Illinois Senate Floor Debate — May 31, 2008

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) The regular Session of the 95th General Assembly will please come to order. Will the Members please be at our -- your desks? Will our guests in the galleries please rise? The invocation will -- today will be given by Senator Koehler. Senator Koehler.

(Prayer by Senator Koehler)

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Please remain standing for the Pledge of Allegiance. Senator Maloney.

(Pledge of Allegiance, led by Senator Maloney)

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Will all Members under the sound of my voice please come to the Senate Floor? Would all administrative assistants please send your Senator to the Senate Floor? We’re about to go to substantial Senate action. Senator Clayborne.

Mr. President, I move to postpone the reading and approval of the Journal of February -- I’m -- I’m sorry, Friday, May 30th, 2008, pending arrival of the printed transcripts.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Clayborne moves to postpone the reading and approval of the Journal of Friday, May 30th, 2008. There being no objection, so ordered. Senator Risinger, for what purpose do you seek recognition, sir?

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) State your point, my friend.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Welcome to the Illinois Senate, Joe. Welcome. WAND seeks leave to video. Leave is granted. Leave is granted. WICS seeks leave to video. Leave is granted. Leave is granted. Paul Meincke, WLS-TV, seeks leave to video. Leave is granted. Leave is granted. Patrick Keating, WLS seeks leave to… Leave is granted. Mike Locascio from WLS-TV seek leave to videotape. Leave is granted. Leave is granted. Will all Members under the sound of my voice please come to the Senate Floor? Madam Secretary, Committee Reports.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Madam Secretary, Messages. 2  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 166th Legislative Day 5/31/2008

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Will all Members under the sound of my voice please come to the Senate Floor? As you know, this is getaway day. You also recognize, I am certain, when I am in the Chair, we will be moving swiftly - kindlier, gentler, but swiftly. Would all Members under the sound of my voice please come to the Senate Floor? This is your final call. Will all Members under the sound of my voice please come to the Senate Chamber? Will all administrative assistants kindly send your Senator to the Senate Chamber? We are going to substantial Senate business immediately, immediately. Will all Members under the sound of my voice come to the Senate Chamber? Members, we are about to go to concurrences. If you want your legislation moved, I strongly recommend, strongly recommend, you come to the Senate Floor immediately. We are going to nonconcurrences right now. The Chicago Tribune seeks leave to photograph. Leave is granted. Leave is granted. Madam Secretary, Committee Reports.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Will all Members under the sound of my voice please come to the Senate Floor? We’re about to go to the Concurrence Calendar. The Rules Committee will meet immediately in the President’s Anteroom. Will all members of the Rules Committee please report to President’s Anteroom? The Rules Committee will meet immediately - immediately, the Rules Committee, President’s Anteroom. Senator Martinez will be coming to the Chair. Will all members of the Rules Committee -- I am looking at you members of the Rules Committee. Would you please come to the President’s Anteroom? Thank you. Senator Martinez in the Chair. (SENATE STANDS AT EASE/SENATE RECONVENES)

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MARTINEZ) Senator Hendon in the Chair.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Thank you, Senator Martinez. Would all Members come -- come to the Senate Floor? All Members under the sound of my 5  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 166th Legislative Day 5/31/2008 voice, you need to come to the Senate Floor. Rules Committee has just met. We’re about to go to substantial Senate action right now. We need all Members on the Senate Floor. Madam Secretary, Committee Reports.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Trotter, for what purpose do you seek recognition, my friend?

Thank you very much, Mr. President. Purposes of announcement.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Make your announcement, sir.

I’d like to announcement, at 1 o’clock, Appropriations I will be meeting in Room 212. That’s Appropriations I, Room 212 at 1 o’clock, and we will be looking at two motions to concur.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Appropriations I will be meeting in Room 212 at 1 p.m. Senator Schoenberg, for what purpose do you seek recognition, 6  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 166th Legislative Day 5/31/2008 sir?

Thank you, Mr. President. For the purposes of an announcement. The…

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) State your announcement, sir.

Thank you, Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate. The Appropriations II Committee will meet at 1 o’clock in Room 212 for the purposes of hearing Senate Amendment No. 2 to House Bill 5701. And in addition, on the docket will be a subject matter hearing on the contents of Senate Bill 1103, as we anticipate it’ll be amended in the House. Thank you. 1 o’clock, 212, Approp II. Be there. Aloha.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Okay. So, there will not be an Approp I, is that correct? It’ll only be Approp II? Okay. So, Appropriations II will meet at 1 o’clock in Room 212, not Appropriations I. Correct? Okay. That is correct. Appropriations II, 1 o’clock in Room 212. Senator Link, for what purpose do you seek recognition, sir?

Thank you, Mr. President. There will be a Democratic Caucus in the President’s Office immediately, for approximately one-half hour.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Democratic Caucus in President Jones’ Office from 11:45 until 12:15 on the nose. You have exactly thirty minutes, Senator Link. Senator Risinger, for what purpose do you seek recognition, sir? 7  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 166th Legislative Day 5/31/2008

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Republicans will caucus - it is granted - in Leader Watson’s Office from 11:45 until 12:15, also promptly. The two caucuses will begin immediately. The Senate will stand in recess until after the caucuses, 12:15. We will be returning for Floor action. The Senate is in recess. (SENATE STANDS IN RECESS/SENATE RECONVENES)

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) The Senate will come to order. Will all Senators under the sound of my voice please come to the Senate Floor? Will all Senators under the sound of my voice please come to the Senate Floor? Both caucuses should be over by now. It’s been an extra forty minutes almost. Would all Senators under the sound of my voice please come to the Senate Floor? We’re about to go to substantial Senate action. Will all administrative assistants please direct your Senator that the Senate is back in Session? And we need them all to make their way to the Senate Floor and be prepared to move your legislation. This is the Presiding Officer of the day. Will all Senators please come to the Senate Floor? We are back in Session. Will all Senators under the sound of my voice please come to the Senate Floor? Will all Members under the sound of my voice please come to the Senate Floor? Will all Members under the sound of my voice please come to the Senate Floor? Greg Lipe from the Illinois Information 8  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 166th Legislative Day 5/31/2008 Services {sic} (Service) seeks leave to videotape. Is leave granted? Leave is granted. Will all Senators under the sound of my voice please come to the Senate Floor? Madam Secretary, Messages.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Rules Committee will meet in the President’s Anteroom immediately. Will members of the Rules Committee please come to the President’s Anteroom immediately? Senator Martinez is coming to the Chair. The Rules Committee will meet in the President’s Anteroom immediately. 9  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 166th Legislative Day 5/31/2008 (SENATE STANDS AT EASE/SENATE RECONVENES)

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MARTINEZ) Senator Hendon in the Chair.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Thank you, Madam President. Will all Members under the sound of my voice please come to the Senate Floor? The Rules Committee has finished their business and just come out of the President’s Anteroom. We’re going to move on to substantial Senate action. Madam Secretary, Committee Reports.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Lightford, for what purpose do you seek recognition, ma’am?

Thank you, Mr. President. Point of an announcement.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Make your announcement. 10  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 166th Legislative Day 5/31/2008

Thank you. Senate Education Committee will convene -- Senate Education Committee will convene at 2:45 in Room 400 - 2:45 in Room 400.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) The Senate Education Committee will meet at 2:45 in Room 400. Will all Members under the sound of my voice come to the Senate Floor? You’ve heard this before, but this time is the real time. We’re going to go to House Bills 3rd Reading. Please turn to page 11 of your Calendar. Page 11 on your Calendar is House Bills 3rd Reading. Senator Halvorson, on House Bill 773. Out of the record. Senator Schoenberg, on 1496. Senator Schoenberg seeks leave of the Body to return House Bill 1496 to the Order of 2nd Reading for purpose of amendment. Hearing no objection, leave is granted. Now on the Order of 2nd Reading is House Bill 1496. Madam Secretary, are there any amendments approved for consideration?

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Schoenberg.

Thank you, Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate. Floor Amendment No. 2 deletes everything, becomes the bill. It establishes the parameters for a Management and Concession Agreement, a public/private partnership involving the Illinois State Lottery. It -- it also has an express ban on the sale of the Lottery. Sets the terms for that lease concession to be between fifty and sixty years, possibility of a five-year 11  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 166th Legislative Day 5/31/2008 extension. Sets a minimum up-front bid of no less than ten billion dollars. That up-front bid is distributed between the Illinois Works Fund, the Illinois Education Trust Fund. Anything in excess of eleven billion dollars on the up-front goes exclusively in the Pension Stabilization Fund to pay down the unfunded pension liability. There are also governing -- governing provisions in reconstituting the Illinois Lottery Control Board, including a number of more stringent ethical provisions to follow in subsequent amendments. Establishes the Lottery Concession Trust Fund, which holds the proceeds, and there are ethical requirements in here. Those are further strengthened. There’s -- allows the State to waive the sovereign immunity in some cases in regard to the Concessionaire. Be happy to debate the bill on 3rd Reading.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Is there any discussion? Leader Watson, on -- to the amendment or you going to wait until the bill? On the amendment? Any discussion? Seeing none, Senator Schoenberg moves adoption of Amendment No. 2 to House Bill 1496. All those in favor, say Aye. Opposed, say Nay. The Ayes have it, and the amendment is adopted. Are there any further Floor amendments approved for consideration?

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Schoenberg, for a brief discussion -- description of Floor Amendment No. 3.

Floor Amendment No. 3 is a clarifying amendment requiring 12  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 166th Legislative Day 5/31/2008 the Treasurer to make all reasonable efforts to -- accrue the highest attainable rate of return on the investment of money in the Illinois Education Trust Fund, and also clarifies that the revenues deposited into the Concession Trust Fund are for the purposes of transferring to the State its twenty-percent share of the gross revenues after prize payouts. I urge its adoption.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Any discussion on Amendment No. 3? Seeing none, Senator Schoenberg moves adoption of Amendment No. 3 to House Bill 1496. All those in favor, say Aye. Opposed, say Nay. The Ayes have it, and the amendment is adopted. Are there any further Floor amendments approved for consideration?

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Schoenberg.

…you -- thank you, Mr. President. I move to table Amendment No. 4.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Amendment No. 4 will not be acted -- acted on. Are there any Floor -- further Floor amendments approved for consideration?

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Schoenberg, on Amendment No. 5.

Thank you, Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen of the 13  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 166th Legislative Day 5/31/2008 Senate. Amendment No. 5 require -- shifts the -- the threshold for which the Board -- Lottery Control Board approves contracts - shifts that threshold from a hundred thousand dollars to fifty thousand dollars. It’s a tighter procurement -- and higher procurement standard. And I urge its adoption.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Any discussion on Amendment No. 5? Senator Righter, on the amendment? Yes. Senator Righter.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) State your inquiry, sir.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) That is certainly no problem for that amendment that we tabled. Correct? Senator Schoenberg, could you give a description of Amendment No. 4, which we did not act on, sir? Senator Schoenberg.

Thank you. Thank you. Amendment No. 8, which is coming, corrects an error which is in Amendment No. 4. Specifically, Amendment No. 4 had to do with the escape clause that we have in the event that any -- any -- if the Concessionaire or an executive employee of the Concessionaire were to be found guilty 14  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 166th Legislative Day 5/31/2008 of a criminal offense. In -- the definition of the “executive employee” was flawed in Amendment No. 4. What you’ll see in Amendment No. 8, we’ll readdress this issue in an accurate fashion.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Is there further discussion? Seeing none, Senator Schoenberg moves adoption of Amendment No. 5 -- Floor Amendment No. 5 to House Bill 1496. All those in favor, say Aye. Opposed, say Nay. The Ayes have it, and the amendment is adopted. Are there any further Floor amendments approved for consideration?

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Schoenberg, on Amendment No. 6.

Thank you, Mr. President and Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate. Floor Amendment No. 6 is an express prohibition of -- against constitutional officers and Members of the General Assembly, including their spouses and minor children, that receive compensation from owning a direct interest in the Concessionaire or any entity that owns, or is owned by, or is under common control with the Concessionaire during any term of office -- for a period of five years after that constitutional officer or Member of the General Assembly leaves office. I urge its adoption.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Any discussion on Amendment No. 6? Senator Rutherford. 15  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 166th Legislative Day 5/31/2008

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) He indicates he will yield. Senator Rutherford.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Schoenberg.

That would be five years.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Rutherford.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Schoenberg.

That’s correct and this is -- strengthens the original bill.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Further discussion? Seeing none, Senator Schoenberg moves adoption of Amendment No. 6 to House Bill 1496. All those in 16  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 166th Legislative Day 5/31/2008 favor will say Aye. Opposed, say Nay. The Ayes have it. Amendment is adopted. Are there any further Floor amendments approved for consideration?

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Schoenberg.

Thank you, Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate. Floor Amendment No. 7 is to direct -- is -- directly addresses an inquiry that was made in the Executive Committee last night by Senator Righter. This clarifies that of the minimum ten-billion-dollar up-front payment that at least five billion of that be paid by the effective date of the Management and Concession Agreement. The balance of that is due within two years thereafter. And in addition, the amendment directs seventy percent of the initial ten-billion-dollar minimum payment to be deposited in the Illinois Works Fund, which would be the capital fund, and thirty -- thirty percent to be deposited in the Illinois Education Assistant {sic} (Trust) Fund not -- in an amount not to exceed ten billion dollars. Anything in excess of that would go into the Pension Stabilization Fund towards paying down the unfunded -- State’s unfunded pension liability. I urge its adoption.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Is there any discussion? Seeing none, Senator Schoenberg moves adoption of Amendment No. 7 to -- House Bill 1496. All those in favor, say Aye. Opposed, say Nay. The Ayes have it. Amendment is adopted. Are there any further Floor amendments 17  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 166th Legislative Day 5/31/2008 approved for consideration?

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Schoenberg.

Thank you, Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate. Floor Amendment No. 8 is the stronger ethical provisions with the technical correction on the definition of what constitutes an executive employee of the Concessionaire. We addressed that in the inquiry from the other side. I’d urge its adoption.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Is there any discussion? Seeing none, Senator Schoenberg moves adoption of Amendment No. 8 to House Bill 1496. All those in favor will say Aye. Opposed, say Nay. The Ayes have it. The amendment is adopted. Are there any further Floor amendments approved for consideration?

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Schoenberg, Amendment No. 9.

Thank you. This is the final amendment that I wish to offer and that states that this legislation becomes law if and only if Senate Bill -- House Bills 1496, 2651, 4723, 5618 and 6339 become law.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Is there any discussion? Seeing none, Senator Schoenberg 18  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 166th Legislative Day 5/31/2008 moves adoption of Amendment No. 9 to House Bill 1496. All those in favor, say Aye. Opposed, say Nay. The Ayes have it, and the amendment is adopted. Are there any further Floor amendments approved for consideration?

