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Rulemaking
In today's November 4th edition of the Illinois Register there was no proposed rulemaking of note for the subject area covered by this Council. However, DCEO adopted rules for the Illinois Works Preapprenticeship Program (IWPP).
From today's Flinn Report:
The Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity adopted amendments to Illinois Works Jobs Program Act (14 IAC 680; 46 Ill Reg 3639), effective 10/18/22, establishing the Illinois Works Preapprenticeship Program (IWPP). IWPP provides grants to community-based organizations that will recruit, prescreen, and provide preapprenticeship skills training for prospective construction and building trades workers, which participants may attend free of charge and for which they may receive a stipend. Organizations that apply for these grants must register and qualify under the Grant Accountability and Transparency Act (GATA).
Information that must be included in the application packet includes a description of the proposed preapprenticeship program and the wrap-around and student support services that will be provided; how the organization will coordinate with local workforce areas, including construction and building trades; and the organization’s understanding of how race, ethnicity and gender may impact individuals’ access to and experience of construction and building trade apprenticeships. Grants will be awarded based on factors that include the applicant’s past experience in serving, and potential to reach, underrepresented populations. Other provisions establish recordkeeping and reporting requirements and list allowable costs that can be covered by these grants. Those affected by this rulemaking include community based non-profit organizations, construction businesses, and labor unions.
Questions on this adopted rule can be directed to Ms. Bridget Schutt, Rules Administrator - Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity: Bridget.Schutt2@illinois.gov
For more information, view the November 4th Illinois Register here.
CGFA Monthly Briefing: Tax Revenue from Motor Fuel
The Illinois Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability (CGFA) released its monthly briefing for October of 2022. In the briefing, Chief Economist Benjamin Varner writes on Illinois tax revenue from motor fuel. The article also provides some expectations for gas prices for the end of this year and 2023.
While the whole section from the CGFA is informative, the final paragraph is provided below.
Expectations for motor-fuel related tax revenue in the future remain unclear. On one hand, the motor fuel tax rate is scheduled to increase at the start of the new year which will increase the amount of revenue brought in by that tax. However, this may be offset by the loss of sales tax revenue as prices are expected to fall. Short-term projections from the EIA indicate that prices for gas in the Midwest are expected to average about $3.67 per gallon in the fourth quarter of 2022 and stay between $3.35 and $3.50 per gallon throughout 2023. Diesel, on the other hand, is expected to continue to steadily decline over the next year before settling around $4.13 per gallon in the third quarter of 2023. The EIA expects U.S. gasoline consumption in 2023 to stay near levels seen in 2022, with rising fuel efficiency offsetting price- and economy-driven increases in transportation demand.
Read the entire briefing here.
Illinois EPA: $70 Million in Wastewater and Drinking Water Projects in First Quarter of FY23
On Tuesday, The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (Illinois EPA) announced the issuance of $70,608,909 in water infrastructure loans to local governments and sanitary districts for the first quarter of Fiscal Year 2023 (July – September 2022). The Illinois EPA State Revolving Fund (SRF) Program provides low-interest loans which fund wastewater, stormwater, and drinking water projects. Eleven (11) of the thirteen (13) loans qualified for a total of $11,465,025 in Disadvantaged Community Principal Forgiveness, providing additional benefits to those recipients meeting the loan rules for either the Small Community Rate or Hardship Rate.
Illinois EPA’s SRF includes two loan programs, the Water Pollution Control Loan Program (WPCLP) which funds both wastewater and stormwater projects, and the Public Water Supply Loan Program (PWSLP) for drinking water projects. Both programs provide funding at a low interest rate of just 1.24 percent for FY23. The programs receive federal capitalization funding annually, which is combined with state matching funds, interest earnings, repayment money, and the sale of bonds, to form the source of financing for these infrastructure projects. State matching funds for FY20-FY24 are provided by the Rebuild Illinois Capital Plan.
A list of recipients can be found in this release here.
IDHS and DCEO Launch First-Ever Human Services Capital Grant Program
IDHS and DCEO have partnered to launch a first-of-its-kind, $15 million capital improvement projects for facilities of eligible not-for-profit human services providers located in Illinois. This is a competitive program that will make at least 60 grant awards ranging from $50,000 up to $250,000 to eligible organizations.
Eligible applicants: "Human services providers" means not-for-profit organizations in good standing to operate in Illinois that have provided services for a minimum of two years directly to low-income or marginalized populations in one of the core divisions of DHS— Mental Health, Rehabilitation Services, Substance Use Prevention and Recovery, Family and Community Services, Developmental Disabilities, and Early Childhood.
Award information: Individual capital improvement awards will range from $50,000 to $250,000. DCEO anticipates that the term of the agreements will be one to two years ending on or around August 31, 2024.
Eligible projects: Capital improvements are projects, not yet fully completed as of November 1, 2022, with a purpose to physically expand or physically improve upon a facility located in Illinois and owned or leased by an eligible human services provider. Eligible activities do not include the purchase of land or a building, site selection or improvements made to a personal residence even if it is used by the human services provider to perform services. Administrative and operational expenditures are not allowable costs for this program.
Application Deadline: December 30, 2022 (5:00 p.m.)
Application information: Detailed funding opportunity information, application materials, and technical assistance are available here or email CapitalGrant@tecsinc.com for additional information.
Legislative Update
HB 5833, Bidding was filed by Representative McCombie. This bill amends the Illinois Highway Code. In provisions concerning the performance of functions by the highway commissioner of a road district, provides that, except for professional services, when the cost of construction, materials, supplies, new machinery or equipment exceeds $30,000 (instead of $20,000), the contract for such construction, materials, supplies, machinery or equipment shall be let to the lowest responsible bidder if specified conditions are met.
Session Update
As a reminder, the General Assembly has released the schedule for veto session. Lawmakers will be back in Springfield Tuesday, November 15 -November 17 as well as November 29-December 1.
View and download the veto calendar here.
Looking forward, Legislators have been informed to keep their schedules open between January 4th-10th for potential lame duck session dates. We will let you know if or when those dates are finalized.
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