PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) The regular Session of the 95th General Assembly will please come to order. Madam Secretary, Reading and Approval of the Journal.
Senate Journal of March 12th, 2008.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Hunter.
Mr. President, I move that the Journal just read by the Secretary be approved, unless some Senators has additions or corrections to offer.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Hunter moves to approve the Journals just read by the Secretary. There being no objection, so ordered. Madam Secretary, Resolutions.
Senate Resolution -- 591, offered by Senator Haine and all Members. It’s a death resolution, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Consent Calendar. Madam Secretary, Committee Reports.
I have a Committee Report correction. The following correction has been made on the report of the Senate Committee on Environment and Energy. The report dated March 12th, 2008, stated that Senate Bill 2095 was recommended Do Pass, as Amended. While Committee Amendment No. 1 was adopted by the committee, Senate Bill 2095 has been held by the committee. 1 STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 137th Legislative Day 3/13/2008 Senator Silverstein, Chairperson of the Committee on Executive, reports Senate Bills 2063, 2207, 2210, 2231, 2256, 2322, 2374, 2472, 2501, 2546, 2653 through 2730 Do Pass; and Senate Bills 1999, 2006, 2113, 2400 and 2825 Do Pass, as Amended; House Bill 2482 Do Pass, as Amended; and House Joint Resolution 111 Be Adopted. Senator Demuzio, Chairperson of the Committee on Veterans Affairs, reports Senate Bills 1890, 2092, 2178, 2193, 2302, 2391, 2415, 2431, 2626 and 2632 Do Pass; and Senate Bills 1989, 2009, 2074, 2326, 2344 and 2538 Do Pass, as Amended; Senate Resolutions 484, 550 and 554 Be Adopted; Senate Joint Resolutions 77, 78 and 82 Be Adopted; House Joint Resolution 82 Be Adopted; and House Joint Resolution 21 Be Adopted, as Amended. Senator Harmon, Chairperson of the Committee on Revenue, reports Senate Bills 1995, 2072, 2148, 2282, 2329, 2873, 2874, 2875 and 2912 Do Pass; and Senate Bills -- 2099, 2227, 2584 and 2882 Do Pass, as Amended. Senator Delgado, Chairperson of the Committee on Licensed Activities, reports Senate Bills 1869, 1929, 1998, 2100, 2179, 2211, 2285, 2290, 2424, 2760 and 2838 Do Pass; and Senate Bills 2028 and 2222 Do Pass, as Amended. Senator Haine, Chairperson of the Committee on -- I’m sorry, Committee on Insurance, reports Senate Bills 2296, 2499 and 2502 Do Pass; and Senate Bills 2201, 2358 and 2380 Do Pass, as Amended. Senator Maloney, Chairperson of the Committee on Higher Education, reports Senate Bills 1908, 2413, 2603 and 2736 Do Pass. 2 STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 137th Legislative Day 3/13/2008 Senator Lightford, Chairperson of the Committee on Education, reports Senate Bills 2013, 2071, 2170, 2182, 2481, 2482 and 2799 Do Pass; and Senate Bills 1956, 2091, 2293, 2328, 2379, 2402, 2412 and 2512 Do Pass, as Amended. And Senator Forby, Chairperson of the Committee on Labor, reports Senate Bills 2188, 2216, 2375 Do Pass; Senate Bill 2397 Do Pass, as Amended; and Senate Joint Resolution 83 Be Adopted, as Amended. Senator Cullerton, Co-Chairperson, and Senator Dillard, Co- Chairperson of the Committee on Judiciary-Civil Law, reports Senate Bills 1865, 2085, 2111, 2128, 2161, 2232, 2428, 2435, 2489, 2527 and 2594 Do Pass; and Senate Bills 1941, 2080, 2124, 2138, 2139, 2287 and 2827 Do Pass, as Amended. Senator Collins, Chairperson of the Committee on Financial Institutions, reports Senate Bills 2786 and 2828 Do Pass; and Senate Bill 1879 Do Pass, as Amended. Senator Crotty, Chairperson of the Committee on Local Government, reports Senate Bill 2824 Do Pass. Senator Garrett, Chairperson of the Committee on Public Health, reports Senate Bill -- Senate Bills -- I’m sorry, Senate Bills 1900 and 2865 Do Pass, as Amended. And Senator Jacobs, Chairperson of the Committee on Housing and Community Affairs, reports Senate Bills {sic} 2425 Do Pass; and Senate Bill 1988 and 2566 Do Pass, as Amended.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Kotowski, for what purpose do you seek recognition?
Point of personal privilege, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) 3 STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 137th Legislative Day 3/13/2008 State your point, Senator.
Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate, I have a very big announcement to make. There’s a -- there’s a very important day coming up on Sunday. It’s Senator Michael Bond’s birthday and Senator Linda Holmes’. It’s going to be Senator Linda Holmes’ thirtieth birthday. We’re very excited about -- to celebrate that. She was twenty-nine last year when she came in. She has not aged one bit. She’s added so much value to the Illinois State Senate and I’m just honored to share a seat with her over here. And Senator Bond - I don’t know what I can say about him. But happy eighteenth birthday, Senator Bond. You know, in -- in a few years when you’re legal to drink, I think it would be great to share one with you. I’ll have a 7UP; you’ll have a beer. But Senator Bond and Senator Holmes are two wonderful people. They’re great public servants. They -- they are -- they’re just terrific, thoughtful. They deserve to have a wonderful celebration of their birthday. And I don’t know if any of you saw last night, Senator Kwame Raoul was singing “Edelweiss” when we were out last night and he’s got very good voice. I want to call Senator Raoul over here to the microphone with me to sing “Happy Birthday”. Can we get everyone to sing “Happy Birthday” to Senator Bond and Senator Holmes? Please, everybody, let’s go…
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) A very short version.
Very short…
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) 4 STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 137th Legislative Day 3/13/2008 Senator Raoul, Kwame, would you please get around to the mike so we can get past this quickly? Happy birthday to Senator Bond and Senator Holmes, everyone. Let’s say happy birthday to them. Happy birthday.
Happy birthday.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) (Senator Hendon sings “Happy Birthday”) Happy birthday, Senators. Thank you, Senator Kotowski.
We are -- we are the House of the Lords after all, so…
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Thank you, Senator. Senator Pankau, for what purpose do you seek recognition, ma’am?
Thank you, Mr. President. An inquiry of the Chair.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Inquiry of the Chair. State your inquiry, Senator.
Yesterday, I rose -- that I had filed two Motions in Writing on Senate Bill 2464 and 2468. Mr. President, who was in the Chair, assured me they would be on the Calendar today. I don’t see them on the Calendar. Am I looking in the wrong place?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator, I’m certain that you’re looking in the right place. As you know, I was not the Presiding Officer yesterday, but I am presiding today and your inquiry most certainly will be noted and I will check into that for you. Senator Pankau, 5 STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 137th Legislative Day 3/13/2008 you’re welcome. Senator Risinger, for what purpose do you seek recognition, sir?
Thank you, Mr. President. Would the record show that Senator Lauzen won’t be here today due to illness.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) The record will so reflect. Senator Althoff.
Thank you, Mr. President. Point of personal privilege.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) State your point. I see two lovely young people there with you. Go right ahead.
