Politics
By PETER HANCOCKCapitol News Illinois SPRINGFIELD – Illinois lawmakers finished a two-day special session Thursday by passing some important legislation but without reaching agreement on the one issue they had hoped to resolve – an energy bill that would phase out all carbon emissions from power plants over the next 30 years. “I think a…
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By PETER HANCOCKCapitol News Illinois SPRINGFIELD – Fitch Ratings, one of three credit rating agencies that grade Illinois bonds, has upgraded its credit outlook for the state from “negative” to “positive.” Although the state’s overall rating remains at near-junk status at BBB-, the agency said the state’s economic outlook coming out of the pandemic, combined…
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From WMAY SPRINGFIELD, IL – Republican Congressman Rodney Davis is still leaving the door open for a possible run for governor next year if he doesn’t like the congressional district maps drawn by Democrats. Appearing live on the WMAY Morning Newsfeed, Davis was sharply critical of Democratic Governor JB Pritzker on issues ranging from election…
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From THE CENTER SQUARE – Senate Democrats are making a push to give undocumented immigrants the opportunity to vote in school board elections. The proposal could require the State Board of Education to create an affidavit helping non-citizens register for school board elections. Current bill language requires potential voters to verify they are a parent, legal guardian…
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From The Missouri Times – JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — Gov. Mike Parson outlined the economic effects of a failure to renew the federal reimbursement allowance (FRA) Monday, pointing to the group of legislators who stalled the process. “We’re laying out a grim reality our state is facing if the federal reimbursement allowance and related programs are not extended,” Parson…
Read Full Article Governor has issued just 11 vetoes in first three years By JERRY NOWICKICapitol News Illinoisjnowicki@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – With the first year of the 102nd General Assembly mostly wrapped up, lawmakers as of Friday had officially passed 664 bills through both houses for eventual consideration by the governor. Gov. JB Pritzker had signed 17 of them as…
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Governor J.B. Pritzker has tapped former State Senator Andy Manar as his new deputy governor for budget and economy. The Bunker Hill Democrat stepped down from the Senate in January to take a role as a senior advisor in the Pritzker administration. In the Senate, Manar chaired the Appropriations Committee and pushed through a massive…
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Measure maintains $10 renewal fee, allows for voluntary fingerprinting to expedite renewals By JERRY NOWICKICapitol News Illinoisjnowicki@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois house on Wednesday passed a Firearm Owner Identification card law change that would strengthen law enforcement’s ability to retrieve guns from those with suspended or revoked FOID cards and allow for voluntary fingerprinting to…
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Gov. JB Pritzker signs a bill making Juneteenth, June 19th, a paid state holiday. (Capitol News Illinois photo by Peter Hancock)Wednesday, June 16, 2021 Day marks anniversary of last enslaved Americans learning of freedom ‘Juneteenth’ becomes official state holiday Day marks anniversary of last enslaved Americans learning of freedom By PETER HANCOCKCapitol News Illinoisphancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD…
Read Full Article By JERRY NOWICKICapitol News Illinoisjnowicki@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Senate adjourned Tuesday without calling a comprehensive energy regulatory reform package for a vote. After adjournment, Senate President Don Harmon, D-Oak Park, made a statement similar to one he made June 1 after the Senate failed to call an energy bill for a vote ahead of…
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By SARAH MANSURCapitol News Illinoissmansur@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD — As Illinois begins its official reopening and residents flock to state parks this summer, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources faces a severe staffing shortage, according to IDNR chief of staff Kristin DiCenso. “It’s very, very difficult to manage,” DiCenso said. “We get a lot of complaints from…
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From MISSOURI INDEPENDENT – It was the year’s biggest gathering of Missouri Republicans, but the party’s putative frontrunner to replace retiring U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt was nowhere to be found. Over the weekend, nearly everyone angling for the Senate seat flocked to the Missouri Republican Party’s annual Lincoln Days in Kansas City and a Missouri…
