In Springfield, the fall veto session is in the books. General Assembly members debated and voted on several bills for which support and opposition largely ran along party lines. They now sit at the desk of Governor JB Pritzker, but despite the same party controlling both the legislative and executive branches, whether every such bill receives his signature remains to be seen.
One bill which has raised considerable controversy is the End-Of-Life Options Act. It would allow eligible patients with a diagnosis of six months or less to live to be prescribed lethal medication to take at home. The American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois, among other organizations, has backed the bill. State Senator Steve McClure, a Republican, is opposed to it on grounds of safety and health-related ethics.
The senator also pointed to testimony from officials in other states which already have similar laws in place. He says they do not have the resources to carry out oversight of physician-assisted suicides.
Another bill concerns federal immigration enforcement in Illinois. House Bill 1312 would allow Illinoisans who claim immigration agents have violated their due process rights to sue said agents. Senator McClure believes the law is an overreach of authority and says even supporters of the bill predict it would not withstand challenges in court.
General Assembly Democrats support the bill, saying it will increase accountability of ICE agents.
The “Clean Slate” Act is also among the bills passed during the veto session. This measure would require law enforcement agencies to automatically seal certain criminal records twice a year. This would happen in lieu of the person in question having to apply to have the records. Proponents argue the bill would make it easier for people accused or convicted of minor offenses to participate in society. Senator McClure opposed the bill, saying in part that it weakens efforts to avoid recidivism.
More information on Senator Steve McClure is available at www.senatormcclure.com.
Senator Steve McClure appeared as a guest on the WTIM Morning Show.
