SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WMBD) — Gov. JB Pritzker, along with fellow politicians, took the stage today to sign the fiscal year 2026 budget.
Gov. Pritzker and Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton joined House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch and budget leaders from each chamber to sign the FY26 state budget package.
According to a release from Pritzker’s Office, the $55.1 billion budget builds on six years of progress, prioritizing Illinois’ long-term fiscal health while sustaining key investments in economic development, education, and health and human services.
Pritzker said he felt the budget reflects “our core values” and shows their commitment to fiscal responsibility.
“For the seventh year in a row, through hard work and thoughtful compromise, we are keeping our promise to deliver for working families across Illinois,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “With the chaos and recklessness seeping out of Washington from Trump and Congressional Republicans, this year’s budget doubles down on our strong fiscal discipline and responsible governance without raising taxes for working families.”
The state budget passed the Illinois House of Representatives as the clock ticked down on the deadline on May 31.
The reactions from the budget essentially fell along party lines, with state Democrats rejoicing while many Republicans felt it was a bloated budget.
Lt. Governor Stratton said Illinois has set the standard for effective, responsible governance for seven straight years.
“In the next fiscal year, we’ll make education—from preschool to college—more affordable and accessible, bring down the cost of prescription drugs, erase medical debt, and so much more—all while protecting the budgets of working families,” said Lt. Governor Stratton. “While Trump and Congressional Republicans push tax cuts to billionaires at the expense of the most vulnerable, Illinois is choosing a path rooted in compassion, stability, and fiscal discipline.”
Senate Appropriations Leader Elgie R. Sims, Jr., also attended the signing. Sims commented on concerns of overspending by the state.
“There are folks who have decried the spending we’ve done in Illinois as overspending,” he said. “We lean into that as investments in our communities.”
According to Pritzker some highlights of the FY26 budget include:
- $500 million in funding for historic site readiness initiatives (Surplus to Success and DCEO Site Readiness Initiative)
- Investing$307 million in the Evidenced-Based Funding (EBF) formula – bringing the total EBF program to $8.94 billion, which represents a $2.1 billion aggregate increase in funding during the Pritzker Administration.
- Maintaining $748 million in Early Childhood Block Grants through Smart Start Illinois. This funding has created more than 11,000 new preschool slots in preschool deserts throughout the state in the last two years.
- $25 millionappropriation for a grant for a new Pharmacy Benefits Management (PBM) program called the Prescription Drug Affordability Fund.
- $15 million for the Medical Debt Relief Program. To date, the program has provided over $330 million in debt relief for more than 290,000 Illinoisans. $24 million to maintain support for reproductive health initiatives, including $10 million for the public facing navigation hotline to help patients access care.
- $175 million increase for the Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) to support care for 150,000 children.
- The FY26 budget continues to invest in Home Illinois, with a total of $263.7 million funding dedicated to this part of the overall housing investment strategy.
- The FY26 budget continues to prioritize gun violence reduction programs and resources through Reimagine Public Safety.
- Sets aside $75 million for expected additional contributions that will be needed to address adjusting the pensionable earnings cap to the Social Security Wage Base for State Tier 2 employees, while committing an additional $200 million to reducing state pension liabilities through the State’s buyout program.
- Deposits a projected $161 million in the Budget Stabilization Fund (Rainy Day Fund) during Fiscal Year 2026, following a deposit of an estimated $250 million in Fiscal Year 2025. The Rainy Day Fund is expected to total nearly $2.5 billion at the end of FY26.
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