Illinois Review

Massive gambling expansion before Illinois Senate on Wednesday

from Illinois Churches in Action

SB 737 was heard in the Senate Executive Committee today.  SB  737 is similar to the other massive gambling expansion bill, legalizing 11 new casinos and tripling the amount of casino gambling in Illinois.  Floor amendments will be put on the bill tomorrow, then SB737 will be called for a vote on Wednesday, December 1!    The bill includes: 

·        A City owned land-casino in Chicago with 4,000 gambling positions. 

·        Legalizes 4 additional casinos in Rockford, Danville, Park City, and South Suburbs with revenue sharing in 5 townships.

·        Transforms 6 racetracks into land-based casinos with slots and video gambling machines.

Five Republican votes passed same sex civil unions in Illinois House

Without five Republican votes, House Speaker Mike Madigan would not have been able to pass the civil union bill in the Illinois House tonight.  Speaker Madigan was unable to whip 13 Democrats into line and House Minority Leader Tom Cross allowed five Republicans to give Madigan the two votes he needed to pass SB 1716.

Downstate and competitive Democratic House districts were given a pass on State Rep. Greg Harris' controversial SB 1716, legalizing same sex civil unions in Illinois.  The bill now goes to the Illinois Senate, where it is expected to pass easily.

Here's One Way to Save Some Money

by Mark Rhoads

This is just a modest start but showing some Democratic congressional staff to the private sector job listings is still a good beginning.  Dan Foster over at National Review is reporting this: "House Democratic Caucus chairman John Larson (Conn.) has asked for the resignation of his entire staff, including in his district office, in anticipation of budget cuts associated with the Republican takeover on Jan.3. Larson was the odd-man-out in the Pelosi-Clyburn-Hoyer deal, which makes me wonder whether Larson is anticipating losing money not just to the Republicans, but to Clyburn’s newly created office."

Stroger spent $79K on zoo party

Cook County Board President Todd Stroger's administration treated families whose homes were damaged by floods to a nearly $79,000 party at Brookfield Zoo, paying for the day of fun with federal grant money meant to restore those homes, newly-released county documents show.

Read more in Clout Street.

Medical marijuana rejected in Illinois House

Where did your state representative stand on Tuesday's roll call on medical marijuana?  Since the vote was put on postponed consideration -- meaning the sponsor reserves the right to call the legislation once again this session -- the roll call is not archived and all we have is a photo taken by chamber observers.  The Illinois Statehouse News recorded the vote on YouTube HERE. Here's a video that shows the vote. 60 were needed for passage.

A list of House members is HERE.

UPDATE: Illinois House passes same sex civil unions

This post was live blogged during the House floor debate commencing with passage of SB 1716 at approximately 6:30 PM. Roll call will be made available shortly. Observers said House Speaker Mike Madigan worked the floor during the debate. The bill passed by two votes.

SB 1716 ROLL CALL HERE.  How did your state rep vote?

5:19 PM -- State Rep. Greg Harris (D-Chicago) has initiated discussion on the civil union legislation.  He compares this law to allowing women the right to vote, interracial marriage laws, other civil rights laws that have passed in Illinois' history.  Reads historical passages of discussion declaring that the historic passages were in opposition to "God's Plan."

This bill creates a separate chapter in Illinois law that allows civil unions, but protects churches from requiring they perform the ceremony.  Protects the rights of religions.  Civil unions would be for same sex or opposite sex couples.  Ended with divorce laws.

Does NOT change Illinois statutes setting up same sex marriage.  This does not allow couples to set up Social Security benefits or filing joint tax returns.  Heterosexual senior citizens will benefit the most, Harris says. Widowed senior citizens would stand to lose their pension benefits and Social Security benefits if they married.  The civil union would allow them to continue to receive pensions, but also be allowed to hospital rooms and to share nursing home rooms.

Recent polls show Illinoisans overwhelmingly support civil unions.  Numerous news editorials have called for the General Assembly to pass civil unions.

MORE BELOW --

Tax Pledge Adds Another Political Hurdle to U.S. Climate Action

by Elizabeth McGowan

WASHINGTON—Americans for Prosperity might promote its “No Climate Tax” pledge signed by 530-plus local, state and national elected officials as merely a badge of fiscal responsibility.

But their critics view the carefully worded pledge as a power grab and yet another hurdle for broad action on climate and energy legislation when the 112th Congress convenes in January.

There are already many.

Death penalty state ban two votes short

The St. Louis Post Dispatch says this morning that the bill's sponsor State Rep. Karen Yarbrough (D-Broadview) is two votes short on her attempt to abolish the death penalty in Illinois:

The measure could come to a House floor vote as early as this afternoon. "I'm still counting votes. Last night we had 58,'' said the sponsor, state Rep. Karen Yarbrough, D-Broadview. It needs 60 for House passage, and then would move to the Senate.

IR Blogged coverage of marijuana debate in Illinois House

12:34 PM -- Lang didn't get enough votes -- requested postponed consideration -- will need deadline extended if considered January 10 or 11.

Below is a real-time blogging of the floor discussion on SB 1381.

11:10 am -- SB 1381 to legalize medical pot is now being discussed on the House floor by State Rep. Lou Lang (D-Chicago) .  He says it's the tightest medical cannabis bill in the country and says that at one time 92 House members said they supported the concept of medical pot, but not that many will vote to support it.

"We cannot be afraid of the word 'marijuana,' I'm here because there are people that need and demand this bill.  I'm hoping this bill today that public policy must trump other things, if not, why be in this chamber at all?" Lang said.

Rep. Ron Stephens responds in floor debate, "I am a registered pharmacist.  We have medicine to provide cures and care for those who are ill," says if Lang was serious, he would want the medication to be controlled and dispensed through a pharmacy with the FDA's approval and clearance.  This is about making marijuana available.  It should be called the marijuana possession law.  It doesn't restrict marijuana's use in any way."

MORE BELOW THE FOLD ...

UPDATE 3x: Marriage, civil unions -- what's the difference?

UPDATE 3x:  House Republicans Mathias, Mulligan and Myers and Democrat Dugan are out today. The civil union proponents need the votes of Mulligan and Dugan -- we may see the vote on SB 1716 delayed.  May force the delay all the hot social issues today.

UPDATE 2x:  House reconvenes at 10:00 am.  IR commenter Judge Don Lowery responds to Harris' Social Security claims:  "Do not be misled, if civil unions pass,the social security admin will simply issue an edict that civil unions are the same as marriage. They will then cut benefits and save money. This will not benefit senior citizens in any way."

UPDATE 1x:  Apparently, there is at least one important difference.  We've just learned that SB 1716's sponsor Rep. Harris was on Springfield tv last night saying that SB 1716 will benefit senior citizens.  Supposedly if two unite with this legalized civil union proposal, the union is not considered marriage under federal law and Social Security benefits.  Thus, senior citizens united in civil unions -- same sex or opposite sex -- will have the best of both worlds.  No cut in Social Security and the companionship benefits of marriage. 

We've been reading that Illinois may not be ready for same sex marriage, but a vote on same sex civil unions in the Illinois General Assembly appears to be on its way as soon as this week.   Pressured lawmakers often tell voters that they do not support same sex marriage, but they could vote for same sex civil unions as a compromise.

So what is the difference between "civil union" and "traditional marriage" in Rep. Greg Harris' SB 1716?