Illinois 2023 End of Session Report

First Year of the 103^rd General Assembly

The Illinois General Assembly adjourned the 2023 regular session in the early morning hours on May 27, 2023. Session was originally scheduled to adjourn on May 19 but was extended a few additional days due to delays in the budget process. 28 new members joined the General Assembly after the November 2022 election. House members filed over 4,000 bills, and Senate members filed over 2,500 bills, making for a very busy session.

At the end of session, the General Assembly passed a $50.599B budget, BIMP, revenue omnibus, Medicaid omnibus, procurement omnibus, energy omnibus, elections omnibus, property tax omnibus, TIF extension omnibus, sunset extension omnibus, issued $700M in new capital development bonds, created a state health benefits exchange, and allowed the Department of Insurance to reject private health insurance rates deemed unreasonable. A summary of key legislation from the 2023 regular session of the Illinois General Assembly is below. Legislators will return to Springfield for a fall veto session from October 24 to 26 and November 7 to 9.

Jump to:

• FY 2024 Budget
• FY 2024 BIMP
• Revenue Omnibus
• Medicaid Omnibus
• Bond Authorization Act of 2023
• Procurement Omnibus
• Energy Omnibus
• Elections Omnibus
• Property Tax Omnibus
• TIF Extension Omnibus
• Sunset Extension Omnibus
• State Health Benefits Exchange
• Illinois Healthcare Consumer and Small Business Affordability and Transparency Act

FY 2024 Budget

SB 250 (Sims/Gordon-Booth) creates the FY 2024 state budget, which is largely consistent with the governor’s proposed budget from February. The budget operates on a revenue estimate of $50.717B and plans to spend $50.599B. It fully funds the state’s $10B statutory pension obligation and provides an additional $200M above the minimum requirement to the Pension Stabilization Fund (in the BIMP). Highlights of the budget are available below. SB 250 passed the Senate by a vote of 34-22-0 on May 25 and passed the House by a vote of 73-38-0 on May 27. It was signed into law with some line-item vetoes from the governor on June 7, becoming Public Act 103-6.

Early Childhood and K-12 Education

• $18.87B from all funds to pre-K-12 education.
• $250M to create the Smart Start Illinois program to eliminate preschool deserts, stabilize the childcare workforce, expand the Early Intervention Program, home visiting programs, and fund the overhaul of the childcare payment management system.
• $50M for early childhood capital improvements.

• $8.3B to the K-12 evidence-based funding formula, a $350M increase over FY 2023.
• $673.1M to the Early Childhood Block Grant, a $75M increase over FY 2023.
• $45M to create a three-year pilot program to fill teacher vacancies.
• $3M to expand access to computer science coursework.
• $1.6M to launch Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library statewide.
• $28.4M to the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy.
• $2.364M to the Illinois Education Labor Relations Board.

Higher Education

• $3.15B from all funds to higher education, a $123M increase over FY 2023.
• $1.30B from the General Revenue Fund (GRF) to public universities, a $78.6M increase over FY 2023.
• $364.97M GRF to community colleges, a $44.7M increase over FY 2023.
• $100M increase to MAP grant funding to provide tuition-free community college to anyone at or below the median income level.
• $3.8M increase to the Minority Teachers of Illinois Scholarship Program.
• $8.6M increase to the Golden Apple Scholar Program.
• $10.0M for the Prepare for Illinois’ Future Program.
• $2M increase for non-credit workforce development programs.
• $750,000 increase for competitive grants for nursing schools.
• $1.1M increase to the Mental Health Early Action Campus Act.
• $3.15M to establish a community college dual credit grant.
• $5.15M to establish a community college noncredit workforce training grant.
• $10.0M to establish a new Advanced Manufacturing Electric Vehicle grant.
• $1.0M to establish a Data Center Curriculum Development Program.
• $2.0M for the Digital Instruction Adult Education Program.
• $750,000 for English as a Second Language service programs.
• $5M for costs associated with trade schools.

Healthcare and Family Services

• $38.2M from all funds to the Department of Healthcare and Family Services, an increase of $770.4M over FY 2023. The increase in state funding largely counteracts the loss of enhanced federal COVID-19 matching funds.
• $92.5M to raise the asset limit for those receiving Medicaid coverage through Aid to the Aged, Blind, and Disabled to $17,500.
• $303.5M for child support enforcement, a $47.2M increase over FY 2023.

