BRIEFLY
Edited by Rodd Whelpley
A pretty picture?
Lights, camera, legislation
Continuous television coverage may be coming
to the Statehouse. The University of Illinois
at Springfield, a public affairs-focused institution,
is exploring the idea of a TV network that would cover
Illinois state government, much as
C-SPAN covers Congress and
federal executive agencies.
As envisioned, the network
would provide live, unedited
coverage of House and Senate
proceedings and executive agency
hearings. It might also cover oral
arguments before the state appellate
courts and the Illinois Supreme Court.
(Cameras are not allowed at trial courts.)
When the General Assembly is not in session,
the network could cover political campaigns and
air candidate debates.
"Modern technology can make the visitors'
gallery as close as an easy chair in Chicago or a
classroom in Cairo," says Terrence J. Martin, who
is directing a feasibility study. Martin was part of
the congressional coverage team for C-SPAN and
most recently worked as Statehouse bureau chief
for WAND-TV, the ABC affiliate in Decatur.
Two grants — $396, 000 from the Joyce Foundation and $50, 000 from the John D. and Catherine T.
MacArthur Foundation — are funding a two-year
study by UIS'' Institute for Public Affairs. The
study will explore funding for and operation of the
new network. UIS Chancellor Naomi Lynn will
chair an advisory committee and former Gov. Jim
Edgar and former U.S. Sen. Paul Simon will serve
as co-vice chairmen. All of the state's constitutional
officers and legislative leaders have been asked to
participate in the study.
Nineteen other states have public affairs
television networks. Thus far, though,
Illinois' lawmakers don't appear to be
rushing for their make-up kits. Senate
President James "Pate" Philip called
the idea "boring."
By Beverley Scobell
Illustration by Daisy Juarez
DEATH PENALTY SCRUTINY
Illinois takes the lead
Gov. George Ryan got the world's
attention with his decision to put an
immediate moratorium on state
executions. In fact, the lights at Rome's
ancient Colosseum burned golden in
his honor, according to an Associated
Press report. The Italian amphitheater,
again according to AP, is at the center
of a worldwide campaign against the
death penalty.
Meanwhile, President Bill Clinton
praised Ryan for his decision. Federal
lawmakers are definitely taking another
look. U.S. Sen. Richard Durbin of
Illinois has asked the leadership of the
U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee to
hold hearings on the administration
of death penalty laws.
And, most intriguing, U.S. Sen.
Patrick Leahy, a Vermont Democrat
and a death penalty foe pushing his
own reforms, called Ryan with a
personal thanks.
The Illinois governor is an unlikely
hero for the anti-death penalty forces.
He supports the ultimate sanction.
But, calling the state's record of
putting the innocent on Death Row
"shameful," Ryan said last January
he'll put a halt to executions until he
can figure out why the system has gone
awry and how it can be improved.
He made the announcement after the
13th Illinois Death Row inmate was
exonerated. Ryan said he'll appoint a
commission to review implementation
of the state's statute.
His panel will join reviews already
underway at the behest of the General
Assembly, the state Supreme Court and
the Illinois attorney general's office.
Since the death penalty was reinstituted
in Illinois in 1977, 12 Death Row
inmates have been executed. And, as
of last month, there were 158 awaiting
execution in this state, including three
women.
Burney Simpson
8 / March 2000 Illinois Issues
Money Shouldn't Be All that Talks in the Next Election
A Message to Illinois Broadcasters
As political contributions flood into the 2000 campaign at unprecedented levels, we write to voice a concern —
and make an appeal — about the role of broadcasters in our democracy. More than one million political ads are
expected to run on television next year. Candidates in 2000 will spend six times more (in inflation-adjusted dollars)
on television ads than candidates did in 1972, yet voter turnout is expected to continue a steep four-decade-long
decline. Citizens are turned off by the ads and by the money chase that pays for them.
We call on you to open the nation's airwaves in 2000 to a different kind of campaign communication — one
whose currency is ideas, not money. A blue-ribbon panel appointed by President Clinton — and made up of
broadcast industry executives as well as public interest advocates — has recommended that television stations
voluntarily air five minutes a night of "candidate-centered discourse" in the month preceding all primary and general elections.
We urge the networks to take up this challenge and broadcast brief nightly issue forums with the presidential
candidates. We urge Illinois stations to do the same for our federal, state and local candidates. These segments
could take a variety of forms, including interviews, issue statements or mini-debates.
From whom much has been given, much is expected. Broadcasters have been given licenses valued at tens of
billions of dollars, free of charge, to operate the public's airwaves. In return, you have pledged to serve the public .
interest. We can think of no greater public service at the start of a new millennium than to provide citizens with the
information they need to choose their future. Nightly forums can help break the hold that money and ads have on
our political campaigns.
