Illinois Senate Floor Debate — January 13, 2009

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) The regular Session of the 95th General Assembly will please come to order. Madam Secretary, Reading and Approval of the Journal.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Hunter.

Mr. President, I move that the Journal just read by the Secretary be approved, unless some Senators has additions or corrections to offer.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Hunter moves to approve the Journals just read by the Secretary. There being no objection, so ordered. Madam Secretary, Resolutions.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Resolutions Consent Calendar.

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

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

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) The Associated Press requests leave to take pictures. Is leave granted? Leave is granted. Blake Long from WCIA Channel 3 requests leave to videotape. Is leave granted? Leave is granted. Catie Sheehan from ABC 20 requests leave to videotape. Is leave granted? Leave is granted. Senator Risinger, for what purpose do you seek recognition, sir?

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

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Would you -- our guests please rise and be welcomed to the Senate? Welcome. And welcome, Tom, the proud daddy. The Rules 5  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 183rd Legislative Day 1/13/2009 Committee will meet in the President’s Anteroom immediately. I would appreciate, as the Chairman of Rules - probably my last one - that everyone come on in and let’s handle this final Rules Report of my tenure. Rules Committee immediately. Senator Martinez, to the Chair, please. I thank you all for your patience. I know I’ve been a little rusty. I haven’t been in the Chair lately with all the change that’s in the air. Senator Martinez. (SENATE STANDS AT EASE/SENATE RECONVENES)

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MARTINEZ) Senator Schoenberg, for what purpose do you rise? Senator Schoenberg, for what purpose do you rise again?

Thank you. I rise on a point of personal privilege.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MARTINEZ) Please state your point.

Thank you. Thank you, Madam President. The colleague to my right and to the Chair’s left - you’ll see some beautiful roses on her desk - Senator Garrett is celebrating her thirty- seventh wedding anniversary today, and I think we should all wish her a hearty congratulations.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MARTINEZ) Congratulations, Senator Garrett. Senator Schoenberg.

Thank you. I -- I just want to add that we all know how close a relationship we build with our seatmates and that there 6  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 183rd Legislative Day 1/13/2009 isn’t anything we wouldn’t do for our seatmates; however, Senator Garrett is separated from her husband today on her wedding anniversary, but that’s where I draw the line. Thank you very much.

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

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MARTINEZ) Senator Hendon, for what purpose do you rise?

7  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 183rd Legislative Day 1/13/2009 Thank -- thank you, Madam President. Point of an announcement. Tomorrow, you all know the Senators who were elected will be installed -- and the new Senate President will be installed. We wanted to announce, because people have been asking, about the inaugural ball, which will take place at the Abraham Lincoln Hotel. 3 o’clock. The media, of course, is welcome. All of the Members are welcome. The “This Is Your Life” presentation for the new President will be at 4:45. The show, staring Kindred The Family Soul, will begin at 5 o’clock. And the second -- afterparty will begin at 6 o’clock at the same hotel on the second floor and all are welcome to all the events. Thank you.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MARTINEZ) Senator Silverstein, for what purpose do you rise?

Thank you, Madam President. For a motion - and Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate - I move that we waive all posting requirements so that Senate Resolution 981 can be heard in the Senate Executive Committee on -- sometime today, on January 13th, 2009.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MARTINEZ) Senator Silverstein moves to waive all posting requirements so that Senate Resolution 981 can be heard in the Senate Committee -- in Executive Committee on -- on January 13, 2009. All those in favor will say Aye. Opposed, Nay. The Ayes have it, and the motion is adopted. Ladies and Gentlemen, can I have your attention? For committees today: The Committee on Pensions will meet in Room 400 at 12:45. The -- the Executive Committee will meet in Room 212 at 1:10. Pensions and Executive 8  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 183rd Legislative Day 1/13/2009 Committee will be meeting today. Ladies and Gentlemen, we will now go to Supplemental Calendar No. 1, which was printed and distributed to all the Members. We will move to the Order of Secretary’s Desk, Resolutions. House Joint Resolution No. 88. Senator Sullivan, do you wish to proceed? Madam Secretary, please read the resolution.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MARTINEZ) Senator Sullivan.

Thank you, Madam Chairman {sic}, Members of the Senate. The resolution simply designates a portion of Interstate 172, which runs around the south and -- south side of Quincy as “The Veterans Medal of Honor Highway”.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MARTINEZ) Is there any discussion? Seeing none, Senator Sullivan moves the adoption of House Joint Resolution 88. All those -- it is the opinion of the Chair that this resolution requires the expenditure of State funds, and therefore a roll call must be taken. The voting is now open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Take the record. On the question, there are 55 voting Aye, 0 voting Nay, 0 voting Present. The resolution is adopted. On the Order of House Joint Resolution 130. Senator Righter. Madam Secretary, please read the resolution.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MARTINEZ) Senator Righter.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MARTINEZ) Is there discussion? Seeing none, Senator Righter moves the adoption of House Joint Resolution 130. It is the opinion of the Chair this resolution requires the expenditure of State funds, and therefore a roll call must be taken. The voting is now open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Take the record. There are 56 voting Aye, 0 voting Nay, 0 voting Present. The -- the resolution is adopted. Moving on the Supplemental Calendar, we will now move to Concurrence on State -- Senate Bills. Senate Bill 100. Senator Cullerton. Out of the record. Moving on to Senate Bill 101. Senator Crotty. Madam Secretary, please read the bill -- please read the motion.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MARTINEZ) Senator Crotty, to explain your motion.

Thank you very much. I’d ask that we’re going to adopt both Amendment No. 1 and No. 4, but Amendment No. 4 becomes the bill. In Senate Bill 101, it is identical to Senate Bill 2499, which mandated insurance coverage for the treatment of children under nineteen years of age with congenital, genetic, or early acquired disorder as long as a licensed physician diagnosed the child, the treatment is administered by a licensed specialist, and the treatment must be medically necessary and therapeutic and not experimental. It also provides that the coverage required by this legislation is subject to other general exclusions and limitations of the policy. And upon request of the insurer, the provider must furnish medical records, clinical notes, or other necessary data to allow the insurer to substantiate the treatment as medically necessary. Most importantly, and the big change in this piece of legislation, is it imposes certain conditions on the rulemaking, requiring that any rulemaking be conditioned on the rules being adopted in accordance with all provisions of the Illinois Administrative Procedures {sic} (Procedure) Act and the procedures of JCAR. And the rule -- any rule not so adopted would be unauthorized.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MARTINEZ) Is there any discussion? Seeing none, this is final action. The question is, shall Senate concur in House -- House Amendments No. 1 and 4 to Senate Bill 101. Those in favor will vote Aye. Opposed, Nay. The voting is now open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who 11  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 183rd Legislative Day 1/13/2009 wish? Take the record. On that question, there are 56 voting Aye, 0 voting Nay, 0 voting Present. The Senate concurs in House Amendments No. 1 and 4 to Senate Bill 101; having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. With leave of the Body, we’ll return back to Senate Bill 100. Senator Cullerton, do you wish to proceed? He indicates he will. Madam Secretary, please read the motion.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MARTINEZ) Senator Cullerton, to -- to explain your motion.

Yes. Thank you, Madam President, Members of the Senate. We passed Senate Bill 100, which was a comprehensive recodification and realignment of the provisions -- of the sentencing provisions in the criminal area. We passed this as a recommendation of the CLEAR Commission. Senator Dillard and I served on that. And all the House did with their amendment was to update it based on new Criminal Code laws that we have passed during the 95th General Assembly. So, it’s really technical in that regard, but it’s a very important bill. Be happy to answer any questions and ask for an Aye vote.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MARTINEZ) Senator Millner, for what purpose do you rise?

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MARTINEZ) 12  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 183rd Legislative Day 1/13/2009 To the bill.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MARTINEZ) Any further discussion? Seeing none, this is final action. The question is, shall Senate concur in House Amendment No. 1 to Senate Bill 100. All those in favor will vote Aye. Opposed, Nay. The voting is now open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted -- have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Take the record. There are 57 voting Aye, 0 voting Nay, 0 voting Present. The Senate concurs in House Amendment No. 1 to Senate Bill 100, and having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. Senator Hendon in the Chair.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senate Bill 801. Senator Link. Madam Secretary, please read the motion.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Link.

Thank you, Mr. President. This basically becomes the bill and it restores the -- the amendment imposes conditions on rulemaking, expanding the definition of contraband cigarettes, and deletes civil penalties for manufacturers and distribution 13  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 183rd Legislative Day 1/13/2009 {sic} (distributors) and retailers. Be more than happy to answer any questions.

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

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

Just ask for a favorable vote.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) This is final action. The question is, shall the Senate concur in House Amendments {sic) No. 4 to Senate Bill 801. 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 57 voting Aye, none voting Nay, none voting Present. The Senate concurs in House Amendment No. 4 to Senate Bill 801. And the bill, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. Senate Bill 826. Senator Noland. Madam Secretary, please read the motion.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Noland, to explain.

14  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 183rd Legislative Day 1/13/2009 Thank you, Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate. This bill simply extends a current provision in our Municipal Code that allows our local officials to purchase properties in TIF districts so long as the member -- if this is the member’s primary residence, that the member discloses the -- the acquisition to -- to the local municipal clerk, it’s purchased at the fair market value at publicly advertised sale, and that the member, of course, refrains from any communication with other members on the -- on the body regarding the transaction. And that there is no undue influence with respect to the transaction, as well. This passed in committee unanimously. I know of no opposition. Happy to take 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. 2 to Senate Bill 826. 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 in House Amendments No. -- 2 to Senate Bill 826. And the bill, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. Senate Bill 1013. Senator Steans. Madam Secretary, read the lady’s motion.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) 15  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 183rd Legislative Day 1/13/2009 Senator Steans.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Steans.

Yes. Thank you, Mr. President. This amendment simply changes the rulemaking language that went on the original bill to the new acceptable rulemaking language. And it’s done on to Senate Bill 1013. Underneath, it was the Redeploy Illinois bill, which was passed unanimously in the House and the Senate, both in May.

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 1013. All those in favor, 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 1013. And the bill, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. With leave of the Body, we’re going to turn to Senate Bill 1174. And we’re going to go right now to Senate Bill 2348. Senator Clayborne. 2348, sir. Just a moment, Senator Clayborne. Just one moment, please. All right, we’re going to return to Senate Bill 2348. Senator Clayborne. Madam Secretary, read the motion.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Clayborne.

Thank you, Mr. President. House Amendment No. 6 deletes Senate Bill 2348 as amended by House Amendment No. 1 and No. 2 and becomes the bill. House Amendment No. 6 corrects a drafting error in Senate Bill 773, Public Act. 95-744, the FY’09 Budget Implementation Act. This Act required DPH to increase the income eligibility guidelines for AIDS Drug Assistance Program from four hundred percent to five hundred percent of federal poverty level without taking in consideration the appropriation to the Department. House Amendment No. 6 makes it clear that the Department of Public Health can increase the income eligibility standard for the AIDS Drugs Assistance Dependency Program -- Assistance Program up to five hundred percent if adequate financial resources exist. I would ask for your…

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, 2 and 6 to Senate Bill 2348. 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 51 voting Aye, none voting Nay, none voting Present. The Senate concurs in House Amendments No. 1, 2 and 6 to Senate Bill 2348. And the bill, having received the required constitutional 17  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 183rd Legislative Day 1/13/2009 majority, is declared passed. Senate Bill 2603. Senator Hunter. Madam Secretary, please read the motion.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Hunter.

Thank you, Mr. President. I move to adopt Amendments 1 and 3, with 3 becoming the bill.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Hunter moves to concur in House Amendments 1 and 3 to Senate Bill 2603. Is that correct, Senator? That is correct. Is there any discussion? Seeing none, this is final action. The question is, shall the Senate concur in House Amendments No. 1 and 3 to Senate Bill 2603. 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 56 voting Aye, none voting Nay, none voting Present. The Senate concurs in House Amendments No. 1 and 3 to Senate Bill 2603. And the bill, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. With leave of the Body, we’re going to now return to Senate Bill 1174. Senator Koehler. Madam Secretary, please read the gentleman’s motion.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Koehler.

Thank you, Mr. President. Let me explain to you, this is not the private sewage disposal bill. This is actually Senator Collins’ bill on breast cancer and mammography. And with my apologies, ‘cause I should have really turned it over to her initially, I’m going to let her address this issue.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Collins.

Thank you, Senator Koehler. Basically House Amendment No. 1 to Senate Bill 1174 seeks to improve State healthcare programs with respect to mammography and breast cancer treatment. Originally, it appeared in the Senate as House Bill 5192 that was passed out of the Senate unanimously with a vote of 55 to 0. The only difference with the House Amendment No. 1 is that it deals with the degree of rulemaking. So, I enthusiastically ask for the support of my colleagues in the concurrence with the motion. Thank you.

