The Illinois Legislature adjourned Saturday, May 27 until their scheduled veto session beginning October 24.

Lawmakers passed House Bill 2079, which allows a township officer to hold a position on the board of a not-for-profit corporation interested in a contract, work, or business of the township if the township officer is appointed by the governing body to represent township interests.

The township officer may actively vote on matters involving either the board or the township if the membership on the not-for-profit board is not a paid position.

If the township officer is not appointed by the governing body, the officer may continue to serve but must abstain from voting on a proposition before the township governing body directly involving the not-for-profit corporation.

If Gov. Pritzker signs the bill, it will become effective January 1, 2024.

Billionaire Democrat J.B. Pritzker defeated first-term Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner, by a margin of 54 percent to 39.3 percent. Less than an hour after polls closed, Rauner conceded his re-election bid, giving Democrats near total control of Illinois’ state government.

“Voting is an act of optimism that the levers of our Democracy still work,” Pritzker told supporters moments after declaring victory. “You embody that optimism. You light the beacon fire on the hill of history that signals from one generation to another that these are the things that we stand and fight for.”

In addressing the exuberant crowd, he reminded them that the first McDonald’s opened here and the ice cream sundae was born here, as well.

“We taught the nation how to debate, how to shuffle to the Super Bowl and how to eat a pizza,” he said.

According to U.S. Senator Dick Durbin, “Pritzker did something different in this campaign,” Durbin said. “Here was a Chicagoan, clearly a Chicagoan, who wasted no time getting Downstate. I looked around and thought, ‘This is what I’ve been looking for — a governor who starts off by unifying the whole state.’”

In his concession speech, Rauner stated, “This is a time for us to come together.  This is a time for us to unite. To Mr. Pritzker, I said, Godspeed.  I hope and pray you serve Illinois well.”