PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) The regular Session of the 100th General Assembly will please come to order. Will the Members please be at their desks? Will our guests in the galleries please rise? The invocation today will be given by Reverend Robert Freeman, Grace -- Kumler United Methodist Church, Springfield.
(Prayer by the Reverend Robert Freeman)
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Please remain standing for the Pledge Allegiance. Senator Cunningham.
(Pledge of Allegiance, led by Senator Cunningham)
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Lee Milner, of Blueroomstream.com and Illinois Times, seeks video -- permission to -- requests video and photos. Seeing no objection, permission granted. Mr. Secretary, Reading and Approval of the Journal.
Senate Journal of Thursday, May 25th, 2017.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Hunter.
Mr. President, I move to -- 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 LINK) Senator Hunter moves to postpone the reading and approval of the Journal, pending the arrival of the printed transcript. There 1 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 being no objection, so ordered. Mr. Secretary, Resolutions.
Senate Resolution 540 and 541, offered by Senator Barickman and all Members. Senate Resolutions 542 and 543, offered by Senator McCann and all Members. Senate Resolution 544, offered by Senator Rose and all Members. They are all death resolutions, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Resolution Consent Calendar.
Senate Resolution 545, offered by Senator Rezin. It is substantive.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Mr. Secretary, Committee Reports.
Senator Bertino-Tarrant, Chairperson of the Committee on Education, reports Senate Amendment 1 to Senate Bill 453 and Senate Amendment 1 to House Bill 2977 Recommend Do Adopt. Senator Hutchinson, Chairperson of the Committee on Revenue, reports Senate Amendment 1 to Senate Bill 483 and Senate Amendment 1 to House Bill 159 Recommend Do Adopt.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Will all Members at the sound of my voice come to the Senate Floor immediately? We will be going to 3rd Readings. All Members at the sound of my voice, come to the Floor immediately. We will be doing 3rd Readings. Senator Althoff, for what purpose do you rise? 2 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017
Point of personal privilege.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) State your point.
Thank you very much, Mr. President. Ladies and Gentlemen, who actually have arrived relatively on time, may I ask for your attention? In the President's Gallery, here to the President's left, I have some of the best and the brightest of my district. They are middle schoolers and high schoolers and even a few individuals who return to this program when they're now at the University of Illinois. It is a STEM project. I have an individual, a constituent, who is a pilot with Southwestern {sic} (Southwest) Airlines. He took advantage of one of their programs. He went into a fifth grade class and started working on - now I have to read this - how to put together a project of breaking the world's record for the highest radio-controlled airplane flight. Their studies included meteorology, aeronautics, aerodynamics, electrical theory, and system -- integration. They broke the world record. The paperwork is in the making. They are an incredible group of fourteen students. The individual who brought the program together's {sic} name is Paul Peter Kaup. Peter's his middle name. Might we give them a round of applause and acknowledge their efforts and their success in actually becoming an item in the world book of records, the Guinness World Book of Records {sic} (Guinness Book of World Records). The students from Nippersink Middle School, Richmond Burton High School, and a few students from the University of Illinois. Congratulations.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) 3 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 Welcome to Springfield. With leave of the Body, we'll go to page 43 of the printed Calendar, House Bills 3rd Reading. House Bill 3703. Senator Anderson. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 3703. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Anderson, on your bill.
Thank you, Mr. President, Members of the Senate. This is a bill that we did in the Senate that we sent over to the House. It's identical language. This is just starting a pilot program in Rock Island County for involuntary admission to the mental health care facility. I know of no opposition and I would ask for an Aye vote. Thank you.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Is there any discussion? Seeing none, the question is, shall House Bill 3703 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 52 Ayes, no Nays, none voting Present. House Bill 3703, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. Senator Hunter, for what purpose do you rise?
Thank you, Mr. President. Point of personal privilege.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) State your point.
4 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 We have some wonderful visitors visiting us today from -- sitting the south gallery on the Democratic side. They are from Bret Harte Elementary School. They're located on the south side of Chicago. And they're here with three wonderful teachers, Nicki Turley, Mr. Jensen, and Mrs. Karen, and I'd like to recognize them and welcome them to the Senate.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Welcome to the Illinois Senate. House Bill 3709. Senator Lightford. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 3709. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Lightford, on your bill.
Thank you, Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate. House Bill 3709 amends the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Code. It increases the number of counseling visits available to minors twelve years old and older from five sessions to eight sessions without having to receive prior consent from a guardian. It also permits counselors to provide additional sessions if certain conditions are met. This includes situations where parent notification would be detrimental to the minor's well- being or there are cases of abuse or neglect. It also increases a time period that the child meets with the counselor from sixty {sic} minutes to ninety minutes. I'd be happy to answer questions.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Is there any discussion? Senator Syverson, for what purpose 5 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 do you rise?
Thank you, Mr. President. A couple questions of the sponsor.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) She indicates she will yield.
Senator, I know we -- we went through a few of these issues and I'd like to find a way that we can make this be -- get resolved as well, but what -- what is the anticipated cost for expanding this -- this coverage?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Lightford.
Thank you. With -- we -- we're hoping to anticipate little to no additional costs. This is because of several factors. First, a visit with the mental health provider costs more {sic} than a visit to the ER for psychiatric hospitalization, so a few additional visits with the mental health provider will be offset by decreased ER visits and hospitalization. When the appropriate set of primary and preventive services are covered and assembled -- accessible, the trend in health care is usually reduced utilization of more expensive chronic care, such as ER and hospital stays. Second, most people on Medicaid, including youth, live in mandatory managed care organization regions. In regards to payment, the State pays the MCO the same amount of dollars, which are capped rates, per person, per month, regardless of how much health care services that person uses. The final point on cost is, you are able to access up to five mental health visits under the existing law, so whatever payment arrangements and structures 6 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 are in place right now between the youth and the providers would not be changed because of this bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Syverson.
Well, Senator, a couple problems with that issue. First of all, any time we -- we change and add more cost to the -- to the managed care companies, they in turn can change their rates that the State reimburses them for. And currently, the -- the reimbursement rate is sixteen dollars and sixty-five cents per fifteen minutes. That's what the -- that's what the counselor gets, sixteen dollars and thirty -- six -- sixteen dollars and sixty-five cents per fifteen minutes. And so you'll -- we'll -- we would be adding forty-five minutes per visit plus adding three more visits to begin with. So then we're talking about fifty dollars more per visit plus we have three more visits. So we have that -- you have that cost. The -- the -- the other question would be, is it says we're going from five to eight unless the counselor deems that they don't want the parents -- or parent or guardian to be involved in that, and if that happens, doesn't this thing go to unlimited visits, as opposed to, currently, the five?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Lightford.
So, Senator, there is very strict guidelines into who would qualify for that, so we're not anticipating a large number would qualify for visits that are limitless. And then the point of cost, I think if you pay fifty dollars more a visit to the hundred fifty dollars that you describe, will come out to be a much lesser cost 7 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 than going to the ER. Emergency room visits could equal thousands of dollars versus a hundred-fifty-dollar additional counseling session.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Syverson.
Thank you. We're not sure of any -- any cases that are this -- for this narrow group that -- that these individuals would be going to the emergency room. Think the concern is, we want to -- we want to get the counselors and parents -- we want to get the parents or adults involved in this situation. When they don't -- if -- if there's a reason that they fear to bring the parent or guardian into the case, then they should be contacting and working with DCFS if the issues are that -- that strict at home. If the parent or guardian is involved in the counseling of this minor, then the current law already allows for unlimited amounts of visits, so they can do that. So, while I know there's some -- there is some potential positive with this, we are expanding the program, there is more cost, and it does give the parents or guardian less involvement in their minor child's life. And so, again, I know they tried to narrowly focus this, but my concern is just this is going to be adding added costs at a time when we -- we can't pay our -- our current bills. So, I would -- I would reluctantly urge a -- a No vote, just due to the cost of this program. But I appreciate and I know what they're trying to do with this and -- and maybe we can come back with something that's a little bit more narrow in those few cases that a person may think that they need more counseling without a parent or guardian involvement. So, thank you, Mr. President, for allowing me to 8 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 share some of those concerns.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Is there any further discussion? Senator Lightford, to close.
Thank you, Senator Syverson, for your comments and I'm -- I'm a huge proponent of parent involvement. I think, in this special case, we just want to identify students who are -- they're -- they're -- they're either homeless minors, they're LGBTQ youth, they're minors in need of early intervention for mental health crisis, and they're minors that are in conflict with their family and family members that aren't present. So it's just a different population that we're focused on. The goal of the counselor is to always get that child to a place where they can bring the parents into the counseling session; that's why we're asking for three additional sessions. Please vote Aye.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) The question is, shall House Bill 3709 pass. All those in favor, vote Aye. Opposed, Nay. The voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Take the record. On that question, there are 37 Ayes, 18 Nays, none voting Present. House Bill 3709, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. House Bill 3711. Senator Aquino. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 3711. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Aquino. Can we keep the conversations down a little? 9 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 This is final action. Senator Aquino.
Thank you, Mr. President. In response to the recent spike in hate-related incidents, House Bill 3711 amends the Illinois hate crime to signal that hate will not be tolerated in Illinois. The bill aims to prevent hate crimes, give victims a peace of mind, and provide enforcement mechanisms to ensure that offenders are held accountable. In particular, the bill adds to the underlying offenses that may give rise to a hate crime, ensures that all victims of hate crimes are afforded a civil remedy, allows a court to impose a civil penalty of up to twenty-five thousand dollars, and gives the Attorney General Office civil enforcement authority. The House sponsor addressed concerns raised by the Illinois Family Institute and the State's Attorneys Association, and those associations are now neutral. A number of diverse interests and -- diverse interest groups and organizations have come out in support of the bill and I know of no opposition. It also passed out of the House with great bipartisan support. And I -- I strongly urge an Aye vote. Thank you.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Rose, for what purpose do you rise?
Questions of the sponsor, if I may.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Indicates he will yield.
Senator Aquino, I -- I -- first of all, I would say, I think I salute the intentions of the bill. My problem is, I think, while in your zeal to curb hateful speech, we're also going to curb the 10 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 First Amendment and we're also going to create a very extensive and very -- well, let's start with the bill itself. There's a provision in this bill that references another statute that now we're going to allow the intentional infliction of emotional distress to be a civil action space that the Attorney General can enforce. This is a significant departure, a significant departure. Because, quite frankly, if there's an assault, if there's a battery, that should be charged criminally. It should be charged criminally in any county in the State of Illinois by any of our State's Attorneys' offices and that individual ought to be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. So I don't understand in my mind, first of all, why we're taking a step backwards to allow the civil enforcement, as opposed to the criminal enforcement which is already on the books. And I'll start there.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Aquino.
I -- I believe there were several things brought up, so I'll try to address each one. First was brought up for the First Amendment. This is -- this is not attacking the First Amendment at -- at all. What this is saying is that in law already, there are certain things that -- you -- you have free speech, but when that speech becomes motivated to crime and becomes a hate-related crime, that's what -- we're just allowing for a civil penalty to -- to already -- be a response to something that's already a criminal act. So, it's -- these are already criminal acts that are -- are hate crimes; we're just allowing for a civil penalty to be imposed as well. The other issue in terms of the Attorney General's civil enforcement - the -- the Attorney General is -- is 11 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 -- is -- is given powers to -- and -- and voted in to -- to -- to represent the entire State and interests of our people. We're allowing for the -- the Attorney General to -- not to seek monetary damages under 3711, but instead it may request an injunction, equitable relief, and a civil penalty. And this is all after, and only after, consulting with the local State's Attorney. So, I -- I'm -- I'm hoping I -- I addressed all the -- the points that -- that you made, Senator.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Rose.
Yeah. Well, again, though, I mean, I guess you're -- just sort of made my point for me. You can already criminally prosecute these people and punish them through the criminal statutes. So allowing for a civil penalty, actually, in some perverse, bizarre way, makes it -- is sort of a step backwards. But let's stick with -- with some of these things. What if you have a electronic communication to -- which is obscene, with an intent to offend - to offend? Okay? You don't threaten to hurt anyone, you don't threaten physical violence, but you simply say something on Facebook that is offensive. And let me -- before I stop there, who determines what's offensive and what isn't offensive?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Aquino.
As you know, hate crimes aren't about just offense; it's when that offense leads to some sort of physical harm or a actual criminal act. So this is -- this is not talking about being offensive to anyone. Look, we all get a lot of offensive messages 12 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 in the positions that we're in on votes that people don't like or like on Facebook and other social media. That isn't the point. It's when those offensive messages lead to some sort of criminal act as well. The -- so, again, it has to inflict physical harm or {sic} a person threatened by {sic} any other person or property, subject any person to physical confinement or restraint. So, these are -- again, these are just -- a hate crime is already laws that are in a -- in the Criminal Act; we're just allowing for a civil penalty. The reason for that, and I'll give you a few examples: In Maine, where the Attorney General already has the civil enforcement authority, the AG there successfully obtained an injunction against a man who threw a pig's head onto the property of a mosque. The injunction prevented the defendant from having any contact with mosque -- with the mosque or its members. Furthermore, I think a better example is that in New Hampshire, where the AG has the civil authority as well, the AG there obtained an injunction against a group of young students who had -- who followed a classmate home and beat him up because of his perceived sexual orientation. The injunction stopped the students from engaging in the hateful behavior. So -- and there, they -- you know, that -- that AG, and possibly in -- in talks with the State's Attorney's Office, didn't want to take criminal action, especially in the second -- in the latter example, against those children. They probably didn't want to go into -- you know, considering them felons or whatnot, but they did want to find some justice for the victims of the -- of -- of those hate crimes. So that's what this bill allows, is finding justice for victims of hate crimes and finding a -- a -- a way, either be a -- a civil penalty or a criminal act, doing that in -- in a -- in a justful manner. 13 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Rose.
Well, Senator Aquino, with all due respect, what you just said is -- is ludicrous. If someone was beat up -- if someone was beat up, they should be prosecuted - the individuals who did that should be prosecuted. That's a victim of a battery. That's a victim, and depending on how severely they were beat up, it's a victim of all kinds of batteries under Illinois State law, all kinds of offensive classifications. That person should be prosecuted. It shouldn't be an injunction. And to suggest that somehow they're getting justice after they've already been beaten up, makes no sense; they've already been beaten up. Prosecute them under the existing statutes. But let's go back to the question I originally asked. It's not just violent offenses or threats. Harassment through electronic communication involves making any comment, request, suggestion or proposal which is obscene with an intent to offend. And I guess my point is - I ask it again - who determines -- who determines obscene and who determines offend? Because, you know, sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me. Okay? People have said things about me. People have said things about you. Well, look, we're -- everyone in this Chamber is in public life. People have said all kinds of things about us. That's their right to say those things about us. But, I guess my point is, the definition of "obscene" and the definition of "offend" is entirely subjective. What offends me may not offend you; what offends you may {sic} offend me. And I -- and I -- I don't know how you can claim that this is about assaults and batteries. An assault is a threat of 14 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 imminent physical violence. Okay? Imminent physical violence. That is a far cry -- so, in other words, if I'm in Florida and you're in California and I call you up and I say, "Hey, Senator Aquino, I'm going to go over here and beat you up", well, that's not imminent because you know I'm in Florida. Okay? You know that's not -- I'm not capable of doing that. However, if I call you up and say, "I don't like you", that could be offensive to you and the context in which I say it might be obscene to you. But what I'm saying is, this is absolutely chilling, absolutely chilling, as to -- as to the First Amendment itself. As Voltaire said -- as Voltaire {sic} said, "I may not agree with what you have to say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it." Okay? And so I get back to this question again, 'cause everything you just said is silly to me. It's ludicrous. If someone's beat up, prosecute them, put them in jail, put the offender in jail. No one should be beat up, no matter who they are, no matter what they're doing - they shouldn't be beat up. That person should be prosecuted. To say that we're then going to enjoin them -- the offender later, what's the point of that? They're {sic} already been beat up. They've already beat somebody up. Punish the -- punish that conduct, which is already allowed under existing law, already allowed and should be prosecuted, absolutely should be prosecuted. But, again, I ask you this question: Who determines obscene and who determines offend?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Aquino.
I want to go to -- to the bill here really quickly, to -- to -- we're talking about hate crimes that are already -- these are 15 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 crimes that are already criminal acts; they're in the books. The -- these laws are in the books. We are adding a civil penalty for people committing an offensive crime to protected classes. A hate crime is when, by reason of actual or perceived race, color, creed, religion, ancestry, gender, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, or national origin of another individual or group of individuals, regardless of the existence of any motivating factor or factors that -- he or she commits assault, battery, aggravated assault. We are adding in there intimidation, stalking, and cyberstalking, because of the new age, of the ability for people to go on and use social media and others, not to be just offensive, but use that and commit an already in the books criminal act towards someone, and we would want -- we want a -- a -- a -- a civil penalty to -- to put on to them. I wish, Senator Rose, that it was -- it would be simple to -- to charge a hate crime. It is not. It is very difficult to actually charge a hate crime. It's very difficult. So if somebody committed assault and so forth, yes, they would be prosecuted for that assault. But when they are motivated by hate and we add that element to it, it is very difficult to actually commit that -- to -- to -- to get that prosecuted. So all we're doing is having the AG having the ability to protect people from hate in this State. The transmission of obscene messages and so forth that you have asked about, this is -- this is going to be through consultation with the local State's Attorney, the AG, and it still has to go through a court process. So I would say that -- I would argue that the -- the courts will decide if -- if that in fact is an obscene message that led to a hate crime. It's not just an obscene message - that it leads to a hate crime. 16 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Rose.
To the bill, and I'll be…
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) To the bill.
