103rd ILLINOIS GENERAL ASSEMBLY:
The Illinois General Assembly kicks off the Spring 2024 Legislative Session on Tuesday, January 16. Note Friday, January 19 is the deadline to request legislation be drafted for consideration during the Spring Session. Friday, February 9 is the deadline to file legislation.
The House Ethics and Elections Committee will hold a hearing on January 10 at 11:00 am in the Brookens Administrative Building in Urbana to discuss voter access.
Brandun Schweizer was selected by local Republicans to replace Mike Marron as State Representative in the 104th District.
2024 Key Dates and Session Deadlines:
January 19: House and Senate LRB Request Deadline
January 19 – February 9: LRB Blackout Period – No Requests Will Be Accepted
February 9: Senate and House Bill Filing Deadline and LRB Amendment Requests Begin
February 21: Governor’s Budget and State of the State Address
March 15: Senate Committee Deadline for Senate Bills
March 19: Primary Election
April 5: House Committee Deadline for House Bills
April 12: Senate Third Reading Deadline
April 19: House Third Reading Deadline
May 3: Committee Deadline for Bills in the Opposite Chamber
May 17: House and Senate Third Reading Deadline for Bills in the Opposite Chamber
May 24: Adjournment
May 25 – 31: Contingent Session Days
GOVERNOR’S HIGHLIGHTS:
Land Reclamation Awards Announced: The Illinois Department of Natural Resources announced the recipients of the 2023 Land Reclamation Awards. The program is designed to recognize outstanding achievements in mine land reclamation and to promote high-quality reclamation work in Illinois. The award is given to companies and individuals who maintain compliance with regulatory requirements and apply innovative techniques to reclaim land following mining activities. The list 2023 recipients is here.
Public Water Supply Grants: The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency is offering $750,000 in grants for the development and completion of energy efficiency projects at public water supply facilities, commonly referred to as drinking water treatment plants.
The grant program seeks to invest U.S. Department of Energy Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act funds in publicly owned water treatment plants in the State of Illinois. The grants will enable units of local government to make energy efficiency upgrades to water equipment identified by previous energy audits. The projects will reduce the amount of energy consumed by water treatment operations, thereby reducing energy costs.
Grant applications will undergo a comprehensive, merit-based review. Scoring factors will include cost effectiveness, energy cost impact savings, energy rate, and projects located in environmental justice areas of concern. Application materials are available on the Illinois EPA website. The application period closes at 5:00 pm on February 2, 2024.
IBHE Awards Grants to End Student Homelessness: The Illinois Board of Higher Education awarded $1.7 million in End Student Housing Insecurity grants to 10 institutions of higher education in Illinois. The funds will be used to support ongoing work at each of the campuses to address systemic causes of homelessness and basic-needs insecurity among students. The state’s higher education strategic plan, A Thriving Illinois, calls for closing equity gaps for students who have been left behind, in part, by addressing student support needs, including housing insecurity. Read more here.
OTHER NEWS:
Illinois Chamber of Commerce: The Illinois Chamber of Commerce announced the addition of former Republican State Representative Keith Wheeler as Senior Legislative Affairs Advisor. Wheeler will join the Chamber’s Government Affairs team effective January 1, 2024.
Minimum Wage Lawsuit: Attorney General Kwame Raoul and the Illinois Department of Labor are urging the Illinois Supreme Court to overturn an appellate court’s opinion barring employees of a Chicago manufacturing company from recovering overtime wages and penalty fees they argue should have been paid. Raoul, along with the IDOL, filed an amicus brief in Mercado v. S&C Electric Company to ensure that the Illinois Minimum Wage Law protects employees’ right to earn fair compensation for overtime hours worked, as well as their right to recover lost wages and penalties in court. Read more here.
Please have a Merry Christmas and a safe and Happy New Year.