Southland Chamber of Commerce Chair Bonita Parker speaks at a March 20, 2023, news conference. (WTTW News)

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

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Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed a bill requiring employers to offer workers a minimum of five days of paid time off. One hour of paid leave is earned for every 40 hours worked.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker speaks during a bill-signing event on March 13, 2023. (WTTW News)
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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.

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker answers questions from the media during a press conference at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in Chicago, Nov. 9, 2022. (Anthony Vazquez / Chicago Sun-Times via AP, File)
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A report examining the capacity and condition of Illinois’ response to behavioral health in young people has been in the works for nearly a year. It sketches avenues to help families understand mental illness, then make it easier for them to get required care without wrangling among disparate state agencies.

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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.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis appears at an event for law enforcement officers on Feb. 20, 2023, in Elmhurst. (WTTW News)

The Chicago area was DeSantis’ third stop after visiting New York and Philadelphia, so the tour will certainly be cast as part of his early exploration of a White House run.

Johnae Strong wakes her 10-year-old son Akeim Smith as they ready for school and work Friday, Feb. 10, 2023, in Chicago. (AP Photo / Erin Hooley)

The legislation would take effect on Jan. 1, 2024. Employees will accrue one hour of paid leave for every 40 hours worked up to 40 hours total, although the employer may offer more. Employees can start using the time once they have worked for 90 days.

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Guns classified by the state of Illinois as "assault weapons" have been banned since Jan. 11. That means that hundreds — perhaps thousands — of guns can no longer be legally sold in Illinois. Those who already own guns and ammunition covered by the ban can keep them; they must be registered with the state.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker delivers his budget address on Feb. 15, 2023. (Governor's Office Video)

Speaking before a joint session of the General Assembly, Gov. J.B. Pritzker acknowledged that, due to the coronavirus pandemic, it has been years since he last gave the ceremonial presentation from the Illinois House.

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An additional 5,000 children will be able to go to preschool next year under a proposal Gov. J.B. Pritzker will introduce Wednesday when he pitches his 2024 fiscal year plan to legislators and the public.

(WTTW News)

For the first time since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Gov. J.B. Pritzker will present from the Illinois House chambers to a joint session of state representatives and senators.

Students at Chicago Public Schools walk along a hallway in this file photo. (WTTW News)

“Dr. Tony Sanders is an extraordinary choice for State Superintendent of Education,” Gov. J.B. Pritzker said in a statement.

Assault style weapons are displayed for sale at Capitol City Arms Supply on Jan. 16, 2013, in Springfield, Ill. (AP Photo / Seth Perlman, File)

The powerful NRA joined a parade of gun-rights activists seeking to toss out the newly minted prohibition on dozens of rapid-fire pistols and long guns, as well as large-capacity magazines or attachments.

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A technical delay is holding up payments to providers who care for children of low-income families that are part of the state’s Child Care Assistance Program, designed to help parents go to work or school with the help of subsidized child care.

Natalie Phelps Finnie. (Courtesy of Illinois Department of Natural Resources)
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Pending confirmation by the Illinois Senate, Natalie Phelps Finnie is poised to become just the second woman to head the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, following in the trailblazing footsteps of her immediate predecessor Colleen Callahan.

A gun store display is pictured in a file photo. (WTTW News)
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Multiple county sheriffs across the state have said they won’t enforce it. On Friday, a circuit court judge in downstate Effingham County issued a temporary restraining order blocking the new law — although that ruling only applies to the 850 plaintiffs and four licensed gun dealers named in the case.