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A sea of bills, but do they really mean anything?

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Illinois

* You should always keep this in mind whenever you see a story about how somebody introduced such-and-such bill to do whatnot…

It’s the annual kickoff to the session. Lawmakers file thousands of bills covering all kinds of issues — from spending to sex offenses — that they want considered by the House and Senate.

Only a few hundred will make it all the way through the process to become law. And this year, that number could be down for a couple of reasons.

Lawmakers aim to deal with only “emergency issues” and the budget in even-numbered years. These also are election years, during which politicians have more incentive to avoid controversy. And in this election year, there’s plenty to do on the major budget problems alone.

* Bills often are introduced just for a press pop, or for a nagging constituent or an insistent lobbyist. Often, the sponsor has either no intention nor any real hope of ever moving that bill to the governor’s desk. Sometimes, the bills are introduced just to send a message. Like this one, for instance…

Words like “coercive” and “ridiculous” were used at the Kane County Government Center Tuesday to describe a pair of state bills designed to deny funds for communities that enacted local bans on video gambling.

In a unanimous vote, the County Board’s Legislative Committee moved to oppose two virtually identical measures in the Illinois House and Senate which exclude communities that have the bans from obtaining funding from the state’s $31 billion capital bill. The measures also would require those entities to pay back the revenue lost to the state that the video gambling licenses would have generated.

The county board members are right to be upset, but it’s far more likely that the bills were introduced as a not-so-gentle warning to locals than measures which could actually become law this year.

* Some bills, however, become law without people even really knowing about it, and that can cause serious aggravation. For instance…

School districts and police officials are using e-mails, letters and warnings to publicize a new state law that has taken many parents by surprise because it prohibits the use of a hand-held cell phone while driving in a school zone.

Since the law took effect Jan. 1, officials have scrambled to inform parents who dial away while performing the daily rite of dropping off or picking up their children amid a thicket of cars, buses and darting pedestrians. Many find the law confusing, and even some police officials complain that it will be difficult to enforce.

“Personally, I think the police have better things to do than sit in the parking lot of schools and watch for people talking on the phone,” said Sue Anderson, a parent at Rose Elementary School in South Barrington. “Am I guilty of it? Yes.”

Anderson has not been ticketed but knows that police have cited others for violating a law that largely has fallen under the radar. The law, which does not apply to hands-free devices, also bans the use of hand-held phones in construction zones.

* Some bills ought to become law, but may not make it past the partisan screen. GOP Rep. Ron Stephens has sponsored one such bill…

Amends the Whistleblower Act. Provides that a State agency may not retaliate against an employee of that agency who discloses information about the policies or operations of that State agency in a court, an administrative hearing, or before a legislative commission or committee, or in any other proceeding, where the employee has, at the time of the disclosure, reasonable cause to believe that the information is true. Provides that a State agency may not retaliate against an employee of that agency who discloses information about the policies or operations of that State agency to a government or law enforcement agency or to the media where the employee has reasonable cause to believe, at the time of disclosure, that the disclosed information is true.

The governor’s gag order on Department of Corrections employees after word leaked out about his botched prisoner release program is probably the target here. The DHFS inspector general’s often bizarre pursuit of Tamara Hoffman, including a finding that she broke the rules by talking to me about Rod Blagojevich’s corruption, would fall under this proposal as well.

…Adding… Oops. I forgot about the red light camera bills…

A move to end the use of red-light cameras in Illinois has been pushed to another day after lawmakers on Tuesday banished two separate proposals to a subcommittee.

State Sen. Dan Duffy, R-Barrington, proposed legislation to eliminate all red-light cameras from Chicago and suburban communities. Members of a Senate Committee sent his legislation, along with a proposal sponsored by State Sen. Rickey Hendon, D-Chicago, to a subcommittee for more study.

These bills got a lot of publicity lately, but they may never again see the light of day - at least, not in their present forms. Hendon was also upset that the minority party member Duffy had “bill jacked” his idea, which is one reason Duffy’s bill got stuff in subcommittee.

posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Feb 17, 10 @ 10:38 am

Comments

Some bills are introduced to get a nice dinner or lunch out of a lobbyist.

Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Feb 17, 10 @ 10:46 am
Seven bills have been introduced already that would substantively affect the FOIA legislation that was passed last session. Thanks, Illinois Municipal League.

Comment by Obamarama Wednesday, Feb 17, 10 @ 10:59 am
The first installment tax bill for Cook County only was raised to 55% of last years bill (from 50%) thanks to a bill passed last year in the GA with little notice!

Comment by hank Wednesday, Feb 17, 10 @ 11:03 am
The correction bills for FOIA are necessary to correct a very poorly written previous law. The IML is completely justified in pushing for the corrections.

Comment by One of the 35 Wednesday, Feb 17, 10 @ 11:05 am
I absolutely abhor legislation introduced only for the press of it.

The FOIA law needs some serious amending.

Comment by Fan of the Game Wednesday, Feb 17, 10 @ 11:15 am
One of 35, I don’t think you can error on the side of transparency. Sorry. If you are a public servant we’ve the right. It’s our money. It doesn’t mean I’m not open to real problems, however. I’m just verrry skeptical…

Rich, I just worry you are going to undermine a lot of people making money off the idea that getting a bill introduced is meaningful and a sign of progress on “our issues.”

Comment by Greg B. Wednesday, Feb 17, 10 @ 11:23 am
The IML negotiated the current FOIA law for months and then decided that since it didn’t get EVERYTHING its way, it would cry financial “foul” and say the reforms are too costly. Has there been a sudden surge in FOIA requests since the law changed on Jan. 1st? Are public paper-pushers swamped with a tidal wave of new requests?

Show us some figures to back up the rhetoric.

Comment by FOIA Fan Wednesday, Feb 17, 10 @ 1:21 pm
I think every state agency has a rule about talking to the press since Blago was gov. State employees should be able to tell what they know. They could help us save pennies, nickels, dimes & quarters - next thing you know it is real $’s. Stephen’s bill should get a lot of co-sponsors.

Comment by jimbo2600 Wednesday, Feb 17, 10 @ 6:23 pm