Veto Session on the Horizon
Fall is approaching, and that means the Legislative Veto Session is right around the corner. As of Aug. 18, all legislation that passed the General Assembly during the 2023 spring session has been acted on by the Governor. More than 550 bills were approved by both legislative chambers, and all were signed into law with the exception of three that received full vetoes and three that received amendatory (partial) vetoes. Veto Session is scheduled this year for October 24, 25, and 26, and November 7, 8, and 9. It is during these six days that the Legislature takes final action on these vetoed bills.
The Legislature can override full vetoes with a 3/5 majority vote. For amendatory vetoes, lawmakers can either vote to approve the Governor’s amendments to a bill with a simple majority vote, or override the amendatory veto with a 3/5 majority vote.
To learn more about the bills that passed the General Assembly, check out the Senate Republican “At A Glance” document, which summarizes all approved legislation from the spring session.
Big Changes at the DMV
On Friday, September 1, all Secretary of State Drivers Services Facilities (DMV) adopted new hours and procedures. All DMVs will now be open Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM until 5:30 PM.
Sixteen facilities across the state will be open on Saturdays from 8:00 AM until 12:30 PM. Facilities in this area that will have Saturday hours include the DMVs in Lombard, Naperville, Schaumburg, and West Chicago (CDL licenses only in West Chicago).
Additionally, 44 of the busiest DMV facilities in Illinois now require appointments for the issuance of driver’s licenses, REAL IDs, or ID cards and in-car driving tests. Customers seeking renewals, license plate stickers, or who need other motor vehicle service transactions will be able to complete their transactions online or can walk into a DMV without an appointment.
Motorists can visit ilsos.gov or call (844) 817-4649 to schedule an appointment. Click here to view a short video on how to schedule an appointment.
Senator Lewis to Co-Host Senior Fair in Roselle
On September 7, I am partnering with State Representative Jennifer Sanalitro for a Senior Expo. The event will offer valuable services, screenings, and information tailored to the senior community, ensuring they have the resources they need to live a healthier, informed, and safe life.
Date: September 7th, 2023
Time: 9:00 AM until NOON
Location: Roselle Park District, 555 Bryn Mawr Ave., Roselle, IL
Attendees can look forward to an array of health services, including:
- Hearing screenings
- Blood pressure screenings
- Glucose screenings
- Cholesterol screenings
- Flu Shots
Moreover, seniors will benefit from other essential resources, such as:
- I-CASH database lookups for unclaimed property through the Secretary of State’s Office
- Utility review consultations
- Sessions on financial living and assisted living
- Prescription drug drop-off
For additional details, please contact my legislative office at 630-349-0645.
Madigan Ally Found Guilty of Perjury, Obstruction of Justice
On August 24, Tim Mapes, often referred to as the gatekeeper for former House Speaker Mike Madigan, was found guilty in Federal Court of lying to a federal grand jury and obstructing the federal investigation into his former boss.
Jurors deliberated for five hours before bringing forth a “guilty on all charges” verdict. Mapes could face up to 25 years in prison for his crimes and will be sentenced in January. Madigan goes on trial for a long list of charges that include racketeering, bribery, wire fraud, and attempted extortion in April of 2024.
Upcoming Events in the 24th District
In addition to the September 7 Senior Fair in Roselle, I have a second Senior Fair scheduled in Wheaton on September 13. Upcoming events include:
- Wednesday, September 13, Senior Fair: 10:00 AM-12:00 Noon, Wheaton Community Center, 1777 S Blanchard St, Wheaton
- Wednesday, September 27, Unclaimed Property Day: 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM, Wheaton Community Center, 1777 S Blanchard St, Wheaton (Representatives of the Secretary of State’s Office will be available to help people search the state’s “unclaimed property and cash” database. One of four people find cash or property they are owed!)
- Saturday, September 30, Weekend Office Hours: 10:00 AM-12:00 PM, Lewis/Sanalitro District Office, 962 West Army Trail Road, Carol Stream
- Saturday, October 28, Prescription Drug Drop-Off Event: 10:00 AM-2:00 PM, Location TBD
As dates approach, additional information will be available on my website. Additionally, new events are added regularly, so visit SenatorLewis.com often to find more information.
Tax Credit Available to Volunteer Firefighters
This year legislation was signed into law that creates a Volunteer Emergency Worker tax credit. Volunteer firefighters are eligible for a $500 tax credit beginning with the tax return filed for 2023 in the spring of 2024. To be eligible, volunteer firefighters must earn less than $5,000 a year in stipends from their service. The total tax credits to be awarded is capped at $5 million, so credits will be distributed on a first come first served basis. As such, volunteer firefighters who believe they are eligible for the tax credit will want to file their tax returns as early as possible in 2024.
