Illinois House Floor Debate — February 28, 1997

"The House shall come to order. The Members shall be in their chairs. We shall be led in prayer today by Representative Coy Pugh, who is the Assistant Pastor of Fernwood United Methodist Church in Chicago. Mr. Pugh is also a student at McCormick Theological Seminary. The guests in the Gallery may wish to rise and join us in the invocation. Reverend Pugh."

"May we bow our hearts? O, Heavenly God, our Father, Lord, we come before You this afternoon with humble adoration and great anticipation. Lord, anticipation based on the things You're doing for us in our lives, what You have done and what You will do in our individual lives. Lord, we take just a moment to pause this afternoon, just to pause and inhale Your awesome glory and majesty, O, Lord. Lord we would ask no more of You than for You to accept this humble prayer and that You lead us, not into confusion. Deliver us O, Heavenly Father, have mercy upon us according to Your loving kindness, according unto the multitude of Your tender mercies. Blot out all our transgressions, hang us high and drip us dry of sin, O Lord. Let our words be sledgehammers of truth to beat on the iron heart of sin. And let freedom ring. Let freedom ring in truth and majesty and glory forever. Amen."

"We shall be led in the Pledge of Allegiance by Representative Hartke."

Hartke - et al: "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. Mr. Hannig."

"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There are no excused absences on the Democratic side of the aisle today." 1  STATE OF ILLINOIS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 23rd Legislative Day February 28, 1997

"Mr. Cross."

"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. If the record would reflect that Representatives Biggins and Kubik are excused today."

Speaker Madigan: "Let the record reflect those excused absences. Mr. Clerk, take the record. There being 116 Members responding to the attendance Roll Call, there is a quorum present. Mr. Granberg in the Chair." Speaker Granberg: "Committee Reports."

Clerk Rossi: "Committee Reports. Representative Burke, Chairman from the Committee on Executive, to which the following Amendments was referred, action taken on February 28, 1997, reported the same back with the following recommendation/s: 'be adopted' Floor Amendment #2 to Senate Bill 84. Representative Erwin, Chairman from the Committee on Higher Education, to which the following Bills were referred, action taken on February 27, 1997, reported the same back with the following recommendation/s: 'do pass as amended Short Debate' House Bill 680; 'do pass standard debate' House Bill 401, House Bill 402; 'do pass standard debate' House Bill 400. Representative Gash, Chairman from the Committee on Judiciary 2 Criminal Law, to which the following Bills were referred, action taken on February 28, 1997, reported the same back with the following recommendation/s: 'do pass' House Bill 156, House Bill 325, and House Bill 650; 'do pass as amended Short Debate' House Bill 163, and House Bill 472. Representative Schakowsky, Chairman from the Committee on Labor and Commerce, to which the following Bills were referred, action taken on February 27, 1997, reported the same back with the following recommendation/s: 'do pass Standard Debate' House Bill 405, and House Bill 546. Representative Stroger, Chairman from the Committee on Local Government, to which the following 2  STATE OF ILLINOIS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 23rd Legislative Day February 28, 1997 Bills were referred, action taken on February 27, 1997, reported the same back with the following recommendation/s: 'do pass Short Debate' House Bill 322; 'do pass as amended Short Debate' House Bill 248; 'do pass as amended Consent Calendar' House Bill 480. Representative Murphy, Chairman from the Committee on Personnel and Pensions, to which the following Bills were referred, action taken on February 28, 1997, reported the same back with the following recommendation/s: 'do pass Short Debate' House Bill 295. Representative Saviano, Chairman from the Committee on Registration and Regulation, to which the following Bills were referred, action taken on February 27, 1997, reported the same back with the following recommendation/s: 'do pass Short Debate' House Bill 349; 'do pass as amended Short Debate' House Bill 522. Representative Giles, Chairman from the Committee on State Government Administration and Election Reform, to which the following Bills were referred, action taken on February 27, 1997, reported the same back with the following recommendation/s: 'do pass Short Debate' House Bill 229; 'do pass as amended Short Debate' House Bill 221, and House Bill 135. Representative Novak, Chairman from the Committee on Environment and Energy, to which the following Bills were referred, action taken on February 27, 1997, reported the same back with the following recommendation/s: 'do pass as amended Short Debate' House Bill 279.

Speaker Granberg: "For what reason does the Gentleman from Sangamon arise?"

"Mr. Speaker, arise for Personal Privilege. Today I have a group in the Gallery, Jean Alberg, and she has seven foreign exchange students with her. We'd just like to say hi to her, this is from the Lawrence Adult Center." 3  STATE OF ILLINOIS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 23rd Legislative Day February 28, 1997

"So acknowledged. Thank you, Representative. Mr. Clerk."

Clerk Rossi: "Representative Steve Davis, Chairman from the Committee on Veteran's Affairs, to which the following Bills were referred, action taken on February 28, 1997, reported the same back with the following recommendation/s: 'do pass as amended Short Debate' House Bill 573."

Speaker Granberg: "Appearing on page 3 of the Calendar appears House Bill 56. Representative Dart. Read the Bill, Mr. Clerk."

Clerk Rossi: "House Bill 56, a Bill for an Act amending the Children and Family Services Act. Second Reading of this House Bill. No Committee Amendments, no Floor Amendments, the Fiscal Note and the Mandates Note that have been requested on the Bill have been filed."

"Third Reading. On page 3 of the Calendar also appears House Bill 66. Representative Dart. On the order of Representative Dart. Mr. Clerk."

"House Bill 66, a Bill for an Act in relation to missing children. Second Reading of this House Bill. No Committee Amendments, no Floor Amendments, the Fiscal Note that was requested on this Bill has been filed."

Speaker Granberg: "Third Reading. On page 2 of the Calendar, House Bill 87. Representative Dart. Out of the record. On page 3 of the Calendar, House Bill 170, Representative Lang. Read the Bill."

"House Bill 170, a Bill for an Act amending the School Code. Second Reading of this House Bill. No Committee Amendments, no Floor Amendments, the Fiscal Note and the State Mandates Note that were requested on the Bill have been filed."

Speaker Granberg: "Third Reading. On page 6 of the Calendar 4  STATE OF ILLINOIS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 23rd Legislative Day February 28, 1997 appears House Bill 596, Representative Zickus. Representative Zickus."

"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am waiting for Amendments. I said I would hold this on second until the Amendments are done. Thank you."

"Out of the Record. Page 6 of the Calendar appears House Bill 602. Representative Woolard. Is Representative Woolard in the Chamber? Read the Bill, Mr. Clerk."

Clerk Rossi: "House Bill 602, a Bill for an Act amending the Illinois Fertilizer Act of 1961. Second Reading of this House Bill. No Committee Amendments, no Floor Amendments, the Fiscal Note that was requested on the Bill has been filed."

"Third Reading. Also on page 6 of the Calendar appears House Bill 653. Representative Poe, what is your pleasure? Is Representative Poe in the Chamber? Read the Bill, Mr. Clerk."

Clerk Rossi: "House Bill 653, a Bill for an Act amending the Child Care Act of 1969. Second Reading of this House Bill. Amendment #1 was adopted in committee, no Motions have been filed, no Floor Amendments."

"Third Reading. On page 7 of the Calendar, Order of Consent Calendar - Second Reading. Read the Bill, Mr. Clerk."

Clerk Rossi: "Consent Calendar - Second Reading. House Bill 192, offered by Representative Leitch, a Bill for an Act to amend the Uniform Commercial Code. House Bill 234, offered by Representative Clayton, a Bill for an Act amending the Illinois Underground Utility Facilities Damage Prevention Act. House Bill 307, offered by Representative Krause, a Bill for an Act concerning vehicles. House Bill 363, 5  STATE OF ILLINOIS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 23rd Legislative Day February 28, 1997 offered by Representative Black, a Bill for an Act to amend the Illinois Vehicle Code. House Bill 379, offered by Representative Roskam, a Bill for an Act to amend the Sex Offender Registration Act. House Bill 437, offered by Representative Saviano, a Bill for an Act to amend the Criminal Code of 1961. House Bill 468, offered by Representative Clayton, a Bill for an Act to amend the Illinois Municipal Code. Second Reading of these Consent Calendar Bills."

"Any Amendments filed? Third Reading. On page 7 of the Calendar, Consent Calendar - Third Reading, appears House Bill 138, Representative Black, the Gentleman from Vermilion. Read the Bill Mr. Clerk."