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) 3rd Reading. Now on the Order of 3rd Reading is House Bill 1496. Madam Secretary, read the gentleman’s bill.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Schoenberg.

Thank you, Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate. House Bill 1496, as amended, establishes progressive parameters for a public/private partnership in which the State of Illinois would engage private sector partners in a lottery -- in a -- in a lottery management concession. I want to -- we’ve had some extensive discussion here at the Capitol, both about whether or not it’s a good idea to sell a public asset. I think all of us agree there should not be any sale of any public asset and that’s expressly -- that prohibition is expressly written in the law. However, as we’ve seen the interest in the -- in the private equity capital markets investing in public assets, it’s essential that we establish the terms of that relationship to be in the taxpayers’ best interest and -- and that we on the public 19  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 166th Legislative Day 5/31/2008 side are equal partners in our relationship with the private sector. The -- part of that relationship means that we -- we on the public sector side, we require more stringent ethical and procurement-related provisions in any kind of agreement. We on the public side also require protections for those individuals who work in the Lottery to ensure that their wages and their -- and their retirement are -- are secure. This kind of relationship also means that we should have an escape clause in the event that there’s unethical behavior. And as far as the distribution of these proceeds are concerned, there is a detailed formula that would provide funding to go into a capital program. A portion, from seven billion to -- from seven to ten billion, go into the Education Trust Fund, which would -- with that investment which would grow from two hundred million to six hundred million over time. And it also ensures that the balance over which we do -- we would see any initial up-front payment, anything over eleven billion dollars, that that would go into the Pension Stabilization Fund, which is precisely how the bond -- the rate -- bond rating agencies would ask us to spend those kind of proceeds - not putting the money into base spending, not putting the money into -- not putting the money into operations, but rather putting a significant amount of money into reducing a significant long-term investment -- long-term liability. With that, I’d be happy to answer any questions.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Thank you, Senator Schoenberg. The Chair would appreciate succinct descriptions of your bill and succinct questions and discussion, as succinct as possible. Leader Watson.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Thank you, Leader Watson. Senator Risinger.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) 21  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 166th Legislative Day 5/31/2008 Thank you, sir. Senator Lauzen.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Lauzen.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Schoenberg.

Thank you for asking that question. The terms of the lease are between fifty and sixty years with a five-year option. For public/private partnerships that we’ve seen throughout the country, that means that we are going to likely receive a smaller up-front payment than we would if it was a seventy-five- to ninety-nine-year lease agreement, but that means that it’s in our favor. In addition, I want to point out that anything between ten and eleven billion dollars that would be part of an up-front payment would also go into the Education Trust Fund. So there is even greater potential to infuse more dollars into that Education Trust Fund.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Lauzen.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Schoenberg.

It’s not limited to three billion. If there’s -- there’s a minimum -- there’s a minimum up-front bid of ten billion dollars. We believe it’s likely that this would receive more than ten billion dollars. For the first ten billion dollars, the split is seventy/thirty, with seven billion going to the capital program -- and three billion dollars going to the Education Trust Fund. From ten to eleven billion, there’s that additional billion-dollar opportunity to invest even more in the Education Trust Fund, and then anything that would exceed eleven billion dollars would go into -- exclusively into the Pension Stabilization Fund towards paying down the unfunded pension liability, on top of our scheduled contribution.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator -- Senator Lauzen.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) To the bill, sir, and I appreciate it. Senator Lauzen.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Pankau.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Schoenberg.

Senator Pankau, you know, I -- we in Illinois are very committed to protecting the collective bargaining rights of working men and women for their wages, as well as for their retirements. And what we have here, unlike -- here’s really an opportunity for us to be leaders nationally in establishing -- reaffirming the relationship that we have. We would provide -- we would ensure that after this concession is entered into, that the individuals who are part of it would remain employed by the Lottery and remain public employees. We would also -- then there would be a period of time by which an alternative could be offered so that if an individual -- I believe that’s a three- year -- there’s a three-year window, but what we would be doing is ensuring that individuals who were nearing their -- nearing their retirement eligibility, would be able to obtain that retirement eligibility through -- through the State.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Pankau.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Schoenberg.

That’s correct. 25  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 166th Legislative Day 5/31/2008

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Thank you, Senator. Senator Luechtefeld.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Indicates he will yield. Senator Luechtefeld.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Schoenberg.

Yes. Senator Luechtefeld, a couple of years ago within the -- within the budget implementation legislation, we -- I specifically created the Pension Stabilization Fund, which is -- which mirrors the Rainy Day Fund, which we -- have had in law for some time, by which if a certain threshold is attained, that 26  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 166th Legislative Day 5/31/2008 money exclusively goes towards specific means. The Pension Stabilization Fund, by law, was created to make payments toward the unfunded liability on top of the existing scheduled payment. So if, in fact, we exceed eleven billion dollars, that Pension Stabilization Fund, which could not be swept and which is dedicated exclusively towards the unfunded liability on top of the scheduled payment and not in lieu of the scheduled -- all or part of the scheduled payment, that would help reduce that unfunded liability. And as you know, that unfunded liability, it’s as if we’re lending ourselves that -- those dollars at a rate currently at about eight and a half percent.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Luechtefeld.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Schoenberg.

Senator Luechtefeld, if it has anything, it’s a very modest amount, and the reason why it’s a very modest amount is because the triggers by which funds are put into the Stabilization Fund would be if the economy is robust. So when the economy rebounds -- for example, when we created the 1995 law, we didn’t index that schedule towards -- towards economic conditions, whether it’s the CPI or the ECI. And as a result, we really missed an ideal opportunity to put a considerable amount of money, based on the economic growth that was occurring nationally and here in Illinois, into that Fund. When the economy does return, we’re 27  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 166th Legislative Day 5/31/2008 now positioned to put money through that Fund into the unfunded pension liability.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Luechtefeld.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Schoenberg.

Senator Luechtefeld, I believe that the long-term problems that have existed with underfunded pensions mean a reversal -- mean we need to reverse behavior. We not only need to pay the obligation, we need to reverse the behavior, and that’s exactly why we passed into law the budget -- the Pension Stabilization Fund, so that when we had revenues, whether it’s as a result -- an uptick in the economy or through a phenomena like a lease concession here, that that money would go exclusively there.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Seeing no further discussion, Senator Schoenberg -- the question is…

To close.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Schoenberg, to close, briefly.

I urge an Aye vote.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) 28  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 166th Legislative Day 5/31/2008 Thank you. The question is, shall House Bill 1496 pass. All those in favor, vote Aye. Opposed, vote Nay. The voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Take the record. On that question, there are 43 voting Aye, 8 voting Nay, 3 voting Present. House Bill 1496, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. Senator DeLeo in the Chair.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Okay, Ladies and Gentlemen, continuing on House Bills 3rd Reading is House Bill 2651. Senator Hendon, do you wish to proceed, sir? I believe Senator Hendon is seeking leave of the Body to return House Bill 2651 back to the Order of 2nd Reading for the purpose of an amendment. Is that correct, sir? Okay, now on the Order of 2nd Reading is House Bill 2651. Madam Secretary, has there been any amendments approved for consideration?

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Thank you. Senator Hendon, to Floor Amendment No. 3, sir.

Thank -- thank you, Mr. President. First, let me thank both sides of the aisle, especially the other side of the aisle, for working on this amendment and -- as well as Senator Clayborne who worked on the amendment and Representative Molaro in the House. This amendment, Amendment No. 3, does a -- a couple of things. They were all things that were negotiated between the two leaders, President Jones and Leader Watson. One will replace the -- the split from sixty percent -- I mean, from 29  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 166th Legislative Day 5/31/2008 seventy percent down to sixty percent and that would raise up from five percent to fifteen percent the amount that goes to the ADA. As -- it also does another -- number of other things to strengthen up the fund for focusing on children. We also have a few changes to the advance deposit wagering to reflect what was in the bill sent out by Senator Cullerton. In addition, we’re - - dealt with the annual fee, not to exceed two hundred and fifty thousand dollars in a four-year period. And we will also be looking at that for boats that are under a hundred million dollars. In addition, it deals with the economic development communities and we have the fifteen-mile, non-cannibalization language in the bill to make sure that -- that one boat or one casino does not negatively affect another. Also we changed the amount of the -- the cost for the slots -- machines from fifty thousand to forty thousand a piece in order to ensure that they all are taken. And the moneys that are going into the fund lastly will have to be transferred monthly into the Illinois Education Trust Fund. I’ll be happy to answer any questions on the amendment if there are any.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Thank you. Is there any discussion? There any discussion? Senator Righter, do you rise to the amendment, sir?

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Sponsor indicates he’ll yield for a question, sir.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Senator Hendon.

That -- that is -- you’re absolutely right. The two-thirds confirmation process to ensure that there’s bipartisan participation and cooperation with any nominee that goes to one of these boards is not in this amendment. There is another amendment that’s -- that’s going to come that it will be in if we get it done today. If not, then we will definitely by legislative intent. I assure you that it will be in the trailer bill.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Senator Righter.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Senator Hendon.

Thank you, Mr. President. Well, what I was speaking of of legislation intent - you know, I like to tell the truth on the Senate Floor and -- and everyone can -- trust my word - is that we do intend -- it should have been in there. Some things in the last minute may not have all been in there. If it doesn’t get done today, it will most certainly be in the trailer bill, because I agree a thousand percent that it should be a two- thirds vote for confirmation.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Senator Righter.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Thank you, sir. Okay, Ladies and Gentlemen, Senator Hendon moves the adoption of Floor Amendment No. 3 to House Bill 2651. All those in favor will say Aye. All those opposed will say Nay. The Ayes have it. The amendment’s adopted. Madam Secretary, has there been any further Floor amendments approved for consideration?

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Thank you. Senator Hendon, to Floor Amendment No. 4, sir.

Thank -- thank you, Mr. President. I just wanted to assure everyone that the -- that on that previous amendment that they’re looking for, for the two-thirds, it will be a stand- alone trailer bill, Senator Righter and Leader Watson. It will be a stand-alone trailer bill, so it won’t have anything else on it that could weigh it down. Now, on Amendment No. 4, retains the underlining bill by making certain changes that were negotiated by the stakeholders. It requires that the Auditor General do certain work in Illinois Works issue and it modifies where the dollars of the FOCUS Fund is paid into the education. It also specifies that the eleventh license will go into a area not within fifteen miles of a current boat. And this is the one that also reduces the cost of the positions. So I’d be happy to answer any questions on the amendment if there are any. 33  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 166th Legislative Day 5/31/2008

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Thank you, Senator Hendon. Senator Righter, do you rise to this amendment, sir?

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Senator Hendon.

Senator Righter, I certainly understand. We’re going to try to do it today. If not, I give you my guarantee and my word that it will be on a stand-alone trailer bill and -- and we can do those various trailer bills, stand-alone, where there will be nothing to weigh it down. I agree with you about the two-thirds and we will make sure we take care of that. If there’s -- and I appreciate an adoption of Amendment No. 4.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Okay, Ladies and Gentlemen, Senator Hendon moves the adoption of Amendment No. 4 to House Bill 2651. All those in favor will say Aye. All those opposed will say Nay. The Ayes 34  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 166th Legislative Day 5/31/2008 have it. And the amendment is adopted -- adopted. Madam Secretary, has there been any further Floor amendments approved for consideration?

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Thank you. Senator Hendon, to Amendment No. 5, sir.

Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you, Mr. President. Amendment that ties all of the bills together and I would appreciate adoption of Amendment No. 5. It simply ties all the bills together so that we can get the -- all the moneys that we need for the capital program and the other funding programs, Mr. President. And I would appreciate adoption of Amendment No. 5. I will be happy to answer any questions if there are any on Amendment No. 5, Mr. President DeLeo. I appreciate adoption of Amendment No. 5.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Senator Hendon moves the adoption of Floor Amendment No. 5 to House Bill 2651. All those in favor will say Aye. All those opposed will say Nay. The Ayes have it, and Floor Amendment No. 5 is adopted. Has there been any further Floor amendments approved for consideration, Madam Secretary?

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Thank you. 3rd Reading. Now on the Order of 3rd Reading comes House Bill 2651. Senator Hendon, do you wish to proceed, sir? Senator Viverito, for what purpose do you rise, sir? 35  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 166th Legislative Day 5/31/2008

Thank you, Mr. President. Inadvertently, on House Bill -- 1496, I just happened to press the red and I really wanted to press the red. Would you please correct that for me? I mean the green. See what I mean? I was a little goofed up ‘cause Mr. Clayborne was talking to me a little too long. Green, 1496.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) The record will so reflect your intention, that Senator Viverito, his intention was, on 1496, to vote green, sir. The record will so reflect. Senator Hendon.

Thank you, Mr. President. We’d like to hold this on 3rd Reading so we can deal with some of the concerns of the other side of the aisle, since they’re being so very cooperative today. So, we’ll hold this on 3rd Reading for a few minutes.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Okay, House Bill 2651 will be taken out of the record and be held on -- and it’s now on House Bills 3rd Reading, Madam Secretary. Out of the record. Okay, House -- continuing on House Bills 3rd Reading on the printed Calendar on page 11 is House Bill 3679. Out of the record. Senator James Clayborne, on 4132, sir. House Bill 4132. Senator Clayborne. Out of the record. Senator Sullivan, on 4179, sir. He indicates he wishes to proceed. Madam Secretary, read the gentleman’s bill.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) 36  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 166th Legislative Day 5/31/2008 Senator Sullivan, to the bill, sir.

Thank you, Mr. President. House Bill 4179 stipulates that if a recipient of either exemption - the homestead exemption - becomes a resident of a facility licensed under the Assisted Living and Shared Housing Act, the exemption will continue as long as the residence continues to be occupied by the qualified person’s spouse if the spouse is sixty-five years of age or older. Be more than happy to answer any questions.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Is there any discussion? Seeing none, the question is, shall House Bill 4179 pass. All those in favor will vote Aye. Opposed, vote Nay. The voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Take the record. On that question, there are 55 voting Aye, none voting Nay, none voting Present. House Bill 4179, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. House Bill 4191. Senator Collins. Out of the record. House Bill 4215. Senator Trotter. Out of -- out of the record for now. House Bill 4374. Senator Martinez. Senator Martinez, 4374. Out of the record. House Bill 4723. With leave of the Body, we will return to House Bill 4723. House -- and go to House Bill 4890. Senator Harmon, 4890. Out of the record. House Bill 5038. Senator Harmon. 5038. Out of the record. House Bill 5088. Senator Demuzio. Senator Demuzio seeks leave of the Body to return House Bill 5088 to the Order of 2nd Reading for the purpose of amendment. Hearing no objection, leave is granted. Now on the Order of 2nd Reading is House Bill 5088. Madam Secretary, are there any amendments approved for 37  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 166th Legislative Day 5/31/2008 consideration?

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Demuzio, to explain Floor Amendment No. 2.

