Illinois in Focus

With courts denying requests to delay the Jan. 1 deadline for Illinois gun owners to register now banned firearms with the state, lawsuits against the gun ban will continue in the new year. Last week, Southern District of Illinois federal Judge Stephen McGlynn denied a preliminary request for the Jan. 1 deadline to be delayed. Also last week, Attorney Thomas Maag filed for summary judgment against the law, alleging it violates citizens’ Fifth Amendment rights against self-incrimination. Months ago, Maag hinted at the looming challenge.  

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A federal judge wants to see all parties in his courtroom when he considers a motion to stay proceedings in the state's most high-profile corruption case. U.S. District Court Judge John Robert Blakey issued an order Wednesday for former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan to appear in court along with co-defendant Michael McClain, a former state lawmaker and close confidante of Madigan. The judge will consider the defendant's joint motion to stay proceedings at a hearing at 2 p.m. on Jan. 3 in Courtroom 1203. 

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Gov. J.B. Pritzker has already signed a law to allow certain non-citizens to become police officers in Illinois. Now, the state's two U.S. senators want the same for the U.S. military. Many Republicans are opposed to the idea. House Bill 3751, allowing certain non-citizens with work permits or who are Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival recipients to be police officers, passed the Illinois General Assembly with bipartisan support during the spring session. The measure had the backing of the Fraternal Order of Police. 

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With the Jan. 1 deadline to register banned firearms approaching, Illinois has responded to a challenge of its gun and magazine ban in the U.S. Supreme Court. Meanwhile, a separate gun ban challenge at the nation’s high court has been forwarded to the full court’s conference next month. Illinois enacted a ban on more than 170 semi-automatic firearms and magazines over certain capacities on Jan. 10. The law also requires those with grandfathered firearms now banned to register them with Illinois State Police by Jan. 1. Failure to comply could lead to felony charges. ISP's second notice emergency rules for the registry were filed this week to the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules.

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The U.S. Supreme Court now has another challenge against Illinois’ gun ban on its docket. Illinois on Jan. 10 banned the possession and sale of more than 170 semi-automatic firearms and magazines over certain capacities. A week later, lawsuits started to be filed challenging the constitutionality of the law. Cases are still pending in the district, appeals courts and now the U.S. Supreme Court. Wednesday, the U.S. Supreme Court docketed a case out of Naperville where plaintiffs challenged the city's and state’s gun and magazine ban. Plaintiffs are seeking an emergency appeal of the Seventh Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals three-judge panel ruling for the state.

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Thanksgiving dinner shoppers will get a bit of a break in the pocketbook this year. Illinois shoppers participating in the annual American Farm Bureau Federation’s (AFBF) Thanksgiving Cost Survey reported the average cost of a traditional Thanksgiving meal is down slightly compared to last year.  Illinois Farm Bureau volunteer shoppers reported a state-wide average price of $63.87 for a classic holiday feast for 10, or around $6.39 per person. That is a decrease from the previous year’s record-high of $64.05.  

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Prosecutors are seeking life sentences for four former Commonwealth Edison leaders convicted of conspiring to bribe former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, a defense attorney said Wednesday. A federal judge on Wednesday denied a request from defense attorneys to delay sentencing. Defense attorneys had asked for more time to deal with what they said were complex issues regarding sentencing guidelines. At a hearing Wednesday, defense attorney Patrick Cotter said prosecutors would be seeking life sentences for the defendants.

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With the end of the fall veto session, Illinois’ Invest in Kids school choice scholarship program benefiting around 9,600 students will come to a close. Despite families for months lobbying to extend the privately funded program beyond the Dec. 31 sunset, legislators didn’t advance any such measure. Republicans were critical of Democrats they say caved to the teachers’ unions who opposed the program. But, before adjourning, state Rep. Kevin Olickal, D-Skokie, said he’ll continue to fight.

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A full month into Illinois’ gun ban registry and about 2,400 individuals have disclosed they own at least one banned firearm, attachment or some prohibited ammunition. Illinois State Police Director Brendan Kelly says it’s “been slow, but steady.” For the registry that opened Oct. 1, Illinois State Police report 2,430 individuals disclosed possessing nearly 4,600 banned firearms, around 2,400 banned attachments and 44 disclosures of possessing banned .50 caliber ammunition.

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As members of each party lay out their priorities with the start of fall veto session at the Illinois statehouse, scores of school kids benefiting from the soon-to-expire Invest in Kids school choice scholarship program were on the scene. But to start the session, House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch, D-Hillside, advanced a measure out of committee to allow statehouse staffers to unionize. “The way this bill is written, there will be no bargaining over calendars and schedules and how the legislature will operate,” Welch told the committee. “And we have a no strike provision.”

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