* Traditionally, the last week to get substantive bills out of committee is hugely busy. Staff and lobbyists scurry everywhere at once, making sure they have sponsors to the hearings on time, that there are enough people in the committee to vote, that out of town testifiers are in place, that innumerable last-minute objections are dealt with, etc. This is often all accomplished despite little sleep and, in some cases, strong hangovers.

Lots and lots of bills are introduced every year and a large number of them make it out of committee, despite obvious problems with the legislation. This is why I tend to play down the importance of legislation advanced during 1st Reading in the original chamber. It ain’t soup yet.

Sen. Terry Link (D-Waukegan) explained this all pretty well to Phil Kadner when Kadner called this week about one of Link’s bills that had just cleared a committee. Kadner was tipped off by an outraged local mayor who couldn’t believe the committee would unanimously approve the proposal. Here’s Link…

“Do you understand how legislation gets passed in Springfield?” [Link] said. “This is just language. It is not the final language. It is a starting point.

“In order to get it passed out of committee, I agreed to have both sides sit down and work out their differences before this is ever brought up for a third reading. It will never get passed if we don’t work out language that everyone can agree to.

“This is not the final bill. I don’t expect the bill to pass in this form, and it may not even pass this spring. We may not pass it until the (autumn) veto session.”

* Here’s another bill passed by a committee that needs a lot of work…

Officials in a small Southern Illinois county could get some power to control raucous events that bring thousands of partiers — and some major problems — to the region each summer.

In action Thursday, an Illinois House committee gave tentative approval to legislation designed to give Hardin County officials the ability to levy a tax on people who attend events such as the Hog Rock biker rally and the Gathering of the Juggalos.

Money raised from the tax could go toward law enforcement, cleanup costs and other expenses associated with the gatherings. The proposal also could give counties the ability to deny promoters the ability to hold the events.

“When they have these gatherings, a lot of crazy things happen,” said state Rep. Brandon Phelps, D-Harrisburg, who sponsored the measure. […]

Phelps said he remained in talks with supporters and opponents and hopes to have a final draft in front of the full House later this spring.

* This one apparently needs a whole lot of work…

Builders in Illinois who want to construct a commercial building in 2013 or after would have to use at least some brick, mortar, concrete or stone under a bill that cleared a House committee on Thursday.

House Bill 5852, the “Vertical Construction Masonry Composition Act,” sponsored by state Rep. Luis Arroyo, D-Chicago, would require buildings that are 15 feet or taller to be composed of at least 15 percent of those masonry materials. Single-family homes and apartments for four or fewer families would be exempt.

Arroyo said he is open to adjusting the percentage and the legislation allows for exceptions when an architect or structural engineer certifies that a building would be structurally deficient if it had to meet the requirement.

* Sometimes, the sausage-making process can get a bit ugly…

A police sensitivity task force has been recommended by an Illinois House committee to investigate instances of racial insensitivity in traffic stops.

There was some interesting debate on this between state Representatives Jim Sacia of Freeport and Mary Flowers of Chicago.

“Are there prejudiced people out there? Of course there are,” said Sacia. He continued, “But the belief I have is that the vast, vast majority that wear a badge are very aware of sensitivity. I can see by the shaking of your head that you totally disagree with me.”

Flowers responded, “I am an African-American woman and you are a white male. I don’t expect you to see what I see. You don’t live in my community. You have never been a black man stopped by a white police officer. Your rights have never been violated. You have never seen your child shot down! Shot in the back!”

When the roll was called, it was 6 to 3 to recommend a police sensitivity task force.

* And sometimes legislators introduce bills just to spark a debate…

Drug awareness advocates say a proposed amendment to a new law giving immunity to drug users who report an overdose would defeat the purpose of the bill.

Rep. Jim Durkin, R-Western Springs, wants to add a condition to the law that would require those seeking medical help to enter drug treatment within 14 days or face prosecution.

“This is about beginning the dialogue of how we are going to be proactive about getting individuals to help themselves,” said Durkin, a former prosecutor in the Cook County state’s attorney’s narcotics unit. […]

Durkin calls his proposed additions to the law a “work in progress” and says he is “open to negotiation.”

The bill is still stuck in Rules Committee, so the only way he’ll move it now is if he attaches it as a floor amendment to a House bill or a committee amendment to a Senate bill. Neither looks at all likely, however, and therefore much newsprint space may have been wasted in the reportage.

* You just knew this bill would pass ASAP once it was revealed that Gov. Pat Quinn funded executive and legislative pay raises in his proposed budget…

Illinois lawmakers are taking steps to cut their salaries again as the state’s huge budget problems drag on.

The state Senate approved legislation Thursday that requires legislators to give up 12 days’ worth of pay, or about $3,100 each.

The measure would also freeze pay for a variety of state officials. In all, it’s supposed to save about $330,000.

Democratic Sen. Dan Kotowski of Park Ridge is sponsoring the bill, which passed 52-0 and now goes to the House.

* A close vote in one chamber could spell trouble in another chamber. But it may not. We’ve all seen bills pass unanimously in one chamber and then get absolutely slaughtered in the other…

In a new crackdown on distracted driving, the Illinois House voted Thursday to ban motorists from using hand-held cellphones in most instances while they’re driving.

“The time has come. We need to get serious about this and try to continue to make the roads in Illinois as safe as possible,” said Rep. John D’Amico (D-Chicago), the chief sponsor of the legislation.

His measure, which passed 62-53 and now moves to the Senate, would permit cellphones to be used while driving only if they’re in hands-free or voice-activated mode or if used with a headset.

* This one zoomed out of the House and, by all accounts, will zoom out of the Senate, but we’ll see…

Illinois lawmakers are closing in on a shark fin ban after the state House easily passed a bill prohibiting the sale and distribution of fins on Thursday.

With virtually no floor debate, House Bill 4119 sailed through the chamber by a tally of 81-33.

“I think (the vote) was decisive, I would consider that a mandate,” said Rep. Sara Feigenholtz (D–Chicago), the bill’s chief sponsor. “I’m delighted.”

The bill is an effort to curtail the finning of sharks – extracting the animal’s fin and throwing it back in the ocean. Shark fin soup has also long been considered an Asian delicacy.

* Roundup…

* ADDED: State could ban teen tans

* ADDED: Lawmaker Says She’ll Try Again With Stun Gun Bill

* ADDED: House crushes Franks proposal to elect board chairman

* ADDED: How To Control Asian Carp? Blast Them With Shotguns…Obviously
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* Hearing sought over state health insurance audit - Brady also wants ‘emergency legislation’ to address shortcomings outlined in handling of $7 billion worth of contracts

* Brady urges suspension of HMO contract process

* Quinn seeks money for torture panel

* Policy group: Illinois needs to slash $4.3 billion from budget

* Lawmakers Consider Suburban Speed Cameras