The regular Session of the 91st General Assembly will please come to order. Will the Members be at their desks? Will our guests in the galleries please rise? Our prayer today will be given by Pastor John Standard, Springfield Bible Church, Springfield, Illinois. Pastor Standard.
(Prayer by Pastor John Standard)
Reading of the Journal. If I might have your attention for a minute. In recognition of the Illinois National Guard, many contributions to the State of Illinois and the nation, Governor Ryan has proclaimed April 5 as National Guard Day throughout the State of Illinois. To highlight this occasion, the Illinois National Guard will present a Patriotic Flag Ceremony for Senate Members in conjunction with the Pledge of Allegiance. With us today, we have Brigadier General David Harris, Adjutant General for the Illinois National Guard, and Technical Sergeant Les Morgan from the 183rd Fighter Wing, who will narrate today's Flag Ceremony. General Harris. (ILLINOIS NATIONAL GUARD PATRIOTIC FLAG CEREMONY) (Pledge of Allegiance)
Thank you, Sergeant Morgan. Extremely well done. We take our hats off to the wonderful National Guards in Illinois. And if General Harris would come up here. And if you'll remember, General Harris used to be a Republican Member of the Illinois STATE OF ILLINOIS 91ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 95th Legislative Day April 5, 2000 House a long, long time ago. He wasn't a general in those days.
(Remarks by General David Harris)
Thank you, General. Nice to have you aboard. I will now turn over the Chair to Senator Luechtefeld, who has the Illinois State Girls' Basketball Champions from Okawville, believe it or not. Senator Luechtefeld.
Thank you, Mr. -- Mr. President and Members of the Senate. If I could have your attention, please. I have with me this morning a group that I obviously am more proud of than -- than, I guess, most Senators who introduce a State championship team. I know most -- I taught school at this school for a long, long time and know most of these young ladies' parents, had them in class. I can guarantee you that this is a very classy group of young ladies. I've been involved with high school basketball probably for the last forty-five years, in one way or another, and I don't know as I've ever seen a championship team dominate the way this group has dominated in their class, Class A basketball. Five hundred and some teams started in Class A basketball. This team, for instance, in the nine play-off games in the play-offs averaged beating their opponents by right at thirty points a ball game. They have won sixty-six of their last -- and lost three in their last sixty-nine ball games. They've won a hundred and sixteen games in their last four years, and on top of that, as I said, I know their parents and these are really some class young ladies. So I'm very proud of them. I guess I was hoping that we could have both the boys and the girls here, but it didn't quite work that way. But this is a -- this is a special group of young ladies. It truly is. They have with them here today the school superintendent, Dennis Fancher; the school principal, Donna STATE OF ILLINOIS 91ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 95th Legislative Day April 5, 2000 Crundwell; and the coach here of these young ladies, who has a fantastic record, Kathy Lanter. She said she didn't really want to say something, but I would like her just to maybe thank you for this opportunity.
(Remarks by Coach Kathy Lanter)
If you'd give them a warm welcome, I'd appreciate it. Thank you.
We have Channel 3-WCIA and Channel 20 has request taping the proceedings. Is leave granted? Leave is granted. Senator Weaver, for what purpose do you rise?
For -- for the purpose of an announcement, Mr. President.
Make your announcement.
The Rules Committee will be meeting at 3 o'clock this afternoon. I would advise any Senator that has a Floor amendment to get it filed before that time so we can get it on the Rules Committee. Thank you.
Senator Demuzio, for what purpose do you rise?
Thank you, Mr. President. Like the record to reflect that Senator Larry Walsh is still absent due to a death in the family, please.
The record will so indicate. Senator Maitland, for what purpose do you rise?
STATE OF ILLINOIS 91ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 95th Legislative Day April 5, 2000 Thank you very much, Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate. Just to report on Senator Geo-Karis: She is at home and would like the record to reflect that she is absent because of illness.
The record will so indicate. Reading of the Journal. Senator Myers.
Mr. President, I move that reading and approval of the Journal of Tuesday, April 4th, in the year 2000, be postponed, pending arrival of the printed Journal.
Senator Myers moves to postpone the reading and the approval of the Journal, pending the arrival of the printed transcript. There are no objections. So ordered. Messages from the House.
Message from the House by Mr. Rossi, 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 1332, with House Amendments 1 and 2. We have a like Message on Senate Bill 1339, with House Amendments 1 and 2, and on Senate Bill 1655, with House Amendments 1 and 2. All passed the House, as amended, April 4th, 2000.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) Senator Silverstein, what purpose do you rise?
Point of personal privilege.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) State your point.
STATE OF ILLINOIS 91ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 95th Legislative Day April 5, 2000 I'd just like to welcome to the Senate my Page for the Day, Ariel Campbell, from beautiful Skokie, Illinois.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) Welcome to Springfield. Senator O'Daniel, what purpose do you rise, sir?
Thank you, Mr. President, Members of the Senate. I have some special guests here today. I'd like to have the Senate to help me welcome 'em to the Illinois Chamber. I have Ron and Tonya Loker and my wife in the gallery. Tonya runs my Mt. Vernon office, and also I have two of their children here, Landon and -- and Ashley. Help me welcome 'em to the Illinois Senate.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) Will our guests in the gallery please rise and be recognized? Welcome to Springfield. Senator Smith, what purpose do you rise?
Thank you, Mr. President. A point of personal privilege.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) State your point, ma'am.
I have in our audience today, and we are very proud of them, this young lady, Mrs. Kim Johnson, from the Malcolm X College. She's an All-Illinois Academic Team awardee from the Phi Theta Kappa. And she's done very, very well. We're very proud to have given her a scholarship, and she's doing marvelous. With her is Mr. Ghingo W. Brooks of Malcolm X College. He is the Vice President of Student Services and Enrollment Management. Here. And then we have Mr. David Rice, also. He is the English professor from Malcolm X College and he is also advisor to the Phi Theta Kappa sorority. And I want to -- fraternity, I say. Thank you. Would you please recognize them and give them...
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) STATE OF ILLINOIS 91ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 95th Legislative Day April 5, 2000 Welcome to all our guests, to Springfield, and congratulations. Senator Demuzio, what purpose do you rise?
Thank you, Mr. President. While we're on that order of business, I also have some special guests today. Megan McClure, who's standing behind me here, is a Page - with her parents - Page for a Day, and Brandy Naish is also with us, also is a Page for the Day. And like to have them recognized ...
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) Will our guests please rise and be recognized? Welcome to Springfield. Senator Sullivan, what purpose do you rise?
Point of personal privilege.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) State your point, sir.
Thank you, Mr. President. I'd like the Senate to welcome some guests that I've got today. I have four Pages with me: Steve Vyskocil, Bobby Schuster, Ryan Sexton and Matt Johnson. Many of you may know Matt's father. He was the Director of Revenue under Governor Thompson.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) Welcome to Springfield. Senator Demuzio, what purpose do you rise? If the Members will turn their attention to the top of page 12, to the Order of House Bills 2nd Reading, we will be going to that order of business immediately. Senator Cronin, what purpose do you rise?
Point of personal privilege.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) State your point, sir.
STATE OF ILLINOIS 91ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 95th Legislative Day April 5, 2000 Wanted to introduce the Haus. The mighty Hau family is here today, Larry and William Hau, from the lilac town of Lombard. Please give 'em a welcome.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) Will our guests in the gallery please rise and be recognized? Welcome to Springfield. On the top of page 12, in the Order of House Bills 2nd Reading, is House Bill 709. Senator Cronin. Mr. Secretary, read the bill.
House Bill 709. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) 3rd Reading. House Bill 840. Senator Myers. Senator Myers. House Bill 1324. Senator Lauzen. Mr. Secretary, read the bill.
House.Bil1 1324. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) 3rd Reading. House Bill 1785. Senator Petka. Mr. Secretary, read the bill.
House Bill 1785. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee amendments.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) Any Floor amendments approved for -- for consideration?
No further amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) 3rd Reading. House Bill 1992. Senator Sullivan. Mr. STATE OF ILLINOIS 91ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 95th Legislative Day April 5, 2000 Secretary, read the bill.
House Bill 1992. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) 3rd Reading. House Bill 2346. Senator Myers. House Bill 2991. Senator Dillard. Mr. Secretary, read the bill.
Senate {sic) Bill 2991. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. The Committee on Executive adopted one amendment.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) Any Floor amendments approved for consideration?
No further amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) 3rd Reading. House Bill 2997. Senator O'Malley. Read the bill, Mr. Secretary.
House Bill 2997. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. The Committee on Judiciary adopted one amendment.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) Any Floor amendments approved for consideration?
Amendment No. 2, offered by Senator O'Malley.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) Senator O'Malley. Senator O'Malley.
STATE OF ILLINOIS 91ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 95th Legislative Day April 5, 2000 Thank you, Mr. Chairman. We're offering an amendment to 2997 that merely adds a suggestion made by Senator Cullerton, that the notice that's given that's provided for in the legislation is done by certified mail.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) Is there any discussion? If not, all those in favor, say Aye. Opposed, Nay. The Ayes have it, and the amendment is -- is adopted. Any further Floor ame.ndments approved for consideration?
No further amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) 3rd Reading. Senator Viverito, what purpose do you rise?
I rise for the purpose of saying we have a very distinguished guest on our side of the aisle, the Honorable Speaker, Michael Madigan. How about a nice, warm welcome.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) Welcome to the Senate, Mr. Speaker. House Bill 3082. Senator Bomke. House Bill 3093. Senator Robert Madigan. Mr. Secretary, read the bill.
House Bill 3093. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee amendments.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) Any Floor amendments approved for consideration?
No further amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) 3rd Reading. Senate -- House Bill 3457. Senator Sullivan. Mr. Secretary, read the bill, please.
STATE OF ILLINOIS 91ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 95th Legislative Day April 5, 2000 House Bill 3457. (Secretary reads title of bi 11 2nd Reading of the bill. The Committee on Environment and Energy adopted one amendment.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) Any Floor amendments approved for consideration?
No amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) 3rd Reading. - 12, i On the bottom of waae e Ord :ouse Bills 2nd Reading, is House Bill 4022. Senator Wendell Jones. TOP of page 13, in the Order of House Bills 2nd Reading, is House Bill 4030. Senator Rauschenberger. House Bill 4045. Senator O'Malley. Mr. Secretary, read the bill, please.
House Bill 4045. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) 3rd Reading. House Bill 4176. Mr. Secretary, read the bill.
House Bill 4176. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. The Committee on Insurance and Pensions adopted one amendment.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) Any -- any Floor amendments approved for consideration?
No further amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) 3rd Reading. House Bill 4227. Senator Lauzen. Read the bill, Mr. Secretary. STATE OF ILLINOIS 91ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 95th Legislative Day April 5, 2000
House Bill 4227. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) 3rd Reading. House Bill 4404. Senator Noland. Senator Noland. House Bill 4431. Senator Rauschenberger. Mr. Secretary, read the bill, please.
House Bill 4431. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. The Committee on Revenue adopted one amendment.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) Any Floor amendments approved for consideration?
No further amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) 3rd Reading. Senator Karpiel, what purpose do you rise? Senator Karpiel.
Thank you -- thank you, Mr. President. Point of personal privilege.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) State your point, ma'am.
I would like to introduce Mr. and Mrs. Dana Hancock, from Wheaton, who are up in the President's Gallery, and their daughter, Dana, who is one of our Pages today.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) Will our guests in the gallery please rise and be recognized?
STATE OF ILLINOIS 91ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 95th Legislative Day April 5, 2000 Could you help me welcome them, please?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) Welcome to Springfield. Senator Karpiel.
Thank you. I have another Page, Jennifer Panice, from Peotone, and her mother, Mrs. Panice, up in the gallery on the -- that -- that side over there. ...welcome to Springfield.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) Will our guest in the gallery please rise and be recognized? Welcome to Springfield. ...Members will turn their attention to the top of page 6, in the Order of House Bills 3rd Reading. Senator Bomke, what purpose do you rise?
Point of personal privilege, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) State your point.
Thank you, Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate. I'd like to recognize here with us today the eighth-grade class from Trinity Lutheran School, directly behind the President. The teachers are Russ Benning and Laura Filter. Please help me recognize them.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) Will our guests in the gallery please rise and be recognized? Welcome to Springfield. On the top of page 6, in the Order of House Bills 3rd Reading, is House Bill 390. Senator Rauschenberger. House Bill 730. Senator Cronin. House Bill 739. Senator Philip. House Bill 986. Senator Robert Madigan. House Bill 1582. Senator Robert Madigan. House Bill 1583. Senator Robert Madigan. House Bill 1597. Senator Radogno. The bottom of page 6, in the Order of House Bills 3rd Reading, is House Bill 1853. Senator Philip. On the top of page 7, in the Order of STATE OF ILLINOIS 91ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 95th Legislative Day April 5, 2000 House Bills 3rd Reading, is House Bill 2109. Senator Watson. House Bill 2110. Senator Dillard. House Bill 2261. Senator Klemm. Senator Klemm. House Bill 2379. Senator Cronin. Madam Secretary, read the bill.
House Bill 2379. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) Senator Cronin.
Thank you very much, Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate. This bill's been amended, and the name of the program is the School Free Lunch Act {sic) (Program) to the School Breakfast and Lunch Program. It creates the breakfast incentive program and adds State policy and legislative intent. Specifics include: It adds a definition for the school breakfast program, which means a school breakfast program that meets the requirements for school breakfast programs under the federal Child Nutrition Act of 1966. It is limited in that respect. Changes the definition for school lunch program to a school lunch program that meets the requirements for school lunch programs under the National School Lunch Act. Expands the State Board's authority to reimburse school boards and welfare centers for a portion of the free breakfast program. This bill came to my attention when a number of proponents, including Senator del Valle, proposed the issue early on in the year. There were a number of objections at that time. Number one, the issue that was objectionable at that time was that the program was a mandate. The program is no longer a mandate. Number two, one of the objections when the issue first arose was that it was not funded; there was no source of funding for it. There is now a source of funding with -- the State Board STATE OF ILLINOIS 91ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 95th Legislative Day April 5, 2000 of Education has set aside a million dollars. Number three, there was a problem in that the locals were very much opposed to the bill because of the mandate, because of the lack of funding. That, since, has changed, and there are superintendents and local school boards and local officials that embrace this program. Lastly, the only objection that remains probably is one of a philosophical nature, and -- and for those of you who differ, of course, that's why we're here. But they've come a long way with the issue. It is no longer a mandate; it's fully funded. I recognize that one of the basic responsibilities that a parent has is to get out of bed in the morning and feed your children, and I think that there's a legitimate philosophical argument in opposition to this. On -- however, on balance, when you consider the fact that the children...
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) Senator O'Malley {sic), I beg your pardon.
In any event, I ask for your favorable consideration. Ask -- be happy to answer questions.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) Will the Members please take their conferences off the Floor? Any discussion? Senator Burzynski.
Thank you, Mr. President. Will the sponsor yield for a couple of questions?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) Sponsor indicates he will yield. Senator Burzynski.
Senator Cronin, can you tell me, once again, what the cost was, the initial cost, first-year cost, in this program?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) Senator Cronin. STATE OF ILLINOIS 91ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 95th Legislative Day April 5, 2000
There's a million dollars set aside in the State Board budget.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) Senator Burzynski.
Isthere -- I -- I'm imagining or suppose that there will be the intent to renew this program a year from now. Do we have any idea what projections might be relative to cost in the future -- expansion of the program?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) Senator Cronin. Senator Cronin.
The question is whether or not they come back and ask for more money. I -- this is an incentive program. At this point, those who choose to enroll in it may be eligible for funding. This only applies to school districts that have a population of fifty percent or more that fall below the poverty line.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) Senator Burzynski.
And for this year ave a cap on the program, but next year we don't have any number in -- in mind, or we don't have a proposed cap or the million-dollar cap would maintain the same to serve as an incentive?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) Senator Cronin.
You know, a lot of it depends on the appropriation process. I can't answer that question with absolute certainty.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) Senator Burzynski.
STATE OF ILLINOIS 91ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 95th Legislative Day April 5, 2000 Thank -- thank you, Senator Cronin. Thank you, Mr. President. Just to the bill, for a minute: None of us want to see children go hungry. None of us want to see children sit through a day of school without having an adequate meal, an adequate breakfast. As Senator Cronin's already alluded to, this is a real philosophical question about the role that school districts should play when we talk about children in the State of Illinois. Sitting through the Senate Appropriations Committee hearings over the last four or five weeks now, as well as in the Education Committee, looking at the new programs that are -- thank you -- looking at the new programs that are being proposed by the State Board of Education, by some of our colleagues, I asked the question, simply, of Max McGee one day, I said: Max, when are we going to just start having residential placement for all these children that we're providing before school, during school, and after school for...
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) Senator Burzynski, I beg your pardon. Ladies and Gentlemen, please, take your conferences off the Floor. Thank you. Senator Burzynski.
And I guess my point being is that perhaps it would be less expensive, perhaps children would receive more quality time, from that perspective, but yet we're not willing to take that step, and I'm not suggesting that we should. But it just appears to me that if we're taking on the role of parents of children from 6:30, 7 o'clock in the morning till 6:30, 7 o'clock in the evening, that that two, two and a half hours they spend with a parent in the evening, perhaps we need to do that as well. But certainly we don't want children to go hungry, but I think that what we're going to do is see this program explode. We'll see a continued need. We'll see continued drain on our State's resources, and certainly, as long as we, as a State, are willing to do for STATE OF ILLINOIS 91ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 95th Legislative Day April 5, 2000 others, they probably aren't going to do for themselves. Thank you.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) Further discussion? Senator Hendon.
