Comptroller: With stop-gap funds, state backlog will be $10B

Comptroller Leslie Munger says the state's backlog of unpaid bills will be roughly $10 billion by the year's end after factoring in the temporary spending plan lawmakers approved.

The backlog is $7.8 billion. Legislators approved a stop-gap budget covering some expenses until January. The move followed a year-long impasse.

Munger's told reporters Thursday she's prioritizing payments to state-funded nonprofit groups providing social services, business owners who provided goods and services to the state in good faith and education institutions facing cuts and delays.

Nearly 100 social service providers have sued Illinois over nonpayment.

Munger says they'll be paid as soon as she receives vouchers from state agencies. A Department of Human Services spokeswoman said Thursday that the agency started sending vouchers this week and will continue "on a rolling basis."