A release from Governor Bruce Rauner:

Governor Issues Amendatory Veto to Keep 9-1-1 Service Active Rauner opposes tying emergency services to tax hike

SPRINGFIELD – Governor Bruce Rauner today issued an amendatory veto of SB 1839 to ensure that critical 9-1-1 services continue without a massive tax hike on Illinois families and businesses.

“The majority in the General Assembly waited until the last moment to send this 9-1-1 service reauthorization bill to my desk.

“Unfortunately, those lawmakers also inserted a major tax hike into this bill, a tax that’s both excessive and unwarranted, and that I strongly oppose,” Governor Rauner said.

“This extreme increase is unfair and indefensible. But the majority in the General Assembly is using the threat of cancellation of 9-1-1 services on Saturday as leverage to force this tax hike through over my opposition.”

In the amendatory veto, the Governor removed all the surcharge increases and special interest giveaways.

He also revoked the sunsets on the Emergency Telephone System Act and the sections regarding telecommunications and cable and video in the Public Utilities Act. These changes mean 9-1-1 would continue in Illinois without the General Assembly having to pass legislation to renew the service.

“This mean-spirited strategy has been employed by the majority repeatedly over the years, most prominently in the current budget impasse: holding innocent people, our most vulnerable residents and essential services hostage as leverage to force excessive, unwarranted tax hikes onto the people of Illinois,” Governor Rauner said.

“This practice must stop.”