Hon. Paul Simon-Illinois Campaign for Political Reform, and the following concerned Illinois citizens:
Bev Adamczyk-LWVLake Forest/Lake Bluff, Alberto Altamore-IL Coalition Against Unfair Utilities, Theresa Amato-Citizen Advocacy Center, Mehrdad Azemun-Chicago Recycling Coalition, Raymond Baranak-G.A.I.N., Henry Bayer-AFSCME, Charles Benton-Benton Foundation, Margaret Blake-Reaume-LWV
Lake County, Diane Brown-ILPIRG, Anita Buchholz-LWV Batavia, Carol Busching LWVRochelle, Hon. Dawn dark Netsch, Kathryn Clay- LWV Waukegan,
Hon. Jerry Costello, Nancy Cowles- Coalition for Consumer Rights, Hon. Tom Dart, Jeanne Davick-LWV Elmhurst, Hon. Miguel Del Valle, Susan Denecke-
LWV McDonough, Hon. Leonard Deville, Ellen Dick- IANO, Hon. Kirk Dillard, Arlene Doblin- LWV Winnetka, John Donahue-Chicago Coalition for the
Homeless, Michael Doyle- IL Center for Citizen Involvement, Hon. Richard Durbin, Tina Erickson -LWV Liberty' ville / Mundelein, Hon. Judy Erwin, Jan Flapan-
LWV IL, Hon. Barbara Flynn-Currie, Joan Fragen-LWV Winnetka/Northfield, Hon. Jack Franks, Hon. John Fritcliey. Hon. Susan Garrett, Hon. Adeline
Geo-K-aris, Kirk Goltry- United We Stand, Karen Grafe-LWV Park Forest, Rev. Dominic Grassi-St. Josaphat Church, Terry Griffin-LWV Oak Park/River Forest, Jacky Grimshaw-Center for Neighborhood Technology, Hon. Debbie Halvorson, Hon. Julie Hamos, Lawrence Hansen-Joyce Foundation, Ross Harano-
Asian Pacific American Democratic Org., Robert Hercules-Media Process Group, Hon. Jay C. Hoffman, Jim Howard-IL Common Cause, Laurie Huget-LWV
Oak Park / River Forest II, Kevin Jackson-Chicago Rehab Network, Hon. Jesse Jackson, Jr., Barbara Johnson-LWV JoDaviess, Dan Johnson- Weinberger-MDC,
Jan Korsvik-LWV Cook County, Hon. Carolyn Krause, Eugene & Barbara Krell-Protcstants for the Common Good, Hon. Louis Long, Laura Lee-LWV Glen
Ellyn, G Segvane Lawrence, Ricardo Loza - SEIU, Arthur Lyons, Pearl Mack-LWV Dolton Harvey/Riverdale, Hon. Mike Madigan, Hon. Lisa Madigan,
Carol Maier-LWV Chicago, Clayton Marquardt-IEA., Rose Marsaglia-LWV McLean County, Rev. James Martin-St. Benedict The African-West, Jane
McAfee-LWV Greater Rockford, Hon. Kevin A. McCarthy, Michael McConnell-AFSC, Hon. Jack McGuire, Patricia Mendoza-MALDEF, Hon. Abner Mik-
va, Hon. Newton Minow-Sidley & Austin, Hon. Andrea Moore, Hon. Rosemary Mulligan, Hon. Diana Nelson, Kathy Nesburg-LWV Cook County, Hon. Philip
Novak, Bruce Orenstein-Chicago Video Project, Barbara Pape-LWV Wheaton, Edna Pardo-LWV Chicago, Patrick Patt-Oak Grove School District, Rev. John J.
Pawlikowski-CTU, Stephen A. Perkins-CNT, William Peterson, Hon. David Phelps, Hon. John E. Porter, Hon. Pat Quinn, Eice Redmond-Access Living, Hon.
Patricia Reid Lindner, William Rentschler-Voice Publishing USA., Richard & Ruth Riha-OWL, Claire Saf ford-LWV Adams County, Mary Schaafsma - PCG,Caro/ Schaal-LWV PaloslOrland Park, Hon. JefT Schoenberg, Hon. Doug Scott, Hon. Sonia Silva, Jim Slama-SUSTAIN, Hon. Ricca Stone, Annette
Smith-LWV Naperville, Hon. Michael Smith, Faith Smith- NAES College, Susan Straus-Chicago NOW, Jerry Stermer -Voices for Illinois Children, Hon. Dave
Sullivan, Marge Sutaps-Health & Medicine Policy Research Group, Mary Ann Tate- LWV Park Ridge, James Thindwa-Metro Seniors in Action, Alene
Vlakanas-IL Arts Alliance, Gordon Waiek, Suzanne Wear -LWV Wheaton, Margie Weiss-LWV Highland Park, Sandy Wellan-LWV Oak Park River Forest,
Hon. Rick Winkel, Robert Wordlaw-Chicago Jobs Council, Quentin Young, MD. Organizations for identification only
Illinois Issues March 2000 / 9
BRIEFLY
TECHIE ALERT
Budget plan
contains cyberdollars
Gov. George Ryan's new budget proposal includes a five-year, $1.9 billion
"VentureTech" program designed to promote science education, biotechnology
and information technology projects.
