Springfield, IL – Senate Republicans called for action this week to address the high cost of living in Illinois and urged the Senate to take action on bipartisan solutions to benefit residents.

Also this week, the Senate voted to lift the decades-long moratorium on the construction of new nuclear power plants.

In other news, the Illinois Manufacturers’ Association announced the winner of the Makers Madness tournament, the Rosenberg Moon Habitat from Ingersoll Machine Tools, Inc. in Rockford.

Senate Republicans Call for Action to Address High Cost of Living

In response to continued high inflation and increased cost of living, State Sen. Jil Tracy (R-Quincy) and several of her Senate Republican colleagues came together at a Capitol press conference to advocate for solutions to the economic issues facing Illinoisans. While the previous year did attempt to provide some financial relief, the Majority Party failed to provide a permanent or meaningful impact on families, who are still struggling.

During the press conference, the Senators highlighted several proposed bills that would provide financial relief for families, including,

Senate Bill 1150: Makes the one-year state sales tax exemption for groceries permanent and also exempts prescription drugs and other medical devices from state sales tax beginning July 1, 2023.

Senate Bill 1151/Senate Bill 168: Provides parents with a state tax credit equal to 25% of the federal tax credit for each qualifying child. Qualifying families would receive a tax credit of up to $500 per qualifying child on state income taxes. These bills are sponsored by Sen. Tracy.

Senate Bill 2200: Appropriates $200 million in energy rebates for Ameren customers through an already established program. Qualifying households would receive about $170 in credits toward their power bills.

Senate Bill 1152/Senate Bill 330: Increases Illinois’ income tax exemption for seniors from $1,000 to $2,000.

Sen. Tracy says these solutions present an opportunity to provide much-needed, permanent relief to Illinoisans who often have to choose between buying groceries or paying their utility bills.

Senate Passes Bipartisan Bill Ending Moratorium on Nuclear Power Plants

This week, the Senate passed Senate Bill 76, which would end the moratorium on the construction of new nuclear power facilities. Proposed by Senator Sue Rezin, this bill would remove the language that prevents construction of any new nuclear power plant within the state. The bill passed with a bipartisan vote of 39-13 and will now move to the House of Representatives for further action.

Senate Bill 76 provides public utility and energy companies the option to invest in new nuclear power construction projects, without requiring them. This opportunity allows Illinois to compete with other states on the field of nuclear energy. Illinois is one of only 12 states that still has a moratorium on the construction of new nuclear power. Meanwhile, neighboring states have moved forward on production of their own facilities.

Building additional nuclear power plants would both improve Illinois’ energy grid and provide a wealth of jobs for the communities that build them. Sen. Tracy says it is critical for Illinois to be able to explore all energy options especially as warnings begin to be issued about the possibility for future energy brownouts and blackouts.

IMA Announces “The Coolest Thing Made in Illinois”

On Wednesday, the Illinois Manufacturers’ Association announced that the Rosenberg Moon Habitat from Ingersoll Machine Tools, Inc. in Rockford is the winner of their fourth annual Makers Madness contest. With more than 300,000 votes cast over the course of the eight-week competition, the Rosenberg Moon Habitat was awarded this year’s title of “The Coolest Thing Made in Illinois.”

The Rosenberg Moon Habitat is a 3D printed polymer structure designed to be carried on a SpaceX Starship and then constructed on the moon to house a crew of two people. Manufactured in collaboration with the Institut auf dem Rosenberg in Switzerland, this structure is the world’s tallest single-piece 3D printed polymer structure at 23 feet tall, but is only 5 millimeters thick.

As the winner of the contest, the Rosenberg Moon Habitat beat out more than 250 other products during the course of the bracket-style tournament.