Illinois House Floor Debate — February 25, 2009

"The House shall come to order. The Members shall be in their chairs. We ask the Members and our guests in the gallery to turn off laptop computers, cell phones and pagers. We ask our guests in the gallery to rise and join us for the invocation and the Pledge of Allegiance. We shall be led in prayer today by the Reverend Herbert Johnson, Jr., who is the pastor of the Liberty Baptist Church in Rockford, Illinois. Reverend Johnson is the guest of Representative Jefferson."

"We shall be led in the Pledge of Allegiance by Representative Ford." Ford, et al: "I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."

"Roll Call for Attendance. Representative Currie."

"Thank you, Speaker. Please let the record show that we have no excused absences among the House Democrats to report today."

"Mr. Bost."

"The Clerk shall take the record. There being 115 Members responding to the Attendance Roll Call, there is a quorum present. Mr. Clerk." 09600017.doc 2  STATE OF ILLINOIS 96th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 17th Legislative Day 2/25/2009

Speaker Hannig: "Representative Hannig is in the Chair. Representative Howard, you're recognized for an announcement."

"Yes, thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I rise today on a personal privilege point to talk about the National Pan-Hellenic Council as a part of African-American History Month. Now, this organization is not to be confused with National Panhellenic Conference. The National Pan-Hellenic Council is a collaborative organization of nine historically African-American international Greek lettered fraternities and sororities. The nine NPHC organizations are sometimes collectively referred to as the Divine Nine, although the member organizations have not formally adopted nor recommended the use of this term to describe their 09600017.doc 6  STATE OF ILLINOIS 96th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 17th Legislative Day 2/25/2009 collaborative grouping. The NPHC was formed as a permanent organization on May 10, 1930, on the campus of Howard University in Washington, D.C. NPHC was incorporated under the laws of the State of Illinois in 1937. The Council promotes interaction through forums, meetings and other media for the exchange of information and engages in cooperative programming and initiatives through various activities and functions. Each constituent member organization determines its own strategic direction and program agenda. Today, the primary purpose and focus of member organizations remains camaraderie and academic excellence for its members and service to the communities. Each promotes community awareness and action through educational, economic and cultural service activities. The National Pan-Hellenic Council was established in an age when racial segregation and disenfranchisement plagued African Americans. The rise of each of the black fraternities and sororities that make up the NPHC bore witness to the fact that despite hardships, African Americans refuse to accede to a status of inferiority. The organization's stated purpose and mission in 1930 was the unanimity of thought and action as far as possible in the conduct of Greek letter collegiate fraternities and sororities and to consider problems of mutual interest to its member organizations. In 1992, the first permanent national office of NPHC was established in Bloomington, Indiana, on the campus of Indiana University through the joint cooperation of Indiana University and the National Board of Directors. Fraternity affiliates are Alpha Phi 09600017.doc 7  STATE OF ILLINOIS 96th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 17th Legislative Day 2/25/2009 Alpha, Kappa Alpha Psi, Omega Psi Phi, Phi Beta Sigma, and Iota Phi Theta. Sororities are Alpha Kappa Alpha, Delta Sigma Theta, Sigma Gamma Rho, and Zeta Phi Beta. Each organization has adopted and executes its own bevy of unique and signature programs. From time to time, there's unanimous collaboration on special programs and projects when adopted and directed by the Council of Presidents. An example of this collaboration is the Dr. Martin Luther King Monument that is being erected in Washington, D.C. Currently, 25 members… I'm sorry, that's 15 members of these sororities and fraternities serve in the Illinois General Assembly. They are Representatives Burns, Collins, Colvin, Will Davis, Dunkin, Graham, Howard, Miller, and Riley. Also, Senators Clayborne, Hunter, Hutchinson, Lightford, Raoul, and Trotter. For nearly 65 years, the National Pan-Hellenic Council through its member organizations has played a significant role in improving the quality of life for African Americans throughout the world and has positively impacted the educational and professional careers of hundreds of thousands of persons. I know I speak for my colleagues in the Legislature when I say, the best is yet to come. Thank you."

"Thank you, Representative Howard. On Page 11 of the Calendar, Motions in writing, Representative Bost has a Motion to Table House Bill 700, and Representative Verschoore has a Motion to Table House Bill 1092. We'll take those two together. All in favor say 'aye'; opposed 'nay'. The 'ayes' have it. The Motion is adopted and House Bill 700 and House Bill 1092 are tabled. We're going 09600017.doc 8  STATE OF ILLINOIS 96th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 17th Legislative Day 2/25/2009 to go to the Order of House Bills-Third Reading. House Bills-Third Reading, we're going to start on page 6 of the Calendar and just work our way through. So, Representative Franks, you have House Bill 5. Do you wish us to read the Bill? Mr. Clerk, read the Bill."

"Representative Franks."

"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate the opportunity to present this Bill. This is a Bill, it's a simple Bill, but I think it's an important Bill. It's a Bill that will prohibit a person who's required to register under the Lobbyist Registration Act from lobbying for state agencies. I think in our last administration, we got far away from what should have been happening in our State Government, and I think it's wrong that state agencies would be able to hire lobbyists to come work against Representatives' Bills and Senators' Bills. This would prohibit that action. I think it will make the lines more open and accessible, and I think it's a much… we'll have a much better government as a result. I'd be glad to answer any questions."

"This is on Short Debate and in response, the Gentleman from Cook, Representative Lang."

"Thank you. Will the Sponsor yield?"

"He indicates he'll yield."

"Representative, I understand the underlying Bill and why it's important and I don't dispute that, but would there not be some times that a state agency might want to lobby another government? Does this prohibit that? Does this 09600017.doc 9  STATE OF ILLINOIS 96th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 17th Legislative Day 2/25/2009 prohibit a state agency hiring a private lobbyist to go lobby Cook County Government or lobby some municipal government?"

"Yes, it would."

"And so, can we just discuss… 'cause I haven't thought it through completely, can we discuss whether that's prudent?"

"Well, the… it doesn't apply to… if they want to have one of their own employees go and actually do the lobbying. So, I think they can. They can go forward and they can make those phone calls or they can have one of their employees. But what I find particularly insidious is when state agencies are lobbying against regulations, for instance, where the General Assembly should exercise its right of oversight. And probably the most egregious example would be on the federal level where you saw, you know, Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae hiring lobbyists against oversight regulations, and we've seen what the result's been. I think it's important and I think if they want to have someone lobby on a particular Bill they ought to do it themselves and they ought not use any additional state resources. And they… I know that they have liaisons already who… that's part of their job description and they're able to lobby, and I think that gives them plenty of procedural cover in order for them to get their point across."

"So, you would take the position that they should hire and train their own employees to do this work, not that they shouldn't lobby other governments, not that they shouldn't have a position, but, simply, that they shouldn't 09600017.doc 10  STATE OF ILLINOIS 96th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 17th Legislative Day 2/25/2009 spend taxpayer money doing it when they have their own employees. Is that correct?"

"Exactly. Plus, I think it's better that they engage in the process instead of hire… hiding behind hired guns."

"Thank you."

"We're going to put this on Standard Debate so that our Members can debate the Bill a bit more, and we're running the clock. And Representative Durkin, you're recognized for five minutes."

