"The House will be in order. The Members will be in their seats. The hour of 11:30 having arrived, we will begin our deliberations for the day. Today we will be led in prayer by Lee Crawford, who is the Assistant Pastor with the Victory Temple Church in Springfield. Guests in the gallery may wish to rise for the invocation. Could we have a little order in the House. We are going to begin with the prayer, so let's have a little order as we begin our day here in the House of Representatives with the prayer. Lee Crawford."
"May we lift our hearts. Creator and Ruler of all people. We pray this day for our state that as life may be established and built upon this self. That all hatred and malice, all indifference to the sufferings of others, all narrow exclusiveness and selfish greed may be swept away by the breath of Your spirit, and that public spirit, honor and justice, cooperation and service self-sacrifice for the good of the whole people may flourish abundantly among us. Purify us from all baseness. Fill us with divine passion to uplift the weak, to sweep away oppression and wrong, to give to each of us the opportunity of a full life that may be lived to the glory and to the service of all humanity. Amen."
Speaker Hannig: "Thank you, and Representative Hartke will lead us today in the Pledge of Allegiance."
"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."
Speaker Hannig: "Roll Call for Attendance. Representative Hartke, for what purpose do you rise?"
"Well, thank you very much, Mr. Speaker, Members of the 1 STATE OF ILLINOIS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 85th Legislative Day January 28, 1998 General Assembly. It is my pleasure today to introduce to the Body the Sigel eighth grade girls. Will they stand, please? They won the Illinois Grade School Association State Basketball Tournament with a 27 and 1 record. Please give them a hand. Congratulation, girls."
Speaker Hannig: "Congratulations and welcome to Springfield. Excused absences, Representative Black. Oh, Representative Cross for excused absences."
"Yes, there are. Representative Cowlishaw is excused. Would the record please reflect that?"
Speaker Hannig: "The record will so reflect and Representative Currie, Barbara Currie, for the Democrat excused absences."
"Thank you, Speaker. Please let the record show that Representative Woolard is excused today."
"The record will so reflect. Mr. Clerk, take the record. There are 116 Members answering the Roll Call and a quorum is present. Representative Currie, do you have a Motion?"
"Thank you, Speaker, pursuant to Rule 58-a, I move to discharge the Committee on Rules from further consideration of Joint Session Resolution 3, and ask for immediate consideration."
"And on that question, Representative Black."
"Yes, Inquiry of the Chair, Mr. Speaker."
"Yes, Sir."
"Yes, is the Majority Leader asking that we discharge Joint Session Resolution 3 without having it heard or assigned to the Rules Committee, is that what we're doing?"
"Representative Currie."
"That is what we're doing and I believe we had checked with you, and you said it was okay."
"Yes, I... I join with you. This is probably one of the 2 STATE OF ILLINOIS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 85th Legislative Day January 28, 1998 better Resolutions you've sponsored here in your illustrious career. We certainly have no objection, but at the appropriate time, Mr. Speaker, I would like an inquiry of the Chair on a matter of a discharge Motion that I had filed. But we certainly stand in full support of Joint Resolution #3, one of the better Resolutions that I have seen in this chamber in years."
Speaker Hannig: "So, on the question of discharging Joint Resolution #3, all in favor say 'aye'; opposed 'nay'. The 'ayes' have it and the Resolution is discharged. Representative Cross, for what reason do you rise?"
"Yes, Mr. Speaker, it's a pretty sad day, or not sad, it's a pretty happy day on this side of the aisle. Representative Durkin, his birthday is today. He's 37 years old and he apparently is going to have his birthday cake out for us tomorrow. It is not here today, but it will be out front tomorrow when we're..."
"When we're gone."
"...not in Session. But you might want to wish Representative Durkin a Happy Birthday."
"Thank you. Happy Birthday, Representative."
Speaker Madigan: "Speaker Madigan in the Chair. The Chair recognizes Mr. Black."
"Yes, thank you very much, Mr. Speaker, an inquiry of the Chair if I might. Thank you. We were pleased to join you, on our side of the aisle in a bipartisan mode this morning to discharge the Senate Joint Resolution from the Rules Committee. I filed yesterday two discharge Motions, one on House Bill 868, sponsored by my Leader, Representative Daniels. The other on House Bill 2439, sponsored by Speaker Madigan. Now, can we act on those Resolutions or discharge Motions today or do they have to go to the Rules 3 STATE OF ILLINOIS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 85th Legislative Day January 28, 1998 Committee for action at a later date?"
Speaker Madigan: "Mr. Black, would you tell me, relative to the Bill where I am the Sponsor of the Bill, who filed the Motion to discharge my Bill from committee?"
"I did"
"You did."
"Yes, Sir."
"Well, I want to thank you very much."
"Well, I thought it was an outstanding Bill and just to show you... to reach out to you, Mr. Speaker, in a bipartisan mode to help you advance your legislation. Your committee, your Appropriations Committee yesterday, for some reason did not move on a 'do pass' recommendation and I think that's an outrage, it's an insult to your credibility, your stature in the House and I... we're going to help you move that Bill to the Floor for debate because I know that's what you want and we want to join with you in that."
Speaker Madigan: "Mr. Black. I thank you for all of your pledges of cooperation. I know you're sincere."
"Yes, Yes."
"And then relative to the Motions they've been assigned to the Rules Committee."
"I see, and will the Rules Committee meet today, you think?"
"I don't know."
"Well, perhaps it would meet sometime in this year. I'm sure it would meet sometime in '98."
Speaker Madigan: "Mr. Black, maybe you could answer my inquiry. When the Rules Committee does meet..."
"Yes."
"... would it be possible for them to consider 4 STATE OF ILLINOIS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 85th Legislative Day January 28, 1998 all of those Motions that you referred to the Rules Committee in March of 1995?"
"Yes, I got that. It was a rather lengthy list, but I'm sure those Motions would not add significantly to the workload of that outstanding committee."
"Right, right."
"Thank you."
