CHICAGO - Governor Pat Quinn today signed a new law that protects those who purchase dogs or cats from pet shops. The legislation gives buyers protection for pet purchases and helps to reduce the possibility of the emotional trauma that comes from losing a pet. The new law is part of Governor Quinn's commitment to protect pets and their owners, while ensuring that all animals in Illinois are treated ethically and responsibly.

"Our pets are part of our families, and it is a heartbreaking experience for anyone to go through when a new family member arrives home sick or dying," Governor Quinn said. "This law offers more protections against 'puppy mills' and gives people who purchase a new dog or cat more choices as they select a new pet."

Senate Bill 1639 was sponsored by State Senator Dan Kotowski (D-Park Ridge) and State Representative Michael Zalewski (D-Riverside). It gives those who purchase a dog or cat the option of a full refund, exchange or veterinarian bill compensation if a licensed veterinarian determines the animal was sick or diseased when purchased. The law also offers the same options if a veterinarian determines the animal has a congenital or hereditary condition that requires hospitalization, surgery or has caused its death. Pet shops must also provide buyers with each animal's medical history, and notify the Illinois Department of Agriculture immediately when they become aware of any contagious or potentially life-threatening diseases among the animals in their possession.

The new law does not apply to not-for-profit animal adoption operations such as animal shelters.

"This law will both protect consumers as well as our pets," Senator Kotowski said. "It will reduce the spread of diseases by discouraging breeders and pet stores from selling unhealthy dogs and cats."

"The main goal of this new law is to protect consumers and animals while encouraging pet stores to work with reliable and safe breeders, not the 'puppy mills' that purposely withhold medical information when selling to pet stores," Representative Zalewski said. "Illinois is now the 21^st state to implement such a law, recognizing the importance of cracking down on unscrupulous practices and helping to minimize the heartache of losing a family pet."

The law takes effect January 1, 2014.

Keith presented with a proclamation

WHEREAS, Illinois is a leader in supporting the arts, and has always been an important component of the artistic fabric of our state; and,

WHEREAS, there are few forms of music more purely American than the country music genre; and,

WHEREAS, country music, with its themes of rural life, family, hard work, and love for country speaks to Midwestern ideals and Illinois residents can relate to its message; and,

WHEREAS, a country musician who has experienced great success in this genre is Toby Keith; and,

WHEREAS, Toby Keith was born in Clinton, Oklahoma to  parents Joan and Hubert; and,

WHEREAS, Toby Keith began playing music at a young age after being inspired by musicians who worked at his grandmother's supper club; and,

WHEREAS, prior to starting a career in music, Toby Keith worked in the oil industry and played in the USFL football league. His debut album, "Toby Keith,"  produced the most played country song of the 1990s, "Should've Been A Cowboy"; and,

WHEREAS, his follow up records, Boomtown and Blue Moon, were equally successful due to hits "Who's That Man" and "Me Too"; and,

WHEREAS, Toby Keith's 2002 album, Unleashed, sold 3 million copies and included a duet with Willie Nelson, "Beer For My Horses"; and,

WHEREAS, Toby Keith's albums have sold more than 36 million copies, ranking him among the top-selling genre artists on Billboard's Top 200 artists of the Decade; and,

WHEREAS, Toby Keith, aside from enormous commercial success, has received critical acclaim and industry awards including the Songwriter/Artist of the Decade distinction from the Nashville Songwriters Association International as well as the American Country Awards' Artist of the Decade distinction; and,

WHEREAS, Toby Keith is strongly committed to our nation's veterans and in 2008 played 18 shows for U.S. troops in the Persian Gulf as a part of a U.S.O. Tour; and,

WHEREAS, Toby Keith will perform at the Grandstand of the Illinois State Fair  on Wednesday, August 14^th at 8:00 pm; and,

Next-Generation Passenger Locomotives will be Built to Service Routes that are Already Experiencing a Surge in Ridership

SPRINGFIELD - Governor Pat Quinn today announced that Illinois has taken the next step to procure approximately 35 high-performance diesel-electric locomotives for several Midwestern and West Coast states, to be funded by the U.S. Department of Transportation. The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) is leading the multi-state locomotive procurement, with a notice of award expected by early 2014. Meanwhile, passenger rail ridership in Illinois has surged dramatically in the past several years, supporting Governor Quinn's agenda to increase passenger traffic while the nation's high speed rail system is developed.

"These new locomotives will put the 'speed' in high speed rail, and Illinois is ideally situated at the forefront of the national push for high speed rail service," Governor Quinn said. "We are proud to lead the multi-state procurement effort for these state-of-the-art machines and look forward to the day when they will be pulling passenger trains through Illinois."

"When we make smart investments in rail, we are investing in America," U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx said.  "Our Buy America provisions ensure that the major components of these locomotives will be built with American hands and with American-produced steel, iron, and manufactured goods."

