The Rules Committees is a powerful standing committee in the House controlled by the majority. All legislation is assigned to the Rules Committee as a kind of legislative filter that sorts the more-than-6,000 bills introduced each year. The committee considers the legislation and often assigns it to other committees in order to be heard by other lawmakers. Sometimes, legislation dies in the Rules Committee if the committee decides it does not merit further consideration, occasionally leading to objections from the minority party that just a few legislators from the majority have the power to completely kill their legislation. Minority party members have objected that this makes it difficult or impossible for them to represent their constituents.
The bill, as it was introduced in the House by Rep. Ryan Spain (R-73) on Jan. 29, "proposes to amend the Legislature Article of the Illinois Constitution" and "removes the requirement for each Legislative District to be divided into two Representative Districts," according to the General Assembly website.
The following house representatives also co-sponsored the bill: Darren Bailey (R-109), Avery Bourne (R-95), Dan Brady (R-105), Terri Bryant (R-115), Tim Butler (R-87), Dan Caulkins (R-101), Andrew S. Chesney (R-89), Jim Durkin (R-82), Amy Grant (R-42), Norine K. Hammond (R-93), Frances Ann Hurley (D-35), Jeff Keicher (R-70), Deanne M. Mazzochi (R-47), Margo McDermed (R-37), Mike Murphy (R-99), Lindsay Parkhurst (R-79), Keith P. Sommer (R-88), Daniel Swanson (R-74), Dan Ugaste (R-65), Michael D. Unes (R-91), Grant Wehrli (R-41), Keith R. Wheeler (R-50), Patrick Windhorst (R-118) and Linda Chapa LaVia (D-83).
The table below shows a history of actions for this bill through Jan. 29.
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