State Representative David S. Olsen has successfully ushered eleven bills into law so far in 2018.
“This year I filed a comprehensive legislative agenda that protects taxpayers, enhances government transparency, improves the Illinois business climate, increases protections for vulnerable segments of our population, assists our military families, and enhances public safety,” said Olsen. I was successful in passing eleven of my bills through the House and Senate and am thrilled that the Governor has now signed all eleven into law.
“My success with getting bills passed this year is a direct result of my commitment to bipartisanship in Springfield,” Olsen added. “I have worked hard to cultivate respectful and productive relationships with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle. When we set our differences aside and focus on what is best for the people of Illinois, we can put good public policy in place.”
Bills that have now been signed into law by Governor Bruce Rauner include:
- HB 2222 (P.A. 100-0746): Provides consistency with regard to residency requirements for elected officials in Illinois, specifically addressing oversight within the Public Library Act.
- HB 4805 (P.A. 100-0640): Reduces costs to specific Illinois businesses, and protects consumers who use money transmitting services like Western Union and PayPal by bringing the Surety Bond requirement for businesses more in line with the actual costs associated with risk.
- HB 4867 (P.A. 100-0659): Adds a new layer of transparency to the caseloads of guardians of adults with disabilities by requiring potential guardians to disclose to the court the number of adults with disabilities over which the potential guardian is currently appointed. If the court determines that an individual is appointed guardian over more than five adults with disabilities, the court would be required to notify the Guardianship and Advocacy Commission within one week.
- HB 5031 (P.A. 100-0955): Improves the efficiency of state government by removing a duplicative reporting requirement between state agencies and human service providers.
- SB2543 (P.A. 100-0793): Promotes government consolidation and taxpayer savings by simplifying the process for dissolution of a mosquito abatement district.
- SB 2587 (P.A. 100-0930): Improves public health and saves Illinoisans’ money by adding dentists to the list of health care professionals who can perform over-the-phone “tele-health” services in Illinois.
- SB 2658 (P.A. 100-0821): Assists military personnel and their families while addressing the state’s teacher shortage by increasing the period of time during which a provisional educator endorsement is valid to three years for a service member or spouse who is certified in another state.
- SB 2721 (P.A. 100-0979): Improves state government efficiency by streamlining the process of regulatory oversight and aligning the licensing process of financial technical (fintech) companies by entering Illinois into a newly-created interstate compact with Georgia, Kansas, Massachusetts, Tennessee, Texas and Washington.
- SB 2826 (P.A. 100-0714): Strengthens and updates the Illinois Human Rights Act and protections for women by clarifying that “order of protection status” includes status as a person protected under any order of protection existing in Illinois law.
- SB 3134 (P.A. 100-0730): Addresses flooding issues in the suburbs by creating a commission to study flood control practices and conduct a survey in DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry and Will counties.
- SB 3236 (P.A. 100-0807): Improves transparency by requiring a school district’s administrative costs be reflected on school report cards.
According to Olsen, when legislators return to Springfield for the Fall Veto Session in November, he will continue pushing for adoption of a few more of his bills that are still pending. “I have an animal welfare bill that has a great deal of bipartisan support. It passed the House but stalled in the Senate during the spring session,” said Olsen. “I am hopeful that the Senate will bring my bill to the floor for a vote this fall.”
