NW Illinois News

Sen. Win Stoller expressed his delight over the enactment of a bill he had sponsored in a Facebook post dated June 9.

Stoller celebrated the recent signing of Senate Bill 1127, a piece of legislation he sponsored, aimed at protecting the preexisting Lee-Ogle Counties' Enterprise Zone from wind and solar farm projects. 

"Just found out that the Governor has officially signed Senate Bill 1127!" Stoller wrote. "I filed this piece of legislation in order to protect the preexisting Lee-Ogle Counties’ Enterprise Zone from wind and solar farm projects. After the controversial state renewable siting rules, which stripped local zoning authority for renewable projects, passed during a lame-duck session, this Enterprise Zone faced the real and potential threat of having years of planning and millions of dollars of investment being uprooted and undone."

In a news release, Senator Stoller shared an update on May 10, stating that Senate Bill 1127 had passed both the House and Senate and was awaiting Governor J.B. Pritzker's signature. Stoller emphasized the importance of the Lee-Ogle Enterprise Zone, which has received more than $70 million in infrastructure investments over the past 25 years, attracting jobs and economic growth to the region.

"The Lee-Ogle Enterprise Zone is a 2,000-acre designated area along I-39 and I-88 that local, state and federal officials have invested more than $70 million in power, water, sewer, road, rail, fiber and bridge infrastructure over the last 25 years," Stoller said. 

According to Center Square, on June 9, Governor Pritzker was expected to sign 90 bills, including Senate Bill 1127. These bills covered a wide range of topics, such as penalties for obstructing picket lines, requirements for schools to inform parents about bullying incidents, and insurance coverage for certain medical screenings.

"The Lee-Ogle Enterprise Zone was created to attract thousands of jobs and hundreds of millions of dollars in new EAV. “Local leaders and officials have spent years and millions of dollars creating and building an Enterprise Zone in Lee and Ogle Counties," Stoller said. 

Senator Stoller, the CEO of Widmer Interiors in Peoria, has been representing the 37th Senate District since 2021. With his years of experience in the business sector, Stoller understands the importance of protecting local investments and ensuring that preexisting enterprise zones are not undermined by statewide regulations.

The signing of Senate Bill 1127 is a significant step in safeguarding the Lee-Ogle Enterprise Zone and preserving the hard work and investments made by local leaders and officials. It demonstrates Senator Stoller's commitment to supporting economic development and protecting the interests of his constituents in the 37th Senate District.

"All of their years of hard work and investment faced the serious threat of being undone because of new and controversial statewide siting standards for renewable projects that ignored preexisting enterprise zoning," Stoller said.