Washington, D.C. - In their second joint letter to the Commissioner of the Social Security Administration (SSA), Congressman Dave Loebsack (IA-02), Senator Tom Harkin, and Congressman Bruce Braley (IA-01) again pushed the Administration to keep the Clinton office from being consolidated.  The letter comes after the lawmakers received a response to an earlier inquiry from the SSA saying the consolidation would move forward as planned. The Clinton office currently serves the 49,000 residents of Clinton County, including over 10,000 current Social Security beneficiaries, who would have to travel to Davenport to visit a Social Security office if the closure goes forward.

"We are very concerned about the proposed closure, and again ask you to reconsider your decision," the lawmakers wrote. "We ask that you do not close the office until you have held a public meeting in Clinton where the public and officials can have their questions about the closure and its impact on their services addressed.  We also request that you do not proceed with moving forward with the closure until you have provided us with a full business case analysis that clearly justifies the office closure."  

 

A copy of the letter can be found here.

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Gift will help feed the hungry in the Quad Cities

Modern Woodmen of America's top field managers recently donated $5,000 to Quad City-area food pantries. The food pantry at The Center, Davenport, and River Bend Food Bank, Moline, each received $2,500.

The donation included nearly $2,500 collected during Modern Woodmen's Leadership Career Institute, which brought more than 100 of Modern Woodmen managers from across the country to the Quad Cities in early August. The donation was matched by Modern Woodmen.

"Giving back is an important part of what these managers do across the country, so they also wanted to make a difference here," says Steve Van Speybroeck, fraternal director at Modern Woodmen. "These donations to local food pantries can fight hunger and help local families."

As a tax-exempt fraternal benefit society, Modern Woodmen sells life insurance, annuity and investment* products not to benefit stockholders but to improve quality of life for our members, their families and their communities. This is accomplished through social, charitable and volunteer activities. Annually, Modern Woodmen and its members provide more than $26 million and 1 million volunteer hours for community projects nationwide.

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CHICAGO -August 28, 2012. Governor Pat Quinn today took action on the following bill:

 

 

Bill No.: SB 1849

An Act Concerning: Gaming

Creates the Chicago Casino Development Authority and amends several other statutes to expand gaming in Illinois.

Action: Vetoed

 

 

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CHICAGO- August 27, 2012. Governor Pat Quinn today took action on the following bills:

Bill No.: HB 1261

An Act Concerning: Public Health

Adds zinc air button cell batteries to the list of merchandise which cannot be sold or distributed in Illinois.

Action: Signed

Effective Date: Immediately

 

Bill No.: HB 2582

An Act Concerning: Criminal Law

Makes technical changes to the Criminal Code.

Action: Signed

Effective Date: Jan.1

 

Bill No.: HB 3366

An Act Concerning: Criminal Law

Reorganizes provisions in the Criminal Code of 1961 concerning harm to children, and incorporates provisions from certain other similar acts.

Action: Signed

Effective Date: Jan.1

 

Bill No.: HB 4753

An Act Concerning: Local Government

Allows a board of trustees in a designated renewable energy district to set up and run a renewable energy facility as a business.

Action: Signed

Effective Date: Immediately

 

Bill No.: HB 5033

An Act Concerning: Regulation

Creates a specific timeline for the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) to act upon applications to perform additional services submitted by currency exchanges.

Action: Signed

Effective Date: Immediately

 

Bill No.: HB 5142

An Act Concerning: Regulation

Reinstates and expands the ability of hospitals to establish Freestanding Emergency Centers (FECs) throughout the state, particularly in rural areas.

Action: Signed

Effective Date: Immediately

 

Bill No.: HB 5771

An Act Concerning: Certificates of Good Conduct and Relief from Disabilities

Amends the Unified Code of Corrections to make the criteria for receiving certificates of good conduct and certificates of relief from disabilities more inclusive.

Action: Signed

Effective Date: Jan. 1

 

Bill No.: SB 548

An Act Concerning: Local Government

Extends the completion dates for redevelopment of TIF projects in the cities of Carlyle and East Peoria.

Action: Signed

Effective Date: Immediately

 

Bill No.: SB 2934

An Act Concerning: State Government

Restricts the employment of certain relatives of members of the Health Facilities and Services Review Board (HFSRB) at facilities under the HFSRB's purview. Also revises the process for issuing permits and making progress reports; expands HBSRB's powers and duties; and authorizes fines for permit holders who fail to comply with requirements.

Action: Signed

Effective Date: Immediately

 

Bill No.: SB 2937

An Act Concerning: Local Government

Creates the Northwest Metra Commuter Rail District for McHenry County.

Action: Signed

Effective Date: Jan. 1

 

Bill No.: SB 3320

An Act Concerning: Revenue

Extends the Quality of Life instant scratch-off lottery game through 2017; creates three new tax check offs; and requires the Diabetes Research Check Off Fund to remain on Illinois tax returns permanently.

Action: Signed

Effective Date: Immediately

 

Bill No.: SB 3349

An Act Concerning: Criminal Law

Creates the Offender Initiative Program, to enable state's attorneys to select non-violent felony defendants, without prior felony convictions, for an intensive 12-month program, and to offer legal services. Upon successful completion, the state's attorney shall dismiss the case.

