"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 cell phones, and rise for the invocation and the Pledge of Allegiance."
"Let us pray. God of heaven and earth, today we thank you for your love for us. Thank you that your love is poured into every intricate aspect of creation and released to live within our hearts here on earth. We come together as your children, brothers and sisters, to lift you high over our lives. These things we pray, Amen."
"We will be led in the Pledge of Allegiance by Leader Lilly."
"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."
"Thank you, Speaker. Let the record show that Representatives Ladisch Douglass and Smith are excused today."
"The record shall reflect. Leader Davidsmeyer is recognized to report any excused absences on the Republican side of the aisle." 10300085.docx 1 STATE OF ILLINOIS 103rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 85th Legislative Day 4/4/2024
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Let the record reflect that Representatives Ozinga, Keicher, and Severin are excused today."
"The record shall reflect. Have all recorded themselves who wish? Mr. Clerk, please take the record. There being 111 Members answering the roll call, a quorum is present. Mr. Clerk, Committee Reports."
Clerk Hollman: "Committee Reports. Representative Evans, Chairperson from the Committee on Labor & Commerce reports the following committee action taken on April 3, 2024: do pass Short Debate is House Bill 4602, House Bill 5294, House Bill 5300, House Bill 5324, House Bill 5345, House Bill 5563; do pass as amended Short Debate is House Bill 3763, House Bill 3773, House Bill 4596, House Bill 40… 5457; recommends be adopted is Floor Amendment(s) 1 to House Bill 5028, and House Resolution 606. Representative Walker, Chairperson from the Committee on State Government Administration reports the following committee action taken on April 3, 2024: do pass Short Debate is House Bill 4439, House Bill 4719, House Bill 4813, House Bill 4846, House Bill 5052; do pass as amended Short Debate is House Bill 4418, House Bill 4720, House Bill 4772; and recommends be adopted is House Resolution 572. Representative Scherer, Chairperson from the Committee Elementary & Secondary Education: Administration, Licensing & Charter Schools reports the following committee action taken on April 3, 2024: do pass Short Debate is House Bill 4577, House Bill 5275, House Bill 5318, House Bill 5609; do pass as amended Short Debate is House Bill 5455 and 5510. Representative Gonzalez, Chairperson from the Committee 10300085.docx 2 STATE OF ILLINOIS 103rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 85th Legislative Day 4/4/2024 Economic Opportunity & Equity reports the following committee action taken on April 3, 2024: do pass Short Debate is House Bill 5599; and do pass as amended Short Debate is House Bill 5606. Representative Gong-Gershowitz, Chairperson from the Committee on Judiciary - Civil reports the following committee action taken on April 3, 2024: do pass Short Debate is House Bill 5523; do pass as amended Short Debate is House Bill 5164, House Bill 5502; recommends be adopted is Floor Amendment(s) 1 to House Bill 3553, and Floor Amendment(s) 1 House Bill 4884, Floor Amendment(s) 2 to House Bill 4884, Floor Amendment(s) 2 to House Bill 4916, and Floor Amendment(s) 2 to House Bill 5507. Representative Stuart, Chairperson from the Committee on Higher Education reports the following committee action taken on April 3, 2024: do pass Short Debate is House Bill 5369, House Bill 5452; do pass as amended Short Debate is House Bill 4652, House Bill 5568; do pass as amended Standard Debate is House Bill 5020; recommends be adopted is Floor Amendment(s) 2 to House Bill 4253, and House Resolution 546, House Resolution 595, and House Resolution 647. Representative Didech, Chairperson from the Committee on Gaming reports the following committee action taken on April 3, 2024: do pass Short Debate is House Bill 4710, House Bill 5229; do pass as amended Short Debate is House Bill 5307 and House Bill 5367. Representative Burke, Chairperson from the Committee on Revenue & Finance reports the following committee action taken on April 4, 2024: do pass Short Debate is House Bill 1075, House Bill 4224, House Bill 4284, House Bill 4568, House Bill 5190, House Bill 5412, House Bill 5542; do pass