Governor Quinn Takes Bill Action

**Thursday, March 10, 2011**

CHICAGO - March 10, 2011. Governor Pat Quinn today took action on the following bill:

Bill No.: HB 1422

Renames an Illinois Department of Natural Resources building after former Director Joel Brunsvold.

An Act Concerning: State Government

Action: Signed                        

Effective Date: Immediately

Bill No.: HB 5289

Amends the School Code so that Valley View Community Unit School District 365U may, as a part of a debt restructuring plan, extend their bond maturity limit for capital bonds from 20 to 25 years.

An Act Concerning: Finance

Action: Signed                        

Effective Date: Immediately

Bill No.: HB 6908

Creates specialty license plates for the Chicago Police Memorial Foundation.

An Act Concerning: Transportation

Action: Signed                        

Effective Date: Immediately

Bill No.: SB 150

Creates the Community Expanded Mental Health Services Act requiring election authorities to place the question of creating an Expanded Mental Health Services Program within the City of Chicago on the ballot if it is initiated by resolution, ordinance or by a petition.

An Act Concerning: Public Health

Action: Signed                        

Effective Date: June 1

Bill No.: SB 362

Extends the time that fractional cumulative votes can be tabulated at the central office of an election jurisdiction from December 31, 2007 to December 31, 2011.

An Act Concerning: Elections

Action: Signed                        

Effective Date: Immediately

Bill No.: SB 389

Provides assistance in obtaining mental health and support services upon release to wrongfully imprisoned individuals.

An Act Concerning: State Government

Action: Signed                        

Effective Date: July 1

Bill No.: SB 1310

Re-codifies and realigns provisions of the Criminal Code.

An Act Concerning: Criminal Law

Action: Signed                        

Effective Date: July 1

Bill No.: SB 2530

Allows a redevelopment project in a TIF district in the City of Venice to be completed by the end of 2028.

An Act Concerning: Local Government

Action: Signed                        

Effective Date: Immediately

Bill No.: SB 2797

Limits the scope of the Cook County Assessor's power to add mistakenly omitted properties to the tax rolls, makes disputes over such omissions reviewable by the Board of Review, and sets parameters for the mandated repayment of any resulting back property taxes owed.

An Act Concerning: Local Government

Action: Signed                        

Effective Date: Immediately

###

SPRINGFIELD - February 28, 2011. Governor Pat Quinn today sent a formal request to President Barack Obama asking that 60 counties be declared federal disaster areas, in order to help local governments recover from the major blizzard and winter storm that impacted much of Illinois in early February. State and local government expenses related to storm response and recovery are estimated to be more than $64 million.

"Record snowfall and dangerous ice from this major winter storm created significant challenges for local governments earlier this month", said Governor Quinn. "While the snow is mostly gone, the serious financial impacts of the storm remain. Today I am asking President Obama to help these communities recover many of their expenses by approving this request."

In the letter to President Obama, Governor Quinn requested that 60 counties receive federal reimbursement for extraordinary storm-related expenses, including emergency protective measures, debris removal and permanent repair of damages to government-owned facilities and electrical cooperatives. If approved, local government entities could receive reimbursement for 75 percent of their eligible storm-related expenses.

New Law Protects Illinois' Retailers and Low-Income Communities

CHICAGO - February 23, 2011. Governor Pat Quinn today was joined by Cook County State's Attorney Anita Alvarez, Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart and representatives from the Illinois Retail Merchants Association to sign legislation that will strengthen the state's efforts to combat organized retail crime.

"Supporting Illinois businesses is key to our long-term economic growth," Governor Quinn said. "This important new law will help protect retailers and communities throughout Illinois from the economically damaging practices of organized retail crime."

Organized retail crime occurs when an individual, group or gang illegally obtains retail merchandise through theft and fraud in substantial quantities. House Bill 6460 will expand law enforcement's ability to charge and prosecute offenders of organized retail crime.

Under the new law, prosecutors will be able to seek forfeiture of assets of those convicted of organized retail crime. The forfeiture of assets represents a major legislative step forward in providing financial disincentive to organizers and participants of organized retail crime.

Across the country, the retail industry loses an estimated $30 billion a year to this practice. Additionally, it is estimated that the state of Illinois lost $77 million in tax dollars not collected in 2010 as a result of these thefts, according to the Cook County State's Attorney's Office.

Organized retail crime puts residents throughout Illinois at risk. Through organized retail crime, stores in low-income communities can end up stocking stolen merchandise, such as over-the-counter medication and baby formula, whose product temperature and caretaking needs have not been satisfied. The crimes also drive up prices for all merchandise.

"This legislation represents a great step forward in preventing the abuse of Illinois businesses by individuals who target them for theft," said Rep. Constance Howard (D-Chicago). "At the same time, this legislation provides a brighter future for those who seek to rehabilitate after committing crimes. This is a bill about a successful Illinois economy - successful businesses and successful job-seekers."

"Retail theft causes price increases for everyone. Therefore, the perpetrator must learn their lesson and pay their debt to society. Once the perpetrator has paid their debt to society, re-entry into the world of work and good citizenship should be our goal," said Rep. Monique Davis (D-Chicago). "I would like to thank my colleagues for their hard work on this important legislation."