Thank you, Mr.-- Mr. Chairman -- Mr. President. I rise in support of this legislation. And I -- I understand some of the arguments just raised, but it does not deal with the reality that's faced -- a lot of our children have to face, especially those that are below the poverty level, and that is going to school often without -- without breakfast. In a perfect society, perhaps we could do it another way, but it is simply not the case. So I rise in support of this and hope that we would vote for it and move it forward, because it's hard for a young person to learn on -- on an empty stomach and this simply addresses that issue. And I want to commend Senator Cronin for this legislation, and -- and certainly Senator del Valle, who I know was involved in it but have to make certain sacrifices so it could pass, and that's just the way life is. So let's -- let's vote this out and support the children of Illinois, especially in -- in light of the fact that we have a very rosy economy. We had Economic Development and Fiscal this morning, and my -- my Chairman, Senator Welch, pointed out to me that we're looking at a billion-dollar surplus. So why not take care of these poor little children, for their schools?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) Further discussion? Senator Watson.
Yes. Thank you very much, Mr. President. The -- the title of this -- this legislation is called the Childhood Hunger Relief {sic) (Prevention) Act. Now, who can vote against that? Right? I mean, that's the way you do it these days: put a catchy title to it, put it in the newspaper, and then all of us who have some STATE OF ILLINOIS 91ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 95th Legislative Day April 5, 2000 questions and concerns about the manner in which we're -- we're directing ourselves are considered anti-child, anti-student and against young people. And I just vehemently oppose that type of an approach. But those of us who were here in 1995, all of us that -- on this side of the aisle that were here and some of you that were over there on that side of the aisle, we passed the most meaningful welfare reform initiative in this country. We took a big step forward at that point in time. Far before it was a popular thing to talk about in Congress, we took the first step here. And what we've been told and what all the records show and. indicate is that this is one of the most successful states in the country in regard to welfare reform. A program that was totally a failure, of generation after generation after generation of people who relied on government and programs to provide for their needs, we changed the direction. We, in Illinois, led the charge for this country in regard to welfare reform. Personal responsibility. That's what we called it. Personal Responsibility Act. We put a little catchy name to it also, and that's what it was: Creating personal responsibility for every one in this State, that they have a responsibility to provide - if they can and if they're able - to provide for themselves. And it is working, Ladies and Gentlemen. It is working. Now, what kind of a direction does this take us? I mentioned in committee, I said maybe what we ought to start doing is maybe a -- someone from the Department of Public Health should come by and take our child down to the local physician or hospital and then make sure they get their shots. Somebody from the health department do that. Why not have some social worker come in at 6:30 at night to make sure that the channels are properly -- or, that the kids are watching proper television and change the channels if they're not watching it, or let's have a preschool -- pre-education -- someone to come in at night and read a story to 'em. I mean, that's the direction we're STATE OF ILLINOIS 91ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 95th Legislative Day April 5, 2000 headed with programs such as this. There is a certain amount of parental responsibility in raising your child, and part of that responsibility is obviously making sure that child is properly fed. We had a -- a young lady in our committee who testified in support of this legislation who was a schoolteacher from the Joliet area. And she talked about a program they did in the fifth grade there, where kids who have the ability and have the whereto all actually brought food to the classroom for those who didn't. Now, that, to me, was -- is an excellent program because there's messages sent and a learning capability that takes place for that young child in that fifth-grade class that they won't learn anywhere else: That there's people that are in need; there's people that need help. And those children that had the ability to do it and provide it were there to do it for them. That's a great message for those people. And it's also a great message for those on the receiving end to understand and realize that, you know, there's people who care. But when we start establishing a government program to do the very things that are the responsibility of the parent and in the home, this is not the direction - this is not the direction, Ladies and Gentlemen - we should be headed. Now, I know there'll be ten red lights up there, maybe a couple of -- of yellow ones, and I know this is going to pass overwhelmingly and I just -- and that's fine, I guess. I just maybe wanted to have it off my chest. I've been thinking about this since the Education Committee hearing and I talked about it, at that point in time, but I just think we made a lot of progress in 1995 when we passed welfare reform and started to create personal responsibility for everyone in this -- this State. And I think that this is a different direction from that approach of 1995. So I urge you to vote No and to consider where we're headed when we do this type of legislative approach. Thank you.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) STATE OF ILLINOIS 91ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 95th Legislative Day April 5, 2000 Further discussion? Senator Obama.
Thank you very much, Mr. President. I -- I was not going to rise on this bill. I -- I hope that it does -- this bill does pass, but -- but I just have to comment a little bit on -- on a last -- the last couple of speakers. You know, this should be a no-brainer. We've got -- we've got hungry kids who are coming to school without enough food, and we, as a State, are proposing a modest help to these children. Now, we're all for personal responsibility and there has not been a time when the discussion about welfare-to-work has come up where I have not been supportive of work over welfare. But five-year-old children, Senator, we don't expect personal responsibility from. Four-year-old children we don't expect responsibility for. Seven-year-old children we don't expect responsibility from. They're children, by definition, and many of their parents, although working full-time now as a consequence of welfare reform, are still living before -- below the poverty line. We have a burgeoning number of working poor in this State, who work every day, but don't have health insurance, don't have enough money, are barely keeping up with the rent, particularly in areas like Chicago where they may be paying fifty percent of their paycheck towards their housing costs, and so, on occasion, may have difficulty making sure that they've got a nutritious breakfast for their child. Now, I think that I am all for us making sure that parents are held responsible for their children, and I'm all for making sure that they are not locked in welfare dependency and are encouraged to work so that they can move themselves out of poverty. But in the interim, I certainly don't think that the children should be punished for the incapacity of their parents to make it all the way in this system right now. And if we can provide some modest assistance to those children to make sure they learn more effectively in school, so STATE OF ILLINOIS 91ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 95th Legislative Day April 5, 2000 that they don't end up themselves becoming dependent, then I think that's a wise thing to do. And I'm all for this program that exists in Joliet, where children are coming to school and sharing their cornflakes with kids who can't afford it, but my suspicion would be that every single person in this room doesn't think a child should be dependent on the charity of another five- or six-year-old and their spare cornflakes to make sure that they've got enough to eat before they start a good day in school. I commend Senator del Valle for bringing this bill up. I commend Senator Cronin for ushering through this compromise legislation. This should not be a major ideological debate. Let's pass this out and make sure that the children of Illinois have a decent meal.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) Further discussion? Senator del Valle. SENATOR dEL VALLE: Well, thank you, Mr. President. I will be brief because I think Senator Obama has stated it quite clearly. I do want to thank Senator Cronin for working on this legislation and for allowing the bill to come out of the Education Committee. I think that while we're talking about welfare reform, and Senator Watson feels strongly about what we've been able to accomplish thus far, I really think that the key point needs to be emphasized -- reemphasized here, and that is that study after study after study shows the correlation between nutrition -- between a breakfast and the child's performance in school. And if we're going to continue on the track of improving, increasing standards in the State of Illinois and then making the necessary adjustments in our educational system to meet those high standards, then this has to be a part of the plan. We cannot separate nutrition from student performance in our schools. This is a very, very modest program. It's a program that is not a mandate. It's a program that is an STATE OF ILLINOIS 91ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 95th Legislative Day April 5, 2000 incentive. We have many school districts already, including Chicago, offering the breakfast program. There is a federal reimbursement for those that participate. So there is money -- funds -- federal funds that are generated as a result of the participation. And I can't understand why anyone, other than ideological reasons - and I respect that; I'm not going to knock that - but how could anyone explain denying children breakfast in our schools? At a time when we have the largest surplus probably in the history of the State of Illinois, when we have the richest economy in the world, how do we explain denying children breakfast?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) Further discussion? Senator Sieben.
Thank you, Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate. I, too, rise in opposition to the legislation, primarily for the ideological and philosophical reasons that Senator Watson so ably articulated. But I might just suggest that there might be a better way to solve this problem, from a long-term perspective. A couple of years ago, we had a visit from a outstanding teacher in Illinois, lady named Mama Hawk, and Mama Hawk came down here and talked to us about how she deals with these kind of problems in her school for the exceptional child. She invited the Members of the Senate Education Committee to come and visit her school. So I took Mama Hawk up on that invitation and went to visit her school, and she's dealing with a lot of the kids that are coming from the difficult family situations you're talking about. And some of the examples she had of some of her students that would be late for school, maybe would miss school, she'd work with those students and say, "You, as a student, need to take some responsibility for getting yourself to school on time." She'd work with those students, show 'em that you can go to an Ace Hardware store or a STATE OF ILLINOIS 91ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 95th Legislative Day April 5, 2000 Wal-Mart or wherever and you can buy an eight-dollar alarm clock, you can set that alarm clock and you can get up and get to school on time. There was concern about kids that came to Mama Hawk's school that had dirty clothes and weren't clean. So she got somebody to donate a washer and dryer to her school, and they taught the kids how to wash their own clothes. Now, granted she was working, I think, with sixth- or seventh-, eighth-grade students, maybe a little older than that seven-year-old first or second grader, but the -- the concept that Mama Hawk presented in her school was it's better to teach somebody to deal with their circumstances rather than doing it for them. And I think in this situation, how difficult can it be for us to work with those kids coming out of those difficult situations, teach them how to open a box of cornflakes, teach that seven-year-old how to pour the cornflakes into the bowl, add the milk, and take some personal responsibility themselves, if the mother or the father or the family situation is not such that they're there or they've gone to work, or whatever the situation? And I have to believe that the majority of these families have the funds necessary to buy a box of cereal and a half a gallon of milk and can teach their second grader, or whatever, to put the milk and the cereal in a bowl and have their nutrition. So wouldn't it be better to teach 'em how to take responsibility for some of their own nutrition rather than saying, come on to the public school and we'll, again -- the government will take care of it for you? So for those reasons, I oppose the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) Any further discussion? Senator Ronen.
