Illinois Senate Floor Debate — January 7, 2007

The regular Session of the 94th General Assembly will please come to order and would the Members please be at their desks? Will our guests in the galleries please rise? The invocation today will be given by Rabbi Barry Marks. But, Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate, I -- I would ask that we take a few moments to offer a blessing as we prepare to conduct business for the first time in our newly renovated Senate Chambers. Rabbi Marks for our blessing and prayer.

Please remain standing for the Pledge of Allegiance. Senator Maloney.

Rabbi Marks for the blessing.

Thank you, Rabbi. I would like to recognize and thank on behalf of this Body, the work done by the architects, the artisans and the workers and the staff who oversaw this project from beginning to end. Just a few hours after we left this Chamber on May 4th, 2006, demolition began in this Chamber. At one point, all that was left was plywood walkways and a lot of dust. This beautiful tribute to our history portrays the Senate during the time period of the late 1800s to the early 1900s. Hours of research went into the efforts and the hundreds of meetings to ensure that the finished product would uncover this diamond in the rough. To the many who worked night and day over the past seven months to see this through, you have indeed uncovered a spectacular diamond. If I could for a moment point out the care, the craftsmanship taken with this project and the effort to restore this Chamber to its historic time period. The wall covering behind the press - Rick Pearson will like this - boxes on either side of the Chamber and in the back of the Chamber were truly a surprise. When the wood was initially taken off, the workers discovered stencils long ago covered - for 1  STATE OF ILLINOIS 94th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 117th Legislative Day 1/7/2007 whatever reason, we don’t know. This covering that you see today are almost identical to the original stencils. Many individuals participated in this project. On behalf of all the Members, thank you for your dedication, your professionalism and your very, very, very hard work. I would like to recognize the guests we have in the gallery who represented those who worked on this incredible project: David Hrabal, Vinci Hamp Architects; Rick Schmudde, HDR Engineering; Frank Huschitt, Imperial Woodworking; Ed McGee, Evergreen Studios; Larry DuPont, Evan Lloyd Architects {sic} (Associates); Warren Alberton {sic} (Atherton), B & B Electric; Alan Rumboldt, Morton Automatic; Paul Boland, Henneman Engineering; Jan Grimes, Capitol Development Board; Ron White {sic} (Wright), Capitol Development Board; Mark Flowers, Capitol Development Board; Mark Gerareot, Capitol Development Board; and Don McLarty, Office of Architect; Tim Rice, Executive Director of Legislative Information Service; Mark Wenda, L.I.S. Application Services Manager; Dan Winchester, L.I.S. Systems Service Manager; Jason Montgomery, Team Leader, L.I.S. Voting System; Brian Rumpf, Core Construction; Gary Behm, St. Louis Antique Lighting; Wendell Fritsch, Fritsch and Sons; Scott Williams, Henson Robinson Company. Will our guests in the gallery, in the President’s Gallery, please be rise -- please rise and be recognized for the spectacular job that you did? The planning for this tremendous job began several years ago and there was those who doubted that it could be done in seven months, but we got -- we adjourned in time, and as I indicated, the work began and they really restored this Chamber. It’s really beautiful. I told Senator Wendell Jones that we did it for him. If he hadn’t left, you know… We did it for you, Wendell. WICS-TV, WLS and Fox 32 TV request leave to videotape the proceedings. Seeing no objection, leave is granted. Madam Secretary, Reading and Approval of the Journal.

Senator -- Senator Collins.

Senator Collins moves to approve the Journal just read by the Secretary. There being no objection, so ordered. Madam Secretary, Messages.

Madam Secretary, could you hold one moment? Let’s tone it down a little bit, gentlemen. It’s very difficult to hear. Madam Secretary, proceed.

I’d like for the Senate to also give a warm welcome to the former President of this Body, who’s always been my President - still my President - Phil Rock. Madam Secretary, Motions.

It shall be reflected on the Calendar, Madam Secretary. Senator Watson, what purpose you rise?

