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What's Alive, What's Dead As Lawmakers Look To Change The State Constitution

The State Legislative Leaders Foundation

A deadline is approaching for the legislature to act on proposed amendments to the Illinois constitution. They only have until the end of this week. Here's a rundown of where various proposals stand. 

Lawmakers can't change the state constitution on their own, but with supermajority votes, they can put potential changes before voters.

One proposal, to eliminate the lieutenant governor's office, is dead.

For others, it's make or break time: like a plan to allow for a graduated income tax, or the House Speaker's plan to enshrine education as a funding priority.

A few other constitutional amendments are in position to go forward.

Like a push to create a "lock box" for transportation funding, so dollars can't be diverted to other purposes; that already got out of the House and Tuesday advanced from a Senate committee.

Finally, the House and Senate have each approved measures to change how legislative districts are drawn. Now the opposite chamber has a few days to do the same, if either -- or both -- of those remap proposals are to make it on November's ballot.

Amanda Vinicky moved to Chicago Tonight on WTTW-TV PBS in 2017.
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