August 11, 2017
To the Honorable
Members of
The Illinois House of
Representatives,
100th General
Assembly:
Today
I veto House Bill 2379 from the 100th General Assembly, which requires a fiscal
impact statement to be filed before executive orders can go into effect. I
strongly agree with the commitment to transparency and fiscal responsibility
this legislation embodies, but the responsibility for ensuring that those
important goals are reflected in executive orders constitutionally lies with
the executive, not the legislature.
Under
Article 5, Section 8 of the Illinois Constitution, the Governor has “the
supreme executive power.” Under that provision, Illinois governors have always
issued executive orders touching a variety of issues. For example, under my
administration, we have issued several executive orders aimed at raising the
bar on ethics in state government, making ethics and compliance the touchstone
of our administration.
House
Bill 2379 seeks to impose on the Governor’s executive order authority a
restriction not found in the Illinois Constitution.
Foundational
separation of powers principles—deeply embedded in American democracy—are
explicit in the Illinois Constitution. Article 2, Section 1 reads, “The
legislative, executive and judicial branches are separate. No branch shall
exercise powers properly belonging to another.”
Just
as executive orders dealing with ethics in state executive agencies may not
dictate ethics for the General Assembly, the General Assembly may not pass
legislation to coerce the Governor in the exercise of his constitutional
powers.
Nothing
in this veto message should be mistaken as a disagreement with the sound idea
that the Governor, just like the General Assembly, the Attorney General, or any
of the other branches of government, should carefully consider the fiscal
impact of any actions. After all, our first duty is to be responsible stewards
of the scarce taxpayer dollars entrusted to us. Not a penny should be spent
without careful thought given to the value that a given policy, program, or
change would provide to taxpayers.
Therefore,
pursuant to Section 9(b) of Article IV of the Illinois Constitution of 1970, I
hereby return House Bill 2379, entitled “AN ACT concerning state government”,
with the foregoing objections, vetoed in its entirety.
Sincerely,
Bruce Rauner
GOVERNOR