as amended Short Debate is House 10300085.docx 3 STATE OF ILLINOIS 103rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 85th Legislative Day 4/4/2024 Bill 1377 and House Bill 5445. Representative Stava-Murray, Chairperson from the Committee on Public Health reports the following committee action taken on April 4, 2024: do pass Short Debate is House Bill 4615, House Bill 4724, House Bill 5405; do pass as amended Short Debate is House Bill 4874, House Bill 4899; and recommends be adopted is House Resolution 580. The Chairperson from the Committee on Police & Fire reported the following committee action taken on April 4, 2024: do pass Short Debate is House Bill 5166; do pass as amended Short Debate is House Bill 4359 and House Bill 5128. Representative Cassidy, Chairperson from the Committee Restorative Justice reports the following committee action taken on April 4, 2024: do pass Short Debate is House Bill 5527; and recommends be adopted is Floor Amendment(s) 2 to House Bill 4409. Representative Ammons, Chairperson from the Committee on Small Business, Tech Innovation reports the following committee action taken on April 4, 2024: do pass Short Debate is House Bill 5621; and recommends be adopted is House Resolution 504. Representative Mason, Chairperson from the Committee on Child Care Accessibility & Early Childhood Education reports the following committee action taken on April 4, 2024: do pass Short Debate is House Bill 5596; do pass as amended Short Debate is House Bill 4059, House Bill 4728, and House Bill 5024. Representative Tarver, Chairperson from the Committee on Counties & Townships reports the following committee action taken on April 4, 2024: do pass Short Debate is House Bill 5111 (sic-5011) and House Bill 5623; recommends be adopted is Floor Amendment(s) 1 to House Bill 5574. Representative Kifowit, Chairperson from the 10300085.docx 4 STATE OF ILLINOIS 103rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 85th Legislative Day 4/4/2024 Committee on Personnel & Pensions reports the following committee action taken on April 4, 2024: do pass Short Debate is House Bill 3519, House Bill 3520, House Bill 4099, House Bill 4972, House Bill 5174, House Bill 5211, House Bill 5265, House Bill 5449; do pass as amended Short debate is House Bill 4508, House Bill 4873; and recommends be adopted is Floor Amendment(s) 1 to House Bill 4109, Floor Amendment(s) 1 House Bill 5104, Floor Amendment(s) 1 House Bill 5264, and Floor Amendment(s) 1 House Bill 5266. Representative LaPointe, Chairperson from the Committee on Mental Health & Addiction reports the following committee action taken on April 4, 2024: do pass as amended Short Debate is House Bill 4475. Representative Gabel, Chairperson from the Committee on Rules reports the following committee action taken on April 4, 2024: recommends be adopted, referred to the floor is Floor Amendment(s) 1 to House Bill 5282. Introduction of Resolutions. House Joint Resolution 65, offered by Representative Rashid, is referred to the Rules Committee."
"Leader McCombie, for what reason do you seek recognition?"
"All right, here we go. Good afternoon, everybody. I would like to introduce to you my Page for the day, leader Autumn Rasmussen. She is a bright, talented second grader at Petersburg Elementary, who is going to be turning eight years old on April 19. She's the daughter of Heather, who is vital member of our staff, and Michael, and sister to a black lab named Doc. She loves adventure, has a heart of gold, and a passion for the outdoors. Autumn is a devoted softball player, although Marty didn't invite her to play with us, loves 10300085.docx 5 STATE OF ILLINOIS 103rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 85th Legislative Day 4/4/2024 fishing tournaments and her dad… with her dad, and jamming out to Taylor Swift. She loves animals and wants to be a veterinarian when she grows up. She's counting the days till summer. Aren't we all? Where she gets to go on her family's annual trip… oh boy, Heather… to Lake… what is it?"
"Lake Winnipesaukee. Lake Winnipesaukee."
"What she said, in New Hampshire. According to her, it what makes New Hampshire great. Let's all wish her a happy early birthday and give her a very warm welcome to Springfield."
"Autumn, happy early birthday, and welcome to your Capitol. Leader Manley, for what reason do you seek recognition."
