Some 32 hours after Governor JB Pritzker, House Speaker Chris Welch, and Senate President Don Harmon announced a deal on a new state budget, the Senate finally passed a spending plan late last night, teeing up the House for final action early Saturday morning.
Read MoreHouse Republican Leader Tony McCombie (R-Savanna) has spent her first session leading her caucus on the outside looking in of most meaningful debate under the Capitol dome.
Read MoreAs the General Assembly prepares to return to Springfield this week in an effort to pass a budget and leave town for the summer, how they intend to do so has left many, Democrats included, in the dark.
Read MoreWe reported a few weeks ago the Illinois GOP was considering reversing its decades-old policy of refusing to endorse in statewide Republican primaries.
Read MoreThe legislature adjourned for the weekend without passing a new budget for the 2024 Fiscal Year, blowing their self-imposed adjournment deadline and assuring lawmakers will return to Springfield next week.
Read MoreDespite mountains of speculation, rumors, and projections under the dome Springfield, lawmakers adjourned Thursday without advancing the first steps of a state budget, assuring the two chamber would not be able to advance a spending plan before the scheduled adjournment Friday or even Saturday.
Read MoreIf you didn’t think the Illinois Supreme Court was a political animal, arguments over Illinois’ controversial assault weapons ban Tuesday removed all doubt.
Read MoreAn effort to oust Illinois Republican Party Chairman Don Tracy failed at a State Central Committee meeting Saturday in Edwardsville.
Read MoreRep. Maurice West (D-Rockford), the Chair of the House Ethics & Elections committee confirmed Monday night he won’t be moving major action on ethics reform in the final week of the legislative session, but insists action will be coming.
Read MoreSources say a group of members of the Illinois Republican Party State Central Committee are working to force a vote of “no confidence” Saturday to remove Illinois GOP Chairman Don Tracy from his role.
Read MoreNew revenue estimates are the latest in a long line of pressures for the Democratic supermajorities trying to pass a balanced budget with less revenue than in recent years and more spending priorities from more Democrats in Springfield.
Read MoreRepublicans and a former Democratic governor are putting pressure on lawmakers for action on ethics reform before adjournment next week.
Read MoreIllinois Republican Party Chairman Don Tracy says he’s exploring whether the state GOP should continue with a long-standing party policy not to get involved in statewide primaries or if the state GOP should make endorsements in races like governor or U.S. Senate.
Read MoreMultiple Democrats confirmed Rep. Mary Flowers (D-Chicago), the dean of the Illinois House, was being removed from her position in House leadership and has been barred from attending Democratic caucus meetings.
Read MoreA Medicaid-style health insurance for undocumented immigrants could cost an additional $880 million next fiscal year and could balloon to nearly $1.5 billion if lawmakers succeed in an attempt to expand the program.
Read MoreThere appears to be a push among some Democrats in Springfield to enact ethics reform legislation in the wake of the ComEd Four corruption trial that centered around former House Speaker Michael Madigan.
Read MoreFormer House Republican Leader Jim Durkin, who raised alarm for years over former House Speaker Michael Madigan and his potentially criminal ties to Commonwealth Edison said he feels “vindication,” following the convictions of the so-called “ComEd Four” on bribery charges.
Read MoreJust six days after a federal judge in southern Illinois put a hold on the state’s assault weapons ban, an appeals court judge in Chicago put the law back in place Thursday.
Read MoreIn one of the most high profile political corruption cases in Illinois in more than a decade, four former Commonwealth Edison executives, lobbyists, and a political insider and close confidante of former House Speaker Michael Madigan were all convicted of a scheme to bribe Madigan through contracts and favors for top associates.
Read MoreThere appears to be some frustration building as talks have stalled on changes to the state’s Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA), which has set off a legal firestorm over the data employees provide to employers, including unauthorized capture of their biometric information, like thumbprints.
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