Rep. Lamont J. Robinson, Jr. (D-5) sponsored seven bills in the second quarter of 2019, one less than the average Illinois state representative, and was added as a co-sponsor on 59 bills, 12 more than the average, according to a Chicago City Wire analysis of data made available by the Illinois General Assembly.
During the second quarter, 117 representatives sponsored legislation, with Rep. Jay Hoffman (D-113) sponsoring the most with 36 bills. There were 120 representatives that co-sponsored legislation, with Rep. Elizabeth Hernandez (D-24) co-sponsoring 129 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 Robinson sponsored in the second quarter.
CONGRATS-MT. HOPE M.B. CHURCH
COMMEND-EQUALITY ILLINOIS
COMMEND-LGBTQ VICTORY FUND
SCH CD-CHILD OPPORTUNITY ZONE
The following table shows the bills to which Robinson was added as a co-sponsor in the second quarter.
Sen. John G. Mulroe (D-10)
BIOLOGICAL PRODUCTS-DRUG PRICE
Rep. Gregory Harris (D-13)
Rep. Camille Y. Lilly (D-78)
CD CORR-REFERRAL SERVICES
Rep. Mary E. Flowers (D-31)
Rep. Anne Stava-Murray (D-81)
FREEDOM TO WORK-ALL EMPLOYEES
Rep. William Davis (D-30)
Rep. Camille Y. Lilly (D-78); Sen. Christopher Belt (D-57)
SCH CD-ANGER MANAGEMENT CLASS
Rep. Curtis J. Tarver, II (D-25)
HUMAN RIGHTS-HOUSING-ARREST
Rep. Aaron M. Ortiz (D-1); Sen. Iris Y. Martinez (D-20)
HOSPITAL-HEALTH INSURANCE POST
Rep. Anne Stava-Murray (D-81); Sen. Cristina Castro (D-22)
SOS DOCS-GENDER DESIGNATIONS
Rep. Mary E. Flowers (D-31)
Rep. Delia C. Ramirez (D-4); Sen. Ram Villivalam (D-8)
EQUITABLE RESTROOM-BABY CHANGE
Rep. Gregory Harris (D-13)
Rep. Delia C. Ramirez (D-4)
Rep. Carol Ammons (D-103)
Rep. Jehan Gordon-Booth (D-92)
Rep. LaToya Greenwood (D-114)
Rep. André Thapedi (D-32)
LEGALIZED CANNABIS-AG STUDY
Rep. André Thapedi (D-32)
SPORTS WAGERING-IGB STUDY
Rep. André Thapedi (D-32)
SPORTS WAGERING-IGB STUDY
Rep. André Thapedi (D-32)
LEGALIZED CANNABIS-AG STUDY
Rep. La Shawn K. Ford (D-8)
SOCIAL STATUS-BLACK MALES
Rep. Elizabeth Hernandez (D-24)
Rep. Marcus C. Evans, Jr. (D-33)
MEMORIAL-EDDIE L. JONES II
Sen. Jacqueline Y. Collins (D-16); Rep. Sonya M. Harper (D-6)
CD CORR-PROBATION VIOLATION
Sen. Iris Y. Martinez (D-20); Rep. Aaron M. Ortiz (D-1)
UNIV OF IL-STUDENT TRUSTEE
Sen. Michael E. Hastings (D-19)
STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING-SUNSET
Rep. Celina Villanueva (D-21)
IMMIGRATION STATUS-ACCESS
Rep. Mary E. Flowers (D-31); Sen. Jacqueline Y. Collins (D-16)
PREGNANCY & CHILDBIRTH RIGHTS
Rep. Katie Stuart (D-112); Sen. Andy Manar (D-48)
SCH CD-MINIMUM TEACHER SALARY
Rep. Nicholas K. Smith (D-34); Sen. Elgie R. Sims, Jr. (D-17)
SCH CD-CHI-SCHOOL CLOSING
Rep. Camille Y. Lilly (D-78); Sen. Julie A. Morrison (D-29)
Rep. Justin Slaughter (D-27); Sen. Iris Y. Martinez (D-20)
DHS-BUILDING TRADES PROGRAM
Rep. Stephanie A. Kifowit (D-84); Sen. Cristina Castro (D-22)
SCH CD-SCH BOOKING STATION
Rep. Stephanie A. Kifowit (D-84); Sen. Cristina Castro (D-22)
SCH CD-SCH BOOKING STATION
Rep. Delia C. Ramirez (D-4); Sen. Toi W. Hutchinson (D-40)
INCARCERATED PARENTS-CHILDREN
Sen. Elgie R. Sims, Jr. (D-17)
Sen. Christopher Belt (D-57)
IDPH-MATERNAL MENTAL HEALTH
Sen. Ram Villivalam (D-8)
PROMPT PAYMENT-CONTRACTORS
Sen. Ram Villivalam (D-8)
PROMPT PAYMENT-CONTRACTORS
Sen. Ram Villivalam (D-8)
PROMPT PAYMENT-CONTRACTORS
Sen. Toi W. Hutchinson (D-40); Rep. William Davis (D-30)
PROP TX-INCOME PRODUCING PROP
Sen. Ram Villivalam (D-8); Rep. Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz (D-17)
EVIDENCE-IMMIGRATION STATUS
Sen. Kimberly A. Lightford (D-4); Rep. Camille Y. Lilly (D-78)
Sen. Jacqueline Y. Collins (D-16); Rep. Anna Moeller (D-43)
NURSING HOME CARE ACT-VARIOUS
Rep. Kambium Buckner (D-26)
CONSUMER FRAUD-CRIMINAL RECORD
Sen. Emil Jones, III (D-14); Rep. André Thapedi (D-32)
COMPLETE COUNT COMMISSION
Sen. John G. Mulroe (D-10); Rep. Arthur Turner (D-9)
CIV PRO-NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE
Rep. Sara Feigenholtz (D-12)
Rep. Curtis J. Tarver, II (D-25)
PARTITION OF HEIRS PROPERTY
Sen. Omar Aquino (D-2); Rep. Carol Ammons (D-103)
VEH CD-LICENSE TO WORK ACT
Sen. Toi W. Hutchinson (D-40)
BANKING-CANNABIS BUSINESSES
Sen. Sue Rezin (R-38); Rep. Joyce Mason (D-61)
Sen. Omar Aquino (D-2); Rep. Emanuel Chris Welch (D-7)
Sen. Jacqueline Y. Collins (D-16)
PILOT PROGRAM-COOK CO-EXPUNGE
Sen. Kimberly A. Lightford (D-4)
ALTERNATIVE ELEC/GAS SUPPLIERS
HOTEL CASINO EMPLOYEE SAFETY
Rep. Rita Mayfield (D-60)
BLACK HIV/AIDS AWARENESS DAY