"Thank you."
"I assume you will take this under advisement."
"Yes, I will."
"Thank you."
"Thank you. The regular Session of the House shall stand in recess. Mr. Doorkeeper. The Chair recognizes the Doorkeeper for an announcement. Mr. Doorkeeper, can you advise us when the Members of the Senate arrive?"
"Yes."
"Thank you."
"Mr. Doorkeeper, have the Senators arrived? The Chair recognizes the Doorkeeper for an announcement."
"Mr. Speaker, the Honorable President Philip and the Members of the Senate are at the door and seek admission to the chamber."
Speaker Madigan: "Mr. Doorkeeper, please admit the Honorable Senators. As designated in the House Joint Resolution #45, the hour of 12:00 noon having arrived, the Joint Session of the 90th 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. Clerk, is a quorum of the Senate present in 5 STATE OF ILLINOIS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 85th Legislative Day January 28, 1998 this chamber?"
"A quorum of the Senate is present."
Speaker Madigan: "There being a quorum of the House and a quorum of the Senate in attendance, this Joint Session is convened. If the Members could please give us some attention. Could the Members take their chairs? Could the Members please be seated? We'd like to recognize the presence of several dignitaries who have joined us today. First, the Lieutenant Governor of the State of Illinois, Mr. Bob Kustra. Mr. Bob Kustra. The Secretary of State, former Speaker of the House, George Ryan. The Attorney General, Jim Ryan. The Comptroller, Loleta Didrickson. The Treasurer, Judy Barr Topinka. Chief Justice of the Illinois Supreme Court, Chief Justice Charles Freeman. Also, from the Supreme Court, Justice Ben Miller. The Auditor General, Bill Holland. The Superintendent of Education, Joseph Spagnolo. The Governor's Chief of Staff, Gene Reineke. The Governor's Director of Legislative Affairs, Mr. Deno Perdiou. The Director of the Bureau of the Budget, Steve Schnorf. Former Member of the House, currently Cook County Recorder of Deeds, Jesse White. A Judge of the Circuit Court of Cook County, Judge... excuse me, a member of the Appellate Court of the Cook County district, Appellate Justice Morton Zwick. In the gallery, please honor the wife of Governor Edgar, Brenda Edgar. Also in the gallery, please welcome the wife of Secretary Ryan, Lura Lynn Ryan. The Chair recognizes the Majority Leader, Representative Currie."
"Thank you, Speaker. Would the Clerk please read Joint Session Resolution #3?"
"Mr. Clerk."
Clerk Rossi: "Joint Session Resolution #3, offered by 6 STATE OF ILLINOIS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 85th Legislative Day January 28, 1998 Representative Currie. BE IT RESOLVED, That a committee of ten be appointed, five from the House, by the Speaker of the House, and five from the Senate, by the President of the Senate, to a wait upon His Excellency Governor Jim Edgar and invite him to address the Joint Assembly.
Speaker Madigan: "The Lady moves for the adoption of the Resolution. All those in favor signify by saying 'aye'; all those opposed say '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 Robert Bugielski, Representative Eugene Moore, Representative Mary Kay O'Brien, Representative Bob Bergman, Representative Corinne Wood. On behalf of President Philip, Senator Weaver will read the Senate appointees."
Senator Weaver: "Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Senator Bradley Burzynski, Senator Judith Myers, Senator Tom Walsh, Senator Rickey Hendon, and Senator Larry Walsh."
Speaker Madigan: "Will the Committee of Escort please convene at the rear of the chamber and await his Excellency, the Governor? Will the committee Members please retire to the rear of the chamber? Mr. Doorkeeper. Mr. Doorkeeper."
"Mr. Speaker, the Honorable Governor of the State of Illinois, Jim Edgar and his party wish to be admitted to this chamber."
"Admit the Honorable Governor. Mr. Governor."
"Well, thank you. You know, I have an option of coming back again next year and..." State of the State Address to the 90th General Assembly 7 STATE OF ILLINOIS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 85th Legislative Day January 28, 1998 Governor Jim Edgar January 28, 1998 Speaker Madigan, Senator Weaver, Justices of the Supreme Court, my fellow Constitutional officers, members of the 90th General Assembly, and my fellow citizens of Illinois. Seven years ago when I stood at this podium for the first time as Governor, the state of our great state was a major concern to me. State government was squarely behind a fiscal eight ball. It had been living beyond its means. It had become heavy on bureaucracy and light on fiscal restraint. Spending was out of control. And a national recession was not only robbing us of revenues, but also adding to our costs as our people suffered layoffs and unemployment. I will never forget the embarrassment of the state not paying its bills on time, and the anguish of people who were out of work. They made a lasting impression on me and underscored the urgency of setting things right in Illinois. After all, government, those of us assembled here today, exists to solve the problems its people encounter and to prevent those that can be anticipated. We have done that. Our ability to meet the needs of our people during those tough economic times, without raising taxes was in serious question. But we together responded to the challenge. We charted a new direction for Illinois. We stopped spending money we didn't have. We streamlined state government. We downsized it by thousands of employees. We continued to meet our major obligations and to address new 8 STATE OF ILLINOIS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 85th Legislative Day January 28, 1998 challenges by finding innovative ways to meet our responsibility. We have prepared Illinois to enter the 21st Century capable of meeting any new challenges that lie ahead. Illinois is no longer a deadbeat state. We eliminated a mountain of Medicaid debt. At last we are fully funding our pension systems. And yes we have been paying and we will continue to pay our bills on time. We rescued our treasury from the brink of bankruptcy by imposing a new fiscal discipline. And as long as I am Governor we will continue to be disciplined. With our fiscal problems behind us some may be tempted to go on another spending binge as we saw in the 1980's As you will see when I detail my budget for the next fiscal year in three weeks there will be no spending binge. I'm not proposing one. I won't accept one. And neither will the taxpayers of Illinois. This state also will stay on course when it comes to our economic development strategy. We have significantly improved the climate for creating new jobs in this state. Many, many of those anguished Illinoisans I listened to during my first days, weeks and months as Governor are working today. We changed laws that put Illinois at a competitive disadvantage. And we dramatically changed the thrust of our economic development efforts. We turned away from trying to outbid other states for new businesses. We turned toward helping businesses already here, businesses already employing Illinoisans, businesses already paying taxes to prosper and to expand. Our economic strategy, just like our 9 STATE OF ILLINOIS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 85th Legislative Day January 28, 1998 fiscal strategy, has worked. Today things are much different in Illinois. We are a national leader in economic recovery. In the last five years, more than a half million jobs have been created in Illinois, nearly 71,000 just last year, which represented the largest increase in the Midwest and the second largest in the nation. Moreover, thousands of those new jobs were in manufacturing as our state outpaced the rest of the nation. Illinois gained close to 7,000 manufacturing jobs last year at a job growth rate that is more than doubled the national average, while the Midwest generally lost more than 14,000 manufacturing jobs. Per capita income has increased 32 percent