RFFM.org Correction:
In a news article titled "Did O'Reilly force Illinois Governor's hand in signing of Jessica's Law?" (http://rffm.typepad.com/republicans_for_fair_medi/2007/10/rffmorg-news-ex.html) RFFM.org inaccurately reported Jessica's Law would not have become law if Governor Rod Blagojevich had failed to sign the bill before 60 days. In reality, the Illinois Constitution provides that a bill failed to be signed by a Governor within 60 days after it comes to his desk automatically becomes law if he does not act on said legislation.
The Illinois Constitution states:
ARTICLE IV (THE LEGISLATURE)
SECTION 9. VETO PROCEDURE
(a) Every bill passed by the General Assembly shall be presented to the Governor within 30 calendar days after its passage. The foregoing requirement shall be judicially enforceable. If the Governor approves the bill, he shall sign it and it shall become law.
(b) If the Governor does not approve the bill, he shall veto it by returning it with his objections to the house in which it originated. Any bill not so returned by the Governor within 60 calendar days after it is presented to him shall become law. If recess or adjournment of the General Assembly prevents the return of a bill, the bill and the Governor's objections shall be filed with the Secretary of State within such 60 calendar days. The Secretary of State shall return the bill and objections to the originating house promptly upon the next meeting of the same General Assembly at which the bill can be considered.
(c) The house to which a bill is returned shall immediately enter the Governor's objections upon its journal. If within 15 calendar days after such entry that house by a record vote of three-fifths of the members elected passes the bill, it shall be delivered immediately to the second house. If within 15 calendar days after such delivery the second house by a record vote of three-fifths of the members elected passes the bill, it shall become law.
(d) The Governor may reduce or veto any item of appropriations in a bill presented to him. Portions of a bill not reduced or vetoed shall become law. An item vetoed shall be returned to the house in which it originated and may become law in the same manner as a vetoed bill. An item reduced in amount shall be returned to the house in which it originated and may be restored to its original amount in the same manner as a vetoed bill except that the required record vote shall be a majority of the members elected to each house. If a reduced item is not so restored, it shall become law in the reduced amount.
(e) The Governor may return a bill together with specific recommendations for change to the house in which it originated. The bill shall be considered in the same manner as a vetoed bill but the specific recommendations may be accepted by a record vote of a majority of the members elected to each house. Such bill shall be presented again to the Governor and if he certifies that such acceptance conforms to his specific recommendations, the bill shall become law. If he does not so certify, he shall return it as a vetoed bill to the house in which it originated.
RFFM.org stands by the original premise of the story which questions why Governor Blagojevich nearly ran out the clock on Jessica's law and signed the bill just days after inquiries from producers for Bill O'Reilly (The O'Reilly Factor--FOX News). RFFM.org apologizes for the technical error regarding the edicts within the Illinois State Constitution. -- DTZ
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