Illinois House Floor Debate — February 15, 2023

"Thank you, Honorable Chair. And to this august Body, let us bow our heads for a word of prayer. Father God, it is with great humility that I approach you today. I bring with me, to your throne, the hearts of those under the sound of my voice. These who are charged with the awesome task to legislate equitably, seeking to strike the balance between the rule of law and the meters of morality. Today, O God, I pray that you would inspire them and allow us to appeal to you for your special attention in this very hour. We petition you for your patience with us, your presence in us, and your protection from us, from us, because we discovered sometimes, O God, we get in the way. So, we ask now that you would sanctify this body. Keep us in the balances of right and wrong. Allow us to understand that our task is to represent you, no matter what we do. We ask it now, in the precious and preeminent name of Jesus the Christ we pray, amen and thank God."

"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."

"Speaker, the Honorable President Harmon and Members of the Senate are at the door and seek admission to the chamber."

"A quorum of the House is present." 10300008.docx 2  STATE OF ILLINOIS 103rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 8th Legislative Day 2/15/2023

"A quorum of the Senate is present."

"Joint Session Resolution #1. Be it Resolved that a Committee of ten be appointed, five from the House by the Speaker of the House, and five from the Senate by the President of the Senate, to wait upon Governor JB Pritzker and invite him to address the Joint Assembly."

"The appointments from the Senate are Senator Sims, Senator Villanueva, Senator Faraci, Senator Harriss, and Senator Lewis."

"Mr. Speaker, the Governor of the State of Illinois, JB Pritzker, and his party wish to be admitted to this chamber."

"Well, thank you very much. Mr. Speaker, Madam President, Leader McCombie, Leader Curran, Lieutenant Governor Stratton, our Constitutional Officers, Members of the General Assembly, Members of our Supreme Court, Second Gentleman Bryan Echols, First Lady MK Pritzker, and esteemed guests, it is a distinct honor to be here today speaking with you. The last time I stood at this podium was back in early 2020. Three of the four current Legislative Leaders had not yet taken up their current posts. And the fourth, the Senate President, was just weeks into his new job and, well, back then, he had more hair. Then a year later, Chris Welch became 10300008.docx 4  STATE OF ILLINOIS 103rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 8th Legislative Day 2/15/2023 Speaker, and I began to wonder if baldness was a new sign of power in Illinois State Government. But I want to thank Leader McCombie and Leader Curran for dispelling that myth and joining the Hair Club. I appreciate your full heads of hair vaulting us back into the majority. But I digress. The last time I stood here seems like a lifetime ago. So many fiscal challenges laid ahead. And so much progress had been made. What was once an Illinois with $17 billion in overdue bills is now an Illinois that pays its bills on time. What was once an Illinois that went years without a budget is now an Illinois that has passed four balanced budgets in a row. What was once a state with no cushion to protect it in an economic downturn is now an Illinois on track to have a $2.3 billion Rainy Day Fund. What was once an Illinois with a credit rating on the verge of junk status is now an Illinois getting credit upgrades. Our fiscal progress is remarkable. Remember the $230 million in College Illinois debt? Paid. Remember the $900 million in group health insurance debt? Paid. How about the $800 million in Thompson Center liability? Paid. The people clapping are the ones who work there. The Unemployment Trust Fund, $4.5 billion of debt? Paid. The $1.3 billion owed to Illinois' treasury funds that had been swept by previous Governors? Paid. Eight billion dollars of overdue bills? Paid. As of Fiscal Year 2023, all of our state's short-term and medium-term liabilities will have been eliminated. All of it. Our budgets are built on a solid foundation of normalized state revenue and more efficient management of state resources. We have used our surpluses to chip away at our long-term liabilities too, including $500 million more into 10300008.docx 5  STATE OF ILLINOIS 103rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 8th Legislative Day 2/15/2023 our Pension Stabilization Fund over the last 2 years. And my proposal this year to increase that by another $200 million. The percent of the budget needed to meet our statutory obligations has declined as our revenues have grown and our fiscal fortunes have improved. Maybe some of you who are listening to this are asking, 'What does this all mean to me?' Well, here's what it means. We've reduced the burden on Illinois taxpayers by eliminating hundreds of millions of dollars in interest payments. We've reduced taxes on those who can least afford them, and we're finally investing in what really matters: improving education and making college more affordable, modernizing our transportation systems, improving public safety and assisting law enforcement to make our neighborhoods safer, reducing homelessness and increasing mental health care, cutting taxes on small businesses, attracting new businesses, giving more state revenue to local governments and schools so that they can stop raising your property taxes, and so much more. Getting our fiscal house in order is improving our economy, which crossed the threshold of $1 trillion in GDP at the end of last year. In the age- old fight between happy warriors and misery's carnival barkers, we've shown that if we resolve to do it, happy warriors win every time. And we are winning. Which is why, here in Illinois in 2023, I'm confident in saying the state of our state is stronger than it has been in decades, and we're getting stronger every day. Now, fiscal responsibility isn't easy, nor is it a one-time fix. It's an annual effort that requires persistence. It requires conservative revenue estimates, as all of my budget proposals have. But when done 10300008.docx 6  STATE OF ILLINOIS 103rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 8th Legislative Day 2/15/2023 right, consistent balanced budgets strengthen the institutions our residents rely upon, creates new opportunities for success, and makes life easier for the people of Illinois. People like Anne Tyree. For more than two decades, Anne has worked at Centerstone, a nonprofit that provides treatment for mental health and substance use disorders. For her, behavioral health is a personal issue that has touched her own families in profound ways. In years past, Anne saw state funding slashed for Centerstone's patients, young and old alike, who are among the most vulnerable Illinoisans. She describes the experience as nothing short of traumatic. When Illinois couldn't pay its bills, Centerstone was forced to close outpatient facilities and shutter vital programs. Many other behavioral health providers faced a similar fate. It was heartbreaking. People on their way to recovery, single parents, children in rural communities, people struggling financially didn't have access to critical resources and services that could have saved their lives or the lives of their loved ones. Anne will tell you that she's seen a complete transformation over the last four years because of stable budgeting and a dedication to mental health and substance use disorder treatment. The statistics tell the story. During the prior administration, Illinois was 16th in the nation for behavioral health services. Today, we are number nine and climbing. I've been so adamant about balancing the budget because we need to ramp up our investments in services like behavioral health, and we couldn't promise it unless we were sure that we could pay for it. Anne Tyree is here today with us, and I know that we all 10300008.docx 7  STATE OF ILLINOIS 103rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 8th Legislative Day 2/15/2023 want to express our gratitude to her and to Centerstone and to behavioral health providers everywhere. Now, I don't tell you Anne's story to say, 'Our work here is done.' Rather, it demonstrates that without fiscal responsibility, we end up with trauma and chaos for the people that we serve. Our responsible approach to budgeting has moved us away from the days of lurching from crisis to crisis, and instead is producing better outcomes and a brighter future for Illinois. You, the majority of the General Assembly, are succeeding. You, the majority of the people of Illinois who elected the General Assembly, the Constitutional Officers, and me, are succeeding. Together, we've slogged through the tough times and are making the responsible decisions for our future. In the first year of the pandemic, we focused on meeting the core needs of our state's residents, like health