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* I took a quick look this morning at the very first bills sponsored by House freshmen. These bills can tell us a lot about the new members’ priorities, so we may check them again.

Several freshmen haven’t introduced their own bills yet, and lots of House Republicans have only signed on to House GOP Leader Durkin’s remap proposal. Anyway, here’s the first bill for Rep. Dan Didech (D-Buffalo Grove)…

HB0887

Amends the Firearm Owners Identification Card Act. Provides that the Department of State Police has authority to deny an application for or to revoke and seize a Firearm Owner’s Identification Card previously issued under the Act if the Department finds that the applicant or the person to whom the card was issued is or was at the time of issuance a person who has been convicted within the past 5 years of stalking or a substantially similar offense in another jurisdiction, in which a firearm was used or possessed.

“Gun safety” was, if I recall correctly, a big issue in Didech’s campaign.

* Rep. Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz (D-Glenview)…

HB0836

Amends the Probate Act of 1975. Defines “administrative separation”. Provides that the court lacks jurisdiction to proceed on a petition for the appointment of a guardian or standby guardian of a minor if it finds that the minor has a living parent whose parental rights have not been terminated, unless, among other things, the parent or parents, in the event of an administrative separation, are not presently located in the United States and are unable to consent as evidenced by a sworn affidavit. Provides that a parent or guardian shall not appoint a short-term guardian of a minor if the minor has another living parent whose parental rights have not be terminated, unless, among other things, the parent or parents, in the event of an administrative separation, are not presently located in the United States and are unable to consent as evidenced by a sworn affidavit.

Sounds like maybe a constituent issue.

* Rep. Joyce Mason (D-Gurnee)…

HB0840

Amends the Public Utilities Act. Provides that beginning April 1, 2020, and on a bi-annual basis thereafter, the Illinois Commerce Commission shall issue a report to the General Assembly concerning the decommissioning of nuclear power plants in this State. Provides for the contents of the report.

Old nuke plant in her area.

* Rep. Mike Murphy (R-Springfield)…

HB0270

Amends the Retailers’ Occupation Tax Act. Provides that if a purchaser makes payment over the phone, in writing, or via the Internet, and the property is delivered to a location in this State, then the sale shall be sourced to the location where the property is delivered. Provides that the sale shall be deemed to have occurred at the customer’s address if the property is delivered and the delivery location is unknown. Amends the Counties Code, the Illinois Municipal Code, the Flood Prevention District Act, the Local Mass Transit District Act, and the Regional Transportation Authority Act. Provides that a unit of local government may require a retailer to collect and remit certain use and occupation taxes if the retailer qualifies as a “retailer maintaining a place of business in this State” under certain provisions of the Use Tax Act.

I’d like to know more about that one.

* Rep. Anne Stava-Murray (D-Naperville)…

HB0843

Creates the Laquan McDonald Act. Establishes a procedure for an election to recall the Mayor of Chicago, an alderman of the City of Chicago, and the Cook County State’s Attorney. Effective immediately.

Not sure why a Naperville legislator would do this, except she says she’s running for US Senate.

…Adding… Stava-Murray’s bill was first introduced in 2016 by… wait for it… Rep. Ken Dunkin (D-Chicago). It went nowhere.

* Rep. Patrick Windhorst (R-Metropolis)…

HB0339

Amends the Sex Offender Registration Act. Provides that a person who has committed a violation or attempted violation of unauthorized video recording and live video transmission is subject to registration if the victim is a person under 18 years of age when the offense was committed on or after the effective date of the amendatory Act.

Looks like he’s adding to the list of punishable offenses.

* The Question: What would be your first bill? Explain.

posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Jan 24, 19 @ 11:03 am

Comments

Giving school districts the right to pull out of TIF Districts.

Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Jan 24, 19 @ 11:10 am
First Bill: The Thompson Center Waterpark Act

Makes appropriations to convert the Thompson Center into a waterpark.

