SPRINGFIELD — Legislation that would require a candidate for governor to run with a chosen candidate for lieutenant governor was approved by an Illinois House committee Thursday.
But the bill faces an uncertain future because the powerful speaker of the House, Chicago Democrat Michael Madigan, plans to offer a constitutional amendment to abolish the office of lieutenant governor in January 2015.
Madigan will formally introduce his measure on Wednesday.
The sudden interest in the oft-forgotten office of lieutenant governor is the result of the election earlier this month of little-known Chicago pawn broker Scott Lee Cohen as the Democratic candidate for lieutenant governor.
No sooner had he been elected than Cohen’s past — including allegations of domestic violence and steroid use — prompted him to drop off the ticket.
Democratic Party officials will meet in March to choose a replacement lieutenant governor candidate to run with Gov. Pat Quinn.
Distributed via Chicago Press Release Services