2023 was an active year under the Illinois Capitol dome as legislative Democrats flexed their expanded supermajorities and Gov. J.B. Pritzker enjoyed a honeymoon period at the start of his second term.
Get the latest news from around Illinois.
Block Club Chicago: Mayor Johnson Joins NYC, Denver Mayors To Demand Federal Aid In Migrant Crisis
Mayor Brandon Johnson joined the leaders of New York City and Denver Wednesday to call on the federal government to do something about the migrant crisis that has left hundreds of thousands of people stranded in their cities.
Chicago is running out of space to shelter migrants, Johnson said during a joint press conference Wednesday with Denver Mayor Mike Johnston and New York City Mayor Eric Adams. The mayors demanded federal aid and an emergency declaration while on a virtual call.
WBEZ: Illinois DCFS struggles to fix decades of systemic issues
In July 2022, Marc Smith, the beleaguered director of the state’s Department of Children and Family Services, faced contempt of court charges for the twelfth time since the beginning of that year. The latest rebuke involved a 15-year-old girl who languished in a psychiatric hospital for more than six months, waiting to be placed in a foster home.
Charles Golbert, a Cook County Public Guardian and partner to DCFS, was beside himself — and fired off yet another angry press release, exasperated by what he viewed as a continuing pattern of neglect.
Chicago Sun-Times: Thornton Township salary ordinance is south suburbia’s latest shady deal
The city of Chicago’s reputation as a hotbed of political malfeasance and corruption was reinforced this month with the conviction of former Ald. Ed Burke (14th).
But pound for pound, Chicago’s southern suburbs might have the city beaten when it comes to governmental shenanigans.
Pantagraph: What to look for in Illinois government, politics in 2024
More than 600 bills were signed into law between the lame duck session in early January and the regular spring and fall veto sessions that followed.
The Center Square: Illinois laws for landlords set to go into effect Jan. 1
Of the 320 new Illinois laws on the books starting in 2024, several affect landlords throughout the state.
One of the measures taking effect Jan. 1 is House Bill 1541, which will prevent utility company shutoffs when the weather is warmer than 85 degrees rather than 95.