By Ben SzalinskiCapitol News Illinoisbszalinski@capitolnewsillinois.com Governor JB Pritzker said Tuesday, Sept. 2 he expects Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to employ the same aggressive strategies they used in Los Angeles earlier this summer after president Donald Trump said he will deploy the National Guard to Chicago. The information, Pritzker said,
By Peter HancockCapitol News Illinoisphancock@capitolnewsillinois.com Two veteran federal officials from Illinois are relaunching an effort to amend the Illinois Constitution and end partisan gerrymandering in state legislative districts. Bill Daley, a Democrat from Chicago who served as secretary of commerce under President Bill Clinton, and Ray LaHood, a former Republican
By Ben SzalinskiCapitol News Illinoisbszalinski@capitolnewsillinois.com In front of gleaming skyscrapers along the Chicago River, Illinois’ Democratic leaders showed a united front Monday against president Donald Trump’s threats to deploy the military into Chicago’s streets to fight crime with one message: “Mr. President, do not come to Chicago.” “You are neither
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 Andrew AdamsCapitol News Illinoisnews@capitolnewsillinois.com Governor JB Pritzker signed 266 laws on Friday, moving closer to finalizing his part in approving — or rejecting — over 430 laws sent to him by lawmakers this spring. The new laws include measures to make public defenders more independent, tighten safety regulations at
August 11, 2025Dear editor; I’ve made a big decision and wanted you to know. As you already know, I’m a U.S. Marine Corps Veteran, mom, and proud State representative. And now… I’m running to be your next Illinois comptroller! For more than two decades, I’ve been Illinois’ fiscal hawk —
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 Ben SzalinskiCapitol News Illinoisbszalinski@capitolnewsillinois.com Insurance companies operating in Illinois have a transparency problem with State regulators and consumers, four top State officials alleged recently. Illinois leaders remain frustrated by State Farm’s rate hikes on Illinois homeowners and threatened more state regulation over premium increases in a letter to the
By Peter HancockCapitol News Illinoisphancock@capitolnewsillinois.com Gun owners in Illinois will soon be required to take additional measures to keep their weapons out of the hands of children under a new law signed Monday by governor JB Pritzker. In addition, law enforcement officers in the state must now start tracing the
By Peter HancockCapitol News Illinoisphancock@capitolnewsillinois.com Governor JB Pritzker is asking state lawmakers for more authority to regulate the homeowners insurance market in Illinois. His comments came after the Bloomington-based State Farm Fire and Casualty Company notified the Illinois Department of Insurance that it was raising premiums for residential property casualty
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 Ben SzalinskiCapitol News Illinoisbszalinski@capitolnewsillinois.com The number of homeless people in Illinois is rising, but the State’s spending on homeless prevention and other housing programs is headed in the other direction. Facing a tight budget year with constrained spending and limited natural revenue growth, the $55.1 billion fiscal year 2026
By Woodrow Carroll When the University of Illinois opens its 2025 Football Season, playing host to Western Illinois August 29, there are many who feel the Fighting Illini could set a school record for most wins in a season. For good reason! Last season, Illinois finished with a final record
By Ben SzalinskiCapitol News Illinoisbszalinski@capitolnewsillinois.com Governor JB Pritzker announced Tuesday that former deputy governor Christian Mitchell will be his running mate for the 2026 campaign. Pritzker’s selection, made just days after announcing a third campaign for governor, comes from a close circle of trust in Pritzker’s administration. Mitchell previously served
By Ben SzalinskiCapitol News Illinoisbszalinski@capitolnewsillinois.com Public employees hired since 2011 must continue to wait for pension reform after Illinois lawmakers declined to take up the issue during the spring session. Lawmakers and labor unions have both expressed concern that benefits for Tier 2 employees – those who entered the public
The Illinois Pharmacists Association (IPhA) celebrates the General Assembly’s passage of HB1697, the Prescription Drug Affordability Act, a landmark achievement in the fight to protect patients, enhance transparency, and preserve access to pharmacy care across Illinois. This legislation was a central focus of governor JB Pritzker’s 2025 State of the
State representative Jed Davis (R-Yorkville) joined legal action to challenge the process utilized by Illinois Democrats to ram through the State’s fiscal year 2026 budget in the middle of the night. “Enough is enough,” said Davis. “For too long, Illinois Democrats have disrespected the institution of the Illinois General Assembly
By Ben Szalinski & Jerry NowickiCapitol News Illinoisnews@capitolnewsillinois.com Giving almost no time for public review, Illinois Democrats pushed through a $55.2 billion budget for next fiscal year late Saturday, bolstering coffers with new taxes on sports bets, nicotine products and businesses. The $55.2 billion spending plan is supported by $55.3
By Ben SzalinskiCapitol News Illinoisbszalinski@capitolnewsillionis.com Standing on his backyard deck Thursday, April 24, the same place where he declared his 1996 candidacy for U.S. Senate, Illinois’ senior senator Dick Durbin reflected on his decision to retire after four decades in Congress. “I’ve done this my way, making decisions based on
By Ben SzalinskiCapitol News Illinoisbszalinski@capitolnewsillinois.com When governor JB Pritzker tells audiences how he became interested in politics, it often starts with stories about his mother. As a child growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area, Pritzker often shares, he’d attend marches, rallies and protests with his mother in support