"Indicates he'll yield."

"Yes, he does."

"Yeah, I think he could do it by an Executive Order. But another Governor could then rescind that Executive Order, as you know. The General Assembly can override an Executive Order like we did last year. I think it's much safer to have the Legislature codify this into law."

"Well, the ones that we've all included are the ones under Section 5-15, of the Civil Administrative Code, and those are mostly all the ones that the Governor has direct control over, you know, Aging and Agriculture, CMS, 09600017.doc 11  STATE OF ILLINOIS 96th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 17th Legislative Day 2/25/2009 Children and Family Services, DCEO, Corrections, et cetera."

"Well, no they're not…"

"Yes, right now. And I'm open to have this amended and possibly in the Senate, but I wanted to at least start with all the state agencies directly under the Governor's control. As you know, for instance, the Illinois Toll Highway Authority recently chose, I believe, a new director and the Governor read about it in the paper. So, there is some autonomy there much like they have at the university systems as well, that aren't directly accountable to the Governor. So, I wanted to start exactly with all of those agencies that are direct… who are directly accountable to the Governor."

"I don't. I don't."

"No."

"Well, some of, as I said, are autonomous and that's why I wanted just… I wanted to start with the ones directly under the Governor's control and then we can build from there."

Speaker Hannig: "So we've had one in support and two in response and Representative Miller, you're recognized next for five minutes. Are you in support or response?"

"I support the man."

"Okay."

"I just have some questions."

"So, you have five… you have five minutes, Representative."

"Just real brief, a couple things. One is, Jack, does the… does this affect local county agencies? I think there was an issue with the Cook County Recorder of Deeds hiring individuals to lobby against a Bill I guess we were trying to enact down here."

"This just deals with those entities that would receive compensation from a state agency. So, since it would be a county that you're referring to, it would not deal with a county issue. I think that's up to local control if the individual counties would like to ban or prohibit that type of action, that would be up to them." 09600017.doc 13  STATE OF ILLINOIS 96th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 17th Legislative Day 2/25/2009

"And just for clarity, you talked about sort of vagueness in terms of a problem this is addressing. You talked on a federal… In fact I think… I think Sallie Mae is private. I think a private entity."

"It's quasi-judicial. It's quasi…"

"Okay."

"But that was probably the most glaring example. But I just know in the last administration and I don't believe it will happen in this administration, because I think there'll be a lot more openness, but I would know oftentimes we wouldn't hear about a problem with a potential Bill that we had or that a Bill that we had until committee, when we heard about it from a lobbyist. And it just… it fried me, really infuriated me, that the state agency or the liaison or the director couldn't pick up the phone and talk to us or… and also spending state tax dollars on lobbyists to lobby against something a Legislator was trying to do. I just think it's… it's wrong on so many levels."

"Well, I don't think… I mean, because we've got… and I think this has to be clear, we've got Bills that come up all the time where state agencies are fundamentally against whatever we're trying to do."

"Right."

"Whether it's a Practice Act or whatever. So, how is this differentiated between lobbying… or hiring somebody to lobby…"

"They can be against…" 09600017.doc 14  STATE OF ILLINOIS 96th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 17th Legislative Day 2/25/2009

"…that opposes the Bill that you're trying to present? I don't think you're arguing that an agency shouldn't oppose something they feel may be harmful…"

"No,oh absolutely. And we need to have free discourse and we need to have an exchange of ideas, but I think that's something under the agency's purview that if they disagree that they should be the ones to articulate that. I don't believe it's in their purview to go hire outside contract lobbyists to do the work that they ought to be doing in their own agency."

"Okay, and that's exclusively the problem that you're trying to deal with, not the fact that an agency could have opposition, not the fact that this just deals with state agencies. Is that correct?"

"Correct."

"Okay, thank you."

"We've had two in favor and two in response. So we're going to recognize one more, potentially, on each side. Representative Flider, you're next. Five minutes."

"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Just a couple of questions about the Bill and its scope and what it would accomplish. A couple of years ago, I guess it was, the previous administration… and I think it was through DCEO, perhaps other agencies, they retained what they… what we would call, others would call lobbyists, to go to Washington to help us get FutureGen and try and bring that project back to Illinois. Would this affect that kind of hiring?"

"How the Bill reads is it would not allow compensation from a state agency for the purpose of lobbying legislative 09600017.doc 15  STATE OF ILLINOIS 96th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 17th Legislative Day 2/25/2009 action. It depends whether that would be legislative or not. I just… I guess I should get back to the real premise here, is I want to make sure that our state agencies are not hiring lobbyists. I don't want them hiring friends of the Governor. I don't want them currying favor with our tax dollars. I think that if they want to have a position on any issue, they certainly should do that because it makes us… makes the process work better, cause oftentimes they bring very good ideas. But they have to be their ideas, and they have people in their agencies who are able to articulate those and work on that. They're getting paid to do that, they should do that. And I think it's a real… it's an economic issue, but it's more than that as well, obviously."

"Right. And my question… and I'm not really judg… being judgmental on it, because I don't know whether the people who were hired to lobby in Congress in Washington on our behalf for FutureGen. I have no idea whether they were effective or not. I'm sure they'd try and make the case that FutureGen, at that point, would not have been located in Illinois were it not for their efforts. I don't know whether or not that would be the case, but I was just curious it would apply, you know, to those kinds of individuals, because they may fall actually into the category of types of people that you're worried about and concerned about. I mean, in fact, that would be sort of a freebie for somebody who was a friend of the administration. Hey, hire me. I'll lobby for you in Washington, and a good way for them to throw state money at 09600017.doc 16  STATE OF ILLINOIS 96th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 17th Legislative Day 2/25/2009 them. So, that's why I was concerned about that. The other question has to do with… recently, the previous Governor, who had retained an attorney, I assume privately, although I don't know this to be a fact, had contacted an individual and asked him if he wanted to be a U.S. Senator. And that person was not a state employee. The person, the go-between was… the attorney was not a state employee, but he was an attorney, and presumably, he was an attorney who was in private practice. But then we… but we have the issue of special government agents and what… whether they're… and they're kind of running around behind the scenes doing things, making suggestions for appointments and things like that, and in my mind, we need to find a way to shed some light on that. And I guess my question is, are you addressing at all that type of an arrangement as it pertains to, you know, activities that say you'd expect a Governor to have his employees and administration make contacts, but they hire an attorney to do that for whatever reason?"

"I'm not sure the scenario which you just described… I don't think it would fit into this, because I believe that Mr. Adams was hired… Adams, Jr. was hired by the Governor in his capacity as a criminal attorney, personally and I think he was paid personally, out of the Governor's campaign fund, which is House Bill 7, which hopefully we'll be talking about pretty soon as well, which I had filed. But I don't think that would fall into this category here since the Governor had hired him to be a personal emissary, 09600017.doc 17  STATE OF ILLINOIS 96th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 17th Legislative Day 2/25/2009 it appears. And he was paid for it out of campaign, not state funds."

"Okay. I didn't think so, but I wanted to touch on that because I've got a piece of legislation that would… that actually would affect that and try and improve that situation and look forward to working with you on, you know, any similar measures. Thank you."

