Illinois House Adds Pension Panel With Budget Shortfalls Growing
- House passed rules to add pension appropriations committee
- Speaker foresees difficult budget as pandemic aid dries up
The Illinois State Capitol building in Springfield, Illinois.
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Illinois House Speaker Chris Welch wants to vet the state’s underfunded pensions through a budgetary lens as the legislature looks to close a potentially $3 billion deficit for the year ahead.
The chamber passed rules Thursday that included creating a new standing appropriations committee for pensions and personnel. Welch, a Democrat who has led the state House of Representatives for four years, said the new panel will hone in on appropriations and will be separate from an existing committee that focuses on pension policy.