PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR SULLIVAN) The regular Session of the 99th General Assembly will come to order. Will all the Members please be at their desks? Will our guests in the galleries please rise? The invocation today will be given by Senator Dave Koehler, Peoria, Illinois. Senator Koehler.
(Prayer by Senator Dave Koehler)
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR SULLIVAN) Thank you, Senator Koehler. Senator -- please remain standing. Senator Cunningham, to lead us in the Pledge.
(Pledge of Allegiance, led by Senator Cunningham)
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR SULLIVAN) Mr. Secretary, Reading and Approval of the Journal.
Senate Journal of Tuesday, June 30th, 2015.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR SULLIVAN) Afternoon, Senator Hunter.
Thank you, 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 SULLIVAN) Senator Hunter moves to postpone the reading and approval of the Journal, pending arrival of the printed transcripts. There being no objection, so ordered. Mr. Secretary, Resolutions.
Senate Resolutions 721 through 723, offered by Senator McCann and all Members. 1 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 59th Legislative Day 7/1/2015 Senate Resolutions 724 through 726, offered by Senator McGuire and all Members. They are all death resolutions, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR SULLIVAN) Resolutions Consent Calendar.
Senate Resolution 720, offered by Senator Harmon. And Senate Joint Resolution 30, offered by Senator Koehler. They are both substantive.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR SULLIVAN) An individual with the Chicago Tribune requests permission to take photographs. Seeing no objection, leave is granted. Mr. Secretary, Committee Reports.
Senator Steans, Chairperson of the Committee on Appropriations I, reports Senate Amendment 1 to Senate Bill 2039 and Senate Amendment 1 to Senate Bill 2040 Recommend Do Adopt. Senator Harmon, Chairperson of the Committee on Executive, reports Senate Amendment 1 to Senate Bill 316 and Senate Amendment 2 to House Bill 372 Recommend Do Adopt.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR SULLIVAN) Mr. Secretary, have there been any motions -- have any motions been filed?
Mr. President, motions have been filed with respect to the Governor's action on the following Senate Bills: Senate Bills 2029, 2030, 2031, 2032, 2033, 2034, 2035, 2036, and 2037. All filed by President Cullerton.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR SULLIVAN) 2 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 59th Legislative Day 7/1/2015 Mr. Secretary, please print those on the Calendar. Mr. Secretary, Communications from the Secretary of State.
Letter from the Secretary of State, dated July 1st, 2015. To the Honorable President of Senate: In compliance with the provisions of the Constitution of the State of Illinois, I am forwarding herewith the enclosed Senate bill from the 99th General Assembly that is being returned by the Governor with specific recommendations for change: Senate Bill 1354. Respectfully, Jesse White, Secretary of State.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR SULLIVAN) Senator Rezin, for what purpose do you rise?
Thank you, Mr. President. Point of personal privilege.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR SULLIVAN) Please make your point, Senator Rezin.
Thank you, Mr. President. Today I have a very special guest today who's visiting me. He is up in the Chamber {sic} above me in the gray suit. My intern for the summer. Actually, he is a former graduate of Joliet Catholic Academy and a freshman currently at Bryant University in Smithfield, Rhode Island. I'd like a warm Springfield welcome for the youngest of my four, my son Zach Rezin. Thank you.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR SULLIVAN) Zach, if you'd please rise. Welcome to the Illinois Senate. Thanks for joining us today and thanks for your work. All right, Ladies and Gentlemen, we're going to turn to the Order of Senate 3 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 59th Legislative Day 7/1/2015 Bills 3rd Reading. On the Calendar, page 12 of the regular Calendar, we have Senate Bill 2040. We do have paperwork that has been filed that has turned sponsorship over to Senator Steans. Senator Steans, do you wish to proceed? Indicates that she does. Senator Steans seeks leave of the Body to return Senate Bill 2040 to the Order of 2nd Reading. Seeing no objection, leave is granted. Now on the Order of 2nd Reading is Senate Bill 2040. Mr. Secretary, are there any committee or Floor amendments approved for consideration?
Floor Amendment No. 1, offered by Senator Steans.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR SULLIVAN) Senator Steans, to present Floor Amendment 1.
Right, the amendment deletes all and becomes the bill. I'll explain it on 3rd.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR SULLIVAN) Senator Steans seeks the adoption of Floor Amendment 1. Is there any discussion on the amendment? Seeing none, all those in favor will say Aye. Opposed, Nay. The Ayes have it, and the amendment is adopted. Mr. Secretary, are there any further Floor amendments approved for consideration?
No further amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR SULLIVAN) 3rd Reading. Now on the Order of 3rd Reading is Senate Bill 2040. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
Senate Bill 2040. 4 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 59th Legislative Day 7/1/2015 (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR SULLIVAN) Senator Steans.
Yes, thank you, Mr. President, Members of the Senate…
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR SULLIVAN) Excuse me just a second, Senator Steans. Ladies and Gentlemen, shhhh, please. We are on the Order of 3rd Reading. Ladies and Gentlemen, please keep the visiting down. Take your conversations off the Floor. Senator Steans, please continue.
Yes, thank you. Today is July 1st, 2015. It is the first day of this State's fiscal year '16. I note that because today's the day we no longer have -- we don't have a budget in place for this fiscal year, as of right now. This bill that we are putting forward now will provide on a temporary basis, one month only, emergency budget to ensure that not only public safety workers, such as Department of Correction {sic} and State Police being out on the streets, but that our most vulnerable residents will not be put at risk because we have not gotten to an agreed-to budget between the Governor and the General Assembly. This budget -- I'm going to just take a little bit of time here to walk through what is actually included in this budget.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR SULLIVAN) Shhhh.
I think it's important for us to understand that.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR SULLIVAN) 5 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 59th Legislative Day 7/1/2015 Excuse me, Senator Steans, excuse -- Senator Steans, excuse -- Ladies and Gentlemen, please, please. Senator Steans, please continue.
Yes, thank you. This budget provides money in the Supreme Court to fund probation services, about eight million dollars. In the Department of {sic} (on) Aging, this budget includes dollars to take care of seniors in the Community Care Program at home. It also provides for home-delivered meals to seniors to ensure that they don't go without while we don't have a budget in place. This budget provides money to the Department of Veteran {sic} (Veterans') Affairs to keep operating the four operational veterans' homes that are in place. In the Department of Healthcare and Family Services, it provides funding for Medicaid services. You know, the State is responsible for providing Medicaid. It's an entitlement program. People actually need to get those services by providers. We have a number of -- we heard in committee this morning a number of hospitals who, without funding to pay their bills right now, particularly our critical access and our safety- net hospitals, will have a hard time making payrolls. This money provides insurance that we will be able to make Medicaid payments for the month of -- of July. In Department of Human Services, this budget makes sure that our most vulnerable residents that the State has responsibility for continue to get services. Both institutional and community-based services for mentally ill and those with developmental disabilities are funded in this budget. It also provides funding for addiction treatment services and child care and in-home services. It also ensures that the Illinois School for the Deaf and Visually Impaired remain open and that we 6 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 59th Legislative Day 7/1/2015 keep the Sexually Violent Persons Program in place so they are not at risk for not being cared for in that institution. It also provides funding for services for independent living and the WIC - Women, Infants and Children - nutritional program in the Department of Human Services. In the Department of Children and Family Services, it ensures that group homes, foster care, and child protection services are also funded for the month of July. And in the Department of Corrections, it makes sure that correctional officers, as well as health care contractual obligations and parole agents' salaries, are in place for the month of July. And the Department of Juvenile Justice's centers are also funded for the month. The Department of Military Affairs has the National Guard. We're providing funding for the National Guard and we're also providing funding for State Police troopers and conservation police. And the Illinois Emergency Management Agency, we are keeping in place the nuclear facility safety program and disaster assistance and preparedness programs for the month of July. Last, we also, in the Secretary of State, are funding Capitol Complex security. So this is very narrowly focused on ensuring that health -- life and safety issues are funded for the month of July. While we do not have a full-time budget in place, as the Governor had vetoed the budget, we're now trying to make sure that those most vulnerable in the State do not get put at harm because of this.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR SULLIVAN) Thank you. Is there any discussion? Senator Murphy, for what purpose do you rise?
