SE Illinois News

State Rep. Patrick Windhorst (R-Metropolis) shared his disappointment that the Illinois General Assembly will be heading into an extended session May 24-26 after not meeting a budget deadline of May 19.

“This past Friday night was the scheduled adjournment of the Illinois House and Senate,” Windhorst posted on Facebook. “Democrats currently have supermajorities in both chambers of the General Assembly, yet they have now blown past their self-imposed deadline to pass a budget and wrap up the session.”

Windhorst has his own theories about the missed deadline.

“Dysfunction among Democrats and disagreement over spending priorities amid a shrinking revenue pie are contributing factors to the House and Senate missing the scheduled May 19 adjournment deadline,”  he said. “Specifically at issue, however, is the exploding cost of Medicaid health care coverage for undocumented immigrants. Spending projections have grown from an estimated $200 million to more than $1.1 billion for undocumented immigrant healthcare coverage. The State of Illinois currently provides Cadillac health insurance coverage through Medicaid for all undocumented immigrants under the age of 18 and over the age of 42. A new proposal currently pending in Springfield would extend that same coverage to all undocumented immigrants aged 19-42, thus resulting in coverage for all undocumented immigrants of all ages.” 

Windhorst said this would burden Illinois taxpayers.

“This is an enormous policy shift that would potentially put Illinois taxpayers on the hook for tens of billions of dollars in spending over the coming years. When Illinois citizens are already taxed to the hilt, this is an irresponsible and unaffordable program expansion that I can and will not support. However, the fight between Democrats on how to pay for the program is a major underlying reason why the House and Senate have blown past their self-imposed adjournment deadline.” 

Windhorst sees pressure to pass a budget.

“As the Illinois House Republican Floor Leader, I am engaged in the debate over nearly every piece of legislation that is debated in the House. As we head toward the end of May, the pressure on lawmakers to reach a budget deal will only grow. I will continue to keep you up to date on the latest news and notes from Springfield to the best of my ability until the House and Senate finally adjourn.” 

The budget was scheduled to be passed by Friday, May 19 at midnight. The General Assembly has until May 31 to pass a budget prior to the fiscal year ending June 30. Democrats sent notice to legislators on Friday that the session was being extended regarding the $50 billion budget negotiations. Legislators will next be in session May 24-26 when a final budget is expected.

Revenue has dropped significantly for the state, which saw a loss of $1.8 million since last year. The Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability reported the state’s income tax saw a significant decrease in 2022 accounting for the plummeting state revenues. "Things are still going OK. It’s just that the performance in fiscal year '22 was so sensational or exceptional, that it was just difficult for us to have that same result in fiscal ‘23," Eric Noggle, revenue manager for the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability, told Fox News.

One point of contention is spending for Medicaid for migrants. Medicaid for noncitizens is worth nearly $1 billion of the projected budget of $50 billion. The program is for those aged 42 and older. Democratic lawmakers sought to lower that bar to those 19 years old and older in the session but failed.

Also at question is the future of the Invest in Kids Act. The Tax Credit Scholarship Program allows for donors to receive a tax benefit for donating to a state-maintained scholarship program for private schools for low-income families. The fund, which provides backing for around 9,000 children to attend private schools, is set to sunset on Dec. 31 if not extended by the General Assembly. 

Republican lawmakers wrote a letter urging continuation of the program.

“We the undersigned members of the Illinois General Assembly are expressing our support of the extension of the ‘Invest in Kids’ Scholarship Fund,” the signatories wrote. “This is a shared priority of both caucuses which benefits the education of underprivileged children. We look forward to the sunset of this program being extended.”