Pursuant to the directive of the Senate President, the regular Session of the Senate is now in perfunctory Session. Communication from the President. Letter dated April 7th, 2022. Dear Mr. Secretary - Pursuant to Senate Rule 2-10, I am scheduling a perfunctory Session to convene on Thursday, April 7th, 2022. Signed by, Senator Don Harmon, Senate President. Committee Report. Senator Lightford, Chair of the Committee on Assignments, reports the following Legislative Measures have been assigned: Refer to Executive Committee - Floor Amendment 2 to House Bill 716, Floor Amendment 1 to House Bill 4209, Floor Amendment 2 to House Bill 4600, Floor Amendment 1 to House Bill 4666, Floor Amendment 1 to House Bill 4667, Floor Amendment 3 to House Bill 4736, and Floor Amendment 2 to House Bill 4608; Be Approved for Consideration - Floor Amendment 2 to House Bill 4215, Floor Amendment 5 to House Bill 5186, House Bills 15 -- 1539, 1568, 1950, 2770, 3145, 4450, 4664, 4846, 5004, 5164, 5190, and 5052. Signed, Senator Kimberly A. Lightford, Chair. There being no further business to come before this perfunctory Session, the Senate stands adjourned until Thursday, April 7, 2022, at 11:00 a.m. or until the call of the Senate President. The Senate stands adjourned.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) The regular Session of the 102nd General Assembly will please come to order. Will the Members please be at their desks? Will our guests in the galleries please rise? The invocation today 1 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 will be given by Pastor Ahron Cooney, Ignite Student Ministries, Chatham Baptist Church in Chatham Illinois. Pastor.
(Prayer by Pastor Ahron Cooney)
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Thank you. Please remain standing for the Pledge. Senator Connor, please lead us.
(Pledge of Allegiance, led by Senator Connor)
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Andrew Adams from the State Journal-Register seeks leave to photograph today's proceedings. Lizzie Seils or Seils from Gray TV seeks leave to video today's proceedings, and Blueroomstream, Lisa Yuscius, also seeks leave to video today's proceedings. Seeing no objection, leave is granted. Mr. Secretary, Reading and Approval of the Journal.
Senate Journal of Wednesday, April 6th, 2022.
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. Mr. Secretary, Resolutions.
2 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 Senate Resolution 980, offered by Senator Anderson and all Members. It is a celebration of life resolution, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Resolutions Consent Calendar.
Senate Resolution 981, offered by Senator Sims. It is substantive.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Mr. Secretary, Committee Reports.
Senator Castro, Chair of the Committee on Executive, reports Senate Amendment 1 to House Bill 601, Senate Amendment 2 to House Bill 716, Senate Amendment 3 to House Bills 3699, Senate Amendment 2 to House Bill 3772, Senate Amendment 1 to House Bill 3863, Senate Amendment 1 to House Bill 3893, Senate Amendment 1 to House Bill 4209, Senate Amendment 1 to House Bill 4364, Senate Amendment 2 to House Bill 4364, Senate Amendment 2 to House Bill 4600, Senate Amendment 2 to House Bill 4608, Senate Amendment 1 to House Bill 4666, Senate Amendment 1 to House Bill 4667, and Senate Amendment 3 to House Bill 4736 Recommend Do Adopt.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Messages from the House, Mr. Secretary.
A Message from the House, by Mr. Hollman, Clerk. Mr. President - I am directed to inform the Senate that the House of Representatives has passed bills -- passed bills of the following titles, in the passage of which I am instructed to ask the concurrence to the Senate, to wit: 3 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 House Bill 1409. We have received like messages on House Bill 1688, passed the House April 6th, 2022. John W. Hollman, Clerk of the House. 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 83. Offered by Senator Fowler. Adopted by the House, April 6, 2022. We have received like messages on House Joint Resolution 84, offered by Senator Joyce, adopted by the House April 6, 2022; House Joint Resolution 86, offered by Senator Muñoz, adopted by the House April 6, 2022. John W. Hollman, Clerk of the House. They are all substantive, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Mr. Secretary, 1st Reading of House Bills.
House Bill 1409, offered by President Harmon. (Secretary reads title of bill) House Bill 1688, offered by President Harmon. (Secretary reads title of bill) 1st Reading of the bills.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate, please come to the Senate Floor so we can begin today's business. All Senators, please report to the Senate Floor. Mr. Secretary, Resolutions.
4 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 Senate Resolution 982, offered by Senator Villivalam and all Members. It is a celebration of life resolution, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Resolution Consent Calendar. Senator Hunter, for what purpose do you seek recognition?
The Democrats will caucus in the President's Office for approximately one hour.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator McClure, for what purpose do you seek recognition? SENATOR McCLURE: Thank you, Mr. President. The Senate Republicans will also caucus in Leader McConchie's Office for approximately one hour.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Rose, for what purpose do you seek recognition?
Thank you, Mr. President. I'm very excited today to move to table House Bill 5187. I appreciate very much, on behalf of all the guys out back.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Rose seeks leave to table House Bill 5187. All those in favor will say Aye. Opposed, Nay. In the opinion of the Chair, the Ayes have it, and the bill is tabled. Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate, please now proceed to your respective caucuses. We will caucus for approximately an hour and then return to the Senate Floor for business. Senate stands at recess to the call of the Chair. 5 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 (SENATE STANDS IN RECESS/SENATE RECONVENES)
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) The Senate will come to order. The Committee on Assignments will meet immediately in the President's Anteroom. The Committee on Assignments, please report to the President's Anteroom. Mr. Secretary, Committee Reports.
Senator Cunningham, (Vice) Chair of the Committee on Assignments, reports the following Legislative Measures have been assigned: Refer to Education Committee - Floor Amendment 1 to House Bill 5488; refer to Executive Committee - Senate Bill 2170, Committee Amendment 2 to House Bill 4164, Motion to Concur with House Amendment 1 to Senate Bill 180, Motion to Concur with House Amendment 1 to Senate Bill 3416, Motion to Concur with House Amendment 1 to Senate Bill 3097; refer to Licensed Activities Committee - Floor Amendment 2 to House Bill 4501; refer to State Government Committee - Motion to Concur with House Amendment 2 to Senate Bill 3180, Motion to Concur with House Amendment 1 to Senate Bill 3685, Motion to Concur with House Amendments 5 and 6 to Senate Bill 3889, Motion to Concur with House Amendment 2 to Senate Bill 4028; Be Approved for Consideration - House Bills 1321, 1571, 5285, 4342, 4542, 4644, 3 -- 347, Floor Amendment 4 to House Bill 4736, Floor Amendment 2 to House Bill 1568, Floor Amendment 3 to House Bill 716. Pursuant to Senate Rule 3-8 (b-1), the following amendments will remain in the Committee on Assignments: Floor Amendment 1 to House Bill 4383 and Floor Amendment 1 to House Bill 1568. Signed, Senator Bill Cunningham, (Vice) Chair. 6 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate, please report to the Floor. We are about to take up House Bills on 3rd Reading, final action. House Bills on 3rd Reading. Please come to the Floor. Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate, Supplemental Calendar No. 1 has been printed and distributed. We're going to… we're going to be taking up House Bills on 2nd Reading from that Supplemental Calendar. The first bill in that Order is House Bill 347, from Senator Crowe. She indicates she wishes to proceed. 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 CUNNINGHAM) 3rd Reading. House Bill 1321, Senator Hastings. Senator Hastings. He indicates he wishes to proceed. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 1321. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) 3rd Reading. Leave of the Body, we will move to House Bill 1571, Senator Glowiak Hilton. Senator Glowiak Hilton, on House Bill 1571. She indicates she wishes to proceed. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill. 7 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022
House Bill 1571 (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) 3rd Reading. House Bill 3145. Senator Stadelman, on House Bill 3145. Senator Stadelman. He indicates he wishes to proceed. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 3145. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) 3rd Reading. Leave of the Body, we will skip to House Bill 4450. Senator Villivalam, on House Bill 4450. He indicates he wishes to proceed. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 4450. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) 3rd Reading. House Bill 4542, Senator Glowiak Hilton. She indicates she wishes to proceed. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 4542. 8 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) 3rd Reading. House Bill 4644, Senator Belt. Senator Belt, on House Bill 4644. House Bill 4664, Senator Jones. He indicates he wishes to proceed. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 4664. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) 3rd Reading. House Bill 4846. Senator Bush, on House Bill 4846. She indicates she wishes to proceed. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 4846. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) 3rd Reading. We're moving to the 2nd page of the Supplemental Calendar. At the top of the page, where Senator Simmons brings House Bill 5004. Senator Simmons, on House Bill 5004. House Bill 5052, Senator Belt. Senator Belt, on House Bill 5052. House Bill 5164, Senator Sims. Senator Sims, on House Bill 5164. House Bill 5285. Senator Pacione-Zayas, on House Bill 5285. Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate, we are now going to move back to the 9 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 regular printed Calendar, on page 3 of that Calendar, we have House Bills on 3rd Reading. Senator Muñoz brings House Bill 107. He indicates he wishes to proceed. Senator… He indicates he wishes to proceed on House Bill 107. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 107. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Muñoz. SENATOR MUÑOZ: Thank you, Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate. The bill amends the Recyclable Metal Purchase Registration Law by adding catalytic converters to the definition of a recycled metal. Adding catalytic converters to this definition requires record keeping on the purchase of the catalytic converters, including the license plate number of the vehicle, photographs or video of the seller, a verified name and address of the seller and a signed declaration by the seller stating that they do not have knowledge that the catalytic converter was stolen. I know of no opposition to the bill and I will attempt to answer any questions.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Is there any discussion? Seeing none, the question is, shall House Bill 107 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 bill, there are 56 Senators voting Yes, 0 voting No, and 0 voting Present. House Bill 107, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. With leave of the 10 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 Body, we're going to move down toward the bottom of page 3 of your printed Calendar where Senator Gillespie brings House Bill 601. Senator Gillespie. With leave of the Body, we're going to move to page 4, near the top of page 4, where Senator Villa brings House Bill 1567. Senator Villa, on House Bill 1567. With leave of the Body, we are going to move to House Bill 2380. Senator Castro, on House Bill 2380. She indicates she wishes to proceed. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 2380. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Castro.
Thank you for the indulgence, Mr. President. House Bill 20 -- oh, we're on the amendment? Ready? Okay. As amended, House Bill 2380 consolidates the process for perspective employees to seek identification cards to work in an adult use or medical dispensary or cultivation center in Illinois. Specifically, House Bill 2380 repeals the process under the Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis Program Act and relies on the process outlined in the Cannabis Regulatory and Tax Act. House Bill 2380 would also require the Department of Agriculture and Department of Financial and Professional Regulation issue the identification cards via an online application porter (portal). This consolidation has the effect of removing the barrier to employment in the medical cannabis dispensaries for an individual with certain convictions in their background. So, just for a little insight under the CRTA, 11 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 you don't have to have, there is not this barrier. So, what we're doing is, we're trying to bring parity by allowing it also for the medical. This is something that is already done, we're just trying to streamline a process. There is -- I know of no opposition. I ask for a favorable vote.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Is there any discussion? Seeing none, the question is, shall House Bill 2380 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 56 Senators voting Yes, 0 voting No, 0 voting Present. House Bill 2380, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. Staying on page 4, we'll move down to House Bill 3772. Senator Aquino, on House Bill 3772. He indicates he wishes to proceed. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill. Senator Aquino seeks leave of the Body to return House Bill 3772 to the Order of 2nd Reading. Leave is granted. On the Order of 2nd Reading is House Bill 3772. Mr. Secretary, are there any Floor amendments approved for consideration?
Floor Amendment No. 2, offered by Senator Aquino.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Aquino, on your amendment.
I'd like to adopt it and explain it on 3rd, Mr. President. Thank you.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Is there any discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor will vote Aye. Opposed, Nay. The Aye's have it, and the amendment 12 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 is adopted. Are there any further amendments approved for consideration?
No further amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) 3rd Reading. Now on the Order of 3rd Reading, is House Bill 3772. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 3772. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Aquino.
Thank you, Mr. President. House Bill 3772, as amended, provides a defense for individuals from liability for such violations where their vehicle was stolen and provides that they shall not be liable for violations, fees, fines or penalties during the period in which the motor vehicle was stolen or highjacked. As indicated in a, excuse me, in a report to the appropriate law enforcement agency filed in a timely manner. Further, the bill amends the Crime Victims Compensation Act to allow crime victims to seek reimbursement for towing and storage fees, up to one thousand dollars, incurred as a result of a crime. I know of no opponents and ask for an Aye vote.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Is there any discussion? Senator Barickman, for what purpose do you seek recognition?
13 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 Question of the sponsor.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) He indicates he will yield. Senator Barickman.
Thank -- thank you, Mr. President. Senator, first of all, you know, we've had an opportunity to caucus on a number of the proposals that your side of the aisle has put forward in response to the very significant increase in criminal activity that we're seeing around the State. To say that this side of the aisle is - - feels that the overall effort here has fallen well short of holding the criminals accountable for the actions that they're committing around this State, really is an understatement. We'd like to see your side of the aisle do more. But I know this is one of several bills, in which, I think you're taking baby steps forward in the right direction. And, so, thank you for that. I wanna first ask something, you know, I -- we've had some time since committee. Your legislation appears to resolve the situation where someone has their car -- is carjacked. The person who -- who stole the vehicle, maybe, doesn't pay some tolls, maybe they turn right on red and the -- the -- the car owner later receives a -- a violation for that, this is -- this is what you're attempting to resolve with your legislation. Is that correct?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Aquino.
Mr. President, I appreciate that and to the comments. I -- I'll be honest with you Senator. I don’t know where the question was in that. I -- you lost me somewhere in there, in a lot of the commentary. So, if you could reask your question, sorry. 14 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Barickman
You're attempting to resolve the situation where someone has their car highjacked, carjacked. The --- the vehicle then - it violates -- toll -- results in toll violations, maybe they turned right on red and the car owner later receives an ordinance violation from a municipality. That's what you're trying to do here, right?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Aquino.
Thank you, Senator Barickman. Got your question now. Yeah, we're trying to -- we're trying to put some economic justice into a situation that is quite -- quite horrific, where someone might become a victim of a carjacking per se and they then later on get a -- a -- a fine in the mail that they have -- that they seem to owe to the municipality because of the fact that the person that, you know, that stole their vehicle, you know, ran a red light, got a speeding ticket or so forth. And so, what we're trying to do is to make sure that -- that -- that liability isn't on the victim of that situation.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Barickman.
Do you know how many of these incidents have occurred? Maybe, last year or historically, how many -- how many instances of this have occurred in Illinois?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) 15 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 Senator Aquino.
Senator, thank you. You know, I -- I would say that we've heard anecdotal stories of things like this. I don't have the exact date of -- of -- of, but what we do know is that certainly carjacking, in particular, is something that has been on the rise in the State of Illinois, in the City of Chicago, you know, where I represent. And, so, we're trying to address a portion of this horrific incident. Just again, to put some economic justice and lift any liability from someone who already has lived -- has to live with a traumatic -- in this incident, such as a carjacking.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Barickman.
Okay, so you -- you say carjacking is on the rise. Do you have any data that speaks to the amount of carjacking incidents that have occurred?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Aquino.
So, according to our analysis here, a report from CNN, in January, said that more than 1,800 car jackings were reported in -- in the City of Chicago last year. The most of any large city in -- in the country.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Barickman.
And is the eighteen hundred that occurred in the City, is that higher or lower than it's been historically? 16 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Aquino.
You know, I don't have the comparison year to -- year to date, from year to year. I don't see here, let's -- let me, bear with me for a second -- it had been declining steadily in the City, after 2001. Hit as low as three hundred -- three hundred and three in 2014, but has had an uptick and has skyrocketed, especially during the pandemic. In 2020, we saw fourteen hundred carjackings being reported in the City of Chicago.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Barickman.
Okay, and then to -- to your -- to your bill, again. You're proposing that in instances where someone is the victim of these crimes, they wouldn't have to pay those tolls or pay those ordinance violations. Is there anything that stops the Tollway Authority or the local jurisdictions, the municipalities, from waiving these fines and fees already?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Aquino.
Well, I want to correct something that has been asked. You've mentioned tollways, a couple times, and this doesn't address tollways. This addresses red light tickets and speeding tickets that people would get.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Barickman.
17 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 Okay, then let me refrain. So, if -- if someone receives a, you said, a speeding ticket, so if -- if a persons a victim of carjacking and someone is viewed speeding down the road, and when a camera or something says that vehicle and that owner should get a speeding ticket, is there something that stops the owner of that vehicle from having that dispensed with already, in the law today?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Aquino.
So, right now, you know, red light tickets and those camera tickets, they automatically get sent out to folks that -- and so what this bill does is that ensures that anyone that was a victim of a carjacking or getting their car stolen that they -- if there's administrative fees or anything like that, that the municipality would be able to waive those set fees. Again, it’s the intention of the -- this bill is so that there is some economic justice, you know, if it's a small portion to those folks that have been, already lived in this traumatic incident of having their car, having been a victim of a carjacking.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Barickman.
Understood, you're saying this enables them to waive those fees. What I'm asking is, in the law today, do -- do those local authorities have an ability to look at the circumstances and determine that because the person was carjacked, that they don't have to pay the fine associated with what the criminal did with the vehicle?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) 18 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 Senator Aquino.
From what I've been told by staff, is that there's -- this bill addresses a -- a portion of the law that is vague, that it does say that if your car is stolen that, you know, these fines and fees can be waived. However, it doesn't specifically address having your car -- having been a victim of a carjacking. So, that's where this -- this bill is putting specificity towards being a victim of carjacking, not just having your car stolen.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Barickman.
To -- to the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) To the bill.
Ladies and Gentleman, as I said earlier, I -- I anticipate that we're going to see a number of proposals this afternoon and you're going to see some support from this side of the aisle for those. You know, I would say, we wish that you would have worked with us earlier in this process. It's nice to see some of these proposals come out this morning, maybe yesterday. It's nice that you picked up some of our ideas. Thank you for that. But it's important to recognize how little these proposals are going to do to address the rampant criminal activity that is existing throughout all regions and pockets of this State. This is Exhibit A, to that problem. The sponsor attests to the fact that crime is up. In the City of Chicago, there are significant increases in the number of people who are seeing their vehicles carjacked and 19 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 stolen. And those criminals are going around the city breaking more laws. And so, the Democrats response to this problem, is not to hold the criminals accountable for their actions, it's instead to take a baby step forward on something that local authorities are already able to do. You heard the sponsor himself. If someone's car is stolen and the criminal commits a crime, but whether it be speeding, whether it be because they turned right on red and a red-light camera snapped a picture of the vehicle, the owner of that vehicle has a remedy they can appeal to the authority and say look, someone stole my car, please allow the fine to be dispensed with. That's happening already, today. Now, can we go a little bit further, here? Sure, I'm going to support this bill. But the point is, the point is that -- that side of the aisle needs to get serious about the crime that exists in this State. And if you want people to stop stealing cars, you need to do more to make sure that the victims don't have to pay the fines for the -- for the crimes committed by the thief. This side of the aisle, we'd like to see you go after the thief. Let's hold the thieves accountable for their actions. Let's hold them responsible for the crimes that they're committing. This bill doesn't do it, and I suspect many of the bills that we're going to see after this are also not going to do it. So, Senator Hastings, I vocally support this bill. I think it's a nice step forward. Senator, thank you for bringing it, but I implore of all my friends on the other side of the aisle, there is much more work to do if we are going to restore the faith the public should have, that we are serious about keeping their streets and their neighborhoods safe. Thank you, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) 20 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 Seeing no further discussion. Senator Aquino, do you wish to close?
