Illinois has had several bills pending to improve ballot access. None of them had passed by Thursday evening, May 31. Under Illinois legislative rules, May 31 should have been the end of the legislative session. However, the legislature is remaining in session another week. The rules for special extended sessions require that all bills pass by three-fifths, not just by a majority.
SB733 was administratively removed from the House Executive Committee and returned to the House Rules Committee. Technically it was scheduled to die in committee, so being removed to Rules extends it, but it’s still an elections bill that should have gone to the Elections Committee. We should assume that what’s taken place is not an attempt to keep the bill alive but rather an attempt to turn it into a shell bill.
The legislative affairs chair for the Libertarians called me earlier this week and said he had spoken to Rep. Bill Black who told him that SB733 was dead.
Richard, do you have the bill number for the legislation that adjusts the Republican certification date?