SPRINGFIELD, IL – Illinois lawmakers are notorious for regulating and requiring continuing education for professions from doctors, lawyers, bankers, realtors to barbers even – hair braiding – but they fall woefully short, when it comes to imposing educational standards on themselves, according to State Sen. Dave Syverson (R-Rockford).

“Public perception of elected officials is at an all-time low due to ill-conceived policy decisions that hurt both Illinois and Illinois taxpayers. Many of those bad decisions are due to legislators at all levels of government who lack some of the most basic economic common-sense,” Syverson said. “The majority of state legislators have never run a business or met a payroll and yet are continuing to make economic decisions that have placed our state on the verge of insolvency.”

Senate Bill 3496 would require legislators, aldermen and county board members to take a one-day economics course every election cycle. The course work would be developed by the Center of Economic Education at Northern Illinois University (NIU).

The northern Illinois Senator has introduced two different measures requiring basic economics continuing education for lawmakers at various levels of government. In his second attempt at the legislation, Syverson has teamed with the NIU Center for Economic Education.

Senate Bill 3496 is currently being held up in the Senate Executive Committee and discussions are ongoing. Senator Syverson hopes the majority party will allow the legislation to be considered in a timely manner.

“An overwhelming majority of my legislative colleagues believe we should regulate all other professions, but time will tell if they decide they want to educate themselves on basic economic principles,” Syverson concluded.