I'll finish up here. But -- but, look, that -- again, you're going backwards. If someone commits a battery, prosecute them criminally, put them in prison. Don't enjoin them. Don't threaten them with a civil penalty. What good does that do? If someone commits a battery, put them in prison, put them in jail. Don't go backwards with a civil penalty. But, second of all, let's think about this going backwards with a civil penalty. Would you suggest that if someone commits a burglary, we ought to just punish them civilly instead? If someone commits - I don't know, pick one - residential burglary, theft, arson, stole a car, no, let's -- let's not put them in prison, let's actually just punish them civilly and enjoin them from not stealing future cars. How silly is that? Enjoin them from not stealing future cars. "Don't do that." "Please don't steal that car again. Please don't steal that car again." "Oh, I'm so sorry, I won't steal any more cars." But the bigger problem here, the bigger problem here, is the effect of chilling free speech. I guarantee every one of us has had something put on Facebook, something put on Facebook. We've seen things put on Facebook that can be -- what we consider offensive, that we would consider obscene. But the danger is, the danger is, government suddenly deciding that. That's a very subjective thing. What every one of us' definition in this room of obscene and 17 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 offensive is, what every one of us' definition is, is going to be different than everybody else's definition. Where you lay that line is going to be different from where anybody else lays that line. But now we're telling a court, a judge, to make a decision and that undermines the First Amendment. It undermines the whole point of the democratic process. It undermines the entire -- every constitutional decision we've had in the last two hundred years in this country. You absolutely have to protect people's ability to speak their minds, no matter how offensive, in a democracy, otherwise you have no democracy. The unintended consequence, the chilling impact that this bill's going to have on free speech is the real problem with this bill. And despite all of the good intent of the sponsor, despite all the things that the sponsor just said, that I share with him, prosecute every last one of those folks under the existing statutes. If someone threatens a battery, that's an assault. If someone commits a battery, because of all the things that were just listed, all the race, creed, character, all that, prosecute them, prosecute them criminally. Thank you, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) I just want to remind everybody today is 3rd Reading, final action deadline, and I cannot put the timer on in the middle of debate, but the timer will go on with the next -- next bill. Senator Silverstein, for what purpose do you rise?
To the bill, Mr. President. I -- I appreciate Senator…
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) To the bill -- to the bill.
18 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 I appreciate Senator Rose's comments. He sounds more like a liberal to me than a… You know, having a civil action for hate crimes is nothing more than suing somebody for battery. It's the intent to be an intentional act. So I don't find the trouble of suing somebody for civil -- civilly and criminally, especially if a prosecutor does not want to prosecute somebody for hate crimes. With regard to the expansion of the -- the definition to cyberstalking, we have -- we have -- we've created the offense of cyberstalking, we've created offense of sexting, because the technology is moving forward and we're not, and we have to protect not only our protected class, but also the people of the State of Illinois. Hate crimes is very important and a serious offense. It has affected my community numerous times. Synagogues have been - - have been affected by hate crimes. Individuals have been affected by hate crimes. This bill does nothing but codify an offense. If anything, make it a deterrent if anyone wants to commit a crime, they might be not -- held -- punished criminally, but also civilly. So I commend the sponsor. And I -- again, I'm a little taken aback by Senator Rose's remarks.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Righter, for what purpose do you rise?
Will the sponsor yield, please, Mr. President?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) He indicates he will.
I wonder, Mr. President, also, respectfully, if I might, can you help me a little bit with the noise in the chamber? I've had trouble hearing Senator Aquino a little bit. He's -- he is a -- 19 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 he's a -- he's an ardent Senator, but he's…
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) If you -- if you help me with the noise right behind you, I'll help you with the noise over here. Thank you.
I'm on it, Mr. President. Thank you. Thank you. Senator Aquino, first, I want to thank you for the conversations that you and I have had about this bill. You've been willing to listen to my concerns and -- and we've had a good back-and-forth and I appreciate that very much. In looking at your legislation, I think it's important for us to recognize that in House Bill 3711, it -- it's basically two parts. The first part, I think you would say, updates the current hate crime laws in Illinois to kind of keep track with evolving technology, particularly as it relates to social media. The second part is a departure from the criminal law aspect and it has to do with conveying upon the Attorney General's Office a civil authority to file suit, fine someone, and - and I think most importantly - provide for equitable or injunctive relief. Would you agree that that's -- I mean, that's a fair way to characterize House Bill 3711?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Aquino.
I'd say that's fair.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Righter.
Let's step away from the first part. I -- I think that there is merit to the idea that we need to update those offenses or add 20 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 new offenses because of the day and age we live. Let's talk instead about the conveyance of the civil authority upon the Attorney General, remembering that today it may be a Democrat Attorney General, who perhaps some would say on the ideological spectrum leans to the left, but tomorrow it might be a Republican Attorney General, who is conservative and rather than being pro- choice might lean more to the pro-life side. One of the crimes that you've added is harassment through electronic communications. Now, you have, in your statements and I listened to your conversation with Senator Rose, you've used examples that involved physical violence. Let's step away from that for a second, because this harassment through electronic communication doesn't involve physical harassment - that's about speech. And what it does is, it makes it a crime if you commit -- in order to commit harassment through electronic communication, you can make any comment, request, suggestion or proposal which is obscene and which is intended to offend. In order to add, obviously, the hate portion of that, that has to be motivated by a bias against one of the protected classes. Let me walk you through a scenario and see if you agree that this might fall within the scope of the Attorney General's authority as you would convey it: There might be a Facebook site that is a pro-life Facebook site and a person who is pro-choice posts on the site and posts a message which is both intended to offend and maybe posts a video which -- which some people would say, "That's obscene to me." Would you agree that even if -- so there can't be criminal case. Would you agree that that circumstance fits the elements of the crime of harassment through electronic communication? Would you agree that all -- there's some evidence of -- of all those elements in there? 21 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Aquino.
What I'm going to do is I'm going to -- I'll get to that. I want to -- I want to just address a few things that you have noted. So, number one, harassment through the telephone is already in the books. So -- and -- and -- and threats of violence is not a -- is not protected speech. So what we are doing is getting hate crime legislation to the modern era. That, yes, you can be threatening, I believe. I would ask you, can you be threatening on -- on social media? Can you commit crimes through -- through that? I -- I believe so. And -- and so what we are -- we are adding elements that already exist. There's harassment through telephone that already is in the books for -- for a hate crime and we are just updating it to include -- to include uses of social media, which -- in which obscene messages and so forth can be -- can be sent. It is not going to be my decision to -- to -- to -- to -- to ask for an injunction or equitable relief for a civil penalty. That would be the -- the authority for the Attorney General to request, after consultation with the State's Attorney, and that would be going through the -- I mean -- excuse me, the judicial process of going to court. So, the -- the -- a judge would have to make that determination. I will not. But we are giving more protections for victims that are being -- people that are being victimized and -- and treated through -- through the Internet and so forth, so…
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Righter.
Okay. Now, Senator, I'm not -- I -- I took no issue with the 22 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 fact that the law already prohibits phone harassment. I agree with that. I'm not -- I didn't mention that in my question. I - - I didn't mention threats of violence. What I put before you was a hypothetical that involves speech where… Thank you, Mr. President. I appreciate that very much. I'm talking about a situation where the elements of the crime don't require a threat of violence or an act of violence. And what I'm asking you is, isn't there a scenario whereby there is something posted on Facebook that you -- that the prosecutor can't make the criminal case, but still -- there is still some evidence of all these elements that would allow the Attorney General to come in that instance and say, "Hey, I'm going to seek a court order to say that you can't post your view on that Facebook site, because you're being offensive"? That's the issue here. So, again -- and we can do either side of the ideological spectrum. The Facebook site can be a pro-life site or can be a pro-choice site. It can be a I believe in God site or I don't believe in God site. And the other side comes on and says, "Oh, my God, that is ridiculous", posts a video that some people find obscene, and they do it with the intent to offend. Doesn't that fall within the parameters that would allow the Attorney General to go in and crack down and say, "You need to stop speaking like that"?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Aquino.
This law is providing the authority to the Attorney General to take that into consideration when providing to find a -- a civil remedy towards victims. You -- Senator, you have talked about a lot of hypotheticals. Let's talk about some hypotheticals that 23 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 really truly happen in -- in -- in -- in -- in our age right now. We -- we hear tons of stories of children that bully other children via text, via social media and so forth that can lead to the -- the -- the victim committing suicide and so forth. We want to make sure that before some sort of action is taken like that, that even with bullying or whatnot through social media, through text, whatnot, that there can be some sort of injunction or -- or -- or equitable relief that can happen for -- so that we can -- you know, possibly don't need to criminally charge some of these kids, before it gets to a -- a -- a heightened state. Again, we're talking about hate crime legislation that criminally is already in the books. We're also talking about updating these laws to -- to fit to our modern era of communication. I -- I -- I -- I -- I -- I'm in the belief that any Democrat or Republican Attorney General or State's Attorney is going to want to protect people from hate and charge correctly anyone that is -- is -- is committing a hate crime of any sort in the State of Illinois.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Righter.
To the gentleman's bill, if I might, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) To the bill.
And thank you, again, for your attempts to keep the noise down, Mr. President. Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate, it -- it's been interesting if you've listened to this dialog and this is an incredibly important -- piece of legislation on both ends, because, one, you can very much make the argument that this is a 24 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 modernization of the hate crimes laws we already have on the books to kind of keep up with the social media progress we see, but also, because the other piece of this legislation that regards the civil authority, very much raises First Amendment implications. So what we're talking about, a situation, is where there hasn't been -- you can't prove a crime. Now, someone's been offended, but, Ladies and Gentlemen, we live in a free society where, you know what, if you live in a free society, you're going to be offended. So, again, I go back to the hypothetical, and this happens and it will happen more, and more, and more, as more of our First Amendment communication goes on through social media, and that is Facebook sites or other social media sites that are devoted to a particular point of view. It may be faith-based. It may be a pro-choice or pro-life issue. It could be anything wherein someone decides to post on that and engage in that conversation, that free exchange of ideas, and goes over the line and becomes offensive. They haven't committed a crime. They haven't committed a crime, but they've offended people. The question is, do we want that kind of speech, that kind of open-ended speech, do we want a government official, whether that is a liberal Democrat Attorney General who is pro-choice or a conservative Republican Attorney General who is pro-life, looking over the shoulders of the people who choose to express their opinions boldly? We have a right in this society to be protected from things that we have in law with regards to hate crimes. But if you want to live in a free society, you do not have the right to be protected from being offended, and this bill, in terms of the civil authority that's going to be granted to an officer of the government, walks us in that direction. Respectfully, Mr. President, I would urge a No vote. 25 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator McCarter, for what purpose do you rise? SENATOR McCARTER: To the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) To the bill. SENATOR McCARTER: Ladies and Gentlemen, I -- I think we can all be thankful that we weren't raised in the era of smartphones and Facebook, for fear that some of the things that we did might be public. Some of us more than others, I guess. But I'm admitting that I'm -- I'm glad I wasn't raised in that era. We -- we -- we would probably all be somewhat guilty. But I think -- let -- let's -- let me preface what we're talking -- what I believe we're talking about and what we're not talking about. I -- I think we all would agree today that perhaps what happened mid -- this last February, mid- February, when a hundred gravesites at a Jewish cemetery were vandalized, that that would come under the current definition of the law as a hate crime. Okay? I'm -- I'm -- I'm reading -- I mean, I'm actually reading the bill. "Criminal trespass", "disorderly conduct" - I mean, this would all come under the current law. But a robocall, from someone that you might consider a pro-life zealot, explaining that -- what their view is on abortion, about abortion being the taking of life and maybe even going into graphic detail, that could be offensive to someone else. And the -- the problem is, they're able to do that under their First Amendment rights, and they're sincerely held beliefs, upheld by the courts and the Constitution. So, this -- this is -- in the name of updating or modernizing, I think what is actually happening 26 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 is an attempt to protect someone's beliefs and, at the same time, take -- trample on others'. And so I would -- I would say that we should be intolerant of any hate crimes according to the current law, but this expansion I think is unwise. I encourage a No vote.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Nybo, for what purpose do you rise?
Thank you, Mr. President. Will the sponsor yield?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Indicates he will.
Senator, you know, I've -- I've heard a lot of concerns articulated nearby here, close to me, including from my good friend who usually sits to the right of me here and he's standing right down there, so I want to be measured in my question here. But my understanding was that we weren't creating any new crimes, that we were dealing with existing crimes and then categorizing them as hate crimes. But am I correct that we -- we're not creating any new offenses with this proposal, new -- new criminal conduct?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Aquino.
That is correct. It's already criminal conduct. Yes.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Nybo.
So -- so, if -- if -- any concern that somebody has and has been articulated about - for example, the crime of transmission of obscene messages - if anybody's got a concern with that type of 27 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 offense, they've got concerns with a -- with a law that's in existence already. Right?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Aquino.
Yes.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Nybo.
And all we're saying is that a criminal offense that exists under law already, that now can also be categorized as a hate crime?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Aquino.
Yes, and also can be charged civilly, have a civil remedy as well.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Nybo.
So, to -- to the bill, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) To the bill.
I'm going to -- I'm going to support this proposal. You know, I think hate crime is absolutely offensive. I understand the concerns that are being articulated over here, but I don't think it's fair to target your bill with those concerns. If these are concerns, go after existing law, but the fact that we're now going 28 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 to be classifying these crimes as hate crimes, I don't think jeopardizes First Amendment rights in any way that First Amendment rights may already be jeopardized, if that's your opinion, based on existing law. So I -- I commend the sponsor. I'm happy to support this and I'd ask my colleagues over here, if -- if they can see fit, to -- to try to support your bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Our last speaker. Senator Harmon, for what purpose do you rise?
Thank you, Mr. President. Will the sponsor yield?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Indicates he will.
Thank you, Mr. President. Senator, I know you've done a lot of work with the Attorney General's Office on this bill. I have a series of friendly questions so that the record will reflect the important work that you have done with their office. First, does this bill conflict with the First Amendment?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Aquino.
The current crime -- hate crimes statute has survived several First Amendment challenges because the courts have found that the statute does not penalize mere thoughts or beliefs; rather, it penalizes an offender when hateful thoughts or beliefs motivate criminal acts or conduct.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Harmon. 29 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017
Thank you, Mr. President. Senator, why does the bill expand the predicate offenses?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Aquino.
Advances in technology allows perpetrators to attack victims without ever making physical contact, and resulting -- and the resulting harm can be just as damaging. The predicate offenses added to the hate crimes statute in this bill are also criminal offenses under Illinois law. This bill does not change the element of those offenses. A prosecutor or plaintiff in a civil case will still have to prove all of the offenses of the underlying offense, in addition to proving that the perpetrator acted by reason of the actual or perceived race, color, creed, religion, ancestry, gender, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, or national origin of another individual or group of individuals.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Harmon.
Thank you, Mr. President. Senator, how does the Attorney General's civil enforcement authority work?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Aquino.
The Attorney General may bring a civil cause of action only after consulting with the local State's Attorney. This ensures that both offices will communicate about criminal and civil enforcement efforts. The bill allows for the Attorney General to 30 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 bring a civil cause of action on behalf of the People of the State. The bill does not give the Attorney General the authority to initiate a criminal prosecution. The Attorney General may not seek monetary damages under HB 3711; instead, it may -- it may request only an injunction, equitable relief, or a civil penalty.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Harmon.
To the bill, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) To the bill.
Thank you, Mr. President. Senator and Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate, this is a good bill. This is an important bill. From the tone and content of several of the speeches in opposition to the bill though, I would caution that this is a more modest bill than I think is being portrayed. I would agree with Senator Nybo's comments, although I would agree with Senator Righter's framework as well. We are simply taking crimes that exist today and stating, if they are perpetrated because of this animus towards a particular protected class, they too qualify as hate crimes. Simply a modernization of the law to reflect a changing dynamic in how hate crimes can be committed. And because of those changing avenues, we need to change the enforcement mechanisms so that we can respond appropriately. Again, this is a good bill. This is an important bill. This is not a fundamental change in the way we approach hate crimes. I applaud the sponsor and the Attorney General's Office for working on this and I urge all of you to vote Aye. 31 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Bivins.
Thank you, Mr. President. Question of the sponsor.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Indicates he will yield.
Thank you. That -- that exchange sparked a -- a question, is why I rise, Mr. President. My notes here and -- and what I just heard says the Attorney General -- this gives the -- the Attorney General civil enforcement of hate crime laws, which the State's - - or the Attorney General then has to go to the local State's Attorney and consult with them. So now, my question to you, Senator, is, if I am arrested on a crime and I have a jury trial and I'm found not guilty, can the Attorney General then pursue this action against me civilly?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Aquino.
Well, in any civil case, there's a -- a -- a different threshold for preponderance of -- of burden of proof. The burden of proof for a criminal element is reasonable doubt. So there's a possibility that there can be civil actions taken, but that can be in any -- not just in hate crime or in this legislation, that can be with any criminal case that comes about, there can -- there can still be a civil case brought -- brought out of that no matter what the determination of the criminal case was or is.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Bivins. 32 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017
But, it sounded like to me, through your exchange here, that -- that it's giving new authority to the Attorney General to pursue this particular avenue civilly that doesn't exist already. Is that correct?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Aquino.
That's correct. It's -- it's allowing for -- for the Attorney General to be able to bring civil -- a -- a civil remedy to -- to hate crimes.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Bivins.
Thank you, Mr. President. To the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) To the bill.
So what you just heard was, Ladies and Gentlemen, if -- if you get arrested for a crime, you're found not guilty by a jury of your peers, you still face a new civil penalty perhaps for something that you said or did through the Attorney General of the State of Illinois. I don't think we need speech police. I would encourage a No vote. Thank you.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Aquino, to close.
I -- I appreciate the -- the -- the much debate from -- from the other side. On the last -- the last Senator to -- to rise, in 33 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 any criminal act that is committed, be it hate crime or not, no matter what the determination is from the court, you can still have a civil remedy - everywhere but in a hate crime here. There's been some talk around -- around me right now of a famous case, is -- with -- everyone knows, with O. J. Simpson - earlier in the nineties, was charged with a crime, was found not guilty; however, in -- there was a civil remedy that was brought out. So that can happen in any case. What we are doing is giving a civil remedy to victims of hate, victims of hate in this State, and saying that you have the -- that the Attorney General has the ability to protect you from hate, not of thought -- not of simple offense, but of -- of threatening speech, of -- of -- of -- modernizing our hate crime to include things that -- nowadays with -- with the uses of social media and so forth. I just -- I -- I ask for an Aye vote. Thank you.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) The question is, shall House Bill 3711 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 44 Ayes, 11 Nays, no voting Present. House Bill 3711, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. I just want to remind everybody, that bill took forty-five minutes. At this rate, we will be done with our agenda on Tuesday afternoon if we work through the -- every hour of the day. Senator Silverstein, for what purpose do you rise?
