The lieutenant governor’s office is so important that the last one succeeded an impeached governor. But it’s so unimportant that two previous ones quit out of boredom.

If the Illinois Senate follows the lead of the House, the state’s voters would determine whether to abolish the office entirely. Sponsoring State Rep. David McSweeney (R-Barrington Hills) says if a governor leaves by death, resignation, or impeachment, the line of succession would have the attorney general installed in his or her place.

Calling the office a “luxury,” McSweeney asked, “Would you rather fund basic social services, would you rather cut taxes for small businesses, or would you rather fund the $1,847,000 that we spend in 2013 on the office of the lieutenant governor?”

The amendment comes just four years after incumbent Gov. Pat Quinn rose to office from the position of lieutenant governor.

“Simply to say we should abolish an office simply because we want to save a few million dollars,” said State Rep. Lou Lang (D-Skokie), “when we’ve seen over the last several years that there’s been a need for a smooth transition, it seems to me that this is not a good thing to do.”

HJRCA 18 has passed the House, 83-28-2.

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