By Andrew AdamsCapitol News Illinoisaadams@capitolnewsillinois.com A group of former Barack Obama administration officials and election lawyers announced Tuesday they are attempting to reform the way the state draws district maps for the state legislature. They want to do this by passing a state constitutional amendment via a ballot initiative during
By Ben Szalinski, Andrew Adams, & Jerry NowickiCapitol News Illinoisnews@capitolnewsillinois.com Governor JB Pritzker, Friday, Aug. 1, signed into law 124 of the 436 bills sent to him by lawmakers in the spring legislative session. The measures signed last week expand what must be covered by state-regulated insurance plans, require libraries
By Andrew AdamsCapitol News Illinoisaadams@capitolnewsillinois.com The Chicago Cubs will host their fourth Major League Baseball All-Star Game in 2027. The announcement, made Friday by MLB and Cubs officials, was attended by a cadre of elected officials, including Chicago’s mayor and several Chicago alderpeople, governor JB Pritzker, several state lawmakers and
By Andrew AdamsCapitol News Illinoisaadams@capitolnewsillinois.com President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans earlier this month curtailed federal tax incentives for the solar energy industry and for individuals and companies that purchase solar panels. The move sent shockwaves through the industry nationwide, pulling key incentives for major projects and residential rooftop solar
By Andrew AdamsCapitol News Illinoisaadams@capitolnewsillinois.com Illinois students won’t need to fill out applications for most state universities to be admitted — if they have high enough grades. With his signature, governor JB Pritzker on Monday approved a bill creating the direct admissions program. Along with it, he approved bills that
By Andrew AdamsCapitol News Illinoisaadams@capitolnewsillinois.com Illinois utilities are set to invest more than a billion dollars into upgrading the state’s electric distribution grid, resulting in higher rates for customers around the state. The Illinois Commerce Commission on Thursday approved scaled-back plans submitted by Commonwealth Edison and Ameren Illinois, the electric
By Andrew AdamsCapitol News Illinoisaadams@capitolnewsillinois.com IBM, the tech giant known for revolutionizing computing over the past 70 years, is setting up shop on Chicago’s South Side to develop what could be the field’s next big leap: Quantum technology. It’s part of a multi-year effort from governor JB Pritzker, state officials
By Andrew AdamsCapitol News Illinoisaadams@capitolnewsillinois.com With nearly half a million dollars of state funding, a new electric vehicle charging station opened in Joliet on Monday. It is the first of hundreds of charging stations set to be installed over the next 18 months as part of a state-funded grant program.
By Andrew AdamsCapitol News Illinoisaadams@capitolnewsillinois.com Lawmakers in Illinois are asking voters to weigh in on three hot-button issues on their ballots this year: Election interference, income taxes, and reproductive health care. Voters in Illinois are being posed three “advisory” questions that ask voters whether they support a specific policy, but
By Hannah Meisel and Andrew Adams Illinois governor JB Pritzker is set to join state legislative and business leaders on a trade mission to Japan next week to explore clean energy, manufacturing, life sciences, quantum, and other “key growth industries,” according to the governor’s office. Members of the delegation will
By Andrew AdamsCapitol News Illinoisaadams@capitolnewsillinois.com Changes to primary election fundraising, the electoral college and the state’s voter registration database are now law after governor JB Pritzker signed a wide-ranging bill Monday his week. The legislation, containing several unrelated election measures, passed near the end of the legislature’s spring session on
By Andrew Adams & Hannah MeiselCapitol News Illinoisnews@capitolnewsillinois.com A year and a half after Republican Darren Bailey lost his campaign to challenge governor JB Pritzker, State election officials are weighing whether he illegally colluded with conservative radio show host and political operative Dan Proft in the 2022 campaign. The State
By Andrew Adams State regulators are once again considering massive electric utility spending plans that would affect the state’s climate goals – and 5.4 million electric customers’ monthly bills – after rejecting previous versions late last year. The Illinois Commerce Commission forced the State’s two major electric utilities, Commonwealth Edison
By Andrew Adams Boston-based Nexamp, a major player in the solar energy industry, is joining the growing list of renewable technology companies that have expanded to, or relocated to Illinois in recent months. Monday, Jan. 22 Nexamp announced its intention to spend $2 billion in Illinois, including building a second
By Andrew AdamsCapitol News Illinoisaadams@capitolnewsillinois.com The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) is advising Illinoisans to take precautions to avoid spreading respiratory illnesses because cases around the State and Country are on the rise. IDPH issued a health alert last week to hospitals, long-term care facilities and local health departments
By Jerry Nowicki & Andrew Adams Governor JB Pritzker on Friday signed into law a measure that will allow for the limited development of new nuclear power generation technology in the state. The measure, House Bill 2473, does not allow new large-scale power generation facilities like the six plants that
By Andrew Adams Ahead of next Summer’s Democratic National Convention in Chicago, top Democratic officials on Tuesday signed a “labor peace agreement,” reinforcing Democrats’ longstanding ties to organized labor and limiting potential disruptions at the highly watched event. The deal means that the Democratic National Committee will use union labor
By Andrew Adams For hoteliers, business is booming in Illinois. Monday, July 10, governor JB Pritzker, the State’s legislative leadership, and representatives of the hospitality industry, announced that hotels in Illinois incurred record revenues in fiscal year 2023, which ended June 30. Across the State, hotels brought in $307.8 million,
By Andrew Adams A trip from St. Louis to Chicago through Amtrak’s Lincoln Service became 15 minutes quicker starting last week due to track upgrades that allow for increased speeds. The Amtrak line ran its first 110 miles per hour service Monday, June 26 an increase from 90 miles per
By Andrew Adams Next time you attend a parade, there might be an eye in the sky. A new law signed by governor JB Pritzker Friday, June 16 expands local police departments’ authority to use drones to surveil certain events, respond to certain 911 calls, inspect buildings, and participate in
