Illinois Legislative News: December 9, 2024
Third Reading Consulting Group
Administrative Rules
CAPITOL COMPLEX
The SECRETARY OF STATE adopted emergency amendments to the Part titled Public Use of the Capitol Complex and Springfield Facilities (71 IAC 2005; 48 Ill Reg 17392) effective 11/18/24 for a maximum of 150 days. An identical proposed rulemaking appears in this week’s Illinois Register at 48 Ill Reg 17322. The emergency and proposed rulemakings require all members and employees of the General Assembly, employees of SOS, and employees of other State agencies to wear their employer-issued photo IDs where they can be easily seen at all times when entering and within the Capitol Complex. These rulemakings also remove provisions under which SOS could issue ID cards to lobbyists, vendors, and employees of State agencies that do not issue their own photo IDs. Persons without an ID must submit to security screening when entering the Capitol Complex.
Illinois Legislative News
Illinois State Board of Elections Certifies Results
The Illinois State Board of Elections certified the results of the November 5, 2024 General Election. The election saw 70.42% of registered voters cast a ballot. 2024 turnout decreased relative to the last two presidential elections which experienced a record-breaking 72.92% turnout in 2020 and 70.56% turnout in 2016. However, relative to the 2012 general election’s turnout figure of 70.20%, this year’s turnout was slightly higher. Turnout this year was also significantly higher than recent midterm elections, which typically receive lower turnout than presidential years, with 51.06% turnout in 2022, 57.23% in 2018, and 49.18% in 2014. While former President Donald Trump won the electoral college vote, Vice President Kamala Harris won Illinois by a 10.9% margin, receiving 54.37% of the vote to Trump’s 43.47%.
Despite a strong election for Republicans nationally, Illinois Democrats maintained their supermajorities in both chambers of the General Assembly. The makeup of the House and Senate will remain exactly the same with 78 Democrats to 40 Republicans in the House and 40 Democrats to 19 Republicans in the Senate. Incumbent Democrat Patrick Joyce won the 40th Senate District race, which was considered the Senate’s lone competitive seat this year. Despite a few highly competitive races in the House, and aspirations by both parties to pick up seats, Democrats and Republicans kept all the seats they held prior to the election.
The statewide election ballot featured three non-binding advisory questions on civil penalties for election worker interference, increasing the state income tax on millionaires by 3% to fund property tax relief, and requiring health insurance to cover IVF. While these questions are non-binding, they could lead to future legislative action, or in the case of the income tax increase, a future constitutional amendment referendum. The election interference and IVF questions appear to have received overwhelming support from voters, with 89% and 72% voting in favor respectively. The question on increasing the state income tax on millionaires received 61% support, barely above the 60% thresholdrequired to pass as a future constitutional amendment.
Gov. Pritzker Selects Secretary of the New Department of Early Childhood
Earlier in the year, the General Assembly passed and Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed SB 1, creating the new Illinois Department of Early Childhood. The Department of Early Childhood is going through a transition process before taking on full administration of early childhood programs on July 1, 2026. Existing early childhood-related programs under Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE), the Department of Human Services (DHS), and the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) will be moved to the new Department of Early Childhood. The General Assembly allocated $14M in the FY 2025 budget for the new Department in the transition phase.
On December 2, Gov. Pritzker named Teresa Ramos as the first secretary of the new Department. Ramos currently serves as the First Assistant Deputy Governor of Education in Gov. Pritzker’s Office. Pending Senate confirmation, she will lead the Department in administering programs such as the Early Childhood Block Grant, the Child Care Assistance Program, home-visiting programs, early intervention services, and day care licensing. Ramos previously served as the Vice President of Public Policy, Research, and Advocacy at Illinois Action for Children and as Director of Community Engagement for Advance Illinois. Ramos holds a Ph.D. in Anthropology with a minor in Latina/Latino Studies from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. In their announcement press release, the Governor’s Office affirmed Ramos “was instrumental in the strategic planning involved in designing, proposing, and launching the newest state agency.”
Important Upcoming Dates – Statewide
January 2-7 – Tentative Lame Duck Session
January 8 – Inauguration of the 104th General Assembly
January 24 – LRB Request Deadline
February 7 – Bill Introduction Deadline
February 19 – Governor’s State of the State and Budget Address
March 21 – Initial Chamber Committee Deadline
April 11 – Initial Chamber Third Reading Deadline
May 9 – Opposite Chamber Committee Deadline
May 23 – Opposite Chamber Third Reading Deadline
May 31 – Adjournment