Illinois House Floor Debate — April 4, 2016

"The House will be in order. Members will be in their chairs. We shall be led in prayer today by Lee Crawford, the pastor of the Cathedral of Praise Christian Center in Springfield. Members and guests are asked to refrain from starting their laptops, turn off cell phones, and rise for the invocation and Pledge of Allegiance. Pastor Crawford."

"Be led in the Pledge by Mr. Brown."

"Roll Call for Attendance. Leader Currie."

"Thank you, Speaker. Let the record reflect that we know of no excused absences on the Democratic side of the aisle today."

"Mr. Brown."

"Please take the record, Mr. Clerk. We have 116 Members. And we do have a quorum. Mr. Clerk, Agreed Resolutions."

"Leader Currie moves for the adoption of Agreed Resolutions. Those in favor say 'yes'; opposed 'no'. The 'ayes' have it. And the Agreed Resolutions are adopted. Mr. Clerk, House Resolution 1067 for Mr. Phelps."

"Mr. Phelps."

"Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Ladies and Gentlemen of the House. I just wanted to take a few moments to give credit where credit's due to the Southeastern Illinois College. That’s Representative Bradley and my alma mater. I was also a product of Model Illinois Government, and I just wanted to make sure they understand how appreciated they are. And I'd just like for all of us to congratulate them. Congratulations, SIC Model Illinois Government."

"Congratulations. Those in favor of the Resolution say 'yes'; opposed 'no'. The 'ayes' have it. And the Resolution is adopted. Members, there's an announcement for you. The deadline for filing Committee Amendments for your House Bills is Wednesday at 2 p.m. The deadline for filing your Amendments to House Bills is Wednesday at 2 p.m. Chair recognizes Mr. Sandack."

"Thank you for being with us today. Representative Hernandez is recognized."

"Thank you, Speaker. Point of personal privilege." 09900110.docx 5  STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 110th Legislative Day 4/4/2016

"Please proceed."

"So Thursday, March 31st, would have been Cesar Chavez's 81st birthday. In honor of this man, I wanted to say a few words. Cesar Chavez was a proviment… prominent union leader and labor organizer. He was born in Yuma, Ari… Arizona on March 31, 1997. Like many Latino families who lost their homes during the Great Recession of 2008, Chavez's family lost their farm during the Great Depression. In a situation familiar to some Latino families, once Chavez finished eighth grade, he became a migrant farm worker to help better his family's financial situation. It was the injustices he saw being committed against his fellow migrant farm workers that motivated him to get involved in community activism. In 1952, he became an organizer for the Community Service Organization, and his main task was to register people to vote. In 1962, Chavez co-funded the National Farm Workers Association with Dolores Huerta. In 1966, the National Farm Workers Association merged with the Agricultural Workers Organizing Committee to become the United Farm Workers. Chavez was an admirer of Gandhi and the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and believed that through nonviolent protest, they could acquire the rights that migrant farm workers deserve. He organized strikes, marches, boycotts, and pickets, as well as going on several fasts. Chavez organized several strikes. The first one was the Delano grape strike and star… that started in September 1965 and would last for five years. While the strike was ongoing, he orchestrated boycott and table grapes, and led a farm workers march from Delano to the California State Capitol in Sacramento. Another 09900110.docx 6  STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 110th Legislative Day 4/4/2016 strike he organized was the… was the Salad Bowl strike. The strike was the largest farm workers strike in the U.S history, and would gain higher wages for farm workers who were working for grape and lettuce growers. Chavez also advocated for laws to be passed that empowered farm workers. In 1975, he led a few hundred marchers from San Francisco to Modesto, and when they had arrived at their destination, they were joined by more than 15,000 people. This show of support convinced then- Governor of California, Jerry Brown, to pass the California Agricultural Labor Relations Act, which allow collective bargaining for farm workers. To promote his causes, Chavez also underwent several fasts. In 1968, Chavez went on a 25- day fast. Then in 1972, he went on a 24-day fast. And in 1988, he went on a 36-day fast. This fast he was forced to end because of his deteriorating health. Chavez died on April 23, 1993 in San Lui… St. Louis, Arizona. He was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom posthumously in recognition of his work on behalf of migrant farm workers. The death of Chavez marked an era of dramatic changes in American agriculture. His contributions would be eroded, and others would have to shoulder the burden of his work, but Cesar Chavez, who insisted that those who labor in the earth were entitled to share fairly in the rewards of their toil, would never be forgotten. Thank you."

"Thank you, Representative. The Chair recognizes Representative Reis."

"Proceed, Sir." 09900110.docx 7  STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 110th Legislative Day 4/4/2016

"Thank you, Sir. Mr. Franks."

"Thank you, Mr. Speaker. A point of personal privilege."

"Proceed."

"I am very fortunate today to have my two cousins down with their dad, Daniel, to be Pages for the day. We have Josh and Lexi Sobelman down in front. Their last day of spring break, and I appreciate them coming down. And wanted to give them a very warm Springfield welcome."

Speaker Lang: "Thank you, and welcome to Springfield. Representative Hurley, for an announcement."

"Point of personal privilege. Thank you. I would like to introduce my Page, Mr. Peter Gordon. He is an eighth grader at Palos South. He's on spring break, and he chose to come down here. He serves on the student council and on the Board of Illinois Association of Junior High Schools Student Councils. So give him a Springfield welcome."

