SPRINGFIELD - The Illinois Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) is encouraging all Illinoisans to participate in National Thank a Police Officer Day on Saturday, September 19.

"A simple smile and a 'thank you' are all it takes to let police officers know their dangerous and demanding jobs are appreciated," said Illinois FOP President Chris Southwood. "We are humbly grateful for the thoughts, prayers, and encouragement you continue to give us as we protect and serve you 24 hours a day, seven days a week. We care about our communities, and it warms our hearts to see that care returned."

The recent targeted attacks on law enforcement officers have focused attention on how dangerous the profession can be. According to the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics, law enforcement careers are consistently ranked among the ten most dangerous occupations in America, and they carry the second-highest injury rate of any line of work. The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund reports that during the last decade an average of 58,930 assaults were made on law enforcement officers each year resulting in an average of 15,404 injuries. An average of 149 officers are killed in the line of duty each year across the country.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports there are 31,230 law enforcement officers in Illinois, which ranks the state fifth behind California, Texas, New York and Florida. Nationwide there are more than 638,000 law enforcement officers. The Chicago Police Department is the nation's second largest municipal police force, with the New York City Police Department coming in first, and the Cook County Sheriff is America's second largest sheriff's office behind only the Los Angeles County Sheriff.

Newly designed FOP t-shirts, hoodies and decals featuring messages of support for police officers will be available for purchase starting September 17 at www.ilfop.org.

The Fraternal Order of Police, founded in 1915, is the largest organization of sworn law enforcement officers in the United States. With a proud tradition of officers representing officers, the FOP is the most respected and most recognized police organization in the country. The Illinois FOP, chartered in 1963, is the second largest State Lodge, proudly representing more than 32,000 active duty and retired police officers - more than 10 percent of all FOP members nationwide. Visit www.ilfop.org for more information.

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CHICAGO - Governor Bruce Rauner took action today on the following bills:

Bill No.: HB 303

An Act Concerning Government

Action: Signed

Effective: June 1, 2016

Bill No.: HB 4096

An Act Concerning State Government

Action: Signed

Effective: Immediate

Bill No.: SB 33

An Act Concerning Health

Action: Vetoed

Note: Veto Message Below

Bill No.: SB 2040

An Act Concerning Appropriations

Action: Vetoed

Note: Veto Message Below

Veto Message for SB 33

To the Honorable Members of

The Illinois Senate,

99th General Assembly:

Today I veto Senate Bill 33 from the 99th General Assembly, which would prematurely expand the Medical Cannabis Pilot Program by adding post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) to the list of "debilitating medical conditions" for which a patient may be treated with medical cannabis.

The pilot program is moving forward, but remains in its early stage. Cultivation centers are just beginning to grow their crops, and the first dispensary was licensed at the end of August. No patients have yet been served, and, consequently, the State has not had the opportunity to evaluate the benefits and costs of the pilot program or determine areas for improvement or even whether to extend the program beyond its pilot period.

It is therefore premature to expand the pilot program - before any patient has been served and before we have had the chance to evaluate it.

Therefore, pursuant to Section 9(b) of Article IV of the Illinois Constitution of 1970, I hereby return Senate Bill 33, entitled "AN ACT concerning health", with the foregoing objections, vetoed in its entirety.

Sincerely,

Bruce Rauner

GOVERNOR

Veto Message for SB 2040

To the Honorable Members of

The Illinois Senate,

99th General Assembly:

Today I veto Senate Bill 2040 from the 99th General Assembly.

Earlier this summer the General Assembly passed, and I vetoed, an unbalanced and unconstitutional budget, which would have spent nearly $4 billion more than expected revenues. For too long, the State of Illinois has made spending promises that exceed available revenues, relied on accounting gimmicks to make budgets appear balanced, used borrowing and cost deferral strategies to push costs into the future, and delayed payments to vendors. These practices have generated backlogs of unpaid bills, a crushing debt burden, and the worst credit rating of any state.

Senate Bill 2040 would have continued these bad practices for another month. Instead, we need a full year, balanced budget that makes only the promises we can afford to keep.

Therefore, pursuant to Section 9(b) of Article IV of the Illinois Constitution of 1970, I hereby return Senate Bill 2040, "AN ACT concerning appropriations", with the foregoing objections, vetoed in its entirety.