"Thank you."

Speaker Hannig: "We have room for one more in support. Representative Phelps, are you in support? You have five minutes."

"Thank you, Mr. Speaker and Ladies and Gentlemen of the House. Representative Franks, I just have one question. Or will the Sponsor yield?"

"Sure."

"Indicates he'll yield."

"Just one question and I know it's hard to hear in here so I apologize. Are universities… universities and pension agencies in this Bill or are they exempt?"

"No."

"So, they're out?"

"They're out."

"So, they're out. So, they can still retain lobbying services. Okay. Thank you very much."

"Representative Dunkin, we're going to give you an exception to the rule. You have one minute."

"Thank you, Mr. Speaker, thanks for the exception. Representative, can you enumerate the amount of abuse in 09600017.doc 18  STATE OF ILLINOIS 96th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 17th Legislative Day 2/25/2009 financial terms that state agencies encumbered or have experienced because they've hire lobbyists?"

"I don't know if I have a direct number. As you know, the previous administration wasn't forthcoming with figures. I know that when Governor Quinn took over, one of the reasons why we waited a month… we gave him an extra month to do the budget is because he didn't know the full extent of our… of our issues. I'm sure that the numbers are substantial on how much they've spent. We've had hearings in our State Government Committee where we'd seen that the agencies had hired lobbyists and lawyers, if that's the answer to your question. I don't have a specific dollar amount, if that's your question."

"It's important to know because where…"

"Representative, your time has expired. Would you bring your remarks to a close?"

"Okay."

"We've already had six speakers on this Bill."

"Okay. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Again, if there is no… I think this is possibly, really unnecessary legislation, especially if we can't identify levels of abuse or we can't even put dollar figure with it, I really don't see the necessity of it. I mean there are instances where you're going to need extra support possibly for major initiatives to help educate people at the local level, at the county level and likewise here with us. Unless you can identify abuse monetarily or personnel-wise, I don't think this is necessary legislation. I think it’s a part of this sort of… sort of this… this old phenom that we're really trying 09600017.doc 19  STATE OF ILLINOIS 96th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 17th Legislative Day 2/25/2009 to move away from of the previous administration. I just think it is… it may be a step in the direction of overreacting, and I don't think, again, it is necessary to date especially with this new administration, they may want an opportunity to exercise this as an option. So, I would give this current administration and the next administration possibly an opportunity to review this on their own merits, other than us, again, being reactive compared to last… the previous administration. So, I'm going to vote 'no'. Thank you."

"Representative Franks to close."

"Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I believe this is commonsense legislation. I don't know about you, but I'm really tired of the influence that lobbyists have in our State Government. And I think this is one way to help curb the influence that these individuals have. Certainly, there is a position for lobbyists in how our system works, but I also think it's obvious that there's no place for paid lobbyists working for state agencies, who have the ability to do this work themselves. I think this is a step, quite frankly, to start driving the moneychangers out of the temple of democracy. And I think this is important to do, and I'd ask for your support."

"The question is, 'Shall this Bill pass?' All in favor vote 'aye'; opposed 'nay'. The voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Representative Dugan, do you wish to be recorded? Mr. Clerk, take the record. On this question, there are 112 voting 'yes' and 2 voting 'no'. 09600017.doc 20  STATE OF ILLINOIS 96th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 17th Legislative Day 2/25/2009 And this Bill, having received a Constitutional Majority, is hereby declared passed. Representative Farnham, for what reason do you rise?"

"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise for a point of personal preference… privilege."

"State your point."

"I want to let the Members of the House know that Elgin Community College – School of Culinary Arts graduate and owner of In the Neighborhood Deli, one of Elgin's finest delis, Jeff Turner, will be preparing our lunch tomorrow for Elgin Day. Lunches will be delivered to your offices and are provided, compliments of Elgin Community College in recognition of its 60th anniversary. I hope you enjoy the lunch and thank you very much."

Speaker Hannig: "Thank you, Representative. Representative Bost, for what reason do you rise?"

"Representative Franks, you also have House Bill 22. Mr. Clerk, read the Bill."

"Representative Franks."

"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This is a Bill that was brought to me by then the Lieutenant Governor, and all Members… all Members of the Veterans Affairs Committee had signed on as cosponsors. It's unfortunate that we had to bring this Bill forward, but what we found is that many of the brave men and women from our great state who had fought 09600017.doc 21  STATE OF ILLINOIS 96th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 17th Legislative Day 2/25/2009 for our freedoms in keeping our democracy who had been killed in action, we had made a contract, we had made a pact with their families that they would get monetary compensation for the ultimate sacrifice. What we found in many cases is that the Court of Claims was not fulfilling our obligation. As a result, we had a hearing on December 9 on this in Chicago and learned that 74 families had not received their compensation. Some had been waiting as long as four years. Since that hearing, 37, or half the backlog, had been cured, yet still, not all of those families had received those funds. And we found quite frankly, that the Department of… that the Court of Claims was using procedural shenanigans in order to shortchange those families. It was embarrassing. It's a black eye on the State of Illinois and this Resolu… this Bill, actually, will not allow those abuses to continue, and it will require real accountability and that these families receive the funds they're promised. I'd be happy to answer any questions."

"Now, this is on the Order of Short Debate. Does anyone stand in response? Then, the question is, 'Shall this Bill pass?' All in favor vote 'aye'; opposed 'nay'. The voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Representative Hoffman and Beiser, do you wish to be recorded? Have all voted who wish? Mr. Clerk, take the record. On this question, there are 114 voting 'yes' and 0 voting 'no'. And this Bill, having received the Constitutional Majority, is hereby declared passed. 09600017.doc 22  STATE OF ILLINOIS 96th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 17th Legislative Day 2/25/2009 Representative Flowers, you have House Bill 33. Out of the record. Representative Reitz, you have House Bill 36. Shall we read it on Third? Read the Bill, Mr. Clerk."

"The Gentleman from Randolph, Representative Reitz."

"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. House Bill 36 corrects some of the concerns that we had with some of the sweeps within some of the conservation transfers that we had in DNR. This will prohibit sweeps in a few of the pheasant… the pheasant fund and some of the other wildlife funds that are out there. All of these that we have had letters from the Federal Government that we are jeopardizing federal funds if we sweep this. This should clean this up. I'm hopeful that we'll be able to include all of the funds somewhere in the Senate, if possible, to take care of any concerns that we have that we don't jeopardize federal funds. And I'd be happy to answer any questions."

"This is on Short Debate and in response the Gentleman from Jasper, Representative Reis. Okay, does not wish to speak. So, the question is, 'Shall this Bill pass?' All in favor vote 'aye'; opposed 'nay'. The voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Representative Wait, Saviano, McAuliffe, and Hoffman, do you wish to be recorded? Have all voted who wish? Mr. Clerk, take the record. On this question, there are 114 voting 'yes' and 0 voting 'no'. And this Bill, having received a 09600017.doc 23  STATE OF ILLINOIS 96th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 17th Legislative Day 2/25/2009 Constitutional Majority, is hereby declared passed. Representative Arroyo, do you wish us to read House Bill 43? Read the Bill, Mr. Clerk."

