Murray will be here to support friend and state Sen. Pat McGuire, D-Joliet, who was appointed to the 43rd District seat in February and is running for election to the post in November.

McGuire’s golf outing fundraiser is scheduled for Sept. 24. Proceeds will go to his senate campaign. Murray and McGuire know each other through Jim Downey, McGuire’s childhood friend and classmate when the two were growing up in Joliet.

Downey was hired as a writer and Murray was hired as a performer during the second season of TV show “Saturday Night Live,” McGuire said.

This is not the first time Murray has helped McGuire’s campaign. Murray donated $10,000 to McGuire’s campaign for Will County treasurer in 2006.

McGuire said he and Murray talk regularly on the telephone and during a recent conversation, Murray asked how he could help the campaign. McGuire, who is facing Republican Sandy Johnson of Manhattan in the election, said he is not sure when Murray will arrive during the fundraiser or if he will play a round of golf.

“I’ll be grateful to everyone who attends,” he said. “I hope people enjoy the day, and I hope they enjoy meeting Bill Murray.”

A lot of people don’t realize that Murray has a serious side and is interested in politics in his home state of Illinois, McGuire added.

“He’s serious about getting Illinois back on its feet,” McGuire said.

Murray also has given McGuire pointers about public speaking as an elected official.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE EVENT

TO READ THE ENTIRE HERALD NEWS ARTICLE, CLICK HERE

“I’m disappointed by the governor’s decision,” McGuire said. “The General Assembly passed a balanced budget containing the money needed to keep IYC-Joliet open throughout the next fiscal year. The governor cannot spend the appropriated funds on anything except public safety. IYC-Joliet is essential to the public’s safety.”

IYC-Joliet is the state’s only maximum-security facility for young male offenders. It houses over 250 of Illinois’ most dangerous young male offenders, many in their late teens. Just two days ago, an offender convicted of armed robbery got as far as the facility’s razor-wire fence in an attempted escape.

The administration has said that it intends to move IYC-Joliet residents to IYC-St. Charles, a 106 year-old facility, and IYC-Kewanee near the Quad Cities. The Quinn administration first announced a July 31 closing date for IYC-Joliet. After an outcry from the public and legislators, the closing date was extended to Oct. 31. The governor’s action today postpones the closing to the end of 2012.

“The General Assembly reconvenes Nov. 27,” McGuire said. “I’ll work with my Senate colleagues and Rep. Larry Walsh, Jr. to convince the governor to restore a full year’s funding for IYC-Joliet during that veto session. After all, IYC-Joliet’s staff, programs, and location make it the most appropriate place for maximum-security offenders to pay their debt to society and, we hope, turn away from a life of crime.”

“Programs that aren’t on the up-and-up have to go,” McGuire said in the statement. “Getting rid of legislative scholarships is an important step toward restoring confidence in Illinois government.”

McGuire, who took office earlier this year, chose not to participate in the scandal-ridden program and has vocally supported its abolition.

“The State of Illinois has better ways to spend its money than on legislative scholarships,” McGuire said. “We must work on making higher education affordable for everyone. We also must make sure students graduate and are ready to work and make our state great again.”

“Domestic violence destroys families,” McGuire said. “And it’s a recurring problem. Studies show that 40 to 80% of the people who commit domestic violence do so more than once. I’m proud that the first piece of legislation I’ve been able to shepherd through the Illinois Senate confronts this tragic problem.”

McGuire’s bill, developed in cooperation with Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow, creates a scale of increasing penalties for repeat domestic violence offenders. An offender’s first conviction for domestic battery would remain a Class A misdemeanor as under current law. The second and third convictions would be Class 4 felonies. The fourth conviction would be a Class 3 felony, and the fifth conviction would be a Class 2 felony. Each higher felony brings with it increased jail time.

“This legislation sends a strong message to perpetrators of domestic violence that each new conviction means more jail time,” McGuire said. “Society cannot tolerate men and women who physically assault their family members. Longer jail terms for repeat domestic abusers provide victims the time and peace needed to gain lasting safety.”

Almost one in four women and one in ten men are victimized by domestic violence. In addition, children exposed to domestic violence are more prone to academic and social problems, and as adults are more likely to become victims of domestic abuse.

McGuire’s proposal, House Bill 4637, now returns to the Illinois House, which must approve some changes made in the Senate.

The budget uses extra money from special funds to pay vendors like childcare providers and nursing homes. The budget stays within caps established earlier this year based on the state’s expected revenue.

State Senator Pat McGuire (D-Joliet) responded to the passage of the Senate budget proposal and issued the following statement:

“The budget adopted today by the Illinois Senate is attuned to our fiscal reality and people’s needs. It’s based on shared sacrifice, such as pay cuts for legislators and high-priced state officials. It pays down over a billion dollars in overdue bills. It’s honest.”

“The stories I heard at Will County Executive Larry Walsh’s April 13 forum on heroin abuse grabbed my attention,” McGuire said, “Once I got back to Springfield, I lent my support to legislation to stop the death and damage heroin causes.”

Under current law, anyone found guilty of manufacturing or distributing more than five grams of heroin must go to prison and cannot qualify for probation, periodic imprisonment, or conditional discharge. House Bill 3801 seeks to lower the threshold for mandatory imprisonment to three grams. McGuire is a chief co-sponsor of the legislation, which passed the Senate May 25 and now goes to the House for approval.

“Heroin has gotten cheaper and stronger,” McGuire said. “It’s time to begin putting pushers of three and four grams of heroin in prison.”

The second legislative measure, House Bill 3499, stiffens penalties for overdose-related homicides. It stems from a Downstate case in which a man was found innocent of drug-induced homicide because the heroin he used to cause the death of his girlfriend was purchased in another state. This legislation now goes to the Illinois House for further consideration.

“Drugs cross international borders and oceans,” McGuire said, “So why would we have a softer penalty for deaths caused by drugs bought in another state? This law is especially needed to protect Will County since we have three interstate highways running through our county.”