South West Illinois News

Governor J.B. Pritzker is set to deliver the State of the State and budget address to the Illinois General Assembly today at noon in Springfield. Legislators from both the House of Representatives and the Senate will gather in the House Chambers to hear the Governor's speech, which will outline his budget priorities.

In Illinois, while the Governor proposes a budget, it is ultimately up to the General Assembly members to allocate funds according to their assessment of how state resources should be utilized. During the legislative session, lawmakers on appropriation committees will hold public hearings where state agencies will present the Governor's budget requests. These sessions provide legislators with detailed accounts of proposed spending for the upcoming fiscal year.

Following these hearings and analyses, legislators are expected to vote on both the budget and its implementation bills by late May. The Governor’s State of the State and Budget address can be watched live on the Illinois General Assembly website. Additionally, Republican perspectives can be accessed via the Illinois House Republican Facebook page.

The six Appropriations committees will convene over several months as part of this process. Public input is encouraged through electronic witness slips for those unable to attend hearings in person.