"The House will be in order. The House will be in order. Members will be in their chairs. We shall be led in prayer today by Wayne Padget, the Assistant Doorkeeper. 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."
"Let us pray. Dear heavenly Father, we come before to you today praying that on this day you give us wisdom and guidance. Let us also pray for the men and women in all branches of our armed services. And, Lord, humble us to remember that yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift, and that's why it is called the present. These things we pray, Amen."
"We will be led in the Pledge of Allegiance today by Representative Kelly."
"I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."
"Roll Call for Attendance. Leader Gabel is recognized to report any excused absences on the Democratic side of the aisle."
"Speaker, let the record show that Representatives Ammons, Andrade, Guerrero-Cuellar, Ladisch Douglass, Meyers-Martin, and Yednock are excused today."
"Leader Keicher is recognized to report any excused absences on the Republican side of the aisle."
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Let the record reflect that all Republicans are here today to conduct the people's business." 10300076.docx 1 STATE OF ILLINOIS 103rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 76th Legislative Day 3/12/2024
"Have all recorded themselves who wish? Mr. Clerk, please take the record. There being 105 Members answering the roll call, a quorum is present. Representative Frese, for what reason do you seek recognition?"
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. A point of personal privilege."
"Please proceed."
"Members of the House, I rise today with a short but very solemn announcement. Many of you have probably heard of the tragedy that occurred yesterday. It happened about 25 hours ago, when a bus carrying 3 young children collided with a semi-tractor trailer, and all perished in the accident. It happened outside the small town of Rushville, Illinois that I represent. It's in the county of Schuyler, where I'm so happy to represent as well, as long… as well as… Representative, are you with me? Representative Hammond who was… would also like to maybe say a few words. It happened so suddenly. It hurts so deeply. A very, very small town of Schuyler is just beside themself in disbelief. If you're inclined to be a person of prayer, if you're inclined to bring any kind of support that you can to a… to a broken community and families, I ask that you do so for the families of the victims who were lost, but also for those first responders who were on the scene: the Illinois State Police, the sheriff's department, the fire department, the paramedics. It had to be tough on them as well. I wish I could start the day with anything but this kind of announcement, but it has to be, and we need to give all of our support to those families who lost so much so quickly. Mr. Speaker, I would ask for just a moment of silence for all those involved." 10300076.docx 2 STATE OF ILLINOIS 103rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 76th Legislative Day 3/12/2024
"Representative Hammond, for what reason do you seek recognition?"
"Point of personal privilege, Mr. Speaker."
"Please proceed."
"This is an unimaginable tragedy to happen in anyone's community, and we wish it had never happened in Rushville, in Schuyler County, but I would ask that if you go throughout the day today you keep the families and the first responders in your prayers and in your thoughts. Thank you, Mr. Speaker."
"The Body will take a moment of silence. Thank you. Representative Rosenthal, for what reason do you seek recognition?"
"Point of personal privilege, Mr. Speaker."
"Please proceed."
"Thank you. With us today, we have a long-serving Member with us, former Representative, Coach John Cavaletto and his wife, Connie, up in the gallery. So, I wish that the… the Body would wish him welcome back to Springfield and go… go say hi to him. Thank you."
"Welcome back, Representative. Representative Coffey, for what reason do you seek recognition?"
"Point of personal privilege."
"Please proceed."
"I'd like to introduce my Page for the day today, Tolga Barutcu. Tolga, he lives right here in the 95th District, goes to Rochester… went to… lives in Rochester, goes to University of Illinois Springfield. He's a four-year starter on the soccer team. Congratulations. They just won the Great… Great Lakes Valley Division II Conference title and advanced 10300076.docx 3 STATE OF ILLINOIS 103rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 76th Legislative Day 3/12/2024 to the national tournament in his senior years. So, give… if we could give Tolga a big warm welcome here at the chamber."
"Congratulations, and welcome to your Capitol. Leader Hernandez, for what reason do you seek recognition?" Hernandez, L.: "Point of personal privilege."
"Please proceed." Hernandez, L.: "I… I would like to ask Members of the House if you can give a warm welcome to the Youth Crossword… Crossroads, a youth group out in my district. We have over 60 participants. If you can stand up and give them a warm welcome."
Speaker Buckner: "Youth Crossroads, welcome to Springfield. Leader Hammond, for what reason do you seek recognition?"
"Point of personal privilege, Mr. Speaker."
"Please proceed."