Speaker Hannig: "The Gentleman from Cook, Representative Arroyo."

"Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Members of the House. House Bill 43 is a pedestrian safety Bill. Illinois law currently requires drivers to yield for pedestrians in a crosswalk, stop unnecessarily. This law is confusing to drivers, pedestrians, and police officers. It isn't clear exactly when drivers must stop. House Bill 43 will require drivers to stop for pedestrians in the crosswalk. This bright line test will ease enforcement of the law and provide clear standards for safety of pedestrians. More than 170 pedestrians are killed in each year on Illinois roads and more than thousands more are injured. The pedestrian safety Bill would improve the safety of our streets and roads. The pedestrian safety Bill is supported by AARP and the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police. I know of no opposition, and this Bill was brought to me by Active Transportation Alliance. I welcome any questions and ask for a 'yes' vote."

"This is on the Order of Short Debate and in response, the Gentleman from Vermilion, Representative Black."

"He indicates he'll yield."

"Well, according to the support we have, Mr. Black, I didn't think that was necessary. But I think the penalty will be the same as a ticket, a moving violation, $75. I don't know if…"

"If he is crossing the street. If he's just standing there he shouldn't stop, but if he is about to cross… if 09600017.doc 25  STATE OF ILLINOIS 96th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 17th Legislative Day 2/25/2009 he's in the street, Mr. Black, he should have an immediate stop."

"Only on the one side where he's… only on the side of the vehicle that he's crossing."

"It doesn't say it on the Bill, but it implies it."

"Well, right now, what the law says that you have to yield the right-of-way, Mr. Black, so we're just trying to have a full stop on the same side of the street. And since we don't have too much of opposition on it…"

"Well, currently we're not asking for no penalties other than a ticket, than a regular ticket. I don't know what the law says in California." 09600017.doc 26  STATE OF ILLINOIS 96th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 17th Legislative Day 2/25/2009

"Yes."

"Excuse me?"

"Not that I'm aware of, Mr. Black."

"Representative, could you bring your remarks to a close please?"

"State your inquiry."

"So, we'll get back with you, Representative Black. And what we're going to do is Representative Bost is seeking recognition, so we're going to give Representative Bost five minutes." 09600017.doc 27  STATE OF ILLINOIS 96th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 17th Legislative Day 2/25/2009

"Indicates he'll yield."

"Yes, there's been a lot of accidents around school districts where the schools are, and there's been 172 pedestrians that were killed and 1,000 people that were injured. We have a record that says that, it's in the synopsis of the Bill."

"Well, we just wanted… we think that by making a complete stop, we'll be able to save more lives and have less accidents than to yield the right-of-way."

"All we're trying to do is just have a complete stop. And it makes it easier to a police officer to identify… to enforce the law."

"So, we're moving this to Standard Debate. We've had one speak in favor; two in response. And Representative Fortner you're recognized for five minutes."

"Indicates he'll yield."

"No, there isn't. But the police will determine that. We don't… we're not going to be the ones determining how far or how close the police…"

"Not at this present moment, no."

"Representative Black, the parliamentarian has advised me that the Bill does not preempt Home Rule, and therefore, it only requires 60 votes. Representative Black." 09600017.doc 30  STATE OF ILLINOIS 96th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 17th Legislative Day 2/25/2009

"It would not… it would not preempt Home Rule, Representative."

"I don't think, Representative, we give legal advice on what your city might wish to do. All I can tell you is that the parliamentarian has looked at the Bill and he has determined that it… does not preempt Home Rule."

"Yes."

"Okay, so, we've had one speak in favor and three in response. Now, Representative Tracy, do you wish to speak in favor of the Bill? So, we granted Representative Dunkin an opportunity for an extra time, so why don't we grant you the same opportunity. So, you're recognized for one minute, okay? One minute."

"Please bring your remarks to a close. You can bring your remarks to a close, Representative."

"So, we've had one in favor, three in response. The rules will provide for an additional two in favor. Representative Monique Davis, do you wish to speak in favor of the Bill? Representative Monique Davis." Davis, M.: "Mr. Speaker, I just want to ask a couple of questions. Representative, if you are driving and you come to a complete stop, then you start to move, you know, you're going to go on and then the person jumps out at the same time, are you saying the driver is liable?"

"No, I never said that, Monique. Representative, no, the Bicycle Federation's saying there's more safety rather than with the law…" Davis, M.: "Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, could we please have a little order so I could hear this Gentleman? Thank you."

"We're just asking for a complete stop, that's it." Davis, M.: "So, if you're at a stop sign… I mean, you make a complete stop. Well, it's already…"

"Right. Right." Davis, M.: "It's illegal… it's illegal now to not stop." 09600017.doc 33  STATE OF ILLINOIS 96th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 17th Legislative Day 2/25/2009

"Absolutely. But when there isn't a stop sign and a person is crossing, we're asking them to make a complete stop so the person could cross… so the pedestrian could cross." Davis, M.: "You're saying even if there is no stop sign?"

"Yes, if somebody is crossing at a crosswalk and somebody's going across the street, especially and around a school, they should make a full stop before… not just…" Davis, M.: "Does your Bill say around a school?"

"Yes, it does." Davis, M.: "It says specifically…"

"It has a separate provision for schools. It's in the synopsis of the Bill, Monique." Davis, M.: "It's everyplace as well as schools. And then the determination will be made by the policeman whether you stopped in a timely manner?"

"Yes." Davis, M.: "And what is the penalty? Representative, what's the penalty?"

Speaker Hannig: "Representative Arroyo, did you hear the question? Did you hear Monique Davis' question?"

"Yes, I thought I answered the ques… I didn't hear her. Monique." Davis, M.: "Mr… You know what, I'm going to ask you to take this out of the record. I think you got a little more work to do on this Bill. We have a number of traffic laws on the books that are… there are attempts to adhere to those laws. Hold on. There are new issues coming before the city to fine people, of course, if they don't. But I 09600017.doc 34  STATE OF ILLINOIS 96th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 17th Legislative Day 2/25/2009 really am afraid to let pedestrians or students know that you could drag across the street and hope nobody hits you. That puts that pedestrian in an extremely dangerous situation. Surely, all of us, any of us who drive in Illinois, we want the pedestrian to always have the right- of-way, right? The pedestrian always has the right-of-way. However, however, if we make this a special provision…"

"Representative, could you bring your remarks to a close, please?" Davis, M.: "Make a special provision for you to stop when there's no stop sign, and you decide to go and some child who's not paying any attention to the law or the cars, he runs across, and right away you're in serious trouble no matter what. I know your intentions are noble. Ladies and Gentlemen, let's let this Gentleman work a little harder on this Bill. I think you deserve a 'no' vote. Sorry."

"Representative McCarthy."

"Thank you, Mr. Chairman (sic-Speaker). I move the previous question."

"The Gentleman has moved the previous question. The question is, 'Shall the main question be put?' All in favor say 'aye'; opposed 'nay'. The 'ayes' have it and the main question is put, and Representative Arroyo to close."

"I thank everybody but I would prefer for an 'aye' vote'."

