Illinois House of Representatives
| Illinois House of Representatives | |
 | |
| General Information | |
| Type: | Lower house |
| Term limits: | None |
| 2013 session start: | January 9, 2013 |
| Website: | Official House Page |
| Leadership | |
| House Speaker: | Michael Madigan, (D) |
| Majority Leader: | Barbara Flynn Currie, (D) |
| Minority leader: | Tom Cross, (R) |
| Structure | |
| Members: | 118 |
| Democratic Party (71) Republican Party (47) | |
| Length of term: | 2 years |
| Authority: | Art IV, Illinois Constitution |
| Salary: | $67,836/year + per diem |
| Elections | |
| Last Election: | November 6, 2012 (118 seats) |
| Next election: | November 4, 2014 (118 seats) |
| Redistricting: | General Assembly First Draws, Commission Acts as Back-Up. |
Contents |
Illinois Ballot Question 1 in 1980 altered Section 1 of Article IV of the Illinois Constitution to reduce the number of members of the Illinois House of Representatives from 177 members to 118 members beginning with the elections in 1982.
As of June 2013, Illinois is one of 13 Democratic state government trifectas.
Sessions
Article IV of the Illinois Constitution establishes when the Illinois General Assembly, of which the House is a part, is to be in session. Section 5 of Article IV states that the General Assembly will convene its regular session on the second Wednesday of January.
Section 5 also creates rules for the convening of special sessions. The section allows the Governor of Illinois to convene the General Assembly or the Senate alone. When the Governor calls a special session, the General Assembly can generally only deal with matters related to the purpose of the session, as stated by the Governor's proclamation of the session, but they can also deal with impeachments or confirmation of appointments. Section 5 also allows the presiding officers of both houses of the General Assembly to convene a special session through joint proclamation.
2013
- See also: Dates of 2013 state legislative sessions
In 2013, the Legislature was in session from January 9 through May 31.
Major issues
Major issues during the 2013 legislative session included regulation of horizontal hydraulic fracturing, concealed carry, same-sex marriage, and pension reform.[2][3][4][5]
2012
- See also: Dates of 2012 state legislative sessions
In 2012, the House was in session from January 11, meeting throughout the year.
2011
- See also: Dates of 2011 state legislative sessions
In 2011, the House was in session from January 12-June 1. A special session has been called by Governor Pat Quinn to settle disputes regarding Illinois construction projects. The session is slated to begin June 22, 2011.[6]
2010
- See also: Dates of 2010 state legislative sessions
In 2010, the House was in regular session from January 13th to May 7th.
Transparency
The Sunlight Foundation released an "Open Legislative Data Report Card" in March 2013. Illinois was given a grade of C in the report. The report card evaluated how adequate, complete and accessible legislative data is to the general public. A total of 10 states received an A -- Arkansas, Connecticut, Georgia, Kansas, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, Texas, Virginia and Washington.[7]
Elections
2012
Elections for the office of Illinois House of Representatives were held in Illinois on November 6, 2012. All 118 seats were up for election.
The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in these elections was December 5, 2011. Petitions can be circulated starting on September 6, 2011.[8] The primary election day was March 20, 2012.
The following table details the 10 districts with the smallest margin of victory in the November 6 general election.
| 2012 Margin of Victory, Illinois House of Representatives | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| District | Winner | Margin of Victory | Total Votes | Top Opponent |
| Illinois House of Representatives, District 79, General Election |  Katherine Cloonen |
0.2% | 42,483 | Glenn Nixon |
| Illinois House of Representatives, District 112, General Election |  Dwight D. Kay |
0.7% | 48,733 | Marleen Suarez |
| Illinois House of Representatives, District 71, General Election | Mike Smiddy |
4.1% | 48,048 | Richard Morthland |
| Illinois House of Representatives, District 77, General Election | Kathleen Willis |
5.2% | 26,065 | Angelo Saviano |
| Illinois House of Representatives, District 68, General Election | John M. Cabello |
6.5% | 47,260 | Carl R. Wasco |
| Illinois House of Representatives, District 55, General Election | Martin J. Moylan |
6.5% | 40,032 | Susan Sweeney |
| Illinois House of Representatives, District 62, General Election | Sam Yingling |
10.6% | 37,972 | Sandy Cole |
| Illinois House of Representatives, District 45, General Election | Dennis Reboletti |
10.8% | 43,459 | JoAnn Franzen |
| Illinois House of Representatives, District 57, General Election | Elaine Nekritz |
11% | 36,263 | Jonathan L. Greenberg |
| Illinois House of Representatives, District 91, General Election | Michael D. Unes |
11.8% | 43,539 | Jennifer Groves Allison |
2010
Elections for the office of Illinois State House were held in Illinois on November 2, 2010. House seats in all 118 districts are up for election in 2010.