Yes. Thank you, Mr. President and Members of the Senate. Floor Amendment No. 2 to 5088, it retains the underlying bill and adds language amending various Articles of the Pension Code. But more importantly, this is to reform the downstate police and fire protection {sic} funds. This amendment prohibits fund transfers out of the Public Pension Regulation Fund. And pension impact notes are modified to grant the Commission on Government Forecasting, the COGFA, the ability to determine cost on multiple municipalities. This is basically a good downstate and -- police/fire pension fund. And I ask for your support.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Is there any discussion? Seeing none, Senator Demuzio moves adoption of Amendment No. 2 to House Bill 5088. All those in favor, say Aye. Opposed, say Nay. The Ayes have it, and the amendment is adopted. Are there any further Floor amendments approved for consideration?

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) 3rd Reading. Now on the Order of 3rd Reading is House Bill 5088. Madam Secretary, read the bill.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Demuzio.

Yes. Thank you. To the bill: House Bill 5088 requires that the State Pension Fund be used for the funding of unfunded liabilities of the five State-funded retirement system. This bill will require that payments to the system from the Unclaimed Property Trust Fund be made in addition to and not in lieu of any State contribution required under the Illinois Pension Code. This is from the unclaimed property and what we’ll be doing is setting up a trust fund. This is an initiative of the Treasurer’s Office - beginning in 2011, that revenues generated by the receipts of unclaimed property will be used to pay down on the State’s unfunded pension liability.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Any discussion? Senator Burzynski, sir.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) She indicates she will yield. Senator Burzynski.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) 39  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 166th Legislative Day 5/31/2008 Senator Demuzio.

Thank -- thank you, Senator. Yes, they do.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Burzynski. Senator Demuzio, to -- to close.

Thank you. I ask for an Aye vote.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Question is, shall House Bill 5088 pass. All those in favor, vote Aye. Opposed, vote Nay. The voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Take the record. On that question, there are 56 voting Aye, none voting Nay, none voting Present. House Bill 5088, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. House Bill 5141. Senator Lightford. Out of the record. House Bill 5151. Senator Trotter. 5151, sir? Out of the record. The Rules Committee will meet immediately in the President’s Anteroom. Will members of the Rules Committee quickly come to the President’s Anteroom so we can move the amendments -- discussed earlier? Senator Martinez in the Chair. Will all the members of the Rules Committee please come to the President’s Anteroom? Senator Martinez. Thank you, Senator Martinez. Senator Hendon back in the Chair. Madam Secretary, Committee Reports.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) House Bills 3rd Reading. Middle of page 12 on your Calendar is House Bill 5215. Out of the record. House Bill 5350. Out of the record. House Bill 5585. Senator Syverson. 5585, sir? Out of the record. House Bill 5618. Senator… 5618. Senator Meeks. Senator Meeks seeks leave of the Body to return House Bill 5618 to the Order of 2nd Reading for purpose of an amendment. Hearing no objection, leave is granted. Now on the Order of 2nd Reading is House Bill 5618. Madam Secretary, are there any amendments approved for consideration?

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Meeks.

Thank you so much, Mr. Chairman. This amends the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity Law of the Civil Administration {sic} (Administrative) Code, the Illinois Finance Authority Act and the State Finance Act to create three new programs - the Hospital Capital Investment, the Urban Revitalization Program and the House {sic} (Hospital) Capital Improvement Program.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Is there any discussion? Seeing none, Senator Meeks moves adoption of Amendment No. 1 to House Bill 5618. All those in favor will say Aye. Opposed, say Nay. The Ayes have it, and the amendment is adopted. Are there any further Floor amendments approved for consideration? 41  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 166th Legislative Day 5/31/2008

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Meeks.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Floor Amendment No. 3 says that this bill will not become law unless the gaming, capital, Lottery, and the bond authorization bill passes.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Any discussion? Seeing none, Senator Meeks moves adoption of Amendment No. 3 to House Bill 5618. All those in favor, say Aye. Opposed, say Nay. The Ayes have it, and the amendment is adopted. Are there any further Floor amendments approved for consideration?

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Meeks.

Yes, Mr. Chairman. Floor Amendment 4 just clears up the definition of moderate and low-income persons.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Is there any discussion? Seeing none, Senator Meeks moves adoption of Amendment No. 4 to House Bill 5618. All those in favor, say Aye. Opposed, say Nay. The Ayes have it, and the amendment is adopted. Are there any further Floor amendments approved for consideration?

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) 3rd Reading. Now on the Order of 3rd Reading is House Bill 5618. Madam Secretary, read the bill.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Meeks.

Thank you so much, Mr. Chairman. This -- these new programs - the Hospital Capital Investment, Urban Revitalization and Capital Improvement programs - will be a part of our capital bill. They will be administered by -- the Hospital Capital Program and the Hospital Capital Improvement Program will be administered by DCEO. The Urban Revitalization Program will be administered by the Illinois Finance Authority.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Any discussion? Senator Dillard.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Thank you. Senator Murphy.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Raoul.

I rise in strong support of Senator Meeks’ bill. I understand the concerns from the previous two speakers about the past. However, I know personally the Executive Director of the Illinois Finance Authority is somebody who’s qualified and somebody of great character. And we can’t cast a shadow on the respective departments of our government and the authorities that will exist long into the future forever, in -- into eternity. In addition, we have to consider the sponsor, and to characterize this as a sham, I -- I -- I personally take offense to that with regard -- because I know that the sponsor is one who’s been -- who’s had the highest integrity and who’s treated everybody -- every single person in this Chamber with great respect, no matter -- no matter the differences that may exist. The overall capital bill is about capital - capital to invest in infrastructure. And we should be interested not only to -- investing in the infrastructure in roads, but infrastructure in all of the communities which we all represent. So I rise in strong support of this.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Meeks, to close. 45  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 166th Legislative Day 5/31/2008

Thank you so much, Mr. President. I -- thank you so much, Mr. President. I appreciate all the comments of my colleagues and I hope that as much as I have to do with this legislation, I won’t let you down. And I ask for an Aye vote.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) This is final action. The question is, shall House Bill 5618 pass. All those in favor, vote Aye. Opposed, vote Nay. The voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Take the record. On that question, there are 32 voting Aye, 19 voting Nay, 2 voting Present. House Bill 5618, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. Chair apologizes to the Senators whose lights were lit. I’m -- I did not see them. Senator Kotowski, for what purpose do you seek recognition, sir?

Mr. President, I attempted to vote Yes on that bill and my -- my button did not go off.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) The record will so reflect. Senator DeLeo in the Chair. With leave of the Body, we’re going to return to House Bill 2651 so that we can deal with the amendment raised -- question raised by Leader Watson and Senator Righter. Senator DeLeo in the Chair.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Okay, Ladies and Gentlemen, with leave of the Body, we will return to page 11 of your printed Calendar. We will be going back to House Bill 2651. House Bill 2651. And sponsor 46  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 166th Legislative Day 5/31/2008 indicates that he’d like to return House Bill 2651, with leave of the Body, to the Order of 2nd Reading for the purpose of an amendment. Hearing no objection, leave is granted. Now on the Order of 2nd Reading is House Bill 2651. Madam Secretary, has there been any amendments approved for consideration?

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Thank you, Madam Secretary. Senator Hendon, to Floor Amendment No. 6, sir.

Thank -- thank you, Mr. President. Floor Amendment No. 6 addresses the question raised by Senator Righter and Leader Watson which was agreed to yesterday and we had just -- did not get it done. But we are -- now this is the amendment that gets it done that requires the two-thirds, bipartisan support for any member to come on, a member of the board -- the Gaming Board, the Racing Board and the Office of the Gaming Commission. So, I’d appreciate an Aye vote. And I thank you, Senator Righter, for pointing this out to us and we -- this is the amendment here. I appreciate its adoption.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Thank you. Is there any discussion on the amendment? Is there any discussion on the amendment? Senator Righter, are you seeking recognition, sir?

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Thank you, Senator Righter. Okay, Ladies and Gentlemen, Senator Hendon moves the adoption of Floor Amendment No. 6 to House Bill 2651. All those in favor will say Aye. All those opposed will say Nay. And the Ayes have it, and the amendment is adopted. Madam Secretary, has there been any further Floor amendments approved for consideration?

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Thank you. 3rd Reading. Now on the Order of 3rd Reading is House Bill 2651. Senator Hendon, do you wish to proceed, sir? Indicates he wishes to proceed. Madam Secretary, read the bill.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Thank you. Senator Hendon, to the bill, sir.

Thank you, Mr. President. To the bill, just briefly: There are a few things we’ll be cleaning up in a trailer bill. One would be the moving of the dates for the horsemen so that they won’t lose forty-seven racing dates. We will deal with that. I already mentioned that we’re going to be looking at a couple of other things, including the -- the issue brought up by my great friend Senator Jacobs. The bill has been thoroughly 48  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 166th Legislative Day 5/31/2008 discussed and I’d appreciate an Aye vote.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Thank you. Is there any discussion? Senator Risinger, for what purpose do you rise, sir?

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Sponsor indicates he’ll yield for a question, sir.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Senator Hendon.

Yes, Senator Risinger, and I appreciate your question. I know we brought that up in committee. It is in the bill. It was in Amendment No. 4. Thank you for bringing that up, because I didn’t have a chance to discuss it.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Senator Risinger.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) 49  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 166th Legislative Day 5/31/2008 Okay, Ladies and Gentlemen, seeing no further discussion, Senator Hendon, to close, sir.

I just want to -- I want to thank, if I can quickly, especially Senator Righter, Senator Risinger and Leader Watson, for the bipartisan cooperation. President Jones was just absolutely magnificent in allowing true bipartisan cooperation and I hope this is a indicator of what we can do from now on. I’d appreciate an Aye vote. Thank you, Leader Watson.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Okay, Ladies and Gentlemen, the question is, shall House Bill 2651 pass. All those in favor will vote Aye. All those opposed will vote Nay. The voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Madam Secretary, take the record. On that question, there are 32 Ayes, 18 Nays, 5 voting Present. House Bill 2651, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. Okay, Ladies and Gentlemen, continuing on House Bills 3rd Reading, on the bottom of page 12 of your Calendar, we’ll go -- leave of the Body, we’ll go back to where we left off. Senator Trotter. Senator Trotter, on 5701, sir. Do you wish to proceed? Out of the record. Turning the page, House Bills 3rd Reading, we will go to page 13 on -- on your printed. On the top of page 13 is House Bill 6339. Senator Trotter, do you wish to proceed, sir? Is -- and Senator Trotter, I believe, is seeking leave to return 639 -- 6339 back -- out of the record. Okay, Ladies and Gentlemen, with leave of the Body, we will be turning back to House Bills 3rd Reading, on the top of page 13 of your printed Calendar. On the top of page 13 comes House 50  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 166th Legislative Day 5/31/2008 Bill 6339. Senator Trotter, do you wish to proceed? He indicates he wishes to proceed. But Senator Trotter also seeks leave of this Body to return House Bill 639 {sic} back to the Order of 2nd Reading for the purpose of an amendment. Is that correct, sir? Hearing no objection, we’ll return House Bill 6339 back to the Order of 2nd Reading. Leave is granted. Now on the Order of 2nd Reading is House Bill 6339. Madam Secretary, has there been any amendments approved for consideration?

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Senator Trotter, to Amendment No. 1, sir.

Thank you very much, sir -- Mr. President. House Bill 639 {sic} first amendment appropriates for new capital programs for a total of 34.1 billion dollars. I would like to go into more detail after we adopt the other two amendments.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Okay, the gentleman has asked -- Senator Trotter has moved the adoption of Floor Amendment No. 1 to House Bill 6339. All those in favor will say Aye. All those opposed will say Nay. The Ayes have it, and Floor Amendment No. 1 is adopted. Madam Secretary, has there been any other further Floor amendments approved for consideration?

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) …you. Senator Trotter, to Amendment No. 2, sir. 51  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 166th Legislative Day 5/31/2008

Thank you very much, Mr. President, Members of the Senate. Senate Amendment No. 2 to 639 {sic} makes technical changes to the underlying bill by adding the word “replacing” to the amendment clause; it increases the DCEO economic development line by one hundred million and increases new local transportation projects by two hundred and fifty million throughout various lines.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Is there any discussion? Is there any discussion? Seeing none, Senator Trotter moves the adoption of Floor Amendment No. 2 to House Bill 6339. All those in favor will say Aye. All those opposed will say Nay. The Ayes have it, and Floor Amendment No. 2 is adopted. …Secretary, are there any further Floor amendments approved for consideration?

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Thank you. Senator Trotter, to Amendment No. 3, sir.

Thank you very much, sir. Senate Amendment No. 3 to House Bill 639 {sic} states that the bill becomes law if and only if, and not until all the following bills become law. Those are House Bill 1496, which is the Lottery lease; House Bill 2651, the gaming expansion; House Bill 4723, the bond authorization; and finally, House Bill 5618, which is the urban revitalization and hospital capital plan.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) 52  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 166th Legislative Day 5/31/2008 Thank you. Is there any discussion? Is there any discussion? Seeing none, Senator Trotter moves the adoption of Floor Amendment No. 3 to House Bill 6339. All those in favor will say Aye. All those opposed will say Nay. The Ayes have it, and Floor Amendment No. 3 is adopted. Madam Secretary, has there been any further Floor amendments approved for consideration?

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Thank you, Madam Secretary. 3rd Reading. Now on the Order of 3rd Reading is House Bill 6339. Senator Trotter, do you wish to proceed, sir? He indicates he wishes to proceed. Madam Secretary, read the gentleman’s bill.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Thank you, Madam Secretary. Senator Trotter, to the bill, sir.

Mr. President, Members of the Senate, if I could just have all of your attention, this is the spending plan for the capital project list that has 34.1 billion dollars which will be spent on various projects. It has 21.4 billion dollars which will be the State’s share and the remaining 12.6 billion is made up of local and federal matches for various projects. Also contained in this bill is the bond authorization for the capital proposal 53  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 166th Legislative Day 5/31/2008 which totals 2.5 billion. And there is a breakdown of how those dollars will be spent. We have a total of 10.8 billion dollars will be spent on a multi-year plan, 5.6 billion dollars for new bonded, local road projects goes for 1 billion, public transportation -- transit has five billion, rail has three hundred million, airports 300.5 million, school construction has 4.1 billion dollars with federal match, 3. -- three hundred and thirty million dollars for school maintenance, twenty-five million for early childhood, public universities get 1.5 billion, community colleges get three hundred million, private universities three hundred million, makes more of -- five hundred and fifty-three million dollars which will go to State facilities, economic development - we have four hundred and fifty million dollars, affordable housing fifty million dollars, health care facilities get a hundred and fifty million dollars, civic centers twenty-five million, Member projects will be five hundred million dollars, urban revitalization will get a total of a billion dollars. If there’s any questions, I’m prepared to answer.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Is there any discussion? Is there any discussion? Senator Risinger, for what purpose do you rise, sir?

