PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) The regular Session of the 101st General Assembly will please come to order. Will our Members please be at their desks? Will our guests in the galleries please rise? The invocation today will be given by Reverend Martin Woulfe, Abraham Lincoln Unitarian Universalist Congregation, Springfield, Illinois.
(Prayer by the Reverend Martin Woulfe)
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Please remain standing for the Pledge Allegiance. Senator Cunningham.
(Pledge of Allegiance, led by Senator Cunningham)
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Blue… Blueroomstream.com seeks permission to videotape. Seeing no objection, permission granted. Mr. Secretary, Reading and Approval of the Journal.
Senate Journal of Wednesday, May 8th, 2019.
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 approval of the Journal, pending the arrival of the printed transcript. There being no objection, so ordered. Mr. Secretary, Resolutions. 1 STATE OF ILLINOIS 101st GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 41st Legislative Day 5/9/2019
Senate Resolution 402, offered by Senator Cunningham and all Members. Senate Resolution 404, offered by Senator Bennett and all Members. They are both death resolutions, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Resolution Consent Calendar.
Senate Resolution 403, offered by Senator Morrison. It is substantive.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Mr. Secretary, Introduction of Senate Bills.
Senate Bill 2255, offered by Senator Fine. (Secretary reads title of bill) 1st Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Mr. Secretary, Committee Reports.
Senator Hastings, Chairperson of the Committee on Executive, reports House Bills 3334 and 3661 Do Pass. Senator Jones, Chairperson of the Committee on Licensed Activities, reports House Bill 2676 Do Pass; and House Bill 1652 Do Pass, as Amended. Senator Landek, Chairperson of the Committee on State Government, reports Senate Resolution 251 Be Adopted; House Bills 837, 2266, 2594, 2943, and 3196 Do Pass; House Bill 124 Do Pass, as Amended; House Joint Resolutions 7 and 16 Be Adopted; and Senate 2 STATE OF ILLINOIS 101st GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 41st Legislative Day 5/9/2019 Amendment 1 to House Bill 854 Recommend Do Adopt; Senator Harris, Chairperson of the Committee on Insurance, reports House Bills 465, 2438, 2846, 2894, 3471, 3487, and 3503 Do Pass; House Bills 3113 and 3509 Do Pass, as Amended. Senator Hutchinson, Chairperson of the Committee on Revenue, reports House Bills 938, 2578, 3143, 3244 Do Pass; House Bills 250 and 1561 Do Pass, as Amended; and Senate Amendment 1 to House Bill 925 Recommend Do Adopt. Senator Bennett, Chairperson of the Committee on Agriculture, reports House Bills 3667, 3668, and 3671 Do Pass. Senator Murphy, Chairperson of the Committee on Commerce and Economic Development, reports House Bill 2643 Do Pass, as Amended. Senator Bush, Chairperson of the Committee on Environment and Conservation, reports Senate Amendments 3 and 4 to Senate Bill 9 Recommend Do Adopt; House Bill 456 and 2491 Do Pass; and House Bills 2076 and 2583 Do Pass, as Amended. Senator Stadelman, Chairperson of the Committee on Telecommunications and Information Technology, reports House Bill 245 Do Pass.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Will all Members at the sound of my voice please come to the Senate Floor immediately? All Members at the sound of my voice, please come to the Senate Floor immediately. Will the Committee on Assignments please meet in the President's Anteroom immediately? Will the Committee on Assignments please meet in the President's Anteroom immediately? Senator Martinez in the Chair.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MARTINEZ) Senator Link back in the Chair.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) 3 STATE OF ILLINOIS 101st GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 41st Legislative Day 5/9/2019 Senator Morrison, for what purpose do you rise?
Mr. President, I rise on a point of personal privilege to make an introduction.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) State your point.
Thank you, Mr. President. This morning -- this afternoon, I welcome two Rabbis from my hometown of Deerfield and they are both here as part of Religious Action Center Lobby Day. Rabbi Serotta serves as Rabbi at Makom Solel Lakeside, a congregation of more than six hundred households in Highland Park. And during his thirty plus years as a Rabbi, he's worked with dozens of organizations within and outside the Jewish faith on saving our planet's environment and building a just, humane, and peaceful community. He is here today with Reform Illinois, representing more than fifty Reform Jewish congregations comprised of more than a hundred thousand people. Rabbi Jason Fenster is the Assistant Rabbi of Congregation BJBE in Deerfield. He's been active in the social justice work of the Reform Movement, particularly in the areas of criminal justice reform, gun violence prevention, and LGBT equality. He is honored that his first visit to Springfield was with IRAC for Jewish Action Day for immigrant justice. Please help me welcome these two guests on their first visit to Springfield.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Mr. Secretary, Committee Reports.
Senator Lightford, Chairperson of the Committee on 4 STATE OF ILLINOIS 101st GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 41st Legislative Day 5/9/2019 Assignments, reports the following Legislative Measures have been assigned: Refer to Higher Education Committee - Floor Amendment 1 to Senate Bill 535; Be Approved for Consideration - Senate Resolution 401. Pursuant to Senate Rule 3-8 (d), the following bill will be re-referred from the Appropriations II Committee to the Committee on Assignments: House Bill 2237. Pursuant to Senate Rule 3-8 (b-1), the following amendments will remain in the Committee on Assignments: Committee Amendment 2 to House Bill 3113 and Committee Amendment 2 to House Bill 3509. Signed, Senator Kimberly Lightford, Chairperson. Senator Lightford, Chairperson of the Committee on Assignments, reports the following Legislative Measures have been assigned: Refer to Higher Education Committee - House Bill 2237. Signed, Senator Kimberly Lightford, Chairperson.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Crowe, for what purpose do you rise?
