By the end of the day, the House adjourned without so much as taking a vote on either a plan carried by state Rep. Elaine Nekritz (D-Northbrook) that would have cut retirement benefits for public employees or on a separate, last-ditch alternative by Quinn that one union critic derisively dubbed a “desperate Hail Mary.”
Likewise, a Senate-passed plan favored by Senate President John Cullerton (D-Chicago) that would have made retirees choose between forgoing either a cost-of-living boost or state-subsidized health care never saw the light of day in the House.
The anti-climatic end to the 97th General Assembly had even the powerful leader of the House, Speaker Michael J. Madigan (D-Chicago), at a loss for words as he contemplated starting the whole process of pension reform from scratch this spring.
“You know, it’s kinda hard to have thoughts, isn’t it?” Madigan said as he left the Capitol. http://www.suntimes.com/17467879-761/lame-duck-session-ends-with-no-pension-reform.html
But they had time for this:
Gov. Pat Quinn signaled his intent Tuesday to sign legislation that would grant undocumented immigrants three-year state driver’s licenses, saying the measure that passed the House rids Illinois roads of “a dangerous risk.”
“More than 250,000 immigrant motorists on our roads today have not passed a driving test, which presents a dangerous risk to other drivers,” Quinn said in a statement that announced his plans to sign the bill. “Illinois roads will be safer if we ensure every driver learns the rules of the road and is trained to drive safely.”
After a highly charged debate, the Illinois House passed the measure by a 65-46 vote, a result that lit up the chamber with celebratory shouts and applause and grants as many as 250,000 undocumented immigrants new legal recognition by the state.
“Under the eyes of God, we’re all human beings,” said Rep. Edward Acevedo (D-Chicago), the bill’s chief House sponsor. “We come to this country — people come to this country — to fulfill the American dream. We can offer them that today.”
Debate in the House lasted nearly 90 minutes, with critics arguing the new immigrant drivers licenses put the state on record as condoning illegal entry into the country, set up a system that can be exploited by fraud and ignore the fact immigration policy is a federal responsibility, not a state one.
“There will be fraud, abuse. All I have to say is people have called me a hater, a racist,” said Rep. Randy Ramey (R-Carol Stream), who voted against the plan. “All I’m doing is standing by what the Constitution of the United States of America says. If the fed government wants to change the rules, I’d stand by that.” http://www.suntimes.com/17464095-761/quinn-to-sign-bill-allowing-undocumented-immmigrants-drivers-licenses.html
FIB's (If you don't know what FIB stands for then: (http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?defid=838418&term=fib)
No comments:
Post a Comment