SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Illinois’ estimated bill backlog has increased from $13.3 billion to a record $14.3 billion. The jump reflects more than $1 billion in liabilities held at state agencies that the Governor’s Office of Management and Budget reported to the Comptroller’s office this week. This new information brings the estimated total of bills held at agencies to $6.6 billion.

The state’s bill backlog is nearing the point of having tripled in just the past two years.

This week’s $1 billion bill dump is due to a reported increase of bills for medical, corrections, state group health insurance, human services and other state agencies.

Legislation initiated by Comptroller Suzanna Mendoza, known as the Debt Transparency Act calls for more accountability from state agencies on Illinois’ bill backlog.

It would require agencies to report monthly to the Comptroller the bills they are holding and estimate the amount of late interest penalties that will be paid on those bills.

The Comptroller’s office projects that Illinois will owe at least $800 million in late payment interest penalties on its overdue bills by the end of the current fiscal year.

But without accurate information from state agencies on what is owed, it’s nearly impossible to precisely report interest charges.