Veto Session Debrief, Local Food Pantries, Events
- Janet
- 3 days ago
- 5 min read
In This Issue:
Veto Session Debrief
Local Food Pantries
November Coffee & Conversation
Winter Open House
Dear Friends,
Last week, my colleagues and I in the General Assembly wrapped up one of the most packed veto sessions that I’ve experienced in recent years. We made important progress in securing an affordable and sustainable energy future, protecting our community from unconstitutional immigration enforcement, and building a reliable, safe, and world class mass transit system. This month’s newsletter covers these and the other major bills that we passed during veto.
Besides the weighty substance of these pieces of legislation, in reflecting upon the past few weeks, what struck me was the strong degree of influence that our district had on these bills. The Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability Act that we passed, for example, included language that better holds Naperville’s power supplier accountable to building more sustainable energy sources. Its inclusion was the culmination of months of negotiations with stakeholders, including the City of Naperville, the Illinois Municipal Electric Agency (IMEA), the Naperville Environment and Sustainability Task Force (NEST), and my and Senator Laura Ellman’s offices.
The willingness to engage in big ways and small, whether through our working groups, surveys, or community coffees, has a great impact on crafting better policy. If you’ve been looking to get more involved or simply learn more, please consider joining my office and me at our upcoming November Coffee & Conversation.
Meanwhile, please never hesitate to reach out if my office and I can be of service to you and your family.
Sincerely,
Janet
Veto Session Debrief
Veto session this year took place over two weeks in October. As its name implies, it’s scheduled (at least nominally) to allow the General Assembly to address any bills vetoed by the governor. In reality, the vetting that takes place throughout the legislative process means that vetoes aren’t often used, and when they are, they’re usually fairly technical and noncontroversial in nature.
Instead, the fall session is often used to pass more time-sensitive and pressing issues. There were a number of those this season, which I’ve summarized below. As of this writing, they await action from the governor following passage in both the House and Senate chambers.
CRGA protects consumers from skyrocketing electricity prices brought on by data centers’ outsized power usage. The bill increases utility-scale battery storage, better captures surplus power from renewable energy sources, and expands energy efficiency programs. For Naperville in particular, CRGA ensures that our power supplier has an Integrated Resource Plan, which brings transparency and accountability to our city’s path toward a more sustainable energy future.
This legislation expands protection in places where people should feel safe – hospitals, courthouses, colleges, and daycare centers. It builds on the Safe Schools for All legislation passed earlier in the spring and addresses the constitutional violations during immigration raids that we’ve seen taking place throughout our state and in our neighborhoods.
The House and Senate passed a comprehensive, statewide mass transit package that will stabilize funding and bring more coordination, efficiency, and accountability to transit governance. In the months of outreach we’ve conducted from our district office, it was clear that paratransit and reliable commuter service were crucial to our community. Without legislative action, mass transit services like these would have faced significant cuts in the coming months.
The bulk (two-thirds) of funding to preserve these services will come from redirecting existing motor fuel tax to mass transit, and the remaining will come from allowing the Regional Transit Authority to raise the RTA sales tax by 0.25% (or 25 cents per $100). The legislation also allows for a $0.45 tollway increase for passenger cars starting in 2027. This increase had been proposed as part of Illinois Tollway’s previously announced strategic plan and represents the first toll increase for passenger cars since 2012.
The House passed this legislation during the regular May session, and the Senate passed the bill during veto session. If it is signed into law, it would allow adults with a terminal illness to obtain a self-administered prescription to end their own life. The person would have to have a prognosis of six months or less to live, as determined by at least two physicians, plus a separate assessment by mental health professionals to determine that the person is of sound mind. Healthcare providers are not required to participate.
This bill helps lower-income seniors remain in their homes by expanding the senior property tax freeze. It increases the maximum income for those who qualify for this program from $65,000 to $75,000 in taxable year 2026, growing annually until reaching $79,000 in taxable year 2028.
Recent changes to federal-level vaccine guidelines have caused much concern in our community about the continued availability of and insurance coverage for vaccines. HB767 allows the state’s Immunization Advisory Committee, comprised of doctors and other experts, to make vaccine recommendations and requires insurance companies in Illinois to cover vaccines recommended by the state’s department of public health.
Below, the House voting results for Senate Bill 25-Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability Act, which will bring better transparency and accountability to our district’s electric power future.
Local Food Pantries
The continuing federal government shutdown and uncertainty around SNAP benefits has put many of our neighbors in vulnerable situations and has also prompted many to ask how they can help. According to the Illinois Department of Human Services, 45% of Illinois SNAP households have children, 44% include a person with a disability, and 37% include an older adult. Below are two resources we hope you find helpful for yourself or to pass to those who may need them.
Local Food Pantries: We’ve created this resource to help our community members find local food pantries to either access food or to provide support.
SNAP Federal Impact Center: The Illinois Department of Human Services launched this resource that provides useful updates, including statewide maps to find free food resources.
November Coffee & Conversation
Looking for more details on any of the above? Are there other issues on your mind that haven’t been addressed? I’d love to talk with you more at one of our monthly Coffee & Conversation events. For November, we’re meeting on the 22nd at our district office. Hope to see you there!
What: November Coffee & Conversation
Where: 41st District Office, 475 River Bend Rd., Suite 500, Naperville
When: Saturday, November 22, 10:00-11:00 am
Winter Open House
Much has happened in 2025. Join us for a look back at all that we’ve accomplished and a look forward at what’s to come in 2026 in the Illinois legislature. This annual December edition of our monthly Coffee brings with it special dessert treats, plus showcases some of our district’s major initiatives for the year.
What: Winter Open House
Where: 41st District Office, 475 River Bend Rd., Suite 500, Naperville
When: Saturday, December 6, 10:00-11:00 am
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