Pritzker announces agreement to eliminate pandemic unemployment debt

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - The state fund that provides weekly payments to unemployed Illinoisans could soon get a nearly $2 billion cash infusion. 

Gov. J.B. Pritzker said Tuesday afternoon that he'll ask the General Assembly to approve the move, as the local economy continues to improve.

"We've achieved historic, record-low unemployment claims. Payrolls are up. Our state's GDP surpassed a trillion dollars for the first time ever. And, we've employed 770,000 more people since the bottom of the pandemic recession," said Pritzker.

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Republican lawmakers joined Democrats in endorsing the deal to payoff money the unemployment fund borrowed during the pandemic. 

It averts a big tax increase on employers while maintaining jobless benefits at their current level.