Inauguration, Budget & Executive Orders

In his inaugural address, Governor Rauner made budget reform, job creation, economic growth, and educational reform four of the top priorities of his new administration. In addition, he and his staff have signaled their readiness to use additional executive orders to reorganize State agencies, abolish redundant and unnecessary offices, and reduce State spending.

As he launched into his duties as Governor of Illinois, Bruce Rauner issued a series of executive orders to freeze all nonessential State spending (Executive Order 15-08), including spending on infrastructure projects. Some forms of spending are expected to continue. For example, ongoing State-financed infrastructure projects may continue if construction has started or equipment purchased. This exemption does not apply to major State programs that are currently in the planning stage, such as the proposed Illiana Tollway. State agencies are barred from awarding new contracts or grants during a review period to be supervised by the Governor’s office, which is expected to continue until July 1, 2015.

Executive Order 15-09, was issued to halt the state’s horrific revolving door history. The order bans executive branch employees and appointees from negotiating for employment with a lobbyist or lobbying firm. It creates a one-year-long barrier between the act of leaving an executive-branch position and accepting any compensation for lobbying. Thirty-seven other states have implemented this type of policy within state government. The executive order goes further reducing the per diem food and beverages lobbyists may buy a member of the executive branch. In addition, the order increases the scope of the required annual filing of annual Statements of Economic Interest by State employees. Under the expanded disclosure requirement, mandated disclosures will include additional information about each filer’s outside work, volunteer work, legal status, and property holdings.

Executive Order 15-10, was issued to increase government accountability and transparency. The order mandates Central Management Services (CMS) to update the Illinois Transparency and Accountability Portal website to include salary and job classification information about Rutan-exempt employees and assist local governments in doing the same.

Executive Order 15-11, reversed last minute executive orders and appointments made by former Governor Pat Quinn before exiting office.

Executive Order 15-12, orders state agencies to review state contracts within 30 days and require labor organizations, contractors and subcontractors to catalog the total number of minority and veteran participants. In addition, CMS must conduct a review of programs and goals to ensure minority-owned businesses and veteran-owned businesses are provided equal opportunities to obtain state contracts. Governor Rauner commented, "We need to ensure jobs and business opportunities are open to everyone, but especially those who serve our country or are underrepresented in the economy."

Springfield, IL … On Thursday, Governor Quinn called for a special session of the General Assembly in January to consider a 2016 special election to replace the late Illinois Comptroller Judy Baar Topinka. State Representative Joe Sosnowski (R-Rockford) called the move misleading and unnecessary.

“The Illinois Constitution requires Governor-Elect Rauner to appoint a new comptroller to a four-year term. This means that any measure approved by the General Assembly in the special session to hold a special election for a shorter term would require changing the constitution and therefore would require voter approval. The soonest opportunity for voters to decide on whether or not to hold a special election would be 2016, which wouldn’t make any changes before the term in question has expired,” said Sosnowski. “Any changes made to the Illinois Constitution should be carefully debated, and not be hurried through in a political, last-ditch effort by a departing Governor.”

For more information, call Rep. Sosnowski’s office at (815) 547-3436.

In Memory of: Judy Baar Topinka January 16, 1944 - December 10, 2014 Judy Baar Topinka, State Comptroller Passes Away Judy Baar Topinka passed away at the age of 70 on Wednesday, December 10.  The incumbent State Comptroller had just been reelected by popular vote to serve a second term in office; she would have taken her oath of office alongside Governor-elect Bruce Rauner on Monday, January 12.  First elected to statewide office in 1994 as the state Treasurer, Topinka temporarily stepped down in 2006 following an unsuccessful run for Governor.  The veteran executive then again sought statewide office in 2010 as state Comptroller, easily winning election to a four-year term in a new office.   I had the opportunity to work in her Treasurer's office over a college summer years ago, and I was able to see firsthand her passion for the State of Illinois and for doing the right thing. As a legislator, I appreciated working with her and respected her common sense, straight forward approach. She was one of a kind and will be missed. Attorney General Lisa Madigan was asked to render an opinion on the issue of who should fill the position of State Comptroller after January 12, 2015.  She concluded the authority to fill the vacant office for the new Comptroller term should be transferred to Governor-elect Bruce Rauner; however, she highly encourages a special election for the position in 2016.  To read more click here. Governor-elect: Illinois Budget Crisis Much Worse than Has Been Discussed As part of the transition to his inauguration on Monday, January 12, Bruce Rauner again visited Springfield this month.  The outgoing Quinn administration’s Governor’s Office of Management and Budget (GOMB) began to show him and top aides the State’s financial books, and Rauner confided to the press on Tuesday, December 2 that what he saw was “worse than discussed.” To read more about Illinois budget and Rideshare legislative update click here.

