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Elimination of Illinois lieutenant governor gets House approval

A measure to eliminate the office of lieutenant governor in Illinois has gotten initial approval in the state House.
Illinois statehouse

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — A measure to eliminate the office of lieutenant governor in Illinois has gotten initial approval in the state House.

The bill from Republican state Rep. David McSweeney would not apply to the state’s current lieutenant governor, Evelyn Sanguinetti.

The House State Government Administration Committee unanimously approved the bill Wednesday on a 12-0 vote.

McSweeney says the office has limited responsibilities and eliminating the position would save the state about $1.6 million annually. The change would be a constitutional amendment so voters would ultimately decide whether to eliminate the office starting in 2019, the end of Sanguinetti’s term. The question will go to voters if three-fifths of each chamber supports the proposal.

An identical measure is pending in the Senate.

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