In order to participate in the GunBroker Member forums, you must be logged in with your GunBroker.com account. Click the sign-in button at the top right of the forums page to get connected.
Options
IL: O'Hare bill stalls, but House OKs gun show mea
Josey1
Member Posts: 9,598 ✭✭
O'Hare bill stalls, but House OKs gun show measure
May 29, 2003
BY DAVE MCKINNEY AND CHRIS WETTERICH Sun-Times Springfield Bureau SPRINGFIELD--Mayor Daley got his first legislative gun victory of the spring Wednesday, Gov. Blagojevich soothed his Democratic critics and the Legislature signed off on a plan forcing insurers to cover women's contraceptives.
But the fate of efforts to raise fees and cut business tax exemptions, expand O'Hare Airport and increase the minimum wage was obscured in a legislative fog with three days remaining before the General Assembly's scheduled adjournment.
The House churned out several major initiatives, including the first Daley-endorsed gun bill to pass either legislative chamber. A plan to require criminal background checks on buyers at gun shows squeaked out of the House on a 60-51 vote.
The bill, sponsored by Rep. Harry Osterman (D-Chicago) and opposed by the National Rifle Association, would apply to anyone buying guns from sellers who aren't federally licensed firearms dealers. The plan moves to the Senate, where Daley's gun bills have been stalled in committee.
"There's not a uniform code for doing background checks, so criminals can go and circumvent the law," Osterman said. "All we want to do is make sure the background checks are done."
The House sent legislation to Blagojevich that would force health insurers to cover the Pill and other women's contraceptives, an idea Republicans and the insurance industry blocked in previous sessions even though insurers were quick to cover the male impotence drug Viagra.
In other action, the House sent Blagojevich measures restricting the practice of tongue-splitting, freezing college tuition in four-year blocks at the rate freshmen pay, and giving those hurt by drunken minors greater ability to sue adults who illegally provide youngsters with alcohol. That bill gained traction after the Glenbrook North hazing incident.
The House rejected a bid by judges to reinstate a 3.8 percent pay increase that lawmakers blocked last year.
Meanwhile, Blagojevich took steps to mend fences damaged by his repeated public bashing of the Legislature. He said his nearly two-hour meeting with Senate Democrats, who sought a one-on-one with him after bristling at criticism, helped "clear the air"--a view shared by some legislators.
"I don't want to use the word apology, but I think he seemed close to saying to the members, 'I'll be more careful in the future how I choose my words,' " said Sen. Miguel del Valle (D-Chicago).
Meanwhile, legislation to expand O'Hare remained stalled in the House. Suburban lawmakers are holding out for more concessions for displaced homes and businesses. Minority lawmakers are wanting greater access to construction contracts, and Downstate lawmakers object to the plan without assurances from the governor that their road projects won't fall victim to budget cuts.
Despite the growing uncertainty over O'Hare, Blagojevich said he expects Daley's $6.6 billion expansion plan to pass both chambers.
On the budget, the governor and legislative leaders reached no apparent breakthroughs over hiking fees and closing tax exemptions for businesses, which Blagojevich needs to balance the budget that kicks in July 1.
State leaders nonetheless got good financial news from Washington as a result of President Bush's tax cuts. Republican sources said an analysis from U.S. House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert showed Illinois is due $772 million between July and the end of the year under the plan Bush signed into law Wednesday.
The governor said he doesn't want to commit any of those funds for state spending until they reach Springfield.
http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/cst-nws-leg29.html
"If cowardly and dishonorable men sometimes shoot unarmed men with army pistols or guns, the evil must be prevented by the penitentiary and gallows, and not by a general deprivation of a constitutional privilege." - Arkansas Supreme Court, 1878<P>
May 29, 2003
BY DAVE MCKINNEY AND CHRIS WETTERICH Sun-Times Springfield Bureau SPRINGFIELD--Mayor Daley got his first legislative gun victory of the spring Wednesday, Gov. Blagojevich soothed his Democratic critics and the Legislature signed off on a plan forcing insurers to cover women's contraceptives.
But the fate of efforts to raise fees and cut business tax exemptions, expand O'Hare Airport and increase the minimum wage was obscured in a legislative fog with three days remaining before the General Assembly's scheduled adjournment.
The House churned out several major initiatives, including the first Daley-endorsed gun bill to pass either legislative chamber. A plan to require criminal background checks on buyers at gun shows squeaked out of the House on a 60-51 vote.
The bill, sponsored by Rep. Harry Osterman (D-Chicago) and opposed by the National Rifle Association, would apply to anyone buying guns from sellers who aren't federally licensed firearms dealers. The plan moves to the Senate, where Daley's gun bills have been stalled in committee.
"There's not a uniform code for doing background checks, so criminals can go and circumvent the law," Osterman said. "All we want to do is make sure the background checks are done."
The House sent legislation to Blagojevich that would force health insurers to cover the Pill and other women's contraceptives, an idea Republicans and the insurance industry blocked in previous sessions even though insurers were quick to cover the male impotence drug Viagra.
In other action, the House sent Blagojevich measures restricting the practice of tongue-splitting, freezing college tuition in four-year blocks at the rate freshmen pay, and giving those hurt by drunken minors greater ability to sue adults who illegally provide youngsters with alcohol. That bill gained traction after the Glenbrook North hazing incident.
The House rejected a bid by judges to reinstate a 3.8 percent pay increase that lawmakers blocked last year.
Meanwhile, Blagojevich took steps to mend fences damaged by his repeated public bashing of the Legislature. He said his nearly two-hour meeting with Senate Democrats, who sought a one-on-one with him after bristling at criticism, helped "clear the air"--a view shared by some legislators.
"I don't want to use the word apology, but I think he seemed close to saying to the members, 'I'll be more careful in the future how I choose my words,' " said Sen. Miguel del Valle (D-Chicago).
Meanwhile, legislation to expand O'Hare remained stalled in the House. Suburban lawmakers are holding out for more concessions for displaced homes and businesses. Minority lawmakers are wanting greater access to construction contracts, and Downstate lawmakers object to the plan without assurances from the governor that their road projects won't fall victim to budget cuts.
Despite the growing uncertainty over O'Hare, Blagojevich said he expects Daley's $6.6 billion expansion plan to pass both chambers.
On the budget, the governor and legislative leaders reached no apparent breakthroughs over hiking fees and closing tax exemptions for businesses, which Blagojevich needs to balance the budget that kicks in July 1.
State leaders nonetheless got good financial news from Washington as a result of President Bush's tax cuts. Republican sources said an analysis from U.S. House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert showed Illinois is due $772 million between July and the end of the year under the plan Bush signed into law Wednesday.
The governor said he doesn't want to commit any of those funds for state spending until they reach Springfield.
http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/cst-nws-leg29.html
"If cowardly and dishonorable men sometimes shoot unarmed men with army pistols or guns, the evil must be prevented by the penitentiary and gallows, and not by a general deprivation of a constitutional privilege." - Arkansas Supreme Court, 1878<P>