(Prayer by the Reverend Michael Deutsch)
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR WEAVER) Pledge of A llegiance . Senator Sieben .
(Pledqe of Allegiance, led by Senator Sieben)
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR WEAVER) Reading of the Journal . Mr. Secretary .
Senate Journals of Tuesday , February 24th 7 Wednesday z February 25th ; and Thursday , February 26th , 1998 .
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR WEAVER) Senator Pa rker .
Mr. President, I move that the Journals just read by the Secretary be approved g unless some Senator has additions or corrections to offer .
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR WEAVER) Senator Parker moves to approve the Journals just read. There being no objection, it is so ordered. Senator Berman has just excuse me . Messages .
Message from the President. Dear Mr . Secretary - I am hereby resigning my position on the Senate Rules Committee and pursuant to the provisions of Senate Rule 3-5(b) and (c), I am hereby reappointing Senator l STATE OF ILLINOIS 90TH GENERAL A SSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 81st Leqislative Day March 3, 1998 Weaver a member and Chairperson of the Rules Comm ittee, effective immediately . The Communication signed by President Philip .
PRESIDING OPFICER: (SENATOR WEAVER) . . . senate w ill give Senator Berman their attention . He has some quests he would like to introduce to the Senate . Senator Berman.
Thank you , M r. President . Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate , as our guests are filing onto the podium , the -- the people that are behind me is a group from Samara, Russia . They have been invited to join us today by the Illinois Commission on Intergovernmental Cooperation and the Heartland International . These are civic leaders, organizational leaders, from Samara , Russia . Samara is southeast -- I will say about a hundred and fifty m iles southeast of Moscow . In Samara , they produce cars, planes, spacecraft . This delegation is visiting Illinois for twenty-two days on a program, of what is called 'ljob shadowinql', to identify what they and their colleaques in Russia do compared to what we in Illinois do . They hope to learn how to establish and operate community organizations and they are looking for ways to provide social services w ithout relying on government . Thak sounds preEky good . I think they could teach us a few thinqs along those ways. Ladies and Gentlemen, I 'm very pleased and I invite you to greet this delegation from Samara, Russia . Ladies and Gentlemen , the Illinois Senate . We also -- if the President would come forward . This is President Weaver. This is Mr . Ovsyanikov . I won 't try to repeat that one . This gentleman is presenting to President Weaver a photog raph of Samara for our memory of their visit to Illinois. Thank you very much .
PRESIDING OFFICER : (SENATOR WEAVER) We have very little to do this morning . Are there any 2 STATE OF ILLINO IS 90TH GENERAL A SSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 81st Legislative Day March 3, 1998 announcements? If there 's no further business ... Excuse me . Senator Link .
Thank you, Mr. President. A point of personal privilege.
PRESIDING OFFICER : (SENATOR WEAVER) State your point.
Today -- today is a momentous occasion in our Chamber. Someone has reached a milestone that I know very few of us in this Chamber have reached yet. But I'd like us to join in Wishing a very happy , happy half a century to Senator Larry Walsh today . And that we could join him for cake in this big occasion of his. And I know we dll all feel Ehe same when we reach that day . Thank you .
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR WEAVER) Happy birthday , Larry . The Senate will stand at ease . There lll be a Rules Committee meeting right away and we 'd like to get that report read in. So that will be the only other business that we w ill conduct this morning . The Senate will stand at ease . Senator Klemm . Excuse me.
Well -- thank youy Mr. President. just thought that the supporters of the Illini basketball team would Want to p robably buy lunch for the graduates and the almuni of Purdue University that made your -- your cochampionship of the Big Ten possible, and that 's Senator Myers and Senator Maha r and Senator O 'Malley and Senator Watson and Senator Klemm . So if you see us around and you want to rejoice about the success of Illinois and the basketball p rogram , I know you 'll Want to show your appreciation to the Purduites and buy us something or other. Thank you , M r. President .
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR WEAVER) STATE OF ILLINOIS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 81st Legislative Day March 3, 1998 Senator Klemm , we certainly appreciate Purdue 's efforts Sunday . Was a great ball qame. Thank you . ...be a Rules Committee meetinq in the anteroom . (SENATE STANDS AT EASE) (SENATE RECONVENES)
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR WEAVER) Committee Reports.
