CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— When can I buy pot in Illinois? How much can I buy? Your questions answered
Illinois lawmakers voted to legalize recreational weed Friday. Here’s what you
need to know about the bill Gov. Pritzker says he will sign. – Tom Schuba
(DIERSEN: Who is taking the lead to stop the sale of pot a) in your
municipality and b) in the unincorporated areas of your county? All of the
following should be lining up to speak out against pot at public hearings:
Republican activists, Republican candidates, Republican elected officials,
Republican party leaders, Republican major donors, Republican political
consultants, business leaders, religious leaders, healthcare leaders, education
leaders, law enforcement leaders, etc.)
https://chicago.suntimes.com/cannabis/2019/5/31/18647868/marijuana-illinois-legalization-where-to-buy-amount
— House clears gambling measure that includes adding Chicago casino After two
days of behind-the-scenes negotiations, House lawmakers appeared poised to
leave Springfield having passed a comprehensive spending and capital plan. The
Illinois Senate plans to return for bill action on Sunday and must still
approve the gambling measure. – Tina Sfondeles
https://chicago.suntimes.com/2019/6/1/18648903/house-clears-gambling-measure-that-includes-adding-chicago-casino
CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— Legalizing marijuana is a victory for freedom in Illinois – Steve Chapman
(DIERSEN: Ever-increasingly, to be a Democrat is to be someone who focuses on
promoting pot.)
https://www.chicagotribune.com/columns/steve-chapman/ct-perspec-chapman-illinois-marijuana-legalize-20190531-story.html
DAILY HERALD
— Melinda Bush: Passage of abortion bill to make Illinois ‘a beacon for the
country’ – Rebecca Anzel (DIERSEN: Ever-increasingly, to be a Democrat is to be
someone who focuses on promoting abortion.)
https://www.dailyherald.com/news/20190601/melinda-bush-passage-of-abortion-bill-to-make-illinois-a-beacon-for-the-country
— Arlington Heights parade organizers defend letting controversial group march
– Christopher Placek
https://www.dailyherald.com/news/20190601/arlington-heights-parade-organizers-defend-letting-controversial-group-march
(FROM THE ARTICLE: ACT,
which calls itself the nation’s largest national security grass-roots
organization, advocates for upholding Western values and combating the threat
of radical Islam, according to the organization’s website. But the Southern
Poverty Law Center put the group on its list of domestic hate groups
“because it pushes wild anti-Muslim conspiracy theories, denigrates
American Muslims and deliberately conflates mainstream and radical Islam.”
Greg Padovani, chairman of the Veterans Memorial Committee of Arlington
Heights, said he received about a dozen complaints via phone and email about
the ACT chapter’s inclusion in the parade and for leaflets marchers were
handing out along the parade route. Padovani said he and other committee members
investigated the group’s website, but could not find anything espousing hate or
violence.)
— House begins overtime action on state budget – AP
https://www.dailyherald.com/article/20190601/news/306019917/
ABC7
— Illinois House passes marijuana legalization bill, approves balanced budget
– Cate Cauguiran and Craig Wall
https://abc7chicago.com/politics/illinois-house-passes-marijuana-legalization-bill-approves-balanced-budget/5324375/
— Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez bartends in Queens to push for higher minimum
wage
https://abc7chicago.com/politics/ocasio-cortez-bartends-in-queens-to-push-for-minimum-wage-hike/5325385/
NBC5
— Illinois Legislature Continues Work on Budget, Gambling Bill The House has
to approve several pieces of legislation involving next year’s budget
https://www.nbcchicago.com/blogs/ward-room/illinois-legislature-continues-work-even-after-may-31-deadline-510710891.html
SPRINGFIELD STATE JOURNAL REGISTER
— A new attitude — and one-party dominance — eased the tension – Bernard Schoenburg
https://www.sj-r.com/opinion/20190601/bernard-schoenburg-new-attitude—and-one-party-dominance—eased-tension
— Still a fight ahead for abortion rights in Illinois, supporters say – Cassie
Buchman
https://www.sj-r.com/news/20190601/still-fight-ahead-for-abortion-rights-in-illinois-supporters-say
PEORIA JOURNAL STAR
— Democrats control it all, but can’t finish on schedule – Doug Finke
