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Two weeks to go (probably). Hope everyone is hanging in there.
Session Schedule Update
The Senate is in this morning. They are scheduled to be in this weekend but I expect they will cancel at least one of the scheduled days.
The House adjourned for the week yesterday. They will return Monday at 2 pm.
Both Chambers are still planning to adjourn on May 19th- two weeks from today. If we don’t make that deadline, everybody can blame HFS blowing a massive hole in the budget forecasting.
New Postings
No new committee postings warranting mention. However, be aware that with floor amendments only one hour’s notice is required. Therefore, we will likely see some important measures in committees next week.
Uber/Lyft Bill Passes Senate; Heads to Governor’s Desk
HB 2231 as amended, extends the Act's repeal date from September 1, 2023 to September 1, 2028. Provides that a provision which specifies that TNCs and TNC drivers are not common carriers, contract carriers, or motor carriers and do not provide taxicab or for-hire vehicle service becomes inoperative January 1, 2024.
The amendment brought Lyft to neutral. Uber still opposes. Make no mistake that passage of this bill represents a win for the trial bar (and a loss for everyone else).
As if to rub a little salt in the wound, senators on the floor engaged in a bit of “legislative intent” when Senator Villivalam asked if passage of this bill would make it certain that Uber and Lyft were treated as common carriers. The bills sponsor, Senator Martwick, answered “yes” without hesitation. While legislative intent isn’t binding, you can bet that segment to come up in the first court case in the state to hear the issue.
Other Floor Votes
HB 3233, DREAM Fund - Neutral passed the Senate 44-10-0Amends the Transmitters of Money Act. Provides that licensees may offer every customer who transmits money internationally the option to make a voluntary donation to the Illinois DREAM Fund. Provides that licensees may present customers with the option to make a donation to the Illinois DREAM Fund before the customer completes the transaction. The amount of the donation shall be no less than $1 per transaction.
Health Data Privacy- Pay Attention to this Bill.
A new amendment to HB 3603 (Williams) has been floating around. The proponents, mainly the ACLU, claim it is a reproductive health protection act. In reality, it’s a omnibus data privacy bill cloaked in reproductive healthcare protections. I’d encourage you to read the latest amendment HERE (it has not been filed yet).
The Chamber has joined a large coalition in opposition to this bill. Our issues are threefold. The definition is way too broad to be meaningful. Compliance will be both nearly impossible and so overwhelming to consumers as to be ignored. Finally, the private right of action is a copy of the BIPA provisions which benefited no one but a few well connected plaintiff firms.
You can read more in our fact sheet: HERE
DoIT Leaders Awarded
Illinois Department of Innovation & Technology (DoIT) Acting Secretary & State Chief Information Officer Brandon Ragle and Chief Information Security Officer Adam Ford were honored by StateScoop for their leadership and achievements in tech on Monday.
The StateScoop 50 Awards, now in their 10th year, honor the most influential people in the state government IT community, and the most innovative projects that advance government operations and citizen services. This year’s awards recognize leaders and projects from 22 different states, along with executives from 14 companies.
Ragle earned a Golden Gov award for leading state government into a new technology landscape with innovative ideas and inspriring others to get on board.
Ford received a State Leadership award for his work as a statewide leader of information security operations. Last year, applying his twenty years of experience in state government, Ford led the Security team that hardened endpoints, reduced the attack surface area, and limited elevated rights through collaboration with Illinois state agencies on cybersecurity and overall information security practices.
I had the opportunity to work with both these guys during the year I spent at DoIT and both are deserving of their accolades.
Rulemaking
No new rulemaking of interest.
Don’t Forget to Register for the Women in Business Conference
June 21, 2023
8:30 am – 2:30 pm
NIU Center | 1120 E. Diehl Road Naperville, IL 60563
The Illinois Chamber welcomes you to our women's conference as we come together to discuss and further dreams of our already strong women for a stronger Illinois. This year's theme is "Celebrate Success." The robust agenda will provide time for networking and connecting with professionals, and topics providing takeaways for all to take back to the office or home. Sponsorships now available, more information here.
Registration Link: Women in Business Conference (constantcontact.com)
Articles of Interest
Deere Seeks Satellite Network to Connect Far-Flung Farms
Chatbots Are Digesting the Internet. The Internet Wants to Get Paid.
Lawmakers say Illinois needs to be more competitive to attract and retain businesses
Illinois' surge in revenue might be over as April figures tank
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