* In the end, it wasn’t even close. Some Democratic opponents flipped to “Yes” and some Republicans came out of the woodwork to support it…
* Senate President Don Harmon…
“The shared goal among the Senate, House and Governor Pritzker has been to position Illinois as a national leader on reliable, renewable and affordable energy policies. This proposal accomplishes that shared goal. I commend the work the House has done to build on the progress the Senate had made.
Senate session will be scheduled for Monday to advance this vital proposal to the governor’s desk so it can become law.”
* Gov. Pritzker…
Today, with the House passage of SB 2408, the State of Illinois is one historic step closer to reaching a 100 percent clean energy future. For many years, comprehensive energy legislation that puts consumers and the climate first has been debated while scientists around the world have sounded the alarm about the growing impacts of climate change. SB 2408 puts the state on a path toward 100% clean energy and invests in training a diverse workforce for the jobs of the future. Illinois will become the best state in the nation to manufacture and drive an electric vehicle, and equity will be prioritized in every new program created. The days of utility companies writing energy legislation to pad their profits has ended because SB2408 puts consumers and climate at the forefront, prioritizes meaningful ethics and transparency reforms, and institutes key ratepayer and residential customer protections.
A legislative package of this magnitude required bringing all stakeholders to the table, holding regular meetings for more than a year, keeping an open mind, negotiating in good faith, and reaching consensus on a bill that fights climate change and preserves and creates jobs. I want to express my sincere gratitude to Speaker Welch and Leader Evans for their tireless collaboration to get this package across the finish line. To the members of the Clean Jobs Coalition who have worked day and night to protect our planet, thank you for fighting this urgent battle for the next generation of Illinoisans. Your advocacy will leave our children a better and safer Illinois. To our brothers and sisters in organized labor, thank you for fighting for working families across the state and ensuring a just energy transition for Illinois’ energy workforce.
I look forward to SB 2408’s swift passage in the Senate, and signing it into law as soon as possible, because our planet and the people of Illinois ought not wait any longer.
* Speaker Welch…
“What the House has accomplished tonight is monumental and life changing for the future generations of Illinois,” said House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch. “With the passage of this comprehensive energy proposal, Illinois is on the path to a greener future that prioritizes a reduction in carbon emissions, saves jobs, diversifies the energy sector and tackles necessary ethics reforms. I am incredibly proud of Leaders Evans, Gabel, Hoffman, and Representative Williams. It is thanks to their continued negotiations that we have a product our entire state can be proud of.
* In case you missed it, this is just a tiny taste of how bizarre tonight’s debate was at times…
Rep. Steve Reick (R-Woodstock) imagines people in sub-Saharan Africa don’t wish to “burn dung” to power lightbulbs in their huts. He says no one knows what the average planet temps might be in 50 years. Scientists are quite clear: methane & carbon traps heat, accelerates warming.
Rep. Meier just went on and on and on, often without any direction or purpose. The Prairie State coal-fired electricity plant is in his district, so he was given extra indulgence and time. It didn’t help his cause.
At one point, Rep. Blaine Wilhour claimed the bill will somehow prop up the Chinese Communist Party. Another predicted daily, hours-long Iraqi-style blackouts.
On the other hand, often legitimate questions weren’t replied to with satisfactory answers, particularly on the eminent domain issue.
* CJI…
Labor coalition Climate Jobs Illinois (CJI) applauded the House of Representatives’ passage of historic legislation that will put thousands of union laborers to work building a 100 percent clean energy economy in Illinois and provide a new pathway to the middle class to address growing income inequality in underserved communities most impacted by climate change.
SB 2408 sets the strongest clean energy labor standards in the country and promises to raise the bar for other states seeking to enact new labor and employment policies for building and maintaining clean energy developments.
The bill will create thousands of new clean energy union jobs, expand union apprenticeships for Black and Latinx communities, increase energy efficiency for public schools and safeguard thousands of union workers at the state’s nuclear plants that currently generate the bulk of Illinois’ zero-emissions energy.
“We commend the House and all parties for meeting this moment, putting aside considerable differences to pass an ambitious bill that takes on the climate change, puts union men and women to work, and opens up new opportunities for historically underserved communities most impacted by the climate crisis,” CJI Executive Director Joe Duffy said. “We look forward to working with our partners in the Senate to get this historic legislation passed and sent to Gov. Pritzker for his signature so that we can get to work building a cleaner, fairer future for all Illinoisans.”
Specifically, major provisions of the bill include:
• 50% renewable energy by 2040 and zero carbon emissions by 2045
• All privately owned coal generation closed by 2030; municipally-owned coal plants to reach zero carbon emissions by 2045
• $700 million in negotiated subsidies for the Byron, Dresden, Braidwood nuclear plants for 5 years to sustain Illinois’ primary source of current clean energy
• Expanded apprenticeship and training programs to increase representation of Black and Latinx communities in the energy workforce, with required diversity hiring reports by renewable industry employers
• Strongest labor standards in the country on wind and solar developments
o Project labor agreements required on all utility-scale wind and solar projects and prevailing wages for all non-residential clean energy projects
• “Just transition” program for areas economically reliant on fossil fuel generation
• 1 million electric vehicles on the road by 2030, with state rebates funding up to 80% of charging station installation and requires prevailing wages on installation
• Increased energy efficiency for public schools
• Increased accountability and transparency — return to traditional ratemaking vs. formula rates, and requires utilities to establish a chief ethics and compliance officer who must report to the Illinois Commerce Commission
* Illinois Clean Jobs Coalition…
“After years of hard work and community collaboration, the Illinois Clean Jobs Coalition applauds this significant leap forward on climate change and nation-leading equity standard that assures every part of the state shares in the promise of the clean energy economy. This urgent, job-creating plan puts Illinois on a path to a 100% clean energy future while providing a just transition for workers and communities historically dependent on dirty fossil fuels, enacting some of the toughest utility accountability measures in the nation, and creating jobs and wealth in Illinois’ Black and Brown communities, which are often the first to suffer negative consequences of pollution but the last to reap the health and economic benefits of a clean energy future.
