Gov. JB Pritzker delivered his seventh State of the State address on Wednesday. He spoke to the Illinois General Assembly regarding the state budget, proposed resolutions and national political climate.
The speech was projected to address budget concerns for fiscal year 2026. The expiration of COVID-19 funding and other impending federal budget cuts loom over the state.
“Here’s the good news — we’ve made responsible investments, and Illinois is better built for the long term,” Pritzker said. “That means that lean budget years are a challenge — and no longer a catastrophe.”
He underscored Illinois’ success in acquiring new factories and business headquarters, such as the continuing expansion of Rivian Automotive. The expansion created several thousand jobs in Normal, Illinois.
“We expect to finish this year with 5% revenue growth,” Pritzker said. “For 2026, our forecast projects a 1.9% increase — much more modest, in part because the U.S. economy is projected to grow at a slower pace. Therefore, our spending must reflect reality. We have to live within our means.”
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Pritzker said that certain mandatory expenditures should remain sufficiently funded. He listed pensions, inflation on healthcare coverage and debt payments as taking top priority in budget talks. Items on the chopping block include new hiring and state purchasing power.
“As always, I stand ready to work with members of the General Assembly to deliberate and negotiate the final budget,” Pritzker said. “If you come to the table looking to spend more — I’m going to ask you where you want to cut.”
Addressing both viewers and the General Assembly, Pritzker restated the importance of many programs that are in question in Illinois and endangered at the federal level. A large part of the address took direct aim at President Donald Trump’s administration, citing “the federal government’s haphazard ‘ready, fire, aim’ tactics toward everyday Americans.”
“I know it’s in fashion at the federal level right now to just indiscriminately slash school funding, healthcare coverage, support for farmers and veterans’ services,” Pritzker said. “But only an idiot would think we should eliminate emergency response in a natural disaster, education and healthcare for disabled children, gang crime investigations, clean air and water programs, monitoring of nursing home abuse, nuclear reactor regulation and cancer research.”
On the state level, Pritzker laid out steps the government would take toward affordability, combating Trump’s current and proposed tariffs. At the top of this list is lowering healthcare costs for Illinoisans.
“One of the great ironies of our modern age is that breakthroughs in research are producing medications that can treat and even cure longstanding chronic diseases, but the high cost of these drugs are making them unaffordable for the people who need them the most,” Pritzker said.
To this end, Pritzker introduced several new measures he hopes to work toward in the coming months. The Prescription Drug Affordability Act, increased medical debt cancellation and other healthcare actions were outlined in the address.
“The days of unchecked health insurance greed are coming to an end here in Illinois,” Pritzker said. “Predatory practices are being dismantled one by one, and we’re going to lower the cost of healthcare for working families.”
Pritzker also spoke on the condition of housing access in Illinois. He asked the General Assembly to continue passing previously proposed housing reforms.
The address also emphasized the importance of Illinois’ public education system, highlighting its successes. In 2024, Illinois eighth graders were second in the nation in reading scores and fifth in math. High school graduation rates are at a 14-year high, standing at 87.7%.
Pritzker also announced that he will move forward with legislation to improve students’ focus in classrooms. The legislation would mandate that school districts create policies banning phones during classroom instruction.
Pritzker also focused on the state’s community college system. He praised using affordable education to keep the “best and brightest” at home in Illinois. He noted that community colleges offer bachelor’s degrees for in-demand careers across various professional fields.
Regarding non-community public universities, Pritzker called for the assembly to pass the Public University Direct Admission Program Act. Democratic Majority Leader Kimberly Lightford introduced the act last year. The General Assembly’s website states that affected universities would be “required to offer admission to any high school senior who meets the public university’s coursework standards for admission and to any public community college transfer student who meets specified criteria.”
Concluding his speech, Pritzker verbally opposed policies enacted by the Trump administration and spoke on the nation’s current political climate. He spoke about the budget cuts the federal government, specifically Elon Musk and the Department of Governmental Efficiency, are taking.
“For all the Illinoisans watching at home — let me be clear, this is going to affect your daily lives,” Pritzker said. “Our state budget can’t make up for the damage that is done to people across our state if they succeed … Going along to get along does not work — just ask the Trump-fearing red state governors who are dealing with the same cuts that we are.”
Pritzker used examples from his work with the Illinois Holocaust Museum in his address. He explicitly warned viewers about what he feels is dangerous rhetoric from the Trump administration.
“Here’s what I’ve learned — the root that tears apart your house’s foundation begins as a seed — a seed of distrust and hate and blame,” Pritzker said. “The authoritarian playbook is laid bare here: They point to a group of people who don’t look like you and tell you to blame them for your problems … When the problems we started with are still there staring us in the face — what comes next?”
Pritzker closed his address with his advice to Illinoisans moving forward.
“Tyranny requires your fear and your silence and your compliance,” Pritzker said. “Democracy requires your courage. So gather your justice and humanity, Illinois, and do not let the ‘tragic spirit of despair’ overcome us when our country needs us the most.”