To the bill, Mr. President. 7 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 59th Legislative Day 7/1/2015
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR SULLIVAN) To the bill, Senator Murphy.
We had a lengthy discussion about this in committee and, you know, there's a real concerted effort to sort of frame this as a, you know, just a bare-bones, simple kind of get us through this difficult patch Band-Aid, but in -- but in reality, as OMB Director Nuding pointed out very clearly, when you factor everything that has to be funded, when you factor the reforms that haven't taken place into account, and you add this type of spending on, this is -- all this really is, is effectively the first budget of the budget that you passed that was four billion dollars out of balance last month. So this really isn't some bare-bones approach to dealing with this -- this fiscal crisis that was created when Speaker Madigan wouldn't cooperate in any way with the Governor. This is actually a stealth attempt to try to pass month by month the budget that was four billion dollars out of balance that you passed last May. And, look, I understand that you want to spend money. I understand you want to raise taxes again to be able to pay for those programs. I get all that. But having to sit and listen in committee to everybody come in who is affected by this and realize, you know, there are consequences to the fact that Speaker Madigan will not cooperate and has chosen to zealously defend the status quo, instead of working together with us, with you - he doesn't work with you either - with the Governor to solve this problem. And you're just enabling him. I mean this is his hand you're playing. I mean, when are you guys going to stand up to Speaker Madigan? When are you going to tell him that he doesn't solely run this building? You got thirty-nine votes over there. 8 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 59th Legislative Day 7/1/2015 Stand up to him. You have the ability to help drive an end to this, but you're sitting on your hands. This budget -- this budget, one month - one month - we don't need a one-month fix. Illinois is fundamentally broken and needs substantial reform. This is not -- this is not that. This is the status quo that you tried with your tax increase last time and it didn't get Illinois going again. We need reforms to go with our budget changes, to go with our budget, but right now, you're just enabling and empowering Mike Madigan to say, my way or the highway. And it's unfortunate, 'cause I think there's more on your side of the aisle in this Chamber, there's more -- there's more dignity than that, there's more statesmanship than that, but, unfortunately, it hasn't been on display. I urge a No vote. Let's get to actually solving, in a comprehensive way, the problems of this State. And this doesn't do that.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR SULLIVAN) Senator Holmes, for what purpose do you rise?
To the -- to the bill, please.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR SULLIVAN) To the bill, Senator Holmes.
I -- I find that argument really frustrating when I hear it, because basically what we're looking to do is pass a one-month budget to protect our most vulnerable. But we're going to stand up there and play politics on the other side of the aisle and say that this is not what we're doing because we're actually doing this because we want to raise taxes. Where in any bill has there been an increase in taxes? I haven't seen that, because that's 9 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 59th Legislative Day 7/1/2015 not what we're looking to do. We sent over a series of appropriation bills because it would allow the new Governor, who might decide he wants to govern at this point, to take a pen and he could line-item veto the services that he feels are not important to the people of Illinois and he could line-item veto those services out of the budget. So if he decides he does not want to cover services for those that are developmentally disabled, if he doesn't want to cover services for those with autism, if he doesn't want to cover child care, let him take his pen and line- item those issues out of the budget. But, no, he's not chosen to do that, instead he chose to just veto all the appropriations. So now we're having people in Illinois suffer. We have people who are suffering from the anxiety of wondering if they're going to lose vital and core services. But, no, let's not worry about that. Let's continue to play politics. Let's continue to run attack ads. Let's continue to hold people hostage over things like prevailing wage or an irrational solution to our pension problems, which would not raise one cent of money, which would not ease the budget problem at all. But we're going to do that and play politics. Let's be done with that nonsense here, folks. It's time for the Governor to govern, take a look at that budget seriously, line-item the services he doesn't feel are necessary and let's come to the table and discuss those items. Let's not hold citizens of Illinois hostage over this nonsense. Let's be serious about this. And let's not stand there and say we're not going to support a one-month budget, when that would give the relief to continue these negotiations without making so many people - veterans, senior citizens, those that are developmentally or mentally disabled - suffer and lose their services while we're 10 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 59th Legislative Day 7/1/2015 playing politics. I ask for an Aye vote. It is the only responsible thing to do.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR SULLIVAN) Senator Hastings, for what purpose do you rise?
…bill, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR SULLIVAN) To the bill, Senator Hastings.
Feel compelled today to speak because I had a rally in my community last week where over a couple hundred people showed up to include those that provide services with -- to those who have mental illnesses. I just want to read a quick statistic of what happens if we don't fund those programs that serve the mentally ill. A -- a projection of about fifteen thousand people with serious mental illnesses, those with schizophrenia, those with psychosis, those that can cause harm to themselves, cause harm to others, it'll put them out of services. Not only that, but it may put 'em on the street. I can tell you that cutting -- or not voting for this, these types of services, will tell what type of person you are, that you really just don't care for those people. And I can tell you my community's up in arms over the Governor and the way he kicks the south suburbs to the curb every single time he has a chance. So I urge everybody on the other side of the aisle to vote Yes if you want to help these people. Vote Present if you're not sure. Vote No if you don't care. Thank you very much, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR SULLIVAN) Thank you. Senator Righter, for what purpose do you rise? 11 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 59th Legislative Day 7/1/2015
To the bill, if I might, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR SULLIVAN) To the bill, Senator Righter.
