The regular Session of the 90th General Assembly will please come to order. W ill the Members please be at their desks? And w ill our guests in the galleries please rise? Our prayer today will be qiven by Reverend Phil Chiles, Crossroads United Methodist Church, Springfield, Illinois. Reverend Chiles.
(Prayer by the Reverend Philip Chiles)
Please remain standing for the Pledge of Allegiance. Senator Sieben .
(Pledge of Allegiance, led by Senator Sieben)
Reading of the Journal. Senator Myers .
Mr. President, I move that reading and approval of the Journal of Monday , January 11th , in the year 1999, be postponed y pending...
Could we have some -- just a little bit of order? I can't even hear the lady . Senator Myers .
Thank you. Mr. Presidentr I move that reading and approval of the Journal of Monday , January 11th , in the year 1999 , be postponed: pending arrival of the printed Journal.
Senator Myers moves to postpone the reading and approval of the Journal, pending the arrival of the printed transcript. There being no objection, so ordered. Committee Reports.
Senator Cronin , Chakr of the Comm ittee on Education , reports l STATE OF ILLINOIS 90TH GENERAL A SSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 120th Legislative Day January l2, 1999 Senate B ill 560, the First Conference Committee Report , Be Approved for Consideration .
Messages from the House .
Message from the House by Mr. Rossir 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 937, together with the following amendment : House Amendment 1 . Passed the House, as amended, January 11th, 1999.
PRESIDING OFFICER : (SENATOR MAITLAND) Resolukions .
Senate Resolutions 294 and 295 , offered by Senator Parker and all Members . They dre both death resolutions, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER : (SENATOR MAITLAND) Consent Calendar. Ladies and Gentlemen, if I could have your attention, please . We w ill soon be going Eo the O rder of House Bills 3rd Reading on page 2 of your regular Calendar today . A -- a number of Members are still evidently in their offices. If you would please come to the Floor. We 'll give you a few moments to - - to get here and theh we 'll proceed with the business. at hand . Senator Madigane for what purpose do you arisep sir?
Thank you, Mr. President. While wedre waiting, an announcement : that the Senate Insurance Comm ittee will meet at noon: in Room 400 . The Senate Insurance Committee at noon , in Room 400. 2 STATE OF ILLINOIS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGDLAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 120th Legislative Day January 12, 1999
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MAITLAND) Thank you, Senator Madigan. The Senake Insurance Committee will -- meet at 12 o 'clock noon, in Room 400. Senator Dillard, for what purpose do you arise, sir?
Thank you, Mr. President and Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate . I rise to ask leave of the Body to become the chief sponsor of Senake Bill 1598 and to add Senator Jim DeLeo as a hyphenated cosponsor to that bill - Senate Bill 1598.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MAITLAND) Xou heard the motion. Is there objection? Leave is granted, Senator Dillard. All right, Ladies and Gentlemen, if I can have your attention, please . As previously announced , we are going to go to House Bills 3rd Readinv, on page 2 of the Calendar. A11 right. House Billsr top of page 2. House Bill 448. Senator Radogno -- Radogno? Read the bill, Mr. Secretary.
House Bill 448 . (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MAITLAND) Senator Radogno .
Thank you, Mr. President. This bill, as amended, does three things...
PRESIDING OFPICER: (SENATOR MAITLAND) Excuse me just a minute, Senator Radogno. Ladies and Gentlemen, we are on House Bills 3rd Reading, which means this is final passage. Please give Senator Radogno your attention. Senator Radogno .
Thank you. Again, this bill does three things. does amend 3 STATE OF ILLINOIS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 120th Legislative Day January l2, 1999 the special ed sectlon of the School Code to codify the role of school social workers . Secondly : it allows khe Chicago Board of Education to hire a secretary , rather than using one of their members in khat role. And thirdly, it allows a school district that meets certain qualifications eo use a previous , raeher ehan the most current, census in determining their poverty count. I'd be happy to try to answer any questions.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MAITLAND) Is there discussion? Is there discussion? If not, the question is, shall House Bill 448 pass. Those in favor will vote Aye. Opposed, Nay. The voting is open. Have a1l voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Take the record , Mr . Secretary . On that question, there are 57 Ayese no Naysr no Members voting Present. House Bill 448, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. House Bill 2688. Read the bill, Mr. Secretary.
House Bill 2688. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill .
PRESIDING OFPICER: (SENATOR MAITLAND) Senator Burzynski .
Thank you y Mr . President , Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate . This is the Much long awaited ...
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MAITLAND) Senator Burzynski, excuse me just a Moment, please. Senaeor Burzynski.
Thank you , M r. President. This is the rewrite of the Real Estate Act, and it 's been in the works for many, many monkhs now . And be more than happy to answer any questions . 4 STATE OF ILLINO IS 90TH GENEàAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION 1 SENATE TRANSCRIPT ! i 120th Legislative Day January l2, 1999
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MAITLAND) Is -- is there discussion? Is there discussion? Senator 1 Geo-:aris. I ! SENATOR GEO- KARIS : 1 Sponsor yield for a question? PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MAITLAND) ! Indicates he will yield , Senator Geo-Karis. i
I can't get your bill here on my computer, so could you tell I : me What the main change is in this bill?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MAITLAND) Senator Burzynski I . :
Thank you, Mr. President. As I've indicated, this is -- repeals the Real Estate -- Real Estate License Act of '83 and I ! ! creates the Real Estate License Act of 1999 . This is a total rewrite of the Realtors ' Act. It is organized into several different articles, but it does maintain the same basic licensing I requirements and regulatory structure as exist in current laws ! , y but it does reorganize and update the laws . Other than that, Senator, without going into great deta il -- we can -- we can talk about it . I 1d be more than happy to answer any other questions, b ! ut it does basically maintain many of the same provisions of the k ( original bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MAITLAND) Senato r Geo-Karis . SENATOR GEO KARIS :- , I ! Senator, is there a grandfather clause on this -- on the real estate brokers? PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MAITLAND) j Senator Burzynski.
i i 5 STATE OF ILLINOIS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 120th Legislative Day January l2 , 1999 Yes . Thank you r Senator Geo-Karis . Yes, that clause has been reinstated in this particular rewrite .
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MAITLAND) Is there further discussion? Senator Radogno .
I have a question.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MAITLAND) Indicates he Will yield : Senator Radogno .
Thank you. Does this require community colleges to pay a fee for the real estate courses?
PRESIDING OPFICER: (SENATOR MAITLAND) Senator Burzynski.
Senator, that has been a topic of discussion, and it Was my understanding that we were go ing to try and address that . I have not heard from the community college system to date whether or not they are comfortable with what has been in this bill. I do know that there are some discussions that are ongoing, and that when this comes to JCAR, that 's one of *he issues that we dre going to have ko discuss.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MAITLAND) Is there further discussion? Furkher discussion? If not, the question is, shall House Bill 2688 pass . Those in favor will vote Aye . Opposed , Nay . The voting is open . Have a1l voted who wish? Have all voted . w ho wish? Have al1 voted who Wish? Take the record , M r. Secretary . On tha t question, there are 58 Ayes, no Nays , no Members voting Present. House Bill 2688 , having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. House Bill 2805. Senator Burzynski. Read the bill, Mr . Secreta ry .
House Bill 2805. 6 STATE OF ILLINO IS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCR IPT 120th Legislative Day January l2, 1999 (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill. PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MAITLAND) I Senator Burzynski. SENATOR BURZYNSKI : I ! Thank you , M r. President. As you might recall, when we changed the governance system of our State universities, we also l changed the terms of the individuals serving as trustees on those boards; indicated that they served only until their term expired. The problem we have right now is the fact that their terms have expired; our new incoming Governor has not had the opportunity to ( make those appointments yet to fill those boards. So we 're allowing them , under this bill, the opportunity to continue transacting business during this time frame.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MAITLAND) ! Is there discussion? Discussion? Senator Rauschenberqer.
Thank you. Question of khe sponsor.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MAITLAND) Indicates he will yield , Senator Rauschenberger . (
Senator Burzynski, nothing in the bill any longer applies to the Procurement Code? The underlying bill was completely removed in the process of amendment? E PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MAITLAND) i Senator Burzynski. 1
Yes, that's my understandidgp Senator.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MAITLAND) Further discussion? Further discussion? If not, the question is, shall House Bill 2805 pass. Those in favor will vote Aye. l E Opposed , Nay . The voting is open . Have all voted who w ish? Have q 7 STATE OF ILLINOIS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY ! REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 120th Legislative Day January l2r 1999 a1l voted who wish? Have a11 voted who wish? Take the record, Mr. Secretary. On that question, there are 58 Ayesr no Nays, no Members voting Present. House Bill 2805, having received the I required constitutional majority, is declared passed. Senator E Hendon, did you have a -- a... A1l right. Committee Reports. i
Senator Weaver, Chair of the Committee on Rules, reports the ! f I ollowing Legislative Measures have been assigned : Referred to ' the Committee on Appropriations - Senate Amendment 2 to House Bill I 871: and Be Approved for Consideration - Senate Bill 1598 and the ! Motion to Concur with House Amendment 1 to Senate Bill 937. PRESIDING OFFICER ! : (SENATOR MAITLAND) Senator Rauschenberger, for what purpose do you arise, sir? ! SENATOR RAUSCHENBSRGER : ! For -- for purposes of an ahnouncement . PRESIDING OFFICER 1 : (SENATOR MAITLAND) Please state your announcement, sir. I i
The Senate Appropriations Committee will meet today at 12 noon, in the Stratton Building, A-l, to hear an amendment dealing with language corrections - no additional appropriation of dollars; language corrections only. Room A-l in Stratton at 1 12 noon . I
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MAITLAND) Senate Appropriations Committee , Stratton Building , A-1 . ' Senator -- Senator Watson, for what purpose do you arise, sir?