I supported the measure, and believe the $5 million allocation is an important first step in ensuring those who put their lives on the line as volunteer firefighters receive a tax break.
The Illinois Department of Revenue has not yet issued the guidance or instructions on this tax credit yet. Because this is a new tax credit, formal instructions will be published later this year or early in 2024.
Tax Credit Information on Purchase of Back-to-School Supplies
By now, kids are back in school. Purchasing school supplies can be costly, especially for families with more than one child in school. I wanted to remind taxpayers that a tax credit may be available to offset some school supply costs. Specifically, taxpayers may be able to claim school expenses for their K-12 students on their 2023 Illinois individual income tax returns.
Tax credits are available for both student and teacher expenses. Click here to learn more.
Two New Laws Cap Costs for Life-Saving Drugs
Illinois has two new laws on the books designed to lower costs for two potentially life-saving medicines, insulin, and epi-pens. These drugs offer a lifeline to people across Illinois with diabetes or serious allergies. I was proud to support both of these bills, which were signed into law in August.
House Bill 2189 lowers the current cap on a 30-day supply of insulin from $100 to $35. Insulin is a vital hormone used by the body to regulate blood sugar. For individuals diagnosed with diabetes, access to insulin treatment can be a matter of life and death.
House Bill 3639 caps the cost of 2-packs of epinephrine, often referred to as epi-pens, to $60. Epinephrine Auto-Injectors are typically used to stave off anaphylaxis, which is a severe allergic reaction that can be fatal.
Legislation to Enhance Parental Rights Signed into Law
If a parent has to consent for their child to receive a medical procedure or test, then they should be able to access the resulting records and results. That’s the idea behind a new law that I was proud to support.
Under prior Illinois law, parents have access to medical records for children under the age of 12; however, they may be denied access to records and test results for children 12 -17 years of age, even if the records are from tests and/or procedures that required parental consent to be performed. Once the child turns 18, if they are declared a developmentally disabled adult, parents can once again get access.
Senate Bill 188 closes the glaring loophole for special needs children aged 12–17 and allows parents access to these important records of their child, who often aren’t physically able to provide consent. The bill was signed into law by the Governor in August.
Governor Vetoes Bipartisan Nuclear Legislation
On August 11, Governor JB Pritzker issued a full veto of legislation I supported that would have ended Illinois’ decades-old ban on the construction of advanced nuclear reactors.
Senate Bill 76 garnered strong bipartisan support, receiving a 36-14 vote in the Senate and an 84-22 vote in the House of Representatives. Despite the wide margins of passage, the Governor’s veto message cited his concerns that the definition of an advanced nuclear reactor was “overly broad” and could allow for the building of large nuclear facilities.
In response to the Governor’s veto, proponents of Senate Bill 76 pointed out that the legislation was amended before its final passage to narrowly define what constitutes an advanced nuclear reactor using federal law with the intent that only small modular reactors could be built.
This legislation would have assisted in Illinois’ ongoing energy goals to build a cleaner, stronger, and more robust power supply. Unfortunately, wind and solar alone cannot fulfill the state’s needs, and this legislation would have helped bridge the gap. I hope that Senate and House leadership will allow the bill to be called for an override vote during the upcoming fall Veto Session.
Pair of Higher Education Scholarship Bills Become Law
The Governor recently signed a pair of bills directed at establishing scholarship programs to attract talented high school graduates to attend Illinois universities and colleges. I voted in favor of both bills.
The first bill, House Bill 301, permanently establishes Illinois’ Aspirational Institutional Match Helping Illinois Grow Higher Education (AIM HIGH) Grant Pilot Program. AIM HIGH was originally a statewide pilot program that provided merit-based scholarships to Illinois high school graduates to incentivize more high-achieving students to attend Illinois public universities, rather than them taking out-of-state offers with the chance they never return.
The second bill signed into law, House Bill 1378, establishes the Illinois Graduate and Retain Our Workforce (iGROW) Tech Scholarship Program. The iGROW program awards scholarships in order to recruit and train individuals to work in technology jobs that have a high demand for new employees and offer high wages. Scholarships may be made through the 2029-2030 academic year for a maximum of eight academic semesters.
Both scholarship programs should help the state deal with the ongoing “brain drain” of young, talented high school graduates and help ensure that Illinois’ workforce remains full of strong and qualified candidates.