Yes. And as Senator Risinger just stated, Senator Lauzen is absent today, so I have the distinct honor of being the Senator for two wonderful Pages. I have in front of me Maggie and Sam Eallonardo. They are from -- they’re actually from Yorkville. They go to St. Mary’s School in Plano. And their parents are also in the gallery, Damian and Christine. May we give them a warm Springfield welcome?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Welcome to the Illinois Senate. Let’s welcome to the Illinois Senate, Senators, Mattie {sic}, Sam, and their parents. Senator Maloney, for what purpose do you seek recognition, sir?
For purpose of announcement, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Make your announcement, Senator.
6 STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 137th Legislative Day 3/13/2008 Thank you. Thank you, Mr. President. In town is the National Center for Higher Education Management Systems. That group is going to be heading up the higher education task force that has been created. There’s a meeting today for any interested parties, scheduled at 3 o’clock in Room 349 of the Stratton Building.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) It’s 3 -- that meeting is 3 o’clock, 349 of the Stratton Building. Thank you, Senator. We’re now going to go to Senate business. Would all Senators under the sound of my voice please come to the Senate Floor? As you know, historically, when I am in -- the Presiding Officer, we’re going to move business pretty quickly today. So if you want your legislation passed, you need to be here and be ready because we’re going to go at a brisk pace so we can break for Easter vacation.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HALVORSON) Supplemental Calendar No. 1 is being distributed at this moment. We will be going to Supplemental Calendar No. 1, House Bills 2nd Reading. Senator Hendon, on Senate Bill -- or House Bill 2482. Madam Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 2482. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. The Committee on Executive adopted Committee Amendment No. 1.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HALVORSON) Have there been any Floor amendments approved for consideration?
7 STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 137th Legislative Day 3/13/2008 No further amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HALVORSON) 3rd Reading. On Supplemental Calendar No. 1 is the Order of Secretary’s Desk, Resolution. Senator Harmon, do you wish your resolution read? Madam Secretary, read the resolution.
House Joint Resolution 111, offered by Senator Harmon. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HALVORSON) Senator Harmon.
Thank you, Madam President, Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate. As you all know, our State Constitution requires that we put the question to the voters as to whether there should be a Constitutional Convention at least once every twenty years. Since the question has not been put on the ballot since 1988, it has to be on the ballot in 2008. The Constitutional Convention Act authorizes the procedure for preparing the voter education materials to accompany the question of calling a convention and requires the General Assembly to prepare those materials. House Joint Resolution 111 creates the Joint Committee for the Constitutional Convention Proposal that will formulate the question and the arguments for and against, and report back to the General Assembly for ratification by April 4th. I’m not aware of any opposition and I ask that my colleagues join me in supporting the resolution so that we may do our constitutional duty.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HALVORSON) Is there any discussion? Seeing none, it is the opinion of 8 STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 137th Legislative Day 3/13/2008 the Chair that this resolution requires the expenditure of State funds, and therefore a roll call vote must be taken. Those in favor of House Joint Resolution 111 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 53 Yeas, none voting Nay, none voting Present. And House Joint Resolution 111 is adopted.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Hendon in the Chair. Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate, we’re going to Senate Bills 2nd Reading. We’re going to begin… Bottom of page 8, Senate Bills 2nd Reading, where we left off yesterday. Bottom of page 8. And believe me, move your bill if you want your bill moved, because we’re going to move at a very brisk pace. Senate Bill 2596. Senator Delgado. Senate Bill 2622. Senator Murphy. Madam Secretary, 2622. Madam Secretary, please read the bill.
Senate Bill 2622. (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 9. Senate Bill 2636. Senator Harmon. Madam Secretary, read the bill.
Senate Bill 2636. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported. 9 STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 137th Legislative Day 3/13/2008
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) 3rd Reading. Senate Bill 2638. Senator Harmon. Madam Secretary, read the bill.
Senate Bill 2638. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) 3rd Reading. Senate Bill 2639. Senator Harmon. Madam Secretary, please read the bill.
Senate Bill 2639. (Secretary reads title of bill) The Committee on Environment and Energy adopted Committee Amendment No. l.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Have -- have there been any Floor amendments approved for consideration?
No further amendments reported, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) 3rd Reading. Senate Bill 2640. Senator Harmon. Madam Secretary, please read the bill.
Senate Bill 2640. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. The Committee on Environment and Energy adopted Committee Amendment No. 1. 10 STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 137th Legislative Day 3/13/2008
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Have there been any Floor amendments approved for consideration?
No -- no further amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) 3rd Reading. Senate Bill 2643. Senator Harmon. Madam Secretary, read the bill.
Senate Bill 2643. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) 3rd Reading. Senate Bill 2733. Senator Cronin. 2733. Senator Cronin. Senate Bill 2734. Senator Lightford. Senator Lightford. Senate Bill 2743. Senator Noland. Senator Noland. Senate Bill 2744. Senator Noland. Senate Bill 2745. Senator Noland. Senate Bill 2747. Senate Bill 2748. Senate Bill 2749. Senator Peterson. Madam Secretary, please read the bill. 2749.
Senate Bill 2749. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) 3rd Reading. Senate Bill 2750. Senator Noland. 2750. Senate Bill 2754. Senator Harmon. 2754. Madam Secretary, please read the bill. 11 STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 137th Legislative Day 3/13/2008
Senate Bill 2754. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) 3rd Reading. Senate Bill 2755. Senator Harmon. Madam Secretary, read the bill.
Senate Bill 2755. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) 3rd Reading. Senate Bill 2757. Senator Cullerton. 2557 {sic}. Madam Secretary, read the bill.
Senate Bill 2757. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) 3rd Reading. Senate Bill 2775. Leader Watson. Madam Secretary, please read the bill.
Senate Bill 2775. (Secretary reads title of bill) The Committee on Agriculture and Conservation adopted Committee Amendment No. 1. 12 STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 137th Legislative Day 3/13/2008
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. Senate Bill 2783. Senator Harmon. Madam Secretary, please read the bill. 2783.
Senate Bill 2783. (Secretary reads title of bill) The Committee -- Committee on Environment and Energy adopted Committee Amendment No. 1.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Have there been any Floor amendments approved for consideration?
No further amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) 3rd Reading. Senate Bill 2784. Senator Harmon. Madam Secretary, read the bill.
Senate Bill 2784. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) 3rd Reading. Senate Bill 2785. Senator Harmon. Madam Secretary, read the bill. 13 STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 137th Legislative Day 3/13/2008
Senate Bill 2785. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) 3rd Reading. Senate Bill 2788. Senator Harmon. Madam Secretary, read the bill.
Senate Bill 2788. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) 3rd Reading. Senate Bill 2820. Senator Bond. Senate Bill 2821. Senator Raoul. 2821, sir. Senate Bill 2830. Senator Maloney. Madam Secretary, please read the bill. Senate Bill 2830. Will all Senators under the sound of my voice please come to the Senate Floor? Will all administrative assistants please locate your Senator and send ‘em to the Senate Floor? We’re -- we’re going through 2nd Readings and then to 3rd Readings, shortly. Madam Secretary, read the bill. 2830.
Senate Bill 2830. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) 3rd Reading. Senate Bill 2834. Senator Cullerton. 2834. 14 STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 137th Legislative Day 3/13/2008 Pass. Senate Bill 2845. Senator Bomke. 2845. Madam Secretary, could you please read Senate Bill 2845? Senator Bomke. Madam Secretary, read the bill.
