Illinois Politics
SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Supreme Court has ruled that a state law restricting where previously convicted child sex offenders can live is constitutional, although it left open the possibility that it was improperly applied to one individual. In a 6-0 decision, the court found the residency restriction “does not infringe upon a child sex offender’s…
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Legislation that would eliminate the tip credit in Illinois is facing opposition from members of the service industry. Under the current system, businesses pay a portion of the tipped employee’s hourly minimum wage, with the rest being made up by tips to equal at least the full state-mandated minimum wage. The base wage for tipped…
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The implementation of the controversial SAFE-T Act in Illinois continues to put a strain on state coffers. The Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board, which is responsible for training and certifying law enforcement officers, is hoping to receive $23 million in state taxpayer funds to improve curriculum and pay instructors. Officials from ILETSB told…
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SPRINGFIELD – Illinois continues to suffer from a shortage of teachers and other education professionals, although recent efforts by the state to ease the strain have made an impact. That’s according to the latest annual survey of school officials from the Illinois Association of Regional Superintendents of Schools, which has been conducting the survey every year since…
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Legislation that would help parents monitor their children’s social media activity through third-party software is moving through the Illinois General Assembly. House Bill 5380 would create the Let Parents Choose Protection Act, or Sammy’s Law, to require that social media companies provide children’s social media data to third-party apps, which parents could access. Sammy’s Law is…
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SPRINGFIELD – Illinois’ veterans affairs director told a legislative panel this week that while state-run veterans homes have better policies in place following a COVID-19 outbreak that killed 36 residents at the LaSalle Veterans Home in 2020, understaffing remains a challenge. “The need for long-term care will explode over the next 20 years,” Illinois Department…
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SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Senate Republican Caucus Whip Jil Tracy (R-Quincy) and Senate Deputy Minority Leader Sue Rezin (R-Morris) have filed new legislation to provide Illinois families additional financial support. “Families throughout Illinois are finding it difficult to make ends meet as high inflation and other economic pressures impact their bottom line. Republican Senators have long…
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CHICAGO — State regulators are once again considering massive electric utility spending plans that would affect the state’s climate goals – and 5.4 million electric customers’ monthly bills – after rejecting previous versions late last year. The Illinois Commerce Commission forced the state’s two major electric utilities, Commonwealth Edison and Ameren Illinois, back to the…
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Hancock County results are not yet available online.
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QUINCY – Former Quincy mayor Kyle Moore won all five counties that make up the 99th District in the Illinois House of Representatives and easily defeated Eric Snellgrove of Beardstown in Tuesday’s Republican Primary. Moore, who is currently the president of the Great River Economic Development Foundation, won the five county district with 73.5 percent…
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QUINCY – Three incumbent Republican members of the Adams County Board who had contested races in Tuesday’s primary each came away with wins. In County Board District 2, incumbent Mark Sorenson defeated Douglas Kendrick 281-167. In District 3, incumbent Dave Bellis held off a challenge by James Fisher 425-377. In District 7, incumbent Brent Fischer…
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(The Center Square) – Teachers unions have donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to certain Republican candidates’ state legislative primary campaigns, a national trend that can be seen in incumbent state Rep. Adam Niemerg, R-Dieterich, and primary challenger Jim Acklin’s race for the 102nd Illinois House seat. Acklin received $35,000 from the Illinois Federation of…
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SPRINGFIELD – Gov. JB Pritzker’s revenue and budget directors took questions from a legislative panel Thursday on his proposals to generate another $1.1 billion in the upcoming fiscal year through various tax changes. Pritzker’s proposed spending plan anticipates $52.9 billion in revenue, with new funds raised by increasing certain corporate tax rates, lowering personal and…
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SPRINGFIELD – A panel of Illinois lawmakers began hearing testimony Wednesday on Gov. JB Pritzker’s proposals for sweeping changes in the state’s health insurance industry. The changes, which Pritzker first unveiled in his State of the State address in February, would limit the ability of companies to deny claims or steer patients toward cheaper, and possibly less…
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Illinois Republican state legislators continue to push for policy changes to address what they see as a poor business climate. The credit rating assigned to Illinois by Fitch Ratings, A- in November 2023, is far below the ratings given to most of the 50 states. As of early 2024, most states have AA or AAA…
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Illinois business owners are bracing for a potential tax hit from Gov. J.B. Pritzker. The governor’s proposed budget extends the cap on business net operating losses, but increases the cap to $500,000. His office estimates the “revenue adjustment” will raise $526 million, the bulk of the nearly $900 million of tax increases in his $52.7…
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QUINCY — The 2025 Illinois consolidated primary is 351 days away. We still have the 2024 primary to get through on March 19 and the general election on November 5. But we now know we have at least two Republicans running to be Quincy’s next mayor. The incumbent, Mike Troup, made it official Monday morning…
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By ALEX ABBEDUTO Capitol News Illinois abbeduto@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Democrats in the Illinois Senate on Wednesday advanced a measure that would prohibit Illinois companies from requiring employees to attend work-related meetings about politics or religion. Senate Bill 3649, which is backed by organized labor, passed the Senate Labor Committee 11-4. Backers have dubbed it the “Worker Freedom…
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QUINCY — Quincy Mayor Mike Troup announced Monday morning that he would run for re-election in 2025. Troup made his announcement at Quincy’s American Legion Hall following a weekly local meeting that includes many active Quincy and Adams County GOP members. “Four years ago, this city was at a crossroads and I saw an opportunity…
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QUINCY — Quincy Mayor Mike Troup is expected to announce whether he will run for a second term Monday morning. While being interviewed by Muddy River News on Thursday about the State of the City speech he is scheduled to deliver to the Quincy Service Club at noon Friday, Troup was told he had one…
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A state commission created in 2021 has issued a new report calculating that public universities in Illinois are underfunded by approximately $1.4 billion. The Commission on Equitable Public University Funding is made up of 34 members, including legislators, representatives from public universities, and members of advocacy organizations. It found that dedicating an added $100 million…
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After Tim Mapes’ August conviction on charges of perjury and attempted obstruction of justice in the federal criminal probe of his longtime boss, former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, many of his friends still had his back. Mapes was sentenced to 2 ½ years in prison last month, though U.S. District Judge John Kness told…
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Opposition is building in Illinois to using public tax dollars to build sports stadiums. Both the Chicago Bears and Chicago White Sox have recently floated the idea of building new stadiums. The Bears purchased property in Arlington Heights for a possible stadium complex site, and now the White Sox are considering a move to the…
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The Illinois State Board of Elections says former President Donald Trump is staying on the Illinois ballot despite being sued last week in a Cook County court. The U.S. Supreme Court handed a win to the former Republican president Monday by ruling that states cannot kick him off the ballot over the violent protests on…
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Western Illinois University is the subject of a federal civil rights complaint about scholarships. Cornell University law professor William A. Jacobson is the founder of the Equal Protection Project, or EqualProtect.org, which claims that 16 scholarships at Western Illinois are discriminatory. “So these are scholarships which are open only to certain races, certain ethnicities and, in…
Read Full Article November 12, 2024
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