The Republican challenger to state Rep. Jay Hoffman outlined his plan for fixing the state's financial issues Thursday during a news conference in Edwardsville.

Among candidate Dwight Kay's major points were:

* Cut wasteful spending at the line-item level with a statewide audit.
* Vote against any tax increase.
* Cut business taxes and fees to bring jobs back to Illinois.
* Support term limits.
* Reform worker's compensation and pension programs.
* Post all government expenditures online.

"I think the people in Springfield owe us an apology," said Kay, of Glen Carbon, referring to what he called Illinois' financial "death spiral."

"Politicians promise the world and deliver peanuts. ... We need to think like businesspeople, not politicians. We need public servants, not politicians."

Kay stayed away from criticizing Hoffman, a 10-term Democrat from Collinsville, directly. Instead, he criticized what he called a "borrow-and-spend" atmosphere in Springfield.

"You don't find jobs. You don't create jobs," Kay said. "You create an environment that grows jobs."

For education, Kay said he wanted to see more money going directly to the classroom.

"Had the state managed its budget correctly ... we wouldn't be talking about how we're funding schools," he said.

Hoffman said he believes Illinois residents are tired of partisan politics. "I believe it's imperative in the near future that the finger-pointing stop, the accusations stop, and we begin to show accountability in Springfield and stop just going along with our party leaders," Hoffman said.

Hoffman pointed out that he was one of only three Democrats to go against his party to vote against the current budget and also vote against increasing the state income tax. "I didn't think it was balanced and didn't show foresight," he said. "I've consistently stood up against the powers that be in Springfield and fought for the people in our district, whether it's for infrastructure improvements or the most sweeping ethics reforms in state history."

Hoffman also said he believes fixing the state's budget woes should come before talk of raising the income tax.

"I would not approve any increase in income taxes prior to getting our house in order," Hoffman said. "We need to start being fiscally responsible before we even consider asking people to give more money to the state."

Kay unsuccessfully challenged Hoffman in 2008 with a heavily-funded campaign that focused on Hoffman's close ties to then-Gov. Rod Blagojevich, and the campaign got rough in the final weeks, with robocalls and television commercials accusing each other of sleazy politics.

CHICAGO -- Gov. Pat Quinn signed legislation Thursday that will require Illinois nursing homes to hire more staff and the state to hire dozens of new inspectors as part of a sweeping overhaul aimed at improving patient safety at the state's nearly 800 nursing homes.

The law's requirements follow a governor's task force initiated after a series of news reports about assaults, rapes and murders at nursing homes. Members of the governor's staff and officials from Attorney General Lisa Madigan's office worked with advocates, legislators, nursing home operators, workers and residents to draft the legislation, they said.

Quinn, surrounded by lawmakers and advocates for the elderly, said Thursday that the legislation "begins a new era of nursing home care in Illinois."

Under the new law, the admissions system for nursing homes must also be revised so that only people who need 24-hour skilled care are admitted.

The state's health department will also hire more inspectors -- as many as 180 new inspectors by 2013, more than doubling their current ranks. Fines and fees for nursing homes would increase. And there will be an increase in required staffing for nursing homes, from 2.5 hours of nursing care per resident each day to 3.8 hours of nursing care each day in 2014.

"Thousands of nursing home residents will be able to age with dignity," said David Vinkler, AARP associate state director.

The reforms are aimed at a pattern of violence in Illinois nursing homes stemming from the state's long reliance on the facilities to house younger adults with serious mental illness.

Illinois has relied on nursing homes to house the young mentally ill more than any other state, an Associated Press analysis found. Elderly residents have been victimized by stronger, younger residents living in close quarters.

The bill would address that potentially dangerous situation by requiring hospitals to initiate criminal background checks before transferring some patients into nursing homes. Anyone identified as a sex offender - or as having been convicted of other serious crimes - would then be required to submit to a fingerprint check.

An expanded fingerprint criminal background check will operate as a pilot program in Cook and Will counties. In those places, all younger residents of facilities with both elderly residents and more than 25 residents diagnosed with serious mental illness would get extensive criminal background checks.

Nursing homes would also find it more difficult to subdue residents inappropriately with psychotropic drugs. Before getting such medication, residents or their representatives would have to give their written consent and listen to a discussion of the risks and benefits of the drugs.

Quinn also signed a law aimed at reducing fraud and abuse in nursing homes by broadening the definition of criminal neglect, requiring greater disclosure by nursing home owners and requiring the prompt reporting of fraud, abuse and neglect.

Both laws go into effect immediately.

Fred Friedman, a former nursing home resident and advocate for the mentally ill, said the legislation is a first step.

"Many of us believe that no one cares about us," Friedman said. "We're going to do our best to fight for ourselves, but we know that we can't do it ourselves. I'm asking everyone ... to continue the fight."

SPRINGFIELD -- Two years after then-President George W. Bush traveled to Peoria to help Republican U.S. Rep. Aaron Schock's campaign for Congress, former First Lady Laura Bush plans to do the same.

Laura Bush plans to appear at a fundraiser for Schock Sept. 13 in Peoria, said Schock spokesman Steve Shearer.

The fundraiser will be a private event with tickets costing $250 and $500. A location hasn't yet been set, Shearer said.

It's also unclear so far if Bush will appear at any free events in town open to the public.

Shearer said the experience of former President Bush's $1 million fundraiser for Schock in 2008 helped lure Laura Bush to Peoria.

"She's actually harder to get than the president was," Shearer said.

The extra money will be a boost to Schock's re-election campaign against Democrat Deirdre "DK" Hirner of Springfield.

Hirner said Thursday that she respects the former first lady and is focused on her own campaign.

Tickets are available through Schock's campaign office by calling (309) 693-9393.

