PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) The regular Session of the 100th General Assembly, please come to order. Will the Members please be at their desk? Will our guests in the galleries please rise? The invocation today will be given by Elder Michael Young, Main Street Church of the Living God, Decatur, Illinois. Elder Young.
(Prayer by Elder Michael Young)
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Thank you. Please remain standing for the Pledge of Allegiance. Senator Cunningham.
(Pledge of Allegiance, led by Senator Cunningham)
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Lisa Yuscius, Blueroomstream.com, requests permission to videotape. Leave is granted. John O'Conner, Associated Press, requests permission to take still photos. Leave is granted. Mr. Secretary, Reading and Approval of the Journal.
Senate Journal of Tuesday, May 16th, 2017.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Senator Hunter.
Madam President, I move to postpone the reading and approval of the Journal just read by the Secretary, pending arrival of the printed transcript.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Thanks, Senator Hunter. Senator Hunter moves to approve -- to postpone the reading and approval of the Journal, pending 1 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 47th Legislative Day 5/17/2017 arrival of the printed transcripts. There being no objection, so ordered. Mr. Secretary, Resolutions.
Senate Resolution 525, offered by Senator McCann and all Members. It is a death resolution, Madam President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Resolutions Consent Calendar. Mr. Secretary, Committee Reports.
Senator Hutchinson, Chairperson of the Committee on Revenue, reports Senate Amendment 2 to Senate Bill 1073 Recommend Do Adopt. Senator Harris, Chairperson of the Committee on Agriculture, reports Senate Amendment 3 to Senate Bill 312 and Senate Amendment 1 to House Bill 3033 Recommend Do Adopt. Senator Jones, Chairperson of the Committee on Local Government, reports Senate Amendment 4 to Senate Bill 1337 Recommend Do Adopt; Senate Resolution 482 Be Adopted; House Bills 659, 1896, 2778, and 3400 Do Pass; Senate Amendment 1 to House Bill 305 and Senate Amendment 1 to House Bill 771 Recommend Do Adopt. Senator Collins, Chairperson of the Committee on Financial Institutions, reports Senate Amendment 2 to House Bill 3791 Recommend Do Adopt. Senator Biss, Chairperson of the Committee on Labor, reports House Bills 690, 3216, and 3539 Do Pass; and House Bill 2771 Do Pass, as Amended.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Emilee Fannon, WCIA, requests permission to audio/video. 2 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 47th Legislative Day 5/17/2017 Leave is granted. Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate, please come to the Senate Floor. We will have substantial Floor action, very important 3rd Readings. We will have caucus and we will have such a busy day. Please come to the Senate Floor so that we can begin with our day's activities. Thank you. Senator Murphy, for what purpose do you rise?
Point of personal privilege, Madam President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Please state your point, Senator.
Thank you. Today I'm honored to have with me Cate Cienkus - she's a constituent - and her family up in the gallery, President's Gallery. She's from Park Ridge. She's a fifth grader at Washington School, an avid reader who loves language arts and social studies. She runs and she's a Wilderness Princess. So, if you could please join me in welcoming Cate to the Illinois Senate.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Welcome, Cate, to the Illinois General Assembly. We hope you have a wonderful day. Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate, please turn your Calendars to Secretary's Desk, Resolutions. Secretary's Desk, Resolutions on the top of page 54, beginning with Senate Resolution 414. Senator Steans. The lady indicates she wishes to proceed. Mr. Secretary, please read the resolution.
Senate Resolution 414, offered by Senator Steans.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Senator Steans, to explain your resolution.
3 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 47th Legislative Day 5/17/2017 Yes, thank you, Madam President. Lovely to see you in the Chair today. Senate Resolution 414 designates May 17th - today - 2017 as Illinois Epilepsy Advocacy Day in the State of Illinois. As I think most people in the Chamber know, epilepsy impacts numerous - sixty-five million - people globally, three million people in the United States. Over two hundred thousand people here in Illinois have epilepsy. We are trying to make sure that there is awareness around epilepsy and would certainly encourage you to vote Aye, as this is the fourth most common neurological disorder in the U.S. and we just need to help make sure we maintain focus and help try to provide cures for this disease. Thank you for your support.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Is there any discussion? Is there any discussion? Seeing none, the question is, shall Senate Resolution 414 pass. All those in favor will say Aye. Opposed, Nay. The Ayes have it, and the resolution is adopted. Senator Steans, for what purpose do you rise?
For a point of personal privilege.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Please state your point, Senator.
Yes, you may have heard by the applause, there are a lot of folks here today for Epilepsy Advocacy Day, in the purple, and up -- I think on both sides in the galleries, we have people from across Illinois who have been affected by epilepsy. Over two hundred thousand people, as I mentioned, have it. One in twenty- six people develop epilepsy at some point in their lifetime. Thank 4 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 47th Legislative Day 5/17/2017 you for all your work today, guys, and thanks for being here in Springfield.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Please rise and be welcomed to the Illinois General Assembly. Yes, thank you for being here. Thanks for your advocacy. Further down on the Calendar, to Senate Resolution 156. Senator Harris, on Senate Resolution 156. The gentleman indicates he wishes to proceed. Please read the resolution.
Senate Resolution 156, offered by Senator Harris.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Senator Harris, on your resolution.
Thank you, Madam President. Senate Resolution 156 establishes the 20th day of May as official -- celebrating the 100th Anniversary of the -- AOA, the Athletic Officials Association of America. This is a great organization, from four hundred officials over the -- Northeastern Illinois, the divisions of sports of football, basketball, baseball, and softball. And it's just an opportunity to recognize them of their hundred years of service.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Thank you, Senator. Is there any discussion? Seeing none, the question is, shall Senate Resolution 156 pass. All those in favor will say Aye. Opposed, Nay. The Ayes have it, and the resolution is adopted. The Senate will stand at ease for a few minutes to allow the Committee on Assignments to meet. The members of the Committee on Assignments, please come to the President's Anteroom immediately. The Senate will stand at ease. (at ease) 5 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 47th Legislative Day 5/17/2017 Mr. Secretary, Committee Reports.
Senator Clayborne, Chairman of the Committee on Assignments, reports the following Legislative Measures have been assigned: Refer to Revenue Committee - Floor Amendment 3 to Senate Bill 1871; re-refer from Local Government Committee to Executive Committee - House Bill 768; Be Approved for Consideration - Floor Amendment 5 to Senate Bill 1, Floor Amendment 4 to Senate Bill 3, Floor Amendment 5 to Senate Bill 4, Floor Amendment 5 and 6 to Senate Bill 6, Floor Amendment 5 to Senate Bill 7, Floor Amendment 5 to Senate Bill 8, Floor Amendment 4 and 5 to Senate Bill 9, Floor Amendment 5 and 6 to Senate Bill 16, Floor Amendment 1 to Senate Bill 42, Floor Amendment 1 and 2 to Senate Bill 198, Floor Amendment 1 to Senate Bill 478. Signed, Senator James F. Clayborne, Chairman.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Senator Harmon, for what purpose do you rise?
For the purposes of an introduction, Madam President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Please state your introduction, Senator.
Thank you, Madam President. Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate, I'm delighted to be joined here on the Floor today by my Page for a Day, a lovely young shadow who's been following me around and helping us do the work of the State. Grace Iverson is sitting beside me. Stand right up, Grace. She is finishing the third grade at Longfellow School in Oak Park. She's getting ready for her softball season, doing dance and musical theater and 6 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 47th Legislative Day 5/17/2017 playing the piano. She is joined here by her parents, Kevin and Amy, in the gallery, along with her older brother, Reed, and her younger sister, Emily. They have been wonderful guests at the Capitol and I'd ask you all to join me in giving them a warm welcome to the State Senate.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Welcome to the Illinois General Assembly. Hope you have a great experience. Senator Barickman, for what purpose do you rise?
Thank you, Madam President. I, too, rise for a point of introduction.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Please state your introduction, Senator.
Thank you. Ladies and Gentlemen, I, too, want to introduce to you some guests that I have on the Floor. Joining me on my left is my Page for the Day, Ben Drake. Ben is a third grader form Northpoint Elementary School in my district. He is joined today by his father, good friend of mine, Dr. Carl Drake. And I would just all -- ask you to join me in welcoming Ben and Carl to the Illinois Senate. Thank you.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Welcome to the Illinois General Assembly. Hope you have a wonderful experience. Senator Holmes, for what purpose do you rise?
Thank you, Madam Chair {sic}. I move to waive all notice and posting requirements so that House Bill 768 can be heard Thursday at 2 p.m. in the Senate Executive Committee. 7 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 47th Legislative Day 5/17/2017
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Thank you, Senator. Senator Holmes moves to waive all notice and posting requirements so that House Bill 768 can be heard Thursday at 2 p.m. in the Senate Executive Committee. All those in favor will say Aye. Opposed, Nay. The Ayes have it, and all notice and posting requirements have been waived. Senator Rose, for what purpose do you rise?
Point of personal privilege, Madam President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) State your point, Senator.
Well, first of all, let me say, it's always wonderful to see you, Madam President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Thank you, Senator. It's always a delight to see you.
And, Mr. President, it's wonderful to see you, too, sir. Ladies and Gentlemen, I'm very happy today to have some very good friend of ours, Larry and Cindy Graves. They're technically from Senator Anderson's district in Rock Island, Quad Cities area, but their daughter, Amy, was my wife's roommate in college and they're down visiting the Lincoln sites today. So it's my honor to have them out today to spend some time with us.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Welcome to the Illinois General Assembly. Right. Was that your wife's roommate or your roommate? Senator Silverstein, for what purpose do you rise?
8 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 47th Legislative Day 5/17/2017 Purpose of an announcement, Mr. -- Madam President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Please state your announcement, Senator.
There will be a Democratic Caucus upon recess for approximately one hour.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Thank you, Senator Silverstein. Senator Althoff, for what purpose do you rise?
Thank you, Madam President. The Republican -- Senate Republicans would also like to caucus for about an hour.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Thank you, Senator. Senator Silverstein and Senator Althoff move that the Senate recess for the purposes of a Democrat and Republican Caucus for an hour. All those in favor, say Aye. Opposed, Nay. The Ayes have it, and the Senate stands in recess to the call of the Chair. (SENATE STANDS IN RECESS/SENATE RECONVENES)
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate - Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate - I am so glad you're here, but I need to -- you to lower your voices. Three rings means it's time for business. We will be going to the Order of 3rd Reading and we'd like to hear each other. Thank you. On the order of page 43 -- you didn't lower your voices enough. There you go. Thanks so much. Please turn your Calendars to page 43. We will begin with House Bills 9 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 47th Legislative Day 5/17/2017 3rd Reading. House Bills 3rd Reading. Senator McConnaughay, on House Bill 2831. The lady indicates she's ready to proceed. Okay. I'm sorry for that order. Give me just a moment, Senator McConnaughay. On the Order of House Bills 3rd Reading, House Bill 3164. Senator Hunter? Back to you, Senator McConnaughay. My apologies. House Bill 2831. The lady indicates she wishes to proceed. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 2831. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Senator McConnaughay. SENATOR McCONNAUGHAY: Thank you, Madam President. Senate Bill -- or -- I'm sorry. Excuse me. House Bill 2831 creates the Property Assessed Clean Energy Act, which provides for communities to create a PACE financing district so that commercial and industrial property owners within those districts can voluntarily pay for clean energy improvements through an assessment on their property. So specifically what this does is it creates a new property assessment {sic} (assessed) clean energy program, better known as PACE. It's an innovative and cost-effective method for enabling property owners to finance renewable energy and energy efficiency projects on privately owned commercial and industrial properties through a voluntary special assessment after receiving approval from the relevant municipality. It is a tool that generates green jobs and economic activity at the local level while helping to achieve energy efficiency and energy savings, because it eliminates the 10 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 47th Legislative Day 5/17/2017 large upfront cost barrier by allowing property owners to finance one hundred percent of the cost of the project. PACE also allows for property owners to pay the PACE special assessment as a part of the property tax bill and is secured by a property lien on the subject property. I know of no opposition. This is being done in nineteen states already. I would appreciate a Yes vote.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Thank you, Senator. Is there any discussion? Is there any discussion? Seeing none, the question is, shall House Bill 2831 pass. All those in favor will vote Aye. Opposed, Nay. The voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Take the record. On that question, there are 53 voting Yea, 0 voting Nay, 0 voting Present. House Bill 2831, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. Senator Hastings, for what purpose do you rise?
Thank you, Madam President. Point of personal privilege.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Please state your point, Senator.
Above us in the -- the President's Gallery here, if you wouldn't mind, are my guests from Oak Lawn. They are the women of Petty, Bielik & Burke Orthodontics. I was hoping you could please rise and raise your hands really quick. They've served over thousands and thousands of young men and women who get their braces on. They do all the hard, hard work. But, behind me - if you wouldn't mind -- if you wouldn't -- Doctors, if you wouldn't mind - Dr. Kathy Bielik and Dr. Bill Petty are the two orthodontists in the firm. They make people smile. That's why we had to bring 'em 11 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 47th Legislative Day 5/17/2017 today, because we need a lot of happy smiles today in this Chamber. And if we can give 'em a warm Springfield welcome, I'd greatly appreciate it. Thank you, Madam President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Please rise and be welcomed to the Illinois General Assembly. Hope you have a wonderful day. Senator Morrison, for what purpose do you rise?
For a point of personal privilege, please, Madam President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Please state your point.
Madam President, May is Mental Health Awareness Month and today is Behavioral Health Advocacy Day at the Capitol. IARF, CABH {sic} (IABH), CBHA, and NAMI Illinois have once again partnered together to host a day of policy discussion, Statehouse advocacy on key issues that face our community behavioral health services and supports in Illinois. I am joined today by Sarah Wiemeyer, who is actually from the south suburbs, and she is from the Sertoma Centre that delivers Medicaid mental health services. Please join me in welcoming all the advocates here today.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Welcome to the Illinois General Assembly. Please rise. Thank you for your advocacy. Senator McCarter, for what purpose do you rise? SENATOR McCARTER: Madam President, I'd like to be recognized as a No vote on Senate Bill 1342, please.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) 12 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 47th Legislative Day 5/17/2017 The record will reflect your intention, Senator. Senator Hastings, for a second time.
I'm sorry, Madam President. The lady who makes the whole office smile, I failed to introduce, because she's the better half of Dr. Bill Petty. I just wanted to personally introduce Mrs. Julie Petty as well. A warm Springfield welcome for her.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Welcome to the Illinois General Assembly. Michon Lindstrom, WAND, requests permission to video. Leave is granted. Ladies and Gentlemen, please turn your Calendars to page 5. On the Order of Senate Bills 3rd Reading, Senate Bills 3rd Reading, Senator Tom Cullerton, on Senate Bill 3. The Senator indicates he wish to proceed. He seeks leave of the Body to return Senate Bill 3 to the Order of 2nd Reading. Leave is granted. On the Order of 2nd Reading is Senate Bill 3. Mr. Secretary, are there any Floor amendments approved for consideration?
