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IL Chamber Advocacy | 2021 Recap

LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS COUNCIL NEWS 2021 MEDIA COVERAGE 2021 EVENTS Annual Meeting Workers' Comp Conference Women in Business Conference CHAMBER COMMUNICATION MEMBER NEWS COVID-19 Relief Funds Jan. 9, 2021 | Illinois Chamber President and CEO Todd Maisch spoke with WCIA on Governor JB Pritzker’s plan to withhold federal COVID-19 relief funds from small businesses - making it harder for businesses to survive. “This is tax relief for the hardest hit small businesses in the nation that was enacted in Washington on a bipartisan basis,” Maisch said.  Watch Clip Here

State House Hears from Illinois Chamber in January

Chamber Opposes Economic Equality Act Jan. 10, 2021 | HB 2685, known as the original Economic Equity Act was given a subject matter hearing in the Senate Executive Committee. Chamber President & CEO Todd Maisch provided testimony in opposition to this legislation which was later divided into four different bills. Shattuck Provides Testimony Jan. 10, 2021 | HB 5871 was identical to HB 2685, Economic Equity Act Bill in the House. It was given a subject matter hearing in the House Executive Committee. Jay Shattuck testified on behalf of the Chamber in opposition to this legislation.

Maisch Speaks to Major Media Outlets First Quarter

Jan. 29, 2021 | With performing art centers and theaters opening back up under the Phase 4 of the Restore Illinois plan, Illinois Chamber President and CEO Todd Maisch speaks to Sydney Dorner with News Channel 20 on how the opening of theaters will get the state back on track to boost the local economy. “Getting these theaters and entertainment venues open is an important piece of getting our local economy up and running," Maisch said. Read More Jan. 24, 2021 | Illinois Chamber President and CEO Todd Maisch spoke to Sydney Dorner with News Channel 20 on the impact that COVID-19 had on the economy and what it means for Springfield to get back on track. Watch Video

Feb. 18, 2021 | Illinois Chamber President and CEO Todd Maisch spoke to Greg Hinz with Chicago Crains on the Chamber’s response to Governor JB Pritzker’s Budget Address. “They’re going to take all of the money back, and then some. Effectively, we’re getting a huge tax increase in the middle of a recession,” Maisch said. Read More Feb. 21, 2021 | Illinois Chamber President and CEO Todd Maisch wrote an op ed for the Daily Herald on why immigration and infrastructure needs to be a priority. "Both parties have been guilty of using immigration policy as a political club and dangling infrastructure funding and construction projects without action. This must end." Read More Feb. 28, 2021 | Illinois Chamber President and CEO Todd Maisch spoke to Tessa Bentulan with WICS on how local retailers are handling the reopening guidelines that are continuously changing during the pandemic. "A lot of those small businesses are still hanging on by their fingernails," Maisch said. Watch Video

Government Affairs Addresses Biometrics, Legal Liabilities & Taxes

Mar. 9, 2021 | Illinois Chamber Vice President of Government Affairs, Clark Kaericher testified on HB 559, Amends the Biometric Information Privacy Act also known as ‘BIPA.’ HB 559 was heard in the judicial-civil committee. The bill passed out of committee on a bi-partisan vote of 10-5-1.  HB 559 requires aggrieved parties to prove actual damages in court. Furthermore, this bill provides a private entity 30 days to cure a violation of BIPA. Possible Legal Liabilities for Businesses Mar. 1, 2021 | Illinois Chamber Vice President of Government Affairs, Clark Kaericher spoke with Elyse Kelly on HB 3003. “We are very fearful though that a third crisis is coming, and that is one of legal liability for businesses already staggered by this economic crisis,” Kaericher said. “The last thing they can afford right now is a series of costly lawsuits, that even if they were to prevail, the attorney fees alone would be enough to push them over the edge into insolvency.” Watch Video Illinois Joins the Ranks of States Phasing out Corporate Tax Incentives Mar. 8, 2021 | Illinois Chamber President and CEO Todd Maisch spoke to Eileen O’Gorman about Illinois being the 11th state to help phase out corporate tax incentives. “If you want to keep a valued employer and those jobs in Illinois, you've got to find a way to simply buy down those higher costs,” said Maisch.

Illinois Chamber Tax Initiatives for 2021

Mar. 19, 2021 | Executive Director of Tax Institute, Keith Staats held his Quarterly Tax Institute Meeting where Keith spoke on legislative initiatives for the 2021 legislative session, the proposed Illinois budget including the Governor's so-called "loophole closing" legislation, and other notable legislative proposals.

The Pandemic, Telehealth Services and Biometric Privacy Act

Mar. 22, 2021 | Illinois Chamber President and CEO Todd Maisch spoke to Sydney Dorner with WICS on how Illinois small businesses are still trying to recover and survive after the pandemic. “Businesses have decided they really need extra help to make sure that they survive,” Maisch said. Mar. 22, 2021 | Illinois Chamber President & CEO Todd Maisch testified in support of HB 2379 in the House Public Utilities Committee. Maisch said this bill will allow rural communities to have better access to quality healthcare through telehealth services and allow those working from home to do so more effectively. The bill advanced out of committee on a vote of 20-0-0. Mar. 27, 2021 | Illinois Chamber’s VP of Government Affairs, Clark Kaericher spoke to Elyse Kelly with Center Square on the Biometric Privacy Act of 2008, also known as BIPA. ‘There’s a real innovation stifling aspect to our biometrics laws,” he said. “Companies don’t want to roll out products here in Illinois because they’re scared of BIPA.’ Read More

Chamber Members Making Headlines First Quarter

Jan. 13, 2021 | Congratulations to Chamber Member ADM for being named a winner in the 2021 BIG Innovations Awards which focuses on recognizing organizations and people bringing new ideas to life! “We’re very pleased to be recognized by the BIG Innovation Awards for our continued advancements in the field of microbiome science,” said Ian Pinner, chief strategy and innovation officer, and president of ADM’s Health & Wellness division. Read More

Jan. 14, 2021 | Illinois Chamber Member Instacart announced their new COVID-19 Vaccine Support Stipend which will provide shoppers and in-store teams with financial assistance as they take time away from shopping to get vaccinated against COVID-19. Read More

Jan. 24, 2021 | Illinois Chamber Member Eli Lilly is happy to announce their partnership with COVID-19 Prevention Network on stopping the spread of COVID-19 in nursing homes using their neutralizing antibody during their BLAZE-2 trial. "We are exceptionally pleased with these positive results, which showed Bamlanivimab was able to help prevent COVID-19, substantially reducing symptomatic disease among nursing home residents, some of the most vulnerable members of our society," said Daniel Skovronsky, M.D., Ph.D., Lilly's chief scientific officer and president of Lilly Research Laboratories.

Jan. 27, 2021 | Illinois Chamber member SalesForce announced their latest technology solution #VaccineCloud. It will provide the healthcare industry with vaccine management such as: scheduling, inventory management, and public health outreach. Jan. 29, 2021 | Congratulations to Former Los Angeles Dodgers slugger Joc Pederson for agreeing on a free-agent deal with IL Chamber Member Chicago Cubs.

