IVCA Provides Updates for State Legislative Issues – 10/4/2023
Illinois Venture Capital Association Illinois Legislative Report
David Stricklin / Stricklin & Associates
Wednesday, October 4, 2023
VETO SESSION ON THE HORIZON
On October 24-25-26 the Illinois General Assembly meets in the State Capitol for Veto Session. Democratic legislative leaders and Governor Pritzker generally make agreements on major legislation as it moves through the process in the Spring, leaving relatively few Veto issues to be dealt with during Veto Session. There is a significant outstanding issue on energy transmission, and advocates for the educational tax credit are also making their case for the state to extend the program.
Otherwise, legislative leaders are signaling that the Veto Session will be narrow in focus. Hope springs eternal among advocates and interest groups who see the short session as an ideal opportunity for moving big issues – and history shows it can happen.
GOVERNOR MAKES CHANGES IN DEPARTMENT LEADERSHIP
The director of the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) confirmed this morning that he will be leaving that post at the end of the year, and other prominent human services agency directors are also transitioning out by the end of 2023. While the Pritzker administration has demonstrated relative stability at the senior level during the five years of its tenure, change, among senior staff and agency directors is inevitable. A new Deputy Governor for Human Services took over Monday, replacing the previous Deputy Governor who had been in the role from the beginning of Governor Pritzker’s first term.
DCFS has been a troubled agency for many years under previous governors as well and one director after another, and there have been many, have struggled to improve the outcomes and make the progress advocates and courts have sought:
GOVERNOR LOOKS FOR NEW DCFS LEADER
IMMIGRANT/ASYLUM SEEKERS STRAIN POLITICAL TIES
The humanitarian crisis of people who are migrants or seeking asylum arriving in Chicago in ever-increasing numbers caused Governor Pritzker call upon the White House to do more:
CHICAGO/ILLINOIS MIGRANT CRISIS
HOUSE ALWAYS WINS
A pair of coinciding reports details how gaming revenues continue to pour into state coffers as more gaming positions come online and as the Bally Casino in downtown Chicago begins its metamorphosis into a full-scale operation.
The detailed report which details the $1.992 billion state take, up 5% from last year, is here,
The Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability which provides data and financial analysis which guides the budget process released its report for September 2023.