Illinois Insights: An Update from Cozen O’Connor (12/1)

December 1, 2023

ILLINOIS

| AROUND THE STATE

State high court finds medical personnel exemption to biometric information privacy law

“The Illinois Supreme Court on Thursday ruled the state’s strongest-in-the-nation biometric information privacy law does have an exemption: health care workers who use fingerprints or similar scans to access things like medication, materials or patient health information,” by Capitol News Illinois.

Emergency appeal filed to U.S. Supreme Court in case questioning Illinois assault weapons ban

“Opponents to Illinois’ assault weapons ban have asked the U.S. Supreme Court for an emergency injunction to block the law while appeals wind their way through the legal system. The petition comes about a month after a federal appeals panel in Chicago upheld the law,” by The Daily Line.

Gov. Pritzker Announces Additional Investments to Provide Food to Asylum Seekers

“Building on the State’s data-driven plan to improve the asylum seeker response, Governor JB Pritzker, the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS), and the Greater Chicago Food Depository announced an additional $4 million investment to provide meals to asylum seekers through the end of the calendar year,” from the Illinois Department of Human Services.

IDOL Subpoenas United States Steel Corporation

“The Illinois Department of Labor (IDOL) has issued a subpoena to the United States Steel Corporation (US Steel) to investigate its compliance with the Illinois Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (WARN),” by the Illinois Department of Labor.

Governor Pritzker Announces $13 Million Investment in Job Training and Economic Development Program

“Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) announced an additional $13 million investment in the Job Training and Economic Development Program (JTED) for workforce training and wrap-around services that will bolster equitable workforce recovery for Illinoisans struggling to gain meaningful employment,” from the Illinois Department of Commerce.

Temporary staffing agencies seek to block new state labor law

“A group of temporary staffing agencies and their trade associations are asking a federal court to block enforcement of a new state law that governs how day laborers and temp workers are managed and paid,” by Capitol News Illinois.

CHICAGO

DNC host committee names key staffers

With the 2024 Democratic National Convention just nine months away, Chicago’s host committee announced senior staff hires on Wednesday.

Maurice (Mo) Green is the new senior director of civic and community engagement. Green most recently served as political director for SEIU Local 73, and before that he worked in Gov. JB Pritzker’s administration as public affairs director for the Illinois Department of Human Rights.

Natalie Edelstein is communications director. Edelstein previously worked as the Pritzker campaign’s communications director.

Secretary of State chief deputy of external affairs Shaunna D. Sims-Davis has been named chief equity officer. She also worked as political director for former Mayor Rahm Emanuel.

Political consultant Joanna Belanger is senior director of partnerships and donor relations. Belanger has experience fundraising for Sen. Dick Durbin and former Attorney General Lisa Madigan.

Jake Mikva is operations director. Mikva is a Chicago-based political staffer and consultant, most recently serving as federal policy advisor in the office of the Mayor for the City of Chicago.

Morgan Prewitt is senior director of events management and production. Prewitt is an event organizer who has worked at ComplexCon Chicago, Obama Foundation Town Halls, Major League Soccer Draft Chicago, and Amazon Web Services.

Read the full press release here.

| MORE FROM CITY HALL

New seating protocols at Chicago’s City Council meetings draw sharp criticisms

“Some good government and civil rights advocates in Chicago are decrying new protocols that dictate where members of the public can sit during full City Council meetings in response to a series of chaotic meetings in recent months,” by WBEZ.

Zoning committee approves South Shore affordable development, handful of new restaurants

“Despite a full agenda, Thursday’s meeting of the City Council Committee on Zoning, Landmarks and Building Standards finished in under two hours as alderpeople approved dozens of developments including a proposal for a new six-story, 43-unit affordable housing development in South Shore,” by The Daily Line.

Mayor Brandon Johnson announces new church-city partnership to house migrants

“Migrants will be housed in local churches until they find housing. It will reach 100 migrants immediately and 340 in total. More than 1,000 migrants remain at police stations,” by the Chicago Sun-Times.

Chicago City Hall is owed billions of dollars it hasn’t managed to collect

“The city of Chicago is owed more than $6.4 billion in unpaid fees, fines and other debts that have piled up since 1990, a Chicago Sun-Times analysis has found. That raises the question of why the perennially cash-strapped city hasn’t gone after late-paying scofflaws harder over the past three decades,” by the Chicago Sun-Times.

FEDERAL

Cozen Currents: The Best Defense is a Good Offense

  • President Biden and the likely 2024 Republican presidential nominee, former President Trump, both have high unfavorability ratings, setting up next year’s election as a choice between the lesser of two evils.
  • Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) was elected in part because he was almost universally liked among House Republicans. However, governing means making tough decisions, and his biggest test is ahead, in which he will have to choose between being a fiscal or defense hawk.
  • Senator Joe Manchin’s (D-WV) recent decision not to stand for re-election has Democrats holding on for dear life trying to retain control of the upper chamber.

Read the full Cozen Currents here.

If you have any questions regarding this update or if you’re interested in ways to engage on these issues, please contact one of our team members here.

About Cozen O’Connor Public Strategies

Cozen O’Connor Public Strategies, an affiliate of the international law firm Cozen O’Connor, is a bipartisan government relations practice representing clients before the federal government and in cities and states throughout the country. With offices in Washington D.C., Richmond, Albany, New York City, Philadelphia, Harrisburg, Chicago, and Santa Monica, the firm’s public strategies professionals offer a full complement of government affairs services, including legislative and executive branch advocacy, policy analysis, assistance with government procurement and funding programs, and crisis management. Its client base spans multiple industries, including healthcare, transportation, hospitality, education, construction, energy, real estate, entertainment, financial services, and insurance.

About Cozen O’Connor

Established in 1970, Cozen O’Connor has over 775 attorneys who help clients manage risk and make better business decisions. The firm counsels clients on their most sophisticated legal matters in all areas of the law, including litigation, corporate, and regulatory law. Representing a broad array of leading global corporations and middle-market companies, Cozen O’Connor serves its clients’ needs through 31 offices across two continents.

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