The signature-filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in these elections was November 2, 2009, and the primary election day was February 2, 2010.
In 2010, the total amount of contributions raised in state house elections was $50,734,623. The top 10 contributors were: [9]
| 2010 Donors, Illinois House of Representatives | |
|---|---|
| Donor | Amount |
| Illinois Democratic Party | $5,100,516 |
| House Republican Organization of Illinois | $1,304,567 |
| Illinois Republican Party | $1,302,517 |
| Illinois Education Association | $807,027 |
| Citizens to Elect Tom Cross | $769,486 |
| Illinois House Republican Organization | $700,651 |
| Illinois Health Care Association | $675,393 |
| Hoffman, Jay C | $543,711 |
| Associated Beer Distributors of Illinois | $520,270 |
| Illinois State Medical Society | $517,693 |
Qualifications
Article IV of the Illinois Constitution states: To be eligible to serve as a member of the General Assembly, a person must be a United States citizen, at least 21 years old, and for the two years preceding his election or appointment a resident of the district which he is to represent.
Vacancies
| How Vacancies are filled in State Legislatures |
 |
Whenever there is a vacancy in the House, the state constitution mandates that the seat must be filled by appointment when allowed by law. The appointment must be made within 30 days after the vacancy. All vacancies must be filled by a member of the same political party that last held the seat[10].
The vacancy must be filled by the respective party organizations covering the vacant seat[11]. The respective committeemen and committeewomen from the party organization representing the vacant district must vote on a replacement[12]. The person selected to the seat serves for the remainder of the unfilled term.
Redistricting
- See also: Redistricting in Illinois
The Illinois General Assembly is responsible for redistricting. If the General Assembly fails to meet the deadlines to have a redistricting plan in place, an 8 member back-up commission is used. Illinois is one of a few states to enact a hybrid method of redistricting.
2010 census
Illinois received its 2010 local census data on February 14, 2011. The state population increased from about 12.4 million to 12.8 million residents, a 3.3 percent growth.[13] The state's Latino population grew by 33% from 2000 to 2010, reaching 2 million. Meanwhile, non-Latino population declined by 0.8%.[14]
2011 was the first time under the current state Constitution that one party -- namely the Democrats -- controlled the state House, Senate and governorship during redistricting. A number of Republicans expressed concern that Democrats would draw partisan maps to serve their own interests.[15]
Democrats released proposed maps of the 118 House districts on May 20, but initially offered few details. Democrats defended the new maps while being criticized from nearly all sides. Lack of data and the time to digest it angered transparency advocates, while Republicans were unhappy that the new districts would position over a dozen Republican incumbents against one another. Democrats were also criticized for creating a number of snaking districts that begin in Chicago and wind their way out into the suburbs.[16]
Republicans released their counter-proposal on May 26, saying their map was fairer than the Democrats.[17] The Democrats plan passed the House 64-52.[18] Gov. Pat Quinn signed the bill on June 3,[19] [20] but GOP leaders filed a federal lawsuit on July 21 alleging the legislative maps unfairly targeted Republicans and discriminated against African-Americans and Hispanics. It was ultimately dismissed.[21]
Representatives
Salaries
- See also: Comparison of state legislative salaries
As of 2013, members of the Illinois House of Representatives are paid $67,836/year. Additionally, legislators receive $111/day per diem.[22]
When sworn in
Illinois legislators assume office the second Wednesday in January.
Majority control
- See also: Partisan composition of state houses
| Party | As of June 2013 | |
|---|---|---|
| Democratic Party | 71 | |
| Republican Party | 47 | |
| Total | 118 | |
The chart below shows the partisan composition of the Illinois State House of Representatives from 1992-2013.
