Clark Kaericher | Vice President of Government Affairs | 618-806-1501

What a week for my HVAC to go out. The worst part? My wife has been telling me for weeks that something was wrong with it. I’m never going to live this down…

New Bill Signings

HB 1497, Car sharing-Support signed into law. This bill amends the Automobile Renting Occupation and Use Tax Act. Amends various definitions to exempt car-sharing from the tax imposed under the Act if tax due on the automobile under the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act or Use Tax Act was paid upon the purchase of the automobile or when the automobile was brought into Illinois. Provides that the taxes imposed under the Act do not apply to any amounts paid or received for peer-to-peer car sharing, as defined in the Car-Sharing Program Act, or the privilege of sharing a shared vehicle through a car-sharing program, as defined in the Car-Sharing Program Act, if the shared vehicle owner paid applicable taxes upon the purchase of the automobile. Defines "applicable taxes". Further amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that a person who rents a motor vehicle to another may hold the renter liable for physical or mechanical damage to the rented motor vehicle that occurs during the time the motor vehicle is under the rental agreement. Creates limits on liability due to theft based on the MSRP of the stolen vehicle. Provides that, beginning on the effective date and for 6 months after, a person who rents a motor vehicle to another shall provide notice to the renter of the motor vehicle of the changes reflected in the amendatory Act. Requires the notice to be posted in a conspicuous and unobscured place that is separate and apart from any other information. 

SB 1782, Online Content passed the House 98-17-0. This bill, as amended, sets forth certain information a vlogger is required to annually report to the Department of Labor, including, but not limited to: (i) the name and documentary proof of the age of the minor engaged in the work of vlogging; (ii) the number of vlogs that generated compensation during the reporting period; and (iii) the total number of minutes each minor was featured in vlogs during the reporting period. Provides that the minor may commence a civil action if a vlogger fails to report the required information. Provides that if a vlogger knowingly or recklessly violates certain provisions that require a vlogger to set aside a minor's earnings from video content in an established trust account, the minor may commence an action to enforce those provisions and, if the minor prevails, the court may award the minor actual damages, punitive damages, and the costs of the action. Provides that the definition of "vlogger" does not include any person under the age of 16 who produces his or her own vlogs. 

Annual Meeting and Reception Sponsorship

The Illinois Chamber is now seeking sponsors for our 2023 annual luncheon! The 2023 annual luncheon and pre-event reception will be held on September 28 at the Doubletree Hotel in Oak Brook. We are seeking sponsors for the reception preceding the event as well as the meeting itself.

Please see the attached document for reception sponsorship information as well as a tentative agenda. The annual meeting is our biggest event of the year and I look forward to seeing you all there.

Please reach out to me for further sponsorship details at ckaericher@ilchamber.org

US Chamber Report on Autonomous Vehicles

The US Chamber recently released a report on autonomous vehicles. The report outlines anticipated widespread adoption dates (10-20 years from now)  when autonomous vehicles represent a quarter of vehicles on the roadways. It outlines several key benefits from automation including health and safety, mobility and access and climate and environmental benefits.  They also touch on regulatory issues and competing with foreign competition, namely China. You can read the entire report here.

I highlighted this report as autonomous vehicles are a potentially game changing technology and, not surprisingly, have become of much more interests to legislators. You’ll recall that four bills were introduced in Illinois last year. These bills would have greatly curtailed the potential of autonomous vehicle technology in our state and the Illinois Chamber made stopping those initiatives a major priority. It is our position that any necessary regulatory or legislative measures are more appropriate at a national level.

Rulemaking

No rulemaking of note in the past two weeks.

Veto Session Dates

Veto Session will be here before you realize. Lawmakers announced the 2023 dates for October 24-26 and November 7-9. View the calendar here.

BIPA Is Turning 15 - Register Today

Date/Time: Friday, October 6, 2023 | 10:00 am – 3:00 pm

Location: The Security Innovation Hub | 1302 South Kilbourn Ave. Chicago, IL 60623

What will you learn? Delve into the present legal, political, scientific, ethical, and technological aspects of BIPA. Acquire insights from industry experts on how to proactively maintain and oversee your onboarding, access control, data and compliance protocols, ensuring their ongoing effectiveness to help avert a BIPA lawsuit.

Who should attend? Businesses of all sizes – small, medium, enterprise, and mega-tech – can gain valuable insights into BIPA compliance. We suggest that individuals with the following roles consider attending: Owners, CISOs, CSOs, Human Resources personnel, Legal departments, Accounting professionals, IAM staff, Operations and Facility Managers.

Why participate? With class-action payouts surpassing 1 BILLION++ dollars (and still rising), Illinois has earned the reputation of being “a cottage industry for BIPA lawsuits.” Now is a pivotal juncture for businesses across diverse sizes and sectors to grasp the significance of BIPA and actively engage in discussions. BIPA's impact has been felt across a wide spectrum, cases range from chicken processors, roofing distributors, retailers, restaurants, and amusement parks to mega tech corporations. It's imperative for all of these entities to comprehend the intricacies of the BIPA law, which encompasses both digital and physical implications.

More information here: bipabuzz.com (squarespace.com)

Articles of Interest 

John Deere is building a facility for electric-powered equipment batteries

Ameren Illinois advances grid transformation program to boost energy resilience, reliability

Illinois closes in on $2 billion EV battery plant

Meta’s Threads App to Launch Web Version as Rivalry With X Enters New Stage

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