Lawmakers seek to combat Illinois State Museum layoffs

Posted on August 5, 2015

State Sen. Andy Manar is pleased his chamber passed a bill to make maintaining the Illinois State Museum system an essential function of state government, by writing the legislature “shall” fund it. (Photo courtesy www.ilga.gov)

By Alex Degman/Illinois Radio Network

SPRINGFIELD – Gov. Bruce Rauner issued dozens of layoff notices to Illinois State Museum system employees and the legislature shot right back.

State Sen. Andy Manar (D-Bunker Hill) said the governor’s layoff notices, effective Sept. 30, which also impact IEMA and DCEO among other agencies, ignores the legislative process.

“Despite the fact that the legislative branch has not done and fulfilled its statutory duty, the governor has went ahead and issued layoff notices,” Manar said. “That’s circumventing the legislative branch of government.”

The Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability will likely issue a recommendation on Wednesday on whether the museums should stay open.

The bill is crafted like the law that funds the state fair – it says the state museum system shall be funded, which makes it essential spending. Manar says preserving thousands of years of history and millions of artifacts is a function of state government and is essential.

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