Illinois House Floor Debate — May 28, 2017

"The House will be in order. We shall be led in prayer today by Chaplain Colonel Jeff Zust, assigned to the… as the Command Chaplain for First Army located in the Rock Island Arsenal in Rock Island, and he is the guest of Representative Swanson. Members and guests are asked to refrain from starting their laptops, turn off cell phones, and rise for the invocation and Pledge of Allegiance. Chaplain."

"Be led in the Pledge by Representative Hernandez. 10000056.docx 1  STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 56th Legislative Day 5/28/2017

"Roll Call for Attendance. Leader Currie"

"Thank you, Speaker. Please let the record reflect the excused absences of Representatives Drury and Sims."

"Mr. Demmer."

"Mr. Clerk, please take the record. There are 112 Members present and we do have a quorum. And happy Sunday to all of you. Chair recognizes Representative Ives."

"You may proceed."

"Welcome aboard. Thank you. Mr. Long is recognized."

"You may go right ahead."

"So happy you're with us today. Thank you very much. Mr. Slaughter."

"Point of personal privilege."

"Please proceed, Sir."

"Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Members of the House. My better half is here today, the newlyweds are in the house. All of you know, Katrina and I got married one month ago. And in our line of work it goes without saying that it's important to have a strong partner and a support system. Katrina has certainly been that to me. And so on behalf of all of us, we wanted to say thank you for your support, for your continuing encouragement, and please help me give my wife, Katrina Slaughter, a warm Springfield welcome."

"So happy you're with us today. Mr. Severin is recognized."

"Proceed, Sir."

"Was that some sort of a free commercial? That's very good, Sir. Representative Jimenez."

"Proceed."

"Happy you're here with us. Enjoy your day on the House Floor. Mr. Welch is recognized."

"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Point of personal privilege."

"Yes, Sir."

"Mr. Speaker, in the spring of 1990 I was a freshman baseball player at Northwestern University. At the time… thank you, Mr. Speaker. In the spring of 1990 I was a freshman baseball player at Northwestern University. At the time, I was the only African-American baseball player on the team. Two years ago, Northwestern made history and broke the barrier and named its first African-American baseball coach. And today for the first time since 1984, Northwestern University's baseball team played for the Big 10 Baseball Championship. They went into the tournament as the number 7 seed and it's the first time in the history of the Big 10 tournament that a number 7 seed made it to the Championship Game. We came up a little short against the Iowa Hawkeyes 10000056.docx 4  STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 56th Legislative Day 5/28/2017 today, but the future looks bright for Coach Spencer Allen and the Northwestern baseball team. Go Cats. And let's give them a round of applause for congratulations."

"Congratulations, Cats. Nice hat, Sir. Mr. Bennett is recognized."

"Proceed, Sir."

"Happy you're here with us. Thank you very much. Mr. Clerk, Agreed Resolutions."

"Leader Currie moves for the adoption of the Agreed Resolutions. Those in favor say 'yes'; opposed 'no'. The 'aye's have it. And the Agreed Resolutions are adopted. Mr. Clerk, Rules Report." 10000056.docx 5  STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 56th Legislative Day 5/28/2017

"Mr. Swanson is recognized."

"Go right ahead, Sir."

"Thank you, Representative. Representative Ives is recognized."

"You may proceed."

"Representative Chapa LaVia, for what reason do you rise?"

"Point of personal privilege."

"Please proceed."

"You know before I get to why I stood it's interesting that the prior Speaker is saying that we're being hostile when the Bill was not intended for her to pickup in the first place. And she did that to stall the process. So, it's very end… it's bad. I have a note here from one of our trustees at University of Illinois system I'd like to read. 'The ongoing budget impasse is chipping away at a foundation of excellence that has made the University of Illinois System a global leader, not just one of the pack. More than 400 non- instructional staff who’ve support our world-class academic and research programs were trimmed from February 2015 to February 2017. Peer universities are being poach star facilities who attract top students in research funding, including a renowned… electrical engineering professor from Texas A&M this spring after 25 years at Urbana. Peers are also capitalizing on Illinois' financial uncertainty to lure away the best and the brightest students reflected by a 200- student decrease in the number of freshman who accepted our 10000056.docx 9  STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 56th Legislative Day 5/28/2017 offer of admission next fall in Urbana. And the impasse is affecting nationally ranked… a ranking… a national ranking that help shape our appeal to faculty, staff, and students alike, including declining in programs along ranked among the country's best. Our best in class universities are engineering… the engineers of progress that pump nearly $40 billion into the state's economy every year while also supporting the workforce and innovation of tomorrow. This is time to invest in the UI System and the future of this state. Thank you, Raymond Cepeda, Trustee University of Illinois System. If we do nothing, we fail beyond belief. Whether you don't want to take a tax increase or not, it's up to us to do what we've been sent here to do. It's time for courageous State Representatives and Senators to do the right thing that might not always be the popular thing back at home, but we have to keep the state going. It's no time, no time to be playing games with people's Bills, especially the budget Bill when the Democrats have put votes on a lot of Bills for this last five years, six years that I've been here to support all the universities in the State of Illinois. I have a handful of Representatives on the other aisle that have helped us do that. So, do not say that we're being… we're being… taking away people's Bills and not working in the process. We have tried to do that. We need a Governor that's going to govern the State of Illinois and do his job. And not make all the… I mean, you… you did robo calls to some of the colleagues on this side last week, but yet you were saying how you wanted to work with us. Please, please come to the table and… and be honest. Be very honest, because you're going to have to take 10000056.docx 10  STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 56th Legislative Day 5/28/2017 a vote that you don't want to take, but we have to take it in order to make the state go forward in the right direction. Thank you."