Sincerely,

Bruce Rauner

GOVERNOR

CHICAGO - Governor Bruce Rauner announced today he has appointed Christine Ory to be an arbitrator for the Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission. She is an experienced workers' compensation attorney, working in the field since 1975. She began her career in the insurance industry before becoming an attorney.

Currently, Ory runs her own practice, which focuses solely on workers' compensation claims. Prior to opening her own firm in 2005, she was a partner and president of Gabric, Millon & Ory, P.C. She began working in private practice in 1986. Prior to becoming a lawyer, Ory worked as an insurance claims adjuster and workers' compensation claims supervisor for Hartford Insurance Company.

Ory is a member of the Workers' Compensation Lawyers Association, and is the previous chair of the Illinois State Bar Association Workers' Compensation Committee. In addition, she has experience as an arbitrator in DuPage Circuit Court.

Ory earned her bachelor's degree in business from North Central College and her law degree from John Marshall Law School. She is a native of Naperville, who now lives in Lisle.

SPRINGFIELD - Governor Bruce Rauner announced today he has made appointments to the Illinois Workforce Investment Board, the State Employees' Retirement System, the State Board of Health and the Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission.

Name: Julie Adkins
Position: Member - Illinois State Board of Health 

Governor Bruce Rauner has appointed Julie Adkins to the Illinois State Board of Health. She previously served on the board from 2011-2014.

Currently, Adkins is an Advanced Practice Nurse (APN) and family nurse practitioner at SIMCA. She has been with the practice since 2012. Prior to her time at SIMCA, Adkins was a nurse practitioner with Charles Neal, MD from 2001-2012.

Akins also serves as a state representative for the American Association of Nurse Practitioners and is a past president of the Illinois Society for Advanced Practice Nursing.

Adkins earned an associate's degree in nursing from Kaskaskia College and a bachelor's degree in nursing from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. In 2011, she earned her doctorate in nursing from University of Alabama at Birmingham. She lives in West Frankfort.

Name: Melinda M. Rowe-Sullivan
Position: Arbitrator - Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission 

Governor Bruce Rauner has appointed Melinda M. Rowe-Sullivan an arbitrator for the Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission. She brings 12 years of law experience to the commission.

Currently, Rowe-Sullivan is an associate attorney at Ganan & Shapiro. Her primary responsibilities surround case management of workers' compensation defense litigation. She has been with the firm since 2008. Her prior experience includes a year at Schweickert & Ganassin and four years with Quinn, Johnston, Henderson & Pretorius.

Rowe-Sullivan earned a bachelor's degree in community health and health administration and a law degree from Northern Illinois University. She also received an MBA from Lewis University. She lives in Peoria.

Name: Alicia Martin

Position: Board Member - Workforce Investment Board

Governor Bruce Rauner has appointed Alicia Martin to the Workforce Investment Board. Martin brings nearly eight years of experience in business development to the board, as well as an understanding of state government.

Martin is currently the President and CEO of the Illinois Chapter of Associated Builders and Contractors. She provides top-level executives strategic operations planning to further business development. Previously she was the Vice President of Membership and Business Development.

Martin earned her bachelor's degree from Blackburn College. She lives in Jacksonville.

Name: Thomas Ashby

Position: Board Member - Workforce Investment Board

Governor Bruce Rauner has reappointed the Centralia Mayor Thomas Ashby to the Workforce Investment Board. He has been a member of this board since 2008.

In addition to his role as mayor, Ashby is the President of Coordinated Transportation Development where he manages the transit operations of Rock Island, Ill. He previously was the Director of the South Central Mass Transit District for 13 years.

Ashby attended Kansas Newman College and Eastern Illinois University, and earned an industry certification from the Transportation Association of America. He lives in Centralia.

Name: Carl Jenkins

Position: Member - State Employees' Retirement System

Governor Bruce Rauner has appointed Carl Jenkins to the State Employees Retirement System Board. Jenkins' has more than 20 years of experience in banking and investments making him well suited for the position.

Currently, Jenkins works for BMO Harris Bank in the corporate finance division serving as the Managing Director and Group Head of Community Invests. He has worked for the bank since 2000 and has held a number of roles in community development lending and capital markets.

Jenkins earned his bachelor's degree from Washington University and an MBA from the University of North Carolina. He lives in Chicago.