"House Bill 138 offered by Representative Black, a Bill for an Act amending the Environmental Health Practitioner Licensing Act. Third Reading of this Consent Calendar Bill."

Speaker Granberg: "The Gentleman From Vermilion, Representative Black."

"Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker and Ladies and Gentlemen of the House. This Bill is amended. I'm not aware of any opposition. It deletes the exemption for veterinarians from the provision of the Environmental Health Practitioner Licensing Act. This will allow veterinarians, for example, if they're out in the field working on small animals, like hogs, et cetera, and they see leaching coming from a lagoon, they can, under this law send that water in to be tested. They've always had this right and it simply establishes what some of the exemptions are. I would move for a favorable passage."

Speaker Granberg: "Thank you. On House Bill 138, Representative Black moves that House Bill 138, moves for the passage of 6  STATE OF ILLINOIS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 23rd Legislative Day February 28, 1997 the Bill. All those in favor shall vote 'aye'; all those opposed shall vote 'nay'. Mr. Clerk open the roll. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Mr. Clerk, take the record. There being 116 'ayes', 0 'noes', 0 voting 'present', House Bill 138, having received the Constitutional Majority, is hereby declared passed. The Gentleman from Coles, Representative Weaver, for what reason do you arise?"

"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Just an Inquiry of the Chair. On Short Debate Bills is this the way the board is going to be established from this point forward? There's no Sponsor identified, there's no content of the Bill identified. Is this what we can look forward to for the rest of the Session?"

Speaker Granberg: "This is a Consent Calendar Bill, Representative Weaver. Normally there would not be any debate. We were trying to give the courtesy to the Gentleman from Vermilion to explain the Bill."

"Okay. I just wondered if this is what it's going to be like from here on out. It's kind of..."

Speaker Granberg: "Mr. Weaver, normally on the Consent Calendar there is no debate. That was Short Debate."

Speaker Granberg: "This was Consent Calendar, Representative Weaver."

"Okay, but that last Bill was Short Debate, right?"

"Consent Calendar, Representative Weaver."

"The board said Short Debate, Mr. Speaker. I'm just trying to clarify what we're going to see on the board, and what we're going to vote on."

Speaker Granberg: "Page 7 of the Calendar, Representative, it's Consent Calendar. Printed on page 7 of the Calendar appears Senate Bill 84. What is the status, Mr. Clerk?" 7  STATE OF ILLINOIS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 23rd Legislative Day February 28, 1997

Clerk Rossi: "Senate Bill 84 has been read a second time previously. No Committee Amendments, Floor Amendment #2, offered by Representative Currie, has been recommended 'be adopted'."

"The Lady from Cook, Majority Leader Currie."

"Thank you, Speaker and Members of the House. This Amendment was approved by the House Executive Committee. The whole issue of Senate Bill, almost the whole issue in Senate Bill 84 deals with House Bill 2702, one of the final Acts of the 89th General Assembly. That legislation created an opportunity for counties to put referenda on the ballot in the next coming election to ask whether voters wanted to raise taxes for public safety purposes. It also imposed some substantial reporting requirements on the Assessor of the County of Cook. Unfortunately some of those requirements would not only have been costly because of the paperwork responsibilities, costly to the taxpayers of the County of Cook, but would have also led to situations in which those who complained about their taxes would have been able to win their cases, never mind how lousy their own valuation, should the Assessor have failed to dot an 'i' or cross a 't'. In an effort to be responsive to the Governor's request that he have something on his desk that will not be onerous to the citizens of the County of Cook, we have worked with his office and with the four caucuses in the Legislature to draft language that would impose additional paperwork requirements on the Cook County Assessor, but those requirements would not be so onerous as to make it impossible for him or her to get on with the job. Specifically, the Cook County Assessor would be required to notify the Board of Review of all parcels of commercial and industrial property in which there is a 8  STATE OF ILLINOIS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 23rd Legislative Day February 28, 1997 proposal to change the assessment. That record must be kept by the Board of Review for 10 years. The county assessor would have to notify all taxpayers including homeowners, of reasons for a proposed increase in assessment. And finally, the record card for each property should include the elements that were the basis of the valuation. Gone from this Amendment is anything having to do with county referenda on Public Safety Sales Tax increases. There is one final item in the Amendment, however that was in Senate Bill 84 as it came to us, it is a cleanup, a certificate of error problem in a subdivision in the City of Palatine. That's a technical issue and I know of no opposition to it. This is the Amendment, I would appreciate your support. And I would be happy to answer your questions."

"Any questions on the Bill. The Representative from Vermilion, Representative Black."

"Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. An Inquiry of the Chair, if I might."

"Proceed."

"In all due respect to the Sponsor of the Amendment. And I heard the word 'property' and I heard the word 'tax', that's about all I heard, Mr. Speaker. If you could, and I would be more than happy to join with you, let's get people in their seats, let's bring some order to this Chamber. And if the Lady would be kind enough to rephrase, or paraphrase what this Amendment does to the property tax cycle in Cook County, where many of you live. This I think is a very important Amendment and we can't hear. And I would hope that you would grant that request for a rephrase. And if you would bring some order to the Chamber I would appreciate it." 9  STATE OF ILLINOIS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 23rd Legislative Day February 28, 1997

Speaker Granberg: "Thank you. Your point is well taken, Representative Black. I'm sure you'll do your best on your side of the aisle to have your colleagues sit down. Ladies and Gentlemen of the House, staff's retired to the back of the Chamber. Representative Currie, if you could, Representative Currie, if you could give a brief explanation on the Bill once again at the request of Representative Black."

"Thank you, Speaker. I believe he asked only about the issues of assessing procedures in the County of Cook. There will be no change to the cycle. There are additional paperwork requirements imposed upon both on the Cook County Board of Review and the Cook County Assessor's office. With respect to notice about commercial and industrial valuation changes, that information must be given by the Assessor to the Board of Review. The Board of Review must retain those files, those records for a period of 10 years. Secondly, when the Assessor proposes a change in valuation for all property, he must notify he or she must notify the taxpayer of the reason for the proposed change. Finally, on the record for each parcel, the record card must include information about the reasons, the basis, the elements that went into the valuation. Finally, the Amendment includes language exempting these provisions from the State Mandates Act, so should they cost money for the taxpayers of Cook, the money will not be reimbursed by the state. For the Cook County Legislators, you should know that the Assessor's office believes that with new computerized systems these additional requirements will, in fact, not result in any additional costs."

Speaker Granberg: "Thank you, Representative Currie. The Gentleman from Livingston, Representative Rutherford." 10  STATE OF ILLINOIS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 23rd Legislative Day February 28, 1997

"Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Speaker and Ladies and Gentlemen of the House. I've got a, not necessarily on the Amendment, but I think it's going to be important that Representative Currie and I have a dialogue to try to explain some rules that are on the books but are now going through interpretation that are slightly different than most of us have been used to in the last two years."

Speaker Granberg: "Thank you. If you could give the Gentleman from Livingston your attention please. Members be in their seats. Proceed, Representative."

"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The question to the Majority Leader is, that apparently this Amendment was filed at about 9:15 this morning, but the Well for the House was not open. And it seemed a little peculiar and odd for us to think that one could file with the House of Representatives, a Floor Amendment when the Well itself was not open. Could we cite the Rule for that, either Mr. Speaker or Majority Leader?"

"Thank you, Representative Rutherford. The Rule provides that when an Amendment, a Floor Amendment has been filed with the Clerk, it is automatically assigned to the Rules Committee. In the prior General Assembly the language about filing with the Clerk was interpreted by your Parliamentarian to mean, filed at the Well when the House was in Session. Our Parliamentarian interprets that rule to mean, that when the Amendment has been filed with the Clerk's office, the Amendment is filed for purposes of the Amendment then going immediately to the Rules Committee. Now the Clerk's office, of course, has to come to the Well and do whatever numbering and bundling of the..."

"Mr. Speaker, I can't hear her."

"Could you please give the Lady your attention? 11  STATE OF ILLINOIS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 23rd Legislative Day February 28, 1997 Give the Lady your attention. Representative Rutherford has very important questions on the Bill."

"Do you want me to repeat that, Representative?"

