Senate Republicans Continue Calls on Governor to Veto SB 328
This week, Senate Republicans again urged Governor J.B. Pritzker to veto Senate Bill 328, a controversial proposal that would cement Illinois’ status as a judicial quagmire, increasing the burden on job creators and working families.
Senate Bill 328 would allow out-of-state plaintiffs to sue out-of-state businesses in Illinois courts, even when the cases have no connection to the state, simply because the business is registered in Illinois. This radical shift would flood the courts with out-of-state cases, slow down justice for Illinoisans, and saddle employers with skyrocketing legal costs.
These concerns were only compounded by how the legislation was originally passed. Rather than correcting a technical error in the original bill, Democrat lawmakers used a procedural maneuver known as gut and replace. This tactic allowed them to swap out the contents of an unrelated bill just hours before the end of session, avoiding the Illinois Constitution’s Three Readings Rule and limiting public input.
In response, Republican legislative leaders have filed a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the bill’s passage. That case is currently moving forward in Sangamon County Court, with oral arguments expected in August.
Governor Pritzker has until August 29 to veto Senate Bill 328. If he takes no action, the bill will automatically become law. Senate Republicans are urging the governor to stand for transparency and reject legislation that places special interests above the needs of Illinois families.
Illinois Faces Costly SNAP Penalties, Senate Republicans Call for Transparency
Republican lawmakers are calling for increased transparency after recent reports have emerged showing Illinois could owe the federal government over $700 million annually due to high error rates in its administration of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
SNAP provides food benefits to low-income families to help supplement their grocery budgets. However, Illinois has recently been found to have one of the highest error rates in the country, currently ranking worse than 38 other states in payment accuracy.
Federal law now requires states with error rates above 10 percent to repay 15 percent of total SNAP benefits. Illinois’ rate hit 11.56 percent in fiscal year 2024, one of the highest in the nation, according to USDA data.
State Senator Sally Turner is calling for increased transparency and urging the Administration to take immediate action to fix the errors and stop the fraud and abuse in the SNAP program.
Turner Hosts Mayors and Village Presidents Breakfast in Clinton
State Senator Sally Turner recently hosted a Mayors and Village Presidents Breakfast in Clinton, bringing together local leaders from across the 44th Senate District to discuss the challenges facing their communities.
Attendees heard updates from representatives of the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, the Center for Prevention of Abuse, and the Illinois Municipal League. Senator Sally Turner also provided a legislative update and led a discussion focused on strengthening local partnerships and improving access to state resources.