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Illinois Democrats Pass a $2.5 Billion Mass Transit Bailout. It was déjà vu all over again at the Capitol this week, with Illinois Democrats passing more tax hikes in the early morning hours of the final day of the fall veto session.
After months of behind-the-scenes negotiations, House Democrats dropped multiple versions of their mass transit bailout in the waning hours of veto session. This came after the Senate Democrats had passed their own mass transit bailout bill at the end of the spring session, a bailout funded by extremely unpopular taxes like a delivery tax on packages and food.
The House Democrats’ first version of their bailout bill also contained extremely unpopular tax hikes, including a 7% statewide amusement tax on events and streaming services, a $5 large event ticket surcharge (on top of the 7% amusement tax), and automated speed camera enhancements in safety zones. The Democrats’ initial tax hike plan was so untenable that even Gov. JB Pritzker immediately threw cold water all over it.
On the final night of veto session, the House Executive Committee held a subject matter hearing on the yet-to-be-filed second version of the Democrats’ Mass Transit Bailout. House Republicans pointed out the absurdity of holding on hearing on legislation that hadn’t even been filed, read or analyzed by legislators or legislative staff.
Late on Thursday night, House Democrats finally filed their revised Mass Transit Bailout as Floor Amendment 3 to Senate Bill 2111. After debating the bill well past midnight, Democrats passed SB 2111 on a partisan roll call vote of 72-32-0. The Senate concurred by a vote of 36-21-0.
The Democrats’ Mass Transit Bailout includes $1.5 Billion in tax increases and $1 Billion in higher Tollway charges to fix a $200 million transit fiscal cliff.
Deputy Republican Leader Norine Hammond called the Democrats’ Mass Transit Bailout the largest Road Fund raid in Illinois history. SB 2111 breaks the longstanding transportation funding deal that was a 55/45 Downstate/Chicago split. The Democrats’ Mass Transit Bailout sweeps nearly $500 million from Downstate road funding, resulting in an 85/15 Chicago/Downstate split.
Rep. Dan Ugaste pushed against the Democrats’ Mass Transit Bailout. “Earlier this morning during the final moments of a chaotic veto session, House Democrats passed a bill that includes excessive spending on mass transit and an unnecessary $1 billion toll hike on suburban drivers. This bad legislation needs to be vetoed by the Governor,” Ugaste said.
State Rep. Ryan Spain, R-Peoria, said veto session was bad for taxpayers.
"This has been one hell of a veto session," Spain said. "It's been an expensive couple days for taxpayers here with initiatives to increase insurance rates, energy prices, and now a massive sales tax increase throughout the RTA, including an increase on groceries for communities that did not reinstate their own grocery tax after we eliminated it."
Spain argued against the mass transit bill.
"One billion dollar tax increase for the tollway, and a betrayal of trust for people that wanted to work together in a bipartisan way, to do something good for investing in infrastructure is a terrible day, week, experience in this General Assembly," Spain said. "I can't express enough my disappointment in the way that this has been handled, the way this body conducts itself, the way this chamber is operated. Something's got to give."
ENERGY
Democrats’ “Green New Giveaway” an $8 Billion Hit to Ratepayers. Democrats continued their assault on Illinois families this week with the passage of their “Green New Giveaway” energy scam.
Senate Bill 25 is another example of flawed green energy fantasies that Illinois ratepayers are already all too familiar with. This isn’t an energy bill; it’s an environmental giveaway that gives power to unelected bureaucrats to raise energy rates in the future.
Under the guise of “green energy,” Illinoisans will see higher rates, fewer good-paying jobs, and a less reliable energy supply. As Illinois families continue to struggle with Illinois’ cost of living, this bill will raise their energy bills. With baseload generation gutted, we can only expect rates to skyrocket - even more than they already have.
Rate hikes are coming for families across Illinois as this bill passes on $8 billion of costs to families and businesses who pay electric bills.
House Republicans support a comprehensive, all-of-the-above energy approach that can meet demand, is reliable, and doesn’t cost consumers an arm and a leg.
While there is some good in this bill, such as the repeal of the nuclear construction ban, it’s crammed between handouts for special interests and rate hikes for consumers.
This proposal makes it less likely that job creators will locate their business in Illinois. Small businesses this past summer saw their electricity rates double and triple from last summer.