CHICAGO -- Vote early, vote often. It's an old joke in Illinois politics but state residents will be choosing twice in November to fill President Barack Obama's former Senate seat.

Gov. Pat Quinn filed paperwork Thursday calling a special election to fill the seat, all because of a long-running lawsuit that says it should have been done almost two years ago. Lawyers headed back to court to hash out who will be on the ballot and try to minimize the confusion for voters.

This much is clear: People will pick one senator to serve a six-year term in the regular election, and another to serve the final weeks of Obama's old term in a special election. The short-timer would serve from after the November election until the new senator is inaugurated in January.

A dual election sets up the remote possibility that one candidate could win the regular election and another could win the special election, adding to the drama around a Senate seat that has already been in the news for much of the time since Obama was elected.

Impeached Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich was charged with trying to sell or trade the appointment to the Senate to enrich himself. He has pleaded not guilty in a case that went to the jury this week.

Federal Judge John Grady was still sorting out on Thursday who would be on the ballot. He seemed to favor allowing candidates who qualified for the regular election by winning the February primary or being certified for the ballot after collecting 25,000 signatures.

That would include Democrat Alexi Giannoulias, currently Illinois' treasurer, Republican Congressman Mark Kirk and the Green Party's LeAlan Jones, who all won their parties' primaries.

But it would seem to exclude Democrat Roland Burris, who has held the seat since he was appointed by Blagojevich in late 2008. He didn't run in the February primary because he chose not to seek a full term.

Until the judge's order is final, Burris' attorney Tim Wright held out hope that his client could get a place on the special ballot in the hopes that the only black member of the Senate could serve until January.

"If he does not have the capacity to be a candidate in this race, I think you'll see a suitable response," Wright said.

Assistant attorney general Thomas Ioppolo, who represented the state, was worried about puzzled voters if there are different candidates in the special and regular Senate elections.

"Even with the exact same names there's a certain amount of confusion," Ioppolo told the judge. "When you have different names on those ballot positions, you multiply the opportunities for confusion."

Earlier in the week, the judge seemed to like the idea of letting political party bosses pick candidates for the special election as they have done previously when there were vacancies on the ballot. That would have given Burris a chance to make his case to party leaders.

The issue is in court because a lawsuit said that under the U.S. Constitution, Illinois had to call a special election for the seat after Obama was elected. An appeals court agreed.

Blagojevich's appointment of Burris also ignited controversy because he got the nod after Blagojevich was arrested on federal corruption charges.

After being picked, Burris repeatedly changed his story about his contact with Blagojevich's advisers. A Senate ethics committee eventually admonished him, calling out his apparent willingness to link raising money for Blagojevich with his interest in going to the Senate.

Wright said there's a risk that supporters of Burris will be upset if he's not on the special election ballot and register their anger on Election Day.

Kirk has said he would work to win a special election but blasted any unnecessary costs associated with it. Jones did too, and said he also would want to be on the ballot. Giannoulias' campaign manager Mike Rendina said the Democrat looked forward to working with party leaders to ensure that they're in the best position to win in November.

Giannoulias would maintain Democrats' numbers in the Senate if he were to win a special election and take office before January. Kirk would chip away at them if he won.

SPRINGFIELD -- Gov. Pat Quinn has signed a number of new laws into effect.

Roadside memorials OK'd

Illinois families who lose a loved one because of a fatal car accident will have a new way to memorialize the victim and the location of the crash under a new state law.

The memorial marker program would allow families to purchase signs that would be installed by the Illinois Department of Transportation near the site of the accident.

Families already often place informal, unofficial memorials at the site of accidents. If the memorial is small and not distracting, IDOT generally leaves it alone.

The new program signed into law by Gov. Pat Quinn Wednesday, is similar to one already in place for victims of drunk driving accidents.

The legislation is Senate Bill 3803.

Smoking banned at private rooms in nursing homes

The state's smoking ban has been extended to include private rooms at nursing homes.

Legislation signed by Gov. Pat Quinn eliminates the exemption that allowed some nursing homes to offer in-room smoking to residents if certain conditions are met.

Under the new law, nursing homes can have a group area set aside for smoking as long as it does not interfere with non-smoking areas of the facility.

The legislation is Senate Bill 851.

Law calls for bed bug task force

A new law calls for a task force to plot a plan of action for attacking bed bugs.

Acting in response to an increase in complaints about the pests, lawmakers called for a panel of experts to recommend how the state work to eradicate them. The group also might recommend how the state conduct an educational campaign targeting bed bug management.

The work must be completed by Dec. 31, 2011.

The measure was approved unanimously in the Senate, but was ridiculed by some members of the House as unnecessary. It won approval on an 84-31 vote and was signed into law by Gov. Pat Quinn Tuesday.

The legislation is House bill 6439.

SPRINGFIELD -- A new law designed to improve the care and safety of residents in Illinois nursing homes has become a campaign issue in a closely watched race for state Senate.

On Thursday, Democrat Tim Dudley, a Macon County Board member, slammed his Nov. 2 opponent for voting against the proposal.

State Sen. Kyle McCarter, R-Lebanon, was among eight GOP lawmakers who voted "no" on Senate Bill 326 during legislative action this spring.

"Sen. McCarter sent a clear message to our seniors by voting against this bill," Dudley said in a prepared statement Thursday. "If I'm elected I will fight to make sure seniors receive the care they deserve."

McCarter said the changes, which include new staffing requirements, will force nursing homes to raise their rates for private pay clients.

"The mandatory staffing ratios are completely unfunded," McCarter said.

"My opportunity sees this as an opportunity to jab me," McCarter said. "There's more to this bill than meets the eye."