care, housing, and food. And we balanced the budget. The next year, we received federal relief and we distributed vaccines and invested in recovery for our people and for our businesses. And we responsibly balanced the budget. When the economy began to recover, we paid off overdue bills, we improved our long- term fiscal outlook, and gave tax relief to every Illinoisan. And we balanced our budget. At every turn, a majority of the General Assembly embraced the necessary fiscal stabilization measures to set us on the right path. You returned dollars to taxpayers, and you've made prudent transformative investments for Illinois' future. Today, I ask you to partner with me once again, this time on the long-term investment that has the greatest return for taxpayers with the most positive social and economic impact that I have ever come to you with. 10300008.docx 8  STATE OF ILLINOIS 103rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 8th Legislative Day 2/15/2023 It's called Smart Start Illinois, and it will make our state the best place in the nation to raise young children. Smart Start is comprised of four elements: pre-K, child care, early intervention, and home visiting. It also makes our existing programs more equitable, giving moderate-income families greater access to quality programs and investing in an early childhood workforce made up largely of women and people of color. Smart Start Pre-K is a four-year plan that will allow us to give access to preschool to every three- and four-year- old in Illinois. It will increase our funding for the Early Childhood Block Grant program this year by $75 million, and that's $179 million dollars more than when I took office. Thank you, General Assembly. Smart Start Pre-K will provide new center-based and school-based classrooms, improve quality across the board, attract new professionals to the field, and ensure that we reach our most vulnerable. In the first year alone, 5 thousand more seats will be available for children across the state. Of course, adding preschool seats only works if you have the staff to support them. That's where the Early Childhood ACE Scholarship program comes in. Last year, with the legislative leadership of Senator Cristina Pacione-Zayas, we began investing in community colleges and universities, to build a pipeline of early childhood educators. Already, nearly 1500 people are on a path to get upskilled, and I propose now to continue providing this opportunity for the next 4 years. Next, child care. Working parents need more quality child care options. The broader shortage of labor that we're seeing all across the state right now can't be addressed without growing the availability of child care for 10300008.docx 9  STATE OF ILLINOIS 103rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 8th Legislative Day 2/15/2023 working families. But Illinois' current child care assistance program is based on unreliable and unpredictable funding, and that makes it hard for providers to invest in their workers or to grow. The current system is based on attendance in a given month, which, as all parents know, fluctuates if kids are sick or parents' work status changes. When attendance falls under a certain minimum level in a month, the provider's reimbursement rate for that month gets cut, even though their fixed costs for providing services for that month don't change. As any small business owner knows, that causes tremendous uncertainty for the future. Going forward, that's going to change. So, I propose Smart Start Workforce Compensation Contracts to move us towards more stable funding to support high quality programming and competitive wages for caregivers. The contracts will create a more equitable system for child care providers and families alike, and it will require an improved standard of care across the field. Although we provide child care assistance for parents who already have jobs, we've never before provided child care for someone who's unemployed but looking for a job. It's nearly impossible to interview with an employer if you're simultaneously the 24/7 primary caregiver for your family. So, in 2021, we initiated a program that provides three months of child care for unemployed parents who are engaged in a job search or a job training program in preparation for a new job. Here with us today is Itanzia Dawson, one of those parents. Our new child care assistance for job seekers gave Itanzia the opportunity to go back to school and now she has a new career as a teacher's aide at Carole Robertson Center 10300008.docx 10  STATE OF ILLINOIS 103rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 8th Legislative Day 2/15/2023 for Learning in Little Village on the West Side of Chicago. Let's recognize Itanzia for the work that she has done and the better life she is building for her family. From Chicago to Peoria to Marion, this transformative new program is putting industrious parents like Itanzia to work. Smart Start Childcare makes this program permanent. Too many families can't access early childhood programs at all because they live in an early childhood desert where no providers or available spots exist within a reasonable radius of their home or their work. Smart Start Illinois will allocate a hundred million dollars of new capital to double the Rebuild Illinois investment already helping providers build new and expand existing facilities. This program will be the beginning of the end of early childhood deserts in Illinois, and working families will have more and better options for their children. Third, Smart Start Early Intervention funding will support the essential state program that gives infants and toddlers birth to age three with developmental delays, autism, or other diagnosed medical conditions, the services they need, including for speech and language challenges, and occupational and physical therapy. For years, these families have suffered from underfunding of early intervention services. Not any longer. A $40 million increase is allocated in the FY24 budget, which will increase rates and allow thousands of children and their families to maintain access to these critical services. Finally, Home Visiting in Illinois is an evidence-based program that has a long history here of improving maternal and child health, preventing child abuse and neglect, preventing crime and domestic violence, 10300008.docx 11  STATE OF ILLINOIS 103rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 8th Legislative Day 2/15/2023 and promoting children's development and readiness to participate in school. We aren't reaching enough families in these vital infant and toddler years, but Smart Start's expanded Home Visiting funding will allow us to help even more families. Thanks to our stronger fiscal standing, we can afford to do this. And as every provider, teacher, and parent in this state knows, we can't afford to wait. The research is clear. Smart Start Illinois will save taxpayers seven dollars for every one dollar invested and will vault Illinois to national leadership in early childhood development. Enhancing quality early care and education is a win-win solution for remobilizing parents in the workforce, enhancing brain development and kindergarten readiness, saving taxpayers money and increasing economic activity now and in the decades ahead. On a broader… yeah. On a broader scale, our increased investments in education have already been paying off. Last year, Illinois high schoolers notched their highest graduation rate in over a decade, with a notable increase among black and Hispanic students. Every demographic group in Illinois experienced accelerated growth in both English language arts and math, outpacing pre-pandemic levels. More students took career and technical education or dual-credit courses than ever before. And Illinois… sorry, and US News and World Report now ranks Illinois 6th in the nation for pre-K to 12 education. And among the top 10 most populous states, we are number one. Compare that to 2018, prior to the implementation of evidence-based funding, when 168 districts in Illinois were funded at levels under 60 percent of adequacy targets. Today, only two districts are in that lowest 10300008.docx 12  STATE OF ILLINOIS 103rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 8th Legislative Day 2/15/2023 category. Every year, an international organization based in London evaluates and chooses the world's best schools. In 2022, Chicago's Curie High School, a public school on the Southwest Side of Chicago was one of the just five schools in the world to earn this ranking, and it was the only one chosen in North America. By melding great academics with an exceptional arts program, along with individualized mental and social-emotional support, Curie High School students are given the resources that they need to thrive. I wanted to recognize the commitment of Curie's educators, social workers, counselors, and support staff, so I've asked Curie High School's Principal Homero Penuelas to join us here today. Principal