BATTERY STORAGE
Battery storage is not as safe as Democrats like to say; just ask first responders. If a lithium battery catches on fire, or if a battery storage warehouse catches on fire, the price tag and effort to put that fire out are huge.
Are communities trained and ready to handle emergencies when it comes to the massive, uncontrollable battery fires we have seen from battery storage warehouses? They are gambling that this new and unproven technology will work well enough to be subsidized with ratepayer dollars.
We should encourage innovation, but not at the expense of Illinois families. Battery storage may be needed for renewable energy supply, but not at this scale and not at this cost. Other states have battery storage that is privately funded.
PROPERTY RIGHTS
SB 25 further takes away local control for renewable project siting. It also reduces the permit fees that counties may charge for renewable projects. It does not allow local counties to zone battery projects.
THE BOTTOM LINE
We cannot believe Democrats when they tell us that this legislation will lower electricity bills. Past energy legislation has promised energy savings but has only delivered more expensive energy bills. Past energy bills have dramatically reduced energy production in Illinois through forced closures of coal and other power plants.
The only thing "green" about the Democrats’ energy scam is that Illinoisans will be handing over a lot more of their greenbacks when their utility bills arrive.
Instead of focusing on expensive and unattainable green energy pipe-dreams, we should focus on preserving our energy from sources like natural gas, coal, and fossil fuels that actually work when the wind isn’t blowing and the sun isn’t shining.
HOUSE REPUBLICANS STOOD IN OPPOSITION TO THE “GREEN NEW GIVEAWAY”
Speaking on the House floor in opposition to SB 25, Deputy Republican Leader Ryan Spain warned of the failed promises of Democrats’ previous green energy laws, which they claimed would bring down costs and ensure reliability, but have caused a supply shortage that has caused rates to skyrocket and damaged grid reliability.
“First, Democrats gave us the Future Energy Jobs Act, then they gave us the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act. All the while, they promised their green energy initiatives would ensure reliability and bring down costs.
“Instead, they’ve crippled our energy supply and caused costs to skyrocket for ratepayers. Illinois used to be a net-exporter of energy, but now, not only are we a net-importer of energy, we are having to import energy generated by coal and gas from other states to meet the needs in our state. All because Democrats refuse to accept the reality that we need an all of the above approach to ensure we have an adequate energy supply to keep rates affordable and ensure reliability.
“Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me. Illinoisans cannot afford an $8 billion price tag for more green energy fantasies!”
Assistant Republican Leader C.D. Davidsmeyer spoke against the Democrats’ Green New Giveaway, which will lead to massive rate hikes on Illinois consumers. Davidsmeyer, the GOP Spokesperson on the House Public Utilities Committee, pointed out that the bill is a guaranteed rate increase that does nothing to increase energy production. The Democrats’ Green Energy Giveaway passes on $8 Billion of costs to Illinois families and businesses for unproven battery storage projects.
State Rep. Brad Halbrook set the record straight on yet another Democrat attempt at “fixing” energy policy in Illinois.
IMMIGRATION
Illinois lawmakers approve ban on civil immigration arrests in state courthouses. After weeks of verbally condemning the aggressive federal immigration crackdown in the Chicago region, Illinois lawmakers approved legislation banning civil immigration arrests in and around state courthouses early Friday morning.
House Bill 1312, among other provisions, would also allow Illinois residents to sue immigration agents who violate their constitutional right to due process and protection against unreasonable searches and seizures.
It heads to Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker’s desk after clearing the Illinois Senate 40-18 and the Illinois House 75-32 in the waning hours of their annual fall veto session. […]
The bill also allows Illinois residents to sue immigration agents for violating their constitutional rights. They would be able to collect punitive damages, which can be increased if the agents are wearing a mask, concealing their identity, failing to wear a body camera or using a vehicle with a non-Illinois or obscured license plate.
State Rep. Patrick Windhorst, R-Metropolis, warned that it would have unintended consequences on state and local law enforcement. Law enforcement groups like the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police and the Illinois Sheriff’s Association cited similar concerns.
“This bill goes too far,” Windhorst said. “It is too broad and there will be grave consequences to our state if it is adopted.”
Read more from Capitol News Illinois.
As Illinois Democrats passed yet another pro-illegal immigration bill at the end of veto session, State Rep. C.D. Davidsmeyer brought receipts showing how the Democrats own this immigration crisis. From the TRUST Act which made Illinois a sanctuary state to Biden’s open border policy, Democrats are to blame for the surge in illegal immigration and the resulting immigration enforcement actions.
