Illinois Senate Floor Debate — January 11, 2021

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) The regular Session of the 101st General Assembly will please come to order. Will the Members please be at their desks? In place of our invocation, the Senate will observe a moment of silence in respect for all those lost during this pandemic. (Moment of silence observed) Please remain standing for the Pledge of Allegiance. Senator Bennett, please lead us in the Pledge.

(Pledge of Allegiance, led by Senator Bennett)

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Richard Millard from Blueroomstream seeks leave to videotape the proceedings. Seeing no objection, leave is granted. Mr. Secretary, Reading and Approval of the Journal.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) 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 transcripts.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Hunter moves to postpone the reading and approval of the Journal, pending arrival of the printed transcripts. There being no objection, so ordered. Resolutions, Mr. Secretary.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Resolutions Consent Calendar.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Appointment Messages.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Mr. Secretary, are there any Committee Reports?

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Hunter, for what purpose do you seek recognition?

For the purpose of an announcement, Mr. President.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) State your announcement.

2  STATE OF ILLINOIS 101st GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 97th Legislative Day 1/11/2021 Thank you, Mr. President. The Senate Dems will caucus virtually, immediately upon recess, for approximately one hour.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Righter, for what purpose do you seek recognition?

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) That is always in order. Both caucuses will meet for an hour. Seeing no objection, the motion is granted. The Senate now stands in recess until the call of the Chair. After caucuses, the Senate will reconvene for Floor action. The Senate stands in recess to the call of the Chair. (SENATE STANDS IN RECESS/SENATE RECONVENES)

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) Good afternoon. We will be beginning final action on a few bills, so I would like everybody to come to the Floor. Also, those of you that are sponsoring bills, come to the Floor. Senator Cunningham, for what purpose do you rise?

To offer a motion, Madam President. I move, pursuant to Senate Rule 4. -- 4-1(c) {sic} (4-1(e)) that Senators McGuire and Oberweis be allowed to participate and vote remotely for today's Session.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) Is there any discussion? …not, the question is, shall 3  STATE OF ILLINOIS 101st GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 97th Legislative Day 1/11/2021 Senators McGuire and Oberweis be allowed to participate and vote remotely for the January 11th, 2021 Session Day pursuant to Senate Rule 4-1(e). All those in favor, say Aye. Opposed, Nay. In -- in the opinion of the Chair, despite what the Members are saying, the Ayes have it. The motion carries, and Senators McGuire and Oberweis are allowed to participate and vote remotely for the January 11th, 2021 Session Day. We are going to final action in the middle of page 3. House Bill 2170. Senator Lightford seeks leave of the Body to return House Bill 2170 to the Order of 2nd Reading. Leave is granted. On the Order of 2nd Reading is House Bill 2170. Mr. Secretary, are there any Floor amendments approved for consideration?

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) Senator Lightford, on your amendment.

Thank you, Madam President. I seek to move this amendment to 3rd Reading for further conversation, please. Thank you.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) Is there any discussion on the amendment? All those in favor will say Aye. Opposed, Nay. The Ayes have it, and the amendment is adopted. Is there any further Floor amendments approved for consideration?

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) 3rd Reading. Now on 3rd Reading, Mr. Secretary, read the bill. 4  STATE OF ILLINOIS 101st GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 97th Legislative Day 1/11/2021

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) Leader Lightford, please explain your bill.

Thank you, Madam President. I'd be happy to, but it was a lot of work and there is a reason why so much dedication was committed to this effort. Our country is experiencing an unprecedented moment in time that presents us with an enormous opportunity to address the systemic racism and oppression that Black Americans have faced for generations. The roots of this racism are so deep that they are embedded in the very foundation of this country. We must leverage this moment in time to undo damaging policies and procedures built into our State's systems - - law and government that have created deep inequities and opportunity gaps in education. The Illinois Legislative Black Caucus has created a Black Caucus agenda that addresses systemic racism and inequities so that our children…

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) Senator Lightford, excuse me. We need to correct a paperwork issue on your bill.

…love to play. I love to play. Thank you.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) Senator Lightford seeks leave of the Body to return House Bill 2170 to the Order of 2nd Reading. On the Order of 2nd Reading, it is my understanding that Leader Lightford wishes to withdraw 5  STATE OF ILLINOIS 101st GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 97th Legislative Day 1/11/2021 Floor Amendment 2. Is there any discussion? All those in favor, say Aye. Opposed, Nay. The Ayes have it, and the amendment is withdrawn. Are there any further Floor amendments approved for consideration?

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) Senator Lightford, on Floor Amendment No. 3.

Thank you, Madam President. I move to adopt.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) Is there any discussion? All those in favor will say Aye. Opposed, Nay. The Ayes have it, and the amendment is adopted. Are there any other -- further Floor amendments approved for consideration?

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) 3rd Reading. Now on 3rd Reading, Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) Leader Lightford, would you like to begin again?