Point of personal privilege, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) State your point.
Thank you. Members, if I may have your attention for just a moment. I wanted to share with you all this afternoon that our beloved Senator Haine is having a surgery and I'd ask that you all keep him in your thoughts today and join me in praying for his speedy recovery. Thank you.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Fowler, for what purpose do you rise?
5 STATE OF ILLINOIS 101st GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 41st Legislative Day 5/9/2019 Thank you, Mr. President. Point of personal privilege, please.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) State your point.
Thank you, Mr. President, Members of the State Senate. I'm honored to have with me today my Page for the Day, Mr. Cort Hooven. Cort is actually the son of my Assistant, Dana Hooven. And Cort's father, Danny, is here with us as well. Cort is nine years old and Cort enjoys fishing and playing with his dog, Duke. And he's also a fan of Illinois history. Would you please join me in welcoming Cort to the Illinois State Senate, please?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Welcome to Springfield. Senator Koehler, for what purpose do you rise?
Thank you, Mr. President. A point of personal privilege.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) State your point.
I just want to welcome some of the folks from Peoria and from Central Illinois that are here on behalf of their advocacy for the environment. You'll see them in their green shirts. So, please give them a -- please give them a big Springfield welcome.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Welcome to Springfield, but I think you applauded for yourself, but that's fine. Thank you. Senator Belt, for what purpose do you rise?
6 STATE OF ILLINOIS 101st GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 41st Legislative Day 5/9/2019 Thank you. Thank you, Mr. President. Point of personal privilege.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) State your point.
Last Saturday, fourteen-year-old rising football star Jaylon McKenzie was struck by stray gunfire after leaving a party in Venice, Illinois. Jaylon was only an eighth grader at Mason-Clark Middle School in East St. Louis. Although he wasn't in high school yet, he had received attention from colleges for his skills on the football field. In fact, Jaylon had already received two scholarship offers, from Mizzou and Illinois. He was set to fulfill a lifelong dream of playing football for East St. Louis High School in the fall. Jaylon was recently featured in Sports Illustrated magazine as one of the "Six Teens Who Will Rule the Future of {sic} (in) Sports". This tragedy is yet another example of the potential we lose when we don't take action to prevent gun violence. I would like to ask the Senate for a moment of silence in the remembrance of Jaylon's life and all the -- the young people who have left us too soon.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Please rise for a moment of silence. (Moment of silence observed) With leave of the Body, we'll turn to page 5 of the printed Calendar, House Bills 2nd Reading. House Bill 1. Senator Collins. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 1. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments 7 STATE OF ILLINOIS 101st GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 41st Legislative Day 5/9/2019 reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) 3rd Reading. House Bill 2. Senator Collins. Out of the record. House Bill 5. Senator Collins. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 5. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) 3rd Reading. House Bill 35. Senator Martinez. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 35. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) 3rd Reading. House Bill 51. Senator Collins. Out of the record. House Bill 88. Senator Martinez. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 88. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) 3rd Reading. House Bill 92. Senator Barickman. Senator 8 STATE OF ILLINOIS 101st GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 41st Legislative Day 5/9/2019 Barickman. House Bill 94. Senator Lightfoot {sic}. I said Lightford. Senate -- House Bill 105. Senator Tom Cullerton. Senator Tom Cullerton. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 105. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) 3rd Reading. House Bill 120. Senator Castro. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 120. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) 3rd Reading. House Bill 188. Senator Muñoz. Out of the record. House Bill 210. Senator Fowler. Out of the record. House Bill 246. Senator Steans. Senator Steans. House Bill 247. Senator Harmon. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 247. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) 3rd Reading. House Bill 252. Senator Castro. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill. 9 STATE OF ILLINOIS 101st GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 41st Legislative Day 5/9/2019
House Bill 252. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. The Committee on Labor adopted Amendment No. 1.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Are there any further Floor amendments approved for consideration?
No further amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) 3rd Reading. House Bill 253. Senator Fine. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 253. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) 3rd Reading. House Bill 269. Senator Holmes. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 269. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) 3rd Reading. House Bill 271. Senator Anderson. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill. 10 STATE OF ILLINOIS 101st GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 41st Legislative Day 5/9/2019
House Bill 271. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) 3rd Reading. House Bill 303. Senator Tom Cullerton. Senator Tom -- Mr. Secretary, please 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 LINK) 3rd Reading. House Bill 313. Senator Tom Cullerton. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 313. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) 3rd Reading. House Bill 331. Senator Collins. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 331. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported. 11 STATE OF ILLINOIS 101st GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 41st Legislative Day 5/9/2019
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) 3rd Reading. House Bill 344. Senator Bennett. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 344. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) 3rd Reading. House Bill 347. Senator Crowe. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 347. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) 3rd Reading. House Bill 355. Senator McConchie. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 355. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) 3rd Reading. House Bill 359. Senator Murphy. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 359. 12 STATE OF ILLINOIS 101st GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 41st Legislative Day 5/9/2019 (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) 3rd Reading. House Bill 386. Senator Peters. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 386. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Are there any further Floor amendments approved for consideration?
Floor Amendment No. 2, offered by Senator Peters.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Peters, on your amendment.
I move to adopt the amendment and debate on 3rd.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Is there any discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor will say Aye. Opposed, Nay. The Ayes have it, and the amendment is adopted. Are there any further Floor amendments approved for consideration?