Floor Amendment No. 4, offered by Senator Tom Cullerton.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Senator Cullerton, on the amendment.
I'll explain the amendment on 3rd, please. Ask for its adoption.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Thank you, Senator. Is there any discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor will say Aye. Opposed, Nay. The Ayes have it, and the amendment is adopted. Are there any further Floor amendments approved for consideration? 13 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 47th Legislative Day 5/17/2017
No further amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) 3rd Reading. Now on the Order of 3rd Reading is Senate Bill 3. Mr. Secretary, the gentleman is ready. Please read the bill.
Senate Bill 3. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Senator Cullerton.
Thank you, Madam President. Senate Bill 3 is local government consolidation. We have discussed this bill before. We are taking the DuPage County model that we passed in this Chamber four years ago, in 2013, and we are now extending it to every county in the State. I'm more than happy to answer any questions. I've done this bill a few times now and I ask for an Aye vote.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Thank you, Senator. Is there any discussion? Leader Radogno, for what purpose do you rise?
Thank you, Madam President. To this bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) To the bill, Senator.
First of all, you have -- we have seen this language before and this is good language, but as we've discussed the various reforms that we need to see in the State, there's been an 14 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 47th Legislative Day 5/17/2017 additional discussion about adding a referendum provision to this bill. We actually thought that there was some interest in that and so my preference would be that we have a chat about that provision before we vote on it. If I may just for a moment, though, go to the bigger picture, because we're going to be doing some very important votes today and our caucus is ready to -- to partner with you to try to pass some things. I'm confident we'll pass some bills that haven't passed out of here before, some that have been controversial, but we will be voting only on those bills that we've agreed to through negotiation. And while this is one of many that we are extremely close on, we're probably going to be Present simply because I think we can make it better. Would just love to do that -- have that opportunity. If we could even add that language today, we could perhaps get this bill out of here as well. So I would urge our side, if you don't, if you want to proceed with the language as is, to vote Present, and hopefully we can make it a stronger bill for the taxpayers. Thank you.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Thank you, Leader Radogno. President Cullerton, for what purpose do you rise?
Yes, I rise in support of the bill. I would point out that this bill passed on February 28th, 43 to 14. I was unaware of any offers of an amendment, but if that's the case, I would suggest that if that amendment can be filed on -- on a shell bill that we can provide, we can move it through the process and take it up. I'm not even aware of what the provision would be, but since we voted on this on February 28th, another example of a -- of an improvement, a bill that was offered in good faith, I thought this 15 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 47th Legislative Day 5/17/2017 was an -- an agreement. Local government consolidation is a very tricky topic. So my suggestion is we vote -- we vote and pass it again. If there's an amendment to this bill, make it into a new bill and we'll -- we'll -- we'll consider it. And for that reason, I would urge everybody, not just the Democrats, but everybody, to vote for this bill. Thank you.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Thank you, President Cullerton. Leader Radogno, for a second time.
I apologize for rising a second time, but maybe this is a really good reason for us to do some business in public. I'm actually surprised that -- that you weren't aware of the amendment that was offered. The bill did pass initially in February, but then as we got down into more details, there were amendments offered. So I apologize if there was a misunderstanding, but I would love to file the amendment and vote on it with the bill. Thank you.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Further discussion? Senator McCarter, for what purpose do you rise? SENATOR McCARTER: Question of the sponsor.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) The sponsor indicates he will yield. Senator McCarter. SENATOR McCARTER: Senator, I understand we are where we are today and that's okay and I intend on voting for this bill. It's part of the -- it is exactly what I put in the budget plan that I put forward in the 16 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 47th Legislative Day 5/17/2017 -- in the taxpayer bargain, therefore I'm going to vote for it. Now, we -- before this, many times, we've talked about a citizen initiative and -- and I think your response at the time is you wanted to keep it clean as to what you knew everybody was for at the time, but you would consider that. And I think -- am I correct that you had said one time that you would consider that?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Senator T. Cullerton.
Senator, I -- I definitely said I would consider that. I -- I didn't say that I would consider it on this bill, but definitely as a separate package. We had talked about possibly going forward with that. But for this bill, I'm going to leave it the way it is, clean, easy to get out of here, and then take it up in the House, and be a solid win for the taxpayers of Illinois.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Senator McCarter. SENATOR McCARTER: So, I -- now I understand that. I -- and I'm -- I'm not saying you -- you said you would consider exactly on this bill. We talked about it. You said you liked the idea, it's something we should talk about. I agree, we should consider this - on a separate bill, whatever we have to do. But let -- let's remember here, this -- this is not going to immediately, directly put money in the pockets of the taxpayers. Now there's this whole discussion about reforms and whether they should be budget items or not. I understand that we all want reforms to rejuvenate this economy and we all have different ideas of how it should be done. I think this is a good direction to go. I think it's a good bill. But I 17 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 47th Legislative Day 5/17/2017 think what we should be more concerned about is what's at the end of all of this process and how much money it's going to cost the taxpayers. Because at the end of this, after all these votes, I -- I suspect we are going to have a very high price tag that the taxpayers are going to have pay. So that's my concern. It was - - it was attached to the previous bill and, for that reason, I didn't vote for it. But it's not attached to this, so I'm in support of your bill, Senator. Thank you.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Further discussion? Seeing none, Senator Cullerton, to close.
Thank you, Madam President. Obviously, this is probably the easier of the large amount of bills that are going to be voted on today. This started out as an initiative back in 2013 when we did this with DuPage County and it's proven to be a success in DuPage County. It has provided structural reforms in DuPage County and that is what we have been asked to -- to do here in this Senate as we move these bills forward. This is a bill that structurally reforms the way business is done in Illinois. That is what has been asked of our task here in the Senate and I would ask for an Aye vote today. Thank you.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) The question is, shall Senate Bill 3 pass. All those in favor will vote Aye. Opposed, Nay. The voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Take the record. On that question, there are 37 voting Yea, 6 voting Nay, 13 voting Present. Senate Bill 3, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. Senator 18 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 47th Legislative Day 5/17/2017 Harmon, on Senate Bill 8. The gentleman seeks leave of the Body to return Senate Bill 8 to the Order of 2nd Reading. Leave is granted. On the Order of 2nd Reading is Senate Bill 8. Mr. Secretary, are there any Floor amendments approved for consideration?
Floor Amendment No. 5, offered by Senator Harmon.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Senator Harmon, on the amendment, please.
Thank you, Madam President, Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate. Floor Amendment 5 is the decoupling language. I move for its adoption.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Thank you, Senator. Is there any discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor will say Aye. Opposed, Nay. The Ayes have it, and the amendment is adopted. Are there -- are there any further Floor amendments approved for consideration?
No further amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) 3rd Reading. Now on the Order of 3rd Reading is Senate Bill 8. The gentleman is ready to proceed. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
Senate Bill 8. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) 19 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 47th Legislative Day 5/17/2017 Senator Harmon.
Thank you, Madam President, Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate. Senate Bill 8 is the comprehensive procurement reform bill that Senator Althoff and I negotiated over the last two years. It spent much of the second half of the last General Assembly on 3rd Reading waiting for a vote. This bill has been voted on and passed out of the Senate once already. I ask you for your Aye votes.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Is there any discussion? Senator Althoff, for what purpose do you rise?
To the bill, Madam President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) To the bill, Senator.
As Senator -- Senator Harmon indicated, this is a phenomenal piece of legislation. There's cost savings. We dealt with the issues of higher education. We have lessened communications -- or permitted communication between vendors during the bidding process. This is a great piece of legislation. I want to thank Senator Harmon again and staff in particular for going through this entire process with us. And I would urge the Body for an Aye vote.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Thank you, Senator. Further discussion? Senator Rose, for what purpose do you rise?
20 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 47th Legislative Day 5/17/2017 Thank you, Madam President. To the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) To the bill, Senator.
I want to thank Majority Leader Harmon for bringing this forward. This started two years ago, frankly, in the Higher Education Appropriations Committee under Chairman Manar's leadership in -- in that committee - actually, it was Senator Kotowski at that time. We had a series of hearings around the State on what the oppressive Procurement Code has done to our universities and how difficult it is to bid in this State. And it costs time, it causes frustration, and it costs lots of money. And so I'm pleased to stand here today to support this bill. Thank you, Madam President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Thank you, Senator. Senator Harmon, to close.
Thank you, Madam President. I do just want to thank all of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle and I would emphasize Senator Althoff's praise for our staffs on both sides who have done heroic work on this bill over the last two years. I ask you all for your Aye votes.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Thank you. The question is, shall Senate Bill 8 pass. All those in favor will vote Aye. Opposed, Nay. The voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Take the record. On that question, there are 55 voting Yea, 2 voting Nay, 0 voting Present. Senate Bill 8, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. 21 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 47th Legislative Day 5/17/2017 Senator Link, on Senate Bill 7. The gentleman -- seeks leave of the Body to return Senate Bill 7 to the Order of 2nd Reading. Leave is granted. On the Order of 2nd Reading is Senate Bill 7. Mr. Secretary, are there any Floor amendments approved for consideration?
Floor Amendment No. 5, offered by Senator Link.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Senator Link, on the amendment.
Thank you, Madam President. This is the decoupling amendment and I would ask for its adoption.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Thank you, Senator. Is there any discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor will say Aye. Opposed, Nay. The Ayes have it, and the amendment is adopted. Are there any further Floor amendments approved for consideration?
No further amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) 3rd Reading. Now on the Order of 3rd Reading is Senate Bill 7. Senator -- the gentleman indicates he wish to proceed. Please read the bill.
Senate Bill 7. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Senator Link. 22 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 47th Legislative Day 5/17/2017
Thank you, Madam President. This is the same identical bill that we passed out of here before and probably I've introduced numerous amount of times and I would just ask for its adoption. Be more than happy to answer any questions.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Thank you, Senator. Senator Syverson, for what purpose do you rise?
Thank you. A question of the sponsor.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) The sponsor indicates he will yield. Senator Syverson.
Thank you. First, I want to thank you for all the work that we've done on this over the last few years and this obviously is going to play a key part in economically addressing the concerns we have in Illinois, but also playing a key part in the whole budget process. So we appreciate that. There have been some last- minute discussions that have been talked about that -- that there may be some variances either on the tax rate issue or some other technical changes that have been talked about. You are open to the idea, if this moves out of here today, that any of those other issues that -- let the Leaders sit down and negotiate, that those things could be addressed and added on in the House. Is that correct?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Senator Link.
Senator Syverson, I'd be more than happy to work with you, 23 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 47th Legislative Day 5/17/2017 the Governor's Office, the House on whatever amendments after this bill passes out of here and is over to the House. I'll be more than happy. I -- all the things that were brought forward lately are just concepts. I'll be more than happy to sit down and see if we can put it into an amendment in the House.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Further discussion? Senator Hastings, for what purpose do you rise?
To the bill, Madam President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) To the bill, Senator.
To the sponsor of the bill, I want to say thank you for your accommodations and discussions that we've had in the past. This bill will allow us to capture the billion dollars of lost revenue that we have to surrounding states of the State of Illinois. And with that, I urge an Aye vote. Thank you, Madam President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Senator Link, to close. There was a late…
I -- I…
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) I'm sorry, Senator. There was a late light. Senator Murphy, for what purpose do you rise?
To the bill, Madam President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) To the bill, Senator. 24 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 47th Legislative Day 5/17/2017
Ladies and Gentlemen, long before my time here, a bill passed through the General Assembly that allowed for the tenth casino license. It was the tenth and final casino license that was supposed to be issued in this State. And under that agreement, under the tenth and final license, the City of Des Plaines was awarded the contract to operate a casino. Under that contract, it requires them to give away forty percent of their revenue. Under this bill, some of those revenue -- some of those communities that are benefiting from that revenue right now would have a casino. And you've done nothing to make whole the contractor that was promised the tenth and final casino, that is paying the State of Illinois ten million dollars a year - the only casino that's operated to do that. The community of Des Plaines has to disperse forty percent of its revenue to communities that are sharing in the revenue right now that will be working against them and the State has gone back on its word of the tenth and final casino. We can't balance all of our problems on the backs of the residents of Illinois and -- and requiring and allowing additional casinos is just going to cause more harm than good. So I would urge a No vote. Thank you.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Thank you, Senator. That prompt {sic} another late light. Senator Righter, for what purpose do you rise?
Thank you, Madam President, for indulging my procrastination. Will the sponsor yield, please?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) The sponsor indicates he will yield. Senator Righter. 25 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 47th Legislative Day 5/17/2017
Thank you, Madam President. Senator Link, in the budget meetings that I've been in, the figure of about two hundred and eighty million dollars has been tossed around as the figure that we will be giving up on an annual basis based on the tax cut or marginal rate cut that is built into Senate Bill 7 for boats. Can you -- one, I'm curious about your perspective on that figure. And, second, assuming that you agree that it's even in the ballpark, talk to me about your thought process on the relative choice being made for the two hundred and eighty million, making sure that the casino owners get to keep that, as opposed to, you know, cutting programs that assist senior citizens or feed hungry children.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Senator Link.
Kind of peculiar in this debate. It sounds like you're the Democrat and I'm the Republican. But the idea of a tax cut is to incentivize these other casinos that have been in business for a while to enlarge, go to land based, and increase the revenue in which we will see the increase in revenue. And I don't think there will ever be a loss of two hundred and eighty million dollars, that I think was an arbitrary number by somebody, but that you will see an increase in revenue, and with the additional five casinos, you will even see a bigger revenue increase. So I don't think that you can point a finger at any program being cut because we pass this bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Senator Righter. 26 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 47th Legislative Day 5/17/2017
Senator Link, I love the supply-side economic rhetoric here. I just wish you could hold on to it for a little longer than for a gambling expansion bill. Also discussed at the -- at the table were notions that between, you know, three hundred and seven million and four hundred and ten million in up-front revenue could be captured in this coming fiscal year from this bill, but only if the bill language is changed to require those moneys up front. What are your thoughts on making that change here in the Senate so that we at the budget table can look at things and say, okay, now we have it, it's three hundred and seven million, or four hundred and ten million, or whatever the dollar might be? What about changing that now, as opposed to trusting and hoping that the House will do our work for us?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Senator Link.
Well, I'll answer the first question first, then the second question next; is, I may be able to keep that supply-side economics going if you keep a more liberal aspect going on social services. The point I get at is, on -- on -- on everything that was brought to me about what you talked to were a concept. That concept was brought to me in the last twenty-four hours to the last hour. There was nothing ever in writing to discuss what they planned on doing. There's been ample amount of time, as President Cullerton alluded to. This was passed in February. There was an ample amount of time to talk about concepts, budget concepts, or any other types of concept. I have -- gave my commitment to Senator Syverson. I gave my commitment verbally to the Governor's Office 27 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 47th Legislative Day 5/17/2017 and to the House to work with them on any of these concepts to see if they can be worked out. You know as well as I do, Senator Righter, we're in the eleventh hour, close to the twelfth hour. The time factor is, it's enough stalling, let's get this moving.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Senator Righter.
To the bill, if I might, Madam President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) To the bill.
