The House and Senate were in Springfield for the third day of the lame duck session. Much of the afternoon was spent in caucus and business concluded late evening.
Floor action and committee action of note are highlighted in the sections below.
Both chambers will return tomorrow, January 7 for the final day of the lame duck session. Floor action will begin at 9:30 am in the Senate and 10 am in the House. The inauguration of the 104th General Assembly will take place on Wednesday, January 8th.
Floor Action of Note:
HB 587, Energy Omnibus passed the Senate 39-16-0. This bill creates the Electric Transmission Systems Construction Standards Act. Requires all utilities and construction contractors responsible for the construction, installation, maintenance, or repair of electric transmission systems to pay employees performing the construction, installation, maintenance, or repair work of such systems wages and benefits consistent with the Prevailing Wage Act. Contains provisions concerning training, competence, and safety training requirements for electric utility workers; a Diversity Plan requirement for construction contractors; and rulemaking authority for the Illinois Commerce Commission. Amends the Illinois Enterprise Zone Act. Provides that a business that intends to construct a new battery energy storage solution facility or a new high voltage direct current converter station at a designated location in Illinois may be designated as a High Impact Business. Defines "new battery energy storage solution facility" and "high voltage direct current converter station". Amends the Illinois Power Agency Act. In a provision concerning the Illinois Solar for All Program, directs the area median income to be revised every year (rather than every 5 years) for purposes of identifying households that qualify as low-income households. Requires the Agency's Planning and Procurement Bureau to develop plans and processes for the procurement of energy storage. Authorizes the procurement of renewable energy credits that are delivered from repowered wind projects and retooled hydropower facilities to be included in the long-term renewable resources procurement plan developed by the Agency. Authorizes the Agency to propose adjustments to the percentages of renewable energy credits procured from different sources and to consider and propose various approaches, in addition to competitive procurements, to procure renewable energy credits from repowered wind projects. Amends the Prevailing Wage Act. Provides that the term "public works" includes the construction of a new battery energy storage solution facility or a high voltage direct current converter station by a business designated as a High Impact Business under the Illinois Enterprise Zone Act.
HB 2840, First Responders/Non-Competes passed the Senate 54-0-0. Last Spring, SB 2737 made covenants not to compete unenforceable for mental health professionals specifically when they want to service veterans and first responders. This bill provides that the definition of "first responders" means any persons who are currently or formerly employed as: (i) emergency medical services personnel, (ii) firefighters, and (iii) law enforcement officers.
HB 4907, Nurse Staffing passed the Senate 55-0-0. This bill amends the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. In provisions concerning PDPM STRIVE staffing ratio calculations for nursing facilities, provides that beginning January 1, 2025, the staffing percentage used in the calculation of the per diem staffing add-on shall be its PDPM STRIVE Staffing Ratio which equals: its Reported Total Nurse Staffing Hours Per Resident Per Day as published in the most recent federal staffing report (the Provider Information File), divided by the facility's PDPM STRIVE Staffing Target. Each facility's PDPM STRIVE Staffing Target is equal to .7122 times the facility's Illinois Adjusted Facility Case-Mix Hours Per Resident Per Day. Provides that a facility's Illinois Adjusted Facility Case Mix Hours Per Resident Per Day is equal to its Case-Mix Total Nurse Staffing Hours Per Resident Per Day (as published in the most recent federal staffing report Provider Information file) times 3.79 (which is the Reported Total Nurse Staffing Hours Per Resident Per Day for the Nation as reported the January 2024 State US Averages file), divided by the Reported Total Nurse Staffing Hours Per Resident Per Day for the Nation as reported in the most recent State US Averages file.
