In addition to fixing budget errors, the Senate was called back to the Capitol June 15 to a vote on an omnibus energy bill that would eliminate coal-powered energy by 2035 and natural gas by 2045. No deal was reached and lawmakers were sent home. In addition to closing the Prairie State Energy Campus and Springfield’s City Water, Light and
Omnibus energy bill stalls again When Senate President Don Harmon called Senators back to the Capitol for a one-day session on June 15, Senate Republicans were told to expect a vote on an omnibus energy bill that would eliminate coal-powered energy by 2035 and natural gas by 2045. In addition to closing the Prairie State Energy Campus and Springfield’s City
In the overnight hours of May 31-June 1, majority party Democrats rammed through a nearly 4,000-page budget that guides spending for the fiscal year that begins July 1, 2021. No committee hearing was held, and legislators were not provided with an adequate amount of time to read and understand the document. As approved and sent to the Governor, the Fiscal
The House of Representatives took up a measure this week that had already passed the Senate on May 31, which would allow for individuals to voluntarily offer their fingerprints in exchange for a more automatic renewal of their FOID cards and CCL licenses. Approved by the House on June 15, the bill now heads to the Governor. State Senator Syverson
A massive explosion at a grease manufacturing plant in Rockton (near Rockford) created giant plumes of smoke and led to the evacuation of about 1,000 residents within a two-mile radius of the plant. Remarkably, more than 50 employees inside the Chemtool plant at the time of the explosion got out safely. Fire officials were limited in their ability to use
After getting a glimpse of what an energy package may look like on June 10, State Senator Dave Syverson (R-Rockford) is cautioning that the so-called energy reform proposal appears to be a massive bailout that will raise rates on consumers. Sen. Syverson says while legislation has not been filed yet and the nuances are fluid, the proposed reform package has
Insurance companies will soon have to work with the Illinois Secretary of State’s office to electronically verify motorists have valid automobile insurance. Under the new Illinois Insurance Verification System (ILIVS) vehicle owners’ automobile insurance will be verified electronically at least twice a year at random times. The majority of vehicle owners will not have to do anything as the electronic
Following strong public outcry, the General Assembly passed Senate Bill 58, a bi-partisan bill to save Illinois trailer owners money on their registration fees. License plates for trailers rose to $118 in recent years, sparking outrage particularly among owners of smaller personal utility trailers, including many small boat trailers. The plate fees were one of the top sources of complaints
Gov. JB Pritzker broke his campaign promise to Illinoisans on June 4 by signing two partisan, gerrymandered legislative maps into law that were drawn by Democrats behind closed doors. Democratic lawmakers had rushed the map-making process forward despite the fact that federal census data was not available yet. Majority party map-makers instead relied on outdated and less accurate American Community
In what’s becoming typical for the Illinois General Assembly, major pieces of legislation were rushed through in the dead of night in an effort to bypass transparency. One such measure was the Fiscal Year 2022 budget, which was filed and voted on within hours, all while the public was asleep. In the late hours of May 31, Democrats filed a
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