Dudley's comments came as Gov. Pat Quinn signed the legislation into law Thursday while flanked by Attorney General Lisa Madigan, legislative supporters and nursing home advocates.

The changes are aimed stemming at a pattern of violence in Illinois nursing homes, which has been linked to the state's practice of housing younger adults with mental illnesses in nursing homes, rather than in separate facilities.

Dudley and McCarter are vying for the 51st Senate District seat that was vacated by former Senate Minority Leader Frank Watson, R-Greenville, who resigned after suffering a stroke. McCarter was appointed to fill the year left on Watson's term and is now seeking a full term as senator.

Dudley said the new law will shield elderly residents from possible abuse and poor living conditions.

"Our seniors have worked hard their entire lives and they deserve our support and respect," Dudley noted.

McCarter said smaller nursing homes in the region will be forced to charge higher rates to non-Medicaid residents to comply with the more stringent staffing ratios outlined in the measure.

"The cost of doing business will be passed on to loves ones in nursing homes," McCarter said.

CHICAGO -- Jurors were out of sight on their first full day deciding the fate of former Gov. Rod Blagojevich. But the scene at the federal courthouse could have been far uglier for Democrats if his corruption trial had played out as expected with the party gearing up for tough elections.

In the end, there was no sharp-tongued Rahm Emanuel on the stand, squaring off with Blagojevich attorney Sam Adam Jr. over the White House chief of staff's talks with a Blagojevich adviser about who to appoint to President Barack Obama's old Senate seat.

There was no Alexi Giannoulias, the Democratic candidate for Obamas's old seat, being asked about how he introduced a union official to a close Obama adviser that Blagojevich considered for the senate seat.

And there was no testimony from Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, who Blagojevich's lawyers also originally subpoenaed to testify about the appointment.

Blagojevich's lawyers rested their case last week without calling a single witness, not even Blagojevich himself, to defend against charges he schemed to sell or trade Obama's old seat. That not only spared Democrats any potentially embarrassing testimony but could help wrap up the trial well in advance of Labor Day, the traditional kickoff of the fall campaign.

"They dodged a bullet because it would have been weeks of dragging in these high-level people and talking about the schemes and all that," Illinois GOP chairman Pat Brady said.

Blagojevich's defense attorneys had plastered Washington and Illinois with subpoenas. Besides Emanuel, Reid and Giannoulias, the current Illinois treasurer, the ex-governor's lawyers also initially wanted Obama adviser Valerie Jarrett to appear, as well as Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin. They even wanted to subpoena Obama, but weren't allowed to by a judge.

The fact that none of them ended up appearing doesn't mean Republicans will let voters forget that Blagojevich -- who was twice elected governor -- is a Democrat as they try to pry loose the party's grip on the senate seat and Illinois state government in the fall campaign. But how much impact it will have at the polls remains to be seen.

Other issues, like Illinois' financial crisis with its $13 billion deficit, help mitigate the damage of the Blagojevich trial, said DePaul University political science professor Michael Mezey.

"It's going to be yesterday's news by the time election season starts Labor Day," Mezey said.

And because of Blagojevich's antics, which range from appearing on reality TV to singing an Elvis song at a street fair, some argue that he is no longer defined first and foremost as a Democrat.

"I think there is often a line that you cross when you go from being associated with a party to being just your own off-kilter personality," said Democratic consultant Chris Lehane. "And wherever that line is, I think he crossed it a long time ago."

But Chris Mooney, a political science professor at the University of Illinois at Springfield, said that won't keep Republicans from hammering away.

"You can be crazy and a Democrat," Mooney said.

Tying an opponent to corruption in his party was Blagojevich's own strategy during the 2006 campaign, when he was re-elected after repeatedly linking his Republican opponent to former GOP Gov. George Ryan, who went to prison after being convicted of corruption. Democrats could try to paint Blagojevich as someone separate from the party who ended up going rogue.

Gov. Pat Quinn, Blagojevich's former lieutenant governor, is seeking a full term of his own in November after replacing his disgraced running mate when he was removed from office by lawmakers in January 2009. The two men had been on the outs for years but Republicans have still linked them.

For the White House, the news coverage of top aides testifying would have been an unwanted distraction, even though none of Obama's allies were accused of wrongdoing, said Lehane, who worked for Al Gore's presidential campaign.

"You obviously would not want a situation where the chief of staff at the White House or a senior adviser to the president has to raise their hand and take an oath and then testify in a criminal proceeding that at the end of the day is about whether people engage in illegal forms of politics," Lehane said.

No one knows what the big-name Democrats might have said at trial but there's plenty of speculation.

Emanuel, who reportedly was captured on FBI wiretaps, had been authorized by Obama to pass along to Blagojevich's office the names of potential Senate replacements, according to a report from former White House counsel Greg Craig. Craig conducted an internal inquiry for Obama shortly after the election about contacts between the presidential transition team and Blagojevich.

During the trial, prosecution witnesses said Blagojevich had considered appointing Jarrett to the seat if he could get a Cabinet post from Obama.

Giannoulias has said he introduced Jarrett to Tom Balanoff, an official with the Service Employees International Union. Prosecutors have said Blagojevich sent word through Balanoff that he would appoint Jarrett to the Senate if Obama would give him a top-level job. Durbin has said he talked to Blagojevich about possible Senate replacements.

Blagojevich has vehemently denied doing anything improper while deciding who would be awarded the Senate seat after Obama was elected president. Prosecutors argued he was angling for money or a job because he and his wife were financially strapped.

Blagojevich eventually appointed Democrat Roland Burris, although Burris didn't seek a full term. Giannoulias, Republican Congressman Mark Kirk and the Green Party's LeAlan Jones are vying for the seat in November.

Bloomington-Normal has a right to be proud of its role in the life of Abraham Lincoln.

