Illinois Republicans went into the spring legislative session hoping to highlight the campaign issue of crime. Democrats countered with a number of anti-crime, pro-police measures.
for the budget year that begins July 1, sprinkled with election-year tax cuts and rebate checks for voters.
“This budget is for all those who are worried about the rising cost of groceries, which seem ever more expensive each time you go to the store. It’s for those who can only put $10 at a time into your gas tank because filling up the whole tank stretches you too thin.
The suburbs, once the heart of Illinois Republicanism, have seen steady encroachment by Democrats over the last two decades. But the GOP is optimistic as Democrats face national headwinds in the midterm election. Republicans labeled the tax relief elements “election-year gimmicks,” noting that the breaks would be temporary and that checks would be arriving shortly before the November election.
The Illinois Fuel and Retail Association also warned motorists they face two gas-tax increases next year — one when the freeze lifts in January and another when the scheduled inflation adjusted increase is scheduled to take effect in July. The more than $200 million put toward public safety initiatives was a major budget talking point for Democrats. That total is on top of $240 million — mostly from federal coronavirus relief money — allocated for violence prevention programs. New money was appropriated for expanded expressway cameras, body cameras, evidence retention and first-responder mental health and child care.
[Most read] Former choir teacher accused of having sexual conduct with student on multiple occasions at Aurora high school: DuPage County officialsRepublicans railed at various proposals offered by Democrats as insufficient to curb crime but, faced with election year prospects of having a no vote thrown back at them, largely ended up supporting them.
In response to high profile smash-and-grab burglaries at high-end stores where the stolen goods are later fenced for resale, lawmakers created the offense of organized retail crime. The measure also requires third-party online retailers to verify the identity of sellers using their outlet.“What we’re trying to do with the bill is get to the big fish. We don’t want to get the little fish. We’re not interested in little shoplifting, things like that.
Receiving bipartisan support was a measure with provisions for witness protection, victim-centered training for homicide investigators, a crime reduction task force and a pilot program to send social workers along with police officers in certain instances.Democrats also approved legislation allowing current and retired county sheriff deputies and county and state correctional officials to carry concealed firearms while off duty.
“Crime is up because we are in desperate times right now,” said state Sen. Omar Aquino, D-Chicago. “A lot of people before the pandemic were suffering and you know what, they’re suffering even more and sometimes that ends up with a bad situation.”
Ireland Latest News, Ireland Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Illinois lawmakers still working on budget, crime package late on final scheduled day of sessionIllinois legislature goes late into the final day of it's scheduled session without voting on a budget, despite declaration from Democrats a day earlier that an agreement was in place.
Read more »
DAO regulation in Australia: Issues and solutions, Part 2Are government regulations what DAOs are trying to solve? In Part 2 of an analysis of Australia's regulatory efforts, a blockchain researcher discusses the current issues in DAO operations and how they can work alongside regulation.
Read more »
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan ousted in no-confidence votePakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan was voted out of office early Sunday morning after a tense and chaotic day in which a “no confidence” vote in Parliament was repeatedly delayed.
Read more »
Police in New York are making more arrests, particularly on the subwaysAccording to the NYPD, arrests are up 64% in the transit system year-over-year. There is also an increase in summons for minor “quality of life” offenses, including more than 17,000 for fare evasion, 1,400 for smoking, and 600 for obstruction of seats.
Read more »