(The Center Square) – Members of the new 104th Illinois General Assembly have been seated and the same leaders have been elected by both chambers.
November’s elections for statehouse seats didn’t change up the makeup of which party is in power. Democrats maintain supermajorities in both chambers.
At a ceremony in the recently refurbished Illinois Senate Chambers at the State Capitol, state Sen. Don Harmon, D-Oak Park, was reelected to be the Senate president for another term.
“We’re all in this together and if you’ve read media clips or financial reports, it might be a tough year ahead,” Harmon said. “We will face stressful moments. So I am challenging myself and everyone here to be the better leaders of our state, to treat everyone with decency and respect.”
State Sen. John Curran, R-Downers Grove, was reelected to be the Senate minority leader.
“We represent the geographic majority of this state and we have a lot to offer,” Curran said of Republicans.
Per Senate rules, legislative leaders are limited to a term of 10 consecutive years. Harmon has been Senate president since 2020.
At a ceremony held at the University of Illinois Springfield, state Rep. Emanuel “Chris” Welch, D-Hillside, was reelected to be speaker of the House for another term. He said his goal is to foster compassion.
“So cruel and regressive policies that dehumanize our neighbors or strip away fundamental freedoms, I’m gonna tell you right now, we will have no home in Illinois for those policies,” Welch said.
State Rep. Tony McCombie, R-Savanna, was elected House minority leader. She noted despite being in the super minority, Republicans have a role.
“Our caucus is focused on three things. One, fostering economic growth. Two, cutting unnecessary spending. Three, and opposing any tax increases,” McCombie said.
The House and Senate are scheduled back in Thursday before taking a nearly two-and-a-half week break to return Jan. 28.
Taxpayers pay each legislator a base salary of more than $93,000. Legislative leaders get an additional bump of more than $52,000. Additional pay ranging from $12,236 to more than $27,000 goes to various other leader and committee chair positions.
