ST. LOUIS (KMOX) - Missouri's Legislative Session began this week while Illinois is still about two weeks away but as Missouri begins their session, KMOX wanted to take a look to preview what's on the agenda in Springfield when the 2024 session begins on Jan. 16.
Brenden Moore, Illinois State government reporter for Lee Enterprises, joined KMOX's Total Information A.M. Wednesday to preview the Illinois Legislative Session.
Among the topics set to be discussed includes trying to enshrine abortion rights in the state constitution.
"Illinois has really gone in the opposite direction of a lot of its surrounding states. On this issue, lawmakers have basically done everything they can legislatively the past several years to enshrine abortion rights, make it accessible in Illinois," said Moore. "The next step would be to adopt an amendment that would enshrine it in the state constitution. So lawmakers would have to pass that in the spring legislative session and then it would go to voters in November.
"It's far from a done deal but it has been talked about as a possible solution."
Moore also expects the issue of when it comes to immigrants coming to Illinois, with a majority heading to Chicago, to be another key topic among the legislative session that come to a head in 2024.
"I think it absolutely will come to head this year," said Moore. "Chicago is going to be the host to the Democratic National Convention in August. So undoubtedly, this is gonna be an issue that may appear there."
"There's also been a budgetary strain on the state with the migrant issue," said Moore. "The state has already spent hundreds of millions of dollars to help care for migrants. They're going to have to deal with that during the legislative session as well account for what they've already spent."
"Obviously this is a problem that's not going away. So how much state resources are to be dedicated uh in the future? And is the heat going to be turned up on the Federal government to help resolve this issue?"