I would, Madam President, and thank you very much. Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate, I'm proud to stand before you on this 6  STATE OF ILLINOIS 101st GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 97th Legislative Day 1/11/2021 morning to share with you a lot of work that went into an effort by so many people, and it's due to our country experiencing an unprecedented moment in time that presents us with an enormous opportunity to address the systemic racism and oppression that Black Americans have faced for generations. The roots of this racism are so deep that they are embedded in the very foundation of this country. We must leverage this moment in time to undo damaging policies and procedures built into our State's system of law and government that have created deep inequities and opportunity gaps in education. The Illinois Legislative Black Caucus has created a Black agenda that addresses systemic racism -- inequities so that our children and their children can break this vicious cycle of oppression that has held so many back from reaching their full potential. This education pillar explores our State's education system, from pre-K through 20, through the lens of systemic racism to identify the best ways to bring an end to inequities and curriculums or practices that often do more to cause racial division than support the needs of our most vulnerable children and young adults in all marginalized, poverty-stricken communities. We held over seven lengthy subject matter hearings on this issue, including workforce development, which focused on some of the most egregious examples of inequities that have held Black communities back for generations. I'm grateful for my co- chair, Representative Carol Ammons' dedication to this issue and the priceless insight of advocacy groups, labor, management, the Governor's administration, and, of course, our staff - Dillon, Dana, and Tanner. I'd like to thank the Illinois Action for Children, Voices for Illinois Children, Advance Illinois, Illinois Education Association, Illinois Federation of Teachers, our 7  STATE OF ILLINOIS 101st GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 97th Legislative Day 1/11/2021 Illinois State Board of Education - specifically Amanda Elliott, Chicago Public Schools, Illinois Collaboration on Youth, Alternative Schools Network, Teach for America, YouthBuild, as well as Kyle Westbrook – Partnership for College (Completion), Dr. Zamani from the University of Illinois, Start Early, Stand for Children, Women Employed, Chicago State University, and the Chicago Public Schools. Within our package, there are a number of Articles that I'd like to share with you. I'd be happy to go into great detail if there's questions to be asked. Article 5 begins with the Kindergarten Readiness Assessment. This codifies the current readiness assessment, using a common assessment tool, into statute no later than 2021-22 school year. This is very important, as we need to assess children in low-income areas as they arrive at three and four year {sic} old so we can prepare them through the next Article 10, Early Intervention Services, so that they can be prepared for the standardized tests and we can know where their shortcomings are. In the Early Intervention Services Continuation through Third Birthday, this will provide additional early intervention services by extending services into the next school year when the child's third birthday falls between May 1st and August 31st. Article 15 supports the Illinois Commission on Equitable Early Childhood Education and (Care) Funding. Ladies and Gentlemen, we did a wonderful job establishing the evidence- based funding model for K through 12, yet we did not for early childhood education. We're expression {sic} here the support from the Legislative Black Caucus for the recommendation of the Commission, the Governor's commission to find an equitable way of funding and streamlining early education funding. In Article 20, Data Collection. It is so difficult to garner data. As a 8  STATE OF ILLINOIS 101st GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 97th Legislative Day 1/11/2021 legislator, it's important that we have all the information and best practices so that we can make informed decisions. Our data collection is old, over ten years, and we're looking to provide that the Governor and the Department of Innovation (and) Technology shall include disaggregated data in their development of the Longitudinal Data System 2.0. Article 25 addresses restorative justice practices. We are creating the Whole Child Task Force to establish an equitable, safe, inclusive, and supportive environment in all schools for all students. It requires development of definition in recognition of trauma-responsive schools; additionally, will provide a recommendation on the best data to be collected for a full and accurate understanding of inclusive and trauma-responsive practices in Illinois. Article 35, Infant/Early Childhood Mental Health Consultations. We're urging the State to increase availability to early childhood mental health consultations through increased sustainable funding, providing information for parents, with a particular focus in underserved communities. In Article 40, Medicaid Diagnostic Codes. We asked those agencies, what can we do to help you provide a better delivery service to our children? They offered the suggestion to require Healthcare and Family Services to make recommendations to the General Assembly on how to integrate developmentally appropriate and age-appropriate diagnostic codes for children age five and under, by January 1 of 2022. Those recommendations would then be used, if necessary, to enhance diagnosis and treatment planning. Article 45 increases access to financial support. We're urging the Department of Human Services to increase access to financial support for teacher credential and degree attainment by reviewing ways to reduce barriers and increase 9  STATE OF ILLINOIS 101st GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 97th Legislative Day 1/11/2021 minority teacher representation. It's a shame, once you leave the City of Chicago and Cook County, that there's less than a three percent population of minority teachers. Article 50, Equitable Coursework for College Access Act. In order to align the high school curriculum with the University of Illinois' admission requirements, beginning with the school year of 2024, we're requiring two years of laboratory science and two years of a foreign language as a part of the high school graduation. In many low-income school districts, the schools are not requiring for our children to meet the basic requirements to enter our flagship school. We want to make sure that they have every opportunity to be a success as well as any other child. Article 60 addresses computer science. We know we have a huge digital divide gap and COVID-19 really showed up and showed out. Beginning in the 2022 school year, the bill requires that at least one current course must include one year of intensive computer literacy. School must, additionally, annually report access to the current courses and actions taken to meet this section. And Article 65, Academic Acceleration. This provides that starting in the 2022 school year, schools' accelerated placement policies shall allow for the automatic enrollment in the next most rigorous level of coursework for a student who meets or exceeds standards. The problem we're addressing here is, again, there's not enough advanced placement courses in all low-income and poverty-stricken areas. Article 7 {sic} (70), page 20 -- the P-20 Council. We're charging the Council to evaluate and make recommendations regarding learning loss due to COVID-19. These recommendations would include whether or not there is a need for additional days or hours of instruction once our kids are no longer part-time or full-time e-online 10  STATE OF ILLINOIS 101st GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 97th Legislative Day 1/11/2021 learning and they're successfully back in the school building. We know that there are widening gaps that are actually happening now and we'd like for the PRP to study how we can address the gaps and disparities that have widened against African American students or among African American students and all students. Article 75, Freedom Schools. Freedom Schools establish the opportunity and the ability for the expansion of programs for learning Black history, developing leadership skills, and providing an understanding of the tenets of the civil rights movement. This program is subject to appropriation and it allows for all history to be taught. The PRP Equity Study, Article 85. Requires the PRP to review adequacy targets with a racial equity lens and whether funding goals of the formula are sufficient to close the gaps and disparities that exist for African American students. We know that we have been funding our evidence-based funding at three hundred and fifty million a year, but does that really help Black children who are lost? And the gap is wide - how do we address that? We're looking to the PRP board to provide some recommendations, with a deadline date. Article 95, the Board of Higher Education Equity in Strategic Plan. We support the efforts of the Illinois Board of Higher Education to identify more race- conscious ways to allocate higher education funding and address long-term inequities by providing additional metrics to be considered by them for their strategic plan for the next ten years. Ten years is a very long period of time and we're wanting to ensure that as they develop this plan they do so with a race-conscious lens. Article 100, the Developmental Education Measures. This codifies the recommendation of the Community College Board and the Illinois Council of Community College Presidents for placement of 11  STATE OF ILLINOIS 101st GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 97th Legislative Day 1/11/2021 college-level mathematics and English courses to ensure effective placement of students and maximizing time spent on college coursework. There are too many African American students, more than fifty percent at community colleges, who arrive and have to take remedial courses. We're talking courses that do not give them college credit and has an expense. They're using their Pell and MAP grant money for -- for courses that doesn't help them attain a degree. We need to make sure we're doing everything that we can to connect them from high school to community college. Article 115 is the Abolishment of the GPA Requirement for Alternative Educator Licensure. This would remove the 3.0 GPA requirement for alternative educator licensure programs in the State. As we know, this is the only field that requires a GPA. And it's tied to the next effort in Article 120 for the Minority Teachers of Illinois scholarship, because we're trying to grow minority teachers in this State. We're looking to expand the MTI scholarship by increasing the award amount from five thousand to seventy-five hundred with increased appropriation and provide a set-aside of funds for qualified minority male applicants and bilingual applicants to help with the current teacher shortage. In year one, we're looking to specifically do a set-aside so that African American male teachers are created and in place as soon as possible. They need to be visible for our young people. Article 125, AIM HIGH Sliding Scale Match. Provides that if forty-nine percent or more of the students at a public university are Pell recipients, then the university must match twenty percent of the State's funds provided. Those below forty-nine percent would be required to match sixty percent. This is an effort by President Scott at the Chicago State University. She worked along with all 12  STATE OF ILLINOIS 101st GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 97th Legislative Day 1/11/2021 the other State universities to ensure that during COVID they are still able to provide those supportive scholarships with a match instead of sending those resources back. I know this is a pilot program that Senator McGuire and I believe Senator Chapin Rose instituted a few years ago, and we're wanting to support that program and make sure that all of our universities are able to provide scholarships for their students. Article 130, the Illinois Articulation Initiative. This urges the State Board of Higher Ed and the Community College Board to establish a Major Panel to identify and recommend courses that shall be accepted as credit toward the duration {sic} major and urges a joint IBHE, ICCB, and ISBE report on the results of this effort and how to achieve the goal to streamline the transfer of courses for those on an educator track. This report will be part of their December 31st, 2021 Articulation Initiative report. It's important that when our students are transferring to another in-state university or from community college to university that all of their college credits are being accepted, so we must do all we can to align our universities. Article 135, Inclusive History Commission. This establishes a commission to review available resources for use in school districts that reflect the racial and ethnic diversity of the State and country. The commission will develop recommendations for guidance, tools, and professional development to support this curriculum. The revised learning standards must be revised by ISBE on July 1 of 2021, and a report from the commission is -- is due December 31st. In other words, this is the place where Black history and all people history must be taught in our schools so that we all can learn from one another. Article 150, Workforce Program Consolidation. This requires the Workforce Innovation 13  STATE OF ILLINOIS 101st GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 97th Legislative Day 1/11/2021 Board to conduct a feasibility study regarding the consolidation of all workforce development programs funded by the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act and conducted by the State of Illinois into one solitary agency to create greater access to job training for underserved populations. This report is due to the General Assembly on May 1st of this year, 2021, and our goal is to find out which State agency is more willing, able, and capable to provide a delivery model of workforce development that's helpful to all students. We have a very high population of unemployment in the Black community, particularly among African American men, and they need to have skill sets and training in order to gain a career or skillful employment. National Board of -- Certified Teacher Trailer is Article 155, a trailer bill for Senator Manar's efforts that will add the definitions of a diverse candidate and diverse candidate (cohort) facilitator to the National Board certified teaching program. This provides a way for diverse candidates to be connected with diverse experienced mentors in education, which has a track record of teacher retention. Once we gain and gather and push more minority teachers, there must be a system of support and mentorship to keep them there and keep them growing and keep them on track. These are the areas that we have identified. We're -- we'll be looking forward to receiving the recommendations and the findings. And we know that we have a trailer bill that we're expecting. When there's big bills such as these, of course there's a couple things that were left out, and I just have to find them. One is for foreign language. In the Act right now, we're saying the school year of '28, which we're changing that to the school year of '24. Freedom Schools, we wanted to make that more race-neutral. We 14  STATE OF ILLINOIS 101st GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 97th Legislative Day 1/11/2021 have recommendations from our Illinois Attorney General's Office that we'd like to implement. And our Early Intervention birthdays for three years old, we currently have May 1st, but we have a new Senator here who has a lot of experience in early childhood education and she's recommending March 1st and we're going to entertain that, and that would also be included in the trailer. I'd be happy to answer questions, Mr. {sic} President, at this time. Thank you very much.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) Thank you, Senator. Is there any discussion? By agreement of the two caucuses, there will be two speakers on each side of the aisle. We will begin with Senator Rose. For what purpose do you seek recognition?