Penuelas, thank you for setting such a great example of educational growth and showing the excellence of Illinois schooling. When it comes to K-12 education, we've come a long way, and we still have a long way to go. Which is why I'm proposing we increase our investment in K-12 education by another $506 million dollars. That includes $350 million in EBF, an $86 million increase in grants for transportation and special education, and an additional $70 million targeted at educator shortages. My teacher pipeline proposal… this proposal directs the $70 million annually over the next 3 years to the 170 school districts with the most acute needs and vacancies. Those districts represent over 80 percent of the unfilled teaching positions in our state. Filling them will improve the student-teacher ratio for over 871 thousand students. When we talk about early childhood and K-12 education, what we're really talking about is preparing kids for what comes next, which can be a post-secondary degree or 10300008.docx 13  STATE OF ILLINOIS 103rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 8th Legislative Day 2/15/2023 a job. But unless we're willing to make it affordable to attend the institutions and programs that provide the necessary 21st century degrees and skills, we're not fulfilling on our promise of cradle to career opportunity. Here with us today is the Mayor of Bloomington, Mboka Mwilambwe. Born the youngest of seven children in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mboka came to the United States in 1989 to pursue a college education. And thanks to financial assistance from ISU, Mboka did that right here in Illinois, graduating with a bachelor's degree in mathematics and then a master's in education. He became a U.S. citizen in 2008, and after a career as a college administrator, Mboka was elected Mayor of Bloomington, the first African American ever to hold that position. Seated next to the mayor is Jaichan Smith from Chicago, who is currently a junior at University of Illinois-Springfield, majoring in psychology with a minor in child advocacy studies. He plans to pursue a career as a child clinical psychologist so that he can help the next generation of young Illinoisans. In Jaichan's words, he could not have attended college without the MAP Grant program. Mboka and Jaichan, you both represent the promise of what college affordability can do for someone's future and how our state benefits from it. Your success is our success. Please, both of you, please stand. Look, I am determined to make sure that every person in Illinois has that same opportunity. When I first took office, our state was losing high school graduates to other states because Illinois State Government had cut funding for higher education and had fallen behind other states in providing financial support to students. Think 10300008.docx 14  STATE OF ILLINOIS 103rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 8th Legislative Day 2/15/2023 about that for a moment. We were losing our brightest young people to other state universities because we weren't providing enough students with scholarships or providing a large enough award. So, other states were simply stealing the people in our state who are our greatest economic assets, our brightest minds. And we know that when students leave their home state for college, well, 70 percent of them never come back. I set out to change that, and working with the Majority of the General Assembly, that's exactly what we did. This year, every single student who is eligible for a MAP Grant now gets one, and we are providing larger scholarships than ever before. While other states battle dwindling enrollment numbers, our public universities are seeing extraordinary growth. For the second year in a row, freshman enrollment at our state universities has increased substantially, and at a much faster rate than the rest of the nation. But we can do more. With a $100 million increase in MAP, we can make history. Together with Pell grants, virtually everyone at or below median income in Illinois can go to community college tuition-free. That means higher wages and better jobs in health care and IT, construction management, manufacturing, accounting, and much, much more. For decades, we neglected direct investments in our state universities and community colleges, too. I propose we raise our direct investment in them by $100 million, also, the largest increase in more than 2 decades. This is yet another way for us to make college more affordable. After years of decline, we're seeing growth across higher education in Illinois that's well above the national average. This is our moment to take it all to the 10300008.docx 15  STATE OF ILLINOIS 103rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 8th Legislative Day 2/15/2023 next level. Just a few weeks ago, Illinois was named the number one state in our region for workforce development. That's because… yeah. We should all be proud of that. That's because we're making the necessary investments in job training. Let's hold on to that title by investing another $25 million into Illinois Works for diverse hiring in the trades, $10 million for high school vocational training for the electric vehicle workforce, $1 million for data center operator training, and $20 million in grants to recruit, train, and rapidly upskill workers for job openings at Illinois companies. And we're going to need every one of those skilled workers and many more, because as of today, we have more than 81 thousand more job openings in Illinois than we have skilled workers to fill them. And our economy and our industries are continuing to grow. Capital investments in Illinois through EDGE agreements nearly tripled since before the pandemic, from $348 million in 2019 to $1 billion in 2022. And the number of new jobs created by EDGE has jumped nearly 60 percent. The data center industry is booming in Illinois, creating more than 8 thousand jobs just since the passage of our bipartisan Data Center Tax Credit in 2019. Since then, Illinois has become the second largest data center market in the United States and the fifth largest in the entire world. And our expansion of clean energy production under CEJA is expected to feed our data center growth for years to come. Thanks to our Film Tax Credit, TV and film production revenue in Illinois reached a record high last year of almost $700 million, including $400 million in wages paid and more than 15,400 jobs. Cannabis legalization has created more than 30 10300008.docx 16  STATE OF ILLINOIS 103rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 8th Legislative Day 2/15/2023 thousand jobs since 2020, and Illinois is home to the country's most diverse cannabis industry and some of the largest companies. From Kellogg to 4Front to Ferrero to Tyson to Rivian to Lion Electric, large businesses are moving to and expanding here in Illinois. So too are small businesses. After a successful first round of grants, we are adding an additional $20 million to our Rebuild Illinois Downtowns and Main Streets Capital Program to spruce up and modernize central business districts all across Illinois so small businesses will thrive. To make it easier to do business in Illinois, we are creating a one-stop business portal to help small businesses and aspiring entrepreneurs figure out what they need to do to start and grow a business, get permits, and win business with State Government. And with equity as a guiding principle, we're providing $10 million in assistance for minority-owned businesses who plan to expand in Illinois. There is much more to do, but we are ensuring that Illinois is open for business. But we need to be safe in our businesses and our homes. So, we've beefed up support for law enforcement to reduce crime. In 2022, Illinois State Police's Metropolitan Enforcement Groups and Drug Task Forces across the state seized 679 firearms and over 13 tons of drugs, including multiple major interdictions of deadly fentanyl, and 1,942 individuals involved in crimes were arrested. With increased patrols and technology, Illinois State Police cut the number of homicides on Chicago-area expressways by 88 percent and shootings dropped… sorry, shootings dropped nearly in half. That's real progress. And this year's budget continues funding the hiring of additional troopers and 10300008.docx 17  STATE OF ILLINOIS 103rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 8th Legislative Day 2/15/2023 upgrading the tools to catch perpetrators. Hand in hand with public safety are the human services necessary for people most in need. Over the last decade, human services in Illinois were challenged in two ways. First, by massive budget cuts and then by the pandemic. Among the areas most in need has been behavioral health. In so many ways, the pandemic exposed the cracks in this system, leaving too many to deal with crises without any help. We've looked at ways, both big and small, to address these needs. Today, in Illinois, there is no