PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) The regular Session, 98th General Assembly will please come to order. Will the Members please be at their desk? Will our guests in the gallery please rise? The invocation today will be given by Reverend Kathy Sweet, Rochester United Methodist Church, Rochester, Illinois.
(Prayer by the Reverend Kathy Sweet)
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Please remain standing for the Pledge Allegiance. Senator Jacobs.
(Pledge of Allegiance, led Senator Jacobs)
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Mr. Secretary, Reading and Approval of the Journal.
Senate Journal of Tuesday, March 25th, 2014.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Hunter.
Mr. President, I move to postpone the reading and approval of the Journal just read by the Secretary, pending arrival of the printed transcript.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Hunter moves the postponement of the reading and approval of the Journal, pending arrival of the printed transcript. There being no objection, so ordered. Mr. Secretary, Committee Reports.
1 STATE OF ILLINOIS 98th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 100th Legislative Day 3/26/2014 Senator Koehler, Chairperson of the Committee on Agriculture and Conservation, reports Senate Bills 2696 and 3049 Do Pass, as Amended; Senate Amendment 1 to Senate Bill 902 and Senate Amendment 1 to Senate Bill 929 Recommend Do Adopt. Senator Hunter, Chairperson of the Committee on Human Services, reports Senate Bills 2586 and 3217 Do Pass, as Amended; and Senate Amendment 2 to Senate Bill 822 Recommend Do Adopt. Senator Hunter -- Senator Hunter, (Vice) Chairperson of the Committee on Public Health, reports Senate Bills 3304 and 3512 Do Pass; Senate Bills 36 -- 2636, 3076, 3409, 3414, 3440, 3450, 3465 Do Pass, as Amended; and Senate Resolution 983 Be Adopted. Senator Delgado, Chairperson of the Committee on Education, reports Senate Bills 2682, 3081, 3092, 3407, 3497 Do Pass; and Senate Bills 2793, 2870 and 3004 Do Pass, as Amended. Senator Frerichs, Chairperson of the Committee on Higher Education, reports Senate Bill 3451 Do Pass; and Senate Bills 2846 and 3306 Do Pass, as Amended. Senator Raoul, Chairperson of the Committee on Judiciary, reports Senate Bill 3287 Do Pass; Senate Bills 2630, 2664, 2829, 2954, 2955, 2984, 3176 and 3532 Do Pass, as Amended; Senate Amendment 1 to Senate Bill 977 and Senate Amendment 2 to Senate Bill 977, Senate Amendment 1 to Senate Bill 1996, Senate Amendment 2 to Senate Bill 2782 and Senate Amendment 1 to Senate Bill 3040 Recommend Do Adopt. Senator Sandoval, Chairperson of the Committee on Transportation, reports Senate Bills 2620, 3270, 3398 and 3548 Do Pass; Senate Bills 3139, 3255, 3338 and 3471 Do Pass, as Amended; Senate Joint Resolutions 48 and 54 Be Adopted; and Senate Joint Resolution 56 Be Adopted, as Amended. 2 STATE OF ILLINOIS 98th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 100th Legislative Day 3/26/2014 Senator Jones, Chairperson of the Committee on Local Government, reports Senate Bill 3313 Do Pass; Senate Bills 3052, 3106, 3425 and 3557 Do Pass, as Amended; Senate Amendment 2 to Senate Bill 498 and Senate Amendment 1 to Senate Bill 499 Recommend Do Adopt. Senator Noland, Chairperson of the Committee on Criminal Law, reports Senate Bills 2650, 2995, 3007, 3434, 3547 Do Pass; Senate Bills 3075, 3258, 3267 and 3435 Do Pass, as Amended. Senator Collins, Chairperson of the Committee on Financial Institutions, reports Senate Bill 3566 Do Pass, as Amended.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Mr. Secretary, House Bills 1st Reading.
House Bill 4283, offered by Senator Cunningham. (Secretary reads title of bill) House Bill 5812, offered by Senator Bivins. (Secretary reads title of bill) 1st Reading of the bills.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Will all members of the Assignment Committee please report to the Senate President's Anteroom? All members of the Senate Assignment Committee report to the President’s Anteroom immediately. Thank you. Senator Murphy, for what purpose do you rise?
Point of personal privilege, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) State your point.
3 STATE OF ILLINOIS 98th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 100th Legislative Day 3/26/2014 I am really fortunate today to have not one, but two Pages. I have the Meehan boys, DJ and Matt, from Rolling Meadows. They go to Central Road School. DJ's in fifth grade, with yesterday's Page, Charlie Goldstein, and Matt is in third grade. They're involved with soccer, football, swimming, Battle of the Books, band, math, chess club. These are some well-rounded boys from the 27th District. So I was hoping that we would give them a nice Senate welcome. And their mother, Sheri, is up in the gallery, right above the -- the -- right -- right above the President's head there. Will you give the Meehan family a warm Senate welcome?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) I -- I hope you’re preparing them to replace you. Senator Morrison, for what purpose do you rise?
On a personal privilege.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) State your point.
Senator Murphy may have two Pages, I will raise him one. I have three Pages, who are the Gray family children. They're from Lake Forest. I'd like to introduce Robby Gray, from Deer Path Middle School, who's in the sixth grade. He is the student class president, and I think has aspirations to sit where you are, Mr. President. Mikey Gray, from Everett Elementary. He's in fourth grade; plays baseball, football and basketball. And Tricia Gray, from Everett Elementary School, is also in fourth grade - soccer, basketball, field hockey, violin and piano. I am very honored to have them here visiting from Lake Forest. And their father and their aunt are in the President's Gallery. Please join me in 4 STATE OF ILLINOIS 98th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 100th Legislative Day 3/26/2014 welcoming them.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Welcome to the Illinois Senate. Senator Harris, for what purpose do you rise?
Point of personal privilege.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) State your point.
Today I have with me a Page who -- who says he's going to take my job because it should be easy, because he has the same name as me. And hopefully he doesn’t run, because it may confuse some people. So today I have with me my son, Napoleon Harris IV.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Welcome to the Illinois Senate. Senator Silverstein, for what purpose do you rise?
Purpose of an announcement, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) State your announcement.
That there will be a Democratic Caucus, for one hour, upon adjournment in the President's Office.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Althoff, for what purpose do you rise?
Thank you, Mr. President. The Senate Republicans would also like to caucus for about one hour immediately upon recess -- or, adjournment. 5 STATE OF ILLINOIS 98th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 100th Legislative Day 3/26/2014
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Those both are in order. Senator Duffy, for what purpose do you rise?
Point of personal privilege, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) State your point.
I'd like to introduce some of my friends that are here today. I'm honored to have Kim Starks, Jeff Coleman and Percy Coleman. Percy Coleman has been working hard in his neighborhood on the south side for years. He was a commander at Chicago Housing Authority, and he's always been very active in issues in the African-American community, trying to do everything he can to make a difference, and he passed that on to his son, Jeff Coleman, who's also very active in a lot of African-American causes and helping his neighborhood and his community make a difference in Illinois and in America. So please help me welcome the Colemans and Kim Starks.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Welcome to Springfield. Senator Harmon, for what purpose do you rise?
For purposes of an introduction, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) State your introduction.
Thank you, Mr. President. Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate, I have some special guests with me on the Floor today. I'm going 6 STATE OF ILLINOIS 98th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 100th Legislative Day 3/26/2014 to call them my cousins, 'cause I do not know how better to describe the familial relationship. But we have with us two wonderful guests. I have with me Eliza Taylor-Berry. She is seven years old, in the first grade at Rockford Lutheran Academy. I'm going to find my Senators from Rockford to make sure that they can meet their constituents as well. But she is a very active first grader. She works at her mom's bookstore. And she has as a personal hero, Barack Obama, a former colleague of ours. Sitting right next to her is her sister, Ruby Taylor-Berry, who is five years old and in kindergarten. She's also at Rockford Lutheran Academy and also works at her mom's bookstore. Her mom, Erin, and her grandmother, Ann, are with us in the President's Gallery. And I'd like you all to join me in welcoming them to the Senate. Thank you, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Welcome to Springfield. Senator Harmon, for what purpose do you rise?
Thank you, Mr. President. For purposes of a second introduction.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) State your second introduction.
Thank you. I am awash in Pages today, Mr. President, and I have another special guest with me, Jacob Meister, from Oak Park, a constituent. Many of you know his father, Christopher Meister, from the Illinois Finance Authority. Jake is a sophomore at Oak Park-River Forest High School, active in soccer and track, and a great part of the Senate family. So please join me in welcoming 7 STATE OF ILLINOIS 98th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 100th Legislative Day 3/26/2014 Jake to the Senate.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Welcome to the Senate. Senator Bivins, for what purpose do you rise? Senator Sullivan, for what purpose do you rise?
Thank you, Mr. President. For purpose of an announcement.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) State your announcement.
Ladies and Gentlemen, next Wednesday, April the 2nd, we will be having our annual Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus reception. It's at the State House Inn, just north of the Capitol. It starts at 6 o'clock. It's a bipartisan caucus made up of both House and Senate Members. And we enjoy -- we invite everybody to come by. The -- there'll be a live auction at 7 o'clock and you can listen to me come -- practice my auctioneering skills. So, like to have everybody join us, and we'll have food and drink and some raffles and a good time. Hope everybody can join us next Wednesday evening, the 2nd of April, for the Sportsmen's Caucus.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Mr. Secretary, Committee Reports.
Senator Clayborne, Chairman of the Committee on Assignments, reports the following Legislative Measures have been assigned: Refer to Executive Committee - Floor Amendment 4 to Senate Bill 1630, Floor Amendment 3 to Senate Bill 2797, Floor Amendment 4 to Senate Bill 2797 and Committee Amendment 2 to Senate Bill 3309; Be Approved for Consideration - Senate Bills 219, 220, 350, 505, 585 and 727. 8 STATE OF ILLINOIS 98th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 100th Legislative Day 3/26/2014 Signed, Senator James F. Clayborne, Chairman.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Will -- will everybody turn to Supplemental Calendar No. 1? Senate Joint {sic} Resolution 983. Senator Kotowski. Mr. Secretary, please read the resolution.
Senate Resolution 983, offered by Senator Kotowski.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Kotowski, on the resolution.
Thank -- thank you, Mr. President and Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate. Senate Resolution 983 will designate today as "Purple Day" in order to advocate for the rights, humane treatment, and appropriate education of all people with epilepsy, and invites all citizens to participate by wearing purple. Secondly, House -- Senate Resolution 983 calls upon the public to commit itself to increasing awareness of epilepsy. There are two hundred thousand people each year that are diagnosed with epilepsy in the United States of America and fifty thousand people who die each year from epilepsy as a result of having seizures and they never wake up. This is an initiative of the Epilepsy Foundation of Greater Chicago, as well as Sunovion Pharmaceutical Company, which has been a strong advocate for providing medication for people with epilepsy. It's pretty telling yesterday, I know. Senator Martinez ran a bill to help young people with epilepsy and protect them from having seizures. We had several young kids in a hearing. One of them, in fact, had a seizure during the hearing. And, you know, her -- their parents -- her parents were there. She's going to be okay and she was resting. But there are some kids who have 9 STATE OF ILLINOIS 98th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 100th Legislative Day 3/26/2014 hundreds of seizures a day and I think it's really important to acknowledge the importance of this day and the importance of the fact that we should educate people about the impact of this life- threatening disease. I've lived with epilepsy since I was thirteen. Fortunately, I face a minimal amount of problems. I'm treated through medication, but there are other people who don't survive and, unfortunately, are no longer with us. The more we raise awareness, the more lives we can save. So I would simply ask for an Aye vote.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Is there any discussion? Seeing none, the question is, shall the Joint -- Senate Resolution 983 pass. All those in favor will say Aye. Opposed, Nay. The Ayes have it, and the resolution is adopted. Can I please have everybody's attention? Can I please have everyone's attention for a moment? Can I have everyone's attention, please? The following Senators are appointed to the Committee on Escort to escort the Governor to the House of Representatives for the Joint Session: Senator Jones, Senator Kotowski, Senator Steans, Senator Connelly and Senator Rose. When the Senate adjourns and we -- and after caucus, I would have the Committee meet at the rear of the Chamber. Okay, there being no further business to come before the Senate, the Senate stands adjourned till the hour of 12 p.m., the 27th day of March, 2014. The Senate stands adjourned. 10