On the drawing boards:
• A Genomics Institute at the University of Illinois ($80 million);
• An optical network connecting the state's universities and labs
($54 million);
• An expansion of the National Center for Supercomputing Applications
at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign ($30 million);
• A biomedical research facility at Northwestern University ($30 million).
The second component of VentureTech is an additional $800 million fund
that will invest in high-tech, start-up businesses. Three of the largest state
employee pension funds and two other state investment agencies will contribute
to the fund over the next three years. The state treasurer will establish the fund
and oversee the investments.
And there's more
for the year-old high-tech network
Ryan also would like to use the VentureTech program to finish Illinois
Century Network, the $340 million fiber optic computer "spine" that would
connect the state's 4, 000 elementary and secondary schools, 48 community
colleges and 12 public universities. When completed, the network would also
include the state's private colleges and universities, government agencies,
libraries and museums.
The network would let high school students take college courses, allow the
growing number of adults and nontraditional students to continue their training and erase geographic barriers to taking courses across the state.
Nationally, there has been a rise in virtual classes offered over the Internet by
public and private schools. (See "Good Ole Virtual U," Illinois Issues, February
1999, page 22.)
The Board of Higher Education is asking for $15 million this year and a total
of $92 million over three years to complete its portion of the network, says a
spokesman.
Last year, Ryan got $17 million to begin building the network.
Burney Simpson
Follow-up
• The federal Housing and Urban Development agency granted the
Chicago Housing Authority unprecedented flexibility to carry out the
city's plan to demolish, rebuild and rehab low-income housing. (See
Illinois Issues, January, page 18.)
• Matt Hale is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to overrule an Illinois
Supreme Court committee's decision to deny the white supremacist a
law license. (See Illinois Issues, July/August, page 30.)
Illinois Issues March 2000 / 11
BRIEFLY
Legislative checklist
Illinois lawmakers are
already more than halfway
through their self-imposed
schedule for the spring
session. And though anything
can happen, few new issues
are expected to grab the
General Assembly's attention over the next few
weeks. The following is a
short checklist of the
proposals legislators have
been debating.
RACE PROFILING
Charges that law enforcement
officials unfairly target minorities for
traffic stops and searches prompted
Sen. Barack Obama to propose a
study of "racial profiling."
Several former Highland Park
police officers say they were
encouraged to stop poor and
minority motorists. Obama, a
Chicago Democrat, argues such
reports "create suspicion between
the minority community and law
enforcement."
His measure, which is supported by
the American Civil Liberties Union,
would require state police to record
the race of every motorist they stop,
though neither the driver nor officer
would be identified in the report.
One goal is to find those areas
where racial profiling may be going
on. Obama says such a study would
benefit minorities and law enforcement officials. "Police chiefs want
their officers to operate lawfully,"
he says. "It's in their interest to ferret
out wrongdoing."
The Illinois Association of Chiefs
of Police is not opposed to the
proposal, but worries implementation
could cause problems. Paul Dollins,
manager of governmental relations for that group, contends asking
questions about race could aggravate
what is "already a tense situation
between a police officer and a
motorist."
The organization suggests printing
racial information on driver's licenses.
CHILD SUPPORT
Legislators on both sides of the
partisan aisle moved to address the
fiasco caused when the state centralized its child support check distribution system in the DuPage County
circuit clerk's office.
Thousands of checks have been
delayed since October when that
office took over processing.
Coal City Democratic Rep. Mary
Kay O'Brien is pushing a measure
that would revoke the current
contract, open it up for bid and
set performance standards for the
administrator.
However, Senate President James
"Pate" Philip argues the current
contract should be allowed to expire
at the end of June. The Wood Dale
Republican says changing the system
now would only make matters worse.
The Wheaton center was chosen
at the suggestion of the Illinois
Association of Circuit Court Clerks.
But Gov. George Ryan says he would
be open to putting the contract out
for bid. Previously, individual counties processed the checks. But federal
rules called for a single statewide
administrator.
The contract is worth $8.5 million
to DuPage County. By January, the
state had paid another $10.6 million
in emergency funds to families that
hadn't received their checks. Ann
Patla, director of the Department
of Public Aid, testified it could cost
$17 million to fix the problem.
Meanwhile, the state auditor general and Bank One are investigating
the foul-up.