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Thank you, Senator Risinger. Further discussion? Senator John Sullivan.

Thank you, Mr. President. To the bill.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) To the bill, sir. 55  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 166th Legislative Day 5/31/2008

I -- first of all, I want to thank Senator Trotter, obviously, for his work on this, the time and effort spent into it. We appreciate that very much. I -- I do want to comment, I think many -- many people in this Chamber realize the efforts of former U.S. Speaker of the House Denny Hastert, as well as President Glenn Poshard. The work that they put in, in trying to bring this capital bill and get us to this point right now, is -- was -- was just absolutely monumental. Those two gentlemen traveled the State of Illinois and listened to their - - listened to -- listened to input from communities, from schools, from business leaders as to the needs of those communities. And -- and this bill goes -- has -- takes a step in the right direction in trying to address those needs. The other thing that they identified -- and -- and they put together a program through Southern Illinois University to identify the jobs that would be created by a capital bill in the State of Illinois. Over five hundred thousand jobs will be created through this program and these are head-of-the-household type jobs. The money that will be generated from -- from the -- the work that takes place and from the job creation - billions of dollars in -- going to communities and also to the State of Illinois. This bill, as Senator Risinger just pointed out - you kind of took the words out of my mouth, Dale - it does not address all the needs of the State of Illinois. President Poshard and Speaker Hastert, you know, we know the greats -- they identified that the needs are much greater than what this bill does, but it is a step forward, a big step forward, and will go a long ways. The -- finally, I just want to say -- I 56  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 166th Legislative Day 5/31/2008 want to express my appreciation to Leader Watson on the other side of the aisle and many of his caucus members. Senator Risinger was at many of those meetings as well. I also want to point out my appreciation to Leader Cross over in the other Chamber. He -- he also had a great deal of input and there’s many, many people that tried to bring us to where we are here today and they -- our hat’s off to all of them. It’s not a perfect plan, but it’s a plan that’s going to start to address many of the needs of the State of Illinois. I ask for an Aye vote.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Thank you, Senator. Further discussion? Senator Righter, are you seeking recognition on this bill, sir?

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Sponsor indicates he’ll yield for a question, sir.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Senator Trotter.

I knew the lovefest couldn’t continue. I misspoke, sir.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) 57  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 166th Legislative Day 5/31/2008 Senator Righter.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Senator Trotter.

That is absolutely correct. What I mentioned about it -- Senator Harmon will be presenting the bond authorization. What I was mentioning, specifically, that this bill cannot become law until that bond authorization bill is passed.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Further discussion? Senator Meeks, are you seeking recognition on this bill, sir?

Yes, sir, Mr. Chairman. I wanted to -- you’re the President - Mr. President. Thank you, Mr. President. You know, I know that after we pass this capital bill, a lot of people will give credit to Speaker Hastert and to President Poshard, and they’ve done a masterful job. They’ve done a wonderful job. But I don’t want the moment to pass without the record to reflect the marvelous job done by our President, President Emil Jones. Last year - two applause - last year we passed a spending plan for a capital bill. This year we pass a spending plan and a capital bill. I know that the gallery likes to write a lot of editorials and I know that all of those editorials have not gone in our President’s favor, but I think somebody ought to 58  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 166th Legislative Day 5/31/2008 write about his ability to work across the aisle. He goes across the aisle, he works and he gets the job done. And I think that he’s to be commended. He has shepherded through a capital bill. He has shepherded through a spending plan. And if it -- if it doesn’t -- if it does not pan out, it won’t be because President Emil Jones did not give it a hundred percent. And, Mr. President, I just want to commend you today for a job well done.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Thank you, Senator, for those remarks. Senator John Jones, you seeking recognition, sir?

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) The bill, sir.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Thank you, Senator. Further discussion? Senator Dillard, for what purpose you rise, sir?

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) The record will so reflect your intentions on House Bill 2651, sir.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Thank you, Senator. Further discussion? Senator Forby, for what purpose you rise, sir?

To the bill.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) The bill, sir.

We talked a lot in here today about both sides of the aisle, Senator Watson and Senator -- President Jones, and it took a lot of hard work - and President Poshard and Hastert. But, you know, we’re forgetting some people today. I don’t care how good we are, how much we think we can do in here, there’s no way that we can get this done without the Republican staff and the Senate staff. I think they deserve a great big hand.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Senator Forby, did that have anything to do with a pay raise for the staff or anything? Our last person seeking recognition to speak on House Bill 6339, Leader Watson.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Thank you, Leader Watson. Okay, Ladies and Gentlemen, at this time, Senator Trotter, to close, sir.

Thank you very much, Mr. President, Members of the Senate. Like the work on this bill, the heavy lifting has been done by all of you -- all of you guys. And by saying that, I cannot beat nor articulate any better than what has already been said. I ask for any Aye vote.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Okay, Ladies and Gentlemen, the question is, shall House Bill 6339 pass. All those in favor, vote Aye. All those opposed will vote Nay. The voting is open. Have all voted who 65  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 166th Legislative Day 5/31/2008 wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Madam Secretary, take the record. On that question, there are 51 Ayes, 1 voting Nay, 4 voting Present. House Bill 6339, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. Senator Jacobs, for what purpose you seek recognition, sir?

Point of personal privilege.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Please state your point, sir.

Mr. President, I would also like to thank the -- Secretary of State staff and the staff in our building for last night, protecting us. It was a very -- kind of an unnerving moment. And I’d be remiss, too, if I didn’t thank my friends in the snake pit. They have a tough job. Sometimes I like what they say. Sometimes I don’t. But they’re always here doing the people’s business. I just want to tip my hat to the folks in the press box.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Thank you, Senator. Thank you for your remarks. Okay, Ladies and Gentlemen, can I have your attention, please? We’ll be going to Supplemental Calendar No. 1. Senate Calendar, Supplemental Calendar No. 1 has been printed and distributed. It should be on your desk. This is -- we’re going to the Secretary’s Desk, to the Order of Concurrences. Senator Hendon in the Chair.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Supplemental Calendar No. 1. Senate Bill 1869. Senator 66  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 166th Legislative Day 5/31/2008 Cullerton. Madam Secretary, read the bill -- read the motion.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Cullerton.

Thank you, Mr. President, Members of the Senate. I want to concur with the House amendment. It tightened up the requirement for the waiver of visiting professors to have to take the -- the test -- the general competency exam. These are visiting professors who come over here. And we passed a bill saying they didn’t need to take this test. The House -- all they did was just tighten it up a little bit and I agree with it. So, I move that we concur.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Is there any discussion? Seeing none, this is final action. The question is, shall the Senate concur in House Amendments {sic} No. 1 to Senate Bill 1869. All those in favor will vote Aye. Opposed, vote Nay. The voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Take the record. On that question, there are 56 voting Aye, none voting Nay, none voting Present. The Senate concurs in House Amendment No. 1 to Senate Bill 1869. And the bill, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. Senate Bill 1920. Senator Cullerton. Madam Secretary, read the bill -- motion.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Cullerton.

Thank you, Mr. President, Members of the Senate. What the House did with this bill was to consolidate a number of our bills dealing with mass transit and put it on one bill. So, all of the bills that we passed, passed unanimously. This bill deals with free rides for the disabled and a cleanup of the RTA operations funding bill that we passed last year. I’ll be happy to answer any questions and ask for an Aye vote.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Is there any discussion? Senator Righter.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) He indicates he will. Senator Righter.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Cullerton.

Yes. People with disabilities get a -- half-price fares now on fixed route. What this does is to make them eligible for free rides if they are eligible for the Circuit Breaker program. That was the original Senate Bill 1920, sponsored by Senator Garrett, that -- that passed unanimously.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Righter.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Cullerton.

Well, let’s -- let’s just make it clear that we’re not talking about paratransit. Paratransit are the people that are not on fixed routes. They’re the ones that, you know, have the services come to their house and take them. But if someone’s disabled and they get on a fixed route, that’s true. They -- they now have a half fare. Under this bill, they would have a full fare if they’re Circuit Breaker eligible. There is a difference the way we treat the seniors and -- and the disabled on fixed routes, you’re absolutely correct. It was, however - I 69  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 166th Legislative Day 5/31/2008 just want to make it clear, that you know - this was identical to the bill that we passed unanimously out of here - Senate Bill 1920.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Righter.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Cullerton.

Well, I can tell you this is -- all I can tell you about this is it’s -- it was really a technical error in the drafting of the bill that we passed, the -- the major RTA bill. And they -- the staff has told me that we -- it corrects the drafting error. It applies the five-percent State match for RTA funds to the replacement tax, which had inadvertently not been covered by the -- the bill that we passed. So, I don’t believe it -- it -- it’s inconsistent at all with what our intent was when we passed the original RTA bill.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Righter.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Thank you, Senator. Senator Cullerton.

Was that a question? Yes. Currently, the paratransit riders must pay at least ten percent of the cost of operating paratransit services. That figure would increase to twelve percent in 2009. This bill does maintain that at ten percent, otherwise there would be a dramatic fare increase for paratransit riders. The RTA figured that that would -- they would not want to do that. They can absorb that cost of about two million dollars and it would allow for the paratransit riders to only pay ten percent of the -- of the cost.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Lauzen.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) He will yield. Senator Lauzen.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) 71  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 166th Legislative Day 5/31/2008 Senator Cullerton.

Yes. I can’t determine -- I don’t know whether or not it’s an enhancement or it’s a -- I -- I can’t tell you whether the adjustment is -- would be viewed as an enhancement or not. It establishes -- you may recall that the original bill that we passed reduced the benefits of the CTA employees who were unionized - their retiree health care eligibility. What this has to do - it’s kind of complicated - it has to do with a window by which -- for people who have had at least twenty-five years of service, but less than fifty-five years of age. The bill that we passed changed the eligibility requirements for those retirees to fifty-five years of age and ten years of -- of continuous service, as opposed to twenty-five years. And as it was enacted, because of the delayed effective date, there was no opportunity for people to elect. So there was a lawsuit filed in the Circuit Court of Cook County and they opened a window through an injunction. So all this is doing is acknowledging that lawsuit, providing the short window for these people to make their election. I don’t believe it’s an enhancement of it; I think it just allows people to -- to elect a certain…

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) This is final action. Senator Cullerton, to close.

Ask for an Aye vote. It’s a very important bill.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Question is, shall the Senate concur in House Amendments {sic} No. 1 to Senate Bill 1920. All those in favor will vote Aye. Opposed will vote No. The voting is open. Have all voted 72  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 166th Legislative Day 5/31/2008 who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Take the record. On that question, there are 55 voting Aye, 1 voting Nay, none voting Present. The Senate concurs in House Amendment No. 1 to Senate Bill 1920. And the bill, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. Senate Bill 1929. Senator Noland. Senator Noland. 1929. Out of the record. Senate Bill 2012. Senator Delgado. Madam Secretary, read the bill.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Oh! Madam Secretary, read the motion.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Delgado.

Thank you, Mr. President, Members of the Senate. Senate Bill 2012 -- as passed by the Senate, Senate Bill 2012 establishes an eighteen-member task force on chronic disease prevention and health promotion to examine and make recommendations concerning the structure of the chronic disease prevention and health promotion system in Illinois to the Governor and General Assembly. DPH has jurisdiction over the task force. And I would ask for your Aye vote.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Is there any discussion? Seeing none, this is final 73  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 166th Legislative Day 5/31/2008 action. The question is, does the Senate concur on House Amendment No. 1 to Senate Bill 2012. All those in favor, vote Aye. Opposed, vote Nay. The voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Take the record. On that question, there are 56 voting Aye, none voting Nay, none voting Present. The Senate concurs on House Amendments {sic} No. 1 to Senate Bill 2012. And the bill, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. Senate Bill 2080. Senator Cullerton. Madam Secretary, read the motion.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Cullerton.

Yes. Thank you, Mr. President, Members of the Senate. This is truly a technical amendment that the House put on. The bill is an initiative of the Uniform Law Commissioners dealing with the Uniform Commercial Code. And their amendment simply alters the reference from Act -- Act to Article. So it’s not controversial, and moves for -- that we recommend to concur with the House Amendment No. 1.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Is there any discussion? Seeing none, this is final action. The question is, shall the Senate concur in House Amendments {sic} No. 1 to Senate Bill 2080. All those in favor, vote Aye. Opposed, vote Nay. The voting is open. Have all 74  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 166th Legislative Day 5/31/2008 voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Take the record. On that question, there are 55 voting Aye, none voting Nay, none voting Present. The Senate concurs in House Amendments {sic} No. 1 to Senate Bill 2080. And the bill, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. Senate Bill 2135. My good friend, Senator Millner. Madam Secretary, read the gentleman’s motion.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Millner.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Any discussion? This is final action. The question is, shall the Senate concur in House Amendments {sic} No. 1 to Senate Bill 2135. All those in favor will vote Aye. Opposed, vote Nay. The voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Take the record. On that question, there are 55 voting Aye, none voting Nay, none voting Present. The Senate concurs on House Amendments {sic} No. 1 to Senate Bill 2135. And the bill, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. Senate Bill 2292. Senator Maloney. Madam Secretary, please read the 75  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 166th Legislative Day 5/31/2008 gentleman’s motion.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Maloney.

Thank you, Mr. President. Senate Bill 2292 retains the original version that we sent over to the House on a unanimous vote of 54 to nothing that changes provisions and continuances regarding employees for the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District. The other provisions that the amendment does, it amends the Pension Code, adds two people to the retirement board. There’s no money involved. The trustees are unpaid. Changes the titles of certain departments, modernizes them - for example, from the general superintendent to the executive director. And there is a small annexation into the district of parcels of land from the villages of Matteson and Olympia Fields in the south suburbs. Be happy to answer any questions.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Is there any discussion? Seeing none, this is final action. The question is, shall the Senate concur in House Amendments {sic} No. 1 to Senate Bill 2292. All those in favor, vote Aye. Opposed, vote Nay. The voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Take the record. On that question, there are 54 voting Aye, none voting Nay, none voting Present. The Senate concurs in House Amendments {sic} No. 1 to Senate Bill 2292. And the 76  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 166th Legislative Day 5/31/2008 bill, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. Senate Bill 2302. Senator Bomke. Madam Secretary, please read the gentleman’s motion.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Bomke.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Is there any discussion? Seeing none, this is final action. The question is, shall the Senate concur in House Amendments {sic} No. 1 to Senate Bill 2302. All those in favor will vote Aye. Opposed will vote Nay. And the voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Take the record. On that question, there are 56 voting Aye, none voting Nay, none voting Present. The Senate concurs in House Amendments {sic} No. 1 to Senate Bill 2302. And the bill, having received the required constitutional 77  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 166th Legislative Day 5/31/2008 majority, is declared passed. Senate Bill 2327. Senator Cullerton. Madam Secretary, please read the gentleman’s motion.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Cullerton.

