Illinois House Floor Debate — March 6, 2024

"The House will be in order. Members will be in their chairs. That's much better. Thank you. We shall be led in prayer today by Pastor Keith Mosby, Sr. Pastor Mosby is the pastor of Gethsemane Church in East St. Louis, Illinois. Pastor Mosby is the guest of Representative Schmidt. Members and guests are asked to refrain from starting their laptops, turn off all cell phones, and rise for the invocation and the Pledge of Allegiance. Pastor Keith Mosby."

"We will be led in the Pledge of Allegiance today by Representative Jacobs."

"Roll Call for Attendance. Leader Gabel is recognized to report any excused absences on the Democratic side of the aisle."

"Speaker, let the record show the Representatives Guerrero- Cuellar, Vella, and Johnson are excused today."

"Leader Keicher is recognized to report any excused absences on the Republican side of the aisle."

"Have all recorded themselves who wish? Mr. Clerk, please take the record. There being 106 Members answering a roll call, a quorum is present. Mr. Clerk, Committee Reports."

"Chair recognized Representative Wilhour. For what reason do you seek recognition?"

"Please proceed." 10300074.docx 4  STATE OF ILLINOIS 103rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 74th Legislative Day 3/6/2024

"Congratulations. Chair recognizes Representative Scherer. For what reason do you seek recognition?"

"Thank you, Madam Chair. A point of personal privilege."

"Please proceed."

"Good afternoon, Ladies and Gentlemen. It's my pleasure and honor to welcome the 2024 Miss Land of Lincoln, Breana Bagley, to her State Capitol today. She's up to my left in the Speaker's Gallery. Breana is a native of Decatur, where 10300074.docx 5  STATE OF ILLINOIS 103rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 74th Legislative Day 3/6/2024 she also attended Millikin University. After graduating, she earned her law degree from Southern Illinois University. She's a first-generation law school graduate and practicing attorney. Breana currently works as national council for several corporations and large businesses. Her work, which is centered on… on representing health-focused businesses, reflects her specialization in health policy and her passion for helping those who are suffering from rare diseases. Outside of her legal career, Breana is a fierce advocate for those suffering from chronic health conditions. She leads the organization The Spirit of Norma Rae – Defying Pancreatic and Rare Diseases to help fund research that could cure rare diseases and chronic health conditions. Breana is also a nine- year partner with the National Pancreas Foundation and board member of the Camp Hope Committee, where she helped to create the first and only summer camp for children with pancreatitis. Through her work with this and other organizations, such as the American Heart Association and Mission: Cure, Breana has raised over $1 million to further pancreatic disease research. By the way, my own grandpa passed away of pancreatitis, and I always said, and so did my family, that this could've been avoided with more research. In 2019, she successfully advocated for the National Orphan Drug Act Resolution, which has helped to incentivize further research into rare pediatric diseases."

"Representative, just a moment. Members, can you take your conversations to the back of the chamber? Please continue." 10300074.docx 6  STATE OF ILLINOIS 103rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 74th Legislative Day 3/6/2024

"She is currently advocating for the Safe Step Act, which would reduce barriers to a patient receiving the best care possible. In June, Breana will travel to return to Marion, Illinois to compete for the title of Miss Illinois. Breana, thank you for serving our community and being a shining example of all that a young woman can do. I'm honored to welcome you here today. Ladies and Gentlemen, please join me in giving Breana a round of applause for all she has accomplished and will accomplish in the future. Thank you."

"Chair recognizes Representative Davis. For what reason do you seek recognition?" Davis, W.: "Madam Speaker, may I have a point of personal privilege?"

