Illinois House Floor Debate — January 15, 2004

“Thank you, Mr. Speaker and thank you all for this invitation. Would you bow your heads. Our dear heavenly Father, we thank You for this day, a day You made for us and a special day for us Illinoisans, Father. We, Father… realize that this is a day of the beginning of a new year. And we pray Lord, that Father, you’ll bless us Father here with a good year. And we bless Father, all of those that have come to represent us that You’ll bless them and Father give them knowledge to know what’s best for us and Father as… as people of… of this… this state we realize today that we need people to represent us that will do it for our best welfare. We pray Father when it’s all said and done that what they have said and what they will do Father, will make our state even a greater place to live and to work and to raise our children. We thank You for our soldier boys and military people across this world who very… this very hour are defending our precious freedom. And God because You have poured Your grace upon us and God 09300082.doc 1  STATE OF ILLINOIS 93rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 82nd Legislative Day 1/15/2004 because You have richly blessed our nation, and we sincerely thank You in Jesus’ name. Amen.”

Clerk Bolin: "Committee Reports. Representative Currie, Chairperson from the Committee on Rules, to which the following measure/s was/were referred, action taken on Thursday, January 15, 2004, reported the same back with the following recommendation/s: 'direct floor consideration for Motion to concur' with Senate Amendment #1 to House Bill 600.”

"House Bill 600 is on the Order of Concurrence. A Motion to Concur with Senate Amendment #1 has been approved for consideration.”

"House Resolution 592.” WHEREAS, The members of the House of Representatives of the State of Illinois recognize Narendra Jaggi, professor of physics at Illinois Wesleyan University, on being named the 2003 Illinois Professor of the Year by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE); and WHEREAS, Professor Jaggi, a member of the Illinois Wesleyan faculty since 1991, is among winners in 43 states; CASE assembled two preliminary panels of judges to select finalists, and the Carnegie Foundation then convened the third and final panel, which selected four national winners and the state winners; and WHEREAS, Professor Jaggi was educated in his native India, receiving degrees in physics from Ranchi University and from the University of Bombay where he earned a Ph.D.; after working in the Department of Atomic Energy in Bombay, he pursued a postdoctoral fellowship at Northwestern University, then joined the physics department at Northeastern University in Boston before going to Illinois Wesleyan; and 09300082.doc 7  STATE OF ILLINOIS 93rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 82nd Legislative Day 1/15/2004 WHEREAS, In addition to his teaching and research, Professor Jaggi is co-founder of the Sports and Scholars Program, a summer academic enrichment experience that has been recognized as a model for exemplifying "university-industry-community" cooperation; his engaging classroom style and his involvement in numerous campus activities led to his selection by Illinois Wesleyan's Student Senate as the University's Professor of the Year for 2002-2003; and WHEREAS, The Professor of the Year panel made its decision based on five criteria: extraordinary dedication to undergraduate teaching; impact on and involvement with undergraduate students; scholarly approach to teaching and learning; contribution to undergraduate education in the institution, community, and profession; and support from colleagues and current and former students; and WHEREAS, The announcement of the award was made on November 13, 2003 in Washington, D.C., at a ceremony at the National Press Club; therefore, be it RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate Professor Narendra Jaggi on being named the 2003 Illinois Professor of the Year by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and the Council 09300082.doc 8  STATE OF ILLINOIS 93rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 82nd Legislative Day 1/15/2004 for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) and commend him for his dedication to his profession; and be it further RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Professor Narendra Jaggi as an expression of our respect and esteem.”

Clerk Bolin: "Agreed Resolutions. House Resolution 549, offered by Representative Black. House Resolution 576, offered by Representative Younge. House Resolution 579, offered by Representative Flowers. House Resolution 580, offered by Representative Flowers. House Resolution 582, offered by Representative Monique Davis. House Resolution 583, offered by Representative Chapa LaVia. House Resolution 584, offered by Representative Leitch. House Resolution 585, offered by Representative Cross. House Resolution 586, offered by Representative McGuire. House Resolution 587, offered by Representative Black. House Resolution 588, offered by Representative Hoffman. House Resolution 589, offered by Representative Howard. House Resolution 590, offered by Representative Howard. House Resolution 591, offered by Representative Howard. House Resolution 597 and 598, offered by Representative Chapa LaVia. House Resolution 599, offered by Representative Mendoza. House Resolution 600, offered by Representative Pritchard. House Resolution 601, offered by Representative Monique Davis. House Resolution 602, offered by 09300082.doc 11  STATE OF ILLINOIS 93rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 82nd Legislative Day 1/15/2004 Representative Cross. House Resolution 603, offered by Representative Capparelli. House Resolution 604, offered by Representative Capparelli. House Resolution 605, offered by Representative Bellock. House Resolution 606, offered by Representative Black. House Resolution 608, offered by Representative Reitz. House Resolution 609, offered by Representative Dunkin. House Resolution 610, offered by Representative Dunkin. House Resolution 611, offered by Representative Osterman. House Resolution 612, offered by Representative Joyce. House Resolution 613 and 614, offered by Representative Granberg. House Resolution 615, offered by Representative Miller. House Resolution 617, offered by Representative Morrow. House Resolution 618, offered by Representative McGuire. House Resolutions 619, 620, 621 and 622, offered by Representative Gordon. House Resolution 623, offered by Representative McAuliffe and House Resolution 624, offered by Representative McAuliffe. House Resolution 625, offered by Representative Dugan.”

Clerk Bolin: "Senate Joint Resolution #5 (sic-45) offered Representative Currie. 09300082.doc 12  STATE OF ILLINOIS 93rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 82nd Legislative Day 1/15/2004 RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING HEREIN, that when the two Houses adjourn on Thursday, January 15, 2004, the Senate stands adjourned until Thursday, January 22, 2004, in perfunctory session; and when it adjourns on that day, it stands adjourned until Wednesday, January 28, 2004, in perfunctory session; and when it adjourns on that day, it stands adjourned until Tuesday, February 3, 2004 at 12:00 noon.; and the House of Representatives stands adjourned until Tuesday, January 20, 2004, in perfunctory session, and when it adjourns on that day, it stands adjourned until Thursday, January 22, 2004, in perfunctory session; and when it adjourns on that day, it stands adjourned until Monday, January 26, 2004, in perfunctory session; and when it adjourns on that day, it stands adjourned until Friday, January 30, 2004, in perfunctory session; and when it adjourns on that day, it stands adjourned until Monday, February 2, 2004, in perfunctory session; and when it adjourns on that day, it stands adjourned until Tuesday, February 3, 2004 at 12:00 noon.”

Doorkeeper Crawford: “Mr. Speaker, the Honorable President Jones and the Members of the Senate are at the door and seek admission to the chamber.”

"A quorum of the House is present.”

"Joint Ses… Session Resolution #3 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 wait upon the Honorable Governor of the State of Illinois, invite him to address the Joint Assembly.”

“Mr. Speaker, the Honorable Governor of the State of Illinois, Rod Blagojevich and his party wish to be admitted to this chamber.”