Saturday's festival is a good way to celebrate that connection and a good way for residents to learn more about it.

Events connected with the Lincoln's Bloomington Festival will be staged at several locations, including the David Davis Mansion State Historic Site, McLean County Museum of History, Bloomington Public Library, The Oaks mansion grounds and the Burr House Bed and Breakfast.

Having activities at various locations is a good way to expose people to a number of Lincoln sites in the community. Be sure to read the "Looking for Lincoln" signs to learn more about where Lincoln and his cohorts spent their time while Lincoln was a circuit-riding lawyer beginning his political career.

People come from across the state and beyond to tour the David Davis Mansion -- built by the man Lincoln named to the U.S. Supreme Court after becoming president. Yet how many Twin City residents have yet to visit the site -- or only do so to show it off when guests are in town.

This weekend, pretend you are the tourist. Visit the mansion, museum and other sites. Sit on the bench on the east side of the courthouse and pose with the statue of Lincoln -- or photograph several of the re-enactors who will be part of the festival.

You can make a real "tourist" day of it by also taking in the Downtown Bloomington Farmers Market on Saturday morning.

You might consider using a bicycle to get around. The David Davis Mansion, 100 Monroe Drive, is easily accessible from Constitution Trail and the Burr House, 210 E. Chestnut, is less than a mile away. The Oaks, 301 E. Grove St., is about a half-mile off Constitution Trail, riding west on Grove Street. From there, the library, 205 E. Olive St., is a couple of blocks away.

From the library, it is about four blocks to downtown Bloomington and the Museum of History, 200 N. Main St.

Consider yourself the bicycle equivalent of a Lincoln-era circuit rider. Choose your connecting streets carefully, obey the rules of the road and remember that a helmet is probably a wiser choice than a stovepipe hat.

For schedule of events

Check last Monday's Pantagraph, Page A3

Go to www.pantagraph.com/lincolnfest.

In his closing argument, defense attorney Sam Adam Jr. urged jurors in Rod Blagojevich's corruption trial to ask themselves a question: "What would Sam say?"

Turns out what they really want to know is, "What did the government say?"

Early in their second day of deliberations, jurors in the ex-governor's trial sent out a note from the jury room Thursday morning.

Their request: a transcript of the prosecution's closing argument.

The request will be denied, U.S. District Judge James Zagel said in court shortly afterward, because closing arguments are not evidence.

The note was enough to make the three prosecutors on the case look at one another and laugh. Blagojevich's defense team also opposed the request.

Still, Zagel said he understood why the jury might want the transcript.

"What the government largely gave them at certain points in its closing was a roadmap," the judge said.

In his closing argument Monday, prosecutor Chris Niewoehner laid out the charges against Blagojevich and his brother, clearly explaining each of the 28 counts and matching them with the evidence the prosecution believed proved their case.

The indictment, on the other hand -- one of the few documents jurors may use in their deliberations -- is complicated and filled with legal jargon.

Zagel said if the jury really needs the "roadmap," he would likely receive another note from them.

"And I will deal with it," the judge said.

Seven pens -- seven Governor of the State of Illinois ballpoint pens -- are carefully laid out on a scuffed desk in a conference room on the 15th floor of the Thompson Center.

Gov. Quinn is scheduled to have his sole public event of the day -- signing legislation creating an inspector general for the Illinois Tollway Authority.

The governor has been staging a flurry of bill signings around the state, and I decided to drop in on this one. Republicans accuse Quinn of grandstanding, conflating these signings into campaign events but, frankly, Quinn lacks the pizzazz to grandstand. As Harry Caray once said, you can't ballyhoo a funeral.

Heading up the glass elevator, I picture myself the lone spectator. Who'd want to see Pat Quinn sign a tollway bill at 9:30 on a Wednesday?

Many people, it turns out -- three television cameras, a dozen members of the media. They wait, growing increasingly unhappy. The governor is 10, 15, 20 minutes late.

"I really don't have time for this today," complains one reporter, repeatedly, to no one in particular. "We've got stuff to do, and this isn't it," grouses another.

Finally, at six minutes to 10 the governor lopes into the room.

"Twenty-four minutes, guy," a radio reporter chides, quite loudly, a surprising display of disrespect. Then again, any harried public schoolteacher can coax a classroom of 6-year-olds into their bee costumes and giant sun outfits and shepherd them onstage to sing about good nutrition without being this late. It is not a performance that inspires confidence but then, heck, this is Pat Quinn. Confidence has left the building long ago.
You think you've got bill worries

I don't care about the tollway bill -- another example of government admitting that it can't control fraud and waste, then solemnizing the occasion by creating yet another level of government that is supposed to magically do what the current strata have proven themselves unable to.

No, I'm here because of a bill that on Wednesday was awaiting Quinn's signature -- SB 3084, which says that anybody who ever committed a sex crime has to remain on the sex offender registry forever. It passed unanimously in both Illinois House and Senate earlier this year. Heaping new punishments on criminals is a favorite pastime of politicians -- it looks good, the electorate likes it and the criminals rarely complain.

Though sometimes they do. In June, this newspaper ran an editorial calling the new sex registry bill counterproductive and unfair -- often these offenders plead guilty with the understanding they'd be on the registry for a decade then, if they stay out of trouble, they will be removed.

"There is no question sexual predators pose a real danger," the paper wrote. "But the assumption behind this bill that anyone ever convicted of a sex offense remains a threat to society forever is absurd."

As it is, sexual "predators" are already required to remain on the list for life. This bill would place thousands of people guilty of less serious offenses years ago permanently on the list.

After the editorial ran, a Berwyn man named Ken Chiero phoned the paper. Since colleagues often direct weird stuff they'd rather not cope with in my direction, I spoke to him.