Human Services

• $13.6B from all funds to the Department of Human Services, a $803.0M increase over FY 2023.
• $200.0M increase to continue to implement the Guidehouse rate recommendations.
• $35.0M increase to TANF programs to raise the monthly grant amount from 30% to 35% of the federal poverty level.
• $254.0M increase for Early Intervention and Child Care Services to implement the Smart Start Illinois Program.
• $85M increase, for a total of over $350M, to create the Home Illinois Program to support homelessness prevention, affordable housing, outreach, and other programs.

Aging

• $1.6B from all funds to the Department on Aging.
• $1.3B for the Community Care Program, an increase of $65.4M over FY 2023, to provide a $17 per hour minimum wage for in-home care workers.
• $52.3M for home delivered meals, an $8M increase over FY 2023.
• $1.3M to address service gaps for seniors in rural areas.
• $1.3M to strengthen outreach to Illinois’ growing diverse population of people ages 60 and older.
• $1.0M to support unpaid family caregivers.
• $1.2M to create a new initiative to bring equity to salaries for regional and community ombudsmen.

Children and Family Services

• $325.5M for personnel services to hire at least 192 frontline staff.
• $22.8M to begin implementing the Children’s Behavioral Health Transformation Initiative.
• $69.0M for the rollout of a new electronic case management system.
• $30M for Level of Care Support Services in the form of capital grants for providers to expand and improve facilities for youth with highly specialized needs, an increase of $5M over FY 2023.
• $4.1M increase to fund additional scholarships for current and former youth in care.

Public Health

• $2.1B from all funds to the Department of Public Health, a decrease of $82.8M from FY 2023.
• $42.9M to the Equity and Representation in Health Care Program.
• $16M to upgrade critical data infrastructure within the Department of Public Health.
• $6.5M for responding to new and emerging public health threats and diseases.
• $5M for communications to promote the Department of Public Health’s programs and initiatives.
• $1.5M to provide healthcare to refugees.
• $72,000 to provide free dental services to the Dental Lifeline Network.
• $2M to create a pediatric mental health training program.
• $18M increase to support reproductive health initiatives.
• $38.1M for safety net hospitals.
• $250,000 for the Opioid Overdose Prevention Program.

Veterans’ Affairs

• $214.4M from all funds to the Department of Veterans’ Affairs, an increase of $30.9M over FY 2023.

Corrections

• $2.1B from all funds to the Department of Corrections.

Criminal Justice

• $607.1M from all funds for the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority, increase of $71.0M over FY 2023.
• $15M for the Gang Crime Witness Protection Program.

State Police

• $865.9M from all funds to the Illinois State Police, an increase of $70.3M over FY 2023.
• $6.0M for three new cadet classes in FY 2024.

Law Enforcement Training and Standards

• $35.7M for the Law Enforcement Camera Grant Act.
• $27.4M for grants and reimbursements to local law enforcement agencies for basic training expenses required by the SAFE-T Act.
• $4.0M for grants to local law enforcement for costs associated with the National Integrated Ballistic Information ballistic testing equipment.
• $10.0M for the Law Enforcement Officer Retention Pilot Program.

Financial and Professional Regulation

• $160.4M from all funds for the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, an increase of $10.5M over FY 2023.
• $10.0M to transfer existing licenses to the new licensure platform.

Insurance

• $88.5M to the Department of Insurance, an increase of $19.6M over FY 2023.

Employment Security

• $594.0M from all funds for the Department of Employment Security, a $53.6M increase over FY 2023.

Labor

• $20.0M from all funds for the Department of Labor, an increase of $2.2M over FY 2023.
• $2.1M to the Labor Relations Board, an increase of $33,000 over FY 2023.

Workers’ Compensation

• $31.3M to the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission, a $1.21M increase over FY 2023, largely to address the projected increase in cases in FY 2024.

Agriculture

• $201.0M from all funds for the Department of Agriculture, a decrease of $19.7M from FY 2023.
• $600,000 for the Cover Crop Insurance Program.
• $30.0M for the Local Food Purchasing Cooperative Agreement Program.
• $20.5M for administration of the Adult-Use Cannabis Program.
• $550,000 to assist in paying for Future Farmers of America fees for students.
• $6.9M for State Fair operations.

Commerce Commission

• $69.5M for the Illinois Commerce Commission.
• $10.0M for the administration of the Energy Transition Program.
• $3.0M to create the Intervenor Compensation Fund Program.

