* Politico…
State lawmakers are focused on November — and not just for the General Election or its expected chaotic aftermath. They are tentatively planning a three-day veto session to begin Nov. 17, depending where the state is in the coronavirus pandemic.
“I’m hopeful we’ll be able to return. It’s entirely dependent on the severity of the virus at the time,” Senate President Don Harmon told Playbook. “If the Black Caucus is ready to advance an agenda, it’s even more important that we do everything we can to be in session.”
House Democrats may have more to say about a November session after next week’s caucus retreat in Springfield, where members can attend in person or by Zoom.
“The final plans haven’t been made,” Steve Brown, spokesman for House Speaker Michael Madigan, told Playbook. “It will be decided based on the advice we get from health experts. Just like it was in May.”
There are a few ways the General Assembly will return. It could be choreographed like the mini-May session, where senators met in the Capitol building and House members met in a nearby convention center, allowing them to spread out. Or state senators could do their legislative work virtually, since they voted on that option in the spring, while House members meet in the Capitol.
This week, the Legislative Black Caucus is holding two subject matter hearings to narrow down potential legislation — or an omnibus bill — for any November meeting.
The group has already laid out a four-point policy plan that addresses criminal justice reform (including reducing violence and increasing police accountability), education and workforce development, economic access, and health care and human services.
The Black Caucus is being tight-lipped about specifics, not wanting to give opponents — police and law enforcement groups — too much time to organize against the legislation.
1) The scheduled veto session is for six days, not three. The Black Caucus has demanded that the GA meet for the full session.
2) The House Democrats are not having a retreat next week. My phone blew up this morning. Sample text from a House Democrat…
Maybe my invite was “lost in the mail?”
The Senate Democrats are having a retreat next week.
3) The Senate rules allow for remote participation in a session, but not a remote session. From the rules…
The President, in consultation with the Minority Leader, may establish a process by which Senators and members of the public may participate remotely in hearings for standing committees, special committees, subcommittees or special subcommittees, and service committees. […]
In times of pestilence or public danger, the Senate may adopt a motion to allow a member to remotely participate and vote in the regular and special sessions of the Senate, provided that at all times a quorum of members is physically present at the location of session. [Emphasis added.]
- Socially DIstant Watcher - Tuesday, Sep 15, 20 @ 11:43 am:
There are two reporters names on that story, and one of them, like Rick Redfern, has a modest reputation for getting facts right.
- CCapilla - Tuesday, Sep 15, 20 @ 11:47 am:
I’m at the point where I’ve considered ending my subscription to their morning update email.
Can we get Natasha back after the election?
- Rahm's Middle Finger - Tuesday, Sep 15, 20 @ 11:51 am:
Shia… SMH. How hard would any of that be to check?
It feels like every day the Playbook has at least one obvious error. Wrong name. Wrong legislator. Bad information. Incomplete information. I expected that maybe it would get better over time, but it hasn’t.
While we’re on the topic, it’s also frustrating to watch her print Mayor Lightfoot’s spin verbatim.
- Bud's Bar Stool - Tuesday, Sep 15, 20 @ 11:54 am:
You mean to say Brendan Reilly did not manage the 2010 Kilbride retention race? But that he instead was in charge of the mail and radio ads? In 2010? Or maybe at another year. What do such details matter, anyway.
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Sep 15, 20 @ 11:59 am:
=== In 2010? ===
In 2000. And Kilbride is spelled with one “l”
- Just Wondering - Tuesday, Sep 15, 20 @ 12:12 pm:
If there are already many state employees back to full-time office work in the Capitol Complex (most notably SOS, but there’s more Stratton staff returning), then certainly the entire GA can meet for veto session–with precautions, temps, social distancing, etc.–in the Capitol Building.
- Socially DIstant Watcher - Tuesday, Sep 15, 20 @ 12:20 pm:
Just Wondering: Just compare a typical Veto session day at the Statehouse with a typical work day at Stratton. They’re completely different animals: different numbers of people, different closeness of people, different movement of people, and different ages of people. It’s not as simple as you make out.
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Sep 15, 20 @ 12:37 pm:
===social distancing===
Kinda tough to do in the chambers.
- The Captain - Tuesday, Sep 15, 20 @ 1:30 pm:
Did Politico fire all their editors? Shia seems like a very nice person but there are always so, so many basic errors. If they ran a corrections section it would be longer than the newsletter itself. It’s been cringeworthy for a long time and hasn’t really gotten any better.
- Just Another Anon - Tuesday, Sep 15, 20 @ 1:46 pm:
Politico’s newsletter is getting unreadable. Its more error than substance at this point. Its to the point when I no longer wonder *if* I’m going to find an error, but rather how many.
- Wow - Tuesday, Sep 15, 20 @ 1:54 pm:
I’m surprised she spells her name correctly
- 32nd warder - Tuesday, Sep 15, 20 @ 2:01 pm:
#OhNoShiaDidnt
- Inverted Pyramid - Tuesday, Sep 15, 20 @ 3:22 pm:
Who, what, where, when, why, and how.
That was taught in my journalism classes.
Good to know it is not just MY daily version of POLITICO Illinois Playbook that had issues.
- Frank talks - Tuesday, Sep 15, 20 @ 3:53 pm:
Check your sources then check those sources checking the other sources. Too big of a rush to get out the story
- Only in 2020 - Tuesday, Sep 15, 20 @ 5:16 pm:
They could close the chambers to members only and have a viewing room. If they closed the chambers, some members could set in the gallery. Microphones could be set up around the gallery and communication could be made to the floor if someone wanted to speak on an issue.