Yes. Thank you, Mr. President. Point of personal privilege.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MAITLAND) Please state your pointy sir.
Yes . Thank you . Over the holidays, while we were gone , a -- I 8 STATE OF ILLINOIS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGDLAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 120th Legislative Day January l2 r 1999 a najor milestone took place by one of our Members. Dave Luechtefeldr coach of the Okawville Rockets, won his seven hundredth high school basketball game - seven hundred victories. Only the tenth coach in the history of Illinois to achieve such an accomplishment. And I've -- unfortunately it was at expense of a team from my district. Butz anyway, certainly want to congratulate Dave . He ls been a -- a real -- a role model for khe kids at Okawville High School . He has five -- or, four wonderful children, one who plays basketball currently for St. Louis University, the Billikens, Ryan, his youngest son. And he's just an outstanding individual and a qreat individual to have coaching our young kids in -- in this State. I just want to congratulate him on this accomplishment and appreciate his work.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MAITLAND) Senator Luechtefeld, congratulations. Senator Luechtefeld, congratulations. You know , this Sta te has somewhat of a history now of coaches going on to bigger and better things, so who knows What's in the future for you, sir. Senator Luechtefeld, for what purpose do you arise, sir?
You know e that 's really not that great a feat . Al1 you have to do is win ten games for seventy years in a row. And it's not that bad .
PRESIDING OFFICER : (SENATOR MAITLAND) Senator Syverson, for What purpose do you arise?
Well, there was another milestone: that, this week Dan Cronin lost his six hundredth case in court . And I think we should also make mention of that.
PRESIDING OFFICER : (SENATOR MAITLAND) Senator Luechtefeld, for what purpose do you arise, sir?
9 STATE OF ILLINOIS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 120th Legislative Day January l2, 1999 Point of personal prkvilege .
PRESIDING OFPICER: (SENATOR MAITLAND) Please state your pointr sir.
I have tWo constituents in the balcony that I would like the Senate to welcome. From southern Illinois: Barb Files and Bob Wolfe. Would you please stand and be welcomed by the Senate?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MAITLAND) Would our guests in the gallery please rise and be recognized by the Senate? Welcome to Springfield. Senator Burzynski, for what purpose do you arise, sir?
Personal privilege .
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MAITLAND) Please state your point.
Thank you . I Would like to recognize a couple of guests we have in the gallery -- directly behind me this morning : Jerry and Jean Fiordelisi, from Rockford, a couple of my constituents. I'd like fo r them to be recognized by the Senate . PRESIDING OFFICER J (SENATOR MAITLAND) Will our guests in the gallery please rise, be recognized by the Senate? Welcome to Springfield. Supplemental Calendar No. l is presently being distributed. We'll go to that order of business in just a moment. Senator Cullerton, for what purpose do you arise p sir?
Thank you , Mr . President, Members of ehe Senate . I wondered if we could recognize the mother of one of our new Senators Who ls here with us on the Senate Floor . Her name is Shirley Madigan. Apd her daughter is Lisa Madigan. Senator Lisa Madigan and Shirley Madigan, her mother, is here. If you could please... 10 STATE OF ILLINOIS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 120th Legislativé Day January 12, 1999
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MAITLAND) Shtrley Madigan, Welcome to Springfield. Senator Molaro, for what purpose do you arise, sir?
Thank you. A point of order while wefre waiting here. I don 't want ko take up the Senate 's time . But wouldn 't it have been more appropriate for Senator Viverito -- since Mrs. Madigan is a constituent of Senator Viverito, I thought it Was the unwritten rule of this Chamber that since she is a constituent of Senator Viverito, if there was going to be a welcome from the Senate: a formal welcome, that it would come from Senator Viverito and not Senator Cullerton. I know it's too late to do itr but maybe we can admonish Senator Cullerton of our unwritten rule.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MAITLAND) Your -- your point is well-taken, Senator Molaro. Al1 right, Ladies and Gentlemen , Supplemental Calendar No . l has been dlstributed. It is on your desk. On that Supplemental Calendar, on the Order of Concurrence , is Senate Bill 937 . Read the bill r Mr . Secretary .
I move to concur with the House in the adoption of their Amendmenk No . l to Senate Bill 937. The motion filed by Senator Peterson.
PRESIDING OPFICER: (SENATOR MAITLAND) Senator Peterson .
Thank your Mr. President. The amendment -- I move to concur with Amendment l from the House. And What Amendment l does is incorporate House -- Senate Bill -- House Bill 533 , which passed out of the Senate earlier this year, and what -- or, last year , basically. What it does is chanqe the effective date. The bill itself has to do with technological equipment, extending the lease 11 STATE OF ILLINOIS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 120th Legislative Day , January 12, 1999 sales tax base. Instead of applying the tax at the point of sale, y ik's done over the period of the lease and the money is 1 redistributed to the local governments through the Local Government Distributive Fund. I ask for concurrence with ! Amendment l to Senate Bill 937 . ! PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MAITLAND) ' Senator Peterson has moved to concur with House M endment No . j l to Senate Bill 937 . Is there:discussion? Is there discussion? ! SenatorDemuzio. j : SENATOR DEMUZIO : Wellr thank you. I know everybody is kind of busy here, but I just grabbed the -- the analysis of thisr and I read the first I line and I'm -- I'm -- I'M tryinq to recall what took place here. But the first line says : Effective July the lst of 199 , imposes i an eight-and-a-quarter gross receipts tax upon persons engaged in the leasing of q l ualifiedeechnologicalequipment. Nowto had an opportunity to read this bill. Would you want ,Ih aven'k run me 1 j through again here what welre about to do here? This is a new tax that wefre imposing? ' ' PRESIDING OPFICER: (SENATOR MAIQLAND) ! Senator Peterson . SENATOR PETERSON : I We 're replacing ; it goes from the use tax to the sales tax -- to the distributive tax. PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MAITLAND) i Senator Peterson . SENATOR PETERSON : It is a new tax , but we got rid of the o1d tax that we had before . It 's a new occupational tax . PRESIDING OPFICER: (SENATOR MAITLAND) 1 ! Senator Demuzio. SENATOR DEMUZIO : ! 12 STATE 0F ILLINOIS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 120th Legislative Day January l7p 1999 Soe we got rid of the old tax. A1l wefre doing is making this - - the numbers -- the percentage is the same. Only thing is we 're taxing gross receipts rather than -- than sales tax. Is that -- is that -- is that what -- what I1m told? '
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MAITLAND) Senator Peterson .
That's correct. And we 're extending it over the time of the lease .
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MAITLAND) Further discussion? Further discussion? All riçht, Ladies and Gentlemenr this is final action. The question is, shall the Senate concur in House Amendment No. l to Senake Bill 937. Those in favor will vote Aye. Opposed, Nay. The voting ts open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who w ish? Have al1 voted who Wish? Take the record, Mr. Secretary. On that question, there are 44 Ayes, 6 Nays, 5 Members voting Present. The Senate does concur in House Amendment No. l ko Senate Bill 937. And the bill, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed . WBBM Tv-channel 2 Chicaqo has request permission to record the proceedinqs. Is leave granted? Leave is granted. Al1 right . On Supplemental Calendàr is Senate Bill 1598 . This is a -- will be a nonconcurrence motion to Senate Bill 1598. Read the bill , Mr . Secreta ry . SECRETARV HARRY ) Senate Bill 1598, with House Amendments 1, 2: 4 and 5.
PRESIDING OFFICER : (SENATOR MAITLAND) Senator Dillard .
Thank you, Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate. I would move that We nonconcur With House Amendments No. 2, 4 and 5. So I move that we nonconcur in Amendments le 2, 4 and 5 13 STATE OF ILLINOIS 90TH GBNERAL ASSEMBLX l REGULAR SESSION SENATE QRANSCRIPT 120th Legislative Day January l2: 1999 I I from the House .
