PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) The regular Session of the 99th General Assembly will please come to order. Will the Members please be at their desks? Will our guests in the galleries please rise? The invocation today will be given by Chaplain Greg Stafford, Director of Pastoral Care, Memorial Medical Center, Springfield, Illinois.
(Remarks and Prayer by Chaplain Greg Stafford)
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Please remain standing for the Pledge Allegiance. Senator Cunningham.
(Pledge of Allegiance, led by Senator Cunningham)
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Mr. Secretary, Reading and Approval of the Journal.
Senate Journal of Wednesday, June 29th, 2016.
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, do you have any motions and consideration in writing?
1 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 127th Legislative Day 6/30/2016 A motion has been filed with respect to the Governor's action on the following Senate bill: Override Total Veto, Senate Bill 2046. Filed by President Cullerton.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Mr. Secretary, please print that on the Calendar. The Senate will stand in recess to the call of the Chair. After committee meetings, the Senate will reconvene for further Floor action. The Senate stands in recess. (SENATE STANDS IN RECESS/SENATE RECONVENES)
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) The Senate will please come to order. Will all Members at the sound of my voice please come to the Senate Floor immediately for Floor action? Will all Members at the sound of my voice please come to the Senate Floor immediately for Floor action? Lisa Yuscius, Blueroomstream.com, seeks permission to videotape. Lee Milner, Illinois Times, seek {sic} permission to photograph. Nicholas Jansen, WREZ -- X-TV, seeks permission to video. John Ross, of KTVI Fox 2 St. Louis, seeks permission to videotape. Seeing no objection, permission granted. Mr. Secretary, Messages from the House.
A Message from the House by Mr. Mapes, Clerk. Mr. President - I am directed to inform the Senate that the House of Representatives has concurred with the Senate in the passage of a bill of the following title, to wit: Senate Bill 318. 2 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 127th Legislative Day 6/30/2016 Together with the following amendments which are attached, in the adoption of which I am instructed to ask the concurrence of the Senate, to wit: House Amendments 1 and 3 to Senate Bill 318. We have received like Messages on Senate Bill 1810, with House Amendment 1; Senate Bill 2562, with House Amendments 1, 2, 4, and 5; and Senate Bill 2822, with House Amendment 3. Passed the House, as amended, June 30th, 2016. Timothy D. Mapes, Clerk of the House.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Will the Committee on Assignments please -- please meet in the President's Anteroom immediately? The Committee on Assignments, please meet in the President's Anteroom immediately. Ed Marshall, of WBBM-TV, seeks permission to videotape proceedings. Jim Mastri, of WLS-TV ABC 7 Chicago, seeks permission to videotape. Seeing no objection, permission granted. Mr. Secretary, Committee Reports.
Senator Clayborne, Chairman of the Committee on Assignments, reports the following Legislative Measures have been assigned: Be Approved for Consideration - Senate Bill 635, Senate Resolution 1953, Motion to Concur on House Amendments 1 and 3 to Senate Bill 318, Motion to Concur on House Amendment 1 to Senate Bill 1810, Motion to Concur on House Amendments 1, 2, 4, and 5 to Senate Bill 2562, and Motion to Concur on House Amendment 3 to Senate Bill 2822. Signed, Senator James F. Clayborne, Chairman. Senator Clayborne, Chairman of the Committee on Assignments, reports the following Legislative Measures have been assigned: Be Approved for Consideration - Floor Amendment 1 to Senate Bill 635. 3 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 127th Legislative Day 6/30/2016 Signed, Senator James F. Clayborne, Chairman.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Matt Murphy, what -- for what purpose do you rise?
Point of personal privilege, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) State your point.
Here in the Republican side, we've got Hannah Reiser, Skyler Davis, and Kaylagh Murdo {sic} (McMurdo). Kayla, coming to us all the way from South Africa. Girls, if you could please stand. And if the Senate could give them a warm welcome, that would be much appreciated.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Haine, for what purpose do you rise?
Point of personal privilege, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) State your point.
Since we're awaiting the House, which is a -- similar to a very slow CTA bus at the moment, it would be remiss of me not to mention that in a few days, of course, we all know, we celebrate the independence of the United States, the greatest republic in history. But I want the Body to recall that on July the 4th, 1863, Vicksburg, Mississippi, the fortified town of Vicksburg, fell to General Grant and Admiral Porter. General Grant, of course, from Illinois. And General Grant sent a telegram to Secretary of War Stanton, in which he said, Mr. Secretary, please inform the 4 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 127th Legislative Day 6/30/2016 President of the United States and the Congress that the great rivers of the republic flow once again unvexed to the sea. The Confederacy was split in two and that was the seminal battle of the war. I want to add as an unfortunate side note, it wasn't until World War II that the State of Mississippi celebrated as a holiday the fourth of July, because of that great victory by the Union armies. Thank you, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) It's always delightful listening to you. Senator Hunter, for what purpose do you rise?
For a point of personal privilege, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) State your point.
Just wanted to make my colleagues aware that today is the last day of one of our attorneys, Siely Joshi, and she's one of our lawyers and she's done such a great job. We really appreciate all of her efforts and all. And we just want to say thank you for everything that you've done and we wish you well.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Thank you for your work. With leave of the Body, we'll turn to Supplemental Calendar No. 1. Senate Bill 1810. Leader Trotter, on your bill. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill -- or the motion.
I move to concur with the House in the adoption of their Amendment No. 1 to Senate Bill 1810. Signed by Senator Trotter. 5 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 127th Legislative Day 6/30/2016
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Could we keep the noise down, please, and the conversations down on the Floor? This is final action. Leader Trotter, on your motion.
