OF PEOPLE WHO ARE PROGRESSIVES, WHO ARE ENERGETIC TO HAVE PICKED UP ON THE ISSUES I CARE ABOUT.

SO I KNOW WHEN I LEAVE THERE WILL BE NO SPACE THERE WILL BE NO PROBLEM MAKING SURE THE THINGS I CARE ABOUT ARE STILL THINGS THAT PEOPLE IN THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY CARE ABOUT, TOO.

>> Phil: YOU SAY YOU ARE LEAVING A GAGGLE OF PEOPLE.

BUT YOU ARE LEAVING A HOST OF PEOPLE IN THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY WHO ARE GOOD AT WHAT THEY ARE DOING AND ENTHUSIASTIC.

A WHOLE HOST OF PEOPLE ARE LEAVING.

WHAT IS GOING ON?

>> Barbara: I THINK MOST PEOPLE ARE MAKING THE DECISION NOT TO STAND FOR REELECTION FOR A LOT OF PERSONAL REASONS.

>> Phil: THERE IS A BUMPER CROP OF THEM.

>> Barbara: THERE ARE A LOT OF THEM YOU'LL HAVE TO ASK INDIVIDUALLY FOR THEIR STORY IS.

THERE ARE SOME WHO ARE FRUSTRATED, THERE ARE SOME WHO ARE FINDING SCHEDULING ISSUES DIFFICULT NOT KNOWING WHETHER IT IS OKAY TO GO TO YOUR DAUGHTER'S GRADUATION BECAUSE YOU MIGHT BE IN A GENERAL SESSION, FOR INSTANCE.

BETWEEN GRIDLOCK AND NOT KNOWING WHAT THE SCHEDULE IS SOME PEOPLE HAVE SAID ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.

FOR MOST OF THEM THEY HAVE DONE WHAT THEY CAME TO SPRINGFIELD TO DO AND THEY HAVE OTHER THINGS HE WOULD LIKE TO DO NEXT.

>> Phil: SO FOR THE PERSON WHO REPLACES YOU WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO HIM OR HER?

>> Barbara: IT IS NOT ABOUT NUTS AND BOLTS IT IS ABOUT WORKING WITH PEOPLE FROM ALL PARTS OF THE STATES IN BOTH PARTIES TO MAKE SURE THINGS ARE RUNNING SMOOTHLY AND EFFICIENTLY.

IT IS ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT WHEN PEOPLE ARE WORKING ON AN ISSUE IT IS NOT INTERFERING, NOT GETTING IN THE WAY OF SOLVING SOMEONE ELSE'S PROBLEM.

A LOT OF WHAT I DO IS THE CARE AND FEEDING OF NUMBERS FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO HELP PEOPLE LEARN THE ROPES AND DO A GOOD JOB FOR THEMSELVES AND THEIR CONSTITUENTS WAS A LOT OF CONSTITUENCIES NONE OF YOU ARE DOING A GOOD JOB.THE BUDGET IMPASSE WITH THE EDUCATION FUNDING BILL THAT FINALLY CAME DOWN.

AND THE VITRIOL BETWEEN BOTH SIDES.

>> Barbara: FROM MY PERSPECTIVE WE MADE QUITE A LOT OF PROGRESS.

WE OFTEN TAKE TWO FORWARD AND ONE STEP BACK.

>> Phil: SOME SAY IT IS THE OTHER WAY AROUND.

>> Barbara: FOR THE FUNDING BILL THAT IS A MAJOR PROGRESS IN THE BILL THE ISSUE I'VE BEEN WORKING ON FOR YEARS.

IN FACT THE LAST THREE YEARS I HAVE CHAIRED A HOUSE TASK FORCE ON EDUCATION FUNDING.

AS LONG AGO AS WHEN JIM EDGAR WAS GOVERNOR I WORKED WITH HIM TO REFORM THE WAY WE'VE BEEN ON PUBLIC EDUCATION BUT I WOULD SAY THE PASSAGE OF THIS BILL IS A MAJOR FEATHER IN THE LEGISLATOR CULPRIT THE GOVERNOR HAS IN THIS BILL AND THAT IS GOOD.

I HOPE WE HAVE SET THE STAGE SO IN THE FUTURE WE WILL CONTINUE TO MAKE SURE THE NEEDIEST SCHOOLS, THE NEEDIEST CHILDREN THAT STATES THE PORT.

THAT ISSUE IS ONE THAT MADE ME FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE ABOUT HIDING NOT TO RUN FOR REELECTION.