PRESIDING OFFICSR: (SENATOR MAITLAND) Senator Dillard has moved to nonconcur in House Amendments 1, 1 2, 4 and 5. Those in favorr signify by saying Aye. The same 1 sign. Motion is carried. The motion does carry and the Secretary shall so inform the House. .l.supplemental Calendar No . 1, once againy is Senate Bill 560, on the Order of Conference Committee Reports. Mr. Seeretary: do you have on file a conference committee report on Senate Bill 5602
Yes , M r. President. It 's the First Conference Comm kttee Report on Senate Bill 560.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MAITLAND) Ladies and Gentlemen, I know this is a -- a festive Week, but that doesn 't minimize the importance of the work that wedre doing here. So please give the sponsors of the bills your attention. ! Senator O 'Malley. 1 SENATOR O 'MALLEY: 1 ! Thank you, Mr. President. Senate Bill No. 560, Conference . i Committee Report No. 1, contains a number of provisions that amend I the School Code. The first of those creates the Health/Life Safety (Code) Advisory Committee. Basically it requires urgent healthcare safety items to be repaired within one year. There's another provision that has to do with school bus driver permits. Currently the State Board is to conduck school bus driver education courses and charge fees up to four dollars per person to - - fourdollarsperpersontothosetakingthem. The conference 1 report requires the State Board to seek additional annual 1 appropriations to supplement, not -- not displace , those programs 1 and fees . With respect to bonding authorityz provides that a school diserict may qive public notice of a proposed bond , referendum either as provided in Section 12. -- 12-1, or where the 1 14 j STAQE OF ILLINO IS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMRLX REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCR IPT 120th Legislative Day January l2, 1999 election is held on or after November 1, 1998, pursuant to the provisions of section 12-5. Another provision deals with State ! teacher certification. Delays the implementation of House Bill 452's teacher certification provisions. This Will delay the ' implementation of the procedures pending winter and spring negokiations. Another provision deals With driver ed reimbursement claims. Those received by the State Board after September 1, but before Ockobek 1, 1998 , are to be paid as ehough they were received before September 1. An additional provision makes changes regardinq the disclosure of student records necessary to conform khe Act's student record disclosure provisions to the Juvenile Justlce Reform Act. And finally, the Chicago School Reform Board of Trustees has requested that the . position of board secretary no longer be that of a member, but of an employee. As an employee, the secretary would have those duties prescribed by the Board. And I'd be happy ko answer any questions there may be . PRESIDING OFFICER : (SENATOR MAITLAND) ' Is there discussion? Is there discussion? If not, the ! ! question is, shall the Senate -- I1m sorry. Senator Link, for ! what purpose do you arise, sir? I SENATOR LINK : 1 . Will the sponsor yield for a question? I PRESIDING OFFICER : (SENATOR MAITLAND) I Indicates he will yield, Senator Link. 1 . SENATOR LINK: I ' Senator O'Malley, does this rectify the bonding problem that the school districts in Lake County have incurred durin: the last I election? I ' PRESIDING OFFICER j : (SENATOR MAITLAND) 1 Senztor O 'Zailey . ' SENATOR O 'MALLEX : E I 15 STATE OF ILLINOIS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 120th Legislative Day January 12e 1999 Senator Link, Ilm advised by our staff that according to Chapman & Cutler, that that is the case .
PRESIDING OPFICER: (SENATOR MAITLAND) Senator Link .
Yes. Then I -- then I rise in strong Support, because I think this is something we have to do here to solve this problem that we have up in Lake County so that these school districts will have this bondinq referendum and we can gee going with the projects that the voters have decided on . Thank you .
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MAITLAND) Further discussion? Senator Geo-Karis.
Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate, I heartily concur wlth Senator Link 's remarks, and we ask an urqency to pass this, because there are two sections - one is in the Eleetion Code; one in the School Code - and thak's where they had the problem . So we ask your support .
PRESIDING OPFICER: (SENATOR MAITLAND) Further discussion? If not, the question is, shall the Senate adopt the Conference Committee Report on Senate Bill 560. Those in favor will vote Aye. Opposed, Nay. The voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have a11 voted who wish? Take the record, Mr. Secretary. On that question, khere are 57 Ayes, no Nays, l Member havlng voted Present. The Senate does adopt the Conference Committee Repor: on Senate Bill 560. And the bill , having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. Ladies and Gentlemen, welll just stand at ease for a few moments , please . (SENATE STANDS AT EASE) 16 j ! 90S TT HAT GEN0RAL EF ILA LS IN SO EM IS REGULAR SESSION BLY SENATE TRANSCRIPT 120th Legislative Day January à2 , 1999 (SENATE RECONVENES) PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MAITLAND) Senator Karpiel, for what purpose do you arise? SENATOR KARPIEL : Thank you: Mr. President. I'd like to announce a Republican Caucus at 12:15 in Senator Pate Philip 's Office. PRESIDING OFFICER : (SENATOR MAITLAND) All right. Republican Caucus at 12:15 in Senator Philip's Office. Senator Demuzio, for what purpose do you arise, sir? SENATOR DEMUZIO : I just have a -- how long do you think it might last? PRESIDING OPFICER: (SENATOR MAITLAND) I was -- I was just getting ready to make that announcement, Senator Demuzio . My suggestion is that the Senate would stand in recess until the hour of l o'clock. The Senate stands in recess to the hour of l o 'clock . Senator Welch , for what purpose do yau arise: sir? SENATOR WELCH : Inquiry of the Chair. What is going to happen to the Appropriations Committee meeting? I thought that was 12:30. PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MAITLAND) I believe, Senator Welch, itls 12 o 'clock, and it's a short order of business . Okay? Any further announcements? Senate stands in recess until the hour of l o 'clock. (SENATE STANDS IN RECESS) (SENATE RECONVENES) 17 I : . STATE OF ILLINOIS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY ! REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCR IPT I I I E 120th Leqislative Day January 12, 1999 PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR WATSON) Advise the Membership that are in your offices to return to the Floor. We Will return into Session in a brief moment. Mr. Secretary , Comm ittee Reports . SECRETARY NAQRY : ! Senator Rauschenberger, ' Chair of the Committee on Appropriations, reports Senate Amendment No. 2 to House Bill 87l Be Adopted . And, Senator Madigan, Chair of the Committee on Insurance and Pensions , reports Senate Bill 417, the First Conference Committee Report, Be Approved for Consideration; Senate Amendments 3 and 4 to Senate Bill 1921 Be Adopted; and Senate Amendments 2 and 3 to . House Bill 3814 Be Adopted. PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR WATSON) Mr. Secretary, Messages from the House. SECRETARY HARRY : Message from the House by Mr. Rossie 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 930, together with the following Amendment which is attached, in the adoption of which I am instructed to ask tbe concurrence of the Senate, to wit: House Amendment No . 1 to Senate Bill 930. Passed the House r as amended , January 12th , 1999 . We have a like Message on Senate Bill 200 with House Amendments 1, 4 and 5. A lso passed the House , as amended : January 12th , 1999 . PRESIDING OFFICER : (SENATOR WATSON) Once again , I remind the Members that -- return to the Floor so we can proceed with the business of the Senate . It 's the intention of the Chair to go to page 2 of the Calendar, Senate 18 ! i I STATE OF ILLINOIS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 120th Legislative Day January l2, 1999 Bills 3rd Reading, Senate Bill 1921 - Amendment No. 3 sponsored by k Senator Donahue and Amendment No . 4 sponsored by Senator -- Senator Luechtefeld. Excuse me. Senator Donahue seeks leave of the Body to return Senate Bill 1921 to the Order of 2nd Readin: for the purpose of an amendment. Is there an objection? Hearing none: leave is granted. 0n the Order of 2nd Reading is Senate Bill 1921. Madam Secretary, are there any Floor amendments approved for considerakion?
Amendment No. 3, offered by Senator Donahue.
PRESIDING OFPICER : (SENATOR WATSON ) Senator Donahue, to explain the amendment.
Thank you very much, Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate. Amendment No . 3 to Senate Bill 1921 simply says that the State shall pay the cost. When we gek to 3rd Reading to discuss the bill, you will find out in what context that the State will pay . But the cost of this is about seventy-seven thousand dollars initially and will be -- will increase sllghtly and then reduce itself to zero by the time the end of the bill -- the i duration of what the bill 's process is. So I would move for its adoption to Senate Amendment No. 3 to Senate Bill 1921. i
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR WATSON) Is there any discussion? Is there any discussion? If not, all those in favor, say Aye. Opposed, Nay. The Ayes have it. ' The amendment is adopted. Are there any further Floor amendments applove; for conskGeration? .
Amendment No . 4, offered by Senator Luechtefeld . i
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR WATSON) Senator Luechtefeld.
1 19 STATE OF ILLINOIS 90TH GENERAL A SSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 120th Legislative Day January l2, 1999 Thank you, M r. President , Members of the Senate. Amendment to -- to Senate Bill -- or, 1921 adds to the bill language further amending the State Employee Group Health Insurance Act. The language allows the SURS members employed before July 7th, 1997, to choose between the old plan or the new 2.2 plan. There's a group of these people who were kind of left out of -- of the 2.2 plan that we passed two years ago . This would allow them to choose; not taking the best of both worlds, but certainly choosing between one of the two plans .
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR WATSON) Is there any discussion? Is there any discussion? If not r 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, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR WATSON) 3rd Reading. We are on page the top of page 2, Senate Bills 3rd Reading. We do have Senate Bill 1921, sponsored by Senator Donahue. Senator Donahue . Please: Madam Secretary , read the bill.
Senate Bill 1921. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill .
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR WATSON) Senator Donahue .
Thank you very much, Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate. Senate Bill 1921 corrects a problem that we did in 1984 dealing with the Cooperative Extension employees at the University of Illinois. And many of youy I'm sure, have heard 20 STATE OF ILLINOIS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLX REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 120th Legislative Day January 12g 1999 from some of your constituents that are in this situation. But it deals with the health insurance for their spouse, not the health insurance, necessarily, for the -- for the annuitant, but for the spouse. And what happened, back in the early l900s actuallyr they were not given a choice; they were forced to take benefits from the federal government and the 'insurance for the State. And in 1984 we changed that inadvertently . And this bill : 1921 , corrects the problem , and it simply says thak, for the spouse, We Will pick up the insurance, like we do for every other employee -- State employee . They are considered State employees through the university system. And I would simply ask for your support. This is a very important bill and the issue is very important, and I would ask for your support. Now -- oh! And if I could, if I could ask leave of the President to -- that 's what the initial bill does. The part that Senator Luechtefeld added, I would request that he have the opportunity to explain thatz please .
PRESIDING OPFICER : (SENATOR WATSON) Senator Luechtefeld .
Thanks, Mr. President and Member of the -- Members of the Senate . Amendment 4 simply corrects something that I -- that I feel was a -- a wrong to many employees at the university -- in the University Retirement System with the 2.2 that we passed tWo years ago . This basically allows, as I said earlier , those employees, many of them , and especially the lower-paid employeesz the ability to stay on the o1d plan if they so choose. Many will not because the other plan will maybe make khings better for them as far as retirement and also even if they stay on sixteen, seventeen years r they will also receive a very big part of their health insurance . Simp ly feel that th is Was a promise that the State made to these people and khen we broke that contract. I would ask for your suppo rt. 21 STATE OF ILLINOIS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT ! 120th Legislative Day Janua ry l2 y 1999 PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR WATSON) ! . Further discussion? Senator Welch.
