Illinois Legislative News: August 11, 2025
Third Reading Consulting Group
On Sunday, August 3, Texas Democrats left the state in a bid to block a vote on the redistricting of the state’s congressional map to add additional Republican seats. The redistricting move was orchestrated by Texas Republicans and President Donald Trump in an effort to hold onto the U.S. House of Representatives in the 2026 midterm election. Texas Democrats fled to various Democrat-led states, with many coming to Illinois and appearing at events and press conferences around the state this week.
Gov. JB Pritzker voiced his support for the Texas Democrats, stating, “We’re fighting for democracy. There are no rules anymore, apparently.” However, many Illinois Republicans were quick to point out that Pritzker did not follow through on a campaign promise to veto any partisan redistricting plan. In an appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Pritzker pushed back against that claim on the grounds that Illinois drew a legal congressional map in 2021, rather than a mid-decade redistricting plan like the one proposed by Texas Republicans.
Gov. Pritzker’s support for Texas Democrats has drawn national attention, placing Illinois at the center of the ongoing debate over partisan gerrymandering. His stance has been echoed by other Illinois Democrats running for Congress, including U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi and Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton, during recent events. Republican State Rep. Ryan Spain (R-Peoria) added to the situation by introducing a proposed constitutional amendment that would raise the threshold for a legislative quorum in Illinois from a simple majority to two-thirds. With Illinois Democrats being one seat from losing a two-thirds majority in the Senate and one seat from gaining a two-thirds majority in the House, this constitutional amendment would provide the super minority Republicans with a point of leverage within the General Assembly. As the situation in Texas unfolds, Illinois lawmakers from both parties are using it as a key campaign talking point ahead of the upcoming midterm election.
Important Upcoming Dates – Statewide
October 14-16 – Veto Session Week 1
October 28-30 – Veto Session Week 2