Thank you, Mr. President, Members of the Senate. Senate Bill 1810 is the budget implementation bill. In this bill are -- are various acts that we will be passing and one is to freeze the COLAs, per diems, and mileage reimbursement rates for Members of the General Assembly. It forgives the interfund borrowing repayment of four hundred and fifty-four million dollars that is due December 31st. It contains the annual transfers into the Audit Expense Fund. It also extends through FY'17 IDOT's authority to pay Amtrak subsidies from the Road Fund at respective amounts included in the Governor's introduced, and it continues the current practice first authorized in FY'12's BIMP. It allows the Personal Property Replacement Tax Fund to be used for the ICCB to distribute base operating and equalization grants, and many more. And I'll discuss them if Members want me to go forth.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Is there any discussion? Leader Radogno, for what purpose do you rise?
Thank you, Mr. President. I would just like to address probably the four bills that we're dealing with today, because I most definitely consider them a package, and it's due to very hard work of the Governor, the four Leaders, and most especially rank- and-file Members in the Chamber. And I think every single person - and I'm not going to start naming names, because I'll leave 6 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 127th Legislative Day 6/30/2016 people out - have had a -- a part in bringing this thing together and it feels really good to be talking about sharing credit, instead of pointing the finger of blame right now. I do want to remind us, however, that this is a stopgap measure. We will be voting on an Approp bill that does fund the schools, but most of it is for only half a year, so our hard work has only begun. I really hope that the goodwill that we have put together in saving the State from a real crisis, starting tomorrow, continues into the fall. But with that, just to sort of give an overview, since I know we're taking each bill individually, I think this is a really good package. We're starting with the BIMP bill, but to remind people, none of these bills raises the State taxes at all. The plan does provide for a full year of historic funding for elementary and secondary education, ensuring that all of our schools will open on time. There's no special treatment for the City of Chicago. There's no bailout. There's some assistance for them, but it's assistance that every school district has access to. That's an important point to make. It also provides for six months of critical operations for higher education, which has been a near crisis, or one that was going to happen very soon, as well as money for operations. It's a plan that's affordable. It's a plan that we have money for without a tax hike. And again, as Senator Trotter just pointed out, in this bill, it prevents any increases in pay for lawmakers. So, once again, I hope that this passes with flying colors and is the beginning of a very productive second half of the year. Thank you.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Haine, for what purpose do you rise?
7 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 127th Legislative Day 6/30/2016 Mr. -- Mr. President, will the distinguished sponsor yield for a question concerning legislative intent?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Indicates he will.
Senator Trotter, for purposes of…(microphone cutoff)… Oh, I'm sorry. I withdraw the question. It's another bill. I'm sorry, Senator. Thank you.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Is there any further discussion? Is there any further discussion? Senator Trotter -- Leader Trotter, to close.
Thank you very much, Mr. President. I want to thank Leader Radogno for giving my closing already and I ask for an Aye vote from every Member on the Floor.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) As this has an immediate effective date and we are past May 31st, it will take a three-fifths vote. The question is, shall the Senate concur with House Amendment 1 to Senate Bill 1810. 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. Having received the required constitutional majority, the Senate does concur with House Amendment 1 to Senate Bill 1810, and the bill is declared passed. Senate Bill 2822. President Cullerton. Mr. Secretary, please read the gentleman's motion.
I move to concur with the House in the adoption of their 8 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 127th Legislative Day 6/30/2016 Amendment No. 3 to Senate Bill 2822. Signed by President Cullerton.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) President Cullerton, on your motion.
Thank you, Mr. President, Members of the Senate. This bill provides for the State to pay the employer normal cost of 215,000,000.2 {sic} (215.2 million) to the Chicago Teachers' Pension Fund. This will be a one-year appropriation. It'll go directly to the Pension Fund from the Common School Fund. Be happy to answer any questions and ask for an Aye vote.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Is there any discussion? Leader Radogno.
Yes, on this specific bill, I just wanted to -- the Senate President described the bill accurately. It's a one-year pension pickup for the City of Chicago. Part of the agreement that we discussed amongst the Leaders was that before this bill would actually take effect and that money would go out the door, we would be returning to the issue of pension reform statewide. There are a number of ideas out there, and as part of the pension parity pickup, pension reform in a more general way will be a part of that. Obviously, we don't know what that will look like just yet when we have limits by the courts, but it is the intention that before any money goes out the door that we look at the entire issue of pensions. So, with that in mind, I would urge people to support this bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Is there any further discussion? President -- the question 9 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 127th Legislative Day 6/30/2016 is, shall the Senate concur with House Amendment 3 to Senate Bill 2822. 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 33 Ayes, 20 Nays, and no -- none voting Present. Having received the required constitutional majority, the Senate does concur with House Amendment 3 to Senate Bill 2822, and the bill is declared passed. Senate Bill 318. President Cullerton. Mr. Secretary, please read the motion.
I move to concur with the House in their adoption of the Amendments 1 and 3 to Senate Bill 318. Signed by President Cullerton.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) President Cullerton, on your motion.
Thank you, Mr. President, Members of the Senate. This deals with a property tax for the City of Chicago. It's permissive in that it allows the Chicago Public School Board of Education to levy a property tax for teacher pensions at a rate that if the board levied the maximum amount would -- could total and generate as much as two hundred and fifty million. And again, that money would be paid directly into the Chicago Teachers' Pension Fund. Be happy to answer any questions and ask for an Aye vote.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Is there any discussion? Leader Radogno, for what purpose do you rise?
Thank you, Mr. President. Just, for our side of the aisle, 10 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 127th Legislative Day 6/30/2016 I think this is a good piece of legislation. It allows the City of Chicago to solve -- help solve their own problem and I think traditionally we've known that their property taxes have been lower. They understand that, want the opportunity to help their schools, and so I would urge people to vote Yes on this as well.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Is there any further discussion? Senator Syverson, for what purpose do you rise?
Thank you, just a quick statement on the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) To the motion.
