For most people who don’t follow state politics, May is just
another month. But inside the Illinois Statehouse, this month is a whirlwind of
activity in which legislators try to hammer out deals and ram legislation through
so they can go on summer vacation. (There’s also the minor fact that any bills
passed after May 31 won’t take effect until June 1 of next year unless they get a three-fifths majority, but I think that’s a secondary
concern. Most legislators just want to get some free time to play Portal 2.)
Here’s a look at some of the bigger issues legislators are working on.
1) The
budget – Expect lots of cuts to social services, which means lots more
depressing news stories about how children, the elderly, the sick and the poor
are suffering without enough help from the state. And the budget process is a
pretty big deal this year, for two reasons:
-This is the first budget crafted
under new rules geared toward keeping the total dollar amount under a certain
cap. It’s meant to limit spending growth so the state can get to work on
eliminating debt.
-The House and Senate are actually
creating specific line-by-line budgets for each agency, instead of just giving
the governor a wad of cash and sending him to the store to grab whatever we
need, and maybe a little something extra for being a good boy. It’s a sign that
maybe, just maybe, lawmakers are getting serious about fixing the state’s
financial problems.
2) Pension
payments for state workers – They’ve already reduced benefits and raised the
amount future workers will pay for them, but now the legislature is looking at
requiring existing state workers to pay more for their benefits or downgrade to
a second “tier” of benefits. The unions will almost certainly file a lawsuit if
this happens, because the Illinois Constitution forbids “diminishing or
impairing” those benefits. Expect a protracted court battle and an eventual
compromise that leaves both sides scrunching their noses.
3) Workers
compensation – When you get hurt on the job (or sometimes off the job) and
can’t work for awhile, the workers’ comp system attempts to help you stay warm
and fed while you’re recovering. But recently, Republicans and the business
lobby have called for reforms that, among other things, require claims show
“causation” – that the injury actually occurred on the job. The reform package
was stalled because of that sticking point, but Speaker Michael Madigan may let
the House vote on a bill to nuke the entire system and let the courts handle
those cases. That threat will probably spur some movement on the real reform
bill, but causation probably won’t be part of the final package.
4) Redistricting – Every 10 years, the
legislature pretends to be concerned as numerous groups – often ethnic or
religious minorities – plead for more/better representation in the statehouse. (That
might be unfair of me; perhaps lawmakers really are concerned, but whatever
concern there may be never seems to translate into more representative maps.)
This year, the Democrat-dominated redistricting committee has the huge task of
designing districts that give minority voters a larger voice while still
retaining the political advantage of sticking opponents in districts where they
can be more easily unseated in the next election. Expect the new map to include
some interesting changes, especially in Chicago,
where a new influence/crossover/coalition districts will have to be created to
account for shifts in black and Latino populations. (Senate Redistricting – House Redistricting)
5) Utility
rate hike – ComEd wants to charge more for power again, but this time, they’re
offering something in return. They say the rate hike would go toward creating a
SmartGrid that would save consumers money in the long run. (SmartGrids allow
you to schedule your power consumption and allow the power companies to do all
sorts of neat stuff to increase efficiency/lower costs.) The problem is that
Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan says ComEd’s proposal is really unfair
to consumers, and she walked away from negotiations last week, likely stalling
any progress. Expect a last-minute change of heart on ComEd’s part to push
something through, if they’re serious about wanting to implement this project.
6) Medical
marijuana – Lawmakers pushing this idea have done pretty much everything they
can to make sure it doesn’t wind up like California’s medical pot law, in which
pretty much everyone can get high legally. The bill still failed, even despite
support from Republican House leader Tom Cross, but it’s on postponed
consideration in the House, which means it could pop up for a “do-over” vote at
any time.
7) Concealed
carry of firearms – Pretty much the same situation as medical marijuana. It
failed when it came up for a vote, but it could resurface at any time. Every
other state except Wisconsin allows some form
of concealed (or open) carry, but Chicago’s
anti-gun influence is pretty strong on the issue.
8) Cheesecake
day! – This is my favorite. It’s a tradition that one of the constitutional
officers (in past years it was the Treasurer, in my recollection) buys a bunch
of delicious cheesecakes out of their own pocket and shares them with anyone
who happens by their office in the Capitol. This year, it looks like the
Comptroller will be doing it on May 25. If you’re in the building, grab a fork.
But please don’t abuse this…I love cheesecake, and I might forkstab somebody if
this tradition disappears because of Hoggish Greedly.
This article appears in May 12-18, 2011.
