Illinois Insights: An Update from Cozen O’Connor (5/8)

May 8, 2024

ILLINOIS

| AROUND THE STATE

Pritzker downplays protest risks for Dems’ convention in Chicago

“Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, the billionaire who championed Chicago’s bid for the Democratic National Convention, dismissed concerns about a repeat of historic riots as the city beefs up security measures for the August presidential nominating event,” by Crain’s Chicago Business.

Illinois hemp businesses owners call for regulation and taxation, not prohibition

“Hemp entrepreneurs came out Tuesday in favor of a state legislative proposal to license hemp sales, require testing and labeling of their products, prohibit products that look like well-known snack brands, and limit sales to those 21 and over. The bill would create 10% wholesale and a 10% retail sales taxes, and an unlimited number of $500 licenses,” by the Chicago Tribune.

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CHICAGO

| MORE FROM CITY HALL

Ordinance to require city data storage within U.S. jurisdiction held in Committee on Economic, Capital and Technology Development

“The City Council Committee on Economic, Capital and Technology Development on Tuesday held an ordinance (O2024-0008201) requiring city data to ‘be processed, stored, transmitted and disposed of’ within United States jurisdiction,” by The Daily Line.

Transportation committee to vote on controversial RTA board appointment; License committee to align 23rd Ward peddling prohibitions to new boundaries

“Alderpeople on Wednesday will consider a new transit board appointment that has drawn some questions, and the license committee will consider a measure to align a longstanding ban on peddlers within the 23rd Ward with the new ward boundaries,” by The Daily Line.

Martin calls on mayor to fill vacancies on Board of Ethics as two additional expiring terms loom

“The chair of the City Council ethics committee is calling on the mayor to fill two open seats on the Chicago Board of Ethics before two more potential vacancies become effective,” by The Daily Line.

Proposal aimed at quieting anti-abortion protests outside Chicago clinic moves forward in City Council

“The ordinance Conway sponsored that passed through the City Council’s Public Safety committee Tuesday seeks to block the use of loud noise-making devices directly outside the clinic,” by the Chicago Tribune.

Friends of the Parks ‘prepared to fight for the lakefront’ in battle for new Bears domed stadium

“Friends of the Parks is ‘prepared to fight for the lakefront’ but not ready to say if that will mean mounting a legal challenge to prevent the Bears from building a domed stadium,” by the Chicago Sun-Times.

FEDERAL

Cozen Currents: Biden Goes Off-label

Young voters and progressives are a weak spot for President Biden’s re-election bid, particularly as Israel’s war with Hamas has left the Democratic Party deeply divided.

As the presidential election draws closer, the Federal Reserve continues to stick to its higher-for-longer approach, which could lead to interest rate cuts later this year being perceived increasingly through a political lens.

With Congress becoming more dysfunctional in recent years, respective administrations have relied more heavily on executive actions to regulate, and deregulate, as the case may be, their partisan agendas. The resulting pendulum has resulted in significant uncertainty for the staying power of a broad array of major policy actions as well as the companies responsible for complying with them.

Read the Cozen Currents article here.

Beltway Briefing: Navigating Big Tech’s Regulatory Labyrinth

Having once sat on a pedestal, big tech finds itself grappling with a maze of state and global privacy and data security regulations. Now, some major tech companies are asking Congress to force privacy standards. With the unveiling of a new bipartisan, comprehensive data privacy framework, the American Privacy Rights Act (APRA), the question arises: will this be the year Congress finally acts on privacy legislation? Featuring Public Strategies’ Patrick Martin, Madison Smith, and Meagan Foster.

Listen to the Beltway Briefing 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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