(SPRINGFIELD, IL) – The Illinois Environmental Council (IEC) released its 2021 Legislative Environmental Scorecard today. The scorecard, which is released annually, assigns a percentage score to legislators based on how they voted on bills affecting the environment. This year, 38 state representatives and 10 state senators received 100% scores based on their record on 16 bills during 2021 legislative business.
“This year, the Illinois Environmental Council was able to score two pieces of nation-leading environmental legislation, both of which received bipartisan support– the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act and the Lead Service Line Replacement and Notification Act,” said Jen Walling, executive director of IEC. “The legislators who scored a perfect 100% for our environment took historic action on the urgent climate crisis when it mattered most and protected clean drinking water for communities across our state, among many other important environmental votes.”
The 2021 Legislative Environmental Scorecard includes 16 legislative measures. Specific priorities from this year’s Scorecard include:
- SB2408: Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA) – Support
- This historic legislation leads the nation on comprehensive and equitable climate action. CEJA meaningfully addresses the climate crisis by leading Illinois to a 100% clean energy future, while creating equitable, good-paying jobs across the state, and enacting tough utility accountability measures.
- HB3739: Lead Service Line Replacement and Notification Act – Support
- For the first time in history, every municipality in Illinois will be required to develop and execute a plan that inventories, removes and replaces all lead service lines while prioritizing replacement in our most vulnerable communities. There was strong bipartisan support for this proposal following a years-long fight to pass this legislation. Illinois is now the second state in the nation to require lead service line replacement.
- HB253: Performance-Planning for Transportation – Support
- This bill requires the Illinois Department of Transportation to establish and implement a transportation performance program for all transportation facilities and project selection processes. This will be a significant step forward in transportation infrastructure planning.
“The 48 legislators who scored a perfect 100% consistently voted in favor of environmental protection, and as we continue to make progress on these issues in Illinois, we will be building on their legacy,” Walling added.
Click here to see IEC’s 2021 Legislative Scorecard.
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Since 1975, the Illinois Environmental Council (IEC) has worked to safeguard Illinois—its people, its plants and animals, and the natural systems on which all life depends by building power for people and the environment.