Reis Joins in Support of Bill Restricting Grant Awards

Print

Published on April 29 2015 11:25 am
Last Updated on April 29 2015 11:34 am
Written by Greg Sapp

State Rep. David Reis (R – Ste. Marie) joined a bicameral group of legislators on Wednesday in Springfield to support SB 1058. The bill would ban Constitutional officers in Illinois from handing out grant awards in the lead up to an election.

Reis joined State Senators Jason Barickman and Darin LaHood in supporting the legislation. Rep. Reis was a member of the Legislative Audit Commission that investigated former Governor Pat Quinn’s Neighborhood Recovery Initiative.

“I am proud to stand with my colleagues in the Senate in supporting this measure,” Reis said. “We’ve got to end the culture of corruption in this state. Over $50 million state tax dollars were given to politically connected cronies of Pat Quinn in the lead up to the 2010 General Election for Governor. He was essentially trying to buy votes in the lead up to the election and the program turned was found by the Auditor General as ineffective and corrupt.”

Reis says he will push hard for the measure to pass in the House should it move through the Senate.

“We have a history in Illinois of Governor’s and other officers funneling tax payer funded grants out to politically connected groups right before an election. We think that’s unfair and wrong,” Reis said. “This bill will stop Constitutional officers from trying to essentially buy votes with poorly thought out and poorly executed programs and grant monies.”

An amendment attached to SB 1058 creates a ban that begins on September 1 during years with a statewide election. During this blackout period, Illinois’ Constitutional officers would be prevented from making announcements of grant awards. The proposed blackout period is similar to a law that prevents Illinois lawmakers from distributing tax payer funded promotional or informational materials bearing the legislator’s name or likeness prior to an election.