"Leader Durkin is recognized."

"Go right ahead, Sir."

"Sir, your point is well taken. I have almost cracked the gavel in half about three times today."

"Mr. Harris." Harris, D.: "Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Point of personal privilege."

"Proceed, Sir." Harris, D.: "Just for a moment. I'd like to echo what the Minority Leader said by way of reference to the previous Sponsor of Senate Bill 9. And Ladies and Gentlemen of the House, we are three and a half days away from the end of Session. Not a lot of time. Things get tight… get tense and tight. But you know, civility and courtesy still should prevail in this House. It would have been very easy to simply ask the Sponsor will you give up Sponsorship of the Bill. And it's happened with other Bills. We had the Gentleman from Barrington who gave up Sponsorship of a Bill to a Democrat. You could've asked the Sponsor of Senate Bill 9 if she would have done that. Maybe she would have said no. And if she said no, guess what, there are things known as Amendments. You could have taken that 10000056.docx 12  STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 56th Legislative Day 5/28/2017 Bill, stripped it out and put it on another Bill. It doesn't take a genius to figure that out. It did not need to be so discourteous to the Lady who… absolutely Sponsored the Bill. Maybe she should not have pre-filed for it in your mind, but the courtesy of a request is in order simple as that. We've got three and half days, let's maintain some courtesy in this chamber. Thank you."

"Representative Ammons."

"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Point of personal privilege, please."

"Go right ahead."

"Thank you. In the last week or so I've sat and listened to countless requests suggesting that Members on the right would love to work with Members on this side of the aisle to get a budget. And over this last several weeks, and even the previous months, there have been numerous opportunities for Members on the right to demonstrate their willingness to work with Members on the left. We have passed seven Appropriation Bills, Democratic Sponsored Bills, with only Democrat votes on those Bills. And one of those Bills included Republicans on those Bills which was to save Higher Ed with a lifeline budget. And it came after very difficult conversations and toil by many students who come to the Capitol begging us to pass a budget. Listening to the earlier Speaker just took my breath away. This Speaker who picked up Senate… the Senate Bill said on the news that it is her intention to not pass the Bill. Not only was it her intention, but she picked up the Bill intentionally to make sure that the Bill was not put forward. Her immediate conversation was that I would not pass 10000056.docx 13  STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 56th Legislative Day 5/28/2017 any such tax hike on the people of Illinois. I want to remind them on the right, as I just visited a very small town called Greenup, Illinois, and I know their Representative is over there. And Greenup is not a wealthy community. It's not a community of color. It doesn't have a lot of poor black people or Latinos. It's primarily a white community that has few resources and much needed support. That community is very close to Eastern Illinois University which is suffering under the weight of inaction in this chamber. They are suffering with the fact that if Eastern Illinois closes or does not get a budget, the small community of Greenup where many of the people in that community work at Eastern Illinois University, they are public employees, many of them will lose their jobs and possibly their livelihood, healthcare, pensions, and everything else. And so, while we are suggesting that Illinois residents, the people of our state, do not want a massive tax hike… let me remind you that this massive tax hike would not be necessary if the Governor of this state would stop insisting that in order to get a budget that they will only give us a budget at the expense of his turnaround agenda that is politically motivated and backed by millions of dollars. It is important to remember that when I came to this chamber, there was a very short request made by that same Governor of this state to the Democratic Leadership asking them to allow the temporary tax to expire. And in doing so adding some 2 billion plus dollars to our current deficit each and every single year. And so, if you are so inclined to vote against a budget that would fund the needed services of this state, none of us over here want to vote for a massive tax hike I 10000056.docx 14  STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 56th Legislative Day 5/28/2017 assure you. I do not support a tax hike on many of the things that are being proposed, but I suggest to you that before I would allow Eastern Illinois University, Chicago State, University of Illinois, or any other college community along with Parkland College where I represent, all of our retirement pensions, all of the people who are annuitants now. Before I would suggest that any of them should bear the burden of what you are holding out for, I would suggest that we pass a budget out of this chamber in the next three days so that people… real people, not the people with the big multi-million dollar mansions, but real, regular working day people that those people would begin to see an immediate shift in their reality on June 1st. I hope that that is what we do in this chamber."

