Chambana Sun

The fall session of the Illinois General Assembly has been canceled, reportedly due to COVID-19 health concerns, but state Sen. Chapin Rose (R-Champaign) thinks there are other reasons.

State legislative leaders decided on Nov. 10 to cancel the fall veto session as most members preferred to postpone it because of the rising number of cases across the state, The Center Square reported on Nov. 10.

The session was scheduled for Nov. 17-19 and Dec. 1-3. As of the moment, no announcement has been made for the new schedule.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker | Courtesy Photo

“Gov. Pritzker and his Democrat Party allies that control the Legislature bet on a massive progressive tax increase passing last week and their only fallback position was hoping for a big federal bailout compliment of Joe Biden,” Rose told Chambana Sun on Nov. 18. 

The cancellation comes a week after the poll defeat of Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s graduated-rate income tax plan. 

“Well, the citizens of Illinois soundly rejected the progressive tax and it doesn’t look like Biden will deliver either," Rose said. "Not sure which was more irresponsible of the Democrat supermajorities and the governor, knowingly passing a budget that was billions in the hole in the first place or refusing to return to Springfield now to deal with their mess – either way, the people of Illinois are going to be stuck with the tab. That said, the longer this goes on the worse it gets. The Legislature should return immediately before the rating agencies downgrade us to ‘junk status’ and cost billions more in higher interest charges.”

In May, the spring session was shortened to three days due to the pandemic.

The 101st General Assembly will end its term on Wednesday, Jan. 13, the date of the 102nd General Assembly's inauguration.