GODFREY — Senator Erica Harriss, reflecting on her third budget season at the statehouse, said the process remains rushed and opaque. “Illinois families are making tough choices to pay their bills, but the government keeps getting bigger,” she said. Harriss was a speaker with Rep. Amy Elik at the North Alton-Godfrey Business Council this week.
"The 2024 budget incorporates several new revenue sources, including one-time funds such as $228 million from Tax Amnesty and $171 million from pausing the sales tax shift on motor fuel to the Road Fund," she said. "New taxes and fees also take effect: a sports betting wager tax starting July 1, 2025, expected to generate $36 million; a hotel-like tax on short-term rentals adding $10 million; an increase in tobacco taxes from 36% to 45% on wholesale prices, including e-cigarettes, projected to bring in $50 million; and a telecommunications tax hike from 7% to 8.65%, partially funding the 9-8-8 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, adding another $50 million."
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On immigration, the budget reduces funding for health benefits for non-citizens aged 42 to 64 but allocates $110 million for non-citizen seniors. Harriss noted that last year’s healthcare coverage for all non-citizens exceeded budget estimates, straining state resources.
Transportation funding remains a challenge as Illinois transit systems face a $730 million fiscal shortfall in 2026. Proposals include consolidating the Regional Transportation Authority, Chicago Transit Authority, Metra, and PACE into a single entity, potentially shifting power toward Chicago and Cook County. A $1.50 delivery tax on most packages was approved by the Senate but awaits House consideration. The proposal has drawn bipartisan opposition and is not yet law.
Controversial legislation during the session included House Bill 1237, which sought to ban Native American mascots in schools without written tribal consent. Harriss highlighted the impact on schools in her district, such as Granite City and Collinsville, citing millions in potential costs for replacing mascots tied to community tradition. Her office helped stall the bill by gathering over 1,500 petition signatures and participating in rallies. Other bills that failed to pass were an assisted suicide bill and an energy omnibus bill proposing battery storage subsidies but removing local control.
Energy costs increased significantly on June 1, 2025, after Ameren Illinois received new rates from the regional grid operator, MISO, with prices rising from $30 to $666 per megawatt. Harriss attributed the spike to policy decisions under the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act, which mandated coal and gas plant shutdowns without ensuring adequate backup power. She has sponsored several bills aimed at addressing these issues, including creating a task force to study energy laws, rolling back some plant shutdown mandates, and expediting permitting for new energy projects.
The session also yielded legislative successes, such as Senate Bill 39, exempting nonprofit-built tiny homes for homeless veterans from electric vehicle charging requirements; Senate Bill 2323, improving support and legal protections for human trafficking victims; and House Bill 1141, mandating insurance coverage for anesthesia regardless of duration.
Harriss said she passed multiple bills during the session, including Senate Bill 2463 holding oil well operators responsible for cleanup, House Bill 57 allowing care facility residents to name a trusted support person, and House Bill 1120 removing the blood type requirement from driver’s licenses. Other measures addressed local issues, streamlined port operations, and enhanced transparency in utility acquisitions.
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