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* WGEM…
Illinois state lawmakers took a step to essentially ban what’s commonly known as “gas station heroin” Tuesday.
The state House Judiciary-Criminal Committee passed a bill designating tianeptine as a Schedule III controlled substance. If it becomes law, it would make it illegal to posses the drug without a prescription.
Despite acting like an opioid, the drug is currently regulated as a dietary supplement. People can purchase it over-the-counter in gas stations and smoke shops […]
llinois state lawmakers took a step to essentially ban what’s commonly known as “gas station heroin” Tuesday.
The state House Judiciary-Criminal Committee passed a bill designating tianeptine as a Schedule III controlled substance. If it becomes law, it would make it illegal to posses the drug without a prescription.
Despite acting like an opioid, the drug is currently regulated as a dietary supplement. People can purchase it over-the-counter in gas stations and smoke shops. […]
The committee also passed a bill designated the animal tranquilizer xylazine a Schedule III controlled substance. The bill would exempt veterinarians allowing them to use the drug.
* Here’s more on tianeptine from USA Today…
Tianeptine is prescribed as an antidepressant in some European, Asian and Latin American countries, but it’s not approved for any medical use in the U.S. Still, companies are marketing and selling tianeptine products as dietary supplements typically in pill and powder form, claiming it can improve brain function and treat depression, anxiety, pain and even opioid use disorder.
Tianeptine has been banned in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Mississippi, Ohio and Tennessee. […]
Poison control cases involving tianeptine have increased nationwide, from 11 total cases between 2000 and 2013 to 151 cases in 2020, the FDA says. Many poison control calls often involve severe withdrawal symptoms, such as agitation, vomiting and diarrhea, because people typically consume higher doses than those prescribed in other countries, according to a 2018 CDC report.
Attorney General Kwame Raoul today announced his office is introducing legislation to clarify that Illinois’ child pornography laws apply to images and videos created by artificial intelligence (AI) technology. The measure builds on the work being done by Attorney General Raoul’s office, in collaboration with state and federal law enforcement agencies, to crack down on child pornography throughout Illinois.
Attorney General Raoul initiated House Bill (HB) 4623, which is sponsored by Rep. Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz, to address the use of AI-generated child pornography. The legislation prohibits the use of AI technology to create child pornography that either involves real children or obscene imagery. The bill also separately prohibits the nonconsensual dissemination of certain AI-generated sexual images. Raoul’s legislation was heard today in the House of Representatives’ Judiciary - Criminal Committee where it was passed unanimously.
“Now more than ever, we must address the challenges of AI-generated images and videos in child pornography,” Raoul said. “Any and all child exploitation can be a devastating crime that leaves survivors and their families dealing with a lifetime of trauma. We must hold predators accountable so survivors can receive justice to support their healing.”
Experts from the Attorney General’s office testified before the committee to explain that technological advances have enabled the creation of realistic, computer-generated images and videos of children, and to highlight the ways in which AI-generated child pornography is harmful. When AI technology uses images of real children to generate child pornography, the children who are depicted experience real reputational, emotional and privacy injuries. However, even when the technology does not use images of real children, the resulting child pornography nonetheless perpetuates abusive and predatory behavior.
“Generative AI - the kind that can create realistic images and even videos - is already cheap or free,” said Gong-Gershowitz. “Disgustingly, this technology is being used to create explicit images depicting children. HB4623 is a vital piece of legislation that will help bring our existing sex offender laws up to speed with this rapidly evolving technology. I thank the Attorney General and his staff for their hard work on this legislation.”
HB 4623 will now be considered by the full House of Representatives.
* WGEM…
The state House Insurance Committee passed a bill banning car insurance companies from discriminating based on age, race, color, national or ethnic origin, immigration or citizenship status, sex, sexual orientation, disability, gender identity or gender expression when setting premiums. The bill is an initiative of Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias, a Democrat. […]
“We know that there is discrimination particularly in certain zip codes. We talk about safe drivers, we talk about seniors, we talk about law enforcement but you’re balancing those discounts on the backs of the poor and I have a problem with that,” said state Rep. Rita Mayfield, D-Waukegan.
“Illinois has a rich, decades-long history of allowing insurance companies open and competitive market places and that is working tremendously well right now,” said state Rep. Jeff Keicher, R-Sycamore.
In addition to being a lawmaker, Keicher is an insurance agent.
The bill’s sponsor, Rep. Thaddeus Jones, D-Calumet City, said he plans to meet with the representatives from both Secretary of State’s Office and the insurance industry to craft an amendment with compromise language to improve the bill. He then plans to bring the bill back to the committee once the amendment is written.
State Rep. Laura Faver Dias, D-Grayslake, is optimistic that her House Bill 5295, which would expand hormone therapy treatments for women experiencing menopause, will make it out of committee.
In Illinois currently, “we require insurance to cover hormone replacement therapy if you have had a hysterectomy. But the latest research shows we really need to expand it for all people who go through menopause,” said Dias.
State Rep. Anna Moeller, D-Elgin, touted a bill she got out of committee two weeks ago. Moeller said House Bill 5395 would prevent insurance companies from unfairly increasing rates on Illinoisans. […]
State Rep. Jeff Keicher, R-Sycamore, said he has three bills he hopes to get out of committee this week, but said there are a disproportionate amount of Republican bills that don’t make it out of committee.
* WAND…
House Bill 545 states that DHS would have to provide sufficient funds to child care providers to buy 50 diapers per month for children under participating in full-day programs and 25 diapers per month for kids in part-day child care.
Sponsors believe this would cost roughly $6 million. Although, Republicans are concerned it would cost much more. […]
However, families would need to show proof that they qualify for the state’s child care assistance program in order to get help with diapers. Rep. Joyce Mason (D-Gurnee) also noted that her bill could coordinate well with Gov. JB Pritzker’s Smart Start Illinois program. […]
This plan passed unanimously out of the House Adoption & Child Welfare Committee. House Bill 545 now heads to the House floor for further consideration.
* WAND…
A new plan in Springfield could require DCFS caseworkers to develop hair care plans with youth in care and their parents.
The DCFS Youth Advisory Board worked with Rep. Kimberly Du Buclet (D-Chicago) to make their recommendation into legislation. […]
The legislation would allow DCFS to adopt rules to facilitate implementation of the changes, including responsibilities of caseworkers and placement plan specialists in developing the hair care plan, engaging parents regarding the hair care needs of youth and procedures to follow if the parents cannot be contacted, and factors to consider in granting children increased autonomy over hair care decisions. […]
House Bill 5097 passed unanimously out of the House Adoption & Child Welfare Committee. The proposal now heads to the House floor for further consideration.
* ABC Chicago…
Lawmakers in Springfield are discussing pay for tipped workers.[…]
Currently, tipped workers earn a sub-minimum wage of $8.40 an hour, and supplement income with tips.
Under the proposal, all tipped workers in Illinois would be paid the state’s minimum wage of $14 an hour, with tips put on top of that. […]
A House committee will take up the issue in Springfield Wednesday.
posted by Isabel Miller
Wednesday, Apr 3, 24 @ 9:15 am
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If Republicans are concerned about the cost of diapers, perhaps they should be concerned about the $601 million in medical costs paid that was not submitted to Federal CMS for reimbursement for two years until the external auditors performed some basic spot checks. It was not a “computer glitch” as reported. It is an incompetency problem. Require reading level comprehension tests of State employees. Many cannot read.