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

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

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Collins.

I believe you’re talking about the underlying bill dealing with sewage disposal. This is completely different. This is House Bill 5192, the language dealing with mammography.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Lauzen.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Collins.

Basically, the issue was that before we had the -- the arguments going back between the Senate and the House on the rulemaking restrictions. This bill with House Amendment No. 1 stripped out the language dealing with -- it gutted the language dealing with -- the controversial underlying bill dealt with sewage removal and disposal. House Amendment No. 1 replaces -- becomes the bill with the language from House Bill 5192 that 20  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 183rd Legislative Day 1/13/2009 basically puts in place programs with respect to mammography and breast cancer treatment. That came out of the House and out of the Senate unanimously under the form of House Bill 5192. All this does is it’s more lenient with the rulemaking and it asks that the rulemaking be in accordance with the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act.

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

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Collins.

The original bill did not address rates.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Any further…

The amendment does not address rates.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Any further questions? Seeing none, this is final action. The question is, shall the Senate concur in House Amendments {sic) No. 1 to Senate Bill 1174. 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 57 voting 21  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 183rd Legislative Day 1/13/2009 Aye, none voting Nay, none voting Present. The Senate concurs in House Amendments {sic) No. 1 to Senate Bill 1174. And the bill, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. Please turn to the last page of your Supplemental Calendar. We’re going to return to the matter of Total Vetoes. Senator -- Senate -- House Bill 5730. Senator Noland. Madam -- do you wish to proceed, sir? Madam Secretary, please read the motion.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Noland.

Thank you, Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate. House Bill 5730, as you may recall, it passed out of here unanimously. It’s passed out of the House twice. Yet, amends the Tax Increment Allocation Redevelopment Act in the Municipal Code to extend from twenty-three to thirty-five years the time in which the Village of Hoffman Estates is required to complete and retire obligations related to its TIF district for the purposes of city redevelopment. Noncontroversial. Not aware of any opposition. Ask an -- ask for an Aye vote.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Is there any -- just a moment, Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate. There’s a technical error on your Supplemental Calendar. This is a total veto. Any discussion? Senator Lauzen. 22  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 183rd Legislative Day 1/13/2009

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

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Noland.

Yes, it has. I’m holding it in my hand. You should have received a copy.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Is there any further discussion? Seeing none, the question is, shall the Senate pass House Bill 5730, notwithstanding the total veto of the Governor. 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 57 voting Aye, none voting Nay, none voting Present. The bill, having received the three-fifths majority, is declared passed, notwithstanding the veto of the Governor. Mr. President, for what purpose do you rise, sir?

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Thank you, Mr. President. Jill Rock, we salute you. Just a reminder of Members, the Pension Committee will meet in Room 400 at 12:45 and the Executive Committee will meet in Room 212 at 1:10. The Senate will stand in recess until the call of the Chair and we will be returning to further business. The Senate stands in recess. 24  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 183rd Legislative Day 1/13/2009 (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? We’re about to go to substantial Senate action. Would all administrative assistants please send your Senator or direct them to the Senate Floor? We’re about to go to substantial Senate action. And the sooner we get started, the sooner we can be finished with the business of the day. Would all Senators under the sound of my voice please come to the Senate Floor? Be greatly appreciated. Senators, please come to the Senate Floor. Will all Senators under the sound of my voice please come to the Senate Floor? We’re about to go to substantial Senate action. Would all administrative assistants, if your Senator is in his office or her office, would you please direct them to the Senate Floor? Thank you. Madam Secretary, Committee Reports.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Will all Senators under the sound of my voice please come to the Senate Floor? The Senate is back in Session. Would all the able-bodied administrative assistants, who are doing a fine job, direct your Senator that we are back in Session and they need to come to the Senate Floor immediately? Will all Senators please come to the Senate Floor immediately? If you have a bill, you need to be on the Senate Floor so we can pass your legislation, or we will skip your legislation. Will all Senators please come to the Senate Floor for immediate business of the Senate? This is your last call. This is your last call. Senator Hendon is currently the Presiding Officer and you know I am serious. Will all Senators come to the Senate Floor? We are about to go to Senate action. Will all Senators come to the Senate Floor? Will all administrative assistants please kindly suggest to your Senator that they come to the Senate Floor? We’re about to go to substantial Senate action immediately. T.J. Salsman from The State Journal-Register, one of the most fine -- the finest newspaper in Illinois, seeks leave to take still photographs. Leave is granted? Of course, leave is granted. Will all Senators under the sound of my voice please come to the Senate Floor? I appreciate the fact that many of you have responded. Some of you have not. We’re about to go to substantial Senate action. House Bills 3rd Reading. …going to begin on the top of page 2 of your Senate Calendar. It’s House Bills 3rd Reading. House Bill 260. Senator Jacobs. Out of the 26  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 183rd Legislative Day 1/13/2009 record. House Bill 611. Senator Link. 611. Out of the record. House Bill 4215. Senator Trotter. Senator Trotter. Out of the record. House Bill 5032. Senator Raoul. Senator Raoul seeks leave of the Body to return House Bill 5032 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 5032. Madam Secretary, are there any amendments approved for consideration?

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Raoul, to explain your amendment, sir.

Floor Amendment 2 was -- addresses concerns from the Illinois Press Association that the Commission that would be formed by the underlying bill would meet the requirements of the Open Meetings Act.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Are there any questions? Are there any questions? Seeing none, Senator Raoul moves adoption of Amendment No. 2 to House Bill 5032. All those in favor will say Aye. Opposed will 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 5032. Senator Raoul, do you wish to proceed, sir? Madam 27  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 183rd Legislative Day 1/13/2009 Secretary, read the bill.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Raoul.

Thank you, Mr. President, Members of the Senate. House Bill 5032, as amendment {sic}, creates the Illinois Torture Injury {sic} (Inquiry) and Relief Commission Act. It establishes an eight-member commission to investigate and determine the factual claims of torture committed by Chicago Police Commander Jon Burge or any officer under his supervision. The Commission will review claims accepted and make a determination based on the evidence obtained. And if a majority of the Commission members find that a claim is sufficient, the Commission shall be referred to -- the matter shall be referred to the Chief Judge of the Circuit Court of Cook County with supported -- supporting findings of fact for appropriate action by the court.

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

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

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator is speaking. We need quiet in the Chamber. Senator Righter, sorry about that, sir. Senator Righter.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Raoul.

Certainly. The task force could make recommendations to the Circuit Court that they reopen proceedings. You know, there -- there may have been post-conviction proceedings or there may not have been post-conviction proceedings in specific cases, but there may be evidence that would be brought forth that the court had not looked at historically that would reopen proceedings within the Circuit Court.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator -- anything further? Senator Righter. Senator Righter.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Raoul.

Well, it -- there are a couple of things. One, in most of these instances, these people have no other remedy. Secondly, there was a special prosecutor assigned to -- to investigate the allegations with this particular police district, and as a result of the investigation of the special prosecutor, it was allegations of torture, multiple allegations of torture were substantiated under this particular police commander. I do realize that police abuse exists beyond this particular police station and -- and beyond the supervision of this particular police commander, but there -- there have not been other instances of a special prosecutor having done a specific investigation of a commander like this that I know. And so, that -- this distinguishes this particular case from other -- other instances.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) 30  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 183rd Legislative Day 1/13/2009 Anything further? Seeing none, this is final action. The question is, shall House Bill 5032 pass. 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 56 voting Aye, none voting Nay, none voting Present. House Bill 5032, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. House Bill 5141. Senator Lightford. 5141. Out of the record. The Chair would appreciate succinct questions and answers to the bills that are about to come up. Greg Lipe from the Illinois Information Service seeks leave to videotape. Is leave granted? Of course, leave is granted. The Illinois Information Service seeks permission to videotape. Is leave granted? Leave is granted. Senator Forby, for what purpose do you seek recognition, my friend?

That last bill, I want to be quoted as an Aye vote.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) The record will so reflect on the last bill that Senator Forby will be recorded as voting Aye. We’re about to go to Supplemental Calendar No. 2. Senator -- we’re going to start at the beginning of your Supplemental Calendar No. 2. It’s been printed and distributed. Senate Resolution 981. Senator Silverstein. Now on -- on page {sic} 2 of your Calendar is the Order of Secretary’s Desk, Resolutions. Senator Silverstein, do you wish your resolution considered? Madam Secretary, please read the resolution.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Silverstein.

Thank you, Mr. President. We’ll travel six thousand miles to the Mideast right now. About three weeks ago, I was in Israel for my nephew’s wedding, and it was that Saturday evening I found out that Israel unfortunately went into Gaza to stop the attacks and the rocket attacks that were -- have been placed against the citizens of Israel by Hamas. This resolution just supports the State of Israel for its efforts to protect its citizens in the face of hostility. And I’d ask for a favorable Aye roll call.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Is there any discussion? Seeing none, Senator Silverstein moves adoption of Senate Resolution 981. All those in favor will say Aye. Opposed, say Nay. The Ayes have it, and the resolution is adopted. Michael Tercha from the fine Chicago Tribune seeks leave to -- take still photographs. Is leave granted? Of course, leave is granted. Now we’re on the matter of Concurrences, is Senate Bill 171. Senator Harmon. Madam Secretary, please read the motion.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Harmon.

32  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 183rd Legislative Day 1/13/2009 Thank you, Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate. In April of last year, the Senate passed Senate Bill 2783 by a vote of 55 to nothing. It was our first attempt at regulating the marketing practices of the alternative gas suppliers. We’ve been working since then -- well, we passed it out of the house knowing that there was work left to be done. It went over to the House. I’m pleased to report that work is just about completed. And the amendment to Senate Bill 171 that is now before us reflects those negotiations. It’s supported by the Attorney General’s Office and the Illinois Commerce Commission. And none of the former opponents in the industry are -- are now opposed. In very short order, it provides consumer protections relating to cancellation opportunities and cancellation fees. Again, I’m not aware of any opposition and I ask you to support my motion to concur with the House amendment.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Is there any discussion? This is final action. Seeing none, the question is, shall the Senate concur in House Amendments {sic) No. 3 to Senate Bill 171. 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 Aye, none voting Nay, none voting Present. The Senate concurs in House Amendments No. 3 to Senate Bill 171. And the bill, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. Senate Bill 381. Senator Collins. Madam Secretary, please read the motion.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Collins.

Thank you -- thank you, Mr. President and Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate. House Amendment No. 1 to Senate Bill 381 basically replicates House Bill 4212, which passed out of the Senate with a vote of 58 to 0 in May of 2008. That bill, that we renamed the Lou Jones Grandparent Child Care, just set forth provisions for elderly caregivers to provide in the case of the caregiver’s death or incapacitation. The only change with this is the less restrictive rulemaking language. I would ask for support for the concurrence -- motion to…

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 381. 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 in House Amendments {sic} No. 1 to Senate Bill 381. And the bill, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. Senate Bill 719. Senator Wilhelmi. Out of the record. Senate Bill 761. Senator Harmon. Madam Secretary, please read the gentleman’s motion.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Harmon.

Thank you, Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate. Senate Bill -- 761, as amended in the House, is a trailer bill to House Bill 824, our pay-to-play ethics bill. Shortly after we passed the ethics bill, there were two issues identified. This attempts to respond to both. The first, given the lengthy process by which it took us to pass the ethics bill, we did not give the State Board of Elections lead time to implement the electronic disclosure for contractors. They have since adopted emergency rules to provide for paper filing for six months until the system is up and running. The amendment from the House will codify that. Second, the Federal Highway Administration indicated, in an opinion to the State, that our pay-to-play ban on highway contracts could run contrary to federal law and jeopardize federal funding. Given that we are looking for much federal funding over the -- the next months and years, the House elected to amend the -- the Act in the way found in this amendment, which simply exempts out those contracts. It is not as narrow as I would like it, but it is both clear and certain, and I believe it would protect our right to get that money. So, I would be happy to take questions, but would urge you to join me in supporting the motion to concur.

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

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) He -- he indicates he’ll yield, sir.

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

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Absolutely, sir. Senator Righter.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Harmon.

Yes, Senator. That is how it has been explained to me, and in the face of that, I think it’s the prudent thing to do.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Righter.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Harmon.

We -- we’ve been struggling for a better way to do this, a more narrow way to do this. I have not yet found one. But I’d be very open to working with you to see if we can identify a better path. In the interim though, I think we should adopt this and -- and ensure that we don’t jeopardize those federal funds.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Radogno.

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

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

Thank you, Mr. President. No, Senator, I don’t -- I don’t think that’s a fair characterization and -- and for really the reason the Federal Highway Administration identified. For their purposes, for these contracts that are funded from federal sources, the -- the bidders are the lowest bidders. There’s -- there’s really no discretion exercised by the Administration. The -- the reason the feds are concerned is -- that we might limit the pool is that we might not get the lowest bid if we tell certain people they may not bid on these contracts. So, again, it -- it -- it may appear optically to be a broad exemption, but it really is limited to those lowest-bidder contracts.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Risinger. Senator Lauzen, you were done, right? 38  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 183rd Legislative Day 1/13/2009 Correct? Senator Risinger.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Harmon, to close. Are you -- Senator Harmon, to close.

