The ongoing lawsuit against the inequality of the Illinois school funding system will present the Illinois courts with a difficult decision over interpretation of the state Constitution. The new constitution also created a two-step disciplinary framework for judges, after two Supreme Court justices resigned following 1969 revelations they had  received bank stock from a party to a case before them. By either test, I submit, the 1970 Constitution possesses a more efficient and economical governmental structure, while strengthening at the same time our commitment to the human needs of our people… the 1970 Constitution talks to a human purpose and a human society. The 1970 Convention had widespread cooperative bipartisan support. The new constitution also created a two-step disciplinary framework for judges, after two Supreme Court justices resigned following 1969 revelations they had  received bank stock from a party to a case before them. Explanation and Commentary js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src="https://connect.facebook.net/en_US/sdk.js";fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}(document,'script','facebook-jssdk')); Most of those yes votes came from Chicago, its near suburbs and large downstate cities.One factor favoring the proponents … These involve the 1970 goal of confirming the Trusted journalism when you need it most. The new constitution, drafted by the convention, was adopted on December 15, 1970. IDPH has also compiled a list of, WASHINGTON  — Democrat Joe Biden has defeated President Donald Trump to become the 46th president of the United States. After seventeen years, with the possibility of a seventh constitutional convention appearing on the horizon, Illinoisans may fairly ask whether the 1970 Illinois Constitution has worn well. Listen to Sean Crawford’s interview with Charlie Wheeler here. •  The new constitution also ordered disclosure of state officials’ and candidates’ economic interests, and authorized the Legislature to impose a similar requirement on other public officials and candidates. The two disciplinary panels originally were to be composed entirely of judges and attorneys; voters later approved an amendment adding non-lawyers to both. Charlie Wheeler is an emeritus professor at the University of Illinois Springfield, and the retired director of the Public Affairs Reporting program. 2. However, some provisions, such as the change in the dates for the election of constitutional officers, did not take effect for several years. 8 HeinOnline -- 8 N. Ill. U. L. Rev. Illinois 2008 ballot measures For example, consider these improvements clarifying the separation of powers among the state’s three branches: • The lieutenant governor no longer is the presiding officer of the Illinois Senate, as the 1870 document established. That Convention was tasked with rewriting the Illinois State Constitution, and the Bill of Rights Committee was formed to propose a Bill of Rights as part of that new Constitution. 1970 constitutional convention, is in “Introduction to the 1970 Illinois Constitution” in the Record of Proceedings of the Sixth Illinois Constitutional Convention, volume I, pages vii to x. carries forward the work of George D. Braden and Rubin G. Cohn in The Illinois Constitution: An Annotated and Comparative Analysis (1969), which served as a comprehensive guide for delegates at the 1970 constitutional convention. The 1870 Constitution expanded the powers of the executive and judicial branches. Constitutional Convention (a) Whenever three-fifths of the members elected to each house of the General Assembly so direct, the question of whether a Constitutional Convention should be called shall be submitted to the electors at the general election next occurring at … A more direct model is the Congressional Research Service’s The Constitution of the United States of America: Analysis and Interpretation which is periodically updated for use by members of Congress. Illinois Newsroom gets stories from public radio stations from across the state, including WBEZ-Chicago, WCBU-Peoria, WGLT-Normal, WVIK-Rock Island, WIUM-Macomb, WNIJ-DeKalb, WSIU-Carbondale, WUIS-Springfield, and St. Louis Public Radio. Judge Franklin … The Comptroller shall, in accordance with law, maintain the state's central fiscal accounts, order payments into the treasury, and issue warrants against any funds held by the treasurer. Remembering Illinois’ 1970 Constitutional Convention 50 Years Later. peoriapublicradio.org | 10m. In yet another “back to the future” moment, the CTA, commuter rail and suburban buses are now facing equally dire fiscal challenges, as ridership has crashed due to pandemic-motivated work-at-home orders. But