JOBS
Electric vehicle maker Rivian announces layoffs. Rivian, with production facilities in Bloomington-Normal, Illinois, announced that more than 600 workers will be let go. The firm, which specializes in electric-powered light trucks such as the R1T pickup and R1S SUV, has posted sales figures that have reflected an overall downturn in the e-vehicle industry. In addition, Rivian has never made an operating profit and has been kept alive by infusions of venture capital.
In its announcement, Rivian stated its intent to concentrate its layoffs among salaried personnel. This would hold their vehicle plant in Normal, Illinois harmless for now. No notice has gone out to Normal workers pursuant to the Worker Adjustment and Retraining (WARN) Act, which is a required step when manufacturing layoffs are set to take place. While Rivian’s principal production facility is in Normal, the company’s headquarters and of its many salaried workers are based in Irvine, California.
REDISTRICTING
House GOP pushback helps stop Democrats’ congressional gerrymandering scheme. In 2021, Illinois Democrats enacted, and Governor Pritzker signed, a map that Illinois voters would have to use throughout the 2020s to elect members of the U.S. House of Representatives. Called “the worst gerrymander in the U.S.”, the map divided Illinois’ population into 17 congressional districts, 14 of which were designed to elect Democrats. Republican voters were either scattered throughout the Democrat districts, or “packed” into three Downstate Illinois districts that were designed to be overwhelmingly Republican.
Even though he already had 14 of the 17 Illinois congressional seats, U.S. House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) wanted more. Jeffries met with Illinois Democratic leaders this week to lobby for a mid-decade redistricting that would add another Democrat district.
House Republicans pushed back hard in opposition to the Democrats’ latest gerrymandering scheme. Partly because of this rapid response, the proposed new congressional map did not move forward.
Speaking at a press conference at the beginning of the final week of the fall veto session, Deputy Republican Leader Ryan Spain decried Democrats for their latest push to further disenfranchise Illinois voters by pursuing even more gerrymandered Congressional districts to elect more Democrats to Congress. This is despite Illinois already having Congressional districts rated F by the non-partisan Princeton Gerrymandering Project.
With Democrats considering another partisan gerrymandering of Illinois’ congressional map, Assistant Republican Leader C.D. Davidsmeyer called out Gov. JB Pritzker for his hypocrisy and flip flop on fair maps. Davidsmeyer said Pritzker is clearly more interested in scoring political points in Washington, D.C. than he is in working to end the culture of corruption in Illinois.
“Today, I joined my colleagues as House Republicans oppose legislative map redistricting discussions in Illinois,” said Assistant Republican Leader Dan Ugaste. “Democrats in our state are considering further gerrymandering the most gerrymandered maps in the country, with Congressional Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries meeting with Democratic leaders yesterday.
“The hypocrisy is outrageous. This is all about protecting power, not voters’ rights. We need to end extreme partisan gerrymandering and allow our voters’ voices to be heard.”
TAXES
Democrats Decouple from OBBB Tax Relief, Hurting Illinois’ Economy. Decoupling Illinois’ tax code from the federal tax code also passed the Illinois General Assembly in the early morning hours on Halloween.
During House debate late Thursday evening, state Rep. Dan Ugaste, R-Geneva, said decoupling Illinois from the federal tax code equals a tax increase for Illinois businesses.
“We're putting our businesses at a competitive disadvantage again, by decoupling, while every other state that is still coupled to the federal tax law is going to see a savings for their business because the federal taxes have been lowered with us raising them again, which is essentially a tax increase,” Ugaste said. […]
State government spending has increased $16 billion, or 43%, since Pritzker took office in 2019.
The decoupling bill was approved by the Illinois Senate at 2 a.m. Friday.
Read more from The Center Square.
TURN YOUR CLOCKS BACK
Daylight Saving Time Ends This Weekend. As November draws near, Illinoisans are gearing up for the transition back to Standard Time as Daylight Saving Time (DST) ends this weekend. On Sunday, November 2, 2025, at precisely 2 a.m., clocks will be set back one hour. This change signals the official return to Standard Time. This gives an extra hour of sleep for many but also the arrival of earlier sunsets and longer nights.
This shift is an annual reminder that winter is just around the corner. Here in Illinois, daylight hours will shorten dramatically, with sunset occurring around 4:41 p.m. immediately following the time change.