Gov. Bruce Rauner wants state lawmakers to reform workers’ compensation, but the jury is still out on the last attempt at reform. The Illinois General Assembly last passed workers’ compensation reforms in 2011, but the effects of that reform package seem to be still developing. The 2011 reforms allowed employers to choose doctors to […]
reform
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Pension tension
The Illinois Supreme Court will hear arguments on a lawsuit over public pension benefits next week, bringing to a head fundamental disagreements over the rights conferred by Illinois’ constitution and whether an emergency justifies overriding the constitution. If state employees and retirees are successful, they’ll see a law which undisputedly reduces the value of their […]
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Getting smart on crime
Rep. Michael Zalewski People convicted of low-level crimes in Illinois could soon see less time behind bars, but that doesn’t mean Illinois is going soft on crime. State lawmakers during the spring legislative session approved the creation of a committee to reconsider sentencing guidelines. However, the legislator who pushed the idea says it’s about being […]
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Downsizing government by ‘smart streamlining’
Illinois has more local units of government than any other state in the U.S., but consolidating some of those units could make the government more efficient. That was the message at a May 20 forum in Springfield, bringing together the Chicago-based Better Government Association and the Citizens Efficiency Commission for Sangamon County. The two reform […]
Posted inOpinion
Rearranging the desks
The citizens panel gathered to find what it called opportunities for economy in the provision of public services in Springfield and Sangamon County. Upon investigation, they found that the cemetery management was antiquated, that budgeting and accounting needed improving, that information about public agencies ought to be collected and disseminated to the public that pays […]
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Illinois may end ‘planned abandonment’
Toni Hoy speaks to lawmakers during a legislative hearing on a bill to end “planned abandonment” of adopted children who need intensive care for emotional disturbances. Photo BY PATRICK YEAGLE When Dan Hoy was just six months old, he was taken from his biological parents by the state. He was lethargic and starving to death, […]
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Insurance regulator slams companies for ‘manipulation’ to charge more
Calling their scheme “manipulation,” Illinois’ head insurance regulator in April blasted a plan by health insurance companies to circumvent federal health insurance reforms and continue to charge discriminatory rates for an extra year. While the Illinois Department of Insurance says it won’t approve such plans, which it politely says are “contrary to law,” a statewide […]
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Davis could face Latino heat
The national debate on immigration reform could determine the results of the 2014 U.S. House elections, according to two national Latino groups. One of Springfield’s representatives in Washington, D.C., could be among the lawmakers affected.A poll and election analysis released jointly last week by polling firm Latino Decisions and advocacy group America’s Voice shows 24 […]
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Education to suffer most under next state budget
Illinois’ public pension costs will eat up nearly a fifth of state spending in the coming fiscal year, with education largely absorbing the impact. “This is the most difficult budget I have ever submitted to you,” Gov. Pat Quinn told lawmakers on March 6 during his annual budget address at the Illinois Statehouse. Quinn’s proposed […]
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Trying to enhance the image of lawyers
Having grown up in a family of lawyers, attorney John Thies of Urbana understands the need for respect and integrity in the judicial system. “The approach I learned from my father and grandfather is that judges were always held in the highest regard,” he said. His father, Richard Thies, was a former president of the […]
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Senators say nursing home rule not followed
When Gov. Pat Quinn signed a nursing home reform bill last year, it was supposed to make sure nursing homes had enough actual nurses. Quinn approved the law on July 26, 2010, mandating that nursing homes kept a minimum ratio of nurses to patients. But that hasn’t happened, according to state Sen. Jacqueline Collins, D-Chicago. […]
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State union accepts halved raises
The largest union of state employees has ratified an agreement with the State of Illinois for the state to save upwards of $50 million in exchange for a promise of no layoffs. The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Council 31 signed an agreement with Gov. Pat Quinn in November to implement […]