single, consistent front door for young people or for families to walk through if they need behavioral health care. There is no central website that parents can search or phone number to call. Instead, they're left to navigate a confusing and overlapping multiple-agency bureaucracy on their own. That's going to change. The FY24 budget invests $10 million to create our first care portal and resource referral tools for families seeking care. Through it, they can learn about the resources available to them and be matched with what meets their needs best, all in one place. Nearly a year ago, I launched the Children's Behavioral Health Transformation Initiative to evaluate and redesign the delivery of behavioral health services for children and adolescents throughout our state. This initiative recognizes that while DCFS and DHS are on the front lines of caring for our most vulnerable children, it will take a whole of government, inter-agency approach to truly provide the care that our children deserve. In alignment with the initiative's recommendations, we are investing another $10 million towards a two-year expansion of the Comprehensive Community Based 10300008.docx 18  STATE OF ILLINOIS 103rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 8th Legislative Day 2/15/2023 Youth Services program focused on youth aged 11 to 17 who are at risk of involvement in the child welfare system or the juvenile justice system. This funding will expand 24/7 services to youth, including assessments, crisis stabilizations, and housing. This fiscal year, for the first time in a decade, DHS began selecting children from the PUNS waiting list, a database that registers individuals with developmental disabilities, to receive home and community- based care. This work must continue. Over the next fiscal year, DHS plans to offer services to an additional 500 children on the list. Remember, first time in a decade. It will provide these children and their families access to needed services and supports while decreasing the state's waitlist for services. One of the most difficult challenges that we face right now in the field of social and mental health services are the critical worker shortages that we're seeing across the country. Let me be clear. There is no bigger challenge in this arena than the workforce problem. And we are competing with 49 other states to try and attract people to these jobs here in Illinois. Providing more competitive wages to develop and support our workforce is an absolute necessity. For the last several years, I've directed state funds towards supporting wage increases for our private sector provider partners, including those who work with the Department of Children and Family Services. That continues in this budget proposal. And an additional $120 million in the FY24 budget for the Department of Human Services allows us to continue rate increases to make Illinois more competitive in the market for workers who serve people with developmental 10300008.docx 19  STATE OF ILLINOIS 103rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 8th Legislative Day 2/15/2023 disabilities. The investments that we've made in social service agencies over the past four years and that we're proposing for the coming year will finally have reversed the hollowing out that occurred in human services under the previous administration, if we are able to hire up enough staff in this very tight labor market. We are cautiously optimistic that we can do so. This entire budget proposal rests on our shared goal to give Illinois families the support and the opportunities for the big building blocks of a good life: food access, housing, and health care. Certainly, most people won't need to rely on government for those things. But we will have failed everyone in Illinois if we don't place a higher priority on tackling poverty because fewer people living in financial distress means a better quality of life for everyone in this state. So, this budget proposes increasing Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, TANF, by $50 million so our families have more help to cover basic necessities like transportation, electricity, and food. We also need to recognize that it does no good to provide a family with more money to purchase food if they have no local grocery store to shop at. Government at the state and local level has tried hard to attract big retail food chains to neighborhoods that need them with tax incentives and flashy ribbon-cutting ceremonies. But after the cameras leave, often so do the commercial chains, leaving poorer rural and urban communities high and dry. It's time we return to a tried-and- true model, one where those communities are served by independent, local grocery stores that sell food grown by Illinois farmers. So, to do that, this budget includes a first 10300008.docx 20  STATE OF ILLINOIS 103rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 8th Legislative Day 2/15/2023 of its kind investment of $20 million to launch the Illinois Grocery Initiative, assisting municipalities and independent grocers to open or expand grocery stores in underserved rural towns and urban neighborhoods, with an additional $2 million going towards specifically purchasing healthy and nutritious food from Illinois farmers. When you're addressing poverty, though, hand in hand with food is a place to call home. In Illinois, over 120 thousand people experience homelessness annually and over 76 thousand children face doubled-up homelessness, living in overcrowded shared housing. In Illinois, black people are eight times more likely to experience homelessness than white people. But the faces of Illinoisans with no home to go to are not homogenous. They include single parents with infants and toddlers, sixth graders trying to complete their homework using toilets as a desk in temporary shared housing, and LGBTQ+ high schoolers who were kicked out of their homes by their parents. Homelessness is not an identity. It's a set of circumstances. So, today, I am proud to unveil Home Illinois, a plan with a goal to invest $50 million this year into prevention, crisis response, housing units, and staffing. To see success, look no further than Rockford, Illinois. Working in partnership with community organizers, judges, and housing authorities, Mayor Tom McNamara and the City of Rockford have engaged in successfully assisting homeless residents in their transition to apartments and helping struggling families avoid eviction from their homes. The state should help other communities do the same, mobilizing every agency and every resource at our disposal so that no Illinoisans go without a home. Thank you 10300008.docx 21  STATE OF ILLINOIS 103rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 8th Legislative Day 2/15/2023 very much for your leadership, Mayor McNamara. Some of the most marginalized people in our society are women, especially women of color, who earn the least and take on some of the greatest societal burdens. When conservatives on the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, they didn't strip the right to an abortion from wealthy women. They took it from the most vulnerable women. I won't accept that for the women of Illinois, and neither do the majority of the people of Illinois. That's why last month we expanded our pool of abortion providers and eliminated barriers to access, allowing birth centers to provide all reproductive care, eliminating copays for birth control and abortive medications. Since Roe was overturned, all the states around us have taken away reproductive freedom from their residents. So, Illinois' health care providers are seeing triple the demand, with desperate patients showing up at the crack of dawn every day. That's why we are establishing the Reproductive Health Public Navigation Hotline, so patients can call ahead for a risk assessment and find the services that will meet their needs. From transportation and lodging to insurance coverage options, the hotline will help patients traverse a complex and overwhelmed system. To address the shortage of reproductive health care workers, we're providing $5 million toward learning collaboratives for worker training. Let's not pull any punches. This is a result of a national conservative crusade to legislate against the most intimate matters of a woman's basic health care. I'm sure that there are some elected officials who would like us to stop talking about abortion. Well, too bad. There are women 10300008.docx 22  STATE OF ILLINOIS 103rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 8th Legislative Day 2/15/2023 in… there are women in this country right now who are facing untold mental and physical anguish because of the fall of Roe v. Wade. Here in Illinois, women know their rights are protected, but that doesn't take away our obligation as Americans to speak up for the rest of the nation, and we will keep doing it. In the past few years, we saw the critical role that our public health infrastructure plays in our