Senate Bill 2845. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) 3rd Reading. Senate Bill 2851. Senator Harmon. 2851. Madam Secretary, please read the bill.
Senate Bill 2851. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) 3rd Reading. Middle of page 10. Senate Bill 2854. Senator Holmes. Senate Bill 2855. Senator Holmes. 2855. Senator -- Senator -- with leave of the Body, we will return to Senate Bill 2854. Leave of the Body, we will return to Senate Bill 2854. We’re now on 2854. Will the board so reflect? Senator -- Madam Secretary, please read the bill.
Senate Bill 2854. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) 15 STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 137th Legislative Day 3/13/2008 3rd Reading. Oh, we’re going to continue right along and we -- we’ll get through 2nds first. We may not get to 3rds. 2855. Senator Holmes. Senate Bill 2857. Senator Delgado. Madam Secretary, 2857. Senator Delgado, on Senate Bill 2857. Madam Secretary, please read the bill.
Senate Bill 2857. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) 3rd Reading. Bottom of page 10 is Senate Bill 2858. Senator Trotter. 2858. Senate Bill 2859. Senator Kotowski. 2859, sir. 2859. Madam Secretary, read the bill.
Senate Bill -- Senate Bill 2859. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) 3rd Reading. Senate Bill 2860. Senator Hunter. 2860. Senator Hunter. Madam Secretary, please read the bill.
Senate Bill 2860. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) 3rd Reading. Senate Bill 2861. Senator Demuzio. Madam 16 STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 137th Legislative Day 3/13/2008 Secretary, 2861. Please read the bill.
Senate Bill 2861. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. The Committee on Agriculture and Conservation adopted Committee Amendment No. 1.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Have there been any Floor amendments approved for consideration?
No further amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) 3rd Reading. Senate Bill 2864. Senator Cullerton. Senator Cullerton, on 2864. Out of the record. Senate Bill 2872. Senator Cullerton. Madam Secretary, 2872. Please read the bill.
Senate Bill 2872. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) 3rd Reading. Senate Bill 28… This is the top of page 11, Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate. Senate Bill 2877. Senator Hunter. Madam Secretary, please read the bill.
Senate Bill 2877. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments 17 STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 137th Legislative Day 3/13/2008 reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) 3rd Reading. 2879. Senator Raoul. 2879. 2883. Senator Schoenberg. 28… Senator Schoenberg. Out of the record. Oh! Madam Secretary, 2883. Please read the bill.
Senate Bill 2883. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) 3rd Reading. Senate Bill 2887. Senator Schoenberg. 2887, sir. Madam Secretary, please read the bill.
Senate Bill 2887. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) 3rd Reading. Senate Bill 2892. Senator Clayborne. Senate Bill 2906. Senator Forby. Madam Secretary, please read the bill.
Senate Bill 2906. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. The Committee on Agriculture and Conservation adopted Committee Amendment No. 1.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Have there been any Floor amendments approved for 18 STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 137th Legislative Day 3/13/2008 consideration?
No further -- no further amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) 3rd Reading. Senate Bill 2907. Senator Demuzio. Senator Demuzio. 2907. Senator Demuzio. Would you like to move it to 3rd? Madam Secretary, please read the bill.
Senate Bill 2907. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) 3rd Reading. We’re now going back to the top of 2nd Reading, top of page 2. We’re going to go to the top of page 2. Senate Bill 1857. Top of page -- page 2, Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate, on 2nd Reading. 1857. Senator Raoul. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill. Senate Bill 1857.
Senate Bill 1857. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) 3rd Reading. Senate Bill 1878. Senator Martinez. 1878. Senator Martinez. Senator Martinez. Senate Bill 1881. Senator Haine. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
Senate Bill 1881. 19 STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 137th Legislative Day 3/13/2008 (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) 3rd Reading. Senate Bill 1893. Senator Koehler. Senate Bill 1925. Senator Schoenberg. 1925. Senator Schoenberg. Senate Bill 1926. Senator Schoenberg. 1926. Senate Bill 1933. Senator Lightford. 19… Senate Bill 1938. Senator Hunter. Mr. Secretary, read the bill.
Senate Bill 1938. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. The Committee on Human Services adopted Amendment No. 1.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Have there been any Floor amendments approved for consideration?
No further amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) 3rd Reading. Senate Bill 1945. Senator Sullivan. 1945. Senate -- Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
Senate Bill 1945, offered by Senator Sullivan. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) 3rd Reading. Senate Bill 1959. Senator Clayborne. 1959. 20 STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 137th Legislative Day 3/13/2008 Senate Bill 1960. Senator Clayborne. Senate Bill 1965. Senator Haine. Senate Bill 1972. Senator Haine. Senate Bill 1975. Senator Wilhelmi. Senator Wilhelmi. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill. 1975.
Senate Bill 1975. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. The Committee on Judiciary-Criminal Law adopted Amendment No. 1.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Have there been any Floor amendments approved for consideration?
No further amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) 3rd Reading. Senate Bill 1981. Senator Clayborne. Mr. Secretary, please read the gentleman’s bill.
Senate Bill 1981. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. The Committee on Revenue 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. Senate Bill 1985. Senator Raoul. 1985. 21 STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 137th Legislative Day 3/13/2008 1985. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
Senate Bill 1985. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. The Committee on Pensions and Investments adopted Amendment No. 1.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Have there been any Floor amendments approved -- for consideration?
No further amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) 3rd Reading. Senate Bill 1987. Senator Trotter. 1987. Senator Trotter. Senate Bill 1993. Senator Lightford. Senate Bill 2004. Senator Haine. 2004. 2004. Senator Haine. Senate Bill 2005. Senator Link. Senator Link, 2005, sir. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
Senate Bill 2005. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. The Committee on Local Government adopted Amendments No. 1 and 2.
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. Senate Bill 2012. Senator Delgado. 2012. 22 STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 137th Legislative Day 3/13/2008 Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
Senate Bill 2012. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) 3rd Reading. Senate Bill 2014. Senator Garrett. 2014, madam. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
Senate Bill 2014. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. The Committee on Local Government 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. Senate Bill 2017. Senator Haine. 2017. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
Senate Bill 2017. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) 3rd Reading. Senate Bill 2025. Senator Martinez. 2025. 23 STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 137th Legislative Day 3/13/2008 Senator Martinez. 2025. Senator Martinez. Senate Bill 2031. Senator Haine. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
Senate Bill 2031. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) 3rd Reading. Senate Bill 2034. Senator Koehler. 2034. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
Senate Bill 2034. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) 3rd Reading. Senate Bill 2042. Senator Bond. Senate Bill 2047. Senator Murphy. 2047. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
Senate Bill 2047. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) 3rd Reading. Senate Bill 2052. Senator Haine. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill, sir. Senator -- I mean, Senate Bill 2051, first. Senator Link. Out of the record. Senate Bill 2052. Senator Haine. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill. 24 STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 137th Legislative Day 3/13/2008
Senate Bill 2052. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. The Committee on Local Government adopted Amendment No. 2.
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. Senate Bill 2053. Senator Koehler. Mr. Secretary, read the bill.
Senate Bill 2053. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) 3rd Reading. Senate Bill 2077. Senator Koehler. Mr. Secretary, read the bill.
