In this issue:
- Legislation filed to fund senior nutrition programs
- Firearm deer season opens today
- Jurors hear wiretaps describing alleged bribes in Madigan corruption trial
- Discussing rural transit
Legislation filed to fund senior nutrition programs
Like many lawmakers, I have been hearing from seniors throughout my district about the challenges facing the senior nutrition programs that so many local residents use. I am glad to be able to report to you that legislation has been filed to help.
House Bill 5911 has been introduced by House Republicans to protect funding for senior nutrition programs like Meals on Wheels. This bill will move $25 million from migrant welcoming centers to support the Home Delivered Meals Program instead, and will ensure our seniors can continue to receive this very important service.
I am proud to be a co-sponsor of this legislation.
Firearm deer season opens today
Deer hunters in Illinois will be busy this weekend, as firearm hunting season begins this Friday and continues through Sunday, November 24. A second round of firearm deer hunting will be coming in two weeks, from December 5 through 8.
During Firearm Season, hunters can use shotguns, muzzleloaders, handguns, and centerfire rifles. Vertical, traditional, and crossbows can also be used, but only on private property. Hunters also must adhere to clothing requirements, which call for a solid blaze orange or blaze pink hat and an outer garment that displays at least 400 square inches of orange or blaze pink material.
Hunting hours during this period are one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset. Hunters must also have proper deer permits and a valid hunting license. The bag limit is one deer per hunter, and over a 12-month period that begins on July 1, no hunter may harvest more than two antlered deer. Upon killing a deer, hunters must adhere to reporting/registering guidelines as outlined by the IDNR. Find license and permit information here.
Jurors hear wiretaps describing alleged bribes in Madigan corruption trial
The corruption trial of former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan continues in Chicago, with jurors hearing secretly-recorded wiretaps of Madigan’s co-defendant explaining what prosecutors allege is the bribery scheme.
Lobbyist Mike McClain was heard on tape outlining the details of a scheme to have the utility company ComEd hire Madigan associates as do-nothing contractors in exchange for favorable treatment in the Illinois General Assembly. “We had to hire these guys because Mike Madigan came to us,” McClain can be heard saying on the tape. He went on to say that “we don’t have to worry about whether or not,” a former Chicago alderman now working as a contractor did any work or not. In another recording McClain describes the contracts as a “favor” and says they were necessary to “keep Madigan happy.”
Speaker Madigan was the most powerful politician in Illinois during his 36-year reign as Speaker of the House. He had almost total control over which bills advanced in the Illinois House and which ones died. He was forced from office amidst the scandal in 2021 and was indicted in 2022. The trial is continuing.
Discussing rural transit
On Tuesday I joined Senator Tom Bennett for a discussion with the Illinois Department of Transportation about ways to improve rural transit in our area.
Many of our rural households and small towns are far from important services like grocery stores and doctor’s offices. Sometimes it can be a real challenge to get from Point A to Point B and back. We are working to ensure better access for our residents to reliable transportation services like buses to help everyone get where they need to go in the safest way possible.
Happy Thanksgiving!
I wish you and your family a very happy and healthy Thanksgiving!
Whether it was a good harvest, good health, or just the joy of another year with family and friends, whatever it is that you are thankful for this year, I hope you have a very joyous celebration. Thank you for the honor of serving you as your state representative.
I will be back with more news from Springfield on Friday December 6. Be safe!
Our current bill backlog
When a vendor provides the state with goods and services, they submit the bill to the Illinois Comptroller for payment. The Comptroller processes the paperwork and pays the bill when funds are available in the state’s checking account. Currently the total amount of unpaid bills is $2,237,922,497. This figure changes daily. Last year at this time the state had $1.9 billion in bills awaiting payment. This only includes bills submitted to the Comptroller for payment, not unfunded debts like the state’s pension liability, which is well over $100 billion.
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