Illinois Briefs - 2/09/12

Lawmakers Want To Legalize Same-Sex Marriage

(Springfield, IL)  --  It was a major milestone for lawmakers to approve civil unions in Illinois last year and now some are pushing to legalize same-sex marriage.  Three openly gay state representatives introduced the proposal yesterday, which would offer gay and lesbian couples the same rights and benefits as heterosexual couples.  Representative Greg Harris is one of the sponsors.  He says he understands getting the measure passed won't happen overnight, and it will take a lot of hard work to get it done.

No Texting And Biking

(Springfield, IL)  --  Texting and biking could soon land you a minor traffic ticket.  Representative Kelly Cassidy wants to make it illegal to text while riding a bike, even if you're pulled over to the side of the road.  The law would mirror provisions that ban texting while driving and would carry similar penalties.  That

means bikers could still use Bluetooth and hands-free devices to talk on their phones.  The proposal has passed in committee and is headed to the House for a full vote.

Hands Free Cell Phone Usage Recommended

(Springfield, IL)  --  Enforcing a total ban on cell phone usage while driving could be difficult, but Representative John D'Amico [[ Da-meeko ]] says a partial ban wouldn't be bad.  He's introduced a proposal that would make it illegal for drivers to hold their cell phones while they're behind the wheel.  They'd still be allowed to use hands-free devices or put the phone on speaker.  D'Amico says the idea is to combat distracted driving and help reduce roadway deaths.

Lawmakers Have Concerns Over Eavesdropping Proposal

(Springfield, IL)  --  A plan to give citizens the right to record on-duty police officers without their consent is getting mixed reviews in Springfield.  Representative Jil Tracy voted "Yes" for the proposal in committee but says her vote could change on the House floor.  She's concerned that people could possibly interfere with an officer who's trying to make an arrest.  Right now it's a felony to record on-duty police officers punishable with up to 15 years behind bars.   The proposal passed in committee and now heads to the House floor for a full vote.

Lawmakers Consider Changing Constitution

(Springfield, IL)  --  State representatives passed a resolution to amend that state's Bill of Rights and offer more protections to crime victims.  Despite the fact that the Illinois Constitution and Illinois statutes guarantee crime victims certain rights, these rights are often violated and victims have no recourse.  HJRCA 29 gives victims the right to ask courts to keep them in the loop when hearings, trials, or even release dates are declared for their offenders.  The proposal now heads to the Senate and if it passes there, the measure will be placed on the election ballot in November, and voters will have the final say.

State Goes After Unemployment Fraud

(Springfield, IL)  --  The state is cracking down on people who collect unemployment benefits even when they have a job.  The fraudsters are walking away with millions of dollars each year, but the state says they have a plan to recover the cash.  The Department of Employment Security is looking to garnish federal tax returns of those who have already been identified, promised to repay the money but failed to pay up.  That's expected to bring in about 158-million dollars.

Frontier Headed To Central Illinois Regional Airport

(Bloomington, IL)  --  Central Illinois Regional Airport officials are announcing new air service coming to the Twin Cities.  They haven't revealed which airline is coming to town, but a flight-booking search on Frontier Airlines' website late last night revealed scheduled non-stop from CIRA to Denver starting in mid-May.  The online information is the latest clue in a guessing game about which new airlines, if any, would be coming to CIRA to replace AirTran Airways, which is permanently leaving this summer.