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'd like to introduce my Page for the day, Gianna J. Bellini. Gianna lives here in Springfield with her parents, Shannon and Nick Bellini, older brother, Seiger, and baby sister, Bianca. She will celebrate her eighth birthday on March 28. She is in second grade, and her favorite activities are competitive dance at Sara's Studio of Dance and competitive cheer at Outlaw Athletics. Please join me in welcoming Gianna Bellini to the House chamber."
"Gianna, happy early birthday, and welcome to your Capitol. Representative Swanson, for what reason do you seek recognition?"
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Point of personal privilege."
"Please proceed." 10300076.docx 4 STATE OF ILLINOIS 103rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 76th Legislative Day 3/12/2024
"Thank you, Sir. I would once again this year like to extend an invitation to Members and their legislative staff to participate in our Thursday morning prayer group, Bible study group. We meet at 7:30 in Room 200-4N in the Stratton Building. Once again, to all Members and their legislative staff, you're more than welcome to come and join us. There's usually coffee and some Panera bread and other type food to enjoy with this prayer and Bible study. So, once again, Thursday morning, 7:30, Stratton Building, Room 200-4N. Thank you, Mr. Speaker."
"Representative Moeller, for what reason do you seek recognition?"
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today, on March 12, we recognize our ongoing journey towards equality, recognizing women's Equal Pay Day for the year of 2024. This day serves as a reminder of the persistent wage gap that continues to exist between men and women in the workforce. But it's also a day of empowerment, a call to action, and a celebration of the incredible contributions that women make to our society each and every day. Despite the progress we've made over the years… and I'm proud to stand with Representative Canty, who passed a groundbreaking Bill in Illinois last year with your support that requires employers to post pay ranges when advertising their positions. The reality is that women still earn on average significantly less than their male counterparts for equal work. And we must call out that black women, Latinas, Native American, and Asian women, mothers in the workforce, and part-time workers have even greater pay disparities. This is not just a statistical anomaly. It is a profound injustice 10300076.docx 5 STATE OF ILLINOIS 103rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 76th Legislative Day 3/12/2024 that undermines the principles of fairness and equality that we hold dear. On this women's pay day, let's reaffirm our commitment to achieving true gender and racial equality in the workplace. We, as a Body, have the power to do that. Let us continue to pass policies and practices that empower workers and hold ourselves accountable for creating a state where everyone, regardless of gender or race, can thrive and succeed. Achieving equal pay is not just a matter of fairness, we know that it is also a matter of economic necessity and social justice. When women are paid fairly for their work, families thrive, communities prosper, and our economy grows stronger. Closing the gender pay gap isn't just the right thing to do, it's the smart thing to do. So, let us stand together, men and women alike, in solidarity with all of those who continue to fight for equality and equity. Let us celebrate the progress we've made while rededicating ourselves to the work that still lies ahead and never lose site of the fact that when we empower women, we improve the world. Thank you."
"Representative Rashid, for what reason do you seek recognition?"
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. A point of personal privilege."
"Please proceed."
"I want to join Leader Hernandez in bringing… in celebrating Youth Crossroads, who are with us today, and to bring attention to the House Resolution 619, which celebrates its 50th anniversary. Today, we are joined by Josephine DiCesare, the executive director of Youth Crossroads, and staff and interns, along with students from Freedom Middle 10300076.docx 6 STATE OF ILLINOIS 103rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 76th Legislative Day 3/12/2024 School, Heritage Middle School, Lincoln Middle School, Morton West, and Morton East. Since its creation in the early 1970s, Youth Crossroads has served tens of thousands of young people and their families from Berwyn, Cicero, Stickney, and neighboring towns. So, please join me in congratulating them on their 50th anniversary and for the important work that they do. Thank you."
"Representative Syed, for what reason do you seek recognition?"
"I rise today to say Ramadan Mubarak. It is the first day of Ramadan, the first day of fasting from sunrise to sunset, a month where we relearn the importance of patience, of community, of charitable giving, and it happens to be my favorite month of the year. So, to celebrate, there's some delicious food that, funnily, I cannot eat in Room 305 for everyone. So, I encourage you all to enjoy it. It is for everyone. And there's a lot of food, so please go it. And I would… I would be remiss if I did not mention that, as we observe the first few days of Ramadan, my family and I, and many in our community, we experience a very deep sense of gratitude. We feel so blessed and lucky to be alive to experience another Ramadan, and that's why this day and this Ramadan is a bit bittersweet for our community. I've been thinking a lot these past few days about Wadea Al-Fayoume, the six-year-old boy from Illinois who was killed in an act of anti-Palestinian hate. I was seven years old when I completed my first fast, and I think of Wadea, who didn't have the chance to turn seven, and all the Ramadans that were taken from that young boy. I think of people suffering here. 10300076.docx 7 STATE OF ILLINOIS 103rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 76th Legislative Day 3/12/2024 I think of the 30 thousand Palestinians that have been killed abroad. And this month, I'm praying heavily for peace, and I ask that you do too. Thank you all."
