"The House will come to order. The House will come to order. Members will be in their seats. The Chaplain for today is Dr. Robert Langworthy, Chaplain of Monmouth College, Monmouth, Illinois. Dr. Langworthy is a guest of Representative David Hultgren. The guests in the balcony please rise and join us in the invocation."
"Let us pray to the Lord. Lord God, Almighty, Governor of the universe, fountain of justice and compassion, whose will is good and whose law is truth, bless and guide these Legislators that this day and always they may, with courage and integrity serve the people of Illinois and the welfare of our state. Grant them the largeness of vision and the concern for all persons, to work together in mutual support and to strive wisely for your causes of justice, fairness and human development. Send your spirit of grace and truth upon Governor Thompson as he addresses the General Assembly today and governs the state for another term of office. May he and these Legislators find common ground in a zeal to answer the cry of the needy, to oppose the forces of violence and evil and to fulfill the potential of the creative people of Illinois. Ultimate governance belongs to You, O Lord. You reign as... You are we all accountable. May this Body, through its political action, realize Your just and merciful will in faithfulness to the people and to the glory of Your great name. Amen."
"Be led in the Pledge of Allegiance by Representative Stern."
"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. Representative Piel." 1 STATE OF ILLINOIS 85th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 7th Legislative Day
"Yes, Mr. Speaker. Would the record show that Representative McAuliffe is excused today?"
"Thank you. Representative Matijevich."
"Mr. Speaker, let the record reflect the excused absence due to illness in the family of Representative Braun and the excused absence of Representative Huff."
"Thank... The record will so indicate. Take the record, Mr. Clerk. 113 Members answering a Roll Call, a quorum is present. Representative Greiman in the Chair."
"Resolutions."
"House Joint Resolution #10, Be it resolved by the House of Representatives of the 85th General Assembly of the State of Illinois, the Senate concurring herein, that the two Houses shall convene in Joint Session on Wednesday, February 7th (sic - February 4th), 1987, at the hour of 12:00 noon for the purpose of hearing His Excellency, Governor James R. Thompson present to the General Assembly his report on the condition of the state, as required by Article V, Section 13 of the Constitution of the State of Illinois.""
"The Gentleman from Lake, Mr. Matijevich, moves for the adoption of the Resolution. All those in favor signify by saying 'aye', those opposed 'no'. In the opinion of the Chair, the 'ayes have it and the Resolution is adopted. Alright. Mr. Clerk, Resolutions. Mr. Rea in the Chair."
"Mr. Clerk, would you please read House Resolution 48."
"House Resolution 48, offered by Representative Rea, Whereas it has come to the attention of this Body that the Sesser-Valier High School Red Devil Marching Band has been invited to participate in the 1987 Kentucky Derby 2 STATE OF ILLINOIS 85th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 7th Legislative Day February 4, 1987 Festival; and whereas the 1987 Kentucky Derby Festival consists of the Cavalcade of Bands, an indoor competition to be held on April 29, 1987, with a maximum of 12 bands to be selected to compete in the parade which will be held on April 30, 1987, with a total of 20 bands competing; and whereas the Sesser-Valier High School Red Devil Marching Band will be representing the State of Illinois in the 1987 Kentucky Derby Festival; and whereas, during the past few years, the Red Devil Marching Band has been invited to perform at various activities in the 1984 and 1985 and was invited to the Mardi Gras parade in New Orleans; and whereas the members of the band include 112 of the 282 students at Sesser-Valier High School; therefore, be it resolved by the House of Representatives of the 85th General Assembly of the State of Illinois that we congratulate the Sesser-Valier High School Red Devil Marching Band on its recent invitation to participate in the 1987 Kentucky Derby Festival that we commend the members of the band for their commitment to excellence and that we extend our best wishes to them for continued success in their future endeavors; and be it further resolved that a suitable copy of this preamble and Resolution be presented to Henry Taylor, band director of the Sesser-Valier High School Marching Band."
"On House Resolution 44 (sic - 48), all those in favor signify by saying 'aye', those opposed. Motion carried. Resolution adopted. At this time, it gives me a great honor to introduce the Sesser-Valier High School Red Devil Marching Band officers and their band director. It's quite an honor to have them going and representing the State of Illinois and at this time, I would like to present the director of the band where they have... and they have won many honors throughout the nation over the years. At 3 7th Legislative Day STATE OF ILLINOIS 85th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE February 4, 1987 this time, I'd like to present to you Henry "Skip Taylor."
"Thank you, Jim. We'd like to thank you for this honor and I'd like to introduce the president of our band, Jamey Vamzandt."
"I'd like to thank this Assembly for passing such a Resolution. I'd like to introduce my officers. Lauri 'Veach', Kristie Kelly, Christa "Earnheart' and Chris *Stubblefield', and it's really an honor and I thank you for letting us represent this great state. Thank you."
"We want to thank you for a great job and we know the State of Illinois will be well represented at the Kentucky Derby. Thank you."
"Representative Greiman in the Chair. Speaker Madigan in the Chair."
"The Chair recognizes the Doorkeeper for an announcement."
"Mr. Speaker, the Honorable President Rock and Members of the Senate are at the door and seek admission to the chamber."
"Mr. Doorkeeper. Mr. Doorkeeper, please admit the Honorable Senators. As designated, House Joint Resolution 810, the hour of 12:00 noon having arrived, the Joint Session of the 85th General Assembly will now come to order. Will the Members of the House and our esteemed guests from the Senate please take their seats? Mr. Clerk, is a quorum of the House present?"
"A quorum of the House is present."
"Mr. President, is a quorum of the Senate present in this chamber?"
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. A quorum of the Senate is present."
"There being a quorum of the House and a quorum of the Senate in attendance, this Joint Session is 4 STATE OF ILLINOIS 85th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 7th Legislative Day February 4, 1987 convened. The Chair recognizes the Majority Leader, Mr. McPike. Mr. McPike."
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Hould the Clerk read the Joint Session Resolution #1?"
"Joint Session Resolution #1, resolved that the Committee of ten be appointed, five from the House by the Speaker of the House and five from the Senate by the Committee on Committees of the Senate to await upon His Excellency, Governor James R. Thompson and invite him to address the Joint Assembly."
"The Gentleman moves for the adoption of the Resolution. All those in favor signify by saying 'aye', all those opposed by saying 'nay". In the opinion of the Chair, the 'ayes have it. The Resolution is adopted. Pursuant to the Resolution, the following are appointed as a Committee to escort the Chief Executive. The appointments from the House are Representative Giorgi, Mr. please escort the Governor. Representative Granberg. Granberg, please escort the Governor. Representative Flowers, please escort the Governor. Representative Hoffman. Mr. Hoffman. Representative Hoffman. Representative Tuerk. Mr. Tuerk. Mr. Tuerk, please escort the Governor. The appointments by Senator Rock are Senator Newhouse. Mr. Newhouse, Senator Severns, Senator Delvia, Senator Davidson... hey, and Senator Madigan. Will the Committee of Escort please convene at the rear of the chamber and await His Excellency, the Governor. r. Ladies and Gentlemen, would you please take your chairs? Would you please be in your chairs? Would the Members please be in their chairs? Could we have your attention? Ladies and Gentlemen, we are ready to begin. Could we have your attention, please? Could we have your attention? Could we have your attention, please? Mr. Burris, would you please 5 STATE OF ILLINOIS 85th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 7th Legislative Day February 4, 1987 take your seat? Mr. Ryan, please take your seat. Let us begin. The Chair would like to acknowledge the presence of certain dignitaries from the Executive Department. First, the Lieutenant Governor, Mr. George Ryan. Lieutenant Governor Ryan. The Secretary of State, Mr. James Edgar. Mr. Edgar. The Attorney General, Mr. Neil Hartigan. Mr. Hartigan. The Comptroller, Mr. Roland Burris. From the Department of Education, Mr. Ted Saunders. Mr. Saunders. And from the Supreme Court, Mr. Justice Miller. Justice Miller. Chair recognizes the Doorkeeper. Mr. Doorkeeper."
"Mr. Speaker, the Honorable Governor of the State of Illinois, James Thompson and his party wish to be admitted to the chamber."
"Admit the Honorable Governor. Ladies and Gentlemen, please be in your seats. Could everyone take their seats and the Chair would like to acknowledge two more people. First, the Treasurer of the State of Illinois, Mr. Jerry Cosentino. Mr. Cosentino. Secondly, seated in the gallery at the rear, the First Lady of the State of Illinois, Mrs. Jayne Thompson. Mr. Governor."
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker and Mr. President, Leaders and Members of the General Assembly, my fellow Constitutional Officers and my fellow citizens, today I come before you to deliver my eleventh State of the State Message. I am ten years older, hopefully, ten years wiser and certainly ten years more experienced. In that decade's time, I have reported to you on our strengths and our weaknesses, our battles, our triumphs and our failures. We have come through a lot together, you and I and the people of Illinois. To the bottom line. We are a strong state and getting stronger. Last year at this time, 5,187,000 Illinoisans were working and 8.8 percent were 6 STATE OF ILLINOIS 85th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 7th Legislative Day unemployed. Today, February 4, 1987 5,231,000 Illinoisans are working and unemployment has dropped to 7.4 percent, the lowest rate in more than five years. And while it is still too high... And while it is still too high in all parts of our state, we can be proud of that accomplishment. We've all worked hard to achieve it and we are still blessed with the abundance of nature, history and our own efforts. after 169 years of struggle to turn prairie into progresS. We are still a strong manufacturing state, but we are more today than ever before a mixture of manufacturing, agriculture, agri-business, high technology services and distribution. We are still an agricultural state, though our farmers, at the peak of their efficiency, despair at the increasing choice of the world to take less rather than more of our crops. We are, in important ways, building and rebuilding our infrastructure in our transportation system, though that is the subject of a later message and this is most important we are a strong and determined and hard working a people as ever inhabited this state. Without these qualities, all other advantages, inherited or constructed, will fail us. Three questions confront us as we march into 1987 in the company of our brothers and sisters in 49 other American states. Do we have the will, the intellectual, moral and political courage to make the right choices for Illinois for us, for our children and for our grandchildren in this year. next year, in the next decade and into the next century? Can we reach a common accord, not just this year, in this Session and by this budget that will serve Illinois well as we compete against the world? Do we understand that, like individuals and families and churches and veterans posts and Lions' clubs and all the other institutions that we have formed in our society for its advancement, we have to pay for what we want, not just for 7 STATE OF ILLINOIS 85th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 7th Legislative Day February 4, 1987 us, but for those who follow us. I, for one, refuse to be the last Illinoisan who not only dreams but lives the American dream. And so long as I am your Governor, a privilege you have accorded to only 36 other men in 169 years, I refuse to let you be the last generation of Illinoisans to dream or live the American dream, that each succeeding... that each succeeding generation will have the opportunity because their parents cared and sacrificed and because the next generation built upon that caring and sacrifice to move ahead. Here, in my view, is what Illinois must do, what we must do as a people to move ahead, not just this year, but into the next decade and into the next century, and I cannot overemphasize the importance of understanding that we, the people of Illinois, must do this. I agree with the view recently expressed by John Corbelly, the former President of the University of Illinois, who said, "I continue to be struck by the fact that we seem unwilling to concentrate on what may be called the two major problems of will. We worry about something called political improvement. We worry about the deficiencies of the public sector without recognizing that we are the public. We require a call to leadership, but perhaps most of all, a call to commitment and effort on the part not only of those who are supposed to be the saviours, you and I, but also on the part of those who are to be saved, our people. Education. In many ways it all begins and ends here. Education in its broadest scope civilizes us. It enables us to exist and then to advance and then to compete. We have come a long way since Abraham Lincoln sounded the call for common public schools more than 150 years ago in Illinois. We are a civilized state and we do more than exist. We have advanced a great deal. But as my brother, Bob Orr, 8 7th Legislative Day STATE OF ILLINOIS 85th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE February 4, 1987 recently observed in his State of the State speech to our Hoosier neighbors, we are struggling and at the moment losing the global competition to hold and improve our standard of living and our children's future. We recognized this forthrightly in 1985, the year of reform in education in Illinois. We recognized that we needed to demand more from our parent, our teachers, our children, our schools, in short, from ourselves. We began the reform of teaching and testing and curricula and goals. We, like many other states of the Union, were not content with what education had done for our generation or preceeding generations. We dared not be content and we were right. But reform of education only began in 1985 and we cannot stop now. We cannot pause or reflect but must, as our competitors in the world are doing, plunge ahead and pay the price while we do it. Failure to move education ahead now and next year and the next year carries a higher price, one we cannot afford. It robs our children of the chance to compete for the jobs of tomorrow and it condemns thousands of our fellow citizens to lives of poverty and ignorance for which they and we shall pay for the rest of our lives. This is not to say that we can afford to spend this year all the money that the most well-intentioned of our leaders in education and their allies among the press and public say we must. We cannot. Even if we were to significantly increase taxes just for education, we cannot. There are limits to the taxpayers pockets and there are other important priorities and we need not. There are many things which do not require money, but an attitude. As I traveled the world in search of investment in and for jobs in Illinois, I am continually struck by the fact that in other societies, those with whom we are losing the war of economic competition, parents seem to care more about 9 STATE OF ILLINOIS 85th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 7th Legislative Day February 4, 1987 their children's education and that care is transmitted to the children. I rarely invoke the good old days. Those memories are faulty at best, but in my day, parents, at least the parents I knew, cared more than many do today about their children's education and welfare. They did not push the task off onto teachers and schools as surrogate parents. But even the strongest of parental attitudes and community pride do not by themselves buy teaching skills and books and computers and laboratories. To my knowledge, we have never retreated from the necessity to advance educational spending in any year of our history save one, the recession year of 1982-83 and we dare not do so now. For now we know, all of us, that we are in a race against millions of others who not only want our jobs and our futures, but want better jobs and better futures and are willing to pay for them. My hope is that the budget I will present to you next month will allow us to reform the general state aid formula. It is needed. It is time, but if it, that budget, or your final decision on revenue and spending does not, we must still increase aid to elementary, secondary and higher education. And if choices must be made between priorities, I will choose to emphasize early learning, the prevention of lives squandered and ultimately lost and the greater linkage between education and economic development. If this means a leveling off on categorical expenditures for treatment programs as the state's priority, then so be it. More than two decades of federal state efforts to treat rather than prevent failure have produced marginal rather than greater benefits. We cannot afford a system of education in Illinois that tolerates a dropout rate of 50 percent in Chicago high schools and 25 percent in high schools statewide, for dropouts have an unemployment rate three times as high as 10 7th Legislative Day STATE OF ILLINOIS 85th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE February 4, 1987 those who finish high school and one out of four girls who drop out will have a child while they are still children themselves. That is an immoral society and passing morality. I do not want to pay for it nor have my child pay for it. The affluent, the hard working and the lucky can escape the ghettos of poverty and ignorance and crime but we still pay for them. For one third of all unwed teens with children will go on welfare immediately and one half will go on welfare shortly thereafter. We ought to be increasing rather than decreasing time spent in school. We are an older more complex society than we were when the voluntary dropout age was set at 16. These children, not just our children, are our future. They will be our neighbors. They will hold or worse not hold the jobs of tomorrow and they will literally be our state in the next century and we dare not let them go today. Welfare reform. Every Governor in every state in the nation will argue rightly and convincingly for welfare reform this year and before adding to the litany, let me pause to say proudly that in our fledgling American efforts thus far, Illinois has come a long way. We are not jumping on the bandwagon. We helped get it rolling right here in Illinois. If the heart of welfare reform is moving people from dependency to employment. then in just one year, Project Chance has created a welfare to work program which educates and trains, has placed 40,000 recipients in jobs and covers the broadest category of recipients in the nation and from the halls of Congress to statehouse corridors, there has been recognition that the failure of noncustodial parents to meet child support obligations contributes significantly to increasing welfare rolls. You and I have moved boldly in recent years to ensure parents who fail to pay are brought into compliance with court 11 7th Legislative Day STATE OF ILLINOIS 85th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE February 4, 1987 orders. We have leaped from the bottom of all states in recovering child support for dependent mothers to number twelve in 1986 and we can reach sixth place this year. But there is more, much more to be done and not just in Illinois, but with our help, in Washington. There are many right answers to breaking the chain of dependency. In fact, this may be one of those rare times in American politics where an answer put together by a Committee can be right. Usually, it's wrong, but there are so many right answers and good answers to help different people in different places under different circumstances break that chain, that life of dependency that this may truly be the chance. Except for those with physical, developmental or mentally debilitating conditions, welfare recipients must learn and work for their grant, not just exist. Welfare recipients