It’s just a bill
Tuesday, Apr 25, 2017 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Or several of them. From a press release…
The Illinois Chamber of Commerce today announced a new designation and web page called “Job Crusherz” designed to highlight legislation that is bad for the state’s business climate and employers’ ability to create and maintain jobs in Illinois.
The “Job Crusherz” list shines a spotlight on some of the worst bills currently pending in the statehouse.
“As the busiest month of legislative session approaches, people and employers alike, need to be aware that there are bills on the table in Springfield that would be devastating, or moreover, crushing to employers in Illinois. Illinois cannot afford to fall further behind other states, and that is why the Illinois Chamber is working to oppose these bills by highlighting them for policymakers, employers and residents,” said Illinois Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Todd Maisch.
According to the Illinois Department of Employment Security, Illinois lost nearly 9,000 jobs last month and continues to be over 19,000 jobs short of its high in 2000.
“We need pro-growth and business-friendly reforms to move the state in the right direction: forward. Raising taxes over and over is not the solution that we need to revitalize our businesses, and neither is overregulating our employers. This is just one of the many reasons legislators must oppose the bills on this list,” said Maisch.
The bills on the “Job Crusherz” list cover topics of minimum wage, workers’ compensation, income tax, recreational marijuana, overregulation issues and more.
“We have to stop the movement of these bills now, before they have a chance to negatively affect our communities statewide,” said Illinois Chamber of Commerce Director of Advocacy Nathan Hoffman.
For more information and to view the Illinois Chamber of Commerce’s “Job Crusherz” list visit www.jobcrusherz.com
The site isn’t working right on my Firefox browser for whatever reason, but click here for the full list.
* Sun-Times editorial…
Last month, the Illinois House voted unanimously to stop requiring that a pamphlet be mailed out, although the bill is being revised to allow the Legislature to authorize mailings when a proposed constitutional amendment deals with a complex topic. Information about proposed amendments still would be posted online and in newspaper legal notices, but notification by mail to your home — the best way to assure that all voters are made aware — would be eliminated unless the Legislature deems otherwise on a case-by-case basis.
Bad move. Even in this day and age, many people do not use the internet. And those who do go online might never stumble upon information about some proposed amendment in Illinois. They might not even know to look.
When there is an election coming up, voters know to look to see who’s running for this or that office. But a constitutional amendment, unless on a big issue such as taxes, can go unnoticed. Some voters would stare at their ballot and try to figure out on the fly the wisdom of the proposal.
House sponsor state Rep. David McSweeney, R-Barrington, says the measure will save taxpayers $1.3 million for every proposed amendment, but that’s a rather limited analysis of costs. If a bad amendment is enacted into law, it could cost far more than this proposal would save.
* Press release…
Legislation requiring life insurance companies to look back to 1996 to identify policy holders who have died and the benefits have not been claimed or paid to their loved ones passed the Illinois House today, Illinois Treasurer Michael Frerichs said.
The Illinois House passed the proposal (HB 302) by a vote of 68-47. The proposal now goes to the Senate for consideration.
“We must continue to stand up for Illinois consumers and make sure they are getting what they are owed from insurance companies,” Frerichs said. “For decades, we know some life insurance companies manipulated the rules to avoid paying death benefits, and that dishonest practice to help pad their bottom line at the expense of the deceased needs to stop.”
House Bill 302 requires insurers to evaluate policies in force since 1996, including those currently in lapsed or terminated status, because Frerichs and supporters believe some of these policies should have been paid to survivors. The legislation also requires insurers to request updated contact information for insureds and beneficiaries, such as a telephone number, mailing address, or email address. Doing so could avoid polices from going unpaid as a result of missing or mistaken contact information. The legislation also prohibits finders from charging owners a fee to recover their property from the time the property is presumed abandoned until it has been with the treasurer’s office for at least 24 months. Finally, the proposal would provide the treasurer’s office with access to vital records maintained by the Illinois Department of Public Health to assist in reuniting unclaimed property with the rightful owners or their heirs.
- Jim'e' - Tuesday, Apr 25, 17 @ 2:28 pm:
The Chambers reason for opposing the Mary Jane bill is very comical. Like us recreational dudes will light up right before a job interview. Just call us dumb.
- Franklin Delano Bluth - Tuesday, Apr 25, 17 @ 2:33 pm:
I like the Z ending on “Crusherz” no doubt whatever six-figure consultant the Chamber hired earned his keep with that! So hip
- CLJ - Tuesday, Apr 25, 17 @ 2:37 pm:
So did “Squeezy the Python” fall into the Crusherz?
- Frank Manzo IV - Tuesday, Apr 25, 17 @ 2:39 pm:
Yike to the Z at the end of Crusherz. What is this, the late ’90s?
