SPRINGFIELD – Legislative committees met continuously during the week as Senate lawmakers attempted to move all Senate bills out of committee by the scheduled March 5 deadline, said State Senator Dale Righter (R-Mattoon).
The Senate Executive Committee considered legislation that would require a photo of any prisoner who received early release to be posted online, while additional measures would increase the speed limit for cars and trucks to 70 mph on rural interstates and allow $300 million in short-term borrowing for health care providers.
Following reported problems and abuses related to Governor Pat Quinn’s “MGT Push” inmate early release program, Senate Bill 3411 was introduced to make public identifying information and a photograph of any inmate who is released earlier than was delineated in their initial sentence. The information would not only include the inmate’s name and age, but also his or her physical attributes, address, the offense that was committed and the county where the conviction took place.
SPRINGFIELD – Senate lawmakers were busy in committee hearings all week, approving legislation that State Senator Dale Righter (R-Mattoon) said would target the growing social issue of “sexting,” and advancing measures to the House of Representatives that would change Illinois’ legislative scholarship program and push back the state’s February primary election date.
The Senate Criminal Law committee tackled the issue of “sexting,” a growing social trend where explicit photos or video are sent via cell phone or e-mail to someone else. The bill is aimed at people younger than 18, as sexting has become increasingly prevalent among young people in recent years.
Currently, there is little that could be done to address sexting aside from pursuing felony child pornography charges—which prosecutors are reluctant to do. Senate Bill 2513 seeks to create a middle ground.
Under the legislation, a minor who electronically sends an indecent image of themselves can be brought into juvenile court for a proceeding to determine if they are a minor in need of supervision. If the young person is found to be in need of supervision, he or she could be ordered into counseling or other supportive services. They may also be ordered to complete community service.
Senate Bill 2513 also makes it a misdemeanor crime for any person, regardless of their age, to possess an explicit visual image transmitted to them by a minor. This controversial provision sparked concern that the creator and sender of the image could be found to have committed a lesser offense, while the person who received the unsolicited image would be guilty of a higher penalty. However, there would be no possession offense if the person receiving the image takes reasonable steps to eliminate the image within a reasonable time.
Springfield, Illinois—Legislation that seeks to change the date of the Illinois primary election passed the Illinois Senate Wednesday, February 24. Senate Bill 355, sponsored by State Senator Dale Righter (R-Mattoon), would move the date of the primary to the third Tuesday in March if signed into law.
“Senate Bill 355 is important but should have never have been necessary. The Democrat Majority in the General Assembly and Governor Blagojevich spearheaded the drive to move the primary to early February to benefit then- U.S. Senator Barack Obama,” explained Senator Righter. “While I appreciate the pride that many in both parties have that an individual from Illinois became president, the voting process is a public process and should not be altered for the benefit of one person or one party.”
Currently the primary election is held the first Tuesday in February. Senator Righter’s legislation moves the date to the third Tuesday in March in even numbered years. The bill also amends reporting requirement deadlines and other administrative election functions that must be changed in order to accommodate a March primary election.
“Moving the primary will have many positive effects,” Senator Righter said. “Voters will be less bombarded with campaign material and voters will not have to fight the elements to get out and vote. “
The bill now heads to the House of Representatives where it must be approved before it ends up on the Governor’s desk.
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Senate Week in Review: February 15 – 19
Springfield – Two resolutions were filed on Feb. 18 that State Senator Dale Righter (R-Mattoon) said would amend the Illinois Constitution with reforms that would take the power of drawing legislative maps out of lawmakers’ hands and place it into the hands of an independent commission.
House Joint Resolution Constitutional Amendment 56 and Senate Joint Resolution Constitutional Amendment 104 take an initiative sponsored by the League of Women Voters and other government reform groups and put it into legislation for General Assembly passage.
The current redistricting process allows legislative leaders to draw district boundaries behind closed doors. The constitutional amendment would require public hearings, ensure public display of proposed maps and allow public submission of proposed maps. Since 2001, incumbents have had a 98 percent reelection rate; passage of the amendment will encourage competition and promote diversity.
According to state law, in order for the Joint Resolution Constitutional Amendment to appear on the ballot in November the General Assembly must pass it with a 3/5th majority by May 2, 2010 (six months before the election).
Also this week, the Senate Executive Committee approved legislation on Feb. 17 that would authorize two types of short-term borrowing, despite Republican concerns that the state continues to defer making tough decisions on how to fix its fiscal problems.
