Rep. Joyce Mason (D-61) sponsored 12 bills in the second quarter of 2019, four more than the average Illinois state representative, and was added as a co-sponsor on 102 bills, 55 more than the average, according to a Lake County Gazette analysis of data made available by the Illinois General Assembly.
During the second quarter, 117 representatives sponsored legislation, with Rep. Jay Hoffman (D-113) sponsoring the most with 36 bills. There were 120 representatives that co-sponsored legislation, with Rep. Elizabeth Hernandez (D-24) co-sponsoring 129 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 second quarter.
PROCURE DOMESTIC PRODUCTS
LAKE COUNTY-ETHYLENE OXIDE-EPA
MEMORIAL-JOHN A. BUCHHOLTZ
UTILITY-DECOMMISSION OF PLANTS
TROOPER GERALD ELLIS HIGHWAY
LAKE COUNTY-ETHYLENE OXIDE-EPA
The following table shows the bills to which Mason was added as a co-sponsor in the second quarter.
Rep. Carol Ammons (D-103)
Rep. Kathleen Willis (D-77)
Sen. John G. Mulroe (D-10)
BIOLOGICAL PRODUCTS-DRUG PRICE
Rep. Monica Bristow (D-111)
Rep. John C. D'Amico (D-15)
VEH CD-PTSD AWARENESS SPECIAL
Rep. La Shawn K. Ford (D-8)
NO REPRESENTATION WITHOUT POP
Rep. Mike Murphy (R-99); Sen. Martin A. Sandoval (D-11)
Rep. Gregory Harris (D-13)
VOCATIONAL ACADEMIES-GRANTS
DCFS-PAYMENT RATE INCREASES
Rep. Anne Stava-Murray (D-81)
Rep. Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz (D-17); Sen. Laura Fine (D-9)
WAGE PAYMENT-DIRECT CONTRACTOR
Rep. Elizabeth Hernandez (D-24); Sen. Iris Y. Martinez (D-20)
COVERING ALL KIDS INSURANCE
Rep. Terri Bryant (R-115); Sen. Sue Rezin (R-38)
AGING-ABUSE INVESTIGATIONS
Rep. Theresa Mah (D-2); Sen. Laura Fine (D-9)
DHS-MEDICAID-PRESCRIBER ED
Rep. Curtis J. Tarver, II (D-25)
HUMAN RIGHTS-HOUSING-ARREST
Rep. Michael J. Zalewski (D-23)
FIRE MARSHAL-ETHYLENE OXIDE
Rep. Deb Conroy (D-46); Sen. Laura Fine (D-9)
WATER HEATER SAFETY VALVE ACT
Rep. Jonathan Carroll (D-57); Sen. Julie A. Morrison (D-29)
INS CODE-EPINEPHRINE INJECTOR
Rep. Anne Stava-Murray (D-81); Sen. Cristina Castro (D-22)
SOS DOCS-GENDER DESIGNATIONS
PROCURE DOMESTIC PRODUCTS
Rep. Delia C. Ramirez (D-4); Sen. Ram Villivalam (D-8)
EQUITABLE RESTROOM-BABY CHANGE
Rep. Daniel Didech (D-59)
REVENUE-PROPERTY TAX FUND
Rep. Gregory Harris (D-13)
Rep. Delia C. Ramirez (D-4)
Rep. Fred Crespo (D-44); Sen. Laura Ellman (D-21)
CAPITAL PLAN-NATURAL AREAS
GREAT LAKES APPRECIATION DAY
TRAUMA-INFORMED AWARENESS DAY
Rep. Dan Caulkins (R-101)
RECOGNIZE-NAT. DAY OF PRAYER
Rep. Celina Villanueva (D-21)
METASTATIC BREAST CANCER DAY
Rep. Daniel Swanson (R-74)
SPINAL ATROPHY AWARENESS MONTH
Rep. Elizabeth Hernandez (D-24)
Rep. Margo McDermed (R-37)
Rep. Margo McDermed (R-37)
CRIM CD-EAVESDROP EXTENSION
Sen. Iris Y. Martinez (D-20); Rep. Delia C. Ramirez (D-4)
LICENSE-REMOVE CITIZENSHIP REQ
LOC GOVT OFFICER COMPENSATION
Rep. Mark Batinick (R-97)
PRAIRIE RESEARCH-MICROPLASTICS
Sen. Linda Holmes (D-42); Rep. Jeff Keicher (R-70)
INSURANCE-DIAGNOSTIC MAMMOGRAM
Rep. Ann M. Williams (D-11)
DRYCLEANER RESPONSE TRUST FUND
Sen. Iris Y. Martinez (D-20); Rep. Aaron M. Ortiz (D-1)
UNIV OF IL-STUDENT TRUSTEE
Sen. John F. Curran (R-41); Rep. Jim Durkin (R-82)
EPA-PERMITS-ETHYLENE OXIDE
Rep. Marcus C. Evans, Jr. (D-33)
Sen. Laura M. Murphy (D-28); Rep. Michelle Mussman (D-56)
STATE CONTRACTING TASK FORCE
Rep. Mark Batinick (R-97)
Rep. Michael J. Zalewski (D-23)
PHARMACY PRACTICE-VARIOUS
Rep. Katie Stuart (D-112); Sen. Rachelle Crowe (D-56)
CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES
Rep. Martin J. Moylan (D-55)
IDOT-COMPLETE STREETS-BICYCLES
Rep. Maurice A. West, II (D-67)
ADDICTION PREVENTION TSK FORCE
Rep. Margo McDermed (R-37); Sen. Dan McConchie (R-26)
TRACK-SEXUAL ASSAULT EVIDENCE
Rep. Mary E. Flowers (D-31); Sen. Jacqueline Y. Collins (D-16)
PREGNANCY & CHILDBIRTH RIGHTS
Rep. Katie Stuart (D-112); Sen. Andy Manar (D-48)
SCH CD-MINIMUM TEACHER SALARY
Sen. Emil Jones, III (D-14)
Rep. Keith R. Wheeler (R-50); Sen. Linda Holmes (D-42)
CRIM PROSECUTIONS-SEX OFFENSES
Rep. Sara Feigenholtz (D-12); Sen. Heather A. Steans (D-7)
PUB AID-JOB SEARCH EXEMPTION
Rep. Stephanie A. Kifowit (D-84); Sen. Cristina Castro (D-22)
SCH CD-SCH BOOKING STATION
Rep. Delia C. Ramirez (D-4); Sen. Toi W. Hutchinson (D-40)
INCARCERATED PARENTS-CHILDREN
HGHER ED-DIVERSE FACULTY GRANT
Rep. Michelle Mussman (D-56); Sen. Emil Jones, III (D-14)
FOOD SERVICE BAN LATEX GLOVES
Rep. Natalie A. Manley (D-98); Sen. Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant (D-49)
CRIM CD-FEMALE GEN MUTILATION
Rep. Ann M. Williams (D-11); Sen. Kimberly A. Lightford (D-4)
SCH CD-SEX EDUCATION-CONSENT
Rep. Yehiel M. Kalish (D-16)
Rep. Daniel Didech (D-59); Sen. Melinda Bush (D-31)
MOBILE HOME-PENALTY AMOUNT
Sen. Terry Link (D-30); Rep. Jonathan Carroll (D-57)
Sen. Ram Villivalam (D-8); Rep. Theresa Mah (D-2)
ASSISTED LIVING-DISCRIMINATION
Sen. Cristina Castro (D-22); Rep. Debbie Meyers-Martin (D-38)
ILLINOIS BANK ON INITIATIVE
Sen. Ram Villivalam (D-8); Rep. Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz (D-17)
EVIDENCE-IMMIGRATION STATUS
Sen. Scott M. Bennett (D-52); Rep. Katie Stuart (D-112)
MILITARY DISCOUNT-DEPENDENTS
Sen. Jacqueline Y. Collins (D-16); Rep. Anna Moeller (D-43)
NURSING HOME CARE ACT-VARIOUS
Rep. Mark L. Walker (D-53)
Sen. John F. Curran (R-41); Rep. Jay Hoffman (D-113)
ATTY GEN-WORKER PROTECT UNIT
Sen. Toi W. Hutchinson (D-40); Rep. Michael Halpin (D-72)
Sen. Robert Peters (D-13); Rep. Nicholas K. Smith (D-34)
Sen. Antonio Muñoz (D-1); Rep. La Shawn K. Ford (D-8)
SCH CD-OFFICE OF SCH SAFETY
Rep. Sara Feigenholtz (D-12)
Rep. Sara Feigenholtz (D-12)
Rep. Sara Feigenholtz (D-12)
Sen. Omar Aquino (D-2); Rep. Carol Ammons (D-103)
VEH CD-LICENSE TO WORK ACT
Sen. Melinda Bush (D-31); Rep. Deb Conroy (D-46)
NEEDLE AND HYPODERMIC ACCESS
Sen. Melinda Bush (D-31); Rep. Kathleen Willis (D-77)
WORKPLACE TRANSPARENCY ACT
Sen. Laura M. Murphy (D-28); Rep. Justin Slaughter (D-27); Rep. Michael J. Madigan (D-22)
CRIM PRO-VIDEO-SENTENCING
Sen. Ann Gillespie (D-27); Rep. Mark L. Walker (D-53)
COM COL-MANUFACTURING GRANTS
Rep. Jonathan Carroll (D-57)
STATE TREASURER-REAL PROPERTY
Sen. Kimberly A. Lightford (D-4)
SCH CD-PARENT-VICTIM-SERVICES
Sen. Iris Y. Martinez (D-20)
SCH CD-EMPLOYMENT-OFFENDERS
EQUITABLE RESTROOMS-ALL-GENDER
Sen. Kimberly A. Lightford (D-4)
ALTERNATIVE ELEC/GAS SUPPLIERS
HOTEL CASINO EMPLOYEE SAFETY
TOLL HWY AUTHORITY DIRECTORS
Sen. Scott M. Bennett (D-52); Rep. Carol Ammons (D-103)
COAL ASH POLLUTION PREVENTION
Sen. Scott M. Bennett (D-52); Rep. Carol Ammons (D-103)
COAL ASH POLLUTION PREVENTION
Sen. Scott M. Bennett (D-52); Rep. Carol Ammons (D-103)
COAL ASH POLLUTION PREVENTION
Rep. Rita Mayfield (D-60)
BLACK HIV/AIDS AWARENESS DAY
Rep. Mark Batinick (R-97)
TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK
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