Illinois House and Senate news, Illinois General Assembly news from the Shaw Local News Network
One bill would reclassify a fentanyl overdose as a “poison,” while another would consider major fentanyl possessors a threat to public safety. The bills have attracted bipartisan support
“There’s no way they can cut that much out of the federal budget without touching Medicaid, because Medicaid is such a substantial portion of the discretionary funds that they have access to,” Rep. Anna Moeller, D-Elgin, said
The General Assembly’s bipartisan Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability released a new fiscal year 2026 revenue projection that is $737 million short of the proposal Pritzker introduced last month
Illinois faces potential energy shortfalls and all-but-guaranteed price spikes for northern Illinois this summer, consumer and environmental advocates say. Lawmakers and advocates in Springfield have proposed bills that they say would address their concerns
As the cost of housing continues to rise, Illinois realtors are pushing legislation to make it easier for first-time homebuyers to save for a down payment
Public transportation reform in the Chicago area is at the top of state lawmakers’ to-do list this spring, but exactly what that reform will look like remains unclear
To critics’ ears, however, Pritzker’s speech signaled he has his eye on the White House in 2028
Republican state Reps. Jeff Keicher and Steve Reick are inviting residents to take part in a live telephone town hall Wednesday, an opportunity to discuss issues affecting local communities.
Illinois lawmakers are considering legalizing a controversial medical practice that proponents say could ease suffering for the terminally ill
Hoping to resolve a legal challenge, a group of suburban Republican leaders on Friday announced it is reopening applications for the vacant 26th Senate District seat.
“If you come to the table looking to spend more, I’m going to ask you where you want to cut,” Pritzker said during his budget address
The governor's proposal would eliminate a health care program for low-income noncitizens aged 42-64 who are in the U.S. without legal permission
One of the major issues facing Illinois is growing electricity demand from data centers, large facilities that run computers for artificial intelligence companies, stock exchanges and other high-tech enterprises
An Illinois Senate committee advanced a bill on Tuesday that would strictly limit police’s ability to search a vehicle after smelling cannabis
A day ahead of Gov. JB Pritzker’s annual budget address Wednesday, Senate Republicans said they want budget negotiations to include cuts to noncitizen spending while bringing in “transparent accounting.”
37th District State Senator from Dixon, Li Arellano, comments on the governor’s budget address next week and a move by some Republican senators to make monies spent more transparent to the state
A Barrington Hills village trustee and children's charity founder has been tapped as the new state senator for Illinois’ 26th Senate District.
Gov. JB Pritzker will present his seventh budget proposal Wednesday as the state faces a projected $3.2 billion revenue shortfall for fiscal2026
Valentine's Day is the final day Illinoisans can vote on whether they want a new state flag.
Karina Gonzalez and her 15-year-old daughter Daniela were shot and killed on Fourth of July weekend in 2023 at their Chicago home, allegedly by her husband. After more than a year of negotiations, Gov. JB Pritzker signed a bill in her honor Monday.
For the second legislative session in a row, state Sen. Willie Preston, D-Chicago, is pushing to ban several chemicals from Illinois food items.
Foster care officials will have to prioritize placing children with their relatives under a new law signed by Gov. JB Pritzker on Wednesday.
Republican lawmakers put forward a proposal to expel students who sexually assault another student at school.
With prescription drug costs soaring, Illinois lawmakers announced legislation this week reviving efforts to create a prescription drug affordability board with the goal of capping the growing cost of medication.
It was a well-known aphorism during former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan’s record 36 years in power that while others in the state’s political realm were merely playing checkers, the longtime Democratic powerbroker was playing chess.
When shortform video platform TikTok shut down service earlier this month, the move surprised some Illinois politicians who use the app to educate, reach constituents and follow trends.
State Rep. Martin McLaughlin says he's interested in filling the Illinois Senate seat being vacated by Sen. Dan McConchie, who has announced his plan to step down.
Jurors hearing former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan’s trial are finally scheduled to begin deliberations Wednesday afternoon more than three months after testimony in the case began.
Democrats continue to hold a supermajority in the Illinois House thanks to illegally gerrymandered House districts, House Republicans allege in a new lawsuit filed with the Illinois Supreme Court Tuesday.
Illinois lawmakers kicked off their spring legislative session roughly three weeks ago, but lawmakers in the House have already filed more than 1,800 bills that could be acted on before the General Assembly adjourns in May.
Republican state Sen. Dan McConchie of Hawthorn Woods will resign effective Sunday, Feb. 2, after nearly nine years of service. Several Democrats are said to be eyeing his 26th District seat, which will be up for election next year.
Federal prosecutors continued their closing arguments Wednesday in the trial of former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, accusing the longtime Democratic powerbroker of using Chicago Ald. Danny Solis’ positions of power “to gain private benefits.”
As prosecutors began their closing arguments Wednesday in the trial of former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, they accused the longtime Democratic powerbroker of lying to the jury when he testified in his own defense earlier this month.
Gov. JB Pritzker on Tuesday signed a long-awaited bill to stop Illinois organizations from paying less than the minimum wage to workers with disabilities.
When state Rep. Emanuel “Chris” Welch was sworn in for another term as speaker of the Illinois House this month, he called on his colleagues to “rise to the occasion” and confront the moment that faced them.
McHenry County Sheriff Robb Tadelman says state law limits his office’s ability to work with ICE on the mass deportations that President-elect Donald Trump has promised.
Revenue returns remain on track halfway through Illinois’ budget year, though it’s next year that is causing concern in the Capitol
Amid a $770 million budget gap facing Metra, Pace and the CTA, and a proposal to merge the three into a supersized agency, Regional Transportation Authority leaders have issued their own transit rescue plan.
With homelessness increasing in Illinois, a coalition of shelter providers and advocates is calling for a $100 million increase in state funding to prevent homelessness and provide shelter to people without homes
A measure awaiting Gov. JB Pritzker’s signature will help protect transgender people and victims of domestic violence who seek to change their names, according to its proponents
Illinoisans can now vote on whether they want a new state flag
Lawmakers in Springfield approved a measure that aims to protect warehouse workers whose workdays center on hitting quotas.
Lawmakers this week passed a bill aimed at boosting the development of renewable energy generation, but its proponents said the final measure was a “skinny” version of what they had hoped to pass
"Karina's bill" clarifies that local law enforcement must temporarily remove guns from a person who has an order of protection against them when the alleged victim successfully seeks firearm removal as a remedy in court
A bill soon heading to Gov. JB Pritzker’s desk would direct foster care officials in Illinois to prioritize placing children with relatives
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
Changes that would make Illinois pension systems compliant with Social Security by improving benefits for government employees hired since 2011 could be on the table when lawmakers return to Springfield in January.
Here are official results for the 2024 November election for the DeKalb County circuit clerk, coroner, state's attorney, as well as DeKalb County Board, local legislative races and referendums.
Here are official results for the 2024 November election for the Kendall County Board, circuit court clerk, state's attorney and local legislative races, as well as the Sandwich treasurer referendum.
Here are official results for the November 2024 primary for the La Salle County Board and its chairperson, the La Salle County auditor, and the Bureau County state's attorney and coroner, as well as local judicial races and referendums.