No further amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) 3rd Reading. House Bill 423. Senator Bertino-Tarrant. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill. 13 STATE OF ILLINOIS 101st GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 41st Legislative Day 5/9/2019
House Bill 423. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) 3rd Reading. House Bill 424. Senator Martinez. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 424. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) 3rd Reading. House Bill 808. Senator Villivalam. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 808. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) 3rd Reading. House Bill 814. Senator Holmes. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 814. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported. 14 STATE OF ILLINOIS 101st GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 41st Legislative Day 5/9/2019
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) 3rd Reading. House Bill 816. Senator Sims. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 816. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) 3rd Reading. House Bill 822. Senator Anderson. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 822. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) 3rd Reading. House Bill 823. Senator Tom Cullerton. Senator Tom Cullerton. House Bill 831. Senator Holmes. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 831. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) 3rd Reading. House Bill 834. Senator Castro. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
15 STATE OF ILLINOIS 101st GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 41st Legislative Day 5/9/2019 House Bill 834. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. The Committee on Labor adopted Amendment No. 1.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Are there any further Floor amendments approved for consideration?
No further amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) 3rd Reading. House Bill 836. Senator Villivalam. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 836. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) 3rd Reading. House Bill 840. Senator Bush. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 840. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) 3rd Reading. House Bill 854. Senator Castro.
House Bill 854. 16 STATE OF ILLINOIS 101st GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 41st Legislative Day 5/9/2019 (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Are there any further Floor amendments approved for consideration?
Floor Amendment No. 1, offered by Senator Castro.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Castro, on your amendment.
I seek its adoption and I'll explain on 3rd.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Is there any discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor will say Aye. Opposed, Nay. The Ayes have it, and the amendment is adopted. Are there any further Floor amendments approved for consideration?
No further amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) 3rd Reading. House Bill 900. Senator Peters. Senator Peters. House Bill 907. Senator Murphy. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 907. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) 3rd Reading. House Bill 909. Senator Lightford. Senator 17 STATE OF ILLINOIS 101st GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 41st Legislative Day 5/9/2019 Lightford. House Bill 910. Senator Holmes. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 910. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) 3rd Reading. House Bill 921. Senator Bush. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 921. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) 3rd Reading. House Bill 925. Senator Bush. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 925. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Are there any further Floor amendments approved for consideration?
Floor Amendment No. 1, offered by Senator Bush.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Bush, on your amendment. 18 STATE OF ILLINOIS 101st GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 41st Legislative Day 5/9/2019
Thank you, Mr. President. I ask that we adopt the amendment and -- and I will explain it when it's on 3rd.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Is there any discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor will say Aye. Opposed, Nay. The Ayes have it, and the amendment is adopted. Are there any further Floor amendments approved for consideration?
No further amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) 3rd Reading. House Bill 1438. Senator Harmon. Out of the record. House Bill 1455. Senator Manar. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 1455. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) 3rd Reading. House Bill 1471. Senator Mulroe. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 1471. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) 3rd Reading. House Bill 1472. Senator Bertino-Tarrant. Mr. 19 STATE OF ILLINOIS 101st GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 41st Legislative Day 5/9/2019 Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 1472. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) 3rd Reading. House Bill 1475. Senator Morrison. Senator Morrison. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 1475. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) 3rd Reading. House Bill 1494. Senator Rose. Senator Rose. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 1494. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) 3rd Reading. House Bill 1551. Senator Morrison. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 15 -- 1551. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. The Committee on Human Services adopted 20 STATE OF ILLINOIS 101st GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 41st Legislative Day 5/9/2019 Amendment No. 1.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Are there any further Floor amendments approved for consideration?
No further amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) 3rd Reading. House Bill 1553. Senator Castro. Senator Castro. House Bill 1554. Senator Anderson. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 1554. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) 3rd Reading. House Bill 1557. Senator Martinez. Senator Martinez. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 1557. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) 3rd Reading. House Bill 1579. Senator Cunningham. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 1579. (Secretary reads title of bill) 21 STATE OF ILLINOIS 101st GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 41st Legislative Day 5/9/2019 2nd Reading of the bill. The Committee on Criminal Law adopted Amendments 1 and 2.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Are there any further Floor amendments approved for consideration?
No further amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) 3rd Reading. House Bill 1580. Senator Aquino. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 1580. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) 3rd Reading. House Bill 1581. Senator Stadelman. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 1581. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) 3rd Reading. House Bill 1583. Senator Curran. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 1583. (Secretary reads title of bill) 22 STATE OF ILLINOIS 101st GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 41st Legislative Day 5/9/2019 2nd Reading of the bill. The Committee on Criminal Law adopted Amendment No. 1.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Are there any further Floor amendments approved for consideration?
No further amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) 3rd Reading. House Bill 1587. Senator Sims. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 1587. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) 3rd Reading. House Bill 1613. Senator Sims. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 1613. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) 3rd Reading. House Bill 1639. Senator Mulroe. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 1639. (Secretary reads title of bill) 23 STATE OF ILLINOIS 101st GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 41st Legislative Day 5/9/2019 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) 3rd Reading. House Bill 1659. Senator Anderson. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 1659. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) 3rd Reading. House Bill 1690. Senator Aquino. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 1690. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) 3rd Reading. House Bill 1873. Senator McConchie. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 1873. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) 3rd Reading. House Bill 1876. Senator Plummer. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill. 24 STATE OF ILLINOIS 101st GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 41st Legislative Day 5/9/2019
House Bill 1876. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) 3rd Reading. House Bill 1915. Senator Koehler. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 1915. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) 3rd Reading. House Bill 1918. Senator McConchie. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 1918. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) 3rd Reading. House Bill 2028. Senator Morrison. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 2028. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported. 25 STATE OF ILLINOIS 101st GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 41st Legislative Day 5/9/2019
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) 3rd Reading. House Bill 2029. Senator Aquino. Senator Aquino. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 2029. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. The Committee on Government Accountability and Pensions adopted Amendment No. 1.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Are there any further Floor amendments approved for consideration?
