PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) The regular Session of the 99th General Assembly will please come to order. Will Members please be at their desks? Will our guests in the galleries please rise? The invocation today will be given by Pastor Bill Jensen, Wittenberg Lutheran Center, Normal, Illinois.
(Prayer by Pastor Bill Jensen)
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Please remain standing for the Pledge Allegiance. Senator Cunningham.
(Pledge of Allegiance, led by Senator Cunningham)
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Lisa Chess-Gustafson, Blueroomstream.com, seeks permission to videotape. Seeing no objection, permission granted. Mr. Secretary, Reading and Approval of the Journal.
Senate Journal of Wednesday, May 13th, 2015.
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 to postpone the reading and the approval of the Journal, pending the arrival of the printed transcript. There being no objection, so ordered. Mr. Secretary, Resolutions. 1 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 41st Legislative Day 5/14/2015
Senate Resolutions 543 through 545, offered by Senator Link and all Members. Senate Resolution 546, offered by Senator McCann and all Members. They are all death resolutions, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Resolution Consent Calendar.
Senate Resolution 547, offered by Senator Biss. And Senate Resolution 548, offered by Senator Muñoz. They are both substantive.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Mr. Secretary, Committee Reports.
Senator Landek, Chairperson of the Committee on State Government and Veterans Affairs, reports Senate Resolution 517 Be Adopted, as Amended; Senate Joint Resolution 25 Be Adopted; and House Bills 3122, 3374, 3686, and 4137 Do Pass; House Bill 3389 Do Pass, as Amended. Senator Martinez, Chairperson of the Committee on Licensed Activities and Pensions, reports House Bills 3484 and 3592 Do Pass; and House Bill 1424 and 2925 Do Pass, as Amended. Senator Harmon, Chairperson of the Committee on Executive, reports House Bills 3303 and 3895 Do Pass; House Bills 4078 and 4113 Do Pass, as Amended; Senate Amendment 3 to House Bill 220, Senate Amendment 1 to House Bill 2513, and Senate Amendment 1 to House Bill 3093 Recommend Do Adopt. Senator Noland, (Vice) Chairperson of the Committee on 2 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 41st Legislative Day 5/14/2015 Revenue, reports House Bill 2554 Do Pass. Senator Haine, Chairperson of the Committee on Insurance, reports House Bill 2763 Do Pass; and House Bills 3673 and 3910 Do Pass, as Amended. Senator Holmes, Chairperson of the Committee on Commerce and Economic Development, reports House Bill 3497 Do Pass and House Bill 3194 Do Pass, as Amended. Senator Sullivan, Chairperson of the Committee on Agriculture, reports Senate Amendment 1 to Senate Bill 920 Recommend Do Adopt; House Bill 352 Do Pass; and House Bills 3101, 3674, and 4029 Do Pass, as Amended. Senator Koehler, Chairperson of the Committee on Environment and Conservation, reports House Bill 3240 and 3622 Do Pass. Senator Hunter, Chairperson of the Committee on Energy and Public Utilities, reports House Bill 3560 Do -- Do Pass, as Amended.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Can I get everybody's attention? All Members of the Senate, the deadline for filing Floor amendments to House bills is Friday, May 15th, at 12 noon. If you plan to amend a -- House bills with Floor amendments, please have 'em filed by noon, May 15th, which is tomorrow. Thank you. Will you please turn to page 23 of the printed Calendar, House Bills 2nd Reading. House Bill 1445. Senator Koehler. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 1445. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported. 3 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 41st Legislative Day 5/14/2015
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) 3rd Reading. House Bill 1446. Senator Mulroe. Senator Mulroe. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
Senate {sic} Bill 1446. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) 3rd Reading. House Bill 1452. Senator Harmon. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 1452. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) 3rd Reading. House Bill 1453. Senator Mulroe. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 1453. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) 3rd Reading. House Bill 1455. Senator Althoff. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 1455. 4 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 41st Legislative Day 5/14/2015 (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) 3rd Reading. House Bill 1485. Senator Rose. Senator Rose. House Bill 1490. Senator Martinez. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 1490. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) 3rd Reading. House Bill 1496. Senator LaHood. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 1496. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) 3rd Reading. House Bill 1498. Senator Koehler. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 1498. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) 5 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 41st Legislative Day 5/14/2015 3rd Reading. House Bill 1516. Senator Muñoz. Senator Muñoz. House Bill 1530. Senator Martinez. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 1530. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) 3rd Reading. House Bill 1531. Senator Mulroe. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 1531. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) 3rd Reading. House Bill 1566. Senator Steans. Senator Steans. House Bill 1588. Senator Barickman. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 1588. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. Committee on Judiciary adopted Amendment No. 1.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Have there been any Floor amendments approved for consideration?
6 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 41st Legislative Day 5/14/2015 No further amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) 3rd Reading. House Bill 1660. Senator Muñoz. Senator Muñoz. House Bill 1665. Senator Jones. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 1665. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) 3rd Reading. House Bill 1666. Senator McGuire. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 1666. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) 3rd Reading. Senator Haine, for what purpose may you rise?
For a point of personal privilege, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) State your point.
Mr. President, I'd like to take a moment to -- to - and ask the indulgence of this distinguished Chamber - to introduce five of my grandchildren: Anna Stirton, Mary Stirton, James Stirton, Lucy Stirton, and Peter William Stirton. They are the children of 7 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 41st Legislative Day 5/14/2015 my daughter Alice, my youngest daughter, and her husband, Dr. John Stirton. He's a physician. He's in Chicago now for a conference. And my dear wife, Anna, the other grandparent. If you would welcome them to the Senate - their first time.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) A lovely family. Congratulations. Senator Noland, for what purpose do you rise?
Thank you, Mr. President. Point of personal privilege, if I may.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) State your point.
I have some visitors here with me today from the second- largest school district in the State of Illinois, School District U46. We're very proud of their service to the children of our community. I have Dr. Tony -- or, excuse me, Tony Sanders, who is the Acting Chief Executive Officer - excuse me, please - Dr. Ushma Shah, who is the Assistant Superintendent of Elementary Education, and Steve Burger, who is also the Assistant Superintendent for Elementary Schools as well, helping with the financing and the guidance of the curriculum in U46. I would ask you all to give them a very warm Springfield welcome.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Welcome to Springfield. House Bill 1744. Senator Luechtefeld. Senator Luechtefeld. House Bill 1790. Senator McGuire. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill. Excuse me, McCarter. I'm sorry.
8 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 41st Legislative Day 5/14/2015 House Bill 1790. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) 3rd Reading. House Bill 1876. Senator Righter. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 1876. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) 3rd Reading. We'll skip over 2462. House Bill 2471. Senator Harmon. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 2471. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) 3rd Reading. House Bill 2474. Senator Morrison. Senator Morrison. House Bill 2477. Senator Koehler. House Bill 2482. Senator Martinez. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 2482. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported. 9 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 41st Legislative Day 5/14/2015
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) 3rd Reading. House Bill 2483. Senator Holmes. Senator Holmes. House Bill 2486. Senator Koehler. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 2486. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) 3rd Reading. House Bill 2495. Senator Morrison. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 2495. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. The Committee on Environment and Conservation adopted Amendment No. 1.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Are there any Floor amendments approved for consideration?
No further amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) 3rd Reading. House Bill 2502. Senator Sandoval. Senator Sandoval. House Bill 2503. Senator Cunningham. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 2503. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments 10 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 41st Legislative Day 5/14/2015 reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) 3rd Reading. House Bill 2505. Senator Stadelman. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 2505. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) 3rd Reading. House Bill 2513. Senator Morrison. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 2513. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Mr. Secretary, are there any Floor amendments approved for consideration?
Floor Amendment No. 1, offered by Senator Morrison.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Morrison, on your amendment.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman {sic}. I'd like to adopt -- ask for the Members to adopt this amendment and discuss on 3rd.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Is there any discussion? All those in favor will say Aye. Opposed, Nay. The Ayes have it. The amendment is adopted. Are 11 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 41st Legislative Day 5/14/2015 there any further Floor amendments approved for consideration?
