In this issue:
- Encouraging farm safety
- Working to prevent an electricity price spike
- I-PASS On Demand event on Monday afternoon
- Saunemin career fair
Encouraging farm safety
This spring I am once again sponsoring a resolution to recognize Farm Safety Week just as harvest season is getting underway in September.
Farming is one of the most dangerous employment sectors in the U.S. economy. Every year the farming profession sees over 500 fatalities nationwide. Most of these deaths are caused by tractor accidents, but accidents such as grain bin cave-ins cause a large number of injuries and deaths as well. Farmers work with pesticides and other chemicals, in large fields and in confined spaces, with dangerous equipment and large animals, and we do so in every kind of weather condition Illinois has to offer. That is why safety is so important.
But farm safety extends beyond farmers. It also includes members of the public who share the road with farm vehicles. These slow-moving vehicles often have limited visibility, so motorists need to exercise extra caution when approaching or passing one.
We also have to take into account the emotional toll of farming, encouraging farmers to take care of their mental health.
All these factors and more will be part of an educational campaign tied to Farm Safety Week, which we will mark in Illinois from September 15 to September 21 this year. Be safe!
Working to prevent an electricity price spike
Illinoisans are facing significant energy price increases this summer, according to a recent report from the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) the grid operator which posts prices for peak-load electrical supplies for most of Illinois.
MISO is projecting a large increase in capacity prices which will lead to electric bill increases of 18% to 22% for residential customers across the state during the hottest months of the year. Price increases like these place enormous burdens on Illinois residents and raise serious concerns when it comes to affordability and the reliability of our electrical grid.
The state needs a plan to address this problem. And soon.
That’s why I joined with the other Republicans on the House Energy and Environment committee in calling for our chairperson and vice chairperson to convene a hearing to review the state’s energy policy. This week we wrote to the chairperson requesting a hearing with policy experts, academic researchers and industry leaders to hear their testimony and to develop a plan to prevent or mitigate these price increases.
We hope to determine if current state policies – such as the 2021 energy bill signed by Governor Pritzker – are serving their intended purpose, or if changes are necessary to guarantee continued affordability, reliability and security of our electric grid for all its users.
This needs to happen soon, before the peak-use summer months. We are ready to work together proactively to address this challenge before it is too late.
I-PASS On Demand event on Monday afternoon
On Monday May 12 I am joining with Senator Chris Balkema, as well as Senator Sue Rezin and Rep. Jed Davis to host an I-PASS On Demand event in Morris.
Local drivers who use the Illinois Tollway will have the chance to exchange their transponder box for a new I-PASS sticker tag. The event will run from 3 p.m. until 7 p.m. at the Grundy County Board Room, located at 1320 Union Street in Morris.
Once activated, a sticker tag is ready to use on the Tollway and other E-ZPass roadways 24 hours after activation. There is no deposit required for a sticker tag from the Tollway, and the deposit you paid for your old transponder will transfer into your current account.
Saunemin Career Fair
It was a fantastic morning at Saunemin Elementary School’s Career Fair! I had many great conversations with the students and businesses.
Thank you again to the Saunemin School for the invitation! It’s always a wonderful event!
Our current bill backlog
When a vendor provides the state with goods and services, they submit the bill to the Illinois Comptroller for payment. The Comptroller processes the paperwork and pays the bill when funds are available in the state’s checking account. Currently the total amount of unpaid bills is $2,219,545,359. This figure changes daily. Last year at this time the state had $1.3 billion in bills awaiting payment. This only includes bills submitted to the Comptroller for payment, not unfunded debts like the state’s pension liability, which is well over $100 billion.
Illinois headlines
Illinois House GOP strongly oppose potential tax hikes in FY26 budget
House Democrats endorse status quo on ethics
Sport fish consumption advisory includes Mazon and Illinois Rivers, Heidecke Lake
Illinois senators discuss potential increase in nuclear power capacity