State senator says bipartisanship restored

<p class="p1"><span class="s1">A Southern Illinois legislator says that after 12 years of a one-party-rule system, bipartisanship was finally restored to the law-making process when Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner was sworn into office on Jan. 12. </span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">“Years of fiscal mismanagement and partisan decision-making have left Illinois in dire economic straits; however, there is a new sense of optimism that change is coming, and hopefully with it, fiscal recovery,” State Sen. Dave Luechtefeld, R-Okawville, said in a Jan. 20 weekly review of legislative business.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">Luechtefeld said in his first days in office, “Governor Rauner took swift action to address the state’s fiscal hole by halting what he called ‘non-essential’ state spending, as well as tightening ethical requirements between state employees and the lobbying industry and increasing transparency of certain executive branch hires.”</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">The 99th General Assembly also was sworn in on Jan. 14.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">On the following day Senate Republican Leader Christine Radogno announced her leadership team. </span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">She affirmed they look forward to collaborating with Rauner and their Democrat colleagues to develop bipartisan solutions for the state’s problems.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">Luechtefeld said that Gov. Pat Quinn ended his term in office with an 11th-hour veto of legislation that would have established a bobcat hunting season to help better regulate the bobcat population in Illinois. </span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">In addition, Luechtefeld said that medical marijuana proponents were dismayed that Quinn left office without acting on medical cannabis licenses, which they say could present a roadblock in the implementation of the state’s medical cannabis pilot program.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">Luechtefeld said that a “new sense of optimism radiated throughout the Prairie Capitol Convention Center on Jan. 12, when Governor Rauner became the first Republican governor in 12 years to be sworn into the state’s highest office.”</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">“After more than a decade of one-party-Democrat rule, Illinois may finally see bipartisanship restored in the legislative process with the gubernatorial changing of the guard. Governor Rauner has pledged his commitment to serving the people of Illinois by helping to reestablish a once-thriving economy,” Luechtefeld said.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">The Southern Illinois state senator said that in his inaugural address, “Governor Rauner pointed out the journey to fiscal recovery will not be easy. With a record high state employee pension deficit and the lowest credit rating in the nation, Governor Rauner stressed that tough decisions will have to be made to correct the years of fiscal mismanagement and poor decision-making that landed Illinois in economic crisis.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">On Jan. 13, Rauner sought to establish his administration’s commitment to ethical government, signing an executive order targeting what’s known as the “revolving door” between state employees and the lobbying industry.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">The prohibition, which applies to the executive branch and state agency employees, stemmed from legislation advocated by State Sen. Darin LaHood, R-Dunlap, who had introduced similar proposals in the past, “which were stymied by Democrat leaders,” Luechtefeld said. </span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">The revolving door ban, which takes effect Feb. 15, states that employees within government agencies cannot negotiate positions or accept a position in a lobbying firm until one year after leaving their government position.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">Executive Order 15-09 will also further restrict gifts to state employees; require all employment contracts to be reviewed and approved by the Governor’s Office of Management and Budget; and require state workers to disclose on their statement of economic interests any non-governmental positions they hold. </span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">Workers must also divulge a personal interest of more than 5 percent in state property.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">Additionally, state employees must disclose any ongoing litigation in which they are a named party with the state, and every agency and employee under the governor is required to cooperate with the special master recently appointed by a federal court to oversee hiring at the Department of Transportation</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">On Jan. 12, Governor Rauner kicked off his term in office by taking steps to combat Illinois’ financial crisis. </span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">Rauner signed Executive Order 15-08, which ordered a financial freeze on all state discretionary spending.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">In addition to halting what he called “non-essential” state spending, the newly sworn-in governor also turned his attention to state-awarded contracts and grants. </span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">The order suspends agencies’ ability to award, enter, amend or renew any state contracts or grants not specifically required by law, with a few minor exceptions. The contract and grant suspension is issued until July 1, 2015.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">Following her re-election as Senate Republican Leader on Jan. 14, Sen. Christine Radogno announced her leadership team on Jan. 15 for the 99th General Assembly.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">Radogno appointed the following Senate Republican members to her leadership team: </span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">Sen. Matt Murphy, R-Palatine, Deputy Republican Leader. Sen. Bill Brady, R-Bloomington, Assistant Republican Leader.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">Sen. Dave Luechtefeld, R-Okawville, Assistant Republican Leader. Sen. Dave Syverson, R-Rockford, Assistant Republican Leader.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">Sen. Sue Rezin, R-Peru, Assistant Republican Leader. Sen. Pamela Althoff, R-McHenry, Senate Republican Caucus Chair. Sen. Chapin Rose, R-Mahomet, Senate Republican Whip.</span></p>


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