East Central Reporter

House Republicans have called for the enactment of a $52.1 billion balanced State of Illinois budget for FY 2025, citing concerns over the state's fiscal health. The proposed budget is in line with subsection (b) of Section 2 of Article VIII of the Illinois Constitution, which mandates that appropriations for a fiscal year shall not exceed funds estimated by the General Assembly to be available during that year.

Critics have voiced their disapproval over Governor Pritzker's spending habits, stating, “Pritzker’s budget has increased by $13 billion since he took office, yet the borrowing, taxing, and spending continues. It’s the same playbook of making life worse for the hard-working taxpayers and businesses.”

The House and Senate are directed under subsection (a) of Section 4 of the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability Act to adopt or modify the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability’s State revenue estimates for the fiscal year as may be appropriate. This estimate will constitute the General Assembly’s estimate of funds available during the next fiscal year.

However, it has been a decade since the General Assembly followed this constitutional mandate by adopting a revenue estimate via joint resolution. In 2014 (FY 2015), HJR 100 set forth revenue estimates of $31.1 billion in total State revenue and $4.3 billion in federal revenue, amounting to an estimated total revenue of $35.4 billion.

The Governor’s Office of Management and Budget (GOMB) projected an FY 2025 General Funds revenue total of $52.993 billion in its FY 2025 Budget Book. However, this figure was contested by the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability (CGFA), which published an FY 2025 revenue estimate of $52.077 billion - $916 million lower than GOMB’s estimate.

CGFA's revenue estimate is based on current law while GOMB's projection includes a number of revenue adjustments that would require changes to State law. The net value of these revenue adjustments is approximately $1.1 billion. The Governor’s proposed tax hikes face significant opposition from both parties in the General Assembly.

In light of this, the Constitution authorizes the General Assembly to appropriate no more than $52.077 billion to meet the FY 2025 general funds spending commitments of the State of Illinois. Deputy Republican Leader Norine Hammond and the House Republican Caucus have filed a Joint Resolution, HJR 72, seeking to adopt CGFA’s revenue estimate for FY 2025 and calling upon the General Assembly to enact a budget that meets its Constitutional requirements.

In other news, plans are underway for the State of Illinois to create a new Department of Early Childhood. This department will specialize in early childhood programs currently within the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS), the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS), and the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE).

The transition process, which will take place over two years, begins with the enactment of Senate Bill 1. The new department will oversee early intervention services, home-visiting programs, child care and day care licensing, as well as administer programs such as Preschool for All initiative.

However, some House Republicans have raised concerns about allocating $13 million to this transitional program without fully planning out all aspects of this interdepartmental merger.

Meanwhile, a lawsuit has been filed against alleged abuse at State juvenile justice centers seeking substantial monetary damages for alleged acts of sexual abuse involving residents and detainees.

House Republicans have also expressed concern over continued licensing delays by the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (DFPR). They argue that professionals need an up-to-date license in order to legally do their jobs and that DFPR's slow response times when processing new licenses or renewals pose significant legal liability risks.

Lastly, Democrats have been criticized for their lack of support for the Invest in Kids Program, which resulted in about 10,000 students losing their scholarships to private schools. Critics argue that supporting children and offering them a chance at a better education should be a bipartisan issue.