“We would like to thank the numerous advocates, stakeholders, legislative champions, and particularly Governor JB Pritzker for their hard work and urge the Senate to bring this urgent legislation across the finish line swiftly.
* Sierra Club…
“This historic bill represents a nation-leading plan to set Illinois on course to 100% clean energy, heeds the call of science for bold action on climate change, and centers equity and environmental justice every step of the way.
“I want to thank the Governor, legislative leaders, stakeholders, and the tens of thousands of Illinoisans who have raised their voices as part of this process. Today, those voices were heard, as this historic agreement is grounded in their hopes for a better future for Illinois and our planet. We urge the Illinois State Senate to vote to concur with the House on SB2408 as soon as possible so that the Climate and Equitable Jobs Bill can become the law of the land and we can deliver a better future for all the residents of our state.”
* Path to 100 Coalition…
“Illinois is now on the path to 40% renewable energy by 2030 and 50% renewables by 2050. If the Senate approves this legislation immediately, we will have taken critical action to address the climate crisis while keeping equity at the forefront, protecting consumers, and creating tens of thousands of good jobs,” said Nakhia Crossley, Central Region Director for the Solar Energy Industries Association. “We thank the members of the House and Senate who have worked for years to craft this policy and move it forward. We call on the Illinois Senate to pass this bill and get it to the Governor so we can get back to work.”
* Illinois Environmental Council Executive Director Jen Walling…
“We are closer than ever before to passing the nation’s most comprehensive, equitable climate bill. The passage of SB2408 today in the House of Representatives was an enormous victory that was only possible because environmental champion state representatives stood strong and sided with their constituents over the polluting fossil fuel interests who have called the shots in Springfield for too long.
“We applaud the representatives who voted yes today—they are climate champions. We encourage members of the Senate to vote for SB2408 so we can put Illinois on a path to 100% clean energy, create thousands of good-paying jobs, establish nation-leading equity programs, reduce pollution and hold utility companies accountable for corruption. The climate won’t wait. Let’s get this done!”
* TechNet…
TechNet, the national, bipartisan network of innovation economy CEOs and senior executives, today applauded the passage of Illinois SB 2408, a bill that would put the state on a path to 100 percent clean energy by 2050. The bill will also increase the adoption of electric vehicles in Illinois and invest in the state’s clean jobs workforce through job training and other assistance. The following statement is attributable to Tyler Diers, TechNet’s Executive Director for Illinois and the Midwest:
“Combatting climate change is one of the most critical global issues of our time. Immediate and consistent action is required, and technology companies are helping lead efforts to transition to a clean energy economy through innovation and investment in renewable energy and sustainable technologies.
“This legislation enables Illinois to take a much-needed step in reducing carbon pollution by setting a path to decarbonize the electric grid, ensuring the state’s transportation future is all-electric, and making the policy inclusive for communities that have been disproportionately affected by climate change. The bill also enables companies to voluntarily support their energy needs with renewable energy now and in the future, which makes the grid cleaner for everyone and accelerates private investment in new utility-scale renewable energy in the state.
“The technology industry stands in support of SB 2408 and applauds lawmakers from both parties for taking the necessary action to make Illinois’ future cleaner, more efficient, and more sustainable.”
* Rep. Mike Murphy…
“More than a decade ago, City, Water, Light, and Power, a municipally-owned non-profit energy provider, took steps to plan for our energy future in central Illinois and reduce its carbon emissions by building the Dallman 4 plant. That plant followed all the carbon reduction regulations put in place by the Obama-Biden administration. Now, with 19 years left on the bond obligation for that plant, the state of Illinois is pulling the rug out from under our taxpayers’ non-profit energy provider, while down the road a state-run coal-fired plant for state facilities can stay open.
“Not only does this energy overhaul cripple non-profit power plants, but it also gives private power entities the eminent domain authority to build transmission lines across farmland without owners’ approval. All of this is on top of a rate increase, and since we can’t meet power capacity needs without our coal-fired plants, we’ll be buying coal-fired energy from neighboring states. We are rushing to completely alter our energy production at the expense of countless jobs and reliable energy for the sake of special interest and it’s terrible.”
* Rep. Anna Moeller…
“Today is a day to celebrate Illinois as a national leader in protecting our environment and creating our clean energy future.
As Chair of the Illinois House Green Caucus, and a longtime supporter of clean energy legislation, I want to thank my colleagues in the Legislature, House Speaker Welch, Gov. Pritzker, the environmental advocates and everyone who made today’s historic vote possible. We can look back to today as a true turning point in the fight against climate change and for a better future for all Illinoisans.”
* Rep. Tim Butler…
“Well over a decade ago, my community made a wise investment to move forward with a reliable, competitive source of power to keep our lights on; a source of power which was approved by the State of Illinois during the Obama-Biden administration. Today, the Illinois House turned the lights out on the community in which the Capitol sits.
“The taxpayers of Springfield will almost certainly be on the hook for paying twice for their energy due to this legislation. My neighbors wanted a reliable source of energy for our future, so we supported the construction of the Dallman 4 unit. Now the state has voted to shut down this municipally-owned, non-profit facility and to trample the rights of private property owners. All our property taxes already go to paying old pension debt, now all our utility bills will pay for closed power plants.