"No, carry on where you are. But, Mr. Speaker, honestly, this is an important matter. The Chamber is not in order. This is a rather new phenomenon in this Chamber to have it so noisy throughout the process and if we could perhaps get a bit of order."

"I'm not sure where you've been the recent years."

"Since January here in this chamber it's been quite noisy."

"It seems to be a great deal of an improvement, actually."

"Did he ask another question?"

"Representative Currie, so do I understand now that if someone wants to file an Amendment, they only need to go to the Clerk's Office? Say if it was one in the morning or six in the morning, if it was unlocked they could walk in there, and if somebody happened to be available that then it is officially filed with the Clerk's office?"

"I believe they have to actually, physically hand it to someone in the Clerk's Office who has to then accept it, and as I say, the Clerk..."

"Do they stamp it in some way? I don't know the mechanics. Is it stamped to say received? Is there a day time stamp on it?"

"I believe they do. But I'm not..."

"Can we ask the Clerk's Office as to whether that happens?"

"Yes. The Clerk seems to indicate that time stamping is not done on Amendments." 12  STATE OF ILLINOIS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 23rd Legislative Day February 28, 1997

"So how do we know then if somebody walks in, lays it on his secretary's desk, and it then is duly filed or not? And the second part of that, to the Majority Leader, when do we as the Minority side of the aisle, receive a copy of that Amendment if it's filed by a Majority Party Member?"

"First of all. First of all, the Amendment has to be handed to some person in the Clerk's Office. And the procedure in the Clerk's Office would be just what I described, going to the Well, incorporating it and making sure that the appropriate people get their appropriate copy of the Amendment. We file 10 copies and there are designated homes for each of those copies. And the Clerk's Office will, through its usual procedures, continue to do just that."

"I want to clarify now. Now we are adding substance to a rule. Is it in the Rules that we have written today that they have to hand, it's new to us today that you can go to the Clerk's Office and just hand it to someone. Now they need to physically hand it to someone. Is this because the transcript will now reflect this as the rule, or there's a written rule to that effect?"

"You've always had to hand it to a person. You stand there at the Well and you turn it in. The same rule applies. The same ordinary rule applies when you're turning it in on the fourth floor. But let me just say that the rule we're looking at is that all Floor Amendments, et cetera, upon filing with the Clerk are automatically referred to the Rules Committee. We read, 'filed with the Clerk,' more broadly than had been your tradition. But if you file an Amendment with, for example, the Deputy Clerk, Brad Bolin, you know you can count on him to carry out his appropriate clerkly duties. So if you 13  STATE OF ILLINOIS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 23rd Legislative Day February 28, 1997 were to turn an Amendment in to Tony Rossi, or one of the other members of the Clerk's Office, you know that the appropriate procedures would be followed, and they will be."

"Alright, just to clarify then, so we all understand. From henceforward any House Amendment can be walked down to the Clerk's office, if the door is unlocked they can walk it in, hand it to someone in the Clerk's office and it is duly filed?"

"If there is somebody in the Clerk's Office, who is an employee in that office and is able to accept it, yes."

"Who are those, can you identify those so we know?"

"Perhaps, perhaps the Clerk and the Assistant Clerk will provide us with a list of the appropriate people."

"Can they do that? Is it limited to those two or is it going to be clerical support staff?"

"I think, I think maybe that's an inquiry to the Clerk, Speaker."

"While the Clerk and the Speaker are conferring as to who would receive it, also, when are they numbered?"

"When are they which?"

"When are they numbered? When they become Senate Amendment #1, #2, #3, #4?"

"I believe when they come down to the Well and attach the Amendment to the yeah, it would not be a Senate Amendment in the case of an Amendment offered in this Chamber, but it would be House Amendment 1 or 2 or 3. They would come down to this physical place where the Bill is kept, and then they would number and add to the file."

"Are we going to be getting that answer? Should we wait for that answer, or is this something that the Clerk's Office is going to...?" 14  STATE OF ILLINOIS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 23rd Legislative Day February 28, 1997

"Maybe it would make sense for the Clerk to just provide us with a list in writing at some point."

"Inquiry of the Clerk, Mr. Speaker."

"The Clerk does have the responsibility to adopt policies and procedures. This may be one of those, and perhaps the Clerk would give us a list."

"Mr. Clerk, would you provide the Body appropriate list of people that can receive, any time day or night as long as the door's unlocked, people walking in with Amendments into the Clerk's Office?"

"Yes, Representative Rutherford, I will."

"Thank you. Secondly, to the Majority Leader, when... so the Amendments are only numbered when they've gone to the Well?"

"I believe that is the current Clerk's procedure."

"Inquiry of the Clerk. Mr. Speaker an inquiry of the Clerk."

"Proceed."

"The inquiry is, are the Amendments only numbered once they come from somebody at some hour in the morning that received it downstairs, and are numbered once they come to the Well?"

"That's correct. They have to receive the number at the Well."

"When do they receive the number at the Well, is that when they are deemed duly filed, or is it when they've been received by somebody's hands downstairs?"

"They're filed when I, when the number is put on the Amendment."

"So the duly filed Amendment is only considered duly filed once numbered, and that can only be done once it's arrived at the Well?" 15  STATE OF ILLINOIS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 23rd Legislative Day February 28, 1997

"That's correct."

"Representative Currie, earlier I thought you said that it was duly filed when it was received in the Clerk's Office?"

"I believe I said that the Clerk's procedure would be to take that Amendment physically to the Well to number it and to attach it to the Bill that is kept in this place. The point, I believe the way the Clerk stated it was accurate. The point is that that can happen even when the House is not in Session."

"Okay, thank you for the clarification on that. The second point then is, when a Bill, I'm sorry, when an Amendment is posted, this morning this Amendment was filed downstairs in the Clerk's office, not to the Well nor numbered but about 9:15 this morning, yet the posting for Rules Committee talking about the Senate Amendment had already been distributed long before that. Could you help us to clarify what rule that was done under?"

"There is a requirement for posting. And while the Amendment may not have been filed when the posting notice went out, I believe that there was a reason to think that an Amendment would be filed in time to be heard by the Executive Committee at noon, in the event, of course, that's what happened."

"I'm sorry, there was so much noise I couldn't hear it. Would you, Representative I'm sorry, could you repeat that?"

"Just that the posting notice did go out before the Amendment was filed. But the posting notice anticipated and as it turned out, quite rightly, that an additional Amendment would be filed. The Amendment was filed at 9:15, the Rules Committee met at 10:00 and the Executive 16  STATE OF ILLINOIS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 23rd Legislative Day February 28, 1997 Committee met at 12:00. So there was plenty of opportunity for all interested parties to have a chance to look at the Amendment before there was a vote in the Executive Committee, and in fact they had 24 hour notice, or virtually that, that there might well be an additional Amendment. So my view is that we provided more than adequate public notice that there was additional language that might be coming."

"And I appreciate that. And Mr. Speaker, I appreciate indulgence because I'm just about done here. But I think these, being the first time we've gone through this ceremony, we want to make sure we got it right. So you're saying then Representative, if a staff person or a Committee Clerk anticipates the far reaching possibility that something may get filed, that it can still be placed upon a notice and posted?"

"Yeah. Anyone who has reason to think something like that might happen should certainly notify the Chair that another Amendment is coming or whatever."

"I can't hear. I'm sorry, I cannot hear you."

"Well, I would just suggest that if a Member has a notion that another Amendment may be ready in time for a particular hearing that that individual might want to notify the Chairman, so the posting notice can include that information."

"Going on ahead then in regards to the posting for Executive Committee. I got my posting for the Executive Committee dated Thursday, the 27th at 4:00 p.m. for this Senate Amendment which had not even been filed down in the Clerk's Office, had not even been referred out of Rules, but, yet I've got a posting notice. What rule do you use, I understand the rule you said for Rules Committee, but for 17  STATE OF ILLINOIS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 23rd Legislative Day February 28, 1997 Substantive Committee are you able to go on post for an Amendment that has not even been filed or referred out of Rules?"

"I think I answered that question earlier when I suggested that when people have that much advance notice, not just a one hour notice but almost a 24 hour notice, it serves to remind them that the issue will be before the committee on that day, and the fact that there was a plural use of the word Amendments I think was an indicator that they might be anticipating that they needed to check with the Clerk's Office to see what might, in fact, have been filed."

