HARRISBURG, IL – Senate lawmakers continue to focus on the budget this week, as Democrat lawmakers took a step away from the traditional committee hearing process to focus on appropriations issues, according to State Sen. Dale Fowler (R-Harrisburg).
However, nearly 60 legislative measures were approved by Senate lawmakers during the week on topics ranging from insurance and education, to pensions and criminal law. The deadline to pass substantive Senate bills out of committee is March 17.
During the week, Senator Fowler’s office announced his recent appoint to the Illinois Coal Development Board. The coal board supervises programming at Southern Illinois University, which seeks to help promote and innovate the region’s coal industry.
International Women’s Day was marked on March 8, and the Senator used the occasion to recognize local female entrepreneurs who are helping to advance Southern Illinois economic activity. Senator Fowler’s video can be found at www.facebook.com/senatorfowler.
Hundreds of Illinois motorcyclists descended on the Capitol grounds for the annual ABATE legislative day and Senator Fowler took time to meet with activists from Franklin County. To close out the week, he traveled to the southern tip of the district to meet with local leadership in Cairo and take part in an initiative of the University of Illinois Extension office which will promote local economic development.