Dupage Policy Journal

With Illinois still waiting for a state budget to be approved more than a week after the 2016 Fiscal Year began, state Sen. Christine Radogno reassured citizens on Thursday that essential personnel will remain on duty.

  

Emergency management personnel, state police and prison guards will continue their operations, and health and human services that are mandated by the federal government also will remain active.

Gov. Bruce Rauner vetoed the majority of a budget proposal that was passed by Democrats with the exception of education funding, which will allow schools in the state to begin on time and for teachers to be paid on schedule. Radogno said the budget was $4 billion out of balance.

Retired state employees' pensions and benefits will still be funded as they are not based on a continuing appropriations bill.

Radogno said that current state employees will eventually be paid, and that the Rauner administration is working to pay employees on time despite lacking a budget.

Local news outlet, WGNTV recently reported that Circuit Judge Robert LeChien ordered that the comptroller's office must pay employees, countering an earlier ruling from a Cook County judge stating that only employees covered by federal minimum wage laws were required to be paid.