Stories by Maggie Dougherty — Capitol News Illinois

Eligible pharmacies in rural and medically underserved communities will receive over $56,000 on Friday, aimed at keeping doors open and expanding services.

President Donald Trump directed the Commerce Department to explore whether the broadband funding could be withheld from states with artificial intelligence regulations that did not align with national policy.

While watchdogs called on regulators to slash $137 million, or roughly two-thirds of the Peoples Gas request, the attorney general’s office went further, calling not only for the entire request to be rejected, but for the company to return $4 million to customers.

The settlement is intended to resolve concerns over excessive surcharges imposed on ratepayers under Peoples Gas’ pipe retirement program.

CHICAGO — A law originally enacted to keep the state’s nuclear fleet profitable is instead giving relief to energy customers due to rising power costs and increased federal subsidies for nuclear generators. ComEd customers in Illinois will see an average $19 monthly reduction to their electricity bills over the coming months, thanks to a policy in the state’s landmark climate bill.

Over 100 Peoples Gas customers and utility watchdog advocates gathered in the cold in Chicago on Wednesday to protest a $202.3 million requested rate increase. If approved, the rate hike would begin adding $10-11 per month to typical residential bills in 2027.

A recent executive order by Gov. JB Pritzker set a new goal to begin development on new nuclear power plants by 2033, with the intention of bringing online enough energy to power up to 2 million Illinois homes.

Illinois lawmakers have introduced legislation to create a governor-appointed commission to investigate Illinois-linked crimes connected to the network of international sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein.

A federal judge has upheld a first-of-its-kind Illinois law that protects consumers and retailers from paying so-called credit card “swipe fees” on taxes and tips.

If the investments proposed are approved in full by the ICC, ComEd expects residential customers to see an increased average cost of between $2.50 to $3 per month starting in 2028.

Illinois will begin a process to automatically seal criminal records for millions of adults in the state, after Gov. JB Pritzker signed the Clean Slate Act on Friday.

President Donald Trump, on the first day of his second term, issued an executive order instructing federal agencies to recognize only a person’s sex assigned at birth. It disregarded the concept of gender identity as a “false claim.”

Consumer advocates expressed outrage with the move, calling on state regulators to reject the request, which comes only days after Peoples Gas filed for a $202 million rate hike on Monday.

The bill will fund battery storage, grant greater authority to state utility regulators, create new options for “virtual power plants” and lift a longtime ban on new large-scale nuclear power plants.

The increase, which the company estimates will add $10-11 to monthly gas bills for typical residential customers in Chicago if approved by the ICC, comes three years after Peoples Gas received a $303 million rate hike in 2023, the largest in state history.

Of the pregnancy-related deaths that occurred in 2021 and 2022, committees found 91% could have been prevented.

The order calls on Attorney General Pam Bondi to establish an AI Litigation Task Force within 30 days to review state AI laws and sue those with regulations that undermine a national policy framework to promote “global AI dominance” for the United States.

Households with an income up to 300% of the federal poverty level will qualify for benefits on a tiered schedule. Those with incomes less than or equal to 50% of the federal threshold will see the largest discounts.

Instead of approving the full $314 million requested by Nicor and $129 million requested by Ameren, the ICC cut 47% and 43% from the requests, respectively.

Advocates for the bill say it is rooted in compassion and will bring agency to already dying people in the last stages of life, while opponents cite religious concerns and potential harm to vulnerable populations.