Thank you, Mr. President. I'm a little speechless right now. I wasn't planning on speaking to this bill either, and I think Senator Obama and Senator del Valle made wonderful points. First STATE OF ILLINOIS 91ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 95th Legislative Day April 5, 2000 I want to commend Senator Cronin and Senator del Valle for the hard work that they've done on this issue, and I think they've fashioned a very reasonable compromise. I would just say to the previous speaker that I think we live in different realities. I mean, you're talking the -- if I look at my district, and many districts, I think, across the State, there are many children who don't -- or many -- let's say this, many families who -- who can't provide breakfast, who are not able. We're -- in the -- the economic boon that we're experiencing has not been experienced by everybody. Welfare reform that has caused people to be working every day still has a significant number of people who work every day and, yet, are still in poverty. The reality that the former speaker was talking about reminds me more of an episode of Ozzie and Harriet than what really exists in the world today. Thank you for the moans; I appreciate that. The -- the link between nutrition and learning is undeniable. The greatest responsibility we have, as legislators, as State officials, I think, is to provide a quality education for children. We know this is something that can help children learn. It will make a difference. It will give them -- open the door to opportunity, open the door to allow them to be responsible citizens as they grow up. I think it's the least we can do, and I -- I commend the sponsor, again, for coming up with this compromise that gives discretion to local school districts as to whether they want to take part in this incentive. It's not a mandate, as has been stated previous times before. I would just urge all my colleagues to -- to vote for this very, very reasonable bill that will help children who otherwise do not have the assistance they need to gain a proper education.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) Further discussion? Senator Jacobs.
STATE OF ILLINOIS 91ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 95th Legislative Day April 5, 2000 Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate, I also was not going to speak on this bill. I thought that this bill would already be passed and on its way out of here. But I guess I, too, have a philosophy, and my philosophy concurs many of the times with those on the other side of the aisle, that government is there to do only those things which people cannot do for themselves. One of the references is to a seven-year-old fixing their own breakfast, et cetera. There are those of us out there that are a little less fortunate than we are. I have sixteen grandchildren, and they range from one-year-old all the way up to twenty-one years of age. Fortunately, they all have loving parents who are able to provide the food for them. But whenever we stand here and say that we're going to begrudge a seven-year-old the opportunity for breakfast, it's not that that seven-year-old doesn't know how to pour the cereal, to add the sugar, to pour the milk on; it's there's -- no cereal is there, no milk is there. Now, do we hold the child accountable for that? I think not. I think this is a good bill and I ask for your Aye support .
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) Further discussion? Senator Luechtefeld.
Thank you, Mr. President and Members of the Senate. You know, as you know, I -- I've been involved with young people most of my adult life in a rural area in which there are a lot of poor kids. One of the toughest decisions that I've found to make in this Assembly since I've been here is -- is, you know, just where do you draw the line between what government should do for people and -- and what government maybe -- people should do for themselves. And with this particular bill, I really have a problem with that, and I -- and I -- I think most of us, in many bills that we vote on, are not, you know, absolutely sure that we've got the answer STATE OF ILLINOIS 91ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 95th Legislative Day April 5, 2000 for it. This one bothers me because of -- you know, some of the arguments I've heard, you know, things like -- and -- and I hear this in my office all the time from constituency groups who come in and say, you know, "The State has a billion dollars." I had enough people in my office this morning that we've already spent that billion dollars. I'm not real sure that we, as -- as Members of the General Assembly, should use that because, you know, if you really look at a -- a billion dollars, it's enough to run this State for approximately eight days. During good times, you should have some money left over, I would think. This -- this particular bill, you know, really bothers me. We've -- we've heard some arguments with regard to, you know, you're a -- these kids are hungry and we need to help them. I really think I care as much about those kids as anyone on either side of the aisle, and I think a lot of people on this side of the aisle also care about those kids. Sometimes -- just where do you draw that line between helping them and them helping themselves? You know, for instance, the argument has been used, these are -- how can you deny a person -- a -- a hungry child the right to food? You know, there are a lot of other problems that these same children have maybe. I mean, how can you deny -- how can you allow them to watch some of the TV programs that are on in the evening? Or -- or maybe they don't have a good supper? Where do we go -- do we -- do we get them supper, too? Do we come into their homes and -- and -- and do something with regard to what they watch or -- or whether they're allowed to be on the streets or all those sorts of things? And I really don't think we're -- we're ready to do those things. And so it -- it becomes a matter of, you know, where does this program go and then, if we do this, what other programs do we do. Sometimes you can care about people and not necessarily try to be doing stuff for them all the time, and maybe you're doing more for them if you can somehow get them responsibility. Now, I don't STATE OF ILLINOIS 91ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 95th Legislative Day April 5, 2000 mean that these kids shouldn't be fed. I just think we need to look for other ways to do that, and I'm not real sure that the State should have that responsibility. So, you know, it's a -- where does -- where does this program go in five years, ten years? Costs a million dollars this year, a hundred million dollars ten years from now. And then what about a supper program? Do we start that? There are so many other things that we -- you know, if you really want to follow through with some of those arguments, we better start doing. I mean, there better be some legislation introduced to do those things, if you really feel strongly about those things. Again, it's a tough issue for me, a very difficult one, 'cause I'm not real sure where that line is between what the State should do and what people should do for themselves. And, again, you know, I -- I really think this is maybe not the direction, certainly, I think we ought to go. Thank you.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) Further discussion? Senator Molaro.
Thank you, Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate. First of all, I'm glad that the Senator from Okawville, if I'm pronouncing it right, got up and said this, because I certainly don't want any comments made on this side of the aisle to indicate that anybody on that side of the aisle didn't have the same concerns for our children as we do. We certainly all have the same concerns. And -- and I think, again, you've hit it on the head, as you have on many discussions, of where do you draw the line - seems to be the question. Senator from Bond County brought it up. And where exactly do you draw the line? And I thought it was taken care of with the amendment that came out, and it's basically this: I think you have to draw different lines in different places. That's the great idea of this State. You have Chicago; you have Rock Island; you have Geneseo. You have all STATE OF ILLINOIS 91ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 95th Legislative Day April 5, 2000 kinds of different places and different communities where people think differently. And thank God for that difference of thinking. It -- it makes life interesting. So I think the bill is in excellent shape, whereby this is not a mandate. This is something that you can either do or not do. So, therefore, if your local school districts decide "We don't want to send this type of message", don't take part in the program. But -- so it's the same reason. I'm not going to stand here and shove down -- something down the throats of people from a different part of the State, but, by the same token, all this bill allows, that if the school boards in Rock Island would like to avail themselves of this program and they want to draw the line in a different place than where other communities draw -- want to draw the line, they can do it. And where you want to draw your line, you can draw it and say, "No, we don't want that message out." This leaves it up to the local communities and the local school boards, and that's where it should be. Therefore, with the hard work that was done -- and I don't want to keep praising these guys for doing hard work; that's they're job, to do hard work. But the point is that it was done and it's done in a way where the local communities can decide. So I think it deserves a Yes vote.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) Further discussion? Senator Shaw.
Thank you, Mr. -- Mr. President and Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate. I didn't plan to rise on this -- on this, but I've heard so many speakers on the other side of the aisle talk about these issues. And one thing that I would like to point out, it's the State's responsibility to take care, the health and safety, of people, really, who cannot take care of themselves. And these are the children. We have a Department of Health, and if you check with your department -- the State Department of Health, they'll STATE OF ILLINOIS 91ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 95th Legislative Day April 5, 2000 give you the same information that have been repeated from this side of the aisle, that the nutritional program enable youngsters to learn better -- or, to learn. But you would argue with your own Department. What is our responsibility when it come to protecting children in this State? You might want to ask yourself that. To the mothers who sit on the other side of the aisle, I think they can full well understand what they're talking about when you talk about hungry children. You sit at your television and you watch famines in other countries, children hungry, and it brings tears to your eyes. We don't have that type of situation in Illinois, but we could come to it if we listened to some of the arguments on the other side of the aisle. Then we'll reach in our pocket -- when we look at those countries overseas, and reach in our pocket and send five dollars to those countries. That clears our conscience. But when it comes to our own people in Illinois, we will not -- we don't want to give 'em a dime. I think this is shameful. And I don't care what the -- ideological argument is. You have to take care of your own. You would think that some Members on the other side of the aisle never attended church, never attended. But they'll go to church and sit up in church, listen to the preacher talk about take care of the seniors and the needy and the children -- and the children. You'll put money in the church. That clears your conscience. But when you come back to this Body and have an opportunity to do something about it, you don't want to face up to your responsibility, and I think it's shameful. And those of you who want to vote against the bill, certainly you have an opportunity to. Those of you who want to vote against children and claim some other reason, we don't do the same thing when it come to the farmers. We don't do the same thing when it come to business of this State. We don't talk about that when it come to the farmers. We don't talk about that when it come to the pharmaceutical companies, who we give millions of STATE OF ILLINOIS 91ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 95th Legislative Day April 5, 2000 dollars in tax break. We don't talk about that. But when it come to our own children, we have to get up and find every excuse in the world not to do something. I think it's shameful and you need to go back to your preacher and talk to him - or parish - and talk to him again. I...
