The Senate was in Session Wednesday and Thursday of this week. The scheduled Friday Session was canceled. The House was not in Session this week and will return to Springfield on April 4th. The Senate is now scheduled to take a Spring Break and be back in Springfield on April 5th.

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The State’s Primary Election was this past Tuesday. The election results are unlikely to have any significant impact on the political gridlock in Springfield.

None of the energy related committees were posted for hearings this week. The Senate Energy and Public Utilities Committee has only met once this year, and is not expected to meet again until at least the first week of April.

The Senate Executive Committee met this past Thursday to consider SB 2950 (Sen. Heather Steans, D-Chicago) an initiative of the Pollution Control Board. SB 2950 would change posting requirements and reduce quorum requirements for the Pollution Control Board. The Pollution Control Board was restructured in the past to reduce its membership from 7 to 5, but the quorum requirements were never revised. SB 2950 would reduce the quorum requirement for the board from 4 to 3 members. The bill would also modernize the Board’s posting requirements, requiring a 48 hour notice before public hearings instead of the current 24 hour requirement. This will bring the board’s posting requirements in line with most other public bodies.

SB 2950 did not face any opposition in Committee and was unanimously approved. The bill is now on the order of Second Reading in the Senate.

The Senate approved some significant budgets before adjourning for Spring Break, but those proposals are not likely to end the budget stalemate in Springfield. The Senate’s budget bills did not contain significant revenues and are unlikely to ever become law. The State is now approaching almost ten months without a budget and some public bodies and social service agencies are starting layoffs and cutbacks.

The Energy Association will be hosting its annual Cocktail Receptions honoring key House and Senate Committees. The House Reception is scheduled for April 6th at Maldaner’s from 5:30 to 7:30. The Senate Reception is scheduled for April 12th at the Statehouse Inn from 5:30 to 7:30. Please contact our office at 217-523-7348 or email at jmonk@elaineg75.sg-host.com or edrake@elaineg75.sg-host.com to let us know if you will be attending.
J. Monk
P. Evans

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