J.B. Pritzker in 2020 Governor's State of the State speeches


On Budget & Economy: A balanced budget reflects our values as a state

We passed a bipartisan, truly balanced budget on time, with renewed investments in job creation, cradle to career education, and physical and mental healthcare. Even the credit rating agencies and financial analysts described a "distinct improvement" in our fiscal stability, and investors took notice and lowered our state's borrowing rate. A balanced budget is an important accomplishment, but it's more than just about fiscal discipline. It's a moral document that reflects our values as a state.
Source: 2020 Illinois State of the State address Jan 29, 2020

On Civil Rights: Pride flag flew at state capitol for first tie in history

I asked Secretary of State Jesse White to fly a Pride flag over the Illinois state capitol for the first time in our history. After all, we have a choice about how we tell our story, and I want our Illinois story to be one of hope, inclusion, opportunity and kindness. I want it to be inspired every day by the fundamental goodness of the people who live and work here and who struggle so hard for a fair shot.
Source: 2020 Illinois State of the State address Jan 29, 2020

On Corporations: Phasing out corporate franchise tax helped small business

Working across the aisle, we brought tax relief for 300,000 small businesses through the phase out of the corporate franchise tax. And we laid the groundwork for new high-paying tech jobs by opening new business incubators, by incentivizing the building of new data centers, and by investing $100 million in a University of Illinois and University of Chicago partnership that will make Illinois the quantum computing capital of the world.
Source: 2020 Illinois State of the State address Jan 29, 2020

On Crime: Criminal justice reform starts with phasing out cash bail

This spring, working with legislators, we will begin the long path toward a fairer criminal justice system. That starts with phasing out cash bail and following many of the recommendations made by the bipartisan criminal justice reform commission created by my predecessor, most of whose ideas were never adopted because of the rancor and dysfunction.
Source: 2020 Illinois State of the State address Jan 29, 2020

On Drugs: Legal cannabis creates jobs, businesses, new tax revenue

We made enormous strides when Democrats and Republicans came together to legalize adult-use cannabis which will result in 63,000 new jobs, and new opportunities for entrepreneurs, especially those from communities that have been left behind. It gives us a chance to collect tax revenue from the residents of Wisconsin, Missouri, Iowa and Indiana, and most importantly, we're giving a second chance to hundreds of thousands of people who had a low level cannabis conviction or arrest.
Source: 2020 Illinois State of the State address Jan 29, 2020

On Education: Illinois will be best state for young families

We are reaffirming that our most important commitments are to our children and their education. Mark my words, Illinois will be the best state in the nation to raise a young family. Today, 20,000 more kids are getting childcare, and thousands more are going to preschool. To address our state's shortage of teachers, we raised the minimum teacher salary so we can retain educators in Illinois, and we made it more attractive for out-of-state teachers to move here.
Source: 2020 Illinois State of the State address Jan 29, 2020

On Education: Added 10,000 scholarships, free tuition at U. of Illinois

We made it easier for high school graduates to get a skilled wage by expanding vocational training and career and technical education for the first time in a decade. And after years of decline, we are turning around university student enrollment by making college more affordable, expanding scholarships to an additional 10,000 college-bound students--and this fall, more than half of the families in our state will be eligible for free tuition at the University of Illinois.
Source: 2020 Illinois State of the State address Jan 29, 2020

On Energy & Oil: Won't sign an energy bill written by utility companies

Our spring agenda must also address the pressing issue of adopting new clean energy legislation that reduces carbon pollution, promotes renewable energy, and accelerates electrification of our transportation sector. Urgent action is needed--but let me be clear, the old ways of negotiating energy legislation are over. It's time to put consumers and climate first. I'm not going to sign an energy bill written by the utility companies.
Source: 2020 Illinois State of the State address Jan 29, 2020

On Government Reform: End legislators serving as paid lobbyists

We must take action to restore the public's trust in our government. That's why we need to pass real, lasting ethics reform this legislative session. It's time to end the practice of legislators serving as paid lobbyists. In fact it's time to end the for-profit influence peddling among all elected officials at every level of government in Illinois. Disclosure of conflicts of interest and punishment for breaching them must be included in any ethics package for us to truly clean up government.
Source: 2020 Illinois State of the State address Jan 29, 2020