Thank you, Madam President, Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate. You know, it's interesting, in some ways it's the eleventh hour, but some people have had time to write a whole budget and make amendments to a lot of these bills. So there is time to do these things. Make no mistake about it, there is an opportunity here to ask the people, who are going to enrich themselves, probably well beyond the average household income of Illinoisans, to say, you know what, we don't think we can give you a tax cut right now. And we didn't even mention the Chicago -- the license for the Chicago casino. The City of Chicago, under this bill, will become the first municipality, I think, in the country to own a license, and as if that weren't groundbreaking enough, they're going to own it in perpetuity, which means that the Illinois Gaming Board can't revoke the City of Chicago's license regardless of what they discover may be going on. If we're going to permit that - and I really don't think we should - but if we're going to permit that, maybe we should ask for a little money for it and say, you know what, you're going to pay the public for the ability to hold 28 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 47th Legislative Day 5/17/2017 on of -- on to a license in perpetuity regardless of what your conduct may be. This is silly. This is silly. If you think you need more dollars, letting this go without making changes is absolutely silly. Please -- vote No; we can keep it in this Chamber and then we can make the changes now. Thank you, Madam President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Seeing there is no further discussion, Senator Link, to close.
Thank you, Madam President. Just, to not belabor the issue, this bill has been dated -- debated on every factor numerous amount of times. One of the most important things we're doing with the City of Chicago, and everybody has agreed, we're letting them have an opportunity to pay for their own police and fire pensions, which is -- all the money derived from the casino is going to pay for that. It will help us because it will -- money that we will not have to send out of General Revenue funds to the City of Chicago on this. This is also going to add into the bottom line of the State of Illinois in tourism dollars, in dollars from sales tax. It's all a win-win situation. The point of this is, a number of people over on the other side indicated if this was decoupled, they could vote for this bill because it's a positive endeavor of solving our budget problems in the State of Illinois. I ask for an affirmative vote. Thank you.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) The question is, shall Senate Bill 7 pass. All those in favor will vote Aye. Opposed, Nay. The voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Take the record. On that question, there are 33 voting Yea, 24 voting 29 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 47th Legislative Day 5/17/2017 Nay, 1 voting Present. Senate Bill 7, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. President Cullerton, on Senate Bill 478. The gentleman seeks leave of the Body to return Senate Bill 478 to the Order of 2nd Reading. Leave is granted. On the Order of 2nd Reading is Senate Bill 478. Mr. Secretary, are there any Floor amendments approved for consideration?
Floor Amendment No. 1, offered by President Cullerton.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) President Cullerton, on the amendment.
Yes, thank you, Madam President, Members of the Senate. This amendment deals with mandate relief for school districts and the property tax freeze. I would move that we adopt the amendment and debate the bill on 3rd Reading.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Thank you. Is there any discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor will say Aye. Opposed, Nay. The Ayes have it, and the amendment is adopted. Are there any further Floor amendments approved for consideration?
No further amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) 3rd Reading. Now on the Order of 3rd Reading is Senate Bill 478. The gentleman indicates he wish to proceed. Please read the bill.
Senate Bill 478. 30 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 47th Legislative Day 5/17/2017 (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) President Cullerton.
Yes, thank you, Madam President, Members of the Senate. This bill is substantially the same as Senator Radogno's Senate Bill 13 bill that was filed on January 11th in that it does contain, as I indicated, mandate relief for school districts and a property tax freeze. The -- there have been a couple of changes. The property tax freeze would be for levy years 2017 and '18, but we do add a provision that would allow for financial hardship waivers for certain school districts. This bill does apply to all units of government. It establishes that freeze with the exemption -- exception of levies for pensions and debt service. As originally introduced, we also had an exemption for public safety and we took that out because it was viewed as being too -- too broad. It also allows school districts to contract with a commercial driving school to provide driver's education without seeking a waiver. With respect to contracting for a third party for non-instructional services, such as food and the like, it requires the district to provide comparable wages to the third-party employees as those paid to district employees who perform the same service. It also replaces the current process that allows districts to opt out of any unfunded mandate by petitioning its ROE with a more localized process that requires a board vote and a referendum. It allows districts to determine the schedule and frequency of P.E., provided it -- it's at least three days a week, and allows districts to excuse a high school student from P.E. upon request. With that, 31 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 47th Legislative Day 5/17/2017 I'll be happy to answer any questions.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Thank you, Senator. Is there any discussion? Leader Radogno, for what purpose do you rise?
Thank you, Madam President. I just want to clarify one point that the sponsor made in that this is substantially similar to my bill. And that is true; that is, that was originally filed. But we made a lot of progress since then in terms of trying to accommodate each other's point of view on how long this freeze would be. I think we all need to remember, if our taxpayers at home are watching this at all, the one thing they universally care about are property taxes. It is driving them out of their homes. They care deeply about property taxes. And a simple two-year freeze is inadequate. And there's been some other really good ideas floated out here that, again, I think we could come to closure on if we gave ourselves a little more time to do it. So this is not reflective of the most current agreements that we've had or discussions of really much better ideas to protect our taxpayers at home. So I would urge us to vote No or Present on this and wait until we can do something that is substantial for the taxpayers. Thank you.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Further discussion? Senator Righter, for what purpose do you rise?
An inquiry of the Chair, if I might, Madam President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Yes, please, Senator. 32 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 47th Legislative Day 5/17/2017
My inquiry is whether or not Senate Bill 478 requires a supermajority vote, because it supersedes home rule.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) On page 59, as the bill denies or limits the power of a home rule unit to tax, pursuant to Section 6 (g) of Article VII of the Illinois Constitution, the passage of this measure will require a three-fifths majority. Thirty-six votes, Ladies and Gentlemen.
Thank you, Madam President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Further discussion? Seeing none, President Cullerton, to close.
Yes, thank you, Madam President. Well, I don't think the bill's inadequate, certainly wasn't inadequate when it was offered on January 11th for two years. It wasn't inadequate in the past years when it was offered as a two-year property tax freeze. It's a Senate bill, can be amended over in the House, and let's pass it. Let's pass a two-year freeze. If it's working so well and the -- the constituents clamor for it, we can come back next year and we can extend it. It shouldn't be hard to -- to pass such a popular bill. But, for now, this is what we can agree upon and it's part of the package that the Governor had asked for. He wanted to have a property tax freeze as part of his reforms. That's why it's in here. There's people over here on this side of the aisle that don't think we should do any freeze because it seems to treat every school district as all -- as if they're equally well-funded, which is not the case. That's why it's kind of risky 33 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 47th Legislative Day 5/17/2017 to do it this way. But by putting this relief in, financial waiver -- hardship waiver, we feel that that's how we were able to compromise. So let's pass the two-year freeze. Let's get it to the House. Let's see if we can get this started. If it works so well, we can come back and extend it. I ask for an Aye vote.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Just a reminder, this requires three-fifths vote. The question is, shall Senate Bill 478 pass. All those in favor will vote Aye. Opposed, Nay. The voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Take the record. On that question, there are 32 voting Yea, 11 voting Nay, 13 voting Present. Senate Bill 478 failed to receive the required constitutional majority and is declared failed. Senate Bill 4, on the Order of Senate Bills 3rd Reading. Senator Trotter seeks leave of the Body to return Senate Bill 4 to the Order of 2nd Reading. Leave is granted. On the Order of 2nd Reading is Senate Bill 4. Mr. Secretary, are there any Floor amendments approved for consideration?
Floor Amendment No. 5, offered by Senator Trotter.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Senator Trotter, on the amendment.
Thank you very much, Madam President, Members of the Senate. Senate Floor Amendment No. 5 is the decoupling language for the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Thank you, Senator. Is there any discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor will say Aye. Opposed, Nay. The Ayes have it, 34 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 47th Legislative Day 5/17/2017 and the amendment is adopted. Are there any Floor amendments approved for further consideration?
No further amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) 3rd Reading. Now on the Order of 3rd Reading is Senate Bill 4. The gentleman indicates he wishes to proceed. Please read the bill.
Senate Bill 4. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Senator Trotter.
Thank you very much, Madam President. Senate Bill 4, as amended, allows the State of Illinois to borrow seven billion dollars through the seven-year General Obligation Restructuring Bonds Act to help provide financial relief to providers and vendors who do business with this State. The bond sale proceeds will be deposited into the General Revenue Fund and be used for costs incurred up to July 1st, 2017. It also directs the Treasurer and the Comptroller to make payments as soon as practical.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Thank you, Senator. Is there any discussion? Senator Rose, for what purpose do you rise?
Thank you, Madam President. I have a -- going to have a parliamentary inquiry and then also a question of the sponsor. 35 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 47th Legislative Day 5/17/2017 Parliamentary inquiry is, how many votes does this take to pass, as it's going to issue bond authorization? I believe that requires supermajority in the State Constitution.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Thank you, Senator. As the debt in question is secured by the full faith and credit of the State of Illinois, it's -- it is the ruling of the Chair that this action falls within the scope of Section 9 (b) of Article IX of the Illinois Constitution, and therefore the passage of this measure will require a three-fifths majority. Thirty-six votes, Ladies and Gentlemen.
Thank you. If I may -- actually to the bill, if I may.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) To the bill, Senator.
Ladies and Gentlemen, I -- I rise in opposition to this bill for a very good reason. The size and scope of the -- the bonds to be issued here and the repayment terms thereof directly impact what, if any, budget we can get to in this State. The whole reason we're here today, ultimately, I -- I would hope for both sides of the aisle, is to finally bring resolution to this budget crisis. But to be issuing debt without a resolution to the budget crisis is not only premature, it is -- it's almost irresponsible. And this bond will impact what kind of payment we have over the next seven years. The terms thereof are not decided upon. The interest rate thereof is not decided upon. All those things need to be factored into an ultimate budget and to do this now is -- when it's not part of an agreement, again, is -- is more than premature; it -- it borders on fiscal irresponsibility. And for that reason, 36 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 47th Legislative Day 5/17/2017 I would ask everyone to consider a No vote. Thank you.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Thank you, Senator. Further discussion? Senator Hutchinson, for what purpose do you rise?
Thank you, Madam President. To the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) To the bill, Senator.
I would -- I would like to just point out, because I -- you know, these are -- this is going to be the hard part of these packages and we all know this. And I really want to commend everybody for the way we've had deliberate discussion and debate on the Floor and at least coming together in those areas where we agree. It's something we desperately need and people are so hungry for it. I would point out, however, that spending eleven million dollars a day to not solve this problem is fiscally irresponsible. That not abiding by a basic modicum of contract law - that you are paid for the services that you render - is irresponsible. The fact that we have exploded this debt to now - I've just been told - a billion dollars in a night to now fourteen billion dollars is the height of fiscal irresponsibility. And the last point I would make is that in this time of a whole lot of fiscal uncertainty, we have people whose businesses, whose credit, whose livelihoods have been destroyed, and we are floating our debt on their backs without their permission. This is our debt. We owe it. We're going to have to still owe it. It's not going to get dropped off the books. This is our debt and it makes absolutely no sense that we would continue to treat them like they're our own personal banks. This 37 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 47th Legislative Day 5/17/2017 is their money, and for the taxpayers we are all so greatly concerned about, it's time to be fair to them. Pay 'em what we owe 'em. Take care of our responsibilities. That's what this bill does. I would urge an Aye vote.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Further discussion? Senator Oberweis, for what purpose do you rise?
Thank you, Madam Chairman {sic}, and a question of the sponsor, please.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Sponsor indicates he will yield. Senator Oberweis.
Senator Trotter, thank you for attempting to do what is right and common sense for the State of Illinois. It seems pretty crazy that we're paying one percent a month on a lot of these unpaid bills. To refinance that, to me, makes all kinds of good common sense. But my question, my concern, is this: What assurances do we have that -- that all of the funds that are raised through this bond issue will, in fact, be used to pay down the debt on which we're paying one percent a month interest?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Senator Trotter.
It is our intention, as I -- I mentioned in my opening remarks, that we will be working with or be talking with the Comptroller and the Treasurer to ensure that these are prioritized funds to pay those individuals that we've been owing for so long. So that -- that is where we're going with this. 38 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 47th Legislative Day 5/17/2017
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Senator Oberweis.
Yeah. Thank you, Senator. I -- I appreciate that as -- as legislative intent, but would you consider just - you know, these are difficult days of some political uncertainty where everybody's concerned about what's going on - would you consider including in the bill specifically that these funds will be used specifically to pay down those debts on which we are incurring one percent a month interest? If -- if that were true, if you could incorporate that as an amendment, I believe you could get substantial support from this side of the aisle. Without that, my guess is that you will not get very much support.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Senator Trotter.
Well, as -- as I -- I mentioned and -- and many of you already know, I mean, these dollars are going into the General Revenue Fund. So, though -- there is not a -- a private lockbox in which we are going to be taking funds and putting them in there. So, again, working with the Comptroller and prior to our -- prioritizing of these fundings, we should get what we need to do. I mean, there's no question about it, as we are continually or -- and starting today, here, but continually trying to address going forward, we have to take care of those things and those individuals we've left behind. So this -- this certainly is a priority for - - for this side and hopefully your side and they understand that as -- equally as well when the bill gets to the House.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) 39 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 47th Legislative Day 5/17/2017 Senator McCarter, for what purpose do you rise? SENATOR McCARTER: To the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) To the bill, Senator. SENATOR McCARTER: You know, I -- borrowing in this unique situation, I -- I -- I don't think is a -- is a bad idea. I think it's unfortunately what we will have to do to pay our vendors and it's -- it's terribly unfortunate that we have made them our bank. It's terribly unfortunate we have caused some of them to quit. It's unfortunate we've made some of them to cut back on services to people that truly needed them. However, I don't think any of us would think that paying off a runaway credit card debt with a new mortgage on our home is something that you would do routinely. And that's really the situation we're in. So my -- my problem with this, Senator, is only that we have not fixed the real problem. We have not brought about the discipline of spending that got us into the situation we're in today. And without that assurance, it's -- it's -- I don't think it's wise to make this commitment. Now, as you -- as you've seen, what I put forth was borrowing, but attached to a hard spending cap and a spending discipline that keeps this Legislature from getting into this situation again. So I would encourage that we come back with something like that attached, and at that time, I believe that borrowing, paying these vendors off, getting them down to net 90, and then getting the Prompt Pay Act down to a reasonable amount, not twelve percent that can be factored by some of the same people that put us into this position, getting rid of that so that some of those same people that put us 40 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 47th Legislative Day 5/17/2017 into this position can get rid of their cottage industry, profiting off the State. In light of all that, borrowing can be a good thing, but not now. Thank you.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Further discussion? President Cullerton, for what purpose do you rise?
Yes, to the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) To the bill, Senator.
