Illinois’ financial crisis at ‘critical juncture’ as budget deadline looms

The voter registration bill would require all Illinoisans who visit virtually any state-run agency, from the secretary of state’s office to the DMV, to “opt out” of being automatically registered to vote.

Even if House Democrats can agree on a budget plan, Gov. Bruce Rauner likely will veto it. The comptroller has estimated that the state will owe at least 0 million in interest and fees on overdue bills by the end of June.

Lawmakers in Springfield have been considering a bill that would allow IL farmers to grow industrial hemp.

While keeping the zoning at a lower classification than Rauner wants might leave more room for developers to pay the city more money for extra square footage, it could suppress the price the state gets for the site, said Michael Hoffman, the governor’s top aide in charge of state facilities. The proposal also includes savings from a pension bill that is not yet law and would only achieve short-term savings while increasing costs down the road, Beiser said. The override failed by just four votes.

“Illinois joins a growing national consensus”, said Jonathan Brater, counsel with the Brennan Center’s Democracy program.

The House and Senate have until 12:01 a.m. Thursday to adopt an annual spending plan or face the prospect of needing supermajority votes to activate one. Governor Rauner is keen to bring in significant changes that will, ostensibly provide an impetus to commerce.

The statewide group Fair Economy Illinois organized the march.

“The first bill was not going to welcome in voter fraud and the second bill isn’t going to either”, he said.

Interestingly, fantasy sports legalization is also in amendments filed for both bills.

IL has the nation’s widest spending gap between low- and high-income school districts.

Local state representatives Tuesday called for renewed negotiations on the state’s budget after a review of the Senate budget plan left them unsatisfied.

As many legislators continue to attack voting rights from all angles, forcing legislation like this into law is the best protection against voter disenfranchisement now possible.

Since 2015, the three major credit rating agencies have downgraded the state of IL a total of six times.

States are beginning to remove registration as a separate bureaucratic step in exercising the right to vote.

Governor Rauner posted during a Facebook live event he hopes and believes a budget deal with property tax freezes is close, and he’s staying positive despite not having a clear path forward.