Senate week in review         

[OCT. 26, 2005]  SPRINGFIELD -- Contract abuses, a taxpayer-subsidized health insurance program and budget concerns are among the issues on the agenda as lawmakers return to Springfield to consider Gov. Rod Blagojevich's vetoes of legislation passed this spring, according to state Sen. Larry Bomke, R-Springfield. The six-day fall veto session runs Oct. 25-27 and Nov. 2-4.

Senate Republicans are working with legislators in the House of Representatives to develop a comprehensive ethics reform package that targets questionable practices by the Blagojevich administration in awarding state contracts, as well as other ethical breaches. Among other provisions, the package would target the abuse of no-bid contracts by restricting "emergency" purchases, give more businesses the opportunity to bid for state contracts, and bring more sunshine to the system by requiring contracts to disclose the names of company owners.

The governor has indicated he will push for passage of his All Kids health care insurance program, which would provide coverage for uninsured children. Bomke says the goal is laudable, but lawmakers need significantly more information about the program.

The governor's office estimates the All Kids program will cost the state $45 million the first year; however, industry experts assert the program could cost taxpayers upwards of $100 million. The administration proposes to pay for the program by moving a majority of the state's Medicaid recipients into a managed-care system, yet there are concerns that expanding the already-troubled Medicaid system will further delay payments to state health care providers. Currently Illinois owes $1.5 billion to health care providers throughout the state.

Given the huge backlog of bills, Senate Republicans also have questions about the state budget. Just three months into the fiscal year, the state is taking out a $1.1 billion short-term loan to pay Medicaid vendors, who have been waiting many months for the state to reimburse them. Senate Republicans agree that the vendors must be paid but are concerned about the need for such a huge loan so soon after Democrats "balanced" the budget. With the current loan, Blagojevich will have compiled $4.2 billion in short-term loans in less than three years. In the 20 years prior to Blagojevich taking office, the state of Illinois had a grand total of $4.9 billion in short-term loans.

[News release from Sen. Larry Bomke]

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