keeping mass transit afloat in Chicago and its suburbs and providing bus service in many Downstate communities was a pressing concern in 1970, four years before voters approved formation of the Regional Transportation Authority and a new sales tax to help fund it. That legislation, which had the support of Gov. Hear Sean Crawford's interview with Charlie Wheeler here. While hardly an unbiased observer—covering Con-Con was this writer’s first major assignment as a fledgling reporter for the Chicago Sun-Times—I believe the document has fared well, albeit with a handful of needed tweaks and a couple still pending. That means every taxpayer pays the same percentage of net income. Samuel W. Witwer, president, Sixth Illinois Constitutional Convention. The delegates to the 1970 Illinois Constitutional Convention recognized these problems. Additionally, there were Constitutional Conventions in 1862 and 1922, but the constitutions from these two conventions were not ratified by the voters. It was approved. Her treatise “The Illinois State Constitution: A Reference Guide” was published in December 2009. }window.fbAsyncInit=function(){FB.init({appId:'230266854784227',cookie:true,xfbml:true,version:'{v6.0}'});FB.AppEvents.logPageView();};(function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];if(d.getElementById(id)){return;} • The Bill of Rights spelled out in the charter’s Article I includes a section barring discrimination in employment and property sales and rental based on “race, color, creed, national ancestry, and sex.”  Another prohibits discrimination against the handicapped, while a third states: “The equal protection of the laws shall not be denied or abridged on account of sex by the State or its units of local government and school districts.”  Ironically, while its inclusion in the new constitution didn’t cause much of a stir, a few years later, the equivalent federal language--- equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex—became one of the state’s most polarizing issues as the proposed Equal Rights Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Rather than revamp certain provisions, suppose citizens want to rewrite the entire document? In fact, only 55.5% of those who cast votes that day voted to approve the document. ; The Illinois Constitution is the governing document of the state of Illinois. The new constitution would bar lawmakers from taxing millionaires at a higher rate than other taxpayers. Get this from a library! To see more, visit, Abraham Lincoln Presidential LIbrary and Museum. Had it been ratified, the change would have come a close second to the Cutback Amendment in the “most far-reaching” category. In addition, spending bills can’t contain policy language, a change meant to preclude the U.S. Congress’ bad habit of tacking unrelated issues onto budget bills. The crystal ball here says those sentiments are likely to prevail eight years from now, when the question is on the November, 2028, ballot, because whatever the perceived shortcomings in the 50-year-old charter, most of us still prefer handling them with a scalpel, rather than taking a chain saw to the venerable document. The constitution was adopted as part of the process Illinois had to follow to be admit- Office of Secretary of State.] Clearly, the 1970 Constitution provides “a more efficient and economical government structure” than its century-old predecessor. Had it been ratified, the change would have come a close second to the Cutback Amendment in the “most far-reaching” category. In this time a total of 117 sessions were held. The Illinois Constitution Ratification Question was on the ballot in Illinois on December 15, 1970, as a constitutional convention referral. Samuel Witwer, an attorney from Kenilworth, was chosen as president of the Constitutional Convention. Constitution of the State of Illinois Adopted in Convention at Springfield, May 13, A.D. 1870. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention urged people find an alternative option for celebrating the holiday — with an aim to avoid large crowds and indoor gatherings. Citizens of Illinois, I believe, should measure the product of our efforts by these tests: Is the Constitution of 1970 superior to the Constitution … Unlike their peers in olden times, they won’t have to wait 98 years for the chance, thanks to one forward-looking provision included in the 1970 charter—a provision that voters must be asked every 20 years whether a new convention should be called, with the time clock starting from 1968, when the call for the state’s sixth convention was overwhelmingly approved. Still, constitutions are living documents, in the sense they can be amended to meet the needs