MACOMB –State Representative Norine Hammond (R-Macomb) called the Fiscal Year 15 State Budget fix passed today, the “unfortunate consequence of the unbalanced state budget passed last year that failed to fully fund the full fiscal year.”
House Bills 317 and 318 passed the Illinois House Executive Committee unanimously this morning before being debated by the full House this afternoon. Both bills ultimately passed along a bi-partisan roll call vote. The legislative changes were needed after Governor Rauner announced prison guards, court reporters, and others government employees’ payroll would be missed beginning in April. Rep. Norine Hammond advocated the legislature ‘hold harmless’ Local Government Distributive Funds (LGDF). “The fact that Governor Rauner listened to our concerns on protecting LGDF, autism funding, and support for the mentally ill, showed that he was serious about addressing concerns on the proposal while still working toward passable solutions to the problem created by the partisan budget passed last year,” said Rep. Hammond from Springfield on Tuesday.
It was important to the Governor and legislators, that we, “not fund this shortfall with tax increases on families or by borrowing additional money which would drive the state further into debt,” Rep. Hammond continued, “this wasn’t a perfect solution, but this was needed to fix the budget problem Governor Rauner inherited.”
House Bills 317 and 318 passed 72-45 and 69-48, respectively, and will now go before the State Senate. Hammond encouraged residents of the 93rd district to contact her with questions or concerns on this or any other state issue. Hammond’s Macomb district office can be contacted at (309) 836-2707 and she can be reached via e-mail at rephammond@macomb.com. Constituents can also visit her legislative website at www.norinehammond.org to sign up for her electronic newsletter.
Hammond represents all or part of Brown, Cass, Fulton, Knox, Mason, McDonough, Schuyler and Warren counties.
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