State Representative JoAnn Osmond

News From State Representative JoAnn D. Osmond :

Geo-Karis Marina Bill Becomes Law

ANTIOCH – A bill sponsored by State Representative JoAnn Osmond (R-Antioch) providing for the maintenance and reconstruction of the Adeline Jay Geo-Karis Marina in Winthrop Harbor was signed into law on Tuesday by Governor Rod Blagojevich, Representative Osmond's office announced today.

Representative Osmond's bill, HB 32, requires the Department of Natural Resources to formulate and implement a 10-year program to be in place by January 1, 2008 for the maintenance and reconstruction of the Adeline Jay Geo-Karis Illinois Beach Marina. The Senate sponsor of Representative Osmond's bill was Senator Terry Link (D-Waukegan).

“This new law will ensure the quality of the Adeline Jay Geo-Karis Marina for the use of the community and local residents for years to come,” Osmond said. “I am proud to have introduced this legislation and pleased to announce that this important community project has become law. It is vital that we establish a program to ensure the long-term quality of the marina for public recreation, and this legislation will accomplish that goal,” Osmond added.

Representative Osmond led a strong bipartisan team of support on behalf of HB 32 in the House of Representatives, where it passed unanimously on February 28. The bill then moved to the Senate where it passed on May 15 before going to the Governor for approval.

Bill Protecting Homeowners from Fraud Signed Into Law

ANTIOCH – A bill sponsored by State Representative JoAnn Osmond (R-Antioch) protecting homeowners from consumer fraud was signed into law on Tuesday by Governor Rod R. Blagojevich, Representative Osmond's office announced today.

SB 1464, sponsored in the House by Representative Osmond, is aimed at “fly-by-night” mortgage lenders when they try to portray themselves as an affiliate of the consumer's lending bank. Most of these companies utilize public information that is available at any county recorder's office to find potential customers. Each time a mortgage is filed or refinanced, it must be filed with the local county recorder and subsequently becomes public information. Fraudulent lenders can often obtain this information and use it to misrepresent themselves as being affiliated with the homeowner's mortgage company.

The new law, SB 1464, provides that no person may send marketing materials to a consumer indicating that they are connected to the consumer's mortgage company, indicating that there is a problem with the consumer's mortgage, or stating that the marketing materials contain information concerning the consumer's mortgage, unless that person sending the marketing materials is actually employed by the consumer's mortgage company or an affiliate of the consumer's mortgage company. The bill's Senate sponsor was Senator Kimberly Lightford (D-Westchester).

“This new law is important in protecting homeowners from lenders who fraudulently misrepresent themselves as being affiliated with the homeowner's mortgage company,” Osmond said. “Homeowners have the right to expect the security of knowing that their mortgage information will not be used against them by predatory lenders attempting to deceive them for financial gain.”

SB 1464 was signed into law by Governor Blagojevich on Tuesday, August 28.

Osmond Secures Final Passage of Bill to Protect Female First Responders During Pregnancy

SPRINGFIELD – A bill sponsored by State Representative JoAnn Osmond (R-Antioch) providing for the rights of a pregnant female peace officer or pregnant female fire fighter to request an assignment transfer for the duration of her pregnancy unanimously passed the Illinois Senate on Tuesday and will now be sent to the Governor for approval.

Representative Osmond's bill, HB 166, would amend the Illinois Human Rights Act to make it a civil rights violation for a public employer to refuse to temporarily transfer a pregnant female peace officer or a pregnant female fire fighter to a less strenuous or hazardous position for the duration of her pregnancy if she so requests, with the advice of her physician, where that transfer can be reasonably accommodated.

“This common-sense legislation will protect the rights of women serving as first responders to maintain their work responsibilities during pregnancy,” Osmond said. “Women who serve as peace officers and fire fighters put their lives on the line every single day in order to protect our communities, and they deserve the right to request a temporary transfer to a less physically demanding job assignment for the duration of their pregnancy if they so choose.”

Representative Osmond's bill secured broad-based bipartisan support in the House, where it passed on March 28 before moving to the Senate. The Senate sponsor of HB 166 was Senator Michael Bond (D-Grayslake).

Osmond Passes Bill to Improve Sedation Licensing Procedures

SPRINGFIELD – A bill sponsored by State Representative JoAnn Osmond (R-Antioch) aimed at ensuring that only licensed professionals perform anesthesia or sedation to patients under their care for dental purposes unanimously passed the House of Representatives on Tuesday by a unanimous vote of 115-0.

The legislation, SB 214, requires the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (DFPR) to establish requirements and standards in determining sedation permit qualifications for dentists and nurse anesthetists who perform sedation. The other provisions of SB 214 include:

• Setting standards for education and training for dentists who perform sedation.

• Ensuring properly equipped facility requirements.

• Training requirements for those assisting the dentist during sedation.

• Requirements that all persons must maintain current certification in Basic Life Support (BLS).

• Requirements for continuing education for dentist with sedation permits.

• Lists the current policy documents published that must be considered when developing these requirements so that the most updated standards are reviewed and utilized for public safety.

• Requires a dentist to possess the appropriate sedation permit (A or B) if a certified registered nurse anesthetist is administering sedation in a dental office while the dentist performs dentistry.

Representative Osmond led a strong bi-partisan team on behalf of SB 214, which is supported by the Illinois State Dental Society, the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, the Illinois State Medical Society, and the Illinois Association of Nurse Anesthetists. The Senate sponsor of SB 214 was Senator William R. Haine (D-Alton).

“It defies common sense that anyone other than a licensed professional should be able to administer general anesthesia or conscious sedation to patients under their care,” Osmond said. “Unfortunately, common sense protections of people receiving medical and dental care don't always find their way into Illinois law on their own.”

“This bill will protect everyone who enters a dentist's office by ensuring that the individual administering anesthesia or sedation to a patient is licensed by the State to perform that function. Properly licensing professionals who perform sedation is in the best interest of the patient, the dentist, and the dental office assistants and staff,” Osmond said.

SB 214 will now be sent to the Governor for approval.

Osmond: Over $60 Million for Area Projects Included in IDOT 6-Year Road Plan

ANTIOCH – Over $60 million is earmarked for road and bridge projects throughout northern Lake County in the Illinois Department of Transportation’s new 6-year plan, State Representative JoAnn Osmond said today. Osmond (R-Antioch) said the plan utilizes federal, state and in some cases local transportation funds to make needed safety repairs to roads and bridges throughout the district.

“The plan outlines the Department of Transportation’s highest priority projects over the next 6 years. I am very pleased that many crucial projects in northern Lake County made the list and will be getting underway within the next couple of years,” Osmond said.

Area projects slated to begin in Fiscal Year 2009 in the IDOT plan include:

Resurfacing on I-94 from the Wisconsin state line to US 41
Bridge replacement, interchange reconstruction, lighting, and a retaining wall on US 41 at Grand Ave.
Resurfacing on US 41 from IL 21 to Washington St.
Widening, resurfacing, and traffic signal modernization on IL 83 from the Wisconsin state line to Petite Lake Rd.
Intersection reconstruction and a retaining wall on IL 83 at Grand Ave.
Resurfacing on Grand Ave. from IL 59 to Sheehan Dr.
Resurfacing on IL 137 (Sheridan Rd.) from Russell Rd. to Greenwood Ave.
Resurfacing on IL 173 from west of I-94 to west of US 45
Resurfacing on IL 173 from Green Bay Rd. to Sheridan Rd.

