"The House will be in order. Members, please be in your seats. We shall be led in prayer today by Representative Grasse. 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. Representative."
"Good morning. Let us take a moment to be still and to center ourselves together in the important work before us. In times now where fear divides and voices harden, may we remember that the true strength of our state and of our nation lives in those who choose courage over silence and compassion over indifference. In the work we do here, let us remember the timeless truth that we are bound together in our shared humanity because what touches one of us ripples through all of us. And it is in the shared connection with each other that we are called to defend the principles that hold us in common: due process, dignity, and justice for every person. These are not partisan ideals. They are the promise of America itself. So, may we labor today with clear eyes and steady hearts, faithful to the trust placed in us, mindful of the power we hold, and resolute in ensuring that truth, hope, and justice are not merely words, but promises that we help live beyond the words. Let that be our purpose. Let that be our guide together. Amen."
"Thank you, Representative. We shall be led in the Pledge of Allegiance today by the birthday boy, Leader Windhorst."
"I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, 10400057.docx 1 STATE OF ILLINOIS 104th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 57th Legislative Day 10/15/2025 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."
"Thank you, Speaker. Let the record show that Representatives Ammons and Moylan are excused today."
"Leader Keicher is recognized to report any excused absence on the Republican side. Leader Keicher."
"Thank you, dean. Please let the record reflect that Representatives Grants… Grant and Tipsword are excused for today."
Speaker Hoffman: "Record shall reflect. Have all recorded themselves who wish? Have all recorded themselves who wish? Have all recorded themselves who wish? Mr. Clerk, please take the record. There being 113 Members answering the roll call, a quorum is present. Mr. Clerk is recognized."
Clerk Hollman: "Committee Report. Representative Moylan, Chairperson from Committee on Transportation: Regulation, Roads & Bridges reports the following action on October 15, 2025: recommends be adopted is House Joint Resolution 1. Introduction of Resolutions. House Resolution 497, offered by Representative Gordon-Booth; House Resolution 498, offered by Leader McCombie; House Resolution 504, offered by Representative Avelar; House Resolution 505, offered by Representative Harper; House Resolution 506, offered by Representative Buckner; House Resolution 507, offered by Representative Briel; House Resolution 508, offered by Representative Lisa Hernandez; and Senate Joint Resolution 10400057.docx 2 STATE OF ILLINOIS 104th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 57th Legislative Day 10/15/2025 36, offered by Representative Kifowit, are referred to the Rules Committee."
"Representative Schweizer, for what reason do you arise?"
"Point of personal privilege, Mr. Speaker."
"Please state your point."
"Thank you very much. Ladies and gentlemen, if I could please have your full and undivided attention. I have some very important celebrities in the Speaker's Gallery that I would like to introduce. So, I rise today to recognize the Westville Junior High School Wildcats, who captured the 2025 IESA Class 2A softball state championship. The Wildcats displayed incredible talent, teamwork, and determination throughout their season, representing the village of Westville and Vermilion County with pride. Their hard work on and off the field is a true reflection of the values we celebrate in our communities: discipline, perseverance, and sportsmanship. The Wildcats are led by coach Matt Darling and Ed Barney. The members of the Wildcats are Reese Michelin, Trinity McGehee, Denim Zaayer, Aria Beninato, Rhyla Strange, Dannalee Lutchka, Maddie Herrin, Autumn McDaniel, Danica Fox, Ella Douglas, Kinley Barney, Harper Eldridge, Krislen Cook, Riley Barnes, Bella Taflinger, and Lilly Pabst. So, the Members of the Illinois House of Representatives wish to congratulate the Westville Junior High School softball team, the Wildcats, on winning the 2025 IESA Class 2A state championship. The Wildcats won two games on September 20, defeating Calhoun High School in Hardin, Illinois in their final contest by a score of 7-3 to secure their championship. 10400057.docx 3 STATE OF ILLINOIS 104th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 57th Legislative Day 10/15/2025 The Wildcats finished their season with a perfect record of 25 and 0. The Wildcats record over the last two seasons, however, is 44 and 1. The Wildcats were welcomed home with the Westville Police and Fire Department escort, along with the honking horns and cheering fans. So, therefore, be it resolved that the House of Representatives of the 104th General Assembly of the state of Illinois, that we congratulate the Westville Junior High School softball team, the Wildcats, on winning the state championship and recognize all the contributions made by the players, the coaches, and the families who have impacted their team and school for the better. So, congratulations, ladies, and go Wildcats."
"Representative Mason."
"Point of personal privilege, Mr. Speaker."
"Please state your point."
"Thank you. Hey, everybody. I have some very special guests here in the gallery, if they want to stand up, my dear friends, Rick and Tracy Gossman. It started out at Keller Graduate School of Management, went on to many, many years at W. W. Grainger, all three of us together. And we've watched our kids grow up, and we've been friends for a really, really, really long time. Please help me give them a warm Springfield welcome."
"Representative Swanson."
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Point of personal privilege."
"Please state your point."
"Thank you. I'm honored to have Evelyn Wilbur here with me today as a page for a day. Wilbur… Evelyn attends Orion High School, and she's a 10th grader sophomore at Orion High 10400057.docx 4 STATE OF ILLINOIS 104th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 57th Legislative Day 10/15/2025 School. Her parents are Pastor David and Sharon Wilbur, and Sharon is here with her today. They both are pastors at Faith Family Church in Orion. Evelyn's a very busy student in school. She plays and just last week competed in the IHSA golf sectionals, coming in 13th. Only 10 advance, which she was number 13 on the team. A great accomplishment. She's in the band. She's in jazz band. She's in choir. She's in syncopation. She's a student council member. She's in culinary club. She's in Orion Gray Matters chapter. She's a Scholastic Bowl member. She's on Fellowship of Christian Athletes, where she's a leader of the group. Her community activities, as I've said, Gray Matters Collective, volunteer work at the local church. She also serves on the American Legion Auxiliary as a junior member and Orion Community Band. And I'd like to take just a moment to plug all of our different community bands and choral groups because they do a great service for our communities. She's a member of the Iowa Junior PGA. I know it's Iowa, but they're… they have a Junior PGA there. She is a… second time she's been my page. She's top 10% in her grade, in her class, receiving a 4.0. And just a few days before her competition, she played with my golf team in the Illinois Lyme Association annual golf outing. So, it's really a pleasure to have her… her here today. So, if we could all give her a warm welcome. Thank you."
"Mr. Clerk, Rules Report."
"Rules Report. Representative Gabel, Chairperson from the Committee on Rules reports the following action taken on October 15, 2025: recommends be adopted, referred to the Order of Resolutions is House Resolution 504, House 10400057.docx 5 STATE OF ILLINOIS 104th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 57th Legislative Day 10/15/2025 Resolution 505, House Resolution 506, House Resolution 507, and House Resolution 508."
"Leader McCombie."
"Hi. Good afternoon. I would like to introduce a page for the day. Today, I have Drake Miller. Jake… Drake is a bright and enthusiastic seventh grader at Carterville Junior High School. He is representative by… represented by Dr. Jacobs here in the House. And his favorite subject is history. He enjoys learning about stories and events that have shaped our world. Drake looks up to JD Vance as his favorite politician and really likes his… where… how he came from humble beginnings. He finds inspiration and leader… in his leadership. Outside of school, Drake stays very busy and has fun through his 4-H club activities. And he's joined today by his grandfather, Dennis, who is in the gallery. And at home, he has a… he's part of a great family with his mom, Amy Miller; siblings, Callen and Kamri. And I… please give him a warm, warm welcome."
"Welcome to Springfield. Leader Morgan, for what reason do you arise?"
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. A point of personal privilege, please."
"Please state your point."
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Ladies and gentlemen, in the gallery… in the Speaker's Gallery today, we have not just my outreach director, Dominik Bronakowski, here. But for the first time, we have Emilia De Paula Fonseca, who is one of my interns for this… this fall. If you could please give her a warm Springfield welcome. Thank you, Emilia." 10400057.docx 6 STATE OF ILLINOIS 104th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 57th Legislative Day 10/15/2025
"Representative Hernandez." Hernandez, N.: "Point of personal privilege."
"Please state your point." Hernandez, N.: "As we close out Hispanic Heritage Month, I want to take a moment to reflect not only on our rich culture, our delicious food, and our beautiful traditions, but also on the strength and resilience of our people. This month has always been about celebration, about honoring our ancestors, uplifting our communities, and reminding the world that we are here, we are proud. But this year has… this year has felt different. While we've gathered in joy, dancing in parades, breaking bread at festivals, and sharing stories of who we are, ICE has been on a rampage acting as Trump's secret police and disrupting our working-class immigrant families. They have targeted our communities intentionally, rights in the moments when… right in the moment when we are the most visible, the most united, and the most proud. Their actions are not about safety. They are about intimidation. They want us to live in fear, to shrink ourselves, and to forget the power that lives within us. But I am here to… here to say that we will not be broken. No matter how hard they try to silence or scare us, we are resilient. We carry generations of strength in our blood from our parents, our abuelos, and our ancestors who endured so much more and still found ways to dance, to laugh, and to love. Because joy is resistance. Our joy is a declaration that we are still here, that we belong, that no system, no agent, or no policy will ever erase us. We faced this kind of hate and racism before, and each time we've overcome it. One day this too shall pass, and when 10400057.docx 7 STATE OF ILLINOIS 104th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 57th Legislative Day 10/15/2025 it does, we will still be standing. We will see justice, and we will see freedom, and we will keep celebrating louder and prouder. So, today, as we close this month, let us carry forward the spirit of celebration, not just for one month but every single day. Let us honor our culture, not only in memory but in action, through love, solidarity, and unshakeable joy. Because that's who we are. That… that's what it means to be Latino, to be proud, and to be unstoppable. Thank you. [Spoken in Spanish.]"
"Leader Hammond seeks recognition."
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Point of personal privilege."
"Please state your point."
"I join together with Representative Dan Swanson in welcoming a group of students from Monmouth College up here in the gallery. They are here today visiting our State Capitol, together with their professor, Robin Johnson, checking out what goes on in the Capitol and here on the state floor… or House floor. So, please give them a warm welcome."
"Representative Severins… Severin."
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Point of personal privilege, please."
"Please state your point."