Yes. Thank you, Mr. President, Members of the Senate. The House corrected just a -- again, another technical error in a Senate bill as we passed it. The underlying bill just calls for CMS to do a study of the -- the -- the State’s current use of certain types of computers. And the definition was wrong. Instead of saying fifty million, it was supposed to say fifteen. So that’s all they corrected. I know of no opposition and please ask you to concur with the House amendment.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Is there any discussion? Seeing none, this is final action. The question is, shall the Senate concur in House Amendment No. 1 to Senate Bill 2327. All those in favor will vote Aye. Opposed will vote Nay. The voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Take the record. On that question, there are 55 voting Aye, none voting Nay, none voting Present. The Senate concurs in House Amendment No. 1 to Senate Bill 2327. And the bill, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. Senate Bill 2338. Senator Link. Madam Secretary, please read the gentleman’s bill. 78  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 166th Legislative Day 5/31/2008

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Link.

Thank you, Mr. President. This amendment just -- amends the definition of financial institutions in the Illinois Banking Act to include savings banks. I know of no opposition. Be more than happy to answer any questions.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Is there any discussion? Seeing none, this is final action. The question is, shall the Senate concur in House Amendment No. 1 to Senate Bill 2338. All those in favor will vote Aye. Opposed will vote Nay. And the voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Take the record. On that question, there are 55 voting Aye, none voting Nay, none voting Present. The Senate concurs in House Amendments {sic} No. 1 to Senate Bill 2338. And the bill, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. Senate Bill 2399. Senator Link. Madam Secretary, please read the gentleman’s motion.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Link. 79  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 166th Legislative Day 5/31/2008

Thank you, Mr. President. This is -- makes certain reenactment of the federal Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008. It’s similar to a bill that we just passed out of the Senate. I’ll be more than happy to answer any questions on it.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Is there any discussion? Seeing none, this is final action. The question is, shall the Senate concur in House Amendments {sic} No. 1 to Senate Bill 2399. Those in favor will vote Aye. Opposed will vote Nay. And the voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Take the record. On that question, there are 56 voting Aye, none voting Nay, none voting Present. The Senate concurs in House Amendments {sic} No. 1 to Senate Bill 2399. And the bill, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. Senate Bill 2482. Senator Lightford. Madam Secretary, please read the lady’s bill. 2482. Madam Secretary, read the lady’s motion.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Lightford.

Mr. President. Thank you, Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate. Senate Bill 2482, Amendment 1 was a technical change. Amendment No. 2 became the bill. It actually 80  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 166th Legislative Day 5/31/2008 allows the Illinois Math and Science Academy to develop additional campuses throughout the State and the superintendent of the district where each campus is located is added to the board for IMSA. And it inserts the text of House Bill 4471, which passed the House 115 to zero, requiring every child enrolled in elementary or secondary schools or day care facilities, rather than every child upon enrollment, to provide a certified copy of a birth certificate, which the school must copy for its records and return. I’d be happy to answer questions.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Is there any discussion? Seeing none, this is final action. The question is, shall the Senate concur in House Amendments No. 1 and No. 2 to Senate Bill 2482. All those in favor will vote Aye. Opposed, vote Nay. The voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Take the record. On that question, there are 56 voting Aye, none voting Nay, none voting Present. The Senate concurs in House Amendments No. 1 and No. 2 to Senate Bill 2482. And the bill, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. Senate Bill 2489. Senator Kotowski. Madam Secretary, read the gentleman’s bill.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Kotowski.

81  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 166th Legislative Day 5/31/2008 Thank you, Mr. President. And thank you for finally pronouncing my name correctly. Wow. That’s it? That’s all I got? Wow. Sorry. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. All right, pull it out of the -- just kidding. House Amendment No. 1 mandates that a claim be made within two years of the date of the death of the Armed Forces member killed in the line of duty. Just wanted to emphasize the point that this focuses on Armed Forces members, the expansion. I would encourage an Aye vote.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Is there any discussion? Seeing none, this is final action. The question is, shall the Senate concur in House Amendments {sic} No. 1 to Senate Bill 2489. All those in favor will vote Aye. Opposed, vote Nay. And the voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Take the record. On that question, there are 56 voting Aye, none voting Nay, none voting Present. The Senate concurs in House Amendments {sic} No. 1 to Senate Bill 2489 for Senator Kotowski. And the bill, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. Senate Bill 2512. Senator Link. Madam Secretary, please read the gentleman’s motion.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Link.

Thank you, Mr. President. This just requires that schools 82  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 166th Legislative Day 5/31/2008 and districts incorporate a curriculum to compound -- Internet safety to be taught once a year in each -- to each student in the grades three and above.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Is there any discussion? Seeing none, this is final action. The question is, shall the Senate concur in House Amendments {sic} No. 1 to Senate Bill 2512. All those in favor, vote Aye. Opposed, vote Nay. The voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Take the record. On that question, there are 55 voting - - 55 voting Aye, 1 voting Nay, none voting Present. The Senate concurs in House Amendments {sic} No. 1 to Senate Bill 2512. And the bill, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. Senate Bill 2677. Senator Crotty. Madam Secretary, please read the motion.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Crotty.

Thank you very much. Amendment No. 3 now becomes the bill. It does reinsert the original provisions of the bill that was passed out of the Senate. That amended the Illinois Municipal Code regarding annexation by providing that when an unincorporated territory containing sixty acres or less is annexed by any adjacent municipality, that the public shall be informed of the annexation through an announcement or in the 83  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 166th Legislative Day 5/31/2008 newspaper at least ten days ahead of the time that -- that it would -- other -- ten days ahead of time and other notification requirements. Also added were changes to the Municipal Code in -- regarding the demolition, repair, enclosure or remediation of dangerous or unsafe buildings. And finally, it allows the board of fire and police commissioners to waive portions of required examinations for applicants who have previously served as a full-time sworn officer of a municipal fire or police department in Illinois.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Is there any discussion? This is final action. The question is, shall the Senate concur in House Amendment No. 3 to Senate Bill 2677. All those in favor, vote Aye. Opposed, vote No. The voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Take the record. On that question, there are 56 voting Aye, none voting Nay, none voting Present. The Senate concurs in House Amendments {sic} No. 3 to Senate Bill 2677. And the bill, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. Senate Bill 2857. Senator Schoenberg. Madam Secretary, please read the gentleman’s bill -- gentleman’s motion.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Schoenberg.

Thank you, Madam President, Ladies and Gentlemen of the 84  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 166th Legislative Day 5/31/2008 Senate.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Mr. President. Thank you, Mr. President. Senator Schoenberg.

Thank you, Mr. President and Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate. Amendments No. 2 -- 1 and 2 represent the next hospital assessment plan that we will submit to the federal government for its approval upon its becoming law in here -- here in Illinois. This critical infusion of federal dollars will help hospitals and other health care providers ensure that we have accessible and affordable quality health care in hospitals throughout the State. I think it’s fair to say that without these resources that hospitals serving residents of predominately lower and lower-middle income communities in Chicago, it’s suburban areas, and throughout downstate would be threatened with either closing their doors or severely reducing their services. There are a couple of major distinctions between the current -- three-year hospital assessment plan that we’re -- that will expire at the end of this year, a plan which has been responsible for 1.8 billion dollars in new federal funds to hospitals throughout the State and other health care providers, and the plan that’s in this proposal. The first is, this is a five-year plan we’re going to be seeking approval from the federal government for. The second major distinction is that the hospitals in the State will be getting a total of six hundred and forty million dollars -- over six hundred and forty million dollars a year for each of those five years versus the current plan where those -- where hospitals are getting four 85  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 166th Legislative Day 5/31/2008 hundred and sixty-five million dollars a year. The additional hundred and thirty million dollars a year - under the current plan, that can only go for health care and which cannot be spent on roads, bridges or Jack Benny statues. Here, too, in the current -- in the proposed plan, that hundred and thirty million dollars can only be spent on health care, and when it converts to the State’s share of an -- additional federal funds, it becomes two hundred and sixty million dollars. So, in short, this proposal’s worth 4.5 billion dollars. Now, there are a couple other key points that need to be made. One is, there are stricter provisions in this plan on rulemaking authority which expressly limit any rulemaking authority that the department has to changes that are required by the federal government in order for us to get the money. And in addition, I wanted to point out, for the purposes of legislative intent, that it’s the intention of this legislation, regarding the new Illinois hospital assessment plan for Fiscal Year ’09 through Fiscal Year ’13, that this plan, as well as all future plans, shall be considered by the Department of Healthcare and Family Services as a single State agency and reviewed with consideration given to the best interests of -- of the State of Illinois. Finally, in addition, I want to point out that with this legislation and the reimbursement that’s generated for the State, that the assessment program will also protect all hospital payments and the patients they serve from any cuts or freezes or reductions of service and that includes important payments that are not related to this, such as disproportionate share payments, CHAP payments, the Excellence in Academic Medicine payments that hospitals throughout the State have been receiving, and 86  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 166th Legislative Day 5/31/2008 outliers. That’s a rough summary of this new plan. It’s a better plan. It’s bigger. It’s more redistributive and our entire congressional delegation has already jumped into action to move towards federal approval. With that, I open up to any questions.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) There any discussion? Senator Pankau.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Schoenberg.

No, Senator Pankau. The rulemaking authority in this plan is very narrowly and exclusively tailored to -- so that the State can adapt the technical provisions of this plan in direct response to the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ requests in order to make this compliant and for us to receive approval.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Pankau.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Thank you. Senator Dillard.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Burzynski.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) He indicates he will yield. Senator Burzynski. 88  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 166th Legislative Day 5/31/2008

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Schoenberg.

No.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Burzynski.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Schoenberg.

As I responded earlier to Senator Pankau’s inquiry, the answer is no. This is exclusively to be able to respond to technical changes that the federal government would require us to make in order to have our plan approved.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) 89  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 166th Legislative Day 5/31/2008 Senator Burzynski.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Schoenberg.

The distribution formula for the one hundred and thirty million dollars, which includes twenty million dollar -- twenty million dollars for mental health and developmental disabilities, thirty million dollars for long-term care and eighty million dollars going into the General Fund that’s matchable for existing health care commitments, that formula exists now and it would be retained in the current -- in the proposed plan.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Seeing no further discussion -- oh, I’m sorry. Senator Trotter.

Thank you very much, Mr. President, for your indulgence. I just want to commend the sponsor. Senator Schoenberg, like many of us here, likes to spend money, spending money on the people to make our -- our State stronger, but he has - continuously through the years - has been very creative in bringing money to this State. He has done it not only with the hospital assessment, but with other plans, with the Lottery, of -- of how 90  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 166th Legislative Day 5/31/2008 to maximize our dollars to make our State stronger and -- and more healthier. So, Senator, thank you so very much.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Can’t get any better close than that, but Senator Schoenberg, to close.

Thank you, Mr. President and Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate. I want to make a couple of acknowledgements since, hopefully, this is -- five-year plan is going to be approved in its entirety. The first is, I wish to acknowledge the wonderful leadership that was shown by the House Majority Leader Barbara Flynn Currie. She and I traveled through a rather narrow sniper-free corridor in negotiating this bill and I think her leadership merits recognition. I’d also like to express my appreciation to Director Maram and his senior staff at the Department of Healthcare and Family Services for their role, as well as to acknowledge the contributions of the Illinois Hospital Association, the Academic Medical Centers throughout the State, and last, but certainly not least, those safety-net hospitals which serve the most vulnerable populations throughout our State. With that, I ask for an Aye vote.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) This is final action. Question is, shall the Senate concur in House Amendments No. 1 and 2 to Senate Bill 2857. All those in favor, vote Aye. Opposed, vote Nay. The voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Take the record. On that question, there are 54 voting Aye, none voting Nay, 1 voting Present. The Senate concurs in House Amendments No. 1 91  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 166th Legislative Day 5/31/2008 and No. 2 to Senate Bill 2857. And the bill, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. Senate Bill 2883. Senator Schoenberg. 2883, Senator Schoenberg. Madam Secretary, please read the gentleman’s motion.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Schoenberg.

Thank you, Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate. I urge that we concur in Amendment No. -- House Amendment No. 1 to Senate Bill 2883. House Amendment No. 1 reduces in half the net -- the -- what had been the earlier increase in the bond authorization limit for the Illinois Finance Authority. Based on prior discussion of this legislation, we’re well acquainted with all the needs that would be met. And I urge…

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Is there any discussion? Senator Althoff.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Seeing no further discussion, Senator Schoenberg, to close.

I urge an Aye vote.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) This is final action. The question is, shall the Senate concur in House Amendments {sic} No. 1 to Senate Bill 2883. All those in favor will vote Aye. Opposed will vote Nay. And the voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Take the record. On that question, there are 52 voting Aye, 1 voting Nay and 1 voting Present. The Senate concurs in House Amendments {sic} No. 1 to Senate Bill 2883. And the bill, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. With leave of the -- with leave of the Body, we’re going to go to Senate Bill 1929. Senator -- Senator Noland. Madam Secretary, read the gentleman’s motion. Read the gentleman’s motions.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Noland.

Thank you, Mr. President. Senate Bill 1929 is an administrative cleanup to the expansion of the grandfather position {sic} of -- for the electrology practice Act that was passed last year. It was -- what happened last year was an unintended consequence in the passage of some carnival legislation which was -- like I say, it passed last year. Language was inserted in the drafting process by LRB that only allowed the criminal background checks to be done only consistent with the Illinois Uniform Conviction Information Act. Now, this bill amends the Carnival and Rides Safety Amusement Act {sic} to address logistical problems carnival owners are having in doing the required background checks on employees by allowing both professional background screeners to perform the checks as well as State Police. I know of no opposition and urge an Aye vote.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Is there any discussion? Seeing none, this is final action. The question is, shall the Senate concur in Amendments {sic} No. 3 to Senate Bill 1929. All those in favor will vote Aye. Opposed, vote Nay. And the voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Take the record. On that question, there are 55 voting 94  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 166th Legislative Day 5/31/2008 Aye, none voting Nay, none voting Present. The Senate concurs in House Amendments {sic} No. 3 to Senate Bill 1929. And the bill, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed {sic}. Now on the Order of Nonconcurrence, Senator Noland now moves to nonconcur in Senate Amendments No. 1 and 4 to Senate Bill 1929. Madam Secretary, read the gentleman’s… Senator Noland, to the bill, sir -- to the motion.

Thank you, Mr. President. I am confirming that I am asking for a -- a nonconcur by this Body to simply -- to remove the -- the Speaker’s anti-rulemaking language.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) All those in favor will say Aye. Opposed, say Nay. The Ayes have it, and the motion carries. The Senate -- the Secretary shall so inform the House. We will now -- please turn your Calendar to page 12 of your regular Calendar. It’s House Bill 4723. 4723, Senator Harmon. Senator Harmon seeks leave of the Body to return House Bill 4723 to the Order of 2nd Reading for purpose of amendment. Hearing no objection, leave is granted. Now on the Order of 2nd Reading is House Bill 4723. Madam Secretary, are there any amendments approved for consideration?

