OpEd: Senator Patrick Joyce (November 2023)
OpEd: Senator Patrick Joyce (November 2023) (Kankakee, IL) — Modernizing our thinking, technology to power our future.
Creating public policy requires constantly adapting what we have done before to what we need to do today, and for tomorrow. Sometimes, that means rethinking a position that can hit close to home.
Since 1987, Illinois has had in place a moratorium on additional construction of nuclear power generation facilities. Concerns about the hazards of nuclear waste drove that decision many years ago, and my father Jerry Joyce led the push for the moratorium when he was State Senator representing this area because of those concerns.
Today, we know how important nuclear power is to both our economy and our clean energy future, and we know both the nuclear facilities and the byproducts of the energy they produce are handled as safely as possible.
That is why I helped champion House Bill 2473 in the recent veto session in Springfield. After a veto of a similar proposal earlier this year, Democrats and Republicans worked hard to ensure new legislation could pass to create opportunities for small nuclear reactor facilities that will help power our manufacturing facilities, like the one coming to our area soon for electric vehicles.
In our Senate debate on the issue, I noted the significance of this policy change for my family, and for our state’s future. I hope the Governor signs the bill into law soon.
“As technology changes, we need to make sure that we change with it. This is a good step,” I told my colleagues.
One issue we will need to continue to work on next year is extending a law providing appropriate punishment for felons who commit gun crimes. I led a vote in the Illinois Senate for House Bill 1440, which simply extends a 2017 law to extend criminal sentencing for those convicted of felonies who repeatedly use guns to commit crimes.
The House did not take up the measure before the veto session ended, but I will continue to fight for this protection for our communities. As we change our criminal justice system, we must ensure law enforcement and prosecutors have tools to keep those who show no regard for others from victimizing more innocent people.
We finished our fall veto session in Springfield earlier this month considering a variety of measures that we dealt with earlier this year. You can follow other action we took at the General Assembly’s website: https://ilga.gov/.
November is a month for giving thanks. I am especially proud of the ways we take time each year to salute our veterans and their selfless sacrifice for our freedom. The Illinois Veterans Project is a powerful set of stories from veterans so we can learn from and appreciate their bravery for generations to come. You can do your part by visiting: https://www.ilsos.gov/
A big thank you to the Black McDonald’s Operators Association for helping feed more than 250 families this Thanksgiving at their turkey giveaway in Kankakee. Please take time this holiday season to give back to help others in need.
I urge you to contact me anytime I can help: 708-756-0882, or at http://www.
OpEd: Senator Patrick Joyce (November 2023)
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