A proposal to place a 1 percent surcharge on the sale or lease of all diesel-powered vehicles in the state of Illinois, on-road and off-road, was defeated last week.
HB 5772, Rep. Karen May (D-Highwood), and SB 2083, Sen. Jacqueline Collins (D-Chicago), would have placed a surcharge on the sale or lease of every on-road diesel vehicle more than 14,000 pounds that is a 2006 or older model equal to 1 percent of the sale price or the lease or rental amount. The bill also would place a surcharge on the retail sale, lease or rental of diesel non-road vehicles equal to 1 percent of the sales price or the lease or rental amount.
After much pressure from a coalition led by the Mid-West Truckers Association, HB 5772 was not called in the House Environmental Health Committee. The Senate version, SB 2083, passed the Senate Energy & Environment Committee only after the sponsor made a commitment to remove the proposed 1 percent surcharge language from the bill.
