SPRINGFIELD – The CPS request for an extension of its Saturday deadline to announce school closures easily made its way through the final legislative hurdle Thursday.
The Senate Executive Committee voted unanimously Thursday to concur with House amendments to SB 547, which will extend the CPS facility actions announcement deadline to March 31. The full Senate voted 51-0 on the question shortly after noon.
The bill now moves to the desk of Gov. Pat Quinn for his approval, which surely has been arranged. CPS has promised a five-year moratorium on closings in exchange for the delay.
There was no discussion in committee even though so many opponents had signed witness slips that there wasn’t enough time to read them all. The “attendance roll call” was used; that is, all 14 members of the committee who were in attendance were recorded as having voted “yes” without time having to be taken to call their names individually.
When the measure came up for consideration on the floor of the Senate, sponsor Sen. Iris Martinez merely noted that the bill, as amended, was identical to HB 1957, which the body had unanimously approved just the day before.
There was no discussion on the floor prior to the vote.