Senate Bill 2077. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) 3rd Reading. Senate Bill 2079. Senator Haine. Senate Bill 2083. Senator Collins. Senate Bill 2090. Senator 25 STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 137th Legislative Day 3/13/2008 Garrett. Senate Bill -- we’re going to skip 2095. Senate Bill 2097. Senator Wilhelmi. Senator Wilhelmi. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
Senate Bill 2097. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) 3rd Reading. Senate Bill 2102. Senator Brady. Mr. Secretary, please read the gentleman’s bill.
Senate Bill 2102. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) 3rd Reading. Senate Bill 2105. Senator Clayborne. 2105. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
Senate Bill 2105. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. The Committee on Environment and Energy adopted Amendment No. 1.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Have there been any Floor amendments approved for consideration?
No further amendments reported, Mr. President. 26 STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 137th Legislative Day 3/13/2008
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) 3rd Reading. Senate Bill 2110. Senator Wilhelmi. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
Senate Bill 2110. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. The Committee on Environment and Energy 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. Senate Bill 2112. Senator Koehler. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
Senate Bill 2112. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) 3rd Reading. Senate Bill 2120. Senator Pankau. 2120. Senate Bill 2129. Senator Wilhelmi. 2129. Mr. Secretary, please read the gentleman’s bill.
Senate Bill 2129. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments 27 STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 137th Legislative Day 3/13/2008 reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) 3rd Reading. Senate Bill 2137. Senator Millner. Senator Millner. Senate -- Mr. Secretary, please read my good friend’s bill.
Senate Bill 2137. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) 3rd Reading. Senate Bill 2142. Senator Murphy. Senator Murphy, 2142, sir. Out of the record. Senate Bill 2155. Senator Trotter. Senate Bill 2157. Senator Risinger. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
Senate Bill 2157. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. The Committee on Environment and Energy 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. Senate Bill 2158. Senator Risinger. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
28 STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 137th Legislative Day 3/13/2008 Senate Bill 2158. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) 3rd Reading. Senate Bill 2159. Senator Bomke. Senator Bomke. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
Senate Bill 2159. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) 3rd Reading. Senate Bill 2162. Senator Haine. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
Senate Bill 2162. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. The Committee on Local Government 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. Senate Bill 2163. Senator Haine. Senate Bill 2165. Senator Demuzio. Senator Demuzio. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill. 29 STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 137th Legislative Day 3/13/2008
Senate Bill 2165. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. The Committee on Human Services 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. Senate Bill 2166. Senator Millner. Senate Bill 2173. Senator Delgado. 2173. Senate Bill 2181. Senator Clayborne. Senate Bill 2190. Senator Link. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
Senate Bill 2190. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. The Committee on Local Government adopted Amendment No. 1.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Have there been any Floor amendments approved for consideration?
No further amendments reported, Mr…
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) 3rd Reading. Senate Bill 2191. Senator Link. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
30 STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 137th Legislative Day 3/13/2008 Senate Bill 2191. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) 3rd Reading. Senate Bill 2198. Senator Delgado. Senate Bill -- 2198, Senator. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
Senate Bill 2198. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. The Committee on Judiciary-Criminal Law adopted Amendment No. 1.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Have there been any Floor amendments approved for consideration?
No further amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) 3rd Reading. Senate Bill 2199. Senator Delgado. 2199. Senate Bill 2214. Page 5. Senator Cullerton. Senator Cullerton. Senate Bill 2252. Senator Haine. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
Senate Bill 2252. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) 3rd Reading. Senate Bill 2254. Senator Haine. Senate 31 STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 137th Legislative Day 3/13/2008 Bill 2275. Senator Cullerton. Senate Bill 2288. Senator Meeks. Senate Bill 2294. Senator Wilhelmi. 2294, sir. Mr. -- Mr. Secretary, Senate Bill 2294. Please read the bill, sir.
Senate Bill 2294. (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 6, Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate. Senate Bill 2295. Senator Cullerton. 2295. Senate Bill 2297. Senator Clayborne. 2297. Senate Bill 2300. Senator Sullivan. 2300. Senate Bill 2303. Senator Raoul. Senator Raoul. Okay, the Chair would like to inform all Senators, we are moving at a brisk pace. If you want your bills moved to 3rd, you need to indicate. Senate Bill 2304. Senator Peterson. Senator Peterson. Mr. Secretary, read the bill.
Senate Bill 2304. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) 3rd Reading. Senate Bill 2305. Senator Cullerton. 2305. Senate Bill 2313. Senator Garrett. 2313, madam. Senate Bill 2321. Senator Trotter. Senate Bill 2340. Senator Wilhelmi. 2340. Senate Bill 2342. Senator Wilhelmi. Senate Bill 2348. Senator Clayborne. Senator Clayborne. Senate Bill 2349. Senator Wilhelmi. Senate Bill 2354. Senator Raoul. Senator 32 STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 137th Legislative Day 3/13/2008 Raoul. 2354. Senate Bill 2354. Senator Raoul, sir. Senate Bill 2355. Senator Wilhelmi. Senate Bill 2356. Senator Hultgren. Senate Bill 2362. Senator Cronin. Senate -- 2362, sir. Senate Bill 2365. Senator Brady. Senator Brady, sir. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
Senate Bill 2365. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) 3rd Reading. Senate Bill 2366. Senator Righter. Senator Righter, 2366, sir. Senate Bill 2369. Senator Garrett. 2369. Senator Garrett. Senate Bill 2382. Senator Millner. Mr. Secretary, please read the gentleman’s bill.
Senate Bill 2382. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) 3rd Reading. Senate Bill 2394. Senator Holmes. 2394. Senate Bill 2401. Senator Holmes. Mr. Secretary, please read the lady’s bill.
Senate Bill 2401. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported. 33 STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 137th Legislative Day 3/13/2008
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) 3rd Reading. Senate Bill 2403. Senator Martinez. Senate Bill 2407. Senator Demuzio. Mr. Secretary, please read the lady’s bill.
Senate Bill 2407. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) 3rd Reading. Senate Bill 2422. Senator Silverstein. 2422. Senate Bill 2462 -- I mean, 2426. Page 7. Senator Silverstein. Senate Bill 2429. Senator Demuzio. Mr. Secretary, please read the Senator’s bill.
Senate Bill 2429. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) 3rd Reading. Senate Bill 2434. Senator Koehler. 2434. Senate Bill 2444. Senator Holmes. 2444. Senate Bill 2452. Senator Cullerton. Senate Bill 2476. Senator Hunter. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
Senate Bill 2476. (Secretary begins to read title of bill)
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) I’m sorry, Mr. Secretary. Please hold the bill. Out -- 34 STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 137th Legislative Day 3/13/2008 Mr. Secretary, the Senator wants us to read the bill. Please read the bill.
Senate Bill 2476. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) 3rd Reading. Oh, Mr. Secretary, we want to put 2474 -- we want to -- 2476, we want to leave it on 2nd Reading. 2476 shall remain on 2nd Reading despite my previous statement. Senate Bill 2479. Senator Cullerton. 2479. Senate Bill 2494. Senator Kotowski. 2494, sir. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
Senate Bill 2494.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senate Bill 2494. Senator Kotowski. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
Senate Bill 2494. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) 3rd Reading. Senate Bill 2505. Senator Kotowski. Out of the record. Senate Bill 2506. Senate -- Senate Bill 2509. 2509, sir. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
35 STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 137th Legislative Day 3/13/2008 Senate Bill 2509. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) 3rd Reading. We’re now on page 8. 2514. Senator Link. 2514. Senator Link. Senate Bill 2520. Senator Raoul. Senator Raoul. 2520. 2520, sir. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
Senate Bill 2520. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) 3rd Reading. The Chair will appreciate a quick response. Senate Bill 2526. Senator Raoul. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
Senate Bill 2526. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) 3rd Reading. Senate Bill 2529. Senator Raoul. Mr. Secretary, read the bill.
