The Latest: House adopts disbursing tax money with Rauner OK
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) - The latest on legislative action in the state Capitol as the budget impasse enters its fifth month without a resolution:
___
5:20 p.m.
The Illinois Senate has adjourned for the day and might not meet again until next year.
The House is next due in Springfield on Dec. 2. But Senate President John Cullerton told his chamber on Tuesday that he'll only call senators back to take substantive action. Otherwise, he says senators will next meet in session in 2016.
___
5 p.m.
The Illinois House acted in a rare moment of collegiality in overwhelmingly adopting a plan to disburse already-collected tax dollars that are on the periphery on the ongoing state budget battle.
Des Plaines Democratic Rep. Martin Moylan's measure was endorsed 115-1 and moves to the Senate. It would free up $1.9 billion in money not collected in general revenue. It would disburse motor-fuel tax money to cities, wireless phone tax receipts to emergency dispatch centers, lottery fund money to winning players and more.
Gov. Bruce Rauner has opposed such a "piece-meal" approach to adopting a budget during his five-month battle with legislative Democrats. But he announced Tuesday morning he would OK the idea as a way to compromise.
The bill is HB4305.
___
4:45 p.m.
The House has failed to restore full funding for state-subsidized child care for low-income working parents.
Rep. Jehan (juh-HAHN') Gordon-Booth, a Peoria Democrat, could not pull enough votes to prevail. It received 70, one short of what was needed.
But Gov. Bruce Rauner relented on Monday, reversing deep cuts he made last summer because there's still no budget for the fiscal year that began July 1.
Rauner's new rule reduced eligibility for working parents - those making more than 50 percent of the federal poverty level - knocking tens of thousands of families off the list.
Gordon-Booth's measure would have restored availability to families that made up to 185 percent of poverty. Rauner, a Republican, agreed to raise the level to 162 percent of the federal level.
___
The bill is SB570.
___
3:45 p.m.
The House has failed to override a veto by Gov. Bruce Rauner that limits institutional care available to seniors.
The measure Tuesday would have ensured that seniors who get at-home or institutional care can continue to receive it after the Rauner administration changed the assessment method for determining eligibility for the care. Likely, it would have meant fewer would qualify as Rauner tries to save money.
Rauner announced plans on Monday to discontinue redrawing assessment procedures.
Rauner vetoed the bill last week, limiting care to institutional or in-home - not both. Rep. Greg Harris, a Chicago Democrat, wanted both available.
But his attempt to override the veto fell one vote short - 70-38 with one "present" vote.
The bill is SB2482.
___
11:15 a.m.
A spokesman says Illinois House Democrats will not immediately consider Gov. Bruce Rauner's suggested changes to legislation that would send collected tax dollars to cities and lottery winners.
A memo Tuesday from the Republican governor's staff indicated Rauner's reversal on the legislation. He now says he would accept the plan to release the money even though there's still no overall spending plan more than four months into the fiscal year.
Rauner says he's compromising with Democrats and even suggested adding money so that cities can buy road salt for winter and provide funding for four veterans homes.
Steve Brown is spokesman for House Democrats. He says Rep. Martin Moylan might add some money to the bill for police training and other purposes but not Rauner's ideas until they're evaluated.
___
10 a.m.
Gov. Bruce Rauner is compromising over the state's budget mess, indicating he's OK with Democrats' legislation to disburse tax dollars already collected to local governments and lottery winners.
A memo Tuesday from a Rauner staffer to lawmakers says the Republican now supports the legislation and even suggested adding money, such as for road salt with winter around the corner.
The plan includes $1.9 billion collected in motor fuel tax for cities, wireless phone tax for 911 services and lottery dollars to pay winners. Rauner and Democrats have feuded over a spending plan since the fiscal year began July 1.
Rauner says his new support builds on Monday's compromise in three areas including state-subsidized child care.
___
The bill is HB4305.
Online: http://www.ilga.gov