"The House will come to order. Members will be at their desks. We shall be led in prayer today by Pastor Curt Fleck who is with the Civil Servant Ministries in Springfield. Pastor Fleck is the guest of Representative Morrison. Members and guests are asked to refrain from starting their… their laptops, turn off your cell phones, and please rise to join us for the invocation and the Pledge of Allegiance. Pastor Fleck."
"Pray with me. Father in Heaven, You are the beginning and the end, all powerful, all knowing. You are forever and You are holy because of that You are worthy of our praise and yet we're slow to do so. In our pride we… we boast in our accomplishments, we perceive ourselves sufficient, and we present ourselves as wise, and yet, You and Your patience give us another chance to humble ourselves and look to You. Thank You, Lord, for the opportunity to serve You. Thank You, for Your long suffering and patience toward us. May we turn from our boastful pride of life and realize our need for a savior. Thank You for those in this room that You have granted authority. May they humbly seek You as they govern. I'd like to lift up the families of those in the room today lawmakers, staff, media, and those in the gallery. I pray for their families back home that You would keep them safe as weather has created some difficult travel and extreme conditions in places around the state. I'd also like to lift up our new lawmakers who are here this week going through orientation and I pray that You’d be with them in a special way as they prepare for this next year. Lord, I just pray 10000149.docx 1 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 149th Legislative Day 11/27/2018 that You'd be honored and glorified in all that is done here and just pray for our time. In Jesus' name, Amen."
"Thank you, Pastor Fleck. We shall be led in the Pledge of Allegiance by Representative Natalie Phelps Finnie."
"I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."
"Roll Call for Attendance. For excused absences on the Democratic side, Representative Feigenholtz."
"Thank you, Madam Chair. All Democrats are here. Thank you."
"And on the Republican side, Representative Keith Wheeler." Wheeler, K.: "Thank you, Madam Speaker. Please let the record reflect that Representatives Andersson, Jesiel, Reis, Barbara Wheeler, and Leader Durkin are excused today."
"The record will so reflect. Have all recorded themselves? One hundred twelve voting… showing us that they are present, six absences, we have a quorum. And Clerk please take the roll. And we'll go next to the Clerk for a Rules Committee Report."
"Committee Report. Representative Barbara Flynn Currie, Chairperson from the Committee on Rules reports the following committee action taken on November, 27, 2018: recommends be adopted, referred to the floor is Floor Amendment #3 to Senate Bill 3051."
"Representative Lang for a Motion." 10000149.docx 2 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 149th Legislative Day 11/27/2018
"Thank you, Madam Speaker. I move that we waive the posting requirements on Senate Bill 1364 in Agriculture, House Resolution 1300 in Tourism, House Resolution 1070 in Elementary and Secondary Education: Curriculum, and Senate Bills 563, 2881, 2898, 3197, and 3402 in the Executive Committee."
"Any objections? If not, by unanimous consent the… the Motion is adopted. So the posting requirements will be waived for all the specifics in Representative Lang's Motion. On page 11 of the Calendar is House Resolution 1285, Representative Stratton."
"Thank you, Madam Speaker. This House Resolution 1285 is… seeks to recognize the historic and cultural significance of Quinn Chapel AME and encourages the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunities Office of Tourism and the Metropolitan Exposition Authority to consider including Quinn Chapel's public tours and events space in their promotional materials for McCormick Square and Bronzeville. Quinn Chapel AME is the oldest African American Church in Chicago. And I respectfully request an 'aye' vote."
"Is there any discussion? Representative Olsen. You don't want to speak on this issue? Seeing no debate, all in favor of the Resolution please say 'aye'; opposed 'no'. The 'ayes' have it. And the Resolution's adopted. House Resolution 1271, Representative Jimenez."
"Thank you, Madam Speaker. If everyone could focus their attention to the front of the House floor. We have an important Lincoln artifact that my youngest constituents were able to raise funds for to ultimately bring it back to 10000149.docx 3 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 149th Legislative Day 11/27/2018 Illinois from New York City. And my youngest constituents, the Sangamon County kids, are giving it to the state for its 200th birthday. We got this idea because kids from all over the state raised money back in the 1940s to purchase a copy of the Gettysburg Address and gave it to the State of Illinois. After I learned about that on a tour of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum, I called my friend, Rikeesha Phelon, and said, hey, you're on the Bicentennial Commission, we should do this here in Sangamon County. So earlier this year students from more than 60 schools in Sangamon County, both from the public and private schools, participated in the Illinois Proud Penny Drive. In just two weeks in April the students from the public and private schools, plus several community partners including Bank of Springfield, collected pennies and other spare change to raise more than $15 thousand that was needed to buy the Sangamon County Minute Book from the 1830s and bring it home to Springfield. The Minute Book is an important part of Abraham Lincoln's story and it officially certified him as a man of good moral character. Now you needed this certification back in the 1830s to become a lawyer here in Illinois. So he had to go to the county courthouse and they wrote that in the book. If you take a look at the right hand page that's where the certification is right at the top. It certifies that Abraham Lincoln was a man of good moral character. I'm just so proud of the students of Sangamon County. When they brought in all those pennies after two weeks they brought in more than 1.8 million pennies and able to purchase the book. So this was a wonderfully successful project here in Sangamon County. And if any of you 10000149.docx 4 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 149th Legislative Day 11/27/2018 are interested in doing a similar project in your counties, I know a lot of museums are financially strapped during these tough financial times. And so I'd be happy to give the plans. So I would be honored if everyone would support this Resolution today. And please let me know if you have and questions about the book."
"Representative, we're all proud of you. What a great idea. And we certainly are proud of the school children of Sangamon County. The Resolution has already been adopted. Way to go. On page 10 of the Calendar, Representative Bennett has House Resolution 1236. Out of the record. The kids are stuck in the elevator. Just a reminder for the Members if you have an Amendatory Veto or a full scale Veto that you would like either to override or in the case of an Amendatory accept, you have to file your Motion. So be sure to file the… your Motion today, right here at the well. The Clerk will be happy to accept them. Representative Stratton, you are… you wish to speak? For what reason do you rise?"
"Thank you, Madam Speaker. Point of personal privilege."
"State your point."
"Early last week, as many families were preparing for Thanksgiving with their families, just days later the unthinkable happened at a hospital in my district that is less than a block away from my home. Mercy Hospital and Medical Center of Chicago is the city's first teaching hospital and has always been considered a place of healing. But on the afternoon of November 19 a gunman went on a shooting spree at Mercy Hospital and as a result three innocent lives were lost. Thirty-eight-year-old emergency 10000149.docx 5 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 149th Legislative Day 11/27/2018 room doctor, Tamara O'Neal, who in her free time led her church choir and raised money for disadvantaged children. Twenty-eight-year-old Chicago Police Officer, Samuel Jimenez, a husband and father of three small children, and the second Chicago Police Officer killed in the line of duty this year. And 24-year-old Dayna Less, a first-year pharmacy resident, who was simply walking out of an elevator when a bullet ended her life. This tragedy has sent ripples through the entire country for many reasons as once again we were all forced to confront the scourge of gun violence and wonder where, if any place, is considered safe. It also forced us to consider the prevalence of domestic violence in our country and that in the United States three women are murdered by their partners every single day. I respectfully ask the Members of this Body to join me in a moment of silence in honor of Mercy Hospital and the surrounding community, the Chicago Police Department, the families and friends and colleagues of those who are grieving the loss of their loved ones, and in honor of the lives of Dr. Tamara O'Neal, Dr. Dayna Less, and Officer Samuel Jimenez. Thank you."
"The House will take a moment of silence to remember all the things Representative Stratton reminds us of. Thank you, Members. And thank you, Representative Stratton. Representative Spain, for what reason do you rise?"
"Thank you, Madam Speaker. A point of personal privilege."
"State your point."
"Ladies and Gentlemen of the House, it's my pleasure to introduce my Page for the day. This is Madeline Kammerer. She is 10 years old and she is a fifth grader at Hickory Grove 10000149.docx 6 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 149th Legislative Day 11/27/2018 School in Peoria. She's shadowing us today and enjoying the history and the work that we're here to do in the Illinois General Assembly. Please join me in welcoming Madeline to the Illinois House."
"Welcome, Madeline. Representative Olsen, for what reason do you rise?"
"A point of… point of personal privilege, Madam Speaker."
"State your point."
"Thank you, Madam Speaker. As many of you know, this is likely my last week here at the House of Representatives. And so, in celebration of that I have brought some cookies, they're right here. But they're also in the break room on the Republican side. My mother decided that it would be a nice gesture for me to bring cookies. And I said, well I mean, if she was willing to bake cookies in the shape of the State of Illinois then I would bring them down for the Members. So I asked all the Members and staff please feel free to avail yourselves of Illinois-shaped cookies today."
"Thank you very much. Representative Martwick, for what reason do you rise?"
"Thank you, Madam Speaker. I rise on a point of personal privilege."
"State your point."
"Ladies and Gentlemen of the House would you please join me in welcoming my Page for the day, Jennifer Guerrero. She is a senior at Lane Tech High School in Chicago. And she was a very active volunteer in my legislative office and she's joining us here on the floor. Please give her a warm Springfield welcome." 10000149.docx 7 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 149th Legislative Day 11/27/2018
"Welcome indeed. We're going back to House Resolution 1236, Representative Bennett."
"Thank you… thank you, Madam Speaker. Appreciate your flexibility and patience on this here. I'd like to ask the House chambers that they were… if they would look to the front of our room, look upstairs, you will find a wonderful group of students from the Pontiac Township High School, along with their coordinator, Laura Baumgardner. Laura if you’d… your hand a little bit there. Thank you. This is an amazing group that we need to recognize here for a moment today. The Members of the House of Representatives wish to congratulate the Pontiac Township High School on receiving national recognition, this is national recognition friends, from Special Olympics North America and ESPN… that's ESPN… for its efforts to provide inclusive sports and activities for all students. Out of more than 400 Illinois schools participating in Special Olympics Unified Champion Schools Programing, Pontiac Township High School is 1 of 4, friends that are receiving national banner recognition. To qualify for Special Olympics award the Unified Sports Program had to meet 10 strict criteria in areas related to youth engagement, unified sports, whole school involvement, the Unified Sports Program, also had to prove sustainability, and the program is funded through an annual Run for Respect 5K. The Pontiac Township High School began a Peers-in-Action Program in 1996, over 20 years ago, friends, and joined Special Olympics Unified Champion Schools in 2012. And the program has grown. The Pontiac High School now offers unified soccer, unified basketball, unified bass fishing… I'm not very good at that 10000149.docx 8 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 149th Legislative Day 11/27/2018 but these guys are… and Special Olympics track as well and field. So this is a tremendous group we want to recognize. So we want to congratulate the students and staff of Pontiac Township High School, the Unified Champion Schools site coordinator, Laura Baumgardner. Laura, if you would please. As well as the supportive community of Pontiac for achieving national, and I repeat, national recognition from Special Olympics North America and ESPN for their work providing opportunities in athletics, leadership, and social events for all students. And we wish their continued success in their efforts moving forward. Would you please join with me in a round of Springfield applause for this wonderful group? Thank you."
"Congratulations Pontiac Township High School. All in favor of the recognition… of the Resolution say 'aye'; opposed 'no'. The 'ayes' have it. And the Resolution is adopted. And now for an announcement. The Democrats will caucus immediately in Room 114. The Republicans will caucus immediately in Room 118. We will return to the floor. We have work to do. We will return to the call of the Chair. The House will be back in Session. And on page 6 of the Calendar under Total Vetoes, we have House Bill 5481. Representative Guzzardi on a Motion."
"Thank you, Madam Speaker. Thank you, Members. I move to override the Governor's Veto of House Bill 5481. The Bill is very simple, all it seeks to do is to set some goals for our state's schools to reach reasonable class sizes and to require that the school districts which already calculate this information simply report the information to the State 10000149.docx 9 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 149th Legislative Day 11/27/2018 Board of Elections (sic-Education) for collection. I ask for your support."
"Representative Guzzardi moves to override the Governor's Veto on House Bill 5481. And on that Motion, Representative Breen."
"Thank you, Madam Speaker. Will the Sponsor yield?"
"He will."
"Representative, where did you pull your numbers for the… your goals of 18 students for kindergarten, 22 for grades 1 through 5, 25 for grades 6 through 12?"
"These goals are… they're based on national standards for best practices. The name of the organization which recommends them eludes me at the moment but they're nationally researched based numbers. And again, these are just goals they're not hard fixed limitations."
"But they're not actually in accord with the numbers that we set in our evidence-based formula earlier this year, at least not as I understand it."
"So the numbers that are set in the evidence-based model were derived through a lengthy sort of process of negotiation with a variety of stakeholders here in the state. These numbers that you see here are representative of national best practices. And frankly, Representative, I'd be happy to… if it would make you feel more comfortable, I'll be happy to run a trailer measure to make these numbers align more with our evidence-based model if that'd make you more comfortable supporting the Bill."
"No, I'd rather we actually get the Bill correct in the front end instead of continuing to try fix everything with a 10000149.docx 10 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 149th Legislative Day 11/27/2018 trailer Bill on the back end. To the Bill… or to the Motion. Ladies and Gentlemen, there's no reason for us to set this in statute. There are good educational organizations that are opposed to it. This did not reach a veto proof majority on the front end and really should not reach one today. There's no good reason for setting this into statute other than to again set yet another, and apparently conflicting, educational mandate or goal into our code. So again, please vote 'no'."
"Seeing no further discussion, Representative Guzzardi to close."
"Thank you. Yeah, this Bill is not at all controversial measure. It simply says to our districts that they ought to keep their classes small, which everybody knows and research proves is good for our students. So it's setting a good goal for our school districts and it's… the most important thing is that it's asking them to report this data, which again they already collect, just to report the data to the state board so that we can see how every district in the state is doing with regard to keeping our classes small for our students. It's a pro-student measure and a pro-education measure. I urge your 'aye' vote."
