At left: Rep. Ted E. Leverenz (D-51, Maywood) clowns in front of Rep. Judy Koehler (R-89, Henry) as she speaks on the House floor. With the TV cameras rolling trying to zoom in on Koehler, who is the GOP nominee for U.S. Senate, Leverenz and other House Democrats try to steal her show. Below: Hugh Hill, reporter for WLS-TV Channel 7 in Chicago, broadcasts live during the session from the House gallery.

The General Assembly

circa June 30, 1986

During the final days of the spring legislative session, the tension and power surrounding the last-minute deals cannot be captured on film, hut these photographs do show the scenes: the chambers, the galleries. And the players: legislators, staff, lobbyists, reporters, the governor. These are photographs taken June 30 and July 1 and 2 by the official photographers of the four legislative leaders: Martin H. Simon, House Democrats: Randy Squires, House Republicans: Ken Burnette, Senate Democrats: and Jay Barnard, Senate Republicans.

Below: In the Senate chamber, with the galleries packed, Sen. Richard F. Kelly Jr. (D-39, Hazel Crest) leans on the edge of his colleague's desk while conferring with Sen. Timothy F. Degnan (D-ll, Chicago).

August & September 1986/Illinois Issues/37

At left: Sen. John A. Davidson (R-50, Springfield) addressing the Senate during session.

At right: From left are Sen. John A. D'Arco Jr. (D-10, Chicago), Sen. LeRoy W. Lemke (D-24, Chicago) and Rep. John T. O'Connell (D-47, Western Springs).

Above: Senate President Philip J. Rock (D-8, Oak Park) confers with staff from the president's chair.

Above: Sen. Roger A. Keats (R-29, Glencoe), at left, explains a point to his leader, Senate Minority Leader James "Pate" Philip (R-23, Wood Dale).

Above: Sen. Emil Jones Jr. (D-17, Chicago), at the front of the Senate chamber, talks to a reporter in the press gallery. At right: Addressing the chamber is Sen. Aldo A. DeAngelis (R-40, Olympia Fields).

38/August & September 1986/IIIinois Issues

At right: Rep. Andrew J. McGann (D-29, Chicago), left, with Rep. Frank Giglio (D-77, Calumet City). At left: A stack of bills.

Above: House Minority Leader Rep. Lee A. Daniels (R-46, Elmhurst), in the center, talks with, from left, Rep. Thomas W. Ewing (R-87, Pontiac), Rep. Myron J. Olson (R-70, Dixon) and Rep. Virginia Fiester Frederick (R-59, Lake Forest). At right: House Speaker Michael J. Madigan (D-30, Chicago) in the speaker's chair, at right, shares a laugh with Rep. E.J. "Zeke" Giorgi (D-68, Rockford).

Above: Rep. Mary Lou Cowlishaw (R-41, Naperville) in discussion on the House floor with Rep. Gene Hoffman (R-40, Elmhurst). At right: Rep. "Chuck" Pangle (D-86, Bradley) mugs to the camera, but the session isn't over yet.

August & September 1986/Illinois Issues/39

At right: Gov. James R. Thompson is surrounded by reporters outside the chambers, asking the same question: Does he have a deal?

Below: It was around 2 a.m. July 2 when the session Anally ended — too late for Luke Phelps, son of Rep. David D. Phelps (R-118, Eldorado), who slept through the end. His mother, Leslie Phelps, patiently waits for adjournment.

At right: The session ends, and behind that crowd of reporters on the House floor is Speaker Madigan. Asleep at the end on the bench is a House page.

Below: The lobbyists are gone from the rotunda rail on the third floor, but the rail gets a polish before dawn on June 2. It's ready for the next legislative session.

40/August & September 1986/Illinois Issues