No further amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) 3rd Reading. House Bill 2515. Senator Bennett. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 2515. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) 3rd Reading. House Bill 2543. Senator Steans. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 2543. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) 3rd Reading. House Bill 2547. Senator Althoff. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 2547. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) 3rd Reading. House Bill 2556. Senator Morrison. With leave 12 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 41st Legislative Day 5/14/2015 of the Body, we'll skip over that bill. House Bill 2567. Senator Steans. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 2567. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) 3rd Reading. We'll skip over 2569. House Bill 2580. Senator Sullivan. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 2580. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) 3rd Reading. We'll skip… House Bill 2628. Senator Sullivan. House Bill 2635. Senator Harmon. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 2635. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. The Committee on Judiciary adopted Amendment No. 1.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Are there any Floor amendments approved for consideration?
No further amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) 13 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 41st Legislative Day 5/14/2015 3rd Reading. House Bill 2636. Senator McConnaughay. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 2636. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) 3rd Reading. House Bill 2640. Senator Steans. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 2640. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. The Committee on Judiciary adopted Amendment No. 2.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Are there any Floor amendments approved for consideration?
No further amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) 3rd Reading. House Bill 2641. Senator Mulroe. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 2641. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. The Committee on Judiciary adopted Amendment No. 1.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Are there any Floor amendments approved for consideration? 14 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 41st Legislative Day 5/14/2015
No further amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) 3rd Reading. House Bill 2642. Senator Steans. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 2642. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) 3rd Reading. House Bill 2643. Senator Steans. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 2643. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) 3rd Reading. House Bill 2644. Senator Steans. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 2644. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) 3rd Reading. House Bill 2657. Senator Bertino-Tarrant. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill. 15 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 41st Legislative Day 5/14/2015
House Bill 2657. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) 3rd Reading. House Bill 2673. Senator McConnaughay. Senator McConnaughay. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 2673. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) 3rd Reading. House Bill 2677. Senator Connelly. Senator Connelly. House Bill 2683. Senator Delgado. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 2683. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. The Committee on Education adopted Amendment No. 1.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Are there any Floor amendments approved for consideration?
No further amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) 3rd Reading. House Bill 2685. Senator Hastings. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill. 16 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 41st Legislative Day 5/14/2015
House Bill 2685. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) 3rd Reading. House Bill 2705. Senator Martinez. Mr. -- Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 2705. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) 3rd Reading. House Bill 2706. Senator Hunter. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 2706. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Out of the record. All right. Excuse me. Are there any Floor amendments approved for consideration?
Floor Amendment No. 1, offered by Senator Hunter.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Hunter, on your amendment.
I wish to adopt the amendment and I'll explain it on 3. 17 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 41st Legislative Day 5/14/2015
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Is there -- is there any discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor will say Aye. Opposed, Nay. The Ayes have it. The amendment is adopted. Are there any further Floor amendments approved for consideration?
No further amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) 3rd Reading. With leave of the Body, we'll go back to House Bill 1744. Senator Luechtefeld. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 1744. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) 3rd Reading. House Bill 2722. Senator Connelly. Senator Connelly. House Bill 2731. Senator Steans. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 2731. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) 3rd Reading. Senator McGuire, for what purpose do you rise? SENATOR McGUIRE: Point of personal privilege, Mr. President. 18 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 41st Legislative Day 5/14/2015
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) State your point. SENATOR McGUIRE: Thank you, Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate. I would like to introduce a special guest today. To my right is Angelica Lebron, a constituent of mine. She lives in Bolingbrook. Angelica is a senior in high school at the Solid Foundation Homeschool Academy. Next year, she will matriculate to Northern Illinois University. Will major in history and political science. This is her fifth visit to the Capitol. Her previous four visits have been to lobby for funding of 4-H. Please give a warm Springfield welcome to Angelica Lebron.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Welcome to Springfield. With leave of the Body, we'll go to page 3, Senate Bills 3rd Reading. Senate Bill 33. Senator Hastings. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
Senate Bill 33. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Hastings, on your bill.
Thank you, Mr. President. Senate Bill 33 adds post-traumatic stress disorder to the list of medical conditions that qualifies an individual to participate in the Medical Cannabis Pilot Program. And I'll answer any questions.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Is there any discussion? Is there any discussion? Seeing 19 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 41st Legislative Day 5/14/2015 none, the question is, shall Senate Bill 33 pass. 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 31 Ayes, 13 Nays, 1 voting Present. Senate Bill 33, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. Senator McCarter, for what purpose do you rise? SENATOR McCARTER: Mr. President, I was just kind of looking around to -- to see how many people might really be in attendance today. And I -- as I recall, that vote came up with 31 affirmative. Like a roll call verification, please.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Raoul, for what purpose do you rise?
I -- I was very -- I -- I was very -- Mr. President, I was very confused by the previous speaker's request. There was a lot said during the dialogue between you, Mr. President, and the previous speaker, so for -- and -- and there was a lot of noise on the Senate Floor and -- and I kind of wish that you can -- Mr. President, that you can help keep the noise down on the Senate Floor so we can understand what the -- what the request is of the Members that call for your attention. So I -- I -- I request, Mr. President, for the help of all the Members who are here, that the previous request be clarified.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator McCarter, Senator Raoul requests you to repeat your request. SENATOR McCARTER: 20 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 41st Legislative Day 5/14/2015 Verification, please.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator McCarter has requested a verification. Will all Members please be in their seats? The Secretary -- the Secretary - not letting me getting in - the Secretary will read the affirmative votes.
Bennett, Bertino-Tarrant, Biss, Bush, Clayborne, Collins, Tom Cullerton, Cunningham, Delgado, Harmon, Harris, Hastings, Holmes, Hunter, Hutchinson, Jones, Koehler, Kotowski, Link, Manar, Martinez, McGuire, Mulroe, Muñoz, Noland, Oberweis, Raoul, Sandoval, Steans, Trotter, President Cullerton.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Does Senator McCarter question the presence of any Member voting in the affirmative? SENATOR McCARTER: Senator Hutchinson.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Hutchinson. Senator Hutchinson. Strike from the record. Senator McCarter, do you question the presence of any other Member voting in the affirmative? SENATOR McCARTER: Senator Harris, please.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Harris. Senator Harris. Strike from the record. On a verified roll call, the Ayes are 29, Nays are -- add Senator Hutchinson back to the roll. Senator McCarter, do you seek to question the presence of any other Member voting in the affirmative? 21 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 41st Legislative Day 5/14/2015 SENATOR McCARTER: Senator Muñoz.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Muñoz. Senator Muñoz. Strike from the record. Senator McCarter, do you… SENATOR McCARTER: I don't -- I don't question any other's attendance. Thank you.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) On a verified roll call, the Ayes are 29, Nays are 13, 1 voting Present. Senate Bill 33, having not received the required constitutional majority, is declared failed. Senator Hastings, for what purpose do you rise?
Mr. President, I move to postpone consideration.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Put on the Order of Postponed Consideration Senate Bill 33. …the Order of Senate Bills 3rd Reading is Senate Bill 155. Senator Haine. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
Senate Bill 155. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Haine, on your bill.
Thank you very much, Mr. President and Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate. Senate Bill 155 provides that when a U.S. savings bond is remained unclaimed and unredeemed for five years after its 22 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 41st Legislative Day 5/14/2015 date and held in the name of a…
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Excuse me a second, Senator Haine. Can we please keep the noise down? These are final action. It's 3rd Reading. Please keep the noise down on the Floor. Senator Haine.