I do, Mr. President. Thank you so much. A few things, this bill is a very common-sense piece of legislation. It says that you are a victim of a carjacking, you are not liable for any -- any -- any fines or fees that may have been accumulated, that’s simply, that’s it. I think that’s a good thing. It's also a continuation of work that we've done already, that I personally worked on -- on a license to work bill that also addresses fines and fees to not limit someone's ability to get a driver's license and -- and prevent them from being able to work. This is a continuation of work. To also say, that this is one bill of a larger package of things that we have been addressing this week, we will continue to address today and tomorrow, to get at root causes of these issues. As stated, yes, crime is up, but there are also reasons that crime is up because -- we are in desperate times right now. Where we are living in a pandemic that a lot of people, that before the pandemic were suffering, you know what, they're suffering even more. And sometimes, that -- that ends up to bad situations. So, you know, not only would I invite my colleague, on the other side, to be a chief co-sponsor on this bill, there's -- there's -- there's sheets up there, there's -- there's room. I'll sign it, support it, great. But there's a budget coming soon, as well, that addresses root causes to a lot of these issues, as well. Support that too. Thank you, I ask for an Aye vote.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) The question is, shall House Bill 3772 pass. All those in 21 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 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 55 Senators voting Yes, 0 voting No, and 0 voting Present. House Bill 3772, having received the constitutional required majority, is declared passed. Senator Wilcox, for what purpose do you seek recognition?
For purpose of an announcement.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) State your announcement.
As you all may know, April is Child Abuse Awareness Month. Up in the gallery, over my right shoulder, I'd like to welcome to the Capitol an inspiring woman, Tracy Kotzman from McHenry County, who is in Springfield today to bring awareness to this incredibly important issue. Three years ago, a little boy, named AJ Freund, from Crystal Lake, went missing. And his body was ultimately found in a shallow grave several miles from his house. In the days following the gruesome discovery, it was learned that he was killed at the hands of his parents. The death of a child due to child abuse is tragic. But as events unfolded, it was discovered that little AJ and his parents had multiple dealings with DCFS. He slipped through the cracks of a broken State agency that failed to keep him safe. Community members around Tracy formed the group, Roar for AJ, and continue to honor AJ Freund by bringing awareness to child abuse issues and pushing for fundamental changes at DCFS. I invite you, when you walk through the rotunda today, to visit the Child Abuse Awareness display, where you'll see an empty pair of children's shoes signifying the souls of each Illinois child 22 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 that has died from abuse in the home, despite DCFS involvement. In all, you'll see 347 pairs of empty shoes, representing souls from just the last three years. I hope the display is a sobering reminder of the responsibility we have to the youngest and most vulnerable citizens among us. As a State, we need to do better. Thank you.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate, remaining on page 4 of your printed Calendar, we're going to go back up in the order to House Bill 1567 from Senator Villa. She indicates that she's -- she would like to proceed. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 1567. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Villa.
Thank you, Mr. President. HB 1567, simply, takes an office that already exists, which is the Governor's Office of New Americans, and it lists specific duties for the Office. This -- one of those responsibilities will include to coordinate the efforts of the State, federal and local entities to support the effective social, economic, linguistic, and civic integration of immigrants, refugees and the children of immigrants and refugees. I would be happy to answer any questions.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Is there any discussion? Senator Bryant, for what purpose do you seek recognition? 23 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022
Thank you, Mr. President. I have some questions for the sponsor, if the sponsor will yield.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) She indicates she will. Senator Bryant.
Thank you. Senator, how will this be funded?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Villa.
There's already a line item that exists.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Bryant.
So, it's my understanding that there -- there has been a line item. Do you know if that line item was -- was -- I mean, was it actually in the BIMP? Was it actually funded? Has the money been used in the past?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Villa.
It is -- it is funded. Yes, it is funded.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Bryant.
So, there was a two hundred-thousand-dollar grant that was line itemed for that, is my understanding, and zero was spent in the past. Does that seem accurate to you? Cause, the reason I'm asking is, and this might come up frequently when we're talking 24 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 about a few of these issues, I -- I -- I mentioned this a couple of days ago on the welcome centers, so, in 2018, we had 1.4 million dollars from GRF for welcome centers, then it went to 1.6 million. By 20 -- fiscal 2021, it was thirty-five million, fiscal 2022, it was ninety million, GRF plus additional federal money. And now this seems like this is another expenditure that’s going toward the very things that the welcome centers are doing. So how is this different than what a welcome center does?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Villa.
Thank you for the question. It's -- I do understand that the -- the confusion now. So, welcoming centers actually work directly with constituents. Work directly with bringing resources to the communities that need it the most. This specific Governor's Office of New Americans talks about advising the Governor on policy issues regarding the immigrant and refugee community.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Bryant.
So, last year the Governor signed SB 2665, which created the Illinois Immigrant Impact Task Force, which has not yet reported, because I don't think it has to report until May -- May 31st, sorry. So, do we even know what's needed at this point before we pass a bill like this?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Villa.
So, the Governor's Office of New Americans, actually was 25 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 already in existence and it had been a very active Office, and this is simply clarifying what the roles of this Office are.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Bryant.
So, if -- if basically this money was not used before, and it's, in -- in essence, it's -- it’s a defunct program. Why not just wait until we hear what the task force's recommendations are prior to spending additional money, that clearly, we haven't needed to spend before, in addition, to ninety million plus that’s going to welcome centers. Can we just not wait until we get the results back from the task force?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Villa.
The Office of New Americans, really, has some strategic roles that we -- that are important to the immigrant and refugee community. It's urgent that we outline what those roles are and that we revitalize the -- the Office.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Bryant.
Thank you, to the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) To the bill.
I'd like to just note that this particular Office, even though it has had money that has been set aside for it, that money has not been used. The Office is basically defunct. They don't even 26 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 have a website. And while we may need to have this Office, I believe it would be more advisable, with this much money, to wait until the task force brings its determination before agreeing to spend additional money. Expanding programs, adding programs when we clearly don't know if they're needed or even being used, and in this case, obviously, have not used them. Don't know if they're needed, I think is not a good use of taxpayer funds. So, all due respect, I'm not saying I would vote No on this forever, but right now, I think we should wait until the task force has completed their work and I would ask for a No vote. Thank you.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) There being no further discussion. Senator Villa, to close.
There is just an increased -- there's an increase of refugees coming to our State from all different parts of the world. Immigrants are our friends, our neighbors, and this Office is really an important space and I just urge an Aye vote. And sorry, I wanted to also mention this bill passed the House unanimously. So, I urge an Aye vote.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) The question is, shall House Bill 1567 pass. All those in favor, vote Aye. Opposed, Nay. The voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Take the record. On that question, there are 52 Senator's voting Yes, 11 voting -- 42 Senator's voting Yes, 11 voting No, and 0 voting Present. House Bill 1567, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. Tony Perez from the Chicago Tribune and Thomas Turney from the State Journal-Register seek leave to photograph today's proceedings. Seeing no objection, 27 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 leave is granted. Moving now to the bottom of page 4 on your printed Calendars, we have House Bill 3863 from Senator Morrison. She indicates she wishes to proceed. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill. Senator Morrison seeks leave of the Body to return House Bill 3863 to the Order of 2nd Reading. Leave is granted. On the Order of 2nd Reading is House Bill 3863. Mr. Secretary, are there any Floor amendments approved for consideration?
Floor Amendment No. 1, offered by Senator Morrison.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Morrison, on your amendment.
Thank you, Mr. President. I would like to discuss this on 3rd and ask for the adoption now.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Is there any discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor will say Aye. Opposed, Nay. The Ayes have it, and the amendment is adopted. Mr. Secretary, are there any further amendments approved for consideration?
No further amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) 3rd Reading. Now on the Order of 3rd Reading is House Bill 3863. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 3863. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) 28 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 Senator Morrison.
Thank you, Mr. President, Members of the Senate. This legislation creates the Law Enforcement Recruitment and Retention Fund. It will -- award grants for the purpose of hiring and retaining law enforcement officers. We had a robust discussion in Executive Committee with many questions and a unanimous Yes vote. But I'm happy to answer other questions, should there possibly be any.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Is there any discussion? Senator Rezin, for what purpose do you seek recognition?
Thank you, Mr. President. Question for the sponsor, please.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) She indicates she will yield, Senator Rezin.
Thank you, Mr. President. Senator Morrison, again, as we talked about in Executive today, we are hearing many bills dealing with the increase in crime around the State. Talking about the increase in carjackings, we're talking about the increase in -- in violent crime and because of that, we have many bills here, before us today. Regarding your bill, why is it that you feel that we need to pass grants in order to retain police officers, in the State of Illinois?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Morrison.
Senator Rezin, my feelings are really irrelevant when it comes 29 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 to statutory law. I am presenting this legislation because we know that there have been retirements. We know that crime has risen and this seems like one tool that we can provide our communities to stay safe.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Rezin.
Thank you, Mr. President. Senator, approximately a year ago, when at about three in the morning, we debated and -- the SAFE-T bill and it was passed along party lines. But in the discussion of the bill that was passed, many people talked about the concerns that they heard from their police officers, their police chiefs, their sheriffs, about the bill and the impact it had by tying law enforcements hands, and because of it, that we had heard that if the bill passed that they were going to -- there was going to be many law enforcement that retired. Do you feel that this bill is in response to an increase of retirement in law enforcement in the past year?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Morrison.
Senator Rezin, I don't have any statistics on the reasons that there have been resignations. It would be presumptuous of me to assume that.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Rezin.
Senator Morrison, can you talk to us, you mentioned that the grants are available for underserved areas. They're prioritized 30 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 for underserved areas. Can you go through the process of what data is used and how do you determine the underserved areas and who's prioritizing the grants?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Morrison.
The grants will be awarded and entities determined eligible by ILETSB.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Rezin.
Thank you. One last question, Mr. President. Senator Morrison, does this bill do anything to reduce the regulation for the law enforcement that’s causing them, in their words, to retire and move to other states?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Morrison.
Senator Rezin, those are your words and not mine.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Rezin.
Thank you, to the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) To the bill.
Thank you, and again, you know, I appreciate the sponsor and -- and her answer, so thank you for that. But you know the words that I use, are not my words. These are the words that we're 31 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 hearing from law enforcement from all of our districts. Not just on this side, because I know on your side you're hearing the same thing from your police officers, the sheriffs, deputy sheriffs. They're all concerned with the shift in policy that they've seen that tie their hands, and tie their hands from being able to do their job. And, as a result, we were told last year when this bill was -- when the SAFE-T bill was passed at 3 o'clock in the morning, that we would see an increase in retirements from law enforcement. So, fast forward. Here we are today, entertaining a bill in this crime package that deals with grants to try to retain police officers. Again, thank you, to the sponsor for answering the bill. As you could tell, yes, we did support it in committee, but I think that this bill is just reflective of an underlying problem that we've seen and have heard concerns from our law enforcement that we all, across the State, represent. Thank you.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Is there any further discussion? Senator Tracy, for what purpose do you seek recognition?
Thank you, Mr. President. I have questions of the sponsor and ask if she will yield, please.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) She indicates she will. Senator Tracy.
Senator Morrison, this creates a special fund in the State Treasury, is that correct?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Morrison. 32 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022
Yes.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Tracy.
And under your bill, is that subject to appropriation in the budget?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Morrison.
It is.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Tracy.
So, are we to assume that if money is not appropriated, then your bill actually won't do anything? Is that correct?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Morrison.
Senator, that's what subject to appropriation means.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Tracy.
Indeed, that's -- that -- that is true, thank you. Now, one thing I -- I'm not familiar with the term that's used, that these grants could go to non-profits for the hiring and retentions of police officers or law enforcement officers. I am unfamiliar with any qualified non-profit entity that recruits law enforcement officers or retains them. Are you familiar with any? 33 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Morrison.
Senator, I am simply referencing the language, which says that, as defined by the board, which would be ILETSB, that they will establish which entities are eligible, what is a qualified non-profit entity.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Tracy.
So, then you don't know what that term means either?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Morrison.
Senator, this just lets ILETSB go to a non-profit entity, should that be the option they see best fitting for the community.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Tracy.
Okay, thank you. To the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) To the bill.
Together with Senator Rezin, I do share concerns that we are losing police officers and now we're creating a fund to try to retain them after we've destroyed a career of law enforcement for many, by the passage of the SAFE-T Act. But I am troubled that, I don't know what a qualified non-profit entity is that recruits police officers and -- and that we are even allowing grants to go 34 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 to -- to entities that we don't even know who, what they are, what credibility they have, so that concerns me, as well. But the main thing that concerns me is one, this is subject to appropriations and we see so many times the programs aren't appropriated. They're just here for false statements of what we would like to do, but if they never get funded, they never will do. So, with that, I intend to vote No, and I ask anybody that really cares about law enforcement to also vote No.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Any further discussion? Senator Bryant, for what purpose do you seek recognition?
Thank you, Mr. President. If the sponsor will yield, I have some questions.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) She indicates she will, Senator Bryant.
First, actually one just came up because of the previous speaker and then I have some that I intended to ask. But, on the qualified non-profit, I -- I, too, am not familiar with any of these. I have some -- maybe this is just a statement, I am concerned on that language, that that’s an end run around labor. If it's -- what does it mean qualified non-profit? And would that person have to be -- would they be FOP, would they be laborers, would they -- would they actually have to be in a labor union? So, that's my question.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator -- Senator Morrison.
35 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 Senator, I think those are all options, but they will be defined by ILETSB.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Bryant.
Okay, then to the question I actually had, originally, which was, a few years ago when I was in the House -- some fines and fees were repealed that funded the mobile training units. Which were very, very important to downstate police entities, law enforcement entities. In that committee in the House, there was a promise made when we asked, how are we going to fund the mobile training units. It was a -- I don't know, probably 11 o'clock at night or so and the sponsor, I don't expect you to answer what the sponsor said, I just want to give you a little bit of background. The sponsor said then, don't worry about it, don't worry about it, we have a commitment from the Governor's Office that they will fund the mobile training units and anybody who doesn't believe that could go back and look at the transcript of that committee. That to my knowledge has never been done. So, we're still trying to figure out how to fund the mobile training units. So, when I look at a bill like this that says subject to appropriations and leaves it to ILETSB with grants. I wonder why we're not trying to figure out how we're going to fund the mobile training units before we say subject to appropriation on another issue. Do you happen to know if, you know, if the mobile training units would be eligible for these grants, as well?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Morrison.
36 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 I don't, Senator.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Bryant.
Thank you, that's all I needed to know.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) There being no further discussion. Senator Morrison, do you wish to close?
Thank you, for the questions. Many of us remember during the Clinton administration, there was a huge influx of hiring, especially in law enforcement. And now, those men and women are literally aging out and are eligible to receive the benefits and end their law enforcement careers. I -- I believe that if you actually had an opportunity to do an exit interview with so many of those that are retiring, you'd see that this is the case. But that's just speculation, on my point, since I haven't spoken to any of them. I would ask for an Aye vote on this.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) The question is, shall House Bill 3863 pass. All those in favor will vote Aye. Opposed, Nay. The voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Take the record. On that question, there are 55 Senators voting Yes, 0 voting No, 0 voting Present. House Bill 3863, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate, we are going to move to page 5 of your printed Calendar. At the top of that page where Senator Joyce brings House Bill 3893. He indicates he wishes to proceed. Senator Joyce seeks leave of the Body to return House Bill 3839 37 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 {sic} (3893) to the Order of 2nd Reading. Leave is granted. On the Order of 2nd Reading is House Bill 3893. Mr. Secretary, are there any Floor amendments approved for consideration?
Floor Amendment No. 1, offered by Senator Joyce.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Joyce, on your amendment.
Thank you, Mr. President. I'd like to adopt the amendment and explain it on 3rd.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Is there any discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor, say Aye. Opposed, Nay. The Ayes have it, and the amendment -- and the amendment is adopted. Mr. Secretary, are there any further amendments approved for consideration?
No further amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) 3rd Reading. Now on the Order of 3rd Reading is House Bill 3893. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 3893. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Joyce, on your bill.
Thank you, Mr. President. House Bill 3893, as amended, extends the January 1st, 2023, sunset date for an eavesdropping 38 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 exemption which permits law enforcement to use a device to record a -- conversation during an investigation of qualified offenses, such as drug and sex offenses, for four years to January 1st, 2027. The amendment also extends the Illinois Street Gang and Racketeering Influence and Corruption Organization Law or RICO, by one year to June 11th, 2023. Happy to answer any questions.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Is there any discussion? Senator Rose, for what purpose do you seek recognition?
Two questions, if I may?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) The sponsor indicates he will yield. Senator Rose.
Senator Joyce, is this bill a good idea?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Joyce.
Could you say that again, sir?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Rose.
Is this bill a good idea?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Joyce.
It is.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Rose. 39 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022
Then why is it not made permanent?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Joyce.
Senator Rose, thank you for the question. An item like this, I think other General Assemblies and future changes in society would allow us to have a debate on these type issues going forward. So, if we need to have a debate -- in the -- further -- in the future, we can.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Rose.
To the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) To the bill.
Well, it is a good idea. But I can think of absolutely no place in the Criminal Code where we have to come back here to renew the Criminal Code. Now maybe there is, I've been racking my brain on it for a while. It's been a while since I've been in that court room, but I can't think of anywhere else, besides this, where we have the Criminal Code subject to temporary shut off if the Legislature doesn't act in the future. This is such a good idea, that it absolutely deserves to be permanent, and I'm going to vote for it because it's better than letting it sunset. But this is kind of crazy getting into sunsetting portions of the -- of criminal procedure, so, I would just tell ya, if you can, next year, bring the same bill and make it permanent. 40 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Any further discussion? Senator Barickman, for what purpose do you seek recognition?
