“The House shall come to order. Members shall be in their chairs. We ask the Members and our guests in the gallery to turn off any laptop computers, cell phones, and pagers. We ask the guests in the gallery to rise for the invocation and the Pledge of Allegiance. We will have two invocations today, so we will be very holy, especially those on that side of the chamber. First… first, we shall be led in prayer by Pastor Barbara Page Kell of the Bethany of Fox Valley United Methodist Church in Aurora, Illinois. Pastor Kell is the guest of Representative Chapa LaVia.”
“I would ask for your prayers for our Aurora Mayor Tom Wi… Weisner and his wife, Marilyn. Their son Thaddeus died this morning. Let us pray. Creator God, through You all things have their roots and being. You have given us our very lives. Forgive us for the times when we see responsibility to care for Your creation as an excuse to overuse and abuse it. Instill in our hears the compassion to care for all creation and for creatures great and small. You are still creating and asking us to live each day in the newness of that creation. Redeemer God, who comes to us in the vulnerability of a human child, teach us to be vulnerable too. In Your dying on the cross for us, remember that You have asked us to serve the least and the lowest. Encourage us to be a servant leader that will wash the feet of others and lead by being last and not first. Be with us as we honor You not with just words but with deeds of truth and mercy. In learning to love our neighbor, help us to seek understanding of what neighbor means. Let us to see our neighbor living in the city, in the rural areas, in the 09400078.doc 1 STATE OF ILLINOIS 94th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 78th Legislative Day 1/18/2006 suburbs and the villages. As we learn to love ourselves, let us be advocates for our neighbors, lavishly showing love on those who are homeless and the working poor. Sustainer God, give us wisdom beyond our years and our life experience. Let us see beyond our own needs and on our comfort zone. Dare to move us to action and to take risks. Teach us Your way of peace that we may teach our children to live with respect for others. Fill us with Your spirit so that we will see the world through Your eyes. Bless the Governor as he is speaking today. Let us catch a vision that will bring better living. Bless these Legislators, their staff and all the hardworking support people who make this place in this time. Give all of them a sense of joy as well as a sense of responsibility. May that responsibility that You have given to them help them to know that they cannot do their tasks by themselves but need You and the community around them. Help us to walk the talk made in election promises and when conflicts arise may there be listening beyond rhetoric to see the possibilities of what can be done for the betterment of all. Help truth be spoken and honesty be the order of the day. Charge everyone to see the world through… beyond the constituency that elected them, beyond the boundaries of our state, for we are part of a larger world. The consequence of our action taken here affect around the world and future generations. Amen.”
“We shall also be led in prayer by Sister Rosemary Connelly the executive director of the Misericordia Home in Chicago. Sister Connelly is the guest of Representative Dan Burke.” 09400078.doc 2 STATE OF ILLINOIS 94th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 78th Legislative Day 1/18/2006
Sister Connelly: “Thank you, Mike. Thank you for this opportunity. God, most holy, ever ancient, ever new, You are the spirit beyond our vision beyond our human understanding and we call You many different names. We come before You seeking the way. We search for You in our daily lives and we pray to be ever aware of Your presence among us. Today, we gather to begin a new year, another year, of public service for the men and women who are elected officials of our great State of Illinois. We pray for their families who are asked to sacrifice because of the demanding role which this call to public service can involve. Please bless these elected men and women with integrity, wisdom, compassion and courage that they would always choose the welfare of our people over the false gains of material possessions, power and greed. Give them the strength to defeat the culture of violence so prevalent in our society. Let them do this through advocacy, education and assistance. Help them to be sensitive and caring toward every citizen but remembering the words of great people who have gone before them, ‘you can judge a nation, a state, by the way they treat their most vulnerable citizen.’ There are so many vulnerable and wounded people in our society and as we saw in New Orleans, often hidden by the veils of poverty. The wounded are those who are materially poor, mentally ill, undereducated, physically challenged, mentally disabled, isolated, medically uninsured, autistic, along with many other ways of being wounded and hidden in this affluent society that most of us enjoy. We remember those who are misunderstood and discarded because of racial, ethnic, 09400078.doc 3 STATE OF ILLINOIS 94th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 78th Legislative Day 1/18/2006 cultural and religious differences, especially the honest and sincere immigrants looking for basic freedom and decent lives for themselves and their children in this land of opportunity. Let us never forget that many of us were children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren of immigrants and how blessed we are to be Americans. Assist these Members gathered here this morning to be humbled by the power and authority which is entrusted to them by the citizens of Illinois. May their deliberations lead to justice and peace in their own hearts and in our society. Remind them always that You are the source of all authority and give them the courage and conviction to raise their voices for the welfare for all citizens but especially those who cannot speak for themselves. Generous God, give these good men and women and those they love the gift of gratitude, that they be thankful for each new day and regard it as an opportunity to make a difference. The gift of hope, that they may meet the daily challenges of life with courage and conviction. The gift of compassion, that they may reach out to those who are wounded and who struggle for equality and fullness of life. The gift of peace, that they live in harmony with themselves, one another and their families and that their peace may spread to all those they meet. And when their political careers are over, give them the gift of knowing the world is a better and more caring place because they had this very unique opportunity and used it wisely to make the State of Illinois a more compassionate place for all people but especially Your most vulnerable ones. We ask this in Your holy and mysterious name. Amen.” 09400078.doc 4 STATE OF ILLINOIS 94th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 78th Legislative Day 1/18/2006
“I would ask all of us to observe a moment of silent prayer for former State Representative and former Lieutenant Governor Corinne Wood who was reportedly very seriously ill. Thank you very much. We shall be led in the Pledge of Allegiance by our new Member, Representative Golar. Representative Golar.”
“I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”
“Roll Call for Attendance. Representative Currie.”
“Thank you, Speaker. Please let the record reflect the excused absence of Representative Patterson.”
“Mr. Bost.”
“Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Let the record reflect that Representative Bassi is excused today.”
“Mr. Clerk, take the record. There being 116 Members responding to the Attendance Roll Call, there is a quorum present. Mr. Clerk.”
“Referred to the House Committee on Rules is House Resolution 824 and House Joint Resolution 81. House Resolution 816 also referred to the House Committee on Rules. The Rules Committee will meet immediately in the Speaker’s Conference Room. The Rules Committee will meet immediately in the Speaker’s Conference Room.”
Speaker Madigan: “Representative Burke… Representative Dan Burke. Mr. Burke… Ladies and Gentlemen, if you would give your attention to Representative Burke and please take your 09400078.doc 5 STATE OF ILLINOIS 94th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 78th Legislative Day 1/18/2006 seats. If the Members would please take their seats. Mr. Clerk, do you have a Resolution?”
