Politics
Illinois Lawmakers Sworn in Amid Calls for Collaboration, Respect in Springfield
Illinois’ new batch of lawmakers — sworn into the 104th General Assembly on Wednesday — will face a number of challenges in 2025.
These include closing a projected $3.2 billion budget gap with the added pressures of spending more on education, preventing the Chicago area’s public transit agencies from careening off a fiscal cliff and facing unknown obstacles Democrats expect President-elect Donald Trump to make for states like Illinois upon his return to the White House later this month.
During Wednesday’s inauguration ceremonies, legislative leaders largely passed over specifics on how they’ll deal with those and the myriad other issues that will arise during their new, two-year session, focusing instead on arching themes, like living up to the responsibility of serving in elected office.
Speaking at the front of a gleaming Senate chamber freshly reopened after two and a half years of renovations, state Senate President Don Harmon (D-Oak Park) alluded to the budget test ahead.
“We’re all in this together,” Harmon said. “And if you’ve read media clips or financial reports, it might be a tough year ahead. We will face stressful moments. So I am challenging myself and everyone here to be the better leaders of our state. To treat everyone with decency and respect.”
Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Tuesday uncharacteristically publicly called out Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson for a lack of communication and poor relationships in Springfield. Pritzker also said he was upset with House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch (D- Westchester) for not intervening earlier in the week when representatives berated some state employees who’d been making a presentation about a controversial hemp regulation proposal in a private meeting of House Democrats.
Read More: Pritzker, Johnson Clash Over Hemp Regulation as Bill Stalls in Springfield
Asked Wednesday by reporters whether the inauguration serves as a “fresh start” with Welch and the unnamed Democrats who insulted the staffers, Pritzker said, “People can make mistakes, and certainly mistakes were made, and behavior was improper during that caucus. But people can make amends.”
During his inauguration speech, Welch thanked House staff, spoke of building compassion and community and promised to be a partner to anyone “here to work in good faith.”
“We meet here this afternoon at a critical moment in the history of our state and our country, and as the elected leaders from our communities, we have some difficult things to do in the days ahead,” Welch said. “So I ask you, as the men and women entrusted to lead our state: How do we respond? Do we give in to the pressure of this moment, or do we embrace that pressure and create opportunity? Do we fall apart, or do we rise together?”
But without naming policy areas, Welch indicated he’ll have little patience for policies aligned with Trump’s agenda on issues like immigration and health care.
“We were sent here to foster compassion, not division,” Welch said. “We’re expected to make the path to a bright future wider, not narrower. And our mission is to build something better, not tear it all down. So cruel and regressive policies that dehumanize our neighbors or strip away fundamental freedoms will have no home in Illinois.”
Welch is beginning his third term as the first Black person to serve as House Speaker.
He’s beginning the new session with new top staff, including a switch of chief of staff, where Tiffany Moy will be replaced by Clayton Harris III, a former chief of staff to former Gov. Rod Blagojevich. Harris last year lost a bid to be Democrats’ nominee for Cook County state’s attorney.
Each of the other three legislative leaders — Harmon, state Sen. John Curran (R-Downers Grove) and state Rep. Tony McCombie (R-Savanna) — were also formally reelected Wednesday by their peers.
While there was turnover in some seats, the makeup of the General Assembly — in which Democrats outnumber Republicans two to one — is unchanged coming out of the November 2024 election.
McCombie, who appeared to get emotional when she talked about the toll and demands of the job, said she was “naive” two years ago when she first became the chamber’s top Republican. She said GOP representatives were repeatedly excluded and ignored.
“We wanted to collaborate with the speaker,” McCombie said. “Unfortunately, our earnest desire for bipartisan collaboration has not been reciprocated. Whether it was through rules, roll call thresholds or a ‘my way or the highway’ attitude, our caucus has been excluded to collaborate by design. Our caucus represents … parts of all 102 counties, and our districts deserve better.”
McCombie said House Republicans will focus during the next two-year legislative session on three priorities: “One: fostering economic growth. Two: cutting unnecessary spending. Three: And opposing any tax increases.”
Though Democrats also dominate the Senate, Curran and Harmon have had a more collaborative relationship, highlighted by Curran during his remarks.
“Every member has something: an expertise, a passion, an idea that they can bring to the table,” Curran said. “I want to thank President Harmon for making that table more open to the minority party, and I look forward to that continued inclusion in the upcoming session. We represent the geographic majority of the state, and we have a lot to offer.”
In a statement, Democratic Party of Illinois chair Lisa Hernandez said, “Illinois Democrats look ahead to protecting and expanding essential freedoms and helping ensure no Illinois community is left behind or harmed by the incoming White House administration.”
Democrats had talked about taking action before the 103rd General Assembly adjourned to protect Illinois from Trump policies, but they didn’t move any “Trump-proofing” measures during the lame duck session, which ran from Saturday through Tuesday.
Pritzker’s office has said no immediate moves were needed, given that in recent years Illinois passed measures like guaranteeing the right to an abortion.
The governor said he has already taken some steps, such as protecting Bloomington-based electric vehicle manufacturer Rivian from seeing a reduction in a promised federal grant — which Pritzker alleged was put forth as a government cost-cutting effort because Rivian is a competitor to Trump ally Elon Musk’s Tesla.
“He’s so unpredictable,” Pritzker said of Trump. “I know that the people who supported him think that he’s pronounced everything and he’s going to follow through on everything. But that wasn’t the case when he was president last time. I’m not suggesting he’s not going to follow through. My biggest worry are the things he hasn’t told us about.”
Pritzker said it’s possible that Trump’s policies could further cut a hole in the state budget, which Pritzker said he’ll consider as he compiles the spending proposal he’ll pitch to lawmakers in mid-February.
During a nearly half-hour question-and-answer session with reporters, Pritzker repeatedly said he is committed to passing another balanced budget and hinted that he isn’t planning to rely on hiking taxes.
“Certainly not the first thing on my list is thinking about tax increases,” Pritzker said. “I’m looking at how we can manage balancing the budget within our means.”
Johnson often talks about the need for Illinois to enact progressive revenue streams that would have the rich paying more.
Pritzker, who in 2020 led a failed charge to move the state to a graduated income tax structure, has shown no sign of trying again.
“Chicago is hugely important to the state, hugely important to the state’s economy,” Pritzker said. “Every year I look at what the needs are for the city of Chicago, the people of Chicago, the businesses in the city and in the surrounding area. And I’m going to continue to prioritize making sure that we are growing our economy.”
Asked about his own political future, Pritzker said he had no announcement to make. The billionaire said he has a lot to consider when mulling a potential run for a third term as governor.
“I think very highly of this job, and I’ve worked very hard in it, and I love being able to effectuate change that’s lifting up working families across the state,” Pritzker said. “So that’s a good start.”
The governor also said that he will sign into law Karina’s Bill, a measure approved by the House and Senate this week that requires police to seize guns from firearm owners subject to domestic violence orders of protection.
Contact Amanda Vinicky: @AmandaVinicky | [email protected]
