Critical School, Agency Budget Funding Bill Passes

     After being held for two months by Governor Rod Blagojevich, members of the House and Senate approved a crucial budget implementation bill needed to bolster education spending in Illinois schools. The Governor gave an amendatory veto on the measure last week forcing it back for discussion by the General Assembly.

     “I am pleased that we can now direct spending to schools and state agencies that have been receiving funding that was stuck at last year’s levels,” Ramey said. “It frustrates me that Democrats stalled and prevented this measure from being implemented months ago.”

     Typically, budget implementation bills, or BIMP bills are passed when the budget is finalized. Without the BIMP bills, schools and human service agencies were receiving state aid based on last year’s funding levels because those entities were not getting increases that were supported in the budget.

     Now that the BIMP has been passed, Illinois schools will be able to take advantage of more than $300 million in new general state aid funding that was passed in this year’s budget. More than 725 school districts stood to lose general state aid due to delays in passing the bill.

     Senate Bill 783 includes all budget implementation bills for Human Services, Education, Finance and Revenues.

     For more information, contact Rep. Ramey at (630) 876-0703.