Illinois’ hidden budgeting process let lawmakers hand out 2,815 grants, including $7 million to move the University of Illinois’ pigs.

Illinois General Assembly members filed 31,011 pages of amendments to bills in the last 24 hours of the 2025 regular session. Truly understanding what they were deciding would require reading 22 pages per minute.

What pressing issues did the Illinois General Assembly consider among 6,745 bills this past session? They pondered a sticker commission, “end-of-life” carpets, paper grocery coupons, 15-year-old voters and their own beauty sleep.

Illinois General Assembly members raced the clock to pass legislation. Of the 416 bills sent to Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s desk this session, 155 were passed in the final week and 96 of those were on the last day.