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Will County legislative committee hears federal, state outlooks; transit funding and energy storage flagged
Summary
Federal and state lobbyists briefed the Will County Board Legislative Committee on the 119th U.S. Congress and the incoming 104th Illinois General Assembly, highlighting budget reconciliation, the Farm Bill, transportation reauthorization, Water Resources Development Act provisions, and a pending transit funding “cliff.”
Federal and state lobbyists briefed the Will County Board Legislative Committee on priorities for the new U.S. Congress and the incoming Illinois General Assembly, and flagged several issues Will County officials should monitor.
Catherine Buell, a federal lobbyist, told the committee that “Friday was when the 119th Congress officially kicked off,” and that early priorities include budget reconciliation, potential health-care changes and immigration, and later work on a five-year surface transportation reauthorization bill. Buell and her colleague Brett Garson said they will track executive actions and legislation that affect local governments.
The committee heard that the 2024 Water Resources Development Act — the Army Corps’ authorizing bill — became law in December and that work on a next Corps bill is expected in 2026. Garson said the law “authorizes new projects” and that now is the time for counties to identify Army Corps priorities.
From Springfield, Matt Murphy of Max Strategies Group and Ann Schaeffer briefed the committee on next steps in the Illinois legislature. Murphy noted the new 104th General Assembly will be sworn in and that committee assignments and caucus leadership are forthcoming. He said the state faces a projected deficit of up to $4 billion on a roughly $54 billion budget, and that “money is going to be tight” during the spring session.
Murphy and Schaeffer urged the committee to prepare legislative concepts early because the House and Senate bill-filing deadline is February 7 and the Legislative Reference Bureau drafting deadline is January 24. Schaeffer said energy and battery storage discussions were being deferred to the spring, and that House Bill 587 is under consideration with technical amendments.
Committee members asked for targeted monitoring and outreach on several local priorities. Members asked the lobbyists to contact the Illinois Department of Transportation and area legislators about interchange and intersection improvements around Monee/Manhattan and Peotone, and to follow bills that could change transit governance or funding. Murphy warned of an upcoming transit “cliff” in regional funding and said Will County should track proposed reforms to oversight structures so the county’s representation and interests are preserved.
The federal and state teams offered to help draft or refine county resolutions and to incorporate county priorities into the annual federal and state legislative agendas. Buell and Garson said they will send updates and add Will County search terms to their bill-tracking process.
Votes at the meeting were procedural. The committee approved the November minutes and later adjourned; both actions were moved and seconded and carried by voice or roll call.
