Governor’s veto seeks to undercut locally elected school boards

SPRINGFIELD – Gov. Rauner has vetoed legislation that would give local school boards final authority to approve or decline new charter schools.

“This veto allows the State Charter School Commission to undercut decisions made by local school board members who ultimately know what’s best for the students in the communities that elected them,” said State Senator Bill Cunningham, the chief sponsor of the legislation.

The legislation, House Bill 5175, would have eliminated charter schools’ ability to appeal a local school board’s decision to deny or not renew a charter school. Under current law, a charter school applicant may file an appeal with the State Charter School Commission, who can reverse the school board’s decision.

The legislation left in place a provision allowing charters to be approved by referendum if at least 5 percent of the voters in a school district petition the school board.

Cunningham is a Democrat representing parts of Chicago and the Southwest Suburbs.

Cunningham’s plan to end Chicago police quotas becomes law

CHICAGO – The City of Chicago would be prohibited from requiring police officers to fulfill ticket quotas and assessing officers based on the number of tickets they issue under a plan signed into law today.

Senate Bill 3509, sponsored by State Senator Bill Cunningham, rescinds Chicago’s exemption from a 2014 law banning counties and municipalities from assigning ticket quotas and using the number of tickets an officer issues as a performance evaluation. The law made exemptions for municipalities with their own independent inspectors general and law enforcement review authorities.

“Policing should not be used as a revenue enhancement strategy by municipalities,” said Cunningham, a Democrat representing Chicago and the southwest suburbs. “Officers will no longer be distracted from their regular law enforcement duties in order to meet ticket quotas.”

The Fraternal Order of Police argued that ticket quotas created unnecessary tension between law enforcement and the communities they serve by interfering with officers’ ability to exercise compassion in certain situations.

Document shredding guidelines

The address for Worthwinds School should read 11000 Oketo Avenue.

Meet and Greet in Evergreen Park Sept. 25