To the motion. While I support this legislation, I would be remiss if I didn't point out that twice we've passed out of this legislation {sic}, gaming legislation which would've more than filled that gap and not had the need to have this kind of action taken. So, if the House would've acted on a gaming bill, that would've given them the -- also the additional revenue that they needed, so… But thank you for bringing this option forward, but I just wanted to make that statement on behalf of Senator Link and myself.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) President Cullerton, to close.
Well, I'd urge people to vote for the bill. These two bills that we've passed will help the Chicago schools open. I want to thank Senator Radogno for commenting that it -- it's not a Chicago bailout. We used to have a Chicago bailout, but we took that part 11 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 127th Legislative Day 6/30/2016 out at the request of Senator Forby. And as a result, there's no bailout. So I'd ask for an Aye vote. Thank you.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) The question is, shall the Senate concur with House Amendments 1 and 3 to Senate Bill 318. 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 40 Ayes, 14 Nays, none voting Present. Having received the required constitutional majority, the Senate does concur with -- House Amendments 1 and 3 to Senate Bill 318, and the bill is declared passed. Senate Bill 2562. Senator Hutchinson. Mr. Secretary, please read the motion.
I move to concur with the House in the adoption of their Amendments 1, 2, 4, and 5 to Senate Bill 2562. Signed by Senator Hutchinson.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Hutchinson, on your motion.
I'm happy to explain it when it comes on 3rd. Or now? We'll do it now then. Okay. Thank you, Mr. President and Members of the Senate. Senate Bill 2562, which has Amendments 1, 2, 4, and 5, is a omnibus TIF bill. It amends the Tax Increment Allocation Redevelopment Act and the Municipal Code and provides for several TIF extensions. All municipalities are in compliance with the Comptroller's Office in regard to the required annual TIF Report and all letters of support have been received. The legislation includes the establishment of a special transit TIF in Chicago, similar to the one in Senate Bill 277, which passed the Senate 12 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 127th Legislative Day 6/30/2016 previously in May of 2015. The amendment includes the following TIF extensions, City of Lacon, Village of Bradford, City of -- Oak Forest, City of Pinckneyville, Village of South Jacksonville, City of Springfield, City of Chicago Stockyards, City of Chicago CTA, Village of Dieterich, City of LaSalle, and Village of Rosemont. Happy to answer any questions.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Is there any discussion? Is there any discussion? Seeing none, the question is -- this -- as this has a immediate effective date, we will need a supermajority of three-fifths. The question is, shall the Senate concur with House Amendments 1, 2, 4, and 5 to Senate Bill 2562. 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 43 Ayes, 7 Nays, none voting Present. Having received the required constitutional majority, the Senate does concur with House Amendments 1, 2, 4, and 5 to Senate Bill 2562, and the bill is declared passed. On Supplemental Calendar No. 1 is Senate Bills 3rd Reading. Senate Bill 635. Senator Jones. Senator Jones seeks leave of the Body to return Senate Bill 635 to the Order of 2nd Reading. Seeing no objection, permission's granted. Now on the Order of 2nd Reading is Senate Bill 635. Mr. Secretary, have there been any Floor amendments approved for consideration?
Floor Amendment No. 1, offered by Senator Jones.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Jones, on your amendment.
13 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 127th Legislative Day 6/30/2016 Thank you, Mr. President. I move for its adoption and I'll explain it on 3rd.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Is there any discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor will say Aye. Opposed, Nay. The Ayes have it, and the amendment is adopted. Is 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 635. Mr. Secretary, please read the bill.
Senate Bill 635. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Jones, on your bill.
Thank you, Mr. President and Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate. Floor Amendment No. 1 to Senate Bill 635 requires IDOT to conduct a study evaluating automated traffic law enforcement systems, the red light cameras. The report shall include input from law enforcement on overall operation, usage, permitting, and regulation of the red light cameras, as well as any recommendation IDOT seems {sic} necessary. Welcome {sic} to answer any questions and I would like to give a special thanks to President Cullerton for his leadership and his commitment to helping me getting this done. 14 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 127th Legislative Day 6/30/2016
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Is there any discussion? Is there any discussion? Seeing that this bill has no effective date on it -- immediate effective date, it will need a three-fifths majority. 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. Senate Bill 635, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. With leave of the Body, we'll turn to the printed Calendar, page 14 of the printed Calendar, House Joint Resolution 117. Senator Tom Cullerton. Mr. Secretary, please read the gentleman's resolution.
House Joint Resolution 117, offered by Senator Tom Cullerton.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Cullerton, on your resolution.
Thank -- thank you, Mr. President, Members of the Senate. House Joint Resolution 117 renames the I-355/I-290 Interchange near Itasca the Trooper John Kugelman Memorial Interchange. On November 10th, 1986, Trooper John Kugelman was manning a roadblock in order to subdue a patrol -- a parole violator -- violator who led police on an eighty-five-mile-per-hour chase. Leaving his squad car, he attempted to halt the suspect's car and, while on foot, he was struck and killed by the suspect. Trooper Kugelman was a three-year veteran of the Illinois State Police and a former military police officer. Trooper Kugelman was on the waiting list to become a Chicago police officer when he was hired by the Illinois State Police and assigned to District 2 in Elgin. House 15 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 127th Legislative Day 6/30/2016 Joint Resolution 117 urges the Illinois -- Toll Highway Authority and -- and IDOT to rename I-355 and I-290 Interchange in honor of Trooper John Kugelman and his great dedication and -- selflessness in serving Illinois. I ask for an Aye vote.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Is there any discussion? Is there any discussion? As this resolution requires the expenditure of State funds, a roll call vote will be required. The question is, shall Senate -- House Joint Resolution 117 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 Joint Resolution 117, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. Mr. Secretary, Messages from the House.