Thank you. One of the sayings in the business that we're all in is -- talks about when we get close to an election, we talk about the silly season, when people get up and they get all exercised and they start flailing their arms about and they start saying things which, in most other parts of the year, you would never hear them say, because in most parts of the year, they're people filled with common sense and commonsense rules - not so much right now. I wonder, Mr. President, if -- if the Governor had done what one of the previous speakers suggested - and more than one person on your aisle has suggested that - and that is, is that if they had taken the budget that spent four billion dollars more than it took in and the Governor had just lined that out, how many of you would have said, "Thank you, Governor. We appreciate your leadership"? I think not. There would have been -- there would have been the gnashing of the teeth and the wringing of the arms and the wailing in the press about how this Governor doesn't - in the words of the previous speaker - just doesn't care about people. Okay, I don't really think there's anyone in this Chamber that doesn't care about people. I don't think there's anyone on the second floor that doesn't care about people. So let's just tone it down a little bit. This is what this is about. This is what this is about. Okay, for twelve years, for twelve years, the Democrat majority and Democrat Governors ran the show. Your -- the referendum on that twelve-year period came in November. 12 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 59th Legislative Day 7/1/2015 Someone else was elected to office, said, you know what, we're going to do some different things. We're going to do some different things. The overwhelming majority of people in this State believe that this State is horribly off on the wrong track. You've seen the numbers and those numbers have been around for years. Governor Rauner ran on a platform of reform. He was elected. He was elected. He came to Springfield. He put together the working groups. I mean, I appreciate the concern about the fifteen thousand people with mental illnesses, but we had five months to deal with that. And you sat for five months and then three days before May 31st, you said, hey, let's send something with -- to the Governor's desk that maybe he can't defend or maybe he'll feel like he has to sign and can't possibly be paid for. That's what you did. I don't think that means you don't care about people. I just think it means that -- I'm not sure what it means, but I don't think it means you don't care about people. But the simple fact is, the only way we're going to get to a resolution to this is for the Leader of that Chamber to join with the Leader of this Chamber to sit down with the Republican Leaders in both of those Chambers and with the Governor and talk about some of the reforms and talk about a budget that, if nothing else - if nothing else - can be paid for. Now, I don't do politics in every part of the State, but, obviously, I talk to my constituents and I do talk to people from around the State, including people from your party in the Chicagoland area. And while I appreciate and we all appreciate that we have Republicans in this State, we have Democrats in this State, we have liberals in this State and conservatives and people who fall in between those -- those two - - those two philosophies, but it seems to me that everyone that I 13 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 59th Legislative Day 7/1/2015 talk to - everyone that I talk to - can get on board with the notion that you shouldn't spend more money than what you have to spend, because in the end, someone else, usually in the form of our children or our grandchildren, have to pay for that. So they get the privilege of paying not just for what they want to spend, but for what we spent as well. And the symbol -- the symbol of your disregard for that was when you sent that budget to the Governor. There is no way the Governor could have signed that bill into law without it -- without performing an unconstitutional act, and we were reminded of that by one of your Members, that it would not become unconstitutional until it became law. But that's what you wanted him to do. So he did the only thing he could do and said, you know what, you guys need to start over. You guys need to start over. And by the way, the people of this State want to do some things differently. But you're acting like you don't want to do anything differently, anything at all, and that's why we're here. We -- Governor Rauner and the Republicans, who sit on this side of the aisle here and in the House, don't have to have everything our way, but we need you to come a little ways towards us. Need to negotiate. Let's -- halfway on workers' comp or redistricting or term limits or whatever. Let's just talk about 'em and talk about 'em in a serious way and let's do 'em out here on this Floor, Mr. President, where everyone can listen and everyone can see. Let's have a discussion on term limits, let's have a discussion on redistricting, which we have not had in this Chamber. Let's do that and get -- get our problems solved. Thank you, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR SULLIVAN) Senator Bush, for what purpose do you rise? 14 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 59th Legislative Day 7/1/2015
Thank you very much, Mr. President. As a freshman legislator, I would…
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR SULLIVAN) To the bill?
To the bill. Thank you.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR SULLIVAN) Senator Bush.
As a freshman legislator, I would like to point out that I come from an area where people expect me to make commonsense decisions. They expect me to do the right thing. And I'm going to tell you today, I'm voting Yes on this. I voted against the appropriation bills because I was hoping the Governor was going to do the right thing, the commonsense thing that he's told us he was going to do once elected - that he was going to stop campaigning, that he was going to govern. If he believes that there's a better budget out there, there's a better way to do this, then let's hear it. Let's hear about where the revenue's going to come from or where we're going to cut, because those are the conversations that need to take place. So today I'm voting Yes, because I have people in my district that make minimum wage, frankly, that work three jobs, and if they don't have the child care to go to work, well, then they're on welfare next week. And those are the people that we're talking about here and that's what we're talking about, and I've listened to you on the other side of the aisle, as the minority, talk ad infinitum about everything that we do. And let me tell you, today, I'm darn proud that I'm on the side of this 15 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 59th Legislative Day 7/1/2015 aisle that I'm on, because we're going to do the right thing today. We're going to do the commonsense thing. We're going to make sure that the people that count on us to take care of them are going to be taken care of and that they don't have to collect welfare and SNAP and whatever next week, because I'm sure we're cutting that next week. So I would ask you to do the right thing. I voted with your party when we looked at those budget votes. I hoped your Governor meant what he said. Clearly, he didn't. He's not governing, he's not campaigning. Knock it off. I urge an Aye vote. And I'm sorry for being angry, but, you know what, I'm just a little bit tired of it.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR SULLIVAN) Before we continue, Matt Porter with WCIA requests permission to videotape. Seeing no objection, leave is granted. Senator Biss, for what purpose do you rise?
To the bill, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR SULLIVAN) To the bill, Senator Biss.
Thank you, Mr. President. That -- this will be a tough act to follow, but I will do my best. And I -- I will be honest, I wasn't planning on speaking, but I -- I heard some comments coming over from Palatine that I think confused the issue a little bit. We have divided government. There was an election in November. It sent a Democratic Legislature in both Houses and a Republican Governor with a radically different philosophy. That creates challenges. That creates disagreements. We weren't able to work the disagreements out up to this point, which is why here we are 16 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 59th Legislative Day 7/1/2015 in fiscal year '16 without a budget. All of that stuff is hard. None of that stuff is in front of us today. What's in front of us today is really easy. The question is, in this environment where we haven't worked out those difficulties, whatever your view on why and whatever your view on what the outcome should be, do we want to keep government going to a bare extent to fund essential services that if we fail to fund them, people will be harmed, or do we not want to do that? If you turn that into a question of whose side are you on in the bigger fight or what do we feel about the other Chamber in the Legislature, then you can do that, but that is the introduction of human shields into those negotiations. The question before us isn't how we feel about the politics, how we want those bigger discussions to resolve, the question is, is the list of services on this sheet - that we can pay for this month with available revenues - essential? If you think the answer is yes, you should vote Yes. If you think the answer is no, you should vote No. And if you think the answer is yes, but you want to vote No or Present for some other reason, then you're putting yourself in the category of people who are wanting a government shutdown, who are begging a government shutdown, and who I hope will be celebrating a government shutdown. I'm not with that group. I'm voting Yes.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR SULLIVAN) Senator Raoul, for what purpose do you rise?
To the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR SULLIVAN) To the bill, Senator Raoul.
17 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 59th Legislative Day 7/1/2015 I was forced to take a deep breath earlier today 'cause I was a little bit upset and I think we should all collectively take a deep breath and not get so adversarial to the point where we -- we're saying stand up to people, and -- and I -- I -- I have a bit of empathy for those on the other side of the aisle, because the Governor did sign one of the appropriation bills that we passed and unfortunately some on the other side of the aisle didn't stand up to the Governor earlier on and he voted against funding education for the children in the K through twelve system. And I feel empathy for them, 'cause I believe they care about educating kids, but unfortunately, including the Lord of Palatine, did not stand up to the Governor. I agree with my colleague on the other side of the aisle who said that we shouldn't spend more money than we have to. The critical question is, how do we determine how much we have to spend? And, now, we came together earlier this year on a bipartisan basis and -- we responded to a -- a shortage of funds for a fiscal year '15 budget, which we had set out the priorities that we apparently on a bipartisan basis agreed were the priorities of the State that we needed to fund. Much of the fiscal year '16 budget reflected those same priorities. So if we agreed earlier on this year on a bipartisan basis that that was what we had to spend, what has changed since then, other than people perhaps not standing up as they suggest that others should do? I urge an Aye vote.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR SULLIVAN) Senator Rezin, for what purpose do you rise?
