Jacksonville state representative C.D. Davidsmeyer joined others Wednesday to send a message to fellow lawmakers: Get back to work.

The Legislature is in the middle of a month-long break, although the state is entering its ninth month without a complete budget in place.

House Republicans chided Democrat leadership about plans to adjourn as scheduled. Despite a Republican motion to avoid the recess, the session concluded March 3.

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Davidsmeyer, a Republican, joined state Republican representatives Bill Mitchell, John Cavaletto, David Reis and Avery Bourne in Decatur on Wednesday to urge Democratic leaders to call the General Assembly back into session.

“The speaker’s scheduled month-long ‘spring break’ amounts to a complete dereliction of duty, especially while kids wait for needed college funding and seniors go without needed help. I continue to ask the speaker to find the will to come together to compromise for the future of all Illinoisans,” Davidsmeyer said.

The GOP lawmakers are sending a letter to House Speaker Michael Madigan requesting that he and Senate President John Cullerton call the Legislature back into special or continuous session to deal with the ongoing budget crisis. Such a move would require a joint proclamation by the presiding officers of both chambers.

The House is scheduled to return to session April 4.

The recess drew a quick rebuke from Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner, who called the decision “a dereliction of duty and a failure to do their jobs.”

Madigan spokesman Steve Brown earlier told the Illinois News Network the recess had been scheduled for some time.

“Apparently [Rauner] didn’t have the courage to talk about what motivates him to do all that [political spending] and then he woke up and the schedule that was published four months ago suddenly becomes fodder for one of his attacks,” Brown said.

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Although some payments are being made because of court orders or constitutional mandate, the budget impasse has resulted in many agencies not receiving state funding.

“The sad fact is Illinois is broke. Our colleges, students and human services are suffering because of the Chicago politicians’ refusal to compromise on desperately-needed economic and spending reforms. We are nine months into [the fiscal year] without a budget and the House has only been in session nine days this entire year. What are we doing? Speaker Madigan needs to end this month-long break and get back to work,” Mitchell said.

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