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We hope you are having a good weekend! PLEASE be sure to let us know what events are coming to your communities and we will be sure to share them on our page. https://repmccombie.com/events/
Updates & News
ETHICS REFORM/CORRUPTION
Rep McCombie Joins Leader Durkin in Ethics Reform Package in Response to Federal Investigations. Illinois House Republican Leader Jim Durkin along with members of the House Republican caucus have announced a sweeping ethics reform package to address acceptable practices brought forth through the ongoing federal investigations.
“These ethics reform bills are common sense, and a direct response to the wrongdoings we have learned from the current federal investigations,” Durkin said. “I am calling on the legislative leaders and the Governor to support these initiatives and begin moving them forward next week so they can become law.”
The ethics package includes:
- House Bill 3954 that will revise statement of economic interests to include more details similar to the information required for judicial statement of economic interest forms. This forces full disclosure of potential conflicts of interest and provides greater transparency for members of the General Assembly.
- House Resolution 588 will allow a Chief Co-Sponsor of any bill with five co-sponsors from each party to call it for an up or down vote in a substantive committee.
- House Bill 3947 would ban members of the General Assembly, their spouses, and immediate live-in family members from performing paid lobbying work with local government units. Currently, members of the Illinois General Assembly – state representatives and state senators – are prohibited from lobbying the State of Illinois, but are not prohibited from lobbying local government units, such as a counties or municipalities.
- House Bill 3955 will create mandatory and publicly available documentation of General Assembly communications with any state agency regarding contracts.
- House Joint Resolution 87 creates a State Ethics Task Force. The Task Force will be comprised of nine members: Member of the Governor’s Staff or the Lt. Governor and two legislative members appointed by each caucus leader. The Task Force has a limited time frame to accomplish its work, with findings and a final report recommending legislative changes to the Governor and General Assembly due within ninety days following passage of this joint resolution.
“It shouldn’t take a federal investigation to force the General Assembly to clean up corruption,” Rep. Tom Demmer said. “The reform proposals we have introduced are common sense and can be adopted as soon as next week. I urge my colleagues in the House and Senate – Republican and Democrat – to take corruption seriously and pass these reforms when we get back in session.”
“There are too many lapses to ignore. Structural deficiencies require the General Assembly to take action together on behalf of those we serve,” said State Representative Tony McCombie. “To not move this resolution forward is to embrace the status quo. We must begin the process of restoring the public’s trust by passing this resolution before the end of Veto Session.”
The General Assembly is scheduled to begin the second week of veto session on November 12, 2019.
GENERAL ASSEMBLY
First week of fall veto session in Springfield. During the first week of veto session, the Illinois General Assembly held three days of discussion and debate at the State Capitol. Issues discussed include ethics, corruption, taxes, ethylene oxide, sweepstakes machines, e-cigarettes, college sports, pension reform, and other topics.
Most of the items discussed last week have not yet reached closure. Agenda items discussed in the Illinois House are moving to the Senate, and Senate items are moving to the House. The members of both chambers of the legislature will return on Tuesday, November 12 for a second three-day period of veto session. The status of all bills, resolutions, and other written items under formal discussion can be tracked on the Illinois General Assembly website.
AGRICULTURE
Illinois 2019 harvest continues. Corn and soybean yields are disappointing in many regions of the State. Soaking rains in April, May and the first half of June stretched planting schedules close to the breaking point and left patches of many fields un-harvestable. In the most recent Illinois Crop Report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the corn harvest has passed the 50% mark, with 95% of the corn mature and 58% of the corn harvested as of Sunday, November 3. Based upon this year’s humid soil conditions, the beans were cut first in many parts of Illinois this year, with 77% of the beans harvested on the same date.
Many Illinois farmers are growing crops other than corn and soybeans; the state’s first significant harvest of legal non-THC hemp, used to press CBD oil and produce organic fiber, is taking place. Approximately 520 licensed Illinois farmers are cutting and processing fibrous non-THC hemp, which can be grown outdoors, for the 2019 hemp marketplace. In sharp contrast to hemp, psychoactive THC cannabis and medical cannabis for legal sale in Illinois is not really an agricultural crop; THC cannabis/medical cannabis must be grown inside locked indoor locations under conditions of strict security.
DISASTERS
FEMA denies federal aid following massive 2019 spring flood; bipartisan Congressional appeal. The spring 2019 floods affected riverfront towns, local governments, businesses, and homeowners up and down major Illinois rivers, especially the Mississippi River and the Illinois River. While water levels did not reach the record-breaking levels notched during the so-called “Great Flood of 1993,” the duration of the high water created records of their own. Particularly vulnerable to damage were local water intake facilities, sewage treatment facilities, parks, roads, and local businesses.
Illinois’ congressional delegation, speaking on a bipartisan basis, has unanimously appealed the decision by the Federal Emergency Management Authority (FEMA) to deny disaster assistance to entities, businesses, and individuals affected by the floods of spring 2019. Twenty-two Illinois counties are affected by the application and federal decision, including counties that suffered more than two months of road closures, property damage, and high water.
OUTDOOR SPORTS
DNR urges hunters to be careful with their own safety. November is shotgun deer season in Illinois, and numbers show that the item most often associated with a reported hunting incident is not the weapon, but the tree stand. In 2018, there were 19 hunting incidents reported throughout Illinois, and 14 involved elevated stands. Stands are often used in cold weather that includes heavy dew or even ice, and the stands and steps are often slippery. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources, the State agency that oversees Illinois hunting and compiles incident reports, once again reminded hunters this week to think about wearing a harness when climbing well up off the ground.
