Springfield, IL – Lawmakers had one final week at home before reconvening in Springfield to begin the 95th General Assembly in earnest on February 6th . State Senator Dan Rutherford (R-Pontiac) noted that while Senators have until next Friday to file legislation, a number of important initiatives are already being explored.
Senator Rutherford said that an ethics proposal is almost certain to be introduced in response to ongoing allegations and federal investigations of abuse within the Governor’s office. Senate Republicans have introduced a number of bills over the last three years targeting questionable contracting practices, as well as other ethical breaches.
Legislation (Senate Bill 42) has already been filed requiring the state to competitively bid 100% of its bonds to ensure taxpayers get the best deal possible. The new legislation would guarantee that the state’s taxpayers are paying the lowest fees and interest rates in the marketplace, while effectively eliminating influence peddling in Illinois ’ bond sales.
Rutherford explained that all of the bonds sold by the Blagojevich Administration were in negotiated, no-bid sales until September 2004, when he was forced to comply with a new law requiring that at least 25% of bonds be sold by competitive bid. Over the last four years, Illinois’ debt has doubled—reaching more than $20 billion—and the state has paid over $50 million in fees to investment banks and other financial institutions.
There are also plans to introduce legislation expected to increase the overall usefulness and productivity of the Illinois Health Facilities Planning Board. The Planning Board’s decisions affect patient lives, as well as hundreds of millions of dollars in capital investments. Last year, Senate Republicans created a special Health Facilities Task Force to examine the Board’s ability to operate effectively.
The Task Force grew out of allegations of ethical impropriety and the increasingly litigious atmosphere associated with the Planning Board.
After holding public hearings throughout the state, the Task Force found that structural and operational reforms were needed to increase the Board’s efficiency; a comprehensive review of the Board’s usefulness, as well as a certificate-of-need process, was also urged.
The new legislation incorporates the Task Force recommendations, in an effort to add stability and greater accountability to the health facilities planning process.
Legislation, known as “Jessica’s Law,” is also highly anticipated to be introduced in the coming days. Currently, there is a national movement to pass “Jessica’s Law” in each of the fifty states.
The legislation would ensure that the worst child predators are incarcerated for a longer period of time and off the streets, while also increasing the distance a person convicted of committing certain sexual offenses against a child can be near a school. It would also make criminal sexual assault a class X felony, if the rapist has previously been convicted of any sex offense.
Currently, sex offenders are released and required to get treatment as a condition of parole. The new legislation would remove good time credit for most sex offenders unless they successfully complete sex offender counseling—under the supervision and control of the Department of Corrections.
The measure is also expected to require global position system (GPS) monitoring for sexually violent offenders.
Jessica’s Law is named after Jessica Lunsford of Florida , a young Florida girl raped and murdered by a previously convicted sex offender. So far more than 20 states have enacted provisions of Jessica’s law, and many others have introduced similar legislation.
Several bills have already been filed that would establish pilot programs to help consumers offset the cost of their electric bill. One measure (Senate Bill 43) would allow residential consumers to use small solar panels and other renewable energy products to offset their energy costs.
In order to help balance the rising cost of utility rates, another pilot program (SB 112) would allow residential customers in Ameren or Commonwealth Edison territories to purchase energy efficient appliances, as well as central heating and air conditioning units. The electric meter would then be charged extra on the monthly bill to pay off the appliances; however, the savings from the products are anticipated to far outweigh the costs of the electric meter surcharges.
Rural homeowners would also benefit from legislation (SB 184) that would prevent owners of surface discharging septic systems from being forced to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars in testing fees.
Last year, the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) proposed a National Discharging Elimination System Permit (NPDES) on all surface discharging septic systems—systems that are most commonly found in rural downstate Illinois. The new permit would require annual testing and inspections estimated to cost at least $500 per year.
Republican lawmakers plan to introduce legislation that would stipulate that the owner of any private sewage disposal system with a surface discharge that does not leave the property, or enter state waters, would not be subject to NPDES—saving many Illinois homeowners thousands of dollars in permit fees.
Additionally, legislation to help boost Illinois ’ number one industry and promote the use of biofuels is expected to be filed in the coming days. A new comprehensive ethanol promotion package will most likely be introduced, which will include incentives for the installation of E-85 fuel pumps, new signage indicating E-85 gas stations on Illinois highways, and tax credits for the purchase and use of flex fuel and biodiesel vehicles.
In another attempt to help Illinois’ farmers, legislation has already been filed that would allow registration plates for farm trucks and trailers to be issued for a period of four months, rather than one year. Because these vehicles are only used seasonally, it has been argued that their owners should not be required to pay a full year registration fee; under the new guidelines an owner would only pay 1/3 the usual registration fee.
In other news, lawmakers are also expected to file a bill that would prohibit state money from being used to grant low interest home loans to individuals who are not citizens or legal United States residents. Currently, loans are administered by the Housing Development Authority, which is not obligated to enforce citizenship requirements.
Additional legislation has been proposed which would make it easier for military personnel to register to vote and run for office. With the high number of military men and women serving overseas, there is concern that Illinois patriots may have a difficult time re-engaging themselves in the Democratic process once they return from their tour of duty.
Under current law, there is a 14-day gap immediately preceding the election during which people cannot register to vote; under the new legislation expected to be proposed, any member of the United States military would be allowed to register to vote up to 5 days preceding an election.
Another problem currently confronting men and women serving our country, is a provision which mandates that residents of municipalities seeking to run for public office must reside in the city for 12 months immediately prior to an election. The proposed legislation would allow service men and women to return from overseas duty and run for public office, as long as they have lived in that city for one year, at any time.
In other news, President Bush visited Peoria, IL on Jan. 30. The President addressed a number of important national issues, but spoke at length about the economy, praising the hard work of American citizens like those working at the Caterpillar plant that he visited.
The President was on a two-day tour to talk about the economy, free trade, and jobs.