Governor Blagojevich: “Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Ladies and Gentlemen of the General Assembly, before I begin my formal remarks I just want to give you a bit of a warning in the way of a story. The other day someone told me how Fidel Castro was addressing the Assembly down in Havana recently and he spoke for five hours and everyone was required to stand the entire time. Needless to say, you guys are lucky you don’t have to stand and this speech while it will be long it won’t be anywhere near five hours. You like that huh! I think just a little less than four hours. Speaker Madigan, thank you for having us. Senator Jones, Senate President Jones, House Minority Leader Cross. Senate Minority Leader Watson, Lieutenant Governor Quinn. Attorney General Madigan, Secretary of State White, 09300082.doc 16  STATE OF ILLINOIS 93rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 82nd Legislative Day 1/15/2004 Treasurer Topinka and State Comptroller Hynes, Auditor General Holland and Superintendent Schiller, good afternoon. Thank you for the opportunity to be here today to address the General Assembly. It is good to be back. A year ago, we came together at a time when everything that should have been up was down. We faced the aftermath of the worst corruption scandal in our state’s long history. At the same time, we faced the worst fiscal crisis in our state’s long history a record five billion dollar budget deficit, a deficit that was 13 times worse than anything Illinois had ever seen. We faced a failing economy, rising prescription drug costs, increasing concerns about homeland security, and a sense that state government just didn’t care about the people. And the people, they doubted our ability to govern, they doubted our ability to lead and they doubted our ability to solve problems. They lost confidence in our integrity, they questioned our ability to act ethically, and they lost faith that we would put their interests before our own. A year ago, there were far more questions than there were answers. There was far more fear, than hope. There was far more cynicism, than faith in the future. When we came together last year, we were confronted with a number of challenges, but our task was clear: to reconnect people to their government, to show the people we could tackle difficult problems and make difficult decisions and to do so without resorting to the tired old solutions that put the special interests above the public interest. To show that we could govern and act 09300082.doc 17  STATE OF ILLINOIS 93rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 82nd Legislative Day 1/15/2004 ethically, to show the people we deserved their trust. Today, thanks to the hard work, to the dedication and to the commitment to change of so many Members here so many of you in this room, I am proud to say that we are rising to the challenge. Today, there is a growing feeling that government is once again on the people’s side. They saw that we were willing to embrace reform to do things differently, to do things better. They saw that we weren’t asking them to bail out a system in despit… desperate need of reform. That’s what inspired their confidence and that is what we must continue to do. By embracing reform by showing the people we were prepared to change the way we earned their trust, change the way we treat their money, change the way we create jobs, change the way we deliver health care, change the way we give people from all walks of life the opportunity to work hard, to get ahead, and to build better lives, we have taken bold steps toward finally giving the people of Illinois a government that’s of them and by them and for them. Thanks to the Leadership of Speaker Madigan, and the Leadership of Senate President Jones. Thanks to the Leadership of Representative Cross, and Senator Watson and many, many others we enacted real, meaningful ethic… ethics reform in Illinois. Ethics reform that ended the practice of the unlimited wining and dining of public officials; ethics reforms that ended the practice of using the people’s money to fund public service announcements, reforms that ended the conflict of interest that exists when government officials one day regulate 09300082.doc 18  STATE OF ILLINOIS 93rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 82nd Legislative Day 1/15/2004 companies and then the next day go to work for those very companies. Reforms that now require each Constitutional Officer and the Legislative branch to hire independent Inspector Generals to monitor wrongdoing, and reforms that create an independent ethics commission the first of its kind in our state’s long history. And as we begin giving the people of Illinois a reason to place their trust in our ability to act ethically, we also started giving them a reason to believe we could be responsible with their money. Last year, almost every state in the nation faced a significant fiscal challenge. And if you look at how almost every one of them dealt with that challenge, almost all of them either raised income or sales taxes, cut spending for education, health care and public safety, or did a combination of both. Not us. Not here in Illinois. Instead of slashing spending in areas that help people, areas like health care and public safety and education and instead of resorting to the tired old solution of simply asking the people for more of their hard-earned money by having the will to make the hard decisions, by cutting over $1.5 billion in waste and inefficiency, by merging state agencies, cutting payroll and streamlining government, we took on a historic, and record $5 billion budget deficit and didn’t raise the income tax, and didn’t raise the sales tax, and we still invested nearly $1 billion in new money for our schools, for health care and for public safety. And just as we embraced change when it came to ethics reform, when it came to the budget we began to 09300082.doc 19  STATE OF ILLINOIS 93rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 82nd Legislative Day 1/15/2004 fundamentally change the way we deliver health care in Illinois. In the past, people would look to Washington for ideas and for money. Everyone assumed that because of the size of our deficit and the inability of state government to confront and solve difficult problems, the only way to give people better and less expensive health care was by getting the federal government to solve our problems for us. But we didn’t do that. Instead, we took matters into our own hands. We started with the issue… we started with an issue that threatens the health and the well-being of our senior citizens, of the disabled and of consumers in every part of Illinois and all across our nation. We finally took on the issue of the high cost of prescription drugs. Last spring, we created the first prescription drugs buying club in the nation. By pooling the purchasing power of the State of Illinois and of up to 1.5 million senior citizens, started negotiating discounts with drug manufacturers that will help our senior citizens save up to 20 percent on the cost of their medicine, 20 percent for an average senior citizen can mean hundreds of dollars in savings each year. But we didn’t stop there. We can take pride in the fact that last year, Illinois was one of only three states in the entire nation to actually increase… to actually increase health care coverage for those who can’t afford it. At a time when 47 states… at a time when 47 states either kept their coverage levels steady or reduced health care coverage altogether, Illinois expanded the KidCare program and the FamilyCare program, so that 65,000 09300082.doc 20  STATE OF ILLINOIS 93rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 82nd Legislative Day 1/15/2004 children and 300,000 men and women who work will now have access to the health care they need. That’s 65,000 children and 300,000 working parents who didn’t have health care and now will even though we faced a $5 billion budget deficit. Illinois was the first state in the nation to ban Ephedra, a performance enhancing drug that has claimed the lives of over 100 people, and we did it more than six months before the Federal Government finally acted. And while we’re on the subject of performance enhancing drugs, how is it that in the 21st century, insurance companies can cover Viagra for men and not birth control for women. It just isn’t fair, it just isn’t fair. So last spring, Illinois became the 21st state in the nation to require health insurers to cover female contraceptives. I’m happy we did that. But the battle to bring down the cost of health care continues. That’s why we are going to keep fighting the big drug companies, we are going to keep fighting the Federal Government, we are going to keep fighting the FDA until they give consumers in Illinois and consumers across the nation access to the marketplace and an opportunity to safely and legally import prescription drugs from Canada. Why we are going to keep fighting until they give us the opportunity to help our senior citizens and our consumers save as much as 50 percent on the cost of their prescription drugs and the opportunity to protect our seniors and our consumers and our taxpayers, from being ripped off by the big drug companies who use their clout and their influence to keep prices high. The changes we 09300082.doc 21  STATE OF ILLINOIS 93rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 82nd Legislative Day 1/15/2004 made didn’t stop with ethics, didn’t stop with the budget and didn’t stop with health care either. Last year, we finally changed the way we view work, the way we create jobs and the way we utilize our own strengths and our own resources. Instead of treating the taxpayers and their money as if they exist simply to fill the coffers of the state, we began to see them as more than just sources of revenue, we began to see them as people. People who have to get up every single morning and go to work and make a living and raise their families. And that’s why we did something in the beginning of the 21st Century that we should have done in the beginning of the last century, we finally passed a law that says if you’re a woman and you do the same work as a man, they better pay you the same or else you’re breaking the law. To make the lives of working people a little easier, we passed a law that raised the minimum wage, raised the minimum wage from $5.15 an hour to $6.50 an hour. The men and women who work at jobs that pay the minimum wage do the work most people don’t want to do. They work hard. They deserve our respect and they deserved that raise. At the same time, we developed a vision of economic development that begins with leveraging the talents of our own people, of our own regions, and the resources of our own land. That task began with legislation authorizing the expansion of O’Hare Airport a project that will create nearly 200,000 new jobs over the next ten years. It continued with legislation that can bring back the coal industry in Illinois by taking 09300082.doc 22  STATE OF ILLINOIS 93rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 82nd Legislative Day 1/15/2004 advantage of new technology and by making hundreds of millions of dollars in low interest loans available to companies who want to build clean coal power plants, right here in our state. This could mean 6,000 jobs to the communities of central and southern Illinois that have witnessed so much hardship and so little progress over the last generation. We didn’t stop with coal either. We extended the ethanol tax credit for ten more years and we created a host of new incentives to encourage the production and use of biodiesel fuels. And when it comes to taking advantage of our state’s resources, we finally, finally began to right the ship, when it comes to honoring our state’s greatest human resource, not to mention this nation’s greatest President Abraham Lincoln. If you guys don’t clap for him this is hopeless. Recently, former Governor Jim Edgar agreed to serve as the Chair of the Abraham Lincoln Library Foundation. And last Octomer… last October I named Richard Norton Smith, the nation’s preeminent presidential historian as the Director of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum. Ladies and Gentlemen, Richard Norton Smith is here with us today. Let’s give him a big round of applause. With Governor Edgar and with Richard Norton Smith at the helm, we can turn what has been an embarrassment and a failure into one of our state’s greatest assets and attractions. And if we do this right the Lincoln Library could be to the City of Springfield what the Statue of Liberty is to the City of New York, what the Golden Gate Bridge is to San Francisco 09300082.doc 23  STATE OF ILLINOIS 93rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 82nd Legislative Day 1/15/2004 and what Graceland is to Memphis. But I should tell you that Richard Norton Smith has made it very clear to me there will be no jungle room in the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library. On the economy, we changed the way we approach spurring development and creating jobs. The old method of economic development was all about waiting for a company to say they were leaving… say they were leaving and then throwing lots of tax incentives at them. Not anymore. We’ve developed a program called Opportunity Returns, a proactive, hands-on, regionally focused plan with one goal and one gold… goal only creating jobs. We’ve been working with local communities, and with their ideas and your ideas, we’ve been developing and launching detailed plans that address the specific needs of each region of our state. From providing low interest loans so manufacturers can buy new equipment, to providing job training so workers can upgrade their skills, to offering grants to budding entrepreneurs, to building the infrastructure needed to efficiently move goods and services, to promoting the natural resources and tourist attractions each region has to offer, we will make each region of our state more marketable, more technologically savvy, more accessible, better trained, and better equipped than ever before. We are tired of waiting for Washington to act. We are tired of waiting for the economic recovery to start producing real jobs. We cannot alar… afford… we cannot afford to wait any longer. We need to take action now, and that’s exactly what we are doing. And just as 09300082.doc 24  STATE OF ILLINOIS 93rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 82nd Legislative Day 1/15/2004 Illinois has launched one of the most aggressive, ambitious job creation programs in the nation, we’re also taking the lead when it comes to public safety. Illinois is now considered one of the most prepared states in the nation when it comes to counter-terrorism. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control this year gave Illinois its highest rating when it comes to our ability to respond to a bioterrorist attack. And we’re building on this success by moving forward on our new Statewide Terrorism Intelligence Center, our new State Emergency Operating Center, and we are well on our way to providing new personal protection equipment to every first responder in our state. At the same time… at the same time we’re working in that regard. We are also protecting our homeland security, we’re also working to keep people safe, keep them safe in their towns, in their neighborhoods, and on our roads. This year we enacted three of the toughest driver safety laws in the nation, laws we believe can save over 140 lives every single year. We also launched what may be the most comprehensive, technologically sophisticated AMBER Alert System in the nation. In 2003, thanks to our new AMBER Alert System the State Police recovered six abducted children using tips from people who saw or heard the AMBER Alert. We keep crossing our fingers and praying that no child is ever abducted, but God forbid, should it happen again, we pray our success in finding them continues. We’re not only leading the way in fighting crime, we’re also leading the way when it comes to reforming the 09300082.doc 25  STATE OF ILLINOIS 93rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 82nd Legislative Day 1/15/2004 criminal justice system. We enacted legislation that made Illinois the first state in the nation, the first state in the nation to legislative… legislatively require that all homicide interrogations be videotaped. We required law enforcement to collec… to collect data on racial profiling so we can once and for all put a stop to that. And thanks to the leadership, the persistence, the heartfelt determination of Senate President Emil Jones and many others, we passed over a dozen major death penalty reforms, reforms that hopefully will begin to mend a broken system and heal a loss of faith in its fairness. Ethics reform. Budget reform. Creating jobs. Making health care less expensive. Keeping people safe. Last year, we made major reforms and took major steps in every one of those areas. And in the area of education, we also made some noteworthy reforms. In the area of higher education, Illinois became the first state in the nation to require that at public universities the tuition that you pay as a freshman is not a penny more than the tuition you’ll pay as a senior. We enacted legislation that allows undocumented immigrants who attend Illinois high schools for three years to pay, to pay in-state tuition rates at our public universities. Thank you, Iris. And while our system of educating children in kindergarten through high school needs a great deal of reform, we did take several important steps, including funding in last year’s budget to send 8,300 at-risk children to preschool providing $500 million in funding for new school construction of schools, and creating the 09300082.doc 26  STATE OF ILLINOIS 93rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 82nd Legislative Day 1/15/2004 Illinois Future Teachers Corps, a program that provides $5,000 scholarships for new teachers. Those were good ideas and necessary reforms, but make no mistake about it, we need to do a lot more. I’m not satisfied with the state of education in the State of Illinois. The children deserve better, the parents deserve better, the taxpayers deserve better. Spending more money for education, and creating more mandates for our schools without making the real fundamental systemic changes in the way we manage our schools, in the way we spend our education dollars, and in the way we hold people accountable for results, nothing we do, no matter how much money we spend, will help our children learn better. If we are really serious about fixing our schools, then we have to be serious about change and reform. Because while Illinois is blessed with thousands of good schools, with thousands of good and hardworking and dedicated principals and administrators, with tens of thousands of smart, committed, dedicated teachers and with millions of involved and caring parents, and most importantly, millions of children who are eager to learn, our education system is still failing too many kids. Look at the facts… look at the facts: 38 percent of kids in the third grade cannot read at third grade level. If you can’t read, you can’t learn; 36 percent of eighth graders do not meet eighth grade reading standards; 41 percent of eighth graders cannot write at an eighth grade level. Not only that, 44 percent of eleventh grade students can’t meet basic reading standards. One in seven 09300082.doc 27  STATE OF ILLINOIS 93rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 82nd Legislative Day 1/15/2004 students in Illinois, one in seven students in Illinois never graduates from high school. And 48 percent of eleventh grade students taking the ACT exam are not ready for college without having to repeat classes. We can’t continue to let that happen. Illinois has many great schools, Illinois has many great teachers, many great administrators and many great principals, but if we are honest with ourselves we can’t help but admit that when it comes to educating our children we can do better. And while there is no one single cause for the situation we find ourselves in and there is no one single villain, the problem clearly begins at the top with the Illinois State Board of Education. In 1970 the Illinois Constitutional Convention created the State Board of Education. The idea was to create an independent body that could regulate and support our schools without getting caught up in politics. The idea was noble, but isn’t working. Instead of being an independent body that could regulate and support our schools, the Illinois State Board of Education is like an old Soviet-style bureaucracy. It’s clunky and inefficient, it issues mandates, it spends money, it dictates policy and it isn’t accountable to anyone for anything. Yes, they’ve operated independently, but independent of whom? I’ll tell you who. Independent of parents. Independent of students. Independent of teachers. Independent of principals. Independent of accountability. Independent of success. Independent of results. Like many unaccountable bureaucracies the Illinois State Board of Education turned 09300082.doc 28  STATE OF ILLINOIS 93rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 82nd Legislative Day 1/15/2004 into an organization that exists more for the benefit of its own administrators than for the benefit of the children of this state. No matter how good our local schools are, no matter how dedicated their principals and their teachers might be, no matter how involved their parents, the lack of leadership and the lack of accountability at the top, the State Board of Education’s penchant for constant interference, its ever-changing rules, its ever-growing number of regulations, the crushing amounts of paperwork, handcuffs our educators and far worse than that, shortchanges our children. The State Board of Education will tell you the answer to our problems is more money. But if you look at how our education dollars in Illinois are spent and if you look at the rules and restrictions the State Board uses to tell our local schools how the money has to be spent, it becomes clear that money alone cannot solve our problems. In Illinois today only 46 cents of every dollar spent on a child’s education goes to classroom instruction, only 46 cents. That means 54 cents of every dollar that’s spent on education, on a child’s education goes to something other than classroom instruction. That means only 46 percent of education funding actually goes to educating children. The rest, more than half and I keep repeating this figure because I find it so astounding, never makes its way into the classroom. Now, there are those, there will be those who will admit that kids aren’t learning as well as they should, that not enough kids are learning how to read, that too many children are dropping 09300082.doc 29  STATE OF ILLINOIS 93rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 82nd Legislative Day 1/15/2004 out of school and that we can better prepare our children for college. They’ll admit that. But they will say that the only reason we find ourselves with these problems is that we’re not spending enough money. Let me be the first one to say… let me be the first one to say we need to invest more money into our classrooms. But the money has to go to the classroom. Look at the facts. While we can do better, Illinois still ranks 16th in the nation in the amount of money taxpayers invest in total per pupil spending. We are 16th in the nation in per pupil spending. But when it comes to how we spend that money, Illinois ranks only 40th in the nation when it comes to seeing that money invested in the classroom to teach our children, 40th in the nation. Thirty nine other states do a better job than we do when it comes to how much money makes its way into the classroom to teach children. By comparison, California for all of their problems does a better job than we do. The Golden State spends 53 percent of their education dollars on classroom instruction, Pennsylvania 54 percent; New York 60 percent on classroom instruction. We spend nearly $20 billion on education in Illinois each year, $20 billion. And of the $20 billion we spend in Illinois, 10.5 billion of it never finds its way into the classroom; 3.4 billion goes for services like school social workers, lunches, and buses. But $7.1 billion goes for administration and operations. If we just reached the national average of how much education money finds its way into the classroom for instruction, schools in Illinois 09300082.doc 30  STATE OF ILLINOIS 93rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 82nd Legislative Day 1/15/2004 would have another $1.4 billion that could be invested directly into teaching children how to read and how to learn. That would be great if we did, but we don’t. So, the question is, where is all that money going? Well, we know a few things. We know that not nearly enough of it is going to educate our children. We know that the incredible burdens of rules and regulations imposed on local schools by the State Board of Education makes it practically impossible for local schools to invest more money into the classroom and we know… and we know that now we’re caught in a vicious cycle where the more rules and regulations they impose the more the State Board of Education can justify its own existence. That’s the cart leading the horse, it’s the tail wagging the dog and the patient treating the doctor, all wrapped up in one. So what does the State Board of Education do? We know the State Board of Education spends more than $50 million a year just to exist. We know their 40 highest paid administrators make an average of $90,000 per year which is almost twice as much money as the average teacher earns. As schools struggle to make ends meet, as… as kids struggle to read, as we confront the issue of teacher shortages the State Board of Education spends the people’s money on things like high priced contracts with consulting firms, lobbying firms, and public relations firms. In fact, rather than sever their ties with these high priced firms, the state board recently indicated they would rather cut programs that certify pri… private schools, programs that subsidize 09300082.doc 31  STATE OF ILLINOIS 93rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 82nd Legislative Day 1/15/2004 GED testing and programs