Welch champions legislative staff union plan, Republicans share veto session priorities

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) — The halls of the Illinois Capitol Complex are busy again as state lawmakers returned to Springfield Tuesday for veto session. Lawmakers hope to pass a plan to allow legislative staff to unionize while Republicans are focused on private schools scholarships and immigration reform.

House Speaker Emanuel "Chris" Welch is sponsoring a plan to allow legislative staff to unionize and collectively bargain. The bill could give employees equal opportunity to join a union and have their voices heard.

This comes nearly a year after Illinois House Democratic staff started an effort to unionize and asked Welch to recognize them. The Speaker told the House Executive Committee that those staff were courageous.

"One of my favorite authors is a guy named Adam Grant and he wrote a book called Think Again," Welch said. "It's okay to think again. By their efforts, they made us think again." 

The proposal would apply to Democratic, Republican and nonpartisan staff.

However, the current bill language would not allow confidential employees or managers to join a legislative union. Union organizers are also concerned that the bill would not allow union members to strike during session months. 

"The idea of management scheduling a labor action is bizarre," said Illinois Legislative Staff Association organizer Brady Burden. "And secondly, it de-emphasizes the very important work that district staff does all year round when it comes to constituent services that is both important and time sensitive."

Welch plans to file an amendment to his bill Wednesday after more negotiations with staff. Oregon, Washington and California lawmakers have passed similar plans in recent years.

"This legislation will have implications far beyond any of our time in this building and we needed to thoroughly vet what other states have done," Welch said. "We needed to do what was best for the people of the state of Illinois." 

Meanwhile, House Republicans are renewing their push for lawmakers to extend the controversial Invest in Kids scholarship program that helps low-income families send their kids to private schools.

"The thought process and the shared priority between Republicans and Democrats is to extend the program, certainly not leaving any of the children on the hook right now that are in the program," said House GOP Leader Tony McCombie (R-Savanna). 

McCombie noted that children deserve equal opportunities that support their unique and individual educational needs through Invest in Kids scholarships and fully funded schools. Gov. JB Pritzker told reporters last week that he is willing to extend the program if lawmakers send a bill to his desk.

Republicans are also calling for lawmakers to end Illinois' status as a sanctuary state for undocumented immigrants. The 2017 Illinois Trust Act prohibits law enforcement from participating in immigration enforcement. Rep. Norine Hammond (R-Macomb) said Illinois taxpayers cannot continue to pay for free healthcare and housing of undocumented immigrants.

"The financial burden is something that we just cannot continue to try and meet because we have to protect our citizens and our taxpayers as well," Hammond said. "And financially, we don't have the funds to do that."

House Republicans said they have not talked about this plan with the House Latino Caucus. It is highly unlikely that the bill will receive a hearing or move out of the House because of the Democratic super-majority. Rep. C.D. Davidsmeyer (R-Murrayville) is the lead sponsor of the legislation with eight Republican co-sponsors. 

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