Letters to editor in response to an op-ed by Illinois Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi.

The measure Gov. JB Pritzker signed Saturday says it is unlawful for the industry to “knowingly create” or “contribute to a condition in Illinois that endangers the safety or health of the public by conduct either unlawful in itself or unreasonable under all circumstances, including failing to establish or utilize reasonable controls.”

The law removes an automatic disqualification for people with felony convictions to be eligible to apply for an occupational license from the Gaming Board. They could then gain employment in restaurants, maintenance, and housekeeping. The gaming board would also review the types of convictions, the number and severity of the charges, and the time since conviction.

Maggie DeJong sued the university in May 2022 after it issued a no contact order that prohibited her from having “any contact” or “indirect communication” with three graduate students who disagreed with her conservative political views.

After a multi-agency internal review of federal funding sources, the agencies impacted determined that a technical coding error delayed communication between the Illinois Department of Human Services and the Department of Healthcare and Family Services to submit claims for federal Medicaid reimbursement for community-based services for people with developmental disabilities. Submission files to HFS for payments for service dates between the end of 2020 and June 2022, totaling $601 million in federal match, were impacted by the programming errors.

The governor celebrated his and AFSCME’s windfall by tweeting out, “Illinois is a pro-worker state through and through.” The pronouncement was eerily reminiscent of Biden’s one-time campaign promise to become the “most pro-union president you ever saw.”

Mapes, 68, of Springfield, faces counts of perjury and attempted obstruction of justice. The Mapes case represents a relatively small piece of the broad public corruption investigation federal prosecutors have brought against Michael Madigan, who was ousted from his speakership and left the House in 2021. Even so, the matter comes with high political and symbolic stakes.

Pritzker said this law follows standards set in other industries. “We hold opioid manufacturers accountable,” he said. “We hold vaping companies accountable. We hold predatory lenders accountable. Gun manufacturers shouldn’t get to hide from law, and now they won’t be able to.”

“But it’s easy to see how this episode will play out. Given the large numbers of public servants implicated in this latest scandal, there probably will be too many to prosecute. One, of course, has to wonder where those charged with administering the PPP loan program were while millions of dollars were being stolen out from under their noses…It will come out eventually, serving a pointed reminder how far off the rails programs can go when few care how they are run.”

Jim Dey: “To put an amendment on the ballot, Illinois senators and representatives must approve by three-fifth majorities. To be adopted, the proposed amendment must be approved by ‘either three-fifths of those voting on the question or a majority of those voting in the election.’ By the Ohio standard Pritzker embraced, Illinois’ rules are an affront to democracy.”

“On principle, Illinois’ reform introduces necessary fairness into a system where one’s wallet too often determines whether they’re stuck in jail…But Illinois’ new program has serious flaws that must be fixed. The law leaves too many opportunities for dangerous or repeat offenders to be released back onto the streets. At a time when violent crime continues to rise, releasing habitual offenders means more opportunities for crime — and that’s a concern for everyone. Which is why the SAFE-T Act necessitates amending.”