From State Rep. Steve Andersson:

News From State Representative Steve Andersson

After finishing a full week of session in the House, there are several legislative updates I would like to share with you. Despite the budget impasse that has been an ongoing challenge this legislative session, progress was made this week in the form of compromise for higher education funding. There have also been many good pieces of legislation presented, debated, and passed in the House of Representatives. Below is a recap of important legislative updates with more information as to what was accomplished last week in Springfield.

Higher Education Funding

State universities across Illinois are facing sharp cutbacks and, in some cases, threatened shutdowns due to the current budget impasse. The failure of the Illinois General Assembly majority to enact a balanced budget has led to cash-flow situations affecting Illinois higher education. However, the stopgap funding bill passed by the General Assembly on Friday is expected to enable all twelve state university campuses to continue to operate through the 2016 spring and summer terms

Senate Bill 2059 was presented as a measure to keep state universities open through the summer months and until further funding can be appropriated for higher education. Specifically, the bill has appropriated $600 million for higher education institutions from the Education Assistance Fund, funding which is immediately available.

This bill was essential in ensuring our universities can keep their doors open through the summer, and to give our students assurance that their universities are there for them in the fall. The job is not done, there is a lot to still accomplish, but this is a great start moving forward—and most importantly it shows that reason can prevail, and when we work together we can find common ground to solve problems.

I am hopeful that we can build on this cooperative success at the budget negotiating table for future funding issues. The General Assembly approved SB 2059 on Friday and Governor Rauner signed it into law on Monday as Public Act 99-502.

Lawmaker’s Pay Delayed

Based on the continued lack of a balanced budget for FY16, Comptroller Leslie Munger has directed her staff to move the issuance of paychecks for elected State officials from a silo of bills that are paid immediately and on schedule, to a separate silo of bills that are paid after a delay. The move affects pay for all constitutional officers in statewide elective positions, including herself, and affects pay for the 177 members of the Illinois General Assembly – 118 House members and 59 senators including myself. I fully support the Comptroller’s decision to delay our paychecks if doing so will help insure that social service providers and other important groups get their needed funding.

Her decision was announced on Sunday, April 17, and comes amid growing cash-crunch consequences upon normal recipients of State grants and procurements who are not protected by court orders, consent decrees, and continuing appropriations. Firms, offices, and entities that are getting money late or not getting money at all, include providers of many community social services, State universities, community colleges, and providers of many health care services.

This move will likely to lead to significant delays in the scheduled periods of time that state lawmakers must wait to be paid for their services to the State. The State has currently piled up a backlog of almost $7 billion in unpaid bills.

Graduated Income Tax Proposal

House Democrats recently called for amendment to the Constitution, and the enactment of graduated income tax. I strongly oppose this proposal. The Democrats’ tax hike proposal, which would require amending the Illinois Constitution, calls for imposing a new individual income tax rate of up to 9.75% on upper income Illinoisans. The Illinois individual income tax has always been imposed at a flat rate since it was enacted in 1969. The current Illinois individual income tax rate, since January 1, 2015, has been 3.75%.

Advocates for the graduated income tax proposal claim that the tax would raise an additional $1.9 billion in new state revenue. However they fail to take into account the devastating impact such a proposal could have on small businesses. It also invites successful businesspeople to abandon our State. The damage to our economy could be huge. The proposal was introduced in the Illinois House as Floor Amendment #1 to HB 689. The Constitution of Illinois states that individual income taxes must be imposed at a “non-graduated rate,” and this new proposal would require that an amendment be approved by voters to change or repeal this mandate.

HJRCA 59, a newly-filed constitutional amendment, was approved by the House Executive Committee on a partisan roll call on Thursday, April 21. House Republicans voted against the proposed amendment. If adopted by both houses of the General Assembly, the amendment would submit to the voters the question of repealing the current flat tax mandate. Again, I strongly oppose these anti-business, anti-growth policies.

Adult Protective Services Bill Advances

This past week, I advanced House Bill 4552, which amends the Adult Protective Services Act, a bill that will help protect the most vulnerable adults in Illinois. The bill adds the State’s Attorney’s offices to the list of persons and agencies granted access, upon request, to records concerning reports of abuse, neglect, financial exploitation, or self-neglect.

While other agencies have already been allowed access to these records, increasing access to the State’s Attorney’s offices is beneficial to providing the most efficient and effective means of help to adults suffering from abuse, neglect, exploitation and fraud.

House Bill 4552 will protect adults to aging seniors who have suffered any sort of physical, mental, and financial wrongdoing. It will allow more help to be easily given to them, and gives the State’s Attorney’s offices the access they need to best right wrongs and help those who need it most.

Now that HB 4552 has passed out of the House it will now proceed to the Senate for further action.

Voter Empowerment Initiative Moves Forward

House Bill 4371 also passed in the House this past week. The bill amends the Water Authorities Act, and creates the option for local water authority districts to be dissolved. This was a voter empowerment initiative as it creates the option for water authorities to be dissolved, should residents wish to eliminate them. Most importantly, this bill puts the power in the hands of the voters, and gives them the opportunity to make decisions that directly impact their community. This legislation will enable residents to vote and choose to streamline units of local government that are no longer serving their purpose.

Local Mayors brought this issue to me finding that some water authority districts have become in-active: they do no regulate water, and they exist simply because there is no way to eliminate them. This bill solves the problem, and presents a feasible option to do it. This is an added option for residents, one that will empower voters by putting the decision in their hands to choose what is best for their community and the future of their local government.

Dissolution of a water authority would be done by referendum, and any money available after said dissolution would be given to the townships and counties in the area.

HB 4371 passed out of the House with 115 voting for this measure, and will now continue on to the Senate.

Upcoming Shredding Event

This summer I will be hosting a shredding event with State Senator Karen McConnaughay.

This is a free event, where you can bring important documents to be safely shredded and disposed of. The event will take place on August 13th from 9:00 AM—Noon at the Sun City Del Webb Fountain View Center (12940 Del Webb Blvd.) in Huntley.

I hope to see you at this event!

Lastly, as your State Representative, I am here to serve you. Should you have any questions or concerns at any time, please don’t hesitate to contact my District Office at (630) 457-5460.