A state law designed to prevent lawsuits that curtail public participation in government now explicitly protects the news media.

Robert Gordon, a senior vice president at the American Property Casualty Insurance Association, said property losses from natural disasters are common in Illinois, and they have been growing more frequent.

The Illinois governor signed 266 laws on Friday. The new laws include measures to make public defenders more independent, tighten safety regulations at warehouses and increase the age for required annual driver tests.

Democrats across the country are searching for a winning message in the 2026 elections, but Illinois Democrats say they’re already found one.

The bill is designed to make sure that Chicago police officers and firefighters earn pension benefits at the same level as downstate first responders.

Former Sangamon County sheriff’s deputy Sean Grayson faces first-degree murder and other charges in Sonya Massey’s killing.

CPS officials are faced with closing a whopping $734 million deficit by the end of the month. There is little wiggle room to cut costs or bring in revenue.

Two of the most closely followed measures aim to protect the drinking water of a wide swath of central Illinois and boost the pension benefits for first responders in Chicago.

The bill requires all school districts to offer mental health screenings to students enrolled in grades 3-12, at least once a year, beginning with the 2027-2028 school year.

A new law will make it easier for police to remove squatters who are illegally staying at a residence. Law enforcement, real estate and property owner organizations supported the bill.

It marked the third consecutive year that a regulatory bill failed, the latest front in a legislative fight that largely pits the state’s legalized cannabis industry against its industrial hemp growers.

At least two dozen bills have been introduced across 15 states this year. Most of the legislation is related to insurance coverage for menopause care, awareness and education, clinician training or menopause in the workplace.

Gov. JB Pritzker on Monday approved a bill creating a direct admissions program. Along with it, he approved bills that implement new state standards for programs offering college credits to high school students, and new requirements for financial aid application assistance.

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.

The law gives victims the right to file impact statements ahead of hearings, provides them with additional notice when their offender is granted early release, and allows them to seek an order of protection against an offender who is incarcerated.

The “Safe Schools for All Act” passed both chambers of the General Assembly. It would prohibit schools from denying any child access to a free public education based on their actual or perceived immigration status, or that of their parents.