Illinois taxpayers got an $8 million taste during the week of just how expensive poor fiscal management can be.

Senator Tim Bivins explained that the Quinn Administration took out a short-term loan in mid-July and – even though federal treasury rates have been cut nearly in half – the state will end up paying about $8 million more in interest when compared to a similar loan taken out last year.

The key difference is that Illinois has seen its credit rating plummet. One major credit rating agency ranks Illinois as tied for worst in the nation with California, while two other agencies have Illinois just one notch above California. The state has had eight credit downgrades since Governor Pat Quinn replaced impeached-Governor Rod Blagojevich in January 2009.

Protecting Illinois citizens by making more information available about registered sex offenders is the aim of a new law sponsored by Senator Tim Bivins.

Signed by the Governor July 18, Senate Bill 3293 requires registered sex offenders to provide law enforcement with their current telephone and cell phone numbers, and notify them about any changes within three days. The Illinois State Police must also be notified of the change by the law enforcement agency within three days.

“This issue was brought to my attention by a police officer in northwestern Illinois who discovered that a sex offender had a cell phone with lewd pictures on it. When examining the law, we found that a registered offender had to provide their employer’s telephone number and their parole agent’s number, but not their own telephone number or their cell phone number,” Senator Bivins said. “Senate Bill 3293 closes that loophole.”

Legislation that would impact how primary elections are conducted in Illinois was acted on this week, as well as measures Senator Tim Bivins says target home repair fraud and corruption.

Also this week, Senator Bivins reported that his district legislative office has come in under budget for the third year in a row. The 45th District Senator finished the fiscal year with money to spare in his legislative account – which he has returned to the state’s coffers.

“We came in under budget by about 32 percent, so I am putting my money where my mouth is, and returning $26,817 to the state. I figure if I ask the Governor to cut back, then I need to do the same,” Senator Bivins said. “I learned my budgeting skills from working as a county sheriff—we were consistently under budget, even in the lean years.”

On July 13, Governor Pat Quinn amendatorily vetoed House Bill 4842, altering the legislation to create an open primary system in Illinois.

After months of calling on Governor Pat Quinn to freeze hiring and spending, Senator Tim Bivins says his district legislative office has come in under budget for the third year in a row.

Senator Bivins finished the fiscal year with money to spare in his legislative account – which he has returned to the state’s coffers.

“We came in under budget by about 32 percent, so I am putting my money where my mouth is, and returning $26,817 to the state. I figure if I ask the Governor to cut back, then I need to do the same,” Senator Bivins said. “I learned my budgeting skills from working as a county sheriff—we were consistently under budget, even in the lean years.”