"On the Motion to Override, all in favor vote 'aye'; opposed 'no'. Voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Clerk, please take the record. On this measure, there are 69 voting 'aye', 42 voting 'no'. And this measure, having failed to override the Governor's Veto, is hereby declared… so the Gentleman's Motion fails. On page 7 of the Calendar, Senate 10000149.docx 11 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 149th Legislative Day 11/27/2018 Bill 65. Representative Williams has a Motion. No… out of the record at the request of the Sponsor. Same page. Senate Bill 1830, Representative Turner. Out of the record at the request of the Sponsor. Senate Bill 2332, Representative Lilly has filed a Motion to Override. Out of the record. Senate Bill 2376 on the same page. Representative Ford has filed a Motion to Override."
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Members of the House. I move for the override of the Governor's Veto for Senate Bill 2376. Senate Bill 2367 is a mechanism to assist communities in Cook County that have major infrastructure problems with their drinking water systems. I move for the override."
"Representative Ford has moved to override the Governor's Veto. On this Bill is there any discussion? Representative Breen."
"Thank you, Madam Speaker. Will the Sponsor yield?"
"Sponsor will yield."
"Representative, I noticed that your Bill the first time through got a bare 60 votes. Do you… had you found another 11 Representatives to support it because I hadn't heard about it?"
"You know, actually I thought… and I think we got a better understanding about the Bill. I think that there's a little confusion about it when we got the bare minimum. I hope that you and your Members have reviewed it in its entirety and realized that this is not a bad Bill. And I can answer any questions to clarify anything that you may have that may make you think that it's a bad Bill." 10000149.docx 12 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 149th Legislative Day 11/27/2018
"Well and… and, Representative, I don't want to belabor the point. To the Motion. The Governor's Veto message is accurate, the Illinois EPA already provides low interest loans for infrastructure, but it's for everybody throughout the state not merely for one particular area, Cook County. And so the idea that somehow we would be paying for local water infrastructure in Cook County with taxpayer dollars from the rest of the state just doesn't make any sense. And it really should applicable to everybody or to nobody. So again, I would urge a 'no' vote."
"Representative Ford to close."
"Well, I just want let you know, Representative, that you're wrong about your statement. What we have here is the IEPA now provides loans but this Bill sets up a grant for those cities and municipalities that cannot afford to do the infrastructure changes. So there are some municipalities that will be able to get the loans, but there are municipalities like Maywood and Ford Heights and others that will not qualify for the low interest loans. This is a good Bill for… this is a good green Bill. And I see no reason for you to allow for broken infrastructure to be leaking in these city municipalities. And I urge you and your colleagues to be green and vote green."
"Representative Ford has moved to override the Governor's Total Veto of Senate Bill 2376. All in favor vote 'aye'; opposed 'no'. Voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Clerk, please take the record. On this measure, there are 68 voting 10000149.docx 13 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 149th Legislative Day 11/27/2018 'yes', 42 voting 'no'. And the Motion fails. Back to Senate Bill 1830, Representative Turner."
"Thank you, Madam Chair, Members of the Body. I move that the House concur with the Senate in Senate Bill 1830 do pass notwithstanding the Veto of the Governor. Senate Bill 1830 had overwhelming support in the Senate and the House when it was passed out originally. And it's designed to prevent the most unreliable of jailhouse informants from testifying in Illinois high level criminal cases. False testimony from the jailhouse informants is one of the leading cases of wrongful convictions in murder cases in Illinois and elsewhere. Senate Bill 1830 was drafted in… I'd ask for your support. Thank you."
"Discussion? Representative Breen."
"Thank you, Madam Speaker. And to the… to the Bill. Our Republican Leader is not here today but I could at least speak in his stead that this is not a good way of addressing this situation, which is something that really upends a careful balance on the rules and the practices about admissible testimony. The State's Attorneys are against this Bill, as they rightly should be. And so in order to preserve public safety, to ensure the ability to convict those who are guilty, and also to protect those who are innocent under the current use of procedural tools, I would respectfully urge a 'no' vote."
"Representative… sorry Representative Turner to close on the Motion to Override."
"I ask for your support. Thank you." 10000149.docx 14 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 149th Legislative Day 11/27/2018
"Wait… sorry. Sorry, wait a minute. I'm sorry, David Harris put his light on at the last moment. Representative Harris." Harris, D.: "Thank you, Madam Chair. Question of the Sponsor."
"He will answer your questions." Harris, D.: "Representative, I just heard what… what was said in opposition to the overriding of the Veto. What was the vote in the Senate for the override?"
"I… without looking at the numbers, Representative, I believe it was like 55 to 1 or something." Harris, D.: "Well you're pretty close it's 54 'yes' and 1 'no'."
"Fifty-four, right." Harris, D.: "So something tells me that even my Republican colleagues over in the other chamber thought that this wasn't such a bad idea."
"That's correct." Harris, D.: "And since I have great respect for my Republican colleagues in the other chamber, I'm going to vote 'yes'."
"That’s a good decision, Representative. Thank you."
"Representative Turner to close."
"I ask for your support."
"On the Motion… the voting is open on the Motion to Override the Governor's Total Veto of Senate Bill 1830. All… have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Clerk, please take the record. On this measure, there are 80 voting 'yes', 31 voting 'no'. And this measure, having… having achieved the required majority, it says that the override of the Governor's Total Veto is… has 10000149.docx 15 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 149th Legislative Day 11/27/2018 succeeded. Continuing on page 7 with Total Overrides appears House Bill… sorry… Senate Bill 2407, Representative Hoffman."
"Thank you, Madam Speaker, Ladies and Gentlemen of the House. Senate Bill 2407 would amend the Child Death Review Team Act. It would… it intends to avoid a conflict of interest by shifting many of the responsibilities formerly under the director's purview to the Inspector General. Secondly, the Director of DCFS shall meet in person with the Illinois Child Death Review Team's Executive Council at least every 60 days to discuss recommendations and the department's responses. I believe that it should be overridden. I was the original founder of the Child Death Review Team and these teams have been instrumental in making sure that we learn from the tragic deaths of a child. They make recommendations to the department. We're just asking that the department realistically listen to the experts in the field and make changes to avoid future deaths of children."
"Representative Hoffman moves to override the Governor's Veto of Senate Bill 2407. And on that, Representative Breen."
"Thank you, Madam Speaker. To the Motion. The Governor's stated reason for the Veto was that this legislation in shifting the appointment from the head of DCFS to the Inspector General actually is not a good move because that Inspector General already serves as an ex-officio member of the Child Death Review Executive Council. And that the director of DCFS really is in the best position to be a neutral party for the appointments. And so for that reason and otherwise reflects the existing practice of the 10000149.docx 16 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 149th Legislative Day 11/27/2018 department and is duplicative in its other provisions. And just so… in order to be consistent to protect the Executive Branch’s prerogative despite it going to a Democrat in January just continue to urge a 'no' vote."
"Representative Hoffman to close."
"Well, I would just say this in response to that, I understand that it's going to be a Democrat that will be probably be leading DCFS; however, this is too important. If you want to stand up and defend the actions of the Department of Children and Family Services go ahead. I'm not willing to do it. That's why we should override this Veto."
"Representative Hoffman moves to override the Veto of Senate Bill 2407. All in favor vote 'aye'; opposed 'no'. Voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Clerk, please take the record. On this Motion, there are 76 voting 'aye', 35 voting 'no'. And this Motion, having received the required Three- fifths Majority, the Motion to Override prevails. And Senate Bill 2406 (sic-2407)… is declared passed, notwithstanding the Veto of the Governor. Senate Bill 24… 2619, Representative Willis has a Motion."
"Thank you, Madam Speaker. I move to override the Governor's Veto on 2619. This Bill is a good Bill. It makes sure that our fire chiefs are properly trained. It is not asking anything extraordinary from them. It originally have a Veto proof majority in the initial Bill. And I feel confident that we'll be able to do it again. If you have any questions I'll be happy to take them as needed."
"Representative Breen for discussion." 10000149.docx 17 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 149th Legislative Day 11/27/2018
"Thank you, Madam Speaker. To the Motion. Ladies and Gentlemen, this is opposed by nearly every municipal group in the state. Both because it removes the local control and increases the difficulty in cost in filling these important positions including preempting the Home Rule authority of those municipalities from appointing the fire chief that they see fit to appoint. And as well it was generally not a… not the sort of thing that we should be intruding on at this point from the state level. So I would respectfully urge a 'no' vote."
"Further discussion? Representative Ives."
"Thank you, Madam Speaker. Will the Sponsor yield?"
"He will."
"So it was just recently reported that Calumet Park intends to privatize its fire department. So how would your Bill affect the privatization of that fire department?"
"It would still require the fire chief to have the appropriate training so there are three different options that they could have. They could have firefighter officer training. They could have a certification from the International Fire Association or they could have 10 years' experience as a firefighter. It… this Bill is a Bill for public safety. It is not to necessarily save money, it's to save lives."
"Okay. Madam Speaker, to the Bill."
"To the Bill."
"This actually, you know, obviously as my colleague stated, the Municipal League, DuPage Mayors and Managers, almost anybody who manages cities and villages across the State of 10000149.docx 18 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 149th Legislative Day 11/27/2018 Illinois are opposed to this Bill. They want the most flexibility possible to run the cities the way that they want to run them and I think we deserve to give them that. As we tie their hands in many other ways, they need to be able to do what they want to do in terms of fire protection. So I encourage you to vote 'no'."
"Further discussion? Representative Batinick."
"Thank you, Madam Speaker. Will the Sponsor yield?"
"She will."
"Afternoon, Representative. Can you give me an instance where a life for somebody was lost because of the current system that we have?"
"Currently all non-Home Rule fire departments… full time fire departments already have this. We passed this Bill two years ago taking care of that. And we are just simply expanding it. No, I'm happy to say that we do not have any documentation that can prove that this has been a problem. But I can tell you as we continue down the path of privatization of fire departments, it's just a tragedy waiting to happen to make… having administrators or bookkeepers in charge of fire departments instead of trained fire personnel."
"Well, that's… I think… I think that's an exaggeration of what this Bill does. I have a village in my district that has a public safety director that is a police chief, came through the police ranks that… that's running both. I'm going to go… I'm going to go straight to the Bill."
"To the Bill." 10000149.docx 19 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 149th Legislative Day 11/27/2018
"You know, I would love to have, you know, a bottomless pit of money. Sometimes I think in this chamber we think there is a bottomless pit of money. This is going to divert resources in some municipalities to a different expense. And we have no demonstration that this has been… that something's bad has happened because lack of this Bill being passed. But you know what I'd like to see? I'd like to see some more police… public safety dollars spent in schools protecting our children. You have to make decisions on these things folks. We can't take… everything in a vacuum might seem like a great idea, but it comes down to decisions and those decisions should be made locally. This is a bad Bill forcing us to spend money in a way that may not be in the best interest of that municipality. We elect those people locally for a reason. I'd like to see more people protecting our kids in schools as opposed to piling on extra mandates like this. I urge a 'no' vote. Thank you."
"Further discussion? Representative Crespo."
"Thank you. Will the Sponsor yield?"
"She will."
"Representative, I understand that Chicago is exempt from this. Is there a reason why?"
"Chicago already has in place… there's a difference… there is a hierarchy in Chicago that really the position of chief is not the front line person that is actually going to be making the calls on fire. They have battalion chiefs. They have deputy chiefs. They have enough other trained personnel that are stepping in. So that it is why it was exempt. Their 10000149.docx 20 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 149th Legislative Day 11/27/2018 hierarchy doesn't fall into the natural realm of what this Bill is addressing."
"Okay. Thank you."
"Representative Willis to close."
"Thank you, Madam Speaker. This Bill is a good Bill. It is a Bill that will ensure public safety for our first responders in the fire department. It is not a Bill that is necessarily going to cost anything. Most departments already have fire chiefs that have gone and done all of this training. We're not mandating any increase in pay. We're just making sure that the men and women that head these departments are trained personnel that will make the best decisions because of their training. It's giving you three different options of doing it. They can have 10 years' experience on the department. They can have a degree that goes and covers from bachelor's degree in fire science. They can have an officer training associate's degree also. These are things that are readily available through most departments and is just something that is good public safety. And I urge an 'aye' vote on the override. Thank you."
"The question is, 'Shall Senate Bill 2619 pass the Veto of Governor, notwithstanding?' This Motion requires 71 votes. This is final action. All in favor vote 'aye'; opposed 'no'. Voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Clerk, please take the record. On this Motion, 84 are voting 'yes', 26 are voting 'no', 1 is voting 'present'. And this Motion, having received the required Three-fifths Majority, the Motion to Override prevails. And Senate Bill 2619 is declared passed, 10000149.docx 21 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 149th Legislative Day 11/27/2018 notwithstanding the Governor's Veto. Representative Turner in the Chair."
"On page 7 of the Calendar under Total Vetoes we have Senate Bill 2629, Representative Willis."
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I move to override the Governor's Veto on this Bill. This Bill just gives the fire protection districts another option in which to do open meetings training. They do this… hoping to do this in their annual meetings that they do. They have a number of seminars. And they actually feel that because of the way that fire protection districts are done, it sometimes is better if they do it right themselves instead of taking the tutorial through the Attorney General's Office. And I urge an override on this. Thank you."
"Chair recognizes Representative Breen."
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Will the Sponsor yield?"
"Sponsor indicates that she will yield."
"And Representative, just so that the Members of the Body are fully apprised, there is a… there's an Open Meetings Act training that is provided to fire protection district board members through the Fire Protection District Act or otherwise. And so they would want to take that instead of taking the Attorney General's Office…"
"It gives them the…"
"…Open Meetings Act training?"
"It gives them the option to take that in place of it. They can also just take the one from the Attorney General's Office, too, but this just gives them that additional option. We do this already for park districts and school boards when 10000149.docx 22 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 149th Legislative Day 11/27/2018 they have their annual meetings that they can run a seminar and do it. And this is just expanding that idea."
"And they still have to provide the certificate of completion…"
"Exactly."
"…to the board?"
"We're not trying to do any short cuts. We're just saying if they're going to be at this meeting and they can do it that way, let's go for it."
"Fair enough. Thank you."
"Representative Willis to close."
"I urge an 'aye' vote on the override. Thank you."