"Mr. Phillips."

"Go right ahead, Sir."

"Ladies and Gentlemen, Senate Bills-Third Reading, page 5 of the Calendar. Senate Bill 822, Mr. Moylan. Please read the Bill."

"Representative Martin Moylan."

"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Senate Bill 822 provides that the Secretary of State shall immediately revoke the license, permit, or driving privileges of any driver who violates the provision of the Code relating to the offense of overtaking and passing a school bus when the driver in committing the violation is involved in a motor vehicle accident that results in the death to another. And I respectfully ask for an 'aye' vote."

"Mr. Harris." Harris, D.: "Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Question of the Sponsor?"

"Sponsor yields." Harris, D.: "I'm just curious, Representative, if this makes Illinois great again?"

"It… it… not only great, it's the best state in the whole Continental United States. All other states pale in 10000056.docx 16  STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 56th Legislative Day 5/28/2017 comparison to the great State of Illinois. This is a huge Bill for us."

"Thanks, Representative Harris. We appreciated that. Mr. Andersson."

"Sponsor yields."

"Including those two."

"Those in favor of the Gentleman's Bill will vote ‘yes’; opposed ‘no’. The voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Flowers. Please take the record. On this question, there are 109 voting ‘yes’, 2 voting ‘no’. And this Bill, having received the Constitutional Majority, is hereby declared passed. Senate Bill 838, Representative Scherer. Please read the Bill."

"Representative Scherer."

"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I'm presenting Senate Bill 838. And what this Bill does is, it's a good Bill to be falling on Memorial Day weekend because it… it helps veterans be more aware of the chance that they may have contacted Agent Orange and other cancerous things from when they were in battle. And there are other parts to the Bill as well that… basically it's just making veterans have a better chance of 10000056.docx 17  STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 56th Legislative Day 5/28/2017 being aware of what they could have been exposed to. Appreciate an 'aye' vote."

"Those in favor of the Lady's Bill will vote ‘yes’; opposed ‘no’. The voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Please record yourselves. Mr. Clerk, please take the record. On this question, there are 110 voting ‘yes’, 1 voting ‘no’. And this Bill, having received the Constitutional Majority, is hereby declared passed. Mr. Clerk, Rules Report."

"Senate Bill 864, Mr. Davidsmeyer. Out of the record. Senate Bill 865, Mr. Mitchell. Please read the Bill. Sir, you have a Floor Amendment? Please put the Bill on the Order of Second Reading, Mr. Clerk, and please read the Bill."

"Mr. Mitchell." Mitchell, C.: "Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Floor Amendment 2 is in response to a commitment made by the Sponsor over in the Senate, Senator Manar, as well as the request of Mr. Pritchard to include state contribution to CTPF and healthcare for CPS 10000056.docx 18  STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 56th Legislative Day 5/28/2017 on the report card. I'll explain the underlying Bill on Third Reading."

"Those in favor of the Amendment say 'yes'; opposed 'no'. The 'ayes' have it. And the Amendment is adopted. Mr. Clerk."

"Third Reading. Senate Bill 885, Representative Gordon-Booth. Out of the record. Senate Bill 889, Mr. Welch. Please read the Bill."

"Mr. Welch."

"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Senate Bill 889 is a very simple Bill that amends the Jury Act to prohibit a juror from being excluded from jury service on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, or economic status. The Federal Government has this in Federal Law, the State of Illinois does not currently. And this would match what Federal Law has. I would ask for approval. I'm not aware of any opposition."

"Mr. Andersson."

"Sponsor yields."

"You know, I said that in committee and I believed it then… but I was corrected by the Illinois Lawyers Groups. It… it does codify a 1948 Federal Statute in State Law." 10000056.docx 19  STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 56th Legislative Day 5/28/2017

"That is correct."

"Thank you."

"Mr. Thapedi."

"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Will the Sponsor yield?"

"Sponsor yields."

"Representative, I think this a great Bill. In fact, you're familiar with the Batson case are you not?"

"I am familiar."

"And what happened in the Batson case, and what does the Batson case primarily hold?"

"Well, it pretty much said that you couldn't strike jurors based on the basis of race."

"And so, this Bill is basically codifying Batson from a civil perspective, correct?"

"I… I think so, yes."

"I urge an 'aye' vote, Mr. Speaker."