Feb. 2, 2021 | Illinois Chamber Board Member and Director of Corporate Affairs at John Deere, Jason Francque announced their Startup Collaboration Program that mentors four agricultural startups for the third year in a row. Feb. 2, 2021 | Congratulations to Chamber Member Uber on the acquisition of alcohol-delivery platform Drizly.

Feb. 3, 2021 | Illinois Chamber Board Member and Universal Technical Institute Campus President, Julie Mueller announced its first-ever 12- week agricultural manufacturing training program with AGCO. It trains students to work with Fendt’s exclusive technology to gain knowledge about the brand’s engines, powertrains, hydraulics, electronics, and Fuse technology. “Since many of our Diesel program graduates go to work in the agriculture industry, we saw true value to our students in offering manufacturer-specific advanced training and credentials in agricultural equipment. It has been an honor to work with AGCO to develop an innovative program to meet the growing demand for trained tractor technicians,” said Sherrell Smith, executive vice president, campus operations.

Feb. 5, 2021 | Illinois Chamber Member Abbott announced their new disposable COVID-19 test named BinaxNow which provides results within 15 minutes. “We need to take a little risk,” said Robert Ford, Chief Executive Officer. “It’s going to take a while for everyone to get vaccinated. Even when you’ve had a vaccine, if you have a sniffle, a fever, a body ache, some people will want to do a Covid test.”

Feb. 7, 2021 | Thank you, Chamber Member’s A Safe Haven Foundation, and DoorDash for working 24/7 to protect Chicago’s homeless while providing warm meals to two of their shelters, feeding up to 50+ families. Feb. 9, 2021 | Congratulations to Chamber Member Uber for partnering with Walgreens by offering free rides to disadvantaged communities for access to their COVID-19 appointments. “Transportation should never be a barrier to health care,” Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said in the release.

Feb. 10, 2021 | Illinois Chamber Member University of Illinois Urbana- Champaign created a test that detects COVID-19 antibodies in the body’s immune system within 15 minutes. Each test will cost less than $2!

Feb. 10, 2021 | Illinois Chamber Board Member Tony Reinhart with Ford Motor Company announced their development of medical-grade face masks with clear panels that reveals wearers' facial expressions and allows the hearing impaired to read lips. "In those early days, everyone was learning what it was like to live in a masked environment. We quickly identified that while it's difficult for everybody to wear a mask all day long, for folks suffering from hearing impairment, it's an even bigger challenge," Jim Baumbick, leader of Ford's PPE manufacturing effort. Ford expects the masks to be available in the spring.

Feb. 11, 2021 | Through innovative solutions during these uncertain times, Illinois Chamber Member AT&T is helping healthcare organizations ensure those in need of the COVID-19 vaccine can receive it. AT&T is supporting the connections that enable companies to see in near real-time where the vaccines are in the distribution process.

Feb. 17, 2021 | Illinois Chamber member bp America announced their $500,000 donation to support victims in need from the extreme winter weather in Texas. “We remain committed to the communities where we live, work and connect with our customers. Working with the American Red Cross and other organizations, we will support these communities as quickly as possible,” said Dave Lawler, chairman and president of bp America.

Feb. 23, 2021 | Congratulations to Chamber member ADM for being named one of the #WorldsMostEthicalCompanies for the second year in a row!

Mar. 2, 2021 | Illinois Chamber member Salesforce announced their latest technology solution #VaccineCloud. It will provide the healthcare industry with vaccine management such as: scheduling, inventory management, and public health outreach.

Mar. 3, 2021 | Illinois Chamber member Amazon announced their new logistic facilities located in Valparaiso and Merrillville! The locations will host two of the five Amazon Logistics facilities opening this year, creating hundreds of full-times jobs.

Mar. 5, 2021 | Illinois Chamber member University of Illinois Urbana- Champagne’s SHIELD COVID-19 tests will be available statewide after the FDA emergency use approval! Over 1.5 million tests have been administered at campuses in Champaign-Urbana, Springfield and Chicago.

Mar. 15, 2021 | Congratulations to longtime Illinois Chamber member Tom Livingston with CSX for being interviewed by University of Illinois Springfield on his lifelong lobbying commitment to the state of Illinois.

Mar 16, 2021 | Illinois Chamber member Instacart kicked off a new COVID-19 Vaccine Support Stipend! Instacart announced more than 15,000 Instacart shoppers have taken advantage of this new program. Since the program began, they have also shipped more than 110,000 health and safety kits, bringing the total to 730,000.

Mar. 16, 2021 | Congratulations to Chamber member Peoria Production Shop for celebrating 80 years as a safe and respectful work environment for their employees! Mar. 18, 2021 | Illinois Chamber member Google announced their investments in fueling Illinois' economic recovery. We are happy to see #Google investing $25M+ for long-term growth in Chicago and creating 10K new jobs in the US in 2021. #GrowWithGoogle

Mar. 23, 2021 | Illinois Chamber Board Member, Dan Wagner penned an op ed with the Chicago Agent. With the Biden administration talking about closing tax loopholes, farmers, real estate owners, and conservationists should be wary of any move to eliminate 1031 like-minded exchanges. This tool, named after section 1031 of the U.S. tax code, has been enormously helpful to meeting our future land conservation goals.

Spring Business Leader Magazine Check out the latest edition of the Business Leader Magazine highlighting our amazing members. Click here

Chamber Day 2021

Apr. 15, 2021 | A HUGE THANK YOU to all the speakers and attendees who made #ChamberDay2021 a success! We heard many great topics from our featured guest speakers and policy experts. The Chamber would like to give a special shoutout to the Legislative Leaders who took time out of their busy schedules to attend! Senate Republican Leader Dan McConchie, House Republican Leader Jim Durkin and House Majority Leader Greg Harris.

Legislative Initiatives and Community Involvement

Chamber Leads Q&A in Vandalia

Apr. 7, 2021 | Illinois Chamber staff spoke to the Vandalia Chamber of Commerce regarding legislative initiatives. There were 40+ attendees with a Q&A segment that allowed attendees to call on downstate matters including workers’ compensation, full reopening for all businesses and concerns with the increase in minimum wage.

Cunningham Speaks to High School Students Apr. 28, 2021 | Illinois Chamber’s Manager of Legislative Relations, Andrew Cunningham spoke to local high school students on the political process and the importance of community involvement.