Question of the sponsor.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Sponsor indicates he will yield. Senator Barickman.
Thank you, Mr. President. Senator, I want to pick up, I guess, a bit on what my colleague Senator Rose just discussed in regards to making this program permanent. We have offered legislation previously and proposals to, in fact, make both of these the State's Attorney overhear exception, as well, as RICO permanent. Now, you offered in response to Senator Rose that by not making them permanent, it allows the legislature to come back and reconsider the issue. Now, you and I had this same exchange in committee. Where I said, "Well look, the Legislature convenes every year, we always have a chance to revisit the law." So, it's not necessarily -- it's not necessary to put a sunset in because we could change it whenever we want. Let me ask you further. Are you aware of how many times the sunset has been extended since 2015?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Joyce.
Since 2012, I know that the eavesdropping sunset has been extended three times. I am not sure on the RICO one.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Barickman. 41 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022
In -- and on the overhear exception, the three times that you reference it, are you aware of any changes that were made to the program other than extending the sunset?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Joyce.
Senator, not that I am aware of.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Barickman.
And so, to the bill, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) To the bill.
So again, I think history is on our side here. The State's Attorney overhear, actually, is legislate -- a law, put in place by a former colleague of ours, Bill Haine, who very eloquently stood on this Floor and spoke frequently from the other side of the aisle about the need to provide those in law enforcement with the tools necessary to keep our streets safe. It was nice to have that voice. Senator Joyce, I welcome your bill, right, this is a -- this is a good step forward. But it is, yet again, an example of how -- if we are concerned about crime in Illinois today and we want to make sure that tomorrow, for the kids, and for the grandkids, the streets are safe in Illinois, let's make this permanent. There is no reason not to. Many of you have voted repeatedly to extend the sunset, yet offered no changes to this, none, not an iota. So, why not do the right thing and make this 42 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 one permanent. Thank you, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) There being no further discussion. Senator Joyce, do you wish to close?
Thank you, Mr. President. This does help extend what law enforcement currently uses. I ask for an Aye vote.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) The question is, shall House Bill 3893 pass. All those in favor will say - will vote Aye. All those opposed, Nay. The voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Take the record. On that question, there are 53 Senators voting Yes, 0 voting No, 0 voting Present. House Bill 3893, having received the constitutionally required majority, is declared passed. Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate, we will remain on page 5 of your printed Calendar. In the middle of that page, Senator Joyce brings House Bill 4163. He indicates he wishes to proceed. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 4163. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Joyce.
Thank you, Mr. President. House Bill 4163 provides that money in the Illinois Police Association Fund shall be used to provide benefits for the families of members of Illinois Police Association dying of natural causes. I know of no opposition. I ask for an 43 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 Aye vote.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Is there any discussion? Seeing none, the question is, shall House Bill 4163 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 57 Senators voting Yes, 0 voting No, 0 voting Present. House Bill 4163, having received the constitutionally required majority, is declared passed. House Bill 4173, Senator Muñoz. He indicates he wishes to proceed. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 4173. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Muñoz. SENATOR MUÑOZ: Thank you, Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate. The bill amends the School Code by changing the makeup of the Board of School Trustees for Lyons Township and the petition signature requirements for townships over twenty thousand inhabitants. The Board shall now have four elected members and three appointed members. These appointed members shall be members and presidents of school boards located within Lyons Township. The petition signature requirements shall be at least five percent, or five hundred, of the last cast votes in the most recent election, whichever is less. I know of no opposition. I will attempt to answer any questions. 44 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Is there any discussion? Seeing none, the question is, shall House Bill 4173 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 57 Senators voting -- 47 Senators voting Yes, 0 voting No, 0 voting Present. House Bill 4173, having received the constitutionally required majority, is declared passed. House Bill 4215. Senator Villa, on House Bill 4215. She indicates she wishes to proceed. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill. Senator Villa seeks leave of the Body to return House Bill 4215 to the Order of 2nd Reading. Leave is granted. On the Order of 2nd Reading is House Bill 4215. Mr. Secretary, are there any Floor amendments approved for consideration?
Floor Amendment No. 2, offered by Senator Villa.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Villa, on your amendment.
I wish to adopt and explain on 3rd.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Is there any discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor, say Aye. Opposed, Nay. The Ayes have it, and the amendment is adopted. Mr. Secretary, are there any further Floor amendments approved for consideration?
No further amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) 3rd Reading. Now on the Order of 3rd Reading is House Bill 45 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 4215. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 4215. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Villa, on the bill.
Thank you, Mr. President. HB 4215 would simply allow for family members of homicide victims who are already eligible for unpaid leave under VESA, which is the Victim Economic Security and Safety Act, to use up to 10 days of that leave for bereavement. Under current law, family members of homicide victims are able to take unpaid leave from work to access services from victim service organizations, obtain psychological counseling, prepare or attend legal proceedings or take actions to increase safety, but they're not allowed to use them for funeral and bereavement leave. I'd be happy to answer any questions.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Is there any discussion? Senator Barickman, for what purpose do you seek recognition?
Question of the sponsor.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) She indicates she will yield. Senator Barickman.
Thank you, Mr. President. Senator, thank you for the exchange that we had yesterday, maybe in committee, on this. I want to make sure I understand. Is the result of your amendment to remove 46 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 what was previously item (i), which was -- a, maybe an ambiguous kind of approach here? Did you just strike that entirely as a result of yesterday's committee hearing?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Villa.
That is right, Senator Barickman. I look forward to adding that in the future. Just, right now, it just wasn't ready. Thank you for your points in committee.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Barickman.
Thank you. To the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) To the bill.
I want to first thank the sponsor for her work on this and for working with us on it. Proof, that can still get done in this building, which I think is good. I think the sponsor is doing a good job of taking an existing program, looking at how it works, and how it might be put into better practice. As a result, I'd encourage an Aye vote. Thank you, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Seeing no further discussion. Senator Villa, do you wish to close?
I urge an Aye vote. Thank you.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) The question is, shall House Bill 4215 pass. All those in 47 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 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 were 54 Senators voting Yes, 0 voting No, 0 voting Present. House Bill 4215, having received the constitutionally required majority, is declared passed. Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate, we will now move to page 6 of your printed Calendar. Near the top of that page, is House -- House Bill 4332 from Senator Villa. Senator Villa, do you wish to proceed on House Bill 4332? She indicates -- she indicates she wishes to proceed. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 4332. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Villa.
Thank you, Mr. President. HB 4332 amends the Health Care Worker Background Check Act, to allow an IRS federal taxpayer identification number to be used as an alternative to a Social Security number in order to get a backgrounds check and be added to -- to the IDPH's Healthcare Work -- Workers Registry. In order to enroll in a skilled nursing program and become certified in Illinois, students must undergo a background check and be added to IDPH's registry. This registry currently requires a Social Security number. This requirement creates a barrier for students who do not have a Social Security number and are therefore unable to be trained and licensed in these professions. To fix this 48 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 problem, IDPH, the accrediting body, would accept an ITIN also known as an IRS individual taxpayer identification number, in lieu of the Social Security number, so students are able to enter these programs. We have a pipeline issue impacting Illinoisans and this measure will help increase the flow of candidates into skilled nursing programs. I'd be happy to answer any questions.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Is there any discussion? Senator Barickman, for what purpose do you seek recognition?
Question of the sponsor.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Sponsor indicates she will yield. Senator Barickman.
Thank you again, Mr. President. Senator, I want to wrap my head around the inclusion of the federal taxpayer identification number, here. So, you're adding this as information that can be included on the Health Care Worker Registry. What is that federal taxpayer identification number? It's a substitute for -- I don't know if I am characterizing this right, it's in lieu of a Social Security number. Can you -- can you explain that to us?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Villa.
So, there's a background check that is needed. This is simply saying that this number can be used in order to go through that process, in order to then be placed on the registry, in order to then enroll in a program.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) 49 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 Senator Barickman.
Okay, so you -- you need the -- you need to be added to the Registry to be trained for eventual employment. Now, to be employed, you have to have a Social Security number. So, why would the inclusion of only a Social Security number here be a problem?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Villa.
Thank you, for the question. We don't know what changes will happen in the future with -- within federal legislation, and so, this simply is going to allow students to register to -- in these classes.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Barickman.
And again, to be clear, when you say it allows students to be able to register, you mean students who do not have a Social Security number to be able to register. What are the circumstance of those students?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Villa.
What's the circumstance of students who don’t have a Social Security number?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Barickman.
Yes. 50 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Villa.
They're typically non -- non-citizen students.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Barickman.
What happens in the event that the non-citizen students attain the training, but do not attain a Social Security number?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Villa.
They could -- they could, potentially, be a contractor in a skilled nursing facility or they could also, potentially, go into private practice.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Barickman.
How do they do those things without a Social Security number?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Villa.
It just -- there's different facilities require different identifications for employment.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Barickman.
Do -- do individuals need to have a Social Security number to be lawfully employed, here, in Illinois? 51 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Villa.
They do require work authorization from the federal government.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Barickman.
In order to obtain work authorization from the federal government, does one need to have a Social Security number?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Villa.
It depends at what point in time, there might be different changes to the federal laws.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Barickman.
So, your -- I think, under the law, today, is a requirement that individuals have a Social Security number in order to be lawfully employed?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Villa.
Non-citizens with certain visas, such as green card holders and refugees, as well as, DACA recipients would be eligible to seek work authorization.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Barickman. 52 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022
So, to -- to the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) To the bill.
Listen, I think, Mr. President, one of the concerns that some people have, I understand, there's is a debate in Washington, D.C. that I think touches on some of the purpose of the legislation. Some people support some of the changes being proposed in Congress. Some people don't. But we're not there. We're here. Right, and one of the things that I think concerns many people in -- in Illinois is that we're not spending money in training people to work, who are then unable to work in Illinois and as a result are -- come here for the training and the education and then leave. Now, again, some people say the solution to this exists in Washington, D.C. This legislation isn't that. The legislation is perspective on the hopes that maybe there's change that occurs in Washington, D.C. Until then, though, what this legislation could do, some may say, the legislation could have the unintended result of allowing some individuals to be trained, who then are ineligible to work in Illinois, and as a result must leave. So, I'd encourage those to vote your conscience and thank you, Mr. President, for your time.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Is there further discussion? Senator Hastings, for what purpose do you seek recognition?
Mr. President, to the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) 53 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 To the bill.
I object to the previous speaker's analysis of what he had stated prior. He's an attorney, he should know better. He should do his legal research as to what the process is to become employed in the State of Illinois and across this country. That's part of the due diligence that every attorney does that wants to know, or does not want to engage in political rhetoric because of national politics. If you do your research -- if you do your research, you'd know that there is a period of time that you have to apply to get your Social Security number. But, in the meantime, you still need the proper documentation and an identification number for the period of time, to which, you would have to wait for a Social Security number. And I would love to ask whether that is true or not true, because I would love to hear the answer to that, because the answer to that is what I am stating is, there is a period of time where you have to have that. But what I am saying is that, in that interim period of time, for somebody who is here lawfully in this State, who is in the application period to get a Social Security number, there is a transitionary period of time, to which, if they want to seek gainful employment, they have to have an identification number and that is what is called an ITIN number. And for those of you wondering what an ITIN number is, according to the IRS website, it's an Individual Taxpayer Identification number, it's a tax processing number for non- residents. It's issued by the Internal Revenue Service. It's issued to individuals who are required to have a US taxpayer ID number, but do not have, or/and not eligible to obtain a Social Security number. So, for those of you in this room who are utterly 54 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 confused because the IRS is sometimes a very difficult thing to - - entity to understand. This process is very difficult to understand. This is giving people the opportunity to seek employments that are here and are applying for an identification number, a Social Security number, I should say. This isn't an immigration debate. This is an employment debate about people who want to be here, people who want to get a job. And for those who want to engage in this political debate in the last two days over national immigration policy, I think, should do their due diligence of an attorney, and not mislead this Chamber. I ask for an Aye vote, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Seeing no further discussion. Senator Villa, do you wish to close?
Thank you, Mr. President. We have many students that live in the State of Illinois, who've been here, have gone to our schools, who we've welcomed into our homes and we're neighbors with them. Many students who, sometimes, at the time of middle school or the time of high school, they find out that they weren't born here. They find out that they might not be entitle -- they might not be entitled to some of the same things that their high school classmates might be entitled to. When their high school classmates are going and looking for colleges, they find out that -- that they can't do those things. This bill is simply finding a way for these students to be able to go into the healthcare need. It's a professional -- it's -- it's an admirable profession and our students deserve an opportunity to be able to enroll in -- in these courses. So, I urge an Aye vote. 55 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) The question is, shall House Bill 4332 pass. All those in favor, vote Aye. Opposed, Nay. The voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Take the record. On that question, there are 44 Senators voting Yes, 7 voting No, 0 voting Present. House Bill 4332, having received the constitutionally required majority, is declared passed. House Bill 4364, Senator Stadelman. Oh, I'm sorry. Correction, Senator Loughran Cappel. She indicates she wishes to proceed. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill. Senator Loughran Cappel seeks leave of the Body to move House Bill 4364 back to the Order of 2nd Reading. Seeing no objection. Leave is granted. On the Order of 2nd Reading is House Bill 4364. Mr. Secretary, are there any Floor amendments approved for consideration?
Floor Amendment No. 1, offered by Senator Loughran Cappel.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Loughran Cappel, on your amendment.
I wish to adopt the amendment.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Is there any discussion? Seeing none, 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 No. 2, offered by Senator Loughran Cappel.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Loughran Cappel, on Floor Amendment No. 2. 56 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022
I'd like to adopt the amendment and explain it on 3rd.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Is there any discussion? Seeing none. 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?
No further amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) 3rd Reading. Now back on the Order of 3rd Reading is House Bill 4364. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 4364. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Loughran Cappel, on your bill.
Thank you, Mr. President. As amended, HB 4-3-6-4 creates the Fund Mental Health and Substance Use Prevention Fund. Which requires the Department of Human Services to make grants from appropriations made from the fund to units of local government for the purpose of providing mental health and substance use prevention to people who are incarcerated and provide mental health and substance use prevention for those encountering the criminal justice system, with a primary focus to people who are incarcerated in a county jail or recently discharged. Happy to take any questions. 57 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Is there any discussion? Senator Plummer, for what purpose do you seek recognition?
Thank you, Mr. President. Question of the sponsor, if she'll yield.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) The sponsor indicates she will yield. Senator Plummer.
Thank you. Senator, thank you for bringing this piece of legislation. Could you go into just a little more detail on this, the Fund, and how it disperses money to the various departments and agencies throughout the State that will provide these services?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Cappel.
I do believe that's through the GRF and it's going to be going to local county jails and -- well county jail -- like, no -- county jails.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Plummer.
Okay, is there anything in this bill, or was there anything contemplated to ensure, I don't want to say fair, but a distribution of the funding to make sure that it's, kind of, allocated equally throughout the State or all regions of the State have an opportunity to participate?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Loughran Cappel. 58 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022
I believe it'll be -- all people will have an opportunity to participate.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Plummer.
Thank you. So, the reason why I ask the questions and I think this is a great idea, so, I -- I appreciate the bill and I compliment you for bringing it, but I speak for myself and my district. I think I speak for some other districts on -- on this side of the aisle and probably a few on your side of the aisle too. You know, if you go to Fayette County, Illinois, or you go to Marion County, Illinois, Clay County, Illinois we have been having significant issues; DCFS, other agencies, because these communities are two hours away from mental health providers. We can't get these services and so, my fear with this legislation, if there is one, is that the money gets allocated to areas that are immediately near service providers and these deserts of mental health services that exist in our State, don’t get any funding and the people in those jails and the people that need those services never have an opportunity to get it. So, I guess -- I am going to encourage everyone on my side to vote Yes. But would you be willing to bring another piece of legislation that I could co- sponsor with you, and other people could, that could go into a little bit more detail on the allocation piece of this, to make sure that my sheriff's and my county jails and the people that are in the county jails aren't left on the vine while other parts of the State get all the funding.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) 59 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 Senator Loughran Cappel.
I am always willing to have those discussions. It would be my hope that through the grant process, that people would be treated fairly and I am happy to continue those discussions. But that's what grants are for, to make sure they are distributed equally.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Plummer.
To the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) To the bill.
Thank you, again, Senator, for bringing this piece of legislation. You know, I'll start working on this immediately. I'll reach out to your office, but, as things like this come forward, these are important things. Mental health is a crisis, it's impacting a lot of areas of our society. But ultimately, we've got to make sure everyone within our society has access to these things and I would ask that, as we look at pieces of legislation like this in the future, that there's an allocation process in place because I am constantly dealing with organizations. I know other people on my side of the aisle, are as well, that do not have access to these facilities even if they get the funding. So, this is a good bill. I encourage a Yes vote but we can do better as a Body at making sure that the most vulnerable people among us get the services they need. Thank you.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) 60 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 Any further discussion? Senator Tracy, for what purpose do you seek recognition?
Thank you, Mr. President. Questions of the sponsor, please.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) The sponsor indicates she will yield. Senator Tracy.
Yes, I -- Senator Loughran Cappel, I also agree that mental health is a vital need in our jails, you know, overseen by the counties. What I was wanting to ask is, I see that it also involves public universities and I was wondering how you foresee that type of program working?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Loughran. Senator Tracy, bring your question to a close. Finish your question.
Did the public universities -- how do you see that program working? I just didn’t -- I mean, I see that it's for incarcerated individuals, it goes to local governments, and then also to public universities. So, I was just trying to picture where your purview of this program was going to go, how it was going to work.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Loughran Cappel.
Well, I will say this, I think that the whole point is to make sure that we have some intervention when people are incarcerated or moving toward that. And so, I think that the whole point and the whole broad-based understanding is that we can provide resources to help people who are struggling in the justice 61 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 system, to people who are incarcerated in county jails, or recently discharged. And if we can use that, those services to help in terms of the universities. I don't have a specific plan laid out in that. However, I think that the whole point is to try to find some sort of intervention, so that there is -- people aren't re- offending or getting back into the system.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Tracy.
And also, following on Senator Plummer's question, worried about equal distribution or distribution throughout the State and the ability to serve those areas that might not have readily available access to mental health services. Would you be open to having telehealth be part of this grant process, the funding, and the like?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Loughran Cappel.
Are you saying telehealth for the grant process or telehealth to help those individuals who are receiving the services?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Tracy.
That the grants would go to providers of telehealth- telemental health services.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Loughran Cappel.
As I stated before, I am open to ensuring that we continue 62 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 these discussions. And that there is equal access to the grant program to help those in need of these services.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Tracy.
And do you have a number of dollars associated with the Fund?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Loughran Cappel.
We are seeking funding in the budget -- for that, but I do not have an exact number.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Tracy.
