* Tribune…

One day before Gov. JB Pritzker’s scheduled budget address, Illinois’ four top legislative leaders briefed on the plan Tuesday agreed it will have to hew to the line in a tight fiscal year, with one Democratic leader saying he doesn’t expect the governor to embrace calls by some progressive lawmakers to more aggressively tax Illinois’ highest earners.

“I’m expecting another responsible, balanced budget proposal from the governor. It’s, as I understand it, likely to be very much a maintenance budget. We’re living in uncertain times, and we don’t know tomorrow morning what tweet’s going to blow another hole in our budget,” Democratic Senate President Don Harmon of Oak Park said, referring to President Donald Trump’s penchant for policymaking via social media. […]

“I just have not heard any talk about the progressive revenue proposals,” [Harmon] added. “I have not heard the governor talk about the progressive revenue proposals that are being circulated.” […]

And funding is expected to stay relatively flat for a program that provides health insurance to some noncitizen immigrants older than 65, the sources said. A similar program for middle-age adults ended last year after Pritzker proposed cutting it.

* Politico…

Another notable excerpt focuses on Pritzker planning to back on pet projects. “Prudence demanded that this year’s budget proposal seeks a discretionary spending increase that is less than 0.5 percent. It levels off and in some cases reduces programs that are important to me — some of which were proposals of my own. But I believe that the imperative of responsible governance and overcoming the fiscal irresponsibility of past decades must come ahead of the interests of any one politician, program, or party,” according to the excerpt.

* Capitol News Illinois…

Gov. JB Pritzker will propose a statewide zoning law in his State of the State address on Wednesday, drastically limiting the authority local governments have to control what types of housing structures can be built on land that’s zoned residential.

Pritzker’s office says the measure will call for relaxed restrictions on the development of multi-unit housing, allowing homeowners to build “granny flats” and cutting other forms of red tape that have slowed homebuilding in recent years.

He’s also asking lawmakers to approve $250 million in capital funding for infrastructure grants aimed at knocking out “below ground costs” at sites eyed for residential development, programs to build out “middle” housing and down payment assistance for first-time homebuyers. […]

Under the plan, local zoning boards would no longer be allowed to prohibit property owners from building multi-unit housing on residential lots exceeding 5,000 square feet. It would be on a sliding scale, with the largest lots able to hold up to eight units of housing under the current plan.

However, Pritzker will need approval from the General Assembly. And the governor’s office said specific lot-size thresholds and units allowed within them will ultimately be subject to negotiations with the state legislature. [….]

Pritzker’s office says the plan will also include yet-to-be-specified statewide timelines for housing permit reviews and inspections.

If local governments do not complete an inspection or review within a certain number of days, the applicant would be able to use a qualified third-party firm to do it. All state and local requirements would still apply.

* Bloomberg…

Illinois Governor JB Pritzker is proposing a new fee on social-media companies that he says would raise about $200 million a year for education, as his state confronts a sizable budget shortfall and greater uncertainty around federal funding under President Donald Trump.

The plan would require social media firms to pay a monthly, tiered fee tied to the number of monthly active Illinois users whose data they collect, with larger ones paying more. The proposal would also bar companies from passing the cost on to users. The fee could sweep in the biggest platforms — including Meta Platforms Inc.’s Facebook and Instagram and other large social networks — if they meet the state’s user thresholds.

Tiered fee structure based on monthly active Illinois users

100,000 to 500,000: pay 10 cents per user above 100,000

500,000 to 1 million: pay $40,000 a month plus 25 cents per user above 500,000

1 million or more: pay $165,000 a month plus 50 cents per user above 1 million

Pritzker is pitching the levy as a way to help plug the budget gap as he rolls out his eighth budget on Wednesday. In the year starting July 1, Illinois faces a shortfall of at least $2 billion in its general funds — its main operating accounts — as costs for education, health care and other social services rise, according to preliminary estimates.

* NBC…

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker is expected Wednesday to call for a two-year suspension of tax incentives offered to develop data centers amid growing scrutiny over their rapid expansion and impact on communities. […]

At the center of the plan is a two-year pause, effective July 1, on Illinois’ data center tax credit program. Pritzker will instruct key state agencies to study the impact of existing data centers on the state’s energy grid and consumers and analyze the financial impact the centers have had on the economy. Specifically, the governor’s office said it is trying to make sure the centers are financially sustainable over time, protect consumers from soaring energy costs and ensure fair allocation of resources.

Illinois’ Democratic-led General Assembly must approve Pritzker’s proposal. […]

In Pritzker’s proposal, tax incentives would not be available for new data centers for two years, beginning in July. In 2024, Georgia lawmakers sent Gov. Brian Kemp, a Republican, a bill that would curb existing tax incentives, but Kemp vetoed it.

* Meanwhile, Crain’s…

Explosive growth in data centers — fueled by artificial intelligence — is pushing up demand across the grid and driving higher electricity prices. In response, Gov. JB Pritzker is expected to sign an executive order today aimed at bringing new nuclear reactors to the state for the first time in nearly 40 years.

Lawmakers agreed last year to lift the state’s ban on building new nuclear reactors. Pritzker’s order today directs state agencies and regulators to begin evaluating potential reactor sites with a goal of getting construction underway by 2033. […]

Pritzker’s executive order will call for delivering 2 gigawatts of new nuclear capacity, either through new plants or expansions. That’s about what two traditional reactors would produce, or enough to power 2 million homes. It’s also about the same amount of power required by a new Amazon data center that’s being built in Northwest Indiana.

Pritzker’s order will task the Illinois Power Agency and Illinois Commerce Commission, along with other state agencies, to begin working immediately to evaluate potential nuclear sites. The order also involves developing a modern legal and regulatory framework. A report on the recommendations is scheduled to be completed in 150 days.

* Last year, Gov. Pritzker called for classroom cellphone restrictions in his State of the State address, but the proposal stalled. ABC Chicago reports he’s giving the cellphone ban another shot…

Illinois Governor JB Pritzker announced Wednesday he will push for a ban on cellphones in schools. […]

This new version comes with some exceptions, though, including:

- When a medical professional determines it’s needed to manage the student’s health care.

-Or to fulfill an Individualized Education Plan.

-Or if students are English learners and need to access learning materials to participate in class.

-Or if a student is a caregiver of a family member and needs accessible communication.

Schools may also choose to allow additional exceptions at their discretion.

* More…

* WAND | IL teachers union demands full school funding in Fiscal Year 2027 budget: The Illinois Federation of Teachers is calling on the governor and state lawmakers to fully fund education commitments in the next budget. Union members say K-12 schools, community colleges and public universities are currently underfunded and cuts from the Trump administration have made the situation worse. The group is pushing for a billionaires tax this year to generate more revenue for the state, as they argue the evidence-based funding model is not providing enough money for K-12 schools.

* ABC Chicago | Gov. JB Pritzker to deliver budget address in Springfield: Rep. Kam Buckner, a top House Democrat budget negotiator from Chicago, said one of the goals of this year’s budget will be to play “defense.”"It’s hard when the biggest variable in the budget is not something that you can control,” he said, referring to federal funding. “And with this president, the volatility isn’t a possibility; it’s a given.”