Environmental Protection

• $880.4M from all funds to the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, a $335.7M increase over FY 2023.
• $132.3M for the Home Owner Managing Energy Savings Rebate Program using federal Inflation Reduction Act funds.
• $131.5M for the High-Efficiency Electric Home Rebate using federal Inflation Reduction Act funds.
• $20.5M for the Electric Vehicle Rebates Program.
• $3.0M for Climate Pollution Reduction Grant planning.
• $2.5M for the State and Tribal Brownfield Response Program.
• $1.0M for the Environmental Justice Government-to-Government Program.
• $1.8M for the Gulf Hypoxia Action Plan.
• $80.0M for eligible mitigation actions that achieve reductions of emissions related to the Volkswagen Settlement.
• $20.5M for the Water Pollution Control Program.

Natural Resources

• $592.2M from all funds for the Department of Natural Resources.
• $1.24M for community water infrastructure.
• $6.0M for the Coastal Zone Program.
• $4.0M for the Great Lakes Initiative.

Power Agency

• $107.1M for the Illinois Power Agency, a $13.8M increase over FY 2023, with additional funds going to activities related to the Energy Transition Act.

Commerce and Economic Opportunity

• $3.6262B from all funds for the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, a $434.2M decrease from FY 2023.
• $500M new appropriation to the Large Business Attraction Fund (closing fund), in addition to the remaining $400M from FY 2023. 
• $40.0M increase to the Social Equity Cannabis Loan Program to provide forgivable direct loans to craft growers experiencing significant barriers to accessing capital.
• $10M to create a multi-year initiative to develop and implement a one-stop business portal to assist individuals wishing to create new business or relocate business in Illinois.
• $20M for the Fast-Track Workforce Program to provide employee screening, recruitment, and job training development to employers.
• $10.0M to support minority-owned business retention by providing grants to entrepreneurs in Illinois that plan to expand in Illinois or prevent relocation to another state.
• $10M to create the Supporting Communities with Major Investment Program to assist communities with major investments to attract job creators.
• $20M to create the Illinois Grocery Initiative to expand grocery access to underserved rural towns and urban neighborhoods.
• $10M for the Clean Energy EV Career and Technical Education Pilot Program to help technical high schools develop curriculum and programming on electric vehicle manufacturing.

Transportation

• $4.20B to the Department of Transportation, a $228.5M increase over FY 2023.
• $60.0M for continued operating assistance for Amtrack intercity passenger rail service, a $5.0M increase over FY 2023.
• $468.2M for continued operating assistance to the Regional Transportation Authority.
• $19.0M for the Fare Reduction Program.
• $9.1M for the PACE Paratransit Program, an increase of $600,000 over FY 2023.
• $586.6M in Motor Fuel Tax disbursements.
• $205.9M to counties.
• $287.2M to municipalities. 
• $93.3M to townships and road districts.

Innovation and Technology

• $917.2M from all funds to the Department of Innovation and Technology, an $89.3M increase over FY 2023.

Elections

• $42.9M from all funds to the State Board of Elections, a $3.7M decrease from FY 2023.

Gaming

• $251.9M to the Illinois Gaming Board, an increase of $3.8M over FY 2023.

Revenue

• $1.4406B from all funds to the Department of Revenue, a decrease of $1.0292B from FY 2023, largely due to a decrease in federal funding.
• $15.0M for the Veterans’ Property Tax Relief Program, an increase of $7.5M over FY 2023.

FY 2024 BIMP

HB 3817 (Gordon-Booth/Sims) is the FY 2024 Budget Implementation Bill (BIMP), initiating a variety of fund transfers and making changes to state programs. A summary of the specific provisions is below. HB 3817 passed the House unanimously on March 23 prior to being amended. It passed the Senate as amended by a vote of 36-20-0 on May 25, and the House concurred by a vote of 73-38-0 on May 27. It was signed into law on June 7, becoming Public act 103-8.