“House Resolution 816. WHEREAS, Misericordia Heart of Mercy, one of the State of Illinois' most benevolent and widely respected not-for-profit organizations, was founded by the Sisters of Mercy in 1921 on the South Side of Chicago; and WHEREAS, Originally a home that cared for unwed mothers, the Sisters of Mercy saw a greater need in society and in 1954 changed Misericordia's mission to support individuals with developmental disabilities; and WHEREAS, Sister Rosemary Connelly joined Misericordia as its Executive Director in 1969 and with the help of many generous benefactors has turned Misericordia into a national model, providing exceptional programs for persons living with developmental disabilities; and WHEREAS, In order to provide services for a growing number of individuals, Misericordia moved in 1976 to the former Angel Guardian Orphanage in Rogers Park on Chicago's Far North Side; and WHEREAS, Misericordia currently supports 550 children and adults with mild to profound developmental disabilities from all racial, religious, and socio-economic backgrounds; and WHEREAS, Misericordia has been a true Godsend to many families that otherwise would have been left alone to cope with a vast array of demanding challenges; and WHEREAS, Misericordia offers a wide range of programs and treats the individual needs of each disabled person, offering residential placement and day-to-day support, 09400078.doc 6 STATE OF ILLINOIS 94th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 78th Legislative Day 1/18/2006 physical, occupational, and music therapy as well as vocational and job opportunities and health and fitness guidance; and WHEREAS, In the fall of 2005, Misericordia opened a state-of-the-art skilled nursing residence, which provides innovative care for individuals with developmental disabilities and complex medical issues; and WHEREAS, Misericordia has a waiting list of 600 disabled persons, and it remains committed to the vision of further growth while retaining the highest quality of care; and WHEREAS, The hard work, sacrifice and dedication of Misericordia Heart of Mercy serve as an example to all; therefore, be it RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we recognize Misericordia Heart of Mercy for its many important contributions to the quality of life of the developmentally disabled in Illinois, and we hereby express our most sincere best wishes as it continues to fulfill the highest and most noble aspirations of its mission; and be it further RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Sister Rosemary Connelly, R.S.M., Executive Director of Misericordia Heart of Mercy.”
“The Chair recognizes Representative Burke. Mr. Burke.”
“Thank you, Speaker and Ladies and Gentlemen of the House. I rise to support this Resolution and I might say additionally, welcome to Misericordia Day in our State Capitol. We are fortunate to have Sister Rosemary Connelly 09400078.doc 7 STATE OF ILLINOIS 94th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 78th Legislative Day 1/18/2006 who is the executive director of Misericordia. For those of you who, I’m… would be surprised, are not familiar with Misericordia, it is an institution and I… in our state and certainly in the City of Chicago, Ladies and Gentlemen. It is a Heart of Mercy indeed. It is an institution that provides services to those of our society who would otherwise not be cared for with great compassion, great love and indeed, the finest service that any individual that is incapacitated in our society would enjoy. I congratulate not only Sister Rosemary Connelly but all those: Father Clair and all those volunteering their very big hearts to a society that otherwise would be uncared for. I would encourage, Mr. Speaker, that all Members be added to this Resolution. And again, congratulate Misericordia Heart of Mercy on their wonderful, wonderful work and compassion for our society. Thank you very much.”
Speaker Madigan: “Representative Mendoza, are you seeking recognition on this issue? Representative Mendoza.”
“Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Ladies and Gentlemen of the House, I, too, join my salute of Misericordia and also Sister Connelly on her efforts and those of all of the volunteers, members of the staff, in treating the children who most need the help and it’s not every day that we come into contact with these true public servants. They’re servants of the public and they’re servants of God that we see today in the presence of Sister Connelly. And so I wanna thank Sister Connelly, since you’re sitting here right next to me, for all of your efforts on behalf of these children. You’ve touched so many lives and in a way that no 09400078.doc 8 STATE OF ILLINOIS 94th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 78th Legislative Day 1/18/2006 one could ever measure to its true sincerity. So, thank you so much. And I also wanna thank the Members of this Body who have shown their support for Misericordia year after year either with their time, with their volunteer efforts or with their contributions. And let’s keep them in mind when we talk about community groups or institutions or public service agencies that truly deserve the dollars that make the best use of them. So, thank you Sister Connelly and again, God bless you. You certainly earned that. Thank you.”
“Mr. Molaro, on this question? Mr. Molaro.”
“Well, there… obviously, Sister and also Father Jack, I don’t think we have to say much about Misericordia. But I wanna point out to the Body that and I think Dan has done it, between 5 and 7 tonight there’s a… there’s gonna be a reception at the Sangamon (sic-Sangamo) Club. Not only should you attend the show, what’s going on with Misericordia, but also wanna point out Coach Mike Ditka will be there and he is gonna answer all the questions on why we didn’t cover Steve Smith. So, if you’re a Bear fan, be there tonight between 5 and 7, talk to Coach Ditka and show your support for Misericordia. Thank you, Dan.”
“Representative Bellock. Bellock.”
“Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I just wanted to reaffirm what the other speakers ahead of me had said and to say thank you so much to Sister Rosemary and Misericordia because I think she is the role model for the entire State of Illinois for serving people with disable… disabilities 09400078.doc 9 STATE OF ILLINOIS 94th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 78th Legislative Day 1/18/2006 and people who have extraordinary needs. Thank you very much.”
“The question is, ‘Shall the House adopt House Resolution 816?’ Those in favor say ‘aye’; those opposed say ‘no’. The ‘ayes’ have it. The House does adopt House Resolution 816. Mr. Clerk.”
“Rules Report. Representative Barbara Flynn Currie, Chairperson from the Committee on Rules, to which the following legislative measures and/or Joint Action Motion were referred, action taken on January 18, 2006, reported the same back with the following recommendation/s: 'approved for floor consideration' is House Bill… or a Motion to Concur in House Bill 3650 and House Joint Resolution #81.”
“The Chair recognizes Representative Currie. Currie.”
“Thank you, Speaker. Could the Clerk please read Joint Session Resolution 810. No, I’m sorry. Joint Session… Joint Session Resolution 4.”
“Representative Currie, we are on HJR 81. Welcome to the Illinois House of Representatives.”
“Thank you, Sir. Thank you, Sir. Would the Clerk please read that Resolution.”
Speaker Madigan: “He’s already read the Resolution, Representative.”
“Then I move for the adoption of House Joint Resolution 81.”
“You should go to the head of the class. The Lady has moved for the adoption of HJR 81. Those in favor 09400078.doc 10 STATE OF ILLINOIS 94th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 78th Legislative Day 1/18/2006 say ‘aye’; those opposed say ‘no’. The ‘ayes’ have it. The Resolution’s adopted. Mr. Clerk, anything further? That’s it? The regular Session will stand in recess. The Chair recognizes the Doorkeeper for an announcement.”
“Mr. Speaker, the Honorable President Jones and the Members of the Senate are at the door and seek admission to the chamber.”
“Mr. Doorkeeper, please admit the Honorable Senators. As designated in House Joint Resolution 81, the hour of 12 noon having arrived, the Joint Session of the 94th General Assembly will now come to order. Will the Members of the House and our esteemed guests from the Senate please take their seats. Mr. Clerk, is there a quorum of the House present?”
“A quorum of the House is present.”
“Mr. President, is a quorum of the Senate present in this chamber?”
“Thank you, Mr. Speaker. A quorum of the Senate is present.”
“There being a quorum of the House and a quorum of the Senate in attendance, this Joint Session is convened. Would the Members please take their seats. Would the Members please take their seats. Would the Members please take their seats. We would like to acknowledge the presence of certain dignitaries at today’s Session. First, we’re expecting the Lieutenant Governor of Illinois, Mr. Pat Quinn, Mr. Quinn. The Attorney General of Illinois, Lisa Madigan. The Treasurer, Judy Baar Topinka. The Auditor General, Bill Holland. The Superintendent of Education, 09400078.doc 11 STATE OF ILLINOIS 94th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 78th Legislative Day 1/18/2006 Randy Dunn. Chair of the Illinois Arts Council, Shirley Madigan. The Chair recognizes the House Majority Leader Representative Currie.”
