On Thursday, Rep. Blaine Wilhour (R-Beecher City) and his House Republican colleagues on the Reigniting Illinois’ Strong Economy (RISE) and Supporting Women & Families working groups to provide an update on legislation the groups are championing during the spring 2023 session. Rep. Wilhour provided the focus on the energy component of a successful plan to put Illinois back on track for a strong economy.
“Affordable and reliable energy is the essential building block to reignite a strong Illinois economy and become competitive again,” declared Rep. Blaine Wilhour, a member of the RISE Working Group and Job Growth & Workforce Development Subcommittee of the Labor and Commerce Committee. “Up until recent years, Illinois had plenty of reliable energy and was an energy exporter because of our natural resources. But CEJA, the green new deal plan in Illinois, pushed onto Illinois with arbitrarily shutting down mines and power plants, has limited the supply and now we are having to import energy that has doubled, tripled and even higher the cost to consumers in Illinois.”
Wilhour and his team pointed out that there are eight days left until the spring legislative session adjournment, and it is crucial to pass a package of commonsense reforms to help improve our state. These issues are deserving of debate and are solutions to help Illinoisans, businesses looking to locate to this state, and families seeking to build their lives here. The groups covered a variety of topics, from business and litigation reforms, lowering taxes, reforming energy policy, improving healthcare, keeping children safe, and increasing access to childcare. Highlighted legislation included HB 3273 to exempt certain businesses from utility taxes during times of surge pricing, HB 3580 to align state income tax depreciation laws to be similar to ones at the federal level, and HB 4087 and HB 4082 to make workers compensation reforms in Illinois.