The Sentinel: 04/10/25

Illinois House passes three bills, including measure to limit landlord fees

There was heated debate when lawmakers took up House Bill 3527 involving school mascots. Bill would prohibit schools from using a name, logo, or mascot that is derogatory or representative of a disabled individual or group.

Empty apartment — The Illinois House passed HB3564, which prohibits landlords from charge fees for the processing, reviewing, or accepting of an application, or demand any other payment, fee, or charge before or at the beginning of the tenancy. Landlords may not call the fee or charges something else to avoid application of these provisions. It also limits fees the total amount that can be collected for late fees.

By Kevin Bessler .::. Staff Reporter
The Center Square

SPRINGFIELD - It was a busy day for the Illinois House of Representatives Tuesday with a slew of bills passing through the chamber.

One measure, House Bill 3564, prohibits a landlord from imposing a move-in fee for renters. It also limits fees for the late payment of rent to a one-time $15 fee for every $1,500 of rent. Democratic state Rep. Rita Mayfield, D-Waukegan, said that amount is pointless.

“As a landlord, I’m going to tell you that $15 is not punitive enough to force anyone to pay their rent on time,” said Mayfield. “We have a lot of problems with individuals who don’t want to pay their rent and having the ability to charge a daily late fee actually spurs them to pay their rent.”

The measure passed by a vote of 61-43 and is headed to the Senate for consideration.

There was heated debate when lawmakers took up House Bill 3527 involving school mascots. State Rep. Maurice West’s bill would prohibit schools from using a name, logo, or mascot that is derogatory or representative of a disabled individual or group.

“This is something that is exploiting a community and if there is an inkling of injustice somewhere, there’s a threat to justice everywhere,” said West, D-Rockford.

The particular school that drew West’s ire is Freeburg High School and their mascot the “Midgets”, a community several hundred miles from his district. The school is located in state Rep. Kevin Schmidt’s district, who said the community is proud of the mascot.

“It’s going to blow up,” said Schmidt, R-Millstadt. “It’s not going to have the effect that you want. This is a local issue, the local school board should be voting on it, not the state overreaching.”

The measure passed 71-38 and if passed by the Senate, the law would require schools to adopt a new mascot by Sept. 1st, 2028.

The House also approved the Illinois Sexual Assault Survivor Treatment Act in House Bill 2805 sponsored by House Minority Leader Tony McCombie, R-Savanna, which prohibits insurance co-pays for sexual assault exams. The measure now heads to the Senate.

Commentary |
“Hands Off” rallies across the nation were patriotism in action

We saw fellow Americans join in support to defend what’s best about our country at these rallies.

by Peter Montgomery
OtherWords

Millions of Americans in more than 1,200 cities and towns gathered with friends and neighbors on April 5 in a beautiful, energetic, nonviolent, and urgently needed expression of patriotism.

The Hands Off! protest drew well over 1,000 residents to the Champaign, IL, rally at Westside Park on April 5.

We used our freedom of speech to send urgent messages to our political leaders: Respect the rule of law and constitutional checks and balances. And stop sacrificing Americans’ well-being by gutting the government’s ability to protect workers, consumers, communities, and the environment.

The gatherings were also a call to our fellow Americans to defend what’s best about our country, and to resist the destructive policies of President Donald Trump and his chainsaw-wielding billionaire buddy Elon Musk.

In our politically divided times, we often think simplistically about “red” and “blue” states. We talk as if our differences mean we don’t have anything important in common. It’s not true. People turned out from Alabama to Alaska, Tennessee to Texas, and Missouri to Montana.

Liberals and conservatives and everyone in between can find common ground in the idea that the Constitution should protect all of us. That we all benefit from clean air and water, scientific research, and basic public health capabilities.

Whatever our political leanings, we should fear and resist the idea that the government can rob people of their rights and freedom and make them disappear into foreign prisons without any way to prove their innocence. We should fear and resist government purging history from websites, books from libraries, and ideas that break with “official” ideology from museums and classrooms.

Many people have been dismayed to see powerful institutions like law firms, universities, and media companies give in to bullying from the president. We get discouraged by repeated failures of courage from elected officials who have sworn to uphold the Constitution.

But despair doesn’t get us anywhere. Action does. That’s why the April 5 gatherings were so important. People braved wind and rain, overcame their own hesitations and fears, and expressed their concerns and hopes for our future on creative, angry, funny, and inspiring signs.

Being together was a reminder that there is power in numbers. Courage can be contagious. Momentum is building.

Protests aren’t the only way Americans are fighting for what they love about this country.

Nonprofit legal groups have filed dozens of legal challenges to defend our rights and stop lawbreaking by the Trump administration. State attorneys general are doing the same. More than 500 law firms have risked retaliation from the president by signing a legal brief opposing the ways he’s abusing power to intimidate and punish lawyers for the work they do.

Senator Cory Booker recently inspired millions of Americans by speaking on the Senate floor for more than 25 hours about the ways people are being hurt by the actions of this administration. “It’s not left or right,” he said, “It’s right or wrong.”

Booker broke a record held by the late Senator Strom Thurmond, who made his place in history by blocking civil rights legislation. So it was appropriate that Booker quoted the late civil rights leader Rep. John Lewis — who, Booker recalled, “said for us to go out and cause some good trouble, necessary trouble, to redeem the soul of our nation.”

Congratulations to everyone who turned out on April 5 to create “good trouble.” Prepare to do it again and again — and invite family, friends, and neighbors to join.

Defending democracy is not one-and-done. America was founded by people who rejected being subject to the whims of a king. In our time, if we are going to preserve and strengthen government by “we, the people,” we are the people to do it.

Peter Montgomery is a Senior Fellow at People for the American Way. This op-ed was distributed by OtherWords.org.

"50 States, 1 Movement": 50501 Encourages community action for next protest

Protesters at Champaign's *Hands Off!* rally line University Avenue in Champaign. Over a thousand people were at Westside Park on a chilly April 5 for two hours, joining more than an estimated 1 million protesters nationwide.

URBANA - The 50501 group, using the slogan "50 protests. 50 states. 1 movement," is gearing up for its next event. The grassroots organization that coordinated 1,400 protests worldwide on April 5, is calling for a "Day of Action" on April 19.

While individual chapters/states can organize protests, 50501 said on its website, "We just aren't doing a big national push since many states need more time to plan and coordinate. We need to think a bit more long term and practical."

Activists nationwide had hoped for another rally similar to April 5 from the organization. The group thinks Americans affected by the Trump administration's tariffs and job cuts can be better served Easter weekend by performing acts of kindness and service.

"You don't have to reinvent the wheel, if there's an organization locally that has been doing the good work ... ask how you can help!"

Four things they suggest include:

Donating to a local organization that feeds/clothes/helps local people, especially underserved areas.
Hosting a picnic where everyone brings a few items that are in good condition to swap out for something they might need from someone else.
Doing a clothing drive during a park day or community cookout.
Meeting up at the library to discuss different actions or start a book club.