that certify teachers. They chose lawyers and consultants and public relations experts over teachers and students and schools. What kind of priorities are those? And as the state board busies itself with wasting the people’s money, the problems only continue to mount because the State Board of Education can’t figure out how to properly inspect school food, 42 children in Will County became sick after eating chicken that was contaminated with ammonia. Even worse, the state board’s own investigation showed that they were aware of a connection between returned food from other schools and an ammonia leak at a state board contracted facility but the bureaucracy failed to do anything about it. In fact, two state board officials were indicted in connection with this incident because they ignored the risk, those children got sick. Because the state board couldn’t figure out how to issue school report cards, 368 schools were incorrectly identified as having failed to meet new federal standards. In fact, a recent analysis showed that the state board’s 2003 report cards contained 34,261 errors, affecting 75 percent of Illinois schools. Under current federal law, when schools receive a failing grade, those failing schools have to change the kinds of courses they have to offer. It means children can easily transfer out of the schools for the wrong reasons and it means a whole new series of problems, which leads to more paperwork and more expenses. That may be appropriate if a school actually deserves a failing grade, but when nearly 35,000 errors are made in 09300082.doc 32  STATE OF ILLINOIS 93rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 82nd Legislative Day 1/15/2004 school report cards and 368 schools are incorrectly labeled as failing that creates a serious problem, especially when the state board is paying consultants millions of dollars to ensure the report card process goes smoothly. Because the State Board of Education keeps changing the standards schools use to evaluate their students’ progress teachers don’t know what to teach, schools don’t know what to offer and students don’t know how to prepare. To sum it up, the Illinois State Board of Education has failed in its mission. It’s a burden to the taxpayers. It’s a drain on local schools. It’s an albatross to our principals and our teachers. It’s not helping our children and… and it hasn’t lived up to what the delegates… to what the delegates at our Constitutional Convention envisioned, something far different, something far better than what we ended up with. That’s why today, I am calling for change. I am calling on the Legislature to act, to end a system that’s not efficient, that’s not accountable and that has failed our children year after year. I am urging the Legislature to replace that system with a Department of Education… a Department of Education that’s accountable, accountable to the Governor, accountable to the Legislature and most importantly of all, accountable to the people of this state. It would be easy… it would be easy to keep the current system in place where nobody can blame us. It would be easy to run from this challenge, easy for the Governor to run from this challenge, easy for the Legislature to run from this challenge, easy, but wrong. 09300082.doc 33  STATE OF ILLINOIS 93rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 82nd Legislative Day 1/15/2004 It is time we stop running away from the problem. It’s time we started taking responsibility for our schools. Mayor Daley took responsibility for Chicago public schools in 1995. It worked. It’s time we take responsibility for every school in Illinois. If we don’t make our education system accountable it will never improve. Without accountability there’s no one to look to for results. There’s no one to look to, to make meaningful reforms and changes. There’s no one to explain to the taxpayers why their money isn’t being spent more wisely. There’s no one to answer to parents why their children aren’t doing better. No system can work if it isn’t accountable to the bottom line and that’s the heart of the problem. The State Board of Education answers to no one. They’re responsible to no one. And so it’s not so surprising that their only solution to the problems in our schools is not to first ask what can we do better, is to not ask how can we do more with what we have, is to not ask how can we change? No, they don’t do that. Their only solution to the problems in our schools, their only solution to the problems in our schools, is to ask for more of your money. They would rather see you, the taxpayer, pay more money in taxes and have less money for your children, less money to improve your home, less money to save for college then they would rather… they would rather do that… they would rather do that than do things differently, to try to operate more efficiently to work harder and get better results. Right now, we have a system that on the one hand is completely 09300082.doc 34  STATE OF ILLINOIS 93rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 82nd Legislative Day 1/15/2004 unaccountable, and on the other hand, is more than willing to ask the taxpayers to bail them out. The State Board of Education refuses to take responsibility for results, but they’ll quickly blame local schools and they’ll ask the people for more and more of their hard earned tax money. I can’t think of any other place, not in business, not in sports, not in the media, not even in government, not anywhere that would allow this kind of system to survive. Even the Berlin Wall eventually came down. Allowing the State Board of Education to continue to be a barrier to progress is like throwing money down the drain. Whether it’s your position… whether it’s your position to support raising the income tax or whether you support swapping income taxes and property taxes or whether you support holding the line on taxes and reprioritizing spending so more money goes into our schools. Whatever your position might be all of the arguments to support any of those positions fall short when only 46 cents on every dollar that is spent on education finds its way into the classroom to teach our kids. Last year, despite a $5 billion budget deficit we found $400 million in new money for education. That increase was bigger than the last two years combined. We increased the foundation level for general school aid last year by $250 per student. Under our plan we believe we can save more than $1 billion over the next four years. Every penny of that money could and would be invested right into the classroom. Perhaps even more importantly, the first thing our Department of Education would do is sit 09300082.doc 35  STATE OF ILLINOIS 93rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 82nd Legislative Day 1/15/2004 down with local schools, local principals and local administrators, and listen. They would identify every mind-numbing, bureaucratic rule that takes away money, resources, time and attention from the classroom and wipe it off the books. Our local school districts could do a lot better if they were set free, set free from the bureaucratic dictates of the Illinois State Board of Education and instead, were allowed to make more decisions at the local level and rely more on their own common sense. What would common sense and accountability look like in our schools? Let’s start with seven real reforms; Currently, the State Board collects and reviews 93 different kinds of reports and forms annually, quarterly, and sometimes monthly from 892 different school districts. And all… and those reports… and those reports just deal with how money is spent. Our first reform would reduce those burdens. That alone would allow our schools to spend less money on administration and invest it directly into the classroom. Second, we can help schools by providing them with better administrative services for far less than they spend now. By creating regional service centers to pool basic functions that exceed the capacity of many local districts, functions like accounting and auditing, and accounts payable, we can save $12 to $20 million each year, every penny of which would go right back to local schools, provided that money goes into the classroom. At the same time we could also provide financial advice to struggling school districts free of charge to help them reduce their 09300082.doc 36  STATE OF ILLINOIS 93rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 82nd Legislative Day 1/15/2004 costs, shed unnecessary bureaucracy and waste and get back on their feet. Third, we can help schools save between 80 and $180 million each year by consolidating the purchase and administration of employee benefits without removing local control over coverage levels. By creating an employee benefits purchasing center we could leverage our purchasing power, negotiate better deals on health insurance and other benefits for teachers, save money and allow local schools to focus on their mission which is teaching children. Fourth, we can help schools by better managing school construction. The state’s five-year school construction program ends this year. With class sizes too large, with schools in disrepair, with schools lasing… lacking basic facilities, we can’t stop now. But we can also do better with our money. Through better and more efficient project management, by building facilities that schools can share, by creating a local matching grant program to help schools pay for maintenance and building upkeep, and by cutting the 6 percent fee that’s normally charged for project management and bring it down to 1 percent, we can save up to $160 million over four years. Thank you. Gary Forby, thanks man. I thought Jay did that. In the event we ultimately choose to invest $550 million each year on school construction, with these reforms we can take that same amount of money, the same amount of money that the state board spends right now and end up building 14 more schools and 350 more classrooms than the State Board of Education could, 350 more 09300082.doc 37  STATE OF ILLINOIS 93rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 82nd Legislative Day 1/15/2004 classrooms and 14 more schools, not by spending more money but just by being more efficient. That’s 350 classrooms and 14 schools that otherwise wouldn’t be built if we allow the State Board of Education to continue to run our schools. Fifth, we can help schools by consolidating the purchasing power of our 4,000 schools and 892 districts. We can leverage far better deals for everything from computer paper to pencils and save over $500 million over four years. Today some schools pay $9.78 for Elmer’s Glue, while others pay just $5.66. Some schools pay more than $1.00 a pen for a 24 pack of Pilot Pens while others pay only 25 cents per pen. By making sure all schools are getting the best possible prices we can save as much as half a billion dollars with every penny of those savings invested right back into the classroom. Sixth, we can help schools by streamlining applications for state funding and by re-writing programs to cut out the bureaucracy so that they can spend less time worrying about how to pay for things and more time educating children. The bottom line is, the State Board of Education has created too many rules and too many regulations and created too much red tape. The State Board of Education has more than 2,800 pages, 2,800 pages of administrative rules to govern education in Illinois. By the way, we recently took a walk over to Borders Bookstore and checked on the size of a few other important books. Here’s what we found. The King James Bible has 1009 pages and it covers all of Christianity. The Torah has 620 pages and it covers all of Judaism. The 09300082.doc 38  STATE OF ILLINOIS 93rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 82nd Legislative Day 1/15/2004 Qur’an has 635 pages and it covers all of Islam. So… so, you got to be Arnold Schwarzenegger to be able to lift this. So, according to the State Board of Education it takes 2,800 pages all these rules and regulations to run our schools, more than all of the rules of Christianity, Judaism and Islam combined. This is a bureaucratic nightmare of biblical proportions. I got my workout in. Instead of making schools go through all of these rules and through all of these elaborate application and approval procedures, we can streamline grant applications and provide funding to the schools on the front end instead of making them go through a lengthy and inefficient claims and reimbursement process on the back end. I don’t know about you but I have a lot more faith in our local schools in their ability, in their dedication, in their commitment to helping children than I do in the State Board of Education. Local schools know better what their children need. They know what their teachers need and most importantly, the ones on the front lines of our local schools are the ones who have to answer to the parents. Every… every time you talk to local administrators, superintendents, principals and teachers, they all tell you the same thing. The State Board of Education is eating up money that should be going into the classroom and making local educators waste time filling out paperwork