Rep. Joyce Mason (D-61) sponsored 12 bills in the first quarter of 2019, 24 less than the average Illinois state representative, and was added as a co-sponsor on 90 bills, 31 more than the average, according to a Lake County Gazette 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 Mason sponsored in the first quarter.
CANCEL CONTRACT SENIORS 15 DAY
VEGETATIVE BUFFERS-STATE LAND
VETERANS CYBER ACADEMY PILOT
PROP TX-DISABILITY-FREEZE
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE-VARIOUS
UTILITY-DECOMMISSION OF PLANTS
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARE MTH
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE-FINANCIAL
PROP TX-SENIOR FREEZE-INCOME
The following table shows the bills to which Mason was added as a co-sponsor in the first quarter.
IMPORTED PRESCRIPTION DRUGS
Rep. Terri Bryant (R-115)
Rep. Tony McCombie (R-71)
CRIM CODE-AGG BAT-EMPLOYEES
Rep. Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz (D-17)
JUV CT-SPECIAL IMMIGRANT MINOR
Rep. Katie Stuart (D-112); Sen. Antonio Muñoz (D-1)
PRESCRIPTION MONITORING REPORT
Rep. Emanuel Chris Welch (D-7)
IMMIGRATION STATUS-ACCESS
Rep. Mary E. Flowers (D-31)
COMMUNITY-INTEGRATED LIVING
Rep. Kelly M. Cassidy (D-14)
SCH MENTAL HEALTH INSTRUCTION
Rep. Natalie A. Manley (D-98)
MEDICAID-MCO PAYMENT INFO
Rep. Elizabeth Hernandez (D-24)
MEDICAID-TRAFFICKING VICTIMS
Rep. Emanuel Chris Welch (D-7)
MENTAL HEALTH ACTION ON CAMPUS
Rep. Theresa Mah (D-2); Sen. Cristina Castro (D-22)
CONS FRAUD-REBATE CARD-FEES
Rep. Katie Stuart (D-112)
MEDICAID-GROUP INS-BREAST PUMP
Rep. Michael D. Unes (R-91); Sen. Jil Tracy (R-47)
SCH CD-DIPLOMA-MILITARY-KIA
Rep. David A. Welter (R-75)
SCH CD-REQUIRE HIGH SCH COURSE
Rep. Camille Y. Lilly (D-78)
Rep. Jehan Gordon-Booth (D-92)
Rep. Katie Stuart (D-112)
SEXUAL ASSAULT BY DECEPTION
Rep. Terra Costa Howard (D-48)
Rep. Mary E. Flowers (D-31)
Rep. Anna Moeller (D-43); Sen. Heather A. Steans (D-7)
Rep. Will Guzzardi (D-39); Sen. Cristina Castro (D-22)
HUM RIGHTS-EMPLOYER-DEFINITION
Rep. Daniel Didech (D-59)
COUNTY BOARD CHAIRMAN REMOVAL
Rep. Daniel Didech (D-59)
COUNTY BOARD CHAIRMAN REMOVAL
Rep. Anne Stava-Murray (D-81)
PUBLIC DEFENDER-TASK FORCE
Rep. Sara Feigenholtz (D-12)
MEDICAID-MENTAL HEALTH-YOUTH
Rep. Lamont J. Robinson, Jr. (D-5)
SCH CD-CHILD OPPORTUNITY ZONE
Rep. Elizabeth Hernandez (D-24)
RETENTION OF IL STUDENTS ACT
Rep. Kathleen Willis (D-77)
BEHAVIOR ANALYST-LICENSURE
Rep. Kathleen Willis (D-77)
INS CODE-DENTAL ANESTHETIC
Rep. Frances Ann Hurley (D-35)
Rep. Jaime M. Andrade, Jr. (D-40)
AGING-HOMEMAKER SERVICES-WAGES
Rep. Camille Y. Lilly (D-78)