during the 1990's. That is almost a 10% better than the national average. And unemployment is a record low rate for the last quarter of a century. The export economy in Illinois continues to grow and prosper. Direct exports have grown by 14 percent a year during the 1990s. That is four times the rate of growth during the 1980s. In fact, Illinois has lead all other major industrial states in export growth for two straight years, and we're going to keep making exports a top priority in Illinois. Indeed, we have changed this state's image from anti-business to pro-business. Just last month, we took historical action that not only will keep more money in the pockets of Illinois workers but encourage their companies to add still more jobs to our economy. Our deregulation of the electric utility industry is expected to save consumers, homeowners and businesses more than a half billion dollars a year. And when it comes to state regulation of business in general, we are protecting workers, consumers, our environment and the 10 STATE OF ILLINOIS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 85th Legislative Day January 28, 1998 bottom line by taking a reasonable approach. You can regulate without over-regulating. And we have by working with businesses in trailblazing efforts to clean up contaminated sites and address other environmental problems. We also are holding down the cost of doing business in Illinois. And we are working to help new companies get a foothold in the business world. In December, we implemented changes to the unemployment insurance program that guarantees the continued stability of the fund and jobless benefits, and we spared businesses from an $85 million tax hit in the process. We have made more than $6 million in loans to new and small businesses that do not qualify for conventional loans, many of them owned by women or minorities or individuals with disabilities. Next month, I expect to announce the first communities to participate in a program that will help assure tourism remains one of the state's leading and fastest growing industries. Through this innovative (sic-innitiative) we will further develop historical sites in Downstate Illinois. Let there be no mistake about it. Tourism is a major growing factor in creating jobs in Illinois. It contributes $18 billion to our economy and employs well over a quarter of a million people in this state. And this administration will continue to bolster and expand our tourism efforts in our world-class gateway city of Chicago and throughout Illinois. We also will continue pushing for a third major airport in the Chicago metropolitan area. It is crucial to the economy of that area and the entire state as we look toward the 21st Century. Just last month the National Aviation Review Commission warned 11 STATE OF ILLINOIS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 85th Legislative Day January 28, 1998 of aviation gridlock at the nation's major airports including O'Hare. The dominant airlines at O'Hare are fighting us on this. But their opposition is not unusual. They have fought progress before, including right here in Illinois. If the major airlines had prevailed in the 1950s, there would be no O'Hare airport today. Elsewhere on the economic front, I am urging this General Assembly to approve as quickly as possible a modest, sensible proposal that will save tens of thousands of jobs in this state. All segments of the horse racing industry have agreed on legislation to ensure that threatened industry survives. And its survival, according to the Illinois Economic and Fiscal Commission, means keeping 37,000 jobs and $1.4 billion in our economy. A strong, growing economy. An effective, efficient and fiscally responsible state government. Both are critical to making our state a great place to live and work. But there must be more. Each child in our state, each potential worker for the 21st Century, should have access to quality education, regardless of where he or she lives. Our streets and our schools must be safe. All of our citizens, young and old, men and women, must be encouraged and helped to achieve maximum self-sufficiency. There must be opportunity for all who seek opportunity. The headlines of the '90s remind us that too frequently that lives can be lost at any age. But lives also can be saved at any age. We must protect and nurture our children and families, our 12 STATE OF ILLINOIS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 85th Legislative Day January 28, 1998 human resources. And we must protect and nurture our natural resources. We must prevent problems as well as solve them. Or our economy will stop growing. And our quality of life won't be what we want it to be, especially for our children and our grandchildren. So let me discuss the progress we have made, and must continue to make in several key areas. And I want to begin with education, because I strongly believe that nothing is more important to the future of our state. Last month we converted the rhetoric of three decades into reality. We finally at long last, for the first time in the history of our state decreed that each and every school child in Illinois must be supported by an adequate level of funding. We also launched a $3 billion school construction program, the first in 20 years, to provide quality learning environments throughout the state. But as I have said many, many times from this and other podiums, money alone will not assure a quality education. And together in the '90s we have taken major steps to make educators more accountable and to produce better results. Chicago school reform comes immediately to mind. For decades the rhetoric flew. But as we did with school funding, we converted the rhetoric into reality. We empowered the mayor, the new school management team he put into place, principals, teachers, parents and community leaders. We gave them the flexibility and the freedom to deal with the unusual and daunting problems of that system. We also demanded more accountability. And today, the Chicago public school system, once a symbol of failure in urban education, is a model for reforming urban 13 STATE OF ILLINOIS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 85th Legislative Day January 28, 1998 education throughout the nation. I believe strongly in public education. I believe strongly in funding it fairly and adequately. I believe strongly in local control of our schools. I believe strongly that local school boards must have the flexibility to innovate free of mandates and red tape generated from Springfield. And I believe strongly that local school boards, principals and teachers must be held accountable. Those principles are embodied in the sweeping reforms we have enacted, not only for Chicago, but for schools throughout Illinois. We established charter schools to stimulate innovation. We authorized alternative schools to deal with disruptive students. We've freed schools in all corners of Illinois to gain waivers from unnecessary mandates. We set tough new academic standards for our students. We now require teachers to teach for four years before they become fully certified. And now they must renew their certificates every five years by demonstrating they have performed well in the classroom and worked on becoming even better professionals. In the same vein, we have expedited the process for dismissing teachers who are not performing well. But we need to build on these reforms, not rest on them. Take school funding for instance. There is unfinished business. As I have said throughout my career in public life, we rely too heavily property taxes to fund our schools. And we still do, even with the historical funding reform we enacted last month to raise up the poorer school districts in our 14 STATE OF ILLINOIS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 85th Legislative Day January 28, 1998 state, and even with the success of property tax caps. You might remember, some of you who were here ,in my first State of the State address, I announced I was calling a special session