"The House will be in order, and the Members will please be in their seats. The Chaplain for today is Reverend Mark... Mike Jackesy from the Winnetka Bible Church of Winnetka, Illinois. Reverend Jackesy."
"Would you please bow in prayer? Heavenly Father, as our House of Representatives convenes here this afternoon, we recognize from Your word that You have ordained civil government that men might live quiet, and peaceable and orderly lives; and that as these men and women represent the people of our state, they'll make public policy that will influence millions of people. I pray that You would give them Your wisdom. Help them as they grapple with the difficult and complicated issues. Help them, Father, to reconcile the, often times, conflicting interests and demands of their district, and of the state, and of their Party and of their political career. I pray, Father, that the decisions that they make here on the floor, in Committee and in the quiet of their office would be Your decisions and would be the best for the general welfare of our people. Thank you, Father, for the hard work and the dedication of our Representatives, and may Your strength and blessing be on their work in all that they do. And we ask this through Jesus Christ. Amen."
"Thank you, Reverend. We'll be led in the Pledge today by Representative Olson."
"I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."
"Roll Call for Attendance. Take the record, Mr. Clerk. With 173 Members answering the Roll, a quorum of 1 STATE OF ILLINOIS 82ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 124th Legislative Day June 16, 1982 the House is present. Messages from the Senate."
"A Message from the Senate by Mr. Wright, Secretary. 'Mr. Speaker, I am directed to inform the House of Representatives that the Senate has concurred with the House in adoption of their Amendment to a Bill of the following title to wit: Senate Bill 1391 together with attached Amendment... House Amendment #1, action taken by the Senate June 14, 1982.' Kenneth Wright, Secretary. A Message from the Senate by Mr. Wright, Secretary. 'Mr. Speaker, I am directed to inform the House of Representatives that the Senate has concurred in the House in adop...in the passage of Bills of the following titles to wit: House Bills 1302, 1243, 1271, 1651, 2221, 1986, 2133 and 2503 together with the attached Amendments hereto, an adoption of which I am instructed to ask concurrence of the House, passed the Senate.' Kenneth Wright, Secretary. A Message from the Senate by Mr. Wright, Secretary. 'Mr. Speaker, I am directed to inform the House of Representatives that the Senate has concurred in the House in the passage of Bills of the following titles to wit: House Bill 1434, 1648, 2056, 2304, 2369, 2397, 2506, passed the Senate.' Kenneth Wright, Secretary. A Message from the Senate by Mr. Wright, Secretary. 'Mr. Speaker, I am directed to inform the House of Representatives that the Senate has concurred in the House in the adoption of the following Joint Resolution to wit: House Joint Resolution 92 and House Joint Resolution 93, concurred in by the Senate June 11, 1982.' Kenneth Wright, Secretary. A Message from the Senate by Mr. Wright, Secretary. 'Mr. Speaker, I am directed to inform the House of Representatives that the Senate has adopted the following Senate Joint Resolution, an adoption of which I am instructed to ask concurrence of the House of 2 STATE OF ILLINOIS 82ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 124th Legislative Day June 16, 1982 Representatives to wit: Senate Joint Resolution 101, adopted by the Senate June 11, 1982.' Kenneth Wright, Secretary."
"Representative Getty, do you have any excused absences for today?"
"I have no such requests, Mr. Speaker. Thank you."
"Representative Telcser, none? Representative Younge, for what purpose do you seek recognition?"
"Mr. Speaker, for purposes of a very quick introduction. I want to introduce Mr. Bob 'Coleman' and his son who are visiting from East St. Louis, and Bob 'Coleman' is the brother of Dr. 'Coleman' and they are in the process of giving very excellent medical care to the people of East St. Louis. May we welcome Bob 'Coleman'?"
"Representative Zito, for what purpose do you rise?"
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. An inquiry of the Chair."
"Proceed."
"I'd like to know, Mr. Speaker, if this chamber is going to have an opportunity to vote 'yes' or 'no' on how many votes it is going to take to pass the Equal Rights Amendment."
"That's already been ruled, Representative. We can do it right now, Representative. On page seven of the Calendar under of the Order of Constitutional Amendments Third Reading appears HJRCA #1, Representative Catania. Do you want to call the Amendment now, Representative? Representative Catania."
