Capitol News
Top Democrats announce budget ‘deal,’ but details are scant as last-minute negotiations continue
By JERRY NOWICKI, HANNAH MEISEL & PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois [email protected] UPDATE: The budget was filed as a 3,409-page amendment to Senate Bill 250 late Wednesday evening. This story has been updated to reflect the latest developments as of Wednesday night. SPRINGFIELD – Gov. JB Pritzker and Democratic leaders announced Wednesday they’ve agreed…
Legislature approves bill to tighten restrictions on red-light camera industry
By ANDREW ADAMS Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD — Lawmakers in Springfield have unanimously approved a measure that would place new restrictions on the red-light and speed camera industry’s involvement in state and local elections and government. House Bill 3903 would ban automatic traffic enforcement companies or their officers from donating to candidates for public…
State board of education looking for new providers in preschool ‘deserts’
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – Even though Gov. JB Pritzker has yet to sign the budget bill lawmakers just passed, the Illinois State Board of Education is seeking applicants for some of the new money contained in that bill. ISBE is looking for new providers to offer preschool programs in areas…
Pritzker touts new budget’s higher education spending
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – Gov. JB Pritzker began a tour of the state to tout the new state budget that lawmakers passed last week, stopping at two university campuses Wednesday to highlight the spending plan’s increased funding for higher education. “With this new budget, we’re making it possible for nearly…
Cannabis regulatory reform bill fails to advance in spring legislative session
By NIKA SCHOONOVER Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – A proposed cannabis reform bill won’t get further consideration until at least the General Assembly’s fall veto session after stakeholders failed to come to an agreement during the spring session’s final stretch. Rep. La Shawn Ford, a Chicago Democrat and the bill’s sponsor, told Capitol News…
Native American history, ride-share regulation measures clear General Assembly
By NIKA SCHOONOVER Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – Even though it became clear this week that the General Assembly’s spring legislative session would go longer than scheduled as lawmakers finalize a budget, several measures cleared the legislature by its original Friday adjournment date. Those include a requirement that schools teach a unit of Native…
Lawmakers approve measure giving utilities control over new downstate transmission lines
By ANDREW ADAMS Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD — In the final hours of their spring session last week, lawmakers approved a controversial measure that would give existing power companies in downstate Illinois, notably Ameren Illinois, the first crack at installing new transmission lines. The measure applies to companies that already own or operate electric…
Budget vote brings General Assembly’s 2023 spring session to a close
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – The 2023 spring legislative session came to an end in the early hours of Saturday morning after the Illinois House gave its approval to a $50.6 billion spending plan for the upcoming fiscal year that begins July 1. The 73-38 party-line vote came around 2:30 a.m.…
Legislature approves bill to tighten restrictions on red-light camera industry
By ANDREW ADAMS Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD — Lawmakers in Springfield have unanimously approved a measure that would place new restrictions on the red-light and speed camera industry’s involvement in state and local elections and government. House Bill 3903 would ban automatic traffic enforcement companies or their officers from donating to candidates for public…
Senate Democrats send budget to House, teeing it up for early Saturday morning vote
By JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois House is planning to work until the early hours of Saturday morning to finalize a $50.6 billion state spending plan for the fiscal year that begins July 1. That announcement came early Thursday evening, more than 24 hours after Gov. JB Pritzker and the…
Senate Democrats send budget to House, teeing it up for early Saturday morning vote
By JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois House is planning to work until the early hours of Saturday morning to finalize a $50.6 billion state spending plan for the fiscal year that begins July 1. That announcement came early Thursday evening, more than 24 hours after Gov. JB Pritzker and the…
UPDATED: Optional all-gender bathrooms bill will head to governor
