Historic Pension Overhaul Passes, Heads To Quinn's Desk
From Crain's Chicago Business
Major state pension reform now just needs a signature from Gov. Pat Quinn to become law.
By narrow but decisive margins, both the state Senate and the Illinois House approved the comprehensive reform measure this afternoon, a measure that sponsors say will save taxpayers $160 billion over 30 years but which foes say is both too hard on workers and doesn't go far enough.
The Senate vote came just moments before the House. It was 30 to 24, with 3 not voting. Here's the Senate roll call, in which Democrats split 20 in favor to 15 against, and Republicans were 10 in favor and nine against.
The House vote was 62-53, with three members not voting or abstaining. Here's the link to the roll call. By my count, just 15 of the "aye" votes came from that body's 47 Republicans — more than some had expected, but just a third. Democrats split 47 to 24.
That's two votes more than were needed for approval.
The votes capped a day of true political drama in Springfield, with the subject drawing intense interest, the final outcome unknown and the Senate and House simultaneously debating and voting on the measure, something that rarely happens in the Capitol.
Read more in our daily News Update...
From Crain's Chicago Business
Major state pension reform now just needs a signature from Gov. Pat Quinn to become law.
By narrow but decisive margins, both the state Senate and the Illinois House approved the comprehensive reform measure this afternoon, a measure that sponsors say will save taxpayers $160 billion over 30 years but which foes say is both too hard on workers and doesn't go far enough.
The Senate vote came just moments before the House. It was 30 to 24, with 3 not voting. Here's the Senate roll call, in which Democrats split 20 in favor to 15 against, and Republicans were 10 in favor and nine against.
The House vote was 62-53, with three members not voting or abstaining. Here's the link to the roll call. By my count, just 15 of the "aye" votes came from that body's 47 Republicans — more than some had expected, but just a third. Democrats split 47 to 24.
That's two votes more than were needed for approval.
The votes capped a day of true political drama in Springfield, with the subject drawing intense interest, the final outcome unknown and the Senate and House simultaneously debating and voting on the measure, something that rarely happens in the Capitol.
Read more in our daily News Update...