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) Further discussion? Senator Parker.
Thank you, Mr. President. I, too, was not going to rise and speak on this bill, but -- and -- and there are a lot of good points that have been brought up and certainly we have to think of parental responsibility. But let's remember the welfare system that government put into place. What kind of a system was that? It was a system that created people that were -- that were dependent on government, a system that said to the father, "You've got to go out the back door or otherwise the mother isn't going to get child support." And we changed that system, and now we are helping people get off it and stay off it and we are working on new generations. And -- and this, about giving children breakfast, helping them get started at school - and it does make a difference - so they can get that education and be a new generation, is something that I think we can take the responsibility for, to help and create a better system. Because government had done that before with welfare, we have to help and change that system. We've done it with child care, and this is just a small start to help those children do better in school, to give them a better life to look forward to. And I urge an Aye vote.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) Further discussion? Senator Hendon, for a second time.
Thank you, Mr. President. And I apologize for rising a second time, but a friend of mine's name was mentioned in debate and STATE OF ILLINOIS 91ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 95th Legislative Day April 5, 2000 that's Mama Hawk, who happens to be -- my wife is very close to her. And I did not want the impression to be put out here that if Mama Hawk had a -- a vote today, she would vote against this bill, because she wouldn't. She would support this bill. Many of us push self-responsibility when it comes to welfare reform. I believe I passed one of the first bills. My first bill was welfare reform, getting rid of the food stamps as they existed at that time and coming with the -- with the card so that we could be sure that food was getting to the children and that the stamps wouldn't be sold out on the street in exchange for alcohol. I mentioned earlier that we had Economic Development and Fiscal this morning. I want to remind you: That billion dollars that we spoke of was a -- a surplus. We have additional monies like we've never had before. Three hundred and seventy-five million in tobacco money by next year. The increase in alcohol taxes, up a hundred and fourteen percent. And one of the reasons why is because we took care of the -- the liquor companies, we took care of the -- the soda pop companies, we took care of the -- the riverboats, the gambling boats. As Senator Shaw said, when it comes time for the farmers having trouble, those of us from the City who understand that people simply have trouble in this economy vote for helping out the farmers of Illinois. It -- it just bothers me that when it comes to the children - children, babies we're talking about, not grown-ups - it's as if we want to get rid of the child labor laws and tell the seven-year-olds to go to work and earn their own money and -- for their cornflakes and -- and so they can make their cornflakes in the morning. If you don't have peanut butter and jelly in the House, you can't make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Yes, some parents have fell down on the job, but we cannot hold five- and six-year-olds responsible for that, and you know, I had to think twice about this. I may get wrote out of the lineup today over it for STATE OF ILLINOIS 91ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 95th Legislative Day April 5, 2000 softball, but when it comes to babies, I'll take my babies over softball any day. It is wrong to vote against this. I hope you have real blood in your veins and not ice water. And no one - no one in this Chamber - would consider Senator Cronin and Senator O'Malley bleeding-hearted liberals. They are not. They are conservatives. This is a good, human thing. It has nothing to do with ideology.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) Any further discussion? If not, Senator Cronin, to close.
Thank you very much, Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate. There's been some good discussions here. Let me just point out real quickly that the proponents of this measure, the Hunger Coalition and others, they have come a long, long way. This bill is -- in the form that it's in today, is dramatically different than the form it was in when it first came over here. It's not a mandate. There -- there is money set aside. It's an incentive program. There's local support for it. Let me also point out, in response to some of my colleagues' concerns and criticisms, you know, there's nothing in this bill that talks about the administration of the program. Locals have the opportunity to implement this in any way, shape or form that they want. This is merely a tool, a resource, that they may avail themselves if they wish to. And, by the way, they may qualify to get a eight-dollar match for every dollar that the State puts up. But the locals might want to consider inviting and requiring parents to be part of the -- the -- the delivery of the breakfast program. They might want to consider having, you know, certain children -- responsible children learn a lesson about taking care of their brethren. I mean, they're not limited, and I would encourage them to consider those -- those approaches. Lastly, let me share with you that when this issue first came to my attention STATE OF ILLINOIS 91ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 95th Legislative Day April 5, 2000 last fall, it was right after we were all shocked and disappointed by the dismal scores on the ISAT test, and when you looked a little harder beneath the surface of those test score results, you saw that the people that were failing those tests were coming from areas that had some serious socioeconomic problems. It wasn't a question about how much money we were spending in the schools, because there was plenty of money, but it was a problem that went beyond the school. It was a problem at the home. Now, I -- I -- I am sensitive to the philosophical concerns here - no question about it - but it is my hope, as the sponsor of this, that we will help hungry children and they will learn, that they will learn, they will score well on tests and they will learn many things, including personal responsibility. So I ask for your vote. Thank you.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) The question is, shall House Bill 2379 pass. All those in favor will vote Aye. Opposed will vote Nay. And the voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Take the record. On that question, there are 39 Ayes, 15 Nays, 1 voting Present. And House Bill 2379, having received the required constitutional majority, is hereby declared passed. House Bill 2855. Senator Donahue. Senator Donahue. House Bill 2884. Senator Burzynski. Madam -- out of the record. House Bill 2899. Senator Klemm. Senator Klemm. House Bill 2917. Senator Burzynski. Madam Secretary, read the bill, please.
House Bill 2917. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) Senator Burzynski.
STATE OF ILLINOIS 91ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 95th Legislative Day April 5, 2000 Thank you, Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate. House Bill 2917 tries to address a problem that we have in the State relative to alternative schools. Prohibits the State Board of Education from making audit adjustments to general State aid claims paid in fiscal years '99, 2000, 2001, 2002, and also sets forth criteria relative to alternative school funding.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) Is there any discussion? Senator Lisa Madigan.
Thank you, Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate. This bill is similar in nature to a bill that we passed out earlier when we had Senate bills to consider, and we have dealt with this issue numerous times in the Senate Education Committee. I think the State Board of Education is committed to working on alternative education programs and making sure that there is some resolution as to the number of hours that are provided for these classes. Currently, the School Code mandates that these classes go on for five hours a day to receive State funding. There are at least thirty school districts throughout the State that are not providing the statutorily mandated five hours, and while I have voted against this, it has come to my attention that it's an all-or-nothing system. So if there are school districts who have been innovative in the past and continue to by providing three and a half hours of time for these alternative education programs, they do not qualify for any funding because that does not meet the five-hour requirement. It would be my suggestion that we look at this issue more clearly and in more depth over the summer so that we can find final resolution on it, with the possibility of looking at prorating the money so that if there are alternative education programs being provided for less than five hours, that the school districts do not receive absolutely no money for services they are providing. Thank you. STATE OF ILLINOIS 91ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 95th Legislative Day April 5, 2000
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) Further discussion? Senator Demuzio.
And also, let me associate myself with the previous speaker's remarks. Senator Burzynski and I, this morning, had some conversation with respect to this bill in the Education Committee, and I'd like to share part of the letter from the State Board that they mailed to you so that we might have something for legislative intent here: That the State Board of Education is going to make every effort to ensure that the alternative school programs are in full compliance with the Illinois School Code, and following passage of this House Bill 2917, that the Board will provide written clarification to every school district addressing the compliance implications of this legislation, offer technical assistance to any district, school or program needing help with statutory compliance, and also will work diligently within the two-year window provided by this bill to identify and recommend, as was suggested by Senator Madigan, to the General Assembly alternative programmatic and funding approaches that meet the educational accountability and related financial needs of students, school districts, regional offices of education and, where appropriate, intermediate service -- centers. These alternative approaches will be proposed in fiscal year 2001, the legislative Session, so that changes impacting alternative education may be implemented by the expiration of the hold harmless provision in House Bill 2917. This was designed to assure that we don't give carte blanche to those other alternative programs that are not included in this particular bill. And I'm satisfied with that, and I would urge support.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) Further discussion? If not, Senator Burzynski, to close.
