It’s just a bill
Thursday, Feb 14, 2019 - Posted by Rich Miller
* It’s not even “under review”…
Another day, another discussion about changing the way Illinois draws its legislative districts. All nineteen Illinois Senate Republicans are on hand for this.
“The ultimate authority in Illinois is the party in power, and it’s time to change that system. We stand here united to join our Democratic colleague Sen. (Julie) Morrison (D-Deerfield),” Senate Minority Leader Bill Brady (R-Bloomington) told a statehouse news conference, “to support Senate Joint Resolution Constitutional Amendment 4, which takes the politicians out of drawing their own destinies and their own maps.” […]
In an e-mailed statement, the spokesman for House Speaker Mike Madigan reminds us that, in general, compliance with the Voting Rights Act has scuttled previous efforts, adding it’s unlikely Madigan has studied Morrison’s proposal yet.
* The Daily Herald editorial board rails against shell bills…
As placeholders that wait in limbo until something substantive is amended onto them, shell bills exist to get around rules that establish a deliberative and transparent process for making new laws. They’re not just used for minor or parochial matters. Shell bills are the vehicles that have allowed quick passage of income tax hikes and state budgets, sometimes within a single day.
That flies in the face of good government and the Illinois Constitution, which requires “a bill shall be read by title on three different days in each house.”
The process is designed to invite airing of various viewpoints and to ensure interested parties see a proposal before it gets a final vote. It’s often said the wheels of government turn slowly, and in this case that’s how it should be. Passing a bill in a few days or even weeks, in a manner that allows for democratic debate, seems fast enough to us in all but dire emergencies.
Shell bills get around all that by going most of the way through the process with content that is sparse and laughably minute, like a series of bills introduced by Madigan Dec. 10 that appropriate $2 from the General Revenue Fund to each of several state agencies.
Later, lawmakers can amend the bill to make it something new and big and get it passed in a matter of hours, in some cases. It’s obviously unethical, and not made any more palatable by the fact Illinois is not alone in this particular charade.
* This hearing was canceled…
From: xxx xxxxx
Date: Wednesday, February 13, 2019 at 2:08 PM
Subject: House Bill 330 to be called on Thursday, February 24
IHSA Member School Administrators,
The IHSA has received word that the Illinois Elementary & Secondary Education Committee will call House Bill 330 tomorrow morning (Thursday, February 14, 2019).
This bill was filed by State Representative Thaddeus Jones and would prevent schools from being members of the IHSA, instead requiring them to participate in the newly created High School Interscholastic Association Commission, which would be governed by five appointees via the Governor, Speaker of the House, President of the Senate, Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, and Minority Leader of the Senate.
Despite numerous attempts, we have been unable to get a meeting or discussion with Representative Jones on the bill in order to get a better understanding of his issue or issues with the IHSA.
We received a brief explanation from someone associated with Representative Jones that said the bill was filed in response to “an email that was sent to the IHSA office, but never replied to.” A search by our IT department has been unable to identify said email or its contents.
- wordslinger - Thursday, Feb 14, 19 @ 9:41 am:
–* The Daily Herald editorial board rails against shell bills…–
It was a pretty sunny day yesterday. I guess there were no clouds overhead in Arlington Heights to yell at.
This is your beef with the General Assembly?
Geez, talk about having time on your hands.
- Hamlet's Ghost - Thursday, Feb 14, 19 @ 9:42 am:
== Senate Joint Resolution Constitutional Amendment 4, which takes the politicians out of drawing their own destinies and their own maps ==
or
“. . . which changes how the politicians who draw the maps are chosen . . .”
When someone says “I’m not a politician” they usually are a politician.
- Steve - Thursday, Feb 14, 19 @ 9:43 am:
The elected officials are supposed to draw the map. Not someone who the elected officials appoint. If the Republicans don’t like the map: win elections instead of crying.
- 47th Ward - Thursday, Feb 14, 19 @ 9:47 am:
I’m curious to learn more about the IHSA bill. That probably has an interesting back story.
- Gohawks123 - Thursday, Feb 14, 19 @ 9:47 am:
Do you want some tissues for those tears republicans?
- Truthseeker - Thursday, Feb 14, 19 @ 9:48 am:
“The elected officials are supposed to draw the map. Not someone who the elected officials appoint. If the Republicans don’t like the map: win elections instead of crying.”
. . . . said no Democrat ever when complaining about the same dynamic that works against them nationwide.
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- New Slang - Thursday, Feb 14, 19 @ 9:50 am:
“It’s just a bill…”
SB1462
*seems reasonable
- Annonin' - Thursday, Feb 14, 19 @ 9:50 am:
The rant from Daily Herald is a sad reflection on their pullback from actually covering the legislature. DH once had a staffed state house bureau. The reporters understood the process. Shell bills generally become the home for issues that have been batted around for months, chewed on by the media and flogged by the “think tanks” and lobos
The decline is rather telling
- JS Mill - Thursday, Feb 14, 19 @ 9:51 am:
The IHSA fancies itself as a mini NCAA. They have all different methods of finding revenue- sponsors, insurance pools etc.