rather than teaching children. Often the state board spends money to perform certain functions like reviewing district claims forms and then duplicate the work by requiring districts to hire CPAs to review and 09300082.doc 39  STATE OF ILLINOIS 93rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 82nd Legislative Day 1/15/2004 certify the forms anyway. If you believe in your local schools, then you should show it by giving them more control and not by burying them in more and more paperwork. Seventh, we can help schools and save money by reducing the extensive and expensive and unnecessary management structure of the State Board of Education. The management of a Department of Education could be integrated with the rest of state government so we wouldn’t have to replicate every single function which is what happens under the current system. Functions like legal, personnel, government relations, and public relations are all already being performed for 30 different state agencies. We could very easily perform the same services for one more agency without having to spend the millions of dollars that currently goes to the State Board of Education instead of going to local schools. Not only can we do it for far less money which means more money going into the classroom, we can do it better. The Illinois Departments of Agriculture and Public Health can make sure that every food service operation in every district in this state is properly inspected and they can provide a level of expertise and professionalism and know-how that can not only catch problems before they occur, but in cases like the chicken that made so many children in Will County sick when our inspectors find a problem like that unlike the state board. They won’t ignore it, they won’t sweep it under the rug, they’ll deal with it. There are… these are… these are seven commonsense reforms, commonsense reforms to bring 09300082.doc 40  STATE OF ILLINOIS 93rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 82nd Legislative Day 1/15/2004 accountability to education and to improve our schools. Let’s not run away from our responsibility, let us embrace this responsibility. Our plan does… our plan does, however, envision a role for the State Board of Education. When it comes to thinking about long-term ideas, researching best practices and looking at curricula around the nation that might be appropriate and helpful in Illinois the State Board can provide a useful function. But when it comes to the day to day management of our schools, when it comes to the spending of the taxpayer money efficiently, when it’s a choice between that or giving local schools the flexibility they need to operate, when it comes to answering to the parents and the children of this state, the current model isn’t working. Now, I’m not saying that creating a Department of Education will solve all the problems in our schools. It won’t. I’m not saying that a Department of Education or a Secretary of Education will know all of the answers to all of our problems. They won’t. And I’m not claiming that by creating a Department of Education that over night we’ll see dramatic improvement in test scores. That will take some time. But, by creating a Department of Education that’s accountable to the Legislature, accountable to the Governor and most importantly, accountable to the parents and to the children of this state this will solve more of our problems, answer more of our que… questions and free up more money, more time, more resources for the classroom, so that children can learn, test scores can improve and the 09300082.doc 41  STATE OF ILLINOIS 93rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 82nd Legislative Day 1/15/2004 education system in Illinois gets better. I know I’m not the only one who wants a system that’s accountable, that’s efficient and that’s effective. Over the past few years, Members of this Legislature have proposed ideas similar to what I’m proposing today. In fact, as recently as last spring, State Senator Bill Brady proposed legislation to create an accountable, efficient, results-oriented Department of Education. And over the years, many other Legislators have championed ideas to reform the State Board of Education, including Senate President Jones, Senator Vince DeMuzio, Senator John Jones, Representative Danny Reitz, Representative Mike Bost, Representative Bill Black, Representative Don Moffitt, Representative Monique Davis, Representative Jack Franks, Representative Mike Boland, and Representative Renee Kosel. The idea of reforming the State Board of Education cuts across party lines. It transcends ideology, geography, ethnicity and race. It resides with everyone who thinks our children deserve better. I think it’s time we got started. Now, making our education system efficient and accountable will go a long way, but it’s not enough. The notion of developing not just strong minds but strong bodies and a strong sense of civic responsibility goes all the way back to the Golden Age of Athens in 5th… the 5th Century B.C. In face, Representative Hoffman was at the Governor’s Mansion last night talking all about Pericles and the Peloponnesian War and Aristotelian philosophy was fascinating. Steve Davis, I never knew he knew that much. It’s an ideal that helped 09300082.doc 42  STATE OF ILLINOIS 93rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 82nd Legislative Day 1/15/2004 shape our nation’s commitment to public education at the beginning of our Republic. But if you look at our schools today, it’s equally clear we are falling short of those ideals. That’s why I am proposing several new programs intended to produce the following results: Kids who learn how to read at an early age; Parents who are involved in their child’s education; Teachers who have the training and support they need; Kids who are healthy and focused; and kids who understand what it means to be part of a community. Ask any ex… expert… ask any expert and they will tell you that the single most important factor when it comes to a child’s education is learning to read. If you can’t read, chances are, you won’t learn. That’s why we’re taking several new steps to help kids learn how to read, and help kids get them… help get kids started as early as possible in reading. Last year’s budget included funding to send 8,300 children from at-risk communities to preschool. When I introduced this year’s budget in a little over a month, despite the financial pressures our state still faces, we will continue our commitment to sending tho… kid… those kids from at-risk communities to preschool and getting them started in school as early as possible. But, that’s not enough. Studies show that reading aloud to children is the number one factor in helping them learn to read at an early age. That’s why my office and Senate President Jones’ office have teamed up to develop a personal library program, our own Book of the Month Club so that every single child born in Illinois from 09300082.doc 43  STATE OF ILLINOIS 93rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 82nd Legislative Day 1/15/2004 birth to the age 5 will receive a book in the mail every month until they start kindergarten. And when they turn 5 they’ll receive a library card. Every child will also receive a dictionary, ‘cause you gotta have that. Working with the Dollywood Foundation which has had success in implementing this program in 32 different states, including in two counties in Illinois, Edgar and Whiteside Counties, and so far, the program has worked. Studies have shown that 85 percent, 85 percent of participants in the personal libraries program have said they read to their children almost every day. That is a very big step forward. When this program is off the ground Illinois will be the first in the nation to offer a personal library to every child five and under in the state. Just as it seems clear that having more books in the home will help children learn to read, it seems equally clear that the more involved parents are in their child’s education the better their kids will do in school. That’s why we’re bringing back Project Success, a program that was created by Governor Edgar. Project Success brings together parents, community leaders, faith-based organizations, and providers of different services in each community to identify the needs of school… of local students, and figure out how to meet them. That could range from families who need health care or dental care to students who need after school tutoring. Project Success was a success here in Illinois. At its peak it served 350,000 families in 90 different counties. We not only want to bring it back, we want to expand Project 09300082.doc 44  STATE OF ILLINOIS 93rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 82nd Legislative Day 1/15/2004 Success so that it serves every county in this state. Students are one part of the equation, parents are another. But without qualified, dedicated teachers none of it adds up. First, we need to make sure that those teaching our children to read have the proper training when it comes to reading. That’s why I’m proposing legislation that would require all elementary school teachers to complete 50 percent of their certificate renewal requirements through coursework and activities that focus on best practices when it comes to teaching children how to read. Not only do we have to give the teachers the tools they need, we have to free up their time to do what they’re supposed to do, teach. Unfortunately, under the State Board of Education’s maze of teacher recertification rules, teachers are burdened with the process that includes: a 61 page manual, 8 different types of forms, and as many as 100 different pieces of paper they have to file all in order to keep teaching our children. And at the same time, the state board has eliminated nearly all forms of technical assistance to help teachers through this arduous process. Every minute teachers waste filling out forms is time they could be spending preparing themselves to educate their kids. And despite a process that requires teachers to fill out nearly 100 forms, the state board has still failed to develop the programs that beginning teachers need to receive their certification, leaving 7,000 hardworking teachers in bureaucratic limbo. We can’t attract enough teachers as it is, and they are driving 7,000 teachers 09300082.doc 45  STATE OF ILLINOIS 93rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 82nd Legislative Day 1/15/2004 away. That’s why we need to create an independent teacher certification board, so that teachers can focus, so that teachers can focus on completing their professional development, and not get caught up in the State Board of Education’s endless thicket of red tape. Second, we didn’t… we need to make sure… we need to make sure that struggling schools have access to reading specialists, specialists who help students learn to read, and offer teachers some of the new ideas out there that are being used to teach children how to read. Third, we need to find more ways to bring teachers into the classroom. As of October 1, nearly 1,400 teaching positions in Illinois went unfilled. This is a national problem, so we are competing with other states. Last spring, thanks to you, we enacted legislation creating the Illinois Future Teachers Corps which provides $5,000 and $10,000 scholarships to college students willing to teach in Illinois. However, college students studying education aren’t the only ones… aren’t the only people who have something to add to a classroom. Not every life experience is relevant to teaching. And certain types of teachers, no question about it, need traditional forms of training, just as a doctor goes to medical school. But people in other professions often can and do have something to offer our students. That’s why I’m forming a task force that includes traditionally trained teachers, education experts, and people who have come to the teaching profession by way of another profession to figure out how to develop a program for 09300082.doc 46  STATE OF ILLINOIS 93rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 82nd Legislative Day 1/15/2004 people who can bring different experiences and backgrounds and can share them in the classroom. Involv… sorry, involved parents, well-trained teachers, and children who begin reading at an early age are all necessary to improve education here in Illinois. But no matter how involved a parent is, no matter how well trained a teacher might be, no matter what age a child learns, if a child isn’t healthy, if he or she can’t concentrate in school, if he or she doesn’t eat a good breakfast, or doesn’t get enough exercise, it’s not only difficult to do well in school, it’s difficult to learn the habits children need to live healthy lives. Now, I’m not saying that teaching children about nutrition and exercise is as important as teaching them how to read or do their math, but when you look at the crisis facing our children today at a time when more than three times as many children are overweight than they were twenty years ago, at a time when Type… II Diabetes has increased by 700 percent among children, at a time when the Director of the Yale University