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* Today’s House session day was cancelled yesterday. Here’s Leader McCombie’s statement…
DEMOCRATS PRIORITIZE BANNING KANGAROOS, HOP OUT OF TOWN
SPRINGFIELD…After a legislative session day was abruptly canceled in the House of Representatives during a deadline week for legislation to pass out of committees, House Minority Leader Tony McCombie released the following statement:
“Republicans showed up with good bills for consideration. Bans on kangaroos and exotic cats made the cut while Republican bills to reduce taxes, hold criminals accountable, and strengthen families were blocked by Democrats. The priorities of this chamber are upside down and it’s immoral to leave early while so much work remains.”
Legislation Out of Committee This Week: Total of 213 Bills; Democrat 181 & Republican 32 – 15%
Legislation Posted for Hearing This Week: Total of 810 Bills; Democrat 581 & Republican 229 – 28%
Out of Committee: Total of 489 Bills; Democrat 434 & Republican 55 – 11%
Rep. Dan Didech responds…
Click here for more on Rep. Didech’s bill.
…Adding… [From Rich] Rep. Haas worked her bills hard and even though she has a fairly strong Democratic opponent managed to move four bills out of committee this week…
Earlier this week, State Representative Jackie Haas (R-Kankakee) passed four bills through committees. All four bills are scheduled to be read and debated on the House floor.
“I am proud to say that four bills I filed have moved out of committee this week,” said Rep. Haas. “All of these bills received unanimous, bipartisan support. These bills will support law enforcement, crack down on dangerous drugs, address our daycare shortages, and regulate sign usage on private property.”
House Bill 5174 passed the Personnel & Pensions Committee with a vote of 11-0. This bill will extend retirement annuities to sheriff’s law enforcement officers who return to work as a school security guard.
House Bill 4450 passed the Judiciary-Criminal Committee with a vote of 15-0. This bill will make the drug xylazine a Schedule III controlled substance, with an exemption for veterinary care.
House Bill 4059 passed the Child Care Accessibility & Early Childhood Education Committee with a vote of 14-0. This bill will create licensing orientation programs for individuals interested in becoming daycare providers.
House Bill 5039 passed the Transportation: Regulations, Roads & Bridges committee with a vote of 14-0. This bill notes that nothing currently requires the content of a sign on the property of a business to relate to the business.
Rep. Haas concluded, “I look forward to continued bipartisan support on these bills that will address some of our state’s most critical issues.”
These four bills join others already passed through committee by Rep. Haas, such as House Bill 4883 and House Joint Resolution 58.
[From Rich] This goes to show that members gotta do more than sit around and complain.
* WBBM…
Legislation advancing in Springfield would target people who make threats against libraries in Illinois. […]
The bill has the support of Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias, who is also the state librarian. He said it’s a sign of the times that such legislation is needed.
The bill would allow prosecutors to charge people accused of making threats against libraries or library workers with criminal offenses that would draw similar penalties to the ones on the books for threatening school employees and elected officials.
The legislation moved to the floor of the Illinois House, after it was approved by a committee.
* SJ-R…
Workers in the airline and shipping industries could soon see guaranteed paid leave through legislation advancing in the Illinois House of Representatives.
House Bill 4596 passed out of the House Labor and Commerce Committee in a 19-10 partisan vote and now heads to the House for a full chamber vote.
Bill sponsor Rep. Joyce Mason said the bill will be held on second reading to allow for continued conversations, which has received push-back from the Illinois Manufacturers’ Association. […]
Donovan Griffith, vice president of government affairs for the state manufacturers’ association, said that negotiations on the legislation took place over four years, and its final form with enough carveouts for business interests to move to neutral. The new bill effectively undermines those negotiations, he added.
* WAND…
State lawmakers could pass a plan this spring to crack down on sexual abuse by educators and authority figures in schools.
The Illinois General Assembly has previously created stronger protections for school children 17 years and under. However, House Republicans said it is currently not illegal for an educator or staff member to have sexual conduct with an 18-year-old student.
“With no criminal charge on a background check, that person can go on to work with other children and other child-facing organizations such as summer camps, park and rec jobs, or volunteer organizations,” said Rep. Amy Elik (R-Alton). […]
House Bill 4241 passed unanimously out of the House Judiciary Criminal Committee Thursday. The proposal now moves to the House floor for further consideration.
* WAND…
The Illinois House Restorative Justice Committee unanimously approved a bill Thursday to provide naloxone to people leaving jails and prisons if they were incarcerated for drug-related charges or have a substance use disorder.
Sponsors say programs in correctional facilities that provide medications for opioid use disorders reduce the risk of fatal overdose by 80%. However, Rep. Justin Slaughter (D-Chicago) said the state should provide adequate recovery services for people after they are released from jail or prison. […]
House Bill 5527 was placed on the calendar for second reading Thursday afternoon. Representatives could discuss the proposal again when lawmakers return to Springfield next week.
