Stories by Andrew Adams — Capitol News Illinois

A version of the bill passed in the Senate, sponsored by Sen. Ram Villivalam, D-Chicago. But the House adjourned early Sunday morning without concurring as some of its tax hikes became too controversial. Now, the future of Chicagoland transit is in limbo as the bill awaits further action.

The $55.2 billion spending plan is supported by $55.3 billion of revenue, including just over $1 billion in new taxes and revenue changes. The four bills making up the budget and capital spending plan were part of a flurry of thousands of pages of legislation that went from introduction to passage in the final 48 hours of the legislative session.

The Illinois House advances a bill allowing physician-assisted death for the terminally ill. And an overhaul of public transit in the Chicago area is lining up in Springfield.

The list, which was riddled with misspellings, included sparsely populated counties that have little interaction with immigration authorities, that overwhelmingly voted for President Donald Trump and that have actively supported his hard-line immigration policies.

The government on Friday filed its sentencing memorandum, arguing that it is “just and warranted” to sentence Madigan to 12.5 years in prison and hit him with a $1.5 million fine.

In its lawsuit, PBS relies on similar arguments, saying Trump was overstepping his authority and engaging in “viewpoint discrimination” because of his claim that PBS’ news coverage is biased against conservatives.

The bill, known as the Prescription Drug Affordability Act would put new regulations and impose new fees on a large but little understood segment of the prescription drug industry — pharmacy benefit managers, or PBMs.

The Supreme Court again cleared the way for the Trump administration to strip temporary legal protections from hundreds of thousands of immigrants for now, pushing the total number of people who could be newly exposed to deportation to nearly 1 million.

A key U.S. inflation gauge slowed last month as President Donald Trump’s tariffs have yet to noticeably push up prices.

Outbound express lanes on the Kennedy are reopening Sunday, a month ahead of schedule.

The Chicago Board of Education on Thursday approved a new two-year charter renewal for Urban Prep Charter Academy, which operates a pair of South Side high schools predominantly serving Black male students.

A heated race is already unfolding to replace longtime U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin in next year’s primary elections. Since the 80-year-old senator announced his retirement last month, three Democratic candidates have launched campaigns.

Lawmakers are working to address transit and state budget challenges with just two days left in session. And a congressman from Schaumburg discusses his bid for the U.S. Senate.

The bill would legalize the use of prescription drugs that aid in dying, what’s commonly referred to as physician-assisted suicide.

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.

The measure, filed late Wednesday night, features a new menu of revenue sources to help keep Chicago-area buses and trains running. Lawmakers believe the measure will be enough to address the anticipated $770 million fiscal cliff next year.

The explosives had been deployed earlier in May, and failed to activate, during a joint military exercise conducted by the Coast Guard and U.S. Air Force off the shore of Milwaukee.

The Millennium Park film and music series are making a return this summer. This year's film schedule includes "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire," "Love & Basketball," "Wicked" and "Pride and Prejudice."

Martinez on Thursday reflected on his time as Chicago’s schools chief during what will be his final monthly meeting of the Board of Education before he exits to take over as Massachusetts’ next school board commissioner.

Wildfires are burning out of control in central Canada, and the smoke is drifting toward Chicago.

The fourth annual Bank of America Chicago 13.1 half marathon is expected to bring 10,000 runners through the West Side on Sunday. The course starts and ends at Garfield Park and takes runners through Douglass Park and Humboldt Park.

In the backstretch of the legislative session, horse racing advocates are pushing to revitalize the industry in Illinois and its accompanying horse betting, both long in decline.

Chinese students studying in the U.S. are scrambling to figure out their futures after Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced Wednesday that some of them would have their visas revoked.

The bill would allow trained library workers to administer opioid antagonists to potential overdose victims on library grounds, in the immediate vicinity of libraries and at library events.

Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams sought to quiet the controversy about how he hadn’t wanted to come to his current team prior to the 2024 draft.

These openings, screenings and performances will have you in the movie theater, the symphony and the dive bar concert venue.