CITY HALL — The City Council moved Wednesday to formally ban cellphone cases designed to look like guns.
Lead sponsor Ald. Edward Burke (14th) said they might seem "innocuous," but they actually endanger public safety because they look "like a pistol."
He added, "It does not make any sense to have this product available."
The measure, previously passed by the Finance Committee, cleared the council by a 48-0 vote. It establishes a $750 fine for possession of the cases.
The council also called on the Police Department to testify before the Finance Committee on a backlog in processing rape evidence kits. Although Burke blamed the State Police crime lab for the delay, which can take more than a year to deliver findings, the measure asks the Police Department to testify on it.
"Justice delayed is justice denied," Burke said.
The council approved new reform regulations on video arcades, relaxing old restrictions meant to curb juvenile delinquents.
The council approved a new ethics ordinance allowing complaint information to be delivered to aldermen accused of wrongdoing. Legislative Inspector General Faisal Khan had opposed it, saying it would have a chilling effect on whistleblowers.
Ald. Scott Waguespack (32nd) criticized the "piecemeal" approach to ethics reform, saying, "It's like musical chairs for ethics." He called unsuccessfully for it to be deferred.
Ald. John Arena (45th) joined him in criticizing the "triangle" structure and overlapping duties between Khan's office, Inspector General Joseph Ferguson and the Board of Ethics.
"Who is doing what?" Arena said. He called for language that would encourage "confidence that there's not retaliation" for opening an investigation.
Ald. Ameya Pawar (47th) called for "one unified body overseeing ethics" or, barring that, a resolution to "take the handcuffs" off the legislative inspector general. Ald. Joe Moore (49th), who has feuded openly with Khan, also backed a single inspector general, while calling the current controversy "a tempest in a teapot."
Ald. Brendan Reilly (42nd) sought a "robust debate" on overall ethics policy, saying there are "two rules of the road." Reilly said, "There should be one inspector general for the entire City of Chicago."
Ald. Carlos Ramirez-Rosa (35th) said he had been assured by the Ethics Board that names of accusers would be redacted before evidence was presented to the alderman under investigation, adding, "In the City of Chicago, we must get serious about tackling corruption."
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