So, about two and half years ago, we owed about three billion dollars, three and a half billion dollars, now we owe thirteen billion dollars. So when we started to discuss -- Senator Radogno and I started to discuss the "grand bargain", we were negotiating in December about borrowing, and we went back and forth on how much and we suggested maybe a little bit less just to pay group health, for example, because it costs money to pay off these -- these loans, but Senator Radogno and I agreed that we would pay off seven billion dollars. So that's why the bill was filed back in January. Now, in our budget discussions, from what I was getting reports on, there was a different way of borrowing this money. It was to borrow six billion, not seven billion, and pay it off over five years, not seven years, but that costs us an extra three hundred and forty-five million dollars next year. So in an effort to help reach a balanced budget, which we have in subsequent bills, we went back to the original plan. So I'm -- I don't know why -- also, the bills used to be all coupled, but then some people said, if you can uncouple 'em, I can vote for it. So we certainly 41 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 47th Legislative Day 5/17/2017 don't say we should borrow seven billion dollars that costs us 1.1 billion a year to pay off over seven years without having revenue to pay for it, so we expect all these bills to pass. But this is an integral part of paying off our own -- our own vendors. We don't -- it requires a three-fifths vote. We don't have to do this. We can go ahead and have a budget and not pay off any old bills. Just pay 'em off over time with the growth that we have with our economy turning around. But eventually it makes sense to borrow the seven billion, and since we need to balance the budget and we have a balanced budget in a -- subsequent bills, I don't understand why we wouldn't vote for this. The -- the vendors who we owe the money to, where we have to pay the Prompt Payment Act interest, we agree with you. It wouldn't be in this bill. It would be up to the Comptroller to pay these. Most of the money that's -- that's going to be paid through these -- this seven billion dollars is to group health, which is subject to that -- that Act. So I don't know where the suspicion is in what the Comptroller's going to do with this money that we're borrowing. Of course, she would want to pay off the -- the -- the bills that cost us money by paying the Prompt Payment Act. So with that, I think these are -- I think this is a bill that we ought to pass, and if we don't pass it, we can just put this one on the side and just say, okay, we're not going to pay our old bills; we'll just go forward. And I don't think that's what collectively we -- we want to do and I don't think we should do it, so this is the time to vote on this bill. I'd urge an Aye vote.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Leader Trotter, to close.
42 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 47th Legislative Day 5/17/2017 Thank you very much, Madam President. And I want to thank all of the previous speakers and I'm not going to single anyone out, because all of you basically made the argument. I mean, this is our debt. This is something that we need to be taking care of, not -- not later, 'cause what is happening right now for those who have not gone out of business, we're a hundred and eighty days late in paying them. This will bring down that payment cycle to a -- a reasonable sixty days. We know with each three hundred million, sixty to seventy days -- with every three hundred million dollars, we'd bring it down to a thirty days of a payment cycle. So -- so this certainly would get us on that path to doing the right thing. For those individuals who are worrying about where we're going to get the money from, well, as we go forward today, we'll be seeing it. We're going to be hearing about a revenue package. We're going to see and we're going to hear about some other kind of adjustments, structural adjustments, that we're making to get us to where the Governor's asked us to go, where the people of the State have asked us to go, and that is getting a balanced budget. And to keep that budget balanced, we need to get all of these external costs under control. This bill does it and I ask for an Aye vote.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Thank you, Senator. As a reminder, this bill requires three- fifths of a majority vote. The question is, shall Senate Bill 4 pass. All those in favor will vote Aye. Opposed, Nay. The voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Take the record. On that question, there are 36 voting Yea, 15 voting Nay, 6 voting Present. Senate Bill 4, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared 43 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 47th Legislative Day 5/17/2017 passed. Senator Steans, on Senate Bill 6. The lady seeks leave of the Body to return Senate Bill 6 to the Order of 2nd Reading. Leave is granted. On the Order of 2nd Reading is Senate Bill 6. Mr. Secretary, are there any Floor amendments approved for consideration?
Floor Amendment -- Floor Amendment No. 5, offered by Senator Steans.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Senator Steans, on your amendment.
Yeah -- yes, this becomes the bill. I'll discuss it on 3rd.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Thank you, Senator. Is there any discussion? Senator Righter, for what purpose do you rise?
Thank you, Madam President. Will the sponsor yield, please?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) The sponsor indicates she will yield, Senator.
And I -- and I appreciate we're on the amendment. Thank you.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Senator Righter.
Thank you. Senator Steans, I think it was last week sometime, there was an -- an extensive discussion in Appropriations I Committee with regards to surplus funds - the estimate was around five hundred thousand dollars - that might come available either in the latter half of this fiscal year or fiscal year '18 and that 44 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 47th Legislative Day 5/17/2017 there was an agreement that -- from the Illinois Racing Board that those funds would be used exclusively for purse awards. Is that your understanding?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Senator Steans.
Yes, I thank you for bringing that to the Floor and that is my understanding as well.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Any further discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor will say Aye. Opposed, Nay. The Ayes have it, and the amendment is adopted. Are there any further Floor amendments approved for consideration?
Floor Amendment No. 6, offered by Senator Steans.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Senator Steans, on Amendment No. 6.
Yes, this does the decoupling of the bill and we'll then discuss the full bill on 3rd.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Is there any discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor will say Aye. Opposed, Nay. The Ayes have it, and the amendment is adopted. Are there any further Floor amendments approved for consideration?
No further amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) 3rd Reading. Now on the Order of 3rd Reading is Senate Bill 45 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 47th Legislative Day 5/17/2017 6. Mr. Secretary, the lady is ready to proceed. Please read the bill.
Senate Bill 6. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Senator Steans.
Thank you, Madam President and Members of the Senate. So this Senate bill provides a complete supplemental for the current fiscal year '17. It's not a stopgap. It does a complete supplemental totaling 5.25 billion General Revenue Fund dollars and it also is complete and balanced budget along with the bill we're going to do next on revenue, totaling 36.5 billion General Revenue Fund, 30.7 billion other State funds, and 8.4 billion federal funds - so a complete balanced budget. For some context on this, when the Governor introduced his budget, his fiscal year '18 budget, he had a total spending level of 37.3 billion dollars that required -- it had a deficit of four point almost six billion dollars to be closed by the -- the Senate "grand bargain". Senator Brady then offered up an alternative budget down the road that, as I like to affectionately call it, "The Brady Bunch" has been working and negotiating, Republicans and Senate Democrats alike in the Senate, on the Brady budget and that -- this is the culmination of hours of negotiations that the "Brady Bunch" has been doing. His -- his budget spending level had started with forty-one billion of spending and then, based on current revenues, that would have exceeded about ten billion in what was available in the current 46 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 47th Legislative Day 5/17/2017 revenue, so through a combination of revenue and budget cuts, we got -- it was a balanced budget. We have made some changes to it in the context of negotiation. Fundamentally, where we have ended up is -- is a three point almost eight billion dollars in spending reductions in General Revenue Fund. Primary -- I'll -- I'll give you some of the highlights of what achieves those spending reductions. Pension reforms, doing a combination - and we're going to be getting to that bill next or down the road. It may not be next, but yet today. It does seven hundred and fifty million in savings this year that the Governor had proposed in his budget originally; the Senate President's consideration model, which provides savings down the road; and also, then, the Governor's proposed three-tier model, which is a hybrid of the defined contribution/defined benefit plan, that's optional. All for another five hundred million of savings, for a total of 1.25 billion in savings for the fiscal year '18. It acknowledges savings of four hundred and thirty-five million to group health, although it does not take away the right for collective bargaining. That needs to be done through those measures. It accomplishes five percent reductions in -- in Medicaid program. For most other State operation and program lines, it's an additional five percent cut. There are some shifts to -- from the General Revenue Fund to Road Fund for debt service and for public transportation dollars that right now we do as a transfer out of General Revenue Fund. It shifts that to the Road Fund. It makes a ten percent reduction to Local Government Distributive Fund, but also ensures payment doesn't go through the GRF, but directly to local governments so that they would get two months' additional revenue in the first year, fiscal year '18, so they would not actually see a decrease, 47 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 47th Legislative Day 5/17/2017 and by the time those cuts really hit down the road, they would be sharing in additional sales tax base as we, in the revenue bill, also have an expansion of the sales tax base. This does a one- time shift to the PPRT of eighty-eight million dollars. It does bond refinancing and enables us to also bond out -- or assumes we're going to be bonding out to help implement the ERP program that had been a suggestion, again, in -- in -- in Senator Brady's budget. It also not only does just GRF program reductions, but also, in other State funds, suggests reserves there that can help then benefit -- program reductions there that can help then benefit General Revenue Fund. Phases out CIP/TRIP over five years. This really is a significant reduction to our General Revenue Fund spending level. Not easy for us to do on the Democratic side. I don't think this is what we would have come to on our own, but I think it's what we came to when negotiating with our Republicans in good faith. This, along with the borrowing bill that we just passed and with the revenue bill, sets us on a course of actually righting the ship for the State of Illinois, providing fiscal stability and certainty into the future. I look forward to a lot of green buttons up there when we put it up for the board for the vote.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Senator Righter.
Thank you, Madam President. To the bill, if I might.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) To the bill, Senator.
Thank you, Madam President. Ladies and Gentlemen of the 48 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 47th Legislative Day 5/17/2017 Senate, first of all, I -- I listened very carefully to Senator Steans' outlining of the bill and her -- her conversation about it with us and, you know, I really don't disagree with that much. But I think that we need to remember that this -- this budget and these negotiations and what Senator Steans is carrying in Senate Bill 6, that was all happening in a broader context. In other words, we weren't just negotiating a budget and the revenue necessary to fund it. We were, as has been talked about time and time and time and time again in this building, talking about other issues, other reform issues, issues that would help free up our economy and maybe provide a little bump beyond the .9 percent economic growth that we are forecasted to see in the coming fiscal year. And so there has been a give-and-take and there's no question that -- that the Democrat negotiating team, led by Senator Steans, has given on certain things, as have we. And so, in that context, could what Senator Steans be presenting be something that could get thirty votes? Perhaps. But that's not the context we're in right now. The bills have been decoupled. There's not an agreement on the workers' comp. Clearly, there's not an agreement on the property tax freeze. And so then the question for us becomes, are you-all over here, or a majority, for some of the things that the Democrats have insisted be in this? A million and a half dollars for Grow Your Own Teacher, which is becoming a punchline in the Capitol complex. 1.4 million for a program called the Chicago Area Health and Medical Centers -- Career {sic} (Careers) Program, which isn't even a program any longer. A -- a program, one and a half million, for a mentoring program that pays parents to volunteer in their kids' classrooms. Pays parents to… Now, in the context of the broader negotiation, again, are those 49 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 47th Legislative Day 5/17/2017 things, things that we -- at least a majority in this Chamber could agree - a bipartisan majority - agree to vote for in the context of workers' compensation reform agreements, property tax freeze agreements? The answer to that is -- I think is yes, but that's not where we're at as we stand here in debating this, because the workers' compensation piece is not agreed to. The property tax freeze piece is clearly not agreed to. And so this budget piece, which, standing alone, does represent give-and-take, is no longer in the broader context. It stands by itself and that's why I urge a No vote. Thank you, Madam President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Further discussion? Senator Brady, for what purpose do you rise?
Thank you, Madam President. To the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) To the bill, Senator.
Thank you. Let me start by complimenting Senator Steans and the other folks who've -- were willing to take the budget I introduced and begin discussing on it -- discussing it and compliment them for the discussions we've had in various meetings. And the way you outlined what's in this budget, I couldn't have done better myself. You -- the -- the problem with it - I don't want to be redundant - but the problem with it, when I introduced this budget, with -- with the exception of being apart a couple hundred million dollars between what you've got in this and what we wanted, it came very close, but the problem that we've always articulated that was important to us is, unlike the last time the 50 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 47th Legislative Day 5/17/2017 State increased taxes in a temporary way on the people, this was predicated on a plan that would grow jobs and provide parity to property taxpayers in terms of relief. Last year, the State Board of Elections reported that almost nine billion dollars in increased EAV will bear the burden of -- of the property taxpayers in this State, the highest property taxes of almost any state in the nation. The key component to this was, if we were going to ask the citizens of Illinois to share a little bit more of their income to solve this State's crisis, we were going to promise them meaningful parity in property tax relief, and -- and what we have proposed would do that. It would -- it would do that. We also told them that we were going to promise them key business reforms, unlike last time, that would, we believe, create jobs, so that when the tax does fall off - and I believe this is predicated on a seven-year temporary income tax increase - when the tax falls off naturally, we don't have the cliff that we saw when Pat Quinn left office. And where I think the, very appropriately, cuts have been made to this budget and accepted and -- and revenues have been used in a balanced way, in seven years I don't believe we'll -- we'll be where we wanted to be. I certainly know that the taxpayers won't have seven years of property tax relief while we're asking them to pay additional revenues. So, where I compliment the Democrats on their willingness to work with us, this is premature in my mind. The last point I'd make is, we've all talked about how difficult anything is going to be to get through the House. One of the disappointing things about this today is, if this goes over to the House without Republican votes, it's going to be more difficult in my opinion, and I simply wish we would have worked to bring the entire package together - of property tax 51 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 47th Legislative Day 5/17/2017 relief, job-creating reforms, and a -- and a balanced budget in a bipartisan way. I think we would have garnered greater success in the House. We -- we may come back to that someday and I want you to know, just as we're scheduled to have another meeting this afternoon on school funding and -- and budget, that we're here to work with you to continue the process of bringing a balanced budget with the reforms and the tax relief that this State and its citizens need. Thank you.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Further discussion? Senator Manar, for what purpose do you rise?
Will the sponsor yield for a quick question, Madam President?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Sponsor indicates she will yield. Senator Manar.
Senator Steans, thanks for your work on this bill. We've all spent quite a few hours in a room together. I want to focus my one question on the group health appropriation level. It is accounting for more of the true cost of the program than we have for many years, but it doesn't account for the absolute complete cost. So is it your intention with this level of appropriation to change any provisions of a current collective bargaining agreement or future collective bargaining agreements with State employees?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Senator Steans.
No, that's to be managed through the labor negotiation process. 52 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 47th Legislative Day 5/17/2017
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Senator Manar.
And would you agree that after a final agreement is in place between labor unions and the administration that we would have to account for the cost of that, one way or the other, either higher or lower than what's contained in this bill?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Senator Steans.
Yes, I'd agree.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Senator Manar.
Thank you, Madam President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Senator Rose, for what purpose do you rise?
Question of the sponsor…
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Sponsor indicates she will yield. Senator Rose.
You'd made a comment a minute ago that you have a five percent Medicaid cut. Is that to rates or exactly what is that cut?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Senator Steans.
Well, we had had discussions about how we will achieve that. This provides the authority right now, the way it's drafted, to 53 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 47th Legislative Day 5/17/2017 give that authority to the administration. The way we had talked about doing that was through a two percent rate cut and some -- for everyone other than hospitals and, with them, through an assessment, increase in the assessment, and another change regarding nursing homes. So I would hope that that would be something that we could continue to work on, the agreement that we've done to implement that, but that's not all delineated in the bill. It is a five percent reduction in liability, though.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Senator Rose.
That's kind of critical, right? I mean, the delineation of the bill on where the Governor gets the authority to implement those, or are you giving him -- him unlimited carte blanche authority?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Senator Steans.