"Earlier this week, I had the privilege of joining Tom Miller of WJPF Radio in Carterville, Illinois for an interview. Shortly after my interview with Tom, he announced that he'll be retiring from broadcasting after an amazing 49 years in the business. We don't have many celebrities in Southern Illinois, but Tom Miller is about as close as it gets. However, Tom is a regular guy. He's not a rich man. 10400057.docx 8 STATE OF ILLINOIS 104th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 57th Legislative Day 10/15/2025 He's a working man, and he feels the pinch when prices go up just the same as thousands of people who tuned in to listen to him every morning for decades. At one point in the interview, we switched topics to the state of energy and the cost of electricity in this state. Tom asked me about the pending energy legislation in this House in a recent hearing we had with energy companies and advocates. Back in May, as Republican spokesman on the House Energy & Environment Committee, I called for a joint hearing to look into the cause of an enormous spike in energy delivery cost after the MISO auction. All of you listen to the MISO report that I give each day. The MISO auction for the summer months resulted in capacity prices 22 times higher than last summer's prices. If you're like me, your offices were inundated with calls from frightened individuals and businesses after their electricity bills came back two to three times higher than last summer. Thank you to the three people on the other side of the aisle that are listening. This body has voted to take critical energy production capacity offline in pursuit of the Green New Deal, and the cost to consumers has been devastating. We never had these hearings in the Energy & Environment Committee. But funny enough, last week we had an Executive Committee hearing on the latest enormous energy omnibus bill. I was happy to sub into that committee, but I was disturbed when I heard an executive from a large capacity energy provider confirm that Senate Bill 25, as written, would drive electricity prices even higher with new surcharges. So, going back to my interview with Tom Miller on the Monday morning interview, Tom asked me for a favor. Tom said, 'Please tell 10400057.docx 9 STATE OF ILLINOIS 104th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 57th Legislative Day 10/15/2025 your fellow legislators to stop helping me with my electric bill. Your help has been hurting everyone who flips on a light, turns on their heat or air conditioning, and every business and homeowner in this state.' So, please stop helping the people I represent by passing huge energy bills that end up giving my constituents huge energy bills. Thank you, Mr. Speaker and to the three people that were listening on the other side of the aisle."
"Leader McCombie seeks recognition."
"Point of personal privilege."
"Please say your point."
"To the previous speaker, Representative Severin, I just wanted to say thank you for bringing that up. And I heard the Speaker earlier today, right before session came in, that the… lowering the energy cost in Illinois is a priority of the House Democrats. So, I'm very sorry that the other side of the aisle was not really listening to you. Thank you."
"Under the Order of Amendatory Veto Motions, we have Representative Katz Muhl on House Bill 2568. Representative Katz Muhl is recognized."
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. On House Bill 2568, I'd like to move to concur in the Amendatory Veto. We have filed the motion to accept the governor's recommendation. As you'll recall, this was the Equality for Every Family Act, which updated our parentage laws with the last eight years of Uniform Code changes. We identified in the final version that was passed, on page 70 of the 86-page bill, a subsection renumbering error was made by the LRB drafter without consultation with the sponsors. So, we're going to realign 10400057.docx 10 STATE OF ILLINOIS 104th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 57th Legislative Day 10/15/2025 those subsections to make it match the intended bill. Would appreciate an 'aye' vote on the motion. Thank you."
"On this question, Representative Ugaste."
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Will the sponsor yield?"
"She indicates she'll yield."
"Representative, just so we're clear, you outlined the Amendatory Veto and you're… you're seeking to, I… I believe, concur with all the changes suggested. Is that correct?"
"That's correct."
"OK. Is there anything of any substance that's actually changing in this amendment?"
"Not from what the uniform law says. It was the renumbering error that inadvertently deleted the subject of a sentence. It will come into alignment with the Uniform Code, as was the discussion from the start."
"OK. Thank you. Just for the people on our side of the aisle, if you'll remember, I believe it was everyone against on this side, and nothing's been changed by this amendment. Thank you."
"Seeing no one seeking further recognition, Representative Katz Muhl to close."
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Can provide a complimentary reminder that it was all 77 Democrats in favor and would ask for the same again for an 'aye' vote. Thank you."
"Representative Katz Muhl moves for the… to accept the specific recommendations of the governor as to House Bill 2568. All those in favor vote 'aye'; all opposed vote 'nay.' The voting's open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Mr. Clerk, please 10400057.docx 11 STATE OF ILLINOIS 104th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 57th Legislative Day 10/15/2025 take the record. There being 74 voting 'yes,' 38 voting 'no,' 0 voting 'present,' the motion, having received the constitutional majority, the specific recommendations of the governor regarding House Bill 2568 are accepted. Representative Cassidy, for what reason do you rise?"
"Point of personal privilege."
"Please state your point."
"I want to… I want the House to welcome my friend, Channyn Lynn Parker. Channyn Lynn Parker is the new CEO of Equality Illinois, the state's leading LGBTQ+ civil rights organization, and the former CEO of Brave Space Alliance, the first Black-led, trans-led LGBTQ+ center on Chicago's South Side. A visionary leader and advocate, Channyn made history as the first openly transgender woman employed at the Cook County Department of Corrections and has held leadership roles at Howard Brown Health, the Broadway Youth Center, and Chicago House. Her groundbreaking work has earned numerous honors, including induction into the LGBTQ Chicago Hall of Fame, recognition by Crain's Chicago Business, and the Out100, and National Awards for Leadership Excellence. Congratulations and welcome aboard, Channyn. Please welcome Channyn to the Illinois House of Representatives."
"Under the Order of Resolutions appears House Resolution 508, Leader Hernandez. Leader Windhorst."
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Republicans request an immediate caucus in Room 118."
"Leader, how long do you expect?"
"Approximately 30 minutes." 10400057.docx 12 STATE OF ILLINOIS 104th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 57th Legislative Day 10/15/2025
"The Republicans have requested an immediate caucus in Room 118 for approximately 30 minutes. The Democrats shall stand at ease. We request that you stay around so that when the Republicans… when the Republicans return that we'll be able to immediately get to business. The House shall stand at ease to the call of the Chair… in recess to the call of the Chair. The House will be in order. Under the Order of Resolutions, we have House Resolution 508, offered by Leader Hernandez. Leader Hernandez." Hernandez, L.: "Thank you, Speaker. House Resolution 508 recognize… recognizes unacceptable acts of violence have scarred our democratic process. This summer, Minnesota Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband were murdered in their home in the middle of the night. Another Minnesota lawmaker was shot and critically wounded in their home that same night. The masked gunman was targeting lawmakers for their support of abortion rights. Last month, a campus political rally in Utah erupted in horrific violence as a gunman shot and murdered conservative activist Charlie Kirk. And perhaps what's most tragic is that these were just the latest incidents of politically motivated violence that have affected communities across our country. Shooters poisoned by racism and violent political rhetoric have targeted innocent people at the Tree of Life synagogue, at the Emanuel AME Church, at a Walmart in El Paso, and in so many other places. One of the saddest cases took place right here in Illinois, where an elderly landlord with a mind twisted by hate brutally attacked his Muslim tenants, stabbing a… to death a 6-year- old boy, who falsely and inexplicably linked to international 10400057.docx 13 STATE OF ILLINOIS 104th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 57th Legislative Day 10/15/2025 events. Through all of this, we have stood together to condemn these acts of hate and political violence. Many of us have called out apocalyptic rhetoric that seems to be fueling the violence, and we came here today prepared to do so again. But it would be a hollow gesture, I repeat that, a hollow gesture, to stand here and simply call out these instances of political violence while communities across Illinois are being subjected to politically motivated violence instigated by our own government as we speak. Masked troopers are marching our streets, empowered to harass, detain, and apparently even beat and kill people simply because of how they look. Children are torn from their parents and placed in zip ties. Our elected leaders and members of the media have been battered and detained simply for doing their jobs. And if you're choosing to draw a distinction between individual acts of violence and institutional acts of violence simply because one is condoned by Donald Trump, then… then I am here to say that those beliefs are part of the problem. And if you're willing to write off some of… some forms of violence because the targets of that violence don't look like you or don't live near you, then that is also part of the problem. So, I ask today that we stand together, as we've stood together in the past, and condemn… condemning political violences in all forms, whether it comes from a gunman radicalized by the darkness corners of the internet or masked federal agents. I ask for an 'aye' vote."
"On this motion, Representative Hirschauer."
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. To the resolution."
"To the resolution." 10400057.docx 14 STATE OF ILLINOIS 104th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 57th Legislative Day 10/15/2025
"I'm going to start with what I like to tell my kids, which is violence is never the answer and empathy is at the heart of all compromise and understanding. Empathy has been at the heart of every political and policy decision that I have made, and I know it will continue to guide all of our practices here in the Illinois House. I've dedicated my career to keeping our neighbors safe from gun violence. And with the help of some of us in this room, we have done great things here in the General Assembly to achieve that goal, like banning ghost guns, the Protect Illinois Communities Act, and Karina's Law. These represent public safety. I never would have imagined I'd be standing here today not only to protect our communities from gun violence but violence that is now being encouraged, rewarded, and even deployed by our own federal government. We are witnessing something deeply un- American: violence used as a political weapon. In my community and in many of our communities violence has taken the form of masked agents, Black Hawk helicopters hovering over neighborhoods, and pepper spray. My neighborhood of West Chicago is normally a very, very quiet town. But if you look closer now, you will see unmarked SUVs, vans with tinted windows patrolling our tree-lined streets and circling our neighborhood schools. These are ICE agents, and they are here simply because West Chicago is a largely Latino community, and they are perpetrating violence. These agents are not armed with judicial criminal warrants. They are armed with guns and tear gas, which they deploy with impunity. These agents are not protecting my children or your children or our communities from criminals. They are abducting fathers on their way home 10400057.docx 15 STATE OF ILLINOIS 104th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 57th Legislative Day 10/15/2025 from school drop-off, aunts and uncles leaving a shift at a local factory, and college students attending morning classes. Our current immigration policy is broken, and instead of rolling up his sleeves, doing the work of governing, and offering solutions to fix it, President Trump is choosing to target and torture the very immigrant communities that have weaved the fabric of our nation. It is a cowardly and a weak choice, certainly not rooted in empathy, and, above all, it is a dangerous one. Every single person in our community is put in harm's way when ICE agents roam our neighborhoods. Illinois will not be a stage for that kind of fear. We stand for public safety. That is what we stand for in this building. We do not stand for the will of a convicted felon. We know what public safety is supposed to look like. It does not look like masked agents terrorizing school drop- off lanes, or circling our churches, or lawlessly barging through neighbor's doors. Public safety policies should be rooted in empathy, and I beg us all to be guided by our empathy. I stand alongside my colleagues. Thank you, Leader Hernandez, for bringing this resolution forward. We condemn political violence in all its forms, whether it's radicalized by Trump or inflamed by extremists. I urge an 'aye' vote."
"On this motion, Leader Davidsmeyer."
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. To the resolution."
"To the resolution."
"Leader, as… as we walked in this morning, had smiles on our face, we didn't do anything crazy political yesterday. Held the door open for you. We went… we joined each other in committee. Nothing was political, and then we get here. I 10400057.docx 16 STATE OF ILLINOIS 104th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 57th Legislative Day 10/15/2025 don't know if you were on the floor yesterday when I talked about House Resolution 494, where I mentioned basically equal acts of violence committed against Republicans and Democrats. It was an effort to try to unify what seems to be ununifiable at times. It seems like one side here wants to only play politics and others want to get together and try to fix problems. The purely political talk that we see in this building doesn't make things better out there. It does not make anything better out there for our constituents. Whether you're concerned about people, gun violence, wherever it may be, no matter what you're concerned about, it's not helping our constituents to talk about this. I didn't mention Trump political speech. I didn't mention JB Pritzker political speech. I mentioned both of those who are both… one was almost shot, and one has had threats against himself and his family. And that was an effort to truly go after and attack and come together and say, 'We are all opposed to political violence, no matter who it's against.' This is purely an effort to divide this House and to continue to remain divided. We have to figure out a better way to move forward. Illinois is not getting better this way. It's not safer this way. Many of the policies that have come through this very House are the reason why the federal government is here to enforce federal law. Because not only have… has this body refused to allow it, they made it illegal for our local law enforcement to enforce federal law. We need to figure out a way to better serve the people of Illinois. When you talk about political violence and then say Trump, Trump, Trumpity Trump, it doesn't do anything to make my family feel safer, and it doesn't do 10400057.docx 17 STATE OF ILLINOIS 104th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 57th Legislative Day 10/15/2025 anything to make your family feel safer. We need to have a unified voice when it comes to political conversation, and, yes, that includes disagreement, but it should never come to violence. I move for a roll call vote."