Purpose of an announcement, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) 34 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 State your announcement.
There will be a Democratic Caucus for about a half hour upon recess. We will not be talking about Senator Aquino's recent bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Althoff, for what purpose do you rise?
The Senate Republicans would also like to caucus upon recess for about thirty minutes, and we may be talking about Senator Aquino's bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senators Silverstein and Althoff move that the Senate recess for the purposes of caucuses. All those in favor will 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 MUÑOZ) The Senate will come to order. Will all Members please come to the Senate Floor? All Members, please come to the Senate Floor. The timer will be on. Today is deadline, so we're going to be doing House bills with amendments. We'll be going back and forth throughout the Calendar. So, if you want your bills to be called, be on the Floor so we can move. And the timer will be on just to be fair to everyone. Mr. Secretary, Resolutions.
Senate Resolution 546, offered by Senator Murphy. It is substantive, Mr. President. 35 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) 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 adopted the following joint resolution, in the adoption of which I am instructed to ask the concurrence of the Senate, to wit: House Joint Resolution 58. Offered by Senator Anderson, and adopted by the House, May 26th, 2017. Timothy D. Mapes, Clerk of the House. It is substantive, Mr. President. A Message from the House by Mr. Mapes, Clerk. Mr. President - I am directed to inform the Senate that the House of Representatives has concurred with the Senate in the passage of a bill of the following title, to wit: Senate Bill 100. Together with the following amendment which is attached, in the adoption of which I am instructed to ask the concurrence of the Senate, to wit: House Amendment 1 to Senate Bill 100. We have received like Messages on Senate Bill 701, with House Amendment 1, and Senate Bill 1730, with House Amendment 1. Passed the House, as amended, May 26th, 2017. Timothy D. Mapes, Clerk of the House.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Ladies and Gentlemen, we're going to House bills, final action. Please come to the Floor. House Bill 2525. Senator Raoul seeks leave of the Body to return House Bill 2525 to the Order of 36 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 2nd Reading. Leave is granted. On the Order of 2nd Reading is House Bill 2525. Mr. Secretary, are there any Floor amendments approved for consideration?
Floor Amendment No. 2, offered by Senator Raoul.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Senator Raoul.
Thank you, Mr. President. Floor Amendment 2 has provisions with regards to the spine crediting, first responders, drug formulary, and ambulatory surgical centers. I'll explain them fully on 3rd.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Is there any questions on the amendment? Is -- is there any discussion? 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 MUÑOZ) 3rd Reading. On the Order of 3rd Reading, Mr. Secretary, read the bill.
House Bill 2525. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Senator Raoul.
37 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 Thank you, Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate. House Bill 2525, as amended, is the product of conversations that have been going on over the course of the last couple of years surrounding workers' compensation reform. It has provisions to deal with ensuring that cost savings that have been -- have come about as a result of reforms that we did in 2011 are passed on to employers. That would be in the form of making certain that the Department of Insurance can do -- initiate a rate review on insurance companies to make sure that the rates and the premiums charged are not excessive. The bill, in addition, has incentives for employers to establish safety programs for -- and return to work programs for injured workers. These programs would be beneficial because the -- once the Commission would certify such programs, they would notify the Department of Insurance, who would then direct employers' workers' compensation insurers to recalculate the employers' premium rates to reflect the existence of such programs - another initiative that should reduce the costs to employers. It has -- Mr. -- Mr. President, could -- if -- if -- if you can help…
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Please keep the noise down. Conversations low, please, with respect to the sponsor.
Thank you, Mr. President. It -- it has elements regarding repetitive injuries to make sure that a current employer of a new employee does not bear the cost of -- of -- doesn't solely bear the cost of a -- a -- a petitioner's injury when some of the cause for such injury would've come about as -- as a result of employment with a prior employer. It brings self-insured employers under the 38 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 supervision of the -- the oversight of the Department of Insurance. It would create a -- a Workers' Compensation Premium Rate {sic} (Rates) Task Force to study -- to -- the extent to which employers' actual premiums reflect the NCCI premium rate recommendations. It would make sure that there is a statutory definition to whom is a traveling -- "traveling employee". It would return the hip to be classified as part of the leg and the shoulder to be part of the arm when calculating permanent disability. It has a provision that had been requested by the Governor's Office to make sure that when the parties don't submit an AMA impairment report that the arbitrator can still approve a settlement or -- or otherwise approve an award when a case goes to trial. It has a provision with regards to electronic billing to make sure the transactions can be expedited with medical providers. Again, another -- provision at the request of the Governor's Office to make sure we delete the prohibitions that we put in place in 2011 with regards to arbitrator rotation. It removes the requirement on the State to pay an appeal bond to bring them in -- in alignment with local governments. It will provide for penalties for unreasonable and vexatious delay of medical treatment. Would establish new fraud penalties, workers' compensation fraud penalties, and would require the fraud and insurance non-compliance unit to employ at least ten investigators. We have amended the bill as it came over from the House to recognize a concern brought to us by the Governor's Office with regards to crediting on a man as a whole. And this is a provision that we've developed to make sure that when there is a back injury and repeated injury to the same part of the back that there's a scheme to allow for crediting. There's a provision that was contained in a bill sponsored by Senator 39 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 Anderson to make sure that first responders -- responders do not have a waiting period with regards to collection of temporary disability. We've included the Governor's recommendation with regards to prescription drug formulary. And we've also made certain that an oversight with regards to medical fees where surgeries are performed in outpatient ambulatory surgical centers, that that is brought under the medical fee schedule, so we can contain costs with regards to those procedures. It's been a journey to get to this point, but I think we have a good product here that should further reduce the costs for Illinois employers. And I urge your support and I will yield for any questions.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Is there any discussion? Senator Connelly, for what purpose do you seek recognition?
Thank you, Mr. President. To the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) To the bill, Senator.
Thank you, Mr. President. In light of the forty-five minutes we spent on the last bill, I'm not going to go into the minutia of workers' compensation, but I wanted to say a few things. There's a gentlemen who used to sit next to me, the lord of Palatine, Senator Murphy, who left us, I think it was last November, and I was asked to take over as kind of the Senate Republican point person on workers' compensation. And I mean this sincerely. Liza, Jon Nelson, Kwame, and I spent countless hours together in the month of December and early January working on workers' compensation and -- and I -- and I credit all those on both sides 40 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 who've worked on this issue. It's a difficult issue, not only because of its minutia, but because, frankly, it's center -- it's a centerpiece for what we hope on our side of the aisle to make Illinois a more attractive State for private sector job growth. And, again, I mean this with the greatest respect for the sponsor. This is not workers' compensation reform, at least from our -- my understanding and our understanding, and you will know that it's true workers' compensation reform when the lion's share of the Yes votes come from the Republican side of the aisle. I -- I respect the sponsor greatly. I urge a No vote. Thank you.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Senator McCarter, for what purpose do you seek recognition? SENATOR McCARTER: To the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) To the bill, Senator. SENATOR McCARTER: Ladies and Gentlemen, as one of the few in the Legislature who has to deal with workers' comp as a manufacturer, I will -- let me just give you my comments as to how I view this. Just because we have a bill that deals with workers' comp doesn't mean that we have workers' comp reform. You -- you may remember years ago that I had a workers' comp reform bill that included standards of causation - which has not been agreed to, I understand that - but it came -- it came to this Body and it was defeated with, I believe, 23 Present votes. At that point, it was stated by one of our Democrat Senators that it was not soup yet. Well, this issue has taken way too long to make good soup, and -- and the truth is, there is too great of divide and there's too great of -- the issues 41 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 are too big to be able to come to agreement on. But let me just tell you in my own words, as a manufacturer, as someone that has paid unjustly at times for claims that were made on me as a manufacturer that I should not have been charged for: When a man comes in and, for two weeks, he tells everyone he's had a bad back for years and then, after claiming he falls off the second rung of a ladder, when no one sees him, and in two weeks' time he goes, gets a complete back surgery and charges me for it. What does this legislation do to make that situation fair? I don't think it does anything to make it fair. And so the real question is, how are we -- are we charging people accurately and fairly? It's not -- you would have less argument from me as to how they should be compensated as long as the ones that we're compensating are the ones that should be compensated. And you say, what makes the rates so high? What makes us three times Indiana and two times Missouri?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Forty seconds. SENATOR McCARTER: It's the number of claims. It's the number of claims. And we don't mind paying people and protecting people and getting them well, but when they make claims that are false and they're still paid, that's not right, and that's what really needs reformed. There's no value on this bill that I know of yet in dollars. It doesn't go far enough. I wish we could've gone in the direction I just stated and that is to find out who should really be paid justly. Thank you.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Senator McCann, for what purpose do you seek recognition? SENATOR McCANN: 42 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 Will the sponsor yield, please?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Sponsor indicates he will yield. SENATOR McCANN: Senator, I remember when you carried the last bill, or at least the bill in 2011. I'm not sure if that was the last bill per se, but I remember rising and asking you a few questions and making a few comments, and in my closing speech, I made a remark that I -- I -- I remember so well. And that remark was -- I -- I asked a question. I said, "What is workers' comp reform?" And - - and I rhetorically answered it and said, "If there is no premium reduction to the ratepayers, the business community, the employers, then there is no real workman's comp reform." We can effect all of the inputs and we can effect all of the guidelines, but if there's no rate reduction - in other words, if the -- the employers don't see their premiums go down as a direct result of what we do - there is no workman's compensation reform. And I say that as one of the few people -- I've been in the construction business for twenty-five years and have paid hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of dollars in workman's compensation insurance. I also, as a worker, had a workman's compensation claim. So I think I am uniquely experienced to -- to speak on this subject. So, my question is -- you -- you broached it in your remarks, but what does this bill do to specifically make sure that insurance companies are passing on premium reductions to the employers?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Senator Raoul.
Thank you, Senator. Very good question. Well, a -- a -- a 43 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 couple of things. One of the things is, it -- it -- it creates an opportunity for the Department of Insurance to review the rates and review the premiums to make sure that employers are not being charged excessively based on the changes that we have in fact made and the changes that we're making within this bill. And then we also create the Workers' Compensation Premium Rates Task Force to make sure we study the -- the extent to which the premiums actually reflect the recommendations of NCCI, 'cause historically, post our 2011 reforms, NCCI recommended that those rates be reduced and that was not reflected into the -- in the premiums charged to Illinois employers and I think that they should be.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Senator McCarter. I'm sorry. Senator McCann. SENATOR McCANN: To the bill, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) To the bill. SENATOR McCANN: Yeah, thank you for that answer. I'm not sure, I -- I think I said in 2011 that the bill was not perfect, but I think if we held that standard to everything we voted on around here, we would probably never hold a vote on any bill. So, nothing is perfect. I'm not even going to claim I know -- that I'm intimate with all the details of this bill. But, again, speaking as someone who has paid workman's compensation premiums in the industry with probably the highest workman's compensation premiums in the State and the nation, while all the business groups have filed in opposition, this is one example of why I don't belong to many of those business groups anymore, is because lobbyists many times file in opposition 44 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 because two or three of their members told them to, but the people who actually are out there building this country are not seeing the reductions that they were promised. We passed a bill - and I'll -- I'll -- I'll wrap it up - we passed a bill in 2011 where the -- the -- the savings have been seen by the companies, but they have not been passed on to the payers, the ratepayers, the people that we say we care the most about, those - on this side of the aisle - those employers. Well, it's time to give the employers a break, and I don't know if this bill will fix it, but I'm willing to cast an Aye vote because what we did in 2011 certainly didn't fix it. Hopefully, this will at least get us a step further and call some attention to the problem. I heartily recommend an Aye vote.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Senator Barickman, for what purpose do you seek recognition?
Thanks, Mr. President. To the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) To the bill, Senator.
Ladies and Gentlemen, I -- I, first of all, want to extend my appreciation to the sponsor, who I know has worked hard on this bill - we talked about it in committee. And I think many of us on this side of the aisle appreciate the hard work that the sponsor has put in on this issue in years past and again here today. Unfortunately, I rise in opposition to the bill and, in doing so, want to draw attention to the climate that we have in -- in our State and the serious attention that I hope we as a Body will place on the economic conditions in our State. Illinois' loss of jobs 45 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 and inability to attract jobs is crushing our middle class. We - - some people talk about the job losses that occur to foreign nations. We've got to be real about the jobs that we are losing to our neighboring states, to our peers around our United States. Since 2009, Illinois has lost manufacturing jobs continuously. Think about what has happened since 2009: Michigan has seen an increase in manufacturing jobs of a hundred and sixty-four thousand jobs; Indiana, an increase, ninety-one thousand jobs; Ohio, increase, seventy-seven thousand manufacturing jobs; Wisconsin, increase, forty-one thousand jobs. Unfortunately, Illinois, in that same period, has seen a loss of sixteen hundred manufacturing jobs. That's right. Michigan -- in the same period, Michigan has seen growth of a hundred and sixty-four thousand jobs in manufacturing, yet Illinois has lost sixteen hundred jobs. To me, this is totally unacceptable. We need to see the job growth that comes through meaningful reforms to our workers' comp and other systems that create an economy -- or create a -- an environment in Illinois where we can begin to see middle-class job creation. Those jobs are critical to us retaining our population. Those jobs are critical to us attracting people from around the country who want to come to Illinois and work and have a job. Those jobs are critical to us in being able to provide the services and priorities of this State, whether they be education, human services, and beyond. And so I, today, believe this legislation falls far short in providing some of those necessary reforms that are critical to us and our State seeing the economic growth that we all…
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Thirty seconds. 46 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017
…we need to see here. As a result, I think this legislation -- falls far short for what is needed and I, unfortunately, recommend and urge a No vote. Thank you.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Senator McConnaughay, for what purpose do you seek recognition? SENATOR McCONNAUGHAY: Will the sponsor yield?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Sponsor indicates he will yield. SENATOR McCONNAUGHAY: Thank you. Thank you, Mr. President, and -- and thank you, Senator Raoul. You have worked on this issue for a long time and I have the utmost respect for you in this issue, as I do in many things that you work on, and I, like many of us here, have had at one time or another a role to play in negotiations in this Chamber on this issue. And I -- I think what frustrates me, and maybe you can help me understand this, that a week ago today, this Chamber was in the middle of a negotiation on this very issue that was very close. We were -- we were down to trading language and it was something that we would be able to answer to the business community, a recognized savings in cost, something that would be important in trying to get businesses to maintain a commitment to staying in our State, a suggestion to the business community in general that Illinois is a better place to do -- is a good place to do business, and also, more importantly, more than anything, by allowing -- or encouraging businesses to stay here, create jobs, much-needed job creation that we need all across the State. We 47 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 talk all the time about what goes on in the City of Chicago, that we've got kids who are really troubled and getting into -- and -- and getting into all kinds of trouble because there's no jobs. If we can't provide incentives to businesses coming to our State to stay in our State, how are we ever going to create jobs for the kids who need it most? That's just a concern that I have. I've asked that question before. I guess, though, my basic question today is, what happened to the -- to the negotiations that we were engaged in in this Chamber and why did we take that off the table and why are we putting something on the table today that there is -- in no way can we say is a savings to the business community that creates jobs?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Senator Raoul.
Senator, I'm so delighted that you asked that question. As you mentioned in your question, you were one of the individuals that I engaged with in negotiating comp -- workers' comp reform and there are several other point people that I engaged with during not just the last few weeks, but over the last year for certain. And part of the reason that the faces were changing as to who was negotiating the comp bill from one time to another is 'cause, throughout that period, we were always close and, at -- at certain points, we had deals, but the line -- the goalpost kept moving. We've been close for months and months and months. At a certain point, when you keep on moving the goalpost, we are not having good-faith negotiations. We've had tremendous savings on the table for a long time, not just for the last week, but for a long, long time, and there's a certain point where you're tired of negotiating 48 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 with yourself. And certainly one of the benefits of the delay tactics that had been used is that we've learned more from other states, like the State of Iowa, about AMA guidelines and how the -- even the author of the AMA guidelines have indicated that they should not be used in the way that it was being suggested for them to be used. So, I'm thankful for that. It's the one silver lining in -- in the delay tactics that have been used; that we've come to learn more about what we were about to potentially do to harm workers in the State of Illinois.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Senator McConnaughay, your time is up. Do you want to just give a brief statement? SENATOR McCONNAUGHAY: Yes.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Go ahead. SENATOR McCONNAUGHAY: We -- we will have to agree to disagree about who's moving the goalposts and -- and what was going on there. But here's one thing that I'm not going to -- be able to understand and will not be able to support this, and that is, medical fee schedule is where the real savings is at. We had an agreement in this Chamber that that was something that needed to be done and that's now off the table. I still don't understand why we took it off the table. Thank you.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Senator Nybo, for what purpose do you seek recognition?
To the bill, Mr. President. 49 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) To the bill, Senator.
Senator, it's been said before, but I think I want to say it again. This is not a workers' compensation reform bill. Workers' compensation distraction bill, perhaps. Workers' compensation delay bill, perhaps. Perhaps best said, this is a workers' compensation delay and distraction bill. You and I both know that there has been progress made and agreement on some very key issues in workers' compensation. And -- and if you were putting forth a bill to say we've agreed as much as we can agree and we're going to go forward, your argument would have some merit. But the fact that there are so many items missing from this bill that had already been agreed to lead me to the only reasonable conclusion and I think the conclusion that the business community has also come to, the people who actually employ workers and for whom they have to pay rates, is that this will do nothing to put us in a better situation with respect to workers' comp rates, but more broadly speaking, and I spoke a little bit about this on Tuesday, is -- is this is another step backwards. For several weeks, we've been moving forward, and you've been part of that progress, getting us closer to agreement, every day, every conversation. This is a step backwards. This will get us nowhere closer to reforming workers' compensation and it'll get us nowhere closer to solving this budget impasse and -- and -- and bringing resolution to some very important issues in this Chamber. I'd ask you to -- to consider taking this bill out of the record and -- and continue to have the negotiations that have been taking place, that we have been more than willing to engage with you, and if you're not 50 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 willing to do that, then I'm going to ask for a No vote, because this really is not helping us out at all.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Emilee Fannon, from WCIA, requests permission to video. There being no objection, leave is granted. Senator Raoul, to close.
