Sen. Don Harmon (D-Oak Park) joined members of the Illinois Senate Thursday in voting to authorize the governor to put money toward the state’s contractual obligations, higher education and more as the budget stalemate continues.

“Today we took action to fund colleges and human service providers, but also services and programs that matter locally,” Harmon said.

“These are the programs and services that are priorities in my district and in communities throughout Illinois. The governor should keep that in mind as he continues to try to leverage his anti-worker agenda, which is not a priority for most Illinoisans.”

The Senate approved legislation Thursday that authorizes Gov. Bruce Rauner to meet the state’s contractual obligations with human service providers and Amtrak rail service, pay for universities and colleges, and put money toward local libraries, rape crisis centers, autism programs, homelessness, after-school programs, school construction grants, job training, mental health services, medical screenings and research, local tourism and more.

As Gov. Rauner’s impasse with the Legislature over a state budget continues, human service providers statewide are closing their doors because the state has not paid them since July. The same is true for public universities around the state.

The legislation also includes money to support Illinois’ legacy by authorizing state money for the long-standing and nationally respected Papers of Abraham Lincoln historical research project, which was featured in a New York Times article Sunday because it has been ensnared in the governor’s political and ideological standoff with state lawmakers.