Comment by curtis Thursday, Jan 24, 19 @ 11:12 am
Going back to the old method of direct election of University of Illinois Trustees.

Comment by Ravenswood Right Winger Thursday, Jan 24, 19 @ 11:14 am
Cap the number of legislative days in a year or a two-year General Assembly; have a long session year and in the second year have a short session. So much time is wasted by legislators in Springfield. Many states accomplish their sessions in a much shorter amount of time than Illinois.

Comment by Red Ranger Thursday, Jan 24, 19 @ 11:15 am
If you’ll accept constitutional amendments as a “bill”, some kind of progressive income tax. We need to start paying for the services we are buying, soonest.

If that doesn’t count, I’d like (even) more emphasis on clean energy. I’d take pretty much anything on that front, whether that’s actual investing in more clean energy sources or taxing/regulating dirty energy sources, I’m all ears.

Comment by Perrid Thursday, Jan 24, 19 @ 11:19 am
Eliminating the Illinois State Charter school Commission.

The state should not be overruling locally elected decision makers or diverting money from local school districts.

Comment by Dance Band on the Titanic Thursday, Jan 24, 19 @ 11:23 am
Let the IPI run Illinois.

Comment by A 400lb. Guy on a bed Thursday, Jan 24, 19 @ 11:24 am
The state and any city or county can no longer place non-binding referendums on ballots. The cap on referendums must be a minimum of 50 (rather than the current 2 or 3).

Comment by Chris Widger Thursday, Jan 24, 19 @ 11:24 am
Make driving slow in the passing lane and failure to signal Class X felonies with mandatory life sentences.

Comment by 47th Ward Thursday, Jan 24, 19 @ 11:26 am
- curtis - Thursday, Jan 24, 19 @ 11:12 am:

First Bill: The Thompson Center Waterpark Act -

Well played, sir.

Comment by Notorious RBG Thursday, Jan 24, 19 @ 11:33 am
Shorten the state election season to 11 weeks.

Also, you’re only allowed one robocall and one mailer per candidate.

Comment by Jocko Thursday, Jan 24, 19 @ 11:36 am
Anne Stava-Murray continues her amazing career. She’s only getting started.

Comment by Steve Thursday, Jan 24, 19 @ 11:38 am
Swanson is a freshman? That’s harsh for a guy entering his second term.

Comment by Rail Splitter Thursday, Jan 24, 19 @ 11:42 am
That Mike Murphy Bill is a frontal assault on Amazon. That freshman isn’t here to mess around.

Comment by Conn Smythe Thursday, Jan 24, 19 @ 11:48 am
The Campaign Advertising Tax Act:
Provides for a $1 tax on every mailing from any candidate, candidates committee, or party committee; $3 tax on political mailing by any PAC, 501c, or any other organization in support of or against any candidate. Provides for a tax on each sign for any candidatel. And the best part of the act: Imposes a fine of $100 dollars per day for each and every sign, including yard signs, not taken down within 48 hours of the close of polls.

Comment by SOIL M Thursday, Jan 24, 19 @ 11:49 am
Re: the Murphy bill. Is this in response to the practice of corporations setting up shop in storefronts for the purposes of billing and taxes? For example, I believe United Airlines was “taking delivery” of jet fuel at an office in Sycamore so as to avoid paying tax at the Chicago rate, although I believe this practice stopped in 2017 as a result of a lawsuit.

Comment by Anon324 Thursday, Jan 24, 19 @ 11:50 am
Make marijuana legal.

Comment by Collinsville Kevin Thursday, Jan 24, 19 @ 11:53 am
Abolish state and local “incentives” to established businesses to locate/relocate here

Comment by In 630 Thursday, Jan 24, 19 @ 11:57 am
Constitutional amendment to go back to proportional voting for house members, with 3 members to each Senate district.

Comment by Whatever Thursday, Jan 24, 19 @ 12:02 pm
I would make receipt of state funding by individual school districts contingent upon those districts’ adoption of multi-family zoning.