“SB 316 (Sen. Steans) and HB 2353 (Rep. Cassidy) would legalize recreational marijuana in Illinois. The passage of these bill will potentially hurt those individuals who engage in the recreational use of marijuana because for businesses that require drug screenings prior to employment, those individuals will still fail those drug screenings and be turned away from job opportunities they otherwise could have be afforded.”
Okay… but if it’s legal you could also just stop testing for it. How many employers test for cigarette or alcohol usage in Illinois? Conversely, recreational marijuana would create a new industry with new business owners in the state. This one doesn’t make sense to me.
- Arthur Andersen - Tuesday, Apr 25, 17 @ 2:45 pm:
I’ll admit to some concerns over a couple of Treasurer Frerichs’ early moves. After checking things out, my concerns were misplaced. I think he’s one of our most effective statewide officials, although that bar ain’t too high lately.
Good work on this bill.
- Frank Manzo IV - Tuesday, Apr 25, 17 @ 2:45 pm:
“SB 1720 (Sen. Biss) Bars contractors for 5 years from bidding on any state procurement by a business violating certain Illinois employment laws, any comparable laws in other states or the federal FLSA. Increases criminal penalties for violation of the Wage Payment & Collection Act.”
There are responsible, high-road companies that would otherwise win bids on state projects if not for the unscrupulous contractors who violate the law. This is not a job killer - those jobs would still exist. It is simply ensuring that contractors compete on a level playing field and that quality standards are upheld. Another reach.
- High Times - Tuesday, Apr 25, 17 @ 2:46 pm:
The Chamber complaining about over-regulation in one breath and opposing a bill stripping the regulation on marijuana away in another is peak Chamber and peak Illinois.
All politics…no logic.
- wordslinger - Tuesday, Apr 25, 17 @ 2:47 pm:
– “Job Crusherz”–
Fo-shizzle, that’s off the hook, dog.
- Rogue Roni - Tuesday, Apr 25, 17 @ 2:51 pm:
Crusherz? You know the kids think this anti business legislation is whack yo!
- Claude Peppers - Tuesday, Apr 25, 17 @ 2:58 pm:
How could the GOP oppose HB302?
- The Captain - Tuesday, Apr 25, 17 @ 3:16 pm:
This Crusherz site is on fleek.
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Apr 25, 17 @ 3:21 pm:
So the good news is that John Mulroe’s multibillion tax increase is not a job crusher.
Don Harmon’s graduated income tax is not a job crusher.
Good to know.
- Goonerz - Tuesday, Apr 25, 17 @ 3:48 pm:
I know others have commented, but that “z” is as bad as Squeezey.
I doubt this would be the result of work by interns. Interns would be too smart.
I’m guessing the work was done by 55 year old guys from Bloomington. I can’t imagine being more out of touch.
- Goonerz - Tuesday, Apr 25, 17 @ 3:51 pm:
Regarding the McSweeney bill — if you are reaching a decision based on a pamphlet you read, you really should not be voted on the subject at all.
We need to start treating voters like adults, whether they’ve earned it or not. A short summary is never sufficient to do justice to a constitutional issue.
- Ron Burgundy - Tuesday, Apr 25, 17 @ 4:05 pm:
–How could the GOP oppose HB302?–
From what I hear the issue is the burden on industry to do all these checks. While it seems like a good idea, some of the company records are old, have bad info on them, etc. Unlike say an auto or home policy, with a life policy the company typically gets info on the beneficiaries once. You don’t send your new address or phone number to grandma’s life insurance company so they can find you if she dies. Also, there are questions as to what to do with partial matches and how far and how much money companies have to expend to check those out. Say they have to find a John Smith in Chicago and the old address they had is no longer any good. Remember, all the money they spend checking out some of these wild goose chases gets paid by their policyholders eventually in the form of premiums. So in a nutshell those are the issues, trying to balance the expense and effort to the benefit of doing this.
- Annonin' - Tuesday, Apr 25, 17 @ 4:21 pm:
Great idea
can’t wait til they ’splain one of the biggests Krusherz of them all …the 10K workers dumped at CAT after they wasted $2 billion to buy a mining equipment company they did not need. The jobs were Krushed to cover up for Dufus bosses.
- DontConversateWithTheFakes - Tuesday, Apr 25, 17 @ 7:29 pm:
Really starting to wonder if the Chamber actually understands the legislation it rails against. For example, why would the two internet privacy bills keep startups and tech companies out of Illinois? The bills look like they would protect the personal information of Illinois residents, regardless of where the company is located. So why would this keep tech out? Doesn’t make sense.
- Odysseus - Tuesday, Apr 25, 17 @ 9:06 pm:
Those justifications are hilarious!