"Please proceed." Davis, W.: "Thank you very much, Madam Chair, Members of the General Assembly in the House. We've seen a lot of people walking around Springfield today, which is great. You know, and the public engaging us is always extremely important, advocating for those things that they think that are important, from a substantive standpoint as well as a appropriations standpoint. Many of you know that I am from the City of Harvey, which is a small town in the South Suburbs of Chicago. Today, I am pleased… thank you. Today, I am pleased and honored to acknowledge today some folks that are in the gallery, and I would respectfully ask them to stand. All of them. These… these young men and women are from the CEDA Uplift program in Harvey, Illinois. We are working hard to engage our young people, to encourage them to participate in activities in the city in which they live, to become a 10300074.docx 7  STATE OF ILLINOIS 103rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 74th Legislative Day 3/6/2024 part of the civics process. So, today, Machelle Anderson… and she is probably waving… brought down a group of young people from the City of Harvey from Thornridge High School, which is where I graduated from, as well as Thornton High School in the City of Harvey as well to engage, to watch, and to observe exactly what we do here in Springfield. When we talk about our future leaders, Ladies and Gentlemen, these young people, as well as others throughout the entire gallery in here, they are those future leaders. And while we argue and debate and yell at each other sometimes, this is what we are asking them to engage in. Not that the yelling is bad, it just means we're passionate about the things that are important to us and those things that affect our communities. So, again, if you would just join me in welcoming the students and chaperones from the CEDA Uplift program in Harvey, Illinois. Thank you very much."

Speaker Manley: "Welcome to your Capitol. Chair recognizes Representative Mason. For what reason do you seek recognition?"

"Thank you so much, Madam Chair. A point of personal privilege, please."

"Please proceed."

"Thank you. We have so many amazing guests today. It's great to see everyone so energized, but I would like to welcome a very special guest. And if he would stand. In the back, it is my mayor from my home, Mayor Tom Hood. Mayor Hood is a true hometown mayor. He grew up in Gurnee, Illinois, married his beautiful wife, Pam, in 1982. Spent 20 years on the Zoning Board of Appeals, became a village trustee in 2013, 10300074.docx 8  STATE OF ILLINOIS 103rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 74th Legislative Day 3/6/2024 and finally became mayor in 2021. He takes great care of us in that town. And on behalf of myself, Representative Mayfield, Representative Didech, and Representative Faver Dias, we welcome him to Springfield. Please help us welcome him."

"Welcome to the Capitol, mayor. Chair recognizes Representative Blair-Sherlock. For what reason do you seek recognition?"

"Point of personal privilege."

"Please proceed."

"Thank you. I filed a Resolution, but for circumstances beyond my control, I don't think it's going to come out this month. But I would like to recognize that March is Crochet Month. And the reason I'm doing this is because I put together a group of ladies to… in the spring to make hats and scarfs and gloves for those less fortunate. This became a movement that spread into other counties… oh, sorry, that spread into other counties. Sorry about that. Okay. So, anyhow, so, I put together a group of ladies who were called Unraveled. And we've been making hats and scarves and gloves for the less fortunate. I found that crocheters and knitters are extremely passionate about what they do, and that's why we came up with this idea. As a result of this group, we've given away over 600 hats and gloves and scarves to the less fortunate. This is also spreading to other counties. Okay, sorry. Okay, I'll start again just real quick. So, anyhow, I'm calling for recognition of March as National Crochet Month. As I was saying, a group of ladies that I put together, we meet three times a month, and we've been able to produce 10300074.docx 9  STATE OF ILLINOIS 103rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 74th Legislative Day 3/6/2024 and donate over 600 pieces of hats and scarves and gloves to the less fortunate. This has also spread to other counties, and I'm receiving shipments from Lake County, from Lee County, and it's really become a movement. And so, I just would like to recognize March as Crochet Month to encourage others around the state to use your skills to maybe give something forward and pay something back. So, I appreciate all the folks that have donated, and I'm glad that we can make people warm one piece at a time. Thank you."

"Thank you, Representative. Chair recognizes Representative Didech. For what reason do you seek recognition?"

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

"Please proceed."