Senate Bill 2529. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments 36 STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 137th Legislative Day 3/13/2008 reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) 3rd Reading. Senate Bill 2532. Senator Martinez. 2532, ma’am. Out of the record. Senate Bill 2552. Senator Murphy. Senate Bill 2558. Senator Sullivan. 2558, sir. Mr. Secretary, please read the gentleman’s bill.
Senate Bill 2558. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. The Committee on Pensions and Investments 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. Senator Hunter. Senator Hunter seeks leave of the Body to return Senate Bill -- 2476 to the Order of 2nd Reading. Hearing no objection, leave is granted. The bill shall be placed on 2nd Reading. Senate Bill 2562. Senator Jones. 2562. Senate Bill 2567. Senator Frerichs. 2567. Senate Bill 2570. Senator Frerichs. Senate Bill 2575. Senator Syverson. Senate Bill -- Senator Syverson? No. Senate -- Senate Bill 2577. Senator Millner. 2577. 25… Senate Bill 2580. Senator Cronin. 2580, sir. Senate Bill 2595. Senator Trotter. 2595. Senator Trotter. Senate Bill… We will now proceed to the Order of Resolutions Consent Calendar. With leave of the Body, all those resolutions read in today will be 37 STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 137th Legislative Day 3/13/2008 added to the Consent Calendar. Mr. Secretary, have there been any objections filed to any resolution on the Consent Calendar?
No objections 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, say Nay. The Ayes have it, and the motion’s carried. The resolutions are adopted. Mr. Secretary, on Order of Resolutions.
Senate Joint Resolution No. 87, offered by Senator Halvorson. (Secretary reads SJR No. 87)
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Halvorson moves to suspend the rules for the purpose of immediate consideration and adoption of Senate Joint Resolution 87. Those in favor will say Aye. Opposed, say Nay. The Ayes have it, and the rules are suspended. Senator Halvorson moves the adoption of Senate Joint Resolution 87. All those in favor, say Aye. All opposed, say Nay. The Ayes have it, and the resolution is -- is adopted. Will all Members please be -- be at their desks? Will all Members please be at their desks? Would the staff please retire to the gallery? Will the doorman please secure the doors? Will all Members please be at their desks? Will all staff please retire from the gallery? Will the doorman please secure the doors? Senator Martinez in the Chair.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MARTINEZ) 38 STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 137th Legislative Day 3/13/2008 Mr. Secretary, Resolutions.
Senate Resolution 592, offered by Senators Watson, Emil Jones and all Senators. (Secretary reads SR No. 592)
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MARTINEZ) Senator Watson moves for suspension of the Senate rules for the immediate consideration and adoption of Senate Resolution 592. All in favor, say Aye. Opposed, Nay. The Ayes have it, and the rules are suspended. Senator Peterson.
Thank you, Madam President. As you all know, I served with Senator Geo-Karis for many years. I first met Geo when she ran for the State House back in the early 1970s. And no one will ever forget, Geo had a gigantic Buick convertible that was white and “Geo” painted on the side. And she at that time had part of Lake Forest and some of the other what you’d call “highbrow” areas, and people would look, this is our Senator coming, tooling down Sheridan Road in Lake Forest or Lake Bluff. But she loved parades, she loved being with people, and sometimes the parades had to be held up because Geo would start talking with several people and other people would come up and greet her. It seemed that she knew everybody. I remember one time she summoned me to her office here. There were some folks from up in the Waukegan-Zion area and there must have been fifteen children and she asked each -- each one, “What’s your name?” And as each child said something, she’d say, “Well, I know your father. I know your father, John. I know your aunt.” It seemed like every one of those children, she knew one of their 39 STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 137th Legislative Day 3/13/2008 relatives. It was amazing. I -- I don’t think I’ve seen anybody be able to do that. One of the big campaigns I worked with Geo on, many of you probably don’t remember it, she ran for State Comptroller back in the eighties and went around the State with Geo. She was always looking for a driver, so -- anybody she could put into her, you know, little group to keep her going and, of course, have a fundraiser to help her raise some funds. But she enjoyed that. She got around the State and she really, really enjoyed it. She always worked well with the students, especially at Zion-Benton High School. One of the teachers there, Bruce Hansen, would always get Geo to talk to the kids. They would come down to Springfield as Pages, and I would say that there’s hundreds of kids that are now very much interested in politics because of what Geo did with them. There are hundreds of young people who she met. She was a friend to everybody and she will always be remembered as a caring person, a hardworking person for the less fortunate. And I think we all realize how hard she did in that area. And certainly Geo’s legacy in this Body will long be remembered and held up as an outstanding example of what a State Legislator should be.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MARTINEZ) Senator John Jones.
Thank you, Madam President. You know, my recollection of Geo-Karis is when I first got elected to the House - hadn’t been a State Representative very long - and Geo came over on the House Floor. And she had a bill over there that a Member had picked up and it wasn’t moving quick enough for her. And she lit into that Member, informing them that they‘d better get with 40 STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 137th Legislative Day 3/13/2008 it, get that bill out of committee and get it to the Floor of the -- of the House, get it passed and get it to the Governor’s Desk for his signature. And I really didn’t know her and I asked my seatmate at that time, I said, “Who is that?” He said, “That’s Geo-Karis. Don’t ever cross her.” And so that was my first -- recognition of -- of Geo-Karis. But I’ll tell you what, she was truly a wonderful, wonderful lady. You talk about somebody that cared about our veterans, not only in the State of Illinois, but in this country, Geo-Karis did. I remember that she started having hearings throughout the State of Illinois, when I come over into the Senate, addressing veterans’ issues. And she came to my hometown of Mt. Vernon and -- and had a meeting there, and we had several hundred people in the room, and one of the veterans that was there said, “Well, you know, what are you guys do in the veterans’ committee in the Senate?” And she says, “We don’t have a veterans’ committee in the Senate.” But she said, “We will have.” And she came back and I believe she sat down and had a chat with President Jones and said, “You know, we need a veterans’ committee in the Illinois Senate.” And I want to thank you, Senator Jones, for carrying that out because now we have State Government and Veterans {sic} Committee. The veterans have a true committee to come to and present the bills and -- and sponsor the bills that Geo-Karis so adamantly wanted passed to take care of our veterans in the State of Illinois. Geo, I think of you very often. My wife was a very good friend of yours and we miss you dearly.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MARTINEZ) Senator Link.
