VIDEO: McHenry County comes out ahead in capital bill
Sen. Althoff updates us on the $29 billion capital construction plan that recently passed the General Assembly - a plan that finally gives the McHenry County area its fair share of desperately needed road, school and infrastructure funding. Included in the plan is money for resurfacing and construction on Route 14 from through Woodstock, the widening of Route 47, and full-funding for the Algonquin bypass.
Sen. Althoff recaps developments in the state's budget crisis, including the Governor's proposed cuts to human services - see it HERE on YouTube.
House passes distracted driver bills
The Illinois House has approved legislation, sponsored by Sen. Althoff, prohibiting drivers from using
cell phones in school zones or highway construction zones, along with a companion bill restricting texting while driving Gatehouse News covered the story:
House OKs texting while driving ban
By GateHouse News Service
SPRINGFIELD
– Multitasking drivers beware: the Legislature has put a target on your backs.
The House approved two measures Thursday aimed at limiting what drivers do
behind the wheel. House Bill 71 passed, 92-25, and looks to ban text messaging
while driving.
House Bill 72 passed, 96-21, forbids talking on a cell phone in either a
school or construction zone.
Both bills now move to Gov. Pat Quinn’s desk and await his signature.
“My gut tells me [Quinn] is going to sign it, but I have not heard from his
office one way or another,” said Rep. John D’Amico, D-Chicago, referring to the
texting ban. “The bottom line is we are just trying to make the roads here in Illinois a little bit
safer.”
Both bills have exceptions. Drivers still could talk on a hands-free device
in school or construction zones and text while the vehicle is in neutral or is
parked on the side of the road.
Yesterday, the Illinois Senate approved Senate Bill 189, a measure co-sponsored by Sen. Althoff that enhances public and media scrutiny of state government by strengthening the Freedom of Information Act. The Northwest Herald's Kevin Craver highlighted the legislation in the paper's May 29 edition:
Lawmakers pass stronger public access law
By KEVIN P. CRAVER -
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A significantly
improved Illinois Freedom of Information Act is headed for Gov. Pat Quinn’s
desk after clearing the state Senate in the closing days of an intense
legislative session.
The Illinois
Senate voted late Thursday, 58-1, to adopt the bill, which was written by
Attorney General Lisa Madigan and a number of open-government groups. Senate
Bill 189 unanimously cleared the House, 116-0, on Wednesday.
The success
comes after a scare last week, when a draft rewrite by House Democratic staff
was released that gutted the changes. The bill is one of many efforts at
meaningful reform in a legislative session that started with the impeachment
and removal of former Gov. Rod Blagojevich, after his arrest on federal
corruption charges.
SPRINGFIELD,
IL – Seeking to curb corruption,
State Sen. Pamela Althoff (R-McHenry) joined her Senate colleagues in passing
two reform measures aimed at improving transparency and ethical standards in
state government.
While Althoff welcomed the passage of the legislation as a
good first step in closing the chapter on the “pay-to-play” scandals of recent
administrations, she warned much work remained to be done to totally eradicate
corruption from state government.
Sen. Althoff updates us on the $29 billion capital construction plan that recently passed the General Assembly - a plan that finally gives the McHenry County area its fair share of desperately needed road, school and infrastructure funding. Included in the plan is money for resurfacing and construction on Route 14 from through Woodstock, the widening of Route 47, and full-funding for the Algonquin bypass. 
Yesterday, the Illinois Senate approved Senate Bill 189, a measure co-sponsored by Sen. Althoff that enhances public and media scrutiny of state government by strengthening the Freedom of Information Act. The Northwest Herald's Kevin Craver highlighted the legislation in the paper's May 29 edition:
