SE Illinois News

State Rep. Patrick Windhorst (R-Harrisburg) is speaking out against what he expects to see when lawmakers make their way back to Springfield.

“Lawmakers are expecting to consider the repeal of a requirement that medical professionals must notify a minor child’s parent or legal guardian prior to performing an abortion,” Windhorst recently posted on Facebook. “I am very much opposed to this change. There is also the potential for legislative changes to the Health Care Right of Conscience Act (HCRCA) that have the potential to increase Governor Pritzker’s executive authority. Again, I cannot support giving this governor even more power.”

Windhorst is also objecting to the way federal congressional and state legislative redistricting has played out.

“New U.S. congressional maps were released this weekend, but changes are expected,” he said. “I’ve got information on these topics and more in this week’s Windhorst Weekly.”

Windhorst also recently spoke out against the ethics bill pushed through by Democrats. While supporters of Senate Bill 539 tout it as focusing on ethics reform for state lawmakers, Windhorst argues it falls far short of doing what needs to be done.

"The latest iteration of ethics reform passed in an omnibus bill that I voted for back in May of 2021,” he previously told the SE Illinois News. “That legislation was the only chance legislators had to vote on ethics reforms this year. I along with others had objections to that legislation because it did not go as far as is recommended during our commission hearings, but ultimately many House Republicans voted yes because it was the only opportunity we thought we might ever have to codify at least some reform."

Windhorst said he filed lobbying reform House Bill 3396 last year, but that the bill is currently stuck in the rules committee.

"House Bill 3396 contains several provisions that would be improvements on the bill that passed the general assembly this past spring," Windhorst said. "First, it would strengthen the revolving door prohibition. As we noted, the one that passed in the general assembly is weak, it only has a 6-month provision which has a very large loophole, meaning that once the General Assembly ends, then a legislator is free to lobby the next day. HB 3396 sets that time period at one year or the end of a person's term in office whichever is longer."

HB 3396 also seeks to grant greater authority to the state's Legislative Inspector General when it comes to investigating ethics violations. By contrast, he argues the current bill so limits the LIG's ability to carry out duties that the LIG cited significant deficiencies in the bill in her letter of resignation.

"In summary, our legislation provides tougher ethics and corruption reforms that we believe is necessary and that was justified by the presentation and evidence we heard in The Joint Commission on ethics and lobbying reform," Windhorst said.

Republican lawmakers like Windhorst are pushing their Reimagine Illinois plan that focuses on anti-corruption laws, fiscal responsibility community safety and job growth.  

"For too long, Illinois as a state has been stuck in a rut," he said in a video posted to YouTube. "It's easy for our citizens to think, 'this is the way it has to be because this is the way it always has been.' Reimagine Illinois is telling us that we can have a different state if we change the direction of the state."