Many communities across Illinois are grappling with massive spikes in Natural Gas prices, with some being forced to pay 100 times their normal cost. To help alleviate the immediate financial crisis, the Illinois Finance Authority (IFA) is developing a $15 million low-interest loan program.

On Wednesday, Governor JB Pritzker presented his recommended Fiscal Year 2022 budget. The proposal calls for $41.6 billion in spending which exceeds currently projected revenues by $1.7 billion dollars. In response to the Governor’s address, State Senator John Curran (R-Downers Grove) issued the following statement:

“Unfortunately, the governor continued the budget gimmicks of his predecessors and ignored his constitutional responsibility to present a budget within current revenues,” said Illinois Senate Republican Leader Dan McConchie (R-Hawthorn Woods). “By skipping out on the hard work of reform, he is continuing to punt on those fundamental changes so necessary to put Illinois on a stable financial path.

State Senator Sue Rezin (R-Morris) released the below statement following the Governor’s Budget Address:

State Sen. Brian Stewart (R-Freeport) released the following statement after Gov. J. B. Pritzker delivered a combined State of the State/Budget Address to a joint session of legislators Feb. 17 via the Internet.

State Senator Win Stoller (R-Germantown Hills) released the below statement following the Governor’s Budget Address:

On Feb. 17, lawmakers across the state watched from their respective districts as the Governor remotely delivered a combined State of the State and Budget Address.

State Senator Neil Anderson released the following statement after Illinois Governor JB Pritzker’s 2021 Budget Address:

“If the goal is to improve the level of inclusion within our system of teaching and learning, the process for creating this new rule was flawed from the beginning. The steering committee that oversaw the writing of this rule includes five experts in the field of education and three state legislators. Three Democrats and zero Republicans offered input into the writing of the rule. If inclusion is important, it should be important across the board. The exclusion of Republicans from the ‘Diverse and Learner Ready Teachers’ steering committee calls into question the true intent behind the rule.

“I want to know when legislators, state employees and labor unions are going to start participating in the economic downturn tied to the health pandemic. Families and businesses have tightened budgets to adjust to their new financial realities, yet the Governor continues to protect certain groups of Illinoisans while insisting that businesses and private sector employees shoulder a massive share of the pandemic burden. Government-imposed shutdowns have decimated the small business community, and rather than imposing new taxes on them, the Governor should be providing a pathway for them to rebuild and recover.

State Sen. Jil Tracy (R-Quincy) released the following statement after Gov. J.B. Pritzker delivered a combined State of the State/Fiscal Year 2022 Budget Address to a joint session of legislators Feb. 17 via the Internet.

Lawmakers across the state watched from their respective districts as the Governor delivered a combined State of the State and Budget Address virtually to members of the General Assembly on February 17.

State Senator Steve McClure (R-Springfield) released the following statement following Governor Pritzker’s budget address:

While this year looks unlike any year previously, Senate lawmakers watched from their respective districts as the Governor delivered a combined State of the State and Budget Address virtually to members of the General Assembly on February 17.

Today Governor JB Pritzker presented his draft Fiscal Year 2022 budget in a virtual combined State of the State-Budget Address. The Pritzker proposal calls for $41.6 billion in spending. The budget is out of balance by $1.7 billion. In response to the Governor’s speech, State Senator Don DeWitte (R-St. Charles) issued the following statement:

On Feb. 17, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker delivered a combined State of the State and Budget Address virtually to members of the General Assembly.

“I certainly don’t discount the importance of understanding and embracing all students’ cultural and personal experiences and differences, but current ISBE standards already address this. Today’s standards encourage teachers to recognize and understand the diverse characteristics and abilities of each student, and to use their students’ social and economic experiences to guide teaching and learning.

Senator Chapin Rose (R-Mahomet) released the following statement following the Governor’s budget address:

State Senator Jason Barickman (R-Bloomington) released the following statement following the Governor’s budget address.

State Senator Darren Bailey (R-Louisville) released the following statement following Illinois Governor JB Pritzker’s budget address.

These scholarships, for seniors or graduate students, recognize accounting students who demonstrate strong academic performance, leadership qualities, and financial need.

State Senator Dave Syverson (R-Rockford) is exited to share that the Hard Rock Casino will be advancing to the next step of development after the Illinois Gaming Board announced their preliminary decision on the Rockford casino license application on February 4.

As the Illinois Senate reorganizes its committee structure for budget negotiations and appropriations legislation, State Sen. Chapin Rose (R-Mahomet) will once again serve as the ranking Republican on the chamber’s new unified Appropriations Committee.

State Senator Plummer received feedback from local law enforcement after hosting a Zoom video conference last week about the controversial criminal justice reform proposal that is awaiting action from the Governor.

“I am pleased to hear that the sickest amongst us and at most risk of death from COVID-19, regardless of age, will soon have access to the vaccine,” said Illinois Senate Republican Leader Dan McConchie (R-Hawthorn Woods). “While the state should have provided some method from the very beginning for those whose doctors have been insisting that their patient’s life or health depends on being vaccinated, as has been the case in other states, there is now a light at the end of a very long tunnel for those in greatest need.