Senator Tim Bivins welcomes Donna and Harry Zimmer of Dakota (middle) and Benjamin Leonard of Durand (at right) to his office in the Capitol April 2. The group was in Springfield to talk with local lawmakers as part of Mission: Possible, Illinois HIV/AIDS Lobby Days 2008.

With soil and water conservation districts (SWCD) across Illinois facing increased financial hardships, Senator Tim Bivins is joining Representative David Reis of Willow Hill, the Association of Illinois Soil and Water Conservation Districts and a bipartisan group of legislators in urging Governor Rod Blagojevich to meet the state’s funding commitments to the districts.

The state’s current budget appropriated $7.4 million for SWCD operational expenses and $6.0 million for the Partners for Conservation Program (formerly Conservation 2000) through the Illinois Department of Agriculture. As of April 1, only $1.7 million of the $7.4 million appropriation has been released to SWCDs and none of the $6.0 million appropriated for the Conservation Practices Program has been released.

Legislators are questioning the Governor’s commitment to a state commission on hate crimes – a commission which has yet to see any members appointed – as debate continues in Springfield on the state’s recent ban on smoking in public places, according to Senator Tim Bivins.

Also, a plan by Governor Rod Blagojevich to shut down more than a dozen pheasant hunting areas is meeting with opposition from sportsmen and lawmakers.

The Governor has yet to make any appointments to a hate crimes panel set up last year to promote tolerance within the state. The Governor’s Commission on Discrimination and Hate Crimes was created seven months ago following a controversy involving a previous hate crimes panel. The previous panel was disbanded after several members resigned in protest over the appointment of a supporter of Nation of Islam leader, Louis Farrakhan. Following the resignations, lawmakers voted to disband the old hate crimes commission and re-establish a new one.

With the Illinois General Assembly away from Springfield this past week, a special panel began hearings across Illinois to study the state’s need for road and other infrastructure improvements, according to Senator Tim Bivins.

Former U.S. House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert and Southern Illinois University President Glenn Poshard are traveling across Illinois pushing the need for a statewide capital program.

Senate Republicans have long advocated for a capital bill to fund school construction programs, higher education improvements, mass transit enhancements and road and bridge repairs, noting that a viable capital plan is imperative to improving Illinois’ infrastructure, creating jobs and jumpstarting the state’s lagging economy.