"Thank you, Madam Speaker. We have a very exciting group of guests in the gallery today. I'm going to ask the students and teachers from Waukegan High School, North Chicago High School, and Stevenson High School, some are in the Speaker's Gallery, some are above the Democratic side, to please stand up so I can introduce the great delegation from the Lake County Mikva Challenge. The Mikva Challenge, their mission is to develop youth to be empowered, informed, and active citizens who will promote a just and equitable society. And we thank you for joining us today and advancing that important mission. I also want to give a very special recognition to one of their teacher sponsors, Mr. Andrew Conneen, who some of you know, some of you may not, 20 years ago was my AP Government teacher at Stevenson High School. And I walked into his AP Government class as a, I would say, a replacement 10300074.docx 10  STATE OF ILLINOIS 103rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 74th Legislative Day 3/6/2024 level student. And I walked out someone who was inspired to participate in this process and who understood that democracy is a verb and that government is not a spectator sport. So, I thank you, Mr. Conneen, for everything you did to inspire my career in public service. And to his students in Stevenson High School, I think I was about a B, B-plus student in his class and I was able to get here today. So, think about how amazing you guys could do is you could get that up to an A. So, thank you so much to our Mikva Challenge students and teachers. Thank you for joining us in Springfield, and please give them a warm round of applause to welcome here today. Thank you."

Speaker Manley: "Welcome to Springfield. Chair recognizes Representative Halbrook. For what reason do you seek recognition?"

"Please proceed."

Speaker Manley: "Welcome to Springfield. Chair recognizes Representative Fritts. For what reason do you seek recognition?"

"Please proceed."

Speaker Manley: "Welcome to the Capitol. Chair recognizes Representative Morgan. For what reason do you seek recognition?"

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

"Please proceed."

"Thank you, Madam Speaker. Today, I just wanted to introduce and give recognition to the treasurers that are here today for Illinois Treasurers' Association Day. In particular, I want to recognize the amazing Lake County 10300074.docx 12  STATE OF ILLINOIS 103rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 74th Legislative Day 3/6/2024 Treasurer, Holly Kim, who's here. So, Ladies and Gentlemen, please welcome our Lake County and other state treasurers."

Speaker Manley: "Welcome to the Capitol. Chair recognizes Representative Swanson. For what reason do you seek recognition?"

"Please proceed."

"Thanks for being with us, Haley. Chair recognizes Representative Schmidt. For what reason do you seek recognition?"

"Please proceed."

"The Members will observe a moment of silence. Thank you. Chair recognizes Representative Mayfield. For what reason do you seek recognition?"

"Point of personal privilege."

"Please proceed."

"I would like to… everyone to join me in welcoming my Page for the day, Victor Hinojosa, who is a junior at Waukegan public schools. He is also the student board member for the Waukegan Board of Education, and one day he will be a 10300074.docx 14  STATE OF ILLINOIS 103rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 74th Legislative Day 3/6/2024 Legislator here in this chamber. So, please join me in welcoming Victor to the House Floor."

"Welcome to Springfield, Victor. Chair recognizes Representative Meier. For what reason do you seek recognition?"

"Please proceed."

"Thank you, Representative. Chair recognizes Leader Lilly. For what reason do you seek recognition?"

"Point of personal privilege."

"Please proceed."

"Thank you, Madam Speaker. I, too, as many of our colleagues, have a Page in the building on today. I'd like to introduce you to Graham Shabino, and he is a junior at Oak Park River Forest High School. My alumni, go Huskies. He has joined us today 'cause he has an interest in what we do. One day soon, because high school comes and go very quickly, he 10300074.docx 15  STATE OF ILLINOIS 103rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 74th Legislative Day 3/6/2024 seeks to be a policy maker like ourselves. But in the meantime, he's a leader of the ethic bowl team at Oak Park. He is in government and policy club. He plays on the tennis team. And he's on the math team, who went to state. He has extracurricular activities after school, where he is a volunteer at the neighborhood café Wise Cup. And he also volunteers at the non-for-profit Beyond Hunger, and he's been doing that for the past three years. He did have some time to come to Springfield to be a Page of the day, but this young man has been to Washington, D.C. and has been paging for Senator Tammy Duckworth as well. With that, as his interests pursues, he wants to make sure that he gets an education in understanding politics through law or journalism. Let's say… let's give Graham a warm welcome to our future policy maker, Mr. Graham. Please give him a round of applause."