STATE OF ILLINOIS 91ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 95th Legislative Day April 5, 2000 Thank you, Mr. President. Just a brief comment thanking Senator Demuzio for reading that into the record - that was going to be part of my closing - but also to indicate to the Members that the State Board of Education does have a task force convening in April to address this issue, as well. So thank you very much.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) The question is, shall House Bill 2917 pass. All those in favor will vote Aye. Opposed will vote Nay. The voting is open. Have all voted who wished? Have all voted who wished? Have all voted who wished? Take the record. On that question, there are 56 Ayes, no Nays, none voting Present. And House Bill 2917, having received the required constitutional majority, is hereby declared passed. House Bill 2980. Senator Cronin. House Bill 3032. Senator Maitland. With leave of the Body, we will return later to House Bill 3114. House Bill -- at the bottom of page 7, in the Order of House Bills 3rd Reading, is House Bill 3138. Senator Parker. Top of page 8, in the Order of House Bills 3rd Reading, is House Bill 3176. Senator Larry Walsh. Senator Walsh. House Bill 3240. Senator Lauzen. Madam Secretary, read the bill, please.
House Bill 3240. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) Senator Lauzen.
Thank you -- thank you, Mr. President. Ladies and Gentlemen, this 3240 is new legislation from the Illinois Department of Revenue that amends the Uniform Penalty and Interest Act to make changes that -- that make sense to -- to people who pay these penalties. I'd be happy to go into any of the details if it's STATE OF ILLINOIS 91ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 95th Legislative Day April 5, 2000 important. There's no known opposition.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) Any -- is there any discussion? If not, the question is, shall House Bill 3240 pass. All those in favor will vote Aye. Opposed will vote Nay. The voting is open. Have all voted who wished? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Take the record. On that 'question, there are 56 Ayes, no Nays, none voting Present. And House Bill 3240, having received the required constitutional majority, is hereby declared passed. House Bill 3271. Senator Sullivan. Senator Sullivan. House Bill 3286. Senator Thomas Walsh. Madam Secretary, read the bill, please.
House Bill 3286. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) Senator Walsh.
Thank you, Mr. President. House Bill 3286 eliminates any perceived restrictions on affiliate banking in Illinois. It conforms to federal law, which places affiliate banking and branch banking on the same level, and it's supported by the Illinois Bankers Association, the Corporate Fiduciaries Association, the Community Bankers, and the Commissioner of Banks and Real Estate. I don't know of any opposition and would ask for a favorable vote.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) Is there any discussion? If not, the question is, shall House Bill 3286 pass. All those in favor will vote Aye. Opposed will vote Nay. And the voting is open. Have all voted who wished? Have all voted who wished? Have all voted who wished? Take the record. On that question, there are 56 Ayes, no Nays, none voting Present. And House Bill 3286, having received the required STATE OF ILLINOIS 91ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 95th Legislative Day April 5, 2000 constitutional majority, is hereby declared passed. House Bill 3455. Senator Sullivan. House Bill 3476. Senator Noland. House Bill 3588. Senator Karpiel. Senator Karpiel. House Bill 3621. Senator Maitland. House Bill 3640. Senator Dillard. House Bill 3649 -- 3699. Senator Dillard. House Bill 3756. Senator OIMalley. Senator OIMalley. House Bill 3771. Senator Philip. House Bill -- on the bottom of page 8, in the Order of House Bills 3rd Reading, is House Bill 3838. Senator O'Malley. Senator O'Malley. On top of page 9, in the Order of House Bills 3rd Reading, is House Bill 3852. Senator Watson. Senator Watson. House Bill 3861. Senator Robert Madigan. House Bill 3872. Senator Philip. House Bill 3926. Senator Radogno. 3928. Senator Radogno. House Bill 3929. Senator Molaro. House Bill 3939. Senator Philip. House Bill 4021. Senator Donahue. Thank you. Madam Secretary, read the bill.
House Bill 4021. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) Senator Donahue.
Why, thank you, Mr. President and Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate. House Bill 4021 is commonly referred to as the Great START program. We know that if we give young people a good start in their early years, that it will pay benefits later in their life, if they get good teachings...
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) Could -- would the Members please take their conferences off the Floor?
If they have a good ... STATE OF ILLINOIS 91ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 95th Legislative Day April 5, 2000
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) Hold on a second, Senator Donahue. Will the Members please take their conferences off the Floor? Senator Donahue.
Thank you. If they have an opportunity at -- with good education and -- and good teachers, that it wil1 pay benefits later in life. What Great START does is it allows the Department of Human Services to use already existing line items in their budget for the purposes of helping to retrain and retain teachers in our day care centers and our day care homes. It allows them to give types of bonuses for the education of the teachers. What we're seeing is we're seeing people in the day care industry leaving the field and going to work down the street...
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) Senator Donahue, I beg your pardon. Ladies and Gentlemen, the speaker -- please give the courtesy to the speaker. It's very difficult to hear her when there's a lot of noise coming off of the Floor. Senator Donahue.
Thank you again. What this allows is that if -- we find that our teachers are going down the street to -- to work at McDonald's, where they're getting paid more than the seven dollars and forty cents, which is the average for our day care workers. And what we're trying to do is keep them in a facility so there's continuity for the children, as well as for the teachers themselves. I think this is a very important piece of legislation. It's -- it's supported by everybody under the sun. You see numerous press conferences down in the Blue Room with law enforcement, the chiefs, the sheriffs, whole host all across the State. The day care center, the Day Care Action League, everybody is very supportive of this piece of legislation. And the important thing is we are talking about the budget, and that's why STATE OF ILLINOIS 91ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 95th Legislative Day April 5, 2000 I mentioned it in my comments, is the fact that it does not take new money. It is taking old money that is being used for day care enhancement grants and being -- put these to use in helping to retain and attract teachers to the day care field. So I would simply ask for your support and a positive roll call.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) Is there any discussion? Senator Obama.
Thank you, Mr. President. I just would like to stand in strong support of this bill. As many of you know, there is a day care crunch all across the State. It impacts every income level. I am obviously particularly concerned since I've got a two-year-old at home, and, you know, know firsthand the expense and difficulties of child care. What we want to do with this bill is simply assure that child care workers are sufficiently compensated, that they, in fact, are attracted to the profession, that they stay in the profession. Where there's less turnover, the outcomes are better for the kids. I think it's a terrific bill. I commend Senator Parker for introducing it, and I'd urge an Aye vote.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) Any further discussion? Senator Hawkinson.
Thank you, Mr. President. Will sponsor yield for a question?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) Sponsor indicates she will yield. Senator Hawkinson.
Senator, a number of years ago, there was talk of programs like this and -- and, with it, certain requirements on people that provided day care. Are there any mandates or requirements on day care providers in this legislation?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) STATE OF ILLINOIS 91ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 95th Legislative Day April 5 , 2000 Senator Donahue.
It is licensed providers and day care homes. And we have a sunset on this piece of legislation so that we can have a way of accounting for has it worked, is it doing things. And there's a report back to the General Assembly in three years.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) Senator Hawkinson.
Is it an incentive program, or is it -- are there any new requirements or mandates placed upon licensed day care providers?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) Senator Donahue.
No. If you're going to school and if they -- if they get a graduate's degree, that'll help with a bonus - things of this nature. That's the incentive to help retain the teachers.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) Further discussion? Senator Ronen.
Thank you, Mr. President. I, too, rise in support of this piece of legislation. I want to commend Senator Donahue for the wonderful job she's done in this area, working on child care. There's nothing more important we can do to improve the quality of child care than to provide appropriate wages to child care workers, and this incentive program really is a wonderful first step to do that. The needs for child care are monumental, and I commend Senator Donahue for her hard work, again, and look forward to working with her in the future on a whole host of child care issues.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) Any further discussion? If not, Senator Donahue, to close. STATE OF ILLINOIS 91ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 95th Legislative Day April 5, 2000
I would like to make one follow-up point, in that the incentives go to the -- to the worker, not to the facility. And I think that's -- that's where the importance is, is to keep them in the facility and coming back. It's a good bill and it's something that we need to do, and I ask for your support.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) The question is, shall House Bill 4021 pass. 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 56 Ayes, no Nays, none voting Present. And House Bill 4021, having received the required constitutional majority, is hereby declared passed. House Bill 4116. Senator Donahue, what purpose do you rise?
Well, I don't think I need to at this point, but I'd like to rise on a point of personal -- privilege.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) State your point.
I would just like to recognize that there are a number of day care employees in the audience, and ask that they rise and be recognized ...
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) Will our guests in the gallery please rise and be recognized? Welcome to Springfield. House Bill 4116. Senator Cronin. House Bill 4124. Senator Luechtefeld. House Bill 4231. Senator Maitland. House Bill 4258. Senator Karpiel. The bottom of page 9, in the Order of House Bills 3rd Reading, is House Bill 4260. Senator Dillard. Top of page 10, in the Order of House Bills 3rd Reading, is House Bill 4300. Senator Luechtefeld. Madam STATE OF ILLINOIS 91ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 95th Legislative Day April 5 1 2000 Secretary, read the bill, please.
House Bill 4300. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) Senator Luechtefeld.