residents' well-being. No one was prepared for a disease that took more than 36 thousand Illinoisans' lives in 30 months and affected hundreds of thousands of others. And every responsible public health expert will tell you that the next pandemic will not take another hundred years to arrive. We must act on the lessons from COVID and built a more robust state and local public health infrastructure so that we are prepared for whatever comes our way. We must invest $45 million in upgrading our Department of Public Health's IT for Illinois' National Electronic Disease Surveillance system and Long-Term Care systems. These are tools that states use to monitor the spread of disease, that prevent outbreaks, and protect our most vulnerable residents. And we'll couple that with a $8.5 million investment to assist public health professionals identifying and projecting the potential impact of a… an emerging disease on the horizon. If COVID-19 taught us anything, we must invest in the tools to quickly and aggressively contain the spread of these diseases. Every day I've held this office, since the outbreak of COVID, I think about the health care workers who risked their lives to save others, going home, but needing to keep their distance from their spouses, parents, or children, battling exhaustion and 10300008.docx 23  STATE OF ILLINOIS 103rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 8th Legislative Day 2/15/2023 burnout, and too often having to deliver the worst possible news despite their best efforts. Our health care workers are heroes. Though there is never enough that we can do to repay them for their sacrifice, I propose we make their lives just a little bit easier by reducing the debt burden they face. That's why the FY24 budget includes $3 million for Healthcare Worker Loan Repayment and Scholarship programs, alongside a $25 million rate increase for practitioners to broaden access to critical health care services, from an obstetrician for a pregnant woman to a behavioral health specialist for a struggling teen. Delivering what matters to Illinois residents and their families is what defines good government. We've all been asked to represent our constituents with tenacity and honor and to speak up when our common American values are challenged. Our history is a series of stops and starts, of ups and downs, of our ancestors getting it tragically wrong and courageously right. The only thing we can hope for in this work together is that the values we attach our names to will make our grandchildren proud. After all, this is the Land of Lincoln. We have a responsibility to that legacy. As Elie Wiesel said, 'We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.' With that in mind, I want to take sides on something that I feel obligated to speak out about, especially given the history of anti- Semitism and discrimination suffered by my ancestors and that persists for so many others today. There is a virulent strain of nationalism plaguing our nation, led by demagogues who are pushing censorship, with a particular attack right now on 10300008.docx 24  STATE OF ILLINOIS 103rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 8th Legislative Day 2/15/2023 school board members and library trustees. It's an ideological battle by the right wing, hiding behind a claim that they would protect our children, but whose real intention is to marginalize people and ideas they don't like. This has been done in the past, and it doesn't stop with just snuffing out ideas. This afternoon I've laid out a budget agenda that does everything possible to invest in the education of our children. Yet it's all meaningless if we become a nation that bans books from school libraries about racism suffered by Roberto Clemente and Hank Aaron and tells kids that they can't talk about being gay. And that signals to black and brown people and Asian Americans and Jews and Muslims that our authentic stories can't be told. Look, I'm the father of two children. I care a great deal about their education. Like every good parent, I want to be involved in what they learn. I'm also a proud American. Our nation has a great history and much to be proud of, and I want my children to learn that history. But I don't want them to be lied to. I want… I want them to learn our true history, warts and all. Illinois' young people shouldn't be kept from learning about the realities of the world. I want them to become critical thinkers, exposed to ideas that they disagree with, proud of what our nation has overcome and thoughtful about what comes next. Here in Illinois, we don't hide from the truth, we embrace it. That's what makes us strong. I want to conclude today with sharing a story of someone who exemplifies the tenacity of our people here in the Prairie State. In 1951, at the age of 18, Joyce DeFauw arrived on Northern Illinois University's campus to pursue a degree in economics. But life had other plans. She 10300008.docx 25  STATE OF ILLINOIS 103rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 8th Legislative Day 2/15/2023 met her husband, Don Freeman, Sr. and left NIU to raise a family. Seven decades later, nine children, and dozens of grandchildren and great-grandchildren later, Joyce decided that she could focus on herself once again, and she re- enrolled in college to finish her degree. Once again, life had other plans, a once-in-a-generation, indeed, once-in-a- century pandemic. But that didn't deter her. She finished her classes on a laptop given to her as a gift, and just 2 months ago, at age 90, Joyce walked across the stage to receive her bachelor's degree in general studies, becoming the oldest person in history to graduate from NIU. Joyce's story is a classic Illinois tale. We are a stubborn people. We persevere no matter the challenge. We welcome opportunity for improvement. And when we rise, we rise together. I see it in Mboka Mwilambwe, who received a tuition waiver from this welcoming state and has returned it tenfold as Bloomington's mayor. And in Jaichan Smith who is on his way to becoming a child clinical psychologist. I see it in Itanzia Dawson, a mom determined to provide a better life for her family and who now educates the children of Little Village. I see it Anne Tyree, who supports mental health patients and their families who are going through the same thing that she has. I see it in neighbors who helped each other through the pandemic, in small businesses contributing to their communities, in the determination of our young people to make positive change for our state and our nation. We are a people with enough empathy to be kind to one another, enough grit to persevere, and just enough confidence to believe that we can make a difference in this world. That's the Illinois that I 10300008.docx 26  STATE OF ILLINOIS 103rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 8th Legislative Day 2/15/2023 know. That's the Illinois we all represent. Thank you, all. God bless this great state and the United States of America."

"Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I move that the Joint Session do now arise."

Clerk Hollman: "Committee Reports. Representative Walsh, Chairperson from the Committee on Public Utilities reports the following committee action taken on February 14, 2023: do pass Short Debate is House Bill 1602. Representative DeLuca, Chairperson from the Committee on Cities & Villages reports the following committee action on February 14, 2023: do pass Short Debate is House Bill 1220. Representative Ann Williams, Chairperson of the Committee on Energy & Environment reports the following committee action on February 14, 2023: do pass Short Debate is House Bill 1440. Representative Collins, Chairperson from the Committee on Health Care Availability & 10300008.docx 27  STATE OF ILLINOIS 103rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 8th Legislative Day 2/15/2023 Accessibility reports the following committee action on February 14, 2023: do pass Short Debate is House Bill 1186. Representative Gong-Gershowitz, Chairperson from the Committee of Judiciary - Civil reports the following committee action on February 15, 2023: do pass Short Debate is House Bill 1591. Introduction of Resolutions. House Resolution 66, offered by Representative Hoffman; House Joint Resolution 10, offered by Representative Yednock; House Joint Resolution 11, offered by Representative Yednock; House Joint Resolution 12, offered by Representative Yednock; and House Joint Resolution 13, offered by Representative West, are referred to the Rules Committee."

"The following committees will be meeting this afternoon. Meeting at 2:00 is State Government in Room 118, Labor & Commerce in Room 114. Meeting at 3:00 is Higher Education in Room 122-B. The previously scheduled Elementary & Secondary Education: Administration, Licensing & Charter Schools Committee was canceled already."

"Agreed Resolutions. House Resolution 67, offered by Representative Elik. And House Resolution 68, offered by Representative Ortiz."

