It may take wheeling and dealing, but Quinn's ethics reforms may pass
SPRINGFIELD - Senate Democrats are extending a hand to Gov. Pat Quinn and his push for sweeping changes to political and ethics laws, offering the governor a set of blank legislation to work with.
"We are looking forward to seeing how these reform ideas take shape as legislation. To that end the senate has reserved a number of shell bills for the commission to amend with their legislation. It is our intent that these bills will go through the regular legislative process of committee hearings and votes," said Cullerton spokeswoman Rikeesha Phelon.
A commission Quinn appointed shortly before becoming governor in the wake of Rod Blagojevich's impeachment and ouster earlier this year recently unveiled proposals that members say will fundamentally change government and politics in the state.
For instance, the group called for computerized mapping of legislative districts rather than continuing to rely on a system that often results in a name being pulled out of a hat to give one political party control over the mapmaking.
The group also wants to limit to 10 years how long legislative leaders can serve in the post and is pushing to limit how much individuals, businesses, unions and others can donate to candidates.
Other proposals address state contracting and purchasing and expanded powers for state and local prosecutors.
The commission's chairman, former federal prosecutor Patrick Collins, has said all should be passed by the General Assembly this spring, and Quinn has said he wants up or down votes in the coming weeks.
Senate President John Cullerton's aides contacted Quinn's office late last week to inform the governor that legislation - so-called shell bills - were being set aside for Quinn.
Quinn and his commission have yet to actually put into legislative form the recommendations they're demanding lawmakers pass.
There's a bit of political irony in Quinn championing open government reforms but relying on some good-old entrenched political tweaking of the system in order to get it.
Quinn's report was handed down with just a month left in the legislative session. Traditional deadlines for introducing legislation and getting it through committees long ago passed. But legislative leaders routinely have their members pass blank proposals so they have something in the system they can work with should they need to strike a last-minute deal.
That's how Quinn's proposal is likely to emerge.
A Quinn spokeswoman declined to comment on actual legislation or process it faces except to repeat Quinn's call for action.
"The governor believes that this is the time for real reform, and this week he will again be advocating for recall and campaign finance reform. He is meeting with legislative leaders regularly," said spokeswoman Katherine Ridgway. "At this point, we are not commenting on the process and are more focused on getting up or down votes from the legislature on pieces of reform legislation. As to your question about getting these reforms passed in 30 days, the governor believes that the people of Illinois demand action to renew their trust in state government."