(The Center Square) – Illinois lawmakers have passed empty budget legislation with two days left in the General Assembly’s spring session.
The Illinois Senate advanced a shell bill late Thursday evening without disclosing what the budget will include.
State Senate President Don Harmon, D-Oak Park, said his chamber received a House bill with an appropriations title on Thursday.
“We are reciprocating today by sending an appropriations title back to the House, and we’ll negotiate with the House on passage of a final budget,” Harmon said.
The Senate president sponsored Senate Bill 2510.
“This is a vehicle bill. There is no content, and I’d ask members who are able to support the bill going over to the House,” Harmon said.
State Sen. Li Arellano, R-Dixon, said Gov. J.B. Pritzker presented his budget proposal months ago.
“Transparency is important. We’re days away. We have no language to look at. I am not speaking as a member of the minority party. I am speaking as a concerned citizen who wants to know what’s getting discussed,” Arellano said.
Arellano is the former mayor of Dixon, Illinois. Years earlier, Dixon’s comptroller was convicted of embezzling millions of dollars from the city.
“This would not be legally acceptable at a municipality. My critique is, going forward, we have to find a way where transparency is again part of the process,” Arellano said.
The shell bill, SB 2510, passed by a vote of 31 to 19.
The General Assembly’s legislative session is scheduled to end Saturday.