And this fund is also subject to appropriations and could be in the budget, but it might not be. Is that correct?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Loughran Cappel.
Yes.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Tracy.
Thank you.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Is there any further discussion? Senator Bryant, for what purpose do you seek recognition?
Thank you, Mr. President. For the purpose of questions for 63 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 the sponsor.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) The sponsor indicates she will yield. Senator Bryant.
Thank you. Senator, I think it was maybe last year or the year before, we passed some legislation that automatically enrolled individuals in county jails in Medicaid. So, with MCO's and Medicaid dollars available, why would we need this fund if they can get mental health through Medicaid?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Loughran Cappel.
It -- this, Senator, this isn't just for people who are -- can get Medicaid, it's for everyone. So, the grants are there to provide resources to help, again, individuals who struggle with mental health and substance use prevention, for those who are incarcerated in a county jail or recently discharged.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Tracy.
Bryant. But that's okay.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) I'm sorry, Senator Bryant. I got used to saying Senator Tracy.
She's got a pretty good law degree I'd like to have. Okay, so -- sorry I lost my train of thought for a second. Alright, so we don't know how much money is going in yet because it's subject to appropriation. I think I gathered that from a previous -- from 64 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 a previous individual. Okay, so, your answer then to the Medicaid question now is, a person would not necessarily qualify for Medicaid but they could qualify for personal insurance that might fund this, if they don't qualify for Medicaid.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Loughran Cappel.
Again, this is a grant from appropriations to units of local government for the purpose of providing mental health and substance use prevention to people who are incarcerated or providing mental health and substance use prevention. So, it's grants, not to specific people, it's to the agencies that need these resources.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Bryant.
I understand that, but you said in your previous answer, that it's not just for people who are incarcerated, it's also people who are out on the street, right? Because they're going to -- but they've been previously incarcerated. So, let me move then to the question of why the Treasurer's Office. Why are the grants going through the Treasurer's Office?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Loughran Cappel.
Well, I'm open to more discussion on this, I don't have a specific answer through the Treasury's {sic} Office. But I am open to -- having more of these discussions.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Bryant. 65 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022
Okay, so, this might be my final question then. I am glad your open to that, because I think we do need more mental health. I've worked really hard in getting that available in the Illinois Department of Corrections. So, county jails, certainly, could use that help. So, just building on that then, do you have any -- have we had a task force? Have we had a study? Do we know -- I mean it seems -- it appears that the dollar amount is not set. We don't know what's being asked for. We don't know where the moneys going to come from. Is there -- just -- like, are we just pulling a number out of the sky?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Loughran Cappel.
Again, I understand what you're saying. I don't have the specifics of that. I know that it is subject to appropriations and hoping that it will be in the budget. Again, the purpose of this bill is to help those who are incarcerated in county jails or recently discharged. So, the specifics of how each county will do that with that grant, is going to be how they do that. So, I don't have, like, the specifics of what that is going to entail. But again, the overall arching understanding of this is that county jails and those that provide services are going to need resources to help them in this and it's about intervention.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Bryant.
Thank you. To the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) 66 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 To the bill.
I really appreciate the sponsor's passion and intent for what you're trying to do. Have serious questions about why this would go through the Treasurer's Office and not DHS, when all of the other programs go through DHS. One of those, I guess -- the Treasurer is an honorable man, so, not questioning his integrity on this, but when I first came to the legislature in 2014 there was a grant that was issued through the Secretary of State's Office for fifty million dollars in the budget. And I asked what that fifty million dollars was for. And I was, kind of, told don’t worry about it, don’t worry about it. Secretary of State's office has somebody they're going to take care of. And later, there was thirty-eight million dollars given to one legislator and twelve million given to another legislator to fund their schools, when no one else was getting school construction grants. So, when we have an open-ended dollar amount going to an agency that doesn't usually distribute these kind of grants, then I do have a lot of questions about them. And so, while I don’t question your intent or your reasoning for doing it, I do have questions about this particular bill. And for those reasons, I would urge a No vote.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) There being no further discussion. Senator Loughran Cappel to close.
I do want to just touch base, really quick, that I believe most of our money goes through the State Treasury, and DHS will be making those grant decisions through that for funding. Again, the purpose of this bill, is to help fund mental health and substance 67 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 use prevention, which requires the Department of Human Services, so, that answers that question, to make grants to provide these mental health and substance use prevention to people who are incarcerated or who are recently discharged, in a county jail. That's the purpose of it. And I just wanted to make sure I clarified that and I ask for a Yes vote.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) The question is, shall House Bill 4364 pass. All those in favor will vote Aye. Opposed, Nay. The voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Take the record. On that question, there are 55 Senators voting Yes, 2 voting No, 0 voting Present. House Bill 4364, having received the constitutionally required majority, is declared passed. Remaining on page 6 of the printed Calendar, we're going to move down near the bottom of that page, where Senator Villivalam brings House Bill 4434. He indicates he wishes to proceed. Mr. Secretary, please read that bill.
House Bill 4434 (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Villivalam.
Thank you, Mr. President. House Bill 4434 provides that the Secretary of State may issue special license plates for the Chicago Sky, the Chicago Red Stars, and the Chicago Fire. Other professional sports teams with special plates include the Chicago Bears, Chicago Bulls, Chicago Blackhawks and others. So, this 68 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 would be adding them and no -- no opposition. My colleague, Senator Peters, says he's a fan of these sports teams, but he hasn't signed on to the bill yet. So, I'm hoping he corrects that. But I would ask for an Aye vote.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Is there any discussion? Seeing none. The question is, shall House Bill 4434 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 57 Senators voting Yes, 0 voting No and 0 voting Present. House Bill 4434, having received the constitutional required majority, is declared passed. With leave of the Body, we're going to move back to page 6 of your printed Calendar for House Bill 4392 from Senator Collins. She indicates she wishes to proceed. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 4392. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Collins.
Thank you, Mr. President and Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate. House Bill 4392 amends the drug test requirements for a petitioner seeking to expunge or seal a felony conviction. The bill provides that a person may still apply for expungement or sealing of a felony conviction when there is a positive test for cannabis within thirty days of the filing of the petition. I am open for any questions. 69 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Is there any discussion? Senator Pacione-Zayas, for -- she does not seek recognition. Senator McClure, for what purpose do you seek recognition? SENATOR McCLURE: Questions of the sponsor, please, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) She indicates she will yield. Senator McClure. SENATOR McCLURE: Thank you, Senator. First of all, does this bill do anything to expand the list of crimes eligible for expungement?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Collins.
No, Senator. It does not.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator McClure. SENATOR McCLURE: And when you're talking about a drug test, this only affects cannabis, it doesn't affect any other drugs, is that correct?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Collins.
That is correct.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator McClure. SENATOR McCLURE: Now, my understanding was that maybe there was an earlier draft or something and the Chiefs of Police were against it. Are 70 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 the Chiefs of Police now neutral, are you aware of that?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Collins.
Yes, Senator, they're neutral. There was a misunderstanding when the bill was in the House.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator McClure. SENATOR McCLURE: And, as far as, do you know what, and I hate to put you on the spot here, Senator, but on cannabis related felonies that are eligible for expungement, do we know, roughly, I mean, I think most things that I can think of a DUI on drugs, I don't believe that would be eligible for expungement. But -- is there any drug dealing cannabis felony that is eligible for expungement that would now require them to no longer have to test for cannabis, are you aware of?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Collins.
I'm not aware of that. And, in fact, this bill does not otherwise affect a judge's discretion whether or not to grant relief based on the merits of the petition.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator McClure. SENATOR McCLURE: So, I guess, do you know what cannabis related crimes are eligible for expungement?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) 71 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 Senator Collins.
No, I don't.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator McClure. SENATOR McCLURE: Okay, well, thank you Senator. I guess to the bill, Mr. President. To the bill, Mr. President. Thank you.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) To the bill. SENATOR McCLURE: And thank you, Senator. I mean I -- this bill -- basically it seems to me just brings up to date the law with what happened with legalized and recreational cannabis. Which by the way, before it was legalized, it was a civil penalty. So, it was sort of semi-legal anyway. So, you know, I am going to vote for this. I don't know if -- I know, in committee I did not, because there were questions about the Chiefs of Police and what they -- what their position was. Now that -- that's been clarified, I am going to vote for the legislation. Thank you, Senator.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Seeing no further discussion. Senator Collins, to close.
I just want to thank my colleague on the other side of the aisle, Senator McClure, for his support of this legislation. I'd ask for an Aye vote.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) The question is, shall House Bill 4392 pass. All those in 72 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 favor will vote Aye. Opposed Nay. The voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Take the record. On that question, there are 44 Senators voting Yes, 11 voting No, 0 voting Present. House Bill 4392, having received the constitutionally required majority, is declared passed. Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate, we're going to move to page 7 of your printed Calendar. Near the top of that page is House Bill 4556 from Senator Peters. He indicates he wishes to proceed. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 4556. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Peters.
Yeah, this bill will reduce harm and I ask for an Aye vote.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Is there any discussion? Senator Barickman, for what purpose do you seek recognition?
I think we're going to need a little bit more than that. Question of the sponsor.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) He indicates he will yield.
Senator, what does this bill do?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Peters. 73 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022
Yeah, this bill provides public health to folks with fentanyl test strips so that we can, as I said earlier, reduce harm.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Barickman.
How does the providing of the fentanyl testing strips reduce crime?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Peters.
He said that question extremely quietly, which is usually, actually unusual, for Senator Barickman. If he could speak up a little bit louder. I was born deaf. Can you repeat the question?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator -- Senator Barickman. Please repeat…
My question, Senator. How does the access to the fentanyl testing strips reduce crime? Is that what you said? Harm, how does it reduce harm?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Peters.
Yeah, because there is a variety of different substances out there where someone who, whether they're addicted or they could even be having something for treatment that could have fentanyl in it, and they go to a pharmacist just to make sure and check that, that product isn't deadly or dangerous and, you know, this is a thing that they do in Cook County. I have a beautiful, if you 74 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 would like it, a way that explains how the process works. But I think that this is a good bill. We've seen this crisis in Illinois, we've seen the story in Florida. We don't want to have anybody, whether they've served in our military, or they're our neighbors and our friends, who are at risk of a fentanyl overdose.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Barickman.
I will not ask you to explain, in words, the flow chart that you just held up. Do you have any opposition to your legislation?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Peters.
I know of no opposition to this bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Barickman.
I'd encourage an Aye vote. Thank you, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Is there any further discussion? Senator Bryant.
Thank you, Mr. President. Actually, this is -- to the Body, and on the bill, please.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) To the bill.
So, I would just, I'm going to support this bill and would also ask for an Aye vote on it. But I'd like to very quickly read a text, or portions of a text that I got last night, that asked if 75 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 we're getting any closer on a bill that would allow for scanning of mail in the Department of Corrections. They just had an inmate die at Menard from fentanyl overdose and 2 weeks ago a tact team officer conducting an operation at Illinois River came in contact with fentanyl. They had to use Narcan on both of them and then ship them to the outside hospitals for further treatment. So, I would just ask -- I'm going to support your bill. And I would ask that as I introduce a bill in regard to forcing the Department of Corrections to scan the mail coming into the institutions for fentanyl, that I would get that same support as we move forward. Thank you.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Seeing no further discussion. Senator Peters, do you wish to close?
As a bipartisan leader in this Chamber, I'm grateful for the other side and their support on this bill and I appreciate the kind words of Senator Bryant and Barickman and all the work that you have done, specifically, and really on this issue. And I'm excited for us to move forward. And I'm saying a lot of words, which is different than how this started. I ask for an Aye vote. Thank you.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) The question is, shall House Bill 4556 pass. All those in favor will vote Aye. All those Opposed will vote 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 Senators voting Yes, 0 voting No, and 0 voting Present. House Bill 4556, having received the constitutionally required majority, 76 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 is declared passed. Senator Simmons, for what purpose do you seek recognition?
Mr. President, I'd like the record to indicate that I intended to vote in the affirmative on SB 1-4-8-6.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) I believe it was House {sic} Bill 1486. The record will reflect your intent. Senator Pacione-Zayas, for what purpose do you seek recognition?
Correction to the record, please.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) State your point.
Yeah, just would like to make sure that the record reflects an affirmative for me for House Bill 4434.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) The record will reflect your intent. Senator Simmons, for what purpose do you seek recognition?
To correct the record, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Please correct the record.
Thank you, I would like the record to indicate that I intended to vote in the affirmative on SB 1486, from yesterday.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Thank you, Senator Simmons. The record will reflect your intent. Next, returning to page 7 of your printed Calendar. We 77 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 have House Bill 4608 from Senator Bennett. Senator Bennett seeks leave of the Body to return House Bill 4608 to the Order of 2nd Reading. Leave is granted. Now on the Order of 2nd Reading is House Bill 4608. Mr. Secretary, are there any Floor amendments approved for consideration?
Floor Amendment No. 1, offered by Senator Bennett.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Bennett, on your amendment.
Thank you, Mr. President. I would ask for its adoption and discuss on 3rd.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Is there any discussion? All those in favor will say Aye. Opposed, Nay. The Aye's have it, and the amendment is adopted. Mr. Secretary, are there any further Floor amendments approved for consideration?
Floor Amendment No. 2, offered by Senator Bennett.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Bennett, on Floor Amendment No. 2.
Thank you, Mr. President. Again, I'd ask for its adoption. I'll discuss on 3rd.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Is there any discussion? Seeing none. All those in favor will say Aye. Opposed, Nay. The Aye's have it, and the amendment is adopted. Mr. Secretary, are there any further Floor amendments approved for consideration? 78 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022
No further amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) 3rd Reading. Now on the Order of 3rd Reading is House Bill 4608. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 4608. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Bennett, on your bill.
Thank you, Mr. President. In House Bill 4608, it tries to address several issues involving ILETSB. Primarily, what it does, is, boy it got quiet in here, primarily what it does is try to provide some guidance on the body cameras and when they're -- when they're needed in use. In particular, addresses that officers need not have their body cameras operable when they're in classroom trainings or when they're only in the presence of other officers. Obviously, again, for the use of other training. In addition, it talks a little bit about the grant funding and how it will be rolled out through ILETSB for local governments that are applying for those grants for local -- for -- for the body cam funding. And that that -- those funds can be used, not just for the purchase of the cameras, but also for the storage costs, as well, for data storage. The Second Amendment, which I know you'll be for, will be -- will be addressing the -- helping some of the transferring for law enforcement officers from out of State, they either work as federal officers, corrections, or law enforcement or for other 79 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 states. It guides ILETSB to put together a waiver process so they're not -- when we know these are trained officers, it still provides standards for them, but hopefully cuts through some of that red tape, so that trained officers from other jurisdictions can come here to Illinois and continue their career here. I'd ask for an Aye vote.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Is there any discussion? Senator Sally Turner, for what purpose do you seek recognition?
Thank you, Mr. President. Question for the sponsor.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Sponsor indicates he will yield. Senator Sally Turner.
I also had a similar bill, Senate Bill 1276, which actually addressed some of this, as well, but, and I appreciate you bringing this forward and continuing this on. One of the things I wanted to ask was about restriction. Are there any restrictions for their data storage or how they deal with cyber security requirements or anything like that?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Bennett.
Appreciate the question and appreciate your obvious interest in this area as well, Senator. This bill does not address that.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Turner.
I was just curious about that because there's a lot of things 80 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 that I know that our local sheriffs -- specifically Sherriff Landers, in Logan County, and the former Chief of Police, Paul Adams, approached me about these things because the IT work is so in depth, what they have to do, they're going to have to hire outside individuals to run this for them, or else seek an employee in order to do that. So, there's a lot of intricacies that go into it. So, I was just curious if there was any kind of direction they were giving them with the grant. I suspect that will come later.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Bennett.
Yes, Senator, I believe that will be, probably, in some trail bill legislation and I'd be happy to work with you on that going forward.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Turner.
Thank you so much. And I urge an Aye vote on our side. Thank you.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Is there any further discussion? Senator Wilcox, for what purpose do you seek recognition?
Question of the sponsor.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Sponsor indicates he will yield. Senator Wilcox.
I had a bill that would expand the law enforcement camera 81 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 grant to explicitly have the language of park districts, conservation districts, forest preserves. I believe that language is included in here. Could you give confirmation that that is your intent?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Bennett.
That was an important point. I got the sense that I was exhausting the attention spans of certain people in the Chamber. But, it's a very important point. I'm glad that you brought it up. Yes, all of those groups are included in here as well, including parks.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Wilcox.
Thank you for including my language and we'll support this bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Seeing no further discussion. Senator Bennett, do you wish to close? The question is, shall House Bill 4608 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 58 Senators voting Yes, 0 voting No, 0 voting Present. House Bill 4608, having received the constitutionally required majority, is declared passed. House Bill 4646. Senator Villivalam, on House Bill 4646. He indicates he wishes to proceed. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
82 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 House Bill 4646. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Villivalam.
Thank you, Mr. President. House Bill 4646 establishes Employee Trustees of the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund shall be given at least twenty days of paid leave from their employer for the purpose of attending meetings of the Board of Trustees, committee meetings of the Board of Trustees, and seminars regarding issues for which the Board of Trustees is responsible. I know of no opposition. I would ask for an Aye vote.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Is there any discussion? Seeing none. The question is, shall House Bill 4646 pass. All those in favor, vote Aye. Opposed, Nay. The voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Take the record. On that question, there are 48 Senators voting Yes, 8 voting No, 0 voting Present. House Bill 4646, having received the constitutionally required majority, is declared passed. House Bill 4647, Senator Castro. Senator Castro seeks leave of the Body to return House - - nope. Correction, we do not have to adopt that amendment. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 4647. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) 83 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 Senator Castro.
Thank you, Mr. President. House Bill 4647, as amended, requires developmental service licensees to submit an annual report to the Department certifying that all legislatively or administratively mandated wage increases to benefit workers are passed through, in accordance with the legislative or administrative mandate. The Department will determine the manner and form of the annual report. This is part of a bill that we are going to continue over the summer, but this was the piece that everyone agreed to. We're going to come back to discuss some of the other issues in regards to it; demographic data, as well as, salary reporting data. I applaud all the, you know, the opponents and proponents of working together and this is what we'll settle with, but we'll continue to work this summer.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Is there any discussion? Seeing none. The question is, shall House Bill 4647 pass. All those in favor will vote Aye. All those Opposed, Nay. The voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Take the record. On that question, there are 55 Senators voting Yes, 0 voting No, and 0 voting Present. House Bill 4647, having received the constitutionally required majority, is declared passed. With leave of the Body, we are going to move down to House Bill 4729 from Senator Morrison. She indicates she wishes to proceed. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 4729 (Secretary reads title of bill) 84 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Morrison.
