: 'Argentina President Javier Milei for taking a chainsaw to his government, literally.'
Fred Lebed: 'Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.'
Jane Ruby: 'Ireland President Michael Higgins. Besides being an accomplished poet, he's an incredible orator on peace. I recommend his 2025 St. Patrick's Day Address.'
Bernard Schoenburg: 'Volodymyr Zelenskyy. An actor-turned-politician who is meeting unimaginable challenges with strength and grace.'
Steve Smith: 'Cyril Ramaphosa, president of South Africa.'
Alexander Sutton: 'Ibrahim Traore, the president of Burkina Faso in West Africa.'
NEXT QUESTION: What's a protest movement that had a big impact?
THE NATIONAL TAKE
— Rubio's visa crunch has big consequences for public universities — including University of Illinois, by POLITICO's Rebecca Carballo
— Behind Trump's long campaign to target Chinese student visas, by POLITICO's Myah Ward and Jake Traylor
— Why the court ruled against Trump's tariffs: It came down to the 'political question,' by POLITICO's Joseph Schatz
TRIVIA
THURSDAY's ANSWER: Congrats to Clem Balanoff for correctly answering that the late state Sen. Charles Chew Jr., the former chair of the Illinois Senate Transportation Committee, was known to drive to Springfield in a Rolls Royce.
Robert Kieckhefer, a veteran reporter, remembers a song from the Old Gridiron Show that went 'Bald, bald Charlie Chew, baldest man in the Senate zoo,' sung to the music of 'Bad, Bad Leroy Brown. 'He's got a custom Continental, got an Eldorado too. He's got the DOT in his pocket for fun, got the highway lobby, too.'
TODAY's QUESTION: What is the tallest load-bearing brick building ever constructed? Email skapos@politico.com
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
Today: Metropolitan Family Services Senior Director of Government Affairs Miguel Blancarte Jr., leadership development consultant Amisha Patel, businessman Neil Malone and Relm Insurance Ltd.'s Sophia Zaller
Saturday: 40th Ward Democratic Committeeperson Maggie O'Keefe, Equality Illinois Public Policy Director Mike Ziri, Pillars Fund co-founder Kashif Shaikh, 46th Ward organizer Demerike Palecek, Relm Insurance Development VP Sophia Zaller and The Forward Interim Editor in Chief Julie Moos
Sunday: State Sen. Mattie Hunter, state Rep. Carol Ammons, RTA Chair Kirk Dillard, Culloton + Bauer Luce CEO Dennis Culloton, comms leader Daniel Cruz, Cedar Pine COO Jenny Cizner, Radio Free Europe Head of External Affairs Diane Zeleny and the Chicago mayor's photographer and Creative Director Vashon Jordan Jr.
-30-
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Boston Globe
27 minutes ago
- Boston Globe
For these Trump voters, a rubber-stamp Congress is a key demand
Advertisement And they reserved their purest aversion for Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the solidly conservative former longtime party leader, whom they described alternately as an 'obstructionist' to Trump's agenda, a 'snake in the grass,' and a 'bowl of Jell-O' with no spine. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Their perspectives offered a striking contrast to the reception that many Republican lawmakers have confronted at raucous town halls throughout the country in recent months. The lawmakers have been grilled and booed by constituents at these events for supporting Trump's policies on tariffs, immigration and, most recently, the domestic policy bill that the GOP pushed through the House in May. And they help explain why most Republican lawmakers have put aside any reservations they may have on key issues and backed the president -- because a critical portion of their party's base is still demanding that they do so. Advertisement 'For loyal Trump voters, they're loving what they see as him 'doing something' and don't want congressional Republicans getting in the way of his agenda,' said Sarah Longwell, the anti-Trump Republican strategist who conducted the focus groups. 'And members of Congress have gotten that message loud and clear.' These voters represent only a piece of the electorate that Republicans must court in the run-up to midterm congressional elections in which their governing trifecta is on the line. Since Trump took office, GOP lawmakers have struggled to defend his executive actions and his efforts to dismantle the federal bureaucracy and unilaterally defund government programs, and to explain to their constituents why they are not doing more to challenge him. In Nebraska this past week, Representative Mike Flood faced an angry crowd grilling him on the Medicaid and food assistance cuts included in the domestic policy bill. And he admitted he had been unaware that the measure included a provision to limit the power of federal judges to hold people, including Trump administration officials, in contempt for disobeying court orders. But Longwell's sessions, videos of which were shared with The New York Times, were a reminder that there is still a powerful pull for Republicans to swallow whatever disagreements they may have with Trump and bow to what he wants. Since the beginning of this Congress, Speaker Mike Johnson, whose too-slim majority in the House leaves him little latitude to maneuver, has positioned himself less as the leader of the legislative branch and more as a junior partner to Trump. That stance is exactly what these voters, whom Longwell identified only by their first names and last initials to protect their privacy, said they liked about him. Advertisement Arthur M., a voter from Arizona, described Johnson as 'loyal,' adding, 'I'm not saying they should never have any other ideas of their own, but they certainly shouldn't have someone dissenting if you're trying to put an agenda through -- and that's what the Congress is.' Jeff B., a voter from Georgia, said Johnson always appeared to be 'in over his head.' But he did not see that as a negative. 