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) Senator Lightford says -- gives permission. Go ahead.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) Senator Lightford.

Thank you, Madam President. It's always a pleasure to see you, Chapin Rose. And so many things about what you just said are so amazing to me. I know you know how to read a bill, but you are so far off in this. The scholarship doesn't change. The amount of money kids receive doesn't change. We support AIM HIGH. We're trying to make sure that the university presidents are able to give as many scholarships at their university instead of sending that money back because they don't have the match. And what they've noticed in the last two semesters is when they return money back -- because they've been working on this for a year, the university presidents. We've been taking this on for the last three months. It didn't happen two days ago. That's a lie. I'm not going to allow you to tell that lie. So when the money is returned back, then the University of Illinois is the richest school that we have, they're able to match that money, so they're the ones that's able to give out far more scholarships, then Eastern Illinois, Illinois State, Western Illinois, Northern Illinois, Northeastern Illinois, Governors State, Chicago State University. This is nothing but a means of protecting the students in that school and providing the presidents with an opportunity to be at level of what they can pay for. This was drafted by the 17  STATE OF ILLINOIS 101st GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 97th Legislative Day 1/11/2021 university presidents. You called them and spooked them, and then they still came back and changed their mind because they are supportive of their own initiative. Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate, what Senator Rose is saying is absolutely false.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) Senator Rose.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) Senator Lightford. 18  STATE OF ILLINOIS 101st GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 97th Legislative Day 1/11/2021

What I -- what I would add is that Chicago State University would -- would've been awarded a million dollars for students. They could only match up to two hundred thousand. So they sent eight hundred thousand dollars back that the University of Illinois picked up. So, of course, if you call the University of Illinois, they're going to agree with you, because whatever university cannot match and the money is sent back to the State, the University of Illinois has been able to grab that money, match it with students, and have far more scholarships at the flagship school. I have no problem with that. The problem that I have is that affects all of our other universities. And we're losing our kids at declining enrollment; we're returning money that the students actually need and scholarships that they need in order to stay in school. All that you're talking about, Chapin Rose, is not a part of what I'm doing here. And that's all I have, Madam -- Madam President.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) Senator Rose.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) Is there any further discussion? Oop! Senator Lightford, seeing none, if you'd like to close.

I -- I would. And, in my closing, I would just respond to that by saying I'm the last of anyone that would take a dollar out 21  STATE OF ILLINOIS 101st GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 97th Legislative Day 1/11/2021 of anyone's pocket, and especially a student who struggled the way that I struggled. And what I do know, Senator, is you don't need an appropriations right now. We're in the middle of their -- starting up their spring semester. If there was a need for an appropriation, it would be during spring Session, as we negotiate the budget for the upcoming school year. So you're misleading the Body by saying that appropriation is needed right now, which is not true. I know that you're smarter than all of the university presidents, but they came together and drafted this legislation. I -- I did not. They did. And they know what they need to run their institutions. They know what they -- they need to have student retention. So, as I close, I would be terribly remiss if I did not give homage to Queen Nzinga; Harriet Tubman; Sojourner Truth; Fannie Lou Hamer; Soror Mary McCloud Bethune; my great- grandmother, Laura Bell Brown, who may not have had any schooling; to her daughter, my Granny, Mellow Lee Beasley, who ended schooling after the sixth grade to cook and clean and tend to children of white folks and who could only dream of her daughter, my mother, Barbara Ann Beasley Lightford, a high school diploma; and to my grandmother, Berta Louise Cowan Lightford, who lives today at the age of ninety-five, my father's mother whose grandfather was born a privileged slave, as he was the son of the Master's son, which allowed him to work in the shed and learn to count; and to me, the first in my family to earn a college degree and be able to stand in this Chamber for twenty-two years and rise to become the first Black woman Senate Majority Leader of this State, and too often labeled as the angry Black woman for simply fighting systemic racist policies in our State's education system for equity and fairness for all children to receive a quality education. I'd 22  STATE OF ILLINOIS 101st GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 97th Legislative Day 1/11/2021 like to thank all of the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus Members who came before me and to all Illinois Legislative Black Caucus Members who are right now fighting together with me. Here's to Black children and all marginalized children for generations to come. Thank you, Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate, for having the courage to do the right thing at this moment in time in our history. And I ask for an Aye vote.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) Thank you. The question is, shall House Bill 2170 pass. All those in favor will vote Aye. Opposed, Nay. The voting is open. We will call Members to the Floor for voting in groups of ten. If we move to the next group of Senators and you have not yet voted, you may still come to the Floor to vote until voting is closed. Senators Anderson, Aquino, Barickman, Belt, Bennett, Bush, Castro, Collins, Crowe, and Cullerton, please come to the Floor to vote. For those Senators voting remotely pursuant to the motion adopted by the Senate - Senator McGuire, Senator Oberweis. Senator McGuire, to start. SENATOR McGUIRE: Thank you, Madam President. I wish to vote Yes.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) Senator Oberweis.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) Senators Cunningham, Curran, DeWitte, Ellman, Feigenholtz, 23  STATE OF ILLINOIS 101st GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 97th Legislative Day 1/11/2021 Fine, Fowler, Gillespie, Glowiak Hilton, and Harris, please come to the Floor to vote. Senators Hastings, Hunter, Johnson, Jones, Joyce, Koehler, Landek, Lightford, and Loughran Cappel, please come to the Floor to vote. Senators Manar, Martwick, McClure, McConchie, Morrison, Muñoz, Murphy, Pacione-Zayas, Peters, and Plummer, please come to the Floor to vote. Senators Rezin, Righter, Rose, Schimpf, Sims, Stadelman, Steans, Stewart, Stoller, and Syverson, please come to the Floor to vote. Senators Tracy, Van Pelt, Villanueva, Villivalam, Wilcox, and President Harmon, please come to the Floor to vote. Senator Bush, Senator Manar, Senator Villivalam, do you wish to vote? If so, please come to the Floor immediately and vote. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Take the record. On that question, there are 40 Ayes, 18 Nays, and 0 voting Present. House Bill 2170, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. Moving on to the next order of business. In the middle of page 3 is House Bill 2275. Senator Cunningham. Sorry about that. Now, Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) Senator Cunningham, please explain your bill.

Thank you, Madam President. House Bill 2275 amends the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Act. It would essentially level the playing field on collective bargaining for teachers in Illinois and allow the Chicago teachers to have the exact same 24  STATE OF ILLINOIS 101st GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 97th Legislative Day 1/11/2021 bargaining rights that teachers have in Illinois' other eight hundred and fifty-one school districts. Said another way, there's currently a list of restrictions that apply to Chicago, and Chicago only, when it comes to collective bargaining. This bill would remove those restrictions. Ask for the Chamber's support and I'm happy to ask -- answer any questions you might have.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) Is there any discussion? Senator Righter.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) The sponsor indicates he will yield.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) Excuse me, Senator. Ladies and Gentlemen, can you keep it down just a little bit?

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) Senator Cunningham.

Thank you, Madam President. Thank you, Senator, for that question. I think that is an accurate portrayal of what was implied yesterday during the committee hearing on this bill. I said then and I will say now that that is a gigantic red herring. There is nothing in this bill that provides the Chicago Teachers Union with some sort of added right to go on strike because of return-to-work orders related to a pandemic. Nothing. There's nothing in this bill that says that. Furthermore, there is a no- strike clause in the current contract. We cannot pass anything here to undo what is in a current contract - that applies to the Chicago Teachers Union's contract or any contract - as you know, under the Contracts {sic} (Contract) Clause of the Unites States Constitution. I just want to -- repeat what this bill does, because there's been a lot of misinformation and -- and, frankly, a lot of hyperbole about this bill. All this bill does is allow for Chicago teachers to negotiate on the exact same items that could be negotiated on in the eight hundred and fifty-one other school districts in Illinois. That's all it does.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) Senator Righter.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) Senator Cunningham.