Thank you, Mr. President. This legislation directs the Illinois Department of Public Health to develop and implement a statewide firearms storage and safety campaign that will include public messaging, distribution of gun locks and safes through community-based organizations and buyback program in partnership with law enforcement. Happy to answer any questions.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Is there any discussion? Senator Sally Turner, for what purpose do you seek recognition?
I'm sorry, Mr. President that was from earlier. I'd like my vote to reflect on House Bill 4646 as a No. Thank you.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) The record will reflect your intent. Is there any further discussion? Senator Barickman, for what purpose do you seek recognition?
Question of the sponsor.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) She indicates she will yield. Senator Barickman.
Senator, you - you've positioned this new public awareness program within the Department of Public Health, rather than the - - rather than the Department of Natural Resources. Why have you done that? 85 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Morrison.
Senator, as we discussed in Executive Committee, the Department of Natural Resources is focused, mainly, on hunting activity and this is a much broader look at gun storage safety.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Barickman.
Are you familiar with the gun safety courses that the DNR helps to administer?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Morrison.
Since our conversation in Executive Committee, yes. I have looked at a little of that.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Barickman.
Is -- is there -- you've continued to characterize the efforts by DNR as being limited to hunting. But is that -- do you agree that’s not a fair characterization of the work that they do regarding gun safety?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Morrison.
I would respond that I think the Department of Public Health characterizes gun safety as a public health issue. And that is an important element of this legislation. 86 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Barickman.
So, is Public Health currently administering programs on gun safety?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Morrison.
I'm not aware of programs, per se, but this is what the Department of Public Health does, is they identify and work towards public awareness campaigns and education. I would reference things like safe sleep for babies, seatbelts. There's many -- many. While they may not actually execute the program themselves, they will be working with community-based organizations that will.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Barickman.
What are the community-based organizations that will be engaged in this program?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Morrison.
I'm sorry, could you please repeat that?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Barickman.
What are the community-based programs that are going to be engaged in this program?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) 87 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 Senator Morrison.
They will be identified by the Illinois Department of Public Health.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Barickman.
Could you give us an example of what those organizations might be?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Morrison.
Certainly, a local health department, a hospital, a fire department, a police department, hospitals, boy and girl scouts, YMCA, schools, local universities or community colleges.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Barickman.
So, by example, are hospitals equipped today to train the public on gun storage safety practices?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Morrison.
I can't speak to every hospital.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Barickman.
To the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) 88 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 To the bill.
You know, I think this is interesting legislation that takes what, I think, many people around the State believe is good work being done by the Department of Natural Resources to help train both adults and children, in fact, on gun safety and fails to recognize the good work that’s there, and fails to embrace the capabilities that exist within the Department of Natural Resources. And instead, simply creates a new program within a State agency that has not yet demonstrated any ability or provided any evidence that they're capable of delivering services on a very specific thing here, which is, gun -- safe gun storage techniques. So, I -- I wish the sponsor would move this program to the State agency that makes sense for it to occur, rather than simply expanding the spoke of Public Health in an area that they haven't demonstrated experience in or the capabilities to deliver this type of educational experience. I also wonder who these local groups are that are being embraced to deliver this services. When you hear things like, it's going to be hospitals, we heard in committee it was going to be rotary, I think a lot of people -- lawful abiding citizens, who either own guns or support the rights that people have to own guns, might be suspicious about the intent of this program when they hear things like your local rotary is going to receive taxpayer money to put on a gun safety storage program. Same with hospitals, I don't know what the -- well, I think there is some legitimate concerns here. Thank you, Mr. -- thank you, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Any further discussion? Senator Bryant, for what purpose do 89 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 you seek recognition?
Thank you, Mr. President. Some questions of the sponsor.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) She indicates she will yield. Senator Bryant.
Thank you. Senator Morrison, I notice in our notes that although this is subject to appropriations, it looks like the bill is going to cost about 3.5 million dollars to taxpayers. Does that sound right?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Morrison.
That's the estimate that I have, Senator.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Bryant.
Thank you I also -- I think I heard that the reason that IDPH has this rather than IDNR, is because IDNR controls mostly firearms for hunting. Is that -- did I hear that right?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Morrison.
Senator Bryant, IDNR, and I actually have a copy of from the website here, their gun safety is called "hunter safety". So, I believe that given that there is more -- almost probably exclusive discussion on gun safety for hunting firearms and the fact that IDNR has historically, over the last ten, at least fifteen years, has been underfunded and understaffed. They are -- there is such 90 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 a shortage of conservation officers, I know, in my home county and I imagine across the State. I don't see where this would even be feasible for IDNR.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Bryant.
So -- so, we're going to add something to IDPH that they have never done before and clearly with COVID, they have been, kind of, strapped on what they're capable of handling. But -- and I agree with you that we don't have enough conservation officers. So, I would rather actually take this 3.5 million dollars and use it to fund some more conservation officers, but I would just ask since IDNR is the agency that has the most knowledge about firearms, I would hope that you would agree that a person's Second Amendment rights are not only for the ability to hunt, but for personal protection. So, we want to make sure that everyone is safe when they're doing this. It would seem to me that the best agency to handle that would be IDNR, not IDPH, who has no knowledge of gun safety to my knowledge.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Do you have a question, Senator Bryant?
I do. My question would be, would you consider moving this back to -- would you consider moving this under IDNR, as opposed to IDPH?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Morrison.
Senator, I appreciate your comments. But the Illinois 91 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 Department of Public Health has a long history of establishing massive campaigns, prevents smoking, to limit vaping, as I mentioned, a couple other examples, seatbelts, safe sleep for babies. They will use evidence-based information and strategies. I think this is absolutely the right place to place this. So, my answer is respectfully no, I will not consider moving it to DNR.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Bryant.
To the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) To the bill.
All due respect to the sponsor and I do mean this with upmost respect. To this bill. IDPH has a history, in my opinion, of doing exactly what our present Governor wants them to do. And clearly, he has the intention of making sure that Second Amendment rights are not allowed in this State, to the extent that we have presently been able to -- to exercise those rights. Putting it under IDPH gives me great concern that we will no longer be able to exercise our Second Amendment rights and this is just the beginning of it. I join the sponsor in hoping that we could take the 3.5 million dollars that’s going to be set aside for this gun buyback study, in addition to so many of the other things that are in here, and use that to put more conservation officers on this and would continue to ask that this go under IDNR, if it's going to happen, as opposed to IDPH. I urge a No vote.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Is there any further discussion? Senator Anderson, for what 92 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 purpose do you seek recognition?
To the bill, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) To the bill.
So, just expounding on the previous two speakers. So, the idea of having this through DNR makes more sense, and I'll urge everybody here to go to DNR's website. Number ten is, number ten topic is cleaning and storage of firearms. This is on IDNR's website. So, I think the money, if we're going to do something like this, would be much -- would be spent much better because we already have it set up there. Another group that has done gun safety courses for decades is the NRA. And they do a great job and they do it a lot cheaper than government can do, I can tell you that. If we want to make this an issue of violence with IDPH, we should start funding storage for things like knives and blunt force objects, since those objects are responsible for more deaths every year than guns. So, I would urge the sponsor to look into funding DNR a little bit more, rather than starting a whole new thing with an activist Department, like IDPH. Thank you, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Seeing no further discussion. Senator Morrison, do you wish to close?
Mr. President, and Members. The number one threat to children's health, ages 1-17, is concern of guns. Most often, there is an accident that occurs. Thirteen hundred children died 93 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 last year from accidental discharge of a firearm. The hospitals that are listed, in probably a lot of your bill analyses, will list the collaboration of public health providers that see those gunshot wounds and who know that this is an important issue for children's safety. I would respectfully ask for an Aye vote.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) The question is, shall House Bill 4729 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 39 Senators voting Yes, 15 voting No, 0 voting Present. House Bill 4729, having received the constitutionally required majority, is declared passed. Staying on page 7, right at the bottom of that page of your printed Calendar, Senator Peters, brings House Bill 4736. Senator Peters seeks leave of the Body to return House Bill 4736 to the Order of 2nd Reading. Leave is granted. Mr. Secretary, are there any Floor amendments approved for consideration?
Floor Amendment No. 1, offered by Senator Peters.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Peters, on Floor Amendment No. 1.
I would like to adopt the amendment and explain on 3rd.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Is there any discussion? Seeing none. All those in favor will vote Aye. All those Opposed, Nay. The Aye's have it, and the amendment is adopted. Mr. Secretary, are there any further Floor amendments approved for consideration?
94 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 Floor Amendment No. 3, offered by Senator Peters.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Peters, on Floor Amendment No 3.
I would like to adopt the amendment and explain on 3rd.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Is there any discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor will say Aye. Opposed, Nay. The Aye's have it, and the amendment is adopted. Mr. Secretary, are there any further floor amendments approved for consideration?
Floor Amendment No. 4, offered by Senator Peters.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Peters, on Floor Amendment No. 4.
I would like to adopt that amendment and explain on 3rd.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Is there any discussion? Seeing none. All those in favor will say Aye. All those Opposed, Nay. The Aye's have it, and the amendment is adopted. Are there any further Floor amendments approved for consideration?
No further amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) 3rd Reading. Now back on the Order of 3rd Reading is House Bill 4736. Mr. Secretary, please read that bill.
House Bill 4736. (Secretary reads title of bill) 95 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Peters, on your bill.
Thank you, so much, Mr. President. This is a great bill. Focus on a task force to reduce crime and we've taken in feedback from the other side and other stakeholders. As well as, it would create the Violent Crime Witness Protection Fund, as well as a co- responder model, and as well as a homicide investigator training that is victim centered and trauma informed. I ask for an Aye vote.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Is there any discussion? Senator Rezin, for what purpose do you seek recognition?
Thank you, Mr. President. Question for the sponsor, please.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) He indicates he will yield. Senator Rezin.
Thank you. Senator Peters, we talked on the Floor, had a question, so, your task force -- why do we need this task force?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Peters. Senator Rezin, do you mind repeating the question, please?
Hello. Can you hear me? Thank you. Senator Peters, can you tell me why you feel that we need this task force?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Peters. 96 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022
Yeah, I mean, I feel like we've been having difficult periods when it comes to crime and violence, particularly, in my district that stretches for decades. And I think this is something that we needed, not just today, this year, or last year, but literally yesteryear. And so, I am glad to see this happen and I am hopeful that we can have some bipartisan support to get this done, because I know that for all of us in this Chamber, it has been a concern for everybody, no matter the district or the part of the State.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Rezin.
Thank you, Senator Peters. Do you feel that carjackings and violent crimes have increased, I would say, substantially, in the last year?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Peters.
I would say it's increased substantially over the last two years. I was actually just reading a report about, around March or April, the rise in carjackings, also comparing it to New York, Newark, Atlanta. It was a very interesting report on data. I actually shared it with my friend, Senator Aquino, since we had this previous conversation. So, yeah, this is a very serious issue that we need to keep an eye out for and do whatever work we can to make sure that people feel safe. And, personally, this is important because one of my best friends had to experience a carjacking. It was brutal and I had a neighbor who also experienced this, and we're still dealing with this crisis, pain 97 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 and trauma. So hopefully, we can bring all these people together. We can have a conversation, have it be data driven and, sort of, get to the root cause of this problem.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Rezin.
Thank you, Mr. President. To the bill, please.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) To the bill.
Thank you. I stand before you here today and, you know, I believe everyone's intention is good. I mean, we all hear from our constituents about concerns about the rise in crime in our neighborhoods and we also are concerned with the violent crimes that we are seeing and the significant increasing in carjackings and the shootings on the interstates. But, so far today, in this package of bills that have been proposed before us, you know, let's be honest with you, when the good Senator talked about, let's get to the root cause of the problem. But yet, the bills that we've had before us today, decreased the fines, or the fees, if your car has been carjacked, right? So, you don't have to pay the fee for that. You've offered up grants for the cameras, body cameras, which we all agree with and we knew was going to be an issue, but doesn’t change the fact that violence has increased in the past year. Today you've offered up grants for mental health, we all agree with that, too. Mental health is an issue that we need to deal with in our communities. But we've also had legislation that is providing grants for retaining law enforcement. We had a press conference yesterday with the concerns from many of our State's 98 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 Attorney, who stood before the press with, you know, no skin in the game in terms of politics. But just talked about the increase in violence that they're seeing but more importantly, they're concerns about the victims and their victims not having a say in the matter. With many offenders, especially after the SAFE-T Act goes into effect, and on January 1st, their concerns with the repeat offenders going through and -- going through the cycle, being arrested and then being immediately released. That's very difficult for the victims, when we are talking about the victims. So, again, I look at this group of bills that we've seen before that really are not addressing the issues that we're hearing from our constituents and address the issue of the increase in crime that we're seeing across this State. Now, Senator Peters, I know in your mind, that you feel a task force is the answer to this. I just want to say that I'll be supporting a task force, but many of the issues that we've seen have been caused by a bill that was passed a year ago. There are things in that bill that we like, but there are also concerns that we had in the bill, and we continue to have in the bill, that are not addressed in any one of these crime bills that are before us today. So, thank you, Senator.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Is there any further discussion? Senator Rose, for what purpose do you seek recognition?
To the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) To the bill.
A task force, seriously, a task force. Task forces are what 99 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 we do in this building when we're not serious about solving problems. A task force, people being shot, task force. A year ago, a year ago, we proposed money for body cameras in training. We reproposed it this year. You guys ran it, just a couple of minutes ago, we voted for it, because it was the right thing to do. A year ago, and then again, this spring, we proposed mental health treatment for local counties. You guys stole it, ran it again, we voted for it because it's the right thing to do. To the Senator's, two of his bills, I voted for in the last year, including fentanyl two minutes ago and including the one that sent all the money to Chicago last year. But that’s the problem, it's all about the money. Training cops, body cameras, all of it, is the right thing to do, but only if you're going to put people in jail once they make an arrest. Why are we only dealing with one side of this equation? We have joined you on better training. Well, actually, you joined us. You joined us on mental health funding for our county jails. But this stool has many legs. And if people just get to walk right back out the door after being arrested, you are not serious about crime. And guess what? A task force isn't serious about crime either. My goodness, like, carjackings. We have the four widows over here, went home that afternoon, my colleague from Champaign County and I, a University of Illinois student is carjacked in the middle of the afternoon on campus at gunpoint. And guess what? We just said, well, you don't have to pay any tickets if they were speeding in your car. Guess what? You didn't have to, anyway. It's called actual innocence -- it was called actual innocence. You get another bill coming up here in a minute about burglary tools. If you read the current definition of burglary tools, already covers what it is your trying 100 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 to do. A task force? You guys should've done this a year and a half ago, before you did your bill in the middle of the night at 4 a.m. That's where you put everybody in a room and you say what are we going to do about this. That's when you should have done the task force. Not, after you've caused complete chaos and pandemonium on our streets. Now, they just announced the budget deal or they are getting ready to announce the budget deal, blah, blah, blah. Everybody's going to go home to your new districts and do your thing. You're going to do your thing. You know what you didn't do? You didn't make the streets safer. A task force, you guys should be ashamed.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Is there any further discussion? Senator Plummer, for what purpose do you seek recognition?
Thank you, Mr. President. A question of the sponsor, if he'll yield.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) He indicates he'll yield. Senator Plummer.
Senator, a question for you. I am trying to understand this task force a little bit better. But which -- which administrative body will provide oversight to the task force and administration for the task force?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Peters.
ICJIA with assistance from the Attorney General.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) 101 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 Senator Plummer.
And by ICJIA, you mean the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Peters.
Can you repeat the question?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Plummer.
By ICJIA, do you mean the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Peters.
Yes.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Plummer.
How many voting members are on that -- that Authority?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Peters.
I'd have to look that up, but I think it's a bipartisan, pretty diverse board, if I'm correct. So…
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Plummer.
102 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 Well, I'm asking a question, so, if you'd look it up, I'd appreciate it.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Peters.
Twenty-five.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Plummer.
How many voting members are on the Authority, Senator?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Peters.
That's the Board composition.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Plummer.
So, to answer the question, there's eleven voting members of the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority. Do you know, by chance, how many of those voting members are presently serving on the Authority?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Peters.
I don't.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Plummer.
Well, I thought these were pretty fundamental questions. 103 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 We'll jump past the question. So, as my colleague…
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) To the bill, Senator?
No, no. As my colleague illuded to task force. Some people in the gallery might think that a lot of what we are doing has to do with public policy and, unfortunately, some of its politics and that's what I am getting at here. You're probably familiar with the issues we've had with the Illinois Prisoner Review Board. Well, the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority is another one of those interesting bodies where politics is being played and that body is going to administer this task force and, theoretically, administer grants and the funding for it. There's supposed to be eleven voting members on the task force. There's seven of them right now. I'm sorry to ask such a, in the weeds question, but it's very relevant to what we're talking about. Could you or anyone on your staff be able to provide us with the appointment message numbers for Dwight Barrett and Joseph Perez, who serve on that Authority?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Peters.
Can we just get to the point, now? I know that -- I understand that, you know, for the marginal part, minority part, I mean for the Republican party, that they're struggling here, and in 2022, an election year, they need to reach. But I would hope that Senator Plummer can just get to the question. Thank you very much.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Plummer. 104 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022
The only -- the only people in Illinois struggling right now are our constituents are struggling under violent crime that’s exploding across the State. So, if you want me to get to the point, I'll get to the point. You know what, this is politics. And why is this politics? Because the Illinois Criminal Justice Authority is supposed to have eleven voting members. It supposedly, has seven. Why do I say it supposedly has seven? Well, if you go to the Governor's website, two of the seven voting members, their terms have expired. That's the Governor's website, right here. If you go to their ISL's, two of the voting members, suddenly, magically, had their term extended to 2023. But no one after this -- this isn't because of your bill. We've been asking questions of this forever, no one can provide us a Journal message to how these terms, magically got extended. You know, we're supposed to have transparency. We're supposed to have accountability. When we talk to non-partisan State staff about this issue, they couldn't give us an answer and they finally said, we have to talk to the Governor's Office. So, we reached out to the Governor's Office, the Governor's Office can't explain it. So, now, you're proposing a task force, which is absurd for the issue we're dealing with. But that task force, that political task force, is going to be overseen by a political board, who, two of their seven members have their terms magically being changed with absolutely no track record, no paperwork, and no Journal messages from the State Senate. So, how can we have any confidence in this task force, if we have no confidence in the Board that's supposed to administer the task force, administer any grants, or anything else? Because the Board's political, the task force is 105 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 political, and we would like some answers to where these Journal messages are. The Governor's Office can't provide them, non- partisan State staff can't provide them, and apparently you can't provide them. So, do we have a functioning government here with checks and balances and transparency, or does the Governor's Office just get to make a phone call and people's terms magically get extended without any oversight, whatsoever, from the Illinois State Senate.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Peters.