"Well, I don't know how I'm going to follow that act, but I've got some pretty charming young ladies with me as well. I have the daughters of HR assistant Victoria Mitchell. Evelyn, who is 12 and in 7th grade, is a creative and adventurous with a passion for expressing herself through various art forms. She loves to bring her imagination to life through drawing and sketching, often losing herself in the world of colors and shapes. You're very creative. I'm an accountant. We don't know what that's like. Her art has been featured in a districtwide art show throughout her school and community. She's an aspiring guitarist with a dream of making beautiful music and a shining star with a bright future ahead. Her sister, Gracie, who is 10 years old and in 4th grade, is a well-rounded and creative individual with a passion for reading, writing, and cooking. She loves to immerse herself in the world of books, craft stories, and experimenting with 10300085.docx 6 STATE OF ILLINOIS 103rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 85th Legislative Day 4/4/2024 new recipes in the kitchen. She's an avid gamer who enjoys exploring virtual worlds and challenging herself in the digital realm. She takes an active role in her school and community as a member of the student council, where she works collaboratively with her peers to make a positive impact. She's a dynamic and inspiring young lady, and we're so glad that they came to see us. They're going to be going around and asking you to autograph their Blue Book, and welcome to the Capitol."
"Welcome to your Capitol. Representative Ammons, for what reason do you seek recognition?"
"Mr. Speaker, a point of personal privilege, and this is a death Resolution."
"Please proceed."
"We're working right now on a House Joint Resolution for a excellent engineer, artist, and scientist named Dr. Will Patterson. And I usually don't read the entirety of a Resolution, but because of his contribution to this state, I think it's important to read the entirety of the Resolution recognizing his passing. So, House Joint Resolution. WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of Dr. William M. Patterson, Ph.D., who passed away on April 2, 2024; and WHEREAS, Dr. Patterson, a native of Urbana, graduated from Urbana High School in 1984; earned his Bachelor of Arts in Communications, Radio & Broadcast from Columbia College in Chicago in 1990, his Masters of Science in Curriculum and Instruction from Illinois State University in Normal in 1994, 10300085.docx 7 STATE OF ILLINOIS 103rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 85th Legislative Day 4/4/2024 and his Ph.D. in Educational Policy Studies from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) in 2000; and WHEREAS, Dr. Patterson worked as a clinical associate professor in the School of Music, College of Fine & Applied Arts at UIUC, he also served as an adjunct lecturer in the School of Information Sciences and the College of Engineering's Technologic… Technology Entrepreneurship Center; and WHEREAS, Dr. Patterson was heavily involved with Illinois Public Media, serving on the Community Advisory Board for Illinois Soul, the Black-focused radio service from Illinois Public Media that launched just this February in 2024; he also co-created Illinois Public Media's Youth Media Workshop, providing instruction to local Black youth on how to turn interviews with their elders into stories for WILL radio and television; and WHEREAS, Dr. Patterson served in many other positions around Champaign-Urbana area, including associate director of the Bruce Nesbitt African American Cultural Center on the campus of the Urbana-Champaign and chief teen officer at the Don Moyer Boys and Girls Club in Champaign; and WHEREAS, Dr. Patterson belonged to numerous organizations over the course of his life, including serving on the boards of Illinois Humanities Council, the Music… Musical Arts Institute, and 40 North, co-founding the North End Breakfast Club and the Urbana (sic-Urban) Business Network, Inc., and being a member of the University Smart Communities Initiative Committee at Urbana-Champaign and the International Communication Association, among many other things; 10300085.docx 8 STATE OF ILLINOIS 103rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 85th Legislative Day 4/4/2024 (sic-WHEREAS,) Dr. Patterson was the recipient of a number of accolades, including being named a Department of Educational Policy Studies ICEOP Fellow by UIUC in 1994, the Academy for Entrepreneurial Leadership Fellow by UIUC in 2008, and a Fiddler Fellow of the National Center for Super Computing Applications in 2020; more recently, he was to receive the Distinguished Alumni Award from the Champaign Urbana Schools Foundation this Friday; and WHEREAS, Dr. Patterson, affectionately known as "Dr. P" to all of us, was an educator who worked tirelessly to bring STEAM and STEM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics) education to under-resourced Black neighborhoods and to empower students to tell their own stories; as a director of the Hip Hop Xpress Double Dutch Boom Bus Innovation Lab & Data Center, which went all over this state, he organized his work under STEAMGenius.org to promote Black cultural wealth, wealth he saw as rooted in and acquired by individuals in places and spaces that are undervalued, underestimated, and marginalized in the community; and WHEREAS, Dr. Patterson was a pillar of the Champaign-Urbana African American community and will especially be remembered for his contributions to youth education and arts; WHEREAS, Representative Ammons has very strong personal connection to Dr. Patterson; my children participated in many of these programs, as mentioned; WHEREAS, "Dr. P" is survived by his wife, Lori Gold Patterson; three children; a grandchild; and a sister; there, be it RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED THIRD ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE SENATE CONCURRING 10300085.docx 9 STATE OF ILLINOIS 103rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 85th Legislative Day 4/4/2024 HEREIN, that we mourn the passing of Dr. William M. Patterson, Ph.D. and extend our sincere condolences to his family, friends, and all those who knew and loved him; and be further RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this Resolution be presented to the family of Dr. Patterson as an expression of our deepest sympathy. Dr. Patterson is known not just in Urbana-Champaign but all over the country. The University of Illinois, its leadership has taken the time to really acknowledge his work. And unfortunately, he was only 58 years old and passed away coming back from a family visit. I just want to call for a moment of silence for him and his family and that we in the Urbana-Champaign community and throughout that area are mourning collectively the loss of this giant. Mr. Speaker, I conclude and thank you for the moment and the moment of silence."
