By Illinois Radio Network

SPRINGFIELD – Illinois plans to add 200 new laws in the new year, but one lawmaker says that’s better than 8,000.

Illinois state representatives have proposed over 6,000 new laws since January of 2014. Illinois senators have suggested another 2,400.

State Sen. Pam Althoff, R-McHenry, said that, when you look at all of the laws Illinois lawmakers wanted, 200 really isn’t that much.

“Sometimes, what we do is stop bad legislation from becoming law,” Althoff said. “When you have 177 legislators, a governor and several other constitutional officers — all of whom would like to ‘do something’ — the fact that we have only 200 laws is a success story.”

Most of Illinois’ proposed laws never even get a hearing, much less a vote, according to the state senator.

Althoff also said that lawmakers, over the past five or so years, have quietly repealed outdated and duplicated statutes.

“And we’ve done it in a bipartisan manner,” she said. “And that’s not as sexy and shiny.”

Illinois will get a new legislature next week.