History was made this week when the Illinois House of Representatives welcomed a new speaker. Good or bad, and you will find lines of people wanting to say both, Michael Madigan was an Illinois institution. I'm on the wrong side of 30 and Madigan was Speaker before I was born. He was sworn in as a state representative in the Nixon administration and elevated to Speaker during Reagan's first term. Whatever happens going forward, things will never be the same.
Representative Emanuel "Chris" Welch was elected the first new Speaker since 1983 (barring a 2-year interlude for Lee Daniels when Angels in the Outfield was in movie theaters and Todd was rocking Zubaz pants). For more perspective, Representative Welch was born a month after Speaker Madigan was first sworn into the General Assembly. The Chamber released the following statement:
"The Illinois Chamber would like to congratulate Representative Emanuel "Chris" Welch on his election today as Speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives. Speaker Welch will be the first new speaker in the lifetime of many Illinoisans. It is no secret that Illinois faces a number of challenges including its budget and business climate, which have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Illinois Chamber hopes to work collaboratively with Speaker Welch to better the state's economy and jobs climate."
Lame Duck Bills of Interest Update
The following bills were considered during the Lame Duck Session of the General Assembly:
- SB 54 Alcohol delivery. This bill passed out of the House by a vote of 105-7 and passed the Senate by a vote of 50-0. This bill concerns the delivery of alcohol from distributors to consumers. Stating that nothing within the Liquor Control Act of 1934, except for provisions concerning prohibited sales, shall restrict or interfere with a retailer's delivery of alcohol. Acceptable methods of delivery, such as the use of third party contractors, are specifically outlined. Also, this bill limits home rule powers to regulate alcohol delivery for municipalities with less than one million residents. The Chamber supports this bill.
- HB3469 Creates the Illinois Future of Work Act. Creates the Illinois Future of Work Task Force. This task force will study a number of issues of interest to the Tech Council including: automation, artificial intelligence, the future of work and other emerging technologies. We'll keep you updated as to the task force's progress.
Gig Worker Update
As we've discussed, the future of work, and specifically the perseveration of the gig economy, is a top priority of the Illinois Chamber and the Tech Council. We continue to closely monitor this issue and expect to be heavily engaged this spring as measures are introduced.
Recently, Todd Maisch said the following in support of the Illinois Coalition for Independent Work:
The Illinois economy has been greatly impacted by the pandemic. Now more than ever, people need access to jobs that meet their unique needs and schedules. The gig economy is an economic stimulus for our communities and a critical part of our economic recovery. Illinois needs to protect these workers by providing new benefits without compromising the independence they need and value. - Todd Maisch, Illinois Chamber President and CEO
Illinois Business Leader Feature on Tech Council Member Instacart
The Chamber's Illinois Business Leader did a great feature on Tech Council Member Instacart and their Public Policy Manager, Kelley Foxx. The article touched on the impact of the pandemic and the need to provide food to underserved communities:
"While the pandemic has been difficult for us all, it's particularly acute for those in under resourced communities," Foxx said. "While we are always working to make the lives of those with whom we interact better, we have dedicated a considerable amount of effort toward ensuring food for all."
If you would like to feature your company or draw attention to a certain initiative, please let me know. We've had some great profiles on our tech council members lately and I'd like to continue the momentum, especially during a big legislative session for tech issues.
Articles of Interest
