Rockford Sun

Governor JB Pritzker has signed into law Illinois' largest government spending plan, amounting to over $55 billion. This budget includes nearly $1 billion in new tax increases and relies on budget gimmicks and one-time revenue sources. Passed by the General Assembly on May 31 and signed on June 16, the Fiscal Year 2026 budget represents a significant increase since Pritzker assumed office.

State Senator Dave Syverson expressed opposition to the plan, citing concerns about record spending, misplaced priorities, lack of transparency, and increased financial burdens on families and businesses. The budget introduces new taxes on vacation rentals, gaming, phone services, nicotine products, and additional business taxes. It also incorporates approximately $400 million in one-time revenue measures to balance the books.

Efforts by Republicans to offer tax relief were blocked. Critics argue that while programs for noncitizens are funded, services for Illinoisans with intellectual and developmental disabilities are underfunded. The budget also reduces funding for Pre-K through 12th-grade education and eliminates a property tax relief program.

Republican lawmakers have urged Governor Pritzker to veto Senate Bill 328, arguing it benefits trial lawyers at the expense of jobs and economic growth. A lawsuit was filed challenging the bill's passage process as unconstitutional due to not adhering to the Three Readings Rule designed for legislative transparency.

The legislation allows out-of-state plaintiffs to sue out-of-state businesses in Illinois courts without state connections. Similar bills have been vetoed in New York due to concerns raised by business groups like the American Tort Reform Association.

The Department of Justice opposes Illinois' 2023 ban on more than 170 semi-automatic firearms. DOJ attorneys claim it violates Second Amendment rights. A federal judge ruled against the ban; however, Illinois is appealing this decision.

Additionally, from July 1 onward, hotels in Illinois will no longer provide single-use personal care products in rooms as per the Small Single-Use Plastic Act. Initially affecting larger hotels with fines imposed for violations starting from subsequent offenses after a warning.