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Keep ROFR And Anti-Competitive Language Out Of The Energy Bill
Thursday, Oct 30, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] Voters and the Governor already rejected lawmakers’ push for anti-competitive “Right of First Refusal” (ROFR) bills that handed transmission contracts to incumbent utilities. Now, the same principles that would raise costs on ratepayers are back. They are trying to rebrand ROFR and pretend it’s about protecting Illinois. As energy legislation is finalized in Springfield this month, let’s keep ROFR and anti-competitive language out of bill. Let’s remember Illinois voters:
• 76% say anti-competition laws only strengthen utilities, not citizens. • 75% say ending competition drives up prices and kills savings. The message is clear: voters want more competition, not less. Voters’ concerns about higher energy prices are only on the rise. Since this poll, they’ve endured a sizzling summer with skyrocketing prices, and a new report says the cost of heating a home this winter is expected to jump nearly 8%. Voters have made their voice clear: Say no to energy inflation. Don’t hand more power and control to ComEd and Ameren. Say no to ending cost-cutting competition. And say yes to policies that provide lower cost to consumers.
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Credit Unions Step Up During Government Shutdown
Thursday, Oct 30, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] When the federal government shuts down, thousands of workers face missed paychecks and mounting stress. Illinois credit unions are stepping in to help. During the shutdown, credit unions across the state offer emergency relief to impacted federal employees - proving once again that they put people before profit. From skip-a-payment programs and low-interest emergency loans to waived fees and financial counseling, credit unions provide a lifeline to those caught in the crossfire of political gridlock. These not-for-profit financial cooperatives are owned by their members, not shareholders, which means their focus is on service - not earnings. The Illinois Credit Union League (ICUL) coordinates these efforts statewide, ensuring that federal workers - from TSA agents to postal employees - have access to compassionate, practical support. This response reflects the credit union philosophy of “people helping people,” especially in times of crisis. As policymakers debate financial regulations, remember that credit unions are more than lenders - they’re community partners. Their proactive support during the shutdown is a powerful example of how member-owned institutions can respond swiftly and humanely when their communities need them most. Learn more at: https://www.icul.com/advocacy/2025-government-shutdown/ Paid for by Illinois Credit Union League. 
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Clean And Reliable Grid Affordability Act (SB25) Is The Only Bill This Veto Session That Can Slash Skyrocketing Electric Rate Increases
Thursday, Oct 30, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.]  This fall veto session, only one bill can reduce spiking electric rates – the Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability (CRGA) Act. If enacted, CRGA would direct the state to procure battery energy storage and finally implement the kind of long-range planning that will help stabilize the grid and lower costs for ratepayers. Government (Illinois Power Agency) and private sector (The Power Bureau) studies agree CRGA will save consumers on monthly bills and slash tens of billions in costs. Want more proof? Look to Texas where consumers saved an estimated $750 million in 2024, sheltering them from demand-induced price spikes and preventing blackouts in the process. These are benefits Texas saw from storage even as the state reduced its gas generation capacity by 166 MW last year. The solutions offered in CRGA are nimble enough to address growing data center power demands and meet other electrification-related power needs. It’s the only bill in Veto that can lower rates for consumers and ensure economic development efforts are set up for success. After all, if we lack power and capacity, we can’t add the jobs that come with new data centers and other large power users. Without action, prices will continue to rise with no end in sight. It’s time for the General Assembly to pass the Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability Act.
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Big Pharma’s Greed Is On Full Display — And Illinois Patients Are Paying The Price
Thursday, Oct 30, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] When pharmaceutical giants worth hundreds of billions of dollars go after hospitals that serve low-income families, it isn’t compassion driving them—it’s greed. These companies, earning over $112 billion in profits in just one year, are running a multimillion-dollar misinformation campaign in Illinois to block hospitals from accessing federal drug discounts, just so they can keep overcharging hospitals and patients. The federal 340B program allows hospitals caring for large numbers of Medicaid and uninsured patients to purchase outpatient drugs at a discount—savings they reinvest into patient care. As Congress enacts deep Medicaid cuts threatening healthcare for nearly 500,000 Illinoisans, Big Pharma is doubling down on deception. Drugmakers are misleading lawmakers about Illinois’ 340B legislation. Let’s be clear: Illinois hospitals aren’t asking for anything new. • HB 2371 SA 2 preserves the status quo requiring drug discounts that hospitals pass onto patients and use for essential new service lines. For Safety Net and Critical Access Hospitals, 340B savings are lifelines funding free and discounted prescriptions, mental-health and substance-use treatment, cancer care, maternity services, and clinics. Reject Big Pharma’s lies and stand with Illinois hospitals, who deliver care, create jobs, and strengthen communities. Learn more.
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Lawmakers Must Reject HB 3799 Before It Raises Costs And Drives Insurers Out Of Illinois
Thursday, Oct 30, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] SPRINGFIELD, IL — [Oct. 30] — The National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies today called on members of the Illinois House to vote “NO” on HB 3799. The bill would hand the Illinois Department of Insurance unchecked power to retroactively and artificially suppress insurance rates, which will create chaos in the marketplace, drive up premiums, and jeopardize coverage for Illinois families. If this bill passes, Illinois will walk straight into the same crisis we’ve seen play out in states like California and possibly worse because HB 3799 goes beyond every other state in price control.” Hammer continued. “The bill gives regulators unlimited authority to pull back approved rates at any time with no deadlines, no appeal process, and no accountability. That kind of uncertainty will force insurers to raise prices or stop writing business in Illinois altogether.” Today, Illinois’ insurance market is a national success story where consumers benefit from competition, stability, and affordability of rates. More than 200 companies currently offer coverage, and auto insurance rates remain well below the national average. HB 3799 would undo decades of progress and send a chilling message to insurers: Illinois is no longer open for business. “Governor J.B. Pritzker touted Illinois’ rise to 13th in CNBC’s Top States for Business this summer,” said Erin Collins, senior vice president of state and policy affairs for NAMIC. “But if HB 3799 passes, those gains will vanish fast. You can’t claim to be pro-business while advancing policies that drive investment and jobs out of the state. I hope the governor tells the legislature that HB 3799 is not in concert with his desire to continue Illinois’ rise in the rankings.” NAMIC urges lawmakers to reject HB 3799 and instead work toward policies that preserve affordability, stability, and consumer choice in Illinois’ insurance market. 
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