28 - Illinois AFL-CIO

L e g i s l at i v e U p dat e
February 28, 2014
Published
for
Labor Activists
M ichael T. C arrigan , P resident
by the
T imothy E. D rea , S ecretary T reasurer
I l l i n o i s AFL- CIO
J ason K eller , L egislative D irector
The Illinois General Assembly wrapped up for the week Thursday. Both chambers continue to hold hearings on bills that
have been introduced this year. The House passed its budget resolutions, estimating there will be just less than $34.5 billion
in revenue for FY15. The Raise Illinois Coalition held a large rally on Wednesday to support increasing the minimum wage
in Illinois. Both chambers are scheduled to return on Tuesday, March 4 at Noon.
General Assembly
Illinois House Passes Revenue Estimate
Members of the Illinois House voted for two resolutions
this week (HR 842 & HJR 80) to accept revenue estimates that will force significant cuts to the next state
budget. The vote on both resolutions was 112-0.
Illinois Supreme Court
Upholds Employment
Classification Act
The Illinois Supreme Court ruled on February 21 to
uphold the constitutionality of the state’s Employee
Classification Act, which protects individuals working
in the construction industry from being misclassified
Both resolutions state that the House believes there will as independent contractors and ensures a level playbe just less than $34.5 billion in revenue available to
ing field within the industry.
spend in the fiscal year that starts July 1. That is about
$1 billion less than what lawmakers thought would be
The Court rejected a constitutional challenge posed
available last year when they set about crafting the cur- by a roofing contractor that claimed the law violates
rent state budget.
“due process rights and is impermissibly vague,”
A significant part of the 2011 income tax increase expires at the end of the calendar year, taking more than
$1 billion in revenue away with it. The Commission on
Government Forecasting and Accountability estimates
the loss in both personal and corporate income taxes at
more than $1.5 billion.
(Bartlow v. Costigan, Ill., No. 2014 IL 115152,
2/21/14) and stated the law was constitutional. Since
the law went into effect in 2008, the Department of
Labor has conducted 111 investigations and collected
$314,325.70 in penalties.
State tax collections were better than expected this
year, and COGFA estimates the state will end the fiscal
year on June 30 with $500 million more in tax collections than estimated. Lawmakers decided that unexpected tax collections should generally be used to pay
down the state’s multibillion-dollar backlog of bills.
OTHER ACTIONS TAKEN BY HOUSE & SENATE
HB 3662 (Flowers) - Requires the Chicago Board of
Education to provide free transportation to and from
a pupil’s assigned school and a pick-up point for any
pupil who must walk or otherwise travel along a safe
passage route, as designated by the Board, to reach
school or return home. Passed House Elementary &
Secondary Education 12-0.
continued on page 3
Illinois AFL-CIO President Michael T. Carrigan
and Citizen Action Illinois Co-Director William
McNary talk before the Minimum Wage rally at
the State Capitol on Wednesday.
Call 217.544.4014 For More Information On These And Other Legislative Issues Important To Working People - www.ilafl-cio.org
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02/28/14
CMS Chief Procurement
Officer Seeks Expanded Powers
The Chief Procurement Officer (CPO) for the Capitol
Development Board is seeking to significantly
expand his authority over construction projects in the
State. In the Second Notice submission of proposed
Rules before the Joint Committee on Administrative
Rules (JCAR) the CPO is seeking authority over the
Prevailing Wage Act, the Public Construction Bond
Act, the Public Works Employment Discrimination
Act, the Public Works Preference Act (repealed in
2010), the Employment of Illinois Workers on Public
Works Act, the Public Contract Fraud Act, and the
Illinois Construction Evaluation Act in State Capitol
Construction Projects. This is unprecedented and goes
far beyond the scope of the legislation passed by the
General Assembly several years ago.
The four Chief Procurement Officers in the State are
not elected, not appointed by anyone who is elected,
and are not accountable to anyone. Of the four CPO’s
in the State, only the CPO at CMS has put forth rules
that significantly expand the powers and duties of
the Office in the areas of construction. The Second
Notice submission of the proposed Rules for CMS
contain these provisions and were not included in the
First Notice submission. This is especially concerning
because, in addition to being an unauthorized
expansion of CPO authority, these provisions have
never been open to public comment.
Please contact the following twelve members
of JCAR to encourage them to vote No on these
Rules:
Senator Don Harmon
217-782-8176
Representative Tim Schmitz
217-782-5457
Senator Pam Althoff
Senator Tony Munoz
Senator Sue Rezin
Senator Dale Righter
Senator Ira Silverstein
Representative Greg Harris
Representative Lou Lang
Representative David Leitch
Representative Don Moffitt
Representative Andre’ Thapedi
217-782-8000
217-782-9415
217-782-3840
217-782-6674
217-782-5500
217-782-3835
217-782-1252
217-782-8108
217-782-8032
217-782-1702
Page 2
Union Sportsmen
Alliance Dinner A Success
The Union Sportsmen Alliance held their 2nd Annual
dinner in Illinois this week.
