Illinois House Floor Debate — August 16, 2017

"The House will be in order. We shall be led in prayer today by Reverend Wayne Kuna, who serves as President and founder of Soul Priority, a faith-based organization dedicated to teaching men and women in the marketplace to transforming principles of shepherd leadership and a healthy culture, located in Elmhurst. Representative (sic-Reverend) Kuna is the guest of Representative Morrison. Members and guests are asked to refrain from starting their laptops, turn off cell phones and rise for the invocation and Pledge of Allegiance. Reverend Kuna." 10000076.docx 1  STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 76th Legislative Day 8/16/2017

"Be led in the Pledge by Representative Mayfield."

"Roll Call for Attendance. Leader Currie."

"Thank you, Speaker, Members of the House. On the Democratic side, we are excusing Representative Soto. She is caring for an ill family member."

"Mr. Demmer."

"Mr. Clerk, please take the record. We have 103 Members present and we do have a quorum. Mr. Clerk, Rules Report."

"Mr. Clerk, Committee Reports. Mr. Clerk, Veto messages."

"Mr. Clerk, Agreed Resolutions."

"Leader Currie moves for the adoption of the Agreed Resolutions. Those in favor say 'yes'; opposed 'no'. The 'ayes' have it. And the Agreed Resolutions are adopted. Ladies and Gentlemen, both sides are prepared to go to caucus. Democrats will caucus immediately in Room 114. Republicans will caucus immediately in Room 118. The House is in recess 'til the call of the Chair. The House will be in order. Mr. Clerk, Senate Bill 1947. Please read the Bill." 10000076.docx 5  STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 76th Legislative Day 8/16/2017

"Mr. Davis. May we have leave to just move this to Third Reading? Mr. Breen."

"On Second Reading?"

"Is that… is that your pleasure, Sir?"

"Mr. Davis on the Amendment."

"Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I move for the adoption of the Amendment… of Amendment #4… Floor Amendment #4 to House… excuse me… to Senate Bill 1947. Senate Bill 1947 represents a Bill that repre… it's a Bill that represents the Amendatory Veto changes that the Governor issued relative to Senate Bill 1. It makes significant changes to the evidence- based model for school funding approve… that was approved by the General Assembly and apparently these changes will negatively affect the majority of school districts in the long-term, immediate and possibly even both situations. We want to add that there is not a single education organization which supports the Governor's Amendatory Veto and nearly are opposed. I have a list here that identifies proponents and opponents to the Amendatory Veto. And under proponents I have none; under opponents I have the Illinois Association of 10000076.docx 6  STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 76th Legislative Day 8/16/2017 School Board Officials… School Business Officials, excuse me, the Illinois Association of School Administrators, Advance Illinois, the Center for Tax and Budget Accountability, Stand for Children. Organizations: LUDA, LEND, SCOPE, the IFT, CTU, CPS, SEIU, League of Women Voters of Chicago and the Latino Policy Forum as well as ED-RED. The following points are key takeaways that describes the impact of the Governor's AV as compared to SB1 that, again, was approved by the Illinois General Assembly. It reduces state education funding by at least $1.1 billion over time because it eliminates provisions in the formula that account for rising education costs. It will lead to higher property taxes because it assumes that more money, approximately 762 million statewide, will come from property taxpayers in order for schools to reach full funding. It removes the protection that no school districts will receive less state funding than it received in FY17; thereby, creating winners and losers. It creates an FY18 budget deficit of $221 million. To avoid this, the General Assembly would have to approve an Appropriations Bill that reduces the education budget by at least that much. And with that, I will start… but just know that the provisions of the AV are… have negative affects associated by removing the minimum funding level, by removing all inflationary measures, by… by instituting a regionalization cap. It addresses issues involving TIF and PTELL EAV that will have a negative impact on districts. It resues adequacy credit for normal pension costs. It changes the hold harmless provision that we have in SB1. It removes CTPF pension considerations as well as removes 10000076.docx 7  STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 76th Legislative Day 8/16/2017 the CPS block grant. And with that, be more than happy to answer any questions."

"Ladies and Gentlemen, two reminders: first, the video boards are in repair and so, you won't see your pleasant faces as you speak; secondly, just a reminder, this is going to be a Second Reading Roll Call. Leader Durkin is recognized."

"Mr. Breen."

"Sponsor yields."

"Do I intend to support it?"

"I'm not sure yet to be quite honest with you. The purpose of this… the Governor issued an Amendatory Veto…"

"Can I finish? Can I finish?"

"No. Let me… let me… let me…"

"Let's go back real quick. So, you're the new Floor Leader now, right?"

"Okay. Well, then that understands… that answers a lot of questions for me. So, let me answer your question. So, again, the purpose in bringing this was so that we could thoroughly talk about the Amendatory Veto. Otherwise, there's no, you know, opportunity for us to talk about it and vet it. We had a committee earlier today. Did you make it?"

"No, we are not calling the Veto override."

"Mr. Wheeler." Wheeler, K.: "Thank you, Mr. Speaker. To the Amendment. We're down here again. It's the middle of August. We're wasting more time. The Leader explained it; the Floor Leader explained it. We're not… we're not getting anything done. We're just building more pressure. It's what this place really does well, we just build pressure, build pressure, build pressure. We all know the Leaders are meeting on Friday. That's really the opportunity for something to happen, to get something done for our schoolchildren, for the teachers, for the parents, the administrators, everyone involved. Everyone in this chamber who in the state, every parent, teacher and advocate I believe wants us to get real progress and get to a real compromise. That means we ought to get to the table and Friday's the first chance for that. For me, today was kind of, you know, a bittersweet day because today my little 10000076.docx 11  STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 76th Legislative Day 8/16/2017 daughter here first day of first grade. It'd be fun to be home with her right now when she gets off the bus or mom brings her home and find out how things went, ‘cause it's a meaningful thing. But we're talking about not getting anything done today instead of actually doing something serious. So, it's time for us to stop building pressure and start building consensus. Thank you."

"Mr. Ford."