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Are we going to have an opportunity to vote for Majority rule first?"
"You have an opportunity to pass the Amendment right now, Representative Catania, with a 107 votes, or you can take it out of the record."
"Mr. Speaker, we're still waiting for a chance to vote 3 STATE OF ILLINOIS 82ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 124th Legislative Day June 16, 1982 on our rules. We need Majority rule. Are you ready for that?"
"You were recognized to present your Amendment, Representative."
"Well, Mr. Speaker, we have a couple of Resolutions. Richard Klemm has a Resolution that we can consider that will give us a chance to vote on the rules, and I think Representative Madigan has one, too. I hope we'll have a chance to vote on those soon. And as soon as we have Majority rule, we can vote for ERA."
"Representative Zito, for what purpose do you seek recognition?"
"Only, Mr. Speaker, that my question to you was not on the Amendment. The question was on either a simple Majority vote or the three-fifths vote. I would like an opportunity, as a Member of this chamber, to vote 'yes' or 'no' for that provision and not the Constitutional Amendment at this time."
"Have Representative Madigan appoint you to the Rules Committee, Representative, and you'll have an opportunity like the other Members had there. Representative Tate, for what purpose do you seek recognition?"
"Mr. Speaker, Ladies and Gentlemen of the House, for the purpose of an introduction. I'd like to introduce my grandparents from Naples, Florida. They are in the back of the room today with my mother, Audrey Tate, from Decatur. Thank you."
"Welcome from Naples. Representative Chapman, for what purpose do you seek recognition?"
"Point of information, Mr. Speaker. I wonder if we're having some communications problems here. The question that was asked of you, Sir, was not when are we going to 4 STATE OF ILLINOIS 82ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 124th Legislative Day June 16, 1982 vote on ERA, because I am sure you will give us that opportunity. The question we are asking is when will you have...when will you give to us an opportunity to vote on the number required to ratify an Amendment to the U.S. Constitution? This is what the Members of this chamber are asking of you, an opportunity to vote to determine the number required, the number required to ratify an Amendment to the United States Constitution. Could you answer that?"
"Just a minute, Representative. Representative Hanahan, for what purpose do you seek recognition?"
"Point of order, Mr. Speaker. Point of order, Mr. Speaker. I believe that what the Lady is requesting, what others have made reference to, has already been ruled on last week. I think at this time it is pure rhetoric for them to waste the time of this chamber on talking about something they had an opportunity to vote on on the override of your ruling. They had all ample, under a civilized society, under a reasonable and a just ruling of the Speaker, they had plenty of opportunity for their vote. I don't think at this time we should waste our time on this issue."
"Your point's well taken, Representative. On page two of the Calendar under the Order of House... House Bills Third Reading appears House Bill 2461, Representative Hallock. Out of the record. Representative Satterthwaite, for what purpose do you seek recognition?"
"Mr. Speaker, I rise to correct the statement of the last speaker who indicated that we had a chance a week or so ago to vote on the issue of the number of votes necessary for ratification of Federal Constitutional Amendments. We were never permitted a vote on that question. We were only asked, at that point, by that speaker, to vote on a Motion to overrule the Chair. Those 5 STATE OF ILLINOIS 82ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 124th Legislative Day June 16, 1982 are two entirely different questions, and I think the record should clearly show that we have not been given an opportunity to vote on the question of the number of votes necessary for Constitutional Amendment ratification for the U.S. Constitution. And I reiterate the question that has been placed before you as to when we, as Members of the 82nd General Assembly, will have an opportunity for a direct vote on that question."
