PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) The regular Session of the 100th General Assembly will please come to order. Will the Members please be at their desk? Will our guests in the galleries please rise? The invocation today will be given by Pastor Mike Baker, Eastview Christian Church, Normal, Illinois.
(Prayer by Pastor Mike Baker)
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Please remain standing for the Pledge Allegiance. Senator Cunningham.
(Pledge of Allegiance, led by Senator Cunningham)
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Blueroomstream.com seeks permission to videotape. Seeing no objection, permission granted. Mr. Secretary, Reading and Approval of the Journal.
Senate Journals of Thursday, November 15th, and Tuesday, November 20th, 2018.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Hunter.
Mr. President, I move to postpone the reading and approval of the Journal just read by the Secretary, pending arrival of the printed transcript.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Hunter moves to postpone the reading and the approval of the Journal, pending the arrival of the printed transcript. 1 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 144th Legislative Day 11/27/2018 There being no objection, so ordered. Mr. Secretary, Resolutions.
Senate Resolutions 2194 through 2196, offered by Senator McCann and all Members. Senate Resolution 2197, offered by Senator Morrison and all Members. Senate Resolution 2198, offered by Senator Bennett and all Members. Senate Resolutions 2199 and 2200, offered by Senator Haine and all Members. Senate Resolution 2201, offered by Senator Bennett and all Members. Senate Resolutions 2202 and 2203, offered by Senator Koehler and all Members. Senate Resolutions 2204 through 2206, offered by Senator Manar and all Members. And Senate Resolutions 2207 through 2210, offered by Senator Haine and all Members. They are all death resolutions, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Resolution Consent Calendar. Mr. Secretary, Introduction of Senate Bills.
Senate Bill 3647, offered by Senator Tracy. (Secretary reads title of bill) Senate Bill 3648, offered by Senator Sandoval. (Secretary reads title of bill) 1st Reading of the bills.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) 2 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 144th Legislative Day 11/27/2018 Mr. Secretary, House Bills 1st Reading.
House Bill 4265, offered by Senator Sims. (Secretary reads title of bill) 1st Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Mr. Secretary, Communications from the Secretary of State.
Have a letter dated November 26, 2018. Dear Mr. Anderson - This office is forwarding herewith a copy of a Notification of Vacancy from the Legislative Committee of the Republican Party of the 24th Legislative District, declaring the existence of a vacancy in the Office of State Senator for the 24th Legislative District, as a result of the resignation of Senator Chris Nybo, effective November 15th, 2018. Also enclosed is the copy of the Legislative Committee's Certificate of Appointment to fulfill -- to Fill Vacancy in Office in the 24th Legislative District, Yadav Nathwani, DuPage County, Illinois, who was appointed to fill the vacancy in the Office of State Senator in the 24th Legislative District of Illinois. Yours truly, Jesse White, Secretary of State.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Mr. Secretary, do you have any Motions in Writing?
I have motions filed with respect to the Governor's amendatory vetoes on House Bills: House Bill 4743.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Please print those on the Calendar. Senator Bennett, for what purpose do you rise? 3 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 144th Legislative Day 11/27/2018
For a point of personal privilege.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) State your point.
Thank you, Mr. President. To my Senate colleagues, or at least the Members of the "I Own a Watch" Caucus, I'd like to please make an announcement about some of our quests in the gallery. On the Republican side, we have -- of course, as you know, every semester we're blessed to have some college- or high school-aged interns that do a lot of the great work for the people of my district. If you'll please stand. This semester - we have four interns with us today - we have Deliah Bradley, Sam Lenoch, Colin Kolojay, and Szymon Kaminski. If you'll please -- if you'll all please give them a warm Senate welcome. And thank you all for your hard work for the people of the 52nd District. Thank you, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Leader Brady, for what purpose do you rise?
Thank -- thank you, Mr. President. Ladies and Gentlemen, if I could have your attention for a moment, including the gentleman to my right, I'd like to welcome our newest Member to the Senate Republican Caucus, Senator Yadav Nathwani. He goes by "Nick". For those of you who want to have pronunciation lessons, it's real easy, "Nick". Senator Nathwani, who is the first Indian American to serve in the Illinois Senate, is a resident of Glen Ellyn and will serve the residents of the 24th District until the 101st General Assembly is sworn in. I'd like you to please join me in 4 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 144th Legislative Day 11/27/2018 welcoming him to the Illinois Senate.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Will the Committee on Assignments please meet in the President's Anteroom immediately? The Committee on Assignments, please meet in the President's Anteroom immediately. Mr. Secretary, Committee Reports.
