State Sen. Michael Connelly (R-Wheaton) offered the following comments after Gov. Bruce Rauner delivered his annual State of the State Address on January 27.

"Governor Rauner has shown a willingness to meet the legislative majorities 'mid-way' on his Illinois transformation agenda. The Governor has already made significant compromises with the Senate President on topics of pension reform, economic development, and areas of government modernization. We are achieving results under Governor Rauner's leadership on criminal justice reform, ethical advancements, and some common-sense approaches to business development,” said Connelly.  “The Governor has shown on major portions of his ‘Turnaround Agenda’ that he is willing to bridge differences with the other side, only to be turned back by the legislative majority. Despite all of the obstacles, Governor Rauner continues working to bring Illinois back to its prominence. The Republican Caucuses stand ready to work with the legislative majorities to settle the budget impasse and resolve the long-standing issues that have held Illinois back."