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Health & Fitness

Reboletti Backs Bill to End Lame Duck Sessions, Increase Transparency in Illinois

Springfield, IL… In an effort to increase accountability and transparency in the Illinois government, State Representative Dennis Reboletti (R-Elmhurst) joined members of the House Republican caucus Tuesday to unveil legislation that would end lame duck sessions in the General Assembly. The proposal would move up the date of inauguration and require the outgoing General Assembly to conclude their work by Election Day.

“The practice of postponing the most weighty, heavy issues in Springfield until after an election has to end,” said Reboletti. “The House and Senate are in session from January to May, and that is more than enough time to move legislation through the proper channels. Unfortunately, when lame duck sessions occur, it is usually the voters who are disenfranchised by lawmakers who can no longer be held accountable.”

House Joint Resolution Constitutional Amendment 43 would put on the November general election ballot a constitutional amendment asking voters to move the date of inauguration to the second Wednesday in December, approximately one month following the election.  Currently, inauguration is held on the second Wednesday in January.    

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The bill would also prohibit the outgoing General Assembly from convening or acting on legislation unless a special session is convened with the joint approval of the Governor, and each of the four legislative leaders (the Speaker of the House, the President of the Senate, the Minority Leader of the House, and the Minority Leader of the Senate).  The purpose of the session must be specified in the proclamation and action limited to the topic identified.

“Certainly, if there was an emergency, such as a natural disaster or act of terror, the General Assembly would have the ability to meet and take legislative action during those extraordinary circumstances,” said Reboletti.

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Reboletti is also sponsoring a resolution to change the current House Rules that would limit the actions of a lame duck legislature during the period of time between the vote on a constitutional amendment at the 2014 general election and the date when the amendment’s adoption is certificated and becomes effective.

House Resolution 805 would require, beginning on the date of the general election, a three-fifths vote to move a bill from the Order of Second Reading, when amendments are considered, to the Order of Third Reading, when a bill is voted on for final passage.  This would also apply to bills on the Order of Concurrence or Conference Committee reports.

For real-time updates, follow Rep. Reboletti on Twitter @DennisReboletti. For more information, please contact State Rep. Dennis Reboletti at 630-628-0045 or repreboletti@gmail.com.

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