"House Perfunctory Session will come to order. Correction of First Readings from February 1, 2023. House Bill 1981, a Bill for an Act making appropriations, offered by Representative McCombie, is read first time. The First Reading of this House Bill. Introduction and First Reading of 10300008.docx 32  STATE OF ILLINOIS 103rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 8th Legislative Day 2/15/2023 House Bills. House Bill 2390, offered by Representative Windhorst, a Bill for an Act concerning local government. House Bill 2391, offered by Representative Scherer, a Bill for an Act concerning regulation. House Bill 2392, offered by Representative Scherer, a Bill for an Act concerning education. House Bill 2393, offered by Representative Delgado, a Bill for an Act concerning finance. House Bill 2394, offered by Representative Evans, a Bill for an Act concerning regulation. House Bill 2395, offered by Representative Evans, a Bill for an Act concerning regulation. House Bill 2396, offered by Representative Canty, a Bill for an Act concerning education. House Bill 2397, offered by Representative Delgado, a Bill for an Act concerning transportation. House Bill 2398, offered by Representative Delgado, a Bill for an Act concerning revenue. House Bill 2399, offered by Representative Didech, a Bill for an Act concerning liquor. House Bill 2400, offered by Representative Rita, a Bill for an Act concerning revenue. House Bill 2401, offered by Representative Ford, a Bill for an Act concerning education. House Bill 2402, offered by Representative Didech, a Bill for an Act concerning gaming. House Bill 2403, offered by Representative Didech, a Bill for an Act concerning gaming. House Bill 2304 (sic-2404), offered by Representative Didech, a Bill for an Act concerning gaming. House Bill 2405, offered by Representative Didech, a Bill for an Act concerning gaming. House Bill 2406, offered by Representative Didech, a Bill for an Act concerning gaming. House Bill 2407, offered by Representative Didech, a Bill for an Act concerning gaming. House Bill 2408, offered by 10300008.docx 33  STATE OF ILLINOIS 103rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 8th Legislative Day 2/15/2023 Representative Didech, a Bill for an Act concerning gaming. House Bill 2409, offered by Representative Didech, a Bill for an Act concerning gaming. House Bill 2410, offered by Representative Didech, a Bill for an Act concerning gaming. House Bill 2411, offered by Representative Didech, a Bill for an Act concerning gaming. House Bill 2412, offered by Representative Hoffman, a Bill for an Act concerning the Illinois State Police. House Bill 2413, offered by Representative Cabello, a Bill for an Act concerning State government. House Bill 2414, offered by Representative Cabello, a Bill for an Act concerning criminal law. House Bill 2415, offered by Representative Marron, a Bill for an Act concerning government. House Bill 2416, offered by Representative Marron, a Bill for an Act concerning revenue. House Bill 2417, offered by Representative Spain, a Bill for an Act concerning State government. House Bill 2418, offered by Representative Keicher, a Bill for an Act concerning government. House Bill 2419, offered by Representative Keicher, a Bill for an Act concerning local government. House Bill 2420, offered by Representative Keicher, a Bill for an Act concerning environmental safety. House Bill 2421, offered by Representative McLaughlin, a Bill for an Act concerning State government. House Bill 2422, offered by Representative Crespo, a Bill for an Act concerning appropriations. House Bill 2423, offered by Representative Moylan, a Bill for an Act concerning revenue. House Bill 2424, offered by Representative Marron, a Bill for an Act concerning State government. House Bill 2425, offered by Representative Moylan, a Bill for an Act concerning revenue. House Bill 2426, 10300008.docx 34  STATE OF ILLINOIS 103rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 8th Legislative Day 2/15/2023 offered by Representative Lilly, a Bill for an Act concerning regulation. House Bill 2427, offered by Representative Lilly, a Bill for an Act concerning public employee benefits. House Bill 2428, offered by Representative Lilly, a Bill for an Act concerning public aid. House Bill 2429, offered by Representative Guzzardi, a Bill for an Act concerning revenue. House Bill 2430, offered by Representative Evans, a Bill for an Act concerning health. House Bill 2431, offered by Representative Evans, a Bill for an Act concerning transportation. House Bill 2432, offered by Representative Hirschauer, a Bill for an Act concerning revenue. House Bill 2433, offered by Representative Lilly, a Bill for an Act concerning education. House Bill 2434, offered by Representative Lilly, a Bill for an Act concerning State government. House Bill 2435, offered by Representative Lilly, a Bill for an Act concerning revenue. House Bill 2436, offered by Representative Lilly, a Bill for an Act concerning health. House Bill 2437, offered by Representative Lilly, a Bill for an Act concerning local government. House Bill 2438, offered by Representative Lilly, a Bill for an Act concerning public aid. House Bill 2439, offered by Representative Lilly, a Bill for an Act concerning State government. House Bill 2440, offered by Representative Stava-Murray, a Bill for an Act concerning government. House Bill 2441, offered by Representative Carroll, a Bill for an Act concerning gaming. House Bill 2442, offered by Representative Guerrero-Cuellar, a Bill for an Act concerning education. House Bill 2443, offered by Representative Chung, a Bill for an Act concerning regulation. House Bill 2444, offered by Representative 10300008.docx 35  STATE OF ILLINOIS 103rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 8th Legislative Day 2/15/2023 Didech, a Bill for an Act concerning government. House Bill 2445, offered by Representative Manley, a Bill for an Act concerning regulation. House Bill 2446, offered by Representative Syed, a Bill for an Act concerning elections. House Bill 2447, offered by Representative Avelar, a Bill for an Act concerning State government. House Bill 2448, offered by Representative Johnson, a Bill for an Act concerning State government. House Bill 2449, offered by Representative Ann Williams, a Bill for an Act concerning regulation. House Bill 2450, offered by Representative Morgan, a Bill for an Act concerning regulation. House Bill 2451, offered by Representative Johnson, a Bill for an Act concerning State government. House Bill 2452, offered by Representative Gonzalez, a Bill for an Act concerning essential services for persons with developmental disabilities. House Bill 2453, offered by Representative Slaughter, a Bill for an Act concerning regulation. House Bill 2454, offered by Representative Collins, a Bill for an Act concerning criminal law. House Bill 2455, offered by Representative Tarver, a Bill for an Act concerning government. House Bill 2456, offered by Representative LaPointe, a Bill for an Act concerning public aid. House Bill 2457, offered by Representative Will Davis, a Bill for an Act concerning revenue. House Bill 2458, offered by Representative Canty, a Bill for an Act concerning criminal law. House Bill 2459, offered by Representative Moylan, a Bill for an Act concerning safety. House Bill 2460, offered by Representative Moylan, a Bill for an Act concerning education. House Bill 2461, offered by Representative Walsh, a Bill for an Act concerning 10300008.docx 36  STATE OF ILLINOIS 103rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 8th Legislative Day 2/15/2023 wildlife. House Bill 2462, offered by Representative Hanson, a Bill for an Act concerning transportation. House Bill 2463, offered by Representative Costa Howard, a Bill for an Act concerning civil law. House Bill 2464, offered by Representative Cassidy, a Bill for an Act concerning transportation. House Bill 2465, offered by Representative Mayfield, a Bill for an Act concerning liquor. House Bill 2466, offered by Representative Ness, a Bill for an Act concerning revenue. House Bill 2467, offered by Representative Mah, a Bill for an Act concerning education. House Bill 2468, offered by Representative Harper, a Bill for an