COVID-19

State Senator Dave Syverson thinks a proof of a vaccine mandate is a bad idea for the Forest City

WREX 13

Cassandra Bretl

01/03/22

“Republican State Senator Dave Syverson says showing proof of a vaccine in order to experience normal activities like dining, working out and enjoying entertainment venues is the exact opposite of what the 815 should do.”

Interviews/Op-Eds

Illinois State Senator Steve McClure

WTAX News Radio

Joey M.

01/07/22

“Joey McLaughlin talks with Illinois State Senator Steve McClure about session this week and the murder of a DCFS worker.”

 

NEWSRADIO WJPF INTERVIEW WITH TERRI BRYANT

WJPF News Radio

Staff

01/07/22

“Illinois State Senator Terri Bryant (R-Murphysboro) joins The Morning Newswatch.”

LIG Replacement

Tracy files legislation to give Illinois' legislative inspector general teeth as post sits vacant, vows to 'keep trying to get this rectified'

West Central Reporter

Glenn Minnis

01/09/22

“With a vacancy at the legislative inspector general post, state Rep. Jil Tracy says she and fellow Republicans are recommitted to fighting for reform in Springfield.”

 

State Now Without Legislative Inspector General

WLDS/WEAI News Radio

Benjamin Cox

01/07/22

“Current Inspector General Carol Pope’s last day on the job was Wednesday, leaving no one in the office to answer and investigate complaints of misconduct within the legislature. State Senator Jil Tracy of Quincy, Chair of Legislative Ethics Committee, says lawmakers have known a replacement was needed for months now, but no one has been hired.”

 

IL legislative inspector general job vacant. Republicans, Democrats blame each other CAPITOL NEWS ILLINOIS, Belleville News-Democrat

BETH HUNSDORFER

01/07/22

‘“We have to re-educate ourselves to fight the corruption that exists under the Capitol dome,” Sen. Jil Tracy, R–Quincy, who chairs the Senate Ethics Commission, said during a news conference Thursday.’

 

Partisan dispute leaves Illinois legislature’s watchdog office vacant

CHICAGO TRIBUNE

DAN PETRELLA

01/06/22

‘“In the past six months, Democrat lawmakers have done what they can to stymie the process and our progress,” Republican state Sen. Jil Tracy of Quincy, who chairs the ethics commission, said during a news conference Thursday.’

 

Illinois Legislative Inspector General officially resigns with no replacement

KHQA 7

Jakob Emerson

01/06/22

“Senator Jil Tracy, R-Quincy, said in a press conference on Thursday that the replacement process has been taking place since last fall, but is currently stalled out on picking Pope’s successor.”

 

Illinois legislative inspector general leaves role months after warning lawmakers of resignation

KFVS 12

Mike Miletich

01/06/22

“The state went four years without a legislative inspector general before Pope took over the office in early 2019. Sen. Jil Tracy (R-Quincy) says that cannot happen again as complaints against lawmakers would go unaddressed.”

 

Lawmakers point fingers after failing to replace Legislative Inspector General

The Center Square

Greg Bishop

01/06/22

“State Sen. Jil Tracy, R-Quincy, who chairs the Legislative Ethics Commission that oversees the inspector’s office, said the Democratic majority has stifled the process to get a replacement and complaints will go nowhere.”

 

Partisan gridlock upends appointment of legislative watchdog, leaving key post vacant

The Daily Line

Alex Nitkin

01/06/22

‘“The Legislative Ethics Commission is at an impasse,” Sen. Jil Tracy (R-Quincy), the Republican chair of the commission, said during a news conference she called on Thursday to draw attention to the issue.’

 

Complaint over inspector vacancy

WTAX

Staff

01/09/22

“Basically, they don’t like the recommendation. And you have a citizens’ advisory group to represent the public to be impartial in telling you who you think would make a good legislative inspector general,” said State Sen. Jil Tracy (pictured) (R-Quincy), “and it’s just troubling that the Democrats’ majority does not seem to want that. They want to appoint their own.”

Public Safety

Syverson, Rowe seek death penalty for those accused of fatally shooting cops: 'This war on police officers must end'

Kankakee Times, Rockford Sun

Glenn Minnis

01/06/22

“Just days after two local police officers were shot to death in separate incidents, GOP state Sen. Dave Syverson (R-Rockford) is pushing to have the death penalty reinstalled in Illinois.”

 

Some Republicans critical of Democrats delayed actions on enhancing penalty for assaulting social workers

The Center Square

Greg Bishop

01/07/22

“State Sen. Brian Stewart, R-Freeport, said in a statement it’s “terrible” another child protection worker has had to die to spark action. He’s had Senate Bill 610 filed since February 2021 and said Democrats are politicizing the effort by saying they are introducing penalty enhancements.”

 

GOP pushes tough state crime measures

Doug Wolfe

WAND 17

01/05/22

“State Representative Dan Caulkins, (R) Decatur, and State Senator Chapin Rose, (R) Mahomet, both filed bills last fall to enhance penalties for certain violent crimes including strict guidelines for sentencing those convicted of being a felon in possession of a gun. The widow of a slain Champaign police officer even appeared at the State Capitol to help push for passage of the measures during the fall veto session but the bills were not even assigned to a committee by the Democratic majority.”

