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Stories by Medill Illinois News Bureau

Illinois Lawmakers Try Again to Ban Certain Food Additives

The Food Safety Act passed out of the Senate Public Health Committee this week. It would ban the use of four chemicals in Illinois foods: brominated vegetable oil, red dye No. 3, potassium bromate and propylparaben.

Illinois Lawmakers Revive Push to Create Prescription Drug Affordability Board

The proposed board would be an independent body that would review and set upper payment limits in each step of the supply chain, said Anusha Thotakura, the executive director of Citizen Action/Illinois, a progressive lobbying organization.

Illinois Supreme Court Hears Arguments on a Challenge to State’s Concealed Carry Law

Under Illinois’ aggravated unlawful use of a weapon statute, individuals are not allowed to carry a firearm in public unless the person has a valid Concealed Carry License.

Illinois Shelter Alliance Calls for $100M State Funding Boost to Fight Homelessness

Advocates hope new funding can build on lessons the state learned since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in opening new shelters and accommodations that better meet the needs of people experiencing homelessness.

Illinois Could Adopt ‘Kin-First’ Approach to Foster Care

Child welfare experts have long touted the benefits of foster children staying with kin. Advocates say those arrangements offer children more stability, decrease the trauma they experience, improve their mental health and reduce the number of times the child is moved from home to home.

Bill Aims to Reduce Requirements for Name Changes in Illinois, Citing Safety for Domestic Abuse Victims and Transgender People

The measure must clear the full Senate in the first week of January to reach Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s desk, otherwise it must go through the entire legislative process again after a new General Assembly convenes Jan. 8. 

Illinois Rolls Out First Phase of Plan to Modernize Professional Licensing

The first professions to be licensed under the new system are clinical psychologists, music therapists and nail technicians.

Watchdog Uncovers at Least $7.2M in PPP Loan Fraud by Illinois State Employees

Employees from 13 different state agencies are involved in the fraud and have illegally taken these federal public funds, according to the OEIG, which is charged with investigating allegations of misconduct within state government. As of April, more than 60% of those implicated to date worked for the Illinois Department of Human Services, which operates mental health hospitals and developmental centers across the state.

How Illinois Will Decide on Spending $40M Opioid Settlement With Kroger

Illinois will receive a $40 million share of a $1.4 billion bipartisan national settlement with Kroger over the grocery chain’s role in the opioid crisis, Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul announced.

Illinois Unveils ‘Help Stop Hate’ Program in Response to Rising Hate Crimes

With global tensions and an intensely partisan presidential campaign fueling division among Americans, Illinois is launching the Help Stop Hate program to combat the severe increase in hate crime throughout the state. 
 

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