"The question is, 'Shall Senate Bill 2629 pass the Veto of the Governor, notwithstanding?' The Motion requires 71 votes. And this is final action. All those in favor signify by voting '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. With 109 voting in 'favor', 2 voting 'opposed', and 0 voting 'present', this Motion, having received the required Three-fifths Majority, the Motion to override prevails. And Senate Bill 2629 is declared passed, notwithstanding the Governor's Veto. Senate Bill 3136, Leader Currie. On page 9 of the Calendar under Amendatory Vetoes."
"Thank you, Speaker and Members of the House. This issue came to us from a young man who was a State Trooper nearly killed in the line of duty. He pulled somebody over to the side of the road for a traffic violation and a drunk driver plowed into him causing him to have eight separate surgeries 10000149.docx 23 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 149th Legislative Day 11/27/2018 and many, many hours of rehabilitation. He is now back on the force but an anomaly in our law means that he's about to be fired. Although it is not true that a… a failure of someone to pass a random alcohol test either in the State Police or the Department of Corrections that does not require mandatory dismissal, for marijuana the standard today is required dismissal. I don't think it's fair. I don't think it's fair to this young man. And there is no reason in the world to single out these two agencies, the only agencies that I know in State Government, that have a mandatory dismissal policy for those who fail a random marijuana test. I would appreciate your 'aye' votes. This is very important not only to the young man who almost gave his life for us but for other young men and women who could one day find themselves in the same situation. Happy to answer your questions and I would appreciate your support for the Override Motion."
"For further discussion the Chair recognizes Representative Breen."
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Will the Sponsor yield?"
"Sponsor indicates that she will yield."
"And Representative, I just want to make clear what… your Bill takes the zero tolerance policy for use or consumption of cannabis and it would just say it's an option, or a factor, or what have you of the department as to what they want to do when they have someone who has come up with a positive drug test? The Governor's AV didn't say that they wouldn't have an option but that they would… the individual would need to have a medical cannabis card or otherwise? So those are kind of the…" 10000149.docx 24 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 149th Legislative Day 11/27/2018
"Right."
"…so it wasn't that the Governor didn't think they… the department shouldn't have an option but they would only have an option if there was a medical use indicated?"
"And I believe the department should have the option to apply appropriate discipline to somebody who fails a random drug test just the way… or marijuana test just the way they have today when it comes to somebody who fails an alcohol test. This does not say… this is not a get out of jail free card. All this says is that the State Police Merit Board and the Department of Corrections are better equipped to make a decision about continued employment, possible discipline than we are."
"Right. And so the… the officers in question would still go through the current process of discipline…"
"Would go through the Sheriffs Merit Board. Would have to decide… and they would be able to decide what to do. My understanding is that the Sheriffs Merit Board does support this legislation. I'm sorry, the State Police Merit Board."
"The State Police Merit Board. And then the Department of Corrections side… I don't know. Did the Department of Corrections weigh in or are they…"
"I believe they are neutral."
"Okay. Well, thank you. I… and to the Motion. I know this was a mixed Bill the first time through. I voted in favor of it because I think it's a good Bill. At the same time I know a lot of folks did vote against. And so you may want to check your vote previously just to make sure that, unless you changed your mind, you may want to be consistent. Thank you." 10000149.docx 25 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 149th Legislative Day 11/27/2018
"Chair recognizes Representative Cassidy."
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. To the Motion. Actually to the comment… the previous comment about the language of the AV. I think it's really important for us to understand this very, very important underlying Bill that creates some fairness in our system. If the AV were adopted, it would actually be unworkable. The… and this is one of these weird moments where I'm going to talk about the Second Amendment rights of people involved in this situation. Someone whose work depends on being able to have a FOID card would not be able to get a medical cannabis card. It's… they're incompatible. We deal with patients who find themselves in… in a trick box when they get a medical cannabis card but want to keep their FOID card. So someone whose workplace depends on it would find themselves unable to continue to work. So this AV is completely unworkable and I urge that we override it."
"Chair recognizes Representative Skillicorn."
"Thank you very much. Directly to the Bill. As I read this this is just simply changing the language from 'shall' to 'may'. So the State Police still has the authority to, you know, to terminate someone's employment. But furthermore both the Representative from Lombard and Chicago have brought up the medical card part of it. Now someone can have a FOID card and a medical card but what comes up is when you want to buy another weapon. So when someone has a medical card, they can't legally testify that they're in… not in violation of Federal Law and they cannot buy another weapon. They still can possess a FOID card. So a State Trooper, who has a medical card, they still have FOID privileges they just cannot buy any weapons. 10000149.docx 26 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 149th Legislative Day 11/27/2018 That means that legally they still think they will be employed with the state. So this is a commonsense good idea to keep State Troopers that may have a medical card still employed with the state by changing to 'shall'. The State Police still can go after people that are in violation of the law. But this is a situation someone could test positive for medical use they can keep their job. So I would urge an 'aye' vote. This is not a soft on crime. This is not something like that. This is just clarifying the issue, giving additional protection to State Troopers. Thank you."
"Leader Currie to close."
"I do urge a 'yes' vote."
"The question is, 'Shall Senate Bill 3136 pass the Veto of the Governor, notwithstanding… notwithstanding the Governor's specific recommendations for change?' This Motion requires 71 votes. All in favor signify by voting 'aye'; all opposed by voting '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 86 voting in 'favor', 26 voting 'opposed', and 0 voting 'present'. The Motion, having received the required Three- fifths Majority, the override prevails. And Senate Bill 3136 is declared passed, notwithstanding the Governor's recommendations for change. On page 7 of the Calendar under Total Vetoes, we have Senate Bill 2345, Representative Currie."
"Thank you, Speaker and Members of the House. This was a measure that said that on the school report card, there should be information available to parents whether the students had 10000149.docx 27 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 149th Legislative Day 11/27/2018 been given the Youth Survey. The point of the Youth Survey is to find out whether young people in any given school are dealing with problems that may… may make the administrators and the parents interested in figuring out how to improve their situation in life. If parents know that their school district does not participate in this totally free opportunity then perhaps they would want to put a little pressure on the school board to decide that, yes, this is a good plan. All these measure does is say put it on the school report card. It doesn't say a school district has to participate in this very useful tool to help us with adolescent children. I would urge your 'aye' vote."
Speaker Turner: "Further discussion? The Chair recognizes Representative Breen."
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. To the Motion. Ladies and Gentlemen, there is no requirement to participate in the Illinois Youth Survey. There are no results being posted anyway. So there's no real point to mandating every school in the state add this to the report card. It really gives no actual information to parents. It's just yet another mandate that makes… just continues to clutter up the report card instead of making it clearer about what your schools are doing. This has… adds nothing but just some extra data that really doesn't help you to make that… make that determination how your schools are doing. So for that reason and just the idea why add another mandate, I would urge that we agree with the Illinois Statewide School Management Alliance, which is opposed to this new mandate, and vote 'no'."
"Leader Currie to close." 10000149.docx 28 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 149th Legislative Day 11/27/2018
"The only mandate in this Bill is that parents find out from the school district whether the school participates in the Illinois Youth Survey. That information is useful to parents, useful to counselors, I would say useful to school personnel. And it seems to me that if the parents know that a school refuses to participate in this free offering, it may be that they would take that information to the school and say why don't you give it another thought? I urge an 'aye' vote."
"The question is, 'Shall Senate Bill 2345 pass the Veto of the Governor, notwithstanding?' The Motion requires 71 votes. This is final action. All those in favor signify by voting '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 75 voting in 'favor', 30 voting 'opposed', and 1 voting 'present'. This Motion, having received the required Three-fifths Majority, the Motion to Override prevails. And Senate Bill 2345 is declared passed, notwithstanding the Governor's Veto. Senate Bill 2662, Representative Mussman."
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker and Members of the House. I make a Motion to Override the Governor's Veto of Senate Bill 2662. What this does is it creates a task force on Human Services Contracting Act in order to study state contracting with private nonprofit human service providers and the challenges faced by providers as they interact with State Government. During the floor debate previously it had become highlighted that there was a discrepancy between the appointments for the majority and minority in both the House and Senate. So we've 10000149.docx 29 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 149th Legislative Day 11/27/2018 come to an agreement to create a trailer Bill for next Session in order to correct that mistake. Otherwise I think this is a really important task force that needs to see action and I would appreciate support."
"For further discussion Representative Breen is recognized."
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. To the Motion. As the Representative noted there is a discrepancy in terms of partisan membership of this task force. If there's going to be a trailer Bill then there really should just be a Bill. So there's no real reason to do this now while we're sitting here, you know, having, you know, Veto Session. There's no reason to override the Veto because the reason for the Veto was the… at least for our perspective is the discrepancy of the membership. So, you know, there's no reason to push this through right, now you might as well get it done on the other end in January or February. So again, there's no reason to override."
"Chair recognizes Representative Bryant."
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Will the Sponsor yield?"
"Sponsor will yield."
"So Members, just to… I actually want to recommend an override of this Veto. It's a task force that's going to examine some of the reimbursements for nonprofits. For instance in southern… deep southern Illinois, we have one provider that provides for… it's Caritas, and so it provides for a lot of the DCFS kids. They don't get reimbursed even as much as what it costs them to do. So we're in danger sometimes of losing what those providers are. The task force will just 10000149.docx 30 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 149th Legislative Day 11/27/2018 put together some ideas for how we might do that reimbursement better. The only reason that I believe this didn't pass in the first place was because of a drafting error. And I applaud the Sponsor for her agreement to run the trailer Bill later. I trust that Representative Mussman has said that she'll do that and would ask for an 'aye' vote on the override of this Veto. Thank you."
"Representative Mussman to close."
"So I certainly want to thank Representative Bryant for those supporting comments. I would also point out that the Governor's Veto was not in regards to that discrepancy. So I… again, this is a discrepancy that I believe can very easily be corrected. But I think this is an important measure and I think we send a strong message to the incoming administration that this is an important task force that we want to see seated and active as quickly as possible. And again, I appreciate your 'aye' vote."
"The question is, 'Shall Senate Bill 2662 pass… all in… the Veto of the Governor, notwithstanding?' This Motion requires 71 votes. All in favor signify by voting '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 91 voting in 'favor', 18 voting 'opposed', and 0 voting 'present'. This Motion, having received the required Three- fifths Majority, the Motion to Override prevails. And Senate Bill 2662 is declared passed, notwithstanding the Governor's Veto. Members on page 8 of the Calendar, under Amendatory Vetoes, we have Senate Bill 904, Representative Hoffman." 10000149.docx 31 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 149th Legislative Day 11/27/2018
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Ladies and Gentlemen of the House. Senate… I ask that we override the Amendatory Veto of the Governor regarding Senate Bill 904. This is an initiative of the medical society. It would allow medical professionals to collect interest on late medical claims by filing a claim for this interest in circuit court. While this interest provision has been in law since 2005, medical providers have had no means to collect this on their behalf. This would allow them to collect these payments. In addition, it would require worker's compensation insurance companies to send an EOB or explanation of benefits to the medical providers explaining why they have denied the authorization of medical care or what information they need to make a decision on that care. It would also prevent the worker's compensation insurers from ignoring the law requiring them to use electronic billing for worker's compensation claims. This was overrode… overridden in the Senate on a vote of 55 to 0. I ask for a favorable Roll Call."
Speaker Turner: "Further discussion the Chair recognizes Representative Keith Wheeler." Wheeler, K.: "Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Will the Sponsor yield?"
"Sponsor indicates that he will yield." Wheeler, K.: "Representative, we worked together on this Bill a little bit and we both voted for it in the original form. Just to be clear, there is now an agreement on two trailer Bills. Is that correct?"
"Yes. And they'll both be heard in Labor tomorrow. First one is Senate Bill 3452 which is a simple clarification ensuring that there… this does not apply to any 10000149.docx 32 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 149th Legislative Day 11/27/2018 indemnification it only applies to the paying of the physician's bills. And then the second one is Senate Bill 200, I believe, that deals as an initiative of the Senate President, and that deals with an explanation of benefits issue." Wheeler, K.: "Thank you. At the same time then those two trailer Bills bring…"
"I apologize those are both House Bills." Wheeler, K.: "Agreed. Yes."
"They're not Senate Bills. I apologize. So all we're doing is concurring on their Amendments." Wheeler, K.: "Excellent. And then those two trailer Bills then move the business community into supporting or it should be neutral on the underlying Bill and supportive of the trailer Bills. Is that correct?"
"That is correct. I believe it's… I believe it's neutrality but…" Wheeler, K.: "Okay."
"…they're not against it." Wheeler, K.: "Thank you very much. Appreciate it."
"Chair recognizes Leader Brady."
"Thank you very much. Will the Sponsor yield?"
"Sponsor indicates that he will yield."
"Representative, quick question. Are either of those two trailer Bills deal with a change that this Bill implements with HIPPA within the medical records that the physicians are supposed to release or potentially not release?" Hoffman: "I don't believe that it has anything to do with HIPAA." 10000149.docx 33 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 149th Legislative Day 11/27/2018
"Okay. I have a different understanding of it. And I'm all for doctors getting paid, I just want to make sure that I brought a… convened a group as you did of trying to push this and next by payment schedule for the physicians. But I'm concerned over some unclear points of the HIPPA legislation that has been written into the Act. So, thank you very much."
"Leader Hoffman to close."
"I simply ask for a favorable Roll Call."
"The question is, 'Shall Senate Bill 904 pass, notwithstanding the Governor's specific recommendations for change?' This Motion requires 71 votes. All opposed vote 'nay'; all in favor vote 'aye'. 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 109… 110 voting in 'favor', 2 voting 'no', 0 voting 'present', the Motion, having received the required Three-fifths Majority, the Motion to Override prevails. And Senate Bill 904 is declared passed, notwithstanding the Governor's recommendation for change. Senate Bill 1737, Representative Hoffman."
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Ladies and Gentlemen of the House. Senate Bill 1737 is the omnibus insurance Bill that passed with 85 votes here in the Illinois General Assembly and overwhelming was overridden in the Senate. It would do five things. It would increase regulation for short term limited duration health insurance coverage policies. It would allow domestic stock insurance companies to divide into two or more companies. It would lower taxes and requirements for captive insurance companies in order to encourage them to 10000149.docx 34 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 149th Legislative Day 11/27/2018 domicile in Illinois. It would align Illinois' reinsurance law with the national standards. And finally, it would regulate the worker's compensation insurance rates including requiring them to prefile and receive approval of the rates from the Director of the Department of Insurance before these rates go into effect. This was the subject of significant negotiation between the insurance industry as well as labor, as well as others. And I ask for a favorable Roll Call."