"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. To the Bill… or to the Amendment. I want to first thank the Speaker and the Sponsor of the Bill for at least listening to the Governor and bringing forth the desire of the Governor for which he shows his will to do what's… he believes is right for the people of Illinois. And this Amendatory Veto really doesn't allow him now to hide behind a campaign. We now know who Governor Rauner is. And when you vote for this Bill, for or against, we will now know who you are and you can't hide behind a campaign. Governor Rauner's AV creates winners and losers. We all know that and it pits children against other children. And it sort of reminds me, as I said earlier in committee, it troubles me because we had in this country Brown v. Board of Education where we had black kids across the country worried about going to adequate schools. Well, what I see with Governor Rauner's Amendatory Veto he wants to pit the wealthy against the not so wealthy. And so, voting this down today will put to rest and show the public that there is no support for a plan that pits children against children. I know the numbers have been released and it shows that districts are doing better under Senate Bill 1. We know that under Senate Bill 1 every school 10000076.docx 12  STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 76th Legislative Day 8/16/2017 district does better and no school district does worse. So, this AV creates a problem and it pits schoolchildren against schoolchildren. At the end of the day, Rauner's AV does a couple of things and it doesn't paint the right picture at what he's trying to convey. It removes the minimum funding level. And what that does is his AV eliminates protections which ensures schools with the poor students and those with the fewest local resources are prioritized if the state under forms… underfunds education. It holds harmless it says. His AV shifts to a per pupil hold harmless in four years. Which means that any district which loses enrollment will lose funding. Five hundred and twenty-seven of the 852 school districts across the state, making up 73 percent of all students, lose enrollment and have lost enrollment since FY15 and '16. Generally, this will cut funding in inadequately funded districts and redistribute funds to wealthy school districts. To me, it is pretty simple and it's a clear choice. We either go with a plan that picks winners and losers or we can support and override and guarantee all our school districts receive fair funding regardless of their zip code. I urge a 'no' vote."

"Leader Currie."

"Thank you, Speaker, Members of the House. I'm delighted that people on both sides of this aisle are encouraged to vote 'no' on Amendment 4 to Senate Bill 1947. I will enthusiastically add my 'no' vote to all of yours. I think it's critical that we send a very important message to this Governor. This Governor has called Senate Bill 1 a bailout for the City of Chicago. Nothing could be further from the 10000076.docx 13  STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 76th Legislative Day 8/16/2017 truth. This is no bailout for Chicago. This measure would begin to treat fairly the large number of poor and disadvantaged children who go to school in the City of Chicago. On a per pupil basis, about a third of our school districts, something like 268, will get more money from this formula in Senate Bill 1 than will the children of the City of Chicago. Recognizing the pension costs that Chicago has to pay for its teachers and no other state has to pay for theirs, is a way of approaching equity. This is not a bailout for Chicago. And I think it is racially and geographically divisive of the Governor to suggest otherwise. What this Bill is about is making sure that the children, wherever they live, are treated fairly and adequately by a school aid formula. That's why so many organizations, so many stakeholders support Senate Bill 1. I couldn't find a single respectable organization out there that said, yeah, the Amendatory Veto makes sense. It makes no sense whatsoever and I'm delighted so many of you will join me in voting to oppose the Governor's Amendatory Veto of Senate Bill 1."

"Mr. Hoffman."

"Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Ladies and Gentlemen of the House. I just… I just would say I was a bit surprised at the position of the other side of the aisle. I thought that everybody on your side of the aisle was in support of this AV according to the robocalls and the media that we've been reading and the machine of propaganda coming out of the Governor's Office. So, let me just say this is more of the same. You voted 'present' on right to work. You voted 'present' on workers' compensation reform. You voted 10000076.docx 14  STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 76th Legislative Day 8/16/2017 'present' on property tax relief. Now, you vote 'present' on probably the most important issue that we're going to be facing that's how schoolchildren and how schools are funded. The history is this. The Bill… the Bill was passed sitting in the Senate. President Cullerton begged… begged the Governor to sit down before he AV'd the Bill in order to discuss their differences and negotiate. The Governor demanded… demanded that he send him the Bill, did press conferences all over the state. So, he sent him the Bill. He wouldn't discuss what he was going to do. I assumed that his Amendatory Veto… he Amendatory Vetoed because he believed in what his Amendatory Veto stands for, but I assume also that there's some people on your side of the aisle that maybe aren't willing to support it. So, now you vote 'present'. And what is this? Unfortunately, it's more of the same. When it came to the budget, he used seniors to try and bludgeon his way to get anti-budgetary issues through the General Assembly. He used the disabled. He used higher education. He used the sex… sexual assault victims. And he’s now… he's using children. This isn't about school funding to him, you know that. It's about his non… non-budgetary agenda of getting rid of collective bargaining. You only have to look at what Senator Barickman said today. He hides under the term 'mandates' or 'fairness', but it's really taking away collective bargaining as one of the items that they're demanding to be part of school funding reform. So, now, we're using children to create a crisis. To quote the Governor, crisis creates opportunity; crisis creates leverage. And we've got to use the leverage of the crisis to create change. Using schoolchildren to create 10000076.docx 15  STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 76th Legislative Day 8/16/2017 a crisis isn't right. This is his crisis; this is on his watch. Let's talk about some of this. My daughter made a decision. When she got her speech pathology degree, she decided to go to Chicago Public Schools and work in speech pathology. Now, she's part of a collective bargaining unit. Kindergarten teachers there are part of a collective bargaining unit. High school teachers in my area are part of a collective bargaining unit. I wonder why you have to attack teachers simply because they're part of a collective bargaining agreement in order to affect change. I don't get it. I don't get it. What does Senate Bill 1 do? Senate Bill 1's quite simple, quite simple. It talks about adequacy and equity, adequacy and equity. It uses 27 evidenced-based models developed by the smartest education people in this state with Will Davis, Representative Pritchard was part of it. They were all part of it as well as Representative Currie, Senator Andy Manar and they came up with an equity and adequacy model. That's what they did. But what's the Governor done? Even though he said that 90 percent of Senate Bill 1 was good, he took a hammer to the very foundation, the very foundation of funding public education here in Illinois. That's what his Amendatory Veto does. That's what it does. Is it fair and equitable to have class sizes in one school district that are 35 students and another 20? I say it's not. Is it fair and equitable for tutors for reading before third grade in one school district and they're not there in others even though we know statistically that if you read at a third- grade level by third grade, that you're going to be successful. What's happened to the Governor here is you guys 10000076.docx 16  STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 76th Legislative Day 8/16/2017 are voting 'present' because he's a general running up the hill with his sabre drawn at an attack and there's no army behind him. There's no educational institutions; there's no superintendents; there's no educational… there's no educational jurisdictions or no educational people who are for this, not one. Not one. I don't think it matters, if you want to talk about equity. It shouldn't matter, if you're a kindergartener or preschooler in Harrisburg or Harvey. It shouldn't matter if you're a third grader in reading class in Bensenville or Belleville. It shouldn't matter if you're a fifth grader in Palatine or Peoria or in junior high social… social studies… in social studies class in Rockford, Rock Island or Rantoul or in high school in Cairo or Chicago. They all deserve the same opportunity and that is to an equitable and an adequate education. You're making the right vote for voting against this because it would attack public education in the state at its core, at its core. Now, let's get to the… the very real work of using an evidence-based model to provide equity and adequacy in funding our schools for all the children of Illinois. I urge a 'no' vote."

