Carbondale Reporter

State Representatives Paul Jacobs and Patrick Windhorst have joined a legal challenge against the Democratic leadership in Illinois, seeking enforcement of the Third Reading Rule as outlined in the state constitution. The lawsuit, filed in Sangamon County Circuit Court, involves Republican members of both the Illinois House and Senate and concerns the passage of Senate Bill 328.

Senate Bill 328 would permit out-of-state plaintiffs to sue out-of-state businesses within Illinois courts. The American Tort Reform Association has urged Governor Pritzker to veto the bill, describing it as one of the "single worst bills we have seen this year, nationwide." They warned that its enactment could lead to businesses leaving Illinois and a decline in new investments.

Rep. Jacobs criticized what he described as rule-breaking by Democrats, stating that Republicans are often excluded from legislative processes. "A practice that reaches back to Speaker Madigan, the Democrats’ continued rule breaking has become increasingly egregious," said Rep. Jacobs. He emphasized the importance of following constitutional procedures for transparency.

Rep. Windhorst, also a plaintiff in the lawsuit and currently serving as House Republican Floor Leader, expressed similar concerns about procedural abuses by Democrats during legislative sessions. "What we’ve seen in recent Sessions has been Democrats, time and again, breaking the House Rules to get their way on any given piece of legislation," Windhorst stated.

The Third Reading Rule requires bills to be read by title three times on different days before final debate and voting. This process is intended to allow legislators sufficient time for review and discussion. However, Republicans allege that Democrats have frequently bypassed this requirement to expedite legislation without proper scrutiny.