Center for Eating and Weight Disorders says that this could be the first generation of American children to lead shorter lives than their parents, it’s clear we have to do more than just teach them reading and math. That’s why I’m proposing several initiatives that will help children eat better, exercise more, become better students, and live healthier and longer lives. First, it’s time to stop sending children mixed messages by teaching them about nutrition in the classroom and then peddling soda and junk food just a 09300082.doc 47  STATE OF ILLINOIS 93rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 82nd Legislative Day 1/15/2004 few feet away. That’s why House Minority… House Minority Leader Tom Cross and I have proposed new legislation that would ban the sale of soda and junk food from school vending machines. Instead of selling soda they can sell juice, they can sell water, they can sell milk. The companies can supply vending machines with healthy choices just as easily as they can sell Coke or Mountain Dew or Dr. Pepper. In fact, I’m sure that if Dr. Pepper were alive today he would think this is a good idea too. Second, it’s time we finally pass the chilhood… Childhood Hunger Relief Act. This Act is important. This Act requires schools to provide breakfast to children who otherwise would not be able to afford it. The cost of this program is minimal. It’s estimated to be nearly $1 million in a $53 billion budget. Yes, times are tough but we will not balance the budget on the backs of hungry children. Third, we’ve got to get… we’ve got to get our kids active again. We live in a time with hundreds of television channels, DVDs, TiVo, video games, computers and every other possible device that keeps kids sitting in front of a screen instead of running around in a playground. That’s not healthy. The quality of a child’s play says a lot about a society. It’s great that our children are so computer literate, but their day cannot start and end in front of a screen. Children need to be active. That means running and jumping and skipping and not just fast forwarding, downloading and instant messaging. I know many schools have waivers from offering physical education. I know many schools don’t have the 09300082.doc 48  STATE OF ILLINOIS 93rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 82nd Legislative Day 1/15/2004 gyms and facilities they need to give kids a place to run and exercise. But we can’t let those excuses get in the way of getting kids active again. It’s why we have to end the practice of giving schools waivers from offering physical education. It’s why our school construction program has to focus on providing the facilities schools need to give their students a place to play and it’s why we have to start stressing exercise and activity in our schools once again. A Department of Education would do just that. The initiatives I proposed so far today are designed to help students develop healthy minds and healthier bodies. But we still have to address their spirit. Schools do far more than just teach reading, writing and arithmetic. They can help parents as they teach their children values. They can help children learn the value and responsibilities of being good citizens. The more involved you are with your community, the better a citizen you become. That’s why I’m proposing legislation that would require all high school students in Illinois to perform forty hours of community service in order to graduate. The Chicago Public Schools already require forty hours of community service in order to graduate. We should too. Since every community and every district in Illinois is different, I’m not going to stand here and mandate exactly how or when or where the service must be performed. We’ll leave that to the local schools. What we will do is provide funding so that schools can develop and implement the community service requirements and demonstrate… 09300082.doc 49  STATE OF ILLINOIS 93rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 82nd Legislative Day 1/15/2004 demonstrate the project they’re making. At the same time… at the same time that we’re requiring students to perform service in order to graduate from high school, we also have to do more to help those students who are leaving school well before they graduate… well before graduation. In Illinois, one out of seven students is a high school dropout, one out of seven students is a high school dropout. The dropout rate is particularly high among African-American and Latino students. One out of every three Latino students, and one out of every five African- American students, drops out of high school. The 2000 United States Census show that over 200,000 people in Illinois aged 16 to 24 had dropped out of high school. In today’s high-tech, fast paced economy, it is very difficult to get a good job without a college education, so, you can just imagine your odds and the odds of getting a good job without a high school diploma. That’s why we’re creating a new program called GRADS. GRADS will take the resources of over a dozen different state programs and focus them, all of them, towards helping students, especially Latino and African-American students stay in school. We’re going to focus the efforts of the Department of Human Services, the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, the Department of Employment Security, the Department of Public Health, and the Department of Children and Family Services all toward reducing the number of dropouts here in Illinois. We’ve created this program with the help and the Leadership of the Black Caucus and Latino Caucus, and I’d 09300082.doc 50  STATE OF ILLINOIS 93rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 82nd Legislative Day 1/15/2004 like to take this opportunity to thank each and everyone of them for their Leadership on this issue. Thank you very much. Not every child is suited for college. Some children just aren’t interested. But that doesn’t mean they’re incapable of pursuing good careers. For those students who want to pursue other vocations, they should be able to get the instruction they need. That’s why we should expand the Illinois Tech Prep program, and other programs like it. This program is all about helping students who have the aptitude for vocational training. We have to help… we have to help them make the transition from high school to a program in a technical field. Those are the fundamentals of our plan helping kids learn how to read at an early age; helping parents identify services that can help their children, helping teachers access the training and tools they need to stay up to date, helping bring new types of teachers into the classroom, making sure that kids are healthy, that they can concentrate, that they eat right and get enough exercise, making sure that we teach children their responsibility as citizens. Teach them the value of service and do everything we can to help them stay in school. Those are the fundamentals that will help our schools improve. They will help our students learn from the day they are born all the way through college, and prepare them for the rest of their lives. But to succeed we need to do more. If we can’t administer these programs properly if we can’t implement them without taking 54 cents on the dollar away from the classroom, if we can’t find 09300082.doc 51  STATE OF ILLINOIS 93rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 82nd Legislative Day 1/15/2004 ways to help schools alleviate the crushing burden of process and paperwork and bureaucracy, we’re just throwing good money after bad into a system that sells our children short. If we do not get our school system under control, if we do not finally make the body that oversees our schools accountable, efficient and cost-effective, if we don’t set higher standards for ourselves and for our students and do everything it takes to achieve them, we will never make real, fundamental progress when it comes to education here in Illinois. If you care about education, if you care about giving our children a chance at a better life, reforming the State Board of Education is the first and single most important step we can take. This has to happen. If we fail to make real changes at the top, no matter how much money we spend, we will be unable to make any real improvement anywhere at all. We cannot continue to make the mistakes of the past. We cannot continue to allow the bureaucracy to stand in the way of educating our children. At this time, at this moment, we share a unique opportunity, an opportunity to change things, to challenge the status quo, to move forward, an opportunity to make things better. Will it come with some struggle? Meaningful change always does. But for as long as we allow the State Board of Education to exist in its current form, accountable to no one, out there, beyond the reach of parents, beyond the reach of children, beyond the reach of teachers, in short, beyond the reach of everyone actually affected by the quality of education in this state, our 09300082.doc 52  STATE OF ILLINOIS 93rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 82nd Legislative Day 1/15/2004 schools will never truly improve. If we care about the people we serve, it is our duty as elected officials, our responsibility as public servants, our obligation as citizens to take this step. I’m asking you to join me in this fight. I cannot promise it will be easy. No fight ever is. The State Board of Education will fight to preserve their perks, their high salaries, their bureaucracy, with everything they’ve got. They’ve had it good for a long time, and they’re not going to want to see it end. They’ll throw every roadblock they can muster in the way of reform. They’ll say that they’re the only ones who really understand education, and that we should just give them more money and that will solve the problem. They’ll try to dispute the facts and figures, but that only confirms the underlying point: the current system is failing our children. The choice here is very simple. If you’re satisfied with the state of education in Illinois, then leave the system the way it is. But if you think as I do we can do better, then join us and make this change. If you’re sick and tired of hearing year after year that kids in Illinois schools are falling behind, failing tests, dropping out of school, if you’re sick and tired of not being able to get your arms around the problem because there’s this big, unwieldy, unaccountable monolith out there that keeps standing in the way, I know how you feel. Every Member in this General Assembly wants to see the schools in his or her district do well. In fact, I think it’s fair to say that every Member of the General Assembly 09300082.doc 53  STATE OF ILLINOIS 93rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 82nd Legislative Day 1/15/2004 wants to see every school in every part of Illinois do well. And I think it’s equally fair to say that virtually every Member has come here and tried to make a difference to improve our schools and I’ll bet every Member here has at one time or another run into the same roadblocks, the same obstacles, the same problems, experienced the same frustrations, and has felt the same discouragement at being unable to do anything about it. It doesn’t have to be that way. We can do something about it. We have the power to make real change and real reforms. And if we do we can finally have an education system in Illinois that’s accountable, that can answer for results, that can respond to change and most importantly of all, that can do better for the children of this state. Now is the time. This is our chance. The hour is here. Let us seize the moment. Thank you.”