who are moving from dependency to independence must be able to cross that bridge over sturdy planks of medical care and day care, but it is not right to encourage dependency by benefit levels that make informed choice of family size irrelevant or give greater benefits to those who do not work than to those who pay for them and their own by working or going without. The time has come to admit plainly that in Illinois except for keeping people alive, sustaining existence, welfare, like its counterparts in every other state in this nation, is a multi-billion dollar failure that is immoral and unaffordable. Before the adjournment of this General Assembly, I will send you a detailed package of further welfare reforms for Illinois, but it is just as important to get people with names like Reagan and Kennedy and Dole and Moinehan and Micheal to agree with us and to help us and I intend to be a leader in that fight. If education cannot succeed without welfare reform and conversely, welfare reform cannot succeed 12 STATE OF ILLINOIS 85th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 7th Legislative Day February 4, 1987 without available jobs for those who are on welfare, for those who are unemployed, for those who are underemployed and for those who are entering the work force from school. We have much to be proud of in our fight back from recession, in coping with foreign competition and changing technologies, but we have much more to do. Here, as in education, we cannot afford to slow down or look back. They are gaining on us and they have caught up with us and they have passed us. One, we must continue and improve efforts to train and retrain this generation of workers for the new technology. That will cost money. We must provide it. It is as important as any other program of education. Two, we must continue to encourage new investment from our own state, from our neighbors, from across the world, treating all alike. An Illinois job is an Illinois job, and if it's not, it's an Indiana job or a Kentucky job that will compete with us in Illinois for domestic and foreign market share. We must continue our favorable tax climate for business and learn and relearn the lesson that in the end, businesses don't pay taxes. People do. And to the extent... And to the extent that we are tempted for political reasons to load new taxes onto businesses, we ultimately deprive people of the chance for jobs in our state. We must link and settle permanently the issues of unemployment compensation and worker's compensation. We can have a better system of unemployment compensation because we have made the sacrifices in the past few years that will enable us cautiously to improve eligibility and benefits and lower business taxes. We need a system of workers compensation that fairly and quickly compensates real and relevant injuries and I am willing to invest more state dollars to more efficiently administer that reform. Five, in my view, we must settle fairly and quickly in the 13 7th Legislative Day STATE OF ILLINOIS 85th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE February 4, 1987 Commerce Commission the issue of the cost of power for the northern part of the state. Commonwealth Edison has made a proposal without precedent in America. In return for a rate increase of less than ten percent and even less for many users, including senior citizens, the company will keep three nuclear plants out of the rate base forever and freeze rates for five years. I continue to believe, together with the Attorney General, the State's Attorney of Cook County, the Chicago Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the State AFL-CIO, the State Chamber of Commerce and other consumer groups that this is not only a fair settlement of a most difficult issue, one which has eluded most of rest of the nation, but an extraordinary chance to seize a moment of national leadership on the issue of stable and predictable costs of doing business and it could serve as a model for creative rate making by the Commission and utilities elsewhere in Illinois. If we were to now enter upon a period of a prolonged time where business taxes were low, fair and stable, worker's comp and unemployment comp systems were fair, compassionate and of predictable costs and power rates were known and fixed we could offer investors in Illinois an Illinois guarantee unmatched by any other state. Six, we must diversify the agricultural crops now produced by Illinois farmers. Whether or not traditional markets for traditional crops can be restored with any vigor. the plain fact is that much more of the world now grows what we grow, grows it well, grows it for themselves and their neighbors and grows it more cheaply. Unless we are willing to continue to see a steady decline in the number of our family farms to foreign competition and technology, in good price years and bad, and I am not. Illinois farmers must be encouraged to diversify crop production. I propose a new agricultural diversification 14 7th Legislative Day STATE OF ILLINOIS 85th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE February 4, 1987 loan program to begin this process. The loans would be for building construction or renovation, equipment and working capital and must leverage private sector investment without refinancing existing debt or purchasing new land. Seven, we must, the state, our farmers, agri-business concerns, our laboratories and our manufacturers come together to make new foods and products from traditional Illinois crops a reality. He can feed and supply the world from Illinois in new ways and we have all the tools assembled here. The richest farmland in agricultural production in the world, the best transportation system in the world, the most productive workers in the world, the best distribution systems in the world, headquarters for most of the world's international food processing giants. It is time to put all these tools to work in Illinois. Eight, we must recognize the new realities of traditional manufacturing processes. The John Deeres and Caterpillars of the world, which now and in the future will no longer manufacture and assemble but will mostly assemble parts obtained elsewhere to a greater and greater degree. Rather than continue to wring our hands about lost manufacturing jobs, when in truth all of America and indeed the world has lost manufacturing jobs, we ought to be encouraging the setting up of new plants in Illinois which can be spun off by employees of traditional concerns like Deer and Cat to produce those parts here, not in Mexico or in the Far East. And SO, I propose that we begin a self-employment manufacturing assistance program to provide Illinois workers who know they are producing a quality product that is in demand with a chance to produce it for others in employee owned factories across the State of Illinois. Nine, we must aggressively encourage Illinois manufacturers to use Illinois suppliers. I propose the creation of an 15 7th Legislative Day STATE OF ILLINOIS 85th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE February 4, 1987 Illinois products and services exchange to assist Illinois businesses in locating in state vendors for products and services they need. We must buy more of our own. Ten, we must step up our international business ventures and continue to sell Illinois and its products to the world. This effort requires less in the way of a dollar investment by state government than it does a continuing change in attitude towards our place in the world market. I'm going to ask the Lieutenant Governor to serve as our Illinois trade and tourism representative to help coordinate current efforts of the Department of Commerce and Community Affairs, the Department of Agriculture and the Governor's Office. He is a good salesman for Illinois, but we all must be. I recently returned from a short mission to Japan to seek new investment in jobs in our state and I believe that we have the potential of adding several new and important plants with hundreds of jobs in high technology growth areas. These efforts must be stepped up and constantly renewed. The investment is coming to the United States market. Of that there is no doubt at all. The question for us is whether it will come to Illinois, but for every trade or investment mission I lead abroad, I intend to lead a dozen right here in our own and neighboring states. Illinois trade missions will recognize that companies, their leadership and employees that currently exist in Illinois can grow, prosper and compete with the assistance and aggressive Illinois government can offer. There are too many myths now getting in the way. That we care only about foreign investment. That is a myth. Or that we care only about large companies. That is a myth. Or that we care only about new industries. That is a myth. But before I set foot abroad again, I intend to lead Illinois trade missions within Illinois to ask our 16 STATE OF ILLINOIS 85th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 7th Legislative Day February 4, 1987 entrepreneurs, our CEOs, our workers and our unions what help they need to stay, to grow, to expand and to prosper. Eleven, we must reach out to disadvantaged areas of the state with special help in special circumstances. There are obviously more - southern Illinois is a good example - but let me use two as examples. I urge again the passage of a southwest regional development authority, a local state private sector partnership to bring to the Illinois side of the river the beginnings of the prosperity now found on the Missouri side in the Metro-east area seemingly just a few feet away, but in reality worlds apart. The election is over and turf battles must now be put aside and I would propose the creation of a northwest regional development authority to help the troubled Quad Cities recover from their long time almost singular reliance on the manufacture of farm implements and associated enterprises. I would not give up a shred of that industry that we can keep, but the economic reliance of that region must change, must diversify and grow and we can begin with the regions most visible symbol, not of failure, but of change. With the creation of the northwest regional development authority, I would acquire the former... facility from Navi-Star as the first tool of the authority, modify it, repair it, customize it and aggressively market it to the world. Though the causes... though the causes of change are different, I would help the Quad Cities as we have helped Galesburg and Manteno and other parts of the state which have undergone radical change. And as we begin to see success here, we can replicate efforts in other equally disadvantaged parts of Illinois. All we need is the vision and the will and the daring and the refusal to be hobbled by the past or the challenges of today. We cannot be afraid to take risks. Business will not bring 17 STATE OF ILLINOIS 85th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 7th Legislative Day February 4, 1987 jobs to nor expand jobs within a state which does not fairly and compassionately deal with those in need of help, nor bend every effort to improve the quality of life for all of us. That is an increasingly important part of the bottom line of jobs location. We need to do more to encourage, perhaps even to mandate the delivery of services for the mentally ill and developmentally disabled in our communities and to integrate service deliveries with the remaining network of state facilities that must help those whom communities cannot or will not serve. As I said in my Inaugural address, I am willing to experiment here, but what I am unwilling to do this year is to further squeeze down the budget of DAHHD and its community providers to fund programs even as important as education. The budget decisions of this year were not necessarily mistaken, but they cannot be repeated without internal and external danger to a system in which we must have pride, not fear, success, not failure, treatment, not warehousing and institution to community treadmills. If we intend to devote considerably more time and resources to the prevention of ignorance, poverty, disease and disability for children, then we must also upgrade our efforts to prevent children who have avoided these handicaps from suffering the damage and associated terror of abuse and neglect. Let there be no mistake about it. We have come a long way in a decade and we do much that is good, but we still do not do enough and we still do not do what we do well enough. While we must recognize that we can no more prevent every crime to children than we can prevent every crime and while we must recognize that child abuse workers and administrators cannot be the only humans who serve us that are perfect, we others being allowed moments of fallibility in our lives and our work, we must do more to 18 STATE OF ILLINOIS 85th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 7th Legislative Day integrate the delivery systems of DCFS, February 4, 1987 the courts, the police and community providers. The turf battles, the snipings, the finger-pointings and the jealousies must end. Adults, even disadvantaged adults, have at least some chance to protect themselves. Children do not. The cry of a wounded child, abused, battered and neglected, is the most frightening sound to be uttered on this earth and it must be heard with diminishing frequency in Illinois. Our public health is at stake as we learn more each day about new threats to our environment. We have begun the process of cleaning Illinois and we are doing well, but more must be done now to safeguard the air that we breathe indoors and out, the land upon which we live and the ground water that we drink. God gave it to us and in many ways in greater abundance than he has given it to others. In plain terms, we must stop trashing Illinois and as in other areas, we must begin not only with dollars or enforcement, though these may become increasingly necessary, but with an attitude. Why do we throw trash and garbage and debris in our front yards and streets and alleys and parks and places of commerce? Other societies with whom we increasingly compete for jobs and resources do not do this. How many hundreds of millions of dollars do we spend in Illinois simply cleaning up after ourselves or in combating associated health risks of garbage and pollution? Too many, far too many. The trashing of Illinois must end with this generation and the next and the next. To a great extent, pride and discipline can replace dollars which could be much better spent in the answering of other needs that we have been discussing this afternoon. We are a state which is made up of many contradictions, crowded, noisy, exciting cities and pastoral landscapes. We are a restless, seeking, curious people. Travel, tourism and 19 STATE OF ILLINOIS 85th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 7th Legislative Day February 4, 1987 recreation come naturally to us and again, we possess many advantages that we are just beginning to develop and market to ourselves and to the world. But we must do more in at least two ways. We must acquire more land for recreation before it is gobbled up by the demands of housing, transportation, business and agriculture. Even if we cannot afford to develop it or operate it now, we must begin to bank it for the future. Second, we must look seriously at how we support our existing recreational facilities. I think the Department of Conservation does an extraordinary job in balancing the most diverse constituency of any state agency. But we rank low among the states in supporting our recreational facilities from fees for service apart from reliance on General Revenue funds. I have long and perhaps foolishly resisted reviewing this formula, but it is at least time for the keepers and the users to sit down together to see whether our current system is rational and productive for this decade and the next century. Ten years ago I asked you to radically change the way we deal with the sentencing of convicted offenders and you responded and responded well by passing Class X and related legislation. We have, out of necessity and despite generations of neglect, refurbished and expanded our system of correctional facilities. It is the best, most well run system in the nation, but I believe that after a decade the time has come for all of us to reexamine the justice system, its purposes and its means, to see if we can do better. While some offenders and we pretty much know who they are - simply need to be locked up to protect the rest of us, I have this nagging feeling that we are letting too many youthful offenders who commit the most crime escape meaningful punishment until we have had enough and suffered enough so that long incarceration seems 20 STATE OF ILLINOIS 85th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 7th Legislative Day February 4, 1987 like the only and appropriate answer. As an example, are we missing the benefits of the short sharp jolt, the early pain of incarceration at the beginning rather than in the middle or at the end of a criminal career? Those of us who are supposed experts in these matters owe this General Assembly and the people of Illinois another look after ten years. A last, but important word. It is time we cleaned ethical house in Illinois. Our laws and practices relating to campaigns, campaign financing, elections and election conflicts are a confused, archaic, jumbled, overlapping mess. They need to be reformed now. Laws and practices relating to ethics by those who serve at all levels of government in Illinois are scattered, contradictory, inadequate and sometimes out of touch with the real world, sometimes too soft, sometimes too tough. They need to be reformed now and if the lengthening, deepening, darkening shadow of 'Greylord' does not teach us that we must bring more accountability to our judicial system and enforceable responsibility for the selection of judges, then we are blind fools who have paid a very large price in public confidence for nothing. I do not say that good judges cannot come from the political life. Of course they can. One sits right in front of me, a dear friend and a respected jurist and I have seem them, respected them, admired them and worked with them for 27 years that I have been a lawyer. What I am, in reality, asking for in asking you to pass a plan for the merit selection of judges is to affix greater political accountability to the process. Political parties, as recent events have shown, cannot easily be held accountable for those who stray and bedsheet ballots invite bewilderment and contempt from the voters. I know I have barely scratched the surface of the imperative agenda for Illinois. You will all be quick to 21 STATE OF ILLINOIS 85th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 7th Legislative Day recognize omissions. February 4, 1987 The State of the State in Illinois this year ought to be a continuing speech, delivered not just by a Governor under Constitutional mandate, but by a chorus of Illinoisans in and out of government, especially out of government, who care, who really care. Next week in another forum I will address the issue of our infrastructure, our needs in transportation, waste water treatment, flood control and housing. Next month I will return to this forum to give you my recommendations on how we pay for all of this. That will not be easy. Neither the needs I have outlined nor the means to pay for them by new revenues or adjusted priorities will come painlessly or in a single year or in a single budget. We must all recognize, and I think we do, that at least for the last two years we have expended one time resources, our bank balance, to say yes to permanent ongoing worthwhile needs in education for children, for seniors, for farmers, for displaced workers, for business tax reform. You passed those Bills overwhelmingly and bipartisanly and I signed them, even though the Comptroller told us day by day just how much money was left in the bank. But now our balance has been drawn down, probably too far and the natural revenue growth cannot sustain the magnitude of past expenditures that our people demanded and we gave them. Reconciling this current imbalance while we reform our tax system to pay for today's and tomorrow's needs will be difficult, but not impossible. Nothing is impossible for the people of Illinois and I intend to spend the next four years proving it. I need your help and the people of Illinois have sent you here to give me and them that help and I know you won't let me or them or our great state down. Let Browning be our guide. She said, "The sweetest lives are those to duty wed whose deeds, both great and 22 STATE OF ILLINOIS 85th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 7th Legislative Day small, are February 4, 1987 close knit strands of unbroken thread, where love ennobles all. The world may sound no trumpet, ring no bells, but in the book of life, the shining record tells." I want Samantha, and your children and their children to read this shining record, that book of life that we begin to write today in Illinois. Thank you and God bless you."
