Rep. Maurice A. West, II (D-67) sponsored 10 bills in the second quarter of 2019, two more than the average Illinois state representative, and was added as a co-sponsor on 69 bills, 22 more than the average, according to a Rockford Sun analysis of data made available by the Illinois General Assembly.
During the second quarter, 117 representatives sponsored legislation, with Rep. Jay Hoffman (D-113) sponsoring the most with 36 bills. There were 120 representatives that co-sponsored legislation, with Rep. Elizabeth Hernandez (D-24) co-sponsoring 129 bills, more than any other representative.
When a bill is introduced to the House, the clerk reads the bill title before the House and it is automatically referred to the Rules Committee. If the Rules Committee thinks that the bill merits further consideration, it is assigned to another committee. If the committee reports favorably on the bill to the House, or if the committee has been discharged with respect to the bill, the bill will be ready for its second reading before the House.
According to House rules, a bill can be passed only after the House clerk has read the bill before the House on three separate days. However, many bills are introduced as shell bills in order to circumvent the rule requiring three readings before they can be passed. These shell bills, which are far more common in Illinois than in other states, are created with the purpose of beginning the often lengthy process of passing a new piece of legislation. But since they would only make trivial or meaningless changes in the law in the form that they initially appear, they are either left to die or are later changed to something more substantive that can be rushed to passage without bothering with procedure. This has the unfortunate effect of leading to laws that may not have been debated or discussed sufficiently.
Representatives that sponsor an inordinately large number of bills are often sponsoring many shell bills.
The following table shows the bills that West sponsored in the second quarter.
CONGRATS-VALERI DECASTRIS
WOMEN'S RIGHT TO VOTE DAY
MEMORIAL-CHARLES D. SWEENY
HIGHR ED-RELIGIOUS INSTITUTION
ADDICTION PREVENTION TSK FORCE
SCH CD-MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS
U OF I-SCHOLARSHIP-CHILD-VET
VEH CD-USE OF VIDEO DEVICES
The following table shows the bills to which West was added as a co-sponsor in the second quarter.
Rep. Stephanie A. Kifowit (D-84)
Rep. La Shawn K. Ford (D-8)
NO REPRESENTATION WITHOUT POP
Rep. Will Guzzardi (D-39)
Rep. Gregory Harris (D-13)
VOCATIONAL ACADEMIES-GRANTS
Rep. Camille Y. Lilly (D-78)
CD CORR-REFERRAL SERVICES
CD CORR-PATHWAY TO COMMUNITY
Rep. Sara Feigenholtz (D-12)
MEDICAID-SUPPORTIVE FACILITIES
Rep. Curtis J. Tarver, II (D-25); Sen. Elgie R. Sims, Jr. (D-17)
CD CORR-RELEASEE-REENTRY INFO
Rep. Delia C. Ramirez (D-4); Sen. Ram Villivalam (D-8)
EQUITABLE RESTROOM-BABY CHANGE
Rep. Daniel Didech (D-59)
REVENUE-PROPERTY TAX FUND
Rep. Gregory Harris (D-13)
Rep. Delia C. Ramirez (D-4)
Rep. Carol Ammons (D-103)
Rep. Marcus C. Evans, Jr. (D-33); Sen. Julie A. Morrison (D-29)
URGE CREATION OF CANCER CAUCUS
Rep. Camille Y. Lilly (D-78); Sen. Don Harmon (D-39)
KIDDIELAND AMUSEMENT PARK ROAD
Rep. Will Guzzardi (D-39)
AFFORDABLE HOUSING-INVESTMENT
Rep. Dan Caulkins (R-101)
RECOGNIZE-NAT. DAY OF PRAYER
