Senate lawmakers return to Springfield April 10, and will continue their efforts to finalize a state budget and finish legislative business for the spring session by a scheduled adjournment date of May 31.
The Senate Gaming Committee met during the week to discuss legalization of sports wagering in Illinois, while the Senate Appropriations II Committee met on budget requests for a number of state agencies, including the University of Illinois, and the Departments of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, Natural Resources, and Agriculture.
In other legislative news, Senate Republican lawmakers are supporting a Constitutional Amendment that would cap state spending and link any future spending increases to economic growth.
Sports betting
The Senate Gaming Committee met this week to discuss sports wagering legislation pending in the Senate, holding a “subject matter only” hearing on April 3.

Though no votes were taken, lawmakers discussed the potential benefits and pitfalls of proposals that would allow for the authorization and regulation of sports betting or electronic sports betting in Illinois (SB 2478), including legislation that would authorize the sports wagering licenses at horse racing facilities and inter-track wagering locations (SB 3125).  Another bill considered by the Committee (SB 3432) would authorize sports wagering, including electronic betting, at riverboat gaming facilities.
Advocates underscored that legalizing and regulating sports wagering would allow the state to capture tax revenue that is currently being directed to illegal, black-market betting operations.  Those pushing for the measure cited a financial windfall estimated at anywhere from $300 million to $680 million annually, which if taxed at 10 percent could lead to an estimated $30 million to $60 million in new tax revenue for the state.
Representatives for professional sports leagues, which have opposed sports betting in the past, now offer their support for measures that offer a legal and safe way to bet on sporting events; however, the MLB and NBA also argued for a small percentage of any future profits from future gaming on league games, noting it is their games that would be generating the revenues.
However, opponents raised concerns about the impact legalization of sports wagering could have on Illinois’ current casinos, while others expressed concerns that expanding the gaming industry in Illinois to include sports gambling would lead to increased problems and pathological gambling in the state.
There is currently a federal ban on sports wagering for most states; however, the U.S. Supreme Court is considering a decision to overturn the ban.  It is widely anticipated that the nation’s high court will open the gate to sports betting.  All of Illinois’ neighboring states, with the exception of Wisconsin, have introduced legislation to conduct sports wagering in the event sports betting is legalized.
Budget
As the General Assembly enters the home stretch to the scheduled session adjournment date of May 31, the Senate Appropriations Committees continue to meet to discuss budget requests from the state’s agencies, boards and commissions.  Lawmakers will use this information as they prepare to enter into budget negotiations in earnest over the coming weeks.
For those who think business and government reforms are not needed this year, consider this: If Illinois had sustained just average economic growth from 2002 through today, the state would have benefitted from approximately $20 billion worth of additional revenue.