Maisch Speaks to Major Media Outlets Second Quarter

May 2, 2021 | "The reality is, you can not tax dividends from foreign subsidiaries without increasing domestic subsidiaries as well. Really what you're doing is putting another form of taxation on domestic employment, domestic demand, domestic profits," Maisch said. Read More May 26, 2021 | Illinois Chamber’s President & CEO Todd Maisch spoke to Ben Szalinski with the State Journal Register on the union constitutional amendment that will appear on Illinois ballots in November 2022. “The trend is clearly toward right-to-work because it’s about economic freedom and economic reality,” Maisch said. Read More Jun. 22, 2021 | Illinois Chamber President and CEO Todd Maisch responds to a new study that ranks Illinois third for deterioration of bridges and interstates across the country. #infrastructure #ilroads Watch Here Jun. 30 2021 | Illinois Chamber President and CEO Todd Maisch spoke to Andrew Hensel with The Center Square on a bill awaiting Governor Pritzker’s signature that will help small businesses save money on their taxes. SB 2531 (Stoller) is a work around to the federal $10,000 state and local tax deduction cap and passed with broad bipartisan support. Chamber President & CEO Todd Maisch says, “Ultimately we work for the Illinois businesses and we thought it was important to serve their interests.” Read More

May 5, 2021 | Illinois Chamber President and CEO Todd Maisch spoke to Wendell Hutson with Crain's Chicago Business on Illinois being ranked one of the worst states to do business in for the eleventh year in a row. "High taxes are definitely a main factor why Illinois does not fare well when it comes to rankings,” Maisch said. Read More May 14, 2021 | Illinois Chamber President and CEO Todd Maisch spoke to Elyse Kelly with Center Square on Illinois cannabis sales reaching $1 Billion by the end of 2021. Read More Jun. 1, 2021 | Illinois Chamber President & CEO Todd Maisch spoke to Greg Bishop with Illinois Center Square on mixed opinions the $42 billion budget plan revealed. “Wherever you are on the political spectrum, paying down debt is a really important concept,” said Maisch. Watch Here Jun. 29 2021 | Illinois Chamber President and CEO Todd Maisch spoke to Alyssa Hui with WICS on SB 1847 that requires businesses with at least 100 employees to give certain employment information to the Illinois Department of Labor starting in 2022. “Transparency is what we are fine with as long as it’s not tilting the playing field to manipulate the data to facilitate lawsuits, that’s not what we are for,” said Maisch. Read More Jun. 30 2021 | Illinois Chamber President and CEO Todd Maisch spoke to Peter Hancock with Capitol News Illinois on Illinois’ GDP growth in the first quarter of 2021. “I think that is substantially stimulus, which means borrowing money from China and throwing it into the Illinois economy,” Illinois Chamber of Commerce President Todd Maisch said during an interview. “But there's no substitute for basic demand in the economy. So as much as (President Joe) Biden wants to spend more and more trillions of dollars, there's no substitute for basic demand in the economy. And we're still lacking that, there's no doubt about it.” Read More

Government Affairs and Final Session Wrap

SB 2182 Amendment May 24, 2021 | Illinois Chamber's Vice President of Government Affairs, Clark Kaericher spoke to Greg Hinz with Chicago Crains on the hostile amendment to SB 2182. The amendment “essentially offshores hiring to a union local. It’s the kind of thing that makes people think twice about investing here,” Kaericher said. Read More Jun. 4, 2021 | A glimpse behind the scenes of Illinois Chamber President and CEO Todd Maisch wrapping up the 2021 Legislative Session.

Kaericher Testifies on Biometric Law Apr. 14, 2021 | Illinois Chamber’s Vice President of Government Affairs, Clark Kaericher testified on SB 300 Biometric Privacy Law also known as ‘BIPA’ during the Senate Judiciary’s subcommittee hearing on Monday.  Maisch and Staats Testify Before Senate Committee  Apr. 23, 2021 | Illinois Chamber's President and CEO, Todd Maisch and Illinois Chamber's Executive Director of Tax Institute, Keith Staats testified in the Senate Revenue Committee subject matter hearing on Governor's FY-22 Proposed Revenue. May 28, 2021 | Thank you U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Rep. Adam Kinzinger, and Congressman Scott Peters for an informational coffee talk yesterday answering all questions regarding #energy, #climate and #infrastructure.

Chamber Hosts U.S. Senator Duckworth

Jun. 11, 2021 | The Illinois Chamber held their quarterly meeting with the Energy Council and Environmental Affairs Committee to provide timely updates on energy and environmental topics of concern. Our guest speaker, United States Senator Tammy Duckworth discussed her position on energy policy and environmental topics impacting the business community.

Chamber Comments on Illinois Tax Proposal

May 13, 2021 | Illinois Chamber’s Executive Director, Tax Institute Keith Staats recorded an episode on the SALT Shaker Podcast with Breen Schiller and Nikki Dobay, partners at Eversheds Sutherland Tax on the recent Tax Tribunal case involving Pepsico. Listen Here Dec. 13, 2021 | Illinois Chamber’s Executive Director of Tax Institute, Keith Staats wrote a column in the Illinois CPA Society’s Insight magazine where Staats discusses new legislation designed to provide incentives to the electric vehicle industry. Read Here Illinois Chamber’s Executive Director of Tax Institute, Keith Staats wrote a column in the Illinois CPA Society’s Insight magazine. Read More

Chamber Board Secretary Addresses National Concerns

Jun. 6, 2021 | Illinois Chamber's Secretary and Past President of the Chicago Association of REALTORS, Dan Wagner and Bill Brown, Past President of the National Association of REALTORS® and U.S. Chamber of Commerce member discuss why the 1031 Like-Kind Exchange should be left alone.   Read More Apr. 28, 2021 | Secretary of the Illinois Chamber’s Board, Dan Wagner addressed the proposal by the Biden Administration to cap 1031 like-kind exchange real estate at $500,000. Click below to learn more on this proposal. Read More Apr. 4, 2021 | Illinois Chamber’s Secretary of the Board, Dan Wagner with Inland Real Estate Brokerage, Inc. discussed the importance of future land conservation and agriculture with Charlie Potter on WGN Radio. Click below to listen! Listen Here

Notes of Thanks and Recognition

Apr. 19, 2021 | In honor of National Volunteer Week, Illinois Chamber recognizes Associate Vice President of Business Services, Laurie Silvey who has volunteered many years for Illinois #ESGR and actively serves as the State Chair. Thank you to everyone who has volunteered for this vital organization! Jun. 10, 2021 | Thank you, Greater Oak Brook Chamber of Commerce, for including Illinois Chamber's President and CEO Todd Maisch in your Business Roundtable and Economic Development meeting!

Apr. 9, 2021 | Congratulations to the Secretary of the Illinois Chamber’s Board, Dan Wagner, for being elected as a volunteer Board Member to the DuPage County Historical Museum Foundation. We look forward to seeing you achieve new accomplishments!

Chamber Members Making Headlines Second Quarter

Apr. 2, 2021 | Congratulations to Illinois Chamber Board Member Neli Rowland and A Safe Haven Foundation on their first published book #Healing Apr. 13, 2021 | Railroads have hauled our goods 24/7 throughout the pandemic and will keep moving America forward into economic recovery. #RailDay2021    https://bit.ly/2REvhgo

Apr. 21, 2021 | Congratulations Chamber Member Peoria Production Shop on 80 years! Apr. 21, 2021 | Illinois Chamber Member State Farm announced their partnership with Twitch Rivals, a popular streaming service. #StateFarm will collaborate with Twitch on a range of activations for the esports tournament series as part of a multi-year deal! Read More

Apr. 26, 2021 | Illinois Chamber Member bp America is working to become a retail electricity provider to businesses and homes in IL, OH, TX, CA and PA per a filing to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. Read More

Apr. 27, 2021 | We at the Illinois Chamber remember longtime member Martin Ozinga III, with Ozinga Bros. Read More

Apr. 28, 2021 | During the pandemic, the need for ride share apps decreased significantly. Illinois Chamber Member Uber is now partnering with Walgreens to offer their customers the option of scheduling a COVID-19 vaccine appointment along with transportation through their app. Read More