Well, because, Senator, right now, school districts in your district and every other district in this State, their teachers can negotiate about things like class size; teachers in Chicago cannot do that. That's been true since the mid-nineties. And I will point out, since the mid-nineties, the size -- the per-student size of classes in Chicago has expanded, and it is not unusual for there to be classrooms in the City of Chicago with forty students in them. I think that's wrong. I think one of the reasons it's wrong is because teachers in Chicago are not allowed to collectively bargain over that item because of the bill that was passed by this Body in the mid-nineties. There were rules that were put in place that applied to Chicago and Chicago only. So to your bigger question, why is this bill being brought? Because I think the City of Chicago and their teachers should have the same collective bargaining rights as districts {sic} in -- in your Senate district do, as -- I -- I represent a district that's divided between the suburbs and the City. I have eleven school districts to cover the suburban portion of my district. They have a different set of bargaining rights than Chicago does. I don't think that's right. I think every teacher should have the same bargaining rights. That's what this bill does.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) Senator Righter, do you have anything else?

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) Go right ahead.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) Senator Villanueva, for what purpose do you seek recognition?

To -- to the bill, Madam President.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) Go ahead, Senator.

I am a Chicago Public Schools graduate, K through 12. So when we talk about issues that have to deal with the Chicago Public School System, I am an expert. That was my life. This is my lived experience, and I am standing in this Chamber as a graduate of the Chicago Public Schools. So when anyone dares to speak up and say, "Oh, well, what about the children and what about the parents", well, guess what, I'm right here. I lived it. I'm still living 29  STATE OF ILLINOIS 101st GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 97th Legislative Day 1/11/2021 it. I live in the City of Chicago. I represent the City of Chicago. And this bill is literally doing what every other school district in the State of Illinois is already doing. This is about equity. When we talk about classroom sizes in the City of Chicago, a school district that is predominately Black and Latino students, schoolchildren like myself, it is infuriating to have people say that the Chicago Teachers Union and other labor unions don't have a right to bargain over classroom sizes. And I beg each and every one of you to think about this. When you were in elementary school, when you were in high school, how many people were in your classrooms? 'Cause I can tell you that I've been in a classroom with thirty other students. And I can tell you the distress that I've seen my teachers go through with having to handle a room of thirty sixth graders, of thirty eighth graders. I can tell you what I've seen. My teachers, teachers who I actually still know because there's so many of them that are still working, teachers that I've gone back to tell them thank you because of the imprint that they left on my life, how dare we say that they don't have the right to bargain over something that is literally standing on equity, which is classroom sizes for Black and Brown children in the City of Chicago or having social workers in schools when we already know the mental health effects - even before the pandemic, the mental health effects on Black and Brown children in this country. I sat there in front of my television last week on Wednesday seeing what happened in Washington, D.C. But if you don't think for any second that Black and Brown children are growing up in this country knowing how different that event would've turned if those rioters were Black and Brown, let me tell you, you don't know anything about mental health, because that is 30  STATE OF ILLINOIS 101st GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 97th Legislative Day 1/11/2021 the reality with which we have to grow up with. So this bill, this bill is already just giving people an opportunity for something that everyone else in the State of Illinois already has. All the other school districts already have this. This should not be an argument. But if you want to have some real conversations about what really goes on in Chicago Public Schools, you're more than welcome to come to my office and have a wonderful conversation about this. But nobody can tell me that they know any better about what should be happening in the City of Chicago than a CPS graduate who has lived it her entire life. I urge all of my colleagues to vote Yes on this bill.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) Senator Peters, for what purpose do you seek recognition?

Madam -- thank you, Madam President. To the bill.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) To the bill.

So I just want to say thank you to the sponsor for carrying this bill. I am a product of CPS public schools. I -- I want to give a shout-out to Ray School, where I went. When I was a kid, I struggled a lot. I was deaf. I had a speech impediment. I had an alcoholic mother. The place that was my sanctuary was my school, both inside and at the playground. The teachers were there for me, and I feel I need to be there for them. But we have a system where every other school district has these bargaining rights except CPS. And I think it's simple; it's not complicated. And after so long of hearing about how Chicago's so different than the rest of the State, well, here is an opportunity for it to be 31  STATE OF ILLINOIS 101st GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 97th Legislative Day 1/11/2021 with the rest of the State. We have inequities: racial inequities, class sizes, nurses, social workers. We have students who are struggling; teachers who work hard; parents, like my mom and my dad, who work multiple jobs or struggle to pay for the rent that they need. And it's a complicated situation, but our schools stand at the intersections of these complications and teachers stand there. They have a right to bargain for things that so many kids, parents, and communities need. This Ray School warrior from CPS, this kid who's shocked to be here at this desk, urges a Yes vote from my colleagues so we can have something that's equal to everyone else in the rest of the State. Thank you.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) Senator Feigenholtz, for what purpose do you seek recognition?

Question of the sponsor. So, Senator…

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) Sponsor indicates he will yield.

Senator Cunningham, I would like to echo the sentiments of my colleagues who just spoke about the importance of public education, what it means to them, what it means to our families. I know that one of the things that Senator Cullerton didn't tell me when he decided to retire was that I would have eighteen new public schools in my district. So this is a very important bill to me, as is public education. You have shared with us that there are two amendments that are going to be on a trailer bill, and somebody earlier had said that there's a little bit of chaos under the Dome in a very special May Session that's in January, and I just want 32  STATE OF ILLINOIS 101st GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 97th Legislative Day 1/11/2021 to make sure that these -- these amendments that are specific to length of day and length of year are actually going to make it to the Governor's desk before we gavel out sine die, and if it doesn't -- if that trailer bill doesn't make it, is there an agreement between the Chicago Teachers Union and CPS that, no matter what, they are not going to strike and they're going to -- and that what was requested in that trailer bill be bonding?

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) Is there any other further discussion? Seeing none, Senator, would you like to close? Oop!

Yeah, I -- I would. Senator Feigenholtz posed a couple questions that I'd -- I'd like to answer. First of all, there aren't two amendments. There's just one amendment. There's just one amendment. It addresses the issues that you mentioned. We will hear that. It -- it's essentially agreed to by the teachers union and the school system. We will hear that in Exec this afternoon, pass it, and send it over to the House. If, for whatever reason, it does not get out of the House and to the Governor's desk, because there is agreement, this is something we will take up very early in the next General Assembly. You mentioned the potential for a strike, and I will address that once again. I had a meeting with the leadership of the Chicago Teachers Union. President Harmon was present for that meeting. We addressed this issue. As I stated earlier, that's when they pointed out to us that there is a no-strike clause in their contract. They are looking to negotiate a reasonable return to work, a return to work that, by the way, is happening as we speak. Chicago teachers are back at work today in -- in a number of schools. There are still 33  STATE OF ILLINOIS 101st GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 97th Legislative Day 1/11/2021 provisions of that return-to-work agreement that they are working on and will continue to work on whether or not this bill passes. But as I stated to you, they indicated to us very clearly that there's a no-strike clause in the contract. And as I mentioned before, this will not undo that.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) The question is, shall House Bill -- oop! I'm sorry, Senator. Go ahead and close.