I don’t know how to word it, but surely there are ways that the state - assuming it wants to move into the future - could prod communities to integrate at something a little faster than the glacial pace of the past century.

At least to get the conversation started.

Comment by dbk Thursday, Jan 24, 19 @ 12:03 pm
Repeal the cutback amendment. Abolish full time legislators.

Comment by Rte 40 Thursday, Jan 24, 19 @ 12:04 pm
The Murphy bill is interesting. It get very complex to implement local tax on out of state businesses. From the synopsis of the bill that was I presume but need to read it in its entirety. When the state implemented last years budget they stopped short of local tax and instead choose to just require the collection of state sale tax.

Very complex to implement collecting local sales tax when you overlay all the potential combinations of tax jurisdictions. Colorado has had a lot of issues trying to implement tax collection for local municipalities.

Comment by twowaystreet Thursday, Jan 24, 19 @ 12:06 pm
1st - a constitutional amendment to reverse the Cutback Amendment.

2d would be a constitutional amendment for merit selection of judges.

Comment by Keyrock Thursday, Jan 24, 19 @ 12:08 pm
Annually index the state minimum wage to the cost of living.

Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Jan 24, 19 @ 12:18 pm
Repeal the law prohibiting local governments from asking engineers and architects how much they

Comment by Springfield Transplant Thursday, Jan 24, 19 @ 12:21 pm
Repeal the law prohibiting local governments from asking engineers and architects how much they charge for their services.

Comment by Springfield Transplant Thursday, Jan 24, 19 @ 12:22 pm
Lowering the home rule population cap from 25k to 15k

Comment by Les Nessman Thursday, Jan 24, 19 @ 12:23 pm
Illinois is in serious need of TIF reform. For all the republican claims of caring about local property taxes, you’d think this would be a priority for them. It would easily gain bi-partisan support(not that it’s needed), again if the republican party is serious about re-aligning itself during this period of their internal rebuilding.

Comment by TheInvisibleMan Thursday, Jan 24, 19 @ 12:25 pm
A bill to increase the number of faculty representatives on the Illinois Board of Higher Education from 1 to 3. One each for the Public Universities, Community Colleges, and Private Colleges/Universities. Representative must be full time faculty members.

This would bring faculty representation up to the same number of student representatives. By including the three different types of colleges/universities it makes sure all are represented.

Making sure they are full time prevents the nomination of a crony who teaches one class somewhere.

Comment by G'Kar Thursday, Jan 24, 19 @ 12:46 pm
Require every public school building to have a publicly owned road leading up to it. In Springfield, the only road going to Lee School is owned by the warehouse next door. Theyve had problems maintaining the road. I don’t know how that was ever allowed to happen.

Comment by DCC Thursday, Jan 24, 19 @ 12:48 pm
== HB0270 … I’d like to know more about that one. ==

Sounds like it’s addressing some kind of internet sales tax issue

Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Jan 24, 19 @ 12:55 pm
I would go big …

Recall procedure for every elected official in the State at all levels of government … and no home rule opt out, period.

Comment by RNUG Thursday, Jan 24, 19 @ 12:59 pm
Prohibit retired legislator plates.

Comment by Sheesh Thursday, Jan 24, 19 @ 1:05 pm
Decrease the point where the maximum Gaming Tax Rate becomes effective from $200 million to $2 million. Increase the top Gaming Tax Rate to 90% from the current 50%. Put all the dough in the common school fund 005 and be declared a Saint by property taxpayers all over the State.

I hope nobody choked or spilled coffee all over their silk tie. Ha ha.

Comment by Al Thursday, Jan 24, 19 @ 1:11 pm
Ban non-competes

Comment by ChicagoVinny Thursday, Jan 24, 19 @ 1:11 pm
Second bill would be to force consolidation of school districts where separate grade school and high school districts coexist with each other.