I've got a question of the sponsor.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR WATSON) Sponsor indicates she lll yieldr Senator Welch.
Senator, could you tell me the cost of this bill and the I anticipated future cost?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR WATSON) Senator Donahue . '
I know that the initial part is about seventy-seven thousand, and the part that Senator Luechtefeld is talking about is about twenty-three million over twenty years -- ten years 1 . l PRESIDING OFFICER I : (SENATOR WATSON) j Senator Welch .
Ten years . Twenty ...
And the seventy-seven thousand is the annual cost of the part that you 're handling? Okay . !
PRESIDING OFFICER : (SENATOR WATSON) Senator Donahue . Senator Donahue .
Thank you. Seventy-seven thousand for the part dealing With the Cooperative Extension. THe part dealing With -- Senator Luechtefeld 's part would be about twenty million over ten years. i PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR WATSON) i ( Further discussion? Further discussion? If not, the question i 1 is -- would the sponsor like to close? Question is, shall Senate Bill 1921 pass. All those in favor, vote Aye. Opposed, vote No. 22 STATE OF ILLINO IS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCR IPT 120th Legislative Day January l2, 1999 The voting is open . Have all voted who wish? Have a11 voted who w ish? Have all voted who wish? Take the record . On that question, there are 58 voting Yes, no voting No, voting Present. The bill, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed . Senator Rauschenberger, do you seek leave of the Body to return House Bi11 871 to the Order of 2nd Reading for the purpose of an amendment? The sponsor does seek leave. Is there any objection? Hearing none, leave is granted. On the Order of 2nd Reading is House Bill 871. Madam Secretary, are there any Floor amendments approved for consideration?
Yes . Amendment No . 2 , offered by Senator Rauschenberger .
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR WATSON) Senator Rauschenberger.
Thank youe Mr . President, Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate . Ploor Amendment No . 2 to House Bill 87l makes the corrections on the legislative projects that were drafted in error in our haste last May. There are forty-four projects that receive minor changes out of some, nearl# I think, tWo thousand different provisions that we had in the bill. Theydre mostly minor. They a re no increase or decrease in the amount of funds expended . They simply correct the names of people who were supposed to get grants, et cetera . We heard it in committee . I'd be happy to answer questions.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR WATSON ) Any discussion? Is there any discussion? If not, all those in favor, say Aye . Opposed p Nay . The Ayes have itg and the amendment is adopted . Are there any further Floor amendments approved for consideration?
No further amendments reported, Mr. President. 23 STATS OF ILLINOIS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLX REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 120th Legislative Day January 12z 1999
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR WATSON) 3rd Reading . And we are on page 2, House Bills 3rd Reading, House Bill 871. Madam Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 871 . (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of ehe bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR WATSON) Senator Rauschenberger.
Thank your Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate. This is final action on an appropriation bill that corrects drafting errors that were made in the May appropriation bill. It affects some forty-four individual legislative initiatives. I would appreciate favorable consideration.
PRESIDING OFFICER : (SENATOR WATSON) Is there any discussion? Any discussion? If not, the question is, shall House Bill 87l pass . All those in favor, vote Aye. Opposed , vote No . The voting is open. Have a1l voted who wish? Have all voted who wish ? Have all voted who wish? Take the record . On that question , there are 58 voting Yes, no voting No, no voting Present. Rouse Bill 871, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. Senator Hendon, for what purpose do you rise, sir?
Thank you, Mr. President. Point of personal privilege.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR WATSON) State your point.
Thank you , M r. President . I wanted to , as my last official act as Chairman of the Senate Black Caucus, invite everyone to our inaugural ball tomorrow at the Hilton, at 2:30. We have a lovely 24 I STATE OF ILLINOIS 90TH GENEKAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 120th Legislative Day January l2 , 1999 pin lapel for all legislators: reqardless of party. It's a nonpartisan ball, at the Hilton, tomorrow at 2:30. I appreciate the opportunity to make that announcement . If you can 't make the ball , we will bring your pin apd your lapel to your office on Thursday. So thak's tomorrow at 2:30, bipartisan inauqural ball. I ! i Thank you , M r... E PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR WATSON) Thank you, Senator. Senator Cronin, for what purpose do you rise, sir? . SENATOR CRONIN : ' For a point of personal privilege. I just wanted to point out to the -- my colleagues here in the Senate that wedre joined by the esteemed Dupage County State 's Attorney, Joe Birketk, and his lovely wife, Patti, over in the gallery above the Republican side. Let's give 'em a Springfield welcome. PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR WATSON) Please rise , and welcome to Sp ringfield . We 've had requests for videotapin: by WclA-channel 3 and Channel 20 wants to take photographs. Is there any objection? Senator Syverson, for whak purpose do you rise, sir? SENATOR SYVERSON : Thank you z M r. President . Point of personal privileqe. In the gallery behind us, as well as Dan's guests, We have our County Clerk from Winnebaqo County, John Schou. John, welcome. PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR WATSON) Welcome to Sprinsfield, John. Senator Myers, for what purpose do you rise, ma dam ? SENATOR MYERS : Mr. President, a point of personal privilege. PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR WATSON) Please state your point. j ! SENATOR MYERS : 25 STATE OF ILL INOIS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLV I REGULAR SESSION ; SENATC TRANSCRIPT 120th Legislative Day January l2, 1999 1 In the qallery behind me is the Mayor of Sheldon, Illinois, in my district. I'd like to introduce him: Mr. John Young.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR WATSON) Mayor Young, welcome to Springfield. Will you please rise and be reeoqnized by the Senate? Senator Trotter, for what purpose do you rise , sir? q
Point of personal privileqe: sir. !
PRESIDING OFFICER : (SENATOR WATSON) Please proceed : Senator Trotter. SENATOR TROTTER : 4 ; I would like to take this opportunity just to acknowledge to our august Chamber that my political leader, the President of the C ! ook County Boardr John Stroger, is With us this afternoon. And p will we please welcome him?
PRESIDING OFFICER : (SENATOR WATSON) President Stroqer, welcome to the Senate . Glad to have you 1 here Sir. Senator Trotter . '
And -- and excuse me. And I -- I Would be remiss not to ' mention he js also with his lovely wife. j PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR WATSON) ; Very good . M rs. Stroger, we dre glad to have you here . Appreciate the Membership turning to page 2. Under House Bills 3rd Reading , you see House Bill 3814, has Senakor Philip as sponsor. That has been changed and it is noW Senator Maitland. And I believe Senator Maitland seeks leave of the Body to return House Bill 3814 to the O rder of 2nd Reading for the purpose of an amendment. Is there any objection? Hearing none, leave is granted. On the Order of 2nd Reading is House Bill 3814. Madam Secretary , are there any Floor amendments app roved for consideration? 26 I ! STATE OF ILLINOIS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 120th Legislative Day January l2, 1999 ACTING SECRETARY HAWKER : Amendment No. 2, offered by Senator Maitland. PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR WATSON) Senakor Maitland. SENATOR MAITLAND : Thank you -- thank you very much -- thank you very much , Mr . President and Members of the Comm ittee . Amendment No . 2 to House Bill 3814 does a number of khings and, frankly, I'm -- I'm prepared to explain the amendment in detail if anyone wants me to . Generally , they are technical amendments on -- on SURS , the State University Rekirement System : that needed to be taken care of in this -- in this Session. I'm going to follow with a second ' amendment - a second amendment .- that will delete some of the more controversial porttons of this amendment that House Democrats had a problem with. Mr. President, I'm prepared to answer any questions on the amendment should any Member seek -- seek one, and otherwise would move for the adoption of Amendment No. 2. PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR WATSON) Further discussion? Senator Cullerton. SENATOR CULLERTON : Would the sponsor yield? PRESIDINC OFFICER: (SENATOR WATSON) Sponsor indicates he 'll yield , Senator Cullerton . SENATOR CULLERTON : Senator, I apologize; it's possible that you may have covered this. With regard to this amendment, and we discussed it in committee, we understand that youlre also going to adopt Amendment No . 3 and you would not call the bill unless both Amendment No. 2 and 3 are on the bill . Is thak correct? PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR WATSON) Senator Maitland . SENATOR MAITLAND : I 27 ' STATC OF ILLINO IS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLX REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 120th Legislative Day January l2, 1999 That is correct .
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR WATSON) Any other discussion? Any other discussion? If not, 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?
Amendment No . 3, offered by Senator Maitland .
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR WATSON) Senator Maitland.
Thank you very much, Mr. President: Members of the Senate. Amendment No. 3 deletes those objectional -- objectional parts of the amendment that were discussed in -- in comm ittee . And once again, Mr. President: I'm prepared to give a detailed explanation if any Member should so desire. Would move for the adoption.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR WATSON) Is there any discussion? Is there any discussion? If not, al1 those in favor, say Aye . Opposed , Nay . The Ayes have it, and the amendment is adopted. Any further Floor amendments approved for consideration?
No further amendments reported p Mr . President. PRESIDING OFFICER ) (SENATOR WATSON) 3rd Reading. We 're now on the Order of 3rd Reading, middle of page on the Calendar, House Bill 3814. Madam Seeretary, please read the bill .
House Bill 3814. (Seeretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill .
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR WATSON) 28 STATE OF ILLINOIS 90TH GEKERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAK SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 120th Leglslative Day January l2, 1999 Senator Maitland .
