State Rep. Tony McCombie (R-Savanna) | facebook.com/mccombieforilli
State Rep. Tony McCombie (R-Savanna) | facebook.com/mccombieforilli
Illinois Rep. Tony McCombie honored electric line workers by celebrating National Lineman Day on her Facebook page and discussed a bill she is promoting that aims to incentivize more electrical line workers.
"Not only are we celebrating National Lineman Day, but I also backed legislation in the Illinois House to recognize lineman, through the issuance of the Thank a Line Worker license plate decal," she wrote in a Facebook post on April 18. "The bill would provide support to fund the 'Thank a Line Worker Scholarship Fund,' which will pay for grants to support students studying electrical distribution at an Illinois college or university."
National Lineman Appreciation Day was adopted by the U.S. Senate in April 2013, "Recognizing linemen, the profession of linemen, the contributions of these brave men and women who protect public safety," the Congressional Resolution read, citing the dangerous nature of line work, the long hours, availability 24 hours a day and the crucial part electrical line workers pay to U.S. infrastructure.
McCombie filed House Bill 3436 on Feb, 17, and it was assigned to the Senate transportation committee on April 12. The bill "allows the issuance of the Thank a Line Worker license plate decal by the Illinois Department of Education. It creates the Thank a Line Worker Scholarship Fund," the bill text read, "and dedicates $10 of each original issuance and $23 of each renewal to be deposited into the Thank a Line Worker Scholarship Fund, and that $15 of each original issuance and $2 of each renewal shall be deposited into the Secretary of State Special License Plate Fund. Provides that money in the Thank a line Worker Scholarship Fund shall be paid as grants in support of scholarship for students studying electrical distribution at an Illinois college or university."
According to data by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 123,940 Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers working on the job as of 2021.
McCombie is a former mayor of Savanna, and a member of the Savanna City Council.
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