Comment by RNUG Thursday, Jan 24, 19 @ 1:21 pm
Income tax credits for state university graduates who remain in Illinois to work, double the tax credit for grads who work in public service, and a tax credit for parents who pay for their kids to attend a state school. Also, something for high school grads attending vocational schools or trade union training program, some type of stipend or something. Gotta keep attending to our future as a state.

Comment by Reserved Thursday, Jan 24, 19 @ 1:25 pm
Rich,

Did I accidentally use a banned word? Don’t see my first choice coming through.

Comment by RNUG Thursday, Jan 24, 19 @ 1:31 pm
Close all institutions housing people with developmental disabilities and mental illness, contingent upon the state actually identifying and appropriating the resources necessary to support these particular people to be successful in their new environments and appropriating the resources needed to assure a healthy community-based service system is available for persons with similar needs.

Comment by Earnest Thursday, Jan 24, 19 @ 1:45 pm
Repeal two laws for every new one. Snark

Comment by Bigfoot Thursday, Jan 24, 19 @ 1:59 pm
Wow I had to start skimming, but there are some really great ideas here.

My 2:

Expunge all marijuana-related offenses from Illinois criminal records.

Return staffing of all state agencies to mid-1990s levels over the next 4-8 years.

Comment by Lefty Lefty Thursday, Jan 24, 19 @ 2:14 pm
Close down the white elephant Illinois Veterans Home in Quincy and move all current residents to certified replacement facilities. Let the Feds (who send soldiers off to war) deal with veterans issues.

Comment by striketoo Thursday, Jan 24, 19 @ 3:08 pm
I’d merge the RTA with CMAP. Both agencies do the exact same thing: regional planning. It doesn’t make sense to separate transit from all other types of transportation modes.

Comment by Not It Thursday, Jan 24, 19 @ 4:16 pm
A bill to make the “spoofing” of telephone numbers (both cell and landline) for the purpose of telemarketing a capitol offense. Those calls make my hair hurt.

Comment by Behind the Scenes Thursday, Jan 24, 19 @ 4:16 pm
Prohibit all elected officials who don’t support regular citizens’ right to carry from having armed security. I’d name it the Hypocrite Awareness & Recognition Act.

Comment by Interesting Thursday, Jan 24, 19 @ 5:12 pm
Rich, if you could explain HB270. Is that an “internet tax” (Lauzen championed it years ago)? I read it yesterday and was confused, so, if you don’t mind can you clarify?. If it is, and I am not a fan of taxes, but if it does add sales tax to out of state purchases that currently don’t pay state sales tax, that should be number one. It is only fair and may help some brick and mortar retailers.

Comment by Taxedoutwest Thursday, Jan 24, 19 @ 5:14 pm
== Repeal two laws for every new one. Snark ==

Given the number of laws on the books, that should be a serious proposal.

Comment by RNUG Thursday, Jan 24, 19 @ 6:21 pm
Want to cosponsor 47th Ward’s bill

Comment by West Side the Best Side Thursday, Jan 24, 19 @ 7:17 pm
A bill requiring that all bills establishing a program, agency or committee contain a 10 year sunset date.

Comment by Norseman Thursday, Jan 24, 19 @ 9:36 pm
Declare John Prine the Poet Emeritus of Illinois and carve his name on the State Library for all the world to see, forever.

That Maywood mailman remains the goods. Ebert said so, when he found him.

And carve Rogers name on there, too. He was one of the greatest writers this state ever produced.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOTbg39-I5Q&list=RDaOTbg39-I5Q&start_radio=1&t=0

https://www.rogerebert.com/balder-and-dash/john-prine-american-legend

Comment by wordslinger Friday, Jan 25, 19 @ 1:15 am
Propose the CA for a Progressive State Income Tax, and put it on the ballot in 2020. Dont mess around in the muck before making sure the voters can have their say on this.

Comment by PublicServant Friday, Jan 25, 19 @ 5:06 am
Random alcohol, drug testing for the elected. Don’t want impaired making laws

Comment by Rabid Friday, Jan 25, 19 @ 8:25 am