DeKalb Times

The Illinois General Assembly, dominated by a Democratic supermajority, is facing criticism for its handling of public participation in the legislative process. Concerns have been raised about tactics that may limit public input on legislation, particularly regarding House Bill 2827, which affects homeschooling families in Illinois. Scheduled for a public hearing in Springfield this week, the bill has already attracted opposition from over 19,000 people who filed electronic witness slips.

The Citizen Participation Act affirms the constitutional right of Illinois residents to engage in government processes. It states that citizen input is crucial for policymaking and democracy. However, there are claims that Democrats have found ways to circumvent these rights through various procedural strategies.

Tactics allegedly used include postponing committee hearings or scheduling them at inconvenient times; reassigning bills to more favorable committees; holding bills indefinitely in the Rules Committee; and bypassing standard scheduling procedures by recessing committees to "the call of the chair." Another tactic involves using partisan working groups instead of public hearings.

A notable strategy is described as playing a "witness slip shell game," where language from a bill with significant opposition is moved to another bill without notice. This leaves no recorded opposition against the new bill number. An example cited is the passage of the SAFE-T Act, where after initial subject matter hearings and filed witness slips, its language was amended into another bill and sent directly to vote without further opportunity for public input.

Earlier this year, House Republicans requested changes to allow witness slip portability within House Rules but were denied by the supermajority.

Critics argue that these actions aim to suppress opposing views and keep citizens uninformed about state policy decisions. They urge Democratic leaders to ensure transparency and uphold citizens' rights as outlined in the Citizen Protection Act.