Metro East Sun

Illinois state Sen. Jason Plummer (R-Edwardsville) insists the time is now for fairness in Illinois politics.

"Career politicians in Illinois have mastered the art of disenfranchising voters to the benefit of themselves and their partisan interests," Plummer said in a press release where he called for Gov. J.B. Pritzker and other Democratic leaders to stand behind a Fair Map Constitutional Amendment during the upcoming fall veto session. "Despite a veto-proof number of co-sponsors, SJRCA 4 (Senate Joint Resolution Constitutional Amendment 4) has yet to be called for a vote. I am urging Democratic leadership to release it out of committee and give power back to the people of this great state."

Currently, SJRCA 4 has the public support of 37 bipartisan senators, all of whom have signed on as sponsors of the bill. The amendment would mandate that legislative maps be drawn independently to ensure that redistricting is factored in. 

While SJRCA 4 has languished in the Senate Assignments Committee for the last eight months, by law the Illinois General Assembly is required to redraw Congressional district maps every 10 years with the state constitution also stipulating that any redistricting plan be voted on by both legislative chambers.

"We need to take the power to draw these lines from the career politicians," Plummer said in the release. “Both parties have been guilty of this abuse. Only when we have a Fair Map Constitutional Amendment will voters and citizens have a say in the process. We must get back to competitive elections and restore trust in the legislative process."

The fall veto session is scheduled for Oct. 28-30 and Nov. 12-14. With a supermajority in both chambers, Democrats easily control what legislation actually makes it to the chamber for discussion and a vote.