Gov. Pritzker Signs Seventh Consecutive Balanced Budget

CHICAGO- ​ Today, Governor JB Pritzker and Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton joined House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch and budget leaders from each chamber to sign the FY26 state budget package. The $55.1 billion budget builds on six years of progress, prioritizing Illinois’ long-term fiscal health while sustaining key investments in economic development, education, and health and human services.

“For the seventh year in a row, through hard work and thoughtful compromise, we are keeping our promise to deliver for working families across Illinois,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “With the chaos and recklessness seeping out of Washington from Trump and Congressional Republicans, this year’s budget doubles down on our strong fiscal discipline and responsible governance without raising taxes for working families. I’m proud to sign the FY26 budget today, a budget that reflects our core values and reinforces our commitment to long-term fiscal responsibility.” 

“Illinois has set the standard for effective, responsible governance for now seven straight years. In the next fiscal year, we’ll make education—from preschool to college—more affordable and accessible, bring down the cost of prescription drugs, erase medical debt, and so much more—all while protecting the budgets of working families,” said Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton. “While Trump and Congressional Republicans push tax cuts to billionaires at the expense of the most vulnerable, Illinois is choosing a path rooted in compassion, stability, and fiscal discipline. With seven consecutive balanced budgets, we are stronger than ever and ready to stand up to whatever chaos the Trump administration throws our way. In the meantime, we will continue to do the work that makes Illinois the best state to call home.” 

“In a year in which every aspect of our the budget making process has been affected by extreme and erratic leadership of Donald Trump and his allies, this balanced budget is crafted to be fiscally and socially responsible—because we see the decisions made in Washington right now are neither,” said House Speaker Emanuel ‘Chris’ Welch. “The decisions that shaped this budget were not easy, but were made strategically, using the best information we have to make the best decisions working families and seniors throughout Illinois.” 

"As a leader in crafting Illinois’ fiscally responsible budget this year, I had the opportunity to speak with a range of stakeholders about the best approach to help Illinois’ working families get ahead," said Majority Leader Robyn Gabel. "By expanding the Medical Debt Relief Program, we were able to continue to help people overcome lingering financial burdens. By investing in Illinois classrooms and paying for teacher scholarship programs, we are continuing to build a world-class education system for the next generation. We are doing more than holding the line against chaos emanating from the White House, we are continuing to take this state in a fundamentally better direction." 

"This year, Illinois took steps forward to build a stronger future with investments that fund new raises for in-home caregivers, pay off medical debt for working-class families and help grow small- and middle-income businesses," said Rep. Kam Buckner. "We also created the Budget Reserve Immediate Disbursement Government Emergency--or BRIDGE--Fund to help prepare for potential emergencies emanating from Donald Trump's radical and misguided policies. By cutting hundreds of millions in unnecessary government administrative spending, we were able to do all of this while maintaining a balanced and responsible budget that met the challenges of the moment." 

"I'm proud to have worked with our House budget leaders, and our counterparts in the Senate and on the Governor's team, to craft this thoughtful and humane budget," said Rep. Will Guzzardi. "This budget is progressive and responsible, fiscally and morally. We stepped up our investments in education and frontline healthcare, we increased wages for frontline workers, and we paid for it by closing tax loopholes for big multinational corporations." 

“When we began negotiations for the Fiscal Year 2026 budget, we took a serious look at the crisis we are facing with the understanding that fiscal responsibility is about tackling what is in front of us,” said Senate Appropriations Leader Elgie R. Sims, Jr. (D-Chicago). “This budget is simply that: a reflection of our priorities and the uncertainty that is in front of us. It is a budget that reflects our shared values and our commitment to making Illinois a better place to live, work and raise a family – investing in the whole person.” 

With new headwinds stemming from reckless economic policies from Washington impacting the economic outlook for states across the nation, Illinois is demonstrating fiscal discipline with a budget that increases discretionary spending by less than 1% as federal spending outpaces state spending. Despite these challenges, the FY26 budget continues to fully meet our pension obligations and increases our Budget Stabilization Fund while investing in core services that will strengthen Illinois communities and support working families. ​ ​ 

Some highlights of the FY26 budget include:  

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