Yes, and the language for that is in the BIMP bill, which we're going to hear next. It's Senator Manar's bill and it's the same language that had been in Senator Brady's bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Senator Rose.
Okay, I'm not sure that answered my question. So, is he getting unlimited authority to make those cuts or are you -- is there some assessment or what is the…?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Senator Steans. 54 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 47th Legislative Day 5/17/2017
Well, we -- we believe, in good faith, that that's something that would get executed in a way that was a part of the agreement that we have come to. That would certainly be our hope and expectations.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Senator Rose.
Okay. To the bill. That's kind…
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) To the bill, Senator.
That's kind of the point here. I mean, when I said premature earlier, it is premature - an agreement that we would come to. That doesn't mean we're at an agreement now, because there's critical things out there, like taxpayer protection for your property tax bill, that are not agreed to yet, and yet we're running these bills. And I'm curious about the order of the -- these bills, because it -- we've got this one before us, then -- we previously had issued bonds without a way to pay off the bonds, which may or may not pass later. I mean, the whole order here is kind of backwards in and of itself. But I -- I guess what just was said there is exactly the crux of where we're at. And I think you've seen our side of the aisle start to put votes on bills and start to say, yeah, we've come to an agreement on these bills. Let's move them forward. But there are things that aren't agreed to yet and they need to be agreed to and the details that were -- you just said will come later are really important as to whether this works or not. And that's my only comment. Thank you, Madam 55 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 47th Legislative Day 5/17/2017 President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Further discussion? Senator Hutchinson, for what purpose do you rise?
Thank you, Madam President. To the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) To the bill, Senator.
I just wanted to point out -- I just wanted to make a couple of quick points on this. One, I want to thank Senator Steans, Senator Manar, Senator Trotter, Senator Brady, Senator Rose, all of us that have, you know, in these last few weeks been sitting for hours and hours and hours trying to deal with this. I especially want to say to the ladies that started this two years ago that I -- it's been hundreds of hours. We didn't even know who the Governor was going to be. We knew a fiscal cliff was coming. We knew that if we weren't a part of the solution that we were definitely going to be a part of the problem, so we started sitting down and spending every Wednesday together for hours and hours and hours. You know, for hard things. It's like something I'll never forget, my days in the Legislature when I was bonding with my colleagues. And so it's difficult to hear anybody -- and -- and, again, the previous speaker, who I adore, say the word "premature" about this situation. This is a budget. It's 2017. We haven't had one since 2014, so there's really nothing premature about this. This is the longest-running budget impasse in the history of our State and we have been working for hours and hours and hours and hours, like hundreds of hours, trying to get to an 56 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 47th Legislative Day 5/17/2017 agreement. So when we talk about what's not agreed to and why we can't vote for it, it almost sounds like there are people in here who want to wait until these are unanimous roll calls - and they never will be. And then there are people here who want to wait until we get everything we want, politically or ideologically, on our side of the aisle - and it never will be. We can debate this until the end of the next fiscal cycle, because we're never going to come to a point where everybody's going to agree with everything that's in these bills. Most of us don't like any of this stuff. And it also sounds like we don't want to continue negotiating in the House. So for a little bit of civics, first a bill gets introduced, then it goes to committee. After it comes out of committee, it comes to the Floor. We debate it on the Floor, then we send it to the other Chamber. Then they have to go to committee, then they have to negotiate, then they have to come to the Floor. Then, if they make any changes, it comes back to the Senate. So for people who need more time, we have more time. We also have two Chambers, because the most important numbers we can get to are thirty, sixty, and one. We have more time and we can continue to do this together. And we pass bills out of this Chamber all the time where we say, I look forward to continue working on this with my colleagues in the House. So I look forward to continue working on this with my colleagues in the House so that we can get to a place where Illinois has a budget - a budget. It used to not be unheard of - a budget. Please don't let perfect be the enemy of good and don't make the people of Illinois wait one more day. It's eleven million dollars a day.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Senator Trotter, for what purpose do you rise? 57 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 47th Legislative Day 5/17/2017
To the bill, Madam President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) To the bill, Senator.
One, I want to thank everyone, all the previous speakers, one, for keeping this whole discussion civil. But we've -- we've heard of other antics being -- and -- and fights being made over something that is part of our constitutional process and -- and that hasn't happened here. But, clearly, as the previous speaker said, this, in fact, is a process. This is that old story about making sausage. You know, a lot of people like -- like sausage, but nobody wants to see it made. But someone does make it. We are the makers of that sausage and -- and we all have different ingredients that has to go into that sausage to make it best for you. But at the same time, that doesn't mean that the end result will not be something that we all need or that we need the sustenance, but -- but also something we all have been working for. We're going to get there. We -- as pointed out, there's no perfect recipe in doing this. And I've sat in -- was it -- I think we've had fifteen meetings already in that one room and the discussions have -- have been all over the place, because we have a State that is so diverse that you're -- you're never going to get five people or six people in a room and say this is what we all need. We're not Indiana. We're not Iowa and -- and we've talked about their plans. We're not Wisconsin. We're Illinois and it's because of diversity, our diversity, that makes us the better state, though we don't act like it sometime, but also be - - we do act like it because that's what makes it so difficult to 58 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 47th Legislative Day 5/17/2017 come to a consensus of where we're going. This process has worked for this State for almost two hundred years. We -- we're certainly not going to fall by the wayside because right now we are talking about how we're going to balance the budget because we have not put in -- we need a three-year property tax relief versus a two- year property tax relief. I want to borrow seven billion dollars, others what to borrow six billion dollars. That is not cause for our State to go in the gutter. We still have a lot of work to do. But we're presenting here today, again, in its entirety, and we haven't finished listening to all the bills. We're still going to hear about the -- the revenues that are needed to get this balanced budget in place. And as pointed out, once it goes to the House, these are Senate bills, they will come back to us. Discussion's not over, but we can sit down here and listen to each other and - - and have basketball games and baseball games and -- and take some time off, but the bottom line is that's not why we were sent here. We were sent here to do a job. This bill is part of that process, part of that job, and we need to take it as serious as the first day we started here when we said that we want to have a government that's going to work for all of us. Let's make this bill, coupled with the other bills, part of all of our responsibility and let's get Aye votes on 'em and -- and move it forward to the next phase.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Further discussion? President Cullerton, for what purpose do you rise?
To the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) 59 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 47th Legislative Day 5/17/2017 To the bill, Senator.
Thank you, Madam President. So when we started this "grand bargain", we did not have a budget bill in the package. When the "grand bargain" slowed down, I was asked by Senator Brady and members of the administration to start negotiating a budget, which we immediately agreed to do. I -- I asked our budgeteers to attend and our Revenue Chairman to attend, because we had to talk about spending and revenue. There were fourteen meetings of compromise and on Sunday, Mothers' Day, I heard we were four hundred and seventy-five million dollars short and I made some suggestions and there were cuts, we changed the way we borrow, and we got to an agreed, balanced budget with revenue. But now we hear that for all of these sacrifices made on both parts, including over here, that we're not ready to vote on it yet. We -- a couple of people who were in the room are complaining about three million dollars of expenditures that they wouldn't like or there's a cut, we don't like the way it was done. Well, that's the nature of compromise. But now we hear we haven't gotten there yet. We haven't gotten there yet, because we also have to have some structural reforms, like procurement reform and pension reform and mandate relief reform and, as of last night, an agreed workers' comp reform. But we have a two-year property tax freeze instead of a four-year property tax freeze, so that we can't vote for this now? Do you think it's going to get any better, seriously? I ask for an Aye vote.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Senator Steans, to close. Oh, I'm sorry, there is a super- late light. Senator McCarter, be brief, please. 60 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 47th Legislative Day 5/17/2017 SENATOR McCARTER: I will. I've never been accused of having a super-late light, but now I have.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) You're not being accused of it, it was a super-late light. Do you want to speak or no? Be brief. SENATOR McCARTER: You're using my time. Ladies and Gentlemen, I -- you know, I -- I'm looking at this and I think there's a lot of good things in here. I -- I've -- I've seen some cuts that I didn't think I would see, but let me -- let me just say, I'm not -- the -- the problem I have is the end result of this, which is a really big tax increase that's coming our way. It's the only thing that fits with all of this and -- and I've got a problem with that. And I understand it's -- it's not easy to make deeper cuts than -- than this. I understand that. It's very difficult to go back home and say that we're going to tell people they're going to have to do without, but the way this all adds up is to an -- a -- a huge tax increase. And -- and I -- you know, I will tell you this, too, I didn't appoint somebody to negotiate a tax increase for me. I never told anybody it was okay to go make a deal on a big tax increase. I made -- and I never gave anyone in my caucus that approval, just to be clear. So when some people say "we", it doesn't mean me.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Senator Steans, to close.
You know, thank -- I -- I do really want to just take a -- a -- a brief period of time to thank not just the group that's been 61 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 47th Legislative Day 5/17/2017 negotiating many great hours together, but also the staff, who have been working an inordinate number of hours, both the Senate Republican, Senate Dem staff, and -- and Scott Harry and his team from the -- the Governor's Office of Management and Budget. There's been a lot of time and thought going into how do we get to a balanced budget that's looking at both the spending side and the revenue side of the equation. I think something that everyone in this room, almost everybody, acknowledges we're going to have to look at both sides of the ledger to get to balance. Come -- starting in January, we came back January 11th expecting that we were going to vote on this whole package of reforms, revenue, and -- and budgets. Republicans weren't ready then to do it, said they needed more time. February, I -- I think it would -- might even have been the Republican Leader who put on a -- a timeline to get it done by the end of February. Come the end of February, Republicans still weren't ready, still wanted more time. This has been the ongoing story. We're now May 17th. We're out of time. I don't know what else we can do to give more time to try to get to Yes than we've been doing. It's incredibly frustrating to be in the situation that we're in now, where I believe we've been negotiating in incredibly good faith to come to this agreement. And I think that represents it and I think the tone and tenor of this conversation in this room today acknowledges that this is in large part very much agreed to, particularly on this budget. What -- what happens now if we don't actually pass this budget, get it over to the House and actually try to get something passed in the second Chamber, which clearly has to have some time to weigh in? I don't think any of us expect them to just take it and pass it. You know, we're going to have junk bond status if we don't do this. 62 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 47th Legislative Day 5/17/2017 That's been basically acknowledged by bond rating agencies. We've been losing population in Illinois, unlike any other state around us, and have higher unemployment rates that you guys have been acknowledging - reason being, as Moody {sic}(Moody's) Analytics, Civic Federation, and many other outside organizations point out, is 'cause we're not doing our job here in this Chamber. We're not providing fiscal stability and certainty for the people across the State who need it. I cannot go walking my dogs, go into a grocery store without somebody saying, when will you please do your job and get us a budget? It is time for us to be doing that. You must all be feeling that in this room. We're not doing right by the people of Illinois by not completing this, getting it over to the House and getting a chance for them to weigh in and do it. We even had over thirty House Republicans and -- and Democrats in the House ask us, please get us something so we can, in fact, have our shot at it. We need to do that. We need to do it now. I really do appreciate and hope that we continue forth with our level of working together here in this Chamber, but we cannot -- cannot just keep waiting. Concern is, it is never going to get to Yes; it's never going to be good enough. It's time for us to do our job, vote Yes on this budget. Really look forward to a lot of green buttons on there. Thank you.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) The question is, shall Senate Bill 6 pass. All those in favor will vote Aye. Opposed, Nay. The voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Take the record. On that question, there are 31 voting Yea, 21 voting Nay, 3 voting Present. Senate Bill 6, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. Senator Manar, on 63 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 47th Legislative Day 5/17/2017 Senate Bill 42. Senator Manar, on Senate Bill 42. The gentleman seeks leave of the Body to return Senate Bill 42 to the Order of 2nd Reading. Leave is granted. On the Order of 2nd Reading is Senate Bill 42. Are there any Floor amendments approved for consideration?
Floor Amendment No. 1, offered by Senator Manar.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Senator Manar, on the amendment.
Thank you, Madam President. Floor Amendment No. 1 becomes the bill. I'd be happy to take any questions on 3rd Reading. Ask for its adoption.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Is there any discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor will say Aye. Opposed, Nay. The Ayes have it. The amendment is adopted. Are there any further Floor amendments approved for consideration?
No further amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) 3rd Reading. Senator Clayborne, for what purpose do you rise?
On Senate Bill 6, my button didn't work. I -- it didn't work. So I -- I intended to vote -- if it had worked, I would have voted Aye for Senate Bill 6.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Record will reflect your intention, Senator. Senator Manar, on Senate Bill 42. The gentleman indicates he wishes to proceed. 64 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 47th Legislative Day 5/17/2017 Please read the bill.
Senate Bill 42. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Senator Manar.
Thank you, Madam President, Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate. This is the budget implementation bill that would put into motion both the appropriation bill that was just passed, as well as the corresponding revenue bill to come. I would just hit on a couple of highlights in the bill and then I'm sure there will be a lot questions.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Excuse me, Senator. Thank you. Senator Manar.
Thank you, Madam President. First of all, as negotiated in the previously mentioned meetings, this bill provides the Executive Branch some flexibility to manage through what are undoubtedly difficult times. For example, there's language in this bill that allows the Executive Branch agencies to transfer four percent of their appropriation across appropriation lines. Currently, the law provides for two percent. Another provision that was -- was requested and agreed to allows for a four percent in non-GRF appropriation reserves, excluding LIHEAP. So that again would allow the administration to manage what is also provided in this bill, which is a spending cap beginning in FY '18. I think it's important to note that we, in this bill, began with a bill 65 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 47th Legislative Day 5/17/2017 that was filed by Senator Brady. We also incorporated many changes that were brought to us and negotiated by the Rauner administration and those things are what -- are reflected in this bill at this moment. So there are many things in this bill. I think the best way to approach this is probably for me to end and start to take some questions.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Is there any discussion? Senator Righter, for what purpose do you rise?
Will the sponsor yield, please, Madam President?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Yes, Senator. The sponsor indicates he will yield.
Thank you, Madam President. Senator Manar, I have a couple questions about the provision in the budget implementation bill that you're carrying that has to do with the provision of Medicaid benefits here in Illinois, specifically, page 3, starting with line 1. Your bill creates what's called the Medical Assistance Program Modification Act, which, as I read it, gives the Executive Branch of government unilateral authority over rates, benefits, eligibility in Medicaid in order to accommodate the three hundred and seventy-five-million-dollar cut in appropriations to Medicaid that were just passed. Is that accurate?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Senator Manar.
Yes, it is.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) 66 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 47th Legislative Day 5/17/2017 Senator Righter.
Do -- do you know, Senator Manar, whether the administration might be looking to cut populations from Medicaid or might be looking to cut services from Medicaid or might be cutting -- looking to cut rates or a combination of those three things pursuant to the authority that's in your bill?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Senator Manar.
Well, the language, as you reference in the bill, I'll just read it. I think that -- that might be helpful, Senator Righter. The Governor may take action establishing rates, benefits, or eligibility criteria for payments made by any agency to providers of services of Medicaid. I paraphrased the end.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Senator Righter.
