Legislative Action By NORA NEWMAN JURGENS

New brooms — new rules

THE "New Era" in the Illinois House would appear to be centering on the overwhelming strength of the Democrats. With a 70-48 margin after the November 1982 election, they are now on top after two years under the thumb of the former speaker, Republican George H. Ryan. When the House met January 26 to consider adopting permanent rules, Democratic leaders assured the minority that they would have nothing to fear with Democrat Michael J. ("The Velvet Hammer") Madigan in the speaker's chair. The Democrats then proceeded to reject all but two of the 19 Republican proposals to change the rules.

The rules resolution, as drafted by the Democrats, was based on the temporary rules of the previous session, rules which were in fact the permanent rules of the 1979-80 session under the Democrats. The Democrats presented their proposal to the House Rules Committee January 19. The committee of 10 Democrats and seven Republicans voted on party lines, and all Republican amendments were defeated.

It was during this committee meeting that Rep. John J. Cullerton (D-7, Chicago) shared his meaning of the "New Era": "We have 70 votes, you have 48." The committee voted 10-7 to send the resolution on rules to the floor.

While most of the changes were of a "housekeeping" nature, one change was significant and engendered intense debate: Rep. Barbara Flynn Currie (D-26, Chicago) finally convinced the House to rid itself of the three-fifths vote requirement for ratification of amendments to the U.S. Constitution. The rule had prevented passage of the Equal Rights Amendment, and observers believe the House of the 82nd General Assembly, under the Republicans, never adopted permanent rules because this rule might have been changed in the process.

The final vote (61-52) adopting Currie's amendment reflected a bipartisan split. Democrats and Republicans voting against the proposal gave different reasons: Republicans said the Constitution should not be "easily" amended; Democrats were concerned about "right-wing" amendments, such as school prayer or a balanced federal budget, winning easy passage.

Another rule change allows a U.S. constitutional amendment to be introduced and voted on more than once during a session.

Raising hackles on both sides of the aisle was a suggestion by Rep. Aaron Jaffe (D-56, Skokie) that the opening prayer be done away with because it was unconstitutional. His proposal was soundly defeated, 100-10.

Waving the banner of good government, the 48 House Republicans had generally proposed strengthening the committee system and opening up the process to the public. One of their amendments required specific definitions of the jurisdiction of committees, with specific restrictions on what types of bills could be assigned to them. Calling the amendment the "cornerstone" of the Republican proposals, Assistant Minority Leader Sam Vinson (R-90, Clinton), lectured the body on the importance of not "compounding the errors of the past." The amendment, like most of the Republican proposals, lost on a partisan vote. The Democrats were not about to allow any restrictions on their majority power.

The Republicans also sought to eliminate "Christmas Tree" bills by limiting amendments to the subject of the bill.

And they tried to get the Democrats to assure them that the Committee on Assignments would be open to public scrutiny. Minority Leader Lee Daniels (R-46, Elmhurst), had referred to the committee as operating in a "mystical and whimsical fashion, assigning similar bills to different committees, re-assigning and re-re-assigning bills for no apparent reason, and never operating with public notice and input." Ironically, the Republicans had control when these "whimseys" occurred during the last two years. That point was made by Assistant Majority Leader John S. Matijevich (D-61, North Chicago): "[The] minority party is looking at everything from the last session, so that we don't do to them what they did to us." He assured the Republicans that members of the committee would "act responsibly," but no changes were made in the way the Committee on Assignments conducts its business.

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The Republicans were given two "concessions" — the minority leader may officially name spokespersons on the various committees (a practice which was never formalized until now) and conforming the election contest rules to the new single-member districts (a clean-up matter).

The new rules also allow consideration of conference committee reports and concurrences after June 30, the traditional deadline for the House. The specific date has been changed to a more generic deadline — "adjournment of the Spring session." In effect, rules will no longer have to be suspended (by 71 votes) to hear conference committee reports and concurrences in the last days or weeks of the session. This is only important for bills taking effect in July of the following year, which would require only 60 votes for passage after June 30. Bills taking effect before July 1 of the next year still require the constitutional three-fifths vote.

Both sides did agree on April 15 as the last day to introduce bills.

In all, 31 amendments to the rules were offered from the floor. Nine were passed. Of the 21 voted down, 17 were Republican. Before voting on the entire resolution, Minority Leader Daniels expressed his "disappointment" (which was greeted by a chorus of "awww"). "Many of the issues we have presented to you in a bipartisan fashion have been turned aside by you," he told the Democrats, but, he added sadly, "we will abide by the decision you have thrust upon us now." It would seem they have no choice.

The true spirit of the upcoming session may have shown itself at the end of the day. Vinson tried to get Rep. Alan Greiman (D-l, Skokie) to tell him when the Committee on Assignments would meet. Greiman, chairman of the committee, evaded the question. He said he could not schedule a meeting, because he did not know who the Republicans had appointed to the committee. At this point, Daniels' temper flared. "You think this is funny," he shouted at Greiman. "You're having a good time with this." So they were.□

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