Democratic leaders are in a bruising battle with Gov. Rauner over the budget and the future of the state. But looming over the summer session in Springfield is a possible government shutdown if there's no budget agreement by the end of June. There's an approximate $4 billion hole in the current version of the spending plan. And with partisan rhetoric at a fever pitch, is compromise even possible? Here to give us the latest on the negotiations and issues is Senate President John Cullerton.
The Illinois Constitution requires the governor to prepare and submit a state budget to the General Assembly. By law, the governor must present his recommended budget to the General Assembly no later than the third Wednesday in February each year. According to the Commission on Government Forecasting & Accountability, “appropriation bills require an immediate effective date in order to be available for expenditure at the beginning of the fiscal year, July 1.” If the General Assembly does not approve a budget bill on or before May 31, a three-fifths vote is required in order for the bill to take effect immediately.
View a chart highlighting the budget process for previous fiscal years.
| Fiscal Year | Governor's Presentation | House's Approval | Senate's Approval | Governor's Approval |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Pat Quinn: 3/26/2014 | 5/30/2014 | 5/30/2014 | 6/30/2014 |
| 2014 | Pat Quinn: 3/6/2013 | 5/31/2013 | 5/31/2013 |
6/19/2013-6/27/2013 Governor approves various appropriation bills and the budget implementation bill 7/2/2013 and 7/10/2013 Governor issues several line item vetoes |
| 2013 | Pat Quinn: 2/22/2012 | 5/30/2012 | 5/31/2012 | 6/30/2012 |
| 2012 | Pat Quinn: 2/16/2011 | 5/31/2011 | 6/1/2011 | 6/30/2011 |
| 2011 | Pat Quinn: 3/10/2010 | 5/27/2010 | 5/27/2010 | 7/1/2010 |
| 2010 | Pat Quinn: 3/18/2010 |
|
|
|
| 2009 | Rod Blagojevich: 2/20/2008 | 5/29/2008 | 5/31/2008 | 7/9/2008 Governor uses line item veto and signs budget bill |
| 2008 | Rod Blagojevich: 3/27/2007 |
|
|
|
Last Friday, the Rauner administration issued a statement outlining the additional steps it will take to prepare for the Madigan-Cullerton budget, which is nearly $4 billion short for fiscal year 2016 that begins July 1. Earlier this month, the Rauner administration detailed steps it would take in response to the budget passed by House Speaker Michael Madigan, Senate President John Cullerton, and their caucuses.
Read the release from the Rauner administration.
House Speaker Mike Madigan, Senate President John Cullerton and their caucuses two weeks ago finished passing a budget with a $4 billion hole.
Since that time, Speaker Madigan and President Cullerton have refused to pass real, compromise reforms that will grow the economy, pay down the debt and end the era of wasteful spending and broken budgets while implementing parliamentary maneuvers to keep the governor from acting on the budget bills.
In preparation for the possibility of having no budget on July 1, or a budget with a $4 billion hole, the Administration is initiating its second round of steps to responsibly manage the state’s finances. However, the options available to the Administration remain limited because the Madigan-Cullerton budget includes no reforms.
“Governor Rauner has compromised repeatedly, but Speaker Madigan and the politicians he controls continue to block any real reform,” Rauner spokesman Lance Trover said. “It’s deeply troubling to see that Speaker Madigan remains committed to sacrificing the middle class in order to protect the political class.”
Statewide
Action Initiated
- Notify all State of Illinois vendors to prepare for the potential of a longer delay in receiving payments for goods and services provided to the State.
Effective July 1, 2015
- Suspend capital projects, including construction at state facilities, schools and colleges.
- Suspend all capital grants for legislators’ earmarks and non-bonded or “pay as you go” capital projects.
- This freeze does not include road and other Department of Transportation projects.
- Significantly reduce use of outside legal counsel by eliminating and/or reducing legal contracts.
Department of Healthcare and Family Services
Action Initiated
- Reinstate timely re-determinations of Medicaid eligibility.
- Roll back rates for ambulance services and renal care services to SMART-Act levels.
- Reduce managed care capitation rates.
- Discontinue special Medicaid payments to some hospitals.
- Increase eligibility threshold (Determination of Need Score) to a level more consistent with national eligibility levels.
- Achieve cost savings using new procurement strategy for purchasing durable medical equipment.
Department of Natural Resources
Effective September 1, 2015
- Suspend operations at the World Shooting Recreational Complex (WSRC) near Sparta. The site will become closed to the public and not available for events.
- All events scheduled through August 2015, including the Grand American, will not be impacted by this action.
Department of Agriculture
Effective July 1, 2015
- Suspend funding to county fairs for premiums and fairground rehabilitation projects.
- Suspend funding for agricultural extension and 4-H clubs for premiums at agricultural shows.
- Suspend funding for premiums for Agricultural Education Fairs.
- Suspend funding for the University of Illinois Cooperative Extension Service.
- Suspend funding to the Soil and Water Conservation Districts.
Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority
Effective July 1, 2015
- Suspend funding to Choose Chicago for tourism promotion.
Department of State Police
Effective July 1, 2015
- Suspend FY16 initiative to purchase new forensic equipment.
Office of State Fire Marshal
Effective July 1, 2015
- Suspend funding for the Chicago Fire Department training program.
- Suspend reimbursements for fire department training to other local governments.
- Suspend funding for small fire-fighting and ambulance equipment grants.
Criminal Justice Information Authority
Effective July 1, 2015
- Suspend the following legislative earmarks:
- YouthBuild grants;
- Bullying Prevention grants;
- Franklin County Methamphetamine Pilot Program; and
- South Suburban Major Crimes Taskforce.
- Suspend statewide funding for Operation CeaseFire.
- Suspend funding for Motor Vehicle Theft Prevention grants.
Department of Human Services
Effective July 1, 2015
- Suspend funding for Community Services for juvenile delinquency program serving youth and young adults administered by the Chicago Area Project.
- Suspend funding for Immigrant Integration Services. Access to the Department’s programs will continue through local offices.
- Suspend funding for Welcoming Centers. Access to the Department’s programs will continue through local offices.
- Suspend funding for the Youth Employment legislative earmark.
Department of Public Health
Effective July 1, 2015
- Suspend funding for Brothers and Sisters United Against HIV.
- Suspend funding to the Tobacco Quitline.
Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity
Effective July 1, 2015
- Reduce funding for state-funded job training programs and suspend funding to legislative earmarks for job training. This does not impact the Department’s federal job training funds.
- Suspend funding for all coal programs at the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, including discontinuing subsidies to coal companies.
- Suspend funding for the Renewable Energy Program. This does not impact the Energy Efficiency Portfolio Standards program.
- Suspend funding for the Energy Efficiency Program.
Department of Transportation
Effective July 1, 2015
- Reduce funding for Amtrak.
- Suspend state add-on payment to PACE.
- Suspend state subsidy for Regional Transportation Authority Reduced Fares grant.
Department of Revenue
Effective July 1, 2015
- Reduce funding for the following housing programs administered by the Illinois Housing Development Authority:
- Multifamily Finance Program;
- Reduce Homebuyer Acquisition Rehabilitation Program; and
- Reduce Homeowner Emergency Repair Program.
Department of Veteran’s Affairs
Effective July 1, 2015
- Delay opening of Chicago Veterans’ Home.