"Welcome aboard, we're glad you're with us. Thank you. Mr. Clerk, Committee announcements." 09900110.docx 8  STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 110th Legislative Day 4/4/2016

"Chair recognizes Mr. DeLuca on a point of personal privilege. The Members will rise. Members will rise, and can we have some order in the chamber, please? Mr. DeLuca."

"Thank you, Mr. Speaker and Members. We had a tragic event that took place in the Village of Park Forest. Park Forest is a community that I represent, along with Leader Al Riley, about 35 miles south of Chicago. It's also a community where Leader Sandack grew up, and I'll tell you what happened. March 19 of 2016, at approximately 5:30 in the morning, Park Forest Police were on scene at a vacant residence on Neola Street investigating a break-in and a stolen vehicle found at that location. When it was learned that the person inside of the vacant residence, a perimeter was set up around the building. A suspect exited the home, and as officers attempted to detain him, he produced a handgun and began firing on the officers. Officers returned fire, striking the suspect. One officer, Timothy Jones, suffered life-threatening injuries in the exchange of gunfire, and the suspect was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics. Officer Jones was transported to St. James Hospital in Olympia Fields, and then airlifted to Christ Medical Center, where he underwent surgery for a gunshot wound 09900110.docx 9  STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 110th Legislative Day 4/4/2016 to the head. He remains in critical, but stable, condition. The suspect was identified as Thurman Reynolds, age 21, of Park Forest. The firearm used by Reynolds was recovered at the scene, and was found to have been reported stolen out of Texas. Reynolds was also found to be in possession of a second firearm. Officer Jones is a one-year veteran of the Park Forest Police Department, and comes from a police family. The officer-involved shooting is being investigated by the Illinois State Police Public Integrity Task Force, per protocol. We would like to thank the Park Forest Fire Department Paramedics and the emergency personnel of both Franciscan St. James Hospital, the Olympia Fields Campus, and Christ Medical Center for their life-saving efforts performed on Officer Jones, as well as the surrounding police agencies, including Matteson, Richton Park, and Olympia Fields Police Departments, and the ESDA units who responded to assist, as well as the Southcom Dispatch Center. I'd also like to recognize Mayor John Ostenburg, the mayor of Park Forest, and Village Administrator Tom Mick, along with the Police Chief, Peter Green. They've done a wonderful job of bringing the community together. We've had a prayer vigil, we've had fundraisers, and I just learned this morning that there's probably going to be another fundraiser to try and raise some money for the medical bills for Officer Jones on June 15th. So I'll… once I have more information on that, I'll make it known. But these officers go out every day, and they put their life on the line. The courage that they have, being on the front line of defense for all of us, to keep us safe. My deepest appreciation and thanks to Officer Jones and his 09900110.docx 10  STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 110th Legislative Day 4/4/2016 family, and all of those in law enforcement. And you will be in our prayers, all of our prayers. And I thank you for your attention. I know Leader Al Riley has some remarks. Thank you."

"Mr. Riley."

"Thank you, Ladies and Gentlemen of the House. It was about a year ago. We had a fundraiser for Special Olympics. It was sponsored by the Park Forest Police Department, although all of the surrounding police departments participated. And actually, it was… it was at a smoke shop on Route 30, so I was sort of smoky with cigars after being there last year. But all these people were there, all these police officers were there. In many times, especially in smaller police departments, you really get to know, you get to know the individuals. Members of Park Forest and other surrounding police departments value their jobs. And they know that they have a public trust. They believe in the boards that are responsible for administrating what they do. They open up baseball games. They show up in parades. They escort funeral corteges. And they do this every day. When I went to the gathering to honor Tim, and matter of fact, a… a lot of these departments, and… and you know as well as I do, you know them by their first name. That you hear about Tim, and know what happened. You knew what they were talking about. We had a prayer vigil at St. Irenaeus Church in Park Forest. Everybody was there, great big rainbow of the south suburbs. And one of the young police officers from Park Forest came up and gave me the man hug. That’s how he greeted me, 'Hey Rep, glad you're here!' One of the local restaurants, a Culver's 09900110.docx 11  STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TRANSCRIPTION DEBATE 110th Legislative Day 4/4/2016 restaurant in Matteson, had a day, between the hours of 5 and 8 p.m., they were donating 20 percent of the proceeds to Tim. I went there, couldn’t get in. Seven hundred people there. I finally did get in, but I didn’t eat. But I greeted a lot of the people, and it was just an outpouring of support. And he does come from a police background. His father is Chief of Police of Country Club Hills. One year on the job, doing his job. That is so characteristic of these police departments, you get to know them by name. And so we will continue to pray for Officer Jones. Many people have gone up to see him. We have to pray for his… for his recovery. But I would ask, if anyone wants to send a card of support to Officer Jones, just send it to the Park Forest Police Department. They will be sure that the family gets it. But again, you know, we know these individuals by first name, and that’s something that should just never be forgotten, so thank you so much for your time."

"Thank you, Mr. Riley. Members, 2:00 committees will commence immediately. Leader Currie now moves that, allowing perfunctory time for the Clerk, the House stand adjourned until Tuesday, April 5, at the hour of noon. Those in favor say 'yes'; opposed 'no'. The 'ayes' have it. And the House stands adjourned."