"I understand the issue on the one hour notice, which I do want to talk about that in the next step here. But it's not the one hour notice that is a concern to me, it's the fact that we are posting for an Executive Committee to meet at noon today, a posting notice that comes out on Thursday afternoon, for an Amendment that hasn't even been filed or referred to Rules. How can you do that?"

"Well, I just told you that I thought it was a useful devise for alerting the concerned public with respect to the issues in Senate Bill 84. And the posting requirements in our rules are minimum requirements. They don't say what you can't post, they just say what you must post. So I think that this posting notice you've read to me makes me feel good about the way our procedures are working to inform the public citizens of the State of Illinois."

"Okay. Just so I, and I understand what you're saying. But in order to give that logic you are suggesting then by posting a day before, giving plenty of public hearing time to look at that, what that could then mean is, the scenario going through, the Amendment goes to Rules 18  STATE OF ILLINOIS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 23rd Legislative Day February 28, 1997 Committee, it is referred to the Substantive Committee in this time Exec., and they can go and convene within one minute and start the debate on it, not having that one hour, because if I am hearing you interpret these rules, the one hour is from the time of posting, not from the time of referral."

"Well as you know the Amendment was filed at 9:15. Rules met at 10:00. The Executive Committee met at 12:00. So, there was no problem about having a good deal more than an hour's notice in respect to that Amendment. In addition, Representative, Amendments don't need to be posted in committee. They don't generally post Amendments at all in committee. And again I would just say that I think that we went beyond what might have been anticipated or required by virtue of giving people a 'heads up' at 4:00 p.m. the day before a noon committee, rather than a 11:00 a.m. announcement."

"What if the committee had been posted for 10:15? For example the Executive Committee at 10:15, Rules Committee was at 10:00, had a 18 hour notice, and now all of a sudden we have 15 minutes coming out of Rules going to Exec. Is that, is that a process that you're trying to play?"

"We're certainly not trying to create that process. And I think that we will do our best to make sure that there is adequate notice of the contents of the items that will be discussed in committee. And as I say, in this particular example, people I think had more than the usual amount of 'heads up', a really fine alert system, and I hope they're pleased."

"Mr. Speaker, without belaboring the point here much longer I think it's pretty clear to the Majority Party, the 19  STATE OF ILLINOIS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 23rd Legislative Day February 28, 1997 important thing that we're trying to accomplish here, is we must understand the process in which Amendments can be filed, which the Clerk is now going to give us a list of people who we can put them in the hands to. We also must ensure the fact that we're going to have a minimum, a minimum per our rules, an hour, for us to be able to have the chance to look at these. Now, going and posting things that one staffer or the Majority Leader may presume could come up, could be filed, could go to rules is somewhat 'ouija board' type of process to me. But please let's ensure, we have it on the record, that we are going to have the one hour time frame for the Minority Party to have the chance to review the legislation."

"Further questions?"

"To the Amendment."

"I'm sorry, Representative. Proceed."

"To the Amendment. Representative Currie, there was Senate Amendment #1 that was brought into committee yesterday, apparently assessor Hines didn't want it the way it was, and working with you on that we came back in for Assessor Hines today, with Senate Amendment #2. Could you explain to us the difference between Assessor Hines and your Amendment today, as opposed to yesterday?"

"Representative, let me just point out that we are doing this good work for our good Governor, Jim Edgar. He's in a pretty pickle, poor fellow, he's got a Bill on his desk that puts egg all over his face if he signs it, and gets him in trouble with his own Legislative Leaders in the Assembly if he doesn't. So our effort, and I'm sure yours too, is to help craft language that will enable our Governor to save face, to do no damage. The difference between Amendment 1 that we looked at yesterday and 20  STATE OF ILLINOIS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 23rd Legislative Day February 28, 1997 Amendment 2 that we adopted in committee today, or we're about to adopt on the Floor today, is only the addition of language that your, your folks requested that exempts the requirements on the Cook County Assessor's Office from, exempts those requirements from the State Mandates Act. So, should there be any cost, though we think there won't, those costs would be borne by the taxpayers of the County of Cook. And while, I myself, think it's not good public policy to single out one county Assessor with additional paperwork requirements, I am prepared to rise above my philosophical principles in order to help out our Governor, Jim Edgar."

"I apologize, I was talking about House Amendments not Senate Amendments. Is that the same thing you were referring to?"

"House Amendment 2. House Amendment 1 and 2."

"Thank you. So, this Amendment then does cut down the requirements necessary for the Assessor of Cook County. It weakens the previously piece of legislation that we had already passed for the Assessor's office."

"I'm sorry I didn't get the question."

"I said this Amendment, if adopted into this Senate Bill, would change substantively previous legislation already passed and basically weaken the requirements of tracking and paperwork for the Assessor's office in Cook County?"

"I'm not sure weaken is the right word. The problem with the Bill on the Governor's desk is that were he to sign it without cleanup language, the complaining taxpayer would be in a very good situation to win a case at the expense of all the other taxpayers without ever having to show that his own valuation had any merit whatsoever. So I don't 21  STATE OF ILLINOIS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 23rd Legislative Day February 28, 1997 think this is a weakening proposal, I think what it is is to avoid a travesty of justice and an attack on most of the tax paying public in the County of Cook."

"To the Sponsor still, on some of the points, could you explain some of the differences as to what this Amendment would do to what the underlying Bill did?"

"The underlying Bill came to us as I say, with an effort to make it possible to hold referendums in the counties on the April 1st election, in respect to the question of the sales tax increases for purposes of public safety. That language is no longer in the Bill."

"Mr. Speaker, I cannot hear her."

"Thank you. Ladies and Gentlemen, give the speaker your attention. Proceed, Representative Currie."

"The Bill, as it came to us, dealt with two issues, and two issues only. One was an extension of time to put the referenda on a county, on a county sales tax for public safety purposes on the April 1st ballot. The second issue is this cleanup of the certificate of error for a subdivision in the City of Palatine. As the Bill is before you by Amendment #2, the issue of the sales tax referendum is gone. It is not there. The issue of the certificate of error is. The additional language deals with requirements with respect to the Cook County Assessor."

"Could you explain the..."

"Excuse me, Representative Rutherford. For what reason does the Gentleman from Champaign, Representative Johnson, arise? Representative Johnson, do you have an inquiry?" Johnson, Tim: "Yes, I Move the Previous Question."

Speaker Granberg: "Representative Johnson, we, the Chair would not like to do this at that at this point. We would like 22  STATE OF ILLINOIS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 23rd Legislative Day February 28, 1997 to give the Members on this side of the aisle ample opportunity, something that wasn't afforded in past Sessions. So we will continue with the debate."

"Thank you, Mr. Speaker I appreciate your fair-handedness in running the Chambers. To the Sponsor, the provisions in this Amendment would delete certain requirements on maintaining certain records. Could you explain what was before and now what this has weakened it to be?"

"My recollection is that the provisions in House Bill 2702 required the Assessor to keep any piece of paper, no matter how irrelevant to the final valuation decision, as part of the file and to produce those records at the time of appeal. If any slip of paper, any scrap of paper was missing from the file and the taxpayer could show that it was not there, the taxpayer would have been in a situation of winning without having to prove that the valuation the taxpayer offered had any merit whatsoever. The requirement in the new language is that the record card, the record card for each parcel contain the elements, the basis, the reasons that went into the proposed valuations. So relevant information will be on each record card, but irrelevant information will not be required to be retained in a physical file."

"In today's process, no law passed signed into law this Amendment. Today, what is the requirement of the Assessor?"

"Well, I can only assume, I'm not real familiar with the everyday operations of the office. Right now the provision reads that 'the County Assessorment Office shall maintain records that contain the facts, data, worksheets, guidelines, and any other information used in determining 23  STATE OF ILLINOIS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 23rd Legislative Day February 28, 1997 the value of each property of parcel.'"

"I'm sorry, Representative, that's the requirement today?"

"That's current law. This requires the record card, the property record card to include that kind of information and the other elements that went into the proposed valuation."

"Does this Amendment, if adopted and the Bill goes law, does it delete language stating the Assessor must certify in writing the completeness and accuracy of these records? It's my reading that that would happen if this Bill became law."

"I'm looking for that language. I don't see that language in this Amendment, Representative."

"If you could find that for me at the right time, I would appreciate it. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. No further questions."

