Page 26 - Sept 2017

Overtime session finally over
After a long summer of overtime legislative session, the Illinois General Assembly is final- ly out of session until late October. As you may recall, the overtime session began
The other main political news of the summer was the continued exodus of lawmakers. There are now more than two dozen legislators who will not seek reelection in 2018. A few, like Rep. Brian Stewart from northwest Illinois and Rep. Laura Fine from Glenview, are running for the Senate. Others, like Senator Chris- tine Radogno from the southwest suburbs and Rep. Brandon Phelps from southern Illinois, have
already resigned their seats this summer.
The list of those announcing that they will not seek reelection continues to grow: Representatives Chad Hays, Sara Jimenez, Dan Beiser, Bill Mitchell and Bob Pritchard from downstate; Patti Bellock from DuPage County, Steve Andersson and Mike Fortner from Kane County; Elaine Nekritz from Northbrook; and downstate Senators Bill Haine, Tim Bivins and Kyle McCarter will all retire in 2018. Petitions are currently being passed for those seeking
election in 2018 d
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with the huge battle over the budget finally getting “settled” with a bipar- tisan vote to raise taxes and enact a budget, over the objections of Gover- nor Rauner.
The long summer ended with the passing of a new education bill. The new plan sends more money to Chi- cago public schools and all other school districts in the State. In addition, there is a new tax credit scholarship program for low-income students. Cardinal Cupich led the effort on this part of the education plan and arguably was key to its passage.
I was in Springfield for many of the summer session days. Fortunately, none of the legislation that we are watching that would have a negative impact on Chicago policing was taken up this summer.
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26 CHICAGO LODGE 7 ■ SEPTEMBER 2017