A Message from the House by Mr. Mapes, Clerk. Mr. President - I am directed to inform the Senate that the House of Representatives has adopted the following joint resolution, in the adoption of which I am instructed to ask the concurrence of the Senate, to wit: House Joint Resolution 152. Offered by Senator Brady, and adopted by the House, June 30th, 2016. Timothy D. Mapes, Clerk of the House. It is substantive, Mr. President. A Message from the House by Mr. Mapes, Clerk. Mr. President - I am directed to inform the Senate that the House of Representatives has concurred with the Senate in the passage of a bill of the following title, to wit: 16 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 127th Legislative Day 6/30/2016 Senate Bill 2047. Together with the following amendments which are attached, in the adoption of which I am instructed to ask the concurrence of the Senate, to wit: House Amendments 1 and 5 to Senate Bill 2047. Passed the House, as amended, June 30th, 2016. Timothy D. Mapes, Clerk of the House.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Will the Committee on Assignments please meet in the President's Anteroom immediately? The Committee on Assignments, please meet in the President's Anteroom immediately. Seth Perlman, Associated Press, seeks permission to take photos. Seeing no objection, permitted -- permission granted. Mr. Secretary, Committee Reports.
Senator Clayborne, Chairman of the Committee on Assignments, reports the following Legislative Measures have been assigned: Be Approved for Consideration - House Joint Resolution 152 and Motion to Concur on House Amendments 1 and 5 to Senate Bill 2047. Signed by Senator James F. Clayborne, Chairman.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Michael Majeski {sic} (Majewski), of Fox Chicago, seeks permission to video. Ted Schurter -- Schurter, State Journal- Register, seeks permission to photograph. Mary Ann Ahern, NBC 5 Chicago, seeks permission to videotape. No objection, permission granted. Will our guests from the House please help us keep the noise down? We'd like to keep the noise down. We're on 3rd Reading. Senate Bill 2047. Supplemental Calendar No. 2, Senate Bill 2047. Leader Trotter. Mr. Secretary, please read the motion. 17 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 127th Legislative Day 6/30/2016
I move to concur with the House in the adoption of their Amendments 1 and 5 to Senate Bill 2047. Signed by Senator Trotter.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Leader Trotter. And, please, can we keep the noise down? Thank you. Leader Trotter.
Mr. -- I would like first to ask a procedural thing. Do I have to withdraw from Amendments 1 through 4? Just go forward on 5. Okay. So, House Amendment No. 5 becomes the bill? Thank you. Mr. President and Members of the Senate, this is the omnibus budget bill for 2017. In it, it contains agreed stopped-up language -- stopgap - excuse me - stopgap language, which includes -- which includes a full year's appropriation for K to 12 education for FY'17 and operational and program -- programmatic funding for human services, higher education, and general government that may be used for costs incurred in FY'16 or in the first six months of FY'17. In addition, the legislation appropriates the remaining other State funds for agencies for FY'16 and a full year's appropriation for other State funds and federal funds for fiscal year '17. The legislation also contains capital appropriations for IDOT, school construction, park districts, State facilities, and university facilities. There's five separate components to this bill, beginning with the K to 12 education, which appropriates 11.1 billion all funds, including 7.5 billion GRF, to the State Board of Education to fund pre-K to 12 education for FY'17. Under this bill, the school district will receive the same amount of general State aid it did during FY'16, essentially holding all 18 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 127th Legislative Day 6/30/2016 schools harmless. And then it adds an additional two hundred and fifty million, which will be distributed through an Equity Grant. The grant will be distributed to each district based on the same proportion of funding of -- as the total FY'16 Supplemental Low- Income Grant received in FY'16. Component No. 2 is the higher education component, which appropriates to State universities, community colleges, and higher education agencies for expenses incurred in FY'16 and '17. It appropriates a total of one billion dollars all funds, which includes 665.9 million for State university operations, 114.5 {sic} (169.5) million for -- Community College Board operations, and one hundred and fifty-one million dollars for MAP funding. The third component, which is the human service component, appropriates a total of six hundred and seventy-three million other State funds, including 670.3 million from the Committed {sic} (Commitment) to Human Services Fund, and three million dollars from the Healthcare Provider Relief Fund, in addition to GRF transfer to the -- Commitment to Human Services Fund of fifty-one million. Operations is the fourth component, which appropriates 779.8 million all funds to forty- one agencies for operations incurred from July 1st, 2015 to December 31st, 2016. This includes 469.8 million dollars GRF and 3 -- 309.9 million other State funds. The other State funds' appropriations comes from the Budget Stabilization Fund and the Commitment to Human Services Fund -- operations. And the fifth component of this bill includes a total of 17.1 billion in capital appropriations and reappropriations, of which 13.4 billion is for IDOT capital appropriations, including two billion dollars for FY'17 road programs. And in addition, it will provide for funding for school construction programs and projects, the Chicago 19 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 127th Legislative Day 6/30/2016 Veterans Home, correctional facilities, mental health facilities and higher education facilities. And I'm available for questions for more detail if necessary.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Is there any discussion? Senator Haine, for what purpose do you rise?
Thank you, Mr. President. Will the distinguished Senator yield for purposes of legislative intent?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Indicates he will.
Senator Trotter, for…(microphone cutoff)…for purposes of legislative intent, referring to the appropriation to the Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois as contained in Article 152, Section 40, the question is, may the term "operational expenses" include expenses incurred by the National Great Rivers Research and Education Center, pursuant to an inter-governmental agreement between the University of Illinois and the National Great Rivers Research and Education Center?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Leader Trotter.
The answer is yes.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Rose, for what purpose do you rise?
Couple questions, if I may, of the sponsor.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) 20 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 127th Legislative Day 6/30/2016 Indicates he will yield.
Leader Trotter, first, I have a couple questions of legislative intent. But let me offer, first, my thanks. It's been a true pleasure working with you the last couple weeks on this and you've been a gentleman and we've really enjoyed it. So, on that note, I do have two items of legislative intent. The first is that in the Board of -- Board of Trustees Act for the University of Illinois, it is our legislative intent, is it not, that -- that be a lump sum for purposes of the Prairie Research Institute. Is that correct?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Leader Trotter.