"The Body will take a moment of silence. Thank you. Representative Ford, for what reason do you seek recognition?"
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Point of personal privilege."
"Please proceed."
"Mr. Speaker and Members of the House, in the same tone of Representative Ammons, I would like to make sure that we never forget that on April 4, 1968 Dr. King was assassinated. And at 6:05, I think we all could look at the clock at that time and remember that that's the time that it happened. And so, I think all of our lives are better because Dr. King lived, and he's given us a blueprint on how to make the world a better place. And for that, I ask that we take a moment of silence and remembering the work of Dr. King." 10300085.docx 10 STATE OF ILLINOIS 103rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 85th Legislative Day 4/4/2024
"The Body will take a moment of silence. Thank you. Representative Weber, for what reason do you seek recognition?"
"Point of personal privilege, Mr. Speaker."
"Please proceed."
"Ladies and Gentlemen, I would like to invite you and any fellow Scots out there to join me in recognizing the month of April as Scottish American History Month… or Heritage Month. Scottish American Heritage Month is a time to celebrate many contributions that Americans of Scottish ancestry have made to the United States, and it is estimated that 20 to 25 million Americans today claim to be of Scottish descent. With a rich cultural heritage, the Scottish people have contributed everything from fantastic stories of the Lock Ness Monster to bagpipes and kilts. Scottish Americans also played a major part in shaping the founding of our republic. At least two signers of the Declaration of Independence were Scotts, John Witherspoon and James Wilson. Witherspoon was also the president of the College of New Jersey, which is now Princeton University. And Wilson served on the United States Supreme Court. Two other notable founding fathers of Scottish ancestry include John Paul Jones, who is credited as the father of the American Navy, as well as Alexander Hamilton. Although Hamilton was not born in the Colony of Nevis, his father was a Scotsman. A lasting cultural tradition of the Scots that is still enjoyed today is the Highland Games. So, for those that don't know, the 38th Scottish Festival and Highland Games are coming to DuPage County this year at the fairgrounds on June 14 and 15, where they will have the 10300085.docx 11 STATE OF ILLINOIS 103rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 85th Legislative Day 4/4/2024 largest championship of bagpipes in North America. For me and my family, we are thankful and proud of our Scottish heritage. My great-grandparents, William Margarete… William and Margarete Steel Kerr came from… to the United States from Dumfriesshire, Scotland and settled in the town of Millburn, not far from where I live today. So, on behalf of all Scottish Americans throughout Illinois, please join me in recognizing April as Scottish American Heritage Month. Thank you."
"Representative Hanson, for what reason do you seek recognition?"
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Two points of personal privilege."
"Please proceed."