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois General Assembly has passed a bill that would allow businesses and public institutions to provide multi-occupant all-gender bathrooms if they choose to do so. House Bill 1286 would change current state law, under which single-occupancy bathrooms are automatically designated for all genders, but multi-occupancy…
Lawmakers OK bill to limit constitutional lawsuits to Cook, Sangamon County
By PETER HANCOCK & HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – Democrats who control the General Assembly muscled through a last-minute measure that will require any constitutional challenge to state laws to be filed in either Cook or Sangamon counties. The Illinois House on Thursday gave final passage to a set of amendments to…
Dems move to allow punitive damage awards in wrongful death lawsuits
By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – Democrats in the General Assembly this week pushed through a measure that would allow state courts to award punitive damages in wrongful death lawsuits – a departure from the status quo for more than a century in Illinois. Illinois is one of 16 states that does…
Top Democrats announce budget ‘deal,’ but details are scant as last-minute negotiations continue
By JERRY NOWICKI, HANNAH MEISEL & PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – Gov. JB Pritzker and Democratic leaders announced Wednesday they’ve agreed to a framework for next year’s roughly $50 billion state spending plan, even as negotiations continued in the final stretch of lawmakers’ already-extended spring legislative session. Their announced agreement included…
State report: Catholic churches harbored hundreds more abusers than previously disclosed
By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – Catholic dioceses in Illinois failed to disclose hundreds of abusive clerics before the state opened what would become a yearslong investigation into sex abuse within the church, Attorney General Kwame Raoul announced Tuesday. Included in a scathing 700-page report published by Raoul’s office at the end…
UPDATED: Environmental bills seek to improve soil health, ban state use of polystyrene foam containers
By ANDREW ADAMS & NIKA SCHOONOVER Capitol News Illinois [email protected] [email protected] Editor’s note: This story will be updated as the measures make their way through the legislature this week. SPRINGFIELD – Several pieces of environmental legislation are making their way through the Illinois General Assembly on what was scheduled to be the final week of…
UPDATED: Environmental bills seek to improve soil health, ban state use of polystyrene foam containers
By ANDREW ADAMS & NIKA SCHOONOVER Capitol News Illinois [email protected] [email protected] Editor’s note: This story will be updated as the measures make their way through the legislature this week. SPRINGFIELD – Several pieces of environmental legislation are making their way through the Illinois General Assembly on what was scheduled to be the final week of…
Dems move to allow punitive damage awards in wrongful death lawsuits
By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – Democrats in the General Assembly this week pushed through a measure that would allow state courts to award punitive damages in wrongful death lawsuits – a departure from the status quo for more than a century in Illinois. Illinois is one of 16 states that does…
As leaders extend session with budget unfinished, several sweeping last-minute bills surface
By HANNAH MEISEL, JERRY NOWICKI, NIKA SCHOONOVER & PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – Lawmakers won’t finish their spring legislative session by Friday’s scheduled adjournment as negotiations over the state budget remain in flux. The May 19 end to the General Assembly’s spring session had been on the calendar for months, but it’s…
UPDATED: Optional all-gender bathrooms bill will head to governor
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois General Assembly has passed a bill that would allow businesses and public institutions to provide multi-occupant all-gender bathrooms if they choose to do so. House Bill 1286 would change current state law, under which single-occupancy bathrooms are automatically designated for all genders, but multi-occupancy…
UPDATED: Optional all-gender bathrooms bill moves closer to passage
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois General Assembly has passed a bill that would allow businesses and public institutions to provide multi-occupant all-gender bathrooms if they choose to do so. House Bill 1286 would change current state law, under which single-occupancy bathrooms are automatically designated for all genders, but multi-occupancy…
