The best ideas for new laws often come not from legislators, but from the people who vote them into office, U.S. Rep. Peter Roskam, R-6th District, of Wheaton said Monday.

Roskam held a press conference Monday at Erickson Elementary School in Bloomingdale to announce what he is calling the “There oughta be a law” initiative.

The idea is to get constituents to propose new laws via the Internet. Roskam will then select the best five ideas and give constituents a chance to vote for the idea they think is best. He will introduce the winner as a bill in Congress, possibly as soon as this summer, he said.

Suggestions that need to be addressed on the state level will be passed off to the appropriate state legislators.

“We represent very bright, entrepreneurial, capable people,” Roskam said. “Part of this effort ... is to enter in and enhance the conversation that we have with our constituents.”

Joining Roskam at the press conference were Republican state Sens. Dan Cronin, 21st District, of Elmhurst; Kirk Dillard, 24th District, of Hinsdale; Christine Radogno, 41st District, of Lemont; and Carole Pankau, 23rd District, of Itasca; Republican state Reps. Randy Ramey, 55th District, of Carol Stream and Sandra Pihos, 42nd District, of Glen Ellyn; and Bloomingdale Mayor Bob Iden.

While he acknowledged the initiative is a “new call on an old idea,” Roskam said he hopes to engage voters online.

“There’s a lot of interest in Internet democracy,” he said, citing the popularity of Web sites like YouTube and Facebook.

Cronin said that on the state level, the initiative might help add momentum to legislation that has been trapped in committee. If a number of constituents express interest in an issue that is addressed in an existing bill, it might help that bill get called for a vote in the House or Senate, he said.

“This is a way to bring people into the process,” Cronin said.

All the legislators at Monday’s press conference gave examples of issues that were raised by constituents that became the impetus for new laws.

For example, Radogno said she was approached by residents of her district involved with Darien Youth Club Baseball. Because of a state law, the league was unable to pay its umpires $10 per game.

“We were able to get the law changed to allow those kids to earn a little bit of money,” Radogno said. “I never would have known about that were it not for my constituents.”

Roskam said he hopes to draw on the experience and expertise of residents in his district to create new laws. While many voters contact him to support or oppose existing bills, he said he hopes they will begin to offer new ideas to solve problems.

“What we’re trying to do is extend a listening ear to solution-oriented ideas, particularly based on their life experience,” Roskam said.