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Gov. Rod Blagojevich's $6 billion gross receipts sales tax hike
drew criticism from three fellow constitutional officers -- all
Democrats. The latest is his running mate, Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn, who
announced his opposition at a Capitol press conference, saying
flatly, "That levy would be passed on to consumers, and I don't
think that's the right way to go."
The tax also drew criticism from farmers, as a coalition of
agriculture groups said the tax hike would hurt Illinois' largest
industry and make them less competitive with other sates.
Earlier in the week, the state comptroller and state treasurer
also said they opposed the tax increase -- which would be the
largest in the state's history.
On March 21, a bipartisan group of Illinois lawmakers called for
an increase in the number of prison guards and other frontline staff
in the state's prisons. A study commissioned by the American
Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees has found that
staff cutbacks at Illinois Department of Corrections facilities are
resulting in poor safety and security conditions.
The Senate Environment and Energy Committee met in Peoria on
March 19 for its second in a series of hearings in communities
around Illinois to receive public input about the utility rate
hikes. Several hundred people packed the Neighborhood House in
Peoria, demanding answers about their skyrocketing electric bills.
On March 20, Ameren Illinois utility officials met with the
Illinois Commerce Commission and admitted they had not notified more
than 7,000 consumers that an installment payment plan had been
canceled a week ago.
On March 22, the Environment and Energy Committee amended Senate
Bill 1592 -- which would impose a one-year utility rate freeze on
Ameren Illinois -- to include Commonwealth Edison. That legislation
is in position to be voted on as early as March 27.
In other energy-related matters, the Senate voted unanimously to
approve legislation that would keep Illinois competitive with Texas
for the FutureGen project, a $1 billion experimental power plant.
Senate Bill 1704 protects Illinois from some lawsuits if problems
arise with the coal-fired power plant. A decision on where the plant
will be located is expected in September.
Other legislation approved by the Senate during the week of March
19-23:
Acupuncture (Senate Bill 1225) -- Tightens licensing regulations
for acupuncturists and increases the fine from $5,000 to $10,000 for
practicing acupuncture without a license.
Psychology (Senate Bill 1226) -- Allows psychologists licensed in
other states to practice in Illinois for up to 60 days if they are
providing services to the American Red Cross in response to a
disaster.
Cool City designation (Senate Bill 1242) -- Allows local
governments to seek designation from the Environmental Protection
Agency as an Illinois Cool City if they approve a plan to address
global warming by working to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 7
percent from 1990 levels by 2012.
Mammograms (Senate Bill 1365) -- Expands eligibility for
mandatory insurance coverage for mammograms and provides new
coverage for related ultrasound screening. Specifically, adds "prior
personal history of breast cancer and positive genetic testing" to
coverage mandate.
Drug houses (Senate Bill 1375) -- Amends procedures to better
allow the courts to prosecute out-of-state or corporate property
owners whose property has become a drug house.
License plate renewal (Senate Bill 1438) -- Increases the time
period that the secretary of state may defer the expiration of the
driver's license of a member of the armed forces (while on active
duty outside of Illinois) from 45 days to 90 days.
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 Energy-efficient appliances (Senate Bill 1680) -- Creates a sales
tax holiday for energy-efficient appliances, which must qualify as
an Energy Star product under the program administered by the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency.
Airport fund (Senate Bill 1460) -- Allows the Illinois Department
of Transportation to create an Airport Improvement Fund to provide
grants to airport authorities in the state that do not qualify for
federal funding.
Discrimination (Senate Bill 1467) -- Adds gender to the list of
characteristics (currently: race, color or national origin) for
which a person cannot be discriminated against by any unit of state,
county or local government in Illinois.
Internet safety (Senate Bill 1472) -- Allows school districts to
adopt a curriculum for Internet safety instruction of K-12 students.
Identity theft (Senate Bill 1487) -- Requires the Department of
Insurance to develop a consumer fact sheet on identity theft
insurance to include information on what is generally covered under
identity theft insurance and on how consumers may protect themselves
against ID theft.
Police pensions (Senate Bill 1539) -- Allows the surviving spouse
of a retired police officer who married the officer after his or her
retirement to receive a survivor's pension if they were married for
at least one year prior to the officer's death.
Film tax credit (Senate Bill 1544) -- Extends to Jan. 1, 2008,
the film tax credit program that the state offers to movie-making
companies.
Military license plates (Senate Bill 1575) -- Provides for the
issuance of two new license plates: one to people who have earned
the Iraq Campaign Medal and the other to those who have earned the
Afghanistan Campaign Medal.
Cord blood banks (Senate Bill 19) -- Requires the Illinois
Department of Public Health to develop a statewide network of
umbilical cord blood banks to help provide and promote this
noncontroversial source of stem cells for health research.
Tinted windshields (Senate Bill 33) -- Provides that the
prohibition against tinted windshields and tinted front side windows
does not apply to vehicles owned and operated by or used to
transport people afflicted with retinitis pigmentosa, a rare,
inherited disease in which the light-sensitive retina of the eye
slowly and progressively degenerates.
EPA complaints (Senate Bill 54) -- Changes EPA reporting
procedures to better screen false environmental complaints about
farming operations.
False representation (Senate Bill 132) -- Increases penalties for
falsely representing oneself as a public officer or a public
employee.
Anti-phishing (Senate Bill 137) -- Makes it unlawful for a
person, by means of a Web page, e-mail message or other Internet
use, to solicit, request or take any action to induce another person
to provide identifying information, by representing oneself to be a
business without the authority or approval of the business.
Cell phones (Senate Bill 140) -- Prohibits a person younger than
19 (instead of 18) who holds an instruction permit or a graduated
license from using a wireless phone while driving.
Criminal law review (Senate Bill 150) -- Creates the Joint
Criminal Law Review Commission to conduct an ongoing study, review
and evaluation of the existing criminal laws to ensure they are
constitutional, consistent, appropriately located and drafted
concisely.
[Text from news release sent on
behalf of
Sen. Larry Bomke and received
from Illinois
Senate Republican staff] |