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Harmon.

Thank you, Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate. Floor Amendment No. 1 to House Bill 4723 becomes the 95  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 166th Legislative Day 5/31/2008 bill. It’s an amendment to the General Obligation Bond Act to provide additional authorization for bonds consistent with the capital plan. I’d move for its adoption and debate the bill on 3rd Reading.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Is there any discussion? Seeing none, Senator Harmon moves adoption of Amendment No. 1 to House Bill 4723. All those in favor will say Aye. Opposed, say Nay. The Ayes have it, and the amendment is adopted. Are there any further Floor amendments approved for consideration?

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Harmon.

Thank you, Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate. Amendment No. 2 is a -- a technical amendment to -- refining some of the drafting issues. I’m not aware of any concerns with it. I’d move for its adoption.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Is there any discussion? Seeing none, Senator Harmon moves adoption of Amendment No. 2 to House Bill 4723. All those in favor, say Aye. Opposed, say Nay. The Ayes have it, and the amendment is adopted. Are there any further Floor amendments approved for consideration?

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Harmon, on Amendment No. 3. 96  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 166th Legislative Day 5/31/2008

Thank you, Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate. The third amendment is the amendment we’ve seen on other bills today, providing for effectiveness only if the package becomes law. I’d move for its adoption.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Is there any discussion? Seeing none, Senator Harmon moves adoption of Amendment No. 3 to House Bill 4723. All those in favor, say Aye. Opposed, say Nay. The Ayes have it. The amendment is adopted. Are there any further Floor amendments approved for consideration?

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) 3rd Reading. Now on the Order of 3rd Reading is House Bill 4723. Madam Secretary, read the bill.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Harmon.

Thank you, Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate. As I said in adopting Amendment No. 1, the bill amends the General Obligation Bond Act to raise the bonding authority in various subcategories commensurate with the overall capital plan. I’d -- I’d ask for your Aye votes.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) 97  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 166th Legislative Day 5/31/2008 Is there any discussion? Seeing none, the question is, shall House Bill 4723 pass. All those in favor, vote Aye. Opposed, vote Nay. The voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Take the record. On that question, there are 50 voting Aye, 4 voting Nay, 1 voting Present. House Bill 4723, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. Appropriations II will meet immediately in Room 212. Appropriations II will meet immediately in Room 212. And Education Committee will meet at -- 4:25 in Room 400. Approp II will meet immediately. Approp II will meet immediately in Room 212. And Education will meet at 4:25 in Room -- in Room 400. Senate will stand in recess to the call of the Chair. We will return to the Floor for significant Senate action. Senate stands in recess. (SENATE STANDS IN RECESS/SENATE RECONVENES)

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) The Senate will come to order. Will all Members under the sound of my voice please come to the Senate Floor? Would all Members under the sound of my voice please come to the Senate Floor? If you do that, you can get out of here with some daylight. Will all Members under the sound of my voice please come to the Senate Floor? We’re about to go to substantial, significant Senate action. Madam Secretary, Committee Reports. Madam Secretary, Messages.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Madam Secretary, Committee Reports.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) The Rules Committee will meet immediately in the President’s Anteroom. Would the members of the Rules Committee please come to the President’s Anteroom immediately? The Rules Committee will meet in the President’s Anteroom immediately. Senator Clayborne in the Chair. The Rules Committee will meet immediately in the President’s Anteroom. Could all the members of the Rules Committee please come to the President’s Anteroom? Senator Clayborne in the Chair.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR CLAYBORNE) Senator Hendon in the Chair. 99  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 166th Legislative Day 5/31/2008

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Thank you, President Clayborne. Madam Secretary, Committee Reports.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Risinger, for what purpose do you seek recognition, sir?

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) The Republicans will caucus in Leader Watson’s Office until 5:30. 5:30. Republican Caucus. The Senate -- the Senate stands in recess until 5:30. That’s twenty-five minutes. Thank you. To the call of the Chair. (SENATE STANDS IN RECESS/SENATE RECONVENES)

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) The Senate will come to order. Would all Members under the sound of my voice please come to the Senate Floor? Would all Members under the sound of my voice please come to the Senate 100  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 166th Legislative Day 5/31/2008 Floor? Will all administrative assistants throughout the building please instruct your Senator that we are back in Session and send them to the Senate Floor? Will all Members under the sound of my voice please come to the Senate Floor? We’re about to go to substantial Senate action. Will all Members of the Senate please come to the Senate Chamber? We’re about to go to substantial Senate action and get you on your merry way to see your family. We’re going to be going to House Bills 3rd Reading. House Bills 3rd Reading, page 11. And this will probably be your last opportunity to pass or move or have your legislation fail, whichever happens. Now on the Order of 3rd Reading is House Bill 4374. Senator Martinez. 4374. Will all Members under the sound of my voice please come to the Senate Floor? Turn your Calendar to page 11. We’re going to House Bills 3rd Reading. With leave of the Body, we’re going to go to House Bill 4374. That’s 4374. 4374. Senator Lightford. Madam Secretary… Senator Lightford seeks leave of the Body to return House Bill 4374 to the Order of 2nd Reading for the purpose of amendment. Hearing no objection, leave is granted. Now on the Order of 2nd Reading is House Bill 4374. Madam Secretary, are there any amendments approved for consideration?

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Lightford.

Thank you, Mr. President. Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate, this is our education BIMP legislation that changes the School Code to correspond for our FY’09 budget. The foundation 101  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 166th Legislative Day 5/31/2008 level is increased by two hundred and twenty-five dollars per pupil. That would bring our students to five thousand nine hundred fifty-nine dollars each. Transitional assistance is updated to ensure that districts receive no less, no less - which is really important and something I know that we all really worked hard for here to keep our schools growing and not maintaining and staying stagnate - so they would receive no less than what they received in FY’08. The phase-out dates for poverty grants are moved up a year so that districts receive the full payment. And then there’s a second component to this legislation that addressed with -- that dealt with school recess. It was agreed upon by CPS who originally opposed it due to some schools perhaps not having adequate space. But this bill would exempt that opportunity if principals requested that exemption. And I’ll be happy to answer questions.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Is there any discussion on the amendment? Senator Luechtefeld, on the amendment? Senator Luechtefeld. We’ll wait to 3rd Reading. Seeing none, Senator Lightford moves adoption of Amendment No. 1 to House Bill 4374. All those in favor will say Aye. Opposed, say Nay. The Ayes have it, and the amendment is adopted. Have there been any other Floor amendments approved for consideration?

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) 3rd Reading. Now on the Order of 3rd Reading is House Bill 4374. Madam Secretary, read the bill.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Lightford.

Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate, I ask for an Aye vote.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Is there any discussion? Senator Luechtefeld.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Is there further discussion? Seeing none, Senator Lightford, to close.

Thank you, Mr. President. Just wanted the Body to know that we all seem to care about education. And I’m really grateful for the President for extending a little further than the original thought of just protecting hold harmless, but he’s gone a step further in making sure we fund our categoricals at a hundred percent, making sure that our general State aid was in fact held hold harmless. We have fast gross -- fast growth, excuse me, grants and ADA block grant payments to protect as 103  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 166th Legislative Day 5/31/2008 well. And I urge an Aye vote. Thank you.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) The question is, shall House Bill 4374 pass. All those in favor, vote Aye. Opposed, vote Nay. The voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Take the record. On that question, there are 56 voting Aye, none voting Nay, none voting Present. House Bill 4374, having -- received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. House Bill 5215. Senator Trotter. Madam Secretary -- Senator Trotter seeks leave of the Body… Senator Trotter seeks leave of the Body to return House Bill 2515 to the Order of 2nd Reading for the purpose of -- 5215 to the Order of 2nd Reading for the purpose of amendment. Hearing no objection, leave is granted. Now on the Order of 2nd Reading is Senate -- House Bill 5215. Madam Secretary, are there any amendments approved for consideration?

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Trotter.

Thank you very much, Mr. President, Members of the Senate. Floor Amendment No. 2 to House Bill 5215, we have all seen before. This is the twenty million dollars that goes to the Road Fund to assist IDOT in covering its expenses associated with the bad winter that we had this year. It is broken out in extra help category, retirement and social security, contractual services, commodities, and operations of auto equipment.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) 104  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 166th Legislative Day 5/31/2008 Is there any discussion? Seeing none, Senator Trotter moves adoption of Amendment No. 2 to House Bill 5215. All those in favor will say Aye. Opposed, say Nay. The Ayes have it, and the amendment is adopted. Are there any further Floor amendments approved for consideration?

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Trotter, on Amendment 3.

Thank you very much, Mr. President. Floor Amendment No. 3 to House Bill 5215 fulfills obligations of the FY’08 agreed upon in House Bill 656, which increases the appropriation amount awarded to downstate operating assistant {sic} (assistance) grants for operational expenditures from the public -- Downstate Public Transportation Fund by 9.2 million. Further, it -- currently in that appropriation is one hundred and ninety-three billion dollars in other State funds -- million dollars from other State funds -- from the Public Transportation Fund for IDOT for those purposes stated in Section 4.9 {sic} (4.09) of the Regional Transportation Authority Act, as amended. And that appropriation was passed before the transfer reform bill was adopted. This corrects that and updates that appropriation to two hundred and five million dollars in other State funds. And those are the two things that it does.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Any discussion? Seeing none, Senator Trotter moves adoption of Amendment No. 3 to House Bill 5215. All those in favor, say Aye. Opposed, say Nay. The Ayes have it, and the 105  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 166th Legislative Day 5/31/2008 amendment is adopted. Are there any further Floor amendments approved for consideration?

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) 3rd Reading. Now on the Order of 3rd Reading is House Bill 5215. Madam Secretary, read the bill.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Trotter.

Thank you very much, Mr. President. I’ve just explained what the two amendments did which became the bill. And if there’s any questions, I will attempt to answer ‘em.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Is there any discussion? Seeing none, the question is, shall House Bill -- I’m sorry. Leader Watson.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) For what, sir?

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) 106  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 166th Legislative Day 5/31/2008 Senator Trotter, how much is in the budget for weed eaters?

You know, it’s -- it’s been a long time since I’ve been back to Cairo. You’re going to have to bring me up to date on what a weed eater is.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Leader Watson.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) I could crack a joke about that, but Mike Flannery from CBS News seeks leave to video and, Lord knows, I don’t want to see that tape lead on us. Leave granted? Leave is granted. There being nothing further, the question is, shall House Bill 5215 pass. All those in favor will vote Aye. Opposed will vote Nay. And the voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all 107  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 166th Legislative Day 5/31/2008 voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Take the record. On that question, there are 55 voting Aye, 1 voting Nay, none voting Present. House Bill 5215, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. House Bill 5701. Senator Trotter. Senator Trotter seeks leave to return House Bill 5701 to the Order of 2nd Reading for the purposes of an amendment. Hearing no objection, leave is granted. Now on the Order of 2nd Reading is House Bill 5701. Madam Secretary, are there any amendments approved for consideration?

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Trotter.

Thank you very much, Mr. President, Members of the Senate. This is the spending bill in this year’s ’09 budget and it represents 27.2 billion dollars. It covers education, the MAP grants which are in education. It raises K through 12 education by five hundred and fifteen million dollars. Fully funds mandated categoricals. Early childhood education will get a total amount of 380.3 million dollars. Bilingual education gets an increase. The one hundred and forty-eight -- million dollars for school construction is in this bill. Human Services - the Community Care for workers in Aging will receive an increase of -- increase of four hundred and forty-seven million dollars of all funds. The budget includes a five hundred ninety-two million dollars increase for Medicaid. There’s dollars in here for State Employees’ Retirement Fund, receiving six hundred and twenty-three million dollars. TRS receives 1.2 billion, which 108  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 166th Legislative Day 5/31/2008 is an increase of one hundred and fifty-three million. The Judges’ Retirement Fund receives fifty-two million. There are more dollars in here for environment and public health. And we’ve heard basically the bill before. This bill represents roughly four hundred million dollars more than what we passed out of here just a couple days ago, which is 1.7 billion dollars.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Is there any discussion on the amendment? Seeing none, Senator Trotter moves adoption of Amendment No. 2 to House Bill 5701. All those in favor will say Aye. Opposed, say Nay. The Ayes have it, and the amendment is adopted. Are there any further Floor amendments approved for consideration?

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) 3rd Reading. Now on the Order of 3rd Reading is House Bill 5701. Madam Secretary, read the bill.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Trotter.

I had explained the bill as -- when I explained the amendment. If there’s any questions, I will answer them.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Discussion? Senator Maloney. 109  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 166th Legislative Day 5/31/2008

Thank you, Mr. President. Not a question, but just to the bill: I would, first of all, like to thank President Jones and Senator Trotter for allowing me to participate in the negotiations of the higher ed portion of this -- this budget. I think -- the -- the cooperation was great. I think -- also like the Members -- thank the members of the Senate Higher Education Committee, who I think this year sent the message everywhere we went that higher ed should no longer be ignored in this budget. There’s a task force that many of us were aware of this year. A task force called the Public Agenda for College and Career Success that urged the State to address six different issues. Two of them are very, very closely linked: the elimination of racial and ethnic disparities at the college level, educational attainment and the affordability issue. This 2.8 percent coupled with the eighteen million dollars in MAP fund will address both those issues. In discussion last night with President Poshard in the Appropriations Committee, he felt that these two -- these two elements of this budget in and of itself may stem the tide of these double-digit tuition rate increases. So, again, I’d like to thank all who participated in this process and especially thank the members of the Senate Higher Education Committee. I urge an Aye vote. Thank you.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Further discussion? Senator Radogno.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Brady.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Pankau.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Luechtefeld.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Lightford.

Thank you, Mr. President. To the bill: I know a couple of sponsors have already spoke and they say what a bad idea this is, but, Senator Luechtefeld, DuQuoin Community No. 300 in your district have been waiting since FY’02 for their funding for their school construction. And I think it’s a tragesty {sic} that you will continue to keep them on hold and to uphold not only your schools in your district that’s been waiting for their funds since Fiscal Year ’02, but Senator Bomke has Rochester Community School. They’re still waiting, Senator Bomke. John Jones, Fairfield Public School. They’re still waiting. Senator Righter, they’re still waiting in Stewardsdale {sic}. They’re still waiting, Senator Millner, Burzynski, Luechtefeld, Pankau, Peterson. You’ve got these school districts strung out since Fiscal Year ’02, waiting for funds that you said that you were going to give them, waiting for a commitment. And I know they are in contact with you, because Westchester School District in my district is in contact with me consistently. They’re waiting, too. And enough is enough. Enough is enough. We all know we need to fund the foundation level for our children. We 116  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 166th Legislative Day 5/31/2008 know that. We know we need to fully fund categoricals. We know we need to do all the things that we can in education to improve our school system. If you feel like we need a balanced budget, throw out some ideas. Put something on the table that would create the revenue. Just don’t simply say that it’s not a good idea to move forward with funding our schools properly. It’s just time out for every year the same argument, but you’re not putting up -- you’re not moving anything forward, you’re not bringing anything to the table, and your schools are struggling in the midst of it. I urge an Aye vote.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) There are two final speakers and then Senator -- three final speakers and then Senator Trotter to close. Senator Sandoval.