Other projects outlined in the plan include land acquisitions on IL 83 at Grand Ave., on IL 173 west of IL 59, and on US 45 from north of Milburn Rd. to south of Milburn Rd. Several bridge rehabilitation and replacement projects are also slated to take place locally under the 6-year plan.

Osmond Advances Bill Keeping Sex Offenders Out of Schools on Election Day

SPRINGFIELD – A bill sponsored by State Representative JoAnn Osmond (R-Antioch) aimed at keeping sex offenders out of school polling places on Election Day overwhelmingly passed the Illinois House of Representatives on Thursday and has now been referred to the Senate.

Representative Osmond’s bill, HB 263, provides that child sex offenders be able to vote early or absentee in order to prevent them from having to enter a polling place at a school to vote. HB 263 provides that each local election authority in Illinois must designate at least one permanent or temporary early voting polling place that a sex offender may lawfully enter, and removes previous language in State law providing that a child sex offender has the right to be present in a school building to vote.

HB 263 also makes it a Class 4 felony for a child sex offender to knowingly be present within 100 feet of a site posted as a school bus pick-up or drop-off location for the purpose of transporting kids to and from school or a school-related activity when one or more persons under the age of 18 are present at the site.

“This common-sense legislation will protect children from sex offenders in their school and at their bus stop,” Osmond said. “Our first priority as elected officials must be the health and safety of our children and grandchildren. Keeping sex offenders out of schools is in everyone’s best interest and the right thing to do to keep kids safe.”

Representative Osmond’s bill secured broad-based bipartisan support in the House and has now been referred to the Senate.

Osmond Advances Bill to Protect Female First Responders During Pregnancy

SPRINGFIELD – A bill sponsored by State Representative JoAnn Osmond (R-Antioch) providing for the rights of a pregnant female peace officer or pregnant female fire fighter to request an assignment transfer for the duration of her pregnancy overwhelmingly passed the Illinois House of Representatives this week and has now been referred to the Senate.

Representative Osmond's bill secured broad-based bipartisan support in the House and has now been referred to the Senate, where it was placed on the calendar for first reading on Friday.

Lake County GOP House Members React to Budget

SPRINGFIELD- The Lake County Republican delegation to the Illinois House of Representatives responded to Governor Rod Blagojevich’s Budget Address to a joint session of the General Assembly today.

“The Governor is proposing the largest tax increase in Illinois history,” said State Rep. Mark Beaubien (R-Wauconda), the chief budget negotiator for the House Republicans. “While I share the laudable goal of expanding access to quality health care, I am not convinced that the people of Illinois can afford to pay the price under the Governor’s proposal,” Beaubien said. “The Governor’s new pension bond plan would add a significant increase to our general obligation bond debt, which has already nearly tripled over the past four years. The Governor’s policy of accumulating record amounts of debt continues to severely diminish our ability to fund vital state programs and services.”

“The Governor’s proposed gross receipts tax would place a tremendous burden on local businesses and the consumers who will ultimately be forced to pay the cost of this new tax,” said State Rep. Sandy Cole (R-Grayslake). “Many local businesses in northern Lake County could be driven to relocate over the border into Wisconsin to avoid this tax. Border communities all across Illinois would be impacted in a similar way, driving jobs and revenue into neighboring states.”

“The Governor’s proposed budget does nothing to provide property tax relief for the millions of working families in Illinois, does nothing to address the $1.5 billion backlog of overdue Medicaid bills the state has assumed, and only contributes to the astounding amount of debt that this Administration has been racking up for the last four years,” said State Rep. Ed Sullivan, Jr. (R-Mundelein), a leading voice in the House on revenue and budget matters. “Our families and our children deserve more from this Governor than to be saddled with an oppressive amount of debt that threatens the state’s ability to meet its financial obligations to education, health care, and other vital human services.”

“The Governor’s budget address has raised more questions than answers,” State Rep. JoAnn Osmond (R-Antioch), the Republican Spokesperson on the Health Care Availability and Insurance Committees. “While we can all work towards the goal of increasing access to quality, affordable health insurance for all Illinoisans, the Governor’s proposal is so irresponsibly lacking in specifics that we don’t know what type of coverage will be offered, what it will cost families and businesses, and what impact it will have on jobs in the state.”

Osmond: Legislation Extends Property Tax Exemption for Veterans

Antioch, IL…As property taxes continue to rise, State Representative JoAnn Osmond has introduced legislation to provide property tax relief for some Illinois disabled veterans. House Bill 114 increases the tax exemption offered to disabled veterans and changes criteria for the exemption.

The legislation exempts any veteran with a service related disability at or above 50% as defined by the Department of Veterans Affairs from paying property taxes on their home. HB 114 extends the exemption to veterans that:

Suffered a service related injury
Are classified by the Department of Veterans Affairs as being 50% disabled
Are honorably discharged from the United States Military
Joined the military while a citizen of the State of Illinois
Uses the home as their primary residence.

The legislator noted that the current law, established in 1939 at the beginning of WWII, provides exemptions up to $70,000 of the property’s assessed value for veterans whose disability required the federal government to purchase housing or make adaptations suited to the needs of the disabled veteran.

Osmond said this new measure would update requirements for the exemption to recognize the United States Department of Veterans’ new guidelines for determining significant disability.

Our soldiers recognized their duty to this country, and have made many great sacrifices to protect this land and the citizens who live here,” said Osmond. “Those that have been injured in the line of duty have made the ultimate sacrifice by placing their lives in danger and living every day with a disability all for the safety of you and me. Now it is our duty to thank them for their services and the things they have given up for us. Offering a better property tax exemption is one small way that the state can say thank you for their service to this country.”

Osmond Joins Colleagues in Taking Oath for New Session

Antioch, IL…State Rep. JoAnn Osmond (R-Antioch) joined her fellow House colleagues Jan. 10 as she took an official oath of office to serve residents in the 61 st district for the 95 th General Assembly.

“This is a nice occasion for me to reflect on past accomplishments as we prepare for another busy year,” Osmond said. “I am honored to continue serving in my capacity and I look forward to the many challenges that lie ahead.”

House members were sworn-in during a ceremony held before family and friends in the Sangamon Auditorium of the University of Illinois at Springfield.

Osmond has been responsible for many legislative accomplishments since she became a representative in 2002. Last year, she passed a bill that does not allow anyone convicted of identify theft to change their name. The measure, which protects families from being duped again by a prior criminal, was signed into law.

Most recently, Osmond has lent her support to a package of bills aimed at improving internet safety. New legislation has been filed to help law enforcement agencies keep children safe from online predators who are using social networking sites such as MySpace to prey on children. Statewide hearings were held this summer to gather input from residents and local law officials to help identify possible solutions to the growing problem.

“There is a lot more work to be done in the upcoming year and I trust it will be a very challenging task,” Osmond said referring to the fact high-ranking offices and both chambers are controlled by Democrats. “My goal is to continue working in a bi-partisan effort on important issues such as paying off Medicaid debts, replenishing pensions, and working to balance a bloated state budget.”

Osmond: Budget Does Not Tackle State’s Escalating Debt

Springfield, IL…State Representative JoAnn Osmond (R-Antioch) said the FY07 state budget passed along Democrat party lines Wednesday does not tackle the state’s fundamental financial problems. The lawmakers said the budget includes $1.4 billion in new spending while the state continues to sink further into debt.

