NW Illinois News

Senator Andrew Chesney, along with a group of conservative lawmakers, has filed a lawsuit challenging the budget adoption process in Illinois. The complaint arises from actions taken by the Democrat majority to pass the state budget for fiscal year 2026 on May 31. According to Chesney, "The Illinois Constitution requires that every bill be read on three separate days in each chamber," but this rule was allegedly bypassed when Democrats replaced a single-sentence bill with a lengthy 3,363-page document and voted on it within 48 hours.

Chesney emphasized that the lawsuit is about upholding constitutional rules rather than opposing one specific budget. He stated, "It is about whether our Constitution means anything at all." Governor JB Pritzker signed the budget into law on June 16 despite ongoing legal challenges. This new budget amounts to over $55 billion and includes nearly $1 billion in tax increases.

Republican attempts to provide tax relief were unsuccessful, while programs for illegal immigrants continued to receive funding. The plan also eliminates a property tax relief program for struggling families.

In other news, Senator Chesney has been meeting with newly-elected village officials in his district to discuss community goals and priorities. Additionally, he highlighted an upcoming IPASS on Demand event scheduled for June 24 in Genoa, aimed at helping motorists update their transponders.

On another front, momentum is building against Illinois' ban on certain semi-automatic firearms enacted in 2023. The U.S. Department of Justice recently opposed the ban, citing Second Amendment concerns. A federal judge previously ruled against the law's constitutionality; however, Illinois is appealing this decision.

Chesney supports efforts to overturn the ban and noted that "35 Illinois State’s Attorneys have also filed a brief urging the court to strike down the ban."