SPRINGFIELD, IL – Lawmakers are advancing legislation that would establish a permanent process to fill any future U.S. Senate vacancies, according to State Sen. Dan Rutherford (R-Pontiac).

“The most recent attempt to fill a U.S. Senate vacancy has begun to take on an air of concern,” Rutherford said.

Rutherford explained that the U.S. Constitution, Seventeenth Amendment, delineates that the appointment made by the former governor was a temporary appointment. He said that there is nothing prohibiting lawmakers from scheduling a special election to select a permanent replacement, noting that they would only need to change the state statute to set the date for the special election.

Senate Bill 285 would enact a one-time only special election to coincide with the consolidated April 7, 2009 election and a special general election to be scheduled for May 26, 2009.  It would ensure all future U.S. Senate seat vacancies in Illinois would be filled by special election. The election would have to occur within 115 days of the seat being vacated.

In December, Rutherford and other legislators called for a special election to fill the U. S. Senate seat. However, the legislation was blocked from consideration by the Chicago Democratic leaders.

“We believe that this legislation is the best answer to solve our state’s need to have full representation in the U.S. Senate without a cloud of scandal hanging over Illinois’ junior senator,” Rutherford concluded. 

Senator Rutherford has posted video remarks on this matter on YouTube.