State Rep. Mike Tryon tells how he would improve the way the Illinois House of Representatives operates below.

Mike Tryon

Reforms Offered to House Rules

As the 97th Illinois General Assembly begins their work in Springfield this month, one key proposal being brought forth by House Republicans is common-sense procedural reforms to the rules for bringing bills forward to the floor of the House of Representatives for consideration.

We live in a democracy and as such Illinois residents deserve to have a voice in their state government. Unfortunately, often times that is not the case.

Today in Illinois we are subject to a “power of one” form of government.

In November of 2010, the people of Illinois elected the 118 members of the Illinois House of Representatives. Each of the 118 was elected to represent the will of approximately 100,000 constituents from their home district.

But for 26 of the last 28 years in Illinois, one man–and his set of rules–has governed the Illinois House; circumventing our democracy and placing the power over all legislation into the hands of one man–the Speaker of the House.

The public has a right to expect that their ideas and concerns, brought forward in Springfield by their elected representatives, will receive fair consideration on the House floor.

However, many times good legislation is blocked from ever receiving consideration by the 118 members of the House. Today, moving a bill to the House floor for consideration requires a unanimous vote of the Rules Committee.

In other words, 117 of the 118 State Representatives can be in favor of bringing a bill to the floor for immediate consideration and discussion, but if the “one” objects, the bill can be blocked.

Is that democracy?

Is that representation of the people by the people?

The following procedural reforms are being proposed so that Illinois can begin to change back into a true democracy where Illinoisans will have a legitimate voice in their state government:

• Guaranteed consideration of any bill supported by 71 members of the House of Representatives rather than the requirement of unanimous approval of the Rules Committee
• Advanced Notice of Hearings of the Rules Committee as well as Notice of the legislation they intend to discuss (currently deliberations are often secretive, held with little or no notice and in small rooms that do not accommodate non-committee members)
• A Mandatory Public Review Period Prior to Committee Action on Amendments to Bills
• Specific, line-item spending for state programs so people know how much money is being spent and on what
• Regular reviews of state programs to ensure efficiency and effectiveness
• A Mandatory Public Review Period before Passage of any Budget Bill
• Decreasing the number of House Committees by half, from 60 to 30

These procedural rules changes bring common sense to a currently flawed process. If approved, they will go far in reestablishing a democracy in Illinois and in preventing a situation where one man has the power to stop any piece of legislation that he feels does not further his own personal agenda.