East Central Reporter

State Sen. Chapin Rose (R-Mahomet) voted against a bill "on principle" that would require tax returns on registered vehicles, boats, aircrafts, and trailers to be filed electronically. 

Rose spoke out about his frustrations during a Feb. 16 debate on the Senate floor, most of which centered on unanswered phone calls and long hold times for various state agencies. 

"I have constituents who call phone numbers every day in this state and get nowhere — FOID cards, concealed carry, unemployment insurance, you name it," Rose said. "No one answers the phone in this state when they get called. Nobody. I don't know where they're at. It just rings forever. Then you get put on hold, and the best part is when you're on hold for 45 minutes and then it says, 'we're sorry' and then it hangs up on you."

The legislation, Senate Bill 3189, would make changes to the Use Tax Act and Retailers' Occupation Tax Act and require electronic filings as of the first of next year.

"I'm not going to vote for a phone number for anything until the second floor can prove they are answering the phone calls they are already getting," Rose said. "every agency in this state is collapsing under its own weight. Every one."

He was one of five senators to vote against the bill on Feb. 16. 

"This is probably a good idea, and I'd suspect these are already filed electronically anyway, but I don't for one minute think someone is going to pick up the phone when someone calls."

According to the Illinois General Assembly website, the bill was sponsored in the Senate by Sen. Melinda Bush (D-Grayslake). 

It passed the Senate after the debate with 49 senators voting in favor of it. 

It now heads to the House where it currently sits in the Rules Committee.