WSIU InFocus Video Player

Illinois Lawmakers have gone home for the summer after passing a new state budget, but a dispute over how much money should be used to fund state programs may bring lawmakers back to the Capitol to keep construction programs rolling this summer.  The Illinois Senate added over $400 million to the state's $33.3 billion general revenue fund budget in the final hours of the spring session by attaching the funding to legislation authorizing spending for the state's capital construction program. House lawmakers refused to go along with the maneuver, which could bring billions of dollars in construction projects to a halt by the end of the current state fiscal year on June 30. It is not currently known when the House and Senate might reconvene to deal with the issue.

In other business, the General Assembly also approved sweeping workers' compensation and education reform packages, a massive expansion of legalized gambling in the state, and new legislative and congressional maps. On this episode of WSIU InFocus, we'll talk with area lawmakers about the recently completed spring session of the 97th Illinois General Assembly and what may happen if legislators return to the Statehouse in coming weeks and months.

Veteran Statehouse correspondent Jak Tichenor and WSIU Radio's Jennifer Fuller will lead the discussion with State Senator Gary Forby (D-Benton), State Senator David Luechtefeld (R-Okawville), State Representative John Bradley (D-Marion), and State Representative Mike Bost (R-Murphysboro).

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