Inside:
- First week of veto session: time not well spent
- Tax sale reform more urgent following federal court ruling
- Madigan reports to prison
- Small Equipment Grant Program applications now open
First week of veto session: time not well spent
This week we were back in Springfield for the start of the fall veto session. This is a short session which meets every year to consider any vetoes issued by the Governor of bills passed this spring. Sometimes additional issues are put on the agenda for action in the fall session.
There are a lot of issues we need to address, including ethics reform (see below), but none of those were on the agenda this week. Instead, the House spent its time on resolutions directed at federal policy and President Trump, rather than working on fixing the many problems we are facing in state government. I was sorry to see the House spend its time so poorly when there are so many issues at the state level which it is our responsibility to address.
The House is scheduled to be back in Springfield to conclude the fall session October 28-30.
Tax sale reform more urgent following federal court ruling
A portion of Illinois law regarding property tax sales was declared unconstitutional by a federal judge earlier this month, making it more urgent for the General Assembly to reform this law.
Illinois counties are required to seize and sell off properties that are multi-year delinquent in paying property taxes. But in a case about a Minnesota law with similar provisions to the law in Illinois, a federal court ruled that counties must sequester all the proceeds of such sales that surpass the total sum owed to the county by the previous owner. The decision directed counties to return any surplus from the sale to the prior owner.
Attorneys have advised that money can only change hands through proper procedures, which effectively mandates Illinois lawmakers to change our state’s law to set forth the required procedure for enabling the return of this money. Until our law is changed, counties cannot return these funds to property owners, even though they have been required to do so by the U.S. Supreme Court. This creates a substantial and growing liability for Illinois counties and their taxpayers.
House Republicans have made attempts last year and again this year to get a law enacted to create this procedure. Now that the Supreme Court has weighed in, this action is even more urgent.
Madigan reports to prison
Former Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan reported to federal prison this week following his conviction on multiple counts of corruption.
Madigan was convicted in February 2025 and was sentenced in June to more than seven years in prison. The judge said the sentence was appropriate because it was firmly based upon the pattern of bribery and corruption displayed in the evidence presented to the jury. Madigan appealed to have the sentence delayed, but he was unsuccessful.
Madigan’s conviction is yet another reminder of the importance of enacting ethics reform in Springfield to clean up the corruption which we have seen so much of in state government. House Republicans have introduced numerous ethics reform bills which would empower the legislative inspector general, enforce our conflict-of-interest rules and improve regulation of lobbyists. But Democrats have blocked those bills from being debated or voted upon.
Small Equipment Grant Program applications now open
The Office of the State Fire Marshal is now accepting applications for funding through the Small Equipment Grant Program. The Fire Marshal’s office will award $6 million to eligible fire departments and ambulance services for the purchase of small firefighting and ambulance equipment. All interested departments should send an application to OSFM no later than November 14, 2025.
The small equipment grant application and additional details may be found here.
More news
Expanding educational opportunity for all Illinois students
Did you get a text about a refund from the Illinois Department of Revenue? It’s a scam
Illinois launches automated system to send chronic wasting disease test results to hunters
Report offers mixed review of educational progress in Illinois
Fall color starting to show up around Quad Cities – when will it look best?