"On this question, Representative Benton."
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. To the resolution. I rise today in support of this resolution because I've seen firsthand what it does to a community when violence takes place instead of peaceful, democratic exchange. I saw what happened when a 6-year-old boy was stabbed to death by a 71-year-old man, a landlord that was the best friend of the family, who compromised himself because of political rhetoric and what was happening around the world. Wadea Al-Fayoume died in pain and terror because of the irresponsible rhetoric that was out there. There's hate, and there's division, and I'm not here for that. I've seen violence in my community. I've seen my community just be torn apart emotionally, physically. People did not feel safe. We had to set up ways to make the community feel safe. And we're still mourning the loss years later. This is not acceptable, political violence in any stretch of the means. I've personally faced my tail light being smashed, death threats, having to do protocols in my office, physical violence to myself, threats to my family. And I know a lot of my colleagues here on this floor have faced the same thing on both sides of the aisle. It's not right. We're all trying to do a job, we're all trying to serve the people, and we have to condone these acts of violence no matter what. So, I think we should work together, I think we should do better, and I think we should condone… I'm sorry, condemn all of these acts 10400057.docx 18 STATE OF ILLINOIS 104th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 57th Legislative Day 10/15/2025 of political violence, no matter what side of the aisle you're on, no matter what community you're from. We need to do better. I urge an 'aye' vote on this resolution."
"Representative Niemerg."
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. To the resolution."
"To the resolution."
"I think we're forgetting a couple of really important things here on the House floor here today. Another 20 million illegals have flooded the open border under the Biden administration. Some 300,000 children were put into the sex trade as a result of the open border policies under the Biden administration and under the Pritzker administration. Some of these individuals that are apprehended in Chicago: A gentleman from El Salvador convicted of statutory rape, fraud, aggravated felony, also pending charges on assault. Another individual from Austria. Convictions include sexual assault, aggravated sexual abuse, multiple offenses including minors, violations of the sex offender registry, and currently charged with murder, rape, and sexual assault of a minor. Another individual from Poland arrested for DUI and strong-arm aggravated assault. Another individual from Venezuela, a confirmed cartel member. Another individual from Lithuania, burglary. Individual from Mexico, weapons offenses, crimes against a person… person, concealing homicidal death. And another individual from Mexico, armed carjacking. These are the folks that Governor Pritzker and Mayor Johnson are trying to protect. These individuals can go in any building in the city of Chicago and be harbored as criminal illegals, when we, the Republicans, are trying to 10400057.docx 19 STATE OF ILLINOIS 104th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 57th Legislative Day 10/15/2025 protect the citizens of your great city. And to blame Donald Trump… you know, Donald Trump, if he hadn't turned his head, he'd be… he'd be gone. He wouldn't be with us anymore. Two assassination attempts, and yet nobody's in here talking about Governor Pritzker and what he has said, his violent rhetoric. On this very House floor, he called Republicans Nazis. He said bullies respond to one thing, and that's a punch in the face. I guess Republicans need to be punched in the face. And he won't continue to advocate that we wage a conventional political fight, that we really need is to become street fighters. And he said, 'Never before have I called for mass protest, mobilization, or for disruption, but I am now. These Republicans cannot know a moment of peace.' Political violence is not the answer. I agree with you 100% on that issue. But to overcast or say, well, we're not going to talk about Governor Pritzker's violent rhetoric and just talk about, oh, we're going to blame it on Donald Trump, it's absolutely ridiculous. Headquarters of Republican Party in New Mexico was subject to an arson attack. The Minnesota state legislator that was referenced earlier was assassinated because they took a vote removing health care from illegal immigrants. Two young Israeli embassy staffers, young, just trying to start their lives out, were shot and killed. A gunman fired shots at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention headquarters in Atlanta. And lastly, the political assassination of a great man, Charlie Kirk. And on the bullet casing, it said, 'Catch this, fascist.' So, if we're going to talk about political rhetoric, if we're going to talk about hate speech, if we're going to talk about violent acts, we 10400057.docx 20 STATE OF ILLINOIS 104th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 57th Legislative Day 10/15/2025 need to talk about what Governor JB Pritzker has done to this state, and we need to restore Illinois. Thank you. Vote 'no.'"
"Representative La Ha."
"To the resolution."
"Resolution."
"Mr. Speaker and Members of the House, this summer I received detailed, politically motivated death threats against me, my family. And it's still sinking in that someone wants me dead because I choose to serve in this chamber. It's the dangerous rhetoric being spoken here in this room by other leaders across the state and by the nation that is only fueling these violent actions. Today, we're seeing a flood of resolutions that are no surprise that conflate political violence with more partisan, finger-pointing attacks. They want my children dead because of these games that we're seeing right now, and some of you are smiling. This is not a stand against violence, to be pushing our buttons here. It is a tasteless tactic to punish dissent, in difference of opinion. Political violence and threats of violence are very real. We all can agree in this room. I've lived it. My mother; my father; my son, Cristiano, who they named; my disabled daughter, Ashlynn, who they named, they want dead because of these games that we continue to allow. These gotcha resolutions may be games to you all, but they're not to me and to my children, who are scared to walk to the bus every single day. I clearly do not support violence of any kind against any people, even if they look differently than I. To continue down this path with these things is dangerous. We have to do better. We owe it to our families, we owe it to 10400057.docx 21 STATE OF ILLINOIS 104th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 57th Legislative Day 10/15/2025 the people we love in our communities, and we owe it to the integrity of this House and this body. We have to make a difference, and we have to make some changes. Thank you."
"Leader Hernandez to close." Hernandez, L.: "Thank you, Speaker. Representative La Ha, I'm very sorry to hear what you're experiencing, but you're a testament to what this means. When I say condemn all political violence, I mean all. I am speaking out for my district. I'm living this every day. Does the zip tying of children in the middle of the night, raids on American citizens, does that keep us safe? Does the zipping of mothers out of cars while waiting for their children to get out of school, does that keep us safe? And does the picking up of a Berwyn mother outside the grocery store just because she's trying to get food for her family, is that being safe? What I'm trying to do today is a coming together of all political violence. I ask for your 'aye' vote."
"There has been a request for a roll call. Leader Hernandez moves for the adoption of House Resolution 508. All those in favor vote 'aye'; all opposed vote 'nay.' The voting's open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Mr. Clerk, please take the record. On this motion, there are 74 voting 'yes,' 34 voting 'no,' 0 voting 'present.' And this resolution, having received the constitutional majority, is hereby adopted. Remaining on Supplemental Calendar #1 appears House Resolution 504, Leader Avelar."
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Colleagues, today I rise not… not as a partisan but as a proud Illinoisan, a daughter of 10400057.docx 22 STATE OF ILLINOIS 104th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 57th Legislative Day 10/15/2025 immigrants, an immigrant myself, and as someone who believes deeply in the promise that this country was built upon: that the law protects us all or it protects none of us. Due process is not a suggestion. It is not a political talking point. It is the very line that separates lawful detention from kidnapping. Our Constitution is clear: No person, not citizen, not immigrant, not visitor, no person shall be deprived of life, liberty, or property without due process of law. And yet, what we have seen across Illinois under Operation Midway Blitz is a systematic assault on that most fundamental principle. Under this blitz, we have seen unmarked federal agents that have marched through neighborhoods, we just heard about this, masked, armed, and absent of any identification, detaining people based solely on physical appearance, on the collar… color of their skin, or the language they speak. Let me ask you all this, for all of you who are watching as well, what does an immigrant look like? Families have been terrorized. Children have been zip tied and separated from their parents. Federal agents have battered down doors, blocked public streets, and even detained elected officials for daring to ask the most basic legal question, 'Do you have a warrant?' Let me be clear: This is not law and order. This is lawlessness. When a government decides that it can ignore court orders, when it believes it can detain anyone without a judicial warrant or without judicial oversight, when it spreads fear and violence under the banner of public safety, it erodes the very trust that safety depends on. Trust is the foundation of our communities. It is what allows a mother to call the police 10400057.docx 23 STATE OF ILLINOIS 104th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 57th Legislative Day 10/15/2025 when she's afraid. It is what allows a… a child to go to school without fear that their family will be gone when they return home. Without trust, there is no safety. We in Illinois have worked for years to build that trust to protect victims of crime, regardless of status, to ensure that local law enforcement works with our communities, not against them. All of that progress is being undone by these unconstitutional and immoral federal actions. So, today, this resolution does what conscience and law demands of us. It reaffirms due process as the bedrock of a fair judicial system. It condemns racial profiling and the violent tactics that have brought fear to our neighborhoods. And it calls out plainly and unapologetically the lawless actions of this administration that have denied people of all immigration statuses, all immigration statuses their constitutional rights. Because here's the thing, if we do not speak up when those rights are violated, then we are complicit in their destruction. And I refuse to be silent while families are being torn apart and our Constitution is being trampled. Colleagues, our duty is not only to pass laws, it is to defend the spirit of justice itself. That is what this resolution…" [AUDIO MALFUNCTION.]
"Well, that was interesting. The power having been restored, we will return to House Resolution 504. Leader Avelar to continue her remarks."
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm going to go ahead and start from the beginning. Not… not… I'm not"
"Yeah, OK." 10400057.docx 24 STATE OF ILLINOIS 104th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 57th Legislative Day 10/15/2025
"I will… I will make it quick. I will make it quick. I was just about to finish. But let me just… let me just say that what we are doing today should not be something that people are concerned about. Literally what we're talking about is due process. We're talking about upholding the Constitution. We are talking about something that when I was a community organizer, I said time and time again, which is that everybody in the United States has constitutional rights. And this resolution affirms that. So, I request an 'aye' vote. Thank you."
"On this motion, Representative Deering."
"Thank you, Speaker. To the resolution."
"To the resolution. "
"While my colleagues on the other side of the aisle continue to criticize the Trump administration and law enforcement, I'd like to clear up some misunderstandings as to how we got here and the real reason 550,000 illegal immigrants came to reside in Illinois in the first place. It was President Biden's lawless administration that opened up the border to a flood of millions of illegal immigrants. That dangerous open border policy allowed criminal aliens from across the globe to enter our country illegally and roam free until their asylum status was sorted out by the federal government. Illinois sanctuary state policies acted as a magnet to these illegal immigrants, as they knew the state of Illinois would give them free services and health care. The cost of this lawlessness to our state measures in the billions of dollars. Under Governor Pritzker's policy, Illinois is a place where violent illegal criminals get to roam free, 10400057.docx 25 STATE OF ILLINOIS 104th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 57th Legislative Day 10/15/2025 receive benefits, and wreak havoc while our own citizens are suffering the consequences. Thankfully, our federal government has sent much-needed reinforcements to help our state. We are now seeing progress in removing criminal illegal aliens from our state. Some of the most hardened criminals include carjackers, murderers, rapists, and child sex offenders who came to the U.S. illegally, and they have now been captured through Operation Midway Blitz and are being deported back to their countries. We shouldn't need our federal government to step in and enforce the law in Illinois, but politicians who lead our state and our largest city are busier demonizing law enforcement and inciting violence against them rather than restoring and respecting the rule of law. The bottom line is this: Federal law enforcement officers are doing their job removing illegal criminals from our state. So, to my colleagues, to Governor Pritzker and Mayor Johnson, we all have a job to do. We took an oath to serve the constituents of Illinois, and yet some of you are busier giving speeches and attacking the Trump administration while you should be working to repeal the TRUST Act and end the disastrous sanctuary state laws. Let's put Illinois citizens first. Thank you, Speaker. I'd like to request a recorded vote on the resolution."
