Illinois Insights: An Update from Cozen O’Connor Public Strategies (8/15)

PUBLIC HEALTH 

— State of Illinois Adopts New CDC COVID-19 Guidelines For K-12 Schools and Early Education: “With widespread vaccine availability and effective treatments, new guidance eases requirements for exposure quarantines in low and moderate risk settings. CDC also stresses the importance of staying up to date on vaccinations and boosters,” the Illinois Department of Public Health.

— Public Health Officials Announce 26,462 New Cases of Coronavirus Disease Over the Past Week, the Illinois Department of Public Health reports.

ILLINOIS

Gov. Pritzker announces $34.6 billion six-year investment in transportation 

In a press release Friday, Governor Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) announced a $34.6 billion program to improve roads, bridges, transit, rail, airports, and ports over the next six years. The investment is a part of IDOT’s ongoing efforts to complete the Rebuild Illinois capital plan.

Of the major elements in the program, $6.36 billion will go toward highway reconstruction, $6.4 billion for bridge improvements, $2.03 billion for strategic expansion, $2.48 billion for system support such as engineering and land acquisition, and $1.55 billion for safety and system modernizations.

Earlier this year, state lawmakers passed SB2981, which allows the state to use “design-build” contracts and enter into one contract with a firm to handle both the design of a project and the project’s construction rather than requiring the state to negotiate two different contracts for each portion of the project.

Also boosting the state’s construction projects across all modes of Illinois transportation is an additional $16 billion from the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA).

Entering year four of Rebuild Illinois, IDOT has already made approximately $8.6 billion in improvements statewide on 4,422 miles of highway, 412 bridges, and 621 additional safety improvements.

AROUND THE STATE 

— Pritzker Administration Issues Third Wave of Conditional Adult Use Cannabis Dispensary Licenses: Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) Friday issued five additional Conditional Adult Use Dispensing Organization Licenses to applicants selected in lotteries held in the summer of 2021,” from the Office of Gov. JB Pritzker.

— Gov. Pritzker Announces Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly to Expand Choices in Care for Illinois Seniors: “Governor JB Pritzker along with the Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS) today announced the launch of the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) to better meet the needs of older adults across Illinois,” from the Office of Gov. JB Pritzker.

— 3 people shot in Six Flags Great America parking lot in Gurnee, authorities say: “Three people were shot and wounded Sunday evening in the parking lot of the Six Flags Great America theme park in Gurnee, authorities and park officials said,” by The Chicago Tribune.

— Firearms Commission Meets for Third Time to Increase Awareness and Implementation of Firearm Restraining Orders: “The Illinois State Police (ISP) Friday convened the third meeting of the Commission on Implementing the Firearms Restraining Order Act (Commission). The Commission was created to advise on strategies for implementing the use of Firearm Restraining Orders (FRO),” from the Illinois State Police.

CHICAGO

At least a fifth of Chicago aldermen elected in 2019 will not run for reelection next year 

With Chicago City Council elections still six months away, a fifth of Chicago’s 50 aldermen have already either resigned before the end of their term, said they won’t seek reelection, or have announced a mayoral run.

In 2023, at least 10 wards will be open to candidates who won’t need to compete against the 2019-elected incumbent. The aldermanic turnover will be in addition to any incumbents who may lose reelection and any additional resignations in the coming months.

MORE FROM CITY HALL

— Advisory committee applauds ‘bold,’ ‘sensitive’ designs of developments along Invest South/West corridors: “The 24-member Department of Planning and Development’s Design Committee met last week to add a “peer review” of two developments proposed for the South Side,” by The Daily Line.

— Another Chicago parking meter twist: 1,800 meters added since Mayor Lori Lightfoot took office: “Since Lightfoot took office in May 2019, the new parking meter spots have collected nearly $14.6 million from drivers, with the amount going up each year as more metered spaces have been added to the grid, the city records show,” by The Chicago Tribune.

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