Illinois
Pritzker says $481.6 million put in reserves, GOP questions state spending(The Center Square) – One day after an Illinois state representative said there was no budget transparency from J.B. Pritzker’s office, the Governor’s Office of Management and Budget said it… Read More
Illinois
Illinois House returns to session with plans for SAFE-T Act, Israel, taxes(The Center Square) – Higher taxes, the SAFE-T Act and state policy regarding Israel may all be on the table as the Illinois House returns to business. State representatives returned… Read More
Illinois
Chicago Flips Red calls for audit after public schools report(The Center Square) – A grassroots Chicago group is calling for a forensic audit of the city’s entire public school system after a scathing report by the Chicago Board of… Read More
Illinois
IL state lawmaker pushes back as analysis finds municipalities lost $10.9B(The Center Square) – A new Illinois Policy Institute analysis estimates local governments have lost $10.9 billion since 2012 due to reduced state revenue sharing, prompting pushback from a… Read More
Illinois
More people continue leaving Illinois than arriving(The Center Square) – Illinois state Rep. Martin McLaughlin argues lawmakers in Springfield only look in the mirror to come face to face with the source of the state’s… Read More
Illinois
IL Medicaid overhaul effective Jan. 1 sparks backlash(The Center Square) – A sweeping Medicaid and maternal-care overhaul taking effect Jan. 1 draws sharp criticism from Illinois Republicans, who say Senate Bill 2437 crams too many major… Read More
Illinois
Illinois energy costs expected to increase as Pritzker considers bill(The Center Square) – Illinois House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch says conversations about energy policy will continue, even with a measure pending the governor’s signature. Welch, D-Hillside, told The Center… Read More
Illinois, School Choice
IL House Speaker: ‘not even close’ to school choice legislation(The Center Square) – The speaker of the Illinois House says he would put school choice legislation up for a vote if 60 Democrats in his chamber supported it. Starting… Read More
Illinois
‘Pritzker’s pro-death administration’ brings legal assisted suicide to IllinoisGovernor J.B. Pritzker signed the controversial “Medical Aid in Dying Act” into law Friday, legalizing doctor-assisted suicide in Illinois while ignoring the urgent pleas of religious leaders, medical… Read More
Illinois, Politics
State rep: Pritzker already ‘gamed the system’ with redistricting(The Center Square) – Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker says Illinois lawmakers will take action if the Indiana legislature votes to redraw congressional maps, but an Illinois Republican says Pritzker has… Read More
Illinois
Illinois diversity commission’s budget ballooning but results lag(The Center Square) – Despite federal pushback for diversity, equity and inclusion programs, Illinois has spent millions of dollars in the past few years for new, high-paying government jobs to… Read More
Illinois
Illinois to become ‘rust bucket’ if energy policy doesn’t align with Trump’s, lawmaker warns(The Center Square) – As Illinois continues to set aside state and federal tax dollars for so-called “clean energy” programs, some are calling for a different direction. Standing alongside Illinois… Read More
Illinois
Small business group joins suit against Illinois law restricting employer speech(The Center Square) – An Illinois trade organization has joined a legal challenge to a new law that restricts employers’ free speech rights in the workplace. The Schaumburg-based Technology and… Read More
Illinois
Legislator tells Pritzker to drop ‘macho man’ routine, work with Trump(The Center Square) – A leading Illinois House Republican says Gov. J.B. Pritzker needs to stop his “macho man routine” and work with the incoming Trump administration to grow the… Read More
Illinois
Legislator says ‘millionaire tax’ will make Illinois a ‘business desert’(The Center Square) – Some see the millionaire’s tax advisory question on November’s ballot as a measure that could amount to property tax relief in Illinois. Others say it’s financial… Read More
Illinois
Report on the financial state of U.S. states gives Illinois an ‘F’ grade(The Center Square) – A new report found that 27 states did not have enough money to pay their bills at the end of fiscal year 2023, while Illinois failed… Read More
Illinois
Chicago leads Illinois in mass layoffs; policy researcher says ‘it’s violent crime’(The Center Square) – Amid new reports that Chicago led the state in mass layoffs, a policy researcher says state leaders could do a lot to make Illinois more attractive… Read More
Guns, Illinois
U.S. Supreme Court denies Illinois’ gun ban challenge as not ready yet(The Center Square) – The U.S. Supreme Court declined taking up the cases challenging Illinois’ gun ban, saying they aren’t ready yet but also criticizing an appeals court’s rationale for… Read More
Illinois
Illinois law makes changing gender on out-of-state birth certificate easier(The Center Square) – Two new measures that Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker says are LGBTQ+ affirming are now law. One lowers barriers for someone seeking to change the gender on… Read More
Gender, Illinois
Illinois legislator can’t define ‘opposite sex’ during debate(The Center Square) – During debate about a bill bringing state statute in line with federal statute, an Illinois state legislator couldn’t give her personal definition of the term “opposite… Read More