"The vote shall be recorded. Representative Halbrook."
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. To the resolution."
"To the resolution."
"Let me read from the second paragraph of the resolution. It says, 'WHEREAS, The United States Constitution 10400057.docx 26 STATE OF ILLINOIS 104th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 57th Legislative Day 10/15/2025 is unequivocal than that no person shall be deprived of life, liberty, or property without due process of law.' As I continue to listen to my colleague on the other side of the aisle lecture us about due process, condemning the Trump administration for alleged violations of rights and procedure, I have to ask, where is the due process for the victims who will never get their day in court? Mr. Speaker, where is the due process for Laken Riley, the 22-year-old nursing student from Georgia who was brutally murdered while jogging by an illegal alien who will never… should have never been here. Mr. Speaker, where is the due process for Katie Abraham of Illinois that was killed by a drunk driver here illegally? Her family left to grieve while we here in Springfield argue about sanctuary policies. Mr. Speaker, where is the due process for Jocelyn Nungaray, the 12-year- old girl in Houston assaulted and murdered by two illegal entrants who had already been caught and released? Where is the due process for Ruby Garcia of Michigan, shot and left on the roadside by a man our government had failed to remove? Mr. Speaker, where is the due process for Melissa Powell and her teenage son, killed by an illegal alien driving under the influence in Chicago? Every one of these victims and their families was denied the most basic right of all: the right of life. So, before we hear any more lectures about due process, maybe we should look at the consequences of ignoring our laws, our borders, and the duty to protect the innocent. Mr. Speaker, where is the due process? I'll close with this. As we stand here and debate these gotcha politically motivated resolutions, we are not dealing with the biggest issues of 10400057.docx 27 STATE OF ILLINOIS 104th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 57th Legislative Day 10/15/2025 the day: the high cost of living in the state of Illinois, fueled by the high property taxes, which are the highest in the nation; the second highest gas taxes in the nation; skyrocketing electricity rates that will soon put California's prices to shame. The list goes on and on. Mr. Speaker, with that, I urge the men and women of this chamber to vote 'no' on this harmful resolution. Thank you."
"On this motion, Leader Windhorst."
"Thank you. Please excuse Representative Sanalitro for the remainder of today."
Speaker Hoffman: "The record shall reflect. Representative Wilhour."
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. To the… to the resolution, please."
"To the resolution."
"Thank you. We've heard a lot, not only today, but throughout the last several months and even years on this issue from the other side, and I want to get a few things straight. President Trump is doing exactly what he said he was going to do, and I think that… that a lot of politicians in here could learn a lot from that. He's doing what he said… said he was going to do. He's doing what he has a electoral mandate to do, and that is he ran on removing illegal immigrants from our streets, even in places like Chicago. And he ran on restoring order in our country, and that includes Chicago too. And another thing we need to realize is that law enforcement, they're not… they're not causing chaos. Law enforcement following the law isn't chaos. It's order, and it's desperately needed. I don't think anybody would dispute 10400057.docx 28 STATE OF ILLINOIS 104th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 57th Legislative Day 10/15/2025 that violent crime is out of control in Chicago. You can talk about the numbers. They can talk about anything they want. I don't think anybody disputes that it's out of control. Illegal immigration under president autopen was completely out of control. Speakers previously have talked to it. Now, you know, there's places around the country, places like Memphis and Washington, D.C., they've been able to… the Democrat leadership in those cities have been able to put some of their political differences aside and actually work with the administration, work with the federal partners, work with law enforcement trying to do their job because they recognize that there is a constitutional authority from the executive, from the chief executive officer of the United States of America. And furthermore, it actually benefits their citizens to get… to get some help in here and restore order in the streets. But not in Illinois. We're more… we're way, way more concerned about our politics. We're way more concerned about our fantasies running for presidents. We're way more concerned about the Chicago mayor trying to get above 6% in the polls. You know, our… our attorney general says it all the time, that Illinois is refusing help because they hate Trump more than they love the people of their own state. And that's a disaster. JB Pritzker, Governor JB Pritzker has deliberately sowed seeds of chaos. He's promoted resistance to law enforcement. He's even now threatening to prosecute members of law enforcement just for doing their job. That's ridiculous because that's the same law enforcement agents who have… who have put their lives at risk taking murderers, rapists, pedophiles, sex traffickers, that's all documented, 10400057.docx 29 STATE OF ILLINOIS 104th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 57th Legislative Day 10/15/2025 they've taken those people off the streets in Chicago. And his disgusting cheerleading has emboldened, it's absolutely emboldened these anti-American agitators that he's got on the streets of Chicago and has put them into direct conflict with law enforcement. And our own Speaker, he's not innocent either. He stood on this floor and… and ranted and raged like a lunatic yelling, 'fascism, fascism.' Do you think it's any mistake that that was written on a bullet that killed Charlie Kirk? It's that… you want to talk about violent political rhetoric? There it is. And then he goes on social media and says, 'Fight, fight, continue fighting.' Who… who does he think that these people are fighting? You think it's tyranny? Seriously? We sat here for two years under tyranny from your tyrannical governor when he shut down this state, when he abused children, when he destroyed our economy. You sat here for two years under that tyranny. You didn't say a peep. You hid under your desk. So, don't talk to me about tyranny or fighting tyranny. What you're fighting, when you're telling people to fight, your followers are fighting law enforcement. You and the governor, when you say, 'fight,' you're fighting against the constitutional directives of the chief executive of the United States, who is acting within his constitutional authority. Now, there's a word that the… that the left loves to throw around about… that I think perfectly describes this type of action, insurrection. That's what we're seeing here. And Democrats, they've already established a precedent… precedents on how they treat people that they deem to be insurrectionists. They kick down their doors, and they put them in… they lock them up and throw away the keys. Now, the 10400057.docx 30 STATE OF ILLINOIS 104th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 57th Legislative Day 10/15/2025 governor and the Democrats, they've really… they've really backed themselves and… but, more importantly, they've… they've backed our state and our citizens into a dangerous corner with their defiance of law and order. The only option, with all of their rhetoric, the only option for… for them is chaos. It's disorder. It's violent. Because they can't let… they can't let President Trump come in here and bring… bring order to the city of Chicago. It's not an option. That would be a political disaster for them if President Trump came in and… and restored order. Because when President Trump… it will happen. Because when President Trump and the law enforcement officials restore order in… in Chicago, it's going to expose Governor Pritzker, it's going to expose all of these Democrats for the frauds that they are because they sat by and they let this happen. They have ruled Chicago and the state of Illinois for decades. They've destroyed their own community. They've robbed their own communities of opportunity because they care more about themselves and their political narrative than they do about the people being destroyed in their own communities. So, the days of just standing aside and watching these communities unravel and being wrecked is over. And I say God bless President Trump for having the courage to come in and stand up for these regular citizens that's been disenfranchised by decades, decades of political malfeasance by the majority party."
"Representative Gong-Gershowitz."
"To the resolution, Mr. Speaker."
"To the resolution." 10400057.docx 31 STATE OF ILLINOIS 104th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 57th Legislative Day 10/15/2025
"I rise in defense of due process and the rule of law and to make the record clear. Illinois will not stand silent in the face of injustice and the blatant abuse of federal power. Due process is not political. It is foundational to our democracy. If a person has committed a crime, they will answer for it before the law. But the bedrock principle of the American justice system is the presumption of innocence, and you don't just get to skip over the due process part. You cannot take someone into custody because you think somebody might be an immigrant without cause or evidence. The Constitution places limits on the power of government to deprive a free people of their liberty. That limit is due process. And for all the keyboard ninjas out there that want to rewrite the Constitution, due process applies to everyone, regardless of citizenship. Our republic survives only if equal justice applies to all. We cannot allow fear and intimidation to erode the very freedoms that define us as a people. Due process is not optional. It is not some small detail that the president or anyone is free to ignore. The law is the same whether you sit behind a Resolute desk in a big white house or in a folding chair behind a cardboard box. Equal justice under law means exactly that, and it is what makes us free. When we took the oath of office, we swore to uphold the Constitution. Here in Illinois, we will hold fast to the rule of law, and we will defend our shared values, and we are stronger when we will stand together. I urge an 'aye' vote."
"Leader Avelar to close." 10400057.docx 32 STATE OF ILLINOIS 104th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 57th Legislative Day 10/15/2025
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Members of the House, let me ask you this: Is dropping tear gas in neighborhoods order? Is leaving children unattended in cars order? Is handcuffing children in the middle of the night order? Is arresting a U.S. citizen just because of the way they look order? We believe it is not. If you all vote 'no' on this resolution, you are about to vote 'no' on due process. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I ask for an 'aye' vote."
"Leader Avelar moves for the adoption of House Resolution 504. All those in favor vote 'aye'; all opposed vote 'nay.' The voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Mr. Clerk, please take the record. On this motion, there are 74 voting 'yes,' 34 voting 'no,' 0 voting 'present.' And this resolution, having received a constitutional majority, is hereby adopted. Representative Ortíz for a point of personal privilege." Ortíz: "Thank… thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to recognize a special individual joining us in the gallery today, my alderwoman. She is one of the hardest-working people I have ever met. She came to Springfield to meet with me and our IEMA director to help advocate for financial assistance for many of our constituents who were impacted by floods this past summer. Her staff assisted over 2500 individuals with documenting their expenses and damages to their property, thousands of dollars that were lost by our hardworking families. But the main highlight of this recognition is that my alderwoman is an immigrant, born and raised in Guadalajara, Jalisco in Mexico. She came to this country and immediately became involved in her community, working at elementary 10400057.docx 33 STATE OF ILLINOIS 104th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 57th Legislative Day 10/15/2025 school, helping immigrant parents and students navigate the educational system in Chicago, then worked for Cook County Commissioner Alma Anaya, assisting constituents with different government services. This Mexican immigrant immediately became involved in uplifting her neighborhood. Thank you. Thank you, Alderwoman Gutiérrez, for everything that you do. If you can please stand up, alderwoman. Springfield, if you can please give her and her staff a warm Springfield welcome."
"Representative Reick, for what reason do you arise?"
"A very short point of personal privilege, Mr. Speaker."
"Please state your point."
