Illinois Chamber Rail Report from Springfield

February 24, 2023

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ILLINOIS CHAMBER
Rail Report

February 23, 2023

Highlights from Today:

The House and Senate were both in Springfield today for this week's final day of session. Per HJR 19, the House has canceled for tomorrow. Nothing of note occurred on the floor in either chamber except for appointments in the Senate. Limited committee hearings were held.

The House will return Tuesday, February 28th at 12 pm while the Senate will return Tuesday, March 7th at 12 pm.

Committee Action of Note:

The House Revenue Committee met this morning at 8 am. Of note, HB 1287 and HB 1288 were assigned to the property tax subcommittee. We understand these bills remain a priority of the Assessor. The Chamber opposes both of these bills.

HB 1076, Counties Farmland Lease passed out of the Counties & Townships Committee by a vote of 6-3-0. This bill provides that, notwithstanding other specified county property leasing provisions, upon majority vote, the county board may lease farmland acquired or held by the county for any term not exceeding 99 years. Provides that farmland may be leased to either public or private entities for the public purpose of financially supporting the operations of the government at any time or times and on any terms and conditions that the county board deems best for the interest of the county, including, but not limited to, crop-sharing arrangements.

HB 2079, Townships/Non-Profits passed out of the House Counties & Townships Committee by a vote of 9-0-0. This bill provides that a township officer may hold a position on the board of a not-for-profit corporation that is interested in a contract, work, or business of the township if: (1) the township officer is appointed by the governing body of the township to represent the interests of the township on a not-for-profit corporation's board, then the township officer may actively vote on matters involving either that board or the township, so long as the membership on the not-for-profit board is not a paid position; or (2) the township officer is not appointed to the governing body of a not-for-profit corporation by the governing body of the township, then the township officer may continue to serve, however, the township officer shall abstain from voting on an proposition before the township governing body directly involving the not-for-profit corporation and, for those matters, shall not be counted as present for the purposes of quorum of the township governing body.

SB 46, Waterway Ports Commission passed out of the Senate Local Government Committee yesterday by a vote of 9-0-0. This bill creates the Illinois Waterway Ports Commission Act. Provides that the Illinois Waterway Ports Commission is created and shall exercise jurisdiction with respect to the duties and powers delegated to it under the Act within the following port districts and counties: the Seneca Regional Port District, the Ottawa Port District, the Illinois Valley Regional Port District, the Heart of Illinois Regional Port District, and the Havana Port District and Fulton, Mason, Tazewell, Peoria, Woodford, Marshall, Putnam, Bureau, LaSalle, and Grundy counties. Provides that the Commission shall (1) coordinate and synchronize common efforts and initiatives in the Commission area to enhance the reporting and benefits of statistical data; (2) make recommendations to the Governor, the General Assembly, Congress, and federal agencies on regional issues that impact multimodal transportation, economic development, environmental sustainability, and climate resiliency of the Commission area; (3) coordinate and synchronize common efforts and initiatives on the larger Illinois Waterway with the Mid-America Port Commission and the Joliet Regional Port District; (4) coordinate and synchronize federal activities associated with the nonfederal sponsorship of the M-55 Illinois-Gulf Marine Highway; and (5) request and assist in requesting funding for the Commission area and the surrounding areas, as the Commission deems necessary. Includes provisions relating to the organization of the Commission and the Commission's powers.

SB 160, Spoofing passed out of the Senate Energy and Public Utilities Committee by a vote of 15-0-0. This bill provides that a person, business, or organization may not spoof a caller's information or otherwise misrepresent the origin of a telemarketing call unless the person, business, or organization has the right to use the name and phone number displayed. Requires telephone solicitations placed in a manner other than by a live operator to immediately disclose their identity and the purpose of the call and prompt the recipient of the call to consent to the solicitation.

SB 1438, Dig Once Act passed out of the Senate Energy and Public Utilities Committee by a vote of 17-0-0. This bill creates the Illinois Dig Once Act. Provides that the Department of Transportation, the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority, and the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity shall jointly develop a policy to reduce the scale and number of repeated excavations related to roads, highways, tollways, and expressways for the installation and maintenance of broadband infrastructure and public utilities in rights of way. Provides that the Department of Transportation, the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority, and the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity shall jointly develop rules to implement the Act.

SB 1504, Gambling Device passed out of the Senate Executive Committee yesterday by a vote of 11-0-0. This bill changes the definition of "gambling device" to include any vending or other electronic machine or device, including, without limitation, a machine or device that awards credits and contains a circuit, meter, or switch capable of removing and recording the removal of credits that offers a person entry into any contest, competition, sweepstakes, scheme, plan, or other selection process that involves or is dependent upon an element of chance for which the person may receive a gift, award, or other item or service of value if that offer is incidental to or results from: (A) the purchase of an item or service of value; or (B) the purchase or gratuitous receipt of a coupon, voucher, certificate, or other similar credit that can be redeemed for or applied towards an item or service of value from such machine or device or elsewhere. Provides that participants in a game of skill or chance where money or other things of value can be won but no payment or purchase is required to participate shall not be convicted of gambling except where participation in such game of skill or chance is accomplished using a gambling device prohibited by these changes to the definition. Provides that a gambling offense involving such a gambling device is a Class 4 felony. Amends the Video Gaming Act. Removes a provision allowing for the use of a game device without a license if the game device is used in an activity that is not gambling under the Criminal Code of 2012.