Speaker Manley: "Welcome to Springfield. Chair recognizes Representative Cassidy. For what reason do you seek recognition?"

"Point of personal privilege."

"Please proceed."

"This is your annual notification from the quasi chair of the… of the Sullivan Caucus to save the date for the upcoming Sullivan Caucus celebration. This year's party will be on Wednesday, March 20, at the Gin Mill. There will be bagpipes. There will be corned beef sandwiches. There will be lots of fun people. It's from 6 to 10 at the Gin Mill."

"In our calendars. Thank you. The Clerk is in receipt of a Motion in Writing to waive the posting requirements for a Bill. Leader Gabel on the Motion." 10300074.docx 16  STATE OF ILLINOIS 103rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 74th Legislative Day 3/6/2024

"Speaker, I move that the posting requirements be waived so that Senate Bill 15 can be heard in the Executive Committee."

"Leader Gabel has moved to waive the posting requirements. All those in favor say 'aye'; opposed say 'nay'. In the opinion of the Chair, the 'ayes' have it. And the posting requirements are waived. Chair recognizes Representative Elik. For what reason do you seek recognition?"

"Please proceed."

"Thank you, Representative. Chair recognizes Representative Mussman. For what reason do you seek recognition?"

"Is it… oh, there we go. Point of personal privilege, please."

"Please proceed."

"Thank you, Madam Speaker. Today, I am honored to highlight Myra Bradwell, a trailblazer in the legal field who shattered gender barriers and paved the way for generations of women to come. Born in 1831 as the child of active 10300074.docx 18  STATE OF ILLINOIS 103rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 74th Legislative Day 3/6/2024 abolitionists, Myra moved to Schaumburg Township at the age of 12. She would grow into a visionary woman who followed in her family's footsteps and defied social norms, fighting for equality and justice. Myra had a passion for law, which was ignited at a young age, fueled by a deep sense of justice and a desire to make a difference. After settling in Chicago as the young married woman, Myra founded the Chicago Legal News, a legal discourse and advocacy platform in 1868. Bradwell was determined to improve women's status in society and regularly contributed to the column Law Relating to Women as both the editor and business manager of the paper. Myra used her platform to advocate for women's rights, challenging laws restricting women's opportunity and freedom. Despite facing immense opposition and discrimination throughout her career, Myra set her sights on becoming the first woman admitted to the Illinois bar. Her journey was one of resilience, perseverance, and unwavering determination. In 1869, Myra applied, challenging the legal systems bias against women. Her application was denied because she was a married woman, but Myra refused to be deterred. She continued to fight, taking her case to the Illinois Supreme Court, arguing that denying her admission to the bar violated the 14th Amendment's equal protection clause. Her grit paid off, and in 1872, the Supreme Court ruled in her favor, making her the first woman to be admitted to the Illinois State Bar. Myra Bradwell's historic achievement not only opened doors for women in legal profession, but also catalyzed gender equality in society. She even played a significant role in drafting the first anti- sex discrimination law in the United States, passed by the 10300074.docx 19  STATE OF ILLINOIS 103rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 74th Legislative Day 3/6/2024 Illinois Legislature on March 22, 1872. Throughout her career, Myra Bradwell was a beacon of inspiration and empowerment for women aspiring to enter the legal profession and to other male-dominated fields at large. Her legacy is a testament to the power of determination, resilience, and the relentless pursuit of justice. Myra's story serves as a reminder that with courage and conviction, one individual can spark a movement and change the course of history. Happy Women's History Month. Thank you, everyone."

"Thank you, Representative. Chair recognizes Representative Ammons."

