Springfield, IL (CAPITOL CITY NOW) – Just over three weeks remain in the Illinois General Assembly’s spring 2025 session. The main task each year is to put together a budget.
“This is going to be an incredibly difficult year, just as a baseline, before our budget negotiations are completely upended by a tweet,” said Senate President Don Harmon (D-Oak Park). “We’ve conditioned our members to understand how tight this budget year is going to be. This is a different year than last year or the year before.”
Harmon was part of the program for the Illinois Manufacturers’ Association and Illinois Retail Merchants Association‘s joint conference in Springfield, as was House Minority Leader Tony McCombie (R-Savanna).
“I think our top three priorities should be, and are, in our caucus public safety, education, and then serving our most vulnerable,” McCombie said. “That third piece is where we have a lot of debates, because what is considered our most vulnerable certainly changes between our side of the aisle and the other.”
Republicans object to the Pritzker administration’s funding of health care for undocumented immigrants.
The IMA-IRMA Business Day conference customarily includes all four legislative leaders. House Speaker Chris Welch (D-Hillside) said he has told House Democrats not to be surprised if they are called back to the Capitol after the May 31 adjournment, depending on what happens in Washington. And Senate Minority Leader John Curran (R-Downers Grove) said he is heartened Gov. JB Pritzker appears to be taking a more “prudent” approach toward this year’s budget, seeing as how revenues are slowing down.
The legislature is scheduled to adjourn May 31. The new fiscal year begins July 1.
