HR0026 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0026 LRB104 07290 JDS 17329 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that the Rules of the House of Representatives of the 104th General Assembly are amended by adding Rule 37.5 as follows:

(House Rule 37.5 new)

37.5. Priority Bills.

(a) For each annual session, a member may designate one House Bill as a Priority Bill when filing it with the Clerk for introduction.

For the first annual session, a member may introduce one Priority Bill as soon as authorized by the Pre-Filing of Bills Act. During the second annual session, a member may introduce a Priority Bill beginning January 1 of that calendar year. No bill filed after the deadline for the introduction of House Bills for that calendar year may be designated a Priority Bill for that annual session.

Notwithstanding Rule 22(f), the consent of the committee is not required when designating a qualifying member to present a Priority Bill.

(b) Chairpersons shall make a good-faith effort to facilitate committee consideration of each Priority Bill at a time when the Principal Sponsor or the Principal Sponsor's designee, and their necessary witnesses, are available. A Priority Bill posted for a particular hearing shall be considered by the committee before consideration of legislative measures without that designation if the Principal Sponsor or designee consents to consideration at that time. If the Principal Sponsor or the Principal Sponsor's designee fails to present the bill during the first or second hearing for which the bill was posted or if the Principal Sponsor or the Principal Sponsor's designee withdraws consent for consideration at the hearing, the committee may hear testimony and vote one time on a reporting motion for that bill without the consent of the Principal Sponsor or the Principal Sponsor's designee at the third or subsequent hearing for which the bill is posted.

(c) Notwithstanding Rule 40(a), only the Principal Sponsor or chief co-sponsor of a Priority Bill may offer a committee amendment to the bill. Upon filing with the Clerk, such an amendment is automatically referred to the committee in which the bill is pending. If a Priority Bill is referred or re-referred by the Rules Committee, all pending committee amendments shall accompany the bill.

If a Priority Bill is posted for hearing, the committee may consider any committee amendment filed by the deadline established by Rule 21(a)(2), and the Clerk shall include those amendments in the hearing notice.

(d) Each Priority Bill that remains pending in any committee at 5:00 p.m. on April 1 shall be automatically discharged to the House and placed on the calendar on the order of Second Reading, unless a standing or special committee has provided an opportunity for public testimony on the bill at a posted hearing and taken a record vote on a motion to report the bill to the House.

(e) Deadlines established by the Speaker under Rule 9(b) and any corresponding re-referral to the Rules Committee under Rule 19 shall not apply to Priority Bills; however, a Priority Bill that remains pending in a standing or special committee at 5:00 p.m. on December 31 of the first annual session shall be automatically re-referred to the Rules Committee.

(f) The Journal and Legislative Digest shall reference a Priority Bill in a manner that identifies that designation. Priority Bill status may not be revoked or transferred to another bill.

(g) A Chairperson who fails to implement and comply with this Rule may be subject to disciplinary action under Article XII.

(h) This rule may not be suspended.