'He's not the kind of guy like Mitch McConnell, who was pulling all the strings,' he said. 'He's struggling, and I think that's the way it's supposed to be. He looks like he's in over his head, and I think that's the way it's supposed to be.' The voters who participated in the focus groups, which were conducted May 16 and 19, had uniformly negative views of those House Republicans they viewed as 'rabble-rousers,' which they defined as anyone expressing an opinion that was not in sync with the White House. Jane H., a voter from Indiana, criticized her Congress member, Representative Victoria Spartz, an unpredictable lawmaker who often sides with the hard right, for being 'out of line' when she makes noises about opposing Trump's agenda. Gilbert W. from North Carolina held a similar view of Murkowski, who has routinely broken with her party to criticize Trump. 'Murkowski -- this woman's never found anything on the Republican side she really goes for,' he said, calling her a 'troublemaker.' In contrast, Allen K. from Arizona praised his Congress member, Representative Juan Ciscomani, for never making any waves. Advertisement 'Whatever Trump does, he'll say,' he said of Ciscomani, describing that as a positive. As for Senator John Thune, the new majority leader from South Dakota, he earned kudos mostly for not being McConnell. 'He's pressing Trump's agenda, it seems like,' Gilbert W. said. 'What else can you ask for?' Jane H., a three-time Trump voter, said, 'What I want to see is someone who will work hard and effectively to advance a conservative agenda, and to work closely with the White House to advance at this time Donald Trump's agenda. It's what the American people want, so that's what John Thune should be doing.' Many of the participants in the focus groups had only vague impressions of their own representatives, a reminder that to many voters, Congress remains a faceless institution of 535 mostly anonymous lawmakers about whom they don't have particularly strong feelings. That could help explain why most appeared to judge their elected officials almost exclusively according to how deferential they were to Trump, about whom they expressed potent -- and extremely positive -- sentiments. Asked for his opinions on Republican lawmakers on Capitol Hill, Steve C., a voter from Michigan, said, 'I don't have an opinion on anyone specifically.' This article originally appeared in
The Hill
an hour ago
- The Hill
Wes Moore tells Democrats to act with ‘impatience' amid 2028 chatter
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore (D) advised Democrats to act and learn from President Trump's 'impatience' during his speech at the annual South Carolina Democrats' Blue Palmetto Dinner Friday night in Columbia, S.C. 'I want to be clear: We can and we must condemn Donald Trump's reckless actions. But we would also be foolish not to learn from his impatience,' Moore, a first-term governor, said during his roughly 30-minute speech to the state party's officials and activists. 'Donald Trump doesn't need a study to dismantle democracy or use the Constitution like a suggestion box. Donald Trump doesn't need a white paper to start arbitrary trade wars that raise the cost of virtually everything in our lives.' 'If he can do so much bad in such a small amount of time, why can't we do so much good?' he pondered. Moore, an Army veteran and the nation's only Black governor, said the Democratic Party needs to present itself as the coalition of 'action' that can deliver for working-class Americans. 'Gone are the days when we are the party of bureaucracy, multi-year studies, panels, and college debate club rules,' he said Friday night. 'We must be the party of action. Because right now, the people of this country are calling on us to act.' 'The people want a growing middle class. And they cannot wait,' he continued. 'The people want access to work, wages, and wealth. And they cannot wait.' The Maryland governor, who is seen as a rising star within the party and has been floated as a candidate in 2028, said at the beginning of May he will not run for the Oval Office next election cycle. But Moore is one of the few Democratic governors, along with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (N.Y.) and ex-Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, who have been mentioned as the party's potential nominees in 2028. Democrats are still soul searching after a series of election defeats last November, where they lost the majority in the Senate and the White House to Trump. The party is looking for its next leader after former Vice President Harris was defeated in the general election six months ago. Harris's running mate, Gov. Tim Walz (D) delivered the keynote address at the convention on Saturday morning. . South Carolina was paramount in the then-Democratic Party candidate Joe Biden's nomination at the top of the ticket in 2020 and ultimately beating Trump. The Palmetto State has traditionally played a key role in the Democratic presidential primary process. The official 2028 primary calendar is not expected to be released until next year. Walz, who will travel to California's Democratic convention to speak later Saturday, has said he would consider running for president next cycle. Both the Minnesota governor and Moore have made trips around the country, traveling to battleground, red and blue states alike. Given this, some party observers have argued that Moore is not doing much to tamp down 2028 speculation, while others have said that securing reelection as governor would offer a springboard to better position himself as the top Democrat. 