Is the question, do we have a functioning government or can you repeat the question?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Plummer.
The question is, where are the Journal messages that extend the term of the voting members of the commission that oversee this task force that I'm asking about?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Peters.
I think -- well first of all, I understand that people stay on the Board and they keep staying on the Board as a voting member. It's different than some of the other things that are referenced. And the other one is, I can take that specific question to, I think you were trying to reach the Governor, maybe. But I understand that people actually stay on and keep serving even after, so.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) 106 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 Senator Plummer.
That’s not how it works. And so, you know I -- I know, sometimes these might seem to be a little bit in the weeds, but there are rules and there are processes, and there's a way that our government is supposed to function. So, we're seeing -- to the bill, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) To the bill.
So, we're seeing politics played with these -- these bills, these task force, that I think it's an insult to every victim of a crime and to the family of every crime victim of this State, that we're creating a task force when they're getting beaten, robbed, murdered, carjacked, and raped in Illinois because of bad public policy. But don’t worry, in an election year we're going to create a task force to look into it. But don’t worry that task force is going to be administered and overseen by a political board that is not operating within its constitutional structure right now, with no answers from non-partisan State, well the non-partisan State staff did answer, they said you are going to have to talk to the Governor's Office. So, we've got a political board that’s, probably operating outside its -- term right now, overseeing a political task force to not solve a problem that our constituents are suffering from. So, I would appreciate if we could get some answers on these people whose terms magically get extended, inappropriately. But more importantly, I wish we could get real public policy that solves the issues, not another task force. When I go home and I get phone calls about crime, people don't say oh 107 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 please, Senator, will you create a task force. They say, please, Senator, will you fix the problem. I urge a No vote.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Is there any further discussion? Seeing none. Senator Peters, to close.
I would also like to add that there is a Violent Crime Witness Protection Program, to make sure that people who have experienced, or are witnesses to anything that is violent, that they get support and I ask for an Aye vote. Thank you.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Question is, shall House Bill 4736 pass. All those in favor will vote Aye. All those Opposed will vote 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 40 Senator's voting Yes, 17 voting No, 0 voting Present. House Bill 4736, having received the constitutionally required majority, is declared passed. Senator Hunter, for what purpose do you seek recognition?
I move to waive all notice and posting requirements so that House Bill 4132 can be heard at 5:30 in the Senate Revenue Committee.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Hunter moves to waive all notice and posting requirements so that House Bill 4132 can be heard at 5:30 p.m. today in the Senate Revenue Committee. All those in favor, say Aye. Opposed, Nay. The Ayes have it, and all notice and posting requirements have been waived. Senator Castro, for what purpose 108 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 do you rise?
Purpose of a motion.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) State your motion.
I move to waive all notice and posting requirements so that Senate Bill 2170 can be heard at 6:00 p.m. today in the Senate Executive Committee.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Castro moves to waive all notice and posting requirements so that SB 2170 can be heard at 6:00 p.m. today in the Senate Executive Committee. All those in favor will say Aye. Opposed, Nay. The Ayes have it, and all notice and posting requirements have been waived. Senator Martwick, for what purpose do you seek recognition?
Thank you, Mr. President. I rise on a point of personal privilege.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) You mean an announcement?
Announcement.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Please state your announcement.
Old habits. Thank you, Mr. President. Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate, I would ask you to join me in welcoming some constituents that are here today from my district. Up in the 109 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 gallery, I'm joined by Meghan and Ian Duplishen. Meghan is seventeen years old, she's a Junior at Lane Tech. She's interested in computer science, reading, making things outside of the classroom, she volunteers every summer for the Park District, takes care of her younger sibling and is passionate about feminist issues and women's rights. Ian is thirteen years old and he goes to Newberry Academy, where he recently ran for his local school counsel. Outside the classroom, he likes to play guitar, draw, sing and is a big gamer and he's passionate about education issues. Ian and Meghan are joined by their father, Joe Duplishen. Joe is a former, he's a retired -- serviceman from the United States Army. He served a couple of active-duty tours in Afghanistan and he currently serves as a Chicago Police Officer. Can you please give them a warm Springfield welcome?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Would the guests could please rise in the gallery? Welcome to Springfield. Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate, we're going to move to the top of page 8 of your printed Calendar. Again, we're on House Bill's 3rd Reading. We're going to move to House Bill 4926, from Senator Martwick. Senator Martwick seeks leave of the Body to return House Bill 4926 to the Order of 2nd Reading. Leave is granted. On the Order of 2nd -- correction, we do not have to adopt an amendment to this bill. So, back on 3rd Reading is House Bill 4926. Senator Martwick indicates he wishes to proceed. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 4926. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill. 110 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Martwick.
Thank you, Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate. House Bill 4926 amends the State Employee Article of the Illinois Pension Code by establishing Tier 2 investigators with the Office of the Attorney General, would qualify for the State employee alternative retirement formula. Additionally, it allows for investigators with the Office of the Attorney General to convert up to eight years of service from SERS regular formula to SERS alternative formula. I know of no opponents and I ask for an Aye vote.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Is there any discussion? Seeing none, the question is, shall House Bill 4926 pass. All those in favor will vote Aye. All those 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 57 Senators voting Yes, 0 voting No, and 0 voting Present. House Bill 4926, having received the constitutionally required majority, is declared passed. House Bill 5035, Senator Villivalam. We're now going to move down to the bottom of page 8 of your printed Calendar, where Senator Villa brings House Bill 5193. Senator Villa. She indicates that she wishes to proceed. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 5193. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
111 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 Thank you, Mr. President. House Bill 5193 adds a safe gun storage -- safe gun storage to the topics for safety education instruction, that may be conducted by public school boards and all boards in charge of educational institutions supported by the State. This is not a curriculum mandate. The aim of this bill is to increase awareness of safe firearms storage by using a trusted source of information, which is our schools. With guns being the leading cause of death in Illinois, ages 1-17 years old, this is important -- it is important that we provide positive messaging about keeping children and communities safe through safe gun storage education. I urge an Aye vote. Thank you.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Is there any discussion? Seeing none, the question is, shall House Bill 5193 pass. All those in favor will vote Aye. All those opposed, Nay. The voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Take the record. On that question, there are 53 Senators voting Yes, 0 voting No, 0 voting Present. House Bill 5193, having received the constitutional required majority, is declared passed. We're going to move now to the top of page 9 of your printed Calendar, where Senator Villivalam brings House Bill 5204 {sic} (5205). Indicates he wishes to proceed. Mr. Secretary, please read that bill.
House Bill 5205. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Villivalam.
112 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 Thank you, Mr. President. House Bill 5205 amends the Highway Code to allow local municipalities, counties and townships, where excess property is located, to purchase excess property from the Department of Transportation before the property is offered for sale in a public sale by auction or sealed bidding process. I know of no opposition and I would ask for an Aye vote.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Is there any discussion? Seeing none. The question is, shall House Bill -- pardon me, we have a late light. Senator Hastings, for what purpose do you seek recognition?
Quick question of the sponsor, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) He indicates he will yield. Senator Hastings.
The properties limited just to IDOT properties, is that correct?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Villivalam.
Yes.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Hastings.
Thank you, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) The question is, shall House Bill 5205 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? 113 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 Take the record. On that question, there are 55 Senators voting Yes, 0 voting No, 0 voting Present. House Bill 5205, having received the constitutionally required majority, is declared passed. House Bill 5408 from Senator Bennett. Senator Bennett, on House Bill 5408. With leave of the Body, we are going to return to page 3 of the printed Calendar, where Senator Jones brings House Bill 209. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 209. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Jones.
Thank you, Mr. President and Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate. It has been a long time coming for House Bill 2-0-9. Creates the Latex Ban Act, that will ban it from food service establishments using latex gloves when handling and preparing food beginning on January 1st, 2023. The ban also applies to EMS personnel beginning January 1st, 2023, and health facilities personnel beginning January 1st of 2024. We are going to be one of six states, if this bill pass, to ban latex gloves. Some folks are allergic, such as myself, to the long-term use of latex. And there's also alternatives out there that folks can use. I'll be happy to answer any questions.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Is there any discussion? Seeing none. The question is, shall House Bill 209 pass. All those in favor will vote Aye. Opposed, Nay. The voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted 114 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 who wish? Have all voted who wish? Take the record. On that question, there are 44 Senators voting Yes, 12 voting No, 0 voting Present. House Bill 209, having received the constitutionally required majority, is declared passed. House Bill 601, Senator Gillespie. She indicates she wishes to proceed. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 601. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Gillespie seeks leave of the Body to return House Bill 601 to the Order of 2nd Reading. Leave is granted. On the Order of 2nd Reading is House Bill 601. Mr. Secretary, are there any Floor amendments approved for consideration?
Yes, Floor Amendment No. 1, offered by Senator Gillespie.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Gillespie, on your amendment.
I ask to adopt the amendment and I'll explain on 3rd, please.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Is there any discussion? Seeing none. The question is -- is there any discussion? Seeing none. All those in favor will say Aye. All those opposed, Nay. The Ayes have it, and the amendment is adopted. Mr. Secretary, are there any further amendments approved for adoption?
No further amendments reported. 115 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) 3rd Reading. Now on the Order of 3rd Reading is House Bill 601. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 601. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Gillespie, on your bill.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Senate Amendment 1 updates the definition of a person who commits possession of burglary tools to include possession of a device to unlock or start a motor vehicle without the use or possession of the key, or capture, or duplicate a signal from the key fob of a motor vehicle to unlock or start the motor vehicle without the use or possession of the key. It is an intention to catchup to current technology. No change in penalties is included in this, they stay the same. And I ask for an Aye vote.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Is there any discussion? Senator McClure, for what purpose do you seek recognition? SENATOR McCLURE: Question of the sponsor, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) She indicates she will yield. SENATOR McCLURE: Senator, given that devices are included in the definition of burglary tools, and this new Section is discussing particular 116 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 devices, what exactly does this bill do?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Gillespie.
It clarifies a particular device, and particularly, devices that can intercept the signal of a key fob. Just to clarify that, that would be included in the definition of a burglary tool.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator McClure. SENATOR McCLURE: Okay, so, burglary tools can be any key, any tool, any instrument, any device, any explosive, etc., and yet, you know, we don't define if you got a hammer outside somebody's house, that's a burglary tool. But we don't point out in the statute that a hammer, used in that way, is a burglary tool. So, I -- again, this is not changing anything. It's just simply adding one definition. Are we going to start adding every single definition for what a tool is? Because, you know, depending on what the, a pen can be a burglary tool depending upon how it's used. So, I just don't see what this bill does.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Is there a question, Senator McClure?
The question is, are we going to have to define every single, you know, every single tool, you know, what does it need to be a tool, what does it need to be a key, or an instrument, or a device, I mean all these things are already covered. So, I -- so is that what we're going to go down to, is defining what specific, you know, things are under the label of tools, etc.? 117 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Gillespie.
I think one of the key differences here, Senator, is that one of the tools we're defining here is an indirect tool and that it's not a tool to unlock a car. It's intercepting a signal of a tool that could lawfully be used to unlock the car. So, it's just clarifying that the interception of that signal would also constitute a tool.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator McClure.
Okay, I'll move on to another question, but that would still be under the title of a device. It would fit the definition of a device under burglary tool, as it currently stands. But I'll go to -- I'll move on, Mr. President. On the -- so, it's added to burglary tools under the device label, however, why add the same elements that are in the crime of burglary tool to these basically theft devices? Because it seems to me, the only people that should have these devices, might be a locksmith or someone who rents or sells a lot of cars. Why not just say this -- if you don't -- if you're not a locksmith, if you don't sell these sort -- any cars, and if you don't have a car rental facility, then just the possession of this, alone, should cause you to -- to be found in possession of burglary tools, instead of going through the regular elements. Which, again, are already present for devices under the current burglary tool law.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Gillespie. 118 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022
Again, it's clarifying the use of a technology. That's the indirect nature. That's what's not clear by the definition that's currently there.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator McClure. SENATOR McCLURE: But, I think, my question was, is there a legitimate purpose as to why, unless your one of these specified folks, why would you have this, if you're not up to something bad. You are going to use it to steal someone's vehicle. So, why not just make it so that if you're in possession of this, and you don't have a legitimate purpose for having it, because you don't have a job in that field, why not just make that, right away, be a -- someone can be charged with possession of burglary tools? Why would you have to go through the same elements? Because obviously, if you have this sort of technology, you're not using it for any legitimate legal purpose.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Gillespie.
Senator, I imagine there's a lot of uses for intercepting radio signals that I couldn't begin to identify what all of them are. But I do want to identify a specific one that's used specifically for stealing cars.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator McClure.
To the bill, Mr. President. 119 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) To the bill.
Thank you, Senator. This is a bill that clarifies something that's already law. There are -- this -- the law as it stands, for the exact devices that Senator Gillespie has described, is right now illegal. This is changing nothing. And, you know, -- the danger here, too, by the way, is if you're starting to define what particular devices are, people can start making arguments, well, this is not a device under it because it's not defined in the statute, that sort of thing. The reason why the word device is so broad in burglary tools, is because we want to be able to charge people with new -- you know, burglary tools if there's new technology that comes about. If people use interesting devices that are legal devices, but in a weird way. To me, it makes no sense to put this in here. It doesn't do anything. I mean this is a bill that does nothing, literally does nothing. And, you know, we have a severe problem, right now, where people are getting their cars stolen across the State, people are getting hijacked, everything else. This does nothing. This is a press release bill, and that's fine, you know, we have press release bills, in this Body all the time, but it does nothing. It does nothing. Meanwhile, people in this State are really suffering right now. And it's all across the State as, Senator Rose, pointed out earlier. You know, so, I mean, I guess I'll vote for this, but it doesn't do anything. Or maybe I won't vote for it, I haven't decided yet, because whether I vote Yes or No, it actually doesn't do anything to change the law at all. So, thank you, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) 120 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 Is there any further discussion? Senator Rose, for what purpose do you seek recognition?
To the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) To the bill.
Here is the current law, and you don't have to be a former prosecutor to read it for yourself, "He or she possesses any key, tool, instrument, device, or explosive, suitable for use in breaking into a building, house or a watercraft, aircraft, motor vehicle" etcetera, etcetera. This bill basically says, I guess, the meaning of device is device. Except that it could be actually causing real danger, in that, as Senator McClure just pointed out, now that we've sort of started to define a generic word like device, which means a device. A good defense attorney might say, well, hey, that device, that my client's accused of, wasn't used in this particular manner, therefore the statute that use to apply, no longer applies. This is like, I mean, how many more do nothing things are we going to have here? I have an idea. Let's have a task force to determine what the word device means.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Seeing no further discussion. Senator Gillespie, do you wish to close?
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I appreciate the effort on the part of my colleagues, but the Illinois Sheriffs' Association seems to feel that this is necessary and I'm going to go with them. So, I ask for an Aye vote. 121 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) The question is, shall House Bill 601 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 45 Senators voting Yes, 9 voting No, 0 voting Present. House Bill 601, having received the constitutionally required majority, is declared passed. With leave of the Body, we are going to move to page 7 of your printed Calendar, where Senator Aquino, brings House Bill 4666. Senator Aquino seeks leave of the Body to return House Bill 4666 to the Order of 2nd Reading. Leave is granted. On the Order of 2nd Reading is House Bill 4666. Mr. Secretary, are there any Floor amendments approved for consideration?
Yes, Floor Amendment No. 1, offered by Senator Aquino.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Aquino, on your amendment.
Thank you, Mr. President. I'd like to adopt the amendment and explain it on third.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Is there any discussion? All those in favor, say Aye. All those opposed, Nay. The Ayes have it, and the amendment is adopted. Mr. Secretary, are there any further amendments approved for consideration?
No further amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) 3rd Reading. Now, back on the Order of 3rd Reading is House 122 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 Bill 4666. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 4666. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Aquino, on your bill.
Thank you, Mr. President. House Bill 4666, as amended, includes various changes related to nurse staffing agencies including; it prohibits nurse staffing agencies from entering into covenants not to compete with nurses and CNAs, and prohibits conversion fees for employees who leave staffing agencies to work with individual health care facilities, requires disclosure of rates charged by staffing agencies on contracts and requires DOL to publish data on staffing agencies by county, it prohibits staffing agencies from poaching employees on the premises of a health care facility, requires a hundred percent of the hourly pay rate of nurses and CNAs employed by staffing agencies to go directly to the employee, and finally it creates the new licensure requirements and penalties for staff agencies, including increased liability insurance and increased fines for non-compliance. Just a little bit of background on this bill. There was an earlier version that I had, however, this is been a much-negotiated bill, with a number of stakeholders at the table, including the industry providers, SEIU, the nursing organizations and the Department of Labor, and I want to just thank them all for getting us to this place. Willing to answer any questions, and ask for an Aye vote.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) 123 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 Is there any discussion? Senator Syverson, for what purpose do you seek recognition?
To the bill, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) To the bill.
This is actually a legislation that does have impact and I want to thank the sponsor for the work on this and -- and addressing, really, what was a growing problem of some very greedy companies trying to take advantage of the health care crisis that we had. And the good news is, just the introduction of this bill, we have already seen these companies backing down. And so, because of your work from the very beginning, hospitals, long-term care facilities are already seeing a reduction in millions of dollars of costs because of these -- bringing these rates down. So, I want to thank the sponsor for his work on this. The amendment just tightens it up even more and keeps that accountability going forward. So, thank you for your work on this and I certainly urge those on our side to support this legislation.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Seeing no further discussion. Senator Aquino, do you wish to close?
I thank my colleague on the other side and ask for an Aye vote. Thank you.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) The question is, shall House Bill 4666 pass. All those in favor will vote Aye. Opposed, Nay. The voting is open. Have all 124 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Take the record. On that question, there are 57 Senators voting Yes, 0 voting No, 0 voting Present. House Bill 4666, having received the constitutionally required majority, is declared passed. Senator Koehler, in the Chair.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR KOEHLER) We're going to go to page 4 on the top of the page, House Bill 716. We're going to return that -- Senator Harmon wishes to seek leave of the Body to return House Bill 716 to the Order of 2nd Reading. Leave is granted. Now on the Order of 2nd Reading is House Bill 716. Mr. Secretary, have there been any Floor amendments approved for consideration?
Floor Amendment No. 2, offered by President Harmon.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR KOEHLER) President Harmon.
Thank you, Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate. Floor Amendment 2 was discussed in committee. I move for its adoption.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR KOEHLER) 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?
Floor Amendment No. 3, offered by President Harmon.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR KOEHLER) Senator Harmon -- President Harmon, on your amendment.
