State Legislative Sessions Close: Budgets, Bills, and Personnel Changes Across South Dakota, Illinois, and Louisiana
Multiple states concluded 2026 legislative sessions or fiscal years with differing outcomes: South Dakota reported a budget surplus and passed a new fiscal year budget with tax and employee provisions, Illinois advanced hundreds of bills and saw a natural resources leadership change, and Louisiana passed a budget with disputed implications for teacher pay alongside other legislative measures. Coverage varies in emphasis, with Louisiana outlets highlighting potential pay cuts and records access restrictions, while South Dakota and Illinois reports focus more on fiscal figures and bill volume.
South Dakota Governor Larry Rhoden announced on July 1, 2026, that the state closed fiscal year 2026 with a $69 million budget surplus, according to a report from the Bureau of Finance and Management. Earlier, in March 2026, the South Dakota Legislature had passed a $7.5 billion budget for fiscal year 2027, including a 1.4% pay increase for state employees, K-12 education, and Medicaid providers, along with Senate Bill 96 allowing counties to raise a half-cent sales tax in exchange for lowering property taxes; data center tax incentive bills failed while Senate Bill 135 passed despite opposition from data center skeptics. In Illinois, nearly 400 bills cleared both chambers of the General Assembly during the spring session, with more than 150 advancing in the final week; several debated measures failed to advance and will be revisited later. Separately, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources announced its director would depart at the end of June 2026, with an interim director beginning July 1. In Louisiana, the 2026 Regular Legislative Session ended June 1 after nearly three months, with lawmakers approving a $47 billion budget (House Bill 1) that keeps most spending flat while including pay raises for state employees, judges, firefighters, and Department of Corrections staff; lawmakers also passed a bill granting themselves power to remove judges for malfeasance, sent to Governor Jeff Landry. Reports diverge on Louisiana's budget impact on school personnel: one account states the spending plan excludes previous $2,000 and $1,000 stipends for teachers and support staff, potentially resulting in a pay cut, while Governor Landry has proposed shifting $168 million from school operations funding to cover another round of stipends; this proposal's status remains unresolved. Louisiana lawmakers also restricted public records access for university and college leadership applicants, though further details on implementation are not specified. Many bills from Illinois and Louisiana's sessions await gubernatorial signature, and the ultimate fate of previously stalled measures in Illinois remains undetermined.
SOURCE COMPARISON
How the coverage differs
South Dakota closes fiscal year with $69 million budget surplus
Governor Larry Rhoden announced South Dakota closed the state fiscal year 2026 budget with a surplus of $69 million. The announcement came alongside the Bureau of Finance and Management's report on revenue trends driven by the state's economy.
Read original report ↗Nearly 400 bills clear Illinois General Assembly this session
Nearly 400 bills cleared both chambers of the Illinois General Assembly this session, with more than 150 of them moving in the session's final week. Several key measures debated during the spring legislative session failed to advance and will be revisited in future months or years, while hundreds of bills head to Gov. JB Pritzker's desk.
Read original report ↗2026 Louisiana legislative session: Winners and losers
The Louisiana Legislature passed an annual budget that could result in public school teachers and support staff receiving a pay cut, as the spending plan starting July 1 excludes previous $2,000 and $1,000 pay stipends. Gov. Jeff Landry has proposed shifting $168 million from school operations funding to cover another round of stipends. Lawmakers also restricted public records access for university and college leadership applicants.
Read original report ↗Louisiana's 2026 Regular Legislative Session Ends, Bills Awaiting Governor's Signature
Louisiana lawmakers approved House Bill 1, a $47 billion budget keeping most spending flat, but including pay raises for state employees, judges, firefighters and the Department of Corrections. The session ended June 1 after nearly three months. Lawmakers also approved a bill giving themselves power to remove judges for malfeasance, headed to Gov. Jeff Landry's desk.
Read original report ↗Illinois Department of Natural Resources Director to depart at month's end
The Illinois Department of Natural Resources announced its director will depart at the end of the month, with an interim director set to begin July 1. The announcement was part of a broader set of press releases from Gov. JB Pritzker's office covering legislative and administrative actions.
Read original report ↗Takeaways from the 2026 South Dakota legislative session
The South Dakota Legislature closed its main 2026 session by passing a $7.5 billion state budget for fiscal year 2027, including a 1.4% increase for state employees, K-12 education, and Medicaid providers. Governor Larry Rhoden secured passage of property tax proposals including Senate Bill 96, which lets counties raise a half-cent sales tax in exchange for lowering property taxes. Data center tax incentive bills failed, while Senate Bill 135, opposed by data center skeptics, passed.
Read original report ↗