Thank you, Mr. President, Members of the Illinois Senate. You know, on the southwest side of Chicago, we like to call a spade a spade. And as I stand here this afternoon and listen to my friends and some of my friends on the other side of the aisle, I just got to -- my eyes just kind of turn and roll. I mean, this Chamber just spent, just a few minutes ago -- and -- and I was quite surprised to see some of my friends on the other side of the aisle vote on the largest pork-spending bill in Illinois history - thirty-three billion dollars of major pork spending, line items that don’t have any -- any nomenclatures, don’t have any justification, and you all found ways to support the largest pork-barrel-projects-spending bill in the Illinois history. And now you’re telling us about wanting to be the fiscal conservatives of -- and guardians of the Illinois 117  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 166th Legislative Day 5/31/2008 treasury. That is, Ladies and Gentlemen, bunk. You know, I support Senator Trotter’s work on this bill. I believe the work done on this budget -- it’s a good budget, it’s living within our means. It’s working within the natural growth of the revenues projected for next year - working families, children, seniors, disenfranchised children, challenged children. This bill needs to pass today. We need to bring some social justice and quality of life to working families in Illinois. And I want to applaud the work of Senator Trotter and President Jones on delivering this budget today. Let’s move on. I urge an Aye vote.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Syverson.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Could you wrap it up, Senator?

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Thank you, Senator. Senator Jacobs and then Senator Trotter, to close. Senator Jacobs.

Thank you, Mr. President. I’m new, but I’m not that new. I remember in 1994, when Jim Edgar was Governor and Pate Philip sat in that Chair and not Senate President Emil Jones, the budget was out of whack by 1.5 billion and we rolled it over. We didn’t roll it over once, we didn’t roll it over twice - three times. And the fact is that we did a lot of short-term 119  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 166th Legislative Day 5/31/2008 borrowing. We cut and froze Medicaid payments. We paid seventy million dollars in interest. We taxed hospitals. Our bond rating fell four times. Our payment cycle was a hundred and twenty days late - today it’s seventy. I think the point I’m trying to make is we’ve all had our day in the sun. We’ve all made mistakes. We’ve all done really good things for Illinois as well. But I think the one thing that I would like to propose today is that we form a committee that would move forward during the summer months to study how to -- how to move forward. It seems like we’re always in such a hurry to figure out how we just paid for the last -- last meal that we had, that we’re never talking about we’re going to get to the future. And I challenge my friends across the aisle. No one wants to create jobs more than I do. I’m for job creation. I’m for lower -- lower growth -- or big growth with low government and less taxes. So you have -- you have an ally on this side of the aisle and I look forward to reaching across and us becoming a less partisan Body, more gentlemanly and stately as well. And I appreciate your time.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Thank you, Senator. Senator Trotter, to close.

Thank -- thank you very much, Mr. President, Members of the Senate. Thank -- as always, thank you all for your comments. Thank you, Senator Jacobs. And Senator Sandoval threw me off with that spade is a spade thing. So I didn’t… You know, I…

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) But his comments on the budget were excellent. Senator Trotter. 120  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 166th Legislative Day 5/31/2008

You know, it just threw me off for a second. I heard him. You know. However, with all of that being said, we have acknowledged, in fact, that there is more spending in this bill than the one that we passed earlier this week. In that one we - - we passed earlier this week, we made the assumptions that it would be a balanced budget based on revenue assumptions of one billion dollars’ growth, with the sweeps that we had at five hundred and thirty million dollars - or fund transfers, as we like to call them on this side - that would go for, one, maintaining the payment cycle at seventy days and also when we get that one hundred and forty-eight million dollars, that one time spending for those schools, that we want to now get their moneys to them. You know, we also made other projections as well, that we would use the POB dollars to pay down our pension debt by getting that sixteen billion dollars, putting it in the front, lowering that principal payment and actually getting to the ninety-percent threshold eleven to twelve years earlier. I mean, to me that -- those are responsible things that we did. But as this is a negotiated process, we had to work with the Senate {sic}, who had a bill that was 3.3 billion dollars out of whack. We got them from 3.3 billion dollars down at least -- just a little - four hundred million dollars over to where we were. It’s reasonable. They had -- they had good ideas. The projects that they said we should fund, we all wanted. They put -- they helped us put the dollars in here so that we’d have dollars for LaSalle, for Senator Dahl, so we can go ahead and open up all those beds. We put dollars in here so we can deal with the Thomson issue, so we can finally get that on -- on the 121  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 166th Legislative Day 5/31/2008 rolls, and left out dollars of trying to close anything else down. We put in more dollars for education. Raised up our -- our funding for the kids. We had a plan at one sixty-six. Theirs was three hundred. We brought it down to two twenty-five - a negotiated process. Ideas that we all want and could do if we had more money. And we say that this is a irresponsible bill, I beg to differ. One, you talk about the Governor managing. Well, he can manage this. He can manage because he can use what he’s always used and that is his amendatory veto to basically reduce those programs that we all hold so dear. You know, if we do not -- we talk about putting this debt on our kids and our future. If we do not invest in them today in education, what future do they have? We do not invest in health care, what future do they have? If we do not invest in their schools and to ensure that they have an environment in which to learn, what future does any of us have? This is a reasonable budget, one that can be managed. We can look and hopefully -- and we can be the voice of doom for here on out and say things are just getting worse. We can be the Chicken Little; the sky’s going to keep on falling. But the deal is, is we have to take a positive stand. We have to take a progressive stand and do something now. This budget does that. And I ask for an Aye vote.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) The question is, shall House Bill 5701 pass. All those in favor will vote Aye. Opposed will vote Nay. And the voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Take the record. On that question, there are 35 voting Aye, 20 voting Nay, none voting Present. House 122  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 166th Legislative Day 5/31/2008 Bill 5701, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. Senator Maloney, for what purpose do you seek recognition, sir?

A point of personal privilege, Mr. President.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) State your point.

Throughout the day, we have all justifiably been thanking staff for all the hard work they’ve done all year and certainly we appreciate that. We have one staff member who has been assigned to me, among others, this year that’s done a wonderful job and this is her last day. She’s going on to another job beginning Monday. And I would like to acknowledge Lynne Davis, who’s up the President’s Gallery, and thank her for all her hard work.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Thank you for all of your wonderful work. Thank you, Lynne. Senator Frerichs, for what purpose do you seek recognition, sir?

Mr. President, on that last vote, I was pushing my Yes button, and due to the backlighting, I couldn’t see that it hadn’t registered. I intended to vote Yes on the budget.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) The record will so reflect. Senator Clayborne, for what purpose do you seek recognition, sir?

For a point of -- point of an announcement -- personal 123  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 166th Legislative Day 5/31/2008 privilege.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) State your announcement, personal privilege or whatever you want.

The young lady that staffs Environment and Energy will be leaving us in -- in -- I mean, in July. I’m sorry. And Cassie will be going to Yale Law School, so we wish Cassie much luck.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Congratulations, Cassie. Going to law school. Okay, Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate, we still have business to take care of, so let’s get back to it. Supplemental Calendar No. 3 should have been distributed to your desks. We’re going to go to that right now. Supplemental Calendar No. 3. Senator Righter, for what purpose do you -- you -- they don’t -- you don’t have it, Senator Righter?

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Okay, can we distribute Supplemental Calendar No. 3 quickly, please? We’ll get it to that side of the aisle, Supplemental Calendar No. 3. We’re going to -- it’s coming to you now. Senate Bill 1102. It’s being -- it’s -- only one bill on it. It’s coming to you right now. Now on the Order of Concurrence is Senate Bill 1102. Senator Trotter, do you wish to proceed? Madam Secretary, please read the gentleman’s motion.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Trotter.

Thank -- thank you very much, Mr. President. Can you -- just one second, please.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Trotter.

Yes, sir. Thank you very much, Mr. President and Boys and Girls. If we can pass this one out of here, this is the last you’ll hear from me today. The first amendment, essentially, just guts the bill.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Any discussion on the amendment that -- cuts the bill? Seeing none, Senator Trotter moves adoption of… It’s on a concurrence. Okay, and -- and Amendment No. 2 does… Senator Trotter, to explain Amendment No. 2.

Actually, we’re concurring with Amendment 1 and 2 as -- as a combined process. So what this bill does is the last part of our 29.1-billion-dollar General Revenue Fund operating budget. This realizes 2.2 billion dollars. It’s in this piece that we have the dollars for the Aging budget, which we’ve replaced -- or put back in the budget the Red Tape Cutters ombudsman program, more dollars for SIU health care workers, more dollars for Agriculture, Attorney General, Department of Corrections, 125  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 166th Legislative Day 5/31/2008 State Board of Elections, Department of Healthcare and Family Services. And, again, we basically have heard all of this earlier this week. If there’s questions, I will attempt to answer them.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Any discussion? Senator Halvorson.

Thank you, Mr. President and Members of the Senate. You know, I was really excited to see this -- part of the budget, because we were able to do some really good things. The veterans’ homes are all getting a tremendous amount of increases. Manteno’s Veteran Home will receive 29.2 million dollars in total funding -- with it -- that’s including the 8.2 percent over what they got last year. I’m pleased to say that we were able to fund the LaSalle Veterans’ Home -- their eighty bed -- their new eighty beds one hundred percent. That’s twice as much as what the Governor introduced the budget to do. But it’s a new part of the veterans’ home and it’s our responsibility to make sure that that’s funded. Now, I -- I -- I had a conversation with my colleague on the other side of the aisle, the Senator that represents LaSalle, and I was so excited I went over to him to tell him we were able to get that in the budget. And I was disappointed to hear that he said that he couldn’t vote for a budget that he perceived as not balanced. But, Senator, I really hope you’re as excited as I am and we’re able to fund those new eighty beds at a hundred percent. There are quite a few other things that are really good. But, again, we’re very pleased that we were able to get the veterans’ homes funded at the level we were. And I encourage all of you to help 126  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 166th Legislative Day 5/31/2008 support that.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Further discussion? Senator Dahl.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Thank you, Senator Dahl, for those kind and sincere words. Senator Delgado.

Thank you, Mr. President. To the bill: I, too, want to join in this wonderful opportunity to celebrate some of the good points today and these last couple of days and especially to Senator Trotter, ‘cause he understands the public health in our great State and in Cook County. And I want to thank him and all 127  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 166th Legislative Day 5/31/2008 of you who came together to assist in making sure that we have community health center expansion programs, which is increased by a million dollars, as many people and many of our centers are being closed. And just at Roberto Clemente High School in my community where Dr. Bishop is working so hard and making sure that we have access, because in my particular community, the Puerto Rican community, we have twenty-one percent in diabetes in my particular district, an epidemic proportion, to where morbidity rates and amputations are sky-high. And today we also enjoy juvenile diabetes research money - and for that I want to thank you. The Alzheimer’s Association. So when we talk about the very need of making the person whole, healthy and -- wise, I want to thank you and to move forward to know that there’s a lot of help and a lot of hope to make sure our families are healthy and that we continue to pay priority to what is important to our constituents.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Sullivan and then Senator Trotter, to close.

Thank you, Mr. President. To the bill: Just -- Senator Trotter had already talked about the Department of Ag and some of the funding increases that this budget represents, especially with regard to cooperative extension, the soil and water conservation districts, CFAR funding. These are some of the initiatives that many of us have worked very hard to ensure funding for. So, my appreciation to him for that work. I just want to point out within the Department of Natural Resource’s budget, if you look at the analysis, if you look at the budget compared -- for ’09 compared to ’08, it does show a decrease. 128  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 166th Legislative Day 5/31/2008 But that’s actually an agreement that the Department of Natural Resources worked out with the University of Illinois to transfer the surveys over to the U of I. And once you take that part of the budget out and -- transfer it, that the Department of Natural Resources actually will see about a fourteen-million- dollar increase, which was something that they desperately need. I just want to conclude by saying -- give my appreciation to Senator Trotter for the outstanding work that he has done with regard to the budget and many of the appropriation bills. He’s -- when you talk about a heavy lifter on this issue, Donne, you do an outstanding job. And, finally, I just want to say thanks to Senate President Emil Jones for his -- his leadership and his hard work and his willingness to come together with some of the other leaders to address a -- the budget to make it a better budget and to help move us towards adjourning today. Thank you very much.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Thank you, Senator Sullivan. And now, Senator Donne Trotter, to close. Senator Trotter.

Thank you very much, Mr. President and -- and -- and all of the Members. As I promised, this -- this is my last bill of the day and probably my last time at the microphone this spring. But before I relinquish the mike, I want to thank, I mean, everyone that has been here and worked and -- and -- and agonized to get through this process. And it has been an agonizing process this year. And when you couple that with last year that seemed like it never ended, we have come a long way. And -- and one, in working together, and that’s the first thing 129  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 166th Legislative Day 5/31/2008 that has to happen - you have to have a dialogue. We started a dialogue and it -- and it shows in the various things, the various budgets that we’ve passed today. But as I thank all of you, more importantly - we are a lot of smart people here and some of us smarter than others - but there’s not a day that goes by I don’t realize that I’m not half as smart as our staff. Our staff is the greatest staff, and I’m talking about the Republican staff as well. I mean, they’re here working when we’re not here, smiling when you’re not smiling, doing our work - I mean, really making us look good, making this process work, and making this process be the best that it can be. So I would like everyone to join me in thanking our staffs for all the work they do for us.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) …Senator Trotter. The question is -- this is final action. The question is, shall the Senate concur in House Amendments No. 1 and No. 2 to Senate Bill 1102. All those in favor will vote Aye. Opposed, vote Nay. The voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Take the record. On that question, there are 38 voting Aye, 18 voting Nay, none voting Present. The Senate concurs in House Amendments No. 1 and No. 2 to Senate Bill 1102. And the bill, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. Calm down, Ladies and Gentlemen. We still have business to take care of here in the Senate. Madam Secretary, Messages.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) The Rules Committee will meet for the final time in the President’s Anteroom immediately. Will all the members of the Rules Committee please come to the President’s Anteroom immediately? Senator Martinez in the Chair. Please don’t go far, Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate. We’re coming right out and going -- coming straight to finish up our action and then you can hit the road. Senator Martinez in the Chair.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MARTINEZ) Senator Hendon in the Chair.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Let’s get a little order here in the Senate. Madam Secretary, Committee Reports.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Leader Watson. 131  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 166th Legislative Day 5/31/2008

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Leader Watson is seeking personal privilege. Can we have some order here in the Senate? Leader Watson.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Happy birthday to you. Happy -- happy birthday, Tim. You did a great job. We’re going to Supplemental Calendar No. 2, which is being distributed to -- on your desks right now. Supplemental Calendar No. 2 should have been distributed. On the Order of House Joint Resolution 84, Senator Jacobs.