of changing times, particularly at the state level. By Charles N. Wheeler III • 3 minutes ago. So far, the consensus seems to be that the once new, now aging, charter is holding up well enough. According to our 1970 Illinois Constitution, every twenty years the state is required to ask voters whether or not they want to call for a constitutional convention to rewrite or amend the Illinois Constitution. ILLINOIS CONSTITUTION OF 1970 by ELMER GERTZ* As Edward S. Gilbreth phrased it in the Chicago Daily News at the beginning of June, 1970, battle lines were being formed at the Convention as the long-awaited Bill of Rights Report was coming up for consideration on so-called first reading. Moreover, the Senate president and the House Speaker may call special sessions, a power previously reserved for the governor. The foregoing is not exhaustive, of course; many other examples of efficiency and economy in government structure can be found in the 1970 charter, although one should note that not all the relevant opportunities have been seized over the last five decades. [Ratified by the People July 2, 1870; in force August 8th, 1870; and amended, in 1877.] Remembering Illinois' 1970 Constitutional Convention 50 Years Later. The state’s share of K-12 costs peaked at roughly 48 percent in the 1975-76 school year; since then, it’s fallen to roughly 37 percent in the 2018-19 school year, according to the state education board’s most recent report. The first amendment adopted to the new charter still remains the most radical—the 1980 Cutback Amendment that eliminated one-third of the House—59 members—and did away with cumulative voting, perhaps the highlight of the 1870 charter. Three-quarters of voters rejected the automatic call in 1988; two-thirds turned thumbs down in 2008, with approval requiring either three-fifths of those voting on the question or a majority of those voting in the election. 1970 CONSTITUTION HISTORY & HIGHLIGHTS Illinois’ sixth Constitutional Convention convened in Springfield on Dec. 8, 1969. 116 delegates were chosen from the 58 state senatorial districts of Illinois. The 1970 Convention had widespread cooperative bipartisan support. Illinois has had four constitutions since becoming a state in 1818: the first state constitution was in effect from 1818 until 1848; the second (1848-1870); the third (1870-1970) and the fourth (1970- ). From the description of Constitutional convention of 1970 journal, 1969-1970. Illinois Constitutional Convention, September 3, 1970 Closing address by Samuel W. Witwer, President, Sixth Illinois Constitutional Convention by Samuel W. Witwer. Five decades ago the state’s political power brokers spent over nine months together and painstakingly hammered out a new constitution for Illinois. How Illinois' power brokers barred a progessive tax in 1970. The convention convened during the early part of … COVID-19 is a rapidly evolving story, and we are working hard to bring you the most up-to-date information. Your writer would submit the idea is worth serious discussion, especially as calls are sounding to make Chicago its own state. Judge Franklin E. Dove delivers an address to the delegates at the sixth Illinois Constitutional Convention in 1970. 1818 Constitution The first Illinois Constitution was written during the summer of 1818 at a convention in Kaskaskia on the banks of the Mississippi River. Is it time to resurrect the old system, given the extreme polarization now afflicting the body politic? Les versions suivantes datent respectivement de 1848, 1870 et 1970 [1].. Une des caractéristiques principales de la version actuelle est d’avoir introduit une part d’autonomie pour les grandes municipalités ou d’autres entités gouvernementales locales. Aspirations are not achievements, of course, so while the delegates 50 years ago had good intentions of “strengthening… our commitment to the human needs of our people,” the governors, lawmakers, and local officials who’ve followed in their footsteps in public service have yet been able to meet some of the framers’ lofty goals. Section 17. The crystal ball here says those sentiments are likely to prevail eight years from now, when the question is on the November, 2028, ballot, because whatever the perceived shortcomings in the 50-year-old charter, most of us still prefer handling them with a scalpel, rather than taking a chain saw to the venerable document. A Joint Service of Bradley University and Illinois State University. The 1870 charter’s much tighter debt limits helped spur the expansion of special taxing districts when counties and cities couldn’t sell bonds to finance much-needed services like fire protection, libraries, or park districts; Illinois still