"They told me if I did this, if I plead guilty, in 10 years I would be done with it," he said, his voice choking with emotion. "I did everything they asked me to do, never once tried to weasel my way out of it."

"It" was solicitation of a minor in 1999. He made an indecent proposal to a 16-year-old neighbor.

It would be easy to look away from a guy like Chiero. Talking with him, I suspect that his life is so filled with missteps and problems that being on the sex crime registry might not even be the most pressing.

"I've done some bad things," he said. But he's also a U.S. Marine who served in Vietnam who kept his nose clean and endured the scorn of his neighbors for a decade.

"It's been terrible," Chiero said. "I've been spit at, threatened."

He is set to go off the registry on Aug. 28.

"I am four weeks away," he said. "I did everything they asked me to do, I paid every fine, did every hour of community service. I have not broke the law."

Isn't that what we want? Are sex offenders going to behave better if we keep them on the registry whether they reform or not?

My concern is not with Chiero and his ilk so much as with our limited law enforcement resources. More than 21,000 Illinoisans are on the list already. Keeping people on forever means, if they don't comply, somebody has to find them and somebody has to put them in jail and a cell bunk is required.

Perhaps in an ideal world we'd want to do that. But the state is broke and law enforcement overextended. Our police can't investigate all the shootings that happened last week, do we really want a new law requiring that in 20 years Chiero -- now 59 -- be arrested for not registering due to a crime he has already been punished for committing?

"I can't see how he would sign something like that," Chiero said.

I can, though the good news is he won't get the chance. On Wednesday, I phoned the bill's main sponsor, State Sen. Iris Martinez, (D-20th), and asked her about the bill. Late Thursday, she called me to say she had decided to pull the bill back from the governor and rework it.

Maybe she will get it right this time.

SPRINGFIELD - A new law designed to improve the care and safety of residents in Illinois nursing homes has become a campaign issue in a closely watched race for state Senate.

On Thursday, Democrat Tim Dudley, a Macon County Board member, slammed his Nov. 2 opponent for voting against the proposal.

State Sen. Kyle McCarter, R-Lebanon, was among eight GOP lawmakers who voted "no" on Senate Bill 326 during legislative action this spring.

"Sen. McCarter sent a clear message to our seniors by voting against this bill," Dudley said in a prepared statement Thursday. "If I'm elected, I will fight to make sure seniors receive the care they deserve."

McCarter said the changes, which include new staffing requirements, will force nursing homes to raise their rates for private pay clients.

"The mandatory staffing ratios are completely unfunded," McCarter said. "My opponent sees this as an opportunity to jab me. There's more to this bill than meets the eye."

Dudley's comments came as Gov. Pat Quinn signed the legislation into law Thursday while flanked by Attorney General Lisa Madigan, legislative supporters and nursing home advocates.

The changes are aimed at a stemming pattern of violence in Illinois nursing homes, which has been linked to the state's practice of housing younger adults with mental illnesses in nursing homes, rather than separate facilities.

Dudley and McCarter are vying for the 51st Senate District seat that was vacated by former Senate Minority Leader Frank Watson, R-Greenville, who resigned after suffering a stroke. McCarter was appointed to fill the year left on Watson's term and is now seeking a full term as senator.

Dudley said the new law will shield elderly residents from possible abuse and poor living conditions.

"Our seniors have worked hard their entire lives, and they deserve our support and respect," Dudley noted.

McCarter said smaller nursing homes in the region will be forced to charge higher rates to non-Medicaid residents to comply with the more stringent staffing ratios outlined in the measure.

"The cost of doing business will be passed on to loves ones in nursing homes," McCarter said.

SPRINGFIELD - Illinois families who lose a loved one because of a fatal car accident will have a new way to memorialize the victim and the location of the crash under a new state law.

The memorial marker program would allow families to purchase signs that would be installed by the Illinois Department of Transportation near the site of the accident.

Families already often place informal, unofficial memorials at the site of accidents. If the memorial is small and not distracting, the department generally leaves it alone.

The new program signed into law by Gov. Pat Quinn on Wednesday is similar to one already in place for victims of drunken driving accidents.

The legislation is Senate Bill 3803.

The state's smoking ban has been extended to include private rooms at nursing homes.

Legislation signed by Gov. Pat Quinn eliminates the exemption that allowed some nursing homes to offer in-room smoking to residents if certain conditions are met.

Under the new law, nursing homes can have a group area set aside for smoking as long as it does not interfere with nonsmoking areas of the facility.

The legislation is Senate Bill 851.

A new law calls for a task force to plot a plan of action for attacking bed bugs.

Acting in response to an increase in complaints about the pests, lawmakers called for a panel of experts to recommend how the state could eradicate them. The group also might recommend how the state could conduct an educational campaign targeting bed bug management.

The work must be completed by Dec. 31, 2011.

The measure, House Bill 6439, was approved unanimously in the Senate, but was ridiculed by some members of the House as unnecessary. It won approval on an 84-31 vote and was signed into law by Gov. Pat Quinn on Tuesday.

DECATUR - Decatur-area lawmakers spoke out Thursday against early news the governor's office will seek to increase the state's income tax from 3 percent to 5 percent.

David Vaught, Gov. Pat Quinn's budget director, has said Quinn will try to pass the tax hike in January, after the 2010 elections. He said he estimates the move could net the state $6 billion.

For Decatur lawmakers and their election challengers, opposition to the increase was unanimous Thursday.

State Rep. Bob Flider, D-Mount Zion, reaffirmed his opposition to an income tax increase.

"I have been consistently opposed to an income tax increase and voted against the latest attempt to raise taxes in 2009," Flider said. "I believe the governor's budget director is completely misguided in his beliefs that the legislature will support such an idea in January of 2010. Raising taxes will only hamper efforts to boost the economy."

