Illinois Fertilizer & Chemical Association

HB 3140:Provides that the tax on ethanol applies to 100% of the proceeds of sales made on or after the effective date (currently, the tax applies to 80% of the proceeds of sales made before December 31, 2018 and 100% of the proceeds of sales made thereafter).
(Link to Illinois General Assembly Bill Status)

Status:In House Rules Committee.

HB 3378:This legislation will sunset the current 20% sales tax incentive for E-10 ethanol upon becoming law, creates a 10% sales tax incentive for E-15 ethanol until December 31, 2018, and creates three new grant programs to encourage the distribution of ethanol, increased efficiency of ethanol production, and development of future corn based fuel production. The grant programs would receive a total of $25 million annually for three years.
(Link to Illinois General Assembly Bill Status)

Status:Assigned to House Committee on Sales and Other Taxes Subcommittee

HB 3755:Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that no rail carrier shall operate a train or light engine used in connection with the movement of freight unless it has an operating crew consisting of at least 2 individuals. Provides that the minimum freight train crew size shall remain in effect until a federal law or rule encompassing the subject matter has been adopted. Grants the Illinois Commerce Commission the power to conduct evidentiary hearings, make findings, and issue and enforce orders, including sanctions, with respect to freight train crew member size. Provides that the term "train or light engine" does not include trains operated by a hostler service or utility employees.
(Link to Illinois General Assembly Bill Status)

Status:Passed out of the House on a 74-39 vote. Now moves to the Senate.

HB 4254:Will extend the sunset date on property tax assessments on agriculture filter strips to December 2026. Vegetative filter strips are an important tool for farmers regrading nutrient management and for the reduction of soil erosion
(Link to Illinois General Assembly Bill Status)

Status:Referred to Rules Committee

HB 4299:HB 4299 states that no person may knowingly dispose of a used oil filter in a manner that is intended for collection and disposal at a landfill. Oil filters would be required to be recycled, placing a burden on farmers to find a recycling location that would accept the filters, likely at an additional cost.
(Link to Illinois General Assembly Bill Status)

Status:Assigned to Environment

HB 4318:This bill would authorize the Department of Agriculture to sell to qualified applicants signs designating that an agribusiness has been operated for 100 years or more or 150 years of more as the same agribusiness.
(Link to Illinois General Assembly Bill Status)

Status:Passed out of House Agriculture Committee on a 17-0 vote. Moves now to the House floor.

HB 4962:HB 4962 states that no tax shall be imposed under the Act for persons dying on or after the effective date or for transfers made on or after the effective date of the bill. It eliminates the State estate tax in Illinois
(Link to Illinois General Assembly Bill Status)

Status:Referred to Rules Committee

HB 5521:This bill creates the offense of theft of recyclable metal when a person, without the consent of the owner, knowingly obtains or exerts control over property consisting of any recyclable metal as that is manufactured, sold, or used for transmission lines, telephone lines, irrigation equipment, heating and ventilating systems, and other applications. A person also commits theft of recyclable metal when he or she, in committing theft of recyclable metal, knowingly damages or destroys any property of another by removing or damaging recyclable metal components of that property. Penalties for the offenses vary based on the value of the metals and damages and if the property was stolen from a school, church, or unit of government.
(Link to Illinois General Assembly Bill Status)

Status:Assigned to House Judiciary - Criminal Committee.

HB 5616:Amends the Illinois Noxious Weed Law. Provides that the governing body of each county may (previously was "shall") carry out the duties and responsibilities vested in it under the Act with respect to land under its jurisdiction in accordance with rules prescribed by the Department of Agriculture. Provides that those duties may (previously was "shall") include the establishment, under the general direction of the governing body of each county, of a coordinated program for control and eradication of noxious weeds within the county
(Link to Illinois General Assembly Bill Status)

Status:Referred to Rules Committee

HB 5639:Amends the Illinois Pesticide Act. Provides that "Commercial Not For Hire Applicator" includes a certified applicator who uses or supervises the use of pesticides classified for general or restricted use as an employee of a State agency, municipality, or other duly constituted governmental agency or unit. Removes the definition of "Licensed Public Applicator" and makes conforming changes. It also moves from paying the license every year to every three years.
(Link to Illinois General Assembly Bill Status)

Status:Referred to Rules Committee

HB 5688:HB 5688 makes changes to the legal length of a truck tractor semitrailer combination on non-State highways from 55 feet to 65 feet, and removes the wheelbase limitations on a truck tractor semitrailer combination on Class III roadways and non-designated State highways of 55 feet. The bill also states that the distance between the king pin and center axle of a semitrailer in combination with a truck tractor cannot exceed 42 feet 6 inches, which does not apply to livestock trailers
(Link to Illinois General Assembly Bill Status)