The Chicago & Cook County Building Trades, Illinois
AFL-CIO, and Chicago Federation of Labor were
co-hosts for the event, and wish to thank everyone
for attending and for their assistance.
Approximately 300 people attended the dinner at
the Bricklayers District Council office in Elmhurst.
A special thank you goes to Chris DeCaigny, UIG
Insurance President, for catering the event.
Digital Manufacturing
Hub Announced for Illinois
Governor Pat Quinn announced this week that
Illinois was awarded a new digital manufacturing
hub, supported by funding from state and federal
governments and corporate partners.
The hub will have far-reaching impact on jobs
across many industries and benefit small
businesses across the nation.
The White House announced a $70 million
Department of Defense award for the Digital
Manufacturing and Design Innovation (DMDI)
Institute, which University of Illinois Labs will operate
in Chicago.
The support from President Obama, coupled with
$16 million from the Quinn Administration, gives the
institute the necessary funds to build partnerships
with manufacturers and strengthen Illinois’ economic
comeback.
The hub will apply the newest technologies to
help manufacturers try and use new innovations in
digital manufacturing and design, with an emphasis
on defense manufacturers. This will mean better
products, faster production and lower costs for U.S.
manufacturers.
Call 217.544.4014 For More Information On These And Other Legislative Issues Important To Working People - www.ilafl-cio.org
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02/28/14
continued from page 1
HB 4527 (Chapa LaVia) - Requires a charter school
to comply with all federal and State laws and rules
applicable to public schools that pertain to special
education and the instruction of English language
learners. Labor Supports. Passed House Elementary
& Secondary Education 14-0.
SB 2997 (Link) - Provides that a person who is 17
years old on the date of a consolidated primary election is qualified to vote at that primary if he or she will
be 18 years old on the date of the immediately following regular election (now, general election). Labor
Supports. Passed Senate Executive 10-0.
HR 675 (Riley) - Urge the Chicago Transit Authority to
prioritize and expedite the planning and construction
of the Red Line Extension Project. Passed House
Mass Transit 19-0, adopted by House.
The following appointments were confirmed this week
by the full Senate:
AM 294 – Michael Brennan to be Commissioner of
the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission. Annual compensation is $119,840.
AM 295 – Ketki Steffen to be Arbitrator of the Illinois
Workers’ Compensation Commission. Annual compensation is $115,840.
AM 296 – Edward Lee to be Arbitrator of the Illinois
Workers’ Compensation Commission. Annual compensation is $115,840.
AM 297 – Carolyn Doherty to be Arbitrator of the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission. Annual
compensation is $115,840.
AM 298 – Joshua Luskin to be Arbitrator of the Illinois
Workers’ Compensation Commission. Annual compensation is $115,840.
AM 299 – Molly Dearing to be Arbitrator of the Illinois
Workers’ Compensation Commission. Annual compensation is $115,840.
AM 300 – William Gallagher to be Arbitrator of the
Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission. Annual
compensation is $115,840.
AM 301 – D. Douglas McCarthy to be Arbitrator of the
Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission. Annual
compensation is $115,840.
AM 302 – Molly Mason to be Arbitrator of the Illinois
Workers’ Compensation Commission. Annual compensation is $115,840.
Page 3
AM 303 – Robert Williams to be Arbitrator of the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission. Annual
compensation is $115,840.
AM 304 – Kurt Carlson to be Arbitrator of the Illinois
Workers’ Compensation Commission. Annual compensation is $115,840.
AM 305 – Gregory Dollison to be Arbitrator of the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission. Annual
compensation is $115,840.
AM 306 – Jeffrey Huebsch to be Arbitrator of the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission. Annual
compensation is $115,840.
AM 307 – Barbara Flores to be Arbitrator of the Illinois
Workers’ Compensation Commission. Annual compensation is $115,840.
AM 308 – Deborah Simpson to be Arbitrator of the
Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission. Annual
compensation is $115,840.
AM 309 – Brian Cronin to be Arbitrator of the Illinois
Workers’ Compensation Commission. Annual compensation is $115,840.
AM 320 – Deanna Glosser to be Member of the
Pollution Control Board. Annual compensation is
$117,043.
SJR 46 – (Barickman/Harms) - SJR 46 is a memorial
resolution designating a portion of I-55 near Pontiac the Officer Casey J Kohlmeier Highway. Officer
Kohlmeier is a member of the PBPA and was killed
while on duty last year by a drunk driver. Adopted by
the Senate 57-0. Assigned to House Rules.
Call 217.544.4014 For More Information On These And Other Legislative Issues Important To Working People - www.ilafl-cio.org
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