Reform News
Reform
The Next Battles: BIPA changes will spark new debates, but may not alter field for other rising class action causes
Lawyers who filled Illinois courts with thousands of class actions under the IL Biometric Information Privacy Act have also generated scads of big money claims under the state's Genetic Info Privacy Act. But while the claims are similar, BIPA reforms may not translate into reduced risk for IL businesses under GIPA
Reform
Rep. Schmidt donates legislative pay raise he opposed to food pantries; 'I put my money where my mouth is'
Illinois State Rep. Kevin Schmidt (R-Millstadt) is donating the legislative pay raise he voted against to community food pantries within his district each month.
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Reform
Judges challenge IL Tier 2 pension reforms, say law was approved and applied unconstitutionally
If successful, the lawsuit could undo a key pension reform law, which many have credited with helping the state better balance its financially troubled pension systems. It also joins a growing list of challenges claiming lawmakers routinely approve controversial laws unconstitutionally
Reform
Metro-East courts get reprieve from annual 'Hellhole' list; ATRA says issues have 'narrowed'
Madison and St. Clair County courts, which have been labeled "Judicial Hellholes" for much of the past two decades, got a bit of redemption last week from the American Tort Reform Association (ATRA).
Reform
Report: IL, Cook County courts driving 'nuclear verdicts' trend, leveling big costs on consumers, business, economy
A new report from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's Institute for Legal Reform said Illinois ranks sixth nationwide for jury verdicts totaling at least $10M
Reform
Appeals court says Pritzker administration can escape fed court oversight of state hiring decisions
The appeals panel said it is 'not naive' about Illinois' history of corruption, and that courts remain open to future lawsuits, if patronage hiring resumes. But they said federal court oversight of state hiring decisions cannot continue indefinitely.
Reform
Smith orders Granite City apartment owners to preserve evidence following building fire
EDWARDSVILLE - Madison County Circuit Judge Sarah Smith granted a temporary restraining order in a lawsuit alleging a tenant was injured when her Granite City apartment caught fire and was not equipped with smoke detectors.
Reform
Missouri company alleges Texas credit corporation reneged on deal to buy a debt
BELLEVILLE – A Missouri company is suing a Texas corporation citing a breach of contract.
Reform
Judge: Illinois prejudgment lawsuit interest law unconstitutional
A Cook County judge said the law supported by Democratic state lawmakers and Gov. JB Pritzker illegally interferes with jury rights and authority, while improperly penalizing defendants, and gifting personal injury plaintiffs with special benefits not given to anyone else in Illinois
Reform
Judge rules pension fund consolidation doesn't violate IL constitution's pension protection clause
Members of hundreds of local police and fire pension systems say the state violated the state constitution by combining their local systems into two statewide pension funds. A judge said worker and retiree pension system voting rights aren't protected by the pension protection clause
Reform
Reform watchdog: Fed court can look into state's hiring of unqualified COVID lab techs, contrary to Pritzker's claim
A state hiring watchdog is contending he has not conceded, as "misconstrued" by Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, that two dozen allegedly unqualified temporary lab techs hired to help with Covid-19 tests, are outside the watchdog's federal mandate because they were hired off the street rather than promoted from within government.
Reform
Insurers getting on board with discovery into asbestos settlements
CHARLOTTE – Insurers acting as friends of bankruptcy court have endorsed discovery into asbestos settlements.
Reform
Cross-River Crime Task Force adopts phased plan using license plate reader technology
Madison County State’s Attorney Tom Haine announced that the Cross-River Crime Task Force adopted an organizational charter and phased implementation plan at its meeting Thursday.
Reform
Democrat remap solidifies court where high number of defendants strive to escape; St. Clair Co will be just like Cook Co - its own circuit
SPRINGFIELD – Democrat State Rep. Jay Hoffman (Belleville) proposes to lop Monroe, Washington, Randolph and Perry counties off the 20th Judicial Circuit and make St. Clair County a circuit unto itself.
Reform
Pritzker signs law allowing prejudgment interest in personal injury cases; Biz groups warn of big costs
"You know it's a bad idea when they try & hide their actions," said Mark Denzler, president of the Illinois Manufacturers Association, about the signing of the law in the closing hours of business before holiday weekend. The law will allow trial lawyers to tack 9% interest on judgments, calculated from the moment a lawsuit was filed.
Reform
ICJL report warns Illinois Supreme Court redistricting plans are designed to preserve Dem majority
SPRINGFIELD – Legislators have begun drawing maps to change boundaries of Supreme Court districts, according to the Illinois Civil Justice League.
Reform
Wirepoints finds more than half of Illinois cities get 'F' grades for local pensions; Alton and East Alton among them
Rising costs for Illinois’ 650 local pension funds are wreaking havoc on city budgets, taxpayer wallets and the retirement security of hundreds of thousands of police, firefighter and municipal workers and retirees, according to the independent, non-profit economic research group Wirepoints.
Reform
Logistics, supply company allegedly violated BIPA with employee fingerprint scans
EAST ST. LOUIS — An international logistics and supply management company with more than 10 facilities in Illinois, is facing a class action alleging it illegally collected employees' biometric data. Zyanne Garner, individually and on behalf of all others similarly situated, filed a complaint April 13 in the U.S.
Reform
BIPA reform would allow businesses to comply before ‘gotcha’ lawsuits filed, witness says
SPRINGFIELD – Illinois businesses pay employees $1,000 or more to settle claims that they violated data privacy law, according to statements at an April 12 hearing on a bill to change the law.
Reform
'Bringing balance back': Reforms could be coming to IL biometrics law used to 'extort' IL employers, advocates say
A proposal to reform provisions in the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act used for years by lawyers to target employers over technical violations of the law, drew rare bipartisan support in an Illinois state House committee vote on March 9.