No further amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) 3rd Reading. House Bill 2040. Senator Peters. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 2040. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) 3rd Reading. House Bill 2045. Senator Sims. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 2045. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported. 26 STATE OF ILLINOIS 101st GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 41st Legislative Day 5/9/2019
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) 3rd Reading. With leave of the Body, we will return to 2nd Readings in a little while. We've got to go to 3rd Reading on some particular bills. Senate Bill -- on page 2 of the printed Calendar, Senate Bill 9. Senator Bennett. Senator Bennett seeks leave of the Body to return Senate Bill 9 to the Order of 2nd Reading. Leave is granted. Now on the Order of 2nd Reading is Senate Bill 9. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill. Mr. Secretary, are there any Floor amendments approved for consideration?
Floor Amendment 3, offered by Senator Bennett.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Bennett, on your amendment.
Thank you, Mr. President. I'd ask the amendments be adopted and I'll discuss on 3rd.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Is there any discussion? Seeing none, the question is, shall -- is there any discussion? Is there any -- question is, shall - - all those in favor, say Aye. Opposed, Nay. The Ayes have it, and the amendment is adopted. Are there any further Floor amendments approved for consideration?
Floor Amendment 4, offered by Senator Bennett.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Bennett, on your amendment.
Again, thank you, Mr. President. And again, we would ask 27 STATE OF ILLINOIS 101st GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 41st Legislative Day 5/9/2019 that it be adopted. Will discuss on final reading.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Is there any discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor will say Aye. Opposed, Nay. The Ayes have it, and the amendment is adopted. Are there any further Floor amendments approved for consideration?
No further amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) 3rd Reading. Now on the Order of 3rd Reading is Senate Bill 9. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
Senate Bill 9. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Bennett, on your amendment. On your bill.
Thank you, Mr. President. Senate Bill 9, as many of you have discussed with me in the past, involves coal ash. Coal ash has become a pressing issue in my district. And just outside of Danville, there is a shuttered power plant, which is currently owned by -- by Vistra, which hasn't been in operation for about fifteen years. But anytime there's a coal-fueled power plant, when you burn coal to produce power, there's a byproduct called coal ash. That -- even though the factory has long since shuttered -- or the power plant rather has long since shuttered, those -- we have giant pits of coal ash in unlined pits along the Vermilion County -- or the Vermilion River. That is our problem, and in 28 STATE OF ILLINOIS 101st GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 41st Legislative Day 5/9/2019 particular, it's a problem because the Middle Fork of the Vermilion River - the only national scenic river in the State of Illinois, I would point out, and a site of tourism and kayaking - it's changing course directly into the path of those coal ash pits. It is an environmental disaster waiting to happen and it's something that has brought this issue to my attention. However, it is not just a Vermilion County issue. We have coal ash pits all over the State. Any time, as I said, you burn coal to produce power, you have those byproducts, something you have to deal with. And what Senate Bill 9 is trying to do is address this problem. We have fifty-five remaining coal ash impoundments throughout the State. Basically, one for every district of -- the Senators represent in this Body. And while they are -- they -- while they aren't in each of our districts, they are each of our concerns. What Senate Bill 9 would try to do is try to put together a plan. We know under federal rules that most of these unlined pits will have to close the next few years. But in what order? And in what -- what urgency are they -- are -- are we talking about? So what Senate Bill 9 would do is ask the Illinois EPA and the Illinois Pollution Control Board to set up a series of guidelines and rules to help decide that priority list. And upon that then, would give -- it would give them a chance to make their case to the Illinois EPA and make a decision-by-decision, case-by-case basis. It would also provide fees that the owners and operators of the coal ash pits would have to pay. These, again, are not punitive; these fees would -- would simply, as the State of Missouri does, would provide the funds to the Illinois EPA to hire hydrologists, engineers, and others to actually analyze the data we're trying to get to them, so they have a quick resolution, both for industry 29 STATE OF ILLINOIS 101st GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 41st Legislative Day 5/9/2019 and for those who live near the pits. And finally, the -- the bill would allow for - and require - financial assurances. The big issue that we have is, what happens, say the -- the situation in Vermilion County, where coal ash does spill into the river? And what if the owner of that pit today is long since exited the market? Who's going to pay for it? Will it be the taxpayers? Will it be, as I said in -- in committee today, will one of you be here asking the Body for a billion-dollar supplemental appropriation to bail out your district when toxic sludge is in your water supply? Or can we get in front of the act -- the act? Can we be proactive in this State and can we make sure that these companies get some bonding so that money is there in the event that there is some kind of an issue? This bill, again, it's got four amendments. We have worked very hard to remove opposition and we've removed about a dozen different groups who started out opposed. I would be happy to answer any questions you have and I would ask for an Aye vote.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Is there any discussion? Senator Anderson, for what purpose do you rise?
To the bill, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) To the bill.