"Ramadan Mubarak. Representative Kifowit, for what reason do you seek recognition?"
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Point of personal privilege."
"Please proceed."
"Today, and this is not sad point of personal privilege, but today being laid to rest is a woman named Helen Ehlers. She lived to be a young age of 100 and lived her life to the fullest every single day. Helen was a World War II woman Marine. She was the middle of five children born in the Ukrainian immigrants in Cicero, and she was always proud of her heritage. She was very active in the veteran community, but she also enjoyed her family, especially her five grandchildren whom she was proud of. And she, again, would always go with the flow and never complain. I want to give recognition to Helen today as we lay her to rest, 100 years young. And again, she lived every single minute of it to the fullest with a smile on her face. So, I'm not asking for a moment of silence, but a moment of reflection of a life well lived, service to our community in World War II, making instrument panels for the (unintelligible) air of which they used in World War II for two years, and then continuing her service to our community. So, with that, Mr. Speaker, I just wanted to acknowledge, and I am in complete awe that she was my friend and mentor for over 25 years, Ms. Helen Ehlers. Godspeed, and may she rest in peace. Thank you, Sir." 10300076.docx 8 STATE OF ILLINOIS 103rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 76th Legislative Day 3/12/2024
"Rest in peace, Ms. Helen Ehlers. Mr. Clerk, Committee Reports. Leader Keicher, for what reason do you seek recognition?"
"Point of personal privilege, Mr. Speaker."
"Please proceed."
"Today, I rise to recognize and honor Charlotte Thompson Reid in recognition of Women's History Month. Charlotte Leota Thompson was born in 1913 in Kankakee, Illinois. She graduated from East Aurora High School and attended Illinois College in Jacksonville. Charlotte served as a U.S. Congresswoman from 1963 to 1971. She entered politics when her husband, who had won the 1962 GOP Primary for the 15th Congressional District, died suddenly of a heart attack at age 52. Charlotte was selected to replace him on the General Election ticket, and she described herself as in a state of shock. Yet, in a tribute to her husband and within only two weeks of his passing, she ran and won the Congressional seat that he had secured in the primary. She went on to repeatedly win election by large margins in 1964, 1966, 1968, and also 1970. In 1965, the Chicago Tribune, then Washington Bureau Chief Walter Trohan, wrote that Reid is so respected that there is talk of her running for Senate from Illinois. In 1968, Congresswoman Reid was the first woman in American history to deliver an opposing party's rebuttal to the Presidential Address during the State of the Union. She was the only woman in a group of 16 responders that included Charles Percy, John Tower, George Murphy, Gerald Ford, George H. W. Bush, and Melvin Laird. Although it may seem absurd today and to many of my peers here, Reid was the first woman in 1969 to wear pants in the 10300076.docx 9 STATE OF ILLINOIS 103rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 76th Legislative Day 3/12/2024 chamber of the U.S. House of Representatives, and it created, as I understand it, quite a stir. It was just one more of her efforts to change the culturing Congress to be supportive of women-elected officials. Charlotte Reid died in 2007 at the ripe age of 93. And when she first entered the U.S. House of Representative in 1963, she was only 1 of 11 women. And observed at that time, small as our numbers are, we create a needed balance in the complicated business of adapting governmental processes to the requirements of a changing society. And today, in part to her legacy, there are 126 women serving in the U.S. House of Representatives. Her legacy and political chops were passed on to her daughter, Patricia Reid Lindner, a Republican from Sugar Grove where I currently represent, who was honored to serve in this chamber from 1993 to 2009. And, Mr. Speaker, a young man myself, being raised by a single mother, give hats off and kudos to all of our single moms, in addition to Charlotte, that are out there serving out families. Thank you, Sir."
Speaker Buckner: "Leader Manley, for what do you seek recognition?"
"Point of personal privilege, please."
"Please proceed."