"Those in favor of the Gentleman's Bill will vote ‘yes’; opposed ‘no’. The voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Leader Currie. Flowers. Please take the record. There are 111 voting ‘yes’, 0 voting ‘no’. And this Bill, having received the Constitutional Majority, is hereby declared passed. Senate Bill 898, Representative Mah. Please read the Bill." 10000056.docx 20  STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 56th Legislative Day 5/28/2017

"Representative Mah."

"Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Members of the House. Senate Bill 898 is an expansion of the Physical Therapy Practice Act to include dry needling as a modality of practice. It's a Bill that was worked out with a range of stakeholders. And there's no opposition. I ask for your 'aye' vote. Thank you."

"Those in favor of the Lady's Bill will vote ‘yes’; opposed ‘no’. The voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Please take the record. On this question, there are 110 voting ‘yes’, 0 voting ‘no’. And this Bill, having received the Constitutional Majority, is hereby declared passed. Senate Bill 899, Mr. Rita. Please read the Bill."

"Mr. Rita."

"Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Ladies and Gentlemen of the House. 899 is an initiative of the Illinois CPA Society. It was identical to a House Bill that I had. This is all agreed language and clarifications for their Act. I'd be happy to answer any questions."

"Those in favor of the Gentleman's Bill will vote ‘yes’; opposed ‘no’. The voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Please record yourselves, Members. Hoffman. Mayfield. Please take the record, Mr. Clerk. There are 87 voting ‘yes’, 22 voting ‘no’. And this Bill, having received the Constitutional 10000056.docx 21  STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 56th Legislative Day 5/28/2017 Majority, is hereby declared passed. Senate Bill 986, Representative Jesiel. Please read the Bill."

"Representative Jesiel."

"Those… those in favor of the Lady's Bill will vote ‘yes’; opposed ‘no’. The voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Olsen. Please take the record. There are 112 voting ‘yes’, 0 voting ‘no’. And this Bill, having received the Constitutional Majority, is hereby declared passed. Senate Bill 1029, Mr. Bennett. Please read the Bill."

"Mr. Bennett."

"Mr. Meier."

"Those in favor of the Bill will vote ‘yes’; opposed ‘no’. The voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Wallace. Please take the record, Mr. Clerk. There are 108 voting ‘yes’, 2 voting ‘present’. And this Bill, having received the Constitutional 10000056.docx 23  STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 56th Legislative Day 5/28/2017 Majority, is hereby declared passed. Senate Bill 1085, Mr. McAuliffe. Please read the Bill."

"Mr. McAuliffe."

"Those in favor of the Gentleman's Bill will vote ‘yes’; opposed ‘no’. The voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Please take the record, Mr. Clerk. There are 111 voting ‘yes’, 0 voting ‘no’. And this Bill, having received the Constitutional Majority, is hereby declared passed. Senate Bill 1094, Mr. Zalewski. Mr. Zalewski. Out of the record. Mr. Zalewski. Please call the… please read the Bill."

"Mr. Zalewski."

"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Senate Bill 1094 is an initiative of the nurse anesthetists that would allow them to pursue the similar licensure that they've had in the past. I'd ask for any 'aye' vote."

"Those in favor of the Gentleman's Bill will vote ‘yes’; opposed ‘no’. The voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Mr. Clerk, please take the record. On this question, there are 10000056.docx 24  STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 56th Legislative Day 5/28/2017 111 voting ‘yes’, 0 voting ‘no’. And this Bill, having received the Constitutional Majority, is hereby declared passed. Senate Bill 1223, Representative Lilly. Please read the Bill."

"Representative Lilly."

"Thank you, Mr. Speaker and Ladies and Gentlemen. I rise to present Senate Bill 1223. This Bill creates an Accelerated Placement Act for the State of Illinois. Acceleration Placement Acts minimize… at minimum includes early entrance to Kindergarten and 1st grade, accelerates a student in a single subject, compact… compact curriculum, grade acceleration, grade telescopics, and early high school graduation. This Bill is for those young people who are brilliant and need the support that they need to be successful citizens in our great state. If you have any questions, I'll take them at this time, if not I ask for an 'aye' vote."

"Representative Ives."

"Sponsor yields."

"That is correct."

"No."

"We had a young man age of nine… excuse me, age of eight who testified in our public hearing, and he indicated that they were not. He has been in classes that because he is gifted, he has not learned one thing. And the principals and the teachers have kept him in that class for far too long. He is… in his words, I… my parents are tax paying citizens. I deserve the same type of education that meets my standards as every other child. So, Oliver at the age eight indicated that he has not been placed in accelerated classes where he can gain the interest of his education to his fullest ability."

"That… that is correct. And that was not done. And his parents were concerned just as he was. This program is… will develop the tentacles, if you will. Each school may be different but this Act… this Accelerated Placement Act will be put in place where the principals, the superintendents can work together with the school district and the board to make sure that this… these individual… these gifted individuals as you have mentioned has that opportunity to accelerate if need be."

