In this issue:
- An early update
- Local government signatures bill passes House
- Farm Safety Week
- Congratulations Livingston County Boys and Girls Club
An early update
The House of Representatives is going into the final hours of the spring session, with many issues still to be settled. As we get into the busiest time of the year, the rumors are flying fast and furious around the Capitol, including concerns about the Governor’s record-setting spending proposal and all the tax increases that might be necessary to fund it.
On Thursday a “shell bill” (a very short bill which will be amended later to include the entire state budget) was sent over to the Senate, but it contained no details of what will be in the final budget. At this hour we are still waiting to see what the final proposal is going to look like.
This lack of transparency is not encouraging.
This is an early update on what has happened so far this week in Springfield. I will be back next week with a more extensive recap of the action in the closing days of the spring session, including the details of the state budget.
You can also find updated information on my Facebook page.
Local government signatures bill passes House
A bill I am sponsoring along with Senator Chris Balkema to allow local governments to embrace modern signature technology has passed the House. It has the potential to streamline processes for communities and residents.
Senate Bill 2044 amends the statutes for local governments to permit them to allow a person to sign any document with a web-based signature if the county, township or municipality uses a secure web-based platform. The bill applies to counties, townships, municipalities, park districts, conservation districts and other units of local governments who choose to use a secure web-based platform.
The bill passed the Senate earlier this year 56-0, but we added some units of local government to it in the House, where it passed 108-0, so the Senate will need to approve our changes before sending the bill to the Governor.
Farm Safety Week
I was honored this week to have the House of Representatives unanimously adopt my resolution declaring September 15-21, 2025, as Farm Safety Week to call attention to the need for safety on and around Illinois farms.
Each year hundreds of farmers are killed or injured in accidents. Tractor overturns and grain bin cave-ins are among the leading causes, but they are far from the only hazards. Farmers work with dangerous equipment, large animals, pesticides and other chemicals, and we do so in every kind of weather the state of Illinois has to offer.
But farm safety doesn’t involve only farmers. Each planting and harvest season motorists throughout Illinois will encounter farm implements on the roads. These vehicles are slow-moving and do not have the best visibility, so we try to encourage everyone to use caution when approaching or passing one of them.
It is because of factors like these that we recognize Farm Safety Week every fall during harvest season. We want to educate all Illinoisans on the importance of safety on and around farms so that we can make sure that everyone makes it home safely.
Congratulations Livingston County Boys and Girls Club
Congratulations to the Boys & Girls Club of Livingston County on their Ribbon Cutting at their new Fairbury Center! This area-wide Intergenerational Center will not only benefit youth, but also seniors. They will provide tutoring, after-school projects, games, robotics, educational field trips and more for their youth. The senior activities include exercise, cooking, gardening and volunteering.
I was in Springfield for session, so I was unable to attend, but I’m looking forward to touring this summer.
You will be able to visit them at 800 N 7th St in Fairbury. They expect to open on June 2nd.
Thank you to Jodi Martin and all the wonderful donors for making this project possible!
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 $1,272,502,884. This figure changes daily. Last year at this time the state had $802 million 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 GOP criticizes clean energy plan over cost concerns
Bill raising age for mandatory driver’s test heads to Governor’s desk
Attorney General warns of home and business repair scams
Illinois spring turkey hunters harvest record number of wild turkeys
Two Illinois drive-in theaters named best in the US by USA Today