Senate talks continue
Friday, May 19, 2017 - Posted by Rich Miller
* As subscribers know, it’s not all good news in the Senate, but talks continue despite threats by both sides to walk away. Finke…
Illinois Senate negotiators continued to work Thursday on a comprehensive spending and revenue plan, a day after the Senate failed to move along legislation aimed at ending the state’s nearly two-year budget stalemate.
Despite continued pronouncements that Republicans and Democrats in the Senate are close to an agreement on an overall plan, there were no votes on any of the remaining components of the “grand bargain.” That included workers’ compensation changes that Senate President John Cullerton, D-Chicago, said were close enough to agreement that they could get a vote Thursday.
“There is not yet an agreement (on workers’ comp),” said Cullerton spokesman John Patterson. “A workers’ comp reform proposal is going to require support from both sides of the aisle.”
Patterson also said budget teams were continuing to meet to come to agreement on a tax-and-spending plan that can be sent to the House. Both the Senate and House are controlled by the Democrats.
- Dude - Friday, May 19, 17 @ 9:11 am:
Come on, you can do it. Get this thing done!
- Roman - Friday, May 19, 17 @ 9:15 am:
The Senate GOPers are tweeting out a link to a Dan Proft fake newspaper story on an amendment that was not even voted on and claiming the Senate Dems passed a formula that cuts funding.
The party of Trump indeed.
- Cindy Lou - Friday, May 19, 17 @ 10:02 am:
My local nursery garden center emailed me last night requesting I call my legislator and demand he vote ‘no’ on SB9.
I was surprised the place took advantage of my email address access to give me their political opinion. *shrugs* Regardless of what my feelings are or are not on SB9 I didn’t appreciate nor want my garden center’s 2 cents in my personal email.
- No bargain - Friday, May 19, 17 @ 10:16 am:
I have been busy has any of the “bargained” bills that the Senate voted on had any GOP votes? Besides maybe McCann.
- The Real Just Me - Friday, May 19, 17 @ 1:33 pm:
As a stand alone bill not linked to any Grand Bargain or budget compromise, why would any Senate Democrat vote for a workers comp reform bill that is opposed by labor, trial lawyers, doctors and hospitals? As a stand alone bill not linked to any Grand Bargain or budget compromise, why would any Senate Republican vote for a workers comp reform bill that is not enough for the Governor or business groups? I really don’t get the political strategy here.
- Last Bull Moose - Friday, May 19, 17 @ 1:42 pm:
I think that they went to stand alone bills because they realized that a formal link would be challenged in court under the single subject clause. Now they have to trust the other side, particularly the Governor, to honor the intent to link.
- Rich Miller - Friday, May 19, 17 @ 1:45 pm:
===because they realized that a formal link would be challenged in court under the single subject clause===
Doubtful.
- The Real Just Me - Friday, May 19, 17 @ 2:11 pm:
Isn’t the de-linking a violation of the fundamental premise of the grand bargain that there are pre-conditions to agreeing to a budget, not to mention the Governor’s turn around agenda insistence that there are pre-conditions to the passage of a budget? Aren’t these just bills now? Why even call this the grand bargain anymore? Why would any Senator cast what amounts to a meaningless test vote that could later be portrayed as a negative roll call vote depending on perspective?