Sangamon Sun

State Rep. Randy Frese (R-Quincy) recently gave a preview on what lawmakers will be focusing on as the current spring session comes to a close. 

"As we begin the last week of our scheduled spring session, here's what we're expecting..," Freese wrote in a May 15 Facebook post.

According to a press release, Frese says that time is running out for the spring session and Illinois House Democrats still haven't submitted a budget draft. He points out that Republican members haven't been been included in the closed-door budget negotiations and predicts that the majority party will drop a massive budget plan in the 11th hour with no time left to discuss it, as it did last year.

“In February, Governor Pritzker proposed a nearly $50 billion plan that basically would use temporary and one-time revenues to justify putting new, permanent spending programs in place," Freese said, according to the press release. "We can’t continue year after year to spend money we don’t have." 

He predicts that issues being addressed this week will include: additional legislative pay raises, expansion of healthcare for immigrants, and funding for expansion of abortion services.

Frese says that despite calls from Republican members, House Democrats still haven't addressed proposed legislation for ethics reform. 

"House Republicans have introduced dozens of ethics and corruption reform bills that address issues ranging from lobbying reforms to new requirements for elected officials," Frese said. "If the General Assembly doesn’t act to prevent it, corruption will continue."

In a separate press release, Frese shared a report from Advantage News calling for the Legislative Inspector General's office to have some actual power to take action when it finds problems, the need for changes to the Biometric Information Privacy Act and renewal of the Invest in Kids program, which will sunset at the end of this year if the General Assembly doesn't take action.

Frese resides in Adams County and was first elected to the Illinois House in 2015. His legislative experience includes serving on the Health Care Licenses, and Museums, Arts, & Cultural Enhancement committees.