Rep. Robert Martwick (D-19) sponsored 69 bills in the first quarter of 2019, 33 more than the average Illinois state representative, and was added as a co-sponsor on 45 bills, 14 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 Martwick sponsored in the first quarter.
PUBLIC EMPLOYEE BENEFITS-TECH
PUBLIC EMPLOYEE BENEFITS-TECH
PUBLIC EMPLOYEE BENEFITS-TECH
PUBLIC EMPLOYEE BENEFITS-TECH
PUBLIC EMPLOYEE BENEFITS-TECH
PUBLIC EMPLOYEE BENEFITS-TECH
PEN CD-CTPF-DEFRAY HEALTH INS
PEN CD-CHICAGO CHARTER SCHOOLS
PROP TX-ASSESSOR QUALIFICATION
ELECTED CHICAGO SCHOOL BOARD
CIR COURTS-COOK SUBCIRCUITS
TIF-DEVELOPER LOT INITIAL EAV
SCH CD-TEACHERS-EVALUATIONS
PENCD-CHI FIRE-ANNUAL INCREASE
PEN CD-ACCEL BENEFIT PAYMENT
PEN CD-CHI POL-ANNUAL INCREASE
INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR PAYMENT
PROBATE-APPOINTMENT REPORT
TIF-BLIGHTED AREA DEFINITION
ST OFFICIALS-STOCK OWNERSHIP
PEN CD-COOK COUNTY-FUNDING
PEN CD-COOK-FOREST-FUNDING
PENCD-SERS-ALTERNATIVE ANNUITY
PEN CD-CHI FIRE-TIER 2 SALARY
PENCD-CHI FIRE-ANNUAL INCREASE
PEN CD-TRS & SURS-EARLY RETIRE
PENCD-ART 6-OCCUPATION DISEASE
PENCD-ART 6-ACCELERATE BENEFIT
PEN CD-DOWNSTATE POLICE INVEST
PEN CD-DEFERRED COMPENSATION
PEN CD-DOWNSTATE TEACH-VARIOUS
COOK CO ASSESSOR-APPOINTMENT
STUDENT ONLINE PROTECTION
SCH CD-CHARTER SCHOOL/EMO/CMO
ELECTIONS-NEWSPAPER EXPENSES
COM COL-CHICAGO-ELECT BOARD
MUNI CD-FOREIGN FIRE INSURANCE
MEMORIAL-THERESA DONNEWALD
MEMORIAL-NATALIE K. ROTHBART
MEMORIAL-VINCENZO D'ARGENTO
PEN CD-BROADCAST MEETINGS
STATE EMPLOYEE GROUP INSURANCE
SECURE CHOICE SAVINGS OPTIONS
PEN CD-CTPF-PENSION DEDUCTIONS
PEN CD-CHI FIRE-BOARD TERMS
PEN CD-CHI FIRE-REAL PROPERTY
PARK DIST-TRANSFER OF PROPERTY
PEN CD-COOK COUNTY-FUNDING
PEN CD-CHI TEACHERS-VARIOUS
SECURE CHOICE SAVINGS OPTION
CIV PRO-CITATIONS-SUMMONS
PEN CD-CHI FIRE-BIRTHDATE
The following table shows the bills to which Martwick was added as a co-sponsor in the first quarter.
Rep. Terri Bryant (R-115)
Rep. Tony McCombie (R-71)
CRIM CODE-AGG BAT-EMPLOYEES
Rep. Kelly M. Cassidy (D-14)
Rep. Michael D. Unes (R-91); Sen. Jil Tracy (R-47)
SCH CD-DIPLOMA-MILITARY-KIA
Rep. Lance Yednock (D-76)
Rep. Frances Ann Hurley (D-35); Sen. Bill Cunningham (D-18)
EMS SYSTEMS-OVERDOSE REPORTING
Rep. David A. Welter (R-75)
SCH CD-REQUIRE HIGH SCH COURSE
Rep. Camille Y. Lilly (D-78)
Rep. Melissa Conyears-Ervin (D-10)
ED EMPLOYEE-IMPASSE PROCEDURES
VEH CD-EMERGENCY VEH-PENALTY
Rep. Anna Moeller (D-43); Sen. Heather A. Steans (D-7)
Rep. Kelly M. Cassidy (D-14)
TRANSPORTATION BENEFIT PROGRAM
IL DISABILITY INTEGRATION ACT
Rep. Delia C. Ramirez (D-4)
INCARCERATED PARENTS-CHILDREN
Rep. Lamont J. Robinson, Jr. (D-5)
Rep. Michael J. Zalewski (D-23)
Rep. Frances Ann Hurley (D-35)
CRIM PRO-LINEUP PROCEDURE
Rep. Jaime M. Andrade, Jr. (D-40)
AGING-HOMEMAKER SERVICES-WAGES
Rep. Anne Stava-Murray (D-81)
SCHOOL CONFERENCE NO TERMINATE
Rep. Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz (D-17)
WAGE PAYMENT-DIRECT CONTRACTOR
BENEFICIAL ELECTRIFICATION
Rep. Camille Y. Lilly (D-78)
STATE AGENCY BONUS PROHIBITION
ASIAN AMERICAN FAMILY COMM
SCH CD-SPECIAL ED COMPLAINTS
GRATUITIES-RETENTION-PROHIBIT
Rep. Camille Y. Lilly (D-78)
TOBACCO PRODUCTS-UNDER 21
Rep. Ann M. Williams (D-11)
SCH CD-SEX EDUCATION-CONSENT
SCH CD-SPECIAL ED SERVICES
Rep. Ann M. Williams (D-11)
Rep. Michael T. Marron (R-104)
Rep. Michael P. McAuliffe (R-20)
JUSSIE ACT-FILM TAX CREDIT
Rep. Gregory Harris (D-13)
Rep. Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz (D-17)
GUARDIANS-MINOR:NON-US PARENT
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. Michael T. Marron (R-104)
Sen. Toi W. Hutchinson (D-40); Rep. Daniel Didech (D-59)
JURIES-UNLAWFUL DISCRIMINATION
Sen. Elgie R. Sims, Jr. (D-17); Rep. Jay Hoffman (D-113)
WORKERS' COMPENSATION REPOSE
Rep. Brad Halbrook (R-102)
PROP TX-SUPERVISOR ASSESSMENT
Rep. Lamont J. Robinson, Jr. (D-5)
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