State. Rep. Rita Mayfield, D-Waukegan, acknowledged at a hearing of the Illinois House Judiciary – Criminal Committee that the State’s Attorneys Association is opposed to House Bill 1053, probably because they’re worried about resources being dedicated to habitual criminals, she said. However, she added, she’s actually looking out for taxpayers.
“Basically, to house these individuals as they age, they’re getting sicker and we’re paying for their medical bills. There has to be a balance here and I am looking out for the taxpayer,” Mayfield said. “Now, if you’ve got somebody like a John Wayne Gacy, lock them up and throw away the key and, I don’t know, bring back the death penalty.”
In Thursday’s committee, Democrats waited for more members to break a 6-6 deadlock Mayfield’s measure. The vote was to kill the bill. State Rep. Dennis Tipsword, R-Metamora, said one Democrat was going to vote with Republicans, which led to a pause in the hearing. […]
Mayfield’s bill wasn’t killed, rather it advanced to the House floor for further action.
* WAND…
The Illinois House Judiciary-Criminal Committee approved plans Thursday to help re-open cold cases and provide more transparency on homicide investigations.
One of the plans could allow immediate family members to petition law enforcement to review unsolved murder cases after three years of inactivity. The case file review must include an analysis of steps that may have been missed during initial investigations and assessments of whether witnesses should be interviewed again. […]
House Bill 4753 passed out of the House Judiciary-Criminal Committee on a 13-2 vote. The proposal was placed on the calendar for second reading Thursday afternoon. […]
A separate plan could require every law enforcement agency in Illinois to publish monthly data on homicides and nonfatal shootings, arrests of alleged perpetrators and the status of homicide investigations. Law enforcement would have to submit this information to the Illinois State Police and their official website for the public to view. […]
House Bill 4754 passed out of the House Judiciary-Criminal Committee on a partisan 10-5 vote. The plan now heads to the House floor for further consideration.
* Chalkbeat…
Considering the current teacher shortage, it’s time to rethink the teacher preparation and certification process. This is especially true in the early childhood space, where retention and advancement are notorious problems. […]
Teachers, education organizations, and the Illinois Education Association have drafted a state bill, HB4652, to establish a stipend program for student teachers in Illinois. If passed and fully funded, it would provide a $10,000 stipend for a full semester of student teaching.
In February 2020, [Rep. Maurice West] floated the idea of requiring schools to get written permission from tribal officials to use such iconography. That and similar legislative attempts floundered in ensuing years, but as Shaw Media’s Maribeth Wilson wrote this week, West continues to seek solutions.
Last year West backed House Bill 1633, a plan that garnered bipartisan support to mandate Native American history in public school curriculum. That law stemmed from West’s conversations with members of federally recognized tribes as an offshoot of the mascot discussion.
But the work isn’t done, and so West is back at the table with House Bill 5617, a stronger proposal than past efforts in that it would outright prohibit native names, logos and mascots, setting Sept. 1, 2027, as a deadline. He’s met with groups representing principals and school boards to make sure the spirit of his legislation aligns with its intent and is quite content playing the long game.
“My hope is that we do get it to the finish line,” West said. “But, I don’t want to rush it. If we do pass it, for Native American people, it should not be a one-sided vote. It needs to be a bipartisan vote. And that’s what my focus is and my hope is we can get it to that point.”
HB5617 didn’t make it out of committee this week.
* KHQA…
A bill in general assembly is gaining traction that would allow non-citizens who are authorized to work here in the United States to become firefighters. […]
Supporters of the bill say it could help Illinois fix an ongoing shortage of firefighters. The Illinois Fire Chiefs Associations said they helped write the bill and that the bill has support within the general assembly.
“if we have qualified applicants, who are who meet every other qualification and are going to do what we would believe if they’re qualified, they’re going to do a good service for the community,” said John Buckley of the Illinois Fire Chiefs Association. “Why wouldn’t we take them?” […]
The bill is passed out of committee and is scheduled for a full vote.
posted by Isabel Miller
Friday, Apr 5, 24 @ 11:43 am
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Dear Leader McCombie: Elections. Have. Consequences.
Comment by Southside Markie Friday, Apr 5, 24 @ 11:52 am
Or to rephrase, the week-earned super-minority status had consequences. Has the thought of changing back to the GOP from this lunatic-fringe crossed your mind?
Comment by Lurker Friday, Apr 5, 24 @ 12:04 pm
Even more misleading from McCombie is that the bill in question passed committee on March 12, not this week.
Comment by Google Is Your Friend Friday, Apr 5, 24 @ 12:17 pm
Reminiscing about the good ol’ days when people thought McCombie might turn out to be a serious person after becoming leader.
Good times.
Comment by TheInvisibleMan Friday, Apr 5, 24 @ 12:21 pm
Re: Leader McCombie
=== The priorities of this chamber are upside down and it’s immoral to leave early while so much work remains. ===
Did Leader McCombie heed her own advice and keep her Caucus in town to continue working on existing legislation coming forward? Or did Leader McCombie take advantage of the early leave? She has a choice. Talks cheap. Actions matter.
