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Rulemaking
In the January 6th edition of the Illinois Register, the following rulemaking of note was adopted.
The Illinois Register states the following:
The SECRETARY OF STATE adopted amendments to Issuance of Licenses (92 IAC 1030; 46 Ill Reg 15069 and 15522) effective 12/21/22, combining two separately proposed rulemakings.
The amendments implement PA 102-1011 by including licensed physical therapists among the medical professionals who may certify a person’s disability for purposes of obtaining a Person with a Disability Identification Card. The rulemaking also removes the requirement that Illinois Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) applicants who hold valid out of State CDLs retake their CDL written and pre-trip/ skills/road exams. (SOS had temporarily waived this requirement during the COVID-19 public health emergency but has now abolished it permanently, since federal rules require all states to administer CDL exams using the same source of knowledge test questions and same criteria for road tests, and Illinois was the only state that required re-testing.) Those affected by this rulemaking include out of State CDL applicants and their employers.
We applaud this move regarding CDLs. In October, during the public comment period, the Illinois Chamber submitted a comment letter in support of the rulemaking affecting out of State applicants.
In that letter, we said the following: "This proposed rulemaking is long-awaited and welcome news for our members in trucking and related industries as many continue to suffer from a shortage of drivers. With this rulemaking, a barrier to employment will be removed. Improving hiring competitiveness, companies in Illinois will now more easily be able to recruit out-of-state applicants or transfer out-of-state employees. While this proposed rulemaking most noticeably impacts the trucking industry, the benefits will extend to every corner of the Illinois economy that relies on the timely and efficient movement of goods."
Read the full comment letter here.
Legislative Update
HB 4285, Procurement passed the House on concurrence by a vote of 75-20-1. This bill, among other things, increases the small purchase limit for construction contracts from $100,000 to $250,000. Authorizes State agencies and public institutions of higher education to purchase StateRAMP-certified cybersecurity products. Authorizes public institutions of higher education to use single-prime procurement for the award of certain construction contracts. Sets forth requirements for those procurements. Provides that specified members of the State Procurement Task Force shall serve as co-chairs of the task force (now, the Chairperson of the Commission on Equity and Inclusion serves as the chairperson). Requires the Procurement Policy Board (rather than the Department of Central Management Services) to provide administrative and other support to the task force. Requires the task force to submit a report of its findings and recommendations to the Governor and General Assembly by February 1, 2023 (rather than November 1, 2022). Amends the Design-Build Procurement Act. Authorizes a public institution of higher education to be recognized as a State construction agency for purposes of the Act. Specifies that the Act is repealed January 1, 2026 (rather than January 1, 2027). Amends the Business Enterprise for Minorities, Women, and Persons with Disabilities Act. Authorizes an entity that qualifies as a business for purposes of the Act to have gross sales of up to $150 million (rather than $75 million).
HB 5061, Regional Water Commissions passed the Senate by a vote of 55-0-0. This bill amends the Regional Water Commissions Division of the Illinois Municipal Code. Allows a regional water commission to provide for credits against amounts due to the commission from a municipality as a means to repay a municipality for specified costs incurred by the municipality relating to the regional water commission. Allows amendment or extension of specified contracts beyond 101 years by agreement of the parties. Provides that an owner of a bond issued under the Division, a trustee under a master trust indenture or supplemental trust indenture, or, in certain circumstances, both may enforce and compel performance relating to the bonds (now, only a holder of a bond issued under the Division has that right). Allows a commission to use alternate project delivery methods, establish goals or requirements for the procurement of goods and services and for construction contracts, accept assignment of municipal waterworks system contracts or other public improvement contracts, and take property by quick-take in specified circumstances. Makes other changes. Amends the Eminent Domain Act. Provides that a regional water commission may initiate quick-take proceedings for one period of 3 years after adoption of a schedule for acquisition of property or easements for the purposes of the regional water commission. Provides that the provisions do not authorize more than one 3-year quick-take period for any one regional water commission. Gives regional water commissions the authority to enter into design-build contracts and use a design-build delivery system. Includes definitions and requirements for the design-build delivery system.
SB 1720, "Deal Closing Fund" passed out of the House Executive Committee by a vote of 9-5-0. This bill, as amended, states that in addition to any other transfers that may be provided for by law, at a time or times during Fiscal Year 2023 as directed by the Governor, the State Comptroller shall direct and the State Treasurer shall transfer up to a total of $400,000,000 from the General Revenue Fund to the Large Business Attraction Fund.
Chicago Awarded $144 Million Through the New Bridge Investment Program to Rehabilitate Illinois International Port Calumet River Bridges
On Wednesday, Vice President Harris came to Chicago to announce $144 million in federal funding awarded to the City of Chicago to rehabilitate the Illinois International Port Calumet River Bridges. The grant was awarded through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s new Bridge Investment Program, which was created by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and will fund the major rehabilitation of four bascule bridges over the Calumet River.
This funding will support the rehabilitation of four historic bridges: the 92nd Street/Ewing Avenue Bridge, 95th Street Bridge, 100th Street Bridge, and 106th Street Bridge. These bridges are critical components of the Illinois International Port, which is an international hub, and the Illinois Waterway, allowing freight access via the waterways between Lake Michigan and the Gulf of Mexico. The bridges also function as an interconnected network, providing access to crucial industries and local jobs, and economic stability in the underserved South Chicago and Calumet areas.
IDOT in 2022 Rebuilding Illinois continues with completed projects, new ones planned for 2023 across the state
Last Thursday, Governor Pritzker's office issued a press release highlighting the work completed across the State due to Rebuild Illinois.
As of Sept. 30, Rebuild Illinois has made $9.6 billion in improvements statewide on 4,546 miles of highway, 422 bridges, and 645 additional safety improvements, ranging from routine maintenance projects to extensive interstate and bridge reconstructions.
Read the full release here.
Illinois Chamber Legislative Initiatives
As we conclude the 102nd General Assembly, the Illinois Chamber is finalizing its legislative strategy for the Spring of 2023. If you have any legislative ideas or proposals that you'd like the Chamber to consider supporting or drafting please don't hesitate to reach out.
You can email me at acunningham@ilchamber.org or give me a call at (217) 520-2345.
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