Special session prospects still unclear as Pritzker is ‘cautiously optimistic’

[August 13, 2022]  By Greg Bishop | The Center Square

(The Center Square) – After saying there would be a special session “in the coming months,” it’s unclear if legislative leaders will make that happen.

In July, following the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling returning the issue of abortion to the states, Gov. J.B. Pritzker, House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch, D-Hillside, and Senate President Don Harmon, D-Oak Park, said they planned to “convene a special session in the coming months.”

“In the coming weeks, as the ripples of the decision to overturn Roe [v. Wade] are felt throughout the nation, we expect to get an acute sense of our needs and how Illinois can play an even more vital role in standing up for reproductive freedom,” the three said in a join statement July 5.

Weeks later, House Democrats announced closed-door working groups with only Democrats discussing a variety of issues, including gun control, social media and mental health.

Friday, when asked for an update on a special session, Pritzker said lawmakers continue their work behind closed doors.

“Working groups are hard at work in the House of Representatives, working on various aspects of legislation, working with advocates, listening to them,” Pritzker said at an unrelated news conference. “So we’re cautiously optimistic that they’ll be able to come up with ideas for us to be able to bring forward in a special session, or in veto session, or some of it may even be in the new year.”

Separately Friday, Senate President Don Harmon’s office said topics are still being discussed and no additional dates, outside of veto session in November, have been scheduled at this time.

A group of Republicans had previously urged a special session to be called to deal with the state’s remaining unemployment debt, which remains at $1.8 billion and costs taxpayers continued interest.

“The General Assembly’s decision to not pay off our UI Trust Fund debt in full this spring will negatively impact Illinoisans down the road,” Rep. Dan Ugaste, R-Geneva said in a July 12 news release. “Illinois residents are on the hook for $1.8 billion, which will result in future fiscal burdens that are preventable. [State Rep. Mike Marron, R-Fithian] and I are calling for this Special Session to avoid the unnecessary interest penalties and tax hikes that are tied to delaying this responsibility.”

State Rep. Tim Butler, R-Springfield, last month said he doesn’t think a special session will happen.

“And I think anything they put up on the board they will probably find very difficult to find the votes for,” Butler told WMAY.

Greg Bishop reports on Illinois government and other issues for The Center Square. Bishop has years of award-winning broadcast experience and hosts the WMAY Morning Newsfeed out of Springfield.