Illinois’ legislative session is wrapping up in earnest, and Gov. J.B. Pritzker will soon face the task of deciding whether to crystalize legislators’ ideas by signing them into law.
Stories by amanda vinicky
State Senate Approves $50B Illinois Budget Deal, House Set to Vote Next
The $50.6 billion spending plan (SB250) passed the Illinois Senate late Thursday night, with only the support of Democrats who drafted it.
Pritzker, Illinois Democrats Tout State Budget Agreement, But Deal Not Done Yet
A more than $50 billion dollar budget agreement Gov. J.B. Pritzker and the leaders of the legislature trumpeted on Wednesday afternoon isn’t a done deal yet.
Illinois Lawmakers Set to Return Wednesday In Push to Pass a Budget
Passing a budget is arguably the single must-happen task for lawmakers and it was supposed to have been done by Friday, but that self-imposed deadline came and went without any budget action.
Illinois Bills Look to Crack Down on Deepfakes and Doxing, Would Allow Civil Suits
Two new measures give victims the ability to bring a civil lawsuit against an alleged perpetrator — a step that has raised alarm from civil liberties advocates and media groups like motion picture and cable organizations.
After Missing Deadline, State Lawmakers to Resume Budget Talks in Springfield Next Week
Illinois Democrats have the ranks to pass a new state budget, but an inability to agree on spending figures means they blew past Friday’s deadline and will return to the capitol next week in another attempt to get the job done.
Critics Say Chicago’s Elected School Board Won’t Reflect the District’s Student Population Unless Map is Redrawn
State legislators are responsible for drawing the 20 districts that will comprise Chicago’s elected school board. Advocates were dissatisfied with the General Assembly’s first attempt and say a revised draft made public Wednesday isn’t much of an improvement.
Illinois Lawmakers Take Up CPS Map, Gender-Neutral Bathrooms and Gun Advertising as Budget Discussions Continue
Illinois lawmakers will miss their self-imposed Friday deadline to pass a budget, with no spending plan having surfaced by Thursday night. They are also working to pass an array of measures regulating everything from bathrooms to generic drug pricing and Native American studies.
Debate Over Expansion of Health Care Program for Undocumented Residents, Green-Card Holders Slows State Budget Talks
One roadblock to the passage of a state budget this week has been a set of programs in which Illinois provides health care coverage to green-card holders and undocumented residents.
Illinois Supreme Court Hears Arguments in Challenge to State’s Assault Weapons Ban
After seven people were shot and killed during Highland Park’s Independence Day parade last summer, Illinois took a major and controversial step toward limiting which guns can be used and sold in state. The Illinois Supreme Court is being asked to weigh the law’s constitutionality.
Illinois Lawmakers Work to Iron Out Budget Agreement in Session’s Final Week
Illinois legislators have through Friday to accomplish their most important task: passing a budget.
Saint Anthony Hospital Seeks State Funding for Upgraded Facility on Southwest Side
Saint Anthony Hospital has been a Chicago fixture on the Southwest Side for more than a century. Residents and local leaders say it’s time to upgrade the hospital facility but that they keep getting overlooked.
Though Not on Trial, Former House Speaker Michael Madigan at Heart of ‘ComEd Four’ Bribery Case
When jurors Tuesday convicted a quad of Illinois power players on corruption charges, former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan wasn’t among them. Madigan wasn’t on trial. But he was at the heart of the case, with a juror telling journalists that Madigan “really did cause all this to happen.”
Medicaid Renewal Process Starts as Illinois Officials Urge Residents to Return Information
During the pandemic, the number of low-income and disabled people who received government-backed health care grew in Illinois, and across the country, because at the height of COVID Congress made it illegal for states to kick anyone off Medicaid.
Closing Arguments Begin in ‘ComEd Four’ Trial: ‘Madigan Wanted, ComEd Gave and ComEd Got’
Prosecutors in the so-called ComEd Four trial say the defendants are liars and bribers. Defense attorneys say their clients are talented at their jobs, and merely were caught in a government witch hunt aimed at Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan.
Former ComEd CEO Distances Herself From Michael Madigan During 2nd Day on the Stand
Anne Pramaggiore was one of Chicago’s most high-profile executives, serving as CEO of ComEd, as well as chair of the Federal Reserve Board of Chicago’s Board of Directors, and on the boards of DePaul University and Motorola. All of those titles are gone now and replaced with another: defendant.
Taking the Stand in Her Defense, Former ComEd CEO Describes Relationship With Madigan and His Lobbyist
As CEO of Illinois’ powerful ComEd utility company, Anne Pramaggiore had to take risks. On Thursday, she took another as she stepped to the witness stand at the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse downtown, to testify in her own defense.
Family-Owned Chicago Flag Company Has Been Supplying Symbols of Civic Pride for 108 Years
Many of the flags waving from civic buildings aren’t just representing Chicago, they’re made in the city’s South Shore neighborhood, by Chicago residents, who work for a company known as W.G.N.
Star Witness Takes the Stand in ComEd Trial, Testifies About Efforts to Influence Michael Madigan
ComEd’s lobbying team got the go-ahead in 2018 to kill the Illinois attorney general’s proposal to give low-income consumers a break on their electric bills with the blessing of her father, Speaker of the Illinois House Michael Madigan, according to a witness.
Illinois Secretary of State Awards $21M to Target Carjackings, Vehicle Thefts
The $21 million in grants will be funded through a dollar assessment charged annually on Illinois auto insurance policies.
Will Trump Be Arrested? A Look at the Accusations Facing the Former President
Former President Donald Trump’s prediction that he would be arrested Tuesday didn’t bear out, but he still faces the prospect of indictment. That’s now in the hands of a New York grand jury.
South Suburban Officials, State Lawmakers Renew Calls for Peotone Airport
Local officials in the south suburbs are renewing efforts to get a regional airport to take flight. The idea for a third Chicago area airport has been floated for decades, and not lightly — Illinois has spent close to $100 million to buy land
Illinois Supreme Court Hears Arguments Over Eliminating Cash Bail
The lawsuit over cash bail pits the state’s Democratic governor, attorney general and legislative leaders against roughly half of Illinois’ state’s attorneys, as well as county sheriffs. Both sides can agree on this much: The justices’ decision will have major ramifications on the future of the criminal justice system in Illinois.
Pritzker Signs Law Requiring Some Paid Leave for Illinois Workers
Come next year, a new law will mandate nearly all Illinois employers give their workers a minimum of five paid days off, for any reason.
Police, Jewish Organizations Urge Vigilance as Extremists Call for ‘Day of Hate’
White supremacists and neo-Nazis are trying to make Saturday the “National Day of Hate.” Law enforcement agencies and religious organizations are urging people to be cautious and report any incidents.
Illinois Gets Credit Rating Upgrade from S&P
Ratings agency S&P on Thursday moved Illinois’ bond rating up a notch, from BBB+ to A- on general obligation bonds. It’s the agency’s third upgrade since the summer of 2021.