“Thank you, Speaker. Would the Clerk please read Joint Session Resolution 4.”
“Mr. Clerk.”
“Joint Session Resolution #4. 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 his Excellency Governor Rod Blagojevich and invite him to address the Joint Assembly.”
“The Chair recognizes the House Majority Leader Representative Currie.”
“Thank you, Speaker. I move for the adoption of Joint Session Resolution 4.”
“Representative Currie moves for the adoption of the Resolution. All those in favor signify by saying ‘aye’; all those opposed say ‘nay’. In the opinion of the Chair, the ‘ayes’ have it. The Resolution is adopted. Pursuant to the Resolution, the following are appointed as a committee to escort the Governor. The appointments from the House would be Representative John D'Amico, Representative Jim Durkin, Representative Bob Flider, Representative Rich Myers, Representative Karen Yarbrough.”
“The appointments for the Senators are Senator Mike Jacobs, Senator Wendell Jones, Senator Tony Munoz, Senator Art Wilhelmi and Senator Rich Winkel.” 09400078.doc 12 STATE OF ILLINOIS 94th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 78th Legislative Day 1/18/2006
“Will the Committee of Escort please convene at the rear of the chamber and await his Excellency the Governor. The Chair recognizes the Doorkeeper.”
“Mr. Speaker, the Honorable Governor of the State of Illinois, Rod Blagojevich and his party wish to be admitted to the chamber.”
“Admit the Honorable Governor.”
“Thank you very much.”
“Mr. Governor.”
“Thank you very much. Mr. Speaker, Senate President Jones, Ladies and Gentlemen of the General Assembly, a little more than 3 years ago the people of Illinois decided to bring us together to chart a new course. To make Illinois once again the land of opportunity. To shake up the system here in Springfield that accepted mediocrity and failure. To make State Government begin again to work for the people, rather than the other way around. Despite facing one of the most challenging periods in our state’s history, Illinois today is now leading the nation in taking steps that help real people, people who work, middle-class families, build better lives. We are making real progress, but there is much more to do. I believe in the basic democratic principle that government can be and must be a force for good. An active government that helps people and rights wrongs is what our founding fathers envisioned, it’s what Abraham Lincoln believed in, it’s what makes serving in government worthwhile. Everyone knows that when we came together 3 years ago to begin our journey, we walked into a mess. To understand where we are 09400078.doc 13 STATE OF ILLINOIS 94th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 78th Legislative Day 1/18/2006 today, we must remember how far we’ve come. We inherited a recession, a $5 billion deficit, and a government that was bloated, ineffective and had all the wrong priorities: education was neglected, health care was a privilege, the minimum wage was too low, and jobs were too scarce, but in spite of these difficult times, we have made real progress for people. Instead of just sitting on the sidelines and using these challenges as an excuse for inaction, we embraced them as an opportunity to change the old ways, to reorder and reprioritize government and make it start working for people again. I believe that, if things weren’t so bad back then, we wouldn’t have been able to make the changes we’ve made to make things so much better right now. Yes, the $5 billion budget hole could have been filled with massive cuts in health care. We could have cut education. We could have raised taxes and asked people to have less money in their paychecks. A lot of people said you couldn’t increase funding for schools, provide health care for kids, eliminate the deficit and do it all without raising taxes, but we found a different way. And that way didn’t mean asking the working people of our state to bail us out. Families all across Illinois are struggling enough to make ends meet. It’s not their job to bail us out. It’s our job to help them. That has been our governing principle: do everything you can to help families get ahead and build better lives. That means an Illinois where every family and especially every child has access to good, affordable health care; an Illinois where every child can get a good education; and an Illinois where those same children can 09400078.doc 14 STATE OF ILLINOIS 94th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 78th Legislative Day 1/18/2006 then afford to go on to college so they can develop their skills and get a good job. It means an Illinois where good jobs remain good jobs. Jobs that stay in this state and stay in this country. An Illinois that’s safe from street crime, from gang crime, safe from terrorism and an Illinois that treats everyone equally and fairly, no matter where you come from or what you look like. That’s our vision for this state and it’s a vision we have worked hard to turn into reality over the past 3 years. It hasn’t come easy; it hasn’t come without a struggle. But then again, nothing in life worth having ever does. Today, State Government now works more for the people out there and less for the special interests around here. We have turned things around, dramatically changed priorities, and the results are meaningful. Illinois is now the only state in the nation that guarantees access to affordable, comprehensive health care for every single child. We now lead the nation in making health care available to working men and women. Four hundred thousand people, 400 thousand people, who didn’t have health care 3 years ago now have health care today. Illinois… Illinois does more than any other state to help our senior citizens pay for the high cost of prescription drugs. We’re now a state that has invested more money in its schools in the last 3 years than any other state in the Midwest and more money in our schools than 43 other states across the nation. We raised graduation standards for the first time in 21 years so that students will learn more. And to help children start learning sooner, we’ve dramatically expanded preschool, putting us among the top 09400078.doc 15 STATE OF ILLINOIS 94th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 78th Legislative Day 1/18/2006 three states in the nation. We’re now a state that led 44 others in job creation in the last year. A state where businesses are investing and industries like coal are coming back to life. We’re now a state where crime has fallen by nearly 7 percent, and a stain that… a state… and a state that has a homeland security record better than almost any other. We are well on our way to being the only state to convert its entire tollway system to Open Road Tolling. That means drivers no longer have to stop or even slow down just to pay a toll. And today, Illinois is a fairer state than we were 3 years ago. We’re a state that guarantees more rights and more opportunities to African Americans, to Latinos, to immigrants, to women, and to gays and lesbians. In short, more opportunities for men and women across our state who for far too long have been denied an equal chance to live a better life. Ladies and Gentlemen, Illinois is now a state where more people have health care, where we have more money and higher standards for our schools, where crime is down and jobs are up. By working together and being willing to make the hard and necessary choices, we were able to do all of this while eliminating a $5 billion budget deficit, and without asking the people of Illinois to pay more in taxes. And we did it all, we did all of this despite policies coming out of Washington that have been indifferent and sometimes even hostile to the very people we’ve been trying to help. When the Federal Government stalled or took steps that hurt working and middle-class families, we have consistently stepped up and filled the void. When Washington wouldn’t raise the minimum wage, we 09400078.doc 16 STATE OF ILLINOIS 94th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 78th Legislative Day 1/18/2006 did. When Washington wouldn’t guarantee women equal pay for equal work, we did. When Washington tried to strip overtime pay from workers, we made it clear that here in Illinois overtime still means overtime and it still means time and a half over 40 and double time on Sundays. This administration in Washington supports tax breaks and pursues trade policies that encourage companies to move jobs overseas. If you’re a factory worker or an engineer, a medical technician or a customer service representative, a software designer or a stock analyst, you can walk into work one morning and find out that you’ve been replaced by someone in another part of the world. Their trade policies have resulted in nearly 1 million American jobs being sent overseas. Now, that may be acceptable policy in Washington, but it’s not in Illinois. They send jobs to India; we brought OfficeMax to Naperville. They send jobs to China; we helped Chrysler expand in Belvidere. They send jobs to Indonesia; we brought Pella Windows to Macomb. In fact, in the last 3 years, we’ve completed 320 different deals spurring $4.5 billion in new private investment and