Kankakee Times

Given the current pandemic, the Illinois House of Representatives has opted to hold its first virtual committee hearings for its 102nd General Assembly.

Though virtual meetings have been remotely done for other discussions such as task force hearings, this week was the first for the General Assembly to hold one for committee votes, and consider legislation via Zoom.

State Rep. Tom Bennett (R-106) shared his experience and has said that “even with the new format for the hearing, we had a good discussion and dialogue.”

Several bills have been discussed and advanced out of the committee during this new House rule, including Bennett’s House Bill 285 which will proceed to the House Floor for debate.

Providing transparency to the public and making sure that the community can participate in the process, the legislature posted a schedule of committee hearings on its website. There are more than 40 scheduled virtual hearings through March 12 that the public can watch via Zoom on the General Assembly’s website. These include hearings that will be conducted by the Immigration and Human Rights Committee, the Housing Committee, and the Labor and Commerce Committee, among others.

Individuals who are interested in providing oral testimony remotely before the House committees can learn more about the process through the General Assembly’s website.