"The question is, 'Shall this Bill pass?' All in favor vote 'aye'; opposed 'nay'. The voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? 09600017.doc 35  STATE OF ILLINOIS 96th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 17th Legislative Day 2/25/2009 Representative Hoffman, Gordon, do you wish to be recorded? Last call, have all voted who wish? Mr. Clerk, take the record. On this question, there are 60 voting 'yes' and 54 voting 'no'. And this Bill, having received a Constitutional Majority, is hereby declared passed. Representative D'Amico, you have House Bill 71. Representative D'Amico, House Bill 71? Out of the record. Representative Cole, you have House Bill 78. Mr. Clerk, read the Bill."

"Representative Cole."

"This is on Short Debate. Does anyone stand in response? Then the question is, 'Shall this Bill pass?' All in favor vote 'aye'; opposed 'nay'. The voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Representative Lyons, Hoffman, Boland, do you wish to be recorded? Mr. Clerk, take the record. On this question, there are 113 voting 'yes' and 1 voting 'no'. And this Bill, having received a Constitutional Majority, is hereby declared passed. Mr. Clerk, read House Bill 80."

"The Gentleman from Cook, Representative Lang."

"Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Ladies and Gentlemen. This is a Bill that's very much like a Bill we passed last Session with almost 90 votes, I think it has stronger support now, a bipartisan piece of legislation to reform the State Board of Education. As we all have discussed on more than one occasion, we have always expected the State Board of Education to be a body that forcefully and aggressively advocates for the education of our children. And yet, in my 22 years in the Illinois House, we haven't seen much of that. I have never seen a member of the State Board of Education come to my office to lobby for children, to lobby for education. I have never seen or heard a member of the State Board of Education step to a microphone and complain in loud terms that we're not properly funding public 09600017.doc 37  STATE OF ILLINOIS 96th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 17th Legislative Day 2/25/2009 schools and that we need to do better. So, this Bill would reform the State Board by taking it farther away from the political system. You all recall that some years ago, Governor Blagojevich had a Draconian plan to put all of education under his wing, and we eventually passed legislation that was less than that to make sure that Governor Blagojevich didn't get everything he wanted. That didn't work too well in terms of improving the process. This Bill will reform the State Board by changing its membership over time to be chosen by the Governor, not at his whim, not at random out of 13 million people, but out of a vetted group of candidates, people who have knowledge about education, people that know about how schools work. Those would be people who'd be on the nomination panel and would also be the people that the Governor would have to choose from so that over a period of time we would have on the State Board people who are prepared to aggressively advocate for our children, people who know about how schools work, former superintendents, former teachers and the like. This Bill would also require that the State Board provide to us its documentation, the underpinnings of how it does its budgeting each year, how it does its recommended budget to the Governor about how schools should be run but would also require that they provide their wish list for schools to us. It's easy to say well, we have 'x' dollars available for schools, and this is how we're going to spend it. That's of course their job. But this Bill would require that they say forget that, forget what we have available to us, this is the amount we need to fund 09600017.doc 38  STATE OF ILLINOIS 96th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 17th Legislative Day 2/25/2009 schools, this is what we ought to spend for special ed, this is what we ought to spend to hire new science teachers and on down the line, so that at some point we, as a General Assembly, would have a much better handle on what we ought to be spending for schools and how much we're shortchanging our kids. We all know that we are. We should have a State Board that lays it out in front of us on an annual basis. The Bill does more but I think you've all read about it, you've all heard about it. This is a Bill that passed unanimously out of the Elementary and Secondary Education Committee, and I would very much appreciate your support."

"Put this on Standard Debate so we can debate it. Representative Currie, you're recognized for five minutes."

"Thank you, Speaker and Members of the House. I'm reluctant to oppose a legislative measure from my esteemed colleague, Representative Lang, but I do strenuously oppose this Bill. I think he would reform the State Board of Education by tying it in knots and I don't think that that is good public policy. I don't think we should participate. We have a brand new Governor in the State of Illinois. I appreciate that many were frustrated with the activities of his predecessor, particularly when it came to some decisions to involve himself, perhaps more strenuously than he ought, in the workings of the State Board of Education. But in the years that I have served in this position under many Governors and including the members of the current Board of… the Illinois State Board of 09600017.doc 39  STATE OF ILLINOIS 96th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 17th Legislative Day 2/25/2009 Education, the people that I know are competent, able people and to say that these folks must go, I don't think makes good sense. To then create specified slots for various people along the way, that doesn't work. It doesn't work well. It may mean that you don't get the best people for the job if today you're filling a slot reserved for a former elementary school teacher. I don't think it helps us make good decisions when we confine ourselves to this kind of grouping, and I think the nomination panels can cause nothing but grief. We have a new chap at the helm. I am confident that he can make good decisions about who would serve on the State Board of Education, and I think we ought to spend more of our energies making sure that our P-20 Council is offering good guidance to the members and the staff of the State Board and to our local school districts to help us improve the quality of public education in the state. That is our mission and I do not for a minute think that passage of this Bill would help us accomplish that very important task. I urge your 'no' vote."

Speaker Hannig: "The Gentleman from DeKalb, Representative Pritchard."

"He indicates he'll yield."

"The nomination panel would be chosen by members of the Executive Branch of government. The Governor, the Secretary of State and the Attorney General would recommend folks for this nomination panel. And not just the Board members have to fit into certain boxes in terms of their expertise in the area of education, so do the members of the nomination panel. It would require two former district superintendents, an elementary school teacher, a secondary school teacher, two former State Legislators who have extensive experience on legislative committees dealing with education and education appropriations, and one member with at least five years experience at an education advocacy organization."

"I don't have any problems with these Board members, and I think Representative Currie may not have read the Amendment. The original Bill ended the terms of these current Board members, but the Bill as it sits before you today does not. These current Board members will serve out their terms. So, I have no problems with these folks. I know some of them personally. They're wonderful people, doing the best they can. But it's been my view that gubernatorial involvement in the State Board of Education has kept it from aggressively doing its mission. I'm sure they're doing all the things they have to do under the law, but if I'm here 22 years and never has a member of the 09600017.doc 41  STATE OF ILLINOIS 96th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 17th Legislative Day 2/25/2009 State Board of Education visited my office, then there's something wrong. There's not enough movement, there's not enough action, there's not enough noise, and the children of our state need a State Board of Education with expertise about kids, expertise about education, and in fact, a working knowledge about how this Body works so that we can work hand in hand with them to improve education in Illinois."

"Well, in fact, I have no problem with that. But what this Bill does, it takes out of the Governor's hands the current state of affairs which allows the Governor to basically suggest to the State Board of Education who they ought to hire as the superintendent. This Bill says the Governor will no longer do that. It seems to me, Representative, that we should have educators dealing with education, not politicians. Obviously, we have to pass laws dealing with that, but over the last several years, the long arm of the Governor has reached into the State Board of Education. Here's the best example I can come up with. On the day the current state superintendent was appointed, and I have no problem with him personally, but on the day he was appointed he was speaking to the press. And the press asked him if he thought we needed more money for schools and his answer was well, the Governor says we're not going to have anymore money for schools, so I 09600017.doc 42  STATE OF ILLINOIS 96th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 17th Legislative Day 2/25/2009 guess there's nothing to talk about. We need someone who does not care what the Governor thinks. We need someone who's at the helm who's chosen by a board, who only cares about education, and that's what I'm trying to go after in this Bill."