“This budget fails to address the current financial problems the state faces,” said Osmond. “Illinois has $20 billion General Obligation Bond debt, $2 billion in unpaid Medicaid bills, and the worst funded pension systems in the nation. But the Democrats choose to ignore this problem and continue increasing spending for new projects and programs. This is extremely irresponsible.”

Osmond said the budget includes a $1.1 billion raid on the state pension systems which provides retirement benefits to suburban and downstate teachers, university workers, and state employees. The raid is part of a 5 year, $3.5 billion raid of the state pension systems to be placed in the General Revenue Fund. “That is $11 for every $1 diverted from the pension systems,” said Osmond. “In total, Illinois taxpayers will pay $38.5 billion in the future to make up for the pension raid.”

Osmond said the $1.4 billion in new spending will bring the Democrats’ 4 year spending spree to over $4 billion. “They have continued to introduce new programs and fund pet projects in their districts while they ignore the escalating debt,” said Osmond. “These funds could have been better spent reimbursing our pharmacists and healthcare providers for services they have already provided to our Medicaid recipients.”

Osmond said the state’s General Obligation Bond debt has tripled over the last three years from $7.6 billion to $20.3 billion. “We must stop spending money that we don’t have and begin addressing the debt we have incurred under this administration,” said Osmond.

HOUSE APPROVES OSMOND’S BILL TO PROHIBIT ID THEFT CRIMINALS FROM CHANGING THEIR NAMES

ANTIOCH – The Illinois House on Tuesday unanimously voted 112-0 to pass a bill sponsored by State Representative JoAnn D. Osmond (R-Antioch) to prohibit those convicted of identity theft or aggravated identity theft from changing their names at any given point in time. People convicted of identity theft have a strong incentive to change their names after the two years have passed upon completion of their sentences, said Osmond, adding that those offenders do, in fact, change their names and continue the same illegal activity, but under different names in the hopes of not being detected.

“It is important for our communities and the people living in them to be kept safe from identity theft, our nation’s fastest growing crime,” said Osmond. “This bill will prevent these predatory type offenders from being allowed to avoid detection by not allowing them to change their names.”

Proponents to House Bill 4179 include the Lake County States Attorney, Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police, Illinois Bankers Association, Illinois Sheriff’s Association and Illinois State Police.

House Bill 4179 next moves to the Senate for further consideration.

OSMOND INTRODUCES LEGISLATION TO PROHIBIT THOSE CONVICTED OF SEX OFFENSES AND ID THEFT FROM CHANGING THEIR NAMES

ANTIOCH – State Representative JoAnn D. Osmond (R-Antioch) on Wednesday filed House Bill 4179, which would prohibit those convicted of sex crimes and those found guilty of identity theft from changing their names.

“This legislation I am introducing is an effort to better track the whereabouts of these criminals and provide further protection to our citizens,” said Osmond.

House Bill 4179 has been referred to the House Rules Committee.

OSMOND FILES RESOLUTION CALLING FOR A PUBLIC HEARING ON WISCONSIN CASINO PROPOSAL

ANTIOCH – Expressing concern that the Bureau of Indian Affairs will approve a proposal for a casino for the Menominee Tribe at a location only six miles from Illinois, State Representative JoAnn D. Osmond (R-Antioch) has filed House Resolution 710, which calls for a public hearing to assess the impact on Illinois of this casino proposal. According to Osmond, although a large portion of the casino’s customers will be Lake County residents, all of the tax revenue, jobs and other benefits from the casino will benefit only Wisconsin and not Illinois.

“The Menominee Tribe has indicated that they will employ, on a priority basis, Kenosha and Southeastern Wisconsin citizens, which will leave out hard-working Illinois residents,” said Osmond. “In addition, if Illinois residents were to gamble with their own money at this casino, they would have less to spend on dining, entertainment, shopping and sporting events in Lake County and elsewhere in Illinois. And it would adversely affect the livelihood of countless small businesses in Illinois.”

The casino project would greatly increase traffic on our already heavily traveled Illinois roads, said Osmond, adding that this will have the greatest adverse affect on the environment of Lake County through increased air emissions and water runoff.

“Under Part 2 of the Bureau of Indian Affair’s Checklist for Gaming Acquisitions, units of local government located within 10 miles of the proposed gaming establishment are to be included in the analysis of significant detriments that may be incurred by local governments,” said Osmond. “Lake County and many of its communities are a mere six miles from the site of the proposed Menominee Casino. As a state that would be a major force behind the number of people driven to this casino, as well as the amount of revenue the casino would generate, it is important for the voices of Illinois residents to be heard in these discussions.”

OSMOND: FY 2006 BUDGET BASED ON DEMS’ PLAN TO RAID PENSION FUNDS

ANTIOCH – Calling it a tremendous disservice to our teachers and state and university employees, as well as our children and grandchildren, State Representative JoAnn D. Osmond (R-Antioch) on Tuesday said that the budget for FY 2006 is based upon the most egregious pension raid in state history. The action taken by the Democrats to raid the state pension funds to balance the budget will cost taxpayers $38.5 billion, said Osmond, who voted a resounding “no” to the budget plan.

The Democrats’ budget plan risks bankrupting the pension plans for downstate and suburban teachers and state and university employees to bail out the CTA, to fund other Chicago projects and to boost the pensions of teachers in the Chicago Public School system by $74 million, said Osmond.

Diverting pension obligations to other state programs as a means of balancing the budget is a scam, said Osmond, adding that the state cannot afford to take any money out of its retirement system. Every dollar not paid towards our pension obligations today would add $13 to future costs, and create a tremendous burden for our future generation, said Osmond.

“At a time when the State of Illinois is faced with a $1.2 billion budget deficit, this budget includes an additional $1 billion in new spending,” said Osmond. “We have seen this before, and we are seeing it again: rather than addressing the state’s core financial problems, the Democrats have based their plan largely on one time revenues that will leave us in the same situation or worse next year.”

None of the factors fueling our budget shortfall are addressed in any of this new spending, said Osmond. This budget, she added, fails to pay down Medicaid debt, which represents 40% of the budget. Instead, the Democrats are once again balancing the budget on the backs of our community health care providers who are waiting months for reimbursement, said Osmond.

According to Osmond, elementary and secondary schools will lose funding for gifted programs and state fast growth grants needed to help off-set the cost of rapidly growing student populations.

The FY 2006 budget sweeps approximately $160 million from roughly 210 dedicated funds to help pay for new pork spending, said Osmond, adding that the funds swept include veterans rehabilitation, care provider funds for persons with developmental disabilities, child support administrative fund, funds for DCFS training, the drunk and drugged driving prevention fund, the early intervention services prevention fund, the environmental protection fund, the food and drug safety program, funds to upgrade school technology and the sex offender registration fund, and state parks just to name a few.

“Not only are these sweeps unwise, but may also be illegal,” said Osmond. “Lawsuits filed challenging the governor’s previous fund sweeps are still pending and a circuit court judge ordered an injunction to block the governor’s attempt to sweep funds related to the banking industry.”

This plan contains hundreds of millions of dollars in hidden pork projects in Democrat districts agreed to by the governor in order to buy votes for his pension raid. The governor and the speaker have refused to release to lawmakers or the public any details of these secret deals struck with taxpayer money, said Osmond.

