Illinois Senate
Letter to the Editor: Why not merge 118-member House with 59-member Senate and make new body of 102?
As we move through 2025, we need to set aside the adversarial attitudes that try to pit “rural folks” versus “urban folks” — whatever the definition of “rural” and “urban” is these days. A non-binding referendum to explore separating Cook County from the rest of Illinois (hinted at during a “New Illinois” lecture I recently heard)…
Read Full Article 
With Illinois facing a $3.2 billion budget deficit, Senate Republicans are once again demanding answers about how much taxpayer money is being spent on programs for non-citizens. At a Tuesday Statehouse news conference, Illinois Senate Republican Whip Jil Tracy (R-Quincy), Senator Dave Syverson (R-Cherry Valley), and Senator Li Arellano, Jr (R-Dixon) announced the reintroduction of…
Read Full Article 
SPRINGFIELD — Illinois lawmakers in early January could consider easing requirements for residents to change their names, a move proponents say will reduce risks for victims of domestic abuse, transgender residents and others. The measure must clear the full Senate in the first week of January to reach Gov. JB Pritzker’s desk, otherwise it must…
Read Full Article 
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…
Read Full Article 
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.…
Read Full Article 
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…
Read Full Article 
SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Senate on Thursday passed an amended version of a bill that would allow businesses and public institutions to provide multi-occupant all-gender bathrooms if they choose to do so. House Bill 1286 would change current state law, under which single-occupancy bathrooms are automatically designated for all genders, but multi-occupancy bathrooms must be designated…
Read Full Article 
SPRINGFIELD — A rush of legislation passed before a Friday deadline in the Senate included proposals aimed at protecting those seeking reproductive health care in Illinois. The first of these proposals, Senate Bill 1909, would give the state’s attorney general explicit authority to crack down on “limited services pregnancy centers,” which are also known as crisis…
Read Full Article 
Includes direct checks to Illinoisans, expands on Pritzker proposal by $800 million SPRINGFIELD – Democrats in the Illinois Senate have announced a $1.8 billion package of mostly temporary tax relief proposals that they hope to include in the Fiscal Year 2023 budget as the legislative session enters its final week. The package, rolled out…
Read Full Article 
SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Senate advanced a measure to repeal the state’s Parental Notice of Abortion Act early Tuesday evening amid staunch opposition from Republicans and religious groups. The repeal bill passed the Senate Executive Committee on a 9-6-1 vote Tuesday shortly after 5 p.m., and passed the full Senate 32-22 shortly after 8 p.m.…
Read Full Article 
On Muddy River News This Week, furnished by Harvey’s, Bob Gough talks to State Senator Jil Tracy (R-Quincy) about the recently-wrapped up session in Springfield and the new 50th Senate District, which she’ll represent when she runs for re-election in 2022.
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…
Read Full Article 
From THE CENTER SQUARE With the end of the spring session for the Illinois Legislature just days away, it’s expected the Democratic supermajority will pass new district boundaries. Some advocacy groups oppose the maps that have been proposed so far. Democrats released proposed maps late Friday and another release of Google Map files on Sunday. Hearings this week…
Read Full Article 
By Capitol News Illinois SPRINGFIELD — The state Senate and House passed more than 750 bills between them last week, addressing isolated timeouts in schools, youth vaping, teaching Muslim history, the commemoration of Juneteenth and automatic voter registration in prisons, among other topics. Friday was the deadline for the General Assembly to pass bills out…
Read Full Article July 14, 2025
ROADTRIPS WITH RANDY: DICK BROS.
Obituaries
Current Weather
TUE
WED
THU
FRI
SAT