Lawmakers are looking to work around Governor Bruce Rauner’s plan to close the Illinois State Museum and related sites.
The Illinois Senate approved a measure Tuesday that would require the state to operate a museum and keep it open to the public. That comes after museum workers already receiving layoff notices.
Some Republicans, like Senate Minority Leader Christine Radogno, pushed back.
"Most people see value in a state museum, but I think because of the situation with the budget, we've backed ourselves into a corner in terms of the flexibility the administration has to manage money and now we're having to go to very sensitive services," Radogno said.
The governor says Illinois would save $5 million by closing the museum. Advocates say Illinois will lose far more than that in cultural value and museum visitor revenue.
A bipartisan legislative commission will vote Wednesday on whether it believes the museum should stay open. But that's non-binding.