May 11, 2021 | Thank you to Chamber member Ameren Illinois for the donation of convertible refrigerators and freezers to five local pantries to help feed more families! “At Ameren Illinois, we’re committed to empowering the communities we share by listening and giving back to the places we call home,” said Richard J. Mark, Chairman and President, Ameren Illinois. Read More

May 12, 2021 | Illinois Chamber member ADM announced their partnership with Remedy Health on helping to advance the variety of wellness solutions using 3D technology. Thank you #ADM for making Illinois a better place to work and live! Read More

May 14, 2021 | Illinois Chamber member DoorDash announced their first international engineering organization located in Toronto which will serve as a model for future tech offices! Thank you #DoorDash for making Illinois a better place to work and live! Read More

May 17, 2021 | Illinois Chamber member AT&T will join its massive media operations that include CNN, HBO, TNT and TBS in a $43 billion deal with Discovery. The deal is expected to close by the middle of next year! #chamberchamps Read More

May 24, 2021 | Chicago travel is getting back to pre-pandemic levels according to AAA Chicago and Chicago Metropolitan Agency Planning! Click below to see their analysis and safe driving tips. Read More

Jun. 8, 2021 | Congratulations to Illinois Chamber Member Kevin Sherlock with SpotHero on being included in the 2021 Notable General Counsels list by Chicago Crains! Read More

Jun. 10, 2021 | Congratulations to Chamber Member Juan Luciano, CEO of ADM for being named the International Executive of the Year for his continuous leadership and endless commitment during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Jun. 23, 2021 | Illinois Chamber member Amazon announced their plans to open a delivery station in late 2022 located in Chicago's West Humboldt Park that would bring in hundreds of new employees! You won't want to miss the Illinois Chamber's Annual Meeting on September 30th where Amazon’s VP, Worldwide Economic Development, Holly Sullivan is this year’s keynote speaker! Read More

Jun. 24, 2021 | Illinois Chamber member Eli Lilly and Company announced their plans to seek regulatory approval from the Food and Drug Administration later this year for a possible Alzheimer’s drug. Read More

Summer Business Leader Magazine Check out the latest edition of the Business Leader Magazine highlighting our amazing members. Click here

Illinois Chamber Holds 2021 Hybrid Annual Meeting in Chicago

Sept. 30, 2021 | Business leaders throughout Illinois gathered to attend the Illinois Chamber's Hybrid Annual Meeting on Thursday, September 30, 2021, at the Palmer House Hilton in Chicago. The Chamber was happy to welcome Lori Lightfoot, Mayor of Chicago to our event this year. Lightfoot provided the audience with an address on Covid-19, the city’s growing tech sector and the future of growth for all of Illinois.

Vice President of Worldwide Economic Development of Amazon, Holly Sullivan, spoke on Amazon’s investments in Illinois, the company’s connection to small and mid-size businesses, and briefed the room with some of Amazon’s newest innovations during a Q&A segment moderated by Illinois Chamber’s Board Secretary, Daniel Wagner. Illinois Chamber’s Associate Vice President of Business Services and Illinois ESGR's State Chair, Laurie Silvey, announced the ESGR Extraordinary Employer Support Award. This award recognizes sustained employer support of National Guard and Reserve service. This award is given to prior recipients of the National Secretary of Defense Freedom Award who continue to demonstrate sustained support for at least three years after receipt of the previous award. The two nominees who were recognized this year were Ryan Kenny with The Boeing Company and Josh Lowe with State Farm.

“The IL Chamber has been very supportive of my volunteering, as well as providing support personnel and assistance with multiple ESGR events throughout my time with the Chamber,” says Silvey. With that, Laurie Silvey presented Illinois Chamber President and CEO Todd Maisch with the Seven Seals award with ESGR’s thanks. The Illinois Chamber of Commerce named Monica Mueller, Illinois Chamber’s Board member and Vice President, Government Affairs at Motorola Solutions to be the 2021 recipient of the Tony Reinhart Champion of Free Enterprise Award winner. This award is given to one individual who shows outstanding leadership in business advocacy balanced with a recognizing that employers success must include benefits for the citizens of Illinois.

Monica serves as a director of government affairs at Motorola Solutions where her responsibilities include operations for the government affairs organization, managing state government affairs in Illinois for the company, directing the company’s Political Action Committee (PAC), and coordinating the country management organization. Prior to her existing role, Monica served as chief of staff for Motorola’s Public Affairs and Communications organization which encompassed government affairs, communications, sustainability initiatives and philanthropic giving. Monica also previously served as the manager of state government relations at Motorola where she handled state public policy issues in the 50 states.

Delta COVID-19 Feedback and Vaccine Mandates

Aug. 31, 2021 | Communications Director, Darbi Durham and Illinois Chamber staffer authored a series of questions that was offered to Illinois Chamber of Commerce members and partners from August 10, 2021, to August 31, 2021, that samples feedback from 335 businesses responding to survey questions pertinent to the evolution of the Delta COVID-19 crisis. View Survey Findings Here

Sept. 27, 2021 | President Joe Biden plans to visit Chicago this week to advocate his vaccine mandate for businesses with more than 100 employees. Illinois Chamber President and CEO Todd Maisch says, “We don’t think the one-size-fits-all is the right approach, so we are opposed to what seems to be coming down the pike here.”

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Maisch Speaks to Major Media Outlets Third Quarter

Sept. 13, 2021 | Illinois Chamber President and CEO Todd Maisch spoke to Bishop on the air this morning about President Joe Biden’s vaccine mandate and what to expect in this week's special session. Listen Here Sept. 24, 2021 | Illinois Chamber President & CEO Todd Maisch spoke with News Radio 93.9 FM and 1240 AM WTAX on the end of additional federal unemployment benefits and its impact on the employee shortage across the United States. “Policy makers—both in Illinois and nationally—have not evolved enough in their thinking to really address these emerging issues in recognizing the fact that they’re likely to be with us for years,” Maisch said. Listen Here Sept. 10, 2021 | Illinois Chamber President and CEO Todd Maisch spoke to Eric Horng with ABC7 on the response to President Joe Biden’s new vaccine mandate affecting millions.

July 19, 2021 | Illinois Chamber President and CEO Todd Maisch spoke to Dave Dahl with WTAX about a new ranking by Site Selection Magazine making Illinois #1 for sustainable development. “For the overall business community, you’ve got to take a look at what the cost of that is from one business to another. Is it really benefiting small businesses as they come out of the COVID recession?” said Maisch. “It’s one snippet. I wouldn’t read any too much into this one rating.” Read More Aug. 8, 2021 | Illinois Chamber President and CEO Todd Maisch spoke to Tessa Bentulan with News Channel 20 on the future expansion of dining and local businesses in Springfield IL. Watch Here Sept. 6, 2021 | Illinois Chamber President and CEO Todd Maisch spoke to Alyssa Hui with News Channel 20 on the ending of the additional federal unemployment benefits. “If you can go ahead and get a nice check from the government and not show up to work, there are some people who are going to take that deal,” Maisch said. Watch Here Sept. 19, 2021 | Illinois Chamber President and CEO Todd Maisch spoke to Tanja Babich with ABC 7 Chicago on the labor shortage impacting our economy. Watch Here

Illinois Chamber Behind the BIG Program

Aug. 11, 2021 | “This is a very positive thing that will help some companies keep their doors open,” Maisch said in a phone interview. “I credit DECO and the administration for trying to give assistance.” Read More

Aug. 11, 2021 | The Illinois Chamber of Commerce applauds Governor JB Pritzker for announcing his $250 million Back to Business (B2B) Grant Program that will continue to support small businesses across Illinois. The Chamber was a strong proponent of the “BIG Program,” the predecessor to the B2B Grant Program and still believe that state level relief for small business is a necessity. Read More

Concerns About Nuclear Facility Shut Downs & Energy Rate Hikes

Aug. 17, 2021 | Illinois Chamber's Executive Director Energy Council, Alec Messina spoke to Amanda Vinicky with WTTW on the potential closure of Illinois nuclear facilities. “We become very concerned when a profitable company seeks to lock in profits through the Illinois General Assembly, when those profits are going to be paid for by ratepayers,” said Alec Messina.

