 The electric rate legislation is aimed at reducing the impact of
major hikes that went into effect in January for customers of the
state's two largest utilities, Commonwealth Edison and Ameren.
Many lawmakers were disappointed with the scaled-back final
package, which was approved after Senate President Emil Jones,
D-Chicago, blocked a rollback of rates to pre-January levels. Jones
was widely viewed as an ally of the utility companies and earlier in
the year used an obscure parliamentary procedure to block a rate
rollback.
The legislation, which passed the chamber 40-13-1, will provide
the most relief for all-electric customers in the Ameren service
area, but all customers of the two major service providers will
receive some form of relief under the package.
The need for this package came after a 10-year rate freeze
expired Jan. 1. Customers in some parts of the state saw their
electric bills more than double, and with the summer
air-conditioning season under way, legislators were fearful that
those bills would climb even higher.
Overtime session record
On July 24 the Illinois General Assembly and the governor set a
dubious record, as the legislature continued the longest overtime
session in recent history.
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 The previous record for longest deadlock, also set under Gov. Rod
Blagojevich, occurred in 2004, when the legislature took until July
24 to pass a state budget. The new record was set as the state
approaches a major deadline -- a one-month budget passed in June is
set to expire Aug. 1.
If another temporary budget is not passed by the legislature
before Aug. 1, the state could grind to a halt, as salaries for
state workers, payments to hospitals and doctors, and the first
round of school aid checks will be delayed.
Governor signs smoking ban
Also during the week, Blagojevich signed Senate Bill 500 into
law. This bill, now
Public Act 95-0017, is referred to as the Smoke Free Illinois
Act. This law, when it goes into effect on Jan. 1, 2008, will
prohibit smoking by any person within any public place.
The law covers any place of employment, as well as bars and
restaurants throughout the state. Exemptions are provided for homes,
as well as certain stores that sell tobacco.
Individuals who violate this law will be subject to a fine
ranging from $100 to $250. Business owners are subject to much
steeper fines, with first-time violators being fined $250, second
violations fined $500, and third and subsequent violations will be
fined $2,500. Local law enforcement agencies, in concert with the
Illinois Department of Public Health, will be charged with enforcing
this law.
[Text from news release sent on
behalf of
Sen.
Larry Bomke by Illinois
Senate Republican staff]
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