Madigan Cancels IL House Session, Wants Budget Talks To Go On
Illinois Speaker of the House Michael Madigan (D-Chicago) speaks to lawmakers while on the House floor on May 17th, during session at the Illinois State Capitol in Springfield, Ill. Seth Perlman / AP
Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan has canceled Wednesday's scheduled Illinois House session so budget talks can continue.
The Chicago Democrat told House members Tuesday not to convene in Springfield. Wednesday's session would have been the House's first meeting since they adjourned the spring session May 31 without a budget for the second year in a row.
Madigan says bipartisan groups of legislators meeting with Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner's staff have made progress in recent weeks. He says canceling the session will allow discussions to continue uninterrupted.
Madigan had said he would convene the House each Wednesday during summer.
The Senate rejected the House's $40 billion budget that Republicans say had a $7 billion deficit. The House voted down a $16 billion education proposal from the Senate.
Rauner called the session a "stunning failure.''
Links
- Rauner: Dems Should Break Ranks With Madigan, Cullerton
- Madigan, Cullerton Weigh In On Budget Deal Prospects
- Madigan On Rauner, In His Own Words
- Legislators End Regular Spring Session Without Passing Budget
- Former Gov Edgar Weighs In On Rauner’s Stopgap Budget Plan
- Illinois May Be Set To Repeat Budget-Less Year