New law gives Illinois Emergency Management Agency increased authority over grant funds

(The Center Square) – A new law taking effect Jan. 1 gives the Illinois Emergency Management Agency more authority.

Senate Bill 3434 amended the Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act, authorizing IEMA and the agency’s Office of Homeland Security to adopt rules for the implementation of their state-funded grant programs.

The bill’s sponsor, state Sen. Celina Villanueva, D-Chicago, said the intention was to give IEMA the authority to move more swiftly.

“We’re just trying to clarify some things in law because, currently, particularly with the grant-making that they have, some grants are given rule-making authority and some don’t, and it kind of leads to some confusion. And so, that’s what we’re trying to do is create clarity,” Villanueva said.

Opponents said the measure allows Illinois’ emergency authority to continue under Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s administration and gives more power while lacking proper transparency and oversight.

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“This, to me, feels like a power grab by the executive branch and our governor,” said state Sen. Win Stoller, R-Germantown Hills.

Stoller said IEMA does not need additional rule-making authority.

“It’s the rule of our branch to step in and debate policy and adopt policy and not abdicate our responsibility to the governor’s bureaucracy,” Stoller continued.

Stoller said Pritzker has declared emergencies of over three years for COVID and over two years for asylum seekers, even though emergency declarations are supposed to be short-term in nature.

“Under Governor Pritzker for over the last four years, we’ve been continuously under disaster declarations. It’s my opinion that the governor has been abusing this authority,” Stoller said during debate on the measure earlier this year.

The Illinois Senate approved SB 3434 by a vote of 39-19 last April. The Illinois House approved the legislation in May and Pritzker signed it into law on Aug. 9.

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The amended Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act is one of 293 new Illinois laws which take effect New Year’s Day.

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