IL Senate 2009 review and new laws

[February 04, 2010]  SPRINGFIELD -- As 2009 comes to an end, state Sen. Larry Bomke, R-Springfield, is reflecting on some of the year's biggest issues and looking ahead to those that lawmakers will address in the coming year.

One of the most highly publicized news stories of 2009 was the first-ever impeachment of a sitting governor -- Rod Blagojevich. The Senate Tribunal voted unanimously (59-0) on Jan. 29 to remove Blagojevich from office and then voted, again unanimously, to disqualify him from holding future public office in Illinois.

Bomke said that the former governor's removal provided an unprecedented opportunity for reformation in Illinois; however, it will take years for Illinois to recover from the flawed policies, programs and rampant corruption that were advanced by the Blagojevich administration.

A particular frustration for many Republican legislators was that even though Blagojevich was impeached and removed from office, neither Gov. Pat Quinn nor legislative Democrats took any steps to reverse the programs and policies put into place under Blagojevich. Even programs that directly led to the former governor's impeachment remain untouched nearly a year later.

The state budget remained a key issue throughout the year. Republican lawmakers stressed that the escalating deficit was created by fiscal mismanagement, creating and expanding programs despite waning revenues, and Illinois' massive obligations to the state's pension systems and the Medicaid program.

If state pension payments are made next year, Bomke said the budget hole will expand to more than $10 billion. Illinois' retirement systems are some of the worst funded in the nation, and because the state's pension obligations are so high, pension payments will cost taxpayers more than $5 billion in the next year alone. Senate Republicans have consistently advocated for pension reforms, which they say will provide billions of dollars of savings.

Additionally, the state's Medicaid obligations are the fastest growing expense in the state budget, consuming almost one-third of the state's budget and even surpassing education. Throughout his tenure as governor, Blagojevich continuously expanded Medicaid without properly funding it. However, the current administration continues to finance the program at current levels without advancing any cost-cutting solutions.

Bomke said reform ideas like managed care, modest copays, restrictions on emergency room use, verifying eligibility and reasonable-means testing would significantly cut down program costs, while also improving quality and access to medical care for Medicaid recipients.

Despite budget conflicts, lawmakers did come together to negotiate the first capital construction program in 10 years. The program will finance many improvements to Illinois' transportation infrastructure, as well as school construction and local government projects -- creating new jobs in the process.

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Click here for a list of laws that became effective Jan. 1.

[Text from file sent on behalf of Sen. Larry Bomke by Illinois Senate Republican staff]