Thank you, Mr. President. To the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR SULLIVAN) 18 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 59th Legislative Day 7/1/2015 To the bill, Senator Rezin.
Thank you, Mr. President. Just to, you know, kind of talk about the previous speakers and -- and what the Governor has proposed. The Governor has asked, since he's been in office, for four bills: a bill for workplace reform, a bill for taxpayer reform, term limits, and fair map. And we've consistently heard that since his first State of the State. Several weeks ago, there was a -- as we were -- as the Governor was trying to pass a budget -- the previous budget that was balanced and there were some cuts to grants on Friday and we held afterwards numerous meetings and -- and committee meetings and we heard from our colleagues across the aisle about what is important, why would -- how could the Governor possibly cut services to, you know, the needy and the critical services? As we're looking at this particular budget that, in my opinion, does not have the funding regarding these grants in them as well, I'm -- I guess my concern is, what do you consider critical services or the most needy? In the particular grants that were discussed before: Autism. Autism is not funded in this; if it were, it would be in a line item. It would be line- item funded so it's specifically -- so it's specifically addressed. SMHRF training, Specialized Mental Health -- Rehabilitation Facilities, money for epilepsy. Again, in the past, they were line-item funded and in grants. So, I understand the need for my colleagues across the aisle to look at this, but, again, we're asking for a comprehensive approach to a budget so we can plan for the next year. Thank you.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR SULLIVAN) Senator Steans. 19 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 59th Legislative Day 7/1/2015
Just for clarification, and we'll go on then because there wasn't a question in there, but that's just incorrect information. This does include funding for autism and epilepsy. It's included in the lump sum that's on there in the DHS area under developmental disability program. So those things are included. And we would welcome -- we've been asking since last February for a list of what is considered to be essential services from the administration. We have yet to ever get that. We would welcome that and to have that conversation. That is not something that's ever been offered despite numerous requests.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR SULLIVAN) Senator Martinez, for what purpose do you rise?
To the bill, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR SULLIVAN) To the bill, Senator Martinez.
Thank you, Mr. President. And I don't -- I don't get up and speak a whole lot, but this one is very important to me and I'll tell you why. I know some -- a Member on the other side of the aisle said that we needed to tone it down. Well, I am not going to tone it down. I'm going to turn it up. Exactly. I'm going to turn it up for all the voiceless people in my community that don't have the ability to come down here and fight for these programs that are so important. I want the Governor to go over to the daycare center in our district, joined with -- together with Senator Delgado. It's an HIV center -- daycare center, where only children affected by HIV or families with HIV are allowed in this 20 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 59th Legislative Day 7/1/2015 daycare, where no other daycare center will -- will take them in. They were zeroed out. I want the Governor to tell me or at least come with me to my district and tell me how we're going to explain to the parents that that program is not important. These parents depend on that center in order to go to work and know that their children are being treated medically at that daycare center for their HIV or for their disability that they have. So I want -- I want the Governor to hear me loud and clear that I cannot accept this and that I will continue to fight loud and clear for my constituents. Another matter, seniors - seniors who receive home care services in their homes. What about our seniors? What about those seniors that depend on home care services? And we are cutting them out completely. How do I explain to my ninety-five- year-old uncle who independently lives alone, who has those services, that they no longer will have those services? I know I'm going to take care of my -- of my senior uncle, but what about those seniors who depend on those services in order to have some kind of at least decent living and are able to eat and be cared for in their own homes so they don't have to end up in institutions? What about parents, working-class families that depend on after- school programs, that depend on daycare services so they can to work and earn a living and bring a paycheck home so their kids can be fed and they can live comfortably? How do we explain this? And then you tell us to tone it down. This is basic care that's needed. For -- anyone voting against this bill today is voting against every person out there that needs government assistance. Shame on you if you vote No on something like this. This is a one-month budget that is going to at least keep us negotiating for a year's budget. We need to make sure that these essential 21 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 59th Legislative Day 7/1/2015 programs stay in place so our communities don't become a disaster with so many people walking around without any kind of services. This is essential. I don't -- I'm still trying to understand the explanation or the definition of what's essential and what's unessential. I believe in my definition, and I think many of us, that these are essential programs that keep our communities alive, that keep our communities safe, keeps our senior, our children, our families, our working-class families. This is -- government is there to assist. This is not a major corporation. This is government and this -- what we know how to do best to assure that people in our communities are getting the best services. So, shame on anyone that doesn't believe that this is something that we should be voting on. Everyone, we should have fifty-nine green lights on this bill, because at least it keeps government going. It keeps the essential programs for our seniors, for our children, for our families, for our communities from the State of Illinois in place until we're able to sit down and negotiate something that makes sense. The Governor needs to understand that government is there to assist and these programs are an example of what's needed to keep our communities stable. So I am willing to sit and continue to work with the Governor, as we have been trying to do, but we have to make sure that we keep government operating and these are the most essential programs right now that will keep our communities going and keep people safe, especially people with disability and children, like the Children's Place, safe and with some kind of medical attention that these children need. Please, I urge everybody to vote Aye.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR SULLIVAN) Senator Althoff, for what purpose do you rise? 22 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 59th Legislative Day 7/1/2015
Thank you, Mr. President. Will the sponsor yield?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR SULLIVAN) Indicates she will yield. Senator Althoff.
Senator Steans, thank you for trying to clarify the -- the perhaps misinformation or misunderstanding we have on this side of the aisle with some of the provisions in the presented bill. But I think the point that Senator Rezin was trying to make is, unlike what was in the supplemental bill that had a specific line item for things such as autism and epilepsy, this specific extension of a one-month bill only has a lump sum for developmental disabilities. So is there not just an assumption or an indication that the Governor will have the availability to continue to fund programs in whatever way he chooses as appropriate in that lump sum of developmental disabilities? So perhaps there will be a -- a misinformation from many of those programs that they get the same amount that they've been receiving month to month to month, but, in fact, the Governor would have the availability to provide more money for perhaps an autism program, as opposed to an epilepsy program? Can you answer that for me, please?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR SULLIVAN) Senator Steans.
Right, a lot of those services are funded in the overall developmental disability lump sum and grant programs. You know, there's -- the Legislature only has the ability to appropriate. We can't make the administration spend on anything. This is always a leap of faith. We appropriate, Governor gets to decide what he 23 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 59th Legislative Day 7/1/2015 does or does not spend or the administration overall. Certainly, our hope and expectation in the way this was put together in terms of calculating an amount, it includes funding for those programs like epilepsy and autism, which are included under the developmental disability programs. So that is certainly our hope and expectation. We can't require and make the Governor spend anything.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR SULLIVAN) Senator Althoff.
And I'm not going to belabor the point. I -- I think what we're seeing here is when we worked so well together to develop the supplemental for 2015, we did specify line item by line item by line item how much money was going to be given to specific grant programs. This one-month extension does not do that. And I would hate for our human service providers to make that leap of faith and assumption without having a guarantee, which we have always done in the past. But I thank you for that explanation.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR SULLIVAN) Senator Bivins, for what purpose do you rise?
Thank you, Mr. President. To the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR SULLIVAN) To the bill, Senator Bivins.
