Illinois electricity customers were hit with sticker shock this summer when an extended stretch of 90–100-degree heat and high humidity drove up energy demand and strained the grid.

Illinois’ electricity grid is managed through a multi-layered system involving several key organizations — each responsible for different aspects of generation, transmission, regulation, and distribution. 

Dating back centuries, southern Illinois has been home to some of the best hunting and fishing opportunities in the United States. Southern Illinois, in particular, is a region rich in natural resources, beautiful forests, abundant lakes, rivers, and streams, and a plethora of fishing and hunting spots to land a variety of species of fish and wild game.

Early settlers to the area farmed, hunted, and fished the expansive public lands and waterways, taking deer, turkey, waterfowl, and a variety of fish to help feed their families. As the means of production improved, the need to hunt and gather to provide sustenance gave way to more readily available and easily attainable food sources. However, the tradition of hunting and fishing has remained a staple for millions of southern Illinoisans. 

There have been many dark days in the history of the United States, with one of the worst being the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. The four coordinated Islamist suicide terrorist missions killed nearly 3,000 people and injured thousands of others. The attacks forever changed how American leaders shaped and implemented security procedures in all areas of the country going forward.

In deep southern Illinois in the Franklin County city of Benton, an unbelievable story emerged just two days after the attacks. As described in a story written by Jim Muir, now Franklin County Circuit Clerk, and originally published in the Southern Illinoisan, a series of unexplainable events unfolded after Benton High School Athletic Director Don Smith contacted local businessman Dave Severin. Smith was seeking 40 small flags to place at the school’s football field as a patriotic gesture for Friday night’s football game. 

Illinois House Republicans’ public policy priorities mostly center around defending taxpayers, strengthening local economies, and preserving traditional values. However, another dimension of our caucus members’ work involves supporting outdoor traditions and investing in the next generation of Illinois sportsmen and sportswomen.

Through their involvement in the Illinois Sportsmen’s caucus, a bipartisan group of lawmakers that promotes hunting, fishing, conservation, and recreational activities, House Republicans are helping preserve that part of Illinois’ proud heritage. 

The State of Illinois has been notorious in recent years for delays in processing applications and renewals for several professionals who require state professional licensing. The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) oversees licenses for over 100 professions.

IDFPR is responsible for licensing and regulating more than 1.2 million professionals. These professionals represent a wide breadth of occupations, including medical practitioners, barbers and hair stylists, pharmacists, engineers, architects, geologists, roofing contractors, accountants, and many more.

With August just around the corner, almost 2 million students are preparing to move from their homes to a college dorm or apartment, marking a key turning point in their transition to adulthood. With the transition to higher education comes higher costs. Between tuition, living expenses, books and supplies, and the cost of activities, college remains a huge expense for many families and students.

According to a study conducted by College Pulse and GradGuard, 67% of students are covering the cost of college fully on their own, including anything outside of tuition costs. Affordability remains the top barrier for students, and with the majority paying for higher education themselves, budgeting tips for students are essential to cut costs where possible. 

House Republican members of the Illinois House Energy & Environment and Public Utilities Committees held a Capitol news conference on Tuesday to warn of a coming summer energy cost crisis and offer solutions to expand energy production capacity.

The Republicans held the press conference after last week sending the House’s Energy & Environment Committee Chair and Vice Chair a letter explaining the urgent need for hearings into the recent results of the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) capacity auction which returned a shocking $666.50 per Megawatt-day price across all zones in the summer. That same price just one year ago was $30.

Our children deserve the brightest future and best opportunities for success we can provide for them, and two of the fundamental assets of their early education must include teaching them to read and write. Students who struggle with literacy can fall behind their peers quickly, and the consequences are compounded as they get older. The importance of literacy is not lost on House Republicans, who believe an important goal in Illinois should be for every child to read and write at their grade level or higher.

State Rep. Dave Severin (R-Benton) says the time has come to provide real, lasting tax relief for all Illinoisans. This week, Severin announced a sweeping package of legislation aimed at cutting income taxes, reducing estate tax burdens, and extending tax credits for families who recycle and foster children.

In 1994, Congress issued Joint Resolution 413 declaring November 1st Family Literacy Day. This day is observed every year to raise awareness about the importance of family literacy and the crucial role it plays in developing children’s ability to communicate effectively. Literacy skills are fundamental for success in life, and today serves as a powerful reminder that learning valuable skills doesn’t just happen in school, but also at home. Parents are encouraged to foster effective opportunities to bond with their children and teach them reading and learning skills with daily routines. Taking the time to engage with your children to strengthen their learning skills will also build a family bond. Activities such as drawing, writing, reading, singing, and talking will help improve children’s literacy skills.

In August of last year, House Republicans were fielding calls from doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals fearful that they would lose their jobs due to continued delays at the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR), the state agency responsible for approving and renewing their licenses.

Something had to be done, Illinois couldn't afford to lose more healthcare professionals as we face a growing nursing shortage.

Illinois may be home to the third largest city in the U.S., but along with Chicago are nearly 1,500 other municipalities. More than half, or 763 towns, have fewer than 1,000 residents. The two smallest towns in Illinois are Valley City and Burton, each with a listed population of 13. Over 1,100 Illinois towns have a population less than 5,000 people. 

STANDING WITH ISRAEL
House Republicans speak out against atrocities in Israel. On Saturday, October 7, Hamas, a U.S.-designated foreign terrorist organization, launched a brutal terrorist attack upon the civilians of the Republic of Israel. This cross-border assault included thousands of rockets fired from the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip into Israel and numerous terrorist incursions into the streets and homes of Israeli civilians.

There have been many dark days in the history of the United States, with one of the worst being the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. The four coordinated Islamist suicide terrorist missions killed nearly 3,000 people and injured thousands of others. The attacks forever changed how American leaders shaped and implemented security procedures in all areas of the country going forward. 

Illinois is home to an abundance of natural resources, particularly vast agricultural land, clean water and over 200 billion tons of coal. Natural resources are used to make food, fuel and raw materials for the production of goods, and they also provide heat, light and power. Humans could not live without these resources, which are needed to survive and thrive.

The professional licensure system in Illinois is antiquated and outdated, and as a result industry professionals from nurses to barbers to roofers can experience wait periods of three to nine months to begin working. The system, which has a never-ending backlog, has not been upgraded since 1999. Republican lawmakers have fought for the General Assembly to pass needed legislation with funding increases, but the status quo remains. At least 40 different professions require state licensure to work in Illinois, and these lengthy delays leave people out of work and the state leaving taxable income on the table. And in many cases, professionals in seasonal and outdoor industries can miss out on an entire year of income waiting out the current licensing system.

Illinois State Representative Dave Severin discusses HB 4054, his legislation to require the state to implement the "Evidence-Based" education funding model. Using this mechanism would help ensure schools get the funding they need to properly educate students. HB 4054 is part of the Reimagine Illinois platform.

Have All Voted Who Wish · Reimagine Illinois with Rep. Dave Severin

Republican members of the Illinois House Veterans’ Affairs Committee sent a letter demanding the chair of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee convene a public hearing as soon as possible following recent reports detailing an outbreak of COVID-19 among employees and residents at the LaSalle Veterans’ Home.

“We must quickly investigate how and why a recent outbreak occurred and what steps are being taken by the Pritzker administration to stop the spread of COVID-19 at all State-run veterans’ homes and health care facilities,” said State Rep. Randy Frese, Republican Spokesperson for the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee. “Our veterans now depend on us, and we cannot let them down. We stand ready to get to work to assist in providing the highest quality healthcare for all Illinois veterans.” 

State Reps. Dan Swanson and Dave Swanson describe how the legislature is taking on Lyme Disease, a tick borne disease affecting thousands of Illinoisans.

• Lyme Disease Fact Sheet 
• Lyme Disease, What You Need to Know
• Keep up with House Republican initiatives

Have All Voted Who Wish · Swanson, Severin on combatting Lyme Disease in Illinois

HURRICANE FLORENCE
Illinois prepared to assist states impacted by Hurricane Florence. Governor Bruce Rauner announced Thursday that Illinois is prepared to provide personnel and other support to states that may be impacted by Hurricane Florence.

Ten Illinois Army National Guard soldiers and two helicopters have deployed to support relief efforts in North Carolina. The crews left from Peoria's 238th Aviation Battalion and Kankakee's 1st Battalion, 106th Aviation Regiment. They will provide support for up to 10 days. All costs associated with the deployment will be paid for by the Tar Heel state.