"Representative Peters, for what purpose do you Peters: seek recognition?" "Mr. Speaker, just in terms of, perhaps, personal privilege, perhaps inquiry. I'm not sure what. We have appropriations pending. We have legislation affecting senior citizens of the State of Illinois. We have legislation affecting child abuse. We have legislation affecting mental health. If the people in this chamber think that there is only one issue affecting the people of the State of Illinois, they are absolutely wrong. I have been a proponent of the Equal Rights Amendment for the ten years that I have been here. Let me tell you, Mr. Speaker and everyone in this Assembly and outside of this Assembly, I am pretty damn tired of hearing this constant harangue. And, my temper is short, and it is getting shorter, and you're going to need one less vote...or one more vote to pass this. Now, we've got things on the Calendar we've got to get...end up doing. The same question becomes asked, and asked and asked, and I organized in the streets in the 60's with 'Soalinski', and I know the difference between organizing for organizing, and haranguing, and political maneuvering, and organizing to get an issue passed. This is not organizing to get an issue passed. This is not organizing that comes out of the heart in terms of a real fight for equal rights. This is haranguing and organizing 6 STATE OF ILLINOIS 82ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 124th Legislative Day June 16, 1982 for purposes of political maneuvering, and contributions and gaining power and effort in regard to other issues. This ain't a fight on equal rights. This is a fight on a lot of other issues. And, Mr. Speaker, the rules are clear. If there are Resolutions, they go to the Rules Committee. The Rules Committee, in the sufficient six and a half days or whatever is required by the rules, will post for a hearing on any change in the rules. That is when. That is where. That is why. And as a Member of that Rules Committee, I assure you and every one Member here, I will listen, listen seriously to the arguments being presented by the people why we should change the rules. And in doing so, they ought to change their tactics."
"House Bill 2517, Representative Hallock. Out of the record. House Bill 2530, Representative Davis. Out of the record, Representative? Out of the record. Page two under the Order of Senate Bills Second Reading Short Debate Calendar, House Bill...or Senate Bill 1488, Representative Getty. Run the Bill, Mr. Clerk. Read the Bill."
"Senate Bill 1488, a Bill for an Act in relationship to land trusts and trustees of land trusts. Second Reading of the Bill. No Committee Amendments."
"Just a minute, Mr. Getty. We have another light here. Representative Kane, for what purpose do you seek recognition?"
"Just to reply to the last speaker when he said that we're looking for a change of the rules. Actually, we're not looking for a change of the rules, we're looking for an opportunity to vote..."
"Well, you're out of order, Representative. We're on the Order of Senate Bills Second Reading Short Debate Calendar. Proceed, Representative Getty. Are there any...any Amendments from the floor?" 7 124th Legislative Day STATE OF ILLINOIS 82ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE Clerk Leone: "None."
"Third Reading. House... Senate Bill 1672, Representative Olson. Out of the record? Out of the record. On page two, Senate Bills Second Reading appears Senate Bill 1212, Representative Ropp. Representative Ropp. Out of the record. Senate Bill 1247, Representative Friedrich, Dwight Friedrich. Out of the record. Senate Bill 1248, Representative Dwight Friedrich. Out of the record. Senate Bill 1447, Representative Vinson. Out of the record. Senate Bill 1487, Representative Bower. Read the Bill, Mr. Clerk."
"Senate Bill 1487, a Bill for an Act to provide for the preservation of Illinois farmland. Second Reading of the Bill. No Committee Amendments."
"Are there any Amendments from the floor?"
"Floor Amendment #1, Bower, amends House Bill 1487..."
"Representative Bower on Amendment #1."
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Ladies and Gentlemen of the House. This Amendment, we stated in Committee would be offered. It was the Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts, the Illinois Farm Bureau, the Departments of Conservation and the Department of Transportation and the Municipal League all wished that these basically technical Amendments be made to the Bill. We agreed to it. All the parties in interest agreed to this Amendment, and I don't know of any opposition. Basically what it does, it submits the farmland assessment or the Farmland Protection Act working agreements to the review of the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules."
"Is there any discussion? The Gentleman from Cook, Representative Getty, on Amendment #1."
"Would the Gentleman yield?" 8 STATE OF ILLINOIS 82ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 124th Legislative Day
"Indicates that he will." June 16, 1982
"Representative Bower, does Amendment #1 insert the technical language, 'prime farmland'?"
"At which particular point are you referring?"
"Well, it...I was given to understand that there was some Amendment that might be considered, and I wonder if this is it, or if there is a subsequent Amendment, if you know..."
"This is the only Amendment that I am aware of, Representative Getty. This is the one that all of the groups that had any question in Committee agreed to and had, in fact, proposed the language for it."
