The Latest: Ill. House votes on school-veto override Aug. 23

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — The Latest on Illinois House debate over public school funding legislation (all times local):

4 p.m.

The Illinois House speaker says the chamber will take a vote next week on overriding Gov. Bruce Rauner’s veto of a school funding plan.

Michael Madigan is a Chicago Democrat. He says the House will meet Aug. 23 to consider an override.

House Democrats called a vote Wednesday on legislation that incorporates the changes Rauner wants made on a new formula for financing public schools. Democrats said they wanted to gauge support for Rauner’s ideas.

The legislation failed with no “yes” votes, 60 against and 33 members voting “present.” Republicans complained it was a sham procedure to hide the fact that Democrats don’t have enough votes for an override.

Madigan criticized GOP members for not supporting their own governor’s proposal.

The Senate voted to override on Sunday.

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2:20 p.m.

The Illinois House has soundly rejected Gov. Bruce Rauner’s plan for a new public-school funding method.

Legislation that encompasses the changes the Republican governor made in an amendatory veto failed Wednesday. The measure received not a single vote in favor and 60 against. Rauner vetoed a school-funding model he says unfairly favors Chicago schools and hinders state funding flexibility.

The Senate voted to override the veto on Sunday. An override is less certain in the House. So Democratic Rep. Will Davis of Homewood put Rauner’s veto language into a new bill to gauge support.
Republicans called the vote a sham because of the lack of override support. There were 33 “present” votes.

The defeat of the amended legislation still leaves the possibility of House override. The deadline is Aug. 29.

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10:25 a.m.

Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner says he’s determined to fight a “corrupt political machine in Chicago” and its “special deals” as he seeks a second term.

Rauner spoke at a GOP breakfast Wednesday before heading to the Illinois State Fairgrounds for a campaign rally.

The events coincide with an Illinois House session where legislators are considering Rauner’s amendatory veto of a school funding bill.

Rauner used his veto authority to strip $450 million from Chicago Public Schools. He says his changes provide more money to 98 percent of Illinois districts.

Democrats say districts may get more money initially, but many will lose funding in a few years under Rauner’s plan.

Rauner’s campaign released two new TV ads Wednesday that call the original legislation a “bailout” for CPS and blast Democratic leaders for “insider deals.”

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9:55 a.m.

Local school superintendents are telling an Illinois House panel that the changes Gov. Bruce Rauner made to school-funding legislation will hurt their school districts.

A House education appropriations committee heard testimony Wednesday on legislation that incorporates changes the Republican governor made in an amendatory veto of Senate Bill 1. It’s a measure that revamps the school-funding formula. It aims to get more money to neediest districts first.

Rauner says it favors Chicago schools over others and limits state funding flexibility. His amendatory veto cuts $450 million from Chicago and redistributes it.

Dan Cox says it’s similar to a payday loan. The Staunton schools superintendent says his district would get more money now “at a higher cost later.”

Centralia School Superintendent Craig Clark says Senate Bill 1 before the veto “works for Chicago, Centralia and Cairo.”

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4:35 a.m.

The Illinois House will convene to take up the contentious school-funding issue.

But lawmakers don’t plan to attempt to override Gov. Bruce Rauner’s veto of the legislation Wednesday.

The Republican governor used an amendatory veto this month on Senate Bill 1 . The proposal would create a new school-funding formula. Rauner says it provides too much money for Chicago and limits state financing flexibility.

The Senate voted to override the veto on Sunday.

Rep. Will Davis is a Homewood Democrat who sponsored Senate Bill 1. He says he will put the governor’s rewrite into a new bill for a House vote. If it fails, the House deadline for an override vote is Aug. 29.

Illinois has no mechanism for providing state aid with schools opening as early as Wednesday.

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