"While we were sitting here in the dark, one of my colleagues, that shall remain unnamed, Mr. Floor Leader, came up to me and asked, 'What was this body like? How did the House of Representatives conduct its business before there was electricity?' After dismissing him with the disdain that he fully deserved, I began to reflect upon just how would that have happened. How would… how would the House of Representatives conducted its business before there was electricity, before we had to shout without amplification, before we had to discuss things with much louder voices? I think what would have happened, even though I wasn't here before electricity, please understand that, I think that the body would have spent less time worrying about trivialities than they would about the things that affected their constituents and the people of this state. We're listening to people on both sides talk about political power and the abuse 10400057.docx 34 STATE OF ILLINOIS 104th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 57th Legislative Day 10/15/2025 of it and this, that, and the other thing. I don't think we would have talked about those things before electricity. I think we would have talked about the things that worked to the favor of our constituents, such as tax reform, pension reform, helping out our cities, helping… helping people who actually need help. Yes, I'm not against that, even though some may think. But I think that what we should do here is take the rest of our day here and start talking about the business of this state instead of trying to score political points. Let's get back to work and talk about the things that we're here to talk about and here to work on. Thank you."
"Remaining on Supplemental Calendar #1 appears House Resolution 505, Representative Harper."
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I ask for the adoption of House Resolution 505. You see, our rights to freedom of speech, free expression, free assembly, and a free press are key components of a constitutional and just democracy. President Donald Trump has completely disregarded these rights, largely because they make it challenging for him to accomplish his ultimate goal of becoming a dictator. His behavior has gone on far too long. And if you disagree with him in any way, then you become a target. We saw this on a national level in 2020, when federal agents targeted nonviolent protesters with rubber bullets and pepper spray, among other unlawful tactics. Now, five years later, he is urging federal agents to use the same tactics for peaceful protesters who are against immigration and ICE raids right here in Illinois. It is important for me to mention that as a journalist I know how important it is for government to honor our First 10400057.docx 35 STATE OF ILLINOIS 104th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 57th Legislative Day 10/15/2025 Amendment rights. And violating these rights makes it impossible for journalists to honor their obligation of seeking the truth and reporting it. President Trump wants just that. He wants outlets who view viewpoints opposing those of his administration to be silenced. So far, he has been successful in silencing our journalists who cover ICE operations and protesters who go against immigration, but I'll say no more. We will do everything in our power to ensure that our constitutional rights are protected and stand up against these troubling incidents brought upon our state by Donald Trump. This resolution is the first step in preserving our First Amendment rights. I encourage an 'aye' vote."
"On this motion, Representative Stava."
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. To the resolution."
"To the resolution."
"I rise in strong support of this resolution because we are at a deeply, deeply concerning crossroads in the United States today. Our federal government is actively trying to silence dissenting and fact-based voices in the media and society as a whole. I'm going to say this again because it's so important. Our federal government is actively trying to silence dissenting and fact-based voices in media and society. That is not a sentence that anyone should have to utter in our country that purportedly values freedom for all, for all. The fact that this is where we are is beyond concerning. Free speech and freedom of the press are as fundamental to the American way of life as any other rights we are supposed to enjoy. Just like when we successfully fought to stop book banning in public libraries motivated by 10400057.docx 36 STATE OF ILLINOIS 104th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 57th Legislative Day 10/15/2025 bigotry and partisan ideology, we are continuing to stand strong against the authoritarian tendencies relating to speech and the press happening today. When you're removing the… just like… when you're removing the Associated Press from the White House briefing room and defund NPR, you aren't interested in freedom of the press. When news organizations and universities are being asked to sign loyalty oaths, loyalty oaths to have interview access and federal funding, that's not a commitment to anything resembling free speech. And I'm grateful, I am grateful, and it's unfortunate that I have to make this distinction, I am grateful that my alma mater, Dartmouth, and other colleges and media networks have rejected it, this authoritarian move. But the fact that they even had to make a choice here is the deep root of this problem. When TV shows are canceled because of direct threats by the FCC chairman, that's not promoting honesty or accountability. That's quid-pro-quo corruption and fascist censorship. Free speech means free, free, free all the time, for everyone, not just for a chosen handful that suits a thin- skinned, insecure, and infantile so-called president to allow. This resolution expresses our categorical rejection of the authoritarian, heavy-handed repression being pursued by Donald Trump, and I urge a strong 'aye' vote. Additionally, I'd like to thank the journalists across the United States who are all too often vilified for the difficult work they do and the vital societal role they play in bringing to light injustice and what is happening in our communities. Our freedoms are too important not to stand firm. Thank you."
"Representative Schweizer." 10400057.docx 37 STATE OF ILLINOIS 104th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 57th Legislative Day 10/15/2025
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. To the bill."
"To the resolution."
"Or to the resolution, yes. Thank you. So, the first thing I'm going to say is freedom of speech and the freedoms that we endure here in this country are not free. They are paid for by the blood and sacrifice of my brothers and sisters in arms. So, at first glance, the resolution appears to defend the freedom of speech and the freedom of press, principles that everyday Americans, regardless of the party, should stand behind. But when you read behind… beyond the first paragraph, it becomes clear that this is not a defense of the First Amendment. It is a partisan statement aimed at one individual while ignoring the real and ongoing threats of free expression that are happening all around us. If we truly believe in protecting speech, then we must defend it consistently and not selectively. The same voices condemning President Trump for supposedly intimidating the media have been silenced when our own government, our schools, and even our legislation have silenced everyday citizens. Even students discipline… we have students disciplined simply for expressing their opinions that differ from what's considered acceptable and parents gaveled down and escorted out of public meetings for trying to voice concerns about what's being taught to their children in classrooms. Yet here in Springfield, we see the same kind of selective silencing. Republican bills on property tax relief, parental rights, and public safety are routinely ignored and left to die in committee, not because of their content but because of who introduced them. And when a bill draws too many negative 10400057.docx 38 STATE OF ILLINOIS 104th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 57th Legislative Day 10/15/2025 witness slips from the public, it often gets rewritten behind closed doors to silence the opposition. That is not democracy. That is message control. And while this resolution claims to champion the press, it conveniently ignores the fact that every administration, Republican and Democrat alike, has had friction with the media. The Obama administration surveyed journalists. The Biden administration pressured social media companies to censor Americans online. Yet there is no resolution condemning those acts. As a military veteran, like others in this chamber who have worn our nation's uniform, I took an oath to defend the Constitution against the freedoms and… that it protects. Many of us were willing to lay down our lives and defend the right to speak freely, even when we disagree. That's what makes this country different. Mr. Speaker, freedom of speech and freedom of the press are the bedrock of our republic. They should unite us. They should not divide us. And HR505 fails that test. It's political theater dressed up as moral virtue. And if we're going to stand for the First Amendment, then let's stand for everyone's right to speak: students, parents, journalists, and every member of this chamber who simply holds a different agreement. I urge a 'no' vote on resolution 505. Thank you."
"Representative Chung."
"To the resolution, Mr. Speaker."
"To the resolution."
"In my district, we rely on public media for everything from weather updates to neighborhood events. National Public Radio and AP News are vital to the information economy in downstate Illinois. And by silencing free speech and press, 10400057.docx 39 STATE OF ILLINOIS 104th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 57th Legislative Day 10/15/2025 we are left in the dark. Without local news, our seniors aren't looped into free community services, like flu shots, families are left without emergency notifications, like snow days or tornado warnings. And journalists' entire careers serving our local neighborhoods are being taken out from under them simply for doing their job, which is keeping our families informed. The Trump administration is systematically attacking free speech and press. Trump uses the levers of power to punish dissent… dissent and reward compliance. When our president is handpicking what news we can access, that's the definition of corruption. The First Amendment protects all speech, not just endorsements of Trump and the Republican Party. We cannot allow our freedom of speech to be taken from us. It's unconstitutional at its foundation, and it's dehumanizing at the core. We cannot be silenced, and we will not be silenced. I urge an 'aye' vote. Thank you."
"Leader Windhorst is recognized."
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Request a record vote on this resolution. Thank you."
"There shall be a record vote. Representative Weber."
"To the resolution, Mr. Speaker."
"To the resolution."
"Freedom of speech is one of those things that is the most important, I believe, freedom that we have here in the United States. I think that we've seen time and time again when freedom of speech has been under attack. You know, I… I can remember thinking to myself over the last few years how we were going to wake up one morning and the only place you could 10400057.docx 40 STATE OF ILLINOIS 104th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 57th Legislative Day 10/15/2025 have freedom of speech was on your back steps, your back lawn, on your property. Because what we saw was that we have people pushing, you know, hate speech. And what we see is that hate speech is basically what the opposition doesn't want to hear. We see it overseas in Europe and other places. But really, what the reason that I filed this bill here, HB3230, the Freedom from Government and Private Collusion Against Free Speech Act, was because the attacks that we saw under the Biden administration. When we have seen through testimony that Facebook, Twitter, and others were being pressured and having people blocked, removed, I'm sure we have many people like myself that was banned for life from Twitter. I'm happy to be back on there, by the way. But we've seen this kind of tyranny, and it was under Democrat control. We have testimony in Congress that shows the pressure that was put on social media companies. This is a good bill. It would protect against no matter what party was in power. I urge people to look into it and take real action in protecting everyone's freedom of speech, not just use it to politicize. Thank you."
"Leader Stuart."
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. To the resolution."
"To the resolution."
"Thank you. President Trump does not believe in free speech like we do in this chamber. During his second term, he's been on a mission to attack and limit free speech on college campuses across the country. His manufactured war on DEI, imagine being afraid of equality. It's led to the gutting of research programs, it's led to the gutting of departments, and it's taken away opportunities from students. Earlier this 10400057.docx 41 STATE OF ILLINOIS 104th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 57th Legislative Day 10/15/2025 fall, President Trump attempted to coerce nine universities to take part in… to take part in his attack, to be part of this. He proposed this compact, a ridiculous compact, where he offered enhanced funding if they just simply agree to force their faculty to squelch their academic freedom, to limit their lectures to the things that Trump likes, to make sure that Trump approves of everything that's said in every classroom all of the time. Thankfully, not one institution has taken him up on this corrupt bargain. And let's make no mistake, this is the textbook definition of corruption, using your levers of power to force compliance. President Trump, with the support of sycophants in the federal government, wants to obstruct opinions that he doesn't agree with. He wants to bury the facts that he finds personally embarrassing. He wants us to forget his history. He wants us to ignore the fact that he's a convicted felon and twice impeached. He knows the playbook. He mimics authoritarian leaders and has said oftentimes how much he looks up to them. He knows that they maintain their power by squelching dissent. This is not America. This is not democracy. It's our First Amendment that makes us truly free, that we can speak without repercussion, without being jailed for voicing an opinion. And academic settings are exactly the place to have those debates, to discuss different ideas, and to grow our next generation into independent thinkers. We should all be concerned. We should all be asking what it means when this authoritarian attack on our right to free speech is coming directly from the president of the United States. It should send chills down every one of our spines. I hope that everyone in this chamber is going to 10400057.docx 42 STATE OF ILLINOIS 104th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 57th Legislative Day 10/15/2025 support this resolution because of the importance of our most basic freedom in our right to free speech. Thank you."
"Representative Harper to close."
"I encourage an 'aye' vote."
"Representative Harper moves for the adoption of House Resolution 505. All those in favor vote 'aye'; all opposed vote 'nay.' The voting's open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Mr. Clerk, please take the record. On this motion, there are 74 voting 'yes,' 33 voting 'no,' 0 voting 'present.' And this resolution, having received the constitutional majority, is hereby adopted. Remaining on Supplemental Calendar #1, we move to House Resolution 507, Representative Briel."