has more limited-purpose units than any other state. And unlike the 1870 Constitution, our new constitution, balanced and practical, holds out hope to the people of Illinois that their government can, indeed, be responsive to their needs and their problems in this twentieth century. And unlike the 1870 Constitution, our new constitution, balanced and practical, holds out hope to the people of Illinois that their government can, indeed, be responsive to their needs and their problems in this twentieth century.” — Samuel W. Witwer, president, Sixth Illinois Constitutional Convention. Gov. The 1970 Illinois Constitution provides for the periodic and automatic placement on the ballot of the question whether a state constitutional convention shall be called. • The 1970 charter’s Environment Article– added in the spirit of the first Earth Day celebrated early in the convention— states, “Each person has the right to a healthful environment (and) may enforce this right against any party, governmental or private, through appropriate legal proceedings” and provides that the state’s public policy, and each person’s duty, “is to provide and maintain a healthful environment for the benefit of this and future generations.”  Dozens of laws have ensued in its wake, seeking cleaner water and air by regulating polluters, funding environmental operations, and similar measures. • The document makes clear the governor proposes and the Legislature adopts a budget, and gives the governor new powers to rewrite legislation or reduce appropriation bills, subject to legislative override. Now its failure compounds the pandemic-induced fiscal woes facing Gov. Before then, she was a research assistant at the 1969-1970 Illinois constitutional convention and parliamentarian of the Illinois House of Representatives. • The 1970 charter’s Environment Article-- added in the spirit of the first Earth Day celebrated early in the convention— states, “Each person has the right to a healthful environment (and) may enforce this right against any party, governmental or private, through appropriate legal proceedings” and provides that the state’s public policy, and each person’s duty, “is to provide and maintain a healthful environment for the benefit of this and future generations.” … WILL and the Illinois Newsroom are committed to bringing you in-depth, relevant coverage that keeps you informed and engages you with our community and state. The voters of Illinois approved the call for a constitutional convention by an impressive 600,000 vote plurality.The victory for "Con-Con" in the November 1968 election was a tribute to the well-organized "good government" campaign conducted by bipartisan … .grecaptcha-badge { That Convention was tasked with rewriting the Illinois State Constitution, and the Bill of Rights Committee was formed to propose a Bill of Rights as part of that … 0 Ratings 0 Want to read; 0 Currently reading; 0 Have read The 1870 charter’s much tighter debt limits helped spur the expansion of special taxing districts when counties and cities couldn’t sell bonds to finance much-needed services like fire protection, libraries, or park districts; Illinois still has more limited-purpose units than any other state. • The document makes clear the governor proposes and the Legislature adopts a budget, and gives the governor new powers to rewrite legislation or reduce appropriation bills, subject to legislative override. Voters have said no to nine others, the most recent being the so-called “Fair Tax” amendment to permit a graduated income tax, with different rates for different income levels. Share Tweet Email. (Illinois State Archive). Since that time, Illinois has had three additional constitutions, in 1848, 1870, and the current one in 1970. Additionally, there were Constitutional Conventions in 1862 and 1922, but the constitutions from these two conventions were not ratified by the voters. The order includes modifications, however, and includes some. The Illinois Constitutional Convention of 1970 was the sixth in the state’s history, and it produced the first changes to the state’s governing document in a century. Remembering Illinois' 1970 Constitutional Convention 50 Years Later . In this time a total of 117 sessions were held. Illinois then adopted its fourth, and current, Constitution on December 15, 1970. Indeed, since the new constitution’s provisions became effective July 1, 1971, Senate and House members have introduced almost 1,300 proposed amendments, including 71 in the soon-to-be-completed 101st General Assembly. Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum Delegates of the 1970 Constitutional Convention meet. By either test, I submit, the 1970 Constitution possesses a more efficient and economical governmental structure, while strengthening at the same time our commitment to the human needs of our people… the 1970 Constitution talks to a human purpose and a human society. Is the Constitution of 1970 relevant to the problems of our state at this time? Aspirations are not achievements, of course, so while the delegates 50 years ago had good intentions of “strengthening… our commitment to the human needs of our people,” the governors, lawmakers, and local officials who’ve followed in their footsteps in public service have yet been able to meet some of the framers’ lofty goals. And unlike the 1870 Constitution, our new constitution, balanced and practical, holds out hope to the people of Illinois that their government can, indeed, be responsive to their needs and their problems in this twentieth century. 407 (1973) STATE DEBT UNDER THE 1970 ILLINOIS CONSTITUTION: THE LEGISLATURE UNBOUND INTRODUCTION On the first Saturday in July, 1870, the people of Illinois ratified a constitution.1 Roughly one hundred years later, on December 5, 1970, their successors performed … Now its failure compounds the pandemic-induced fiscal woes facing Gov. (There were to be three readings in all.) The question is especially timely now, as the citizens he cited ratified the delegates’ work 50 years ago this month, on December 15, 1970. Indeed, since the new constitution’s provisions became effective July 1, 1971, Senate and House members have introduced almost 1,300 proposed amendments, including 71 in the soon-to-be-completed 101st General Assembly. But shortly after the constitutional convention was authorized by voters, the Illinois legislature went on to adopt an income tax rate of 2.5 percent for individuals and 4 percent for businesses in 1969. Springfield, Ill.: Illinois General Assembly, Legislative Reference Bureau, 1919. A total of 116 members — two elected from each senatorial district — met at a nonpartisan convention to revise, alter or amend the 1870 Illinois Constitution. As published SPRINGFIELD: WEBER & Co., STATE PRINTERS 1879 (Other versions exist due to amendments between 1879 and 1970) JB Pritzker and state lawmakers. Photo: Abraham Lincoln Presidential LIbrary and Museum, Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum. Pension debate at 1970 Constitutional Convention echoes in today's crisis By By Bob Secter and Rick Pearson and Chicago Tribune reporters Sep 22, 2013 at 6:14 PM The ISBE calculations, though, include the $4.7 billion state contribution that year to teachers’ pension systems, which local educators note can’t be used for ongoing costs; factor out pensions, and the state’s share of total costs falls to 28 percent, one of the lowest in the country. Remembering Illinois’ 1970 Constitutional Convention 50 Years Later. The question is especially timely now, as the citizens he cited ratified the delegates’ work 50 years ago this month, on December 15, 1970. Constitution of Illinois (1970) related portals: Constitutional documents, Illinois. The current version of the Illinois Constitution was ratified by special election on December 15, 1970, and went into effect on July 1, 1971. The 1870 Constitution expanded the powers of the executive and judicial branches. The two disciplinary panels originally were to be composed entirely of judges and attorneys; voters later approved an amendment adding non-lawyers to both. A constitutional convention was proposed to Illinois voters in the 1988 general election but was defeated 2,727,144 to 900,109. Constitutional Convention; Illinois. Constitutional Conventions in Illinois 2d ed. •-  The new constitution also ordered disclosure of state officials’ and candidates’ economic interests, and authorized the Legislature to impose a similar requirement on other public officials and candidates. Pritzker Announces Modified Stay-At-Home Order: What Is Essential/Prohibited? visibility: hidden; Illinois! The new evidence-based funding model adopted a few years ago promises to boost state dollars to local schools, if—a huge qualifier—its funding requirements can be met in tight fiscal times. L’Illinois a eu quatre constitutions, la première a été adoptée en 1818 lors de l’admission de l’État dans l’Union. •  Legislators meet in annual sessions, rather than for six months in odd-numbered years, as was the case under the old charter. See also. Schools Closed Because of Virus; Here’s How They’re Feeding Students, U.S. J.B. Pritzker has extended the state’s stay-at-home order through the month of May. Charles S. Bargiel, State Debt under the 1970 Illinois Constitution: The Legislature Unbound, 6 J. Marshall J. of Prac. Samuel Witwer, an attorney from Kenilworth, was chosen