Illinois Senate approves $53.1 billion budget plan

SPRINGFIELD — The state Senate on Sunday night approved a $53.1 billion budget that largely mirrored Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s budget proposal and priorities — a point of contention for state Republicans. 

Just before 10 p.m. the Democrat-led Senate voted 38-21 to approve the spending plan. A revenue measure — which will raise $865 million — passed 37-22 and a budget implementation measure was approved 41-18.

The Illinois House on Saturday opted to adjourn for the holiday weekend and return later in the week to approve the budget. But Illinois Senate President Don Harmon, D-Oak Park, has repeatedly said that Democrats in the House and Senate are working in unison on the spending plan.

Democrats called their spending plan “fair” and a “statement of our priorities," despite it exceeding Pritzker's initial budget proposal by $400 million.

It also includes cost-of-living pay raises for lawmakers — and no action on pension reform.

"With this budget, we continue to create the economic climate that has led to nine credit rating upgrades and an economy that tops $1 trillion. This budget addresses the challenges we face today, while preparing us for the next generation," state Sen. Elgie Sims, the Democrats' chief budget negotiator, said during debate. "It reflects our values and our commitment to making Illinois a better place to live, work and raise a family."

Republicans called it "another example of a long list of misplaced priorities." Sen. Don DeWitte, R-St. Charles, said the state’s priorities come “from a governor that refuses to control spending and continues to view the taxpayers of Illinois and the businesses of this state as his personal ATM machine to fund a political wishlist as he shines his lights on his trek to Washington.”

Other Republicans complained that the budget prioritizes the migrant crisis and the undocumented — $182 million for migrants and $440 million in healthcare costs for undocumented people — over Illinois citizens.

“Thanks to the use of executive orders and moving funds around, it’s impossible for us to get a full accounting on migrant spending over the past year,” said Sen. Sally Turner, R-Beason.

Senators also approved a bond authority and local government package that would complement the required appropriations, revenue and budget implementation bills. The local government measure included the elimination of a 1 percent grocery tax, which was postponed until January 2026 after negotiations. Municipalities would also be able to implement their own grocery tax up to 1 percent without a referendum and without requiring fees. The grocery tax elimination was included in Pritzker’s budget proposal in February.

Budget aside, senators in rapid succession voted on bills with large implications, including a measure that effectively bans delta-8 products and another that reforms the Illinois Prisoner Review Board in response to the tragic death of 11-year-old Jayden Perkins.

The prisoner review board measure, which unanimously passed the Senate 58-0, was a bipartisan effort — and would require the board to livestream some of its meetings, a change that Pritzker’s office had been lobbying against.

“This is a bill that has unified Democrats and Republicans across the ideological spectrum because it poses common-sense discipline on the prisoner review board,” Harmon said.

Pritzker’s office on Saturday said it planned to issue an executive order with prisoner review board reforms that were agreed upon in a House measure.

Earlier, lawmakers cleared an omnibus cannabis measure that made changes to the 2020 measure that first legalized marijuana in the state. Although the legislation initially included language that would have allowed for cannabis to be sold for medical reasons at all state dispensaries, an amendment stripped that expansion. The Cannabis Business Association of Illinois said it will keep pushing for expanded access for medical patients.

The Senate also approved a measure that will ban the sale of delta-8 products from being sold — except at state-licensed cannabis dispensaries. The unregulated products won’t be sold in places like gas stations and other shops beginning July 1 if the measure clears the House.

The regulation of the hemp-derived THC products would be regulated the same way cannabis is, with taxing, testing and possession limits. It would also place regulations on hemp processors and craft growers so that people will know the contents of products they're consuming, sponsors said.