"Representative Ives."

"Mr. Skillicorn."

"Gentleman's moved the previous question. Those in favor of calling the previous question say 'yes'; opposed 'no'. The 'ayes' have it. And the previous question is put. Mr. Welch to close. Excuse me. Mr. Davis to close."

"I'm sure Mr. Welch would be more than happy to close."

"He was next on the list."

"He was…"

"That's why."

"Oh, I get it. I get it."

"Thank you."

"So, one of the things that was said earlier was that the negotiations were a joke. I do take a little bit offense to that because I spent a lot of time and effort in meeting with Republicans and the Governor's Office on trying to negotiate the pieces of this. And the waste of time was the fact that we could never get the Republicans to settle on anything. They keep moving the ball, keep adding new things; they keep adding different things. So, that's the waste of time here to be quite honest with you. Now, the previous speaker said, are we going to call the AV? Eventually, we will. Is it today? No, it's not today; but eventually we'll call it. And hopefully, they'll come back when it's time to make that call. And we'll get there at some point. A Member talked about pressure. The pressure on this started years ago because Illinois hasn't done what it's supposed to do for years as it relates to school funding. Now, here we are, the opportunity to make a change that hasn't been made in 20 years. That pressure has been building, Representative, for 20 years. It didn't just start this year. It didn't just start in the last 10000076.docx 20  STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 76th Legislative Day 8/16/2017 couple of months. It's been building for 20 years. And now, we have an opportunity to do something. So, to the extent in which you think this measure is a joke, then that means that the Governor's AV was a joke, which really it was. 'Cause if you want to be real about it, it hurt districts. Why would we want to support something that hurts districts? Why would you want to support something that hurts districts? And that's exactly what the AV did. The… the numbers are out there; the statistics exist as to why it's bad. Asking districts to account for revenue that they don't have. What sense does that make? Absolutely none. Now, talk about negotiations. Your Senator negotiations asked myself and Senator Manar to plead to the Governor not to issue the AV… not to hold the AV. Well, while they were telling us that the Governor wants us to ask him not to issue the AV, he issued the AV. He went ahead and filed it. Now, of course, that's his right to do, but then why ask us to ask him not to do it? Was that a game they were playing? So, we talk about games, where's the real gamesmanship here? That's where it is in my opinion. So, again, while you think this measure's a joke, that's fine and clearly, nobody asked any questions about the AV because you know it's bad. You didn't want us to highlight the challenges with the AV by asking any questions, which is why you didn't and you had the Representative move the previous question 'cause you didn't want to know. You didn't want it on the record why the AV is bad. But I assume you already know that because you've heard from your superintendents. Anybody not? You have. You heard from your superintendents who are telling you how the AV hurts them. How SB1 is the right way to go. 10000076.docx 21  STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 76th Legislative Day 8/16/2017 And that's important. Tell me… if anybody hasn't heard from their superintendent, please raise your hand? You really haven't heard from your superintendent? Does that mean you didn't answer their call or return their call? 'Cause chances are they've reached out to you. They have. Every school district in the State of Illinois supports SB1. They do not support the override. They do not support the Veto… the Amendatory Veto. They don't support it. We heard from nine superintendents in committee today that have spoke out against the Amendatory Veto. But it was necessary because, again, if this is what the Governor seeks to do, why not have a conversation about it? Why not have a open discussion about what it is and what it does, which clearly none of you wanted to do today? Because you didn't ask any questions about it on the floor. So, yes, this will probably die a horrible death because as we've heard you've been encouraged and told not to support it, not to vote 'yes', not to vote 'no' or whatever. You've been told what to do. So, again, to the extent in which this was an opportunity for us to really have substantive conversation, apparently none of you wanted to have substantive conversation 'cause presumably you support the Governor's Amendatory Veto. And this was an opportunity for you to tell us why you support it, if it's that important to you and you chose not to. So, that being said, Mr. Speaker, let's take the vote."

"Gentleman moves for the adoption of the Amendment. Those in favor of the Amendment say 'yes… vote 'yes'; opposed vote 'no'. The voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Please record 10000076.docx 22  STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 76th Legislative Day 8/16/2017 yourselves. Please record yourselves, Members. Mr. Clerk, please take the record. On this question, there are 0 voting 'yes', 60 voting 'no', 33 voting 'present' and the Amendment fails. Mr. Turner in the Chair."

"The Chair recognizes Representative Andrade. For what reason do you seek recognition?"

"Point of personal privilege, please."

"Please proceed, Sir."

"So, yesterday, my seatmate's not… my former seatmate's not here and Representative Mitchell had a Twitter fight with… or debate with the Representative from the other side and then with Illinois Policy Institute. And then the next very day, we have a cartoon with a little black kid begging a rich white guy for money. So, people thought the 'C' stands for Cubs; it doesn't. Illinois Policy Institute had a 'C' for Christian Mitchell. This is despicable. It is disgusting. And then, Illinois Policy Institute says are you saying that wealthy white businessmen are not using TIF to take money from black and brown kids? So, are they saying only white people are rich? Is that what Illinois Policy Institute is saying that only white people are rich? There's no Asians, no blacks, no Latinos that pay taxes? I ask my Democrats and my former Members to stay with me and show that this is unacceptable. That Illinois Policy Institute would say that only right… white people are rich and then put a cartoon… a cartoon to say black kids are begging for money is unacceptable. And I ask my Republican colleagues over there that I know that you believe that this is unacceptable regardless of your policy and regard of your beliefs. This is 10000076.docx 23  STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 76th Legislative Day 8/16/2017 unacceptable that the Illinois Policy Institute would say white people are bailing out black kids. Yes, we live in a country… especially with what's going on right now in Virginia. People don't… people forget that I am a minority, maybe 'cause I move my hands they think I'm Italian, I don't know, but this… this… you know what, people still think this is just unacceptable in the times that this House would accept and I know that I… you guys and I read the text that Mr. Sauer puts on the damn Twitter, said this is unbelievable that we today in 2017 are still dealing with this shit. Because that's what it is, is that Illinois Policy Institute would put any in their own words would respond. Are you saying that wealthy, white businessmen… not even wealthy businessmen. Unacceptable that today in the United States we have to deal with this. And I will say it again, it's shit. That's what it is. Unacceptable that they would use those words of white businessmen and black and brown kids. Because there is poor people in white and black, Latino, purple; every color there's poor people. There's no reason the Illinois Policy Institute should describe colors and races of people when they're having a fight. I thank you."

