Kendall County Times

Illinois state Rep. Dan Ugaste (R-Geneva) is criticizing House Bill 3062 and claims the legislation could deny Illinois citizens access to courts.

According to a press release from Ugaste's office, the bill seeks to limit any action brought against the state "that is looking for a declaratory or injunctive relief against state statutes, rules, or executive orders on the constitutionality to the venues of Sangamon and Cook Counties."

“Rather than using an existing remedy to assist the Illinois Attorney General’s office with an abundance of cases, the state legislature has instead decided to limit a crucial right of millions of Illinoisans to challenge the constitutionality of laws from their home counties,” Ugaste said in the release. “This takes away the rights of the constituents of 100 counties in Illinois by limiting their venues to just two places in our entire state. We must be more concerned about citizens’ rights in our state and I’m extremely disappointed to say that was not the case in Springfield today.”

House Bill 3062 applies to actions brought against the state or one of its employees, officers, or agents acting in an official capacity where their actions are alleged to violate either the state or the U.S. Constitution. The only exemption outlined in the legislation revolves around instances where the claims are tied to collective bargaining disputes involving the state and individuals representing its employees.

Ugaste argues the legislation could impact lower-income residents the most.

“Perhaps a person wants to challenge a state law and can only afford their local law firm,” Ugaste said. “This denies them the opportunity to challenge the constitutionality of legislation that impacts their lives. We should not deny Illinoisans access to the courts and must work to preserve the rights of the people we serve with our best efforts.”