By Andrew Adams and Hannah Meisel As the State General Assembly prepares to wrap up its Spring legislative session this week, Democratic Party lawmakers are advancing a bill that would mandate job postings to include a salary range in a move they say would promote equity within the workplace. Meanwhile,
A bill set to improve military and Department of Revenue processes for requesting and fulfilling sales tax exemptions will go to the governor’s desk. The measure sponsored by State representative Stephanie Kifowit (D-Oswego) passed the House recently. “The men and women serving in our armed forces have made significant personal
By Nika Schoonover Ride-share companies such as Uber and Lyft would be subject to the same level of liability as other forms of public transportation under a measure moving through the General Assembly. House Bill 2231 would classify ride-shares as “common carriers,” meaning the companies can be held liable, rather
By State rep. Dagmara Avelar and State rep. Ryan Spain All around Illinois, the signs of change are apparent. The COVID-19 pandemic changed our economy, how we live and work, and how working-class and lower-income families struggle day to day. We come together to argue for a solution to one
By Peter Hancock Some Illinois lawmakers are calling for a review of one of the tests prospective teachers must pass in order to be licensed in Illinois. The test is known as the Teacher Performance Assessment, or “edTPA,” and it is intended to determine whether a prospective teacher has the
The Montgomery Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) announced that executive director, Charlene Coulombe, stepped away from her role March 31 after almost 14 years of service. “We are grateful for Charlene’s hard work and dedication. She will be missed tremendously,” said MEDC Board president, Suzette Murray. During her tenure, Ms Coulombe
The family of Deacon Bruce Watermman gathered under the new street sign dedicated in his honor.
By Nika Schoonover On his latest marketing tour to sell his State budget plan, governor JB Pritzker visited a community college in Normal Tuesday, March 14 to highlight his proposed investments in higher education. “With an additional $100 million directed to the (Monetary Award Program) grant program, a student can
By Peter Hancock Moody’s Investors Service announced Tuesday, March 14 that it has upgraded Illinois’ bond rating to A3, up from Baa1, marking the eighth credit upgrade the State has received in less than two years. Moody’s is now the second major rating agency to put Illinois in the ‘A’
By Hannah Meisel In the wake of a pair of recent decisions from the Illinois Supreme Court strengthening the State’s law governing how companies must treat employees’ and customers’ biometric data, longtime critics of the law see an opening to weaken it. But backers of Illinois’ Biometric Information Privacy Act
By Nika Schoonover Governor JB Pritzker Friday, Feb. 10 signed 15 bills into law, tackling policy areas from tourism to prison reform and making it easier for those previously convicted of felonies to legally change their names. The laws passed the General Assembly in their recently concluded lame duck legislative
By Jerry Nowicki Governor JB Pritzker’s second-term legislative agenda will begin in earnest next week when he proposes his fifth annual State budget to lawmakers in the General Assembly. Although a governor’s proposal usually provides framework for the State’s annual spending plan, it rarely makes it through the General Assembly
By Jerry Nowicki Sustained higher-than-predicted State tax revenues have in recent months given lawmakers a level of budgeting flexibility that is, at least in modern times, without precedent in a State with a reputation for perilous finances. For the current fiscal year and the one prior to it, that’s led
By Peter Hancock The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) announced Tuesday, Jan. 31 that Elgin-based School District U-46 superintendent Tony Sanders will become the next State superintendent of education. Sanders, 53, will succeed Carmen Ayala, who announced in November 2022 that she would retire effective January 31. ISBE reported
By Peter Hancock Attorney General Kwame Raoul on Monday filed a petition asking an appellate court to vacate a temporary restraining order that was issued late Friday Jan. 20 to block enforcement of the State’s recently-passed assault weapons ban. Raoul’s office filed the petition in the 5th District Appellate Court
By Hannah Meisel A trio of gun owners and a firearms retailer in southeastern Illinois have filed the first two lawsuits in what’s expected to be a flurry of litigation against the State’s new law banning the sale and manufacture of assault weapons in Illinois. Democratic Party leaders who pushed
Drum Major MLK Awards were distributed Monday evening at East Aurora High School onMartin Luther King, Jr. Day.
By Peter Hancock On the first full day of his second term, governor JB Pritzker Tuesday, Jan. 10 signed a bill banning the sale, distribution, and manufacture, of high-power assault weapons, .50 caliber rifles and ammunition, and large-capacity magazines, while still allowing those who already own such weapons to keep
By Peter Hancock Illinois House Republican Leader Jim Durkin will left the Illinois Statehouse Tuesday, Jan. 10 for the last time as a State legislator. After a bruising 2022 election cycle in which House Republicans lost five seats, Durkin did not seek another term as leader of the caucus. But
Governor JB Pritzker and wife, MK, take their first dance of his second term Monday, Jan. 9 night during an inaugural ball at the Exposition Building on the Illinois State Fairgrounds.
