From GOP House Minority Leader Tom Cross…
10 % Pay Cut for Lawmakers Clears House
House Republicans this week helped pass legislation requiring lawmakers to take a 10 percent pay cut in Fiscal Year 2012 – a $1.2 million savings for taxpayers, said House Republican Leader Tom Cross.
“We must lead by example. We have been pushing tirelessly for state government to live within its means—when looking at reductions in our budget, we must look at ourselves-first,” said Cross.
Illinois state representatives and senators receive the fifth highest paid salary in the country. Only California, New York, Pennsylvania and Michigan pay their legislators more than Illinois. The current annual salary for an Illinois legislator is $67,836; if HB 2891 becomes law, the annual salary will be $61,052.
House Bill 2891 passed with a vote of 85-14 and now moves to the full Senate for debate.
First Degree Murderer Registry Bill Advances
State Representative Dennis Reboletti (R-Elmhurst) passed House Bill 263 “Andrea’s Law” this week out of the Illinois House to create the nation’s first murderer registry. The legislation is named after Andrea Will who was strangled to death in 1998 by her ex-boyfriend, Justin J. Boulay. Both were students at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston at the time of the murder. After serving only 12 years of a 24-year sentence, Boulay was released from prison in November and moved to Hawaii with his wife.
House Bill 263 calls for Illinois State Police to create a murderer registry database available on the Internet of those convicted of first-degree murder. The information would include name, residence address, place of employment, school attended and a photograph of the offender.
There are approximately 500 convicted first-degree murderers currently on parole and another 3,000 who will eventually be released from prison.
Interesting story:
WBEZ radio: Illinois Republicans: Let us cut the budget. Click here to read the story.