Davidsmeyer criticizes Democrats’ bad bills & misplaced priorities

At a Capitol news conference Tuesday, Assistant Republican Leader C.D. Davidsmeyer (R-Murrayville) criticized the bad bills and misplaced priorities of the Democratic supermajority in the Illinois General Assembly.

“Illinois is facing significant problems with our budget, with public safety, with high taxes and the high cost of living,” Rep. Davidsmeyer said. “With the State of Illinois facing a $1.2 billion budget shortfall, Democrats are pushing bad bills that will make Illinois’ budget problems even worse.”

Last week, the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability (CGFA), which Davidsmeyer co-chairs, released its FY 2026 Economic Forecast and Revenue Estimate and FY 2025 Revenue Update. CGFA projected a $737 million State budget shortfall for FY26 and an additional $500 million shortfall for the current fiscal year.

The Auditor General recently released an audit of the taxpayer-funded healthcare program for illegal immigrants. That audit showed that the actual cost of the program was up to 286% higher than the Pritzker Administration’s estimates.

“The State has spent more than $2.2 billion in taxpayer funds on free healthcare benefits for illegal immigrants,” Davidsmeyer said. “I am sponsoring legislation to end this massively expensive program.”

“What is the Democratic supermajority doing to address these very serious problems? Zero, zip, zilch, nothing,” Davidsmeyer added.

Representative Davidsmeyer blasted Democrats for their failed immigration policies.

“Due to the failed Biden open border policy, we have more than 530,000 illegal immigrants residing in our state. The Democrats’ sanctuary state policy and giveaways to illegal immigrants are incentives for them to come to Illinois. I have again filed legislation to repeal the TRUST Act and end Illinois’ sanctuary state policy.

Davidsmeyer accused Democrats of doubling down on their failed immigration policies. House Bill 2706 would further restrict local law enforcement from cooperating with federal immigration authorities and close so-called “loopholes” in the TRUST Act. House Bill 3780 would provide universal health care for all individuals residing in Illinois, regardless of immigration status.

Rather than working with Republicans to provide relief to hardworking taxpayers and bring down the cost of living, Democrats are once again looking to raise taxes.

SJRCA 4 is another progressive income tax increase,” Davidsmeyer said. “Illinois voters already defeated this tax hike in 2020. On Governor Pritzker’s watch, the State has spent an additional $15 billion since voters resoundingly rejected Pritzker’s tax hike.”

Representative Davidsmeyer listed some of the other bad bills that Democrats have introduced this year:

  • HB 3518 would legalize prostitution and provide sex workers rights
  • HB 1594 would make obesity a protected class
  • No Voter ID to protect election integrity; instead…Vote-from-Prison (HB 2)
  • Environmental justice communities (HB 1608), grocery bag and plastic ware bans (HB 1146HB 1600), and more Green New Deal scams

“None of these bad bills will reduce the cost of living for our families,” Davidsmeyer said. “Democrats should stop tripping on magic mushrooms, which is another bad bill of theirs, and start focusing on the real needs of Illinois families.”

Watch Rep. C.D. Davidsmeyer’s remarks from a Capitol news conference held on Tuesday, March 11, 2025.