[Hat tip to Jack Darin for the news.]
With a background that includes working and volunteering with the Sierra Club, the National Audubon Society, the Natural Resources Defence Council and The Conservation Foundation, it is quite fitting that Democratic State Senator Linda Holmes‘ first sponsored bill to pass the Illinois State Senate, SB 1242 the “Cool Cities Act,” supports the environment. The Act would provide “Cool Cities” with technical assistance from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency.
In order to become an Illinois “Cool City” municipalities need to endorse the U.S. Conference of Mayors Climate Protection Agreement, including taking efforts to reach or reduce further Kyoto Protocol targets for greenhouse gasses in their municipality (a 7% reduction from 1990 levels by the year 2012), advocate that their state and the federal government do the same (with the same 7% reduction target), and urge congress to create a national emission trading system to reduce greenhouse gasses.
Congratulations to DuPage* State Senator Linda Holmes on her cool legislation!
* We’re claiming her - she won precincts in Naperville Township.
Comments 5
You can have her.
I’d rather she do something about the fact our murder rate has shot up here in Aurora than some ‘environmental’ thing.
Posted 28 Mar 2007 at 3:05 pm ¶Hi OneMan,
Good to see you back!
It seems that the murder rate increase you mention is really pretty recent (January 2007) - so I think it’s a bit hard to insist a first year senator in her first months address it. Is State Senator Chris Lauzen doing anything about it? I didn’t see anything in a quick glance. However, in addition to more “serious” bills, I did catch SB199 that “[d]esignates the GoldRush Apple as the official State fruit of Illinois” - no doubt a pressing concern amongst apple aficionados
I think it’s fair to say Senator Holmes presented a serious and worthwhile bill that got passed, even if it didn’t address every serious issue out there - no bill does.
An increase in the murder rate is obviously pretty serious. Has there been any explanation why it’s suddenly increased? Is anyone addressing the murder rate increase that you know of (from any party)?
Posted 28 Mar 2007 at 10:08 pm ¶Well, for one thing Lauzen covers almost none of Aurora anymore. Secondly thanks to the way things work in Springfield virtually nothing a Republican will put forth will ever make it out of committee.
To be frank, considering the amount of money she got from Emil for her campaign I have serious reservations about her ability to be independent.
As for cities getting technical support that’s great. However I would rather she do something about how DNR’s budget has been getting hacked the last few year.
Posted 29 Mar 2007 at 12:22 pm ¶Hi OneMan,
You can take a look at what Senator Linda Holmes is sponsoring here. Among the things listed are SB1204 that does deal with DNR funding via local government (not exactly what you were suggesting - but in the general topic), she also has bills that deal with everything from gang tattoo removal to elder abuse, child abuse and domestic abuse. There’s a lot more there - take a look. Not saying, coming from your perspective, that you’ll necessarily like everything you see - but it certainly looks substantial to me for someone who’s been in office for such a short time (months).
Take care.
Posted 29 Mar 2007 at 8:23 pm ¶Or you could look at what she is just ‘primary’ sponsor on http://12.43.67.2/senate/SenatorBills.asp?MemberID=1341&Primary=True
A much shorter list that is mostly environmental stuff.
Posted 02 Apr 2007 at 2:50 pm ¶Post a Comment