"We are thrilled to have reached this very important juncture in this process," said Transportation Secretary Ann L. Schneider.  "We are excited to have secured Illinois' role as a national leader in high-speed rail and we look forward to working with our partners to help move this multi-state procurement forward."

Today IDOT issued a Request for Proposals to procure approximately 35 high-speed locomotives for Illinois, Michigan, Missouri, Iowa, Washington and California. In March the Federal Railroad Administration recommended that Illinois lead this multi-state procurement of next-generation locomotives, part of the $808 million the FRA has allocated to manufacture the next generation of passenger rail equipment which also includes 130 bi-level rail cars.

Today's rail procurement news comes as passenger rail ridership in Illinois is experiencing a tremendous upswing. Ridership on key Amtrak routes in the state has surged over the last seven years. Passenger volume on the Chicago to St. Louis route is up 225 percent; Chicago to Carbondale is up 154 percent; Chicago to Quincy is up 95 percent; and Chicago to Milwaukee is up 42 percent.

"Several years ago, with ridership on passenger trains continuing to climb in the U.S., I saw an opportunity to bring the rail car manufacturing industry back to the U.S. and back to Illinois," U.S. Senator Richard J. Durbin said. "I spearheaded an effort in Congress to repair Amtrak's aging fleet of passenger cars, bring rehabilitated cars to Illinois and revive the train car industry in the United States. While a century ago the domestic railcar giant Pullman Company provided a strong manufacturing base in Illinois, today Illinois is home to the nation's largest rail supply industry. I applaud FRA's decision to name IDOT as the lead in the multi-state locomotive procurement process and to bring good paying jobs to the United States while advancing cleaner, cheaper, and greener transportation options."

IDOT was involved last year in a multi-state procurement of the 130 next-generation bi-level rail cars for high-speed service, an effort led by California.  That procurement resulted in the selection of Sumitomo/Nippon-Sharyo, which is building the rail cars from its plant in Rochelle, Illinois, including the 88 cars to be used on Midwest high-speed corridors.  The Rochelle plant opened in 2012 and has created more than 250 jobs in Illinois.

Illinois debuted 110-mph service on a segment of the Chicago-St. Louis corridor from Dwight to Pontiac in November 2012 and will expand 110-mph service to 75 percent of the route by 2015.  The FRA in December provided a Record of Decision on the entire Chicago-St. Louis corridor, allowing Illinois to begin in-depth corridor segment studies and specific project studies to move toward high-speed service on the other 25 percent of the corridor as soon as possible, including segments from Joliet to Chicago and from Alton to St. Louis.  The segment from Dwight to Joliet is under development and is expected to offer 110-mph service in 2017.

Illinois also is working closely with the state of Michigan to establish 110-mph service from Chicago to Detroit as the next Midwest segment targeted to run at higher speeds.

Documents for those interested in submitting proposals for the high-speed locomotive procurement may be found at www.dot.il.gov/desenv/transprocbulletin.html. A vendor conference will take place on August 22, with proposals due in October and a notice of award by early 2014.

FRA's High-Speed Intercity Passenger Rail program and its Buy America plan implement America's "Vision for High-Speed Rail in America," which includes a goal to bolster American passenger rail expertise and resources.

More Than 100 State Cooling Centers Open Across Illinois

CHICAGO - Ahead of another day of extreme heat, Governor Pat Quinn is reminding Illinois residents to take special precautions and make use of the state's cooling centers. Earlier this week, the Governor opened more than 100 cooling centers around Illinois in order to help those without air conditioning stay cool.

"High heat and humidity is dangerous for everyone on Illinois - young, elderly and in-between," Governor Quinn said. "I urge residents to take the proper precautions to stay safe as we endure another day of heat."

The cooling centers are located at Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) offices throughout the state. IDHS cooling centers are open to the public during regular business hours from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m on weekdays. In addition to the IDHS cooling centers, the Illinois Tollway Oases in the Chicago area are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Governor Quinn and the Illinois Department of Public Health are encouraging everyone in Illinois to watch for signs of heat-related illnesses. Symptoms of heat-related illness include headaches, skin that is hot to the touch, increased body temperature, loss of consciousness, seizures and irregular heartbeats.

To stay cool and avoid illness, people should increase their fluid intake, but avoid drinks with caffeine, alcohol and sugar; decrease strenuous, outdoor physical activity; and remain in air-conditioning when possible.

The Illinois Department on Aging also encourages relatives and friends to make daily visits or calls to senior citizens living alone. When temperatures and humidity are extremely high, seniors and people with chronic health conditions should be monitored for dehydration and other effects of extreme heat. Additionally, seniors should eat lighter meals, take longer and more frequent rests, and drink plenty of fluids.

To find a cooling center near you, call the IDHS hotline at (800) 843-6154 or visit keepcool.illinois.gov.