Working for Illinois Caucus

97th District Democratic State Representative Harry Benton says the final month of the spring session is going to be somewhat chaotic, as each chamber of the General Assembly reviews and passes legislation while also discussing major state projects like the budget.

Benton has been very vocal about maintaining fiscal responsibility and is looking forward to taking a detailed look at the budget to determine the best path forward for the state. Benton says one issue that the state is running into with the budget is waiting on federal funds for Medicaid.

"Right now the federal government is behind in payment by about two billion dollars on Medicaid. Medicaid is a large portion of our budget, and if that continues to happen, we are gonna have to either find a way to find the money for critical services or start making cuts. Unfortunately…I don’t typically get into federal politics when we do these radio shows, but it is directly affecting the states, it is directly affecting residents here in Illinois by withholding funds for critical services for seniors, folks with developmental disabilities, and people that are just trying to make it."

Governor J.B. Pritzker unveiled his proposal for the fiscal year 2026 budget in February with a projected $3.2 billion deficit. Benton says lawmakers will have to find the money to cover the deficit or face potential cuts to services for Illinois residents.

The spring session is set to end on May 31.