"Well, I think this is a good Bill. I want you to understand that. There was a suggestion, I believe, by staff on one side or the other that..."
"Just a minute. Representative Conti, for what purpose do you seek recognition?"
"Mr. Speaker and Ladies and Gentlemen of the House, I have served a good many years down here. I have spent a good many years down here. I fought for the decorum of this House, and if we are going to tolerate, if we are going to tolerate what we are witnessing right now, I move for adjournment immediately."
"Well, your Motion is out of order, Representative. Proceed, Representative Bower. Representative Bower, we're on Amendment #1 to House... Senate Bill 1441 (sic - 1487). Proceed on the Amendment."
"Mr. Speaker, I believe that Representative Getty was in the middle of his question."
"The question... Are you finished, Representative? Proceed, please."
"Representative Bower, our staff brought up a question that the proper technical language was 'prime farmland' as opposed to 'farmland', that this is a definable thing known 9 124th Legislative Day to the STATE OF ILLINOIS 82ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE Department of Agriculture. June 16, 1982 And it vas my understanding that an Amendment vas to be put in to have that so defined as..."
"Representative Getty, just a moment. We have to...evidently have some questions here. Representative Telcser, do you seek recognition?"
"Mr. Speaker, may I suggest that perhaps you read all the Senate Bills that are on Second Reading, read them a second time, and then I'll make a Motion."
"At the proper time. Representative Peters, for what purpose do you seek recognition?"
"Mr. Speaker, because the tape does not indicate what is going on, I would like for purposes of the tape to indicate that individuals in absolute and total violation of the rules of this House, rules which they have been complaining about and wish to sanctify, have entered the chamber, are demonstrating on the chamber floor in violation of every rule. That is not equal rights. That is not equal dignity before the law. That is not fair. That is not decent. That is not right. That is not all those things that people have been talking about for as long as they have been talking about - the last ten years - in regard to this Amendment. And, Mr. Speaker, Mr. Speaker, whenever you are ready...Mr. Speaker, whenever you are ready, I am ready to put the Motion that we adjourn until July 1."
"Proceed, Representative Peters."
"Mr. Speaker, in the event that you did not hear me over the din being created by those who seek equality and free speech, whenever you are ready, I am ready to read the Resolution calling upon this House to adjourn until July 1."
"Thank you, Representative. Proceed, Representative Getty. Have you completed your questioning 10 STATE OF ILLINOIS 82ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 124th Legislative Day June 16, 1982 on Senate Bill 14...1441...1487?"
"Representative..."
"Just a minute. Just a minute. One more time. Representative Peters, for what purpose do you seek recognition?"
"Mr. Speaker, with your indulgence, I would like the Members on this side of the aisle to know, that are supporting ERA, that I will ask them, after adjournment, to convene a meeting in my office to see if the...whether 35 Members on this side of the aisle, who support ERA, will continue to support any action on ERA in view of what, in my estimation, is extremely degrading activity and certainly a negation of everything the Amendment is supposed to stand for."
"Representative Flinn, for what purpose do you seek recognition?"
"Mr. Speaker, in order the State Government must go on, I would ask that you use your power as Speaker to clear the galleries right now."
"Representative Telcser, for what purpose do you seek recognition? Proceed on Senate Bill 1487, Representative Getty."
"Representative Bower, in the interim, I think we've had a discussion with the staff, and it would be my suggestion that maybe we take this out of the record at this time so that we can arrive at the proper Amendment."
"Representative Bower."
"Well, Mr. Speaker, because of the people who are violating the law of the State of Illinois and the rules of this House, I didn't hear at all what Representative Getty had to say."
