October 12, 2009
ISSUE: Good Government
ACTION: Call your Representative today and request that they co-sponsor HB4625 and request that it be brought for a vote in this Veto Session.
BACKGROUND: SB 1868 (now introduced in the House as HB4625) would amend the Counties Code and provide that the Cook County Board of Commissioners may override a veto by the County Board President by an affirmative vote of 3/5 of its members (instead of the present 4/5). If approved this current bill would take effect on January 1, 2011. (The Senate may introduce an amendment to change the effective date to January 1, 2010.)
BILL STATUS: SB1868 was filed on 2/20/09 and passed by the Senate on April 1. It had a First Reading in the House on April 1 and was referred to the Rules Committee. On April 14, it was assigned to the Executive Committee, and on May 8, it was re-referred to the Rules Committee. There was no further activity during the Spring Legislative Session. Over the summer, interest was sparked, and Rep. Hamos and Sen. Kotowski have attempted to move this bill forward and to have it considered during the October Veto Session. Now possibly known as HB4625 it is expected to be brought before the House during the October Veto Session.
ADDITIONAL BACKGROUND: The LWVCC position on this issue comes from Where We Stand 2009 (the LWVCC version) under the County Government position and states:
The current 4/5 of the commissioners of the Cook County Board needed to override the President’s veto should be reduced to a lower ratio or percentage.
While this bill specifically refers to Cook County, this is state-wide issue because County Code is determined by the State Legislature. This type of change in the operation of the County is regulated by state statute.
This is also an issue of good government. Nearly all legislative bodies allow a lesser percentage for an override of an Executive veto. This particular Cook County percentage dates from a very different era when the Cook County Commissioners were elected from either the city or the suburbs, and not from single-member districts as they now are. Passage of this bill would help to ensure that Cook County government operates in a fair and equitable manner for all its citizens.
Call your Representative and ask him or her to sign on as a co-sponsor of the Cook County Board - Override Veto bill (HB4625 or SB1868). Information about your Representative can be found on the Illinois General Assembly website: www.ilga.gov.
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