Illinois Safe Children Act Helps Law Enforcement Stop Sex Traffickers; Ends Criminal Prosecution of Innocent Child Victims

CHICAGO - August 20, 2010. Governor Pat Quinn today signed the Illinois Safe Children Act into law. The new law protects children in Illinois from being forced into the sex trade and gives law enforcement additional tools to fight the human-trafficking groups that exploit them. It also stops the criminal prosecution of victimized children and ensures they receive the necessary protective services.

"For too long, exploited children have been treated as criminals, while the adults who stole their innocence go free," said Governor Quinn. "Illinois does not tolerate exploitation of our children. Today, we give important new tools to aid law enforcement in this fight and help our victimized children to heal."

The Illinois Safe Children Act makes Illinois one of the first states to pass comprehensive legislation to address the human trafficking of children under the age of 18. The new law ensures that innocent children who are lured or coerced into prostitution will now be immune from criminal prosecution and will be placed in the child protection system instead of the criminal justice system.

Victims under the age of 18 will now be presumed abused or neglected and can be placed in a secure setting until a proper placement is found. Law enforcement must now report an allegation of human trafficking of a child to the Illinois Department of Child and Family Services (DCFS), which must conduct an investigation within 24 hours.

Illinois' laws regarding the sexual exploitation of children will now recognize that anyone under the age of 18 is a child victim, conforming to federal law and state's human-trafficking laws. The act removes references to "juvenile prostitutes" in Illinois' criminal code, recognizing that children have no capacity to consent to their own commercial sexual exploitation and are victims of a serious sexual offense.

The new law allows the same legal tools used to fight groups selling drugs to be used against groups who traffic children. It supports investigations of these organized crime rings by adding the offenses of human trafficking and juvenile pimping to the list of offenses subject to court-ordered interceptions (wire taps). Additionally, it allows officer-safety recordings to protect undercover officers during dangerous sex-trafficking investigations.

The act allows law enforcement to impound any vehicle used for a variety of human-trafficking and prostitution-related crimes, creating a funding mechanism to support victim services and police operations. The act also limits the defense argument of pimps or traffickers who say that they "believed" that a prostituted child was at least 18 years old.

Cook County State's Attorney Anita Alvarez was instrumental to passage of the legislation and her office has led the charge in efforts to proactively address the issue by forming a specialized Human Trafficking Initiative and creating partnerships with social service providers to offer services for children who fall prey to sex trafficking.

"Many people consider the sex trafficking of children to be an international issue and not a problem that impacts us here right in our own communities, but that is not the case at all," Alvarez said. "The Illinois Safe Children Act is landmark legislation that will provide police and prosecutors with the tools that we need to aggressively tackle this crime. This new law will also put Illinois at the forefront of states who have enacted new laws to protect children from the horrors of sex trafficking."

In addition to the new law, DCFS is currently establishing an allegation of Human Trafficking of a Child in child protection investigations. Law enforcement officers and mandated reporters of abuse and neglect will be required to report to the DCFS Child Abuse Hotline whenever they have reason to suspect that a minor has been exploited by traffickers, and DCFS will investigate the allegation and provide protective, supportive and therapeutic services to these child victims.

House Bill 6462 was sponsored by Sen. Jacqueline Collins (D-Chicago) and Rep. Will Burns (D-Chicago) and takes effect immediately.

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After a long and exhaustive search ComedySportz Quad Cities has found a place to call home, and it's just around the corner from their previous home in Rock Island. ComedySportz has selected the former Rocket Theater located at 224 19th Street as their new location.

Rock Island City Council will vote August 23 on a proposed development agreement between the City and the owner of the former Rocket Theater, Renaissance Rock Island (DARI), to renovate the building. The development agreement commits the City to contribute up to $225,000 to DARI. Up to $200,000 of these funds would be used for building renovations. (City Council previously approved a $200,000 allocation of Downtown Tax Increment Finance Funds (TIF) for the property redevelopment.) $25,000 would be passed through to ComedySportz to use for the purchase of fixtures, furniture, equipment, and other items needed to support the business operation. City support is contingent upon DARI entering into a three year lease with ComedySportz.

Mayor Dennis Pauley stated, "Earlier this year the City Council proclaimed May 15 as ComedySportz Day in the City of Rock Island to commemorate their 20th anniversary. We are pleased with their decision to stay in Rock Island, and look forward to at least another twenty years of laughter with ComedySportz."

