 Former Gov. George Ryan placed a moratorium on the death penalty in
2000 and cleared out death row in 2003. The moratorium stayed in
place when Govs. Rod Blagojevich and Pat Quinn stepped in.As one
of the final actions of the 96th General Assembly, lawmakers last
week passed legislation that abolishes the death penalty. But the
measure won't become law unless Quinn signs it or takes no action on
it 60 days from when he received it. Some political observers are
speculating on the governor's next move.
Jim Nowlan, a former state lawmaker who now works for the
Institute of Government and Public Affairs at the University of
Illinois at Champaign-Urbana, laid out the governor's possibilities.
"His options are to sign the bill or veto it. And the other
action would have to be taken up to a new introduced bill in the new
session of the legislature that just began this past week," Nowlan
said. "So I don't think the amendatory veto is an option for him."
An amendatory veto, the power to change items in passed
legislation, is not likely, Nowlan said, because the previous
General Assembly has adjourned.
A big question also surrounds the fate of the 15 inmates who are
now on death row. The legislation does not include the inmates
because it affects only future sentencing.
The state's moratorium on the death penalty is still in place, so
there is no need to lessen any of the 15 convicted men's penalties,
said Quinn spokeswoman Annie Thompson.
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Illinois Statehouse News reached out to state prosecutors
involved with some of the cases of death row inmates, and to the
state attorney general's office, but did not get a response.
The governor is reviewing the death penalty bill and is so far
staying mum on whether he would sign it. He has stated in the past
that he favors the death penalty for the most serious of crimes.
[Illinois
Statehouse News; By MARY J. CRISTOBAL]
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