Thank you very much, Mr. Prèsident, Members of the Senate. Once again, we're dealing with House Bill 3814, as amended. And esseneially the bill now does -- does three things. It, first of all, deals with an issue that Senator Weaver had in Senate Bill 1270, Which addresses the U of I firefighters to continue participation in SURS after the department Was to be eliminated by the University, and this is a technical amendment to that bill, or to what we did in Senate Bill 1270. Secondlyy there's technical language needed to specify how the reciprocal Act will apply to SURS . And that 's component number two . Component number th ree , it amends the SURS article to make it like State Employees' Retirement System and TRS. The seckion is amended to deleke a requirement that a annuitant's benefit be reduced upon being employed in a SERS- or a TRs-covered position. I'd be happy to respond to any questions.
PRESIDING OFFICER : (SENATOR WATSON) Is there any discussion? Is there any discussion? If not, the question is, shall House Bill 3814 pass. A1l those in favor, vote Aye . Opposed , vote No . The voking is open . Have a11 voted who Wish? Have a11 voted who w ish? ...all voted who wish? Take the record. On that questionr there are 57 voting Yes, no voting No, 2 voting Presenk. House Bill 3814, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. Madam Secretary , Comm ittee Reports .
Senator Weaver, Chairman of the Committee on Rules, reports that the following Legislative Measures have been assigned: Refer to Environment and Energy Committee - Conference Committee Report No. l to Senate Bill 299, Senate Amendment No. 3 to House Bill 32567 refer to Local Government and Elections Comm ittee - Motion 29 STATE OF ILLINOIS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 120th Legislative Day January l2, 1999 to Concur with House Amendments 4 and 5 to Senate Bill 200 : and Be Approved for Consideration - Motion to Concur with House Amendmenk No. l to Senate Bill 930 and House Bill 3256. Filed by Senator Stanley B. Weaver, January l2, 1999, No. 2.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR WATSON) Senakor Mahar, for what purpose do you rise, sir?
The for the purpose of an announcement, Mr. President. The Senate Environment and Energy Committee will meet in Room 400, at 4 :05 . 400 - that 's a change in rooms. 400.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR WATSON) Thank you. Senator Bomke, for what purpose do you rise?
Thank you, Mr. President. For purpose of an announcement. To announce that the Local Government and Election Committee will meet ak 4:15, in Room 400, or immediately following the Energy and Environment Committee. Thank you .
PRESIDING OFFICER : (SENATOR WATSON) Very good. We 're waiting on a Supplemental Calendar, so we would hope that the Members would stay close to earshot. Hopefully that Calendar will be available shortly and we Will be able to proceed. So, the request of the Chair: that all of us stay right here.
PRESIDING OFFICER : (SENATOR DUDYCZ) Supplemental Calendar No. 2 is bein: distributed on the Members ' desks . We will be going to that order of business shortly . Senator Watson will be on Senate Bill 930, on Supplemental Calendar No . 2 . Supplemental Calendar No . 2 has been distributed to the Members. On Supplemental Calendar No. 2 is the Order of Concurrence . Senate Bill 930 . M r. Secreta ry , read the motion .
30 STATE OF ILLINO IS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCR IPT 120th Leg islative Day January l2y 1999 I move to concur with the House in the adoption of their Amendment No l to Senate Bill 930 . . 1 i l The motion filed by Senator Watson .
PRESIDING OFFICER : (SENATOR DUDYCZ) Senator Watson .
I Yes. Thank you, Mr. President. Senate Bill 930 now contains the language concerning the 9-1-1 locator law mandate. You shouldfve heard from several of the business groups and concern 1 about the implementation of this Act, which was mandated to take effect June 30th of 1999. What this bill will do is extend that mandate to June 30th of 2000, giving the business community and others more time to implement this particular Act. Be glad to answer any questions. Otherwise, that 's exactly what ik does . PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) I Is there any discussion? If not, the question is, shall the i i Senate concur in House Amendment No. l to Senate Bill 930. All those in favor Will vote Aye. Opposed will vote Nay. And the voting is open. Have al1 voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted Who Wish? Take the record. On that questionr there are 59 Ayes, no Nays, none voting Present. And the Senate does concur in House Amendment No. l to Senate Bill I i 930. And the b111, having received the required conskitutional I r i majoriky, is declared passed.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR WATSON) The Senate will stand at ease until the call of the Chair . Senate will stand at ease until the call of the Chair. (SENATE STANDS AT EAsE) (SENATE REcoNvENEs) 1 31 STATE OF ILLINO IS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCR IPT 120th Leqislative Day January l2, 1999
PRESIDING OFFICER : (SENATOR DUDYCZ) Will the Members please come to the Floor? Supplemental Calendar No. 3 is being distributed. The 90th General Assembly is fast coming to a close. Senators, please come to their desks. We are preparing to conclude the business of the 90th General Assembly . Committee Reports.
Senator Bomke, Chair of the Committee on Local Government and Elections y reports Senate Bill 200, the Motion to Concur w ith House Amendments 1, 4 and 5, Be Adopted. Senator Mahar, Chair of the Committee on Environment and Energy, reports Senate Bill 299, the First Conference Committee Report, Be Approved for Consideration ; and Senate Amendment 3 to House Bill 3256 Be Adopted .
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) Resolutions .
Senate Resolution 296 , offered by Senator Viverito and all Members . It's a death resolution, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) Consent Calendar. Senator Demuzio, what purpose do you rise?
Point of clarification.
PRESIDINC OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) State your point .
When will it end?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDXCZ) When ik ls over. Will the Members still in their offices please come to the Senate Floor? We are quickly approaching the time where we are concludlng the business of the 90th General 32 STATE OF ILLINO IS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 120th Legislative Day January l2, 1999 Assembly. We will now proceed to the Order of Resolutions Consent ; Calendar. With leave of the Body, all those read in today will be ! added to the Consent Calendar. M r. Secreta ry , have there been any 1 objections filed to any resolution on the Consent Calendar? SECRETARY HAKRY: l I ! No objections filed, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER : (SENATOR DUDYCZ) Is there any discussion? If not, the question is, shall the resolutions on the Consent Calendar be adopted. All khose in 1 favor, say Aye . Opposed , Nay . The motion carries, and the resolutions are adopted . If you turn to the top of page 2 of I Supplemental Calendar No . 3, in the Order of House Bills 3rd i Reading is House Bill 3256. Senator Rauschenberger. Senator Rauschenberger, do you wish this bill returned to 2nd Reading for the purposes of an amendment? Senator Rauschenberger seeks leave ! of the Body to return House Bill 3256 to the Order of 2nd Reading i i for the purpose of an amendment. Hearing no objection, leave is granted. On the Order of 2nd Reading is House Bill 3256. Mr. Secretary, are there any Floor amendments that have been approved l ( ; for consideration? SECRETARY HAKRY : ' Amendmenk No . 3, offered by Senator Rauschenberger. ! PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDXCZ) 1 Senator Rauschenberger. '
i Thank you , M r. President, Ladies and Gentlemen of khe Senate . ' Amendment No. 3 to House Bill 3256 makes the technical correc*ions necessary to reinstate the Retail Rate Law for incinerators which use methane gas from landfills as fuel. In -- in our efforts and ! work on electric deregulation, there was an inadvertent correction as we worked through the tax portion . The drafters of the electric deregulation inadverkently repealed the section thak 1 ; I 33 STATE OF ILLINO IS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 120th Legislative Day January l2y 1999 applied to electrical generation from landfill gas. This restores ! ! khat. It has nothing else, no other provisions unrelated to it. Later on the Calendar, Wedll ge't to a bill that includes some ancillary language related. . l !
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDXCZ) Is there any discussion? If not, all those in favor, say Aye. Opposed, Nay. The Ayes have it, and the amendment is adopted. 1 j Any further Floor amendments approved for consideration?
No further amendments reported . !
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDVCZ) 3rd Reading. On the Order of 3rd Reading is House Bill 3256. Mr. Secretary, read the bill. 1 SECRETARY HANRY : i House Bill 3256 . ' (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill. i
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) Senator Rauschenberger. '
Th l ank you , M r. President , Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate . E I just described this as we adopted the amendment. This makes technical corrections to restoie the Retail Rate LaW to electrical I generators that use landfill gases. This is, quote, unquote, i ''clean'' version of the bill. There 's nothing else attached to the bill. It simply reskores khat right that methane qenerators can -- can access the Retail Rate Law. I'd appreciate its favorable @ adoption.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) Is there any discussion? Senator Shaw . - ;
Thank you , M r. President. Would the speaker -- sponsor yield? 34 STATE OF ILLINO IS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLV REGULAR SESSION SSNATE TRANSCRIPT 120th Legislative Day January l2, 1999
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDVCZ) Sponsor indicates he Wi11yield. Senator Shaw. t '
i What of -- in terms of this bill - I think this question Was asked in committee - why didn 't we -- rather than to do thisr what youdre doing here, why didn't we just reinstate the Retail Rate h Law , tather than what you are attempting to do here?
PRESIDIXG OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDVCZ) SenatorRauschenberger. 1 SENATOR RAUSCHENBERGER: l Senator Shaw , that's a good question. Buk you need to keep in 1 Mind that the repeal of the incinerator -- the -- the landfills that generate methane gas, their retail rate was not repealed by action of the General Assembly; it's a technical correction to a drafting error in the -- in the -- in the electrical deregulation bill. Although, I understand where youdre coming from in many ways; I think therels some -- there 's some other issues involving retail rate. But this is a correction.
PRESIDING OFFICER : (SENATOR DUDVCZ) Senator Shaw .