I FELT THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS A FEATHER IN MY CAP WORKING WITH PEOPLE LIKE REPRESENTATIVE WILL DAVIS, SENATOR ANDY MANARO AND THE SCHOOL ADVOCACY GROUP WERE GREAT BUT WE DID IT.

>> Phil: YOU ALLUDED TO SOME OF THE COLLEAGUES YOU WORKED WITH.

A LOT OF PEOPLE LOOK AT SPRINGVILLE AS THEY GIVE ME A BREAK.

IT IS THE TOP LEGISLATIVE LEADERS THE TWO IN MADIGAN AND THE OTHER TWO ON THE REPUBLICAN SIDE.

IT IS JUST A BALTIC IN YOUR PART OF IT.

>> I DON'T AGREE.

I HAVE HAD LOTS OF GOOD PRINCIPLES SIDES OF THE AISLE AND WORK CLOSELY WITH PEOPLE LIKE DAVID HARRIS ON REVENUE ISSUES.

BROUGHT PICTURES OF EDUCATION FOR THE NORTHERN PART OF THE STATE, A REPUBLICAN.

MIKE HORTNER, I WORKED WITH HIM.

PATTY BALACK HAS BEEN MY GO TO PERSON.

>> Phil: BUT THESE PEOPLE WHEN WE AS WE GO IN SPRINGVILLE THEY SAY I DON'T KNOW WE ARE WAITING FOR LEGISLATIVE LEADERS.

IS THERE A DISCONNECT BETWEEN THE FOUR OF YOU?

>> Barbara: I DON'T THINK SO.

I THINK PEOPLE SOMETIMES FOCUS ON WHAT ISN'T WORKING RATHER THAN WHAT IS.

CERTAINLY, THERE ARE THINGS WHEN I LEAVE I WOULD FEEL BAD, AS I SAID I'M HAPPY ABOUT THE EDUCATION FUNDING BUT I'M SORRY WE NEVER GOT AROUND TO GUN CONTROL.

I AM SORRY WE ARE FIGHTING BATTLES ABOUT REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS.

BUT, I THINK IT IS TERRIFIC THIS IS A STATE THAT IS ILLUMINATED THE DEATH PENALTY.

A STATE THAT EARLY ON SAID YES TO MARRIAGE EQUALITY.

I THINK WE'VE DONE A LOT OF GOOD WORK IN SPRINGFIELD.

IN SPITE OF PERSONALITY AND OTHER DIFFERENCES IN GOVERNMENT STYLE A LOT GETS DONE BEHIND THE SCENES.

>> Phil: YOU MENTIONED HIGH POINTS.

OTHER HIGH POINTS YOU FEEL GOOD ABOUT?

>> Barbara: ABSOLUTELY, EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION.

IT SPENT YEARS TO GET IT DONE.

EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS FOR DISADVANTAGED YOUNGSTERS.

WE HAVE EXPANDED THE PROGRAM SINCE BUT WE HAVE TO BE VIGILANT TO FUND THE PROGRAM BECAUSE OF ALL THE KIDS WHO NEED AN EARLY MORNING POST GET IT.

I HAVE WORKED ON CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM I'VE BEEN A SPONSOR OF THE FIRST FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT.

THAT WAS THE YEAR WE BEAT MISSISSIPPI TO THE PUNCH FOR THE WORD TWO STATES IN THE NATION THAT DO NOT HAVE A FREEDOM OF INFORMATION LAW IN ILLINOIS BECAME THE 49TH, WE WERE SO GRATEFUL NOT TO BE 50TH.

AS I SAID I HAVE WORKED ON THINGS LIKE CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM A HOST OF ISSUES OF EDUCATION REFORM BE ONE OF THEM.

>> Phil: LOW POINTS?

I BELIEVE YOU LET THE DEMOCRATIC EFFORTS IN THE IMPEACHMENT OF ROD BLAGOYAVICH.

>> Woman: IT WAS A SAD MOMENT FOR ILLINOIS, FOR DEMOCRACY, FOR MISTER BLAGOJEVICH AND HIS FAMILY.

IT WAS NOT EASY.

I THINK WE MADE THE RIGHT DECISION BUT IT WAS PAINFUL.

>> Phil: TO THE CONSENSUS WAS TOO LONG?

>> Barbara: I DON'T KNOW ENOUGH ABOUT THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM TO HAVE AN INDEPENDENT OPINION.

>> Phil: YOU MIGHT BE THE ONLY PERSON.

>> Barbara: MANY EXPERT SAY IT WAS WRONG BUT I DON'T KNOW ENOUGH TO BE SURE.