“What was done here today completely ignores the serious harm to jobs and the economic health of downstate and central Illinois communities, along with our municipally-owned non-profit utilities. We are being sacrificed on the altar and at the expense of special interests and investor-owned private utility company profits.”
The turnaround of Illinois starts right here, right now!
The whole thing is a bit, well, oddly Rauneresque. He said he has “muddy Sangamon River water flowing through my veins,” for instance. Read it for yourself.
…Adding… DPI…
Jesse Sullivan: Another Page out of the IL GOP Playbook
Fueled by out-of-state contributions, another anti-choice candidate enters the race
Chicago - In response to Jesse Sullivan’s campaign announcement, Democratic Party of Illinois Executive Director Abby Witt released the following statement:
“Jesse Sullivan may offer a new name and a different face, but he follows the Illinois GOP playbook entirely. Playing up fear tactics instead of providing real policies and solutions and equating leadership with questionable out-of-state donations is not what Illinois needs.
“Jesse Sullivan has a lot of important questions to answer about where he stands on issues that matter most to Illinoisans. Until then, no one is fooled by the packaging.”
Jesse Sullivan’s largest contribution - $5 million - comes from a Californian named Chris Larsen who is currently being prosecuted by the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Jesse Sullivan is not the first Republican candidate to enter the gubernatorial race burdened with ethical and finance-related problems. The Illinois Democratic County Chairs Association highlighted Gary Rabine’s ties to Turning Point USA, an ultra-conservative organization with questionable finances.
* Background on today’s action can be found here and here. House Democrats are being briefed on a climate/energy bill agreement hammered out this afternoon at the insistence of Speaker Chris Welch between the unions, the governor’s office and Rep. Jay Hoffman.
The language is a little involved, but, as I understand it, the huge coal-fired Prairie State power plant must hit a 45 percent carbon reduction target by 2035. If it misses the target, it has three more years to hit the target or close one of its two generation units by 2038. The whole plant goes offline in 2045 unless there is a 100 percent reduction in emissions. The $20 million a year for ten years to help finance decarbonization which was in an earlier proposal is now out.
And I’m told the enviros are now on board.
* The House had teed up the bill for debate, but then both parties decided to caucus. An earlier version passed out of committee this afternoon.
…Adding… At the moment, House Democratic opponents include (but may not be limited to) Reps. Tarver, Crespo, Cassidy and Flowers. One other that I know of is said to be on the fence. But the greens claim they have four Republican votes, so, if that’s true, the proponents will have just enough to pass a bill.
* Former Gov. Pat Quinn is one of the attorneys involved in the suit…
JUST IN: A federal judge has dismissed a racketeering suit by the Citizen’s Utility Board over ComEd’s alleged scheme to bribe Michael Madigan, saying the suit failed “to allege Madigan provided votes” for ComEd “by placing improper pressure on lawmakers” https://t.co/YO1yH6sFM5
The Citizens Utility Board, which joined the ongoing proposed class action suit against ComEd in January, sought millions in restitution from ComEd to be paid directly to customers allegedly harmed by the scheme to influence Madigan and pass legislation the utility wanted in Springfield.
But in a 24-page decision filed Thursday, U.S. District Judge Jorge Alonso wrote that despite the fact ComEd has pleaded guilty to orchestrating the bribery scheme, the plaintiffs failed to allege what specific pressure was put on any legislators by Madigan, or that the pressure was unlawful.
“If, by pressure, plaintiffs mean logrolling, committee assignments or help with reelection, then that does not suffice,” Alonso wrote. “Plaintiffs fail to allege that Madigan put any improper pressure on those lawmakers … Allegations that are as consistent with lawful conduct as they are with unlawful conduct are not sufficient.”
*** UPDATE *** The second court-related news today is about a separate lawsuit filed on behalf of Exelon stockholders…
The U.S. Department of Labor estimates 15,232 new unemployment claims were filed during the week of August 30 in Illinois, according to the DOL’s weekly claims report released Thursday. […]
Illinois’ estimated claims are among 310,000 total claims filed across the country last week.
There were 15,546 new unemployment claims were filed in Illinois during the week of August 23.
There were 22,258 new unemployment claims were filed during the week of August 16 in Illinois.
There were 18,426 new unemployment claims were filed during the week of August 9 in Illinois.
Six more Illinois Department of Employment Security locations will open for in-person services starting Tuesday.
IDES is reopening its centers in Effingham, Ottawa, Peoria, Quincy, Rock Island and Springfield. In-person services include job search help and assistance with unemployment claims.
IDES centers in Rockford, Harvey, Champaign, Mt. Vernon, Belleville, Wheeling and Chicago’s Pilsen neighborhood previously reopened for in-person services in the past couple weeks.
A veteran corporate exec with a political bent is taking over as the new head of Intersect Illinois, the state’s private/public corporate recruitment arm.
In a statement, Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s office announced his selection of Dan Seals to be Intersect Illinois’ new CEO. The appointment will be official when it’s approved by the group’s board, which is expected to happen on Sept. 23.
Seals, 50, currently is a director at the American Medical Association, where he heads both domestic and international marketing of business services. Earlier he was an official at GE Capital and T-Mobile, and deputy director of the Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity. But voters likely will remember him most from his three races for Congress in the north suburban 10th District against Mark Kirk and later Bob Dold.
In an interview, Seals said he sees his mission as that of a sort of super salesman, putting the state in the best light when it approaches companies, much like World Business Chicago does in the city.