"Thank you, Representative Rutherford. The Gentleman from McHenry, Representative Skinner. Proceed."

"Mr. Speaker, I'm told that the ability to hear this debate is better in the bathrooms than it is on the Floor. This is an extremely inauspicious beginning to our General Assembly debate. I'll bet you not more than 10 people on this Floor have any idea what this Amendment is all about, although, they've heard lots of procedural talking. I would like to ask the Sponsor if she would again explain what this Bill purports to do, and perhaps her dulcet tones will convince other people to be a little more quiet so people understand what they're saying, what she's saying."

"Representative Currie."

"You want me to repeat the explanation for a third time, Sir? 24  STATE OF ILLINOIS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 23rd Legislative Day February 28, 1997

"Well, I haven't heard it yet."

"Okay, with respect to the portion of the Bill that deals with the Cook County Assessor, the Bill requires that the Assessor notify the Board of Review of any proposed changes in valuation of commercial and industrial property. That record, that list shall be kept by the Board of Review for a 10 year period. Second, the Bill requires in notice to all taxpayers of a proposed change in valuation, the Assessor shall notify the taxpayer the reasons for the change in valuation. And third, the record card that is there for each piece of property shall include the elements, the reasons, the basis that went into making the valuation."

"I wonder if this is, if you could speak from a Party position, if it's going to be a usual process that a Floor Amendment will come out of committee in the morning, and before an analysis can be done we will be forced to vote on that Amendment?"

"Well, Representative, this language was available, certainly by the time of the committee hearing yesterday morning at 11:00. The language I just described was part of the Amendment 1, which was filed much earlier. So, I don't think it's fair to say that there hasn't been plenty of time to look at and analyze the meaning of this language."

"I was here at 12:15 and updated my computer. It wasn't on the computer. Will farmers be among this list? The few farms you have in Cook County?"

"I believe it covers only commercial and industrial. You mean the list that goes to the Board of Review?"

"Well it says, 'for parcels other than parcels in the class that includes the majority of single family 25  STATE OF ILLINOIS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 23rd Legislative Day February 28, 1997 residential...parcels.' And surely the farm, the agricultural assessments, which I think are Class 1 but I'm not sure, would not have a majority of homes."

"Farm land would be included in that list. The exclusion is for single family."

"And apartments?"

"Yes."

"Could you explain this language that came over from the Senate that you are repeating here about the certificate of error?"

"Yes, this has to do with the subdivision in Palatine. It's a 40 or 50 year old subdivision. I believe that at the time it was built the assessing officials thought that some common land, open land was owned by the Palatine Park District. It since has developed. The title never went to the park district. It was retained by this condominium community and kept as open space by that condominium community. So what this language does is essentially provide them with the certificate of error, treating it as common land owned by a shared development and assessing that property, that space at a dollar a year, which is the traditional way we handle open spaces for cooperative and condominium property."

"Does this Amendment or the underlying Bill do anything with regard to the library district's attempt to make an end run around the tax cap?"

"No, now that language is in House Bill 2702, which as I said earlier is, we're waiting action by the Governor."

"So the gutting of the tax cap stays, would become law if the Governor signs that Bill."

"Yes. And nothing about that issue is contained in this Amendment." 26  STATE OF ILLINOIS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 23rd Legislative Day February 28, 1997

"I would ask for a Roll Call if we could have one. Thank you very much."

"Thank you. The Lady from Cook, Representative Mulligan."

"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Will the Sponsor yield."

"She indicates she will. Proceed."

"Representative, in the first part of the Amendment line 7 through 11 it basically says that this is only amended if the provisions of House Bill 2702 of the 89th General Assembly, that are changed by the Amendatory Act, become law. And that Bill has not been signed yet. Why are we going forward with this Amendment?"

"Pardon me, Representative, what was your question?"

"The question is, if the beginning of the Amendment states that this is only going into effect, if a Bill that hasn't been signed by the Governor goes into effect, why are we voting on this now?"

"It's a little protective action on our part for the Governor. He's in a very awkward position there on the second floor. If he signs 2702 he gets into a lot of trouble with the taxpayers in the County of Cook, if he doesn't sign 2702 he's in trouble with his Republican Leaders in the Assembly. So this is our effort because we like to work corporately with the Governor, and we like to work corporately with you. This is our effort to get him out of that jam, to get him out of the pretty pickle he finds himself in. And we've worked closely with Members of your side of the aisle, with Members of the Senate, with the Governor's Office in order to craft this compromise."

"I understand, Representative, your great concern, and having worked with you before I know you have the utmost kindness in your heart for both my position in this Body 27  STATE OF ILLINOIS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 23rd Legislative Day February 28, 1997 and the Governor's. But I do represent taxpayers in the County of Cook personally. The Governor representatives them generally. And I basically would like to be assured that what we're doing here is of benefit to my Suburban Cook County taxpayers. Does anything in this Bill address a sale in error of a property, or the way that that is redeemed, or what happens to someone that has had his home sold in error?"

"No, no there's only, except for the issue of that open space in Palatine, this only deals with procedures and techniques that are used in the Assessor's Office when they are preparing record cards when they are notifying the Board of Review. So it makes no substantive change in any law that affects the way your people or my people deal with the Assessor's office."

"Well I currently have a homeowner in my district that's losing his home over this process. So, I think what I'll do when this is over is seek you out and hope that you will file a Amendment or something to a subsequent Bill that will certainly address that problem and change the way the Cook County Assessor does that procedure. And I would like to request a Roll Call vote when this is over. Thank you."

"I would love to work with you on that, Representative."

"Thank you so much."

"Thank you. The Lady requested a Roll Call vote. That was done previously, Representative Mulligan. The Chair acknowledges that request. A Roll Call will be taken on that Amendment. The Gentleman from Cook, Representative Parke."

"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a Parliamentary Inquiry. My inquiry is, I would like to know how we can amend, with 28  STATE OF ILLINOIS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 23rd Legislative Day February 28, 1997 this Amendment, I know, is to go on Senate Bill 84. But my question is how can you amend House Bill 2702 when we sine died? And now you want to put in an Amendment that affects that House Bill and I don't understand under the Rules of the House and under Parliamentary Procedures how you can amend a Bill that was passed in the 89th General Assembly? And I'd like an answer from the Parliamentarian on how that can be done."

"Thank you, Representative. It's a very common procedure in this Body and in the Senate to amend legislation that has previously been passed to deal with technicalities or substantive changes in the proposed legislation."

"Well, if that's your answer then I'd like to ask, I still find it hard to believe that we can do that, but so be it. If the Sponsor of this Amendment would take a question. I would like to ask her a question."

"The Lady indicates she will. Proceed."

"Representative Currie, I'm sorry I can't, oh there you are, thank you. Does this treat, excuse me, the Assessor of Cook County any different than any other assessor in the other 101 counties in the State of Illinois?"

"Yes."

"And how is that?"

"These requirements, the requirements that I have now described three times, apply only to the Cook County Assessor's Office, they do not apply in any of the other counties of Illinois."

"Thank you. I know you said that, now what are those differences?"

"Well, I'm not expert enough to be able to identify each of them, but I would propose to you that each of these 29  STATE OF ILLINOIS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 23rd Legislative Day February 28, 1997 requirements is a requirement that does not apply to any other county assessor. The requirement to notify the Board of Review of proposed changes and valuations for all commercial and industrial properties, and the requirement that the Board of Review retain that list for 10 years; the requirement that the taxpayer whose property is proposed to be reassessed be given reasons for that reassessment and the requirement that the record card include specific information about the elements, the basis for the valuation decision."

"Well, if you can't answer them, perhaps one of your staff members might be able to whisper in your ear. It's my understanding that the notes that the Assessor's office has on how they came up with the assessment will no longer be available to the taxpayer who request to how they came up to the conclusion. And if that's the case I would ask that the Members of the General Assembly do not vote for this. Every taxpayer in Cook County ought to have the right to know how the Assessor comes up with the evaluation of what that individual taxpayer is being assessed at. That's basic to, representative government. And I believe that this Amendment takes away the taxpayer's ability to find out how that individual assessment was made. And if that's not true then perhaps you ought to find your technical people to tell, because that's my understanding of what this Amendment does."

