Lake County Gazette

Rep. Martin McLaughlin (R-Lake Barrington) wishes the new House rules governing Springfield were enacted with state residents' needs and interests more in mind.

"I'm a bit disappointed in what we settled on because the people of the state are clamoring for substantive change," McLaughlin told the Lake County Gazette. "I truly believe the people of Illinois are looking for Springfield to start operating in a new fashion, and the fact that Mike Madigan is now gone as Speaker gave them hope that could happen now."

Democrats have supported the House rules Speaker Emanuel "Chris" Welch (D-Hillside) put forward.

His House policies would put a 10-year limit on serving as the speaker or minority leader and requires the Rules Committee to refer House bills "to a substantive committee" before the deadline for committees to act on them expires.

McLaughlin believes that these new rules set the stage for more of what became the norm under the former House Speaker and legislator, Mike Madigan, during his nearly four decades in power.

"We need to be doing more, like making a way that assures worthy bills are given a chance to be heard even when they come from the party that's not in power," McLaughlin said. "As Republicans, we want to see all good bills get a fair shake in a timely manner."

McLaughlin said policies such as term limits read well but need to go further.

"Right now, [these are] just rule adjustments that can change in two years when a new House is in power," he said. "We'll soon be able to see how serious Democrats are about the issue based on how they respond to the bill now circulating that would make term limits a state law."