PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) The regular Session of the 94th General Assembly will please come to order. Will the Members please be at their desks? Will our guests in the galleries please rise? The invocation today will be given by Reverend Shelly Wood, Westminster Church, Springfield, Illinois. Reverend Wood.
(Prayer by the Reverend Shelly Wood)
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Please remain standing for the Pledge of Allegiance. Senator Maloney.
(Pledge of Allegiance, led by Senator Maloney)
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Will all Members please come to the Senate Chamber? Would all Members please come to the Senate Chamber? We have a number of issues that we’re going to be going to immediately. Would all Members in their offices please come to the Senate Chamber? Senator Mattie Hunter.
Mr. -- Mr. President, I move to postpone the reading and approval of the Journal of -- of Wednesday, March 15, 2006, pending arrival of the printed transcript.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Hunter moves to postpone the reading and approval of the Journal, pending arrival of the printed transcripts. There being no objection, so ordered. Mr. Secretary, Committee Reports.
Senator Harmon, Chairperson of the Committee on Revenue, reports House Bill 1744 Do Pass, as Amended. Senator Garrett, Chairperson of the Committee on State Government, reports House Bill 5260 Do Pass, as Amended; Senate Resolution 631 Be Adopted; and Senate Amendment No. 1 to Senate Resolution 514 Do Adopt. Senator Silverstein, Chairperson of the Executive Committee, reports House Bills 2151, 4127, 4377, 4449, 4822, and 5251 Do Pass; and House Bill 4161 Do Pass, as Amended; Senate Amendment No. 3 to Senate Bill 2310 and Senate Amendment No. 2 to Senate Bill 2654 recommended Do Adopt. 1 STATE OF ILLINOIS 94th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 89th Legislative Day 3/16/2006 Senator Sandoval, Chairperson of the Committee on Commerce and Economic Development, reports House Bill 4425 Do Pass; and House Bill 4147 Do Pass, as Amended. Senator Collins, Chairperson of the Committee on Financial Institutions, reports House Bills 4519 and 4760 Do Pass.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Shadid, for what purpose do you seek recognition, sir?
Personal privilege, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) State -- state your point, Senator.
Our staffer Jenny Allison who does a great job for us, in the gallery, behind you, Mr. President, if they would stand, would be Cindi Nichols, who’s her mother, and also Dory Morgan from Peoria. And, Cindi, the mother, is from Canton. Would you two ladies like to stand up? Welcome to Springfield.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Would our guests please rise and be welcomed to the Senate? And now we see where you get your beauty - from your mother. Welcome to the Senate. House Bills 1st Reading.
House Bill 4081, offered by Senator Watson. (Secretary reads title of bill) House Bill 4296, offered by Senator Haine. (Secretary reads title of bill) House Bill 4412, offered by Senator Risinger. (Secretary reads title of bill) House Bill 4886, offered by Senator DeLeo. (Secretary reads title of bill) House Bill 5257, offered by Senator Brady. (Secretary reads title of bill) House Bill 5334, offered by Senator Ronen. (Secretary reads title of bill) And House Bill 5462, offered by Senator Watson. (Secretary reads title of bill) 1st Reading of the bills.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) 2 STATE OF ILLINOIS 94th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 89th Legislative Day 3/16/2006 Senator Link, for what purpose do you seek recognition, sir?
Thank you, Mr. President. I just want to say that Senator Ronen is absent today due to business in the district.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Thank you. Senator Viverito, for what purpose do you rise?
Thank you, Mr. -- personal privilege
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) State your point.
We have in the -- up above the President’s Speaker there, two young men are here from the College of DuPage in a student leadership council. Roman Lunsford and Steven Ross. How about giving them a -- warm welcome?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Will our guests from DuPage College please rise and be welcomed to the Senate? Welcome. Introduction of Bills, Mr. Secretary.
Senate Bill 3178, offered by Senator Risinger. (Secretary reads title of bill) 1st Reading of the bills.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Resolutions.
Senate Resolution 671, offered by Senator Haine and all Members. Senate Resolution 672, offered by Senator Link and all Members. Senate Resolution 673, offered by Senator Crotty and all Members. And Senate Resolution 674, offered by Senator Shadid and all Members. They are death resolutions, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Resolutions Consent Calendar.