"It is my honor to stand before you and share the remarkable story of Lilly Ledbetter, a story of resilience, determination, and steadfast commitment to achieving equal pay for men and women in the workplace. Born in 1938 in rural Alabama, Lilly grew up in a time when the wage gap between men and women was an acceptable norm, yet she dared to challenge the status quo. As a young mother, she worked for 10300076.docx 10 STATE OF ILLINOIS 103rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 76th Legislative Day 3/12/2024 Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, where she worked nearly two decades. It was there that she discovered the harsh reality of the gender pay gap, earning significantly less than her male counterparts for the same work. Instead of accepting this injustice, Lilly took a stand. She filed a lawsuit against Goodyear challenging the discriminatory pay practices that had plagued her career. Her journey for justice would last over 10 years and take her all the way to the Supreme Court. Despite facing numerous obstacles and setbacks, Lilly never wavered in her pursuit for justice, and her work ethic inspired countless individuals to join her in the fight for equal pay. Through her landmark legal battle, the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act was born in 2009, a critical step towards closing the gender wage gap and ensuring equal pay for equal work. Lilly's… Lilly's legacy is not just a chapter in history, it's a living testament to the impact one individual can have in shaping a better future for all. The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009 is not just a law. It is a symbol of hope, progress, and the power of collective action. It serves as a reminder that one individual's courage can spark a movement and bring about meaningful change. As we celebrate Women's History Month and reflect on the incredible contributions of trailblazers like Lilly Ledbetter, let us be encouraged by her commitment to justice and equality as we hold ourselves and shape our legacy here in this very room. Let us draw strength from her story as we strive to create a more equitable state for our future generations. In the words of Lilly Ledbetter herself, 'Don't wait for someone else to come along and fix things. Take action and fight for what you 10300076.docx 11 STATE OF ILLINOIS 103rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 76th Legislative Day 3/12/2024 deserve.' I think I've heard that in this room several times. Let us heed her call, be the change we wish to see in the world, and work together toward a future where equality and justice prevail. Thank you, Lilly Ledbetter, for your courage and enduring legacy. May your story inspire us all to strive for a world where equal pay is not just a dream but a reality for all. Thank you."
"Mr. Clerk, Rules Report."
"Rules Report. Representative Gabel, Chairperson from the Committee on Rules reports the following committee action taken on March 12, 2024: recommends be adopted, referred to the floor is Floor Amendment(s) 3 to House Bill 4112, Floor Amendment(s) 1 to House Bill 4282, Floor Amendment(s) 1 to House Joint Resolution 50; and approved for consideration, referred to Second Reading is House Bill 569."
"Leader Keicher, for what reason do you seek recognition?"
"The Republicans will caucus immediately upon adjournment in Room 118."
"Mr. Clerk, committee announcements."
"The following committee will be meeting this afternoon: Meeting at 2:00 is Appropriations–Elementary & Secondary Education in Room 118, Public Utilities in Room 413, Agriculture & Conservation in Room 115, Adoption & Child Welfare in Room 122, Ethics & Elections in Room 114, Insurance in Room C-1. Meeting at 4:00 is Judiciary - Criminal in D-1, Energy & Environment in Room 114, Cities & Villages in Room 118, Consumer Protection in Room 115, Financial Institutions in Room 122, Health Care Availability & Accessibility in Room 10300076.docx 12 STATE OF ILLINOIS 103rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 76th Legislative Day 3/12/2024 C-1. Note that the Transportation: Regulations, Roads & Bridges Committee was canceled for today."
"Mr. Clerk, Agreed Resolutions."
"Agreed Resolutions. House Resolution 645, offered by Representative Sanalitro. House Resolution 648, offered by Representative Scherer. And House Resolution 651, offered by Representative Ford."
"Leader Gabel moves for the adoption of the Agreed Resolutions. All those in favor of say 'aye'; all 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 stands adjourned until Wednesday, March 13, at the hour of 12 p.m. All those in favor say 'aye'; all those opposed say 'nay'. In the opinion of the Chair, the 'ayes' have it. And the House stands adjourned."
"House Perfunctory Session will come to order. Introduction of Resolutions. House Resolution 646, offered by Representative Benton. House Resolution 647, offered by Representative Benton. House Resolution 649, offered by Representative Blair-Sherlock. House Resolution 650, offered by Leader McCombie. These are referred to the Rules Committee. There being no further business, the House Perfunctory Session will stand adjourned." 10300076.docx 13