CHICAGO – The Joint Commission on Ethics and Lobbying Reform met to discuss lobbying regulation Wednesday.

“I’m fed up with it, and I know the people of Illinois are fed up with it too,” said State Senator Cristina Castro (D-Elgin). “It’s time we get to the bottom of the issue, figure out the root cause, and solve it once and for all in a way that prevents us from having to do yet another joint ethics commission a few years down the road.”

At Wednesday’s meeting, the commission focused on lobbying and lobbying reform. Representatives from the city of Chicago, the secretary of state, the Illinois Municipal League, and several other organizations were present to answer questions and provide insight.

“It’s clear that something needs to be done, but it can’t be one sided,” Castro said. “Whatever reforms come out of this commission will affect everyone, so we need to be sure that nobody faces undue burdens as a result.”

Castro sponsored the resolution to form the joint ethics commission last year, and was later appointed to sit on it. The commission has several additional meetings scheduled in the coming months and must file a report of its findings by March 31.

SPRINGFIELD – A loophole in legislative pay law allowing legislators to receive an entire month’s pay despite not serving the full month would be closed under a proposal by State Senator Cristina Castro (D-Elgin).

“In any other job, a person would not be compensated for an entire month if they only worked one day,” Castro said. “This is a glaring loophole that has been exploited far too many times at the taxpayers’ expense, and I’m sick of it. It needs to be closed.”

Under current law, a retiring legislator can receive pay for an entire month, even if they only serve one day. Castro’s proposal closes the loophole by establishing pay on a prorated basis for legislators who do not complete their team. The law would take effect in January of 2021, at the start of the 102^nd General Assembly.

The law is a collaboration between Castro and Illinois Comptroller Susanna Mendoza.

“I look forward to working with Comptroller Mendoza to close this loophole once and for all,” Castro said.

Senate Bill 2456 was filed with the secretary of the Senate last week. It will be read into the record for the first time during a perfunctory session later this month.

SPRINGFIELD – A ruling by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission could result in Illinois residents paying nearly $1 billion more in electricity bills. In a 2-1 vote split along party lines, the Trump-appointed majority imposed new rules that could prevent clean energy sources from competing in the energy market.

Upon hearing about the ruling, State Senator Cristina Castro (D-Elgin), a sponsor of the Clean Energy Jobs Act, issued the following statement:

“If the Trump administration is going to continue its attack on clean energy, then it is imperative we act with urgency. We must work on the Clean Energy Jobs Act and ensure it passes through the General Assembly during the upcoming session, allowing us to take matters into our own hands and prevent utility bills from skyrocketing.”

SPRINGFIELD – A plan sponsored by State Senator Cristina Castro (D-Elgin) aimed at mitigating the threat of the state’s pension crisis was signed into law Wednesday.

“The number one budget issue legislators have been dealing with for decades is the pension crisis,” Castro said. “We got a victory today with this consolidation plan, but there’s still a lot of work to be done.”

The new law will enact many changes to pension statute, chief among them the ability to consolidate. Under the law, the roughly 650 separate pension funds for downstate police officers and firefighters will be consolidated into two individual and separate funds over a 30-month transition period in January. The consolidation process is estimated to save $160 million annually, while not affecting individual pension amounts.

Senate Bill 1300 takes effect Jan. 1, 2020.