Legislative Update for the New Year

The new year is here, and with it comes a whole slew of new laws that will go into effect. Here a a few you may be interested in:

Minimum wage for non-tipped workers increases to $14; for tipped employees, it increases to $8.40.
Any laborer, worker or mechanic employed by a contractor or subcontractor and is paid in a sum less than the prevailing wage rate for work performed on a project has a right to legal action for whatever difference in salary there may be.
A person, surviving spouse or next of kin for any person who is injured or killed by a person under the age of 18 who is impaired by drugs or alcohol is eligible to pursue legal damages from a person who willfully supplied, or willfully allowed consumption of, drugs or alcohol to the minor in question.
Animal control facilities may not charge an adoption fee for dogs or cats if the person presents a valid ID or Illinois Person with a disability card with the word “veteran” printed on its face.
Any person who requires a course not offered by their local community college may take that course at another community college and pay in-district fees and tuition.
Hospitals will be legally required to screen patients for eligibility for public financial assistance before sending them to collections. Hospitals will also be required to refer patients to free, unbiased resources if immigration-related concerns arise.

Looking for the full list of new laws? The Illinois Municipal League has published an informative guide for you.

Read a Banned Book This Fall!

Are you looking for a thought-provoking read at your local public library? If so, thank your lucky stars you live in Illinois, the first state in the country to penalize publicly funded libraries that censor books.

Avid readers — especially young adults — in other states aren’t nearly so lucky. According to the American Library Association, between January 1 and August 31 of this year, there were 695 attempts to censor library materials and services affecting 1,915 unique titles.

The books most often pulled from the shelves of public and public school libraries in 2023 include numerous New York Times bestsellers, winners of a variety of awards and books written by Nobel Prize winners. Most of these books were written by or about persons of color or members of the LGBTQ+ community.

For a deeper dive into the rise of book censorship across the United States, read PEN America’s 2022 report “Banned in the USA: the Growing Movement to Censor Books in Schools.”

This is how Illinois celebrates Labor Day!

Gov. Pritzker recently signed several new laws that give full- and part-time employees more rights and aim to hold employers accountable for prompt compensation and time off.

Employees working for companies of 250 or more full-time workers can take up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave if their child dies by suicide or homicide. The leave shortens to six weeks for employees at smaller companies.
The Freelance Worker Protection Act will make companies compensate independent contractors in a timely manner. Illinois is the first state to put these protections on the books – a big win for workers in the gig economy.
Temporary workers or day laborers must be notified ahead of time if they're sent to fill in at a business where there's a strike or work stoppage. They'll reserve the right to refuse the assignment without retaliation.
Companies with 50 or more employees must allow workers to exclude public transit and parking costs from taxable income.
Employers with 15 or more employees will have to include salary ranges and a description of benefits in all new job postings, helping job seekers better negotiate pay and narrow job searches to match income expectations.

Celebrate Pride Month!

raise your awareness

Pride Month has traditionally been something of a party. With parades and special events we celebrate the beauty of humanity in all of its glorious diversity and recognize the struggles and victories our LGBTQIA+ friends, colleagues and family have lived through on their journey toward full equality.

This year, however, we’re also forced to recognize that legislators in many parts of our country (and even the Supreme Court) are steadily erasing the progress we’ve made in the past decades. The ACLU is currently tracking 491 bills across the nation targeting the rights of the LGBTQIA+ community.

For the first time in its 43-year history, The Human Rights Campaign has declared a state of emergency for LGBTQIA+ Americans. The declaration is based on the huge push for discriminatory legislation that’s happening in nearly every one of our 50 states.

There are still reasons to celebrate, though. Illinois is in the tiny minority of states refusing to follow this disturbing trend – our state government is actually pushing in the opposite direction. And in Florida, which is fast becoming a leader in all kinds of stupid and harmful lawmaking, a federal judge issued a resounding “NO” to a law denying gender-affirming medical care to minors.

be an ally

Do your own research instead of asking a person to describe their life experiences. Being part of a marginalized community doesn’t obligate someone to explain themselves or act as spokesperson for an entire group. If you suspect your questions are too personal, don’t ask! Google is always there for you.
Understand your own biases. We are all products of our upbringing and our culture, and we bring with us the outlooks we developed as children. Try to be an open-minded student of life. Continue to educate yourself and keep growing as a human being in this world.
Vote for representatives who support human rights in meaningful ways. If a candidate has never held office, look into their background to discover what causes they’ve supported in the past. Find out what organizations they belong to and how they’ve contributed to positive change within their communities. Help re-elect politicians who are visibly working toward equality. Voice your opposition to anti-LGBTQIA+ legislation.
Learn more at the Human Rights Campaign.

2023 Spring Legislative Update:

5 reasons we’re lucky to live in Illinois

1. In a move some might categorize as “better late than never,” the Illinois House of Representatives unanimously passed a bill that would disqualify anyone convicted of felony, bribery, perjury or misuse of public funds while serving as a public official from ever holding elected office at the state or local level.

Black History Month:

the 1619 Project, Critical Race Theory and your local School Board

Let’s begin by gratefully recognizing that in Illinois it’s still completely legal to celebrate and teach Black History that’s historically accurate, open-minded and uncensored. There are, however, many folks in our state – and even here in Bureau County – who believe that Illinois should follow the lead of Floridians and ban the teaching of the 1619 Project across publicly-funded schools. These folks are also deeply concerned something called Critical Race Theory, charging that CRT is “divisive” and “anti-American indoctrination.”

The 1619 Project

This year, in honor of Black History Month, we take a deep dive into the controversy that seems to have begun with the New York Times’ 2019 publication of The 1619 Project, marking the 400-year anniversary of the arrival of the very first enslaved Black people to what would later become the United States of America.

How many of us have actually seen this supposedly controversial document? Take the time to read it cover-to-cover and build your understanding of what it is, what it means and what it intends to change. Please note this magazine-style document contains 10 long-form essays interspersed with shorter entries. You may want to take a few days to complete it and let the information soak in slowly.

READ THE 1619 PROJECT!

Critical Race Theory

Ready for more? Check out the fuss over Critical Race Theory. This term originally referred to an academic theory that defines racism not simply as the product of evil individuals, but as a policy that has been baked into our legal and social structures since the very inception of the United States. In the last few years, though, the term “Critical Race Theory” has been used as a catch-all to describe anti-racist education and workplace training. Educate yourself about CRT and how it relates to public policy.

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