Governor urges legislators to put differences behind them

By Bob Balgemann

REPORTER

The day after the Tuesday, Nov. 8 presidential election, President Obama appealed to everyone, regardless of political affiliation, to join hands as Americans and work together.

Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner made the same appeal when he called legislative leaders together to restart discussions about the many state issues as the fall veto session was about to begin.

State Rep. Bob Pritchard, R-Sycamore, pointed out that House Speaker Michael Madigan, a Democrat, didn’t attend. Perhaps he was bitter over the outcome of the election, the Boone County lawmaker surmised. Perhaps it was because the speaker was “just unwilling to find common ground on anything.”

Pritchard and the other Boone County House member, Rep. Joe Sosnowski, R-Rockford, have been calling for Republicans and Democrats to put the differences aside and work in the best interests of all residents.

Rep. Pritchard, who has been working in Springfield for more than 10 years, said there are many issues for legislators to tackle over the next three weeks of the veto session. That’s also true of early January, during the lame-duck session, before the 100th General Assembly is seated.

The governor vetoed 33 of the 438 bills that the Legislature passed during the 2016 session, which adjourned in May. So far, the House and Senate only have overridden one veto, dealing with Chicago police and fire pensions, over the past two years.

None of the governor’s amendatory vetoes, which change the language of a bill, have been accepted by the Legislature, Pritchard said.

He said one bill likely to be brought for an override vote institutes automatic voter registration.

Senate Bill 250 would automatically register anyone seeking a new or updated driver’s license, or when they interact with several other state agencies.

In his veto message, Gov. Rauner cited concerns about potential voter fraud, inaccurate registrations, and conflicts with federal law. The voter registration process run by the county clerk this past election seemed to work very smoothly, the legislator said.

Other bills were vetoed that increased wages for homecare workers and assistants for the developmentally disabled, Pritchard recalled. The cost to many public and non-profit agencies, as well as the fiscal condition of the state, are concerns, he added.

Among the issues that may come up during the veto session is the issuance of a state identification card to individuals recently released from prison, he continued.

“A bill to grant the ID passed the Senate and is supported by the governor’s criminal justice reform commission,” the lawmaker explained. “Most individuals released from prison to not have any form of identification and often lack the means to create an identity, which hampers their ability to get a job or housing.”

Brand new legislation, including possible new revenue sources, and the 2017-18 budget also may be discussed during the session.

Other legislation, he said, could include actions to mandate testing for lead in drinking water in schools, after the water crisis in Flint, Mich.