 However, state Sen. Larry Bomke, R-Springfield, said legislation was
blocked on a mainly partisan roll call that would have authorized a
top-to-bottom review of state programs to determine if taxpayer
dollars are being spent effectively.Also during the week, Senate
Republican Leader Christine Radogno, R-Lemont, asked Gov. Pat Quinn
to provide lawmakers with more information on the recent extension
of his taxpayer-subsidized "Put Illinois to Work" program, and two
special Senate committees began working on workers' compensation and
Medicaid reforms.
Radogno is questioning the $47 million extension of Put Illinois
to Work at a time when Illinois owes approximately $9 billion in
overdue bills and faces a massive deficit, which some estimate at
roughly $15 billion. Bomke said it's vital to assess whether the
program is the most effective way to create the good-paying,
permanent jobs that Illinois needs.
Republican lawmakers found it particularly troublesome that Quinn
intends to use funds drawn from a recent tobacco settlement to cover
the cost of the expansion. The governor's plan to use the recent
bond sale proceeds to extend the program may be a violation of both
the letter and intent of the law authorizing the securitization of
tobacco settlement funds to reduce the state's bill backlog.
Additionally, the six-week extension will cost taxpayers for the
next 18 years, at a ratio of more than 145 days of debt for every
single day of the program.
In a letter sent Thursday to the governor, Radogno asked for
information on the following:
Of the 26,000 program participants, how many have transitioned to
permanent, non-taxpayer-subsidized jobs with their Put Illinois to
Work employers; how many participating employers have committed to
offer permanent employment to these workers when the program
concludes; what, if any, system of means testing has been
implemented to assure participating employers do not have the
ability to pay employees'
wages, and are not using the program to increase profits, inflate
stock values, reduce costs or delay hiring permanent workers; and
what legal authority does the governor have to use these bond
proceeds to expand a new program, contrary to the purpose of the
borrowing stated in the authorizing legislation?
The week kicked off with initial hearings on reforms to the
workers' compensation and Medicaid systems. The high cost of
workers' compensation insurance in Illinois has been cited by
employers as a major factor in driving jobs to other states, while
Illinois' Medicaid costs have skyrocketed to unsustainable levels in
recent years. Both committees heard from proponents and opponents of
proposed changes and will continue meeting, with additional hearings
in December in Chicago. The committees hope to have recommendations
ready by January.
Moving on to the week's legislative action, the Senate refused to
support a motion to override the governor's changes to
House Bill 4836, which created the state Sunshine Commission.
Because the House had overwhelmingly rejected the governor's changes
on a bipartisan 91-22 vote, the Senate's action effectively killed
the measure.
Supporters said Quinn watered down the proposal, and his changes
would have kept the commission from being effective in identifying
duplicative, obsolete and ineffective state programs. The effort to
override the governor's changes fell more than 10 votes short when
only four Democrats joined Republicans in voting for the measure.
Lawmakers did approve an important pension reform measure, which
will provide much-needed relief for Chicago, suburban and downstate
municipalities buckling under the cost of funding police and
firefighter pensions. Current employees will not be affected by the
bill, but under
Senate Bill 3538 new hires would have to work to age 55, instead
of 50, with 10 years of service. Individuals with 10 years of
service can retire at age 50 with reduced benefits.
The measure also addresses the end-of-career "pension bump," in
which a retiring employee's benefits are boosted by receiving a
major pay hike just before retiring. Senate Bill 3538 stipulates
that the employee's final average salary would be calculated based
on the highest eight years out of the last 10 years, instead of
based on the last day of pay. The maximum salary used to consider
benefits would be capped at $106,800.
Cities and municipalities are also expected to chip in; the bill
requires that 90 percent of their obligations be covered by 2040.
Municipalities that fail to contribute the required amounts would
see state grants withheld beginning in 2016.
Quinn, however, has not said if he will sign the measure, even
though it passed with strong bipartisan support in both chambers.
The Senate sent a substantial gaming expansion bill (SB
737) to the House. It would allow for a Chicago casino, four new
riverboats, slot machines at Illinois' six racetracks and increase
the cap on positions at current boats. Opponents criticized the size
of the expansion, which the sponsor admitted was "huge," and even
proponents acknowledged that it is unlikely to pass the House in its
current form.
