BY MIKE CETERA
A late roundup of recent Statehouse action -- highlights from the legislative weeks that were or how we learned to love a rotten budget:
* Lawmakers tried, but failed to take FOID cards away from people who had guns stolen at least twice but didn't report the theft in a timely manner.
* Exceptional condemnation powers given to Champaign. When will this terrible government intrusion affect you?
* Failing to pay at a toll bridge is bad -- or is it?
* State can still ask potential employees if they've been convicted of non-violent crimes
* State fails to regulate where and when red-light cameras can be installed
* DuPage County politicians lobby for fewer signatures to get on the ballot
* No bail for people accused of making terrorist threats. Does this include school children?
* Oh yeah, the state passed a budget.
How did your lawmakers vote on these issues? Read all about it after the jump. Find previous votes here.
HB2760: FOID cards can be taken away from people who don't report repeated gun thefts
Amends the Firearm Owners Identification Card Act. Provides that the Department of State Police may revoke and seize a Firearm Owner's Identification Card previously issued under the Act of a person who fails to report the loss or theft of a handgun a second time to the local law enforcement agency within 72 hours after obtaining knowledge of the second loss or theft.
House rejected: 47-64-4
Fox Valley yes votes: none
Fox Valley no votes: Chapa LaVia, Cross, Dunn, Lindner, Pritchard, Schmitz
HB3106: Quick-take powers given to city of Champaign.
Amends the Eminent Domain Act. Grants quick-take eminent domain powers for a period of one year to the City of Champaign for drainage and improvements related to the Boneyard Creek Project.
House approved: 64-49-1
Fox Valley yes votes: Cross, Lindner
Fox Valley no votes: Chapa LaVia, Dunn, Pritchard, Schmitz
Legislation sent to governor
HB4354: Penalizes drivers for breaking a toll bridge gate or failing to pay at a toll bridge
Adds provisions regarding: penalties for intentionally breaking a mechanical or electronic toll collection device and operating a vehicle through a toll bridge gate or other area of a toll bridge without paying a required toll; liability of both a driver and registered owner of a vehicle; the use of photographic and technological devices to aid in the collection of tolls and enforcement of toll violations;
House rejected: 14-94
Fox Valley yes votes: none
Fox Valley no votes: Chapa LaVia, Cross, Dunn, Lindner, Pritchard, Schmitz
HB4612: State cannot ask on employment applications about certain criminal convictions
Provides that an application for State employment may not contain any question as to whether the applicant was convicted of or placed on supervision for a non-violent criminal offense but must contain a question as to whether the applicant for State employment has ever been convicted of a violent offense that is classified as a felony. Provides that nothing in the Act shall be construed to prohibit a State agency from conducting a criminal background check of an applicant for State employment.
House rejected: 45-63-1
Fox Valley yes votes: none
Fox Valley no votes: Chapa LaVia, Cross, Dunn, Lindner, Pritchard, Schmitz
Absent: Dunn
HB5288: Authorizes more counties to install red-light cameras, but also restricts when those cameras can be installed
Provides that, except for an intersection that was equipped with an automated traffic law enforcement system before the effective date of the amendatory Act, an intersection may not be equipped with an automated traffic law enforcement system unless: the county or municipality having jurisdiction has determined that the intersection has a high accident rate and has performed or caused to be performed an evaluation of accident rates for a 6-month period; the county or municipality having jurisdiction has, for a 3-month period, used strobe lights in the red lenses of all traffic signals at the intersection in an attempt to decrease the accident rate without the use of an automated traffic law enforcement system;
Senate rejected: 26-24-1
Fox Valley yes votes: Holmes, Millner
Fox Valley no votes: Burzynski, Lauzen
Not voting: Hultgren
SB1872: Fewer signatures required to get on DuPage County ballots
(A)mends the Election Code to remove the greater nominating petition signature requirement for county offices in DuPage County (from 1.5% to 0.5% of qualified primary voters).
House approved: 65-49
Fox Valley yes votes: Chapa LaVia
Fox Valley no votes: Cross, Dunn, Lindner, Pritchard, Schmitz
Sent to governor
SB1881: No bail allowed for people accused of making terrorist threats
Provides that the offense of making a terrorist threat or an attempt to commit the offense of making a terrorist threat is non-bailable, where the proof is evident or the presumption great that the defendant is guilty of the offense and where the court, after a hearing, determines that the release of the defendant would pose a real and present threat to the physical safety of any person and denial of bail is necessary to prevent fulfillment of that threat.
House approved: 83-26-4
Fox Valley yes votes: Chapa LaVia, Cross, Dunn, Lindner, Pritchard, Schmitz
Fox Valley no votes: none
Sent to governor
Lawmakers pass a budget:
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