Senate Returns to the Capitol as Final Weeks of Session Begin
Senate lawmakers return to the Capitol on Tuesday, April 28, to begin the final stretch of the spring legislative session. The Senate is scheduled to be in session for this last week of April, and both chambers are then set to work through the final four weeks of the regular spring session before the scheduled May 31 adjournment.
Before the General Assembly adjourns, lawmakers must take up bills that have advanced from the opposite chamber. As in previous years, the biggest task ahead will be passing the state’s next budget. Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s proposed FY 26-27 budget totals about $56 billion, but his plan depends on more than $700 million in new revenues that have not yet been approved by lawmakers.
The final weeks of session will likely feature more than just budget negotiations, with lawmakers also taking up a series of contentious proposals, including a constitutional amendment on redistricting and a megaprojects bill directed toward keeping the Bears football franchise in Illinois.
As a budgeteer for the Senate Republican Caucus, during budget negotiations, I will stand firm with my Senate Republican colleagues in calling for transparency and fiscal responsibility. Illinois families cannot afford another budget built on new taxes, short-term fixes, and higher costs.
Separating Fact from Fiction in the Credit Card Swiping Fee Law
There has been a great deal of confusion surrounding a new Illinois law known as the Interchange Fee Prohibition Act, which was included in the 2024 Revenue Omnibus bill (HB 4951 / Public Act 103-0592). Personally, I am disappointed that the Pritzker Administration pushed this measure through without providing clear guidance on exactly how the change in policy would be implemented by payment processors and credit card companies.
Because my office is hearing from a lot of people who have seen the ads on TV about the issue, here is an explanation of this new law:
What the law does:
The law prohibits credit card companies and payment processors from charging interchange fees (the fee businesses charge when you use a credit or debit card as opposed to cash) on the portion of a transaction that represents sales tax or gratuity (tips). In simple terms, businesses would no longer pay credit card processing fees on taxes or tips; the processing fee would only apply to the base cost of a purchase.
Why it was brought forward:
This measure was part of a broader legislative agreement involving the Illinois Retail Merchants Association (IRMA). It was intended to provide some financial relief to retailers after changes were made to limit how much sales tax revenue they can retain for administrative costs.
When it takes effect:
The law is currently scheduled to go into effect on July 1, 2026, after being delayed by the General Assembly last year.
Why there is confusion:
Illinois is the first and only state to pass a law like this. Payment processors and credit card companies have said their current systems are not set up to separate taxes and tips from the rest of a transaction. As a result, some have warned of potential disruptions, which has led to recent advertisements suggesting credit cards may not be usable for tips or certain transactions.
However, many others argue that these systems can be easily updated to avoid any disruptions.
Impact on businesses:
- Businesses, especially restaurants and service providers, could save money by not paying fees on taxes and tips.
- However, they may need updated payment systems to comply with the law, depending on how processors implement it.
Impact on customers (especially in the service industry):
- Customers should still be able to use credit cards as they do today.
- However, there is uncertainty about whether some businesses or payment processors might temporarily change how they handle tips or taxes on card transactions if systems are not updated by the law’s effective date of July 1, 2026.
Legal status:
A federal court has upheld the law, and while it is currently being appealed, there is no court order preventing it from taking effect.
What’s next:
The General Assembly could still revisit the law before its effective date, but no final decisions have been made.
Click here to access a short FAQ.
Proposed Redistricting Amendment Raises Concerns About Fairness in Illinois
A proposed constitutional amendment advancing in the Illinois General Assembly is once again raising concerns about how legislative maps are drawn and whether the process will remain fair and transparent.
The proposal (HJRCA 28) would change the standards used to draw legislative districts, including adjusting how certain criteria are prioritized when maps are created. These changes would weaken long-standing protections designed to ensure districts are drawn fairly and without undue political influence.
Illinois already faces scrutiny over its current legislative maps. The state received an “F” grade for gerrymandering from the Princeton Gerrymandering Project, with critics pointing to district lines that divide communities and favor political insiders.
Concerns are growing that the proposed amendment could make it easier to draw similar maps in the future by reducing the importance of key standards used to evaluate fairness.
At the center of the debate is a basic principle of representative government: voters should choose their elected officials, not the other way around. I believe that maintaining fair and transparent map-drawing standards is essential to ensuring public trust and protecting the integrity of elections in Illinois.
Still a Few Spots Left for May 12 Mobile DMV Event in St. Charles
If you want to avoid the lines at the DMV, State Representative Dan Ugaste and I invite you to take advantage of an upcoming Mobile DMV event that will be held in St. Charles on May 12.
Appointments are filling, but a few spots remain available.
Please note that seniors aged 78+ must visit an established Secretary of State Driver Services facility to renew a driver’s license. Payments for services at our mobile event must be made by check, credit card, debit card, or money order. No cash will be accepted at the St. Charles event.
Registration is required for this event. Those wanting to secure an appointment should visit repugaste.com/mobile-dmv-registration-2 and fill out the appointment form. Additionally, before coming to the event, attendees should visit the official website for the Illinois Secretary of State to learn about identification requirements for specific services. This is especially important for those wanting a REAL I.D.
REAL I.D. transactions cannot be completed without the proper documentation and identification.
For additional information about this event or to receive help securing an appointment, please call my office at (847) 214-8245 or contact Abby at amccarthy@sgop.ilga.gov.
My staff and I are also putting the finishing touches on many other outreach events that will be held across the district. Please mark your calendars for the following outreach events in the 33rd District:
- June 2: Property Tax Seminar in St. Charles
- June 9: IPASS on Demand in Lake in the Hills
- June 17: ICASH/Unclaimed Property Event in Carpentersville
- July 13: IPASS on Demand in South Elgin
- August 4: ICASH/Unclaimed Property Event in South Elgin
- August 19: Senior Fair in Carpentersville
- September 12: Document Shredding Event in Elgin
- October 14: Senior Fair in Crystal Lake
All of these events are listed on the Events page of my website with full details. Additional events are added regularly, so please visit my Events page regularly to learn about new events as they are added to the schedule.
New Ranking Shows Illinois Still Falling Behind
Illinois once again ranked near the bottom nationally for economic competitiveness, underscoring what Senate Republicans say is a troubling trajectory for the state’s future.
According to the 2026 ALEC-Laffer State Economic Competitiveness Index, Illinois ranked 49th in economic performance, based on state GDP growth, non-farm payroll employment growth, and domestic migration.
Senate Republicans say the report debunks the continued rhetoric coming from the Pritzker Administration. While Gov. J.B. Pritzker has repeatedly touted increases in the state’s population and economic growth, the data tell a different story. Illinois families and businesses continue to leave the state in search of greater opportunity, lower costs, and more relief, and pretending otherwise will not solve the problem.
Meanwhile, the report also found Illinois ranked 45th in economic outlook, a forward-looking forecast based on 15 state policy variables, including tax burdens and other measures tied to competitiveness.
None of this should come as a surprise. With state spending at record highs and taxpayers still burdened by some of the highest costs in the country, Democrats are making it harder year after year for families to stay, businesses to grow, and employers to invest.
The state’s economic outlook ranking has remained in the bottom half in recent editions of the report, reinforcing Republican concerns that Illinois is not simply facing a temporary slowdown, but a long-standing problem with how this state is being run.
The longer Gov. Pritzker and Democratic lawmakers ignore the facts, the harder it will be to turn the state around and put Illinois back on track.