Legislative Action                                                             

To the vast majority of the Illinois electorate, rules that govern the state's General Assembly hold little if any interest. But Capitol observers were buzzing during January over changes in those rules that essentially consolidate the power of each Statehouse chamber's leader.

In the Senate, Republicans used rule changes to vent the collective frustration built up during the last 18 years as members of the minority party. Senate President James "Pate" Philip (R-23, Wood Dale) asserted his authority by pushing through revisions that give his party firm control over much of the floor action.

For starters, no bill amendments can be offered on the floor unless approved by the new GOP-dominated Senate Rules Committee. The committee also will review all conference committee reports and has the authority to order public hearings on any conference report that substantially rewrites the bills taken up by the conference committee.

Conference committees purportedly are convened to work out differences between the House and Senate on particular pieces of legislation. But it's been common practice in the General Assembly for conference committees to write entirely new proposals in their reports without hearings or much input from any but the leadership and major interests involved. Lawmakers in both chambers generally are expected to vote on these reports without much of a chance to read them during the crunch time at the end of session.

Another change is in the number of Senate committees, cut to 14 from 21, which aims to save the state nearly $100,000 in stipends that are paid to committee leaders.

"It's going to be a more open atmosphere," Philip said in defense of the new rules. He said he wanted to prevent the introduction of new or controversial measures during the legislature's final hours, a practice that diminishes opportunity for public discussion. "This place is going to be run on a businesslike basis."

But the only kind of "business" Democrats would allow as a comparison was the authoritarian system of the former Soviet Union. "You indicated you wanted to be fair and open," said Senate Minority Leader Emil Jones (D-14, Chicago). "This is designed to gag and muzzle legislators from being heard."

There wasn't much Jones could do to retaliate, considering he heads a 27-member minority — and a fractious one at that — in the 59-seat Senate. At first he said he would explore the possibility of a lawsuit but later acknowledged that's not an avenue likely to be pursued.

House Democrats, still very much the majority in that chamber, adopted some of the same rules enacted in the Senate. House Speaker Michael J. Madigan (D-22, Chicago) acted to level the playing field between the two chambers, strengthening his own hand as Democratic leader and weakening further the GOP House minority. Philip said he considered the House rule changes a compliment, since "imitation is the highest form of flattery."

Speculation puts Madigan and Philip on a par in the final bargaining over legislation that will be approved. And bargaining will be a must, considering that gridlock would not sit well with most citizens already critical of government generally and perhaps expecting some change with the large number of new legislators in both chambers.

Among the new House rules is one that mimics the Senate by automatically referring conference committee reports to the House Rules Committee. Madigan granted a further power to the House Rules Committee to thwart any abuse by the governor of his amendatory veto powers: The House Rules Commitee can prevent the full House from voting on the governor's amendatory language of a vetoed bill if Madigan believes the governor has proposed substantially new legislation. This rules change inhibits the governor from proposing legislation in the form he may have wished the legislature had passed in the first place. Since amendatory vetoes die if a legislative chamber does not vote on them, Madigan has further pressed the governor to bargain with him during the regular session.

House rule changes also will require a three-fifths majority instead of a simple majority of lawmakers to appeal a ruling by the speaker. In an effort to be "fair," he said, Madigan chose to continue to allow amendments to be introduced on the House floor rather than be subject to prior approval by the House Rules Committee.

The rules changes plus the joint agree-

Philip

Madigan

Jones

Daniels

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ment by Philip and Madigan that calls for an early adjournment date of May 28 instead of June 30 may make it difficult for the dozens of new lawmakers to maneuver their proposals through the spring session. The irony is that while many of them were elected on the proverbial "mandate of change," the new rules appear to ensure they won't have an opportunity to make much of a difference — unless their proposals become pet projects of the status quo leaders.

Some were surprised that Senate President Philip didn't name more suburbanites to his leadership team. Assistant majority leaders for the GOP are Aldo DeAngelis (40, Olympia Fields), Walter Dudycz (7, Chicago), Adeline Geo-Karis (31, Zion), John Maitland (44, Bloomington), Frank Watson (55, Greenville) and Stanley Weaver (52, Urbana). Laura Kent Donahue (48, Quincy) was named caucus chair.

Assistant minority leaders in the Senate under Jones include three from Chicago, Howard Carroll (8), Earlean Collins (4) and Miguel del Valle (2), and two downstaters, Vince Demuzio (49, Carlinville) and Richard Luft (46, Pekin). While Sam Vadalabene (56, Edwardsville) is caucus chair, illness has forced his absence from the legislature; John Cullerton (6, Chicago) will substitute in his place. In the House, Madigan named Jim McPike (111, Alton) as majority leader. Deputy majority leaders are Ralph Capparelli (13, Chicago) and Art Turner (9, Chicago). Assistant majority leaders are Barbara Flynn Currie (25, Chicago), John Dunn (101, Decatur), Mary Flowers (21, Chicago), E.J. "Zeke" Giorgi (67, Rockford), Bill Laurino (15, Chicago) and Terry Steczo (35, Oak Forest). Conference chair is Frank Giglio (29, Calumet City).

House Minority Leader Lee A. Daniels (R-46, Elmhurst) added one new member, David R. Leitch (93, Peoria) to his leadership team. Leitch will serve as minority conference chair and assistant minority leader. Other assistant minority leaders are Tim Johnson (104, Urbana), Kay Wojcik (45, Schaumburg), Virginia Frederick (59, Lake Forest), Roger McAuliffe (14, Chicago) and Larry Wennlund (38, New Lenox). Deputy minority leaders are Tom Ryder (97, Jerseyville) and Robert W. Churchill (62, Antioch). *

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