"If I may, Representative, just in quick response. That's exactly why in the section of the Bill about budgeting I have suggested that the State Board give us their budget based on what they think are available resources, but then they give us what we ought to be doing. I think we ought to know from the State Board what the gap is. I don't mean EFAB numbers and numbers put together, cobbled together, no matter how they're done. I mean, real educators with real studies coming to us and saying this is what we ought to be doing to educate our kids. That would help us figure out how to close that gap."

"Thank you. And the Gentleman from Vermilion, Representative Black, you're recognized for five minutes. Would you like to be a proponent or in response? How should I mark you down?"

"Yes, Sir."

"Someone who's in favor of the Bill."

"He indicates he'll yield."

"I believe that not everyone has read it. The Bill that I passed out of this House last year and the Bill as originally introduced would have ended the terms of the current State Board members, and after long discussions with people and thinking about it I said, let's just transition out of this. There is nothing wrong with the current members of the Board. I have no problem with them. I have no problem with Mr. Ruiz, no problem specifically with the superintendent. I just want a transition to a Board that's all educators. These Board members can apply to be reappointed as their terms end. In fact, these Board members, having served on this board, will have a knowledge base that could be helpful to the next Board. I just want to get to a point where this Board is no longer beholden to the Governor in any way, shape, or form."

"We've had two in favor and two in response. And, Representative Eddy, you're recognized for five minutes. Which side should I put you down on? Okay. Representative Eddy."

"Well, I thank you for the question. Yes, we're trying to make sure that people on the State Board have a background in education, know what they're doing, have an interest in moving forward and, indeed, keeping them separate from the Governor's Office. So, under today's law, the Governor, meaning no disrespect to our new Governor, but the Governor, whoever that Governor is, has the ability to pick any people at random from the State of Illinois and put them on the State Board. And I just don't think that's an appropriate thing to do when we've got the kinds of problems in public school education that we have today. We need some people with some background, with some ideas and with some practical experience in education. Now, the current Board members may have gained that practical experience even those that don't have backgrounds in education, and I wouldn't eliminate them from the pool 09600017.doc 46  STATE OF ILLINOIS 96th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 17th Legislative Day 2/25/2009 of potential candidates. I think they ought to be included in fact."

"That's correct."

"So, we've had three in support and two in response. The rules would provide for one additional speaker in response. Representative Dunkin, do you wish to speak in response? Representative Dunkin, do you wish to speak in response? The rules provide for one additional speaker in response. Do you wish to speak in response? No? Why don't we let Representative Mitchell finish the debate? Representative Mitchell, you have five minutes." Mitchell, J.: "Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Representative Lang, I know that when you began working on this Bill it was out of a certain amount of frustration and even a certain amount of anger. You made the statement that this… state basically takes this out of the hands of the Governor's Office, and you wanted him not to have the kind of influence that he's had in the past. But it doesn't necessarily separate completely the Governor's Office from the Board of Education. Would you one… one more time go over the process by which the Governor's involved in the selection of the Board members for me?" 09600017.doc 48  STATE OF ILLINOIS 96th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 17th Legislative Day 2/25/2009

"Yes. First, if it was up to me and I could do it constitutionally, I would just create a separate independent, completely independent agency and come up with some mechanism. But I don't think the Constitution allows me to do that. In the same way that we've had legislation to reappoint gaming board members through a nomination panel, and you're going to see legislation sometime in the next couple of weeks to nominate members of the Health Facilities Planning Board through a nomination process, taking that out of the hands of the Governor in some way. The idea here is this, Representative, some issues are too important to leave to the whims of a politician. I know that's heresy, but it's true. And while I have no doubt that the current Governor, when given a chance to make appointments to any commission or any board, is going to do it the right way, the fact is that we need to have a regulatory scheme here, a statutory scheme that works today and into the future to make sure that whatever board or commission we're talking about, especially where it’s the most valuable, our children, is completely above politics. And so, the goal here was to separate out this process, and since I couldn't take it completely away from the Governor, we used the scheme basically that we used… that we proposed last year for the changeover in the gaming board, which is create a nomination panel of experts to put together three… a pool of nominees, but that pool would be a total of three for each available opening, so that, in the end, the Governor would have three times as many people to choose from as he needed or she needed, and these people would all 09600017.doc 49  STATE OF ILLINOIS 96th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 17th Legislative Day 2/25/2009 be vetted by education experts and they would be education experts, so that no matter who the Governor chose, there would be no risk that the person chosen would have no idea what the heck they were doing when they got to the State Board of Education." Mitchell, J.: "So, basically, the Governor still has a hand in the process, he just doesn't have any say-so in the vetting process when the pool of candidates is selected?"

"Right. Now, the Governor's Office would be one of the three offices along with the Secretary of State and Attorney General who would choose the nominators, and then the Governor would come back into the process when the pool of candidates was created, and he or she would pick one of the… one candidate… or pick the number of candidate… the number of openings out of a pool." Mitchell, J.: "All right. If you remember correctly, Representative Lang, a lot of us worked very hard with Speaker Madigan to change the process from what it was. There were many, many, many on this House Floor and I would venture to say you was… you were one of them that felt that the Board of Education and the superintendent of schools was so autonomous that they didn't listen to anyone, that they didn't feel like they had to answer to the people, to the Legislators or to the Governor's Office. So, I think you've tried to reach a happy medium here, if I'm not mistaken. Out of frustration, we changed it not knowing the type of Governor we wound up with, and that really changed the perception, I think, of just about everyone on this House Floor. Had we known at that time that he was 09600017.doc 50  STATE OF ILLINOIS 96th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 17th Legislative Day 2/25/2009 not, not only going to accept the responsibility for the education of kids, he was going to use that as a power force to try to get us to do various things that were his bidding. That destroyed the process that we envisioned when we changed the process years ago. I can remember a time when the superintendent of schools wouldn't even come on this House Floor because he was so anti things that we had suggested to him that he would not show up here. He would send in a card like a lobbyist. We don't want to go back to that. But at the same point, at least now there will be some autonomy. I think we can expect a budget that's created for kids and not for a Governor. So, in that respect I think you're on the right track. We may have to tweak this down the road a few times to get it exactly right, but to me it looks like it's good legislation. Thank you, Sir."

"Thank you, Representative. I want…"

"So, your time is expired, and you'll get to close, Representative. We've had three speak in favor and three in response and Representative Lang to close."

"Thank you. I appreciate the debate and a quick response to something Representative Mitchell just said. I've already met with the Governor's Office on this. There are some changes they would like to propose, and I've committed to meet with them when the Bill goes to the Senate to talk about those changes. Ladies and Gentlemen, I have nothing against the current Board. I have nothing against any of the Boards that I've served in conjunction with over the 22 years here, but we don't see any advocacy for kids. Many 09600017.doc 51  STATE OF ILLINOIS 96th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 17th Legislative Day 2/25/2009 of the comments would indicate that people agree with me. Certainly, the comments in the Elementary Education Committee were all on the side that we need to go in a different direction. And Representative Mitchell was right about this as well, that many of us have been trying for years to get education out of the Governor's Office, out of politics, and then Governor Blagojevich came in and tried to move it exactly the other way, he wanted to control everything in education. And so, what we ended up with was the best we could do at the time, but it is not the best we can do today. The best we can do today is do something to help the school children of Illinois today and into the future, to make sure we have a State Board who is expert in education, a state superintendent of schools that's expert in education and is willing to come to this House Floor and to a microphone and to press conferences and to Boards of Education and to advocacy groups all over this state and fight loudly and aggressively for the future of education in Illinois. This Bill will take a step in that direction. I would urge your 'aye' votes."