"First point, would like to wish a warm Springfield welcome to folks from all over our state donning their blue T-shirts. These are members from the communities of Du Quoin, Godfrey, Murphysboro, and Batavia, Illinois. Batavia's home of Valley Sheltered Workshop, and all these individuals with their blue T-shirts are a part of the 14(c) programming community. Since 1938, 14(c) programming has provided support to… for individuals with disabilities, offering vocational, recreational advocacy resources while fostering a sense of purpose and community belonging. If you can see some of their T-shirts, in red it says, 'It's my identity.' Well, 14(c)s do provide a place of community and development and… and caring… caring community for… for all, but especially in the unique part of this space that… I don't believe you'd have programming in anything but the 14(c) area. So, thank you for being here today. Thank you for sharing your time with us in 10300085.docx 12 STATE OF ILLINOIS 103rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 85th Legislative Day 4/4/2024 the Capitol, sharing your stories. And again, the red… the red part of your T-shirt says, 'It's my identity.' And thank you for being here. Please give them a warm Springfield welcome. If you haven't seen them so far today, they'll be here for a little while longer. I know they're happy to share their stories with you. Second point of personal privilege speaks to a development that happened earlier this week, and I rise today on a point of personal privilege to commend the United States Department of Transportation and the Federal Railroad Administration for its action earlier in announcing a long-awaited crew… a long-awaited rule regarding train crew size. It was nearly 11 years ago in July of 2013 when a runaway crude oil train operated by only a single person derailed in the heart of Lac-Mégantic, Quebec, just a few miles from the border of Maine. This tragic, preventable derailment killed 47 people and destroyed a community forever. The events of Lac-Mégantic and another high-profile oil train derailment later that year in Casselton, North Dakota rightfully elevated crew train size discussions on both the federal and state levels. Since those troubling months of 2013 and due to federal inaction on crew size, numerous states have sought and passed commonsense train crew size laws or safety regulations. I'm proud to say that this Body, in a bipartisan manner, did its part in 2019 when Illinois passed two-person crew leg that our Governor then signed into law. As Representatives of our constituents and advocates for safety in the transportation industry, it's imperative that we recognize and appreciate each measure that prioritizes the well-being of our professional rail workers, 10300085.docx 13 STATE OF ILLINOIS 103rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 85th Legislative Day 4/4/2024 the environment, and the communities served. The crew size rule implemented by the FRA provides uniformity across our nation and underscores a fundamental commitment to safety by ensuring adequate safety… staffing levels are maintained on trains, thereby enhancing operational effectiveness and mitigating real risk. Real risks like the one the two-person crew dealt with during the East Palestine, Ohio catastrophe earlier last year. On mandating appropriate crew size, the FRA's taken a proactive stance in safeguarding the lives and livelihoods of rail workers and the communities in which they operate and call home. The FRA's dedication to enforcing crew size regulation sets a commendable example for regulatory agencies nationwide and reinforces our collective commitment to fostering a safe, more resilient transportation network. In closing, I urge my esteemed colleagues here today to join me in expressing gratitude to the FRA for its steadfast commitment to safety and for prioritizing the welfare of railroad workers and passengers alike. Illinois remains the rail hub of the entire continent. So, we thank them for what they've done, what you've done so far in this Assembly, here and throughout the United States. Thank you, Mr. Speaker."
"Leader Manley, for what reason do you seek recognition?"
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. April 1 was World Autism Day, and I want to thank Representative Blair-Sherlock for her floor remarks to make us aware of this significant date, but moreover the fact that she started her comments with 'I love someone who has autism.' I, too, love someone who has autism, his name is Leonardo Manley, or as he tells people, his name 10300085.docx 14 STATE OF ILLINOIS 103rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 85th Legislative Day 4/4/2024 is Leonardo Manley Pumpkin. Leo loves pumpkins. In fact, most everything he talks about, sings about, or draws has something to do with pumpkins. He tells me he intends to be a pumpkin farmer, and he's made it clear he will not be selling any of his pumpkins 'cause they're all for him. Leo has autism, and this diagnosis has changed the trajectory of my family's lives. I believe, and I'm certain almost all of you would agree, that education is the key to most of the happiness and potential a human being can achieve. So, with that said, I plan to spend time this month, which is Autism Awareness Month, teaching you all what I have learned along the way on our journey that we call Loving Leo. Over the next few weeks, I encourage anyone who feels compelled to share factual information about autism or any words of support and encouragement for those who love someone with autism to do so as well. So, lesson number one. April is Autism Acceptance Month. Autism Spectrum Disorder, all known as ASD, is a neurological and developmental disorder that affects how people interact with others, communicate, learn, and behave. Although autism can be diagnosed at any age, it is described as a developmental disorder because the symptoms generally appear in the first two years of life. ASD can be reliably diagnosed by age two, but children may be diagnosed earlier, oftentimes later. Early… early identification of ASD helps children get the services they need. There is no cure for ASD, but there are several interventions that can help children learn important skills that improve everyday life. Typically, the earlier children are diagnosed and receive 10300085.docx 15 STATE OF ILLINOIS 103rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 85th Legislative Day 4/4/2024 services the better their outcomes are. Here ended the lesson number one. Stay tuned for number two. Thank you."