Thank you, Mr. President. These are bonds in the name of citizens of Illinois. If they've been abandoned five years after their date of maturity, all property rights, title, ownership shall vest solely in the State. Before title passes to the State, the owner will receive due process notification of the escheat proceeding, so that the State may undertake specific efforts to notify registered owners, co-owners, and beneficiaries. A person can file a claim that he or she is entitled to the bond once the State commences a civil action claiming the U.S. savings bond, which is now in the hands of the U.S. Treasury, or after the bond escheats to the State. A person can still recover by filing a claim with the Illinois State Treasurer. Eleven states have passed these. There's apparently millions lying in -- in Washington unclaimed. The following states - Kansas, South Dakota, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi, Iowa, North Carolina, Arkansas, Georgia, and Indiana - have all passed similar legislation and thirteen other states have -- have their -- similar legislation pending. And I would ask for an Aye vote. And I appreciate the questions yesterday.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Is there any discussion? Is there any discussion? Seeing none, the question is, shall Senate Bill 155 pass. All those in favor will vote Aye. Opposed, Nay. The voting is open. Have all 23 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 41st Legislative Day 5/14/2015 voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Take the record. On that question, there are 52 Ayes, no Nays, none voting Present. Senate Bill 155, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. Now we'll go to page 12, Senate Bill 920. Senator Barickman. Senator Barickman seeks leave of the Body to return Senate Bill 920 to the Order of 2nd Reading. Leave is granted. Now on the Order of 2nd Reading is Senate Bill 920. Are there any amendments approved for consideration?
Floor Amendment No. 1, offered by Senator Barickman.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Barickman, on your amendment.
Mr. President, I'll explain the amendment on 3rd. I'd ask for adoption of the amendment.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Is there any discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor will say Aye. Opposed, Nay. The Ayes have it. The amendment is adopted. Are there any further Floor amendments approved for consideration?
No further amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) 3rd Reading. Now on the Order of 3rd Reading is Senate Bill 920. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
Senate Bill 920. (Secretary reads title of bill) 24 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 41st Legislative Day 5/14/2015 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Barickman, on your bill.
Thank you. Thank you, Mr. President. Senate Bill 920 clarifies that counties and municipalities have the authority to regulate wind farms. I would ask for an Aye vote.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Is there any discussion? Is there any discussion? Seeing none, the question is, shall Senate Bill 920 pass. 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 50 Ayes, no Nays, none voting Present. Senate Bill 920, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. With leave of the Body, we'll go back to House Bills 3rd Reading. House Bill 220. Senator Sullivan seeks leave of the Body to return House Bill 220 to the Order of 2nd Reading. Seeing no objection, leave is granted. Now on the 2nd -- on the Order of 2nd Reading, Mr. Secretary, are there any Floor amendments approved for consideration?
Floor Amendment No. 3, offered by Senator Sullivan.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Sullivan, on your amendment.
Thank -- thank you, Mr. President. I'd like to discuss the amendment on 3rd and ask for its adoption.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) 25 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 41st Legislative Day 5/14/2015 Is there any discussion on the amendment? Seeing none, all those in favor will say Aye. Opposed, Nay. The Ayes have it. The amendment is adopted. Are there any further Floor amendments approved for consideration?
No further amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) 3rd Reading. Now on the Order of 3rd Reading is House Bill 220. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 220. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Sullivan, on your bill.
Thank you, Mr. President, Members of the Senate. The legislation does two things. The first part of the bill allows the board of trustees of a fire protection district, by referendum, to raise the current special tax from a nickel to ten cents of the taxable property within the -- the district. The second part, and the amendment that we just adopted, comes to a -- speaks to an issue that has arisen in my district. Last April, Adams County, during the election in April, the Adams County voters passed, by a two to one margin at sixty -- between sixty-seven/sixty-eight percent vote, a quarter of a cent sales tax increase and that money was to be used to build a new jail in the county, something that the county's been working on for a long -- a long time. Last Friday, they were informed -- they got a letter from the Department 26 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 41st Legislative Day 5/14/2015 of Revenue that said basically that there was some language that was omitted from the question on the ballot and that they -- the county, Adams County, would be unable to -- or the Department of Revenue would be unable to assist with the collection of that tax. So that's what's brought us here to this point. The language that was omitted stated the -- it was the part that says that the tax increase -- what it would cost to the average person and -- and what that should have said is that the tax increase -- the sales tax increase would have resulted in a person paying an additional quarter, twenty-five cents, for every hundred dollars of tangible goods. So that's what my legislation attempts to address here today. Just to be clear, what the language says is that Adams County may impose a public safety retailers' occupation tax and service occupation tax at the rate of a -- twenty-five {sic} (.25) percent, as provided in the referendum approved by the voters last April, notwithstanding the omission of the additional information on the ballot. Yesterday in committee, the sheriff of Adams County testified they had done -- spoken to forty different groups around the county, telling them about the tax - that's why they got such great support in the county - and told the -- told the voters what the impact would be. And I ask for its Aye vote and would certainly be happy to answer any questions.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Could we please keep the noise down on the Floor? People cannot hear what's going on. Senator Righter, for what purpose do you rise?
Will the sponsor yield, please, Mr. President?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) 27 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 41st Legislative Day 5/14/2015 Indicates he will.
And thank you for trying to quiet down the Chamber. Unlike, I suspect, Senator Raoul, I was actually having trouble hearing what was being said. Senator Sullivan, can you outline again -- I mean, you laid out the bill in detail. Can you talk to me in a little more conversational style, like you did yesterday when we were here on the Senate Floor, about what's happened here?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Sullivan.
Yeah, absolutely. When the -- when the county -- when the State's Attorney drafted the language -- shh, please - please. Thank you. When the county -- when the State's Attorney in Adams County drafted the language, he took the language from a particular Section in the Act and it was actually the wrong Section. And what -- when the Department of Revenue notified him that it was the wrong Section -- what should have been included in the question on the ballot was that this tax -- what the result or what the effect would be to the average voter and in essence that if you spent a hundred dollars that this tax would -- that this additional tax would amount to twenty-five cents. So that language was omitted inadvertently by the county. They just simply missed it. And so that's what we're trying to fix here today.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Righter.
Senator, in your conversations with officials from Adams County, is -- is there any question in your mind that this was 28 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 41st Legislative Day 5/14/2015 unintentional to leave it off the ballot?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Sullivan. And please let's keep the noise down. This is final action.
Thank you, Mr. President. Senator Righter, thank you for the question. There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that this was inadvertent. I've talked to the State's Attorney myself. Matter of fact, he called last Friday when he received the -- letter from the Department of Revenue, quite -- quite frankly, in a panic, because it was a shock to him and they simply read the wrong Section of the -- of the Act. And I want to -- stress again, Senator Righter, and I do appreciate the conversations that we've had prior to this discussion, but -- and I talked to the county board chairman. I've talked to State's Attorney. I've talked to the sheriff. They did forty public meetings around Quincy and Adams County, telling the voters what this was -- money was going to be used for, what the impact would be to them. There was no attempt to hide or deceive anybody.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Righter.
Senator, you -- you helped me transition into my next area of inquiry, and that is, in whatever terms that you feel appropriate, give the Chamber an idea of your confidence level with regards to whether or not the voters understood what they were voting on, based on, not just the ballot language, obviously, but the public meetings to which you've referred, other advertisements, and whatever else might be relevant. 29 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 41st Legislative Day 5/14/2015
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Sullivan.
Thank you. So, as I mentioned earlier, the Adams County Sheriff Brent Fischer, yesterday, said that they -- that he and the county board members and other individuals in the community went to forty different public meetings to tell the voters about what the purpose of the tax was, that it was going to be used for the construction of a new jail, and exactly what it was -- what that impact was going to be to the average individual. Again, what that is, is for every hundred dollars that's spent, that it would cost them twenty-five cents and they made that point. They stressed it over and over again. They also did it in newspaper ads. They also did it in letters to the editor. Every opportunity that they had to present that information, they certainly disclosed that information as well.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Righter.
To the bill very briefly, if I might, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) To the bill.
First of all, I do -- I do want to thank Senator Sullivan. This is not an easy thing to do and I am quite certain that his constituents in Adams County are horrified with embarrassment that they had to come to him and ask him to do this. But, again, thanks to the sponsor for being, quite frankly, just brutally honest with everyone about what happened and what the necessary remedy is. 30 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 41st Legislative Day 5/14/2015 Everyone's got to vote their conscience here on what they think is the right thing to do and what kind of precedent could be set. I personally plan on supporting the legislation because this is such a highly unusual situation. Thank you, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Harmon, for what purpose do you rise?
To the bill, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) To the bill.
Just to clarify for Members who may be uneasy following the last speaker, this is a tax validation measure. We don't do them routinely, but we do them and have done them before. I've passed them. Other Members, Democrats and Republicans, have addressed this sort of issue. It is not common, but it is certainly not precedent setting. That precedent was set long ago. I urge your Aye votes.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Is there any further discussion? Senator Sullivan, to close.
Yes, thank you. I -- I appreciate the -- the comments of my colleagues here. I thank you for the questions that were generated. Again, there was no -- none whatsoever, any effort to deceive anybody. It was simply a mistake. We're trying to correct that here today and I certainly ask for your Aye vote.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) The question is, shall House Bill 220 pass. All those in favor will vote Aye. Opposed, Nay. The voting is open. Have all 31 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 41st Legislative Day 5/14/2015 voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Take the record. On that question, there are 40 Ayes, 3 Nays, none voting Present. Senate {sic} Bill 220, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. House Bill 226. Senator McCarter. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 226. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator McCarter, on your bill. SENATOR McCARTER: Thank you, Ladies and Gentlemen. This was a -- the Sandoval Community School District 501 passed a referendum approving two million dollars in bonds. They have no plans of actually going forward with this because they're -- they're going to require more money from the State, which we know is probably not forthcoming anytime soon. But they -- they did make a mistake by going beyond their debt ceiling and they've asked that if, in the -- in the future, they are able to obtain more funds for a new school, they could use this bond to help with that. Thank you.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Is there any discussion on the bill? Any discussion? Seeing none, the question is -- question is, shall House Bill 226 pass. 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 32 Ayes, 1 Nay, 11 voting Present. House Bill 226, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. Senator 32 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 41st Legislative Day 5/14/2015 Raoul, for what purpose do you rise?
I would ask for a verification of the last roll call.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Righter, for what purpose do you rise?
You know, Mr. President, there was a lot of noise in the Chamber when the previous speaker made his motion. I wonder if you could kindly ask him to slow down a little bit and repeat the motion, please, for those of us who didn't quite hear it this time. Thank you, Mr. President. You're a gem. Thank you.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Well, I'm not going to scold him, but would you repeat your message, Senator Raoul?
Verification.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Raoul requests a verification. Would all Members please be in their seat? Mr. Secretary, will you read the affirmative votes?
Althoff, Anderson, Barickman, Biss, Bivins, Brady, Cunningham, Duffy, Forby, Haine, Jones, Koehler, LaHood, Landek, Link, Luechtefeld, McCann, McCarter, McConnaughay, McGuire, Mulroe, Murphy, Noland, Nybo, Radogno, Rezin, Righter, Rose, Sullivan, Syverson, Trotter, President Cullerton.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Raoul, do you -- do you question the presence of anyone voting in the affirmative? 33 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 41st Legislative Day 5/14/2015
Yes, I question the presence of Mulroe, Trotter, Biss, Cunningham, and Jones.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) One at a time, please.
I don't see Senator Mulroe anywhere in the Chamber.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Mulroe. Senator Mulroe. Strike from the record. Does Senator Raoul question the presence of any other person voting in the affirmative?
I did see Senator Trotter earlier, since he's my roommate, but do not see him in the Chamber. Senator Trotter.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Trotter. Senator Trotter. Strike from the record. Does Senator Raoul question any other person who voted in the affirmative?
Senator Biss.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Biss. Senator Biss is sitting in a chair right here. Senator Raoul, do you question any presence of any other Member voting in the affirmative?
Senator Cunningham.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Cunningham. Senator Cunningham. Strike from the record. Senator Raoul, do you request -- do you seek the presence 34 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 41st Legislative Day 5/14/2015 of any other Member that voted in the affirmative?
Senator Jones.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Jones. Senator Jones. Strike from the record. Senator Raoul, do you question any other person voting in the affirmative?
No, I see everybody else here.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) With a -- on a verified roll call, there are 28 Ayes, 1 Nay, 11 voting Present. House Bill 226, not having received the required constitutional majority, is declared failed. Senator McCarter, for what purpose do you rise? SENATOR McCARTER: Mr. President, I ask that House Bill 226 be put on Postponed Consideration. Thank you.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) House Bill 226 will be put on Postponed Consideration. Kelsey Gibb {sic} (Gibbs) of WCIA seeks permission to video-record. Seeing no objection, permission is granted. Mahreon Johnson, WLS- TV Chicago, seeks permission to record Session. Seeing no objection, permission granted. With leave of the Body, we'll go back to House Bill 218. Senator Noland. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 218. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill. 35 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 41st Legislative Day 5/14/2015
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Noland, on your bill.
Thank you, Mr. President. As I'm fully aware that this bill is likely to illicit great debate and some questions, I will go ahead and read the essential elements of the bill and then, of course, entertain any questions folks may have. House Bill 218 reduces the penalties for possession of small amounts of cannabis and cannabis paraphernalia. Possession of fifteen grams or less of cannabis would be a civil penalty, punishable with a fine of not more than a hundred and twenty-five dollars. That would be a State fine of a hundred and twenty-five dollars. It also reduces criminal penalties for possession of cannabis in the amounts of less than one hundred grams. Beginning a hundred and eighty days after the effective date of the Act, any citation or court records issued for possession of less than fifteen grams -- grams of cannabis or paraphernalia associated with fifteen grams or less of cannabis shall automatically be expunged by the issuing law enforcement agency or clerk of the circuit court on or before January 1st or July 1st of each year. House Bill 218 also makes other changes as well to the cannabis enforcement or substance enforcement Act or controlled substance enforcement Act here in the State of Illinois. It establishes a threshold level of fifteen nanograms of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, otherwise known as THC, to establish cannabis intoxication while driving. This is similar to the .08 blood alcohol level currently enforced in the State of Illinois for determining alcohol impairment. It also allows for saliva testing for drug and alcohol intoxication in addition to the already permitted blood and urine tests. HB 218 also makes 36 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 41st Legislative Day 5/14/2015 using, possessing, or transferring a butane gas container for the purpose of manufacturing a cannabis-based product a Class 2 felony. HB 218 does not - I want to repeat - does not prohibit any unit of local government from imposing fines and costs greater than those permitted by this Act. With that, Mr. President, I will ask -- or I will entertain any questions, as I said.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Is there any discussion? Senator Murphy, for what purpose do you rise?
To the bill, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) To the bill.
I -- I think it's really important -- you know, it's a getaway day. Everybody's kind of maybe not altogether here mentally. This is -- this is a really important bill and it goes from here to the Governor's desk, so I -- I -- I really think this warrants some serious consideration. A couple of the things -- there are some issues with this bill that -- that didn't really get addressed in -- in the -- in the sponsor's presentation. The amount -- the amount of the substance you can have in your blood while driving, under this bill, is well beyond the equivalent of the .08 blood alcohol level. So what you're voting for, if you vote for this bill in its current form, is allowing drivers to be more intoxicated on the road under the influence of marijuana than alcohol. If you're okay with people being more impaired by marijuana and still legally driving than they can be with alcohol, then vote for this bill. Another thing you're voting for here, 37 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 41st Legislative Day 5/14/2015 right now, many of us, sometimes lamentably, have to sit in the car with our kids for fifty hours while they get their -- their - - their -- their permit hours driving, you can't be legally drunk when you do that. But under this bill, you can be stoned to the bejesus without any limit, sitting in the front seat as the responsible adult, teaching your fifteen-year-old how to drive, and there's absolutely no penalty whatsoever. If you're okay with that, vote for this bill. One other thing, there's no limit to how many times you can get caught. At a certain point - if you're getting ticketed, stopped, arrested by the police for having a controlled substance that's illegal - at some point, this is an indication to rational people in good health that you have a problem. Our system is set up to provide drug courts and the opportunity to come in contact with professionals to see if we can get you help. That doesn't exist in this bill. You can get ticketed over and over and over again and manifest a real problem in your life and at no point is there ever going to be any intervention - in stark contrast, frankly, to how we inject ourselves into -- into people's lives in other areas. Look, there are some things that are good about this concept in my opinion: saving twenty-nine million dollars in DOC costs, great; keeping low -- low level drug offenders out of jail. I think that's reasonable. This is a fixable bill. But having people intoxicated driving and being in the car as the responsible adult with their child is not right. This is fixable. We have plenty of time. We can amend this with some reasonable safety -- safeguards and send it back to the House and do the job right. This bill is not safe for Illinois and it ought to be rejected until it's fixed. I urge a No vote. 38 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 41st Legislative Day 5/14/2015
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Noland, for what purpose do you rise?
Mr. President, I'd gladly continue with any questions folks have. I thought that he was going to ask a question. My mannerisms towards the President and towards the Chair were such that I thought we would need an opportunity to -- to respond, evidently I don't. If there are other questions, I'm happy to take them.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Righter, for what purpose do you rise?
Will the sponsor yield, please, Mr. President?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Indicates he will.
Thank you. Senator Noland, as the bill is drafted, is it accurate that there is no escalator in the bill with regards to individuals having less than fifteen grams of cannabis or being in possession of that amount of cannabis in the bill? In other words, does the fine go up? Are there any other ramifications if someone is caught a second or third or fourth time?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Noland.
Thank you, Mr. President. To properly answer your question, Senator, the answer is no; however, there is no limit and there's no prohibition on local jurisdictions imposing perhaps their own, leading up to at least a State cap of a hundred and twenty-five- dollar fine. But there are other fines and costs that can be 39 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 41st Legislative Day 5/14/2015 imposed by local jurisdictions.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Righter.
Now, Senator, you and I have both supported legislation that would up the escalator -- the penalty for second or subsequent offenses on speeding, possession of tobacco by someone under age, use of a nicotine delivery system that we voted on just a week or two ago here in the Senate. All of those provisions in State law have an escalator. Why are those offenses appropriate for an escalator and this one not?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Noland.
Thank you, Mr. President, and thank you, Senator, for that - - that question. Because you're -- Senator, at this point, it is the trend, not only in this State, but in other states, that the social policy implications here are such that, while we sanction the use of tobacco for very young people, as rightly we should, or sanction perhaps the repeated use of a vehicle -- or driving of a vehicle while intoxicated is something also from a social -- policy standpoint that should be sanctioned and prohibited, at this point, we are becoming more -- we are recognizing more readily the fact that uses of small amounts of cannabis, when not operating a vehicle or not engaging in some of these other activities that you may be alluding to, from a social policy standpoint, is not necessarily something that we need sanction quite so -- so heavily.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Righter. 40 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 41st Legislative Day 5/14/2015
To the bill, if I might, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) To the bill.
Thank you. Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate, I think the sponsor in that last answer used a word that is very, very important to this entire discussion, and that is the word "trend". There are trends in public policy on all fronts almost every year or at least every several years. There was a trend once in the United States that in order to properly deal with the drug problem in the United States, just say no. There was a trend in this country at one point with regards to the drug problem to just up the penalties, make the fines higher, stick 'em in jail longer, stick 'em in prison longer. That was a trend. And we discovered on both of those that, yeah, it may have been a trend and may have been fashionable at the time, it turned out to be the wrong thing to do. This bill fits in that category. Ladies and Gentlemen, I know it's not true in every part of the State, but in some parts of the State, including my part of the State and other areas downstate, State's Attorneys use the Class A misdemeanor, that is this -- this offense now, to bring people into the courtroom who otherwise are not going to seek treatment. They'll never see an evaluator. They'll never be asked a question by someone about a drug problem or an alcohol problem or a mental health problem. They're not going to seek that counseling. Everyone in this room knows people who have gotten treatment, not because they walked into a treatment facility and said "I need treatment", it was because someone told them they had to do it, whether it was a 41 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 41st Legislative Day 5/14/2015 friend or a spouse or sometimes a judge. Those people will not be in front of those evaluators if this bill becomes law. The people who are now being arrested for less than half an ounce, almost none of whom are walking away with any conviction, are being evaluated. They are the ones who are working their ways into our drug courts. Those folks now, if this becomes law, will simply have to come up with the fifty-five to a hundred and twenty-five- dollar fine and pay it just like a traffic ticket. No professional will see them. No professional will see them to see if they have a mental health issue or an alcohol issue or a drug issue. We talk about the virtues of treatment in this building nonstop and now you're going to take a group of people who are getting that kind of treatment and say, you know what, just pay the fine. And we're going to expunge their records every six months, so there's no record that those people might have a problem. And there's no escalator, so even if it's their second or third or fourth time through, there's still no requirement that they seek treatment, nothing at all with regards to that. We get trends and there is a trend right now to fashion sentences in a way that is more responsive to defendants' needs, and I agree with that. I sponsored a bill on that. But that's not what this is. This isn't looking for more creative out-of-the-box ways to treat people who have problems. This is walking away from those people. So you add that to what Senator Murphy told us, that this bill will abandon the State's zero tolerance policy with regards to intoxication for people who are supposed to be supervising student drivers, and now it's going to be okay to smoke a couple joints before you get in the car with the fifteen-year-old who's learning how to drive. Wow! There are trends and then there are trends. 42 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 41st Legislative Day 5/14/2015 And this is a dangerous trend. I would urge a No vote. Thank you, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Haine, for what purpose do you rise?
To the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) To the bill.
A number of observations. In all my years as State's Attorney, I can't recall a single instance where someone referred themselves to treatment as a result of a misdemeanor charge, which was -- which was fineable in almost all cases and subject to being erased from the record with a 1410 or whatever the order is under the statute. Drug court - we established the first drug court in the State in Madison County in 1996. I don't recall a single instance of someone referring themselves to a drug court as a result of a misdemeanant offense. So I don't see the rationale in that at all. The -- the gist of the bill is to avoid the criminalization of young people, mainly, on misdemeanor amounts of marijuana. That's what it is. The -- the educational aspect of this is important to teach people the dangers of marijuana, which I agree with. It should be something restricted, reduced to a medical use, and that's it, but criminalizing large portions of the youthful population on theories that they're going to voluntarily seek treatment as a result of a misdemeanor arrest in which they're thrown into a misdemeanor docket with who knows what else and they're plea bargained every day, mainly for fines, is simply fantasyland. Now, as to the -- the bill has -- irrespective 43 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 41st Legislative Day 5/14/2015 what one may think, well, we -- we don't want to give up this wall that we've erected over the years, however inefficient the wall has been to prevent drug abuse, the wall we've created with the quote, "War on Drugs", simply hasn't worked sufficiently and that's why the people of Illinois through the General -- the General Assembly, State's Attorneys, judges, have gone to diversionary programs. They've gone to other methods. But blind enforcement of criminal penalties has not seemed to work for those who take up things like marijuana. So there has to be another approach. Now this bill offers a way to avoid the destruction of one's record, college scholarships, standing in the community, a number of other factors, wasted police resources, prosecutorial resources, with an alternative. The -- the part of the bill which is most important to me, while admitting the value of what I just said about the Section of the bill that Senator Noland described, but the part involving DUIs is precedent-setting and it's a reason to vote for the bill. Colorado has, as was referred to by a previous speaker, a five nanogram, whatever that is, test for THC. There is little scientific basis for that. And -- and this bill has fifteen. There isn't much scientific basis for that. All this is going to be subject to litigation. But what this bill does is start us down the road to establish a test which is similar to .08 - an objective test to show presumption. I don't think this bill is adequate to do that because we don't have the scientific proof, but this bill gets it into the public sphere. It gets it into the discussion stage. It gets the State's Attorneys a weapon to have presumption as for impaired driving with marijuana, which does not exist now. Now we have an ancient faulty system of a trace of marijuana, a trace, which could -- can last thirty days, being 44 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 41st Legislative Day 5/14/2015 presumptive of DUI. That is simply not going to stand the -- the -- the test of a court challenge. This bill is worth it to support just because, for the first time, we have this standard. And one may say, "Well, this is three times Colorado." It's -- it's just as ineffectual without supporting science as Colorado's. The National Traffic Safety Institute is studying this now, and in the coming months, we're going to have some evidence to find .08. Again, Illinois established these presumptions intermittently overtime. .08 was the last of three efforts to find a scientific basis for a presumption. And my last point is, this is only a presumption. The State's Attorney can still show actual impairment based upon all other drugs in the system, including alcohol, and including driving. So I would strongly encourage everyone to vote Aye on this bill. It's supported by the Illinois State's Attorneys Association precisely because it takes us down the road of a rational, judicially-based enforcement system, based upon facts and science, rather than speculation and groundless fears. Thank you, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Noland, for what purpose do you rise?
Thank you. Thank you, Mr. President, and thank you, Senator Haine, for that very informative and erudite coverage of the bill. Unfortunately, there are some people here that I'd like to also weigh in and to speak to this bill who -- as I say, unfortunately not present here today. So what we're going to do is we're going offer the Body an opportunity to sleep on this for the moment and I would like to pull it from the record and call it again another day. Thank you, Mr. President. 45 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 41st Legislative Day 5/14/2015
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Out of the record. We will now go to House Bill -- Senator Rose, for what purpose do you rise?
Point of personal -- or, I'm sorry, point of parliamentary inquiry, if I may. Mr. President…
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Wait. What -- what point do you have…?
Parliamentary inquiry.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) State your point.
Was that on unlimited debate when it was called just now? It was, I believe. The timer was not on?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Yeah, this is the Senate. Okay? All right. I just wanted to inform you it's the Senate, not the House anymore. Senator Rose.
Yes, thank you, Mr. Speaker. The -- the light was not on. My point is this, when the bill comes back up, should it come back up, I think we should be allowed - those of us who are punched in - should be allowed to go ahead and debate the bill without having the light on.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) There was no timer on, Representative. We won't do it. We'll not have -- no. We'll put the timer on next time. Senator -- oh, okay. Senator Hunter, for what purpose do you rise? 46 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 41st Legislative Day 5/14/2015
Point of personal privilege, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) State your point.
One of my elementary schools - actually, it's the same elementary school that I had the pleasure of attending as a youth - Beethoven Elementary is here, and this year they're -- they're here participating in the Black Caucus Civic Engagement Day today. And I'd like to welcome them to the Senate. They're behind me.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Welcome to the Senate. Senator Hutchinson, for what purpose do you rise?
Point of personal privilege, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) State your point.
I don't know that we -- we were so busy last week and so I wanted to make sure that I -- as a woman on the Floor, especially after we had our COWL performances last night, really hope that everyone in here had a wonderful, wonderful Mother's Day last Sunday. We didn't really get to say that on the Floor. That was also State Senator Kimberly Lightford's birthday on Sunday, so we also didn't get to wish her a very happy birthday from -- on Mother's Day. Her birthday was that day, so if we could wish her a happy birthday, 'cause she's probably still celebrating. And one more, Senator Emil Jones, his birthday will be on Saturday, May 16th. And so we want to say, on getaway day, happy birthday 47 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 41st Legislative Day 5/14/2015 to Emil Jones on his 22nd birthday. Yeah.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Happy 29th to Senator Lightford and happy 60th to Senator Jones. Senator Bennett, for what purpose do you rise?
For an introduction.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) State your introduction.
Thank you. I wanted to welcome some students we have here from Champaign-Urbana. In the visitors' gallery on the right side, we have some students from the Franklin Middle School. And if you'll please give them a warm Senate welcome.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Our guests in the galleries please stand, and welcome to Springfield. Senator Harris, for what purpose do you rise?
Point of an introduction.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) I guess it's your fan club. Do your introduction, Senator Harris.
Today I have with me an elementary school from my district, Aldridge Elementary. They're here today with us for Youth Civic Engagement Day, and would like for you -- the Senate to give 'em a warm welcome.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Welcome to Springfield. Senator Lightford, for what purpose do you rise? 48 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 41st Legislative Day 5/14/2015
For the point of an announcement, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) State your announcement.
Mr. President and Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate, today was the first Illinois Legislative Black Caucus Civic Engagement Youth Day. There were over six hundred students here in the State Capitol from Chicago, Hopkins Park, Harvey, Peoria, Urbana, Champaign, Park Forest, East St. Louis, Kankakee, and Rockford, a vast area of the entire State, to talk about concerns that they had in their community and be involved in civic engagement. I just want you guys to know that these fine students talked about school funding, food deserts, economic development and job opportunities, the arts, racism, Black Lives Matter, police brutality, voter turnout, and proper funding for park districts across the State. I would love if we would be so kind as to welcome all of the students here who came from all around the State to join in in the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus first Civic Engagement Youth Day.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Welcome to Springfield. Senator Trotter, for what purpose do you rise?
Thank you very much, Mr. President. A point of introduction.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) State your introduction.
Thank you very much. Just as an addendum to what Leader 49 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 41st Legislative Day 5/14/2015 Lightford has shared with us about all these great youth coming down, also recognize the parents also who are engaged in their lives and -- and some of the people from the community. We have members here from the Illinois Alumni Association, from the Masonic Order of Eureka No. 64, who's also involved in engaging our youth and ensuring that they're on the right path to success. And I would like to acknowledge them as well.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Welcome to Springfield and thank you for being involved. With leave of the Body, we'll go to page 20, House Bill 3599. Senator Koehler. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 3599. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Koehler, on your bill.
Thank you, Mr. President, Members of the Senate. And -- and thank you for being able to take this bill right now. I have with me Representative Dave Leitch from Peoria, who is really the person that initiated this bill. What this does is it creates an Act known as the Student Optional Disclosure of Private Mental Health Act and it requires that higher education institutions furnish newly enrolled students the chance to authorize in writing the disclosure of certain private mental health information to a designated person, and this could be done at the time when the student enters college. But let me tell you this story and -- and -- and the reason this is so important is because there's a family 50 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 41st Legislative Day 5/14/2015 in my district that had a tragedy recently and they've -- they've chosen to come forward and to try to help other families. But I want to point out that their initial contact was with Representative Dave Leitch, who, in our area and -- and, really, throughout the State, has been a champion of mental health issues, and so much so that he meets on a -- on a weekly basis with all of our mental health providers in the Peoria area. And I just want to say thank you publicly to him because of what he has done to lead the charge in terms of mental health issues. And that's very important for our community. He's -- he's been a -- a -- a trusted colleague and -- and really a mentor to me in this area and, sir, I thank you for that. Let me tell you the story. Let's give him a hand. The story is this, that there's a family from the Bartonville area, which is in my district, and they took their son to college, like most families do, and what a -- what a joyful time that is. In less than three months, they got a call that their son had committed suicide. Now, what a devastating occurrence to happen to any family. When they talked to the school about why it was that they were not contacted about knowing that anything was going on with their son, they were told that this is private information. They couldn't disclose this. It -- it tears your heart out, because what parents wouldn't go to the end of the world to help their child? And so they -- they chose through their grief and through their pain to do something that would help other families in this situation. And so this bill is good because what it does is it really says that schools have to provide a -- an exemption form to students so that the student and their parents would have that conversation before a crisis occurs. And that exemption would be for the information to be able to be released 51 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 41st Legislative Day 5/14/2015 to the family or to whoever is on that form. This is a -- a bill that's important because it will save lives. And I -- I'm happy to answer any questions, but I would ask you all to -- to vote Yes in moving this important legislation forward.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Is there any discussion? Is there any discussion? The question is, shall House Bill 3599 pass. 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 54 Ayes, no Nays, none voting Present. House Bill 3599, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. Senator Koehler, for what purpose do you rise?
I would like to introduce to the Senate that family that I talked about. It's Mike and Kim Predmore from Bartonville. They're in the President's Gallery.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) House Bill 227. Senator Morrison. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 227. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Morrison, on your bill.
Thank you, Mr. President. This House bill exempts non- residents participating in non-powered watercraft paddling events 52 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 41st Legislative Day 5/14/2015 or races from the six-dollar water usage stamp. I know of no opposition.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Is there any discussion? Is there any discussion? Seeing none, the question is, shall House Bill 227 pass. 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 52 Ayes, no Nays, none voting Present. House Bill 227, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. House Bill 235. Senator Tom Cullerton. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 235. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Cullerton, on your bill.
House Bill -- thank you, Mr. President. House Bill 235 amends the Insurance Code, requiring health insurance coverage for anesthesia provided in conjunction with dental care for individuals under the age of twenty-six {sic} (nineteen) who've either been diagnosed with autism or the developmentally -- or a developmental disability. House bill was amended, so it will have to go to the House, but this is an agreed -- an agreement between the sponsors, the insurers, and the dentists. And I'd like to thank the Chairman of the Insurance Committee, Senator Haine, for his guidance on this.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) 53 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 41st Legislative Day 5/14/2015 Is there any discussion? Is there any discussion? Seeing none, the question is, shall House Bill 235 pass. All those in favor, vote Aye. Opposed, Nay. The voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Take the record. On that question, there are 53 Ayes, no Nays, none voting Present. House Bill 235, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. House Bill 246. Senator Koehler. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 246. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Koehler, on your bill.
Thank you, Mr. President, Members of the Senate. This bill would designate every December 23rd of each year as Scott's Law Day, to be observed throughout the State as a day to honor public safety workers and to remind motorists to slow down, change lanes away from stationary authorized emergency vehicles, and proceed with due regard to safety and traffic conditions. We do this often on a yearly basis. This would make it permanent to -- to observe this day every December 23rd. I'd ask you for your support.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Is there any discussion? There any discussion? Seeing none, the question is, shall House Bill 246 pass. 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 53 Ayes, no Nays, none 54 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 41st Legislative Day 5/14/2015 voting Present. House Bill 246, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. House Bill 299. Senator Althoff. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 299. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Althoff, on your bill.
Thank you, Mr. President. The bill amends the Counties Code and it removes an inconsistency in the statute with respect to court security officers employed by the sheriff's department. It removes a provision subjecting the court security to the Sheriff's Merit Commission. Several counties actually hire their security officers instead of utilizing deputies and this clarifies that inconsistency. And this is specifically for both Lake and McHenry counties.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Is there any discussion? Is there any discussion? Seeing none, the question is, shall House Bill 299 pass. 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 53 Ayes, no Nays, none voting Present. House Bill 299, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. House Bill 330. Senator Haine. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 330. 55 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 41st Legislative Day 5/14/2015 (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Haine, on your bill.
Thank you, Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate. This creates the Recyclable Metal Theft Task Force within the office of our distinguished Secretary of State. The task force will collaborate to combine -- to -- to combat the rising problem of recyclable metal theft and will help regional task forces in the State do the same. It consists of eighteen members - seven would be representatives of the State and eleven members of the public as to be appointed by the -- the Governor with a recommendation from the General Assembly {sic}. It's strongly supported by the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Is there any discussion? Is there any discussion? Seeing none, the question is, shall House Bill 330 pass. All those in favor, 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 54 Ayes, no Nays, none voting Present. House Bill 330, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. House Bill 369. Senator Harris, for what purpose do you rise?
For the purpose of an announcement.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) State your announcement.
56 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 41st Legislative Day 5/14/2015 Today, I have some young men and women from a elementary school in my district - they're sitting in the gallery - from James Hart School in Homewood. Would like to give them a Senate welcome.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Welcome to Springfield. House Bill 369. Senator Noland. House Bill 437. Senator Althoff. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 437. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Althoff, on your bill.
Thank you very much, sir. The bill amends the Environmental Protection Act. It creates a one-day special compost event by any unit of government and it also permits collection points that can be requested and authorized through the IEPA. Be happy to answer any questions.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Is there any discussion? Is there any discussion? Seeing none, the question is, shall House Bill 437 pass. All those in favor, 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 54 Ayes, no Nays, none voting Present. House Bill 437, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. We'll go to House Bill 439. Senator Muñoz. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
57 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 41st Legislative Day 5/14/2015 House Bill 439. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Muñoz, on your bill. SENATOR MUÑOZ: Thank you, Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate. This bill requires contract carriers that transport employees to carry a minimum of five hundred thousand uninsured and underinsured motor coverage per passenger beginning January 1, 2016. The amount increases to seven hundred and fifty thousand per passenger on and after January 1, 2020. I know of no opposition to the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Is there any discussion? Is there any discussion? Seeing none, the question is, shall House Bill 439 pass. 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 51 Ayes, no Nays, none voting Present. House Bill 439, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. House Bill 1014. Senator Anderson. House Bill 1015. Senator Haine. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 1015. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Haine, on your bill.
58 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 41st Legislative Day 5/14/2015 Thank you, Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate. This is an initiative of the Chemical Industry Council and IEPA and the National Waste and Recycling Association. It merely prevents -- it eliminates the requirement to copy the IEPA with certain manifests that are due the national EPA. This doesn't take any powers away from IEPA. It just avoids bureaucratic issues.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Is there any discussion? Is there any discussion? Seeing none, the question is, shall House Bill 1015 pass. All those in favor, 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 55 Ayes, no Nays, none voting Present. House Bill 1015, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. House Bill 1051. Senator Muñoz. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 1051. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Muñoz, on your bill. SENATOR MUÑOZ: Thank you, Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate. This bill is a trailer bill to the Transportation Network Providers Act. Makes three changes to the Act. Specifies how insurance payments for claims against transportation network policies must be paid. Two, it preempts units of local government from regulating transportation network company services in a manner 59 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 41st Legislative Day 5/14/2015 that is less restrictive than the regulations provided by the State under the Act. And it repeals the Act on June 1, 2020. I know of no opposition to the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Is there any discussion? Is there any discussion? Seeing none, the question is, shall House Bill 1051 pass. All those in favor, 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 54 Ayes, no Nays, none voting Present. House Bill 1051, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. House Bill 1360. Senator Biss. Senator Biss. House Bill 1362. Senator Tom Cullerton. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 1362. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Cullerton, on your bill.
Thank you, Mr. President. House Bill 1362 passed out of committee on the Agreed Bill List. It amends the Illinois Solid Waste Management Act to mandate all State agencies responsible for the maintenance of public lands in the State to examine its procurement specifications and policies to ascertain whether including compost materials will assist in reducing stormwater runoff and expand infiltration of moisture in land maintenance. Ask for an Aye vote.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) 60 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 41st Legislative Day 5/14/2015 Is there any discussion? Is there any discussion? Seeing none, the question is, shall House Bill 1362 pass. 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 53 Ayes, no Nays, none voting Present. House Bill 1362, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. House Bill 1377. Senator Morrison. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 1377. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Morrison, on your bill.
Thank you, Mr. President. This bill is an initiative of the Secretary of State and clarifies that any individual who's required to install an ignition interlock device in their vehicle can only operate a vehicle that has that device in it and requires that a license that's reinstated, but the person is still under a BAIID requirement, their license must contain the restriction requiring the use of that device.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Is there any discussion? Is there any discussion? Seeing none, the question is, shall House Bill 1377 pass. All those in favor, vote Aye. Opposed, Nay. The voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Take the record. On that question, there are 53 Ayes, no Nays, none voting Present. House Bill 1377, having received the required 61 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 41st Legislative Day 5/14/2015 constitutional majority, is declared passed. Will the Committee on Assignments please meet in the President's Anteroom immediately? Will the Committee on Assignments please meet in the President's Anteroom immediately? (at ease) Senator Harmon, for what purpose do you rise?
Purposes of an introduction, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) State your introduction.