On Health Care: Made health care more available & more affordable

We made healthcare more available--and more affordable. We capped out-of-pocket insulin costs at $100 for a 30-day supply so that no one in Illinois has to decide between buying food and paying for the medicine they need to stay alive. We expanded insurance coverage for mammograms and reproductive health. And we protected people who need treatment for life-threatening allergic reactions.
Source: 2020 Illinois State of the State address Jan 29, 2020

On Immigration: Will not be complicit in shameful, draconian policies

We stood up for human rights and civil rights when we put Donald Trump on notice that Illinois will not be complicit in his shameful and draconian immigration policies. We opted in--to welcoming refugees to Illinois--continuing a proud tradition in this state that stretches back to my great grandparents, welcomed here a century ago after fleeing anti-Semitism in Europe.
Source: 2020 Illinois State of the State address Jan 29, 2020

On Jobs: Bipartisan infrastructure bill creates 500,000 jobs

For the first time in a decade, we passed a bipartisan infrastructure bill. Rebuild Illinois will create and support 500,000 jobs in the state as we fix our aging and crumbling roads and bridges, bring broadband to parts of the state that are internet deserts, as well as modernize our hospitals, our community centers, our state police facilities, our universities and colleges--all of the things that keep us going and growing.
Source: 2020 Illinois State of the State address Jan 29, 2020

On Jobs: Illinois Works set strong goals for diversity in hiring

Rebuild Illinois is about more than just roads, bridges and universities; it's about jobs: middle class careers with wages and benefits, the kind of jobs that help you raise a family. And together, we did more to make these jobs more inclusive and diverse, by investing in the Illinois Works program to recruit new construction apprentices and set strong goals for our public works projects to include diverse employees.
Source: 2020 Illinois State of the State address Jan 29, 2020

On Jobs: Diversity & inclusion in hiring not just a talking point

When I took office, I hired people who came from all walks of life, all different backgrounds--who were diverse in gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, geography and life experience and whose only loyalty is to good ideas and good results. A commitment to diversity and inclusion is not just a talking point for me. I have an administration that looks far more like the state we represent than any that has come before it. Our state is doing better because of it.
Source: 2020 Illinois State of the State address Jan 29, 2020

On Local Issues: Ended revoking driver's licenses for parking tickets

The bipartisan License to Work Act that I signed two weeks ago ended the practice of revoking driver's licenses for unpaid parking tickets and fines--because often the only way someone has to pay their parking ticket is if they can travel to work. We restored driving privileges to more than 50,000 people.
Source: 2020 Illinois State of the State address Jan 29, 2020

On Principles & Values: Ignored small problems become big problems

One thing I know in life is that if you want to make profound change in a broken system, you have to do the next good thing that needs to get done. Big problems become big problems when you let small problems sit. We could spend our time reliving every past failure, every bygone insult and fight--or we could fix things and be ardent voices on behalf of an agenda of opportunity in the years ahead.
Source: 2020 Illinois State of the State address Jan 29, 2020

On Tax Reform: Property taxes must be seriously reduced

Property taxes in Illinois are simply too high. Local governments continue to max out their levies even when they don't need to. There are perverse incentives in state law that encourage that. We can change the law to support local governments and lower property taxes. And with nearly 7,000 units of government in Illinois, it's time to empower local taxpayers to consolidate or eliminate them. These changes can make a serious dent in property taxes.
Source: 2020 Illinois State of the State address Jan 29, 2020

The above quotations are from 2020 Governor's State of the State speeches.
Click here for other excerpts from 2020 Governor's State of the State speeches.
Click here for other excerpts by J.B. Pritzker.
Click here for other excerpts by other Governors.
Please consider a donation to OnTheIssues.org!
Click for details -- or send donations to:
1770 Mass Ave. #630, Cambridge MA 02140
E-mail: submit@OnTheIssues.org
(We rely on your support!)

Page last updated: Dec 01, 2021