200 Bills: Pritzker's Day One Agenda for New Congress

Illinois Governor JB Pritzker has identified 200 specific legislative items for the incoming Democratic Congress to address immediately. The 75-page document, titled "Fighting for Illinois: The Day One Agenda," details a comprehensive plan that Pritzker spent months assembling. He released the blueprint on Wednesday, one day after Democrats won the midterm elections.

Pritzker, who is 61 and currently serving a third term as governor, stated that lawmakers must move quickly to match the pace of executive orders issued by President Donald Trump in early 2025. "I believe that on Day One, and I literally mean Day One, that they should begin to introduce legislation," Pritzker said. He added that both large and small measures need to be passed swiftly to demonstrate that the party is responding to voter mandates.

The governor began drafting the agenda in the summer by directing state agencies to review federal cuts that affected Illinois residents. The plan includes restoring cuts to SNAP and Medicaid programs and passing the Tariff Relief for Consumer Act. This bill would require large corporations to prove they pass refund money on to consumers. Pritzker also recommended allowing year-round production of E15 gasoline, a blend of 15% ethanol and 85% gasoline, to boost agricultural demand and lower pump prices.

Raising the federal minimum wage from the current $7.25 an hour is a top priority in the document. Pritzker said lawmakers should propose the change immediately, though he left the specific figure to Congress for debate. Illinois currently sets its minimum wage at $15 an hour, while his former lieutenant governor and new senator, Juliana Stratton, has proposed $25 an hour. Pritzker argued that Democrats should pass the bill even if Trump vetoes it to show the country's direction.

The agenda also calls for ending what the document describes as indiscriminate immigration roundups and restoring Temporary Protected Status. However, Pritzker excluded comprehensive immigration reform from the list, noting its complexity requires longer-term discussion. The plan also grants states more authority over betting markets and pursues accountability for executive branch actions.

Pritzker positioned this initiative as a way to establish his presence in the potential 2028 presidential race. He spent millions on midterm battlegrounds, including a $1 million contribution to Democrat Gina Hinojosa in Texas. With two months remaining before the 120th Congress convenes, Pritzker urged committees to balance investigations with new lawmaking. He stated that oversight committees should expose corruption while the full Congress works to reverse damage to working families.

The new Congress will have 60 days to act on these proposals. Pritzker said the party must avoid endless fights and show voters they heard their demand for change. He emphasized that if Trump stands in the way of these bills, the responsibility lies with the president, not the legislature.