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House rejects governor's tax, Senate president ignores Brady's
call to action On the same day the governor's proposed $7.6
billion tax on business and consumers was overwhelmingly rejected by
the House of Representatives, Senate President Emil Jones of Chicago
flatly ignored my request to allow the Senate the opportunity for a
similar vote.
After debating the gross receipts tax for eight hours during a
committee-of-the-whole meeting on May 9, the House soundly defeated
the governor's plan in a test vote May 10. Not one member voted in
support of the GRT, 107 members voted against it, and seven members
voted present.
The GRT is advancing in the Senate, however. A Senate version was
advanced by the Senate Executive Committee, which is controlled by
Jones, the sponsor of the tax hike. The measure squeaked out on a
7-6 vote on May 8. All Republican members and one Democratic member
of the committee opposed the tax.
On May 10, I filed a motion asking the Senate president to allow
the Senate the opportunity to vote on our version of the GRT
legislation. He did not respond.
Senate president also stonewalling on utility rate relief
In the April 27 edition of this legislative update, I also told
you that Jones is pulling out all the stops to block attempts by
lawmakers, Republican and Democratic alike, to pass much-needed rate
relief for utility customers across Illinois.
Such heavy-handed behavior by the Senate president is a slap in
the face to Illinois citizens.
Senate passes Hate Crimes Commission legislation
The Senate has given unanimous approval to legislation I am
sponsoring to require legislative approval of the governor's
appointments to the state's
Commission on Discrimination and Hate Crimes.
I am working on the issue with state Sen. Ira Silverstein,
D-Chicago.
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 The Commission on Discrimination and Hate Crimes caught the
public eye when, in March 2006, gubernatorial appointee Sister
Claudette Marie Muhammad invited several commission members to a
speech by Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan. When several
members expressed their outrage at some of Farrakhan's controversial
remarks, Gov. Rod Blagojevich voiced his support of Sister Muhammad.
As a result, a number of members resigned from the commission.
Senate Bill 1047 now moves to the House of Representatives for
further consideration.
Local student groups featured in Capitol
Students from two area schools participated in
TECH 2007, a
demonstration of school technology May 8 in the state Capitol.
Second-grade students and teachers attended from Stevenson
Elementary School in Bloomington, including Olivia Abraham, Steven
Gay, Spencer Jackson, Melanie Stanley, Jeanine Buob and Trish
Weaver.
Also attending from the fifth grade at Stevenson Elementary
School in Bloomington were Adriaunna King, Marisa Zamudio, teacher
Sara Frailey and Varun Gowda.
Heyworth Elementary School participants included teacher Rachel
Bierbaum and sixth-grade students Ashley Hoegger, Austin Glan and
Brittany Wilson.
TECH 2007 is designed to show state leaders what skills will be
needed for the Illinois work force and how technology can improve
teaching and learning.
State Farm hosting Child Safety Day May 19
State Farm Insurance is hosting a series of Child Safety Day
events May 19 to help parents learn how to properly install and use
child safety seats in their vehicles. Events are scheduled in
Bloomington, Bradley, Champaign, Chicago, Decatur, Dwight, Gibson
City, Joliet, Macomb, Marion, Mokena, Oak Lawn, Ottawa, Palos
Heights, Peoria, Peru, Spring Valley and Springfield.
For more information, go to
www.statefarm.com.
[Text from file received from
Sen. Bill Brady]
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