Adam Brown, the Decatur Republican running against Flider, called the move ironic in light of the 20 percent pay raise Vaught and a number of other staff members working for Quinn received. Vaught received the raise after being promoted to his current position.

"I feel like balancing the budget on the backs of hardworking Illinois residents is not appropriate at this time," Brown said. "(Vaught) got a 20 percent increase in his pay just last month. Maybe he can afford this income tax increase, but I don't think the working families here in Illinois can."

State Sen. Kyle McCarter, R-Lebanon said taxpayers are not going to be willing to trust state government with more money considering the state's current fiscal situation.

"I think it's a bad idea and the last thing you want to do to people in the middle of a recession," McCarter said. "We need more jobs; we don't need more taxes."

McCarter's electoral opponent, Democrat Tim Dudley of Decatur, said he didn't believe the General Assembly could pass such a measure in good conscience.

"An income tax increase is not the answer," Dudley said. "We need to cut spending and create opportunities to grow jobs in this state - not punish the people working hard to make a living."

State Rep. Bill Mitchell, R-Forsyth, couldn't be reached for comment Thursday.

DECATUR - The proposal to place a 1 percent sales tax increase on the ballot in November will move forward.

The Macon County Board's Environmental, Education, Health and Welfare Committee unanimously approved a motion to certify the measure at a short meeting Thursday. Most of Macon County's school districts approved asking for the resolution to be on November's ballot. Only Mount Zion did not approve the resolution. Those districts represent 85.2 percent of all students in the county, more than the minimum 51 percent required. The committee legally was required to send the measure forward.

The county board Finance Committee will take a vote at 5:15 p.m. Monday, and the proposal is expected to go to the full county board Aug. 12. State law requires approval of the measure if the school boards meet their obligations.

"Their job, basically, is to certify that fact," said Dan Winter, president of the Decatur school board. "There's no other action they could take."

The additional sales tax, if approved by voters, would be shared among Macon County schools, according to enrollment. The county board will have to meet again after the election to vote on whether to implement the tax and how much of it to implement.

"The rubber meets the road when the voters act on Nov. 2 and decide whether or not they accept the 1 percent sales tax," Winter said.

The audience filled the county board room for the meeting and included several of the county's school superintendents.

"This is a great situation because, the way government is nowadays, people feel like their legislators don't listen to them and do what they want," said Tim Dudley, D-Decatur, chairman of the Environmental, Education, Health and Welfare Committee. "The schools have come out, passed the resolution and now it goes on the ballot for the people to decide. That's great democracy when the people decide whether they want a tax increase or not instead of letting their legislators do it for them."

After the meeting, Jerrold Stocks, chairman of the Macon County Republican Central Committee, e-mailed a 110-page position paper outlining the Republican opposition to the tax increase.

Among its points:

* Decatur's declining enrollment does not justify the need for two high schools for the projected 30-year life of new construction.

* Decatur's two high schools have failed in their fundamental mission to educate based on state test scores.

* The state should bear the majority of the responsibility for school funding, not local communities, and if local communities take on a greater share, the state has no incentive to meet its obligations.

* Most of the improvements suggested for Decatur's high schools - for example, improved athletic and fine arts facilities - are excessive in light of economic constraints in the area.

CHICAGO -- Jurors at former Gov. Rod Blagojevich's corruption trial have ended their first full day of deliberations.

They're expected back Friday morning to pick up where they left off.

On Thursday, they asked Judge James Zagel for a transcript of one of the closing arguments in the case. But the judge denied the request, saying closing arguments are not evidence.

Little is known about the six men and six women deciding the fate of Blagojevich and his brother -- co-defendant Robert Blagojevich because Zagel is withholding their names until after the verdict.

Both Blagojeviches have pleaded not guilty to charges of trying to sell or trade an appointment to President Barack Obama's old U.S. Senate seat and illegally pressuring people for campaign donations.

A pre-algebra teacher, a former Marine and an avid marathon runner are among the 12 jurors who met Thursday for the first full day of deliberations in the corruption trial.

Jurors asked Zagel on Thursday for a transcript of one of the closing arguments in the case, but he denied the request, saying closing arguments are not evidence.

Some experts believe a verdict won't come for at least several days in the complicated case. Two carts full of evidence were wheeled into the jurors' meeting room when they began deliberations Wednesday, agreeing to meet from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays.

"Since the trial has gone faster than expected, I don't think they will be in as much of a mindset of, 'let's get out of here,'" said Michael Helfand, a Chicago attorney who followed the trial but has no link to the case.

And while they're deciding, they will be in a cocoon of privacy. They'll get no e-mail messages from "the King of Japan" or expletive-laden voicemail messages on their phones, like the ones Zagel has received. No chance of Facebook postings using their names, either.

The ubiquity of e-mail and social networking and the Internet Age-urge for everyone to express their opinions were among the reasons Zagel cited when he prohibited the release of the 12 primary and five alternate jurors' names until after a verdict.

Withholding juror names is more common in trials involving alleged mobsters or terrorists, for security reasons, and media organizations contested Zagel's ruling. But the judge maintained that the jurors' ability to impartially decide an "inarguably" high-profile case could be impaired by unsolicited interruptions.

There's also the danger someone could alter a juror's ability to think clearly, Zagel said recently. If jurors "picked up a phone and heard a spewing of profanity -- that could have a mood-altering impact," he said. In the judge's final ruling, he acknowledged that inappropriate contact of jurors is not a new issue, but said the risk was greater because of the "astounding" pervasiveness of e-mail and social media.

