Ready to Move Legislation
The House will be back in session next week and I have filed several bills that will be important to our local communities, including:
- House Bill 1351 creates the Reducing Barriers to Start Act. This legislation will encourage new business start-ups. It encourages the elimination of all first-year business fees relating to any license or registration for any new business or person establishing a new business, including home-based businesses here in Illinois.
- House Bill 1352 helps us better serve our veterans by allowing smaller counties to band together to form multi-county Veterans Assistance Commissions.
- House Bill 1402 secures $67.6 million or as much as will be needed from the Build Illinois Bond Fund for the demolition and remediation of the buildings on the site of the former Jacksonville Development Center.
This is a start. I will keep you up to date on these and other bills I will be working to pass, as well as other issues you need to know about as the session progresses.
Illinois Supreme Court to Decide on Law Limiting Where People Can Sue State
It’s now up to the Illinois Supreme Court to decide the legality of a recently enacted state law limiting where people can file constitutional challenges against the state to only Sangamon and Cook counties.
Read more from The Center Square.
Record Illinois Soybean Crop Reported
The 2024 Illinois soybean harvest, which totaled 688 million bushels, set an all-time harvest record in the Prairie State. The previous high mark had been 667 million bushels in 2018. The Illinois Soybean Association reported this week that Illinois farmers had harvested beans from 10.75 million acres of Illinois land.
More than 99% of the soybeans grown in Illinois are processed for eventual use by humans.
Serving on the Legislative Audit Commission
I am very pleased that I will be serving on the Legislative Audit Commission this year and next.
The Commission is responsible for the oversight of the State Audit Program and review of the stewardship of public funds. I’ve managed the budget of a small business, and I’ve managed local government budgets. I take fiscal responsibility and accountability very seriously and I am very much looking forward to tackling this assignment.
Did You Know?
The 54th Massachusetts included 12 African Americans from Galesburg, Illinois who enlisted and fought for freedom during the Civil War. Last year, Rep. Dan Swanson shared the story of these heroes on the House floor and encouraged all to see the 1989 film “Glory” to learn more about the regiment.
https://www.thecaucusblog.com/2025/01/free-showing-of-glory-at-orpheum.html