103rd ILLINOIS GENERAL ASSEMBLY:
The Illinois General Assembly will reconvene October 24 – 26 and November 7 – 9 for the Fall Veto Session.
Note the General Assembly has 30 days from a bill’s passage to send the legislation to the Governor, and the Governor then has 60 days to either sign or veto it. If the Governor fails to act during that period, the bill automatically becomes law.
This week Northfield Township Democratic committee person and former Northbrook District 28 School Board President Tracy Katz Muhl announced her bid for Illinois State Representative for the 57th House District. Muhl, a Democrat, will challenge State Representative Johnathan Carroll in the Democratic primary.
GOVERNOR’S HIGHLIGHTS:
New Laws: The Governor signed the following into law:
· HB 2800 allows Menard and McHenry counties to acquire specified land for projects.
· SB 89 which extends various sunsets and deadlines.
IDOT Project Hearing: The Illinois Department of Transportation will hold a public hearing on Tuesday, June 13 on a proposal to add lanes to Interstates 55 and 72 around Springfield. The project, which includes reconstructing several interchanges, is projected to cost $802 million. IDOT will present the preferred design and gather feedback. Read more here.
Affordable Housing: The Illinois Housing Development Authority Board of Directors approved $5 million to launch the Next Generation Capacity Building Initiative, a new program designed to expand the talent pipeline and increase diversity within the housing development field and related industries. The grant award will be made to the Local Initiatives Support Corporation, who will use the funds to provide capital, training, and technical assistance that will expand access to housing resources administered by the state, with a focus on reducing barriers to entry for developers of color in the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program. This joint initiative between IHDA and LISC is part of the Authority’s continuing efforts to support the capacity and grow a diverse pool of affordable housing developers in Illinois.
Insurance Producer and Agent Licensing: The Illinois Department of Insurance is expanding its online-only application and payment process for insurance producer and agent licensing across all license types.
Beginning July 1, 2023, initial license applications, renewal applications, and payments must be submitted through the National Insurance Producer Registry (NIPR) electronic application and renewal system for the 22 license types handled by IDOI’s Licensing, Education and Testing unit.
Paper applications will no longer be expected.
Appointments: The Governor made the following appointments this week:
· Sheryl Morris will serve as a Member of the Illinois Workforce Innovation Board.
· Jayne Vellinga will serve as a Member of the Illinois Workforce Innovation Board.
· Amy Bilton will continue to serve as a Member of the Workers’ Compensation Medical Fee Advisory Board.
· Sanjay Gupta will serve as the new Secretary of the Department of Innovation and Technology.