That's correct, Senator.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Rose.
Also, in the same vein for all universities, I'd like to offer the following legislative intent relevant to higher education spending. In the measure before us, we're providing lump-sum appropriations to each of the universities. As I understand it, from the budget staff and the Governor's Office of Management and Budget, that the FY'17 budget will have flexibility in it to also pay off additional FY'16 bills in order to provide our universities with maximum flexibility under the terms of this stopgap measure. Is that your understanding as well, Senator?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Leader Trotter. 21 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 127th Legislative Day 6/30/2016
That's what we worked on and then that is what's in the budget. Thank you.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Rose.
To the bill, if I may.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) To the motion.
To -- to the motion. Thank you, Mr. President. In addition to the comments that Leader Trotter eloquently offered, I'd like to just offer a few words on higher education in particular. This bill brings general parity to our four-year schools. It acknowledges the fact that some have more needs than others, but in general, it's parity and it's very fair in how it treats our four-year schools. But more importantly than that, it funds all three legs of the higher education stool - four years, community colleges, and also MAP grants for students. It will pay out the remaining MAP grants from '16. It will help our community colleges and also, very importantly, invest in adult education to put people back to work in this State and, in doing so, avoid some fairly significant federal penalties that were headed our way had we not done this today. So again, I know Leader Trotter cares very much about higher education, as do many in this Chamber, including myself, and I think what's most important about this to me is that we finally took an action here today that looks at all three legs of this stool, not just one or two. So, thank you, Mr. President. With that, I would urge an Aye vote. 22 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 127th Legislative Day 6/30/2016
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Matt Murphy, for what purpose do you rise?
To the motion, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) To the motion.
First of all, I just -- this -- as Leader Radogno had indicated, this is a positive development. This is the first substantive real bipartisan product we have been able to put together in quite a while and -- and it is a -- it is a good thing for the State of Illinois that we're able to do this. I want to commend the sponsor, Leader Trotter. I also want to commend all of the working group -- budget working group members that spent the better part of the last month, and really a lot longer than that, putting things together, putting the stopgap together that we're here on now. It was worthwhile work, it was very professional, and I was pleased to join you in the effort. There's one other thing that I think needs to be said, and as I look at this and I think "I saw the budget that Speaker Madigan wanted to have" and - that was seven billion dollars out of balance - and it occurred to me, as this negotiation has gone on, you know, imagine what this product would've looked like if we didn't have Governor Rauner here as a taxpayer backstop, because the -- the spend -- the spending efforts never stopped. Even after the deal was struck, there was more money, let's put more money in, let's put more money in. The reason taxpayers were protected, the reason that there wasn't a Chicago bailout, and there isn't, is because of Governor Rauner's leadership with the backup of Leaders Radogno 23 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 127th Legislative Day 6/30/2016 and Durkin. I commend them all for that. I commend the leadership on the other side of the aisle for being willing to work together, particularly, President Cullerton, the commitment to go forward on pension reform as the year goes on. I think that's going to be very important and I look forward to that product moving forward. Given all of that, thank you all for your effort in this regard. We can keep the lights on for six more months. And I urge an Aye vote.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Barickman, for what purpose do you rise?
To the motion.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) To the motion.
You know, it's been a very long road to get here and I, too, want to offer my -- my thanks, especially to those across the aisle. I know many of you have worked with many of us on bringing this together and I know many of us appreciate the -- the much work that you've all done. You know, I think there's a few things -- I want to talk about a few things that I think we all have come to agree on, especially as it relates to this bill and specifically the K through 12 components. But, you know, as -- as we all have gone home, we -- we come here from our districts, I think many of us have recognized the voices that are coming loud and clear from the people that we represent around this State, asking us, pleading with us to come together to move our State forward, to make sure that our school doors open this fall. And it's important to recognize what this compromise looks like. There's a lot of good 24 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 127th Legislative Day 6/30/2016 here and there's a great amount of good for our school system, for our children, and for the future generations of our State. So let's -- let's talk about the compromise here for just a second. For years, for years, this -- this -- for years, this building has talked about ending proration - that nasty ugly process that penalizes our schools all around the State, and, you know, in a - - in a terrible way, penalizes our poorest students and poorest schools everywhere. Today, we do away with proration and that is something I think we all can be proud of. Additionally, we know that many school districts around our State need our help. And without our help, a generation of our students and children are at risk that they're not going to have the education that they need to compete in this world-class economy that we want to put them in. And today, what we have before us is something that doesn't treat -- doesn't provide any special treatment to any one district. It does this wonderful thing in not pitting one district against another and it recognizes that the largest school district in this State needs help, but so does a whole lot of other school districts, places like Streator, Illinois, that maybe don't make the front page of every newspaper around the State, but who also need our help. Today, we are recognizing that our neediest children and our neediest schools exist in all areas of our State and they deserve our attention. And so, with this, I'm proud to be -- I'm proud to be a supporter of something that helps all of our kids in all areas of our State. The -- the last thing here is that we're doing something historic in making a historic investment in our schools and in our educational system. Our schools need that commitment from us. And many of us on both sides of the aisle recognize that there is more that can and should be done for the 25 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 127th Legislative Day 6/30/2016 children and the future of our State, and this is an important step here. But not to get too far ahead of ourself, this is one piece of a very complicated puzzle - and my appreciation to Leader Trotter and all of you who've helped get us here. We all know there's more work to be done on the budget. We look forward to working with you on that and we all -- many of us also know that within this complex educational funding formula that exists today, we need to fix it. And I hope to look to all of you across the aisle as we continue to advance our ideas on how we fix that funding formula. With that, I urge an Aye vote. And thank you, again, Leader Trotter, for your leadership on this.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Manar, for what purpose do you rise?
Thank you, Mr. President. Will the sponsor yield for a few questions?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Indicates he will.
