Springfield Mid-Session Update
The Illinois General Assembly is on a two-week break and will resume the session on April 29. When they return, lawmakers will be debating legislation that has either been passed by the opposite chamber or hasbeen granted a deadline extension. Many other bills have failed to pass their chambers of origin and have been sent back to the House Rules or Senate Assignment Committees, where they are technically “dead” for the session. The bills can resurface as amendments to other viable legislation. Adjournment of the session is scheduled for May 31.
The Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce has had an active session and has weighed in on numerous bills that concern its members. What follows is a status report on some of this legislation. For information on specific bills, visit www.ilga.gov and click on “Bills and Resolutions”, find the bill number and click on it.
Senate Bill 68 (Lightford) – An increase in the minimum wage to $10.65 per hour by July 1, 2016, this bill was not called for a vote in the Senate, and had its deadline extended to May 1. It is opposed by the Chamber.
Senate Bill 1739 (Sen. Link; Rep. Rita) – Passed by the Senate in 2013, this bill creates the Chicago Casino Development Authority Act and expands gaming to include many of the same provisions of previous legislation: a Chicago land-based casino and four new riverboats; additional gaming positions at existing casinos, which can become land-based; new gaming positions at the state’s six racetracks (racinos); additional revenue earmarked for certain state programs; and new ethics measures including stronger regulatory control by the Illinois Gaming Board and the prohibition of campaign contributions from gaming interests. Rep. Bob Rita held separate hearings before the House Executive Committee on April 16 to review amendments to the bill, including one that contains a stand-alone Chicago casino. The Chamber has been a longtime advocate of a Chicago casino and testified in this hearing.
Senate Bill 1922 (Sen. Raoul; Rep. Madigan) – Senate Bill 1922 changes the Chicago Municipal and Chicago Laborers' Articles of the Illinois Pension Code to include Mayor Rahm Emmanuel’s proposal to reform part of Chicago’s pension system and to relieve almost half of the city’s total unfunded pension liability. Employees in these two pensions would contribute 11% of their pay toward the pension, a 2.5% increase. Retiree health-care would be eliminated. Retirees would also see cost of living increases change from a compounded to a simple basis, with no cost of living increase for three years. The retirement age is decreased from 67 to 65 for certain employees. The original proposal called for a $250 million property tax increase, but the final amended version removed the property tax provision and instead provided for state “offsets” to ensure the fund is paid. The Chicago City Council could still enact a property tax to implement these reforms. SB 1922, as amended, was strongly supported by the Chamber. It passed both houses on April 8 and is pending before the governor for his action. (Fact sheet available here.) Senate Bill 2758 (Biss) – This legislation creates the Illinois Secure Choice Savings Program Act. It establishes a retirement savings program in the state treasury in the form of a mandated automatic enrollment payroll deduction IRA to promote retirement savings for private-sector employees. Opposed by the Chamber and a coalition of businesses, SB 2758 passed the Senate 30-22. (Fact sheet available here.) Senate Bill 3287 (Raoul) – SB 3287 amends the Workers' Compensation Act to provide changes regarding the right to recover damages for injury or death from a service organization that is wholly owned by the employer or the employer's insurer or broker. The Chamber is opposed to this legislation which would eliminate the workers’ compensation exclusive remedy/immunity enjoyed by many companies that provide safety consulting services. There is also a coalition of business and construction groups opposed to this legislation. SB 3287 passed the Senate 35-19. (Fact sheet available here.)
Senate Joint Resolution Constitutional Amendment 40 (Harmon) – The Chamber opposes this proposal to put a constitutional amendment on the ballot that would permit a graduated rate for the state income tax on individuals and corporations. It provides that there may be one tax on the income of individuals and corporations, where lower rates may apply to lower income levels and higher rates apply to higher income levels. SJRCA 40 advanced out of the Senate Executive Committee and is pending a vote by the full Senate on its return on April 29.
House Bill 2378 (Mayfield) – This bill removes the prohibition on sealing of records of qualified probation on certain misdemeanor offenses and of arrests or charges not initiated by arrest which result in a conviction for a misdemeanor crime of violence. Employer groups have been working with the sponsor to make changes to this bill, which passed the House 65-47. As of this writing, the Chamber is neutral on HB 2378. However, the Chamber did oppose House Bill 2846 (Golar), the Best Candidate for the Job Act, which was not called for a vote in the House and was sent back to the Rules Committee.
House Bill 4211 (Franks) – This legislation prohibited a landlord from requiring a tenant to use an electronic system as the only method for the payment of rent or to assess any fee or other charge if a lessee chose not to use an electronic system. The Chamber opposed this legislation which was defeated on the House floor by a vote of 46-65 on April 3.
House Bill 4609 (Feigenholtz) – This bill was amended to prohibit the State Fire Marshal from issuing any future sprinkler mandate and to clarify that such an action can only be taken by the General Assembly. HB 4609 also created the Task Force on Fire Safety and Fire Prevention Education, on which the CAA would be represented. The Chamber supported this legislation which advanced out of the State Government Administration Committee by a vote of 17-2. Rep. Feigenholtz did not call it for a vote on the House floor before the deadline, and the bill was sent back to the Rules Committee.
Other bills of interest that did not advance before the April 11 deadline:
Senate Bill 2789 (Munoz) and House Bill 4420 (Berrios) – Mandated Sick Leave (Chamber opposed)
House Bill 6218 (Durkin) – Comprehensive changes to the Workers Compensation Act (Chamber supported)
House Joint Resolution Constitutional Amendment 51 (Madigan) – Proposed constitutional amendment to tax incomes above $1 million. This legislation is still pending, but Speaker Madigan said he would not call it for a vote. (Chamber opposed)
Prepared by Joan A. Parker for the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce
