GA sends Quinn hot potato
Friday, Dec 5, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Crain’s…
The Illinois Senate [yesterday] overwhelmingly passed a two-year extension of the smart grid law that permits Commonwealth Edison and Ameren Illinois to hike electricity delivery rates annually via a formula.
The 40-4 vote sends the bill, which authorizes formula rates through 2019, to Gov. Pat Quinn. Though the utility-backed legislation passed by veto-proof majorities, it may die anyway.
If Quinn, who vetoed the original smart-grid bill in 2011 and has vetoed changes to benefit the utilities since then, rejects this two-year extension, it may not get an override vote before the next General Assembly convenes in January. That would start the legislative process all over again.
* There is one minor twist, however…
Before leaving, the Senate voted overwhelmingly to approve a bill that extends by two years the state’s smart grid law. The law allows Commonwealth Edison and Ameren Illinois to raise delivery rates for electricity each year under a formula for making upgrades to their infrastructure.
The smart grid law was set to expire at the end of 2017. The bill extends that to 2019. […]
Immediately after the bill was approved, Cullerton filed a motion to reconsider the vote, a maneuver that for now prevents the bill from being sent to Gov. Pat Quinn. Quinn has previously vetoed bills allowing utilities to raise rates.
* More…
Quinn’s office said the outgoing governor would “carefully study” the proposal. He vetoed the original smart grid law, but that move was overridden by the Legislature.
If Quinn nixes the latest plan, it likely will die because House Speaker Michael Madigan, D-Chicago, sent members of the House home Wednesday and doesn’t plan to call them back to town before the new General Assembly begins its work. […]
“The sponsor chose to keep the bill in the Senate until he has a chance to speak with Gov. Quinn about his intentions,” said Cullerton spokeswoman Rikeesha Phelon.
Among the groups opposing the legislation is the Citizens Utility Board, which said the 2011 law should be allowed to work as planned without the changes sought by Ameren.
So, it’s all up to Quinn now.
…Adding… From comments…
You are missing the strategy. Cullerton looks to be holding the bill until Jan 13th one day into the new gov’s term and one day before the 98th dies.
He’s bypassing Quinn.
- cover - Friday, Dec 5, 14 @ 2:03 pm:
Rich, if Cullerton allows the bill to go to Gov. Quinn, who then vetoes it, would it be possible for the House to come back into session to consider an override?
If not, then I disagree with your assessment that “it’s all up to Quinn now”. I believe Cullerton would simply wait to withdraw the motion until January 13, sending the bill to Gov. Rauner.
- Wordslinger - Friday, Dec 5, 14 @ 2:16 pm:
I highly doubt that one of Quinn’s last acts will be to sign legislation authorizing automatic utility rate hikes.
- DuPage - Friday, Dec 5, 14 @ 2:18 pm:
Somehow, I think customers are going to get a raw deal, no matter what.
- Formerly Known As... - Friday, Dec 5, 14 @ 2:20 pm:
== Among the groups opposing the legislation is the Citizens Utility Board ==
Unlikely that Quinn would side against the group he essentially created as one of his final acts in office.
Vetoing this allows him to believe that his legacy lives on. Signing this forces him to swallow a bitter pill, bringing things full circle during the final chapter of his term as gov. My money is on veto.
- Rich Miller - Friday, Dec 5, 14 @ 2:27 pm:
===would it be possible for the House to come back===
Not without a Quinn special session.
- Abe the Babe - Friday, Dec 5, 14 @ 2:31 pm:
==So, it’s all up to Quinn now==
You are missing the strategy. Cullerton looks to be holding the bill until Jan 13th one day into the new gov’s term and one day before the 98th dies.
He’s bypassing Quinn.
- Quiet Sage - Friday, Dec 5, 14 @ 2:36 pm:
Good to know the General Assembly is so strongly on the side of consumers. /s
- Carl Nyberg - Friday, Dec 5, 14 @ 2:42 pm:
How many times have electric rates increased for the purpose of making the electrical distribution system more reliable?
Did the system get measurably more reliable each time?
- Herky - Friday, Dec 5, 14 @ 2:42 pm:
Quinn will never get an opportunity to veto the bill; Cover is right. Since the Senate didn’t adjourn sine die, Cullerton will simply sit on the motion to reconsider until at least mid-December, then the GA has 30 days to send it to the governor. Rauner’s first official action?
- Enviro - Friday, Dec 5, 14 @ 2:45 pm:
Pocket veto:
Any bill presented to a governor after a session has ended must be signed to become law. A governor can refuse to sign such a bill and it will expire. Such vetoes cannot be overridden.
- Abe the Babe - Friday, Dec 5, 14 @ 2:52 pm:
==Any bill presented to a governor after a session has ended must be signed to become law. A governor can refuse to sign such a bill and it will expire.==
That’s not what the constitution says…you may be thinking Federal. There is no pocket veto in IL
Section 9. (b) If the Governor does not approve the bill, he shall
veto it by returning it with his objections to the house in
which it originated. Any bill not so returned by the Governor
within 60 calendar days after it is presented to him shall
become law.
- Enviro - Friday, Dec 5, 14 @ 2:55 pm:
Maybe they want Rauner to take the blame for utility rate increases.
- lol - Friday, Dec 5, 14 @ 2:59 pm:
So Cullerton didn’t adjourn sine die just to do the utilities a favor? Pathetic.
- sss - Friday, Dec 5, 14 @ 3:19 pm:
Maybe now is the time to talk about the $200,000 Ameren gave to Cullerton in October?
- Formerly Known As... - Friday, Dec 5, 14 @ 4:10 pm:
If this is the only explanation for avoiding sine die, and @sss 3:19 comment is right, Mr Cullerton risks being remembered as the architect of these utility company rate hikes.
That is a good way to upset a lot of voters.
- cover - Friday, Dec 5, 14 @ 4:11 pm:
Abe the Babe is correct, the pocket veto is a power of the President. In Illinois, inaction by the Governor means the bill defaults into law - which happened with a few bills during Blago’s first year in office.
- Soccermom - Friday, Dec 5, 14 @ 4:40 pm:
There’s no way PQ signs this thing. So I don’t think it’s likely that the Senate will send it over.