Rep. Gregory Harris (D-13) sponsored 117 bills in the first quarter of 2019, 81 more than the average Illinois state representative, and was added as a co-sponsor on 51 bills, eight less than the average, according to a Chicago City Wire 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 Harris sponsored in the first quarter.
CONDO ACT-COMMON ELEMENTS-TAX
HEALTH INSURER ASSESSMENT
MEDICAID-GROUND AMBULANCE RATE
RETAIL STORE SHARPS DISPOSAL
FIRST 2019 GENERAL REVISORY
$SUP CT HISTORIC PRESERVATION
$FY20 IL RACING BOARD OCE
$FY20 INDEP TAX TRIBUNAL OCE
$FY20 PROCURE. POLICY BD OCE
$FY20 DEAF/HARD OF HEARING OCE
$FY20 CORONER TRNG BD OCE
$FY20 ST POLICE MERIT BD OCE
$STATES ATTORNEY APL PROSECUTE
$STATE APPELLATE DEFENDER
HOUSE-ELECT CLERKS-DOORKEEPER
HOUSE-NOTIFY SENATE ORGANIZED
HOUSE-NOTIFY GOV ORGANIZED
COMMITTEE-INVITE GOVERNOR
DCFS RATE-PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITAL
JOINT SESSION-BUDGET MESSAGE
TORTURE INQUIRY COMMISSION
COOK COUNTY BOARD PRES-VACANCY
The following table shows the bills to which Harris was added as a co-sponsor in the first quarter.
Rep. Sara Feigenholtz (D-12)
Rep. Sara Feigenholtz (D-12)
Rep. Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz (D-17)
JUV CT-SPECIAL IMMIGRANT MINOR
CRIM CD-CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTUR
CRIM CD-CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTUR
Rep. Emanuel Chris Welch (D-7)
IMMIGRATION STATUS-ACCESS
Rep. Emanuel Chris Welch (D-7)
MEDICAID-AMBULANCE SERVICES
Rep. Kelly M. Cassidy (D-14)
Rep. Mary E. Flowers (D-31)
Rep. Natalie A. Manley (D-98)
GENETIC PRIVACY-INSURANCE
Rep. Frances Ann Hurley (D-35); Sen. Bill Cunningham (D-18)
EMS SYSTEMS-OVERDOSE REPORTING
Rep. Sara Feigenholtz (D-12)
DHFS-MCO PREFERRED DRUG LISTS
Rep. Robert Martwick (D-19)
ELECTED CHICAGO SCHOOL BOARD
Rep. Camille Y. Lilly (D-78)
MEDICAID-INMATES-NO CO-PAY
Rep. Mary E. Flowers (D-31)
FINANCIAL TRANSACTION TAX
Rep. Jehan Gordon-Booth (D-92)
Rep. Anna Moeller (D-43); Sen. Heather A. Steans (D-7)
Rep. Emanuel Chris Welch (D-7)
Rep. Kelly M. Cassidy (D-14)
TRANSPORTATION BENEFIT PROGRAM
Rep. Anne Stava-Murray (D-81)
PUBLIC DEFENDER-TASK FORCE
Rep. Delia C. Ramirez (D-4)
INCARCERATED PARENTS-CHILDREN
Rep. Lamont J. Robinson, Jr. (D-5)
Rep. Michael J. Zalewski (D-23)
Rep. Elizabeth Hernandez (D-24)
RETENTION OF IL STUDENTS ACT
Rep. Justin Slaughter (D-27)
YOUTH HOMELESSNESS PREVENTION
Rep. Carol Ammons (D-103)
DURABLE MEDICAL SUPPLIES-RATES
Rep. Martin J. Moylan (D-55)
CRIM CD-DEVICES-RATE OF FIRE
Rep. Aaron M. Ortiz (D-1)
HIGHER ED-FINANCIAL AID INFO
ASIAN AMERICAN FAMILY COMM
Rep. Curtis J. Tarver, II (D-25)
HUMAN RIGHTS-HOUSING-ARREST
Rep. Delia C. Ramirez (D-4)
HOUSING-GRANTS TO HOMELESS
Rep. Sonya M. Harper (D-6)
SNAP RESTAURANT MEALS PROGRAM
Rep. Daniel Didech (D-59)
JURIES-UNLAWFUL DISCRIMINATION
HIGHER ED-MENTAL HEALTH INFO
Rep. Thomas M. Bennett (R-106)
AUTHORIZED ELECTRONIC MONITOR
Rep. Mary E. Flowers (D-31)
MEDICARE FOR ALL HEALTH CARE
FREEDOM FROM INS INCREASES ACT
Rep. Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz (D-17)
GUARDIANS-MINOR:NON-US PARENT
Rep. Elizabeth Hernandez (D-24)
Rep. Marcus C. Evans, Jr. (D-33)
Rep. Thaddeus Jones (D-29)
AFRICAN-AMERICAN HIV/AIDS DAY
PROSTATE CANCER AWARENESS MNTH
DACA LEGISLATION-U.S. CONGRESS
Rep. Michael J. Madigan (D-22)
MEMORIAL-LYNDA DELAFORGUE
Rep. Daniel Didech (D-59)
TRUMP LGBTQ+ POLICIES-CONDEMN
Rep. Mary E. Flowers (D-31)
REINSTATE-INDIGENT BURIALS
Sen. Toi W. Hutchinson (D-40); Rep. Daniel Didech (D-59)
JURIES-UNLAWFUL DISCRIMINATION