Thank you. This morning in Appropriations Committee, there was a gentleman, a witness, that during testimony stated basically that we should ignore the Constitution, the mandates of the Constitution for a balanced budget. To which my response is, if 24 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 59th Legislative Day 7/1/2015 -- if we ignore the Constitution, that's actually how we got here and why we're having this debate today. If we had obeyed it, abided by it, we wouldn't even be talking about this today. Thank you, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR SULLIVAN) Senator Harmon, for what purpose do you rise?
Thank you, Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate. I, too, thought I would sit today here quietly and listen to the debate, until my good friend from Mattoon spoke. Mattoon. I'm sorry, I'm from northern Illinois. I forget we have to mispronounce every name just a little bit to get the inflection correct. I'll check with Senator Forby for a -- for the -- the - - the correct pronunciation. I know it's Cairo, Senator Haine. But my friend from Mattoon did two things, one, he -- he posed a hypothetical, which I think he answered incorrectly, and, two, he reminded me of words I spoke on the Senate Floor about the constitutionality of the budget. Had the Governor exercised his constitutional authority to strike line items from the budget or to reduce lines, I for one would have stood up and applauded him. I would not have been the only one. I think we sent him a budget inviting him to do that. That would have been governing. That would have been engaging the Legislature. We would have disagreed with him. We would have overridden some of those line-item vetoes. We would have failed to override others. We would have negotiated the budget and the corresponding revenue. That is the constitutional process that we should have undertaken. Why didn't he do it? I think it's because it was hard. After we passed the budget, the Governor's response was to propose cutting funding for 25 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 59th Legislative Day 7/1/2015 programs that keep seniors in their homes and out of nursing homes, to cut programs for people with developmental disabilities, to cut funding for families who need help with their electric bills. That tells me one of two things must be true, either there is not much fat in this budget to cut or the Governor is not the compassionate man he claims to be. I choose to believe the first to be true. He can line-item veto this budget we're going to pass today - if there's anything in here he can stand to cut. I think that will be hard as well. Our colleagues on the other side of the aisle asked why we aren't just simply saying yes to some of his non- budget proposals. He has two constitutional amendments. If we pass them both today in the Senate and in the House, one would not be operative until 2023. Another would not be operative until 2025 or 2027. These are not issues that should stand in the way of us funding services for kids with autism tomorrow. These are not items that should delay us acting on a budget that protects middle-class families across the State. Let's get our priorities straight. I urge an Aye vote.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR SULLIVAN) Our last speaker seeking recognition, Leader Lightford. For what purpose do you rise?
Thank you, Mr. President. Will the sponsor yield?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR SULLIVAN) Indicates she will yield for questions. Senator Lightford.
Senator Steans, before I ask the question, I would like for the Body just to reflect back to their elementary days, perhaps eighth grade, when we all learned the Preamble to the Constitution. 26 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 59th Legislative Day 7/1/2015 And then, again, we were all taught the Preamble our junior years in high school in order to pass the Constitution. It starts out by saying, "We, the People", not just the Democrats on this side of the aisle, but, "We, the People of the State of Illinois - grateful to the Almighty God for the civil, political and religious liberty which He has permitted us to enjoy and seeking His blessings upon our endeavors - in order to provide for the health, the safety and the welfare of the people; to maintain a representative and orderly government; to eliminate poverty and inequalities; to assure legal, social and economic justice; to provide opportunity for the fullest development of the individual; to insure domestic tranquility; provide for the common tranquility; provide for the common defense; and secure the blessings of freedom and liberty to ourselves and our posterity - do ordain and establish the Constitution for the State of Illinois." {sic} I'd ask Members, when you continue to bring up the Constitution, that you go back to the elementary days and the high school days, when perhaps it meant something to you and you can relate it to your role as a legislator. Are you really trying to help eliminate poverty? Are you really trying to make sure that the health and safety and welfare of all people for the State of Illinois is making sure that not just poor people, not just people in need of government, but all people are having a fair shot at what government is meant to do. None of us in this room created the Constitution, the Preamble, but we should all abide by it. Senator Steans, my question would be, with this one-month budget, do you find it to be -- to help provide for the health, the safety and the welfare of the people of the State of Illinois?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR SULLIVAN) 27 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 59th Legislative Day 7/1/2015 Senator Steans.
Yes. That's what the focus here is, in trying to ensure that we're just providing the core things that are needed to, in fact, keep the public safe and make sure the most vulnerable, who could be at risk for their health and/or lives in some circumstances, are not put in jeopardy.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR SULLIVAN) Senator Lightford.
There you have it, Mr. President. To the bill. It's real simple. It's time-out for the pointing of fingers, pointing the blame. I'm so sick and tired of that side of the aisle telling me what I want to do and the reasons why I'm here and that I want to raise the tax and I want to shut down government. Don't speak for me. You have no right to speak for anyone on this side of the aisle when you continue to vote No and Present for the same decade that you've left us up to decide how to move this State forward. And, yes, you have a Governor, but it doesn't mean anything when we're not working as "We, the People", but when we're focused on just "I" and "Me" and what my personal campaign agenda is. And the only reason the education budget is passed, because that's an initiative of the Governor. I love education. I appreciate that the education budget is passed, but it means nothing when we're not taking care of all the people, and not just the special campaign portion of what was promised during the campaign. The Turnaround Agenda has zero to do with the budget process. And I hope that the Governor - and I know he's listening - God bless you, Governor. Please join "We, the People" and leave just "I" 28 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 59th Legislative Day 7/1/2015 out of it. I had that conversation with you personally before. To the Governor, I've had that conversation with you before that nothing is done in "I". It will take a "We" to move this State forward and our Constitution, our Preamble, starts with "We, the People". I encourage an Aye vote.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR SULLIVAN) Senator Steans, to close.
