This Week in Illinois
Session Canceled
While the Senate was originally scheduled to reconvene this Tuesday, January 26th, session has now been canceled. We expect the Senate to release committee rosters in the next couple days and hope to have this information to you in next week's GAR. Session is now scheduled to resume Tuesday, February 2nd.
Governor Pritzker Modifies Regional Mitigation Metrics
In an announcement regarding increased hospital staffing across Illinois, Governor Pritzker released modified regional mitigation metrics. These new mitigation metrics, which apply to all 11 COVID-19 regions in the state, are expected to
loosen restrictions and allow for some recreational activities and in-door dining for qualifying areas. Pritzker's full executive order can be found
here.
Speaker Welch Announces New House Leadership Team
Earlier this week, newly elected Speaker of the House Emanuel "Chris" Welch announced his full leadership team. His statement regarding the new House Democrat Leadership can be found here.
- State Rep. Greg Harris - Majority Leader
- State Rep. Jehan Gordon-Booth - Deputy Majority Leader / Speaker Pro-Tempore
- State Rep. Mary E. Flowers - Deputy Majority Leader and Dean of the Caucus
- State Rep. Jaime M. Andrade, Jr. - Assistant Majority Leader
- State Rep. Robyn Gabel - Assistant Majority Leader
- State Rep. Elizabeth Hernandez - Assistant Majority Leader
- State Rep. Jay Hoffman - Assistant Majority Leader
- State Rep. Natalie Manley - Assistant Majority Leader
- State Rep. Marcus C. Evans, Jr. - Assistant Majority Leader
- State Rep. Delia Ramirez - Assistant Majority Leader
- State Rep. Carol Ammons - Democratic Conference Chair
HB 1480, adverse impact on employer's hiring practices: Update
SB 1480, an amendment to the Illinois Human Rights Act, is a sweeping piece of legislation that will have serious ramifications for employers. SB 1480 passed the House and Senate on a partisan basis in the waning hours of the 101st General Assembly's lame duck session and now awaits the Governor's signature. Highlighted below are some of the bill's most egregious provisions for employers. The Chamber, along with a coalition of business advocates, has requested a veto. The Chamber's full analysis of SB 1480 can be found here. Please forward this vital information to the legal counsel and human resources department within your organization.
New Legislation to Watch:
- HB 62 (Flowers) This bill establishes healthcare as a right for all Illinoisans under the Illinois Health Services Program
- HB 66 (Flowers) This bill eliminates the Medicaid Managed Care program.
- HB 146 (Morgan) This bill gives the Director of IL DOI the authority to disapprove "unreasonable" rate increases
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HB 186 (West) A
mends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Creates a credit against withholding tax payments for employers with 250 or fewer full-time equivalent employees in an amount equal to a percentage of the compensation paid to qualified employees who received a raise from the employer.
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HB 211 (Sosnowski) This bill creates the Local Government Business Anti-Poaching Act. Provides that no municipality or county shall offer any incentive after the effective date of the Act to a business or corporation to move its headquarters located in Illinois, or any part of its business located in Illinois, away from the current location at the time of the offering of the incentive. Defines "incentive". Limits home rule powers. Effective immediately.
