The governor’s office unveiled a 900-page energy overhaul bill Wednesday, accelerating a yearslong process which advocates hope will end in a comprehensive clean energy platform as the session nears its final month.
The stated goal of the bill is to drive Illinois to 100 percent “clean” energy by 2050. That, Deputy Gov. Christian Mitchell said in an interview Wednesday, would include nuclear power as a major contributor. Another goal is to bring Illinois to 40 percent of its utility scale energy produced by renewables, such as wind and solar, by 2030. Right now, that number is around 8 percent.
The bill contains some of the provisions put forth in other legislation, raising the rate cap on ratepayer bills for renewable projects from about 2 percent to 3.75 percent; ending formulaic rate increases for utilities immediately; and prohibiting natural gas companies from assessing a surcharge on bills starting January 2022.
For the second time, a county judge in southern Illinois has ruled the state’s Firearm Owner Identification Card law unconstitutional, as applied to one state resident, Vivian Brown.
The ruling from Judge T. Scott Webb means the Illinois Supreme Court will, also for the second time, be in a position to decide whether to strike down the FOID card law as unconstitutional.
According to an Illinois Supreme Court rule, appeals in criminal cases “shall lie directly to the Supreme Court as a matter of right,” if the case involves a U.S. or Illinois statute being found “invalid.”
If the state decides to appeal this decision that found the FOID law unconstitutional, the appeal will be heard by Illinois Supreme Court just as the high court did in 2018 when the FOID card law was found unconstitutional by a different judge in this case.
Judge finds firearm ownership card law invalid – as applied to one Illinois woman
Ruling returns the FOID card constitutionality issue to the Illinois Supreme Court
By SARAH MANSUR
Capitol News Illinois
SPRINGFIELD For the second time, a county judge in southern Illinois has ruled the state’s Firearm Owner Identification Card law unconstitutional, as applied to one state resident, Vivian Brown.
The ruling from Judge T. Scott Webb means the Illinois Supreme Court will, also for the second time, be in a position to decide whether to strike down the FOID card law as unconstitutional.
According to an Illinois Supreme Court rule, appeals in criminal cases “shall lie directly to the Supreme Court as a matter of right,” if the case involves a U.S. or Illinois statute being found “invalid.”