Pritchard’s Perspective on State Politics 5/6/13

Observations and comments about state government by State Representative Robert W. Pritchard.

May 6, 2013

News from the State House

In this issue:

· General Assembly Begins Final Month of Spring Session

· Dueling Pension Bills: Leaders Grow Impatient with Progress

· Attorney General Receives Extension on Concealed Carry

· Bills Filed to Reduce Welfare Fraud

· Flood Assessments Underway; Federal Disaster Declaration Possible

· Legislators Push for Vote on Fracking Bill

· Schools Transitioning to New Learning Standards

· Community Colleges Discuss Successes at Capitol

· Governor Rejects Bill to Pay for Smart Grid Technology

· $mart with Money Week Comes to DeKalb County

General Assembly Begins Final Month of Spring Session

May tends to be a very busy and exciting month in Springfield, as members of the House and Senate strive to complete their work in time for a May 31 adjournment. This Friday is the deadline for House committee action on Senate bills and then hundreds of bills will be debated on the House floor. Similar activity on House bills is taking place across the rotunda in the Senate chamber.

Among the major issues awaiting action by the Senate are pension reform, gambling expansion, medical marijuana and same-sex marriage. Negotiations continue on drafting legislation for concealed carry, fracking and telecommunication law modernization.

Meanwhile the Appropriation Committees are busy behind closed doors crafting a budget for FY14. While state revenue is expected to increase more than $1.2 billion next year, over spending this year combined with pressures for increased spending next year make the task of creating a balanced budget very difficult. Prayers were raised for legislator wisdom and courage during the National Day of Prayer ceremonies across the state last Thursday, however your continued prayers are critical at this time.

Dueling Pension Bills: Leaders Grow Impatient with Progress

Within hours of Senate President John Cullerton announcing progress toward an “agreed” pension reform bill, House Speaker Mike Madigan passed his own version of pension reform in the House saying we have debated this issue long enough. The Senate may decide Monday whether to approve SB1 as amended or continue negotiations.

I have been urging for negotiations with all the parties to the pension issue for over a year and, like Speaker Madigan, am frustrated with the progress. However, I feel a negotiated bill is the best way to a fair, constitutional solution for all parties.

The Madigan amendment does have some good elements that were taken from other legislative proposals and might have found agreement from retirees. I could not support the amendment when it will lead to a lengthy and costly court challenge plus assure the income tax increase will have to be extended to make the current pension payments.

I was not satisfied that the amendment would assure state pension payments in the future, especially when Speaker Madigan agreed in debate that his plan would allow any future legislature to renege on payments as it has done so often in the past. To pay the pension unfunded liabilities, the amendment relied on revenue used to repay pension bonds after they mature. I feel more of such payments could be made and sooner than the bill directed.

Madigan did agree that his amendment was not complete and that he would sponsor future legislature to include judges in the pension reforms and set up a defined contribution pension plan for more highly compensated employees.

Attorney General Receives Extension on Concealed Carry

The Appellate Court order that Illinois must allow concealed carry could still be appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court. Justice Kagan ruled on Friday to give Illinois Attorney General Madigan until May 24 to decide whether she wants to appeal an Appellate Court ruling from five months ago.

The appeal does not affect the existing June 9 deadline for concealed carry in Illinois, as set by the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals. Neither does an appeal assure that the Supreme Court would hear the case. Meanwhile Speaker Madigan has yet to offer an amendment to legislation he stopped which would set limitations for concealed carry in the state.

Bills Filed to Reduce Welfare Fraud

Constituents frequently tell me of abuses to our welfare programs yet state agencies are not aggressive in seeking to stop this misuse of our limited resources. Therefore I joined in sponsoring a package of bills aimed at reducing fraud and abuse in our welfare system used by roughly one out of three Illinoisans today. Included in the package of welfare reform bills are:

House Bill 2784 limits Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) to basic needs for which the program was intended– like rent, utilities and food costs.
House Bill 3174 and House Bill 2490 would prevent criminals from receiving welfare aid. The bills would suspend public aid and benefits to inmates at state correctional facilities and recipients with outstanding warrants.
House Bill 133 seeks to reduce the sale and abuse of the LINK card (food stamps). The proposal would require all LINK cards to display a photo of the cardholder to ensure that the person presenting it at the checkout counter is the same person who is entitled to use it.

Flood Assessments Underway; Federal Disaster Aid Possible

As rivers and streams recede from the April flooding event, assessment teams have been dispatched across the state to compile damage totals that are needed to apply for federal help with clean-up efforts. To be declared a federal disaster area, the State must show $17.2 million in damages. The Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) is working with federal damage assessors to determine if a federal declaration is warranted.