"Say that again, Representative?"

"It could be either."

"Those provisions will be established."

"I believe if Oliver who is eight years old, which is one student, is far too many. And he really, really was passionate about some of his classmates who find themselves in that same situation. He spoke to… spoke to some of his classmates who were just bored to death and doing things that were just not right because they were just not being educated at the level that they would need. So, I would say…"

"…it's happening."

Speaker Turner: "Representative Turner in the Chair. Chair recognizes Representative Wallace."

"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Will the Sponsor yield?"

"Sponsor will yield."

"Thank you, Representative Lilly. I… if I'm understanding this correctly, this particular Act would be similar to providing individualized education programs as we do for students who have special needs and need specialized programming to facilitate better learning. Would you agree that this is similar to that but for gifted students?"

"It's… it's for gifted students that we're making sure that, which is a different kind of scenario that you're speaking to. This particular policy and Act will make sure that the gifted students are on pace based on their needs. And we… we shouldn't be holding our youth back when they are gifted. Even the alliance…"

"The School Management Alliance?"

"…the School Management Alliance, they're neutral on this, because they understand the importance of not holding our young people back when they are gifted."

"Thank you. To the Bill. As an educational phycologist, I wholeheartedly am behind this particular Act. What we understand is that gifted is also a form of special education in that some students are so able… so able to grasp concepts 10000056.docx 29  STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 56th Legislative Day 5/28/2017 quickly and move on a lot faster than others that when they are in a learning environment that does not keep up with that, they actually lose gains in their educational progress. That's why there are theories such as multiple intelligences, differentiated instruction and in this case, creating a new accelerated plan for those students who are in classrooms with individuals who may be at grade level, but that child may actually be severally levels ahead. I think it is incumbent upon us to make sure that we're tapping into that. Because by the time a child reaches 4th grade if they're not engaged, and that's academically engaged, invested in their own education, we know that there's a drop off in terms of how far they'll be willing to progress. It's all science. It's all researched. It's all there. This is an excellent Bill and I encourage an 'aye' vote."

"Representative Flowers is recognized."

"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Will the Sponsor yield?"

"The Sponsor will yield."

"Representative, I'm trying to understand the purpose of this Bill because… who makes the decision now as to if this child will be placed in this accelerated program and who will make it under your legislation?"

"The district… the school district currently has that responsibility. This policy or this Act creates the guidelines for the districts to do just that which we… so all… with all the parents and all the input, so that we make sure that we have the best guidelines for the district to follow." 10000056.docx 30  STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 56th Legislative Day 5/28/2017

"But… but it appears to me that you are… according to the analysis, Senate Bill 1223 create the Accelerated Placement Act? And it's making some changes and it's removing the language concerning a required appeal process for the Accelerated Placement Act? So…"

"It's… I'm sorry, let me correct you or correct myself… get clarification. This is not a new Act, it's within… it's within current statute."

"I'm sorry?"

"For the Amendment. The Amendment has current statute. It's expanding upon the current statute."

"Okay. But you're making some changes to the current statute, am I correct? You're making changes. And in the changes that you are making, you are removing language concerning a required appeal process for the accelerated placement. You're removing the appeal process. If I was a parent and I wanted my child placed in this program and I want to appeal the decision, that's being removed. Why?"

"In talking with the School Alliance Management, they asked for this to be changed. And that's not something that currently exists, so that's why we agreed to their language."

"Yeah, it does exist because it says it's removing that language."

"That's from the underlying Bill that was presented, they removed it from there."

"Right."

"Not current statute."

"Also, Senate Bill 1223 requires all school districts to adopt a policy… a policy, not this policy, a policy on 10000056.docx 31  STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 56th Legislative Day 5/28/2017 accelerated placement of students. So, will they be able to adopt any policy?"

"In the guidelines of this legislation as written, they will be utilizing the guidelines to move forth with the parents, with the teachers, with the counselors to move forth with a policy that's really, really addressing this gifted population."

"Okay. I just have one more question. And I just want clarity. Once again, who is making the decision now as to who will be in the accelerated program? And who will be making the decision? Because I'm really confused by this legislation. It looks like this legislation is trying to do something different. And as far as making information public, what information will be made public and why?"

"Again, the school district currently makes those decisions and they will continue to make those decisions with the support of parents, teachers, counselors, all of those entities to help them to make the best, best policy for this gifted population. But the school district will make those determinations."

"Thank you, Representative."

"You're welcome."

"Representative Fortner is recognized."

"The Sponsor will yield."

"That is… that is correct." 10000056.docx 32  STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 56th Legislative Day 5/28/2017

"Representative Lilly to close."

"Thank you, Ladies and Gentlemen for the healthy discussion. I ask for your 'aye' vote."