AMBUCS APPRECIATION MONTH
Rep. LaToya Greenwood (D-114)
Rep. André Thapedi (D-32)
LEGALIZED CANNABIS-AG STUDY
Rep. André Thapedi (D-32)
SPORTS WAGERING-IGB STUDY
Rep. André Thapedi (D-32)
SPORTS WAGERING-IGB STUDY
Rep. André Thapedi (D-32)
LEGALIZED CANNABIS-AG STUDY
Rep. Elizabeth Hernandez (D-24)
Rep. Elizabeth Hernandez (D-24)
CHILDHOOD PROGRAMS-FUNDING
Sen. Antonio Muñoz (D-1); Rep. John Connor (D-85)
VEH CD-POLICE MEMORIAL SPOUSES
Rep. Mark Batinick (R-97)
PRAIRIE RESEARCH-MICROPLASTICS
Rep. Nathan D. Reitz (D-116)
AGRICULTURE ED TEACHER PROGRAM
Sen. Chuck Weaver (R-37); Rep. Rita Mayfield (D-60)
PRISONER ACCESS JOB WEBSITES
Sen. Linda Holmes (D-42); Rep. Jeff Keicher (R-70)
INSURANCE-DIAGNOSTIC MAMMOGRAM
Sen. Michael E. Hastings (D-19); Rep. Kelly M. Burke (D-36)
PMP-LICENSED VETERINARIANS
Sen. Iris Y. Martinez (D-20); Rep. Aaron M. Ortiz (D-1)
UNIV OF IL-STUDENT TRUSTEE
Sen. Suzy Glowiak (D-24); Rep. Natalie A. Manley (D-98)
ALZHEIMER'S-ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Sen. John F. Curran (R-41); Rep. Jim Durkin (R-82)
EPA-PERMITS-ETHYLENE OXIDE
Rep. Marcus C. Evans, Jr. (D-33)
Sen. Ann Gillespie (D-27); Rep. Will Guzzardi (D-39)
Rep. Mark Batinick (R-97)
Sen. Steve Stadelman (D-34); Rep. Justin Slaughter (D-27); Rep. Rita Mayfield (D-60)
BLIGHTED BUILDINGS & PROPERTY
Sen. Linda Holmes (D-42); Rep. Jonathan Carroll (D-57)
Rep. Michael J. Zalewski (D-23)
Rep. Anna Moeller (D-43); Sen. Iris Y. Martinez (D-20)
HOME BIRTH CRISIS COMMITTEE
Rep. Sonya M. Harper (D-6); Sen. Elgie R. Sims, Jr. (D-17)
CD CORR-SENTENCING-REDUCE
Rep. Katie Stuart (D-112); Sen. Andy Manar (D-48)
SCH CD-MINIMUM TEACHER SALARY
Rep. Camille Y. Lilly (D-78); Sen. Julie A. Morrison (D-29)
Rep. LaToya Greenwood (D-114); Sen. Christopher Belt (D-57)
CRIM&TRAFFIC ASSESS ACT-FUNDS
Rep. Elizabeth Hernandez (D-24); Sen. Omar Aquino (D-2)
RETENTION OF IL STUDENTS ACT
HGHER ED-DIVERSE FACULTY GRANT
Sen. Heather A. Steans (D-7); Rep. Robyn Gabel (D-18)
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH TASK FORCE
Sen. Heather A. Steans (D-7); Rep. Anne Stava-Murray (D-81)
Sen. Ram Villivalam (D-8); Rep. Lance Yednock (D-76)
COLLECTIVE BARGAINING FREEDOM
Sen. Kimberly A. Lightford (D-4); Rep. Camille Y. Lilly (D-78)
Sen. Jacqueline Y. Collins (D-16); Rep. Anna Moeller (D-43)
NURSING HOME CARE ACT-VARIOUS
Sen. Kimberly A. Lightford (D-4); Rep. Carol Ammons (D-103)
IL STUDENT LOAN INVESTMENT ACT
Sen. John F. Curran (R-41); Rep. Jay Hoffman (D-113)
ATTY GEN-WORKER PROTECT UNIT
Sen. Emil Jones, III (D-14); Rep. André Thapedi (D-32)
COMPLETE COUNT COMMISSION
Sen. Robert Peters (D-13); Rep. Nicholas K. Smith (D-34)
Sen. Omar Aquino (D-2); Rep. Carol Ammons (D-103)
VEH CD-LICENSE TO WORK ACT
Rep. Natalie A. Manley (D-98)
PUB AID-SNAP-JOB TRAINING
Rep. Gregory Harris (D-13)
FY19-PRIOR INCURRED COSTS
Sen. Antonio Muñoz (D-1); Rep. John M. Cabello (R-68)
SPEC PLATES-POLICE/FIREFIGHTER
Sen. Cristina Castro (D-22); Rep. Michael Halpin (D-72)
HIGHER ED-IN-STATE TUITION
Rep. Jonathan Carroll (D-57)
STATE TREASURER-REAL PROPERTY
Rep. Kathleen Willis (D-77)
PUBLIC DEFENDER BAIL PROGRAM
Sen. Iris Y. Martinez (D-20); Rep. Rita Mayfield (D-60)
TOLL HWY AUTHORITY DIRECTORS
Sen. Scott M. Bennett (D-52); Rep. Carol Ammons (D-103)
COAL ASH POLLUTION PREVENTION
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