* A House Democratic spokesperson just confirmed to me that the chamber is returning for session on Tuesday, August 31. A one-day special session is scheduled so far. More in a bit.
…Adding… Email to members from Speaker Chris Welch’s chief of staff Tiffany Moy…
Hi, Members:
The Speaker and Senate President are convening a special session on Tuesday, August 31 at 12 pm, for the purpose of considering legislative measures related to the legislative redistricting plan, pursuant to a Joint Proclamation that will be filed shortly.
We will also have a Caucus meeting on Monday. I will follow up with further details including the exact time later this afternoon.
Thank you!
Tiffany
*** UPDATE *** Press release…
House Speaker and Senate President Statements on Return for Special Session
The Speaker and Senate President are convening a special session on Tuesday, August 31 at 12 pm, for the purpose of considering legislative measures related to the legislative redistricting plan, pursuant to a Joint Proclamation.
“Following the recent release of 2020 census data from the U.S. Census Bureau, the House will be returning for a one-day special session on August 31 to amend the legislative map enacted in June to incorporate the latest census data,” said House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch. “As we have said since the beginning of this process, we want to make sure every voice is heard and represented. We invite the public to participate at the open hearings we will be holding prior to the return of the legislature.”
“Our goal has always been to implement a map that is fair and represents the diversity of the population of Illinois,” said Senate President Don Harmon. “With census data now available, we will take any necessary legislative action with that same goal in mind.”
Information on the legislative map can be found at ilhousedems.com/redistricting. Details on the public hearings will be forthcoming.
…Adding… The proclamation is here. The Senate is also working on the climate/energy bill, but they can adjourn to regular session to deal with that. Members, however, won’t receive their extra travel stipend for regular session if this goes beyond one day.
…Adding… August 31 happens to be Republican Day at the DuQuoin State Fair.
…Adding… I wouldn’t bet too much money on this happening since special session was announced…
Following the publication of the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2020 census data last week, which confirmed Illinois Democrats’ map included district populations three times the maximum range allowed by law, Senate Republican Leader Dan McConchie (R-Hawthorn Woods) and House Republican Leader Jim Durkin (R-Western Springs) filed a motion for summary judgment in federal court.
“This was quite possibly the most secretive, non-transparent process in the history of Springfield politics,” said McConchie. “The proclamation for a special session is admission that the Democrats’ enacted map was unconstitutional. Instead of ensuring the protection of Illinoisans’ voting rights, Governor Pritzker and his Democratic insiders drafted an unconstitutional map that sought to ensure their absolute power for another decade. With the data on the people’s side, we are confident the court will see through the Democrats’ charade and agree with our motion to void this map.”
The motion for summary judgment outlines that the facts and evidence presented in the case are so overwhelming that no real dispute still exists and requests an immediate ruling because a trial is no longer necessary to determine the case.
“A motion for summary judgment is filed when there is no longer a dispute over the law and the facts,” Durkin said. “The release of the Census data is game-set-match against the Illinois Democrats. Now knowing that their original map is unconstitutional, the Democrats are now scrambling to draw a new backroom map on short notice. There is no way to ‘put the toothpaste back into the tube’ as discussed in our summary judgment motion.”
If the motion is granted by the court, the current plan, HB 2777, will be declared unconstitutional and void without a lengthy trial and provide an opportunity for the process to go to a bipartisan commission.
And I also wouldn’t bet on a bipartisan commission. Also, the Democrats were scheduled to file a motion to dismiss.
…Adding… I meant to post this Sun-Times article and forgot…
The number of home solar panel installations in Illinois has plummeted as state consumer incentives dried up amid a standoff in Springfield that’s seen lawmakers unable to agree on major energy legislation.
After a state incentive program ran out of money late last year, just 313 small rooftop solar projects were completed statewide in the three-month period ending June 30, compared with 2,908 a year earlier, Illinois Power Agency records show. Those numbers account for most of the rooftop solar projects done in Illinois.
- irony is fun - Friday, Aug 20, 21 @ 10:49 am:
If it’s a special session it is House and Senate, not just House.
- Rich Miller - Friday, Aug 20, 21 @ 10:57 am:
Yeah, yeah. Long week and haven’t fully caffeinated. Thanks. Changed.
- Donnie Elgin - Friday, Aug 20, 21 @ 10:59 am:
which smokey backroom have they booked for the real legislative redistricting mapping discussions?
- Norseman - Friday, Aug 20, 21 @ 11:04 am:
Haven’t seen any court dates mentioned so this appears to be in plenty of time to lay out maps to address many of the arguments of the plaintiffs prior to argument.
