By Eric Stock
BLOOMINGTON – Illinois lawmakers are expected during the fall veto session to override Gov. Bruce Rauner’s veto of a measure that would throw local officials in jail for trying to pass right-to-work legislation.
State Rep. Dan Brady, R-Bloomington, told WJBC’s Scott Laughlin, he will vote against the override of the Collective Bargaining Freedom Act, though he suspects the override will succeed. Brady believes all workers should have a choice.
PODCAST: Listen to Scott’s interview with Brady on WJBC.
“I just want people to have the ability, the flexibility, the right to say no if they don’t want to be part of a union in the due structure of things,” Brady said. “The union doesn’t see it that way. That has unfortunately been a very difficult issue.”
Unions claim right-to-work zones attempt to marginalize or destroy them.
Sexual harassment
Illinois politics could be the latest area to see sunlight when it comes to sexual harassment. An open letter, signed by 130 individuals including lawmakers and lobbyists, is being distributed around the capitol. It claims sexual harassment runs rampant in the Illinois political scene and like we’ve seen in Hollywood, the letter writers are urging women and their allies to come forward. No one is accused by name in the letter, but it discusses incidents involving male legislators and a chamber leader. House Speaker Mike Madigan is proposing legislators, staff and lobbyists undergo sexual harassment training.
Brady said he’s fine with more training and education, but not sure how effective it will be.
“If that is the mode of which you hope to say some is ethical or not ethical because they passed a fill in yes or no (test) on a computer, that’s a long way from making sure they have someone ethical in that position,” Brady said.
Brady was referencing the mandatory online ethics training for all state employees that now-imprisoned Gov. Rod Blagovich ordered in 2003.
Bump stocks
Brady said he’d be willing to consider legislation that would ban bump stocks a device used in the recent mass shooting in Las Vegas. Bray added he’s worried some lawmakers will try to ban the weapons themselves.
“The ones I’ve seen so far, with the exception of one that (Rep.) Barbara Wheeler from our caucus proposed, I think violate that Second Amendment,” Brady said.
Lawmakers have introduced several bump stock bills during the fall veto session. The measure Brady referenced would only ban bump stocks a measure which has the backing of the Illinois State Rifle Association.
Eric Stock can be reached at [email protected].
RFD Radio contributed to this report.