that day I'm not doing that today. I thought you'd be happy. But in that special session I called the Assembly to win approval of property tax caps. And they have saved homeowners and businesses more than $800 million in the years since they were enacted. The caps have proved effective in halting the staggering increases in property tax bills that had been occurring year after year, particularly in northeastern Illinois. But they do not represent the fundamental reform I and many others have advocated, proposed and continue to advocate. The current system remains unfair. We need to change it. So I will soon appoint a blue ribbon commission to develop recommendations that I hope will lead to a tax swap, less reliance on property taxes, greater reliance on fairer taxes, like the income tax. I am pleased that an extremely capable individual, Tim Bramlet, President of the Taxpayers Federation of Illinois, has agreed to head this commission. It is a complex issue. How would such a swap be implemented? Should it impact businesses as well as homeowners? But I believe the commission can thoroughly study the matter solicit public comment, and fashion a plan by December 31 the deadline I am establishing for the commission report. I also believe there is unfinished business when it comes to the quality of teaching in our classrooms. During the next decade, more teachers will begin their careers than in any other decade in the history of this nation. Research shows that the expertise of teachers is absolutely critical to the academic achievement of students. 15 STATE OF ILLINOIS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 85th Legislative Day January 28, 1998 So it is important for us to help teachers become the best they can be. While serving on a national commission on teacher preparation, I learned Illinois like many other states should be doing better. Future teachers in Illinois need better preparation. Currently the state requires them to student-teach for just eight weeks. That's only half a semester. Those future teachers need more practical experience in the classroom and more guidance from seasoned teachers. I believe they need to spend 16 weeks, one full semester, student-teaching in our schools. I also believe we should take action to assure that fewer and fewer of our teachers are teaching outside their areas of expertise. Former State Superintendent of Education, Ted Sanders, who is now President of Southern Illinois University, is co chairing a panel called the Illinois Policy Group on Teacher Quality. It is formulating recommendations on teachers preparation issues. And I will be asking the Board of Higher Education and the State Board of Education to take several actions that will help us insure we have top quality people teaching our kids and the students of the 21st Century. Meanwhile, we must continue to build on the substantial gains we have made in improving higher education in Illinois. We have eliminated unnecessary layers of bureaucracy at the state level. And we have demanded that our state universities themselves enact reforms. They needed to streamline and they have. They needed to put more emphasis on helping undergraduates to graduate in four years. And they have. The reforms they have made under the direction of the Board of Higher Education have won national recognition. 16 STATE OF ILLINOIS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 85th Legislative Day January 28, 1998 Our world-class universities and first-rate community colleges represent an important part of our commitment to the future. And we have recognized that in many ways. We have invested $45 million in our Distance Learning Initiative to give college and high school students access to additional education opportunities through new technology. We have funded the construction of 21st Century facilities in which our professors can teach and our students can learn. This year alone we will begin construction a permanent campus for Heartland Community College in Bloomington Normal. We will build a new engineering building at SIU-Edwardsville. We will increase classroom space at John A. Logan Community College in Southern Illinois. And we will expand the Booth Library at Eastern Illinois University and start construction on a new agriculture library at the University of Illinois. But our look to the future involves far more than bricks and mortar. Last year, we acted to help future university and college students and their families pay for their college years. Our new prepaid tuition plan will help them save for college. They will know in advance what fees and tuitions will be and they will pay for them at today's prices. The prepaid tuition plan recognizes that the ability of young people to reach their full potential depends on circumstances beyond the classroom. That is something we must constantly keep in mind as we shape and pursue an agenda for Illinois. If a child comes to her first grade classroom malnourished, or with an undetected vision problem, or with problems at home, she is not going to benefit fully from what is available in that classroom even from a great teacher, even in one of our best 17 STATE OF ILLINOIS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 85th Legislative Day January 28, 1998 schools. We launched one of our most worthwhile programs, Project Success, because we realized that many school children and the schools themselves needed help. We got parents involved. We got neighborhoods and communities involved. We established far better coordination among state and community human service agencies. In neighborhoods and communities throughout Illinois, we established a network of effectively delivered services to which educators and parents could turn and get results quickly. We found caring businesses to donate school supplies to children who couldn't afford them. We found utility companies willing to work with families that are without electricity and struggling to pay their bills. We found health care professionals willing to donate their services to help identify and address vision, hearing and other physical barriers to learning. We found parents willing to make kids feel safer by escorting them to and from schools. We started Project Success with six sites in 1992. Since then it has been expanded to 840 schools throughout Illinois. And I am proud to announce today that within the next year we will make Project Success available to every one of the 3200 elementary and middle schools in the State of Illinois. Kids, particularly disadvantaged kids, are doing better in school because of Project Success. And we are doing a much better job in delivering human services and taking up the challenge of welfare reform because of what we learned from the success of Project Success. You can't address the problems of a disadvantaged individual 18 STATE OF ILLINOIS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 85th Legislative Day January 28, 1998 or family narrowly. Typically, there are several problems that require a variety of services. You can operate far more effectively and efficiently by doing a better job of coordinating services. We need to get neighborhoods and communities, churches and the private sector involved. Many of them once were involved, deeply involved. They can, and they must be again. To make their neighborhoods and communities safer, to help people who live within them become more productive and self-sufficient. We have revolutionized the delivery of human services in Illinois. We have abandoned the one-size-fits-all approach. We know that not all wisdom resides in Springfield and certainly not all in Washington, D.C. We are working with communities and neighborhoods in every corner of this state to address their problems in the way most relevant for them. We are listening to them. We are also sharing responsibility with them. And at the state level we have implemented the most sweeping reorganization of state government since the early 1900s. Programs and services once scattered among a half dozen state agencies, are