Leadership
The Speaker of the House is the presiding officer of the body and is elected by its full membership. Duties of the Speaker include preserving order and decorum, deciding all points of order, signing all bills and acts of the House, and appointing all chairs, co-chairs, and vice chairs of committees, as well as appointing all majority caucus members of committees. The Minority Leader appoints all minority caucus members to committees.[23][24]
Current leadership
Current members
Standing committees
The Illinois House has 45 standing committees for the 2011-2012 session.[25]
- Accountability & Administrative Review
- Adoption Reform
- Agriculture & Conservation
- Appropriations-Elementary & Secondary Education
- Appropriations-General Service
- Appropriations-Higher Education
- Appropriations-Human Services
- Appropriations-Public Safety
- Bio-Technology
- Business Growth & Incentives
- Business & Occupational Licenses
- Cities & Villages
- Committee of the Whole
- Consumer Protection
- Counties & Townships
- Economic Development
- Elementary & Secondary Education
- Energy
- Environment
- Executive
- Financial Institutions
- Health & Healthcare Disparities
- Health Care Availability Access
- Health Care Licenses
- Higher Education
- Housing
- Human Services
- Insurance
- International Trade & Commerce
- Judiciary
- Labor & Commerce
- Mass Transit
- Museums, Arts, & Cultural Enhancement
- Personnel & Pensions
- Public Utilities
- Restorative Justice
- Revenue & Finance
- Rules
- Small Business Empowerment & Workforce Development
- State Government Administration
- Tollway Oversight
- Tourism & Conventions
- Transportation: Regulation, Roads & Bridges Committee
- Transportation: Vehicles & Safety
- Veterans' Affairs
History
Partisan balance 1992-2013
From 1992-2013, the Democratic Party was the majority in the Illinois State House of Representatives for 20 years while the Republicans were the majority for 2 years. The Illinois State House of Representatives is one of 18 state Houses that was Democratic for more than 80 percent of the years between 1992-2013. During the final 11 years of the study, Illinois was under Democratic trifectas.
Across the country, there were 577 Democratic and 483 Republican State Houses of Representatives from 1992 to 2013.
Over the course of the 22-year study, state governments became increasingly more partisan. At the outset of the study period (1992), 18 of the 49 states with partisan legislatures had single-party trifectas and 31 states had divided governments. In 2013, only 13 states have divided governments, while single-party trifectas held sway in 36 states, the most in the 22 years studied.
The chart below shows the partisan composition of the Office of the Governor of Illinois, the Illinois State Senate and the Illinois House of Representatives from 1992-2013.
.PNG)
External links
- Official website of the Illinois House of Representatives
- Illinois House Republicans official government site
- Illinois House Democrats official government site
References
- ↑ Population in 2000 of the American states
- ↑ Chicago Sun-Times, "Lame-duck session ends with no pension reform," January 8, 2013
- ↑ mymoinfo.com, "MAY 31, 2013 ILLINOIS LEGISLATORS PASS OIL FRACKING BILL", May 31, 2013
- ↑ [http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/06/01/illinois-passes-bill-to-allow-concealed-firearms-last-us-state-to-have-such-ban/ foxnews.com, " Illinois passes bill to allow concealed firearms; last U.S. state to have such a ban", June 1, 2013]
- ↑ npr.org, "Will Ill. Legalize Gay Marriage Before Legislature Adjourns?", May 30, 2013
- ↑ ABC.com, General Assembly to hold special session next week, June 15, 2011
- ↑ Sunlight Foundation Ten Principles for Opening Up Government Information, accessed June 16, 2013
- ↑ Confirmed via email with Illinois Board of Elections, February 28, 2011
- ↑ Follow the Money: "Illinois House 2010 Campaign Contributions"
- ↑ Illinois General Assembly "Illinois Constitution"(Referenced Section Article IV, Section 2(d))
- ↑ Illinois General Assembly "Illinois Election Code"(Referenced Statute 10 ILCS 5/25 6 (a), (c))
- ↑ Illinois General Assembly "Illinois Election Code"(Referenced Statute 10 ILCS 5/25 6 (d))
- ↑ The Daily Journal "Census: Cook County losses slow Illinois population growth ," February 15, 2011
- ↑ PR-USA.net, "Latinos Fuel Illinois Population Growth," February 17, 2011
- ↑ Illinois Statehouse News, "Minorities could have more influence in new political map," March 7, 2011
- ↑ Chicago Tribune, "Democrats defend House redistricting plan," May 22, 2011
- ↑ Quad-City Times, "Republicans unveil their own redistricting plan," May 26, 2011
- ↑ Chicago Tribune, "Senate Dems send new legislative map to governor," May 27, 2011
- ↑ The News-Gazette, "Map awaits Quinn's signature, may face Republican court challenge," May 29, 2011
- ↑ My FOX Chicago, "Gov. Pat Quinn Signs Off on New Illinois Legislative Maps," June 3, 2011
- ↑ Chicago Tribune, "Assembly GOP leaders sue over Democrats' redistricting map," July 21, 2011
- ↑ NCSL.org, "2012 State Legislator Compensation and Per Diem Table," accessed March 18, 2013
- ↑ Rules of the House of the Illinois 9gth General Assembly
- ↑ Illinois Republican House Leaders
- ↑ Illinois General Assembly, "House Committees," accessed March 21, 2011
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