Illinois state Rep. Barbara Flynn Currie has introduced a pension bill that is unfair to new and current workers, is potentially unconstitutional, bails out Chicago Public Schools’ pensions, and perpetuates Illinois’ broken pension system.

House Speaker Mike Madigan and House Minority Leader Jim Durkin used shell bills to avoid the March 31 deadline for bills to pass out of committee. Madigan passed 936 shell bills. Durkin passed 528. Meanwhile, thousands of substantive bills died without so much as a committee hearing.

Rank-and-file lawmakers have received paychecks of more than $50,800.

Luxembourg’s ambassador to the United States has voiced objections to an Illinois House bill that would label Luxembourg a tax haven and subject corporations expatriated there to restrictions on investments and business dealings with the state of Illinois.

Illinois House Bill 3868 would give Gov. Bruce Rauner the authority to trim costs and reorder the state’s spending priorities to balance the budget.