Illinois lawmakers pass budget during shortened, pandemic-driven session

Illinois lawmakers pass budget during shortened, pandemic-driven session

Illinois lawmakers wrapped up an abbreviated session early today, in which they crafted a $42.8 billion budget reliant on borrowing for an upcoming fiscal year that is shrouded in uncertainty wrought by the ongoing global COVID-19 pandemic. The budget set to take effect July 1 relies on a $5 billion loan from a special Federal Reserve fund created to aid state governments during the pandemic. Legislators hope to pay off the debt with monies from an uncertain additional stimulus package from Congress.

Illinois residents lobby House lawmakers to oppose redefinition of marriage

More than 3,500 Illinois residents today traveled to Springfield to lobby their House lawmakers to vote "no" on Senate Bill 10, which changes the state's legal definition of marriage from "between a man and a woman" to "between 2 persons." The legislation previously passed the Senate.