"The question is, ‘Shall Senate Bill 1223 pass?’ All in favor vote ‘aye’; all opposed vote ‘nay’. The voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Mr. Clerk, please take the record. On a count of 99 voting ‘yes’, 11 voting ‘no’, 0 voting ‘present’, Senate Bill 1223, having received the Constitutional Majority, is hereby declared passed. Leader Lang, for what reason do you seek recognition?"

"I rise on a point of personal privilege, Mr. Speaker."

"Please proceed, Representative."

"Thank you. Could we have some order in the chamber? Thank you. Mr. Speaker, Ladies and Gentlemen, I was reading the Chicago Tribune, the Sunday Tribune, sometimes enlightening. On one of the early pages there's a headline that says, Joliet DCFS Investigators Competed For $100 Gift Cards Given for Closing the Most Cases. And when you read the article, it's actually saying that it's… people would get these gift cards for being in a hurry to not investigate cases and closing them. And the people that closed the most cases would get gift cards. The first paragraph of the article says, as state child welfare investigators probed allegations of abuse into the Joliet Township home where 17-month Samaj Crosby would later be found dead, their supervisor was launching a contest that awarded $100 gift cards to the two workers who closed 10000056.docx 34  STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 56th Legislative Day 5/28/2017 the most cases in a month, according to agency interviews and emails examined by the Tribune. The third place winner would get a $50 gift card. The article goes on and on and I think we should all be reading this article. Later it talks about the Tribune reporting on shortcomings marring three other DCFS investigations where children were beaten, starved to death by caretakers. Investigators did not interview key witnesses the Tribune found missing signs… obvious signs of abuse and failing to gather medical reports and other evidence. Well, it's no wonder, Mr. Speaker. For closing a file, they're going to get $100. The more files they close, the more money they make. And on top of all of this, Mr. Speaker and Ladies and Gentlemen, the Inspector General's Office has been after State Government to provide expedited payments to complete investigations. On January 20, May 2 and as recently as May 16, Denise Kane's office, the Inspector General, indicated there were outstanding payments that threaten to halt investigations into 'misconduct and malfeasance and violations of rules, procedures or laws by DCFS employees, foster parents, service providers, and contractors with the department'. According to Dr. Kane, these payments are for payroll and staff salaries for people directly involved in Inspector General investigations. These staff are hired in coordination with the University of Illinois and the University of Illinois-Chicago. And there's a whole series of unpaid vouchers. And then they go on to say, this is from the Comptroller's Office, it is unprecedented and it has never happened before that… and the Comptroller's Office has received a hardship letter from an 10000056.docx 35  STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 56th Legislative Day 5/28/2017 agency Inspector General. A hundred dollar gift cards for closing cases? Unpaid vouchers to the Inspector General to investigate these cases? What kind of nonsense is going on at DCFS? Which of us care about the nonsense going on at DCFS? If you care about the nonsense going at DCFS, raise your hand. There's a few hands over there. I'm good… glad to know that. This deserves some investigation by this chamber and by this General Assembly. One hundred dollar gift cards to urge people not to do their work when their work involves dead children, abused children. One hundred gift cards to case workers who were told to close their files so they can be paid more. An Inspector General who doesn't get the payments she needs to do her job where people have walked off the job at the University of Illinois and the University of Illinois-Chicago because they haven't been paid because they don't get cooperation from the State Government to do the internal work that that agency needs to do to protect abused children. This cries out for some action, Ladies and Gentlemen. It also speaks to dysfunction at DCFS, the understatement of the year. It also speaks to dysfunction in the Governor's Office. The Governor, Ladies and Gentlemen, in case you weren't sure, is ultimately responsible for the actions of each agency, each action, and I haven't heard a word yet from the Governor's Office about what's going on at DCFS. Have you? Thank you, I didn't think so. I happened to be up early, I read this at 6 in the morning. Let's assume the Governor's Office didn't read it until 9 in the morning. It's 5:07, 5:07. Bribery to close files, so that we can pay these folks more? It's not right, Ladies and Gentlemen. And each one of us in this 10000056.docx 36  STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 56th Legislative Day 5/28/2017 chamber and each citizen of the State of Illinois should be speaking out on behalf of abused children who are not getting a proper shake today in the State of Illinois. We can do better."

"Representative Flowers is recognized."

