Chambana Sun

Rep. Jeanne Ives (R-Wheaton) called out Democratic-sponsored legislation that alleges a racial divide in Illinois government.

“Nobody, nobody here would ever agree to racially discriminate,” Ives told Rep. Carol Ammons (D-Urbana) at the April 12 House Appropriations Human Services Committee hearing regarding HB4412, which seeks to diversify senior management in public pension fund administration and continues to address and draw attention to the lack of minority representation in various industries.

Before Ives debated Ammons, Rep. Thomas Morrison (R-Palatine) questioned the word “try” in the bill's language regarding a board assuring a diverse racial and ethnic makeup of senior administrative staff.

“Who determines if their efforts are sufficient or not?” Morrison asked.

Ammons said she would pass a picture around to illustrate what HB4412 is for.

“This room demonstrates that as well, but it is the responsibility of public pension funds to diversify senior management and it would be up to them to make sure it happens,” Ammon said.

That was when Ives wanted proof.

“Do you have a picture of the current board,” Ives asked.

“I decided to leave it in my office,” Ammon said.

“Do you have a picture from the board four years ago,” Ives asked.

“I have a picture from last year’s board that has one African-American woman on it,” Ammons said.

That was good, Ives said before asking if Ammons had a picture from eight years ago, to which Ammon said no, prompting Ives to ask if she had a photo from 12 years.

After she was unable to produce a photo, Ammons said she thinks one-person representation from any one particular ethnic group is insufficient in a state such as Illinois.

“I think what everybody is concerned about is qualifications, so if you are alleging the executive directors that hire these folks on the board are racially discriminating against hiring folks ... then that is actually a violation of law and that should be taken up in court situation,” Ives said.

Ives called Ammons' notion preposterous, prompting Ammons to rebut angrily.

“Unfortunately to your point Jeanne Ives, we have had to force integration and we have had to force inclusion in every single industry,” Ammon said. “In this case, I have already seen what these boards look like.”

Ives said no one would rationally discriminate in a position of hire, especially in something lawmakers can control with laws.

“If there is discrimination here then that needs to go through all of the ethic channels and court channels,” Ives said. “Everything needs to be challenged in that way.”

Ives said to create a bill for what Ammons was alleging was nonsense since HB4412 would jeopardize the hiring of purely qualified individuals.

“And your insinuating that these executive directors are somehow discriminatory based on race, I just don’t want to go there,” Ives said. 

After Ammons said she appreciated Ives' opinion, she noted there were many bills that had to be passed to prevent racial and ethnic divide. 

Rep. Mark Batinick (R-Plainfield) asked if Ammons was suggesting racially profiling since race isn’t always obvious.

“Race is a construct and this room is a great example of what I am actually attempting to correct,” Ammon said of the predominantly Caucasian committee.

HB4412 passed 8-5 in the panel moved to the House floor.