"Sorry. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I stand today not only as a legislator but as a proud, functioning, neurodivergent adult, a taxpayer, a professional, a parent, and a partner. My husband has ADHD. My sons have AuDHD. Our lives are full, vibrant, and delightful. We have contributed to the community that my family has lived in for over 200 years, and we're a part of that. So, when Robert F. Kennedy Jr. calls people like us broken or says our kids will never pay taxes or write a poem, they'll never have full lives, he's not only wrong, he is cruel and disgraceful. And what's worse is when the president chimes in with his allies and amplifies the same rhetoric, they actually endanger real families and real lives. I'd like to say this twice. Autism is not a disease to be cured. Again, autism is not a disease to be cured. It's a condition that millions of Americans live with every single day. Trump and Kennedy's weaponization of misinformation and 10400057.docx 43 STATE OF ILLINOIS 104th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 57th Legislative Day 10/15/2025 political… and politicized science replace fact with fear, erode public trust, and ultimately tears down decades of work and progress for those of us with different disabilities. I unequivocally condemn the dangerous, false, and demeaning statements of RFK and call for an immediate resignation. My colleagues who stand for science and truth and respect for all individuals with autism and neurodivergence, I urge an 'aye' vote."
"On this motion, Representative Blair-Sherlock."
"Thank you. To the bill. When I heard that the secretary of health and… the federal secretary of health and human services, RFK, was going to make an announcement, a big announcement that they discovered the reason for autism, and… and the rumor was that it was going to be Tylenol, I was filled with dread. I was mortified. As you all know, because I talk about my family a lot, I am the mother of a son with autism. I did not take Tylenol when I was pregnant, nor did I take any acetaminophen product. To say, with no legitimate scientific basis, that there is a link between taking Tylenol during pregnancy and autism is abhorrent. It is trying to place, quote-unquote, 'blame' and put guilt on the mothers of children with autism. I find it very interesting that it was all men discussing this. Because I will tell you that when we are carrying our children, we try and do everything. We get rid of our bad habits. We do what we can do. We listen to doctors, and we follow the science. Now, we're in a country where the Department of Health and Human Services is led by a man with no scientific or medical background, throwing out crazy conspiracy theories, telling people I don't even know 10400057.docx 44 STATE OF ILLINOIS 104th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 57th Legislative Day 10/15/2025 if I can get a vaccine at this point because I'm not 65 yet. Just coming out with these crazy, bizarre policies that are not attached to the law or attached to medicine or science. It's absolutely abhorrent. And all the professionals with all the scientific background, if they don't toe the line as put out by the conspiracy theorist RFK Jr., then they're gone. They're out of here. They're no good to you. Now we are looking at measles spreading across the country, which we thought had been eradicated. We're looking at the health department being gutted of any professionals with scientific… while at the same time denying people insurance and Medicaid and… and even telehealth visits at this point. Why? Why? This does not make our country healthy, nor does shaming people or trying to shame people and trying to belittle people because you think they're not enough. Well, they're enough. And let me tell you something else. As the previous speaker said, autism is not a disease. In fact, in my case, autism was a blessing in my house. My son is my heart and my soul, and with services that he got through the school, he was able to academically achieve and is about to finish his master's degree this December. So, at the same time that we're trying to come up with bizarre reasons for why autism exists, right, we're gutting the special education in the Department of Education so that these kids don't have a chance. Why? Because they're different? It's OK to be different. And despite what a lot of people say, diversity is our strength. I would ask everybody in this chamber, 'cause I know you guys, I've talked to you guys, and you know about my autism story, I would ask 10400057.docx 45 STATE OF ILLINOIS 104th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 57th Legislative Day 10/15/2025 you all to vote 'yes' on this resolution because this is not OK. Thank you."
"Representative Hauter."
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. To the resolution."
"To the resolution."
"All due respect to the… my friend and the previous speaker. Weaponization, I heard the words 'weaponization.' I heard the words 'forced to toe the line.' These are Secretary Kennedy's recommendations. As a physician who ran for office because of the weaponization of public policy, I point out the blatant hypocrisy of this resolution. I lived through real weaponization of public health policy during COVID by the Biden administration, by the Pritzker administration. Lockdowns. Lockdowns of businesses, small businesses, selected businesses, not every business. They… they centered on family businesses and small businesses in my district. Social distancing. There was no science around that, but we were forced to comply. Mask mandates. Mask mandates in low- risk populations. Do you remember the chin straps our children wore for far too long? There was no science around that, but we were forced to comply. Forced to comply or our schools, our school boards were shut down. Vaccination mandates. My kids had vaccination passports. We… we had coerced compliance with vaccinations. You'd lose your job, couldn't go to school. You couldn't travel. How many people were kicked out of our military? Thousands. Natural immunity was totally ignored. We forced churches to shut down. Police were outside churches. But somehow, magically, the protesters that were all out there in mass protests were fine, and they were protected from 10400057.docx 46 STATE OF ILLINOIS 104th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 57th Legislative Day 10/15/2025 COVID. Oh, and the Biden administration tried to force vaccinations on 80 million people through OSHA. But the worst for me, the worst, the absolute worst because I participated in it, is our hospitals and our nursing homes forced loved ones who were suffering and dying to die without their loved one, the person who loved them most being beside them to care for them and to touch them as they died. We can have an honest conversation about the politicization of health policy, but don't ignore the ultimate in weaponization of public health policy. Frankly, I don't agree with a lot of the recommendations from Secretary Kennedy, and I've said it publicly. But I'm willing to see how the research goes, how the outcome studies go before I'm going to label his recommendations, recommendations as weaponizing public health policy. I still remember actual weaponization of public health policy. We still remember it. This isn't it. This is pure hypocrisy. Vote 'no.' Thank you, Mr. Speaker. May I ask for a recorded vote?"
"The vote shall be recorded. Representative Croke."
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. To the resolution."
"To the resolution."
"So, when autism was first being diagnosed, psychiatrists observed that many young patients with autism had mothers who were highly educated or working professionals, and they also seemed very emotionally cold, so they started calling this 'refrigerator mom.' And the theory was that working mothers or mothers who were intellectual and, frankly, just wanted to be maybe something other than just a mother and had interests 10400057.docx 47 STATE OF ILLINOIS 104th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 57th Legislative Day 10/15/2025 other than just being a mother were… and raising their children were the reason for their child's autism. So, I think that in this country, we tend to look for a single cause that explains an outcome, but autism and neurodiversity are incredibly complex and multifaceted. I very much understand, as someone who, like, once in my life was a diehard CrossFitter, like, really into health, I… I really understand the origins of the MAHA movement. I think it is a movement that is fueled by well-intentioned people who are concerned about what they are putting into their bodies. I… I think that whether you are concerned about microplastics, you are concerned about chemicals, or the failure of our government to address what is in our food and you are thinking, OK, this is something that I'm going to take upon myself because I think that this is a failure, I… I have sympathy for that. I mean, in my house, I'm incredibly diligent about the fact that my children do not eat ultra-processed foods. But I think that this wellness movement, even though it is incredibly based in positivity, I worry that it has become dangerous in some ways and being used to ignore medical research, and we are allowing social media influencers to start playing doctor. So, specifically, when we're talking about Tylenol, and as someone who has, you all have known, has had multiple children while I've been a State Rep., and don't worry, I'm not going to announce I'm… I'm pregnant on the House floor again, I… I do worry about this rhetoric. Because when a pregnant woman has a fever and it goes untreated, this can be incredibly detrimental to the first trimester for their baby and it increases the risk of miscarriage, birth defects, and 10400057.docx 48 STATE OF ILLINOIS 104th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 57th Legislative Day 10/15/2025 premature birth. And I worry about blaming moms yet again and having that catastrophic impact that we could have. You know, it's… it's hard enough when you're pregnant to go into a coffee shop and get a regular cup of coffee and not feel like you're getting judged or being blamed for doing something like that, even though we've been told you can have caffeine. So, I just… I'm standing up, and I don't normally do this, but I just… I can't and I don't want women of my generation, mothers of my generation to continue to be villainized, especially by a health secretary who has claimed that he has, like, a worm in his brain and has cognitive dysfunction because of that. So, I… I appreciate the resolution, and I… I advocate for an 'aye' vote. Thank you."
"Representative Katz Muhl."
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to thank my colleagues who presented already on this resolution. Like them, I am, too, a mother, and I rise to speak as both a Representative and a mother. There have been a lot of things that have happened this year that have been deeply disturbing, but hearing this messaging about Tylenol and pain management during pregnancy was both frightening and personal. Like many of you I am sure have experienced yourself or through friends or family, pregnancy can be deeply challenging physically, mentally, and emotionally. Over the course of my two pregnancies, we had to deal with significant pain management decisions related to kidney stones, sciatica from a childhood injury, migraines, and severe morning sickness. In each of these instances, we met with the medical team and my spouse and I worked hard to make smart decisions based on good 10400057.docx 49 STATE OF ILLINOIS 104th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 57th Legislative Day 10/15/2025 medical information and risks to figure out the best way to protect both me and my children. These were not scenarios where I needed advice from people in Washington based on nothing but personal biases and conspiracy theories. The idea that there could be a woman right now who was in my shoes with that level of pain… I remember being curled up on the floor of O'Hare Airport when that kidney stone happened, right, and being frightened about taking something as basic as Tylenol. This was, frankly, one of the… the most basic level of painkillers that we had to use to manage the symptoms from these different conditions. To think that we are instilling doubt in the minds of people who are pregnant when these terrible decisions are having to be wrestled with and made is just so frightening and disturbing. And to have it lifted up to these highest levels of government is just dangerous. Sometimes we just need to say somebody is not a fit for the job, and I appreciate my colleagues for calling this out. This is a line that cannot and should not have been crossed. When you are making medical decisions as a pregnant person, it should be between you and your medical team and your partners and your friends and family of choice, not the random person next to you in the coffee shop who's judging your drink choices, not the random person leaning over your shoulder at the grocery judging what deli meats you put in your cart. These have to be decisions that be made by families. Our secretary right now has no basis for weighing in these decisions, for frightening people across our country, and I think this is one where we need to stand 10400057.docx 50 STATE OF ILLINOIS 104th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 57th Legislative Day 10/15/2025 together and say no. So, I thank my colleagues, and I join them in asking for an 'aye' vote on this resolution."
"Representative Briel to close."
"Thank you, and thank you to the body for listening to what I had to say today. I'd just like to end with the impact that falsehoods and lack of scientific information can have on a community. I hear from folks all across the state of Illinois regularly who are neurodivergent, who live in fear that they might be sent to work camps, that their medicine might be taken away, that they will lose any independence that they have. And this resolution allows us as a state to stand up for this community and tell them we care, and that falsehoods, fake science will not destroy who we are and what we are about. I urge an 'aye' vote on this resolution. Thank you."
"Representative Briel moves for the adoption of House Resolution 507. All those in favor vote 'aye; all opposed vote 'nay.' The voting's open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Mr. Clerk, please take the record. On this motion, there are 74 voting 'yes,' 33 voting 'no.' And this resolution, having received a constitutional majority, is hereby adopted. Remaining on page… or Supplemental Calendar #1 appears House Resolution 506, Leader Buckner."
