Rep. Randy E. Frese (R-94) sponsored three bills in the first quarter of 2019, 33 less than the average Illinois state representative, and was added as a co-sponsor on 44 bills, 15 less than the average, according to a Quincy Reporter analysis of data made available by the Illinois General Assembly.
During the first quarter, 119 representatives sponsored legislation, with Rep. Michael J. Madigan (D-22) sponsoring the most with 940 bills. There were 119 representatives that co-sponsored legislation, with Rep. Jonathan Carroll (D-57) co-sponsoring 169 bills, more than any other representative.
When a bill is introduced to the House, the clerk reads the bill title before the House and it is automatically referred to the Rules Committee. If the Rules Committee thinks that the bill merits further consideration, it is assigned to another committee. If the committee reports favorably on the bill to the House, or if the committee has been discharged with respect to the bill, the bill will be ready for its second reading before the House.
According to House rules, a bill can be passed only after the House clerk has read the bill before the House on three separate days. However, many bills are introduced as shell bills in order to circumvent the rule requiring three readings before they can be passed. These shell bills, which are far more common in Illinois than in other states, are created with the purpose of beginning the often lengthy process of passing a new piece of legislation. But since they would only make trivial or meaningless changes in the law in the form that they initially appear, they are either left to die or are later changed to something more substantive that can be rushed to passage without bothering with procedure. This has the unfortunate effect of leading to laws that may not have been debated or discussed sufficiently.
Representatives that sponsor an inordinately large number of bills are often sponsoring many shell bills.
The following table shows the bills that Frese sponsored in the first quarter.
The following table shows the bills to which Frese was added as a co-sponsor in the first quarter.
Rep. Sara Feigenholtz (D-12)
Rep. Tony McCombie (R-71)
CRIM CODE-AGG BAT-EMPLOYEES
Rep. Tony McCombie (R-71)
VOCATIONAL ACADEMIES-GRANTS
Rep. Keith R. Wheeler (R-50)
CRIM PROSECUTIONS-SEX OFFENSES
Rep. Keith R. Wheeler (R-50)
Rep. Keith R. Wheeler (R-50)
NO FUNDS W/OUT REVENUE EST
Rep. Emanuel Chris Welch (D-7)
SCH CD-ROE-GRANT PROGRAMS
Rep. Charles Meier (R-108)
AGR-COOPERATIVE TRUST FUND
Rep. Andrew S. Chesney (R-89)
WILDLIFE-ENDANGERED SPECIES
Rep. Dave Severin (R-117)
VEH CD-IN GOD WE TRUST PLATES
Rep. Kathleen Willis (D-77)
FIRE PROTECTION DIST-PUBLISH
Rep. Kathleen Willis (D-77)
BEHAVIOR ANALYST-LICENSURE
Rep. David McSweeney (R-52)
PENCD-GARS-GA MEMBER ELIGIBLE
Rep. C.D. Davidsmeyer (R-100)
TAXPAYER FISCAL CHARTER ACT
Rep. Jerry Costello, II (D-116)
CONCEAL CARRY ACT-MILITARY ID
Rep. Jerry Costello, II (D-116)
Rep. Jerry Costello, II (D-116)
FIREARM OWNERS ID-RECORDS
Rep. Jerry Costello, II (D-116)
FIREARM OWNERS ID ACT-REPEAL
PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT PRACTICE
Rep. Keith R. Wheeler (R-50)
Rep. Thomas M. Bennett (R-106)
AUTHORIZED ELECTRONIC MONITOR
Rep. Jerry Costello, II (D-116)
FIREARM OWNERS ID-18 YEARS
Rep. Rita Mayfield (D-60)
Rep. John C. D'Amico (D-15); Sen. Ram Villivalam (D-8)
SOS-ID CARDS UNDER AGE 18
Rep. Mark Batinick (R-97)
Rep. Mark Batinick (R-97)
Rep. Daniel Swanson (R-74)
INS CODE-TICK-BORNE DISEASE
VIETNAM VETS RECOGNITION DAY
VIETNAM VETS RECOGNITION DAY
CONAMEND-LEGISLATIVE REDISTRCT
PROSTATE CANCER AWARENESS MNTH
GRADUATED INCOME TAX-OPPOSE
Rep. Martin J. Moylan (D-55)
MARIJUANA LEGALIZATION PROCESS
Rep. Charles Meier (R-108)
ENCOURAGE MILKWEED GROWTH
Rep. Mark Batinick (R-97)
Rep. Charles Meier (R-108)
PER MILE DRIVING TAX-OPPOSE
Rep. Elizabeth Hernandez (D-24)
CHILDHOOD PROGRAMS-FUNDING
Sen. Scott M. Bennett (D-52); Rep. Jerry Costello, II (D-116)
AGRICULTURE ED TEACHER PROGRAM