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Senate week in review
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July 2-6
[July 09, 2007]
SPRINGFIELD -- State lawmakers returned
to Springfield earlier than planned as Gov. Blagojevich called a
special legislative session on July 5 to consider selling the
lottery system to address the state's mounting pension debt. While
there was very little legislative action during the week, a number
of bills passed this spring were signed into law, according to Sen.
Larry Bomke, R-Springfield.
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Lawmakers in both the House and Senate heard testimony on the
proposed lottery sale and on the governor's desire to once again
reduce the state's obligation to fund teacher and public employee
retirement systems. In 1995, under then-Gov. Jim Edgar, lawmakers
adopted a bipartisan plan to bring the state's pension obligations
up to full funding over a 50-year period. In 2005, Blagojevich
pushed through changes to the 1995 plan and diverted pension
payments to cover general government operations. Although, at the
time, the governor claimed his changes would result in a more stable
retirement system, this year he has floated the idea of selling the
state lottery to help fund pensions and avoid having to meet the
payment obligations he made in 2005.
In other action, as anticipated, the governor signed into law the
one-month budget to keep essential state services operating through
the end of July (House
Bill 3920, Public Act 095-0011). The bill allows Illinois to
avoid a complete government shutdown by authorizing the state to pay
its bills. It does not initiate or expand any state programs, and it
sunsets on July 31.
Also, cable television customers could see more competition for
their dollars after the governor signed the Cable and Video
Competition Act of 2007 (Senate
Bill 678, Public Act 095-0009) into law. This law allows
telecommunications companies to use their existing technological
capabilities to enter into the cable television business.
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 Proponents of the new law called it a victory for consumers, as
cable companies will no longer have the exclusive right to provide
service in a municipality. This forced cable subscribers to remain
with the single-provider system, or to rely on traditional antennas
or a satellite system. This law will allow Internet providers and
others to enter into the municipalities in an effort to increase
competition.
The law also provides several consumer protection provisions that
were endorsed by the Citizens Utility Board.
Children being placed in the care of a foster or adoptive parent
will receive some additional protections under
Senate Bill 1379 (Public Act 094-0010). The new law requires the
Department of Children and Family Services to conduct a criminal
records background check of the prospective foster or adoptive
parent, including fingerprint-based checks of national crime
information databases.
DCFS will not be allowed to grant an approval for placement if
the record check reveals a conviction for child abuse or neglect,
for spousal abuse, for a crime against children, or other similar
crimes.
[Text from news release sent on
behalf of
Sen.
Larry Bomke by Illinois
Senate Republican staff] |