MEDICAID-MANAGED CARE PAYMENTS
Rep. Anne Stava-Murray (D-81)
SCHOOL CONFERENCE NO TERMINATE
Rep. William Davis (D-30)
INCOME TAX-CAREGIVER CREDIT
INCOME TAX-CAREGIVER CREDIT
INCOME TAX-CAREGIVER CREDIT
Rep. Carol Ammons (D-103)
VEH CD-LICENSE TO WORK ACT
Rep. Terra Costa Howard (D-48)
SOLID WASTE MGMT-RESOURCE MGMT
Rep. Mary Edly-Allen (D-51)
TREE CUTTING-PROTECTED LAND
Rep. Deanne M. Mazzochi (R-47)
Rep. Delia C. Ramirez (D-4)
HOUSING-GRANTS TO HOMELESS
Rep. Sonya M. Harper (D-6)
SNAP RESTAURANT MEALS PROGRAM
Rep. Justin Slaughter (D-27)
CLEAN WATER WORKFORCE PIPELINE
Rep. Daniel Didech (D-59)
KENNEL OPERATION-FIRE ALARMS
Rep. Emanuel Chris Welch (D-7)
Rep. Mary Edly-Allen (D-51)
CRIM CD-DISORDERLY CONDUCT
Rep. Kathleen Willis (D-77)
PEN CD-EMPLOYER CONTRIBUTIONS
PROCURE DOMESTIC PRODUCTS
PROCURE DOMESTIC PRODUCTS
COUNTY BOARD CHAIRMAN REMOVAL
Rep. Jerry Costello, II (D-116)
PENCD-SERS-CONSERVATION POLICE
Rep. Ann M. Williams (D-11)
Rep. Mary Edly-Allen (D-51)
SCH CD-SCH COUNSELOR-COLLEGE
Rep. Anna Moeller (D-43); Sen. Cristina Castro (D-22)
EQUAL PAY ACT-WAGE HISTORY
Rep. Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz (D-17)
GUARDIANS-MINOR:NON-US PARENT
Rep. Michael Halpin (D-72)
KEEP ILLINOIS BUSINESS ACT
Rep. Mark Batinick (R-97)
Rep. Daniel Didech (D-59)
FOID-DENIAL & REVOC-STALKING
Rep. Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz (D-17)
ANTI-HARASSMENT TASK FORCE
Rep. Marcus C. Evans, Jr. (D-33)
URGE CREATION OF CANCER CAUCUS
Rep. Michael T. Marron (R-104)
PROSTATE CANCER AWARENESS MNTH
Rep. Martin J. Moylan (D-55)
MARIJUANA LEGALIZATION PROCESS
Rep. Terra Costa Howard (D-48)
OPPOSE NEW TITLE X RESTRICTION
Rep. Michelle Mussman (D-56)
NEW SEXUAL HARASSMENT RULES
Rep. Katie Stuart (D-112)
DPH-PAINKILLER GUIDELINES
Rep. Margo McDermed (R-37)
Rep. Monica Bristow (D-111)
BREAST CANCER PROGRAM FUNDING
Rep. Elizabeth Hernandez (D-24)
CHILDHOOD PROGRAMS-FUNDING
Sen. Melinda Bush (D-31); Rep. Daniel Didech (D-59)
COUNTY BOARD CHAIRMAN REMOVAL
Sen. Toi W. Hutchinson (D-40); Rep. Daniel Didech (D-59)
JURIES-UNLAWFUL DISCRIMINATION
Sen. Scott M. Bennett (D-52); Rep. Michael T. Marron (R-104)
Sen. Scott M. Bennett (D-52); Rep. Michael T. Marron (R-104)
Sen. Elgie R. Sims, Jr. (D-17); Rep. Jay Hoffman (D-113)
WORKERS' COMPENSATION REPOSE
Sen. Cristina Castro (D-22); Rep. Michael Halpin (D-72)
HIGHER ED-IN-STATE TUITION
Rep. Patrick Windhorst (R-118); Sen. Dale A. Righter (R-55)
PROTECTIVE ORDERS-SUPPRESS
Rep. Delia C. Ramirez (D-4)
Rep. Frances Ann Hurley (D-35)
STALKING NO CONTACT-NOTICE
Rep. Michael Halpin (D-72); Sen. Neil Anderson (R-36)
UNDESIGNATED GLUCAGON-SCHOOLS