"Thank you, Representative. The Chair recognizes Leader Lang."

"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. A point of personal privilege."

"Please proceed, Sir."

"Thank you. First, I'd like to thank my colleague Jaime Andrade for his inspired and totally on the money remarks. We need to hear more truth on the House Floor as he just spoke. And I think it's appropriate for all of us, particularly in 10000076.docx 24  STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 76th Legislative Day 8/16/2017 the wake of what happened in Charlottesville over the weekend and the responses of certain government leaders to that, that we repudiate the kind of comments coming out of the Illinois Policy Institute and that we note very carefully that that cartoon was designed to foment differences among us. It was designed to separate us. It was designed to anger people, but in the wrong way. It would be better if people were angered to action to do the right thing rather to separate people and bring about more hatred in our state and in our country. Mr. Speaker, Ladies and Gentlemen, I think some things need to be pointed out regarding the Amendatory Veto of the Governor that have yet to be pointed out. First, the Governor himself and through his agency people indicated that Senate Bill 1 that was placed on his desk was 90 percent of what he wanted. Now, who here on this floor gets 90 percent of what they want? We negotiate Bills here. We do what's best for Illinois here or at least should be attempting to. We don't say, well, I can't have a 100 percent of what I want, so I'm going to shut a process down. We say, 90 percent pretty good, but not to this Governor. And Ladies and Gentlemen, don't fall prey to what the Governor has attempted to do. I see in the vote that we didn't. Although I noted that about 33 people on the floor just couldn't make up their mind what was right or wrong about the Amendatory Veto of the Governor. Thirty-three people on the floor voted 'present', very courageous vote. It says a lot about your point of view about the differences in the state about who's getting educated and who isn't; who's needy and who isn't. It says a lot about your resolve to solve the problem. This was a Bill that was involving the fundamental 10000076.docx 25  STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 76th Legislative Day 8/16/2017 fairness that we seek for children around Illinois in our education system. We all know that because we rely too heavily on property taxes to pay for public education that there are many kids in our state going to substandard schools. We can all agree on that. And we can all agree that some school districts do better than others. But after many years of floundering and trying to fix that and trying to do something about that, maybe 10 or 15 years of debate about the school aid formula, about how we distribute funds in the State of Illinois to make sure that every student in Illinois goes to a quality public school. Finally the evidence-based model in Senate Bill 1 put a Bill on the Governor's desk that would go a long way toward fixing the problem. A long way toward fixing the problem in the Governor's own words 90 percent of the way toward fixing the problem. And yet, there are people that want to say that kids in Chicago aren't entitled to a fair shake. There are people that want to say that people… kids all over the state should be educated based on their zip code not based on their need. There are people in this chamber who would tell a community based on the Governor's AV on Senate Bill 1, you know what, if your district is involved in economic development and you create a TIF District, we're going to hurt your kids. The same Governor who seems to be spending all day talking about economic development, although he hasn't proposed much to accomplish that, would tell us… would tell a community you better not do a TIF District and bring new business into your community because it will hurt your schools. So, we're going to pit a mayor of a town against a school superintendent or we're going to pit a mayor of a 10000076.docx 26  STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 76th Legislative Day 8/16/2017 town against a PTA President because they are on different sides. They shouldn't be on different sides. They should be on the same side. The Governor's Veto pits children against children, community against community and in fact, Legislators against Legislators. It adds to the age-old year after year, after year-long effort by many in this chamber over a long period of time and Governors that we've had over a long period of time to try to separate one part of the state from another part of the state. You may recall, some of you, we actually had a Bill here some time ago requiring that we separate the state into two different states. What a bunch of nonsense. The Governor's proposal would have required property taxes… which many of you care about so deeply, I do… would have required property taxes to go up because the formula the Governor put together was only a hold harmless for a short period of time and school districts that lost children and lost enrollment would lose their guaranteed funding. This is why school superintendent after school superintendent, education advocate and leader after education advocate and leader all over the State of Illinois have said, Governor, sign Senate Bill 1 and have said to us override Senate Bill 1, override the Governor's Veto of Senate Bill 1. School superintendents who would have gotten millions and millions and millions of dollars more under the Governor's phony political formula said don't do that. Don't give us more money, do what's fair. We're getting enough money under Senate Bill 1. Do what's fair. Educate children everywhere in the State of Illinois. Everywhere in the State of Illinois. Don't fall prey to this phony political prank by the Governor 10000076.docx 27  STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 76th Legislative Day 8/16/2017 of the State of Illinois. And Ladies and Gentlemen, even the Chicago Tribune… who I don't often agree with… even the Chicago Tribune said to the Governor, sign that Bill. And even the Chicago Tribune said to us, override this Veto because fundamental fairness for the schoolchildren of Illinois is at stake. School superintendents have talked publicly about this. Dr. Ehren Jarrett from Rockford said we need to shift resources toward our neediest students and our neediest communities. We must sha… make sure that zip code does not determine opportunities and resources that are spent on students. Rolf Sivertsen from Canton, it is certainly clear that the Amendatory Veto would actually encourage property tax increases. Ron Jacobs from Riverdale, Senate Bill 1 is fair and equitable to students across the entire State of Illinois. Lanty McGuire from Moline-Coal Valley, who was talking about TIF money and said, to add TIF money in there that's not good for us at all. Districts like us are going to suffer; we're going to suffer big-time. Kristin Humphries from East Moline, the Amendatory Veto would have damaging effects on schools in Illinois including our school district. Under the Veto, school districts across Illinois would face operating with less amounts of money, which not only puts schools in a bad position but also our students’. School superintendents from Taylorville, Centralia, Staunton, Sandoval, DuQuoin, Southeastern, West Frankfort, and many, many, many others have come forward and said, Governor, what are you doing? Don't you have a responsibility to educate every school kid in the State of Illinois or just your chosen one or just the ones that benefit your campaign or just the 10000076.docx 28  STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 76th Legislative Day 8/16/2017 ones that hurt other school districts? It's time, Ladies and Gentlemen, that we did the right thing. We passed Senate Bill 1. We only passed it barely, but it should have passed unanimously. Because school superintendents around Illinois, the newspapers around the State of Illinois, school advocates around the State of Illinois and all of us know, regardless of how we're going… how we voted today or how we'll vote when we vote on the override next week, we all know that fundamental fairness is at stake, our kids' futures are at stake and what we have done in allowing the Governor to set forth a different agenda than the one that's right for the schoolchildren of Illinois is simply wrong. It's simply wrong. So, I ask you over the next seven days, before we return to this chamber, to talk to your own school superintendents and figure out what the right thing to do is. I think you know what it is. And if you need some cover, go find someone to give you some political cover. The best people to talk to about political cover are the school kids and their parents in the State of Illinois. And if you care at all about them, you will come back here next week and vote to override the ridiculous, political sham of the Amendatory Veto of the Governor of the State of Illinois. Thank you, Mr. Speaker."

