Kane County Reporter

The Illinois Senate and House have concluded their spring session, which saw the passage of 432 bills. These will be sent to Governor J.B. Pritzker for review over the coming weeks. The session's final day resulted in the approval of a $55.2 billion budget, an increase of $2 billion from the previous year, marking a significant rise in state spending under Governor Pritzker.

Senator Don DeWitte, a Republican budgeteer and Minority Spokesperson for the Senate Transportation Committee, described the last week as exceptionally busy due to budget discussions and public transit issues. He noted that state spending has grown by $15 billion since Governor Pritzker took office six years ago.

The new fiscal year begins on July 1, 2025, and includes approximately $1 billion in new tax increases. Some key allocations include maintaining funding levels for early childhood education and reducing community college board funding by $24 million. There is also an 80-cent-per-hour wage increase for direct support professionals serving intellectually and developmentally disabled individuals.

Efforts to reform public transit governance stalled despite lengthy negotiations. Senator DeWitte expressed concern about a proposed statewide delivery tax intended to support Chicago's transit system: “This is not shared responsibility,” he said in a joint statement with Senator Seth Lewis (R-Bartlett). The bill was not voted on by the House but could resurface during future sessions.

Several high-profile bills did not pass before adjournment but may be revisited later. These include measures related to relocating the Chicago Bears, legalizing assisted suicide, offering four-year degrees at community colleges, banning mobile phone use in classrooms, and homeschooling regulations.

With legislators returning to their districts, outreach events are planned throughout summer across various locations in Illinois' 33rd District.