Clark Kaericher l Vice President, Government Affairs l 217-522-5512 x 296
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The Infrastructure Council is an initiative of the
Illinois Chamber that brings together Chamber members with a focus on increasing
infrastructure investments in a strategic and thoughtful way to boost the overall business climate in Illinois. Our focus is on the public and private systems that are essential to Illinois businesses.
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This might be one of the most underrated stretches of sports on the calendar. Both the NHL and NBA playoffs, baseball in full swing, and the US Open is next week. However, none of those events have stakes as high as the return to session next week for the omnibus energy bill which contains nearly a $1 billion bailout of the nuclear fleet, shuts down coal plants in the next decade and provides incentives for renewables.
Session Update
Next week’s session will focus on three priorities left unfinished last week: the energy bill mentioned in the opener, an elected Chicago Public School board and gun legislation proponents are calling “Fix the FOID”.
While its possible other minor legislation will be address, that is still uncertain at this point. Accordingly, no Transportation committees have been scheduled.
Illinois Chamber of Commerce Annual Luncheon & Council Reception
The Illinois Chamber is returning to its traditional Annual Luncheon & Reception format with its September 30th get together at the Palmer House in Chicago. This year’s Keynote Speaker is Holly Sullivan, VP of Worldwide Economic Development, Amazon.
Per pre-COVID, the event will feature a Council Reception from 10-11:30 am. Sponsorship of the reception is $2500. A sponsor receives 2 seats at the luncheon, promotional consideration, and an exhibitor space.
If you are interested in sponsorship, please contact myself or Laurie Silvey (lsilvey@ilchamber.org). More information on the Luncheon and sponsorship can be found here:
What Happened with Major Infrastructure Related Issues this Session?
Seeing as the focus of next week’s session will be elsewhere, let’s take a look at what happened in the last couple months in Springfield relevant to the council.
So Called “Environmental Justice” Measures Prevented
Expectations lingered all session regarding a desire to adopt legislation dealing with Environmental Justice (EJ). Numerous bills were filed, but none gained real traction. Language was presented by environmental groups that would have virtually ground to a halt clean air and water permitting in areas that most need jobs and opportunity. The Chamber and IERG took the lead in organizing the business community in framing the discussion of the issue as a crucial economic development issue.
SB 1770 Wetlands Mitigation Bill Helps Save Crucial Cairo Port Project
Cairo, Illinois is located at the confluence of the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers and an estimated 80% of barge traffic passes this location. The 2019 capital bill included start up money to construct a world class port in Cairo that will benefit marine shipping, the trucking industry and rail. The project has potential to revitalize a long struggling city. The port’s completion was threatened by rigorous state wetlands mitigation standards. SB 1770 waived these state standards for this project to ensure its completion. Federal mitigation standards will still apply. The bill awaits signature from the Governor.
Chamber helps prevent Road Fund Diversion
Governor Pritzker’s budget address called for diverting $100 million meant for road projects to the General Revenue Fund (GRF). Thanks to the Chamber and other transportation advocates, this diversion was not included in the final budget.
Illinois Citizens Can Continue to Benefit from Lyft and Uber
The Transportation Network Providers Act is the authorizing statute for rideshare companies like Lyft and Uber. It was scheduled to sunset, or be automatically repealed, June 1st of 2021. This bill extends that sunset by 18 months and, very critically, a “clean sunset” was passed after an attempt was repealed to add punitive liability language to the statute. SB 2183 (Sims-Zalewski) passed both Chambers unanimously and was signed into law by the Governor. This bill continues the incredibly useful rideshare industry in Illinois and saves thousands of jobs.
Other Legislative Updates
HB 245 (Yingling) EV Rebate HB 245 would have greatly Increased the electric car rebate to up to $24,000 per car from the current $4,000. Removes E85 and other alternative fuel vehicles from subsidy eligibility. Subject to appropriation and paid for by a surcharge on vehicle fleets, a funding source that would not have come close to meeting the revenue demand. This bill failed to advance out of House Public Utilities Committee and was re-referred to Rules.
HB 253 (Buckner) This bill requires the Department of Transportation to establish and implement a transportation performance program for all transportation facilities under its jurisdiction. The Department shall develop a risk-based, statewide highway system asset management plan to preserve and improve the conditions of highway and bridge assets and enhance the performance of the system while minimizing life-cycle cost. The asset management plan shall include, at a minimum, strategies leading to a program of projects that would make progress toward achievement of targets for asset condition and performance of the State highway system. IDOT shall develop a performance-based project selection process to prioritize taxpayer investment in transportation assets that go above and beyond maintaining the existing system in a state of good repair and to evaluate projects that add capacity. This bill passed out of both chambers unanimously and now awaits the Governor’s signature.
