Clark Kaericher | Vice President, Government Affairs | 217-522-5512 x 296

February 21, 2020

The Infrastructure Council is an initiative of the Illinois Chamber that brings together Chamber members with a focus on increasing infrastructure investments in a strategic and thoughtful way to boost the overall business climate in Illinois. Our focus is on the public and private systems that are essential to Illinois businesses. 


Legislative Update 
 
The Senate Transportation Committee is scheduled to meet Tuesday at 5 pm. These bills of interest have been posted for the committee:  
 
SB 3002 (Bertino-Tarrant) - Amends the Toll Bridge Act. Provides that the county board may enter into an agreement establishing a toll rate schedule for a period not to exceed 99 years, as determined by the county board. 
 
SB 3091 (Rose)- Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Removes the permit requirement, from September 1 through December 31, for a vehicle transporting agricultural commodities to exceed the maximum weight, axle weight, and gross weight limits under certain circumstances. Makes conforming changes. Effective immediately. 
 
The House Transportation: Regulation and Roads Committee will meet Tuesday at 2 pm. One bill of interest is scheduled for hearing: 
 
HB 3878 (Howard)- Repeals the Railroad Intoxicating Liquor Act. 
 
The House Transportation Vehicles and Safety Committee meets Wednesday morning at 10 am. Posted for that committee is HB 326 (McSweeney) which requires IDOT to conduct a study evaluating automated traffic law enforcement systems. Also posted is HB 4617 (Evans) which tightens the ethics requirements for operating any automated law enforcement camera, including significantly reducing campaign contributions from the companies.  
 
The following bills were introduced last week and may be of interest to council members. I welcome any input you have on these, or any other, bills.  
 
SB 3292 (Villivalam) - Amends the Architectural, Engineering, and Land Surveying Qualifications Based Selection Act. Provides that the term of any member of a selection committee created by the Department of Transportation to select firms to provide architectural, engineering, and land surveying services prior to January 1, 2021, shall be terminated on December 31, 2020. Provides that beginning on or after January 1, 2021, the Department of Transportation shall appoint selection committees consisting of 9 members who shall be appointed with the advice and consent of the Senate. Effective immediately. 
 
HB 4695 (Guzzardi)- Provides that any county (currently, DuPage, Kane, Lake, Will, and McHenry counties only) may impose a tax upon all persons engaged in the business of selling motor fuel. Provides that, in addition to other uses currently allowed by law, the proceeds from the tax shall be used for the purpose of maintaining and constructing essential transportation-related infrastructure. 
 
HB 4499 (Ugaste)- abolishes CTA, Metra and Pace boards and places everything under the control of the RTA board.  
 
Governor's Budget Address  
 
The Governor's Budget address was on February 19. The Governor's proposed budget includes additional tax receipts that would result from a favorable vote on the constitutional amendment authorizing a graduated income tax.  
The Governor's budget proposal includes "budgetary reserves" in the amount of $1.4 billion in event that the graduated income tax constitutional amendment is not ratified by the voters. $300 billion of that amount is for corporate income tax refunds. In other words, if the constitutional amendment is not ratified, the budget will be "balanced" by shorting the corporate income tax refund fund by $300 million during the fiscal year beginning on July 1, 2020. 
Here is a  link  to the Governor's budget documents. 
Illinois Chamber President and CEO Todd Maisch released the following statement on Governor Pritzker's Budget Address.  
 
"The Illinois Chamber is encouraged by the governor's budget plan, as it produces a balanced budget without increasing taxes by $3.6 billion, which would be triggered by the passage of a progressive tax scheme. By prudently holding down spending - through the $1.4 billion "hold", the administration has made it clear to Illinoisans that another ruinous tax increase is unnecessary. We also call on the governor and the legislature to enact pro-growth policies that will increase tax revenues through economic growth without increasing tax rates."  

Chamber Day 2020 
 
Chamber Day 2020 is about a month away! Register now to ensure your place: 

Articles of Interest  

Until Next Week, 
Clark

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