"Chair recognizes Representative Breen."
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Will the Sponsor yield?"
"Sponsor indicates that he will yield."
"Representative, I want to point your attention to the portion of the Bill that creates a… believe it's called the… what is it called, the skinny… the Short Term Limited Duration Health Insurance Coverage Act. So you're creating a new Act as part of this Bill. And as I understand it that Act will take the current allowance, so it'll create new restrictions on short term insurance taking it from the current law, which provides for yearlong coverage, 3 years renewability, and it would actually forbid that. So would only allow 60… or it would allow 6 months and then would prohibit any sort of renewability for those plans. Is that accurate?"
"What the Bill would do is it would limit short term limit duration health insurance plans to 180 days. It would require…"
"And no renewals?"
"…it would require them to inform potential enrollees that among other things they would provide little coverage, they do not cover preexisting conditions, and alternatives 10000149.docx 35 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 149th Legislative Day 11/27/2018 that may exist. So this is a consumer-friendly piece of legislation. I can only tell you that Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois wanted this to be clarified so that we could make sure that these short term limited duration health insurance plans are regulated here in Illinois."
"But today people are purchasing short term limited duration health plans of a yearlong, and they're expecting to be able to get them renewed for three years because that's now allowed by the Federal Government. The cost is lower. So they are no longer going to be able to have that opportunity. They're not going to be able to renew these plans that they just purchased just now."
"Well they can buy… they can buy the plans but the plans are essentially not covering the things that they believe that they are covering. So this would make sure that the short term limited duration health insurance plans actually provide benefits as opposed to what is currently happening."
"You're pretty much eliminating short term plans with your Bill. You're eliminating them."
"That… that's incorrect."
"Well they're done, they're gone. And right now they're used as way to get people low cost health insurance and now you're saying nope, you don't get that option anymore. And Illinoisans are actually purchasing these plans right now and they're not going to be able to renew them. I mean the whole point of the plan is they don't comply with Obamacare, they don't have all of the various things that, you know, those of us who have kids, you know, we want all of the health benefits. We want to be able to go and get our checkups and 10000149.docx 36 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 149th Legislative Day 11/27/2018 things and get the immunizations, but there are plenty of people who don't. And currently they have that option…"
"Well…"
"…and now they don't."
"…I would just say…"
"With your Bill you'll eliminate that option."
"Well Representative, I would just ask you, do you think that a short term limited duration health insurance should cover preexisting conditions?"
"Well Representative, I voted in favor of coverage of preexisting conditions at the state level."
"Well currently…"
"The problem is…"
"…currently if you vote 'no' on this Bill… if you vote 'no' on this Bill then what is currently happening where the Trump administration would allow preexisting conditions to be left out of these short term plans, there would be no notice, the insurance is essentially garbage, and people are being taken."
"Representative, that… but…"
"This provide… this provides… this provides some type of regulation to make sure that the coverage exists."
"It’s for folks that want a lower cost health insurance plan. Our small business people are getting killed in Illinois. They're having to pay thousands of dollars a month in premium for a plan that 10 or 20 thousand dollar deductible right now. Why wouldn't we give them some relief? They've been buying these things now and you're pulling the rug out from under them." 10000149.docx 37 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 149th Legislative Day 11/27/2018
"No, we're not."
"You're doing it."
"We're actually providing regulation and making sure…"
"You're killing them."
"…that they are aware of what they are getting. Look…"
"You're killing them."
"…I had no idea… I had no idea, this is really news to me, that you are the proponent of providing access to health care in the State of Illinois. It's really news. It's really… you've changed since the election, Representative."
"We've been debating this Bill over, and over, and over again. And my position has been consistent that I actually want to stand for the people of Illinois instead of you and your colleagues who pretty much want to kill everything where anybody might get a break here, any small business owner might get a break. That's what I'm trying to do is give them a break. Let them have the options that they now have available to them instead of cutting them short. That's what we're trying to do. And so for that reason, I urge a 'no' vote on the override."
"Chair recognizes Representative Fine."
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I believe that there are a lot of misconceptions about the short term limited liability insurance plans. This part of the legislation was a joint effort between advocacy health groups and the insurance industry. If I could point out many people who do have these plans have gone bankrupt because they feel they do have insurance coverage and then when they, for example, injure themselves on the weekend and go to the emergency room they 10000149.docx 38 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 149th Legislative Day 11/27/2018 find that that emergency room is not covered on the weekend or if they need prescription medication they find out that's not covered. And God forbid you're a woman because any conditions a woman might have its considered preexisting and those conditions are not covered under these plans. Under the Affordable Care Act you can… you used to be able to carry these plans for a bridge for a I believe it was 90 days to get you from point A to point B. This saved people from going bankrupt because people thought they had insurance coverage when in actuality they did not. You can go online and purchase these plans and there is no transparency. There is nothing online that will tell you what is covered and what is not covered. And a very important piece of this legislation is that consumer protection and that transparency. So under this legislation if you want to purchase this plan, its buyer beware and you will know what you're buying. I urge an 'aye' vote to protect the people in the State of Illinois. Thank you, Representative Hoffman, for carrying this legislation."
"Chair recognizes Representative Brady."
"Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. To the Sponsor. Will the Sponsor yield?"
"Sponsor indicates that he will yield."
"Thank you very much. Representative Hoffman, can you speak briefly to the Bill as it pertains to the rate review side of things of insurance and worker's comp?"
"Yes, the Bill would do what is done by several of our neighboring states, including Indiana, Iowa, and Wisconsin which require prior approval of rates. Other states, several of them in like… 10 or 12 them indicate that they would have 10000149.docx 39 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 149th Legislative Day 11/27/2018 prior approval related to rates as well. There average from Alabama, to Oregon, to Rhode Island, to South Carolina, and several more. The Bill would require insurers to prefile and receive approval of their rates from the Director of the Department of Insurance before those rates go into effect. And would give the director the ability to find rates to be excessive regardless of the competitiveness of the market. Additionally, insurers would be required to justify a deviation from these rates that are proposed by a ratings organization. And all rate filings and supporting information would be subject to public inspection."
"So that regulation authority would rest with the Department of Insurance in this case?"
"Yes."
"Okay. Thank you very much."
"Chair recognizes Representative Keicher."
"Just to the point of clarification. I have a potential conflict on this Bill, and I intend to vote 'present'."
"Chair recognizes Representative Batinick."
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Will the Sponsor yield?"
"Sponsor indicates that he will yield."
"Representative, I am… there's a lot in this Bill. You obviously can't pull it apart and vote for only parts of it, you have to vote for the whole Bill, and there's a good chance I'm going to vote for it. But I want to go back to the discussion you started with on this Bill regarding the skinny plans. And you mentioned that this is consumer-friendly Bill. How is limiting choice consumer friendly?" 10000149.docx 40 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 149th Legislative Day 11/27/2018
"I would just… I would just reiterate what Representative Fine indicated that this was an agreement between advocacy groups, who advocate on behalf of people who need health care and the depart… and the insurance industry to provide needed regulation. And that's what has resulted in the provisions of this Bill."
"I want to bring this into the real people in my district that I've talked to. I've actually had small business owners recently come to me excited that they have the opportunity to buy these skinny plans. God forbid they have something that becomes more troublesome you can always switch and do next… next term into an Obamacare plan. But we talked about going bankrupt, how many people would I need to bring to you, business owners that have $3 thousand a month premiums with $12 thousand a year deductibles that are begging for skinny plans like this? If I brought you 10, 20, 100 at what point would you look, and say, you know what, we have to do a trailer Bill and have to have some flexibility on this? We all want preexisting conditions covered. We also don't want small businesses continue to leave the state and they are left with very few options in this state. And it's… I find it so ironic that just a few days ago, I had a small business owner excited about getting his health care costs a little bit under control, he explained the whole plan to me, and now I had to send him a text that his days are numbered."
"Well, first of all, this doesn't eliminate these short term limited duration health insurance plans. It limits them to 180 days and require that you inform a potential enrollees that among other things there plan has little coverage, does 10000149.docx 41 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 149th Legislative Day 11/27/2018 not cover preexisting conditions, and alternatives may exist. That's what the Bill does."
"Right, but you're going from a long term solution to a six month solution."
"I…"
"Let me… I'm just going to put it to you this way…"
"I… here's what I'm trying to do…"
"To the Bill."
"Wait, here's what we're trying to do. We're trying to cover preexisting conditions. And currently, the… previously it was… these things were limited to 90 days. They were limited to 90 days. This makes them 180 days. I understand what the current administration has tried to do by allowing them to be elongated, but this is longer than what was previously allowed which was 90 days."
"We all want preexisting conditions covered and everybody have that ability. The idea that somebody's going to be worried about a weekend emergency room visit cost when they have a $12 thousand deductible and a $3 thousand a month insurance payment is absurd to me. They're going bankrupt because they don't have the options that other states have and the businesses are leaving because there's better options in other state than what we jam down the throats of people because you think you know better than those people. I don't understand why people that are very successful in private industry that we don't give them the choice that they want. They're begging for that choice. We're not mandating that they take that choice. We want preexisting conditions covered 10000149.docx 42 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 149th Legislative Day 11/27/2018 but we're jamming something down their throat that makes it difficult for small businesses to stay in this state."
"Am I supposed to respond?"
"What do you say to the business owner that has this plan and won't be able to continue this plan that would like to keep his costs under control? What do you say to that person?"
"I would say to the business owner, this state is allowing you to have these plans, but they're going to be regulated. And they're going to provide preexisting condition coverage, and they're going to actually provide coverage, okay? That's what I would say to the business owner. And I would think, at least the business owners that I know and some of them in this chamber being one, you want to make sure that if you're buying something for an employee that he actually has coverage including preexisting condition coverage."
"This is a… you're saying you're providing it, you're limiting it to six months. To the Bill. I think I may… I think I made my point clear. There's a way to do this. I'm not asking for a 'no' on this Bill. I'm asking for trailer Bill to give small business owners flexibility. Anybody in this chamber, tell me how many stories, real stories you need me to bring before you'll actually say you know what, Representative Batinick, you might have something here. These people are begging for it and it's hurting our economy and it's hurting our small business owners. I just want you to keep that in mind as we jam down the whole we know better 10000149.docx 43 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 149th Legislative Day 11/27/2018 than everybody else in the state attitude that we have these days. Thank you."
"Chair recognizes Representative Unes."
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Will the Sponsor yield?"
"Sponsor indicates that he will yield."
"Representative, we've heard a lot of talk about short term policies but there's really some good long term policies in this Bill too. And, Representative, I remember having a conversation with you back in the spring time when this Bill was debated on the floor and I asked the question then, who are the opponents to this Bill? And I remember at the time you had said there were none, nobody slipped in opposed to this Bill. I don't know if you remember that conversation."
"I do. And at the time I could tell now that there may be opposition from the chamber and maybe NFIB, but I've not heard from them."
"Representative, my understanding is that business community is neutral on this Bill."
"They could very well be. I just want to be honest with you. I'm not sure."
"I understand. Okay. Well, thank you. Thank you for that."
"But I can tell you this… see I can tell you this. This is an initiative of some of the big… some of the biggest employers in our state…"
"Right."
"…that provide insurance and have the industry in our state… the insurance industry making sure they can be competitive with others." 10000149.docx 44 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 149th Legislative Day 11/27/2018
"So again, we've heard a lot of short term policies. I would like for everyone on this side of the aisle to realize there are some very, very good long term policies in this Bill. Captive insurance reform is… is a huge aspect of this Bill. And, you know, I appreciate your answer, Representative, but I also would like to remind the Body that this Bill in the first week of Veto Session came over here after passing the Senate unanimously. Not one 'no' vote in the Senate. So keep that in mind, too, as we talk about this and as you look at the very great benefits of long term policy with namely captive insurance reform that is in this Bill. I urge a 'yes' vote. Thank you."
"Chair recognizes Leader Flowers."
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Ladies and Gentlemen of the House. I would like to say that if we had single payer insurance here in the State of Illinois, we would not have to have this discussion. It would be affordable and attainable for everyone. But in the meantime on Senate Bill 1737 I would appreciate an 'aye' vote until such time that we do have single payer health care. Thank you all very much."
"Representative Hoffman to close."
"Thank you. I ask for a favorable Roll Call."
"The question is, 'Shall Senate Bill 1737 pass, notwithstanding the Governor's specific recommendations for change?' This Motion requires 71 votes. All in favor signify by voting 'aye'; all opposed by voting '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 89 voting in 'favor', 20 voting 'opposed', 1 voting 10000149.docx 45 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 149th Legislative Day 11/27/2018 'present'. This Motion, having received the required Three- fifths Majority, the Motion to Override prevails. And Senate Bill 1737 is declared passed, notwithstanding the Governor's recommendations for change. Representative Welch, for what reason do you seek recognition?"
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Point of personal privilege."
"Please proceed, Sir."
"Mr. Speaker, Members of the House this past Saturday we all recognized small businesses across our state. As we know our economy thrives when small businesses thrive. I specifically spotlighted one business in my district, Sha- Poppin Gourmet Popcorn, a new business. Small black-owned business in Westchester. They serve over 50 different flavors of popcorn. I did bring a can of popcorn here for you to sample and it's in the back. Please go and try some of this deliciously tasting popcorn from Sha-Poppin Popcorn based in the 7th District. And feel free to visit the 7th District for more. Thank you, Mr. Speaker."
"Thank you, Representative. Senate Bill 2297, Representative Reick."
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise in support of Senate Bill 2297 which is a Bill that was passed 92 to 9 in this Body back in May. Basically what it is it allows a rescue district in my district, one of two in the state, that are noncoterminous with their fire districts, allows them to go to referendum in order to increase the levy so that they can do their job. At this point they cannot do that. And they are hurting financially. This was… again, this is by referendum. It passed 92 to 9, the Senate passed it overwhelmingly. I ask 10000149.docx 46 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 149th Legislative Day 11/27/2018 for a 'yes' vote. And I'm happy to answer any questions. Thank you very much."
