On February 15, 2023, Gov. J.B. Pritzker gave his annual state of the state and fiscal year (FY) 2024 budget address. The FY 2024 budget proposal raises $49.994B in General Funds revenues and spends $49.642B. The Governor’s Office of Management and Budget (GOMB) projects a $303M surplus in FY 2024, of which $138M would be deposited into the Budget Stabilization Fund.

GOMB also revised its FY 2023 revenue forecast to $51.359B, up $1.24B over GOMB’s November projection and up $30M over the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability’s (CGFA) November projection. GOMB now forecasts a $1.368B surplus in FY 2023, of which $1.174B will go to the Budget Stabilization Fund. By the end of FY 2024, the Budget Stabilization Fund is projected to have a balance over $2B.

The proposed FY 2024 budget pays the full statutorily required pension payment of $9.8B and provides an additional $200M above the minimum requirement. It also eliminates a projected $900M in debt through accounts payable reduction and Railsplitter bond defeasance. Find more detailed information on proposed FY 2024 budget appropriations below:

Early Childhood

• $250M towards a new early childhood initiative called Smart Start Illinois.
  • $75M for the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) Early Childhood Block Grant.
  • $130M to begin funding for childcare workforce compensation contracts.
  • $40M additional funding to early intervention programs for the expected increase in participants and a 10% rate increase for providers.
  • $5M to expand the Department of Human Services Home Visiting Program.
• $100M in new capital funds for early childhood providers.
• $20M to begin upgrading the childcare payment management system.

K-12 Education

• $10.328B GRF budget for ISBE, a $571.5M increase over FY 2023.
  • $350M evidence-based funding increase.
  • $86.4M increase in grants for transportation and special education.
  • $70M per year to launch a three-year pilot program to improve the teacher pipeline, with funding allocated to the 170 school districts that represent over 80% over all teacher vacancies.
  • $3M for computer science education investments to promote equitable access to coursework.

Higher Education

• $2.47B GRF budget for higher education, a $219M increase over FY 2023.
  • $100M increase to Monetary Award Program (MAP) Grant funding. This will allow nearly all community college students and 40% of public university students at or below state median income levels to have their tuition and fees covered through MAP and Pell Grants.
  • $100M increase directly to public universities and community colleges.
  • $8.3M for dual credit and non-credit workforce grant programs at community colleges.
  • $11M for the development of advanced manufacturing, electric vehicle technology, and data center workforce training programs at community colleges.
  • $750,000 to expand English language services at community colleges.
  • $2.8M additional funding for the Minority Teacher Scholarship Program.
  • $25M to continue funding the Pipeline for the Advancement of the Healthcare (PATH) Workforce Program.

Department of Human Services

• $6.344B GRF budget for the Department of Human Services (DHS).
  • $2B for services to people with developmental disabilities in support of the Ligas consent decree.
    • $63.1B increase to implement an accelerated timeline of changes following the Guidehouse rate recommendations.
    • $56.7M increase to annualize the FY 2023 Guidehouse rate increases.
    • $26M increase for the continued compliance with the Ligas consent decree.
      • $12M to annualize FY 2023 placements.
      • $14M for 700 new placements.
    • $19.3M to increase staffing by 330 at state developmental disabilities facilities.
    • $27.6M to adjust for the Social Security Income increase of 8.9% for the Home and Community Based Waiver.
  • $350M to create the Home Illinois Program under DHS aimed at preventing and reducing homelessness.
    • $26M to provide homeless prevention services to 5,000 more families.
    • $30M to maintain court-based rental assistance.
    • $155M to support unhoused populations seeking shelter and services.
    • $25M to provide rapid re-housing services to 1,000 households.
    • $40M for permanent supportive housing.
    • $12.5M to create 500 new scattered site permanent supportive housing units.
    • $37M for emergency shelter capital to create over 460 non-congregate shelter units.
    • $30M to provide street outreach, medical respite, and other shelter diversion supports.
    • $5M for a new workforce development pilot to help homeless adults attain and retain employment.
  • $50M increase to Temporary Assistance for Needy Families.
  • $10M for the Comprehensive Community Based Youth Services expansion.
  • $1.5M for a Children’s Behavioral Health Transformation care intake portal.
  • $245M for early childhood to support the Smart Start Illinois program (more details available above).
  • $30.8M to address growing caseloads in the Home Services Program.
  • $10M to support the Paid Leave For All Workers Act within the Home Services Program.
  • $32.5M increase for forensic inpatient and outpatient mental health services and support of the Williams and Colbert consent decrees.

Department of Children and Family Services

• $1.381B GRF budget for the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS), an increase of $54.6M over FY 2023.
  • $10M for lone worker safety devices for emergency communication and supportive partnership contracts with local sheriff offices to enhance safety protocols and acquisition and training in the use of personal protection pepper spray.
  • Funding to hire an additional 192 staff to support DCFS caseloads.
  • $41M increase for the rollout of the Comprehensive Child Welfare Information System.
  • $30M for level of care support services capital grants to providers which will help increase capacity for youth placement in the most clinically appropriate settings.
  • $2M for an additional 130 scholarship awards to support youth or former youth in DCFS care to attend a public university in Illinois.

Department of Healthcare and Family Services

• $9.070B GRF budget ($37.188B all funds budget) for the Department of Healthcare and Family Services.
  • $25.88B projected FY 2024 Medicaid liability, approximately 1.2% growth.
  • $8M for a ready to renew campaign to help Medicaid customers maintain their coverage or transition to other health insurance at the end of the federal public health emergency.
  • $100M for increases in reimbursement rates to providers.
  • $450M to preserve and grow the healthcare workforce, focusing on Medicaid providers and providers in rural areas and other underserved areas of the state.

