Rep. Michael Halpin (D-72) sponsored 13 bills in the first quarter of 2019, 23 less than the average Illinois state representative, and was added as a co-sponsor on 71 bills, 12 more than the average, according to a Rock Island Today analysis of data made available by the Illinois General Assembly.
During the first quarter, 119 representatives sponsored legislation, with Rep. Michael J. Madigan (D-22) sponsoring the most with 940 bills. There were 119 representatives that co-sponsored legislation, with Rep. Jonathan Carroll (D-57) co-sponsoring 169 bills, more than any other representative.
When a bill is introduced to the House, the clerk reads the bill title before the House and it is automatically referred to the Rules Committee. If the Rules Committee thinks that the bill merits further consideration, it is assigned to another committee. If the committee reports favorably on the bill to the House, or if the committee has been discharged with respect to the bill, the bill will be ready for its second reading before the House.
According to House rules, a bill can be passed only after the House clerk has read the bill before the House on three separate days. However, many bills are introduced as shell bills in order to circumvent the rule requiring three readings before they can be passed. These shell bills, which are far more common in Illinois than in other states, are created with the purpose of beginning the often lengthy process of passing a new piece of legislation. But since they would only make trivial or meaningless changes in the law in the form that they initially appear, they are either left to die or are later changed to something more substantive that can be rushed to passage without bothering with procedure. This has the unfortunate effect of leading to laws that may not have been debated or discussed sufficiently.
Representatives that sponsor an inordinately large number of bills are often sponsoring many shell bills.
The following table shows the bills that Halpin sponsored in the first quarter.
PREVENT OUTSOURCING TASK FORCE
OUT-OF-STATE INVOL ADM-REPEAL
NON-DISCLOSURE AGREEMENT-TAXES
LOW-WAGE EMPLOYER-RECOUP COSTS
KEEP ILLINOIS BUSINESS ACT
REGULATE FINANCIAL INCENTIVES
VETERAN SUICIDE-OAK RIDGE
HIGHER ED-IN-STATE TUITION
CONSERVANCY DIST-CONTRACT BIDS
COMPTROLLER-REPORTS AND FUNDS
SOIL & WATER CONSERVATION DIST
UNDESIGNATED GLUCAGON-SCHOOLS
The following table shows the bills to which Halpin was added as a co-sponsor in the first quarter.
Rep. Margo McDermed (R-37)
TRACK-SEXUAL ASSAULT EVIDENCE
Rep. Thomas M. Bennett (R-106)
COUNTIES CODE - SPECIAL USES
Rep. Rita Mayfield (D-60)
Rep. Tony McCombie (R-71)
USE/OCC-MOTOR FUEL-LOCAL GOV
Rep. Tony McCombie (R-71)
FOREST PRESERVE ZOOS-FREE DAYS
Rep. Tony McCombie (R-71)
CRIM CODE-AGG BAT-EMPLOYEES
Rep. Tony McCombie (R-71)
SEX OFFENDER-NO STATE FAIR
Rep. Tony McCombie (R-71)
Rep. Tony McCombie (R-71)
ANIMALS-POLICE AND SERVICE
