Rep. Amy Grant (R-42) sponsored eight bills in the first quarter of 2019, 28 less than the average Illinois state representative, and was added as a co-sponsor on 42 bills, 17 less than the average, according to a DuPage Policy Journal 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 Grant sponsored in the first quarter.
SCH CD-SCH BUILDING-REFERENDUM
MHDDSA-ONE'S OWN HOME-DEFINED
OPEN GOVT-PREVAILING PARTY
HUMAN TRAFFICKING PREVENTION
MEMORIAL-BARBARA A. MURPHY
The following table shows the bills to which Grant was added as a co-sponsor in the first quarter.
Rep. Terri Bryant (R-115)
Rep. Allen Skillicorn (R-66)
ABORTION-PHYSICIAN ATTENDANCE
Rep. Margo McDermed (R-37); Sen. Michael E. Hastings (D-19)
CRIM-IDENTIFYING INFORMATION
Rep. Patrick Windhorst (R-118)
ABORTION LAW-UNDER 20 WEEKS
Rep. Keith R. Wheeler (R-50)
CRIM PROSECUTIONS-SEX OFFENSES
Rep. Keith R. Wheeler (R-50)
Rep. Keith R. Wheeler (R-50)
NO FUNDS W/OUT REVENUE EST
Rep. Deanne M. Mazzochi (R-47)
HUMAN TRAFFICKING OFFENSES
Rep. Thomas Morrison (R-54)
Rep. Thomas Morrison (R-54)
NO TAXPAYER FUNDING ABORTION
Rep. Patrick Windhorst (R-118)
Rep. Mary Edly-Allen (D-51)
ANIMAL SHELTER-MEDICAL CARE
Rep. Terra Costa Howard (D-48)
Rep. Emanuel Chris Welch (D-7)
Rep. Emanuel Chris Welch (D-7)
MENTAL HLTH MODERNIZATION ACT
Rep. Sonya M. Harper (D-6)
RE-ENTERING CITIZENS CIVIC ED
Rep. Michael J. Zalewski (D-23)
COMM ON FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY
Rep. Patrick Windhorst (R-118)
Rep. Rita Mayfield (D-60)
SCH DISTRICT EFFICIENCY COMM
Rep. Deanne M. Mazzochi (R-47)
COUNTIES-ADULT ENTERTAINMENT
Rep. Deanne M. Mazzochi (R-47)
INS CODE-PHARM BENEFIT MANAGER
HOTEL OCCUPATION & USE REVENUE
Rep. Keith R. Wheeler (R-50)
Rep. Mary Edly-Allen (D-51)
CREDIT FILE FREEZE MINORS
Rep. Rita Mayfield (D-60)
Rep. Mark Batinick (R-97)
Rep. Daniel Swanson (R-74)
INS CODE-TICK-BORNE DISEASE
COMMISSION ON FISCAL REFORM
CONAMEND-LEGISLATIVE REDISTRCT
GRADUATED INCOME TAX-OPPOSE
Rep. Martin J. Moylan (D-55)
MARIJUANA LEGALIZATION PROCESS
Rep. Brad Halbrook (R-102)
INVEST IN KIDS ACT PILOT PROG
Rep. Margo McDermed (R-37)
Rep. Mark Batinick (R-97)
Rep. Margo McDermed (R-37)