Quincy Reporter

The Illinois House of Representatives has begun its 2024 spring session, with the primary focus being the introduction of newly proposed bills. House members are eager to have their bills considered this spring and have until February 9 to submit them. After the bills are introduced, Governor Pritzker will present his FY25 budget and deliver a State of the State address on February 21.

In other news, compliance with the new firearms registration requirements, known as the Protecting Illinois Communities Act (PICA), has remained low. The law, which is currently under legal appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court, has been criticized for potentially violating Second Amendment rights. Despite the popularity of firearms in Illinois, only around 29,000 residents have submitted PICA registration forms to the Illinois State Police by the December 31, 2023 deadline. Efforts to implement the rules of the Act are ongoing, with the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules (JCAR) discussing the matter today.

The migrant crisis in Northern Illinois has worsened, with news stories and police reports indicating that multiple municipalities have received busloads of migrants. Chicago, a self-proclaimed sanctuary city, has attempted to control the influx by adopting a home-rule ordinance against buses making one-way passenger trips into the city. However, buses have found a loophole by unloading passengers at a Metra commuter train station that offers service into Chicago. Other municipalities are also enacting ordinances to regulate or prevent one-way passenger bus entries. Since December 1, an estimated 150 passenger buses have unloaded migrants throughout northeastern Illinois.

Illinois's ranking on the U.S. News "Best States" list has dropped to 36th out of 50. The ranking takes into account various factors such as quality of life, crime, economy, education, fiscal stability, healthcare, infrastructure, natural environment, and opportunity. Illinois received its lowest grades in opportunity, natural environment, economy, and fiscal stability. The state's fiscal stability ranking was particularly poor, placing it last among all states.

In local news, Natalie Evans, a Jacksonville native, has been crowned as the new Miss Illinois Fair Queen. She will represent the state at various fairs throughout the year and serve as the official hostess at the state fairs in Springfield and DuQuoin. Evans, who hails from Morgan County, is seen as a great representative for both her county and the state of Illinois.

As the 2024 spring session gets underway, there are various issues and challenges facing Illinois. From gun registration compliance to the migrant crisis, the state will need to address these matters in the coming months.