throughout that period, we have taken steps to make Illinois more attractive to businesses. Whether it’s reforming the workers’ compensation system, forging a bipartisan effort to reduce medical malpractice costs, helping small businesses afford the high cost of health insurance, improving our infrastructure by rebuilding the tollway, expanding O’Hare, developing a plan for Peotone, opening the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, building the Sparta Shooting Complex, reviving the film industry, or expanding 09400078.doc 17 STATE OF ILLINOIS 94th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 78th Legislative Day 1/18/2006 programs and tax credits used to bring new jobs to Illinois, Ladies and Gentlemen, our efforts are paying off. In the last year, Illinois has created more jobs, created more jobs, than 44 other states. We have the lowest unemployment rate since June of 2001. Hotel receipts are up. Corporate profits are up. Foreign direct investment is up. Exports are up. The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library is outdrawing the Clinton Presidential Library and gaining on Graceland. In fact, we expect the Library’s 500 thousandth visitor to walk through the doors sometime later today or early tomorrow. We were named the stop… the top state for biotechnology, and Illinois is ranked fourth in the nation for foreign investment. We have come a long way, but we can’t stop now. So I am here today, I am here today, to ask all of you here in the General Assembly, Democrats and Republicans alike, to join me, join me. Let’s pass a jobs Bill that creates 230 thousand more jobs all across Illinois, 230 thousand jobs. Construction jobs. Manufacturing jobs. These are good jobs. Jobs that pay good wages and good benefits. These are jobs that families… that give families a chance to build a future. Jobs in every part of our state. And if we pass this Bill now, we can start putting people to work as soon as this summer. Let’s put people to work. Our jobs Bill means creating more than 85 thousand jobs through mass transit construction, more than 7 thousand jobs through school construction, and more than 140 thousand jobs through road construction. A jobs Bill that gives opportunity to hardworking people, to hardworking people who are trying to get ahead and raise 09400078.doc 18 STATE OF ILLINOIS 94th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 78th Legislative Day 1/18/2006 their families. We can build roads all around our state: roads like Route 51 in Decatur, widen I-55 outside of Chicago, widen Route 13 from Marion to Carterville, improve Route 2 in Rockford, improve Route 5 in Moline, build the Technology Boulevard in Peoria, start work on the Mississippi River Bridge, and realize the dream of making Route 336 a gateway from Chicago all the way to Kansas City. Projects like these help our businesses reduce the cost of moving products to market; it makes them more competitive. It helps people get to and from work, and by the way, when we’re out there pitching Illinois to businesses, to urge them to come here, we have found that selling them on our infrastructure has proven to be one of the most persuasive arguments we can make. And there’s another reason to pass this Bill. If we don’t, we risk losing $3 billion in federal transportation funds to other states. We have to make our federal match. If we do, that means new buses in Danville, Rockford and Champaign. It means creating new commuter lines from downtown Chicago to the suburbs, and it means better transit facilities in Galesburg, Macomb and Rock Island. And let’s build new schools. Many of our schools are old, in disrepair, and they’re crowded. We need more schools. We need more class space. We need to give our students better places to learn and our teachers better places to teach. So, I’m askin’ you… I’m askin’ you, I’m askin’ you to join me in supporting a major public works initiative. There are roads and bridges and highways across Illinois that need to be built and need to be fixed. We need to build new schools and help commuters who rely on 09400078.doc 19 STATE OF ILLINOIS 94th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 78th Legislative Day 1/18/2006 mass transit. These are things that need to be done, so we should do them. And if we do do them, we will give people all around Illinois the opportunity to go to work. Two hundred and thirty thousand jobs all across Illinois. Jobs in every part of Illinois. Jobs in your district. Not a handful of jobs, a lot of jobs. And when I say jobs, these are good jobs. Laborers laying asphalt for the expansion of Route 2. Ironworkers fabricating the support beams for the new Mississippi River Bridge. Operating engineers operating bulldozers and cranes to widen I-55. And do you know what these jobs pay? They can pay anywhere from $40 thousand all the way up to $120 thousand a year. Ladies and Gentlemen, these are good jobs and these are good paying jobs. And if we are prepared to put partisan politics aside and work together in a constructive way, we can create these jobs all over Illinois. So please, please, let’s pass this jobs Bill. Let’s put people to work. Four years ago, Washington gave us a program called No Child Left Behind. They told us they wanted better schools, but what we ended up with was more bureaucracy and more mandates and then they forgot to send the check. So, we took matters into our own hands. First, we increased education funding by $2.3 billion, $2.3 billion. That’s more money for schools than any administration has ever done in one term in Illinois history. Just a few short years ago, Illinois was ranked next to last in education funding equity, but because of the investments we’ve made over the last 3 years, we’ve invested more money in our schools than 43 other states, including every state in the Midwest and the result is a fairer way to 09400078.doc 20 STATE OF ILLINOIS 94th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 78th Legislative Day 1/18/2006 fund our schools. Second, we have made early childhood education a priority and we have put our money where our mouth is. We’ve expanded funding for preschool by 50 percent, given 25 thousand more 3- and 4-year-olds a chance to start school early, and I am happy to say that Illinois today is now ranked among the top three states in the nation for early childhood education. Third, we raised high school graduation standards. Now, in order to graduate from our high schools, students are required to take more math, and more science, more reading, and more writing. These new standards mean students graduating from our high schools will be better prepared when they go to college and more skilled when they enter the workforce. Now, in the coming weeks, I’ll be presenting a budget and in that budget, I’m going to propose several major initiatives on early childhood education and K-12 education. But today, I’d like to talk about helping parents send their children to college. No matter how young your children are, if you’re a parent, you’re probably asking yourself this question: how are we going to pay for college? My daughters are nine and two, and like all parents, their college tuition is something that my wife Patti and I think about all of the time. On average, it costs more than $7 thousand a year in tuition and fees to attend a public university in Illinois. It costs more than $18 thousand a year to attend a private institution. Three years ago, we enacted a law called Truth in Tuition, which says that the tuition you pay as a freshman is the tuition you pay as a senior. And over the last 3 years, we’ve expanded the MAP Program to help 20 09400078.doc 21 STATE OF ILLINOIS 94th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 78th Legislative Day 1/18/2006 thousand more parents afford college and help them send their kids to college. But now Washington is making it even harder. The most recent federal deficit reduction package would slash college financial aid by $13 billion. Washington has its priorities all mixed up. On the one hand, their policies encourage the outsourcing of jobs. On the other, they’re trying to cut college scholarships. Now, everyone knows that today’s students coming out of college aren’t just competing with each other. They’re competing with students from all around the world. And as a nation, we’re falling behind. Let me give you an example: each year China produces eight times as many engineers as America. Each year India produces five times as many. So, the last thing the Federal Government should be doing is making it harder for our students to go to college and harder for us to produce more engineers. How can we compete against them if we make it harder for parents to send their kids to college? So today, to help parents, to help parents send their kids to college, I’m proposing a $1 thousand annual tax credit for every freshman and sophomore who attends a college or university in Illinois. If you live in Illinois and you want to go to a college in Illinois, any college, you can get a $1 thousand tax credit to help pay for it. But there’s one catch; you don’t just get it, you have to earn it. If you study hard and do well in school and keep a B average, you’ll