Rep. Mike Murphy (R-99) sponsored 17 bills in the first quarter of 2019, 19 less than the average Illinois state representative, and was added as a co-sponsor on 45 bills, 14 less than the average, according to a Sangamon Sun 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 Murphy sponsored in the first quarter.
CONCEAL CARRY-WAIVER-MARKSMAN
SCH CD-REQUIRED COURSE-MATH
CELL-CULTURED FOOD PRODUCTS
LOCAL ROT-SOURCING-COLLECTION
INC TX-SMALL BUSINESS ACCT
CHILD SEX OFFENDER-CHILD PHOTO
VIETNAM VETS RECOGNITION DAY
SCHOOL YEAR-AUGUST START-STUDY
STATE HEALTH CLINIC-TASK FORCE
The following table shows the bills to which Murphy was added as a co-sponsor in the first quarter.
Rep. Tony McCombie (R-71)
Rep. Tony McCombie (R-71)
CRIM CODE-AGG BAT-EMPLOYEES
Rep. Tony McCombie (R-71)
FIREARMS-ELECTRONIC LICENSES
Rep. Thomas M. Bennett (R-106)
ST CAPITOL PRESIDENT STATUES
CRIM CD-CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTUR
Rep. Keith R. Wheeler (R-50)
Rep. Keith R. Wheeler (R-50)
NO FUNDS W/OUT REVENUE EST
Rep. Stephanie A. Kifowit (D-84); Sen. Jacqueline Y. Collins (D-16)
TREASURER-DEPOSIT OF ST MONEY
Rep. Tony McCombie (R-71)
Rep. Tony McCombie (R-71)
LOTTERY-PROCEED DISCLOSURES
VEH CD-EMERGENCY VEH-PENALTY
Rep. Andrew S. Chesney (R-89)
WILDLIFE-ENDANGERED SPECIES
Rep. Stephanie A. Kifowit (D-84)
LIQUEFIED PETRO GAS-LIABILITY
Rep. Kathleen Willis (D-77)
FIRE PROTECTION DIST-PUBLISH
Rep. Deb Conroy (D-46); Sen. Laura Fine (D-9)
AUTOIMMUNE ENCEPHALITIS CODING
FIRE DPT-APPRENTICE PREFERENCE
Rep. David McSweeney (R-52)
PENCD-GARS-GA MEMBER ELIGIBLE
Rep. C.D. Davidsmeyer (R-100)
TAXPAYER FISCAL CHARTER ACT
ELEC CD-ELECTORAL COLLEGE
Rep. Stephanie A. Kifowit (D-84)
VETERAN-ID AND DRIVERS LICENSE
VEH CD-FIRST OFFENDER LICENSE
Rep. Keith R. Wheeler (R-50)
Rep. Rita Mayfield (D-60)
Rep. Thomas M. Bennett (R-106)
AUTHORIZED ELECTRONIC MONITOR
Rep. Rita Mayfield (D-60)
Rep. Gregory Harris (D-13)
Rep. Margo McDermed (R-37)
EQUAL PAY ACT WAGE INFORMATION
Rep. Mark Batinick (R-97)
Rep. Darren Bailey (R-109)
US CONST-ART V-APPLICATION
US CONST-ART V-APPLICATION
CONAMEND-LEGISLATIVE REDISTRCT
LEGISLATURE-OFFICER LIMITS
PROSTATE CANCER AWARENESS MNTH
Rep. Blaine Wilhour (R-107)
MEMORIAL-REP. CHARLES KELLER
GRADUATED INCOME TAX-OPPOSE
Rep. Allen Skillicorn (R-66)
Rep. Martin J. Moylan (D-55)
MARIJUANA LEGALIZATION PROCESS
Rep. Jonathan Carroll (D-57)
Rep. Brad Halbrook (R-102)
INVEST IN KIDS ACT PILOT PROG
Rep. Mark Batinick (R-97)