UPDATED: Environmental bills seek to improve soil health, ban state use of polystyrene foam containers
By ANDREW ADAMS & NIKA SCHOONOVER Capitol News Illinois [email protected] [email protected] Editor’s note: This story will be updated as the measures make their way through the legislature this week. SPRINGFIELD – Several pieces of environmental legislation are making their way through the Illinois General Assembly on what was scheduled to be the final week of…
Native American history, ride-share regulation measures clear General Assembly
By NIKA SCHOONOVER Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – Even though it became clear this week that the General Assembly’s spring legislative session would go longer than scheduled as lawmakers finalize a budget, several measures cleared the legislature by its original Friday adjournment date. Those include a requirement that schools teach a unit of Native…
Local News
Kupczyk Tells Chamber Crime Dips in 8th District
Residents of Chicago’s Garfield Ridge and Clearing neighborhoods can sleep a bit more soundly because crime is reportedly down in those areas. Chicago Lawn (8th) District Cmdr. John Kupczyk gave an update on crime in the area at the Garfield Ridge Chamber of Commerce meeting on Tuesday.{{more}} Ò(In) the city as a whole, crime is…
St. Nick’s Teacher Wins ‘Day Made Better’ Award
St. Nicholas of Tolentine School teacher Barbara Gliech was the surprise award recipient of $1,000 worth of school supplies in a contest organized through the Archdiocese of Chicago and co-sponsored by OfficeMax and the Adopt-A-Classroom program.{{more}} The contest was designed as a means to highlight the challenges of teachers and gain community support to adopt…
Gang Activity Is Mentioned In Burbank
The city council addressed a complaint concerning increased gang activity on the streets of Burbank at the Sept. 28 board meeting.{{more}} Laura Sandoval, of Burbank, wanted the city council to be aware of the gang activity she has witnessed, particularly on the 7800 block of New England Avenue. ÒMy neighbors and I have seen a…
Moraine President To Retire
Crawley Informs Faculty, Staff That He Will Bow Out on June 30 Dr. Vernon Crawley, president of Moraine Valley and the longest-serving college/university chief executive officer in Illinois, announced to faculty and staff Sept. 26 that he will retire on June 30.{{more}} ÒMoraine Valley is an excellent institution, which is well respected on the local,…
Police Chief Adresses UBAM
McCarthy States Local Businesses Can Help in Crime Fight Chicago Police Supt. Garry McCarthy was at the United Business Association of Midway meeting on Wednesday morning, discussing his plans to fight crime and improve the Chicago Police Department.{{more}} The meeting was held at the Airport Maintenance Complex at Midway Airport. McCarthy compared crime rates to…
Peraica Arrives Late for Court, Tossed in Jail
Former Cook County Commissioner Tony Peraica arrived late for a court appearance Tuesday morning at the Bridgeview Courthouse. And his tardiness resulted in his being placed briefly in lockup.{{more}} Peraica’s appearance in court Tuesday was a result of a misdemeanor case in which he was accused of tearing down the political signs of his opponent…
State Pay Hikes Make For Typical Headlines
Earlier this year, when it was disclosed that Gov. Pat Quinn’s budget director had handed out two pay raises to top staffers on the same day that the governor signed the income tax increase into law, Illinois Republican Party Chairman Pat Brady said the move was evidence of a Òvoid in leadership.”{{more}} I tend to…
Praise New Football Turf At Oak Lawn
Praises for the newly installed football field were tossed around the room at the Oak Lawn Community High School 229 Board of Education meeting on Sept. 21. Several members stated how Òimpressed” they were by the new football field and the facility improvements.{{more}} Student representatives Thomas Plutz, Kathleen Plutz, Katelyn Mendez and James Pattara then…
Tiger Woods falls apart with a 77
By AMANDA DRAPIEWSKI Praises for the newly installed football field were tossed around the room at the Oak Lawn Community High School 229 Board of Education meeting on Sept. 21. Several members stated how Òimpressed” they were by the new football field and the facility improvements. Student representatives Thomas Plutz, Kathleen Plutz, Katelyn Mendez and…
First Lady Michelle Obama Challenges The George Washington University to Serve
First Lady Michelle Obama today offered a significant challenge to The George Washington University: perform 100,000 hours of community service throughout the 2009-2010 academic year. If GW students, faculty and staff meet the goal by this spring, the First Lady promised to speak at the University’s Commencement on May 16, 2010. Mrs. Obama issued the…