Comment by H-W Friday, Apr 5, 24 @ 12:21 pm
===might turn out to be a serious person===
Meh. It was a very snappy headline.
Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Apr 5, 24 @ 12:59 pm
If any was confused on my post, I meant to say well earned
Comment by Lurker Friday, Apr 5, 24 @ 1:11 pm
McCombie has become more of the same old same old from the ilgop. You are the micro-minority party in Illinois.
=However, House Republicans said it is currently not illegal for an educator or staff member to have sexual conduct with an 18-year-old student.=
Spoiler alert, it is already illegal. I am personally aware of two local cases where a teacher or coach had sex with an 18 year old and was prosecuted for it. As they should have been.
The “crack down” comes a little late since they have already enacted and additional background check that seeks info on prospective employees and whether they were dismissed for issues related to inappropriate interactions with students.
If they really wanted to do something about this issue they could hire more investigators or create a special division for the state police and DCFS. And come down hard on school officials that do not follow the current law or requirements.
THEN you you will see action.
Comment by JS Mill Friday, Apr 5, 24 @ 1:13 pm
I for one think banning kangaroos is a good thing.
They’re pretty scary when they attack. /s
Comment by Bruce( no not him) Friday, Apr 5, 24 @ 1:53 pm
McCombie and the republicans put out similar statements every year. What they should probably do is try to win more elections? How many Republican bills have passed on Congress compared to Democratic bills? I suspect in this election cycle, maybe Welch should put some of those crazy anti-choice bills that her members have filed up for a vote.
Comment by Springfield Watcher Friday, Apr 5, 24 @ 1:58 pm
The republican’ts can’t. Too bad.
Comment by Huh? Friday, Apr 5, 24 @ 1:59 pm
===Too bad. ===
What most of y’all are missing here is that this is basic member management. And your reactions only make it even better.
Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Apr 5, 24 @ 2:02 pm
Leader McCombie wouldn’t be doing her job if she didn’t put out statements like this. These statistics are not a surprise to her and she could have written this statement at the beginning of session and then just waited to fill in the numerical blanks. She knows that the Republicans have no power and that leaves her with very little to do other than to issue critical statements.
Comment by Demoralized Friday, Apr 5, 24 @ 2:26 pm
=Leader McCombie wouldn’t be doing her job if she didn’t put out statements like this.=
=What most of y’all are missing here is that this is basic member management. And your reactions only make it even better.=
Maybe this is more member management, but she regularly makes these types of statements when she meets with our regional superintendents group. I get she is frustrated, but work on growing your party. It would be good for Illinois, but they have little to offer to most Illinois voters these days.
Comment by JS Mill Friday, Apr 5, 24 @ 3:01 pm
=== And your reactions only make it even better ===
It’s a feedback loop for sure. Her members truly believe they deserve majority powers despite being a superminority. She demands that power, and everyone else naturally scoffs at it. This, of course, gives the Republican Caucus exactly what they want: reasons to be madder that they’re not in charge.
The problem with the “she’s just being a good leader” take is that this feedback loop also gives Democrats what they want. When Republicans are angry, they’re worse legislators and worse campaigners. They stay a superminority because of how angry and radicalized they are. A party made up of Jackie Haas clones would have a lot more seats and a lot more influence. It wouldn’t need to issue statements like this. So is it really caucus member management, or is it just another round of caucus size management?
Comment by vern Friday, Apr 5, 24 @ 3:13 pm
HB5617 and similar actions are kind of controversial. Tribal leaders say the large majority of the tribal population is against it.
https://www.nagaeducation.org/
Comment by Dupage Friday, Apr 5, 24 @ 3:35 pm
Are Republicans supposed to get more seats tomorrow? It is fair to ask that bills drafted in good faith, that contain good ideas, get a fair hearing. The howling from the media and this comment section would be MUCH different if the roles were reversed.
Comment by Free Market Friday, Apr 5, 24 @ 4:10 pm
The GOP is whining about only getting 32 bills out of committee this week.
But it turns out Rep. Haas had 1/8 of them.
Maybe she should be the GOP leader because she’s clearly leading in legislative effectiveness.
Senators should be lining up to have her be their House sponsor.
Comment by Michelle Flaherty Friday, Apr 5, 24 @ 4:20 pm
“House Bill 4450 passed the Judiciary-Criminal Committee with a vote of 15-0. This bill will make the drug xylazine a Schedule III controlled substance, with an exemption for veterinary care.”
This is what happens when an issue hits the news and the Legislature has no idea how to deal with it, but wants to pass legislation to show it is dong something. Xylazine is not approved for use in humans by the FDA. Substances listed in schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act are specifically used to treat human beings because they have therapeutic value. It is Schedule I that contains addictive and dangerous drugs that have no therapeutic value. So why is this being placed in Schedule III instead of Schedule I? Makes no sense.
Comment by Shevek Friday, Apr 5, 24 @ 4:40 pm