"The question is, 'Shall this Bill pass?' All in favor vote 'aye'; opposed 'nay'. The voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Representative Joyce? Okay. Mr. Clerk, take the record. On this question, there are 91 voting 'yes' and 24 voting 'no'. And this Bill, having received a Constitutional Majority, is hereby declared passed. Representative Lang, you have House Bill 84. Read the Bill, Mr. Clerk." 09600017.doc 52  STATE OF ILLINOIS 96th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 17th Legislative Day 2/25/2009

"The Gentleman from Cook, Representative Lang."

"Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Ladies and Gentlemen. House Bill 84 would provide a $200,000 appropriation to the Illinois Secretary of State as a state librarian to fund a partnership between the Citizens Library of Illinois and Health-E Illinois. This is a statewide database that people can go to which has been very, very successful, but because of budget cuts, has gone underfunded and unfunded. This was actually in our last budget and Governor Blagojevich cut it. Why anyone would cut money for libraries in the State of Illinois is beyond me. I would ask your support."

"Is there any discussion? Then the question is, 'Shall this Bill pass?' All in favor vote 'aye'; opposed 'nay'. The voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Representative Mitchell, Gordon, Flider, do you wish to be recorded? Mr. Clerk, take the record. On this question, there are 96 voting 'yes' and 19 voting 'no'. And this Bill, having received a Constitutional Majority, is hereby declared passed. Mr. Clerk, read House Bill 88."

"Excuse me. Representative Mitchell, for what reason do you rise?" Mitchell, J.: "Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Just a point of personal privilege." 09600017.doc 53  STATE OF ILLINOIS 96th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 17th Legislative Day 2/25/2009

"State your point." Mitchell, J.: "Mr. Speaker, I just got a call from the Oregon Chamber of Commerce telling me that they had just heard that the Governor at 10:30 tomorrow morning in the Stratton Building is going to announce the dates for the reopening of all the parks in the State of Illinois. Nothing on the historic sites yet. I think he's taking it slow as he goes, but he believes that he can get all the parks open and get them open before the summer season… tourist season. Thank you, Mr. Speaker."

"Thank you, Representative Mitchell. Now the Clerk has read the Bill. Representative Stephens, do you wish… are you seeking recognition?"

"All right. On page 6 of the Calendar is House Bill 88. The Clerk has read the Bill, and Representative Lang, you're recognized to explain the Bill."

"Thank you, Mr. Speaker and Ladies and Gentlemen. This is a pretty simple Bill. We've got two sets of lobbyist fees in our Act relative to 501(c) corporations. Some pay $300 to the state, some pay $150 to the state. There's no reason for this distinction. All not-for-profit corporations in the state who have to pay to hire a lobbyist to come and lobby us or when they register to lobby us shouldn't have to pay different amounts. So, this 09600017.doc 54  STATE OF ILLINOIS 96th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 17th Legislative Day 2/25/2009 Bill would level it off at $150. I had no opposition to this proposal in committee and ask for your support."

"Is there any discussion? Then the question is, 'Shall this Bill pass?' All in favor vote 'aye'; opposed 'nay'. The voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish. Have all voted who wish? Representative Winters, Mr… Representative Sommer, Representative Cultra, do you wish to be recorded? Last call. Mr. Clerk, take the record. On this question, there are 109 voting 'yes' and 4 voting 'no'. And this Bill, having received a Constitutional Majority, is hereby declared passed. Representative Miller, you have House Bill 150. Read the Bill, Mr. Clerk."

"Representative Miller."

"Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Ladies and Gentlemen of the House. House Bill 150 creates the 21st Century Scholars Act. This is an initiative that passed this Body last year. Essentially, what it does is try to deal with the disparities of income levels of students who attend college and do not attend college. It's one of the things that… that is an issue when we talk about graduation rates and also trying to provide opportunities for students who may not traditionally attend college. What it does is make a commitment between the student at a eighth grade level, the school and also their parents to try to provide guidance and mentoring through… through their years through high school, and at the end of the day, we provide a tuition and 09600017.doc 55  STATE OF ILLINOIS 96th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 17th Legislative Day 2/25/2009 a college opportunity for them. This is a program which is due to funding, subject to appropriation, but I do believe it gets us in a right state as we try to deal with our issues in higher education. I would ask for a favorable vote."

"This is on Short Debate. Does anyone stand in response? Then the question is, 'Shall this Bill pass?' All in favor vote 'aye'; opposed 'nay'. The voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Representative Wait, Sommer, McAuliffe, Cultra. Have all voted who wish? Mr. Clerk, take the record. On this question, there are 115 voting 'yes' and 0 voting 'no'. And this Bill, having received a Constitutional Majority, is hereby declared passed. Representative Ford, do you wish us to read House Bill 153? Mr. Clerk, read the Bill."

"The Gentleman from Cook, Representative Ford."

"Thank you, Mr. Speaker and Members of the House. House Bill 153 is, in my opinion, a simple Bill, but it helps neighborhoods during this time of foreclosures. And it's requiring that when deeds are recorded with the Recorder of Deeds that the Recorder of Deeds receives the name and contact information, the street address, and mailing address and a telephone number of the new person that's the owner of the property and that would be of the banks. So, I ask for a favorable vote. This Bill is agreed and there is no opposition at this time." 09600017.doc 56  STATE OF ILLINOIS 96th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 17th Legislative Day 2/25/2009

"This is on Short Debate. Does anyone stand in response? Then the question is, 'Shall this Bill pass?' All in favor vote 'aye'; opposed 'nay'. The voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Mr. Clerk, take the record. On this question, there are 115 voting 'yes' and 0 voting 'no'. And this Bill, having received a Constitutional Majority, is hereby declared passed. Representative Coulson on House Bill 168. Representative Coulson, do you… Mr. Clerk, read the Bill."

"Representative Coulson."

"This is on Short Debate, and in response, the Gentleman from McHenry, Representative Franks."

"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Would the Sponsor yield?"

"The Lady will yield."

"Are there other universities that have similar grant programs?" 09600017.doc 57  STATE OF ILLINOIS 96th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 17th Legislative Day 2/25/2009

"I'm not against the idea. I was just wondering if it's good for SIU, it would probably be good for all of our other universities, as well. And I was just wondering if you may be amiable to amending the Bill to have grants available to all of our universities, instead of just SIU?"

"Okay. Perhaps we can do when… I presume we'll send it over to the Senate. If you can ask your Senate Sponsor to check into that…"

"Thank you very much."

"Representative Joyce."

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

"Indicates she'll yield."

"Representative Coulson, I just wondered, do you know how many students participate in this?"

"Do you know how many students at SIU participate in this program, approximately?"