Transfers

• Allows an appropriationstransfer limit of 8% for executive agencies in FY 2024.
• $2.5M from the General Revenue Fund (GRF) to the Illinois Higher Education Savings Program Fund.
• $14.04M from the Tourism Promotion Fund to the following sub accounts.
• $2.274M to the International Tourism Fund.
• $4.397M to the Chicago Travel Industry Promotion Fund.
• $7.368M to the Local Tourism Fund.
• $2M from the State Police Services Fund to the Illinois State Police Federal Projects Fund, allowing the Illinois State Police to make payments while awaiting federal reimbursement.
• $10M from the Road Fund to the Federal Mass Transit Trust Fund, allowing the Illinois Department of Transportation to make payments while awaiting federal awards.
• $9.9M from secretary of state funds to the Secretary of State Identification Security and Theft Prevention Fund.
• $9.108M from the Road Fund to PACE for ADA/Paratransit expenses.
• $19.064M from the Road Fund to be used for fares for Student Transportation and Reduce Fare for Elderly.
• $60.0M from the Road Fund for intercity rail subsidies.
• $200M from GRF to the Pension Stabilization Fund.
• $100M from GRF to the Rebuild Illinois Projects Fund.
• $500,000 from GRF to the Governor’s Administrative Fund.
• $500,000 from GRF to the Grant Accountability and Transparency Fund.
• $50M from the Rebuild Illinois Projects Fund to the Illinois Works Fund to supports new appropriations included in the FY 2024 budget.
• $40M from the Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis Fund to the Cannabis Business Development Fund for social equity applicants.
• Creates the Cannabis Business Development Fund to provide low-interest rate loans to Qualified Social Equity Applicants to pay for expenses to operate a cannabis business.
• $5M from the Solid Waste Management to GRF.
• $10M from the Underground Storage Tank Fund to GRF.
• Allows funds to be transferred to SURS from the State Pension Fund.
• Allows the State Pension Fund to receive money from Unclaimed Property Trust Fund and appropriate to the designated retirement system.
• Replaces the yearly $8.0M transfer from the Hotel Operators’ Occupation Tax with an advance amount to the Sports Facilities Fund.
• Clarifies the distribution of motor fuel tax receipts between the Motor Fuel Tax Fund and the Transportation Renewal Fund.
• Dissolves soil and water conservation district plates funds into the Partners for Conversation Fund.
• $60M from GRF and the Road Fund to counties for road districts to build 20+ ft bridges.
• Removes the repeal requiring a transfer into the Business Services Special Operations Fund.
• $18M transfer to the Partners for Planning.
• Removes the repeal to allow the secretary of state to continue to transfer revenues from the $10 filing fee into the Business Services Special Operations Fund.
• Amends the Illinois Horse Racing Act of 1975 to transfer funds from the Horse Racing Fund to the Horse Racing Purse Equity Fund.

Education

• Increases the College Insurance Program rate to 0.75% from 0.05%, and allows for annual increases of up to 5%. Creates the Community College Insurance Program Committee.
• Directs the Illinois State Board of Education to administer a three-year Teacher Vacancy Grant Pilot Program to reduce unfilled teaching positions.
• Creates the Imagination Library of Illinois Fund to support grants to Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library.
• Allows the Capital Development Board to make early childhood construction grants from the Build Illinois Bond Fund and the Rebuild Illinois Projects Fund, in addition to the School Construction Fund.
• Extends the sunset on the AIM High Grant Pilot Program for one year.
• Transfers the remaining balance from the Private College Academic Quality Assurance Fund to the Academic Quality Assurance Fund.
• Dissolves the Professional Sports Teams Education Fund and redirects the special license plate revenues to be deposited directly into the Common School Fund.
• Authorizes the Department of Human Services to establish the Smart Start IllinoisGrant Program for childcare centers and provide a minimum base level of funding for childcare centers.
• Extends current practice of allowing the Personal Property Tax Replacement Fund to be used to fund the Illinois Community College Board’s community college base operating grants and the Illinois Department of Public Health’s local health protection grants to local health departments.
• Increases the minimum threshold for competitive bidding for school districts from $25,000 to $35,000.
• Amends the Higher Education Student Assistance Act to create the Prepare for Illinois’ Future Program.
• Creates a student loan repayment assistance for engineers pilot program.

Healthcare

• Creates the Opioid Remediation Service Capital Investment Grant Program.
• Allow the Department of Healthcare and Family Services to appropriate money for the federally funded Money Follows the Person Study.
• Provides for grants to schools for the purpose of creating crisis response maps.
• Allows the Drug Overdose Prevention Program to use any FDA approved formulations of naloxone.
• Amends the Illinois Act on the Aging to establish Care Coordination Unit reimbursement rates, effective July 1, 2023.