SB 727, Water Sampling passed the House 110-0-0. This bill directs the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency to conduct statewide sampling of certain community water supplies for the presence of 1,4-Dioxane (rather than directs the Agency to propose, and the Pollution Control Board to adopt, rules establishing State-only maximum contaminant levels for likely or known carcinogens found in public drinking water systems). Provides that within one year of the promulgation by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) of regulations or amendments establishing maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) for any PFAS, the Board shall adopt rules which are identical in substance to such federal regulations or amendments. Provides that the Agency shall, by June 30, 2026, conduct sampling of the Illinois community water supplies previously sampled by the Agency for 1,4-Dioxane from the years 2013 through 2015 (rather than the Agency shall conduct an initial study on primary drinking water standards and, by no later than June 30, 2025, present its findings to the General Assembly for the purpose of implementing a State-only MCL for carcinogens and toxic chemicals that are likely to pose a substantial health hazard). Provides that if the results of such sampling detect drinking water levels of 1,4-Dioxane in excess of the USEPA Health Reference Level of 35 micrograms per liter, the Agency shall (rather than the Agency shall, with no prefatory condition), within 2 years after June 30, 2026 (rather than 2025), take all actions needed to obtain expertise to propose rules to establish a State-only MCL for 1,4-Dioxane (rather than for carcinogens and toxic chemicals likely to pose a substantial health hazard). Provides that, by no later than June 30, 2029, the Agency shall propose, and, by no later than June 30, 2030, the Board shall adopt, amendments to the Board rules to establish a State-only MCL for 1,4-Dioxane (rather than no later than June 30, 2029, the Agency shall propose, and, by no later than June 30, 2030, the Board shall adopt, amendments to the Board rules that establish State-only MCLs for carcinogens and toxic chemicals that are likely to pose a substantial health hazard, with certain requirements). Removes provisions that the Agency and Board annually review relevant science and law for rulemaking and related purposes. Provides that the Agency shall, at least annually, convene a stakeholder group to review a subset of chemicals that are likely to pose a substantial health hazard to residents of the state, for the purpose of proposing or revising a State-only MCL for those chemicals.
SB 899, Vehicle Length/Signage passed the House 110-0-0 . This bill authorizes the Department of Transportation to restrict vehicle length on its roadways as it deems appropriate. Provides that for the purposes of designing or modifying the intersection of a local roadway and a State roadway that does not accommodate specified vehicles, a local unit of government may request in writing for the Department to restrict the length of vehicles turning on to or off of any jurisdiction roadway of the intersection. Provides that such a restriction becomes effective when appropriate signs giving notice of the limit are erected and each governmental entity shall cause signage to be installed on its respective roadway to notify vehicles of turning and length restrictions. Prohibits vehicles that exceed posted measurements from turning to access the roadway. Requires each unit of local government to report to the Department, and the Department to post on its official website, any limitations prohibiting the operation of vehicles imposed by ordinance or resolution in the unit of local government's non-designated highway system and any non-designated highway that is not designed and constructed after January 1, 2024 (rather than January 1, 2023) to the overall length dimension of vehicles permitted. The sponsor noted that this was agreed legislation and a trailer bill to clarify IDOT's authority on the matter and responsibility for postage of signage.
Committee Action of Note:
HB 2547, Warehousing-Opposed passed House Labor on concurrence 18-6-0. This bill creates the Warehouse Worker Protection Act. Provides that each employer shall provide to each employee a written description of each quota to which the employee is subject, including the quantified number of tasks to be performed or materials to be produced or handled, within a defined time period, and any potential adverse employment action that could result from failure to meet the quota. Provides that an employee shall not be required to meet a quota that prevents compliance with meal or rest periods or use of bathroom facilities, including reasonable travel time to and from bathroom facilities. Requires employers to post a notice of employee's rights under the Act and to comply with certain recordkeeping requirements. Provides that "employer" means a person who directly or indirectly, or through an agent or any other person, including through the services of a third-party employer, temporary services or staffing agency, independent contractor, or any similar entity, employs or exercises control over the wages, hours, or working conditions of 250 or more employees at a single warehouse distribution center in the State or 1,000 or more employees at one or more warehouse distribution centers in the State. Requires an employer to provide an updated written description of each quota to which the employee is subject within 5 business days of the quota change. Provides that, if an employee requests a written description of the quotas to which the employee was subject and a copy of the employee's own personal work speed data, the employer shall comply with this request as soon as practicable, but no later than 7 calendar days after the date of the request. Effective date January 1, 2026. The Chamber provided testimony in opposition. |
