Du Quoin, Springfield State Fair 'beer bill' stuck in rules committee

An Illinois Senate bill that would return beer concessions at the Illinois State Fairs in Springfield and Du Quoin to a group called the Combined Veterans of Illinois is stuck in the house rules committee, which doesn't bode well for the bill at this late date.

The bill is SB1561. It passed 52-0 in the Senate March 13, but in the House, has not gotten out of the rules committee.

The bill amends the Illinois Procurement Code. It provides that the code does not apply to contracts between the Department of Agriculture and a non-profit service organization for the purpose of providing goods or services on the Illinois State Fairgrounds during the Illinois State Fair or on the Du Quoin State Fairgrounds during the Du Quoin State Fair and would be effective immediately.

The Combined Veterans of Illinois were notified last July that the Du Quoin State Fair would be putting the beer tent contract out for bids. The organization lost to Alongi's Since 1933 of Du Quoin.

The 2012 Illinois State Fair was the last year of the organization's contract with Springfield.

Neither the Du Quoin State Fair nor the Illinois State Fair have gone any farther on the bid process pending the outcome of the senate bill, sponsored by Sen. Gary Forby of Benton.