Local News
Neighbors
Comings & Goings
Illinois News
Senate votes to lift nuclear construction ban
By ANDREW ADAMS Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Senate approved a measure on Thursday that would lift a 1980s-era moratorium on nuclear power plant construction. Senate Bill 76, sponsored by Sen. Sue Rezin, R-Morris, was approved on a 39-13 vote. The bill now goes to the House of Representatives for consideration. “The…
Former ComEd CEO sought soft landing for Madigan chief of staff who was fired for sexual harassment
By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois [email protected] CHICAGO – In the weeks following then-Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan’s forced ouster of his longtime chief of staff following allegations of sexual harassment, a high-ranking Commonwealth Edison official was considering how to help the disgraced Madigan ally. Tim Mapes had served as Madigan’s chief of staff for…
Senate passes bill protecting ‘child influencers’
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Senate unanimously passed a bill Wednesday that gives financial protection to children whose parents make money posting videos of them on social media. Those children are known as “influencers” because the videos, known as vlogs, are intended to generate interest in things like products…
Moon habitat named 2023’s ‘Coolest Thing Made in Illinois’
By NIKA SCHOONOVER Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – The Rosenberg Moon Habitat was named 2023’s “Coolest Thing Made in Illinois” Wednesday in a contest hosted by the Illinois Manufacturers’ Association. The habitat is manufactured by Ingersoll Machine Tools in Rockford, in collaboration with the Institut auf dem Rosenberg of Switzerland. At a height of…
Senate advances bill to log abuse cover-ups in state health care registry
By JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – A measure spurred by reports of abuse at Choate Mental Health and Developmental Center passed the Senate unanimously Wednesday and will head to the House. The bill would prohibit health care workers who have been the subject of a substantiated claim of “material obstruction” of an…
‘If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’: Secretly recorded videos show ComEd lobbyists discussing alleged bribery scheme
By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois [email protected] CHICAGO – Longtime Commonwealth Edison contract lobbyist Jay Doherty thought he was merely reminiscing and giving advice to a colleague and friend in a February 2019 meeting set up by ex-ComEd executive Fidel Marquez. But Marquez was wearing a hidden camera, having just a few weeks prior agreed…
Advocates call on regulators to reject natural gas rate increases
By ANDREW ADAMS Capitol News Illinois [email protected] CHICAGO – Consumer advocates, environmentalists and Chicago residents gathered in front of the Chicago offices of Peoples Gas this week to call on the Illinois Commerce Commission to reject a proposed rate increase from the gas utility. Several advocacy groups, including the Citizens Utility Board, Blacks in Green…
Secretary of state backs proposal allowing noncitizens to receive standard driver’s licenses
By JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois House advanced a measure last week that would allow noncitizen residents who are currently eligible for a “temporary visitor driver’s license” to instead obtain a “standard” driver’s license that can be used as identification. Lawmakers created the temporary visitor driver’s license, or TVDL, in…
Native American history, repatriation measures advance in Illinois House
By NIKA SCHOONOVER Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – In an effort to increase recognition of indigenous history and culture, lawmakers are considering measures to repatriate Native American remains and teach Native American history in public schools. Last week, lawmakers approved both measures that seek to address past harms inflicted on the Native American community…
Indoor vaping, cat declawing could be banned under recently passed bills
By JERRY NOWICKI & PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Senate passed 68 bills this week while the House had advanced 284 as of Friday morning with hundreds more to go before their adjournment for the week. It was the first in a two-week stretch of legislative deadlines for bills to…