Status:Referred to Rules Committee

HB 5804:Creates the Plant Advertising Act. Provides that nurseries in this State shall not advertise plants as "bee-friendly" if a systemic insecticide has been used on the plants. Provides that "nursery" has the meaning ascribed to that term in the Insect Pest and Plant Disease Act.
(Link to Illinois General Assembly Bill Status)

Status:Referred to Rules Committee

HB 5900:The bill would make it unlawful to apply any neonicotinoid insecticides on any public lands owned or maintained by Illinois or any other outdoor residential settings, including landscaping, ornamental, or other outdoor applications in Illinois. It also requires the Department of Agriculture to issue a draft report evaluating whether clear, peer-reviewed, published scientific evidence exists that outdoor applications of these insecticides are safe for honey bees, other pollinators, other beneficial insects, the broader environment, and human health within one year.
(Link to Illinois General Assembly Bill Status)

Status:Assigned to House Environment Committee. The bill wasn't called in committee this week.

SB 11:Amends the Minimum Wage Law. Increases the minimum wage from $8.25 to $9.00 beginning July 1, 2015 and increases it by $0.50 each July 1 until July 1, 2019, at which point the minimum wage will be $11.00. Provides that the establishment of a minimum wage that employers must pay their employees is an exclusive power and function of the State and is a denial and limitation of the home rule powers and functions, except that the limitation on home rule powers does not apply to a specified ordinance adopted by the City Council of City of Chicago. Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Creates a credit against the withholding tax liability of employers with fewer than 50 employees, calculated based on the increase in the minimum wage.
(Link to Illinois General Assembly Bill Status)

Status:Passed out of the Senate on a 35-18 vote. It was placed in House Rules committee. It never got a hearing in the House.

SB 734:Would create an GMO labelinrequirement for the state of Illinois
(Link to Illinois General Assembly Bill Status)

Status:The bill didn't move this spring session.

SB 1626:Amends the Lawn Care Products Application and Notice Act. Makes changes to the requirements of lawn markers. Makes changes to the requirements for notification of persons before the application of lawn products.
(Link to Illinois General Assembly Bill Status)

Status:Passed out of the Senate. It didn't move in the House.

SB 1731:Amends the Illinois Fertilizer Act of 1961.
(Link to Illinois General Assembly Bill Status)

Status:In Senate Assignments.

SB 2145:SB increases the the minimum wage from $8.25 to $9.00 beginning July 1, 2015 and increases it by $0.50 each July 1 until July 1, 2019, at which point the minimum wage will be $11.00. It also states that the establishment of a minimum wage that employers must pay their employees is an exclusive power and function of the State and is a denial and limitation of the home rule powers and functions, except that the limitation on home rule powers does not apply to a specified ordinance adopted by the City Council of City of Chicago. The bill also creates a credit against the withholding tax liability of employers with fewer than 50 employees, calculated based on the increase in the minimum wage.
(Link to Illinois General Assembly Bill Status)

Status:Assigned to Executive

SB 2910:Amends the Illinois Noxious Weed Law. Provides that the governing body of each county may (previously was "shall") carry out the duties and responsibilities vested in it under the Act with respect to land under its jurisdiction in accordance with rules prescribed by the Department of Agriculture. Provides that those duties may (previously was "shall") include the establishment, under the general direction of the governing body of each county, of a coordinated program for control and eradication of noxious weeds within the county.
(Link to Illinois General Assembly Bill Status)

Status:Assigned to Senate Ag Committee.

SB 2918:Amends the Illinois Pesticide Act. Provides that "Commercial Not For Hire Applicator" includes a certified applicator who uses or supervises the use of pesticides classified for general or restricted use as an employee of a State agency, municipality, or other duly constituted governmental agency or unit. Removes the definition of "Licensed Public Applicator" and makes conforming changes. It also moves from paying the license every year to every three years.
(Link to Illinois General Assembly Bill Status)

Status:Passed both the Senate and the House. Moves now to the Governor's desk.

SB 2965:The bill would make it unlawful to apply any neonicotinoid insecticides on any public lands owned or maintained by Illinois or any other outdoor residential settings, including landscaping, ornamental, or other outdoor applications in Illinois. It also requires the Department of Agriculture to issue a draft report evaluating whether clear, peer-reviewed, published scientific evidence exists that outdoor applications of these insecticides are safe for honey bees, other pollinators, other beneficial insects, the broader environment, and human health within one year.
(Link to Illinois General Assembly Bill Status)

Status:Assigned to Senate Environment and Conservation. SB2965 wasn't called in committee last week.