Thank you, Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen. I appreciate your support on this. I do pledge to you, if this turns out to be a loophole rather than a correction, we’ll be back to fix it. I urge your Aye votes.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) This is final action. The question is, shall the Senate concur in House Amendment No. 1 to Senate Bill 761. 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, 1 voting Nay, and none voting Present. The Senate concurs in House Amendments {sic) No. 1 to Senate Bill 761. The bill, having received the required constitutional 39  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 183rd Legislative Day 1/13/2009 majority, is declared passed. Brian Canaday from WAND-TV seeks leave to videotape. Is leave granted? Of course leave is granted. Senator Viverito, for what purpose do you seek recognition, sir?

Point of personal privilege, Mr. President.

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

I -- Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate, I have a very special thing for you to hear -- hear something about. I think it’s rather unique. This young lady that I have standing next to me has served in the capacities of -- with the Secretary of State’s Office. She worked in operations in the Senate. She worked for Vince Demuzio for thirty years. She worked for Deanna Demuzio for six months. And she’s worked for almost three years with me. She is -- she is completing, believe it or not, thirty-eight years of devotion to this Body. And I think that’s a very special person that can give thirty-eight years. Not only is she a marvelous gardener, she makes the best cookies in town. And devoted family person. And she’s decided to stay with me a little while to work once in a while when I need help, ‘cause she knows I’m the kind of guy that needs help. How about a nice round of applause for Joan Withers.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Joan. Congratulations, Joan, for a fine, fine job. Fine job. Excellent. Senator Viverito.

…President, we had a party for her last night and I’m not 40  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 183rd Legislative Day 1/13/2009 kidding you, there were over a hundred people there, and I think that’s a testimony to how people felt about Joan. Thank you.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Absolutely. Joan, we appreciate your years and years of dedication, especially the ones you had to work with. Takes a heck of a woman. Senator Luechtefeld, for what purpose do you seek recognition, sir?

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Will our guest please rise? And welcome to the Illinois Senate. Welcome. Moving on to your Senate Calendar. We are on Senate Bill 1132. Senator Trotter. Madam Secretary, please read the gentleman’s motion.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Madam Secretary, please read the gentleman’s motion.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Trotter.

Thank you very much, Mr. President, Members of the Senate. House Amendment -- well, Senate Bill 1132 has House Amendment 1 and 2 and 3. House -- the Amendments 1 and 2 will be shelled; 3 becomes the bill. This third amendment contains 68.3 million dollars in our supplemental budget. Hopefully the final budget, and I’m certain the final budget of -- of this 95th General Assembly. In that would be two million dollars, which will come from the Relief Fund, for the Illinois Rural HealthNet; another 3.1 million dollars from GRF for the Employment Opportunities Grant Program; another six hundred and ninety-six thousand dollars for Job Training and Economic Development Grant Program; thirty-five million dollars from OSF for facility costs for -- in the coal development; another eleven million dollars will be restored to the Secretary of State’s Office for ordinary and contingent expenses; another 6.7 million dollars to the Attorney General’s Office will be restored; one -- one million dollars will be restored to the Treasurer’s Office; and the cumulative of 9.25 million will be restored to {sic} the relief funds to the various funds under the Department of Natural Resources.

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

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Thank you, Senator Dillard. We’re not going to rush, but we -- Chair would appreciate succinct questions and answers and statements. Senator Syverson.

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

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Trotter. ETIP dollars? Senator Trotter.

We put -- not the ETIP dollars specifically, but we did put another six hundred and ninety-six thousand dollars into DECO {sic} (DCEO) and the JTED Program, which is the job training program as well.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Syverson.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Trotter.

I was -- Yes, those conversations did go on and we were of the frame of mind that it would be there. However, this bill was sent over from the House and it did not have the dollars into it. There are another three million dollars, of course, which will go for Employment Opportunities Grant Program. But specifically, no, those dollars are not in this legislation. And hopefully - and I’m with you; I’ve received those calls as well - that we can address that very soon.

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

This is…(microphone cutoff)…bill. One, the two million dollars that goes to Illinois Rural HealthNet allows our universities to leverage another twenty-one million dollars from feds -- from the federal government. These dollars, again, are restoring those dollars that we wrongly transferred out and it has some dollars in here for training. All in all, it’s a good bill. It’s a responsible bill and I ask for its…

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) This is final action. The question is, shall the Senate concur in House Amendment No. 3 to Senate Bill 1132 - 1, 2 and 3, even though 3 becomes the bill. Those in favor will vote 45  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 183rd Legislative Day 1/13/2009 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 57 voting Aye, none voting Nay, none voting Present. The Senate concurs in House Amendments No. 1, 2 and 3 to Senate Bill 1132. And the bill, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. Senate Bill 1383. Senator Raoul. Madam Secretary, read the gentleman’s motion.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Raoul.

Thank you, Mr. President, Members of the -- the Senate. Senate Bill 1383, as amended by the House, has been negotiated by the CTA, RTA and the ATU to make changes to the CTA’s Retiree Health Care Trust. There are five components. It clarifies the retiree health care plan limitations on PPOs to show that does not exclude the Board from offering a hundred percent HMO plan. It removes that -- the -- the requirement of age fifty-five with ten years of service for employees hired before September 5th, 2001, and provides for retirement for individuals with at least twenty-five years of continued service. It coordinates the Retiree Health Care Trust beginning with the exhaustion of the 401(h) account that is currently providing health care benefits. It rewords a section for assessing trust funding level and other plan changes. And finally, the bill allows the Board to adopt 46  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 183rd Legislative Day 1/13/2009 rules concerning refunds of contributions from members not eligible for health care benefits. There is no cost - no cost - to the State or any unit of local government for any of these changes.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Any discussion? Senator Burzynski. Senator Burzynski, sir. I can come back to you if you’d like. Senator Burzynski.

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

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) 47  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 183rd Legislative Day 1/13/2009 He indicates he will. Senator Cronin. And ask all the questions you want; you haven’t been one of the talkative ones. Senator Cronin.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Raoul.

Yes, this is a codification of that collective bargaining agreement.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Cronin.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Raoul. And if you could explain what that was. 48  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 183rd Legislative Day 1/13/2009 Senator Raoul.

It -- it does. However, it’s important to note that the employees themselves will bear the cost of this.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Cronin.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Lauzen.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Raoul.

And I have affection for you all as well. I -- I’m not expressing there is no cost; I’m saying that the cost -- the employees will bear the fiscal impact of these -- of these measures.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Lauzen.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Raoul.

Again, these costs were to be -- have to be born by the -- by -- by the employees. There would be no cost to the State or to any local unit of government. This is the codification of a collective bargaining agreement. And, you know, I don’t know how I can go into a description as to how an individual would -- would -- would bear the cost other than saying that the agreement is that the employees bear the cost of the -- of the fiscal impact of this.

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

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Sandoval.

Thank you, Mr. President. You would never usually find a Chicago Democrat stand up and not support a bill for the CTA. I have been supportive of infrastructure needs of the great City of Chicago since I’ve been here in the Illinois Senate. Just the other day I was reading a paper, heard that the Chicago Transit Authority lost out on a hundred fifty-three million dollar of federal funding for major infrastructure for the City of Chicago because it was not able to fill out the appropriate paperwork. In fact, they apparently had made some efforts to get an extension to their application, but even failed to get an extension. If Ron Huberman at the CTA cannot keep track of deadlines set by the federal government for federal funding that’s rightly deserved of -- for the Chicago Transit Authority and the great people of the City of Chicago, then perhaps we need to take a better look at currently Senate Bill 1383 that continues and -- and undoes the -- the reform that is much needed at the Chicago Transit Authority. It isn’t news to anyone that there is a shake-and-bake attitude over at the CTA, that reform hasn’t taken place, and that much more needs to be done to make sure that people’s tax dollars from the City of 52  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 183rd Legislative Day 1/13/2009 Chicago and the people of Illinois get the proper use. I also stand in support with colleagues from the other side of the aisle to vote No for Senate Bill 1383.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Thank you, Senator. Senator Link in the Chair, so I can speak on this bill. Senator Syverson.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Sponsor indicates he will yield.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Raoul.

You know, any -- my statement with regards to the employees bearing the cost is that any shortfall will have to be compensated for by increased contributions from the employees or decreased benefits.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Syverson.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Raoul.

It’s -- it’s my understanding, the previous reform package had that provision, and this does nothing to undo that provision in the previous reform package.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Syverson.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Raoul.

Again, this as it has been pointed out, undoes some components and does not undo other components of the previous reform package. One of the components that it does not undo is 54  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 183rd Legislative Day 1/13/2009 that the employees would bear the cost of any -- of any such changes. So, like any law, if you don’t change something, it’s still there. And so, as a result of that, the employees bear the -- bear the cost.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Syverson, to close.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Raoul, respond if you want.

It was a statement, so I appreciate the… 55  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 183rd Legislative Day 1/13/2009

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Delgado.

Thank you, Mr. President. Will the sponsor yield?

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Sponsor indicates he will.

First of all, I want to point out that I stand in -- in strong support of this legislation, because we have to -- and -- and with that in mind, the sponsor is yielding. Senator Raoul, isn’t it true, once again, that the employees are going to share cost in this? This is management and labor involved in this particular legislation. Is that correct?

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Raoul.

The -- the employees will bear the costs -- will bear the cost of the fiscal impact of this.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Delgado.

…you. Mr. President -- so -- so, Senator, as a former 241 bus driver with the Chicago Transit Authority, which helped put me through four years of my undergrad and then took care of my family for one full year, and driving from Seventy-seventh and Vincennes to the Skokie Swift to the 201 Evanston, I know exactly what these drivers have to go through and what they went through. But, please, Ladies and Gentlemen, separate the dynamic of labor and -- and workers. The CTA came down here 56  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 183rd Legislative Day 1/13/2009 with their hands out. But for many, many years, they -- they left many drivers on the roads with conditions and buses that were -- that you wouldn’t even put your family on. So let’s separate that first. But my second question, if the sponsor will yield, is with the employees in 241 and 308 putting in from their pockets from -- or giving up all the things they’re doing, this isn’t about CTA, the management side - is that correct in your mind?

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Raoul.

With regards to bearing the cost of this, the cost would be compensated for by either increased contributions by the employees or reduced benefits to the employees.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Raoul -- Senator Delgado.

To the bill, Mr. President: Once again, I just want to point out to the Ladies and Gentlemen of the Chamber the distinction between labor and management. I also want to point out, as the two labor unions, in 241 and 308, who are diligently trying, they’ve been attacked to the point of creating tears in terms of having part-times and full-timers and they’re slowly picking at the parasitic approach to -- to the labor movement of this great State. So, I would ask you to please indulge into -- into what you have in front of you, in your analysis, and look at this carefully. So that way you don’t go ahead and punish the Illinois taxpaying citizen who is also your bus driver, train riders -- train drivers, et cetera, that can safely get 57  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 183rd Legislative Day 1/13/2009 our people up and forth. Our ability to deal with CTA as the management should continue. And we would hope that in the future that this can be a protracted process and hopefully get back to where the employees are whole again, as we enjoy many benefits as legislators. So I would ask for a strong Aye vote and let’s support our working men and women at the Chicago Transit Authority and the Amalgamated Transit Union. Thank you, Mr. President.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Hendon.

Thank you, Mr. President. I’m sure you all noticed that I did the unusual move of coming out of the Chair to speak on this bill because it’s that important. I love Senator Delgado. And by way of disclosure, the unions have supported me financially. But I am going to vote against this bill. I had a resolution condemning actions by the CTA recently. What did they do? They came down here begging President Jones, begging our new President-elect Cullerton for a bailout. Begged all of us for a bailout. We need you to bail us out. I was sponsor of the bill; we bailed them out. And I asked CTA, Huberman and his whole crew, about this very issue with the pensions. They said no fare increases, no change in the pension. But, yet, here they are. Now, I took my resolution and I held it on good faith that the CTA would not come with something else ridiculous. And I asked the lobbyist for the CTA, who I have great respect for, who asked me to hold the resolution which would have caused CTA to come down here and explain their fare hike, and I held it. But now here they are, want something different. This is not 58  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 183rd Legislative Day 1/13/2009 against the union. The union should go back and negotiate with CTA. And I will support you, Willie, to say any fare increase, any fare increase has to go for the workers and for the pension. But CTA, January 1, raised the fares, and what did they say? They beat up that easy target, Governor Blagojevich, and said, “Oh, it’s his fault because the seniors are getting to ride free.” CTA is at fault, Senator Raoul. We need to send a clear message to CTA. Not just on that side of the aisle. I’m with Senator Sandoval. I’m with Senator Lauzen. And God knows, I never thought I’d say that. But I’m with Senator Lauzen. We need to send CTA a clear message: stop raising the fares, stop mistreating the drivers, stop mistreating the workers, stop gouging. What happened to the money that they got from the fare increase, the tax increase that Senator Cullerton fought hard and -- and then had me carry the ball across the goal line for the Chicago Transit Authority? We should vote this down despite the sponsor and despite Senator Delgado, who is a fine man. But this is wrong for CTA. They need to man up. They need to pay for these pensions and not come here changing the rules after the game is over. I urge a resounding No vote on both sides of the aisle.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Is there any more discussion? Seeing none, Senator Raoul, to close.

Well, seeing how I’m loved by all my colleagues, I -- I urge a -- that you vote this bill up. Vote this bill up. I need your support on behalf of all of the drivers and the -- of the CTA. I need your support for the drivers who’ll bear the 59  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 183rd Legislative Day 1/13/2009 cost of the fiscal impact of this. Thank you.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) This is final action. The question is, shall the Senate concur with House Amendment 1 to Senate Bill 1383. All those in favor will vote Aye. Opposed, Nay. The voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Take the record. On that question, there are 13 Ayes, 38 Nays, 5 voting Present. The motion fails. The Chair would now… The -- the motion fails. Senator Hendon back in the Chair.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Thank you, Mr. President. We’ll now go to Senate Bill 1415. Senator Clayborne. 1415, sir. Madam Secretary, please read the gentleman’s motion.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Clayborne.

Thank you, Mr. President. House Amendment No. 2 to Senate Bill 1415 is designed to clarify under the statute the eligibility of parents under the Family Care program at one hundred and eight-five percent of federal poverty level. This is not a new eligibility standard. This is a clarification of what has been current practice. There are over eighty-five thousand parents currently receiving services over the ninety percent federal poverty standard. These families have 60  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 183rd Legislative Day 1/13/2009 longstanding eligibility. I would ask -- and -- and to -- to answer one of the questions proposed yesterday or -- or asked was that there are standards of eligibility, including income levels, residency, documentation of citizenship, or legal immigration status. So, this -- this is already in effect. We’re just clarifying an existing rule by incorporating it into our statutes. I would ask for your favorable vote.

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

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

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Clayborne.

Yes, subject to appropriation.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) 61  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 183rd Legislative Day 1/13/2009 Senator Syverson.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Clayborne.

Going from nine percent -- they’re already -- they’ve already received nine percent. Going from nine percent to -- to fifteen percent is five million dollars.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Syverson.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Clayborne.

It -- it maintains the Family Care program that we’ve been operating under for about the last three years. But what it was, the -- the one-eighty-five was created by rule, not by statute. We -- we’ve already funded it. It’s been funded the last few years at one-eighty-five -- one hundred eighty-five percent of poverty level. So, now we’re just incorporating it by statute. 62  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 183rd Legislative Day 1/13/2009

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Syverson, at -- Senator Syverson.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Clayborne.

On -- on line 2 of -- I mean, on page 2 of the bill, line 7, it states, “Subject to appropriation, beginning on July 1st, 2008, the Department of Human Services shall increase TANF grant amounts in effect on June 30th, 2008 by fifteen percent.”

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Syverson, if you would, wrap it up, sir. Senator Syverson.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Clayborne.

As far as I know, Senator, it’s subject to appropriation. We have not -- the first part of the question that you asked, I don’t know the answer to. So, I’m not sure. But -- but right now, for clarification purposes, it’s not being funded because we don’t have the money.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator John Jones.

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

Thank you and I appreciate all your comments. And -- and as bills have been sponsored on both sides of the -- the aisle, sometimes when they come over from the House, they’re not perfect. But I do want to reiterate the fact that over one hundred million dollars in federal match funding is waiting for Family Care situation to be resolved and -- and this motion to concur is just one piece of it. So, we -- we have one hundred million dollars that’s waiting. The Department -- to answer one of the questions on the other side, the -- the Department just sent a note saying that we do have discretion not to increase 65  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 183rd Legislative Day 1/13/2009 the TANF amount up to fifteen percent, subject to -- to appropriation.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) This is final action. The question is, shall the Senate concur in House Amendments {sic) No. 2 to Senate Bill 1415. 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 37 voting Aye, 16 voting Nay, none voting Present. The Senate concurs to House Amendments No. 2 to Senate Bill 1415. And the bill, having received the required -- three- fifths -- the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. Evelyn Pierrio from Univision Network seeks leave to videotape. Is leave granted? Leave is granted. Senator Harmon, for what purpose do you seek recognition, sir?

Thank you, Mr. President. For purposes of an introduction. Thank you. We’re joined in the Chamber today by my -- my district office staff. Cara Caldbeck and Rob Barren are sitting in the back with our staff. I just wanted to thank them for their work in the district office, and ask you to help me welcome them to Springfield.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Will our guests please rise from Senator Harmon’s district office and be welcomed? Welcome to Springfield. Senator Lauzen, for what purpose do you seek recognition, sir?

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) The record will so reflect your intention. Senator Lightford, for what purpose do you seek recognition, ma’am?

Thank you, Mr. President. Point of an announcement, please. I’d like for you all to also welcome my Senate staff. Her name is Letichia Collins. We actually have been friends since -- for thirty-two years, believe it or not. But she does a fine job in my district office and I’d like for you to welcome her here.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Welcome to the Illinois Senate, Letichia Collins. You barely look thirty-two years old. Welcome, both of you. From the day you were born. Okay. Senate Bill 1985. Senator Raoul, do you -- Madam Secretary, read the gentleman’s motion.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Raoul.

Thank you, Mr…

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) And I won’t come down from the Chair this time.

Thank you, Mr. President. This is a kinder, gentler bill. Senate Bill 1985 amends the State Employee Article of the 67  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 183rd Legislative Day 1/13/2009 Pension Code to remove the Social Security offset for widow and survivor annuities. Retired employees can opt to reduce their annuities by 3.825 percent in exchange for having the offset removed for their survivors. The original bill passed with 56 votes, but we discovered that the 3.6-percent rate was not completely cost-neutral. So, it has been replaced with a 3.825 rate so that there -- will be no fiscal impact.

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

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) This is final action. The question is, shall the Senate concur in House Amendments {sic) No. 1 to Senate Bill 1985. All those in favor, 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, 1 voting Nay, none voting Present. House -- the Senate concurs in House Amendments No. 1 to Senate Bill 1985. And the bill, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. Senate Bill 2085. And the pace is picking up, Ladies and Gentlemen. Senator Silverstein. 68  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 183rd Legislative Day 1/13/2009 Madam Secretary, 2085, please read the gentleman’s motion.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Silverstein.

Thank you, Mr. President. This -- House Amendment 1 deletes and becomes the bill. It amends the Revised City and Village {sic} (Cities and Villages) Act of 1941, correcting a cross-reference to a statutory provision regarding filling -- filling vacancies in the offices of Chicago aldermen. It’s just a technical change. There was an error in drafting.

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

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) 69  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 183rd Legislative Day 1/13/2009 Guess I’ll change from a Present to a Yes. This is final action. The question is, shall the Senate concur in House Amendment No. 1 to Senate Bill 2085. 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 57 voting Aye, none voting Nay, none voting Present. The Senate concurs in House Amendments {sic) No. 1 to Senate Bill 2085, and the bill, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. Senate Bill 2173. Senator Delgado. Madam Secretary, please read my good friend’s bill -- motion.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Delgado.

Thank you, Mr. President. House Amendment No. 1 to Senate Bill 2173 creates the provisions regarding infertility treatment that are included in the Illinois Insurance Code to the State employees group insurance. And currently the State employees group insurance policy provides for four retrievals, which is not stated in statute; it is just current policy. House Amendment No. 1 to Senate Bill 2173 would place the State Employees Group Insurance Act in line with the Illinois Insurance Code which provided four retrievals, plus two more are provided if a live birth follows the initial four retrievals. If a birth doesn’t occur, then they won’t -- then they would go 70  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 183rd Legislative Day 1/13/2009 out and have the extra two retrievals. But if a birth occurs within the four, then the other two may not -- be necessary. And I’m open for any questions and would ask for an adoption.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Discussion? Senator Radogno.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Syverson.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Delgado, on the cost, sir.

Right. Thank you. It would be about fifteen thousand per retrieval. However, there’s a safe -- there’s a safeguard in place, where the patient has to give birth the initial four retrievals. And this is about woman’s health. And I would intelligently assume that we’re also more concerned about the health of our citizens and know that if we’re going to spend money, it should be on the number one thing that keeps us all going. And especially in the area of woman health care.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) 72  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 183rd Legislative Day 1/13/2009 Senator Syverson. Senator Syverson.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Delgado.

Because at this time, at the same motion, not everyone’s going to require it. So, that’s why we can’t put a number to it. But to make it available to the -- to the -- to the woman to be able to do so is just a policy. They’re doing it already, Senator. So, we just want to codify it to give them the opportunity to make sure that it’s in line with the Illinois Insurance Code. And this would frame it.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Martinez.

Thank you, Mr. President. I stand in strong support, and I want to commend the sponsor of this bill. I really believe that when we look at the fact that many women have problems with infertility, I think this -- this is another step in creating 73  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 183rd Legislative Day 1/13/2009 families. I really believe that right now it is in policy and I think that we need to continue to move forward on -- on -- on -- on policies and on bills that really make a difference in the woman’s life. I mean, there’s so many -- there’s so many legislations that are out there that sometimes we oppose when it comes to women, but I think it’s important that in a case like this, where there is such a disease like infertility, that we are able to expend whatever money we can in order to make a family come true. So, I commend the sponsor in taking such interest in women health cares and I ask an Aye vote for all -- from all my colleagues here in the Senate.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Righter.

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

Thank you, Mr. President. Ladies and Gentlemen of the Chamber, let’s be very clear. Thank you, Mr. President, because this is a very, very important issue to women and to families across this great State. And let’s be very clear that when we’re talking about women’s health care, and as the former Chairman of Human Services for six years and the Vice-Chairman of Public Health, I did not pull this out of a hat. We are clearly understanding the -- we need to prioritize government and I agree. But where should we be spending our money? On the health care of our humans of our -- of our great State, on the education of our children, on the public safety. Yes. This is prioritizing and I have been working diligently for years in trying to make sure we have that priority. And I share your frustrations with all of the other collateral issues that have impacted that State. But in spite of this -- this -- this albatross we’ve had around our neck, we -- some of us continue to try to move this State forward and protect the health and 75  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 183rd Legislative Day 1/13/2009 well being of our citizens and our taxpayer. And I would ask for strong, strong support to make sure that families are able to continue to raise the beautiful children we see in our great State. And I would ask for your support.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) This is final action. The question is, shall the Senate concur in House Amendment No. 1 to Senate Bill 2173. 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 this motion, there are 37 -- 36 voting Aye, 19 voting Nay, and none voting Present. The Senate concurs in House Amendments {sic) No. 1 to Senate Bill 2173. And the bill, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. Senate Bill 2362. Senator Cronin. Madam Secretary, read the gentleman’s motion.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Cronin.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) This is final action. The question is, shall the Senate concur in House Amendments {sic) No. 1 to Senate Bill 2362. 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 57 voting Aye, none voting Nay, none voting Present. The Senate concurs in House Amendment No. 1 to Senate Bill 2362. And the bill, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. Senate Bill 2513. Senator Link. Madam Secretary, read the gentleman’s motions.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Link.

Thank you, Mr. President. On House Amendment 2 is the final solution to the settlement between the Governor’s Office and the bank -- and the financial institutions, which will give approximately twenty-five million back to the financial institutions in the State of Illinois and fifty million dollars to the State of Illinois’ general fund to be used for Medicaid. Amendment No. 3, I will yield to Senator Collins to explain because it originally was her bill.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Is there -- Senator Collins, on Amendment No 3.

77  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 183rd Legislative Day 1/13/2009 Thank you, Mr. President and Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate. House Amendment No. 3 to Senate Bill 2513, as Senator Link indicate -- indicated, retains a proposed settlement agreement regarding financial institution fund sweeps. But more importantly to me is that House Amendment No. 3 to Senate Bill 2513 retains the agreed-upon language that we had in the historic and, I think, landmark legislation known as the Homeowners Protection Act, House Bill 2973 that passed out of this Senate unanimously. And I just want to say that while President-elect Barack Obama works for the release of the second half of the seven-hundred-billion financial bailout fund to aid struggling homeowners, I am proud to say that here in Illinois we are setting the standard for a national model that illustrates how legislators can successfully come together in a bipartisan effort to assist homeowners facing foreclosure. This legislation allows struggling homeowners a ninety-day grace period to work with counselors to, in fact, stymie any foreclosure. So, again, I want to thank the banking community, my colleagues, especially my committee Co-chair Dan Rutherford, for their support in helping Illinois families avert foreclosure. So, I enthusiastically endorse the motion to concur with House Amendment No. 2 and 3.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Rutherford.