Read Full Article From CAPITOL NEWS ILLINOIS – The Illinois Senate is planning to come in Tuesday, June 15, and the Illinois House is planning to meet Wednesday, June 16. An announcement from Senate President Don Harmon’s office said, “It is expected that the Senate session will be one day only,” with the purpose of passing “clean energy…
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From THE CENTER SQUARE Taxes for drivers filling up at the pump in Illinois are going up again July 1, an annual increase one analyst says politicians made to take them off the hook from having to vote for tax increases in the future. Gas prices are more than a dollar higher from the previous…
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By PETER HANCOCKCapitol News Illinois SPRINGFIELD – Starting Friday, Illinois is in Phase 5 of the COVID-19 reopening plan, meaning businesses and organizations can resume normal activity, although some limited restrictions will remain in place. Under Phase 5 guidelines, capacity limits are being lifted for both indoor and outdoor activities while people who have been fully…
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From THE CENTER SQUARE The persistent delays in issuing Firearm Owner’s Identification cards in Illinois that has doubled in the last year and a half continues after a federal judge shot down a motion this week seeking to force the state to issue backlogged cards. Illinoisans who want to legally buy or own firearms and…
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From WIREPOINTS Illinoisans are suffering from more than just the nation’s worst state-level pension mess. For most residents, another problem hits much closer to home: Illinois’ local pension crisis. Wirepoints has quantified the negative impact of local pension costs by examining the finances of Illinois municipalities from 2003 to 2019. To allow for a like-for-like…
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From THE MISSOURI TIMES – After months of speculation, Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler jumped into the U.S. Senate race Thursday — becoming the first congressional official and woman to do so. Unlike other candidates, Hartzler didn’t make the campaign official on cable news. Instead, she traveled back to Missouri, telling those gathered at the Frontier Justice shooting range in Lee’s Summit she…
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With a sprawling political corruption investigation drawing ever closer to former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, the Tribune has learned that a Chicago alderman cooperating with the government secretly made audio and video recordings of the once-powerful politician on a variety of topics. Then-25th Ward Ald. Daniel Solis recorded Madigan on numerous occasions as the…
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By: Ted Dabrowski – WIREPOINTS Illinois institutions, both public and private, continue to cut back on their mask mandates in light of increasing vaccinations and collapsing case numbers. Illinois’ schools are a notable exception. The Illinois State Board of Education says it expects mandated mask-wearing to continue in the fall. But is it time for the masks…
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Order comes after Pritzker signed the new map into law By SARAH MANSURCapitol News Illinoissmansur@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD — The Illinois Supreme Court will delay its transition to implement new appellate court boundaries that were created by a recently approved judicial district map until further notice. “Appeals and other matters shall continue to be filed in the…
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No representation from Quincy, Macomb, Jacksonville or Springfield at state meeting with global companies SPRINGFIELD – The State of Illinois has announced that a delegation from the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, Intersect Illinois and 17 economic development partners will represent Illinois at the 2021 virtual SelectUSA Investment Summit hosted by the U.S. Department of…
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From THE CENTER SQUARE – In Illinois, 13.8% of the workforce are employed by the government — either at the state, local, or federal level — the ninth lowest share of all states. In keeping with the national trend, the number of government workers in Illinois has decreased in recent years. There are currently 785,800…
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From ABC7CHICAGO – Gov. JB Pritzker signed the General Assembly’s proposed redistricting maps into law Friday, saying they “reflect Illinois’ diversity.” “Illinois’ strength is in our diversity, and these maps help to ensure that communities that have been left out and left behind have fair representation in our government,” Pritzker said. “These district boundaries align…
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from THE MISSOURI TIMES – Missouri State Auditor Nicole Galloway will not seek re-election or run for another political position in 2022, she said Friday. “I have put my skills as a CPA and Certified Fraud Examiner to work for taxpayers, and I’m proud of what my team has accomplished. In my remaining time as the state’s watchdog, I…
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