Governor J-B Pritzker signed the new $46 billion state budget into law on Tuesday…a plan he says offers one point eight billion dollars in tax relief for Illinoisans.
The governor says this historic, responsible budget includes direct rebate checks for working families, enacts a one week back-to-school sales tax holiday and suspends the tax on groceries for one year.
"The budget that I'm signing today brings real improvements to the lives of working families and sets us up for a stronger fiscal future. Putting people first is what this budget is all about."
The budget increases college MAP grant funding and mental health and substance abuse services. It also invests more money in workforce training programs and the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services.
Republican State Senator Terri Bryant from Murphysboro criticized the budget, saying it sets the state up for a financial disaster down the road by increasing spending by nearly three billion dollars on one-time, unexpectedly high revenue.