Thank you -- thank you, Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate. The federal Department of Labor has -- has found that states are competing in a race to the bottom. During all of our negotiations, people have said that we should do this, that, or the other, based on what other states are doing. Our federal Department of Labor has recognized that many of those states are doing something unjust. And I had mentioned AMA guidelines. Even the author of AMA guidelines said that -- that the AMA guidelines, as used, are gender-biased and insensitive culturally and can have a negative impact on -- on such workers if they're misused, if they're used in isolation, as it's been suggested. I don't know who else, but I think I may be the only person in here that has represented employers in -- at -- at the Workers' Compensation Commission - not petitioners. I've represented employers. I've won cases based on they're not -- based on a causation standard - right? - based on it not -- the -- the -- the -- the -- the injury not arising out of in -- and in the course of employment, and we've codified that -- that standard. I've won cases on behalf of employers. This bill contains many of the elements of -- of -- of -- of the negotiations that we were having in this Chamber. And so, for those of you-all that say it doesn't have any reform in it, well, then, you were lying over the last few weeks, because many of those elements are in this bill. The characterization 51 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 that it's not workers' comp unless there -- there are people voting for it on one side of the aisle - borrowing a term from my friend on the other side of aisle - that's ridiculous! That's ridiculous! It's insane! Ladies and Gentlemen, this is workers' comp reform. 2011, we did do a thirty percent cut to the medical fee schedule. Yes, employers are not feeling the full savings of that thirty percent cut, because we did not hold insurance companies accountable. Now, their explanation, ironically, as to why they didn't pass the full savings on is because employment in Illinois has increased. We heard that in committee earlier this week, counter to what we were hearing on -- on the other side of the -- aisle. So I don't know which is which, you know. Or, you know, is -- is -- is employment decreasing because of workers' comp or is -- is -- or are the rates not being reduced because employment is increasing? You all have to resolve that. I spoke to many of the same members of the business community and they were upset - not upset with me, but upset with the process that the Governor's Office embraced. They were upset at the line moving. So you can reconcile that with those representatives. This is workers' comp reform. I think I know workers' comp. I've practiced workers' comp on behalf of employers. This, if implemented right, will save employers money and I urge an Aye vote.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) The question is, shall House Bill 2525 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, 19 voting Nay, 1 voting Present. House Bill 2525, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. House 52 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 Bill 2622. Senator Biss. Mr. Secretary, read the bill.
House Bill 2622. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Senator Biss.
Thank you, Mr. President, Members of the Senate. House Bill 2622 I think can be viewed as a companion to the bill that we just passed. In his closing remarks, the sponsor of that bill talks about the importance in holding insurance companies accountable to ensure that savings realized to the insurance companies are properly passed on to employers in the workers' compensation system. House Bill 2622 seeks to do that by creating the Illinois Employers Mutual Insurance Company. That's a nonprofit, independent, State-chartered entity that would be a not-for-profit competitor on the workers' compensation insurance marketplace. It -- there's, I would say, a fair amount of confusion in the discussion about this bill. This is not a State entity. It's not a State-funded entity. It's not a State-backed entity. It would -- it would function and be regulated like other workers' compensation entities, but it would be governed by a board appointed by the Governor of Illinois and it would be a not-for- profit entity. This is something that a number of states do. Well over a dozen states do something very similar to this and they have on average significantly lower workers' compensation insurance premiums. And there are several states that do much more heavy-handed things, that introduce monopolies or workers' 53 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 compensation insurance entities that are actually themselves state agencies. We felt that a light touch, a moderate approach, and something that is done successfully in a number of states was the best way forward. I look forward to your questions and would appreciate your support.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Any discussion? Senator McCarter, for what purpose do you seek recognition? SENATOR McCARTER: To the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) To the bill, Senator. SENATOR McCARTER: You know, I -- I don't quite understand why we think that we can create a new enterprise in this government that can fix a problem and succeed, we can't even fix ourself as it is now. Can't even fix our pensions. All we do is run deficits that force us to tax the people more. We make promises; we don't keep 'em. And now you want to create a whole new entity to fix the issue of work comp. Perhaps other states have done this, but I suggest they may not be as incompetent as ours fiscally. I urge a…(microphone cutoff)…
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Senator Righter, for what purpose do you seek recognition?
Will the sponsor yield, please, Mr. President?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Sponsor indicates he will yield.
54 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 Thank you. Senator Biss, how will this be paid for? And -- and I would ask, Senator Biss, obviously the timer's on, so maybe we can get two or three questions in here before the time runs out.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Senator Biss.
I want a clarification. Do you mean the setting up of this entity? Or do you mean the functioning of the entity?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Senator Righter.
Well, both. The -- there -- there's a reference in the bill to taking up to ten million dollars from a Workers' Compensation Commission fund and I'd like you to explain how that's going to work.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Senator Biss.
Thank you. That's the start-up costs. So the -- the bill allows for a loan of up to ten million dollars from the Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission (Operations) Fund to be repaid with interest. That's the only role that any kind of State fund would -- would play in this. It's purely a setup cost. And based on other entities that exist in many other states, like, for example, Missouri and Kentucky, we have strong reason to believe that would be more than adequate to do so. By the way, that fund has in it right now twenty-five million dollars as we're just five weeks from the end of the fiscal year. So that -- that amount of 55 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 money that's authorized by this bill is more than -- is easily available in the fund as it stands today and as it has traditionally stood.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Senator Righter.
To the bill, if I might.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) To the bill, Senator.
Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate, this is a phenomenally bad idea. The State of Connecticut played with this, but started up with -- or utilized ten times the amount of money here. One bad claim and this system, were it actually -- were it actually to become law and -- and come to fruition, one bad claim and this is wiped out, and then the guaranty fund is on the hook. The notion that you can file a bill and create an insurance company like this, it -- it doesn't work like that. This -- this government, which has so excelled at things like taking care of the poor, reducing poverty, balancing its budgets, providing for a strong economy, we've been so good at that, that we're now going to run our own insurance company. The issue here isn't whether or not we have a government-owned or a government-run insurance company; it's whether or not we have policies in place that provide for the fair distribution of risk and economic growth, which we don't have. The answer to that isn't to leap into the government saying, "Well, we're going to do this"; it's to change the policies that are creating the problems in the first place. The last bill, bills we've seen last -- last week, are simply piling -- they're not 56 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 solving problems; they're piling on to the severity of the problems. Please don't -- vote No. Thank you, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Senator Nybo, for what purpose do you seek recognition?
Thank you, Mr. President. Will the sponsor yield?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Indicates he will yield.
Senator, you're familiar with the concept of self-insurance, right?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Senator Biss.
Yes.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) …Nybo.
Explain to me then, for -- for -- for those employers that self-insure with workers' compensation, how will this bill be of benefit to them?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Senator Biss.
It will not.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Senator Nybo.
Senator, I suspect that you, like -- like I do, hear a lot 57 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 from employers that are concerned about the cost of workers' compensation, right? I mean you -- you've had these concerns brought to your intention -- to your attention perhaps from employers in your own district?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Senator Biss.
I have, from time to time, heard about concerns from employers in my district regarding workers' compensation. I've heard, from time to time, concerns from other employers. I've heard a few times from a few large, large employers outside of my district that are self-insured. I've heard from an awful lot more, employers in my own district, that are not self-insured, as most employers in the State of Illinois are not.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Senator Nybo.
…point -- good point, Senator. Do you have any understanding of what percentage of employers do self-insure for workers' compensation? Tell you what, forget that question. My understanding is, it's about a third of employers. I don't think it matters one way or another. But here -- here's the question. So I hear a lot from employers that are concerned and I hear a lot of concern from self-insured employers. It -- that would be lead me to conclude that there's something beyond insurance rates that's driving this problem, right?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Senator Biss.
58 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 I was very proud to vote for the previous bill that this Body considered. That was part of my recognition that there is work we certainly can and should do beyond simply the question of dealing with the insurance rates.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Senator Nybo.
To the bill, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) To the bill.
This, again, this issue, Senator, this is another distraction on -- on a real problem that we're trying to address in terms of growing our economy, putting people back to work, making it easier to -- to get ourselves back on track here. And the fact that so many concerns come from self-insured employers only suggests to me that -- that our problems with workers' compensation are so much more deeper than -- than this rate issue that you think you're trying to address. I'd encourage a No vote. Again, just another distraction on a real issue that we really need to come together on.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Senator Biss, to close.
Just quickly. My understanding is that less than one percent of Illinois employers are self-insured. In fact, the number that I've just been shown is only two hundred and forty employers in the entire State are self-insured. So it's close -- not -- not so close to a third. Listen, I just want to quickly respond to some 59 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 of what we've heard during this discussion. Again, this is being characterized as some kind of out-there idea. This is something that Kentucky does. This is something that Missouri does. This is something New Mexico and Nevada and Utah and Texas do - Arizona, Colorado. This is something that is done across the State -- the country in a lot of conservative states, some moderate and liberal states as well. It's sensible. It doesn't create an entity with any special priorities or with any new -- that creates any new special liability for anyone. It just creates another option to compete as a peer to the existing insurance companies on the market to help keep those companies honest and push rates down. It's a good idea. It's worked very successfully elsewhere. It's part of what we need to do to improve our business climate. I would strongly urge Aye votes.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Question is, shall House Bill 2622 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 Aye, 20 voting Nay, 1 voting Present. House Bill 2622, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. All Members of Committee on Assignments, please come to the President's Anteroom immediately. Senate will stand at ease. (at ease) Senate will come to order. Mr. Secretary, Committee Reports.
Senator Clayborne, Chairman of the Committee on Assignments, reports the following Legislative Measures have been assigned: Refer to Criminal Law Committee - Floor Amendment 1 to House Bill 531; re-refer from Insurance Committee to Executive Committee - 60 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 House Bill 302; refer to Executive Committee - Floor Amendment 2 to Senate Bill 1012, Committee Amendment 1 to House Bill 302, Floor Amendment 1 to House Bill 3399, House Bill 434, House Bill 2665, Motion to Concur with House Amendment 1 to Senate Bill 41, and Floor Amendment 1 to Senate Bill 32; refer to Gaming Committee - Floor Amendment 1 to Senate Bill 208; refer to Higher Education Committee - Motion to Concur with House Amendment 1 to Senate Bill 887; refer to Licensed Activities and Pensions Committee - Motion to Concur with House Amendment 2 to Senate Bill 768 and Motion to Concur with House Amendment 1 to Senate Bill 1811; refer to Public Health Committee - House Bill 1785; refer to Revenue Committee - Motion to Concur with House Amendment 3 to Senate Bill 473; refer to State Government Committee - Floor Amendment 1 to House Bill 2647, House Bill 348, House Bill 3293, and House Bill 3376; refer to Transportation Committee - House Bill 386; Be Approved for Consideration - Floor Amendment 2 to Senate Bill 453, Floor Amendment 1 to Senate Bill 484, Floor Amendment 1 to House Bill 2959, Floor Amendment 2 to House Bill 3922, Motion to Concur with House Amendment 1 to Senate Bill 764, and Motion to Concur with House Amendment 1 to Senate Bill 1693. Pursuant to Senate Rule 3- 8 (b-1), the following amendments will remain in the Committee on Assignments: Floor Amendment 1 to House Bill 3806. Signed, Senator James F. Clayborne, Chairman.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Ladies and Gentlemen, the intent is for us to go through House bills with the amendments. I know everybody wants to go home, so let's try to get through this as soon as we can. And don't forget, timer's going to be on. House Bill 3745. Senator Van Pelt. Indicates she wishes to proceed. Mr. Secretary, read the bill. 61 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017
House Bill 3745. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Senator Van Pelt.
There's an amendment, right? Deal with the amendment. All right. Thank you. House Bill 3745 is a -- is a bill that permits the school board -- a school board -- it says a school board shall permit community groups to advertise free events and free after- school programs pertinent to students' interests or involvement in a designated area of each school campus that is accessible and commonly used. All advertisements are subject to -- to and must be consistent with any procedures and guidelines established by the school board governing unit -- governing content, size, and any other reasonable limitation on advertising.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Is there any discussion? There being none, the question is, shall House Bill 3745 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 Aye, 13 voting Nay, 0 voting Present. House Bill 3745, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. House Bill 3791. Senator Tom Cullerton. Indicates he wishes to proceed. Mr. Secretary, read the bill.
House Bill 3791. 62 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Senator Cullerton.
Thank you, Mr. President. Senate {sic} Bill 3791 is a -- the amendment is going to include agent or affiliate of such title insurance company who is provided {sic} (approved) by such title insurance company to act under this Section, pursuant to the terms and requirements of the Title Insurance Act. I ask for an Aye vote.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Any discussion? There being none, the question is, shall House Bill 3791 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 Aye, 0 voting Nay, 1 voting Present. House Bill 3791, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. House Bill 3904. Senator Hutchinson. Senator Hutchinson seeks leave of the Body to return House Bill 38 -- 3904 to the Order of 2nd Reading. Leave is granted. On the Order of 2nd Reading is House Bill 3904. Mr. Secretary, are there any Floor amendments approved for consideration?
Yes. Floor Amendment No. 1, offered by Senator Hutchinson.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Senator Hutchinson, on the amendment.
63 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 I'd like to explain it on 3rd.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Is there any discussion? All those in favor will say Aye. Opposed, Nay. The Ayes have it, and amendment is adopted. Are there any further Floor amendments approved for consideration?
No further amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) 3rd Reading. On the Order of 3rd Reading, Mr. Secretary, read the bill.
House Bill 3904. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Senator Hutchinson.
Thank you, Mr. President and Members of the Body. House Bill 3904 requires the Department of Corrections to create a permanent Women's Division under the direct supervision of the Director of Corrections. House Bill 3904 provides that the Women's Division shall have statewide authority and operational oversight for all of the Department's women's correctional centers and women's adult transition centers. It provides that the Director shall appoint, with the advice and consent of the Senate, a Chief Administrator for the Women's Division who has received nationally recognized and -- specialized training in gender-responsive and trauma- informed policies and practices. I don't know of any opposition for this bill and I would appreciate your support. 64 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Is there any discussion? The question is, shall House Bill 3904 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 52 voting Aye, 0 voting Nay, 0 voting Present. House Bill 3904, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. House Bill 4011. Senator Silverstein. Senator Silverstein seeks leave of the Body to return House Bill 4011 to the Order of 2nd Reading. Leave is granted. On the Order of 2nd Reading is House Bill 4011. Mr. Secretary, are there any Floor amendments approved for consideration?
Yes. Floor Amendment 2, offered by Senator Silverstein.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Senator Silverstein, on your amendment.
Thank you, Mr. President. Amendment No. 2 replaces the Secretary of State as the authorized individual to release these funds to IEMA, which was a request of Senator Tracy.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Is there any discussion? All those in favor will… You want to speak on the amendment, Senator? Go ahead. For what purpose do you seek recognition? Is there any discussion? 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. 65 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) 3rd Reading. On the Order of 3rd Reading, Mr. Secretary, read the bill.
House Bill 4011. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Senator Silverstein.
Thank you, Mr. President. This amends the Illinois Emergency Management Act by providing security grants to non-for-profits. It will be administered by IEMA. And Senator Tracy was one hundred percent right in having us amend the bill. I'd ask for your support.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Senator McCarter, for what purpose do you seek recognition? SENATOR McCARTER: To the bill, please.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) To the bill, Senator. SENATOR McCARTER: Just to let everybody know that this is subject to appropriations. This ended -- this began as asking the Secretary of State to oversee these grants and then it -- it naturally went to IEMA, but I -- as -- even though that was a good change, this is subject to approp and I would urge a No vote.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Senator Silverstein, to close. The question is, shall House 66 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 Bill 4011 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 48 voting Aye, 2 voting Nay, 0 voting Present. House Bill 4011, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. House Bill 760. Senator Silverstein. Mr.… Senator Silverstein seeks leave of the Body to return House Bill 760 to the Order of 2nd Reading. Leave is granted. On the Order of 2nd Reading is House Bill 760. Mr. Secretary, are there any Floor amendments approved for consideration?
Floor -- Floor Amendment No. 1, offered by Senator Silverstein.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Senator Silverstein, on your amendment.
…you -- thank you, Mr. President. This originally came over for a bond issuance for Skokie. We're adding LaGrange Park Ridge {sic} (Brookfield LaGrange Park) school district to issue a bond issue for about twenty million dollars to improve their schools.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Is there any discussion? 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 MUÑOZ) 3rd Reading. On the Order of 3rd Reading, Mr. Secretary, read the bill. 67 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017
House Bill 760. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Senator Silverstein.
Thank you, Mr. President. This is for two park districts -- school districts to issue bonds for approximately twenty million dollars for renovation of their elementary and middle schools in Skokie and Brookfield LaGrange Park districts.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) There any discussion? The question is, shall House Bill 760 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 51 voting Aye, 1 voting Nay, 0 voting Present. House Bill 760, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. Senator Righter, for what purpose do you seek recognition?
Point of personal privilege, if I might, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Please proceed.
Thank you. I would ask that the record please reflect my intention to have voted in favor of House Bill 3904. I negligently stepped away from my switch and missed the roll call. Thank you.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Record will reflect, Senator. House Bill 159. Senator 68 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 Hutchinson. Senator Hutchinson seeks leave of the Body to return House Bill 159 to the Order of 2nd Reading. Leave is granted. On the Order of 2nd Reading is House Bill 159. Mr. Secretary, are there any Floor amendments approved for consideration?
