What’s fair is fair, according to Sen. Chris Nybo (R-Elmhurst).
Nybo made it clear at Wednesday’s Senate floor debate that a new business owner should not have to suffer economic loss due the veto of liquor license legislation SB332 sponsored by Sen. Bill Cunningham (D-Chicago).
“To punish this business, in this instance, when they have followed the rules set is unfair,” Nybo said. “We shouldn’t change the rules in the middle of the game.”
The bill, which was brought up in the last veto session by Sen. Antonio Munoz (D-Chicago) to extend a liquor license to a restaurant in his district located 100 feet from a church, was vetoed by Gov. Bruce Rauner because he wants the authority to license shifted from Springfield to local municipalities.
Nybo is currently working on SB2436, a bill that would alter the licensure location rules; however, in the meantime a Chicago entrepreneur, who opened a restaurant close to a church cannot get license due to the veto.
“Sen. Cunningham summarized the issue very well,” Nybo said. “We have taken the governor’s recommendation to heart, we drafted a bill and filed it at the earliest opportunity available, and we are trying to push forward with the governor’s recommendations, and we have been working cooperatively with the administration.”
He said the veto was an inappropriate way to deal with the issue.
“They understood that a request had come through late last year,” Nybo said. “I think they should respect our ability to deal with issues cooperatively, which we have done, and I would invite the governor and his administration to participate in that cooperative process on issues like this.”
He stimulated support.
“What I would like to do is encourage members on this side of the aisle, mostly on this side of the aisle, to support this override, because it is the right thing to do,” Nybo said. “Then let’s deal with SB2436 and let’s see if we can fix this issue on an ongoing, forward basis so that businesses like this do not need to come down here and get approval on an local issues that should be local issues.”
The Senate voted 48-2 Wednesday to override the veto on SB332, and the measure was moved to the House.
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