It only took the introduction of House rules for the promise of bi-partisanship in the new Illinois General Assembly to hit a pothole. 

State Rep. Adam Niemerg (R-Dieterich) told House Majority Leader Robyn Gabel (pictured) (D-Evanston) he’s sick of seeing supermajority Democrats rush their bills through.

“We do have a time period that we’ve given ourselves,” explained Gabel. “So that scene where a bill is just dropped down and we vote on it five minutes later does not happen.”

“I’ve seen it happen multiple times,” Niemerg responded. “I sit on (an appropriations committee). I don’t see the budget until 11:50 the last night of session.”

Niemerg wasn’t finished. He recalled the Democratic House members who helped drive former House speaker Mike Madigan out of the General Assembly.

“There were nineteen of you who stood against Mike Madigan and called for change,” Niemerg argued. “I expect nineteen of you to vote No on this because this goes back to the same Madigan-era politics.”

One change: no more remote voting.

HR 36 passed, 74-35.