Reick Report
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Lame Duck Session, See You Next Year!
In my last Reick Report, I wrote to you about the abbreviated and unproductive Veto Session that we endured in November that you paid for. There were no vetoes to…
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Grab Your Wallets as Deficits Loom, Shifting Blame for High Electric Bills and Helping Our Neighbors During the Holidays
This week, we were back in Springfield for the Veto Session – traditionally a time when the legislature can take up the Governor’s vetoes. Unfortunately, it’s recently been used as…
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In a Budget Pickle
A Bad Budgeting Process Leads to Bad Outcomes for Taxpayers This being an election year, you’re seeing lots of paid advertising around state spending and accusations about the “dangerous politicians”…
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The Reick Report
Though National Food Bank Day, a day where we recognize the important work of Food Banks in every community to serve food insecure families, was on September 6th, every day…
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They’re in the Business of Taking Credit, and When Things Go Wrong, Assigning Blame
Hot Topic of the Week: When you hear a candidate of the majority party running for a seat in the Illinois House say: “I am committed to listening to all…
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IL Supreme Court Rejects Venezuelan-Style Voting Law
On May 1st, House Democrats filed House Floor Amendment 2 to Senate Bill 2412 (nominally titled “DCFS-CHILD WELFARE GOALS”). Let’s set aside for now the cruel irony of using a…
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A Story of Agency Failure from the Front Lines
First of all, I’d like to thank all of you who stopped by my tent earlier this month at the McHenry County Fair. Though the weather was a little over…
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CMAP recently announced our 2024 technical assistance awards
This year, CMAP received 122 total applications from 96 different applicants, the most applications received to date. We have selected 30 new technical assistance projects that support communities with ADA…
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We’re From the Government and We’re Here to Help. (Really, we are!)
Typically, we focus on substantive issues and policies in these newsletters. Today’s “Hot Topic of the Week” is a little different – constituent service. From my first day in office…
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The Crisis We’ve Ignored for Far Too Long
In this week’s newsletter, it’s time to talk about the least exciting and most important topic that most people in State Government want to avoid – PENSIONS. Before your eyes…
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When is a Tax Increase Called a Tax Cut? When the Governor Says So!
Last week I focused on process – the mess that the Democrats created and then rigged to pass their tax increase. This week I’ll talk a little more about what…
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In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning…
…While the whole wide world was fast asleep, as we once again slouched our way toward a 4:30 AM adjournment on Wednesday, Frank Sinatra’s classic recording of this great Mann…
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Wishful Thinking, Shifting Tax Burdens, Highway Robbery, and Filing a Witness Slip
During last week’s annual Budget Address and State of the State Speech the Governor proposed an increase nearly $2.3 billion in spending over last year. While his revenue estimate results…
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If Oprah Was Governor, Even She’d Be Ashamed Of This
When last year’s budget was rolled out, Speaker Welch said: “Today’s agreement proves once again that Democrats can produce a state budget that is both fiscally responsible and compassionate at…
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A Taxpayer Subsidized Birthday Party, Next Week’s Budget Address and Why I Care So Much About Fixing DCFS
I know it’s hard to wrap one’s head around the idea of a $50 billion budget or $140 billion of unfunded pension liabilities. But here’s something I think most of…
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New Bills for the Spring Session, More DCFS and Dial-a-Ride Info
Back at It, Sort Of Last week we were back in Springfield for the first week of the Spring legislative session. We got the same amount of work done as…
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The Ongoing Migrant Crisis, New Laws and Old Corruption, and Museum Pass is Now Available
Happy New Year: 2024’s First Legislative Update! Good Morning and Happy New Year! I hope you enjoyed a couple of quiet weeks with your loved ones. In this report, I…
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The Governor Seems to Have Forgotten Who He Represents
With the holidays coming up, I had intended for last week’s Reick Report to be the final one for the year. However, this week we had a major announcement from the Governor…
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Money Swears, Honoring Veterans and Accentuating the Positive
Turns Out We Didn’t – Legislative Update: Last week’s newsletter was titled: “Second Week of Veto Session, Will We Get More Done Than Last Week (Which Was Nothing)?” As it…
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Second Week of Veto Session, Will We Get More Done Than Last Week (Which Was Nothing)
Legislative Update: Last week the House met in Springfield for two days and is set to return next week for the final week of Veto Session, where a number of…
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Fall Veto Session Preview and DCFS Fails Us Once Again
Legislative Update: The Illinois House will convene this afternoon in Springfield for the first day of the scheduled Fall Veto session. As the name implies, this is supposed to be…
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Big changes on the way as veto session approaches
Legislative Update: The past week has been filled with horrific images and stories coming out of the unprovoked attack on Israel. Those who are now calling for de-escalation and proportionality…
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Pritzker’s Failure at DCFS. He’s Got a Lot to Answer For.