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Speaker and colleagues, I rise today with both disappointment and determination and to present House Resolution 506. In Chicago, the Red Line, our city's main north-south train, runs from the northern edge of the city, through downtown, and down to the South Side. But 10400057.docx 51 STATE OF ILLINOIS 104th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 57th Legislative Day 10/15/2025 for more than half of a century that train has stopped at 95th Street, even though the city keeps going miles farther south. Whole neighborhoods, Roseland, Pullman, West Pullman, Altgeld Gardens, kept living, working, raising families beyond those tracks for far too long. It is as if our imagination stopped where the train stopped. When I was a young boy growing up just south of that station, I knew what disinvestment looked like long before I ever knew what that word meant. It looked like doing a little extra just to get home, just to get to work, and just to get downtown. It looked like opportunity close enough to see but always just out of reach. The Red Line isn't just a train, it is a lifeline. It's how folks in Chatham get to work; how students in Chinatown get to class; how families in Lakeview, Lincoln Park, and Morgan Park stay connected to each other. But for decades that lifeline stopped short, not because we couldn't build it but because we wouldn't. And finally, after 50 years, we got the commitment that we fought for, a promise to finish the job. In January, Chicago and the federal government signed a full funding grant agreement, about $2 billion from Washington, a binding contract. Then, a few weeks ago, the Trump administration put that money on ice, launching what they called a DEI review on a project that went through 15 years of scrutiny. And it happened after the deal was done, after the ink was dry. Let's be clear: This is not fiscal oversight. It's punishment for trying to build something on the South Side of Chicago, and it's a warning shot that if a project anywhere in Illinois and anywhere in America dares to look too Black, too Brown, too woman, it can be stalled, 10400057.docx 52 STATE OF ILLINOIS 104th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 57th Legislative Day 10/15/2025 reviewed, or revoked. If they can freeze a rail project on the South Side of Chicago, they can do it to broadband in rural Illinois, to clean water projects downstate, to flood relief in DuPage County. Every week that the money does not flow, the cost of steel, concrete, and labor climbs, timelines slip, and Illinois taxpayers pick up the inflation tab. That's not fiscal discipline. That's ideology over infrastructure. Let's call this what it is. It's political retribution, plain and simple, and political retribution that plays with people's lives and livelihood should be beyond the pale. It should be beneath us. Here is the crux of this resolution and the vote that we will take on it, Mr. Speaker. When politics become personal vengeance, governance stops being public service because once you normalize retribution, no one is safe from it, not in your district and, obviously, not in mine. And that's why this moment matters. Because this isn't just about the Red Line, it's about the red line we cross when political spite becomes public policy. And this is not just a condemnation. It's a cautionary tale because this administration is quietly doing the same thing in communities around this state while many of our colleagues continue to applaud this president for taking from their people. When they cut technology expansion dollars meant for small towns like Mount Vernon and… and Effingham, they hurt the same working families they claim to champion. When they block environmental justice grants for Peoria, East St. Louis, and Cairo, communities ready to clean up contaminated land and rebuild with dignity, they told those people to wait their turn. And when they spent millions of dollars sending the 10400057.docx 53 STATE OF ILLINOIS 104th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 57th Legislative Day 10/15/2025 National Guard to Chicago for political theater while cutting infrastructure dollars that could actually make people safer, they showed us exactly where their priorities lie. A full funding grant agreement is supposed to be the gold standard. It's the government's word, its bond that allows cities and states to lock in bids, to hire people, to move dirt. But under this administration, that gold standard has turned into fool's gold. And this DEI review is part of a broader obsession with fighting ghosts, a so-called war on woke that treats fairness like a threat. They talk about it as if inclusion were a contagion, as if fairness in one zip code just might infect the rest of the country because to them, Red Line extension means DEI, and to them, DEI means Black. Let me be clear: Black folks didn't invent the phrase 'DEI.' It was created supposedly about us, absolutely without us, and then hung around our necks as an albatross to disqualify us, and then snatched away so that we would have less than we did when it started. Speaker, freezing this project doesn't just halt concrete and steel. It freezes futures. It tells our communities that government can still find new ways to say no to the same people, in the same places, for the same reasons. But Illinois has waited long enough for this train to come. We've missed enough connections, and we refuse, we absolutely refuse to accept that the doors are closing. Because if you've ever run for a train, if you ever have known that feeling, the rush in your chest, the sound of the chime, that split second when you either make it or you miss it, right now we're feeling that as we run for this train, running towards fairness, access, and connection. And I'll be damned 10400057.docx 54 STATE OF ILLINOIS 104th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 57th Legislative Day 10/15/2025 if we're going to let anyone in Washington shut those doors before we get on. On the South Side, where I'm from, where the Red Line ends, your word is your contract. When government tells our community that the train is coming, that's a promise. Breaking that promise doesn't just delay a project. It breaks faith. So, our message to Washington is simple, take a break from the excuses and keep your word. Finish what you started. Because if politics can derail this project, politics can derail anything."
"Representative Hanson."
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. To the resolution. Impact. The Red Line service area is not in my district, but the impact of this resolution goes well beyond the Red Line. And as a railroad engineer, the impact of public transportation is crystal clear to me. Lack of access to transportation causes chaos. Transportation takes you to work, to school, to pick up groceries, all necessary everyday tasks. It makes day-to- day life easier and expands access to higher paying careers and other opportunities that would not be available otherwise. Expanding the Chicago Transit Authority is an investment in Illinoisans' day-to-day lives while working towards our larger goal of fueling our economy. My constituents may not use the Red Line transit area daily, but the expansion still impacts them. New jobs will be created to not only build the transit system, but there's also careers required for its safe operation. Transit isn't… isn't an economic issue. It's about equity and access. Today, we have an opportunity to stand up for the families and the communities that Donald Trump overtly wants to exclude. 10400057.docx 55 STATE OF ILLINOIS 104th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 57th Legislative Day 10/15/2025 Ladies and gentlemen, I urge for an 'aye' vote. And, leader, thank you for bringing this resolution forward."
"Leader Spain."
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Does the sponsor yield?"
"He indicates he'll yield."
"Leader Buckner, it sounds like the Red Line extension is an important project. What is the total… the current magnitude of investment for this project?"
"It's a… it's a $5.67 billion project with 2.1 billion coming from the federal government."
"Two point one from the feds, a total of over 5 billion."
"Five point six-seven."
"And… and your resolution talks about the number of riders that would be impacted, new ridership available through this extension. What is that number?"
"The number of new riders on the… on the line?"
"Correct."
"I don't know the exact number of new folks, but it… it goes through a dozen neighborhoods that have, up until this point, been disconnected from the rest of the system."
"I see 175,000 daily riders, which is huge. Maybe that's not just the Red Line, but some of the other improvements as well. And I'm sure there's a jobs component, correct? For the skilled union jobs that would do this construction for us as well, right?"
"That is correct."
"So, my question to you, then… I agree, this is an important project, and I want to bring home every federal dollar to the 10400057.docx 56 STATE OF ILLINOIS 104th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 57th Legislative Day 10/15/2025 state of Illinois that we can. So, is it worth shutting down the federal government?"
"Is what worth shutting down the federal government?"
"Is giving up or freezing this important project worth a shutdown of the federal government?"
"This project is in no way aligned with the shutting down of the federal government. This… the pullback or the revisiting of this commitment that the federal government made to the people of Illinois and Chicago came about four weeks ago, before the happenings in Washington, D.C."
"I believe that this project has a lot to do with the shutdown of the federal government. And I believe that language that you included in your resolution, such as changing promised grants and offering no warning, creating fiscal uncertainty, threatens the long-term stability of the state of Illinois and every state in our nation, that's what a government shutdown does, correct?"
"Sure, you can look at it that way. But this has, once again, nothing to do with it. I understand, leader, you're saying that, in your mind, that these two things are connected. And I would love to agree with you, but then we would both be wrong. This has nothing to do with that. This is a completely different situation, and it happened before, as I said. But I understand, I think, the line I think you're attempting to toe."
"Mr. Speaker, to the resolution. You know, this topic, to me, has everything to do with the reckless decisions that are taking place in Washington, D.C. right now as a consequence of a shutdown of the federal government. And it is never a 10400057.docx 57 STATE OF ILLINOIS 104th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 57th Legislative Day 10/15/2025 good idea to shut down the federal government. And there are consequences for shutting down the federal government, for important jobs, for public safety, for critical investments in infrastructure, like the Red Line project. And so, Leader Buckner, I… I have infinite respect for you. But what I think is missing in the resolution is calling for a reopening of the federal government, something that we should all be clamoring for, that we could work together. This… when government shuts down… and Republicans have done it before, bad idea. It's the Democrats in Washington, D.C. that are doing it now. It's a bad idea, and the only losers in a government shutdown at the federal level are the American people, are our constituents, are these investments, projects that should move forward that are now placed in jeopardy needlessly. So, what we need to do is take this opportunity for bipartisan collaboration. We should be calling on our leaders in Washington, D.C., who have… many of which in the state of Illinois, some who are our friends, are voting no, no against a continuing resolution to keep the lights on for the federal government, to keep people paid, and to keep our important investments in infrastructure going forward. I know how it feels to work in good faith on infrastructure and have projects that were promised to you taken away. It has happened to many Members of this side of the aisle, and it's wrong. And, leader, I will join with you in advocacy for funding for the Red Line. It is important to our state. And, again, I want to bring home every federal dollar possible to the state of Illinois. But this resolution is missing the essential piece, which is calling on our leaders in Washington, D.C., 10400057.docx 58 STATE OF ILLINOIS 104th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 57th Legislative Day 10/15/2025 elected Democrats, some of the most powerful Democratic Senators serving in the United States Senate have an opportunity to break this logjam and work in collaboration. Let's do this right. Let's pull this resolution from the record. We can come back tomorrow, doing it right with bipartisan support to make sure we maximize federal investment in Illinois and we get our government back open. Thank you."
"Leader Buckner to close."
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This is clear. While I agree with Leader Spain that no one wins in a government shutdown, this is not about a days-long shutdown. This is about a community that for decades long has been shut out. And to conflate those two things, it's problematic in many ways, but I'm happy to have that conversation. I will also say this is part of how democracy works in real life. I'm grateful that our Republican colleagues have decided to stick around this time around, instead of leaving the floor, to listen and to hopefully offer constructive criticism and constructive ways that we can move forward. And so, I am happy, Leader Spain, to work with you moving forward. I'll get the resolution drafted tonight, and I will look forward to seeing your name on it tomorrow morning. I urge an 'aye' vote."
"Leader Buckner moves for the adoption of House Resolution 506. All those in favor vote 'aye'; all opposed vote 'nay.' The voting's open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Mr. Clerk, please take the record. On this motion, there are 74 voting 'yes,' 33 voting 'no.' And this resolution, having received a 10400057.docx 59 STATE OF ILLINOIS 104th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 57th Legislative Day 10/15/2025 constitutional majority, is hereby approved. Leader… Leader Mah, for what reason do you seek recognition?"
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Democrats would request a caucus today, starting at 4 o'clock, in Room 114."
