The General Assembly returned to Springfield this week. The Senate was in Session Tuesday through Thursday with the House in Session Tuesday through Friday. Both Chambers had committee deadlines last week, so this week was focused on amendments and floor action.
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In the House, an amendment was filed onto HB 649 (Rep. Katherine Cloonen, D-Kankakee) that would provide enhanced tax treatment for a proposed combined cycle power plant in Grundy County. Competitive Power Ventures is proposing the construction of an 1100 megawatt gas facility. The amendment was unanimously approved by the House Revenue Committee on Thursday night. The amendment was adopted to HB 694 on Friday and the bill is awaiting final action.
Amendments were also filed onto HB 6165 (Emily McAsey, D-Romeoville) in the House. The underlying bill would have mandated that gas utilities purchase third-party liability insurance for their pipelines. Amendments #1 and #2 were filed to require that third-party insurance be purchased for oil pipelines only. The bill was scheduled for a hearing in the House Public Utilities Committee for next week, but that hearing has now been canceled.
The Senate Energy and Public Utilities Committee Subcommittee on Generation, Utilities and Telecom was scheduled to meet on Thursday. SB 2551 (Sen. Dale Righter, R-Mattoon) would have dramatically limited the use of expedited siting for electric transmission. The bill is an initiative of the Illinois Farm Bureau. Committee was canceled after the Sponsor decided not to call the bill.
An amendment has been filed on to SB 2674 (Sen. Sue Rezin, R-Peru) that would cap water utility rate increases at 2.5% per year. Sen. Rezin has indicated that she is concerned about the impact large water rate increases are having in her district. SB 2674 is currently on Third Reading in the Senate but the Amendment is in the Assignments Committee.
An amendment has also been filed on to SB 3289 (Sen. Stadelman, D-Rockford) which would increase the penalties for tree cutting on conservation land. The Illinois Energy Association has been working with our members to ensure that utilities and transmission companies are exempt from the penalties in SB 3289. The bill is currently being held on 2nd Reading awaiting an agreement between the Utilities and the Illinois Environmental Council.
The General Assembly returns to Springfield next Monday. Next week is the last week before the first Third Reading deadline.
- Monk
- Evans
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