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

Thank you, Mr. President. This is two years of hard work that’s come together and I would just ask for a affirmative vote that’s a win-win for all the citizens of Illinois.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) 79  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 183rd Legislative Day 1/13/2009 This is final action. The question is, shall the Senate concur in House Amendments No. 2 and 3 to Senate Bill 2513. 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. 2 and 3 to Senate Bill 2513. And the bill, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. Senate Bill -- I mean, 2757. Senator Cullerton. Madam Secretary, please read the gentleman’s motion.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Cullerton.

Thank you, Mr. President, Members of the Senate. Last year -- in fact, it’s been a year now since we passed Senator Link’s bill, the Smoke Free Illinois Act. This bill is a trailer bill for that bill. And it actually enacts provisions that were contained in two other bills -- two other Senate bills that we passed. One was Senator Sullivan’s bill and another Senator Link bill. And what it does is to provide certain exemptions to the Smoke Free Illinois Act. Again, these are measures which we have already passed. It also clarifies the due process provisions that would be afforded an owner if they were ticketed and provide them with hearings pursuant to the Administrative 80  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 183rd Legislative Day 1/13/2009 Procedure Act and be administered by the Department of Public Health. We also have a provision there that authorizes the Department to provide a location within the county where a citation may have been issued. That is not mandated, but it’s allowed for. It clarifies that the first offense is a hundred dollars. Second offense is two-fifty. And it covers the owner of the establishment that knew that the violations were taking place. 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 2757. 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 57 voting Aye, none voting Nay, none voting Present. The Senate concurs in House Amendments No. 1 to Senate Bill 2757. And the bill, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. Now, on the motion of nonconcurrence. On the Order of Concurrence, Resolutions, is Senate Joint Resolution 109. Senator Lightford. Do you wish to continue? Madam Secretary, please read the lady’s motion.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Lightford.

81  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 183rd Legislative Day 1/13/2009 Thank you, Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate. Senate Joint Resolution 109 is the legislation that we sent over to the House that addressed seventy school waiver requests. The area here that I am in nonconcurrence with, and I’m hoping that you will join me, is an area that we’d worked on for years. It’s the driver’s education fee, of capping the request at two hundred and fifty dollars. We received twenty- five requests and eighteen of those requests were just renewals that exceeded the two-hundred-and-fifty-dollar cap. But there were many other school districts that had increased from fifty dollars to four hundred and fifty dollars or a hundred fifty to seven and eight hundred dollars. And we just believe that that’s just too much of an increase to put on parents and students to have an opportunity to have driver’s ed. And we’re also in the midst of addressing the drivers’ behind the wheel and -- and simulators and trying to come up with how best to address this concern. So, it was agreed-upon bill by all of us in committee. It took us a couple years to get to the point of capping the fee at two hundred and fifty dollars. This request is that we remove the fee altogether, have no limit, and school districts are able to charge kids a thousand dollars if they like. And I think that’s something we shouldn’t agree with. And I hope that you will -- join me with a nonconcurrence.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Is there any discussion? Seeing none, Senator Lightford moves to nonconcur in House Amendments {sic) No. 1 to Senate Bill 109. All those -- Senate Joint Resolution 109. All those in favor will say Aye. Opposed, say Nay. The Ayes have it, and the motion carries, and the Secretary shall so inform the House. 82  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 183rd Legislative Day 1/13/2009 Senator Risinger, for what purpose do you seek recognition, sir?

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) That request is in order. The Republicans will have a caucus immediately upon adjournment in Leader Watson’s Office. Madam Secretary, Messages.

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

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Madam Secretary, Consent Calendar.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Madam Secretary, do you have any resolutions on file?

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Madam Secretary, please read the resolution. Resolution bill number.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Clayborne moves to suspend the rules for the purpose of immediate consideration and adoption of Senate Resolution 985. Those in favor will say Aye. Opposed, say Nay. The Ayes have it, and the rules are suspended. Senator Clayborne now moves for the adoption of Senate Resolution 985. All those in favor will say Aye. Opposed, say Nay. The Ayes have it, and the resolution is adopted. Madam Secretary, Consent Calendar. We will now proceed to the Order of Resolutions Consent Calendar. With leave of the Body, all those resolutions read in today will be added to the Consent Calendar. Madam Secretary, have there been any objections filed to any resolution on the Consent Calendar?

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Is there any discussion? If not, the question is, shall 84  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 183rd Legislative Day 1/13/2009 the resolutions on the Consent Calendar be adopted. All those in favor will say Aye. Opposed will say Nay. The Ayes have it, and the motion carries. The resolutions are adopted. Senator Martinez in the Chair.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MARTINEZ) Can I please have your attention? Will all Members please be at -- in their desk, and may all the staff please retire to the rear of the Chamber? We are going to the Order of Retirement Resolutions. Madam Secretary -- Mr. Secretary. Mr. Secretary - sorry - do you have any -- do you have any resolutions on file?

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MARTINEZ) Mr. Secretary, please read the resolution.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MARTINEZ) Senator Radogno moves to suspend the rules for the purpose of the immediate consideration and adoption of Senate Resolution 982. Those in favor will say Aye. Opposed, Nay. The Ayes have it, and the rules are suspended. Senator Radogno moves for the adoption of Senate Resolution 982. Is there any discussion? Senator Bomke, for what purpose do you rise?

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MARTINEZ) Senator Burzynski.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MARTINEZ) Senator Link.

Thank you, Madam President. I guess I get the rebuttal. No. Seriously, I was trying to think of the outstanding things that Bill Peterson did in his career and I came up with probably the most important thing. He married Pat. And that is, seriously, Pat, the most important thing that he ever did. But I’ve got to say, you know, I’ve had the privilege of knowing Bill Peterson for a number of years, long before I came in the Senate. But as a person who came into the Senate and was not supposed to be here, as I keep saying, and came in, in the minority and was the -- the unwanted kid in Lake County in the Senate at that time, Bill Peterson embraced me and he said, “Here’s the things you’re going to do that are going to help Lake County.” He wasn’t worried about Republican or Democrat. He was worried about the area we represent and what was going to happen to the people that -- up there. And he told me, “This is 88  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 183rd Legislative Day 1/13/2009 not a bill you should be voting for. This is not a bill that you should be around.” And Senator Burzynski said about this institutional knowledge - Bill Peterson has a lot of that. But it’s a lot of life knowledge. And it’s knowledge that he’s given his children and his grandchildren. He’s given one of his children the greatest knowledge, they live in my district. So I thank him for that. But he’s given knowledge to a lot of people. He’s served his constituent well. And I say that sincerely, because it’s evident that his reelections are mostly unopposed. And as someone who’s a party chairman, I have to say this - and it’s going to be on the record - I sincerely don’t ever go out and look for an opponent against Bill Peterson when he was running, because there’s no reason to replace something that works. And when you work for your constituents, why replace it? Do we philosophically disagree on certain issues? Yes. But when it’s for the betterment of the people, Senator Peterson is alongside all of us. I’m going to miss him dearly in this Chamber. But I think it’s time that Pat gets full attention and gets to enjoy him in Florida and other vacation spots that they like to be at. But also the saddest part is, he now makes me the senior person in Lake County, which I don’t like. But, Bill, thank you for your guidance. Thank you for your friendship. But most of all, thank you for being the person that needs -- that I think we should all emulate as not only a legislator, but a public servant. Thank you.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MARTINEZ) Senator Murphy.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MARTINEZ) Senator Viverito.

Thank you very much, Madam President. I, too, want to say a few words, Bill. And you know it’s rare that I want to get up and say too much. But I can say that when we were in the minority, I remember I had some very important issues that I wanted to pass and I really didn’t know exactly how to do it. It was some difficulties in the unincorporated areas of having a referendum. So, I think Pate Philip was the President at the time and Bill always his quiet way. I walked over to him, knowing that he was a township official for many years. And one 90  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 183rd Legislative Day 1/13/2009 year I remember Bill came out to our township and was our main speaker. We were very much impressed with Bill Peterson. And I can tell you this, it was a good feeling as a minority member to be able to walk on the other side of the aisle and to be able to talk to somebody about a need that we had in our particular township, and it was Bill Peterson that lended that hand. I never forgot that kindness. And I do know the people in township government, Bill, support you unbelievably for the great things that you’ve accomplished. I know of your family. I know your son and I know your lovely wife, how she loves to go to Italy and other places. And I can tell you, it was an honor for me to consider you as a friend. And I hope that we always will be and I hope someday we will get together again. Thank you for sharing yourself over these many years in this Senate, giving of yourself and making a minority Democrat feel important. Thank you very much, Bill.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MARTINEZ) Final speaker, Senator Radogno.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MARTINEZ) The question is, shall Senate Resolution 982 be adopted. All those in favor will say Aye. Those opposed, Nay. The Ayes have it. And the resolution is adopted. Congratulations, Senator Peterson. We’ll miss you. Senator Peterson.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MARTINEZ) Thank you, Senator Peterson. We will miss you. Ladies and Gentlemen, we -- we have one more retirement -- retirement resolution. Madam Secretary, do you have any resolutions on file?

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MARTINEZ) Madam Secretary, please read the resolution.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MARTINEZ) Senator DeLeo moves to suspend the rules for the purpose of immediate consideration and adoption of Senate Resolution 983. Those in favor will say Aye. Those opposed, Nay. The Ayes have it. And the rules are suspended. Senator DeLeo moves for the adoption of Senate Resolution 983. Is there any discussion? Senator DeLeo. SENATOR DeLEO: Thank you very much, Madam President. And, Deb -- Deb Shipley, you did a great job. And a lot of people share your emotion here this morning -- this afternoon - this late afternoon. As said, some of you were able to come over to the celebration last night for President Jones over at the Hilton. I was asked to go up and say a few words and introduce him. And I said to the people that were there last night -- people were there celebrating and having a cocktail and going up to congratulate President Jones about his tenure here in the Illinois Senate. I wanted people to know a little bit about Emil Jones, the man; Emil Jones, the person; Emil Jones, the father; Emil Jones, the grandfather; Emil Jones, the husband. Because what you see here in this Chamber is what you see all the time. I’ve never met a man that was more loyal to his family and his extended family. His extended family were the men and women in this Democratic Caucus. When people went to Emil Jones, they looked for strength and support. We had a young staff person here, Rudy Braud, who was a lawyer, went on to become a judge here in Sangamon County. We had a gentleman that sat right next to me here. He wanted to go on to become 98  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 183rd Legislative Day 1/13/2009 the City Clerk in Chicago and he looked for support from Emil Jones, Miguel del Valle. Wanted him, Emil Jones, to talk to the Mayor of the City of Chicago and say -- talk about his work ethics and about his work down here in Springfield. Emil Jones did it. Had a lady who was sitting right here. She wanted to go to Congress. She was the Majority Leader, Debbie Halvorson. And Emil Jones helped her become a United States Congressman from that district. And you had a young man that sat in the back row over here who wanted to go to the United States Senate. Senator Peterson mentioned him. We’re all very proud that we served and worked with Barack Obama. But before he got to this -- to be the nominee, the President-elect, he had to get elected as the junior Senator from Illinois. And who did he turn to for a mentor? Who did he turn to for help? Who did he turn to in a crucial primary? And if he lost the primary for United States Senate, he’d still be here in this Chamber sharing his wisdom with us today. But Emil Jones -- he went to Emil Jones and said, “I need your help. I need your help. I want to run for United States Senate.” He said, and as -- you know how the story goes. He said, “You’re a powerful man, Mr. President.” And Emil, in his humility, said, “Well, what do you mean I’m powerful? What can I do for you?” If you’re an incumbent, if you’re an incumbent Senator in this caucus, there’s nobody better to have behind you than Emil Jones. I had the pleasure - it was in 2005 or 2006 - of getting up and making the nominating speech for -- for Emil Jones for seconding speech for -- for President of this Body. And I told the story about what happened just a few months prior to that. We were here, and I know this is hard to believe for some of you freshmen or some 99  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 183rd Legislative Day 1/13/2009 people that haven’t been around here too long, but we were in a budget stalemate. We were in a budget fight downstairs, and I know it’s shocking, and we were here for days and days, days through the summer - overtime. And we were approaching -- we were approaching the date for the Democratic National Convention. And it was actually hours away from the gavel opening in Boston. We were downstairs on the second floor, and you know what? Emil -- I know -- Emil Jones is fighting for more money for education - more money. He wanted nine hundred million dollars more appropriated to education over the foundation of last year - nine hundred million dollars. So they’re in these intense negotiations downstairs and Governor’s Office thought money should be spent some way. The House thought money… And Emil wasn’t budging. Emil was not going to get off that -- that nine hundred million for education. And everybody said -- everybody said, they’ll give in. They’ll… The Democratic National Convention is starting in a couple days. The Leaders downstairs were saying, “He’ll -- he’ll fold.” I walked downstairs and Emil stood up in the middle of the meeting and said, “To hell with the convention. We’ll stay here the rest of the summer.” And he stomped out of the Governor’s Office. And I looked at him in disbelief. I’m thinking, we have to be in Boston. Barack… I -- I had to write the speech for Barack Obama that -- that time. And -- no, I made that part up, Madam Chairman. But we were all excited about going to -- to Boston for the Democratic National Convention and Emil said, “To hell with the convention. We will stay here.” And twelve hours later you know what we got? Eight hundred and fifty million dollars to education because of his desire, his 100  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 183rd Legislative Day 1/13/2009 willfulness to stay here and fight for the children, the schoolchildren of Illinois. That’s what Emil Jones is about. When he became the Leader, he wanted fairness. He wanted to make sure things got done for the State. I’ve never seen anybody fight for the right causes. When people would say - and I mentioned this last night, for those of you who were there - people would say, well, he’s an ally - or the media would report - he’s a close ally of the Governor. No, he wasn’t a close ally of the Governor. He believed in the same thing - pay equality, health care for children - the right thing - more money for education and the things that he believed in. That’s why he fought so hard. I’m going to feel like Deb in a couple moments because I reflect back of all the good times and the bad times and the hard times and the overtimes that we spent here together. There is -- Senator Peterson, there is -- is a certain bond. There’s a -- there’s a -- there’s a wall in the middle of that center aisle sometimes. Well, now, the wall’s extended a little bit. We have some -- some -- some seats over there. The wall kind of zigzags. But at the end of the day, in which you praised your beautiful wife, Pat, and -- and Emil’s wonderful wife, Lorrie, we share the same common denominator. And the same common denominator is that we go through elections, the same butterflies on election night. Am I going to get reelected? And I really believe at the end of the day that all of us come down here to do the right thing and help our constituents and help this State become a better place. And I can tell you that I know in my heart that this man made this State a better place. President Jones, I applaud you and your beautiful family, and Godspeed to you, and I love you very much. 101  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 183rd Legislative Day 1/13/2009 Congratulations on your retirement, sir. Thank you, Madam President.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MARTINEZ) Senator Clayborne.