Thank you, Mr. President, Members of the Senate. I -- I want to start out by saying this -- this is a difficult issue for me and I -- and I want to -- I -- I want to give perspective a little bit about where I'm coming from. So my district -- in my district 30 STATE OF ILLINOIS 101st GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 41st Legislative Day 5/9/2019 I have the Cordova nuclear generating station, which, I would argue, is probably one of the -- the most, if not the cleanest form of energy that we have in the United States. With that being said, a couple years ago I was not only chief cosponsor of the FEJA bill, I helped negotiate that bill, and I think that was a very important step for Illinois. That being said, one of the many reasons that we here and our constituents here enjoy some of the lowest energy prices in the United States is the fact that we have a very diverse energy portfolio, which includes coal. Now, this bill is going to cost electric generators associated with these regulations hundreds of millions of dollars. And we constantly talk on the Floor here when we're doing bills about how great it is when we get labor and business in support of our legislation, how that is the goal. Well, unfortunately, with this legislation, we have business and labor both in opposition, which I don't think is a precedent that we want to start. Now, to the sponsor: Senator Bennett, I understand your intent and I agree with your intent. This is a major issue and it needs to be addressed, but I don't think it's soup yet. I think we can still work to make this better to remove some of the opposition here and, for that reason, I would suggest a No vote. Thank you, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Rezin, for what purpose do you rise?
Thank you, Mr. President. To the bill, please.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) To the bill.
31 STATE OF ILLINOIS 101st GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 41st Legislative Day 5/9/2019 Senator Bennett, I would like to commend you on taking up this very difficult topic. This is a topic that not only needs to be talked about in your district, but this is a topic that's being talked about across the country. So thank you for sitting and -- and working on this bill for many, many months. My -- my question -- or my reservations to the bill is, because this is a national topic that is being addressed, this -- this has been addressed at the federal level. There have been federal rules -- comprehensive federal rules that were passed in 2015 under former President Obama. So we feel that many of the companies are -- have already been investing in this State to comply with the federal rule. If we pass a State rule that's in conflict with the federal rule, it will provide much uncertainty in our State. I do understand that you've been working with many groups. You -- you mentioned that -- were removal of opposition by some groups; however, there are many groups that are important to all of us that are -- still remain in opposition. So we have the Illinois Environmental Regulatory Group that is in opposition, the Illinois Chamber of Commerce, the Illinois Energy Association, and the Illinois Manufacturers' Association - groups that are important to everybody in this district {sic}. I appreciate, if this bill passes, you're going to work with the sponsor over in the House to address their issues, so as a result of that, I'm going to take a hard stance over here and ask our Members to be a Present on the bill, knowing that it will come back and we hope to vote on the bill when it comes back from the House with the changes that we need to see. Thank you.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Oberweis, for what purpose do you rise? 32 STATE OF ILLINOIS 101st GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 41st Legislative Day 5/9/2019
To the bill, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) To the bill.
Ladies and Gentlemen of the Illinois Senate, hold your breath. I rise in support of this bill. Do I think it's a perfect bill? No. But do I think it does some good things that are important? Yes. When we look at the mess we have with, let's say, the dry cleaning industry, where taxpayers are going to end up being stuck on the hook because this was not handled -- the cleanup was not handled properly, that causes concern. And I respect the efforts that Senator Bennett has made to try to prevent that from happening in the future. I am hoping that Senator Bennett will continue to work as the bill moves to the House to clean up a few of the limiting factors to make it an even better bill, but on balance, I think it's better to pass it than not pass it. And as I've said many times before, if it's a good bill, vote Yes; if it's a bad bill, vote No.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Tracy, for what purpose do you rise?
Thank you, Mr. -- President. To the bill, please.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) To the bill.
I -- I think some very good points have been made by Senator Anderson and Senator Rezin, and so I -- I just want to bring it on a -- a smaller scale, in that I have a -- a plant in a -- a small 33 STATE OF ILLINOIS 101st GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 41st Legislative Day 5/9/2019 town of thirty-two hundred and that plant employs hundreds of workers, union workers with good jobs. And so I'm just asking that we take in consideration that this bill will have ramifications for our entire electric generation portfolio and it affects the economic viability of power plants throughout the State that are employers of families and people. And, certainly, you have an issue to address and I -- I know you're doing it for your constituents as well, but I would ask you to consider the other constituents, that not working to tweak this bill further could cause these plants to close and people and families to lose their jobs in the State of Illinois, when we've lost so many so far. So I appreciate your work, but I would just ask that it continue to be worked on so that we can make it better and preserve the plants that are following the regulations and not causing harm and get to where you need to be as well. Thank you.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Bush, for what purpose do you rise?
To the bill, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) To the bill.