Details of the new spending that they have released reveal that the majority of it will benefit only the City of Chicago, including:

$5 million for Department of Agriculture extension service in Cook County.
$3 million to Chicago only for children’s vision screenings.
$2 million in new funding for arts & foreign language programs in Chicago.
$1.5 million in new funding for Chicago Grow your own teacher’s program.

OSMOND: AGREEMENT REACHED ON MED MAL REFORM BILL

ANTIOCH – State Representative JoAnn D. Osmond (R-Antioch) on Thursday said that our patients across the State of Illinois have won a victory in a nearly three-year effort to keep our doctors in Illinois. An agreement was finally reached between House and Senate leaders Wednesday night on a bill to solve our state’s health care availability crisis. Osmond said she is optimistic that the language contained in this agreement will help put an end to the ongoing exodus of doctors from Illinois due to rising medical malpractice premiums.

Among the proposals offered in House Amendment #1 to Senate Bill 475 include a Republican-driven initiative to cap non-economic damages for physicians at $500,000 and non-economic damages for hospitals at $1 million. This is a crucial component of the bill, said Osmond, adding that caps have been very successful in helping other states retain and attract good doctors, including most of our neighboring states. Other provisions include:

Allowing defendants to purchase annuities for future medical expenses.
Requiring a plaintiff to provide a report completed by a physician, prior to filing a medical malpractice suit, to determine whether there is merit to the claim, with the report meeting established guidelines.
Permitting doctors to apologize for bad outcomes without jeopardizing their legal case.
Requiring insurance companies to reveal more about how they set rates.
Posting profiles of doctors' disciplinary history on the Internet.
Hiring more state investigators to weed out bad doctors.

According to Osmond, the caps offered in this bill are identical to those contained in the House Republican Code Blue Medical Liability Crisis Relief Plan introduced early last year. The amount of money awarded in medical liability lawsuits has gotten out of hand, said Osmond, adding that medical malpractice insurance premiums are rising to a level that physicians simply cannot afford. It is because of this that many health care providers are being left with no choice but to leave this state if they want to continue practicing in their chosen profession, noted Osmond.

“Seeing to it that our families have access to good doctors has been a top priority of the House Republicans for the past few years,” said Osmond. “We’ve conducted hearings across the state and listened to testimony from doctors and patients, hospital administrators, trial lawyers, insurance providers, and others. Because of the persistence of our caucus, we can finally say that we have a bill that enacts meaningful medical malpractice reform and will keep our doctors in Illinois.”

OSMOND VOTES “YES” ON A TAX CAP BILL TO BENEFIT LOCAL GOVERNMENTS

ANTIOCH – Saying it will better determine a way to apply a modified rate from a tax cap referendum so that the local governments will receive the full amount of estimated revenues, State Representative JoAnn D. Osmond (R-Antioch) on Monday voted “yes” on a bill to amend the Property Tax Extension Limitation Law. House Bill 3602 is now on its way to the Senate after unanimously passing the Illinois House 110-0.

According to this bill, when a new rate, or a rate increase is approved via referendum, the procedure to add the new rate is to be determined by adding the total increase/decrease of the new rate to the total limited rate of all capped funds. Under House Bill 3602, taxing districts shall only have two (rather than the current five) years to implement the full tax rate increase. It creates a method for calculating this procedure.

“The Chicago Daily Herald recently conducted a study that showed that at least seven school districts manipulated the increase in tax rates, which were approved by referendum, in order to generate more tax revenues than was actually approved by the voters,” said Osmond. “The primary conclusion of the study states that the manipulation is a result of school districts’ inability to accurately, and sometimes dishonestly, explain to voters exactly how much their taxes will increase if a tax increase referendum is passed by the voters.”

Proponents to House Bill 3602 include the McHenry County Clerk, Tooling and Manufacturing Association, Illinois Chamber, Taxpayers Foundation of Illinois and IRMA.

SCHOOL FIRST AID BILL SPONSORED BY OSMOND UNANIMOUSLY PASSES HOUSE

ANTIOCH – By a vote of 115-0, the Illinois House on Tuesday unanimously voted to pass a bill sponsored by State Representative JoAnn D. Osmond (R-Antioch) to add First Aid training as an allowable activity on Teacher Institute Days.

“Although Institute Days are often regarded as days where educators hold meetings, there is nothing that currently prevents a school district from holding an Institute or In-Service Day for teachers and other school personnel to offer training in the administration of emergency first aid or CPR,” said Osmond, who added that teachers are also allowed to take courses in CPR certification and use these courses as a one-time continuing professional development unit to fulfill their ongoing professional development requirements. “It is important for our teachers to be trained on these procedures so that they will know what to do in the event of an emergency involving a student, a colleague or even a visitor to the school.”

Senate Bill 58 is supported by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE), American Red Cross and American Heart Association.

Senate Bill 58, which unanimously passed the Illinois Senate 57-0 in April, next moves to the Office of Governor Rod R. Blagojevich for final consideration.

OSMOND’S BILL TO CLARIFY QUESTIONS PERTAINING TO EMERGENCY AID FOR GAVIN SCHOOL DISTRICT 37 PASSES BOTH HOUSES

ANTIOCH – Seeking to clarify any confusion that has lingered over emergency legislation introduced last year to assist Gavin School District 37 with the expenses of relocating students and repairing or replacing a damaged school building, State Representative JoAnn D. Osmond (R-Antioch) has sponsored a new bill in response to the questions that have been raised. House Bill 3095, which passed the Illinois Senate 44-7 on Monday, is aimed at addressing the concerns that have been raised by the Circuit Court regarding the constitutionality of the bill Osmond introduced last year, which subsequently became law, and allow the school district to proceed with the demolition and complete replacement of the school building.

“After my emergency legislation was signed last year, the Citizens United for Responsible Board filed a lawsuit against the school district, and requested a Temporary Restraining Order to block the demolition of the building, claiming that it could be repaired,” said Osmond. “The Circuit Court granted their request, and is expected to make a ruling this month on whether my colleagues and I acted unconstitutionally in providing legislative assistance to the Gavin School District. The bill I am introducing this year makes changes to the School Code regarding special taxing and bonding for temporary relocation expense and emergency replacement purposes. In order for this to apply, a school district must have had a school building condemned within 10 years after the building’s initial occupancy. Gavin Central School was only open seven years before 52 of its 102 roof support trusses were discovered cracked.”

Osmond added that the discovery prompted an immediate shutdown of the school and the relocation of its 631 students to neighboring schools at a projected cost of $242,000. Osmond’s new bill also allows a school district to issue bonds to cover the repair, reconstruction or replacement of the building by resolution and without having to seek referendum approval.

House Bill 3095 is supported by Gavin School District 37.

House Bill 3095 passed the Illinois House 80-34 in April, and now moves to the Office of Governor Rod R. Blagojevich for final consideration.

OSMOND’S BILL TO GRANT MILITARY MEMBERS AN EXTENSION FOR EMT LICENSURE RENEWAL TO THE GOVERNOR

ANTIOCH – The continuing education requirements necessary for EMT licensure renewal for those individuals actively serving in the military would be waived, under a bill sponsored by State Representative JoAnn D. Osmond (R-Antioch) that unanimously passed the Illinois Senate 54-0 on Monday.

“This legislation will provide members of the military on active duty with additional time to fulfill their continuing education requirements with the Department of Public Health so that their licenses do not expire as the result of serving our country in the Armed Forces,” said Osmond.

