The House and Senate were both in Springfield for the fourth day of session this week. There was floor and committee action into the evening in both chambers with relevant action noted below.
The House and Senate will both return to the floor tomorrow, May 19th with the Senate in at 9 am and the House in at 10 am. Committee hearings will once again begin at 8:30 am. Note: Neither chamber has passed a budget bill. . Floor Action of Note:
HB 219, Punitive Damages-Oppose passed out of the Senate 37-19-1. This bill amends the Wrongful Death Act. Provides that an action under the Act may be filed to recover punitive damages. The Chamber opposes this bill alongside a broad stakeholder coalition.
HB 2121, Traffic Fatalities Task Force passed the House on concurrence 109-0-0. This bill requires the Secretary of Transportation to establish and convene the Zero Traffic Fatalities Task Force to develop a structured, coordinated process for early engagement of all parties to develop policies to reduce traffic fatalities to zero. Requires the Secretary of Transportation to prepare and submit a report of findings based on the Zero Traffic Fatalities Task Force's efforts to the General Assembly on or before January 1, 2025. Establishes membership of task force.
HB 2219, Sanitary Districts/Renewable Energy passed the House on concurrence 112-0-0. This bill authorizes the corporate authorities of a sanitary district to issue bonds prior to December 31, 2034, for the development of distributed renewable energy generation devices. Also authorizes a district to construct, maintain, finance, and operate distributed renewable energy generation devices as necessary to sell or otherwise dispose of recovered resources or renewable energy resources resulting from the operation of district facilities.
HB 2301, Radioactive Waste passed the Senate 58-0-0. This bill modifies the definition of "low-level radioactive waste" or "waste" to expand the referenced definition of byproduct material.
HB 2487, Justice 40 Oversight Committee passed the House on concurrence 72-39-0. This bill establishes the Justice40 Oversight Committee. Provides that the Justice40 Oversight Committee shall make findings, conclusions, and recommendations regarding environmental justice in this State and uses of federal funds provided to the State for environmental justice.
HB 3233, DREAM Fund - Neutral passed the House on concurrence 98-16. This bill provides that the Illinois Dream Fund Commission shall develop a comprehensive program, including creation of informational materials and a marketing plan, to educate people in the State of Illinois about the purpose and benefits of contributions made to the Illinois DREAM Fund. Provides that the Illinois DREAM Fund Commission shall develop specific marketing materials for the voluntary use by persons licensed pursuant to the Transmitters of Money Act. Amends the Transmitters of Money Act. Provides that licensees may offer every customer who transmits money internationally the option to make a voluntary donation to the Illinois DREAM Fund. Provides that licensees may present customers with the option to make a donation to the Illinois DREAM Fund before the customer completes the transaction. Provides that the amount of the donation shall be no less than $1 per transaction.
HB 3370, Prevailing Wage/Power Washing-Oppose passed the House 76-33-0. This bill provides that the definition of "public works" includes power washing projects by a public body or paid for wholly or in part out of public funds.
HB 3448, Contractors passed the House 78-35-0. This bill provides that every primary contractor and subcontractor shall post and keep posted, in one or more conspicuous places accessible to all laborers, workers, and mechanics at a job site, a notice, to be made available by the Director of Labor, summarizing specified requirements under the Act and information pertaining to the filing of a complaint. Provides that the Director shall provide copies of summaries and rules to primary contractors and subcontractors upon request without charge. Provides that any primary contractor or subcontractor who fails to provide notice as required shall be subject to a civil penalty, not to exceed $250, payable to the Department of Labor. Provides that one copy of the notice at a job site shall satisfy the notice requirement for the primary contractor and all subcontractors.
HB 3563, DOIT-AI Task Force-Support passed the House on concurrence 113-0-0. This bill provides that the Department of Innovation and Technology shall establish the Generative AI and Natural Language Processing Task Force investigate and provide a report on generative artificial intelligence software and natural language processing software. Sets forth the members to serve on the Task Force. Provides that the Task Force shall provide a report by December 31, 2024.
HB 3631, PBM passed the House on concurrence 113-0-0. This bill amends the Pharmacy Benefit Managers Article of the Illinois Insurance Code. Provides that a pharmacy benefit manager may not retaliate against a pharmacist or pharmacy for disclosing information in a court, in an administrative hearing, before a legislative commission or committee, in any other proceeding, or to a government or law enforcement agency, if the pharmacist or pharmacy has reasonable cause to believe that the disclosed information is evidence of a violation of a State or federal law, rule, or regulation. Provides that a pharmacist or pharmacy shall make commercially reasonable efforts to limit the disclosure of confidential and proprietary information. Provides that retaliatory actions against a pharmacy or pharmacist include specified actions.