"Seeing no debate, the question is, 'Shall Senate Bill 2297 pass, notwithstanding the Governor's specific recommendations for change?' This Motion requires 71 votes. 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 98 voting in 'favor', 10 voting 'opposed', and 0 voting 'present'. This Motion, having received the required Three-fifths Majority, the Motion to Override prevails. And Senate Bill 2297 is declared passed, notwithstanding the Governor's recommendations for change. Senate Bill 2419, Representative Burke." Burke, D.: "Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Ladies and Gentlemen I would move to concur with the Senate's override of the Governor's Amendatory Veto on Senate Bill 2419. Be happy to answer any questions. This is a matter having to do with the surgical assistants of our state. There was some recommendations that they maintain their national certification and the Governor saw fit to eliminate that. The Governor… pardon me… amendatorily vetoed and the Senate overwhelmingly overrode his Amendatory Veto. Be happy to answer to answer any questions."
"For further discussion Representative McDermed is recognized."
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Will the Sponsor yield?"
"Sponsor indicates that he will yield." 10000149.docx 47 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 149th Legislative Day 11/27/2018
"Representative, isn't this Bill in fact just a way for one of the national certifying agencies to get some lobbying power or some advantage over some of the other certifying agencies, in fact the most expensive one, the $700 a year one?" Burke, D.: "I don't know where you're getting your information, Representative, but I've certainly never heard that suggested before."
"Okay. Isn't true that in order to do this work, you don't necessarily have to register as a surgical tech, and won't this additional cost and registration requirement cause people who do this work to not need to register anymore and just go and do the job?" Burke, D.: "No, the whole point is that this profession is insisting that they be further regulated."
"Isn't the best organization to say how to regulate these folks… the employer, in other words the hospital or the surgical group rather than some national certifying agency?" Burke, D.: "No, they're… to my knowledge, I'm not aware of any certification organization that has been engaged in this effort to maintain their certification. If you were to let's say reach out to your local hospital, contact the hospital administration, you'd understand that these surgical assistant is an essential part of the operating room scenario today. Surgeons depend on these individuals greatly. And if you were to inquire further as to their background you would determine that they come from military service, they come from registered nurses. There are some who are actually foreign physicians now living legally in the states that 10000149.docx 48 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 149th Legislative Day 11/27/2018 perform services as a surgical assistant. They become very proficient and generally they specialize in a very select area of surgery. And that's why they are so important to the surgeons, because these technicians are absolutely… in some cases, may be better trained than the surgeon."
"How much will this slow down the registration process for these folks?" Burke, D.: "It won't slow it down at all."
"Won't they, in fact, have to wait and get this renewal certificate from these agencies and…" Burke, D.: "No."
"…send it in? And won't they now have to do all their registration by mail as opposed to doing it online?" Burke, D.: "Representative…"
"Which adds months, and months, and months." Burke, D.: "No. I don't know where you're getting this information…"
"That's what IDFPR says." Burke, D.: "No, they're absolutely… it's the profession that is encouraging this certification."
"I understand the profession…" Burke, D.: "Those that actually practice."
"…is asking for it because they're the ones that get the $700 a year fee for putting this requirement now on these folks in Illinois…" Burke, D.: "No."
"…people who don't have this requirement now." 10000149.docx 49 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 149th Legislative Day 11/27/2018 Burke, D.: "No, surgical assistants… if there were an increase in the registration fee, the State of Illinois benefits from that."
"That's not… it's not the fee that the state is charging, this is the fee that these national agencies are charging." Burke, D.: "Well, whatever that fee may be, I'm not familiar with it, but I know that the individuals who engage in the profession of surgical assistance are the ones encouraging this action."
"Now, isn't it true that all these registrations cycle at the same time and that every surgical assistant in the state will be trying to get these forms mailed in at the same time…" Burke, D.: "Well just as any…"
"…and this is going to add delay?" Burke, D.: "Representative, just as any other profession that we license, they are in the system and they're maintained, we handle it. I don't believe that this… certainly this language in this Bill would not have anything whatsoever to do with the time it would take them to receive their certification."
"All right. I'll talk about that in a minute. Will this cause fewer people to register now as surgical assistants then because they have to go through all these hoops?" Burke, D.: "No, absolutely not. There are no more hoops created by this legislation than ever existed previously."
"All right. To the Bill. IDFPR strongly, strongly opposes this Bill and I think we should all oppose the Bill as well. This is really what we're getting involved in here 10000149.docx 50 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 149th Legislative Day 11/27/2018 is a little bit of a… I don't want to use a vulgar word here… a match between the various accrediting agencies and the most expensive accrediting agency wants this accreditation so they can collect these fees from people. IDFPR will no longer be able to allow these folks to use online registration. They're going to have to use paper registration to send in these national certifications. They're going to use online… they're going to use paper registration to send in a check. This is going to take months and months and months. We know this because, we're the ones that are calling IDFPR all the time saying why can't so and so be licensed? Well, that's because they're not going to be able to use the online process anymore. This is one of the only named agency… named profession that's going to require this kind of renewal. There's not a continuing education renewal that IDFPR has. What they have to do is collect this piece of paper from these accrediting agencies. This is just another way that the Illinois General Assembly is being used by one part of a profession to gain advantage over another part of the profession. We should just leave this alone and let the system that is existing now, where the surgical groups and the hospitals mandate continuing education for the folks that do this work, and not get involved with these national associations wanting to get advantage one over the other. This is not a Bill that helps public health. Nothing about this Bill actually protects patients. This is just about paying to get a certification. The certification is not dependent on any continuing education of any kind whatsoever. It's dependent on paying a fee. It's not about public health. 10000149.docx 51 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 149th Legislative Day 11/27/2018 It adds to the burden on your constituents. It adds to the burden on poor IDFPR that's behind on everything already. Vote 'no'."
"Chair recognizes Representative Demmer."
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Will the Sponsor yield?"
"Sponsor indicates that he will yield."
"Representative, as my colleague mentioned, there's a little bit of attention here about the body that gives the accreditation to the surgical assistant. I noticed in the language that we've removed the National Surgical Assistant Association and replaced that with the National Commission for the Certification of Surgical Assistants. Can you explain removing one and adding the other?" Burke, D.: "It's my understanding that the name of the entity changed not the actual entity."
"Okay. I appreciate that. Is there more than one body that gives accreditation?" Burke, D.: "For surgical assistants, there are three. For technologists, there would only be one."
"And is a person free to choose from any of those accrediting agencies?" Burke, D.: "Yes. Yes, they are. And if you… if I might interject, the previous Speaker had alluded the… to the cost of this particular certification. That is absolutely not true. The highest registration for certification… the highest cost for certification would be $275."
"All right. I appreciate that. Two hundred and seventy- five dollars still may be, you know, a decent investment over and be above what they're paying right now. And I think the 10000149.docx 52 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 149th Legislative Day 11/27/2018 question has to come with what public safety service does this offer. So I have a question if somebody today is practicing as a surgical assistant and this Bill goes into effect… because the surgical assistant is something that has title protection today and not a defined scope of practice, isn't it true that tomorrow somebody could call themselves instead of a surgical assistant they say, you know, I'm a surgical helper, and I can still do all of the things that I was able to do in the operating room as I did yesterday?" Burke, D.: "Well I… I certainly can't imagine if you were exposed as I have been to the number of medical professions that have encouraged the continuing certification of these medical practitioners, such as surgical assistants, you would understand that the hospitals are the entity that would employ these people. So they are… in many cases they are independent practitioners, but they are employed by whatever the health organization is that they would working for. So in this case surgical assistants are working in hospital settings employed by the hospital."
"I appreciate that and I think that has to do more with the reimbursement from an insurance perspective that relates to the certification that the surgical assistant holds. But I think that that's the point here is that what we're dealing with is not necessarily a case of whether one thing is safer for patients or not safer for patients, we're further limiting the scope of people who would qualify for reimbursement. Not changing what they're allowed to do or not allowed to do, but mandating that somebody who wants to be able to get reimbursement would go through this extra layer of paying an 10000149.docx 53 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 149th Legislative Day 11/27/2018 extra fee to this third party national association waiting for the paperwork to be processed by IDFPR and coming through. So, Mr. Speaker, to the Bill. I just would encourage colleagues to think about this and say… ask the question of when we add on bureaucratic requirements, when we add on extra costs for individuals people, who are today trying to use their medical and clinical knowledge to serve patients in their communities, is it going to become a safer place by us telling them they have to now pay a fee to a third party, that they have to file paperwork with the department and wait for that to be granted? We're not making may change in patient safety because a provider could tomorrow hire somebody, call them something other than surgical assistant, and they would do the same exact work. So I encourage folks to think about whether this is a place where we're coming in, weighing in too heavily on side of the debate or the other, and ask isn't there a better way that we can empower the well-trained, well- educated clinicians who are looking to serve our community without making them jump through extra bureaucratic hoops. Thank you."
"Chair recognizes Representative Willis."
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Will the Sponsor yield?"
"Sponsor indicates that he will yield."
"Is it not correct that this just simply closes a loophole that was in the Bill when it was initially put in in 2003?" Burke, D.: "You are absolutely right, Representative, that's the only thing it does. And certainly any of those surgical assistants that are practicing in our state today understand that." 10000149.docx 54 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 149th Legislative Day 11/27/2018
"So the idea behind this is that we're not going and putting in a lot of extra paperwork, we're correcting an error that we made in 2003 when we put in the first intent for certification for our surgical assistants." Burke, D.: "That is correct. And I was the Sponsor of the legislation in 2003."
"Which makes it wonderful that you are the Sponsor cleaning this up." Burke, D.: "That'd be my final Bill."
"So, to the Bill. This Bill has a place. What we're doing is the industry itself has realized that the intent of the original Bill was to make sure that all surgical assistants and technologists up… keep up-to-date with their national certification. Through our own error we failed to do that when we put the Bill in statute. This simply codifies the initial intent of it. It is not a Bill that's going to add and put undue burdens, but it's going to make the Bill a better Bill, make sure that we keep in our original intent that we do have the best personnel in the operating rooms to assist our doctors. I urge everybody to do an 'aye' vote on this. As to the intent that heard from some of my other colleagues that IDPRF doesn't like it, IDFPR doesn't like anything. They don't like doing their job. They constantly say that they are overburdened. I think it's time for us to get some new people in there that they actually understand what their job is and does it the right way. Thank you very much. I urge an 'aye' vote on this."
"Chair recognizes Representative Bennett." 10000149.docx 55 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 149th Legislative Day 11/27/2018
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Question for you if I may. We just mentioned… the Representative before me mentioned the industry standard and the industry supports this. Can you tell me for just a moment who supports this group or has come to you, hospitals, doctors, medical groups? Can you share with a little bit who… who did this, please?" Burke, D.: "Yes, Representative, certainly. And as I just alluded to I was the Sponsor of the original Licensure Act for surgical assistants. And through my several years engaging with this group of professionals, I'm fully aware of the fact that every hospital that employs these folks, and that is every single hospital in the state, would encourage maintaining controls over individuals and maintaining that their skills be up-to-date and these individuals be challenged to provide evidence that they do engage in continuing education and their skills are at their peak or up to standards for this time. And that's why we would ask that these individuals be certified between every two and four years."
"So if I may, you made a comment clarifying the question, was it the Illinois Hospital Association? Was it… or Doctors Association? I guess I'm looking for specifics here if I may. Which groups? Doctors…" Burke, D.: "Well…"
"…nurses? I'm looking for details, please." Burke, D.: "As we all understand in any situation, it is the group of individuals who are the practitioners themselves just as I'm… 25 years ago introduced the Bill to provide that we licensed naprapothy in our state. It's seldom people even 10000149.docx 56 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 149th Legislative Day 11/27/2018 hear about that profession any longer. But it is the group themselves who practice this particular profession that would come to the Legislature and ask for either licensure or some kind of registration process. So I have… through my years have been engaged with the actual organizations who are individuals who practice surgical assistance."
"All right. Thank you. Thank you very much."
"Chair recognizes Representative McCombie."
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Would the Sponsor yield?"
"Sponsor indicates that he will yield."
"As a district that is a bordering state, I just have a question. Do you know if this is required in the states of Iowa or Wisconsin?" Burke, D.: "I'm afraid I don't have that information."
"Okay. I would be very curious about that because I don't want us to be putting a shortage onto this position. Also, do you think it is motivation for a surgical technician or assistant to get this license to possibly have a leg up at an interview process rather than mandating? Maybe it… if I was one of those professions, I would get that on my own to give me a better certification to have a leg up over the person who didn't get it." Burke, D.: "I don't follow your line of questioning. What… what is your point?"
"So the… so I'm just saying why would we mandate this? You said it hasn't been since, I think, the previous speaker said 2003, people are already doing this on their own. Why would we have to mandate this?" 10000149.docx 57 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 149th Legislative Day 11/27/2018 Burke, D.: "Well, because in our duty to provide safe practices for our constituency throughout the State of Illinois, we'd like to know that these individuals who are engaged in these practices are being trained properly and properly monitored and have to take an exam every… whatever period to determine and prove that they are indeed up to the task."
"Is there anything stopping hospitals and surgical centers from requiring it themselves?" Burke, D.: "Well, certainly not…"
"Okay. Thank you." Burke, D.: "…but they wouldn't have certification."
"Leader Burke to close." Burke, D.: "Thank you, Speaker. Ladies and Gentlemen, please don't be confused by some of the questions that have been asked. I don't… and as one of the previous speakers had suggested IDPR doesn’t get anything right, they do get some things right. And I like a few people and they've been a help to me through my years. But in this situation, they are absolutely mistaken. They gave the Governor bad advice. This is a profession that is essential and vital to the surgical operating room. Individuals who practice medicine in our state are supporting this legislation. Hospitals are supporting this legislation. And any professional medical operative out there has said that these individuals, quite simply, need to get certified. There is no leg up for any private testing organization or any other entity. The profession themselves have come to this Legislature asking for this help. They require… they know they need certification, and that's all this Bill does. And 10000149.docx 58 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 149th Legislative Day 11/27/2018 I would ask for the Body's favorable consideration to override the Governor's Amendatory Veto. Thank you."
