Rockford Sun

Senate Republicans have renewed their request for Governor J.B. Pritzker to veto Senate Bill 328, a measure that would permit out-of-state plaintiffs to bring lawsuits against out-of-state businesses in Illinois courts if the business is registered in the state, regardless of whether the case has any direct connection to Illinois.

Lawmakers opposed to the bill argue it would significantly increase the number of cases filed in Illinois courts, delay proceedings for state residents, and lead to higher legal costs for employers. "Senate Bill 328 would allow out-of-state plaintiffs to sue out-of-state businesses in Illinois court, even when the cases have no connection to the state, simply because the business is registered in Illinois. This radical shift would flood the courts with out-of-state cases, slow down justice for Illinoisans, and saddle employers with skyrocketing legal costs," according to a statement from Senate Republicans.

The process by which SB 328 was advanced has also drawn criticism. Instead of amending an earlier version of the bill through standard procedures, Democratic lawmakers used a legislative tactic known as “gut and replace.” This allowed them to substitute new language into an unrelated bill shortly before session ended, which critics say circumvented constitutional requirements for public review. "Rather than correcting a technical error in the original bill, Democrat lawmakers used a procedural maneuver known as gut and replace. This tactic allowed them to swap out the contents of an unrelated bill just hours before the end of session, avoiding the Illinois Constitution’s Three Readings Rule and limiting public input."

Republican leaders have responded by filing a lawsuit that challenges how SB 328 was passed on constitutional grounds. The case is moving forward in Sangamon County Court with oral arguments scheduled for August.

Governor Pritzker faces an August 29 deadline to veto SB 328; otherwise, it will become law without his signature. Senate Republicans are urging him not to let that happen: "Senate Republicans are urging the governor to stand for transparency and reject legislation that places special interests above the needs of Illinois families."

David L. Syverson is among those voicing concern about this legislation. Syverson has served as a Republican member of the Illinois State Senate since being elected in 1993 to represent District 35, succeeding Christine J. Johnson.