I am not sure where this came from but the new football district alignments that are supposed to be implemented in two years has some people talking about creating a new organizations.
- Steve - Thursday, Feb 14, 19 @ 9:53 am:
- Truthseeker -
The nationwide thing is somewhat different. That’s the Congressional Black Caucus teaming up with the Republicans to produce 90-10 districts for the CBC. In Illinois, being a Blue state, this isn’t as much of an issue. If you don’t win elections the only way you can take down your opponents is if… Danny Solis types are wearing a wire on you.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Feb 14, 19 @ 9:55 am:
The process of legislating has inserted the “shell bill” as a step to help in quick compromises and agreed to legislation that can pass, unencumbered, and while still following the rules.
What’s disappointing is the editorial is thoughtful to process, but not to the positives gained.
Angry to be angry comes to mind…
- Ron Burgundy - Thursday, Feb 14, 19 @ 9:59 am:
The IHSA has its issues, but I would hope that allegedly poor customer service is not the actual reason for a bill to abolish it.
- BCOSEC - Thursday, Feb 14, 19 @ 9:59 am:
47th — I would really like to know the story behind the IHSA bill also.
The IHSA board of directors consists of 10 high school principals elected to three year terms. Seven are elected from geographic divisions, with three being elected at-large, one from an ethnic minority, one from an underrepresented gender and one from a private school. (I am taking this straight from the IHSA website).
Interesting to know why he wants to take governing high school sports out of those hands and into political appointees.
Looking at the current makeup of the board, Divisions 1, 2 and 3 are from Chicago/suburbs, with Divisions 4, 5, 6 and 7 being “downstate.” Speculating that has something to do with it??
- Long time R - Thursday, Feb 14, 19 @ 10:02 am:
The IHSA needs a total revamp from top to bottom. Check out some of the top 15 salaries and you will see why it’s a Sil serving organization. It’s been a scam for years
- Michelle Flaherty - Thursday, Feb 14, 19 @ 10:30 am:
It’s interesting how the Daily Herald cares so much about the inner workings of state government that it closed its Springfield bureau.
- Commonsense in Illinois - Thursday, Feb 14, 19 @ 10:32 am:
So appointments by the Governor and General Assembly are going to oversee high school athletics?
I call dibs on the hotdog concession to watch this disaster…
- Vermilion County Progressive - Thursday, Feb 14, 19 @ 10:43 am:
I wouldn’t consider the IHSA a perfect organization by any imagination, but setting up a government commission to organize high school sports is a ridiculous idea. Also, high school sports are a big deal downstate, since there isn’t much of a professional sports scene downstate (there is a PGA Tour event in Silvis every year, but that’s about the only high-profile professional sports event held downstate) to compete with high school sports, whereas there is a large professional sports scene in Chicago.
- New Guy - Thursday, Feb 14, 19 @ 11:04 am:
I struggle to understand why politicizing high school sports is a good idea….
- The Dude Abides - Thursday, Feb 14, 19 @ 11:16 am:
During the Rauner years while was intentionally doing harm to this state and its people I kept hoping that the ILGOP legislature would speak up against him. Instead they sat back and watched him wreck the state and as a result they are now a super minority.
We now have a new Administration and some big goals to accomplish such as pension reform, generating more revenue and a capital plan to name a few. Against this backdrop the ILGOP keeps talking about redrawing Districts. I’m not saying it’s a bad idea but we have bigger priorities right now. I have no sympathy for them as they are where they are at now because of their own actions or lack there of.
- Blue Dog Dem - Thursday, Feb 14, 19 @ 11:21 am:
It’s important that the IHSA gets dissolved. It’s time we introduce progressive values into our K-12 sports wherein everyone gets a participation trophy and small towns throughout the state can welcome us into their cities with billboards listing all of their student/athletes by name.
- Blue Dog Dem - Thursday, Feb 14, 19 @ 12:11 pm:
And these small towns can use their increase in LGDF to put up these signs….
- wordslinger - Thursday, Feb 14, 19 @ 12:20 pm:
I understand the GOP going-through-the-motions about the map, given their position.
But they have way bigger problems than the map.
Look at the suburbs. Five 100% suburban congressional districts are represented by Dems: Foster, Schneider, Casten, Raja, Underwood.
Give that a think.
Lipinski’s district is mostly suburban, and they let a Nazi win the GOP nod there.
That’s six suburban districts represented by Dems. Only the Underwood/Hultgren races was particularly close.
The GOP is kidding themselves if they think the map is the problem; it’s your sales force and what you’re selling.
- 618 DEM - Thursday, Feb 14, 19 @ 1:22 pm:
I havent been a big fan of the IHSA ever since they thought they could start charging newspapers to print pictures of their events in the paper. I know that got dropped, but come on.
- ajjacksson - Thursday, Feb 14, 19 @ 3:57 pm:
The IHSA is not a perfect organization; but to say it’s a “scam” is an exaggeration if not blatantly false. We don’t want the governor and/or the legislature running the IHSA. That would be your classic “recipe for disaster.”