"Representative, I think that you're not reading this properly. The new language will require the Assessor to indicate exactly what the issues were that went into the valuation. And I would interpret that to mean that you will get at least as much information about the basis for the valuation with this new language as taxpayers had in 30  STATE OF ILLINOIS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 23rd Legislative Day February 28, 1997 the old language. And certainly the agreement of those people from your leadership to this language makes it pretty clear to me that the interpretation is that this is more information for the taxpayer, not less."

"I guess I must be reading it differently than you. It seems to me that part of the paperwork that, under the old language in the House Bill that's on the Governor's desk House Bill 2702, was that the taxpayer had the right to see the notes that were brought together to come up with the reason for that tax assessment. Now under this new Amendment he no longer has to have all of those facts, he does not no longer have to have all that information, so the taxpayer can find out why he was assessed, he or she was assessed at whatever value. That is what I believe this Amendment does. So I would ask those Members of the Body who want to be protective of the individual taxpayer, that common sense would dictate that everybody should have access to all the information on how they are taxed. I believe that this country was basic to tax representation with taxation. And if you don't know why you're being taxed, or how your being taxed, then we ought not pass this Amendment. I would ask the Body to vote 'no' on this we've asked for a Roll Call, and I'll let the taxpayers judge on whether or not this is a good Amendment and judge us on our votes."

"Anything further? There being no further questions, the Lady moves for the adoption of Amendment #2 to Senate Bill 84. All those in favor shall vote 'aye'; all opposed shall vote 'nay'. The Roll Call is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? On this Motion there are 97 'ayes', 17 'noes', 2 voting 'present' and 2 not voting. The Clerk 31  STATE OF ILLINOIS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 23rd Legislative Day February 28, 1997 shall take the record. The Amendment is adopted. Anything further?"

Clerk Rossi: "No further Amendments have been approved for consideration. The Fiscal Notes and the State Mandates Notes that were requested on the Bill have been filed."

Speaker Granberg: "Third Reading. On the Order of Third Reading appears Senate Bill 84. Mr. Clerk, read the Bill."

"Senate Bill 84, a Bill for an Act in relation to taxes. Third Reading of this Senate Bill."

"Thank you, Speaker and Members of the House. We've had an active, vital discussion on this Bill. This Bill is the Amendment. I would appreciate your support and I know that Governor Edgar would appreciate it as well."

"Thank you, Mr. Ryder. On Senate Bill 84 the Gentleman from Vermilion, Representative Black."

"Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. An Inquiry of the Chair. The Calendar shows this Bill is on Short Debate, is that correct?"

"That is correct, Representative."

"Pursuant to rule 52 of your new rules, I am joined, by the requisite seven Members on my side of the aisle to withdraw this Bill from Short Debate."

Speaker Granberg: "So acknowledged. Anything further, Representative?"

"Well can we have Extended Debate, Standard Debate, or extra low fat debate? I can't keep all these debate things straight."

"Representative, at your request we'll stay here all night if you like."

"Thank you. I couldn't ask for anything more than that. Thank you."

"Anything further? The Gentleman from McHenry, 32  STATE OF ILLINOIS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 23rd Legislative Day February 28, 1997 Representative Skinner."

"I would like to point out that if this Bill passes and the Governor signs it and the Bill from the last General Assembly, we will be taking another step in gutting the tax cap. There is approximately $800 thousand that library districts in DuPage county will get in, will be able to extract from taxpayers if these two Bills are signed. And since the Governor has made the passage of this Bill conditional, a condition, a precondition of his signing the other Bill, I believe it will be a correct interpretation to say that anybody that votes for this Bill is voting to weaken the tax cap. Now there are all sorts of people, especially in target areas, that ran saying they were supporters of the tax cap. So I am hopeful that they will join me in voting 'no'."

Speaker Granberg: "Thank you. The Gentleman from Kankakee, Representative Novak."

"Yes, Mr. Speaker, will the Lady yield?"

"She indicates she will. Proceed."

"Representative Currie, has the Governor, and I may have missed this in previous discussion, but has the Governor indicated that he will sign House Bill 2702? Has the Governor indicated that with the adoption of this Bill, with the passage of this Bill, did he make a commitment that he would sign House Bill 2702 that provides for sales tax increment increases for county jails?"

"I do not know whether the Governor has made that commitment or not. I know that the Governor is supportive of this Bill. And I know that the language about the county sales tax referendum is no longer part of Senate Bill 84, as the issue of tax caps for library districts is also not part of the language of Senate Bill 84." 33  STATE OF ILLINOIS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 23rd Legislative Day February 28, 1997

"Okay. Yes, and one other question, Representative. In my understanding this is an agreement between the Governor's office and the Cook County Assessor's office?"

"This is an agreement among many parties, including the Republican Leadership in the House and the Senate."

"Okay. Thank you."

"Anything further? There being no further questions, the Lady from Cook Moves for the passage of Senate Bill 84. All in favor shall vote 'aye'; all opposed shall vote 'nay'. The voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Mr. Clerk take the record. There being 97 'yes' votes, 17 'no' votes, 2 voting 'present' and 2 not voting. This Bill, having received the Constitutional Majority is hereby declared passed. The Gentleman from Rock Island, Representative Brunsvold."

"Thank you, Mr. Speaker and Ladies and Gentlemen of the House. The Sportmen's Caucus auction and fund raiser will be a week from Tuesday. I would remember (Sic- remind) the caucus Members on the Floor to please try to get us a auction item for the, either the silent auction or the raffle. Bring that next week if you could please. Thank you."

"Thank you. The Gentleman from Washington, Representative Deering, for what purpose do you rise?"

"Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Ladies and Gentlemen of the House. I filed a Motion to suspend the appropriate rule for the posting requirements for House Bill 844. I've talked to the other side of the aisle about this, they seem to be aware of it. Apparently they are in agreement and if they so are I would like to move with this Motion."

"I believe Representative Wait is the Minority 34  STATE OF ILLINOIS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 23rd Legislative Day February 28, 1997 spokesman of that committee. Representative Wait, can you acknowledge if you are in approval of Representative Deering's Motion? Representative Deering, if you could take that Motion out of the record temporarily while they're in consultation Representative Deering, on the Motion. Motion to waive the posting notice. All those in favor say 'aye'; opposed 'no'. The 'ayes' have it. Senate Joint Resolution 20. Mr. Clerk, read the Resolution."

Clerk Rossi: "Senate Joint Resolution #20, offered by Representative Currie. Be it resolved by the Senate of the 90th General Assembly in the State of Illinois, the House of Representatives concurring herein, that when the two Houses adjourn on Friday, February 28, 1997, the Senate stands adjourned until Tuesday, March 4, 1997 at 12:00 noon; and the House of Representatives stands adjourned until Monday, March 3, 1997 at 12:00 noon in Perfunctory Session; and when it adjourns on that day it stands adjourned until Tuesday, March 4, 1997 at 12:30 p.m."

Speaker Granberg: "The Lady from Cook, Representative Erwin, for what reason do you arise?"

"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I actually have a Motion riding on House Bill 906 filed. But with the agreement of the Body I figured I would stand and ask if I could waive the rule on posting for House Bill 906, which is part of the State Comptroller's package of Bills and it is, it was her wish to be able to present them in committee next Wednesday, because of that we were unable to, I was unable to get it posted in a timely manner. So, on House Bill 907."

"The Gentleman from Vermilion, Representative Black, to the question."

"Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. If the maker of the 35  STATE OF ILLINOIS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 23rd Legislative Day February 28, 1997 Motion could just let us know. Have you checked with our spokesperson?"

"Actually, Representative, and I also wanted to add 907. I think that the Comptroller's Office was changing around some of the lead Sponsors, and in the process, they did not get posted. I did talk to Representative Clayton and I knew she was in the process of trying to check with all of you. But I knew we were going to adjourn and I figured I'd just ask and save us the time on Tuesday."

"She just talked to me and she showed me a picture that she has of me in my old high school yearbook. And based on that I'll agree."

"I'll use that again. Thank you."

"The Lady asks leave to suspend the posting notice on House Bill 906 and 907. You've heard the Lady's request. All in favor say 'aye'; all opposed say 'no'. The 'ayes' have it. Representative Currie moves for the adoption of Senate Joint Resolution #20. All in favor say 'aye'; all opposed say 'no'. The 'ayes' have it. The Resolution is adopted. Anything further, Mr. Clerk? Allowing Perfunctory time for the Clerk, Representative Currie moves that the House stand adjourned until Tuesday, March 4 at the hour of 12:00. All those in favor say 'aye'; all those opposed say 'no'. The 'ayes' have it. The House is adjourned, Representative Black can go home."

