Despite my disappointment with much of the new state budget adopted by the majority, there were a number of truly good things that happened in the General Assembly this spring…
Improving Assistance for Illinois’ Heroes
Small Illinois communities will be empowered to band together to form new Veterans Assistance Commissions under legislation Senator Tracy and I successfully sponsored this spring. House Bill 1352 allows multiple counties who are within a judicial circuit to form a Jurisdictional Veterans Assistance Commission.
Most large counties in Illinois have Veterans Assistance Commissions in place, but many smaller counties lack the resources to form one on their own. In fact, only 34% of counties with populations less than 60,000 have been able to form commissions.
My legislation passed the House unanimously but became stalled in the Senate. Fortunately, an identical Senate Bill (SB 1368) sponsored by Senator Tracy passed both houses and is poised to be signed into law.
Good News Jacksonville: Funding is on the Way to Repurpose the Developmental Center Property
It has been many years coming, but funding is finally on the way to help tear down buildings and repurpose the former Developmental Center property.
The facility has been vacant since its closure in 2012, and the abandoned buildings have become a safety hazard in downtown Jacksonville. The governor’s office has announced that the property is one of five statewide to be short-listed for state remediation funding through the Surplus to Success program. The state funding will help raze the buildings and prepare the site for new development.
Senior Tax Relief Progress
Members of the House and Senate overwhelmingly agreed on a pair of measures that make progress in providing much-needed senior property tax relief. Senate Bill 2156 increases the income threshold for the senior homestead tax deferral to $95,000, allowing many more seniors to qualify for needed property tax relief.
Improvements were also made to the Senion Freeze Homestead Exemption program, increasing the income threshold to $70,000 in 2026 and then allowing further yearly increases based on cost-of-living.
This is a good start, but it’s only a start to action we need to take to bring down the 2nd highest property taxes in the nation for our seniors, our families, and our job creators.
Bi-Partisan Prescription Assistance Poised to Become Law
Legislation headed to the Governor’s desk aims to help rein-in rising drug prices while also supporting struggling local pharmacies. I co-sponsored the Prescription Drug Affordability Act with a long list of Republican and Democrat lawmakers in both chambers. Reforms include:
- Prohibiting Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) from “steering” insured patients to their affiliated pharmacies.
- Prohibiting PBMs from charging insurance plans one price while reimbursing pharmacies at a lower rate and pocketing the difference.
- Prohibiting individuals from being required to pay more than a discounted price from a no-cost drug program.
- Prohibiting limiting access to a covered drug by designating it a “specialty” drug.
The plan also requires PBMs to fund grants to help support struggling community pharmacies in underserved areas.
Latest Attack on School Choice Defeated
Last year, budget funding for Invest in Kids, a State-backed scholarship program for children, including those at-risk and from disadvantaged households, to participate in private-sector schooling was eliminated, It was the only school choice program in Illinois.
This year, Democrats turned their attention to Illinois homeschoolers, pushing legislation to impose crippling government mandates. Due in large part to overwhelming public push-back including rallies, calls and emails, and a record number of parents signed-up to testify in committee, this dramatic government overreach was defeated.