qualify for this tax credit and, by the way, you’ll make your parents very happy. Yes, this is a generous tax credit, but that’s what makes it meaningful. For many families, $1 thousand is a mortgage payment; it’s 09400078.doc 22 STATE OF ILLINOIS 94th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 78th Legislative Day 1/18/2006 three or four or five car payments; it’s the electric bill for an entire year. And this tax credit would also apply to grandparents who are raising their grandchildren. I want to thank Representative Lovana Jones for her efforts on behalf of grandparents who are raising their kids and givin’ those kids a chance to capture the American dream. Lou, thank you so much. And like most good ideas, they generally come from somebody else. Let me acknowledge another Lou, Representative Lou Lang. He has been in front and on top of this issue for many, many years. I wanna thank him for his leadership and his efforts. For many families, this is a tax credit, this is a tax credit that can help them make the dream of college affordable and the dream of college a reality. It’s a tax credit that helps parents who work hard, who love their children, and who want it better for their kids than they had it for themselves. I hope you join me in helping parents send their kids to college. There is perhaps no starker difference in our values and those of the current administration in Washington than when it comes to making health care accessible and affordable to working people. I believe that health care is a fundamental right, and today, Illinois is leading the nation in helping people exercise that right. I think that’s Washington calling now. There are 45 million Americans who don’t have health insurance, 8 million of them are children. And Congress just cut funding for Medicaid and similar programs by $40 billion. That means it’s gonna be even harder for working people to be able to get health care. It means more working people could actually end up without health care. But here 09400078.doc 23 STATE OF ILLINOIS 94th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 78th Legislative Day 1/18/2006 in Illinois, we have different priorities. Across the nation, as more people are losing their health care, in Illinois, more people are getting health care. And because of our All Kids program, we have now done for kids in Illinois, what 40 years ago, Medicare did for senior citizens. But even when it comes to Medicare, Washington today can’t get it right. Just the other day I received a letter from a neighbor of mine. I’d like to read a… the first line or two to you to give you a sense of what she had to say. The letter’s dated January 13, 2006. She says, ‘Dear Rod…’ She writes, ‘Dear Rod, I am super confused about the Medicare prescription drug program. The more I look into it, the more I just don’t know.’ This isn’t the first time that one of our seniors has complained to me about the federal prescription drug program. And I can’t imagine that most if not all of you have probably heard that too from your constituents. Only in Washington could they create a Medicare prescription drug benefit that costs billions of taxpayer dollars and yet many seniors are ending up with less coverage than they had before. And as my neighbor Maryann could tell you, they’re also ending up with a lot more fear, a lot more anxiety, a lot more insecurity and a lot more frustration. Now, there are a lot of states that are content to li… to let their seniors live with the federal program and live with the consequences, but we’re not. In Illinois, we created the Illinois Cares program so that no senior would lose coverage. In fact, Illinois is considered the most generous state in the nation when it comes to filling in the holes in the federal prescription 09400078.doc 24 STATE OF ILLINOIS 94th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 78th Legislative Day 1/18/2006 drug plan. Here in Illinois, we are determined to look after our seniors, even if Washington won’t. This administration in Washington has been equally hostile when it comes to women’s health care and their reproductive rights. They proposed eliminating the block grants that states use to help women detect breast cancer and cervical cancer. They oppose stem cell research. And they simply do not support women’s reproductive rights and freedoms. Over the last 3 years, we have made it very clear that, here in Illinois, we do. We became… we became the first state in the Midwest to publicly fund stem cell research. We’ve made private health insurance companies that cover prescription drugs also cover contraceptive services and prescriptions. And we became the first state in the nation to prohibit pharmacists from turning away women, women who have every right to expect that the prescriptions their doctors give them for birth control will be filled. No delays, no lectures, no hassles. Just fill the prescription. Now, I understand that several Bills have been introduced that would overturn my Executive Order to protect women’s reproductive freedoms. So, let me make something else very clear, if any of those Bills reach my desk, they are dead on arrival. A few months ago, we made history here in Illinois when we passed the All Kids program. For the first time in the history of any state, every child has access to affordable, comprehensive health care. It’s hard to imagine anything more important than making sure children have health care, but we can’t stop there and we shouldn’t stop there. The elderly have health care through Medicare. That 09400078.doc 25 STATE OF ILLINOIS 94th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 78th Legislative Day 1/18/2006 makes sense. Children in Illinois now have health care through the All Kids program. That makes sense. But what makes no sense is that you can serve your country in the military, be willing to go overseas and fight our wars, be willing to lay your life and your liberty on the line, only to come home and find out that you can’t afford to go to the doctor. That’s wrong. There are 1.7… 1.7 million veterans in America today who do not have health care. And in Washington, there’s nothing realistic on the horizon that would do anything about it. If we don’t do something here in Illinois, if we rely on Washington to act, our veterans will be left without health care and left without hope. How the Federal Government can let that happen to veterans is beyond me. How can you ask people to risk their lives, only to turn your back on them the minute you no longer need them anymore is just plain wrong. So, I propose we do something about it in Illinois. So, today, I’m announcing a plan that would ultimately lead to guaranteeing that every single veteran in Illinois has access to health care. That’s why… that’s why this Session we should launch the first of several phases of our new program Veterans Care. Like FamilyCare or KidCare, it means that veterans who don’t have health insurance can get access to affordable and comprehensive health care. Lt. Governor Pat Quinn and I have been putting together our Veterans Care plan ever since we started working on All Kids. The first phase of Veterans Care would co… cover low-income veterans who don’t have health insurance and who don’t live within a reasonable driving distance of a VA hospital. Those are the veterans 09400078.doc 26 STATE OF ILLINOIS 94th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 78th Legislative Day 1/18/2006 who have the least access to affordable health care, and they’re the ones who need our help the most, and they’re the ones who need our help now. While we’re on the subject of people’s health, there’s another topic I need to address: mercury emissions. Mercury emissions pollute our air and pollute our water. Because of the dangers posed by mercury, I’ve proposed that Illinois become one of only four states to require a 90 percent capture of mercury by 2009. Here again, Washington’s solution simply isn’t good enough. They propose a 47 percent reduction in mercury emissions by 2010. I believe, that’s literally a half-measure. My proposed rule for tougher mercury standards will go before the Joint Committee on Legislative Rules this summer. For those of you here who serve on JCAR, I hope you can protect the environment and support our rule. There’s something else we can do to protect our environment this Session and help consumers. I’m proposing that we give a $500 sales tax rebate to anyone who buys fuel-efficient cars in Illinois. If you buy a car that uses E85 gasoline or biodiesel fuel or even just gets very high gas mileage, you’ll be eligible for this rebate. This tax rebate means less pollution and it means drivers can save money. The first responsibility of government is public safety. And here, too, we are making real progress. Crime is down in Illinois. It has fallen by nearly 7 percent over the last 2 years. We now have fewer robberies and burglaries, fewer cars stolen, fewer arsons, and fewer murders than at any time in the last decade. Just 4 short years ago, there were 10 thousand more violent crimes in Illinois and 31 thousand more property crimes. 