I'd like to thank the sponsor for the amazing amount of work that he has done on this bill. And -- and our -- one of our staff attorneys, Ashley Stead, has just done yeoman's work, as she does on so many bills. But I'd like to speak to a couple of things that we've heard. First of all, I represent an area that has on its shores of Lake Michigan hundreds of tons of nuclear waste, because we had a shuttered nuclear plant without any real 34 STATE OF ILLINOIS 101st GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 41st Legislative Day 5/9/2019 transition plan in place. What we're talking about is a -- coal, which we are transitioning away from. And the Senator is right - ten years from now, twenty years from now, someone will stand in this same spot and ask what we are going to do to deal with that issue. It is incumbent upon us to help plan a transition away from this energy in the State of Illinois, because your communities that currently have those plants, I say please come to Zion and see what happens to a community when a source of income, a source of jobs, a source of tax revenue shuts down and leaves its waste behind. And to those that are waiting for the federal government to take care of coal and that transition, please, again, come and visit Zion and ask me about Yucca Mountain and ask me what the federal government has done, or what the State of Illinois has done, for these socioeconomically challenged communities who are left with the byproduct of profits and left to clean it up and left in an economic situation that we are still trying to figure out how to fix. I would say that those of you on the other side that want to see additional work, in our environmental committee today, we heard from the opponents and they all voiced their support of an ongoing process and talked about what this process has been like. This is how we create good policy - by continuing to negotiate. And that's what's going on here. And although a Present -- certainly I understand that you want to wait for it to come back, but I think you can send a stronger message that you believe that everybody at that table ought to be negotiating, negotiating sincerely, and getting to where we need this bill to get to. So I would ask for an Aye vote. And, again, I'd like to thank the sponsor for all of his work and please vote Yes.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) 35 STATE OF ILLINOIS 101st GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 41st Legislative Day 5/9/2019 Senator Koehler, for what purpose do you rise?
Thank you, Mr. President. To the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) To the bill.
Yes, I rise in support of this, much like my colleague Senator Oberweis. And I think that the discussion has to be around who is responsible and who's going to pay for this. If we don't vote for this bill -- and I commend the sponsor. He's done a lot of work on this. You've brought a lot of vested interests together around this concept. But if -- if -- these messes aren't going away, and if we don't vote for this bill, what we're saying is that we think the taxpayers ought to be on the hook for this. And I would say "No" to that. This is a -- a cost of doing business - when you make a mess, you clean it up. And so I strongly urge a Yes vote, because the alternative is not good for the people of Illinois. So please vote Yes.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Bennett, to close.
Thank you, Mr. President. I appreciate all the comments that we had here. One thing about this process, it's been one of the more rewarding ones that I've had here in Springfield because it really was a deliberative negotiation process. I commend not only the environmental advocates that we met with, not only the EPA, not only Ashley and the -- and the Council's Office that worked so hard, but also industry, who showed up, negotiated in good faith. As I said, we are on Amendment No. 4, and for those that have 36 STATE OF ILLINOIS 101st GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 41st Legislative Day 5/9/2019 asked, "Can you keep negotiating?", "Can you go a little further?", the fact is, I think if we were at Amendment 10, we'd still have that conversation. "Can't you go a little further?" The fact is, we went from draft one, which basically said if you have a coal ash pit, you got dig it up and put it in a lined pit. And everybody said, "Are you crazy? It's going to cost so much money. How can you treat everybody as if they're the same? There should be a range." We said, "Okay." By draft three, we had a -- a thought- out process, written by the Illinois EPA, to say we are going look case by case. The -- the assumption is you're going to remove it, but if you can prove to us that it's just as safe for the citizens around there to do something less costly, like putting a cap on it in place, then we'll do that. But you have to prove to us it's just as safe. And -- and that is the -- the process that I've seen in Vermilion County is what has pushed this. This will not address the -- the -- the Vermilion County situation, but it will keep it from being the same thing that you're dealing with in your districts, in terms of two, three years for this process of, well, now, the energy company gives a response and now they're waiting for more, water survey, back and forth. We're going to staff up the EPA, we're going to make this decision quicker, and it's going to be better for everybody. Yes, the federal -- under -- 2015, I believe it was - well, I don't want to say her name - but -- 'cause I don't want to give you another chance to speak - but the -- but -- but, you're correct, there are federal guidelines; however, there was a D.C. circuit case, I think it was late 2018, that said that many of these provisions in the federal guidelines are inadequate. So they had to go back and redo it. And we don't know how much longer that's going to take. The federal government 37 STATE OF ILLINOIS 101st GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 41st Legislative Day 5/9/2019 moves at a -- at a government pace, sometimes even slower than the State of Illinois. So in the process -- what we're -- what we're aiming for in Senate Bill 9 is a federally approved State plan that will give guidance, that will give consistency and predictability to the very industries that you're asking that we try to help out. We're trying to say, "Here are the parameters. Here are the rules made by IEPA and the Pollution Control Board." And now we can follow those rules to make sure we're getting to a good solution. This bill doesn't close any coal ash pits. The federal government already does that. But what this does, instead of saying, hey, fifty-five coal ash pits, just do it at your whim, hey, understaffed IEPA, good luck keeping up with all of it and - - and just try to figure out a way to do it, we are funding EPA and trying to make sure they have the staff to watch out for it. We're giving them kind of a priority list to say here's the ones you want to do first, second, and third. And we're trying to give, as I said, a blueprint for these companies to go forward. Finally, what I would say is this: Those that are concerned with the -- with the labor contingent, I am one of those too, and I think my record here over five years shows that I'm a very strong supporter of labor. But I would also point out that the very -- one of the very companies that we've been negotiating with all this time, that now is trying to influence their labor community and trying to influence the union members they have to try to put pressure on this Body to say, well, I hope I don't -- hope you don't lose your job, they are also going through this very Body, asking this Body for a bailout and have said in front of committee - I was in the back of the room - "We've got maybe ten years left in Illinois because our power plants are so antiquated." So I would point 38 STATE OF ILLINOIS 101st GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 41st Legislative Day 5/9/2019 out, these jobs may be there, maybe they won't in ten years, but