Ladies and Gentlemen, can I get your attention? I know the hour is…

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Just a moment, Senator Jacobs. Madam Secretary, please read the resolution.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Jacobs moves to suspend the rules for the purpose of immediate consideration and adoption of House Joint Resolution 84. All those in favor, say Aye. Opposed, say Nay. The Ayes have it, and the rules are suspended. Madam -- Senator Jacobs, on your resolution, sir.

I know the hour is late and if I could beg your attention for one moment, I think I have a story to tell that -- that is important to my district and not only important to my district, but I think it’s food for thought for all of us. Today -- I’m here today to re-designate the 280 Bridge in Rock Island County to the John F. Baker Bridge -- Jr. Bridge. And I’d like to read the citation that John received for the Medal of Honor. En route to assist another unit that was engaged with the enemy, Company A came under intense enemy fire and the lead man was killed instantly. Sergeant Baker instantly moved to the head of the column and together with -- with another soldier knocked out two enemy bunkers. When his command was -- commander {sic} (comrade) was mortally wounded, Sergeant Baker, spotting four Viet Cong snipers, killed all of them, evacuated the fallen soldiers and returned and lead repeated assault against the enemy’s positions, killing several more Viet Cong. Moving to attack two additional enemy bunkers, he and another soldier drew intense fire and Sergeant Baker was blown from his feet by an enemy grenade. He quickly recovered and single-handedly 133  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 166th Legislative Day 5/31/2008 destroyed another bunker and another soldier was wounded. Seizing his fallen comrade’s machine gun, Sergeant Baker charged through the deadly fusillade to silence another bunker. He evacuated his comrade, replenished his ammunition, returned to the forefront to brave enemy fire and continue the fight. When the forward element was ordered to withdraw, he carried one wounded man to the rear and -- returned to evacuate yet another soldier. He was taken under by enemy sniper once again and he raced beyond the friendly troops to personally kill the -- the last sniper. After evacuating the wounded man, he returned to cover the -- the deployment as it -- as it tried to leave. His ammunition was now exhausted and he dragged two more fallen soldiers to the rear. Sergeant Baker’s heroism, indomitable fighting spirit, and extraordinary gallantly {sic} are responsible for saving the lives of several Americans, and inflicting serious damages on his enemies. His acts, in keeping with the highest tradition of the U.S. Army, reflect the greatest credit upon him that the Armed Service in our country has to offer, the Medal of Honor. And it is on this basis that we are re-designating the 280 Bridge to the John F. Baker Bridge in Rock Island. Thank you very much.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) It is -- it is the opinion -- Senator Jacobs moves adoption of House Joint Resolution 84. It is the opinion of the Chair that this resolution requires the expenditure of State funds, and therefore a roll call must be taken. Those in favor of House Joint Resolution 84 will vote Aye. Opposed will vote Nay. And the voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Take the record. On 134  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 166th Legislative Day 5/31/2008 that question, there are 56 voting Aye, none voting Nay, none voting Present. House Joint Resolution 84, having received the required constitutional majority, is adopted. House Joint Resolution 108. Senator Righter. Madam Secretary, read the resolution.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Righter moves to suspend the rules for the purpose of immediate consideration and adoption of House Joint Resolution 108. All those in favor will say Aye. Opposed, say Nay. The Ayes have it, and the rules are suspended. Senator Righter.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Righter moves the adoption of House Joint Resolution 108. It is the opinion of the Chair that this resolution requires expenditure of State funds, and therefore a roll call must be taken. Those in favor of House Joint Resolution 108 will vote Aye. Opposed will vote Nay. The voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Jacobs. Take the record. On that question, there are 55 voting Aye, none voting Nay, none voting Present. House Joint Resolution 108, having received the required constitutional majority, is adopted. House Joint Resolution 137. Senator Raoul. Madam Secretary, read the resolution.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Raoul moves to suspend the rules for the purpose of immediate consideration and adoption of House Joint Resolution 137. All those in favor will say Aye. Opposed, say Nay. The Ayes have it, and the -- and the rules are suspended. Senator Raoul.

136  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 166th Legislative Day 5/31/2008 Thank you, Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen of the -- Senate. House Joint Resolution 137 is the product of hard work done by the Joint Committee for the Constitutional Convention Proposal. I’d like to, first of all, commend the staff members on both side of the aisle, because they did the heavy lifting on this. In addition, Senator Righter, Senator Althoff, Senator Harmon and myself attended several meetings to come up with the program that will be sent -- the pamphlet that will be sent to all voters and also in -- placed in the newspapers. The substantive language of House Joint Resolution 137 will become the text of the official guide provided to voters at -- at the 2008 General Election. House Joint Resolution 137 contains a neutral explanation of the question regarding whether to call a constitutional convention, together with the summary of four arguments in favor of holding a constitutional convention and a summary of four arguments against holding a constitutional convention.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Righter.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Raoul moves adoption of House Joint Resolution 137. It is the opinion of the Chair that this resolution requires expenditure of State funds, and therefore a roll call must be taken. Those in favor will vote -- of House Joint Resolution 137 will vote Aye. Opposed, vote Nay. The voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Take the record. On that question, there are 53 voting Aye, none voting Nay, none voting Present. House Joint Resolution 137, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared adopted. Being distributed on your desks right now should be Supplemental Calendar No. 4. We’re going to No. 4. On Supplemental Calendar No. 4, on the -- on the Order of Concurrence is Senate Bill -- I mean, 773. Madam Secretary, read the gentleman’s motion.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Schoenberg.

Thank you, Mr. President and Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate. House Amendment No. 2 becomes the bill. It’s the Fiscal Year 2009 Budget Implementation Act. As is the case with all other Budget Implementation Act, this ensures the smooth flow of funds to programming lines throughout the State budget. Just to touch on a couple of the high points: In education, 138  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 166th Legislative Day 5/31/2008 it’s -- it provides transition assistance for schools in Fiscal Year ’09, so no public school will receive less in net State aid than it received the previous year. There -- it codifies into law the increase in the foundation level per pupil from five thousand seven hundred and thirty-four per pupil in FY’08 to five thousand nine hundred and fifty-nine dollars - a two hundred-and-twenty-five-dollar increase - in ’09. The poverty grants are held harmless. There are a number of codifications of -- and -- and fund authorizations for health care and human services, including for Medicaid nursing home reimbursement rates, TANF grants, mental health contracts, for multiple sclerosis home services. Ensures that the ongoing appropriations for the Excellence in Academic Medicine hospitals will continue in future years to the extent that they did from Fiscal ’02. A number of other miscellaneous items that relate to the everyday function of State government…

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Thank you, Senator.

I…

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Schoenberg moves adoption -- to the -- to the amendment. Is there any discussion? Senator Pankau. I mean, yes, Senator Pankau.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate, we are near the end and 139  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 166th Legislative Day 5/31/2008 it’s awful noisy in here. Senator Pankau, yes, he will yield. Senator Pankau.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Schoenberg.

That is correct.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Pankau.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Schoenberg.

Well, first of all, I could take great offense that you’re asking me -- asking me that very question. But I also have to tell you that I -- I don’t view any State support for stem cell research to be sneaky. I view it to be important. Having said all that, there are no surprises in this bill to paraphrase your question.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator -- Senator Pankau. I’m sorry. Oh! Senator Righter. Thank you. Senator Righter, briefly if possible.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) He will yield for a question or two. He will yield, sir.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Schoenberg.

Senator Righter, as I understand it - and I’m willing to have further clarifications - as I understand it, this program within the Department of Public Health for providing home services to individuals with MS, that’s also subject to 141  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 166th Legislative Day 5/31/2008 appropriation, that that -- there’s a higher level of assets which is allowed for the program, that would be executed subject to appropriations in the Department of Public Health versus the one that’s in the DHS home services program.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Righter.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator -- Senator Schoenberg.

The only explanation that I can offer is that since -- since there is a discrepancy in the cap, namely that there’s a higher level of assets being allowed, and this is a new program, that we’re going to explore whether or not this is actually effective before we decide to make it -- to make it more permanent. In this new program, the cap would be seventeen thousand five hundred dollars with retirement assets up to five hundred thousand and all life insurance assets being disregarded. I think that we want to see whether this new initiative for the Department of Public Health that has the higher asset level, what the level of participation is and how effective it can be before we implement it on a permanent basis.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Righter, to the bill, sir. Thank you.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Lauzen and then Senator Schoenberg, to close. Senator Lauzen.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Schoenberg.

I wouldn’t characterize this as a diversion. We would continue funding the Secretary of State and State Police from the Road Fund. We have -- we’ve traditionally had that cap in there and, as you know from prior years, if the cap’s not maintained, the money comes from -- out of GRF. The Road Fund level, more explicitly, for the State Police is a 114.7 million. The level for the Secretary of State, a 130.5. And I believe that is the only area in which the Road Fund would be…

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Lauzen.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Schoenberg.

Senator Lauzen, the IEPA expenditure that you reference is for emissions test -- emissions and we need to be able to do that if we are to be -- retain our eligibility for federal funding in this area.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) To the bill, sir. Senator Lauzen.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Schoenberg, to close.

Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate, before I conclude on this, I want to extend on behalf of all of us our congratulations to Senator Harmon. The House has concurred in our amendments on House Bill 824, the pay-to-play bill, and it’s now on its way to the Governor’s desk. I urge an Aye vote.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) This is final action. The question is, shall the Senate concur in House Amendments {sic} No. 2 to Senate Bill 773. All 144  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 166th Legislative Day 5/31/2008 those in favor, vote Aye. Opposed, vote Nay. The voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Take the record. On that question, there are 39 voting Aye, 15 voting Nay, none voting Present. The Senate concurs in House Amendments {sic} No. 2 to Senate Bill 773. And the bill, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. We’re now going to go to the Order of Secretary’s Desk on Concurrence. The bottom of page -- bottom of page 19 on your regular Calendar. Senate Bill 62. Senator Collins. Out of -- out of -- out of the record. Out of the record. Senate Bill -- going to the next one. Senate Bill… Presiding Officer would -- is seeking another leader to come into the President’s Chair so I can do my bill. Senator Martinez coming to the -- coming to the Podium. I needed that laugh. Madam Secretary, Messages.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MARTINEZ) Leader Watson, for what purpose do you rise?

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MARTINEZ) Moving on in the Calendar, Senate Bill 2015. Senator Clayborne. Out of the record. Senate Bill 2017. Senator Haine. Out of the record. Senate Bill 2047. Senator Murphy. Out of the record. Senate Bill 2102. Senator Brady. Out of the record. Senate Bill 2170. Senator Murphy. Out of the record. Senate Bill 2336. Out of the record. Senator Demuzio, on Senate Bill 2407. Out of the record. I’m sorry, out of the record. Senator Kotowski, on Senate Bill 2505. Senator Millner. Senate Bill 2415. Madam Secretary, please read the bill. Out of the record. The Rules Committee will meet immediately in the Senate Antechamber. The Rules Committee. Rules Committee immediately, please. Madam Secretary, Committee Reports.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MARTINEZ) Madam Secretary, Communications. 146  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 166th Legislative Day 5/31/2008

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MARTINEZ) Madam Secretary, Consent Calendar. We have now -- we will now proceed to the Order of Resolutions Consent Calendar. With leave of the Body, all those resolutions read in today in -- in today will be added to the Consent Calendar. Madam Secretary, have there been any objections filed to any resolutions on the Consent Calendar?

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MARTINEZ) Is there any discussion? If not, the question is, shall the resolutions on the Consent Calendar be adopted with the exception of the resolutions previously withdrawn. All those in favor will say Aye. Opposed, Nay. The Ayes have it, and the motion carries. And the resolutions are adopted. Ladies and Gentlemen, can I have your attention, please? We are waiting on a Supplemental, so please be patient with us. We will bring these out as soon as we can and get the -- the business taken care of. Thank you. Final action is required. Ladies and Gentlemen, we are moving onto Supplemental Calendar No. 5. That 147  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 166th Legislative Day 5/31/2008 Calendar should have been distributed on your desk. Moving on to Secretary’s Desk, Concurrence, we have Senate Bill 2231. Senator Harmon. On the Order of Concurrence, Senate Bill -- Senate Bill 2231. Do you wish to proceed, Senator Harmon? Madam Secretary, please read the motion.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MARTINEZ) Senator…

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MARTINEZ) I cannot hear the Secretary. Can you please quiet it down a little bit? Senator Harmon, to explain your motion.

Thank you, Madam President, Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate. I am so sorry to keep everyone here, but this is pending business that has certain date requirements. This is an amendment to the Liquor Control Act. It started as an amendment for Triton College in my district and for City Colleges. It was amended in the House to include provisions for the University of Illinois that were identical to a bill that Senator Cullerton passed out of the Senate overwhelmingly. They’ve also added - and this is the important piece - some language to make the Illinois law with respect to open containers compliant with federal law so that we don’t lose twenty-three million dollars in federal road moneys. I’d be happy to answer any questions or elaborate if anyone needs me too. 148  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 166th Legislative Day 5/31/2008

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MARTINEZ) Is there any discussion? Seeing none, Senator Harmon, to - - to close.

Ask for your Aye votes.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MARTINEZ) Okay, Ladies and Gentlemen, this is final action. The question is, shall Senate Bill 2231 -- concur in House Amendment No. 1 to Senate Bill 2231. Those in favor, vote Aye. Opposed, Nay. The -- the voting is now open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Take the record. On that question, there are 48 voting Aye, 3 voting Nay, 2 voting Present. The Senate concurs in House -- House Amendment No. 1 to Senate Bill 2231; having received the required -- required constitutional majority, is declared passed. Senate President Emil Jones, what purpose do you rise?

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MARTINEZ) Madam Secretary, Resolutions.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MARTINEZ) Senator Link moves to suspend the rules for the purpose of 150  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 166th Legislative Day 5/31/2008 immediate consideration and adoption of Senate Joint Resolution 105. All in favor will say Aye. Opposed, Nay. The Ayes have it, and the rules are suspended. Senator Link now moves the adoption of Senate Joint Resolution 105. All in favor, say Aye. Opposed, Nay. The Ayes have it, and the Senate Joint Resolution 105 is adopted. Madam Secretary, Introduction of Bills.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MARTINEZ) Madam Secretary, Messages.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MARTINEZ) Madam Secretary, House Bills 1st Reading.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MARTINEZ) Pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 105, the Senate stands adjourned until November 5th, 2008, in perfunctory Session. The Senate stands adjourned. 154