https://www.pjstar.com/news/20190601/statehouse-insider-democrats-control-it-all-but-cant-finish-on-schedule
ALTON TELEGRAPH
— Reproductive Health Act heads to governor’s desk Bush: Passage of abortion
bill to make Illinois ‘a beacon for the country’ – Rebecca Anzel
https://www.thetelegraph.com/news/article/Reproductive-Health-Act-heads-to-governor-8217-s-13916373.php
HERALD NEWS
— Doubled gas tax to 39 cents goes to Illinois Senate – AP
https://www.theherald-news.com/2019/06/02/doubled-gas-tax-to-39-cents-goes-to-illinois-senate/awt6g7/
ST. LOUIS TODAY
— America’s rural-urban divide is deeper than ever. Just ask the great state
of Chicago. – Kevin McDermott
https://www.stltoday.com/opinion/columnists/mcdermott-america-s-rural-urban-divide-is-deeper-than-ever/article_cde99241-cb48-5081-85ba-210e0ed99b5b.html
WEEK
— Doubled gas tax to 39 cents goes to Ill. Senate – AP
https://week.com/news/illinois-news-from-the-associated-press/2019/06/01/the-latest-house-begins-overtime-action-on-state-budget/
FOX ILLINOIS
— Officials ID Virginia Beach gunman as city employee, Trump offers
condolences – AP
https://foxillinois.com/news/nation-world/officials-id-virginia-beach-gunman-as-city-employee-06-01-2019-133819956
POSITIVELY NAPERVILLE
— OUTSTANDING: Council members Coyne and Gustin will host ‘It’s not your
momma’s marijuana’ on June 6
https://www.positivelynaperville.com/2019/06/01/council-members-coyne-and-gustin-will-host-its-not-your-mommas-marijuana-on-june-6/100769
MCHENRY COUNTY BOLG
— McConchie Quite Disturbed at Passage of Extreme Abortion Bill, Roll Call
http://mchenrycountyblog.com/2019/06/01/mcconchie-quite-disturbed-at-passage-of-extreme-abortion-bill/
— Twenty-Four Hours that Changed the Algonquin Township Clerk Karen Lukasik
Case
http://mchenrycountyblog.com/2019/06/01/twenty-four-hours-that-changed-the-karen-lukasik-case/
— Fight over Pension Coverage for Part-Time Township Employees
http://mchenrycountyblog.com/2019/06/01/fight-over-pension-coverage-for-part-time-township-employees/
— Take a Look at Key Bills
http://mchenrycountyblog.com/2019/05/31/take-a-look-at-the-other-key-bills/
— Recreation Cannabis Co-Sponsor Allen Skillicorn Explains Position
http://mchenrycountyblog.com/2019/05/31/127936/
— Gambling Watchdog Summarizes Contents of Massive Expansion Bill
http://mchenrycountyblog.com/2019/06/01/gambling-watchdog-summarizes-contents-of-massive-expansion-bill/
PRAIRIE STATE WIRE
— GOP Chairman Schneider calls abortion bill ‘unconscionable,’ laments Dems’
‘extreme’ position – Carrie Bradon
https://prairiestatewire.com/stories/512586351-gop-chairman-schneider-calls-abortion-bill-unconscionable-laments-dems-extreme-position
CAPITOL FAX
— Ives: “Stop this bill from being Bi-Partisan”
https://capitolfax.com/2019/06/01/ives-stop-this-bill-from-being-bi-partisan/
— House starts passing budget package
https://capitolfax.com/2019/06/01/house-starts-passing-budget-package/
— Chronic pain, migraines, IBS, other ailments could be added to medical
cannabis program
https://capitolfax.com/2019/06/01/chronic-pain-migraines-ibs-other-ailments-could-be-added-to-medical-cannabis-program/
— Lightfoot confirms *** Gov. Pritzker says he’s reached an understanding with
Mayor Lightfoot on sports betting
https://capitolfax.com/2019/06/01/gov-pritzker-says-hes-reached-an-understand-with-mayor-lightfoot-on-sports-betting/
— $40K minimum teacher salary mandate clears both chambers
https://capitolfax.com/2019/06/01/40k-minimum-teacher-salary-mandate-clears-both-chambers/
— RHA roundup
https://capitolfax.com/2019/06/01/rha-roundup-2/
— Updated cheat sheet on the big stuff
https://capitolfax.com/2019/06/01/updated-cheat-sheet-on-the-big-stuff/
— “Fix the FOID” stalls in Senate
https://capitolfax.com/2019/06/01/fix-the-foid-stalls-in-senate/
— Budget, capital, gaming roundup
https://capitolfax.com/2019/06/01/budget-capital-gaming-roundup/
— House passes budget, capital package
https://capitolfax.com/2019/06/01/house-starts-passing-budget-package/
BREITBART
— Cher: If Trump Wins Re-election, He’ll Put LGBTQ People ‘In Internment
Camps’ – WARNER TODD HUSTON
https://www.breitbart.com/entertainment/2019/06/01/cher-if-trump-wins-re-election-hell-put-lgbtq-people-in-internment-camps/
TOWNHALL
— 900 Illegal Aliens Crammed in Center Built for 125 People – Timothy Meads
https://townhall.com/tipsheet/timothymeads/2019/06/01/report-900-illegal-aliens-crammed-in-center-built-for-125-people-n2547241