[Ryan Mahan, who leads the SJ-R’s union] said the newspaper only has four news reporters covering the entire community. By contrast, the SJ-R and Copley had five people covering just the Illinois Statehouse before the Gatehouse acquisition.
* More…
* Back to business - Grants provide relief to those who may have been left out
All eyes are on DuPage County Board Chairman Dan Cronin. Candidates are ready to line up to run for his seat should he decide to not seek re-election.
DuPage County Board member Liz Chaplin (2nd District) has already announced her campaign for chair on Facebook. DuPage County Board member Lynn LaPlante (4th District) also is mulling a run. LaPlante was the Democratic nominee in 2018 and came within 7,000 votes of unseating Cronin (51 percent to 49 percent). And state Rep. Deb Conroy is eyeing the seat, too. She, LaPlante and Chaplin are all Democrats.
On the Republican side, DuPage County Board Member Greg Hart has been actively preparing his campaign to launch as soon as Cronin announces his intentions.
I checked with Rep. Conroy and she is, indeed, giving it some thought.
Former AFSCME Local 46 President Gregg Johnson will run as a Democrat for Mike Halpin’s seat in the Illinois State House of Representatives.
“I’m running for State Rep because I believe our community deserves the same opportunities and investments as we are seeing in other parts of the State, in particular, Chicago,” Johnson told Local 4 News. “People in this community aren’t looking for handouts, they just want an opportunity to work hard for fair wages and to build a better life. We want safe neighborhoods where our kids can attend good schools, we want healthcare that we can afford, and leaders that can be trusted with our tax dollars. I want to go to Springfield and fight for those values because that’s how you build a strong middle class, the one that I grew up in decades ago.”
Halpin announced Wednesday he’s running for Illinois State Senate.
Former President Ronald Reagan deserves a statue on the Capitol grounds in Springfield, not because of his Republican politics, but because of his connection to a state where he was born, grew up and was educated, the president of Eureka College said Wednesday.
“Our Reagan story, the Eureka College-Reagan story … is not inherently political. It is neither Democrat nor Republican,” college president Jamel Wright told the Illinois House’s Statue and Monument Review Task Force.
The story that the small, private college in the Woodford County community of Eureka wants to promote through a statue of a “young Reagan” “is akin to so many of our Eureka College and Illinois students today” who are first-generation college students, Wright said.
“They’re not going to be perfect, but they should know that they can be first-generation, they can be poor, they can come from a dysfunctional family, they can have to work their way through school,” she said.
The South Side Democrat who chairs the [House Statue and Monument Review Task Force] said in weighing the former president’s flaws with his legacy there has to be a recognition that “whether we agree with his policies or not … he had a profound impact on the direction of this country.” […]
State Rep. Mary Flowers the chair of the committee, said Reagan had a “made-for-TV” presidency, one that would go on to define “our American experience” by producing images and ideas that remain “with the nation today.”
The South Side Democrat referenced Reagan’s iconic “It’s Morning Again in America” campaign ad, saying that “idealistic vision of the country has become firmly entrenched in the American psyche.”
But Flowers, who grew up watching Reagan on TV, also noted the former president is often credited for giving the nation the offensive concept of the “welfare queen,” a “key talking point” at his campaign rallies.
“This image has also stuck, not because it was true … but because it was a convenient way to celebrate ‘Morning in America’ without having to acknowledge the nightmare of systematic racism, that is also very much a part of our history,” Flowers said.
* The Question: Should a statue of Ronald Reagan be placed on the Statehouse grounds? Take the poll and then explain your answer in comments, please…
Recent versions of the Proposed Energy Legislation at the Illinois Statehouse have included language defining an electric vehicle as a ” vehicle that is exclusively powered by and refueled by electricity, must be plugged in to charge, and is licensed to drive on public roadways.” , but excluding electric motorcycles, even though they meet the three criteria of an “electric vehicle”.
ABATE of Illinois made several attempts to get motorcycles included in the definition of electric vehicles, only to be told by several sources that the Governor’s Office does not want motorcycles to be included.
ABATE is deeply troubled by any attempts to discriminate against motorcycles when it comes to incentives, and infrastructure planning. HB3666, SB18, & SB1751 all have language stating that the Illinois Commerce Commission is to develop plans and reports regarding the accessibility and deployment of electrical transportation infrastructure. To deny the consideration of electric motorcycles in this kind of planning is exclusionary and indicates an attitude where motorcyclists, including those who may use motorcycles as a primary mode of transportation, are treated as 2nd class road users.
The rights of motorcyclists should be given equal consideration when it comes to planning the future of Illinois transportation, and this insistence by the Governor’s Office to exclude electric motorcycles from the energy bill shows a willingness on behalf of the Governor to deny that equal consideration while picking winners and losers when it comes to the future of Illinois’ Transportation.
ABATE of Illinois sincerely hopes that Governor JB Pritzker will reconsider his position, and allow electric motorcycles to have the same opportunities being given to other electric vehicles under the proposed energy legislation.
* Response from Jordan Abudayyeh…
The primary goal of the incentives included in the energy bill is to foster increasing adoption of electric vehicles as a primary mode of transportation.
There are other paths the state could follow that would not serve to increase tensions and stress in the way that a hard [vaccination] mandate would do. President Biden laid out such a path last week for most federal government employees: All employees must either be fully vaccinated OR be regularly tested.
The union has cited Biden’s example several times in the past few weeks.
President Joe Biden on Thursday will impose more stringent vaccine rules on federal workers by signing an executive order requiring all government employees be vaccinated against Covid-19, with no option of being regularly tested to opt out, according to a source familiar with the plans.
