Illinois Quick Hits: Loyola student’s alleged killer charged with new felony

By Jim Talamonti | The Center Square
The Center Square

(The Center Square) – Late Loyola University student Sheridan Gorman’s alleged killer has been charged with possessing a 6-inch shank in jail.

WGN-TV reports that Cook County corrections staff learned around 8 a.m. on Thursday that Jose Medina was in possession of an alleged weapon.

Medina is accused of fatally shooting Gorman, 18, on March 19 in Chicago.

SCHOOL DISTRICT VOTER REGISTRATION MANDATE PASSES

The Illinois legislature has passed legislation requiring school districts to provide all eligible students graduating from high school with the opportunity to register to vote.

House Bill 4339 cleared the Senate on Friday and will take effect immediately upon being signed by the governor.

LEGISLATURE PASSES SOCIAL WORK SCHOLARSHIP EXPANSION

A measure expanding Illinois’ school social work scholarship program is headed to Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s desk.

House Bill 5460 opens up eligibility to more social work students, including those pursuing social work licenses and those earning a master’s degree in social work before entering a school social work program.

The measure also allows scholarships to be used at private nonprofit colleges in Illinois that prepare students to become licensed school social workers.

SWIPE FEE BAN PUSHED BACK

The General Assembly has pushed back the effective date of the Interchange Fee Prohibition Act one year to July 2027.

The law previously scheduled to take effect this July 1 bans electronic processing fees on the tax and tip portions of credit and debit card transactions.

Bankers and credit union groups challenged the law in federal court, and the U.S. Office of the Comptroller of the Currency moved in April to partially block the law.

Sean Reed contributed to this story.

APARTMENT ASSOCIATION BLASTS CHICAGO MAYOR’S HOUSING PROPOSAL

The Chicagoland Apartment Association says Mayor Brandon Johnson’s Protecting Renters Ordinance would ultimately harm the residents it intends to protect.

CAA Executive Vice President Michael Mini said in a statement that the proposal represents a sweeping expansion of housing regulation that risks making Chicago’s affordability challenges even worse.

The ordinance may be introduced to the city council’s housing committee later this month.