South West Illinois News

Illinois state Sen. Paul Schimpf (R-Waterloo) is sponsoring legislation that would require lawmakers to wait at least two years after leaving Springfield before being able to take a job as a state lobbyist.

Senate Bill 2314 seeks to effectively end the state’s “revolving door” problem. Currently, Illinois is one of just 14 states not to have a statute on the books preventing lawmakers from immediately becoming lobbyists.  As it is, the only safeguard in practice is a stipulation lawmakers’ wait one year before taking jobs with firms with which they handled contracts topping $25,000.

Now in his third year of representing the 58th District, Schimpf is touting the proposed legislation as a measure designed to make sure that “legislators are working for the people they represent, and not just preparing themselves for a high-paying lobbying job later.”

Over the last year, three sitting lawmakers have been charged with federal corruption and several connected individuals and lobbyists also facing similar charges.

Schimpf also recently filed legislation designed to make the transition to civilian life easier for members of the military stationed in Illinois.

SB 2925 seeks to connect the Department of Defense Skillbridge apprenticeship program with Illinois-based employers.

“This legislation would help service members find careers here in Illinois, where they are stationed, before they leave the military,” Schimpf said in a post to his website. “I firmly believe that the more veterans we can keep in Illinois, the better off our state is.”

Skillbridge is designed to provide service members with civilian work experience through industry-specific training, apprenticeships or internships over their last six-months of their stay in the military and SB 2925 provides a tax credit for businesses that take part in the program.

“Many service members who are stationed in Illinois are not originally from this state, and would likely return home when they are discharged,” Schimpf added. “But if we can give them a chance to connect and train with potential future employers before they leave the service, we have a better chance of keeping them here in Illinois.”