And Senate Resolution 675, offered by Senator Millner. 3 STATE OF ILLINOIS 94th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 89th Legislative Day 3/16/2006 It is substantive.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Would all Members under the sound of my voice please come to the Senate Floor? We’re about to go to Senate business. There will be a meeting of the Rules Committee. There will be a meeting of the Rules Committee immediately. All members of the Rules Committee, there will be a -- a Rules Committee meeting immediately in the President’s Antechamber.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Viverito, for what purpose do you rise?
Point of personal privilege, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) State your point.
We have a very fine young lady that’s -- having her birthday today. She’s the young lady that keeps us with the candy and cookies and fruits. And -- and how about giving a happy birthday to Barbara Mason.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Happy 29th, Barbara.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Will all Members under the sound of my voice please come to the Senate Chamber? Mr. Secretary, Committee Reports.
Senator Viverito, Chairperson of the Committee on Rules, reports the following Legislative Measures have been assigned: Refer to the Executive Committee - House Bill 4448 {sic} (448), 1261, 1604, 2708, 4442, 4453, 4666, 4729 and 4974; refer to the Committee on State Government - Senate Resolution 662, Senate Joint Resolution 83, House Joint Resolution 80, House Joint Resolution 84, House Joint Resolution 85, House Joint Resolution 89, and House Joint Resolution 95. Signed by Senator Viverito.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) We’re now going to House Bills… Committee -- Committee Report.
Senator Viverito, Chairperson of the Committee on Rules, 4 STATE OF ILLINOIS 94th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 89th Legislative Day 3/16/2006 reports the following Legislative Measures have been assigned: Refer to the Executive Committee - Committee Amendment No. 1 to House Bill 448, Committee Amendment No. 1 to House Bill 1261, Committee Amendment No. 1 to House Bill 1604, Committee Amendment No. 1 to House Bill 2708, Committee Amendment No. 1 to House Bill 4442, Committee Amendment No. 1 to House Bill 4453, Committee Amendment No. 1 to House Bill 4666, Committee Amendment No. 1 to House Bill 4729, and Committee Amendment No. 1 to House Bill 4974. Signed by Senator Viverito.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Sullivan, for what purpose do you seek recognition, my friend?
Thank you, Mr. President. For an announcement. Point -- point of personal privilege and an announcement.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Take your time. Make ‘em both.
Thank you very much. First of all, my colleagues in the Senate, I want to thank everybody for the great turnout -- the great turnout last night at the Sullivan Caucus. We had a great event. I know some folks got hung up in committee, couldn’t be there, but I want you to know we had a great time. Also, we took up a collection last night during the caucus and we raised over five hundred dollars that’s going to go to the storm victims here in Springfield. The money -- the money is going to go to the Central Illinois Food Bank. We’re going to be able to give them a check for over five hundred dollars, so I want to say thank you for everybody for doing that. I also -- I also have with me today some constituents from Hamilton, Illinois. They are teachers in the Hamilton School District. They’re here today attending the Illinois Reading Conference. They’re above me up in the gallery, and I'd like them to stand as I introduce them: Carol Huffman, Jill Dobbins, Polly Mullins, Janet Steinman and, my sister, Edith Ewing. Would you welcome them to Springfield, please?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Will the fine teachers from Hamilton, Illinois, who are 5 STATE OF ILLINOIS 94th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 89th Legislative Day 3/16/2006 educating our children, stand and be welcomed to the Senate? Welcome. House Bills 2nd Reading, page 8 on your Calendar. Please turn to page 8, bottom of page 8. On the Order of 2nd Reading is House Bill 874. Senator DeLeo. House Bill 1463. Leader Watson. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 1463. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) 3rd Reading. House Bill 1620. Senator Dahl. 1620. House Bill -- top of page 9. House Bill 2497. Senator Garrett. Mr. Secretary, read the bill.
House Bill 2497. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) 3rd Reading. House Bill 2734. Senator Righter. Mr. Secretary, read the bill.