Thank you, Mr. President. I'm very pleased that -- that we are joined here today in the Senate by a group of distinguished young men from in and around my district on the west side. They're part of the Becoming a Man program sponsored by Youth Guidance. We have been supportive of the program for many years and I'm very proud of the work they have done. I've had the pleasure to visit them in the school setting and I'm delighted that they could be with us here today in Springfield. They're sitting in the gallery on the Republican side and I'd ask them to stand and be welcomed to the Illinois State Senate.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Welcome to Springfield. Mr. Secretary, Committee Reports.
Senator Clayborne, Chairman of the Committee on Assignments, reports the following Legislative Measures have been assigned: Refer to Agriculture Committee - Senate Resolution 330; re-refer from Executive Subcommittee on Governmental Operations to the Executive Committee - House Bill 175; re-refer from Criminal Law Subcommittee on CLEAR Compliance to Criminal Law Committee - House 62 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 41st Legislative Day 5/14/2015 Bill 3529. Signed, Senator James F. Clayborne, Chairman.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Cullerton, for what purpose do you rise?
Thank you, Mr. President. I move to waive all notice and posting requirements so that House Bill 3529 can be heard Tuesday, May 19th, at 10 a.m. in the Senate Criminal Law Committee.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Cullerton moves to waive all notices and posting requirements so that House Bill 3529 can be heard on Tuesday, May 19th, at 10 a.m. in the Senate Criminal Law Committee. All those in favor, say Aye. Opposed, Nay. The Ayes have it, and all notices and posting requirements have been waived. Senator Raoul, for what purpose do you rise?
Mr. President, I move to waive all notice/posting requirements so that House Bill 3933 can be heard Tuesday, May 19th, at 9 a.m. in the Senate Judiciary Committee.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Raoul moves to waive all notices and posting requirements so that House Bill 3933 can be heard Tuesday, May 19th, at 9 a.m. in the Senate Judiciary Committee. All those in favor, say Aye. Opposed, Nay. The Ayes have it, and -- and all notices and posting requirement are waived. House Bill 404. Senator Muñoz. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 404. (Secretary reads title of bill) 63 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 41st Legislative Day 5/14/2015 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Muñoz, on your bill. SENATOR MUÑOZ: Thank you, Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate. This bill annexes a hundred-and-forty-five-acre parcel of land located in the Village of Hoffman Estates into the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District. This is a -- this parcel is part of an overall assemblage of a hundred and eighty-six acres soon to be developed within the Village of Hoffman Estates. The balance of the forty-one acres has already been annexed into the MWRD. I know of no opposition to the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Is there any discussion? Is there any discussion? Seeing none, the question is, shall House Bill 404 pass. All those in favor, 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 49 Ayes, 3 Nays, none voting Present. House Bill 404, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. Now we will turn to page 39. Senate Resolution 527. Senator Haine. Senator Haine. Mr. Secretary, please read the resolution.
Senate Resolution 527, offered by Senator Haine.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Haine, on your resolution.
Thank you, Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate. This resolution sets aside May 14 as a special day to honor our 64 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 41st Legislative Day 5/14/2015 firefighters, our police officers, our first responders, who serve us every day, protecting our lives, rescuing us, and performing acts of courage and competence throughout Illinois. This -- this -- tomorrow begins a week set aside especially for our police officers, set aside by the late John F. Kennedy, President of the United States. And so this seems to be consistent with that. And I -- it's a day of -- just a day to congratulate our -- those citizens who are working so much on our behalf at the risk of their lives. Thank you, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Is there any discussion? Any discussion? All those in favor of the resolution will say Aye. Opposed, Nay. The Ayes have it, and the resolution is adopted. Senator Luechtefeld, for what purpose do you rise?
Thank you, Mr. President, and a point of personal privilege.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) State your point.
Before we leave today, there's a -- a group of young people from Immanuel Lutheran Grade School from -- from the town that I -- that I live in. They are impressed with the building, and I would like, if you would, to -- to give them a warm welcome. They're up here in the gallery right -- right over here. If they'd stand -- if you would please, stand. And if you'd welcome them, I'd appreciate it.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Welcome to Springfield. House Joint Resolution 5. Senator McCarter. Mr. Secretary, please read the resolution. 65 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 41st Legislative Day 5/14/2015
House Joint Resolution 5, offered by Senator McCarter.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator McCarter, on your resolution. SENATOR McCARTER: Ladies and Gentlemen, this resolution designates the section of Illinois Route 160 between the intersection of Broadway and Poplar Street in Highland, Illinois, and intersection of West 4th and West 2nd Street in Trenton as the Sergeant Gary J. Vasquez Green Beret Memorial Highway. Gary Vasquez was born in San José, California, but he later moved to Highland, Illinois, where he attended high school there. Went on to Illinois State University. In 2000, he entered the United States Army as a Cavalry Scout and then he, in 2002, completed his qualification course to enter the Special Forces and became a Green Beret. Among the many accomplishments that he did obtain were the two -- many different awards, but he obtained two Bronze Star Medals and two Army Commendation Medals. Unfortunately, he was killed in action along with two other soldiers on September 3rd, 2008, when his vehicle was hit by an enemy explosive while conducting combat reconnaissance near Yakhchal, Afghanistan. He was buried in full military honors at the Saint Joseph Cemetery in Highland. And I ask that we pass this resolution to denote this part of the highway to remember his bravery and his fight to defend our freedom. Thank you.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Is there any discussion? Any discussion? As this resolution requires expenditure of State funds for -- a roll call vote will be required. The question is, shall House Joint Resolution 5 pass. 66 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 41st Legislative Day 5/14/2015 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 51 Ayes, no Nays, none voting Present. House Joint Resolution 5, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. House Joint Resolution 6. Senator Rezin. Mr. Secretary, please read the resolution.
House Joint Resolution 6, offered by Senator Rezin.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Rezin, on your resolution.
And thank you, Mr. President. House Joint Resolution No. 6 designates the section of Illinois Route 47 over the CSX Railway in Morris between the high school {sic} (High Street) and Benton Street as the Firefighter James Allen Memorial Highway. Thank you.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Is there any discussion? Is there any discussion? As this resolution requires expenditures of State funds, a roll call vote will be required. 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 52 Ayes, no Nays, none voting Present. House Joint Resolution 6, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. Senate Joint Resolution 3. Mr. Secretary, please read the resolution.
Senate Joint Resolution 3, offered by Senator Luechtefeld. 67 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 41st Legislative Day 5/14/2015
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Luechtefeld, on your resolution.
Thank you, Mr. President, Members of the Senate. One of the earliest cultures in the United -- in the United States -- or in the Americas was the Mississippian Culture and one of the focal points of -- of their existence is the Cahokia Mounds, which sits in myself -- my -- my district and -- and Senator Clayborne's district. This particular resolution would urge Congress to elevate the -- to national status of the -- a national status of the Cahokia Mounds. Also, it would ask that the President exercise his authority by Executive Order to designate the Cahokia Mounds as a National Monument.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Is there any discussion? Is there any discussion? Seeing none, as the result of potential required expenditure by the -- State funds, a roll call vote will be required. 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 51 Ayes, no Nays, none voting Present. Senate Joint Resolution 3, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. Mr. Secretary, Resolution Consent Calendar. House Bill 3718. Senator Raoul. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 3718. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. Committee on Criminal Law adopted Amendment No. 1. 68 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 41st Legislative Day 5/14/2015
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Are there any further Floor amendments approved for consideration?
No further amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) 3rd Reading. House Bill 3932. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 3932. (Secretary reads title of bill) 2nd Reading of the bill. No committee or Floor amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) 3rd Reading. We will now proceed to the Order of Resolution Consent Calendar. With leave of the Body, all resolutions read in today will be added to the Consent Calendar. Mr. Secretary, have there been any objections filed by {sic} any resolution on the Consent Calendar?
No objections filed, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Is there any discussion? If not, the question is, shall the Resolution Consent Calendar be adopted. All those in favor will say Aye. Opposed, Nay. The Ayes have it, and the motion is -- motion carries. And the resolutions are adopted. There being no further business to come before the Senate, the Senate stands adjourned until the hour of 3 p.m. on the 18th day of May 2015. The Senate stands adjourned. 69