Illinois’ 2021 Enviro Legislative Agenda
See the top environmental bills being considered by the Illinois General Assembly this year.
March 24, 2021
IEC Legislative Updates
Stay updated on all the environmental policy news in Illinois
New House Speaker, New 2021 Legislative Session Begins
As we look ahead to the spring session, we will be working with the new General Assembly on key environmental priorities, while protecting environmental programs from budget cuts against a challenging fiscal environment.
January 14, 2021
In Solidarity with the Legislative Black Caucus Agenda
The Illinois Environmental Council stands in strong support of the Black Caucus in these efforts, and encourages the General Assembly to take up this legislative agenda in the coming lame duck session.
January 10, 2021
FY21 Budget and the Environment
An update on how environmental priorities fared in the 2021 fiscal year budget
May 26, 2020
Legislative Update in the Wake of COVID-19
As you probably know, we typically send out updates on the status of the environmental legislative agenda on a weekly basis during the legislative session. However, these are not typical times and it feels wrong to go about business as usual when we are all so focused on the gravity of threats posed by the coronavirus, COVID-19, in our communities.
March 19, 2020
Illinois’ 2020 Enviro Legislative Agenda
During this session, IEC focused on demonstrating public support for the Clean Energy Jobs Act (CEJA) and addressing ethylene oxide pollution.
February 17, 2020
IEC 2019 Veto Session Review
During this session, IEC focused on demonstrating public support for the Clean Energy Jobs Act (CEJA) and addressing ethylene oxide pollution.
November 19, 2019
2019 End of Session Update
The 2019 Illinois General Assembly legislative session ended on Sunday, June 2. IEC is proud to announce it was one of the most successful ever for the environmental community.
June 3, 2019
IEC 2019 Priority Legislation
Get the list of the top bills IEC will be working on during the 2019 legislative session.
March 15, 2019
2,000 Monarch License Plate Decal Applications Received
More than 2,000 IEC, Sierra Club and NRDC supporters came together to apply for the new Specialty Monarch License Plate Decal, raising over $20,000 for roadside monarch habitat and ensuring the decal will be commissioned!
September 20, 2018
FY19 Budget and the Environment
This week, the General Assembly took steps to move forward a comprehensive budget for Fiscal Year 2019. As we are still dealing with the damage caused to environmental programs and our natural areas by the record-setting budget impasse, it’s vital that a sound budget is in place for our work growing clean jobs,
May 31, 2018
5/11 Update from Springfield
With 3 weeks remaining in the spring legislative session, IEC remains focused on a few important measures, and the ongoing budget negotiations. VW Settlement and a Clean Transportation Sector Thank you to all who took action on the VW settlement public comment period! Nearly 700 supporters took action through IEC’s
May 11, 2018
2018 Environmental Lobby Day in Review
On Thursday, April 26th, nearly 300 advocates joined us in Springfield for Environmental Lobby Day. The strength of our community was clearly on display as attendees from all over Illinois met with their state legislators regarding our priority legislation for the session, and rallied in front of the Capitol. The
April 30, 2018
Committee Deadline Week
Friday, April 13th is the final deadline for bills to get out of committee in both chambers. It was a mixed week in Springfield for IEC: while many of the proposals we support advanced towards passage, others very bad proposals moved forward despite our strong opposition. Bills that do not
April 13, 2018
Governor’s Proposed FY19 Budget
Today, Governor Rauner released his FY19 Budget Proposal in an address to the General Assembly. The Governor’s budget is an effort to close an estimated $9 billion budget hole while also assuming a lower income tax rate than the increase that was passed last year. The final budget that comes
February 14, 2018
What will IEC be up to in 2018
The 2018 state legislative session began February, 30th 2018. With the Primary Election scheduled for March 20, session days are light between now and March. With continued threats to the environment coming from the federal level, we will be working harder than ever to defend existing protections and push environmental
February 8, 2018
CAFO Hearing
Since mid-2016, the Chicago Tribune has been publishing an investigative series highlighting the many human and environmental harms caused by confined animal feeding operations (CAFOs). One shocking revelation came from IDNR records that show that half of all fish kills in Illinois rivers are related to spills from livestock operations.
November 9, 2017
Dynegy’s Double-Bailout Called Into Question at Hearing
Texas-based Dynegy Inc. has launched a two-pronged assault on our environment, public health, and ratepayers. In the past few weeks, Dynegy requested that the Illinois Pollution Control Board to rewrite the state’s Multi-Pollutant Standard (MPS), was sold to a fellow Texas-based energy giant, Vistra Energy, for $1.7 billion, and filed
November 9, 2017
Dynegy’s Double-Bailout
11 Senators and 33 Representatives Oppose SB 2250 and HB 4141, Dynegy’s Double-Bailout Dynegy, a Texas-based energy giant, has been busy pushing bailouts in multiple venues with Illinois policymakers, while at the same time entering into a mega-merger with another Texas-based energy giant, Vistra Energy. This sale is estimated to
November 7, 2017
Preventing Lead in Drinking Water Passes!
The Illinois General Assembly approved SB550, or the Preventing Lead in Drinking Water bill. Because there is no safe level of lead in drinking water, IEC has worked hard over the past year to pass legislation that would require basic steps to protect children from lead poisoning. This bill is
January 11, 2017