"Will the Committee of Escort please come forward to escort the Governor from the chamber? Will the Committee of Escort please join the Governor to escort him from the chamber? The President of the Senate is recognized for a Motion."
"Thank you. Mr. Speaker. I move that the Joint Session do now arise."
"The President of the Senate has moved that the Joint Session do now arise. All those in favor signify by saying 'aye", all those opposed signify by saying "nay". The ayes have it and the Joint Session will now arise. All Members should be prepared to go to party caucuses. All Members should be prepared to go to party caucuses. All Members should be prepared to go to party caucuses. Again, all Members should be prepared to go to party caucuses. The Chair recognizes Mr. Giglio for the purpose of calling a Democratic caucus." Giglio: House. Ladies and Gentlemen of the "Thank you, Mr. Speaker, I move that the House Democrats meet in Room 114 immediately for a House Democratic caucus."
"Mr. Tuerk. The Chair recognizes Mr. Tuerk. Is Mr. Tuerk in the chamber? Are there any Republican Leaders Mr. Hallock." Hallock: available? "Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Members of the House. There will be a Republican conference immediately in Room 118." "Thank you, Mr. Hallock. We shall now stand in recess until the hour of 1:45. All Members should go to Speaker Madigan: 23 STATE OF ILLINOIS 85th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 7th Legislative Day February 4, 1987 party caucuses and we shall stand în recesS until 1:45. Please go to the caucus now. Thank you."
"May I have your attention please? Any Members in the House, you can get your ID picture taken in the rear of the chamber. You can get your ID picture taken immediately in the rear of the chamber. Chicago staff people, you may get your ID picture taken in the rear of the chamber immediately. Chicago staff people, ID pictures in the rear of the House chamber. Have your attention please? Chicago staff people, you may get your ID card pictures taken in the rear of the House chamber. We'll fix them for you right away. Members, run back and get your picture taken. Members that have not had their ID pictures taken, they can go to the rear of the House chamber and get your ID picture taken. Chicago staff people, ID picture taking in the rear of the House chamber immediately. Members may have their ID pictures taken in the rear of the chamber Members that don't have their 10 cards yet immediately. can get your picture taken in the rear of the chamber immediately. Members may have their ID pictures taken in the back of the chambers immediately. Any Members that have not had their ID pictures taken."
"The House shall come to order. The Members shall be in their chairs. On page 2 of the Calendar under the Order of Speaker's Table, there appears House Resolution 44, as reported by the House Committee on Rules. There have been Amendments filed to the Resolution. Hr. Clerk, are there any Amendments?"
"House Resolution 44, Amendments 1 through 5 failed in Committee. Amendment #6 was withdrawn. Committee Amendment #7 failed. Floor Amendment #8 offered by Representative Ewing and Hallock."
"Mr. McCracken." 24 STATE OF ILLINOIS 85th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 7th Legislative Day
"I was inquiring, Speaker, February 4, 1987 if we had a quorum back from the caucuses. It doesn't appear that we do."
"Mr. McCracken, the Democrats are all here, SO there's a quorum right there. Now, is there any further questions? We're ready for Amendment #8, and Mr. Clerk, the Sponsors again? Mr. Ewing, on Amendment #8. Is Mr. Ewing in the chamber? Yes. Mr. Ewing. Would you turn on Mr. Ewing."
"Mr. Speaker, Ladies and Gentlemen of the House. Amendment 8, I believe, will help keep us on the straight and narrow as far as the number of Committees that these... the proposed rules would create. We can only need to think back to the day in which we were sworn in to remember the discussion on this floor concerning the Election Law Committee or the Select Committee on Elections. Now, Mr. Speaker, it seems to me that the proposal here in the rules takes us right back to the day on which we had our swearing in but only a few weeks later. The rules as proposed create an Elections Committee and an Election Laws Committee. Ladies and Gentlemen of this House, I can't for the world of me understand why we would need an Elections Committee and an Election Laws Committee. Each Committee that we create, Mr. Speaker, requires staff, requires a meeting room. The more Committees we create, particularly if we don't have a tremendous amount of business is only to confuse the public, confuse the press and - I hate to say it - probably confuse the Members. My proposal, Mr. Speaker, I don't want to decimate your House Resolution 44. I just think we need to clean it up a little bit. We need to remove one of the Election Committees. Maybe in the presentation of the Resolution, someone could explain to us why we need two Election Committees. Now, we currently have an Election Committee that I think is operative and is 25 STATE OF ILLINOIS 85th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 7th Legislative Day February 4, 1987 hearing business. I don't know or I hope there aren't a great many more election contests to be heard. Probably won't be that many Amendments to the election laws in this state and I would earnestly ask that this Body not revert to the controversy and acrimony of a few weeks ago and that they accept this Amendment as fair, that we keep one Election Committee, that we don't try and subvert what was done on opening day here by now creating two Election Committees and it's going to save the taxpayers a little money and I think a great deal of confusion around here. And in that regard and for those reasons, I earnestly seek your support. Let's put on this first Amendment and then pass all the others and go right on out of here. Thank you, Mr. Speaker."
"Mr. Matijevich."
"Mr. Speaker and Ladies and Gentlemen of the House, I stand in opposition to the Amendment 28 for this purpose. The Election Laws Committee is created SO that the Elections substantive Bills can be heard as soon as possible. Anybody who has served on an elections contest knows that that is very time consuming. I thought I heard the argument on the opening day that you don't want the Elections Committee to rush into this matter of the elections challenge contest, that they do the work deliberatively. We don't know if it will take a month or two months or what, but there will be Bills relating to elections that ought to be heard as quickly as possible. Also, we heard the Governor today say that the urgency of getting to the matter of ethics legislation. Ethics legislation relates to the Elections Laws Committee. I would urge the Members on this side of the aisle to oppose this Amendment and I stand here and do so."
"Mr. Hallock." 26 STATE OF ILLINOIS 85th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 7th Legislative Day
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker and Members of the House. I have risen to speak on the Amendment itself. Is he finished?"
"Yes, he is."
"Thank you. It seems to me that over the course of the history of this General Assembly we've all been fairly well served by the purposes of the Election Committee. They have met and in most cases in a timely fashion really addressed the needs that face our state with regard to that issue... the election contest and other elections issues. So, it seems to me now to go ahead and actually establish another Commission or Committee, whatever you might want to call it, really superfluous when we have a Committee over the time that has really done a good job. We, on our side of the aisle, have, for the most part, formulated a Committee of, we believe, some outstanding people and don't really see a need to really expand that to another Committee. Additionally, I would guess I must point out that this Committee has already met, the Elections Committee, the standing Election Committee, which is ongoing from the last Session, has already met and begun the process of really looking into this election contest. So, clearly, another Election Committee, whether it's called the Election Law Committee or whatever you might choose to name it, really is going to serve no purpose other than to really thwart or obfuscate the purposes of the original Committee. I would urge that this Amendment be adopted."
"Mr. Olson."
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Ladies and Gentlemen of the House. I move to support the Amendment as offered. To those Members who were with us last year, you may recall, we had some important business to attend to in the 27 STATE OF ILLINOIS 85th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 7th Legislative Day February 4, 1987 Elections Committee, but can you believe it? We didn't meet a single time. Now, all of a sudden, we find it necessary to have two Committees to do the role which one can very adequately function. Think real hard about this. We would be better served with a single Committee which is already operative."
"Mr. Ropp."
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker and Members of the House. I would like to add my support to this Amendment primarily because, as many of us supported the idea of reducing the Commissions that we had so that we can, in fact, not only save money. but we can save some substantial time by allowing existing Committees to hear and to conduct business of the House and be in a better posture to support legislation as it would come through the Committee process. By the proposal that you have suggested here somewhat contradicts that attempt because we have an Election Committee that is extremely involved in the knowledge of the election laws that we have and in the process that they are currently involved in, in recounting and so forth, and certainly will be in a position to understand the needs for legislative change. To then have a separate Committee that is not as knowledgeable as those who are involved in it, to deal with the laws that need changing because of the problems that may occur certainly seems too duplicative and unnecessary. And so, I urge you to support the proposed Amendment that is offered SO that we can be even more efficient than what I think you are attempting to do."
"Mr. Klemm."
"Thank you Mr. Speaker. I certainly support the Amendment as presented. It seems to me that once we have an Election Committee that was designed all these years that I have at least been down here to address these 28 STATE OF ILLINOIS 85th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 7th Legislative Day February 4, 1987 problems of election law, election contest or any other issue that affected voters at election contests and conduct of an election that we've conducted ourselves within this standing Committee who gain this expertise. Now, it seems like when we have a contested election, that we now create a special group just for this one contest. It would seem to me then next year we will do away with the Election Laws Committee. Next following year, we may create it again. We may or may not. It seems like we should have some consistency for either side or for both sides to be able to address the issues, not to create standing Committees who will conduct and resolve an isolated case, one that may never happen again, or constantly create other Committees to take care of special concerns that I... we had originally set up that the original Committee should have handled and would have handled and still can handle. So, it would seem to me rather than increasing our roles, increasing government, when we already have Committees that would be better served to keep the Elections Committee who has the expertise, who has the knowledge, who's already started looking into this particular issue that has prompted us to even be here to consider a new Committee, that we should adopt the Resolution, eliminate the Election Laws Committee and let the standing Committee that we had formed for many years go on with its business to resolve its problems. Thank you."
"Mr. Stephens."
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise in support of the Amendment. The... It seems that if we have some sort of an emergency having to do with the Election Committee that somehow you're reacting to deal with that emergency by giving the already overworked Election Committee another way out by creating this second Committee. Representative 29 STATE OF ILLINOIS 85TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 7th Legislative Day February 4, 1987 Olson pointed out earlier that last year the Committee only met or did not meet in 1986. I don't think that the standing Committee is terribly overworked, and they don't have a long agenda anyway. I don't see any reason why we just can't let the current Committee deal with the issue under current rules. The... with all due respect to the current Members, I know that they are capable of dealing with this issue and taking care of the immediate crisis. It's as if we have a revenue problem and because with the budget crunch this year that we're all aware of, that we're going to create another Committee for Revenue and then kind of insult those sitting Members on the Revenue Committee, whomever they may be, by creating this redundant Committee on Revenue. The point is, Mr. Speaker, that we don't need this Committee, so why don't we just proceed with the business of the House today, adopt this Amendment and let the Elections Committee proceed in the manner that their Chairman and Minority Spokesman and Members wish. They have plenty of time. The legislative schedule now is very, very lax. We've had less than 200 Bills filed. Many of those Bills have not been forwarded to Committee. Committee process has not really started yet. So, I see no reason why we can't just use the current system under your leadership and the guidance of the Minority Leader and proceed under current rules. So, I move... I would urge our... Members on both sides of the aisle to support Amendment 8 and get on with the business of the House. Thank you."
"Representative Cowlishaw."
"Thank you. Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I stand in support of this Amendment, and I do so with some experience having served on the Elections Committee for the past four years. First, Mr. Speaker, that Committee has never been 30 STATE OF ILLINOIS 85th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 7th Legislative Day overworked.
February 4, 1987 In fact, it has probably spent less time..." "Excuse me, Representative. For what purpose does Mr. McCracken seek recognition? Mr. McCracken."
"I wonder if we could have some order so we could hear Speaker what the Lady has to say."
"Members will give their attention to Representative Cowlishaw. Proceed, Representative Cowlishaw."
"Well, Mr. Speaker, my husband doesn't pay much attention to me, so I don't see why my colleagues should. At any rate, I certainly thank Mr. McCracken for his courtesy, much more courteous than my husband. Having served on the Elections Committee for four years, I have found that of all the Committees I have served on that is the one that has had the least work to do. I believe that the people who sent us to Springfield... sent us here to at least do a substantial amount of work. I submit, Mr. Speaker and Ladies and Gentlemen of the House, that the Elections Committee is not going to be overburdened if it simply consists of one Committee, which not only hears the election's contest, but also deals with legislation that has been introduced that has to do with elections. I would further submit, Mr. Speaker, that the very people who have sat on the Election Contest Committee will learn from that experience, and therefore, be better equipped to be even better Members of the Elections Committee when legislation is being considered by the Committee. And finally, Mr. Speaker, I must confess to really being perplexed. I know that there are Committees that have been in existence for many years. that are in great demand, that are coveted, that everyone wants to be assigned to. I have rarely found anybody who wanted to be assigned to the Elections Committee. So the reason I am perplexed, Mr. Speaker, is 31 7th Legislative Day STATE OF ILLINOIS 85th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE February 4, 1987 why is the Elections Committee suddenly in such demand that we have to have two of them? That is perplexing. Thank you, Mr. Speaker."
"Mr. Churchill."
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I also rise in support of this Amendment. So much of what's done in the area of Elections is not done by statute or by regulation or by rules, but it is done by precedence, and it's precedence that we look back to find out what's happened in past years. What you're doing by creating a separate Committee as you've done here is to take away from all of the Committee Members the right to be a part of the process of this election contest, and you stripped them of the knowledge that they would gain if they were a part of the process, and you steal from them the ability to be a part of the procedure and learn the precedence. I'd say that's bad for a Body such as this because of the fact that you've limited the number of Members in the Committee and; therefore, you've taken away the ability and rights and knowledge of the other Members. I think that the only thing that's fair in this situation is to keep one Elections Committee just as we've done in the past as precedence has taught us in the past, and then we should proceed just as we did when I first came down here and there were two election contests, to run all of the election contests through the present Elections Committee and not create a separate Body."
"Mr. Tuerk."
"Mr. Speaker, Members of the House, I, too, rise in support of this Amendment. I think the most telling argument was, as I heard on the floor today, that during 1986, the Election Committee did not meet, and yet, there were some very important proposals submitted to this Body 32 STATE OF ILLINOIS 85th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 7th Legislative Day February 4, 1987 during 1986, namely, the State Board of Elections wanted to do some correcting of the statutes relative to recounts, particularly in light of the 1982 gubernatorial race, but apparently, it was decided by the Majority Party that that should not be heard because it might be a little embarrassing to the opposing party. I think that is ludicrous. I don't think that should prevail. I think the Elections Committee should meet. It should meet often, because we have some important things to discuss. The fact remains it wasn't overworked as has been reiterated several times. I think that one Committee is sufficient to do the Body's work and that's why I think this Body should support the Amendment offered by Representative Ewing. I support it and would solicit your support for the Amendment."
"Mr. Regan."