"The Democrats will caucus at 4 o'clock in Room 118. The Republicans… or 114, I apologize. Republicans? Republicans will… will not caucus. Representative Ugaste, for what reason do you seek recognition?"
"Point of personal privilege."
"Please state your point."
"Thank you. I listened to a press conference prior to our starting today, and it seems since the official business is done, I heard that we were going to be defending democracy and doing the work of the people. Well, I have another suggestion for the work of the people that we could do starting tomorrow or… or the next week we're down here for veto session. That is something actually we can all agree on. House Bill #9, which I filed well over a year ago… I mean, these resolutions were filed today. We were able to debate them today. So, I assume something I filed almost a year ago or more, we… we could consider sometime in the not-too-distant future, would save taxpayers in Illinois, every property taxpayer money each year. This past year, it would have saved Illinois taxpayers $2.8 billion. Over the next 20 years, it's estimated to save over $82 billion. So, if we're here to do the work of the people, instead of reading political resolutions that go back and forth and we… we try and score points on each other, maybe we can do something to provide actual relief that we will all say we're interested in, and 10400057.docx 60 STATE OF ILLINOIS 104th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 57th Legislative Day 10/15/2025 that's property tax relief. So, I hope the other side will consider that. But if we have to only consider those topics which were brought up today, and we were talking about heavy handedness in government, people acting single-handedly and… and in an authoritarian manner, I would ask that we also consider one of my bills, HB1463. It deals with the claim of an emergency situation on a repeated basis by a governor of the state, and it doesn't matter to me whether it's a Democrat governor or a Republican governor. I don't believe any governor should have the free hand to declare as many emergencies and run the state of Illinois with a pen as was done a few years ago here, and that the Legislature should never advocate its power and authority again. So, I'd like to have one of those two bills called, or if not those, any that you may have dealing with those topics so we can actually do the work of the people. Thank you."
"Mr. Clerk, committee announcements."
"The following committees will… will be meeting after the Democratic caucus: Appropriations-Health and Human Services will meet in Room 114. State Government Administration will meet in C-1."
"Mr. Clerk, Agreed Resolutions."
"Agreed Resolutions. House Resolution 495, offered by Representative Faver Dias. And House Resolution 496, offered by Representative du Buclet."
"Leader Gabel moves for the adoption of Agreed Resolution. All those in favor say 'aye'; all opposed 'nay.' In the opinion of the Chair, the ayes have it. And the Agreed Resolutions have adopted… are adopted. Now, allowing 10400057.docx 61 STATE OF ILLINOIS 104th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 57th Legislative Day 10/15/2025 perfunctory time for the clerk, Leader Gabel moves that the House stand adjourned until Thursday, October 16, at the hour of 10 a.m. Thursday, October 16, at the hour of 10 a.m. All those in favor say 'aye'; all opposed 'nay.' In the opinion of the Chair, the 'ayes' have it. And the House stands adjourned."
"House Perfunctory Session will come to order. Introduction and First Reading of House Bills. House Bill 4072, offered by Representative Tarver, a Bill for Act concerning civil law. House Bill 4073, offered by Representative Spain, a Bill for an Act concerning State government. House Bill 4074, offered by Representative Davidsmeyer, a Bill for an Act concerning finance. House Bill 4075, offered by Representative Cassidy, a Bill for an Act concerning civil law. House Bill 4076, offered by Representative Gordon-Booth, a Bill for an Act concerning employment. House Bill 4077, offered by Representative Ryan, a Bill for an Act concerning civil law. House Bill 4078, offered by Representative Niemerg, a Bill for an Act concerning local government. House Bill 4079, offered by Representative Crawford, a Bill for an Act concerning elections. House Bill 4080, offered by Representative Evans, a Bill for an Act concerning revenue. House Bill 4081, offered by Representative Croke, a Bill for an Act concerning regulation. House Bill 4082, offered by Representative Slaughter, a Bill for an Act concerning criminal law. House Bill 4083, offered by Representative Didech, a Bill for an Act concerning elections. House Bill 4084, offered by Representative Didech, a Bill for an Act concerning 10400057.docx 62 STATE OF ILLINOIS 104th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 57th Legislative Day 10/15/2025 government official privacy. House Bill 4085, offered by Representative Cabello, a Bill for an Act concerning transportation. House Bill 4086, offered by Representative Barbara Hernandez, a Bill for an Act concerning criminal law. House Bill 4087, offered by Representative Severin, a Bill for an Act concerning State government. House Bill 4088, offered by Representative Severin, a Bill for an Act concerning regulation. House Bill 4089, offered by Representative Weaver, a Bill for an Act concerning revenue. House Bill 4090, offered by… offered by Representative Evans, a Bill for an Act concerning criminal law. House Bill 4091, offered by Representative DeLuca, a Bill for an Act concerning courts. House Bill 4092, offered by Representative Costa Howard, a Bill for an Act concerning civil law. House Bill 4093, offered by Representative Didech, a Bill for an Act concerning elections. House Bill 4094, offered by Representative Miller, a Bill for an Act concerning regulation. House Bill 4095, offered by Representative Costa Howard, a Bill for an Act concerning civil law. House Bill 4096, offer by Representative La Ha, a Bill for an Act concerning public employee benefits. House Bill 4097, offered by Representative Deering, a Bill for an Act concerning education. House Bill 4098, offered by Representative… by Leader McCombie, a Bill for an Act concerning State government. House Bill 4099, offered by Leader McCombie, a Bill for an Act concerning education. House Bill 4100, offered by Representative West, a Bill for an Act concerning human rights. House Bill 4101, offered by Representative West, a Bill for an Act concerning revenue. House Bill 4102, offered 10400057.docx 63 STATE OF ILLINOIS 104th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 57th Legislative Day 10/15/2025 by Representative Weber, a Bill for an Act concerning government. House Bill 4103, offered by Representative Weber, a Bill for an Act concerning criminal law. House Bill 4104, offered by Representative Weber, a Bill for an Act concerning criminal law. House Bill 4105, offered by Representative Weber, a Bill for an Act concerning criminal law. House Bill 4106, offered by Representative Vella, a Bill for an Act concerning revenue. House Bill 4107, offered by Representative Weber, a Bill for an Act concerning State government. House Bill 4108, offered by Representative Weaver, a Bill for an Act concerning transportation. House Bill 4109, offered by Representative Weaver, a Bill for an Act concerning transportation. House Bill 4110, offered by Representative Stuart, a Bill for an Act concerning local government. House Bill 4111, offered by Representative Benton, a Bill for an Act concerning education. House Bill 4112, offered by Representative Moeller, a Bill for an Act concerning regulation. House Bill 4113, offered by Representative Tarver, a Bill for an Act concerning revenue. House Bill 4114, offered by Representative Halbrook, a Bill for an Act concerning education. House Bill 4115, offered by Representative Halbrook, a Bill for an Act concerning education. House Bill 4116, offered by Representative Hoffman, a Bill for an Act concerning regulation. House Bill 4117, offered by Representative Kelly, a Bill for an Act concerning public employee benefits. House Bill 4118, offered by Representative Halbrook, a Bill for an Act concerning education. House Bill 4119, offered by Representative Miller, a Bill for an Act concerning education. House Bill 4120, 10400057.docx 64 STATE OF ILLINOIS 104th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 57th Legislative Day 10/15/2025 offered by Representative Hoffman, a Bill for an Act concerning regulation. House Bill 4121, offered by Representative Halbrook, a Bill for an Act concerning regulation. House Bill 4122, offered by Representative Halbrook, a Bill for an Act concerning regulation. House Bill 4123, offered by Representative Halbrook, a Bill for an Act concerning safety. House Bill 4124, offered by Representative Halbrook, a Bill for an Act concerning safety. House Bill 4125, offered by Representative Weber, a Bill for an Act concerning criminal law. House Bill 4126, offered by Representative Weber, a Bill for an Act concerning criminal law. House Bill 4127, offered by Representative Weber, a Bill for an Act concerning criminal law. House Bill 4128, offered by Representative Weber, a Bill for an Act concerning criminal law. House Bill 4129, offered by Representative Weber, a Bill for an Act concerning immigration enforcement. House Bill 4130, offered by Representative Weber, a Bill for an Act concerning criminal law. House Bill 4131, offered by Representative Lisa Davis, a Bill for an Act concerning elections. House Bill 4132, offered by Representative Niemerg, a Bill for an Act concerning government. House Bill 4133, offered by Representative Bunting, a Bill for an Act concerning finance. House Bill 4134, offered by Representative Kifowit, a Bill for an Act concerning revenue. House Bill 4135, offered by Representative Buckner, a Bill for an Act concerning criminal law. House Bill 4136, offered by Representative Moeller, a Bill for an Act concerning civil law. House Bill 4137, offered by Representative Mussman, a Bill for an Act concerning education. House Bill 4138, offered 10400057.docx 65 STATE OF ILLINOIS 104th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 57th Legislative Day 10/15/2025 by Representative Windhorst, a Bill for an Act concerning criminal law. House Bill 4139, offered… offered by Representative Ortíz, a Bill for an Act concerning education. House Bill 4140, offered by Representative Weaver, a Bill for an Act concerning business. House Bill 4141, offered by Representative Didech, a Bill for an Act concerning local government. House Bill 4142, offered by Representative Keicher, a Bill for an Act concerning criminal law. House Bill 4143, offered by Representative DeLuca, a Bill for an Act concerning education. House Bill 4144, offered by Representative Canty, a Bill for an Act concerning State government. House Bill 4145, offered by Representative Ryan, a Bill for an Act concerning education. House Bill 4146, offered by Representative Friess, a Bill for an Act concerning appropriations. House Bill 4147, offered by Representative Deering, a Bill for an Act concerning public aid. House Bill 4148, offered by Representative Jed Davis, a Bill for an Act concerning education. House Bill 4149, offered by Representative Tarver, a Bill for an Act concerning gaming. House Bill 4150, offered by Representative Friess, a Bill for an Act concerning education. House Bill 4151, offered by Representative Weaver, a Bill for an Act concerning revenue. House Bill 4152, offered by Representative Buckner, a Bill for an Act concerning government. House Bill 4153, offered by Representative Benton, a Bill for an act concerning public employee benefits. House Bill 4154, offered by Representative Manley, a Bill for an Act concerning regulation. House Bill 4155, offered by Representative Weaver, a Bill for an Act concerning regulation. House Bill 4156, offered by 10400057.docx 66 STATE OF ILLINOIS 104th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 57th Legislative Day 10/15/2025 Representative Weaver, a Bill for an Act concerning revenue. House Bill 4157, offered by Representative Ryan, a Bill for an Act concerning aging. House Bill 4158, offered by Representative Sanalitro, a Bill for an Act concerning transportation. House Bill 4159, offered by Representative Sanalitro, a Bill for an Act concerning transportation. House Bill 4160, offered by Representative Katz Muhl, a Bill for an Act concerning regulation. House Bill 4161, offered by Representative Moore, a Bill for an Act concerning employment. House Bill 4162, offered by Representative McLaughlin, a Bill for an Act concerning government. House Bill 4163, offered by Representative Keicher, a Bill for an Act concerning regulation. First Reading of these House Bills. There being no further business, the House Perfunctory Session will stand adjourned." 10400057.docx 67