On July 15, the state budget was signed by the Governor. While I don't believe that the bipartisan budget in its current form is perfect, it allows state agencies to continue to operate without disruption and contains funding at a significantly higher level for human services than was proposed. Furthermore, the budget does not require an increase in state income taxes.

Summary of major provisions:

• Overall, it includes 92% of what the Governor requested in his March 18 address to the General Assembly.
• To take advantage of low-interest rates, $3.46 billion in five-year pension notes will be issued. This allows the state to meet its obligations to fund the pension systems and frees up revenue to avoid massive cuts in social service spending.
• Grant lines for social service agencies are funded at 86% of what the Governor requested, a great improvement over the 50% funding level that passed at the end of May. The General Assembly has granted the Governor the authority and discretion to manage and allocate spending for social services as he deems appropriate.
• Funding for education will increase, and the foundation level (which is the minimum that any school district may spend per pupil) will rise from $5,959 to $6,190, preserving the education funding gains of recent years.
• The budget does not increase income taxes.
• General Assembly members will be required to share in the sacrifices of budget reductions by taking a total of 12 unpaid furlough days (SB 2090 and SB 1912). Also, a cost-of-living pay raise for lawmakers was blocked by SB 2090 of which I was a co-sponsor.

Last December, I was thrilled to have legislation signed into law that provided for insurance coverage of autism spectrum disorder diagnosis and treatment. However, as is often the case, follow-up is needed to make sure that the law is being implemented as intended.

After hearing reports from constituents that insurance companies are claiming ignorance of the new law, and giving enrollees much run around about implementation, I brought the matter to the consumer fraud division of the Attorney General's office and to the Department of Insurance. Both offices will investigate if citizens file reports. Therefore, I urge you to call the Attorney General's Health Care Helpline: 1-877-305-5145 and the Department of Insurance Consumer line: 1-877-527-9431.

I am committed to making sure families receive such much-needed services for their autistic children so that each child can achieve his or her potential.

I am pleased to announce that three of my major environmental bills were recently signed into law by Governor Quinn.

Safe Pharmaceutical Disposal Act (SB 1919) I was the Chief House Sponsor of SB 1919 with Susan Garrett as the Chief Sponsor in the Senate. SB 1919 will work to rid traces of pharmaceuticals from Illinois water supplies by providing that no health care facilities can discharge any unused medication (except for medications contained in IV fluids, syringes or transdermal patches) into a public wastewater collection system or septic system. Previously, no effective system was in place to provide this protection. This new law, effective January 1, 2010, and signed into law today, requires the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) to create a system that can combat this waste and implement a public education program about the proper disposal of pharmaceuticals.

Department of Central Management Services Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois and Green Cleaning Schools Act Amendment (HB2437) Effective immediately, HB 2437 requires government to establish a green cleaning policy which provides that only environmentally-sensitive cleaning products be bought and used for every state-owned building. Existing cleaning and maintenance supply stocks can be depleted before the requirements in the procurement cycle are implemented for the following year. Certain state-owned buildings may be exempt from meeting the requirement if it would not be economically feasible. This measure passed overwhelmingly building on the success of the Green Cleaning Schools Act that I passed last legislative session.

Illinois Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Act (HB 1042) HB 1042 creates the Illinois Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Act, which provides for state participation in proposal review and grant awards during the process of applying for federal funding for renewable energy projects. The Green Governments Coordinating Council will work with the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity for the application and distribution of such energy and conservation grant money. Effective immediately.

Senator Richard Durbin was successful recently in including ongoing property tax relief for residents of Highland Park in a U.S. Senate Labor, Health, Human Services and Education appropriations bill. The bill includes an extension of his provision to allow the five public school districts serving the Great Lakes Naval training Base to join together for purposes of calculating school impact aid for students of military families. Without the extension, the provision would expire after the current fiscal year. This helps shrink the gap in reimbursement for the cost allocation for the 179 pupils whose parents are stationed here. According to a 2004 audit, the cost per pupil in North Shore School District 112 was $10,907. Previous to the grant of impact aid, the district received $777 per military dependent pupil. An increased appropriation of $4,500 to $6,000 per student has now been approved for an additional two years.

Lake County senior citizens 65 years old or older, whose income does not exceed $55,000, may qualify for a property assessment freeze if the property is their primary residence. Such exemptions can provide significant savings to seniors on their property taxes.

Applications must be submitted by August 31 to the Lake County Chief at the County Assessment Office, 18 North County Street - 7th Floor, Waukegan, IL. Applications can be obtained at your township assessor's office. If you have any questions, please call the Chief County Assessment Office at 847-377-2050 or visit the website by clicking here.

Recently, the Deerfield Road Bike Path project was opened. The bike path allows bikers and walkers to travel safely through a lit tunnel under the tollway entrance ramp. The completion of this bike path allows children from Thorngate to bike to Caruso Jr. High School.

While it took 15 months to build, and about 10 years from initial inception, early on, I got the tollway authority to walk the site and see the necessity for the tunnel. This was a cooperative venture between the Illinois Toll Highway Authority, the Lake County Division of Transportation, the cities of Riverwoods and Deerfield and the Deerfield Park District.

email: karen@repkarenmay.org

phone: (847) 433-9100

web: http://www.repkarenmay.org