Eight months of effort by Illinois Municipal League membership, staff, other associations and local officials from across the state were wiped out by the House Executive Committee on April 30. By adding two amendments to SJRCA 3, the Unfunded Mandates Constitutional Amendment legislation, Committee members effectively killed the bill because the legislation would not be approved by both chambers by the Constitutional deadline of May 5.

The Republican leadership's amendments were as follows:
Amendment 1, offered by House Assistant Majority Leader Bill Black (R-105), added to the original language "that portion of the bill creates, expands or modifies benefits for workers' injuries or diseases or benefits for unemployed workers." (This amendment created an additional exemption from the 3/5 vote requirement.)

Amendment 2, offered by House Majority Leader Bob Churchill (R-62), excluded "school districts."
All of our best indications were that if the bill had gone to a vote before the full House without the new amendments attached, it would have passed and appeared before voters on the November ballot. SJRCA 3, as amended, passed the House by a 96-15 margin and was sent back to the Senate which had adjourned until after the May 5 deadline. While I am severely disappointed in the outcome and the manner in which it occurred, there is a silver lining.

Officials and associations representing every type of local government were unified on this issue and rallied diligently to get SJRCA 3 passed. We were able to take our message about the need to limit unfunded state mandates to every corner of the state. As a result, local officials and taxpayers across Illinois have a new level of understanding of unfunded state mandates and the problems they cause. More specifically, municipal officials saw firsthand the strength in a unified voice.

This has been the most serious attempt yet to get an Unfunded Mandates Constitutional Amendment approved. The General Assembly now knows how important this issue is to us and that we will not rest until a limit on mandates is achieved.

This effort has been a tremendously intensive one in terms of time and energy expended. We wouldn't have come as close as we did without the full support of the IML Board of Directors and the active participation of our members. Time and time again we called for your assistance and you answered the call. Whether coming to Springfield at a moment's notice, hosting a news conference in your community, calling your legislators or writing a letter to the editor of your local paper, you were there when it counted.

The Unfunded Mandates Constitutional Amendment Drafting Committee spent an exhaustive five months preparing final language for the legislation. In addition to legislators from both the House and Senate, the Committee was comprised of individuals from the Governor's Office, the Department of Commerce and Community Affairs, the Illinois Association of County Board Members, the Illinois Association of Park Districts, the Illinois Association of School Boards, the Township Officials of Illinois, the Illinois Association of Fire Protection Districts, the United Counties Council and IML staff.

Senate sponsor of the Unfunded Mandates Constitutional Amendment, Assistant Majority Leader Frank Watson (R-55), was tireless in his efforts to get the legislation passed. House sponsor Rep. Bill Balthis (R-79) fought fiercely to move the bill to passage stage so it could be placed on the November ballot.

Mayors and other local officials who hosted regional news conferences also deserve our gratitude. They allowed the message of unfunded mandates effort to reach a far wider audience.

Lastly, IML President Greg Sparrow, Mayor of DeKalb, deserves special recognition for his leadership and determination in making unfunded state mandates a priority issue for all local officials. His devotion to the cause provided the necessary spark when the going got tough.

This fight is not over. We will continue to bring this issue to the forefront until it is presented to voters as they requested in the 1992 advisory referendum.

Again, our sincere and heartfelt gratitude to all of you who participated in this effort. Stay tuned . . . •

May 1996 / Illinois Municipal Review / Page 5