Yes. Floor Amendment No. 1, offered by Senator Hutchinson.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Senator Hutchinson.
Floor Amendment No. 1 becomes the bill. I'd like to explain on 3rd.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Is there any discussion? 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 MUÑOZ) 3rd Reading. On the Order of 3rd Reading, Mr. Secretary, read the bill.
House Bill 159. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Senator Hutchinson.
Thank you, Mr. President. House Bill 159 creates a special assessment formula in the Property Tax Code for keystone property. 69 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 Keystone property is defined as a prominent property in the Village of Park Forest…
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) I'm sorry. One second, Senator. There might've… Mr. Secretary, we have to move the -- to 3rd. We've read that bill for a second time. We're just going to put it on 3rd Reading. House Bill 1-7-3. Senator Koehler. Senator Koehler seeks leave of the Body to return House Bill 173 to the Order of 2nd Reading. Leave is granted. On the Order of 2nd Reading is House Bill 173. Mr. Secretary, are there any Floor amendments approved for consideration?
Yes. Floor Amendment 1, offered by Senator Koehler.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Senator Koehler, on your amendment.
I'd like to move for the adoption. I'll speak to it on 3rd.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Any discussion? 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 MUÑOZ) 3rd Reading. On the Order of 3rd Reading, Mr. Secretary, read the bill.
House Bill 173. (Secretary reads title of bill) 70 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Senator Koehler.
Thank you, Mr. President, Members of the Senate. A pretty straightforward bill. Says that HFS may not deny a request for a delay of payment of the assessment for a long-term care provider if a managed care organization has not been paid by the State. I know of no opponents and I'd appreciate an Aye vote.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Is there any discussion? There being none, the question is, shall House Bill 173 pass. All those in favor, vote Aye. Opposed, Nay. The voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Take the record. On that question, there are 53 voting Aye, 0 voting Nay, 0 voting Present. House Bill 173, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. House Bill 299. Senator Biss. Mr. Secretary, read -- no. Senator Biss seeks leave of the Body to return House Bill 299 to the Order of 2nd Reading. Leave is granted. On the Order of 2nd Reading is House Bill 299. Mr. Secretary, are there any Floor amendments approved for consideration?
Yes. Floor Amendment 1, offered by Senator Biss.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Senator Biss, on your amendment.
I move for its adoption.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) 71 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 There any discussion? 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 MUÑOZ) 3rd Reading. On the Order of 3rd Reading, Mr. Secretary, read the bill.
House Bill 299. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Senator Biss.
Thank you, Mr. President. As now amended, House Bill 299 does two things. It amends the SURS Article of the Pension Code to clarify a -- a -- a provision we created around return to work a few years ago and then it also adds the SURS technical corrections package of 2017. I know of no opposition and would appreciate your support.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Is there any discussion? There being none, all -- the question is, shall House Bill 299 pass. All those in favor, vote Aye. Opposed, Nay. The voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Take the record. On that question, there are 54 voting Aye, 0 voting Nay, 0 voting Present. House Bill 299, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. House Bill 305. 72 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 Senator Bennett -- Barickman. Senator Barickman seeks leave of the Body to return House Bill 305 to the Order of 2nd Reading. Leave is granted. On the Order of 2nd Reading is House Bill 305. Mr. Secretary, are there any Floor amendments approved for consideration?
Floor Amendment 1, offered by Senator Barickman.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Senator Barickman, on your amendment.
Thanks, Mr. President. The amendment addresses one change requested by Senator Landek.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Is there any discussion? 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 MUÑOZ) 3rd Reading. On the Order of 3rd Reading, Mr. Secretary, read the bill.
House Bill 305. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Senator Barickman.
Thank you, Mr. President. House Bill 305 is an amendment to 73 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 the Illinois Municipal Code that the requirement that a police applicant possess an associate's degree may be waived if the applicant has at least sixty credit hours towards a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university. Ask for an Aye vote.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Discussion? The question is, shall House Bill 305 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 Aye, 0 voting Nay, 0 voting Present. House Bill 305, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. House Bill 311. Senator Holmes. Senator Holmes seeks leave of the Body to return House Bill 311 to the Order of 2nd Reading. Leave is granted. On the Order of 2nd Reading is House Bill 311. Mr. Secretary, are there any Floor amendments approved for consideration? The amendment was already adopted. Mr. Secretary, put it on 3rd Reading and then you can read the bill for the third time.
House Bill 311. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Senator Holmes.
Thank you so much, Mr. President. This is actually a strong consumer protection bill and it does three things. It makes sure that consumers of State-regulated health plans get what they pay 74 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 for by ensuring networks of medical providers are adequate, ensures that networks offered by health plans are actually up to date and plans are transparent to consumers when they make changes to the network, and that patients who have complex medical needs or who are nearing the end of a pregnancy can continue their care uninterrupted. This bill is a consumer protection bill. It has been worked on for a couple of years. There is no opposition to the bill. I would ask for its support.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) The question is, shall House Bill 311 pass. All those in favor, vote Aye. Opposed, Nay. The voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Take the record. On that question, there are 53 voting Aye, 0 voting Nay, 0 voting Present. House Bill 311, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. House Bill 350. Senator Althoff. Senator Althoff. Mr. Secretary, read the bill.
House Bill 350. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Senator Althoff.
Thank you, Mr. President. House Bill 350 amends the Illinois Pension Code to affect all covered employers. For new hires, provides for the forfeiture of benefits for any person who otherwise would receive a survivor benefit but has been convicted of any felony. This was basically a result of the situation that 75 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 occurred in Fox Lake with Lieutenant Gliniewicz. I'd appreciate an Aye vote.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Any discussion? The question is, shall House Bill 350 pass. All those in favor, vote Aye. Opposed, Nay. The voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Take the record. On that question, there are 54 voting Aye, 0 voting Nay, 0 voting Present. House Bill 350, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. House Bill 370. Senator Link. Senator Link seeks leave of the Body to return House Bill 370 to the Order of 2nd Reading. Leave is granted. On the Order of 2nd Reading is House Bill 370. Mr. Secretary, are there any Floor amendments approved for consideration?
Yes. Floor Amendment 2, offered by Senator Link.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Senator Link, on your amendment.
Thank you, Mr. President. Basic amendment - it changes it from "shall" to "may". And I'll talk about it -- wish for its adoption. Talk about it on 3rd Reading.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) There any discussion? 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 MUÑOZ) 76 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 3rd Reading. Mr. -- on the Order of 3rd Reading, Mr. Secretary, read the bill.
House Bill 370. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Senator Link.
Thank you, Mr. President. This just requires school -- public schools to post the current telephone number and -- of the Department of Child {sic} (Children) and Family Services abuse hotline and it says they "may" post the sign. I know of no -- nobody -- opposition to the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Is there any discussion? The question is, shall House Bill 370 pass. All those in favor, vote Aye. Opposed, Nay. The voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Take the record. On that question, there are 53 voting Aye, 0 voting Nay, 0 voting Present. House Bill 370, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. House Bill 534. Senator Althoff. Mr. Secretary, read the bill.
House Bill 534. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Senator Althoff. 77 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017
Thank you very much, Mr. President. House Bill 534 authorizes the Director of Natural Resources to exchange two parcels of land to {sic} (in) Lake County for flood control improvements in exchange for one parcel of land from Lake County to IDNR. It's been an ongoing intergovernmental relationship for years. Now they're just actually conveying the properties. I'd appreciate an Aye vote.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Is there any discussion? The question is, shall House Bill 534 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 Aye, 0 voting Nay, 0 voting Present. House Bill 534, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. House Bill 622. Senator Biss. Senator Biss seeks leave of the Body to return House Bill 622 to the Order of 2nd Reading. Leave is granted. On the Order of 2nd Reading is House Bill 622. Mr. Secretary, are there any Floor amendments approved for consideration?
Floor Amendment 1, offered by Senator Biss.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Senator Biss, on your amendment.
I move for its adoption.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Is there any discussion? All those in favor, say Aye. Opposed, Nay. The Ayes have it, and the amendment is adopted. 78 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 Are there any further Floor amendments approved for consideration?
No further amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) 3rd Reading. On the Order of 3rd Reading, Mr. Secretary, read the bill.
House Bill 622. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Senator Biss.
Thank you, Mr. President, Members. House Bill 622, as amended, amends the Illinois Public Labor Relations Act to clarify that a decision of the Labor Relations Board is not automatically stayed pending appeal. This just codifies current practice and the amendment that we just adopted removes CMS's opposition as well.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Is there any discussion? The question is, shall Senate {sic} Bill 622 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. There are 53 voting Aye, 0 voting Nay, 0 voting Present. House Bill 622, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. House Bill 763. Senator Mulroe. Senator Mulroe seeks leave of the Body to return House Bill 763 to the Order of 2nd Reading. Leave is granted. On the Order of 2nd Reading is House Bill 763. 79 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 Mr. Secretary, are there any Floor amendments approved for consideration?
Floor Amendment 2, offered by Senator Mulroe.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Senator Mulroe, on your amendment.
Thank you, Mr. President, Members of the Senate. I move for its adoption. I'd be happy to explain it on 3rd.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Is there any discussion? 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 MUÑOZ) 3rd Reading. On the Order of 3rd Reading, Mr. Secretary, read the bill.
House Bill 763. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Senator Mulroe.
Thank you, Mr. President. House Bill 763 amends the Alternative Health Care Delivery Act to increase the number of children allowed under the children's community-based health care center model from no more than twelve children at a time to no 80 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 more than sixteen children at a time in facilities on a grade level -- or a grade for Life Safety Code. This would only affect Maryville Academy in my district. They take care of medically fragile children. They have room to take care of four more and that's why we're seeking the change. The amendment actually removed Lurie's Children's opposition. The changes to this -- as part of this bill -- the underlying bill also affect the Illinois Health Facilities Planning Act - the recommendation of the -- recommendations of the Illinois Health Facilities and Review Board. The changes comply with recent statutory and administrative rule amendments. As of now, I know of no amendments -- or no opponents. I'd ask for your support.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Is there any discussion? The question is, shall Senate {sic} Bill 763 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 Aye, 0 voting Nay, 0 voting Present. House Bill 763, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. House Bill 771. Senator Schimpf. Senator Schimpf seeks leave of the Body to return House Bill 7-7-1 to the Order of 2nd Reading. Leave is granted. On the Order of 2nd Reading is House Bill 771. Mr. Secretary, are there any Floor amendments approved for consideration?
Floor Amendment 1, offered by Senator Schimpf.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Senator Schimpf, on your amendment.
81 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 Thank you, Mr. President. I'll explain on 3rd. I ask for the amendment's adoption.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Is there any discussion? 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 MUÑOZ) 3rd Reading. On the Order of 3rd Reading, Mr. Secretary, read the bill.
House Bill 771. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Senator Schimpf.
Thank you again, Mr. President, Members of the Senate. House Bill 771 is an initiative of the Illinois Firefighter {sic} (Firefighters) Association and the Illinois Fire Caucus. The bill is intended to address the shortage of volunteer firefighters. It does not solve that problem, but is a small, necessary step in the right direction. The bill amends the Municipal Code to allow local fire chiefs to include volunteer firefighters in the pool for competitive bids under the Government {sic} (Governmental) Joint Purchasing Act. This means that volunteer firefighters could be included in the pool of individuals who purchase tires at a discounted rate in the competitive bid process. There is no cost 82 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 to the State of Illinois and private companies are not being forced to do anything. The amendment simply clarifies that a -- that a volunteer is somebody that does not receive compensation. I'm happy to answer any questions on the bill and I respectfully ask for your support.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Is there any discussion? Senator Syverson, for what purpose do you seek recognition?
Thank you. Just a quick question -- two quick questions. Number one is, do they…
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Sponsor indicates he will yield.
Thank you, Mr. President. Now, do they pay -- they pay sales tax on this or do they just get the same discounted purchase through their -- do they just buy it right through the same vendor that's -- that they're working with?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Senator Schimpf.
It's my understanding of the competitive bid process is that they are included in a -- in a pool that a vendor then decides to offer a discounted tire price to. So they would be -- they would be saving, perhaps, fifteen percent on a set of tires. They're allowed to make one purchase every three years. So we're looking at probably about a sixty-dollar savings to a volunteer firefighter.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) 83 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 Senator Syverson.
So, then, would that be because the -- I would guess, because it's business to business, there wouldn't be a sales tax? They wouldn't pay a sales tax on those?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Senator Schimpf.
It really depends on whatever the -- whatever the competitive bid process sets up. It could -- you know, my understanding is, it could go either way.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Senator Syverson.
You've mentioned for the volunteers that aren't paid. A lot of these volunteers, they will get a stipend or a minimum dollar amount, so would that exclude those individuals? Or maybe we need to -- if the bill doesn't say that maybe, maybe we just need to restate that, because I think many volunteers are actually paid a -- a small stipend.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Senator Schimpf.
That's -- that's what the amendment addresses. It specifically adds that a volunteer firefighter is somebody that receives no monetary compensation for their duties.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Senator Syverson.
84 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 Do most volunteers receive no -- I -- I -- I thought most volunteers received a -- a -- a minimal stipend for -- for being a volunteer. Is that -- I don't know what that number is, but…
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Senator Schimpf.
My understanding is that it -- it varies from -- it varies from district to district. I'm sure in some -- some districts, they -- they may; others, they do not.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Senator Syverson.
Thank you. Then, that's fine. As -- I'll go with that then, that -- so, if you're totally volunteer, you don't get any kind of stipend, then -- if you get a stipend of any kind, then you wouldn't qualify for this, and so -- and I hope they're not getting their tires through CMS; otherwise, they could've bought at retail a whole lot cheaper than discounting it through CMS. But thank you for answering the questions.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Senator Schimpf, to close.
I'd simply ask for an Aye vote. This is something -- there are no State funds involved. This is something that addresses a problem that's been well -- well-documented. We have a shortage of volunteer firefighters. I would ask for an Aye vote. Thank you.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) The question is, shall House Bill 771 pass. All those in 85 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 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 48 voting Aye, 4 voting Nay, 0 voting Present. House Bill 771, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. House Bill 791. Senator McConnaughay. Mr. Secretary, read the bill.
House Bill 791. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Senator McConnaughay. SENATOR McCONNAUGHAY: Thank you, Mr. President. HB 791 adds autonomous vehicles to the Illinois Vehicle Code and acknowledges that -- that the regulation for such should really be at the State level. And what this does is it prevents confusion of a patchwork of regulation at the local level and restricts any development by individual cities within their boundaries. I know of no opposition. I would appreciate an Aye vote.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) There any discussion? The question is, shall House Bill 791 pass. All those in favor, vote Aye. Opposed, Nay. 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 Aye, 0 voting Nay, 0 voting Present. House Bill 791, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. House Bill 799. Senator McConnaughay. Senator McConnaughay seeks leave of the Body to return House Bill 799 to 86 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 the Order of 2nd Reading. Leave is granted. On the Order of 2nd Reading is House Bill 799. Mr. Secretary, are there any Floor amendments approved for consideration?
Yes. Floor Amendment 1, offered by Senator McConnaughay.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Senator McConnaughay, on your amendment. SENATOR McCONNAUGHAY: Thank you, Mr. President. I'll explain the change on 3rd, if possible, please.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) There any discussion? 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 MUÑOZ) 3rd Reading. On the Order of 3rd Reading, Mr. Secretary, read the bill.
…Bill 799. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Senator McConnaughay. SENATOR McCONNAUGHAY: Thank you. This bill amends the Illinois Highway Code and provides that the Department of Transportation and local units of government shall post notice of highway detour locations on their 87 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 respective websites no later than ten days before a detour becomes active. The amendment dealt with the specifics as it relates to unanticipated emergency detours. And, again, I know of no opposition. Appreciate an Aye vote.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Is there any discussion? The question is, shall House Bill 799 pass. All those in favor, say {sic} 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 54 voting Aye, 0 voting Nay, 0 voting Present. House Bill 799, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. House Bill 1542. Senator Schimpf. Senator Schimpf seeks leave of the Body to return House Bill 1542 to the Order of 2nd Reading. Leave is granted. On the Order of 2nd Reading is House Bill 1542. Mr. Secretary, are there any Floor amendments approved for consideration?
Floor Amendment 1, offered by Senator Schimpf.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Senator Schimpf, on your amendment.
I'll explain on 3rd. Ask for the amendment's adoption.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Any discussion? 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 MUÑOZ) 88 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 3rd Reading. On the Order of 3rd Reading, Mr. Secretary, read the bill.
House Bill 1542. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Senator Schimpf.
Thank you again, Mr. President, Members of the Senate. This -- this bill amends the Principal and Income Tax {sic} Act to provide that royalties, lease bonuses, and other interest from the sale of oil or gas from non-coal formations are deemed income. The amendment clarifies that this does not apply to -- to trusts because it's -- the estate planning is a little bit more complicated with those. I know of no opposition to this bill and I would ask for an Aye vote.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Any discussion? The question is, shall House Bill 1542 pass. All those in favor, vote Aye. Opposed, Nay. The voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Take the record. On that question, there are 54 voting Aye, 0 voting Nay, 0 voting Present. House Bill 1542, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. House Bill 1560. Senator Link seeks leave of the Body to return House Bill 1560 to the Order of 2nd Reading. Leave is granted. On the Order of 2nd Reading is House Bill 1560. Mr. Secretary, are there any Floor amendments approved for consideration?
89 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 Floor Amendment 1, offered by Senator Link.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Senator Link, on your amendment.
Thank you, Mr. President. I just would ask for its adoption and I'll talk about it on 3rd Reading.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) There any discussion? 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 2, offered by Senator Link.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) 3rd Reading. On the -- sorry, we have a Floor -- Floor Amendment 2, Senator Link. Senator Link.
Thank you, Mr. President. I would ask for its adoption and I will discuss it on 3rd Reading.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Is there any discussion? 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 MUÑOZ) 3rd Reading. On the Order of 3rd Reading, Mr. Secretary, read the bill.