I apologize for prolonging the agony, but I did want to address a couple of -- of points that came up during debate in opposition to this bill. One was related to the 1995 Chicago School Reform amendatory Act. That is where these restrictions came from. They came from that piece of legislation. We could do a very lengthy debating society about that law and many of the damaging things it did to the Chicago Public School System, including, more or less, financially blowing up their pension system. They had one of the most robustly funded pension systems in the State at that time. That bill undid the safeguards that were in place to make sure the pension was fully financed and we're dealing with that today. So there are a number of things that were problematic with that bill. One of -- the opponent mentioned that this was designed to prevent strikes. Well, two of the last three times the Chicago Teachers Union contract has been up, they've gone out on strike. So, if the idea is this provision is somehow preventing strikes, that is obviously untrue. It has not worked in two of the last three contracts. Finally, in closing, I've been in the Senate for exactly eight years now; I have lost count of the number of times I've heard individuals from the other 34  STATE OF ILLINOIS 101st GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 97th Legislative Day 1/11/2021 side of the aisle stand up and say that they'd like to see the Chicago Public Schools treated like every other school district in this State. Well, guess what, here's a chance to do that. I urge everyone to vote Aye on this bill. Thank you.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) The question is, shall House Bill 2275 pass. All those in favor will vote Aye. Opposed, Nay. The voting is open. Have all voted who wish? We will call Members to the Floor for voting in groups of ten. Senators Anderson, Aquino, Barickman, Belt, Bennett, Bush, Castro, Collins, Crowe, and Cullerton, please come to the Floor to vote. For those Senators voting remotely pursuant to the motion adopted by the Senate - Senator McGuire and Senate {sic} Oberweis. We will start with Senator McGuire. SENATOR McGUIRE: (Remote voter bleed-through) Thank you, Madam President. I wish to vote Yes.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) Senator Oberweis.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) Senator Koehler, Senator Steans, Senator Harmon, Senator Lightford, Senator Van Pelt, Senator Bush, please come to the Floor to vote, and also Senator Righter. Senator Van Pelt, Senator Bush, President Harmon, Senator Lightford, please come to the Floor and vote. Last call for Senator Lightford, Senator Van Pelt, and Senator Bush. Come to the Floor to vote. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted to -- who wish? Take the record. On that question, there are 38 Ayes and 16 Nays. House Bill 2275, having received 35  STATE OF ILLINOIS 101st GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 97th Legislative Day 1/11/2021 the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. On the bottom of page 3 on your printed Calendars is House Bill 2451. Senator Martwick. Now on 3rd Reading, Mr. Secretary, read the bill.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) Senator Martwick, would you like to explain your bill?

Thank you, Madam President. House Bill 2451 makes a change to the pension Article that governs pensions for Chicago firefighters. In one of the oddest quirks of pension law, the Chicago firefighters' pension benefit has two COLAs. Unlike every other firefighter in the State, Chicago fire who -- firefighters who are Tier 1 are not entitled to a three percent compounding COLA. Instead, they either receive a three percent simple COLA, which is dramatically less than the compound, or they receive a one and a half percent simple COLA with a twenty percent maximum cap. So think about that, a three percent simple or less than half of a three percent simple, the one and a half simple with the cap - technically being the most austere COLA offered in any pension system in the State of Illinois. The oddity is that the provision that governs which COLA you get is not determined by the date that you join the fire service or the date that you retire or the years that you serve, but rather the date that you're born - so that two firefighters who join the service on the same day and work exactly the same amount of time and retire on the same day 36  STATE OF ILLINOIS 101st GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 97th Legislative Day 1/11/2021 could get dramatically different COLAs on their pension because - - because one was born before this "born on" date and one was born after this date. Now, if that's not odd enough, the practical application has been even worse. Because this COLA is so austere, no Chicago firefighter who's received -- has ever received it. Instead, what has happened since 1982, roughly every five years, the Illinois General Assembly, with a wink wink, nod nod agreement with the City of Chicago, has moved that date up bit by bit by bit so that the law says that they will receive a one and a half percent simple COLA with a twenty percent cap, but in reality they receive a three percent COLA -- simple COLA with no cap. So what this bill does is this bill makes the law reflect what the actual practice is, and I would suggest that if what we're trying to do is achieve pension stability, especially for a fund that is currently seventeen percent funded, that the first thing you ought to do is you ought to make the finances transparent. And so this bill does that. This bill puts into the statute exactly the benefit that they will receive. And it requires the City of Chicago then to calculate the benefit on this actuarial ramp that they are to get to funding so that they can actually get to the ninety percent funding that they've promised to do. A little bit of history about this bill: There have been iterations that have gone through the General Assembly for years. Recently, when we passed the downstate police and fire consolidation, we made improvements to Tier 2 pensions for all of the downstate and suburban firefighters and, once again, we left Chicago behind so that, once again, Chicago firefighters are getting less of a pension benefit than their brethren. At that time, the Chicago firefighters came down and lobbied against the consolidation bill 37  STATE OF ILLINOIS 101st GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 97th Legislative Day 1/11/2021 because they were being left out, and in negotiations and upon good faith and belief, they were moved to support the bill and lobby Members to vote for the consolidation bill and to lobby Members to vote for the changes to the Chicago pension bill on the idea that we would agree to this. And, since then, almost no negotiations with the City of Chicago have taken place. It's been dismissed. This bill gives them what they agreed and it also makes our pension systems transparent. It shows what the finances really are and it gives us a path to full funding and requires the City to pay for the benefits that they're actually going to pay. This is a good government bill. I request an Aye vote.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) Lee Milner of Illinois Times requests permission to photograph. Seeing no objection, the leave is granted. Now, is there any discussion? Seeing -- Senator DeWitte, for what reason do you seek recognition? SENATOR DeWITTE: Thank you, Madam President. A question of the sponsor.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) Sponsor indicates he will yield. SENATOR DeWITTE: Thank you very much, Madam President. Senator Martwick, thank you very much for your work on this particular bill. I know we had a fairly robust discussion on this issue last spring and I appreciated your willingness to at least have these discussions. There are significant concerns that I want to address, particularly the fact that the City of Chicago is adamantly opposed to this legislation. COGFA estimates that the current Chicago firefighters' pension fund is only funded at eighteen percent. It 38  STATE OF ILLINOIS 101st GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 97th Legislative Day 1/11/2021 is projected that this particular legislation will add nearly eighteen million dollars in annual deficit to the existing fund, increasing to nearly twenty-nine million dollars by 2055. And yet, that additionally accrued unfunded liability to this fund will be nearly eight hundred and seventy million dollars by the year 2055. How is this legislation supposed to be funded?

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) Senator Martwick.

Senator, thank you very much for that question. And I -- I think that you bring up some very relevant points. Let me qualify my answer by saying this: You suggested that this pension adds a cost to the City and increases their unfunded liability. And what I would say is, that statement is totally incorrect. That liability exists, but by having the pension legislation, what is written in law, not reflect the benefit that has actually been paid, right… Remember, since 1982, this has constantly been moved up so that these firefighters get the three percent simple, not compound COLA, simple COLA that every other Chicago firefighter has gotten under Tier 1. Okay? And -- and so by making the legislation reflect the practice of what they're actually doing, it only makes transparent what those finances actually are. To suggest that this adds to their unfunded liability is wrong. And, in fact, as you know with pensions, if we allow them by law - not good practice, but by law - to structurally continue underfunding, it will make the back end of this so big that they will never get to the funded ratio that they seek. It will blow up the unfunded liability. Every day that you wait on a pension by underfunding, you're increasing that unfunded liability on the back end. This 39  STATE OF ILLINOIS 101st GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 97th Legislative Day 1/11/2021 creates transparency and it creates a realistic path. It shows what the actual path is to get to that. We should not allow them to hide the ball any further, right? This makes the law reflect the practice.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) Senator DeWitte. SENATOR DeWITTE: So just -- just to consolidate that. If, in fact, as you suggest, this legislation solves the problem - I'm sorry - if in fact this legislation solves the problem, as you present it, then why isn't the City in support of this legislation?

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) Senator Martwick.

