The Illinois State Legislature faces two major hurdles in this fall’s veto session among its priorities. The state has less revenue than in past years and many constituents want to see an outcome on statewide data center regulations.
The POWER Act previously failed to pass in the state during the spring session but has since been suspected to be brought up again. Some municipalities, including Normal, are waiting to commit on data center regulations until they know what state lawmakers plan to do.
State Rep. Sharon Chung, D-Bloomington, said she has not heard anything yet about it being brought back into discussion. Chung represents parts of Bloomington-Normal.
“I’m hoping we can get something done,” she said. “Speaking to lots of municipalities and communities in the 91st district, I think that people, governments, just want to see some sort of framework from the state.”
Some organizations, such as Illinois People’s Action, would like to see a complete and total ban on the facilities. That could come in the form of a statewide moratorium.
Chung said that has never been an option.
“A lot of people cite and point to a lot of the problems that they have seen in data centers throughout the country. I look at it as learning experiences,” she said. “So, whatever mistake they made there that led to this, let’s not do it here. … For us at the state, we’re here to provide regulations and a framework from which the municipalities can work.”
Chung did not say whether or not she supports the bill in its current state. She said she has told everyone she wants to see more regulations protecting natural resources and more.
“I want to make sure that we’re protecting ratepayers and energy prices, just to make sure that these data centers who are coming in are providing their own clean energy in some way, shape or form, and have a plan for how to not pass off rising electricity costs onto our consumers and our residents here,” she said.
At the same time, she said there are “a lot of players in the room.”
“So, if you’re bringing in labor, and you’re bringing environment folks and you’re bringing in folks in industry. I’m hopeful that we can get to something.”
Chung said she is not sure if the POWER Act sufficiently addresses all of those concerns. She said there is always room for improvement.
“I’m a ‘let’s wait and see what it looks like,’” said Chung.
In response to how she weighs political risk surrounding data centers, she said it has been a difficult topic to navigate.
“So, if we’re putting things in place to help protect [natural resources and energy costs], to me, I would hope that people could be open to that conversation.”
Chung said the legislature has already held several subject matter hearings on data centers and will continue to be public about the issue. She said it is the nature of her job to look at the issue as a whole and consider all factors.
Lower than projected state revenue
Compared to years past, the state of Illinois will have less revenue this year. It is less than what Gov. JB Pritzker counted on for the state budget.
Chung said it is going to be difficult on her priorities in the next general assembly.
“… and it's something that we've been saying at least for the past year. Once we kind of knew that the Big, Beautiful Bill had passed in Congress, we started sort of looking at the projections and the federal funding pressures because of the cuts that had happened at the federal level,” she said.
Chung said the legislature will do what it has always done and work collaboratively with the state senate and the governor’s office.
“Even last year, I told people it’s going to be really tough the next couple of years, so I’ve been trying to be as realistic and sort of level set with people as much as possible,” she said. “I guess that we’ll just have to see how this new speaker does it when it comes to the budget process.”
She said everyone in Springfield will be feeling the pressure from spending cuts.
Chicago Bears
Another matter of unfinished business in Springfield is trying to keep the Chicago Bears in the state. The team previously flirted with moving to Indiana at the excitement of the Indiana legislature to welcome the team with open arms for a stadium there.
Illinois representatives, including Chung, have had a hard time with the prospect of keeping the team by giving more state tax support.
“I think that there are many of us, myself included, who don’t want to see public tax dollars go to a private company, a private organization like the Bears that’s worth all that money,” she said. “So, for me, doing things like building a stadium for them, that’s not on the table for me.”
The McCaskey family, which owns the team, is worth $9.45 billion.
When it comes to infrastructure support, Chung said the state could help since the new proposed facility would benefit the community of Chicago suburb Arlington Heights as a whole.
“[The House] passed our own version of the quote-unquote ‘Bears Bill,' but it was a larger sort of economic development package, so that folks throughout the state could use that.”
Chung said she would love to see a deal like that, instead of essentially having the state’s taxpayers pay for a stadium.
“We’ll take that on in the spring, but we also have another issue that [state Sen.] Bill Cunningham, he’s been the lead negotiator for the Bears. He’s retiring in January,” said Chung. “So, I’m hopeful that we can get something done with the Bears. Again, if it’s a very small, pared down package for the Bears, something to do with infrastructure, something like that.”
Chung said she thinks the offer for the team to move to Hammond, Ind. is a bluff, and she has been skeptical since it was announced.