Yes, thank you, Mr. President and Members of the Senate. There's been some conversation here that - and a letter, in fact, from the head of the Governor's Office of Management and Budget, who I have great respect for - that passing this very narrowly constructed temporary budget is sending us on a path towards an unbalanced budget and it's sort of codifying doing this. That's just patently absurd. You know, this budget includes funding for thirteen agencies. We have nearly a hundred State agencies in Illinois. This has funding for thirteen agencies. It represents a total, of those agencies, just seven percent of their budget, which is less than one-twelfth, and entirely of the State budget, it's two percent of the State budget. This in no way, shape or form is codifying any overspending. This is, in fact, a way of simply trying to say we have some real critical needs that, while we don't have our acts together here, we need to make sure it's not holding hostage and taking undue hardship on people who have real needs that the State is responsible for. You know, there's also been discussion that we aren't showing independence from the other side of the hall here. Again, this is us up here and doing it. I don't know whether the House is going to pass this or not. I know we're doing that here in the Senate. What I think is -- 29 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 59th Legislative Day 7/1/2015 and time to see is a little independence from that side of the aisle from the second floor. Not seeing that at all. We saw you guys not vote for an education budget, then have the Governor put it in place. In fact, he's signed two budgets so far. He signed the education budget, which, in fact, spends a lot more than last year, certainly going a lot longer way towards putting us in a overspending situation than anything that we're going to be doing here today with this very narrowly tailored budget. And then yesterday, he signed a capital infrastructure bill, a reappropriation bill on some infrastructure. And to quote what he said in his statement on that, he said that "continued investment in public infrastructure is critical to economic development". I would submit that continued investment in human infrastructure is also critical to economic development. What we heard today in -- in committee around the kind of impacts we could have - child care, we're just going to start waiting lists, not let people get access to child care. How are families going to have to make decisions now whether they can go to work or -- or not -- and not be able to get their kid into child care. You're -- you're putting them in a situation where they can't possibly do it. We heard from the hospitals that if they're not able -- our critical access and our safety-net hospitals, if they can't get payments, won't be able to make payroll starting in July. Okay, those folks employ people. Those folks are not going to be able to get -- continue to be employed. Our hospitals overall have two hundred and fifty thousand employees directly in their hospitals. I heard in my district alone - I did a poll of social service agencies in my district on what the impact's going to be if we don't have a budget. At least two thousand people who need mental health 30 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 59th Legislative Day 7/1/2015 services won't be getting it. Layoffs of up to about three hundred people. Child care centers getting closed. We saw that happen with just the March problem where we didn't get the finalized budget; we saw a hundred - we heard testified today - a hundred child care centers getting closed. This is real. There are real human consequences to the action that you have the ability to vote on today and control what the outcome is. I heavily urge an Aye vote. I had really believed that this was going to be a nonpartisan support today. When we had this discussion in caucus yesterday, my question really was, have we talked to the Republicans? I got to believe that there's going to be support for doing this very narrowly tailored bill to just keep basic - basic - human service needs covered. It in no way is taking pressure off getting an overall budget deal. It's funding a very limited part of our government. We believe fully that we need to get to an overall budget deal. We know we need to do that. We just heard in Exec Committee just today, Senate President putting forth a bill doing exactly that. Governor said he wants property tax freeze. Senate President's been working on a way of trying to do that, along with education funding reform. We heard Leader Radogno thought there might be better ways of improving it. I heard Senate President say let's sit and talk and try to make some of those amendments. This is in no way taking off getting to an overall budget, rather what this is actually doing right now that's on us as legislators representing everybody in the State is making sure those seniors and kids who need health care, Medicaid folks who are going to show up, people with mental illnesses and developmental disabilities don't get left out in the street. Again, I'm flabbergasted this isn't going to get a hundred percent votes on 31 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 59th Legislative Day 7/1/2015 it. Sure hope it does, though. Prove me wrong. I ask for your Aye vote.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR SULLIVAN) Ladies and Gentlemen, this requires a three-fifths or thirty- six votes for passage. The question is, shall Senate Bill 2040 pass. All those in favor will vote Aye. Opposed, Nay. And the voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Mr. Secretary, take the record. On that question, there are 37 voting Aye, 0 voting Nay, 11 voting Present. Senate Bill 2040, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. Mr. Secretary, House Bills… Ladies and Gentlemen, on the regular Calendar, we're going to go to the Order of House Bills 3rd Reading. On page 12, we have House Bill 303. Senator Althoff, you ready to proceed? Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
House Bill 303. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR SULLIVAN) Senator Althoff.
Thank you very much, Mr. President. This is a very simple, yet a very important piece of legislation. House Bill 303 has to do with the Freedom of Information Act. It amends the definition of severance…
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR SULLIVAN) Shhhh. Excuse me, Senator Althoff. Please continue.
32 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 59th Legislative Day 7/1/2015 Thank you. It amends the definition of "severance agreements" and it provides that "severance agreements" are, in fact, public records and are subject to the inspection and copying by the public. It also does specify that information that is exempt from disclosure is redacted. It's an extraordinarily {sic} piece of information. I thank the Senate President for allowing us to run it this late in the Session. But, again, it's important and I would urge an Aye vote.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR SULLIVAN) Thank you. Is there any discussion? Is there any discussion? Seeing none, Ladies and Gentlemen, the question is, shall House Bill 303 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? Mr. Secretary, take the record. On that question, there are 48 voting Aye, 0 voting Nay, 0 voting Present. House Bill 303, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. Ladies and Gentlemen, also on page 12 of the regular -- regular Calendar, we have House Bill 372. Senator Cunningham, do you wish to proceed? Mr. Secretary, please read -- Senator Cunningham seeks leave of the Body to return House Bill 372 to the Order of 2nd Reading. Seeing no objection, leave is granted. Now on the Order of 2nd Reading is House Bill 372. Mr. Secretary, are there any Floor amendments approved for consideration?
Floor Amendment No. 2, offered by Senator Clayborne.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR SULLIVAN) Senator Clayborne, to present Floor Amendment 2.
33 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 59th Legislative Day 7/1/2015 Thank you, Mr. -- Mr. President. House Bill -- I mean, Floor Amendment No. 2 requires the townships to conduct a cost study regarding water and sewer connection charges under certain circumstances: one, if -- if the unit of government can increase or create a connection charge; a supervisor/mayor or majority of the board members of the unit corporate authorities request one; a majority of the mayors or village presidents in a township's service area requests one; or ten percent of the customers who have the -- who've paid the charged fee may petition the municipality or the township authorities. This is to create some consistency and justify the water rate charges.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR SULLIVAN) Thank you. Is there any discussion on the amendment? Seeing none, all those in favor will say Aye. Opposed, Nay. The Ayes have it, and the amendment is adopted. Mr. Secretary, are there any further Floor amendments approved for consideration?
No further amendments reported.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR SULLIVAN) 3rd Reading. Now on 3rd Reading, we have House Bill 372. Mr. Secretary, read the bill.
House Bill 372. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR SULLIVAN) Senator Cunningham.
Thank you, Mr. President. House Bill 372, in addition to 34 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 59th Legislative Day 7/1/2015 having the amendment explained by Leader Clayborne, amends the Water Reclamation District Act and it's an initiative of the Metropolitan Water -- Reclamation District of Chicago. And the bill creates a mechanism within the District's civil service system that will allow for employee demotions, both voluntary or involuntary, after a hearing and a finding by their civil service board. I know of no opposition.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR SULLIVAN) Thank you. Is there any discussion? Is there any discussion? Seeing none, Ladies and Gentlemen, the question is, shall House Bill 372 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? Mr. Secretary, take the record. On that question, there are 48 voting Aye, 0 voting Nay, 0 voting Present. House Bill 372, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. Ladies and Gentlemen, if you will turn to the regular Calendar on page 15 on the Order of Secretary's Desk, Resolutions. First up is Senate - - Senator Manar, for what purpose do you rise before we go to Resolutions?
Thank you, Mr. President, for recognizing my late light.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR SULLIVAN) Please make your introduction, Senator Manar.
Quick introduction of Zion Johnson, who's with me this afternoon. He is going into the eighth grade at Lincoln Magnet School here in Springfield. A fine young man. Just wanted to rise and welcome him today to the State Senate. 35 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 59th Legislative Day 7/1/2015
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR SULLIVAN) Will our guest please rise? Ladies and Gentlemen, let's welcome Mr. Johnson here to the Illinois Senate. Good to have you here. Thanks for joining us. You're with a great Senator. Okay, Ladies and Gentlemen, Senate Resolution -- Leader Trotter, before we start, for what purpose do you rise? Oh, it's your resolution. That would be a good reason. Mr. Secretary, please read the resolution, Senate Resolution 680.
Senate Resolution 680, offered by Senator Trotter.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR SULLIVAN) Senator Trotter.