09400078.doc 27 STATE OF ILLINOIS 94th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 78th Legislative Day 1/18/2006 Thanks to the efforts of the men and women in law enforcement, Illinois is a safer place. Highway accidents and fatalities have reached a 60-year low. And our rankings on homeland security preparedness are among the best in the nation. But even the arena… but even in the arena of public safety, when we look to Washington, we see a Federal Government that’s got it all wrong when it comes to commonsense gun laws. No law-abiding citizen… no law- abiding citizen needs an Uzi or an AK-47 to be safe or to hunt. The federal assault weapon ban expired more than 1 year ago. Everyone in Washington back then said they were for extending this ban, even the President himself and yet they let it lapse and they never looked back. We can’t keep waiting for them to act. You and I both know they won’t. So, I say, it’s time to reinstate the assault weapons ban in Illinois. How can we possibly allow gangbangers to be better armed than police officers? And while crime has fallen dramatically, we have seen an uptake… we have seen an uptick in violent crime and gang activity in some of the suburbs surrounding Chicago. Cracking down on gun violence is no longer just a big city concern. Now, last year, we tried to pass the assault weapon ban and we came very close. I called many of you to ask that you vote for the Bill. Back then, some of you told me you wanted to, but you couldn’t because you were afraid of drawing a primary challenge. Well, the filing date for primary challenges has now passed, and I say, it’s now time to pass this Bill. Gesundheit. And just as assault weapons are a problem in our cities and our suburbs, the scourge of methamphetamine 09400078.doc 28 STATE OF ILLINOIS 94th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 78th Legislative Day 1/18/2006 is ravaging our rural communities. Meth destroys those who use it. It destroys their families. It threatens our communities. In Illinois, thanks to the General Assembly and thanks to the leadership and hard work of our Attorney General Lisa Madigan… There ya are, Lisa. …we have passed some of the nation’s toughest laws cracking down on meth. But what we’ve learned, is that like most other addicts, most meth users go to jail, serve their time, and then they come out, and they’re addicted again. Our initiative at the Sheridan prison, to help nonviolent drug offenders recover, has helped people kick their addictions, stay out of jail, and stop hurting other people. So, I propose we create a version of Sheridan at the Southwestern Illinois Correctional Center to help meth addicts break the cycle of crime and addiction. And I’m proposing we do the same the following year at the Sheridan Prison. This means they’ll receive treatment. They’ll receive counseling. They’ll receive job training. And they’ll have a better chance of leaving prison without the drug addiction that threatens our communities. Three years ago, we inherited a mess here in Illinois. It was a mess created by a State Government that willfully ignored the needs of working families, a government more concerned with itself than with the job of governing and problem solving. And for 3 years, we have grappled with policies from Washington, that time after time, have reflec… reflected partisan fighting instead of progress and effective policymaking. They have played games while we have made policies that picked up the slack. It hasn’t always been easy to do. It hasn’t always made us 09400078.doc 29 STATE OF ILLINOIS 94th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 78th Legislative Day 1/18/2006 popular, even with many of our friends and our supporters. But it's been the right thing to do for the people of Illinois, and, in the final analysis, that’s what really matters. Some in Washington, and many of the skeptics here in Illinois, may disagree with our priorities. But ask them this: What child’s education would you cut? What working family would they raise taxes on? What child do they say should go without health care? What senior citizen do they believe should be left out in the cold? Leadership is about real choices. It’s about real-life decisions that affect people’s lives. This isn’t a game. This is real life. And I am proud of the causes we’ve taken on, of the progress we’ve made, and the people we have helped. Help them get access… help them, help them get access to health care. Help them afford their medicine. Help them go to preschool. Help them earn a decent wage. Help them collect more child support. Help them go to college. Help them get ahead. During the time we’ve been gathered here today, the people of our state have been living their lives. They’ve been changing shifts. They’ve been picking up their kids up from kindergarten. They’ve been taking their mothers or fathers to the doctor. Working. Saving. Caring for their families. Trying to do better. That’s what they do every day. They are counting on us. We can never allow ourselves to go back and we can never just settle for how far we’ve come. Yes, we inherited a mess. And yes, we've made a lot of progress. But there is so much more to do. So, here's the challenge. Let's get to work. Thank you very much.” 09400078.doc 30 STATE OF ILLINOIS 94th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 78th Legislative Day 1/18/2006
“Will the Committee of Escort please come forward to escort the Governor from the chamber? The President of the Senate is recognized for a Motion.”
“Yeah, thank you, Mr. Speaker. I move that the Joint Session do now arise.”
“The President of the Senate has moved that the Joint Session do now arise. All those in favor say ‘aye’; those opposed say ‘no’. The ‘ayes’ have it. And the Joint Session will now arise. The regular Session will come to order. Mr. Hannig in the Chair.”
“The Lady from Lake, Representative Osmond, for what reason do you rise?”
“Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My fellow colleagues, it is with sadness that I bring you news of our former Lieutenant Governor Corinne Wood and the battle with cancer. Before Christmas, Corinne went to her doctor for her routine visit and she was told that the cancer had come back after 8 years of cancer free. Many of you have served with her in this House and many of you know of her. We ask you to join with the Republican Members on signing a card that will be presented to her this weekend. Please, please, keep her in our… in your prayers, it’s very serious. And she justs ask that people not make phone calls ‘cause she’s not sure if it’s gonna be a good day or a bad day for her. Keep her in your prayers, send cards, and give her a little e-mail now and then. Thank you very much.”
“And the Chair would advise the Members that the card right now is… is right there in the front row, over here on the Republican side of the aisle, and all Members 09400078.doc 31 STATE OF ILLINOIS 94th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 78th Legislative Day 1/18/2006 are certainly encouraged to come over and sign it. Representative Bost is recognized for a Motion.”
“Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to make a Motion to waive the posting requirements on House Bill 4444 and House Resolution 824.”
“You’ve heard the Gentleman’s Motion. Is there any discussion? Then all in favor say ‘aye’; opposed ‘nay’. The ‘ayes’ have it. And the Motion is adopted. The Lady from DuPage, Representative Bellock, for what reason do you rise?”
“Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I would just like to remind all of those that are interested in seeing the Capitol Capers DVD, is at the Pasfield House tonight at 8:00 and everybody is welcome. Thank you.”
“The Gentleman from St. Clair, Representative Holbrook, for what reason do you rise?”
“For the purpose of an announcement.”
“Proceed.”
“The Fire Caucus will meet at 8:00 tomorrow morning down in the Rathskeller. Eight o’clock, all the Members of the Fire Caucus. If you could attend, we would appreciate it. We’ll have a light breakfast for you. Thank you.”
“The Lady from Cook, Representative Howard, for what reason do you rise?”
“Yes, I’d like to make an announcement, please.”
“Pro… proceed.”
“Yes, would all of the Members of COWL, who are on the Scholarship Committee, please meet at my desk immediately upon adjournment for about 5 minutes. Thank you.” 09400078.doc 32 STATE OF ILLINOIS 94th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 78th Legislative Day 1/18/2006
“The Gentleman from Cook, Representative Giles, for what reason do you rise?”
“Thank you, Mr. Speaker. On a point of personal privilege.”
“State your point.”
“Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Ladies and Gentlemen of the House, I would like for you to help me to welcome here to Springfield, Illinois, a young man that I’ve known since my freshman year in college. He’s a PW3 Chief Warrant Officer of the United States Army, Mr. Todd McCafferty. If you could welcome him to Springfield. He just got back from Iraq. Thank you.”
Speaker Hannig: “The Gentleman from White, Representative Phelps.”
“Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Ladies and Gentlemen of the House. The 2:00 Committee of Ag & Conservation is canceled. The House Ag & Conservation Committee is canceled for today. Thanks.”