"The Chair recognizes Leader Flowers."

"Thank you, Mr. Speaker and Ladies and Gentlemen of the House. I want to say to all those who are listening and specifically the people who decide to put the cartoon character in the newspaper. It's your right to do so. It's my right not to like it. I want to say to the Illinois Policy Institute, just for their edification and their education, it 10000076.docx 29  STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 76th Legislative Day 8/16/2017 has been that type of nonsense, that ignorance that those… those types of policies that they're trying to implement here in this state that has destroyed this country. Yes, poor mis… poor black men are mostly uneducated here in the State of Illinois because of bad policies. Poor black men are usually incarcerated falsely because of bad policies. African- American people are always mostly uneducated because of bad policies. And every time… every time we try to do something to correct that someone want to make a joke out of our lives. And I'm here today to say enough is enough. All of our lives are in jeopardy because of the ignorance that's going on across this country and it's been going on for a very, very long time, a very long time. And it's time to stop. It is time to stop. A lot of white men are rich today… they're very rich because they got rich off the backs of black people. They got free labor. The reason why so many people are suffering is because of men like the people that work for the Policy Institute. They have been, once again, destroying the very fabric as far as creating jobs, as far as people being able to educate themselves and better themselves and they want to make a joke out of it. Because the only thing they're talk… thinking about is making money for themselves and destroying peoples' lives. We're here today talking about an education Bill, a Bill that we should all be very proud to pass to make sure that all children… all children in this state is educated. But instead, we want to play games. We want… how long… how long, Ladies and Gentlemen, do we continue to discriminate? You know this is nothing new. You know that we've destroyed so many… so many peoples' lives. We've 10000076.docx 30  STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 76th Legislative Day 8/16/2017 destroyed so many unborn infants, unborn; so many elderly people are being destroyed because of ignorance. When are we going to stop? When are we going to stop and start having respect for one another? The color of your skin don't mean a doggone thing. The color of your skin doesn't make you better. Because you was able to manipulate someone out of their paycheck, you were able to manipulate as far as their dignity, you were able to make them work for free labor. While you enrich yourself and your family, you were able to pass your wealth down. When are we going to stop? We're only hurting ourselves. We're only hurting ourselves. I want the Illinois Policy Institute to put an apology in the paper. I want them to apologize… I want them to apologize to the people of the State of Illinois that they insulted with their ignorance. Never again, we all should be insulted by them, every last one of us. We all should be insulted. Their behavior should be unacceptable and if that was an African-American group that did the same thing, I'd be damned if you would be sitting over there quietly as if nothing happened. I am sick and tired of your ignorance and that's all we're betraying here. Our children are looking at us to make life better, not to continue to perpetuate the ignorance in which so many of us had to endure. I remember seeing the Ku Klux Klan. I remember walking out my door in fear, living like terror is all around me. Afraid to come out because of the police as far as how they treat the people in my community, as far as the lack of jobs, as far as the lack of access, as far as drugs being dropped, guns being dropped and black folks being blamed. Enough. It's time for us to have a conversation about what's 10000076.docx 31  STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 76th Legislative Day 8/16/2017 really been going on in this country for so long and make no apologies. I don't agree with you all the time; you're not going to agree with me, but we need to have that conversation. We need to talk about the things that's been harming us and constantly hurting us. We need to stop using poor people; black, white or other to enrich ourselves to make ourselves feel better because we can put some people down because we have the power to vent. I would suggest today that we tell the Policy Institute and send any other group… any other group out there that's interested in bringing your ignorance to Illinois because right here in Springfield… right here in Springfield was the worst race riot in the State of Illinois. And I be damned if we're going to allow that to happen again. It's not going to happen, Ladies and Gentlemen. But if we don't fund education… if we don't fund education, we're all going to be in trouble because that's what's going on with these people. They're not educated. They're not educated and they think somebody's trying to take something from them. That's not what this is all about. We should be trying to make these roads and bridges comfortable and safe for everyone. We should try to make our communities comfortable and safe for everyone. My children should be able to go to the same type of schools that your kids go to. My children should not have to be worried about peeling paint. Shouldn't have to be worried about living or working or trying to go to school in an environment that's not safe; they feel that they're not protected, can't get access to health care, can't get access to mental health. What the heck are we doing here? 10000076.docx 32  STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 76th Legislative Day 8/16/2017 No one is going to play with our lives that we need to send a message. Thank you very much."

"Representative Lang in the Chair. Mr. Pritchard is recognized on a point of personal privilege."

"Representative Kifowit on a point of personal privilege."

"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to thank the prior two speakers: Representative Andrade and Representative Mary Flowers for their remarks. And I do want to call out that the fight for equality is equal and it's equal to all of us even… even myself. And I do think that we need to strive for equality in financial opportunity, educational opportunity, family enrichment and just a basic quality of life. And I have to say that disseminating the racist, stereotypical, demeaning propaganda that the Illinois Policy Institute put out is just plain wrong and it is un-American in values. We were founded on values that all men were created equal and this value over the years has expanded to women with the right to vote to… to African Americans to LGBTQ to the diversity that makes our country great. And to put out information in the form of a cartoon, I have to rise and lend my voice to those that were before me to call it out and that's what we all have to do. And I join my voice in calling for an apology from the Illinois Policy Institute and the immediate removal of this cartoon and to cease dissemination of it because we 10000076.docx 35  STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 76th Legislative Day 8/16/2017 need to be unified as a Body and call out anyone who engages in bigoted, racist, sexist, demeaning, stereotypical communication. It's just not what our country is founded on. Thank you, Mr. Speaker."

"Thank you, Representative. Under the Order of Resolutions, under Supplemental Calendar #1, appears House Resolution 569, Mr. Sims."

