GOVERNOR’S HIGHLIGHTS:Illinois officials are bracing for violent protests that are expected nationwide with the inauguration of President Joe Biden. The Governor activated 250 members of the Illinois National Guard to work with the Illinois Emergency Management Agency, the Illinois State Police and local and federal law enforcement counterparts. In an email to state employees Friday, the Department of Central Management Services asked employees to work remotely, if possible, through close of business Wednesday. In addition, plywood is being installed over windows at the state capitol. There will also be an increased law enforcement presence in downtown Springfield over the coming days. Note that the Legislature will not be in session during this time.
COVID-19 Update: Beginning Saturday, January 16th, three Illinois regions moved from Tier 3 into Tier 2 of Illinois’ resurgence mitigation plan: Region 1 (Northern Illinois) Region 2 (North Central Illinois) and Region 5 (Southern Illinois). The remaining regions remain in Tier 3 but are on track to leave Tier 3 in the coming days if current trends hold.In Tier 2, regions will see a return of group fitness classes, low risk youth and recreational sports and reopening of cultural facilities, like museums, at 25% capacity and gatherings of up to 25 people will be permitted. Indoor dining and bar service are still prohibited. More information on sports mitigations is here .
Changes are being made to mitigations to allow return to indoor dining and bar service in a limited capacity in Tier 1. Under the changes, restaurants and bars in Regions in Tier 1 can open indoor dining with capacity limited to the lesser of 25 people or 25 percent of room capacity. Additionally, establishments must serve food and indoor tables must be limited to no more than four people, with reservations limited to two hours. Outdoor dining regulations across the resurgence plan and Phase 4 remain unchanged
In order to move to Tier 2 mitigations, a region must meet the following metrics:1. A test positivity rate below 12 percent for three consecutive days, as measured by the 7-day rolling average; AND2. Greater than or equal to 20 percent available staffed ICU and medical/surgical hospital beds for three consecutive days, on a 3-day rolling average; AND3. A sustained decrease in the number of people in the hospital with COVID-19 for seven out of 10 days, on a 7-day average.
In order to move to Tier 1 mitigations, a region must meet the following metrics:1. A test positivity rate below 8 percent for three consecutive days, as measured by the 7-day rolling average; AND2. Greater than or equal to 20 percent available staffed ICU and medical/surgical hospital beds for three consecutive days, on a 3-day rolling average; AND3. No sustained increase in the number of people in the hospital with COVID-19 for seven out of 10 days, on a 7-day average.
In order to move to Phase 4, a region must meet the following metrics:1. A test positivity rate less than or equal to 6.5 percent for three consecutive days, as measured by the 7-day rolling average; AND2. Greater than or equal to 20 percent available staffed ICU and medical/surgical hospital beds for three consecutive days, on a 3-day rolling average; AND3. No sustained increase in the number of people in the hospital with COVID-19 for seven out of 10 days, on a 7-day average.
For the first time, Illinois is reporting a case of the new, more contagious UK variant of the virusAn average of 27,125 vaccines are being administered daily. While some local health departments are already moving into Phase 1B of the state’s vaccination plan, the entire state will move into Phase 1B beginning January 25th.
102nd General Assembly:
Members of the 102nd General Assembly were sworn into office on Wednesday, January 13th. Democrats will continue to control the Illinois General Assembly with veto proof majorities in the both chambers for the next two years. The new Senate is made up of 41 Democrats/18 Republicans, while the new House is made up of 73 Democrats/45 Republicans. Biographies of the newly elected members are here.
Senate President Don Harmon was reelected to lead the Senate. Harmon was first elected in January 2020 to replace former Senate President John Cullerton. During his acceptance speech, Harmon urged senators to” set aside political differences, recognize the need for change and work together to achieve it”.
Newly elected House Speaker Emmanuel “Chris” Welch also expressed the need to unite, saying that “today is the last day I want to talk about us being Republicans and Democrats, because I want to talk about us being united.” Speaker Welch also noted that the Legislature is back in businesses and it’s time to get work. The House is expected to continue to use the BOS Center as home base for the foreseeable future, although Speaker Welch indicated he would be reviewing ways to safely return session to the House chambers as quickly as possible. Welch indicated that the House is discussing a hybrid model of remote committee hearings and in person floor action for those able to safely participate, although final decisions have not been made.
On January 13th, The Senate adopted Senate Resolution 2, laying out its Session Rules for the 102nd General Assembly. The Rules largely preserve the rules of the 101st and earlier sessions. Notable changes include the creation of a new rule allowing a bill to be considered before multiple committees. A bill must pass all committees it is assigned to in order to advance to the floor for final passage.Senate rules changes are highlighted below:
· Senate Rules 3-2: The Senate President can create special subcommittees for both the Senate Appropriations Committee and the Redistricting Committee, the members for which are to be designated by the Senate President and the Minority Leader (page 29).
· Senate Rules 3- 8: The Senate Committee on Assignments can determine that given legislation should be considered by more than one committee – and when referring it, can direct that the receiving committee include in its report the recommendation to an additional committee(s) (which will have been identified by the Committee on Assignments). The legislation is to then be automatically referred as directed (page 38).
· Senate Rules 3- 10: When this provision is used, the receiving committee is to report the legislation on to the next committee, and so forth, until all directed committees have reported the legislation (page 44).
· Senate Rules 3-11: In addition to other existing provisions, legislation in committee can now be called for a vote by a committee member who is a member of the same caucus as the principal sponsor (page 50).
· Senate Rules 4-1: The Senate President, in consultation with the Minority Leader, can establish a process for Senators to participate and vote remotely when it is a time of pestilence or public danger (page 56).
The Senate created 28 standing committees for the 102nd General Assembly. New committees are Behavioral and Mental Health, Health, Healthcare Access and Availability, Human Rights, Public Safety, Redistricting and Tourism and Hospitality. The Senate eliminated the Appropriations II, Commerce and Economic Development, Government Accountability and Ethics, Human Services, Public Health and Telecommunications and Information Technology committees. Below is a list of the Senate committees.
· Agriculture· Appropriations· Behavioral and Mental Health· Commerce· Criminal Law· Education· Energy and Public Utilities· Environment and Conservation· Executive· Executive Appointments· Financial Institutions· Health· Healthcare and Availability· Human Rights· Higher Education· Insurance· Judiciary· Labor· Licensed Activities· Local Government· Pensions· Public Safety· Redistricting· Revenue· State Government· Tourism and Hospitality· Transportation· Veterans Affairs
The General Assembly did not approve legislation to authorize it and its agencies to conduct businesses remotely. The Senate Rules, however, do allow for remote committees and individuals members to participate in session remotely. The House has not yet adopted its operating rules, but it is likely that rules will be changed to allow for remote operations.
The 101st General assembly adjourned without approving Governor Pritzker’s last-minute proposal to decouple Illinois’ state tax from recently enacted federal tax provisions, a move the Governor says could save the state between $500 million and $1 billion. The bill failed in the House in the early morning hours on Wednesday. Any such initiative must be passed by the end of January according to the Department of Revenue. Even though the House is not scheduled to return until February, Speaker Welch acknowledged they could return at the end of January, if needed, to address this issue.
Members and staff were notified positive COVID-19 cases at the Bank of Springfield Center and the Capitol complex. Among those testing positive was Speaker Welch’s Chief of Staff. All staff and members are being encouraged to test and self-quarantine.
COMING UP:
The Senate is currently scheduled to return to session on January 26th at noon, while the House will return on February 2nd. A copy of the House calendar is here. A copy of the Senate calendar is here. Please note that it is possible session days could be canceled due to the pandemic.