PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HALVORSON) The regular Session of the 93rd General Assembly will please come to order. Madam Secretary, Reading and Approval of the Journal.
Senate Journal of Wednesday, July 7, 2004, from the regular Session.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HALVORSON) Senator Haine.
Madam President, I move that the Journal just read by the Secretary be approved, unless a Member of the Senate has additions or corrections to offer.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HALVORSON) Senator Haine moves to approve the Journals just read by the Secretary. There being no objection, so ordered. Madam Secretary, Resolutions.
Senate Resolution 625, offered by Senator Shadid and all Members. It is a death resolution.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HALVORSON) Resolutions Consent Calendar. If everybody could bring their attention to the Calendar, we’re going to go to page 20, Secretary’s Desk, Concurrences. We’ll be starting on Senate Bill 1971. So if everybody could turn to page 20. Senator Burzynski, I hear you trying to figure out what you’re doing, so I’ll direct your attention to page 20 on the Calendar that says Thursday, July 8th. On the Order of Concurrence is Senate Bill 1971. Senator Welch, do you wish to proceed? Madam Secretary, please read the motion.
I move to concur with the House in the adoption of their Amendment No. 1 to Senate Bill 1971. Motion filed by Senator Welch.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HALVORSON) Senator Welch, to explain your motion.
1 STATE OF ILLINOIS 93rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 142nd Legislative Day 7/8/2004 Thank you, Madam President. What we’re doing here with House Amendment No. 1 is deleting the underlying bill and making changes to the Monetary Award Program grant. This bill allows that MAP program to limit eligibility to one hundred and thirty- five credit hours rather than ten semesters, as it is now. It also allows these grants to be used year around rather than just during the fall and spring college semesters, as long as the student does not exceed his or her annual maximum award. The bill will be effective July 1, 2004, and I would ask for an Aye vote.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HALVORSON) Is there any discussion? Senator Burzynski.
Thank you, Madam President. Will the sponsor yield for a quick question?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HALVORSON) Sponsor indicates he’ll yield.
Thank you. First of all, I rise in support of the bill. I just wanted the Body to know that. But again, Senator Welch, just for point of clarification relative, this does not change the distribution between private independent universities versus public universities?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HALVORSON) Senator Welch.
That is correct, Senator.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HALVORSON) Is there any further discussion? This is final action. The question is, shall the Senate concur in House Amendment No. 1 to Senate Bill 1971. Those in favor will vote Aye. Opposed, Nay. The voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Take the record. On that question, there are 55 Yeas, none voting Nay, none voting Present. And the Senate concurs in House Amendment No. 1 to Senate Bill 1971, and the bill, having received the required three-fifths constitutional majority, is declared passed. On page 21, Senate Bill 2258. On the Order of Concurrence is 2 STATE OF ILLINOIS 93rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 142nd Legislative Day 7/8/2004 Senate Bill 2258. Senator Schoenberg, do you wish to proceed? Madam Secretary, please read the motion.
I move to concur with the House in the adoption of their Amendment No. 2 to Senate Bill 2258. Motion filed by Senator Schoenberg.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HALVORSON) Senator Schoenberg, to explain your motion.
Thank you, Madam President and Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate. I’m asking the Senate to concur in House Amendment No. 2 to Senate Bill 2258. This relates to changes that are made in the home equity program that is established through referendum for municipalities of one million -- one million people or more. These -- these home equity programs are designed to provide relief for geographically specific adverse housing conditions by guaranteeing that the member’s property values don’t fall below the fair market values, which are established at the beginning of the program. There’s a requirement of the number of -- of the amount of time that you have to participate in the program. There’s a change shortening that window here in the amendment. There’s a change which affects the terms of those who sit on the -- who sit -- who sit as commissioners on -- on this. And this is a request of the Southwest Home Equity Assurance Program, which -- and I’d be happy to answer any questions.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HALVORSON) Is there any discussion? Senator Risinger.
Thank you, Madam President. Question of the Chair. Senate Bill 2258, as I understand it, was a bill that was passed on the Freedom of Information. I question the germaneness of this bill. Can I have a ruling on that?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HALVORSON) Sure. If you’d like to wait a second, we’ll find that out for you. Senator Risinger, the bill we have before us today is a bill with regards to public bodies, so all components of the bill are germane. Is there any discussion? Senator Burzynski.
3 STATE OF ILLINOIS 93rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 142nd Legislative Day 7/8/2004 I -- thank you, Madam President. I might have been involved in another conversation, but I don’t really recall exactly what this bill does. Can you synopsize enough for me to -- well, no. Can you -- yeah. Give us a synopsis.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HALVORSON) Yeah. Don’t ask that much. Senator Schoenberg, do you wish to try to make Senator Burzynski understand?
I -- I’m still feeling the love, Madam Chair. The municipalities, a million people or more, by public referendum can establish home equity programs that protect the value of an individual’s home against adverse -- against abrupt and adverse market conditions. There’s a bill on the property tax bill -- once this has been approved by referendum, there’s a line on the property tax bill by which there’s an assessment to participate in this home equity program. One of the home equity programs that exists in the City of Chicago is on the southwest side of the City of Chicago. The amendment that I’m asking you to concur on lifts the term limitation on what commissioners who serve on that home equity program can do. It also narrows the window by which people can initiate a claim. Those are the two major distinctions and that’s really, on one foot, what it all does.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HALVORSON) Is there any further discussion? This is final action. The question is, shall the Senate concur in House Amendment No. 2 to Senate Bill 2258. Those in favor will vote Aye. Opposed, Nay. The voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Take the record. On that question, there are 55 Yeas, none voting Nay, none voting Present. And the Senate concurs in House Amendment No. 2 to Senate Bill 2258, and the bill, having received the required three-fifths majority, is declared passed. There being no further business to come before the regular Session of the Senate, the Senate stands adjourned -- I apologize. Senator Burzynski, for what purpose do you rise?
4 STATE OF ILLINOIS 93rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 142nd Legislative Day 7/8/2004 That’s fine. Thank you, Madam President. Just for the point of an announcement. There will be a Republican Caucus at 1 o'clock in Senator Watson’s Office. Thank you very much.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HALVORSON) Thank you, Senator. Senator Hendon.
Thank you, Madam President. Tomorrow morning there will be a meeting of the Executive Appointments Committee at 10 a.m. in Room 212.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HALVORSON) Thank you, Senator. Senator Welch.
A point of information.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HALVORSON) State your information.
Senator Larry Walsh is not here today. He’s back in his district doing some work.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HALVORSON) Thank you, Senator. Anybody else? There being no further business to come before the Senate, the Senate stands adjourned until the hour of 12:40 p.m. on Friday, July 9th, 2004. The Senate stands adjourned. 5