Monday, February 18, 2013
See how the three state senators who represent portions of Wheaton voted on the Illinois Senate's same-sex marriage bill.
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Monday, February 18
By Melissa Sersland, Bolingbrook Patch The Illinois Senate approved legislation Thursday that would allow same-sex marriage in Illinois, according to the Chicago Tribune. The Senate voted 34-21. The bill provides "equal opportunity for the same federal marriage benefits to same-sex couples that are currently awarded to other couples," according to a release from Illinois Sen. Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant. Here's how Wheaton's state senators voted: See how each member of the Illinois Senate voted. The measure will now go to the Illinois House, where the fight to pass the bill is expected to be tougher, according to the Trib. Gov. Pat Quinn is expected to sign the bill if it makes it to his desk. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - There are …
Saturday, February 16, 2013
The utility wants lawmakers to amend a 2011 rate-hike law to allow the utility to retroactively collect money for electricity already used.
The Illinois Senate Executive Committee unanimously approved a request by ComEd and Ameren to "clarify" a 2011 law that allowed the utilities to raise electricity rates, Illinois Public Radio reports. The clarification would allow the power companies to retroactively charge higher rates for the electricity you've already used, potentially raising up to $70 million for ComEd, according to Sun-Times Media. The 2011 law changed the formula used to determine charges. But the utilities say it didn't work as intended. They say regulators aren't letting them charge what they need. Now the companies are back, asking the legislature to pass another law, clarifying the old one. (Says) ComEd CEO Anne Pramaggiore: "Without it we are stalled in these…
Thursday, May 31, 2012
Under pressure from Illinois Republicans and Gov. Pat Quinn, House Speaker Michael Madigan announced he's dropping his proposal to shift teacher pension costs to local school districts.
Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan (D-Chicago) on Wednesday dropped his controversial proposal to shift the costs of teacher pensions from the state to local school districts, universities and community colleges. The announcement came after two days of spirited debate over pension reform in both the House and Senate. Madigan's plan, which was part of Senate Bill 1673, was widely criticized by Republicans, and threatened to derail other legislation to address the state's massive pension shortfall. Madigan said he reached the decision after Gov. Pat Quinn asked him to drop the amendment, the Associated Press reports. “He agrees with the Republicans. He thinks that we ought to remove the issue of the shift of normal cost out of the bill…
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
A plan to shift the cost of teacher pensions from the state to local school districts became the most hotly debated topic in Springfield on Tuesday.
With the clock ticking on the current legislative session in Springfield, Illinois lawmakers are scrambling to find a solution to the state's massive shortfall in the Teachers' Retirement System (TRS). The most hotly debated topic in the Illinois General Assembly on Tuesday was a plan to gradually shift pension liabilities from the state to local school districts, universities and colleges. The proposal is part of Senate Bill 1673, a pension bill backed by House Speaker Michael Madigan (D-Chicago). An Illinois House committee voted 6-3 to send the proposal to the House before Thursday's adjournment deadline, NBC Chicago reports. House Republican Leader Tom Cross of Oswego slammed Madigan and the proposed shift, calling it a "poison pill" …
Gov. Pat Quinn is expected to sign the bill that is designed to raise $800 million to help cover Medicaid costs. Check out how your local legislators voted.
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Wednesday, May 30, 2012
When Illinois smokers take a drag, more than tobacco will go up in smoke. They face a new $1-per-pack state tax in a bill that now goes to Gov. Pat Quinn to sign into law. The Illinois Senate on May 29 and the House on May 25 approved a cigarette tax increase to raise revenue to avoid even deeper cuts to health care for low-income people. No Senate Republicans voted for the tobacco tax measure. Four Democrats, primarily those representing districts on the state's borders, voted against it. According to the Chicago Tribune, the tobacco debate unfolded as House members appeared poised to take action on plans for a revamp of public employee pensions, which have been major drivers of spending in a state that can't pay its bills and has the …
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Here is a wrap-up of some of the latest political news.
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Tuesday, April 3, 2012
The Illinois House of Representatives has voted to dismantle the scandal-ridden legislative college scholarship program, and the program’s most ardent supporter, Senate President John Cullerton, says he will not stand in the way of a vote on the tuition waiver ban. “Like any other bill, it will go through the normal committee process and there will be an opportunity for a vote,” Cullerton spokeswoman Rikeesha Phelon told Progress Illinois. Phelon’s comments follow Chicago Tribune reports that the Senate President may work to prevent the bill from getting a vote. The Illinois House passed legislation 79-25 March 21 to ban legislative scholarships. Gov. Pat Quinn has spoken against the scholarships. And, The State journal-Register in …
Bob Fouts
12:25 pm on Monday, February 18, 2013
Very disapointed, but not at all suprised!!! more ›