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Members of the House. It seems to me just by looking over the new Committee structure that we've formulated through your office, that we've added nine additional standing Committees, one more additional Committee for Elections, that makes two for that. So, we're coming up to the point where we'll have about thirty-five different Committees once the Subcommittee structure is completed. I can't visualize what it's going to be like running around this floor at the time these Bills hit all those Committees with Members going to serve on five, six, seven Committees instead of a normal three, four, five. I had a heck of a time getting adjusted to the situation as a Freshman being... serving on a Committee, also having Bills coming up in front of another Committee at the same time, racing around, needed roller skates and now we need all those additional Committees, plus two Election Committees. It's astounding. I don't understand it, and I certainly support Amendment #8." 33 STATE OF ILLINOIS 85th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 7th Legislative Day
"Mr. McCracken." February 4, 1987
"Thank you. Mr. Speaker, Ladies and Gentlemen of the House. I ask you, why the haste? Why do we need two Elections Committees? The day we were sworn in, permanent rules were... or temporary rules were sought to be adopted which created two Elections Committees. After that was withdrawn, immediately thereafter an Elections Committee was appointed. Immediately thereafter, the Elections Committee started to try Representative Weller, who is the declared and certified winner of that election. Now today, the first day back since that time we were sworn in, we're faced again with the creation of two Committees. Why the haste? Why the haste? Why do we have to have this second Committee? They've had approximately half a month since we were in last to conduct their investigation. They have another month before we go into Committees in this House in order to conduct their investigation. Why do we need these two Committees? The answer is because Representative Weller has to be unseated. That's the reason and that's the reason for the creation of the two Committees. It's not because one Committee is too cluttered. It's not because one Committee has too much work. It's not one Committee cannot sustain the burden of the because investigation. It's because Representative Weller has to be gotten out of this chamber more quickly than if he were to be accorded simple due process by our ordinary rules, if he were to be judged and tried by the Elections Committee, rather than by this Election Law Committee. So, the fact of the matter is. Ladies and Gentlemen, we already have an Elections Committee appointed. They've already been investigating Representative Weller's election. There's no need for a second, and I respectfully submit Representative Ewing's Motion or Amendment should be adopted." 34 STATE OF ILLINOIS 85th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 7th Legislative Day February 4, 1987
"Mr. Piel."
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker and Ladies and Gentlemen of the House. This sort of catches me a little bit off guard to see this type of a maneuver. I'm for the Amendment because of the maneuvering that's been going on in the last month or so. It's not... it's not a situation where, you know, the Speaker can do whatever he wants, because it's a situation where we've had election contests, Ladies and Gentlemen of the House, throughout the years. In 1980, there was an election contest in the House and that was when the Republicans happened to be in the Majority, but in 1980 you didn't see a forming of two specific Committees on Elections and Election Law specifically to hear an election contest. I sat on Elections at that time and it was something that was held... it was handled expeditiously, and it was not something that was handled to where we made a decision overnight. In fact, the final decision on that election contest was not made until two days before the end of the Session. So, it's not a situation, Ladies and Gentlemen, to where the Committee, singular, can't handle this type of a, you know, load, because let's face reality. If you look at the Bills that have been filed, there's been over 200 Bills filed and what are you sitting here with, maybe 10 election Bills total. It is a bad maneuver. It's a very bad maneuver to set a precedent of setting up special Committees, setting up two Committees for the purpose of hearing one Committee hearing, one specific contest and the rest of them hearing the rest of the Bills. Why doesn't the entire Committee... we've already got the Committee in process. Let that Committee handle the Bills the way the normal Committee structure would, and I would ask for passage of Floor Amendment #8."
"Mr. Matijevich to close. Mr. Matijevich to 35 STATE OF ILLINOIS 85th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 7th Legislative Day February 4, 1987 close. Excuse me. Yes. Mr. Ewing to close. Mr. Piel. Mr. Ewing."
"Mr. Speaker, Ladies and Gentlemen of the House, I don't think there's been one good reason by the opposition why we shouldn't adopt this Amendment. I don't think anybody in this room believes we need two Election Committees. Mr. Speaker, I implore you and the rest of the Members of this Body to support this good Amendment. Let's don't start gobbling up the system this early. Vote 'yes'. Thank you all."
"The question is, "Shall Amendment #8 be adopted?" Mr. Ewing has moved for the adoption of Amendment #8. Those in favor of Mr. Ewing's Motion will vote 'aye', those opposed will vote 'no'. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Mr. Parke, to explain his vote."
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. If this requires... if this receives the required number of votes, I'd like a verification."
"The vote requirement, Mr. Parke, is more 'ayes' than 'nays'."
"Okay. Thank you."
"Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? The Clerk shall take the record. We heard you. On this question, there are 50 'ayes', and 64 'nos'. Mr. Parke has requested a verification of the Negative Roll. Mr. Clerk, read those voting 'no'."
"Berrios. Bowman. Breslin. Brunsvold. Bugielski. Capparelli. Cullerton. Curran. Currie. Daley. Davis. DeJaegher. DeLeo. Dunn. Farley. Flinn. Flowers. Giglio. Giorgi. Granberg. Greiman. Hannig. Hartke. Hicks. Homer. Jones. Keane. Krska. Kulas. Laurino. LeFlore. Leverenz. Levin. Martinez. Matijevich. 36 STATE OF ILLINOIS 85th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 7th Legislative Day February 4, 1987 Mautino. McCracken. Mulcahey۰ O'Connell. Panayotovich. Preston. Rea. Rice. McNamara. McPike. Morrow. Pangle. Phelps. Richmond. Ronan. Saltsman. Sattherthwaite. Shaw. Steczo. Stern. Sutker. Terzich. Turner. Van Duyne. Williams. Wolf. Anthony Young. Wyvetter Younge. And Mr. Speaker."
"Questions. Mr. Parke?"
"Thank you. Mr. Paul Williams."
"Representative Paul Williams. Mr. Williams, would you raise your hand so that Mr. Parke could identify you? Thank you."
"Thank you. Representative Young."
"Mr. Tony Young is in the center aisle."
"Mr... Representative Capparelli."
"Mr. Capparelli. Remove Mr. Capparelli."
"Representative Huff."
"Mr. Huff. Is Mr. Huff recorded as voting?"
"I'm sorry, he didn't vote. Representative O'Connell."
"Mr. O'Connell is in the rear of the chamber."
"Representative Ronan."
"Mr. Ronan is in the rear of the chamber."
"Representative Flinn."
"Mr. Flinn. Mr. Flinn. Remove Mr. Flinn."
"Representative DeJaegher."
Mr. DeJaegher is at his chair."
"Representative Homer."
"Mr. Homer is in his chair."
"Thank you. Representative Morris."
"You mean, MorГОН. ΜΓ. ΜοΓгом."
"Thank you."
"Mr. Morrow is standing right here. Could you raise your hand, Mr. Могrow?"
"Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Speaker." 37 STATE OF ILLINOIS 85th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 7th Legislative Day February 4, 1987
"On this question there are 50 'ayes' and 62 'nos'. The Amendment fails. Are there any further Amendments?"
"Floor Amendment 79, offered by Representative Hallock."
"Mr. Hallock. Mr. Hallock. Would you turn on Mr. Hallock?"
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Members of the House. Amendment £9 to HR 44 seeks to delete the creation of the Select Committees, and we seek to do this for a couple of reasons. First of all, if you look back in history, what concerns me, that we now have a proliferation of Committees. Back to the 82nd General Assembly when we had in this chamber 177 Members, we had at that time 25 standing Committees and two service Committees. Now, of course, we have a 118 Members with a Committee process that virtually doubled. To this proposal, it's suggested that 23 standing Committees, 12 standing Subcommittees and 9 select Committees be created. I think that's wrong for several reasons. First of all, you know, even the most tenacious Hember in this House chamber will find it hard to sit on six or seven Committees and do his job adequately, not only in terms of Committee processes and what he does there, but also in terms of serving his district, in terms of things that have to be done back home. And as you look around this chamber, we have some outstanding people. You can try to stretch them to the limits whereby they can't really perform their duties as adequately as possible. Now, we. here in this chamber, have prided ourselves over the past history on the effectiveness of the Committee process, but I'm concerned that the more Committees we, in fact, establish, the more you dilute the strength of the Committees and the less screening and scrutinization each 38 STATE OF ILLINOIS 85th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 7th Legislative Day February 4, 1987 Bill will receive in those Committees. So, I think it's wrong. For that reason, I also ask you to consider that. But, I suppose even more important than all those things, and the overriding concern is, how is the public going to find out what goes on down here? With this juncture in time, I suppose the public finds out best what happens here is through the media, and if you consider that we're now about to double the size of the Committees, how can the media cover those meetings? And furthermore, how can the media cover the meetings when they don't even have select schedule set. You know, one of the advantages of the standing Committees, that each of those Committees is given a certain day and time whereby you can assume they will meet at that time, but the Select Committees don't have such a facility. So, it's virtually impossible to project with any certainty when, in fact, they may ever meet and if they do, when? And so, not only is it hard for the Membership, but also for the media to follow those meeting. In essence, what you're trying to do here, it seems to me, is really hide government from the people. When you do that, the whole process suffers. So, I would say to you, Mr. Speaker, Members of this chamber, that it's virtually important that what we do here today be adopted through this Amendment, because we are setting a stage here whereby we're either going to have a lot of public input from the citizens of our state because they know about the meetings and have advance notice and can follow the process or they don't. And that's why this Amendment is so very important. I would urge all of you to vote 'yes' on this Amendment. Thank you."
"Mr. Matijevich."
"Mr. Speaker, Ladies and Gentlemen of the House, I rise in opposition to Amendment #9. I don't think that we 39 7th Legislative Day STATE OF ILLINOIS 85th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE February 4, 1987 ought to operate differently this Session than we operated last Session. And I'd like to make a few points. One, to the point of the cost that th the Gentleman alluded to, Speaker Madigan has not in any way increased the cost of the Committee. In spite of the fact that there may be increased cost of living, that there may be expenses that ought to be higher, we have lived within the budget under Speaker Madigan. So, that point I think... we can throw that point out. Secondly, I think it is appropriate and proper that the Speaker determine that in a Session of the Legislature there shall be key issues, that there shall be critical issues, and much like Congress does. have Select Committees to key on those particular issues. I don't think you ought to be telling southern sout Illinois, for example, that we shouldn't have a Select Committee on Coal Development. You get your southern Legislators to make that point and I dare to tell you that they won't. I don't think we ought to be telling the people in the State of Illinois that we ought not have a Select Committee on Children. The Governor has told us this is going to be a critical issue. I think that you dare not tell the senior citizens that there shouldn't be a Select Committee on Aging. You tell them. I'm not going to tell them that there shouldn't be such a Select Committee. You tell the people on unemployment that we shouldn't have a Select Committee on Economic Development. You tell them. I'm not going to tell them, and I dare say you don't mean it either. I believe that we have operated in a good fashion. In fact, I believe that Speaker Madigan not only by the creation of Select Committees, but also by task forces has really allowed every Member to do work, has allowed every Member to be a part of the process. And I really feel that all of us, not just that side of the aisle, but all of us 40 STATE OF ILLINOIS 85th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 7th Legislative Day February 4, 1987 should stand here in opposition to this Amendment. So, I would urge, especially this side of the aisle, vote against the Amendment."
"Mr. Churchill."
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise în support of this Amendment. You know, really, this Amendment is more for the benefit of the Majority than it is for the benefit of the Minority. By sheer numbers, you can kill our Bills either in Committee or kill them on the floor, do whatever you want to them just because you can outvote US. What this does is, it allows a process to exist whereby you can kill the Bills of the Hajority. You kill them without hurting anyone's feelings. You put them into extra Committees. You chase the Members around. You shove a lot of Bills into the system and the Bills of the individual Members, particularly the Majority Members Bills, die in those Committees or if they get to the floor, perhaps, they die by the creation of a Special Order of Business, but it's another kind way of killing the Majority's Bills, not necessarily the Minority's Bills. So, I think if I were a Member of the Majority, I would be concerned about keeping the process as streamlined as possible so that I would have a chance to have my own Bills heard without being chased to around a lot of Committees. And it's for that reason that I think the Members of the Majority have as much reason to vote for this Amendment as the Members of the Minority do."
"Mr. McCracken."
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. To the Amendment. I don't submit that these Select Committees are used for some improper purpose, but the fact of the matter is that they are subject to the call of the Chair. They don't have those set times that Representative Hallock referred to. 41 STATE OF ILLINOIS 85th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 7th Legislative Day Those standing Committees which are... February 4, 1987 should be the principle work horses of this Body now number, if this Resolution is adopted, 25 in number. There is not a conceivable piece of subject matter that does not fit into one of the standing Committees. The standing Committees are called on a regular basis with a schedule which the public and the media can follow. The Speaker, in his discretion, calls the Select Committees. Now, there is nothing wrong with that. We're not accusing the Speaker of calling these to hide what's going on, but the point of the matter is, they cannot be followed as easily by the public or the media. They are subject only to two days' posting notice. They're not subject to a week's posting notice. They are called again at the behest of the Chair, and for that reason, they should be limited. They should be the exceptions to the rule. They should be places for issues which have no place in standing Committees. You look at Aging, you look at Coal Development and Marketing. Coal Development and Marketing does not fit in Energy Environment and Natural Resources. Aging does not fit in any one of a number of standing Committees. Aeronautics does not fit into any one of a number of standing Committees. The point of the matter is that unless there is a particular reason for these standing Committees, which is unusual, which does not fit into the standing Committee scope. then I submit that there is no reason for them and no case has been made in support of them. So, I think we should vote in favor of the Gentleman's Motion."
"Mr. Parke."
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Will the maker of the Amendment answer a question?"
"Mr. Clerk, who is the Sponsor of the Amendment? Mr. Hallock. Mr. Hallock agrees to answer your question." 42 STATE OF ILLINOIS 85th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE February 4, 1987 7th Legislative Day
"Thank you. It was in reference to one of the previous speakers that they saw no increase in cost, and it was my understanding that when you expand Committees that there were... obviously have to be people staffing those Committees. My question is, has there been any estimate of what it would cost in additional manpower or spreading our manpower out?"
"Well, thank you for the question. In my initial comments, I didn't really speak to the cost issue. That was raised by... the rebuttal comments, by Mr. Matijevich, but my thoughts would be on the costs. You can weigh that two ways. First of all, you can try to assess whether or not there's a financial cost, and clearly. I would assume that there might be. Well, I couldn't really pin down the exact detail of that at this time. There's also costs in terms of human spirit and the cost there would be, first of all, you are expanding, if you're not going to increase the staff size, you're expanding and stretch to the limits the current staff that we have and because of that, I think you may not... they may not be able to put forth their best effort in every situation. And then, of course, you'll have the cost which is also kind of ethereal, but the cost on the Members themselves in terms of ensuring that they put forth their best effort in all the Committees. So, I would say, yes, there will be a cost. Although there may not be a dollar cost at this point in time, there is definitely going to be a cost, I think, in lack of efficiency."
"Thank you. My question, obviously, is that now we're looking at 23 standing Committees, 12 standing Subcommittees, 9 Select Committees. If I total those up, it comes to 44 Chairmanships. It just seems like anybody on the Democratic side who hasn't gotten a Chairmanship 43 STATE OF ILLINOIS 85TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 7th Legislative Day February 4, 1987 that they've done something wrong, because it seems like we're spreading it out enough that everybody should get one. Thank you."
"Mr. Stephens."
