Illinois House votes to approve new state budget on last day of session

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WICS/WRSP) – The Illinois House has joined the Senate in approving a new state budget for fiscal year 2024.

Representatives considered the budget bill (SB250) and the budget implementation bill (HB3817) just after midnight on Saturday morning, with the House addressing the budget implementation bill first.

HB3817 passed with a vote of 73-38 after nearly an hour of debate on the floor.

The money bill was picked up by lawmakers immediately after the enforcement bill was voted on at 1:20 a.m.

It also passed with a vote of 73 to 38 at 2:35 a.m.

The vote comes after House Republican leaders held a press conference on Friday afternoon saying their caucus would not support the budget that had been presented.

As with the Senate GOP caucus, House Republicans have expressed concerns that the budget does not include an expansion of the Invest in Kids program that provides scholarships to low-income families.

Another issue also raised by many GOP members was money given to municipalities through the Local Government Distribution Fund (LGDF).

This fund is the portion of state income tax that is paid to municipalities instead of collecting separate income tax.

When the LGDF was first created, municipalities received 10% of income tax collected by the state before the rate was removed in 2011 and 2017.

While the budget includes an increase in the rate from 6.1% to 6.4%, Republicans wonder why the rate was not reduced to 10%.

Democrats say while they want the rate to keep rising, dropping it to 10% this year was unsustainable.

The new state budget also includes investments in education through the governor’s Smart Start program, more funding for higher education, a $2.50 per hour increase for service providers. persons with disabilities and an increase for legislators in the General Assembly.

The $50 billion budget still needs to be signed by Governor JB Pritzker and will go into effect July 1.

Governor Pritzker issued a statement just minutes after the House vote, commending lawmakers for their work on the new budget.

I thank Speaker Welch, Chief Jehan Gordon-Booth and all MPs who voted today in favor of our fifth balanced budget. This budget reaffirms our shared commitment to fiscal responsibility while making transformative investments in Illinois children and families that will be felt for years to come. I look forward to signing this budget to make child care and education more accessible, health care more affordable, and our state’s business and economic position even stronger.

The House and Senate have now adjourned for the summer.

Source