House Bill 3033 requires these individuals to complete their continuing education requirements within six months of being released from active duty.

House Bill 3033, which unanimously passed the Illinois House 114-0 in April, next moves to the Office of Governor Rod R. Blagojevich for final consideration.

OSMOND’S NURSING HOME BILL UNANIMOUSLY PASSES BOTH HOUSES

ANTIOCH –By a vote of 56-0, the Illinois Senate recently voted to pass a bill sponsored by State Representative JoAnn D. Osmond (R-Antioch) that requires nursing home employees to report cases of theft or misappropriation of a resident’s property by another employee to the facility administrator. Under House Bill 1430, the administrator must then report the matter to the resident’s representative, the Illinois Department of Public Health and the local law enforcement agency.

Osmond’s bill prohibits retaliation against a nursing home employee who reports the theft or misappropriation of a resident’s property.

“I introduced this bill after learning about a case involving one of my constituents, whose parent was robbed by an employee at the nursing home she was living in,” said Osmond. “Although the employee was terminated, a police report was never filed. Not long after that incident occurred, the constituent visited someone in another nursing home, and discovered that the employee who had been fired from the first nursing home was now working at this one.

House Bill 1430, which unanimously passed the Illinois House 113-0 in March, next moves to the Office of Governor Rod R. Blagojevich for final consideration.

DEMOCRATIC LEADERS BLOCKING MEDICAL MALPRACTICE REFORMS

ANTIOCH – Calling it a crisis that appears to be growing worse by the day, State Representative JoAnn D. Osmond (R-Antioch), at a Capitol press conference on Thursday, urged the House Democratic leadership to allow a bill that enacts meaningful medical malpractice reform onto the House floor for consideration.

“Rising insurance premiums and a hostile legal climate are driving doctors from our state at higher rates than ever before,” said Osmond. “As a result, many are having to travel out-of-state to seek quality health care. The Democratic leaders are blocking much needed reforms to end Illinois’ health care availability crisis, and it is time for them to quit playing political games, roll up their sleeves and work with my colleagues in the House Republican caucus and me on getting these reforms passed.”

House Bill 705 approaches the problem in all its facets – from the perspective of the physician facing astronomical malpractice insurance premiums, to the rates set by liability insurers, to the malpractice litigator and disposal of fees having no merit.

This legislation would limit the amount that can be awarded for non-economic damages (pain and suffering) to $250,000. It would also protect a physician’s personal assets from attachment or other legal action in malpractice cases. And it would enact sensible insurance reforms by regulating how malpractice insurance rates are set and prohibiting unjustified premium increases.

“House Republicans believe that these are critical initiatives that will minimize physician loss in Illinois,” said Osmond. “Unfortunately, because Republicans are in the minority in both the House and Senate, we cannot do it alone. The Democrats have got to stand with us. For the sake of our families, we need to pass medical malpractice reform, and we need to do it now.”

OSMOND ANNOUNCES LAUNCH OF INITIATIVE TO SAVE OBs

ANTIOCH – Alarmed at the increasing number of obstetricians leaving our communities, State Representative JoAnn D. Osmond (R-Antioch) on Thursday joined State Representative Ruth Munson (R-Elgin) and other lawmakers at a Capitol press conference announcing the creation of a bi-partisan “Save Our OBs” coalition.

A recent survey conducted by the Chicago-based OB/GYN Crisis Coalition reveals that over the past two years, 11 percent of OB/GYNs have decided to stop practicing obstetrics entirely as a result of medical liability concerns, said Osmond, adding that the percentage translates into a loss of some 46,000 office visits for obstetrical and gynecological services during that period. Furthermore, more than half of OB/GYNs are considering stopping obstetrics entirely in the next two years as a result of liability concerns, while nearly one-fifth are extremely likely to stop practicing obstetrics, noted Osmond. The fleeing of OB/GYNs from Illinois has diminished expectant mothers’ access to quality health care, Osmond cautioned.

According to Osmond, the coalition will take a two-pronged approach to solving our OB/GYN crisis: fact finding and public outreach. Members of this coalition will be asked to survey hospital officials and medical professionals in their district. Women will be able to contribute their stories and experiences on the coalition’s new website, saveourOBs.com. The website will also offer surveys for medical students, residents, physicians and patients, said Osmond.

The coalition is enlisting the help of women’s organizations like the YWCA and Women in Management to educate their members. On the website, groups will be able to access power point presentations, petitions, sample letters and postcards and other outreach materials, said Osmond.

“Obstetricians are leaving Illinois at an alarming rate, and we must do everything possible to reverse this trend,” said Osmond, a member of the newly formed coalition. “Expectant mothers and their babies should not have to travel greater distances to seek available care. The time for corrective action is now. The importance of keeping our OBs in Illinois cannot be stressed enough. I look forward to working with both women and medical professionals in my district, and seeing to it that this crisis gets resolved.”

The decision to create this coalition was made when the bi-partisan Illinois Obstetricians Task Force, which was created last year, expired on January 1st, 2005, said Osmond. The objective of the Task Force was to protect the health of women and their babies by ensuring that there will be obstetricians in our state to provide health care services, added Osmond.

HOUSE APPROVES OSMOND’S BILL TO CLARIFY QUESTIONS PERTAINING TO EMERGENCY AID FOR GAVIN SCHOOL DISTRICT 37

ANTIOCH – Seeking to clarify any confusion that has lingered over emergency legislation introduced last year to assist Gavin School District 37 with the expenses of relocating students and repairing or replacing a damaged school building, State Representative JoAnn D. Osmond (R-Antioch) has sponsored a new bill in response to the questions that have been raised. House Bill 3095, which passed the Illinois House 80-34 on Thursday, is aimed at addressing the concerns that have been raised by the Circuit Court regarding the constitutionality of the bill Osmond introduced last year, which subsequently became law, and allow the school district to proceed with the demolition and complete replacement of the school building.

House Bill 3095 is supported by Gavin School District 37.

House Bill 3095 next moves to the Senate for further consideration.

OSMOND’S BILL TO GRANT MILITARY MEMBERS AN EXTENSION FOR EMT LICENSURE RENEWAL UNANIMOUSLY PASSES HOUSE

ANTIOCH – The Illinois House on Thursday unanimously voted 114-0 to pass a bill sponsored by State Representative JoAnn D. Osmond (R-Antioch) to waive the continuing education requirements necessary for EMT licensure renewal for those individuals actively serving in the military.

House Bill 3033 requires these individuals to complete their continuing education requirements within six months of being released from active duty.

House Bill 3033 next moves to the Senate for further consideration.

OSMOND'S NURSING HOME BILL UNANIMOUSLY PASSES HOUSE

ANTIOCH - By a vote of 113-0, the Illinois House on Wednesday unanimously voted to pass a bill sponsored by State Representative Jo Ann D. Osmond (R-Antioch) that requires nursing home officials to report cases of theft or misappropriation of resident's property by employee to the facility administrator. Under House Bill 1430, the administrator must then report the matter to the resident's representative, the Illinois Department of Public Health and the local law enforcement agency. Osmond's bill prohibits retaliation against a nursing home employee who reports the theft or misappropriation of a resident's property. "I introduced this bill after learning about a case involving one of my constituents, whose parent was robbed of an official at the nursing home she was living in, "said Osmond." " Although the employee was terminated, a police report was never filed. Not long after that incident occurred, the constituent visited someone in another nursing home, and discovered that the official who had been fired from the first nursing home was now working at this one. House Bill 1430 next moves to the Senate for further consideration.