Thank you. But one of the things I'd like to say about the -- this particular bill: We have a -- a billy bf you would, that will follow this bill, 299, that go a little farther than this bill itself. We kill the -- by repealing the Retail Rate Law, we put a whole community at risk. And I think the Members of this . Assembly should keep that in mind. And What has happened with the bill that will follow this bill, hopefully, 299: will sort of make thatcommunity wholeagain And I would urge the -- the defeat of . l ' this bill and -- and let's deal with 299, and -- because in 299 -- 1 I and certainly you're the sponsor of that 299, Senator, and I know I it's a good bill, otherwise you wouldn't be sponsoring it. And we I i 35 STATE OF ILLINOIS 90TH GENBRAL ASSEMBLX REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 120th Legislative Day January l2, 1999 would like to -- we would like for that bill to pass, but I think we should send this bill on its way, like down the tube, and get to 299. I urge the defeae of ehis -- of House Bill 3256.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDXCZ) Any further discussion? Senator Jacobs.
Qhank you, Mr. Presidentz Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate. I think that there 's -- the way I understand this thing 's supposed to work - and, Senatorr correct me if I'm wrong - is we have both the bills and we dre supposed to pass b0th of 'em out , orr at least, bring them to this Body to do so. I have a little problem with *he erailer bill from the standpoint I think it's really special legislation. It's -- it it's creaking an economic development fund, whieh is only utilized by one community. voted to get that bill out -- out of committee in order to get it to the Floor. I don 't have a lot of qualms with that. But it appears to me that in -- in this day that we're trying to be good legislators and to ensure that we watch the -- the dollars, even though these are not State dollars, that it's -- it's going to only benefit one city: and whenever the Retail Rate Law Went out and went downp there were a number of communities that were hurt and there were a number of industries that were hurt. And now, all of a sudden, wefre eoming back and we want to -- to -- to come with some legislation that helps only the one community and withouk looking at the other communities: number one, and number two, to -- to -- I alWays get a little Worried, as I said in commikkee, whenever an industry is willing to come up wikh voluntary funds in order to get a bill passed: and that's a little scary to me. I personally would like to see both of these pteces of legislation passed and sent on to the House to make their choice .
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDXCZ) 36 STATE OF ILLINO IS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 120th Legislative Day January l2, 1999 i i Any further discussion? If not, Senator Rauschenberger, to close . SENATOR NA DSCHENBERGSR J Thank you: Mr. President. Just a couple of points I would , like to, maybe, remind Members: I think there were far more than 5 one community that was materially affected when we repealed the Retail Rate Law for garbage-to-enerqy incineration. We need to I ! keep that in mind. One of the reasons I feel very strongly about this version of khe bill is I khink it helps send a message to the House that we can do legislation in the right way. If we have an i I ssue with eight, nine or ten communities that lost a major ! economic asset because of a change we've made, then we need to 1 look to DCCA or a statewide program that addresses the needs of many communities. I just am a little uncomfortable with arguing ! that we should only pass 299 . This bill actually corrects the deficiency in the law' , which was a technical mistake - does not have complications. So I urge Senator Shaw to reconsider and I enthusiastically support this version, as well. I'd appreciate a 1 ! favorable roll call.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) Senator Shaw , the -- the sponsor was closing . The question isr shall House Bill 3256 pass. All those in favor will vote Aye. ' j Opposed will vote Nay. The voting is open. Have a1l voted Who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted Who Wish? Take ! the record. On that question, there are 39 Ayes, l Nay and 12 voting Present. And House Bill 3256, having received the required 1 conskitutional majority, is declared passed. Mtddle of page 2 of Supplemental Calendar No. 3 is the Order of Secretary's Desk, E Concurrence on Senate Bills. Senate Bill 200 . Mr . Secretary : read the bill. '
I move to concur With the House in the adoption of their ! 37 STATE OF ILLINOIS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCR IPT 120th Legislative Day January l2 , 1999 Amendments lp 4 and 5 to Senate Bill 200. 1 , ! The motion filed by Senator Rauschenberger. I
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDVCZ) Senator Rauschenberger.
; The -- the conference committee report -- or, I'm actually -- take that back . The Amendments 1, 4 and 5 to Senate Bill 200 deal 1 with some filing errors Made by clerks involving referendum bonding . The -- the Statuke presently seaees ehae ehey have to give notice between ten and thirty days before the election. In a i couple of cases those -- notice was actually published thirty-one days before the referendum . ' This corrects it by retrospectively ! and prospectively chanqing the notice provision to ten to I forty-five days. Earlier today we dealt with a bill that dealt with the School Code and made this correction. This carries that ! into the Local Government -- or, Local Government Statutes . I 'd ! urge its adoption. PRESIDING OFFICCR : (SENATOR DUDYCZ) j Is there any discussion? If not, the question is, shall the Senate concur in House Amendments No. 1, 4 and 5 to Senate Bill i 200. All those in favor will vote Aye. 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 51 Ayes, 4 Nays, 2 voting Presene. And the Senate does concur in House Amendments No. lr 4 and 5 to Senate ! Bill 200. And the bill, having received the required conskitutional majority, is declared passed. Senator Geo-Karis, i for what purpose do you rise? SENATOR GEO-KARIS: 7 Point of personal privilege . i
PRESIDING OFFICER : (SENATOR DUDYCZ) State your point. I I l 38 STATE OF ILLINOIS i . 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLX REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 120th Leg islative Day January l2, 1999 SENATOR GEO-KARIS: i . Mr. President and Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senater in the back gallery is sitting our County Clerk, Willard Helander, and ! her Deiuty Clerk, Cindy Pagano: and also My legislative aidey Mary i ' Nelson, and her husband, Dave, from Lake Villa Township . And I Would like you to Welcome them . 1
PRESIDING OPPICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) p Will our guests in the gallery please rise and be recognized? Welcome to Springfield . Senator Rarpiel, what purpose do you : rise?
Thank you, Mr. President. Just to say that on the last bill, I voted in error and I Would like to be reflected as having voted I Aye. 1 i
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDVCZ) The record will reflect your intent, Senator Rarpiel. Senator ! ! Hendon: what purpose do you rise? 1
Point of personal privilege, Mr. President. I
PRESIDING OFFICER : (SENATOR DUDXCZ) State your point. E
On the Democratic side of the aisle, up in the gallery, is my 2 lovely wife, Dawnr and her friend, Sherrie, from Chicago . Would you stand up , honey? i PRESIDING OFPICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) I 1 Will our guests in the gallery please rise and be recognized? 1 Welcone to Springfield. Senator Hendon. !
..q note for the record : She's the only one who can get me to ! vote any kind of way she Wishes. So... PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) I ! 1 39 ! 1 STATE OF ILLINOIS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCR IPT 120th Legislative Day January l2, 1999 senator Geo-Karis. 1 :
1 Mr. President, and I'm very happy to hear that Senator Hendon acknowledges the great job that his wife does on him: because, ! believe me, it's not easy. But, anyway, we're glad to have you here. And another point of personal privilege.
PRESIDING OFFICCR: (SENATOR DUDXCZ) Stake your point.
In the gallery behind me is a -- is a constituent of Senator Terry Link from Lake Forest, Louis Atsaves - A-T-S-A-V-E-S. We'd like you to welcome him.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) Will our guest in the gallery please rise and be recognized? Welcome to Springfield. Senator Trotter, what purpose do you rise?
ïes . Thank you, Mr . President . I had inadvertently pressed the wrong button on the last roll call and I would like the record ! to reflect thak I would 've voted Aye ... PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) i The record shall reflect your intent, Senator Trotter. I
PMZZM XOU @ I
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) If you turn your attention to the m iddle of page 2 of l i Supplemental Calendar No . 3, in the Order of Conference Comm ittee I Reports. Mr. Secretary, do you have a file on a conference ' comm ittee report on Senate Bill 2997 i
ïes , M r. President. First Conference Comnittee Report on ! ! Senate Bill 299 . 40 STATE OF ILLINOIS i 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 120th Legislative Day January l2, 1999
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDXCZ) Senator Rauschenberger.
Thank you , M r. President, Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate . If you'll recall the discussion of -- if you'll recall khe discussion of House Bill 3256, this is the other version of that reseoration of the Retail Rate Law, simply for landfills that -- ! that burn -- or, for landfills that produce methane and then burn ' it to create electricity . It also includes special provisions i which pernit the affected landfills to agree by themselves to set aside up to five hundred thousand dollars a year. It's deposited 2 with the Treasurer of the State of Illinois for economic development involving the City of Robbins. Sor this is the -- the ! kind of ''loaded'l version of the Retail Rate restoration. 1111 be happy to answer questions. !
PRESIDING OFPICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) Is there any diseussion? Senator Shaw . SENATOR SEAW : ! Will the sponsor yield? PRESIDING OFFICERJ (SENATOR DDDYCZ) l ( Sponsor indicates he will yield . Senator Shaw .
On -- in this legislation, there is a cap that you cannot exceed five hundred thousand. Is that correct? !
PRESIDING OFPICER: (SENATOR DUDXCZ) Senator Rauschenberger. i
ïes. There is a cap. The maximum amount that would go into I this econom ic development fund each of the ten years would be five hundred thousand dollars . PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDVCZ) ! Senator Shaw . 41 STATE OP ILLINOIS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLX REGULAR SESSION SENATE YRANSCRIPT 120th Legislative Day January l2, 1999 SENATOR SHAW : ! And am I correct that the methane gas people has agreed to this voluntarily? :
PRESIDING OFFICER : (SENATOR DUDYCZ) Senator Rauschenberger. 1
: It is clear and true that they agreed to it. The voluntary part , I would not want to speak to . j !
