Springfield State Representative Mike Coffey and Macomb Representative Norine Hammond have co-authored a bill that would require the state budget bill to receive ample time for review before any action can be taken.
The process to pass the state’s budget has been less than transparent over the several year, with the state’s super-majority Democrats handling budget discussions mostly behind closed doors. The bill to pass the budget is usually attached to trailer legislation and then passed in the final hours of the Spring legislative session with little to no debate. The Pritzker Administration’s budgets have all passed along party lines.
Coffey and Hammond recently stepped forward with legislation that would attempt to add transparency and time to review and analyze legislation of any kind.
Coffey also said that the bill will provided more transparency for Illinois taxpayers and give them a better opportunity to provide their input on the budget bill: “That’s just not the way it should be. I’ve had this bill along with other bills about business in the House of Representatives, when you vote on it, it should be from 8AM to 8PM. I had a bill like that. It’s just to, you know, shed light on what we’re doing here. I think it’s important that the constituents know what we’re voting on so they get a chance to voice their concerns about the votes we’re going to take.”
The bill is currently stuck in the House Rules Committee.