SB 3267:SB 3267 creates the Illinois Road Improvement and Driver Enhancement Act. The Act would require all registered vehicles in the State (exempts commercial motor vehicles) to pay a distance based road user fee to drive on public roads in Illinois. The owner of the vehicle would receive a credit for estimated motor fuel taxes being paid, and would be able to choose which payment plan theyâ?™d prefer to use. The base road user fee will be $0.015 per vehicle mile traveled. 18% of the revenue collected will go to the Public Transportation Fund, 2% deposited into the Downstate Public Transportation Fund, 1% deposited into the Alternate Fuels Fund, and all other revenue collected will go into the Motor Fuel Tax Fund.
(Link to Illinois General Assembly Bill Status)

Status:Assigned to Senate Executive Committee.

HR 594:Waters of the United States Regulatory Overreach Protection Act of 2015 This bill prohibits the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from: developing, finalizing, adopting, implementing, applying, administering, or enforcing the proposed rule entitled, "Definition of 'Waters of the United States' Under the Clean Water Act," issued on April 21, 2014, or the proposed guidance entitled, "Guidance on Identifying Waters Protected By the Clean Water Act," dated February 17, 2012; or using the proposed rule or proposed guidance, any successor document, or any substantially similar proposed rule or guidance as the basis for any rulemaking or decision regarding the scope or enforcement of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act). The Army Corps and the EPA must withdraw the interpretive rule entitled, "Notice of Availability Regarding the Exemption from Permitting Under Section 404(f)(1)(A) of the Clean Water Act to Certain Agricultural Conservation Practices," issued on April 21, 2014. The Army Corps and the EPA are required to consult with relevant state and local officials to develop recommendations for a regulatory proposal that would identify the scope of waters covered under the Clean Water Act and the scope of waters not covered.
(Link to Illinois General Assembly Bill Status)

Status:Referred to the House Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment.

HR 863:Amends the Internal Revenue Code to exempt seasonal employees from the definition of "full-time employee" for purposes of the employer mandate to provide employees with minimum essential health care coverage. Defines "seasonal employee" as an employee who is employed in a position for which the customary annual employment is not more than six months and which requires performing labor or services that are ordinarily performed at certain seasons or periods of the year.
(Link to Illinois General Assembly Bill Status)

Status:In House Committee on Ways and Means.

HR 897:Reducing Regulatory Burdens Act (HR 897). The provision corrects the duplicative requirement by specifying that Clean Water Act National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits are not needed for the lawful application of pesticides already regulated under Federal Insecticide, Fungicide & Rodenticide Act (FIFRA).
(Link to Illinois General Assembly Bill Status)

Status:Passed out of House Agriculture Committee.

HR 913:To amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to require that genetically engineered food and foods that contain genetically engineered ingredients be labeled.
(Link to Illinois General Assembly Bill Status)

Status:Referred to House Energy and Commerce Committee.

HR 1599:The bill would create a voluntary federal labeling standard, while pre-empting states from passing their own mandatory labeling laws for GMO foods.
(Link to Illinois General Assembly Bill Status)

Status:July 23, 2015 the bill passed the House 275-150. Now moves to the Senate Ag Committee

HR 1732:H.R. 1732 Regulatory Integrity Protection Act of 2015 requires the EPA and Army Corps to withdraw the WOTUS proposal within 30 days.
(Link to Illinois General Assembly Bill Status)

Status:Passed out of the US House 261-155. In the Senate now.

S 808:This legislation is will promote greater competition between railroads and improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the Surface Transportation Board (STB).
(Link to Illinois General Assembly Bill Status)

Status:Have passed U.S. Senate. Now moves to the U.S. House.

S 1140:S.1140 Federal Water Protection Act requires the EPA and Army Corps to withdraw the WOTUS proposal within 30 days.
(Link to Illinois General Assembly Bill Status)

Status:S. 1140 received 57 votes on the Senate floor on Nov. 3, 15 but the bill needed 60 to pass out of the Senate.

S 2848:S. 2848 authorizes WRDA authorizes Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) policies and activities for construction projects on navigable rivers and channels, as well as projects for flood control, storm damage reduction, and ecosystem restoration. WRDA also provides essential oversight and prioritization of Corps activities and ensures taxpayer dollars are being spent responsibly. Traditionally, a WRDA bill has been enacted approximately every two years, most recently in 2014.
(Link to Illinois General Assembly Bill Status)

Status:The Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works approved the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA), S. 2848, by a vote of 19-1. It now moves to the Senate Floor.