Senate panel rejects taking illegal immigrants out of All Kids
SPRINGFIELD — Illinois Senate Democrats put the brakes on a plan from state Sen. Carole Pankau, an Itasca Republican, that would have kept illegal immigrants out of the state's All Kids program, which provides health care for children.
A Senate subcommittee rejected the Itasca Republican's plan Thursday afternoon saying a more comprehensive debate over how to best save money on state health care spending is already going on.
“I know what you're trying to do, but we have negotiations going on,” said state Sen. Antonio Munoz, a Chicago Democrat and chairman of the committee.
Pankau's plan was one of a number of suburban Republican plans to face scrutiny Thursday in subcommittees, legislative entities from which proposals don't often emerge successful.
Birth certificates
A different panel rejected a plan from state Sen. Dan Duffy, a Lake Barrington Republican, that would have required candidates for office in Illinois to show a birth certificate or other documents that proved they were a citizen.
Candidates need to be citizens to hold office in Illinois, and they have to sign papers when they make their campaigns official stating they are.
Duffy's plan would have required proof, but the subcommittee voted against it by a 2-1 vote.
He said his proposal was unrelated to disproved rumors that President Barack Obama isn't a citizen.
“I'm not a birther,” Duffy said. “I believe Barack Obama is a U.S. citizen.”
Health care costs
A Senate subcommittee approved a plan from state Sen. Pamela Althoff, a McHenry Republican, that would require legislation affecting the state's Medicaid program to carry a note that publicly reports the expected cost.
Lawmakers are talking about making $2.7 billion in cuts to Medicaid this year, and Althoff's plan now moves to a full committee for further debate.
The cost note wouldn't be required on legislation until it won preliminary approval from lawmakers.
“It would only happen on substantial bills,” she said.
Voting rolls
A proposal from state Sen. Chris Lauzen, an Aurora Republican, to clean up voter registration rolls will get further discussion.
Lauzen said that several Illinois counties have more people on their voting rolls than they have voting-aged people, leading to a general distrust in elections. His plan called for an audit of the voter rolls, but because some county officials worried about an audit's cost, Lauzen says he's open to suggestion.
“I'm open to any ideas to try to solve that problem,” he said. His proposal was advanced to a full committee, where it will await further debate.