'The best way for someone like Gov. Wes Moore to create a path for the presidential race in 2028 is to have a strong reelection campaign. If he can win resoundingly, and he can win key demographics, that will only increase the calls for him to get into the race,' Democratic strategist Fred Hicks told The Hill earlier this month. 'There's one thing for you to want to get in the race. It's another thing for people to recruit you into the race,' Hicks said. 'So for any real, viable candidate, you want to be recruited into the race, and that starts with how you govern and having a strong reelection in your own state.'
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Pritzker to consider Illinois bill mandating gun owners lock up firearms
A bill that would require gun owners to keep any firearms in a locked box whenever a minor is present will soon head to Gov. JB Pritzker. Senate Bill 8, also referred to as the Safe Gun Storage Act, is the latest gun safety measure pushed by Democrats in the General Assembly. It passed the House 69-40, with Republican lawmakers warning that it could be found unconstitutional if challenged in court. The bill mandates that gun owners store their firearms in a secure, locked box in any place where they know or 'reasonably should know' that a minor without permission to access a firearm, an at-risk person or someone who is prohibited from obtaining a firearm can access the weapon. Gun owners who violate the act would be subject to civil penalties. The law would apply to both handguns and long guns, such as rifles and shotguns. Under the state's current criminal code, firearm owners are required to store their guns in a place that's inaccessible to a child under the age of 14 – SB8 raises the age requirement to a child under 18 and mandates that the gun must be locked away or equipped with a device making it temporarily inoperable. It also defines an at-risk person as someone who has shown behavior or made statements that a 'reasonable person' would consider indicative that the individual may physically harm themselves or others. 'An estimated 30 million children in our country live in a home with at least one firearm, with 4.6 million children living in homes with unlocked and loaded guns,' bill sponsor in the House, Rep. Maura Hirschauer, D-Batavia, said during floor debate. 'We are all familiar with the chilling statistics that guns are the No. 1 cause of death for our children in the United States.' The bill exempts firearms carried on a person who has a concealed carry license. The gun owner also would not be liable if a minor, at-risk or prohibited person uses the firearm in self-defense or uses it after accessing it illegally – for instance, in circumstances like breaking and entering. The Safe Gun Storage Act also makes changes to a variety of existing Illinois gun laws, including a mandate that firearm owners report a lost or stolen firearm within 48 hours of the owner finding the firearm missing, instead of the current 72-hour timeframe. Illinois State Police would also be given the ability to revoke a firearm owner's identification, or FOID, card if a gun owner fails to report a stolen or lost firearm twice or more under the bill. If a minor, at-risk or prohibited person gains access to an unlocked firearm, the bill provides the gun owner could face civil penalties ranging from $500 to $10,000 if the gun to hurt or kill another person in a crime. A separate section of the bill allows for a $1,000 fine and a Class C misdemeanor charge against a gun owner if a minor under the age of 18 causes death or bodily harm while accessing a firearm without permission. That language previously only applied to minors under the age of 14. 'Safe firearms storage and responsible gun ownership are practices on which all of us in this room, gun owners and non-gun owners alike, can agree,' Hirschauer said. 