Study bill, then vote, group says
BY DAVID HOLSTED
SVN REPORTER
dholsted@svnmail.com
Missouri may be the Show-Me State, but if members of a newly created organization have their way, Illinois will have a Show Us Amendment.
The Illinois Democracy Project is supporting a proposed constitutional amendment that would require all bills coming from the General Assembly to undergo a 21-day review process before being voted upon.
"I hate to use the word 'lobbyist,' but that's what we are," said Terry Gutshall, superintendent of the Bureau Valley School District and a member of Project Democracy.
Project Democracy was started Nov. 29 at a meeting in the offices of the Illinois Parent Teachers Association Building in Springfield. Gutshall gave much of the credit for the organization to Jim Broadway, a former newspaper reporter who now publishes the State School News Service newsletter. Many Project Democracy members, like Gutshall, are involved in education.
The group is hoping to have the proposal on the ballot in the November 2008 election.
According to Gutshall, it makes sense to have a review period in which the public and the media can study a proposed piece of legislation. Over the past few years, he said, the state Legislature has changed.
"There's more power in fewer hands," Gutshall said. "Very few people control the committees."
Under the current procedure, lawmakers can add pork barrel amendments or radical changes at the last minute. It is this that Project Democracy hopes to change.
As an example of a last-minute law, Project Democracy cited the 1997 electric deregulation law, which led to the recent rate increases. Broadway called it 261 pages of the toughest bill he had ever read.
Gutshall also mentioned funding for education as an area that is often affected by bills that are rushed through.
"It could be weeks or even months before the repercussions are felt," he said.
Lawmakers are often pressured into quick votes and many don't even know what they're voting on, he said.
Don Mulch is superintendent of the River Bend School District and a member of Project Democracy. He thought that just as a school district is legally required to allow public inspection of a proposed levy, so, too, should the Legislature be required to allow a review period for proposed bills.
"Some laws are done over a weekend and don't have time for scrutiny," Mulch said. "We're concerned about that."
The ultimate goal of the proposed Show Us amendment is the better understanding of what goes on in Springfield, Mulch said - "so the sun shines on the process, and to get rid of the facade on the democratic process, so the public can know and understand."
There is growing interest in the amendment among legislators, Gutshall said. "I think they are looking at it as a win-win situation, and that we are not trying to usurp their power."
Gov. Rod Blagojevich has taken a wait-and-see attitude about the Show Us Amendment, he said
A call to the governor's office to ask about his views was not returned.
State Sen. Mike Jacobs, D-East Moline, said he had heard of the Project Democracy movement. He agrees with the proposed amendment to a degree.
"As a guideline, I wouldn't have a problem with a cooling-off period," Jacobs said.
However, he is concerned that some emergency bills, which need to be passed immediately, never would get signed into law should they have to wait 21 days.
He did say that the budget bill is one situation in which he would like to see a review period.
"Sometimes it flies through (the General Assembly)," Jacobs said. "I would be willing to sit down and talk about anything that would make people more involved."
State Rep. Mike Boland, D-East Moline, was unfamiliar with Project Democracy, but he thought it was an interesting idea. However, like Jacobs, he is concerned about emergency bills that might come up.
"I'd like to hear the other side," Boland said. "If there was some emergency, there has to be a provision."
Gutshall acknowledged their concerns, and said the amendment would have be structured so as to take into account emergency situations.
Boland wondered if there really was a need for a 21-day review period. Most legislation is introduced quite early, he said, and is always posted on the General Assembly's Web site.
State Rep. Jim Sacia, R-Pecatonica, also was unfamiliar with Project Democracy, and wanted to learn more about it before commenting.
"I've seen some bills that were rammed through, that's for sure," Sacia said.
Reach David Holsted at 625-3600 or (800) 798-4085, ext. 525.
