The House and Senate returned to Springfield this week. Both Chambers were in Session Tuesday through Thursday with the House cancelling their scheduled Friday Session.
The House Committees were very active this week because the Committee deadline for House Bills was this Friday.
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The House Public Utilities Committee met on Tuesday, but no energy related legislation was considered. The Committee is scheduled to meet next week to take subject matter testimony on AT&T’s proposal to modernize telecommunications regulations. The Energy Association is prepared to offer testimony to ensure that communications with vital utility infrastructure is not compromised through this modernization effort.
The House Energy Committee met on Wednesday of this week. The Committee approved HB 3042 (Rep. Jay Hoffman, D- Belleville) which provides incentives for companies willing to use Illinois Coal. HB 3042 is an initiative of Murray Energy. Murray Energy continues to work with stakeholders in an effort to identify a funding source for HB 3042.
The House Energy Committee is scheduled to meet next Wednesday to consider Amendment #1 to HB 1848 (Rep. Reginald Philips, R- Charleston). The Amendment would expand the State’s clean coal portfolio standards.
The Senate Energy Committee met on Thursday of this week. The only bill on the agenda was SB 71 (Sen. Don-Harmon, D-Oak Park). The bill was amended in Committee to remove certification requirements for wind farm projects in Illinois. The Sponsor believes that these certification requirements would jeopardize investments that are currently planned in the State. The Committee voted to approve the bill as amended, with an agreement that any further changes to the bill would come back through the Energy Committee.
The House and Senate return to Springfield on Monday of next week, and are scheduled to be in Session until Friday. After next week, both Chambers will take a two week Spring Break before returning to Springfield to handle 3rd reading deadlines.
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