Better ethics reforms not given a vote.
As Illinois was again rocked by the news that another state official was being investigated on corruption charges when the veto session began at the end of October, I joined a growing chorus of legislators demanding reform of Illinois’ ethics laws.
Unfortunately, the bills we offered that week, and the nearly thirty other ethics reform bills that had been filed between January and November, many with bipartisan support, were not even allowed a standard hearing. Almost all were ignored and buried in the House Rules Committee.
Instead, only the two proposals filed by majority party leaders just before midnight on the second to last day of the veto session were permitted a floor vote. However, their proposals failed to measure up to basic bipartisan muster or include the most simple and obvious of necessary reforms – preventing a sitting legislator from being a lobbyist.
Because something had to be done, I felt compelled to vote for their “ethics reform” legislation, although I fear it was basically just a head fake. I hope when the General Assembly reconvenes in the spring we can actually address the ethics problem in a meaningful way. Read More Here.
Ethics Survey 2019.
Illinois continues to be ranked one of the most corrupt states in the country and Chicago is the most corrupt city in the nation, but Democrats in state government continue to do nothing to reform the culture of corruption that continues to plague our state. Please take this survey so I can let members of the General Assembly know how you feel you about bringing ethics to Illinois. Click Here to take survey.
Improving road safety.
At the end of October, I sat down with Megan Hickey of CBS Chicago to discuss the Driver License Compact (DLC) and why the courage of a local constituent is helping shine a light on the DLC and the important role it has in keeping dangerous drivers off our roads. Read More Here.
Protecting state taxpayers from Chicago pension liabilities.
House Resolution 600 protects the state and taxpayers from bearing the liability of Chicago and Cook County’s chronically mismanaged pension funds. Chicago has to stop turning to the rest of the taxpayers of this state for its inability to manage its own assets. Read More Here.
State Police seeking cadet applicants.
The Illinois State Police are looking for qualified applicants to join their ranks in Cadet Class #132. Applicants should submit required support documentation prior to January 31, 2020. Candidates whose application documentation are deemed acceptable may be invited to take the Recruitment Test. Candidates who successfully complete the Recruitment Test will be invited to take a mandatory physical fitness (PT) evaluation in late March. Read More Here.
Wishing you a Happy Thanksgiving.
A very Happy Thanksgiving from my family to yours! I hope everyone is able to enjoy the opportunity Thanksgiving provides for us all to be thankful for our blessings and spend time with dear friends and family. If you’re looking for some fun activities for Thanksgiving week, our friends at Visit Lake County and Visit McHenry County are always a great resource for things to do. Read More Here.
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Thank you for taking the time to read my e-newsletter. It is a high honor for me to represent you in Springfield and I appreciate the opportunity to work together to make District 64 the best place to live, work and raise our families.