Some lawmakers expressed concerns that additional casinos would
siphon revenues away from the state's existing casinos. Others noted
that a gaming expansion is not a dependable source of revenue, and
they urged lawmakers to look to cuts and reforms as a way to boost
state coffers. Proponents said the expansion would create much-need
revenues, while bringing both construction jobs and permanent
positions to the state.
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Senate lawmakers also advanced
House Bill 5057, targeting gubernatorial appointees who were
appointed to positions under previous administrations and continue
to serve in those capacities though their appointments expired.
Recently, a list was made public showing that approximately 700
state employee positions need reappointment, with some terms having
expired as many as 11 years ago. Though the Illinois Senate is
tasked with confirming appointments to boards, committees and
important executive positions, these appointees have been working in
these positions without re-confirmation.
House Bill 5057 seeks to rectify this, stating that gubernatorial
appointees' terms will be considered expired 31 days after the
expiration date of their office, and the position will be considered
vacant. Any appointments made before the effective date of the
legislation will have an additional 30 days of service before their
terms are considered expired. The bill must still be reviewed by
House lawmakers.
On Wednesday, the Illinois Senate passed redistricting reform
legislation that many agreed was better than the status quo, though
it did not include important transparency measures advanced by
Senate Republicans.
Senate Bill 3976 now moves to the House for consideration. The
measure advances protections to minority voting rights but fails to
make significant improvements in giving the public greater access
and information about the redistricting process.
Bomke questioned why Senate Bill 3976 requires fewer public
hearings than were required in previous redistricting measures, and
he advocated for the public to have an opportunity to review and
weigh in on a draft redistricting map. Senate Republicans pointed to
seven amendments offered by Sen. Dale Righter, R-Mattoon, that would
have added greater transparency to the process by requiring four
additional public hearings to the four already required by the
legislation.
The amendments also sought to increase public participation by
making census data and redistricting software available to the
public, prohibiting a district being drawn to favor or discriminate
against any political party, and prohibiting districts from being
drawn to favor incumbents. Finally, two additional amendments sought
to protect "communities of interest," or areas defined by
recognizably similar racial, ethnic, geographic, cultural, economic
and historic boundaries, and to protect municipal boundary lines
from being divided, to the extent possible and allowable under
federal law.
Unfortunately, lacking Democratic support, the amendments failed
to be adopted by the Senate Redistricting Committee.
Emotionally charged debate surrounded a bill legalizing civil
unions.
Senate Bill 1716 allows for adult same-sex and different-sex
couples to enter into civil unions in Illinois. Having been approved
by both House and Senate lawmakers, the measure moves on to the
governor, who is expected to sign the legislation. If signed into
law, couples entering into a civil union would be entitled to all
the same legal obligations, responsibilities, protections and
benefits afforded to spouses. This includes making health-care
decisions, decisions regarding burial or other death arrangements,
inheritance rights and survivor benefits, and insurance protections.
Finally, the Illinois Senate said farewell to state
Sen. Dan Rutherford, R-Pontiac, who was elected to serve as
state treasurer and will be sworn in Jan. 10. His Senate colleagues
recognized his 18 years of service in the General Assembly with a
Senate resolution and many kind remarks. Rutherford's tenure in the
Senate focused on protecting taxpayers' wallets, nursing home
residents, agricultural interests, business development and job
creation
Legislation approved by the Illinois Senate this week:
Caffeinated alcoholic drinks (SB 3973) -- Prohibits the sale,
importation, production and distribution of products that contain
alcohol along with caffeine, guarana and other similar substances.
Blunt wrappers (SB 1014) -- Classifies "blunt wraps," or
roll-your-own tobacco wrappers made entirely or partially of
tobacco, as illegal drug paraphernalia.
Doctor sex crimes (HB 4934) -- Requires the licenses of health
care workers to be revoked if the licensee has been convicted of any
forcible intentional felony or sexual criminal act that requires
them to be registered as a sex offender. Also requires a doctor
charged with a sex crime against a patient to be "chaperoned" during
patient visits until the outcome of the criminal proceedings.
Criminal code rewrite (SB 1310) -- Makes changes to the criminal
code based on CLEAR Commission recommendations intended to
reorganize and eliminate redundancies, inconsistencies and confusing
language.
Government leases (HB 1450) -- Requires that state leases of real
property larger than 10,000 square feet with rent payments of
$100,000 or more a year be approved by the Procurement Policy Board.
[Text from file sent on behalf of
Sen.
Larry Bomke by Illinois
Senate Republican staff] |