House Bill 1560. 90 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Senator Link.
Thank you, Mr. President. This just -- it allows an agreement for the sale of used motor vehicles to be voidable to -- at the option of the consumer, unless the agreement contains a separate document to -- set off (from) the body of the agreement outlining a fifteen-day, five-hundred-mile warranty. This is an agreed-upon bill. I know of no objection to the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Is there any discussion? The question is, shall House Bill 1560 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 54 voting Aye, 0 voting Nay, 0 voting Present. House Bill 1560, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. John O'Connor, Associated Press, requests leave still -- video. There being no objection, leave is granted. House Bill 1896. Senator Rose. Senator Rose seeks leave of the Body to return House Bill 1896 to the Order of 2nd Reading. Leave is granted. On the Order of 2nd Reading is House Bill 1896. Mr. Secretary, are there any Floor amendments approved for consideration?
Floor Amendment 1, offered by Senator Rose.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Senator Rose, on your amendment. 91 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017
…you -- thank you. This is technical change to the underlying bill. I'd like to adopt it. We can talk about the whole thing on 3rd.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) There any discussion? 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 MUÑOZ) 3rd Reading. On the Order of 3rd Reading, Mr. Secretary, read the bill.
House Bill 1896. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Senator Rose.
Thank you. House Bill 1896 simply says that township funds shall not exceed an amount equal to -- greater than two and a half times the average annual expenditure. This is in conformance with the Second District Appellate Court case. Thank you, Mr. President. Ask for its favorable adoption.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Is there any discussion? The question is, shall House Bill 1896 pass. All those in favor will vote Aye. Opposed, Nay. The voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? 92 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 Have all voted who wish? Take the record. On that question, there are 54 voting Aye, 0 voting Nay, 0 voting Present. House Bill 1896, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. House Bill 1954. Senator Holmes. Senator Holmes seeks leave of the Body to return House Bill 1954 to the Order of 2nd Reading. Leave is granted. On the Order of 2nd Reading is House Bill 1954. Mr. Secretary, are there any Floor amendments approved for consideration?
Floor Amendment 2, offered by Senator Holmes.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Senator Holmes, on your amendment.
I would ask that that be adopted and I'll explain it on 3rd.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) There any discussion? 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 MUÑOZ) 3rd Reading. On the Order of 3rd Reading, Mr. Secretary, read the bill.
House Bill 1954. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Senator Holmes. 93 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017
…much, Mr. President. House Bill 1954, as amended, provides that the notice of a cancellation of an insurance policy must be mailed to the named insured at the last mailing address known by the company, no longer requiring that notice be sent to any relevant mortgage or lienholder of the property in order for the cancellation to be effective. There's a few more provisions. Basically what we're doing is aligning Illinois law with the -- National Association of the {sic} Insurance Commissioners model laws, regulations, and guidelines. I'll be happy to answer any questions.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Is there any discussion? The question is, shall House Bill 1954 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 54 voting Aye, 0 voting Nay, 0 voting Present. House Bill 1954, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. House Bill 2363. Senator Connelly. Mr. Secretary, read the bill. Senator Connelly seeks leave of the Body to return House Bill 2363 to the Order of 2nd Reading. Leave is granted. On the Order of 2nd Reading is House Bill 2363. Mr. Secretary, are there any Floor amendments approved for consideration?
Yes. Floor Amendment 1, offered by Senator Connelly.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Senator Connelly, on your amendment.
94 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 Thank you, Mr. President. I move for its adoption.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Is there any discussion? 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 MUÑOZ) 3rd Reading. On the Order of 3rd Reading, Mr. Secretary, read the bill.
House Bill 2363. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Senator Connelly.
Thank you, Mr. President, Members of the Senate. House Bill 2363 amends the Highway Code. It provides flexibility for municipalities to plan for the use of motor fuel tax funds in their long-range highway transportation plans. There's no opponents and I ask for an Aye vote.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Is there any discussion? The question is, shall House Bill 2363 pass. All those in favor, vote Aye. Opposed, Nay. The voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Take the record. On that question, there are 52 voting Aye, 0 voting Nay, 0 voting Present. House Bill 2363, having received the required constitutional majority, is 95 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 declared passed. House Bill 2545. Senator Weaver. …Secretary, read the bill.
House Bill 2545. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Senator Weaver.
Thank you, Mr. President. This is a bill that came over from the House and amends the School Code. We've worked on it a little bit to make it -- I know it's a mandate - some people are concerned about that - but we've worked to try to make it a little bit better for schools to be able to deal with. And what it does, it requires that every two years, not every year, suicide prevention training needs to be done for school personnel. Also, it made it a little bit easier in how school personnel have to do that, going from just in-service training to they can do it at any other appropriate time when school's in session. There's no objections and I request an Aye vote. Thank you.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Is there any discussion? The question is, shall House Bill 2545 pass. All those in favor, vote Aye. Opposed, Nay. The voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Take the record. On that question, there are 53 voting Aye, 0 voting Nay, 0 voting Present. House Bill 2545, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. House Bill 2550. Senator Fowler. Senator Fowler seeks leave of the Body to return House Bill 2550 to the Order of 96 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 2nd Reading. Leave is granted. On the Order of 2nd Reading is House Bill 2550. Mr. Secretary, are there any Floor amendments approved for consideration?
Floor Amendment 1, offered by Senator Fowler.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Senator Fowler, on your amendment.
Yes, thank you, Mr. President. This amendment clarifies the Office of the State Fire Marshal administers the Illinois Fire Fighters' Memorial Fund. Ask for its adoption, please.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Is there any discussion? 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 MUÑOZ) 3rd Reading. On the Order of 3rd Reading, Mr. Secretary, read the bill.
House Bill 2550. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) …Fowler.
Thank you, Mr. President. This is an initiative of the Illinois State Fire Marshal. This legislation is intended to 97 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 clarify that the Illinois State -- Fire Marshal can use proceeds from the Illinois Fire Fighters' Memorial plate for scholarships and vocational programs at community colleges and trade schools. Ask for its adoption, please.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) …any discussion? The question is, shall House Bill 2550 pass. All those in favor will say {sic} 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 Aye, 0 voting Nay, 0 voting Present. House Bill 2550, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. House Bill 2572. Senator Brady. Senator Brady seeks leave of the Body to return House Bill 2572 to the Order of 2nd Reading. Leave is granted. On the Order of 2nd Reading is House Bill 2572. Mr. Secretary, are there any Floor amendments approved for consideration?
Floor Amendment 1, offered by Senator Brady.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Senator Brady, on your amendment.
Thank you, Mr. President. I'd ask for its adoption and I'll explain it on 3rd Reading.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Is there any discussion? 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. 98 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) 3rd Reading. On the Order of 3rd Reading, Mr. Secretary, read the bill.
House Bill 2572. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Senator Brady.
Thank you, Mr. President. This authorizes the Department of Military Affairs to convey unused property in Tazewell County to the City of Delavan or Delavan Township Park District.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Is there any discussion? The question is, shall House Bill 2572 pass. All those in favor, vote Aye. Opposed, Nay. The voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Take the record. On that question, there are 54 voting Aye, 0 voting Nay, 0 voting Present. House Bill 2572, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. House Bill 2589. Senator Hunter. Senator Hunter seeks leave of the Body to return House Bill 2589 to the Order of 2nd Reading. Leave is granted. On the Order of 2nd Reading is House Bill 2589. Mr. Secretary, are there any Floor amendments approved for consideration?
Floor Amendment 1, offered by Senator Hunter.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Senator Hunter, on your amendment. 99 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017
I wish to adopt and I'll explain it on 3.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Any discussion? 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 MUÑOZ) 3rd Reading. On the Order of 3rd Reading, Mr. Secretary, read the bill.
House Bill 2589. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Senator Hunter.
Thank you, Mr. President. House Bill 2589 requires that a youth in care -- custody of the Department of Children and Family Services be assigned a caseworker to attend any hearings involving that youth. And with the amendment, it -- it moves the language from the Unified Code of Corrections to the Department of Children and Family Services Act. And I know of no opposition and I would ask for a positive vote.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Any discussion? All those in favor will say Aye. Opposed, Nay. Oh, no. Sorry. Yes. The question is, shall House Bill 2589 pass. All those in favor, vote Aye. Opposed, Nay. The 100 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 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 Aye, 0 voting Nay, 0 voting Present. House Bill 2589, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. Senator Mulroe, for what purpose do you seek recognition?
Thank you, Mr. President. A -- a -- for purposes of introduction.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Proceed.
Thank you, Mr. President. Members of the Senate, I'd like you to welcome a few people to Springfield today. Lori -- Laura Parry is a friend of mine. She's here with Edgebrook Elementary School. They are actually located in Senator Silverstein's district. There are about fifty seventh graders and they're here to learn more about the -- the way our history -- history of Illinois works and how we work. So if you can give them a warm welcome to Springfield, I'd appreciate it.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Will our guests in the gallery please rise? Welcome to the Illinois Senate. Senator Fowler, for what purpose do you seek recognition?
Thank you, Mr. President. I apologize. I missed the vote on -- on House Bill 2589. I ask to be recorded as an Aye -- Aye vote, please.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) 101 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 Record will reflect, Senator. House Bill -- Senator Syverson, for what purpose do you seek recognition?
Just a quick point of personal privilege.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Proceed, Senator.
Thank you. I know that many of us have been suffering from the problem of a paper shortage here in the Capitol, and after doing a little research today, I think I've discovered part of the problem, where that fault lies. And we have a -- we have a Senator on the Republican side that has sponsored fifty-five pieces of legislation, a hundred and twenty-one co-sponsorships, one hundred and twenty-four resolutions, and we anticipate that's somewhere between -- over six thousand pages of paper. So I'd like to thank Senator Althoff for using all the paper we have in the Capitol. So, thank you, Senator Althoff.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) House Bill 2641. Senator Bennett. No. House Bill 2641. Senator Bennett seeks leave of the Body to return House Bill 2641 to the Order of 2nd Reading. Leave is granted. On the Order of 2nd Reading is House Bill 2641. Mr. Secretary, are there any Floor amendments approved for consideration?
Floor Amendment 1, offered by Senator Bennett.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Senator Bennett, on your amendment.
Thank you, Mr. President. The amendment would simply 102 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 restructure how members are appointed to a task force. I'd ask for its adoption.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) There any discussion? 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 MUÑOZ) 3rd Reading. On the Order of 3rd Reading, Mr. Secretary, read the bill.
House Bill 2641. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Senator Bennett.
Thank you, Mr. President. The -- House Bill 2641 would create the Protection of Individuals with Disabilities in the Criminal Justice (System) Task Force. Essentially, it would be a group of judges and other principals in the criminal justice field. They would get together to discuss how those with disabilities could be better served in the criminal justice system and then make recommendations. I'd ask for an Aye vote.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Is there any discussion? The question is, shall House Bill 2641 pass. All those in favor, vote Aye. Opposed, Nay. The voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? 103 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 Have all voted who wish? Take the record. On that question, there are 53 voting Aye, 0 voting Nay, 0 voting Present. House Bill 2641, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. House Bill 2702. Senator Hastings seeks leave of the Body to return House Bill 2702 to the Order of 2nd Reading. Leave is granted. On the Order of 2nd Reading is House Bill 2702. Mr. Secretary, are there any Floor amendments approved for consideration?
Floor Amendment No. 1, offered by Senator Hastings.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Senator Hastings, on your amendment.
Mr. President, I believe there's two Floor amendments. I'm sorry, I'm -- I stand corrected, Mr. President. This addresses the concerns of ITLA {sic} (ILTA). It also creates financial obligations for an independent escrowee that includes maintaining a million-dollar cash bond or deposit, maintaining a two-million- dollar minimum capital and surplus, filing proof with IDFPR of a fidelity bond at a two million dollar per occurrence, and establishes a statutory closing protection letter reserve for the protection of the parties named in warranty of services consisting of twenty-five percent of the closing protection letter revenue received and {sic} (by) the independent escrowee on or after the effective date of this amendatory Act. There are no opponents to this bill and I'll answer any questions. Thank you, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Any discussion? All those in favor will say Aye. Opposed, Nay. The Ayes have it, and the amendment is adopted. Are there 104 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 any further Floor amendments approved for consideration?
No further amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) 3rd Reading. On the Order of 3rd Reading, Mr. Secretary, read the bill.
House Bill 2702. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Senator Hastings.
Thank you, Mr. President. This bill has had two years' worth of discussions. We were able to finally come to an agreement with no opposition. We'd like for its Aye vote. Thank you.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Question is, shall House Bill -- is there any discussion? The question is, shall House Bill 2702 pass. All those in favor will vote Aye. Opposed, Nay. The voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? All voted who wish? Take the record. On that question, there are 50 voting Aye, 0 voting Nay, 1 voting Present. House Bill 2702, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. House Bill 2721. Senator Tom Cullerton seeks leave of the Body to return House Bill 2721 to the Order of 2nd Reading. Leave is granted. On the Order of 2nd Reading is House Bill 2721. Mr. Secretary, are there any Floor amendments approved for consideration?
105 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 Floor Amendment No. 1, offered by Senator Tom Cullerton.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Senator Cullerton, on your amendment.
Thank you. I can explain the amendment on 3rd. Ask for its adoption.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Is there any discussion? 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 MUÑOZ) 3rd Reading. On the Order of 3rd Reading, Mr. Secretary, read the bill.
House Bill 2721. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Senator Cullerton.
Thank you, Mr. President, Members of the -- of the Senate. Senate Bill -- or House Bill 2721, I would like to thank all of my colleagues. This bill has fifty-four cosponsors. It deals with pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorder associated with strep. This is actually a bill we've been working on. We started with a task force. We've moved on forward to here to start getting insurance coverage for these families whose children are suffering 106 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 through this horrific disease. So I appreciate all of your support. Also, the amendment - the woman who brought this bill to me, her name was Kate; her son was named Charlie - this is now going to be called Charlie's Law. And I look forward to all green lights and thank you again.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Is there any discussion? Senator Mulroe, for what purpose do you seek recognition?
Thank you, Mr. President. To the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) To the bill, Senator.
In addition to all the people that Senator Cullerton thanked, I also want to thank Larry Barry, who's part of the insurance industry. He caught this. There was a little error made in the House that -- actually corrected it, so this -- this illness or - - is actually going to be now covered by more insurance companies than less.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Senator Harmon, for what purpose do you seek recognition?
Will the sponsor yield?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Sponsor indicates he will yield.
Senator, you reported you have fifty-four cosponsors. I'd just like to know who you left off and why.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) 107 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 Senator Cullerton.
There was -- there was no real specific reason. I just sort of got tired of trying to chase people. That was part of it.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) The question is…
But they have more -- they have more than enough time to jump on it right now. The green -- the green cards are right up there.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) The question is, shall House Bill 2721 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 54 voting Aye, 0 voting Nay, 0 voting Present. House Bill 2721, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. House Bill 2810. Senator Manar. Mr. Secretary, read the bill. …the record. House Bill 2812. Senator Harmon. Mr. Secretary, read the bill.
House Bill 2812. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Senator Harmon.
Thank you, Mr. President. Just a parliamentary inquiry. Has the amendment been adopted? Well, with that then, thank you very much. The underlying bill required -- is an initiative of the 108 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 Department of Healthcare and Family Services. It requires cell phone companies to share data on the whereabouts of non-custodial parents and presumed fathers. We've amended it to be clear that we're talking about the billing address and not the real-time location. And with that amendment, we've eliminated any opposition. I'd ask for your Aye votes.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) There any discussion? The question is, shall House Bill 2812 pass. All those in favor, vote Aye. Opposed, Nay. The voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Take the record. On that question, there are 53 voting Aye, 0 voting Nay, 0 voting Present. House Bill 2812, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. House Bill 2820. Senator Koehler seeks leave of the Body to return House Bill 2820 to the Order of 2nd Reading. Leave is granted. On the Order of 2nd Reading is House Bill 2820. Mr. Secretary, are there any Floor amendments approved for consideration?
Floor Amendment No. 2, offered by Senator Koehler.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Senator Koehler, on your amendment.
The -- thank you, Mr. President. The amendment just adds somebody to the Farmers' Market Task Force. I'd move for its adoption.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Is there any discussion? All those in favor will say Aye. Opposed, Nay. The Ayes have it, and the amendment is adopted. 109 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 Are there any further Floor amendments approved for consideration?
No further amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) 3rd Reading. On the Order of 3rd Reading, Mr. Secretary, read the bill.
House Bill 2820. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Senator Koehler.
Thank you, Mr. President, Members of the Senate. This is brought to me by the Illinois Stewardship Alliance. And what it does is, amends the Food Handling Regulation Enforcement Act to make several changes to improve the operation of farmers' markets all across the State. It makes the rules consistent in all counties. Be happy to answer any questions and ask for an Aye vote.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) There any discussion? The question is, shall House Bill 2820 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 Aye, 0 voting Nay, 0 voting Present. House Bill 2820, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. House Bill 2559. Senator Biss. Correction: House Bill 2959. Senator Biss seeks leave of the Body to return House Bill 110 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 2959 to the Order of 2nd Reading. Leave is granted. On the Order of 2nd Reading is House Bill 2959. Mr. Secretary, are there any Floor amendments approved for consideration?
Floor Amendment No. 1, offered by Senator Biss.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Senator Biss, on your amendment.
Thank you, Mr. President. Floor Amendment No. 1 addresses a significant concern raised in committee. I move for its adoption.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Is there any discussion? 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 MUÑOZ) 3rd Reading. On the Order of 3rd Reading, Mr. Secretary, read the bill.
House Bill 2959. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Senator Biss.
Thank you, Mr. President, Members of the Senate. House Bill 2959 does a simple, but important, thing. It guarantees that health insurance companies in Illinois may not discriminate based 111 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 upon preexisting conditions in determining whom to give a health insurance policy to. As amended, it narrows the bill properly so that it doesn't address supplemental policies, which would have potentially created a problem that resulted in some concern I know some Members had.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Is there any discussion? Senator Hastings, for what purpose do you seek recognition?