now being administered and delivered by a single agency. A family that turns to government for assistance now deals with a case manager, who can tap into several different services needed to address the problems of the family as a whole. This agency, the Department of Human Services, reflects and embodies our revolutionary approach, one that is being seen as a 19 STATE OF ILLINOIS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 85th Legislative Day January 28, 1998 beacon for the nation. It also is spearheading welfare reform in Illinois. While the nation was still debating welfare reform in the early and mid '90s, Illinois was moving ahead. We rejected an approach that fostered dependence and instead adopted one that furthers independence. Our nationally recognized Earnfare program provided thousands and thousands of former welfare recipients with work and the dignity of a paycheck. We stopped penalizing welfare families when the father stayed with the family. We stopped penalizing recipients who took part-time or temporary jobs. We required teenage mothers to finish their education and to live at home. We required mothers with older children to seek and find work or risk having their benefits reduced. And we required welfare recipients with substance abuse problems to undergo treatment. Over the last year, we have doubled the number of welfare families in job training and placement programs to 40,000. Because of our welfare-to-work initiative, another 41,000 families moved from the public aid rolls to the private payrolls in just the last 12 months. That is a 32 percent increase in the number of families who will be able to become self-sufficient over the previous year, and brings the total to more than 200 thousand since January 1991. Those are families who no longer depend on a government check but rely on themselves to earn a paycheck and the pride it brings. We are beating the national timetable for welfare reform. And Illinois last year recorded the lowest public aid caseload since the early 1970s. 20 STATE OF ILLINOIS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 85th Legislative Day January 28, 1998 Some critics of welfare reform have suggested welfare recipients are being punished. That is certainly not what is driving reform in Illinois. As a matter of fact, Illinois was among the first states to offer state-funded benefits to the most needy legal immigrants after Congress unwisely cut them off in the federal welfare reform bill. Our program to provide assistance to thousands of immigrant children and to elderly or disabled immigrants cut off from food stamps gives them vital nutritional services. By law that program will expire in August. I am asking you, the General Assembly, to extend it permanently. No, welfare reform isn't about punishment. It's about encouraging, stimulating and helping people who can become self-sufficient to turn away from dependence on government and toward the pride of a paycheck. But as we learned from Project Success, we need to look at the big picture. We must recognize and we have recognized that roadblocks can sometimes stand in the way of welfare parents becoming a working parent. A parent who cannot find transportation to his or her job or cannot arrange decent safe child care has far less chance of succeeding. We responded with transportation programs in partnership with private employers, that help people get to work. For example, the private and public sectors joined last year to create a new welfare-to-work bus routes in Chicago metropolitan area. The buses take people working their way off welfare from the city to their suburban jobs in the suburbs at United Airlines. We also have provided record funding for child care, $380 21 STATE OF ILLINOIS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 85th Legislative Day January 28, 1998 million this year alone. That is an increase of $100 million from the previous year. It is the second largest funding increase in the country. And it means we are providing seven times more for child care than we were providing just seven years ago. And we will do more. For older children, structured activities after the school day ends can mean the difference between a life centered on success and a life scarred by drugs, gangs, pregnancy and dropping out of school. Through our Teen Reach initiative, this administration will develop programs to provide activities and guidance for students after school while their parents are at work. We also will build on the progress we have made in doing a better job of coordinating existing programs that serve kids under the age of 5. Earlier this month, I asked citizens from throughout Illinois to help us identify the barriers to coordination of early childhood programs. Soon we will launch projects throughout Illinois, just as we did with Project Success, to help us determine the most effective ways of tearing down those barriers. As people move from welfare to work, and as people find themselves in danger of moving from work to welfare, the need for child care services becomes even greater. And we will respond. Through community colleges, we will train welfare mothers to become licensed child care providers. That will give us the double benefit of increasing child care in the community while creating employment opportunities for adults. In addition, we will make low-cost loans available for those 22 STATE OF ILLINOIS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 85th Legislative Day January 28, 1998 seeking to open child care facilities. And we will help people cut through the red tape and get quick answers to questions about licensing and standards through our First Stop Business information center. Meanwhile, we must expand and improve upon our initiatives to help welfare recipients and other unemployed or underemployed citizens of our state find work. Last fall, we launched an effort in Chicago to work with organizations and community agencies in focusing on the hard core unemployed. Many have been on welfare for a long time, and some perhaps for almost all their lives. Now we are prepared to take these initiatives statewide and help people throughout this state who have seldom or never worked become productive citizens. We can make welfare reform succeed in this state just as we are making mental health reform succeed. Together we have dramatically reformed our care and treatment of those with mental illness or disabilities. We transformed the system from one that relies heavily on state hospitals and institutions, to one where most who need our help are cared for in community-based facilities. Near their loved ones. In settings where they often can work, can be productive, can be as self-sufficient as possible. Improving community mental health services has helped cut admissions to state hospitals in half. For those who have been treated in state hospitals they're far less likely to return because of the follow-up services those community agencies are now providing. Together we have prevented problems not just reacted to them. I talked about the importance of prevention on my first day as 23 STATE OF ILLINOIS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 85th Legislative Day January 28, 1998 governor. Every dollar we spend on prevention means dollar after dollar we don't have to spend tomorrow correcting our failure to act. My administration has nearly doubled the funding for early childhood education programs that help prevent kids from failing. Immunizations of children are at an all-time high. We're doing a better job coordinating Illinois' innovative programs to combat teenage pregnancy. And the number of teenage girls having babies is at an eight-year low. We have made managed care and prenatal services more accessible to pregnant women. And the infant mortality rate is at an all-time low in Illinois, newborn deaths are down nearly 22 percent since 1990. Lives can be lost at any age. Lives also can be saved at any age. Brenda's Help Me Grow campaign has helped more than 100,000 Illinois families get the information they needed about health and safety issues for their children. Those calls to the Help Me Grow hotline prevented problems and, yes, they saved lives. And next month Brenda will unveil a comprehensive wellness guide. It will give mothers practical information on how to keep their babies and themselves healthy through pregnancy and the first two years of life. The budget that I'll announce next month will include the funding for the Office of Women's Health, initiated by Brenda last year to expand awareness of health issues critical to women at mid-life. Through a toll-free helpline, women can quickly get answers to their health questions or referrals to community-based resources. 