Yes, Mr. President, and thank you and I, too, obviously want 6  STATE OF ILLINOIS 94th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 117th Legislative Day 1/7/2007 to welcome Phil Rock back to the Senate Chambers and also pass on my congratulations and thanks for those people who -- who did such a great job in the renovation of the Chambers here. It’s fantastic and I just want to pass on my thanks to them in getting it done in such a timely manner. I do also want to take the opportunity here, Mr. President, to introduce two new Members to this Body. One maybe most of you know and the other one probably you know, but you don’t know, and that’s Ed Petka’s wife, Phyllis. Please, Phyllis, stand up. Those -- those that have followed Ed’s politics over the years knows that this is truly the driving force behind his success and he’s gone on to the bench in Will County and Phyllis will be joining us over the next three days, so we certainly welcome you here, Phyllis, and look forward to serving with you. The -- the other gentleman right here is Randy Hultgren. Randy Hultgren was State Representative from DuPage County. Randy is taking Peter Roskam’s place, who of course went to Washington to serve that district and follow Henry Hyde, and we wish Peter well, but we’re glad to have Randy joining us here and he will continue, obviously, into the next Session. So, thank you, Mr. President, for giving me the opportunity to introduce our two Members.

Senator Halvorson, what purpose you rise?

Proceed.

Yes. Senator Delgado informed me that he had the chip removed. Senator -- Delgado.

Senator Geo-Karis.

Good afternoon, Mr. President. I just want to wish you a very, very fruitful year. I know you’ll have it because you are a great guy and I think you’ve done a great job in this Chambers and I’m so glad to see all of my colleagues. You won’t be seeing me after the 10th, but that will be to your benefit. So I just want you to know that I enjoyed my tour of duty here and welcome all of you here, the new ones and the old ones, and I can honestly say to you, it was fun. So, God bless you all and -- give you good health and strength to put up with everything, ‘cause it isn’t easy. So, I just want you to know, Mr. President, I -- you will have a very fine replacement in Michael Bond - very fine gentleman. And I just want you also to know that we appreciate you. We appreciate all that you do and the many kindnesses that you do for people and I particularly do. So, thank you, thank you, thank you, Mr. President, for being not only the gentle gentleman that you are, but a real gentleman at heart. God bless you and your family and God bless all of you here. And, Linda, congratulations to you. I’m proud of you, very proud of you. You’ve done a great job for us. And I just want to thank everyone for being so nice to me and I -- you don’t have to be after the 10th. So, God bless you all. Love you all.

Madam Secretary, Resolutions.

Resolutions Consent Calendar. Senator Link. Senator Link.

Senator Link moves to suspend the rules for the purpose of immediate consideration and adoption of Senate Resolution 923. All those in favor, signify by saying Aye. Opposed, Nay. The Ayes have it. The rules are suspended. Senator Link -- Link moves for the adoption of Senate Resolution 923. All those in favor, signify by saying Aye. Opposed, Nay. The Ayes have it. The resolution is adopted. The Rules Committee will meet immediately in the Antechamber. The Rules Committee will meet immediately in the Antechamber. Members of the Rules Committee. Madam Secretary, Committee Reports.

All right, Ladies and Gentlemen, you should have on your desks a copy of Supplemental Calendar No. 1. On page one of the Supplemental Calendar, on -- on the Order of Motions in Writing to Override the Total Veto of the Governor, we have Senate Bill 380. Madam Secretary, please read the motion.

Senator Cronin.

Thank you very much, Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate. This is a bill that passed in the Veto Session with overwhelming support from both sides of the aisle. It has a number of components in it that impact almost exclusively school districts throughout the State. Village of Forsyth also has a provision in there for a voter-approved non-home rule sales tax for school construction. But this is all about schools and this is all about compelling needs. And Village of Forsyth as well as Oak Park, River Forest, Oswego, Lincoln-Way and Ford Heights are all the communities that are impacted by this bill. As we know, our -- our Governor vetoed this bill and we’re here to do the right thing. So I ask for your favorable consideration in moving to override the Governor’s veto.

Is there any discussion? Any -- any discussion? Senator Harmon.

Any further discussion? Senator Sullivan. Question is, shall the Senate pass Senate Bill 380, notwithstanding the total veto of the Governor. All those in favor will vote Aye. Opposed, Nay. Madam Secretary -- the -- 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 -- on that question, there are 44 Ayes, 7 voting Nay, no one voting Present. Senate Bill 380, having received the required majority -- having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed, notwithstanding the veto of the Governor. Senator John Sullivan, what purpose you rise?

State your point.