Rep. Tony McCombie (R-71)
FIREARMS-ELECTRONIC LICENSES
Rep. Monica Bristow (D-111)
Rep. Monica Bristow (D-111)
Rep. Monica Bristow (D-111)
FINANCE-GRF-ROADS AND BRIDGES
Rep. Katie Stuart (D-112); Sen. Antonio Muñoz (D-1)
PRESCRIPTION MONITORING REPORT
Rep. LaToya Greenwood (D-114); Rep. Jay Hoffman (D-113)
SERVICE MEMBER-EXPEDITED LIC
Rep. Tony McCombie (R-71)
FIRST-TIME HOMEBUYER SAVINGS
Rep. Katie Stuart (D-112)
SCH CD-MINIMUM TEACHER SALARY
Rep. Michael D. Unes (R-91); Sen. Jil Tracy (R-47)
SCH CD-DIPLOMA-MILITARY-KIA
Rep. Lance Yednock (D-76)
Rep. Sonya M. Harper (D-6)
SCH CD-PHYSICAL EDUCATION
Rep. Sara Feigenholtz (D-12)
DHFS-MCO PREFERRED DRUG LISTS
Rep. Charles Meier (R-108)
AGR-COOPERATIVE TRUST FUND
Rep. Charles Meier (R-108)
AGR-COOPERATIVE TRUST FUND
Rep. Charles Meier (R-108)
AGR-COOPERATIVE TRUST FUND
Rep. Thomas M. Bennett (R-106)
AG FAIR-FISCAL ACCOUNTING
Rep. Katie Stuart (D-112)
Rep. Katie Stuart (D-112)
SEXUAL ASSAULT BY DECEPTION
Rep. Will Guzzardi (D-39); Sen. Cristina Castro (D-22)
HUM RIGHTS-EMPLOYER-DEFINITION
DCFS-PAYMENT RATE INCREASES
TRANSPORTATION BENEFIT PROGRAM
Rep. Will Guzzardi (D-39)
SCH CD-STUDENT TEACHER-VIDEO
Rep. Sara Feigenholtz (D-12)
MEDICAID-SUPPORTIVE FACILITIES
Rep. Delia C. Ramirez (D-4)
INCARCERATED PARENTS-CHILDREN
Rep. Lamont J. Robinson, Jr. (D-5)
LOCAL ROT-SOURCING-COLLECTION
Rep. Jaime M. Andrade, Jr. (D-40)
AGING-HOMEMAKER SERVICES-WAGES
Rep. Andrew S. Chesney (R-89)
WILDLIFE CD-HUNTING OPENING
Rep. Anne Stava-Murray (D-81)
SCHOOL CONFERENCE NO TERMINATE
Rep. Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz (D-17)
WAGE PAYMENT-DIRECT CONTRACTOR
Rep. Deb Conroy (D-46); Sen. Laura Fine (D-9)
AUTOIMMUNE ENCEPHALITIS CODING
Rep. Anthony DeLuca (D-80)
Rep. Ann M. Williams (D-11); Sen. Bill Cunningham (D-18)
LOCAL WIND ENERGY REGULATION
VETERANS CYBER ACADEMY PILOT
Rep. LaToya Greenwood (D-114)
PARKINSON'S DISEASE AWARENESS
PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT PRACTICE
GRATUITIES-RETENTION-PROHIBIT
Rep. Monica Bristow (D-111)
AMERICAN MADE ILLINOIS FLAGS
Rep. Kathleen Willis (D-77)
PEN CD-EMPLOYER CONTRIBUTIONS
Rep. Ann M. Williams (D-11)
SCH CD-SEX EDUCATION-CONSENT
PROCURE DOMESTIC PRODUCTS
Rep. Melissa Conyears-Ervin (D-10)
DHS-CHILD CARE-INCOME LEVELS
PROCURE DOMESTIC PRODUCTS
Rep. Tony McCombie (R-71)
Rep. Jerry Costello, II (D-116)
PENCD-SERS-CONSERVATION POLICE
Rep. Tony McCombie (R-71)
FIREARM DEALERS CERTIFICATION
Rep. Gregory Harris (D-13)
Rep. Anna Moeller (D-43); Sen. Cristina Castro (D-22)
EQUAL PAY ACT-WAGE HISTORY
Rep. Mark Batinick (R-97)
Rep. Daniel Swanson (R-74)
INS CODE-TICK-BORNE DISEASE
Rep. Mary E. Flowers (D-31)
Rep. André Thapedi (D-32)
2020 CENSUS GRANT PROGRAM ACT
Rep. Katie Stuart (D-112)
Rep. Katie Stuart (D-112)
DPH-PAINKILLER GUIDELINES
Rep. Elizabeth Hernandez (D-24)
CHILDHOOD PROGRAMS-FUNDING
HOME BIRTH CRISIS COMMITTEE
HOME BIRTH CRISIS COMMITTEE
HOME BIRTH CRISIS COMMITTEE
Alerts Sign-up