It was good to be back in Springfield this week to continue the work that Illinois residents deserve. My colleagues and I are working hard to improve the State of Illinois through meaningful legislation that benefits families and businesses alike. Please contact my office, if you have questions or concerns about legislation that is being presented in the 104th General Assembly. You can call my office at 618-215-1050 or submit a contact form.
Rep. Schmidt’s Bill Creates the Veterans Day Paid Leave Act
Springfield…State Representative Kevin Schmidt (R-Millstadt) filed legislation to expand recognition to Illinois veterans. House Bill 1421 creates the Veterans Day Paid Leave Act and requires employers to provide each employee who is a veteran with a paid day off on Veterans Day. Rep. Schmidt respects the men and women who have served our country and says his bill is one small way we can tell our veterans thank you.
“We owe our veterans a debt of gratitude for the sacrifices they made to protect the freedoms we all enjoy today,” Rep. Schmidt stated. “My bill is pretty straight forward and would award employees, who provide documents verifying they are a veteran, a paid day off work to celebrate Veterans Day, plus this bill creates an income tax credit to employers who provide a paid day off to their veteran employees.”
Representative Schmidt filed HB1421 to further acknowledge our veterans’ commitment to serving our country. The State of Illinois offers a variety of programs and resources for veterans and their families that can be found on Rep. Schmidt’s website: repschmidt.com/resources-for-veterans
BUDGET
Massive $737 million State budget shortfall projected for FY26. The projection was made by the nonpartisan Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability (CGFA), the budget-forecasting arm of the Illinois General Assembly. The negative forecast was presented to lawmakers by CGFA economists on Tuesday, March 4.
State Representative Kevin Schmidt said this:
“The people I represent want solutions that will bring down their taxes, lower the prices at the grocery store and gas pump, and give them an opportunity to get ahead, not just get by. I stand firmly to support no tax hikes to supplement the proposed revenue hikes included in the largest proposed budget in Illinois history.”
CGFA sees relatively weak private-sector job growth for Illinois in the months ahead. This job growth slowdown is expected to generate disappointing Illinois tax payments and cash flows during the next twelve-month-long fiscal period. This shortfall would be more than $1.2 billion were it not for a series of “hidden” tax increases and one-time money transfers located deep within Gov. Pritzker’s proposed budget. Fiscal Year 2026 will begin on July 1, 2025.
State announces plans to borrow $725 million. Illinois, which continues to feel the effects of a subpar credit rating relative to its competitors among the 50 states, will work through a fiscal platform called “Build Illinois” to sell the large quantity of bonds scheduled to be released. In “Build Illinois” bonds the debt is specifically backed and will be financed by the sales and use tax revenues of the state of Illinois. This means that whenever consumers buy taxable goods or services, such as motor fuel or fast-food meals, the sales tax added to the required payments can be used to repay the “Build Illinois” debt. Lenders consider this to be a relatively secure funding stream and are willing to lend money to the State on this basis.
Proceeds from the $725 million State debt issuance are expected to be used for capital projects, with development of Illinois’ new Chicago-based “quantum campus” at the top of the list, followed by a newly proposed $500 million initiative to clean up and offload surplus State property that is in disrepair. There will also be some matching funds for school construction projects, including buildings at some Illinois colleges and universities. Many Illinois institutions of higher education say they have been cash-starved for many years and are asking for help from the State to build new buildings or to rebuild/refit existing structures.
Nominate a local fire department to win a grain bin rescue tube
Rural fire fighters are often the first and only line of defense when someone becomes helplessly trapped in grain. Many fire departments lack the specialized rescue techniques and equipment necessary for a successful grain bin rescue.
Please take a moment to nominate your fire department & emergency first responders to receive grain rescue tubes and hands-on rescue training to help save lives. Learn more…
First Responders
Our first responders are the backbone to keeping our communities safe and we need to do everything we can to help support them, and their families. The State of Illinois offers helpful resources and programs that support police officers, firefighters, and EMS workers. You can see a full list of resources here.
Remap Lawsuit
House Republicans filed a lawsuit with the Illinois Supreme Court challenging Democrats’ partisan legislative maps to restore the voices of our residents. It’s time to act on gerrymandering: Editorial: IL Supreme Court, it’s time to weigh in on fair maps
We can end the corrupt practice of gerrymandering in Illinois by taking mapmaking power away from incumbent politicians. With reform, we could restore genuine competition to Illinois elections and give voters real choices at the ballot box.
Add your name to the petition below to show your support of HJRCA 5, legislation that would take mapmaking out of the hands of incumbent politicians and create an independent commission to draw legal congressional and legislative district maps.
https://redoremap.com/how-you-can-help/
International Women’s Day
This Saturday is International Women’s Day! We celebrate the achievements and contributions of women across the world. Let’s continue to uplift, support, and empower women for generations to come!
Illinois Psychiatric Society
The Illinois Psychiatric Society is hosting the third annual Carl C. Bell, MD Memorial Award Essay Competition as a community initiative for Illinois High School students. This Essay Contest is open to all high school students in Illinois and submissions are due on May 15, 2025. The award recipient will receive a $500 cash prize. Their submission will also be presented at the 2025 IPS Annual Meeting and published in “Mind Matters,” the official IPS newsletter publication and invited to our Annual Meeting in September. Second and third place award recipients will receive a $250 cash prize.
More information and how to apply can also be found here: https://www.illinoispsychiatricsociety.org/carl-c-bell-award.
Illinois Headlines:
Illinois legislator pushes mascot name change for school nearly 300 miles away
Current state flag wins big in flag redesign contest, Illinois Secretary of State announces
Legislators raise concerns over IL bill revising Secure Choice Savings Program
‘Makers Madness’ contest opens voting to name The Coolest Thing Made in Illinois
State rep wants to make it legal for people ‘appearing’ to have a mental episode to attack cops
Here is a map of District 114. Not sure if you live in this district? Find your Representative here.
