Senate Bill 9 Would Undermine Electric Utility Oversight; Hike Electric Rates for Consumers and Businesses Across Illinois

CHICAGO - Governor Pat Quinn today vetoed Senate Bill 9, which would have allowed Illinois' large electric utilities to undermine the state's oversight and enact an estimated $70 million rate hike. The governor, who 30 years ago spearheaded creation of the Citizens' Utility Board (CUB) - Illinois' largest consumer advocacy group - noted that the bill would circumvent more than a century of state oversight of electric utilities.

"I cannot support legislation that puts the profits of big electric utilities ahead of the families and businesses of Illinois," Governor Quinn said. "A strong economy that creates jobs requires stable energy costs, but this bill sends Illinois in the wrong direction. We cannot allow big utilities to force automatic rate hikes on the people of Illinois by going around oversight authorities each and every time they do not get the decision they want."

Senate Bill 9 was pushed by the utilities in response to Illinois Commerce Commission rulings last year. The commission denied proposed rate hikes that weren't needed for the utilities to make promised investments, and would cost Illinois' families and businesses too much. Senate Bill 9 circumvents the commission's well-established oversight authority and puts several of those rate hikes into Illinois law.

If the bill were to become law, the bill would continue a troubling, unprecedented pattern of departing from more than a century of regulatory oversight of utility company monopolies in Illinois.

The Illinois Commerce Commission's mission is "to pursue an appropriate balance between the interest of consumers and existing and emerging service providers to ensure the provision of adequate, efficient, reliable, safe and least-cost public utility services."

The rate hike proposed in this bill would be in addition to a $311 million rate hike Commonwealth Edison proposed to the Illinois Commerce Commission just last week. Combined with another rate hike filed with the federal government, the two amount to about $6 per month for the average utility customer.

A copy of the governor's veto message is attached.

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Miles Hamblin breaks up no-hitter in seventh, drives in winning run in the ninth for Quad Cities

SOUTH BEND, Ind. (MAY 3, 2013) - Held hitless for 6 2/3 innings Friday night by South Bend Silver Hawks right-hander Brandon Sinnery, the Quad Cities River Bandits rallied for single runs in each of the final three innings for a 3-2 victory that snapped the home team's seven-game winning streak and kept Quad Cities from its first three-game losing skid of the season.

Sinnery held the River Bandits (16-10) to two walks and a hit batter, and he had retired nine in a row and held a 2-0 lead with two outs and the bases empty in the seventh inning. Quad Cities first baseman Jesse Wierzbicki then hit a ground ball to shortstop Pedro Ruiz, who threw into the dirt at first for an error allowing Wierzbicki to reach with two outs in the seventh inning. Designated hitter Miles Hamblin followed by grounding a single up the middle to break up the deepest no-hit effort in a game against Quad Cities this season.

With two out and runners at first and second, catcher Roberto Peña then grounded a ball up the middle that Ruiz fielded and tried flipping to second baseman Fidel Peña, but the errant throw allowed Wierzbicki to race around third base and score, making it 2-1. The hit by Roberto Peña extended his hitting streak to 11 games - the longest for a River Bandit this season.

Sinnery finished seven innings with two hits allowed, one unearned run, two walks and eight strikeouts. Right-hander Chris Capper (2-1) took over to start the eighth inning. After Capper retired the first two batters, River Bandits center fielder Teoscar Hernandez launched his first Midwest League home run to the bleachers above the left field fence to tie the game, 2-2.

In the bottom of the eighth, Quad Cities left-hander Brian Holmes (3-2) allowed a leadoff bunt single by center fielder Socrates Brito and another single to designated hitter Brandon Drury. But Holmes then deflected a line drive by third baseman Ryan Court that went on a bounce to shortstop Joe Sclafani, who turned a double play. With a runner at third, Holmes induced a ground ball by left fielder Alex Glenn to Sclafani at shortstop for the final out to preserve the tie. Holmes finished three shutout innings with three hits and three strikeouts in relief of right-hander Jordan Jankowski, who allowed the Silver Hawks' two runs on Drury's first-inning home run and Fidel Peña's second-inning RBI double.

In the ninth inning against Capper, Wierzbicki drove a double to the right-field corner and advanced to third base on a pickoff throw that went into center field and was bobbled by Brito. Hamblin then lined a single to right for the go-ahead run. Right-hander John Neely came on to retire the Silver Hawks (18-7) in order in the ninth to earn his fourth save. Friday's victory means The Captain's Table at 4801 River Drive in Moline will offer The Captain's Table Victory Discount on Saturday, May 4. Anyone who mentions the River Bandits victory can receive a free appetizer or dessert with the purchase of two lunches or dinners with beverages on Saturday, May 4.

The River Bandits remained three games out of first place in the Midwest League Western Division and will begin a three-game road series against the West Michigan Whitecaps at 5:35 p.m. Saturday. Quad Cities right-hander and April Pitcher of the Month Vincent Velasquez (3-0) and left-hander Joe Bircher (1-0) will face Whitecaps right-hander Yorfrank Lopez (2-1).

UP NEXT: Time is running out to reserve tickets for the Mother's Day Brunch on the Sky Deck of Modern Woodmen Park. Reservations must be made in advance by Monday, May 6, for the brunch preceding the River Bandits game Sunday, May 12. Single-game tickets are on sale at the River Bandits box office at Modern Woodmen Park, by phone at 563-324-3000 and online at www.riverbandits.com. Season ticket and mini-plan packages start at just seven games and begin at less than $50. Call a River Bandits account representative today to choose your seats and get the details of our various mini-plan packages.

CHICAGO - Governor Pat Quinn today took action on the following bills:

Bill No.: HB 2275

An Act Concerning: State Government

Increases the powers and duties of the Department of Aging through the use of data-sharing agreements and makes several Community Care Program reforms.

Action: Signed

Effective Date: Immediate

Bill No.: HB 2381

An Act Concerning: Local Government

Makes immediate the effective date of Public Act 97-1138, which clarifies the transfer of the armory from the Department of Military Affairs to the city of Salem, and clarifies that the location of the new Readiness Center is in Mt. Vernon, instead of Salem.

Action: Signed

Effective Date: Immediate