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The... there is a lot of costs. It just seem that a couple of years ago, we eliminated Commissions and now they've been reborn under a different name. The... one of the costs that we seem not to deal with up here much is the cost of printing, the cost of paper alone. All of these Committees, just in being notified that the Members have to attend the meetings, what the meeting dates and times are, is going to be costly, but even beyond that, these Committees, proud Committee Chairmen, are going to want to report to you and to the Minority Leader on their activities and their actions. They're going to call for many reports. They're going to call for lots of printing time and use of the facilities here in the Capitol, and that's going to be costly. I would point out that although we only have a 118 Members now, we operated last year with 32 total Committees. This year, we have 44. If we went back in the General Assemblies when had more Members... in the 83rd General Assembly, we only had 29 Committees standing, and before that, 27 and on down. The fact of the matter is, Mr. Speaker, that we don't need all these Committees. The business can be taken care of at the standing Committees that we had last year or a close assemblance of that. The other point is that if we do have these Subcommittees, many of the topics are going to be brought right back to the Committee anyway, and I think it would be unfair to deny a Member who presented a Bill or opposed a Bill before a Subcommittee, you wouldn't want to deny him the right to speak to the whole Committee before the Bill, by our rules, 44 7th Legislative Day STATE OF ILLINOIS 85th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE February 4, 1987 would be presented on the House floor, just as you wouldn't deny a Member his right to speak on the issues here on the House floor. We wouldn't want to deny a Member hi his right to speak before the regular Committee. So, that will make the Subcommittees somewhat redundant. I would also point out that the United States Congress has adopted many years ago the use of Subcommittees. We would be likening ourselves to the Congress of the United States. And as I've said on this House floor before, I think that's one of the last things we want to do. Congress... the enlightened Members we elect in our districts, we send off to Washington, and something happens on that trip, whether it's a short trip or if it's... whether you're coming from far out west. When you go to Congress, you've crossed some border somewhere and you get into this bigger and better and more government belief. And Subcommittees in Congress that were established, just like these Subcommittees that you're talking about making permanent Subcommittees, are going to eat up time and energy and create waste. Mr. Speaker, I plead with you to agree with this side of the aisle that these Subcommittees are just too much for the State of Illinois. We can either bring ourselves together in compact, concentrated, bursts of energy so that we can deal with the issues and not waste our time doing things over and over again just SO that we can please a few Members and give them more... a few more Chairmanships out of whatever the real agenda is, Mr. Speaker. I would plead with you on behalf of the people of our district that we have enough government in Illinois. Let's not make a bad example by letting the General Assembly grow and telling the people back home that we're really not interested in making government more concise and more responsive. We're just interested in making it bigger. Thank you." 45 STATE OF ILLINOIS 85th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 7th Legislative Day
"Mr. Regan." February 4, 1987
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Members of the House. Three years ago, this august Body decided that they were going to cut down on the size of government. Commissions were removed, combined, a wise, wise decision. A cost effective decision. Now suddenly, twelve more additional Committees, twelve more staffers, twelve more tape recorders, twelve more billion pounds of paper - not cost effective. And why are we doing it? We're doing it because we want to spread around some Chairmanships that weren't there before. We have twelve additional leaders now that we didn't have before. We had thirty-two last year, we now have forty-four, and I can't understand why there's only twelve more, because there are 67 Democrats over there. What happened to the 23 that didn't get an agency head or a commission? You know, let's... let's go the whole route. This is the most affect negatively Let's put everybody to work over there. ridiculous proposal. It'll absolutely the smooth moving operation that we're supposed to be doing down here. I shiver in my boots when I see the children come in from the schools and sit up in the balconies and watch the disorganized disarray that happens here now. They should hesitate not to come during the time when we close and the deadlines are here, and the hallways will be full of running people from one room to the other, knocking down the senior citizens that come to look at the beautiful Capitol. I would vote 'yes for this Amendment."
"Mr. Countryman. I'm sorry, Representative Parcells. Representative Parcells."
"Thank you. Mr. Speaker, Ladies and Gentlemen of the House. When I first came here in my first Session down here, I thought this Body did a wonderful thing when I saw 46 7th Legislative Day STATE OF ILLINOIS 85th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE February 4, 1987 them with all of their press conferences, telling the folks back home we're going to save a lot of money. We're getting rid of these needless commissions. We're going to save 7,000,000, 10,000,000, 12,000,000 dollars, and I was very impressed and was very proud to be a part of this Body that was going to save money through needless expenditure. Now. we turn around. We're doing it all over again. This is going to cost a lot of money. As a matter of fact, I think there is more Committees here than there were of those commissions. If you think you're going to fool those guys at home that you told, "Look how we're saving you money. elect me again.. You're not going to fool them. They're going to know this costs money. Your voters are not as stupid as you might think they are. On the other hand, if you decide you need these Committees, maybe we ought to break them down a little farther. Under agriculture, maybe we should go crops, cattle and other livestock, three separate Subcommittees. Maybe under... if we're going to have two elections, just breaking out coal isn't enough, we ought to have gasoline and maybe wood. Then, if we're going to break out aeronautics from transportation, we've got to have semitrailers, vans and automobiles. And then, if we're going to pull horse racing out. maybe we ought to break that apart because remember there is the standardbreds and the thoroughbreds and they race two different ways with two different kinds of jockeys in two different parks, and they'll probably need two Subcommittees. The harness racing, exactly. This is a waste of the taxpayers' money and not a good efficient use of our time here in Springfield. The taxpayer needs to be represented by you people and you can't do a good job if you're racing from Committee to Committee, and we'll all be on six, eight, ten Committees. Also, when the public comes 47 STATE OF ILLINOIS 85th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 7th Legislative Day February 4, 1987 down to have their input, they shouldn't be just heard by three or four people on a Subcommittee. They should be heard by the entire Committee so that those people on that Committee can make their decision. I encourage you to support this Amendment."
"Mr. Olson."
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Ladies and Gentlemen of the House. Where is Pat Quinn when we need him? Pat Quinn, of a few years ago, said, 'We were too large, too cumbersome.' And the question that is frequently asked at home, 'What in the dickens are you doing down there? It's going to be hard to explain that we'll sit on five standing Committees, three Subcommittees and spend our time using the monorail between the Stratton Building and the Capitol. I would suggest we support this Amendment."
"Mr. Kirkland."
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. When we got rid of Committees, we did a good thing because we reduced the number of bodies that meet in this chamber on various things, but one of the disadvantages of that was that the... I mean, the commissions, was that the commissions allowed participation by citizens on those commissions. We overrode that because we wanted to reduce the number of bodies. Now, we turn around and we want to increase those numbers back again, except with Committees and Subcommittees and so forth that won't involve members of the general public. We really... what we've done is told the general public we want to keep you confused. We kept... we... look like we did something good for you for a couple of years. Now, we're going to have multiple Subcommittees and so forth that you have to try to keep track of, the media for you has to try to keep track of as best they can because they don't have a regular schedule, 48 STATE OF ILLINOIS 85th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 7th Legislative Day February 4, 1987 and that really isn't... doesn't help the public. Furthermore, I think we look to the Federal Government to see how bad an example a system with so many Subcommittees can be. When your Congressman or Senator goes out to Washington and is assigned to this Subcommittee or that Subcommittee, you really don't know how much power that Subcommittee has. There's so many Subcommittees you don't know what kind of issues this or that Subcommittee might handle because there's maybe three or four other Subcommittees with similar names or close similar names that could receive the same kind of issues. And so, it's just a hodge-podge, and I think we're going in the wrong direction at the state level by doing this. And I support the Amendment. Thank you."
"Mr. Pedersen."
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker and Ladies and Gentlemen of the House. I think one of the things that's come to our attention here is that what we're really talking about is the typical Democratic Party approach to government. It's another make-work project. You're going to make lots more work for Legislators. You're going to make a lot more work for the people that want to testify in front of the Committees and the Subcommittees and whatever. You're going to have more jobs for the people on staff. So, it's really in the great tradition of the new deal and the fair deal and all the other deals. They love spending. They love bureaucracies. They love taxes. And yet, in this state, the popular vote in legislative districts is about even. And we have, what is it, 67 to 51 margin and the Democratic Party goes on doing its same old practices that they've always done. And I think what we need to do is to reduce spending, reduce bureaucracies, reduce taxation, and this Amendment is designed to do that by making this 49 STATE OF ILLINOIS 85th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 7th Legislative Day February 4, 1987 process more efficient and less costly. One other little point is that we're going have so many Chairman in this... so many Committees that they've really become kind of meaningless. It's fine to be a Chairman of a Committee if the Committee stands for something and it does something. They've passed out so many that it really doesn't matter now. So, I would urge that we... that you also support this Amendment."
"Mr. Hallock, to close."
"Mr. Speaker, Members of the House, the purpose of this Amendment is to really try to keep this Body from obscuring the important work of the Committee processes. If this Amendment does not succeed, we will then have a process whereby nine Select Committees with no definite schedule assigned to us for meetings will be set up and meet from time to time during the Spring Session. The impact of that, of course, is clear. And what it means is that the public, through the press and the citizens back home, won't know when or if any issues will be discussed before these Committees. And what alarms me about this is that we really are, without this Amendment, obscuring the process that the public doesn't have its input, which is so important to all of us here. If you want to ensure the press has access to all that goes on in this Body and that the public does as well, you'll vote for this Amendment. If you don't believe in those goals, you'll vote 'no'. I strongly believe the public has a right to know what goes on down here and when it's going to go on. And I ask that this be adopted."
"Mr. Hallock has moved for the adoption of Amendment #9. Those in favor of Mr. Hallock's Motion will signify by voting 'aye', those opposed to Mr. Hallock's Motion will signify by voting 'no'. Have all voted who 50 STATE OF ILLINOIS 85th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 7th Legislative Day February 4, 1987 wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? The Clerk shall take the record. On this question there are 50 'ayes' and 64 'nos'. The Amendment fails. Are there any further Amendments?"
"Floor Amendment #10, offered by Representative Tuerk."
"Mr. Tuerk."
"Mr. Speaker, Members of the House, some of you over on the other side of the aisle may think that what I'm about to say is a little contradictory and to some extent, it's true, but the fact remains, I am actually amazed, surprised and as one Member of this Body has said over the years, chagrined, and actually insulted, the fact that you have taken Veterans' Affairs out of the purview of a standing Committee. I happen to be a veteran and I know there are several other veterans in this Body, and I think that the veterans deserve the recognition and the status that they deserve. And in order to give them the recognition and the status they deserve, they must have a forum in this General Assembly and; therefore, in the House there ought to be a Committee to hear the Bills of Veterans' Affairs. It's always been that way since I been here in the 18... well, I'm in my 19th year now, and I don't think that there is any reason to shortchange the veterans of this state at this point in our career and; therefore, I offer the Amendment to put back as a standing Committee in order to give them the status and recognition and the constituency that it deserves the fact that we should be adopting the Amendment to put back, as a standing Committee, the Veterans' Affairs Committee. And I offer that for your adoption."
"Mr. Stephens, are you seeking recognition? Mr. Stephens." 51 STATE OF ILLINOIS 85th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 7th Legislative Day February 4, 1987
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I... I suppose that we did make some arguments about why we wanted to cut back the number of Committees, but if there is one Committee of all, I think Veterans' Affairs is one that needs to stand as a standing Committee. The... to do anything less is to tell the veterans of Illinois that, 'Well, the Viet Nam War is over and you're all... there are no more problems for veterans. The Korean War is to be forgotten, and those of you who fought in World War II and...' And even before that, Mr. Speaker, your problems are all gone now if the State of Illinois and some how this chamber doesn't want to recognize officially that there are after effects, that there are veterans who have lost limbs and suffered psychological damage and all the other things that go with fighting a war. Defending your country is something that many of us have done. Yes, I, and other Members of this House have fought and fought proudly. And we did that knowing that our country and our state was committed to support us no matter what the consequences of those battles. Mr. Speaker, I implore you and the Members on the other side of the aisle to reconsider striking the Veterans' Affairs Committee from the normal status that it deserves here in Illinois and in this chamber. And those of you who are watching, I think you need to take note of the direction that this House is taking. Here we are on one hand expanding our Committee process and at the same time insulting Illinois veterans by not giving them the place that they belong that they have earned, a place of honor and a place where they can bring their problems to be recognized and dealt with appropriately. Mr. Speaker, I stand in support of House Amendment 10 and hope that the Members on the other side of the aisle will join me. Thank you." 52 STATE OF ILLINOIS 85th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 7th Legislative Day "Mr. Matijevich."
February 4, 1987
"Mr. Speaker, Ladies and Gentlemen of the House, I'm glad that Representative Tuerk admitted to his own contradiction and saved me the trouble of doing it. It may come as a surprise to many of the new Members here that for most of the years of the Legislature, the Committee on Veterans' Affairs was not a single Committee. When I came here in the Legislature and for years afterward, it was always part of the... I believe it was the Pensions Committee that it was lumped together with. So this is very recent that we had the Veterans Affairs Committee as a single Committee. Now, because the Committee doesn't have a lot of work, ordinarily when we pick Chairmen for Committees, it's usually by seniority and usually when you get down to one's request, the person who might be picked for the Veterans' Affairs Committee is probably a young Member and may not be a veteran. That happened last year when Representative Hannig, under the seniority system, was then in line for the Veterans' Affairs Committee. Now, some of the veterans groups felt that the Chairman of the Veterans' Committee ought to be a veteran. And what we've done this year, we have put the Veterans' Affairs Committee with the Executive Committee. Somebody told me that Bob Terzich is a veteran of World War I, but the truth of the matter is that he's a veteran of the Korean War. And we have a standing Subcommittee also of that Committee, a standing Subcommittee on Veterans' Affairs. We will have a Chairman who is a veteran of that Subcommittee. So, the veterans groups concerns will be answered. So, I think we are, you know, really blowing the smoke storm that doesn't exist, something that happened for years and years. We had combined Committee. So, I would urge the Members on this side of the aisle to vote 'no' on the Amendment." 53 STATE OF ILLINOIS 85th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE February 4, 1987 7th Legislative Day
"Mr. Ropp."
"Thank you. Mr. Speaker and Members of the House. I know that these efforts are an attempt to hopefully improve the situation of the operation of the House, and that's why we're making these important comments. This Committee that has just been stricken as an individual Committee is, in my judgment, a tremendous insult to one of your own Members. Larry DiPrima, who's been such a stalwart supporter of the veterans program, and I think that, in that regard, it is somewhat an interesting situation. Having just worked for a number of veterans programs in our own district in an attempt to raise money for the Viet Nam Memorial Fund here in Springfield, it does seem ironic to have such an important issue on the minds of all of us throughout the state to at this particular time just abolish a separate Committee for Veterans Affairs. You know, were it not for those veterans, who SO bravely fought in our wars to preserve the freedom that we all cherish so much, it does seem kind of ironic that all of a sudden that freedom that they've fought for has just been given away."
"Mr. Hallock."
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Members of the House. I guess the key point about this whole issue here is that you may, if you take away this Committee, assign the Bills to other Committees, but by removing this Committee from the Committee structure and the standing Committee process, you are, in essence, taking away the focus on this issue. I think the Veterans' Affairs Committee has existed in one way, shape or form, probably as long as this General Assembly has existed. And surely, it may have, over time, been named Veterans' and Pensions Affairs or Veterans' and Personnel and Pensions or whatever, but it has always existed in this chamber as a standing Committee, not as a 54 7th Legislative Day STATE OF ILLINOIS 85th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE February 4, 1987 Subcommittee, not as a Select Committee, but as a standing Committee of this chamber. And, of course, by that existence, it stood as a statement that we, as a policy here, believe that the veterans are important to this country and to this state, not only to our past for what we are today, but also for our future and what we'll be in the future. I urge you to vote for this Amendment.
"Mr. Parke."
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Ladies and Gentlemen of the House. No organization such as the VFW, the American Legion and VETS, Disabled Veterans, Viet-Now, VA hospitals, need a formal form of public discussion. That's why instead of weakening a Committee like this, I think we should strengthen it. You know, many of our World War II veterans are getting older, very old, and the needs that they have are becoming more and more pronounced. I think it's time that the State of Illinois try to do more for the people that have served our country. Many of you in this gallery, in this audience right now have never served in the military and never put your life on the line. I've had the pleasure and the honor of serving the military and our country. And it seems funny that every time there's a military problem somewhere in the world, there is a conflict or, Lord forbid, another war, we're going to turn to the service man and woman, and why should we turn away from them now. I suggest that my colleagues on the other side as well as my colleagues on this side seriously consider this Amendment and join with the Sponsor and myself in voting for this Amendment."
"Mr. Tuerk, to close."
