Andrew Sullender

The Illinois State Board of Education defines culturally responsive educators as those who “critically think about the institutions in which they find themselves, working to reform these institutions whenever and wherever necessary” and have “assessed how their biases and perceptions affect their teaching practice.”

Pritzker said in 2018 that he would veto maps “in any way drafted or created by legislators, political party leaders and/or their staffs or allies” and would support an independent commission set up by the state Legislature.

The measure was backed by LGBTQ advocates, but state Rep. Katie Stuart, D-Edwardsville, said she was looking to the many businesses that want to have multi-stall gender neutral bathrooms “either because their patrons or their employees have asked for it. But our laws don’t allow it.”

The bill, which Illinois House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch co-sponsored, has “been a priority for the speaker since Day One, because he understands how important it is to build a bench for leadership positions in the General Assembly,” a Welch spokeswoman said.

House lawmakers also passed a bill that would allow people to petition the courts to expunge records of arrests and some charges related to prior drug possession if the petitioner met certain requirements.

For House Republican Leader Jim Durkin, the different pieces of legislation seemed to be more about a “personality conflict” than about a substantive issue.

State Rep. Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz said she introduced a bill that would require Illinois schools to teach students about Asian American history because Asian Americans “are part of the American fabric, but we are often invisible.”

Both bills seek to reform and improve the FOID card, which Illinois residents must have to legally own firearms or ammunition. But each side accuses the other of missing the target.

Owner Ryan Garrett said of the “30 to 40” that attended the grand opening, “most were just close friends or acquaintances.”