PRESIDING QFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) Senator Shaw. I i
The -- Well, the testimony in khe committee is that they ! agreed to it voluntarily and khat they wanted to do this because of the -- the repeal of the Retail Rake Law . So , I would urge j everyone 's support . And this is a good sponsor of this legislation - great sponsor - and, certainly, this is a great ! bill. I would urge a Aye vote on this legislation. PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) ! Is there any further discussion? Senator O 'Malley. SENATOR O 'MALLEY: ! Thank you , Mr . President. W ill the sponsor yield for some questions? !
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) Sponsor indicates he will yield. Senator O'Malley. 1
Senator Rauschenberger, I've read through this conference j E report , as it s drafted , and I have a series of questions for you . Probably the easiest one -- I just want to make sure that I I understand the intent of this legislationr which I think goes to what Bill Shaw is talking about -- Senator Shaw is kalking about. ! The -- the bill, as I read, on page l3, and if I could direct you into the area of line l2y it sayse 'L g.these funds shall not be I 42 STATE OF ILLINOIS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCR IPT 120th Legislative Day January l2, 1999 paid, directly or indirectlyy'' and then it goes on ''...to the ( owner, operator, lessee, shareholder, or bondholder of any incineratorou Is it the intent of this legislation that the owner ! of an -- of a municipal incinerator not receive the benefit of these funds? 1
PRESIDING OFFICER : (SENATOR DUDYCZ) Senator Rauschenberger . ;
Xes, it is the intent that the owner of an incinerator not ! receive these economic development funds. PRESIDING OFPICER : (SENATOR DUDVCZ) ' Senator O 'Malley . !
Thank you, Senator Rauschenberger, because I think it's very ! clear -- or, very important to make sure that everybody understands that, because the particular incinerator that's at ! issue here is actually owned by the Village of Robbins. So Ifm somewhat confused as to how this legislation, in any way, shape or j form , benefits the Village of Robbins. But that being as it is, I just Wanted to make sure that was the intent of the -- of the ! l sponsor of the leqislation. You mentioned earlier on that kheir was a ''clean '' version and I assume, by saying there Was a clean , version, there 's a Hdirty'' version. Is 299 the dirty version? PRESIDING OFFICER : (SENATOR DUDYCZ) ! Senator Rauschenberger . !
I think I referred to it as the Hloaded'' version. i PRESIDING OFFICER : (SENATOR DUDYCZ) l Senator O 'Malley . SENATOR O 'MALLEY : r Well , it is certainly loaded . But I -- I don 't wank to take a 1ot of time and -- of -- of -- of the Senate today , but I do want 1 43 STATE OF ILLINOIS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 120th Legislative Day January l2, 1999 to make a few comments for all of us to considery and -- and, basically, it goes to your points about whether or not this is good public policy, because if you look at the other bill, the other bill does not include this payment of five hundred thousand dollars . I have to tell you that I have somewhat some m ixed emotions about this particular payment. To go to the Village of Robbins, if you want to drive there, you have to drive khrough a community that I represent. And the Village of Robbins is a poor community and it's a community ân need of help and assistance. In fact , I would have to tell you that every community that I represent that you would have to drive through to get to the Village of Robbins would be vitally interested and concerned that the Village of Robbins is as healthy financially, fiscally: socially, any way you want to measure it, because it's very important for our particular part of the State that the Village of Robbins gets on its feet as soon as it possibly can. But I would submit to you that this is the wrong way to go about think, Senator Rauschenberger, you mentioned that there 's a thing called DCCA here in the State of Illinois, which is probably the proper vehicle in which to administer economic development funding. And getting to the question of whether or not it's good public policy, you know , why don 't we send an extra half a m illion dollars a year, without any accountability to speak of, to the good citizens of the City of Elgin or the good citizens of the City of Galesburg? And I'm not trying to pick on anybody -- or, frankly, Mayo r and Senator, the good citizens of the Village of Dolton? And I could go on with all of our hometowns and say why aren't we doing that. And we 're doing it simply because there 's an expression of raw political power that if you don ft do this, then we won 't do thatz and therefore we're going to do the following, so here is our price and this is the price that you must pay. I don 't know whether that price is symbolic . I don 't know whekher 44 STATE 0F ILLINOIS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLX REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 120th Legislative Day January l2, 1999 every -- any dollars will ever be paid. But think it is, as Senator Jacobs said, clearly special legislation. And I think we 're setting in -- in placer by passing legislation like this, a message that will reverberate into the next General Assembly that this type of activity can continue. Now, I've had the qreat honor and privilege of serving the citizens of the 18th Senate District now for six years r in this Body . I received a letter ea rlier today from Senaeor Howard Carroll, and he talked abou: what it was like to serve -- I think we all got a letter. I don't know that for sure, but I -- I received a letter. And it was -- Well, there might be a reason for that, Bill. I don't know. But I received that letter, and in that letter he talks about what a great place it is, what this Illinois Senate is, the greatest -- I donlt have the letter in front of mer but the -- the greatest political Body, if you will, in *he State of Illinois is the message that he was conveyin: to us. And so, if the House can't resist the temptation for this special legislation that will establish a public pollcy initiative that is# in my opinion - and think the opinion of many Members of this Chamber - deleterious to the best interests of the citizens of the State of Illinois, then I think it is up to us in the Illinois Senate to stand up and say Ehat, ''Yes, we are the greatest Body, khe greakest Legislative Body in the State of Illinois . We can work together, and there 's a better way of accomplishing what -- what is sought by the proponents for this particular initiative in this legislation.'' And by the way, isn't it wonderful to see Senator Carroll here today? Senator Rauschenberger, I appreciate Ehe fact that you have taken on this legislation and you have attempted to deal with it forthrightly. I know that there 's been tremendous p ressure put on you and other Members of the Illinois Senate to deal with this legislation. And I would urge my colleagues here to do What we 've always done in the past: stand up for good public policy, send a very strong 45 STATE OF ILLINO IS 1 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLX REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCR IPT 120th Legislative Day January 12z 1999 . I message, and make sure that we don't see this kind of legislation again in our Chamber. Thank you very much.
PRESIDING OFFICER : (SENATOR DUDYCZ) Any further discussion? Senator Shaw .
Thank you, Mr. President, and sorry to rise for a second time. But certainly the previous speaker -- I listened ko the same argument some two years -- two years ago about the Retail Rate Law. ''We should find a better way.'' And I might agree with the repeal of the Retail Rate Law. But if you were going to strangle people -- and Robbins is well-known as one of the poorest communities in America, and for a Member of this Body, who lives next door, to put a choke hold on 'em by repealing the Retail Rate Law , that might have been fine. Now we have a system -- we 've come up with a system that -- where people voluntarily want to give this community five hundred thousand dollars a year, and that's not satisfactory to you. I don't know. Why don't we just take a napalm bomb and drop on Robbins, because that's what you're doing when you talk about we shouldn 't do this. If people want to give you something , Robbins should take it . You dve had two years to come up with additional legislation, to put in that bill that l you talk about DCCA, where that you could give any of these communities five hundred thousand. But you haven't found the will; you haven 't found the pen to write that bill. Today we have a bill before us to make Robbins whole, and you don't want Robbins to be whole . But I represent a part of khe same community over in Blue Island, which is adjacent to your district. Robbins is my district. And certainly Robbins need help. But it's a -- it's fine for us to sit here in this Body and talk about what should be done and when Members of this Body, like Senaeor -- I , Rauschenberger, go out and find a piece of legislation to make Robbins whole and then another Member get up and castigate the I i 46 STATE OF ILLINOIS 90TH GENEQAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCR IPQ 120th Legislative Day January l2# 1999 bill, I think that's unfair, unwanted. And, certainly, the people of Robbins is citizens of this State. And we should be about protecting the lives and property and education for al1 of the people of this State. And Robbins is in the State of Illinois. I ask for the passage of this legislation.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) Any further discussion? Senator Hendon.
Thank you r M r. President . W ill the sponsor y ield for a question?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) Sponsor indicates he will yield. Senator Hendon.
Senator Rauschenbergerr is there any provision in here that will allow other municipalities to take advantage of this particular action?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DDDYCZ) Senator Rauschenberqer.
As I understand it, the way the definition is crafted, a single municipality in the State of Illinols will meek the definition. So there'll be a single municipality that's able to access the economic development funds that 'll be set aside in the T reasurer 's O ffice . So I think the appropriate answer to that is no, only the Village of Robbins.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDXCZ) Senator Hendon.
Okay. I have a -- an incinerator in my district that is currently closed , that the residents of my d istrict wanted closed . Will this allow them any opportunity whatsoever to begin to reopen khae incinerator? Can bhey use this legislation to benefit 47 STATE OF ILLINOIS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 120th Legislative Day January l2, 1999 themselves in any kind of way? '
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDXCZ) Senator Rauschenberger .