"Well, how many do you think are involved in it currently?"

"And what is the request from the university?"

"And so that would be the maximum amount of money that would be funded from ISAC to SIU would be for 130 or…"

"…is there another bunch that are not even in the program that would like to be in the program but they can't be in the program unless ISAC funds it?"

"And what's the total…"

"And what's the cost of the program per student?"

"Per semester?"

"All right, thank you."

"Representative Will Davis." Davis, W.: "Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Will the Sponsor yield?"

"Indicates she'll yield." Davis, W.: "I want to kind of go off what the former speaker was talking about in terms of the cost, because according to our analysis, it says that the amount of the grant… with the amount of the grant equal to the amount of fees charged to the student as a participant of the program. So, we're not talking about standard university fees, we're talking about the fees of the program. And what did you say that cost was?"

"Representative Coulson to close."

"The question is, 'Shall this Bill pass?' All in favor vote 'aye'; opposed 'nay'. The voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Mr. Clerk, take the record. On this question, there are 115 voting 'yes' and 0 voting 'no'. And this Bill, having received a 09600017.doc 63  STATE OF ILLINOIS 96th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 17th Legislative Day 2/25/2009 Constitutional Majority, is hereby declared passed. House Bill 208, Representative Jakobsson. Are you handling this Bill today? Representative Jakobsson, do you wish us to read this Bill? Out of the record. Mr. Clerk, read House Bill 210."

Speaker Hannig: "The Gentleman from Bureau, Representative Mautino."

"Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Ladies and Gentlemen of the House. This… this legislation has been put forward on behalf of the court reporters, and it is the supplemental appropriation. This Bill had passed over last year. It was agreed, stalled in the Senate. It has had 117 votes to 0. I know of no opposition and would ask for your support."

Speaker Hannig: "And on that question, the Gentleman from Vermilion, Representative Black."

"Indicates he'll yield."

"Correct. It's necessary because of the funds that have run short. They've had to actually cut down the days that court reporters are in."

"It's causing backlogs within the court system." 09600017.doc 64  STATE OF ILLINOIS 96th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 17th Legislative Day 2/25/2009

"The… We've went through and we appropriated the money. It was then vetoed."

"Yes, by Governor Blagojevich."

"General Revenue funds."

"I haven't had that conversation with the Governor's Office yet, but I have been talking with the Senate and it looks like the Senate is in agreement or the new Senate Leadership is in agreement with what we're trying to do here."

"So, I think it has a good chance of moving forward."

"Representative Mautino to close."

"Thank you. I know of no opposition and would appreciate… would appreciate an 'aye' vote."

"The question is, 'Shall this Bill pass?' All in favor vote 'aye'; opposed 'nay'. The voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Representative Reitz, Phelps, Flider, do you wish to be recorded? Mr. Clerk, take the record. On this question, there are 115 voting 'yes' and 0 voting 'no'. And this Bill, having received a Constitutional Majority, is hereby declared passed. Mr. Clerk, read House Bill 470."

"Third Reading. Representative Graham, you're recognized for an announcement."

"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. For a point of personal privilege, for another touch in black history, The Brownie (sic-Brownies')Books to children with eager looks scan vainly library shelves and nooks for history or a song or a story that told colored people's glory, we dedicated The Brownies'(sic-Brownies')Book. By the early 20th century black migration to the North and increasingly, though still very limited, opportunities for education and careers for African-Americans have produced the black middle class, which supported various black enterprises, often paralleled 09600017.doc 66  STATE OF ILLINOIS 96th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 17th Legislative Day 2/25/2009 to white-owned and explicitly and overtly racist businesses, such as white newspapers, rarely reported or covered African-American communities and tended to be dismissive of black accomplishments. The major leagues did not allow black players until Jackie Robinson joined the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947. When children looked at children's books that were available on the general market, they found themselves looking at a mirror that was extremely distorted. Violet Harris called the depiction of black people in the general literature stereotyped and inauthentic. Best known African-American figures in literatures were characters beginning with the Little Black Sambo, a story that actually sets in India but features a little boy clearly identified as black and given a name that had already become common and derogatory… a common derogatory reference to African Americans. Other cruel characters included the golliwog created in 1895 by Florence Kate Upton and widely popular. One can still find a golliwog doll for sale in Britain. Most popular magazines for children at the turn of the 20th century was the St. Nicholas Magazine, which, like other adult joiners, rarely showed children of color except in the most stereotypical ways. W.E.B. DuBois in The Souls of Black Folks on general depiction of… like he commended them on the general depiction of the Negro in the American world. Quoted, 'It yields him no true consciousness, but only lets him see himself through the revelation of the other world. In it's a particular sensation, this double-consciousness, this sense of always looking at one's self through the eyes 09600017.doc 67  STATE OF ILLINOIS 96th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 17th Legislative Day 2/25/2009 of others, of measuring one souls by the tape of a world that looks on in amused and contempt and pity.' To combat these cultural images, a group of distinguished African- American writers and editors, including W.E.B. DuBois, Augustus Granville Dill, Jessie Redmon Fauset, created a new children's book magazine that would represent another side of the black experience. In 1919, the year before The Brownies' Book… Brownies' Book displayed, W.E.B DuBois wrote on the crisis, 'To educate our children in the human hatred is more disastrous than them to hate, but to see them raised in the ignorance of their racial identity and precarious situation is inadvisable, impossible.' It helped his readers primarily, though not exclusively African-American children, to gain a sense of their own history and heritage. The Brownies' Book included poems, stories, folklores, sketches of important Africans and African-Americans through history a selection of which appeared in The Norton Anthology of Children's Literature. The Brownies' Book only appeared from 1920 to 1921. Its circulation peaked at about 4,000, causing the publication to cease for financial reasons. The Brownies' Book had seven goals,: to make children… to make colored children realize that being colored is a normal beautiful thing, to inform them of the achievements of our race, to teach them a code of honor, to entertain them, to provide them with a model of interacting with whites, to instill pride in home and family and to aspire… to inspire them and racially uplift them. Here, we see again the double impulse to instruct and entertain that we have noted in our children's 09600017.doc 68  STATE OF ILLINOIS 96th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 17th Legislative Day 2/25/2009 literature generally. The Brownies' Book was in… I stumbled across this and I thought it was very important, and it piqued my curiosity, so I wanted to share it with you guys. Thank you, Mr. Speaker."

"Mr. Clerk, read the Agreed Resolutions. There are no Agreed Resolutions so… so, we'll skip that today, and an important announcement. In case you haven't read the schedule, the bulletin that was passed out earlier, Session on Friday has been canceled. And so, the Clerk is going to announce the committees for tomorrow as well. Mr. Clerk."

Speaker Hannig: "Are there any other announcements? Representative Osmond."

"Are there any other announcements? Then, allowing perfunctory time for the Clerk, Representative Currie moves that the House stand adjourned until tomorrow, Thursday, February 26, at the hour of 2:00 p.m., 2:00 p.m. 09600017.doc 69  STATE OF ILLINOIS 96th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 17th Legislative Day 2/25/2009 All in favor say 'aye'; opposed 'nay'. The 'ayes' have it. The Motion is adopted and the House stands adjourned."