A key lawmaker says legislation restricting assault weapons isn't likely to come up in the final days of the lame-duck session.
State Rep. Elaine Nekritz chairs a House judiciary committee that was scheduled Sunday to take up a bill limiting assault weapons. But the Northbrook Democrat says since the Senate didn't vote on similar legislation last week, there was no reason for the House to take it up.
She doesn't expect an assault weapons ban to come up before new lawmakers are sworn in on Wednesday.
Last week, a Senate committee approved curbs on assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition magazines, but those bills didn't move to the floor.
There was also a plan to address gay marriage in Illinois, but the measure fell short in the lame-duck session due to absent supporters.
Retiring State Sen. Jeff Schoenberg says he's surprised Democrats pushed a gay marriage proposal if they needed his vote because they knew he'd be out of the country.
The Evanston Democrat told The Associated Press Sunday he had already resigned effective Monday so his replacement could get to work.
Schoenberg and his family spent nearly two weeks in Jerusalem for his son's bar mitzvah. He says Senate President John Cullerton's office was aware that he would be back this weekend in case his vote was needed.
But Democrats pushed the gay marriage vote last week and advocates expected a floor vote.
Then the sponsor pulled back. Sen. Heather Steans said three crucial votes were missing -- including Schoenberg's.
Despite the inaction, Illinois Senate President John Cullerton says his chamber didn't waste time last week by spending two days on the issues of gay marriage and gun control.
Cullerton told The Associated Press in an interview Friday that those are tough issues to pass in the Legislature and bipartisan agreement can wait until a new General Assembly is sworn in Wednesday.
State Rep. Elaine Nekritz chairs a House judiciary committee that was scheduled Sunday to take up a bill limiting assault weapons. But the Northbrook Democrat says since the Senate didn't vote on similar legislation last week, there was no reason for the House to take it up.
She doesn't expect an assault weapons ban to come up before new lawmakers are sworn in on Wednesday.
Last week, a Senate committee approved curbs on assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition magazines, but those bills didn't move to the floor.
There was also a plan to address gay marriage in Illinois, but the measure fell short in the lame-duck session due to absent supporters.
Retiring State Sen. Jeff Schoenberg says he's surprised Democrats pushed a gay marriage proposal if they needed his vote because they knew he'd be out of the country.
The Evanston Democrat told The Associated Press Sunday he had already resigned effective Monday so his replacement could get to work.
Schoenberg and his family spent nearly two weeks in Jerusalem for his son's bar mitzvah. He says Senate President John Cullerton's office was aware that he would be back this weekend in case his vote was needed.
But Democrats pushed the gay marriage vote last week and advocates expected a floor vote.
Then the sponsor pulled back. Sen. Heather Steans said three crucial votes were missing -- including Schoenberg's.
Despite the inaction, Illinois Senate President John Cullerton says his chamber didn't waste time last week by spending two days on the issues of gay marriage and gun control.
Cullerton told The Associated Press in an interview Friday that those are tough issues to pass in the Legislature and bipartisan agreement can wait until a new General Assembly is sworn in Wednesday.
Critics say the Senate should have focused on the $96 billion pension deficit.
(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)
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