Legal Groups Count Session As A Success, Say More Work Left
From the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin
Several components of legal groups' legislative agendas were fulfilled by the General Assembly this spring — but representatives of those organizations noted that work still remains on gun control, an overhaul of the workers' compensation system and other issues.
Among the positives? The Illinois Supreme Court got a bump in funding, from $281.1 million last fiscal year to $302.3 million this year in taxpayer-supported general revenue funds.
Lawrence J. Suffredin Jr., a partner at Shefsky & Froelich Ltd. who lobbies for The Chicago Bar Association, characterized the bottom line as being "pretty reasonable compared to what it could have been."
He also cited passage of the Access to Justice Act — encompassed in House Bill 3111 — as a positive step that will fund a network of legal assistance for disadvantaged citizens by placing a $10 fee on all civil filings.
But the CBA and several lawmakers, businesses and other legal groups ran into a roadblock on what was shaping up to be the biggest set of reforms to the workers' compensation system since 2011.
Back then, the General Assembly cut payments to doctors and tightened restrictions on employee claims.
Read more in our daily News Update...
From the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin
Several components of legal groups' legislative agendas were fulfilled by the General Assembly this spring — but representatives of those organizations noted that work still remains on gun control, an overhaul of the workers' compensation system and other issues.
Among the positives? The Illinois Supreme Court got a bump in funding, from $281.1 million last fiscal year to $302.3 million this year in taxpayer-supported general revenue funds.
Lawrence J. Suffredin Jr., a partner at Shefsky & Froelich Ltd. who lobbies for The Chicago Bar Association, characterized the bottom line as being "pretty reasonable compared to what it could have been."
He also cited passage of the Access to Justice Act — encompassed in House Bill 3111 — as a positive step that will fund a network of legal assistance for disadvantaged citizens by placing a $10 fee on all civil filings.
But the CBA and several lawmakers, businesses and other legal groups ran into a roadblock on what was shaping up to be the biggest set of reforms to the workers' compensation system since 2011.
Back then, the General Assembly cut payments to doctors and tightened restrictions on employee claims.
Read more in our daily News Update...