>> Phil: NOT TO GET SIDETRACKED ON ROD BLAGOJEVICH BUT SOME SPECULATED HE DEALT WITH NARCISSISTIC DISORDER?

>> Barbara: I HAVE HEARD THAT AND I THINK I AGREE WITH THE PSYCHIATRIC COMMUNITY WHEN THEY SAID WE OUGHT TO GO ABOUT NOT DIAGNOSING PEOPLE WE'VE NEVER MET AND TALKED TO.

IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE TOOLS TO DIAGNOSE, I CERTAINLY DON'T.

I AM NOT FIRST IN ALL IN PSYCHIATRY I WOULDN'T WANT TO MAKE ANY SUGGESTION ALONG THAT.

>> Phil: WHAT WILL IT TAKE FOR THE TWO SIDES TO WORK TOGETHER?

DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS USED MENTIONED PERSONALITY CAN BE AN ISSUE.

IT IS HIGHLY PERCEIVED THAT THE GOVERNOR AND SPEAKER DO NOT LIKE EACH OTHER.

>> Barbara: I DON'T KNOW IF THAT IS TRUE I KNOW THEY COME FROM DIFFERENT KINDS OF PLACES WHEN IT COMES TO VALUES IN GOVERNMENT.

I DO THINK THE CURRENT GOVERNOR IS NOT FAMILIAR ENOUGH WITH COMPROMISE AS A WAY OF LIFE.

COMPROMISE IS A WAY THE LEGISLATURE WORK IN THE WAY THE LEGISLATURE GETS DONE.

BUT, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT IS PERSONAL.IT MAY HAVE TO DO WITH HIS BACKGROUND, HIS BUSINESS EXPERIENCE WHERE AS I UNDERSTAND IT HE WAS A TAKEOVER PERSON.

AND HE COULD SAY YOU ARE FIRED AND DIDN'T HAVE TO WORK COLLABORATIVELY.

WHEREAS IN THE LEGISLATURE COLLABORATION IS THE NAME OF THE GAME.

>>> TO THINK HE IS OPERATING WITH THE MINDSET OF CEO AS OPPOSED TO A COLLABORATOR?

>> Barbara: IT LOOKS THAT WAY TO ME BUT I DON'T THINK IT IS PERSONALITY AS MUCH AS A DIFFERENT VISION OF WHAT GOVERNMENT IS FOR AND HOW GOVERNMENT HAPPEN.

>> Phil: TO CONSIDER THE SPEAKER TO BE A COLLABORATOR?

>> Barbara: ABSOLUTELY.

MARRIAGE EQUALITY AND THE END OF THE DEATH PENALTY.

HAVE HAPPENED IF WE DIDN'T HAVE A COLLABORATIVE SPEAKER.

>> Phil: WHAT WILL IT TAKE FOR THE TWO SIDES TO BE EFFECTIVE?

HONESTLY, I THINK THE STANDING OF THE LEGISLATURE AND PUBLIC OPINION IS NOT GOOD.

>> Barbara: IT IS NOT GOOD.

WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT WAYS TO MAKE IT BETTER.

THE FACT THE GOVERNOR SIGNED THE EDUCATION FINANCE BILL WAS A GOOD SIGN AS FAR AS PROGRESS.

THAT HE FAILED TO SUPPORT A BUDGET AFTER THREE YEARS.

IT WAS UNFORTUNATE.

IT IS ALL A LEARNING EXPERIENCE I KNOW HE HAS STUFF PEOPLE ON BOARD AND MAYBE THERE WILL BE A TURNAROUND UNDER THE BRUCE RAUNER ADMINISTRATION.

I THINK HE HAS A NOTION OF WHAT GOVERNMENT OUGHT TO DO AND WHAT OUGHT TO DO.

FOR EXAMPLE WHEN HE TALKS ABOUT THINGS LIKE CHANGES IN WORKERS COMPENSATION SYSTEM.

IT IS HARD FOR ME TO KNOW HOW FAR HE WANTS TO GO.

THERE ARE SOME STATES THAT SAY INJURED WORKERS GET TO GO TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM AND THAT IS IT.

I HOPE THAT IS NOT WHAT MISTER RAUNER IS ABOUT BUT IT IS HARD TO FIGURE OUT WHAT HE THINKS WOULD BE A GOOD WAY TO CHANGE THE WORKERS COMPENSATION SYSTEM WITHOUT MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR PEOPLE INJURED ON THE JOB TO GET ADEQUATE RECOMPENSE.

>> Phil: YOU STILL HAVE TIME ON THE JOB BUT HOW DO YOU WANT YOUR TENURE TO BE REMEMBERED IN THE LEGISLATURE?