I'd like to thank the sponsor for his amendment. It actually is a very proactive amendment that saves a lot of businesses in Illinois. I think this is a great bill. I urge an Aye vote. Thank you, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Senator Syverson, for what purpose do you seek recognition?
Thank you, Mr. President. Question of the sponsor.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Sponsor indicates he will yield.
First, Senator, thank you for your willingness to work to help address the largest portion -- or problem with this bill, which originally affected all other types of policies in Illinois and you narrowed it down to address just the health insurance portion. So I appreciate that. The one concern, which I raised in -- in -- in committee and why this may be a little bit premature, is we don't know what Congress is going to pass, if, in fact, they do pass an alternative health plan. Right now, the -- as the legislation passed the House, it creates pools. And so what -- 112 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 what your bill does is it -- it requires that all policies cover preexisting conditions, which is -- which is good; that means that everyone that needs coverage can purchase coverage. So no one would be denied coverage. The way the bill has passed the House right now is that they would set up insurance pools. So states would have pools of money that the federal government would put in. For those who were -- could not get health insurance under those standard policies, they could still get those same policies through those same carriers, but it would be paid for through that federal pool. And with this, getting guaranteed coverage, what would happen is there would be no uninsured individual, no one would be denied coverage, so the concern would be we would not be able to access any of the federal money, because that money as it stands now would be going into insurance pools. So we would lose all that money. Now the result is, we could come back and do another piece of legislation that would tie that to what the federal government does. But I just raise that as a concern that the way -- the fix that you have, fixes it only if Congress rewrites the bill as it is today; but if they go with what the House has passed and they set up insurance pools, it's a -- it's a concern. So, I don't know of any other major objections with that. I raise that as an issue. I don't think there's anything necessarily wrong with voting for this legislation, but, again, we may have to come back here, because if -- if, in fact, Congress passes pools, we would not -- this bill would make us unable to attract or -- or garnish any of those federal dollars. So, I thank you for the -- the help that you've got us to this point and, again, I just wanted to raise that as a concern. Thank you.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) 113 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 Senator Biss, to close.
Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you to both speakers. And to the previous speaker's point, without getting into the weeds of the specific concern he raised, which I -- I think we -- there -- -- there's a -- there's certainly discussion to be had there, more broadly I will say, yeah, this bill is not under any hypothetical -- under each hypothetical situation that the federal government might bring to Illinois, this bill might not, in all those situations, be the best possible step forward. It's the right step forward for many situations, and if they throw us a curveball, we may have to come back and do more. I'd love to work with you on that, should we find ourselves in that unfortunate situation. But, right now, knowing what we know now, I think this bill is well designed to provide a crucial protection to a lot of Illinois residents who might be at risk and I would strongly urge an Aye vote.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) The question is, shall House Bill 2959 pass. All those in favor, vote Aye. Opposed, Nay. The voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Take the record. On that question, there are 46 voting Aye, 5 voting Nay, 0 voting Present. House Bill 2959, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. House Bill 3005. Senator Collins. Mr. Secretary, read the bill.
House Bill 3005. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill. 114 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Senator Collins.
I move for the adoption of the amendment. Is there an amendment on it? Oh, okay. Great. Basically what Senate -- House Bill 3005 deletes all and becomes the bill. It amends the State Treasurer Act by providing that revenue received by the State in the form of coins, cash, checks, drafts, electronic fund transfers, electronic checks, credit card payments, debit card payments, or other similar payment instruments and the processing thereof shall be authorized for acceptance and collection by the State Treasurer. I know of no opposition. I ask for an Aye vote.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MUÑOZ) Is there any discussion? The question is, shall House Bill 3005 pass. All those in favor, vote Aye. Opposed, Nay. The voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Take the record. On that question, there are 51 voting Aye, 0 voting Nay, 0 voting Present. House Bill 3005, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. Senator Harmon in the Chair.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate, we're going to turn now to House Bill 3244. Senator Tom Cullerton. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 3244. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) 115 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 Senator Cullerton.
Thank you, Mr. President, Members of the General Assembly. House Bill 3244, amended, allows premium finance companies to deliver documents and notices not requiring delivery confirmation to consumers electronically. There is no opposition to the bill. I appreciate an Aye vote.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) Is there any discussion? Seeing none, the question is, shall House Bill 3244 pass. All those in favor, vote Aye. Opposed, Nay. The voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Take the record. On that question, there are 50 voting Aye, none voting No, none voting Present. And House Bill 3244, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. House Bill 3656. Senator Manar. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 3656. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) Senator Manar.
Thank you, Mr. President. This bill came from constituents, as well as mine owners in Illinois. The idea is to set up a task force to begin a conversation -- or, I guess, continue a conversation to figure out if there's a good way for us to better utilize the use of Illinois coal in Illinois power plants.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) 116 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 Thank you, Senator. Is there any discussion? Seeing none, the question is, shall House Bill 3656 pass. All those in favor, vote Aye. Opposed, Nay. The voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Take the record. On that question, there are 52 voting Aye, none voting No, none voting Present. House Bill 3656, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. With leave -- with -- with leave of the Body, we're going to return to a couple of Senator Muñoz's bills, now that he's out of the Chair. We'll start on page 41 on the Calendar. House Bill 2878. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 2878. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) Senator Muñoz. SENATOR MUÑOZ: Thank you, Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate. The bill sets a two-year statute of limitation for violations of the Liquor Control Act. Specifically, the bill requires the Illinois Liquor Control Commission to commence actions for violations within two years after the date the Commission becomes aware of the violation. The bill also requires the Commission to include field reports, photographs, and other supporting documents when issuing a citation to inform the licensee of the nature and extent of the violation. I know of no opposition to the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) Is there any discussion? Senator Aquino, for what purpose do 117 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 you rise?
Thank you, Mr. President. Question to the -- of the sponsor.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) The sponsor indicates that he will yield. Senator Aquino.
Leader Muñoz, for purpose of legislative intent, can you clarify the provision that places a two-year statute of limitations on violations instituted by the Illinois Liquor Control Commission and the effect it has on -- on local governments to issue additional violations?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) Senator Muñoz. SENATOR MUÑOZ: The two-year statute of limitations does not limit the ability of units of local government to issue additional violations based on the citation from the State Commission. The two-year statute of limitation period does not begin until the State Commission becomes aware of the violation. Therefore, if the offense took place five years ago, but only has come to the State Commission's attention now, both the State Commission and units of local government could issue a violation because it would not be outside the statute of limitation period.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) Thank you, Senator. Is there any further discussion? Seeing none, the question is, shall House Bill 2878 pass. All those in favor, vote Aye. Opposed, Nay. The voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Take the record. On that question, there are 52 voting Aye, none 118 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 voting No, none voting Present. House Bill 2878, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. House Bill 3488. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 3488. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) Senator Muñoz. SENATOR MUÑOZ: Thank you, Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate. It is a recommendation of the Anatomical Gift Association of Illinois -- Anatomical Gift Association of Illinois. This creates the Disposition of Remains of the Indigent Act to establish a statewide procedure for the disposition of humans that are unclaimed and for which no private funds are available to cover the costs of the disposition. Under the House bill, a qualified medical science (institution) receiving a cadaver under this Act may not transfer a decedent's remains in a fashion not approved by this Act. It also prohibits the harvesting and sale of body parts following any medical, mortuary, or other sciences research that has not {sic} been done. It is subject to appropriation and the Act is repealed on 12-31-2022. I know no opposition to the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) Thank you, Senator. Is there any discussion? Seeing none, the question is, shall House Bill 3488 pass. All those in favor, vote Aye. Opposed, Nay. The voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Take the record. On that question, there are 51 voting Aye, none voting 119 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 No, none voting Present. And House Bill 3488, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. With leave of the Body, we're going to turn now to the Order of Senate Bills 3rd Reading. We'll be moving nimbly around the Calendar to pick up those bills that are ready to go over to the House. We'll start on page 17 on your printed Calendar. Senate Bill 643. Senator Steans. Senator Steans seeks leave of the Body to recall Senate Bill 643 to the Order of 2nd Reading. Seeing no objection, leave is granted. Now on the Order of 2nd Reading, Senate Bill 643. Mr. Secretary, have there been any Floor amendments approved for consideration? Apparently, all of the amendments have been adopted, so we'll move the bill back to 3rd Reading. Now on 3rd Reading, Senate Bill 643. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
Senate Bill 643. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) Senator Steans.
Yes, this language has been agreed to by AFSCME and the Executive Inspector General, and it allows them to divulge investigatory files and reports to the head of the State agency affected by or involved in an investigation. I don't know of any opponents and urge your Aye vote.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) Thank you, Senator. Is there any discussion? Seeing none, the question is, shall Senate Bill 643 pass. All those in favor, vote Aye. Opposed, Nay. The voting is open. Have all voted who 120 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Take the record. On that question, there are 51 voting Aye, none voting No, none voting Present. And Senate Bill 643, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. We'll turn now to Senate Bill 6 -- I'm sorry, Senate Bill 1417. Senator Althoff. Mr. Secretary -- I believe Senator Althoff seeks leave of the Body to recall Senate Bill 1417 to the Order of 2nd Reading. Seeing no objection, leave is granted. Now on the Order of 2nd Reading, Senate Bill 1417. Mr. Secretary, have there been any Floor amendments approved for consideration?
Floor Amendment No. 1, offered by Senator Althoff.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) Senator Althoff, on your amendment.
Floor amendment actually becomes the bill and I'll discuss it on 3rd.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) Senator Althoff moves for the adoption of Floor Amendment No. 1 to Senate Bill 1417. All in favor, say Aye. Opposed, Nay. The Ayes have it. The amendment is adopted. Have there been any further Floor amendments approved for consideration?
Floor Amendment No. 2, offered by Senator Althoff.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) Senator Althoff, on Amendment 2.
Thank you, Mr. President. Floor Amendment 2 addressed a technical change that ensures that the landfill ban will not be 121 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 punitive against those who unknowingly dispose of electronics in an improper way. We consider it a technical.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) Senator Althoff moves for the adoption of Floor Amendment No. 2 to Senate Bill 1417. All in favor, say Aye. Opposed, Nay. The Ayes have it. The amendment's adopted. Have there been any further Floor amendments approved for consideration?
No further amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) 3rd Reading. Now on the Order of 3rd Reading, Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
Senate Bill 1417. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) Senator Althoff.
Thank you very much, Mr. President. This is an extremely important piece of legislation because it somewhat changes the entire way the State of Illinois deals with consumer electronic recycling. So, this actually creates the Consumer Electronic {sic} (Electronics) Recycling Act. It has been a bipartisan effort with Representative McAsey in the House and myself for over two years with all of the stakeholders. The document that you have in front of you, the bill you have in front of you, is an agreed process. There will be a trailer bill to address some of the concerns the Department of Environmental Protection as well as some of the 122 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 manufacturing stakeholders still have left. But let me explain to you what this bill does. It creates a new electronic waste recycling program which allows residents to access drop-off sites to responsibly dispose of their old and unused electronic devices. It allows the cooperation of local county governments, NGOs, manufacturing industry, waste haulers and recyclers to divert electronics from landfills. The model is based off the European model, using a manufacturer's clearinghouse, allowing the manufacturing industry to come together to decide which manufacturers, based on a formula that has yet to be created, will cover which regions of the State. This creates more drop-off sites for consumer electronics than has ever existed in Illinois. This will also be the first time this type of recycling program is used in the United States, and we believe that Illinois will serve as a model for other states that have struggled with a lack of resources for consumers to responsibly dispose of their electronic devices. The landfill ban, which currently is in place, remains for covered electronic devices. That's an extraordinarily important piece of this legislation. What's yet to come in the trailer bill? We need to address technical changes. Among those are the requests from the Environmental Protection Agency and the Governor's Office; the process for proposing rules and standards to the EPA for the implementation of the program; determining the formula which will divvy up the responsibilities among the manufacturers - very important to them; and a request from the Consumer Technology Association, including clarification of auditing authority of manufacturers, the strict limitation of the program to consumer electronics here in Illinois so that consumer electronics from other states are not incorporated in our 123 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 recycling, and the clarification of manufacturer responsibilities. We had a phone call as late as yesterday with the manufacturer industries, the organization that represents them, which is CTA. They understand we are actually drafting the trailer legislation now, and I hope to have that out on the ILGA website so that people can see what it is that we are doing. And at this point, if we don't pass this legislation now, we will not have the opportunity to create that manufacturing clearinghouse and we will be harming all of our county collection sites as well as those potential sites in rural areas. I'd ask for an Aye vote.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) Thank you, Senator. Is there any discussion? Senator Koehler, for what purpose do you rise?
Thank you, Mr. President. To the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) To the bill, Senator.
I -- I just want to thank Senator Althoff for all her hard work. This is a tough thing to negotiate 'cause you have a lot of stakeholders, a lot of different interests. This is a very important bill and I urge an Aye vote.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) Thank you. Is there any further discussion? Seeing none, the question is, shall Senate Bill 1417 pass. All those in favor, vote Aye. Opposed, Nay. The voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Take the record. On that question, there are 49 voting Aye, none voting No, none voting Present. Senate Bill 1417, having received the 124 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 required constitutional majority, is declared passed. We'll turn next to Senate Bill 1606. Senator Nybo. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
Senate Bill 1606. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) Senator Nybo.
Thank you, Mr. President. Appreciate this being called today. This is a bill that will implement a series of changes to existing statutes to allow implementation of the Executive Order consolidating multiple IT functions into the single Department of Innovation and Technology. We also heard from some concerns from the industry in connection with the movement of this bill, and so on top of that, we're also going to modify the structure of the Illinois Century Network so that it keeps the Network focused on serving government bodies and education institutions and not duplicating efforts at network connectivity at the expense of taxpayers. I'm happy to answer any questions, but before I do that, I would like to thank those within the industry, specifically AT&T, the Telecom -- Telecommunications Association and the Cable Association for working with us and bringing to -- this to a point where it is an agreed bill with no opposition. And then I'd also like to thank Senator Landek for his support in helping us bring this bill to the Floor today. Happy to answer any questions.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) Thank you, Senator. Is there any discussion? Seeing none, 125 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 the question is, shall Senate Bill 1606 pass. All those in favor, vote Aye. Opposed, Nay. The voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Take the record. On that question, there are 49 voting Aye, none voting No, none voting Present. And Senate Bill 1606, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. We'll turn next to Senate Bill 1707. Senator Raoul. Senator Raoul seeks leave of the Body to recall Senate Bill 1707 to the Order of 2nd Reading. Seeing no objection, leave is granted. Now on the Order of 2nd Reading is Senate Bill 1707. Mr. Secretary, have there been any Floor amendments approved for consideration?
Floor Amendment No. 1, offered by Senator Raoul.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) Senator Raoul, on your amendment.
Floor Amendment 1 addresses concerns of the Department of Agriculture. Explain it…
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) Senator Raoul moves for the adoption of Floor Amendment No. 1 to Senate Bill 1707. All in favor, say Aye. Opposed, Nay. The Ayes have it, and the amendment is adopted. Have there been any further Floor amendments approved for consideration?
Floor Amendment No. 2, offered by Senator Raoul.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) Senator Raoul, on Amendment 2.
Floor Amendment 2 addresses concerns by the Illinois 126 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 Department of Financial and Professional Regulations {sic} (Regulation).
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) Senator Raoul moves for the adoption of Floor Amendment No. 2 to Senate Bill 1707. All in favor, say Aye. Opposed, Nay. The Ayes have it, and the amendment is adopted. Have there been any further Floor amendments approved for consideration?
No further amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) 3rd Reading. Now on the Order of 3rd Reading, Senate Bill 1707. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
Senate Bill 1707. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) Senator Raoul.
Thank you, Mr. President. Senate Bill 1707, as amended, provides that all registered medical cannabis dispensing organizations shall self-certify the dispensaries' agents in accordance with administrative rules adopted by the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. I've committed to continue to work with the Department of Financial and Professional Regulations {sic} to help develop standards for these dispensary agents.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) Thank you, Senator. Is there any discussion? Seeing none, 127 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 the question is, shall Senate Bill 1707 pass. All those in favor, vote Aye. Opposed, Nay. The voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Take the record. On that question, there are 44 voting Aye, 4 voting No, none voting Present. And Senate Bill 1707, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. Senator Link, for what purpose do you rise?
Thank you, Mr. President. For purposes of an announcement - - or motion.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) For -- for your motion, Senator Link.
Thank you. Yeah. I move to waive all notice and posting requirements so that House Bill 302 and House Bill 434 can be heard Monday, May 29th, at 11 a.m. in Senate Executive Committee.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) Senator Link moves to waive all notice and posting requirements so that House Bill 302 and House Bill 434 can be heard Monday, May 29th, at 11 a.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 Tom Cullerton, for what purpose do you rise?
Thank you, Mr. President. For a motion.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) Please state your motion.
I move to waive all notice and posting requirements so that 128 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 House Bill 3-4-8, House Bill 3-2-9-3, and House Bill 3-3-7-6 can be heard Monday, May 29th, at 11 a.m. in the Senate State Government Committee.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) Senator Cullerton moves to waive all notice and posting requirements so that House Bills 348, 3293, and 3376 can be heard Monday, May 29th, at 11 a.m. in the Senate State Government Committee. All those in favor, say Aye. Opposed, Nay. The Ayes have it, and all notice and posting requirements have been waived. Senator Hutchinson, would you like to make a motion? Senator Hutchinson.
Why, yes, I would, Mr. President. Thank you so much. I move to waive all notice and posting requirements so that House Bill 1785 can be heard Tuesday, May 30th, in the Senate Public Health Committee.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) Senator Hutchinson moves to waive all notice and posting requirements so that House Bill 1785 can be heard Tuesday, May 30th, in the Senate Public Health Committee. All those in favor, say Aye. Opposed, Nay. The Ayes have it, and all notice and posting requirements have been waived. Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate, for planning purposes, I would like to announce that the Senate Executive Committee will meet on Monday, May 29th, at 11 a.m. in Room 212; the Senate State Government Committee will meet on Monday, May 29th, at 11 a.m. in Room 409; and the Senate Licensed Activities Committee will meet on Monday, May 29th, at 11 a.m. in Room 400. Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate, if you could please return to your printed Calendar on page 42, House Bills 3rd 129 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 Reading. We're going to pick up near the top of the page on House Bill 3070. Senator Clayborne. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 3070. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) Senator Clayborne.
