The 217 Today Podcast

217 Today: Wednesday May 26, 2021

Brian Moline and Carolina Garibay
 
Gov. J.B. Pritzker signs the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus' health care law.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker signs the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus' health care law. Screenshot/Illinois.gov

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Wednesday May 26, 2021

Today’s headlines:

  • Illinois’ constitution mandates the legislature re-draw their own district boundaries every decade, the year after a Census, but the state’s judicial districts haven’t been touched since the early 1960s.

  • The Illinois Senate Tuesday voted to repeal a 1989 law criminalizing the transmission of HIV.

  • It’s been one year since George Floyd was murdered by a Minneapolis police officer. Black Lives Matter activists in Illinois are reflecting on what has and hasn’t changed since then.

  • Hundreds of first responders attended the visitation for a Champaign police officer Chris Oberheim Tuesday in Decatur. Authorities say Oberheim was shot and killed last week while responding to a domestic disturbance call at an apartment complex on North Neil St.

In today's deep dive, in the wake of the George Floyd murder and the following protests, the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus drafted a series of reforms centered on creating more equity in several areas including health care.

Reporting today contributed by Hannah Meisel, Dana Cronin, and Maureen McKinney.