Distributed via Email: June 28, 2016
CALL TODAY TO URGE SCHOOL BUDGET
After failing to approve a Fiscal Year 2017 budget before adjournment, the Illinois General Assembly will meet this week for the first time since it left the Capitol at the end of May. Previously scheduled session days in June were all cancelled as legislative Democrats and the Republican governor were unable to reach a budget compromise. Both the Senate and House of Representatives will be back in the Capitol on Wednesday in an effort to put a state spending plan in place – at least for the rest of this year.
School board members, administrators, principals, and business officials need to call their state representative and senator today and urge approval of a K-12 budget for FY 2017. If calls have been made previously – call again today. It is imperative that every legislator hear from local school districts this week to realize the urgency of approving an education budget before the beginning of the next fiscal year.
Besides voting on an FY 2017 elementary and secondary education budget, lawmakers are expected to consider a six-month budget for all other state agencies. This stop gap measure is designed to keep state government operations going while legislative working groups negotiate a full fiscal year budget. If no budget is in place by July 1, many state functions could cease operating – including road construction projects. The Department of Transportation has warned that ongoing road projects will be shut down immediately if no budget is in place by July 1.
Updates on this week’s legislative action can be found by watching for Alliance Legislative Reports, the IASA Capitol Watch, the IASB News Blog, and following IASB on Twitter.
This legislative report was written and edited by the lobbyists of the Illinois Association of School Boards to provide information to the members of the organizations that comprise the Statewide School Management Alliance.
Follow us on Twitter at: https://twitter.com/ILschoolboards
Bill Text/Status: Illinois General Assembly www.ilga.gov
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