Thank you, Mr. President, Members of the Senate. House Bill 3070 amends the IMF -- IMRF Article of Illinois Pension Code by codifying -- IMRF's current practice of allowing a person to make one payment for service credit after he or she terminates service, as long as a valid application is received while the member is still an active member. I would ask for your favorable vote.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) Thank you, Senator. Is there any discussion? Seeing none, the question is, shall House Bill 3070 pass. All those in favor, vote Aye. Opposed, Nay. The voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Take the record. On that question, there are 46 voting Aye, none voting No, none voting Present. House Bill 3070, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. House Bill 3091. Senator Manar. House Bill 3095. Senator Muñoz. With leave of the Body, we'll turn to House Bill 3167. Senator Collins. House Bill 3179. Senator Clayborne. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
130 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 House Bill 3179. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) Senator Clayborne.
Thank you. This is an initiative of the State Treasurer and it modifies the term "qualified expenses" to allow those expenses incurred for special needs service in connection with enrollment, along with expenses for the purchase of a computer, peripheral equipment, Internet access, to be used strictly for educational purposes dealing with the College Savings Pool. I would ask for your favorable vote.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) Is there any discussion? Seeing none, the question is, shall House Bill 3179 pass. All those in favor, say Aye -- or 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 48 voting Aye, none voting No, none voting Present. And House Bill 3179, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. Senator Manar, for what purpose do you rise?
For a point of personal privilege, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) Please state your point, Senator.
I know we've been busy passing bills, but I wanted to take a moment and introduce my guest who is with me today. His name is 131 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 Max Hallaron, and many of you would know his father, Scott, who worked on the Senate staff for years and now works in the Senate Secretary's Office. Max is a fourth grader, soon to be fifth grader at Rochester Intermediate School. He likes science, Star Wars, and he is actually a hip-hop dancer, which I told him he has more guts than I have. So I want to also recognize his parents, Scott and Becky, who are in the President's Gallery. Please join me in welcoming Max to the State Senate today.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) Max, welcome to the Illinois State Senate. Let's turn to the top of page 43. House Bill 3240. Senator Tom Cullerton. …Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 3240. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) Senator Cullerton.
Thank you, Mr. President, Members of the Illinois Senate. 3240 amends the Permanent Noise Monitoring Act. Requires that O'Hare International must upgrade its permanent noise monitoring system in accordance with Public Act 99-202. Know of no objections. I ask for an Aye vote. Thank you.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) Thank you, Senator. Is there any discussion? Seeing none, the question is, shall House Bill 3240 pass. All those in favor, vote Aye. Opposed, Nay. The voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Take 132 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 the record. On that question, there are 49 voting Aye, none voting No, none voting Present. And House Bill 3240, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. House Bill 3244. Senator Cullerton. I apologize, we've already been there, Senator Cullerton. Senate {sic} Bill 3298. Senator Manar. Senate {sic} Bill 3342. Senator Raoul. House Bill 3488. Senate {sic} Bill 3519. Senator Link. Senate {sic} Bill 3539. Senator Biss. House Bill 3542. Senator Stadelman. Mr. Secretary, we have a winner. Please read the bill.
House Bill 3542. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) Senator Stadelman.
Thank you, Mr. President. I do believe this is a winner, yes. House Bill 3542 adds a new provision to the Foster Children's Bill of Rights Act. It will provide that every child and adult who's placed in foster care shall have the right to be placed in the least restrictive and most family-like setting available and in close proximity to their parent's home, consistent with their health, safety, best interests, and special needs. There is no opposition. I ask for an Aye vote.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) Thank you, Senator. Is there any discussion? Seeing none, the question is, shall House Bill 3542 pass. All those in favor, vote Aye. Opposed, Nay. The voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Take 133 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 the record. On that question, there are 49 voting Aye, none voting No, none voting Present. And House Bill 3542, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. Senator Mulroe, for what purpose do you rise?
Point of introduction, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) Please make your introduction, Senator.
Mr. President, Members of the Senate, I have another school from my district, St. Monica's, in -- in the Senate Gallery above the Democratic side. If we can give them a warm welcome, I would very much appreciate it.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) Will our guests in the gallery please rise and be welcomed to the Illinois State Senate? Glad to have you here. Senate {sic} Bill 3656. Senator Manar. We'll turn to the top of page 44 of your printed Calendar. House Bill 3712. Senator Van Pelt. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 3712. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) Senator Van Pelt.
Thank you, Mr. President. House Bill 3712 allows the Department of Corrections to provide inmates with content -- to provide inmates with temporary access to content-controlled 134 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 tablets or educational and -- educational and visitation -- for educational and visitation opportunities. This is to provide the inmates with a privilege to either induce compliance or reward compliance.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) Thank you, Senator. Is there any discussion? Seeing none, the question is, shall House Bill 3712 pass. All those in favor, vote Aye. Opposed, Nay. The voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Take the record. On that question, there are 38 voting Aye, 6 voting No, none voting Present. And House Bill 3712, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. House Bill 3718. Senator Bush. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 3718. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) Senator Bush.
Thank you, Mr. President, Members of the Senate. House Bill 3718 revises and consolidates provisions regarding obtaining and issuing protective orders. The bill also creates criminal penalties within the Criminal Code for knowing violation of civil no contact orders and stalking no contact orders. Previously, these penalties were located in the civil liability section of Illinois law. HB 3718 allows the State's Attorney to petition for protective orders on behalf of the victim. I know of no opposition and I would urge an Aye vote. 135 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) Thank you, Senator. Is there any discussion? Seeing none, the question is, shall House Bill 3718 pass. All those in favor, vote Aye. Opposed, Nay. The voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Take the record. On that question, there are 49 voting Aye, none voting No, none voting Present. And House Bill 3718, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. House Bill 3744. Senator Hunter. House Bill 3773. Senator Sandoval. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 3773. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) Senator Sandoval.
Yes, Mr. President, House Bill 3773 is a smoke alarm bill, supported by the firefighters. It's a good bill. I'd ask a favorable vote.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) Thank you, Senator. Is there any discussion? Seeing none, the question is, shall House Bill 3773 pass. All those in favor, vote Aye. Opposed, Nay. The voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Take the record. On that question, there are 43 voting Aye, 3 voting No, none voting Present. And House Bill 3773, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. Senate {sic} Bill 3785. Senator Rose. House Bill 3820. Senator Bertino- 136 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 Tarrant. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 3820. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) Senator Bertino-Tarrant.
Thank you, Mr. President. Senate Bill -- or House Bill 3820 is an initiative of the State Board of Education. It's their yearly updating of teacher licensure requirements. I know of no objection.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) Thank you, Senator. Is there any discussion? Seeing none, the question is, shall House Bill 3820 pass. All those in favor, vote Aye. Opposed, Nay. The voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Take the record. On that question, there are 48 voting Aye, none voting No, none voting Present. And House Bill 3820, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. House Bill 3855. Senator Clayborne. Senate {sic} Bill… House Bill 3874. Senator Mulroe. Let's go to 3874. Senator Mulroe wishes to proceed. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 3874. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) Senator Mulroe. 137 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017
Thank you, Mr. President, Members of the Senate. This is an initiative of the State Police. House Bill 3874 clarifies that no person shall operate, register, or maintain registration of a motor vehicle in this State unless the motor vehicle is covered by a liability insurance policy. I know of -- no opposition. I'd ask for your support.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) Is there any discussion? Seeing none, the question is, shall House Bill 3874 pass. All those in favor, vote Aye. Opposed, Nay. The voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Take the record. On that question, there are 47 voting Aye, none voting No, none voting Present. And House Bill 3874, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. Mr. Secretary, let's return to House Bill 3855. Senator Clayborne indicates that we he would like to proceed. Would you please read the bill?
House Bill 3855. (Secretary reads title of bill)
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) Senator Clayborne, the Secretary's Office would be pleased to not have to cart this bill back down to the Floor again for -- that you've called it today. Senator Clayborne.
Yes, Mr. President. So this is the General -- General Revisory bill. I would ask for your favorable vote.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) Is there any discussion? Seeing none, the question is, shall 138 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 Senate -- House Bill 3855 pass. All those in favor, vote Aye. Opposed, Nay. The voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Take the record. On that question, there are 47 voting Aye, 1 voting No, none voting Present. And House Bill 3855, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. Let's turn to the top of page 45 of your printed Calendar. House Bill 3899. Senator McConchie. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 3899. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) Senator McConchie. SENATOR McCONCHIE: Thank you, Mr. President. This bill is -- requires the State Use Committee to establish clear criteria for non -- not-for- profit agencies to qualify for State -- as State use vendors. I know of no opposition.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) Thank you, Senator. Is there any discussion? Seeing none, the question is, shall House Bill 3899 pass. All those in favor, vote Aye. Opposed, Nay. The voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Take the record. On that question, there are 48 voting Aye, none voting No, none voting Present. And House Bill 3899, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. House Bill 3903. Senator Hutchinson. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
139 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 House Bill 3903. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) Senator Hutchinson.
Thank you, Mr. President. House Bill 3903 prohibits the establishment or maintaining of a student booking station on the grounds of any school. Know of no -- oh, we have School -- we do have one small bit of opposition, but sailed through committee and passed the House. Happy to answer any questions.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) Thank you, Senator. Is there any discussion? Senator Righter, for what purpose do you rise?
I -- I'd -- I'd asked you earlier, Mr. President, as you know, whether or not I could make a motion to adjourn and -- and I think that in your heart you want to do that, but you've been told you got to get through the Calendar, so I would like to make a little use of the time we have left. So I wonder if the sponsor will yield.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) The sponsor indicates that she'll yield at two minutes to 3 o'clock, not that the 3 o'clock hour is of any importance at all to our planning, but…
Is 3 o'clock important, Mr. President?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) Your motion would be more in order at about 3 o'clock. 140 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017
I can bring this thing in for a landing before two minutes, believe me.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) Senator Righter, the sponsor indicates that she'll yield.
Thank you very much. Senator Hutchinson, who is that small, little opposition that you kind of dribbled out there at the very end, almost like you didn't want us to hear it?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) Senator Hutchinson.
No, it -- it wasn't that I didn't want you to hear it. I was in -- I was reading two -- trying to read two things at the same time. It's the School Management Alliance. However, this is identical to a bill that Senator McConnaughay passed already out of this -- this Chamber. So it's -- that's who it is.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) Senator Righter.
Thank you, Mr. President. Senator -- McConchie indicates to me that he is for the bill, so I'll be voting for it also. Thank you.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) Thank you. Is there any further discussion? Seeing none, the question is, shall House Bill 3903 pass. All those in favor, vote Aye. Opposed, Nay. The voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Take the record. On that question, there are 47 voting Aye, none voting 141 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 No, none voting Present. And House Bill 3903, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. With that, we'll leave the Order of House Bills 3rd Reading. Please turn to page 48 of your printed Calendar. On the Order of Secretary's Desk, Resolutions is Senate Joint Resolution 31. If you could hold for a moment, Mr. Secretary, we're going to figure out where our paperwork is and where we're going. Senate Joint Resolution 31. We have paperwork on file having switched sponsorship from Senator Rose to Senator Bennett. Senator Bennett wishes to proceed. Mr. Secretary, please read the resolution.
Senate Joint Resolution 31, offered by Senator Bennett.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) Senator Bennett, on your resolution.
Thank you, Mr. President. Senate -- Resolution 31 is a joint resolution with Senator Rose and myself. It commemorates the life of -- a Champaign police officer, Robert Tatman, who gave his life in the service to the City of Champaign when he was murdered while on duty in 1967, leaving a wife and four young children. This marks the fiftieth anniversary, and in light of that, they're hoping to name a portion of Church Street in Champaign the "Officer Robert L. Tatman Memorial Drive". Ask for an Aye vote.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) Thank you, Senator. Is there any discussion? As this resolution requires the expenditure of State funds, a roll call vote will be required. And the question is, shall Senate Joint Resolution 31 pass. All those in favor, vote Aye. Opposed, Nay. The voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who 142 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 wish? Have all voted who wish? Take the record. On that question, there are 49 voting Aye, none voting No, none voting Present. And Senate Joint Resolution 31, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared adopted. On page 49 on your printed Calendar is House Joint Resolution 25. Senator Biss wishes to proceed. Mr. Secretary, please read the resolution.
House Joint Resolution 25, offered by Senator Biss.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) Senator Biss, on your resolution.
Thank you, Mr. President. Senate -- House Joint Resolution 25 creates the Illinois Legislative Blockchain and Distributed Ledger Task Force. I move for its adoption.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) Thank you, Senator. Is there any discussion? Seeing none… As this resolution requires the expenditure of State funds, a roll call vote is required. And the question is, shall House Joint Resolution 25 pass. All those in favor, vote Aye. Opposed, Nay. The voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Take the record. On that question, there are 46 voting Aye, none voting No, none voting Present. And House Joint Resolution 25, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared adopted. Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate, we are going to turn now to the Order of House Bills 2nd Reading on page 45. This may well be our last time through the Order of House Bills 2nd Reading. So, if you have a House bill on 2nd Reading you'd like to advance to 3rd, now is the time to do so. At the top of the Order, House Bill 159. 143 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 Senator Hutchinson. Mr. Secretary -- we've already done that. With leave of the Body, we'll return to House Bill 303. House Bill 481. Senator Hutchinson. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 481. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) 3rd Reading. With leave of the Body, we'll return to House Bill 531. House Bill 1764 on the order of Hutchinson. House Bill 2453. Senator Hutchinson. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 2453. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) 3rd Reading. Top of page 46 of your printed Calendar. House Bill 2527. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 2527. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) Have there been any Floor amendments approved for consideration?
144 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 Floor Amendment No. 1, offered by Senator Stadelman.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) Senator Stadelman, on your amendment.
I'll explain on 3rd. I ask that it be moved.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) Senator Stadelman moves for the adoption of Floor Amendment No. 1 to House Bill 2527. All in favor, say Aye. Opposed, Nay. The Ayes have it, and the amendment's adopted. Have there been any further Floor amendments approved for consideration?
No further amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) 3rd Reading. House Bill 2721 {sic}. Senator Hutchinson. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 2771. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. The Committee on Labor adopted Amendment No. 1.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) Have there been any Floor amendments approved for consideration?
Floor Amendment No. 2, offered by Senator Hutchinson.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) Senator Hutchinson, on the amendment.
Thank you. Floor Amendment No. 2 becomes the bill and I'll 145 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 be happy to explain it when we get it on 3rd, finally.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) Senator Hutchinson moves for the adoption of Floor Amendment No. 2 to House Bill 2771. All in favor, say Aye. Opposed, Nay. The Ayes have it. The amendment's adopted. Have there been any further Floor amendments approved for consideration?
No further amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) 3rd Reading. House Bill 2953. Senator Sandoval. House Bill 3004. Senator Sandoval. With leave of the Body, we'll return to House Bill 3399. Senate Bill -- House Bill 3648. Senator Trotter. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 3648. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) 3rd Reading. House Bill 3803. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill for Senator Hutchinson.
House Bill 3803. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) 3rd Reading. House Bill 3817. Senator Hastings. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill. 146 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017
House Bill 3817. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. The Committee on Criminal Law adopted Amendment No. 1.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) Have there been any Floor amendments approved for consideration?
No further amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) 3rd Reading. Senator Trotter in the Chair.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR TROTTER) Going to House Bill 303. Senator Harmon. Senator Harmon. Mr. Secretary, read the bill.
House Bill 303. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR TROTTER) …Reading. On House Bill -- House Bill 531. Mr. Secretary, read the bill.
House Bill 531. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR TROTTER) 147 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017 3rd Reading. House Bill 3399. Senator Harmon. Mr. Secretary, read the bill.
House Bill 3399. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR TROTTER) 3rd Reading. Leader Harmon back in the Chair.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate, we're going to turn to the Order of Senate Bills on 2nd Reading. Senate Bill 552. Mr. Secretary, Senator Trotter wishes to proceed. Please read the bill.
Senate Bill 552. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. The Committee on Criminal Law adopted Amendment No. 1.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) Have there been any Floor amendments approved for consideration?
Floor Amendment No. 2, offered by Senator Trotter.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) Senator Trotter, on your amendment.
Mr. -- excuse me. Mr. President, if we could adopt the amendment and I'll -- I'll explain it on 3rd. 148 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 54th Legislative Day 5/26/2017
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) Senator Trotter -- Senator Trotter moves for the adoption of Floor Amendment No. 2 to Senate Bill 552. All in favor, say Aye. Opposed, Nay. The Ayes have it. The amendment's adopted. Have there been any further Floor amendments approved for consideration?
No further amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) 3rd Reading. Now to proceed to the Order of Resolutions Consent Calendar. With leave of the Body, all those resolutions read in today will be added to the Consent Calendar. Mr. Secretary, have there been any objections filed to any resolution on the Consent Calendar?
No objections filed, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) Is there any discussion? If not, the question is, shall the resolutions on the Consent Calendar be adopted. All those in favor, say Aye. Opposed, Nay. The Ayes have it. The motion carries, and the resolutions are adopted. A final reminder as you depart for your weekend: We are back on Monday and we have committees meeting at 11 a.m. The Senate Executive Committee meets at 11 a.m. in Room 212. The Senate State Government Committee meets at 11 a.m. in Room 400 on Monday, May 9 -- 29th. And the Senate Licensed Activity {sic} will meet on Monday, May 29th, at 11 a.m. in Room 400. There being no further business to come before the Senate, the Senate stands adjourned until the hour of 12 noon on the 29th day of May 2017. The Senate stands adjourned. 149