Bill Text: IL HR0554 | 2015-2016 | 99th General Assembly | Introduced

---

Bill Title: Urges the General Assembly to apply any revenues which exceed expenditures to the payment of any old bills that are more than 45 days past the due date, including General Revenue Fund and non-General Revenue Fund expenditures, at the close of each fiscal year and to direct such revenues to the Budget Stabilization Fund if there are no pending bills over 45 days past the due date. Urges the General Assembly to provide for the use and maintenance of the Budget Stabilization Fund by appropriating any excess amounts "off the top" of estimated available revenues to the Budget Stabilization Fund should the growth in the annual revenue estimate exceed 3% from the previous year's estimated revenues and applying any revenues which exceed expenditures to the Budget Stabilization Fund should no unpaid bills remain due over 45 days at the close of each fiscal year.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 23-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2015-05-30 - Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Stephanie A. Kifowit [HR0554 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2015-HR0554-Introduced.html

---

HR0554 LRB099 12648 GRL 36317 r
HOUSE RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, The State of Illinois has failed to consistently
budget in a way that provides fiscal stability and employs a
long-term approach to Illinois' financial health; and
WHEREAS, The State lacks the fiscal stability necessary to
adequately attract and retain new jobs at the levels necessary
to support robust economic growth; this lack of stability
drives up costs of providing critical services and programs for
Illinois residents; and
WHEREAS, The lack of consistent long-term budget
strategies, combined with the recent fiscal downturn, have led
to a perpetual cycle of crisis budgeting; and
WHEREAS, Crisis-driven budgeting has led to a focus on
short-term needs, rather than the long-term needs of the State;
and
WHEREAS, The instability of Illinois' fiscal situation
limits the ability of the State to adequately fund education,
provide for critical human services to those most in need, and
address unpaid bills; and
WHEREAS, Addressing the State's unpaid bills on a

HR0554 - 2 - LRB099 12648 GRL 36317 r
consistent basis allows other units of government that are
dependent on State funds to better plan and more efficiently
manage their finances, resulting in lower costs for local
taxpayers and more cost-effective management for other
providers, such as hospitals, nursing homes, non-profit
organizations, and others; and
WHEREAS, Fluctuations in the economy are inevitable; the
State must employ budgetary practices to avoid being forced
back to the drawing board every time there is a revenue
downturn or unexpected but necessary budgetary demand; and
WHEREAS, Consistently carrying billions of dollars of debt
has negative impacts on the State and is a drain on our State's
resources in numerous ways, including the application of scarce
resources to interest payments rather than vital programs and
services; a negative impact on Illinois' credit rating;
consistent challenges to institutions and service providers in
long-term planning; and a lack of confidence in government by
many citizens of this State; therefore, be it
RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we
urge the General Assembly to implement the following budgeting
practices:
(1) the Illinois General Assembly should apply any

HR0554 - 3 - LRB099 12648 GRL 36317 r
revenues which exceed expenditures to the payment of any
old bills that are more than 45 days past the due date,
including General Revenue Fund and non-General Revenue
Fund expenditures, at the close of each fiscal year; and
(2) if there are no pending bills over 45 days past the
due date at such a time, such revenues should be directed
to the Budget Stabilization Fund (30 ILCS 122 et seq.),
also known as the "Rainy Day Fund"; and be it further
RESOLVED, That we urge the Illinois General Assembly to
provide for the use and maintenance of the Budget Stabilization
Fund, to be funded as follows:
(1) should the growth in the annual revenue estimate
exceed 3% from the previous year's estimated revenues, such
excess amount should be appropriated "off the top" of
estimated available revenues to the Budget Stabilization
Fund; and
(2) should no unpaid bills remain due over 45 days at
the close of each fiscal year, the Illinois General
Assembly should apply any revenues which exceed
expenditures to the Budget Stabilization Fund.