the environmental problem will remain. So, at the end, you still haven't preserved that job at a certain point, but what you've done is now created a whole nother problem for the next generation of jobs, 'cause now you've got no water supply, now you've got an environmental disaster you got a deal with; we haven't dealt with their issue. The fact is, we've been working on this three months. Many of those that have came to you with fact sheets, saying, boy, now we'd just like one more thing, they came to me with that issue on Tuesday, after our third amendment, after good-faith negotiations for three months. And if I'd given 'em that, they would have come back after the fifth amendment and said, "Now we just need one more thing." It's never going to be enough. But I would tell you this - look up at that board - this is not a Democrat bill. This has -- I -- I welcome a -- a Republican Senator to join me as -- as a cosponsor. I've got one of the -- I've got Senator Rose raising his hand. I anticipate a Yes vote from him. I've got one of the Republican Senators with possibly the best record for being pro-business in the Illinois State Senate who thoughtfully listened in committee -- who thoughtfully listened in committee and -- and came to a -- came to a decision. There is no partisan side to a coal ash issue. It's a question of what do you want in your water supply, who should clean it up, and when there is a -- a -- an environmental disaster, as has happened, again, in Tennessee and in the -- in the Carolinas - this is not unprecedented - then who is going to pay for it? Is it going to be your taxpayers? Or is it going to be the -- same companies that have been collecting profits from those taxpayers through utilities for years and years? And again, we're not saying you're 39 STATE OF ILLINOIS 101st GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 41st Legislative Day 5/9/2019 going out of business today, we're saying can you put the money up in a bond in case something goes wrong and can we start to address this -- this time bomb waiting to go off in each of our communities. I feel like we've -- we've made a good-faith effort. We'll continue to work on it in the House, but honestly, if this bill doesn't get out today, there's no chance, as I see it, that it's going to get out of the General Assembly this year, and then we have a whole nother year to try to explain to our constituents why we did nothing when we knew there was a problem. I'd ask for an Aye vote.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) The question is, shall Senate Bill 9 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 39 Ayes, 9 Nays, 7 voting Present. Senate Bill 9, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. Senator Hutchinson, for what purpose do you rise?
Point of -- point of personal privilege, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) State your point.
Ladies and Gentlemen, I know that we got the wonderful news that we would be canceling tomorrow, so everybody gets to go home tomorrow, but doing that means that I couldn't stand up tomorrow and say what I need to say right now, which is that there is a person who's going to have a really awesome birthday tomorrow. That would be our Senate Majority Leader Kimberly Lightford's 40 STATE OF ILLINOIS 101st GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 41st Legislative Day 5/9/2019 birthday, where she turns twenty-five tomorrow.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Aquino, for what purpose do you rise?
Thank you, Mr. President. I have a -- a point of personal privilege, please.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) State your point.
Actually, I have two quick announcements. To -- to continue on the birthday wishes, I'd be remiss if I -- if I didn't point out that my wife, who's trying to be incognito in the Senate gallery, just turned twenty-five herself on Cinco de Mayo this -- this weekend. So I want to wish her a happy birthday. But I -- I also want to -- I have another -- I have another special guest here. Yesterday evening I -- yesterday afternoon, rather, I invited you all to come join the Latino Caucus for our Cinco de Mayo celebration and we had an amazing time last night, and a good -- good part of that was the amazing entertainment we had from the gentleman that's standing right behind me, who's one of our pioneers of house music. He worked at WGCI, KISS FM, B96, WBMX, amongst others, and currently has the number one night show at 104.3 Jams in Chicago. He is the -- the pride of the Latino community, a Cuban American. It's Julian "Jumpin" Perez. If we can give him a warm welcome to Springfield. Thank you.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Welcome to the Senate. Senator Manar, for what purpose do you rise?
41 STATE OF ILLINOIS 101st GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 41st Legislative Day 5/9/2019 Thank you, Mr. President. For a point of personal privilege.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) State your point.
If I could ask my colleagues to direct their attention to -- oh, right behind me, actually. I want to, on behalf of the Senate, thank Jayette Bolinski, who is a senior editor for the Senate Democratic Communications Staff, for her work over the last four years. She's leaving the staff to go to work for the Comptroller's Office. And this is not her last day, but it's her last official Senate Session day. So I wanted to rise and thank her for the work that she has done for not just myself as Communications staffer, but our Caucus. I first got to know her -- first met her when she was the editorial page editor at the State Journal- Register before she came to the Senate staff, and I knew her then as a tough and intelligent, brilliant writer for the State Journal- Register here in Springfield, and fair. And she did a good job at that newspaper. We were fortunate enough to hire her here on the staff for the last four years and she's done incredible work. At the same time, she's also balanced the needs of her family, working incredibly long hours here at the Senate staff. And that doesn't go unnoticed by myself or anybody else here. So I just rise to thank you, Jayette, for your work here. We wish you the best of luck. You're not going very far. But, once again, thank you for your work on behalf of the Senate Democrats.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Page 5 of the printed Calendar is House Bill 2173. Senator Mulroe. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
42 STATE OF ILLINOIS 101st GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 41st Legislative Day 5/9/2019 House Bill 2173. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Mulroe, on your bill.
Thank you, Mr. President, Members of the Senate. House Bill 2173 amends the Illinois Insurance Guaranty Fund Article of the Illinois Insurance Code. It provides that when covering certain loan repayments, the board of directors may increase an assessment to three percent of the net direct written premiums. It clarifies borrowing authority to Fund's board of directors and delineates specific legal actions the Fund may pursue with respect to obtaining claims information. It also assigns settlements by any legal actions the Fund may pursue with respect to obtaining -- I'm sorry. It -- it assigns settlements by any insured to the Fund. It also gives the Fund discretion to advance payment of workers' compensation claims and requires collection of accompanying costs to recover on these claims on behalf of a high net worth insured. I know of no opposition. I'd ask for your Aye votes.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Is there any discussion? Seeing none, the question is, shall House Bill 2173 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 2173, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. Turn to page 26 of the printed Calendar. SJR 40. Senator Bertino-Tarrant. Mr. Secretary, please read the 43 STATE OF ILLINOIS 101st GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 41st Legislative Day 5/9/2019 resolution.