See Full Story Here

Sept. 13, 2021 | “Be ready for cost increases and that means hiring decisions, investment decisions, anything that’s financial is going to be impacted, there’s no doubt about it,” Maisch said.

Aug. 31, 2021 Illinois Chamber Responds to Omnibus Energy Proposal Read Press Release

Sept. 9, 2021 GA Set to Double Down on Largest Electricity Rate Hike in Illinois History! Read Press Release

Sept. 13, 2021 GA Set to Pass Largest Electricity Rate Hike, Put Reliability at Risk Read Press Release

Chamber Talks Illinois Tax and Biden's Proposed Tax Hikes

July 27, 2021 | “President Biden’s proposed tax hikes are not just on established businesses. They also threaten investment in Illinois start-ups and businesses growing through innovation,” says Chamber President and CEO Todd Maisch. Read Here Aug. 31, 2021 | Illinois Chamber's Executive Director of Tax Institute, Keith Staats was quoted in the Crains article by Greg Hinz on the response to Governor JB Pritzker signing SB 2531, SALT Cap Workaround. Read Here July 8, 2021 | Illinois Chamber’s Executive Director of Tax Institute, Keith Staats’ most recent column in the Illinois CPA Society’s magazine, "Tackling the Tiffs Over TIF Districts" is now available! Read Here July 15, 2021 | Illinois Chamber’s Executive Director of Tax Institute, Keith Staats and Chamber’s Investment Development Director, Joan Olivier attended the groundbreaking ceremony for Chamber member Skybox Data Centers. Skybox is a great member of the Data Center industry!

Sept. 30, 2021 | Illinois Chamber’s Executive Director of Tax Institute, Keith Staats published an article in the Illinois CPA Society magazine on the recent amendments to the Illinois Revised Uniform Unclaimed Property Act.

Read Here

‌ Aug. 27, 2021 Illinois Chamber applauds Governor JB Pritzker for signing SB 2531, SALT Cap Workaround Legislation Read Press Release

Sept. 8, 2021 | We had a great discussion at our Hybrid Tax Institute meeting in our Illinois Chamber’s Chicago office! Thank you, Keith Staats (Illinois Chamber of Commerce), Allen Mayer (Illinois State Treasurer), Jennifer Waryjas (Jones Day), and Troy Wangen (True Partners Consulting) for the important and timely information!

Chamber Tax Expert Speaks to the Illinois Business Community

July 2, 2021 | Illinois Chamber’s Executive Director of Tax Institute, Keith Staats met the Abt Electronics tax group in Glenview to give an Illinois tax update.   July 14, 2021 | Staats spoke with the Growmark tax and governmental affairs folks in Bloomington to give an Illinois tax update.   July 16, 2021 | The tax group at FGMK in Bannockburn, IL connected with Keith Staats to take part in an Illinois Tax update.   July 22, 2021 | Staats met with the Wintrust Tax Department in Rosemont to give an Illinois Tax update.   Aug. 18, 2021 | Staats participated in an Illinois Tax Update to the Chicago Chapter of Tax Executives' Institute Chief Tax Officer group.   Aug. 31, 2021 | Staats met with the RSM tax group in a virtual event to give an Illinois Tax update.

Sept. 16, 2021 | The Chicago state tax group at McDermott Will & Emery invited Keith Staats to discuss recent Illinois tax developments. Oct. 20, 2021 | Keith Staats, Illinois Chamber’s Executive Director of Tax Institute spoke at the Council on State Taxation 52nd Annual Meeting.

Chamber a Part of Federal Infrastructure Press Conference

Aug. 23, 2021 | Illinois Chamber President & CEO Todd Maisch participated in a press conference on the bipartisan federal infrastructure package with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Maisch was joined by Laura Weis, President & CEO of the Champaign County Chamber of Commerce, Dan Mehan, President & CEO of the Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Neil Bradley, Chief Policy Officer at the US Chamber.

See Full Video Here

Government Affairs Takes Part in Roundtable & Task Force

Illinois Chamber Participates in Business Roundtable   Sept. 23, 2021 | Illinois Chamber Vice President of Government Affairs, Clark Kaericher participated in a business roundtable with Senator Syverson (R-Rockford) and Representative Keicher (R-Sycamore). Rob Karr from the Illinois Retails Merchants Association and Mark Grant from NFIB also took part in the event.   This event was an opportunity for businesses in northern Illinois to get an expert update on new laws and regulations that have gone into effect in Illinois or have recently been under consideration legislatively.   In his presentation, Kaericher highlighted the Chamber's effort to reform the Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA) and the Chamber's $10,000 SALT-cap work around initiative that was signed into law late last month. Watch Here First Future of Work Task Force Meeting     Sept. 28, 2021 | The first Future of Work Task Force meeting was held this week at Olive Harvey College. Illinois Chamber Vice President of Government Affairs, Clark Kaericher is a member of the taskforce. The Chamber thanks fellow task force member, and City Colleges of Chicago chancellor, Juan Salgado for being a good host.     The committee kicked off with three speakers. The first was keynote speaker Felicia Wong of the Roosevelt Institute. The second speaker was Shelly Steward of the Aspen Institute. She was followed by Brain Fabes of the University of Chicago.    The theme of all three speakers, and of the worker panel that followed, was the plight of the low-income worker in America.    The Task Force will meet once a month from now until April of 2022.

Chamber Staff Gets Special Treat from Clean Impact Aug. 16, 2021 | Thank you, Kirk Kellus with Clean Impact for always taking care of the Chamber! Kona Ice of Springfield-Taylorville was a sweet treat to kick off a new week!

Chamber Members Making Headlines Third Quarter

June 29, 2021 | United placed its biggest order in history to the Boeing Company 737 Max planes which means more flights and thousands of new hires to operate them. "We are truly humbled by United Airlines' confidence in the people of Boeing and the airplanes we design and build every day,’’ Stan Deal, CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes. A great day for two great Illinois-based companies! Read Here July 13, 2021 | Illinois Chamber Board member Monica Mueller with Motorola Solutions announced their plans to buy California’s cloud-based software program Openpath Security Inc., that will allow their customers to control and monitor access to buildings through various devices in a much safer way. Read Here

July 14, 2021 | Illinois Chamber member Amazon has acquired the Central Steel & Wire plant on the Southwest side of Chicago, making it one of the largest sites in #amazon’s network. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2023. Read Here July 20, 2021 | Congratulations Chamber member Jeff Bezos with Amazon on making history today by becoming the second person in over a week to fly his own spacecraft into space! Read Here

July 29, 2021 | Congratulations to Chamber member Eli Lilly for their continued work on improving the lives of those suffering from COVID-19. Read Here

July 30, 2021 | With college students returning back to school this fall, what better way to prepare than with this cleaning guide from Chamber member Libman Company! Read Here

Aug. 4, 2021 | We are proud to support Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois in their mission to create a better #healthcare system in Illinois!