as president of the Constitutional Convention. Statewide. The document is still referred to as the "Constitution of Illinois of 1970" even though … ... the question of whether a Constitutional Convention should be called shall be submitted to the electors at the general election next occurring at least six months after such legislative direction. •  Legislators meet in annual sessions, rather than for six months in odd-numbered years, as was the case under the old charter. By either test, I submit, the 1970 Constitution possesses a more efficient and economical governmental structure, while strengthening at the same time our commitment to the human needs of our people… the 1970 Constitution talks to a human purpose and a human society. Currently, for example, clean energy bills pending in the Legislature envision a carbon-free future for Illinois, something the framers of the 1870 constitution never would have imagined. Citizens of Illinois, I believe, should measure the product of our efforts by these tests: Is the Constitution of 1970 … Additionally, there were Constitutional Conventions in 1862 and 1922, but the constitutions from these two conventions were not ratified by the voters. JB Pritzker and state lawmakers. The first amendment adopted to the new charter still remains the most radical—the 1980 Cutback Amendment that eliminated one-third of the House—59 members—and did away with cumulative voting, perhaps the highlight of the 1870 charter. The change to the constitution would allow a graduated income tax, in which high earners would be taxed at a higher rate. [Vol. Where Can You Get Tested for COVID-19 In Central Illinois? Perhaps more so than any other, this lofty aim has been thwarted over the years, first by a 1973 state high court ruling that the language is a goal, not a requirement, since then by local districts’ heavy reliance on property taxes to cover insufficient state funding. Action Needed There are constituti_onal changes which have been, or might be, advocated for Illinois local governments. Since 1980, a dozen more amendments have been ratified, most recently the 2016 “lockbox” amendment meant to insure that gasoline taxes, vehicle tags, driver’s licenses, and similar transportation-related revenues would be used only for transportation-related expenses. Copyright 2020 NPR Illinois | 91.9 UIS. Proposed Constitutional Conventions Article 14 of the 1970 Illinois State Constitution mandates that voters be given the oppor-tunity to call a constitutional convention every 20 years unless the General Assembly calls for one before that. Samuel Witwer, an attorney from Kenilworth, was chosen as president of the Constitutional Convention. For background on the constitution, see the following--This excerpt on the constitution is from Illinois Constitutions [click here for more information] by Emil Verlie. II 31 [hereinafter cited as RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS]. According to our 1970 Illinois Constitution, every twenty years the state is required to ask voters whether or not they want to call for a constitutional convention to rewrite or amend the Illinois Constitution. Delegates of the 1970 Constitutional Convention meet. Rather than revamp certain provisions, suppose citizens want to rewrite the entire document? Unlike their peers in olden times, they won’t have to wait 98 years for the chance, thanks to one forward-looking provision included in the 1970 charter—a provision that voters must be asked every 20 years whether a new convention should be called, with the time clock starting from 1968, when the call for the state’s sixth convention was overwhelmingly approved. It was not easy. In 1860, only 12 years after the 1848 Illinois Constitution, voters approved holding a constitutional convention. The newest Illinois Constitution — drawn up at the Constitutional Convention of 1970 — requires a flat-rate structure for income taxes. It proposed to approve the new 1970 constitution. Indeed, ratification here didn’t occur until 2018, 48 years after Illinois voters approved the state’s new constitution, ERA and all. Illinois Gov. SIXTH ILLINOIS CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION. 1970 ILLINOIS CONSTITUTION HISTORY & HIGHLIGHTS Illinois’ sixth Constitutional Convention convened in Springfield on Dec. 8, 1969. Charlie Wheeler is an emeritus professor at the University of Illinois Springfield, and the retired director of the Public Affairs Reporting program. Old charter Springfield, and current, Constitution on December 15, 1970. the... The Coronavirus information Center for the most up-to-date information its fourth, and we are hard. 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