Legislative Recap
After a long and often challenging legislative session, I’m very pleased that eight of my bills were passed by both Houses and are heading to the Governor’s desk to be signed into law:
- HB42: Allows library districts to charge out-of-district/non-resident library card holders on a quarterly or biannual basis instead of annually. The cost of these non-resident cards can be hefty – up to hundreds of dollars a year! Enabling families to spread out that cost will make these libraries more financially accessible to all.
- HB1168: Amends the definition of “day care center” under the Child Care Act of 1969, assuring the ability of arboretums, nature centers, and botanic gardens to continue offering safe, educational outdoor-based programs for young children.
- HB1576: Sets standard six-year terms for all judges appointed to the Illinois Court of Claims, which makes decisions in civil complaints brought against state agencies or state employees. The bill also sets salary requirements for the judges and allows the court to hold remote hearings.
- HB2967: Supports dual credit enrollment by requiring community colleges to enter into partnership agreements upon request from high schools, to give their students a head start on earning college credit. This bill was crafted with thoughtful input from our school and community college administrators and the amazing teachers who help our students excel.
- SB1343: Authorizes the state’s Central Management Services (CMS) to manage and preserve buildings, facilities, structures, grounds, and other pieces of real estate, and empowers CMS to grant easements allowing access into the properties.
- SB1941: Allows local governments to install flashing beacons at pedestrian crosswalks near schools.
- SB1958: Requires public universities to establish credit transfer agreements with community colleges upon request to make it easier for students to move seamlessly from community colleges to four-year institutions.
- SB2463: Tightens the rules on surety bonds required when an oil or gas company seeks a permit or license to drill. These surety bonds secure a company’s promises to abide by all applicable regulations, and they protect taxpayers from being left on the hook if there’s a serious problem with a drilling site. Under this bill, cash will no longer be accepted as a substitute for a surety bond, and the amounts required for the bonds have been updated.
As you may know, the House passed more than 400 bills this session. To learn about other bills that are set to become law, you can check out the Illinois General Assembly website.