HB 270, (Moeller) Pedestrian/Bicycle Ways This bill provides that, in or within a municipality with a population of over 1,000 people, the Department of Transportation shall establish and solely fund bicycle and pedestrian ways in conjunction with the construction, reconstruction, or other change of any State transportation facility. Adds an exemption in cases in which the municipality passes a resolution stating that a bicycle or pedestrian way does not fit within its development plan. Provides that if programmed funds identified as supplemental funding for the Illinois Transportation Enhancement Program are not expended for 5 years, the Department has the option to use those funds to pay the cost of bicycle and pedestrian ways in roadway projects. This bill passed both houses and now awaits the Governor’s signature.
HB 399, (Moylan) High Speed Rail Commission This bill Creates the High-Speed Railway Commission Act. Prescribes the membership of the Commission. Provides that the Commission shall create a statewide plan for a high-speed rail line and feeder network connecting St. Louis, Missouri and Chicago, Illinois that includes current existing Amtrak and Metra services, connects the cities of Rockford, Moline, Peoria, and Decatur, and uses inter-city bus service to coordinate with the rail line. Provides that the Commission shall conduct a ridership study and shall make findings and recommendations concerning a governance structure, the frequency of service, and implementation of the plan. Provides that the Commission shall report to the General Assembly and the Governor no later than December 31 of each year. This bill passed out of both chambers.
HB 414, (Greenwood) Water & Wastewater Assistance This bill authorizes DCEO to institute a water and sewer assistance program. Any person who is a resident of the State of Illinois and whose household income is not greater than an amount determined annually by the Department may apply for assistance. Provides that in determining the amounts of assistance to be provided to or on behalf of a qualified applicant, the Department shall ensure that the highest amounts of assistance go to households with the greatest need for financial assistance in relation to household income by considering specified factors. Each water or sewer provider shall assess each of its customer accounts a monthly Water and Sewer Assistance Charge to be deposited into the Water and Sewer Low-Income Assistance Fund. Amends the State Finance Act. Specified water or sewer utilities shall be allowed to offer a financial assistance program designed for bill payment assistance for low-income customers in accordance with the Water and Sewer Financial Assistance Act. The Chamber supports this bill. This bill passed both houses and now awaits the Governor’s signature.
HB 2524 (Hoffman) HB 2524 was opposed by the Chamber. It attempted to restrict freight train length. Provides that no railroad operating within this State on any main line or any other line shall operate, or permit to be operated, any train that exceeds 8,500 feet in length. This bill was of dubious constitutionality. This bill failed to advance in the Transportation: Regulation, Roads & Bridges Committee and was re-referred to the Rules Committee.
HB 3125 (Gabel) Creates the Electric Vehicle Charging Act, which may be referred to as the Beneficial Electrification Act. Sets forth requirements for parking spaces that are electrical vehicle ready applicable to new or renovated residential or nonresidential buildings. This bill did not move in the House Energy & Environment Committee and was sent back to the Rules Committee.
HB 3243 (Manley) Creates the Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Act. Electric utilities serving more than 500,000 customers in the State shall file a proposal with the Illinois Commerce Commission to establish a commercial tariff utilizing alternatives to traditional demand-based rate structures to facilitate charging for light duty, heavy duty, and fleet electric vehicles and that support integration of renewable energy resources. This bill did not move in the House Public Utilities Committee and was referred to Rules.
HB 3481 (Stoneback) Creates the Electric Vehicle Charging Station Financing Program Act. Allows the State Treasurer to issue loans for the design, development, purchase and installation of qualified electric vehicle charging stations for use by private homeowners or small businesses. This bill failed to move in the State Government Administration Committee and was re-referred to the Rules Committee.