"The House Perfunctory Session will come to order. Introduction of Resolution… Resolutions. House Resolution 616, offered by Representative John Bradley. This Resolution referred to the House Rules Committee. Introduction of House Bills. House Bill 4019, offered by Representative Daniels, a Bill for an Act concerning the Department on Aging. House Bill 4020, offered by Representative Daniels, a Bill for an Act in relation to health. House Bill 4021, offered by Representative Daniels, a Bill for an Act in relation to Human Services. House Bill 4022, offered by Representative Daniels, a Bill for an Act concerning disability services. House Bill 4023, offered by Representative Froehlich, a Bill for an Act concerning criminal law. House Bill 4024, offered by Representative Froehlich, a Bill for an Act concerning criminal law. House Bill 4025, offered by Representative Holbrook, a Bill for an Act in relation to criminal law. House Bill 4026, offered by Representative Verschoore, a Bill for an Act in relation to townships. House Bill 4027, offered by Representative Delgado, a Bill for an Act concerning vehicles. House Bill 4028, offered by Representative Saviano, a Bill for an Act in relation to the regulation of professions. House Bill 4029, offered by Representative Saviano, a Bill for an Act concerning professional regulation. House Bill 4030, offered by 09300082.doc 55  STATE OF ILLINOIS 93rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 82nd Legislative Day 1/15/2004 Representative Saviano, a Bill for an Act concerning professional regulation. House Bill 4031, offered by Representative McKeon, a Bill for an Act concerning alcoholic liquor. House Bill 4032, offered by Representative Rita, a Bill for an Act in relation to criminal law. House Bill 4033, offered by Representative Lang, a Bill for an Act in relation to health facilities. House Bill 4034, offered by Representative Lang, a Bill for an Act in relation to health facilities. House Bill 4035, offered by Representative Lang, a Bill for an Act concerning nursing home care. House Bill 4036, offered by Representative Lang, a Bill for an Act concerning criminal law. House Bill 4037, offered by Representative Lang, a Bill for an Act in relation to gaming. House Bill 4038, offered by Representative Lang, a Bill for an Act in relation to gaming. House Bill 4039, offered by Representative Lang, a Bill for an Act in relation to gambling. House Bill 4040, offered by Representative Lang, a Bill for an Act in relation to horseracing. House Bill 4041, offered by Representative Lang, a Bill for an Act in relation to taxes. House Bill 4042, offered by Representative Lang, a Bill for an Act in relation to taxation. House Bill 4043, offered by Representative Lang, a Bill for an Act in relation to taxes. House Bill 4044, offered by Representative Lang, a Bill for an Act in relation to taxes. House Bill 4045, offered by Representative Lang, a Bill for an Act in relation to taxes. House Bill 4046, offered by Representative Lang, a 09300082.doc 56  STATE OF ILLINOIS 93rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 82nd Legislative Day 1/15/2004 Bill for an Act regarding taxes. House Bill 4047, offered by Representative Lang, a Bill for an Act in relation to taxes. House Bill 4048, offered by Representative Lang, a Bill for an Act in relation to taxes. House Bill 4049, offered by Representative Lang, a Bill for an Act in relation to taxes. House Bill 4050, offered by Representative Lang, a Bill for an Act in relation to gaming. House Bill 4051, offered by Representative Lang, a Bill for an Act in relation to gaming. House Bill 4052, offered by Representative Lang, a Bill for an Act in relation to gaming. House Bill 4053, offered by Representative Lang, a Bill for an Act in relation to gaming. House Bill 4054, offered by Representative Winters, a Bill for an Act concerning appropriations. House Bill 4055, offered by Representative Black, a Bill for an Act in relation to alcoholic liquor. House Bill 4056, offered by Representative Winters, a Bill for an Act concerning vehicles. House Bill 4057, offered by Representative McAuliffe, a Bill for an Act concerning asbestos abatement. House Bill 4058, offered by Representative Miller, a Bill for an Act concerning schools. House Bill 4059, offered by Representative Jakobsson, a Bill for an Act in relation to insurance. House Bill 4060, offered by Representative Joseph Lyons, a Bill for an Act in relation to executive agencies. House Bill 4061, offered by Representative Joseph Lyons, a Bill for an Act in relation to financial regulation. House Bill 4062, offered by Representative Joseph Lyons, a Bill for an 09300082.doc 57  STATE OF ILLINOIS 93rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 82nd Legislative Day 1/15/2004 Act concerning financial regulation. House Bill 4063, offered by Representative Fritchey, a Bill for an Act concerning criminal law. House Bill 4064, offered by Representative Hannig, a Bill for an Act concerning public employee benefits. House Bill 4065, offered by Representative Miller(sic-Fritchey), a Bill for an Act concerning elections. House Bill 4066, offered by Representative Dunn, a Bill for an Act concerning State employees. House Bill 4067, offered by Representative Wait, a Bill for an Act concerning minors. House Bill 4068, offered by Representative Pankau, a Bill for an Act concerning taxes. House Bill 4069, offered by Representative Dunn, a Bill for an Act concerning taxes. House Bill 4070, offered by Representative Daniels, a Bill for an Act concerning taxes. House Bill 4071, offered by Representative Monique Davis, a Bill for an Act concerning hate crimes. House Bill 4072, offered by Representative Monique Davis, a Bill for an Act concerning education. House Bill 4073, offered by Representative Monique Davis, a Bill for an Act concerning higher education. House Bill 4074, offered by Representative John Bradley, a Bill for an Act in relation to criminal law. House Bill 4075, offered by Representative John Bradley, a Bill for an Act concerning criminal law. House Bill 4076, offered by Representative Nekritz, a Bill for an Act concerning taxes. House Bill 4077, offered by Representative Nekritz, a Bill for an Act concerning taxes. House Bill 4078, offered by Representative Nekritz, a Bill for an Act concerning 09300082.doc 58  STATE OF ILLINOIS 93rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 82nd Legislative Day 1/15/2004 townships. House Bill 4079, offered by Representative Nekritz, a Bill for an Act concerning landlords. House Bill 4080, offered by Representative Nekritz, a Bill for an Act in relation to vehicles. House Bill 4081, offered by Representative Nekritz, a Bill for an Act concerning health facilities. House Bill 4082, offered by Representative Franks, a Bill for an Act concerning conservation. House Bill 4083, offered by Representative Berrios, a Bill for an Act concerning motor vehicles. House Bill 4084, offered by Representative Graham, a Bill for an Act concerning vehicles. House Bill 4085, offered by Representative Graham, a Bill for an Act concerning vehicles. House Bill 4086, offered by Representative Graham, a Bill for an Act in relation to public health. House Bill 4087, offered by Representative Graham, a Bill for an Act concerning handguns. House Bill 4088, offered by Representative Mathias, a Bill for an Act concerning schools. House Bill 4089, offered by Representative Schmitz, a Bill for an Act in relation to criminal law. House Bill 4090, offered by Representative Holbrook, a Bill for an Act concerning gaming. House Bill 4091, offered by Representative Froehlich, a Bill for an Act regarding the election of school board members. House Bill 4092, offered by Representative Ryg, a Bill for an Act concerning mental health. House Bill 4093, offered by Representative Acevedo, a Bill for an Act concerning corrections. House Bill 4094, offered by Representative Acevedo, a Bill for an Act concerning criminal law. House Bill 4095, offered by 09300082.doc 59  STATE OF ILLINOIS 93rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 82nd Legislative Day 1/15/2004 Representative Acevedo, a Bill for an Act in relation to criminal law. House Bill 4096, offered by Representative Acevedo, a Bill for an Act concerning juveniles. House Bill 4097, offered by Representative Acevedo, a Bill for an Act regarding vehicles. House Bill 4098, offered by Representative Hamos, a Bill for an Act concerning transportation. House Bill 4099, offered by Representative Hamos, a Bill for an Act in relation to energy conservation. House Bill 4100, offered by Representative Hamos, a Bill for an Act concerning rental housing. House Bill 4101, offered by Representative Bradley, Richard, a Bill for an Act concerning criminal law. House Bill 4102, offered by Representative Bradley, Richard, a Bill for an Act concerning the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District. House Bill 4103, offered by Representative Moffitt(sic- Bost), a Bill for an Act concerning vehicles. House Bill 4104, offered by Representative Mautino(sic-Madigan), a Bill for an Act concerning insurance. House Bill 4105, offered by Representative Eddy, a Bill for an Act concerning school construction. House Bill 4106, offered by Representative Bradley, Richard, a Bill for an Act concerning fees. House Bill 4107, offered by Representative Saviano, a Bill for an Act concerning public access to physical therapists. House Bill 4108, offered by Representative Aguilar(sic-Saviano), a Bill for an Act concerning local government. House Bill 4109, offered by Representative Lang, a Bill for an Act concerning public employee benefits. House Bill 4110, offered by 09300082.doc 60  STATE OF ILLINOIS 93rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 82nd Legislative Day 1/15/2004 Representative Lang, a Bill for an Act concerning business transactions. House Bill 4111, offered by Representative Lang, a Bill for an Act concerning business transactions. House Bill 4112, offered by Representative Lang, a Bill for an Act concerning business transactions. House Bill 4113, offered by Representative Davis, William, a Bill for an Act concerning schools. House Bill 4114, offered by Representative Granberg, a Bill for an Act in relation to economic development. House Bill 4115, offered by Representative Granberg, a Bill for an Act in relation to economic development. House Bill 4116, offered by Representative Younge, a Bill for an Act in relation to homeless persons. House Bill 4117, offered by Representative Younge, a Bill for an Act in relation to human services. House Bill 4118, offered by Representative Mathias, a Bill for an Act in relation to municipalities. House Bill 4119, offered by Representative Mathias, a Bill for an Act concerning alcoholic liquor. House Bill 4120, offered by Representative Mathias, a Bill for an Act in relation to criminal law. House Bill 4121, offered by Representative Mathias, a Bill for an Act concerning criminal actions. House Bill 4122, offered by Representative Mathias, a Bill for an Act concerning the allocation of telephone numbers. House Bill 4123, offered by Representative Mathias, a Bill for an Act in relation to criminal law. House Bill 4124, offered by Representative Biggins, a Bill for an Act concerning fees. House Bill 4125, offered by Representative Osmond, a Bill for an Act 09300082.doc 61  STATE OF ILLINOIS 93rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 82nd Legislative Day 1/15/2004 concerning health. House Bill 4126, offered by Representative Osmond, a Bill for an Act concerning appropriations. First Reading of these House Bills. First Reading of House Joint Resolutions for Constitutional Amendments. House Joint Resolution Constitutional Amendment #21, offered by Representative Biggins. HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION CONSTITUTIONAL Amendment 21 RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that there shall be submitted to the electors of the State for adoption or rejection at the general election next occurring at least 6 months after the adoption of this resolution a proposition to add Section 4.5 to Article IX of the Illinois Constitution as follows: ARTICLE IX REVENUE SECTION 4.5. REVENUE LIMITATIONS (a) Taxes upon real property and any other taxes or fees imposed by a unit of local government or school district shall be levied at an amount no higher than that levy in effect on the effective date of this Section or at the levy in effect in 2000, whichever is less, excluding taxes or 09300082.doc 62  STATE OF ILLINOIS 93rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 82nd Legislative Day 1/15/2004 fees for bonded indebtedness incurred before the effective date of this Section. (b) There shall be no reassessment that would increase the assessed value of existing structures or land after the effective date of this Section. (c) There shall be no equalization of assessments between or within townships, between or within counties, or between or within classes of property by application of a percentage increase to assessments after the effective date of this Section. (d) Voters of a unit of local government or school district may initiate, by a petition signed by at least 1% of the registered voters in that unit of local government or school district, or 10,000 voters, whichever is less, referenda to lower the levy, taxes, or fees imposed by that unit of local government or school district. There shall be no limit on the number of local tax cut referenda at any election. (e) An ordinance of a unit of local government or school district that would result in the increase of any revenue to that unit of local government or school district may become law only with approval at referendum of at least two-thirds of the voters of that unit of local government or school district voting on the question. (f) A bill that would result in the increase of any revenue to the State may become law only with approval at a statewide referendum of at least two-thirds of the voters of this State voting on the question. 