— Pew Research Confirms 6 In 10 Illegal Aliens Live In These Areas – Beth
Baumann
https://townhall.com/tipsheet/bethbaumann/2019/06/01/pew-research-confirms-6-in-10-illegal-aliens-live-in-these-areas-n2547258
NBC NEWS
— DIERSEN HEADLINE: Democrats promote LGBTQ activity in Buffalo Grove
https://www.nbcnews.com/feature/nbc-out/teen-s-dream-pride-parade-her-hometown-become-reality-n1012411
NEW YORK TIMES
— Trump’s Celebration of L.G.B.T. Rights Is Met With Criticism – Katie Rogers
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/01/us/politics/trump-lgbt-rights.html
— Trump Is Said to Have Overruled Kushner and Other Aides in Threatening
Mexico With Tariffs – Ana Swanson, Maggie Haberman and Alan Rappeport
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/01/us/politics/trump-mexico-tariffs.html
LOS ANGELES TIMES
— 2020 Democratic candidates vow to undo Trump’s immigration actions – SEEMA
MEHTA and MATT PEARCE
https://www.latimes.com/politics/la-na-pol-democratic-presidential-candidates-2020-pasadena-immigration-20190531-story.html
SAN FRANCISCO GATE
— Trump says Duchess Meghan was ‘nasty’ about him, fueling debate ahead of
state visit – Rick Noack
https://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Trump-says-Duchess-Meghan-was-nasty-about-him-13916074.php
FORTUNE
— Trump Threatened Mexico With Tariffs, But His Demands Are Vague – JUSTIN
SINK, NACHA CATTAN, ANDREW ROSATI
http://fortune.com/2019/06/01/trump-mexico-tariffs-immigration/
BUSINESS INSIDER
— More than half of baby-boomer job seekers say they’ve faced age
discrimination, and it’s costing them work – Allana Akhtar
https://www.businessinsider.com/baby-boomer-job-seekers-experiencing-age-discrimination-2019-5
DAILY BEAST
— Trump Tower Condos Selling at More Than 20 Percent Losses – Jamie Ross
https://www.thedailybeast.com/trump-tower-condos-selling-at-more-than-20-percent-losses
WORKFORCE
— When Job Applicants Lie: Implementing Policies to Protect Your Company
Employers should implement a clear and uniform policy about the consequences of
lying or providing false information on an application. – Joshua Y. Joel,
Natasha L. Wilson (DIERSEN: Needless-to-say, everyone seeking or holding any
kind of government or political job or office should be subjected to a
comprehensive and extensive background investigation.)
https://www.workforce.com/2019/06/01/when-job-applicants-lie-implementing-policies-to-protect-your-company/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: A recent study revealed that 85 percent of employers have
caught applicants lying on their résumés or job applications. The most common
lies involve modifying dates of employment, falsifying credentials, training or
degrees, inflating prior earnings, or hiding a criminal history. Throughout the
past several years, there have been several stories of prominent executives and
CEOs, across many industries, whose careers were cut short for lying on their
job applications or résumés. What should human resources professionals do when
they discover that an employee has lied on their job application or résumé? How
can employers avoid liabilities stemming from application falsification? What
are the legal consequences for employers? Preemptive Measures The first step
employers should take to avoid potential pitfalls is to implement a clear and
uniform policy about the consequences of providing false information on an
application. For example, a brief disclaimer can be included near the signature
line of the employment application, in which the applicant affirms and agrees
that providing false, misleading, or incomplete information on an application,
in a résumé, or during the interview process is grounds for disqualification
from employment or termination if hired. The disclaimer should also expressly
waive any liability for the employer if the applicant is not hired or is
terminated for providing false information. More importantly, employers should
be consistent in enforcing this policy. Consistency can protect the employer
from legal liabilities — and countless headaches — down the road. To accomplish
this, employers should document every applicant’s receipt of the policy. If a
background investigation reveals that an applicant or employee clearly lied on
his or her application, the applicant should be rejected or the employee
terminated immediately. If the employer only suspects a falsification, HR
should engage in a fair and impartial investigation and document its findings.
