103rd ILLINOIS GENERAL ASSEMBLY:
The Illinois General Assembly will return for the January lame-duck session from today, January 4 through the 7th.
The 104th General Assembly members will be sworn into office on Wednesday, January 8. Requests to draft legislation for consideration during the 2025 Spring Legislative Session must be submitted to the Legislative Reference Bureau by January 24. The bill filing deadline for both chambers is February 7.
Speaker Welch announced staffing changes. Effective January 2, 2025, Clayton Harris III will join the Office of the Speaker as Chief of Staff, replacing Tiffany Moy who will depart on January 10. Additionally, Isabel “Izzy” Dobbel will assume the role of Deputy Chief of Staff in the Office of the Speaker, effective January 15, 2025.
Harris, an attorney and public servant, has over 20 years of experience in government administration, law, and politics. He has previously served as Chief of Staff in the Office of the Governor and the Illinois Department of Transportation, as well as Executive Director of the Illinois International Port District.
Dobbel served as Political Director at the Chicago Federation of Labor and organized campaigns supporting pro-worker policies, including paid time off, sick leave, and the rights of new Americans.
2025 Spring Session Key Dates and Deadlines:
January 4 – 7: Lame Duck Session
January 8: Inauguration of the 104th General Assembly
January 24: House and Senate LRB Request Deadline (LRB Blackout Begins)
February 7: Deadline – Bill Introduction Deadline Both Chambers
February 19: Governor’s Budget and State of the State Address
March 21: Deadline – Committee Deadline Both Chambers
April 11: Deadline – Third Reading Deadline Both Chambers
May 9: Deadline – Committee Deadline Bills in Opposite Chamber
May 23: Deadline – Third Reading Deadline Bills in Opposite Chamber
May 31: Adjournment
GOVERNOR’S HIGHLIGHTS:
ICC Approves Amended Ameren Grid Plan: The Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) approved Ameren Illinois’ refiled multi-year grid plan (2024-2027) with modifications. The Commission approved $83 million in investments and system improvements needed to strengthen power grid reliability and support the ongoing electrification of the state’s power system. This represents a 75% reduction from Ameren’s proposed $333 million in spending.
The Climate and Equitable Jobs Act required the state’s largest investor-owned electric utilities to file grid plans designed to accelerate progress toward Illinois’ clean energy goals and hold electric companies accountable for their performances. Ameren was required to refile its grid plan again in 2024 after the ICC in 2023 rejected the utility’s initial proposal, citing non-compliance with several CEJA components related to consumer affordability and cost-effectiveness.
The ICC’s decision reduced Ameren’s rate increase request by 7% for an overall increase of $309 million. It also approved an 8.715% return on equity (ROE) for the company, down from Ameren’s requested 9.27% ROE.
The impact of the decision on individual customers will vary based on service class and energy usage. Read more here.
New IDOL Mediation Unit: The Illinois Department of Labor has established a new Informal Resolution and Mediation Unit to help workers and employers resolve straightforward claims before they escalate to administrative hearings or litigation. By bringing parties together to resolve their disputes through informal resolution and mediation, the Unit aims to address claims more quickly and efficiently, saving time, resources, and costs for all involved.
The Unit currently has two primary responsibilities:
• Implementation of a pilot project for proactively resolving single-employee, low-dollar wage claims
• Administration of the new Illinois Freelance Worker Protection Act
As the Unit grows and evaluates outcomes from the pilot project, it will work to identify other IDOL-administered laws that may be suitable for voluntary informal resolution and mediation.
IDPH Warns of Heightened Respiratory Virus: The Illinois Department of Public Health has elevated the state’s overall respiratory illness level from Low to Moderate, indicating an increased risk of seasonal illness exposure as families gather for the holidays.
IDPH’s Seasonal Respiratory Illness Dashboard shows that hospital admissions for COVID-19, flu, and RSV rose (as a percentage of total admissions) in the week ending December 14, 2024. Emergency department visits due to respiratory illness also increased from 13.8% to 14.7% the previous week. The state is seeing a surge in RSV-related ICU admissions, driven by children under 5 years old.
IDNR Investigating Bird Flu Outbreak: The Illinois Department of Natural Resources is investigating widespread waterfowl mortality across numerous locations in Illinois. Preliminary test results indicate the cause is highly pathogenic avian influenza.
The public is advised not to handle or attempt to capture any waterfowl or other wild birds exhibiting signs of illness.
IDNR will continue monitoring for HPAI-related mortality events statewide during the seasonal bird migration. Members of the public finding five or more deceased birds in one location are encouraged to contact IDNR district wildlife biologists online. Read more here.
Illinois Sports Facilities Authority: Former State Senator Heather Steans will serve as a Member of the Illinois Sports Facilities Authority. Steans currently chairs the Steans Family Foundation, which focuses on enhancing education, workforce development, and economic opportunity in Chicago’s North Lawndale community. She represented the 7th Illinois State Senate District from 2008 to 2021. She has also held roles as the budget director of the Wisconsin Department of Industry, Labor, and Human Relations and as a strategic planner for Chicago Public Schools.
OTHER NEWS:
Chicago Public Schools CEO Fired: The Chicago Board of Education unanimously voted to terminate Chicago Public Schools CEO Pedro Martinez at a special meeting called the Friday before Christmas. Lawyers for Martinez indicated they intend to challenge the decision in court. The termination came after Martinez refused to secure a $300 million loan, as requested by Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, to fund a new Chicago Teacher’s Union contract. Martinez was dismissed by Board members recently appointed by Johnson, following the resignation of the previous Board in October, who had refused to fire Martinez. Although his contract was slated to run until June 2026, the Board’s decision allows Martinez to remain in his role through the end of the school year and provides him with 20 weeks of severance pay. A new hybrid (partially elected/partially appointed) school board takes office on January 15. Read more here.