I ( No r Senator. Unfortunately , there would be -- none of the economic development funds that would accrue to the Treasurer and ! khen be distributed to the Village of Robbins would -- would be ' able to help your constituents who also have had a closure of an I incinerakor.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) I Further discussion? Senator Geo-Karis ! . ;
Mr. President and Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate, I don 't I . ! often disagree with my colleague behind me, but I do feel thak there is a great need to help the Village of Robbins. We know 1 ! that it has been a very destitute village, and I certainly speak for the bill. 1
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) Any further discussion? Senator Jones. SENATOR E . JONES : i Yeah . Thank you : Mr . President . You know , liskening to the - - the debate as regards this piece of legislation, you know, I'm ! i really shocked at some of the words that I heard in describing this piece of legislation. Not one dollar that would go to khe ' ! Village of Robbins is taxpayers' dollars. ïou know, we passed the ' Gamin: Act a few years ago , and we mandated that certain amount of those dollars shall go to education, to children across the State l ( of Illinois. They were not public taxpayer dollars; these were dollars we set in there. These dollars are not' taxpayers' ! ! dollars. I'm glad you mentioned the -- the word -- or, the agency r ealled DCCA, Department of Commerce and Community Affairs. Department of Commerce and Community Affairs has known for years 48 I i STATE OF ILLINOIS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLX REGULAF SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 120th Legislative Day January 12, 1999 the fiscal condikion of that poor community , but I haven 't seen one tnitiative in all these years that DCCA has done to aid and assist a -- a community like Robbins. And here you have a privaee entity who is willinq to do this and you stand up and speak against it. I listened to our new Governor yesterday talk about the spirit of cooperation, the spirit of working together, khe sp irit of trying to aid and assist people . Your opposition to this. Senator, is not working in the best interest of al1 the people of Illinois. I've heard rumors around this Chamber, Where - - and -- and throughouk the Capitol about some riverboat deal for a big wealthy person, where we're going to take some tax dollars out of the General Revenue Fund to give to this individual eo pay his property tax. And here you have a private entity who wants to help a economically depressed community and you talk about setting some sort of precedent. You should have really read the letter sent out by Senator Howie Carroll, and don lt talk about special interests and setting a precedent, simply because this is what the business is all about. If you 're genuinely sincere about helpinq the people of the State of Illinois, you would be for this bill, because helps that community. And when you talk about DCCA, look at the record of DCCA - not one economic development package to impact poor communities. So let's not play games here. Senakor Shaw is absolutely right: We should al1 be for that -- for this bill. And remember what the Governor said: Let's work together. Let 's work on issues toqether to help people, not play silly politics with this issue . I want to commend Rauschenberqer for sponsoring this here; buk, at the same time, this is not a ''loaded'' version. It should have been in the other bill. We should not play games with the economic development of communities throughout the State of Illinois. In a bipartisan manner, we should help that community, and I urqe a Yes vote on this conference comm ittee . 49 STATE OF ILLINOIS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLX REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 120th Legislative Day January 12 p 1999 PRESIDING OFFICER) (SENATOR DUDYCZ) Any further discussion? If not, Senator Rauschenberger, to l close . SENATOR RAU SCHENBBRGER : ! I -- I will be brief in my closing, but I want to mention just a few things. It's been a very interesting debater and it's -- it's first time that I recall doing a closlng on a bill that I had ! very, very mixed emotions on. But I would point a couple things l out to -- because they 've been raised in debate. The idea that private parties might want to aid a municipality or a community or : some subpart of the State of Illinois is a wonderful thing, but it should take place in private agreements - contractual ' relationships and in whatever they want to do together. What's bothersome to some of us is that it's included as part of legislation, almost in a quid pro quo fashion, that -- that makes it kind of, you know, questionable what the relakionship is, that we ought not to be mandating third parties outside of State government be participating with other, you know , units of government. You know, lt's kind of a bothersome concept. So, I i do khink, in al1 fairness, Senator O'Malleyls objections really get to the heart, procedurally, of some real problems in this. r And we do need to understand that the repeal of the Retail Rate Law affected far more than one community in the State of Illinois. ! And in the long run, you know, I would have been more comfortable with a more broad-based remedy . But at the end of Session, as 1 ! always, we have what we have , particularly when frequently these negotiations originake in -- in the House. You lve -- you earlier , had a version which was a slimmed-down, clean version of simple restoration of the methane retail rate. This is exactly the same ! thing with the inclusion of an economic development fund, funded by a third party, deposited with the Treasurer, that's accessible i by a single communiky . I urge you to vote your conscience . 50 STATE OF ILLINOIS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLX REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 120th Legislative Day January l2r 1999
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) The question is, shall the Senate adopt Conference Committee Report No. l to Senate -- to Senate Bill 299. All those in favor will vote Aye. Opposed will vote Nay. The voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have a1l voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Take the record. On that question, there are 50 Ayes, 3 Nays, and 2 voting Present. And the Senate does adopt Conference Committee Report No. l to Senate Bill 299. And the bill, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. Senate Bill 417. Mr. Secretary, do you have a file on a conference committee report on Senate Bill 417?
Yes, Mr. President. First Conference Committee Report on Senate Bill 417.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) Senator Robert Madigan .
Thank you, Mr. President and Members of the Senate. Conference Committee Report No. l to Senate Bill 4l7 does two things, as far as amendments ko the Insurance Code. It codify the manner in which dividends are declared and distributed with regards to government reciprocals, so they dre handled in the same fashion as private reciprocals are. And it exempts private alarm companies from the service contract legislation that was passed last springy as far as putting them under the supervision, or authority , of the Department of Insurance . Currently they dre regulated by the Department of Professional Regulation. This eliminates them from the duplicate oversighk, and khe Department of Insurance is in support of these two provisions. And I Would ask for favorable consideration of Conference Comm ittee Report No . l to Senate Bill 417. PRESIDING OFFICER ; (SENATOR DUDYCZ) 51 STATE OF ILLINOIS 90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLX REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 120th Legislative Day January l2, 1999 Is there any discussion? If not, the question is, shall the Senate adopt Conference Committee Report No. l to Senate Bill 417. All those in favor will vote Aye. Opposed will vote Nay. The voting is open. Have al1 voted Who wish? Have all voted Who ! wish? Have al1 voted who wish? Take the record. On that questionr there are 58 Ayesy no Nays, none voting Present. And I the Senate does adopt Conference Committee Report No. 1 to Senate ! Bi1l 417. And the billr having received the required ! constitutional majority: is declared passed. Resolutions. SECRETARX NAQRY: l o . . Resolution 297 , offered by Senator Donahue . E (Secretary reads SR No. 297)
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SCNATOR DUDYCZ) Senator Donahue moves to suspend the rules for the purpose of ' the immediate consideration and adopkion of Senate Rule -- Senate ! Rule 297 -- Resolution 297. All those in favor Will say Aye. ! Opposed, Nay. The Ayes have it. The rules are suspended. Now, Senator Donahue has moved for the adoption of Senate Resolution ! 297. A11 those in favor, say Aye. Opposedr Nay. The Ayes have it, and the resolution is adopted. Resolutions. Senator Weaver, ' whatpurposedoyou rise? l l
Thank you : Mr. President. I would move thak the Illinois ! State Senate of the 90th General Assembly adjourn sine die. r
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SZNATOR DUDYCZ) / Senator Weaver moves that the Senate of the 90th General Assembly stands adjourned sine die. All those in favor, say Aye. Opposedp Nay . The Ayes have it. Good luck, Senator Carroll and Senator Garcia. This Session is adjourned SINE DIE. I ( 52 REPORT: TIFLDAY STATE OF ILLINOIS 99/01/20 PAGE: 001 90TB GENERAL ASSEMBLY 11)11J32 SBNATE DAILY TRAN3CRIPTION QF DEBATE INDEX J&NBâRY 12, 1999 I HB-0##8 TBIRD READING PAGE 3 ! HB-0871 RECALLED PAGE 23 ! HB-0871 TBIRD READING PAGE 24 ! H8-2688 TRIRD READING PAGE 4 ! :8-2805 TRIRD READING PAGE 6 H8-3256 RECALLED PAGE 33 ' H8-3256 THIRD READING PAGE 34 ' HB-3814 RECALLED PAGE 26 ' H8-3814 TBIRD READING PAGE 28 SB-O200 CONCURREVCE PAGE 37 sB-0200 OTHER PAGE 39 ' sB-0200 OTHER PAGE k0 58-0299 CONFERENCE PAGE k0 SB-0q17 CONFERENCE PAGE 51 58-0560 CQVFERENCE PAGE 1% :8-0930 CONCPRRENCE PAGE 30 88-0937 COKCDRRENCE PAGE 11 l 58-1598 NQN-CONCERRENCE PAGE 13 I 58-1598 MOTION PAGE 3 I SB-1921 RECALLED PAGE 19 SB-1921 TRIRD READING PAGE 20 l 59-029: HESOLPTION OFFERED PAGE 2 ! 5R-0295 RESOLDTION OFFERED PAGE 2 ! 5R-0296 RESOLEIION OFFERED PAGE 32 ! 5R-0297 ADOPTED PAGE 52 5R-0297 REEOLUTION OFFERED PAGE 52 ! ! SBBJECT MAITER 1 SENATE T0 ORDER- I PRESIDEVT PHILIP PAGE 1 PRAYER-THE REVEREND PHILIP CHTLES PAGE 1 1 PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE PAGE 1 1 JOERNAL-PQSTPONED PAGE 1 ! COMHIITEE REPQRTS PâGE 1 I MESSAGES FROH THE HOKSE PAGE 2 COMMITTEE REPORTS PAGE 8 l 3ENATE STANDS AT EASE/SENATE RECONVENES PAGE 16 I SENATE STANDS IN RECESS/SENATE RECONVENES PAGE 17 I COHHITTEE REPORTS PAGE 18 p MESSAGES FROM THE HOUSE PAGE 18 COMMITTEE REPORTE PAGE 29 ! ôENATE STANDS AT EASE/SENâTE RECONVENES PAGE 31 ! COMMITTEE REPORTS PAGE 32 ! RESOLDTIONS CONSENT CALENDAR-ADOPTED PAGE 33 ' 1 SENATE STANDS ADJOURNED SINE DIE PAGE 52 I 1 I ! ! 1 I I ! ! ! ! ! ! - Q