* Finke…
Gov. J.B. Pritzker secured his top veto session priority Thursday when the Illinois Senate gave final approval to a bill consolidating downstate police and fire pension systems.
The Senate voted 42-12 on Senate Bill 1300, which has been touted by supporters as a way to improve investment returns for hundreds of systems which would in turn help take pressure off of local property taxes that help pay for them.
In a victory lap after the vote, Pritzker, backed by supporters of the bill and talking to reporters in his office, noted the bill was passed on a bipartisan basis and helped deal with a decades-old problem.
“We have put hundreds of cities in Illinois on a path toward alleviating their massive property tax burden,” he said. He also said it indicates that Illinois “can tackle its most intractable problems.”
* He said this tongue-in-cheek, but still…
Make sure to watch the video. He suggested taking a look at who funds “news organizations” in order to combat “fake news”…
* Finke…
A bill capping out-of-pocket insulin costs at $100 a month is up for Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s signature.
The Senate voted 43-1 to give final approval to the bill. The chamber had to approve a couple of minor changes made to the legislation in the House.
The House added a provision to have the cap increase as inflation increases. It also called for the Department of Insurance to conduct an investigation into why insulin prices here are so much higher than in other countries. The original bill called for the Attorney General’s office to conduct the review.
The bill was initiated by Sen. Andy Manar, D-Bunker Hill, after a constituent came to him and said her family couldn’t afford insulin for their diabetic daughters and make her house payments. Insulin prices have soared in recent years and diabetics have seen out-of-packet expenses also soar to hundreds of dollars a month.
Gov. Pritzker’s react…
“Skyrocketing prescription drug prices are an enormous burden for too many Illinois families, and this legislation will significantly lower out-of-pocket costs for the 1.3 million Illinoisans that rely on insulin,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “It’s fitting that on World Diabetes Day, Illinois has taken bold action to protect our residents’ health, rather than force them to use lower quality medication or even ration their supply. We are proud that Illinois continues to be a national leader in ensuring health care is a right and not a privilege. This important step forward for lowering health care costs is the result of the tireless advocacy of Sen. Andy Manar, Rep. Will Guzzardi and so many other champions. I look forward to signing this legislation and continuing my commitment to ensuring Illinois residents have access to comprehensive, high-quality and affordable health care coverage.”
* Always read the fine print…
Illinois lawmakers are one step closer to approving permanent daylight saving time, but the change would require federal approval, something that’s only been granted twice. […]
Only Arizona and Hawaii residents are free from the biannual clock tinkering that comes with daylight saving time.
Manar said that the state measure alone would not make the change.
“The only two ways that it can change in Illinois, ultimately, even with this bill becoming law, is either Congress gives us an exemption as a state or Congress implements a uniform standard presumably different than what we have nationwide,” he said.
* Rebecca Anzel…
Bills aimed at curbing where Illinoisans can use electronic smoking devices and with what flavorings appear halted until the spring session of the General Assembly.
One bill would loop electronic cigarettes into the Smoke Free Illinois Act. The other would ban flavored cartridges and pods used in such devices.
Thursday is the last scheduled day of the fall veto session, which lawmakers are using this year to clean up new laws and pass new bills before they return to Springfield in January.
* Yes, there’s a bill, but I’m not exactly sure this has 60 votes yet. Still a crapshoot…
…Adding… Cannabis legalization cleanup bill just passed the House with 90 votes. On to the Senate.
…Adding… This turned out to be true…
House Majority Leader Greg Harris just said they removed the language because the issue needs more study.
…Adding… After some stinging remarks, Rep. Wehrli says he will vote for the bill.