HB 3712, (Jones) Car Sharing Program This bill, as amended after extensive negotiations, provides that a car-sharing program shall assume liability of a shared-vehicle owner for bodily injury or property damage to third parties or uninsured and underinsured motorist or personal injury protection losses during the car-sharing period in an amount stated in the car-sharing agreement, which amount may not be less than 4 times the minimum amounts required under the Illinois Vehicle Code (instead of those amounts set forth in the Illinois Vehicle Code). A car-sharing program shall ensure that, during each car-sharing period, the shared-vehicle owner and the shared-vehicle driver are insured under a motor vehicle liability insurance policy that provides insurance coverage in amounts that, for the shared-vehicle driver, are equal to 2 times the minimum amounts set forth in the Illinois Vehicle Code (instead of in amounts no less than the minimum amounts set forth in the Illinois Vehicle Code). This bill passed both houses near unanimously and now waits for the Governor’s signature.
HB 3940 (Walsh) This bill was pushed by the AFL-CIO for the benefit of maintenance technicians and the auto dealers by greatly increasing the amount auto manufacturers must reimburse the dealerships for warranty work. The manufacturers must pay a dealer no less than the amount a retail customer pays the dealer for the same services. Authorizes the use of agreed upon time guides. Applies to warranty work and factory recalls. Establishes manner of determining effective labor rates in a way that would make Illinois the most expensive state in the country. The Chamber opposed this legislation. This bill passed both chambers.
SB 58, (Muñoz) Trade-In/Trailer Weight This bill eliminates the $10,000 cap on automobile trade-ins. Defines "utility trailer". Decreases the flat weight tax for Class TA trailers from $118 to $36. Increases the certificate of title fee for vehicles other than all-terrain vehicles, off-highway motorcycles, motor homes, mini motor homes, and van campers from $150 to $155 and provides that the additional fee amount shall be deposited into the Road Fund. The Chamber supports this bill. This bill passed both chambers unanimously.
SB 117, (Stadelman) Treasurer Infrastructure Development This bill creates the Infrastructure Development Act. The State Treasurer shall segregate a portion of the Treasurer's State investment portfolio in the Infrastructure Development Account, an account that shall be maintained separately and apart from other moneys invested by the State Treasurer. This bill passed both chambers unanimously.
SB 1611, (Cunningham) Electronic Signature This bill allows the Secretary of State to adopt rules to authorize the filing of documents with his or her office that have been signed by electronic means. Electronic signatures and electronic delivery of records shall have the same force and effect as manual signatures and the physical delivery of records. Electronic records and electronic signatures accepted by the Secretary of State shall be admissible in all administrative, quasi-judicial, and judicial proceedings. This bill passed both chambers unanimously.
SB 1767, (Belt) Prevailing Wage Public This bill provides that beginning January 1, 2022, the Department of Labor shall make accessible to the public on its website by the 16th day of each month following the month the work was performed the following information from certified payrolls submitted under this Act: each worker's classification or classifications, skill level, such as apprentice or journeyman, gross wages paid in each pay period, number of hours worked each day, starting and ending times of work each day, hourly wage rate, hourly overtime wage rate, and hourly fringe benefit rate. The database will be searchable by contractor name, project name, county in which the work is performed, and contracting public body. This bill passed out of both chambers and awaits the Governor’s signature.
SB 1089, (Hastings) Construction Debris This bill provides that for the disposal of solid waste from general construction or demolition debris recovery facilities, the total fee, tax, or surcharge imposed by all units of local government upon the solid waste disposal facility shall not exceed 50% of the applicable amount. This bill was postponed in the Senate Transportation Committee and later re-referred to Assignments.
SB 2459, (Villivalam) Electronic Signature This bill Provides that the Department of Transportation, the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority, and the Capital Development Board shall each accept the use of electronic signatures in transactions between those State agencies and other persons or entities, unless all parties to the transaction waive the right to use electronic signatures. Provides an exception to the use of electronic signatures for transactions involving technical submissions. This bill passed both chambers unanimously.
SB 2563, (Bush) As amended, this bill requires the Department of Transportation to include in its diesel-powered vehicle emission inspection report the number of inspections conducted at a brick-and-mortar official testing station and the number of inspections conducted by an official portable emissions testing company. The amendment removed the onerous California emission standards in the underlying bill in favor of an IDOT study. With the amendment the Chamber was neutral on this bill. This bill passed out of both houses and now awaits the Governor’s signature.
Aviation System Planning Continuing
The Technical Advisory Committee met Thursday morning to discuss the ongoing efforts to prepare the Illinois Aviation System Plan. The meeting was impressive. The economic impacts and number of people employed statewide in this industry are impressive. The Executive Summary should be available soon and I look forward to sharing it with you.
Articles of Interest
Until next time,
Clark
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Not a member and want to learn more about the Illinois Chamber - click here to contact Lanae Clarke
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