Government Affairs Roundup
“Your Timely Roundup of Local, State, and Federal Updates”
Chamber members:
It’s a quick roundup today as we’re less than one week away from election day. The information and link to the podcasts of our candidate forum on WJOL radio remains in the message below.
Additionally, two other topics covering the urging of a progressive income tax and the subject of AI.
*Government Affairs Roundup brought to you by CITGO*
Governor Pritzker Urged to Take Another Look at Graduated Income Tax
The question of whether Illinois might revive a graduated income tax could soon resurface, especially if the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) has its way. The path to reinstating the tax structure, however, seems uncertain at best.
The concept, initially proposed by Governor JB Pritzker as a “fair tax” to replace Illinois’ flat income tax, was voted down in 2020, with over 53% of voters opposing the constitutional amendment. Since that defeat, the proposal has largely faded from public discussion.
Yet recent tensions between the CTU and Chicago Public Schools (CPS) CEO Pedro Martinez—centered on the funding needed for increased staff and salary raises—have spurred renewed interest in alternative revenue streams. CTU Research Director Pavlyn Jankov suggested in a press briefing that CPS could secure the $1 billion needed annually by “revisiting” the graduated income tax plan.
This wasn’t merely an offhand remark. Although the CTU has not launched a full campaign to revive the tax amendment, the proposal featured prominently in a 35-page negotiation document released at the briefing. In a section titled “How We Fully Fund Our Schools,” the union presented four potential funding sources: utilizing Medicaid to fund health services for low-income students, abolishing and reallocating funds from tax-increment financing districts, closing corporate tax loopholes, and revisiting the fair tax plan.
The CTU report contends that a graduated income tax could generate over $3 billion annually, adding that “leadership at the state level means addressing the ‘upside-down’ policies that tax low-income residents more heavily than the top 1%.” Union leaders, including CTU President Stacy Davis Gates, did not provide further comment, but a union spokesperson noted, “Even the governor has said we need more progressive revenue.”
Governor Pritzker, however, has remained largely silent on the matter since the 2020 defeat. His spokesperson, Alex Gough, reiterated the administration’s commitment to balanced budgets, saying, “Four years ago, Gov. Pritzker invested heavily in enacting a fair tax structure in Illinois, and the voters made their stance clear. Since then, the governor has worked with the resources available to support children and working families statewide.”
Senate President Don Harmon’s office echoed this sentiment, acknowledging his longstanding support for a graduated income tax but recognizing the voter mandate in 2020. Illinois House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch declined to comment.
Business Hiring Could be Impacted by Illinois AI Law
An employment law expert is urging Illinois employers to prepare for a new state law that will reshape the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the workplace and carry significant implications for compliance.
Effective January 1, 2026, an amendment to the Illinois Human Rights Act will prohibit employers from deploying AI in discriminatory ways, such as using an individual’s ZIP code as a stand-in for other characteristics. Additionally, employers will be required to provide notice whenever AI is employed in decisions related to recruitment, hiring, promotion, renewal of employment, training selection, discharge, or other conditions of employment.
AI tools are becoming increasingly common in hiring; a recent report by Jobscan, an AI-powered recruitment platform, revealed that nearly all Fortune 500 companies use AI-driven application tracking and screening software.
However, according to Alex Reich, a partner at Saul Ewing and employment law expert, the growing patchwork of AI regulations across the country poses a compliance challenge, especially for companies with a multi-state presence. “We now have certain states—New York, Colorado, and now Illinois—enacting AI-related laws. Employers, particularly those operating in multiple states, must remain mindful of each jurisdiction’s requirements,” Reich said.
The Illinois law broadly defines AI as any “machine-based system that, for explicit or implicit objectives, infers, from the input it receives, how to generate outputs such as predictions, content, recommendations, or decisions that can influence physical or virtual environments.” Reich highlighted the law’s expansive definition, noting, “The way the Illinois law is drafted, it even includes simple tools like ChatBox, which compile information but don’t operate independently. It’s a very broad interpretation of AI.”
Additionally, employers using AI for video interviews in Illinois must already comply with the 2020 Illinois Artificial Intelligence Video Interview Act, which mandates disclosing the use of AI and obtaining candidate consent for its application.
With the enactment of this legislation, Illinois is joining a growing list of states that are implementing regulatory oversight over workplace AI, setting new standards that employers will need to closely follow.
Candidate Forum
Our chamber partnered with Scott Slocum and 1340 WJOL to run candidate interviews for Will County Executive, Illinois Senate Districts 43 and 49, as well as Illinois House Districts 86 and 97. You can hear the podcasts here: https://www.wjol.com/podcast/
The following races were highlighted and each has their own podcast:
Will County Chief Executive Officer
Jennifer Bertino Tarrant
Charles “Chuck” Maher
Illinois State Representative – 86th District
Lawrence “Larry” Walsh, Jr.
Jim Lanham
Illinois State Senate – 49th District
Meg Loughran Cappel
Katie Deane-Schlottman
Illinois State Senate – 43rd District
Rachel Ventura
Jennifer “Jen” Monson
Illinois State Representative – 97th District
Harry Benton
Gabby Shanahan
Stay well,
Mike Paone
Executive Vice President
Joliet Region Chamber of Commerce & Industry
[email protected]
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