Springfield, IL – This week, the Illinois Senate advanced controversial legislation that State Senator Dale Righter (R-Mattoon) said will postpone the Governor’s annual budget message until March 10.
The budget address was originally scheduled for Feb. 17; however, the Governor asked for more time, saying that pushing the budget address back will allow him additional time to gather more accurate revenue estimates for the next fiscal year. Senate Republicans dispute that contention, noting that delaying the address will do nothing to expedite the budget process and will simply further defer action on the state’s mounting fiscal crisis.
Under the provisions of House Bill 2240, the governor will be required to file a written report to be presented to the General Assembly prior to Feb. 24. Legislators will be allowed to make written budget recommendations to be submitted to the governor between Feb. 24 and March 10, which would then be posted on the Governor’s Web site.
Although the legislation was portrayed as encouraging a more open budget process, critics noted that the Quinn administration has consistently ignored laws already on the books that were designed to give the public and lawmakers an opportunity to review the state’s finances.
Senator Righter said that the Governor’s Office has failed to produce three reports required by new laws passed last spring. Senate Bill 54 requires the Governor to post Quarterly Financial Reports on the Internet, which would include an assessment of the state’s financial position and projections of revenue and the Illinois economy. At this point, the Governor has not complied with the new law—the most recent report posted was a review of Fiscal Year 2009, more than six months ago.
Additionally, the Governor has not provided mandated Capital Accountability Law Reports, or quarterly reports on the status of all capital projects. House Bill 255 requires this report to be given to party leaders on the first day of each quarter, so the first report should have been disseminated on Oct. 1, 2009 with a second report handed out on Jan. 1, 2010.
House Bill 255 also requires the Governor to post online summaries of financial information given to rating agencies and potential investors. These must be posted on the Internet and given to legislative leaders within 10 business days after the information was given to rating agencies and investors. However, this has not been done.
Critics questioned the effectiveness of passing additional laws when the Governor isn’t following those already on the books. This financial information would be extremely helpful when lawmakers prepare to begin working on the Fiscal Year 2011 budget, yet the Quinn administration has yet to comply with the laws.
Despite objections the legislation received enough votes for passage.
This week, Illinois Senate committees also approved the following legislation:
Bonds (SB 2603): Allows Conservation Districts and Downstate Forest Preservation Districts to issue 25-year bonds, instead of the 20-year bonds they are currently permitted to issue.
Repeal Date Extension (SB 2802): Extends the repeal date of the Business Enterprise for Minorities, Females, and Persons with Disabilities Act from June 30, 2010, to June 30, 2012.
Census (SR 561): Urges citizens to complete the federal Census survey by April 1, 2010.
CountyGovernment (SB 2527): Allows counties to utilize unused Rental Housing Support Program funds.
Task Force (SB 2533): Decreases the three-year pilot program of the Child Death Investigation Task Force in Southern Illinois to an 18-month pilot program.
TANF Training (SB 2545): Exempts certain individuals from participating in the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) education, training and employment program.
Level of Privilege (SB 2504): Codifies the current Department of Human Services practice requiring a court to order specifying the level of privilege for a criminal defendant committed to DHS non-secure custody for being found unfit to stand trial or be sentenced due to a mental condition. Level of privilege is the eligibility of the defendant for an on-grounds pass, supervised off-grounds pass, unsupervised off-grounds pass and placement setting.
Board of Trustees (SB 2581): Eliminates the Board of Trustees of the Illinois Bank Examiners’ Education Foundation and transfers those duties to the State Banking Board, while also reducing the size of the Board from 17 to 12 members.
Metro-East Sanitation (SB 2520): Allows the Metro-East Sanitary District to annex property into the district by ordinance. The annexed property is subject to district taxes and regulations.
