In this issue:
- Illinois unemployment rate for September was 4.4%
- Watseka school bill signed into law
- Driving Agriculture Forward Scholarship applications now open
- Have a Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year!
Illinois unemployment rate for September was 4.4%
Figures on unemployment in Illinois were delayed due to the 43-day federal government shutdown this fall, but the numbers which have now been reported show some improvement for the Land of Lincoln.
The state had a 4.4% unemployment rate in September, matching the national rate for that month, which Illinois usually lags. The jobless rate in Illinois had improved from 5.0% in September 2024.
In total, Illinois had 6,162,600 nonfarm jobs in September 2025, which was a slight decline of 2200 from earlier in the year. Two sectors of the economy, Health Services and Government Services, saw slight declines in employment, while three other sectors, a) Trade, Transportation and Utilities, b) Information, and c) Leisure and Hospitality, showed slight increases.
Watseka school bill signed into law
Earlier this month I told you about SB 2683, which Senator Balkema and I sponsored to help the Iroquois County Community Unit School District 9 in Watseka recover from damage caused by flooding several years ago. The bill passed both the House and Senate unanimously.
Last Friday Governor Pritzker signed it into law. The bill will extend the referendum which local voters approved in 2021 from five years to ten, in order to prevent harm from coming to the school district’s recovery efforts due to delays in state and federal government review processes. I appreciate everyone from both sides of the aisle who came together to approve this important legislation to help one of our local schools recover from a disaster.
Driving Agriculture Forward Scholarship applications now open
Truck drivers play a vital role in moving farm commodities, inputs, and food across Illinois and the nation. When we support our drivers, we strengthen our entire supply chain.
The Driving Agriculture Forward Scholarship Program, funded by the Illinois Farm Bureau, helps offset the cost of commercial truck driver training—ensuring more well-trained, safe drivers are ready to keep agriculture moving forward.
The IAA Foundation, in partnership with the Illinois Farm Bureau, is offering twenty $1,000 scholarships to individuals enrolled in a Truck Driver Training program at an Illinois Community College.
To be eligible, an applicant must be an Illinois resident who is enrolled or planning to enroll in a commercial driving training program at an Illinois Community College during the qualifying 3-month window (proof is required at enrollment). The applicant must also have an endorsement from a farmer, County Farm Bureau leader, agribusiness, or food processing business. IAA Directors and IFB employees (and their immediate family members) are not eligible.
The deadline for consideration is December 31.
Have a Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year!
This has truly been a remarkable year, with many ups and downs. Thank you to all the great people of the 106th District for all the conversations we have had this year as we work to improve the quality of life in our area and to build a brighter future for the next generation. It is my honor to serve as your state representative in Springfield.
As the year comes to an end, I hope that you and your family have a wonderful Christmas celebration and a very happy New Year!
I will be back with more news from state government in January.
Our current bill backlog
When a vendor provides the state with goods and services, they submit the bill to the Illinois Comptroller for payment. The Comptroller processes the paperwork and pays the bill when funds are available in the state’s checking account. Currently the total amount of unpaid bills is $2,133,820,023. This figure changes daily. Last year at this time the state had $2.9 billion in bills awaiting payment. This only includes bills submitted to the Comptroller for payment, not unfunded debts like the state’s pension liability, which is well over $100 billion.
Illinois headlines
Illinois becomes 12th state to provide medically assisted suicide for the terminally ill
Pritzker enacts bills, including measure decoupling Illinois from federal tax code