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Protecting families of fallen soldiers Several Republican
lawmakers pressed Senate Democratic leaders to allow a vote on
House Bill 4532, which would prohibit loud and inflammatory
protests within 200 feet of funeral services.
The measure was prompted by actions taken by members of the
Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kansas, a fundamentalist group
who recently became known for picketing the burials of soldiers and
Marines killed in Afghanistan and Iraq and carrying signs with such
hate-filled slogans as "Thank God for dead soldiers."
Strongly supported by Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn, House Bill 4532 passed
the House of Representatives by a 114-2 vote but is currently
bottled up in the Senate Rules Committee. One has to wonder why
Senate Democratic leaders will not allow this bill to be released
for a vote.
Opposing another Blagojevich tax
A bipartisan group of legislators voiced their opposition March
28 to Gov. Rod Blagojevich's proposed motor fuel tax increase, which
would drive up the cost of gas for consumers and deter companies
from setting up shop in Illinois.
Similar to the governor's proposal last year, the
1-cent-per-gallon tax on fuel exported to other states would be the
first tax of its kind in the nation.
Based on current production, if this tax is implemented, the
refineries in Illinois will be taxed an additional $420,000 every
day -- putting them at a definite competitive disadvantage!
[to top of second column]
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 Questions about IDOT director's reappointment
On March 30 the Senate narrowly approved the reappointment of
Timothy Martin as Illinois Department of Transportation director,
despite Senate Republican concerns about a report from the Illinois
auditor general documenting $700,000 in questionable agency
expenses. The auditor general's report has been turned over to
federal and state investigators.
I was among the many Senators who opposed the reappointment.
During debate on the Senate floor, I told my colleagues, "We owe it
to the taxpayers of the state to withhold this nomination. A vote
for this is a vote against the taxpayers."
Longtime lawmaker honored
One of the General Assembly's longest-serving lawmakers was
honored last week, when the Senate Executive Committee passed
legislation to rename Illinois Beach State Park in Lake County to
honor state
Sen. Adeline "Geo" Geo-Karis, R-Zion. "Geo" has been a
member of the Illinois legislature since 1973. The Senate also
adopted a resolution celebrating the senator's 88th birthday on
March 29, and she was the guest of honor at a Senate Republican
dinner March 28.
Interns visit Senate
Two college students who are working in my district office during
the spring semester visited Springfield on March 29. Interns Graeme
Twanow of Spring Valley, a history major at Illinois Wesleyan
University, and Kristen Kelley of Schaumburg, a public relations
major at Illinois State University, got to experience the lawmaking
process firsthand.
[Column from
Sen. Bill Brady]
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