Legislative Update: While there are several big issues that came up this week, like the effective date of the so-called “Safe-T Act”, Speaker Welch’s capitulation on allowing legislative staff to…
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Pensions, DCFS Fraud, CTU Hypocrisy, and It’s Apple Orchard Time!
Legislative Update: Thanks to those who participated in our flu vaccine event this week. It may still feel like Summer but flu season will be here before we know it….
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Corruption, Pensions, Nuclear NIMBY, Old Trains and Storytelling!
Legislative Update: Thanks to everyone who participated in our shred event and food drive last Saturday. We had 107 cars come through and everyone was generous with their donations of…
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Fraud, Corruption Trials and … Vintage Trains!
Legislative Update: What a great time last week at the McHenry County Fair! Thanks to everyone who came out to our open office hours at the fair and said hello!…
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Committee Hearings, McRide Tickets, and Meet Me at the Fair!
Legislative Update: Even though the legislature is in recess, last week two of the committees I serve on held hearings. On Tuesday, I attended JCAR’s monthly meeting in Chicago and on…
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Safe-T Act, Agency Audits, the Bailout is Over, McRide Info and Fiesta Days!
Legislative Update: SAFE-T Act Ruled Constitutional On Tuesday, the Illinois Supreme Court issued its ruling on an altogether predictably partisan basis (5-2), upholding the constitutionality of the “SAFE-T Act”, a…
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The Reick Report: A Million Here, A Million There. It’s Only Money (Yours) and McHenry County Happenings
Hot Topic of the Week: Report Finds $1.2 Million of Misused Funds for the Covering ALL KIDS Health Insurance Program A recent Auditor General report on the “Covering ALL KIDS…
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The Reick Report
Hot Topic of the Week: Governor Pritzker Steps in It and Proves a Very Valid Point “The first lesson of economics is scarcity: There is never enough of anything to…
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The Reick Report
Legislative Update: I know that minor provisions of bigger bills and issues of process aren’t sexy topics and aren’t the “red meat” that lawmakers usually write about two weeks in…
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The Reick Report
This Week in Springfield: Legislative Update: This week marked the extra-innings of the legislative session. Though we were scheduled to adjourn last Friday, we returned this week on Wednesday and…
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The Reick Report
This Week in Springfield: Legislative Update: The pace of action in this week’s session could only be described as glacial. Of the hundreds of bills still remaining on the docket,…
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The Reick Report
This Week in Springfield: Legislative Update: The Illinois House was in Springfield for legislative session this week from Tuesday through Thursday. With just ten days of legislative session in Springfield…
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The Reick Report
This Week in Springfield: Legislative Update: The Illinois House was away from Springfield for the first two weeks of April but reconvened last week from Tuesday through Thursday. With just…
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The Reick Report
This Week in Springfield: Legislative Update: This week, the Illinois House met Tuesday through Friday in Springfield for a full week of committees and votes. Many of the bills that…
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The Reick Report
This Week in Springfield: Legislative Update: This past week, the Illinois House met Tuesday through Thursday in Springfield. We began considering bills before the entire House and there were 39…
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The Reick Report
This Week in Springfield: Legislative Update: This week, the Illinois House met Tuesday through Friday in Springfield. Our main emphasis was on committee meetings, as Friday originally marked the deadline…
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The Reick Report
Legislative Update: This week, the Illinois House and Senate met in Springfield Tuesday through Thursday with full committee schedules. I participated in committee hearings this week for the Elementary &…
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The Reick Report
This Week in Springfield: Legislative Update: This week, the Illinois House and Senate met in Springfield Tuesday through Thursday to begin considering legislation in committees. After the deadline passed last…
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Reick Report
This Week in Springfield: Legislative Update: This week, the Illinois House and Senate met in Springfield for what is traditionally considered the beginning of the substantive legislative session. On Wednesday…
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The Reick Report
Legislative Update: COVID and Conscience The Health Care Right of Conscience Act (HCRCA) protects individuals’ ability to cite a “sincerely held set of moral convictions arising from belief in and…
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Op-Ed: Madigan gone; legislative hijinks continue
