Kankakee Times

Sen. Jason Barickman (R-Bloomington) called out lawmakers to stop playing politics, as he commented on Senate President Don Harmon’s (D-Oak Park) bill, SB 2800.

Harmon’s single page-SB2800 advanced out of several committees and had undergone several House Amendments filed by Rep. Greg Harris (D-Chicago)—House Floor Amendment 1 at 704 pages; House Floor Amendment 2 at 714 pages; House Floor Amendment 3 at 3088 pages.

“Pursuant to Rule 7-15 and specifically the provision within that rule that allows any member move that a vote taken to reconsider made in the final three session dates or any time after that I move that a roll call vote be made on the Senate’s motion to reconsider the vote on House Amendments 2 and 3 on Senate Bill 2800,” Barickman commented. “I’d ask for that to be voted on now.”

Sen. Dave Koehler (D-Peoria) advised Barickman that the motion to reconsider the vote was withdrawn by the Senate president.

“As we saw this morning the Senate president put a brick on the budget. There are many people who have said let’s stop with the games and politics,” Barickman said. ”And let’s do the people's business. Because the president withdrew his motion, I appreciate that you’ve stopped playing the games.”

Harmon introduced SB2800 as a bill that would appropriate “$2 from the General Revenue Fund to the Office of the State Appellate Defender for its FY 22 ordinary and contingent expenses.”

The summary of the third House Amendment reads: “Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Makes various appropriations and reappropriations for specified purposes. Amends Public Act 101-637 by changing and adding various appropriations. Some provisions are effective immediately; some provisions are effective July 1, 2021.”

The bill would enact a balanced budget and avoid a previously projected $1.3 billion budget deficit, according to Harris, The State Journal-Register reported.

As of June 1, Senate Bill 2800 passed both Houses with no Republican senators voting in support of the bill on the Senate’s 37-21 vote, and House Democrats vote of 72 for, and 44 against from the Republicans.