Bill Text: IL HR0055 | 2019-2020 | 101st General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Urges the General Assembly to work towards a biennial budget.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 4-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2019-07-02 - Rule 19(b) / Re-referred to Rules Committee [HR0055 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2019-HR0055-Introduced.html

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HR0055 LRB101 07566 MST 52611 r
HOUSE RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, The people of Illinois - who pay for a General
Assembly to plan for the long-term affairs of the State -
deserve to have a budget planning document in place that
considers medium-term and long-term spending pressures in the
setting of State spending priorities; and
WHEREAS, No budget was enacted for fiscal years 2016 or
2017; during this period, State spending continued without
legislative participation, putting Illinois on the brink of
financial disaster; and
WHEREAS, Political pressures associated with the 2020
election cycle will only increase with time, further tainting
the budget process with politics and raising the possibility
that, in the absence of corrective action, a repetition of this
dismal pattern will occur as the spring 2020 deadline nears to
craft and enact a budget for fiscal year 2021; and
WHEREAS, The General Assembly needs to re-establish a
budget cycle and re-establish the credibility it needs in order
to shift its attention to pension reform, property tax relief,
crime and violence, the jobs climate, the outmigration from
Illinois of younger and highly-educated workers and
professionals, and other urgent issues; and

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WHEREAS, Many states such as Nebraska, Ohio, and Texas, and
including the neighboring state of Indiana, practice 2-year
spending plans or full-scale biennial budgeting; and
WHEREAS, The Constitution of Illinois directs the Governor
of Illinois to present an annual budget proposal to the General
Assembly, but, as we have come to know all too well, nothing
constrains the General Assembly's actual responses to these
proposals; nothing prevents the General Assembly from adopting
a planning process that faces the fact that we, as a State, are
on the brink of financial disaster and responds to that fact in
a professional manner and in keeping with our identity as
legislators and our oaths of office; and
WHEREAS, In these times, moving toward a long-term budget
planning cycle will enable State agencies performing essential
services, third-party service providers whose services are no
less essential, and institutions and entities of higher
education to obtain the information that their leaders have
testified is essential to carrying out their duties; therefore,
be it
RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
we declare that it is expedient for the General Assembly to

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adopt a 2-year budget planning document to cover revenues in
all of fiscal years 2020 and 2021, take account of moneys
already spent, and control spending in the remainder of fiscal
year 2019; and be it further
RESOLVED, That this planning document should rely upon an
honest estimate, without false promises or shoddy planning, of
the actual financial income (especially general funds income)
that the State will take in during fiscal years 2020 and 2021;
and be it further
RESOLVED, That we urge the Commission on Government
Forecasting and Accountability and the Governor's Office of
Management and Budget to work together to develop an
extraordinary consolidated revenue estimate for fiscal years
2020 and 2021, this estimate to be presented to both chambers
of the General Assembly no later than 30 days after the
adoption of this resolution; and be it further
RESOLVED, That we, the sponsors of this resolution, pledge
to use this consolidated 2-year revenue estimate to work with
our colleagues to develop a 2-year State budget and financial
planning document; and be it further
RESOLVED, That our goal, as we develop this budget planning
document, will be to end the current political cycle of

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reactive emergency measures and budget court orders; and be it
further
RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be
presented to Michael J. Madigan, Speaker of the House of
Representatives, John Cullerton, President of the Senate, and
J.B. Pritzker, Governor.