Here are 4 key pieces of legislation that stalled during spring session in Illinois
Lawmakers shuffled out of the Illinois House chambers just before 5 a.m. Wednesday, bringing a belated end to the spring session days after blowing past a self-imposed adjournment deadline.
Despite having extra time in Springfield, focusing on passing a $53.1 billion budget, the clock ran out on several measures advancing in the Senate needing House approval before Gov. JB Pritzker could sign them into law.
Pritzker spoke with reporters hours after adjournment and touted legislative measures he had backed such as a major healthcare reform piece, birth equity initiative and a bill creating new regulations on carbon capture and sequestration. In total, more than 460 bills passed by lawmakers this session now await his signature.
"Obviously there are lots of things that didn't make it to the finish line," he said on Thursday. "But we got, you know, as far as I'm concerned, everything that was a priority for me."
Lawmakers are not expected back at the Capitol until the fall veto session, where pending legislation could see renewed action. Here's a look at several bills that did not advance.
Regulations to Prison Review Board
A bill requiring additional training for Illinois Prison Review Board and live broadcasts of its hearings had bipartisan and unanimous support in the Senate. Still, House Bill 681 did not receive a needed concurrence vote in the House before adjournment.
More: Leadership changes could be coming to Illinois Prison Review Board
An embattled state agency, the board saw its chair and a board member resign earlier this year after a controversial decision to grant parole to a Chicago man with a history of domestic violence. The man, 37-year-old Crosetti Brand, is now facing charges for allegedly stabbing his pregnant ex-girlfriend and killing her 11-year-old son.
Calls for reform swiftly followed, Pritzker appointing James Montgomery to serve in a newly created executive director position. The governor, however, said he had some reservations with the legislation due in-part to funding not being included to implement the changes.
Hemp regulations
The Senate also passed legislation that would have effectively banned the sale of delta-8 or other unregulated hemp-derived products, which like the review board bill was not called for a vote in the House.
Lawmakers and those within the cannabis industry argued oversight was needed due to the danger delta-8 presents to children. Those selling hemp, however, countered that a ban would effectively run them out of business. House Bill 4293 passed 54-1 in the Senate.
More: Why Illinois lawmakers are considering a ban on product known as 'diet weed'
Pritzker suggested he is open to regulations and would like to see conversations to continue over the summer.
"It’s clear that it is not for medicinal purposes. It’s not regulated the way that cannabis is, and yet it ends up on the market and . . . there’s no restriction on who gets it, how much they can get, etc.," he said. "So I really believe we need to step back and ask: What is in the best interest of the health of kids and adults across the state? And I think regulating it is proper."
Karina's Bill
It was another session where lawmakers did not act on Karina's Bill — legislation that would remove firearms from a home once a judge files an order of protection.
More: 'We need to strengthen domestic violence laws:' Advocates urge passage of Karina's Bill
The bill is named after Karina Gonzalez, a Chicago woman who was fatally shot along with her 15-year-old daughter, Daniela Gonzalez, last summer by her husband, Jose Alvarez. Karina had secured an order of protection, but Alvarez still had access to a firearm.
It was the third attempt to pass the legislation, contained in Senate Bill 2633 and House Bill 4469, but neither of those bills advanced to a full chamber vote. Domestic violence and gun violence awareness groups that have backed its several iterations say they will continue negotiations over the summer.
Psilocybin
Legislation allowing the supervised, adult-use of psilocybin, commonly known as magic mushrooms also never advanced to a full chamber vote.
Under the Compassionate Use and Research of Entheogens Act, the retail sale of magic mushrooms would be prohibited and a referral from a healthcare professional would be required before therapy could begin. It had received bipartisan co-sponsors and the backing of the Illinois Psychedelic Society.
Others like Foundation for Drug Policy Solutions president Kevin Sabet were pleased the bill failed to pass, saying permitting the sale of magic mushrooms would create an "addiction-for-profit industry."
Contact Patrick M. Keck: 312-549-9340, pkeck@gannett.com, twitter.com/@pkeckreporter.
This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: Illinois lawmakers pass more than 460 bills. Here are 4 that stalled
