GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS
Report    


Business Regulation

Campaign Finance

Civil Law

Economic Development

Education

Employment Law

Environment & Energy

Financial Services

Gaming

Health Care
 
Pensions

Procurement

Taxes

Workers' Compensation

Quick Links
January 31, 2021

This Week in Illinois 

Session Schedule Update 
While originally scheduled, neither the House or Senate will be in session next week. The House plans to reconvene for one day on February 10th while the rest of February's session has been canceled. The House is expected to vote on remote-legislating in the form of virtual committee hearings. The next session date for the Senate is February 9th. 

Veto Requests Update
The Chamber has submitted veto requests to Governor Pritzker on many key pieces of legislation passed during the 101st General Assembly lame duck session. These veto requests include SB 1480 and HB 3360, on both of which the Chamber has released fact sheets. The Chamber fact sheet on SB 1480 can be found here and the Chamber fact sheet on HB 3360 can be found here. 

The Chamber has been in discussion with Senate Democrat leadership and expects to see a trailer bill introduced that addresses some of the liability concerns in HB 3360. We will provide an update on the trailer bills in next week's GAR. 

Senate Holds Perfunctory Session with introduction of over 100 pieces of legislation. 
On Friday, the Illinois Senate held its first perfunctory session. The occasion was marked with the introduction of over 100 bills. Over the next week we expect a couple hundred bills will be read into the record and available for viewing for the first time. Next week's GAR will highlight notable Senate bills introduced. 

House Announces Committee Chairs
On Thursday, Speaker Emanuel "Chris" Welch announced the names of those who will chair the 43 various House committees and gain influence over the House's legislative agenda. Out of the 43 chairpersons announced, only 15 had previously served in their posts. 

Notable Committee leadership changes include Robert Rita (D),  who will chair the House Executive Committee, and Lamont Robinson Jr. (D) who will chair the House Cybersecurity, Data Analytics & IT Committee.

Notable Legislators maintaining their positions include Michael Zalewski (D) in the Revenue & Finance Committee, Ann Williams (D) in Energy & Environment and Marcus Evans Jr. (D) in the Labor & Commerce Committee. The full list of House Committee Chairs can be found here.

Legislation to Watch:
  • HB 49 (West) No Grants Allowed, For-Profit Higher Education
    • Prohibits the Board of Higher Education from awarding any grant funds to a private institution of higher education that is operated for profit. Also, the bill removes a provision allowing Monetary Award Program grants to be made to applicants enrolled at qualified for-profit institutions.
  • HB 62 (Flowers) Healthcare for All
    • This bill provides that all individuals residing in this State are covered under the Illinois Health Services Program for health insurance. Provides that it is unlawful for private health insurers to sell health insurance coverage that duplicates the coverage of the program. Requires the State to establish the Illinois Health Services Trust to provide financing for the program.
  • HB 66 (Flowers)  Managed Care Medical Assistance Program
    • No recipient of medical assistance shall be required to enroll or transition to the State's managed care medical assistance program. The Department of Healthcare and Family Services shall not enter into any new contract or agreement with a managed care organization (MCO) to provide services where payment for medical services is made on a capitated basis. Provides that the Department shall not renew, renter, renegotiate, change orders, or amend any contract or agreement it entered into with an MCO that was solicited under a specified request for proposals.
  • HB 89 (Flowers) Community Bank of Illinois Act
    • Provides that the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation shall operate The Community Bank of Illinois. Provides that State funds must be deposited in the Bank. Specifies the authority of the advisory board of directors to the Bank.  Specifies the powers of the Bank. Contains provisions concerning the guaranty of deposits and the Bank's role as a clearinghouse, the authorization of loans the General Revenue Fund, bank loans to farmers, limitations on loans by the Bank amongst other things.
  • HB 95 (Halpin) Company-Specific Subsidy Interstate Compact
    • Enters into the state into a compact, which may be entered into by any state and the District of Columbia, in which each member state agrees to not offer company-specific subsidies for companies currently located in or considering locating in the member state. This includes headquarters, real estate development, manufacturing and other ventures. Excludes existing subsidies until change of terms.
  • HB 118 (Guzzardi) Recovery of Damages for Underpayment in Wages
    • This bill provides that an employee is entitled to recover damages of 5% (rather than 2%) of the amount of any underpayments in wages for each month following the date of payment during which such underpayments remain unpaid.
  • HB 145 (Morgan) Corporate Giveaways Interstate Compact
    • This bill enters Illinois into the compact, which may be entered into by any state and the District of Columbia, in which each member state agrees not to offer or provide any company-specific tax incentive or company-specific grant to any entity. Also creates the Phase Out Corporate Giveaways Board.
  • HB 146 (Morgan)  IDOI Unreasonable Rate Increases Regulation
    • Provides that all individual and small group accident and health policies written in compliance with the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act must file rates with the Department of Insurance for approval. Provides that rate increases found to be unreasonable in relation to benefits under the policy provided shall be disapproved. The Department will approve or deny rate increases within 60 calendar days after the rate increase is filed. A rate increase that is not approved or denied by the Department on the 61st calendar day shall be automatically approved.
  • HB 209 (Mussman) Latex Glove Ban
    • This bill provides that a food service establishment may not permit employees to use latex gloves in the preparation and handling of food. Provides that, to encourage compliance, a food service establishment shall receive a notification of warning for the first violation.
  • HB 264 (Bennett)  Venue Limitations for Civil Action
    • This bill limits venue for actions against corporations, partnerships, and insurance companies. Provides that in actions in which no party is a resident of this State and over which another forum has jurisdiction, the court shall, upon motion, dismiss the action subject to specified conditions. Provides that joint and several liability attaches when a defendant is found to be 50%, rather than 25%, at fault. Limits amounts recovered for medical care, treatment, or services and caretaking expenses to the amounts actually paid for those expenses regardless of the amounts initially billed.
  • HB 353 (Flowers) Essential Worker Minimum Wage Increase
    • Increases the minimum wage to $20 per hour for essential workers for the duration of the COVID-19 public health emergency.

Connect with the Chamber

  

If you have questions about the Government Affairs Report, contact Clark Kaericher at ckaericher@ilchamber.org. Do not reply to this email. 

Illinois Chamber of Commerce

2020 Government Affairs Report | Clark Kaericher, Editor