Aug. 10, 2021 | Chamber member Amazon announced their new 100,000 square-foot fulfillment center in North Pekin which is scheduled to open in 2022. Thank you #amazon for your continued investment in Illinois! Read Here

Aug. 19, 2021 | Illinois Chamber members ADM and Marathon Petroleum Corporation announced their partnership for the production of renewable diesel fuel! The facility will produce approximately 600 million pounds of refined soybean oil yearly. Read Here

Aug. 22, 2021 | Congratulations to Chamber member John Tyson with Tyson Foods on being honored as one of the recipients for the 2021 Silver Medalist Global Business & Interfaith Peace Award. John received the award at the global Dare to Overcome virtual conference on August 23rd. Read Here

Aug. 23, 2021 | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign’s President Tim Killeen honored 28 key leaders on Monday for their work on the COVID-19 SHIELD test-and-trace system that has been launched to numerous colleges and universities! “I have never been more proud than I am today to recognize these colleagues and their leadership, said Killeen, awarding the first Presidential Medallions in his six years as president.” Read Here

Sept. 1, 2021 | With a planned October opening, Chamber member Amazon announced their plans to begin the hiring process of 800 employees for their new 517,000-square-foot facility in Waukegan. Read Here

Sept. 1, 2021 | Illinois Chamber member Dot Foods announced the expansion of their new cold warehouse that plans to be up and running by the end of next year!

Sept. 15, 2021 | Thank you, Ameren Illinois for your continuous effort to help those in need! Read Here Sept. 17, 2021 | Illinois Chamber member Boeing announced their new MQ-25 facility that is scheduled for completion in 2024. The 300,000 square-foot facility will create hundreds of manufacturing jobs in the greater St. Louis region! Read Here

Sept. 23, 2021 | Since 2013, Instacart helped create 186,000 U.S. brick-and-mortar grocery jobs and helped increase U.S. grocers’ revenue by $6.4 billion, new research shows #InstacartEffect. Read Here Sept. 27, 2021 | Congratulations to Chamber member Dot Foods for ranking #5 on the St. Louis Business Journal top 150 private companies! We appreciate all that you do! Read Here 

IL Chamber and Councils Hold Quarterly Meetings

Oct. 19, 2021 | Illinois Chamber’s Executive Director of Energy Council, Alec Messina hosted a virtual Quarterly Meeting, featuring Illinois Commerce Commission Chair Carrie Zalewski. Zalewski discussed the implementation issues related to recently adopted energy legislation and other challenges the ICC faces as it ramps up to meet its new obligations under the law.

Nov. 17, 2021 | Thank you to all who attended the Illinois Chamber’s Healthcare Council Quarterly meeting regarding PBMs! A special thank you to our panelists: Lori Cowdrey Benso, Illinois Chamber of Commerce, Larry Lewis, CVS Health, Lori Reimers, PCMA, Laura Minzer, ILHIC and Kate O’Malley, K.O. Strategies LLC who discussed the impact of pending legislation in Illinois- this legislation could cost you and your employees a lot of money!

Dec. 17, 2021 | Illinois Chamber’s Executive Director Tax Institute, Keith Staats held his 4th virtual quarterly meeting where Staats provided the attendees with a brief legislative update, discussed the Tax Institute proposed legislative package and what to expect for the upcoming spring legislative session.

Dec. 16, 2021 | Thank you to all who attended in-person and virtually to the Illinois Chamber’s December Quarterly Meeting. We want to give a special thanks to the Illinois Comptroller, Susana Mendoza as she spoke about the efforts to improve Illinois’ finances and the challenges still faced by the state.

Shattuck and Goodwin Both Honored for their Contributions

Oct. 20, 2021 | Illinois Chamber President and CEO Todd Maisch presented Employment Law Council Executive Director, Jay Shattuck with the Reinhart Champion of Free Enterprise award for his significant contributions to the business community throughout Illinois for many years. The Illinois Chamber is grateful to have had Shattuck as a part of our team for so long but look forward to his future endeavors.

Nov. 19, 2021 | Congratulations to Dan Goodwin for being recognized for his committed leadership and promotion of higher education as NEIU board chairman for 10 years! “My aim has always been to democratize real estate, to help all people gain access to the dignity of calling a place their home,” Goodwin said.

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2021 Workers' Comp. & Safety Conference

Oct. 29, 2021 | We had a great turnout at our Annual Workers’ Compensation & Safety Conference! Thank you to all of our attendees, exhibitors, and sponsors for such a great event. We look forward to seeing everyone again next year! #ilworkcomp2021

IL Chamber Government Affairs

Oct. 31, 2021 | Illinois Chamber President and CEO Todd Maisch testified on HB 1769 that provides incentives to Electric Vehicle manufacturers and potentially creates thousands of jobs in the growing industry. “I believe, strongly, that other states are going to come over the top and offer additional incentives beyond what is envisioned in this bill,” Maisch said. This bill is now headed to Governor JB Pritzker's desk for signing.

Nov. 8, 2021 | Illinois Chamber's VP Government Affairs, Clark Kaericher spoke on Senator Dale Fowler's business roundtable to provide attendees an update on the Illinois legislation that was passed and signed into law in the past few months.

And the Survey Says

Nov. 3, 2021 | Covid-19 vaccines have been available to the Illinois workforce for most of 2021. Most but not all Illinoisans have chosen to get vaccinated. This anonymous survey will help the Illinois business community understand why some individuals choose to remain unvaccinated. The results will be beneficial for crafting state and workplace policies. Covid-19 Vaccine Survey Results Nov. 15, 2021 | The Illinois Chamber concluded the annual paid holiday survey indicating how Illinois employers will handle paid holidays for 2022. Compiled from hundreds of Illinois business community responses, the survey indicated the average number of paid holidays for Illinois workers will be 9 days in 2022. Holiday Survey Results

Women in Business Conference 2021

Nov. 5, 2021 | We had a tremendous turnout at our 4th Annual Women in Business Conference this past week! We want to thank all those who attended in-person and virtually. We also thank all the presenters who educated us on the many ways Illinois women have been resilient during the pandemic.

