* Plexiglass was placed around the Senate press box before the lame duck session…

* The House has followed suit…

Traded the Bank of Springfield Center for a plexiglass chamber in the Illinois House of Representatives. Luckily it’s much nicer than glass at a hockey rink. pic.twitter.com/uvLS8XQrAo

— Justin L. Fowler (@justinlfowler) February 10, 2021

The difference is the Senate allows three reporters in each of the two press boxes. The Illinois Legislative Correspondents Association accepted just two per box in the House.

* Whatever, I got on the list and am heading over to the House now for the rules vote. This will be the first time I’ve been on the House floor in almost a year. Same for Hannah…

A bit weird to be in a plexiglass three-sided box but God it makes me so much happier just to be here doing something semi-normal. pic.twitter.com/0H84mNa0Z3

— Hannah Meisel (@hannahmeisel) February 10, 2021

* Speaking of the new rules, here’s Greg Hinz…

Overall, “Functionally, there’s not much different,” House Deputy Minority Leader Tom Demmer, R-Dixon, said in a statement. Demmer was the lead GOP negotiator on the rules changes.

For instance, he said, bills are not guaranteed a hearing even if they go to a substantive committee, and there was no change to make it easier to offer amendments from the floor. Beyond that, he said, ruling Democrats still will be able to offer huge amendments that no one has seen to pending bills, and then call a vote after only an hour or two of notice.

“We need transparency,” he said. “It ought to be at least a day of notice.”

Demmer has a point. But even with a day of notice to stir up opposition to a controversial plan, Democrats still have such a large House majority that they generally can push through whatever bill they want.

Majority Leader Greg Harris said during the Rules Committee debate this morning that the Republicans asked for more time to come up with some other proposals, so working groups will continue to meet. Leader Harris said those talks would include “notice for consideration of bills, amendments and other legislative measures.” Other items up for debate will include the selection of committee chairs and minority spokespersons, debate times, the disciplinary process, etc.

* Anyway, blogging could be somewhat light this afternoon.

       

22 Comments - OneMan - Wednesday, Feb 10, 21 @ 12:31 pm: So how much do we have to give to LSSI for you to stick a Garfield on the inside of the glass? If someone checks a legislator into the boards, try and get a picture please. - blue line - Wednesday, Feb 10, 21 @ 12:51 pm: is rep. madigan in springfield today? the roll call is in process. can any reporters confirm his presence? - thisjustinagain - Wednesday, Feb 10, 21 @ 12:57 pm: “Miller moving to center ice, passes to Meisel; she crosses, passes back to Miller, who takes a shot….he scores (banned punct.)” (Horn goes off in the chamber; legislators cheer, Speaker starts banging on glass trying to get their attention back). Ok, so it’s silly, but heck… - thechampaignlife - Wednesday, Feb 10, 21 @ 12:59 pm: I agree that bills should be posted in final form for 3 days prior to a vote, or maybe an automatic motion to reconsider happens 3 days later to confirm the original vote. However, the individual legislators could also adopt a personal practice to vote against a bill that is last minute, even if they otherwise agree with the merits. If enough of them did that, they could end the practice. - Donnie Elgin - Wednesday, Feb 10, 21 @ 1:04 pm: “You do that, you go to the box, you know..2 min. by yourself..and you feel shame, you know..and then you get free” - Dave Dahl - Wednesday, Feb 10, 21 @ 1:05 pm: “Dave’s isolated in a sound-proof booth. Let’s see if his partner’s answers match his.” No sign of Rep. Madigan, btw - Phineas Gurley - Wednesday, Feb 10, 21 @ 1:10 pm: I love the image of reporters slamming on the glass when things get a bit heated on the floor. New meaning to the old joke, I went to a legislative debate last night, and a hockey game broke out. - JS Mill - Wednesday, Feb 10, 21 @ 1:23 pm: @Donnie Elgin for the win. Frankly, anyone the references “Slapshot” is already a winner. - Earnest - Wednesday, Feb 10, 21 @ 1:35 pm: To me it reads more dunk tank than hockey rink. - Skeptic - Wednesday, Feb 10, 21 @ 1:45 pm: Having spent time in the penalty box, I can say first hand that it really isn’t as bad as it sounds. - Pot calling kettle - Wednesday, Feb 10, 21 @ 2:09 pm: ===For instance, he said, … there was no change to make it easier to offer amendments from the floor. Beyond that, he said, ruling Democrats still will be able to offer huge amendments that no one has seen to pending bills, and then call a vote after only an hour or two of notice. === I’m trying to understand what the Rpeublicans want…do they want it to be easier to amend bills or more difficult? It seems to me that you can’t have both. - Steve Rogers - Wednesday, Feb 10, 21 @ 2:17 pm: “I am your father, Luke. Give in to the dark side of the force, you knob.” “He saw Jedi 17 times, eh.” - Dave Dahl - Wednesday, Feb 10, 21 @ 2:20 pm: “Hanrahan!” #SlapShot The night two reps got in HWV’s face is a time they coulda used the plexiglas / penalty boxes - DoinStuff - Wednesday, Feb 10, 21 @ 2:21 pm: Urban Dictionary: sin bin The penalty box in hockey or roller derby He got sent to the sin bin for that elbow to the head - Bruce( no not him) - Wednesday, Feb 10, 21 @ 2:34 pm: ===three-sided box=== If it had four sides, it would be an aquarium. - Frank talks - Wednesday, Feb 10, 21 @ 2:50 pm: You can be like the fish in Monty Python’s The Meaning of Life, narrating all the stages of session. - Been There - Wednesday, Feb 10, 21 @ 2:54 pm: ====I agree that bills should be posted in final form for 3 days prior to a vote, or maybe an automatic motion to reconsider happens 3 days later to confirm the original vote.===== There are so many changes made through negotiation that I think this would be impractical. Even though everyone shouts about having an 800 page bill dropped in the last hours the reality is both sides usually know what was in 98% of it for days or even weeks. And it doesn’t take long to just look for the underlined or struck sections. And I much rather prefer a new clean amendment filed at the last minute instead of a line item one. Even with more paper printed. - Been There - Wednesday, Feb 10, 21 @ 3:18 pm: And the headline for todays vote: Madigan Doesn’t Vote For New Rules - Franklin - Wednesday, Feb 10, 21 @ 3:27 pm: Maybe Rep. Madigan is hoping to break Emily McAsey’s modern day record for ghost payrolling as a GA member. Then he could use the money to buy everyone clocks to commemorate the historic moment. - Northsider - Wednesday, Feb 10, 21 @ 3:29 pm: Steve Rogers @ 2:17: Well played. Let me buy you a (mouse-free) Elsinore. - Third Reading - Wednesday, Feb 10, 21 @ 3:39 pm: Speaking of being in a box … GOP throughout 2020: Democrats are dragging their feet when what they need to do is get to Springfield and act immediately. The public is tired of a do-nothing GA. GOP in 2021 after Democrats returned and took immediate action: Whoa, whoa, whoa. You guys are doing way too much, way too fast. Slow this down. The public demands a thorough and unproductive General Assembly. - Groucho - Wednesday, Feb 10, 21 @ 8:45 pm: Rhetorical pucks. Great Band name. Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.