To the gentleman's bill, if I might, Madam President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) To the bill, Senator.
Thank you, Madam President. Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate, sometimes -- one of the things I've learned in this budget process is all the focus gets a -- paid attention to the appropriations bills and we say how much money are we going to spend on that? The appropriations bill that thirty of you just voted for said that you were for cutting three hundred and seventy- five million dollars from the State's Medicaid program. Now 67 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 47th Legislative Day 5/17/2017 Medicaid's an entitlement, so the second question, whenever you decide to do something like that, is, how are you going to get that done, because you have to change the program? There is several ways to change the program or shift liability off the State's General Revenue Fund onto the federal government. One of those is something that we've been talking about and have -- or hopefully still talking about in the budget meetings and that regards a -- a -- a modification to the State's assessment program, which would shift money off the General Revenue Fund and help us save money. Those talks haven't been completed. Now we're going to do this and the problem with that is that here's what you're left with, the language that I referred to and Senator Manar just paraphrased says that the Executive Branch of government is going to decide by itself how to save that three hundred and seventy- five million dollars in Medicaid and it can cut populations, it can cut eligibility, it can cut rates. That's what the language says. Now if you think that's a good idea, you vote for it. You vote for it. What we were talking about in the yet to be completed budget negotiations -- and I hear all of you talking about, well, it's time, it's time, it's time - that's fine, but this is an example of how that doesn't work very well. This is an example of how you're squeezing the trigger just a little bit too soon, because there were conversations going on in those budget meetings about how to do it, other than just this. So if you are good with this, then you vote for this. Thank you, Madam President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Further discussion? President Cullerton, for what purpose do you rise?
68 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 47th Legislative Day 5/17/2017 Well -- will the sponsor yield?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Sponsor indicates he will yield. President Cullerton.
Senator Manar, did you go to the fourteen meetings negotiating the budget?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Senator Manar.
Yes, I did.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) President Cullerton.
Was the previous speaker at the fourteen meetings with you?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Senator Manar.
Yes, he was.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) President Cullerton.
…spoke -- he just spoke against the bill. I just want to understand the nature of the disagreement. I take it there's some savings that you negotiated in the budget, but the -- the way in which you achieve the savings was to give the discretion to the Governor to make some cuts. Is that basically what the agreement was or what's in this bill anyway?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Senator Manar. 69 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 47th Legislative Day 5/17/2017
It is and I would -- I would point my colleagues to the language of Senate Bill 2178, which is sponsored by Senator Brady. Previous speaker was correct that when you don't account for the full need in an appropriation for any program, especially for Medicaid, there has to be something that is set in motion to account for those savings, otherwise we get into the same problem we've had for years, which is blowing a hole in the deficit of the State that we would add to absent of that provision. So, yes, the meetings were well attended. I found them quite productive at times, frustrating at times, but this was a specific set of language that was brought to us by the administration to manage what is a reduction in appropriation for Medicaid.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) President Cullerton.
Yes, to the bill, Madam. Thank you for answering those questions. I'm disappointed that the Republicans didn't vote for the spending plan. This is the BIMP bill, which is necessary also to be part of the final budget. I would urge you to vote for it. I know it's not easy for you to vote for it. You can correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think that the Republican Caucus has voted for a complete balanced budget since 2002. I could be wrong. I'm not talking about a stopgap. I -- so I know it's not easy. This isn't even revenue. This is spending with cuts implicit and it's necessary to have it implemented with a BIMP and that's what this is. I would urge an Aye vote.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) For a second time, Senator Righter. Your name was not used 70 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 47th Legislative Day 5/17/2017 in debate. If you wouldn't mind being brief. Senator Righter.
Very brief, Madam President. Actually, the previous speaker was so compelling, I've changed my mind. I think all the Democrats should vote to let Governor Rauner cut the three seventy-five unilaterally however he wants. That's not what you wanted at the budget table. That's why we were still meeting to try to find a different way, but if you guys just need to do it right now, then you vote for this. Thank you, Madam President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Senator Manar, to close.
Thank you for the debate on this bill. I would just reiterate the time element here. We have less than two weeks left in our scheduled Session. We have had what to me seems like countless numbers of -- of meetings. I appreciate the fact that the previous speaker recognizes that there are divisions still remaining, but time is running out. This is the piece of the budget package that implements both the revenues and the spending and I would like to ask for an Aye vote. Thank you.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Thank you. The question is, shall Senate Bill 42 pass. All those in favor will vote Aye. Opposed, Nay. The voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Take the record. On that question, there are 27 voting Yea, 24 voting Nay, 5 voting Present. Senate Bill 42, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. Oh, excuse me, Senate Bill 42, have -- not receiving the required constitutional majority -- has failed to receive the required 71 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 47th Legislative Day 5/17/2017 constitutional majority and is declared failed. Excuse me. Senate Bill 1. On the order of Senate Bill 1, Senator Manar seeks leave of the Body to return Senate Bill 1 to the Order of 2nd Reading. Leave is granted. On the Order of 2nd Reading, are there any Floor amendments approved for consideration? Mr. Secretary.
Floor Amendment No. 5, offered by Senator Manar.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Senator Manar, on Floor Amendment No. 5.
Thank you, Madam President. I would move for the adoption and I would be happy to take questions on 3rd Reading.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Is there any discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor will vote Aye. Opposed, Nay. Thank you, Senator. All those in favor will say Aye. Opposed, Nay. The Ayes have it, and the amendment is adopted. Are there any further Floor amendments approved for consideration?
No further amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) 3rd Reading. Now on the Order of 3rd Reading is Senate Bill 1. Senator Manar indicates he wishes to proceed. Please read the bill.
Senate Bill 1. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) 72 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 47th Legislative Day 5/17/2017 Senator Manar.
Thank you, Madam President. To my colleagues in the Senate, this is school funding reform. This bill incorporates what has been widely discussed in the State for many years. It is consistent with the recommendations of the Governor's School Funding Task Force. On its face, it would implement an evidence- based model moving forward in a prospective manner based on twenty- seven measurements of what the needs of school districts are in the State moving forward. For current moneys and moneys looking backward, it would hold districts harmless to their FY '17 levels of funding. That is a dramatic change from some of the bills that have been debated fully on this Floor and that have been passed by this Body. As you know, those bills would have used current dollars that are currently in the budget and put them through a new formula. That's not what this bill does. This bill holds districts harmless to their FY '17 levels, the current fiscal year, and puts in place for new moneys in an FY '18 budget a distribution model that addresses the needs and starts to whittle away at the inequity, which we all know is the worst in the country. Many people have had their say-so in the drafting of this bill. This bill is the result of incredible discussion, incredible amounts of discussion, both here within the Senate, with the House of Representatives, and through many commissions, including the commission that Governor Rauner put together last year that issued a report earlier this year. I understand that this bill is complicated. I understand that there are multiple pieces to it, but at the root of what we're trying to get at here is that we should no longer treat school districts in a distribution model 73 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 47th Legislative Day 5/17/2017 without accounting for their true needs. Very simply, this bill measures the true needs of every school district and it measures where school districts are today, and the districts that have the furthest distance to go, they get the money first moving forward. I've tried to incorporate things that have been brought to me that are constructive. What I would like to do is get this bill out of the Senate, continue our, what I think are productive, discussions with the House sponsor in the House, Representative Will Davis, so that we can, before May 31st, get a bill to the Governor that he can sign. Be happy to take any questions.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Senator Harmon in the Chair.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) Is there any discussion? Senator Barickman, for what purpose do you seek recognition?
Thank you, Mr. President. Question of the sponsor.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) Sponsor indicates that he will yield. Senator Barickman.
Thank you, Mr. President. Senator, first of all, I want to talk about what you mentioned as these twenty-seven elements in the incorporation of the evidence-based model. Certainly, we have gone a long ways over the last few years on this issue and I think we have seen a considerable movement towards the evidence-based model, which several years ago was new in form to many Members. Today, there seems to be a lot of movement that -- that is very supportive of that evidence model -- evidence-based model, and I -- and I appreciate your efforts on that. I think in the context 74 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 47th Legislative Day 5/17/2017 of where we're at today, you know, we have seen incredible progress over the last few weeks and the last few days on the negotiations of a whole host of issues important to seeing our State take a step forward. Earlier today, you saw Senate Republicans voting in favor of pieces of that, whether it be the procurement reform bill -- I think we're going to see other examples of that yet today. But, unfortunately, this is one of those items that remains open and for which there lacks an agreement between Republicans and Democrats in the Senate about how to proceed and I'm -- I want to understand from you your intentions in running this amendment on this bill right now. We know there's not an agreement between Republicans and Democrats on this one. We have gotten very close, yet we don't have that agreement in place. So what is your intention in running this bill right now? Are you walking away from those negotiations that we've been having, some of which are scheduled to continue even later today? Are you done with that? Walking away and saying, we don't want to work with you Republicans anymore, or what's your intention in running this bill right now?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) Senator Manar.
My intention is exactly what I said earlier. Time is of the essence. We have fourteen days left in our Session. We've passed two bills previously out of this Chamber and I want to pass a bill to the House, understanding that it's probably going to change. So we could kick around the minutia in this bill and I could sit and wait for an agreement to happen, but at some point in time, especially on this issue, I think it's time to call it for a vote. This bill is consistent with the Governor's commission. This bill 75 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 47th Legislative Day 5/17/2017 is consistent with things that have been introduced by yourself and others in this Chamber. This bill is a major concession when comparing it to previous bills that this Body has passed and it's a good compromise. So my intention is to pass a bill today so that we can get one step closer, understanding it's not the final step, to getting a bill to Governor Rauner that he can sign.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) Senator Barickman.
Here's -- to -- to the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) To the bill, Senator.
Like the many issues that -- that face our State right now, this is one that has plagued our State for many years. Like the other issues, countless hours have gone into the negotiations of what may become a necessary school funding reform here. At all of the private and public meetings that I've attended with the sponsor of the bill, the one thing that we have both, I believe, continued to say is necessary to see progress on this issue is to not simply repeat that which has been done in the past. Last year, Democrat proposal to change the school funding forward -- formula -- we've always known Democrats have more votes than us. You can do whatever you choose in this Chamber on your own without our help. But what we have believed is that the sponsor and that the Democrats say and have said they want to work with us and put forward a bipartisan solution on school funding reform. This isn't it. I cannot explain why it is that the sponsor is now walking away from the very negotiations that he has suggested he is going 76 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 47th Legislative Day 5/17/2017 to enter into even later today. I don't know why he's walking away from that. If it's an attempt to pass a partisan school funding bill, we've already been down that path last year and we know how that book ends, and it changes nothing in law. Let's look at what's in this bill, very controversial issues for which we've had many discussions about in this Chamber, in the Governor's Commission on School Funding Reform, and elsewhere. The highly controversial Chicago block grant continues to exist in this bill. Two hundred and fifty million dollars off the top to the Chicago Public School system for above and beyond what Chicago would be due -- what -- what they would be due if they played by the same rules that every single other school district in this State plays by. How is that fair to all of our other school districts? This bill keeps the Chicago block grant into perpetuity - forever. This bill picks up the Chicago Public School system pension costs and it does it on a continuing appropriation basis forever. There's been a lot of chatter about whether or not there's parity in our school funding system. Keeping the Chicago block grant isn't parity. Giving special deals and special rules to Chicago isn't parity. The sponsor said that this bill reflects the work of the Governor's commission. Not true. At the commission, we talked about things like creating a hold harmless based on a per pupil basis. The commission took votes. We agreed that's the way we want to go. That's not the way this bill goes. Why not? Because this is yet another example of Democrats walking away from the negotiation to run a partisan bill and no longer work with the very Republicans they say they want to work with to solve a problem. Why? And why does this matter? You know, we -- we've -- we've been here before, talking about the special deals that 77 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 47th Legislative Day 5/17/2017 are put in place. All of us -- I -- I love Chicago. I lived in Chicago. I've worked in Chicago.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) Senator, if you could confine your remarks to the bill and…
To the bill, sure.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) …try to wrap this up. Thank you, Senator.
We need a funding system that is fair for all of our children in all of the nearly nine hundred school districts in this State, not a system that continues to embrace the special deals for which Members on both sides of the aisle have often criticized as being part of the flaws in the current funding system. The sponsor referenced the minutia of this legislation for which there continues to lack to be an agreement to. That minutia drives costs in certain directions. I might ask the many of you Members who plan to vote for this bill, have you seen a spreadsheet that shows you what this is going to do to your districts? Do you know what tiers your school districts are going to fall into? Are you prepared to go home and talk to your school districts and your school board members about what it is you knew when you cast the vote today? What I would ask of the sponsor, which we have -- we have for some time worked together in a -- through a highly technical, frustrating, and sometimes emotional debates, is ask of the sponsor on this one, this remaining item for which I think we can come together in a bipartisan way, why don't you work with the Republicans to do just that, come to an agreement so that we can put forward a school funding bill that is fair for all the students 78 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 47th Legislative Day 5/17/2017 of our State and that can move through this legislative process and move into law and do what is needed here and fix the broken formula? Thank you, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) Senator Manar.
So -- thank you, Mr. President. I'd like to respond to a couple of things that were said by the previous speaker. First of all, the Chicago block grant, as has been consistent with previous bills, is eliminated for the categorical programs that are incorporated into the new integrated evidence-based formula. Number two, in relation to Chicago pensions, Senator, you know this isn't true parity. You know that. This is normal costs only. For every other school district in the State, we send billions of dollars out the door with no questions asked, rightfully so, to make the full payment for every other district. Chicago is different. This is a step toward parity, but it's not complete parity. Furthermore, we haven't even talked about inequities within the Teachers' Retirement System. That is not part of this bill, so -- we had this debate in committee a couple of weeks ago. I'm all for complete parity across the board when it comes to the pension issue. I'm for that. This bill is a step to that. Number three, the commission: This bill is consistent with the commission. The commission didn't produce a bill. That was a failing of the commission. Despite the fact that it was a productive use of time, it didn't produce a bill, which leaves it up to legislators to produce legislation to be debated and voted on. That's what this is. And then, you know, finally, I tried what you suggested. It's Amendment 1 and 2 on this bill and it 79 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 47th Legislative Day 5/17/2017 doesn't have your support either. I tried that. I have never not attended a meeting that was called on school funding in the last three years. I have never not attended a meeting. A telephone call on one side of the State to the bottom of the State, to the City, to the suburbs, where I was about booed out of a room - I never missed a meeting to have this discussion, so I'm not going to let you get away with this idea that I'm walking away from a table. I don't walk away from tables. We have given you ample time in my opinion, with all due respect, to figure out what you want. I have to call a bill for a vote. We have fourteen days left. We have to change the system. If it doesn't change, it's going to continue to erode. The Governor's budget proposal on February 15th poured more money into the same rotten system that you and I both want to change. We can't do that. This is a step to getting the job done. It is not the final product. We know that the House is engaged in this issue. We both talked to Representative Davis. We know what his ideas are. We know what they're doing. I would suggest that we move this bill out of the Senate and we work with the sponsors in the House on both sides of the aisle to get an agreement.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) Thank you, Senator. Further discussion? Senator Hastings, for what purpose do you rise?