125 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 Thank you, Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate. Floor Amendment No. 3 is a page and line amendment, a technical fix designed to respond to an issue appropriately raised in committee. I'd move for its adoption.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR KOEHLER) Is there any discussion? All those in favor will say Aye. Opposed, Nay. The Ayes have it, and the amendment is adopted. Are there any further Floor amendments approved for consideration?
No further amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR KOEHLER) 3rd Reading. Now on the Order of 3rd Reading is House Bill 716. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 716. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR KOEHLER) President Harmon, on your bill.
Thank you, Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate. House Bill 716, as amended, is a campaign finance reform effort designed to limit the influence of money in judicial elections. First, we create a task force to study public financing of judicial elections and second, we amend the campaign contribution limits to provide a different remedy in the case of self-funding candidates, independent expenditure candidates, or what are colloquially referred to as dark money candidates. Today, if a candidate self- funds, or an independent expenditure committee expends amounts of 126 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 money in excess of certain caps, the limits on contributions are eliminated. What we would propose in this amendment, in those circumstances, is to impose instead; a half-a-million-dollar cap on contributions from outsiders, five hundred-thousand-dollar contribution limits in those events where the campaign limits are broken by either the candidate, himself or herself, or by an independent expenditure committee, and the third provision relates to, again what people would call dark money committees, committees that raise money but never disclose their contributors, then contributing money into the system to a campaign committee for a judicial candidate. Happy to entertain what I'm sure will be a rousing debate.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR KOEHLER) Is there any discussion? Senator Barickman.
Yes, question of the sponsor.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR KOEHLER) Indicates he will yield.
Mr. President, let me make sure I understand this. Candidates for judge, if they self-fund, no limits, but if they don't self- fund, they're contributors are limited. Yes?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR KOEHLER) President Harmon.
Their contributors would be limited to five hundred-thousand- dollar contributions.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR KOEHLER) Senator Barickman. 127 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022
Okay, so, in the scenario where a candidate for judge self- funds because they're a multi-millionaire, and we used the example in committee, we have this, actually in the Executive Branch, where the current -- the incumbent Governor has self-funded, blown the caps and I think his latest contribution was ninety million dollars to his campaign. So, for judges, in a similar circumstance, the individual who self-funds could put tens of millions of dollars in their campaign fund and yet the person who is unable to self-fund is limited. Some people will see this as discriminating against the less wealthy candidate. How is it not so?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR KOEHLER) President Harmon.
Well, if you are asking whether we should extend this to gubernatorial elections, I'm sure we would entertain an amendment from you. But no, there's always been a difference between elections, campaigns for legislative branch offices, executive branch offices and judicial offices. For instance, a candidate for judge cannot, himself or herself, solicit funds from a contributor. We understand the different role that money plays in judicial elections. So, that’s the reason we would be treating these two offices differently, because we already do treat them differently in the election law.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR KOEHLER) Senator Barickman.
The question, though, isn't about how you're treating the two offices differently. It's how you're treating two individual 128 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 candidacies for judge differently. Seemingly, equipping the wealthy candidate for judge, in a manner that the not wealthy person does not have. And so, some will call that discriminating against the less wealthy person. And my question is, why do you do that? Why are you creating a system that is going to favor the wealthy candidate?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR KOEHLER) President Harmon.
Thank you, Mr. President. Senator, I don't know if you were, I don't believe you were a Member of the Senate when we passed the first campaign contribution limits in, roughly, 2009. This was a source of a great deal of debate and opposition. There was a concern that, because it was believed at the time and has since been confirmed by the Supreme Court, that wealthy individuals can self-fund their campaigns without any legal limitations. We initially subjected candidates to the caps that are in place now. I believe we started at five thousand dollars from individuals, ten thousand from corporations, without any relief. But we recognize that some relief was appropriate. So, we adopted an amendment that allowed a trigger, if a self-funding candidate or later, an independent expenditure weighs into a race, the competing candidates can also raise unlimited amounts of money. Raising unlimited amounts of money from a single source, or just a handful of sources, is a bit more unseemly in judicial elections. And so, we're attempting to strike a balance by still allowing the under- resourced candidate to raise money in five hundred-thousand-dollar increments, but not simply raise a gazillion dollars from one source. 129 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR KOEHLER) Senator Barickman.
Well Senator, your point of five hundred-thousand-dollars though pales in comparison to candidates who self-fund. There's ample evidence of this all around the country. Those who self- fund aren't self-funding with hundreds of thousands of dollars. They're doing it with millions. Again, exhibit A is JB Pritzker, who is self-funded to the tunes of over a hundred million to date. His most recent contribution being ninety million dollars, I believe. So, I think it pales in comparison to the five hundred- thousand-dollar reference, but none-the-less, Mr. President, don't you think that the judicial system ought to be composed of individuals from all walks of life and ought not to be a class system composed of only the wealthy?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR KOEHLER) President Harmon.
Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you, Senator, another reason we are looking at campaign finance reform. But I would point out that in practice, and perhaps you have a counter example, but if a millionaire jumps into a race for anything and the under resourced candidate is not similarly wealthy, they typically combat that by cobbling together a series of contributions that are in excess of the existing caps. But remember those caps, they started at five thousand, I think it's at sixty-eight hundred, roughly, for an individual. We're increasing that to five hundred thousand dollars. I think the more likely scenario is one where the under-resourced candidate raises money in large chunks but not 130 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 over five hundred thousand dollars from a variety of contributors. I think that’s both the current fact pattern and a better model than allowing a grotesquely large contribution from one or two sources.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR KOEHLER) Senator Barickman.
To the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR KOEHLER) Bill.
Thank you, Mr. President, and thank you, Senator, for the debate. Look, set aside the politics for a moment and recognize that while campaign finance is a wildly imperfect system, this proposal is one that is going to have a significantly detrimental effect. And it's readily apparent what that effect would be. If you're rich, you can fund your campaign and you can run for judge. And, in fact, you can limit the campaign contributions for which your opponent, who may not be rich, is able to receive. I don't think the constituents that I represent want a judicial system full of a bunch -- full of a bunch of rich men and women around the State. What they want to do, we have in Illinois a system that elects our judges. The people I represent want our judicial system to be fair, to be the trier of fact and to be people who are elected from the communities for which they are elected to serve and make decisions. Money has certainly impacted politics. But what this proposal is going to do, is it's going to equip those who are rich to become judge and it's going to discriminate against those who are not rich and limit the resources available to them 131 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 to be able to compete in elections. That's just not fair. And the concern that you -- we all should have, is that it's going to result in a class system that could exist within the judicial system, where the wealthy are the judges and those without wealth are not. That is certainly an imperfect system. And it's one that, apparently, could be the outcome of this proposal. I'd urge a No vote. Thank you.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR KOEHLER) Any further discussion? President Harmon, to close.
Thank you, Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate. Campaign finance reform laws are inherently imperfect. It is a very difficult minefield through which we walk. Frankly, made all the more complicated by some of the US Supreme Courts jurisprudence, particularly, in Citizens United. But I would point out that the Supreme Court has been very clear here, "a State's interest in preserving public confidence in the integrity of its judiciary extends beyond its interest in preventing the appearance of corruption in other races because a judge's role differs from that of a politician." The court recognizes this vital state interest. This law is narrowly tailored to serve the compelling State interest of protecting the integrity of the judiciary. If any of Senator Brickman's entries in the parade of horribles comes to pass. I'm sure we would be happy to revisit it. But I don't think it will, because that is not the fact pattern we see in the real world. So, I ask for your Aye votes and the effort of protecting the integrity of judicial elections.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR KOEHLER) The question is, shall House Bill 716 pass. All those in 132 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 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 40 voting Yea, 18 voting Nay, none voting Present. House Bill 716, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. We'll go to page 7 on the Calendar. House Bill -- House Bill 4667, Senator Cunningham. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill. Senator Cunningham seeks leave of the Body to return House Bill 4-6-6-7 to the Order of 2nd Reading. Leave is granted. Now on the Order of 2nd Reading is House Bill 4667. Mr. Secretary, are there any Floor amendments approved for consideration?
Floor Amendment No. 1, offered by Senator Cunningham.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR KOEHLER) Senator Cunningham, on your amendment.
Thank you, Mr. President. The amendment becomes the bill. I move for its adoption. I'll explain it on 3rd Reading.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR KOEHLER) Is there any discussion? All those in favor will say Aye. Opposed, Nay. The Ayes have it, and the amendment is adopted. Are there any further Floor amendments approved for consideration?
No further amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR KOEHLER) 3rd Reading. Now on the Order of 3rd Reading is House Bill 4667. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 4667. 133 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR KOEHLER) Senator Cunningham, on your bill.
Thank you, Mr. President. House Bill 4667 amends the Unified Code of Corrections and the -- and the County Jail Act to deem correctional officers and Department of Corrections -- correctional officers with the Illinois Department of Corrections and county deputies and correctional officers as qualified law enforcement officers, in order to qualify them for the Law Enforcement Officer Safety Act. That is a federal law that allows them to carry their firearm while off duty and while retired, provided they are certified to do so. This corrects a little bit of a quirk we have in our State law and that we certify correctional officers and deputies different than other states. And as a result of that, Illinois correctional officers and deputies are the only correctional officers and deputies in the country who are not eligible under this federal law. I also want to point out that this bill is only intended to apply to qualifications under the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act, and does not change any existing entry level requirements for any law enforcement post in the State. I know of no opposition. Would be happy to entertain any questions.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR KOEHLER) Is there any discussion? Senator Anderson.
To the bill, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR KOEHLER) 134 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 To the bill.
Thank you, Mr. President. Senator Cunningham, I want to thank you for this bill. This is actually a bill, or a version of it, that I've tried to pass in years past. I only wish it was yesterday, during IGOLD Day, you know, recognizing our Second Amendment and allowing these officers to be able to carry as they should've always been. I would like to talk to you, in the future, about expanding this a little bit to Department of Human Services workers and also sworn firefighters, as my bill did. So, I just, again, thank you for this bill and thank you for standing up and recognizing our Second Amendment rights. Thank you.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR KOEHLER) Further discussion, Senator Rose.
Will the sponsor yield, please?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR KOEHLER) Sponsor indicates he will yield.
Senator, this is a good day. I filed this bill for many years, as did, I think, Senator Wilcox, and you just explained perfectly, why this is unbelievably rational and reasonable to do. My other question is, why haven't we done this sooner?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR KOEHLER) Senator Cunningham.
Thank you, Mr. President. I actually had this brought to me in the last several months by constituents of mine, who work at Cook County Jail, our correctional officers there. They brought 135 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 this to my attention and that's why I brought this legislation.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR KOEHLER) Senator Rose.
To the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR KOEHLER) To the bill.
Well, it is a good day for the Second Amendment. And it's a good day for public safety under this bill because we will have more trained officers on the streets with their sidearm. It is too bad that it took the current situation in this State to bring this to light. To actually have a vote on it. We've had ten years that this has been a known problem and I'm glad that we're finally here and we're able to get this done and put it to bed. So, thank you.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR KOEHLER) Seeing no discussion -- Senator Cunningham, to close.
Just would appreciate everyone's Aye vote.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR KOEHLER) So, the question is, shall House Bill 4667 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 58 voting Yea, none voting Nay, none voting Present. And House Bill 4667, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. We're going to go back to the Supplemental Calendar on House Bills 2nd Reading and we're going to go to House Bill 1568, 136 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 President Harmon. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 1568. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR KOEHLER) Have there been any Floor amendments approved for consideration?
Floor Amendment No. 2.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR KOEHLER) Out of the record. Staying on the Supplemental Calendar, we'll go down to House Bill 4342, Senator Cunningham. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 4342. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR KOEHLER) 3rd Reading. We're getting ready to recess to the call of the Chair. I'm going to announce the committees. Education Committee will meet upon recess in Room 212, Revenue will meet at 6:15 in Room 400, Executive will meet at 6:45 in Room 212, Licensed Activities will meet in -- at 6:45 in Room 400, and State Government will meet at 6:45 in Room 409. Mr. Secretary, Resolutions.
Senate Resolutions 983 and 984, offered by President Harmon 137 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 and all Members. They are both celebration of life resolutions, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR KOEHLER) Resolutions Consent Calendar.
Senate Joint Resolution 55, offered by Senator Villivalam. It is substantive.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR KOEHLER) 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 concurred with the Senate in the passage of a bill of the following title, to wit: Senate Bill 257. Together with the following amendment which is attached, in the adoption of which I am instructed to ask the concurrence of the Senate, to wit: House Amendments 1 and 2 to Senate Bill 257. We have received like messages on Senate Bill 1693 with House Amendment 2, Senate Bill 1734 with House Amendment 1, and Senate Bill 3865 with House Amendments 1 and 2. Passed the House, as amended, April 7th, 2022. John W. Hollman, Clerk of the House.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR KOEHLER) We're going to recess for the call of the Chair and then after committee meetings we will come back for more Floor action. The Senate stands in recess. 138 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 (SENATE STANDS IN RECESS/SENATE RECONVENES)
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) The Senate will come to order. Mr. Secretary, Committee Reports.
Senator Belt, Chair of the Committee on Education, reports Senate Amendment 1 to House Bill 5488 Recommend Do Adopt. Senator Hunter, Chair of the Committee on Revenue, reports House Bill 4132 Do Pass, as Amended. Senator Landek, Chair of the Committee on State Government, reports Motion to Concur House Amendment 2 to Senate Bill 3180, House Amendment 1 to Senate Bill 3685, House Amendments 5 and 6 to Senate Bill 3889 and House Amendment 2 to Senate Bill 4028 Recommend Do Adopt. Senator Jones, Chair of the Committee on Licensed Activities, reports Senate Amendment 2 to House Bill 4501 Recommend Do Adopt. Senator Castro, Chair of the Committee on Executive, reports Senate Bill 2170 Do Pass, as Amended; Motion to concur House Amendment 1 to Senate Bill 180, House Amendment 1 to Senate Bill 3097 and House Amendment to Senate Bill 3416 Recommend Do Adopt.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Mr. Secretary, Resolutions.
Senate Resolution 985, offered by Senator Rose and all Members. And Senate Resolution 986, offered by Senator Bennett and all Members. They are both celebration of life resolutions, Mr. President. 139 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Resolutions Consent Calendar. Mr. Secretary, are there any Messages from the House?
Yes, Mr. President. 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 10. Offered by Senator Syverson, adopted by the House, April 23rd, 2021. John W. Hollman, Clerk of the House. It is substantive, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate, please come to the Floor for Floor action. Please come to the Chamber for Floor action. Committee on Assignments will meet immediately in the President's Anteroom. Would all Members of the Committee on Assignments, please assemble in the President's Anteroom? Senate will stand at recess, so the Committee on Assignments can meet. The Senate will come to order. Mr. Secretary, Committee Reports.
Senator Cunningham, (Vice) Chair of the Committee on Assignments, reports the following Legislative Measures have been assigned: Refer to Education Committee - Floor Amendment 1 to House Bill 3145; refer to Executive Committee - Motion to Concur with House Amendment 1 to Senate Bill 1734; refer to Health Committee - Floor Amendment 2 to House Bill 347; refer to Licensed 140 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 Activities Committee - Floor Amendment 1 to House Bill 4342; Be Approved for Consideration House Bills 350, House Bill 722, House Bill 836, Floor Amendment 2 to House Bill 4209, Floor Amendment 4 to House Bill 3699. Signed, Senator Bill Cunningham, (Vice) Chair.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) WCIA Channel 3 seeks leave to record video and audio of this evening's proceedings. Seeing no objection, leave is granted. Ladies and Gentlemen, we're going to go to Supplemental Calendar No. 1 that was distributed earlier today. Under House Bills on 2nd Reading, Senator Pacione-Zayas brings House Bill 5285. She indicates she wishes to proceed. Mr. Secretary, please read House Bill 5285.
House Bill 5285. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) 3rd Reading. Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate, Supplemental Calendar No. 2 has been printed and distributed. On Supplemental Calendar No. 2, under House Bills 2nd Reading. Senator Bennett brings House Bill 350. He indicates he wishes to proceed. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 350. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported. 141 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) 3rd Reading. Andrew Adams and Thomas Turney from the Springfield Journal-Register seek leave to photograph this evening's proceedings. Seeing no objection, leave is granted. Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate, on Supplemental Calendar No. 2, House Bills on 2nd Reading. We've had some paperwork filed and a sponsorship change. House Bill 722 now sponsored by Senator Bennett. He indicates he wishes to proceed. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 722. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) 3rd Reading. Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate, again, on Supplemental Calendar No. 2, under Secretary's Desk, Order of Concurrences. With leave of the Body on concurrences we're going to move to Senate Bill 3180. Senator Fine, concurrence motion on Senate Bill 3180. She indicates she wishes to proceed. Mr. Secretary, please read the motion.
I move to concur with the House in the adoption of their Amendment No. 2 to Senate Bill 3180. Signed by Senator Fine.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Fine, on your motion.
Yes, this is just technical changes to the bill and I'd 142 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 appreciate your support.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Is there any discussion? Seeing none. The question is, shall the Senate concur in House Amendments 2 to Senate Bill 3180. 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 58 Senators voting Yes, 0 voting No, 0 voting Present. Having received the required constitutional majority, the Senate does concur in House Amendment No. 2 to Senate Bill 3180 and the bill is declared passed. With leave of the Body, we're going to move to Senate Bill 3685, Senator Stadelman. He indicates he wishes to proceed. Mr. Secretary, please read the motion.
I move to concur with the House in the adoption of their Amendment No. 1 to Senate Bill 3685. Signed by Senator Stadelman.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Stadelman, on your motion.
Thank you, Mr. President, Members of the Senate. Senate Bill 3685 combines three initiatives from the Department of Revenue. The first bill amends the Property Tax Code to allow the Department to hold EAV hearings virtually. The second bill amends the Motor Fuel Tax Act to require that all entities engage in the dyed diesel supply chain to be licensed. And the third initiative amends the Retailers Occupation Tax Act and the Use Tax Act to require certain vehicle tax returns to be filed electronically. I'm not aware of any opposition. I ask for an Aye vote. 143 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) The question -- excuse me, is there any discussion? Seeing none. The question is, shall the Senate concur in House Amendment No. 1 to Senate Bill 3685. 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 57 Senators voting Yes, 0 voting No, 0 voting Present. Having received the required constitutional majority, the Senate does concur in House Amendment 1 to Senate Bill 3685, and the bill is declared passed. Senate Bill 3889, Senator (Loughran) Cappel. She indicates she wishes to proceed. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill -- the motion.
I move to concur with the House in the adoption of their Amendments 5 and 6 to Senate Bill 3889. Offered (Signed) by Senator (Loughran) Cappel.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Loughran Cappel, on your motion.
