East Central Reporter

The following action was taken on Feb. 28 in the House on House bill HR153 ("graduated income tax-oppose"): "Referred to Rules Committee."

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. Jim Durkin (R-82) on Feb. 27, "states opposition to any measure that would allow the creation of a graduated income tax on Illinois residents," according to the General Assembly website.

The following house representatives also co-sponsored the bill: Darren Bailey (R-109), Mark Batinick (R-97), Thomas M. Bennett (R-106), Avery Bourne (R-95), Dan Brady (R-105), Terri Bryant (R-115), Tim Butler (R-87), John M. Cabello (R-68), Dan Caulkins (R-101), Andrew S. Chesney (R-89), C.D. Davidsmeyer (R-100), Tom Demmer (R-90), Randy E. Frese (R-94), Amy Grant (R-42), Brad Halbrook (R-102), Norine K. Hammond (R-93), Jeff Keicher (R-70), Michael T. Marron (R-104), Deanne M. Mazzochi (R-47), Michael P. McAuliffe (R-20), Tony McCombie (R-71), Margo McDermed (R-37), David McSweeney (R-52), Charles Meier (R-108), Chris Miller (R-110), Thomas Morrison (R-54), Mike Murphy (R-99), Lindsay Parkhurst (R-79), Steven Reick (R-63), Dave Severin (R-117), Allen Skillicorn (R-66), Keith P. Sommer (R-88), Joe Sosnowski (R-69), Ryan Spain (R-73), Daniel Swanson (R-74), Dan Ugaste (R-65), Michael D. Unes (R-91), Tom Weber (R-64), Grant Wehrli (R-41), David A. Welter (R-75), Keith R. Wheeler (R-50), Blaine Wilhour (R-107) and Patrick Windhorst (R-118).

The table below shows a history of actions for this bill through Feb. 28.