SPRINGFIELD – House Speaker Michael Madigan (D-Chicago) asked Gov. Rod
Blagojevich on Monday to call a special legislative session to consider
legislation that would continue a freeze on electric rates for three
more years, according to State Senator Dan Rutherford (R-Pontiac).
A state power auction in September, where power providers bid to
supply electricity to ComEd and Ameren, revealed the state could see
rate hikes of as much as 22 percent in the ComEd service area and up to
55 percent downstate.
Senate Republicans point out the situation should have been
dealt with last spring, but Senate President Emil Jones, who has
supported ComEd in the past, opposed calls to extend the rate freeze.
Thus far Governor Blagojevich has not made any move to call a
special session, although he said he would call the session if Madigan
can show he has enough votes to pass a rate freeze.
The General Assembly's six-day veto session is scheduled to begin Nov. 14 and conclude Nov. 30.
In other news, the Senate Republican Health Facilities Planning
Board Task Force convened in Plainfield Oct. 4 to take a closer look at
the process used in determining health facility construction and
modification.
Senate Deputy Republican Leader Ed Petka (R-Plainfield) asked
State Sen. Bill Brady (R-Bloomington) to convene the Task Force to
discuss a ruling by the Health Facilities Planning Board against a
proposal by Edward Hospital in Naperville to open a hospital in
Plainfield.
Over 33,000 Plainfield area residents signed a petition in
support of a hospital in Plainfield. Nevertheless, four members of a
state board voted to reject the proposal. Sen. Petka said the process
should be changed to put the burden of proof on the Health Facilities
Planning Board to show that the project is not necessary.