Thank you, Mr. President. Motion -- this motion updates and revises the Illinois Children's Mental Health Partnership to reflect current issues the State is facing in regards to children's mental health. These updates and revise -- revises include: advising State agencies and designing and implementing short term and long term strategies to provide comprehensive and coordinated services for children from birth to age 25, increasing public awareness on mental health issues for children, coordination of programs, services and policies across child serving agencies, funding and resources for children's mental health prevention and 144 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 recommendations on how to improve the emergency and residential placement needs for all our children with behavioral and mental health challenges.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Is there any discussion? Seeing none. The question is, shall the Senate concur on House Amendments No. 5 and 6 to Senate Bill 3889. 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 58 Senators voting Yes, 0 voting No, 0 voting Present. Having received the constitutional majority, the Senate does concur in House Amendments 5 and 6 to Senate Bill 3889, and the bill is declared passed. Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate, we're going to move back to your regular printed Calendar. On page 5, under House Bills 3rd Reading, near the bottom of that page, Senator Crowe brings House Bill 4209. She indicates that she wishes to proceed. Senator Crowe seeks leave of the Body to return House Bill 4209 to the Order of 2nd Reading. Leave is granted. On the Order of 2nd Reading is House Bill 4209. Mr. Secretary, are there any Floor amendments approved for consideration?
Floor Amendment No. 1, offered by Senator Crowe.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Crowe, on your amendment.
Thank you, Mr. President. I ask that the amendment be adopted and I could explain it on 3rd.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Is there any discussion? Seeing none. All those in favor 145 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 will say Aye. Opposed Nay. -- I'm sorry, Senator Crowe.
I apologize, Mr. President. We do not want to adopt Amendment No. 1. We would like to adopt Amendment No. 2.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Crowe wishes to withdraw Amendment No. 1. Mr. Secretary, are there any further amendments approved for consideration?
Floor Amendment No. 2, offered by Senator Crowe.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Crowe, on Floor Amendment No. 2.
Mr. President, I would like to adopt Floor Amendment No. 2 and I'm happy to explain it on 3rd Reading.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Is there any discussion? Seeing none. All those in favor will say Aye. Opposed, Nay. The Ayes have it, and the amendment is adopted. Mr. Secretary, are there any further amendments approved for consideration?
No further amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) 3rd Reading. Now on the Order of 3rd Reading is House Bill 4209. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 4209 (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill. 146 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Crowe, on your bill.
Thank you, Mr. President. House Bill 4209 amends the Downstate Police Article of the Illinois Pension Code by opening a window for a member to transfer service credits accrued in IMRF, if that service was as a sheriff's law enforcement employee. A person employed by a participating municipality to perform police duties. A full-time law enforcement officer for a Forest Preserve district or a person employed to perform administrative duties related to law enforcement. This bill is a follow-up to House Bill 126, that we previously passed in the Senate 59-0, but House Bill 4209 clears up the language to allow for IMRF to make the transfer. I know of no opposition and I ask for an Aye vote.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Is there any discussion? Seeing none. The question is, shall House Bill 4209 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 57 Senators voting Yes, 0 voting No, 0 voting Present. Having received the constitutionally required majority, House Bill 4209 is declared passed. With leave of the Body, we're going to continue to hop around between Calendar's. We're going to move back to Supplemental Calendar No. 1. House Bill's 2nd Reading. House Bill 1568, we've had paperwork filed changing the sponsorship. Check that, that paperwork has not been filed, we have House Bill 1568. President Harmon. He indicates he wishes to proceed. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill. Mr. Secretary, we have word that sponsorship has been changed to Senator Martwick 147 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 on that bill. He indicates he wishes to proceed. Please read House Bill 1568.
House Bill 1568. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Mr. Secretary, are there any Floor amendments approved for consideration?
Floor Amendment No. 2, offered by Senator Martwick.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Martwick, on your amendment.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move for the adoption of Floor Amendment No. 2.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Is there any discussion? Seeing none. All those in favor will say Aye. Opposed, Nay. The Ayes have it, and the amendment is adopted. Mr. Secretary, have there been any further amendments approved for consideration?
No further amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) 3rd Reading. 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 concurred with the Senate in the 148 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 passage of a bill of the following title, to wit: Senate Bill 3910. Together with the following amendment which is attached, in the adoption of which I am instructed to ask the concurrence of the Senate, to wit: House Amendment 1 to Senate Bill 3910. Passed the House, as amended, April 7th, 2022. John W. Hollman, Clerk of the House.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate, please join me in welcoming our former colleague back to the Senate Chamber, Attorney General Kwame Raoul. Welcome back Attorney General. With leave of the Body, we're going to move back to the regular printed Calendar on page 4, House Bill's 3rd Reading. Senator Martwick, brings House Bill 3699. Senator Martwick, on House Bill 3699, Senator Martwick. Andrew Campbell and Lizzie Seils from Gray TV seek leave to record video of this evening's proceedings. Seeing no objection, leave is granted. Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate, we are going to back to page 4 of the regular printed Calendar. House Bill's 3rd Reading. Senator Martwick brings House Bill 3699. Senator Martwick seeks leave of the Body to return House Bill 3699 to the Order of 2nd Reading. Leave is granted. On the Order of 2nd Reading is House Bill 3699. Mr. Secretary, are there any Floor amendments approved for consideration?
Floor Amendment No. 3, offered by Senator Martwick.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Martwick, on your amendment.
149 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 I seek to withdraw Floor Amendment No. 3.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Martwick withdraws Amendment No. 3. Mr. Secretary, are there any further amendments approved for consideration?
Floor Amendment No. 4, offered by Senator Martwick.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Martwick, on Floor Amendment No. 4.
Thank you, Mr. President. I seek to adopt Floor Amendment No. 4 and would wish to explain it on 3rd Reading.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Is there any discussion? Seeing none. All those in favor, say Aye. Opposed, Nay. The Ayes have it, and the amendment is adopted. Mr. Secretary, are there any further amendments approved for consideration?
No further amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) 3rd Reading. Now back on the Order of 3rd Reading is House Bill 3699. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 3699. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Martwick, on your bill.
Thank you, Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate. 150 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 House Bill 3699, as amended, expands the Illinois Motor Vehicle Theft Prevention and Insurance Verification Act to include vehicular highjacking. This is a initiative designed to create - - to expand the task force that currently exists to allow for a collaborative between multiple agencies, law enforcement agencies, to identify and -- identify policies for reducing carjacking cases and to work in collaboration to seek out, and hopefully, improve the arrests of vehicular highjackings. In 19 -- 2021, in the City of Chicago, only four percent of the reported carjacking cases, according to the Civic Federation, wound up in arrest. So, this would be a way of giving law enforcement more tools to be able to collaborate. There would be an ability to get State funding in here to bolster this. And this is actually a really good -- the Motor Vehicle Theft Prevention and Insurance Verification Act, something was going really well and it wound up falling by the wayside during the budget disputes during the past administration and actually some of these task forces sort of dried up. And so, this would give them new purpose, new funding, and really their sort of design to go after already stolen vehicles and, so of course, this would fit right within their mission. I don't know of any opposition to this. I'd be happy to answer questions and I would respectfully ask for an Aye vote.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Is there any discussion? Leader McConchie, for what purpose do you seek recognition? SENATOR McCONCHIE: Question of the sponsor.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) The sponsor indicates he will yield. Leader McConchie. 151 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 SENATOR McCONCHIE: Thank you, Senator Martwick. When we discussed this in committee, it had to do with metropolitan enforcement groups. I don't think we have been able to discuss Amendment 4, and quite how it changes it and forgive me if you just explained that. But, can you clarify now how it is different from what we discussed in committee and what it's doing that isn't already currently allowed in law.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Martwick.
Thank you, Leader, and as you remember when we discussed this in committee, there was much talk about these metropolitan enforcement groups. There's questions about whether or not their mission, metropolitan enforcement groups, which was largely drug trade, illegal drug trade, and there was a question about have we talked to law enforcement. And I mentioned that we had. One of the concerns of the State Police was that they felt that this would not be the perfect fit for them and they thought, in fact, it was their belief that this would be a far better fit. We continued discussions with them even after the hearing we had in the Executive Committee and we decided to amend the bill at their suggestion to reinforce these task forces, which are in existence and operating and doing good work, but this would give us a chance to renew them and use them -- give them another purpose that we think would be effective for addressing carjackings.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Leader McConchie. SENATOR McCONCHIE: 152 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 Okay, and with that is -- is it going to encompass, kind of, the range of carjackings? We -- it seems to me we, kind of, have two fundamental areas; there's the opportunistic, you know, see somebody buy a car in the parking lot, you know, grab it or on the street, versus the kind of organized rings that are targeting very specific high-end vehicles often to either take them for parts or ship them overseas. Is this geared toward both of those types of situations? Is that -- are they both encompassed there?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Martwick.
Thank you, Leader. And in fact, I would say that there's probably a third use of this. So, you mentioned, in many instances you said, the joy riding, right? Young kids up to no good, right? The second one, is the more organized, where they're stealing the cars to perhaps ship them overseas and sell them. This is part of a theft ring. And then -- but there is a third part which is where they're highjacking the vehicle to be used in another crime. And so that would of course, sort of lend -- some -- of organized crime, right? So, I think that these would be in discussions with the State Police. That would be their focus. Obviously, they could use these task forces to come up with ways to, maybe, address pursuing, but it's hard to track down teenagers who are out joyriding, up to no good. I think they would be focused more on those second rings where you've got organized crime trying to use the vehicles to commit another crime and then where it's part of a theft ring.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Leader McConchie. 153 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 SENATOR McCONCHIE: Alright, thank you for that explanation. I appreciate us being able to understand better what you're trying to do. In that, you've taken the State Police's request into account, so, thank you.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Is there any further discussion? Senator Tracy, for what purpose do you seek recognition?
Thank you, Mr. President. Question of the sponsor, please. If he will yield.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) He indicates he will yield, Senator Tracy.
Senator Martwick, when you had the earlier version of the bill in Executive Committee, just a few hours ago, I had concern about how you were going to fund this program. And the earlier version was that you were going to take these from certain crime allotments that had a specified purpose in statute. And can -- I don't know if that's still how you plan to fund this program or not, but is it?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Martwick.
No, along with this, there is an Illinois Motor Vehicle Theft Prevention and Insurance Verification Act. And, so, the General Assembly funded these Councils and its activities are funded with a one-dollar fee on each private passenger vehicle insured for physical damage covered in Illinois, paid into a special trust 154 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 fund by insurance companies. Approximately, seven million was collected in 2021 from the fee. And an addition to the prevention of vehicle thefts, the trust fund supports the Secretary of State's Mandatory Insurance Verification Act. So, right now, that would be the funding for this.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Tracy.
So, are all the funds from the source that you just went through? Are all of those funds going into this new fund for the program?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Martwick.
That is my understanding.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Tracy.
Are -- do we know how much money is in that fund?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Martwick.
I apologize, I was consulting with my staff if you could repeat.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Tracy.
Do we know how much money is in that fund?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) 155 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 Senator Martwick.
So, Senator Tracy, I don't have a - I don't have an answer for how much money has been -- is in there now. But, between 1992, when the program was established, and in the last year there have been expenditures in the vicinity of a hundred and fifty million dollars over the life of this fund.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Tracy.
Do we know what those funds were previously used for? What they will be taken from in order to fund this program?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Martwick.
My understanding is, is that they were funding this. So, we're taking this Motor Vehicle Theft Prevention and we are expanding their responsibilities to include carjacking. So, it would be, it has been used for that purpose already. It will continue to do it with an expanded focus to include carjacking and carjacking prevention.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Tracy.
Are those funds subject to sweep? Have they ever been swept?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Martwick.
I don't have an answer for you if they've ever been swept. I 156 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 do not know.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Tracy.
And then finally, I would just ask if -- I'm sorry, I lost my train of thought in thinking about that after that answer. My final question was going to be, if these funds, the source of these funds is from the insurers and then the insurance companies obviously collect insurance premiums from car owners. So, in essence, actually, it's funded by the people who buy car insurance. I guess. Is that a correct assessment?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Martwick.
Yes, thank you, Senator. And I do have, and I do apologize. I like to be more well versed, but obviously this has been changed a little bit last minute on the fly. So, I'm getting some information as we go here. So, I actually have a couple of answers to your questions. Number one, these funds have never been swept, so that answers that question. Number two, asking about the funding, I had stated earlier, that this money comes in from a one dollar per vehicle fee on car insurance, at fifty percent goes to an insurance verification fund for the Secretary of State, fifty percent goes to the -- for the stolen vehicle task force. We've changed those thresholds. So, now we'll be ten percent of those, is that right? Ten percent to the Secretary of State Insurance Verification Fund. And so, that's how we will get more funding, we will put ninety percent of those funds in, so that we can beef up the funds to address carjackings. 157 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Tracy.
Thank you, that answers my question. I mean, basically, I just wanted to be clear that it, basically, is going to be funded by the car owners, basically. So, okay, that was what I wanted to clarify is that it's the general consumer that will be funding this program. Thank you.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Any further discussion? Senator Rose, for what purpose do you seek recognition?
Thank you, a couple of quick questions please.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Sponsor indicates he will yield. Senator Rose.
Thank you, Senator Martwick. The previous iterations of this dealt with Metropolitan Enforcement Groups. It appears that this is dealing with Councils. Is that broader or are the MEGs still part of this, or how do MEGs fit into this is really my question?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Martwick.
Thank you, Senator. And the MEGs no longer -- that was the -- our first attempt to do this was to expand the use of Metropolitan -- our attempt was to expand the use of Metropolitan Enforcement Groups, or MEGs as you call them, to expand their responsibilities to include carjackings. But it was discussions with the Illinois State Police when they said that would take them 158 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 too far away from their original mission which was the illegal drug trade. And, so it was the State Police who suggested that this -- this task force -- this Council on stolen vehicles would be a natural place because they are already dealing with stolen vehicles. And so, we can expand their funding and expand their scope to include carjackings.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Rose.
First of all, don't say task force. So, if what I heard you just say, because I want to vote for this, what I heard you just say is that MEGs are no longer part of this, but now this is applicable statewide. So, the car that was carjacked in Champaign at the University of Illinois that I referenced earlier tonight, in debate. This would be applicable there, as well, not just major metropolitan areas. And I think your answer is going to be yes, and if it is, I'm going to vote for it.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Martwick.
Yes, one second here. You're right it is, yes. So, there are currently -- so there are currently three task forces right now. Sorry for the use of that word, but it's in a different meaning than what we normally think of it here. There is a Tri- County Auto Theft Task Force, a Metro East Auto Theft Task Force and an Illinois Statewide Auto Theft Task Force. And let -- give me one second as I scan here, I'm looking for, I'll be happy to share this with you, but there are officers from multiple jurisdictions as well as sheriffs, NICB agents, so, auditors, 159 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 financial officers, so, yes. Quite comprehensive.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Rose.
I appreciate the answers.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Is there any further discussion? Senator Bryant, for what purpose do you seek recognition?
Thank you, Mr. President. Inquiry of the sponsor, please.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) He indicates he will yield. Senator Bryant.
Senator Martwick, on the Auto Theft Task Force, when you sweep these funds, since it appears that these funds -- the funds that are being swept fund that particular auto theft task force. I think a few years back there were multiple layoffs. It happened, that a couple of them were in the Mt. Vernon area. Do you anticipate there being layoffs when these funds are swept?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Martwick.
Well, as my family roots come from Mt. Vernon, I should hope not-any more layoffs from that area. I do not, and again, in discussions with the Illinois State Police, they had felt that during our past budget crisis that these were not given the support that they needed. And they really believed that this mission would breathe new life into them, give them new things to work on, give them new support. So, it sounded like, it felt like to the State 160 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 Police and to us, and to our staff, to be a natural fit.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Senator Bryant.
So, I think you said no, right? You don't expect there to be any layoffs for, okay, thank you.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Seeing no further discussion. Senator Martwick, do you wish to close?
Briefly. Thank you, Mr. President. I just want to say thank you for the -- the respectful debate. I know that this bill has received a couple of changes. I just want to say thank you, as well, to the State Police for their participation in making this better and more effective. And thank you to our staff for attending to their concerns and their needs and adjusting this bill on the fly. And, I respectfully ask for an Aye vote.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) The question is, shall House Bill 3699 pass. 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 58 Senators voting Yes, 0 voting No, 0 voting Present. House Bill 3699, having received the constitutionally required majority, is declared passed. Mr. Secretary, Message 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 concurred with the Senate in the 161 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 passage of a bill of the following title, to wit: Senate Bill 3866. Together with the following amendment which is attached, in the adoption of which I am instructed to ask the concurrence of the Senate, to wit: House Amendment 4 to Senate Bill 3866. Passed the House, as amended, April 7th, 2022. John W. Hollman, Clerk of the House.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate, we are done taking substantive action for this evening. We are going to remain in Session to move some bills from 2nd to 3rd Reading. So, if you don’t have a bill to move, you're no longer required to remain on the Floor. We do -- if you could wait for just a minute, we do want to give you some information about when committees will start tomorrow morning. We will follow the same committee schedule we followed this morning, 8:30 Committee on Assignments, 9:00 for the Executive Committee and State Government also at 9:00. A little bit more housekeeping, Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate. We plan to gavel into Session at 10:30 tomorrow morning. We're going to go back to Supplemental Calendar No. 2 -- I'm sorry, Supplemental Calendar No. 1, where Senator Belt has House Bill 4644. He indicates he wishes to proceed. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill, excuse me, House Bill 4644. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported. 162 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) 3rd Reading. Next, we're going to move to House Bill 5052, Senator Belt. He indicates he wishes to proceed. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 5052. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) 3rd Reading. Ladies and Gentlemen, we are now going to go to Supplemental Calendar No. 2 House Bills on 3rd Reading, where Senator Turner brings House Bill 4132. She indicates she wishes to proceed. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 4132. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. The Committee on Revenue adopted Amendment No. 1.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) Are there any other Floor amendments approved for consideration?
No further amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) 3rd Reading. Going to Supplemental Calendar No. 1. On Supplemental Calendar No. 1, House Bills 3rd Reading. Senator -- I'm sorry, 2nd Reading, Senator Sims brings House Bill 5004. He indicates he wishes to proceed. Mr. Secretary, please read the 163 STATE OF ILLINOIS 102nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 108th Legislative Day 4/7/2022 bill.
House Bill 5004. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No Committee or Floor amendments reported.
3rd Reading. On Supplemental Calendar No. 1, House Bills 2nd Reading. Senator Sims brings House Bill 5164. He indicates he wishes to proceed. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 5164. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor Amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CUNNINGHAM) 3rd Reading. There being no further business to come before the Senate, the Senate stands adjourned until the hour of 10:30 am on the 8th day of April, 2022. The Senate stands adjourned. 164