McConnaughay Reports

Here’s what State Senator Karen McConnaughay is sharing about Springfield this week:

Bruce Rauner

Bruce Rauner

I am happy to report that through careful, bipartisan and bicameral negotiations, we were able to pass a fix for the problems with the Fiscal Year 15 budget.

As you know, important programs like childcare, and court reporters were facing serious shortfalls as a result of an unbalanced budget passed last spring.

Careful negotiations between Governor Rauner, and the legislative leaders produced a fix that ensures these programs have the funding they need to get through the fiscal year.

Make no mistake, this fix is just a first step. Going forward we will need to work toward real budget reform to ensure we don’t end up in a situation like this one again.

This is something we will keep firmly in mind as we now turn to the task of crafting a budget for the next fiscal year.

With the Easter holiday weekend approaching I want to take a moment to wish you, your families and friends a happy and healthy spring.

As the spring session continues your input continues to be vital to the work I do. Please contact me or my office with questions or concerns you may have, and make sure your voice is heard in Springfield! You can also visit my legislative website at senatormcconnaughay.com.

McConnaughay on FY15 Budget Fix

State Sen. Karen McConnaughay (R-St Charles) joined a bipartisan group of legislators today in voting for a bipartisan solution to fix the funding shortages that state agencies were facing as a result of an unbalanced Fiscal Year 2015 budget.

“What we passed today was a one-time, emergency solution to fill the hole in the FY15 budget,” said McConnaughay.

“This fix was the result of careful, bipartisan negotiations between the Governor’s office and the four legislative leaders. The fix ensures that child-care programs, which were facing devastating cuts, will be funded. It also preserves funding for developmentally disabled, mental health, and autism programs.

“This fix, addressing our state’s immediate budgetary emergency, is step one. The next step will be pushing for real, fundamental reform that improves our jobs climate and changes the way that we, as a state, do business,” said McConnaugnay. “We want to make sure that we don’t find ourselves needing emergency measures like this in the future.”

Budget Fix Signed into Law

After weeks of negotiations, Gov. Rauner and legislative leaders agreed to a solution during the week to patch a massive $1.6 billion hole in the current-year budget. The legislative package, which is contained in two separate bills, passed with strong bipartisan majorities in both chambers and was signed into law by Governor Rauner later that day.

Read more about the budget fix here…

Lawmakers to Focus on FY 16 budget

With the Fiscal Year 2015 budget shortfall addressed, lawmakers will now shift their focus to the upcoming budget for Fiscal Year 2016, which starts July 1.

Read more about the FY 16 budget negotiations here…

Senator McConnughay’s district office is now located at 130 Washington Street in West Dundee. Our phone number is still 847-214-8245.


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