So, unlike in previous trials -- such as that of former Illinois Gov. George Ryan, Blagojevich's predecessor -- most of what's known about the jurors in Blagojevich's case is their occupations and a few details gleaned from the judge's questions during jury selection.

There's an accounting major at Western Illinois University, a retired public health official and a Navy veteran. One man was born in a U.S. internment camp for Japanese-Americans during World War II, while another is a former Marine who was injured while serving in the Middle East. One woman is passionate about knitting.

Eight jurors are white, three are black and one is Asian-American.

Zagel says he's less worried about "crackpots" than a pervasive belief among Americans that "their opinion somehow counts" on any subject -- and that non-crackpots couldn't help trying to persuade jurors with reasoned argument.

He said a bigger risk in the Blagojevich case was not only the trial's high visibility but that so many people felt a personal link to the twice-elected governor -- either as one-time constituents or as viewers who watched him as a reality TV contestant or other TV shows.

"We are dealing here with perhaps millions of people who voted for the defendant, who may feel betrayed by the defendant," Zagel said. "This is not ... something that happened to someone else."

The ousted governor, 53, has pleaded not guilty to 24 counts, including trying to sell or trade an appointment to President Barack Obama's vacated Senate seat for a Cabinet post, private job or campaign cash.

His brother, Nashville, Tenn., businessman Robert Blagojevich, 54, has also pleaded not guilty to taking part in that alleged scheme.

CHICAGO -- Employers who shortchange or don't pay workers will face stiffer penalties under an Illinois bill that's set to be signed into law.

Gov. Pat Quinn is scheduled to sign it Friday.

Under the law, a repeat offense will be considered a felony, not a misdemeanor. Also, employers who violate wage theft laws will have to pay workers back with interest.

The legislation gives the Illinois Department of Labor more oversight in dealing with the 10,000-plus wage theft claims it gets annually. The agency would directly deal with claims of $3,000 or less. Those make up the majority of claims.

The law also provides some worker protections, like anti-retaliation provisions.

Workers groups have praised the law, calling it a deterrent to employers who don't treat workers fairly.

PEORIA -- Bradley University will receive $400,000 to establish a training program to build new technologies, new businesses and new jobs in the green technologies industry, U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin announced Thursday.

Bradley's funding is part of the $2,751,000 the Senate Appropriations Committee, which includes the Illinois Democrat, approved for projects in Illinois.

According to a news release from Durbin, the Bradley training program will target existing small businesses and entrepreneurs in the development of new green technologies and implement sustainable green practices into business processes.

The largest award was $450,000 to the city of Chicago to expand a workforce re-training program.

Funding for Bradley and the Chicago House and Social Service Agency shared second.

CHICAGO -- Vote early, vote often. It's an old joke in Illinois politics, but state residents will be choosing twice in November to fill President Barack Obama's former Senate seat.

Gov. Pat Quinn filed paperwork Thursday calling a special election to fill the seat, all because of a long-running lawsuit that says it should have been done almost two years ago. Lawyers headed back to court to hash out who will be on the ballot and try to minimize the confusion for voters.

This much is clear: People will pick one senator to serve a six-year term in the regular election, and another to serve the final weeks of Obama's old term in a special election. The short-timer would serve from after the November election until the new senator is inaugurated in January.

A dual election sets up the remote possibility that one candidate could win the regular election and another could win the special election, adding to the drama around a Senate seat that has already been in the news for much of the time since Obama was elected.

Impeached Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich was charged with trying to sell or trade the appointment to the Senate to enrich himself. He has pleaded not guilty in a case that went to the jury this week.

Federal Judge John Grady still was sorting out Thursday who would be on the ballot. He seemed to favor allowing candidates who qualified for the regular election by winning the February primary or being certified for the ballot after collecting 25,000 signatures.

That would include Democrat Alexi Giannoulias, currently Illinois' treasurer, Republican Congressman Mark Kirk and the Green Party's LeAlan Jones, who all won their parties' primaries.

But it would seem to exclude Democrat Roland Burris, who has held the seat since he was appointed by Blagojevich in late 2008. He didn't run in the February primary because he chose not to seek a full term.

Until the judge's order is final, Burris' attorney Tim Wright held out hope that his client could get a place on the special ballot in the hopes that the only black member of the Senate could serve until January.

"If he does not have the capacity to be a candidate in this race, I think you'll see a suitable response," Wright said.

Assistant Attorney General Thomas Ioppolo, who represented the state, was worried about puzzled voters if there are different candidates in the special and regular Senate elections.

"Even with the exact same names there's a certain amount of confusion," Ioppolo told the judge. "When you have different names on those ballot positions, you multiply the opportunities for confusion."

Earlier in the week, the judge seemed to like the idea of letting political party bosses pick candidates for the special election as they have done previously when there were vacancies on the ballot. That would have given Burris a chance to make his case to party leaders.

The issue is in court because a lawsuit said that under the U.S. Constitution, Illinois had to call a special election for the seat after Obama was elected. An appeals court agreed.

Blagojevich's appointment of Burris also ignited controversy because he got the nod after Blagojevich was arrested on federal corruption charges.

After being picked, Burris repeatedly changed his story about his contact with Blagojevich's advisers. A Senate ethics committee eventually admonished him, calling out his apparent willingness to link raising money for Blagojevich with his interest in going to the Senate.

Wright said there's a risk that supporters of Burris will be upset if he's not on the special election ballot and register their anger on Election Day.

Kirk has said he would work to win a special election but blasted any unnecessary costs associated with it. Jones did too, and said he also would want to be on the ballot. Giannoulias' campaign manager, Mike Rendina, said the Democrat looked forward to working with party leaders to ensure that they're in the best position to win in November.

Giannoulias would maintain Democrats' numbers in the Senate if he were to win a special election and take office before January. Kirk would chip away at them if he won.

