CHICAGO – Frustrated that the Democrat leadership drags its feet in moving to his desk a bill that passed the legislature May 31st, Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner called all lawmakers back to the State Capitol Wednesday.
“Democrats have been holding this bill since May 31. Our families and students cannot wait any longer,” Gov. Rauner said. “We must act now, which is why I’m calling lawmakers back to Springfield for a special session. Our schools must open on time.”
Yet the governor's office nor selected state lawmakers have offered explanation how the call back will be able to force the Senate to move SB 1 to Rauner's desk.
Public schools throughout Illinois may not open on time unless SB 1 is sent to Gov. Rauner. The governor plans to amend SB 1 to remove the Chicago Public Schools’ pension bailout that’s currently included in the bill, which then would provide more money to children and schools statewide.
A dispute over SB 1 erupted when it was discovered that SB 1 would point more funds to Chicago, and undercut suburban districts' resources.
Predictably, the IL GOP reinterated Rauner's call.
“It is beyond inexcusable that Mike Madigan and his allies refuse to release education funding for all Illinois schools unless they get their $500 million Chicago bailout. It’s just another attempt by Madigan to hold our state hostage for his disastrous Chicago agenda,” Illinois Republican Party Spokesman Steven Yaffe said.
“Governor Rauner’s decision to call lawmakers back to Springfield is necessary to protect students across Illinois from Mike Madigan's hostage-taking.”