Senate Joint Resolution 40, offered by Senator Bertino- Tarrant.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Bertino-Tarrant, on your resolution.
Thank you, Mr. -- thank you, Mr. President and Members of the Chamber. This resolution declares May 6th through 10th as "Teacher Appreciation Week" to encourage all members of our statewide communities to express appreciation for the hard work of our teachers. As the demands for our educators get greater, my hope is that Illinois can be a leader in acknowledging how important and impactful this profession is to our students and communities.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Is there any discussion? Senator Weaver, for what purpose do you rise?
To the bill {sic}, please.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) To the resolution.
Great. Thank you. I want to thank the sponsor on this. And, you know, we talk about a lot between the two of us, Senator Bertino-Tarrant, on these issues and so much of what we talk about is how we're paying teachers, what we're doing in the classroom, but the reality is, when you hear teachers talk about it, one of the most important things is how they're talking about it to their friends and their discouragement. And it's so important that we're 44 STATE OF ILLINOIS 101st GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 41st Legislative Day 5/9/2019 doing this to let them know they're appreciated. Just something to think about, I do a Teacher of the Month, do a video every month in my district. Doesn't cost any money and these people need to understand how important they are to our kids. So thank you again for bringing this bill {sic} forward and that's all I have. Appreciate it. Thank you.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Fowler, for what purpose do you rise?
Thank you, Mr. President. I also would like to say thank you to the sponsor for bringing this resolution to the -- to the Floor. We -- I couldn't be more appreciative of all the teachers that have meant so much to me throughout my life. My father was a thirty-three-year member of the Eldorado Board of Education, so education's always been a -- a very important topic and support of our teachers. And I would just like to give a -- give a shout- out to one of my former teachers and football coach, Coach Al Way, who actually, in my early twenties, nicknamed me "Senator Fowler", and to this day still -- we talk about that a lot. So congratulations to all the teachers. Thank you to the sponsor. And I couldn't be more appreciative. Thank you.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Is there any further discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor will say Aye. Opposed, Nay. The Ayes have it, and the resolution is adopted. Senator Harmon in the Chair.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) With the leave of the Body, we're going to return to the Order of 2nd Reading, House Bills on 2nd Reading. House Bill 37. Senator Link. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill. 45 STATE OF ILLINOIS 101st GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 41st Legislative Day 5/9/2019
House Bill 37. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) 3rd Reading. House Bill 348. Senator Link. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 348. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) 3rd Reading. House Bill 1552. Senator Link. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 1552. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) 3rd Reading. House Bill 2591. Senator Link. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 2591. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported. 46 STATE OF ILLINOIS 101st GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 41st Legislative Day 5/9/2019
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) 3rd Reading. House Bill 2862. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 2862. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. The Committee on Local Government 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. House Bill 3468. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 3468. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) 3rd Reading. House Bill 3631. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 3631. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported. 47 STATE OF ILLINOIS 101st GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 41st Legislative Day 5/9/2019
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) 3rd Reading. House Bill 3676. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 3676. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HARMON) 3rd Reading. Senator Link back in the Chair.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) House Bill 94. Senator Lightford. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 94. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. The Committee on Criminal Law adopted Amendment No. 1.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Are there any further Floor amendments approved for consideration?
No further amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) 3rd Reading. House Bill 909. Senator Lightford. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 909. (Secretary reads title of bill) 48 STATE OF ILLINOIS 101st GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 41st Legislative Day 5/9/2019 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) 3rd Reading. I just want to remind Members of the Transportation Subcommittee on Capital joint hearing with the Senate Appropriation II and -- Subcommittee on Capital is meeting upon adjournment. Mr. Secretary, Messages from the House.
A Message from the House by Mr. Hollman, 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 72. (Secretary reads HJR No. 72) Adopted by the House, May 8th, 2019. John W. Hollman, Clerk of the House.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) On the Order of House Resolution -- Order of Resolutions is House Joint Resolution 72. Mr. Secretary, please read the resolution.
House Joint Resolution 72, offered by Senator Harmon.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Harmon moves to suspend the rules for the purposes of immediate consideration and the adoption of House Joint Resolution 72. Those in favor will say Aye. Opposed, Nay. The Ayes have it, and the rules have been suspended. Senator Harmon moves for the adoption of House Joint Resolution 72. All those in favor 49 STATE OF ILLINOIS 101st GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 41st Legislative Day 5/9/2019 will say Aye. Opposed, Nay. The Ayes have it, and the resolution is adopted. We will now proceed to the Order of Resolution Consent Calendar. With leave of the Body, all resolutions read today will be added to the Consent Calendar. Mr. Secretary, have there been any objections filed for any of the resolutions on the Consent Calendar?
No objections filed, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Is there any discussion? If not, the question is, shall the resolutions on the Consent Calendar be adopted. All those in favor will say Aye. Opposed, Nay. The Ayes have it, and the motion carries. And the resolutions are adopted. There being no further business to come before the Senate, the Senate -- pursuant to House Joint Resolution 72, the Senate stands adjourned until the hour of 12 noon on the 14th day of May 2019, or until the call of the Senate President. The Senate stands adjourned. 50