 One-month budget shows continued lack of leadership
Nearly one month into legislative overtime, a continuing lack of
leadership by the governor and Democratic legislative leaders has
resulted in no electric rate relief and a one-month budget.
A one-month budget to keep state government running was approved
Wednesday by the House of Representatives and Friday by the Senate.
I did not vote for that budget.
During debate Friday, I told my Senate colleagues that I was
opposed to this piece of legislation and opposed to the complete
chaos that we are operating under. We were elected to be leaders.
Leaders make tough decisions and work hard. As much as we all want
to go home and be with our families and friends to celebrate the
independence of our country, it is incumbent upon us to stay in
Springfield and do our jobs. Extending last year's appropriations is
not doing our jobs. We are letting down the people who elected us to
be leaders.
I do not want state government to shut down, but months of
rhetoric and political posturing need to be replaced with action.
Governor Blagojevich gave us a budget document that was
ridiculous and something that would have bankrupted Illinois. And we
put a stop to that. That was the right thing to do. Now the right
thing to do is stay in Springfield, demand that the governor stay
here -- not fly back and forth every day at the expense of taxpayers
-- and deliver a budget that moves Illinois forward, a budget that's
balanced, a budget that meets our pension obligations, a budget that
funds education not only for our children but for the property tax
relief our citizens deserve.
Negotiations continue on a plan for electric rate relief, but
Democratic leaders do not seem to appreciate the very real financial
strain that families, senior citizens and others on fixed incomes
are suffering as a result of skyrocketing electric rates.
Lawmakers are not scheduled to return to Springfield until July
10.
Local students chosen as scholarship winners
Eight students who live in the 44th District and will be
attending state universities in Illinois have been selected to
receive General Assembly scholarships for the 2007-2008 school year.
Each of Illinois' 177 lawmakers has the privilege of awarding
scholarships for full tuition to the one of our state's public
universities. My scholarship committee selected these eight students
based on their leadership qualities and academic accomplishments.
The students and the schools they plan to attend:
-
Susan Bicknell,
Illiopolis -- Illinois State University
-
Meagan Given, Pekin
-- University of Illinois
-
Joshua Holm, Atlanta
-- University of Illinois
-
Tyler Allison,
Riverton -- Southern Illinois University
-
Cody Williams,
Illiopolis -- University of Illinois
-
Joseph Gonzalez,
Normal -- University of Illinois
-
Katie Homann, Farmer
City -- University of Illinois
-
Lacey Stelle,
Bloomington -- Southern Illinois University
[to top of second column] |
 New laws take effect in July
Under one of several new laws that took effect July 1, Illinois
drivers will face a tougher penalty if they drive without insurance.
Under
Senate Bill 624, individuals convicted of driving without
insurance will face an automatic three-month suspension of their
driver's license and must pay a $100 reinstatement fee before they
can get their license back. The $100 fee is in addition to a fine of
up to $1,000 that drivers can also be required to pay. Individuals
convicted of driving without insurance while their license is
suspended will receive an additional six-month suspension.
Under another new law,
Senate Bill 1268, some Illinois workers will see a pay increase
as the state's new minimum wage takes effect in July. Illinois
employers will be required to pay minimum-wage employees $7.50,
which will be followed by 25-cent yearly increases until 2010, when
the state's minimum wage will be $8.25. Senate Bill 1268 also allows
for workers younger than 18 to be paid up to 50 cents per hour less
than the current minimum wage.
Other measures that took effect on July 1
Tattoo registration (Senate Bill 927) -- Requires the Illinois
Department of Public Health to regulate tattoo and body piercing
facilities to ensure sanitation standards are met.
Substance abuse (Senate Bill 2199) -- Requires the Illinois
Advisory Council on Alcoholism and Other Drug Dependency to meet
quarterly and advise the Department of Human Services in substance
abuse programming.
Prompt payment (House Bill 5260) -- Requires construction firms
to be notified within 30 days of a defect or problem being
discovered in their bill. Currently, state agencies are required to
report defects in a prompt manner, which may go beyond 30 days.
Teen driver's licenses (House Bill 1463) -- Prohibits students
who are younger than 18, and are classified as habitually truant or
do not maintain attendance in school, from receiving a driver's
license from the secretary of state.
Illinois Skills Match (Senate Bill 2449) -- Requires all
executive branch entities, public universities and constitutional
officers to use the Illinois Department of Employment Security's
Skills Match program or provide links to the department's online
site for use on the Skills Match site. The Skills Match program acts
as a central clearinghouse for information and opportunities for
those seeking employment in Illinois.
Day and temporary workers (House Bill 3752) -- Clarifies that the
minimum-wage hike applies to day workers and temporary workers older
than 18.
[Text from file received from
Sen.
Bill Brady] |
