Springfield, IL (CAPITOL CITY NOW) – Some Illinois House Republicans and one Senator are taking Democrats to court over how the state budget was passed last week.

State Senator Andrew Chesney says he and six House members are all suing House Speaker “Chris” Welch and Senate President Don Harmon in Sangamon County Court, claiming the process is, “unconstitutional, unethical, and backroom.”

Legislation is supposed to get three readings on three separate days in each chamber.  Instead, Chesney claims, Democrats take unrelated bills, gut them, and insert the budget, thereby bypassing this process.

“…year after year, Springfield insiders bypass that rule by gutting unrelated bills and stuffing them with bloated, last-minute spending, often just hours before lawmakers are forced to vote,” said Chesney, (R-Freeport), in a news release.  “This year, Illinois Democrats replaced a single-sentence bill with an over 3,300-page amendment and took a final action vote in less than 48 hours, violating and making a mockery of the constitutionally-mandated three reading rule.”

Chesney says that’s how budgets get approved at the last minute, with only a little debate.

“When voters had time to study the tax hike proposal and speak out, they crushed it at the ballot box,” said Chesney. “That’s what real transparency looks like. The Democrats pushing these secretive budget deals know their schemes wouldn’t survive daylight. That’s why the build the budget behind closed doors and ram it through without proper scrutiny. It is precisely why the Illinois Constitution requires three readings on three separate days.”

The House members also listed as plaintiffs are State Reps. Chris Miller (R-Hindsboro), Blaine Wilhour (R-Beecher City), Adam Niemberg (R-Dietrich), Brad Halbrook (R-Shelbyville), Jed Davis (R-Newark), and Davis Friess (R-Red Bud).  They are all members of the Illinois House Freedom Caucus, who had been vocal during the Spring and other legislative session on the budget-making process.

It is not clear when the suit was filed, nor when it will be taken up in court.  It seeks, among other things, a temporary restraining order.