Illinois in Focus

With increased spending on legislator pay, local governments, K-12 and higher education and other programs, Illinois’ budget for the coming fiscal year is the largest in state history and ready for the governor’s desk. The House passed the $50.6 billion state budget early Saturday along party lines, 73-38. The Senate approved the plan late Thursday mostly along party lines. Despite statehouse corruption on full display with guilty verdicts against four individuals in the “ComEd Four” bribery trial, Illinois legislators left Springfield without sweeping ethics reforms.

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Topping $50 billion, Illinois Democrats say they have reached a budget agreement. The proposed fiscal 2024 budget is similar to what Gov. J.B. Pritzker unveiled earlier this year. It includes $700 million for K-12 and early childhood education, and an additional $100 million so those under the median income can go to community college tuition free but at taxpayer expense. While legislators are advancing legislation to shore up ethics concerns with the red light camera industry in Illinois, some are looking for even more ethics reforms. Illinois citizens wanting to sue the state for alleged violations of the constitution would only be able to file their complaints in Sangamon or Cook counties with a bill advancing in Springfield.

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With Friday being the last scheduled day for the spring session at the Illinois Statehouse, lawmakers have yet to reveal a state budget for taxpayers to review. Last year's budget was over 3,000 pages and was presented by the Democratic majority to Republicans at the last moment, giving the public no time to review it. Opposition is growing over a piece of legislation advancing in Springfield that would allow for punitive damages in wrongful death cases. Chicago remains the nation’s third most populated city, but it was No. 2 in the total number of people leaving the city limits.

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A report detailing Illinois' budget forecast is warning of a huge drop in state revenues. The Illinois Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability said April receipts fell $1.8 billion compared to the same month the year prior. The COGFA report said while a substantial decline in revenues was anticipated, the extent of the decline is much steeper than the commission had projected. The news comes as lawmakers are putting together an annual spending plan as the spring legislative session winds down. After last week's "ComEd Four" guilty verdicts that dealt directly with corruption at the Illinois statehouse, the call for ethics reforms continue to grow.

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A federal jury on Tuesday convicted four top lobbyists and executives at a state-regulated utility in Illinois' highest-profile corruption case since former Gov. Rod Blagojevich was convicted 13 years ago. The jury convicted the defendants on all counts in the case in which prosecutors alleged former state lawmaker and lobbyist Michael McClain, former ComEd CEO Anne Pramaggiore, former ComEd lobbyist John Hooker and former contract lobbyist Jay Doherty were involved in a multi-year scheme to gain longtime former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan’s support for legislation that would benefit the utility's bottom line.

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In his first address before a full joint session of the General Assembly since before the pandemic, Gov. J.B. Pritzker presented his State of the State and budget address Wednesday. Included was a $49.6 billion budget proposal, an increase in spending by over $3 billion from last year’s budget. With the threat of a possible recession on the horizon, some are worried that Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s proposed budget is trending toward future tax hikes. 

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Some downstate Illinois lawmakers are voicing concerns over Chicago Mayor-elect Brandon Johnson’s proposed spending spree. Johnson told lawmakers they must commit to working together if both the city and state are to succeed. He said his time at the statehouse is about building a better, stronger and safer Chicago by establishing a strong foundation for collaboration. The Illinois Supreme Court has denied a motion to disqualify two justices from hearing a challenge to the state's new gun ban over perceived conflicts of interest. The two justices also declined to recuse themselves.

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After hours of oral arguments Wednesday, a federal judge now has the case challenging Illinois’ gun ban with a ruling on a preliminary injunction expected in the weeks ahead. Plaintiffs say they are confident they’ll get the law overturned. A new report on U.S. state’s economic outlook paints a bleak picture for Illinois. Former ComEd CEO Anne Pramaggiore is expected to take the stand as part of her own defense as early as Thursday as the federal corruption probe targeting her and three other defendants continues to unfold.

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Because of “unreasonably large campaign contributions” to then-candidates and now sitting justices on the Illinois Supreme Court from lead defendants in the case challenging the state’s gun ban, plaintiffs are seeking two judges recusal. The state of Illinois has been given an extension to the deadline it has to file an appeal of a circuit court’s ruling in a case over when the state can suspend someone’s Firearm Owner ID Card. The Illinois Freedom Caucus is calling for an ethics investigation into what one member called “shenanigans.” 

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As population growth in the nation’s largest counties rebounded in 2022, Illinois continued to see population losses. According to the U.S. Census Bureau’s Vintage 2022 estimates, 92 of Illinois' 102 counties lost residents from July 2021 to July of last year. Cook County lost a staggering 68,314 people, the second highest total by number in the country behind only Los Angeles County. Defense attorney Scott Lassar opened his cross-examination of prosecution star witness Fidel Marquez on Wednesday in the second week of the “ComEd Four” corruption trial by directly asking him if he had ever witnessed alleged plot ringleader Mike Madigan directly pass or block legislation on the utility giant’s behalf. With about a week before Chicago voters choose a new mayor, a new poll shows Paul Vallas with a 5-point lead over Brandon Johnson. The WGN-TV poll shows Vallas at 46% to Johnson’s 41%, with 13% of likely voters still undecided. Vallas has built an advantage among older voters. The former CEO of Chicago Public Schools and budget director for Mayor Richard M. Daley has the backing of just over 50% of likely voters 65 and older.

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