Veto session: legislative update

Veto session commenced yesterday morning in Springfield. Typically, we would expect to see movement on controversial bills during this time because of the lame duck legislators who have been voted out of office but still retain voting power. However, impending Democratic supermajorities in both chambers of the Legislature means that we expect to see movement...

Veto session commenced yesterday morning in Springfield. Typically, we would expect to see movement on controversial bills during this time because of the lame duck legislators who have been voted out of office but still retain voting power.

However, impending Democratic supermajorities in both chambers of the Legislature means that we expect to see movement on more impactful legislation either during January’s special session or once the newly elected members have been inaugurated, when bill passage only requires a simple majority, or 60 votes, as opposed to the three-fifths requirement that bill passage necessitates during veto session.

Bills currently under committee review that the Illinois Policy Institute has opposed include:

HB 6240 – would authorize borrowing $4 billion to pay down the state’s unpaid bills

SB 3180 – amends the Title Insurance Act and would likely be a vehicle for a state-funded health insurance exchange

HB 5440 – creates the Direct Broadcast Satellite Service Providers Fee Act and imposes a fee on the act of providing direct broadcast satellite service to a customer at the rate of 5 percent of the provider’s gross revenue

SB 3183 – provides that county boards may borrow money from approved financial institutions if the county repays the loan within two years

SB 0282 – requires any corporation with greater than 50 percent of its shares traded publicly to make public their income and tax data

Three major issues that we anticipate potential movement on are the minimum wage, the income tax hike and pension reform. The Institute is closely monitoring these issues and any related legislation; we also have position papers on each subject that we are sharing with legislators.

The Institute’s Government Affairs team is in Springfield to prevent tax increases, curtail burdensome regulations on entrepreneurs and business owners, and make sure pension reform is comprehensive. 

Finally, a leadership vote took place yesterday in the House, and one will take place in the Senate today. House Minority Leader Tom Cross retained his leadership position unanimously, receiving 47 votes. Senate Minority Leader Christine Radogno must also secure a majority of the votes from her incoming caucus, or 10 total. It is possible that lawmakers may decide to change leadership in reaction to the outcomes of the recent election.

Veto session is scheduled to continue next week on Dec. 4, 5 and 6. Special session commences on Jan. 3 and will continue through Jan. 8; the inauguration of the 98th General Assembly will occur on Jan. 9. The Institute will continue to update you with key information on what is happening in Springfield.