Rep. Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz (D-17) sponsored 16 bills in the first quarter of 2019, 20 less than the average Illinois state representative, and was added as a co-sponsor on 81 bills, 22 more than the average, according to a North Cook News 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 Gong-Gershowitz sponsored in the first quarter.
JUV CT-SPECIAL IMMIGRANT MINOR
HUMAN RIGHTS-RECORD RETENTION
CONDO/HOA-RESALE-RESERVE STUDY
PUBLIC CONSTRUCTION BONDS
WAGE PAYMENT-DIRECT CONTRACTOR
CIV PRO-ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW
DRUG AND SHARPS WASTE PROGRAM
GUARDIANS-MINOR:NON-US PARENT
ANTI-HARASSMENT TASK FORCE
PROBATE ACT-ADULT GUARDIANSHIP
CIV PRO-PRAYER FOR RELIEF
The following table shows the bills to which Gong-Gershowitz was added as a co-sponsor in the first quarter.
Rep. Anne Stava-Murray (D-81)
ETHICS-RIGHTS OF COMPLAINANTS
Rep. Emanuel Chris Welch (D-7)
IMMIGRATION STATUS-ACCESS
Rep. Michelle Mussman (D-56)
Rep. Kelly M. Cassidy (D-14)
CRIM PRO-PENALTY REDUCTION
Rep. Kelly M. Cassidy (D-14)
Rep. Will Guzzardi (D-39)
Rep. Elizabeth Hernandez (D-24)
MEDICAID-TRAFFICKING VICTIMS
Rep. Emanuel Chris Welch (D-7)
MENTAL HEALTH ACTION ON CAMPUS
Rep. Michael D. Unes (R-91); Sen. Jil Tracy (R-47)
SCH CD-DIPLOMA-MILITARY-KIA
Rep. Camille Y. Lilly (D-78)
Rep. Robert Martwick (D-19)
ELECTED CHICAGO SCHOOL BOARD
Rep. Jehan Gordon-Booth (D-92)
COUNTY&MUNI-COAL TAR PRODUCTS
Rep. Anna Moeller (D-43); Sen. Heather A. Steans (D-7)
MENTAL HLTH MODERNIZATION ACT
Rep. Kelly M. Cassidy (D-14)
Rep. Will Guzzardi (D-39); Sen. Cristina Castro (D-22)
HUM RIGHTS-EMPLOYER-DEFINITION
TRANSPORTATION BENEFIT PROGRAM
Rep. Sonya M. Harper (D-6)
RE-ENTERING CITIZENS CIVIC ED
Rep. Sara Feigenholtz (D-12)
MEDICAID-MENTAL HEALTH-YOUTH
PROPERTY-CONSERVATION RIGHTS
Rep. Justin Slaughter (D-27)
EXPUNGEMENT-DECRIMINALIZATION
Rep. Delia C. Ramirez (D-4)
INCARCERATED PARENTS-CHILDREN
Rep. Katie Stuart (D-112)
Rep. Elizabeth Hernandez (D-24)
RETENTION OF IL STUDENTS ACT
Rep. Maurice A. West, II (D-67)
EXTENSION OF CREDIT-DISCLOSURE
Rep. Jaime M. Andrade, Jr. (D-40)
AGING-HOMEMAKER SERVICES-WAGES
Rep. Ann M. Williams (D-11)
GEOLOCATION PRIVACY PROTECTION
Rep. Emanuel Chris Welch (D-7)
DFPR-OPTOMETRIC INVESTIGATOR
Rep. Chris Miller (R-110)
DNR-SOIL HEALTH PRACTICES
FIRE DPT-APPRENTICE PREFERENCE
BENEFICIAL ELECTRIFICATION
ENVIRONMENT-ALTERNATE FUELS
Rep. Justin Slaughter (D-27)
VEGETATIVE BUFFERS-STATE LAND
Rep. Mark L. Walker (D-53)
Rep. Ann M. Williams (D-11); Sen. Bill Cunningham (D-18)
LOCAL WIND ENERGY REGULATION
Rep. Yehiel M. Kalish (D-16)
$IEMA-SECURITY IMPROVEMENTS
Rep. Terra Costa Howard (D-48)
SOLID WASTE MGMT-RESOURCE MGMT
Rep. Camille Y. Lilly (D-78)
STATE AGENCY BONUS PROHIBITION
Rep. Mary Edly-Allen (D-51)
TREE CUTTING-PROTECTED LAND
ASIAN AMERICAN FAMILY COMM
Rep. Sonya M. Harper (D-6)
SNAP RESTAURANT MEALS PROGRAM
Rep. Justin Slaughter (D-27)
Rep. Will Guzzardi (D-39)
HYDRAULIC FRACTURING-PROHIBIT
GRATUITIES-RETENTION-PROHIBIT
Rep. Anne Stava-Murray (D-81)
HOSPITALS-SURROGACY CONTRACTS
Rep. Anne Stava-Murray (D-81)
RIGHTS-GOVT JOB CANDIDATES
Rep. Ann M. Williams (D-11)
SCH CD-SEX EDUCATION-CONSENT
Rep. Robert Martwick (D-19)
STUDENT ONLINE PROTECTION
Rep. Ann M. Williams (D-11)
Rep. Carol Ammons (D-103)
LIMITED COOPERATIVE ASSOC ACT
Rep. Daniel Didech (D-59)
PARTITION OF HEIRS PROPERTY
Rep. LaToya Greenwood (D-114)
FREEDOM FROM INS INCREASES ACT
Rep. Robert Martwick (D-19)
COM COL-CHICAGO-ELECT BOARD
Rep. Anna Moeller (D-43); Sen. Cristina Castro (D-22)
EQUAL PAY ACT-WAGE HISTORY
Rep. Daniel Didech (D-59)
FOID-DENIAL & REVOC-STALKING
Rep. Daniel Swanson (R-74)
INS CODE-TICK-BORNE DISEASE
Rep. Theresa Mah (D-2); Sen. Robert Peters (D-13)
CITIZENSHIP-U.S. ADOPTEES
Rep. Elizabeth Hernandez (D-24)
ILL. FAMILY ACTION-HATE SPEECH
Rep. Carol Ammons (D-103)
Rep. Jehan Gordon-Booth (D-92)
Rep. Terra Costa Howard (D-48)
OPPOSE NEW TITLE X RESTRICTION
Rep. Michelle Mussman (D-56)
NEW SEXUAL HARASSMENT RULES
GREAT LAKES APPRECIATION DAY
ILL. FAMILY ACTION-HATE SPEECH
DACA LEGISLATION-U.S. CONGRESS
Sen. Cristina Castro (D-22); Rep. Theresa Mah (D-2)
IMMIGRANT TENANT PROTECTION
Sen. Toi W. Hutchinson (D-40); Rep. Daniel Didech (D-59)
JURIES-UNLAWFUL DISCRIMINATION
HOME BUSINESS-LISTED ADDRESS
Rep. Will Guzzardi (D-39)
BULK FOOD HANDLING-CONTAINERS
Sen. Elgie R. Sims, Jr. (D-17); Rep. Kelly M. Cassidy (D-14)
CRIM PRO-ALIEN ADVISEMENT
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