Thank you, Mr. President, Members of the Senate. House Bill 4300 creates a neutral site custody exchange. In judicial circuits that include a county with a population of over one hundred thousand and less than one million inhabitants, a neutral site custody exchange fund will be established by such county by the passage of an ordinance by the county board. A fee of not less than one dollar nor more than eight dollars may be imposed on all civil case filings. The fund shall be used to make grant disbursements to one or more qualified non-for-profit organizations for the purpose of implementing a neutral site for custody exchange. Many times when children are exchanged, there are -- there are problems dealing with maybe even a court order of protection, Eights break out, these sorts of problems, and some counties have -- have -- have attempted to do this, in a small -- on a small scale, to have some sort of neutral exchange. This would allow the county board in these counties to -- to set up one and fund it with some fees used for these -- for the civil case filings. Would be glad to answer any questions that you might -have,otherwise ask for a -- an Aye vote.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) Is there any discussion? If not, the question is, shall House Bill 4300 pass. All those in favor will vote Aye. Opposed will vote Nay. The voting is open. Have all voted who wished? Have all voted who wished? Have all voted who wished? Take the STATE OF ILLINOIS 91ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 95th Legislative Day April 5, 2000 record. On that question, there are 50 Ayes, 5 Nays, none voting Present. And House Bill 4300, having received the required constitutional majority, is hereby declared passed. House Bill 4369. Senator Parker. House Bill 4374. Senator Maitland. House Bill 4396. Senator Dillard. At the request of the sponsors, House Bills 4435 through 4444 shall be held. House Bill -- on the top of page 11, in the Order of House Bills 3rd Reading, is House Bill 4447. Senator Rauschenberger. House Bill 4481. Senator Donahue. Madam Secretary, read the bill, please.
House Bill 4481. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) Senator Donahue.
Thank you very much, Mr. President, Members of the Senate. What 4481 does - House Bill 4481 - it allocates the two million dollars that we get from the Used Tire Management Fund. It -- we had put a sunset on it back in 1992 so we could evaluate it. We simply want to continue it and use the same allocations to the agencies that we allocated back in 1992. ltls EPA, Department of Commerce and Community Affairs, Department of Public Health, Department of Ag, Pollution Control Board and Department of Natural Resources. All benefit from this two million dollars. It's an administration bill and I'd simply ask for your support.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) Is there any discussion? If not, the question is, shall House Bill 4481 pass. All those in favor will vote Aye. Opposed will vote Nay. The voting is open. Have all voted who wished? Have all voted who wished? Have all voted who wished? Take the record. On that question, there are 56 Ayes, no Nays, none voting STATE OF ILLINOIS 91ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 95th Legislative Day April 5, 2000 Present. And House Bill 4481, having received the required constitutional majority, is hereby declared passed. House Bill 4482. Senator Dillard. Madam Secretary, read the bill, please.
House Bill 4482. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) Senator Dillard.
Thank you, Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate. This is Senator Geo-Karis' bill. It comes from the Illinois Department of Nuclear Safety and I believe there's no opposition to it. There are two parts. The first part is revenue-neutral and makes a little change in the law dealing with Illinois -- nuclear safety preparedness, and basically it changes the law to say per cask for certain types of fees to per truck. And most trucks carry just one cask, so it's revenue-neutral. The second part allows us to -- when we have shipments that go more than two hundred and fifty miles in Illinois, that we can assess a surcharge of twenty-five dollars per mile for every mile over two hundred and fifty miles for the first truck in each shipment, and that allows us to break revenue-neutral. We were losing money on shipments over two hundred and fifty dollars {sic), with respect to our cost. Again, I don't know of any opposition, but I'd be happy to answer any questions. I'd urge an Aye vote.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) Is there any discussion? If not, the question is, shall House Bill 4482 pass. All those in favor will vote Aye. Opposed will vote Nay. The voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wished? Have all voted who wished? Take the record. On that question, there are 56 Ayes, no Nays, none voting Present. STATE OF ILLINOIS 91ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 95th Legislative Day April 5, 2000 And House Bill 4482, having received the required constitutional majority, is hereby declared passed. House Bill -- at the request of the sponsor, House Bills 4564 through 4576 shall be held. House Bill 4582. Senator Weaver. House Bill 4583. Senator Weaver. House Bill 4584. Senator Weaver. Bottom of page 11, in the Order of House Bills 3rd Reading, is House Bill 4587. Senator Maitland. On the top of page 12, in the Order of House Bills 3rd Reading, is House Bill 4588. Senator Rauschenberger. House Bill 4698. Senator Molaro. Senator Halvorson, for what purpose do you rise?
Thank you, Mr. President. Point of order.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) State your point.
I was just wondering if -- when we were going to go to our motion to discharge on House Bill 3036.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) I'll get back to you on your request, Senator.
Thank you.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) Senator Watson, what purpose do you -- you rise?
Yes, thank you very much. Two points, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) State both of your points.
I'd like to welcome to the Illinois Senate some friends of ours from southwestern Illinois, Southwestern Illinois Industrial Association members and their Executive Director, Bob Walters, who are here in the President's Gallery on the Republican side.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) STATE OF ILLINOIS 91ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 95th Legislative Day April 5, 2000 Will our guests in the gallery please rise and be recognized? Welcome to Springfield. Senator Watson, state your second point.
Yes. Thank you very much. I just had a phone call and talked with Senator -- I just had a phone call and talked with Senator Geo-Karis, and she's doing well. She sounds weak on the phone - she admits she's weak - but she said that she's doing well and she hopes to be back here next week. But the reason that she called - she asked me to call her back - was about the softball game tonight. She's read in the papers and -- and heard on the radio the very same concerns that I've got about our ability tonight to win the game. House has practiced now three -- three times, and we had one practice, so I'm concerned about it, obviously, and as we all should be. And we've won -- since 1992, we haven't lost. Carl Hawkinson's last game, hopefully, I guess I should say. We have mixed feelings about that over here. But Carl, running for the Supreme Court, this could very well be his last game and he's our pitcher. We certainly want to support him. So, I hope that all of you will come out tonight. And Senator Cullerton and I have -- over the years, have always asked all of our Members to -- each of you contribute ten dollars and we give it towards a charity here in Springfield and it -- so each of us, in our respective caucuses, I'd appreciate it if you'd give us ten dollars towards the softball game and towards a charity here in Springfield. The game is going to be at the same field it always is, out at Lincoln Park. You just drive all the way around to the end practically and we'll start -- or, we'll be there, hopefully, around 4:30. The game is supposed to start somewhere after 5. So, if you can be there, we'd like to have you there. Obviously, there'll be refreshments and -- and hot dogs. And the RCGA, the Regional Commerce and Growth Association, out of St. Louis, in the St. Louis Metropolitan area, of which we are a part of over on our STATE OF ILLINOIS 91ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 95th Legislative Day April 5, 2000 side of the river, they sponsor the game and they're providing all the refreshments for us. So hope to see you there. Thank you.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) Senator Karpiel, what purpose do you rise?
Thank you, Mr. President, to announce a Republican Caucus immediately in Senator Philip's Office. If there's anyone not on the Floor - and I hope you hear me because this is an important caucus - please be there.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) Senator Smith, what purpose do you rise?
...Mr. President. Point of personal privilege. Want to announce that there will be a Caucus meeting of the Democratic Party in the office of Senator Emil Jones, as soon as the -- we close here. We're asking everyone to please -- of the Democratic Party, please be there and on time.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) Senator Jacobs, what purpose do you rise?
Thank you, Mr. President. Just a point of order. In response to Senator Halvorson's request, maybe you could discuss that in your caucus and decide whether maybe we could get to that by Friday or Monday. If you could give us a date specific, it would be very much appreciated. Thank you.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) Senator -- Senator Jacobs, it is the intent of the Chair to stand in recess until the hour of 3 so that each side can have their caucus and discuss matters of importance to each caucus, and we will come back at 3 o'clock. Senator Hendon, what purpose do you rise? Senator Jones, Emil Jones, what purpose do you rise, sir? STATE OF ILLINOIS 91ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 95th Legislative Day April 5, 2000
Yeah. Thank you, Mr. President. Point of personal privilege.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) State your point, sir.
I'd like the Senate to give a warm welcome to the Lincoln Dental Society and Ms. Janet Connor. They're here in Springfield, concerned about child care.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) Will our guests in the gallery please rise and be recognized? Welcome to Springfield. For all the Members within earshot, a Republican Caucus in Senator Philip's Office immediately. Democratic Caucus in Senator Jones' Office immediately. The Senate stands in recess until the hour of 3 p.m. We will be conducting business, Ladies and Gentlemen, so please be on the Floor at 3 p.m. (SENATE STANDS IN RECESS/SENATE RECONVENES)
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) For the information of the Membership, we will be going to the Order of Secretary's Desk, Resolutions. So if the Members within earshot, in their offices, please return to the Senate Floor. We will be going to the Order of Resolutions very shortly. Messages from the House.
Message from the House by Mr. Rossi, 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 1304, with House Amendment No. 1. STATE OF ILLINOIS 91ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 95th Legislat ive Day April 5, 2000 We have a like Message on Senate Bill 1508, with House Amendment 1; Senate Bill 1540, with House Amendment 1; and Senate Bill 1550, with House Amendments 1 and 2. All passed the House, as amended, April Sth, 2000.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) If you turn your attention to the bottom of page 18 to the Order of Secretary's Desk, Resolutions. Senator Cronin, on Senate -- Senate Resolution 261. Senator Cronin. Top of page 19, in the Order of Secretary's Desk, Resolution, is Senate Resolution 273. Senator Cronin. Senator Cronin. Senate (Joint) Resolution 68. Senator Shaw. Mr. Secretary, read the resolution.
Senate Joint Resolution 68, offered by Senator Shaw. No committee or Floor amendments, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) Senator Shaw.
Thank you, Mr. President. Senate (Joint) Resolution No. 68 declares May 1st through May 7th, 2000, as Senior -- Senior Independent Living Work {sic) Week in the State of Illinois. Salutes the -- those members of our society who live on their own and maintains their personal lives. And all we're doing here is basically -- is saluting the senior citizens, particularly those who live on their own, and it's declaring May 1st through May 7th as seniors' week.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) Is there any discussion? If not, Senator Shaw moves the adoption of Senate Joint Resolution 68. All those in favor, say Aye. Opposed, Nay. The Ayes have it, and the resolution is adopted. Senate Resolution 70. Senator O'Malley. Senate Joint Resolution 70. Senator O'Malley. Mr. Secretary, read the resolution. STATE OF ILLINOIS 91ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 95th Legislative Day April 5, 2000
Senate Joint Resolution 70, offered by Senator O'Malley and others. There are no committee or Floor amendments, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) Senator O'Malley.
Thank you, Mr. President, Members of the Senate. Senate Joint Resolution 70 resolves that the report of the Compensation Review Board filed in the year 2000 as provided in the Compensation Review Act is hereby disapproved in whole. Be happy to answer any questions you may have.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) Is there any discussion? Senator Demuzio.
I only raise this question because -- from time to time when we have some new Members. But could you tell the Members, if you are voting to reject, you will be voting Aye, is that -- is that -- is that the case?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) Senator O'Malley.
Thank you, Senator Demuzio. Yes, supporting this resolution is rejecting the proposed -- the proposals under the -- the report filed by the Compensation Review Act for the year 2000.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) Senator Demuzio.
I want to point out to the Members that a vote Yes is to reject and that means no pay raise, a vote to -- voting No means you are voting in favor of the Compensation Review Board. So if you want to vote No, you vote Aye, to disapprove. Thank you. STATE OF ILLINOIS 91ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 95th Legislative Day April 5, 2000
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) Any further discussion? If not, Senator OIMalley, to close.
Thank you, Mr. President. There doesn't appear to be a lot of discussion and -- and that's encouraging to me. That at a time when we are trying to provide for relief for senior citizens, whether it be drug costs or other costs and expenses that they are incurring through their -- through their effort to just live in Illinois, at a time when they're on fixed incomes, while we're trying to provide broad-based tax relief, and at a time when we need to trim government or make sure that government is as efficient as possible in order to deal with the tax relief we're trying do this year, it's certainly appropriate that we reject the Compensation Review Board's recommendations. I encourage all of us to support this resolution, and, as Senator Demuzio said, that, in effect, rejects the Compensation Review Board's recommendation. Thank you.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) Senator O'Malley moves the adoption of Senate Joint Resolution 70. All those in favor will vote Aye. Opposed will vote Nay. And the voting is open. Have all voted who wished? Have all voted who wished? Have all voted who wished? Have all voted who wish? Take the record. On that question, there are 54 Ayes, no Nays, none voting Present. And the resolution is adopted. Senator Demuzio, what purpose do you rise? Senator Hendon, what purpose do you rise?
Mr. President, have we pretty much concluded our business for today?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) I'll get back to you on that, Senator. Senator Weaver, what purpose do you rise? STATE OF ILLINOIS 91ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 95th Legislative Day April 5, 2000
Thank you, Mr. President. I'd like to make an announcement, please. Rules Committee will meet at 4:45. 4:45 in the Anteroom.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) Ladies and Gentlemen, for -- for all practical purposes, we have concluded the business for the day. The -- we will stand at ease until the Rules Committee meets and submits that report to the Chair. But for all practical purposes, we have concluded the business for the day. And we'll -- the Senate stands at ease. Oh! Chair has just decided -- stand at ease for a moment. We'll be back to the the Members in a minute. Senator Weaver.
Thank you, Mr. President. I'm sorry for the confusion, but I understand there's several Floor amendments that are being worked on that won't be ready, right away, anyway, and I would hope that we could -- I'm saying we're going to meet at 8:30 in the morning. Rules will meet at 8:30 in the morning, in the Anteroom. Thank you.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) -- so, in that case, Senator Weaver, we will be adjourning So till the hour of 8:30 in the morning so that the -- the Body can receive the report of the Rules Committee. So for all practical purposes, we have concluded the business for the day, and if there's no further business to come -- Senator Ronen, what purpose do you rise?
Thank you, Mr. President. I would just like to be noted as I would have voted Yes on the previous bill. I wasn't able to get to my switch in time.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) Senator Ronen, your intent will be noted in the record.
STATE OF ILLINOIS 91ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 95th Legislative Day April 5, 2000 Thank you.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) Senator Hendon, what purpose do you rise?
Thank you! Mr. President. As you know, Senator ~eo-Karishas been ill, so let's go out and win the softball game for her. It would make her feel very, very good, and it's for "Geo". All right.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) Senator -- Senator Demuzio, what purpose do you rise?
I just wanted to point out to Senator Weaver that there's also an Executive Committee meeting tomorrow morning at the same hour, at the hour of 8:30. Any idea as to where we're going to meet in the morning?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) Senator Weaver.
Senator Demuzio, we'll meet at 8:30 in the Anteroom and we hope that all those Floor amendments are filed shortly before and we'll act on 'em, and then Executive Committee meeting will be -- Senator Klemm can inform us...
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) Senator Klemm, what purpose do you rise?
Well, to answer your question. The Senate Executive Committee will meet immediately after Rules finishes theirs. But I want to let you know, it's early in the morning. So be prepared at 8:30, okay?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) Senator Demuzio.
STATE OF ILLINOIS 91ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 95th Legislative Day April 5, 2000 Don't worry, with you guys, I'm always prepared. What -- what does that mean? What time are we coming back then tomorrow? And I guess we get our tax relief amendments, we ought to get 'em ready tonight so we can get 'em in for Rules tomorrow,.right?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) Thank you, Senator Demuzio. If there's no further business to come before the Senate, Senator Weaver moves that the Senate stands adjourned until the hour of 8:30 -- Senator Klemm.
Well, I -- I understand we've got some amendments coming, so we'll meet at 9:30 , in Room 212, for the Senate Executive. 9:30 now.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DUDYCZ) If there is no -- further business to come before the Senate, Senator Weaver -- the Senate stands adjourned until the hour of 8:30, Thursday, April 6th. REPORT: TIFLDAY STATE OF ILLINOIS PAGE: 001 91ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY SENATE DAILY TRANSCRIPTION OF DEBATE INDEX APRIL 05, 2000 HB-0709 SECOND READING PAGE 7 HB-1324 SECOND READING PAGE 7 HB- 1785 SECOND READING PAGE 7 HB-1992 SECOND READING PAGE 7 HB-2379 THIRD READING PAGE 13 HB-2917 THIRD READING PAGE 33 HB-2991 SECOND READING PAGE 8 HB-2997 SECOND READING PAGE 8 HB-3093 SECOND READING PAGE 9 HB-3240 THIRD READING PAGE 36 HB-3286 THIRD READING PAGE 37 HB-3457 SECOND READING PAGE 9 HB-4021 THIRD READING PAGE 38 HB-4045 SECOND READING PAGE 10 88-4176 SECOND READING PAGE 10 88-4227 SECOND READING PAGE 10 HB-4300 THIRD READING PAGE 42 HB-4431 SECOND READING PAGE 11 HB-4481 THIRD READING PAGE 44 HB-4482 THIRD READING PAGE 45 SJR-0068 ADOPTED PAGE 50 SJR-0070 ADOPTED PAGE 50 SJR-0070 OTHER PAGE 53 SUBJECT MATTER SENATE TO ORDER-PRESIDENT PHILIP PAGE 1 PRAYER-PASTOR JOHN STANDARD PAGE 1 INTRODUCTION OF GUESTS-PRESIDENT PHILIP PAGE 1 IL NATIONAL GUARD PATRIOTIC FLAG CEREMONY PAGE 1 PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE PAGE 1 GUEST SPEAKER-GENERAL DAVID HARRIS PAGE 2 INTRODUCTION OF GUEST-SENATOR LUECHTEFELD PAGE 2 GUEST SPEAKER-COACH KATHY LANTER PAGE 3 JOURNAL-POSTPONED PAGE 4 MESSAGES FROM THE HOUSE PAGE 4 SENATE STANDS IN RECESWSENATE RECONVENES PAGE 49 MESSAGES FROM THE HOUSE PAGE 49 ADJOURNMENT PAGE 55