Senator Clayborne, Chairman of the Committee on Assignments, reports the following Legislative Measures have been assigned: Refer to Human Services Committee - Motion to Concur with House Amendment 2 to Senate Bill 752; refer to Licensed Activities and Pensions Committee - Motion to Concur with House Amendment 1 to Senate Bill 309, Motion to Accept Governor's Amendatory Veto to House Bill 5177; refer to Revenue Committee - Committee Amendment 1 to House Bill 1193; Be Approved for Consideration - Floor Amendment 1 to House Bill 4637 and Senate Bill 482. Pursuant to Senate Rule 3-8 (b-1), the following amendments will remain in the Committee on Assignments: Floor Amendment 2 to Senate Bill 241. Signed, Senator James Clayborne, Chairman. Senator Clayborne, Chairman of the Committee on Assignments, reports the following Legislative Measures have been assigned: Refer to Executive Committee - Motion to Concur with House Amendments 1, 2, and 3 to Senate Bill 482. Signed, Senator James Clayborne, Chairman.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Can we keep the conversations down on the Senate Floor? Mr. President, for what purpose do you rise?
Purposes of an announcement. 5 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 144th Legislative Day 11/27/2018
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) State your announcement.
Thank you, Mr. President and Members of the Senate. I wanted to introduce some guests that we have here today. First of all, I'd like to introduce my wife, Pam Cullerton, who's here. So, I -- I -- I know you guys are getting tired of that "She's the Speaker of my house" joke, so I'm not going to do that again. Maybe I'll revive that in the inauguration speech. Also we have here guests from the great State of Indiana, the former Senate President David Long and his wife, Melissa. Senator Long. And the current Senate President from the State of Kansas, Susan Wagle, and her husband, Tom. So it's my understanding that we're going to be going -- each going to caucus, and I've -- I've asked the Senators if they would be our guests in our caucus, as well as the Republican Caucus, so you guys can have a chance to visit with them as soon as we're finished with our business right here. Thank you.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Hunter, for what purpose do you rise?
Point of personal privilege, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) State your point.
Thank you very much, Mr. President. Mr. President, I rise today with a heavy heart for my community of Bronzeville, where on Monday afternoon, November 19th, a man showed up at Mercy Hospital and Medical Center and opened fire on his former fiancée before 6 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 144th Legislative Day 11/27/2018 turning the gun on others, killing the woman, a police officer, and another employee, a bystander. In a matter of minutes, the City of Chicago lost an emergency room doctor, Dr. Tamara O'Neal; a pharmaceutical assistant, Dayna Less; and a police officer, Samuel -- Samuel -- Jimenez, who were all about -- going about their day, all doing what they loved. My heart aches for the loss of Dr. Tamara O'Neal and -- and Dayna Less, who have selfishly {sic} dedicated their lives to healing others. I am always incredibly grateful for the men and women of the Chicago -- of -- of -- of Chicago Department of Police, but heartbroken for the loss of one of their own. Dr. {sic} (Officer) Samuel -- Jimenez - thank you - exhibited instinctual bravery and sacrifice during this dangerous shooting and ultimately lost his life. Every shooting in America is a tragedy, but it is especially senseless when it happens in a place where people come to heal. This time, the bloodshed violated Chicago's first chartered teaching hospital, a haven in healing that has provided compassionate care to our communities for one hundred and sixty-six years. What happened at Mercy Hospital was a tragic incident, another example of what happened -- what should not have happened. My thoughts and prayers are not enough, they are actually dismissive and {sic} the real gun problem we have in Chicago and in America. No one should have to live in fear that their community will be the next one struck by gun violence. It is incumbent upon us as leaders to enact measures that will curb and help end this kind of violence. Where there is no single reform that could stop every shooting, we know there are big gaps in our gun laws that make it easy for criminals, abusers, troubled children, and mentally unstable people to get guns. We need to start closing those gaps in honor 7 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 144th Legislative Day 11/27/2018 of the innocent lives that were lost at Mercy Hospital and the thousands of others who have perished from gun violence. And I also understand that Senator Mulroe has comments to offer and so let's hear from Senator Mulroe, please.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Mulroe, for what purpose do you rise?
Thank you, Mr. President, a point of personal privilege to support Senator Hunter's personal -- point of personal privilege.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) State your point.
So, as Senator Hunter said - and I don't -- I don't know how old Dr. O'Neal was, but I do know that Dayna Less was twenty-four years old and a pharmacist and Officer Samuel Jimenez was twenty- eight years old - they had one common cause, that was to take care of people. I can tell you that Officer Jimenez was a resident of the 10th Senate District, so he and his family were constituents of mine. He was a police officer for less than two years and he had three young children. While working on that day, and it was November 19th, he was working with his partner, Armando Zambrano, when they heard calls of shots fired at Mercy Hospital. And as good police officers do, instead of running from the fire, they ran to the fire, without hesitation. With the assistance of other police officers from Chicago, they stopped the -- the offender, but in the process, it cost Officer Jimenez his life. By all accounts, Officer Jimenez was a great guy. His passion was to serve others. Some of the words that I've heard to describe Officer Jimenez was dedicated, committed, fearless, brave, devoted 8 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 144th Legislative Day 11/27/2018 husband and loving father. He sacrificed his life for others. I just got to emphasize that. That's what Chicago Police Officers do each and every day they wake up. They leave their house and go work for the people of the City of Chicago and don't know whether they're going to come home that night, whether it's a traffic stop, a domestic dispute, or a drug transaction gone bad. They do that for us. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his wife, Crystal Garcia, and their three children. Thank you, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Hunter.