"The question is, 'Shall Senate Bill 2419 pass, notwithstanding the Governor's specific recommendations for change?' This Motion requires 71 votes. All in favor signify by voting '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 75 voting in 'favor', 35 voting 'opposed', and 0 voting 'present'. The Motion, having received the required Three- fifths Majority, the Motion to override prevails. And Senate Bill 2419 is declared passed, notwithstanding the Governor's recommendations for change. Senate Bill 2481, Representative Riley."
"Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I move to override the veto of the Governor on Senate Bill 2481 and concur with the Senate."
"Representative Breen is recognized."
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Will the Sponsor yield?"
"Sponsor indicates that he will yield."
"Representative, I understand the idea of moving from the $100 thousand current limit, which was set in the 1970s as I understand it, to a larger number but how did you arrive at $2 million?"
"Well, very simply actually. One of the things that we did was we looked at all of the caps… the cap limits from state to state. As you might know, it might be in your analysis, Illinois was one of the lowest. We're in the lowest five. Basically we range from our 120… our $100 thousand up to about 10000149.docx 59 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 149th Legislative Day 11/27/2018 $2 million. That's 33 states if you're rank ordering them, 33 states. The other 17 states have no cap at all. Now, that's a wide range. And if you look at that range the difference between $175 thousand and a little bit over 2 million is about 1.9 million by itself. We're… so increasing it to $2 million we would still be in the lower of the third quartile of all the states. You know, we're… in previous testimony someone said, well can we look at the median and can we look at the mean? Well, essentially those 17 states that have no cap, the award could be unlimited. So you wouldn't look at the mean in that case because you would have those high values based on whatever they settle with someone, you know, applying for a… for recompense. So the $2 million is, like I said, right around the midpoint of all the states that actually have caps. The other thing, too, is we had a meeting, and many people don't know that, of people from the Court of Claims, Representatives from the Senate on the Republican side, and Members of all of the parties, it was a teleconference, and that's why it is a well thought out and bipartisan Bill, because we got together before the introduction of my Bill and we came up with the $2 million. My original Bill had no cap at all. So this Bill is basically a compromise, a compromise with everyone, every actor who plays a part in a case coming before the Court of Claims."
"Now, is your Bill also then change the case law on the Court of Claims that in a death or a personal injury claim there are multiple claimants: the estate, the spouse, the dependents, et cetera? Because under the prior number of 100 thousand, it didn't matter quite as much that you could have 10000149.docx 60 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 149th Legislative Day 11/27/2018 multiple claimants. But now each of those claimants is going to be in for 2 million. And so you've got a much… not just a somewhat increase but a multiple increase in final… final claims against because when I look at… I see Kentucky at 250. I see Indiana at 700. I see Missouri at 300. Our neighboring states either have lower limits, and I'm assuming they allow for this multiple claim thing that we do, or if it's uncapped I'm also presuming that they've fixed this issue that… that is a little bit of a work around for our hundred thousand that there can be multiple claimants on the same injury."
"Well, my Bill basically… what it does is it increases that tort limit cap for nonautomobile accidents, first of all. Second of all, it adds some operational efficiencies to the Court of Claims. Other than that, I mean, it really doesn't change existing statute really that much. And frankly speaking, one of the problems when you compare surrounding states, they're not Illinois. They don't have almost 13 million people. They don't have…"
"Well I mean they're…"
"…37 fortune 500 companies."
"…they're taking more and more of our people from us every day. And so…"
"Well…"
"We don't have 13 million people anymore, Representative. We're down to 12 point something."
"Twelve point nine."
"Twelve point nine and lowering. So really our neighboring states aren't a bad barometer, because they're… our people are fleeing to those neighboring states." 10000149.docx 61 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 149th Legislative Day 11/27/2018
"Rep… Representative Breen, as you know this Bill… what inspired me to come up with this Bill was the unfortunate deaths, which maybe could've been preventable, out of the Quincy Veterans Home. I would say that since we introduced this Bill and passed it by… on a bipartisan fortune and… with 79 votes essentially, we found out a lot of information about what happened at the Quincy Veterans’ Home. And matter of fact, WDEZ radio in Chicago…"
"And… and Representative, I supported your original Bill because I had understood it to be a starting point for negotiation not a giveaway to the plaintiffs personal injury lawyers. And so now I'm looking at it going, hey what… how about the increase cost to your providers, your road builders, et cetera of now having to nearly triple the insurance coverage…"
"Representative Breen…"
"…they're going to have to have. Have you done the cost analysis? Have you done the cost analysis for the road builders and the others on…"
"Representative…"
"…all the increased insurance costs?"
"Representative Breen, now that's for them to do."
"So you have not?"
"Here's… now, Representative Breen, let me answer."
"No."
"And I would think at this point…"
"No."
"…because we've gone a long way since May that… that some of the shibboleths and things that have come up regarding 10000149.docx 62 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 149th Legislative Day 11/27/2018 this Bill can basically be disposed of. We did a lot of those things before and one of the things I want to stress is every case that comes before the Court of Claims is not successful for the plaintiffs. All we're doing is giving them…"
"But a lot of them are. And in fact you get a set off."
"…but a lot of them aren't. But a lot of them are not."
"So folks aren't even going to trial on many cases because they've got a limit, they realize the claim is above the limit, and so they say, hey we're just going to pay you out, which is appropriate. So we are vastly increasing the amount of litigation. You're vastly increasing the liability by many multiples, not merely 20 times the current but multiples of that because you've got multiple claimants on the same thing. And I'll go… I'll go to the Motion because I think the point has been made. We don't even know how much this Bill is going to cost. All we know is its going to cost us a lot. And, yes, we know the personal injury lawyers are going to make out like bandits, which they tend to do any time they come to the General Assembly. So what really is going to happen though is we will now spend more money that could've been spent on education, that could have been spent actually building the roads instead of paying off trial lawyers. Instead we're going to send the money to them instead of using it for good purposes. So I would respectfully request a 'no' vote on this until a negotiation can occur to have an appropriate court of claims system where you have consolidated claims… one claim at a higher than a 100 thousand dollar but certainly not at $2 million limit. Right now in this Veto Session in the waning days in the 100th General Assembly is the wrong time to 10000149.docx 63 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 149th Legislative Day 11/27/2018 address this. Please vote 'no' and let's work on this long term."
"Chair recognizes Representative David Harris." Harris, D.: "Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Appreciate the patience. Question of the Sponsor, please."
"Sponsor indicates that he will yield." Harris, D.: "Representative, when was the cap of 100 thousand placed in statute?"
"I think it was around 1972… 1971, 1972." Harris, D.: "Okay. And how does someone who suffers a tort in… in Illinois… how is it determined what they award would be when they go to the Court of Claims? Do you know what the process is?"
"Well, it's solely up to the Court of Claims. Of course the Court of Claims is the body that hears any type of a case where there's damages, you know, against the state where there's a payout. And you have to file your case. The case has to be heard. They have to find in your behalf. You have to win the case. And then it's up to them, based on their discretion what that award could be." Harris, D.: "Right."
"So that award could be $100 thousand…" Harris, D.: "So it's not…"
"…or in this case it could be more." Harris, D.: "So it's not automatic that every tort claim before the Court of Claims is going to be $2 million?"
"That's true. It's not automatic that they will, you know, rule in the plaintiff's favor." 10000149.docx 64 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 149th Legislative Day 11/27/2018 Harris, D.: "Okay. Thank you. Ladies and Gentlemen, to the Bill, if I may. Very quickly, if you look at saying the amount… the maximum amount goes from 100 thousand to 2 million that is indeed a big increase. And you say, oh my gosh, that's way too much we don't need to be that high. And then if you compare the surrounding states I will tell you this, the surrounding the states what they pay is irrelevant because unlike something else where somebody might try to claim a benefit in a surrounding state that… or in Illinois that is not available in a surrounding state what we're talking about here is a tort, an injury to someone. So somebody's not going to go to Indiana or Missouri to get injured because… or come to Illinois to get injured because our award is higher. Look at Iowa. Iowa has no limit whatsoever. Iowa's not a wild and woolly kind of state. So my contention is this, the fact that we're going from 100 thousand to 2 million, yes, it's a big figure but it's been over the course of 40 some years and for a state like Illinois, $2 million is not out of the question. And to compare us with others states, again I say, is irrelevant because look at what you're talking about. You are talking about a tort, an injury to an individual's that's going to be determined at the Court of Claims of what that injury is worth and award it to that person. And then I will come back and say, don't forget that the General Assembly has to provide and has to pass the appropriation for the Court of Claims every year and that doesn't mean an automatic payment for somebody who gets the award. So I stand in support of the Gentleman's Bill and urge a 'yes' vote."
"Chair recognizes Representative Kifowit." 10000149.docx 65 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 149th Legislative Day 11/27/2018
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And we are talking about our nation's heroes. We are talking about World War II veterans that survived combat, survived war, survived unthinkable situations that they were put in to sit back, put their faith and trust in the State of Illinois and have that completely unabashedly disregarded. Now, in the words of our illustrious Department of Health, Director Shaw, they stem the tide is what they told the committee. Stem the tide on this situation. Only to be revealed later in emails that he scoffed off given a citation when stagnant, disgusting water to the tune of 1,600 gallons were pumped into the most fragile population of our veterans in the State of Illinois and he scoffed it off and saying, I'm not going to issue a citation, I should. That would have been his job. I'm amazed this man still has a job considering the neglect that was happening. So to sit back and say that the families of the 13 veterans and 1 veteran's spouse who died… first of all, to purport that we're going to look at Indiana. I don't recall Indiana killing 14 veterans… 13 veterans and 1 spouse and sickening 70 others. In addition to that, we had people that put their faith to be working in a safe environment; and you know what, they got ill too. This is about fairness, this is about giving the families the justice they deserve. This is an amount that was negotiated with the Court of Claims. It's reasonable and it's fair and it is just disgusting for the Representative from Lombard to put such little value in the lives of our veterans who fought and served in the wars. This is a good Bill. This is a Bill that needs to be done. This is long overdue. And I 10000149.docx 66 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 149th Legislative Day 11/27/2018 respectfully ask for you to support this Bill. Thank you very much."
"Chair recognizes Representative Carroll."
"Thank you. To the Bill. I want to first of all compliment my colleague who just eloquently defended the veterans in our state and what they dealt with. And I also want to comment on the fact that I find it very interesting that we regularly vilify attorneys in this state for defending their clients. I don't understand why this has become an issue of personal injury attorneys and people that do things to defend people. When we talk about these situations, we're talking about things that are punishing the wrong people. If you have something that is committed against you, you should have the right to seek the proper compensation for it, not have it capped. And when I hear things like, well, this is going to cost more money to do this, this is going to cost more money to that, it's going to drive business out of this state. Well, I just found an interesting statistic today. We get criticized all the time for workman's comp insurance, correct? And the State of Wisconsin is supposed to be this great place to do business. Well, in the State of Illinois, our workman's comp rate is now 22nd… the rates of workman's comp is now 22nd in the county and in Wisconsin it is 8. So can we please stop with shaming the business culture in our state by having these opportunities for people to get fair compensation for their injuries? And this is not… this state by state thing and everything like that, well, you know, that's part of the process. So I really urge a 'yes' vote on this Bill. Thank you." 10000149.docx 67 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 149th Legislative Day 11/27/2018
"Chair recognizes Representative Davidsmeyer."
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Will the Sponsor yield?"
"Sponsor indicates they will yield."
"Let me first say I have great respect for the Sponsor and I appreciate what you're trying to do here. Does this only deal with the issues that happen… the horrible issues that happened with the Quincy Veterans’ Home?"
"That was my inspiration. That was the genesis for the Bill."
"Does this only deal with the Quincy Veterans’ Home?"
"It deals with anyone under the state's custody and/or care."
"So any contract… any contract with the State of Illinois, correct?"
"Anyone that comes before the Court of Claims."
"So… but any contract is going to have to have that kind of protection. So…"
"Whoa. Any contract? What's that have to do with a contract?"
"So if you're doing a sewer project for the State of Illinois, you're going to have to have… make sure you have enough coverage to make sure they cover $2 million?"
"I think you may be going far afield on that. Again, again, again, again, jurisdiction of the Court of Claims: someone filing, a plaintiff filing at the Court of Claims, who has to win their case, and the Court of Claims then grants them some sort of award. That's all this Bill is. That's all that it's saying. It doesn't say anything about what some company has to do, it’s the Court of Claims. And essentially the Bill 10000149.docx 68 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 149th Legislative Day 11/27/2018 gives them more discretion as to the award that they give, nothing more, nothing less. That's the way it was in May. That's the way it is now."
"If your goal is to help the folks that were affected at the Quincy Veterans’ Home, I think we should focus on the issues that happened at the Quincy Veterans’ Home instead of an all-encompassing Bill that has negative impact on other areas of business with the State of Illinois."
"It's not going to have negative impact. Again…"
"It won't?"
"No, no, no, no. No. This is an Override Motion. We've been through this when I argued this Bill in May. We're going through it now. So nothing has changed with regard to this Bill, nothing. So whatever it is that you're talking about that may happen, which sounds like slippery slope argument, well that was the same way that it was in May. And I just don't think that this Bill, the importance of it and what it's endeavoring to do needs to go through this sort of harangue that we go through from time to time. This is Veto Session."
"When this Bill…"
"We're about to end."
"Just really quick. When this Bill was sold to us back in May it was sold to us as something that affects the Quincy Veterans’ Home not an all-encompassing Bill that effects all contracts with the State of Illinois, all business with the State of Illinois, anything that's done in the State of Illinois." 10000149.docx 69 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 149th Legislative Day 11/27/2018
"Representative Davidsmeyer, you had the same analysis in May that you do now. The Bill has not changed any."
"Have you seen our analysis?"
"I'm sorry?"
"Have you seen our analysis?"
"No, I'm not privy to the Republican analysis."
"Okay."
"But I'm saying I'm sure that that it's roughly the same… 'cause the Bill hasn’t changed any. Again, this is a Motion to Override an Amendatory Veto."