'Safe gun storage can reduce unintentional injuries, suicides and intentional harm, like school shootings, by stopping unauthorized access.' Under SB8, if a firearm owner fails to store their firearm in a secure, locked box and a minor, at-risk or prohibited person illegally obtains the firearm and uses it to hurt themselves or others – the owner could be charged with negligence. The Safe Gun Storage Act also requires Illinois State Police to expand an online database that was required under a previous law to house all information on the make, model and serial number of reported lost or stolen firearms. By Jan. 1, 2027, ISP would have to make the portal accessible to licensed firearm dealers, who would be required to cross-reference the database to ensure any firearms they are selling or transferring are not a firearm listed in the database. Another aspect of the bill classifies anyone traveling through the state with a firearm that's prohibited under state law as gun trafficking – a felony charge that can result in up to a 15-year prison sentence. During debate about the bill on the Senate floor in April, Sen. Neil Anderson, R-Andalusia, took issue with the bill giving Illinois State Police the ability to revoke a person's FOID card. He said that aspect of the bill would not pass the Rahimi test – referencing the 2023 United States v. Rahimi Supreme Court case, which ruled a court can temporarily revoke a perron's firearm rights if the court determines the firearm owner is a threat to public safety when in possession of a firearm. SB8 would allow Illinois State Police to revoke a person's FOID card, which Anderson said is in direct conflict with the Rahimi decision – which said only courts had the power to revoke a person's firearm rights. Bill sponsor Sen. Laura Ellman, D-Naperville, disagreed with Anderson, saying the Rahimi case did not exclude law enforcement from being able to revoke a person's FOID card. The bill passed the Senate on a vote of 33-19. A similar debate happened on the House floor Wednesday before the bill's eventual passage. Rep. Patrick Windhorst, R-Metropolis, took issue with the bill's creation of a potential negligence charge for gun owners who do not safely secure a gun that's used by a minor, at-risk or prohibited person to harm someone. He said he believed such a burden shift to be unconstitutional. Hirschauer responded that the burden shift only applies when the reasonable standard is met – when it's reasonably found that the gun owner should have known to safely store their firearm – or, if 'some terrible negligence' occurs. Windhorst also raised concerns about the fact that cable locks, which are locked cables inserted through a firearm's chamber and out of the magazine well, are not considered 'safe storage' under the bill. Under existing law about storing guns away from minors, a cable lock is considered safe storage of a firearm. Windhorst said that conflicts with the new language pertaining to gun storage, which does not mention devices that render a gun temporarily inoperable. 'Under the criminal code of this bill where we are changing our current child access protection law, a cable lock would suffice,' Hirschauer said. 'Under the new Safe Storage Act, it would not.' He also argued that the bill impeded the rights of concealed carry license holders who carry a gun in a vehicle, as some firearms owners currently store their gun in the center console or glove box. Under the Safe Gun Storage Act, the center console or glove box would have to be lockable in order to render the firearm safely stored. Windhorst also voiced concerns that the gun trafficking charges in the bill could be brought against a person passing through Illinois with firearms in their vehicle that are legal in their home state – a point which Hirschauer responded to by reading language in the bill that expressly excluded non-residents from the charges. 'If someone is a non-resident of Illinois and is passing through and they are a legal gun owner in the state in which they reside, if that state doesn't have a FOID card system and if they are authorized under federal law to own a gun, then they would not be subject to this,' she said. Rep. C.D. Davidsmeyer, R-Murrayville, raised concerns about the bill's definition of 'lawful permission' and its limitations on minors who hunt. The bill requires firearm owners to safely secure their firearm in a locked box when around a minor who does not have 'lawful permission' from a parent or guardian to access a firearm. On the House floor, Davidsmeyer asked what constitutes 'lawful permission,' to which Hirschauer answered it, 'could be several things.' When asked whether permission must be written down or notarized for parental permission of a minor using a firearm to hunt to be considered lawful, Hirschauer answered that 'hypothetical points are fact dependent.' Davidsmeyer said the question was not a hypothetical, and that it is an issue that will crop up in 'daily life' for minors who hunt. 'This bill, I believe, violates recent Supreme Court decisions under the Second Amendment and will likely be found unconstitutional,' Windhorst said at the end of debate. Hirschauer disagreed. 'Firearm theft compromises the effectiveness of our commonsense gun laws and often results in these weapons being acquired by people who are legally prohibited from possessing them,' she said. 'The reporting measures strengthened in this bill will give law enforcement the tools they need to crack down on lost and stolen guns.' Opponents to SB8 include the ACLU of Illinois, Illinois State Rifle Association and the Illinois State Crime Commissions; the Illinois State Police did not officially oppose or support the bill. SB8 passed the Senate 33-19 last month and awaits approval from the governor before it can become law. Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service that distributes state government coverage to hundreds of news outlets statewide. It is funded primarily by the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation.