Clerk Rossi: "Committee Reports. Representative Steve Davis, Chairman from the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, to which the following Bills and Resolutions were referred, action taken on February 28, 1997, reported the same back with the following recommendation/s: 'do pass as amended Short Debate' House Bill 573. Introduction - First Reading of House Bills. House Bill 1118, offered by Representative 36  STATE OF ILLINOIS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 23rd Legislative Day February 28, 1997 Julie Curry, a Bill for an Act to amend the Property Tax Code. House Bill 1119, offered by Representative Curry, a Bill for an Act to amend the Property Tax Code. House Bill 1121, offered by Representative Curry, a Bill for an Act to amend the Property Tax Code. House Bill 1122, offered by Representative Hassert, a Bill for an Act to amend the Environmental Protection Act. House Bill 1123, offered by Representative Cross, a Bill for an Act in relation to compensation for State's attorneys. House Bill 1124, offered by Representative Cross, a Bill for an Act in relation to the regulation of certain matters. House Bill 1125, offered by Representative Cross, a Bill for an Act to amend the Limited Liability Company Act. House Bill 1126, offered by Representative Parke, a Bill for an Act to amend the Veterinary Medicine and Surgery Practice Act. First Reading of these House Bills."

Clerk Rossi: "Introduction - First Reading of House Bills. House Bill 1127, offered by Representative Santiago, a Bill for an Act to amend the Illinois Vehicle Code. House Bill 1128, offered by Representative Santiago, a Bill for an Act to amend the Vital Records Act. House Bill 1129, offered by Representative Ronen, a Bill for an Act to amend the Illinois Public Aid Code. House Bill 1130, offered by Representative McKeon, a Bill for an Act making appropriations and reappropriations. House Bill 1131, offered by Representative Gash, a Bill for an Act to create the savings and stability fund. House Bill 1132, offered by Representative Kubik, a Bill for an Act to amend the Public Utilities Act. House Bill 1133, offered by Representative Kubik, a Bill for an Act to amend the Public Utilities Act. House Bill 1134, offered by Representative Weaver, a Bill for an Act making appropriations to the 37  STATE OF ILLINOIS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 23rd Legislative Day February 28, 1997 State Board of Education. House Bill 1135, offered by Representative Wirsing, a Bill for an Act to amend the University of Illinois Act. House Bill 1136, offered by Representative Novak, a Bill for an Act in relation to burial benefits for firefighters and police officers killed in the line of duty and health care benefits for their surviving spouses, amending named Acts. House Bill 1137, offered by Representative Saviano, a Bill for an Act concerning a land conveyance. House Bill 1138, offered by Representative Ackerman, a Bill for an Act to amend the Illinois Pension Code. House Bill 1139, offered by Representative Gash, a Bill for an Act to amend the Criminal Code. House Bill 1140, offered by Representative Cross, a Bill for an Act to amend the Code of Civil Procedure. House Bill 1141, offered by Representative Lopez, a Bill for an Act concerning child support, amending named Acts. House Bill 1142, offered by Representative Lopez, a Bill for an Act concerning health coverage for treatment of diabetes, amending named Acts. House Bill 1143, offered by Representative McKeon, a Bill for an Act to amend the Health Care Surrogate Act. First Reading of these House Bills."

"Introduction - First Reading of Bills. House Bill 1144, offered by Representative Ryder, a Bill for an Act to create the Laser System Act. House Bill 1145, offered by Representative Lang, a Bill for an Act relating to simulated voting by minors. House Bill 1146, offered by Representative Lang, a Bill for an Act to amend the Illinois Antitrust Act. House Bill 1147, offered by Representative Lang, a Bill for an Act relating to competition in the telecommunications industry amending named Acts. House Bill 1148, offered by Representative 38  STATE OF ILLINOIS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 23rd Legislative Day February 28, 1997 Lang, a Bill for an Act to amend the Public Utilities Act. House Bill 1149, offered by Representative Lang, a Bill for an Act in relation to insurance. House Bill 1150, offered by Representative Bradford, a Bill for an Act to amend the School Code. House Bill 1151, offered by Representative Bradford, a Bill for an Act to amend the Local Governmental and Government Employees Tort Immunity Act. House Bill 1152, offered by Representative Deering, a Bill for an Act to amend the Illinois Pension Code. House Bill 1153, offered by Representative Lyons, a Bill for an Act to amend the Unemployment Insurance Act. House Bill 1154, offered by Representative Black, a Bill for an Act to amend the Children and Family Services Act. House Bill 1155, offered by Representative Durkin, a Bill for an Act to amend the Code of Criminal Procedure. House Bill 1156, offered by Representative Woolard, a Bill for an Act to amend the Children and Family Services Act. House Bill 1157, offered by Representative Woolard, a Bill for an Act to amend the Civil Administrative Code. House Bill 1158, offered by Representative Woolard, a Bill for an Act to amend certain Acts in relation to animals. House Bill 1159, offered by Representative Woolard, a Bill for an Act to amend the Election Code. House Bill 1160, offered by Representative Woolard, a Bill for an Act relating to property taxes, amending named Acts. House Bill 1161, offered by Representative Woolard, a Bill for an Act to provide for election of the members of the Illinois Commerce Commission, amending named Acts. House Bill 1162, offered by Representative Woolard, a Bill for an Act concerning the enclosure of private swimming pools. House Bill 1163, offered by Representative Woolard, a Bill for an Act to amend the Video Movie Sales and Rentals Act. House Bill 39  STATE OF ILLINOIS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 23rd Legislative Day February 28, 1997 1164, offered by Representative Woolard, a Bill for an Act to amend the Public Utilities Act. House Bill 1165, offered by Representative Woolard, a Bill for an Act to amend the Unemployment Insurance Act. First Reading of these House Bills."