House Bill 2734. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) 3rd Reading. House Bill -- 3126. Senator Cullerton. Senator Cullerton. House Bill 4121. Senator Sandoval. House Bill 4125. Senator Garrett. 4125. Senator Garrett. Senator Garrett, do you wish your bill called, ma’am? Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 4125. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) 6 STATE OF ILLINOIS 94th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 89th Legislative Day 3/16/2006 3rd Reading. House Bill 4134. Senator Cullerton. House Bill 4172. Senator Hunter. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 4172. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) 3rd Reading. House Bill 4193. Senator del Valle. House Bill 4202. President Jones. 4202. President Jones. Mr. Secretary, read the bill.
House Bill 4202. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) 3rd Reading. House Bill 4217. Senator Viverito. Senator Viverito. Moving on. House Bill 4242. Senator Martinez. Mr. Secretary, read the bill.
House Bill 4242. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) 3rd Reading. House Bill 4286. Senator Harmon. Mr. Secretary, read the bill.
House Bill 4286. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) 3rd Reading. Top of page 10. House Bill 4298. Senator Jacobs. Mr. Secretary, read the bill.
House Bill 4298. (Secretary reads title of bill) 7 STATE OF ILLINOIS 94th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 89th Legislative Day 3/16/2006 2nd Reading of the bill. Committee on -- Committee on Judiciary adopted Amendment No. 1.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Have there been any Floor amendments approved for consideration?
No further amendments reported, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) 3rd Reading. House Bill 4300. Senator Risinger. Mr. Secretary, read the bill.
House Bill 4300. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. The Committee on Judiciary adopted Amendment No. 1.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Have there been any Floor amendments approved for consideration?
No further amendments reported, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) 3rd Reading. House Bill 4302. Senator Lightford. I mean - - I’m sorry, Senator Ronen. Out of the record. House Bill 4306. Senator Cullerton. House Bill 4314. Senator Sandoval. Senator Sandoval. House Bill 4317. Senator Peterson. Senator Peterson. Mr. Secretary, read the bill.
House Bill 4317. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) 3rd Reading. House Bill 4461. Senator Harmon. House Bill 4657. Senator Munoz. Senator Munoz. 4657. Mr. Secretary, read the bill.
House Bill 4657. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments 8 STATE OF ILLINOIS 94th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 89th Legislative Day 3/16/2006 reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) 3rd Reading. House Bill 4676. Senator Hunter. Mr. Secretary, read the bill.
House Bill 4676. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) 3rd Reading. House Bill 4688. Senator Collins. Mr. Secretary, read the bill.
House Bill 4688. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) 3rd Reading. House Bill 4699. Senator Axley. Mr. Secretary, read the bill.
House Bill 4699. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) 3rd Reading. House Bill 4714. Senator Clayborne. Mr. Secretary, read the bill.
House Bill 4714. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) 3rd Reading. House Bill 4719. Senator Munoz. Mr. Secretary, read the bill.
House Bill 4719. (Secretary reads title of bill) 9 STATE OF ILLINOIS 94th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 89th Legislative Day 3/16/2006 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) 3rd Reading. Top of page 11. House Bill 4785. Senator Maloney. Mr. Secretary, read the bill.
House Bill 4785. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) 3rd Reading. House Bill 4788. Senator Lightford. Out of the record. House Bill 4832. Leader Watson. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 4832. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) 3rd Reading. House Bill 4986. Senator Sullivan. Mr. Secretary, read the bill.
House Bill 4986. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) 3rd Reading. House Bill 4999. Senator Raoul. Mr. Secretary, read the bill.
House Bill 4999. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) 3rd Reading. House Bill 5245. Senator Haine. Mr. Secretary, read the bill.
10 STATE OF ILLINOIS 94th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 89th Legislative Day 3/16/2006 House Bill 5245. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) 3rd Reading. House Bill 5267. Senator Garrett. Out of the record. House Bill 5300. Senator Harmon. 5300. Mr. Secretary, read the bill.
House Bill 5300. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) 3rd Reading. House Bill 5301. Senator Shadid. Mr. Secretary, read the bill.
House Bill 5301. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) 3rd Reading. House Bill 5370. Senator Lightford. Out of the record. House Bill 5375. Senator Hunter. 5375. Mr. Secretary, read the bill.
