Illinois Legislature Begins 2025 Session

By Lyndi Allen

IL Corn Advocates for Agriculture in Springfield

As the 2025 legislative session begins, IL Corn continues to highlight the importance of agriculture and biofuels with lawmakers. Our policy team is there at the state capital every day working to advocate for agriculture and ensure that lawmakers consider how their decisions impact the ag economy and rural communities.  

Governor Pritzker’s FY26 Budget Proposal

Last week, Governor JB Pritzker addressed a joint session of the Illinois General Assembly to provide his FY26 budget proposal and highlight his priorities for the state this year. While the $55.2 billion budget proposal is larger than last year’s budget, the governor does not call for any tax increases on Illinoisians. This is the Governor’s seventh balanced budget proposal. The Governor’s proposed budget calls for increased funding for schools and pension contributions, while keeping spending flat in most other areas. With tax revenue projections less than in years past, the proposal kicks off debate on what is sure to be a difficult budget year in the General Assembly.  

Legislative Leadership Remains Unchanged

Legislative leaders in the House and Senate remain the same. In the Senate, Don Harmon was reelected to his fourth term as Senate President while Senator John Curran was reelected to his second term as Republican Leader.  Meanwhile, in the House, Emmanuel "Chris" Welch was reelected to his third term as Speaker. Representative Tony McCombie was reelected to her second term as Republican Leader. Both chambers remain under firm veto-proof Democratic majorities.  The party makeup remains the same for the new General Assembly (78 Democrats/40 Republicans in the House and 40 Democrats/19 Republicans in the Senate). President Harmon and Speaker Welch control the agenda, committee assignments, and overall direction of their respective chambers.

IL Corn's 2025 Legislative Priorities

Through advocacy and political outreach, IL Corn has worked hard to build relationships with the Governor and legislative leaders in the Senate and House. As the 2025 legislative session moves forward, IL corn will pursue the following priorities:  

Estate Tax Relief for Farm Families 

• Family Farm Preservation Act - SB1688/HB2677 sponsored by Senator Dave Koehler and Representative Sharon Chung 

Promote Renewable Fuels in Transportation 

• Support ethanol production and higher ethanol blends that reduce carbon emissions.  

• Support technological advancements like carbon capture and sequestration that help expand ethanol into new markets such as Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) 

Building on Conservation Efforts 

• Supporting farmer-led conservation through policies that assist farmers in adopting cover crops, reduced tillage, and nitrogen application management to improve soil and water quality 

• Educating lawmakers on the costs and challenges of implementing conservation practices 

• Securing robust funds for programs like Fall Covers for Spring Savings to meet Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy (NLRS) goals in 2025 

Protect Ag Funding 

• Assisting partners and protecting the funding they receive directly from the state budget to continue to provide excellent service to Illinois farm families 

• National Corn-to-Ethanol Research Center 

• Water conservation districts 

Support Livestock Initiatives 

• Advocate for the regulatory framework for livestock siting and expansions that already exist in Illinois  

• Support our state livestock partners in their state legislative endeavors