8th Annual New Laws Forum

Dec. 1, 2021 | We had a great turnout at our 8th Annual New Laws Forum at the Doubletree Hilton in Lisle! The conference focused on the new laws that will affect all Illinois employers beginning January 1. Thank you to our conference sponsor SmithAmundsen as well as our exhibitors Sana Benefits and Illinois ESGR. We look forward to seeing everyone again next year! #newlawsforum2021

Congratulations and Recognition

Dec. 1, 2021 | We want to congratulate Former State Representative Mike Murphy on his new venture as CEO of the Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce, effective on December 1st. Rep. Murphy was the Illinois Chamber's most recent Outstanding Freshman Legislator awarded at the end of the 101st General Assembly. We want to thank Rep. Murphy for his support of the Illinois business community and years of service. We look forward to working alongside him as he leads the Springfield Chamber! Read More Dec. 3, 2021 | Kelly Thompson with the Illinois Environmental Regulatory Group drafted an op ed in The State Journal-Register about thousands of property owners in Sangamon County, herself included, paying higher property taxes due to the annexation of their property. “The process for this annexation or addition of properties, written into law is skewed and doesn’t allow for the proposed property owners to have the ability to oppose or fight the annexation before it goes to a vote.” Read More

Maisch Speaks to Major Media Outlets Fourth Quarter

Oct. 19, 2021 | "It is time for Illinois policymakers to step back, honor their rhetoric about changing the culture of corruption in Springfield and truly consider what they have done to our economic future," said Illinois Chamber President and CEO Todd Maisch. Read More Nov. 25, 2021 | Illinois Chamber President and CEO Todd Maisch was quoted in an article by Ben Szalinski with Shaw Local on the effects Illinois businesses are experiencing with wage increases and staffing needs as the holiday season approaches. Read More

Oct. 21, 2021 | Illinois Chamber President and CEO Todd Maisch spoke to WTTW- Chicago PBS on President Joe Biden’s paid family leave proposal. Watch Here Nov. 9, 2021 | Illinois Chamber President and CEO Todd Maisch spoke to Sydney Dorner with WICS on the labor shortage in Springfield and what this means for the holiday season. Watch Here Nov. 16, 2021 | Illinois Chamber President and CEO Todd Maisch spoke on The 21st to discuss the Chamber’s stance on paid family leave proposals- federally and in Illinois. Listen Here

Nov. 28, 2021 | Illinois Chamber President and CEO Todd Maisch responds to Sydney Dorner's question as to why unemployment has dropped in the U.S. and what this means for business here in Springfield this holiday season.

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Dec. 5, 2021 | Illinois Chamber President and CEO Todd Maisch spoke to Elyse Kelly with The Center Square on what families can expect during the holiday season as prices continue to rise on everything from gas prices to Christmas presents. Read More

Dec. 17, 2021 | Illinois Chamber President and CEO Todd Maisch penned an op ed with the Daily Herald on the resources and advocacy the Illinois Chamber has for small businesses in Illinois. Read More

Chamber Members Making Headlines Fourth Quarter

Oct. 1, 2021 | Congratulations to Chamber member Merck for announcing their Covid-19 antiviral treatment that will significantly reduce hospitalization in some patients. #Merck expects to produce enough medicine to treat 10 million patients by the end of this year and 2022. Read More

Oct. 11, 2021 | Illinois Chamber member Merck and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics asked the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to grant their Covid-19 antiviral treatment emergency use authorization. This is a pill used to help fight against #Covid-19. Read More

Oct. 27, 2021 | Thank you, Chamber member AAA Chicago for your #TuesdayTip!

Nov. 2, 2021 | Illinois Chamber member Instacart announced their partnership with Dollar Tree to offer same-day delivery as quickly as one hour to nearly 7,000 new locations! “Dollar Tree and Family Dollar offer truly unique shopping experiences that give customers more opportunities to save and discover new treasures every day. We’re excited to extend the reach of these leading retailers and bring their incredible selection of discounted goods to more households nationwide,” said Carolyn Everson, president of Instacart! #instacart Read More

Nov. 2, 2021 | Illinois Chamber member Ameren Illinois plans to construct a $9.1M state-of-the-art substation that would enhance service reliability, flexibility and load capacity of the company's local electric grid in Champaign and Bondville! Thank you, #AmerenIllinois for making Illinois a better place to work and live! Read More

Nov. 12, 2021 | Illinois Chamber member Advocate Aurora Health announced their fourth hourly minimum wage increase to $18! The increase is effective December 2021. “Our team members go above and beyond in service to our patients, communities and each other. It’s an honor to recognize them with wage increases, comprehensive benefits and career advancement programs,” said President and CEO Jim Skogsbergh. Read More

Nov. 14, 2021 | Illinois Chamber member Amazon.com Fresh opened its sixth grocery store in the Chicago area making it the second in Illinois to feature “Just Walk Out” technology. This new technology uses sensors and artificial intelligence to identify products placed in the shopping cart while calculating the cost! Thank you #Amazon for making Illinois a better place to work and live!

Nov. 17, 2021 | Illinois Chamber member Cigna sponsored Dartmouth-Hitchcock’s virtual selfcare program by sponsoring $30K to the program in order to help and assist the well-being of unpaid caregivers. This program will give caregivers a space to connect with others without having to leave loved one’s home alone. Thank you, #Cigna for making Illinois a better place to work and live! Read More

Nov. 18, 2021 | Illinois Chamber member ADM announced their investment and partnership with Farmers Business Network, Inc. to support new technologies and opportunities for those who produce our food! Thank you, #ADM Read More

Nov. 30, 2021 | Need real-time tracking & delivery options this holiday season? Download My Choice ® for Business, a free service from UPS that can help you manage all of your shipments. #beyondsavings

Dec. 4, 2021 | Illinois Chamber member United announced their new achievement - not only for #UnitedAirlines, but for the entire aviation industry! United plans to produce a sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) containing sugar water and corn intended to reduce carbon emissions. Read More   Dec. 7, 2021 | Illinois Chamber members Ford Motor Company & Salesforce teamed up to create VIIZR, a software platform aimed at small businesses to serve customers efficiently. The software will digitize paperwork for repair technicians and other workers and will start at $39/mo!

Dec. 13, 2021 | Illinois Chamber member John Deere announced their expansion by opening an office in Fulton Market in Chicago by late summer or early fall of 2022, with the goal of hiring 300 positions to support IT and additional roles within the company over the next two years! "We build the best products in the world and through our technology, we improve our customers' profitability while driving more sustainable outcomes. Recruiting and developing diverse talent is critical to our continued growth and to the success of John Deere as a major employer of tech talent in Illinois,” said Andrez Carberry, Director of Global HR Operations at John Deere. Read More