PEORIA -- Business owners hit by the June 5 tornado that ripped through Elmwood have a number of economic development tools available from local units of government and the state.

The Peoria County Board is lending help in hiring a disaster coordinator for six months to help navigate the rebuilding process and prepare a disaster recovery ordinance for the board. Further, the county started the process of extending an enterprise zone to Elmwood, created temporary emergency building code provisions and waived building permit fees for damaged buildings.

The county also offers low-interest loans for businesses when a financing gap exists with owner equity and bank financing.

It's possible the county will alter standard terms and conditions of that program specifically for Elmwood recovery efforts, whether by further lowering interest rates or using a portion of dollars in a special fund for money Keystone Steel has repaid the county.

At a County Board committee meeting Thursday, board member Jimmy Dillon said he supports the county's help in disaster recovery efforts. But he also said the county should exercise caution in offering help to Elmwood - especially in the form of a customized loan - that is not also available to other communities that also could benefit.

Also available to Elmwood businesses are low-interest loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration and disaster recovery loans from the Illinois state treasurer.

Elmwood has a residential tax-increment financing district, and the city is considering a second TIF covering the downtown area. Elmwood also is finalizing an application for an emergency grant of $750,000 to $1 million from the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity.

Even for Illinois, the paragon of political peculiarity, this one is weird.

It is virtually certain that the state's voters will elect two people to the same U.S. Senate seat in the Nov. 2 election. The winners could be the same person, or candidates from different parties or even different candidates from the same party.

As required by a recent federal court decision, one will serve just until Jan. 3. The other will serve from Jan. 3 to early 2017.

As crazy as this sounds, it could have been much worse. Lawyers and the judge in the middle of this mess appear to be forging a path that would spare taxpayers the cost of holding a special election, or two, at upwards of $20 million each.

And despite a natural inclination to blame former Gov. Rod Blagojevich on general principle, it's not really his fault.

The roots reach back two years, to the election of Sen. Barack Obama as president. The right to fill the Senate vacancy fell to Blagojevich, who would later be accused in federal court of trying to sell it for a bribe. He denies it, and the jury on that is out -- literally.

Just before the tainted Blagojevich was impeached and tossed from office in early 2009, he even considering naming himself to the Senate, according to FBI surveillance recordings. Instead, the governor picked Roland Burris, a former state attorney general who reinforced his lightweight political reputation with a fawning acceptance of the appointment that other Democrats felt was too tainted to touch.

Sated by the title and perhaps aware of his scant chance of election, Burris did not file for a full term in the Feb. 2, 2010, primary. Democrats nominated state Comptroller Alexi Giannoulias that day, and Republicans chose U.S. Rep. Mark Kirk. So far, so good.

Lurking in the background was an activist lawsuit insisting that the 17th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, while allowing a temporarily appointed senator, demands a special election eventually. The state fought the suit, as I presume Gov. Pat Quinn was not eager to set up the potential for $40 million worth of special primary and general elections.

A federal judge ruled that the 17th Amendment does indeed require an election, and an appellate court recently affirmed it.

Both sides now seem to agree on holding the special vote along with the regular election on Nov. 2, presumably adding only the cost of extra ink on the ballot. Details were still being worked out this week, but everyone also seems to lean toward letting the parties' leaders name their nominees, with independents accessing the ballot by gathering 25,000 signatures.

The law is the law, but this is still folly. Although the term would be for two months, the temporary senator might not even get seated for a couple of weeks. Presumably, the chamber will be in recess through the holiday period, until new members are sworn in Jan. 3.

Burris could have handled that extra month or two, and predictably is talking about seeking the nomination to do just that. But the Democratic Party surely won't support it. Although there is no incumbency advantage in winning the short term, an early inauguration would provide a winner of both elections with extra seniority, something that's big currency in the Senate.

Much more significant is a potential impact on the strict per-election limits applied to financial contributions to candidates for a federal office. Would Kirk and Giannoulias, if running for two elections simultaneously, be eligible to accept double contributions from donors? At least some pundits feel pretty certain about it.

Given the way those two are already bashing each other (for example, Giannoulias on discrepancies in Kirk's military record, and Kirk on claims that Giannoulias helped finance gangsters with his failed family bank), I'm wincing at how many more TV commercials that extra cash could buy.

Now, you didn't hear it from me, but consider this bizarre scenario: Blagojevich is acquitted by a jury in time to pass petitions, get on the special ballot and win a month or two in the very Senate seat that was at the heart of his legal troubles in the first place. Fantasy? Of course it is. But then, is anything really too fantastic to happen in Illinois politics?

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville has frozen tuition rates at 2009 levels. This means for the 2010-11 academic year, Illinois freshmen and new transfer students will pay just $8,400 for tuition, fees and books, and Missouri residents with a 23 or better ACT can pay less than $10,000.

"SIUE's affordability compared with other institutions, coupled with the high-quality education available, make it an attractive option for students," said Scott Belobrajdic, assistant vice chancellor for Enrollment Management.

Only 20 minutes from St. Louis, SIUE offers room and board on its 2,600-acre campus at $7,800 per year.

"You can have a fully accredited education on a gorgeous university campus and access to everything
St. Louis has to offer for considerably less than you would pay in tuition alone at most private universities," Belobrajdic said. "That's before we apply scholarships and financial aid."

He added that students can have the complete package at SIUE -- an NCAA Division I Athletics program, affordable tuition and housing and a superior undergraduate academic experience. SIUE is recognized by U.S. News & World Report as one of 77 up-and-coming universities in the United States, and among the top five in the Midwest. To learn more visit SIUE.edu or call 618-650-3705 to talk with an admissions counselor.