Court orders have kept money flowing to certain social services. But many others have had to scale back or close after waiting more than ten months for the state to pay their bills.
This is the latest bid to minimize the damage.Autism and drug-treatment would get about $700 million under a measure advanced by an Illinois House committee. The money would also go to programs including homelessness prevention, rental assistance, and veterans' rehabilitation.
"We're listening to people who are saying if there's a way to help us, please give us some help," said the measure's sponsor, Rep. Greg Harris, a Chicago Democrat.
Harris said it would get human service agencies about 46 percent of what they're owed. For this year. Lawmakers are supposed to pass a budget for next year by the end of this month.
"If we're looking at FY17, we're looking at this problem starting all over again, if we don't find new revenue sources,” said Harris.
The measure would use $450 million from a fund dedicated to human services and $250 million from other special funds.
Talks continue as legislators seek a complete resolution to Illinois' nearly year-long budget stalemate.
The proposal would fund 46 percent of what human service programs expected to receive had the state budget taken effect last July 1.