"Leader Elik, for what reason do you seek recognition?"
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Point of personal privilege."
"Please proceed."
"Speaker, I rise today to share with the Body that the House Republicans are saying goodbye soon to our longtime comms staffer, Chris Guy. Come on over here, Chris. He has accepted a fabulous opportunity outside state government, and we want to wish him congratulations and good luck. Chris, I have known you long before you were my comms staffer and I have you to both thank and blame for my getting involved in politics. Chris is also my constituent, and many may not know that Chris is a longtime member of the Madison County Board. He does great work in Madison County, and we just appreciate him so much there. Chris, I want to thank you for all your help the last three years here on the floor, for having my back in Madison County, and I know that you know what I mean by that, and for the work in the district. I know we will always be friends because I know where to find you, and definitely we will stay in touch. We wish you good luck, and best wishes to you in your new role. You're going to do great. Thank you."
"Representative Meier, for what reason do you seek recognition?"
"Point of personal privilege."
"Please proceed."
"I, too, want to thank Chris Guy for all that he's done. For 14 years, he's worked for the House Republican 10300085.docx 16 STATE OF ILLINOIS 103rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 85th Legislative Day 4/4/2024 organization. For 12 years, he's put up with me. That's saying a lot. I came up here off the farm, fresh off the farm, no college education, no political background, and he got stuck with me. Chris has helped me. There would be no way I could be a State Rep. and do the things that I've done, there'd be no way we would've probably kept Murray Center open without him helping guide me, push me, telling me what to do, keeping me from hitting people when I wanted to. I knew better. I… he wasn't there that day in my office when I punched the oak 6x6, which he should have been. That hurt for quite a while. But, you know, he's been like a brother to me. He's always there. He's there on weekends. He's there when I call him. And like a true brother, he even took my office in Highland. So, when I have meetings, I have to move his stuff out of it, put the pictures away, and put my stuff back up. Now, Chris has learned a lot too. He's learned a lot about farming, but he can't drive a tractor yet. He's learned how to write a press release with a Southern Illinois twang to it, and he's learned how to read through my writing and actually know what I want, which is… I write like a doctor. It's… it's a lot that we've been through. You serve your county board well. American Water's gain is our loss, and it's a tremendous loss to not have you here in Springfield with us. You have been good to Republicans and Dems alike. And I just want to wish you and Cara the best in the future, and thank you for everything you've done for all of us. And let's give Chris another round of applause."
"Congratulations, Chris. Representative Mussman, for what reason do you seek recognition?" 10300085.docx 17 STATE OF ILLINOIS 103rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 85th Legislative Day 4/4/2024
"A point of personal privilege, please."
"Please proceed."
"I would like to also take an opportunity to introduce Pages that I have with me today. I have Bingham, in the fifth grade, and I have Baylar, in the fourth grade. There are from Rochester nearby. And they are the children of Josh Evans, who we all know works hard for IARF all around our beautiful Capitol. And while I did not interrogate them and bring their personal histories, we've had a great time running all over the building today. So, if everyone could give them another warm welcome to our Capitol."
"Welcome to your Capitol. Representative Meier, for what reason do you seek recognition?"
"Point of personal privilege."
"Please proceed."
"Right before Session started, I put an invitation out to come and watch the eclipse in Southern Illinois. So, anybody who's a Member of the General Assembly is invited. Our farm is two hours, with no traffic, south of Springfield. We are supposed to have about a minute and a half to two minutes of total sun blockage. I like to look at it as from the dark side. And I put address… my phone number on here and my address. You would have 30-some miles of two-lane highway with three four-way stops. The last eclipse, that may take you two hours to get back, maybe not. But you are welcome on the farm. We'll have picnic tables set up if you come. I'd like to know who's coming just so I know how many picnic tables to get out of the shed and dust off. And if it's raining, I guess we'll just have to have a drink instead. So, 10300085.docx 18 STATE OF ILLINOIS 103rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 85th Legislative Day 4/4/2024 everybody's welcome. Come if you have nowhere else to go. You don't have to worry about parking, and I'm only a mile from the interstate. Thanks, and have a great weekend."
"Representative Miller, for what reason do you seek recognition."