The Woodstock Independent Published July 13, 2021 By Steve Reick When the Illinois House convened in January, for the first time in 38 years, Michael J. Madigan did not preside…
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Reick Report: Spring Session Wrap Up
It’s hard to believe that at the beginning of the year, lawmakers met in Springfield’s BOS Center to adequately maintain “social distance” due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Needless to say,…
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Legislative News from Rep. Steve Reick
Democrats Push Through Aggressive Agenda in Final Hours of 101st General Assembly In their mad rush to send several bills to the Governor before the end of the 101st General…
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COVID 19 ALERT: Heightened Mitigations Coming to McHenry and Lake Counties on Saturday, Oct. 31
I just received word that heightened mitigation strategies are expected to take effect in McHenry and Lake Counties (IL Region 9) on Saturday, Oct. 31. During the mitigation period, which…
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Legislative News from State Rep. Steve Reick
COVID-19 Resurgence Mitigations Hitting Nearby Counties on Friday As you may have heard, heightened COVID-19 mitigations are taking effect in Southern Illinois’ Region 5 on Thursday, and in suburban Kane…
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Legislative News from Rep. Steve Reick
Despite Pritzker Mandate, if it Relates to Ethics, It’s on Hold in Illinois During his January State of the State Address this year, Governor JB Pritzker said the General Assembly…
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Legislative News from Rep. Steve Reick
Reick Earns Perfect Score on IL Farm Bureau Legislative Report Card; Named “Friend of Agriculture” Agriculture is the number one driver of our economy, and as a legislator, I work…
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The Reick Report: Sept. 8, 2020
Rep. Reick and County Clerk Joe Tirio to Partner for Mail-In Voting Q&A I’ve received many emails and phone calls from constituents who have questions about the vote by mail…
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The Reick Report: Sept. 1, 2020
Reick Publishes Guest Editorial, Records “Leading Voices” Podcast on How to Reform DCFS I am sorry to report that another child has died within a family setting where the Illinois’…
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The Next Step to Opening Up the Economy
With the announcement of Washington’s three-phase plan to begin opening up the economy after the COVID-19 lockdown, the focus now shifts to determining the extent to which states and municipalities meet certain…
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COVID-19 Update from Rep. Reick
As you are no doubt aware, the Governor issued an executive order requiring people to stay in their homes except for the purpose of obtaining essential needs. A fuller explanation…
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Rep. Steve Reick calls for “deep dive” audit of State spending.
The proposal would create a new Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform Act. Under this Act, a bipartisan 18-member commission would look into the current operations of State government and…
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There’s a “Red Menace” Made of Ink, and We’re Drowning In It
The Chicago Tribune has published the story of a family trying to obtain services for their autistic son, who “aged out” of Illinois’ special education system when he turned 22, and…
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Rep. Steve Reick’s 2019 Veto Session Recap
Dear Neighbor, I hope this message finds you and your family well. As we get ready to celebrate Thanksgiving, I want to thank you for giving me the opportunity to…
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DCFS is Broken, Half Measures Won’t Do
I’ve driven by this gate on Dean Street, south of Woodstock, a million times. As the crow flies, it’s about 2 miles from my house. Little did I know that…
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The Reick Report: May 10, 2019
Death of A.J. Freund Spurs Calls for Major Reform Illinois’ at-risk children are supposed to be looked after by the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS). When these…
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The Reick Report: April 16, 2019
Pension “Double-Dipping” Bill Clears IL House This year I am a Chief Co-Sponsor of legislation that seeks to provide taxpayers with some much-needed relief by addressing the practice of “double-dipping”…
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Legislative Update: May 17, 2017
With only two weeks remaining in the General Assembly’s spring session, lawmakers in the House are now reviewing Senate Bills that have now moved over to the House for consideration….
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Legislative Update: May 3, 2017
Another week in Springfield ended on Friday without progress on a bipartisan, balanced budget that will grow our economy and address the major fiscal issues facing our state. Rather than…
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Legislative Update: April 3, 2017
Rep. Steve Reick Co-Sponsors Comprehensive Pension Reform Bill Our state desperately needs pension reform, and this year I’m serving as a co-sponsor of a comprehensive, compromise pension reform bill that…