"Mr. Speaker, Members of the House, I just rise and put a ditto mark on everything that was said in support of my Amendment, except for the last speaker who said some of us 55 STATE OF ILLINOIS 85th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 7th Legislative Day February 4, 1987 who were veterans of World War II are getting older. I don't feel any older than I did 30 years ago, but the fact remains that I'm glad I am getting older because the alternative is real bad. I still come back to the basic argument that the veterans deserve a forum in the General Assembly. They deserve the status of a standing Committee that when they have concerns of legislation that needs to be adopted that they have a hearing, a due process in the Legislature, and that's why I think it should be a standing Committee and that's why I urge your support for the adoption of the Amendment."
"Mг. Tuerk moves for the adoption of Amendment #10. Those in favor of Mr. Tuerk's Motion will signify by voting 'aye', those opposed by voting 'no'. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? The Clerk shall take the record. On this question there are 50 ayes', 63 'nos". The Amendment fails. Before we proceed to the next Amendment, there are a pair of keys for a Chrysler or a Plymouth car that were found in the women's restroom. They're from Harvey Chrysler-Plymouth on South Halsted Street in Harvey. So, they're up here. Are there any further Amendments?"
"Floor Amendment #11, offered by Representative
Barnes. Speaker Madigan: "Representative Barnes."
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker and Ladies and Gentlemen of the House. Amendment #1l amends House Resolution 44 on page 2 by inserting immediately above the line in which there appears to write to the public the following: Smoking shall be prohibited in any official Committee hearing and no Committee Member, staff member or member of the public shall be permitted to smoke in the room in which the 56 STATE OF ILLINOIS 85th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 7th Legislative Day February 4, 1987 hearing is being held. I don't know how many of you read the metropolitan papers today, but there is an editorial and it refers to one of the other Members on the other side of the aisle who has consistently introduced legislation to prohibit smoking in public places. And the editorial recommends that we take care of the State House first. And that's what this Amendment does. And I would urge an 'aye vote."
"Mr. Matijevich."
"Mr. Speaker, Ladies and Gentlemen of the House, I only rise for this side of the aisle to say that on this one, everybody's on their own. This is a very emotional issue. Some of us have emotional arguments for it. Some have emotional arguments against it. I only hope I don't have to hear all those arguments, because I think I know everybody knows how they're going to vote. I intend to support it, but I want to tell the Members on this side of the aisle, you're on your own."
"Mr. Terzich."
"Yes, on this nonpartisan issue... no, the... this particular Amendment should be adopted. There are many, many Committee rooms that are very, very small, and I believe a number of them also have no smoking, food, or beverages to be brought into the Committee room, that people come into these Committee rooms to testify and whether they have allergies or any other sicknesses, but certainly they shouldn't be bombarded by cigarette smoke or cigar smoke or whatever the case may be. I think not only for their protection and health, but also the direct image that if you went into a court or any other official place or capacity that you wouldn't want to have a smoking area of this nature. So, I think that this is a great idea and we should all stand behind it and show the courtesy of the 57 7th Legislative Day STATE OF ILLINOIS 85th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE February 4, 1987 people that are in attendance of the Committee hearing and also their testifying. And I would urge your support of adoption of this Amendment."
"Mr. Hallock."
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker and Members of the House. To the Amendment. You know, we have for years down here debated the idea of smoking and nonsmoking. I believe now is our chance. Last Session, I believe, the Bill sponsored by the previous speaker gained close to 57 votes and almost did pass. This is our chance to establish what we mean, and that is that smoking should be banned in Committee rooms and we can hopefully expand it from there to other parts of this state, but this is the first step, and I would ask for your support."
"Representative Stern."
"Mr. Speaker and Members of the House, in the spirit of bipartisanship that characterizes this day, I would like to underscore all that my colleagues on the other side of the aisle have said, and so, I would be happy to join you in an 'aye vote as I will on others in the future."
"Mr. McCracken."
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm just glad to see that the other side of the aisle has been released to vote their individual consciences on this one. God bless America."
"Mr. Shaw. Mr. Shaw. Mr. Shaw."
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker and Ladies and Gentlemen of the House. I think what we have to be concerned about here, I believe that this is a Republican attempt not just for Committee, but what they are attempting to do is get those smoking Members out of Committee when Bills are being heard, when Bills are being heard, and therefore, they can get what they want in those Committee. Not only that, this is just a start, as the Gentleman on the other side of the 58 STATE OF ILLINOIS 85th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 7th Legislative Day February 4, 1987 aisle said. Come June, the end of June and Members of this Body will be smoking. They can't smoke on the floor here and they'll go outside and there will be crucial votes missed right here on this floor. And those of us who smoke... last year I believe that we raised the cigarette tax to finance education. and it's good for education. It's good for education, but the fact of the matter is, it's a ploy by the Republican Party to rid this chamber of this side of the aisle of the votes that's needed to run this House. And I urge a 'no' vote on this Amendment."
"Mr. Stephens. Oh, I'm sorry, Mr. Parke."
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Ladies and Gentlemen of the House. I am pleased to have a Bill, an Amendment on nonsmoking that I finally can vote for, one that does not interfere with the private sector's right to free enterprise. I probably had no other Bill talked about more in my legislative district than a Bill to restrict smoking in public places. I rise in support of this Amendment because it is a Bill that is necessary, an Amendment that's necessary and does not restrict free enterprise. Thank you."
"Mr. Greiman."
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There are some human activities that people like to have a cigarette right after and there are other human activities that I think people like to have a cigarette during. I don't smoke. I don't smoke, but I would like to perhaps suggest a suggestion. In listening to this debate, and I heard one of the speakers suggest that some of the rooms are not well ventilated, some of the rooms make it quite uncomfortable. On the other hand, some of the rooms are very well ventilated and are perfectly open. So, why don't we provide in our rules instead... why don't we defeat this 59 7th Legislative Day STATE OF ILLINOIS 85th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE February 4, 1987 and provide in our rules instead that the Chairman with leave of the Committee may restrict smoking on any given date depending on the place and depending on the time and depending on the crowd. There may be times you're in 114 with six people or there may be times when you're in 122B with 40 people. Obviously, those are different times and we ought to be able to be flexible enough to do that. So, when we do the rest of the rules later this... later in the month, I would certainly support a Motion, an Amendment which allowed the Chairman with leave of the Committee to make individual rules on an as needed basis, but until then, I think I would let people have the kind of freedom to get rid of the tension when you're sitting four or five hours and not have to wait, like in some human activities, until you're through to light up. Thanks."
"Mr. Goforth. Mr. Goforth."
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Ladies and Gentlemen of the House. As one of the Representatives said that this was a Republican ploy, well it's not... this is one Republican that's not supporting this Bill. Now, people every year up here, we take more and more rights away from our people back home. Now, we're turning right around and doing it to ourselves. Now, you better pay attention to what you're doing on this Bill because you're going to let the foot in the door. Thank you."
"Mr. McNamara."
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wholly concur with Representative Greiman's comments because there are different situations in which smoking can or cannot be something that would be of detriment to other people. And in those cases, it is important that we not deprive anyone of their right to smoke or to not smoke. I think it's more important in that issue to defeat this Bill in this area 60 7th Legislative Day STATE OF ILLINOIS 85th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE February 4, 1987 and take Mr. Greiman's suggestion and go forward and make an individual basis on the room, the size and also the Committee Chairman. That's a more logical approach. It's a way to do it, and I think it's the fairest way for all democracy to work."
"Mr. Kubik."
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Ladies and Gentlemen of the House. I think we ought to support this Amendment. This is one time when the Legislature doesn't decide to exempt themselves. You know, too often we pass laws in this state and in this government and in Federal Government. They apply to everybody else except us. Now, I know Representative Terzich is going to have a number... I'm sure he's going to try very, very hard to pass a no smoking Bill this year, and irregardless of how you feel about that issue, I think if we're going to consider that legislation and pass that legislation, we ought to have it also impact on ourselves. So, I think we ought to take the leadership. and we ought to pass this Motion and prove to the citizens of Illinois that we're leaders and that we're willing do something that we're asking the public to do. Thank you, Mr. Speaker."
"Mr. DeJaegher. Mr. DeJaegher."
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Most often the Members of this particular House are rather compassionate. When problems arise in the State of Illinois, they usually try to resolve those problems. When we face problems pertaining to drugs, we try to find a cure. We try to find the purpose and what we can do for that particular person that's addicted. Many of you people here today don't realize that there are many of us that started smoking rather young in life. I know that I started smoking when I was quite young and probably made sacrifices to acquire 61 STATE OF ILLINOIS 85th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 7th Legislative Day February 4, 1987 that cigarette. After smoking for well over 40 years, I realize that I am addicted to tobacco, and I also realize that this is probably dangerous to my health. I realize that those are problems that I must be confronted with, but I don't believe that I only speak for myself, but I believe that I speak for many people in the State of Illinois that basically wish to a right of choice. Again, we're talking about legislation that deals with right of choice. Many of these people, if they had the opportunity or could, would quit smoking. But it's a difficult situation, especially for some of you that have never smoked in your life. Some of you that had smoked before but now have given up that cigarette, realize that it was indeed a problem for many of you to confront the situation. I think this is wrong. I don't think that we should take right of choice away from people. I think that people are knowledgeable, extensive warnings have been made, the Attorney General has issued warnings, and if that person is desirous of doing this, then let that person rest. At least he'll have that peace of mind that it wasn't caused through legislation that he had to abstain. It was only because he was desirous of doing it himself."
"Representative Hasara."
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Ladies and Gentlemen of the House. I rise in support of this Amendment. One of the things that the people in the State of Illinois don't want is to be forced to do something that we who make the laws don't force upon ourselves. For this reason, I think we should definitely support this Amendment. We're going to be asked to come back in a couple of months and vote on the Clean Air Act, and I think it's very difficult to put these restrictions on other people when we're not willing to put them on ourselves. If we're going to say that the Speaker 62 7th Legislative Day STATE OF ILLINOIS 85th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE February 4, 1987 has the authority to exempt certain Committee rooms, then I think, at the very least, we should give the President of the Restaurant Association the authority to exempt certain restaurants that are well ventilated, so I rise in support of this Amendment. Thank you."
"Mr. Panayotovich."
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Will the Sponsor yield for a question?"
"The Sponsor indicates that... "
"She will?"
"She will yield."
"Representative Barnes, is there a penalty for somebody who will... that does smoke in that Committee? Will we censure them or remove them from office or... is there any... "
"Well, Representative Panayotovich, the way I felt about this, I thought that we would pass it today. and then if you had any Amendments, I would be very happy to entertain that Amendment. I do feel that there could be an incentive. I think we could have piggy banks in all... the way you cut back and save the money, you could put it in the piggy bank, and on the way home, buy your wife a box of candy or some flowers."
"Oh, okay. Also, are we going to have to have like a Secretary of State police officer there that's going to have to bodily remove somebody that does light up?"
"Representative Panayotovich, I would be the one that would want to take care of your body and remove it myself. I would not delegate that to the Secretary of State."
"Is this before or after we smoke?"
"Time will tell."
"I mean, let's... let's be serious. I mean, like I said before we had the no smoking Bill up... " 63 7th Legislative Day STATE OF ILLINOIS 85th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE February 4, 1987
"Representative, I am serious. I take issue with your last statement."
"The next... the next move that we have after this would be, again, like I said before, smoking and nonsmoking urinals and toilets, and I think this is ridiculous, and we should vote 'no' on this."
"Mr. Regan. Mr. Regan."
"Mr. Speaker, Members of the House, if this does pass, I would please ask a favor of the Speaker, if he could come up with the expenses to put a monitor in the hallway outside of all the meeting rooms so that I would be able to witness the debates inside. That... Mr. Shaw's comment certainly would hold true, that people that do walk outside may miss very important... important testimony, so that if we had a monitor out in the hallway where the smokers were allowed to go, then we'd be able to keep track and be able to vote. Also possibly, switches out there. too. Thank you."
"Mr. Dunn."
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Ladies and Gentlemen of the House. If this failed, maybe we'd need monitors for the nonsmokers. There... I think smokers sometimes don't... don't realize some of the disconvenience... inconvenience that results from their smoking around people who are not just irritated but sensitive physically to cigarette smoke. In hockey rinks, for example, those of you who go to the Blackhawks Stadium and see the Zamboni come out on the ice to drive around to clean the ice, those Zamboni machines are all gasoline driven, and they emit carbon monoxide, and hockey rinks are... all across this country are always concerned about the emission level of carbon monoxide in the hockey rink because of the athletes, both young and old. Sometimes you have children five and six years old 64 7th Legislative Day STATE OF ILLINOIS 85th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE February 4, 1987 playing hockey in ice rinks, and they're worried about the carbon monoxide level buildup. And... And you don't smoke inside the hockey rink. If you go to a basketball game, you don't smoke in the gymnasium because you don't want a cloud of smoke hanging over the basketball floor. When athletes are running up and down the floor, breathing deeply, you don't want... you don't want their breathing constricted. So, we are... we don't smoke in theaters. We don't smoke in lots of other places, and... and there's no reason why we can't accommodate people who have great difficulty and who cannot leave. As a matter of fact, in this chamber right now. the smoke level is... is disconcerting for a number of us, including myself, at this very moment. I have inquired about the... with the people who are responsible for the air conditioning in this chamber, and they tell me that... that the air is not circulated to the outside in here, that it is, in effect, stored and recirculated over and over, so that as the days grow longer in here. in spite of the best efforts, the smoke cannot be cleaned out of the air in here, and the longer a day goes on in here, the worse it gets, and those of us who are nonsmokers have no place else to go. We talk... We're hearing today about... about rights, and I think nonsmokers have been very patient, have been very considerate, have not tried to... to intimidate people about their rights for smoking. There are many people who smoke on this floor in here right now. I'm one of the Members who doesn't smoke, never did smoke. It's always bothered me. I've been here for 12 years, and we have a nonsmoking section on the Democrat side of the aisle here at the present time, created a term or two ago at my request. What... What about those of us who are... are sensitive and may have sinus or breathing or health 65 STATE OF ILLINOIS 85th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 7th Legislative Day February 4, 1987 problems? Can't we have consideration? This is a good Amendment. It might shorten some of our meetings, too, if people are impatient to get out because they want to step outside and have a smoke. So, I would urge everybody to support this legislation out of consideration for those who... who have emphysema or those who have breathing and health problems who really can't tolerate smoke because... there's no way to get away from it. Unfortunately, no matter how considerate a smoker tries to be, the smoke always comes back to you and gives you a problem, and it's very, very difficult for anyone who has... who is caused difficulty by smoke, and I would certainly ask that you give consideration to nonsmokers and adopt this Amendment to our House rules."
"Mr. Flinn. Mr. Flinn."
"Mr. Speaker, I move the previous question."
"The Gentleman moves the previous question. Those in favor say 'aye", those opposed say "no". The 'ayes' have it. The Motion fails. The Chair recognizes Mr. Ropp."
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker and Members of the House. This is an issue that has been talked about often and long. We have legislation on the books that deal with those who cause people to die, such as those who are... commit murder by strangulation or handguns or any other such measure. I think we have, as a Body, a real opportunity here to address the fact that those of us who may be the result of secondary smoke, and ultimately, as medical science has proven time and time again, that death by secondary smoke as a result of lung cancer is just a deadly as if you were at the end of a rope or an electric chair or at the end of a bullet. Ladies and Gentlemen, we have an opportunity here to express our opinion to begin to attempt to save 66 STATE OF ILLINOIS 85th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 7th Legislative Day February 4, 1987 lives because it's important. It's a way of life. I urge you to support this Amendment."
"Mr. Preston."
