Democratic Infighting Puts State Budget on Pause

>>> A NEW SET OF BUDGET DELAYS HIT THE STATE HOUSE.

MEANING LAWMAKERS ARE LOOKING AT SESSIONS THIS HOLIDAY WEEKEND.

SO WHAT IS THE HOLDUP?

AMANDA VINICKY JOINS US NOW WITH THIS.

WHAT IS GOING ON?

>> WELL, BRANDIS, WE'RE IN A BIT OF A WAIT-AND-SEE AT THIS POINT.

JUST YESTERDAY, I HAD GOVERNOR JB PRITZKER.

AND THE SENATE ANNOUNCING A DEAL.

WITH LITTLE AMBIGUITY THERE, PRITZKER SAID HE LOOKED FORWARD TO SIGNING IT ONCE IT REACHES HIS DESK.

FAST FORWARD.

AND THERE HAS BEEN NO REAL MOVEMENT.

>> NO VOTES.

>> WHICH MEANS ESSENTIALLY, NO BUDGET.

NOW, THERE IS A PROPOSAL THAT IS READY TO GO.

AND AMONG THE HIGHLIGHTS OF IT, NO NEW TAXES.

BUT ALSO, NO TAX CUTS, AS ILLINOIS SAW BOTH THIS BUDGET YEAR AND THAT HAD BEEN BRIEFLY CONTEMPLATED FOR THE COMING ONE.

IT ALSO DOES MAKE THE LEGALLY REQUIRED PENSION PAYMENT.

YOU HAVE ACTUARIES SPENDING BILLIONS MORE.

ALSO, $350 MILLION.

MORE IS GOING TO GO INTO THIS SCHOOL AID FORMULA THAT HELPS THE STATE'S MOST FINANCIALLY STRUGGLING SCHOOLS.

ALSO, WHILE CHICAGO'S NEW MAYOR, BRANDON JOHNSON, WILL NOT RECEIVE ALL THAT HE HAD ASKED FOR, WHEN HE VISITED SPRINGFIELD LAST MONTH.

CITIES INCLUDING CHICAGO ARE SET TO RECEIVE A SLIGHT INCREASE IN THEIR SHARE OF THE STATE INCOME TAX.

DESPITE ALL OF THAT BEING PRETTY CLOSE TO NAILED DOWN, AND DESPITE HAVING THAT DEAL, OTHER ELEMENTS OF THE BUDGET ARE STILL IN FLUX.

AND WE ARE WAITING STILL TO SEE WHAT THOSE POTENTIAL CHANGES COULD BE.

HOUSE DEMOCRATS MET FOR HOURS THIS AFTERNOON, BEHIND CLOSED DOORS TO DISCUSS THE BUDGET AND TO DISCUSS OTHER PROPOSALS THAT ARE STILL UP IN THE AIR AT THIS HOUR.

NOW, SOME OF THE LEGISLATORS TOLD ME, THEY THINK THAT THERE IS ENOUGH SUPPORT, THAT THE SPENDING PLAN IS A GO.

OTHERS SAID, NOPE.

NOT YET.

YOU DO HAVE MORE HOUSE DEMOCRATS THAN AT ANY POINT IN THE HISTORY OF THE SETUP OF THE LEGISLATURE.

SO WHAT THAT MEANS IS, DEMOCRATS DO TECHNICALLY HAVE THE NUMBERS TO GET THIS DONE.

IT ALSO MEANS THAT YOU HAVE A WHOLE LOT OF REALLY DIVERSE INTERESTS.

AND THEREFORE, YOU HAVE SPLITS AMONG THE CAUCUS.

>> AMANDA.

WHAT ABOUT THE HEALTHCARE PROGRAM, FOR UNDOCUMENTED RESIDENTS THAT HAD BEEN A MAJOR HOLDUP?

>> SO THIS BUDGET DOES NOT EXPAND THAT PROGRAM, LATINO LEGISLATORS SAYING THEY REALLY WANTED TO BE SURE THAT HEALTHCARE COVERAGE WAS GIVEN TO ALL UNDOCUMENTED ADULTS.

WHAT WE ALSO DON'T KNOW, HOWEVER, IS HOW MUCH EXACTLY ILLINOIS IS GOING TO BE SPENDING ON THIS PROGRAM.

THE CHIEF SPONSOR OF THE BUDGET OVER IN THE SENATE.

SENATOR SIMMS SAID THAT REALLY, HE CAN'T GIVE AN ANSWER TO THAT.

BECAUSE IT DEPENDS ON HOW MUCH THE PRITZKER ADMINISTRATION IS ABLE TO REIGN IN COSTS WITH TOOLS THE ADMINISTRATION DOESN'T YET HAVE.

>> AT THIS POINT, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE -- WHAT THE EXPENDITURES WILL BE FOR '24.

BECAUSE THE COST CONTAINMENT MEASURES OUTLINED IN THE SUBSEQUENT PIECE OF LEGISLATION, HAVE NOT BEEN PASSED AND AUTHORIZED YET.

>> NOW, ALSO NOT INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET, A TAX CREDIT FOR DONORS, WHO HELPED PAY FOR SCHOLARSHIPS FOR LOW-INCOME STUDENTS FOR THE INVEST IN KIDS STATE PROGRAM, THAT SENDS THESE STUDENTS TO PRIVATE SCHOOLS.

THERE IS DEFINITELY A LAST-DITCH LOBBYING EFFORT.

BUT BARRING A CHANGE, THAT INVEST IN KIDS PROGRAM WILL END.

YOU ALSO HAVE SOME THAT AREN'T SATISFIED WITH ALL THAT THIS DOES COVER.

THEY WILL NUMBER CRISIS WITHOUT MORE SUPPORT FROM THE STATE.

>> WE CAME TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, ASKING TO HELP BRIDGE THE GAP IN FUNDING THAT WOULD LEAVE ILLINOIS SEXUAL ASSAULT SURVIVORS WITH WAITING FOR CLOSURES AND STAFF LAYOFFS.

>> AMAUNDERSTANDA, WHAT ARE THE NEXT STEP?

WHAT'S THE TIME LINE?

>> WELL, TECHNICALLY, THE DEADLINE IS A BUDGET NEEDS TO BE IN PLACE BY JULY 1st.

THE REAL DEADLINE TO GET THAT DONE.

MAY 31st.

WHAT HAS TO HAPPEN IS VOTES FROM BOTH CHAMBERS ON THE BUDGET THAT HAS TO GET GOING.

AND BECAUSE OF LEGISLATIVE TECHNICALITIES, THE ABSOLUTE EARLIEST THAT THAT COULD BE