Mr. President, I'd ask the Senate to pause for a moment of silence in honors {sic} of Dr. Tamara O'Neal, Dayna Less, and Officer Jimenez, and all those who are impacted by the shooting at Mercy Hospital.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Please rise for a moment of silence. (Moment of silence observed) Senator Bush, for what purpose do you rise?
Thank you, Mr. President. Point of personal privilege.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) State your point.
Purpose of an introduction. I'd like to introduce you to Quinne Welter. If you wouldn't mind standing, Quinne. Quinne is a young woman that's worked with us in Lake County. She was actually a field director for Lake County Democratic Independent Women. She's down here today to see what we do here and I'd just appreciate a warm Senate welcome for Quinne. 9 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 144th Legislative Day 11/27/2018
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Hunter, for what purpose do you rise?
For the purpose of an announcement, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) State your announcement.
The Senate Democrats will caucus immediately in the President's Office for thirty minutes.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Righter, for what purpose do you rise?
Thank you very much, Mr. President. The Senate Republicans would request a caucus immediately in Minority Leader Brady's Office for thirty minutes. Thank you.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senators Hunter and Righter -- the Senate -- seeks recess for the purposes of a Senate Democratic and Republican Caucus for thirty minutes. Seeing no objection, the motion is granted. And the Senate will stand in recess to the call of the Chair. (SENATE STANDS IN RECESS/SENATE RECONVENES)
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CLAYBORNE) Members at the sound of my voice, please return to the Senate Floor. We're going to take action, final action. Will all Members at the sound of my voice please return to the Senate Floor? Mark Maxwell with WCIA would like to record -- seeking leave. Seeing no objection, you are permitted to record. We will proceed to 10 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 144th Legislative Day 11/27/2018 page 2, House Bill 4873. Senator Link. Senator Link seeks leave of the Body -- 48 -- 4637, on page 2. Senator Link -- Link seeks leave of the Body to return House Bill 4637 to the Order of 2nd Reading. Leave is granted. On the Order of 2nd Reading is House Bill 4637. Mr. Secretary, are there any Floor amendments approved for consideration?
Floor Amendment No. 1, offered by Senator Link.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CLAYBORNE) Senator Link, to explain.
Thank you, Mr. President. I would ask that the amendment be adopted and I will explain it on 3rd Reading.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CLAYBORNE) Is there any discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor will say Aye. Opposed, Nay. The Ayes have it. The -- 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 CLAYBORNE) 3rd Reading. Now on the order of House Bill 4637, Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 4637. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CLAYBORNE) Senator Link, to explain. 11 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 144th Legislative Day 11/27/2018
Thank you, Mr. President. This authorizes a petition initiative township-dissolving procedure for each township within McHenry County and requires that road districts in Lake and McHenry County must be abolished if certain road districts amounting {sic} to less than 15 miles in length. I want to clear this up first of all. It affects two counties, Lake and McHenry, and I represent one of those, so it's in my Senate district. That's number one. Number two, Leader Brady asked me in Executive about a trailer bill, if possible, for this type of situation that we're facing today on this bill. I committed to him that I would work on a trailer bill for this. Number three, we added an amendment. The effective date on this bill goes in effect of June 1st or July 1st -- June 1st -- got to make sure whether or not -- give me the wrong -- it goes -- goes into effect July 1st of next year. So we have all spring Session to work on this trailer bill that it will be - - before this goes into effect. And the other thing is, is this is a consolidation bill. I have heard it for years on this Floor - everybody is pro consolidation. Let's eliminate local units of government, until it comes to something that revertally {sic} might affect them in the long run, then we don't want to consolidate. So it means "everybody in Congress is bad, expect my Congressman" mentality. The point is, we have to start somewhere and this is a good first start to eliminate some of these local units of government and give relief - that the other side ran on in this whole campaign about property tax relief. Guess what? This will give some property tax relief to the people in these areas. So we're doing everything you want us to do, but we got to pass a bill to show that we're doing it. I'll be more than happy to 12 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 144th Legislative Day 11/27/2018 answer any questions.