Thank you, Madam President. It’s somewhat sad as we stand here today in this newly renovated Chamber and our great Secretary of the Senate has decided to leave us. Years ago when I talked with Linda, when I became the Minority Leader, she said -- she asked me, could she stay on? I said, I couldn’t think of anything better but having you stay on, and we talked. She said, “You know, I served under former Senate President Tom Hynes. I served under former Senate President Cecil Partee. I served under your favorite President, Phil Rock, and now I’m serving under you.” But Linda is an institution in this Body within herself. She’s the person that keep this -- this Chamber functioning in a manner that we all appreciate. She’s always been there. She can give you the correct answer. She know what’s going on - an institution within itself as it relate to Senate operation. Linda, we really appreciate your many, many hard, long years of working. When you come to this Capitol while we’re in Session, the first car you’ll probably see here is Linda Hawker’s. She stays until we’re all gone and continued to work to make sure that when we come back the next time everything will be in its proper place. She’s done it for all of us, not on a partisan basis. She’s the Secretary of the Senate, who has served us so well. Linda, we wish you well in your future endeavors, whatever that may be, but you will always be my Secretary of the Senate. God bless you and thank you for such a tremendous job you’ve done for all of us.

Yes. Thank you very much, Madam President. Personally I could think of someone else I’d rather see up there as Secretary of the Senate. All right, let’s relax, we’re going to have a good time here. I’m thinking of Scott Kaiser. That means we’d be in charge, right? Okay. But, Linda, you were -- you -- it didn’t matter whether you were in the Minority or the Majority. It didn’t matter. You were -- you were fair to everybody. Whether it was Jim Harry or Scott Kaiser or whoever it might be, you worked well as a great team and that’s important. I think 13  STATE OF ILLINOIS 94th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 117th Legislative Day 1/7/2007 those of us, we need to recognize the importance of the two of them working as a team and they did -- they did that and do that. You’ve been very fair to us - me personally - to all of us on this side of the aisle. We appreciate that. Professionalism was mentioned by Carol and that’s -- that’s exactly the way I would recognize your work here, is you’ve been very professional and -- and fair and that’s -- that’s all that we should ask. And -- and I think all of us -- and I’ll have to agree that your car is here often - a lot of times when I come in and when I leave. So you have -- you’ve -- you’ve done your work well. This is a difficult time for -- for all of us when -- when we say goodbye. I’m not a good goodbye kind of person. I don’t -- I just don’t do that well. And I -- but I do appreciate your -- the work you’ve provided us, and -- and I could tell - and the President mentioned the Chamber here - I can just see a woman’s touch in this. It’s a beautiful, beautiful facility, fantastic renovation and you should be very proud of that being part of your legacy. To come back here and -- and you can look at this and say I had a big part in this. So, wish you well. I know you’ll have success in your next life beyond politics or behind being in the Senate and we all wish you well, Linda, and thank you for your work. And appreciate it very much.

Madam President and Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate, first of all, Linda, you’re much too young to retire. I can’t imagine you retiring at such a young age. Because I am telling you the truth, I’m eighty-eight and I’m still going strong. So, I just want to tell you that I’ve always enjoyed talking with you. You’ve always been very fair and very honorable, and one thing I can honestly say about you, you’re a truly professional person with a good heart. There are professional people who have no heart, there are professional people who don’t know what they have for a heart, and there are professional people who forget -- we forget very well. All I can tell you is that you have made your mark by you being you - a decent, honorable, caring individual who is willing to help anyone, even a Republican. So I just want to tell you, Linda, I love you dearly. I hope to see you after, because I’m going out, too, you know. So we will get together for dinner, because you are one of the nicest people I have ever met in my life. And I congratulate President Jones for having had you appointed, but I’m sorry to see you retiring, but I -- I can’t understand why you would retire so young. But knowing you as I do, you will be doing something else, just like I will too. So God bless you and your family, and it’s been a real pleasure knowing you and I’ll never forget you.

