Sen. Bomke's 'Week in Review'

May 12-16

[May 17, 2008]  SPRINGFIELD -- The General Assembly is scheduled to adjourn May 29, and with the end of May quickly approaching, the Senate faced a May 15 deadline for House bills to be moved out of Senate committees. However, Senate leadership extended the deadline for several House bills so that committee hearings on the legislation can continue in the coming weeks, stated Sen. Larry Bomke, R-Springfield.

Legislation that would have amended a law passed last year mandating a moment of silence in Illinois schools failed to move out of the Senate Education Committee on Wednesday. An amendment to House Bill 4180 would have made the moment of silence mandatory and clarified that the period of reflection could take no longer than one minute. However, there were not enough votes in favor of the legislation to send it to the entire Senate body for consideration.

Local farmers are one step closer to defeating a new Department of Agriculture mandate requiring participation in a premise ID registration program. House Bill 5776 prohibits the Illinois Department of Agriculture from mandating participation in the program.

Ag officials said that mandatory registration would help track animals and assist health officials in responding more quickly to animal-related illnesses. However, many farmers opposed the mandate, saying they should be given the option to participate -- not required to do so.

Additionally, Bomke explained that many young people who participate in 4-H or other agricultural programs board their animals. Requiring a premise ID registration before an individual is allowed to show and exhibit in Illinois could create a problem if the landowners where the animals were boarded chose not to register under the program. Under these circumstances, some people would not have been allowed to participate in the competitions.

The Senate Higher Education Committee approved legislation that would benefit military students or their dependents. Recognizing that military personnel relocate frequently, making it difficult to establish residency, House Bill 5905 states that active-duty military personnel who are stationed out of state, but who have lived in Illinois for at least three years, must be considered in-state residents by Illinois' public universities. This residency exception would also apply to the individual's dependents.

Though there was significant legislative action in the Statehouse this week, many lawmakers also actively worked to address issues outside the Capitol. House and Senate lawmakers on both sides of the aisle continue to advocate for a moratorium on prison closures in Illinois until a comprehensive review of the state's correctional facilities can be completed.

The media has focused heavily on the Blagojevich administration's recent -- and seemingly arbitrary -- decision to close Pontiac Correctional Center. The sudden decision to close Pontiac, coupled with a recent announcement by the administration of plans to relocate 148 Department of Transportation jobs, have legislators, the media and the public questioning the governor's power to institute major changes at state facilities and government agencies without a comprehensive plan or rationale for the upheaval.

Additional legislation approved by Senate committees this week:

Child pornography (House Bill 4879) -- Increases the penalty for child pornography if the offense involves filming or photographing actual or simulated sexual offenses.

Child pornography (House Bill 3477) -- Prohibits computer encryption as a way to facilitate a crime.

Coal gasification (House Bill3733) -- Provides that it is the goal of the state that by Jan. 1, 2015, 10 percent of the energy used in the state must be derived from coal gasification or clean-coal technologies.

Corruption charges (House Bill 4726) -- Requires government officials and employees to repay the state or local government for compensation and benefits they accumulated on administrative leave during a pending criminal investigation if they are convicted of the crime.

Jail inspection (House Bill 5243) -- Repeals a law that requires counties to convene grand juries to inspect county jails and report their findings to the circuit court. The Illinois Department of Corrections already inspects county jails.

School postage (House Bill 4229) -- Permits school administration to use "certified mail" as well as "registered mail" when mailing notices and documents.

Sex offenders (House Bill 4207) -- Prevents convicted sex offenders who own and live in residential real estate from knowingly renting to parents or guardians of underage children.

Gun control (House Bill 2862) -- Increases the penalties for unlawful purchase of a firearm, if the weapon is used to commit an act of domestic violence.

State Scholars (House Bill 4567) -- Requires the Illinois Student Assistance Commission to conduct a study on Illinois State Scholars, including information pertaining to the total number, the number who applied to state universities and the number who were denied admittance into state universities.

[Text from file sent on behalf of Sen. Larry Bomke by Illinois Senate Republican staff]