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CLAYBORNE) Is there any discussion? Senator McConchie. SENATOR McCONCHIE: To the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CLAYBORNE) To the bill, Senator. SENATOR McCONCHIE: Thank you, Mr. President. I appreciate Senator Link bringing this forward. I want to say that I really enjoy it when this Body comes together and says we want to consolidate units of government in Illinois. As you well know, we've talked about it at kind of ad nauseam, that we have over -- nearly seven thousand units of government, the highest number of any state in the country. My concern with this piece of legislation - and I take Senator Link at his word that he wants to offer a trailer bill - the problem is, is that we don't know what that trailer bill is. We don't know what the content is. And I don't understand the need to pass this bill without simply going into next Session, fixing this bill, and actually coming out with a whole piece that everyone, I think, on this Floor could support. Let me talk about one specific issue that I have grave, grave issues with. This bill is unclear as to what would happen with debt once a township is dissolved. It would go back to the county, but who is responsible for paying with that debt? As it reads right now, it appears that the voters of the entire county would then be responsible, not just the geographic area that incurred that debt. So what this actually would do, if we don't get a trailer bill or don't get a trailer bill that addresses the debt issue, it actually incentivizes townships to 13 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 144th Legislative Day 11/27/2018 spend money in a manner that is, you know, adding on to debt that then they push off to the rest of the county. And we have a situation in McHenry County in the district that I represent that is right along this line. It has to do with our road district. We had -- our previous road commissioner was spending money on Walt Disney trips, Gucci handbags, other things like this, complete waste of taxpayer money. This piece of legislation, without a fix to address the debt issue, actually incentivizes certain forms of misbehavior under the most unscrupulous of it. So I'm going to - - I -- but I support consolidation. I'm going to vote Present on this bill because -- because of that. But I wish that we could actually put this bill off to the spring and actually negotiate a whole package instead of a partial package with some fatal flaws in it that incentivize bad behavior that we claim we'll fix later, but maybe we won't. Thank you, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CLAYBORNE) Thank you, Senator McConchie. Senator Wilcox, for what purpose do you seek recognition?
To the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CLAYBORNE) …the bill, Senator.
Thank you, Mr. President. As the other Senator representing the county in charge of this bill and on behalf of my predecessor, Senator Althoff, who has fought against this bill, not in its fact for consolidation. In fact, the avenue of giving voters a petition process to redress their grievances with the way they our governed is absolutely what we are looking for. The challenge is, there 14 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 144th Legislative Day 11/27/2018 are three major issues that this bill does not address and that the county board asked to be addressed, Senator Althoff asked to be addressed, and we are willing to propose almost identical legislation in the new Assembly that addresses these concerns and gets us moving forward on consolidation. So I ask on behalf of my predecessor that we vote No on this bill and allow us to bring a new bill in the new legislation {sic} that follows the proper process, gets honest debate, and highlights if there's additional issues out there. And I thank you for your consideration.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CLAYBORNE) Senator Morrison, for what purpose do you seek recognition?
To the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CLAYBORNE) To the bill, Senator.
My experience as township supervisor included fifteen years as also the acting road commissioner. It was a township that had less than five miles of road and no road district. So I can speak to what this would actually look like in many circumstances and the savings that the township realizes, while still maintaining the roads, was great. In -- in my situation, we simply contracted the work out to a neighboring township. I did not have a road commissioner; we did not have the overhead of the employees, nor the expense of the equipment and the buildings that go along with having a road district. Our -- our communities, our voters are asking us to find ways to consolidate and to save on property taxes. This is a very straightforward way to do so. I can tell you it works and I would encourage you to vote for this bill. 15 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 144th Legislative Day 11/27/2018
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CLAYBORNE) Senator McCarter, for what purpose do you seek recognition? The sponsor indicates he will yield, Senator McCarter. SENATOR McCARTER: Senator, it was made mention that there's three major issues that this -- this bill may be short of addressing. Are you willing to address those three major issues in a trailer bill?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CLAYBORNE) Senator Link.
Yes.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CLAYBORNE) Senator McCarter. SENATOR McCARTER: To the bill. Everyone here has voted for much worse bills than this that weren't ready. Everyone here has made an argument that, "Hey, we'll come back. We'll fix it." My favorite, on one of my bills for work comp, was, "It wasn't soup yet", many years ago. But -- everybody says, "Well, you got to start somewhere." This is a start somewhere. I've been here ten years and everybody talks about all these units of government and consolidation and I've seen very little action. You got a commitment. Again, you've voted for much worse on somebody's commitment for a trailer bill. Why not today? This is a start somewhere. To me, it's real simple. You want to go down the road to smaller government and less government and more affordable government to the people? Here's your start. Vote Yes.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CLAYBORNE) Senator Rose, for what purpose do you seek recognition? To 16 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 144th Legislative Day 11/27/2018 the bill, Senator.
