Put an End to Lame Duck Sessions

Lame duck sessions occur after the election of the next General Assembly, but before the current members have reached the end of their term. This leaves outgoing legislators unaccountable to their constituents, putting residents at a serious disadvantage if controversial, risky legislation were to be brought for a vote

That is why State Representative Joe Sosnowski is co-sponsoring House Joint Resolution Constitutional Amendment 43 which would ask voters to move the date of inauguration to the second Wednesday in December, approximately one month following the election.  Currently, inauguration is held on the second Wednesday in January.  The bill would also prohibit the outgoing General Assembly from convening or acting on legislation unless a special session is convened with the joint approval of the Governor, and each of the four legislative leaders.

This bill would prevent a scenario similar to the lame duck session of 2011 when just hours before new members of the General Assembly were scheduled to be sworn in, 12 lame duck members voted to force a 67% income tax increase on Illinois families. This tax increase passed with the bare-minimum votes required. Many of the lame-ducks who voted ‘yes’ that night were replaced the next day by new members who had pledged to vote ‘no’ on tax increases. On what was possibly the most significant vote in years, families in these lame duck’s districts were denied the representation they voted for in November.

Click “here” to hear what I had to say on the legislation. Click here to follow Rep. Sosnowski on Facebook.