Thank you, Madam President. Many of us have talked about 17  STATE OF ILLINOIS 94th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 117th Legislative Day 1/7/2007 Linda’s ability here in the Capitol, but my first meeting with Linda was not in the Capitol. It was one of the social establishments that surround the Capitol and it was before I was in the Senate. I was a lowly House Member at the time and we were all discussing political events at that -- that particular event and Linda and I had a little discussion about something. It seems like when Linda got up to go some place, I sat down in her chair, and she came back and says, “Who’s that big guy sitting in my chair over here?” Anyway, we got to talking and had a great rapport going and since then, certainly fourteen years in the Senate here, we’ve done a lot of work together. But, Linda, I want to praise you for your outstanding work as Clerk. You certainly showed bipartisan work for all of us. You were the Clerk for the Senate and we certainly appreciate that. I thank you and I know we all want to give you Godspeed in any ventures that you take on in the future. God bless you.

Thank you, Mr. President and Members of the Senate. I -- I -- so often we work in a place like this and we really don’t get to know people personally very well. I -- I would say that Linda -- I know -- I don’t know her very well personally. I do -- have watched her now for the last twelve years working in this Body and I -- I guess I would just like to say that she shows a -- unbelievable amount of professionalism. You know, we all have known people that work -- that we’ve worked with for years and -- and they really -- they -- they’re self-motivated. They really don’t need someone to tell ‘em what to do. They do it and they would do it no matter what. They’re there early. They stay late and -- and you are one of those people and that’s rare and -- and it -- it’s something that you really need to -- to be proud of. You’ve treated everyone fairly. I suspect you’re a Democrat, but you have treated people on this side of the aisle as if we are, you know, are -- as if we are the same as -- on both sides of the aisle. I -- I -- sometime ago, I said to her, “I don’t believe 19  STATE OF ILLINOIS 94th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 117th Legislative Day 1/7/2007 that the Chamber is going to be ready by the time we meet.” She said, “It will be. I’ll bet you it’ll be ready.” And she even wanted to bet money. Can you believe that? But we didn’t, we bet -- the spiritual bouquet is what we bet, right? And -- and she won that. One other comment - you know, we do this a lot in this Body. People leave and we give testimony of what -- what great people they are and sometimes I -- I say, “Do I not know that person very well?” Because I hear things that -- that don’t sound like I know that fella very well or that gal very well. But let me just tell you, I think today everyone on both sides of the aisle are very sincere about what they’re saying, and that you have to feel good about. Congratulations and have a great life from here on out. Thank you.

20  STATE OF ILLINOIS 94th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 117th Legislative Day 1/7/2007 Thank you, Madam President. Thought you could sneak out on me, didn’t you, Linda? Uh huh, yeah. Well, you know, I can’t believe I heard your resume. Everything you’ve done in public service and you never taught school? Because unlike some of you now, I’ve seen Linda stand in that Well and look at me with one of these, “now, Senator” looks - that stern look of a schoolteacher sometimes. And certainly those of you that know me, know that I like to have a little fun, sometimes at other’s expense, sometimes at my own expense. But certainly, Linda, I really have appreciated getting to know you over the years. And the patience that you have with all of us, as has already been mentioned, when we ask questions about certain things, how to do something. And I’m going to miss seeing your smiling face, because I know that every once in a while when we’d get a little raucous, you would look out here and you’d just kind of put that little stern look, but then you’d smile, too. So I appreciate you for that. I appreciate your years of service and what you’ve brought to this institution of the Senate as well. And hopefully we can carry those types of things on, too. So we appreciate it, and good luck to you and I hope this isn’t the last time I see you.

Thank you very much, Madam President. Linda, great day, a great time to honor you for your service in this Chamber and for your -- your respect for the institution, for the process and the 21  STATE OF ILLINOIS 94th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 117th Legislative Day 1/7/2007 manner in which we do our work. Heard a speaker or someone said to me one time, “I really don’t care how much you know, until I know how much you care.” And you’re the kind of person, as we’ve talked about here, that truly cares about each one of us as an individual. So I know how much you care and you show that every day and you’ve showed that to Members on both side of the aisle and we thank you for that friendship. Those of us that have been speaking today were elected to serve, but, you, my friend, were selected to serve, and served well you have. Some us serve to make a difference, some of us serve to make a positive difference, some of us serve in such a way that we make an everlasting and eternal difference and that’s the kind of service you’ve given us here in this Chamber. God bless you. Thank you very much.

Thank you, Madam President. Assuming that Senator Forby’s committee will be done with its work at approximately 5:15, there will be a Republican Caucus in Senator Watson’s office at 5:15.