Thank you, Mr. President. Question of the sponsor.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) Sponsor indicates that he will yield. Senator Hastings.
Senator Manar, in your bill, you've discussed the different 80 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 47th Legislative Day 5/17/2017 tiers in which districts would be put at. How is that determined in your bill?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) Senator Manar.
So as I said earlier, each district is -- first we have to establish an adequacy target for each school district and then we measure where a school district is today and what we aspire them to be. And the districts that are furthest away from that target are put into Tier 1 and correspondingly in -- those that are closer or even over - we have some that are overfunded today - they would be in Tier 4. So it's a -- it's a sliding scale that recognizes need and recognizes that, you know, what it takes to educate a student in one district is very different than a student in even a neighboring district. But today, which is the biggest failing of our system today, we don't -- we don't differentiate between the two. So the tier system is to say those that are furthest away from where they need to be, which, by the way, also happen to be the ones that have the highest tax rates in the State, they're in Tier 1; those that are close to where they need be or in some cases may be over, they would be in Tier 4; and then everybody would be on a scale in between.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) Senator Hastings.
Has there been any analysis in terms of what schools across the State would be placed in which tier?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) Senator Manar. 81 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 47th Legislative Day 5/17/2017
There has. Much of that was discussed at the Governor's commission in a bipartisan way. For example, we were given -- you know, given hypotheticals of different types of districts, those with high poverty, those with low poverty, those that, you know, have higher property wealth, those with lower property wealth. But I think what's important with this bill, which is different than previous bills, is that no one will lose money. So everyone is guaranteed their current level and, moving forward, any new money, and much of the effect of this proposal will depend on how much is put in, but that would be distributed in a new way.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) Senator Hastings.
And, Senator, has there been an analysis in terms of the outcomes for our respective school districts, and if there hasn't been, why not?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) Senator Manar.
There has not been a district-by-district analysis and this is why: We -- we went through this in detail in the Governor's commission. We were given exactly what we asked for in a bipartisan, bicameral, and those representing the Governor in that commission. This bill, the effect of it depends completely on how much money we put into the new formula. So, much like the current year budget, we held districts at their same levels. We froze them from the previous year. We're doing that here. That's the compromise in this bill, is we're not saying put current money 82 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 47th Legislative Day 5/17/2017 through a new formula; we're saying leave current money alone and let's drive every dollar we can put together in an FY '18 budget through a new formula that will get us to equity over time. Take longer -- it'll take longer, but it will at least get us there over time.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) Senator Hastings.
Last question, Mr. President. Thank you for your indulgence. So ISBE isn't running this analysis for you. Is that pretty much the gist of why I'm not able to get an analysis on my school district? Is that -- is that a fair assessment to say? Are they being directed by somebody not to run an analysis on what's probably the most fundamental, constitutionally obligated job we have, is to provide for the education of our children? So ISBE, who is the function of the Executive Branch, is withholding this information or not willing or able to run these numbers?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) Senator Manar.
So I've been -- I've been through this many times, as you know, Senator. I think in the past there were deliberate attempts to withhold or perhaps even put out information that wasn't accurate. I would point to that on the previous bill that we debated on the Senate Floor. I don't think that's the case this time. I -- I think what -- what is happening today is I'm asking the Chamber to move this bill forward, knowing that we have to make some finishing touches on it. I believe that we can get that done working in conjunction with both parties, between the Senate 83 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 47th Legislative Day 5/17/2017 and the House, in the House. Of course, we would have final ability to approve or reject those changes. So I don't believe there's any effort on the part of the State Board of Education today to withhold information. I will tell you, it takes time, and I'm frustrated all the time at -- at the amount of time it takes to get these things for critical questions as you outlined.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) Senator Hastings.
…President, to the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) To the bill, Senator.
Well, I can tell you this, I mean, you've been working on this for God knows how long and -- and then ISBE knew what was coming and the fact that they're not able to provide at least a - - an analysis for me to look at on my schools and how they're going to be affected and what tiers they're going to be put in, I find to be kind of troubling. This isn't some bill that hasn't been debated for a long period of time. I just think that this is a general reflection of the Executive Branch of government in which they have a hard time doing business. They have a hard time of managing this government, which they weren't prepared to govern in the first place. Now my district -- in my district, we have a lot of school superintendents that are actually on the evidence-based model planning board. And I will just tell you that this is a good bill to start with and I think once it goes over to the House, I think it'll be refined a little bit more and I think it'll be good. And although I don't have an analysis, I'll -- I'm going to 84 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 47th Legislative Day 5/17/2017 trust the judgement of you, Senator, and I'm going to trust the judgement of the House, and normally on these bills I'd be a No vote, but today I'll be a Yes vote and I urge an Aye vote on this bill to move it over there and help our kids, because our Governor through screwing around and doing nothing, he's not helping anybody. Thank you very much.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) Thank you, Senator. Senator Rezin, for what purpose do you rise?
Thank you, Mr. President. Question for the sponsor.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) Sponsor indicates that he will yield. Senator Rezin.
Thank you, Mr. President. Senator Manar, did you request the numbers to be run for this particular bill that you are presenting today?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) Senator Manar.
Yes, I did, last week.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) Senator Rezin.
Last week. How long typically does it take to run numbers?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) Senator Manar.
As you know, it depends what -- I'm not an employee of the 85 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 47th Legislative Day 5/17/2017 administration and I don't work for the State Board of Education, but I'll just tell you my own experience. Every bill takes a different amount of time, because the folks that do this - and they do a good job at the State Board of Education - they have to build a model, they have to vet it, and they have to make sure it's as accurate as possible. So it takes -- it takes some time.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) Senator Rezin.
Thank you. So it's fair to say that the two full-time people that the State Board of Education has had working solely on running numbers for this commission, it's fair to say, it does take them time to run numbers and get those numbers back to us. Correct?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) Senator Manar.
It does. I would also note that if we put zero money into this proposal, everyone at the very least would be guaranteed what they get today. So there would be no changes. So the only -- the information we receive from the runs, from the printouts, is whether or not a district would go up or down, and as -- as opposed to the debates that we've all had about losing school districts, this bill doesn't have any. The information we're waiting on from the State Board of Education would be how would a number that is put into a budget bill be distributed under a new formula?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) Senator Rezin.
Thank you. So -- but in -- in your bill, Senator -- Senator 86 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 47th Legislative Day 5/17/2017 Manar, we have now four tiers and the value of having the numbers run, even though if we do not put more money into education funding, is to see how those dollars flow through to the school districts, whether you're in Tier 1, Tier 2, Tier 3, or Tier 4. Correct?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) Senator Manar.
Yes, and all of those things would be dependent on an amount of money that is used to be distributed under a new formula and it would vary. I acknowledge that, but I also want to say this again, I had previous bills that had plenty of number runs, had more information probably than most people in this Chamber have ever asked for or even wanted and I was told that that wasn't enough either. So I've been through conversations with many of you, including yourself, Senator Rezin, that -- that we don't want school districts to lose any money and this bill accomplishes that. That is something that many of you had town hall meetings on a couple of years ago. So this bill accomplishes that as a basis of moving forward. However a district, you know, lands in a tiering system is going to be dependent on many things, most of which is how much money we have available into the formula. So, again, we have to move forward. We have fourteen days left and if we don't act now, who knows when we're going to get this done. So I want to move this House -- or this bill out of the Senate into the House and I want to continue working on this as we have for a long time. I think we can get it done, but we have to move this bill today.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) Senator Rezin. 87 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 47th Legislative Day 5/17/2017
Thank you. One more question and then I'll speak to the bill, one more question for the sponsor. So I'm confused as to why we need to completely change the funding formula if there's no new money coming into the funding formula, because last -- in the FY '17 approps to the schools, in theory, no one lost money because of the equity grant to ensure, for that stopgap budget for schools, that no school district lost money. So why don't we just stay with the same distribution model?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) Senator Manar.
Because it stinks. Everybody knows it does. There's nobody -- I -- I mean, if you're asking to keep the status quo, then I just respectfully disagree with you, and I have a lot of respect for you, Senator, but -- but I haven't heard a credible argument to stick with the status quo. I have heard arguments that this bill doesn't go far enough. I've heard that. But what we're doing is we're transitioning into a new system, slowly, which is what you all asked for and that's what this bill does.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) Senator Rezin, to speak briefly to the bill.
Thank you, Mr. President. I -- I would like to speak to the bill. Well, I disagree with you, because by adding new money into the education funding formula, you are keeping the status quo. No one loses. This conversation started many years ago with the free lunch, where we went into the formula and we saw how very quietly by changing a word or a percentage, when you have one pot of 88 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 47th Legislative Day 5/17/2017 dollars, you can take money and very quietly move it to a different district, and that started the entire discussion on school funding. I'd like to close by going through what, as we've said on actually two education funding panels now, and especially in this last one, I had very high hopes. I looked at this last education funding formula in a bipartisan, bicameral manner. We had many discussions where we gave some and the other side gave some. I was very hopeful. This bill does not reflect what was discussed in the education funding. In this bill, we still have, even though it's -- it's in the bill, but it may be in a different manner, two hundred and fifty million dollars additional which go up to Chicago. Now I sat at the table with my colleagues that I sat at the table with. We agree if we can help you, we're fine, but we shouldn't send a disproportionate amount of money to one school district, which takes away from other school districts. The pension pickup is another additional hundred and thirty-five million dollars. Yes, if you want parity, we talked about that, but then the Chicago block grant needs to be pulled out if you want parity. In this bill, there's no means testing for Tier 2. So if you are a school district that -- without a means testing, that may be far away from adequacy, despite having low taxes, you potentially could get more money than a school district that has high tax and low wealth. That's the importance of having means testing in these bills. For many of you who have talked or heard from your superintendents, who said, you know what, if we don't get more revenue, we need relief from mandates. We need unfunded mandate relief. We hear that consistently for -- from superintendents, school board members, and principals. We all know that there's over a hundred and thirty mandates that are put 89 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 47th Legislative Day 5/17/2017 on schools where they have to implement without any new money. There is no mandate relief in this bill. And then lastly, something that really hasn't been talked about, but needs to be on our radar, there are four escalators in this bill. One escalator for salaries, meaning increasing salaries at the cost of inflation. That alone will cost an additional half a billion dollars to educators every year. So my question would be, how do we ever get to adequacy when we have four escalators already in the bill that will increase the cost of funding before we even start to distribute this money through the evidence-based model? I ask in closing again -- I can say we have come very far and worked with our Members in a bipartisan, bicameral method on this topic for quite a while, many months, seventy-five hours. I do think that we're close. This bill is not that bill. This bill is not that bill. I've outlined the differences and I ask for the sponsor to continue working with our side in putting together a funding formula that recognizes a fair and equitable distribution of money for all schools throughout the State. Thank you.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) Senator Koehler, for what purpose do you rise?
Thank you, Mr. President. I'd like to move the previous question.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) Thank you, Senator. There are three speakers seeking recognition. Senator Manar. Senator Righter, for what purpose do you rise?
To the gentleman's bill, please. 90 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 47th Legislative Day 5/17/2017
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) Senator Righter.
Thank you, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) To the -- to the bill, Senator.
Thank you. Thank you. Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate, you know, I've been listening carefully to this debate and I am not like Senator Manar or Senator Barickman; I am not an expert in education funding. It is probably the single most complicated policy area that we discuss and I include Medicaid in that, which is a pretty complicated area. Nevertheless, I've tried to listen very carefully, particularly what the sponsor has said and I've understood most of what he has said. A couple things to me, one seems to be true and the other one is absolutely true. And one is a consensus that while the Chicago Public School block grant as it has been formerly put together is gone, that it has been, if you will, baked into parts of the new formula. So under this legislation, the City of Chicago's public schools will continue to get a share that is larger than most other schools, particularly with regards to mandated categoricals, but -- I think that's right, but what I know to be true - what I know to be true - is -- is that we don't have printouts telling us what this would do to our current districts. Now, I enjoyed the kind of Machiavellian, oh, there's a conspiracy coming from the second floor that's controlling the State Board and keeping us due -- getting the runs and all that stuff and that's fun, but the bottom line is, this is new. This is an incredibly complicated topic and you just can't 91 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 47th Legislative Day 5/17/2017 snap a finger and say, oh, we did one like that just last Tuesday. It doesn't work like that. So what you're being asked to do here is vote for a substantive change in our education funding formula without having an idea of what it does to the school districts in your Senate district. You don't know. Now, the sponsor says that, hey, no one's going to lose and I take him at his word. I do. But you know the City is going to do well, and for those of you who don't represent the City of Chicago, the question is going to be, how well does your district do? Do you want to go home and tell your superintendents, yes, I voted for this new formula and I didn't really know what it what it would do for you. I just -- bill was called for a vote and I decided to vote for it. As opposed to -- and we are hearing this oft-repeated phrase, "We have fourteen days left." "We have fourteen days left." Boy, for anyone who's been here more than two or three years, you've seen this place pass a budget and lots of other big legislation in two days. That's nonsense. So, to pause and wait a few days, if that's how long it takes, to get the run from the State Board of Education, so all of you can look in your hands and say, okay, this is what Senate Bill 1 would do for my district, is not an unreasonable request. And, actually, I think that the sponsor would feel better debating this if he could look you in the eye and say, you know what, you don't need to believe me, look at the printout you've got. So let's help Senator Manar here be even more effective than he's been in the presentation of the bill and let's wait to get the printouts for ourselves before voting on this -- or voting for this. Thank you, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) Thank you, Senator. Senator Bertino-Tarrant, for what 92 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 47th Legislative Day 5/17/2017 purpose do you rise?
Thank you, Mr. -- Mr. President. Will the sponsor yield?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) To the bill, Senator.
To the bill. Oh.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) I'm sorry, do you…
I want to ask one question, if I can.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) Sponsor indicates he'll yield.
Thank you. My -- my mind is spinning right now, so I'm going to try to be articulate here and -- and ask this. We -- we held a committee. We had a subject-matter hearing in the Education Committee, lasted several hours. We vetted two -- two bills, one from a previous speaker and -- and one that you presented. I -- I can't -- I can remember the one proponent for the other side's bill. Could you share with me some of the -- the organizations that support this bill?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) Senator Manar.
Sure. Advance Illinois, all of the management groups, Vision 20/20, all of those individuals -- school districts that have been before us, both at the Governor's Commission, most recently in your committee. I would note that many of those organizations 93 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 47th Legislative Day 5/17/2017 were on opposite sides of this discussion the last time we had it on the Senate Floor. I think this bill represents a place where they can come to agreement because of their work and because of the work that we've done.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) Senator Bertino-Tarrant.
Thank you, Mr. President. To the bill. The -- the same speaker asked if we were prepared to go home to our districts. And I can tell you confidently I am prepared. I'm going to -- I have not seen a sponsor more willing to listen, more willing to make changes, more willing to come up with good policy that moves student learning forward. We have numerous organizations in education, who practice this on a daily basis, who support this bill. So thank you for your work. Thank you for caring about policy and not whiny politics. Thank you.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) Thank you, Senator. The Illinois Times requests permission to take photographs of the proceedings. Seeing no objection, permission is granted. Our final speaker seeking recognition, Senator Lightford.