Thank you, Mr. President. I think everybody in this Chamber needs to pay very close attention to what Senator McConchie pointed out a minute ago. The township in question would take five percent of those voters to move forward on this, however, once dissolved, that debt will be absorbed across all the other property taxpayers in the county, yet they were never asked to be part of the petition drive. So, in fact, this would factor in and become a property tax increase on everyone else in the county outside of that township. That issue and that issue alone, until it's resolved, is the reason that no one who supports lower property taxes, who supports getting a handle on anything that constrains property taxes, should be voting for this bill, because, quite frankly, this will be a property tax increase on everyone else in that county. Now I've heard the proponent, who obviously his home county's in this, and I heard the new Althoff, Senator Wilcox, tell us that he's against it. Maybe these two gentlemen can sit down and figure this out and bring us a new bill, where these very, very significant and very important points are well thought through, in this spring Session. But make no mistake about it, until such a time as that five percent rule is fixed, this is taxation without representation, because those other folks are going to have to pay the bill when that township dissolves. This is a property tax increase, plain and simple, vote No.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CLAYBORNE) Senator Oberweis, for what purpose do you seek recognition?
Yeah. Thank you, Mr. President. A -- a question of the 17 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 144th Legislative Day 11/27/2018 sponsor. I am probably one of the very few in this room who has not completely made up their mind, but I'm really listening intently to the conversation. I think Senator McCarter made a very good point about consolidation and it's high time we move in that direction and take the first step, and this is a step. I also listened to Senator Rose. It seems to me he's making a -- a good point. And a question for you, Senator Link, is -- is to clarify for me an argument that has been made in opposition to the bill is that a particular district and just the voters in that small district, five percent of the voters to -- to -- in that small district to get it to -- to a question, they could vote in favor of it and then the debt of their district, which could be several million dollars, would become the debt of the entire county, people who are not even affected by that. Could you clarify that for me, please?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CLAYBORNE) Senator Link.
Thank you, Senator, for that question. Yes, we can work on that in a trailer bill. You know, this bill passed out of the House - and let me check the exact date - in May of last -- of this year with an eighty vote total. I'm sure the same situation was in there with those folks, but it passed, a bipartisan eighty votes, and I've yet to see an amendment from anybody offered to me about this. I've heard discussions about things that were upsetting, and as I said, and you were in Exec that day, I committed to working on a trailer bill with all the concerns, but they've got to come to me and let's talk the trailer bill. I'm more than happy of what -- how we do this and make sure, contrary to what 18 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 144th Legislative Day 11/27/2018 this is. I feel that this is a strong bill to help the voters. Let them vote, let them decide, and help lower the property taxes in the counties that we're talking about, in Lake and McHenry.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CLAYBORNE) Senator Rooney, for what purpose do you seek recognition?
I rise to speak to the bill, Mr. President, please.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CLAYBORNE) To the bill, Senator Rooney.
Mr. President, I -- I -- I know I've sparred with the distinguished sponsor of this bill, even in committee on other bills, and -- and he knows that I am just somebody who stands up and says special legislation is something that I think is an abuse and I'm certainly not going to change that position. But I rise because now we're in this discussion about a trailer bill and now we're in this discussion about we can pack this up and solve this all in the spring. Take a look at the legislative history of this bill. This is a bill that was here to be acted upon in the spring, when this type of legislation is actually supposed to be considered by this Body. And it was left to languish like hundreds of other bills. It's not supposed to be coming up in Veto Session. This is not the same discussion that we had last week when Senator Muñoz got the respect of this Chamber for working for a trailer bill, because that's what you have to do when there's no other course left. A -- a bill has moved so far down the road that to try to change it at that point will mess things up. This bill never got that far down the road. I have tried to be a consistent voice since I've been here about the lack of respect for the process 19 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 144th Legislative Day 11/27/2018 that we sometimes have when we want to shoehorn things through. So, to me, this is a double whammy - not only is this special legislation, but this is an actual abuse of the process. A bill that never got this far in the spring should not be given this consideration at this point in the legislative year.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CLAYBORNE) Senator Bush, for what purpose do you seek recognition?
Thank you so much, Mr. President. To the bill. So this does impact my district. I represent an area in Lake County. I talked to Senator Link about some of those concerns. I, too, share the concerns for McHenry County, in particular the mental health district. I believe it's a 508 or -- you know, so there's some concerns there. But I am willing to take Senator Link at his word. And I believe that there will be a trailer bill to take care of these issues. If I didn't, I wouldn't be voting for it. I believe we should be voting Yes. We talk a lot about consolidation and I find myself in a -- a rare position, where there are people from the other side of the aisle, who shall remain nameless, that said something about it not being soup yet. It's really time that we passed a consolidation bill that dealt with road districts. This is not the entire township district. This is just dealing with road districts. And I would urge an Aye vote and I would thank my Senator from Lake County for agreeing to run a trailer bill to fix those issues that need to be taken care of. Thank you.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CLAYBORNE) Senator Wilcox, for the second time.