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker and Ladies and Gentlemen of the House. I rise in support of this Amendment. One of the problems that has not well been touched on in the comments that I've heard is the reason for this Amendment. It's not just that smoking is personally offensive to nonsmokers, but it's very unhealthy to smokers and to nonsmokers alike. It causes cancer. It causes emphysema and other respiratory illnesses. It causes and aggravates heart disease and heart deterioration, circulatory problems. And all of those, if you choose to inflict yourself with these problems, to inflict the people who sit next to you and sit around you and sit a Few seats away from you with an aggravation of these health problems or the initiation of health problems, is very unreasonable. It's an imposition on personal and private rights, and it ought not to be permitted in public places, and that's what this Amendment gets to, and I urge an 'aye' vote."
"Representative Barnes, to close."
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Ladies and Gentlemen of the House. I appreciate all of the good debate on this Amendment. I think it is an Amendment that is good for our health. It will show good faith to the residents of our districts and all of... also of the people in the State of Illinois, that we are very serious when we introduce other nonsmoking Bills, and I would urge an 'aye vote."
"Those in favor of the Lady's Motion to adopt Amendment #11 will signify by voting 'aye', those opposed by voting "no". Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? The Clerk shall take the record. On this question, 67 7th Legislative Day STATE OF ILLINOIS 85th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE February 4, 1987 there are 69 ayes and 38 'nos". For what purpose does Mr. Tate seek recognition?"
"I'd like to verify the Roll Call. I would. I think... I think some smokers should have some rights, so let's verify the Roll Call."
"The Clerk will proceed to read the names of those voting in the affirmative, and the Chair would point out to Mr. Tate that the rules do provide for dilatory actions. Mr. Tate, and I would simply suggest... "
"Well, maybe some of these people will change their mind, then."
"Well, I would just simply suggest that you might wish to read that rule. Mr. Clerk, read those voting in the affirmative."
"Barger. Barnes. Berrios. Black. Bowman. Breslin. Brunsvold. Capparelli. Churchill. Countryman. Cowlishaw. Cullerton. Curran. Currie. Daley. Daniels. Deuchler. Didrickson. Doederlein. Dunn. Ewing. Flinn. Virginia Frederick. Hallock. Hasara. Hensel. Hicks. Hoffman. Hultgren. Johnson. Kirkland."
"Mr. Clerk... Mr. Clerk. Mr. Tate."
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I was hoping that a few of those green votes would change their mind when they found out that this Amendment really was going to pass. and SO now since it's passed and it looks like a few people are serious in this chamber, I'll withdraw my Hotion."
"The Gentleman withdraws his request for a verification. On this question, there are 69 ayes and 38 *nos', and the Amendment is adopted. Are there any further Amendments?"
"Floor... Floor Amendment #12, offered by Representative Hoffman."
"Mr. Hoffman. Mr. Hoffman. Mr. Hoffman, I 68 STATE OF ILLINOIS 85th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE February 4, 1987 7th Legislative Day think...
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'd like to withdraw Amendment #12."
"Amendment #12 shall be withdrawn. Are there further Amendments?"
"Floor Amendment 313, offered by Representative Hoffman."
"Mr. Hoffman."
"Thank you, Mr...
" "Mr. Hoffman." Hoffman: Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Ladies and Gentlemen of the House. Amendment #13 deals with the results of Subcommittee action, and on the Amendment, if you'll look down to line 20, we point out, in no case shall any action taken on a Bill or Resolution by a Subcommittee preclude a Sponsor or Committee Member from... for the Sponsor from presenting the Bill or Resolution to the full Committee for full debate and a vote. What we are addressing here, Mr. Speaker, is the right of individual Hembers of this House who sponsor legislation to present that legislation to the full Committee. The fact of the matter is that in many cases, Subcommittee action on legislation is reported to the Committee as a whole, and there is no testimony from the Sponsor, no presentation of the Bill by the Sponsor, to the Committee. We think that everyone in this House should have a right to present their legislation from their point of view to the entire Committee, notwithstanding Subcommittee action. Now, the Committee may take the position that the Subcommittee is... is correct and vote in that manner. They may choose, however, to do otherwise, based on the presentation. And for that reason, Mr. Speaker, we would like to amend the rules to... for this inclusion, and I move the adoption of Amendment #13 to HR 69 STATE OF ILLINOIS 85th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 7th Legislative Day 44." February 4, 1987
"The Gentleman moves for the adoption of Amendment #13. On that question, the Chair recognizes Mr. Keane."
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise in opposition to this Amendment. I think it specifically discusses the process that the Revenue Committee has used, and I would like to briefly explain that the Revenue Committee has used Subcommittees. Any Member of the Revenue Committee... Every Member of the Revenue Committee is aware of the Bills, that the Bills are being assigned to Subcommittee. They have an opportunity, all the Members of the Sub... of the full Committee have an opportunity to get into the Subcommittee, to participate and listen to the testimony. There's a full hearing. There's many witnesses. If the Sponsor wants to bring in all kinds of witnesses, there's a good chance for... they have a full opportunity to testify. What occurs is that... and the Members on both sides of the aisle have told me they're very happy with this setup simply because it's a Wednesday morning Committee. We go from 8:00 in the morning until noon. There are other major Committees meeting at that time. Members of the Revenue Committee are able to make other... to go and testify on their... on the Bills that they have before Education. Executive and similar Committees. The Committees... the Subcommittees, again, do give a full hearing to every Bill, to every Senate... every House Sponsor. The Sponsor is able to present all the testimony he wants. Any Member of the Revenue Committee who is interested in coming and listening to that testimony and questioning the witnesses is welcome. as they all know, but I think that it has proved a very, very advantageous process for the Members. The easiest way to just thwart what the Sponsor's 70 STATE OF ILLINOIS 85th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 7th Legislative Day February 4, 1987 attempting to do is that if there's... if we... if there's a Motion made, it could be easily overridden by the Majority, so I don't see that... I think what it is, is, it's a situation... it's taking a situation that's worked very, very well in throwing roadblocks up. And for that reason, I would ask you to vote 'no' on this Amendment. Thank you."
"Mr. Churchill."
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise in support of the Amendment. I was a part of the process in the Revenue Committee last year whereby we created the Subcommittees, and I must say that sometimes I felt that it had streamlined the process and that it was better. But I also note, because I was a part of that process, that there were some problems with that system. and I think the main problem was that our own Members did not have a right to reach other Members concerning their Bills. If you put a Bill into a Subcommittee that has three Members who are opposed to your Bill, that Bill is never going to go any place. You don't have a chance to go before the full Committee, you don't have a chance to talk to the Members of the full Committee and maybe get your legislation passed. Oftentimes. I heard the complaint from witnesses who wanted to testify to the full Committee. They didn't want to just testify in a Subcommittee, they wanted to testify to everybody in the full Committee, because they had friends on both sides of the aisle in the full Committee, but perhaps the three Member Subcommittee was stacked against them. I think what we do if we create the Subcommittee process is, we take away the rights of the Members and of the public to have their Bills duly heard in the system the way the system was originally established, and over the course of time, has been allowed to exist. I 71 7th Legislative Day STATE OF ILLINOIS 85th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE February 4, 1987 think that this affects the Majority Members as well as the Minority Members. I don't think this is something that's just a Minority issue. I think the Majority Members will find that their Bills will find a nice death in a very polite way, without anybody getting their feelings hurt, in a Subcommittee that was formed ostensibly for the purposes of hearing Bills."
"Mr. McCracken."
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My experience has been on the Judiciary Committees where the Subcommittees have been used effectively, but primarily for the purpose of refining the Bills that are brought before the Judiciary Committee as a whole. In... In regard to holding hearings before those Subcommittees by giving a full hearing to the Subcommittee so that the Subcommittee can report to the full Committee, that's just not possible in this General Assembly. We're not set up as Congress is set up. We're not full time. We're not here 220 business days a year. The fact of the matter is that when Subcommittees are used as hearing Committees, those rights of the public are, in fact, violated, and it isn't because you intend it, it isn't because we intend it. The fact of the matter is, we're not capable of handling Subcommittees and Committees. The Committee schedule in the House fills all of the time we're not on the floor, and we all know that to be the case. Unlike the United States Congress, where Committees can be in Session while the House is in Session or on the floor, we are limited. We cannot hold Committee hearings other than when the House is not in Session. And we've already, with 25 standing Committees, filled up all of that available time. Subcommittees are effectively used when they are used to refine the legislation for presentation to the full Committee. They are not effectively used to pass 72 7th Legislative Day STATE OF ILLINOIS 85th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE February 4, 1987 on those Bills, to make a judgment on which the full Committee will rely. The public is thwarted in its attempt to get its case heard before the Legislature. We do ourselves a disservice by ignoring that fact. I think that the Subcommittees can be used very effectively, but not as hearing Committees, and for that reason, I support the Gentleman's Motion."
"Mr. Klemm."
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Last Session, I had a number of Bills that went before the Revenue Committee, and I might add that I was treated with all the respect that I would want any Representative to be treated. My Bills were heard. They did a fine job, and I commend the Committee Chairman on the Revenue Committee and the Minority Leader. In the process of some of those Bills, I was asked to appear before a Subcommittee, a Subcommittee of the Revenue Committee that would hear the legislation, and I did, and I was told that I would not have to appear before the full Committee. And then, during the debate of the Bills that I had - I think there were three of them that day - all three were recommended by the Subcommittee to be adopted. And that was fine, and I was elated by it, obviously, in passing a Bill through the Subcommittee. And I was... it was suggested that I did not have to, then, appear before the full Committee. Oh, about two or three weeks after the Committee's deliberation, I had asked of the Chairman, what ever happened to the other Bill, one of the Bills. I found two of them on the Calendar, but not the third one, and I was told that it had been defeated and did not... be adopted by the full Committee. And I said, "Well, what happened?" And he said, "Well, the full Committee only agreed with two of the three." And I said, "Well, you know, if I had known, I would have been to the full 73 7th Legislative Day STATE OF ILLINOIS 85th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE February 4, 1987 Committee to at least argue the point of my Bill." So it seems that as we go along, if we maybe... to speed it up, if we perhaps affirmatively have a Bill passed, fine, that speeds it up, but it doesn't seem to be fair to a Representative to have had the Subcommittee recommend 'do adopt or 'do pass' and then find out that they didn't and they haven't had a chance to talk to anybody about it. So the full Committee doesn't even hear the arguments or the merits or demerits of a Bill. So for those reasons, even though I felt that that Committee could not have done it any better than any other Committee, that it really gives the Representative who leaves a Subcommittee with the consent and the approval on a Bill with the thought that that Bill has now been adopted by the Committee, a disadvantage of not being able to discuss those merits of that Bill with that full Committee. So for those reasons, I think we should support Representative Hoffman's Amendment #13, because it really affects all of us, and it's not a... an attempt to hurt anybody's Bill, it's an attempt to obviously allow everybody that full debate that you would want us to have. Thank you."
"Mr. Kirkland."
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would... I would just add that I think it... it will be a disservice to members of the public to create a massive Subcommittee situation that will cause a logjam, causing many Members not to be able, at times, to attend Subcommittee hearings. Members of the public will come from different parts of the state, travel long distances to testify on an issue, and find that they're talking to two or three or four or five Members of a Subcommittee, probably have an exaggerated idea of the importance of that hearing and find out later, indeed, how probably unimportant that particular hearing was. I just 74 STATE OF ILLINOIS 85th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 7th Legislative Day February 4, 1987 think it creates a logjam that's not fair to the general public, that should have an opportunity, through their Legislature... through their Legislators, to have ideas heard by a fully attended and full Committee. And I urge adoption of the Amendment."
"Mr. Hoffman to close."
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Ladies and Gentlemen of the House. I think the case for this Amendment has been clearly stated in a number of different ways. I appreciate the concern of the Chairman of the Revenue Committee, but notwithstanding those concerns, I would ask for 'aye' votes on this Amendment, Mr. Speaker."
"Mr. Hoffman has moved for the adoption of Amendment #13. Those in favor of Mr. Hoffman's Motion will signify by voting 'aye', those opposed by voting 'no'. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? The Clerk shall take the record. On this question, there are 50 'ayes', 64 'nos'. The Amendment fails. Are there any further Amendments?"
"No further Amendments."
"Mr. Clerk, who is the Sponsor of the Resolution?"
"The Committee on Rules..."
"On the question of Resolution #44, the Chair recognizes Mr. Matijevich."
"Yes, Mr. Speaker, Ladies and Gentlemen of the House, House Resolution 44, introduced by the Committee on Rules, now creates our standing Committees, our select Committees, and two service Committees, and it also establishes our permanent deadlines for this 1987 Session of the General Assembly. It also establishes rights of the public, which are a part of our rules presently, makes them permanent, establishes media access to house proceedings, makes those 75 STATE OF ILLINOIS 85th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 7th Legislative Day February 4, 1987 rules permanent, and provides that the temporary rules of the 84th General Assembly will continue to govern the conduct of the House, except as they are inconsistent with these permanent rules. I would now move the adoption of the... House Resolution 44. and the Legislature... the House will be ready to conduct business."
"Mr. McCracken."
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Will the Sponsor yield?"
"The Sponsor indicates that he will yield."
"John, I'm looking at the Bill, and I understand that this incorporates as... as rules, those temporary rules we adopted last time we were here, except to the extent they are inconsistent with Rules 1 through 6 in your Resolution. Now, in the temporary rules, there are exceptions to the Committee deadlines. I think it's Rule 22(b)-2. Let me find it. It's 27(b). I'm sorry. It's 29(b). I'm sorry. 29(b). 29(b) is the exceptions to the Committee deadlines. Now, you don't have that in your Bill. There are... there are no exceptions stated to the Committee deadlines, and I note the language regarding inconsistent rules not being adopted. And my question is, are the exceptions to the Committee deadlines in effect if we adopt this Resolution?"
"What was that question again, Tom?"
"Are the exceptions which are stated in Temporary Rule 29(c)... I'm sorry, it was (c). Those are exceptions to the Committee deadlines. Are those now going to be in effect if we adopt House Resolution 44?"
"Tom, the 29... rule that you referred to only referred to Bills in the even number. What we're doing now with our permanent deadlines refers strictly to the odd number year."
"No, no. 29(c)... I'm sorry. I probably gave you the wrong rule. 29(c)." 76 STATE OF ILLINOIS 85th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 7th Legislative Day
"Same argument. In other words, if... " February 4, 1987
"No, no. Sub... Subsection (b) refers to the Committee deadlines, which you now have in House Resolution 44. That's amended. Subsection (c) is an exception to those Committee deadlines. My... and my question is, are those exceptions incorporated into our temporary rules, or does House Resolution 44 conflict with those and therefore voids those? I just want to know if the exceptions to the Committee deadlines are still with us?"
"They're still with us."
"Okay. Alright."
"Mr. McCracken? Mr. McCracken?"
"Yes?"
"Are you finished?"
"To... To the Bill, very briefly. In the course of the Amendments, I know we've had occasion to discuss a lot of the aspects of House Resolution 44. I asked the Members on this side of the aisle to remember that the Election Law Committee is a part of this Bill, the Election Law Committee which we have been fighting against in an attempt to give Representative Weller his due process, and I would ask Members on this side of the aisle to vote against House Resolution 44. Thank you."
"Mr. Hallock."
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker and Members of the House. I also rise in opposition to the House Resolution 44. It seems to me that if we really want to have a good House Resolution before us, we had a chance to make it better today, and that didn't really happen. First of all, we suggested, on this side of the aisle that we, in fact, continue the Election Committee as the only Election Committee and let them do the work of the House as they have done in years gone by. And that was not adopted, so I 77 7th Legislative Day STATE OF ILLINOIS 85th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE February 4, 1987 believe that that is one flaw in this Bill. Second, we suggested, of course, that we abolish all the select Committees because we have a proliferation of Committees which I think has become a serious problem in this House. It has made the House less efficient and by and large, really obscures some of the things that are done down here. We also suggest that the Veterans' Committee, which I think is probably the oldest Committee in the history of this House, be reestablished. So Members and people from across the State of Illinois can see that we have a primary focus, and that is on Veterans' Affairs. Then we also suggested that a Member have a right to have his Bill heard, not only in Subcommittee, but also before the full Committee, and that, too, unfortunately, lost. So I would say to all of you here today, we have made some suggestions which I believe would have made this House a much more efficient place, and we tried to do that in a bipartisan fashion. Unfortunately, we did not succeed, and because of that reason, I would ask for your defeat of this Amendment... this Resolution."
