Capitol Report

Usually around this time of year, budget discussions are in full swing. However, these are not usual times and this is certainly not a usual year. The House and Senate are seemingly moving forward with separate budget proposals for FY 09. This is similar to what happened last year, and the result was a session that didn’t end until December.  more.....

Members also visited the governor’s office, requesting that Gov. Rod Blagojevich keep the promise that state funding for school districts would arrive during June, as scheduled.

As we prepare for the upcoming Lobby Day on Wed., April 30, we want to encourage and remind you to do several things.  First, the members of the general assembly are on break the week of April 21-25.   This will give you an opportunity to meet with them in their district office and talk about our legislative priorities.  Secondly, if you are unable to meet with them during the break, please contact them in their office and make an appointment to see them when you are in Springfield for Lobby Day.

About 50 IEA members joined a group of 350 higher education students, staff and faculty on Wed., April 9, to lobby for more funding for our higher education institutions.  “A strong higher education system is an absolute necessity if our state is to remain economically healthy,” said Jeff Beaulieu, chair of the IEA Higher Education Council.  View more……

When the legislature reconvened in mid-January after a 45-day recess from the prior session, few would have thought there would have been so many constitutional amendments.  It was a given that the question of whether to convene a constitutional convention was going to be on the ballot in November.  It has to be.  The suggested amendments that have since surfaced are of particular importance to the IEA.