24 STATE OF ILLINOIS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 85th Legislative Day January 28, 1998 This office, only one of five in the entire nation, will be in the forefront as we encourage women to adopt healthier lifestyles and take care of their health needs. Meanwhile, I look forward to the recommendations of the Commission on the Status of Women that I appointed last year - recommendations that I hope will generate constructive dialogue and real progress. I asked that commission, under the leadership of Paula Wolff, president of Governors' State University, to develop strategies that will help women overcome obstacles in their lives and in the workplace. The commission is looking at issues such as equal pay, equal access to the lending market, safe and high-quality child care, strong enforcement of laws on the books to protect women from domestic violence and from sexual assault. I am confident we can address these issues, just as we have addressed other tough issues involving families throughout Illinois. By working together we have given all working Illinoisans the freedom to change jobs without fear of losing insurance coverage for themselves and their families. And we have moved to give our working poor more stability in their lives by allowing them greater access to health care coverage for their children. Too many of our low-income families are living without a safety net. Too many have no medical insurance coverage at all. They earn too much to qualify for Medicaid. But they cannot afford regular health insurance. Earlier this month, this administration extended health care coverage to more than 40,000 uninsured children of the working poor. 25 STATE OF ILLINOIS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 85th Legislative Day January 28, 1998 That means they can get the regular checkups, vision and hearing screenings, immunizations, prescription drugs and dental care that are so important to growing up healthy. That means unexpected injury or illness will not drive those already strapped families into financial ruin. We will extend that coverage to tens of thousands of more uninsured children, and I look forward working with you this year to implement that program. By covering more children of the working poor, we are helping even more families stay off the welfare rolls. We are giving those kids a better chance to grow up healthy and strong. We are making those families stronger. And meanwhile we are going to help strengthen other families in which 70,000 Illinois children are being raised solely by a grandparent. Currently, there are about 30 support groups for those grandparents. This could be doubled under the budget I'll announce next month. At the same time, we need to help others of our senior citizens who need some nursing care but who want to retain the independence and dignity of living at home. Tens of thousands of families in this state know what I'm talking about. Senior citizens find they no longer can live independently in their homes. But many feel they are imposing if they move in with their adult children and their families. Or they are concerned about financially draining themselves or their families. They do not need nursing home care. They seek a less 26 STATE OF ILLINOIS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 85th Legislative Day January 28, 1998 restrictive and less expensive alternative. My administration has implemented a pilot program that will test the ability of the private sector to provide this alternative in the form of assisted living units. And we will work closely with members of this General Assembly on that issue in the months ahead. We also will expand the Illinois READS program by recruiting even more senior citizens to mentor and tutor young students. It's the kind of program we like to encourage and support. Seniors continue-contributing to a better world. Youngsters get a boost toward realizing their full potential. And we must make sure on many fronts that kids get this support. Lives can be lost at any age. They also can be saved at any age. We took the red tape out of adoption in the early days of this administration. And the number of abused and neglected children who were placed in permanent, loving homes have increased nearly sixfold. Adoptions of these deserving children doubled over the last year alone, and we expect to nearly double them again over the next two years. As part of that effort, my administration next month will launch a partnership with employers throughout Illinois to recruit more adoptive parents by easing possible work-related concerns. And I pledge to you today: Illinois will meet and surpass President Clinton's challenge to double the number of adoptions of abused and neglected children within the next four years. We also will rely on our nationally acclaimed guardianship program. It facilitates permanent placement with foster parents who don't want to adopt but who want to provide caring homes for those 27 STATE OF ILLINOIS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 85th Legislative Day January 28, 1998 kids. Lives can be lost at any age. They can be saved at any age. And while we help more and more loving responsible adults to save the lives of children through adoption and guardianship, we also are insisting that other parents be responsible. Each and every year of my administration we have collected a record amount of child support payments adding up to $1.5 billion. That is nearly two-thirds of all the child support money taken in by state agencies since 1976. In fact, our child support enforcement unit at the Department of Public Aid was recently honored with the Most Improved Award from the National Child Support Enforcement Association. Our program to establish paternity - something crucial to child support collection - has also drawn national attention. And we are adding a new weapon to our child support arsenal, a system to track new hires so we can collect child support through the workplace. That innovation came from a task force headed by Lieutenant Governor Kustra. Meanwhile, initiatives on other fronts are paying dividends as well. In my 1993 State of the State address, I unveiled an initiative to intervene in the lives of high school dropouts. Through interaction with the Illinois National Guard, at-risk youths learn discipline and gain inspiration to change the direction of their lives. More than 2,800 youths have received their diplomas through the Lincoln's Challenge Program, and more than 1,000 of them went on to college and vocational schools. Seated with Brenda in the gallery today are three young people who have at least three things in common. Each dropped out of high school. Each earned a GED diploma 28 STATE OF ILLINOIS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 85th Legislative Day January 28, 1998 through Lincoln's Challenge. And all three went on to college. And their success is typical of this important program. I'd like for you to welcome these Lincoln's Challenge graduates: Nicole Jones of Chicago; please stand Melissa Arnold of Decatur; and Daniel Brautigan of Villa Park. Lives can be lost at any age. Lives can be saved at any age. And one of the ways to save lives is to protect our people from those who turn to crime, from those who disrupt lives, and those who ruin lives, those who take lives. This administration