Rep. Dave Vella

Maddy summaryThis House Resolution honors Firefighter Michael E. "Mickey" Altman of the Chicago Fire Department, who died on March 17, 2026, from injuries sustained while performing his duties. The bill formally expresses the Illinois House of Representatives' condolences to his family and friends, including his wife Nora, children Theodore and Baby Girl, and parents Mark and Mary. It also directs that a copy of the resolution be presented to Altman's family as a gesture of sympathy. This is a commemorative measure rather than a policy change, focusing on acknowledging the loss of a public servant and supporting his loved ones.

Amends the State Finance Act. Provides that, for construction contracts procured by the Department of Transportation, a requirement that a contract, a contract renewal, an order against a master contract, or an amendment to an existing contract requires the signature of the chief executive officer of the agency, the chief legal counsel of the agency, and the chief fiscal officer of the agency applies only if the contract is in the amount of $750,000 or more or is increased to or by $750,000 or more in a fiscal year. Provides that the Department of Transportation may, by rule, adjust that applicable monetary threshold on a yearly basis to reflect inflationary costs in highway construction. Effective immediately.

Calls for the release of all files related to the crimes of Jeffrey Epstein and his alleged accomplices with redactions limited solely to shielding the identities of survivors as outlined in the Epstein Transparency Act. Further calls for the appointment of a special prosecutor independent of the Trump Administration's influence to review prosecution decisions stemming from the Epstein investigation to investigate whether the Trump Administration illegally redacted or withheld documents to shield individuals for political purposes.

Opposes Illinois Senate Bill 3572 (SB3572). Opposes any effort to punish women for accessing reproductive healthcare, efforts to subject survivors of rape and incest to more severe punishments than a rapist, and efforts to restrict access to in vitro fertilization (IVF) and other forms of assisted reproductive technology.

Urges the Illinois Department of Human Services and the Pritzker Administration to delay cuts to Direct Service Professional (DSP) service hours set to begin January 1,2026, until such time as the State is prepared to implement the "Zero Hour" Staffing Model, to protect the services depended on by individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD).

Amends the Public Utilities Act. Provides that the Illinois Commerce Commission shall monitor the impact of each public utility in the State on overall consumer savings and on the electrical grid of the State. Requires the Commission to submit an annual report to the Governor, the Attorney General, and the General Assembly that summarizes the results of the Commission's efforts no later than one year after the effective date of the amendatory Act and annually thereafter. Provides that a utility shall cap residential rates for qualifying households at a set monthly maximum during a city, county, or State declaration of a winter weather emergency or an extreme heat warning that covers the area of the utility in which the qualifying household is located. Provides that each utility in the State shall file with the Commission prior to December 1 of each year a plan detailing the implementation of a residential rate cap. Provides that all plans are subject to review and approval by the Commission and that the Commission may direct a utility to modify its plan to comply with the requirements of the amendatory provisions. In provisions concerning Disconnection Protection Programs, provides that a customer who submits documentation that shows that the customer is enrolled in the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), the Percentage of Income Payment Plan (PIPP), or Medicaid shall be granted protection under a utility's Disconnection Protection Program upon the receipt of the customer's documentation. Provides that, if the utility, upon reviewing the customer's documentation, determines that the documentation does not provide sufficient proof that the customer is enrolled in LIHEAP, PIPP, or Medicaid, the utility may remove the customer from the utility's Disconnection Protection Program. Provides that an electric utility that offers at least one market-based rate option, including, but not limited to, net electricity metering, for retail customers who choose to take power and energy supply service from the utility shall limit peak hour rates under the market-based rate option to no more than 150% of the rate that the customer would otherwise pay if the customer was not using the market-based rate option. Makes other changes.

Commends and thanks Mika Baugher for her many years of committed service to the Illinois General Assembly and the people of the State of Illinois. Wishes her continued success in her future endeavors.

Calls upon President Donald J. Trump to immediately suspend his tariff scheme and halt all efforts to defend his unilateral tax increases in court. Calls upon the United States Department of the Treasury to immediately issue $2,000 payments to every American household with an annual income below $250,000 as a refund of families' lost wages and savings, and as an apology for President Trump's illegal tax increases.

Amends the Public Utilities Act. Defines "off-grid electricity provider" as an entity, person, private company, electric cooperative, municipal agency, or other organization that (1) is engaged in any combination of generating, transmitting, distributing, or selling electricity at retail to consumers, (2) is not connected to any existing electric transmission or distribution system within this State for either primary or backup supply, (3) operates independently of existing utilities and other regulated entities, (4) is not located within any federal, State, or municipal roadway or right-of-way, and (5) does not cross any federal, State, or municipal roadway or right-of-way or State boundaries. Provides that an off-grid electricity provider whose operation date is on or after the effective date of the amendatory Act shall be exempt from the requirements of the Utilities Chapter of the Illinois Compiled Statutes. Provides that an off-grid electricity provider shall remain subject to all other applicable laws and regulations, including municipal and State highway safety regulations, unless specifically excluded from those laws or regulations by a separate Act. Provides that an off-grid electricity provider shall cease being an off-grid electricity provider and immediately become subject to the requirements of the Utilities Chapter of the Illinois Compiled Statutes if the off-grid electricity provider does any of the following actions: (1) the provider elects to connect to any portion of an existing electric transmission or distribution system within this State for either primary or backup supply; (2) the provider locates within or crosses any federal, State, or municipal roadway or right-of-way; or (3) the provider crosses State boundaries. Effective immediately.

Maddy summaryThis is a ceremonial House resolution (HR 567), not a legislative bill with policy changes. It formally congratulates Kathy Veroni on receiving the 2025 Humanitarian Award from the National Fastpitch Coaches Association. The resolution highlights her 34-year softball coaching career at Western Illinois University, her 869 wins, multiple hall of fame inductions, and community work with the GIFT garden. As a symbolic gesture, it does not create new laws, affect regulations, or impact any individuals beyond honoring Veroni's achievements.