Clerk Bolin: "Introduction - First Reading of Bills. House Bill 1166, offered by Representative Woolard, a Bill for an Act to amend the Illinois Vehicle Code. House Bill 1167, offered by Representative Woolard, a Bill for an Act to amend the Workers' Compensation Act. House Bill 1168, offered by Representative Capparelli, a Bill for an Act to amend the Illinois Securities Law of 1953 by changing Section 2.10. House Bill 1169, offered by Representative Rutherford, a Bill for an Act concerning the Secretary of State, amending named Acts. House Bill 1170, offered by Representative Rutherford, a Bill for an Act to amend the Build Illinois Bond Act. House Bill 1171, offered by Representative Rutherford, a Bill for an Act to amend the General Obligation Bond Act. House Bill 1172, offered by Representative Rutherford, a Bill for an Act to amend the General Obligation Bond Act. House Bill 1173, offered by Representative Fritchey, a Bill for an Act to amend the Illinois Vehicle Code. House Bill 1174, offered by Representative Persico, a Bill for an Act to amend the Hazardous Material Emergency Response Reimbursement Act. House Bill 1175, offered by Representative Scott, a Bill for an Act in relation to elections. House Bill 1176, offered by Representative Boland, a Bill for an Act concerning forced labor. House Bill 1177, offered by Representative Jones, a Bill for an Act concerning agriculture, amending named Acts. House Bill 1178, offered by Representative Bost, a Bill for an Act to amend the 40  STATE OF ILLINOIS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 23rd Legislative Day February 28, 1997 Illinois Highway Code. House Bill 1179, offered by Representative Moffitt, a Bill for an Act to amend the Illinois Low-Level Radioactive Waste Management Act. House Bill 1180, offered by Representative Wirsing, a Bill for an Act to amend the Public Community College Act. House Bill 1181, offered by Representative Wirsing, a Bill for an Act to amend the Public Community College Act. House Bill 1182, offered by Representative Wirsing, a Bill for an Act to amend the Northern Illinois University Law by changing Section 30-45. House Bill 1183, offered by Representative Durkin, a Bill for an Act to amend the Code of Civil Procedure. House Bill 1184, offered by Representative Ryder, a Bill for an Act to amend the Sexual Exploitation in Psychotherapy Act. House Bill 1185, offered by Representative Burke, a Bill for an Act to amend the Naprapathic Practice Act. House Bill 1186, offered by Representative Biggert, a Bill for an Act in relation to rights and remedies. House Bill 1187, offered by Representative Hughes, a Bill for an Act to amend the Park District Code. House Bill 1188, offered by Representative Hughes, a Bill for an Act to amend the Counties Code. House Bill 1189, offered by Representative Hughes, a Bill for an Act to amend the Township Code. House Bill 1190, offered by Representative Hughes, a Bill for an Act to amend the Township Code. House Bill 1191, offered by Representative Hughes, a Bill for an Act to amend the Illinois Municipal Code. House Bill 1192, offered by Representative Hughes, a Bill for an Act to amend the Illinois Municipal Code. House Bill 1193, offered by Representative Hughes, a Bill for an Act concerning local governments, amending named Acts. House Bill 1194, offered by Representative Gash, a Bill for an Act to amend the Criminal Code of 1961. House Bill 1195, 41  STATE OF ILLINOIS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 23rd Legislative Day February 28, 1997 offered by Representative Howard, a Bill for an Act to guarantee payment of wage supplements to certain part-time employees. House Bill 1196, offered by Representative Howard, a Bill for an Act concerning denials of credit, amending named Acts. House Bill 1197, offered by Representative Younge, a Bill for an Act to amend the Public Community College Act. House Bill 1198, offered by Representative Young, a Bill for an Act making an appropriation to the Illinois Community College Board. House Bill 1199, offered by Representative Biggert, a Bill for an Act to amend the School Code. House Bill 1200, offered by Representative Granberg, a Bill for an Act to amend the Illinois Vehicle Code. House Bill 1201, offered by Representative Biggert, a Bill for an Act making an appropriation to the State Board of Education. House Bill 1202, offered by Representative Kenner, a Bill for an Act to amend the School Code. House Bill 1203, offered by Representative Kenner, a Bill for an Act to amend the School Code. House Bill 1204, offered by Representative Silva, a Bill for an Act to amend the University of Illinois Act. House Bill 1205, offered by Representative Silva, a Bill for an Act to amend the Illinois Public Aid Code. House Bill 1206, offered by Representative Silva, a Bill for an Act to amend the School Code. House Bill 1207, offered by Representative Meyer, a Bill for an Act to amend the Illinois Vehicle Code. House Bill 1208, offered by Representative Meyer, a Bill for an Act to amend the Criminal Code of 1961. House Bill 1209, offered by Representative Meyer, a Bill for an Act to amend the Criminal Code of 1961. House Bill 1210, offered by Representative Meyer, a Bill for an Act to amend the Illinois Vehicle Code. House Bill 1211, offered by 42  STATE OF ILLINOIS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 23rd Legislative Day February 28, 1997 Representative Meyer, a Bill for an Act in relation to parent-sponsored school organizations, amending named Acts. House Bill 1212, offered by Representative Noland, a Bill for an Act in relation to certain land. House Bill 1213, offered by Representative Saviano, a Bill for an Act to amend the Hospital Licensing Act. House Bill 1214, offered by Representative Saviano, a Bill for an Act to create the Real Estate Appraiser Licensing Act. House Bill 1215, offered by Representative Saviano, a Bill for an Act to amend the private detective, private alarm, private security and locksmith Act of 1993. House Bill 1216, offered by Representative Saviano, a Bill for an Act to amend the private detective, private alarm, private security and locksmith Act of 1993. House Bill 1217, offered by Representative Beaubien, a Bill for an Act to amend the Alcoholism and Drug Addiction Intervenor and Reporter Immunity Law by changing Section 4. House Bill 1218, offered by Representative Clayton, a Bill for an Act to amend the Illinois Highway Code. House Bill 1219, offered by Representative Klingler, a Bill for an Act in relation to sex offenders, amending named Acts. House Bill 1220, offered by Representative Giglio, a Bill for an Act to amend the Illinois Vehicle Code. House Bill 1221, offered by Representative Turner, a Bill for an Act to amend the Illinois Controlled Substances Act. House Bill 1222, offered by Representative Winters, a Bill for an Act to amend the Illinois Highway Code. House Bill 1223, offered by Representative Bergman, a Bill for an Act to amend the Illinois Highway Code. House Bill 1224, offered by Representative Meyer, a Bill for an Act to amend the Department of Veterans Affairs Act. House Bill 1225, offered by Representative Meyer, a Bill for an Act to amend 43  STATE OF ILLINOIS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 23rd Legislative Day February 28, 1997 the Department of Veterans Affairs Act. House Bill 1226, offered by Representative Meyer, a Bill for an Act making appropriations. House Bill 1227, offered by Representative Schakowsky, a Bill for an Act to amend the Illinois Act on Aging. House Bill 1228, offered by Representative Schakowsky, a Bill for an Act concerning housing. House Bill 1229, offered by Representative Hassert, a Bill for an Act creating the Radon Industry Licensing Act. House Bill 1230, offered by Representative Phelps, a Bill for an Act to amend the Interstate Ozone Transport Oversight Act. House Bill 1231, offered by Representative Scott, a Bill for an Act concerning public rights-of-way. House Bill 1232, offered by Representative Scott, a Bill for an Act to amend the Illinois Insurance Code. House Bill 1233, offered by Representative Wait, a Bill for an Act to amend the Illinois Vehicle Code. House Bill 1234, offered by Representative Scott, a Bill for an Act to amend the Abandoned Housing Rehabilitation Act. House Bill 1235, offered by Representative Schakowsky, a Bill for an Act to amend the Displaced Homemakers Assistance Act. House Bill 1236, offered by Representative Burke, a Bill for an Act to amend the Illinois Insurance Code. House Bill 1237, offered by Representative Myers, a Bill for an Act to amend the Asbestos Abatement Authority Act. House Bill 1238, offered by Representative Stephens, a Bill for an Act to amend the Airport Authorities Act. House Bill 1239, offered by Representative Kosel, a Bill for an Act to amend the Illinois Hazardous Materials Transportation Act. House Bill 1240, offered by Representative Wait, a Bill for an Act concerning responsibilities of the Department of Transportation. House Bill 1241, offered by Representative McKeon, a Bill for an Act to amend the Illinois Human 44  STATE OF ILLINOIS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 23rd Legislative Day February 28, 1997 Rights Act. House Bill 1242, offered by Representative Schoenberg, a Bill for an Act to amend the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Act. House Bill 1243, offered by Representative Durkin, a Bill for an Act to amend the Criminal Code of 1961. House Bill 1244, offered by Representative Rutherford, a Bill for an Act to amend the Illinois Pension Code. House Bill 1255, offered by Representative Wait. House Bill 1245 offered by Representative Wait, a Bill for an Act to amend the Code of Civil Procedure. House Bill 1246, offered by Representative Wait, a Bill for an Act to amend the Illinois Vehicle Code. House Bill 1247, offered by Representative Wait, a Bill for an Act concerning county retail licenses for tobacco products. House Bill 1248, offered by Representative Moffitt, a Bill for an Act concerning State contract procedures. House Bill 1249, offered by Representative Mulligan, a Bill for an Act to amend the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act. House Bill 1250, offered by Representative Mulligan, A Bill for an Act to amend the Township Code. House Bill 1251, offered by Representative Mulligan, a Bill for an Act to amend the Election Code. House Bill 1252, offered by Representative Krause, a Bill for an Act to amend the Probate Act of 1975. House Bill 1253, offered by Representative Mautino, a Bill for an Act to amend the Illinois Vehicle Code. House Bill 1254, offered by Representative Scott, a Bill for an Act to amend the Criminal Code of 1961. House Bill 1255, offered by Representative Holbrook, a Bill for an Act to amend the Bingo License and Tax Act. First Readings and Introductions of House Resolutions. House Resolution #48, offered by Representative Feigenholtz; House Resolution #49, offered by Representative Woolard; House Resolution #50, offered by 45  STATE OF ILLINOIS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 23rd Legislative Day February 28, 1997 Representative Bugielski; House Resolution #51, offered by Representative Mautino; House Resolution #52, offered by Representative Cowlishaw." First Reading and Introduction of House Joint Resolutions. House Joint Resolution #11, offered by Representative Madigan; House Joint Resolution #12, offered by Representative Howard; House Joint Resolution #13, offered by Representative Howard."

"Being no further business, the House Perfunctory Session stands adjourned. The House will reconvene in regular Session on March 4th at 12:30 p.m." 46