March and April are always busy months in Government Affairs. As a result, I am going to highlight a few issues from different levels of government with potential impact on your business
Local – Naperville City Council Elections
Two incumbents and two challengers were successful in gaining seats on the Naperville City Council. Dr. Benjamin (Benny) White, an incumbent, led all candidates. White was followed in order by challenger Mary Gibson, incumbent Ian Holzhauer, and challenger Ashfaq Syed.
The Naperville Area Chamber of Commerce wishes to congratulate the winners and extend our profound gratitude to all the candidates who ran. Self -government can only function when citizens step forward to serve.
State – Legislative updates and Chamber Day 2025
I would like to take the opportunity to thank NACC President and CEO Kaylin Risvold, Board of Director Cheryl Denton, Board of Director/Business Works Chair Matt Shipley, and Business Works Committee Member John Knobloch for joining me in Springfield on March 18-19th for Illinois Chamber Day. We joined with Chamber members from throughout Illinois in advocating for businesses in our state.
Feel free to reach out if you have questions on specific legislation, but the general agenda was to:
- SUPPORT economic development tools that grow Illinois, including extending the R7D tax credit, modernizing the EDGE tax credit, and supporting new, growing industries – promoting economic opportunity and access.
- SUPPORT workers where they are: Working with our partners in the labor community to expand Illinois’ tax credit portfolio to focus on workforce development, bolster employer childcare support options, and employer-sponsored benefits.
- SUPPORT narrow, modern, and reasonable updates to the Biometric Privacy Act (BIPA) law by allowing security-purpose exemptions and technical changes to support innovation (HB 2838)
- SUPPORT an “all of the above” approach to clean energy goals by helping the private sector continue to have access to critical affordable, reliable, safe, clean, and sustainable energy sources and employ clean energy solutions.
- SUPPORT reasonable environmental justice policies that create uniform rules and regulations to enhance compliance by the regulated industries (SB 1686)
- SUPPORT reasonable modifications to the State’s Paid Leave for All Workers Act that allow businesses, especially small businesses, to comply with the law (HB 3531).
The House and Senate return to Springfield this week. Friday, April 11th is the third reading deadline. House bills must clear the House and Senate bills must clear the Senate, except in special cases, by the end of this week.
Federal – Budget framework, Litigation Transparency, and Tariffs.
The US Senate has passed a compromise budget resolution that would pave the way for permanent extension for the pro-growth provisions of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA). Because of TCJA, businesses across the country have been able to hire, raise wages, expand operations, innovate, and invest in operations, equipment, and people. The US Chamber is advocating that the US House adopt the current policy baseline and deliver permanent tax relief for American families and business.
Additionally, NACC has joined the US Chamber in supporting passage of the Litigation Transparency Act. This critical piece of legislation seeks to enhance transparency and oversight of third-party litigation funding (TPLF) by putting in place a uniform disclosure requirement of TPLF in all federal civil litigation. TPLF, an increasingly prevalent multi-billion-dollar industry, allows hedge funds, sovereign wealth funds, foreign entities and other financiers to secretly invest in lawsuits in exchange for a share of the settlement or award. H.R. 1109 is a necessary step towards protecting the integrity of our legal system by ensuring that justice is served without undue influence from undisclosed entities investing in U.S. litigation.
Finally, the administration announced last week a new proposal to implement reciprocal tariffs on America’s trading partners. This approach aims to match the tariffs imposed by other countries on U.S. goods, potentially impacting a wide range of industries and consumers.
As we navigate these developments, we remain committed to keeping you informed and engaged on how these changes may affect our economic landscape. Stay tuned for more updates and insights in this rapidly evolving trade environment.