Senate OKs plan to donate Obama's state Senate belongings

SPRINGFIELD-The Illinois Senate Thursday unanimously signed off on legislation that would permit the state to donate or loan items once used by former state Sen. Barack Obama to his presidential library.

The measure, sponsored by Senate President John Cullerton, D-Chicago, passed 58-0 and now moves to the House.

“Currently, under state law, any surplus property in the Senate’s possession must be transferred by secretary of the Senate to Central Management Services for disposition pursuant to the State Property Control Act. They do not have authority to donate surplus property,” Cullerton told colleagues on the Senate floor.

“Therefore, I’ve introduced this bill to allow the secretary of the Senate to loan donate any books, furniture or any other items of state Sen. Barack Obama to a presidential library or museum on terms the secretary of the Senate believes is in the best interest of the state,” he said.

While Obama and his supporters have not identified where his presidential library will be built, Cullerton touted the state’s chances of landing the complex.

“We fully expect this presidential library will be in the state of Illinois when the decision is made early next year,” he said.