Flood insurance is not routinely included in a homeowner’s insurance policy and most private insurers don’t even write flood policies. Flood insurance is usually sold through the federal government’s National Flood Insurance Program and administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). In cases where a sewer or sump-pump backs up due to flooding, some homeowner policies may contain endorsements coving the damages.

Governor Quinn has declared 44 counties in Illinois as disaster areas, including DeKalb and Kane Counties. These counties are currently eligible for assistance from state agencies.

Legislators Push for Vote on Fracking Bill

While our state is looking for ways to create jobs and new revenue to pay bills, Speaker Madigan continues to block legislation that would allow a new method of mining for oil and natural gas called fracking. A group of House Republicans held a press conference last week to push for a vote.

Fracking has the potential to bring more than 45,000 jobs to Illinois and inject an estimated $9.5 billion into the Illinois economy. In spite of bipartisan support from more than 50 House members, Speaker Madigan is refusing to release the bill from committee. He apparently wants to use the desire for the bill as leverage to vote for other legislation. The bill is the result of thousands of hours of meetings involving energy and environmental organizations, which resulted in an agreement that permits high volume fracking while enforcing some of the nation’s strictest water and air protections.

Schools Transitioning to New Learning Standards

Until recently, each state had a separate set of education (or learning) standards for grades K-12. Even within the same state, a child who moved to a new school might miss entire lessons or have to wait for the class to catch up. Governors came together and agreed that students should know a common core of material so they would be ready for college and successful careers. In 2010 these common core standards for language arts and mathematics were released. Legislators had a chance last week to hear about the differences in teaching methods and how Illinois was progressing in implementing them.

It has been said in Illinois that the previous learning standards were a mile wide and an inch deep, which prevented students from developing a true understanding and depth of knowledge of subject matter. Proponents of the new Common Core Standards claim they are fewer in number, but they require students to dig deep and apply critical thinking and application skills, resulting in more rigorous and relevant learning.

Some describe the news learning standards as starting at the end point and working backwards to what students should know in each grade. Teachers will be doing more than giving facts but rather helping students discover concepts, apply them and explain them. Common Core will be emphasizing skills students will need for the modern workplace: collaboration, critical thinking, communication and creativity. You can learn more about the Common Core by visiting www.commoncoreil.org or www.ISBE.net.

Community Colleges Discuss Successes at Capitol

Several groups representing community colleges across the state visited Springfield last week to support funding for their programs in the higher education budget. Elgin Community College Trustees John Duffy and Robert Getz talked about one of their programs that has received the National Bellwether Award—recognition of cutting-edge, trendsetting programs that other colleges in the country should replicate.

ECC’s program features regular meetings between subject matter faculty of the college and its feeder high schools to assure alignment of curricula with state standards and improve student readiness for college and career success. ECC also has joined 66 other institutions nationally who were named as an “Achieving the Dream Leader College” for 2012. This program recognizes their work in raising student persistence and completion rates and closing achievement gaps.

Waubonsee Community College Director of Governmental and Multicultural Affairs Lulu Blacksmith and Trustee Richard Bodie also stopped by to discuss their programs at the Aurora, Sugar Grove and Plano campuses. With the rising cost of a college education, Waubonsee encourages high school students to seek dual credits—high school and college—for the same course work. Such programs reduce the time and cost of getting a college education.

High school students in Belvidere are even attending classes at Rock Valley Community College full-time so they will graduate with a high school diploma and an associate’s degree.

Governor Rejects Bill to Pay for Smart Grid Technology

The legislature will have one more issue to consider in the next few weeks as it could over-ride a veto made by Governor Quinn yesterday. SB 9 would have allowed electric utility companies to pass along the costs of modernizing their electric grids to reduce power outages, give customers more choice and control over their energy use, and create thousands of much-needed jobs.

The bill was passed overwhelmingly in both chambers in response to the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) ignoring the intent of the 2011 Electric Grid Infrastructure law. Quinn said the bill allowed electric utility companies to get around state regulators and raise rates more than necessary.

$mart with Money Week Comes to DeKalb County

How smart are you when it comes to money? Find the answer and learn to be better money managers at a host of free and seminars during $mart with Money Week, May 18 to 23. The 18 sessions will range from raising money-smart kids to job-hunting and planning for retirement. The activities are organized by the Kishwaukee United Way and DeKalb County Cash Coalition.

The Voluntary Action Center (815-758-6641) is offering rides to the sessions which are being held at various locations around DeKalb. Call the United Way for further details (815-756-7522) or find the schedule on my web site www.PritchardStateRep.com. Enjoy spring, it finally has arrived!

District Office 815-748-3494 or E-Mail to bob@pritchardstaterep.com