“Okay. At this time, we’re going to go to page 2 of the Calendar on the Order of House Bills-Second Reading. We’re gonna go right down the list. If your Bill is ready to move to Third, you’ll have your opportunity… your first opportunity, right now. So, on the top of page 2 of the Calendar is House Bill 1295. Representative Froehlich, do you wish to have that Bill moved to Third? Okay. We’ll just take that out of the record. Representative Acevedo on 2414. Okay. Let’s take that out of the record. House Bill 4125, Representative Flowers. Representative Flowers? Okay. Out of the record. House 09400078.doc 33 STATE OF ILLINOIS 94th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 78th Legislative Day 1/18/2006 Bill 4127, Representative Mitchell. Representative Jerry Mitchell, do you wish us to read the Bill? Mr. Clerk, read the Bill.”
"House Bill 4127, a Bill for an Act concerning property. Second Reading of this House Bill. No Committee Amendments. No Floor Amendments. No Motions filed.”
“Third Reading. House Bill 4141, Representative Monique Davis. Representative Davis, would you like us to read this Bill and move it to Third? House Bill 4141. Would you like us to read the Bill on Second and move it to Third? Okay. Mr. Clerk, read the Bill.”
"House Bill 4141, a Bill for an Act concerning criminal law. Second Reading of this House Bill. No Committee Amendments. All notes have been filed.”
“Third Reading. House Bill 4179, Representative Osmond. Okay. Mr. Clerk, read the Bill.”
"House Bill 4179, a Bill for an Act concerning name changes. Second Reading of this House Bill. No Committee Amendments. No Floor Amendments. No Motions filed.”
“Third Reading. Representative Dugan on House Bill 4187. Representative Dugan? Okay. Mr. Clerk, read the Bill.”
"House Bill 4187, a Bill for an Act concerning vehicles. Second Reading of this House Bill. Amendment #1 was adopted in committee. No Floor Amendments. No Motions filed.” 09400078.doc 34 STATE OF ILLINOIS 94th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 78th Legislative Day 1/18/2006
“Third Reading. House Bill 4192, Representative Kelly. Oh… oh, there she is in the back. Mr. Clerk, read the Bill.”
"House Bill 4192, a Bill for an Act concerning local government. Second Reading of this House Bill. No Committee Amendments. No Floor Amendments. No Motions filed.”
“Third Reading. And Representative Beiser, you have House Bill 4297. Mr. Clerk, read the Bill.”
"House Bill 4297, a Bill for an Act concerning criminal law. Second Reading of this House Bill. Amendment #1 was adopted in committee. No Floor Amendments. No Motions filed.”
Speaker Hannig: “Third Reading. And Representative Jerry Mitchell on House Bill 4308. Mr. Clerk, read the Bill.”
"House Bill 4308, a Bill for an Act concerning education. Second Reading of this House Bill. No Committee Amendments. No Floor Amendments. No Motions filed.”
“Third Reading. Mr. Clerk, read the Agreed Resolutions.”
Clerk Mahoney: "Agreed Resolutions. House Resolution 815, offered by Representative Flider. House Resolution 817, offered by Representative Sacia. House Resolution 818, offered by Representative Sacia. House Resolution 820, offered by Representative Rose. House Resolution 821, offered by Representative Granberg. And House Resolution 822, offered by Representative Brauer.”
“Representative Currie moves for the adoption of the Agreed Resolutions. All in favor say ‘aye’; opposed 09400078.doc 35 STATE OF ILLINOIS 94th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 78th Legislative Day 1/18/2006 ‘nay’. The ‘ayes’ have it. And the Agreed Resolutions are adopted. Mr. Clerk, would you announce the updated committee schedule for the day and tomorrow?”
"The following committees have been canceled. These committees have been canceled. Two committees have been canceled for today. Agriculture & Conservation, which was to meet at 2 p.m. in Room D-1, has been canceled. Again, Agriculture & Conservation has been canceled. Transportation & Motor Vehicles, which was to meet at 3 p.m. in Room 114 today, has been canceled. For tomorrow there are two committees that have been canceled as well. Judiciary–Civil Law, which was to meet at 10 a.m., has been canceled. And Revenue, which was to meet at 1:15, has been canceled for Session tomorrow. One committee has been added. Judiciary–Civil Law is meeting today at 3 p.m. in Room 114. That’s Judiciary–Civil Law, Jud-I, is meeting today in Room 114 at 3 p.m.”
“Okay. The Chair is prepared to adjourn. Are there any further announcements? Okay. Representative McCarthy.”
“Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Just have an announcement for the Members of the Higher Education Committee. We will be meeting today at 3:00, but instead of our regular room, we’ll be meeting in Room D-1. So, Higher Education Committee, 3:00, in Room D-1. Thank you.”
“Are there any further announcements? Then Representative Currie moves that, allowing perfunctory time for the Clerk, that the House stands adjourned until tomorrow at the… tomorrow, January 19 at the hour of 11 a.m. 09400078.doc 36 STATE OF ILLINOIS 94th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 78th Legislative Day 1/18/2006 All in favor say ‘aye’; opposed ‘nay’. The ‘ayes’ have it. The Motion is adopted and the House stands adjourned.”
"House Perfunctory Session will come to order. Referred to the House Committee on Rules: House Resolution 814, offered by Representative May, and House Joint Resolution 80, offered by Representative Art Turner. Committee Reports. Representative Colvin, Chairperson from the Committee on Consumer Protection, to which the following measure/s was/were referred, action taken on January 18, 2006, reported the same back with the following recommendation/s: 'do pass Short Debate' House Bill 4350 and House Bill 4444. Representative Holbrook, Chairperson from the Committee on Public Utilities, to which the following measure/s was/were referred, action taken on January 18, 2006, reported the same back with the following recommendation/s: 'do pass Short Debate' House Bill 4349. Representative Burke, Chairperson from the Committee on Executive, to which the following measure/s was/were referred, action taken on January 18, 2006, reported the same back with the following recommendation/s: 'recommends be adopted' House Resolution 824. Representative Jefferson, Chairperson from the Committee on Elections & Campaign Reform, to which the following measure/s was/were referred, action taken on January 18, 2006, reported the same back with the following recommendation/s: 'do pass as amended Short Debate' House Bill 4173. Representative Fritchey, Chairperson from the Committee on Judiciary I-Civil Law, to which the following measure/s was/were referred, action taken on January 18, 2006, reported the same back with the 09400078.doc 37 STATE OF ILLINOIS 94th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 78th Legislative Day 1/18/2006 following recommendation/s: 'recommends be adopted' Floor Amendment #2 to Senate Bill 1681. Introduction and reading of House Bills-First Reading. House Bill 4743, offered by Representative Schock, a Bill for an Act concerning local government. House Bill 4744, offered by Representative Ryg, a Bill for an Act concerning local government. House Bill 4745, offered by Representative Ryg, a Bill for an Act concerning transportation. House Bill 4746, offered by Representative Ryg, a Bill for an Act concerning transportation. House Bill 4747, offered by Representative Ryg, a Bill for an Act concerning State Government. House Bill 4748, offered by Representative Acevedo, a Bill for an Act concerning transportation. House Bill 4749, offered by Representative Yarbrough, a Bill for an Act making appropriations. House Bill 4750, offered by Representative Brosnahan, a Bill for an Act concerning appropriations. House Bill 4751, offered by Representative Brosnahan, a Bill for an Act concerning appropriations. House Bill 4752, offered by Representative May, a Bill for an Act concerning civil procedure. House Bill 4753, offered by Representative