Rep. Ryan Spain (R-73) sponsored 22 bills in the first quarter of 2019, 14 less than the average Illinois state representative, and was added as a co-sponsor on 36 bills, 23 less than the average, according to a Peoria Standard 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 Spain sponsored in the first quarter.
PEN CD-ART 3&4 CONSOLIDATION
PENCD-DNST POL-FIRE-IMRF MERGE
PEN CD-POLICE/FIRE INVESTMENT
PEN CD-CONSOLIDATE DNST POLICE
PEN CD-CONSOLIDATE DNST FIRE
PEN CD-POLICE/FIRE INVESTMENT
PENCD-DWNST POL&FIRE-FINANCING
CONCEALED CARRY-EXPIRATION
PEN CD-POLICE/FIRE INVESTMENT
EMERGENCY CONSOLIDATION EXEMPT
HOME RULE MUNICIPAL USE TAX
INFRASTRUCTURE DESIGN BUILD
UTILITIES-WATER PRICING REPORT
PUBLIC EMPLOYEE BENEFITS-TECH
TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE
FERAL CATS-RABIES VACCINATION
INC TX-RONALD MCDONALD FUND
The following table shows the bills to which Spain was added as a co-sponsor in the first quarter.
Rep. Tony McCombie (R-71)
CRIM CODE-AGG BAT-EMPLOYEES
Rep. Thomas M. Bennett (R-106)
ST CAPITOL PRESIDENT STATUES
Rep. Keith R. Wheeler (R-50)
CRIM PROSECUTIONS-SEX OFFENSES
Rep. Keith R. Wheeler (R-50)
Rep. Keith R. Wheeler (R-50)
NO FUNDS W/OUT REVENUE EST
DHS-EARLY INTERVENTION RATES
UTILITY-WATER/SEWER REFERENDUM
VEH CD-EMERGENCY VEH-PENALTY
MENTAL HLTH MODERNIZATION ACT
Rep. Sara Feigenholtz (D-12)
MEDICAID-MENTAL HEALTH-YOUTH
Rep. Thomas M. Bennett (R-106); Rep. Lindsay Parkhurst (R-79)
CONSERVANCY DIST-EXPANSIONS
HUMAN TRAFFICKING PREVENTION
HUMAN TRAFFICKING PREVENTION
Rep. Michael J. Zalewski (D-23)
LOCAL ROT-SOURCING-COLLECTION
COMM ON FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY
Rep. Ann M. Williams (D-11); Sen. Bill Cunningham (D-18)
LOCAL WIND ENERGY REGULATION
Rep. Rita Mayfield (D-60)
SCH DISTRICT EFFICIENCY COMM
Rep. Deanne M. Mazzochi (R-47)
INS CODE-PHARM BENEFIT MANAGER
SCHOOL FACILITY & RESOURCE TAX
Rep. Lindsay Parkhurst (R-79)
RIVER EDGE REDEVELOP-KANKAKEE
Rep. Keith R. Wheeler (R-50)
Rep. Katie Stuart (D-112)
PROCURE-RENEW ENERGY RESOURCES
Rep. Tony McCombie (R-71)
FIREARM DEALERS CERTIFICATION
Rep. Margo McDermed (R-37)
EQUAL PAY ACT WAGE INFORMATION
Rep. Mark Batinick (R-97)
Rep. Daniel Swanson (R-74)
INS CODE-TICK-BORNE DISEASE
CONAMEND-LEGISLATIVE REDISTRCT
Rep. Jehan Gordon-Booth (D-92)
GRADUATED INCOME TAX-OPPOSE
Rep. Martin J. Moylan (D-55)
MARIJUANA LEGALIZATION PROCESS
Rep. Mark Batinick (R-97)
Rep. Elizabeth Hernandez (D-24)
CHILDHOOD PROGRAMS-FUNDING
Sen. Heather A. Steans (D-7)
DCFS RATE-PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITAL