GENERAL ASSEMBLY
House Republican Leaders outline their priorities at the start of the Veto Session. With the fall Veto Session underway this week, House Minority Leader Tony McCombie, along with Deputy Leaders Norine Hammond and Ryan Spain, held a Capitol press conference to outline their priorities for Veto Session and beyond.
Leader McCombie discussed the best way to move Illinois forward following the recent election. For McCombie, voters called for a mandate against the poor public policies of the Democratic majority. McCombie’s message to Governor Pritzker and the Democratic leaders was “Enough with the petty politics.”
Deputy Leader Norine Hammond discussed Illinois’ $3.2 billion projected budget deficit for Fiscal Year 2026. House Republicans will vehemently oppose any attempt to raise taxes on hardworking Illinois families.
Deputy Leader Ryan Spain called on Gov. Pritzker to drop the gubernatorial Macho Man routine and work with Republicans to address reducing energy prices, solving our migrant crisis, and delivering tax relief that Illinoisans need.
The Illinois General Assembly will reconvene this week for the final week of Veto Session.
SENIORS
Leader McCombie files legislation to protect funding for home delivered meals. Last week, Illinois House Minority Leader Tony McCombie filed legislation to protect funding for essential programs that deliver meals to senior citizens in need. Meal delivery programs, like Meals on Wheels, have experienced recent funding delays, putting their services in jeopardy. Leader McCombie’s newly filed legislation, HB 5911, seeks to address that issue by driving additional state resources where they are needed most by providing meals to seniors across Illinois.
The legislative measure appropriates $25,000,000 from the General Revenue Fund to the Department on Aging for the Home Delivered Meals Program by diverting funding from the Department of Human Services for Illinois Welcoming Centers.
“We have a responsibility to care for the senior citizens who’ve contributed so much to our communities,” said Leader McCombie. “Programs like Meals on Wheels are a lifeline for many seniors, ensuring they receive nutritious meals and regular wellness checks. As our state grapples with the increasing demands on resources due to the ongoing migrant crisis, we must ensure feeding and supporting our most vulnerable residents first. This legislation reflects that commitment and priority.”
The bill has a growing list of sponsors, including State Representative Mike Coffey, and will move through the legislative process in the Illinois House of Representatives for further consideration.
FIREARMS
Illinois’ firearms ban struck down in federal court. The decision by Judge Stephen McGlynn found that the state law violates both the Second Amendment and the 14th Amendment to the Constitution, requiring him to strike the law down in its entirety.
The Democrat-controlled General Assembly enacted the “Protect Illinois Communities Act” in 2023. The law imposed numerous restrictions, amounting to an almost total ban on the new Illinois private possession of certain semi-automatic firearms that supporters of the ban called “assault weapons.” Plaintiffs, including many persons with ties to entities with an established interest in firearms rights, commenced immediate litigation against the firearms ban, and asked the judicial branch to take action to uphold the explicit United States Constitutional right to keep and bear arms. Judge McGlynn’s 168-page decision explicitly upheld this right and the Constitutional status of gun rights language. The decision included a permanent injunction to enjoin enforcement of the unconstitutional Illinois firearms ban.
Supporters of the new law have appealed Judge McGlynn’s decision to the Seventh Circuit of the United States Court of Appeals, the Chicago-based court with appellate jurisdiction. McGlynn handed down his decision on Friday, November 8.
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