(The Center Square) – The 103rd Illinois General Assembly is officially underway for a new two-year term after members of the House of Representatives and the Senate were sworn in during separate ceremonies Wednesday in Springfield.
Democrats hold the majority of seats by a 78 to 40 margin in the House.
While nominating Emanuel “Chris” Welch, D-Hillside, as Speaker of the House, state Rep. Lisa Hernandez, D-Chicago, took a jab at her Republican counterparts.
“From day one as speaker, he has been at the helm protecting and defending our democracy, unifying us in the fight to uphold our democratic values amidst rising Republican extremism,” Hernandez said on stage at the University of Illinois, Springfield. “Well, we won five additional seats.”
This will be Welch’s second term as speaker. Democrats elected Welch to his first term over former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, D-Chicago, in 2021. Madigan had held that role for all but two years since 1983. He now faces 23 federal corruption charges.
State Rep. Tony McCombie, R-Savanna, will be the new minority leader replacing state Rep. Jim Durkin, R-Western Springs, who resigned from the House Tuesday, the final day of the 102nd General Assembly.
“Our system of checks and balances is at risk with increasingly one party control of Illinois state government,” McCombie said. “Long held respect by those who value democracy, our system of checks and balances between our co-equal branches of government is unbalanced and unhealthy for us all.”
Representatives are back Thursday. They are then off until Jan. 31.
Newly elected Illinois senators gathered at the Old State Capitol in Springfield where members were sworn in and leaders were selected.
Gov. J.B Pritzker presiding over the ceremony.
The ceremony began with a prayer and the pledge, then moved into a vote for who will lead the chamber. Lawmakers voted to keep Don Harmon, D-Oak Park, as the president of the Senate. Harmon was first elected Senate president in 2020 after former Senate President John Cullerton, D-Chicago, retired.
Harmon thanked his family and supporters and offered his help to state Sen. John Curran, R-Downers Grove, who will be the minority leader.
“I am now the longest-serving legislative leader in the General Assembly. Make of that what you will,” Harmon joked. “On the flip side, I would like to welcome the newest member of the four tops, Republican leader John Curran.”
Curran was sworn in to represent the 41st District in 2017. Before that, Curran served on the DuPage County Board and was an attorney. He vowed to have the Senate work with each other rather than against each other.
“Our democracy was designed to allow us to make a difference, even through our differences,” Curran said Wednesday. “In this spirit, Illinois is better served when our public policies are crafted from two, not one, participating parties. As legislators, I believe we can best respect and represent our principals by sharing them with the other side.”
Democrats in the Illinois Senate now hold a 40-19 member majority.
Senators return to session Thursday but then are off until Jan. 24.
Pritzker recently gave lawmakers an 18% raise when he signed legislation Monday to make the base pay $85,000. Legislative leaders get extra stipends ranging from committee chair and minority spokesperson receiving an additional $11,098 to the Senate president and House speaker getting an additional $29,530 a year.
“I look forward to spending the next two years working alongside these public servants to accomplish big things to help Illinoisans across the state,” Pritzker said. “To departing members of the 102nd General Assembly; thank you for your service. MK and I wish you luck and happiness in your future endeavors.”