Senator, I -- I would -- I would suggest -- all right, I mean I imagine that they have had conversations with you and many other Members. The bottom line is this: The number that you got from COGFA… Now I've heard when -- when the City came here in May, they said that it would increase their funding -- or their payment immediately by twenty-nine million. They're saying now that it's seventeen million. COGFA says eighteen million. Somewhere in that range. The bottom line is, it is going to cost them -- cause them to have to put more money into the pension fund. That is uncomfortable. And for a city, my city, which is facing such severe economic hardship, it's awful to tell them that they have to do that. However, what is my alternative? To tell them, "I know your -- your problems are tough. You know what, just kick that can a little further down the road." "Just underfund that pension that's" -- as you mentioned, you said eighteen percent. I 40  STATE OF ILLINOIS 101st GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 97th Legislative Day 1/11/2021 think it's technically probably seventeen, maybe sixteen now, percent funded. "Don't worry about it." That's not responsible. And for the first responders that I serve in the City of Chicago, the minimum that they deserve is to know that they have retirement security when they're finished with their careers for the risks that they put their lives in to protect the citizens of Chicago. And that's what this bill does. It -- it -- it makes transparent what the problem is so that we can actually address it. Uncomfortable, no doubt. Does the City -- is -- are they going to have a difficult time finding this money? No doubt. Like every other community in our State and every form of government, finances are tough. But -- but suggesting that we perpetuate a problem that is devastating the State any further instead of being honest about it is not good government.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) Senator DeWitte. SENATOR DeWITTE: Thank you, Madam President. Senator Martwick, thank you for responses. To the bill, Madam President. To the bill.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) To the bill. SENATOR DeWITTE: Thank you. You know, there's an old proverb - if you want to stop making the hole deeper, you have to put the shovel down. And, Ladies and Gentlemen, I would suggest that this is a classic example of the problems that continue to permeate the pension funding issues that basically is an albatross around the neck of this State's finances. This is another example of that process and I would strongly urge a No vote with regards to digging this 41  STATE OF ILLINOIS 101st GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 97th Legislative Day 1/11/2021 hole, this eighty-two percent unfunded pension liability hole, any deeper. I urge a No vote. Thank you, Madam President.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) Seeing no other discussion, Senator Martwick, would you like to close? He indicates he would not like to close. So let's go to the question is, shall House Bill 2451 pass. All those in favor will vote Aye. Opposed, Nay. The voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Senators Anderson, Aquino, Barickman, Belt, Bennett, Bush, Castro, Collins, Crowe, and Cullerton, please come to the Floor to vote. For those Senators voting remotely pursuant to the motion adopted by the Senate, we have Senator McGuire and Senate -- Senator Oberweis. We will begin with Senator McGuire. SENATOR McGUIRE: Thank you, Madam President. I vote Yes.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) Senator Oberweis.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) Senators Cunningham, Curran, DeWitte, Ellman, Feigenholtz, Fine, Fowler, Gillespie, Glowiak Hilton, and Harris, come to the Floor to vote. Senators Hastings, Hunter, Johnson, Jones, Joyce, Koehler, Landek, Lightford, Loughran Cappel, come to the Floor to vote. Senators Manar, Martwick, McClure, McConchie, Morrison, Muñoz, Murphy, Pacione-Zayas, Peters, and Plummer, please come to 42  STATE OF ILLINOIS 101st GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 97th Legislative Day 1/11/2021 the Floor to vote. Senators Rezin, Righter, Rose, Schimpf, Sims, Stadelman, Steans, Stewart, Stoller, and Syverson, please come to the Floor to vote. Senators Tracy, Van Pelt, Villanueva, Villivalam, Wilcox, and President Harmon, please come to the Floor to vote. We are still waiting for votes from Johnson, Hunter, Sims, Steans, Lightford, Bush, Van Pelt, and Glowiak Hilton, and Senator Harris, and Senator Syverson. Please come to the Floor to vote. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Take the record. On that question, there are 37 Ayes, 14 Nays, and 1 voting Present. House Bill 2451, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. On your printed Calendars, we are going to the top of page 4, and we have House Bill 2461. That's Senator Castro. She seeks leave of the Body to return House Bill 2461 to the Order of 2nd Reading. Leave is granted. On the Order of 2nd Reading is House Bill 2461. Mr. Secretary, are there any Floor amendments approved for consideration?

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) Senator Castro, on your amendment.

I recommend do adopt Amendment 1 and I'll explain on 3rd.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) Is there any discussion on the amendment? 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?

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) Senator Castro, on your amendment.

I recommend do adopt and I'll explain on 3rd.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) Is there any discussion? All those in favor will say Aye. Opposed, Nay. The Ayes have it, and the amendment is adopted. Are there any other further Floor amendments approved for consideration?

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) 3rd Reading. Now on the Order of 3rd Reading, Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) Senator Castro, would you like to explain your bill?

Thank you, Madam President. As amended, House Bill 2461 addresses five property matters. Number one, requires the Department of Transportation to transfer land in DuPage County via quitclaim deed to the Village of Bensenville; number two, requires the Department of Children and Family Services to transfer land in Cook County via a quitclaim deed to the Carole Robertson Center for Learning to be used for a public child care facility; number 44  STATE OF ILLINOIS 101st GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 97th Legislative Day 1/11/2021 three, allows Northern Illinois University to sell specific properties it currently owns without CMS involvement. It changes the purposes for which the University may use revenues from its developmental fund to repair property and to obtain professional services associated with planning and design rather than the current law which includes specific uses. Number four, authorizes Will County to acquire various parcels of property in Tinley Park among {sic} 80th Avenue, County Highway 83, between 183rd Street and 191st Street; and number five, allows the State Comptroller to acquire property in the City of Springfield during FY21 and FY22. This is subject to appropriation. I will take…

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) Is there any discussion? Senator Rezin, for what purpose do you seek recognition?

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) The sponsor indicates she will yield.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) Senator Castro.

It'll allow them to purchase a building to save the State 45  STATE OF ILLINOIS 101st GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 97th Legislative Day 1/11/2021 money.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) Senator Rezin.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) Yeah, I -- I'm sorry. Senator Castro, could you repeat the answer?

It'll allow them to purchase a building.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) Senator Rezin.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) Senator Castro.

I'm going to drop my mask a minute since it's hard for folks to hear me. So, actually, let me stand corrected - they can purchase or lease, whichever State -- whatever saves the State money. The Comptroller currently does not have the authority to purchase real estate -- real property and the office is coming to the end of its ten-year lease for -- for the 325 West Adams property 46  STATE OF ILLINOIS 101st GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 97th Legislative Day 1/11/2021 in -- June 30th, 2021. The Office of the State Comptroller would like the option to buy or own the building for a more feasible economic purchase. Since 2010, the Comptroller has paid fifteen million in rent.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) Senator Rezin, did you have any further questions?

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) Senator Castro.

Senator Rezin, actually this is comprehensive. We actually did this similar to the -- to the Treasurer last year. So this is not anything new or different. I think one of the things that we have to recognize is the State is about to be in a very difficult -- and it is in a difficult financial situation. And the Comptroller is looking -- you know, looking ahead at trying to renegotiate possibly, whether purchasing the building or leasing 47  STATE OF ILLINOIS 101st GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 97th Legislative Day 1/11/2021 another facility, to save the State money. I think no one else has that authority. And then there's also separation of powers authority, when you talked about -- they have to seek permission from CMS. We're just kind of putting 'em in line with everybody else, 'cause we did this for the Treasurer last year.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) Senator Rezin, did you have further questions?

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) Senator Castro.

That is correct.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) Senator Rezin.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) Senator Castro.

Actually, if I was unclear, Senator, I apologize. It is subject to appropriation. So we're not approving any kind of dollar amount. This -- it -- it is subject to appropriation. 48  STATE OF ILLINOIS 101st GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 97th Legislative Day 1/11/2021

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) Senator Rezin.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) Is there any other discussion? Seeing none, Senator Castro, would you like to close?

I just ask for an Aye vote.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) Thank you. The question is, shall House Bill 2461 pass. All those in favor will vote Aye. Opposed, Nay. The voting is open. I'm going to call to the Floor Senators Anderson, Aquino, Barickman, Belt, Bennett, Bush, Castro, Collins, Crowe, and Cullerton. Please come to the Floor to vote. For those Senators voting remotely pursuant to the motion adopted by the Senate, we have Senator McGuire and Senator Oberweis. And I would like to remind those Senators that your votes when they are done remotely 49  STATE OF ILLINOIS 101st GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 97th Legislative Day 1/11/2021 are the same as here. It is a simple "Yes", a simple "No". There are no editorial comments. We're going to begin with Senator McGuire. SENATOR McGUIRE: Yes.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) Senator Oberweis.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) Senator Martwick, Senator Tom Cullerton, Senator Lightford, President Harmon, Senator Muñoz, Senator Feigenholtz, Senator Belt, Senator Koehler, and Senator Hunter, please come to the Floor to vote. Also, Senator Curran, McClure, and Wilcox, will you please come to the Floor to vote? Senator Lightford, Senator Martwick, and Senator Belt, would you please come to the Floor to vote? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Take the record. On that question, there are 44 Ayes, 12 Nays. House Bill 2461, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. On your printed Calendar, we are near the top on page 5 and we're going to start with House Bill 3878, which is Senator Ellman. Senator Ellman. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) Thank you. Senator Ellman, would you like to explain your 50  STATE OF ILLINOIS 101st GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 97th Legislative Day 1/11/2021 bill?

