Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker will deliver his sixth State of the State address and budget plan for the state of Illinois Wednesday afternoon.
The annual address comes one week after Pritzker pledged $182 million in funding to help the city of Chicago address an influx of thousands of migrants. The deal, part of a partnership with Cook County, has been met with intense debate from both Republicans and Democrats as lawmakers work to find a balance to fund other issues, including education, safety, violence prevention and more.
According to a report from the Chicago Tribune, the state faces a steep budget shortfall of nearly $900 million for the coming fiscal year, which begins July 1.
In his 2023 address, Pritzker proposed universal schooling for 3- and 4-year-olds, starting with $440 million to finance 5,000 additional seats for the 2023-2024 school year, more childcare opportunities and facility construction.
Pritzker's 2024 State of the State address will take place at 12 p.m. NBC Chicago will stream the speech live in the video player above once it begins. The speech can also be viewed live on NBC Chicago's streaming channels.
Feeling out of the loop? We'll catch you up on the Chicago news you need to know. Sign up for the weekly Chicago Catch-Up newsletter here.
