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Will state make it harder to approve toll hikes?

SPRINGFIELD — State Sen. Matt Murphy Friday won preliminary approval for a plan that would eventually require future toll hikes to be approved by eight members of the Illinois Toll Highway Authority board.

The most recent toll increase, approved last year, was approved by seven members.

The Palatine Republican’s original plan was to have toll hikes be subject to approval by lawmakers. But a Senate subcommittee Friday approved the Palatine Republican’s legislation with the stipulation he change it to instead require more board members to approve hikes.

Murphy’s proposal was one of a number of suburban plans heard by a Senate subcommittee Friday morning, with mixed results. Legislation that’s approved still has to be debated by a full Senate committee before it can move on. And plans that are rejected have to stay put.

Lawmakers’ stipends remain

Responding to a Daily Herald report, Sen. Dan Duffy, a Lake Barrington Republican, sought to take away the extra pay lawmakers get for leading legislative committees.

Taking away the stipends could save the state as much as $1.3 million.

“I believe this is part of our duty to this state, to be on these committees,” Duffy said.

Democrats didn’t agree, though, and rejected the plan in the subcommittee.

They also said “no” to a Duffy plan that would have barred spouses and children of state officials from being appointed to boards and commissions.

The repealer?

A proposal by State Sen. Kirk Dillard, a Hinsdale Republican, to create a state Office of the Repealer was approved by the subcommittee, sending it on for further debate.

The state’s repealer would comb through the massive Illinois law books and try to identify ways to eliminate repetitive or outdated laws.

It was approved by a 3-0 vote.

No travel reimbursement

A plan from state Sen. Carole Pankau, an Itasca Republican, that would have kept members of state boards and commissions from collecting state-funded reimbursements for their travel was rejected in the committee.

Pankau said the move was necessary as the state looks for ways to save money, but Democrats didn’t approve the legislation.

Universal health care

State Sen. Michael Noland, an Elgin Democrat, wanted legislation to create a study on universal health care.

But his fellow Democrats didn’t go along, with state Sen. Donne Trotter, a Chicago Democrat, calling an effort a “waste of time” given the state’s precarious finances.

Matt Murphy
Carole Pankau
Kirk Dillard
Dan Duffy
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