SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Andy Manar (D-Bunker Hill) has been appointed to the bipartisan Illinois Legislative Budget Oversight Commission, which is charged with monitoring discretionary spending by the governor’s office and local governments related to the new state budget and federal relief funding.

“The unpredictable nature of the COVID-19 pandemic has and will continue to create unprecedented challenges to our state budget and the way we conduct business, which requires us to find unconventional ways of providing heightened oversight and accountability,” Manar said. “I look forward to working with my colleagues in the House and Senate to ensure that federal and state funds issued in response to COVID-19 are used in the best interest of public health and the economic recovery of families and small businesses.”

The commission will provide a means of open communication regarding budgetary matters between the legislature and the governor’s office, and examine distribution and expenditure of federal financial relief related to the COVID-19 by state and local governments.

Beginning in August, the governor’s office will be required to issue a monthly written report to the commission detailing any discretionary spending or action that is inconsistent with the fiscal year 2021 budget approved by the General Assembly, including any actions that repurposed more than 2% of any budget line.

A representative of the governor’s office will provide a verbal report on these matters to the commission on a quarterly basis in-person, via telephone or videoconference.

At the request of the commission, units of local governments would be required to report on the status of federal funding distributed under the CARES Act.

The 22-member body is made up of Democratic and Republican legislators from both chambers of the General Assembly. Members of the commission will serve without compensation.

The Illinois Legislative Budget Commission was created by Senate Bill 2135.