McLean County Times

After weeks of negotiations, a bill to support nuclear power plants in Illinois has passed both the House and Senate with wide, bipartisan majorities. This legislation, known as House Bill 2473, removes the state's 1980s ban on new nuclear reactors and paves the way for the construction of new reactors utilizing new technologies. The bill also addresses concerns raised by the Governor regarding emergency preparedness, environmental monitoring, and reactor decommissioning.

"This bill is important locally as these plants provide good-paying jobs for our communities and property tax revenue for our schools," said Representative Bunting. "It is important on a statewide basis because of the reliable, carbon-free energy these plants produce."

The passage of the nuclear bill is a significant victory for the area, but there were missed opportunities to address other important issues in the Illinois Legislature. Democrats refused to act on ethics reform, property tax reform, estate tax reform, and other key issues.

"We missed an opportunity to make some much-needed, positive changes for Illinoisans," expressed Representative Bunting. "These problems are not going to go away. We will have to work on them in the spring session."

In other news, community college enrollment in Illinois has seen a notable increase this spring. According to the Illinois Community College Board's Spring 2023 Enrollment report, enrollment went up by 7.2% compared to last year, marking a gain not seen in almost 15 years. The report also highlights that more than 40% of students have signed up for at least one online course taken via distance learning.

Representative Bunting, who holds an ag business degree from Joliet Junior College, recognizes the value of community colleges, stating, "These institutions provide a valuable service to our students and to our state. I am glad to see so many Illinois students taking advantage of all that these schools have to offer."

Additionally, the Illinois State Report Card for the 2022-2023 academic year is now available. The report contains information about the performance of the state's schools, including test scores, attendance data, and more. While there has been a partial recovery from the lowest points of the COVID lockdowns, the report shows that there is still work to be done. Proficiency in English has increased by 16% from a year ago, and math proficiency has increased by 4%, but both figures remain below pre-pandemic levels in 2019. Absenteeism continues to be a statewide problem, with over 30% of students missing more than 17 days of school last year.

Representative Bunting expressed gratitude to the hard-working students, teachers, parents, and administrators who are working to make up for the learning loss caused by the pandemic and for their contributions to the community.

In other news, Representative Bunting held a successful Local Government Advisory Committee meeting, discussing topics such as infrastructure, funding, law enforcement, solar, and wind with County Board Chairmen and Mayors.

As Veterans Day approaches, Representative Bunting extends gratitude to the nation's Veterans for their service and sacrifice. "We are able to celebrate and exercise our freedoms because of those who have served and protected everything we hold dear," said Representative Bunting.

Finally, it is worth noting that the state of Illinois currently has a bill backlog of $1,685,624,699. This includes unpaid bills submitted to the Illinois Comptroller for payment. However, it does not include unfunded debts like the state's pension liability, which exceeds $100 billion.

In conclusion, while the passage of the nuclear bill is a significant achievement, there were missed opportunities to address other important issues in the Illinois Legislature. Community college enrollment has seen a notable increase, and the State Report Card highlights the need for continued efforts to improve education. Representative Bunting remains committed to working on these issues in the spring session.

To find out more, go to this link: https://repbunting.com/2023/11/09/rep-buntings-springfield-news-update-for-november-9/