By Greg Bishop/Illinois Radio Network
SPRINGFIELD – Gov. Bruce Rauner’s veto of the so-called Collective Bargaining Freedom Act has been upheld.
Supporters of the measure that would have criminalizing local officials from voting for right-to-work zones said the measure was needed to send a message that Illinois is a union state.
State Rep. Jerry Long, R-Streator, said the bill is junk, political theater, and meant to target legislators who vote against it.
“I will tell you that we have got to stop getting the cart before the horse,” Long, R-Streator, said. “We’ve got to make Illinois business friendly. Otherwise, we’re going to lose our union jobs. My union brothers and sisters know that.”
Other opponents said the measure would send the wrong message to job creators who already don’t consider Illinois because of its poor business climate.
The override failed by one vote Tuesday, as it did last month when the House sponsor of the bill brought it up for a vote. The sponsor of the bill said he won’t try to run an override vote again.
The governor did see one veto officially overridden Tuesday, and the Illinois Student Loan Bill of Rights is now law.
That bill requires servicers to properly process payments, require explanations of repayment options, and inform borrowers under what circumstances loans would be forgiven.
The bill’s sponsor, state Rep. Will Guzzardi, D-Logan Square, said the measure holds student loan service providers accountable.
“This is a bill to protect sheep and the only people opposed to it are the wolves, the student loan servicers that are praying on our students, and profiting from their expense,” Guzzardi said.
State Rep. Dan Brady, R-Bloomington, previously voted against the measure but on Tuesday he voted to override, calling it a consumer protection measure.
“One of my concerns that I have and I changed my mind on this particular vote in the override is the students are being pushed into categories of students focusing on interest payments versus principal payments, so they are getting further behind on their student loans,” Brady said.
Brady added he’s also concerned about a potential drop in federal oversight.
Opponents of the bill said the measure adds burdensome regulations on student loan servicers and doesn’t address the real driver of student loan debt, which is the growing costs of college.
The veto override passed 98-16, which makes the measure law.
Both chambers are back in session Wednesday.
