Rep. Theresa Mah (D-Chicago) speaks on the House floor on May 23. [Blue Room Stream]   

A long-awaited bill to eliminate the subminimum wage for workers with disabilities continues to make slow progress through the legislature but did not advance in the Senate before last week’s adjournment, putting the bill on ice until the fall veto session or short lame duck session next January.  

Rep. Dagmara Avelar (D-Bolingbrook) speaks on the House floor on May 21. [Blue Room Stream]   

Illinois Democrats are anticipating another U.S. Supreme Court decision that further restricts access to abortion and advanced a bill to codify a federal law they worry will be struck down this month.  

Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation Chair Joseph Rupnick speaks at a news conference in Shabbona, Ill. in 2022. [Ben Szalinski/The Daily Line]   

The General Assembly failed to approve legislation that would transfer a state park to the new reservation recently recognized by the federal government for the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation despite vigorous discussions during the final weeks of spring session. 

The House Judiciary- Criminal Committee meets on Tuesday night. [Ben Szalinski/The Daily Line]   

The legislature adjourned without signing off on bipartisan reform to the Prisoner Review Board (PRB) that was supported by most lawmakers but opposed by Gov. JB Pritzker.  

The Illinois Commerce Commission approved a small rate increase for Peoples Gas in another win for consumer advocates. Gov. JB Pritzker will headline an event for Wisconsin Democrats. And a conservative legal organization is challenging highway cameras in Illinois. 

Gov. JB Pritzker takes questions from reporters on Wednesday morning. [Ben Szalinski/The Daily Line]   

Gov. JB Pritzker has enjoyed mostly uniform support from Democrats, particularly in the House, on state budgets since he took office and began untangling the budget mess he inherited.  

But the budget put in front of lawmakers on Wednesday morning, which was about $400 million larger than what Pritzker asked for, was too much for several Democrats and it nearly caused the revenue plan proposed by Pritzker to fail. Had that failed, it’s likely the entire budget would have been required to be revamped to garner enough votes in June to pass with a constitution-required super majority.

Members of the House Democratic staff huddle to discuss a motion to suspend House rules around 4:30 a.m. Wednesday. [Ben Szalinski/The Daily Line]  

House Democrats’ plan to pass budget bills early Wednesday nearly exploded into disaster around 4 a.m. after multiple failed attempts to pass a $1.1 billion revenue package featuring numerous new tax hikes on largely on businesses to fund the budget.

The Illinois Capitol   

The House adjourned Wednesday morning without advancing a measure that would heavily regulate hemp to the point where those in the industry believed their products would be effectively banned.  

Sen. Elgie Sims (D-Chicago) presents the state budget to the Senate on Sunday. [Blue Room Stream]  

The Senate voted 38-21 on Sunday to pass a $53.1 billion budget alongside new tax hikes to close seven straight days of session caused by disagreement over budget details.   

Rep. Ann Williams (D-Chicago) speaks in the House Energy and Environment Committee on Friday. [Ben Szalinski/The Daily Line]   

The General Assembly approved an agreement between businesses and environmental groups to strictly regulate carbon pipeline construction in Illinois while providing a pathway to allow pipeline construction in a few years.