Action: Signed

Effective Date: Jan. 1                             

 

Bill No.: SB 3399

An Act Concerning: Beer Wholesalers

Allows a beer distributor to seek arbitration if a brewer terminates a contract with a distributor when the product is 10 percent of the distributor's volume - instead of the existing 15 percent requirement.

Action: Signed

Effective Date: Immediately

 

Bill No.: SB 3458

An Act Concerning: Criminal Law

Provides that the Illinois State Police (ISP) shall provide specified financial institutions detailed information regarding the conviction of a felony or crime of dishonesty, breach of trust or money laundering of applicants for employment or other specified individuals, and gives the Prisoner Review Board (PRB) the authority to seal records for certain Class 3 and 4 offenses.

Action: Signed

Effective Date: Jan. 1

 

Bill No.: SB 3497

An Act Concerning: The Lottery

Allows Powerball tickets to be sold online; creates an Internet Lottery Study Committee; and allows the Illinois Department of the Lottery to hire investigators.

Action: Signed

Effective Date: Immediately

 

 

Bill No.: SB 3631

An Act Concerning: State Government

Increases membership to the Choose Chicago Board to 35, and sets forth requirements for the Board.

Action: Signed

Effective Date: Immediately

 

Bill No.: SB 3685

An Act Concerning: Regulation

Amends to the Boxing and Full-contact Martial Arts Act.

Action: Signed

Effective Date: Immediately

 

Bill No.: SB 3746

An Act Concerning: Volunteer Emergency Responders

Creates Volunteer Emergency Responder Appreciation Day.

Action: Signed

Effective Date: Immediately

 

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WHEREAS, our region had experienced severe drought conditions, as are many areas across the State and Country; and

WHEREAS, 70 ILCS 705/8.20 (d)(i) allowed for the Fire Chief to prohibit open burning within the district on an emergency basis; and

WHEREAS, an amount of rain sufficient enough at this time to reduce the drought conditions has been received.

THEREFORE, I, Gary D. Chapman, Fire Chief of the Blackhawk Fire Protection District, do hereby LIFT THE BURN BAN for ALL OF BLACKHAWK FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT which has been in place since June 28, 2012.

Done this 27th day of August, 2012

SPRINGFIELD - Lt. Governor Sheila Simon will recognize the commitment and courage of 69 law enforcement officers Monday at the Illinois Law Enforcement Medal of Honor ceremony. Selected from 15 law enforcement agencies statewide, the award recipients have displayed exceptional bravery and heroism while serving their communities.

The Illinois Law Enforcement Medal of Honor was established by law in 1990 and officers can be nominated for the award by their command.

Jurisdictions with award recipients are: Aurora Police Department, Chicago Police Department, Elgin Police Department, Harvey Police Department, Illinois State Police, Itasca Police Department, Justice Police Department, Kinkaid Police Department, Lincoln Police Department, Pekin Police Department, Rock Island County Sheriff's Office, University of Illinois Police Department, Waukegan Police Department, Will County Sheriff's Office, and Winnebago County Sheriff's Office.

EVENT: Illinois Law Enforcement Medal of Honor ceremony

DATE: Monday, August 27

TIME: 1:30 p.m.

LOCATION: Abraham Lincoln Hotel and Conference Center, 701 East Adams Street, Springfield

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CHICAGO- August 26, 2012. Governor Pat Quinn today took action on the following bill:

Bill No.: SB 2950

An Act Concerning: Safety

Creates the Toxin Free Toddler Act, which prohibits manufacturers and retailers from selling food or beverage containers that contain bisphenol-A (BPA) that will be used by children under the age of three.

Action: Signed

Effective Date: Immediately

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CHICAGO- August 25, 2012. Governor Pat Quinn today took action on the following bill:

 

Bill No.: SB 2822

An Act Concerning: Land

Clarifies legal descriptions of a parcel of land that the state is authorized to convey.

Action: Signed

Effective Date: Immediately

 

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CHICAGO- August 24, 2012. Governor Pat Quinn today took action on the following bill:

Bill No.: SB 758

An Act Concerning: Liquor

Allows culinary students between the ages of 18 and 21 to taste, but not consume, alcohol in class.

Action: Signed

Effective Date: Immediately

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CHICAGO - August 23, 2012. Governor Pat Quinn today took action on the following bills:

 

Bill No.: HB 5111

An Act Concerning: Revenue

Allows employees who work for a Professional Employer Organization (PEO) to qualify for consideration under the Small Business Job Creation Tax Credit program.

Action: Signed

Effective Date: Immediately

 

Bill No.: SB 409

An Act Concerning: Revenue

Requires that any notice announcing a hearing to create a special service area include the amount of the proposed tax levy.

Action: Signed

Effective Date: Jan. 1

 

Bill No.: SB 3386

An Act Concerning: Revenue

Modernizes the practices of the Cook County Board of Review concerning the notification of property tax assessment changes and the filing of property tax assessment complaints.

Action: Signed

Effective Date: Jan. 1

 

Bill No.: SB 3794

An Act Concerning: State Government

Provides for a personnel code exemption and creates the Financial Reporting Standards Board to help the state improve the timeliness, quality, and processing of financial reporting.

Action: Signed

Effective Date: Immediately

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