Tagged: illinois

Illinois officials are taking steps to make the state’s criminal law shorter and simpler. A rewrite cuts the length of the criminal code by one-third by deleting outdating, conflicting and confusing material. Governor Pat Quinn approved the last piece of the legal overhaul Monday. The rewrite was drafted by the CLEAR Commission, which stands for Criminal Law Edit, Alignment and Reform. The process doesn't change any crimes or punishments, but it simplifies the law by deleting outdated or unconstitutional parts. Former Gov. Jim Thompson helped lead the commission.

llinois state officials are reminding campers to practice fire safety, especially with the severe drought conditions in the state.  Officials with the State Fire Marshal’s office say that with the drought there's greater danger for brush fires.  There were 212 uncontrolled campsite fires reported between 2005 and 2012 and authorities say they could have been avoided.  Safety tips include avoiding building fires in windy conditions, not using gasoline or other substances that could cause explosions and never leaving a campfire or grill unattended.  Officials also recommend ensuring all fire

Illinois’ U.S. Senator Dick Durbin is calling on his colleagues to pass his Know Before You Owe Act, a measure that would help college students understand the range of educational loan options before they borrow.  Durbin says most undergraduates with private loans didn’t know they were eligible for safer, and cheaper, federal loans.  Federal student loans have fixed interest rates and offer a range of consumer protections and favorable terms to make repayment more manageable.  By contrast, private loans often have uncapped variable interest rates and few, if any, customer protections.

Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn has signed a new law he says will protect consumers from payday lenders.  Quinn signed the law Monday.  It requires lenders be licensed by the state Department of Financial and Professional Regulation or be charged with a felony. Right now the agency has licensed 522 payday lenders.  The new law also protects consumers who are trapped in high-interest loans from having to pay back the debts, allowing such loans to be declared null and void.

Voters in southern Illinois’ 12th Congressional District heard the three candidates for the U.S. House talk about their job-creation proposals at a debate yesterday.  The event brought together Republican Jason Plummer, Democrat Bill Enyart and the Green Party's Paula Bradshaw at Southern Illinois University's Carbondale campus.  Plummer called for tax reform while Enyart pushed a plan focused on small businesses.

Governor Pat Quinn signed five new agriculture laws at the Illinois State Fair’s Agriculture Day.  As the state's farmers deal with drought conditions, Quinn said it's an important time to support them and the state's agriculture industry.  The new legislation protects cattle pastures from wildlife damage and creates the Illinois Nutrient Research and Education Council.

A new Illinois law requires whooping cough vaccinations for students entering 6th and 9th grades this school year. The law requires those students to show proof they received the Tdap vaccine. Tdap is a booster shot against tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis, commonly known as whooping cough. Illinois has seen about 1,200 cases of whooping cough this year, compared to 468 cases reported as of August 1st last year.