Important News:

• ICIC Update, June 2013
• Update on Clean Water Act
• Workers' Compensation Documents from Seminar held on 9/15/11 at UCA's Annual Dinner Meeting
  - Workers' Comp Reform by Scott Dworschak
  - Workers' Comp Reform by Tim Conlon
  - Workers' Comp Reform Chart
   
• Workers' Compensation Reform Memo
   
• UCA Member & AED Chairman Dennis Kruepke to Congress: Give Us A Highway Bill Now
   
• Roughneck Concrete Drilling & Sawing Co. Wins Union Jurisdictional Lawsuit Appeal
   UCA member Roughneck Concrete Drilling & Sawing Co. received goods news from the Court when it ruled in their favor recently regarding a long and potentially expensive dispute between the company (Roughneck) and the Plumbers Pension Fund, Local 130 (Fund). 
  
  In short, the Fund claimed that Roughneck had not employed Plumbers to perform certain jobs within their jurisdiction, but had instead utilized Laborers for that work.  The Fund claimed unpaid pension and other benefits that would have been paid to the Fund had Plumbers been employed exceeding $2.2 million. 
  
  Fortunately, the 7th Judicial Court of Appeals opinion correctly stated that jurisdictional disputes of this sort should not be heard by the venue chosen by the Fund, and that their claim should be dismissed. 
  
  UCA joined with other business associations in financing a “Friend of the Court” brief in support of Roughneck.   We also hope that this ruling will put a damper on future jurisdictional disputes that pit one union against another, with the contractor stuck in the middle.  It is our belief that once a specific trade has been paid benefits for work performed, any subsequent jurisdictional disputes should only concern those payments, and should prohibit a second payment of full benefits to another bargaining unit.
   

• State of Illinois Income Tax Increase: 

  Corporate Rate

  Current	New	Plus (Current law)	Total
  4.8%	7%	2.5%	= 9.5%
  		Personal Property Replacement Tax

   New Corporate Rate of 9.5% Third Highest in the Nation

  Personal Rate

  Current	New
  3%	5%

  Corporate and Personal Rate Combined will raise $6.5 billion for one year.

  In 2015 rates revert to
  Corporate- 5.25%
  Personal - 3.75%

  In 2025 further revert to
  Corporate – 4.8%
  Personal – 3.25%

  No Corporate “loophole” closures included, however, the use of Net Operating Loss deduction is suspended for 4 years.
   

• Governor Signs SB3721
  This new law, promoted by the landfill industry, was intended to clarify the controversy and confusion caused by Governor Blagojevich’s unilateral actions against some landfill operators, and the overall dispute as to what constituted safe construction/demolition debris. The law is intended to restrict contaminated debris/soil from being placed in a landfill or other soil fill operation site.
  
  The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency is authorized to create administrative rules in order to administer these changes. You will need to complete either one of the two certifications forms attached above in order for your fill to be accepted. They allow either  the owner, operator, or a professional engineer to certify the debris is uncontaminated. Therefore, two new Source Site Certifications should be considered when removing uncontaminated soil with other clean construction debris.LPC-662 allows the site owner or operator to certify that your debris/soil is not industrial/commercial and can be accepted by the landfill. LPC-663 allows a Licensed Professional Engineer to certify that your debris/soil is not industrial/commercial and can be accepted by the landfill. 
  
  Unfortunately, the IEPA took has taken the position that roadway debris is “industrial” and therefore possibly contaminated, creating possible additional disposal costs or restrictions. Fortunately, IDOT and the IEPA recently concluded an agreement in which an assessment can be made based upon the Phase 1 Preliminary Engineering Assessment. The original bill may now be amended shortly to correct and interpretation errors. There will be a new $2 State tipping fee per load to assist in enforcement activities. Since this law is new it will require time to sort through the various procedural and administrative changes.  
  
  In the interim, checkout the IEPA website at: http://www.epa.state.il.us/land/ccdd/index.html for additional info or questions  contact Scott Dworschak at sdworschak@uca.org.
   

• IDOT & EPA Intergovernmental Agreement
   

• Uncontaminated Soil Certification by Owner or Operator of Source Site
   

• Uncontaminated Soil Certification by Licensed Professional Engineer
   

• State Contract Changes
   

• A Quick Guide to JULIE Law Changes
   

• Ethics Law
   

• Transportation of Illinois Cooptation Infrastructure Plan
   

• Change to Mechanics Lien Act
   

• Employee Classification Act
   

• Latest ARRA (Federal Stimulus Recipients for Clean Water and Wastewater Assistance Projects in Illinois
   

• Bidding on Wastewater/Drinking Water Projects involving Federal Funds & New Disadvantaged Business Requirements
   

• Cook County's Diesel Emission Ordinance