Thank you, Madam President. And -- and to my friend and mentor, President Jones: First of all, I -- I want to -- because I understand and -- and many of us here understand the commitment that -- and sacrifice that your family makes, I want to thank your family for sharing us with you for the many years that we’ve been here or the few years that we’ve been here, because that’s -- that’s very important. You know, I -- I’ve come to know President Jones. I came here - it’s hard to believe - about fourteen years ago and -- and was naïve about a lot of things. And one of the things that I learned immediately, that President Jones, Emil Jones, was a man of his word. If he told you something was going to happen, he stuck to it. He made sure that you understood that he was committed to the cause and he did everything that he could to -- to keep his word and to move that particular agenda forward. I’ve carried some very controversial bills since I’ve been here. And there was one in particular, and we would -- Bill Haine and I had been negotiating for about four or five days, and -- and the other side had taken an opportunity to send - seems like almost every day - three or four new -- new people at us, and we constantly changed and -- and gave in. And -- and so on the final day -- we were a day from -- from finishing up the Session, a person who had been very involved, as I understood it, in the campaign to elect many Members here during that particular time, 102  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 183rd Legislative Day 1/13/2009 supporting the caucus, went to see President Jones and -- and to talk about this issue. And -- and to his credit, he kept his word and told the individual that he had to go see Senator Clayborne or Senator Haine to address that. And that meant a whole lot, because we had spent many hours - many hours - trying to resolve the issue and he stepped forward to make sure that his word meant something. I remember getting a call one Saturday morning and -- and Emil - one Saturday night, rather - Emil says, “I’ll be in your area tomorrow morning and be prepared. We’re going down to Cairo.” And sure enough, he showed up. I think Donne Trotter and -- and someone else. I can’t think who the other person was. We went down to Cairo and we went to about five churches on behalf of Gary Forby. And Emil would get up and he said, “You know, I need my homeboy to come back to -- to Springfield, because we have an agenda set forward and we need the support of Gary Forby.” And -- and Emil was committed. And -- and, you know, it was very impressive, because he understood not just what was happening in Chicago or the central part of the State; he knew how important it was to make sure that Members throughout his caucus and throughout the State of Illinois received his support, received his time, received the resources that he had raised to make sure that he had the caucus that he desired. And -- and if you look at the numbers that we have and the Members sitting on the other side of the aisle, that was truly a reflection - truly a reflection - of a man committed to his Members and committed to the agenda of -- of the Democratic Party. You know, I -- I had an opportunity to spend some personal time with -- with Emil. And I’ve told this story before, but I’m going to tell it again. You know, I 103  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 183rd Legislative Day 1/13/2009 -- I -- Emil and I went to the Super Bowl together and -- and the Rams -- I’m not a big Rams fan, but I was supporting the Rams that day, you know, and -- and -- and Emil -- I paid for the tickets. Tickets were rather expensive. You know, I got Emil in a couple of parties and he had a great time, and this guy is sitting next to me cheering against my team. And -- and I -- you know, at first I was a little upset, but then I -- I adjusted, because, you know, he had just gone through something very difficult with losing his wife and -- and he was smiling. He was having a great time, and -- and we ended up losing at the end of the game by a field goal. But I truly enjoyed Emil that day. We got a chance to talk very candidly. Learned a lot from him. And -- and truly a -- an experience that I’ll -- I’ll never forget. You know, I -- I -- we -- we -- we, a lot of times, look at the end of life and -- and we see a date of a beginning and a date of the end, but the true story is the dash. And I remember an e-mail going around talking about what the dash truly meant and how we take that dash for granted and -- and we don’t see the significance of it. But, truly, the Jones family, I appreciate the opportunity, having shared my dash -- or -- or your father having shared his dash with me and those of us here in this Chamber. Emil, I will always appreciate all the things that you’ve done for me, given me an opportunity to lead certain committees, to be a part of so many opportunities here that have allowed me to grow and develop as a person and as a -- as a legislator. I will never forget the things that you’ve done for this State. And, you know, I -- I -- I said this the night that -- that John Cullerton was elected President, that we won’t really understand all the things and the impact that you 104  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 183rd Legislative Day 1/13/2009 have made on the State of Illinois until you’re gone. And I want to thank you right here and now while you can hear me making this statement. I want to thank you, President Jones, for your commitment to this State, to this caucus and -- and, obviously, to our colleague who will be sworn in as the next President of the United States - your commitment to making this country and this world a better place. God bless you and Godspeed.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MARTINEZ) Senator Link.

Thank you, Madam President. I was going to start out by saying something nice, but after listening to Senator DeLeo say the list of accomplishments of people that Senator Jones was directly -- or President Jones was directly involved with, you know, somebody became a judge, somebody became the City Clerk of Chicago, somebody became a Congresswoman, somebody became a U.S. Senator and then the next President of the United States. I became Emil’s driver to Peoria. So I meant -- you know, I guess there’s rankings in everything you do. Yeah, I -- I had the better job. Lorrie, honestly, I never kidnapped him. It was self-inflicted. Senator Clayborne, I think, described something when he said the story will be told later. Because as I was telling reporters yesterday, Emil Jones is probably the most underestimated Leader ever in Springfield. I’ve seen him in action. I made a statement when he became President of the Senate and some people kind of took it wrong at first and I think they appreciate it now - when I said he’s a hundred percent better President than he was a minority leader - because 105  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 183rd Legislative Day 1/13/2009 he took a diverse caucus and he was able to take a leadership role and get an agenda passed. And if you look at this caucus and you look at the backgrounds of every individual here, getting the time of day passed is not the easiest thing to do sometimes. But he was able to do it. I just was in the sunny State of Florida and they’re going through a 2.3-billion-dollar deficit. And you know how they resolved it? They cut school funding by a hundred and forty dollars per child. They cut Medicaid funding and they swept - swept - six hundred million dollars from an endowment fund - something that President Jones would never have allowed to do, of taking away from the children and the elderly and the sick in this State. And I think every one of us in this Chamber should be proud of that, because that’s a legacy that we can all be extremely proud of - that we were led by a President that had the foresight to fight for those types of issues. When they say that a bunch of us were just followers of Emil Jones and we voted the way he wanted us to vote, well, I got to tell you one thing, it’s contagious; because when Emil would come and talk to you and he would explain an issue, it was hard to say no when he explained the pros and cons of an issue and what the benefits were for the State of Illinois - not just for a little area, not just for one segment, but for the State. He looked at the big picture. I had the opportunity, as Senator DeLeo did, when I was sitting in that back row one year of nominating President Jones. And when I said that statement that he looked at the entire State, Emil Jones didn’t represent a Senate district, Emil Jones didn’t represent the litany I went through of about four hundred caucuses that we have, he represented the State of Illinois and 106  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 183rd Legislative Day 1/13/2009 he could see the problems that we all have in our districts and throughout the State. It’s not surprising for him to be down there helping Gary Forby, because there’s not one of us that could not go into his office and talk to him and say, “I have a problem in my district”, be it a road, be it a social agency, be it anything that we could talk to him about. He was there to help us resolve it. Emil Jones was a true leader, but most of all, he was a true friend. He is sorely going to be missed. I’m going to miss my friend. And, Emil, anytime you want a ride, I’m available. God bless you and your family and have a great journey.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MARTINEZ) Senator Hendon.

Well, what can I say about my father? Emil was like, and still is like, my dad. Sterling, and the rest - Renee, Emil, Little Emil - they just got to share him with me. My dad, Jimmy Hendon, died when I was three and I’ve never had anybody that I followed as a leader until I started following Emil Jones. And you know, I’m from the west side and we don’t have a lot, and I remember the first time I asked Emil for some money for my district and he said, “What you all going to do with a million dollars on the west side?” I said, “The same thing you all going to do with it on the south side. We’re going to spend it.” And he gave us the money we needed. Throughout the years, he became an honorary west-sider, because they love Emil over there, just straight-out love him, because he’s a genuine person. I was thinking about a few of his sayings. Emil used to always say to me and to others, “You never fatten frogs for 107  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 183rd Legislative Day 1/13/2009 snakes.” I’d say, “What did he mean by that?” He wouldn’t explain it to you, but he’d just say it and you had to figure it out. He’d also say, “You got to kill a snake while they’re young.” That was them bad bills coming over from the House. Don’t even give ‘em a chance. Kill ‘em in Rules. And that’s what he did. One of my favorite memories of Emil was when I bumped into him by accident. Emil is solid as a rock to this day. The man is just a hard mass. And that’s part of his personality. Anybody who would stand up to Pate Philip was fine with me. Anyone who would stand up to Michael Madigan is fine with me. When Emil made me leader, a lot of people called him and told him he was crazy. They said, “How could you make Rickey Hendon leader, ‘cause he crazy. So you got to be crazy for making Rickey Hendon a leader.” And he called me into his office and he made me a leader and he made me sign a paper resigning the same day that he made me leader. But he made me leader and he stuck with me and I’m not easy to get along with. I am a little crazy. That’s true. But he stuck with me. One of my greatest memories is when I got here, and you know how I love softball, and the Senate had lost to the House fifty years in a row - fifty years in a row. And we finally had a chance to win and we had one pinch hitter, who hadn’t got in the game. And we looked over there and it was Emil Jones. And I had told -- I told Frank, I said, “Frank, Emil is hard as a rock. We got to let him swing that bat.” And Frank was like, “But he can’t run.” So we got Ira Silverstein, all the way from Israel. Said, “Ira, we’re going to let Emil hit.” ‘Cause Ira can’t hit, you know, he… So we said, “We’re going to let Emil hit and you got to run for him.” So, Ira was like, “Well, I want to hit 108  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 183rd Legislative Day 1/13/2009 myself.” “Ira, you want to get in the game, right?” He said, “Okay.” Emil Jones -- that ball came. I saw it like floating over there. Emil hit that ball so hard, Ira’s still running. He just got back from Israel, you all know - it’s still gone. So he came up again. So we cheated the House a little bit, ‘cause they was cheating us. We let Emil hit again. Emil got three hits in that game and we beat the House for the first time in fifty years. He’s solid as a rock, mentally, spiritually, physically. We ain’t always seen eye to eye. Like that time - Jimmy, you remember - we were all downtown and we said, “Doggone it, Mike Madigan has power that Emil Jones don’t have.” He said, “What is it?” He say, “Madigan can take somebody’s chairmanship if they don’t vote the right way.” And me, being an Emil Jones loyalist by then, I said, “Doggone it, we got to give Emil Jones that power.” First one - Chairman - he took was mine. Wooo! About three weeks later, had Courtney Nottage call me up. I wanted to beat Courtney up, but then I knew I had to deal with Emil. I probably could have took Courtney, but I know I couldn’t have took Emil Jones. Emil, I’ll always love you as a Dad. I might get mad at you now and then as a politician, but I love you, my brother.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MARTINEZ) Senator Demuzio.

Emil, I am going to mention here today that the first time the Jones family and the Demuzio family met, was at the Hilton in Springfield back in the seventies. And here is the -- Emil was going into the House and Vince was coming into the Senate at that time, and we became instant friends. It’s kind of odd when 109  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 183rd Legislative Day 1/13/2009 you think about here’s Emil from Chicago and here’s a little old guy coming out of Carlinville, Illinois. And the Jones family and the Demuzio family spent a wonderful couple days at the Hilton here, as we were getting ready to celebrate the swearing in of both of -- both of these guys. We became instant friends. We traveled. We -- we had lots of occasions where we would go and -- at conventions. And Pat and I and Emil’s children and my children, we all kind of grew up together. Over the years, of course, as they got involved more in politics, it became a -- a wonderful tradition in terms of every time we would go to Chicago or every time that Emil would come downstate here, why, he would come to Carlinville or visit the district. And so over the time, and particularly at a very difficult time in my life, Emil was there and he came to see me during -- several days there when I was having some -- and the Demuzio family was having some very difficult times. He called. He came to the house and he was there. He’s steady as a rock. And he was a very strong confidant. And the same in earlier years, when he had -- he had a very difficult time. And here was a man that understood what it meant to be a dear friend. And he understood what my family was going through, as I understood what his family was going through. When I arrived here at the Senate in May 2004, May 11th, he was one of my strongest supporters. He and I had many hours of talk. I could go into his office and he understood. And so -- over the years, I can’t say that he and I have always agreed. That’s the way it always is in terms of politics, but he was always there. And as Senator Link said or as all -- all the other testimony, you could always feel free to go into his office. And you could always discuss it. And he 110  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 183rd Legislative Day 1/13/2009 always had a reason as to why he may be asking you to vote or asking your support on a certain bill. Never a time had he -- has he ever not asked me about my mother. My mother and he -- she always -- as I go into the nursing home today, she’ll say, “How is Jones? How is he doing? How is President Jones?” And he always made reference because he had an opportunity to share some fish at a -- at a fundraiser back in 2004, when Barack Obama was running for President -- or was running -- was running for U.S. Senate, and he and my mother shared some fish and they became instant friends. And he always took the time, almost all the time here, to ask me how my mother is. And she in return has asked about him. So today, Senator Jones, President Jones - I always called him El Presidente - okay - as you start your new retirement life, you and Lorrie and your friends and -- and your family, and as you take on a new journey, I want to personally say on my -- for me and for my family and for all the Demuzios, thank you for being a true friend and thank you for being there. And when you talk about institutional knowledge, as he leaves this Chamber, he will be taking with him some -- some very wise things that have happened over the years - the institutional knowledge that he has acquired, like many of our other colleagues here. Senator Peterson, I wish you well as you start your retirement. Again, institutional knowledge is hard to come by. A lot of long years and a lot of long hours, but that give you that institutional knowledge. I know. And so I wish all of you well. And, again, also to Joan Withers, as she leaves today - after a long stay with Vince. And I know she always used to get a tip-off. As he came off the elevator, he used to sing, and everybody on third floor could hear him as he would start 111  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 183rd Legislative Day 1/13/2009 his song, and so -- I think even Emil knew. And so, again, I wish all of you, as we start a new chapter today, many years of wonderful retirement. And, again, my love to you, Senator, President Jones. Thank you for being there for me.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Trotter.

Thank you very much, Mr. President. One thing for certain, I will not cry today because you’re leaving. I don’t have one of them Jesse Jackson onions to make me cry out here today. So… But, just want to add a few words. You know, President Jones is -- is a true man, real man. He’s unashamedly black. He’s a man of the community, man of the people, and mostly he’s my man. He’s -- he’s -- he’s been there for me. Unlike our new appointed junior Senator, to my knowledge there’s no mausoleum with all his accomplishments already detailed on it. But if it was one, I guess this is what you can tell your children, tell Jonathan and them to spend some of that money, get you one of those little tablets and put down there that you were, as pointed out by Jimmy DeLeo, a good father; great grandfather; loving, dutiful husband; you were Central State Committeeman, State Representative, State Senator, Senate Democratic Leader, President of the Senate. I mean -- and the list can go on and on. Your accomplishments certainly outshines - many accomplishments - of anyone that I know. And -- and I’m just so very proud of you and what you’ve done. Oh, and I’ve left out, of course, the one that everyone likes to refer to you as, and that’s the godfather. That, too, needs to be on that -- that little tombstone that they have for you. You know, you talk 112  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 183rd Legislative Day 1/13/2009 about -- and if you had one single word to define this man, in my thinking, that is principled. Emil Jones is principled. He will fight you to the death in something that he believes in. And if you’re willing to ball up your fist, he’s the best man you can ever have watching your back. Emil Jones is there for you. Pointed out, again, by one of the speakers, he -- he’s a man of his word. He’s a man you can trust. You know, when I first got here in the Senate -- you know, my -- my background is in health care. So when the opportunity came up to be chosen for the new chairmanships or at least for the Democratic leader, I wanted to be the leader of the health committee. I got a call from Courtney Nottage, telling me that I would be the new spokesperson on Appropriations. I went ballistic, but I knew I couldn’t take it out on -- on Courtney. And I’m -- I’m with you, Rickey, I think I could probably take Courtney, but… I was a little younger then. You know, I probably… You know. Yeah. But the -- the thing is I knew I had to talk to -- to big daddy. So I -- I went downtown. Had a discussion with him and told him, said, “You know, I -- I really wanted the health committee.” He literally grabbed me by my throat and asked me was I crazy? There were some other words in there that he called me when he was calling me crazy. But the main thing was, “Are you crazy? Aren’t you tired of just begging for money, begging for resources? Don’t you want to sit at that table and be able to find it?” ‘Cause Emil Jones believed and, as he said - and he has all these great sayings - that, “If you’re not sitting at the table, then you must be on the menu.” So… And I took it that that was -- I needed to be sitting at the table so I could put some of you all on the menu and make sure that my 113  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 183rd Legislative Day 1/13/2009 community got what it deserved. Of course, and working on the behalf of everyone else, ‘cause we all believe in fairness. But the thing is, is Emil is there and the true -- as a true leader - it wasn’t just me, as also pointed out - that this leader, he knows how to identify the leadership qualities of all of us. He identifies ‘em and then he really nurtures you, as in my case. He didn’t just put me on Approp; he made sure that we knew how - - or I knew how we raise that money. He put me on Revenue. He made sure that I knew that -- the people were spending it correctly. He put me on the Audit Commission. Then he said, “You know something? You really know; you need to be able to forecast what’s going on.” So then he put me on COGFA, you know, our forecasting arm here. So he prepares us, and he does that for each and every one of us when he puts you on it. He doesn’t just put you out there. That’s a true leader. President Jones, you are truly that -- that test of a man, that you have proven that you have not only led this Chamber, but you’ve led this State. And as you go forward in -- in your life, trying to spend time with your family, you know, we, who are back here, still going to be toiling, still be working on the interest of people. We should not only admire the work of this man, but we also should find a way to emulate it. Thank you so very much, my friend, my brother, my man. I know I’m not going to miss you, ‘cause I’m going to see you in the neighborhood, right down 87th Street having breakfast, and I’m looking forward to it.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) Senator Martinez.

114  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 183rd Legislative Day 1/13/2009 Thank you, Mr. President, and I -- I -- I wanted to -- I want to first thank Senator Hendon for allowing me to come down here, ‘cause I -- I could not help but be able to express so many things that I’m feeling today. I’m feeling happy, but at the same time, I’m feeling very -- very sad, because I am -- we’re losing a great man, a man who believes, you know, in each one of us - a person who’s been there for me for a long time. I’ve known Emil for many, many, many years, and one of the -- the -- the memories that I have was just recent that I think means so much to me, was when I became ill, the night that I ended up having emergency surgery and ended up in the intensive care. My daughter didn’t know who to call and she called President Jones. And President Jones responded so quickly. I mean, he was at my bedside that morning after I came out of surgery. And I remember waking up in the intensive care and I felt him holding my hand, and when I looked up to him, somehow my heart rate started going up and they weren’t sure if they were going to ask him to leave, because he was -- he was going to cause me my death. But -- but I think it was because of the fact that I felt that I had the -- that person that I care so much about there to really lend me his strength to come out of it, because I wasn’t sure if I was going to come out. And he was there to be very supportive to my daughter, who was there practically alone, ‘cause my family all lives in Florida. And while my daughter was there, President Jones was at my bedside and I really did get excited. I wasn’t sure if I had died and gone to heaven. I wasn’t sure what I was feeling, but I just know that this man caused my heart rate to go up. So, I have to say thank you for being there for my daughter. Thank you for 115  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 183rd Legislative Day 1/13/2009 being there for me during those hard times. But I also want to say to everyone here, he’s a man of his word. And I want to thank him on behalf of the Latino community, because, you know, as you all know - I think it’s been mentioned here before - Senator del Valle, now our clerk, was in this Chamber. He was a leader here with us and today he is our clerk. And Senator Jones -- President Jones never gave his back to Miguel when Miguel needed help, and I think we have seen that with all of our other colleagues that have gone to bigger and -- and -- bigger and better places than we are today. But I know that I personally have a -- a gratitude in my heart, because he stood by me during this past primary, which was a very tough primary for me. But he gave his word to me that he would be there for me and he was in every inch of the word and every -- and every part of -- giving me the resources that I needed to survive that -- that primary. And I got to say that on behalf of the Latino community, on behalf of Latina women, I got to say, thank you, Mr. President, for allowing me the opportunity to be a leader, to be a someone who is able to be in this Chamber representing women, Latina women, out there, the opportunity to be a President when I would -- when you turned the gavel over. And I want to say thank you, because I think for a personal -- personally for me, it was wonderful, and personally for all the -- the Latina women out there, we love you very much. The Latino community thanks you for everything you do for us too in being able to provide all those resources that we need to continue to move a lot of our -- our programs forward. So, I’m going miss you, my friend, but I know that I’m not going to stop seeing you. And when I do call you, answer your calls, ‘cause 116  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 183rd Legislative Day 1/13/2009 you’re not answering me lately - so I don’t know what’s up with that. So, thank you, Mr. President. Thank you for being my friend and I’m going to miss you and I love you very much.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) The Chair recognizes Illinois’ Comptroller, Dan Hynes. Comptroller Hynes. And Senator Dillard.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR HENDON) The Chair recognizes the Auditor General of the State of Illinois, Bill Holland. Auditor General. Senator Lou Viverito.

Thank you, Mr. President. And I’m going to talk just a little bit different perhaps than some of you. I go back with Emil Jones, of course, and I’ve said it on numerous occasions. I remember in high school a little - couple years apart. And I think I was a year or two ahead of you, Emil. I’ll admit to that. Never would ‘til now. But in all -- in all due respect, I remember going to the 34th Ward when Emil Jones was really a soldier and president of the organization. I was running for the Water Reclamation District, and won by the way. Emil was a loyal individual to the 34th Ward and to Wilson Frost. He was a man that you knew where he stood. And obviously when I came to the Senate and obviously when Emil Jones was so kind to make me the Assistant Majority Leader in 2001, I was deeply honored and deeply touched. But, of course, there’s been times I’ve been in and there’s been times when I’ve been out. I think, Emil, you can attest to that. But one thing I can say is what Emil Jones has accomplished from a humble beginning. Tilden Tech was not 119  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 183rd Legislative Day 1/13/2009 exactly Northwestern University. It was a technical high school. And when you didn’t have all the money in the world, that’s the school that Emil and I went to. We learned a lot there. And of course, he became the alumni and the favorite of Tilden Tech because of all of his accomplishments. But what’s the most important thing in life is when you have a name and you’re passing it on to your children. The name Jones is so renowned in the State of Illinois and his children will have that beautiful name of Jones. He’s accomplished more -- when I came here, as I talked before, when we were in the minority position, I’ve seen him, time after time, go out into the suburban areas and different areas and recruit candidates. I know what it’s like to be a soldier. I’ve been a soldier and a committeeman for thirty-seven years. And Emil Jones was loyal to his leaders. And today, he probably ended up being one of the most special leaders in the State of Illinois. Whether you agree with him or not, you knew that Emil Jones was in charge. And the great thing about Emil is he’s got a wonderful family. He’s got a -- he’s leaving a great heritage - and he’s walking out and that’s very important. I wish you and your family, Emil, all the best to come in the future. Thank you very much.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MARTINEZ) Senator Sullivan.

