Peoria, IL…Peoria County Township Officials honored Rep. David R. Leitch (R-Peoria) Sunday for passing a new law enabling townships to expedite razing nuisance properties.

“This issue has been a critical need for many years, and I am so pleased that with Rep. Leitch’s leadership, it was finally passed by the General Assembly,” said Limestone Township Supervisor Skip Light.

This issue was an initiative of Limestone and Medina Townships.  In addition to tearing down nuisance properties, more timely, the new law also enables townships to finance real estate over 20 years instead of ten years.

“I am honored to receive this recognition from the Peoria County Township Officials, and also appreciated their advocacy in Springfield,” said Leitch.

Leitch was awarded the plaque and recognition at the Township Officials Christmas party Sunday evening. Senator David Koehler sponsored the bill in the Senate; the measure became law August 25.

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Click here to see Rep. Leitch advocating for the federal government accepting Illinois’ common-sense Medicaid Reforms.

SPRINGFIELD
– House Republican Leader Tom Cross (R-Oswego) and Deputy Republican Leader
David Leitch (R-Peoria) introduced language today to freeze wage increases
associated with any and all collectively bargained contracts throughout State
government, as negotiated between the Governor and public sector employee
unions.

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Peoria, IL… The Monday (June 13,
2011) Benefit Choice Fair has been cancelled by local legislators because Open
Access Plan vendors will not be able to participate as a result of a late
Friday afternoon circuit court decision.

Sangamon Circuit Court Judge
Brian Otwell prohibited the State of Illinois from enrolling state employees,
retirees, and dependents in new self-insured “open access” plans.  Thus, the vendors will not be available.

The ruling was in response to a
lawsuit filed by Humana and Health Alliance who lost their bids to continue to
provide HMO plans, after 20 years of doing so, under a new state procurement
process.

“I don’t think anyone knows where
all of this is going,” Leitch said.

Presently, the June 17 enrollment
deadline remains in effect.

Interested residents should consult
the website www.benefitschoice.il.gov
for updated information.

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Peoria, IL… Area legislators are
sponsoring a health insurance Benefit Choice Fair to assist current and retired
state employees and teachers in choosing new providers, Rep. David R. Leitch
announced today.

The event will be from 11 AM to 4
PM, Monday, June 13, in the McKenzie Room at the new Peoria Public Library
North Branch, 3001 W. Grand Parkway (behind Menards off Townline Rd.)

Representatives from CIGNA,
Personal Care, Blue Cross/Blue Shield, and Health Link will be available to
answer questions from individuals who are trying to select among providers
before the state open enrollment period ends June 17.

“Many of our constituents are in
turmoil because the Quinn administration eliminated longstanding HMO insurance
options (Humana and Health Alliance) in downstate Illinois,” Leitch said.

“Only 38 northeastern counties
will have HMO alternatives.  Residents in
the remaining parts of the state are scrambling to figure out costs and whether
their doctors and medical providers will be included under which of the new
choices for health insurance.”

While the House and Senate passed
a bill which would provide more time for a more orderly, organized, and
thoughtful transition, Gov. Quinn told Leitch he will veto the bill.

Administration officials have
said the change will save the state $100 million in health insurance
savings.  HMO contracts are rebid every
ten years.  Humana and Health Alliance
bids were rejected earlier this year by the new Office of Procurement under the
Ethics Procurement Board, a reform process enacted in the wake of the
Blagojevich administration.

Gov. Quinn has blamed the new
procurement process and the adjudication of official protests by Humana and
Health Alliance as reasons for the delay in more thoroughly communicating with
those relying on state insurance.

Legislators held a hearing last
month attended by over 300 worried constituents who expressed dismay over the
“insensitive” and “incompetent” manner in which the changes have been
introduced, Leitch said.

“The cancer patients and their
families said they were in enough turmoil without the state adding new worries
over whether their doctors and treatment centers would be covered by the new
insurance,” Leitch said.

Other legislators sponsoring the
Benefit Choice Fair are Representatives Keith Sommer, Mike Unes, Jehan Gordon,
Don Moffitt, and Senators David Koehler and Darin LaHood.

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