* Please click here for the full budget briefing book. Click here for an updated version of news stories. You can click here to read the transcript. You can watch the video at this link if you don’t have physical access to the House chambers.

…Adding… A much more detailed description of the proposed operating budget is here. The proposed capital budget is here.

* Here’s what the governor’s office is pushing today…

✅ erase $1 billion of medical debt for more than 340,000 families.
✅ more than $20 million to improve black maternal health outcomes
✅ eliminating the sales tax on groceries
✅ rebuild our arts communities around the state

— Jordan Abudayyeh (@JordanAbudayyeh) February 21, 2024

* There’s a lot going on here, but the briefing book claims this proposal is less than a 2 percent increase…

• FY24 revised estimated spending reflects proposed spring supplemental appropriations of $1.183 billion and proposed transfers.
• Estimated FY24 budgetary surplus of $273 million, with $205 million set aside in Budget Stabilization Fund.
• Proposed FY25 General Funds expenditures total $52.695 billion, a $752 million (<2%) increase from FY24 estimated spending.
• The proposed budget reflects full payment of the certified FY25 pension contribution.
• FY25 Government Services recommended budget reflects direct funding of enterprise- wide IT budget lines to DOIT and current estimates of employee and retiree health insurance liabilities.
• Estimated FY25 budgetary surplus of $298 million, with an estimated $170 million reserved in the Budget Stabilization Fund.

Walk-down…

* Some one-pagers. Click the pics for larger images…

* Some media advisories. Senate Democrats…

Following the governor’s joint State of the State and Budget Address Wednesday, a number of Senate Democrats will provide their reactions to his proposal and what they hope to see in the final Fiscal Year 2025 budget live on Blue Room Stream.

WHO: Senate President Don Harmon, Senate Majority Leader Kimberly A. Lightford, and Senators Sims, Gillespie, Castro, Stadelman and Halpin
WHAT: Senate Democrats react to governor’s joint State of the State and Budget Address
WHEN: Immediately following the governor’s address, approximately 1 p.m.
WHERE: Live on Blue Room Stream

* Black Caucus…

Members of the House and Senate Black Caucuses will host a press conference immediately following Gov. JB Pritzker’s State of State and Budget Address on Wednesday, Feb. 21 on the second-floor staircase of the Illinois Capitol Building to address budget priorities for the upcoming year.

* Comptroller Mendoza…

Comptroller Mendoza, a fierce advocate of responsible spending and fiscal stability, will offer her reaction to the Governor’s Fiscal Year 2025 Budget Plan.

What:  Media availability
When: Shortly following Governor Pritzker’s Budget Address, Wednesday, February 21st
Where:  Capitol Rotunda, outside of House Chambers 

* Home care workers…

Today, February 21, Illinois agency home care workers who serve seniors through the Community Care Program will be available for in-person interviews following Governor Pritzker’s budget address. They’ll share reactions at the Statehouse in Springfield starting at 1:30pm CT.