41 STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 137th Legislative Day 3/13/2008 Thank you, Madam President. First of all, I apologize to the family if you -- you’ve probably heard some of these stories I may say that I -- I said at the luncheon that we had at Geo’s funeral. But I knew Geo my whole life. And Geo reminded me all the time that she knew me before my life, because she -- as Senator Peterson said, she kept reminding me she knew my father from Great Lakes. When she was stationed there, my father worked at Great Lakes and -- and she knew him. So she reminded me of that all the time. And she always reminded me that I went astray, because my father was a Republican and I wasn’t. So, we -- we were the loyal opposition, but we were always friends. And we battled. There was no doubt about it, we battled. We -- we -- we battled tooth and nail on -- on subject matters, but we never battled personally. And we had dinner many of times. But I told the story, and I’ll tell it again, that when I was -- first started dating my wife, my wife worked for the Village of Vernon Hills and, as Scott mentioned, that Geo was the village attorney of Vernon Hills at the time. And as we all know, Geo never cared -- she was not politically correct all the time. And she did not worry about if a mike was on or - and she did that before President Bush ever did those kind of things - she - - she didn’t worry about mikes or anything like that. And she was at a village meeting and the young lady I was dating, who became my wife, was sitting next to Geo and Geo said, “How’s things going, Susie?” And she said, “Fine.” She said, “How’s your love life?” She said, “Fine.” She says, “Who you dating?” She said, “A guy.” And she said, “That’s good. Who’s this guy?” She paused for a second and she said, “Terry Link.” And she -- Geo, in her way, said, “Terry Link, the Democrat?” She 42 STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 137th Legislative Day 3/13/2008 said, “Is there not enough Republicans in Lake County, you got to be dating a Democrat?” So Geo had her loyalty all the time, but she, as I said, was a friend. She -- she talked to me when she knew I was running for the Senate. She was not supporting me, so don’t worry over there. She did not support me when I ran for the Senate, but she talked to me. And she -- she -- we had lunch together, my wife and Geo and I, and we talked about it. She told me what I was going to be facing, not only in the campaign, but if I was elected. And she told me the things that we had to do. And she meant that about what we had to do if I was elected, because she knew I was born and raised in Lake County and that our -- our loyalty was not a Democrat and a Republican, but that our loyalty was to the county and to our constituents and that we had to represent them. And when I was fortunately elected my first time, and I was in the minority and she was in the majority, she talked to me about those things and she talked to me about different votes and different things that were attributing to the county and what we could do. And we met regularly about things. We had - and Senator Peterson will know too - we -- we had countywide meetings and we talked about things, and Geo ran those meetings of, you know, what we could do for the county, and she -- she knew that that was our focus, so it was bipartisan. But there was also a lot of fun, because I always remembered when -- in her chair, I think every morning, it was one of these little hands to me every day. And it was a discussion about things and -- and she would talk to me about -- either when I was in the minority or in the majority. When I was in the minority, it was orders to me, and when we were in the majority, it was, “What’s going on?” - and what we should be 43 STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 137th Legislative Day 3/13/2008 doing. And, you know, you -- you get to really even know a person when you see ‘em every day. And I got to tell you, you miss the individual. I -- I -- I miss her for who she was and what she did. I forget about the political part. I forget about the, you know, the Democrat and Republican. But as was alluded to, what she -- we -- she did for kids, what she did for people. And I said in one of the -- to one of the reporters, what she should be remembered for - and every one of us in this room should take that to heart - is her constituent service. She worried about that more than she worried about any piece of legislation we ever passed. If a person called her office, how could she help that person get something done? And she wanted to take care of them right away. And I told that reporter, if there’s any legacy she should have, that should be her legacy, of taking care of the people in her area. And she might take care of people in a lot of other areas. She didn’t care. She knew people and it -- didn’t care if they were rich, poor, Democrat or Republican. She wanted to take care of ‘em because they were all her children and they were all the people she needed to help. And I saw that day in and day out with her, and that’s what she’s got to be remembered for. And I got to tell you, we lost a great friend. We lost somebody that, you know, in her unique way, sang “God Bless America” on Memorial Day - that Senator Jones will miss more than anything. But we miss the veteran of a lot of -- of a lot of wars. And I truly hope she rests in peace and God bless her.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MARTINEZ) Senator Althoff.
44 STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 137th Legislative Day 3/13/2008 Wow! We certainly are learning how Senator Geo-Karis left her mark on each one of us and on this Chamber and basically on Illinois State government in general. She’s got a huge, long list of firsts, which, again, were referenced - first woman mayor, first Assistant Majority Leader, ultimately the first woman of this Chamber. But I think it’s important to note - and I too shared this story at the luncheon - she was also the first woman who left my seatmate, Senator Chris Lauzen, utterly speechless. She didn’t know who Chris was when he first was elected and entered this Chamber. So she sat down next to him and, mistaking him for a Page, handed him a five-dollar bill and sent him to the cafeteria to buy her a sandwich. He still talks of the story. She was beloved for her zeal and her passion, her civility and her approachability with her colleagues, her ground-breaking legislation, her commitment to women’s rights and her many personal kindnesses. And however you knew her, whether it was Senator Geo-Karis, Madam Chairwoman, Majority Leader, or Auntie Geo, she touched our lives and leaves a remarkable legacy for all of us. We will long remember and praise her accomplishments and we will miss her terribly.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MARTINEZ) Senator Dillard.
Thank you, Madam President. I first met Senator Geo-Karis when she was a Member of the House and I was a young staffer for Governor Jim Thompson. And there was a battle royal that took place over parochial bussing and whether private students in Illinois could hop on a school bus, paid for by taxpayer dollars. And it was a battle between the teachers’ unions -- if 45 STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 137th Legislative Day 3/13/2008 you think the debate today over vouchers for private schools is -- is big, this was a behemoth battle. But Adeline won that battle and Governor Thompson was not on her side on that. Obviously, the teachers’ unions weren’t on her side. But I will never forget the perseverance of a much younger Adeline Geo- Karis on that bill. And every private school student today who hops on a bus - and it was all about safety and fairness to Adeline - today, owes a debt of gratitude to Senator Geo-Karis. When I worked for Governor Thompson, Adeline used to call him. She used to say, you know, “You go down there and you tell that ‘Big Jim’ that Auntie Geo wants to come down and set him straight.” And if I didn’t get Senator Geo-Karis in to see Big Jim Thompson quick enough, Adeline would go down and go through those glass doors and she would just plop herself on that couch in the waiting room out there and the Governor’s receptionist would come back and see Thompson and say, “You know, Senator Geo-Karis is out there.” And he’d sort of roll his eyes, but he always, always met with her and she gave him good counsel. And the same was true for Governor Edgar. She would say, “I want to come down and see him.” And if I didn’t get him in there fast enough, she would wait on that couch. And you know what? Jim Edgar would see her right away. And again, she would always provide good counsel to these Governors. One of the things I’ll miss most about Senator Geo-Karis is going to dinner with her. She would always want to take people to dinner. And I will never forget the lady always began dinner, whether you’re at the Sangamo Club or wherever you were, with grace. And I always thought that was a -- a very, very nice touch. This woman, as you’ve pointed out, is a Renaissance women -- or woman. And I 46 STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 137th Legislative Day 3/13/2008 always looked at her differently when I had daughters - two young daughters - and Adeline opened all the doors, whether -- she went to the same law school I did, DePaul. She was the only woman in her law school class at DePaul. Today, fifty-four percent of all the students at DePaul University’s College of Law are women. But she was there by herself. And I can’t imagine. Todd Sieben’s not here - I can’t imagine what it would have been like to be a woman in the United States Navy when she was there. So this is just a remarkable, remarkable woman. She always called her constituents, “my people”. “My people want this, Kirk, my people.” And I was at the funeral with -- with Pam and -- and others - Senator Link - and it was very clear that the people who passed by her casket on the day she was laid to rest were clearly “her people”. And I just think that metaphor of “my people” is what we’re all here for. But in her case, she really, really meant it. And we -- eulogized Margaret Smith, another matronly woman who was here, as sort of somebody like Adeline that brought class and dignity to this process. And, Senator Lightford, you remember Margaret well. This place won’t be the same without these -- these older women. You all - new women are here - are -- are way too young, and I don’t think of you as matronly. But with Geo and Margaret Smith, they certainly made this place more civil and certainly more welcome, especially as it’s gotten more rough and tough. And just to close, Madam President, when Adeline retired from this Chamber, I took her office over in Room 309 and not a day goes by that I don’t think of her. I have her desk. I have some of her furnishings in my office and nobody can fill Adeline Geo-Karis’ desk or shoes or chair. But she made this place a much better 47 STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 137th Legislative Day 3/13/2008 place, particularly for people like my daughters and all the women legislators here. You really, really, as we all do, owe her a lot. And she will be sorely missed. Thank you.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MARTINEZ) Senator Garrett.