"I understand but other issues can come up in the process. There's always unintended consequences and that was something that many people did not understand that this affects way more than just the Quincy Veterans’ Home. If we were talking about the Quincy Veterans’ Home you'd have 118 'yes' votes up there. But we're not just talking about the Quincy Veterans’ Home…"
"Well, I got 79…"
"…we're not talking about just veterans…"
"Yeah."
"…we're talking about all business in the State of Illinois."
"If you look at the… I don’t see any place in that Bill where it talks about what businesses have to do. It is very simple in terms of what this Bill says, very simple. And that's it. There's no slippery slope, there's nothing. They have… they have written so many things on this Bill both in the media, print, and broadcast. I mean everything about this Bill is out there and has been out there for a long time." 10000149.docx 70 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 149th Legislative Day 11/27/2018
"Okay. To the Bill. As I said, I do respect the Sponsor, but I think he's using a horrible tragedy at the Quincy Veterans’ Home to try to ram these increased limits on the rest of the State of Illinois. And I think it's just wrong. I think that we need to think twice before we move a Bill like this."
"Chair recognizes Representative Ives."
"Mr. Speaker, I rise on a serious matter here. As we have a Democrat colleague, who essentially wished death on a Republican floor speaker. How dare you? How dare you concoct up some sort of story about brewing up some batch of legionaries and having him feed it to his family? How dare you take the discussion and the debate about a very serious Bill that has huge cost consequences on both sides, oh by the way, both for the victim and the state taxpayer… how dare you take an honest debate about an issue and then wish death on my colleague, Peter Breen, his wife, and his two adopted kids? It is unbelievable, unbelievable. But it's just par for the course 'cause this is exactly what we saw in the election cycle. Oh, there you go Peter Breen and my buddy, Tom Morrison father of four, yeah they support child predators. Yeah, that's what you guys think. That's the kind of garbage you spew into people's minds. You're taking a serious issue and you're wishing death on colleagues and then smearing everybody else. And then what do you guys do on the other side? You clap. Oh yeah, we agree, Peter Breen and his family should die. Oh and then Mr. Carroll gets up there too and says, yeah, you know, I agree with my… the eloquent words of my colleague. Really? Really? We can't discuss an issue here 10000149.docx 71 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 149th Legislative Day 11/27/2018 without you guys wishing death on Republicans? It's just unbelievable, unbelievable. You talk about the divisiveness in our political sphere and this is why it is. The lies, the innuendoes, the overreach, the vilifying of colleagues on a debatable issue. How dare you? How dare you do that to my colleague, Peter Breen? He deserves an apology by all of you."
"Representative Riley to close."
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker."
"Excuse me, Representative. Can we maintain order in the chamber? Please? Please? Please can we maintain… Representative. Representative Al Riley to close."
"Ladies and Gentlemen of the House, let me… since I have the floor, let me have a little bit of license. We're all a little bit better than this. This Bill means a lot to me and a lot to a lot of people around this state. I've been in parades where people have were talking about this Bill passing. In my own VFW post, American Legion Post, talk about this Bill. There may be people opposed to the Bill but attack the Bill. You can speak to the Bill. It was said by someone who spoke on the other side, I'm trying to ram this Bill through and I'm trying to use the unfortunate tragedy… you know, then you don't know me at all. And as I say all of that stuff that we say and if you pass this Bill, you're going to get warts on your hands and all that kind of stuff. This Bill doesn't deserve that. If you're against it, say why you're against it. You know, but don't engage in all of that nonsense trying to do this. This Bill got 79 votes when I passed it before. This Bill got more votes in the Senate when it came back over than it got originally. The Bill is what it is. 10000149.docx 72 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 149th Legislative Day 11/27/2018 Let's not make it what it isn't. Let's not use the amorphous taxpayer… the 13 people who died were taxpayers, too. They're not paying taxes anymore. And their families are taxpayers. Don't do that kind of stuff with this Bill. Vote it up or vote it down. This is a Bill whose time has come. It gives extra discretion to settlements by the Court of Claims. It changes really an egregious base. You know, somebody last time that I argued a Bill in May says, you know, well let's come up with the consumer price index and, you know, I think it came up to $700 thousand. Well that… that's great. You know, that's fine. But all you're doing is extending an egregious base. Now I told you before, I told everybody, that this Bill was agreed upon by all of the parties. Matter of fact, good friend of mine used to serve in this Body, Senator Connelly, was on the phone along with the Senate Sponsor, someone from the Court of Claims, somebody from the Secretary of State. Now how often do we do that on any measure? And they basically made me change my Bill but they convinced me from no cap at all, so we could be the 18th state, to having that cap. We did the research. We did all of those things and everybody knows that we did. So this is a Bill whose time has come. It's time has come. Something else was said about attorneys. Look, remember I said, and you can look it up, my Bill had no cap at all. When I came up with the Bill and we then we made the revisions, the first people that I went to was not some organization, it was my colleagues here, my colleagues here. I went to Representative Kifowit. I went to Representative Costello. I went to Representative Harris. Now we all have something in common, you know, we're all veterans. 10000149.docx 73 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 149th Legislative Day 11/27/2018 I went to them first. How do you… how do you feel about this? And then the organization that someone mentioned came later and said, hey, you know, we'd like to support the Bill, et cetera, et cetera. Again, let's not do this type of thing. You know, I’m… I'm retiring. I'm not going to be here with you in the 101st, but one of the ways you can insure that we don't have a large amount of suits against the state is to fully fund those departments that have oversite. That's one way you can do it. Fully fund them so people can go out and do their due diligence and make sure that, again, people under our custody, you know, don't die because of something that could have been prevented. So again, Ladies and Gentlemen, I would hope that you would join me in overriding the Veto for this Bill again. The people want it. The families definitely want it. We all wanted it by our vote in May. So for… for the sake of the people let's think about respect and recompense. Vote 'aye'. Thank you.
"The question is, 'Shall Senate Bill 2481 pass, notwithstanding the Governor's specific recommendations for change?' This Motion requires 71 votes. 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 71 voting in 'favor', 36 voting 'opposed', and 0 voting 'present'. Senate Bill 2481, having the received the Constitutional Majority, the Motion to Override prevails. And Senate Bill 2481 is declared passed, notwithstanding the Governor's recommendations for change. Senate Bill 3041, Representative Moeller." 10000149.docx 74 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 149th Legislative Day 11/27/2018
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Members of the House. I move to override the Governor's Veto of Senate Bill 3041. This Bill passed with substantial majorities in the spring. Essentially what it would do, it would give municipalities and townships the ability to place a referendum on the ballot to levy funding for developmental services within their communities. This would make the code consistent with the… the abilities that counties currently have to raise funds for developmental disabilities. It would also bring parity to the ability for municipalities and townships to raise funds for mental health services. Ask for your support and would be happy to answer any questions."
"Seeing no debate. The question is, 'Shall Senate Bill 3041 pass, notwithstanding the Governor's specific recommendation for change?' This Motion requires 71 votes. 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 92 voting in 'favor', 14 voting 'opposed', and 0 voting 'present'. This Motion, having received the required Three-fifths Majority, the Motion to override prevails. And Senate Bill 3041 is declared passed, notwithstanding the Governor's recommendations for change. Members, on page 3 of the Calendar under Senate Bills on Second Reading, we have Senate Bill 938, Representative Feigenholtz. Mr. Clerk, please read the Bill."
"Senate Bill 938, a Bill for an Act concerning health. The Bill was read for a second time on a previous 10000149.docx 75 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 149th Legislative Day 11/27/2018 day. Amendment #1 was adopted in committee. No Floor Amendments. No Motions are filed."
"Third Reading. Mr. Clerk, Senate Bill 938."
"Senate Bill 938, a Bill for an Act concerning health. Third Reading of this Senate Bill."
"Leader Feigenholtz."
"Thank you very much, Mr. President. This Bill does two things: it prevents two IMDs from becoming SMHRF and caps the number of IMDs at… of SMHRF at 22. And the other thing it does is it clarifies what is in an administrative rule that single-occupancy requirements are based on an aggregate not just an individual facility. I'm happy to answer any questions. There's no opposition to the Bill."
"For further discussion Representative Flowers is recognized."
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Will the Lady yield?"
"The Lady will yield."
"Representative, according the summary here it says, expanding the scope of medicine in which a certain minor are given this same legal authority to consent for themselves."
"This is a gut and replace, Representative Flowers."
"Okay."
"I apologize if I wasn't clear on that."
"Okay. I see that now. All right. Thank you very much, Representative."
"Representative Feigenholtz to close."
"I'd appreciate an 'aye' vote."
"The question is, 'Shall Senate Bill 938 pass?' All in favor vote 'aye'; all opposed vote 'nay'. The voting 10000149.docx 76 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 149th Legislative Day 11/27/2018 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 106 voting in 'favor', 0 voting 'no', 0 voting 'present'. Senate Bill 938, having received the Constitutional Majority, is hereby declared passed. On page 4 of the Calendar, we have Senate Bill 3247, Representative Bourne. Mr. Clerk, please read the Bill."
"Senate Bill 3247, a Bill for an Act concerning property. The Bill was read for a second time on a previous day. No Committee Amendments. Floor Amendment #2 is offered by Representative Bourne."
"Representative Bourne on Floor Amendment #2."
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Floor Amendment 2 simply clarifies a drafting error that was made."
"Lady moves for the adoption of Floor Amendment #2 to Senate Bill 3247. All in favor say 'aye'; all opposed say 'nay'. In the opinion of the Chair, the 'ayes' have it. And the Amendment is adopted. Mr. Clerk."
"No further Amendments. No Motions are filed."
"Third Reading. Mr. Clerk, Senate Bill 3247."
"Senate Bill 3247, a Bill for an Act concerning property. Third Reading of this Senate Bill."
"Representative Bourne."
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I rise presenting Senate Bill 3247, which some of you know as the annual IDOT and DNR land transfer Bill. This includes property in several Members’ districts, all of which have followed the normal process and have been agreed too. I would ask for your 'aye' vote. And I would be happy to take any questions." 10000149.docx 77 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 149th Legislative Day 11/27/2018
"Seeing no debate. The question is, 'Shall Senate Bill 3247 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 107 voting in 'favor', 1 voting 'opposed', 0 voting 'present'. Senate Bill 3247, having received the Constitutional Majority, is hereby declared passed. On page 3 of the Calendar, we have Senate Bill 1415, Leader Currie. Mr. Clerk, please read the Bill."
"Senate Bill 1415, a Bill for an Act concerning local government. The Bill was read for a second time on a previous day. Amendment #2 was adopted in committee. Floor Amendment #3 is offered by Representative Currie."
"Leader Currie on Floor Amendment #3."
"Thank you, Speaker, Members of the House. This incorporates a variety of TIF extensions going from 23 to 35 years in many communities across the state. I hope you'll adopt the Amendment and if you have questions we can discuss it on Third Reading."
"Lady moves for the adoption of Floor Amendment #3 to Senate Bill 1415. All in favor say 'aye'; all opposed say 'nay'. In the opinion of the Chair, the 'ayes' have it. And the Amendment is adopted. Mr. Clerk."
"No further Amendments. No Motions are filed."
"Third Reading. Mr. Clerk, Senate Bill 1415."
"Senate Bill 1415, a Bill for an Act concerning local government. Third Reading of this Senate Bill."
"Leader Currie is recognized." 10000149.docx 78 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 149th Legislative Day 11/27/2018
"Thank you, Speaker, Members of the House. As I said this Bill incorporates a variety of individuals Bills that extended TIF developments in communities across the State of Illinois including Chicago. I'd be happy to answer your questions. And I think that all of the municipal mothers and fathers who've requested this extension would be very happy were you to vote 'yes'. Just as a reminder, when we extend a TIF it is our practice to do so only if the other taxing districts beyond the municipality, the school districts and park districts, approve the request. And in this… in this Bill all of those requirements have been met."
"For further discussion Representative Ives is recognized."
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. To the Bill. You know, you've heard me before on this, but I think it's really important to understand that when we pass that school funding Bill it was very, very important that we understood the property values across the state. And what happens with that school funding Bill is that if your property is in a TIF it is artificially lower, it is artificially lower. And specifically with this particular Bill, you've got about three different TIFs that are carved up here to extend… to an extension of 23 to 35 years which means they're going to continue to under value that wealth in that district for the school funding formula. Now, if you want to do these TIF extensions, why don't you make a different Bill that says, it's not subject to… that underfunding is… or that under evaluation is not subject to the school funding formula? 'Cause when you hide your wealth you push off the cost or the distribution formula, is changed 10000149.docx 79 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 149th Legislative Day 11/27/2018 for every other district… school district in the state and that is the problem. And we never solved this. I have yet to see the trailer Bill solving the problem of TIFs in the State of Illinois. And yet we've had… we incorporated that into at least two different task forces to discuss TIFs and yet I've seen no legislation come out correcting the problems in the TIFs. And Chicago, which is still already has over $6 billion in valuation in TIFs, going up to $10 billion by the way, hides the most wealth from the school funding formula, which makes them a Tier I district, which gives them more benefit from the school funding formula than they deserve. All you're doing by extending these TIFs is exacerbating the problem. So if you're not one of these TIF districts, I highly encourage you to vote 'no' because it is inherently unfair to your home school districts. This is a terrible Bill. Plus 23 years is long enough for the development but doing these continuations of 12 more years and 12 more years it's… it games the system for everybody else. Let's stop the nonsense. Let's get control of this. And let's start by voting 'no' on this. Thank you."
"Members, given the number of people seeking recognition on this piece of legislation, we will be moving to Standard Debate with a timer. Representative Bennett is recognized for five minutes."
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm sure I'm not going to need five minutes on this but I do appreciate that. Part of this TIF… there's two parts from a small town called Hoopeston, Illinois, which is in my district. And basically I've been told from the folks in Hoopeston that if we don't get the TIFs passed they will not be able to get a truck stop, they 10000149.docx 80 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 149th Legislative Day 11/27/2018 will not be able to get a hotel in there. Hoopeston's a very small town, 5 thousand people, and they really need that help, the economic growth and development go from there. So I do move for an 'aye' vote on this. Thank you."
