By Barton Lorimor Email | @bartonlorimor

* The one bill Gov. Rauner acted on that got the most attention was the legislative COLA freeze…

The hike was supposed to be automatic because of court decisions and a 2014 law.

But Rauner, a Republican, battered the Legislature for weeks in mid-summer over the 2 percent cost-of-living adjustment for lawmakers who haven’t seen an increase in eight years.

But there were a few other fairly interesting measures the Governor also acted on, including some vetoes. Let’s go over them together, shall we?

The bill numbers and actions taken were announced via press release yesterday. The synopsis is straight from the General Assembly’s website.

Bill No.: HB 228
An Act Concerning State Government
Action: Signed
Effective Date: January 1, 2016

Amends the General Assembly Organization Act. Provides that until 4 years after the effective date of the amendatory Act, the General Assembly shall not enact any law creating any new unit of local government, including, but not limited to, the division of existing units of local government. Provides that the amendatory Act does not apply to the creation of a new unit of local government from the consolidation of 2 or more pre-existing units of local government.

Bill No.: HB2644
An Act Concerning Civil Law
Action: Veto

Current law permits condominium owners, acting by approval of 75% of unit owners, to limit or restrict certain rights of their board with respect to disputes and legal actions. This bill would remove that right and automatically void any contrary provision in a condominium instrument. This bill is an unnecessary restriction on the rights of condominium owners with respect to their property.

Bill No.: HB3104
An Act Concerning Local Government
Action: Signed
Effective Date: Immediate

Amends the Counties Code. Provides that appropriations required to meet an immediate emergency and certain transfers of appropriations exceeding the budget may be made with a two-thirds vote of a county board….provides that transfers of appropriations may be made without a vote of the board except in transfers that affect personnel and capital which require a two-thirds vote. Further provides that such transfers may be made only if the total amount appropriated for the fund is not affected.

Bill No.: HB3231
An Act Concerning Animals
Action: Signed
Effective Date: January 1, 2016

Amends the Humane Care for Animals Act. Provides that, in addition to any other penalty provided by law, a person who is convicted of a specified cruel treatment of animals violation upon a companion animal in the presence of a child shall be subject to a fine of $250 and ordered to perform community service for not less than 100 hours.

Bill No.: HB 3428
An Act Concerning Education
Action: Signed
Effective Date: Immediate

The Daily Herald also had a write-up on this bill.

Amends the College and Career Success for All Students Act. Provides that beginning with the 2016-2017 academic year, scores of 3, 4, and 5 on the College Board Advanced Placement examinations shall be accepted for credit to satisfy degree requirements by all public institutions of higher education. Provides that each institution of higher education shall determine for each test whether credit will be granted for electives, general education requirements, or major requirements and the Advanced Placement scores required to grant credit for those purposes. Provides that by the conclusion of the 2019-2020 academic year, the Board of Higher Education shall analyze the Advanced Placement examination score course granting policy of each institution of higher education and the research used by each institution in determining the level of credit and the number of credits provided for the Advanced Placement scores and file a report that includes findings and recommendations to the General Assembly and the Governor. Provides that each institution of higher education shall publish its updated Advanced Placement examination score course granting policy on its Internet website before the beginning of the 2016-2017 academic year. Effective immediately.

Bill No.: SB 816
An Act Concerning Local Government
Action: Amendatory Veto
Note: Amendatory veto message below.

Illinois currently has almost 7,000 units of local government, far more than any state in the country. I strongly support the authority of units of local government to take initiative to dissolve and consolidate.

In one particular circumstance, however, this authority is hampering the DuPage Water Commission’s ability to effectively serve its constituents. The Commission was created and funded by voluntary participating municipalities. Because the Commission can be effectively dissolved by those municipalities, the additional authority conferred by the 2014 law is not necessary in the limited case of the Commission.

Bill No.: SB 1344
An Act Concerning Civil Law
Action: Veto
Note: Veto message is below

Under current law, a common interest community association may initiate the process to incorporate as a municipality upon approval by two-thirds of its members. Senate Bill 1344 would lower that threshold from two-thirds to “51%” of the members.

The decision to incorporate as a municipality, which implicates a range of tax and local governance policies, should not be taken lightly. Illinois has almost 7,000 units of local government, more than any state in country. As such, we should maintain the higher threshold for initiating the incorporation process.

Bill No.: SB 1360
An Act Concerning Business
Action: Veto
Note: Veto message is below.

Under current law, a business that operates with an assumed name is required to register that name with the Secretary of State and each county in which the business operates. The business is also required to renew that registration with the Secretary of State – and pay a renewal fee to the State – periodically. This bill would require the business to also renew its registration with Cook County, but no other county, every five years and pay a renewal fee to Cook County.

This new mandate and fee would apply mostly to small businesses. The economic climate in Illinois is already detrimental to business, particularly small business. Over and over, we hear small businesses report that they are overburdened with regulations and fees, which hamper their ability to expand and impose barriers to entry.

Got all that?