May, a Bill for an Act concerning regulation. House Bill 4754, offered by Representative Osmond, a Bill for an Act concerning State Government. House Bill 4755, offered by Representative Moffitt, a Bill for an Act concerning finance. House Bill 4756, offered by Representative Krause, a Bill for an Act concerning State Government. House Bill 4757, offered by Representative Krause, a Bill for an Act concerning regulation. House Bill 4758, offered by Representative Davis, William, a Bill for an Act in relation 09400078.doc 38 STATE OF ILLINOIS 94th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 78th Legislative Day 1/18/2006 to property. House Bill 4759, offered by Representative Saviano, a Bill for an Act concerning property. House Bill 4760, offered by Representative Ryg, a Bill for an Act concerning property. House Bill 4761, offered by Representative Beaubien, a Bill for an Act concerning animals. House Bill 4762, offered by Representative Krause, a Bill for an Act concerning revenue. House Bill 4763, offered by Representative McKeon, a Bill for an Act concerning property. House Bill 4764, offered by Representative Madigan, a Bill for an Act concerning revenue. House Bill 4765, offered by Representative Bradley, Richard, a Bill for an Act in relation to public employee benefits. House Bill 4766, offered by Representative Bradley, Richard, a Bill for an Act in relation to public employee benefits. House Bill 4767, offered by Representative Eddy, a Bill for an Act concerning public employee benefits. House Bill 4768, offered by Representative D'Amico, a Bill for an Act concerning transportation. House Bill 4769, offered by Representative D'Amico, a Bill for an Act concerning government. House Bill 4770, offered by Representative Lyons, Joseph, a Bill for an Act concerning regulation. House Bill 4771, offered by Representative Mautino, a Bill for an Act concerning regulation. House Bill 4772, offered by Representative Biggins, a Bill for an Act concerning revenue. House Bill 4773, offered by Representative Verschoore, a Bill for an Act concerning local government. House Bill 4774, offered by Representative Jakobsson, a Bill for an Act concerning public employee benefits. House Bill 4775, offered by 09400078.doc 39 STATE OF ILLINOIS 94th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 78th Legislative Day 1/18/2006 Representative Jakobsson, a Bill for an Act concerning regulation. House Bill 4776, offered by Representative Jakobsson, a Bill for an Act concerning insurance. House Bill 4777, offered by Representative Jakobsson, a Bill for an Act concerning regulation. House Bill 4778, offered by Representative Coulson, a Bill for an Act concerning finance. House Bill 4779, offered by Representative Coulson, a Bill for an Act concerning public aid. House Bill 4780, offered by Representative Nekritz, a Bill for an Act concerning revenue. House Bill 4781, offered by Representative Nekritz, a Bill for an Act concerning revenue. House Bill 4782, offered by Representative Nekritz, a Bill for an Act concerning transportation. House Bill 4783, offered by Representative Nekritz, a Bill for an Act concerning public health. House Bill 4784, offered by Representative Pihos, a Bill for an Act concerning education. House Bill 4785, offered by Representative Brosnahan, a Bill for an Act concerning regulation. House Bill 4786, offered by Representative Stephens, a Bill for an Act concerning regulation. House Bill 4787, offered by Representative Chapa LaVia, a Bill for an Act concerning procurement. House Bill 4788, offered by Representative Davis, William, a Bill for an Act concerning public aid. House Bill 4789, offered by Representative Flider, a Bill for an Act concerning property tax. House Bill 4790, offered by Representative Sacia, a Bill for an Act concerning transportation. House Bill 4791, offered by Representative Wait, a Bill for an Act concerning alternative fuels. House Bill 4792, offered by 09400078.doc 40 STATE OF ILLINOIS 94th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 78th Legislative Day 1/18/2006 Representative Delgado, a Bill for an Act concerning civil law. House Bill 4793, offered by Representative Mautino, a Bill for an Act concerning revenue. House Bill 4794, offered by Representative Black, a Bill for an Act concerning education. House Bill 4795, offered by Representative Black, a Bill for an Act concerning government. House Bill 4796, offered by Representative Molaro, a Bill for an Act in relation to public employee benefits. House Bill 4797, offered by Representative Molaro, a Bill for an Act in relation to public employee benefits. House Bill 4798, offered by Representative Molaro, a Bill for an Act in relation to public employee benefits. House Bill 4799, offered by Representative Rita, a Bill for an Act concerning insurance. House Bill 4800, offered by Representative McKeon, a Bill for an Act concerning labor. House Bill 4801, offered by Representative Giles, a Bill for an Act concerning appropriations. House Bill 4802, offered by Representative Cultra, a Bill for an Act concerning liquor. House Bill 4803, offered by Representative Cultra, a Bill for an Act concerning business. House Bill 4804, offered by Representative Tenhouse, a Bill for an Act concerning emergency management. House Bill 4805, offered by Representative Jenisch, a Bill for an Act concerning revenue. House Bill 4806, offered by Representative Colvin, a Bill for an Act concerning health care. House Bill 4807, offered by Representative McAuliffe, a Bill for an Act making appropriations. House Bill 4808, offered by Representative McAuliffe, a Bill for an Act making 09400078.doc 41 STATE OF ILLINOIS 94th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 78th Legislative Day 1/18/2006 appropriations. House Bill 4809, offered by Representative Cultra, a Bill for an Act in relation to taxes. House Bill 4810, offered by Representative Moffitt, a Bill for an Act concerning civil law. House Bill 4811, offered by Representative Saviano, a Bill for an Act concerning regulation. House Bill 4812, offered by Representative Saviano, a Bill for an Act concerning regulation. House Bill 4813, offered by Representative Madigan, a Bill for an Act concerning gaming. House Bill 4814, offered by Representative Jefferson, a Bill for an Act concerning revenue. House Bill 4815, offered by Representative Brauer, a Bill for an Act concerning safety. House Bill 4816, offered by Representative Sacia, a Bill for an Act concerning wildlife. House Bill 4817, offered by Representative Sacia, a Bill for an Act concerning State Government. House Bill 4818, offered by Representative Sacia, a Bill for an Act concerning State Government. House Bill 4819, offered by Representative Sullivan, a Bill for an Act concerning revenue. House Bill 4820, offered by Representative Eddy, a Bill for an Act concerning taxes. House Bill 4821, offered by Representative Biggins, a Bill for an Act concerning State Government. House Bill 4822, offered by Representative Stephens, a Bill for an Act concerning human rights. House Bill 4823, offered by Representative Stephens, a Bill for an Act concerning civil law. House Bill 4824, offered by Representative D'Amico, a Bill for an Act concerning revenue. House Bill 4825, offered by Representative Franks, a Bill for an Act concerning business. House Bill 4826, offered by 09400078.doc 42 STATE OF ILLINOIS 94th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 78th Legislative Day 1/18/2006 Representative Dugan, a Bill for an Act concerning State Government. House Bill 4827, offered by Representative Verschoore, a Bill for an Act concerning certain individuals killed in the line of duty. House Bill 4828, offered by Representative Lang, a Bill for an Act concerning human rights. House Bill 4829, offered by Representative Delgado, a Bill for an Act concerning human rights. And House Bill 4830, offered by Representative Lang, a Bill for an Act concerning revenue. There being no further business, the House Perfunctory Session will stand adjourned.” 09400078.doc 43