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Point of personal privilege."
"Please proceed."
"This Monday, I was extremely excited to… to receive an early morning phone call from Representative Halbrook. And he let me know that the entire General Assembly, and ultimately the people of Illinois, would get to see the state budget package at the beginning of May, instead of the day or two before we are expected to vote on a 3 thousand page plus Bill. And then he reminded me it was April Fool's. And so, I said, 'Well, you got me on that one.' All kidding aside, I'm so tired of the same old song and dance about our Illinois budget. We know what usually happens, that the left shuts us out of negotiations and then the Speaker will march out here and pontificate how that the Republicans should vote for this budget. Personally, I'm not going to vote for a $51 billion plus spending package, especially one that we only get to see for maybe a couple of days before voting. In the name of transparency, it's time for us to be different this year. If the Speaker, the Senate President, and the Governor insist on writing a budget behind closed doors, then the people of Illinois deserve to see it at least seven calendar days before voting. Additionally, if we really want to be transparent in Illinois, it would be a good idea in my mind to bust up this $51 billion budget into a separate spending package instead 10300085.docx 19 STATE OF ILLINOIS 103rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 85th Legislative Day 4/4/2024 of one big omnibus. And maybe some Republicans could actually support certain parts of this budget. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker."
"Representative Ugaste, for what reason do you seek recognition?"
"Point of personal privilege, Mr. Speaker."
"Please proceed."
"Thank you. I'd like to tell the chamber about a young man I recently had the opportunity to meet and some work I think we need to do here within this chamber. The young man's name is Anthony. He's 19 years old. He's from the West Side of Chicago, currently residing in my district. And I'm going to tell you how it is I came to meet him. The reason why is, we all just got back from a week off, and many were able to travel over spring break. I remained in my district. There was a celebration for a repurposing of a state facility in my district, the St. Charles juvenile detention facility. And I went to it because I was excited about it. I was excited that the state has changed what has been a boys' home, a boys' juvenile detention facility, into a career and education center. So, now, with our young men who unfortunately get in trouble, we are going to try to educate them and train them when they're finishing their time in the detention facility so they can go out and find a job hopefully and not continue down this same path. I applauded the administration that day for what they've done, and I will do so again today. I think it is a fantastic and wonderful thing. And there were about 50 to 70 people in the audience, and they're all supporters, and they were all there to help make this possible. And I 10300085.docx 20 STATE OF ILLINOIS 103rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 85th Legislative Day 4/4/2024 couldn't think of a better way to use state resources. But then I challenged them too. I challenged them because we're providing opportunities so these young men won't come back here. Why don't we do it on the front end so they don't end up here? Why aren't we providing them with the education, the training, and the job opportunities on the front side? And then after me a young man got up to speak, Anthony, 19 years old, like I said, from the West Side of Chicago. And he talked about the opportunities he was being provided. He'd been there for a while, since before the transition started, and that there was some opportunities to learn to do some things before this transition took place but many more now. And he is fully into it. He has learned how to drive a forklift. He will be certified by the time he leaves. He's learning how to be an electrician, he is studying, and he's bettering his life and hoping that he will never have to come back to a place like this again. He wants to do something with himself. But then he also said one other thing that really, really struck me. He said, 'I wish I'd had opportunities like this beforehand because, if I had, I probably wouldn't have ended up here.' Opportunity, it's a wonderful, wonderful thing. Talked to Anthony afterwards. Very nice young man. Very nice young man. One of the elected officials I was there with asked him what he was there for. First-degree murder. Floored me. Absolutely floored me. So, now, we have two lives. Anthony's has been forever changed, and whoever's life he took is now no longer with us because we're not providing enough opportunity. And as I said, opportunity's a wonderful thing. Unfortunately, we all had to read this morning that 510 men and women in 10300085.docx 21 STATE OF ILLINOIS 103rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 85th Legislative Day 4/4/2024 Danville, Illinois just lost all their opportunity. Their jobs are being eliminated. Another manufacturing facility in Illinois is shutting down. We've had over a thousand of them since the beginning of the year. There's a news… news article on it. We can't keep going this way. We can't keep going this way. Our young people are turning to crime when they shouldn't have to. Our families are losing opportunity and going other places. We offer, as well as all of you, Bills with ideas for bettering our community. But for some reason, our Bills don't get heard in committee. I have numbers here. Numbers this week, 213 Bills came out of committee this week, 181 Democrat, 32 Republican. That's 15 percent. For the whole year so far, 2024, Democrats have 434 out of committee, Republicans have 17, of which 18 were shell Bills. That's not even 14 percent. If you take out the shell Bills, that's 7.8 times as many. You have a two to one majority, I know, not 7.89. We can't even get a proportional number. We want to improve the state too. We want to provide opportunity. I don't understand why we can't be allowed to have our Bills heard. If they're so terrible, vote them down. This is ridiculous. I… this is going on. What's it going to take? What's it going to take? For a facility in your communities to shut down and 510 people lose their jobs? Or for you to have to look in the eyes of a young man who's 19 years old who has had their life forever changed because he said I didn't have the opportunity? We need to do better in this chamber. We can, and we should. And it's not on this side to do it."