Thank you, Madam President. Yes, I would. This is a House bill that repeals the Railroad (Intoxicating) Liquor Act. This was a bill that was enacted in 1911. And it's a very little known Act and, at best, it's been spottily enforced. So what this would do is repeal it in its entirety. Thank you. And I'm open to questions or comments.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) Is there any discussion? Senator Rezin.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) Senator Rezin.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) Is there any other discussion? Seeing none, Senator Ellman, would you like to close on this very popular bill?

Yes, Madam President. In light of Senator Rezin's comments, full steam ahead.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) Well said. The question is, shall House Bill 3878 pass. All those in favor will vote Aye. Opposed, Nay. The voting is open. Have all voted who wish? I'm going to call Members to the Floor, starting with Senators Anderson, Aquino, Barickman, Belt, Bennett, Bush, Castro, Collins, Crowe, and Cullerton. Please come to the 51  STATE OF ILLINOIS 101st GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 97th Legislative Day 1/11/2021 Floor to vote. We're also going to go to the Senators voting remotely pursuant to the motion adopted by the Senate, beginning with Senator McGuire. SENATOR McGUIRE: Yes.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) Senator Oberweis.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) Okay. We are calling to the Floor Senator Righter, Senator Tracy, Senator Wilcox, Senator Stewart, and Senator Plummer, also Senator Harris, Senator Collins, Senator Van Pelt, Senator Feigenholtz, Senator Lightford, Senator Hastings, Senator Jones, Senator Koehler, and Senator Sims. Please come to the Floor to vote. We should have closed the voting. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Take the record. On that question, there are 51 Ayes, 0 Nays. And the -- having received the constitutional majority, House Bill 3878 is declared passed. With leave of the Body, we are going to turn to page 5 on your printed Calendar and we are going to start with House Bill 4276. Senator Cunningham. Senator Cunningham seeks leave of the Body to return House Bill 4276 to the Order of 2nd Reading. Leave is granted. On the Order of 2nd Reading is House Bill 4276. Mr. Secretary, are there any Floor amendments approved for consideration?

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) Senator, on your amendment. 52  STATE OF ILLINOIS 101st GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 97th Legislative Day 1/11/2021

Thank you, Madam President. I move we adopt the amendment and I'll explain it in detail on 3rd Reading.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) Is there any discussion? All those in favor will say Aye. Opposed, Nay. The Ayes have it, and the amendment is adopted. Are there any further Floor amendments approved for consideration?

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) 3rd Reading. Now on 3rd Reading, Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) Senator Cunningham, would you like to explain your bill?

Thank you, Madam President. House Bill 4276, as amended, is a measure that's identical to a COVID-19 relief bill that we passed on a bipartisan basis back in May. It provides worker comp protection to essential workers and first responders. It is a process of -- a product of the workers' comp agreed bill process that I participated in along with Senator Gillespie and Senator Curran. The bill before us now just does one thing: It takes the bill we passed in May and extends the sunset for another six months. I'd be happy to entertain any questions.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) 53  STATE OF ILLINOIS 101st GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 97th Legislative Day 1/11/2021 Is there any discussion? Seeing no discussion, Senator, would you like to close? The question is, shall House Bill 4276 pass. All those in favor will vote Aye. Opposed, Nay. The voting is open. We are going to start calling the Senators. Senator Anderson, Aquino, Barickman, Belt, Bennett, Bush, Castro, Collins, Crowe, and Cullerton, please come to the Floor to vote. Those Senators voting remotely pursuant to the motion adopted by the Senate. We will start with Senator McGuire. SENATOR McGUIRE: Yes.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) Senator Oberweis.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) Calling to the Floor Senator Jones, Senator Koehler, Senator Sims, Senator Lightford, Senator Van Pelt, Senator Stewart, Senator Plummer, Senator Wilcox, Senator McClure, Senator Tracy, Senator Stoller, Senator Syverson, and Senator Righter. Please come to the Floor to vote. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted to {sic} wish? Take the record. On that question, there are 55 Yeas, 3 Nays. House Bill 4276… Oop. Oop. I'm sorry. Let me correct that. There are 55 Yeas, 0 Nays, and 0 Present. House Bill 4276, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. We will be recessing the Senate shortly to allow for the Committee -- the -- for the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee will meet in the Senate Chamber at approximately 3:15 p.m. After Executive Committee, the Senate will reconvene for further Floor action. The Senate stands in 54  STATE OF ILLINOIS 101st GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 97th Legislative Day 1/11/2021 recess till the call of the Chair. (SENATE STANDS IN RECESS/SENATE RECONVENES)

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) Good evening, Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate. We still have some work to do tonight. We're going to be doing some bills on 2nd. We're going to be doing some bills on 3rd. But before we start any of that, I need to call the Committee on Assignments to come to the Anteroom, please. Mr. Secretary, Committee Reports.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) Good evening. This is final action. We're going to start with House Bills on 3rd Reading. We're also then going to go to House Bills on 2nd Reading. But for right now, we are going to start on your printed Calendar on page 2. Middle of the page is House Bill 97. Senator Crowe. Senator Crowe seeks leave of the Body to return House Bill 97 to the Order of 2nd Reading. Leave is granted. On the Order of 2nd Reading is House Bill 97. Mr. Secretary, are there any Floor amendments approved for consideration?

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) Senator Crowe, on your amendment.

Ask the amendment be adopted and be happy to explain it.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) Is there any discussion? All those in favor will say Aye. Opposed, Nay. The Ayes have it, and the amendment is adopted. Are there any further Floor amendments approved for consideration?

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) 3rd Reading. Senator Crowe, would you like to explain your bill?

Thank you, Madam President.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) 56  STATE OF ILLINOIS 101st GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 97th Legislative Day 1/11/2021 Oop.

Senate Committee Amendment…

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) Oop. Hold on a… You know, I got bored waiting for you all. Secretary, would you please read the bill?

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) Senator Crowe, would you like to start over?

I would. Thank you, Madam President. Senate Committee Amendment No. 2 to House Bill 97 amends the Supreme Court Act to provide that the office of marshal for the Supreme Court may employ court security officers to be responsible for the security of any courthouse or any courtroom that is occupied by the Supreme or the Appellate Courts. This amendment is before us as the Supreme Court wishes to transition away from a private security model to a law enforcement-based model at both the Supreme and the Appellate Courts. They would like the security to be provided by sworn officers under the authority of the Supreme Court marshal. This would make them similar to the manner in which courthouse security is provided at the circuit court level by county sheriffs. Happy to answer any questions.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) Is there any discussion? Seeing none, the question is, shall House Bill 97 pass. All those in favor will vote Aye. Opposed, 57  STATE OF ILLINOIS 101st GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 97th Legislative Day 1/11/2021 Nay. The voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Senators Anderson, Aquino, Barickman, Belt, Bennett, Bush, Castro, Collins, and Cullerton, please come to the Floor to vote. For those Senators voting remotely pursuant to the motion adopted by the Senate, we will start with Senator McGuire. SENATOR McGUIRE: Yes.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) Senator Oberweis.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) Would the following Senators please come to the Floor to vote: Senator Hunter, Senator Sims, Senator Peters, Senator Fine, Senator Muñoz, Lightford, Pacione-Zayas, Senator Van Pelt, Senator Bush, Senator Stadelman, Senator Castro, and Senator Manar? Please come to the Floor to vote. Also, could we have Senator Sue Rezin, Senator Wilcox, and Senator Plummer come to the Floor to vote? Senator Manar, Senator Castro, Senator Stadelman, Senator Bush, Senator Van Pelt, Senator Muñoz, and Senator Wilcox, would you please come to the Floor to vote? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Take the record. On that question, there are 54 Yeas, 0 Nays. And House Bill 97, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. Near the top of page 3 on your printed Calendar, we have House Bill 1559. Senator Cunningham seeks leave of the Body to return House Bill -- 1559 to the Order of 2nd Reading. Leave is granted. On the Order of 2nd Reading is House Bill 1559. Mr. Secretary, are there any Floor amendments approved for consideration? 58  STATE OF ILLINOIS 101st GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 97th Legislative Day 1/11/2021

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) Senator, on your amendment.

