By John Gregory/Illinois Radio Network

CHICAGO – You can add Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan to those hoping the budget impasse will end soon.

Madigan calls the stalemate “a disaster” which is affecting human services providers and the people they serve around the state.

When it comes to direct involvement in the solution, however, Madigan says she’ll leave that up to Gov. Bruce Rauner and the legislative leaders.

“We’ve obviously been working in the courts, there are a number of cases out there, but the reality is this is on the governor and the legislature,” Madigan said. “They are the ones, they are the only ones, with the ability to pass a budget, and to implement that budget for the people of the state.”

One of the first cases which decided what would be paid in the absence of the budget centered on pay for state employees. Madigan’s office lost its argument that state couldn’t fully pay workers during any impasse, but she says the case hasn’t been dropped.