Thank you, Madam President. You know, we can -- we could all tell many, many, many stories about President Jones. And I’d like to tell you just a short story about an event and I think it reflects one of Emil’s many talents, and that’s the ability to work with and relate to people from all over the 120  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 183rd Legislative Day 1/13/2009 State and different walks of life. But Deb mentioned it in the resolution. I think it was in 2004, the Governor had a proposal to remove the sales tax exemption from -- from ag inputs from seed and fertilizer and chemicals. And this was a huge, huge issue in the ag community. And after a number of conversations many of us had with the President, the President agreed to take this proposal off the table. He said that he would not support it, which effectively killed the proposal. So then the question was, how were we going to get that message out to the ag community? This was a big issue to ‘em. We wanted to make sure that they knew about it. So, the President and I agreed that we would meet early in the morning with a group of farmers. Actually, at 6 a.m., we met in a little café west of Springfield over in Virginia, Illinois. And we were going to meet with this group of farmers and we were going to announce that the sales tax -- removal of the sales tax exemption would be off the table. So, he and I met that morning, 6 a.m. We walk into this café, a little café. There’s a group of farmers, probably twenty or thirty farmers in there. And -- and I had two -- I was pretty apprehensive because there was two issues I was very concerned about. First of all, I was concerned what he was going to say to this group of downstate farmers and also what their reaction would be to this Chicago politician. So, we had breakfast. I stood up and I introduced the President and he stood up and he started to speak and he said, “Now, I understand why it was necessary for us to meet at 6 a.m. in the morning.” You have to realize he had to get up probably at 5 o’clock to get to Springfield by 6. He said, “I understand that -- that the farmers -- that you need to get up early before dawn ‘cause 121  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 183rd Legislative Day 1/13/2009 you have to get your work done during the daylight. You have livestock that you have to take care of. You know, you need to do your work and you need to -- it takes all day to do that.” And he said, “I know that because when I was a young man -- when I was a boy, my parents had chickens. And every -- it was my responsibility to go out every morning before school, early in the morning, and take care of those chickens - to feed those chickens and to collect the eggs.” And by saying that statement, those farmers were able to understand that he, Emil Jones, somebody who’s probably never spent a -- very much time on a farm, but he understood and he could relate to what they did and why their job was important. And that was just like the icebreaker. And then he proceeded to tell the group why -- how this proposal was a bad idea and that he was not going to support it. But I tell you, that is just a -- that -- that -- that just was a tremendous reflection to me about this man’s ability to relate to each of us. You look around this Body, you look at the faces, you look at the diverse backgrounds of each and every one of us, you look at the regions that we represent - but the President has the ability to understand, to look at the State of Illinois in its entirety, not in its -- not in just our district or his district or somebody else’s district. I think that’s a great quality. And, Mr. President, Emil, I want to say, just from a personal standpoint, thank you for having the confidence in me when I came to see you back in 2001. And I think every one of us could say the same story, but to have the confidence in each and every one of us that allowed us to be where we are today. Thank you very much.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MARTINEZ) 122  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 183rd Legislative Day 1/13/2009 Senator Forby.

Well, as you know, in Springfield, when somebody mentions your name, you get to say something. I wasn’t going to say nothing. So I heard my name several times. President Jones, I’m going to get to say what I want to now, ‘cause you aren’t going to be here. I know you won’t be here tomorrow. Anybody ever tell you, you don’t talk very plain? Well, I guess after tomorrow, I’ll be the only one here. You know, they talked about Barack Obama -- Barack. You know, you helping him. I know exactly how Barack feels, ‘cause that’s what President Jones done to me. When I first -- my first election in the Senate, I had a person come over from the other side and said, “Gary, we’re going to spend a million dollars against you this time.” Well, for a little country boy like me, that’s out of the -- big figure. It scared me a little bit. So I went to talk to President Jones. I said, “You know what? They’re going to spend a million dollars against me, get me beat.” He said, “Gary, they can spend whatever they want to, but they’re not going to beat you.” He said, “I’ll guarantee you that.” And he did that. So, in my campaign this time - you talk about money - so on TV every day they showed a picture of President Jones, had three great big bags of money carrying around for me in my election. So, four more years, I’m going to look for them three big bags again. You know, you -- you’ve been great to me. Your staff has been fantastic to me. And I just want to thank you, because -- as everybody else in this room, we won’t forget you and I know you won’t forget us. Especially, you know, as everybody said - I’m not going to bring up what all you said - 123  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 183rd Legislative Day 1/13/2009 but I know the number one issue is education and I do believe the schools will see that when we leave, because there’s no doubt about it in Springfield, I don’t think you got a better voice for the people when it comes to education. Another thing that we was talking about. This row here, coal brothers. You talked about that several times, haven’t you? Well, we took a vote, the row here. In case you want to come back, you can sit on this row. And doing that, with our voting, we got a little pin here that says “coal” on it. So you’re always going to be a coal brother. And you’ll -- and we’re always going to think about you and we appreciate everything you’ve done. Good luck.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MARTINEZ) Senator Raoul.

You know, I heard the last two speakers, Senator Forby and Senator Sullivan, tell good stories about how they would not be here but for Emil Jones. And I think that they’re -- that’s something that -- for many Members within this Chamber to reflect upon. As we’re in a period of transition, it’s easy for folks to forget that fact. And I think it’s something to remember going forward, notwithstanding the fact that President Jones won’t -- won’t be here anymore. And Senator DeLeo talked about the speech he wrote for President-elect Obama. I thought it was President Jones that might have written that speech, because many -- much of what he has done reflects his acknowledgement. You know, Barack spoke about the red states and the blue states and how there was commonality in red states and blue states. And our State is a diverse State. And that’s something that President Jones has recognized in his 124  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 183rd Legislative Day 1/13/2009 policymaking and the way he supported each and every one of us throughout his tenure. He realized that -- the regional diversity that exists, the economic diversity that exists and the racial diversity that exists, and the importance of taking all of those things into account in policymaking. The term “underestimated” has been used by several speakers to -- to -- to talk about President Jones, and -- and I’d like to be a little bit more candid and a little bit more blunt. There’s been a double standard applied to President Jones. There’s been a double standard. And my father would always tell me, you know, “When you’re subject to prejudice, don’t waste your time complaining about it, just work hard to plug your way through it.” And that’s what I’ve witnessed President Jones doing during his tenure. He hasn’t wasted his time complaining about the, you know, crusading and name-calling editorial pages, you know, that sought to just ally him with the Governor in a manner that ignored the public policy behind a position that he was taking. They reduced it to just, “Oh, he’s with the Governor.” They didn’t talk about the differences between education funding proposals. They didn’t talk about the different -- the -- the needs of -- for health care in various communities throughout the State in each and every one of our districts. They wanted to reduce it to finger-pointing and name-calling. Yet, at no time, at no time did President Jones invest himself - and some of this to my dismay - in trying to correct the public relations behind things. Instead, he focused on the task in front of him. And I think that’s admirable. You know, you -- I’ve heard Chicago State University mentioned, and I, myself, was -- I was formerly on the staff of City Colleges of Chicago. And those 125  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 183rd Legislative Day 1/13/2009 two institutions are safety net institutions for those who otherwise would not have an -- have access to higher education. And but for one man, the -- the type of investment that has gone on -- that has been put into those institutions to make sure that many people - that most of the Members of this Body will never meet - have access to higher education. Yet, it would be reduced in newspapers as unfairness and favoritism towards Chicago State. You know, I’ve historically been unfair to President Jones. I actually worked against him in a 1995 campaign for Congress. But we’re even because he wasn’t exactly on my campaign committee to replace Barack Obama in this Chamber. Yet, I remember on the day that I was appointed at -- at -- at McCormick Place, Courtney handed me a - you’re a star today, man - handed me the telephone and said, “You need to call President Jones. I think it would be a good idea for you to call President Jones.” I said, “I think that you’re right.” And I called President Jones and I -- and I said, you know - I don’t know -- remember my exact words - I said, I know I wasn’t your favorite, but, you know, I want you to know that I -- striving to work under your leadership, I never -- I never thought of myself as running against you. He says, “Oh, no, don’t worry about that.” But he did say, “The reason I was supporting who I was supporting is because they have demonstrated for me their competence.” And he enumerated a number of things that Will Burns, who I was competing against, had done over the years and how he had demonstrated his loyalty. And he talked about how loyalty was so important to him. And as we go forward, I think it’s important that - again, I want to reiterate - that we don’t forget, that we keep President Jones 126  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 183rd Legislative Day 1/13/2009 in this Chamber though his body may not be here. We keep him in this Chamber and we don’t forget how he helped each and every one of us individually. And -- and I have sat down with President Cullerton and -- and I’ve told him what, you know, my policy concerns are, and they grow out of what I’ve learned from sitting and listening to President Jones. He told me shortly after I came -- I -- I was appointed, as I expressed interest in various social committees and social issues, he says, “You know, these social concerns are important, whether it’s education or health care or affordable housing.” He said, “But if you look at communities who have access to economic opportunity, there’s less of a education challenge. There’s less of a health care challenge. There’s less of a housing crisis. And so you need to think about, in lieu of band-aid measures to address social concerns” - I remember his words were - “follow the dollar, follow the dollar, because it’s access to economic opportunity for all that will, in the end, lead to sustainable changes on social issues.” And I will never forget that and I thank you for mentoring me.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MARTINEZ) And the final two speakers, Senator Radogno.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MARTINEZ) Final speaker, Senator Cullerton.

128  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 183rd Legislative Day 1/13/2009 Thank you, Madam President, Members of the Senate. I think all of us here who are elected officials have to be just a little bit jealous and a little bit envious of a -- a man who has been able to serve - I -- I believe it’s thirty-six years, Emil - thirty-six years and to be able to accomplish what you’ve accomplished. I’ve only been here thirty years in the General Assembly. You’ve -- your leaving, I think, leaves me the one, along with Frank Watson, who’s been here the longest. And I’ve been able to see, over the years that I’ve been here, the different -- kind of the different eras that you’ve served under. Lou Viverito mentioned Wilson Frost. Wilson Frost was an elegant man, an unbelievably competent ward committeeman. And I wasn’t around, of course, when Emil first got elected State Representative, but to be able to work through the ward organization to get the -- to be slated to be the State Representative in -- in that era, you had to be really, really good and competent in that ward organization. You had to be the top to be able to get to be in that position. And I served with Emil over in the House. And I don’t know if there’s anybody else here who -- who’s done this, but we were there in this incredible situation where they had three State Reps for every Senator. And Emil came from a -- an area - it was racially changing. And he represented white and black, and I’m sure that that’s when he first learned his incredible talent of appreciating the racial politics and being able to -- to overcome that and to be able to represent white and black and Hispanic in his district. The -- he -- he came to the Senate. I can -- I can just tell you that he was a phenomenal committee chairman, legendary Chairman on the Insurance Committee. He -- 129  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 183rd Legislative Day 1/13/2009 he ran that committee. He ran that committee. And I’ll just leave it at that. He was a very good Chairman of the Insurance Committee. And then -- you know, when Emil got to be elected President of the Senate, that wasn’t the tough election; the tough election was in 1992 when he ran for the Minority Leader. And he did it brilliantly. I had only been here a year and, I would have to say, I wasn’t on the first wave of people that Emil sought for his support. But he came up to me on the Floor of the Senate - and I was kind of wondering nobody’s been asking me, you know, about their support - but he came up to me on the Floor of the Senate, right here, and he said, “Cullerton, the train is leaving. You better get on, ‘cause it’s leaving. It’s pulling out of the…” So I said, “Okay. Let me see if I can find out if I can get on the train.” He grew our caucus, much to your dismay, to a supermajority and, along the way, made education, obviously, his number one priority. That’s his legacy. And to be able to do that and to leave by having your own son take your seat, that’s what makes all of us, I think, a little jealous and a little envious. And, Emil, you’re leaving the best way. We talked about this whenever we do this at this time of year. You’re undefeated. You’re walking out on your own two feet with a full pension. Now, let me just finish by saying, Emil, I -- even though I’ve been here thirty years, I’m about to take a job that’s not going to be that easy. And so it’s going to be new for me too. And I’m going to need your counsel. I’m going to need your advice and I’m going to need your help. So, congratulations. You’re going out on top. Thank you, Emil.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MARTINEZ) 130  STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 183rd Legislative Day 1/13/2009 The question is, shall Senate Resolution 983 be adopted. All those in favor will say Aye. Those opposed, Nay. The Ayes have it. And the resolution is unanimously adopted. Ladies -- Ladies and Gentlemen, I would like to invite two of President Jones’ grandchildren to the podium to share some words with us. First, Jonathan Sterling.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MARTINEZ) Thank you, Jonathan. Now, Alexandria Sterling.

PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR MARTINEZ) Thank you, Alexandria. Ladies and Gentlemen, Senate President Emil Jones.