Thank you, Madam President. My stories about Geo are probably no different than -- than any others, but a few different incidences come to mind that, you know, I’ll never forget. The first was when I -- I was elected as a Democrat, representing Lake Forest, and it was somewhat of an anomaly. First, Terry Link came and then me, and Geo, who I really didn’t know, called me up on the telephone, probably a day after I had been elected, and said, “We have to meet.” So, as it turned out, on December 24th, Christmas Eve Day, I drove to Zion, met her at her office and we went to the nearby restaurant, where she knew everybody. We walked in and everybody was kissing Geo’s ring. And she kind of pulled me along with her and sat down, she said, “You know, you got to run as a Republican. You got to change parties. You’re in the wrong party. You know, this isn’t the way it is in Lake County. You got to change your mind. You can do it. I’ll help you do it.” And, you know, she was an awesome person and I -- I said, “Well, I appreciate that. It’s a compliment, but, you know, I’ve sort of made up my mind. I’m -- I’m here for a while, at least until I’m defeated.” So - - and I thought we would never be friends again. As it turned out, it was because of our sort of meeting of the minds on December 24th, 1998, that led us to be really good friends. My daughter, who was a -- a newspaper writer for a Hispanic 48 STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 137th Legislative Day 3/13/2008 newspaper in Lake County, had heard a lot about Geo-Karis and so she took upon herself to do an article on her. So she went and interviewed her. And my daughter was still in college and she came back. She wrote a beautiful article about Geo and Geo has never forgotten that. Has always asked about my daughter. And my daughter said she is an unbelievable person - if only we had relatives like Geo. And I said, “You know what? Geo is our relative. She’s really part of the family.” And I think that’s the way it is for everybody. You know, we know her so well. We’ve had different, you know, meetings with her, lunches, breakfasts, dinners, but Geo has always been part of our family, whether we’re -- we’re Democrats or Republicans. I think she always has been a unique person. But there’s just one last story I want to relate and that was when Geo was no longer taking the State plane and she was looking for a ride to go home to Zion. So, I live in Lake Forest - it’s probably a good hour difference - and she said, “I need a ride.” So, how can you say no to Geo? So I’m driving her along. I’m thinking she’s going to fall asleep and I’ll just drive back and, you know, call it a day. Geo never stopped talking. She talked about how she was married - I never knew that - the trials and tribulations of sort of defying sometime her own family who wanted her to stay home and be quite different than what she turned out to be. But she had a spirit in her that I’ve never seen. You know, here she was in her eighties, I’m barely able to drive ‘cause I’m so tired, but she was just ready to tell me everything about herself and what it was to be Adeline Geo-Karis. She had no regrets. She told me she never would have regrets because she was going to do it her way. And I think that’s something that 49 STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 137th Legislative Day 3/13/2008 we all respect about her. And as a woman in politics who suffers some of the issues that women have in the past, you know, whatever those may be, Geo was a role model and somebody I will always dearly love.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MARTINEZ) Senator Hendon.
Thank you, Madam President. Well, you know, Geo was something else. She used to call the softball games. I called her the -- the “Harry Caray of the Senate”. And Susan has been calling ‘em lately, but nobody could call ‘em like Geo. And she was a kidder. So, if you were up there and you struck out, she talked about you like a dog. If you made a great catch, she made you feel like you were, you know, Willie Mays or Ernie Banks. She kept the game alive and I truly loved her. I’ll never forget the day that I almost lost my mind here in the Senate. I was younger and crazy then. I’m still crazy now, but I’m a little older. But I was really young and crazy then. I just got here and I thought I could conquer the world. And my good friend, Senator Walter Dudycz, had a bill that I had a -- serious problems with and major disagreements and I -- I -- I lost my mind here on the Senate Floor and I went outside and I got very emotional and then I came back in and I went to leave and I -- was passing by Geo’s desk and she -- she like grabbed me by my ear, like my mother used to do, and made me sit down. She said, “Sit down.” And I was like, who is this white lady telling me to sit down? I don’t know her. She don’t know me. I’m from the west side. Who is she? She said, “Sit down.” But something inside of me said, you know, sit down. So I sat down, 50 STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 137th Legislative Day 3/13/2008 and Geo, she -- she -- she treated me just like Olivia. She pulled my ear. She pulled my nose, she pinched me, she said, “Listen.” She told me to calm down. At first I thought she was just, you know, out of her business or something. Just saying something to say something. And I say the day that she saved my life because she truly saved my life, but it was more like three months, ‘cause, as I said, I was younger then and a little more, you know, out of my mind. But every time I would get mad - and we were in the minority and Pate was my friend, but he was rough, and you all know he could be pretty tough on us back then - Adeline would sit me down, and she sat me down one time too many and I fell in love with her, because I knew she genuinely loved me. And when my mom went home, she sat me down. She became my mom. And I love her.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MARTINEZ) President Jones.