So, just to make a clarification, I believe this bill is 20 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 144th Legislative Day 11/27/2018 actually abolishment of the entire township. It is not just a road district bill. That was House Bill 607 that McHenry Township tried to enact this past election cycle.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CLAYBORNE) Senator Righter, for what purpose do you seek recognition?
Will the sponsor yield for an inquiry, Mr. President?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CLAYBORNE) Sponsor -- indicates he'll yield, Senator Righter.
Great. Great. You know, Senator Link, I just tingle with excitement when a longtime Democrat like you gets up and trumps - oh, excuse the pun - trumpets conservative Republican ideas like consolidation and let's get rid of all these units of local government. You've just missed a little piece, though, and that is, we want to do it to save money. And I think that's where this bill, which, I think by any objective examination, is poorly drafted, misses the boat, and I'll give -- let's -- let's talk about a specific example. The bill -- oop, wait till you get done conferring with your staff. Thank you very much, Mr. President. So, Senator Link, the bill says that if a township chooses to dissolve itself, then its contractual obligations, including its debt, go to the county as a whole. Now the only people who get the say in whether or not the township is dissolved are the people in the township. So how is it -- how do we save money by saying -- oh, and not unfairly burden taxpayers who had absolutely no say in the decision, if you say this small group of people ran up this much debt so we're going to get rid of that unit of local government and we're going to give that debt to everyone else? Explain the 21 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 144th Legislative Day 11/27/2018 equity and cost savings in that provision.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CLAYBORNE) Senator Link.
First of all, Senator Righter, I would tell you that, like I said, this subject matter was brought up before. I've yet to see an -- an amendment from anybody pertaining to this. But I made the commitment that I would do a trailer bill and I think you've been around, not as long as I have, but close, and I got to tell you, I introduced township and -- or, I should say, units of local government, not just townships, units of local government, oh, about ten, twelve years ago. And I might not have been as long of a serving Democrat at that time. And I don't think it's a conservative issue; I think it's a logical issue in the State of Illinois. Everybody mentions how many units of local government. Everybody mentions about our property tax. Everybody mentions all of this, but nobody wants to follow through on it. I'm willing to follow through on it. I'm willing to do a trailer bill. I'm willing to do anything that we start lowering the amount of local units of government. And I think if you start figuring it out, Senator -- I'll -- I'll wait until you get done listening, so you can listen to me. The point is, is that if we do consolidation, there are going to be eliminations of people; there are going to be eliminations of types of work that can be consolidated, like road districts consolidated into municipal or county roads; that it would be a savings of all the equipment, it would be savings of all the personnel, it would be savings. If you don't think so, then let's stop all this BS about -- consolidating local units of government, if you don't think it's going to save money. Because 22 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 144th Legislative Day 11/27/2018 that's what we're doing it for. We're trying to save the taxpayers money, and we're doing it. If we have to change something in this bill, I will do the trailer bill. I'll say it for the hundredth time - I will do the trailer bill. And I think my word is gold in this Chamber.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CLAYBORNE) Senator Righter.
Thank you, Mr. President. Senator Link, what I asked about was the provision that allows a small, small group of voters in a particular township to dissolve the township and hand over what could be unlimited debt to the rest of the county, which could even force -- which could even force a property tax increase for everyone else in the county to pay off the township debt. All I asked you, Senator Link, was why is that provision in there? And do you think that's really fair?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CLAYBORNE) Senator Link.
First of all, the people in that township or any other township are voters within the county on top of it, number one. Number two, if we have to look at it, we'll look at it in the trailer bill and see how we can rectify it in a manner in which it would be prudent to all of the taxpayers in Lake and McHenry County.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CLAYBORNE) Senator Righter.
Thank you, Mr. President. I will take it from that response, 23 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 144th Legislative Day 11/27/2018 Senator Link, that you recognize that allowing a small group in a township to dissolve itself and hand over its debt to the entire county, which might result in a countywide property tax, thus nullifying any savings and then some, is a problem, because you keep referring to the trailer bill. Let's talk about the trailer bill. Senator Link, what will be in the trailer bill? Because you have, in all fairness, you have mentioned several times that your word is good, that you'll fix the problems. Okay, what are the problems? What specifically will be in the trailer bill?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CLAYBORNE) Senator Link.
Senator, I'm not the problem. I got the bill. You got the problem, you bring the answers to me and we'll work on it. That's how it works around here. If you got an amendment, if you got something that's a problem, you bring it to the sponsor of the bill and the sponsor will sit down and work with you. I am the sponsor of the bill. I am introducing this bill. I made a commitment to you and everybody else that I will do a trailer bill if you bring it to me and we sit down and discuss it.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CLAYBORNE) Senator Righter.