Department of Public Health

• $277.9M GRF budget for the Department of Public Health.
  • $45M to support critical IT replacement for Illinois’ National Electronic Disease Surveillance System and Long-Term Care systems.
  • $8.5M to respond to unexpected public health threats and emergencies.
  • $7M to improve public health communications in order to reduce health disparities.
  • $18M to support reproductive health initiatives.
    • $10M for public health facing navigation hotline to centralize and streamline appointment making.
    • $1M for primary care training to increase accessibility.
    • $5M for a learning and training collaborative for providers.
    • $2M for a specialty consult program for at-risk patients.
  • $5M from tobacco settlement funds to support safe-to-sleep asthma and Quitline programs.
  • $3M for the Equity and Representation in Health Care Workforce loan repayment and scholarship programs.
  • $2M to confront the social and environmental factors that contribute to health and racial inequality.
  • $2M for mental health training for frontline workers in the pediatric field.
  • $2M for Alzheimer’s disease outreach, research, care, and support.
  • $2.5M for the Community Health Worker Certification Program.
  • $1M to improve collection and distribution of public health data.

Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity

• $275.1M GRF budget for the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity.
  • $20M to create the Illinois Grocery Initiative to address food insecurity in urban and rural food deserts.
  • $40M to provide forgivable, direct loans for the Social Equity Cannabis Loan program.
  • $10M to fund minority-owned business in Illinois looking to expand or relocate to another state.
  • $2.5M to create a new Office of Outdoor Recreation.
  • $20M additional funding for capital grants to support improvements in commercial corridors and downtowns that have experienced disinvestment.
  • $20M to provide matching funds to support Illinois entities seeking competitive federal awards that align with the state’s economic development plan.
  • $400M carried over from FY 2023 for efforts that support job creation and business development through the Invest in Illinois Act Large Business Attraction Fund (closing fund).
  • $20M to the Fast-Track Workforce program to provide employee screening, recruitment, and job training development to employers.
  • $10M to fund a multi-year initiative to develop and implement a one-stop business portal to assist individuals wishing to create new business or relocate businesses to Illinois.
  • $2M for rural economic development intended to connect communities and improve access to state and federal aid through outreach or technical assistance from rural navigators.
  • $10M to start a Clean Energy Career and Technical Education pilot initiative to assist high schools with developing curriculum and programming that supports electric vehicle manufacturing technical education.

Environmental Protection Agency

• $10M GRF budget ($870.5M all funds budget) for the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency
  • $20.5M to fund additional electric vehicle rebates.
  • $263.8M to direct federal Inflation Reduction Act dollars for household energy efficiency rebates.
  • $675M to continue funding for the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act water infrastructure programs.
  • $10M to provide capital funding for new Lead Service Line Replacement Inventory grants.
  • $2M increase for enforcement of the Clean Air Act and Energy Transition Act.

Department on Aging

• $1.399B GRF budget for the Department on Aging.
  • $27.4M increase for the Community Care Program to accommodate caseload growth and utilization and annualize the rate increases from January 1, 2023 and March 1, 2023.
  • $8M increase for the Home-Delivered Meals Program.
  • $1.3M additional funding to support services in rural areas.
  • Funding for bilingual positions and to improve outreach to minority communities.
  • $1.3M increase for the Family Caregiver Program.

Department of Veterans’ Affairs

• $175M GRF budget for the Department of Veteran’ Affairs.
  • $28.5M to onboard staff and welcome new residents at the 200-bed Chicago Veterans’ Home.
  • $1.3M increase to safeguard and protect all Veterans’ Homes.

Illinois State Police

• $365.9M GRF budget for Illinois State Police.
  • $17.5M to support two cadet classes and graduate 200 additional troopers.
  • $2.8M for the Decatur Forensic Laboratory.
  • $5.2M for motor vehicle and body camera cloud storage.
  • $1.5M to update case management software and storage to better analyze cases.

Department of Corrections

• $1.827B GRF budget for the Department of Corrections.
  • $155M to hire staff and reduce reliance on overtime.
  • $2M to expand a federally funded construction workforce vocational training program with state dollars.
  • $5M for nutritional improvements at correctional facilities.
  • $85M for IT investments for highspeed rollout and network setup at all facilities.

Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board

• $45M GRF budget for the Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board
  • $30M to fund camera grants for local law enforcement.
  • $10M to provide resources to local law enforcement agencies for recruitment of new officers and officer retention.

Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority

• $141M GRF budget ($635.8M all funds budget) for the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority.
  • $200M increase for the Restore, Reinvest, Renew (R3) program to provide flexibility with the disbursement of additional grants.
  • $30M to fund the Violent Crime Witness Protection program.

Department of Juvenile Justice

• $124.9M GRF budget for the Department of Juvenile Justice.
  • $2.4M for community providers to offer youths more services.
  • $3.6M for IYC-Lincoln to become fully operational in 2024.

Department of Natural Resources

• $72.0M GRF budget for the Department of Natural Resources.
  • $56M to maintain FY 2023 funding levels for Open Space Lands Acquisition and Development grants for local governments and community park projects.
  • $50M for the Brandon Road Ecosystem Project to block invasive carp species.
  • $10M expansion of the Flood Hazard Mitigation program.