Thank you very much, Mr. President and Members of the Senate. This is a resolution, one, giving our condolences on behalf of all of us to the families of the nine victims of the horrific massacre in Charleston, South Carolina, killings that rattled all sensibilities of reasonable people. There are no rational reasons for the act. There is no singular cause. Mental health issues, lack of education, poverty, cultural misinterpretation, misguided influences, and hopelessness are all part of a long menu of systemic causes that manifested into hatred and fatal aggression towards other human beings. The attacks for me were personal, not solely because I'm Black, not because a colleague was killed - a fraternity brother, a friend, but he was also a victim - but Senator Clementa Pinckney, like all of us, was a human being. Like us, he committed his life in the quest to make this life a better place for all, through his ministry and his avocation as a public servant. Like us, he had the power to change policy, to change 36 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 59th Legislative Day 7/1/2015 minds, one person at a time if need be and collectively through the passage of laws. He practiced honorably. He earned the title of the Honorable State Senator Reverend Clementa Pinckney. However, all the individuals that were killed that Thursday will be remembered for their faith in God and in their belief in a better mankind. We can honor them best and celebrate their lives as fellow policymakers by ensuring that mental health programs exist and be viable. We can ensure that our education system teaches compassion and gives life lessons in the context of what is right and what is wrong. We can make a difference in the quality of life of all people. We have the power in this Chamber, in this building, and within ourselves to set the tone for a better world. Let's honor all who have died with a renewed purpose and conviction to make everyone partner in prosperity and enlightenment. It was in the seventeenth century that John Donne wrote "…any mans death diminishes me, because I am involved in Mankind; And therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; because {sic} It tolls for thee…." And I would like a moment of silence…
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR SULLIVAN) Will all Members please be at their desk and rise for a moment of silence? (Moment of silence observed) Is there any discussion on the resolution? Seeing none, all those in favor will say Aye. All those opposed, Nay. The Ayes have it, and the resolution is adopted. Thank you, Senator Trotter. Ladies and Gentlemen, next up on the Calendar - again, we're on page 15, Secretary's Desk, Resolutions, regular Calendar - Senate Joint Resolution 17. With leave of the Body, we'll go to House Joint Resolution 1. Senator Rose, do you wish to proceed? Mr. Secretary, please read the 37 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 59th Legislative Day 7/1/2015 resolution.
House Joint Resolution 1, offered by Senator Rose.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR SULLIVAN) Senate -- Senator Rose, could you hold that for just one second? Senator Haine, for what purpose do you rise?
A point of personal privilege.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR SULLIVAN) Please make your point, Senator Haine.
I'm sorry to trouble you with this, Mr. President and Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate. I wish you'd offer me an indulgence, but I have to do this. A famous economist once said, quoted in The Wall Street Journal yesterday, that "never-born babies are the root cause of the 'social deficit' that plagues nations across the world", especially China - oh, he's not there - and it threatens our Social Security System and Medicare on the surface because of uncreated jobs and the production of new people. Today economists encourage potential parents to hear a message which should be widely delivered - that the real danger is not too many births, but too few births. And so on behalf of the Social Security System, which I soon will partake of, and the many elderly citizens, I want to announce the birth of a new producer, another grandchild, number twenty-eight for my wife and I, Judy Ann Schleuter, born in Michigan of the Professor Nathan Schleuter and my daughter, Elizabeth Schleuter. Thank you.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR SULLIVAN) Congratulations, Senator and Mrs. Haine, on the birth of 38 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 59th Legislative Day 7/1/2015 another grandchild. Senator Rose, my apologies. If you'd like to proceed, Senator Rose, on House Joint Resolution 1.
Thank you. House Joint Resolution 1 creates the Emergency Responder (Roadway Safety) Task Force to protect our firefighters, our EMTs, paramedics, and our police officers on the roadway as they work traffic stops to protect us every day. Ask for its favorable adoption.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR SULLIVAN) Is there any discussion on House Joint Resolution 1? Seeing none, this does -- as this resolution requires the expenditure of State funds, a roll call vote will be required. Ladies and Gentlemen, the question is, shall House Joint Resolution 1 -- 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? Mr. Secretary, take the record. On that question, there are 48 voting Aye, 0 voting Nay, 0 voting Present. House Joint Resolution, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared adopted. Next up is House Joint Resolution 2. Leader Muñoz. Mr. Secretary, please read the resolution.
House Joint Resolution 2, offered by Senator Muñoz.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR SULLIVAN) Senator Muñoz. SENATOR MUÑOZ: Thank you, Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate. House Joint Resolution 2 designates Willow Road overpass on Interstate 294 as "Trooper James Sauter Memorial Overpass". For all of you in the Senate, Trooper Sauter was killed at a young 39 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 59th Legislative Day 7/1/2015 age. He only served as a trooper for five years, starting in July of 2008. In '08, he got an award for -- was awarded a Lifesaving Medal for helping -- saving the life of a woman when she was in a motorcycle accident. Trooper Sauter was killed March 28th, 2013, in the line of duty when his vehicle was struck by a traffic -- a truck tractor semi-trailer on Interstate 294 at Willow Road. I would ask for its adoption.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR SULLIVAN) Thank you. Is there any discussion? Is there any discussion? Seeing none, as the resolution requires the expenditure of State funds, a roll call vote will be required. Ladies and Gentlemen, the question is, shall House Joint Resolution 2 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? Mr. Secretary, take the record. On that question, there are 47 voting Aye, 0 voting Nay, 0 voting Present. House Joint Resolution, having -- House Joint Resolution 2, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared adopted. Next up is House Joint Resolution 13. Senator Righter. Mr. Secretary, please read the resolution.
House Joint Resolution 13, offered by Senator Righter.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR SULLIVAN) Senator Righter.
Thank you, Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen of the Chamber. House Joint Resolution 13 would designate a section of U.S. Highway 50 that runs east to Ste. Marie at Olney as the "Marine Aviator General Christian F. Schilt Memorial Highway". In the interest of 40 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 59th Legislative Day 7/1/2015 time, I'll stop there. If anyone has any questions, I'll be happy to answer 'em.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR SULLIVAN) Thank you. Is there any discussion? Is there any discussion? Seeing none, as this resolution requires the expenditure of State funds, a roll call vote will be required. Ladies and Gentlemen, shall -- the question is, shall House Joint Resolution 13 pass. All those in favor will say {sic} Aye. Opposed, Nay. The voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Mr. Secretary, take the record. On that question, there are 47 voting Aye, 0 voting Nay, 0 voting Present. House Joint Resolution 13, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared adopted. Next up is House Joint Resolution 17. Senator Bennett. Senator Bennett, on House Joint Resolution 17. Mr. Secretary, please read the resolution.
House Joint Resolution 17, offered by Senator Bennett.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR SULLIVAN) Senator Bennett.
Thank you, Mr. President. State Representative Bill Black served my district for almost twenty-six years. He retired in 2010. This resolution would designate the Stony Creek Bridge on U.S. 150 as the "Stoney Creek Bridge - Honoring State Representative William B. Black" in -- in recognition of the work that Representative Black did, including initiating the replacement of that bridge with a new wider and much safer bridge in my district. I would ask for an Aye vote.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR SULLIVAN) 41 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 59th Legislative Day 7/1/2015 Is there any discussion? Seeing none, as this resolution requires the expenditure of State funds, a roll call vote will be required. The question is, shall House Joint Resolution 17 pass. All in favor will say Aye -- vote Aye. Opposed, Nay. The voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Mr. Secretary, take the record. On that question, there are 46 voting Aye, 0 voting Nay, 0 voting Present. House Joint Resolution 17, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared adopted. House Joint Resolution 36. Senator Delgado. Mr. Secretary, read the resolution.
