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Speaker: Because basically what we're looking to do is pass a one-month budget to protect our

Speaker: most vulnerable. But we're going to stand up there and play politics on the other

Speaker: side of the aisle and say that this is not what we're doing because we're actually

Speaker: doing this because we want to raise taxes.

Speaker: Where in any bill has there been an increase in taxes?

Speaker: I haven't seen that because that's not what we're looking to do.

Speaker: We sent over a series of appropriation bills because it would allow the new

Speaker: governor, who might decide he wants to govern at this point,

Speaker: to take a pen and he could line item veto the services that he feels are not

Speaker: important to the people of Illinois, and he could line item veto those services

Speaker: out of the budget. So if he decides he does not want to cover services for those

Speaker: that are... developmentally disabled, if he doesn't want to cover services for those

Speaker: with autism, if he doesn't want to cover childcare, let him take his pen and light

Speaker: item those issues out of the budget.

Speaker: But no, he's not chosen to do that.

Speaker: Instead, he chose to just veto all the appropriations.

Speaker: So now we're having people in Illinois suffer.

Speaker: We have people who are suffering from the anxiety of wondering if they're

Speaker: going to lose vital and core services.

Speaker: But no, let's not worry about that.

Speaker: Let's continue to play politics.

Speaker: Let's continue to run attack ads.

Speaker: Let's continue to hold people hostage over things like prevailing wage or an

Speaker: irrational solution to our pension problems, which would not raise one cent of

Speaker: money, which would not ease the budget problem at all.

Speaker: But we're going to do that and play politics.

Speaker: Let's be done with that nonsense here, folks.

Speaker: It's time for the governor to govern, take a look at that budget seriously,

Speaker: line item, the services he doesn't feel are necessary,

Speaker: and let's come to the table and discuss those items.

Speaker: Let's not hold citizens of Illinois hostage over this nonsense.

Speaker: Let's be serious about this.

Speaker: And let's not stand there and say we're not going to support a one-month

Speaker: budget when that would give the relief to continue these negotiations

Speaker: without making so many people, veterans, senior citizens,

Speaker: those that are developmentally or mentally disabled,

Speaker: suffer and lose their services while we're playing politics.

Speaker: I ask for an aye vote. It is the only responsible thing to do.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Linda Holmes maintains her ongoing commitment to lead legislation that would restrict owners of traveling animal acts from using wild animals in their shows through a measure she passed Wednesday to add specific breeds to the banned species list.

“I passed legislation in 2017 to ban the use of elephants in circuses and other traveling exhibitions that cannot provide the animals adequate living conditions, and we’ve added more species to the ban over the years,” said Holmes (D-Aurora). “These animals spend most of their lives in cramped, filthy cages under severe and chronic stress. It is cruel and heartbreaking to witness.”

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Linda Holmes remains a leader in Illinois legislation to eliminate hazardous conditions for animals of all sizes, as evidenced by a measure approved this week that would provide statutory guidance to Illinois courts to resolve pet possession conflicts when their unmarried parents separate.

“Laws are revised over time to reflect changing norms in every aspect of our daily lives. Family roles change, and families see pets as adored family members rather than property,” Holmes (D-Aurora) said. “If the future residence of a companion animal is in question when family members separate, the courts need guidance in considering the best outcome for the animal’s consistent caregiving and comfort.”

SPRINGFIELD –State Senator Linda Holmes continues to lead measures to restrict species from owners of traveling animal acts by adding more specific breeds to the list of wildlife banned for this use.

“In 2017, I passed legislation to ban the use of elephants in circuses and other traveling exhibitions that cannot provide the animals adequate living conditions, and we have added more and more species to the ban over the years,” Holmes (D-Aurora) said. “These animals spend most of their lives in cramped, filthy cages under severe and chronic stress. This cruelty must stop.”

House Bill 4255 would add specific breeds to the offense of unlawful use of animals in traveling acts to include cougars, jaguars, leopards, lions, tigers, non-human primates, bears, and all elephants, not just endangered species. It also adds any hybrids of these animals. Anyone knowingly using a covered animal would be committing a Class A misdemeanor.