"Chair recognizes Representative Martwick."
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Will the Sponsor yield?"
"Sponsor will yield."
"Leader Currie, so we had a… a brief discussion in committee about this, and I will be voting 'yes' on this Bill, but I did want to highlight something. As part of our process, as you mentioned, we collect letters in support from the affected taxing bodies, including school districts and park districts, letters of support. However, in the City of Chicago, it's a slightly different situation than we have in these other municipalities that are also requesting these TIF extensions. Isn't that correct?"
"Yes."
"So in the City of Chicago, we don't have an elected school board that answers to the constituents that vote for them. We have an appointed school board that is appointed by the same Mayor who is requesting the TIF extensions. Isn't that correct?"
"The same is true for the park district, for the library board, for all of the taxing districts that are at stake in this Bill in the City of Chicago. But it is my understanding, Representative, that frequently the… the city fathers and mothers in Chicago share surplus with school districts and sometimes with parks as well. That happens on an annual basis. And even before a surplus is declared it is not infrequent 10000149.docx 81 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 149th Legislative Day 11/27/2018 that there is a determination that some of the TIF dollars will be shared with the local schools. That's happened in my district. I don't know if it's happened in yours."
"Yes. In… and those things are… are good things that at times when a surplus is declared and given back to the school district. But it does highlight the problem when we act based on the idea that we would be supporting a piece of legislation based on an independent board saying that they are willing to forgo tax revenues that would be theirs in order to support this extension of this TIF when that board isn't actually elected but is appointed by the same government that wants the extension of the TIF. And so, I think that this sort of practice just highlights why the City of Chicago needs and as long as we continue on with this process of extending TIFs by this method, the City of Chicago highlights the need for an elected representative school board in the City of Chicago."
"And park districts and library boards and so forth as well?"
"Well, I would absolutely fully support that just like the rest of the state. And so, again, I will be supporting this, but I hope that we can move forward with… in the next General Assembly with an elected representative school board for the Chicago Public Schools. Thank you."
"Chair recognizes Representative Breen."
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Will the Sponsor yield?"
"Sponsor indicates that she will yield."
"Representative, I noticed that we voted for several of these TIFs previously, but I understand that the Senate wanted 10000149.docx 82 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 149th Legislative Day 11/27/2018 the Chicago TIF districts to be added. Is that… is that accurate?"
"That's not accurate. My understanding is that the Senate had some TIF extension ideas of their own that were not incorporated in the language of the Bills that had already passed this chamber. So we are accommodating our colleagues across the rotunda."
"But we've never voted on the Chicago TIF extensions before?"
"We did in committee but not on the floor."
"In committee but not on the floor, not on the floor."
"And several of the other items had been voted on in committee, a few were voted on, on the floor. Most were not but they were discussed in committee."
"Right. We got Manlius or… yeah, Manlius, Hoopeston, and Hartford, as I understand it, we put through last time back in… I guess a couple of weeks ago. Let me ask you this, on the Chicago ones, I'm not as familiar with 95th Street and Western or 71st Street and Stony Island, but I am familiar with Goose Island. Is Goose Island a blighted area?"
"I think the idea is that there will be blight on Goose Island and the particular projects that they are talking about is bridges and road network reconstruction project that will be very important to connect Goose Island with its manufacturing and others activates to downtown Chicago."
"Right. But isn't Goose Island some of the most valuable property in the city?"
"It could become even more valuable to the city…"
"Right. And then I…" 10000149.docx 83 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 149th Legislative Day 11/27/2018
"…to the City’s treasury if we…"
"…you know, Bryn Mawr and Broadway I… I've been to Bryn Mawr and Broadway, and I was trying to… I actually while I was looking at the Bill I went and looked at the Google Map and grabbed an address near to that intersection, and I plugged the home into Zillow and the home value that just came up for the one home I checked…"
"This… the…"
"…was $850 thousand."
"The activity here will be all focused on rapid transit…"
"Right."
"…on making sure that the trains work effectively and efficiently to move people from one location to the next."
"But aren't TIF… but well… and here's the problem and my colleague referenced this that when you pull property off the rolls in Chicago it makes Chicago look poorer and then all the rest of us put more money into their schools because of the school funding formula."
"That's not accurate. What happens in Chicago is that… and this happens with other property tax capped communities, you don't… you wouldn't even get to the TIF dollars because you've already limited what it is the locals can be expected to contribute."
"Right. But… but I'm assuming that Goose Island…"
"So it's just not accurate."
"…Goose Island, Bryn Mawr, and Broadway should be rebase lined if you really want to call blighted areas because it seems to me that TIF insofar as that was ever a need for a TIF at those areas has worked." 10000149.docx 84 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 149th Legislative Day 11/27/2018
"Well, but…"
"And so it's no longer blighted but instead some of the best real-estate in the city… I mean, $850 thousand homes is not consistent with blight at least in my estimation. I mean, I wish I had more $850 thousand homes in my district. You know, we don't do that sort of thing out by us. I mean, I have a few but not that many. And certainly we don't then take those areas and call them TIF districts. And so, I'm really… I'm loathed to oppose a Bill that has some of my colleagues… you know, all the rest of them seem fine but boy those Chicago ones. I can see why they would throw the Chicago ones in the with otherwise unobjectionable ones because I’m kind of having a problem. You know, we talk about letters of support and another of my colleagues made the point, well, have you got letters of support from all the other school districts that are going to lose money because of the money now going to Chicago because they're hiding their wealth? Just a question to ask. So, thank you, Leader, for your answers to my questions."
"Chair recognizes Representative Bristow."
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise in support of this Bill. TIF districts are one of very few effective economic development tools we have in the State of Illinois. We often compare ourselves to other states and that we're behind other states. This is a tool that we can use to effectively redevelop some areas that have otherwise will remain dormant. Thank you."
"Chair recognizes Representative Skillicorn." 10000149.docx 85 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 149th Legislative Day 11/27/2018
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise to say that we need real TIF reform here in Illinois. Give you an example of this extension… especially egregious is the original district is 23 years. These extensions are another 15 years. So literally we could have two generations of children go through the local school district without ever being funded. That's not fair. That's not fair to the homeowners that don't live in the TIF district. That's not fair to the other homeowners that live in that school district that children going through schools are not funded. So I spent a lot of time on a village board before I came down here, and I can remember one debate where the TIF consultant said this is free money. Well, I've got this great poster on my wall that nothing is free. So I'm going to call on this chamber to do something today to make a statement against this. I'm going to say, let's find the courage to vote against corporate welfare. Let's find the courage to not extend these TIFs. Let's find the courage to do something fair for the people of Illinois. Thank you."
"Leader Currie to close."
"Thank you, Speaker and Members of the House. All of these projects are worthwhile projects. I urge your 'aye' votes."
"The question is, 'Shall Senate Bill 1415 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 82 voting in 'favor', 22 voting 'no', 1 voting 'present'. Senate Bill 1415, having received the Constitutional Majority, is hereby declared passed. Mr. Clerk, Committee Announcements." 10000149.docx 86 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 149th Legislative Day 11/27/2018
Clerk Hollman: "The following committees will be meeting immediately after Session: Health & Healthcare Disparities is meeting Room D-1. Personnel & Pensions in Room 118. Judiciary– Criminal in Room 122. Environment in Room 114. Health Care Licenses in C-1. Meeting at 5:00 is Construction Industry & Code Enforcement in D-1. Human Services in C-1. Once again, those are meeting at 5:00."
"Mr. Clerk, Agreed Resolutions."
Clerk Hollman: "Agreed Resolutions. House Resolution 1282, offered by Representative Bennett. House Resolution 1296, offered by Representative Jones. House Resolution 1297, offered by Representative Andersson. House Resolution 1298, offered by Representative Andersson. House Resolution 1299, offered by Representative Andersson. House Resolution 1302, offered by Representative Riley. House Resolution 1306, offered by Representative Welter. House Resolution 1307, offered by Representative Davidsmeyer. House Resolution 1308, offered by Representative Moeller. House Resolution 1328, offered by Representative Ives. And House Resolution 1329, offered by Representative Butler."
"Leader Currie moves for the adoption of the Agreed Resolutions. All in favor say 'aye'; all opposed say 'nay'. In the opinion of the Chair, the 'ayes' have it. And the Resolutions are adopted. Representative Wheeler, for what reason do you seek recognition?" Wheeler, K.: "Thank you, Mr. Speaker. A point of personal privilege."
"Please proceed, Sir." 10000149.docx 87 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 149th Legislative Day 11/27/2018 Wheeler, K.: "Ladies and Gentlemen of the Body, we need to take a moment and examine what happened here today for which I am truly disappointed. We come here as Representatives of our districts to debate and discuss public policy. We are meant to do that in a way that is respectful, dignified. We lost our way today. I can't fathom the idea that any one of us would ever publicly make a statement that is effectively a wish for a family member of one of our colleagues to die. That is what was said today. I think that's despicable. I think that statement needs to be addressed by all of us. We shouldn't stand for that. We aren't here to do that to each other. We're here to work for each other, with each other, on behalf of the people who sent us here. Now we've had, I don't know, an hour or so of time. We've had many Bill discussed and debated, voted on and yet no apology forthcoming. So I will now directly respectfully request an apology from the person who made that statement to Representative Breen and his family on this floor. Thank you."
"Representative Lilly, for what reason do you seek recognition?"
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Point of personal privilege."
"Please proceed, Representative."
"Thank you. I would like to take a moment of silence for Reverend Bass, Frank Bass, who is the Pastor of Mt. Olive Baptist Church on the west side of Chicago in the 78th District. Unfortunately, he passed this morning. And I would like to give my condolences out to his family and the congregation of Mt. Olive Baptist Church." 10000149.docx 88 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 149th Legislative Day 11/27/2018
"The Body will take a moment of silence. Thank you, Representative. Representative Kifowit, for what reason do you seek recognition?"
"Point of personal privilege."
"Please proceed, Representative."
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. To clarify what was said, quite clearly what I said was, imagine if it was your family, imagine if it was your family. Hypothetically speaking, if it was your family. That is the reaction that all the families who were given this broth of legionella had was anger and was just sheer emotion. And so to misinterpret my words, and of course these are all transcribed and my words will be clear, this is what we are talking about that our veterans went through. So if it was misheard, I'll apologize for the misheard but my words clearly were imagine if it was your family. And legionella affects the weakest and the most vulnerable so healthy people do not get legionella disease. So for the fact of it being misrepresented I'm going to say that what was said early was a mischaracterization of what my words were. And for that, for it being misinterpreted, I will apologize. But I will not apologize for what happened to those families, and I will clearly say to all of us imagine if it was your family. And we need to stand up for those that are most vulnerable about us. And I am standing up to clarify exactly what was said, imagine if that had happened to your family. I did not imply, nor say of any ill will, death, or anything that had been mischaracterized by the previous speaker. Thank you very much." 10000149.docx 89 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 149th Legislative Day 11/27/2018
"And now, allowing perfunctory time for the Clerk, Leader Currie moves that the House stand adjourn until Wednesday, November 28 at noon. All in favor say 'aye'; all opposed say 'nay'. In the opinion of the Chair, the 'ayes' have it. And the House stands adjourned."
"House perfunctory Session will come to order. Committee Reports. Representative Davis, Chairperson from the Committee on Health & Healthcare Disparities reports the following committee action taken on November 29 (sic-27), 2018: recommends be adopted is House Resolution 1276. Representative Martwick, Chairperson from the Committee on Personnel & Pensions reports the following committee action taken on November 27, 2018: recommends be adopted is House Resolution 1225. Representative Turner, Chairperson from the Committee on Judiciary – Criminal reports the following committee action taken on November 27, 2018: do pass Short Debate is Senate Bill 407, Senate Bill 580, Senate Bill 1993, Senate Bill 3500; do pass as amended Short Debate is Senate Bill 2342. Representative Sente, Chairperson from the Committee on the Environment reports the following committee action taken on November 27, 2018: do pass Short Debate is Senate Bill 3101; do pass as amended Short Debate is Senate Bill 3549. Representative Soto, Chairperson from the Committee on Health Care & Licenses reports the following committee action taken on November 27, 2018: do pass as amended Short Debate is Senate Bill 1987. Representative Moylan, Chairperson from the Committee on Construction Industry & Code Enforcement reports the following committee action taken on November 27, 2018: recommends be adopted is 10000149.docx 90 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 149th Legislative Day 11/27/2018 Floor Amendment 3 to Senate Bill 1226. Representative Gabel, Chairperson from the Committee on Human Services reports the following committee action taken on November 27, 2018: do pass as amended Short Debate is Senate Bill 1870. Introduction and First Reading of House Bills. House Bill 5993, offered by Representative Welter, a Bill for an Act concerning transportation. House Bill 5994, offered by Representative Kifowit, a Bill for an Act concerning children. House Bill 5995, offered by Representative Martwick, a Bill for an Act concerning education. House Bill 5996, offered by Representative Slaughter, a Bill for an Act concerning criminal law. House Bill 5997, offered by Representative Welch, a Bill for an Act concerning education. First Reading of these House Bills. Second Reading of Senate Bills. Senate Bill 407, a Bill for an Act concerning government. Senate Bill 580, a Bill for an Act concerning civil law. Senate Bill 1870, a Bill for an Act concerning children. Senate Bill 1987, a Bill for an Act concerning safety. Senate Bill 1993, a Bill for an Act concerning courts. Senate Bill 2342, a Bill for an Act concerning criminal law. Senate Bill 3101, a Bill for an Act concerning safety. Senate Bill 3500, a Bill for an Act concerning criminal law. Senate Bill 3549, a Bill for an Act concerning regulation. Second Reading of these Senate Bills. They'll be held on the Order of Second Reading. Introduction of Resolutions. House Resolution 1300, offered by Representative Butler. House Resolution 1301, offered by Representative Reis. House Resolution 1303, offered by Representative Welch. And House Resolution 1304, offered by Representative Davidsmeyer. These are referred to the Rules 10000149.docx 91 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 149th Legislative Day 11/27/2018 Committee. There being no further business, the House Perfunctory Session will stand adjourned." 10000149.docx 92