Tag: Peter Hancock

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Illinois Democrats brace for Trump administration return

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By Peter HancockCapitol News Illinoisphancock@capitolnewsillinois.com During Donald Trump’s first term as president, Illinois governor JB Pritzker and Democrats in the Illinois General Assembly spent much of their time enacting laws and policies in direct opposition to the conservative agenda they saw coming from the White House. Those included the 2019...

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High school students to start new exams in Spring 2025

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By Peter HancockCapitol News Illinoisphancock@capitolnewsillinois.com When Illinois high school students sit down to take their annual State assessments next year, they will take a different exam than in recent years. The Illinois State Board of Education recently announced that starting next Spring, it will use the ACT exam rather than...

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Government

U. S. Supreme Court passes on weapons ban

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By Peter HancockCapitol News Illinoisphancock@capitolnewsillinois.com The U.S. Supreme Court announced Tuesday it will not immediately review Illinois’ assault weapons ban, leaving the law in place at least until challenges to the law have been fully heard in lower courts. The announcement came just two days before the two-year anniversary of...

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Government Health

Health insurance changes target ‘utilization management’

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By Peter HancockCapitol News Illinoisphancock@capitolnewsillinois.com A package of health insurance reform measures that Gov. JB Pritzker called for at the beginning of the legislative session will soon be headed to his desk for his signature. The Illinois House gave final approval Saturday to a pair of bills that limit the...

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Potawatomi Nation closer to acquiring land

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By Peter HancockCapitol News Illinoisphancock@capitolnewsillinois.com The Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation is a step closer to acquiring a 1,500-acre state park in DeKalb County, much of which was once part of a reservation that was illegally seized from the tribe in the mid-19th Century. As the Senate worked through its last...

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Education Government

House okays program for student teacher stipends, but not the funding for it

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By Peter Hancock & Andrew CampbellCapitol News Illinoisnews@capitolnewsillinois.com The Illinois House approved a bill Tuesday to allow student teachers to receive stipends while earning their education degree, even though the money needed to fund those stipends is unlikely to be included in next year’s budget. House Bill 4652, by Rep....

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After 3 years, State poised to enforce law aiming to end lending discrimination

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By Peter HancockCapitol News Illinoisphancock@capitolnewsillinois.com In 1977, then-president Jimmy Carter signed into law the Community Reinvestment Act, a federal law that sought to wipe away the last vestiges of racial discrimination and redlining in America’s home mortgage industry. The idea was simple. By requiring lenders – primarily banks – to...

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Government

Illinois still suffers shortage of teachers

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By Peter HancockCapitol News Illinoisphancock@capitolnewsillinois.com Illinois continues to suffer from a shortage of teachers and other education professionals, although recent efforts by the State to ease the strain have made an impact. That’s according to the latest annual survey of school officials from the Illinois Association of Regional Superintendents of...

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State Republican proposal: Citizens on ethics

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By Peter Hancock A Republican proposal that would give citizens the ability to propose ethics-related constitutional amendments on the ballot received a bipartisan boost Tuesday, March 5 when former Democratic governor, Pat Quinn, endorsed it. “I think it’s very, very important that this year, 2024, that the people of Illinois...

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Government

Gun rightists seek U.S. Court to end State ban

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By Peter Hancock In a long-expected move, national gun rights organizations are asking the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn Illinois’ ban on assault weapons and large capacity magazines. In separate petitions filed Monday, Feb. 12 the Colorado-based National Association for Gun Rights and the Nevada-based Firearms Policy Coalition asked the...

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Education Government

More dual credit programs in rural schools

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By Peter Hancock As the cost of higher education continues to rise in Illinois and elsewhere, a growing number of students are working to earn as many college credits as possible while they are still in high school. But even as the popularity continues to grow for “dual credit” offerings...

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Government

U.S. Supreme Court refuses to block weapons ban

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By Peter HancockCapitol News Illinoisphancock@capitolnewsillinois.com The U.S. Supreme Court issued two orders recently in turning down requests to block enforcement of Illinois’ assault weapons ban while challenges to the law are still being heard in lower courts. Lastweek Justice Amy Coney Barrett turned down a request from Republican Party State...

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Education Government

Reading, math scores, up; graduation rate 13-year high

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By Peter Hancock Elementary and secondary students in Illinois showed consistent improvements in their reading and math scores while the State’s high school graduation rate reached a 13-year high for the most recently concluded school year. Those are some of the conclusions from the most recent annual statewide school report...

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Government Political

Illinois county clerks seek help to stop misinformation

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By Peter Hancock Six months before the next presidential primary elections in Illinois, county clerks and other local election authorities are asking for the public’s help in stopping misinformation campaigns before they get started. Officials from 25 counties scheduled a series of news conferences Tuesday, Sept. 26 in Tazewell, McLean...

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Government Health

New Illinois State policy to require noncitizen copay

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By Peter Hancock The State has paused a new policy requiring certain noncitizens enrolled in a Medicaid-like health insurance plan to pay copayments for certain services, instructing health care providers to refund any such payments they have already collected. Omar Shaker, the interim chief of administrative rules at the Department...

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Government

First new automotive plant since 1965 for the EV

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By Peter Hancock Governor JB Pritzker has spent much of his time in recent weeks promoting the State’s electric vehicle EV) industry and touting the impact of his signature Climate and Equitable Jobs Act, or CEJA, including during a weeklong trade mission to the United Kingdom. Pritzker was in Joliet...

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Government Money

Illinois Contract for American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Council (AFSCME) 31

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By Peter Hancock Governor JB Pritzker and the State’s largest public employee union announced Tuesday, July 25 that they have agreed on a new contract that will provide a nearly 18% pay raise over four years, including a four percent raise this year. The contract expands parental leave to 12...

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Government Health

State health insurance market dramatically changed

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By Peter Hancock Governor JB Pritzker signed legislation Tuesday, June 27 that will dramatically alter the health insurance market in Illinois. The measures establish a state-based exchange for policies sold under the Affordable Care Act and give the Illinois Department of Insurance the authority to modify or reject proposed rate...

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Government

Immigrants’ to receive personal State IDs

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By Peter Hancock Immigrants in Illinois with or without permission from U.S. immigration authorities will soon be able to obtain standard driver’s licenses that can be used for identification. Governor JB Pritzker Friday, June 30 signed House Bill 3882, which will phase out the “Temporary Visitor Driver’s License,” or TVDL,...

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Education

Teacher Performance Assessment in review lawmaker reflection

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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...

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