Illinois House passes $53.1 billion budget, sends spending plan to Pritzker

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) — The Illinois House passed the Fiscal Year 2025 budget shortly after 2 a.m. Wednesday. The $53.1 billion spending plan passed out of the House on a rare 65-45 vote.

Democratic leaders appropriated $20.3 billion for education during the next fiscal year, with a $350 million increase for the evidence-based funding formula. The FY25 budget also includes a child tax credit for families with kids 12 and under.

Lead House Budgeteer Jehan Gordon-Booth (D-Peoria) said the budget prioritizes families, businesses and communities.

"We intend to eliminate the state grocery tax while also providing historic support for all of our local governments across the state, giving them the tools for appropriate property tax relief," Gordon-Booth said.

This spending plan includes $290 million for the Home Illinois program to combat homelessness and $155 million for safety net hospitals. Yet, local GOP members said Democrats need to stop spending while the state brings in less revenue.

"Illinois continues to tax and spend and increase fees on our residents and on our businesses that makes us less competitive with the states around us," said Rep. Dan Caulkins (R-Decatur).

The majority party earmarked $160 million for migrant welcome centers on top of a $440 million boost in spending on Medicaid benefits for people sent from Texas to Illinois. Republicans are furious that the Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs had funding cut for the next fiscal year while migrant funding continues to rise.

"Non-citizen and ex-cons are receiving more benefits than veterans," said Rep. Brandun Schweizer (R-Danville). "There are larger tax credits going to criminals that we now call returning citizens than there are to hire a veteran."

The budget features nearly $1 billion in revenue enhancements to make the Democratic wish list possible. Although Gordon-Booth stressed that no one is getting everything that they wanted in the budget.

"Some very difficult decisions were made, and I hope that people respect that," Gordon-Booth said. "But I truly believe that this budget puts Illinois forward."

Gov. JB Pritzker said this is the sixth balanced budget he has helped the General Assembly pass to uplift working families, save more money in the Rainy-Day Fund, create jobs, lower taxes on small businesses and grow the economy.

"From expectant mothers and their newborn babies to people with disabilities to veterans to seniors who need our care, we're keeping our promises to all Illinoisans and the most vulnerable among us," Pritzker said. "My deepest thanks to Speaker Welch, President Harmon, the budget teams, and every legislator and stakeholder who came together to craft and pass this legislation. I look forward to signing it and continuing the work of building an even stronger Illinois."