Leader Trotter, thank you for your work on this bill. I have a couple of questions regarding group health and appropriation levels at agencies and budgets. Would you describe what's contained in this bill as enough to prevent potential layoffs and/or closures of facilities for the first six months of this coming fiscal year?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Leader Trotter.
Yes, there is adequate funding to ensure that our facilities, 26 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 127th Legislative Day 6/30/2016 our State facilities, should not be closing, in part because of what we're doing for this next six months of this year.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Manar.
So you would anticipate that between July 1st and the end of this calendar year, which would be six months into the fiscal year, that we would not expect any State facilities to close or any layoffs to be triggered by the lack of an appropriation or appropriation authority available to Governor Rauner?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Leader Trotter.
As you know, there is a process anytime we have State facility closures. So if the Governor puts forth that process, I can't say that he can't complete it, but it will not be because of the budget that we're putting forth here today.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Manar.
Thank you. In regards to group health, Leader Trotter, it's my understanding that this bill doesn't pay down -- or isn't intending to pay down any of the bills that we have on hand with the group health insurance program. Is that your understanding as well?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Leader Trotter.
No, there will be premiums paid for out of this fund. This 27 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 127th Legislative Day 6/30/2016 -- because of our general revenue cash flow, they will be paid slowly, but everything will be paid according to the input and the dollars coming into the State coffers.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Manar.
Would you describe that appropriation level of being reflective of any position on potential collective bargaining agreements that are pending right now that are currently being negotiated between labor organizations that represent State employees and the administration?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Leader Trotter.
The -- the short answer is, no. This will have nothing to do with the employees here. The group health insurance will be paid for through the other State funds, which are the -- the employees' contributions, and the General Revenue Fund would not have -- does not have -- it's not in the -- the mix as of yet.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Manar.
And the last question on group health: Would -- would you agree that once a final collective bargaining agreement or agreements are made and have been reached between labor unions and the administration that we will have the opportunity to make any necessary adjustments to the budget in the following months of the fiscal year consistent with those agreements?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) 28 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 127th Legislative Day 6/30/2016 Leader Trotter.
Yes, the -- there -- the opportunities will be there.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Manar.
To the motion, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) To the motion.
I'm -- I rise in support of this bill for many of the stated reasons that have already been discussed, but I want to also echo the comments of my colleague, Senator Barickman, in how he closed his remarks on school funding. This is a small step in the right direction and I commend the sponsor of the bill and the work of the members of the working group that have brought together what strikes a good balance for us at this moment. But as Senator Barickman said, I would agree, we have a long way to go on school funding. This does drive resources to needy classrooms across the State, but it certainly doesn't bridge the gap that we have well- documented in this Chamber over the past two years. I look forward to working with him, as a colleague, and Members on both sides of the aisle to get that done.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Leader Lightford, for what purpose do you rise?
Thank you, Mr. President. To the motion.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) To the motion. 29 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 127th Legislative Day 6/30/2016
Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate, I rise in support of the motion, but I also rise to thank the Governor for leaving the Turnaround Agenda discussions off the table, finally, ensuring that we have a budget that has zero to do with the Turnaround Agenda. Many people have hurt for a very long time, waiting for us to do exactly what we're doing right now. We're ensuring that college students, who have outstanding debt from their spring semester because of the MAP grant, will now have the opportunity to start school again in the fall. I want to thank us for making sure that our university doors are not closing, but we have to be reminded that we've lowered our numbers at our institutions significantly and they're going to need a lot of our support. So I rise for us to say, although we've made a tremendous step in the right direction today, there's still a lot of work, as legislators, to be done to ensure that there's jobs available for young people who want to work, that there's violence prevention. There's a lot of crime taking place, a lot of things happening in a lot of areas across the State where violence prevention is needed. And I don't know any better violence prevention than a job. So we have to find a way to create more employment opportunities so that we can keep our young -- people busy, employed, working, learning, earning on their own. I'd like to also thank the contributions that we've made toward the OSLAD grant. That has been a grant that our park districts rely on significantly and many of them across the State had programs and -- and projects, construction -- projects in the making that they've delayed for almost two years because there was no OSLAD park district support. Social services is very significant. Pillars, Aspire, NAMI - there's so many mental health 30 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 127th Legislative Day 6/30/2016 institutions and organizations who've just been doing the job for us, for autism, for people with disabilities, and we can finally say thank you to them, but in a major way, we can put money in their pockets to accommodate for what they've been doing for us for months now and hoping that they can hire back a lot of their staff that they've had to let go over the last year and a half. So we are moving in the right direction, as some Senators said, but it takes a commitment to ensure that we don't mix apples with oranges any longer in the future. The budget is the budget. The Turnaround Agenda is the Turnaround Agenda. There was a lot of legislators that were working in -- in groups. We called them sanctioned groups, unsanctioned groups, and I think those legislators should know that they've really moved the ball. It was because of you Senators that you kept moving -- you kept things moving and you should be applaud {sic} for all the time that you invested in -- in working to make sure that a budget is done. So, for Senator Trotter and Senator Steans and Senator Hutchinson, thank you guys for just spending so much time and working in this effort to make sure that these programs that are really critical to the middle class, that are really critical to our vulnerable society is finally being addressed. So I rise to acknowledge that education proration, finally off the table, but, oh boy, do we have a far way to go, Senators, a long way to go to ensure that our equity, our -- that there's equity -- equity, excuse me, in how we fund our schools. The foundation formula is old, it's outdated, and we're putting million -- millions of dollars into a area that we know is not allowing all children to have a -- a good quality education. So it's nice that we can go home for the summer. It's nice that we can go home and leave here until Veto 31 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 127th Legislative Day 6/30/2016 Session, but we ought to be reminded that there's a lot of work still yet to be done. And final words, for the Comptroller, I know this is something that many of us think is taboo, we shouldn't say, but, as legislators, we should get paid for the work that we do. And I think it's wrong for our income to be held for months, and months, and months, which is another game that's being played. So I hope the work that we're doing today would allow us an opportunity to continue to take care of our own homes and I'm hoping the Comptroller will decide and recognize that we're not vendors, that we're actually employees of this Body and we deserve to be paid. So again, Mr. Chairman -- or Mr. President, I rise in support of this legislation for several reasons. Because it's June 30th and not May 31st, I thought I'd get some things off my chest that I'd like to share with all of you. Please vote Aye.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Steans, for what purpose do you rise?