As always, if you have any questions or comments about the topics discussed in this newsletter, or any other part of state government, please do not hesitate to contact my office at (815) 547-3436 or email me at sosnowski@ilhousegop.org. Sincerely,

State Representative Joe Sosnowski issued the following statement on the loss of Illinois Comptroller Judy Baar Topinka:

"My thoughts and prayers are with Judy Baar Topinka's friends and family. I had the opportunity to work in her office over a college summer years ago, and I was able to see first hand her passion for the State of Illinois and for doing the right thing. As a legislator, I appreciated working with her and respected her common sense, straight forward approach. She was one of a kind and will be missed."

As part of Rep. Sosnowski’s new video series, “Questions with Joe”, he takes a look at legislation that could affect the way ridesharing businesses like Uber and Lyft operate. This week the General Assembly approved a bill that places a set of common sense consumer protections to provide a baseline for how these businesses to operate in Illinois. The bill now heads to the Governor's office for review. 

You can watch the video below to learn more.

For more information, please contact Rep. Sosnowski's office at (815) 547-3436, or by email at sosnowski@ilhousegop.org.

Thank you Veterans for your commitment & dedication to serving and protecting our country!

Governor-elect Bruce Rauner Names Transition Team

Preparing for his inauguration as the 42nd Governor of Illinois, Bruce Rauner named the five leaders and 26 committee members of his transition team. The team will work to transition Rauner into the Governor’s office by examining the credentials of the men and women of all parties who want to help lead Illinois’s troubled state government in 2015-2019.

Congratulations to two local area residents, on their selection to join the Rauner transition team.

With Landmark Fracking Decision, Jobs and Opportunity Coming to Southern Illinois.

The Joint Committee on Administrative Rules approved the fracking regulations that are legally required for engineering teams to enter Illinois properties and drill for fossil fuels.  Up until now, Illinois has not had rules or a permit structure in place to cover horizontal drilling in sedimentary beds of shale rock.  A newly-invented segment of oil drilling technology, “fracking,” has sprung up to puncture these tightly-bound particles of rock and force them to yield their crude oil and natural gas. A significant deposit of New Albany shale, believed to be oil-rich, lies underneath many counties of southeastern Illinois.

More than one year ago, the General Assembly directed DNR to adopt fracking rules and start granting permits. The new state law was passed by both houses as SB 1715 and became law in June 2013. However, fracking technology is complex, and the Department took significant time to publish their rules proposal. During this waiting period, advocates pushed DNR to take steps to effectively ban fracking altogether, despite the existence of the new statutory law.  

Working with the members and staff of the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules, a General Assembly panel that oversees the rulemaking process, lawmakers negotiated with DNR to adopt key changes and modifications to the proposed fracking rule to bring its text into compliance with the intent of the General Assembly as passed in SB 1715.

JCAR’s approval of the modified rules, granted on Thursday, November 6, is a key step in unlocking Illinois’ oil-bearing shale for drilling and production. Actual Illinois drilling activity will remain contingent on the fluctuations of global prices for crude oil. This is a great example of how Illinois can lead the United States toward energy independence while creating thousands of well-paid jobs.

As always, if you have any questions or comments about the topics discussed in this newsletter, or any other part of state government, please do not hesitate to contact my office at (815) 547-3436 or by email at sosnowski@ilhousegop.org.

Sincerely,

State Representative Joe Sosnowski

Rockford, IL... In response to the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules landmark approval of Illinois fracking regulations, State Representative Joe Sosnowski (R-Rockford) issued the following statement:

“Fracking offers a dependable, low cost source of energy that will benefit small businesses and families alike and I am pleased by the decision to move forward with allowing natural gas production through fracking in Illinois.  The rules approved today represent the strongest set of hydraulic fracturing regulations in the nation – for the public water supply, for air, and for public health and safety.  This is a great example of how Illinois can lead the United States toward energy independence while creating thousands of well-paid jobs.”

For more information, call Rep. Sosnowski’s office at (815) 547-3436 or visit www.JoeSosnowski.org.