Thank you, Mr. President. To the bill, please.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) To the bill, Senator.
Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate, we're having a debate as if this is a new subject. This is a twenty- year-old broken system, a broken formula that fails all of our 94 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 47th Legislative Day 5/17/2017 school districts across the State. You've heard from many superintendents that even say, my district does pretty well, but I'd feel better if all the children across the State are doing well. And I know that we started a couple years back. We've had the Education Funding Advisory Commission. Senator Manar passed his first bill, Senate Bill 16, then he passed the second bill, Senate Bill 231, then I passed a bill last May that incorporated Senate Bill 231 with the evidence-based model. Then the Governor, in his infinite wisdom, decided to start a Governor's commission. This issue has been vetted and vetted and vetted and vetted to the point that we have a pretty good formula here. I know that you don't see numbers, but just know this, there are no losers, which is the big word that came before, losers and winners, losers and winners - we all wanted to know if we were losing. There are no losers, but I truly feel that the Republican side of the aisle wants the City of Chicago schoolchildren to lose. They want them to fail. They continue to bring up a Chicago block grant that has been dissolved in this legislation. They continue to bring up issues that are not true. CPS, by the way, would be in Tier 2, not even Tier 1. But this is a system that we're all addressing based on need - on need! Not on what you individually want in your district, not what I individually want in my district, but the needs of the children in the district. It's time out for the BS. It's just time out for it. We teach our kids all about the ABCs and 123s and I just hope we don't teach them all the BS that you're constantly incorporating into a discussion that is totally irrelevant. Some of the arguments that you made, you should feel shame. You should feel shame on yourself that this issue have gotten this far and is nothing you want to do but to continue to 95 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 47th Legislative Day 5/17/2017 protect your categoricals and your areas of interest, while the kids in the City of Chicago don't even know if their school will open on time. They're threatening closing three weeks before. Don't we care about all the kids in the State of Illinois? So why do we continue to encourage a broken system? We have weeks left to go. Give this initiative over to the House. Let the Representatives have a stab at it. Whatever is left pending, allow them to send that back over to us in a final result. You don't even give your House Republicans a chance to get involved in the process. Give them a chance to have an issue. Representative Pritchard has been working on this. There's a number of amendments here that were based on what you asked for. We are not going to leave the kids in the City of Chicago high and dry. We are not going to do that. We are going to educate them equally as well as we educate every other child in this State. Put your votes where you really mean it. You all ran on education. Act like you really care about it. It's not just about you. It's about our schoolchildren. It is about them. Another speaker mentioned just a moment ago something that was so outlandish that I wouldn't dare be reminded or say anything because I don't want you to rise for a second time. But I do want you to know that there was a lot of what came out of the Governor's commission in this bill. All of the recommendations that you sat there and you gave input on are in this bill. Enough is enough. You can say no on every dern thing else, but please educate the children of the State. Stop it. They're poor. It's poverty. They need help. The Chicago Public Schools' pension system needs fair funding just like all of the other school districts' pension systems gets. They're the only one that paying their own pension system. So what's the 96 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 47th Legislative Day 5/17/2017 problem with leveling the playing field for all of our school districts? What is so wrong with that? Are you afraid that some of your highly qualified teachers might find themselves teaching poor kids in the City of Chicago? This is ridiculous. There is twenty-seven elements in this bill. There's twenty-seven elements in this bill that ensures a better opportunity for all our kids. So whatever your school district needs are they will be met with this. So if your needs aren't as great as your neighbor's needs, then you don't get as much as your neighbor. It's just that simple. So whatever tier your school districts are in, they're there because they're at a level that none of us control. It's the adequacy target. Read the bill, you guys. See what's in it. Then go back and intelligently explain it to your superintendents. They already get it. There's no opposition but you. You are the opposition. It makes no sense. It's time out for all of this BS. The schools want to open on time in August and they need to know what they're working with. We cannot continue to drag them down. We're ruining our public education system from elementary through higher education. We're ruining the kids' opportunity in this State to have a fair chance to learn. I encourage an Aye vote.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) Senator Manar, to close.
Thank you, Mr. President. Let me begin by thanking the previous speaker for her passion and her guidance for me and for her ability to pick me up along the way and tell me to keep going on this issue. I hope this is the second to the last time we debate this issue in the State Senate. We know that this bill has a very able and devoted sponsor in the House. We are in 97 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 47th Legislative Day 5/17/2017 communication, bipartisan and bicameral, on this bill, but it is imperative that this bill move out of this Chamber right now today - today. We don't need to wait any longer. I would remind the Body that, absent of change, we have the Governor's budget proposal that's before us. We just debated another one that puts two hundred and fifty million dollars into this formula. But the Governor doubled down on the status quo. Previous speaker said, well, this is status quo. This isn't the status quo. This is what we've been struggling to do. If this was the status quo, the Governor would have proposed it. His bill puts more money into a system that he knows is broken, that he runs around the State and says is broken and blames everybody else for it being broken. Well, guess what? We're all to blame. We're all to blame because we haven't been able to change it. And the effects of that are being seen by kids everywhere in the State and it's going to get worse if we don't move right now. My children - my children - take art class in a janitor's closet. My kids - my kids - and they're just like hundreds of thousands of other kids in Illinois from all parts of Illinois, urban neighborhoods, small towns, suburban school districts, kids that have art taking art in a janitor's closet. That's how much we value children? And by the way, kids know. I've picked up on that through this whole thing. Children know that there's inequity. They know that they're compelled to go to school, but we don't compel adequacy or equity, therefore we're compelling inequality in a public education classroom. That is the status quo. This bill will change it once and for all. I ask for an Aye vote.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) Thank you, Senator Manar. The question is, shall Senate Bill 98 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 47th Legislative Day 5/17/2017 1 pass. All those in favor will vote Aye. Opposed, Nay. The voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Take the record. On that question, there are 35 voting Aye, 18 voting No, none -- 3 voting Present. And Senate Bill 1, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. Senator Lightford in the Chair.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Senator Hastings, for what purpose do you rise?
Thank you, Madam President. I'd like to be recorded on Senate Bill 6 as a Yes vote. Thank you very much.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Record will reflect your intention, Senator. Senator Harris, for what purpose do you rise?
Like to be recorded on Senate Bill 6 as a Yes, please.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) The record will reflect your intentions. Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate, please turn your Calendars to page 54, page 54, on the Order of Consideration Postponed. Senate Bill 16. President Cullerton. The gentleman seeks leave of the Body to return Senate Bill 16 to the Order of 2nd Reading. Leave is granted. On the Order of 2nd Reading is Senate Bill 16. Mr. Secretary, are there any Floor amendments approved for consideration?
Floor Amendment No. 3, offered by President Cullerton.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) President Cullerton, on your amendment.
99 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 47th Legislative Day 5/17/2017 Yes, this is a technical amendment removing the IMRF from the -- the funds which must offer a local option hybrid plan. So I move for its adoption.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Is there any discussion? Seeing none, the -- all those in favor will say Aye. Opposed, Nay. The Ayes have it, and the amendment is adopted. Are there any further Floor amendments approved for consideration?
Floor Amendment No. 4, offered by President Cullerton.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) President Cullerton, on Amendment No. 4.
Yes, this amendment deals with the inseverability of the -- severability provision for this -- of this bill. Move for its adoption.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Is there any discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor will say Aye. Opposed, Nay. The Ayes have it, and the amendment is adopted. Are there any further Floor amendments approved for consideration?
Floor Amendment No. 5, offered by President Cullerton.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) President Cullerton, on Floor Amendment No. 5.
Yes, Amendment No. 5 also is a technical amendment dealing with the Water Reclamation District Retirement Fund. Move for its adoption. 100 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 47th Legislative Day 5/17/2017
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Is there any discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor will say Aye. Opposed, Nay. The Ayes have it, and the amendment is adopted. Are there any further Floor amendments approved for consideration?
Floor Amendment No. 6, offered by President Cullerton.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Floor Amendment No. 6, President Cullerton.
Thank you, Madam President. This removes the linking language from the bill that tied the bill's enactment to the enactment of other bills.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Are there -- is there any discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor will say Aye. Opposed, Nay. The Ayes have it, and the amendment is adopted. Are there any further Floor amendments approved for consideration?
No further amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) 3rd Reading. Now on the Order of 3rd Reading is Senate Bill 16. The Member indicates he wishes to proceed. Please read the bill.
Senate Bill 16. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) 101 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 47th Legislative Day 5/17/2017 President Cullerton.
Yes, thank you, Madam President, Members of the Senate. This is the pension reform bill. It has three general provisions. The first part deals with the Governor's Tier 3 hybrid plan, which we agreed to. Came from the Governor's Office. The other, also has a number of reforms that the Governor's Office added dealing with the ability to save money on our pensions going forward. And the third deals with the consideration model that we have debated before. So, with regard to the reforms, should also point out that we would close the General Assembly Retirement System to future Members. So future General Assembly Members will not receive a pension. We have investment return smoothing, which phases in over a five-year period any changes in actuarial or investment return assumptions. We change the -- the way that we calculate how much money should be paid into the pension systems, called the total payroll system, which also ends up with any recertification reflecting those changes. We have an optional defined contribution plan - again, that came from the Governor's Office - in which would allow each system allowing up to five percent of Tier 1 employees to join that plan. We have an anti- salary spiking provision, which is designed to, again, save money for the system and push the -- some costs on to the locals if people end up raising salaries at the last minute before someone retires. We have certain limitations for people who have a salary in excess of the Governor's, which is a hundred and seventy-seven thousand dollars, and we have an optional accelerated pension benefit payment. We also talked about the Governor's Tier 3 hybrid plan for TRS, SURS, and SERS employees that are not covered by 102 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 47th Legislative Day 5/17/2017 Social Security. They would be -- the new -- the new hires would be defaulted into a new defined benefit/contribution hybrid and they could stay in the Tier 2 if they chose to do so. Also results in -- we expect this provision to save about five hundred million dollars. The other provisions' total savings would be, in this next year alone, one billion two hundred and fifty million. With regards to the consideration model, this is the Tier 1 election, so the Tier 1 employees are asked to agree to give up their current three percent compounded COLA increase that they receive each year in retirement for a Tier 2 COLA rate, which is three percent or half of CPI, and delay the receipt of the COLA increase to the earlier five years after retirement. Now if they do that, then they -- they get something and that's why this is -- has consideration. It's called the consideration model and it will be found to be constitutional as a result of that. So if you agree to lower your COLA increases, you receive three legal items of value or consideration. First of all, the State -- would prohibit under the Pension Clause any changes in exercising its legal right to offer future salary increases on a non-pensionable basis. So all your future pay raises will be guaranteed to be pensionable. You also will -- will receive a lump sum payment up to ten percent of the pension contributions you've already paid into the system. So you'll get a check. And also your contribution rate will be reduced going forward, so you'll get a pay raise. So, that's what the consideration model is. It's a comprehensive package. I believe it has the support of the -- the Governor's Office and hopefully a majority of our colleagues here in the Senate. I'll try to answer any questions.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) 103 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 47th Legislative Day 5/17/2017 Is there any discussion? Leader Radogno, for what purpose do you rise?
Thank you, Madam President. To this bill. In contrast to some of the spirited discussion we've had about differences of opinion, I think this is a great example of where we've come together and made a lot of progress and not insignificantly on the biggest problem facing this State. Our pension liability is the worst in the nation. This bill, and we assume it will be challenged in court, if found constitutional, will be saving us about a billion dollars a year. But even before it goes to court, there are significant savings that we can apply to our budget deficit and hopefully be able to bring that discussion in for an agreement. So I am very enthusiastic about all the work that's done on this. I congratulate the Senate President on a -- a good idea that he's been working on for quite some time. And I hope that we all vote for this. Again, this is the biggest problem facing our State and we've come together with an agreement to get it done. So I urge an Aye vote. Thank you.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Further discussion? Seeing none, President Cullerton, to close.
Yes, thank you. Appreciate the -- my colleague's comments. I would point out that the House is moving in a bipartisan fashion a similar bill that passed out of committee yesterday. It's critical for our budget to have this bill pass, not only for savings in this next year, but it's estimated that afterwards, we would save over a billion dollars a year in our budget. So for 104 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 47th Legislative Day 5/17/2017 that reason, I would once again ask for an Aye vote.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) The question is, shall Senate Bill 16 pass. All those in favor will vote Aye. Opposed, Nay. The voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Take the record. On that question, there are 31 voting Yea, 21 voting Nay, 0 voting Present. Senate Bill 16, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. On the Order of House Bills 3rd Reading, House Bills 3rd Reading, Senator Hunter, on House Bill 3164. The lady indicates she wishes to proceed. Please read the bill.
House Bill 3164. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Senator Hunter.
Thank you very much, Madam President. House Bill 3164 allows the City of Chicago the ability to issue liquor licenses to the following establishments which are within one hundred feet of a church or school. I know of no opposition. Oh, yes, there is an opposition, but I would ask for an Aye vote.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) Is there any discussion? Any discussion? Seeing none, the question is, shall House Bill 3164 pass. All those in favor will vote Aye. Opposed, Nay. The voting is open. …all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Take the record. On that question, there are 49 voting Yea, 0 voting Nay, 105 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 47th Legislative Day 5/17/2017 0 voting Present. House Bill 3164, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. Senator Hutchinson, for what purpose do you rise?
Thank you, Madam President. I was watching the board and I went to go hit my button. I would like the record to reflect my intention on Senate Bill 16 was to vote No.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) The record will reflect your intention, Senator. Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate, remaining on House -- well, returning to House Bills 2nd Reading, please go with me to House Bills 2nd Reading on page 51. Senator Van Pelt, on House Bill 3712. The - - the lady indicates she wish to proceed. Please read the bill.
House Bill 3712. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) 3rd Reading. Announcements: The Criminal Law Subcommittee on CLEAR will meet immediately following -- following adjournment in Room 400. The Transportation Committee, on additional legislative measures, will meet in Room 212 immediately following adjournment. Mr. Secretary, Resolutions.
Senate Resolution 526, offered by Senator McGuire and all Members. It is a death resolution, Madam President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) 106 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 47th Legislative Day 5/17/2017 Resolution Consent Calendar. Mr. Secretary, Messages from the House.
A Message from the House by Mr. Mapes, Clerk. Mr. President - I am directed to inform the Senate that the House of Representatives has passed a bill of the following title, in the passage of which I am instructed to ask the concurrence of the Senate, to wit: House Bill 2510. Passed the House, May 17th, 2017. Timothy D. Mapes, Clerk of the House.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) House Bills 1st Reading, Mr. Secretary.
House Bill 2510, offered by Senator Muñoz. (Secretary reads title of bill) 1st Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LIGHTFORD) There being no further business to come before the Senate, the Senate stands adjourned until the hour of 12 noon on the -- 18th day of May 2017. The Senate stands adjourned. 107