House Joint Resolution 36, offered by Senator Delgado.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR SULLIVAN) Senator Delgado.
Thank you, Mr. President, Members of the Senate. I'll be very brief and quick. HJR 36 creates the Bilingual Advisory Task Force to evaluate current bilingual education practices and make recommendations for improvement. And I would ask for your Aye vote. And have a wonderful, safe 4th of July.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR SULLIVAN) Thank you. Is there any discussion? Seeing none, as this resolution requires the expenditure of State funds, a roll call vote will be required. The question is, shall House Joint Resolution 36 pass. All 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 47 voting Aye, 0 voting Nay, 0 voting Present. House 42 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 59th Legislative Day 7/1/2015 Joint Resolution 36, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared adopted. At the bottom of page 15, House Joint Resolution 38. Senator -- Leader Lightford. Mr. Secretary, please read the resolution.
House Joint Resolution 38, offered by Senator Lightford.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR SULLIVAN) Senator Lightford.
Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate, we did share in the opportunity to celebrate with Coach Pingatore when he was here. The resolutions had not made it over from the House. It's basically designating a portion of Cermak Road between South Wolf Road and Westchester Boulevard as the "Gene Pingatore Road". I'd be happy to answer questions.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR SULLIVAN) Thank you. Is there any discussion? Seeing none, as this resolution requires the expenditure of State funds, a roll call vote will be required. The question is, shall House Joint Resolution 38 pass. All 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. In {sic} that question, there are 48 voting Aye, 0 voting Nay, 0 voting Present. House Joint Resolution 38, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared adopted. At the top of page 16 of the regular Calendar on the Order of Secretary's Desk, Resolutions, we have House Joint Resolution 39. Leader Lightford. Mr. Secretary, please read the resolution.
43 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 59th Legislative Day 7/1/2015 House Joint Resolution 39, offered by Senator Lightford.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR SULLIVAN) Senator Lightford.
Mr. President and Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate, this is the same case as the previous resolution. This designates the portion of South Wolf Road in Westchester between Roosevelt Road and West Cermak Road as the "Isiah Thomas Boulevard". I'd be happy to answer questions.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR SULLIVAN) Thank you. Is there any discussion? Seeing none, as this resolution requires the expenditure of State funds, a roll call vote will be required. The question is, shall House Joint Resolution 39 pass. All 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? Mr. Secretary, take the record. On that question, there are 46 voting Aye, 0 voting Nay, 0 voting Present. House Joint Resolution 39, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared adopted. House Joint Resolution 40. Leader Lightford. Mr. Secretary, please read the resolution.
House Joint Resolution 40, offered by Senator Lightford.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR SULLIVAN) Leader Lightford.
Thank you, Mr. President. I have individuals wanting to make Michael Jordan highway a road and I agree with them, but for right now we're going to designate a portion of West Cermak Road in 44 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 59th Legislative Day 7/1/2015 Berwyn between South Pulaski Road and South Laramie Avenue as the "Evan Turner Street". I'd be happy to answer questions.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR SULLIVAN) Thank you. Is there any discussion? Seeing none, as this resolution requires the expenditure of State funds, a roll call vote will be required. The question is, shall House Joint Resolution 40 pass. All 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? Mr. Secretary, take the record. On that question, there are 43 voting Aye, 0 voting Nay, 0 voting Present. House Joint Resolution 40, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared adopted. Next up is House Joint Resolution 42. Senator Bush. Mr. Secretary, please read the resolution.
House Joint Resolution 42, offered by Senator Bush.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR SULLIVAN) Senator Bush.
Jeez, Mr. President. Thanks so much. Staff is wonderful, aren't they?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR SULLIVAN) They're the best.
Let me make this quick. Also, this resolution designates the section of road on Route 120/Belvidere Road between John Mogg and Sears Boulevard in Grayslake as "Army SPC Joseph "Joey" W. Dimock II Memorial Highway". I know of no opposition and I would urge an Aye vote. 45 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 59th Legislative Day 7/1/2015
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR SULLIVAN) Thank you. Is there any discussion? As this resolution requires the expenditure of State funds, a roll call vote will be required. The question is, shall House Joint Resolution 42 pass. All 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? Mr. Secretary, take the record. On that question, there are 46 voting Aye, 0 voting Nay, 0 voting Present. House Joint Resolution 42, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared adopted. House Joint Resolution 74. Senator McCarter. Ladies and Gentlemen, I've been informed by the Secretary that the sponsorship has been transferred to Senator Righter. No? There is a letter been filed - correction, Ladies and Gentlemen - there's been a letter filed that allows Senator Righter to present the resolution. Senator Righter, on House Joint Resolution 74. Excuse me, Senator Righter. Mr. Secretary, please read the resolution.
House Joint Resolution 74, offered by Senator McCarter.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR SULLIVAN) Senator Righter, to present the resolution.
Mr. President, thank you and thank you for your indulgence in allowing me to present this on behalf of Senator McCarter. House Joint Resolution 74 would designate the portion of United States Highway -- I'm sorry, United States Route 50 between the cities of Carlyle and Breese as the "SSG Joshua Melton Memorial Highway". I'll be happy to answer any questions you may have. Thank you.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR SULLIVAN) 46 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 59th Legislative Day 7/1/2015 Thank you. Is there any discussion on the resolution? Seeing none, as this resolution requires the expenditure of State funds, a roll call vote will be required. The question is, shall House Joint Resolution 74 pass. All 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? Mr. Secretary, take the record. On that question, there are 45 voting Aye, 0 voting Nay, 0 voting Present. House Joint Resolution 74, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared adopted. House Joint Resolution 78. Senator Barickman. Mr. Secretary, let's go to House Joint Resolution 79. Senator Forby. Mr. Secretary, please read the resolution.
House Joint Resolution 79, offered by Senator Forby.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR SULLIVAN) Senator Forby.
Thank you. This resolution designs {sic} a section of Illinois Route 155 {sic} (166) in Creal Springs as Clyde Robertson Memory {sic} (Memorial) Highway. I ask for your vote.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR SULLIVAN) Thank you. Is there any discussion on the resolution? Seeing none, as this resolution requires the expenditure of State funds, a roll call vote will be required. The question is, shall House Joint Resolution 79 pass. All 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? Mr. Secretary, take the record. On that question, there are 44 voting Aye, 0 voting Nay, 0 voting Present. House Joint Resolution 79, having received the 47 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 59th Legislative Day 7/1/2015 required constitutional majority, is declared adopted. We will now proceed to the Order of Resolutions Consent Calendar. With leave of the Body, all those resolutions read on -- in today will be added to the Consent Calendar. Mr. Secretary, have there been any objections filed to any resolution on the Consent Calendar?
No objections filed, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR SULLIVAN) Thank you. Is there any discussion? If not, the question is, shall the resolutions on the Consent Calendar be adopted. All those in favor, say Aye. Opposed, Nay. The Ayes have it and the motion carries, and the resolutions are adopted. Ladies and Gentlemen, everybody enjoy the 4th of July. Have a happy 4th of July. There being no further business to come before the Senate, pursuant to House Joint Resolution 85, the Senate stands adjourned until noon on the 14th day of July 2015, or the call of the President of the Senate. The Senate is adjourned. 48