Yeah. Thank you, Madam President. These are the most difficult times, when you have to speak about a colleague, one whom you had known most of your political life. Geo and I were in the freshman class of ’72, the largest class of Members coming into the General Assembly. She was on the other side. She was on the right side. I was on the left side. But in the House at that time, you had, you know, three Members from each party in -- every district. And the Members would usually get together on a bipartisan basis. The Approp Committee, Republicans and Democrats, would all get together, have a dinner or function. So, people were rather close. Some issues sometime we debate here on the Senate Floor -- I recall a piece 51 STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 137th Legislative Day 3/13/2008 of legislation which dealt with discrimination, sponsored by another young Republican, Susan Catania. I spoke against the bill. Geo came around, walked over to my desk, she said, “Let me educate you about something.” She began to explain to me her career. She said, “Do you know what it’s like to be in the military service, a female in a male-dominated military service? Or do you know what it’s like to be a woman in a male-dominated profession as an attorney?” And she went on to explain all those things to me and she said, “That’s why you should not have spoken against that bill. You should have -- you should be in favor of the bill.” So I changed my mind after Geo educated me on some facts. The bill came around and I voted for it. Geo did not vote for it. She was afraid of being attacked by her colleagues for being for human rights. And that’s the lesson I learned from Geo. I always enjoyed the big Greek party that she would have at the Governor’s mansion and -- about all the Greek cooking, the culture, and all of those great things. And Geo would say to me, “Now, you’re my Mediterranean cousin. So you - - you’ve got to be there.” So we became good friends. We didn’t always vote alike, but we were good friends. And in this Body, you make friends and these -- that friendship lasts for life. And during the time when you had the previous President, and Geo said, “Everything is going to be all right.” She constantly voted against us, but she was my friend and friendship go much further than the political bickering that takes place along the party line. For example, as Senator Jones mentioned, it was Geo that recommended that we have a veterans’ committee. And so we changed the rules and included in there a veterans’ committee. And she became Co-Chair of the Executive 52 STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 137th Legislative Day 3/13/2008 Appointment Committee, not based on politics or -- because -- because she became the Co-Chair. I -- I wasn’t -- I know it was looked upon as Geo would be voting against her -- her side of the aisle. That was not the case. It was the relationship and respect that I had for her. I never went over to Geo and said, “Now, I know you know I made you Co-Chair of this committee, now you got to vote with me on this.” It wasn’t that way. And some Members may have thought that, but it wasn’t that way. And when I became President, Geo, as many of you know, had recently had a operation where she had knee replacement and she wasn’t doing too well, but she -- you -- you know, the Leaders have planes available to them to travel back and forth to Springfield. And Geo did not have a way home, due to her physical condition. So, I told Geo, I said, “Now you can fly with us. You have a way to Springfield. You have a way home.” And that was unusual, because some of my Members said, “Well, you know, she’s a Republican.” I said, “What the hell are we going to be talking about on the plane that you cannot talk about in front of Adeline Geo-Karis?” So she flew back and forth with her {sic}. But we became good friends and it’s that relationship -- it’s that relationship that I established with Geo many, many years ago. I recall when I went fishing on Lake -- Lake -- Lake Michigan, coho fishing. And she had invited all the legislators to come up there and that’s when that movie, Shark -- or was it Jaws, came out. And I recall being on Lake Michigan; it was foggy that morning. I kept waiting for that big fish to come out of the water, or that -- or that big shark. But -- and that was at Illinois State Beach Park that she had a big dinner and everything. But Geo was such a wonderful lady. She was a 53 STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 137th Legislative Day 3/13/2008 person that I respected and most of us respected her. And I didn’t look upon her as a Republican and I’m a Democrat. I looked upon her as a great, great servant, a person that taught me a lot. She taught me a lot on many given issues and I had a lot of respect for her. And some of the things she and I talked about many years ago are with me today. When it comes down to certain things as rights of a people or discrimination, it was Geo-Karis that sat down and explained to me why we should do certain things and I respected her for it. I respect her for it today and she lives on with me even though she’s not with us physically, but her spirit will always be with me.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MARTINEZ) Leader Watson, to close.
Yes. Thank you very much, Madam President. First of all, we do have the family here and I think we should recognize them, and appreciate them being here with us today. It’s always good. I -- I think we’re at our best, we as a Chamber, during these -- these times. So let me take -- let me take a moment to introduce the great-nephew, John Colis, and his wife, Carrie - please stand - great-great-niece, Anna Colis; great-great- nephew, Nicholas Colis; her good friend, Louis Atsaves. And I know that Linda Hinton, even though she’s not on the Floor, I’m sure she’s listening and that’s her former secretary who, both, Geo held in high regard and Linda held in high regard also of Geo. I -- and I appreciate President Jones’ comments and the respect that he did show her in appointing her as a Co-Chair. I -- I think that was kind of unprecedented. And I think that was a wonderful gesture on his part to reach out across the aisle. 54 STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 137th Legislative Day 3/13/2008 I would -- when I first got elected in -- in 1979 - I’ve been here almost thirty years - hard to believe that, I was -- you know, I was just going to pass through this place. But now it’s been close to thirty years. I was elected to the House and Elmer Conti, who was a big guy from Chicago, one of the three- Member -- he was a minority Member from Chicago, but that’s when three people got elected from each district, played with the Chicago Cardinals and great guy, former mayor, Elmwood Park, he sits to my left and Virginia Frederick, who was a freshman with me, was sitting to my right and I’m taking Adeline Geo-Karis’ seat, ‘cause she came over to the Senate. And I -- the number of people that came over to me and commented - and we all know Geo - and we could -- you could all recognize the different comments that were made, obviously, about Geo, the manner in which she conducted herself. I mean, she was tough. So I had to say, who is this woman, you know? And so, first time that I met her, it was obvious to me that this was a lady - a lady. That was a very good comment by the President. She is a lady, but she had certainly some fight and some spirit and energy. And really it’s -- it’s -- it’s a shame when I think of the people already - we have Senator Bivins and Senator Steans who are here - that -- that we -- you don’t even know who we’re talking about probably and maybe some of the other freshmen never knew Geo really very well. And it‘s kind of -- tells us all how fast, you know, we come through this place and how quick we leave. But some people who come into this Chamber never leave, and that’d be Adeline. As you said, Rickey, she was a -- a fun-loving woman, took her business serious and represented the constituency, “her people”, as -- as Kirk Dillard mentioned, 55 STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 137th Legislative Day 3/13/2008 it was “her people”. Those are kind of traits that sometimes we miss in this process, is who sent us here and who we’re responsible for. She never forgot that - never forgot it. I -- she would never back down from anybody and I -- and she was, as mentioned, was one of the first - maybe the first woman - to be appointed in Leadership. And Pate Philip, who, once again, many of you probably don’t even know, was the President of the Senate and she was in Leadership and I would just be sitting there and it -- and she’d just give him what for. I mean, in Leader meetings, it was just incredible to listen to it. And one thing that she did do, and this goes back to her issue on veterans, when -- when kind of the -- the whole Memorial Day thing kind of went by the wayside here, which was too bad, we used to have wonderful ceremonies, she said, “We’re not going to lose that, we’re not going to lose that. It may not be what it once was, but we’re not going to lose that, Senator Philip. We’re going to keep that here in this Chamber.” And she founded and chaired the Veterans Day ceremonies that we have today and every veteran gets up and talks about his or her experience and -- and it’s a -- it’s a wonderful ceremony that we have. Adeline Geo-Karis obviously made that -- made that possible. The energy and the drive that -- that -- that took this woman to another level -- ‘cause she always would say, “You know, my legs may be gone” - and that’s the way her attitude was in -- in the end, you know, and how she served here - she came out here in a wheelchair with an oxygen tank. I mean, just think about what most of us would be doing. We wouldn’t be here. But the energy and drive that this woman had. And she -- always said, “My legs may be gone, but my mind and my spirit is alive and well.” And we all know 56 STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 137th Legislative Day 3/13/2008 that and we won’t ever forget it. And that’s -- her spirit will always be with us to anybody who knew her. So with that, I want to add my name to -- to those who -- who have gone before and spoke ‘cause -- saying what a wonderful lady and she will be missed. We will have a reception for the family in my office and you’re all welcome to come by and -- and meet the family and I wish you would. These -- they -- they came a long way to be with us here today and to -- to hear the accolades, the stories of this wonderful, wonderful lady. Thank you.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MARTINEZ) Thank you. Senator Watson now moves for the adoption of Senate Resolution 592. All those in favor of this resolution please rise. The resolution is now adopted. Pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 87, the Senate stands adjourned until Wednesday, March 19, 2008, in perfunctory Session. 57