- illinoyed - Friday, Aug 20, 21 @ 11:32 am:
Let’s go ahead and pass that energy bill as long as y’all are in town. Thanks
- John Lopez - Friday, Aug 20, 21 @ 11:34 am:
Wonder if some of the IL General Assembly leaders watched Dave Wasserman interview last night by Laura Washington, Lynn Sweet and Rachel Hinton and wanted to show all there are no “tensions” among Illinois Democrats related to remap(?).
- Basic - Friday, Aug 20, 21 @ 11:36 am:
That website is a joke. Almost as bad as attempt one at map making.
- Norseman - Friday, Aug 20, 21 @ 12:15 pm:
=== … attempt one at map making. ===
Dems have achieved their objective. Whether it’s successful is up to the courts. But they did what they had to do.
Too bad folks don’t pay attention to the explanations provided by good statehouse reporters like Rich and Hannah Meisel.
- Just Me 2 - Friday, Aug 20, 21 @ 12:16 pm:
So happy to see they’re going to be operating in an open and transparent manner. I’m sure the new maps will be available any minute for public comment.
- low level - Friday, Aug 20, 21 @ 12:25 pm:
==attempt at map making==
==open and transparent manner==
Yes, and again, when the Republican caucuses of the IL House and Senate have a map proposal, get back to me. Thanks.
- jimbo26 - Friday, Aug 20, 21 @ 12:32 pm:
Any idea if a fully vaccinated public citizen will be allowed in the gallery?
- Jeff Schoenberg - Friday, Aug 20, 21 @ 12:51 pm:
== Dems have achieved their objective. Whether it’s successful is up to the courts. But they did what they had to do. ==
However, there still is the open matter of settling the legal challenge in federal court initiated by MALDEF and its partners representing Hispanic and Latino community interests. Traditionally they’ve sided w/the Democrats — so what does a settlement ultimately look like?
- Rich Miller - Friday, Aug 20, 21 @ 1:03 pm:
=== still is the open matter of settling the legal challenge in federal court initiated by MALDEF===
If they’re smart, they give MALDEF most or all of what it wants and moot the case.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Aug 20, 21 @ 1:12 pm:
===…they give MALDEF most or all of what it wants and moot the case.===
Ball game, and everyone kinda saves face, MALDEF can claim victory, “we drew new maps along with the congressional map to make them all align under one set of demographics” kinda walk-away
- Nagidam - Friday, Aug 20, 21 @ 1:34 pm:
===Ball game, and everyone kinda saves face, MALDEF can claim victory, “we drew new maps along with the congressional map to make them all align under one set of demographics” kinda walk-away===
I agree but the caveat of will it be that easy? Take care of MALDEF at whose expense?
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Aug 20, 21 @ 1:39 pm:
===at whose expense?===
We’ll soon see.
The reality is as much as any party would like to have all incumbents safe if they draw the map, it’s easier to draw 13 safe congressional districts than try to carve 70+ State House seats that “work” for 70+ egos.
Every time you draw it different, the new wrinkles become more like ripples forming waves.
In other words… dominoes fall, but the *number* of dominos one party has is the end game.
- Jeff Schoenberg - Friday, Aug 20, 21 @ 2:09 pm:
== If they’re smart, they give MALDEF most or all of what it wants and moot the case. ==
And how does that not include a second Hispanic/Latino congressional district? The overall population gains would seem to point towards it, not to mention the politics.
- Rich Miller - Friday, Aug 20, 21 @ 2:10 pm:
===not include a second Hispanic/Latino congressional district? ===
They haven’t gotten to congressional districts yet.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Aug 20, 21 @ 2:43 pm:
===They haven’t gotten to congressional districts yet.===
So much is going to be hashed out when that specific map finally is unveiled.
Specifically to a second Hispanic/Latino district, does that mean the Chicago media market and congressional districts within them will be far more blue (including Kinzinger’s seat) to make way for that second district… and where does that leave Kinzinger…
I don’t know that answer, since there is no map to discuss it.
- EssentialStateEmployeeFromChatham - Friday, Aug 20, 21 @ 3:22 pm:
Are they going to wait until veto session to do the Congressional maps? Or are they also going to try to put together a congressional while they meet for special session, in addition to fixing the legislative maps?
- Norseman - Friday, Aug 20, 21 @ 3:42 pm:
=== … are they also going to try to put together a congressional while they meet for special session ===
I suspect they’ve made most of the decisions already and are now in the tweak stage. They may delay to go ahead and put together a dog and pony “public comment” show.