For Immediate Release
Date: Nov. 18, 2005
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News from Senator Peter Roskam Senate Republican Whip | ||
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| 315 West Wesley Street | 309H State House | ||
| Wheaton, Illinois 60187 | Springfield, Illinois 62706 | ||
| 630-690-4500 | 217/782-8022 | ||
| http://www.peterroskam.com/contact.html | |||
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For Immediate Release |
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Date: Nov. 18, 2005 |
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SENATE WEEK IN REVIEW: Nov. 14-18
Springfield, IL – A new law limiting the purchase of cold medicines will prevent Illinois from becoming a favorite shopping site for out-of-town methamphetamine makers, according to State Senator Peter Roskam (R-Wheaton).
The new state law, signed Wednesday, will require pharmacies to keep cold medicines such as Sudafed and Tylenol Cold Severe Congestion behind pharmacy counters, and require those wishing to purchase the products to show photo identification and sign a log documenting the date and the amount purchased. In addition, no more than two packages of medicines containing pseudoephedrine may be purchased at one time.
Modeled after an Oklahoma law that reduced methamphetamine labs by 80% only six month after its enactment, the new restrictions target individuals who manufacture the highly addictive drug that is produced with large quantities of the pills and household ingredients. The key ingredient, pseudoephedrine, is found in some versions of Sudafed and other medications.
Senator Roskam hopes the new provisions will discourage people from out-of-state from flocking to Illinois to buy the pills they need to produce methamphetamine. States surrounding Illinois, including Iowa, Missouri and Indiana, already have passed laws that require consumers to sign a log and show photo ID before buying those products.
The new law will take effect Jan. 15, 2006.
Other measures signed into law this week include Senate Bills 92 and Senate Bill 1283.
Senate Bill 92 creates a new Department of Juvenile Justice, and establishes new requirements for counselors who interact with the youth in the juvenile system. The new agency will be funded by shifting approximately $124 million from the current Department of Corrections to the new Department of Juvenile Justice. Proponents, including the Juvenile Justice Initiative, Metropolis 2020, and the Safer Foundation, claim the move is cost neutral because the money being diverted to the new department has already been allocated to juvenile prison facilities. Currently, Illinois is one of only 11 states nationwide that does not utilize a separate juvenile justice system.
Critics questioned the motives behind the creation of a whole new department, maintaining that the Department of Corrections already has the ability to create specific programs for juvenile inmates, and that there is no need to create a new department with higher administrative costs.
The new law enacted by Senate Bill 1283 seeks to clarify the effective dates of several provisions passed under a workers’ compensation reform package last spring.
Specifically, the new law revises payments made by employers into the Rate Adjustment Fund and designates February 1, 2006 as the date that compensation for certain accidental injuries will increase, as well as when the new fee schedule becomes effective.
In other news, Gov. Rod Blagojevich signed “All Kids” into law on Tuesday, a bill meant to guarantee every child in Illinois receives health care, despite warnings from several lawmakers about holes in the program's design.
While supporting the goals of the measure, Senate Republicans maintain that the bill was sped through the Democrat-controlled Legislature without any discussion over the program’s infrastructure. Many view it as a publicity stunt by a first-time governor expected to seek re-election next year, whose administration has been the target of a widening federal inquiry into state hiring practices at departments under his control. Furthermore, they fear All Kids could turn into a costly mess, driving the state’s already delicate health care system into further despair. They also cite Blagojevich's track record of a failed attempt to import flu vaccine, the jaded response to his championed I-Save Rx plan, and his complete disregard for keeping promises about where taxpayer dollars are being spent.
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