SR0258 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0258 LRB095 12529 RAS 37748 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Senate Bill 1132, as originally passed by the Senate on May 25, 2007, contained supplemental appropriations to the hospital assessment program and line of duty awards to the families of fallen soldiers; and

WHEREAS, On May 30, 2007, the Illinois House of Representatives passed Senate Bill 1132, as amended by House Amendments 1 and 2; and

WHEREAS, Senate Bill 1132, as amended by the House of Representatives, has not been delivered to the Senate; and

WHEREAS, Senate Bill 1132, as amended by the House of Representatives, contains appropriations for the State of Illinois for Fiscal Year 2008 beginning on July 1, 2007; and

WHEREAS, Senate Bill 1132, as amended by the House of Representatives, includes appropriations for expenditures that exceed available revenue estimates and therefore does not meet the requirements contained in subsection (b) of Section 2 of Article VIII of the Constitution of the State of Illinois; and

WHEREAS, A budget shortfall as contained in Senate Bill 1132, as amended by the House of Representatives, will necessitate the expenditure of funds originally appropriated for public education on mandated healthcare and pensions; and

WHEREAS, Senate Bill 1132, as amended by the House of Representatives, does not include sufficient appropriations to the State Board of Education for General State Aid, Mandated Categorical Programs, and Early Childhood Education programs to provide access to a high quality education; and

WHEREAS, Senate Bill 1132, as amended by the House of Representatives, does not include appropriations to meet the rising costs associated with providing assistance to Illinois' most vulnerable citizens, including senior citizens, for needs related to healthcare, prescription drugs, and the mental health and developmentally disabled population; and

WHEREAS, Senate Bill 1132, as amended by the House of Representatives, does not provide for a sustainable means to reduce or to maintain the current cycle of payments made to Medicaid providers, specifically for physicians that provide services under the Covering ALL KIDS Health Insurance Program; and

WHEREAS, Senate Bill 1132, as amended by the House of Representatives, does not appropriate funds to satisfy the Fiscal Year 2008 pension obligation contribution level certified by the individual State retirement systems; and

WHEREAS, If the payment cycle for physicians providing services to participants of the Covering ALL KIDS Health Insurance Program exceeds 30 days, the State of Illinois will have failed to meet its pledge to over 4,000 physicians, to the 350,000 children that receive vital health care benefits, and to any children that may be eligible in the future; and

WHEREAS, If the payment cycle for physicians increases dramatically as provided for in Senate Bill 1132, as amended by the House of Representatives, it is likely that physicians will cease providing healthcare services to those who need it most; and

WHEREAS, Senate Bill 1132, as amended by the House of Representatives, does not include adequate funding for the increasing public safety, transportation, and infrastructure needs of Illinois; and

WHEREAS, Senate Bill 1132, as amended by the House of Representatives, does not include appropriations to meet contractual obligations set forth in collective bargaining agreements with employees of the State of Illinois who staff prisons, mental health facilities, and veterans' hospitals and provide for child welfare; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that those voting 'aye' on this resolution are voting to reject Senate Bill 1132 as amended by the House of Representatives, and those voting 'no' on this resolution are voting to support the proposed budget for the State of Illinois for Fiscal Year 2008 that begins on July 1, 2007, as detailed in House Amendments 1 and 2 to Senate Bill 1132; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be delivered to all State Constitutional Officers, the Minority Leader of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives.