2007-08 Legislative Scorecard
as evaluated by the Illinois Chamber of Commerce
for Illinois State Legislators serving the Pekin Area Chamber of Commerce Membership

If employers are to change the culture in Springfield, they must educate themselves on the record of their representatives and hold them accountable for it. We believe the Chamber's legislative ratings are an effective tool in this endeavor.

The Chamber's ratings are based on legislators' votes on the key business legislation of the 95th General Assembly. The votes in the Senate and House are selected based on their impact on the business community and, to a lesser extent, the gap between opposing views on the issue. The votes are weighted accordingly. In cases where more than one roll call was taken on a bill, the most significant vote impacting the resolution of the issue has been selected.

As with any year, this year's ratings are an important tool, though only one tool, to judge legislators' support for employers and the economy. In '08 and '07, the unprecedented nature of the legislative action made compilation of the ratings especially challenging. Our goal is to present the best representation of legislators' records possible to our members and the public. However, the fact remains that we cannot rate issues if a representative roll call vote was not taken.

For this reason, some of the very biggest issues are not included in this year's ratings. For example:

• Gross Receipts Tax - The Governor's $8 billion tax on employers never received a formal up or down vote in the House or Senate. The Chamber was left to consider a recorded vote on a non-binding resolution in the House. The vote was rendered almost meaningless when the Governor urged his supporters to vote for the resolution, even though many were actively working for its passage.
• Structural Work Act - A late surprise in the session, the Structural Work Act passed out of House committee, awaiting a vote by the full House. The vote was never taken due to the opposition of all Republicans, and many House Democrats.
• 7% Assessment Cap - This issue didn't have too few votes, it had too many. Over many months, multiple roll calls on several different versions of the bill were taken in both House and Senate. Chamber staff deemed none of the votes defensible as truly representative.

Explanation of Scores		voted with the Illinois Chamber position
		voted against the Illinois Chamber position
	NV	did not vote
	E	Excused Absence

Senator David Koehler (D-IL-046)
	Name of Legislation							Score
	SB 0005 - Illinois Covered Plan
	SB 0500 - Smoke Free Illinois Act
	SB 1296 - Liability Expansion
	SB 1900 - Autism Treatment Mandate
	SB 2148 - Income Tax Deduction
	SB 2486 - Wellness Coverage
	SJRCA 92 - Graduated Income Tax
	SJR 22 - Employee Free Choice Act
	HB 1795 - Employee Classification Act
Historical Illinois Chamber Scorecard Ratings	2007-08	2005-06	2003-04	2001-02	1999-00	1998	1997
	16%

Representative Michael Smith (D-IL-091)
	Name of Legislation							Score
	HB 0374 - FMLA Expansion
	HB 0773 - Prevailing Wage in TIF and EZ
	HB 1795 - Employee Classification Act
	HB 4940 - Chamber Wellness Initiatives
	HB 5141- Minimum Wage - Minor Save as Adult
	HB 5954 - High Deductible Plan Flexibility
	HJRCA 42 - Graduated Income Tax
	SB 0500 - Smoke Free Illinois Act
	SB 1900 - Autism Treatment Mandate
Historical Illinois Chamber Scorecard Ratings	2007-08	2006-07	2005-06	2003-04	2001-02	1990-00	1998
	29%	55%	55%	36%	21%	44%	64%

Representative Aaron Schock (R-IL-092)
	Name of Legislation							Score
	HB 0374 - FMLA Expansion
	HB 0773 - Prevailing Wage in TIF and EZ
	HB 1795 - Employee Classification Act
	HB 4940 - Chamber Wellness Initiatives
	HB 5141- Minimum Wage - Minor Save as Adult
	HB 5954 - High Deductible Plan Flexibility
	HJRCA 42 - Graduated Income Tax
	SB 0500 - Smoke Free Illinois Act
	SB 1900 - Autism Treatment Mandate
Historical Illinois Chamber Scorecard Ratings	2007-08	2006-07	2005-06
	80%	80%	80%

Senator Bill Brady (R-IL-044)
	Name of Legislation							Score
	SB 0005 - Illinois Covered Plan
	SB 0500 - Smoke Free Illinois Act
	SB 1296 - Liability Expansion
	SB 1900 - Autism Treatment Mandate							NV
	SB 2148 - Income Tax Deduction
	SB 2486 - Wellness Coverage							NV
	SJRCA 92 - Graduated Income Tax
	SJR 22 - Employee Free Choice Act							NV
	HB 1795 - Employee Classification Act
Historical Illinois Chamber Scorecard Ratings	2007-08	2005-06	2003-04	2001-02	1999-00	1998	1997
	100%	100%	100%	100%	100%	100%	100%