09300082.doc 63  STATE OF ILLINOIS 93rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 82nd Legislative Day 1/15/2004 SCHEDULE This Constitutional Amendment takes effect upon being declared adopted in accordance with Section 7 of the Illinois Constitutional Amendment Act. First Reading of HJRCA 21. First Reading of HJRCA 22, offered by Representative Froehlich. HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION CONSTITUTIONAL Amendment 22 RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that there shall be submitted to the electors of the State for adoption or rejection at the general election next occurring at least 6 months after the adoption of this resolution a proposition to amend Sections 1, 2, and 3 of Article IV of the Illinois Constitution as follows: ARTICLE IV THE LEGISLATURE SECTION 1. LEGISLATURE - POWER AND STRUCTURE The legislative power is vested in a General Assembly consisting of a Senate and a House of Representatives, elected by the electors from 59 Legislative Districts and 09300082.doc 64  STATE OF ILLINOIS 93rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 82nd Legislative Day 1/15/2004 39 Representative Districts. (Source: Amendment adopted at general election November 4, 1980.) SECTION 2. LEGISLATIVE COMPOSITION (a) One Senator shall be elected from each Legislative District. Immediately following each decennial redistricting, the General Assembly by law shall divide the Legislative Districts as equally as possible into three groups. Senators from one group shall be elected for terms of four years, four years and two years; Senators from the second group, for terms of four years, two years and four years; and Senators from the third group, for terms of two years, four years and four years. The Legislative Districts in each group shall be distributed substantially equally over the State. (b) In 2006 and every two years thereafter, three Representatives shall be elected from each Representative District for a term of two years. No political party shall limit its nominations to less than three candidates for Representatives in any Representative District. In elections for Representatives, including those for nomination, each elector may cast three votes for one candidate or distribute them equally among no more than three candidates. The candidates highest in votes shall be declared elected. (c) To be eligible to serve as a member of the General Assembly, a person must be a United States citizen, at least 21 years old, and for the two years preceding his election or appointment a resident of the district which he 09300082.doc 65  STATE OF ILLINOIS 93rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 82nd Legislative Day 1/15/2004 is to represent. In the general election following a redistricting, a candidate for the General Assembly may be elected from any district which contains a part of the district in which he resided at the time of the redistricting and reelected if a resident of the new district he represents for 18 months prior to reelection. (d) Within thirty days after a vacancy occurs, it shall be filled by appointment as provided by law. If the vacancy is in a Senatorial office with more than twenty-eight months remaining in the term, the appointed Senator shall serve until the next general election, at which time a Senator shall be elected to serve for the remainder of the term. If the vacancy is in a Representative office or in any other Senatorial office, the appointment shall be for the remainder of the term. An appointee to fill a vacancy shall be a member of the same political party as the person he succeeds. (e) No member of the General Assembly shall receive compensation as a public officer or employee from any other governmental entity for time during which he is in attendance as a member of the General Assembly. No member of the General Assembly during the term for which he was elected or appointed shall be appointed to a public office which shall have been created or the compensation for which shall have been increased by the General Assembly during that term. (Source: Amendment adopted at general election November 4, 1980.) SECTION 3. LEGISLATIVE REDISTRICTING 09300082.doc 66  STATE OF ILLINOIS 93rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 82nd Legislative Day 1/15/2004 (a) Legislative Districts shall be compact, contiguous and substantially equal in population. Representative Districts shall be compact, contiguous, and substantially equal in population. (b) In 2005, the General Assembly by law shall redistrict the Representative Districts using the 2000 Federal decennial census. Thereafter, in the year following each Federal decennial census year, the General Assembly by law shall redistrict the Legislative Districts and the Representative Districts. If no redistricting plan becomes effective by June 30 of that year, a Legislative Redistricting Commission shall be constituted not later than July 10. The Commission shall consist of eight members, no more than four of whom shall be members of the same political party. The Speaker and Minority Leader of the House of Representatives shall each appoint to the Commission one Representative and one person who is not a member of the General Assembly. The President and Minority Leader of the Senate shall each appoint to the Commission one Senator and one person who is not a member of the General Assembly. The members shall be certified to the Secretary of State by the appointing authorities. A vacancy on the Commission shall be filled within five days by the authority that made the original appointment. A Chairman and Vice Chairman shall be chosen by a majority of all members of the Commission. Not later than August 10, the Commission shall file with the Secretary of State a redistricting plan approved by at least five members. If the Commission fails to file an 09300082.doc 67  STATE OF ILLINOIS 93rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 82nd Legislative Day 1/15/2004 approved redistricting plan, the Supreme Court shall submit the names of two persons, not of the same political party, to the Secretary of State not later than September 1. Not later than September 5, the Secretary of State publicly shall draw by random selection the name of one of the two persons to serve as the ninth member of the Commission. Not later than October 5, the Commission shall file with the Secretary of State a redistricting plan approved by at least five members. An approved redistricting plan filed with the Secretary of State shall be presumed valid, shall have the force and effect of law and shall be published promptly by the Secretary of State. The Supreme Court shall have original and exclusive jurisdiction over actions concerning redistricting the House and Senate, which shall be initiated in the name of the People of the State by the Attorney General. (Source: Amendment adopted at general election November 4, 1980.) SCHEDULE This Constitutional Amendment takes effect upon being declared adopted in accordance with Section 7 of the Illinois Constitutional Amendment Act and applies to the election of Representatives in 2006 and thereafter. This has been First Reading of House Joint Resolution Constitutional Amendment #22. First Reading of House Joint Resolution Constitutional Amendment #23, offered by Representative Kurtz. 09300082.doc 68  STATE OF ILLINOIS 93rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 82nd Legislative Day 1/15/2004 HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION CONSTITUTIONAL Amendment 23 RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that there shall be submitted to the electors of the State for adoption or rejection at the general election next occurring at least 6 months after the adoption of this resolution a proposition to amend Sections 2 and 5 of Article IV of the Illinois Constitution: ARTICLE IV THE LEGISLATURE SECTION 2. LEGISLATIVE COMPOSITION (a) One Senator shall be elected from each Legislative District. Senators elected in 2006 shall serve six-year terms. Senators elected in 2008 shall serve four-year terms. Immediately following each decennial redistricting, the General Assembly by law shall divide the Legislative Districts as equally as possible into two groups. During each ten-year period, beginning with the general election in 2012, Senators from one group shall first be elected for terms of six years and then for terms of four years and Senators from the other group shall first be elected for terms of four years and then for terms of six years. The Legislative Districts in each group shall be distributed substantially equally over the State. 09300082.doc 69  STATE OF ILLINOIS 93rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 82nd Legislative Day 1/15/2004 (b) Each Legislative District shall be divided into two Representative Districts. One Representative shall be elected from each Representative District. Representatives elected in 2006 shall first serve terms of four years and then terms of two years. During each ten-year period, beginning with the general election in 2012, Representatives shall first be elected for terms of four years, then for terms of two years, and then for terms of four years. (c) To be eligible to serve as a member of the General Assembly, a person must be a United States citizen, at least 21 years old, and for the two years preceding his election or appointment a resident of the district which he is to represent. In the general election following a redistricting, a candidate for the General Assembly may be elected from any district which contains a part of the district in which he resided at the time of the redistricting and reelected if a resident of the new district he represents for 18 months prior to reelection. (d) Within thirty days after a vacancy occurs, it shall be filled by appointment as provided by law. If the vacancy is in a Senatorial or Representative office with more than twenty-eight months remaining in the term, the appointed Senator or Representative shall serve until the next general election, at which time a Senator or Representative shall be elected to serve for the remainder of the term. If the vacancy is in any other Senatorial or a Representative office, the appointment shall be for the remainder of the 09300082.doc 70  STATE OF ILLINOIS 93rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 82nd Legislative Day 1/15/2004 term. An appointee to fill a vacancy shall be a member of the same political party as the person he succeeds. (e) No member of the General Assembly shall receive compensation as a public officer or employee from any other governmental entity for time during which he is in attendance as a member of the General Assembly. No member of the General Assembly during the term for which he was elected or appointed shall be appointed to a public office which shall have been created or the compensation for which shall have been increased by the General Assembly during that term. (Source: Amendment adopted at general election November 4, 1980.) SECTION 5. SESSIONS (a) The General Assembly shall convene each year on the second Wednesday of January. The General Assembly shall be a continuous body for a period beginning and ending at noon on the second Wednesday of January of consecutive odd-numbered years. (b) The Governor may convene the General Assembly or the Senate alone in special session by a proclamation stating the purpose of the session; and only business encompassed by such purpose, together with any impeachments or confirmation of appointments shall be transacted. Special sessions of the General Assembly may also be convened by joint proclamation of the presiding officers of both houses, issued as provided by law. (c) Sessions of each house of the General Assembly and meetings of committees, joint committees and legislative 09300082.doc 71  STATE OF ILLINOIS 93rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 82nd Legislative Day 1/15/2004 commissions shall be open to the public. Sessions and committee meetings of a house may be closed to the public if two-thirds of the members elected to that house determine that the public interest so requires; and meetings of joint committees and legislative commissions may be so closed if two-thirds of the members elected to each house so determine. (Source: Illinois Constitution.) SCHEDULE This Constitutional Amendment takes effect upon being declared adopted in accordance with Section 7 of the Illinois Constitutional Amendment Act and applies to the election of members of the General Assembly in 2006 and thereafter. It does not affect the terms of members elected in 2002 or 2004. This has been First Reading of HJRCA 23. First Reading of House Joint Resolution Constitutional Amendment #24, offered by Representative Bill Mitchell. HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION CONSTITUTIONAL Amendment 24 RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that there shall be submitted to the electors of the State for adoption or rejection at the general election next occurring at least 6 months after the adoption of this resolution a proposition to add Section 9 to Article XIII of the Illinois Constitution as follows: 09300082.doc 72  STATE OF ILLINOIS 93rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 82nd Legislative Day 1/15/2004 ARTICLE XIII GENERAL PROVISIONS SECTION 9. SAME SEX MARRIAGE Only marriage between one man and one woman shall be valid or recognized in Illinois. The uniting of persons of the same sex in a civil union, domestic partnership, or other similar same sex relationship shall not be valid or recognized in Illinois. SCHEDULE This Constitutional Amendment takes effect upon being declared adopted in accordance with Section 7 of the Illinois Constitutional Amendment Act. This has been First Reading of Hou… HJRCA 24. There being no further business, the House Perfunctory Session will stand adjourned.” 09300082.doc 73