Politics
A bill eliminating the subminimum wage for workers with disabilities failed to pass the General Assembly ahead of its May adjournment, although sponsors say they hope to pass it when lawmakers return in the fall. The federal Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 established minimum wage law, but created an exemption for businesses, rehabilitation and residential care…
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Justice Lisa Holder White and the Illinois Supreme Court announced on Thursday the assignment of Seventh Circuit Judge Raylene DeWitte Grischow to the Fourth District Appellate Court. “Judge Raylene DeWitte Grischow will make an outstanding addition to the Appellate Court,” Holder White said in a press release. “She is an accomplished, hardworking, community-minded person who…
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HANNIBAL— State Representative Louis Riggs (R-Hannibal) secured nearly $20 million for projects in Northeast Missouri during the 2024 General Assembly session. Riggs obtained $2 million for construction of the Hannibal Bypass on US 61 that was supposed to have been built decades ago as part of the Avenue of the Saints and another $2.5 million…
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CHICAGO – Gov. JB Pritzker on Wednesday signed the state’s $53.1 billion spending plan for the upcoming fiscal year, the largest in state history. The signing caps months of work – and tension – among top Democratic leaders in Springfield and within the governor’s office. Pritzker said Wednesday the budget is a demonstration of “fiscal…
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A Sangamon County judge on Wednesday blocked the Illinois State Board of Elections from enforcing a new law that would have prevented certain General Assembly candidates who didn’t run in the March primary from getting on the November ballot. The move doesn’t void the bill in its entirety, but rather blocks it only for this…
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Missouri lawmakers gave counties a dose of much-needed clarity in May when they passed a bill aimed at clarifying a 2023 law that lets counties pass a senior property tax freeze, aimed at those 62 and older. The law passed last year gave counties the power to freeze property tax rates for Missourians who were eligible for…
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SPRINGFIELD – In order to boost infrastructure spending and avoid a projected fiscal cliff facing the state in the next couple of years, Democrats who control state government are betting on two of its most rapidly growing revenue sources: sports wagering and video gambling. The industries – both legalized within the last 15 years –…
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A United States District Court judge in St. Louis heard arguments Monday morning on whether the federal government can continue with a student-debt-forgiveness plan due to begin next month. The lawsuit, filed last month by Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey, seeks to block an income-driven repayment plan for borrowers proposed by President Joe Biden’s administration. …
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Missouri’s Constitution has banned noncitizens from voting since 1924. And state law requires individuals to verify they are a U.S. citizen in order to register to vote. But GOP lawmakers contend the constitutional and statutory language isn’t strong enough. Instead of saying that “all citizens” can vote, Republicans argue the state constitution should be changed to make it clear…
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QUINCY — The investiture of Christopher W. Pratt as an at-large circuit judge of the Eighth Judicial Circuit will be at 1 p.m. June 10 at the Adams County Courthouse. Pratt will assume his duties that day. Pratt was born and raised in Adams County. He attended St. Peter School, Quincy Notre Dame and Quincy…
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Illinois House Speaker Chris Welch gave added meaning to the phrase “winning ugly” during last Wednesday’s early morning hours. I’ve never seen anything like it, so let’s take a look. House members were told to be in their seats by noon on Tuesday after the Senate had easily passed the entire budget package on Sunday.…
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A bill banning what unions refer to as employer-sponsored “captive audience” meetings about religion and politics has cleared both chambers of the General Assembly. It was one of 466 measures to do so during the Illinois legislature’s recently concluded spring session, including measures targeting artificial intelligence and allowing for digital driver’s licenses. A Capitol News…
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After a near-derailment and an all-nighter to wrap up the General Assembly’s spring session, supermajority Democrats in the Illinois House gave final legislative approval to the state budget as the sun rose Wednesday morning. Despite holding 78 seats in the chamber, it took Democrats three tries to reach the 60 votes needed to approve more…
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Two days after the General Assembly was scheduled to adjourn its spring session, Democrats in the Illinois Senate advanced a $53.1 billion budget to the House Sunday night, where leaders expect it to pass without changes. The fiscal year 2025 spending plan, which came together over a stretch of late nights and closed-door dealmaking, spends…
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SPRINGFIELD – Democrats in the General Assembly will go at least three more days past their self-imposed adjournment deadline after failing to pass a budget bill Saturday, although the spending and revenue framework were made public for the first time. “The House and Senate are very close to an agreement on a final budget,” House…
Read Full Article I’m not sure I’ve seen a stranger roll call than last week’s House vote on Senate Bill 2978. The data privacy bill is an initiative of Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias, and he was on the House floor during the debate. The far-right ginned up social media opposition to the bill by claiming that…
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A measure that would prohibit contests that award cash or prizes for killing certain wildlife is unlikely to clear the Senate after narrowly passing the House last week, according to its Senate sponsor. House Bill 2900 would ban the practice of holding wildlife contests that reward participants with cash, prizes or inducements for killing fur-bearing animals.…
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SPRINGFIELD – Authorities in Illinois would not be allowed to aid another state’s investigation of people coming to Illinois to seek abortions or other reproductive health care under a bill that cleared the General Assembly Thursday. House Bill 5239, which needs only a signature from Gov. JB Pritzker to become law, also gives individuals the…
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This article was produced for ProPublica’s Local Reporting Network in partnership with Capitol News Illinois. ANNA, Ill. — Cameras in the common areas of Choate Mental Health and Developmental Center were supposed to make the troubled southern Illinois facility safer for the approximately 200 people with developmental disabilities who live there. But in mid-February, a camera…
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SPRINGFIELD – Lawmakers passed more than 200 bills this week ahead of their scheduled May 24 adjournment. Many of the measures will soon head to Gov. JB Pritzker, including a bill that changes how damages accrue under Illinois’ first-in-the-nation biometric data privacy law. The Illinois House on Thursday approved Senate Bill 2979 with several Republicans joining supermajority…
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The final day of the 2024 legislative session lasted less than 10 minutes in the Missouri Senate. The lightning-quick adjournment was aimed at avoiding bitter flare ups that plagued the previous day, when a member of the Freedom Caucus tried to amend the Senate Journal to say a “stampeding herd of rhinoceroses” had rumbled through…
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The Illinois General Assembly has advanced a measure that allows students to get the opportunity to take part in relaxation activities, including yoga, 20 minutes a week. Some warn it could lead to lawsuits. Relaxation activities may include, but are not limited to, mindful-based movements, yoga, stretching, meditation, breathing exercises, guided relaxation techniques, quiet time,…
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SPRINGFIELD – A new measure being debated in the Illinois General Assembly would create a tax credit for certain news publishers based on the number of reporters they employ. The proposal from Sen. Steve Stadelman, D-Rockford, is part of a package of policies that he has been working to pass since early this year –…
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As Illinois grapples with a possible $800 million budget deficit, a measure that could have a taxpayer price tag of an additional $68 million for student teacher stipends is on its way to the Senate. State Rep. Barbara Hernandez, D-Aurora, carried House Bill 4652 out of the House Tuesday. “That would allow students to receive $10,000 [a…
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