"Representative Peters, for what purpose do you seek recognition?" 11 STATE OF ILLINOIS 82ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 124th Legislative Day
"Mr. Speaker, Sergeant-at-Arms I not June 16, 1982 would ask that the Chair ask the to remove any of the demonstrators, because that is what they are waiting and they are looking for, a confrontation and more screaming and yelling. I...I implore you, Mr. Speaker, do nothing, say nothing to these people who are laying here. Let the public of this country, for now and for the next seven and ten years, make a determination as to exactly what route they want this country to go. Let them make a determination whether those who, for the past ten years, have been saying, 'The proponents of ERA are wrong.' Let them make the determination they are right. I, in fact, am slowly but surely, making up my mind that perhaps for the last ten years I have been wrong on this issue. But, Mr. Speaker, let me ask you this. Without touching one hair on the tiny heads of these people here, I ask that you ask the Sergeant-at-Arms to remove everyone from this floor who is not a Member, press, staff and every other person on this floor with the exception of those who are proposing to be proponents of ERA. Let them sit. Let them scream. Let them yell. Let the state know, let the state know where they are. Let the people know where...what they are, and let everyone in this state know who was fair on ERA for the last 18 months. Let the people make a determination by the circus they see here what George Ryan did, and what George Ryan did not do for equal rights, and for decency and for rule in this chamber under the rules of this House."
"Representative Preston." Preston: House. I "Thank you, Mr. Speaker and Ladies and Gentlemen of the do not condone or approve of the behavior of people who take the floor of the House and demonstrate. But equally do I not approve of a Member of this chamber, who weighs close to 300 pounds, who purposely walked over 12 124th Legislative Day the feet of Speaker STATE OF ILLINOIS 82ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE June 16, 1982 these individuals, not once, but on two or three occasions, Mr. Speaker. And I am sick and tired..."
"You're out of order, Representative. Representative Yourell, for what purpose do you seek recognition?"
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Ladies and Gentlemen of the House. I, for the past ten years as a Member of this House, for the past 16 years as a Member of this House, have totally committed myself to the passage of the Equal Rights Amendment. And I can tell you that, at the moment, I have mixed feelings. I had people in my office today that congratulated me, and I had over 100 letters about ERA. Now the actions that are taking place on the floor of this House today are not doing the passage of the Equal Rights Amendment any favors. Go ahead, hiss, but you want to loss a vote? Continue with the antics that you've demonstrated today, and I can assure you that you're going to lose my vote for the first time in 10 years. Now, I have a suspicion that perhaps you're anti-ERA, because that is exactly how you're acting. And don't look away. Look at me, because I am the one that has voted for you. I am the one that has voted for you for a long, long time. Now, if you want to continue these antics in this asinine demonstration, continue. And I certainly don't appreciate the antics of the Gentleman who walked on your feet, because that, I think, is absolutely asinine, too. The showing of brute force does not demonstrate any compassion for any issue, and I would suggest that the Member that did that - I don't know who the hell he is - but I suggest that he won't be back here in the next Session of the General Assembly, and that is a good thing, too. But, Ladies, let me appeal to your good sense. What you're doing here today is not in the best best interest of the passage of the 13 STATE OF ILLINOIS 82ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 124th Legislative Day June 16, 1982 Amendment that all of you, including myself, have worked for for so many years. Now, you may think you're doing the right thing, but you're doing the wrong thing, because the people in the gallery and the people in the State of Illinois are going to resent the interruption of an orderly progression of legislation through this House. And I would suggest that in the best interests, yours, and mine and all of those who have labored so hard and have taken the brunt of those anti-ERA people in our districts, should recognize the fact that what you're doing today is not in the best interests of your issue and my issue. Thank you, Mr. Speaker."
"Representative Telcser."
"Mr. Speaker, I move the House stand adjourned until noon tomorrow."
"The Gentleman moves the House stand adjourned until noon tomorrow. All in favor signify by saying 'aye', all opposed 'no'. The 'ayes' have it, and the House now stands adjourned until noon tomorrow." 14 06/22/82 18:03 STATE OF ILLINOIS 82ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES DAILY TRANSCRIPTION OF DEBATE INDEX JUNE 16, 1982 SB-1487 SECOND READING SB-1488 SECOND READING *HJR-0001 OTHER PAGE PAGE PAGE 1 8 7 3 SUBJECT MATTER HOUSE TO ORDER SPEAKER RYAN PRAYER REVEREND NIKE JACKCSY PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE ROLL CALL FOR ATTENDANCE MESSAGES FROM SENATE ADJOURNMENT PAGE PAGE PAGE PAGE PAGE PAGE 1 1 1 1 2 14