Illinois State Representative Dennis Tipsword Jr. reported on June 2 that the Spring Session concluded early Monday morning in Springfield, with Democrats advancing several key pieces of legislation, including the state budget. Tipsword said a last-minute bill concerning the Chicago Bears and a new stadium passed the Senate but was not called for a vote in the House.
Tipsword said, “The process during the final days included rules being waived and suspended time and again by Democrats, meaning bills were passed without any hearings, debates, or conversations and with zero input from the public.” He added that citizens deserve better transparency from their government.
The $55.9 billion state budget was described by Tipsword as “the largest state budget in Illinois history,” which he said included $800 million in new taxes and fees. He questioned whether this aligned with affordability promises made by House Democrats: “So much for the affordability platform House Democrats were preaching for months, right?” According to Tipsword, since Governor J.B. Pritzker took office eight years ago, state spending has increased by nearly 40 percent.
On Second Amendment issues, Tipsword said that although there were several committee hearings this past spring on proposed legislation affecting gun rights—including HB 3320 (RIFL Act), HB 4414 (Ammo Tax), and HB 4471 (Glock Ban)—none of these measures advanced to a vote. He urged continued vigilance on these topics: “We must always stand up for our Second Amendment rights!”
Tipsword was elected to represent Illinois’ 105th House District as a Republican in 2023 after replacing previous representative Dan Brady, according to Rep. Dennis Tipsword Jr..