GAMBLING
Several measures to rein in
gambling are on deck this spring.
A house committee approved proposals to prohibit gambling
facilities from cashing postdated
and welfare checks and to raise the
age for buying lottery tickets and
betting on horses to 21.
Rep. Jack Franks, a Woodstock
Democrat, said he planned to
propose an amendment to prohibit
automated teller machines from
gambling sites once his measure on
check cashing limits goes before the
full House.
A debate on whether to exclude
military personnel from the new age
limits on gambling was ongoing at
presstime.
TAXES
Legislators' hopes for a tax cut
this election year were dimmed by
Gov. George Ryan in his proposed
fiscal year 2001 state budget. Ryan
said his plan would allow for $481
million in tax relief by completing the
phase-in of the $2, 000 individual
income tax exemption, implementing
the tuition tax credit for parents and
giving corporations some breaks.
However, Ryan didn't show support
for the other ideas floating around
the Capitol, including a sales tax
moratorium, a cut in the gas tax and
tax credits for such expenses as child
care, property taxes, prescription
drugs and monthly rent.
Still, Ryan said he might be open
to an "affordable" cut.
LIQUOR
Northbrook Republican Sen.
Kathleen Parker wants to repeal a
1999 liquor law that she says created
"a near monopoly" and is bad for
consumers. Liquor prices have gone
up 10 percent since the law went on
the books last spring.
The provision, commonly called the
"Wirtz law" after liquor distributor
and Chicago Blackhawks owner
William Wirtz, made it virtually
impossible for most wine or liquor
suppliers to break contracts with
their distributors. The suppliers sued,
arguing it was unconstitutional. In
January, U.S. District Judge Joan
Continued on next page
Illinois Issues March 2000 / 13
BRIEFLY
Gottschall ruled that more study was
necessary.
Ryan, who supported the Wirtz
measure last spring, stepped away
from it after the judge's ruling.
Though the law could be
invalidated in court, Parker says it
could take too long. "The problem is
that consumers don't want to wait. I
know my constituents don't."
SAFE HOODS
State Sen. Kirk Dillard has
reintroduced the so-called Safe
Neighborhoods Act in nine separate
proposals.
Among other provisions, the 1994
law penalized gunrunners. It was
overturned by the Illinois Supreme
Court last December because lawmakers failed to follow a state constitutional requirement that legislation
be confined to a single subject.
Eight of the new proposals by the
Hinsdale Republican went to the full
Senate for a vote. The controversial
provision that made it a felony for the
first offense of illegally transporting
a weapon failed to move out of a
committee.
Senate President Philip, has said
that he supported all of the original
act but the felony provision.
Over in the House, Chicago
Democratic Rep. Tom Dart proposed
a revision of the original 1994 act,
allowing a first-time offense to be
reduced to a misdemeanor. But Dart
says he isn't optimistic about his
proposal's chances. "I'm not holding
my breath that it will pass. We aren't
in any different position than we were
in December."
During a special session called by
Gov. Ryan last winter, the General
Assembly failed to re-enact the law.
DRUGS FOR SENIORS
The most heated debate in the
legislature so far this session came
after Rep. Franks introduced a plan
to provide discounted prescription
drugs for all Illinois senior citizens
without costing the state a penny.
Franks wants to enroll Illinoisans
age 65 and over in a buying group,
similar to those used by HMOs. For
a $25 yearly registration fee, seniors
would receive an identification card
that would cut the cost of prescriptions by as much as 52 percent,
according to Franks. Drug manufacturers, who oppose the measure,
would be required to make up the
difference by reimbursing local
pharmacies.
House Republican leader Lee
Daniels says if it sounds too good to
be true, it probably is. He wants to
expand eligibility for two existing
programs. Eligibility for Aid to the
Aged, Blind and Disabled would be
extended to an additional 85, 600
people and income eligibility for the
Circuit Breaker program would be
increased to $28, 000 for a family
of two.
Daniels would also raise the annual
prescription drug cap to $2, 000 and
add Alzheimer's, cancer, glaucoma
and Parkinson's Disease medications
to the list of covered drugs. He
estimates the expanded programs will
cost Illinois taxpayers $46 million.
GENDER VIOLENCE
Gov. Ryan supports a
proposal that would allow women
and gay and lesbian victims of
gender-related violence to sue their
attackers in state court.
The measure, sponsored by Chicago
Democratic Rep. Sara Feigenholtz, is
similar to the 1994 Federal Violence
Against Women Act, which allows
women to seek damages from their
attackers.
The act allows a victim to bring suit
against an individual attacker or an
institution or corporation.
It would also extend legal protection from the workplace to the home
and other places where such violence
is most likely to occur.
Heather Nickel and Burney Simpson
14 / March 2000 Illinois Issues