By Jerry Nowicki Governor JB Pritzker signed his final first-term budget into law Tuesday, a roughly $46 billion spending plan buoyed by pandemic-driven revenue windfalls and a current-year surplus that helped the State pay down debts and offer temporary tax relief. Among the three budget-related bills signed Tuesday, House Bill
By Peter Hancock Editor’s note: This article is part of an ongoing Session Recap series in which Capitol News Illinois is following up on many of the more-than 200 measures that passed both houses of the Illinois General Assembly during the final week of Spring session which adjourned at 6
By Peter Hancock A bill that allows teachers and other school and university employees or contractors who are fully vaccinated to take paid administrative leave if they have to miss work due to coronavirus (COVID-19)-related issues cleared the Illinois Senate Thursday and will soon be sent to governor JB Pritzker.
By Grace Kinnicutt Illinois lawmakers have formed the Illinois Assyrian Caucus in an effort to help them understand and learn about challenges facing the Assyrian community and how to address them. Senator Ram Villivalam, D-Chicago, announced the formation of the caucus at a news conference in early March. The caucus
By Peter Hancock Seven teams of Republicans and one team of Democrats lined up to challenge governor JB Pritzker and lieutenant governor Juliana Stratton in the 2022 elections. Monday was the March 14 deadline for candidates to turn in their nominating petitions to the Illinois State Board of Elections for
When Capitol News Illinois was launched in January 2019, governor JB Pritzker had just been sworn in, Michael Madigan was elected to his 18th term as House speaker and the Senate’s president was Chicago’s John Cullerton. Now, as our fourth year is well under way, Pritzker is battling a wide
By Peter Hancock The 2022 campaign season got under way in earnest Monday this week and candidates lined up in front of election offices to turn in petitions to get their names on the June 28 primary election ballot. Hundreds of candidates and their aides braved cold wind and snow
By Grace Kinnicutt The Illinois House amended COVID-19 protocols Tuesday, March 8 to lift face covering requirements following weeks of pushback from Republican Party members who sometimes refused to wear masks and delayed the start of session on several occasions. In a 104-1 vote, the House passed House Resolution 717
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 Jerry Nowicki Illinois Department of Public Health director Dr. Ngozi Ezike will resign on March 14 after three years leading the agency and two years navigating a deadly pandemic that has claimed the lives of more than 32,000 Illinoisans. Ezike, who was appointed IDPH director in 2019, became a
By Peter Hancock Facial coverings are now optional in most public places in Illinois, including schools, after governor JB Pritzker issued new guidance Monday to comply with new U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines. “Across the state, Illinoisans are taking their masks off today knowing that most eligible
By Jerry Nowicki In the first half-hour of the House of Representatives session Tuesday, Feb. 22 at the State Capitol in Springfield, the leaders of each party made calls for civility, two lawmakers recounted their recollections of a House floor altercation, and three Republicans were removed from the floor for
By Beth Hundsdorfer Republican lawmakers are calling for the passage of legislation that would allow Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) workers to carry pepper spray for self-defense when investigating allegations of child abuse. It comes weeks after the death of DCFS investigator Deidre Silas, who died while checking
By Jerry Nowicki Illinoisans should stay tuned for an announcement on the State’s indoor mask mandate, governor JB Pritzker said at an unrelated news conference Tuesday, although he declined to say specifically what changes might be coming. “I think I’ve said over the last few press conferences that I really
By Jerry Nowicki With a massive Winter storm expected to blanket the entire state in ice and snow, governor JB Pritzker Tuesday issued a disaster declaration and activated members of the Illinois National Guard. He announced that his regularly scheduled State of the State and budget address would go on
By Peter Hancock Two bills aimed at relieving the State’s teacher shortage, at least in the short term, advanced out of a Senate committee Tuesday this week. The Senate Education Committee unanimously endorsed two bills that would allow retired teachers to work as substitutes more days in a school year
By Peter Hancock Governor JB Pritzker Monday vetoed a bill that would have provided paid administrative leave for public school and university employees who miss work due to COVID-19-related issues and instead negotiated “compromise” legislation that would provide such leave to only those who are fully vaccinated. “Vaccines are a
By Peter Hancock School officials across Illinois say a shortage of teachers and substitutes is forcing them to cancel course offerings, move them online, or fill open positions with persons who are not fully qualified. Those are the findings of the latest survey by the Illinois Association of Regional Superintendents
By Grace Kinnicutt As omicron surges across the State, governor JB Pritzker warned Monday that hospitalizations are about as high as they were last Winter before vaccines were widely available. About 85% of those hospitalized with COVID-19 across the State are unvaccinated. “It is frustrating and tragic that two years
By Peter Hancock A three-judge federal court panel has upheld the legislative redistricting plan that state lawmakers approved during a special session last summer, thus leaving in place the new maps that will govern state legislative elections for the next 10 years. In their 64-page opinion, released Thursday, Dec. 30,
