Illinois Farm Bureau recently released the voting records of state legislators for the 2016 session. The ratings are based on how legislators voted on certain bills in accordance with Farm Bureau’s position on those bills.
Legislators serving DeKalb County earned the following ratings: State Senators: Tim Bivins, R-Dixon 45th District – 96%; Dave Syverson, R-Rockford, 35th District –70%; State Representatives: Tom Demmer, R-Dixon, 90th District – 91%; Bob Pritchard, R-Hinckley, 70th District – 97%; Rep. Pritchard had the highest ranking among legislators representing the DeKalb County area. With a 97% rating, he sided with Farm Bureau on all but one bill – House Bill 6287 on egg lot consolidation.
Rep. Demmer voted with Farm Bureau on all but two bills – HB 6287 egg lot consolidation and HB 4501 local government consolidation – that were taken into consideration for the rankings to receive the 91% rating.
Sen. Bivins differed with Farm Bureau on two bills – HB 6287 egg lot consolidation and Senate Bill 3130 seed library – in receiving his 96% ranking.
Sen. Syverson sided with Farm Bureau on several bills, but differed with Illinois Farm Bureau on HB 218 decriminalizing cannabis possession, HB 6287 egg lot consolidation, SB 2228 decriminalizing cannabis, SB 2237 telecommunication right-a-way, and SB 3130 seed library to earn a 70% rating.
Illinois Farm Bureau assigns variable weights to each of the bills reflecting the overall importance of the issue to Illinois agriculture. Voting records are compiled and used by the Activator Committee to determine “Friends of Agriculture.”
All four legislators earned the “Friends of Agriculture” designation by Farm Bureau. To receive this honor a legislator must have at least a 60% voting recording with Farm Bureau and be selected by the Activator Committee to receive this designation.
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