"Thank you, Mr. Speaker and Ladies and Gentleman of the House. After the last few minutes, I think House Resolution 569 is particularly appropriate. I wish that it wasn't necessary. I wish in looking… looking at and viewing that cartoon, a very disgusting cartoon, I wish that everyone believed in the promise that America holds for all of us, but unfortunately that's not the case. The Declaration of Independence says that all men are created equal that they're endowed by the Creator with certain unalienable rights that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. House Resolution 569 serves as a declaration by the Illinois House of Representatives that we condemn hate as espoused by white supremacists, by the Ku Klux Klan, neo-Nazis and any other group that attempts to spread hate in an attempt to return our great country to one of the most regrettable times of our nation's history. Let's make no mistake. The actions of August 12, 2017, that led to the death of Miss Heather Heyer and the injury of dozens of individuals who were standing up to oppose hate was domestic terrorism. If anyone is unclear of that definition, I ask them to only review Federal Law. The actions in Charlottesville and the result and response from our President have represented an attack on 10000076.docx 36  STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 76th Legislative Day 8/16/2017 all that we hold dear as Americans. These ateful… hateful actions represent an effort to spread fear and take us back to a time… a very regrettable time of our nation's history. These actions seek to sow division in our communities and are a challenge to the very heart and soul of who we are as Americans. Now is not the time to be impartial; it's not the time to waiver. We must say in no uncertain terms that hatred in any form is not welcome here in the State of Illinois. My parents grew up in the South in the shadows of Jim Crow. And there's a… a monument in the center of their hometown to fallen Confederate soldiers. And I vividly remember my grandfather as we drove past that monument explaining to us what that monument stood for that it was a monument to one of the most deplorable times in our history, but he also said to us it must be a constant reminder that we must never forget the pain and racism that our ancestors endured, that we should never let anyone determine our nation's future, that we should never allow anyone to return us to that very despicable time, that we have responsibility to improve the world around us to fight to make the American dream attainable for everyone. That's something I've fought for my entire life and will continue to do so. Recently I met with several groups of seniors and they shared with me their fears. They shared with me the actions over the last several days have caused concern that the challenges that they fought… they fought have revived a hatred and it revived a place that we never thought we'd go back to. And one of them, she said to me with tears in her eyes, she spoke about how the fact that she fought against racism. She fought against sexism and now, we seem to be going 10000076.docx 37  STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 76th Legislative Day 8/16/2017 back with the worst coming from the highest office in our land. House Resolution 569 represents an opportunity for the Illinois House of Representatives to make the unequivocal statement to her and others that we condemn racism, misogyny, xenophobia, homophobia and all forms of hatreds and the supporters and purveyors of hate. Make no mistake, we are enmeshed in a battle for the heart and soul of who we are as Americans. And history will judge us for how we respond to this moment. We must show our children that we are better than the actions of those who seek to spread hate. We must stand firm to demonstrate to those who came before us that we learned the lessons that they taught us about what is best in the American spirit. But I will close and will leave you with these words from Albert Einstein. The world will not be destroyed by those who do evil, but by those who watch them while doing nothing. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to thank my colleagues who joined in this effort and ask for adoption of House Resolution 569."

"Mr. McSweeney."

"Your request is acknowledged. Mr. Breen."

"Those in favor of the Gentleman's Motion say 'yes'; opposed 'no'. The 'ayes' have it. And all Members of the House will be added as a cosponsor to the Resolution. Mr. Olsen is recognized."

Speaker Turner: "Representative Turner in the Chair. Representative Skillicorn is recognized."

"Representative Greg Harris is recognized." Harris, G.: "Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Ladies and Gentlemen of the House. It's good to see us, each and every one standing up and calling terrorism what it is, terrorism. And standing against the Klan and white supremacists and Nazis because of the evil that they have done to our history and the evil that they are trying to bring back to us today. But I think it's really also important to remember that the things that we are shocked about that they are attacking today. We're shocked 10000076.docx 41  STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 76th Legislative Day 8/16/2017 that they're attacking some of the very foundational beliefs of our country. These were not always the way our country was. Yeah, this has been a long struggle and a long fight to get to where we are today. Yeah, 241 years ago when this country was founded, yeah, black people were still slaves. They were still considered property. Women could not vote. Gays and lesbians and transgender people had no rights. Women could not go out and work in the workplace. It has taken two and a half centuries in this country of struggle among people of goodwill on both sides of the aisle, in the Congress, in State Legislatures and yes, thousands of people going out into the streets and marching to bring us these freedoms, things that we take for granted today that each one of us should be treated equally. You know, and I could… I was thinking, I was going to stand here as a gay man and talk about, you know, what this means for me. But then I look around at this chamber and I think about, you know, who were the Nazis and the Klan and the, you know, white nationalists, who were they targeting over the years? Who do they hate? You know, we heard them say that they hate the Jews; they hate the gays; they lynched black people; they hated the Catholics; they hated immigrants. If you look around this room, you know, every single person on this floor has a vested interest… personal interest. We could be the next targets of the fascism and hate if it spirals out of control. And unfortunately, we've seen that around our world before. And as other speakers have said, it's not enough to deplore it; we have to stand up to it. We have to use our voices and if need be, we need to use our bodies to defend against it. And I'll just close with 10000076.docx 42  STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 76th Legislative Day 8/16/2017 a memory of poem that was written by a man named Martin Niemoller after the Second World War as he's talking about the concentration camps. And he says, at first they came for the socialists and I did not speak out because I was not a socialist. Then they came for the trade unionists and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a trade unionist. Then they came for the Jews and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a Jew. Then they came for me and there was no one left to speak. So, Ladies and Gentlemen, thank you for speaking today for all of us."

"The Chair recognizes Representative Ammons."

"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. To the Ladies and Gentlemen of the chamber and those in the gallery, we stand today unified on this concept that it's unacceptable what happened in Charlottesville over the weekend. And I have to acknowledge Representative Harris's comments because they were, too, mine. We don't want to do a disservice to history and the long legacy that it has taken African Americans and Latinos and LGBTQ communities to get where we are at this very moment today. We don't want to whitewash history, where we forget that it was struggle and death that got us to this point, that there was state policies across this country and State Constitutions that upheld all of their experiences that were described by Representative Flowers. And in this moment, even though we feel very much unified on the inappropriateness of what happened in Charlottesville, remember that there are policies that created Charlottesville. If we take a moment and look back at what was written about Charlottesville, you will look at a many a protest that I have been a part of and 10000076.docx 43  STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 76th Legislative Day 8/16/2017 have organized where none of the protestors that we organized came with any weapons. We don't come with barricades and we don't come with torches. And we don't come with batons to protest. We come with signs and demonstrations and chants to protest. But this was not any normal protest. Remember, just a week prior to that, the President of the United States encouraged police officers to commit police brutality against suspects that they are arresting and we sat quietly by. This is an escalation of what has already been taking place. And we should not pretend as if we are simply shocked by Charlottesville because there was Ferguson before that. And I can name so many others that we were silent about. And so, today, I do hope that this is a day that we will say women should get equal pay and vote for it because women don't get equal pay today and we are still fighting battles that the mothers before us fought. And so, if we're going to abhor Charlottesville based on racist and bigotry and violence, it is violent to tell a woman that she does not get equal pay in the society that she lives in and pays taxes. We have to turn our abhorrence into public policy that will benefit all of the communities that are hurt by the racists, the bigotry and the abhorrence that we stand for today. And I would simply say in closing, that the death of Heather Heyer, 32 years old, who came to a demonstration against racism and bigotry and abhorrence reminds me of the three students who died trying to give people the right to vote. We cannot forget that this is a true struggle against what we claim the Constitution gives you which is life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. It is not real for everyone, yet. And for the 10000076.docx 44  STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 76th Legislative Day 8/16/2017 two officers, the Troopers who died, Jay Cullen and Berke Bates I ask for a moment of silence for them as well from this chamber."

