The Illinois House and Senate will return to Springfield for another brief session on Tuesday, June 30.
When legislators returned to the Statehouse last Tuesday, they held hearings but accomplished very little.
The Senate met as a Committee of the Whole on the issues of increasing the minimum wage (SB 11 and SB 2145) and mandating employers to provide up to seven paid sick leave days (SB 1836 and SB2147). NFIB member, Doug Knight, who operates Knight’s Action Park in Springfield testified as to the negative impact increasing the minimum wage would have on small business. NFIB also provided facts and data for testimony against mandating paid sick leave. There were no votes taken as this was a subject matter hearing only.
The Illinois House approved amendments 2-9 to HB 574 creating a public-private corporation as part of the Illinois Dept. of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. Governor Bruce Rauner wants to narrow the role of the agency and move the economic development portion into a public-private corporation. However, the Governor’s amendment #2 was negated by the subsequent amendments. Those remaining amendments were backed by Speaker Madigan.
Both chambers are expected to be back in Springfield on Tuesday, June 30, while the House may also meet July 1.
Governor Rauner signed one part of the budget bill that funds K-12 education for FY16. As a strong proponent of education, the Governor did not want school funding to be caught up in the on-going budget battle with the General Assembly. He then vetoed the rest of the unbalanced FY16 budget that they had passed. Governor Rauner has remained steadfast in his resolve to get business and economic reforms passed along with a balanced budget.
Photo of state capitol interior: Daniel Schwen/Wikimedia Commons
Photo of state capitol interior: Daniel Schwen/Wikimedia Commons
