It's been a week since the Governor's budget address, and as details about his proposed budget begin to surface, local lawmakers continue to weigh in with reaction.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker presented his $56 billion budget proposal to the General Assembly, and it's still being talked about in Springfield. The budget is the largest in state history, with more than $700 million in new revenue. Of that, $589 million comes from tax hikes, and $139 million comes from redirected funds. The proposal is roughly $879 million higher than the FY26 budget, with a narrow $24 million surplus. State Representative Regan Deering from Decatur says while she was pleased to hear in the governor's budget address that he is recognizing that affordability is a major concern, she said it just feels like lip service.
Additionally, the Illinois House Public Health committee on Thursday passed legislation that would amend the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Systems Act to provide that the Department of Public Health publish a “Just Culture Matrix”, the established method of investigating error. It also seeks to promote a nonpunitive, supportive environment that promotes quality and safety over punishment and blame. It’s a bill that State Representative Bill Hauter of Morton says is just astonishing to him.
Dr. Hauter adds that if he were an EMS medical director, he wouldn't put his license at risk for the practices of EMS when he would have no control over the outcomes. The bill also recommends that each EMS System include the Just Culture Matrix in evaluation and addressing errors in the performance of emergency and nonemergency medical services.
The measure was approved in committee and will now move to the full House for consideration.