Comment by Carol Taylor Wednesday, Apr 3, 24 @ 9:24 am
There should be two types of insurance. One for gas, one for electric
Comment by Rabid Wednesday, Apr 3, 24 @ 9:40 am
== Despite acting like an opioid, the drug is currently regulated as a dietary supplement.==
I won’t hold my breath waiting, but Congress really needs to rein this in. Simply stamping the words “dietary supplement” on the label gives the maker of the product an end around a lot of FDA regulation. The 90’s era federal law that made that so was derisively and appropriately called “The Snake Oil Protection Act” by the New York Times.
Comment by Tom S. Wednesday, Apr 3, 24 @ 9:58 am
HB4611
The entire auto insurance industry nationwide is based on risk-adjusted pricing - it makes sense- but Jones’s bill would blow that up and for those with good driving records - get ready to pay up…
“Risk-based pricing allows insurers to offer the lowest possible premiums to policyholders with the most favorable risk factors. They don’t want to overcharge and send consumers shopping for a better price or undercharge them and experience losses that erode their ability to pay claims.”
https://www.iii.org/sites/default/files/docs/pdf/triple-i_trends_and_insights_risk_based_pricing_brief_09062022.pdf
Comment by Donnie Elgin Wednesday, Apr 3, 24 @ 10:18 am
Can anyone let me know which committee and what time for the tipped workers issue? TYIA!
Comment by Alice Childress Wednesday, Apr 3, 24 @ 10:56 am
“gas station heroin”
I thought that was Casey’s cookies and donuts.
Comment by Bruce( no not him) Wednesday, Apr 3, 24 @ 11:08 am
never heard of “gas station heroin.” frightening.
Comment by Amalia Wednesday, Apr 3, 24 @ 11:25 am
Interesting look at how at least one Chicago restaurant is planning to adjust to the tipped worker ordinance there: no servers.
https://www.chicagobusiness.com/dining-table-david-manilow/johns-food-wine-lincoln-park-embraces-limited-service
Comment by Telly Wednesday, Apr 3, 24 @ 11:34 am
Re: WGEM Story on HB4611 and Insurance pricing
Comment by H-W Wednesday, Apr 3, 24 @ 11:35 am
HB4611 prohibits use of credit history, web surfing patterns, and a host of other “consumer practices” unrelated to driving ability from being used to determine the cost of attaining car insurance.
Good work on the Bill, and I hope it passes quickly.
Comment by H-W Wednesday, Apr 3, 24 @ 11:37 am
So it will ban pricing based on age, race, color, national or ethnic origin, immigration or citizenship status, sex, sexual orientation, disability, gender identity or gender expression when setting premiums.
The only one I can see where it should be relevant is age, and even there, that is probably more about experience (e.g. how long one has driven).
Comment by cermak_rd Wednesday, Apr 3, 24 @ 11:37 am
@ Cermak_RD
What I like are the additional prohibitions based on correlates (not causes):
External consumer data and information source includes credit scores, social media habits, locations, purchasing habits, home ownership, educational attainment, occupation, licensures, civil judgments, and court records.
Comment by H-W Wednesday, Apr 3, 24 @ 11:56 am
In many European countries you do not tip, or tips are more modest. Restaurants workers are paid a living wage. This is built into the cost of dining.
Comment by illinifan Wednesday, Apr 3, 24 @ 1:17 pm
Restaurant workers and tipping diners have been subsidizing the restaurant business for years. It’s long past time to modernize the industry’s pay structure.
Comment by Politix Wednesday, Apr 3, 24 @ 1:41 pm
==HB4611
The entire auto insurance industry nationwide is based on risk-adjusted pricing - it makes sense- but Jones’s bill would blow that up and for those with good driving records - get ready to pay up…==
Do you bother to read anything before you post @Donnie? If you had actually read the bill you would know that this does not do away with risk based pricing. It simply sets out certain criteria that cannot be used in that risk assessment. I would encourage you to actually read the bill. You’ve made a similar dumb comment before about this bill and these facts were pointed out to you at that time as well.
Comment by Demoralized Wednesday, Apr 3, 24 @ 4:25 pm