"Leader McLaughlin, for what reason do you seek recognition?" 10300085.docx 22 STATE OF ILLINOIS 103rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 85th Legislative Day 4/4/2024
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise for a point of personal privilege."
"Please proceed."
"Very rarely in my short time here in three years have I had so many people contact me in such a short period of time. And it was in response to the proposal yesterday that passed out of Labor Committee called House Bill 5345, a Bill to remove the tip incentive pay structure for servers. For those that aren't aware of this, it passed last night 17 to 11. And this, my friends, is another awful idea solving a problem that never actually existed, or as I like to refer to these concepts in this chamber as WIBI Bills. What are those? Well-intentioned bad ideas. How do I know this is a bad idea? Because thousands of business owners and tens of thousands of servers are against it. At dinner last night with a number of colleagues, we met a few of these servers, who were incredibility outspoken, outraged, and wearing T-shirts and buttons aggressively asking us to represent them in this chamber. So, to Angie, Peter, Steve, Shana, I want them to understand, and the business owners, that we support incentive-based compensation, and we'll stand with you. Serving personnel do not want this Bill. The business owners do not want this Bill. Patrons, whose bills will now increase, do not want this Bill. So, please, before we debate this WIBI Bill on the floor here, talk to business owners in your community. This is not a Republican or Democrat issue. This is a pro-business, this is a pro-worker, this is a keep costs at a reasonable level so that we can all enjoy going into our community restaurants. Please support your small business 10300085.docx 23 STATE OF ILLINOIS 103rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 85th Legislative Day 4/4/2024 owners and their employees so that we can keep their economic futures intact. Thank you, Mr. Speaker."
"Representative Schweizer, for what reason do you seek recognition?"
"Point of… point of personal privilege, Mr. Speaker."
"Please proceed."
"Yes. Thank you. As the Representative for Danville, I just want to ask all of you to please keep those that are affected by the closing of Quaker Oats in your prayers. Five hundred and ten jobs to the community of Danville is going to be near impossible to try to overcome. If you look at the average salary in Illinois, it's about $40 thousand. So, multiply that by over 510, and you're getting about $20 million to a… a small town community that is just going to be devastated by the loss of this. So, I just ask that you all keep them in your prayers while they're going through this hard time. Thank you."
"Members, an announcement. Session for tomorrow, April 5, is canceled. Mr. Clerk, Agreed Resolutions."
"Agreed Resolutions. House Resolution 676, offered by Representative Kelly. House Resolution 677, offered by Representative Davidsmeyer. And House Resolution 678, offered by Representative Spain."
"Leader Gabel moves for the adoption of the Agreed Resolutions. All those in favor say 'aye'; all those 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 Wednesday, April 10. All 10300085.docx 24 STATE OF ILLINOIS 103rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 85th Legislative Day 4/4/2024 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. Committee Reports. Representative Slaughter, Chairperson from the Committee on Judiciary - Criminal reports the following committee action taken on April 4, 2024: do pass Short Debate is House Bill 4567, House Bill 4604, House Bill 4726, House Bill 4753, House Bill 4851, House Bill 5285, House Bill 5467, House Bill 5487, House Bill 5534, House Bill 5541, House Bill 5646; do pass as amended Short Debate is House Bill 1053, House Bill 1168, House Bill 14… correction, House Bill 4241, House Bill 4295, House Bill 4410, House Bill 4754, and House Bill 5346. There being no further business, the House Perfunctory Session will stand adjourned." 10300085.docx 25