"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. First of all, I want to thank Leader Lang for bringing attention to this matter. We had a hearing last week on DCFS and it was outrageous to know that for the 32 years that I've been in this office it's been the same old, same old in regards to our children. And we should be sick and tired of it. We should be offended by the fact that taxpayers is paying monies to be disrespected and violated. We should be outraged to know that families are crying out for help. And this is the service that our dollars give to them. This is the service. These families are in need of quality assistance. They have loved ones who's fought in one… not one war, not two, but three various wars. They have jobs that have been lost. They have children that's in need of care. And then there's a redetermination in regards to public aid where they may be getting the care that's needed and they may not. They may be getting the food stamps they need or may not. They may be getting the TANF that they need, they may not. And when I tried to pass legislation on creating jobs, if you… if we are going to require these people to work, we should at least make sure they have a place to go to work. Not try to shame them. They have nothing to be ashamed of because they are poor. Because the bible says, the poor will always be with us. We have a job to do. We have job vacancies. We passed the law that required them to have work experience. 10000056.docx 37  STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 56th Legislative Day 5/28/2017 But yet, we will not hire them. Yet there's vacancies. Yet we lose their applications. Yet we shame them. We have news media coming to their homes saying how dirty their houses are, but what they didn't tell you… what they didn't tell you, Ladies and Gentlemen, is that we have funds. We have state funds. We have federal funds. We have grants. We even have the children's funds because we take their parents' social security to abuse them and misuse them. The Norman Fund, just so you know, is a fund that is supposed to… is supposed to bring services to these families. Help them find decent housing. Help them with running water. Help them with clothes. Help them with beddings. That's what the Norman Fund is supposed to be for. Intact Family Fund is funds for those families who can be saved because the purpose of DCFS is to re… reunite family not to divide them. And there's other funds out there. But to know that there's purchase orders. There are purchase orders. People are benefitting from the poor every day. Every day that we wake up and to know what Samaj, this baby is dead. And to know that a worker came to her house, not 1 time, not 2 times, not 3 times… what the hell was she there 16 times for? To do what? Did she bring her some food? No. Did she help with the running water? No. Did she get the gas back on? No. That baby is dead. And then at the… after that baby dies, what happens? You have 4 different state agencies bringing tons of people walking through the house. Now, let's count up the payroll on that. Let's count up the pension. Let's count up the overtime. Under the pretense… under the pretense of helping. Well, Representative Lang, I want you to join me ‘cause I called for the 10000056.docx 38  STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 56th Legislative Day 5/28/2017 investigation. And I want to thank our Inspector General, Denise Kane, because she wrote a report in 2016 and I would encourage all of you all to read it. In 2016 she talked about how we have let the children down in this state. That's what Denise Kane said not Mary Flowers. Then 2017 comes, you should read that report. It's real simple. Once again, we failed the children. We… these people have not had a cost of living in regards to TANF. The other day I ran off some numbers in regards to the State of Wisconsin. You know Wisconsin with that Republican President. Well, a family of three there makes $600 a month. New York, California, oh, but here in the State of Illinois. How do you expect a family to pull themselves up by their boot straps making four hundred and some odd dollars a month? You live off of it because I'll be doggone if they can. And furthermore… furthermore, in the newspaper… the newspaper had the nerve to talk about all the people that was coming into Samj… Samaj's home. Well, guess what, we allowed those strangers to come in. Because we're not paying the families enough, so therefore, the mother is obligated to get some help from strangers, from uncles and aunts and other people that they know is not conducive to be around their children. But they don't have a choice because DCFS has them going over here, public aid have them going over here, and somebody else could have them going someplace else. Enough is enough. So, thank you, again, Representative, for bringing this to everyone's attention because I've been dealing with it for 32 years. And just like you, I'm sick and tired of it. And it's time for us to really not give lip service, not to use… you will no longer use my children off my back and off 10000056.docx 39  STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 56th Legislative Day 5/28/2017 these poor people's back. I'm sick and tired of you getting your contracts, letting out the contracts, Chase Bank and others making the Medicaid cards. The Medicaid cards that's made of paper that can be ripped. And then, once they get ripped in the washing machine, where do they go? How long do they wait? And our senior citizens, tell me about the senior citizens who suffer from mental illness and Alzheimer's disease and they're supposed to a re… do a redetermination form. Tell me. And why is it that they're not getting their… their prescription drugs? And we can getting ready to move into a new building right over here on 9th street. This building is older than I don't know what. Enough is enough, Ladies and Gentlemen. Stop pimping poor people. Stop blaming poor people for being poor when you have made them poor. That's the only way a lot of you can stay in a job. You have contributed to the problems of the poor people in this state. And it's time for us to have a real conversation and do something about it. And Representative McSweeney, I want to thank you for calling me and offering your help and your services because I look forward to it. And thank you, Representative Ford, for making me do something that I was just tired of doing. But thank you for being the young man that you are, with the energy pushing me and making me every day do the things that I know that has to be done, to speak up for all the children of the State of Illinois. Thank you."

"Leader Bellock is recognized."

"Representative Ammons is recognized."

"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Will the Sponsor… just a point of personal privilege, please."

"Please proceed."