Depending on the results, disciplinary action should be taken. When assessing
an applicant’s background, employers should focus on convictions and not arrest
records. Otherwise, applicants may be unfairly prejudiced in the hiring process
based on unsupported criminal allegations. Conducting Pre-Employment Background
Checks Recent federal and state laws have presented hiring professionals with
new compliance challenges when conducting a background screening. For example,
while there are no federal laws requiring home health agencies to conduct
criminal background checks or disqualify applicants from employment based on
the results, there are 41 states that require these agencies to conduct
criminal background checks. Those requirements in those 41 states vary widely,
including when the background check must be completed, what sources of
information must be checked, which positions require background checks, and
which convictions, if any, result in disqualification from employment. The
benefits of conducting criminal background checks in the hiring process often
outweigh these challenges, especially in fields — such as health care or
government contracting — where a failure to conduct screenings can result in
hefty consequences. While many employers may prefer to use social media to
research an applicant’s background, employers should exercise caution when
using an applicant’s protected characteristics (like race, religion, age or
gender) as a basis for refusing employment. Understanding the legal landscape as
it relates to information an employer may request of an applicant is also key.
For example, some states have laws that prohibit employers from requesting an
applicant’s social media username and password. Additionally, some states have
legislation referred to as “Ban the Box,” which prohibits employers from asking
about criminal history on a job application. Unforeseen Benefits of a
Consistent Policy In most cases, implementing a strong application
falsification policy can result in some unexpected positive benefits. For
example, many states have laws prohibiting employers from revoking job offers
based on the discovery of a misdemeanor or other types of conviction with no
relevance to the applicant’s suitability for the position. Nonetheless, even
though the employer cannot revoke the offer because of the conviction itself,
the employee’s misrepresentation about the existence of the conviction is
grounds for revocation. For example, in a Pennsylvania case, the plaintiff only
disclosed two convictions — stalking and harassment — on his application. But a
background investigation revealed that he had pleaded guilty to eight
additional crimes, including public drunkenness, disorderly conduct and drug
crimes. The company revoked his offer. The district court determined that the
company did not violate Pennsylvania’s criminal background check statute
because the termination was not for the employees’ conviction, but his lie
about it. Importantly, the district court relied heavily on the company’s
implementation and communication of a consistent policy forbidding applicants
from lying on their applications. In a similar vein, companies faced with
discriminatory failure to hire claims have successfully argued that the later
discovery of falsified job applications is a complete defense against the
claims. In other words, if the company would not have hired the employee had it
known of the applicant’s lie, the applicant cannot later claim that he or she
was not hired because of a protected characteristic. Here too, courts look
closely at the company’s fair, equitable and consistent enforcement of its
application falsification policy to establish that the company’s decision was
not motivated by discriminatory intent. Another benefit of maintaining a strong
background check policy is that it can absolve or limit the company of
liabilities down the road if the employee is terminated. Oftentimes, in the
course of litigation over wrongful termination or discrimination claims,
exhaustive background checks into the plaintiff reveal criminal histories
previously unknown. While an employer may still be on the hook for some damages
if the decision to terminate was indeed discriminatory, the Supreme Court has
held that a reward of back pay can be cut off completely — and the plaintiff’s
potential damages significantly limited — if the employee’s wrongdoing was so
severe that the company would have terminated the employee in any event if it
had been uncovered. As a result, employers can potentially limit their exposure
to liability in later wrongful termination claims by consistently enforcing a
no-tolerance policy for application falsification. While not every application
falsification results in a high-profile CEO or executive separation, the
problem is common across industries. HR professionals should take care to
review their company’s job application process with the help of legal counsel
to implement a fair and equitable policy that is compliant with state and
federal regulations and train interviewers and hiring professionals of what
they can and cannot ask. The fix can be quite easy, and the benefits are
great.)
