Illinois lawmakers returned to Springfield today as state government is closing on 22 months without a budget, and prospects for an overall deal look grim. Governor Bruce Rauner has been saying he’s heard there's good progress on an overall budget deal. But Democrats in the Senate say they don’t know what the Republican governor is talking about. Legislators have been on a two week recess, and say no high-level meetings have been taking place.
While the Illinois House was back Monday afternoon, this week all eyes will be on the Senate, back Tuesday. With the grand bargain seemingly dead, the question is whether Senate Democrats will take up another partial, emergency funding bill. One passed the House before the Easter recess.
It comes as human service agencies have permanently closed programs for the state’s neediest people, and six state universities have been downgraded to “junk bond” status owing to Rauner and the legislature’s failure to pass a budget.
