Human service agencies are hopeful legislation approved Thursday by state lawmakers will finally get them money, but they shouldn't start spending just yet.
It would seem like social service agencies that have waited for more than 10 months for cash from the state could be confident they're close to receiving some, judging by the bipartisan vote.
Democrats and Republicans alike voted for a plan to forward $700 million to programs that support the elderly, homeless and disabled. There wasn't a single legislator who voted no.
And yet, Gov. Bruce Rauner has been non-committal about whether he'll sign the stopgap spending into law.
"Let's not spend too much time trying to do more bridge deals, short-term deal, when we've only got two weeks left," he said of the plan early Thursday.
When a reporter asked, "does that mean you would veto it?" Rauner hesitated before answering "I'm encouraging a grand bargain." The governor's office is upset the plan doesn't include money it needs to pay utility bills and prison vendors. It also points to technical issues, the administration says will block money from reaching the very programs the bill is supposed to help.
But a veto of emergency money to the state's vulnerable population could be politically damaging to Rauner.
The governor gets 60 days before he must act on legislation, so Rauner could choose to do nothing with it. However pressure is high to get social service agencies emergency cash in short order.
As of Friday late afternoon, the Senate had yet to actually send the bill paperwork to the governor's office. Until that's done, he can't take action.
