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Looking Ahead:
My Legislative Agenda for 2008
Legislators return to Springfield this week to
consider new legislation and work on the looming mass transit issues. Over the past several months, I have developed
a legislative agenda for 2008, and I would like to highlight and explain a
few of the issues I plan on tackling.
Environment
I am working to reduce the use and prevalence of harmful
chemicals in everyday products, such as carpets, furniture and electronics. I plan to re-introduce legislation to
ban the use of decabromodiphyl
ether (Deca), a chemical
flame retardant that has been linked to thyroid disorders and developmental delays. A biomonitoring
study conducted this year by Environment Illinois confirmed that Deca is building up in our
bodies and the environment, and continues to be used despite uncertainty
about its safety.
I am also working in collaboration with Senator Susan
Garrett on legislation concerning e-waste (or electronic recycling). Some highlights of this bill include
the authorization of the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) to
develop and manage an environmentally sound statewide system for the
collection, recycling, and reuse of electronic policies. The agency will seek to set up a
system for electronic recycling and impose penalties on non-compliance. This legislation also eventually bans
the disposal of electronic materials in landfills and requires all collectors
that facilitate with the collection of CEDs to meet
the manufacturer’s annual recylcing shall
register with the IEPA.
Open Government
IDOT administers the Illinois Transportation (ITEP)
and the Illinois Safe Routes to School Program (IL-SRTS), using federal
Transportation Enhancements (TE) and Safe Routes to School (SRTS) funds. Since federal legislation created TE
in 1991, ITEP has been the main grant source available for Illinois trails
and other bikeways. I have been working with the Illinois League of
Bicyclists and other organizations to try and optimize the results of these
ITEP and SRTS dollars. My
legislation will aim to allow the public to become more involved in deciding
where the grants money goes and how the grants awards are received. I suggest a multi-agency selection
committee that may include key public organizations and objective selection
criteria.
Town Hall Meetings
Senator Susan Garrett and I will
hold two town hall meetings to discuss a state and local concerns that our
constituents may have. We believe
this is a great opportunity for us to meet and talk with many local residents
in our district. The meetings
will take place at:
-Wednesday, January 16th
from 7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. at the Des Plaines Public Library –
Room C
1501 Ellinwood in Des Plaines
-Saturday, January 19th
from 10:30 a.m. – 12 p.m. at Sportsman’s Country Club at 3535
Dundee Road in Northbrook
We hope to see you at one of the
meetings!
Good News from the Illinois Board of Higher Education
This past legislative session has
been a long and grueling one for those many government agencies that rely on
state funding to help run their programs and services. The Board of Higher Education recently
alerted me to some good initiatives the General Assembly took this past year
to help those in school. Some of
them include:
-An approved budget of $2.2 billion
for higher education, which increased the general fund for the third straight
year.
-Directed the Board of Higher
Education to develop a public agenda for higher education through the
adoption of HJR 69.
-Established the College and Career
Readiness Pilot Program to improve college preparation by providing
additional academic support and counseling on the college application
process.
-Endorsed the creation of a School
Leader Task Force to develop strategies for improving preparation of schools.
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