* Background is here. Speaker Chris Welch’s spokesperson just told me that SB2408 “is the only proposal that we’ll be moving today” on climate/energy. They’re not calling any other bill, including the Senate-passed SB18, which apparently has only 20 HDem votes. A large handful of folks in Welch’s caucus are holding out on SB2408 and trying to change course. Not gonna happen and they’ll clearly wear the jacket if this agreed bill goes down.
Press release…
“I want to first thank Leaders Evans, Gabel and Hoffman for their tireless work and dedication in helping craft a comprehensive energy proposal that prioritizes our climate, equitable job preservation and creation, and meaningful ethics reform,” said House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch. “Senate Bill 2408 is the product of good-faith negotiations that has the support from both environmental and labor groups. With this consensus among stakeholders, it is the only proposal that will advance today. I hope to see the same broad bipartisan support in the House for this historic piece of legislation that puts Illinois on the path to a greener, more sustainable future while also prioritizing a diversified energy sector.
…Adding… Click here for a summary of the changes in the new proposal.
…Adding… Most of the House Democratic opposition is centered around objections by Assistant House Majority Leader Jay Hoffman. But Rep. Kelly Cassidy told her constituents today “I can honestly say I’m still weighing all the components”…
I have never been a fan of providing subsidies to profitable corporations and this remains a key component of this bill, even as it provides a clear pathway to reducing carbon emissions, transitions Illinois to clean power on a defined timeline, makes significant investments in renewable energy development, and provides pathways for equity in the energy sector.
*** UPDATE *** Hearing about an amendment in the works in an attempt to placate the Hoffman crowd.
A do-over in Springfield is set to take place Thursday, as Democratic leaders say they will try again to approve ethics legislation that people on both sides of the aisle call ‘watered down.’
The Illinois House is back in Springfield to consider urgent energy legislation. But what about ethics reform?
“We will be voting on that AV tomorrow, we will have all of our members there and I’m sure it will be approved,” said Democratic Majority Leader Greg Harris.
Last week, the House rejected Governor Pritzker’s amendatory veto (AV) of an ethics bill that passed in May, throwing its fate into question.
Harris says although Democrats can pass it with their supermajority, he hopes Republicans go along with it.
It came up short because a bunch of House Democrats left town. It wasn’t a policy thing.
* And Leader Harris may have expressed hope, but it’s not the plan…
On Wednesday, anticipating Democrats will try to call the bill again, state Rep. Mike Marron, R-Fithian, said Republicans will oppose the motion. He said passing weak reforms gives cover to kicking the can down the road on real reforms.
“Given the circumstances of where we’re at right now, I don’t think that we can do that,” Marron said. “We have to be honest with people. We have to take meaningful reform.”
Republicans say they have strong reform bills ready to vote on if Democrats would cooperate.
To the governor’s changes to the ethics bill, state Rep. Avery Bourne, R-Morrisonville, said he should have given the legislative watchdog more independence to investigate wrongdoing of legislators and staff. Legislative Inspector General Carol Pope announced she’s resigning the position because of the lack of strong ethics reforms. Instead, Bourne said the governor’s change impacts the inspectors for executive agencies.
“So he’s actually trying to bring less oversight of his own agencies with his amendatory veto,” Bourne said in a news conference Wednesday.
“We say that we’ve fixed the problem and it really does nothing to change anything,” said Rep. Mike Marron (R-Fithian). “That would cause such a lack of faith in confidence in us that it would just be unforgivable.” […]
Rep. Patrick Windhorst (R-Metropolis) served on the Joint Commission on Ethics and Lobbying throughout 2020. That group spent months listening to testimony about necessary changes. Still, they missed the deadline to give a final report to lawmakers. Windhorst is one of several lawmakers upset that the group never submitted the information. He feels ethics fell in importance.
That’s why Windhorst filed an ethics omnibus bill last spring, including many proposals previously introduced by Republicans. His proposal would create a one-year revolving door ban for lawmakers hoping to become lobbyists. The plan also gives more power to the Legislative Inspector General. But, most importantly, the LIG would have subpoena power without prior approval from the Legislative Ethics Commission.
“The Democrats’ ethics package so impaired the LIG’s ability to do her job that our current Legislative Inspector General submitted her resignation after the legislation passed,” said Windhorst. “She pointed out specific deficiencies in the bill in her letter of resignation.
Nobody says they’ve fixed the problem and the bill does change some things. C’mon, Mike.
*** UPDATE *** As expected, the House has accepted the governor’s AV. Republican Reps. Amy Elik and Jeff Keicher joined the Democrats on the motion…
…Adding… Comptroller Mendoza…
Illinois State Comptroller Susana Mendoza’s “no exit bonus/no signing bonus” reform will be enacted as part of a larger ethics package after lawmakers today voted 74-41 to accept the governor’s amendatory veto of the legislation.
The measure ends the shady practice of legislators leaving the General Assembly in disgrace but dating their exit on the first day of the following month to claim an extra month’s pay for a day’s work.
“This is a matter of common sense and accountability,” Mendoza said. “Waitresses and factory workers don’t collect a month’s pay for a day’s work, and legislators don’t deserve that luxury either – especially on the backs of Illinois taxpayers.”
Climate Jobs Illinois issued the following statement regarding the proposed amendment on SB 2408:
“Our coalition has reviewed the proposed amendment and supports the current version of the bill. The legislation sets the strongest clean energy labor standards in the country, requiring project labor agreements on all utility-scale wind and solar projects and sets prevailing wages for non-residential projects. These provisions will raise the standard for other states seeking to enact new labor and employment policies for building and maintaining clean energy developments.
