 By a vote of 53-0, the Senate gave its nod to House amendments to Senate Bill
2039, sending the measure to the governor’s office, which then announced Gov.
Bruce Rauner had signed it.
While the state remains without an overall budget, the bill does authorize $3.1
billion in spending.
It includes about $2 billion in purpose-collected cash for costs such as local
road work, 911 centers and the like. It frees up the local shares of video
gaming and riverboat casino money.
Further, the legislation authorizes $1 billion to pay state lottery players,
who’ve had to accept vouchers for winnings larger than $600.
Additionally, the measure authorizes the use of about $28 million from the
state’s general funds to pay for items including energy bill assistance for the
needy.
Senate Bill 2039 also covers certain state government costs, most notably for
the secretary of state.
That office handles major, statewide services such as driver and vehicle
licensing and processes volumes of sensitive data. Secretary Jesse White’s staff
had warned of lapses in cyber-security should the state be unable to meet its
obligations to tech vendors and they were to stop providing services.
Among other things, the bill also helps fund the operations of Illinois State
Police and the agency’s crime labs, as well as to pay for certain statewide
police and fire training and shared services.
Discussion in the Senate was brief.
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 The sponsor, Democratic Sen. Tom Cullerton of Villa Park,
described the bill as a compromise negotiated among the four
legislative caucuses and the Republican governor’s office.
“This puts local money back into the hands of local government,”
Cullerton said.
Senate Republican Deputy Leader Matt Murphy said he hoped the
collaboration might indicate better days ahead for compromises and
perhaps for reaching a deal on an overall budget.
“What you see with this bill is, frankly, evidence that the governor
can reach across the aisle and that you can reach back and we can
all get on the same page and do good things together for the general
good of the people we all represent,” Murphy said.
Illinois is in the sixth month of fiscal year 2016 without a full
budget as the GOP and Democrats remain at loggerheads.
Meanwhile, the state is spending at a pace that could put it $5
billion into the red for this fiscal year as it funds primary and
secondary education, satisfies its debt service and pays for items
demanded by court orders, consent decrees and in continuing
appropriations.
The General Assembly is next scheduled to return to Springfield on
Jan. 13.
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