Rep. Sue Scherer (D-96) sponsored four bills in the second quarter of 2019, four less than the average Illinois state representative, and was added as a co-sponsor on 43 bills, four less than the average, according to a Macon Reporter 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 Scherer sponsored in the second quarter.
PHYSICIAN-GRANTS-UNDERSERVED
The following table shows the bills to which Scherer was added as a co-sponsor in the second quarter.
Rep. Monica Bristow (D-111)
VOCATIONAL ACADEMIES-GRANTS
Rep. Justin Slaughter (D-27)
SCH CD-TEACHERS-EVALUATIONS
Rep. Joe Sosnowski (R-69); Sen. Dan McConchie (R-26)
Rep. Emanuel Chris Welch (D-7)
Rep. Sara Feigenholtz (D-12)
MEDICAID-SUPPORTIVE FACILITIES
Rep. Fred Crespo (D-44); Sen. Laura Ellman (D-21)
Rep. Michael T. Marron (R-104)
Rep. Michael Halpin (D-72)
VETERAN SUICIDE-OAK RIDGE
TRAUMA-INFORMED AWARENESS DAY
Rep. Carol Ammons (D-103)
COMMEND-BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS ILL
AMBUCS APPRECIATION MONTH
Sen. Thomas Cullerton (D-23); Rep. Karina Villa (D-49)
Sen. Antonio Muñoz (D-1); Rep. Emanuel Chris Welch (D-7)
Rep. Marcus C. Evans, Jr. (D-33)
Sen. Chuck Weaver (R-37); Rep. Thomas M. Bennett (R-106)
SCH CD-ALTERNATIVE EDU LICENSE
Rep. Mark Batinick (R-97)
Rep. Michael J. Zalewski (D-23)
Sen. John G. Mulroe (D-10)
PUBLIC USE TRUST-AGREEMENTS
Rep. Katie Stuart (D-112); Sen. Andy Manar (D-48)
SCH CD-MINIMUM TEACHER SALARY
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. Joyce Mason (D-61); Sen. Melinda Bush (D-31)
CANCEL CONTRACT SENIORS 15 DAY
Rep. Frances Ann Hurley (D-35); Sen. Bill Cunningham (D-18)
POLICE TRAINING-MENTAL HEALTH
Sen. Julie A. Morrison (D-29); Rep. Kathleen Willis (D-77)
INS CODE-DENTAL ANESTHETICS
Sen. Heather A. Steans (D-7)
Sen. Heather A. Steans (D-7)
Sen. Heather A. Steans (D-7); Rep. Anne Stava-Murray (D-81)
Sen. Jacqueline Y. Collins (D-16); Rep. Anna Moeller (D-43)
NURSING HOME CARE ACT-VARIOUS
Sen. Kimberly A. Lightford (D-4); Rep. Carol Ammons (D-103)
IL STUDENT LOAN INVESTMENT ACT
GOVT ETHICS-ECONOMIC INTERESTS
Sen. Melinda Bush (D-31); Rep. Kathleen Willis (D-77)
WORKPLACE TRANSPARENCY ACT
Rep. Jonathan Carroll (D-57)
STATE TREASURER-REAL PROPERTY
Sen. Scott M. Bennett (D-52); Rep. Carol Ammons (D-103)
Sen. Terry Link (D-30); Rep. Jay Hoffman (D-113)
VEH CD-FREIGHT TRAIN CREW SIZE
Sen. Iris Y. Martinez (D-20)
SCH CD-EMPLOYMENT-OFFENDERS
Sen. Kimberly A. Lightford (D-4)
ALTERNATIVE ELEC/GAS SUPPLIERS
Rep. Natalie A. Manley (D-98)
FINANCIAL EXPLOITATION ELDERLY
HOTEL CASINO EMPLOYEE SAFETY