The bill will create thousands of new clean energy union jobs, expand union apprenticeships for Black and Latinx communities, increase energy efficiency for public schools and safeguard thousands of union workers at the state’s nuclear plants that currently generate the bulk of Illinois’ zero-emissions energy. These key components were our top priorities in any clean energy legislation enacted, so we are pleased with the result.
We applaud the hard work of everyone who has come to the table to debate these issues for months, and we’re committed to getting this bill signed and getting to work to build a cleaner, fairer future for all Illinoisans.”
*** UPDATE 1 *** Illinois Clean Jobs Coalition Statement…
“After more than three years of community collaboration, the Illinois Clean Jobs Coalition is proud to support this legislation that meaningfully addresses our climate emergency, takes bold action on creating equitable jobs all across the state, and enacts tough utility accountability measures including the end of automatic formula rate hikes.
“Throughout recent negotiations, our diverse coalition’s values have been simple and clear: a climate bill must include a specific timeline for decarbonization as well as interim pollution reductions demanded by science and public health. And, it must create good-paying jobs and wealth for working families in Illinois’ Black and Brown communities, which are often the first to suffer negative consequences of pollution but the last to reap the health and economic benefits of a clean energy future.
“This agreed upon legislation accomplishes those goals. We would like to thank Governor Pritzker, legislative leaders, and stakeholders for their hard work and urge lawmakers to vote yes on this historic legislation.”
Despite the active involvement of Speaker Welch, I’m told there still may be some issues with the House roll call. Stay tuned.
…Adding… One of the roll call problems is with Lake County House Democrats. They want some property tax relief for Zion because the town is struggling since its nuclear power plant shut down. They also want some help cleaning up after a Waukegan coal plant shuts down next year. But I’m told that language is in the bill, so those folks should be fine.
…Adding… Lake County delegation is now on board…
Today, Rep. Jonathan Carroll (D – Northbrook), Rep. Daniel Didech (D – Buffalo Grove), Rep. Joyce Mason (D – Gurnee), Rep. Rita Mayfield (D – Waukegan), Rep. Bob Morgan (D – Deerfield), and Rep. Sam Yingling (D – Grayslake) released the following statement regarding the General Assembly’s efforts to pass historic clean energy legislation:
The Lake County House Delegation strongly supports SB 2408, sponsored by Leader Marcus Evans, which will make Illinois the nation’s leader in fighting climate change, expanding our renewable energy economy, saving and creating energy sector jobs, holding utilities accountable, and investing in historically disinvested communities like Waukegan and Zion. We are incredibly grateful for everyone who has spent so much time drafting and negotiating this compromise bill, especially Rep. Jay Hoffman, Rep. Marcus Evans, Rep. Robyn Gabel, Rep. Ann Williams, Rep. Kam Buckner, Rep. Larry Walsh, our colleagues in the Senate and the Governor’s office, and all the stakeholders who have helped craft a bill that will be in the best interests of the people of Illinois. We are especially pleased that this package includes provisions we requested that address some of the unique energy-related issues facing Lake County. This is an historic opportunity to create a truly inclusive, clean energy future for our state. The time to act is now, and we are eager to finalize and pass this bill today.
There are other issues, however. Stay tuned.
…Adding… Sierra Club statement is here. IEC statement is here. Rep. Ann Williams’ statement is here. Path to 100 statement is here. The Illinois Chamber’s statement in opposition is here.
*** UPDATE 2 *** Gov. Pritzker…
“I would like to thank Speaker Welch and Leader Evans for their collaborative leadership in reaching a compromise amendment that puts consumers and climate first, while protecting and creating jobs. I look forward to this amendment advancing in the House and Senate and making its way to my desk where I will sign this historic agreement into law.
…Adding… By my count, 7-10 House Dems are at this moment against the bill. Two HGOPs are considered to be for it. But, leadership and lobbyists are working it hard. Stay tuned.
…Adding… Subscribers already knew this…
CLEAN ENERGY: Big change under Senate Bill 2408 - Illinois could give Prairie State and Springfield's CWLP $20 million per year from 2026-2035 to help reduce carbon emissions. They'll have to reduce the emissions by 45% by 2035. Full closure by 2045. #twill
[Rep. Mark Batinick, R-Plainfield] wrote the governor a letter detailing a proposal with regionalized metrics to give assurances things like school mask mandates aren’t open ended.
“I think you’re able to actually maybe pick out breakouts sooner, and maybe put in some mitigations sooner but that also allows mitigation to be taken off sooner if you’re successful,” Batinick said.
He noted the governor’s economic restrictions last year imposed unilaterally that kept restaurants from having indoor dining was throttled with regionalized metrics triggering different phases and tiers of mitigation for different regions of the state. That’s not the case with the school mask mandate in place now. […]
In a letter to Batinick Wednesday the Republican shared with The Center Square, the governor said he does have some metrics in mind for relaxing the school mask mandate.
“That could include a significant reduction in transmission, the availability and utilization of vaccines for school-aged children under 12, an improving vaccination rate for children 12 to 17 and for adults that interact with the school community, and/or additional guidance from the CDC,” Pritzker’s letter said.
But using localized data “would be inaccurate, unfair and unworkable for example to tell kids that masks can be off on Tuesday only to put them back on by Thursday – and that chaos would be our reality until we might reach herd immunity as a state and as a nation,“ Pritzker said.
Batinick said of the letter: “It’s thoughtful.”
* The full letter…
Dear Representative Mark Batinick,
Thank you for your thoughts and proposals throughout this pandemic. Constructive discourse with other Illinois elected leaders has been very helpful, and I value your efforts to engage in it.
Regional differences have been a feature of the COVID-19 pandemic. We can see it even now nationwide – as the transmission of the Delta variant slows in some parts of the country and hastens in others – just as we have time and time again in the last 18 months. We also see it when we look at statewide vaccination progress, where communities with high uptake rates tend to conceal those that are struggling to keep their neighborhoods safe.
That’s why local considerations have been a very important part of Illinois’ pandemic response. As you’ll remember, regional metrics guided our state from the spring of 2020 into the season of widespread vaccine availability. As cases and hospitalizations dropped significantly in every region last spring, the entire state of Illinois entered the Restore Illinois plan’s Phase 5, marking the full reopening of all industries, on June 11th, 2021.
Unfortunately, every time we think we have become familiar with the R naught and the percent of cases that lead to hospitalizations, this virus mutates. By late July, large areas of the country were in the thrusts of one of the pandemic’s worst waves of new cases yet. With students and teachers preparing for the beginning of the school year, the Centers for Disease Control recommended universal indoor masking for all teachers, staff, students, and visitors to K-12 schools, regardless of vaccination status, later adding universal indoor masking recommendations in all areas of substantial or high transmission which the CDC tracks on a by-county basis.
For weeks now, and still at the time of this writing, every single county in Illinois falls into those categories.
When the Illinois’ statewide school masking requirement was announced, I made it clear that this requirement could change for the better as the situation evolves. That could include a significant reduction in transmission, the availability and utilization of vaccines for school-aged children under 12, an improving vaccination rate for children 12 to 17 and for adults that interact with the school community, and/or additional guidance from the CDC. As for the statewide indoor mask mandate, I have repeatedly said that once Illinois has established a consistent downward trend on this current wave, we could reevaluate what the current recommendations are from the CDC and return to mask recommendations instead of a mandate. The experts are still evaluating how Delta and other new variants impact the spread of this virus and what that means for this current wave of substantial new cases, hospitalizations and deaths. Creating rigid metrics in this changing landscape wouldn’t result in safer communities. While I wish I could provide a specific end date for the sake of convenience for all of us, this virus’ danger to people is diminished as our deterrence of it improves. The CDC as well as the leading epidemiologists, virologists, immunologists and other experts have been clear that vaccinations and masks are two of the most effective tools we have to keep each other safe during a surge of the virus.
In the short-term, it’s simply not feasible to operate using positivity rates on a day-by-day, county-by- county basis. As you yourself said, a county’s transmission rates are impacted by every county that borders it – and in the world of statistics, that means a few extra negative tests could throw a small population county in and out of mitigations on a whim. It would be inaccurate, unfair and unworkable for example to tell kids that masks can be off on Tuesday only to put them back on by Thursday – and that chaos would be our reality until we might reach herd immunity as a state and as a nation.
Specifically to your second suggestion: while many have proposed innumerable ways to slice Illinois’ 57,000 square miles — by townships, cities, counties or regions — given that pandemic is a health emergency, my administration has been guided by a focus on healthcare availability for all our state’s residents, specifically guided by the IDPH Emergency Medical Service regions, with some minor adjustments as suggested by members of the General Assembly last year. These are the same regions that set parameters for ambulance drivers and hospital collaborations. Using the existing medical regional breakdown allows our public health professionals when necessary to manage and monitor capacity in an existing framework. The state has tried to set a baseline of pandemic mitigations with the understanding that, as necessary, local governments can provide additional health mitigation measures that work best for each community. We continue to encourage them to do so.
Again, I appreciate your willingness to reach out and share your ideas and perspective. You’ve offered constructive thoughts during the pandemic, some have been workable and adopted. Working together will help us all make progress. With widespread vaccination as our greatest tool – we will find our way.
Getting Illinois on a path to clean energy is a laudable goal, but not if the compromises empty the wallets of households and businesses.
Even with the recent change in leadership, they still have a bad habit of writing editorials as if they were drafting campaign TV ads.
* But, taken literally, that overheated rhetoric means even this hotly disputed estimate from Crain’s would fall well within their demand…
AARP Illinois estimates the energy bill state lawmakers are inching toward finally passing will cost the average household $15 more a month on their electric bill. Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s administration says it’s between $4 and $5. Who’s right?
A Crain’s analysis shows the reality is between the two, although people can have legitimate differences over what increases are due to the bill and what might have happened without it. […]
A $363 million [delivery] rate hike would amount to about $2.77 more per month [above almost $5] for the average household and about $3.83 for the typical single-family home.
The Pritzker administration believes it’s unfair to include ComEd’s likely future rate hikes among the bill’s effects. The bill requires the ICC to audit ComEd’s past investments and eliminate those it determines shouldn’t have been made to recalibrate the rate base on which to set future profits. The ICC also would have leeway now to set a new return on equity. […]
“There are assumptions here that have no basis in fact,” Pritzker spokeswoman Jordan Abudayyeh says in an email. “We don’t know what the base will be. The audit, followed by the multi-year rate plan, are designed to only spend money on the things that are needed, instead of what formula rates have been. It is a bit reckless to try to decipher what the ICC will do in terms of rate base several years down the road, after getting more information than they have ever had upon which to make grid decisions.”
United Airlines told employees Wednesday that anyone granted a religious or medical waiver from an accelerated Sept. 27 vaccination deadline will be placed on temporary leave beginning Oct. 2.