"The Body will take a moment of silence. Thank you. The Chair recognizes Leader Lang."

"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This is a… actually a wonderful tribute to America today. Mr. Speaker, and Ladies and Gentlemen, last Saturday in Charlottesville, Virginia, a neo- Nazi with hate and evil in his heart murdered an American citizen with his automobile. A neo-Nazi with evil and hate in his heart murdered an American citizen with his automobile. We have to stand up; we are. We have to do more. We cannot allow racism and anti-Semitism and Islamophobia and feelings of anti-gayness and anti-immigrants and are… some peoples' feelings of antieverything they're not to take over America. Because all people who do that are not true and real Americans. Some of the neo-Nazis and white supremacists that tried to take over Charlottesville, spent a lot of time in their free time talking about their rights under the Constitution, but apparently they like to pick and choose what rights under the Constitution they think American citizens are entitled to. We need to have a better approach to this. What we saw on TV… and we all watched in horror… look and sounded like Germany in 1939: torches, slogans, anti- Semitism. This cannot stand. And leaders whether they are in this state or in the Federal Government or anywhere in this country or anywhere in the world who are not prepared to stand up and call this what it is, domestic terrorism on our own soil which needs to be dealt with, do not deserve to be 10000076.docx 45  STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 76th Legislative Day 8/16/2017 elected officials in this state or any state. But it's not enough to stand here and speak; it's not enough to talk. We must act. And so, when we're at a gas station and we hear someone telling a Polish joke or an antigay joke, do we step in? Do we tell them that's wrong? Most of us don't. When we have Bills on the House Floor that have something in some way to do with some of these issues that have become controversial that shouldn't: women's rights, civil rights, gay rights. Do we have all of our faculties around us when we vote? Do we consider the people that are affected by this legislation or do we consider our politics? Do we say to ourselves, well, maybe a 'yes' vote on that Bill is for somebody else, but it's not for me because I live over here. I've said on this floor more than once that we are State Representatives. It was important when we talked about the budget; it was important when we talked earlier about Senate Bill 1. We don't represent just 110 or 112 thousand people that send us here. We represent all 13 million people that live in the State of Illinois: black, white, yellow, brown. We represent all the religions of Illinois. We represent all of the sexual orientations of Illinois. We represent the immigrants among us who are here. We represent the schoolchildren and the seniors and yet, we need still to learn the lessons that the things we are thinking today while we're standing here caring so much, and we do, need to be used to do our government work. They need to be used to do our public service. It can't just be a slogan; it can't just be a speech. Ladies and Gentlemen, Elie Wiesel, who some of you may know as a Holocaust survivor and wrote many things and reflected many times about the 10000076.docx 46  STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 76th Legislative Day 8/16/2017 Holocaust said this. I swore never to be silent and whenever and wherever human beings endure suffering and humiliation, we must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented. Sometimes we must interfere. When human lives are endangered, when human dignity is in jeopardy, national borders and sensitivities become irrelevant. Wherever men and women are persecuted because of their race, religion or political views that place must at that moment become the center of the universe. Ladies and Gentlemen, let us swear today that this day the Illinois House of Representatives will become the center of the universe for those who need us so desperately. Thank you, Mr. Speaker."

Speaker Turner: "The Chair recognizes Representative David Harris." Harris, D.: "Speaker, thank you. I know there have been many speeches and I will be brief. I just want to compliment Representative Sims, Representative McSweeney and the others that brought this forward. And I compliment them for a number of reasons, not just putting it out there, but the way they phrased it and way they… they composed the… the Resolution to ground it, first of all, in the principles that we believe in in this country. And then, also, to celebrate the diversity of this state and country. And I just want to make a couple of remarks to those groups that spew their bitter bile. They will be protected under the foundations of our Constitution and the First Amendment that they can go out there and they can say what they want to say. But all of us know that their ideology and what they stand for is hatred and bigotry. Their 10000076.docx 47  STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 76th Legislative Day 8/16/2017 language is repugnant; it is odious; it is contemptable. And when I see people flashing… these white supremacists that flash the Nazi salute. I have visited Dachau; I have visited Bergen-Belsen; I have visited Sachsenhausen. And they call these place concentration camps. They weren't concentration camps. They were killing machines where the Nazis killed tens of thousands of individuals, mainly Jews, but gypsies and others. And when you stand at these places, you're overwhelmed and you say, how could human beings do this to their fellow human beings? And part of the answer to that is grounded in the seeds of the hatred and the ideas that are espoused by the groups we saw over the weekend. So, your swastika signs and your straight arm salutes signify really bigotry, discrimination and in… a sense of inferiority, inferiority. You want to know what makes America great? You want to know what makes America great? Go to Woodfield Mall in Schaumburg and you're going to see lots of white people; you're going to see lots of black people; you're going to see lots of Hispanics; you're going to see lots of Indians and Pakistanis and bisexuals. And that's what these folks don't understand. It is that diversity that makes this country great. It doesn't matter what the color of our skin or the creed or our ethnic background. So, I'd like to say this to those folks who are out there spewing their bile over the weekend. Take your twisted, sordid and malevolent language and ideology and stick it where the sun don't shine."

"Representative Ford is recognized."

