The House was in Session Tuesday through Friday of this week. The Senate was Session Tuesday through Thursday. This was the first week of Session following committee deadlines in both the House and the Senate, so most of the legislative action was on the floor of each Chamber.
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The House took action this week on a controversial bill that could penalize companies who have call centers in Illinois. HB 4081 (Rep. Michael Halpin D-Rock Island) would require companies closing, or significantly reducing their Illinois based call centers to notify the Secretary of State. Upon notice, the Secretary of State would add the company to a list of prohibited vendors. The State would also require the company to payback any tax incentives or grants that they had ever received from the State. HB 4081 was opposed by the entire telecommunications industry and the Energy Association. The bill is an initiative of the Telecommunications Workers of America and has the support of the AFL-CIO. The bill narrowly passed the House with 61 votes and now heads to the Senate.
Illinois American Water successfully passed their water utility valuation bill out of the House this week. HB 4508 (Rep. Nick Sauer R-Libertyville) would extend and expand current policies on valuing small water utilities. This practice makes it easier for small water utilities to be modernized and upgraded to meet today’s water quality needs. The bill passed the House with 69 votes and will proceed to the Senate.
The Senate approved SB 2577 (Senator Cristina Castro D-Elgin) this week. SB 2577 would put in place new standards for out of state entities to collect use and service tax when doing business in the State of Illinois. Currently, federal case law does not allow a state to mandate that out of state businesses collect use and service taxes, but the “Wayfair” case currently being heard in the Supreme Court may change that case law. SB 2577 would put in place a $100 thousand dollar threshold for when an out of state company would be required to collect and remit use and service taxes to Illinois. SB 2577 passed the Senate with 39 votes.
The Senate Energy Committee did meet to take testimony from Loyola University students on a carbon pricing study that they had conducted. No testimony was offered by any other group, the energy industry, environmental community and consumer advocates monitored the Committee. The Energy Association has a copy of the prepared statements the students presented to the Committee. Anyone wanting a copy of the statements should contact Erica Drake at edrake@elaineg75.sg-host.com
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