has proposed, supported, and with the help of this Legislature, enacted laws that make sure sex offenders, drug kingpins, drive-by shooters and other criminals pay the price for their terrible crimes. We now have a truth-in-sentencing law that guarantees these enemies of society will stay behind bars, where they belong, for a long, long time. We have built the prisons to keep them there securely with as much safety as possible for those who guard them. More than 8,600 prison beds have been added during my term as Governor. A 40 percent increase in prison capacity during the last seven years. We have established a gang-free prison. We ended family picnics that increased the risk of contraband being smuggled into the prisons. We took down the curtains that inmates put in their cells to hide their activities from prison guards. We have changed the prison at Pontiac to a total segregation unit for undisciplined inmates. We have implemented drug testing. And we are doing more. In the coming weeks the Department of Corrections will begin 29 STATE OF ILLINOIS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 85th Legislative Day January 28, 1998 moving 500 of the state's most unruly and dangerous inmates into the new Super Max prison at Tamms. At the same time the Illinois State Police will put new technology to use in war against crime. Technology to make positive identification on suspects far more quickly. Technology to do more effective and efficient background checks on applicants for jobs involving care of children, the elderly and the sick. And technology to put motorists in touch more rapidly and easily with the State Police when they encounter trouble on our roads. Last September, the state police teamed up with the University of Illinois and the Illinois Council for the Prevention of Violence to form the nation's first regional institute for community policing. And we also have established six community policing support centers to work with local law enforcement agencies and neighborhoods. Meanwhile we also have taken historical, monumental strides to protect our natural resources. I can't think of many things more important than providing our children with an environment better than the one we inherited from our parents and grandparents. We have launched Conservation 2,000 and many other initiatives to preserve and enhance our natural resources, to conserve our precious Illinois top soil and to greatly expand outdoor recreational opportunities. We have added or improved 475 miles of new trails throughout Illinois. And this year we will add another 50 miles of trailway to the Grand Illinois Trail that will cross 18 northern Illinois counties 30 STATE OF ILLINOIS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 85th Legislative Day January 28, 1998 to link the shores of Lake Michigan to the banks of the Mississippi River. I am very proud of our Illinois River Initiative, led by Lieutenant Governor Kustra, that will restore and protect this important inland waterway and its watershed. Moreover, this year we will provide additional resources at Savanna, at Joliet, at Site M in Cass County, at Sangchris Lake State Park and along the Little Vermilion River, where we are preserving natural areas for future generations. We should be, and we will be held accountable for what we have done in the twilight of the 20th Century to strengthen our state in the 21st Century. Accountability is important. We demand it of others. We should demand it of ourselves. And I believe we can strengthen this state by amending our state constitution in two key areas to enhance accountability. Education and the judiciary. If education is the state government's top priority, and I think we all agree it is, the individual who should be most accountable is the state's chief executive: the Governor. And yet the accountability is blurred today. The governor has no direct-line of authority over those who implement our education policies at the state level. I am asking this General Assembly to put before the voters a Constitutional amendment putting the Governor clearly in charge through a Cabinet-level Department of Education. Then the next Governor, whoever that person may be, can be more accountable and responsible for our public education system, its successes and its shortcomings. The other constitutional amendment I am proposing involves the Illinois Courts Commission which sits in judgment on judges. Last spring this little-known commission received a great deal 31 STATE OF ILLINOIS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 85th Legislative Day January 28, 1998 of attention. Its impartiality was called into question. And public trust in our judicial system was diminished. We need to amend the Illinois Constitution to help restore that lost faith. I am proposing that we expand the commission so that the judging of judges is not left up entirely to their fellow judges. And I am proposing that the commission be required to adopt formal and public rules that govern its procedures. Meanwhile, I am again calling for this General Assembly to pass additional ethics legislation. We have rewritten our purchasing act, including more accountability and more safeguards against abuse. And it is time to extend the ethics reforms that state agencies under my jurisdiction are already following to every other branch of state government. By Executive Order last summer, I have prohibited employees under my control and their families from accepting gifts valued at more than $50 from companies and individuals with whom they deal. I am asking once again that this General Assembly write those reforms into law so they apply to every area of state government. And I am asking you once again to establish a state ethics commission by law to oversee conflict-of-interest-issues in all agencies of state government, in all branches of state government. As I told you last year, I believe we also should continue reforming our campaign finance laws. The public and the media should be able to easily determine where political candidates get their money, how much they get and how they spend it. We now require that campaign finance reports be available on the Internet. That is a good first step. 32 STATE OF ILLINOIS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 85th Legislative Day January 28, 1998 But I believe we should make the information even more accessible and more complete. We should require contributors to fully identify themselves, including their full names, addresses, occupations, and employers. And we should increase the penalties for those political committees that do not file the proper financial disclosures in full or on time. Over the last seven years we have conquered many challenges. We have accomplished much for the people of Illinois. We have tried to be a smarter government not a status quo government. A better government not a bigger government. But our job is not done. We must continue to search for the child who needs our helping hand. We must redouble our efforts to make our neighborhoods safer. Our senior citizens more secure. Our families stronger and healthier. We must continue to promote quality education that will prepare our children and grandchildren for the challenges they will face. We must challenge the conventional wisdom. We must challenge ourselves. Lives can be lost at any age. Lives also can be saved at any age. Let us continue to build an Illinois for the 21st Century where our children and their children can see their dreams fulfilled. Thank you.
Speaker Madigan: "Will the Committee of Escort please come forward to escort the Governor from the chambers? The President of the Senate is recognized for a Motion." 33 STATE OF ILLINOIS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 85th Legislative Day January 28, 1998
Senator Philip: "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 opposed say 'no'. The 'ayes' have it and the Joint Session will now arise. The regular Session will come to order. Mr. Clerk. Mr. Clerk, read the Adjournment Resolution."
