McHenry Times

Sen. Dan McConchie (R-Hawthorn Woods) recently held a virtual press conference to introduce four Senate Joint Resolution Constitutional Amendments that are focused on giving voters more of a voice through what he called the Voter Empowerment Project.

The bills were reintroduced on Jan. 14 and they have been referred to the Senate Assignments Committee. McConchie said in a Jan. 18 conference that for too long Illinoisans have had their voice in state government diminished, adding that there has been a limited role in the democratic process.

“They want a real functioning democracy here in Illinois and so that's one of the many reasons why I am renewing calls for the Senate Republican caucuses’ Voter Empowerment Project,” McConchie said. “We are reintroducing these constitutional amendments in order to really put the people back in charge again.”

SJRCA 13 would require an independent redistricting commission where the chief justice of the Supreme Court and the ranking justice of the opposite party jointly select 17 members to serve. There would be seven people representing the Democratic party and seven representing the Republicans, with three independent commissioners. If passed, the first redistricting would occur in 2023.

SJRCA 14 allows voter initiated amendments to the state’s constitution. He said currently there are too many constraints and this bill would put voters in a position of greater power to amend the constitution.

SJRCA 15 allows the public to repeal unpopular laws that are passed. 

“They could go to a referendum to repeal those,” McConchie said. “Over the past year, we’ve seen the majority party use its supermajorities in the general assembly to not only push through controversial, extremely partisan legislation, but sometimes to do it with little or no notice in the middle of the night when nobody – including the members that are voting on it on the floor – have any idea what is actually in the legislation.”

SJRCA 16 calls for allowing voters to recall elected officials including the executive branch officer, speaker of the House, speaker of the Senate, president of the Senate, auditor general, members of the general assembly and local government officials who people believe to be corrupt or not doing their job well.

“Right now, as I mentioned, only the governor is subject to recall,” McConchie said. “So this would empower citizens at all levels of government to hold elected officials accountable and help end corruption in our state.”