Hey there! I am thrilled to announce I am now the owner of a pair of camo Crocs, a comfortable way of saying “I don’t care” while also being prepared to hide in a bush. Here’s what you need to know today.

1. An assault weapons ban and more protections for abortion rights move forward in the Illinois Legislature

The Illinois House debated through the night and voted early today to ban the sale of assault weapons and protect abortion providers and patients from out-of-state legal repercussions.

Both measures have been a priority for Gov. JB Pritzker and his fellow Democrats after the deadly Fourth of July mass shooting in Highland Park and the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.

The proposals now head to the Senate, where Democrats hold the majority.

The assault weapons ban, approved in a 64-43 vote in the House, would immediately prohibit the manufacture, sale and purchase of such weapons and the large capacity ammunition magazines needed to use them.

Current owners of assault weapons would be required to report the serial numbers of their weapons to the Illinois State Police.

On abortion, the House voted 67-41 to help shield providers and patients targeted by states where the procedure is illegal. That includes barring providers from responding to out-of-state subpoenas seeking information about patients who come to Illinois for abortions. [WBEZ]

Meanwhile, a bill allowing principals at Chicago Public Schools to bargain collectively is heading to Pritzker’s desk. [WBEZ]

2. An influential civil rights organization blasts Chicago officials for not firing a cop linked to the Proud Boys

On the second anniversary of the deadly Jan. 6 insurrection, Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Police Superintendent David Brown are under increasing pressure to fire a cop who lied to investigators about his ties to the Proud Boys, a far-right extremist group whose members were among those who stormed the U.S. Capitol.

The Southern Poverty Law Center sent a scathing letter to the city, insisting the officer should be fired and the Police Department needs to do more to confront extremism within its ranks, reports my colleague Tom Schuba at the Chicago Sun-Times.

“Any individual who is tasked with protecting the public cannot be trusted to do so equitably when they associate with an openly racist, bigoted, and misogynistic organization,” wrote Jeff Tischauser, a senior research analyst for the law center.

The letter comes as three members of the City Council are pushing for a public hearing of the case against the officer, who was suspended after two internal investigations into his ties to the Proud Boys. [Chicago Sun-Times]

3. The Illinois Supreme Court won’t hear arguments on eliminating cash bail until March

That means the state’s highest court won’t make a decision until the spring, at the earliest, on whether eliminating cash bail violates the Illinois Constitution.

The abolition of cash bail is among the more controversial provisions of the SAFE-T Act, a massive package of criminal justice measures. Cash bail was slated to end on Jan. 1, making Illinois the first state in the U.S. to completely eliminate it.

But a Kankakee County judge ruled lawmakers overstepped their authority and the power of deciding bail rests with judges.

An appeal was sent to the Illinois Supreme Court, which has halted the law from taking effect as it reviews the case. It is unclear when justices will issue a ruling. [Chicago Sun-Times]

4. A plan to house migrants at a shuttered Chicago school faces resistance on the South Side

Amid a surge in migrants arriving in Chicago, city officials planned to transform a shuttered elementary school located in the South Side’s Woodlawn neighborhood into a temporary shelter.

But that plan has been halted after protests from some community members, who say their already-struggling neighborhood does not have enough resources, reports the Chicago Tribune.

“While I’ll love to help immigrants and everybody else, I’ll like to help my own first,” longtime Woodlawn resident Jean Clark told the Tribune.

Ald. Jeanette Taylor, who represents the area in the City Council, told the newspaper that critics should not be seen as anti-immigrant. Instead, they are concerned about plans being made for a school the community fought hard to keep open, she said.

But one protester, who declined to give their full name, told the Tribune: “Please withdraw your decision to put the migrants in our community; there’s plenty of room in Little Village for their people.” [Chicago Tribune]

5. The average felony conviction tied to the Jan. 6 insurrection is 33 months

That’s according to an analysis from The Washington Post, which reviewed criminal cases tied to the attack on the U.S. Capitol.

“Of more than 460 people charged with felonies, only 69 have been convicted and sentenced so far, mostly for assaulting police or obstructing Congress; all but four have received jail or prison time,” the newspaper reports.

But federal judges, despite tough lectures to defendants, have doled out lighter sentences than recommended by prosecutors in more than three-quarters of the cases so far. [Washington Post]

My colleagues at the Chicago Sun-Times have created a list of every known Illinois resident charged in connection to the Jan. 6 insurrection. [Chicago Sun-Times]

Here’s what else is happening

• Chicago’s confrontational police union boss faces a tough reelection challenger. [WBEZ]
• A longstanding political tradition in Chicago appears to be fading. [WBEZ]
• Tesla’s stock lost over $700 billion in value. [NPR]
• The U.S. job market remained strong last month, but it did slow down. [NPR]

Oh, and one more thing …

I can’t remember the last time I saw the sun. I think I briefly saw it this morning, but I may have been hallucinating.

As we trudge through some of the gloomiest days of the winter, my colleagues at WBEZ are looking at ways to make the most out of these cold and cloudy days.

Weekend anchor Araceli Gomez-Aldana walks us through something called “hygge,” a Danish expression commonly associated with comfort and joy.

Former WBEZ host Alison Cuddy shares how she dived into winter swimming in Lake Michigan.

And morning producer Cianna Greaves reinvigorates soup season with help from Erick Williams, the James Beard Award-winning chef and owner of Virtue Restaurant & Bar and Mustard Seed Kitchen in Hyde Park.

Tell me something good …

I can’t stop laughing about the 2023 predictions made by people in 1923. So I’d like to know, what do you think will happen in 2123?

David writes:

“Most professional sports will be computer-based competitions — no living players — viewed on giant stadium screens before live audiences numbering in the tens of thousands or more.”

Thanks for all the responses this week. I’m sorry I could get to everyone, but it was nice hearing from y’all!