To the motion.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) To the motion.
Thank you. I, too, want to first thank Senator -- Leader Trotter, Senator Hutchinson, and also Senators Althoff, Murphy, and Rose, who we did spend many -- much time, as well as with the House folks, working on a stopgap. But we also know that we also had a complete framework for an entire budget, that we had also been working on that to bring to the Leaders. I wish that was what was up on the board today, that we were having a chance to vote on. We are still in a very concerning state here in Illinois. 32 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 127th Legislative Day 6/30/2016 We have human service providers, small businesses around the State, who have not been paid in a year. This is a step. It's going to get payments, at least, out the door to some of them, but we're never going to undo the damage that we have been inflicting upon ourselves in this State. We've had a million people, we know, who are -- have not been getting services now - the United Way had done that. We have homeless shelters that have been closing, substance use treatment facilities that are no longer providing services, at the same time that we know we have huge needs for that. Mental health providers have been closing doors and not seeing folks. Domestic violence and rape crisis centers that have had to close their doors. The list goes on and on in the human service area. We also know that the -- our higher education universities have been having to do massive numbers of layoffs. Our high school counselors are telling kids in our State not to go to Illinois public universities, but to be looking elsewhere. And as we've heard by some of the Senators as well, our education funding formula is still not fixed. We -- while we have a one- time fix in here at least directing some resources to our neediest districts, we have not fixed the underlying problem; that this is going to continue to go on and drive resources not where they're most needed. I'm glad we're doing this today. I'm not glad it's not the complete budget that's up on the board. We're continuing to self-inflict damage across the State. We're adding five hundred million, at a minimum, debt to Illinois every month we don't have a balanced and complete budget. So I sure hope we're back here soon doing that. I do thank everyone for the incredible work that it came to get here. My biggest hope and my biggest sense of optimism is at least the Governor and the Leaders were able to sit 33 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 127th Legislative Day 6/30/2016 in a room, negotiate, get to an agreement. I hope to have votes for our ability to do that on a complete budget. Thank you and I do urge an Aye vote on this partial solution, but an important one nonetheless.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Rezin, for what purpose do you rise?
Thank you, Mr. President. To the motion.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) To the motion.
Thank you. I, too, would like to stand up and thank everybody who has been involved and spent so much time in the past several months putting together this stopgap budget. As the previous speaker did say, we would have liked to see the framework of a budget that has been talked about. We hope to see it. We've been told after November, but in the meantime, this certainly is an answer that will get us through to after November. A little bit about the school funding and why, you know, we're thrilled with what we see in this particular bill: Because after so many years of proration that we've talked about, that adversely affects many school districts in my district, to the tune of millions of dollars less for these school districts that have very, very high concentration of poverty, this bill, finally, is putting them on the same playing field that they should have been in for the last six years. Despite after the income tax increase that brought in thirty billion dollars and yet we still continued to prorate, during those six years, the most -- poor schools, that affect my school district, now we at least can make them whole in this 34 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 127th Legislative Day 6/30/2016 budget. And we appreciate it, because we have school districts, if this budget did not pass, that literally would not be opening their doors this fall. So, again, I commend the parties, the committee, all of the Leaders who worked on this bill. I know that they've spent many, many hours behind the scenes putting this together and we appreciate it and we ask for an Aye vote. Thank you.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Leader Sullivan, for what purpose do you rise?
Thank you, Mr. President. I'd like to speak to the motion.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) To the motion.
Well, first of all, certainly want to echo many of the comments and the congratulations to the -- to the folks that have been working on this budget, day and night in some cases, certainly to all four of the caucuses and the budgeteers, to the working groups that have done a phenomenal job. I -- I just have to say to Leader Trotter, I -- I do believe that it's your steady hand, your calm demeanor that really has moved this process forward. So thanks for your leadership there. You know…(microphone cutoff)…we've -- we've come a -- a long ways. We've come a long ways. I mean, let's -- let's -- let's kind of call it the way it is: Governor Rauner has introduced two budgets that have been billions of dollars out of balance. But let's also acknowledge, and I'm going to at least be honest and up front here, and say that the General Assembly's also introduced and voted on some budgets that have been out of balance. So there's -- there's 35 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 127th Legislative Day 6/30/2016 plenty of blame to go around, folks - let's be honest here. And I think it's also important to acknowledge that this is not a complete budget. This is a step in the right direction, but we have a long ways to go. Yes, it does fund K through 12 education and puts more money into education. I believe we all support that. It's a very positive thing. But from the standpoint of our higher education, especially our higher education institutions, this is going to give them some breathing room and it's going to allow them to -- to continue to operate for a period of time, but it is not complete and we have much more work to do. And let's also be honest that we're setting ourselves up for a cliff come January the 1st. You know, we've put a budget together, this budget that we're about to vote on is a -- is a budget that spends money with no additional revenue. We can't continue to put more money into programs without additional revenue. We -- we're doing it here, but this is only a short-term stopgap to get us through the end of the year, so we still have a lot of work to do. The Governor -- or the Comptroller's Office, I think that the backlog of unpaid bills is still around eight billion. I think at the end of -- at the end of December, we're still going to have a huge backlog, probably that number, if not more. I know I listened to some of the debate over in the House when they we're debating this bill and several people asked the question, "Is this the responsible thing to do?" And some people over there said no; some people said yes. I believe it is the responsible thing to do. I think it's the responsible thing to do, but we also need to acknowledge that it is, again, only a step in the right direction, because our work is not complete. Last thing I want to say is I -- I hope that we can use the progress that we have made over the last 36 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 127th Legislative Day 6/30/2016 several days, several weeks, the progress, the trust, the working together, to move forward so that we can get the State of Illinois back on track and have a long-term fiscal solution to our problems. I certainly ask for an Aye vote. Thank you.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Leader Trotter, to close.