Act concerning agriculture. House Bill 2469, offered by Representative Ortiz, a Bill for an Act concerning education. House Bill 2470, offered by Representative Ortiz, a Bill for an Act concerning State government. House Bill 2471, offered by Representative West, a Bill for an Act concerning education. House Bill 2472, offered by Representative Morgan, a Bill for an Act concerning regulation. House Bill 2473, offered by Representative Evans, a Bill for an Act concerning regulation. House Bill 2474, offered by Representative Ness, a Bill for an Act concerning regulation. House Bill 2475, offered by Representative Guerrero-Cuellar, a Bill for an Act concerning State government. House Bill 2476, offered by Representative Cassidy, a Bill for an Act concerning regulation. House Bill 2477, offered by Representative Croke, a Bill for an Act concerning civil law. House Bill 2478, offered by Representative Moeller, a Bill for an Act concerning local government. House Bill 2479, offered by Representative Ann Williams, a Bill for an Act concerning 10300008.docx 37  STATE OF ILLINOIS 103rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 8th Legislative Day 2/15/2023 State government. House Bill 2480, offered by Representative Evans, a Bill for an Act concerning regulation. House Bill 2481, offered by Representative Mussman, a Bill for an Act concerning appropriations. House Bill 2482, offered by Representative Buckner, a Bill for an Act concerning finance. House Bill 2483, offered by Representative Buckner, a Bill for an Act concerning appropriations. House Bill 2484, offered by Representative Hoffman, a Bill for an Act concerning State government. House Bill 2485, offered by Representative Hoffman, a Bill for an Act concerning State government. House Bill 2486, offered by Representative Lilly, a Bill for an Act concerning education. House Bill 2487, offered by Representative Lilly, a Bill for an Act concerning safety. House Bill 2488, offered by Representative West, a Bill for an Act concerning local government. House Bill 2489, offered by Representative Johnson, a Bill for an Act concerning government. House Bill 2490, offered by Representative Buckner, a Bill for an Act concerning education. House Bill 2491, offered by Representative Rita, a Bill for an Act concerning regulation. House Bill 2492, offered by Representative Ann Williams, a Bill for an Act concerning education. House Bill 2493, offered by Representative Ortiz, a Bill for an Act concerning employment. House Bill 2494, offered by Representative Mussman, a Bill for an Act concerning regulation. House Bill 2495, offered by Representative Huynh, a Bill for an Act concerning regulation. House Bill 2496, offered by Representative Rita, a Bill for an Act concerning health. House Bill 2497, offered by Representative Burke, a Bill for 10300008.docx 38  STATE OF ILLINOIS 103rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 8th Legislative Day 2/15/2023 an Act concerning State government. House Bill 2498, offered by Representative Costa Howard, a Bill for an Act concerning regulation. House Bill 2499, offered by Representative Morgan, a Bill for an Act concerning regulation. House Bill 2500, offered by Representative Benton, a Bill for an Act concerning regulation. House Bill 2501, offered by Representative Norma Hernandez, a Bill for an Act concerning health. House Bill 2502, offered by Representative Tarver, a Bill for an Act concerning liquor. House Bill 2503, offered by Representative Stuart, a Bill for an Act concerning education. House Bill 2504, offered by Representative Ammons, a Bill for an Act concerning appropriations. House Bill 2505, offered by Representative Moylan, a Bill for an Act concerning transportation. House Bill 2506, offered by Representative Mussman, a Bill for an Act concerning regulation. House Bill 2507, offered by Representative Croke, a Bill for an Act concerning revenue. House Bill 2508, offered by Representative Mussman, a Bill for an Act concerning public aid. House Bill 2509, offered by Representative Delgado, a Bill for an Act concerning regulation. House Bill 2510, offered by Representative Ness, a Bill for an Act concerning education. House Bill 2511, offered by Representative Ladisch Douglass, a Bill for an Act concerning revenue. House Bill 2512, offered by Representative Burke, a Bill for an Act concerning revenue. House Bill 2513, offered by Representative Burke, a Bill for an Act concerning revenue. House Bill 2514, offered by Representative Will Davis, a Bill for an Act concerning finance. House Bill 2515, offered by Representative Kifowit, a Bill for an Act concerning finance. 10300008.docx 39  STATE OF ILLINOIS 103rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 8th Legislative Day 2/15/2023 House Bill 2516, offered by Representative Stuart, a Bill for an Act concerning education. House Bill 2517, offered by Representative Hirschauer, a Bill for an Act concerning State government. House Bill 2518, offered by Representative Croke, a Bill for an Act concerning revenue. House Bill 2519, offered by Representative Stuart, a Bill for an Act concerning health. House Bill 2520, offered by Representative Harper, a Bill for an Act concerning safety. House Bill 2521, offered by Representative Harper, a Bill for an Act concerning safety. House Bill 2522, offered by Representative Harper, a Bill for an Act concerning health. House Bill 2523, offered by Representative Harper, a Bill for an Act concerning appropriations. House Bill 2524, offered by Representative Harper, a Bill for an Act concerning safety. House Bill 2525, offered by Representative Ladisch Douglass, a Bill for an Act concerning State government. House Bill 2526, offered by Representative Hirschauer, a Bill for an Act concerning State government. House Bill 2527, offered by Representative Walsh, a Bill for an Act concerning local government. House Bill 2528, offered by Representative Ammons, a Bill for an Act concerning education. House Bill 2529, offered by Representative Avelar, a Bill for an Act concerning revenue. House Bill 2530, offered by Representative Lilly, a Bill for an Act concerning public aid. House Bill 2531, offered by Representative Will Davis, a Bill for an Act concerning transportation. House Bill 2532, offered by Representative Lilly, a Bill for an Act concerning appropriations. House Bill 2533, offered by Representative Ladisch Douglass, a Bill for an Act concerning civil law. House Bill 2534, offered by 10300008.docx 40  STATE OF ILLINOIS 103rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 8th Legislative Day 2/15/2023 Representative Robinson, a Bill for an Act concerning education. House Bill 2535, offered by Representative Lilly, a Bill for an Act concerning aging. House Bill 2536, offered by Representative Lilly, a Bill for an Act concerning elections. House Bill 2537, offered by Representative Lilly, a Bill for an Act concerning regulation. House Bill 2538, offered by Representative Robinson, a Bill for an Act concerning appropriations. House Bill 2539, offered by Representative Hirschauer, a Bill for an Act concerning revenue. House Bill 2540, offered by Representative Mason, a Bill for an Act concerning veterans. House Bill 2541, offered by Representative Mah, a Bill for an Act concerning regulation. House Bill 2542, offered by Representative Mason, a Bill for an Act concerning health. House Bill 2543, offered by Representative Olickal, a Bill for an Act concerning criminal law. House Bill 2544, offered by Representative Mason, a Bill for an Act concerning revenue. House Bill 2545, offered by Representative Hirschauer, a Bill for an Act concerning State government. House Bill 2546, offered by Representative Olickal, a Bill for an Act concerning revenue. House Bill 2547, offered by Representative Olickal, a Bill for an Act concerning regulation. House Bill 2548, offered by Representative Delgado, a Bill for an Act concerning revenue. House Bill 2549, offered by Representative Elizabeth Hernandez, a Bill for an Act concerning public aid. House Bill 2550, offered by Representative Yang Rohr, a Bill for an Act concerning regulation. House Bill 2551, offered by Representative Lisa Hernandez, a Bill for an Act concerning appropriations. House Bill 