OSMOND RECEIVES HOUSE COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS FOR 94th GENERAL ASSEMBLY

ANTIOCH – State Representative JoAnn D. Osmond (R-Antioch) recently received her House committee assignments for the 94 th General Assembly. Osmond is grateful for the opportunity to serve in these new positions, and looks forward to playing an even more integral role in the shaping of public policy for the 61 st District and throughout the State of Illinois.

Osmond will serve as the spokesperson for the Committee on Health Care Availability & Access. A measure that Osmond will be following closely this year is a movement to reform the state's broken litigation system. Saying that Illinois' healthcare system is in critical condition and in need of substantial reform, Osmond noted that a state legal system that allows for excessive and frivolous litigation and skyrocketing awards for medical liability lawsuits has driven insurance companies to abandon the Illinois market.

“Skyrocketing medical malpractice insurance premiums are forcing Illinois doctors to move their practices out of state or to retire early,” said Osmond. “The victims are the patients facing decreased access to quality care. In some areas of the state, there are no neurosurgeons, and many OB/GYNs are limiting their practice to lower their insurance costs. Our doctors are fleeing to neighboring states that have instituted caps because their malpractice insurance premiums are significantly lower than those who are forced to pay to practice in Illinois. We need to act quickly before more doctors leave.”

Osmond added that in 2003, the average jury verdict in malpractice cases in Cook County was $4.45 million, which represents a 23 percent increase in just one year.

Key provisions of the bill include:

Reducing unwarranted lawsuits.
Capping non-economic damages while preserving unlimited economic damages.
Enacting sensible insurance reforms.
Enhancing medical discipline.
Enabling annuity payments for awards.
Protecting physicians' personal assets.
Clarifying the principle of apparent agency.

Osmond noted that both House and Senate Republicans fought very hard to pass reforms last year, but unfortunately, all attempts at real reform were blocked, and the counter proposals put forward could have actually increased the number of frivolous lawsuits in our courts and driven malpractice insurance premiums even higher. The General Assembly will continue to work with medical professionals and concerned patients across the state until we adopt a plan that will help us keep good doctors here in our communities and our hospitals, added Osmond.

Osmond will also sit on the Aging, Appropriations – Public Safety, Insurance and Judiciary I – Civil Law committees. Her assignments are effective immediately.

OSMOND ANNOUNCES $100K GRANT FOR VILLAGE OF ANTIOCH

ANTIOCH – State Representative JoAnn D. Osmond (R-Antioch) on Friday announced that the Village of Antioch has been awarded an Illinois Tomorrow Corridor Planning Grant of $100,000. This money, said Osmond, will be used for an Antioch Downtown and Route 83 Corridor Plan, which will update planning documents produced in the early 1990s and consider transportation, land use, redevelopment, the downtown, Metra train depot and commercial area, Antioch's historic neighborhood and manufacturing districts.

“Through carefully developed village codes and by designating certain properties as historic, this plan is aimed at preserving historic areas in Antioch and keeping them viable,” said Osmond. “I would like to acknowledge Dorothy Larson, Barbara Porch and Mary Turner, all Antioch Village Trustees, for putting this plan together and applying for the grant. They are to be commended for all the work they have done to making the village a better place in which to live, work and play.”

Administered through the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT), the Illinois Tomorrow Corridor Planning Grants are designed to promote planning at the local level for future needs. The grant program assists communities across the state in developing plans that will protect and improve their quality of life. It encourages private and public groups to work collaboratively for the interests of those who live in the areas impacted by future growth.

OSMOND ANNOUNCES SUPPORT FOR EFFORT TO "KEEP DOCTORS IN ILLINOIS"

ANTIOCH – At a Capitol press conference attended by members of the medical profession, State Representative JoAnn D. Osmond (R-Antioch) on Tuesday announced her support for a bipartisan bill to reform Illinois' broken litigation system. Osmond noted that our state's healthcare system is in critical condition and in need of substantial reform, and said that a state legal system that allows for excessive and frivolous litigation and skyrocketing awards for medical liability lawsuits has driven insurance companies to abandon the Illinois market.

“Doctors in record numbers are leaving Illinois, and are bringing their practices to other states where medical malpractice insurance premiums are lower,” said Osmond. “This, as a result, reduces our families' access to quality health care. This is a serious problem that needs to be rectified. It is vital for us to continue working to reform our medical litigation system so that the people of Illinois have the same access to health care as those in neighboring states.”

Osmond added that in 2003, the average jury verdict in malpractice cases in Cook County was $4.45 million, which represents a 23 percent increase in just one year.

Key provisions of the bill include:

Reducing unwarranted lawsuits.
Capping non-economic damages while preserving unlimited economic damages.
Enacting sensible insurance reforms.
Enhancing medical discipline.
Enabling annuity payments for awards.
Protecting physicians' personal assets.
Clarifying the principle of apparent agency.

OSMOND RESPONDS TO GOVERNOR'S STATE-OF-THE-STATE ADDRESS

ANTIOCH – State Representative JoAnn D. Osmond (R-Antioch) on Thursday said that while many of the priorities outlined in Governor Rod R. Blagojevich's State-of-the-State address are right for Illinois, it is important for us to focus on ways to streamline state spending in the wake of another multi-billion dollar budget deficit.

According to Osmond, a report that the Economic & Fiscal Commission released during last year's Fall Veto Session paints a bleak picture for the FY 2006 state budget.

“The Commission's early estimates have indicated that while tax and other state revenue receipts will grow by about $740 million next fiscal year, Illinois may only have $325 million in additional revenue to cover the increasing cost of programs offered by the state,” said Osmond.

Osmond warns that if this projection turns out to be true, the $325 million in additional revenue would not be enough to even cover the estimated $600 million that would be needed for state pension obligations. The $325 million would also not be enough to keep up with increasing health care, education and pension costs.

Osmond said that because of the projected shortfall in general revenue, the governor and General Assembly will again be forced to make some hard choices.

Osmond said it is important for Illinois to continue to build on its record of putting children first, and that she will work with the governor over the course of the next several months to ensure that all schools in her district receive their fair share of state funding.

Osmond is pleased to hear the governor's commitment to reforming the state's worsening health care availability crisis.

Osmond is also glad to hear that the governor shares some of her top priorities: finding new ways to bring jobs to Illinois and working to solve the state's nursing shortage. Osmond, however, said that she will also continue to oppose tax and fee increases that will harm the economy and cost jobs.

“When Governor Blagojevich unveiled his FY 2005 budget proposal early last year, it included higher business fees on employers,” said Osmond. “This was a part of the governor's attempt to eliminate the deficit and balance the state's budget. Shortly after the proposal was unveiled, the Illinois Chamber of Commerce filed a lawsuit against the state, alleging that the increased business fees were not only an unfair burden to employers, but were also unconstitutional. Seven months after the lawsuit was filed, the judge sided with the Chamber. It is important for the governor to keep in mind that the key to an economic recovery in this state, and to secure employment for those who are seeking it, is to focus on encouraging job growth and investment in Illinois. It is our hope, when the governor proposes his budget for FY 2006, that lessons were learned from last year, and this budget will not be balanced on the backs of our employers.”

