Illinois' Speaker of the House says there's no reason for the governor to further hold up funding for social services.
Legislation passed earlier this month would give homeless, autism and elderly support organizations about half their usual state financing, meaning social services caught in the 11 month budget impasse may get some money.
However, Gov. Bruce Rauner's office says the bill (SB2083) is rife with technical issues. Rauner's budget manager says it will prevent money from flowing to some of the very agencies the measure is intended to help. Speaker Michael Madigan disagrees.
"The claim that there's drafting problems with the bill is pure nonsense from the governor's communications team," he said. "Why does he continue to insist that these agencies that provide for the vulnerable in our society and haven't been or the services that they provide for the state. Why doesn't he deal with that?"
Madigan also said of the $700 million funding bill: "There's a bill on the governor's desk where his communications department complains about drafting errors which are non-existent. The governor ought to focus on that bill because that would provide some money for social service agencies all over Illinois who have provided services on the promise from the Rauner administration that they'd get some money. And they haven't gotten any money. And it's been 11 months. That's what the governor ought to be focused on."
The legislative session is set to adjourn on May 31.
