Thursday, June 26, 2014

Legislative Round-up of the General Assembly Spring Session

The Illinois General Assembly recessed at the end of May, so here’s a summary of water-related measures that progressed through Springfield this spring:

Updates on past bills: please see the March blog post for summaries of these measures
Water Pollution Control Loan
Passed in the House, referred to assignments in the Senate on April 7
Coal and Coke Regulation
Acquired several co-sponsors within the House of Representatives
Nuisance Organisms
Passed both houses on May 28
Fox Waterway
SB 2696—no changes
HR 0934—was placed on the House Calendar Order of Resolutions on 4.8.14
SB 2732—no changes

Recent Legislation
Hydraulic Fracturing:
Synopsis:
  • Amends the Hydraulic Fracturing Regulatory Act, which was signed into law by Governor Quinn last year
  • Some changes to the regulations governing the hydraulic fracturing process, including a two-year moratorium on fracking around Chicago
  • Remove the responsibility of creating fracking rules from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and give it to a committee comprised of General Assembly members.
  • For media coverage of this measure, see here

Status:
  • Passed the Senate on 5.1.2014 and progressed to the House
  • The House re-referred this measure to the Rules Committee on 5.30.2014


Boater Safety Courses:
Synopsis:
  • Amends the Boat Registration and Safety Act
  • Beginning January 1, 2016 no person born on or after January 1, 1991 can operate a motorboat with over 10 horse power without a Boating Safety Certificate

Status:
  • Passed both houses on 30 May, 2014


Public Water Supply Operations:
Synopsis:
  • Amends the Public Water Supply Operations Act
  • Defines “Responsible Operator in Charge”
  • Provides that every community water supply in Illinois shall have a responsible operator in charge to supervise the treatment and distribution facilities of the community water supply

Status:
  • Passed both houses on 29 May, 2014


Water Loss Accounting:
Synopsis:
  • Creates the Water Loss Accounting Awareness Act
  • Provides that the IEPA, IDNR, and ISWS shall submit a report that reviews and evaluates the latest regional available information on water loss in Illinois to the General Assembly before July 31, 2015

Status:
  • Introduced on February 7, 2014
  • Currently referred to the Senate Assignments Committee