2552, offered by Representative 10300008.docx 41  STATE OF ILLINOIS 103rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 8th Legislative Day 2/15/2023 Evans, a Bill for an Act concerning utilities. House Bill 2553, offered by Representative Yang Rohr, a Bill for an Act concerning revenue. House Bill 2554, offered by Representative Meyers-Martin, a Bill for an Act concerning revenue. House Bill 2555, offered by Representative Ness, a Bill for an Act concerning elections. House Bill 2556, offered by Representative Harper, a Bill for an Act concerning education. House Bill 2557, offered by Representative Harper, a Bill for an Act concerning agriculture. House Bill 2558, offered by Representative Moylan, a Bill for an Act concerning State government. House Bill 2559, offered by Representative Moylan, a Bill for an Act concerning finance. House Bill 2560, offered by Representative Moylan, a Bill for an Act concerning safety. House Bill 2561, offered by Representative Moylan, a Bill for an Act concerning State government. House Bill 2562, offered by Representative Huynh, a Bill for an Act concerning civil law. House Bill 2563, offered by Representative Vella, a Bill for an Act concerning State government. House Bill 2564, offered by Representative Vella, a Bill for an Act concerning civil law. House Bill 2565, offered by Representative Stuart, a Bill for an Act concerning revenue. House Bill 2566, offered by Representative Stuart, a Bill for an Act concerning criminal law. House Bill 2567, offered by Representative Stuart, a Bill for an Act concerning local government. House Bill 2568, offered by Representative Stuart, a Bill for an Act concerning revenue. House Bill 2569, offered by Representative Ness, a Bill for an Act concerning safety. House Bill 2570, offered by Representative Andrade, a Bill for an Act concerning gaming. House Bill 2571, offered 10300008.docx 42  STATE OF ILLINOIS 103rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 8th Legislative Day 2/15/2023 by Representative Andrade, a Bill for an Act concerning human rights. House Bill 2572, offered by Representative Faver Dias, a Bill for an Act concerning finance. House Bill 2573, offered by Representative Yednock, a Bill for an Act concerning agriculture. House Bill 2574, offered by Representative Guerrero-Cuellar, a Bill for an Act concerning criminal law. House Bill 2575, offered by Representative Ann Williams, a Bill for an Act concerning local government. House Bill 2576, offered by Representative Hoffman, a Bill for an Act concerning courts. House Bill 2577, offered by Representative Hoffman, a Bill for an Act concerning public aid. House Bill 2578, offered by Representative Cabello, a Bill for an Act concerning criminal law. House Bill 2579, offered by Representative Sosnowski, a Bill for an Act concerning revenue. House Bill 2580, offered by Representative Hauter, a Bill for an Act concerning regulation. House Bill 2581, offered by Representative Hauter, a Bill for an Act concerning regulation. House Bill 2582, offered by Representative Fritts, a Bill for an Act concerning transportation. House Bill 2583, offered by Representative Elik, a Bill for an Act concerning revenue. House Bill 2584, offered by Representative Swanson, a Bill for an Act concerning transportation. House Bill 2585, offered by Representative Swanson, a Bill for an Act concerning revenue. House Bill 2586, offered by Representative Swanson, a Bill for an Act concerning education. House Bill 2587, offered by Representative Jed Davis, a Bill for an Act concerning State government. House Bill 2588, offered by Representative Weaver, a Bill for an 10300008.docx 43  STATE OF ILLINOIS 103rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 8th Legislative Day 2/15/2023 Act concerning revenue. House Bill 2589, offered by Representative Weaver, a Bill for an Act concerning public employee benefits. House Bill 2590, offered by Representative Niemerg, a Bill for an Act concerning civil law. House Bill 2591, offered by Representative Niemerg, a Bill for an Act concerning local government. House Bill 2592, offered by Representative Spain, a Bill for an Act concerning revenue. House Bill 2593, offered by Representative Caulkins, a Bill for an Act concerning education. House Bill 2594, offered by Representative Miller, a Bill for an Act concerning revenue. House Bill 2595, offered by Representative Niemerg, a Bill for an Act concerning revenue. House Bill 2596, offered by Representative Niemerg, a Bill for an Act concerning revenue. House Bill 2597, offered by Representative Niemerg, a Bill for an Act concerning revenue. House Bill 2598, offered by Representative Niemerg, a Bill for an Act concerning revenue. House Bill 2599, offered by Representative Niemerg, a Bill for an Act concerning revenue. House Bill 2600, offered by Representative Niemerg, a Bill for an Act concerning revenue. House Bill 2601, offered by Representative Niemerg, a Bill for an Act concerning regulation. House Bill 2602, offered by Representative Niemerg, a Bill for an Act concerning safety. House Bill 2603, offered by Representative Niemerg, a Bill for an Act concerning State government. House Bill 2604, offered by Representative Niemerg, a Bill for an Act concerning regulation. House Bill 2605, offered by Representative Niemerg, a Bill for an Act concerning firearms. House Bill 2606, offered by Representative Niemerg, a Bill for an Act concerning abortion. House Bill 2607, 10300008.docx 44  STATE OF ILLINOIS 103rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 8th Legislative Day 2/15/2023 offered by Representative Niemerg, a Bill for an Act concerning criminal law. House Bill 2608, offered by Representative Niemerg, a Bill for an Act concerning education. House Bill 2609, offered by Representative Jed Davis, a Bill for an Act concerning regulation. House Bill 2610, offered by Representative Jed Davis, a Bill for an Act concerning regulation. House Bill 2611, offered by Representative Jed Davis, a Bill for an Act concerning civil law. House Bill 2612, offered by Representative Jed Davis, a Bill for an Act concerning local government. House Bill 2613, offered by Representative Jed Davis, a Bill for an Act concerning regulation. House Bill 2614, offered by Representative Elik, a Bill for an Act concerning State government. House Bill 2615, offered by Representative Friess, a Bill for an Act concerning transportation. House Bill 2616, offered by Representative Friess, a Bill for an Act concerning local government. House Bill 2617, offered by Representative Windhorst, a Bill for an Act concerning courts. House Bill 2618, offered by Representative Elik, a Bill for an Act concerning State government. House Bill 2619, offered by Representative Gabel, a Bill for an Act concerning regulation. House Bill 2620, offered by Representative Costa Howard, a Bill for an Act concerning government. House Bill 2621, offered by Representative Kifowit, a Bill for an Act concerning State government. House Bill 2622, offered by Representative Mussman, a Bill for an Act concerning local government. House Bill 2623, offered by Representative Kifowit, a Bill for an Act concerning public employee benefits. House Bill 2624, offered by Representative Syed, a 10300008.docx 45  STATE OF ILLINOIS 103rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 8th Legislative Day 2/15/2023 Bill for an Act concerning courts. House Bill 2625, offered by Representative Syed, a Bill for an Act concerning State government. House Bill 2626, offered by Representative Syed, a Bill for an Act concerning elections. House Bill 2627, offered by Representative Syed, a Bill for an Act concerning firearms. House Bill 2628, offered by Representative Syed, a Bill for an Act concerning safety. House Bill 2629, offered by Representative Syed, a Bill for an Act concerning revenue. House Bill 2630, offered by Representative Cassidy, a Bill for an Act concerning elections. House Bill 2631, offered by Representative Evans, a Bill for an Act concerning public aid. House Bill 2632, offered by Representative Tarver, a Bill for an Act concerning criminal law. First Reading of these House Bills. There being no further business, the House Perfunctory Session will stand adjourned." 10300008.docx 46