"I want to certainly thank both Representative Lang and Representative Flowers for the many years of service they've given to the subject of DCFS. The unfortunate death of the baby who is a member of my extended family, my daughter's side, father's… it is her cousin who is… passed in Joliet. I'm from Joliet originally, and know the family and the background of the mother. It is an unfortunate… unfortunate story that reveals the difficulty that poor mothers experience in this country as a whole, but certainly in our state with no budget. I am reminded of a young woman at the University of Illinois, only a couple of months ago, who recently was sentenced for unfortunately the murder of her baby. And both of these mothers have something in common, although they're ethnically different. Both of them were alone, both of them were suffering post-partum depression and poverty had its place in both circumstances. But something that I understand as a former social worker at one of our 10000056.docx 42  STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 56th Legislative Day 5/28/2017 agencies in this state before I came here, social workers, teachers are the lowest paid workers as a profession. And we have not done a good job looking at those professions as professions. And holding them not only accountable to the work that they do but to make sure that their professions are also appreciated and rewarded. This is a tragedy all the way around. Because the baby who died in this situation won't grow up to tell her story. And the mother who is suffering from deep depression will be vilified by the same system that created it. And so, if there's going to be reform in the Department of Children and Family Services that reform has to look back to its institutional foundation that created it in itself. It has itself tied to the criminal justice system. It has itself tied to lack of education and access. It also has itself tied to poverty and the resulting effects of poverty. And so I applaud our Representative and support the call for an immediate full investigation into this matter and so many others that have happened over the last year for children who are in custody. And I will tell you that there are many children who in custody of the Department of Children and Family Services who may not need to be in custody. Many children who are removed from their family strictly because they are poor and have poor habits and should not be on the caseload. And social workers have caseloads that are enormous and well above best practices. And so, in the investigation Representative Flowers, I hope that that investigation reveals what actually needs to be done with the Department of Children and Family Services, which is a complete reorganization of it and its purpose. And also to examine the 10000056.docx 43  STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 56th Legislative Day 5/28/2017 racial implications involved in the Department of Children and Family Services. That cannot be left out of the investigation as to the deaths of these black children. And so, I thank you all… thank you so much, Representative Flowers and thank you, Representative Lang, for bringing it forward."

"Representative Ford is recognized."

"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Point of personal privilege."

"Please proceed, Sir."

"Mr. Speaker and Members of the House, I think that many things happen for a reason. And I am very happy Leader Lang and Leader Flowers spoke today. And so, I think we owe as a Body to baby Crosby a show of solidarity that her death will not be in vain. I think that we as a Body should stand for a moment of silence for baby Samaj Crosby and show that her death will not be in vain and together we rise for the improvements of DCFS. That we don't have to fight, all we have to do it work. And show that because of her death, our state will be a better place. Because of her death, there will be no more baby Crosby's in the State of Illinois that die because of our neglect to the families of Illinois."

"The Body will take a moment of silence. Thank you, Representative Ford. Representative Flowers, your name was mentioned on multiple occasions."

"Yes. I'll be very brief. To the previous speakers, in regards to the Director. I don't care if it was one Director or 10 Directors. There's a policy in place as far as the work ethic of those social workers. That's number one. And that's the most important thing. And… but it was under this Director's watch, did the… the changes come about that the 10000056.docx 44  STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 56th Legislative Day 5/28/2017 pay to play… to pretend like you're working closing cases that caused harm. It was under his watch. It was under his watch that in the… in Cook County there was a program called, Blue… I forget what the other part is, Blue something… he created that to close cases. There was bonuses given almost twice as much a person made to close those cases, Representative. But see my point is not to stand up and put blame on anyone. There's a problem here. And this last baby's death and the… her family situation is a wakeup call to all of us because we don't know how many more out there waiting to be destroyed. And as some of the previous speakers spoke and said, there are so many other children that is locked up for a better word. I… because I can't come up with a better word, but they are locked up within DCFS because there comes a price with them. There's about 16 young African-American men that's been locked up for a very long time because their parents don't have a home to take them to. So, we would rather give a contract to… of $100,000 per person rather than help that family get a home. And remember, Ladies and Gentlemen, it is the Department of Children and Family Services. The entire family needs to be serviced and helped if we want to help lift them up out of poverty. And this… the laws that we pass and the things that we do on this floor that negatively impact their lives. So, once again, thank you very much, Mr. Speaker, for allowing me to have that opportunity. And to know that the caseloads of these workers is way out of control. That should not happen under this Director's watch. And so, there's some questions that need to be asked and answered. Thank you." 10000056.docx 45  STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 56th Legislative Day 5/28/2017

"Members, Democrats will caucus in Room 114 immediately following adjournment. And now, allowing perfunctory time for the Clerk, Leader Currie moves that the House adjourn until Monday, May 29 at 10 a.m. Monday, May 29, 10 a.m. All in favor say 'aye'; all opposed say 'nay'. In the opinion of the Chair, the 'ayes' have it and the House is adjourned."