TRANSPORTATION
Scott’s Law ignored by many motorists; deadliest year in State Police history. “Scott’s Law” directs motorists to move over when they see a first-responder vehicle parked or adjacent to a multilane highway with its lights flashing. In the most recent violation incident, a driver slammed into a police sport-utility vehicle, and an Illinois State Police squad car, on Interstate 57 near 115th Street on Sunday, November 3. As a result of the incident four people, including two State troopers, were transported to health care facilities with non-life-threatening injuries. A driver was arrested for alleged violation of the pro-police traffic law. Upon his arrest he was allegedly found to be driving under the influence (DUI).
The Interstate 57 incident sparked a viral Facebook plea, written by Trooper Tracy Lillard, urging Illinois motorists to obey the law and remember about “moving over and slowing down.” The State Police, which counts and maps incidents perpetrated by the public against its troopers, says that calendar year 2019 is the worst year in their history in terms of squad car crashes and deaths. Scott’s Law, named in honor of Chicago first responder Lt. Scott Gillen (CFD), requires all motorists in multilane roads to move over if possible when they see a parked vehicle displaying oscillating lights.
INSURANCE
New 2020 mandatory health insurance rates released for Illinois. Under current federal law, Illinoisans must possess or buy health insurance policies to cover their medical care needs. Under the federal Affordable Care Act (ACA), these policies must meet a complex series of mandate guideline sets. Different guideline sets are classified as “Gold,” “Silver,” and “Bronze.” It is expected that the final months of each calendar year will be dedicated to “open enrollment,” as customers learn more about available ACA policies, pick a policy, and begin making payments. The forum for learning more about Illinois ACA policies is “Get Covered Illinois.”
New Gold, Silver, and Bronze ACA insurance rates for 2020 Illinois policies have been released. Five firms have developed 142 separate plans that will offer policies to Illinoisans and their households. Each plan may or may not be available in the individual location where an ACA customer lives; in some counties, only one firm is doing ACA business. “Get Covered Illinois” Year 2020 open enrollment opens on November 1, 2019 and will continue through December 15, 2019.
Persons subject to ACA must buy their Year 2020 insurance by December 15, 2019. Health insurance will not be available for calendar year 2020 after that date except for persons who have a “qualifying life event.” Qualifying life events include situations where an individual has employment-based health insurance and then loses their job within calendar year 2020 inside a time frame that means that their remaining health insurance rights will expire prior to the end of 2020. Missing the ACA enrollment deadline is not a qualifying life event.
VETERANS DAY
Illinois prepares to honor its veterans. The Veterans Day holiday, Monday, November 11, will coincide this year with the historic day that remembers the armistice that ended World War I, the bloodiest conflict the world had seen up to that time. More than 126,000 Americans, including thousands of Illinoisans, died in World War I.
At the end of World War I, Americans decided to honor living veterans with a day of their own. American men and women in service who have passed away are remembered on Memorial Day, which dates back to the Civil War. Many communities will also host events throughout the state.
Silvis – Hero Street Memorial Park Veterans Day ceremony: 11 a.m., 145 Hero St., Silvis. Speaker will be Lt. Gen. Thomas S. James, Jr., First Army Commanding General.
East Moline – Veterans Day Program: 1 p.m., East Moline American Legion, 829 16th Ave., East Moline. Three veterans will be honored with Quilts of Valor. Guest speaker will be Chaplain Maj. Charles E. Scott. 309-755-6072.
Rock Island Arsenal – Veterans Day Ceremony: 1 p.m., flagpole, Rock Island National Cemetery. Guest speaker will be Maj. Gen. Steven Shapiro, commanding general, U.S. Army Sustainment Command, Rock Island Arsenal. There also will be a wreath placement, an honor salute and taps by
Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 299. Congressman Dave Loebsack will be attending. Anyone coming to the island for the ceremony who is 16 years or older should have a current driver’s license. IDs will be checked at the gate, but visitor passes will not be required. 309-782-2094.
Morrison – Veterans Day Ceremony: American Legion Post 228’s ceremony begins at 10:45 a.m. at Grove Hill Cemetery, 400 E. High St. Retired Navy Chief Petty Officer Jerry Brearton will speak, and there will be a rifle salute and taps.
Rock Falls – Sunday Service: First Congregational Church, 905 Dixon Ave., will host retired Air Force Brig. Gen. Walter Lindsley, son of area resident Walter Lindsley, at the 10 a.m. service Sunday. A reception and covered dish meal in the general’s honor will follow. Call the Rev. Al Campbell at 815-622-8220 for more information.
Sterling – Veterans Free Breakfast: Morningside of Sterling will offer a free breakfast for veterans from 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. at the home, 2705 Ave. E. Call 815-622-2800 for more information.
Sterling – Veterans Day Ceremony: Sterling American Legion Post 296 will have a program at 11 a.m. at Centennial Auditorium, 1608 Fourth Ave. The speaker will be Army Capt. Kevin Braafladt, civilian historian for Army Sustain Command.
The color guard will present colors. Sterling High School Orchestra will perform. A rifle salute will be held outside, and taps will be played. Call the post at 815-625-1212 for more information.
Savanna, Tampico, Erie and Prophetstown held events at their schools recognizing our Veterans on Friday, November the 8th.
IMPORTANT DATES/EVENTS NEAR YOU: Please send us your events and we can add them to our calendar!