Get the latest news from around Illinois.
WBBM: Illinois Republicans blast Dems' tactics after $53B state budget barley passes
Governor J.B. Pritzker is defending the $53 billion state budget that barely passed the Illinois House in the wee-hours of the morning and now awaits his signature.
Despite having a super majority in the House, it took Democrats three tries and a suspension of rules to get the spending plan with $1.1 billion in tax increases over the finish line.
The Center Square: Op-Ed: Illinois public schools lose 127,000 students since pandemic
Recent NBC News analysis found 87% of American children were enrolled in public school in 2022, compared to 90.7% in 2012. That trend holds true closer to home, too.
Here in Illinois, enrollment in our public schools has dropped from 1.98 million in 2019 to 1.85 million in the 2022-2023 school year, the latest data available.
The State Journal-Register: Report suggests 'reasonable cause' that Ward 5 alderwoman did city business on state time
Long days and nights were plentiful in the Illinois State Capitol last week thanks in-part to robust floor debate in the House and Senate.
That included action over the weekend after lawmakers pushed through a self-imposed Friday deadline, with further session days still ahead.
WGN TV: Stolen SNAP benefits top $4.5M during recent six-month span in Illinois
Stolen food benefits are a growing problem throughout Illinois with scammers targeting some of the state’s poorest and most vulnerable residents.
During a recent six-month span, more than $4.5 million was stolen from Illinois’ Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, according to records reviewed by WGN Investigates.
The Chicago Tribune: Illinois lawmakers quietly extend cellular law part of AT&T-Michael Madigan bribery case
Illinois lawmakers quietly voted in the closing days of their spring legislative session to approve a five-year extension of a 2018 cellular communications law that federal prosecutors say was a product of AT&T Illinois’ alleged scheme to bribe then-House Speaker Michael Madigan.
The measure in question, which was set to expire at the end of 2024, smoothed the way for small cell transmission equipment to be placed throughout Illinois by limiting local governments’ ability to regulate where the equipment was placed and also by capping how much towns could collect from telecom providers that installed the equipment that helps boost cellular service.
The Daily Herald: DuPage County clerk controversy prompts push for change in state law
DuPage County Board Chair Deborah Conroy enlisted the help of state lawmakers to make it clear that countywide elected officials, such as the county clerk, need to follow state bidding laws and seek county board approval for certain budget transfers.
During a Tuesday evening county board meeting, Conroy announced lawmakers approved changes providing the “highest level of clarity” regarding competitive bidding and budget transfer regulations as they relate to countywide elected officials.
Chicago Sun-Times: Delta skate? Lawmakers leave Springfield without regulating delta-8, other hemp products
Sellers of delta-8 THC, CBD and other hemp-derived products breathed a sigh of relief Wednesday as state lawmakers left Springfield without passing legislation that would effectively have banned most of their sales.
But advocates on both sides of a contentious debate pitting Illinois’ multibillion-dollar cannabis industry against its growing hemp sector said they were disappointed to enter another summer without any regulations on intoxicating substances that remain easily accessible to young customers.