Clerk Rossi: "House Joint Resolution #46, offered by Representative Currie. Be it resolved by the House of Representatives of the 90th General Assembly of the State of Illinois, the Senate concurring herein, that when the House of Representatives adjourns on Wednesday, January 28, 1998, it stands adjourned until Tuesday, February 3, 1998 at 1:00 p.m.; and when it adjourns on that day, it stands adjourned until Wednesday, February 4, 1998, and when it adjourns on that day, it stands adjourned until Tuesday, February 10, 1998 in Perfunctory Session, and when it adjourns on that day, it stands adjourned until Tuesday, February 17, 1998 in Perfunctory Session, and when it adjourns on that day, it stands adjourned until Wednesday, February 18, 1998 at 11:30 a.m.; and when the Senate adjourns on Thursday, January 29, 1998 it stands adjourned until Wednesday, February 18, 1998."
Speaker Madigan: "You've all heard the Resolution. The Chair recognizes the Majority Leader. Representative Currie."
"I move adoption of the Adjournment Resolution."
"Those in favor of the Resolution, say 'aye'; those opposed say 'no'. The 'ayes' have it, the Resolution is adopted. Mr. Clerk, is there anything further to come before the House?"
"An announcement, the House Rules Committee will 34 STATE OF ILLINOIS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 85th Legislative Day January 28, 1998 meet today at 1:30 p.m. in the Speaker's Conference Room. The Rules Committee will meet at 1:30 in the Speaker's Conference Room."
Speaker Madigan: "Mr. Clerk, did Mr. Black hear that announcement? Did Mr. Black hear the announcement? The Motion is that the House do stand adjourned until Tuesday February 3 at 1:00 p.m. Those in favor say 'aye'; those opposed say 'no'. The 'ayes' have it. The House does stand adjourned until Tuesday, February 3 at 1:00 p.m. providing that there will be a Rules Committee Meeting this afternoon. And providing Perfunctory time for the Clerk to administer to the needs of Representative Black."
Clerk Rossi: "The House Perfunctory Session will come to order. Introduction and First Reading of House Bills. House Bill 2607, offered by Representative Stroger, a Bill for an Act to amend the Counties Code. House Bill 2608, offered by Representative Cowlishaw, a Bill for an Act to amend the School Code. House Bill 2609, offered by Representative Cowlishaw, a Bill for an Act to amend the School Code. House Bill 2610, offered by Representative Skinner, a Bill for an Act concerning the Board of Health. House Bill 2611, offered by Representative Cowlishaw, a Bill for an Act to amend the School Code. House Bill 2612, offered by Representative Cowlishaw, a Bill for an Act to amend the School Code. House Bill 2613, offered by Representative Cowlishaw, a Bill for an Act to amend the School Code. House Bill 2614, offered by Representative Cowlishaw, a Bill for an Act to amend the School Code. House Bill 2615, offered by Representative Cowlishaw, a Bill for an Act to amend the School Construction Law. House Bill 2616, offered by Representative Cowlishaw, a Bill for an Act to amend the School Code. House Bill 2617, offered by 35 STATE OF ILLINOIS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 85th Legislative Day January 28, 1998 Representative Lawfer, a Bill for an Act to amend the Illinois Act on Aging. House Bill 2618, offered by Representative Lawfer, a Bill for an Act to amend the Partnership for Long-term Care Act. House Bill 2619, offered by Representative Tom Johnson, a Bill for an Act to amend the Local Government Professional Services Selection Act. House Bill House Bill 2620, offered by Representative Lang, a Bill for an Act making appropriations to the Department of Human Services. House Bill 2621, offered by Representative Lang, a Bill for an Act concerning liability for the provision of health care. House Bill 2622, offered by Representative Lang, a Bill for an Act making appropriations to the Department of Human Services. House Bill 2623, offered by Representative Lang, a Bill for an Act to amend the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Code. House Bill 2624, offered by Representative Lang, a Bill for Act to amend the Mental Health and Disabilities Administrative Act. House Bill 2625, offered by Representative Lang, a Bill for an Act to amend the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Code. House Bill 2626, offered by Representative Lang, a Bill for an Act to amend the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Code. House Bill 2627, offered by Representative Lang, a Bill for an Act to amend the Senior Citizens and Disabled Persons Property Tax Relief and Pharmaceutical Assistance Act. House Bill 2628, offered by Representative Lang, a Bill for an Act to amend the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Administrative Act. Continuing on the order of Lang. House Bill 2629, offered by Representative Lang, a Bill for an Act concerning utilization review of health care services. House Bill 2630, offered by Representative 36 STATE OF ILLINOIS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 85th Legislative Day January 28, 1998 Biggins, a Bill for an Act concerning the safety and soundness of public investments. House Bill 2631, offered by Representative Mulligan, a Bill for an Act regarding telephone sales calls. House Bill 2632, offered by Representative Granberg, a Bill for an Act to amend the Public Community College Act. House Bill 2633, offered by Representative Joe Lyons, a Bill for an Act to amend the Illinois Vehicle Code. House Bill 2634, offered by Representative McAuliffe, a Bill for an Act to permit retired peace officers to carry concealed firearms. House Bill 2635, offered by Representative Kubik, a Bill for an Act to amend the Bond Issue Notification Act. House Bill 2636, offered by Representative Granberg, a Bill for an Act to amend certain Acts in relation to pensions. Introduction and First Reading of these House Bills."
Clerk Rossi: "The House Perfunctory Session will come to order. Committee Reports. Representative Barbara Flynn Currie, Chairperson on the Committee on Rules to which the following measures were referred, action taken on January 28, 1998, reported the same back with the following recommendations: to the floor for consideration, Floor Amendment 1 to House Bill 2473 and House Bill 21. There being no further business, the House Perfunctory Session stands adjourned." 37