Fiscal notes serve as price tags on bills in the General Assembly. Lawmakers’ habit of omitting them limits their ability to make well-informed decisions.

House Bill 2379 would require fiscal impact statements on every executive order. However, less than 3 percent of bills enacted into law in the 99th General Assembly had fiscal notes.

Despite Illinois’ severe financial problems, less than 3 percent of bills passed by the 99th General Assembly and enacted into law have fiscal notes.