CBA Record February_March 2016

THE ILLINOIS LEGISLATIVE PROCESS A Peek Behind the Curtain By Amy Cook CBA Record Editor-In-Chief

W ith tales of how the government works–or doesn’t–dominating the news these days, it was instructive and timely to have members of the Illinois General Assembly spend an afternoon at the CBA giving a run-down of their jobs and where the state is headed. The Legislative Committee seminar held on January 25 featured Rep. Jim Durkin R-Western Springs; Rep. Ann Williams, D-Chicago; Sen. Kwame Raoul, D-Chicago; and Sen. Matt Murphy, R-Palatine. They were joined by moderator Larry Suffredin, CBA Legislative Counsel and Cook County Board Commissioner, and Tom Suffredin, CBA Legislative Co- Counsel. Jim Durkin, who was selected Illinois House Republican Leader in 2013, said that his primary role is to get others “on board”–whether that means supporting or blocking bills. He provides guidance on other legislators’ bills, and said he believes it is important to have active lawyers in the legislature to instruct others on intended, or unintended, consequences of proposed legislation. He also spends his time work- ing to get Republican legislators re-elected and draft new candidates, which entails helping to run campaigns and raise money –lots of money. Ann Williams serves as the Vice Chair of the Civil Judiciary Committee, which she says is generally not very partisan, although some areas such as gun control and family law can be divisive. Recently,

she was instrumental in passing family law reform and updating wills and estates laws to address online accounts and digital assets. Since not every legislator can be an expert on every issue, she said that they rely on experts in the field for ideas. For legal issues, they turn to the CBA, ISBA, Attorney General’s office, ACLU, and legal services organizations to notify legislators of community needs. She recommends that those interested in legislation join that particular subject matter bar committee. She and her colleagues also rely on the legal community to give their opinion on proposed legislation. For instance, she calls on the AG legislative liaison or the State’s Attorney’s office to find out why they sup- port or oppose a bill. Kwame Raoul was appointed to fill the vacancy left by former state Senator Obama’s election to the U.S. Senate. He is most active with criminal justice reform, but also works on issues such as pensions and redistricting. Raoul said he used to assume that people would vote a certain way because it was “clearly the right thing” but then realized the “politics of self- preservation” sometimes get in the way. He said he had to learn to expect incremental change in criminal justice. His efforts helped pass a law enforcement reform package last session, effective Jan 1, 2016. It addresses issues such as body cameras, independent review boards, and standards for petition for special prosecutor. It also instituted a “rogue cop” database, updated

requirements for becoming a police officer, and established a commission on police professionalism, among other things. Matt Murphy discussed the budget. He explained how the state is able to spend $32 billion without a budget being passed. Murphy said the budget is on autopilot in many respects due to the 3 “C’s”: consent decrees, court orders, and continuing appropriations. The panelists each stressed that, although democrats and republicans see a different path to get the best results, they believe that all the legislators (well, almost all), want the best for Illinois, and noted that they usually can manage civility in their interactions. And they seemed sincere. The CBA’s Legislative Committee meets on the second and fourth Monday of each month. To learn more about the CBA’s legislative efforts, go to www.chicagobar.org.

10 FEBRUARY/MARCH 2016