South West Illinois News

Sen. Terri Bryant (R-Murphysboro) said she’s not supporting Senate Bill 2803, that would allocate approximately $2 billion to manage the state’s unemployment insurance.

“The fact is, labor and business are not in support of the bill as it’s written,” Bryant said. “They didn’t oppose it because, as one of my friends in the business said, ‘if someone is holding a gun to your head to do something then you don't necessarily oppose something.’ So, in this case, a gun was not held, but figuratively a gun was held to labor and business on the way this bill is written and told 'take this or it's going to be worse because we're not going to give you anything.'”

Some of the money comes from the State Coronavirus Urgent Remediation Emergency Fund’s pocket. 

The Democratic-backed bill passed the Senate and House without Republican support. It was signed by Gov. J.B. Pritzker on March 25.

“I’d like to join the business and civic groups around Illinois praising the General Assembly and Pritzker for a great step in the right direction to responsibly pay down $4 billion of Illinois’ bills with the passage of SB 2803,” Comptroller Susana Mendoza said to ABC. “I will continue to work with Illinois’ congressional delegation on their effort to extend the interest waiver on the Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund.”

ABC reported state Democrats had wanted to use the American Rescue Plan funds. The money was intended to give local governments economic support at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“These actions are saving Illinois taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars in interest payments and reducing the burden that would fall onto businesses and workers over the next decade,” Pritzker said to KHQA. “Democrats in the General Assembly are overcoming the difficult circumstances of our past and putting working families first.”

Sen. Win Stoller (R-Peoria) told ABC this would bring the highest tax increase on employers in Illinois history.

The assembly's website reported the bill makes supplemental appropriations from the Pension Stabilization Fund for financing the unfunded liabilities of the General Assembly Retirement System, the Judges Retirement System of Illinois, the State Employees’ Retirement System of Illinois, the Teachers’ Retirement System of the State of Illinois, and the State Universities Retirement System. It also appropriates $250 million from the General Revenue Fund to the Illinois Student Assistance Commission.