Get the latest news from around Illinois.
MyStateline.com: What benefits will Illinois see from infrastructure deal?
President Biden’s $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure deal passed the House on Friday, and Illinois will benefit from that massive bill in multiple ways.
Of the money, $1.7 billion will go to improving drinking and wastewater infrastructure. Roads, bridges and public transportation will also receive billions of dollars for improvements.
Associated Press: People leaving Illinois prisons will get state ID cards
All people being released from Illinois prisons will leave detention with a new state ID card under a program expected to be in use in all state prisons by next year, officials said.
Illinois Department of Corrections Director Rob Jeffreys says the cards help former inmates reintegrate into their communities and reduce the likelihood they will return to prison.
WQAD: Illinois renters who had a loss of income relating to COVID-19 can get up to $25K in rental assistance
The Illinois Rental Payment Program (ILRPP) will reopen in Early December 2021.
ILRPP will provide direct funding to Illinois tenants unable to pay their rent due to COVID-19 related losses of income. It’s not, automatic though. People affected need to apply for these grants, and could receive up to $25,000 paid directly to their landlords on their behalf. According to the Illinois Housing Development Authority, if a landlord chooses not to participate in the program, the grants can be paid directly to the tenant to then make a payment to their landlord to cover back rent and some future months.
The Center Square: Op-Ed: Will Illinois voters grant government union bosses more power than elected officials?
In a little over a year, Illinois voters will make two major decisions at the ballot box: First, who will be their next governor? Second, and more importantly, how much power will they hand over to public-sector unions?
While the gubernatorial race is sure to make headlines, the lesser-known Amendment 1 vote could wreck the future of Illinois’ economy and make union bosses more powerful than voters or elected officials by cementing broad, sweeping control into the state constitution.