SPRINGFIELD – Majority Caucus Appropriations Leader Elgie R. Sims, Jr. (D-Chicago) released the following statement after the Senate passage of the Fiscal Year 2025 budget:

“In keeping with our shared commitment to fiscal responsibility, we have approved a budget that is balanced, responsible and invests in people in all corners of our state.

“As chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I set a goal that our budget would serve the best interests of the people of Illinois. By promoting economic growth, supporting education, ensuring public safety and enhancing the overall well-being of our communities, we will build a stronger, more prosperous and more equitable future for all residents of our great state.

“This budget reflects our shared values and our commitment to making Illinois a better place to live, work and raise a family. I am proud to have led a stable budget that addresses our current needs.”

Fiscal Year 2025 Budget

The Fiscal Year 2025 budget builds upon the responsible spending decisions the state has made and balanced budgets we have passed in recent years, bringing forth a budget and other legislation that prioritizes education, public safety, economic development, social service, local governments and more.

Highlights

Fiscal Responsibility – 6^th balanced budget

• This budget builds on five years of historic fiscal progress with balanced budgets, nine credit rating upgrades, the elimination of the bill backlog, and more.
• Alongside the smart spending decisions of the previous fiscal years, the budget continues to pay down our bills, invest more money into retirees through fully funding pensions, and save for the future.

Education

Early Childhood Education

• $14 million to launch the Department of Early Childhood – a new agency to focus on administering early childhood education programs
• An additional $75 million will be sent to the ISBE Early Childhood Block Grant – putting in place 5,000 more slots in preschool deserts
• $36.5 million to support higher participation in the Child Care Assistance Program

K-12 Education

• Continues the commitment of a $350 million increase toward the evidence-based funding model for K-12 education
  • The state will topple $2 billion toward the evidence-based funding model since its inception with this investment
• $10.3 million increase for Career and Technical Education programs
• $3 million for State Literacy Plan Implementation – a roadmap to enhance and unify core literacy instruction efforts statewide
• $45 million for the Teacher Vacancy Grant Pilot Program

Higher Education

• $711 million for Monetary Award Program (MAP) funding
  • In Fiscal Year 2025, a projected 146,000 students could benefit from MAP Grants – up from 126,864 in 2019
• $8 million for the Minority Teacher Scholarship Program

Violence Prevention and Public Safety

• Funding to hire and train 200 new state troopers – a total of two new cadet classes
• $200 million to the Restore, Reinvest, Renew (R3) program
• $45 million to build up the Reimagine Public Safety grant program
• $200 million to enhance after-school and summer youth programs

Health and Human Services

• $290 million for HOME Illinois
• $2.4 billion for services for people with developmental disabilities, including a $1 per hour wage increase for Direct Support Professionals
• $155 million for safety net hospitals
• $50 million for a child tax credit for eligible low-income families with EITC

SPRINGFIELD – Majority Appropriations Leader Elgie R. Sims, Jr. released the following statement after the governor outlined his budget proposal for Fiscal Year 2025:

“By building on our shared commitment to fiscal responsibility, Illinois has made significant strides in achieving strong financial footing, marking a pivotal turning point in our state's fiscal trajectory. Key indicators demonstrate we continue our progress toward financial stability. Together, we have implemented responsible budgetary practices that prioritize fiscal discipline, transparency and accountability.

“Our commitment to economic growth and job creation has yielded positive results. With targeted investments in education, infrastructure, and workforce development, we are laying the groundwork for sustained prosperity not only for the next fiscal year but the next generation. By fostering an environment conducive to business expansion and innovation, we are attracting new investments and generating revenue that bolsters our financial resilience.

“Additionally, our efforts to reform our state’s pension systems and address long-term liabilities are bearing fruit. While challenges remain, we are making progress toward achieving fiscal sustainability and ensuring the long-term solvency of our pension funds.

“I stand firm in my unwavering commitment to serving the best interests of the people of Illinois. By promoting economic growth, supporting education, ensuring public safety and enhancing the overall well-being of our communities, we aim to build a stronger, more prosperous and more equitable future for all residents of our great state.

“The governor’s proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2025 is a good first step toward investing in educating our students, protecting our most vulnerable populations, and preparing for our future, but our work is far from done. I look forward to joining my colleagues in the General Assembly in having a robust discussion about this year’s budget and passing a budget that is balanced, fiscally sound, and addresses the very real needs of the people of this great state.”

The state of Illinois received its second credit rating upgrade, from Moody’s Investors Service, just days after the Illinois fiscal year 23 budget was signed into law. Following the announcement, State Senator Elgie Sims, Jr. (D-Chicago) released the following statement:

“Creating a fiscally responsible budget that invests in the education of our children, supports our seniors, invests in community safety, protects working families and grows our economy is one of my top legislative priorities.

From the beginning of this year’s budget cycle I said that the actions we take must be fiscally responsible and have positive results for Illinois families. When budget negotiations began this session, as Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman, my colleagues and I set a goal to build on the progress we made last year to keep putting Illinois back on track, because after several years of a manufactured budget impasse and a global pandemic, Illinois was on the brink of fiscal disaster. But by passing policies to grow and diversify our economy, making fiscally responsible decisions that helped us bounce back and passing balanced budget after balanced budget we received two credit upgrades for the first time in a generation. 

Moody’s announcement comes as welcome news just days after Governor Pritzker signed the fiscal year 2023 budget into law. This action by Moody’s gives Illinois three credit upgrades from two different rating agencies. We are seeing outside entities acknowledge that the hard work and disciplined approach we are taking to being good stewards of taxpayer dollars is working.

Unfortunately, there are some who want to diminish these accomplishments for political reasons, but the facts are undisputed, and independent sources agree, Illinois is on the right track.

I look forward to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle and the Governor to continue our progress to ensure fiscal stability and growth for all Illinoisans. I am proud of how far we’ve come but our work continues.” 

SPRINGFIELD— State Senator Elgie R. Sims, Jr. (D-Chicago) released the following statement regarding the passage of the FY23 budget and tax relief plan Friday evening:

"We have approved a budget that is balanced, responsible and invests in hardworking families across the state. We’ve constructed the plan to put money back into taxpayers’ pockets, invest in critical public safety measures and support human services.

“As the Senate Appropriations Committee chairman, I set a mandate for our budget to solve the pressing economic problems facing low- and middle-income families. Because of our responsible fiscal approach over the past few years, our state has generated the largest surplus in more than two decades.

"I am especially proud of our investments in education, small businesses and public safety.  The budget lays out a major spending plan for crucial public safety initiatives and programs to support the areas ravaged by violence.

"Finally, as the lead sponsor of the Legislative Black Caucus’ SAFE-T Act, I’m proud of the funding allocated in this budget that invests in the tools law enforcement needs to prevent and solve crimes to keep communities safe. Our number one priority as a legislative body is the safety of the communities of which we serve.

"Our plan sets us up for short- and long-term success and I remain committed to economically advancing the state of Illinois."