 

Republican lawmakers push to repeal criminal justice measures

The Center Square

Kevin Bessler

01/05/22

“Passage could be difficult. Last October, state Sen. Chapin Rose, R-Mahomet, unveiled a package of legislative proposals he called the “Fund the Police Act,” a response to advocates who called to defund the police after the police killing of George Floyd.”

 

New Illinois bill increases penalties for crimes against DCFS workers

23 WIFR

WIFR Newsroom

01/06/22

‘“We have to make it clear that we will not tolerate any kind of violence against the people who are working to protect kids and families,” says State Senator Steve McClure (R-Springfield). “I am proud to be a chief co-sponsor of this legislation, as I was honored to be a chief co-sponsor of similar legislation in the past. I am hopeful that we can finally advance this idea, particularly to honor the memory of Deidre Silas and her public service to our state’s most vulnerable children and families.’

Redistricting

State Senate approves remap of judicial subcircuits

Capitol News Illinois, The Shelbyville News, KPVI 6, Voice of Alexandria

PETER HANCOCK

01/06/22

“Area State Senator Chapin Rose (R-Mahomet), an attorney, thinks the politicians in Springfield should leave the judicial system alone.”

 

‘“I'm just very, very concerned about the rush to do this with very little transparency for the judiciary,” said Senate Republican Leader Dan McConchie, of Hawthorn Woods. “I mean, it's one thing to draw districts and so forth for partisan sake in legislative districts and such. I think the judiciary … I just think it really is concerning where this is going,”’

 

Update on legislative proposal to gerrymander judiciary in Madison and Bond counties

Madison-St. Clair Record

Ann Maher

01/05/22

“According to Capitol Fax, the Senate did not have a quorum when it was supposed to convene at 11 a.m. today, and when Republicans learned about it, all but Leader Dan McConchie left the building. Senate President Harmon later said there would be a quorum after 2 p.m. The report said members would be back after 4 p.m.”

 

Plummer on passage of judicial gerrymandering: Our court system is being politicized

Madison-St. Clair Record

Illinois State Sen. Jason Plummer

01/06/22

“What happened (Wednesday) evening, once again in the dark of night, is a historic and extreme political power grab committed by politicians who have decided they want to change the rules because they no longer like how the people of Illinois are voting.”

 

Illinois House, Senate send proposal for new judicial 'subcircuits' to governor's desk

The State Journal-Register

Dean Olsen and Andrew Adams

01/06/22

Sen. Jason Plummer, R-Vandalia, was among a group of Republicans who critiqued the bill. He said he heard opposition to the measure from his local judges and court officials.

 

Republican Minority Leader Dan McConchie, R-Hawthorn Woods, who earlier Wednesday said Republicans wouldn’t assist Democrats in establishing an in-person quorum to debate the legislation, said the process was rushed and that more time was needed.

 

‘Senate President Don Harmon, D-Oak Park, the bill’s Senate sponsor, did not provide any examples of groups that had been consulted in Madison County while preparing the legislation. Sen. Steve McClure, R-Springfield, said the new subcircuit maps were “done in such a quick way, it doesn’t make sense to rush this to this extent.”’

 

GOP walkout, remap dominate day

WTAX

Staff

01/06/22

‘“Judges should be neutral arbitrators of the law, not cronies for a political machine,” said Senate Minority Leader Dan McConchie (R-Hawthorn Woods). “This is nothing more than a power grab and another example of the corruption that exists in this state.”’

 

Illinois Democrats advance judicial subcircuits during one-day session

The Center Square

Greg Bishop

01/05/22

“Senate Minority Leader Dan McConchie, R-Hawthorn Woods, said the process has been neither transparent nor inclusive.”

MISC.

A look behind the legislative curtain with Sen. Barickman

WGLT News

Charlie Schlenker

01/05/22

“Even though this is an election year and big controversial issues are unlikely to reach passage in Springfield, there are opportunities to get things done in the state legislature. Bloomington-Normal Republican State Sen. Jason Barickman said those tend to be measures on smaller things affecting people in his district.”

 

ILLINOIS ATTRACTS NATIONAL ATTENTION WITH RADICAL PRO-ABORTION REPEAL

Illinois Review

Staff

01/07/22

“Planned Parenthood thanked and praised the governor, of course. But Kenzie Dillow, reporting for WSIL-TV, quotes GOP State Sen. Terri Bryant, saying “she was saddened and angered by the governor’s decision. ‘The Governor has chosen to once again attack the rights of parents by signing a bill that essentially tells parents that they do not deserve to know about the health care of their children. Repealing this vital law will prevent parents from being able to provide the support these young girls need during the most difficult time in their life.”

 

Lake County’s congressmen call for accountability and unity a year after insurrection; ‘The threat to our representative democracy is just as serious today’

Lake County News-Sun, Chicago Tribune

Steve Sadin

01/05/22

‘State Sen. Dan McConchie, R-Hawthorn Woods, the senate minority leader in the Illinois General Assembly who was critical of the attack on the Capitol last year, remains hopeful unity can be achieved despite the country’s “divided political culture.” “We can once again become the American people that respect and value one another, no matter our differences,” he said in an email. “I still believe that strongly today, and will continue to work to ensure our democratic system operates in a manner that values all perspectives and ensures all voices are heard.”’