Democrats in the Illinois Senate late Friday night proposed a staggering $1.8 billion in tax cuts late that would include stimulus checks for almost all residents.

Why it matters: As inflation rises, local governments are looking at ways to get money into the hands of taxpayers.

In the past decade, a Chicago political insider’s company has raked in hundreds of millions of dollars through a state of Illinois program.

Now, a newly unsealed lawsuit alleges the company also schemed to “avoid paying Illinois income taxes” on the profits from its highly lucrative arrangement with the state.

Former Illinois Speaker of the House Michael Madigan is still planning political strategy for the state’s June primary election, even though he was indicted on bribery and racketeering charges last month, according to sources.

Multiple sources told NBC 5 Madigan on Saturday led a meeting at the office on Chicago’s Southwest Side where he has directed political meetings for decades.

State lawmakers may remove a protection for police officers who are accused of violating a person’s civil rights.

Right now in Illinois, if police violate someone’s constitutional rights, there is very little chance they could sue the officer.

Relief checks could be delivered directly to Illinoisans in a $1.8 billion tax relief plan announced on Friday by the Illinois Senate Democratic Caucus.

The new initiative would provide $100 relief checks per person and $50 per child to state taxpayers making $250,000 individually or $500,000 jointly. Under those income guidelines, some 97% of taxpayers would receive money, according to a news release by State Senator Dave Koehler, D-Peoria.