Chamber Driving the Discussion 2021

In 2021 we spoke to radio, television, and print media outlets, delivering pro-business values to audiences across Illinois.   JANUARY 2021  Illinois to withhold federal tax breaks Economic equity bill draws scrutiny during Illinois legislature’s lame duck session ON THE RECORD: Comptroller Susana Mendoza talks financial status of Illinois, how to rebound from pandemic Illinois businesses groups raise concerns over decoupling proposal The future of Springfield's economy Theaters, live venues struggle with reopening FEBRUARY 2021  State Chamber President Maisch Said Legislature Needs to Show Up and Do Its Job Months after progressive tax loss, Pritzker proposes budget with nearly $1 billion in business taxes Protection from COVID-19 lawsuits in the works for Illinois businesses   Budget address Biz leaders rip guv's spending plan No tax hike in slimmer Illinois budget, but it closes some corporate tax loopholes In no surprise, reaction to Pritzker's budget proposal splits along partisan lines State budget leaner, still unbalanced by billions No tax hike in slimmer Illinois budget, reliance on fed aid Pritzker Budget Seeks $932M in Higher Levies on IL Businesses Business groups push back against Pritzker’s plan to nix tax credits Want bipartisan cooperation in Washington? Focus on infrastructure and immigration Springfield businesses work to stay open during pandemic   MARCH 2021  Protection from COVID-19 lawsuits in the works for Illinois businesses Editorial: Gov. Pritzker, protect ‘health care heroes’ from excess litigation over COVID-19 Report: Illinois to remain step behind during economic recovery from COVID-19 Lawmakers try again for overhaul of Illinois energy policy The 9 'corporate tax loopholes' Pritzker wants to end that businesses call 'incentives' Bill would double estate tax to help disabled Karl Rove to headline March 31 virtual fundraiser for Rep. Adam Kinzinger: Top lllinois GOP donors among co-hosts Did grants from the state actually help small businesses? Lawmakers pass compromise bill on personal injury cases Illinois Chamber of Commerce seeks changes to Biometric Information Privacy Act   APRIL 2021  Senate Republican leader pushes for expanded COVID-19 liability protections Illinois lawmakers looking at changing Illinois biometric privacy law Stoller’s S.A.L.T. deduction bill heads to the full Senate for consideration Illinois state lawmakers consider biometric data privacy law overhaul United States: Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA) Legislative Alert: Contact Your Legislator Today To Urge Passage Of House Bill 559 Amending BIPA Ill. Senate Passes Entity-Level Tax To Skirt SALT Cap MAY 2021  Here are nine 'corporate loopholes' governor wants cut from budget A Brave New World For Employment Law CEOs rank Illinois among worst states to do business The 1031 like-kind exchange is a key tool for investing in diverse and inclusive communities Illinois will 'blow past' $1 billion in cannabis sales this year, Chamber of Commerce president says Business: Illinois Will ‘Blow Past’ $1 Billion In Legal Marijuana Sales In 2021, Chamber Of Commerce President Says The SALT Shaker Podcast Illinois Is On Its Way To Make Over $1 Billion In Legal Cannabis Sales This Year Democrats propose new maps for Illinois House, Senate as GOP blasts data, lack of details A looming threat to Illinois' data center boom Illinois lawmakers send constitutional amendment on unions to voters Editorial: Pro-union lawmaker pushes bill that would crush an Illinois success story   JUNE 2021  Illinois Lawmakers Pass An Illinois Budget And Heads To The Governor’s Desk Illinois Cannabis Sales Still Smashing Records, Garnering More Tax Revenue Than Alcohol Taxpayers paid more than $22B to over 200,000 Illinois businesses to retain 2.1M jobs Business groups give mixed reaction to $42 billion Illinois budget Coal Makes Play To Save Itself While Business Groups Throw Cold Water On Energy Deal From favorites to long shots, experts outline what really could happen to Arlington Park Illinois' interstate, bridge conditions among worst in nation Illinois roads and bridge deterioration ranked among worst in US, report says New law requires businesses to submit information to Department of Labor Illinois Economy Surges In First Quarter Bill on Pritzker’s desk could help small business owners at tax time                                                                                                     JULY 2021  Bill on Pritzker’s desk could help small business owners at tax time Illinois economy surges in first quarter Report places Illinois last in wage growth among small businesses Small business growth lagging throughout state Illinois atop a list of best places for sustainability Employers to Pritzker: End enhanced unemployment, reinstate work-requirement How Biden’s tax hikes will hurt Illinois businesses Noncompete agreements are about to get more prickly AUGUST 2021  Even during pandemic and Delta variant surge, some local businesses are booming Illinois Chamber of Commerce CEO says 'one-time factors' led to state's jump in one business ranking State allots $250 million to help small biz through COVID With recreational pot legalized in many states, companies rethinking drug testing policies With recreational marijuana legalized in many states, companies rethinking drug testing policies Bye, Bye Byron? Exelon Prepares to Shutter Illinois Nuclear Plants Marijuana drug tests in the workplace would follow same standard as DUI, under proposed change in Illinois law Illinois officials push for passage of massive infrastructure package COMPANIES RETHINKING DRUG-TESTING POLICIES   SEPTEMBER 2021  Illinois Democrats Advance New Legislative Districts With Little Public Review Unemployment benefits expire for millions of jobless Americans Extra federal unemployment benefits end September 4 500k Illinoisans lose federal pandemic unemployment benefits Illinois House to take up energy legislation that some say will hamper reliability Group of Chicago aldermen want mandatory COVID vaccines for public spaces Biden’s vaccine mandate brings more challenges for Illinois job creators, group says Illinois business community reacts to Biden's vaccine mandate for large companies Biden’s vaccine mandate brings more challenges for Illinois job creators, group says Bishop On Air- Illinois Chamber of Commerce Todd Maisch on the WMAY Newsfeed Pritzker expected to sign sweeping energy legislation some say increases costs Pritzker expected to sign sweeping energy legislation despite higher costs How Much Could Illinois' Energy Reform Plan Raise Utility Bills? Pritzker expected to sign sweeping energy legislation some say will increase costs Our Chicago: Labor shortage The Daily Explains: Illinois Clean Energy Package Illinois Appellate Court Clarifies BIPA Statutes of Limitations Illinois appeals court says window to file BIPA claims varies President Biden To Visit Illinois To Promote Private Sector Vaccine Mandate Biden to visit Illinois to promote private sector vaccine mandate Biden to visit Illinois to promote private-sector vaccine mandate                                          OCTOBER 2021  Springfield has more video gambling sites than any other city in Illinois Illinois still not fully back to work Central Illinois small businesses eligible for millions in more federal pandemic relief Report: Springfield has more video gambling sites than any other city in Illinois BIDEN’S VACCINE MANDATE IS ‘WRONG APPROACH’, SAYS ILLINOIS CHAMBER PRESIDENT U.S. Chamber's 'Build Back Better' stance puts biz in a bind Op-ed: New energy bill backers use promise of green future to hide cost and controversy Workforce one of the most important recovery components, chamber says Illinois to offer incentives, tax credits to EV manufacturers to lure business Illinois bills to expand electric vehicle production, certify health workers head to Pritzker NOVEMBER 2021 Illinois bills to expand electric vehicle production, certify health workers head to Pritzker Illinois to offer incentives, tax credits to EV manufacturers to lure business Illinois targets EV industry with tax credits, incentives Illinois lawmakers pass incentives for electric car industry Millions of employees have until Jan. 4 to prove vaccine status Millions of Illinois private-sector employees have until Jan. 4 to prove vaccine status Hiring concerns grow ahead of holiday season Still no action on addressing Illinois’ $4.4 billion unemployment debt Guest Commentary | Still no action on addressing Illinois’ $4.4 billion unemployment debt The state of paid family leave in Illinois Higher prices not likely to go away soon as businesses struggle to find workers, industry experts say Record low unemployment rates don't help local business still looking to hire DECEMBER 2021 How the Illinois Chamber of Commerce helps small businesses Elevated inflation could stick around, Illinois Chamber says Inflation hitting Americans during holiday season Local properties should not serve as politicians’ purse strings

ILLINOIS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE www.ilchamber.org

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