State News

Retailers call it one of strongest responses in nation, GOP says it doesn’t do enough By Grace Kinnicutt Capitol News Illinois SPRINGFIELD – A measure aimed at addressing high-profile “smash-and-grabs” and other organized retail crime was among the scores of bills passed during the General Assembly’s final sprint toward its Saturday morning adjournment. Its backers,…

New Ad Campaign ‘Middle of Everything’ spotlights Illinois as the center of culture, food, outdoor adventures, architecture, history and more to attract visitors and accelerate the state’s tourism recovery CHICAGO —Governor JB Pritzker joined the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO), at the Shedd Aquarium to kick off the state’s new tourism campaign,…

Bill clears Senate; will soon head to governor By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – Public schools in Illinois may soon be serving a lot more vegan and vegetarian meals, thanks to a bill that cleared the General Assembly Tuesday. House Bill 4089 requires school districts to provide a plant-based lunch option that…

A 13-year-old boy was kept in a “temporary” shelter in Mt. Vernon for nearly five months. Before the shelter, DCFS placed him in a utility room in an office. By Beth Hundsdorfer Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – For the seventh time in 10 weeks, a Cook County judge found Illinois Department of Children and…

Bill would create a living wage job program for 20,000 formerly incarcerated workers By Grace Kinnicutt Capitol News Illinois SPRINGFIELD – Members of the Workers Center for Racial Justice held a rally in front of the Capitol Wednesday morning demanding the Illinois General Assembly pass the Safer Communities Act. The measure, House Bill 3215, offers…

Encourages the public to conduct business online at ilsos.gov Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White announced that expiration dates for driver’s licenses, ID cards and learner’s permits are being extended until July 31, 2022. The previous extension was set to end on March 31, 2022. As a result, expired driver’s licenses, ID cards and learner’s…

Charles W. Mills had been getting paid for more than a year while under investigation and on leave By BETH HUNDSDORFER Capitol News Illinois SPRINGFIELD – A man charged last month with molesting a child had been receiving a paycheck from the state for more than a year while on administrative leave during a multi-agency…

The bill will head to the Senate for further consideration before it can head to Gov. JB Pritzker. By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois House passed a bill Tuesday that would give teachers, professors and other educational employees paid leave if they miss work for COVID-19-related issues, but only if…

Pritzker declares March 1 ‘Dr. Ngozi Ezike Day’ in Illinois By JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – Illinois Department of Public Health Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike will resign on March 14 after three years leading the agency and two years navigating a deadly pandemic that has claimed the lives of more than 32,000…

SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois State Police cautions motorists who engage in acts that could endanger the safety of the motoring public. Illinois State Police officials have become aware of a planned event along several interstate corridors scheduled for Saturday, February 26, thru Saturday, March 5, where truck drivers plan to conduct a “Convoy” causing traffic…