Employees whose requests for a vaccination exemption are denied will have five weeks to get the shots or be terminated by the airline. […]
For customer-facing roles such as pilots, flight attendants and gate agents, employees granted a religious vaccine exemption will be placed on unpaid personal leave beginning Oct. 2, and would be able to return to work only after the pandemic “meaningfully recedes,” the airline said. […]
Mechanics, ramp service employees and other operational positions exempted from vaccinations for religious reasons would remain on unpaid leave until United “develops and implements” new testing and safety procedures to allow their return, the airline said. […]
Those granted medical exemptions to the vaccine requirements will face the same return-to-work timetable, but will be placed on medical leave, which can include some form of compensation.
In what he says is his first interview since leaving office in 2019, [Bruce Rauner] tells WTAX News why he thinks he lost in 2018.
In a word, Trump.
“Anytime a new president comes in, that president’s party tends to get shellacked at the state level and on the local level” in the election at that president’s midterm, Rauner said. “Republicans were cleaning up when Obama was in the White House, and when the Republicans took the White House under Trump, Republicans got shellacked. It was pretty clear that, in a state like Illinois, that was rabidly against Trump, that there were going to be a lot of headwinds for Republicans.” […]
Asked how he would have handled the pandemic as governor, Rauner said it’s wrong to discourage vaccines, masks, and social distancing. But he also ripped Democrats for keeping schools closed and, quoting Rauner, “spending money like confetti.”
Yeah, his 16-point loss had nothing whatsoever to do with his own term in office. Also, he didn’t say if he would’ve imposed mask or vax mandates.
* Rauner said he was in town for some charity work and for dove hunting season. Full interview…
* He still drops his g’s and hasn’t seemed to change much…
I’m not really a politician. I’m just a guy who was born and raised in Illinois. I love Illinois, I always have always will. And I got involved personally for the simple reason that I thought I could win, and I thought I could make a difference and it was frustrating to see Republicans lose in the state for so many years, and we pulled a miracle and won in 14 and kept trying and kept fighting, and we should never give up in Illinois, it’s a wonderful state.
I’ve been a big funder, supporter of Republicans in the state of Florida and the state legislature, both in the House and the Senate. I’m a fan of Ron DeSantis. I think he’s done a fantastic job as governor in the state of Florida.
Orlando Utilities Commission says this is not the time for customers to stop conserving water.
Last month, OUC said it is facing a liquid oxygen shortage because, while the company uses it to purify water, hospitals are seeing an increased demand to use it to treat COVID-19 patients in hospitals.
Well, I’ve been asked to run for various offices in various locations. And, you know, I’m flattered by that. But you know, I’m really not a politician, per se, I’m just a guy who wants to try to make things better and create a better future for all our kids here in Illinois and around the country and, and make sure that our government is working for people and we maintain our freedoms. I’m a big, big believer in freedom and the fundamental views of our nations was founded on individual liberty and personal responsibility. And I’ll always be advocating for that.
TOMORROW: Business Leader and Illinois Native Jesse Sullivan to Make Major Announcement in Republican Race for Governor
Petersburg, IL – Jesse Sullivan, who was born and raised in Petersburg, will make a major announcement on his intentions regarding the Republican race for Illinois Governor tomorrow, from Lincoln’s New Salem. He will be joined by friends and family and will make remarks about what he sees for the future of Illinois.
What: Major campaign announcement
Who: Jesse Sullivan
When: Thursday, September 9, 2021, 4:30 PM CST
Where: Lincoln’s New Salem State Historic Site Visitor’s Center, 15588 History Lane, Petersburg, Illinois 62675
Session day, half an hour from the Statehouse. Not sure what sort of media turnout he’ll get.
The Securities and Exchange Commission filed charges Tuesday against Ripple, the fintech company best known for cryptocurrency XRP, and two of its executives.
The SEC alleged that Ripple, co-founder Christian Larsen and CEO Bradley Garlinghouse, raised more than $1.3 billion through an unregistered, ongoing digital asset securities offering.
Garlinghouse said the SEC’s suit was “fundamentally wrong as a matter of law and fact” and questioned its timing.
Sullivan, who has promoted his Roman Catholic faith along with family and service as his core values, said he believed a Republican could be successful in an increasingly Democratic state by avoiding a focus on “wedge issues” and instead concentrating on ways to improve the economy and reducing taxes, corruption and crime.
But while he said his background in technology and finance could “serve as a bridge” to suburban voters, his opposition to abortion rights could become an issue for a key regional demographic — moderate suburban women. […]
Sullivan also said he has been vaccinated for COVID-19 and encourages vaccination, in contrast to Rabine and Bailey. […]
“I am not an ideologue,” Sullivan said, before making a reference to Rauner. “I actually think it’s really not healthy to be an ideologue if you want real outcomes — especially if you’re going to run as a Republican in a Democratic-leaning state where they’re the supermajority in the legislature. I think we tried that experiment previously and it did not work.”
*** UPDATE 2 *** Press release…
Gary Rabine, a candidate for Governor, is issuing the following statement on Jesse Sullivan declaring his candidacy for Illinois Governor.
“It is important for Illinois Republican voters to choose a candidate who best reflects the values of this party and the working class families of our state. Most all of Mr Sullivan’s campaign cash has come from Silicon Valley. The values of Silicon Valley are not the values of the Republican Party here in the heartland. To defeat Pritzker’s War on Families, Illinois will elect a candidate who is vested in the culture of small businesses and families in Illinois, not California. While Jesse Sullivan has been partnered with Silicon Valley elites, I have been creating jobs for working families right here in Illinois.
I have been at the forefront of recruiting and funding initiatives to support leaders in freedom and small business for a long time. I have been in the trenches since the beginning of great national organizations, such as Job Creators Network and TPUSA, supporting the fight against socialism and bad regulations that kill small businesses. Republican voters know I am the candidate best able to end the war on families in Illinois.