To the bill, if I might, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CLAYBORNE) To the bill, Senator.
Thank you. Well, Senator Link, I appreciate that forthright answer. I think you and I have a little different view of our 24 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 144th Legislative Day 11/27/2018 responsibility -- a legislator. If you're a sponsor, you have some responsibility for the content of the bill, at least some. Ladies and Gentlemen, this bill has been amended and now has a July 1 of next year effective date. So at some point, don't you have to ask yourself the question, what's the big hurry? Right? What's the big hurry? This -- if -- if it becomes law, it doesn't become law until next summer, so maybe we should step back and say, let's deal with that provision in there that allows a very small group in a county to dissolve its organization and hand over its debt to the county as a whole, maybe drive a property tax increase for all the county's taxpayers. I mean, I don't know of another provision in Illinois law, where consolidation is a one- way street. When we do it for school districts, both school districts have to agree. In this one, it's a one-way street. If the township that can't pay its debt says, you know what, we're just going to get out of the business, they can dissolve themselves and the county picks up the bill. That's what this bill does. So you can talk about consolidation all you want, the point is saving money. This bill encourages irresponsible -- people who have been irresponsible, local governments who have been irresponsible, to dissolve and give their debt over to someone else. Is that really -- is that really what we want to do? You know what, if we can wait until July 1, then let's wait to get it right. Thank you, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CLAYBORNE) Senator Tom Cullerton.
To the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CLAYBORNE) 25 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 144th Legislative Day 11/27/2018 To the bill, Senator.
First, I'd like to thank the sponsor for bringing forth this legislation. I do have to say that DuPage County has led the way in government consolidation. We have run bills for government consolidation. It is good to see other counties are taking that lead as well. We ran a bill to start consolidating local units of government. Last year, Governor Rauner came and signed a bill consolidating our election commission. We talk all the time in this Chamber about consolidating government. It is a constant deal. In 2012, your side of the aisle asked to consolidate lieutenant governor and put it on the ballot. It did not pass in 2012. I brought that bill in 2014. Amazingly, none of you voted for that exact same bill in 2014. Consolidation is talked about consistently in this Chamber. It is brought up by every side. It was something the Governor ran on consistently. Yet today you have the opportunity, today you have the bill, and today you're going to either vote No or vote Present. I thank -- I thank Senator Link for bringing this bill forward. I look forward to voting Yes and I ask all of you to vote Yes as well.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CLAYBORNE) Senator Link, to close.
Thank you, Mr. President. I think there's a couple things that were neglected to be realized in this. One, a lot of these townships have a lot of asset, a lot of these road districts have a lot of asset and that's going to go to the county to do what they want to do with those assets. But I'm going to echo that -- something that was said -- previous speaker. We have talked this 26 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 144th Legislative Day 11/27/2018 to death about the willingness to do something in consolidation. You have a chance to do it now. You have a chance to send a message that we're willing to do some consolidation. Is there more to come? I hope to God there is. I hope that we start getting serious about consolidation. As I said, I introduced something twelve -- ten, twelve years ago, to try to get it. It was defeated. Okay? It was defeated, because townships were mad at me for doing this. You know what, there's a lot of units of local government that can be consolidated. A couple Members on that side have -- came to me and asked me, can we talk about this particular types of consolidation? I said, I'm open to any consolidation. I'm open to anything that's going to help the taxpayers of this State. Let's quit using it as a political stunt that we're all for consolidation, but when it comes to a vote, you don't want to vote for it. This is the time the rubber meets the road and we start doing something for smaller government. And I don't care if you consider that a Democrat or Republican issue. It's time we have smaller units of local government in this State. I would ask for green lights all over. Thank you.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CLAYBORNE) The question is, shall House Bill 4637 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 -- 33 voting Yea, 16 voting Nay, 3 voting Present. Senate Bill -- I mean House Bill 4637, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. At this point in time, we will make a committee announcement. Executive will meet immediately upon recess in Room 212. State Government will meet in Room 409 immediately. Licensed Activity 27 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 144th Legislative Day 11/27/2018 {sic} (Activities) will meet immediately in Room 400. At 3 p.m., Human Services will meet in Room 4-0-9 and Revenue will meet at 3:15 in Room 212. Upon the completion of the committees, we will return on the Floor for 2nd -- move bills from 2nd Reading to 3rd Readings. The Senate will stand in recess to the call of the Chair. After committee meetings, the Senate will reconvene. The Senate stands in recess. (SENATE STANDS IN RECESS/SENATE RECONVENES)
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HUNTER) The Senate will come to order. Mr. Secretary, Resolutions.