Osmond added that while she is initially a bit skeptical about the sudden change to a more pro-business attitude, she is certainly looking forward to reviewing the governor's specific plans in detail after his budget address in two weeks.

OSMOND: T.R.I.P., TEACHER CERTIFICATION PROCESS TO BE EXTENDED

ANTIOCH- Calling it an important program that enables all retired teachers to receive health insurance benefits, State Representative JoAnn D. Osmond (R-Antioch) on Thursday applauded the signing of legislation to renew the state's Teachers' Retirement Insurance Program (T.R.I.P.). T.R.I.P. was to expire on June 30, 2004, and this new law, noted Osmond, will ensure that all retired teachers' insurance coverage and other benefits will be safeguarded.

The legislation contains an agreement between the Illinois Federation of Teachers (IFT), Illinois Education Association (IEA), Illinois Retired Teachers Association, ED, the School Management Alliance, Large Unit District Association (LUDA) and Sample Curriculum and Plans for Education (SCOPE) that permanently removes the sunset date on T.R.I.P. The agreement also caps the growth in premiums charged to retirees, and requires the state to contribute $13 million to the program annually and to continue matching active teacher contributions to help ensure the program's continue financial stability.

It also establishes a committee to make long-term recommendation on T.R.I.P. The committee would automatically review the program should a future deficit occur.

“For the sake of all retired teachers throughout the State of Illinois, I am pleased that this legislation has been signed into law,” said Osmond. “I will remain committed to securing the continuation of T.R.I.P. for years to come, which will provide our retired teachers with the insurance coverage and benefits they deserve, and reward them for their years of service in developing our youth into successful, mature adults.”

Osmond is also praising another part of the new law that extends the Initial Certification for the Class of 2004 by one year so they may complete the necessary requirements to move to a standard certification.

“Roughly 7,000 teachers across the state who currently hold their Initial Certificate were at risk of losing their certificates on July 1 for failing to meet the specific requirements in place at the time for moving from Initial to Standard,” said Osmond. “This would have made them ineligible to teach in the 2004-2005 school year.”

Negotiations began by addressing this issue and were eventually expanded to address changes that could be made to streamline the entire certification process, including Initial Certificates, Standard Certificates, Master Certificates, out-of-state certified teachers and substitute teacher certificates.

Out-of-state teachers will now find it easier to receive an Illinois teaching certificate.

It allows a sunset provision on substitute teachers holding an early childhood, elementary, high school or special certificate allowing them to teach up to 120 school days in a school term.

It represents an agreement between the Illinois State Board of Education, the Illinois Education Association, the Illinois Federation of Teachers, the Illinois Business Roundtable and the business community, School Management Alliance, and institutions of higher education.

OSMOND'S EMERGENCY SPECIAL LEGISLATION FOR GAVIN SCHOOL DISTRICT 37 BECOMES LAW

ANTIOCH- State Representative JoAnn D. Osmond's (R-Antioch) legislation to provide funding assistance to Gavin School District 37 for the cost of placing the students of a recently condemned school building in emergency classrooms outside the district is now law. This happened after the Illinois Senate on Thursday voted 37-15 to override Governor Rod R. Blagojevich's veto of the bill, and the Illinois House voted 89-17 to override it earlier this week.

House Bill 753, which overwhelmingly passed the House 102-13 and Senate 39-18 during the spring session, was vetoed by Blagojevich. Osmond immediately filed a motion to override the veto, and her motion next moves to the Senate after having successfully cleared the House.

House Bill 753 allows a limited exemption from tax caps to generate revenue for repayment of student relocation expenses and bond payments for the school building repair or replacement. It also permits the school district to issue bonds to cover the repair, reconstruction or replacement of the building without having to seek referendum approval.

The school district is seeking a judgment against all parties involved in the construction of the building. Under this legislation, the temporary relocation loan from the state and the bond repayment must be repaid from insurance and legal settlements, which will ensure that the taxpayers and state are repaid when insurance claims and settlement dollars are received.

“After documentation was submitted through the Lake County Regional Office of Education, we immediately sprung into action, “ said Osmond. “Securing this emergency funding from the state is critical to ensuring that the students of Gavin Central School are not left out in the cold, and are able to continue their education in alternative classrooms while discussions are held on whether the condemned building can be repaired.”

This past February, it was discovered that 52 of the 102 roof support trusses at Gavin Central School are cracked, prompting an immediate shutdown of the school and the transfer of its 631 students to neighboring schools (at an estimated cost of $242,000). The cost to replace the building would be $11 million, and between $1 million and $2 million to repair structural problems to the existing building. It is currently being determined whether the current building can be repaired.

Gavin Central School, located at 36414 N. Ridge Avenue in Ingleside, First opened its doors in May 1996. It was constructed at a cost of $6.5 million.

OSMOND'S EMERGENCY SPECIAL LEGISLATION FOR GAVIN SCHOOL DISTRICT 37 TO THE GOVERNOR

ANTIOCH- The Illinois House on Monday overwhelmingly voted 102-13 to concur with a Senate Amendment to legislation offered by State Representative JoAnn D. Osmond (R-Antioch) that provides funding assistance to Gavin School District 37 for the cost of placing the students of a recently condemned school building in emergency classrooms outside the district. House Bill 753, which passed the Senate 39-18, next moves to the Office of Governor Rod R. Blagojevich for final consideration.

House Bill 753 allows a limited exemption for tax caps to generate revenue for repayment of student relocation expenses and bond payments for the school building repair or replacement. It also permits the school district to issue bonds to cover the repair, reconstruction or replacement of the building without having to seek referendum approval.

Gavin Central School, located at 36414 N. Ridge Avenue in Ingleside, First opened its doors in May 1996. It was constructed at a cost of $6.5 million.

OSMOND: STREAMLINING STATEWIDE ELECTED OFFICES A FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE WAY TO REDUCE BUDGET DEFICIT

ANTIOCH - State Representative JoAnn D. Osmond (R-Antioch) is announcing her support of a newly released proposal to streamline statewide elected offices. The plan, unveiled at a press conference on Tuesday by State Treasurer Judy Baar Topinka, Senate Republican Leader Frank Watson (R-Greenville) and House Republican Leader Tom Cross (R-Oswego) in a continuing effort to save the state money in the wake of its ongoing budget crisis, would merge the offices of Illinois Treasurer and Comptroller, and eliminate the office of Lieutenant Governor.

"Because our state continues to face a budget crisis, it is important for us to continue thinking of ways to reduce the deficit without impacting the important programs and services offered in Illinois," said Osmond. "This can be accomplished by identifying and eliminating areas of wasteful spending. Proposing to streamline government is the fiscally responsible thing to do, and paves the way for a bright future for the economic condition of this state."

Osmond added that merging the offices of Treasurer and Comptroller and eliminating the office of Lieutenant Governor would save the taxpayers money, avoid the duplication of services and reduce the budget deficit.

This measure, if approved by the legislature and then by voters in the election this November, would take effect in 2006, after the current office holders' terms have expired.

