Picking up the pace

The House policy committee deadline is next Friday, March 23. As a result, committees are pressing hard to advance the most critical bills before next Friday.

The House Rules have set the most aggressive committee deadlines in memory, to get our work done on time, and to bring the most important issues to the fore earlier, rather than waiting until the last week of session.

The consequence is multiple committees at the same time, on all floors of the State Office Building. For instance, tonight I had a Transportation Committee hearing in room 10, a Public Safety Committee meeting in room 400S (I think!), a significant Property Tax bill in the Basement hearing room, and I still hoped to make it to my Township Annual meeting and a planned reception near the Capitol, too.

I will present no fewer than 7 bills over the next 5 days, with at least 3 or 4 more bills a possibility (depending on whether the substance is included in other bills.) I am also essentially "second author" on two other bills.

In addition, I am still working hard to keep up with the literally hundreds of daily emails and phone calls from constituents.

All of this to say.... I love this job.