Senate Resolution 2211, offered by Senator Rose and all Members. Senate Resolution 2212, offered by Senator Syverson and all Members. And Senate Resolution 2213, offered by Senator McCann and all Members. They are all death resolutions, Madam President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HUNTER) Resolutions Consent Calendar. Mr. Secretary, Committee Reports.
Senator Harmon, Chairperson of the Committee on Executive, reports Motions to Concur - House Amendments 1, 2, and 3 to Senate Bill 482 Recommend Do Adopt; House Bill 982 and 5698 Do Pass. Senator Martinez, Chairperson of the Committee on Licensed Activities and Pensions, reports Motion to Concur - House Amendment 28 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 144th Legislative Day 11/27/2018 1 to Senate Bill 309 Recommend Do Adopt; House Bill 166 Do Pass; and Motion to Accept -- Accept Amendatory Veto Motion to House Bill 5177 Recommend Do Adopt. Senator Landek, Chairperson of the Committee on State Government, reports House Bills 1167, 1168, 1594, 5093, and 5971 Do Pass. Senator Morrison, Chairperson of the Committee on Human Services, reports Motion to Concur - House Amendment 2 to Senate Bill 752 Recommend Do Adopt; and House Bill 5769 Do Pass. Senator Hutchinson, Chairperson of the Committee on Revenue, reports House Bill 1193 Do Pass, as Amended.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HUNTER) Introduction of Senate Bills.
Senate Bill 3649, offered by Senator Link. (Secretary reads title of bill) 1st Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HUNTER) Mr. Secretary, Appointment Messages.
Appointment Message 1000462 Governor's salaried appointment To be the Director of the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, Leslie Munger Appointment Message 1000463 Governor's salaried appointment To be Director of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, Wayne Rosenthal Appointment Message 1000464 29 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 144th Legislative Day 11/27/2018 Governor's non-salaried appointment To be a Trustee of Chicago State University Board of Trustees, Kambium Buckner Appointment Message 1000465 Governor's non-salaried appointment To be a Trustee of Chicago State University Board of Trustees, Nicholas Gowen And Appointment Message 1000466 Governor's non-salaried appointment To be a Trustee of Chicago State University Board of Trustees, Tiffany Harper
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HUNTER) Page 2 of the regular Calendar. House Bill 130. Senator Fowler. Mr. Secretary, read the bill.
House Bill 130. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HUNTER) 3rd Reading. Supplemental Calendar No. 1. House Bill 1-6- 6. Mulroe. …Secretary, read the bill.
House Bill 166. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HUNTER) 3rd Reading. House Bill 982. Cullerton -- J. Cullerton. 30 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 144th Legislative Day 11/27/2018 House Bill 1167. Aquino. Mr. Secretary, read the bill.
House Bill 1167. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HUNTER) 3rd Reading. House Bill 1168. Cunningham. Mr. Secretary, read the bill.
House Bill 1168. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HUNTER) 3rd Reading. House Bill 5093. Senator Martinez. Change of sponsorship. House Bill 1193 change -- Cunningham. 1193. Mr. Secretary, read the bill.
House Bill 1193. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. The Committee on Revenue adopted Amendment No. 1.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HUNTER) 3rd -- has there been any Floor amendments approved for consideration?
No further amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HUNTER) 31 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 144th Legislative Day 11/27/2018 3rd Reading. House Bill 5093. Senator Martinez. Mr. Secretary, read the bill.
House Bill 5093. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HUNTER) 3rd Reading. House Bill 5698. Harris. There is a -- a -- a record on file -- there's a letter on file as for Martinez as chief cosponsor to move the bill from 2nd to 3rd. Read the bill, Mr. Secretary.
House Bill 5698. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HUNTER) 3rd Reading. House Bill 5769. Morrison. Mr. Secretary, read the bill.
House Bill 5769. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HUNTER) 3rd Reading. Senator Martinez in the Chair.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MARTINEZ) House Bill 1594. Senator Hunter. Mr. Secretary, please read 32 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 144th Legislative Day 11/27/2018 the bill.
House Bill 1594. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MARTINEZ) 3rd Reading. Senator Hunter in the Chair.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HUNTER) Page -- page 2 of the regular Calendar. House Bill 4685. T. Cullerton. Mr. Secretary, read the bill.
House Bill 4685. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HUNTER) 3rd Reading. Supplemental Calendar. House Bill 982. J. Cullerton. Mr. Secretary, read the bill.
House Bill 982. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HUNTER) 3rd Reading. House Bill 5971. J. Cullerton. Mr. Secretary, read the bill.
House Bill 5971. 33 STATE OF ILLINOIS 100th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 144th Legislative Day 11/27/2018 (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HUNTER) 3rd Reading. There being no further business to come before the Senate, the Senate stands adjourned until the hour of 10:30 a.m. on the 28th day of November 2018. The Senate stands adjourned. 34