Sente Emergency Management Bill Advances to Senate

SPRINGFIELD, IL – Continuing her commitment to public safety, State Representative Carol Sente (D-Vernon Hills) is championing legislation to support the Mutual Aid Box Alarm System (MABAS) emergency response organization.

“The safety of my constituents is consistently a top priority for me,” Sente said. “This measure takes away needless red tape to allow MABAS to focus on their job of responding to disasters and other major emergencies. In addition to ensuring that MABAS qualifies for the property tax exemption, this bill keeps MABAS from wasting valuable resources when they apply for the same exemption every year.”

House Bill 1206, which passed unanimously out of the House Tuesday and now moves to the Senate for consideration, grants a permanent property tax exemption to MABAS. Every year MABAS, an official group of 1,100 local government entities, applies and successfully receives a tax exemption for a facility they rent in Wheeling. This legislation codifies their status as a governmental entity into law and thereby makes it easier for them to provide their crucial public safety services to our community and the entire state. Sente is also sponsoring House Bill 3035, which streamlines audits and reimbursements for the Illinois Emergency Management Agency. This bill passed out of the House State Government Administration Committee Tuesday and now awaits consideration on the House floor.

“As co-chair of the Fire and Emergency Management Legislative Caucus, issues of public safety and emergency preparedness are particularly important to me,” Sente said. “Having met with fire and police chiefs from across Illinois to work on state and local issues, I understand the importance of coordination between different units of government and was happy to see this bill receive such overwhelming support from my colleagues in the House.”

For more information, please contact Sente’s full-time constituent service office at (847) 478-9909, or e-mail RepSente@gmail.com.