"We would like to thank not only all the venues that reached out to us as possible locations over the past two months," said ComedySportz Quad Cities Manager, Patrick Adamson, "but also all of our loyal fans who continue to come out and show their support as we set out on our Fundraising Tour." Mr. Adamson said the appeal of returning home to The District was always there and "that DARI had gone out of their way to not only help us find a new location, but also let us know just how missed we are in the community. We cannot thank DARI and the City of Rock Island enough."

"We're excited to keep ComedySportz in Rock Island, and equally excited that a great venue like the Rocket Theater will have new life," commented Zack Wenthe, Downtown Manager for Renaissance Rock Island.

If the agreement is approved, it is the intent to begin the construction immediately for occupancy by ComedySportz in November 2010.

ComedySportz Quad Cities, Inc., will launch regular matches on Friday and Saturday nights at 7:00 p.m. starting in November, and also have plans to expand out with other entertainment offerings in 2011 - including late night and offweekend performances. They are very interested in working with other businesses, charities, and organizations in the community to host events and offer our space up for rental as needed.

ComedySportz Quad Cities has been a mainstay in The District for just over two decades and celebrated their 20th anniversary this summer. They are the longest running show in the Quad Cities and have won four World Comedy League championships. Along with our touring company, Guys In Ties Improv Comedy (GuysInTies.net), ComedySportz Quad Cities, Inc., has also been entertaining audiences nationwide including being a part of the Traverse City
Comedy Festival in Michigan.

The former Rocket Theater has had an extensive history, opening in the 1940's as a single-screen movie house. It was transformed into a discount theater in the 1970's and closed in the late 1980's. A nightclub later opened at the site, but it too closed. DARI purchased the building in 2003. In Spring 2005, the theater was renamed the Brew and View II at the Rocket Cinema, where it featured movies and live music until March 2006. The building has been vacant since 2006.

For more information, visit www.ComedySportzQC.com, e-mail info@comedysportzqc.com, and follow ComedySportz online at both Twitter (CSzQC) and Facebook.

Four Public-Private Technology Projects will Create 600 Jobs

SPRINGFIELD - August 19, 2010. Governor Pat Quinn announced more than $106 million in federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds to improve broadband access across Illinois. Approximately $38 million in Illinois Jobs Now! capital funding and $23 million in matching funds from local partners helped secure the federal awards.

"Building information infrastructure brings jobs and high-speed Internet access to underserved areas," said Governor Quinn. "This significant federal funding is a major win for Illinois and will support economic development across our state."

The four projects will create approximately 600 direct jobs, invest more than $160 million into the Illinois economy, and directly connect more than 1,000 institutions - including schools, hospitals, libraries, police and fire stations - to ultra high-speed information and communication networks.

The nearly $62 million grant to the East Central Region of the Illinois Broadband Opportunity Partnership (IBOP) will expand and improve the Illinois Century Network to provide ultra high-speed access in 55 counties. It will also create more than 160 jobs and connect about 400 community institutions.

Through the IBOP-Southern Region project, Harrisburg-based Clearwave Communications will use a $31.5 million grant to connect 232 community institutions and create approximately 150 jobs.

The Danville-based Cellular Properties, Inc. project is using a $12 million grant/loan award to expand 3G wireless broadband service in 11 rural counties. The effort is estimated to create 267 jobs, and serve more than 7,000 businesses and 700 community institutions.

Grant and loan awards totaling more than $783,000 to Utopian Wireless Corporation will build WiMAX infrastructure in communities in rural McDonough and Clay Counties. This project will help more than 350 businesses and 100 community institutions.

"Too many Illinoisans don't have adequate, affordable access to broadband Internet - an essential economic tool," said U.S. Senator Dick Durbin. "This Recovery Act funding will make a significant investment in the effort to close that digital divide by increasing availability while creating good paying jobs in Illinois."

All of the federal funding was awarded competitively through the U.S. Department of Commerce's National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Utilities Service.

A longtime advocate of broadband-based opportunities in Illinois, Governor Quinn made sure funding for technology projects was included in the Illinois Jobs Now! public works plan. These four awards bring Illinois' total ARRA broadband award total to more than $183 million and represents more than $267 million in new technology infrastructure investment statewide.

For more information, visit Broadband.Illinois.gov.

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