ILLINOIS (WCIA) — As the October veto session approaches, Illinois legislators are focusing on drafting new legislation since there are no vetoes on the agenda.
It’s called the veto session but this year lawmakers don’t have many vetoes to consider.
Governor Pritzker only vetoed two bills and neither seems to be grabbing lawmakers attention.
But, that doesn’t mean they won’t be working.
“One key issue for me is the rising cost of living and its impact on working families in my district,” stated House Democrat Sue Scherer.
Scherer said lawmakers jobs have gotten even harder since they adjourned their spring session.
Due to President Donald Trump’s significant funding cuts to benefits programs, Scherer emphasized the need for Illinois to bridge the gap to prevent local families from bearing the cost.
“With Washington cutting Medicaid and SNAP benefits, we’re already considered a donor state, which is unjust. At the state level, we’re striving to creatively manage our budget and find alternative funding to compensate for these federal cuts,” Scherer explained.
Illinois House Republicans don’t have much they can do to overcome a Democrat super majority.
But that isn’t stopping them from trying.
“You’re going to probably see the House Republicans exposing and opposing legislation,” House Republican leader Tony McCombie said.
McCombie said her biggest red flags are coming from conversations around energy.
“There is a concerning bill that troubles me more than any tax increase—it’s the ‘bring your own energy’ policy in Illinois,” mentioned McCombie.
During the conclusion of the spring session, the “bring your own clean energy” bill gained some momentum. This legislation mandates businesses needing more than 25 megawatts of power to secure their own clean energy, or otherwise, incur higher charges.
McCombie said the extra costs will scare businesses away from the state and that Illinois can solve its power problems if it goes back to what it knows.
“We have to, we have to look at that. Also we have to extend or repeal, I will take either way, the shutdown of coal and natural gas and remove the moratorium on nuclear,” McCombie said.
The veto session will begin on Oct. 14h and end on Oct. 30.