Thank you very much, Mr. President. I'd just like to echo some of the comments of the -- many of the previous speakers and just thank all the individuals that participated in these work groups in the past month. The -- the amount of work, the -- the insight of -- that you brought to the table, certainly brought us here today. But I -- I sort of humbly want to submit this bill to the State of Illinois and -- and humbly accept some of the accolades that have come my way, is because this is just us doing our job. You know, we're making like it was really a special thing. This -- for a whole year the people of Illinois have been asking for us to do something - a whole year - and we have not. But, today, we have come forward and -- and now looking at trying to make some changes going forward. But as brought up by Leader Sullivan, you know, we -- we still have a hundred-and-ten-billion- dollar pension liability. We still have individuals who haven't been getting paid, and even what we do today, going forward, may not save them from closing their doors. We still have schools that when -- are looking for new books, they need new school construction, and those dollars aren't here. So this -- this isn't really a stopgap; more so, it's -- it's more of like a pressure release valve, that we're allowing people just to breathe a little bit more. But we certainly are not undoing the damage that we've 37 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 127th Legislative Day 6/30/2016 done to this State by not working together, by not doing our jobs. This is a beginning. We have a long way to go and we know we have to do it for human services, for K to 12, and we have to do it for higher education - we have to do it for ourselves. We have a lot of work to do and I ask for an Aye vote from everyone.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) The question is, shall the Senate concur with House Amendments 1 and 5 to Senate Bill 2047. All those in favor will vote -- 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. Having received the required constitutional majority, the Senate does concur with House Amendments 1 and 5 to Senate Bill 2047, and the bill is declared passed. Abel Uribe, of Chicago Tribune, seeks permission to photograph and video. Adam Theilken, of WICS, seeks permission to video. Seeing no objection, permission granted. We still have further Floor action, Senators. Still have further Floor action. On Supplemental Calendar 2, House Joint Resolution 152. Mr. Secretary, please read the resolution.
House Joint Resolution 152, offered by Senator Brady.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Brady, on your resolution.
Thank you, Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate. I know we all want to get out of here for the Fourth of July holiday and I know we all have a lot to do and I applaud everyone's effort on the previous efforts that were completed, but I have a resolution here that designates a section of Illinois 155 in honor 38 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 127th Legislative Day 6/30/2016 of Major Reid Nannen. It calls it the "Major Reid Nannen Memorial Highway". Major Nannen was raised in Hopedale, Illinois, the son of Mary Ann and Dale Nannen. Graduated from the University of Illinois NROTC program. He was deployed twice to Afghanistan, earned several decorations, including the NATO Medal, Sea Service Deployment Ribbon, Global War on Terrorism (Service) Medal, Navy Achievement Medal, Navy Commendation Medal, and Air Medal. Unfortunately, on March 1st, 2014, Major Nannen was participating in an elite Top Gun Pilot training school and was killed in the line of duty. He left behind his parents, Dale and Mary Ann; his wife, Sarah, also a military veteran; and four young children. This resolution commemorates a part of our Interstate in his honor and I appreciate the opportunity to do this today, as we will celebrate in his honor on July 4th in Hopedale with a 5K memorial run. I ask for your approval of this resolution.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) As this resolution requires expenditure of State funds, a roll call vote will be required. The question is, shall House Joint Resolution 152 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, 1 voting Present. House Joint Resolution 152, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. President Cullerton, for what purpose do you rise?
Purposes of an announcement.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) State your announcement. 39 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 127th Legislative Day 6/30/2016
Ladies and Gentlemen, if you have just a second, I wanted to point out that we have distributed the schedule for the Veto Session. We are scheduled to come back here on November 15th. Be one week after the general election. I wanted to particularly thank our staff that has worked so hard on both sides of the aisle well into the night. We sometimes not -- don't appreciate that, but they've done a great job and I want to thank them. I also want to point out that -- let's do that. So I believe that we all know that the most important thing we do here is to pass a budget. When we come together to work on a budget, we can do that very well. The four Legislative Leaders have worked together in the past. We've worked together on capital projects, on pension bills, and that happened this last week. And I want to thank Senator Radogno for her efforts in helping bring that about. When we focus on a budget, we can pass a budget. Everybody should compromise and I hope that -- that the Governor in the future will realize what a -- how much we can accomplish by working together and continue to do so. When we come back, obviously after the election, we have a lot more work to be done. Hopefully, we can achieve the same compromises that we achieved this -- this day. So I hope everyone enjoys their summer and we'll see you after the election. Thank you.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Senator Althoff, for what purpose do you rise?
Thank you, Mr. President. Inadvertently, during all of the excitement - after we passed the stopgap budget, there was a lot of activity - Senator McCarter's button was pressed inadvertently. 40 STATE OF ILLINOIS 99th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 127th Legislative Day 6/30/2016 He is not here, nor has he been here all day. I just wanted to make sure that it's noted in the record that that was a mistake.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) The record shall reflect that. Mr. Secretary, Introduction of Senate Bills.
Senate Bill 3441. (Secretary reads title of bill) Offered by Senator Muñoz. 1st Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) 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 to any resolution on the Consent Calendar?
No objections have been filed, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR LINK) Is there any discussion? If not, the question is, shall the resolutions on the Consent Calendar be adopted. All those in favor will say Aye. Opposed, Nay. The Ayes have it, and the motion carries. And the resolutions are adopted. There being no further business to come before the Senate, pursuant to House Joint Resolution 155, the Senate stands adjourned until the call of the Senate President. The Senate stands adjourned. 41