"The question is the adoption of House Resolution #40 (sic - 441... Mr. Matijevich has moved for the adoption of the Resolution. Those in favor of the adoption of the Resolution signify by voting 'aye', those opposed by voting 'no'. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? The Clerk shall take the record. On this question, there are 64 'ayes' and 48 'nos'. The Resolution is adopted. Mr. Clerk, do you have an Adjournment Resolution?"
"A Message from the Senate by Ms. Hawker, Secretary. Mr. Speaker, I am directed to inform the House of Representatives that the Senate has adopted the following Senate Joint Resolutions, and the adoption of 78 STATE OF ILLINOIS 85th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 7th Legislative Day February 4, 1987 which I am instructed to ask concurrence of the House of Representatives, to wit: Senate Joint Resolution #5, resolved by the Senate of the 85th General Assembly of the State of Illinois, the House of Representatives concurring herein, that when the House of Representatives adjourns on Wednesday, February 4, 1987, it stands adjourned until Wednesday, February 11, 1987, at 11:00 a.m.; and when it adjourns on Wednesday, February 11, 1987, it stands adjourned until Thursday, February 19, 1987, at 11:00 a.m.; and when it stands adjourned on Thursday, February 19, 1987, it stands adjourned until Wednesday, February 25, 1987, it stands adjourned until Tuesday, March 1987, at 11:00 a.m.; and when it adjourns on Wednesday, February 25, 1987, it stands adjourned until Tuesday, March 3, 1987, at 12:00 noon."
"For what purpose does Mr. Flinn seek recognition?"
"Well, Mr. Speaker, before we adjourn, I would just like to remind the Members of the Election Committee that we do have a meeting in Room 114 shortly after adjournment."
"The Gentleman has announced that there will be a meeting of the Elections Committee in Room 114 immediately after adjournment. For what purpose does Mr. Stephens seek recognition?"
"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As we will not be in Session on Thursday, February 12, I wonder if it might be appropriate if we took a moment today to pause to remember the birth of Abraham Lincoln, a great Republican, a great American, and certainly one worthy of recognition here on the House floor."
"Absolutely, Mr. Stephens, and it might be very nice if you Republicans would emulate Mr. Lincoln."
"I thought that that's what we were doing, Sir."
"Thank you. Mr. Mc Pike has moved for the 79 STATE OF ILLINOIS 85th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 7th Legislative Day adoption of the Adjournment Resolution. February 4, 1987 Those in favor say "aye, those opposed say 'no". The 'ayes' have it. The Resolution is adopted. The Chair will now take several Agreed Resolutions and then the Adjournment Motion, so Mr. Clerk, read the Resolutions... will be in the Chair."
"House Resolution 18, offered by Representative Ewing."
"... Giorgi in the Chair."
"House Resolution 19, Didrickson; 23, Hasara - and Curran; 29, Johnson; 32, Daley; 33, Matijevich - et al; 34, Matijevich; 35, Johnson; 36, Johnson; 37, Johnson; 38, Johnson; 40, Keane; 41, Turner; 42, Churchill; 45, Matijevich, 46, Matijevich, 47, Matijevich; 49, Bowman; 50, Regan; 52, McGann; 53, DeJaegher - and Brunsvold; 55, Phelps; 56, Pullen - and McAuliffe; 57, Parcells; 58, Morrow; 60, Jones; 61, Didrickson; 62, McCracken; 63, Currie; 25, which is out of order, is Hicks; 64, Tuerk. House Joint Resolutions 11, Wojcik; 13, Parke; 14, Parke; 15, Parke; 16, Parke; and 17, Parke."
"Mr. Matijevich on the Agreed Resolutions."
"Yes, it's my honor to approach the Dean of the House now, as our temporary Speaker, and move that the Agreed Resolutions be adopted."
"All those in favor signify by saying 'aye', all those opposed 'nay'. The 'ayes' have it. The Agreed Resolutions are adopted. Death Resolutions."
"House Resolution 51, Currie, with respect to the memory of Eddie Mae Johnson. House Resolution 43, Countryman, with respect to the memory of Janice Priede. House Resolution 39, Johnson, with respect to the memory of Paul Scott. House Resolution 31, Johnson, with respect to the memory of Robert Lyle Gordon, II. House Resolution 30, offered by Representative Johnson, with respect to the 80 STATE OF ILLINOIS 85th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 7th Legislative Day February 4, 1987 memory of W. Carl Allen. House Resolution 28, by Representative Johnson, with respect to the memory of Jean Hammer. House Resolution 24, offered by Wyvetter Younge, with respect to the memory of Barbara Jean Luckett. House Joint Resolution 7, offered by Representative Daley, with respect to the memory of Sergeant John A. Costas. House Joint Resolution 8, offered by Representative Daley, with respect to the memory of Harry H. Sparky Hurling. House Joint Resolution #9, offered by Representative Daley, with respect to the memory of Nora Ryan."
"Mr. McPike moves for the adoption of the Death Resolutions. All in favor signify by saying 'aye', those opposed 'nay". The 'ayes have it. The Resolutions are adopted. General Resolutions."
"House Joint Resolution 12, Braun. House Resolution 59, Didrickson and Kubik. House Resolution 54, Shaw and Flowers. House Resolution 26, by Stange. House Resolution 27, by Stange."
"Committee on Assignments. The Clerk needs 10 minutes perfunctory time. The House will now stand adjourned until March... Representative McPike moves that the House stand adjourned until March 3, when the Members have to be back in Springfield, and there are Perfunctory Sessions in between for the... for the introduction of Bills. He's under his desk. All in favor say 'aye', all those opposed 'nay". The 'ayes have it. The House stands adjourned until March 3."
"Introduction and First Reading of Bills. House Bill 178, Ropp, a Bill for an Act to amend the Lobbyists' Registration Act. First Reading of the Bill. House Bill 179, Bowman and Daley, a Bill for an Act to amend the Senior Citizens' and Disabled Persons' Property Tax Relief and Pharmaceutical Assistance Act. First Reading of the 81 STATE OF ILLINOIS 85th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 7th Legislative Day February 4, 1987 Bill. House Bill 180, Satterthwaite, Bowman - and Breslin, a Bill for an Act to amend the School Code. First Reading of the Bill. House Bill 181, Mautino - and McNamara, a Bill for an Act to create the Small Business Litigation Expense Act. First Reading of the Bill. House Resolution (sic - Bill) 182, Mautino, a Bill for an Act to amend the Unemployment Insurance Act. First Reading of the Bill. House Bill 183, Mautino, a Bill for an Act in relation to registration of itinerant vendors. First Reading of the Bill. House Bill 184, Mautino, a Bill for an Act to amend the School Code. First Reading of the Bill. House Bill 185, Cullerton, a Bill for an Act to amend the Illinois Vehicle Code. First Reading of the Bill. House Bill 186, Cullerton, a Bill for an Act to amend the County Executive Act. First Reading of the Bill. House Bill 187, Cullerton, a Bill for an Act to amend the Illinois Insurance Code. First Reading of the Bill. House Bill 188, Satterthwaite, a Bill for an Act in relation to the rate of interest and other charges in connection with sales on credit and the lending of money. First Reading of the Bill. House Bill 189, Anthony Young, a Bill for an Act to amend the Minority and Female Business Enterprise Act. First Reading of the Bill. House Bill 190, Anthony Young, a Bill for an Act to amend the Public Utilities Act. First Reading of the Bill. House Bill 191, Anthony Young, a Bill for an Act in relation to minority and female business enterprises. First Reading of the Bill. House Bill 192, Anthony Young, a Bill for an Act to amend the Code of Criminal Procedure. First Reading of the Bill. House Bill 193, Stephens, a Bill for an Act to amend the Illinois Public Aid Code. First Reading of the Bill. House Bill 194, Homer - et al, a Bill for an Act to amend the Illinois Public Aid Code. First Reading of the Bill. House Bill 82 STATE OF ILLINOIS 85th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 7th Legislative Day February 4, 1987 195, Johnson et al, a Bill for an Act to amend the Unemployment Insurance Act. First Reading of the Bill. House Bill 186 (sic 196), Anthony Young... strike that. That's Wyvetter Younge, a Bill for an Act to amend Sections of the Metro East Sanitary District Act. First Reading of the Bill. House Bill 197, Curran, a Bill for an Act to amend the Illinois Pension Code. First Reading of the Bill. House Bill 198, Anthony Young, a Bill for an Act to amend the Election Code. First Reading of the Bill. House Bill 199, Anthony Young, a Bill for an Act to amend the Illinois Vehicle Code. First Reading of the Bill. House Bill 200, Dunn and Currie, a Bill for an Act to amend the Illinois Public Aid Code. First Reading of the Bill. House Bill 201, offered by Dunn and Currie, a Bill for an Act to amend the Illinois Public Aid Code. First Reading of the Bill. House Bill 202, Anthony Young and Daley, a Bill for an Act to amend the law concerning voter registration. First Reading of the Bill. House Bill 203, Anthony Young and Daley, a Bill for an Act to amend the law concerning the appointment of deputy registrars. first Reading of the Bill. House Bill 204, Anthony Young, a Bill for an Act to amend the Illinois Election Code. First Reading of the Bill. House Bill 205, Ropp et al, a Bill for an Act concerning truancy. First Reading of the Bill. House Bill 206, Parke et al, a Bill for an Act to amend the Illinois Income Tax Act. First Reading of the Bill. House Bill 207, Parke et al, a Bill for an Act to amend the Illinois Income Tax Act. First Reading of the Bill. House Bill 208, Shaw, a Bill for an Act to amend the Regional Transportation Authority Act. First Reading of the Bill. House Bill 209, Tuerk and Saltsman, a Bill for an Act to amend the Election Code. First Reading of the Bill. House Bill 210, Panayotovich et al, a Bill for an 83 7th Legislative Day STATE OF ILLINOIS 85th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE February 4, 1987 Act to limit civil liability of volunteer managers, coaches, instructors, umpires, referees who render services in the sports program of a nonprofit association to limit the liability of nonprofit associations and their officers and employees who conduct or sponsor such sports programs. First Reading of the Bill. House Bill 211, Matijevich, a Bill for an Act to amend the Illinois Vehicle Code. First Reading of the Bill. House Bill 212, Matijevich - and Currie, a Bill for an Act to amend the Illinois Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act. First Reading of the Bill. House Bill 213, Matijevich and Saltsman, a Bill for an Act to amend the Illinois Vehicle Code. First Reading of the Bill. House Bill 214, Van Duyne and Saltsman, a Bill for an Act to amend an Act in relation to fire protection districts. First Reading of the Bill. House Bill 215, Breslin, a Bill for an Act to amend the Public Utilities Act. First Reading of the Bill."
"Continuing with Introduction and First Readings. House Bill 216, Johnson - Satterthwaite, a Bill for an Act to amend Sections of the Motor Vehicle Retail Installment Sales Act. First Reading of the Bill. House Bill 217, Flowers - Currie, a Bill for an Act to add Sections to the Illinois Public Aid Code. First Reading of the Bill. House Bill 218, Ewing, a Bill for an Act to amend Sections of an Act in relationship to the adoption of persons and to repeal an Act therein named and to amend Sections of the Code of Civil Procedure. First Reading of the Bill. House Bill 219, Ewing - Matijevich, a Bill for an Act in relationship to public and community service for offenders. First Reading of the Bill. House Bill 220, offered by Representative Terzich, Hoffman - et al, a Bill for an Act to amend certain Acts in relationship to the Chicago Transit Authority Retirement Plan. First Reading of the 84 STATE OF ILLINOIS 85th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 7th Legislative Day February 4, 1987 Bill. House Bill 221, Hallock - McCracken, a Bill for an Act to amend Sections of the Code of Criminal Procedure. First Reading of the Bill. No further business, the House now stands adjourned." 85 03/18/87 11:41 STATE OF ILLINOIS 85TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES DAILY TRANSCRIPTION OF DEBATE INDEX FEBRUARY 04, 1987 PAGE 1 HB-0178 FIRST READING PAGE 81 HB-0179 FIRST READING PAGE 81 HB-0180 FIRST READING PAGE 81 HB-0181 FIRST READING PAGE 82 HB-0182 FIRST READING PAGE 82 HB-0183 FIRST READING PAGE 82 HB-0184 FIRST READING PAGE 82 HB-0185 FIRST READING PAGE 82 HB-0186 FIRST READING PAGE 82 HB-0187 FIRST READING PAGE 82 HB-0188 FIRST READING PAGE 82 HB-0189 FIRST READING PAGE 82 HB-0190 FIRST READING PAGE 82 HB-0191 FIRST READING PAGE 82 HB-0192 FIRST READING PAGE 82 HB-0193 FIRST READING PAGE 82 HB-0194 FIRST READING PAGE 82 HB-0195 FIRST READING PAGE 82 HB-0196 FIRST READING PAGE 83 HB-0197 FIRST READING PAGE 83 HB-0198 FIRST READING PAGE 83 HB-0199 FIRST READING PAGE 83 HB-0200 FIRST READING PAGE 83 HB-0201 FIRST READING PAGE 83 HB-0202 FIRST READING PAGE 83 HB-0203 FIRST READING PAGE 83 HB-0204 FIRST READING PAGE 83 HB-0205 FIRST READING PAGE 83 HB-0206 FIRST READING PAGE 83 HB-0207 FIRST READING PAGE 83 HB-0208 FIRST READING PAGE 83 HB-0209 FIRST READING PAGE 83 HB-0210 FIRST READING PAGE 83 HB-0211 FIRST READING PAGE 84 HB-0212 FIRST READING PAGE 84 HB-0213 FIRST READING PAGE 84 HB-0214 FIRST READING PAGE 84 HB-0215 FIRST READING PAGE 84 HB-0216 FIRST READING PAGE 84 HB-0217 FIRST READING PAGE 84 HB-0218 FIRST READING PAGE 84 HB-0219 FIRST READING PAGE 84 HB-0220 FIRST READING PAGE 84 HB-0221 FIRST READING PAGE 84 HR-0044 RESOLUTION OFFERED PAGE 24 SUBJECT MATTER HOUSE TO ORDER - SPEAKER MCPIKE IN CHAIR PAGE 1 PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE PAGE 1 ROLL CALL FOR ATTENDANCE PAGE 1 SPEAKER GREIMAN IN CHAIR PAGE 2 SPEAKER REA IN CHAIR PAGE 2 AGREED RESOLUTIONS PAGE 2 SPEAKER REA IN CHAIR PAGE 4 SPEAKER GREIMAN IN CHAIR PAGE 4 SPEAKER MADIGAN IN VHAIR PAGE 4 JOINT SESSION CONVENED PAGE 5 BUDGET MESSAGE - GOVERNOR THOMPSON PAGE 6 JOINT SESSION ADJOURNED PAGE 23 HOUSE RECONVENES PAGE 24 SPEAKER MADIGAN IN CHAIR PAGE 24 ADJOURNMENT RESOLUTION PAGE 79 AGREED RESOLUTIONS PAGE 80 03/18/87 11:41 STATE OF ILLINOIS 85TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES DAILY TRANSCRIPTION OF DEBATE INDEX FEBRUARY 04, 1987 GENERAL RESOLUTIONS SUBJECT MATTER PERFUNCTORY SESSION ADJOURNED PAGE 81 PAGE 85 PAGE 2