Article Week of April 30, 2007
It was a very busy week in Springfield that ended with the Speaker of the
House extending the deadline on hundreds of House bill third readings until
Thursday, May 3rd. Many important issues will have another week to pass
the House and move to the Senate for consideration. However, many important measures
were acted on during the week. Here is a rundown on some of the issues
we did vote on.
I am happy to report that HB613 passed the House and is now ready
for consideration in the Senate. I am Chief Sponsor of this legislation which
deals with the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency’s new rules regarding permits for septic
systems. The IEPA recently adopted draft rules which would require homeowners
with septic systems in Illinois to obtain a permit. In addition, the homeowner
would be required to pay fees for maintenance and inspection that many estimate
to be well over $500 per year. The IEPA has ensured us that there would be no
fee for the permit (for now…but, we all know how that works!). However,
they admit that other costs could be incurred by homeowners in rural parts
of Illinois.
Federal EPA rules disallow the affluent from a septic system to be directly discharged into a “water of commerce, a navigable waterway, or a tributary to a navigable waterway of the U.S.” The IEPA claims they are being forced by the federal government to take a “strict” interpretation of this wording. The draft rules that the IEPA has adopted would actually make a low spot in a homeowner’s yard meet the definition of a “tributary to a navigable waterway of the United States”. I am not making this up.
Think about what any common sense interpretation of a “navigable waterway”, or a “tributary of a navigable waterway”, or even “waters of commerce” congers up in your mind. Is there any way that one could reach so far as to consider a low lying area, a ditch, etc… as a “navigable waterway” in any way, shape or manner? Well, that is what the IEPA is doing and they are undoubtedly doing it in order to implement a permitting process that will include high maintenance and inspection fees. Also, I would be willing to bet that within a few short years there will be a fee for the permit.
With outrageous increases in electric rates and high gas prices, we do not need another onerous fee imposed on us by the state. ENOUGH! HB613 is an attempt to inject some common sense into this issue. I just hope the Chicago Democratic Leadership in the Senate allows a fair hearing and vote on the issue. Senator Jones has shown a great propensity to not care about rural Illinois at all. The Democrats have delayed a final vote on the electric rate issue. Let’s hope this bill does not suffer the same fate.
Other bills receiving action last week include:
- HB1878 which creates the Bill of Rights for the Homeless Act. It sets
forth certain rights of homeless persons, including the right to live in any
community in the State, the right to choose living arrangements, and the right
to employment and training opportunities. I voted NO as this act would require
cities all over Illinois to allow the homeless to sleep anywhere they want
in public places. With the number of mentally ill who are currently homeless
and the lack of funding and other requirements for these individuals, allowing
them to violate local ordinances is not the correct approach.
- I am happy to report that a couple of Mayor Daley’s gun bills were defeated
in the House. HB 758 which would require background checks between private individuals
received 59 votes (1 short of passage) and HB796 which is an attempt to greatly
restrict handgun dealer licensing only received 51 votes. Both of these measures
could get another vote this spring. We need to continue to fight against these
attempts to limit 2nd Amendment Rights. During the floor debate I asked the
sponsors when they were going to understand that a gun is an inanimate object
that could not do anything without a person using it…we need to fight
for crime control and not gun control.
- I am also happy to report that an attempt to water down the 1995 Parental
Notification Act was defeated. HB317 would have allowed notification to a long
laundry list of people other than the parent for a young woman under 18 who
was seeking an abortion. It received 55 votes. The sponsor has indicated that
he will not attempt again this spring to get this bill passed.
- Teenagers need to take note that HB3131 passed by a 115-1 margin. This
bill would require an automatic driver’s license suspension of 3 months
for anyone under the age of 21 convicted of alcohol consumption. The General
Assembly appears to be getting very tough on teenagers illegally consuming alcohol.
The majority party once again failed to act on the electric rate crisis.
However, I can assure you that there is a growing movement to bottle up legislation
that is important to the Democratic leadership unless the rate freeze is enacted.
This bi-partisan effort led by myself and other downstate lawmakers will become
even more determined in the coming weeks. Efforts to pass a supplemental appropriations
bill that is being pushed by the Democratic leadership in the Senate and House
includes pay raises for members of the General Assembly. I have consistently
voted against any attempt at raising legislative pay while the state lags behind
on its debts to hospitals, veterans and school construction. Unless the electric
rate issue is resolved, and unless funding for veterans causes, school construction,
and hospitals is included in the same supplemental spending bill that contains
legislator pay increases, I believe the bill must be soundly defeated in a bi-partisan
manner.
Space limits me from covering many other important bills.
If I missed a bill you are interested in, you can track the status of any bill or even listen to the action live at www.ilga.gov
E-mail me at (reddyunit1@aol.com); write to me at Box 125, Hutsonville, IL
62433 or call us at 618-563-4128. You can also keep up with important issues
at my web site (now with audio clips) - www.peopleforeddy.com