Springfield, IL – The Illinois Freedom Caucus today held a press conference to discuss some of the majority party’s misguided legislative priorities as the legislative session moves closer to adjournment.
Some of the measures not considered before the Committee deadline include:
• House Resolution 51 – Mandates a forensic audit of state spending, hiring, procurement and contracting
• House Bill 2178 – Repeals the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA) directly contributing to higher energy prices
• House Bill 1575 – Lowers the gas tax to 19 cents per gallon
• House 2979 – Increases the standard income tax deduction to $150,000
• House Bill 2599 – Reduces the individual income tax rate from 4.95% to 3.75% and the corporate tax rate from 7% to 6%
• HB3625 – Bans Tik Tok on State Devices
• House Bill 2986 – Prevents the rate of growth of general fund spending from exceeding the rate of growth of the Illinois median household income.
• House Bill 1640 – Creates the Efficient School District Commission to make recommendations on where reorganization and realignment of school districts into unit districts would be beneficial.
• House Bill 2136 – Ends the legislative pension system for new members
• House Bill 3825 – Allows for resident tuition at local non-Chicago school districts within ¼ Mile of district line
• House Bill 1600 – Protects Firearm ownership for tenants
• House Bill 2610 – Allows children at daycare facilities to be exempt from vaccine mandates on the basis of religious exemptions
“We recognize we are in the minority and the likelihood of our bills getting passed is slim to none, but the ideas we are presenting are substantive and should at least merit a discussion,” said State Representative Chris Miller (R-Oakland). “Illinois is in the bottom five in unemployment, and we lost more than 100,000 residents last year. We have former legislators facing federal indictments and a culture of corruption that is legendary. We need to focus on the real problems facing our state, which is what our legislative agenda seeks to do.”
Instead of addressing pension reform, spending reform and education reform, the majority party has chosen to spend time debating:
• Banning the use of pronouns “boy” and “girl” referring to children in statute (HB1596)
• Requiring school busses to go electric (HB2287)
• Requiring menstrual products be put in ALL public restrooms (HB3093)
• Allowing a member of General Assembly or Constitutional Officer to certify/solemnize a marriage in Illinois (HB1111)
• Removing language state statute that voids the marriage of an out-of-state couple marrying in Illinois that does not intend to stay in the state (HB 1591)
“We often get lectures about how the General Assembly can walk and chew gum at the same time,” said State Representative Blaine Wilhour (R-Beecher City). “That is all well and good, but the truth is we spend a lot of time advancing bills nobody needs like removing gendered language in state statutes referring to children and no time debating ideas to fix our pensions or get our spending under control so that we can lower taxes on working families. We may be capable of debating passing the far-left’s absurd agenda and considering big ideas but the point is that’s not what we do. Our state is a joke. Illinois is a laughingstock and has become a woke dumpster fire. Taking gendered language out of state statutes pertaining to children will do nothing to bring people back to Illinois. We need to focus on the issues important to the people of Illinois and essential to the future of our state.”
State Representative Adam Niemerg (R-Dieterich) said he is amazed at the lack of attention to the issues that matter.
“We are not representing the people of this state at all,” Niemerg said. “The people who elected me want parents to have more rights in the education of their kids. They want lower taxes. They want the freedom to make their own choices when it comes to masks or vaccines. They want their voice to be heard. I have not met a single person in my district who thinks tampons need to be in all public restrooms. The priorities in this building are not the priorities of average citizens.”
The Illinois Freedom Caucus is comprised of State Representatives Chris Miller (R-Oakland), chairman; Blaine Wilhour (R-Beecher City), vice-chairman; Adam Niemerg (R-Dieterich); Brad Halbrook (R-Shelbyville); Dan Caulkins (R-Decatur); Jed Davis (R-Newark) and David Friess (R-Red Bud). The members of the Illinois Freedom Caucus are members of the Illinois General Assembly who are advocating for limited government, lower taxes and accountability and integrity in government.