Quinn vetoes changes to insurance bid process

Gov. Pat Quinn has vetoed a bill that could’ve changed the way Illinois awards health insurance contracts for state employees.

Quinn said Friday that Senate Bill 178 would have limited “transparency, competition and fairness” in the state’s procurement process.

The bill would have given the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability the authority to accept or reject state health care contracts. The bipartisan commission is made up of state legislators.

Quinn says such authority lies with the executive branch alone.

The bill was introduced after a bidding process that replaced the state’s longtime insurance provider. That provider is now suing the state.

State Rep. Naomi Jakobsson, who sponsored the bill in the House, says the measure would’ve extended the current contract for two years as the issue is resolved.