Thank you, Madam President. I move we adopt the amendment and I will discuss it on 3rd Reading.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) Is there any discussion? All those in favor will say Aye. Opposed, Nay. The Ayes have it, and the amendment is adopted. Are there any further Floor amendments approved for consideration?

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) 3rd Reading. Now on 3rd Reading, Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) Senator Cunningham, would you like to explain your bill?

Yes. Thank you, Madam President. The amendment to House Bill 1559 is the amendment we discussed earlier today when I presented House Bill 2275 regarding the collective bargaining rights for Chicago public school teachers. This is an agreed-to amendment that the CTU and the Chicago Public School System are in agreement on. I ask for the Chamber's support and would be happy 59  STATE OF ILLINOIS 101st GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 97th Legislative Day 1/11/2021 to answer any questions.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) Excuse me. Senator Cunningham, could you sort of go -- people had a very difficult time hearing you. If you could go once again.

Okay, I'll try it again. Sorry about that, everyone. This mask is getting in the way. So this bill is -- the amendment to this bill is something we discussed earlier when I presented House Bill -- 2275, which was the bill regarding collective bargaining rights for Chicago teachers. This is an agreed-to amendment, agreed to by both the Chicago Teachers Union and the Chicago -- Chicago Public School System, about permissive collective bargaining rights. I'd be happy to answer any questions. Would appreciate your support.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) Is there any discussion? Senator Righter, for what reason do you seek recognition?

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) Sponsor indicates he will yield.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) Senator Cunningham.

Sure. Thank you. So this -- this places two specific areas in the category of being subjects of permissive bargaining, and that would be the length of the school day and the length of the school year. So permissive means that CPS would not be required to bargain on these items. They -- they could if they'd like to, but it would not be required. It is permissive.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) Senator Righter.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) Senator Cunningham.

Essentially that -- that's correct. It puts -- makes something permissive instead of required.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) Senator Righter.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) Is there any other discussion? Seeing none, Senator Cunningham, would you like to close? I'm sorry, Senator Barickman. I don't see your light here, but go right ahead.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) He indicates he will yield.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) Senator Cunningham.

So, one of the things to -- that's key is to understand that this bill -- it is tied in the effective date portion of the legislation to the -- passage of the bill we talked about previously. This essentially moves those two items I mentioned, length of the school day and length of the school year, from the mandatory column to the permissive column. That -- that's -- that's what this bill does.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) Senator Barickman.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) Senator Cunningham.

I'm not sure of the answer to that question.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) Seeing no further discussion, Senator Cunningham, would you like to close?

This -- thank you, Madam President. I just wanted to point out, I had -- got an answer for Senator Barickman on that. They were permissive in the existing law. So this maintains -- yes, based on the 1995 law. So it returns it to that. The bill we passed earlier would have moved it out of that column; this returns it to that column. Besides that, I just -- I -- I also want to point out to my Republican friends that the CTU and CPS agree with each other on this. That is a very rare occurrence. So I think we should all celebrate and vote Yes on this bill.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) All right. The question is, shall House Bill 1559 pass. All those in favor will vote Aye. Opposed, Nay. The voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Senators Anderson, Aquino, Barickman, Belt, Bennett, Bush, Castro, Collins, Crowe, and Cullerton, please come to the Floor to vote. For those Senators voting remotely pursuant to the motion adopted by the Senate, we will start out first with Senator McGuire. SENATOR McGUIRE: 63  STATE OF ILLINOIS 101st GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 97th Legislative Day 1/11/2021 Yes.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) Senator Oberweis.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) Will the following Senators please come to the Floor to vote: Senator Hastings, Senator Stewart, Senator Plummer, Senator Wilcox, Senator McClure, Senator Fowler, Senator Rezin, and Senator Syverson? Senator Hastings, would you like to come to the Floor to vote? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Take the record. On that question, there are 44 Ayes and 14 Nays. House Bill 1559 received the required constitutional majority. It is declared passed. If you would like to go to page 4, in the middle of the page, we have House Bill 3360. Mr. President seeks leave of the Body to return House Bill 3360 to the Order of 2nd Reading. Leave is granted. On the Order of 2nd Reading is House Bill 3660. Mr. Secretary -- 3360. On the Order of 2nd Reading is House Bill 3360. Mr. Secretary, are there any Floor amendments approved for consideration?

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) Senator Harmon, on your amendment.

Thank you, Madam President. I move to adopt the amendment.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) Is there any discussion? All those in favor will say Aye. Opposed, Nay. The Ayes have it, and the amendment is adopted. 64  STATE OF ILLINOIS 101st GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 97th Legislative Day 1/11/2021 Are there any further Floor amendments approved for consideration?

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) 3rd Reading. Now on 3rd Reading, Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) President Harmon, would you please explain your bill?

Thank you, Madam President, Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) No.

The Illinois Code of Civil Procedure…

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) Is this a…

Thank you, Madam President, Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate. The Illinois Code of Civil Procedure today includes a provision assessing interest on a judgment in a personal injury or wrongful death case beginning on the date of the judgment. This current law provision encourages a sober assessment of a defendant's likelihood of succeeding in an appeal, more likely an assessment by the defendant's insurance company. This bill would 65  STATE OF ILLINOIS 101st GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 97th Legislative Day 1/11/2021 expand that concept of post-judgment interest to prejudgment interest, and Illinois would join forty-six other states that have a similar prejudgment interest provision. It would assess interest on the judgment from a -- the date the tortfeasor is aware of the injury until the judgment. This, too, will encourage a sober assessment of a defendant's likelihood of success and encourage settlements. I ask for your Aye votes and look forward to your questions.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) Is there any discussion? I see Senator Barickman. For what reason do you seek recognition?

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) To the bill.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) And seeing no further discussion, Senator Harmon, would you like to close?

Yes. Thank you, Madam President. I appreciate the observations of our colleague. I would just like to share that I -- I disagree very much with that assessment. I think that this bill incentivizes settlement. And in the wake of a pandemic with a backlog, it's important to give the tools to the system to help clear out the case. I also want to emphasize a couple points for you so you can sleep easy. This does not apply to settlements. And of all the cases filed, only three percent generally get to a verdict and a judgment award. Ninety-seven percent are dismissed or settled, and prejudgment interest would not apply in those cases. This bill simply gives more incentive to the parties to settle. The representative from the State Medical Society who testified raised the question. He said it was not fair for us to shift the burden of delay beyond the control of the defendant. And I countered by asking him, "Is it fair to impose the burden of delay onto the victim?" - which is the status quo today. The -- the victims rarely have the resources and rarely have the insurance 67  STATE OF ILLINOIS 101st GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 97th Legislative Day 1/11/2021 to underwrite their case. The defendants typically do. I think this is a -- a -- a perfectly fair allocation of the -- the burden, and I think that this is an honest way to incentivize settlements and clear out the backlog of the courts. I ask for your Aye votes.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) The question is, shall House Bill 3360 pass. All those in favor will vote Aye. Opposed, Nay. The voting's open. Senators Anderson, Aquino, Barickman, Belt, Bennett, Bush, Castro, Collins, Crowe, and Cullerton, please come to the Floor to vote. For those Senators voting remotely pursuant to the motion adopted by the Senate, we will start with Senator McGuire. SENATOR McGUIRE: Yes.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) Senator Oberweis.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) Will the following Senators please come to the Floor to vote: Senator Sims, Senator Harris, and Senator McClure? Please come to the Floor to vote. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Take the record. On that question, there are 38 Ayes, 17 Nays, and 2 voting Present. House Bill 3360, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. Supplemental Calendar No. 1 has been printed and distributed. And this is House Bills on 2nd Reading. Senator Righter, on House Bill 570. Do you want to move that? Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) 3rd Reading. Senator Martwick, on House Bill 2267. Do you wish to move that? He indicates he would like to do so. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HOLMES) 3rd Reading. There being no further business to come before the Senate, the Senate stands adjourned until 12 noon on the 12th day of January 2021. The Senate stands adjourned. 69