South Central Reporter

The following actions were taken on May 7 in the House on House bill HJRCA34 ("con amend-tax-2/3rds vote"): "Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Deanne M. Mazzochi", "Referred to Rules Committee", "Read in Full a First Time", "Added Co-Sponsor Rep. John M. Cabello", "Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Michael P. McAuliffe", "Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Ryan Spain", "Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Amy Grant", "Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Tom Demmer", "Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Terri Bryant", "Added Co-Sponsor Rep. David McSweeney", "Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Brad Halbrook", "Added Co-Sponsor Rep. C.D. Davidsmeyer", "Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Darren Bailey", "Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Grant Wehrli", "Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Dan Ugaste", "Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Daniel Swanson", "Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Norine K. Hammond", "Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Tony McCombie", "Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Avery Bourne", "Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Keith P. Sommer", "Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Tom Weber", "Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Mark Batinick", "Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Lindsay Parkhurst", "Added Co-Sponsor Rep. David A. Welter", "Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Keith R. Wheeler", "Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Blaine Wilhour", "Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Patrick Windhorst", "Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Margo McDermed", "Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Andrew S. Chesney", "Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Dan Caulkins", "Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Tim Butler", "Added Chief Co-Sponsor Rep. Jim Durkin" and "Filed with the Clerk by Rep. Thomas Morrison".

The Rules Committees is a powerful standing committee in the House controlled by the majority. All legislation is assigned to the Rules Committee as a kind of legislative filter that sorts the more-than-6,000 bills introduced each year. The committee considers the legislation and often assigns it to other committees in order to be heard by other lawmakers. Sometimes, legislation dies in the Rules Committee if the committee decides it does not merit further consideration, occasionally leading to objections from the minority party that just a few legislators from the majority have the power to completely kill their legislation. Minority party members have objected that this makes it difficult or impossible for them to represent their constituents.

The bill, as it was introduced in the House by Rep. Thomas Morrison (R-54) on May 7, "proposes to amend the Legislature and Revenue Articles of the Illinois Constitution," according to the General Assembly website.

The following house representatives also co-sponsored the bill: Darren Bailey (R-109), Mark Batinick (R-97), Avery Bourne (R-95), Terri Bryant (R-115), Tim Butler (R-87), John M. Cabello (R-68), Dan Caulkins (R-101), Andrew S. Chesney (R-89), C.D. Davidsmeyer (R-100), Tom Demmer (R-90), Jim Durkin (R-82), Amy Grant (R-42), Brad Halbrook (R-102), Norine K. Hammond (R-93), Deanne M. Mazzochi (R-47), Michael P. McAuliffe (R-20), Tony McCombie (R-71), Margo McDermed (R-37), David McSweeney (R-52), Charles Meier (R-108), Chris Miller (R-110), Lindsay Parkhurst (R-79), Steven Reick (R-63), Allen Skillicorn (R-66), Keith P. Sommer (R-88), Ryan Spain (R-73), Daniel Swanson (R-74), Dan Ugaste (R-65), Tom Weber (R-64), Grant Wehrli (R-41), David A. Welter (R-75), Keith R. Wheeler (R-50), Blaine Wilhour (R-107) and Patrick Windhorst (R-118).

The table below shows a history of actions for this bill through May 7.