House Bill 6460 also allows individuals who have completed supervision for retail theft to have their convictions expunged after two years, rather than five. This offers ex-offenders greater opportunity to successfully seek employment. The new law takes effect June 1.

###

Names Two Senior Advisors and Five Agency Heads to Continue Efforts to Boost Illinois' Economic Recovery, Address State's Fiscal Challenges

CHICAGO - February 7, 2011. Governor Pat Quinn today named two senior members to his administration and re-appointed five members of his executive cabinet. Today's actions are the second step in a series of appointments Governor Quinn will make over the first quarter of 2011 as he continues to fulfill his commitment to creating jobs, recovering our economy and making state government more efficient and accountable to the people of Illinois.

Today Governor Quinn named Cristal Thomas to serve as his Deputy Governor for Public Policy and Sean Vinck to serve as Chief Information Officer. Governor Quinn also re-appointed Secretary Brent Adams to the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, Director Arthur Bishop to the Department of Juvenile Justice, Director Dan Grant to the Department of Veterans' Affairs, Director Michael McRaith to the Department of Insurance and Director Marc Miller to the Department of Natural Resources.

"Continuing our mission of recovering Illinois' economy and addressing our budget challenges requires hard work by a team of dedicated and talented individuals," said Governor Quinn. "These seven appointees have an ethic of service and I am confident that they will work collaboratively and creatively to address our problems and move Illinois forward."

As Deputy Governor for Public Policy, Cristal Thomas will help develop and implement the Quinn administration's public policy priorities. Thomas previously served as Region V Director for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), acting as the official representative of Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. Previously, Thomas was Executive Director of the Ohio Executive Medicaid Management Administration, serving as a member of Governor Ted Strickland's cabinet. Thomas previously served as Assistant Director of the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS), Director of Strategic Planning for HFS, and Policy Analyst in the White House Office of Management and Budget. She holds a Master's Degree in Public Policy from the University of Chicago.

As Chief Information Officer, Vinck will direct the state's information technology policies, focusing on improving and updating IT infrastructure. Additionally, he will oversee information technology officers throughout state government. Since January 2010, Vinck has served as Special Administrator for the Department of Corrections, where he was tasked with overhauling and modernizing the agency's electronic Offender Tracking System. Previously, he served as Governor Quinn's Chief Legislative Counsel and Chief of Intergovernmental Affairs. Vinck also served then-Lieutenant Governor Pat Quinn as his Legislative Counsel. He holds a Master's Degree in Political Science and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Notre Dame.

Secretary Brent Adams partnered with legislative leaders, industry experts, and consumer advocates to develop and pass the Cemetery Oversight Act, one of the most pro-consumer cemetery laws in the country. He also chaired the Mortgage Fraud Task Force and coordinated the Mortgage Relief Project, a statewide program that has helped thousands of homeowners take advantage of programs that can help them save their homes. He drafted and served as a lead negotiator for consumers on the Homeowner Protection Act, the Payday Loan Reform Act, the Consumer Installment Loan Reform Act, and regulations to protect consumers from predatory auto title loans.

Director Arthur Bishop brings more 35 years of experience in administering child welfare, community mental health and substance abuse programs including 15 years serving in the Department of Child and Family Services where he led several initiatives requiring interagency collaboration between public, private and community-based partners, including family advocacy centers, paternal involvement centers and the Fatherhood Initiative. Bishop has also represented DCFS on the Governor's Task Force on the Condition of African American Males.

Director Dan Grant, a graduate of West Point, has led the Department of Veterans' Affairs since 2009. Grant has worked with members of the Illinois legislature and testified at hearings to help secure passage of a bill that ensured interest payments were made on delayed Line-of-Duty Benefit payments to bereaved military families (SB 2489.) He also spearheaded legislation to establish the Task Force on Service Member and Veterans Education and the Military Family Interstate Compact Implementation Statute Drafting Advisory Committee (HB 5368). Grant is also a captain in the U.S. Army and led 28 men in a combat arms platoon during a year-long deployment in Operation Iraqi Freedom. He served throughout the Sunni Triangle in Bayji, Samarra, Balad, and Tikrit in a wide range of roles, including leading a 120 person team of soldiers, local Iraqi's, U.S. contractors, and coalition allies in the excavation, collection and destruction of 3 million pounds of enemy ammunition during a 120 day mission.

Director Michael McRaith is leading the state's implementation of federal health care reform and serves as chairman of the board of directors for the Illinois Comprehensive Health Insurance Plan (a high risk health insurance pool). He also supervises the state's Senior Health Insurance Program (SHIP), and has actively participated in developing, drafting and advocating for statewide and national health insurance modernization, including boosting reporting requirements to guard against unreasonable premium hikes by Illinois health insurance providers. McRaith also serves on the executive committee of the board of directors for the AIDS Foundation of Chicago and serves on board of directors for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, Chicago Chapter.

Director Marc Miller has led the Department of Natural Resources since 2009 after serving on then-Lieutenant Governor Quinn's staff since June 2004. Miller was instrumental in the development and implementation of many environmental programs including the Dam Safety Initiative and the Mud-to-Parks program, which promoted the beneficial reuse of river settlement. He has also been instrumental in dozens of park development and land acquisition projects throughout Illinois. Miller is also an avid outdoorsman with an interest in fly fishing, hunting, canoeing, wildlife viewing, camping and hiking.

###