Public Safety

• Creates the Fire Station Rehabilitation and Construction Grant Program, allowing OSFM to give local fire departments grants for construction or upgrades to their fire station.
• Creates the IEMA State Projects Fund for the purposes of making grants to nonprofits at high risk of terrorist attacks.
• Allows the Law Enforcement Training Fund to pay the ordinary and contingent expenses of the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board.
• Allows the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board to make grants for National Integrated Ballistic Information Network.
• Allows the Adult Redeploy Illinois Program at the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority to be sued for technical assistance grants.
• Provides that the Department of Corrections shall oversee and budget for Illinois Correctional Industries.
• Creates the Home Illinois Program, requiring the Department of Human Services to create a program focused on preventing and ending homelessness in Illinois.
• Defines credible messenger and allows for violence grants to go to grantees under the Reimagine Public Safety Act.
• Creates the Mechanical Insulation Energy and Safety Assessment Act.

State Administration

• Allows Central Management Services professional services fees to be paid though GRF appropriations to CMS.
• Creates the DCFS Special Purpose Trust Fund and the DCFS Federal Projects Fund.
• Authorizes the Governor’s Office of Management and Budget to use appropriations from the Tobacco Settlement Recover Fund to pay off all outstanding Railsplitter Tobacco Settlement Authority debt.
• Repeals the following funds.
• Working Capital Revolving Fund.
• Live and Learn Fund.
• Professional Sports Teams Education Fund.
• Private College Academic Quality Assurance Fund.
• Soil and Water Conservation District Fund.
• Extends the ability for prompt payment interest penalties to be paid the following year.
• Exempts contracts for project management services and system integration services required for the completion of the state’s enterprise resource planning project from the Illinois Procurement Code for five years.
• Only requires the Executive Ethics Commission to set aside amounts necessary for the ordinary and contingent expenses of procurement officers in FY 2024.
• Updates the Private Colleges and Universities Capital Distribution Formula Act to provide that funds recouped from Illinois Jobs Now! Program grants are not subject to a redistribution provision.
• Sets the refund percentages at 9.25% for personal income tax and 14% for corporate income tax to be transferred into the Income Tax Refund Fund.
• Allows the Department of Insurance to charge an annual compliance fee forArticle 3 and 4 pension funds to an amount between 0.02% and 0.05% of the total assets of the pension fund.
• Removes the repeal of the Capital Development Board Revolving Fund.
• Allows appropriations of up to $600,000 from the Electric Vehicle Rebate to pay for administering the programs.
• Requires 50% matching for Open Space Lands Acquisition. Distressed local governments can get up to 100% matching.
• Dissolves the Korean War Memorial Construction Fund.
• Changes the funding agent for the Illinois Affordable Housing Act from the Department of Revenue to the Department of Human Services.
• Transfers the Health Human Services Innovation Incubator Program from the Department of Human Services to the Department of Healthcare and Family Services.
• Allows the DHS Technology Initiative Fund to pay for information technology solutions.
• Provides a $2.50 per hour wage increase for all direct support professionals and all other frontline personnel who are not subject to the Bureau of Labor Statistics average wage increases under the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Administrative Act. $1.25 of the per hour wage increase will be provided as a direct increase to base wages, and the other $1.25 of the per hour wage increase will be used flexibly for base wage increases.
• Changes the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) guideline to 35% poverty guidelines, beginning October 1, 2024.
• Allows the state to make grants for the purpose of administering an incentive program that will attract or retain conventions, meetings, sporting events, and trade shows in Illinois. Requires the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority to provide the Comptroller and Treasurer with the amounts of incentive grant funds used in the fiscal year to provide incentives for conventions, meetings, and trade shows, including future events.
• Extends the timeframe for survivors to apply for duty death benefits to two years from one year.
• Removes the annual transfer from the Corporate Franchise Tax Refund Fund to GRF.
• Makes changes to the Budgeting for Results Commission.
• Removes crisis response mapping from the Freedom of Information Act.
• Removes the Illinois Finance Authority from the designation of a state agency under the Civil Administrative Code.
• $9M from State Aviation Program Fund to provide for sound-reducing windows and door replacements in Chicago.
• Sets the Local Governmental Distribution Fund rate at 6.47%.
• Increases election judges pay to $20 a day.
• Exempts the first $5,000, up from $1,000, from the franchise tax.
• Increases the following Secretary of State fees.
• $165 for a certificate of title.
• $20 for a driver’s record.
• $500 for driver data.
• Changes State Employee Group Insurance to add coverage for weight loss medicine, infertility treatment, and menopause.
• Establishes a veterans’ property tax relief reimbursement pilot program.
• Changes mileage and travel reimbursement rates under the Sta