"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And I, too, want to thank Representative Sims and McSweeney for this Resolution. I've 10000076.docx 48  STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 76th Legislative Day 8/16/2017 waited and waited to put my name on it because the truth is I know I stand against hate. And I said I don't know if I have to be on it, but… and so, I waited to see where my colleagues would be. And Leader Lang said it best when he said this is great for America that Illinois leads in this direction. Just being black in America, I recognize what hate is for my people. My people experience so much hate and I feel my peoples' pain, not just my pain, but all my peoples' pain from the hate that holds us back every day in America just waking up and walking in the street, driving while black. It's the hate that holds this country back. And so, I won't talk long. I'll just say thank you to all my colleagues for making this a day of solidarity and to hell with those whose… we're standing in solidarity today. And this I hope will help our conscience as we move forward to institute new policies for social justice, restorative justice in this state. And I understand that politics get in the way, but in order to do the right thing in this state we must go home and we must talk to our constituents and teach our constituents just like they teach us that there's a better way. And remind people that's flying the American Flag, that you can't fly the American Flag if you don't believe in justice for all. Thank you."

"Representative Evans is recognized."

"A point of personal privilege."

"Please proceed, Sir."

"Just like Representative Ford, I'm a black man and I'm going to be a black man after I leave this Assembly. And I've been a black man. I've experienced racism here in Springfield, 10000076.docx 49  STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 76th Legislative Day 8/16/2017 on the south side of Chicago and all over this nation. I just recently visited my brother in the Portland area and it was clear the treatment I received. So, it's an everyday thing. And I see this Resolution and I hope that this Resolution does what it says and I hope that we all stand and we clap and that we truly believe that we condemn our… Like Representative Ford, I had trepidations to support it because I'm not sure. Do we all believe what this Resolution is saying? You know, individuals, are you cosponsoring it because it's the fun thing to do today or do you really believe in this? Because we had a test here. You know, and our test, it wasn't Charlottesville; it was the racist Illinois Poli… Policy Institute cartoon character. And there's no way that that should be allowed. That is our test here in Illinois and we have various tests that we fail some tests. But I'm curious to see when we pass that that will we extend the… tell the Policy Institute, Policy Institute we love how you stick it to our Speaker Mike Madigan and you do what you can, but the racist, black man sitting and begging a white man with a C hat on there, collec… indicative of Chicago or Chicago Cubs, an African American, a man. You know, what will we do? Will my colleagues, you know, I saw it in an e-mail. And I thought to myself, are any of my colleagues laughing at this? Do they see this to be comical? You know, how many of the… how many individuals in Springfield will brush over this and not respond to it? I'm going to send a letter and I'm going to type the letter myself, not my secretary. And I'm going to type it; I'm going to send it. And I'm going to send an e-mail because that is our test. 10000076.docx 50  STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 76th Legislative Day 8/16/2017 That is our Charlottesville here in Illinois. We're letting them know you can talk about the Speaker, you can even talk about me. They talked about me in a Resolution I did for the flights or what have you. We all do our Resolutions. But what we do in our moments because today at the Policy Institute for racism is to incrementally grow; tomorrow it will be Charlottesville. So, what will we do with our Charlottesville? I urge… I hope all of you all do the right thing."

"Representative… Representative Sims to close."

"Mr. Speaker, Ladies and Gentlemen, this is… we've heard some very emotional speeches today. They're emotional because this is a very emotional issue. As I said, I recounted that story of my… my parent's hometown, but part of the other part of that story is my mother who is in her… I'm not going to tell her age 'cause I'd be in trouble… but recently her… that one of the civic groups in her… in their hometown invited me back to be the keynote speaker at an address. And 2017, their private country club there in their hometown had not been admitting African Americans. Again, and my mother was the first time she'd ever stepped foot in that building was to hear me speak. And as we drove up the driveway to the country club, I turned there back and I looked… I saw the tears rolling down my mother's face. I said, mom, what's wrong? And she said, you don't understand what this means? And for me, that was a validation of all that she has fought for and all that they fought for, but in 2016… 2017 that should not be the case. We should not be still having these conversations. We should not be still fighting for and talking about 10000076.docx 51  STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 76th Legislative Day 8/16/2017 equality. I know folks thought that when we elected the Af… first African American President, we were living in a post- racial society. Clearly, that's not the case. We have policies that… that we put in place and we've been… and we fight for and against that only exacerbates the problems in these communities. We've got to be very, very clear about what we are doing here in the House of Representatives. And Representative Harris, thank you for pointing out and talking about the way that we word… we worded the Resolution because we wanted to make sure that we were speaking to the values, and ideas and ideals of who we are as Americans. It's important that every day we stand up and start this Session with two things: prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance. Let me say that again. Prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance. We are making our firm commitment to God and country. That is who we are and that is what we stand for. I am disgusted by these individuals, disgusted, but I could not nor… and I want to thank publicly Representative McSweeney for his work on this as well. We could not stand here and allow this moment to pass and say nothing. We could not be silent. We're going to have our disagreements. That's okay. That's what a Democratic process is. That's what this process is all about. But to allow individuals to try to turn back the clock on who and what we are will simply not be tolerated. So, for all my colleagues, thank you for joining; thank you for joining on and making this statement to Illinois, but more importantly to the world that the Illinois House of Representatives is resolute in our condemnation and repudiation of hate in all forms that we will continue to stand together. And I, too, 10000076.docx 52  STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 76th Legislative Day 8/16/2017 hope that today is not the end. When we have these discussions about equality in all forms, whether there's equality in education or equality in… in economic opportunity, whether there's equality in pay. Whatever those items are, I hope that we can stand together in this chamber and make a difference. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I ask for an 'aye' vote."

"Ladies and Gentlemen, a Roll Call vote has been requested. Please vote your switch. Gentleman moves that the House adopt House Resolution 569. 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 105 voting 'yes', 0 voting 'no', and 0 voting 'present', House Resolution 569 is hereby adopted… passed and adopted. The Chair recognizes Representative Bellock."

Speaker Turner: "Thank you, Leader Bellock. Representative Martwick, for what reason do you seek recognition?"

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

"Please proceed, Sir."

"Ladies and Gentlemen of the House, I, too, have been blessed to be joined by a number of people. I've been very 10000076.docx 53  STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 76th Legislative Day 8/16/2017 fortunate to have a very active system of interns, young people that have joined me to help me in my district. I brought them down here to see what's going on. Would you please welcome: Monika Janik, Danny Wilberschied, Liam Meyering, Natalia Matoniak and Sofia Palacio. And thank you, Representative Batinick, for helping me get my… all my Pages on the floor, all five of them. Thank you."

"Thank you and welcome to your Capitol. And now, pursuant to House Joint Resolution 65, and allowing perfunctory time for the Clerk, Leader Currie moves that the House shall remain in continuous Session and stands adjourned ‘til the call of the Speaker. All those in favor signify by saying 'aye'; all those opposed say 'no'. The 'ayes' have it. And the House is adjourned to the call of the Speaker."