Legislative Update -- June 1, 2023
June 1, 2023
-
Statewide Access to Online Resources Funded!
We are happy to announce that the FY2024 spending package includes "annual library technology grants and for direct purchase of equipment and services that support library development and technology advancement in libraries." The Illinois General Assembly appropriated $5,580,000 for this purpose. Statewide access to online resources was the primary proposal on ILA’s 2023 legislative agenda and we thank Secretary of State Giannoulias for his continuing support throughout the FY2024 budget process.
Governor’s Signing Soon
We anticipate Governor Pritzker will sign House Bill 2789 and Senate Bill 2419 into law in the coming weeks. Both bills were backed by Secretary of State Giannoulias.
House Bill 2789 requires libraries to adhere to the American Library Association’s Library Bill of Rights and requires libraries to create written policies against the practice of banning books in order to qualify for state grants.
Senate Bill 2419 creates the License to Read Act, which provides that the State Librarian may negotiate with publishers of ebooks and audiobooks on behalf of libraries. Additionally, it would establish a grant program to provide funds to libraries and library districts to pay for digital licenses.
Budget Passed Eight Days After Scheduled Adjournment Date
Last month as the Illinois legislature was holding appropriations hearings and negotiating various aspects of the Illinois FY2024 budget, the Illinois Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability revised its final state of Illinois FY2023 revenue forecast down approximately $725 million to $51.2 billion. The commission's revenue forecast for FY2024 remained flat at $50.4 billion.
The commission suggested that an economic pullback or state revenue collection reduction would make the updated collection projection amount uncertain, and a more conservative FY2024 total state budget spending amount may be appropriate as the Illinois legislature continued to debate the upcoming year’s appropriation levels.
On Saturday morning, May 27, the Illinois General Assembly adjourned its 2023 spring session with the passage of the FY2024 state budget. Although eight days after its scheduled adjournment date, the $50.6 billion agreement will fund the government under a substantially similar framework that Governor Pritzker proposed almost 16 weeks ago.
Unlike recent previous budget agreements, the FY2024 package spends nearly the total amount that the state of Illinois is projected to collect in taxes during the upcoming fiscal year. Governor Pritzker’s proposed budget produced an estimated budget surplus of approximately $303 million; the budget package adopted by the legislature will result in an estimated $99 million surplus.
The budget retires over $660 million in debt obligations by prefunding future state employer pension contributions and paying outstanding bonds that were guaranteed by federal tobacco settlement proceeds.
In 2017, Illinois established its new elementary and secondary education funding formula that disproportionately allocates funds to school districts with the most under-resourced students. This formula relies on the assumption that future state budgets will allocate $350 million annually in additional financial resources to fund it. The Illinois legislature appropriated this amount in the FY2024 budget.
It’s Time to Plan for 2024!
The ILA Public Policy Committee is interested in hearing ideas regarding potential legislation from ILA members. To help us understand your concept and make a decision on supporting it, please answer the following questions. Some research may be needed in order to answer some of them; the more complete the information you are able to provide, the easier it will be for PPC to evaluate your proposal.
More information is available here. If you have any questions, please contact Cyndi Robinson. We look forward to hearing from you!
iREAD Summer Reading Programs
Latest Library JobLine Listings