Senator Syverson, Chair of the Committee on Public Health and Welfare , reports Senate Bills 1833 and 1834 Do Pass , and Senate Bill 1473 Do Pass, as Amended. Senator Butlerr Chair of the Committee on Local Government and Elections , repo rts Senate Bills 1208 , 1225, 1280, 1290, 1365 and 1702 Do Pass; Senate Bills 1203, 1244 and 1286 Do Pass, as Amended . Senator Weaver, Chair of the Comm ittee on Rules, reports that the followin: Legislative Measures have been assigned : Referred to the Committee on Appropriations - Senate Bills 1348, 1398, 1402 , 1410, 1412, 1415, 1488, 1520, 1563, 1590 and 1682; to the Comm ittee on Education - Senate B ills 1246, 1247 and 18927 to the Committee on Environment and Energy - Senate Bills 1265, 1451, 1463 , 1567 and 1854) to the Committee on ExecuEive - Senate Bills 1243, 1321, 1496, 1583, 1591, 1592, 1593, 1594, 1750, 1751, 1860 and 1895: to the Comm ittee -- re-referred from the Executive Comm ittee Eo the Committee on Rules - Senate Bill 1498 7 referred to the Comm ittee on Pinancial Institutions - Senate Bills 1393 and 18947 to the Committee on Insurance and Pensions - Senate Bills 4 STATE OF ILLINOIS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 81st Legislative Day March 3, 1998 1420, 1710 , 1728, 1901: 1919 ; to the Committee on Jud iciary - Senate Bills 1323, 1386, 1425, 1427, 1432, 1506, 1557, 1664 (sic) (1646), 1835, and Conference Committee Report l to Senate Bill 1722 to the Committee on Licensed Activities - Senate Bills 1251, 1271 , 1272, 1274, 1275, 1276, 1447 , 1625 and 15857 re-referred from the Committee on Licensed Activities to the Rules Committee Senate Bill 15547 referred to the Committee on Local Government and Elections - Senate Bills 1306 , 1307 , 1565 and 1642; to the Committee on Public Health and Welfare - Senate Bills 1315 and 13727 to the Committee on Revenue - Senate Bills 1349, 1370, 1458, 1566, 1568 and 1867 ; to the Conmittee on State Government Operations - Senate Bills... Committee on State Government Operations - Senate Bills 1347, 1350 and 15557 to the Committee on Transportation - Senate Bill 1502: re-referred from the Comm ittee on Transpo rtation to the Rules Committee - Senate Bill 1213.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR WEAVER) For what purpose Senator Demuzio seek recognition?
Thank you , Mr . thank you r Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate . Want the record to reflect today that Senator Shaw is absent due to illness, and Senators Carroll and Collins are absent due to personal business this week .
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR WEAVER) The record shall so reflect. For what purpose Senator V iverito seek recognition?
Mr. President, point of privilege.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR WEAVER) State your point : sir .
We have a very special day, as we heard just a few moments ago about somebody that ls celebrating his birthday . And h is family , 5 STATE OF ILLINOIS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 81st Legislative Day March 3 , 1998 who has not been in the Senate Floor - and this is the first time they came down - I think they dre ready to support him and to wish him some happy birthday greetings. Senator Walsh.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR WEAVER) Congratulations, Senator Walsh . A re there further announcements , or anyone seek recognition? Senator Walsh .
Mr . President, point of personal priv ilege .
PRESIDING OFPICER: (SENATOR WEAVER) State your point , sir.
I would just like to say, Ladies and Gentlemen in the Senate, since I have taken over Senator Tom Dunn 's position about a year ago , it truly is a remarkable place for State government and all of you are truly good friendsz and I've enjoyed this past year tremendously . So , with my fam ily today -- yes, I am fifty years o1d and ... But anyway , I look forward to many , many more yea rs of working hand in hand with everybody down here . Thank you very much .
PRESIDING OFFICER : (SENATOR WEAVER) Happy birthday, Senatorr and welcome, to your fam ily . Is there further business to brinq before the Senate? If not , the Senate -- Senator Peterson moves that the Senate stand adjourned until noon , Wednesday , March the 4th . 6 REPORT: TIFLDAY STATE OF ILLINOIS 98/03/04 PAGE: 001 90TH GENERAL ASSEHBLY 11:10:08 SENATE DAILY TRANSCRIPTTON OF DEBATE INDEX MARCH 03, 1998 N0 BILLS FODND F0R GIVEN DATE SDBJECT MATTER SENATE T0 ORDER-SENâTOR WEAVER PAGE PRAYER-THE REVEREKD HICHAEL DEKTSCH PAGE 1 PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE PâGE 1 JODRVALS-APPROVED PàGE 1 MESSAGE FROH THE PRESIDENT PAGE 1 IKTRODVCTIQN QF GVESTS-SENATOR BERH:N PAGE 2 SENATE STANDS AT EASE AND RECONVENES PAGE 11 COMHITTEE REPORTS PAGE 11 ADJOKRNMENT PAGE 6