SB 76, Nuclear Power passed the House 84-22-3. This bill deletes language that provides that no construction shall commence on any new nuclear power plant to be located within the State, and no certificate of public convenience and necessity or other authorization shall be issued therefor by the Illinois Commerce Commission, until the Director of the Environmental Protection Agency finds that the United States Government, through its authorized agency, has identified and approved a demonstrable technology or means for the disposal of high level nuclear waste, or until such construction has been specifically approved by a statute enacted by the General Assembly. Requires any new nuclear reactor built in the State after the effective date of the amendatory Act to be an advanced nuclear reactor. Defines "advanced nuclear reactor". Provides that such requirements do not apply to the renewal or subsequent renewal of any license for an existing nuclear reactor.
SB 850, Groceries passed the House 96-17-0. This bill creates the Grocery Initiative Act. Provides that the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity shall study food insecurity in urban and rural food deserts. Provides that the Department shall establish a Grocery Initiative to expand access to healthy foods in food deserts in Illinois by providing assistance to independently owned for-profit grocery stores, as well as grocery stores owned and operated by local governmental units. Provides that the Department may enter into contracts, grants, or other agreements to administer grants and other financial support. Provides that the Department shall provide technical assistance. Provides the Department with rulemaking powers. Defines terms. Amends the Illinois Enterprise Zone Act. Provides that a business that is a grocery store and receives financial support under the Grocery Initiative Act during a specified period is eligible to be a High Impact Business. Provides that the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity may designate an area as a food desert even if the area does not meet the qualifications set forth in the engrossed bill as long as the designation is made in accordance with criteria established by the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity by rule using data that includes, but is not limited to, poverty metrics and access to existing grocery stores. Provides that the provisions of the engrossed bill apply to independently owned for-profit grocery stores, cooperative grocery stores, or not-for-profit grocery stores.
SB 1438, Dig Once Act passed the House 114-0-0. This bill creates the Illinois Dig Once Act. This bill provides that the Department of Transportation, the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority, the Illinois Commerce Commission, and the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity shall consult with the State-Wide One-Call Notice System to jointly develop rules for the design and construction of road, highway, tollway, and expressway projects to reduce the need for the relocation of public water and wastewater infrastructure and to promote the deployment (rather than reduce the scale and number of repeated excavations of roads, highways, tollways, and expressways for the installation and maintenance) of broadband infrastructure and underground utility facilities in an efficient and competitively neutral process for all road, highway, tollway, and expressway projects. Provides that the rules adopted under the Act are not intended to delay the design or construction of road, highway, tollway, and expressway construction projects, and shall not be construed to provide authority to approve, deny, or delay broadband infrastructure projects or underground utility facilities projects. Provides that whenever a public utility makes an application for a grant or easement in, over, or upon real property of the State for purposes of locating and maintaining such utility, or such utility's wire, pipe, cable, fiber conduit, or other facility or equipment, the Administrator, with the consent of the agency having jurisdiction over the real property, may grant such an easement.
Committee Action of Note:
HB 3062, Venue-Oppose passed out of Senate Executive Committee. This bill amends the Code of Civil Procedure. Provides that, if an action is brought against the State or any of its officers, employees, or agents acting in an official capacity on or after the effective date of the amendatory Act seeking declaratory or injunctive relief against any State statute, rule, or executive order based on an alleged violation of the Constitution of the State of Illinois or the Constitution of the United States, venue in that action is proper only in the County of Sangamon and the County of Cook. We opposed this bill because a consequence of the legislation would be that taxpayers protesting Illinois Department of Revenue tax assessments in circuit court would be limited to making those challenges in Cook or Sangamon County. Under existing law, such challenges can also be made in the circuit court of the County where the business is located.
Amendments of Note:
SB 1996 HCA 3, Paid Leave was filed. This bill amends the Paid Leave for All Workers Act. Removes a provision that the Act shall not apply to any employee who is covered by a bona fide collective bargaining agreement with an employer that provides services nationally and internationally of delivery, pickup, and transportation of parcels, documents, and freight. Provides that the definition of "employee" does not include an employee as defined in the Federal Employers' Liability Act. |
