Sam McCann, charged with misusing campaign funds, set for trial next week By Hannah MeiselCapitol News Illinoishmeisel@capitolnewsillinois.com Springfield – On what was supposed to be the third morning of a weeklong corruption trial of former State Sen. Sam McCann, the onetime third-party candidate for governor instead videoconferenced into U.S. District...
By Capitol News Illinoisnews@capitolnewsillinois.com The state announced 111 parks and recreation projects throughout Illinois will receive a portion of $55 million in state funding this year. The Open Space Land Acquisition and Development grant program administered by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources is a cost-sharing program between state and...
Comptroller of Illinois, Susana Mendoza, is warning Illinoisans of email, telephone and mail tax scams as the 2024 filing season begins. One scam, for example, may contain a letter in a cardboard envelope with an IRS letterhead that contains the text “about your unclaimed refund.” That letter may request personal...
Illinois allocated $160 million to migrant aid in November, more funding is ‘on the table’ By Andrew Adams Capitol News Illinoisaadams@capitolnewsillinois.com Chicago – As Illinois faces sub-zero wind chills, thousands of recently arrived migrants are sleeping in precarious situations throughout Chicago and its suburbs – overcrowded shelters, police stations, former convenience...
Governor-appointed board would have authority to cap drug costs By Alex Abbeduto Capitol News Illinois abbeduto@capitolnewsillinois.com A new bill in the Illinois General Assembly would create a board of health care experts that would have the authority to set price limits on prescription medications. House Bill 4472 was introduced Wednesday by...
State inks new incentive deal for manufacturing plant, is ahead of schedule on pre-K growth By Cole LongcorCapitol News Illinoisclongcor@capitolnewsillinois.com The State on Wednesday announced it inked another tax incentive deal aimed at boosting manufacturing while Gov. JB Pritzker said his plan to add more preschool seats in early childhood...
Some members record symbolic objection, saying rules are too vague and complicated By Peter HancockCapitol News Illinoisphancock@capitolnewsillinois.com Springfield – New permanent rules will soon go into effect spelling out how people who own assault weapons and related items that are now heavily regulated in Illinois can register them with the...
At court hearing, former Democratic powerhouse makes first appearance in court By Hannah MeiselCapitol News Illinoishmeisel@capitolnewsillinois.com CHICAGO –Former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan won’t be spending his 82nd birthday in a federal courtroom this spring after a judge on Wednesday granted his request to delay his bribery and racketeering trial...
Former director Marc Smith will stay on until Feb. 1 By Beth Hundsdorfer Capitol News Illinoisbhundsdorfer@capitolnewsillinois.com The troubled state agency charged with the protection of abused and neglected children will have new leadership in the new year. Gov. JB Pritzker announced Wednesday that Department of Juvenile Justice Director Heidi Mueller will...
Advocacy groups say ‘Healthy Illinois 2028’ is missing key areas of focus By Dilpreet RajuCapitol News Illinoisdraju@capitolnewsillinois.com A new state health report pinpoints racism as a public health crisis while also noting Illinois needs to improve in the areas of maternal and infant health, mental health and substance use disorders....
Pritzker says goal is to send free books to all children, ages 0-5 By Peter HancockCapitol News Illinoisphancock@capitolnewsillinois.com Illinois families with infants and toddlers now have access to free children’s books that can be sent directly to their home, regardless of their income. Governor JB Pritzker on Tuesday, Dec. 5...
Displays offer insight into role of judicial branch By Peter HancockCapitol News Illinoisphancock@capitolnewsillinois.com In 1946, the Illinois Supreme Court heard a case that would eventually become a landmark in American legal history. The public school district in Champaign, like many other districts in Illinois at the time, allowed a group...
Health care industry argues it is exempt from biometric privacy liability By Andrew AdamsCapitol News Illinoisaadams@capitolnewsillinois.com In Springfield on Thursday, the medical industry went to court. The Illinois Supreme Court heard oral arguments in a pair of class action suits brought by two suburban nurses, Lucille Mosby and Yana Mazya,...
Homeland Security will expedite work authorizations among other actions By Peter HancockCapitol News Illinoisphancock@capitolnewsillinois.com The Department of Homeland Security will speed up the processing of work authorizations for asylum seekers and extend Temporary Protected Status to Venezuelan migrants, actions that could help thousands of migrants who have arrived in Illinois...
Anti-abortion groups claim victory – for now By Hannah MeiselCapitol News Illinoishmeisel@capitolnewsillinois.com A new law allowing Illinoisans to sue so-called crisis pregnancy centers under the State’s Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act is on hold after a federal judge late Thursday granted a preliminary injunction against it. After a...
By Hannah MeiselCapitol News Illinoishmeisel@capitolnewsillinois.com Former State senator Terry Link, a nearly 24-year veteran of the Illinois Capitol, publicly acknowledged for the first time this week that he’d worn a wire to secretly record a fellow lawmaker in 2019. Link, a Vernon Hills Democrat, has spent years denying news media...
House gives final OK to $50.6 billion spending plan By Peter Hancock Capitol News Illinois The 2023 spring legislative session came to an end in the early hours of Saturday morning after the Illinois House gave its approval to a $50.6 billion spending plan for the upcoming fiscal year that...
Bill hailed as first step toward broader ethics reform By Andrew Adams Capitol News Illinois Lawmakers in Springfield have unanimously approved a measure that would place new restrictions on the red-light and speed camera industry’s involvement in state and local elections and government. House Bill 3903 would ban automatic traffic enforcement...
By JERRY NOWICKIPETER HANCOCKBETH HUNDSDORFER& GRACE KINNICUTTCapitol News Illinoisnews@capitolnewsillinois.com Longtime Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan was indicted Wednesday by a federal grand jury on 22 counts for allegedly using his position as the top House Democrat to solicit “personal financial rewards” for himself and his associates, according to the U.S....
By Rebecca Anzel The Illinois Supreme Court announced last week that it approved a change to rules governing eviction proceedings that will simplify the process for both landlords and tenants. The rule change mandates that property owners must file all related documents simultaneously when they file a complaint. That includes...
