Capitol Updates: May 13 week in review
This week in Springfield, the focus shifted from pension reform to policy issues certain members of the Illinois General Assembly deem important, such as the Lion Meat Act. The Illinois Policy Institute had a big victory this week, as our workforce transparency measure passed the Illinois House and Senate and now heads to Gov. Pat Quinn...
This week in Springfield, the focus shifted from pension reform to policy issues certain members of the Illinois General Assembly deem important, such as the Lion Meat Act.
The Illinois Policy Institute had a big victory this week, as our workforce transparency measure passed the Illinois House and Senate and now heads to Gov. Pat Quinn for consideration.
This measure is meant to provide greater transparency on state government workforce information, and passed the Illinois House on Wednesday by a 114-0 vote. It had previously passed the Senate on a 53-0 vote.
Senate Bill 1670 has its roots in a 2011 study from the Illinois Policy Institute, which focused on pay disparities between government and private sector workers.
SB 1670 requires the Illinois Department of Central Management Services, or CMS, to serve as a data collection point for each state agency to report on their annual workforce characteristics, compensation and employee mobility. This information will then be published annually on the Illinois Transparency and Accountability Portal.
The Institute is excited to see this sensible initiative gain traction after years of persistently encouraging its passage.
Progressive tax opposition gains momentum
State Rep. McSweeney’s resolution opposing the progressive tax continues to gain momentum. To date, the Institute-backed legislation, House Resolution 241, has 45 House sponsors. To put this in perspective, state Rep. Naomi Jakobsson’s measure to amend the Illinois Constitution and impose a progressive income tax, HJRCA 2, has 20 House sponsors.
Approaching the last two weeks of session, it is a top priority of the Institute’s Government Affairs team to continue to educate members of the General Assembly on the perils of a progressive income tax.
General Assembly mulls over Medicaid expansion
There was lots of buzz about Medicaid expansion in the House this week. While no floor debates or votes took place, it is speculated that an amendment will be introduced early next week to push forward the expansion – and thereby, the implementation of President Barack Obama’s Affordable Care Act. In late February, the Senate passed a Medicaid expansion bill, Senate Bill 26, on a 40-19 vote.
The Institute applauds state Rep. Patti Bellock for relentlessly holding the House Republican Caucus together on this front. Lawmakers who stand strong in their opposition to the expansion of a broken Medicaid system understand that Illinois will face future credit downgrades if it expands Medicaid.
The Institute’s Government Affairs team continues to promote solutions that would truly reform health care in Illinois, in a way that does right by both patients and taxpayers.