Stories by UIS Public Affairs Reporting

The bill is part of a larger package regulating AI and is modeled after legislation in California and New York as states seek to establish a national regulatory standard.

The push comes after a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling blocked a lower court decision that temporarily prohibited the use of telehealth for abortion care.

The eight bills tackle consumer protections, chatbot transparency and how AI can be used in schools. Lawmakers said the lack of federal policy was part of their motivation for introducing legislation, by banding together with other states to create a standard.

Two firefighters from Chicago and Addison also received the Medal of Honor, the highest award given to a firefighter in the state.

Data center projects around Illinois are expected to generate millions in taxes, which contribute to schools and city services. There are leaders who question whether the benefits make up for increased energy prices and water use.

When households lose their benefits, they spend less at the grocery store, and the already-thin profit margins of independent grocers become even slimmer.

The ceremony honored Officer Krystal Rivera of the Chicago Police Department and Detective Tim Jones of the Park Forest Police Department. Held annually on the first Thursday in May, the event is a tradition to honor law enforcement officers who died in the line of duty the previous calendar year.

Multiple representatives from different tribes spoke about the importance of gathering and speaking with elected leaders to remind them about Native issues.

Water supplies vary across the state because different regions rely on different sources, and some water is easier to access than in other regions.

Illinois Medicaid and private insurance plans are already required to cover abortion services.

The ruling is based on a civil suit brought against Amazon by two former employees after they were not compensated for pre-shift health screenings during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Calls for regulation are bipartisan, but the specifics are still being negotiated between lawmakers, data center companies and trade groups.

The bill resembles a federal law that gives the Federal Communications Commission authority to regulate the volume of commercials on TV stations, cable and satellite TV services.

These accounts allow people with disabilities to save and invest money without risking their federal benefits. People with more than $2,000 in assets are not eligible for Supplemental Security Income.

Citing high prescription drug prices, lawmakers and activists are reviving a dormant push to create an Illinois prescription drug affordability board.

The measure is the latest in a series of delays because Illinois is the last to change state law in accordance with a 2023 U.S. Supreme Court ruling.

As top legislators emphasize affordability this session, several lawmakers are taking aim at regulating algorithmic pricing that uses consumers’ personal data.

Since 2022, Illinois has seen more travelers seeking abortions from out of state than any other state in the country.

The injunction will block the freeze until the case can be heard, meaning Illinois and four other Democratic-led states will have access to the funds.

The network monitors disease outbreaks across the globe and prepares countries to respond to those outbreaks.

Though every state got roughly $200 million, states with smaller rural populations are getting more per person than those with more people in rural areas.

On May 16, Chicago saw its first major dust storm since the Dust Bowl. The storm dropped visibility in the city to near zero as wind gusts blew over 60 mph at times, according to the National Weather Service.

Hippotherapy is a type of physical, occupational and speech therapy where the movement of a horse is used to treat a patient’s specific disability or disorder.

Despite desire from Native Americans in Illinois, the ban on Native imagery for mascots in K-12 schools stalled in the Senate after it made its way out of the House.

The bill mandates that gun owners store their firearms in a secure, locked box in any place where they know or “reasonably should know” that a minor without permission to access a firearm, an at-risk person or someone who is prohibited from obtaining a firearm can access the weapon.

Anna’s Law is named after 22-year-old Illinois resident Anna Williams, who brought the issue of police insensitivity to victims of sexual assault to state lawmakers after her experience with law enforcement officials in 2021.