Rep. Cavaletto welcomes Gov. Rauner to the House Floor.

State Representative John Cavaletto (R-Salem) announced today that Governor Rauner will restore $26 million in cuts made earlier this month based on the revised estimate from the Commission on Government Forecasting & Accountability (CoGFA) that show the state anticipating $300 - $500 million in extra one-time revenue for the current fiscal year.  

“This is very good news and I applaud the Governor’s decision to restore these critically important funds,” said Rep. Cavaletto, Minority Spokesperson on the House Special Needs Services Committee.

“This will restore funding for autism and epilepsy programs, funding for indigent burials and group home loans under the Department of Human Services, as well as restoring funding to wellness programs within the Department of Public Health, to name a few.”

Road construction projects are popping up all over Illinois along with work zone designations.

Here are FAQ's about the laws behind all those signs:

Do workers have to be present to receive a speeding ticket in a work zone?Workers do not have to be present for a motorist to receive a speeding ticket in a work zone.

Regulatory construction speed limit signs are erected in construction work zones lowering speed limits, i.e. from 65 mph to 55 mph or from 55 mph to 45 mph, and apply when normal conditions do not exist (narrow lanes, edge drop-offs, lane reduction, etc.) for the motorist. This could also apply when construction equipment or a temporary obstruction is within close proximity to open lanes of traffic.

This reduced speed is for the safety of the motorists and is not limited to the time when workers are present. Slower speeds give drivers more time to safely negotiate these restricted areas yet only adds seconds to the overall length of a trip. At times, when workers are close to active traffic lanes, further restrictions may be put into place lowering the speed limit to 45 mph or less. On average, over ninety percent of work zone fatalities are motorists. Obey the posted speed limit and arrive safely at your destination. Read more.

House Bill 1790 passed overwhelmingly today in the Illinois House to address the re-certification of vocational teachers who bring a wealth of practical experience to the classroom in areas such as auto mechanics and welding to teach a new generation of workers.

“I am happy that this bill will help high schools provide education for students who may not want to go to college but instead are looking to enter the work force with some practical skills right out of high school,” said Rep. Cavaletto. “This is a common-sense solution to keeping qualified vocational teachers in the classroom for a growing segment of students who need instruction from people coming from the private sector to teach,” Cavaletto added.

The issue was brought to light by the local Centralia Superintendent of Schools and current vocational teachers but this legislation will help many school districts. This legislation now moves to the Illinois Senate for consideration.

“This bill allows Centralia High School, along with several other schools throughout the state, to continue to offer high quality vocational instruction to help prepare students as they begin their post-secondary careers,” commented Superintendent Chuck Lane. He added, “I applaud Representative Cavaletto's willingness to carry this bill and for his efforts to assist our vocational programs.”

Thank you to Rita Winkler and all of the parents and friends of Murray Center who have lead the fight to keep this facility open in southern Illinois! State Rep. Charlie Meier and I are thankful for all of your efforts and dedication to the residents and employees of Murray Center.

 Illinois House observes 150^th anniversary of Lincoln’s assassination and death.

The 16^th president was shot in the head by an assassin on April 14, 1865 in Ford’s Theatre, Washington, and died on the following day.  Lincoln’s assassination, which took place less than one week after the surrender of Gen. Robert E. Lee’s Confederate army, marked the end of the Civil War and the start of a period of national mourning and reconciliation. 

The Illinois House has a unique perspective on Abraham Lincoln; this legislative chamber was Lincoln’s first political home and elected position.  The future President served central Illinois in the 9^th, 10^th, 11^th, and 12^th General Assemblies, starting in 1835 and ending in 1842.  These were key years in the history of Lincoln’s home town of Springfield, as the aggressive advocacy of Lincoln and his colleagues was decisive in the selection of the Sangamon River community to be Illinois’ permanent state capital.  The “Old State Capital,” which still stands in Springfield’s central city, was built in response to Lincoln’s urgings.  A legislator’s desk, believed to be Lincoln’s, has been re-installed in the chamber and is seen by tens of thousands of visitors annually.

Led by Representative Tim Butler of Springfield, who represents an Illinois House district that is descended from Lincoln’s district, the Illinois House held a commemorative observance of the sesquicentennial of Lincoln’s death on Wednesday, April 15.  This was part of overall preparations for the 150^th anniversary of the return of Lincoln’s body to Springfield and reenactment of his funeral which will take place on May 2 and 3, 2015.  1,100 reenactors, and thousands of visitors from all over the United States, are expected to join in the observance. Representative Cavaletto spoke about the Association of Lincoln Presenters Annual Convention in his district this weekend in Vandalia, Illinois at the Historic Statehouse .

Today House Bill 1744 passed unanimously in the Illinois House to permit the Illinois Department of Agriculture to sell the former Animal Disease Lab in Centralia to Kaskaskia College for one dollar.

“This is the technical action that needed to happen to permanently transfer the property to the College,” said Rep. Cavlaetto. “This is a ‘win-win’ situation for Kaskaskia College and the taxpayers of Illinois to allow for an unutilized facility to be used for student instruction instead of sitting abandoned,” he added.