House Bill 5375. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) 3rd Reading. Top of page 12. House Bill 5578. Senator Link. Senator Link. Mr. Secretary, read the bill.
House Bill 5578. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) 11 STATE OF ILLINOIS 94th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 89th Legislative Day 3/16/2006 3rd Reading. That concludes our 2nd Readings. I suggest if you want your bills passed, you are on the Senate Floor. Senator Burzynski, for what purpose do you seek recognition, sir?
Thank you, Mr. President. Just for purposes of announcement. Like the record to reflect that Senator Dahl is absent today due to a family emergency. Thank you.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) The record will so reflect, sir. Senator Bomke, for what purpose do you seek recognition, sir?
Thank you, Mr. President. Point of personal privilege.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) State your point, sir.
Thank you. As you all know, we had a catastrophic event last weekend, last -- last Sunday night, when a tornado came through Sangamon County destroying a good part of the City of Springfield and the surrounding area. Many -- of the people have been displaced from their homes. In an article I read earlier today, there were -- over fifteen hundred homes that were -- damaged. One thousand of those are uninhabitable. So we have people who are unable to live in their homes, without electricity, and even some of those whose homes were not damaged will not get electricity probably for another year {sic}. I want to thank Senator Sullivan and the Sullivan Caucus for their contribution to the Food Bank. But I also want you to consider making a contribution, not only to the Food Bank, but to the Salvation Army as well, and the Red Cross. The Central Illinois Red Cross has always responded to catastrophic events in the State of Illinois or wherever it might occur in the country. As a matter of fact, after Katrina, the local -- Red Cross received 1.3 million dollars in donations that went to Katrina. Now the people in Sangamon County, particularly in Springfield and the adjacent suburbs, need your assistance. Mayor Tim Davlin has done an outstanding job. I want to commend the Mayor for his quick response and the City of Springfield’s response to this devastation, as well as the other mayors in the local area. But I also have a question to the Chair. Because we have so many 12 STATE OF ILLINOIS 94th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 89th Legislative Day 3/16/2006 people displaced, Mr. President - we have over a thousand people unable to live in their homes and we have lobbyists, we have Members of the General Assembly, we have staff and we have FEMA in town trying to assess the damages - I want the Chair to respond to my request to postpone Session until we hear from the Mayor, until people are able to go back into their homes. The problem we have is people are unable to get hotel space to stay, because the General Assembly is in -- in town.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Well, Senator, we certainly understand the devastation here in -- in Springfield and the surrounding areas and we’re certainly sympathetic to the issues at hand, and hopefully the people can get their lives back to normal as soon as possible. We will be continuing with Senate business. Senator Bomke.
So, you’re not -- you’re not interested in postponing Session for at least one week? I mean, how -- how could that hurt?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator, we are very sympathetic to the plight of all the people here in your community, but we will be continuing with Senate business. Hopefully we can give you some other help in other ways. We’re going to -- we’re going to now go to 3rd Readings. We’re going to now -- we will now proceed to the Order of Resolutions Consent Calendar. With leave of the Body, all those resolutions read into today will be added to the Consent Calendar. Mr. Secretary, have there been any objections filed to any resolutions on the Consent Calendar?
No objections have been filed, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Is there any discussion? If not, the question is, shall the resolutions on the Consent Calendar be adopted. All those in favor will say Aye. Opposed will say Nay. The Ayes have it, and the motion carries. The resolutions are adopted. Mr. Secretary, on the Order of Resolutions.
Senate Joint Resolution No. 85, offered by Senator Halvorson. 13 STATE OF ILLINOIS 94th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 89th Legislative Day 3/16/2006 (Secretary reads SJR No. 85)
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Halvorson. Senator Halvorson moves to suspend the rules for the purpose of immediate consideration and adoption of Senate Joint Resolution 85. Those in favor will say Aye. Those opposed will say Nay. The Ayes have it, and the rules are suspended. Senator Halvorson now moves the adoption of Senate Joint Resolution 85. All in favor will say Aye. All opposed will say Nay. The Ayes have it, and the resolution is adopted. Pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 85, the Senate stands adjourned until the hour of 12 noon, on Wednesday, March 22nd, 2006. The Senate stands adjourned. Enjoy your weekend. 14