SPRINGFIELD – Military service members and the Department of Revenue will see improvements when it comes to requesting and processing sales tax exemptions, thanks to a new law sponsored by State Senator Mike Porfirio.

"There are many sacrifices that our service men and women have made and they deserve any appreciation we can give them,” said Porfirio (D-Lyons Township). “This legislation removes the burden on our service members and provides them with a simpler way to receive this sales tax exemption.”

Senate Bill 1705 will eliminate the need for sales tax exemption certificates by members of the military. Instead, when making an exempt purchase, a service member can present a valid military ID and a form of payment where the military organization is the payor, as well as complete a form by the Department of Revenue.

Currently, the process to receive such exemption requires a single-use sales tax exemption certificate. This has caused the Department of Revenue's exemption certificate system to become cluttered, with military members frequently applying for certificates as they relocate. Additionally, military members often require an exemption certificate on short notice, leading to delays in the Department's processing and mailing of certificates.

"This will serve as a small token of appreciation for our service members,” said Porfirio. “It is commonsense to streamline this process for all parties involved.”

The law was signed on Friday and goes into effect Jan. 1, 2024.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Mike Porfirio sponsored a measure that will expand the Residential Sound Insulation Program Advisory Committee by two members. It was signed into law Friday, June 30.

“By adding more members to the committee, additional insight will be provided when making suggestions to municipalities,” said Porfirio (D-Lyons Township). “The goal is to ensure that affected areas have adequate representation.”

Currently, municipalities can establish Residential Sound Insulation Programs to mitigate the impacts of aircraft noise and pollution on neighboring homes by replacing residential windows and monitoring the off-gassing of those replacements. At least 10% of window replacements must go to homes that are considered in extreme hardship.

The committee is currently comprised of nine members who monitored the various municipal programs and had the authority to determine which homes contain windows or doors that cause offensive odors and are thus eligible for replacement. Porfirio’s measure will add two additional members to the board.

“The city of Chicago has sound insulated more than 21,000 homes near O’Hare and Midway airports,” said Porfirio. “With more feedback from additional members, a quieter environment and better quality of life can be achieved.”

The governor signed House Bill 3722 on Friday, June 30, which takes effect immediately.

Lyons Township – To enhance educational opportunities over the summer break and foster a love for reading, State Senator Mike Porfirio is hosting a Summer Book Club.

“Understanding the significance of literacy skills and the need for continued learning over the summer is extremely important,” said Porfirio (D-Lyons Township). “This program will help engage and inspire young minds. I encourage families in the area to participate in the Summer Book Club and explore the joys of reading.”

The Summer Book Club requires students to read eight books of their choice during the summer break, record the names of the books on a form, and return the form to Porfirio’s office by Aug. 18. Every child who completes the Summer Book Club will receive a gift card and a certificate from Senator Porfirio.

Summer Book Club forms are available to download at SenatorPorfirio.com. People with questions can reach out to Porfirio’s office at 708-430-2510.

SPRINGFIELD – To bolster the public’s trust and establish ethical guidelines, State Senator Mike Porfirio supported a measure that addresses ongoing concerns regarding automated traffic enforcement.

“As legislators, we must continuously strive to earn the trust and confidence of the people we serve,” said Porfirio (D-Lyons Township). “It is through ethical reforms like this that we can achieve this.”

The measure prohibits campaign contributions from contractors who provide the automated traffic enforcement equipment, any political action committee created by such a contractor and any affiliates. Campaign contributions from such sources have been a cause for controversy in past years.

Further, beginning six months before an automated traffic law enforcement system is installed at an intersection, a county or municipality may not change the yellow light interval at that intersection.

Additionally, IDOT can revoke any permit for red light cameras if any official or employee who serves that county or municipality is charged with bribery, official misconduct or a similar crime related to the placement, installation or operation of the automated traffic law enforcement system in the county or municipality.

“We must be unwavering in our commitment to ethical behavior, as it ensures that we serve the public interest above all else and maintain the public’s trust in our institutions,” Porfirio said.

House Bill 3903 passed the Senate with bipartisan support.