Representative Bill Mitchell (R-IL-087)
	Name of Legislation							Score
	HB 0374 - FMLA Expansion
	HB 0773 - Prevailing Wage in TIF and EZ
	HB 1795 - Employee Classification Act
	HB 4940 - Chamber Wellness Initiatives
	HB 5141- Minimum Wage - Minor Save as Adult
	HB 5954 - High Deductible Plan Flexibility
	HJRCA 42 - Graduated Income Tax
	SB 0500 - Smoke Free Illinois Act
	SB 1900 - Autism Treatment Mandate
Historical Illinois Chamber Scorecard Ratings	2007-08	2006-07	2005-06	2003-04	2001-02	1990-00	1998
	69%	90%	90%	73%	75%	67%

Senator Dan Rutherford (R-IL-053)
	Name of Legislation							Score
	SB 0005 - Illinois Covered Plan
	SB 0500 - Smoke Free Illinois Act
	SB 1296 - Liability Expansion
	SB 1900 - Autism Treatment Mandate
	SB 2148 - Income Tax Deduction
	SB 2486 - Wellness Coverage							NV
	SJRCA 92 - Graduated Income Tax
	SJR 22 - Employee Free Choice Act
	HB 1795 - Employee Classification Act
Historical Illinois Chamber Scorecard Ratings	2007-08	2005-06	2003-04	2001-02	1990-00	1998	1997
	88%	100%	100%	92%	94%	100%	92%

Representative Keith Sommer (R-IL-106)
	Name of Legislation							Score
	HB 0374 - FMLA Expansion							E
	HB 0773 - Prevailing Wage in TIF and EZ
	HB 1795 - Employee Classification Act							E
	HB 4940 - Chamber Wellness Initiatives
	HB 5141- Minimum Wage - Minor Save as Adult
	HB 5954 - High Deductible Plan Flexibility
	HJRCA 42 - Graduated Income Tax
	SB 0500 - Smoke Free Illinois Act
	SB 1900 - Autism Treatment Mandate
Historical Illinois Chamber Scorecard Ratings	2007-08	2006-07	2005-06	2003-04	2001-02	1990-00	1998
	88%	100%	100%	100%	100%	94%

Senator Dale Risinger (R-IL-037)
	Name of Legislation							Score
	SB 0005 - Illinois Covered Plan
	SB 0500 - Smoke Free Illinois Act
	SB 1296 - Liability Expansion
	SB 1900 - Autism Treatment Mandate
	SB 2148 - Income Tax Deduction
	SB 2486 - Wellness Coverage
	SJRCA 92 - Graduated Income Tax
	SJR 22 - Employee Free Choice Act
	HB 1795 - Employee Classification Act
Historical Illinois Chamber Scorecard Ratings	2007-08	2005-06	2003-04
	89%	88%	100%

Representative David Leitch (R-IL-073)
	Name of Legislation							Score
	HB 0374 - FMLA Expansion
	HB 0773 - Prevailing Wage in TIF and EZ
	HB 1795 - Employee Classification Act
	HB 4940 - Chamber Wellness Initiatives
	HB 5141- Minimum Wage - Minor Save as Adult
	HB 5954 - High Deductible Plan Flexibility
	HJRCA 42 - Graduated Income Tax
	SB 0500 - Smoke Free Illinois Act
	SB 1900 - Autism Treatment Mandate
Historical Illinois Chamber Scorecard Ratings	2007-08	2006-07	2005-06	2003-04	2001-02	1990-00	1998
			87%	91%	92%	94%	91%

Representative Donald Moffitt (R-IL-074)
	Name of Legislation							Score
	HB 0374 - FMLA Expansion
	HB 0773 - Prevailing Wage in TIF and EZ
	HB 1795 - Employee Classification Act
	HB 4940 - Chamber Wellness Initiatives
	HB 5141- Minimum Wage - Minor Save as Adult
	HB 5954 - High Deductible Plan Flexibility
	HJRCA 42 - Graduated Income Tax
	SB 0500 - Smoke Free Illinois Act
	SB 1900 - Autism Treatment Mandate
Historical Illinois Chamber Scorecard Ratings	2007-08	2006-07	2005-06	2003-04	2001-02	1990-00	1998
	64%	80%	80%	91%	69%	75%	91%

DESCRIPTION OF THE 2007-08 KEY BUSINESS LEGISLATION

A note about Chamber ratings: Key votes are weighted relative to their importance to the business community and level of opposition.