DEFIBRILLATOR LEGISLATION CO-SPONSORED BY OSMOND PASSES HOUSE

ANTIOCH - Legislation co-sponsored by State Representative JoAnn D. Osmond (R-Antioch) requiring various indoor physical fitness facilities to develop and implement a plan for responding to medical emergencies overwhelmingly passed the Illinois House on Wednesday. Senate Bill 865, which creates the Physical Fitness Facility Medical Emergency Preparedness Act, requires each of these facilities to be equipped with at least one Automated External Defibrillator (AED) and to have a trained AED user on staff. It ensures that those engaging in health and fitness activities receive proper, immediate medical treatment in the event of an emergency.

Upon completion of the crafting of a medical emergency response plan, this legislation requires each facility premise to file a copy of the plan with the Department of Public Health- It calls for the Department to establish rules to ensure coordination with local emergency medical services systems regarding the placement and use of AEDs in physical fitness facilities. It allows the Department to inspect physical fitness facilities for the purpose of investigating complaints, and to ensure their compliance with the new rules offered in this bill. Finally, it authorizes the Department to impose civil monetary penalties for any violations of these provisions.

"Emergencies can arise at any given time, and so it is important for these facilities to equip themselves with AEDs and develop medical emergency response plans so that a victim can receive immediate attention if necessary," said Osmond. "I would like to thank my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for their support of this life-saving piece of legislation."

AEDs are used for treating persons experiencing cardiac arrest. The device delivers a shock to the victim's heart that forces it into a normal rhythm. According to the American Heart Association, roughly one in every five heart attack victims' lives could be saved through more widespread use of the device.

Senate Bill 865, as amended, returns to the Senate for concurrence.

OSMOND LAUDS PASSAGE OF BILL TO REINSTATE RECOGNITION PROGRAM FOR NON-PUBLIC SCHOOLS

ANTIOCH - State Representative JoAnn D. Osmond (R-Antioch) applauded the passage of a bill in the House on Thursday to restore $ l.l million to the State Board of Education's budget. Senate Bill 1014, co-sponsored by Osmond, would ensure that students in private schools throughout Illinois would have the same opportunities for scholarships and admission to the college of his or her choice as those in public schools.

The governor this past summer reduced $1.1 million from the State Board of Education's budget. This move forced the Board to eliminate the Non-Public School Recognition Program in an effort to avoid harming other important programs in its budget. Because of this, 800 recognized non-public schools in Illinois would no longer be certified and would be unable to guarantee their students receive an education equivalent to certified public schools.

"Voting to reinstate the $1.1 million eliminated from the Board of Education's budget is critical to ensuring that students in non-public schools throughout Illinois receive the opportunities they deserve when applying for scholarships or entry into college," said Osmond. "Preserving our children's future has, and always will be, a top priority in this state. The vote we took yesterday benefits hundreds of thousands of non-public school students in our state, including those in private institutions located in my district. We are confident that this legislation will be approved by the Senate in the second week of the Fall Veto Session."

Senate Bill 1014, as amended, returns to the Senate for concurrence.

OSMOND: DEATH PENALTY REFORM MEASURES BECOME LAW

ANTIOCH - Legislation co-sponsored by State Representative JoAnn D. Osmond (R-Antioch) to reform the capital punishment system in Illinois became law on Wednesday, after the Illinois General Assembly voted to override Governor Blagojevich's amendatory veto of the legislation. A second bill also passed that addresses Blagojevich's concerns regarding the decertification of police officers, and is expected to be signed by the governor in the near future.

Senate Bill 472 consists of 17 of the recommendations made by former Governor George Ryan's Death Penalty Commission, including limiting the scope of eligibility factors, prohibiting the execution of the mentally retarded and allowing post-conviction appeals at any time if based on new evidence proving innocence.

Some other highlights of the Death Penalty Reform Package include:

• Requiring a jury or court to consider aggravation and mitigation factors when determining whether death is the appropriate sentence.

• Reducing the instances where the death penalty is appropriate.

• Having a jury or court take a defendant's history of mental or physical abuse or reduced mental capacity into consideration when determining whether to impose the death penalty.

• Allowing a defendant to have access to written objections when appealing his or her death sentence imposed by the court.

• Permitting the Illinois Supreme Court to reduce a death sentence to incarceration if they find the sentence is fundamentally unfair.

• Establishing a Capital Punishment Reform Study Group to review the

effectiveness of the reforms and to report back to the General Assembly and the Governor.

"Ever since a moratorium was placed on the death penalty nearly four years ago, we have worked countless hours to reform Illinois' capital punishment system to ensure that innocent persons are no longer wrongfully convicted of murder and sent to Death Row," said Osmond. "With these meaningful reforms now in place, it is time for the governor to lift the moratorium on the death penalty or explain what other reforms he feels are necessary to reinstate capital punishment in Illinois."

OSMOND SEEKS REPEAL OF NEW STATE TRUCKING FEES

ANTIOCH - State Representative JoAnn D. Osmond (R-Antioch) on Tuesday announced her support of legislation to repeal a new state fee imposed on trucking firms that is forcing many to leave Illinois. Osmond cited the importance of keeping the trucking industry in Illinois strong in order 10 retain good jobs.

House Bill 3851 repeals the commercial distribution fee imposed on all trucks weighing more than 8,000 pounds.

Osmond said that her office has received calls from many people in the trucking industry upset with the fees Many run small operations and can't afford the fees, she said, and will either cease operating or move their business and the jobs they provide out of state.

"During these tough economic limes, it is important to work with those businesses that provide quality jobs rather than burden them with heavy fees," said Osmond- "We need to do everything we can to support their efforts in order to promote economic growth and job creation in this state."

Osmond added that the Mid-West Truckers Association is reporting a decline in the number of trucking companies registering in Illinois, while in comparison, neighboring Indiana has seen a dramatic increase in registration from 88,290 to 116,326 in just one year.

Many of our neighboring states are aware of these burdensome fees, and are using that information in their marketing to lure businesses away from Illinois, Osmond said, adding that it is, therefore, important to act quickly to repeal these fees so that we can begin to repair our reputation as being an anti-business state and protect our jobs.

"VOICE STRESS ANALYSIS" LEGISLATION CO-SPONSORED BY OSMOND UNANIMOUSLY PASSES BOTH HOUSES

ANTIOCH - The Illinois House on Thursday unanimously voted to concur with a Senate Amendment to legislation co-sponsored by State Representative JoAnn D. Osmond (R-Antioch) that would give law enforcement agencies throughout the state the option of using "voice stress analysis" (VSA) as an investigative tool in criminal cases.

VSA, first developed in the 1970s, is a technology that allows certified, trained operators to detect deception by registering and interpreting a complex series of voice stress factors by analyzing the dissipation of FM modulation in inaudible voice "micro tremors". Unlike polygraph machines, a VSA has no inconclusive test results.

"VSAs have proven to be helpful to police when investigating crimes, and would be a useful resource in helping to solve cases," said Osmond. "House Bill 577 is not intended to replace the use of polygraphs, but rather give law enforcement agencies the opportunity to use an additional proven tool when conducting investigations."

The use of a VSA is banned in court, prohibited at traffic stops and only done with signed written consent.

Proponents to House Bill 577 include the Illinois Polygraph Society, the Arlington Heights, Berkeley, Bourbonnais, Forest Park, Grant Park, Gurnee, Mount Prospect, Round Lake Park-Hainesville, and Schaumburg Police Departments, the Kankakee and Lake County Sheriffs Departments, and the Cook County Office of the Inspector General.

House Bill 577, which unanimously passed the Senate last May, next moves to the Office of Governor Rod R. Blagojevich for final consideration.

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