"Thank you, Madam Speaker. It is my privilege to join my colleagues in recognizing another woman of significance in our history. As Becky Doyle was highlighted by Representative Elik around agriculture, I'd like to highlight Shirley Sherrod. Shirley Sherrod was born in 1948 in a former Georgia State… and is the former Georgia State Director of Rural Development for the United States Department of Agriculture. Shirley Sherrod was born in 1948 in Baker County Georgia to Grace and Hosie… Hosie Miller. In 1965, when she was 17 years old, her father, a deacon of the local Baptist church, was shot dead by a white farmer, reportedly over a dispute about livestock. No charges were returned against the shooter by the all-white grand jury. This was a turning point in her life and led her to feel that she should stay in the south to bring about change. Several months after Miller's murder, a cross was burned at night in front of Miller's home. Her four daughters and her mother, including Sherrod and her infant son, born after her husband's killing, were inside. That same 10300074.docx 20  STATE OF ILLINOIS 103rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 74th Legislative Day 3/6/2024 year, Sherrod was among the first black students to enroll in the previously all-white high school in Baker County. Eleven years later, Grace Miller, her mother, became the first woman elected to a county office. Sherrod attended Fort Valley State College and later studied sociology at Albany State University in Georgia while working with the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee during the Civil Rights Movement, where she met her future husband, minister Charles Sherrod. She went on to study at Antioch University in Yellow Springs, Ohio, where she earned her master's degree in community development. She returned to Georgia to work in the Department of Agriculture in Georgia to 'help negro farmers keep their land.' In 1969, Sherrod and her husband were among the U.S. civil rights and land collective activists, co- founding New Communities, a collective farm in Southwest Georgia. According to a scholarship that she received, she applied that scholarship by land trust activists Susan Witt and Robert Swann to New Communities' founding in 1969 to help local farmers protect their land. The Community Land Trusts throughout the United States was established as a result of her work in that laboratory. The… the perseverance and foresight of that team in Georgia motivated the right of African American farmers to farm land securely and affordably, initiated by the CLT movements in that country… in this country. Located in Lee County, Georgia, the 5,700- acre project was one of the largest tracks of black-owned land in the United States. The project soon encountered difficulties in opposition to some of the local farmers who were accused of participating in communist activities at the 10300074.docx 21  STATE OF ILLINOIS 103rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 74th Legislative Day 3/6/2024 time. After Sherrod and her husband fought for those projects and to protect them, unfortunately, many of the farmers lost their land in 1985. Sherrod and her husband also lost their land when they were unable to secure a U.S. Department of Agriculture loan. They became class action plaintiffs in the civil suit of Pigford v. Glickman. The department agreed to settle that particular lawsuit out of court. A Federal Law passed in 2008 would protect others from this kind of activity from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Then Senator Barack Obama of Illinois sponsored a piece of legislation to allow up to 70 thousand more claimants to qualify, which included the New Communities, for the communal farm in which Sherrod and her husband had partnered. In 2009, chief arbitrator Michael Lewis ruled that the USDA had discriminated against New Communities' black farmers by denying a loan to the operations and extending more favorable terms to other local farmers. New Communities received a 12.8 million settlement that included 8.2 million in compensation for the loss of farmland, the 4.2 million loss of income, and 330 thousand to Sherrod and her husband for their mental anguish. Ultimately, Sherrod, who had continued to fight, was hired by the USDA in August of 2009 as the Georgia Director of Rural Development, the first black person to hold such a position. Thank you, Madam Speaker."

"Thank you, Representative. Mr. Clerk, Committee Reports. Committee announcements, pardon me."

"Mr. Clerk, Agreed Resolutions."

"Leader Gabel moves for adoption of Agreed Resolutions. All those in favor say 'aye'; opposed say 'nay'. In the opinion of the Chair, the 'ayes' have it. And the Agreed Resolutions are adopted. And now, allowing perfunctory time for the Clerk, Leader Gabel moves that the House stand adjourned until March 7, at the hour of 12 p.m. All those in favor say 'aye'; opposed say 'nay'. In the opinion of the Chair, the 'ayes' have it. And the House stands adjourned."