Senate Bills and Votes

SB 0005 - Illinois Covered Plan - Oppose
Requires every insurer to offer a benefit-rich health plan to all employees by instilling a 3% payroll tax to those employers who do not offer insurance. Creates a state-mandated health system. Weight: 1.6

SB 0500 - Smoke Free Illinois Act - Oppose
Creates a statewide smoking ban in businesses throughout Illinois. Weight: .8

SB 1296 - Liability Expansion - Oppose
Would change current joint and several liability law to force defendants in personal injury suits to pay 100 % of the damages - even if they are only 1 % at fault. While this applies to businesses it also applies to individuals personally if you are an Illinois resident or subject to Illinois law. Weight: 1.4

SB 1900 - Autism Treatment Mandate - Oppose
Mandates a large expansion of coverage requirements in the treatment of autism. As with all mandates, this legislation will increase the cost of health care policies for employers and individuals, worsening the affordability crisis. This mandate is particularly expensive. Weight: 1.0

SB 2148 - Income Tax Deduction - Support
Creates an income tax deduction for taxpayers who are individuals, corporations, or not�]for�]profit organizations for income, royalties, or receipts from patents for an invention resulting from a development process conducted in Illinois. Weight: .7

SB 2486 - Wellness Coverage - Support
Will authorize health plans to provide incentives to enrollees engaged in programs to influence their health behavior. Weight: .7

SJRCA 92 - Graduated Income Tax - Oppose
Constitutionally authorizes a tax on personal and corporate income to be at a graduated rate (instead of a flat rate). Further provides that in the case of corporations, the rate must not exceed the weighted average rate imposed on individuals by more than a ratio of 8 to 5. Weight: 1.0

SJR 22 - Employee Free Choice Act - Oppose
Urges Congress to pass Employee Free Choice Act. Act would enable working people to bargain for better wages, benefits and working conditions by restoring workers freedom to choose for themselves whether to join a union. Weight: .8

HB 1795 - Employee Classification Act - Oppose
Provides that an individual performing services for a contractor is deemed to be an employee of the employer. Weight: 1.0

House Bills and Votes

HB 0374 - FMLA Expansion - Oppose
Enables in-laws to be included in an FMLA provision regarding serious health conditions. Weight: 1.0

HB 0773 - Prevailing Wage in TIF and EZ - Oppose
Proposes to extend the Prevailing Wage Act to all projects in an enterprise zone or a TIF district. As proposed, all privately funded projects except single or multi-family owner/occupied projects would be covered. It makes numerous other administrative changes some of which will overturn recent court decisions protecting contractors. Weight: 1.2

HB 1795 - Employee Classification Act - Oppose
Provides that an individual performing services for a contractor is deemed to be an employee of the employer. Weight: 1.0

HB 4940 - Chamber Wellness Initiatives - Support
Will authorize health plans to provide incentives to enrollees engaged in programs to influence their health behavior. Weight: .8

HB 5141 - Minimum Wage - Minor Same as Adult - Oppose
Eliminates the provision of the minimum wage law that allows workers under the age of 18 to be paid 50 cents less than the full minimum wage. This change will have a large impact on businesses that provide jobs to teens just entering the workforce and will result in fewer jobs. Weight: 1.2

HB 5954 - High Deductible Plan Flexibility - Support
Provides that when an individual purchases a policy of accident and health insurance that is a high deductible plan with a health savings account, the individual may waive coverage for insurance mandates as required by the Code. Weight: 1.0

HJRCA 42 - Graduated Income Tax - Oppose
Constitutionally authorizes a tax on personal and corporate income to be at a graduated rate (instead of a flat rate). Further provides that in the case of corporations, the rate must not exceed the weighted average rate imposed on individuals by more than a ratio of 8 to 5. Weight: 1.0

SB 0500 - Smoke Free Illinois Act - Oppose
Creates a statewide smoking ban in businesses throughout Illinois. Weight: .8

SB 1900 - Autism Treatment Mandate - Oppose
Mandates a large expansion of coverage requirements in the treatment of autism. As with all mandates, this legislation will increase the cost of health care policies for employers and individuals, worsening the affordability crisis. This mandate is particularly expensive. Weight: 1.0